NCJ Number
56800
Journal
Australian Police Journal Volume: 31 Issue: 4 Dated: (OCTOBER 1977) Pages: 248-254
Date Published
1977
Length
7 pages
Annotation
A BRIEF HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION OF POLICE-ORGANIZED YOUTH CLUBS IN NEW SOUTH WALES ARE PRESENTED; ACTIVITIES, ORGANIZATION, AND BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAM ARE EMPHASIZED.
Abstract
THE FIRST CLUB IN NEW SOUTH WALES, THE WOOLLOOMOOLOO CLUB IN EAST SYDNEY, OPENED IN 1937, AND HAS SINCE SERVED AS A MODEL FOR OTHERS. BOYS WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY LOOKED UPON ALL POLICEMEN AS THEIR NATURAL ENEMIES SOON REALIZED THROUGH CLUB ACTIVITIES THAT POLICE COULD BE FRIENDLY AND HELPFUL. AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF INDEPENDENT FUNCTIONING, THE NEW SOUTH WALES CLUBS FORMED A FEDERATION WHICH NOW CONSISTS OF 42 ACTIVE ESTABLISHMENTS UNDER THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE AND STAFFED WITH APPROXIMATELY 110 PERMANENT POLICE OFFICERS. ALTHOUGH CLUBS VARY IN SIZE AND ORGANIZATION THE LATEST TREND IS TOWARD EXTREMELY LARGE COMPLEXES WITH ACTIVITY ROOMS PERMANENTLY SET UP FOR BOXING, WEIGHT TRAINING, WRESTLING, JUDO, GYMNASTICS, BAND, AND OTHER CULTURAL AND SPORTING INTERESTS. MEMBERS AND ASSOCIATES DO NOT PAY FEES, AND INSTRUCTION IS PROVIDED WITHOUT CHARGE. THE CLUBS ARE CONSIDERED AS THE FRONT LINE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS FOR THE POLICE FORCE. PHOTOGRAPHS ARE INCLUDED. (LWM)