Neil Douglas Raward wrote of his career as a Police Forensic Scientist in a short story released in November 2010. Application to join the Queensland Police Force as a cadet was made in 1959, and the November entrance exam and medical examination determined Neil’s eligibility, requiring him to commence work on December 21. Neil recalls ‘My vision of having Christmas and New Year with my family and friends was somewhat shattered, how could the Police Force make me start my job as a cadet four days before Christmas…’
After initially being posted to the Criminal Records Section as a filing clerk, Neil was approached about transferring to the Technical and Firearms Section where his 36 year Forensic Scientist career began. An ability to analyse handwriting, ballistics and ultra violet ray results necessitated formal scientific qualifications, and with studies in chemistry, physics and mathematics completed in school, obtaining a Diploma in Industrial Chemistry was not too arduous. Neil joined ‘budding chemists’ employed in factory laboratories bottling milk, producing beer, small goods and fertilizer.
Collection items from the Police Museum are displayed at the Royal Queensland Show, c1955.
Image No. PM3750 courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.
The need to be across all fields of forensic science during the early years was evident, with minimal staff analysing blood splatter, seminal fluids, dangerous drugs and toxic substances; ‘Some of the forensic skills acquired included work in crime scene examinations including fires, sexual assaults, murders, break and enters, ballistics, identification of stolen vehicles, tool marks, fibres, hairs, paint and glass comparisons, chemical and inflammable liquid identification, explosive residue identification and forensic photography.’
Scientific staff were originally responsible for creating the police display at the Royal Queensland Show (the Ekka), ‘The displays highlighted the work of the section by providing case histories and forensic comparison…rare types of firearms were also exhibited and one year there featured the armour worn by Ned Kelly when he was captured.’ Much time and effort to prepare the display was required, and as Scientific staff were also required to complete their forensic duties they dreaded the Exhibition each year.
The scene at the Whiskey Au Go Go night club, Fortitude Valley, on the morning of March 8, 1973. Earlier that day the premises was fire-bombed and 15 young patrons perished.
Image No. PM1902 courtesy of the Courier Mail.
Neil worked on many infamous crimes examining the evidence and assisting the investigation teams secure convictions. Forensic analysis included examining deceased persons, and the articles used to weigh bodies down in water, examining fire accelerants, including petrol used in the bombing of nightclub Whiskey Au Go Go in Fortitude Valley, examining ballistic evidence including firearms and bullet shells, bite marks and blood evidence, and the advancement of DNA technology.
Senior Scientific Officer (Grade 1) Neil Douglas Raward at work, 1979.
Image PR Neg SL44 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. The article was written by Museum Assistance Georgia Grier, from reflections of Neil Douglas Raward. 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- Reflections of a Forensic Scientist” 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