Jim Carter has taken some effort to compile this overview of the Course.
It makes for interesting reading. Thanks Jim Carter.
COURSE 18 MEMBERS
Commenced: 26/9/66
Graduated: 25/9/69
HONOUR ROLE
NAMES
|
JOINED
SAPOL
|
SEPARATED
|
TOTAL
SERVICE YEARS
|
STATUS
|
Anderson, James
|
29/12/66
|
11/7/12
|
45 years
|
Retired
|
Applebee, Jeffrey
|
30/3/66
|
23/10/81
|
15 years
|
Resigned
|
Carter, James
|
30/3/66
|
|||
Coad, Graham
|
4/1/66
|
12/4/89
|
23 years
|
Deceased
|
Cullinan, David
|
4/1/66
|
5/8/70
|
4 years
|
Resigned
|
Drogemuller, Craig
|
29/12/65
|
21/7/08
|
42 years
|
Retired
|
Govett, John
|
5/6/67
|
16/8/09
|
42 years
|
Retired
|
Griffiths, Kenneth
|
2/1/68
|
2/10/11
|
43 years
|
Retired
|
Hansberry, Kerry
|
29/12/66
|
29/1/74
|
7 years
|
Resigned
|
Harris, David
|
27/6/66
|
19/5/00
|
34 years
|
Retired
|
Harris, Kevin
|
29/12/66
|
28/4/71
|
4 years
|
Resigned
|
Heneker, Kenneth
|
29/12/65
|
7/11/73
|
7 years
|
Resigned/Deceased
|
Hills,
Harry
|
29/12/65
|
23/7/03
|
37 years
|
Retired
|
Hope, Ronald
|
4/1/66
|
5/11/04
|
38 years
|
Retired
|
Jacob, Gordon
|
30/3/66
|
1/9/76
|
10 years
|
Resigned
|
Keogh, Peter
|
4/1/66
|
3/1/99
|
33 years
|
Deceased
|
Klaer, Barry
|
30/3/66
|
22/5/85
|
19 years
|
Resigned
|
Lehmann, Trevor
|
30/3/66
|
5/7/07
|
41 years
|
Retired
|
Lockwood, Gary
|
30/3/66
|
2/7/82
|
16 years
|
Resigned
|
Lockyer, Geoffrey
|
23/11/66
|
21/8/87
|
20 years
|
Resigned
|
Nelligan, Michael
|
2/1/68
|
29/7/11
|
43 years
|
Retired
|
O’Brien, Gregory
|
7/8/67
|
8/9/11
|
44 years
|
Retired
|
O’Brien, Robert
|
4/1/66
|
4/7/99
|
33 years
|
Retired
|
Orford, Robert
|
2/1/68
|
11/11/73
|
5 years
|
Deceased
|
Pain, John
|
1/4/68
|
30/1/70
|
1 year
|
Resigned
|
Peters, Malcolm
|
13/12/67
|
15/1/75
|
8 years
|
Resigned
|
Sexton, Mark
|
31/10/66
|
13/9/99
|
32 years
|
Retired
|
Smith, Gary
|
30/3/66
|
4/5/70
|
4 years
|
Resigned/Deceased
|
Venning, Colin
|
2/1/68
|
27/12/74
|
6 years
|
Resigned
|
Williams, Peter
|
4/1/66
|
30/11/77
|
11 years
|
Resigned
|
Zeuner, Roger
|
26/9/66
|
25/12/04
|
38 years
|
Retired
|
708 years
|
Course 18
The members of Course 18 formally commenced their training
at the Fort Largs Police Academy on 26 September 1966 and graduated three years
later on 25 September 1969. The Course
Captains at varying times during the three years of training were Craig
Drogemuller, Peter Keogh and Gary Smith.
