The late entry of women into sworn law enforcement positions stems in part from the belief that law enforcement agencies function to exercise authority and use force. During the first half of the 19th century, efforts to change a number of police practices served as the basis for the entry of women into the police field. In 1845, New York City hired its first police matron. In 1888, Massachusetts and New York passed legislation making it mandatory for communities with a population over 20,000 to hire police matrons to care for female prisoners. In 1922, the International Association of Chiefs of Police passed a resolution supporting the use of policewomen. Barriers to female entry into the police field included separate entrance requirements, limits on the number of women that could be employed, and lower pay. Female police duties were initially limited to such areas as delinquency prevention, dealing with lost children, female criminality, and sex offense victims. As their role expanded, policewomen were assigned to handle juvenile offenders and community relations, investigate cases involving rape and obscene telephone calls, and deal with voyeurism cases. The Indianapolis Police Department was the first to hire women for patrol duties. A 1981 Police Foundation study of 123 cities revealed that 300 women were employed as detectives and 196 were sergeants. As more women now perform law enforcement duties, they often encounter difficulties in adjusting to a male-dominated police culture, and sexual harassment occurs rather frequently. Law enforcement agencies should develop clear policies and procedures to deal with sexual harassment. Consideration should be given to the creation of training programs so that all employees are fully aware of what constitutes sexual harassment and the techniques used in investigating such complaints. 26 references, 2 tables, and 1 figure