Correspondence files ('PCO' files) - Police Commissioner's Office (GRG5/2)

This is the major correspondence series of the Police Commissioner's Office.

Correspondence files consist of letters and other documents received by the Department, memoranda of action taken, internal reports or inquiries, and usually either brief notes outlining the reply (nineteenth century), or copies of letters sent (twentieth century). A correspondence file generally only relates to one particular subject or individual, but documents received over a number of years may be the placed in the same file. The file cover may be annoted with the file numbers of related files.

Files prior to circa 1879 do not have standard printed file covers with spaces for name of writer and subject. Unfortunately, few of these files have their subject matter written on the front cover - see the Special List to GRG5/2 in the Research Centre for the speediest access.

Filing Systems:

During the years c. 1856 - 1882, the practice of the Commissioner's Office was to group routine files together by subject matter by year, for example all files relating to fires, appointments, resignations, carriage licences, requests for Police protection, repairs to stations etc. for a particular year. By 1881, these consolidated files have a list of enclosed file numbers on the front cover. Files relating to the same case were also treated in this manner. To control this system, the Register (GRG5/3) was annotated with the details of the main file a subsequent file had been placed with. If a particular file is missing, a check of the Register may reveal where it was filed.

After 1949 series is arranged by multiple number system rather than by year. The multiple number system consists of three tiers, the first tier relates to the subject as follows:

1 Aborigines; 2 Acts and Regulations; 3 Administration; 4 Aeroplanes; 5 Animals, Fisheries and Game; 6 Arms and Ammunition: Explosives; 7 (none or missing); 8 Bands, Buglers and Choirs; 10 Crime; 11 Casualties, Accidents and Injuries; 12 Children; 13 Commissioner of Police - Personal 14 Conferences, Committees, Deputations, Interviews and Inspections; 15 Correspondence and Addresses; 17 Deaths, Funerals, Reburials, Estates; 18 Electoral; 19 Employment (not Police Department); 20 Entertainments: Processions & Assemblies; 21 Escorts; 22 Finance; 23 Fires; 24 Foreign, Immigration and Passport; 25 Land and Buildings; 26 Legal; 27 Licences and Permits; 28 Licensing Act; 29 Medical, Mental and Dental; 30 Missing Friends; 35 Personnel of Force; 40 Personal Property; 42 Photography; 43 Postal Department and Telephones; 44 Prisoners; 45 Presentations and Awards; 47 Publications, Ads, Forms, Books, Documents; 50 Police Property; 51 Other Departments; 52 Railways; 53 Royalty and Vice Royalty; 54 Road Traffic Act; 55 Ships and Shipping; 56 Sport; 57 Staff (Police Commissioners Office); 58 Statistics; 59 Stores and Contracts; 60 Taxation; 61 Wireless; 62 Tramways; 63 Transport; 64 Trotting and Racing; 65 Rationing; 66 Fighting Forces, Security (from 'Third Draft List of Subjects' in file 3/25/401).

Systems of arrangement:

1844-1949: annual single number (i.e. 37/1888)
1949-1979: three tiered number (i.e. 50/80/10004), arranged by final tier

310 metres.

For contemporary register and index see GRG 5/3 and GRG 5/7. For listing of files held see Special List to GRG 5/2 in the Research Centre. For an incomplete listing of files click Consignment ID below.

For communist leaflets etc. contained in S.A. Police files see the separate Special List to GRG 5/2 in the Research Centre.

Series continues as GRS 1643 (multiple number series) and GRS 7509 (annual single number series).