Upon graduation, the members of the Course were posted to Region G and
commenced their policing duties on uniform patrols within the Adelaide CBD and
suburbs. Whilst the Course ultimately
graduated with 31 members, the original founding members of Course 18 were:
|
Jeff Applebee
|
Jim Carter
|
Graham Coad
|
David Cullinan
|
Craig Drogemuller
|
David Harris
|
|
Ken Heneker
|
Harry Hills
|
Ron Hope
|
Gordon Jacob
|
Peter Keogh
|
Barry Klaer
|
|
Trevor Lehmann
|
Garry Lockwood
|
Bob O’Brien
|
Gary Smith
|
Peter Williams
|
Roger Zeuner
|
Following the commencement of the Course, 13 other Cadets
joined the course at various times and ultimately graduated as members of
Course 18:
|
Kerry Hansberry (transferred from C19)
|
Geoffrey Lockyer (transferred from C19)
|
James Anderson (transferred from C19)
|
Kevin Harris (transferred from C19)
|
Gregory O’Brien (transferred from C21)
|
|
Colin Venning (transferred from C23)
|
Michael Nelligan (transferred from C23)
|
Kenneth Griffiths (transferred from C23)
|
Robert Orford (transferred from C23)
|
Mark
Sexton
(new
cadet)
|
|
Malcolm
Peters
(new
cadet)
|
John Payne
(new
cadet)
|
John
Govett
(new
cadet)
|
|
|
Other Cadets who at some stage were attached to Course 18
for varying short periods included:
|
John
Aitken
(resigned)
|
Gregory Flint (transferred to C16)
|
Ian Percy
(resigned)
|
Michael Saunders (resigned)
|
Arthur
Spronk
(resigned)
|
|
David Whitehead (resigned)
|
Graham Wright (resigned)
|
Geoffrey Grocke (transferred to C17)
|
David
Tiver
(resigned)
|
Trevor Dyster (transferred to C17)
|
|
Kym
Traeger
(resigned)
|
|
|
|
|
The other major events that occurred during 1966 included:
·
Decimal currency was introduced in Australia on
14 February 1966;
·
A loaf of bread cost 18 cents;
·
Milk was priced at 19 cents a litre;
·
A new Holden or Ford car was priced at $2,260;
·
The median price for a house in Adelaide was
$4,500;
·
The Beaumont children were abducted during a
visit to Glenelg Beach on 26 January 1966; and
·
General Motors Holden became the first local car
manufacturer to install seat belts as standard equipment in all its vehicles.
In the early
days, members of the Course resided in transportable huts which accommodated
either two, four or six cadets before eventually moving into single rooms in
the newly built two-storey accommodation blocks.
During the
three years that Course 18 was in training, Chief Superintendent Eric Meldrum
was the Commandant of the Fort Largs Police Academy. The Course Mentors for Course 18 during each
live-in phase were Senior Constable Graham Barrett, Senior Constable Peter
Walsh, First Class Constable Brian McCracken and Senior Constable Toby Haines
with Fred Knight as the Drill Instructor and Ron Daniels as the Physical
Education (PT) Instructor. Other
Instructors at the Academy during this time included Ernie Kirk, Doug Walker,
Bob Loveday and Jack Tennant.
The three
year Cadet Course consisted of five phases:
·
Phase
I: Cadets resided at Fort
Largs for a duration of 39 weeks and the initial training phase focussed on
instruction in General Education (English, arithmetic, geography, public
speaking, social etiquette and typewriting), Physical Education (drill
with/without arms, unarmed combat, boxing, wrestling, judo, swimming and
life-saving, pistol shooting and horse riding) and Police Procedures
(elementary law, general orders radio procedures and map reading).
·
Phase
II: During this 39 week
phase, Cadets resided at their homes and those who normally resided in the
country, lived at Thebarton Barracks.
Training during this phase was more advanced and Cadets were attached to
the Advanced Driving Wing for instruction in driving motor vehicles. Other postings included Police Headquarters,
Divisional Offices, Communications, Modus Operandi and Property Tracing.
·
Phase
III: Cadets returned to
Fort Largs and took up residence for a further 39 weeks. Training during this phase was more advanced
with specific attention to law (statute law, common law, brief writing and
Court procedures) and police practice (fingerprinting procedures, property
tracing and modus operandi).
·
Phase
IV: This phase consisted of
26 practical training where Cadets were able to reside at home. During this period of training, Cadets were
attached to No. 4 (Traffic Division) for a more comprehensive course of driving
instruction and then posted to selected Branches, Stations and Divisional
Offices throughout the State for further practical training.
