Vivian Strange was the first African American woman to be promoted to the rank of Sergeant at the LAPD. She served for 23 years at the department of Public Relations before she retired. Strange had a complicated relationship with other LAPD officers, refusing to ride in the same car with many white officers when driving to South Los Angeles. She opted to drive herself, understanding that black women who rode in cars with white men were likely to be seen as prostitutes, which would undermine her authority and respect in the eyes of the community. Portrait of Sergeant Vivian Strange of the Los Angeles Police Department.
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