The Queensland Police Service (QPS) has marked the 50th anniversary of women in the police force.

On March 31, 1965, eight female police joined the force as plain clothes officers, but they did not see equal pay with their male peers until the 1970s.

Fifty years later, there are 3,038 female police officers in the QPS - about 26 per cent of the service.

“The Queensland Police Service is proud of the progress that has been made for women in policing, with female officers playing integral roles throughout the Service,” QPS said in a statement marking the event.

Duties were light when women were first allowed at Queensland Police.

The first females performed a lot of office work and duties involving women and children, and were not actually given the power to arrest.

In fact, as if the uniform was not a clue, female officers wore 'P.W.' (Police Woman) emblazoned on their badge, distinguishing them from their male colleagues.

Female applicants also had to stand 5’4” (162cm) without footwear.

These days, the badges and pay rates are the same between all genders. The height requirement has been removed.

Legislation in 1971 allowed married women to serve, but was amended 15 years later.

The amendment gave the Commissioner a choice as to whether a married female would be accepted into the Force.

Today’s recruiting guidelines are designed not to discriminate between male and female applicants.

The following is an article from The Sunday Mail, 5 March 1967, detailing the arrest of Melbourne man who patted a female police officer on the buttocks, and was promptly arrested.

The officer in question, Constable Noela Holman, later became the first female Officer-in-Charge of a station.