·
Phase
V: Cadets returned to Fort
Largs. During this final 13 weeks, a
comprehensive study of law and police practice was undertaken with emphasis on
police powers, practical exercises, Court procedure, the preparation of cases,
crowd control and public relations.
After satisfactorily completing Phase V, graduates were
eligible to perform active police duty when they reached 20 years of age and
sworn in as Probationary Constables.
At the
graduation of Course 18 on 25 September 1969, the following achievements were awarded:
·
Dux of Course: Roger
Zeuner
·
Efficiency Award: Kevin Harris
Other notable events that occurred during 1969 included:
·
Apollo 11
with Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins on-board, blasted off
towards the first landing on the moon which resulted in the lunar module Eagle safely landing on the lunar
surface and Neil Armstrong becoming the first man to walk on the moon;
·
A Federal Election is held and John Gorton
became Prime Minister;
·
The police procedural drama series Division 4 made its debut on television;
·
The Boeing
747 jumbo jet made its first passenger flight; and
·
The Beatles
released their Abbey Road album.
Shortly
after graduating, Jim Carter, Peter Keogh and Malcom Peters, as part of the
National Service Program, were conscripted into the Australian Army where they
served two years as Military Police Officers with Peter Keogh serving a tour of
duty in Vietnam.
Following
their service with the South Australia Police, Kevin Harris and Gary Smith
joined the Northern Territory Police and continued their police career with
distinction.
Entry Qualifications
In 1966, to be eligible for employment to the South
Australia Police, applicants were required to measure up to the following
standards:
Minimum Age: Male
persons were considered if they had attained the age of 16 years.
Education: Candidates were required to
be educated to the Intermediate standard (Year 10) but possession of the
Certificate was not essential.
Character: Candidates
had to be of excellent character that was supported by satisfactory
testimonials.
Physical Standards: Candidates
had to conform to the following minimum requirements:
Age Height Weight
16
years 5’
8½“ (174 cm) 9 stone 7 pounds
(60 kilograms)
17
years & 3 months 5’ 8½“
(174 cm) 9 stone 10 pounds (62
kilograms)
In March
1966, the salary for a police cadet was $921 per annum. In September 1969, upon graduation as a
probationary constable, the salary increased to $2,677 per annum.
Highest
ranks achieved by Course 18 members included:
Commissioned
Officers: Five (5) members
attained Commissioned Officer rank (Bob O’Brien, Roger Zeuner, Craig
Drogemuller and Jim Carter whilst Gary Smith achieved the rank with the NT
Police.
Senior Sergeants: Three (3) members attained
the rank of Senior Sergeant (Jim Anderson, Ken Griffiths and Harry Hills)
Sergeants: Seven (7) members
attained the rank of Sergeant (John Govett, Peter Keogh, Trevor Lehmann,
Michael Nelligan, Greg O’Brien, Ron Hope and Mark Sexton)
Designated
Detectives: Eleven (11) members
became Designated Detectives (Jeff Applebee, Jim Carter, Graham Coad, Ken
Griffiths, Harry Hills, Ron Hope, Barry Klaer, Trevor Lehmann, Gary Lockwood,
Bob O’Brien and Roger Zeuner)
Overall, the
31 graduating members of Course 18 ultimately served a total in excess of 708
years of service in the South Australia Police with the average length of
service being approximately 23 years.
Longest serving members of Course 18:
Between 2006
and 2009, the following members of Course 18 were awarded the 40 Year Clasp to
the South Australia Police Service Medal:
Jim Anderson
Jim Carter
Craig
Drogemuller
Ken
Griffiths
Greg O’Brien
Michael
Nelligan
In 2012, Jim
Anderson and Jim Carter were awarded the National Police Service Medal.
On 30 March
2016, Jim Carter became the 10th longest serving police officer in
Australia (all States and Territories) with 50 years of continuous police
service. In recognition, Jim was awarded
the 50 Year Clasp to the South Australia Service Medal. Ironically, all the previous 9 members of the
“50 year club” were all members of the South Australia Police Service having
all graduated from the Fort Largs Police Academy during the 1960s.
