Russell Street Police Headquarters in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

, on the north-eastern corner of Russell and La Trobe Streets, was well known as the headquarters of the

Victoria Police Victoria Police is the primary law enforcement agency of the Australian States and territories of Australia, state of Victoria (Australia), Victoria. It was formed in 1853 and currently operates under the ''Victoria Police Act 2013''. , Victo ...

through the second half of the 20th century, and was often referred to simply as 'Russell Street'. The main impressive New York skyscraper style tower, recognised as a symbol of the police in Victoria, was designed by Public Works Chief Architect

Percy Edgar Everett Percy Edgar Everett, (born 26 June 1888, died 6 May 1967), was appointed chief architect of the Victorian Public Works Department in 1934 and is best known for the striking Modernist / Art Deco schools, hospitals, court houses, office buildings ...

and constructed 1940–43. The 1940s construction also included lower wings on the corner of Russell Street and Latrobe Street, incorporating the Police Theatrette / Ballroom, while an 1889 wing on Mackenzie Street remained of the earlier police buildings, and in 1970 a large brown brick building was added behind the tower. The main tower was famously used in the opening titles of the long-running television series ''

Homicide Homicide occurs when a person kills another person. A homicide requires only a volitional act or omission that causes the death of another, and thus a homicide may result from accidental, reckless, or negligent acts even if there is no inten ...

'', a fictional police drama series dealing with the homicide squad of the Victoria Police, who were located in the building. The building is located in what was a police and justice precinct; across the road on Russell Street is the

Old Melbourne Gaol The Old Melbourne Gaol is a former jail and current museum on Russell Street, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It consists of a bluestone building and courtyard, and is located next to the old City Police Watch House and City Courts buildin ...

, old City Police Station and City Courts buildings (both now occupied by the

RMIT University RMIT University, officially the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology,, section 4(b) is a public research university in Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city ...

). The Russell Street Police Headquarters was the site of the

Russell Street Bombing The Russell Street bombing was the 27 March 1986 bombing of the Russell Street Police Headquarters complex in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The explosion killed Angela Rose Taylor, the first Australian policewoman to be killed in the line ...

in 1986. The Victoria Police vacated the building in 1995, leaving it empty for many years while several failed redevelopment proposals including conversion to student accommodation and to a hotel came and went. Finally, in 2004, the 1970s building and part of the 1940s Latrobe street wing were replaced by a new 27-storey apartment building designed by Bruce Henderson Architects. The Art Deco tower, the lower corner wing, and the 1889 wing were converted into apartments. The whole complex is now known as "Concept Blue".

Gallery

File:RussellStPolice.jpg, Russell St Police Headquarters File:RussellStAirRaid1.jpg, The control room for Air Raid Precautions services during World War II were located at the Russell Street police headquarters File:RussellStAirRaid2.jpg, Control room during World War II. File:RussellStreetPoliceHQ.JPG, The Police building as seen from La Trobe St. File:Russel St Police headquarters lobby entrance Mar 2022.jpg, The resident entrance in the Deco Tower within the Concept Blue Apartments redevelopment of the Police HQ. File:Russel St Police headquarters lobby Mar 2022.jpg, The resident lobby in the Deco Tower within the Concept Blue Apartments redevelopment of the Police HQ. File:Russel St Police headquarters Lobby Statue Mar 2022.jpg, A statue of the tower itself within the resident lobby entrance in the Deco Tower.

References

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External links

Former Police Headquarters
Victorian Heritage Database
Police Headquarters Complex
Victorian Heritage Database 1943 establishments in Australia Heritage-listed buildings in Melbourne Law enforcement in Victoria (Australia) Art Deco architecture in Melbourne Police headquarters Landmarks in Melbourne Buildings and structures completed in 1943 Buildings and structures in Melbourne City Centre

Gallery

See also

References

External links