Australian/New Zealand pre-war police?

[Doug ex-em4]

Anyone know how Australian and/or NZ police were uniformed?

Thanks

Doug

[Arlequín]

I think each state in Australia had its own uniform, so an image search by individual states might turn up some photos. I would imagine (but don't actually know) that most would be similar to British ones, including the helmet (possibly sun helmets and shorts etc in the hot parts) and caps for motorised personnel.

[Roo]

Doug

I hope you are not planning some additions in the hope of apprehending my 'Ned' and 'Ma' Kelly class armoured cars!

[carlos marighela]

Yep different in each state and territory. God knows if they even had clothes in NZ or police for that matter. 'Ullo, ullo, ullo, what's all this then?' makes absolutely no sense when 'u' and 'o' are your only vowel sounds.

The basic uniform was taken from the British model. If you scroll half way down the page you can see what a typical Victorian copper looked like at the time of the 1923 Police Strike (once off, never repeated).

http://www.haldane.ausvic.net/kelly.html

In summer, the rather odd looking helmet was swapped for a broader brimmed white helmet, a sort of odd looking solar topee affair. The rozzers in Victoria wore a version of this right up into the 1970s, possibly the early eighties

Other eastern states wore variations on a theme. If you want to capture the look of the NSW constabulary you need a figure with a paper bag stuffed full of money. For Queensland, something similar but with a quizzical/ bewildered look that marks out the finely honed intellect of the Queensland copper. Bent but stupid.

Here's what the Victoria Police looked like in the 1930s.

[von Lucky]

Carlos beat me to the photo I was going to post (saved for A Right Bloody Mess project).

[Doug ex-em4]

Doug

I hope you are not planning some additions in the hope of apprehending my 'Ned' and 'Ma' Kelly class armoured cars!

  Roo - you are always in my thoughts.....

Yep different in each state and territory. God knows if they even had clothes in NZ or police for that matter. 'Ullo, ullo, ullo, what's all this then?' makes absolutely no sense when 'u' and 'o' are your only vowel sounds.

The basic uniform was taken from the British model. If you scroll half way down the page you can see what a typical Victorian copper looked like at the time of the 1923 Police Strike (once off, never repeated).

http://www.haldane.ausvic.net/kelly.html

In summer, the rather odd looking helmet was swapped for a broader brimmed white helmet, a sort of odd looking solar topee affair. The rozzers in Victoria wore a version of this right up into the 1970s, possibly the early eighties

Other eastern states wore variations on a theme. If you want to capture the look of the NSW constabulary you need a figure with a paper bag stuffed full of money. For Queensland, something similar but with a quizzical/ bewildered look that marks out the finely honed intellect of the Queensland copper. Bent but stupid.

Here's what the Victoria Police looked like in the 1930s.

Great post, Carlos - informative and very amusing...

Thanks all - something to work on here. Looks like some basic British copper figures with a bit of work may do it....

Doug

[carlos marighela]

I actually prefer the old uniforms, when they looked a bit like itinerant bus conductors. A couple of years ago Vic Pol adopted the Allgemeine SS look, black shirts included. I suppose it fits the tenor of the age we live in  and at least they haven't gone for the soft leather crusher cap favoured by the NSW police that makes them all look like they are off to a fancy dress party, identically dressed as the same member of the Village People.

[Arlequín]

Oddly I was reading an article on police uniforms the other day (I know, I should get out more)... the presumption was that police uniforms have got more militaristic over time. In fact they haven't; police uniforms have always been similar to then-current military ones, but in blue or black (or other colours elsewhere).

The UK helmet began as being almost identical to the 'German' style Victorian home service helmet and followed the trend towards a 'Wolseley' style that has remained unchanged. The old standing collar tunic was similar in cut to army ones, then changed to a similar style to the post-WWII Army No.2 uniform. They even went to 'woolie-pullies' in the same style in the '80s. Now they have 'cargo pants' and 'combat boots'... like the Army.

Same in the U.S. - the WWII U.S. 'undress' uniform was cap, shirt, tie, trousers and shoes... same as many PDs and many departments still wear the 'Montana' or 'Smokey' hats beloved of USMC drill instructors.

All of the above does not explain why some P.D.s are currently buying surplus MRAPs, but police uniforms and military uniforms evolve in concert. I do remember someone famous saying something like "a society gets the police force it deserves" though.

 

[Etranger]

I actually prefer the old uniforms, when they looked a bit like itinerant bus conductors. A couple of years ago Vic Pol adopted the Allgemeine SS look, black shirts included. I suppose it fits the tenor of the age we live in  and at least they haven't gone for the soft leather crusher cap favoured by the NSW police that makes them all look like they are off to a fancy dress party, identically dressed as the same member of the Village People.

Same change in SA. Not particularly popular among the coppers I know, either. The NSW police do look somewhat camp!

Back to the topic. http://www.sapolicehistory.org/ has some useful information.