The early twentieth century was marked by a string of innovations that paved Victoria Police's reputation as a premier policing service. Two of the major developments in technology were in forensics and communications.
The establishment of the Finger Print Bureau in 1903, expanded the use of fingerprint analysis by Victoria Police enabling positive identification of offenders from fingerprints left at crime scenes. In 1956, the Forensic Science Section was established at the University of Melbourne to assist Victoria Police in scientific examination.
Dr. John Birrell was appointed in 1957, as full-time advisor in forensic medicine, with the title Police Surgeon. It was the first position of its kind in the world.
In 1961, legislation was passed covering the use of the breathalyser in charges relating to drink driving and a mobile crime laboratory was introduced to allow forensic scientists greater ability to operate in the field.
In 1965, the Norman McCallum Forensic Science Laboratory opened at Spring Street in Melbourne
