Police box

A police cell is a public, multi-functional cell with a telephone or telecommunications connection. The cells were mainly used in the 20th century by the American and British police. The shape and size resembles mostly that of a phone booth. The Japanese Koban are larger and have more features.

Functions

• Call the nearest police station by means of a telephone that is accessible in the door and outside.
• Modern cells provide access to a comprehensive electronic information system of the police.

• Telephone contact to the nearest police station.
• Fixing of offenders within the cell.
• Access to a directory offenses, a first- aid kit and other tools of police work.

British police cells were usually blue; in Glasgow they had this color until the late 1960s.

History

The first police - cell was constructed in 1877 in Albany. Others followed in 1883 in Washington, DC, in 1884 in Chicago and Detroit and 1885 in Boston.

The first British cell was set up in 1891 in Glasgow; she was hexagonal, red, and had a gas lantern on the roof. The first rectangular British police cell, there were 1923 in Sunderland. Followed in 1925 Newcastle, from 1928 London.

In 1953 there were 685 police cells in London. 1970 most police cells were replaced by police radio. From 1997, new cells were built with more features in some cities of Britain.

Reflected in the popular culture

Police cells are also thereby became known that the TARDIS the Doctor in Doctor Who has permanently assumed the form of a blue police - cell due to a technical defect.