POLICE AND RADIO

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 445, 29 August 1928, Page 14

POLICE AND RADIO

CRIMINALS* NEW TERROR The first police patrol installation in Australia was carried out by Amalgamated Wireless (A/sia), 1 jtd., in October, 1922, when a receiving set was fitted in a patrol car of the Victorian Police Department. A telephone transmitter was installed at the company’s radio station, Melbourne, and the excellent reception results obtained on the car and the success of the installation as an aid to the police in the prevention of crime and in capturing criminals was such that 12 months later the department purchased two fast cars and had both of these fitted with wireless. The Victorian Police Department has recently installed transmitting sets on the patrol cars, in’addition to receiving sets, in order that the members of the patrol cars can telegraph headquarters from the car Instead of having to leave the car and use the ordinary telephone for speaking to headquarters, as was the previous practice. The transmitter now installed at police headquarters, Russell Street, for communication with the patrol cars, has a power unit of 2 k.w. and is used for the transmission of C.W., in addition to I.C.W. The set has a very effective range, and daylight tests have been successfully intercepted as far away as Newcastle, N.S.W. —524 miles. The City -Council power supply is utilised, but in case this fails there is an emergency plant consisting of a 4-k.w. petrol engine A.C. generator. The receiver, at the head station, comprises one stage of radio-fre-quency amplification, detector, two re-sistance-coupled audio-frequency amplifiers, and one limiting valve. The normal aerial is 70 feet long, but for working through heavy induction and static an underground aerial is used consisting of 150 feet of cable buried A few inches beneath the ground. The transmitters on the police patrol cars consist of single-valve, shortwave sets, using a voltage of 750 volts from a rotary transformer or dynamotor running off the car-starting battery. The chopper motor and filaments are also fed from the car starting* battery. The range of the transmitter exceeds 50 miles. The sets give C.W. or I.C.W. transmission as required. INVINCIBLE EQUIPMENT The receivers on the patrol cars are of the very latest type, and none of the wireless equipment on the cars is visible from the outside except the operator’s head-phones, which, however, are usually concealed by the operator’s cap. The police headquarters transmitter and patrol car transmitters and receivers were manufactured at the Radio-Electric Works of Amalgamated Wireless (A/sia), Ltd.

The equipment is operated by nine first-class certificated operators, having wide experience in all classes of

wireless apparatus, and they are | sworn policemen with a good knowledge of police patrol work. The police patrol cars are continually on the move and, having two-way communication facilities, are ready at a moment’s notice to answer a call of a member of the public for police assistance. The average time taken to answer calls is five minutes. Since the employment of certified operators there has never been an instance of delay or neglect in answering a call nor has one message been missed by the receiving operator. On receipt of a telephone message the police headquarters are able to give instructions to the patrol by wireless. A few. of many instances where wireless on the patrol cars has resulted in early action being taken by the police are set out hereunder: CAR THIEVES CAUGHT In the early morning at St. Kilda, No. 2 Patrol, learning that four men in a stolen car had left on their way to Richmond, wirelessed No. 1 Patrol to keep a look-out for car No. with four men, which left St. Kilda 20 minutes ago for Richmond, to which No. 1 Patrol replied: “Keeping watch.” The latter patrol a few minutes later sent a message to No. 2 Patrol by wireless: “Four men arrested, car recovered.” Police headquarters sent a message to No. 2 Patrol at 2.30 a.m. at Prahraa: | “Six men creating disturbance in Road, Caulfield.” The patrol set off at high speed, and while travelling' at over sixty miles an hour another message was received as follows: “Mrs. reports that men have now broken a window of a house and stolen a car No. .” The patrol intercepted the men making away from the scene at speed, recovered the car, and arrested the offenders. At 2.10 on a certain morning Head Station sent a wireless message to No. 2 Patrol: “Malvern Police report two men broke into a garage and stole car No. . One man arrested, but one escaped in car.” The patrol hastened to and searched the district, located the car and gave chase, eventually capturing the car and arresting the thief. CAR FOUND BEFORE LOST

Head Station was wirelessed by No. 1 Patrol and asked for the owner’s

name and address by wireless of ca.’ No. , which they had been watcs ing acting suspiciously in Richmocc at about 12.30 a.m. They were to formed two minutes later by Hs*: Station: “Re car you were inquire? about. Owner has just reports same was stolen.” No. 1 Patrol vrested the men and wirelessed back “Car recovered. Men arrested. Ac vise owner.” At 11.30 on another evening Hea: Station wirelessed all patrol cars the number and description of a stole: car. At about 4 a.m. No. 2 Patrol intercepted the stolen car going three men travelling at speed throng Albert Park. After a stern chase ** 60 miles an hour the offenders sloveto twenty miles an hour and thrfc men jumped from the car which, kuncontrolled, smashed through a The three men were arrested, and tw proceeds of an hotel robbery found in the car. The owner of tw hotel was unaware that his pre®Jhad been broken into until Advised the police patrol. Many other instances could _ quoted, but the at#ve are sufDcie--to show the great value of wireless ~ police work.

HARD TO PLEASE

THOUGHT MELBA "ROTTEN'

Even In Australia the do not please everybody. teners were privileged to hear Nellie Meldba as Mimi in "l* 6y heme,” an invitation was exten the New South Wales Broadcast* Company to those who wished w press their appreciation by e write to the studios and £ r . would be conveyed to tne cowsonally. From all parts ln , is monwealth letters came P -eriorv congratulation of the ance. The opinion of nea or , people conW b « g word. “Wonderful. ‘“"j . oal flw exception. A “round ur cfl®~; people declaimed with s .. r jielb* 5 “We, the undersigned, consi programme rotten!”