My Chloe Ellefson series is set in the early 1980s. I’ve blogged before about the way television shows like Cagney and Lacey and T.J. Hooker portrayed women officers. While finishing Chloe #3, The Lightkeeper’s Legacy, I got a new glimpse of women officers of the time.
A scene called for one of the male officer characters to empty his mailbox. Always on the look for tiny tidbits that will make in-the-know readers smile and nod, I did a quick eBay search for police-related periodicals of the day. All I wanted was a title, but when I came across the August ‘82 of Police Product News: The Law Officer’s Magazine, I had to have it. (Seriously, could you resist those guys on the cover?)
I had no idea I was buying a magazine with a centerfold.
Based on the Letters section, the inclusion of a policewoman pin-up was the subject of ongoing controversy. A female reader had previously written to object to the “practice of using sexuality as a means of selling your magazines.” Another had evidently claimed in an earlier issue that the centerfolds existed because “majority rules…”, which I assume referred to the fact that forces were at that time predominantly male.
In response, a male sheriff from Pennsylvania wrote, “The centerspread is just an extra in a fine magazine to brighten up a dull day or night for officers.”
A male officer from Washington State added, “I believe that a few people are too sensitive to the centerfolds. …I’m glad the profession is opening more to women. There are certain areas of public relations that women can handle that prove a little difficult at times for men. …My wife is a police officer and I have seen her control subjects verbally who would have probably kicked my bucket no matter how nice I would have been.”
The magazine’s main content clearly offered a variety content-rich and helpful articles for officers. I’ve only seen the one issue, so I don’t know how long the centerfolds continued.
As a novelist it’s not my job to pronounce personal judgment, but to observe and consider how my characters might feel about the pin-ups. My cop, Roelke McKenna, has a less-than-ideal relationship with a female deputy sheriff named Marge. Marge can come across as officious and pushy. I think I’d like to explore the working relationship between Roelke and Marge, and their perspectives on the role of female officers, in a future book.
Want to weigh in? Were the centerfolds disrespectful? Fun and harmless? Offensive because, as far as I know, only women were chosen? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
And a blue-light special: Amazon has chosen to feature Old World Murder, the first Chloe Ellefson mystery, throughout January. Kindle downloads are just $1.99!
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