Stories about Frances Glessner Lee, even contemporary ones, often refer to her as an honorary police captain. Was her designation as captain honorary? Yes and no.

Lee was indeed an honorary captain in the Maine State Police, the Vermont State Police, the Massachusetts State Police, the Virginia State Police, the Connecticut State Police, and the Chicago Police Department. She was also an honorary major in the Kentucky State Police.

But in New Hampshire, she was the real deal. In 1943, Col. R...