South Australia Police Historical Society facts for kids
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| Established | 1977 |
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The South Australia Police Historical Society Incorporated is a group of volunteers. They work to save and share the history of the South Australia Police. This includes the story of how law enforcement has grown in South Australia.
Contents
How the Society Started
This society began in 1977. For some years, it was located at the old Mounted Police Barracks in Adelaide. Today, the society is based at the Thebarton Police Barracks complex. This is at 1 Gaol Road, Adelaide, inside Park 27 of the Adelaide Park Lands.
The society works closely with the South Australia Police (SAPOL). Since it started, the head of the police, called the Commissioner, has been its honorary patron. This means they support the society. Anyone can join, whether they are police officers or not.
What the Society Collects and Does
The society's main goal is to record, save, and share the history of the South Australia Police. They also show how the police have helped the community. They hold monthly meetings with guest speakers who talk about police history.
Police Foundation Day is a special event. It happens every year on April 28th. This day celebrates when SAPOL was founded in 1838.
Exploring the Police Museum
The society has a museum with five different areas. You can see police objects and uniforms from the past and present. One area shows police vehicles from different time periods. Another area displays a plaster cast made in 1949. This cast is of an unknown man's head and chest from the unsolved Tamam Shud case. It is a unique historical item.
Other Activities and Support
The society also keeps a large collection of photos and documents. They have a library and hold an annual open day. They attend community events and re-enactments to support local police. The society is a not-for-profit group. It gets money mainly from museum tours and selling books and souvenirs. Tours are usually by appointment, except on the open day.
Unique Police History in South Australia
The society highlights many special things about South Australia's police history.
Early Police Force Milestones
SAPOL was founded on April 28, 1838. Inspector Henry Inman was its first leader. While other parts of Australia had police, South Australia's force was the first to cover an entire colony. This makes it the third oldest centrally controlled police force in the world. Only London's Metropolitan Police (1829) and Dublin (1836) are older.
Gold Escorts and Women Police
In 1852-53, SAPOL ran a gold escort service. They moved gold from Victorian goldfields to Adelaide. This helped South Australia's economy a lot. SAPOL also had the first women police in the British Empire in 1915. They were sworn in with the same pay and conditions as male officers.
Camels in the Outback
From 1880, SAPOL was the first Australian police force to regularly use camels. They used them for patrolling the tough outback areas. Camels, horses, and later cars were used until 1951. Also, from 1868 to 1911, SAPOL policed the Northern Territory.
Hue and Cry Magazine
The very first way of policing in South Australia was called "hue and cry." This meant citizens would help catch criminals. In 1852, SAPOL started an official paper called Hue and Cry. It shared details about crimes and wanted people. In 1861, this paper was renamed the Police Gazette. It was published weekly for over 100 years.
In 1979, the society started its own newsletter. They named it Hue and Cry to remember the original publication. Today, it is a magazine published every two months. All members of the society receive it.