South Australia Police History
On 28 April
1838, Governor Sir John Hindmarsh proclaimed the first centrally administered
police service in Australia which comprised 10 foot and 10 mounted
constables. South Australia Police
celebrates Police Foundation Day annually on 28 April to commemorate the
establishment of the organisation in 1838.Apart from being the oldest police organisation in Australasia, the South Australia Police is one of the oldest established and organised police services in the world. Although not officially appointed in name as the Commissioner of Police, Superintendent Henry Inman (1838-40) was the first Officer in Charge of the South Australia Police, and was in effect, known as the first Commissioner of Police. However, Major Thomas O’Halloran (1840-43) was the first officially appointed Commissioner of the South Australia Police.
Whilst there has been much debate
as to the oldest organised police services in the world, it appears that the
City of Glasgow Police (1800), the Royal Irish Constabulary (1822) and the
London Metropolitan Police (1829) are the oldest police services that we are
aware of, making the South Australia Police the 4th oldest service
in the world.
In 1870 the Government of South Australia extended the responsibility
of the State Police to police the Northern Territory.
The South Australia Women Police
Branch came into operation on 1st December, 1915 with the appointment of Miss
Kate Cocks and Miss Annie Ross as Constables. The Branch was the first women police service
in the then British Empire and the second in the world with the Los Angeles Police
Department having appointed a female police officer in 1910. By 1974, there were 45 women police officers
in South Australia and by 2015 this figure had increased to 1,325 female police
officers.
Commissioners of Police during the
tenure of Course 18 Members
1. Brigadier
John Gilbert McKinna (1957 – 1972)
2. Harold
Hubert Salisbury (1972 – 1978)
3. Laurence
Desmond Draper (1978 – 1982)
4. John
Bryan Giles (1982 – 1983)
5. David
Alexander Hunt (1983 – 1997)
6. Malcolm
Arthur Hyde (1997 – 2012)
7. Gary
Burns (2012 – 2015)
8. Grant
Stevens (2015)
Deputy Commissioners of Police during
the tenure of Course 18 Members
1. Geoffrey
Malcolm Lean (1959 – 1972)
2. Laurence
Desmond Draper (1972 – 1978)
3. John
Bryan Giles (1978 – 1982)
4. David
Alexander Hunt (1982 – 1983)
5. Raymond
Elmo Killmier (1983 – 1988)
6. Patrick
Michael Hurley (1988 – 1997)
7. Neil
McKenzie (1997 – 2002)
8. John
Ronald White (2002 – 2007)
9. Gary
Burns (2007 - 2012)
10. Grant
Stevens (2012 – 2015)
11. Linda
Williams (2015)
The Police Chequered
Band
In 1961, the then Police
Commissioner, Brigadier John McKinna (1957-1972) introduced the distinctive
chequered band that adorns the caps worn by members of the South Australia
Police. The chequered band was first introduced
into Scotland (City of Glasgow Police) in 1932 and later became known as
“Sillitoe’s Tartan” after the then Chief Constable, Sir Percy Sillitoe. The South Australia Police became the first
police service outside of Scotland to adopt “Sillitoe’s Tartan” which today is
accepted almost world-wide as the official police logo.
Police Buildings
In 1838, the first police barracks were built on the north side of North
Terrace, behind the present SA Museum. Prior to this, mounted constables, who later
became known as troopers, had to be quartered in public houses or private
lodgings. The barracks eventually
comprised two wings, each containing three small rooms, one of which was set
apart as a guard room, cook house and mess room. Three were sleeping
apartments. The stables extended from
wing to wing and were built of broad palings, affording accommodation for about
twenty horses, with a loft above for hay.
The primitive
original barracks were subsequently rebuilt in much grander form, opening in
1855, and then closed for police use when the Thebarton Police Barracks were
built in 1916. The old North Terrace
barracks was then used by a number of government departments, including the
Children's Library but was partly demolished in the 1960’s to make way for a
modern building. Portions of the old
barracks still stand and are preserved because of their heritage value. The Police Historical Society opened a museum
in the three top rooms on 28 April 1988. This closed in December 1996, having been
re-established at the Thebarton Police Barracks.
