In the line of duty: policing in Australia from 1788
Victoria Police Museum until July 10 2009.
A travelling exhibition supported by the Australian Federal Police
Never before has the story of Australian policing been told as a national story.
In the line of duty is a timeline of important moments in police history presented through documents, images and objects held in police archives and museums, libraries and private collections around the country.
In the line of duty looks at the wide range of duties that police undertake, from dangerous criminal investigations to community policing, and everything in between. The exhibition shows that police have been there at key moments of Australia’s history, whether it be major sporting events, the war effort, crowd control during civil unrest or ceremonial occasions such as the opening of Federal Parliament House in 1927. Police work is woven into the very fabric of our lives.
We have honoured the heroes, those decorated for their courage or those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, but In the line of duty also tells the story of the many ordinary people who served as police around Australia.
From the early years when a Police Station might be a tent manned by a single Mounted Police Constable, to the international peacekeeping role of recent years, In the line of duty presents a compelling history of which we can all be proud.
The exhibition was developed for the Dedication of the National Police Memorial, Canberra 2006. A national tour, supported by the Australian Federal Police, commenced in April 2008.
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