Police Telephone Post - London

A police box is a telephone kiosk or callbox located in a public place for the use of members of the police, or for members of the public to contact the police. Unlike an ordinary callbox, it has its telephone handset mounted on the outside, and the interior of the box is, in effect, a miniature police station for use by police officers.Police boxes pre-date the era of mobile telecommunications; contemporary police officers, in many countries, carry two-way radios and/or mobile phones rather than relying on fixed kiosks.

Many boxes are now disused or have been withdrawn from service.The typical police box contained a telephone linked directly to the local police station allowing patrolling officers to keep in contact with the station, reporting anything unusual, requesting help if necessary, or even to detain suspects until a vehicle could be sent to transport them to the station or to jail. A light on top of the box would flash to alert an officer that he/she was requested to contact the station. Members of the public could also use the phone to contact a police station in an emergency.

Police Telephone Post (non-working) still at St. Martin's Le Grand, London - painted (wrongly) in 'Met' dark blue. 'City' boxes were painted in a light blue.