No one said that becoming a police officer would be easy, but for Constable Lurancy D. Harris the challenges were unique. By 1912, the city had grown to the extent that women were becoming more often both the perpetrators and victims of crime, particularly in the area of vice. Responding to strongly-worded requests by local mission and church groups, Vancouver created a Women’s Division “to render assistance to the young girls and women in the city.” Mrs. Harris and Minnie Miller were hired and assigned to duty with the Detective Department with the rank of 4th Class Constable, becoming the first women in Canada to be sworn in with “full police powers”.

In the course of their duties, they patrolled dance halls, cabarets, pool halls, beer parlours, parks, beaches and “any areas of amusement where women might get into trouble.”

Less than six months into her service, Constable Harris was assigned to the first big case of her career: Lorena Mathews had fled from Oklahoma to Alberta after being accused of killing her husband in what was one of that state’s most sensational murder cases. She fought extradition for two years but when it appeared that Mathews would be captured in Edmonton, she fled instead to Vancouver and was promptly arrested.

Given her unique status as a sworn police officer, Constable Harris was assigned to escort Mathews back to Oklahoma to face charges: a grueling trip of almost 2000 miles. Also, given the notoriety of the case, the traveling pair were treated as celebrities, appearing on the front page of newspapers from Denver to Oklahoma City.

Once Mathews was safely handed off to local law enforcement, Harris began her long return trip. After coming back to Vancouver, Harris was promoted to Sergeant and given authority over the Women’s Department; she retired 17 years later, with the rank of Inspector. Thanks to the trail she blazed, almost 25% of officers in the Vancouver Police Department are women. Harris’ dedication to her duties and to the department has proven to be truly “Beyond the Call”.