Data

NRS-18689 | Intelligence dossiers [New South Wales Police Special Branch]

NSW State Archives Collection
AGY-1221 | Police Subversive Organisations Branch [I] ; AGY-1222 | Military/Police Intelligence Branch ; AGY-1223 | Police Subversive Organisations Branch [II] ; AGY-1224 | New South Wales Police Special Branch
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ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2FANDS&rft_id=https://search.records.nsw.gov.au/permalink/f/1ednqkf/ADLIB_RNSW110018368&rft.title=NRS-18689 | Intelligence dossiers [New South Wales Police Special Branch]&rft.identifier=https://search.records.nsw.gov.au/permalink/f/1ednqkf/ADLIB_RNSW110018368&rft.publisher=New South Wales Police Service (1990-2002) / New South Wales Police (2002-2007) / NSW Police Force (2007- )&rft.description=This series consists of files, known as ‘dossiers’ containing information concerning individuals, groups, terrorist activities, close personal protection of dignitaries, politicians or high profile figures visiting New South Wales, bomb threats and information received from other organisations.Prior to the creation of an Intelligence Dossier, Main Index Cards would be used to record information concerning a subject or individual. When the number of Main Index Cards exceeded several, a Dossier would be created.Intelligence dossiers would include all information accumulated on both coloured temporary and Main (Blue) Index Cards prior to the creation of a dossier. Some matters became the subject of a dossier straight away, for example a subject file in which a lot of information was going to be collected, such as the Sydney bid for the 2000 Olympics Games.Information held on Intelligence Dossiers was obtained from multiple sources including:Information gathered from public sector bodies such as: passport applications electoral rolls Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages Telecom Australia Post Department of Motor Transport Register of Charities information gathered as a part of the Police function Police enquiries criminal investigations and covert operations general surveillance informants (registered sources) Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) and other Special Branches the public publications and petitions.Dossiers primarily contain the following documents: Dossier running sheet Precis Sheet Organisational History Sheet Criminal Record Card (Form P59D) Criminal and general Information Form (Form P342A) numbered “sub files” which may comprise copies of intelligence reports and documents related to a specific event in which the subject was involved newspaper cuttings publications index cards removed from the Main Index Card series.Dossier Running Sheets are a summary of the subject’s activities which “come under notice” in chronological order. Information was taken from relevant Main (Blue) Card Index series cards and from Intelligence Report Forms enclosed within the Dossier. Related Special Branch Intelligence Reports and are also recorded. The following notations would be made on Dossier Running Sheet indicating the existing Special Branch holdings on mentioned and individuals and organisations: (c): if an index card already existed the notation (c) would signal the existence of that record. This would ultimately lead to the copying of the information on to that record. (npr): if not previously recorded, the notation “(npr)” would prompt the creation of a new record. (fnu): if full name is unknown (dnr): if a person or organisation name was mentioned coincidentally, (i.e. it had no significance to the report), the notation “(dnr)” indicated that no record of the association was to be made (pm) if previously mentioned earlier in the report Dossier No. if the subject of an Intelligence Dossier e.g. D85/67 Commissioners Correspondence “S” Subject correspondence e.g. S33684/880.Precis Sheets record the following information concerning individuals: Year date Dossier number Passport number Where passport was issued Surname Given names Alias/maiden names Place and date of birth Address Telephone number, home, work Nationality Name of wife, husband, children, mother, father, brother/s, sisters/s Occupation (Date) Motor vehicle and driver/riders licence (Date) Photograph index (yes/No) Personal description Criminal history Political Party Other organisations Precis of activity.Organisation History Sheets record the following information concerning organisations: Year date Dossier number Name of organisation Premises used Telephone Number Frequency of meetings and where held Office bearers: (Executive and Committee) Newspapers, periodicals and other publications issued by this organisation Front organisations History of organisation – how formed, by whom, aims and objectives Summary Summary of current activities Signature of officer compiling organisation history sheet Date completed.With regard to rallies, marches or protests the following information was recorded: Whether the incident was a rally and/or march and/or demonstration and/or protest and/or vigil The name/s of organisation or group or individual involved Place where the incident occurred/persons gathered Time and date of incident Number of members and/or supporters of the organisation/s gathered Reason for incident Did those gathered: remained silent displayed banners chanted marched sat in the street Members and/or supporters of other organisations present gathered in support.With regard to VIP protection, the following information would be compiled: Itineraries & programs Identity tags Occurrence reports VIP Profiles Photographs Biographies Media reports Threat assessment Advanced security arrangements surveys Security instructions Duties of Special Branch personnel involved in security duties at events Operational orders.On 13 March 1997, a notice under section 26 of the Police Integrity Commission Act 1996 (Act No.28, 1996) was served on the Commissioner of Police requiring production of all records of the Special Branch. A number of dossiers and other Special Branch records were temporarily transferred to the Police Integrity Commission. These records were affixed with barcode labels and electronically scanned into the Commission’s recordkeeping system. These records later were returned to the custody of the NSW Police Service.Intelligence Dossiers contain information of direct security value and document one of the core activities of the Special Branch, advising the Commissioner of Police of any violence or civil disorder likely to occur as a result of the actions of subversive or extremist groups in the State, so that preventable measures could be taken. These records also document the extent to which the Branch was gathering information on domestic and international groups and organisations, and their members.Note on AccuracyIn its Report to Parliament in June 1998 the Police Integrity Commission found that, “ A proportion of the information held by Special Branch can be characterised as being untested reports and allegations relating to political organisations and conflicts within the community. It appears this information was recorded and stored without any attempt to evaluate its veracity.” (1)  It should be noted that this finding appears to relate primarily to records created prior to 1990, the majority of records created from 1990 onwards were evaluated using the Admiralty Code assessment system. This is a system used by the NSW Police Force and other Policing agencies for the effective evaluation of information. The components of the scale represent a graded scale of measurement ranging from 'high probability' to 'probable inaccuracy'.Physical CharacteristicsDossiers were originally contained within PVC plastic document pouches. Prior to the removal of the document pouches, dossier labels were copied and attached to the dossier reports.Arrangement Annual single numbering Dossier title relates to the subject, person or organisation subject to investigation or surveillance Attached documents are numerically tagged as they were attached A dossiers ‘running sheet’ list the documents attached to a dossierEndnote1. Police Integrity Commission, Report to Parliament : Regarding the Former Special Branch of the New South Wales Police Service, 8.5, p.31.&rft.creator=AGY-1221 | Police Subversive Organisations Branch [I] &rft.creator=AGY-1222 | Military/Police Intelligence Branch &rft.creator=AGY-1223 | Police Subversive Organisations Branch [II] &rft.creator=AGY-1224 | New South Wales Police Special Branch &rft_subject=HISTORICAL STUDIES&rft_subject=HISTORY AND ARCHAEOLOGY&rft.type=dataset&rft.language=English Access the data

