The Story of Omaha Police Fingerprint Expert Emily Byram

Trained by the Army during World War I, Emily Byram Ruffner became one of the first female fingerprint examiners in United States law enforcement.

As the United States fielded a larger standing military, it needed a more reliable method of identifying service members, both to identify remains and to help capture deserters and criminals. The use of fingerprints for personnel identification, mostly to enlist men, started in 1906 and 1907. By 1917, the armed forces discontinued photographs and expanded fingerprinting to cover officers as well as enlisted personnel.

Eventually, the Navy’s bureau employed 115 fingerprint experts, 110 of whom were women. Other branches, such as the U.S. Army, also used women as fingerprint experts. In order to find and develop more experts, the Navy set up its own training school, which Byram attended. She then accepted a position with the Omaha Police Department.

She was almost certainly one of the first women to do this type of work within the police force. Most of her work with the OPD probably occurred in the Bertillon room, where fingerprints and photographs of criminals were taken. This is also where files were consulted for comparison of evidence. She also sometimes investigated in the field as well.

Byram led a life full of tragedies and adventure before leaving the workforce and assuming the role of a traditional wife. By all accounts, she was a resilient, driven woman who operated in male-dominated, highly complex, and potentially dangerous field that was critical to law enforcement operations. She was a pioneer, intent on serving the war effort and returning to her hometown to continue her public service. Her career was part of the growing trend of women entering the workforce, and an example of the progress made in World War I. The new training experience allowed women to pursue service as fingerprint examiners and gave them a competitive edge in postwar years. Overall, it established a new career area for the working woman of the twentieth century.

This is an excerpt of ‘“Woman Scans Skylight for Fingerprints”: The Story of Omaha Police Fingerprint Expert Emily Byram” by Don Arp, JR., which appears in the 2017 winter issue of Nebraska History magazine.

Become a Member!

Our members make history happen.

Join Now

You May Also Enjoy

Check Your Bags? Scenes from the Ogallala Depot

Check Your Bags? Scenes from the Ogallala Depot

Nebraska History Spotlight: the Pennsylvania Colony Historical Society of Nebrsaka

Nebraska History Spotlight: the Pennsylvania Colony Historical Society of Nebrsaka

Philander DeForest Thompson: A Legacy at Neligh Mill

Philander DeForest Thompson: A Legacy at Neligh Mill

About NSHS

The Nebraska State Historical Society was founded in 1878 by citizens who recognized Nebraska was going through great changes and they sought to record the stories of both indigenous and immigrant peoples. It was designated a state institution and began receiving funds from the legislature in 1883. Legislation in 1994 changed NSHS from a state institution to a state agency. The division is headed by Interim Director Cindy Drake. They are assisted by an administrative staff responsible for financial and personnel functions, museum store services, security, and facilities maintenance for NSHS.

Explore Nebraska

Discover the real places and people of our past at these NSHS sites.

Upcoming Events

View our new and upcoming events to see how you can get involved.

Become a Member

The work we do to discover, preserve, and share Nebraska's history wouldn't be possible without the support of NSHS members.

NSHS Education

Learn more about the educational programs provided at our museums, sites, and online.

Education Digital Learning Resources

Find games, lists, and more to enhance your history education curriculum.

Latest Hall of Fame Inductee

The Nebraska Hall of Fame was established in 1961 to officially recognize prominent Nebraskans.

Listen to our Podcast

Listen to the articles and authors published in the Nebraska History Magazine with our new Nebraska History Podcast!

Nebraska Collections

NSHS's mission is to collect, preserve, and open our shared history to all Nebraskans.

Our YouTube Video Collection

Get a closer look at Nebraska's history through your own eyes, with our extensive video collections.

Additional Research Resources

NSHS's Research and Reference Services help connect you to the material we collect and preserve.

NSHS Services

Digital Resources

Find all of our digital resources, files, videos, and more, all in one easy-to-search page!

Support The Historical Society

Make a cash donation to help us acquire, preserve, and interpret Nebraska’s history. Gifts to the Nebraska State Historical Society help leave a legacy and may help your taxes, too! Support the work of NSHS.

Volunteers are the heroes of NSHS. So much history, so little time! Your work helps us share access to Nebraska’s stories at our museums and sites, the reference room, and online.