The history of police radio illustrates that good communications are essential for efficient and effective policing.
In 1933 the Queensland Police Union commented in its Journal via cartoon, on the lack of both police cars and effective communication within the Queensland Police. Alluding to the possibility that the ‘crooks’ had better transport and technology than the police. Prior to 1935, there was no police radio and not many police cars. Officers were tasked out to police jobs while at the station and then returned to report back on the events of the day. In 1935 a temporary one way radio system was introduced which meant that information could be fed directly to officers out on the beat in police cars or on motorbikes. Although officers still had to return to the station to make their report. The Police Union again commented on this turn of events by cartoon.
When World War 2 began it was realised that a two way radio system needed to be put into place for more effective policing across Queensland. In 1941 a permanent two-way radio station was established in building at the Police Depot (it still stands and currently houses the Bavarian Café).
Queensland Police Museum Image No. PM3328.
Today police communications are high-tech in keeping with the nature of modern policing. Police radio is truly portable and can be carried on the person by individual officers while on the beat. Portability ensures that contact between police officers, stations and Police Communications Centres is maintained at all times.
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: A History of Police Radio” 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