From time-to-time television news captures our attention with images of heavily accoutred police storming high risk incidents. Today’s SERT, the elite tactically trained Queensland Police squad based in Brisbane and Cairns, has evolved from the ‘Emergency Squad’ established in 1968 by Commissioner of Police, Frank Bischof.
Prior to that time, Queensland imported tactically trained officers from New South Wales for critical incidents. Queensland police officers had no such training nor suitable equipment including tear gas, shotguns, or sniper rifles. After nearly a decade of condemnation by the Queensland Police Union and the press, in mid-1966, the Minister for Education and Police, Jack Pizzey, who went on to become Premier, instructed the Police Commissioner to form Queensland’s first Emergency Squad.
On 24 October 1966, Detective Sub-Inspector Les Bardwell, the Officer in Charge of the Technical Section of Brisbane’s CIB, a forensic scientist, and weapons expert, was given the ‘go ahead’ and appointed Officer in Charge of the new Emergency Squad. Commissioner Bischoff had worked with Bardwell over the years when the Commissioner himself was one of Queensland’s top investigators. He was well acquainted with Bardwell’s gamut of skills, including theoretical and practical use of firearms, ballistics, and explosives. Bardwell was also a champion marksman.
Outfitting the new Emergency Squad
Recruiting the new Emergency Squad
Detective Sub-Inspector Bardwell attended a two-week training course with the NSW Police Emergency Squad in 1966 with co-worker, Detective Senior Sergeant JJ Ryan. Representatives from Victoria Police also attended, as they were forming a similar squad. After training, Bardwell submitted a report and request for equipment, but the bulk of the items did not arrive until January 1968.
In the interim, he advertised for suitable candidates. They would continue working in their fulltime police roles whilst being available to be called upon for critical incidents as required. The squad was under direct control of the Inspector of Brisbane’s CIB, and could only be utilised under the direction of the Inspector.
Bardwell deemed the following qualities essential for selection to his squad:
‘Persons with courage, initiative, coolness under stress, good physical condition, no ‘pot belly’ drinkers considered, and a natural ability to use, with accuracy, handguns, shot guns and rifles.’
He was inundated with applications. Perhaps this was ‘the best (police) job in the world.’
Most of the successful candidates were detectives who were known to Bardwell. He’d worked with them on investigations and knew their potential. He also considered their personal knowledge of criminal activity to be an advantage. Amongst the varied high-risk incidents they attended, were calls for assistance with home-made explosive devices, jail riots and sieges. See blogs: The bank robbery hoax that wasn’t and Gangland Revenge Parts 1 and 2.
The Queensland Police Museum acknowledges the unpublished work ‘No Stone Unturned’, a collection of works by former Detective Inspector Les Bardwell, who preferred to be known as a ‘field forensic scientist. He believed that it was important to have first-hand contact with the aftermath of crime and violence. His stories are a source of inspiration in the writing of this blog, and hopefully are authentic in reflecting the legacy of 35 years at the forefront of forensic science with the Queensland Police. Leslie James Bardwell passed away on 23rd March 1995 aged 78 years.
This story was re-written by Museum Assistant Debra Austin using the information from ‘No Stone Unturned’.
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 – The Best Job in the World – Part 1” 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