Posted on 03/18/2014 11:42:53 AM PDT by BenLurkin
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The first Hispanic woman to join the Los Angeles Police Department died last month, authorities said Tuesday.
Josephine Serrano Collier, 91, died on Feb. 25 in Tucson, Ariz., according to the LAPD.
Collier joined the department in 1946 at the age of 24.
“Though she faced many challenges because of her gender, ethnicity and prevailing cultural issues within the Department, Josephine worked many assignments, including foot beats, vice, bunco, juvenile and the Lincoln Heights Jail. Her divisions included Hollenbeck and Central,” officials said in a statement.
She married fellow Officer Darwin “Jack” Collier and raised three children. Collier retired on Oct. 24, 1960 due to a back injury.
She then worked briefly as a counselor for the L.A. Job Corp before she and her husband moved to Idaho to take up cattle raising along the Snake River.
“In great sadness but with the utmost gratitude, our Department thanks Josephine for her sacrifices and for breaking the lines that divided women from many assignments in the early history of LAPD,” Chief Charlie Beck said. “Those sacrifices and her commitment opened the door for many women and Latinas in the Department, setting the stage for future generations.”
So who was the first person of Polish heritage to join the LAPD? Did they get an obit?
I would have stopped at:
SO.
RIP. I like her white gloves.
I had no idea Bianca Jagger was a cop.
Well, if you paid attention in school during White History Month......wait, what?
A whole different generation.
She made Jack Webb proud, I’m sure.
I’m sure she did, what did her race have to do with it?
“Collier retired on Oct. 24, 1960 due to a back injury. “
Fourteen years to retire. Not bad.
Faced many challenges because of her blah blah blah??
Like what?
in 1946, i’m sure the LAPD was 99% white male. And I’m sure she got a lot more flack than the average new cop. Give it a rest. 1946 was a different time, and clearly this lady had to be pretty tough. (Well, at least until 1960).
Time for the 1st Hispanic LAPD funeral then I guess?
If we live another decade or so, we can be witnesses to the Last White Man to leave the LAPD.
Good for her!! 14 years of work/54 years of retirement.
Gotta love “public service”.
She helped him solve the copper clapper caper!
Who was the first left handed cop? Who was the first red headed cop? Who was the first near sighted cop? These are just as important as her qualifications.
RIP.
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