Radio for Police

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 20, 30 November 1928, Page 31

Radio for Police

Effective Use in Australia.S mmeienentnenheatinanal ADIO equipment for police is not a new development of the Victorian Police. Department, but just recently it has been modernised and extended anc is easily justifying itself, Two fast patrol cars have been equipped with both transmitters and receivers and. are staffed by expert radio operators. These operators are experienced policemen, so that the combination is a formidable one as far as.the criminal is concerned,

HE police headquarters at Russell Street is equipped with a two kilowatt transmitter capable of a range of over five hundred miles. The City Council power supply is utilised but an auxilliary motor generator, capablé of supplying four kilowatts, is kept as a standby. The normal aerial is 70ft. long, but for working under difficult conditions 150 feet of buried cable is used. The transmitters on the cars consist of one-valve short wave sets which work from 750 volts supplied by the car storage batteries. This equipment is capable of sending a code message for a distance of over fifty miles. (THE police patrol cars are continually on the move.and are ready at a moment’s notice to answer the call of other members of the police force, The average time to answer calls is five minutes. Since the employment of reliable operators a case of neglect or delay in answering a cai. has never occurred. — On receipt of a telephone message the police headquarters are able to give instructions to the patrol by wireless. | Following are a few of the many instances where success has awaited the prompt action of the police and patrol cars. [N 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 iatter patrol a few minutes later sent a message to No. 2 Patrol by wireless: "Four men arrested, car recovered." PoOLiceE headquarters sent a message to No. 2 Patrol at 2.30 a.m., at Prahran: "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 freceived 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 ear, 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. HEAD Station was wirelessed by No. 1 Patrol and asked for the owner’s name and address by wireless of car No. -, which they had been watching acting suspiciously in Richmond at about 12.30 am. They were informed two minutes later by Head Station: "Re car you were inquiring about. Owner has just reported same was stolen." No 1 Patrol arrested the men and wirelessed back: "Car recovered. Men arrested. Advise owner.’’ T 11.80 on another. evening Head’ Station wirelessed all patrol cars the number and description of a stolen car. At about 4 a.m. No..2 ‘Patrol intercepted the stolen car with three men travelling at speed through Albert Park. After a stern chase at 60 miles an hour the offenders slowed to twenty miles an hour and three men jumped from the car which, left uncontrolled, smashed through 2 fence, The three men were arrested, and the proceeds of an hotel robbery. were found in the car. The owner of the hotel was unaware that his premises had been broken into until advised, by the police patrol.