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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2017-05-17 Daily Xml
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Police Foundation Day

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA (15:04): My question is to the Minister for Police. Can the minister outline the importance of 28 April to South Australia Police and outline how the date was celebrated?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (15:05): I would like to thank the Hon. Mr Gazzola for his question. He is a good-looking rooster. On 28 April 1838, Governor Hindmarsh commissioned Inspector Inman to form the South Australia Police and in doing so the inspector had formed the first centrally formed police force in Australia. Every year since 1838, SAPOL recognises Foundation Day to reflect on not only SAPOL's rich and diverse history and the service provided to South Australians, but also to consider the significant role of police facilities in the evolution of policing in this state.

This government stands with our police force in celebrating its foundation and remains committed to providing it the resources and tools of the 21st century. This year's celebration also marked the centenary of the Thebarton barracks, which was opened on 1 March 1917. The Thebarton barracks was initially constructed for the use of the mounted constables, as the North Terrace barracks were no longer suitable. With the new barracks opened, the two-hectare site had a room for 50 men and their horses: double the capacity of the old barracks.

The site chosen for the barracks was controversial, with complaints that it was too far from the city for mounted men to travel in case of fire or other incidents. In those days, Port Road was just a dirt road and people thought it was too far for the horses to ride if there was trouble. Thebarton barracks has played, and continues to play, an integral role in SAPOL's history. Junior constable training was transferred to the barracks in the 1940s and in 1951 the police garage was removed from Angus Street and re-erected at Thebarton, becoming the centre for vehicle servicing, car washing and motorcycle workshops.

A Robo car wash was installed in later years and was well known to patrol officers who forgot to wind up their windows on a hot day. This garage now houses the Police Historical Society Vehicle Museum. In the ensuing years, Thebarton barracks was also home to the traffic branch, aged driver testing and advanced driver wing, along with the underwater recovery and emergency operations group, incorporating cliff rescue and bush search squads, which later amalgamated with STAR Force.

The barracks remained the original base for STAR Force right up until 2001, when it moved to the Netley Police Complex. In 2013, the new Road Safety Centre, with its mock roadway, was opened adjacent to the barracks. The centre plays a leading role in road safety, offering traffic education programs and road safety presentations to schools, businesses and community groups. Thebarton barracks was built with horses and horse training in mind, but expanded to incorporate police dogs in the 1970s. Initially comprising six dog teams, the dog operations unit commenced operational duty on 16 April 1974.

The unit has been based at the barracks ever since and has continued to evolve and expand. It now features 13 German shepherd dogs and handlers performing general purpose policing, and a further six handlers who operate 10 labrador retrievers trained for drug detection or explosive detection. The mounted operations unit continues to have a strong presence at the Thebarton barracks with 32 horses stabled there.

Now officially recognised as a state heritage icon, the imposing yet friendly police greys have been providing a strong visible policing presence across the state for decades. The mounted operations unit combines a high focus on operational patrol duties, with the capability of performing ceremonial, search and public order duties. The barracks is also home to the band of the South Australia Police, which last year was named a state cultural icon by the National Trust of South Australia. The 35-member band continues to create strong links between police and the community and is renowned internationally as one of the most entertaining marching bands.

The Thebarton barracks has seen many changes over the past century, with its role continuing to evolve in line with SAPOL's needs. It is currently home to 250 staff working across a range of SAPOL areas, including the previously mentioned band, mounted and dog police operations units, along with the road safety section, the state tactical response group, police security services branch, traffic camera unit and armoury section.

The Thebarton barracks is also home to the South Australia Police Historical Society, which stores records and exhibits collections of police memorabilia. These attracted a great deal of public interest during the open day held on 7 May to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the barracks. The South Australia Police Historical Society advises that the open day was a great success and one of the best attended events in recent memory, with over one thousand people coming to explore the vast history of the site. The crowds were treated to performances by the police band, and the police greys were a popular attraction. I understand that a large number of former SAPOL officers returned to the barracks to see how the site had changed since their time in SAPOL, and a number of children of former officers came to see where their parents had commenced their policing careers.

The Thebarton barracks has seen many changes and has performed many useful functions since 1917, and it continues to do so today. All of the original barracks buildings are now heritage listed, forming an integral part of the fabric of SAPOL, and with good care the barracks will continue to stand as a great testimony to SAPOL's work in South Australia over many years. In closing, I would like to thank all those who have passed through the Thebarton barracks during its 100 years and all of those officers who have served the South Australian community so well since SAPOL's foundation 179 years ago.

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