As told on our Policing History night in 2006
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The plans for the Elgin Street Police Station were drawn up in 1956, but members did not move into the building until December 1967, some 11 years later.
Even after it was completed, there was a hold up of three months due to the fact there was no furniture available for the new building.
Police members, being what they are, organised the furniture to be transported by train from Melbourne, and upon its arrival, they physically moved the furniture to the police station. The population of Wodonga at the time was under 10,000.
When they did move in, there were approximately 20 personnel for the whole building. This included the uniform members, the Traffic Operations Group, the detective, and an inspector.
In 1975, the first policewoman moved into Wodonga and the Police Women's Division was established. This was known as the Community Policing Squad and still only staffed by one member until the year 2000 when it changed names to the Wodonga Sexual Offence and Child Abuse Unit and received a second member. The full strength of this unit is two senior constables.
In 1977, the Traffic Operations Group or (highway patrol), as it was then known, moved out of the Elgin Street building across the park into a government building which had been used by the Agriculture Department.
They shared this building with the Motor Registration Branch (Vic. Roads). At this stage, they had a staff of one sergeant and four senior constables. Also in 1977 the inspector moved into, and took over, an office with the Traffic Operations Group and the Motor Registration Board.
In 1978, the senior sergeant moved from his residence at the front of the police station, and this was then taken over by the CIB in 1979, (now C.I.U. Criminal Investigations Unit). Strength at this time was a sergeant and two detectives which had increased from one detective. Also in 1978, the strength of the T.O.G. was increased by one senior constable, making it a sergeant and five senior constables.
In 1980, the Motor Registration Branch moved out of the building they shared with the T.O.G. and moved to their present location.
