The Austin Police Department celebrated the 40th anniversary of female police officers within the department Thursday at the Police Association Center.
The first cadet class of women began in 1976. Elaine Martin was one of three women sworn in as an Austin Police Officer. She was 26-years-old at the time.
It was a milestone many couldn’t imagine coming.
"We were going to overcome anything or any obstacle to achieve our goal,” Martin said.
She served for nearly a decade, Martin says being a woman in her position was sometimes difficult, always being looked at under a microscope. Martin remembers being called out to a home once and seeing the shock on people’s faces when they saw her.
“Knock on the door and they'd say, 'Who is it?' and you'd go, 'Police!' and all the blinds would come open and they would look out to see who that was,” Martin said.
But the presence of the three women in the force helped set the bar for future classes, two years later Sharon Voudouris-Ross joined the team.
"In the beginning, it was hard for some of the men that we could be strong but in a different way than they were, and that we could handle this type of job."
Voudouris-Ross knew what she wanted and went for it, but it didn't come easy. She says when asked about her goals, only one thing came to mind, motorcycles.
"They laughed and said, men, tall men are the only ones on bikes,” Voudouris-Ross said.
Not long after she became the first female motorcyclist in the force, she kept that role for three years.
The police veteran also worked patrol in East Austin for four years, later she promoted to detective in theft detail and internal affairs special unit, then Senior Sergeant.
“You would have to prove yourself over, over and over again,” Martin said.
But APD veterans say it was all worth it, today about 173 officers in the city of Austin are women, evidence that passion and perseverance conquer all.
"It brought out the strength in the women and I think it speaks well for who we have on the department,” Voudouris-Ross said.