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 on the beat, in police cars or on motorbikes. Just three cars were initially fitted with receiving sets allowing constant contact with Police Headquarters. One car patrolled the north side of the river, another the south side, while the third is held in reserve to be despatched at a moment’s notice. Officers still had to return to the station to make their report. When World War II began a new 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 a building at the Police Depot.
Sergeant Cecil Trower communicates via his two-way radio equipped BSA motorcycle in 1956.
Image No PM0414 Courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.
In 1975 new motorcycle helmet radio gear is introduced that allows hands free communication.
Image No PM0795a Courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.
Progress to 1978, and this Ford Transit van is fitted out as a mobile communications option for use in emergencies. The van has its own generator, is fitted with radio systems to cover all police frequencies and contains four VHF handheld radios, maps of every district and a loud hailer.
Image No. PM3677 Courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.
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.
In October 2013 fifty personally-issued Apple iPads and iPhones were issued to police officers. With technology at their fingertips, police officers have quicker and more direct access to information checking systems for persons of interest and vehicle registrations.
Image No. P3683 Courtesy of the Queensland Police Museum.
These and many more images depicting early police and their technology has been turned into a publication celebrating the Queensland Police Service’s Sesquicentennial, 150th year. Books are available from the Police Museum (see address below), or by emailing QPS.150YearCelebrations@police.qld.gov.au
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 Friday 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 – Communications on the Go” 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