USES OF WIRELESS

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 February 1930, Page 5

USES OF WIRELESS

AID TO THE POLICE. SYDNEY, January 30. It is surely a sign of the times in which we live that wireless should now’ play such an important part in the organisation of the police patrol in the troublous coalfields area of New South, Wales. Transmitting istations have been dotted all over the area, and the police cars are fitted with receiving sets. By this means the police are able to learn instantly of developments that require their attention, and a concentration is possible at the shortest notice. In deciding to call wireless to their aid in the coalfields the police are profiting by their experience in Sydney, where, for some time now, wireless has played so important a part in their work. When most of Sydney slumbers and broadcasting stations have been long closed,- a keen-eyed, wide-awake policeman sits alert at the transmison the top floor of the police headquarters. For the time being, he is the nerve centre of the police, organisation. Alternately, he listens al the complicated switchboard and then, with practised lingers", raps out the message on the Morse key. If one could tune into this unlisted “station,” and decode the messages received and sent out, one would have at one’s fingertips the story —sometimes sensational, sometimes drab—of the night life of Sydney’s underworld. Hours before midinght and long after

the sun has risen police wireless f patrols—fast cars equipped with rer ceiving sets —patrol the whole of the ■ metropolitan area. One of the crew sits with head--1 phones always to his ears until through ' the ether comes the message calling ■ for instant action. ’lt might be a murder, or just a burglary at a Redfern ' factory. The whole system is an in? I stance of the application of science in ' suppressing and controlling crime. Every police station throughout New 5 South Wales is bound to report crime 5 immediately to the switchboard at * police headquarters, and from the lonely post at the top of the building 1 the forces are set in motion. From the metropolitan stations even minor incidents are reportetl, and the numbers of stolen cars form the bulk of the messages that are sent out to the ' patrols. Tire' wireless cars are often quite near the scene of the crime when the messages come over the air. They hurry to the given address, and a body of skilled men is at once available to tak eup the “hot” scent. The wireless patrol cars are driven by skilled men w'ho will drive at 70 miles an hour if necessary. These men who are keeping Sydney’s underworld under while the •city sleeps are doing a great work. Melbourne has followed the example of Sydney by providing wireless patrols, and there, too, a great deal of good work is being done. It is certain that wireless controls have reduced crime in both cities.