The Company is Born

John Roche rose quickly through the ranks becoming an Inspector in February 1907 and a First Class Superintendent in May 1915. A highlight of his remaining years in the police force would be acting as the personal bodyguard for the Duke of York for the opening of Australia’s first Parliament in Melbourne in May 1901.

As World War 1 drew to a close, John Roche made the biggest decision of his life; to leave the security of the Police Force and set up his own company. This was a time for new companies and new products with Vegemite hitting the grocer’s shelves and Hoadleys making the first Violet Crumble Bar in Melbourne, both in 1923.

But John Roche did what he knew; security, investigation and, for the first time in Australia in a private capacity, the work of the Police.

On the 16th June 1923, the Sydney Night Patrol and Inquiry Company Limited came into existence with a meeting of the Board. The first registered office for the company was 48 Elizabeth Street, Sydney.

Initially the work carried out by SNP was the delivery of Court summons by hand around inner Sydney, but quickly the range of services expanded to include industrial investigations and enquiries. They also carried out payroll escorts and started to look at block watchmen in the city.

The Sydney Night Patrol was up and running.

Next: Getting to Work (1920's)