“On January 1, 1864 the Queensland Police Force was inaugurated and Lieutenant David Thompson Seymour of the 12th (East Suffolk) Regiment of Foot was made Acting Commissioner. He inherited 151 foot and mounted officers and 136 native police (European officers and Indigenous troopers) from New South Wales to police a population of approximately 112000 people.”
Queensland Police Commissioner, Ian Stewart.
“Queensland has an area of 1,727,000 square kilometres, is the second largest state in Australia and boasts varied geographical features with an environment that includes a little too much drought and flooding rain. Over the last 150 years police officers have been drawn from a population of unique Queenslanders bred to cope with the everyday and with adversity.”
Police Museum Curator, Lisa Jones.
Above are two of four introductions to the pictorial ‘Policing Queensland 1864 – 2014: 150 years’. This commemorative book was published in recognition and celebration of the sesquicentennial of policing in Queensland, in 2014. The book would make a beautiful Christmas present and is now available at the special price of $35 for limited edition, individually numbered, hard covers and $20 for the soft cover version.
The following images are a small taste of many fascinating photos taken during the history of policing in this state, and have been utilised in the book. We have left them untouched for your interest, however most have seen some editing for publication standards. Books can be purchased in person from the Police Museum, or ordered by email. Please see below for address and email contact details.
Queensland Native Police contingent sent to Victoria to help hunt the Kelly Gang, 1879. Standing at the Benalla Police Paddock (Victoria).
Image No. PM0130 courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.
Constable Owen Heness (left) from the Scientific Section microscopically examines a garment looking for forensic evidence and Detective Inspector Les Bardwell chemically etches an erased number on a motor vehicle engine block, 1963.
Image No. PM0237 courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.
Group of female Police Officers wearing the first style of uniform issued to female officers in June 1965. This drab olive uniform was worn with a cream blouse and dark brown shoes and gloves. L-R: Sandra Paterson (at mirror); Evelyn Hill; Roslyn Kelleher and Noala Holman.
Image No. PM1812b courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.
Brisbane Water Police Station, Whyte Island. The new premises occupied on July 15, 1998. Facilities include a slipway, nine berth marina, maintenance facility and emergency helipad.
Image No. PM0824 courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.
Doomadgee police officers Constable Stacey Marshall (holding bucket), Senior Sergeant Richard Trotter, Constable Brendan Mowlem, Constable Joel Bryant (holding sponge) and Sergeant Catherine Purcell (right) tackle a tedious chore with true country spirit and wash their vehicle on the flooded Nicholson River causeway just like the locals do, 2010.
Image No. PM3756 courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.
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This information has been supplied by the Queensland Police Museum from the best resources available at the time of writing. The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane. Contact: E: museum@police.qld.gov.au
“FROM the VAULT- Policing Queensland 1864 – 2014, 150 Years” by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode