Since a very young age, Kay Minger knew she wanted to be just like Nancy Drew.\nDespite her desire to become a detective, she discovered after entering the police force in 1972 that jobs for women in the field were scarce.
History
While she was growing up, Kay Minger was exposed to police work because both her dad and uncle were officers.\n“I think my father did inspire me because he was a police officer when I was real young and I was fascinated,” Kay Minger said. “He had a siren in the family car. I locked myself in the car when I was four and kept pressing the siren. No one could get in. I loved pressing the siren.”\nKay Minger started her college career at IU as an elementary education major, but hated it. She tried to transfer into law enforcement, but her counselor told her she shouldn’t.\n“He flat out told me there was no jobs in law enforcement and it wasn’t for me,” Kay Minger said.\nEventually another counselor helped her make a successful transition into law enforcement.\nWhile Kay Minger was finishing her final semester of college at IU, she applied for a position as one of the first female police officers for Bloomington Police Department, but was not given the job because of conflicts with her class schedule. During the summer, she began working in dispatch for BPD.\n“I worked in dispatch for four years,” Kay Minger said. “I applied every year for street officer, but I never got it. I would have made a lot of enemies, maybe lost my job by playing the gender card.”\nAfter four years in dispatch, Kay Minger received the job of street officer. Her journey there was more difficult than some.\n“My situation was really unique,” Kay Minger said. “There was a person who had a lot of power at the police department and it was a personal vendetta. He may have thought he was hurting me, but by the time I got there the guys felt sorry for me. I earned a lot of respect.”\nAfter working on the street for four years and encountering many drunks, Kay Minger earned her dream job of BPD detective. She remained a detective for 24 years before retiring.
She’s not the only one
When Kay Minger started out, she was not the only one who had difficulties entering the field.\nSgt. Leslie Slone started as an IUPD police officer in 1987 and eventually became a detective in 1996.\n“I think I was treated differently because I think there were some people that felt that they had to protect me because I was a woman,” Slone said.\nSlone said she not only had a difficult time with other police officers, but she also received criticism from the public.\n“Generally I would get, ‘you a police man?’ or ‘you a feminist?’” Slone said. “I got a lot of skepticism. I got commentary like ‘you’re just in this to find a husband.’ Some comments were very supportive, though.”\nKay Minger said when she first started working there, BPD swore in two dispatchers and called them officers, but in reality, they were dispatchers.\n“I worked for 20 years before I ever got promoted,” Kay Minger said. “Being a woman, you may work your entire career and never get promoted, but not because you’re a woman. I think now, police departments try to hire people that are much more diverse.”\n“In the very beginning, before I got there in ’72, the word had come down that you had to hire women police officers,” Kay Minger said. \nThese “officers” had been there for eight months before Kay Minger began working dispatch. The police department was paying the same wages to ladies who were in dispatch and not wearing uniforms. BPD was open to a lawsuit, Kay Minger said.\nThese two women were eventually put on the streets along with more women police officers to come.
All in the family
Kay Minger’s brother is currently the captain of the IU Police Department and started at IUPD the same day Kay Minger started at BPD.\n“I think back when Kay started it was much harder for females because it was very uncommon to have women working out on the streets,” said IUPD Capt. Jerry Minger, brother of Kay Minger. “A lot of wives knowing their husbands were working with women caused a lot of discussion on a personal level.”\nEven today, there aren’t many women working in the force. Only five women work for IUPD. One is a lieutenant, two are sergeants and two are officers. One of the officers is still in training.