The first police station in South Australia was at Adelaide and was
titled the Police Office. The site was
impermanent for the first two years. The
first location is unknown but was occupied for only a few months, from May to
August 1838. On 1 September 1838,
Inspector Inman advertised that the Police Office was removed to “the building
sometime occupied as the Colonial Secretary’s Office, opposite the Land
Office”. That was a building vacated by
Colonial Secretary Robert Gouger when he sailed to England in November 1837 and
presumably he reoccupied it when he returned to resume office in June 1839.
By July 1839, it is known that the Police Office had moved again, to a
location on the parklands at the north side of North Terrace, just east of the
present Morphett Street Bridge. This
building later became known as the Metropolitan Police Station House when in 1851
it was replaced by a purpose-built structure in Victoria Square, off King
William Street and adjacent to the present day GPO building. The new building served as Police
Headquarters and as the Police Court.
From 1848 to 1867, the South Australia Police also served as the state fire
and rescue service until the South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service was
formed. They also supplied the Civil
Ambulance Service 1880 until 1954 when it was taken over by the St John
Ambulance Service.
In 1891, 1 Angas Street, Adelaide became the permanent address of the
Headquarters of the South Australia Police Department. In 1965, a multi-storey building was erected
in Angas Street (on the present Federal Court site) and this became Police
Headquarters. On 18th September 1978, Police Headquarters was transferred to
202 Greenhill Road, Eastwood and the Angas Street building became known as Central
Police Headquarters. In March 1993, the
Eastwood premises were vacated and Police Headquarters was moved to 20 Flinders
Street, Adelaide while the Adelaide Police Station (APS) operated from premises
at 60 Wakefield Street. The building at
20 Flinders Street was vacated when SAPOL moved to a newly built $41 million
Police Headquarters at 100 Angas Street, Adelaide on 8 October 2011.
Criminal Investigation Branch
It is generally accepted that the Criminal Investigation
Branch (CIB) commenced in 1853 and that the first plain clothes officer to be
designated Detective was Richard Nolan in 1854.
In 1867, the first Detectives
Office was created to suppress highway robberies which had reached alarming
levels in the City and suburbs. The
Detectives Office occupied a small office for a short time in Gilbert Street
(near the current Pan Cake Kitchen) which provided easy and convenient access
into the busy thoroughfares of King William Street and Hindley Street. The Detectives Office continued until 1876
when it was restructured and renamed as the Detective Branch with
responsibility for the investigation of serious crime. As time progressed, the Detective Branch
increased in size and by 1890 comprised one Sergeant and eight Constables. The Detective Branch continued to be referred
as the Detective Office until the mid-1950s when it was officially referred to
as the Criminal Investigation Branch and Detectives began to be stationed
throughout the suburbs and to rural areas.
In 1953 the first Detective
Training Course commenced and more than 1,500 police officers have attained
Detective designation since 1854. The
eleven (11) members of Course 18 who eventually became Detectives subsequently
received Detective Designation numbers commencing at about number 537.
Police Transport
In the early days of
policing, virtually the only means of transport consisted of walking, riding
horses or camels, use of horse and buggy or travelling by boat (powered by
rowing or the wind). In these days, the
Mounted Police were considered to be the elite branch of the Force and its
members were officially designated ‘Police Troopers’. This distinction led to friction with the Foot
Police so in June 1880, the title was discontinued and members were known as
"Mounted Constable" or "Foot Constable" depending on
whether they were posted to the Country or City Divisions.
In 1893, the South Australia Police introduced bicycles for
metropolitan and country foot police with the purchase of ten bicycles. As the first police jurisdiction in Australia
to do, Commissioner Peterswald was quoted as saying that the bicycles were “a new novel form of transport for foot
police”. By 1915, the number of
bicycles had risen to 94. Ironically,
178 years later, horses and bicycles are still in use today as important
operational resources with great effect.
Although motor cars first commence to emerge on Adelaide streets in
1909, it was not until 1922 that the South Australia Police purchased 2
motorcycles with sidecars (Harley-Davidson 7.9 horsepower) followed by a police
car in 1923 (Hudson Super Six Tourer 29.4 horsepower) for traffic and general
police duty. From 1922, the use of
motorised police transport began to progressively grow and by 1924 the police
fleet of motor vehicles has increased to 3 cars and 4 motorcycles with
sidecars. By 1930, the police fleet had
increased to 7 motor cars, 20 motorcycles with sidecars, 2 ambulances, 1 patrol
wagon, 1 prison van and 1 lorry and by 1977 the police fleet consisted of 423
sedans, 184 other motor vehicles, 171 solo motorcycles and 8 boats.
