Angie Holland celebrates 100 years

by John Dowd

Law enforcement has often been considered a “man’s job.” Today, that is an outdated view. Seventy years ago, that was the prevailing view. However, living in Stevensville is one of the women who was breaking that mold all those years ago. Angie Holland just turned 100 years old last week, and after working for 30 years in law enforcement, she walked that walk and talked the talk and now looks back on her service to her community with pride.

Holland was a policewoman for over 30 years. Retiring as a sergeant, she was the first-ever woman promoted to that rank in her department. According to her, she got along well with everyone and that was a big reason she saw promotions. However, the process was not without challenges. 

Born on March 3, 1926, Holland first started in the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). However she was limited on what kinds of things her bosses would let her do. Holland wanted to get out, be on patrol and do real police work. Few women in those days were allowed to do much else other than work desks and dispatch and “the men weren’t very friendly,” there, says Holland.

She found another option and left not long after, moving to the Los Angeles School Police Department (LASPD), also referred to as the LA Unified Police. The LASPD still covers all schools, from elementary up to high school, and they oversee police work on all county and city properties that house schools in Los Angeles County. The department operates in a similar way to School Resource Officers in Montana, but on a much larger scale. 

She worked from 1952 to 1982, with the vast majority of that in the LASPD. Holland was one of only eight women in those years. When she started there, the department was only about a dozen officers strong. Now, the department has grown to over 600 officers and overshadows numerous standard police departments across the country, not only in size, but in training and versatility. Much of that growth occurred within Holland’s time in the department. 

Holland held numerous positions over the years, working in the child division with troubled youth, as well as head of investigations. She is proud of her time in investigations and said she was the one investigating break-ins and crime on properties, which usually included theft. 

One situation she recounted involved a man who stole a number of typewriters. This was a significant deal, because for context there were no computers at the time. Her report led to his capture, and when they went to his house it was packed with a lot of equipment.

Security for high profile school guests was another of Holland’s responsibilities. She would stay with the individuals that would come to speak at schools and travel with them on school properties. Through this part of the job she said she had the opportunity to connect with and meet numerous well known people that came out of Los Angeles in those days, including current sitting representatives, actors and more. 

Holland oversaw numerous officers by the time she would retire from the department and she helped onboard new officers into the department. She carried a gun, and often patrolled in an unmarked vehicle, which was standard at that time. She said it was an interesting conversation with LAPD officers when she was pulled over, while patrolling at night.

She has been retired for 44 years. Looking back, she said she did it because it paid well. “Well above what other women were making at that time,” said Holland. She loved her job and said, “I’m so glad I had the opportunity.”

Holland celebrated her birthday last Tuesday. The party was attended by retired and currently active officers and deputies from numerous departments, from places including Oregon, Ravalli County, Los Angeles and more. According to Stevensville Police Chief John Boe, “She’s kind of like a diamond in the rough, here. Nobody knows she’s got this background.” 

Boe was one of the driving forces in organizing the party, and credited a retired LA County Sheriff’s Deputy, Augie Tando, who lives in the area. Tando had connections and helped to gather some of Holland’s history. As Boe explained, “A lot of people were interested once they found out she was around.”

At 100 years old, she is still sharp and witty, and she attributes this to the fact that she still goes to the gym every day to ride the bicycle. She eats a good diet and added, “I’m not a gossip. Being a police person, you know how to keep things to yourself.”

She is also a bit of a loner, and can often be found doing her puzzles in the entrance lobby to The Living Centre in Stevensville. According to witnesses, some employees may sometimes “misplace” pieces of her puzzle on purpose, something which Holland is often wise to.