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Show Lady Police Chief Preserves Order In Missouri Town PARMA, MO. The only police officer of-ficer on duty here during the day and the chief of the police force at all times that's Maggie Porter, attractive at-tractive 32-year-old "gun toter" who not only preserves order in Parma, but who's an expert cook, as well! Folks In Parma claim, so far as they know, tlrat she is the only woman wom-an chief of police In the U. S. A. But Chief Porter disclaims any credit for her unique role. "I was appointed town marshal after the death of my father, John W. Porter, who was serving his second sec-ond term in that office," she explains. It all sounds simple, but what Miss Porter fails to lay is that all through his administration she was her father's "right hand man," keeping his books and even helping him on the street when the town was crowded with visitors. When Mr. Porter could no longer carry on his duties, his daughter pinned the badge of authority on her coat lapel, strapped his six-shooter six-shooter around her waist, and proceeded pro-ceeded to do everything from making mak-ing arrests to handling the $10,000-a-year tax collections that "go with" the chicf-of-police duties in Parma. And after his death, the city council coun-cil of this community of 1,200 persons per-sons voted to make her successor to Mr. Porter, and she'll hold the job at least until the next election. Chief Porter, who works with W. B. Morgan, business-man mayor of Parma, and tour male council members, Is the town's only daytime day-time police officer. She has a night marshal and often appoints a deputy to work with him. And on Saturday Satur-day nights, she remains on duty until un-til nearly midnight, ready to direct di-rect the work of law enforcing. Trouble? "Occasionally," Chief Porter says, "when some outsider comes to town, gets drunk and starts showing off." Asked what her most exciting duty had been. Chief Porter said, without with-out much hesitation, "Tracking down the criminal who shot my night marshal, W. T. Wormack, on December 22, 1940." She hopes the time never comes when she has to use her gun, but admits that if that time comes, she'll be - ready. It's not at all unusual, say local citizens, to see her "collar" some law violator and march him oft to the town's Jail. Chief Porter lives with her wid-owed wid-owed mother. She was born in Missouri, Mis-souri, but attended business college in Michigan. Her straight, raven-black hair, cut man's style and combed in a pompadour, pom-padour, is Miss Porter's outstanding outstand-ing physical characteristic. |