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Full description

This series consists of files, known as ‘dossiers’ containing information concerning individuals, groups, terrorist activities, close personal protection of dignitaries, politicians or high profile figures visiting New South Wales, bomb threats and information received from other organisations.

Prior to the creation of an Intelligence Dossier, Main Index Cards would be used to record information concerning a subject or individual. When the number of Main Index Cards exceeded several, a Dossier would be created.

Intelligence dossiers would include all information accumulated on both coloured temporary and Main (Blue) Index Cards prior to the creation of a dossier. Some matters became the subject of a dossier straight away, for example a subject file in which a lot of information was going to be collected, such as the Sydney bid for the 2000 Olympics Games.

Information held on Intelligence Dossiers was obtained from multiple sources including:

Information gathered from public sector bodies such as:

  • passport applications
  • electoral rolls
  • Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages
  • Telecom
  • Australia Post
  • Department of Motor Transport
  • Register of Charities
  • information gathered as a part of the Police function
  • Police enquiries
  • criminal investigations and covert operations
  • general surveillance
  • informants ("registered sources")
  • Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) and other Special Branches
  • the public
  • publications and petitions.

Dossiers primarily contain the following documents:

  • Dossier running sheet
  • Precis Sheet
  • Organisational History Sheet
  • Criminal Record Card (Form P59D)
  • Criminal and general Information Form (Form P342A)
  • numbered “sub files” which may comprise copies of intelligence reports and documents related to a specific event in which the subject was involved
  • newspaper cuttings
  • publications
  • index cards removed from the Main Index Card series.

