The 'Tardis' of the "Doctor Who" BBC television series is all that most know about the police box. These boxes have a far more interesting history, which was virtually unknown today before the publication of this book. The 1880s saw companies in America develop, from earlier fire alarms, police call points and kiosks before they pursued clients in Britain. Just a few police forces in this country took an interest in the idea in these early years. Although the Metropolitan Police in London experimented with systems, it was the police in Glasgow and Liverpool that were particularly active before the end of the century. The 'hey days' for the police box were the years between the 1920s and 1960s when a large proportion of the many police forces, that existed at the time, introduced some form of communication from the street for both police officers and the public to use. This important aspect of policing is described using the, often amusing, experiences of retired police officers from all areas of the United Kingdom.
The dying days of the police box after 1960 show the lasting interest there has been in this abandoned method of policing with museums always keen to acquire a 'retired' box for display. "The Rise and Fall of the Police Box" is a meticulously researched and illustrated book by a retired Superintendent of the Metropolitan Police who is well qualified to write on the subject as the boxes were an important part of his day to day duty as a young constable in London in the 1950s and 60s. Although this book is really directed at the ordinary reader with an interest in finding out more about this iconic part of police history, it will also be a godsend for the researcher and academic. Libraries and museums will find it a source of unequalled reference, as will police box afficionados and Doctor Who enthusiasts.