In recognition of SA Police Foundation Day, a ceremony commemorating 100 years of policing service at Thebarton Police Barracks is taking place toda, according to SA Policey
Starting at 10.30am, the event will feature the Band of SA Police and speeches from Assistant Commissioner Bryan Fahy and Bill Prior from the Police Historical Society.
There will also be a commemorative plaque unveiled by the Minister for Police Peter Malinauskas and Assistant Commissioner Fahy.
The event, in the Historical Society Mess Hall, Thebarton Barracks, is open to the public.
The first police station in SA was sited on North Tce, while early Commissioners were accommodated in the Queens Theatre in Gilles Arcade. Thebarton Barracks was initially constructed for the use of the Mounted Constables as their original barracks were no longer suitable.
Costing £16,000 to build, Thebarton Barracks was officially opened on 1 March 1917 with the chosen site controversial amid complaints it was too far from the city for mounted police to travel in case of fire or other incidents.
Over its lifetime Barracks has been home to Junior Constable training, the Police Garage, Aged Driver Testing and the Advanced Driving Wing, along with the Underwater Recovery and Emergency Operations Group, incorporating Cliff Rescue and Bush Search squads, which later amalgamated with STAR Force.
Presently the Thebarton Police Barracks houses a number of staff working across a range of police functions.