Although the police regularly made use of aircraft for general
transport and aerial observation from the early 1950s by chartering light
aircraft, it was not until 1972 that the Police Air Wing was established with
four police pilots and the Department leasing a Piper Cherokee 6 single engine
aircraft (registered VH-RRZ) from Ansett General Aviation. Due to the success of the aircraft
operations, in 1976, the Department purchased a six-seater twin engine turbo
charged Piper Seneca II (registered VH-COP).
In1988, the Police Air Wing Hangar Complex was established at the
Adelaide Airport and by this time the fleet comprised of 3 Cessna 402C aircraft
with six police pilots. Since 1972, the
Police Air Wing has flown in excess of 61,000 hours and
operated 10 different aircraft types.
Whilst the South Australia Police has never owned a helicopter, it has
since 1979 had joint access along with health, surf lifesaving and fire
services to a dedicated State Rescue Helicopter service contracted in by the
State Government.
Currently, the South Australia Police operate 1,075 vehicles of various
types which travel in excess of 31 million kilometres per year.
The Current Structure
By 1890 the South
Australia Police Force was divided into three Branches; Mounted, Foot and
Detective Branch with the State divided into six Police Divisions; namely Metropolitan,
Suburban, South Eastern, Central, Northern and Far Northern Divisions.
Today, the South Australia Police is divided into eight Services,
namely Metropolitan Operations, State Operations, Operations Support, Crime,
Security and Emergency Management, Human Resources, Information and Technology
and Business Services. Since
1838, the South Australia Police has grown to a total strength of 5,660
members; 4,587 sworn officers and cadets and 1,073 public servants and
Protective Security Officers (as at June 2015).
The largest Service, Metropolitan
Operations Service, covers the greater Adelaide metropolitan area and consists
of six Local Service Areas; Eastern Adelaide, Wester Adelaide, Elizabeth,
Holden Hill, Sturt and South Coast Local Service Areas including the Public
Transport Safety Branch. State
Operations Service, which covers the remainder of the State, consists of Hills
Fleurieu, Barossa, Eyre Western, Far North, Yorke Mid-North, Limestone Coast
and Murray Mallee Local Service Areas including the Traffic Support Branch,
Licensing Enforcement Branch and the State Tactical Response Group.
Fort Largs Police Academy
Built between 1882 and 1885, Fort Largs was built as a
significant military coastal defence site.
It was initially known as the North Battery and was the home of the 120th
Heavy Battery of the Royal Australia Artillery.
Lieutenant Colonel Peter Scratchley was primarily responsible for the
design of Fort Largs and its nearby neighbour Fort Glanville. It is believed that the present day Military
Road was purpose built to link both Forts – hence the name of ‘Military
Road’. Originally equipped with two
six-inch MK VII naval guns, Fort Largs remained as a defence facility for 60
years until 1945.
Between 1951 and 1960, Fort Largs
was used as a WRAAC Barracks. In 1961,
Fort Largs became surplus to defence requirements and was handed back to the
South Australian Government.
On 30 November 1961, the former
military establishment, which progressively grew in size and sophistication,
was acquired by the South Australia Police for the sum of £30,000 through the
strong efforts of the then Commissioner, Brigadier John McKinna. The first Police Cadet training course (Course
1) commenced in 1962 and graduated in 1965. Initially, the
accommodation at the academy was extremely basic with asbestos huts from Radium
Hill being used up until the late 1960s.
The huts were later replaced by railway huts and finally by six double
story modern dormitory blocks and teaching blocks. The rooms beneath the naval guns once
housed a firearms
museum and the Pitt collection of arms and armour, on loan from the South
Australian Museum.
Chief Superintendent Eric Meldrum
was appointed the first Academy Commandant and held this position from 1961
until his retirement in 1975. On 8
February 2012, a new training facility built adjacent to the old Fort Largs
facility opened as the new South Australia Police Academy. During the 50 years that Fort Largs served as
the Police Academy, more than 8,000 cadets graduated as police officers.
