The Truth behind the Badge

Pam Roe, later Robinson, was unprepared for her role as the first female police officer in the City of Gloucester, a small city in Eastern Ontario. Going from a life of fun, friends and summertime frolic along the shores of the St. Lawrence to the everyday miseries of the underside of life made her toughen up quickly. And each day, as she did her job, she withstood the sideways looks, snide remarks and silent antagonism of men who feared she was a threat to them in their careers. She endured. This is her memoir… Looking back on 28 years of policing, I am pleased to say there has been some progress. This memoir was based on my personal experience, and it reflects a sign of the times back in 1983 when I first started my policing career. It is my belief that the implementation of laws within the workplace has played a part but there has also been a shift in the role women play in society today. Women have overcome the traditional stereotype of stay-at-home Moms and have taken on more independent roles within the home and workplace. With more women in the workforce today it has changed the overall outlook and expectations of both men and women. I am very proud of the women who followed in my footsteps and endured some of the things I did and I am also proud of the men who supported this change and accepted women into policing.