Dossier Running Sheets are a summary of the subject’s activities which “come under notice” in chronological order. Information was taken from relevant Main (Blue) Card Index series cards and from Intelligence Report Forms enclosed within the Dossier. Related Special Branch Intelligence Reports and are also recorded. The following notations would be made on Dossier Running Sheet indicating the existing Special Branch holdings on mentioned and individuals and organisations:

  • (c): if an index card already existed the notation (c) would signal the existence of that record. This would ultimately lead to the copying of the information on to that record.
  • (npr): if not previously recorded, the notation “(npr)” would prompt the creation of a new record.
  • (fnu): if full name is unknown
  • (dnr): if a person or organisation name was mentioned coincidentally, (i.e. it had no significance to the report), the notation “(dnr)” indicated that no record of the association was to be made
  • (pm) if previously mentioned earlier in the report
  • Dossier No. if the subject of an Intelligence Dossier e.g. D85/67
  • Commissioners Correspondence “S” Subject correspondence e.g. S33684/880.

Precis Sheets record the following information concerning individuals:

  • Year date
  • Dossier number
  • Passport number
  • Where passport was issued
  • Surname
  • Given names
  • Alias/maiden names
  • Place and date of birth
  • Address
  • Telephone number, home, work
  • Nationality
  • Name of wife, husband, children, mother, father, brother/s, sisters/s
  • Occupation (Date)
  • Motor vehicle and driver/riders licence (Date)
  • Photograph index (yes/No)
  • Personal description
  • Criminal history
  • Political Party
  • Other organisations
  • Precis of activity.

Organisation History Sheets record the following information concerning organisations:

  • Year date
  • Dossier number
  • Name of organisation
  • Premises used
  • Telephone Number
  • Frequency of meetings and where held
  • Office bearers: (Executive and Committee)
  • Newspapers, periodicals and other publications issued by this organisation
  • Front organisations
  • History of organisation – how formed, by whom, aims and objectives
  • Summary
  • Summary of current activities
  • Signature of officer compiling organisation history sheet
  • Date completed.

With regard to rallies, marches or protests the following information was recorded:

  • Whether the incident was a rally and/or march and/or demonstration and/or protest and/or vigil
  • The name/s of organisation or group or individual involved
  • Place where the incident occurred/persons gathered
  • Time and date of incident
  • Number of members and/or supporters of the organisation/s gathered
  • Reason for incident
  • Did those gathered:
    • remained silent
    • displayed banners
    • chanted
    • marched
    • sat in the street
  • Members and/or supporters of other organisations present gathered in support.

With regard to VIP protection, the following information would be compiled:

  • Itineraries & programs
  • Identity tags
  • Occurrence reports
  • VIP Profiles
  • Photographs
  • Biographies
  • Media reports
  • Threat assessment
  • Advanced security arrangements surveys
  • Security instructions
  • Duties of Special Branch personnel involved in security duties at events
  • Operational orders.

On 13 March 1997, a notice under section 26 of the Police Integrity Commission Act 1996 (Act No.28, 1996) was served on the Commissioner of Police requiring production of all records of the Special Branch. A number of dossiers and other Special Branch records were temporarily transferred to the Police Integrity Commission. These records were affixed with barcode labels and electronically scanned into the Commission’s recordkeeping system. These records later were returned to the custody of the NSW Police Service.

Intelligence Dossiers contain information of direct security value and document one of the core activities of the Special Branch, advising the Commissioner of Police of any violence or civil disorder likely to occur as a result of the actions of subversive or extremist groups in the State, so that preventable measures could be taken. These records also document the extent to which the Branch was gathering information on domestic and international groups and organisations, and their members.

Note on Accuracy
In its Report to Parliament in June 1998 the Police Integrity Commission found that, “ A proportion of the information held by Special Branch can be characterised as being untested reports and allegations relating to political organisations and conflicts within the community. It appears this information was recorded and stored without any attempt to evaluate its veracity.” (1)  It should be noted that this finding appears to relate primarily to records created prior to 1990, the majority of records created from 1990 onwards were evaluated using the Admiralty Code assessment system. This is a system used by the NSW Police Force and other Policing agencies for the effective evaluation of information. The components of the scale represent a graded scale of measurement ranging from 'high probability' to 'probable inaccuracy'.

Physical Characteristics
Dossiers were originally contained within PVC plastic document pouches. Prior to the removal of the document pouches, dossier labels were copied and attached to the dossier reports.

Arrangement

  • Annual single numbering
  • Dossier title relates to the subject, person or organisation subject to investigation or surveillance
  • Attached documents are numerically tagged as they were attached
  • A dossiers ‘running sheet’ list the documents attached to a dossier

Endnote
1. Police Integrity Commission, Report to Parliament : Regarding the Former Special Branch of the New South Wales Police Service, 8.5, p.31.

Created: 1938-01-01 to 1997-03-12

Data time period: 1938-01-01 to 1997-03-12

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