This month, Police Life turns 20. When you consider that there are some officers out there who weren’t even born when the first issue came out, twenty years is a long time.

A lot of changes have taken place in the SPF in that time. And Police Life is proud of the fact that it has recorded those changes. We’ve not only covered the momentous developments that have shaped the Force and which have made it one of the most progressive police organisations in the world – we’ve also reflected the thoughts, feelings and aspirations of all our officers on the ground, from the Commissioner of Police to the recruits entering the portals of the Police Academy on the first day. We’ve also had the privilege of covering developments in other areas such as the Volunteer Special Constabulary, the National Police Cadet Corps and more recently our PNSmen.

The next few pages are dedicated to Police Life in commemoration of its 20th Anniversary. We’re going to look at what goes into the making of the magazine today and then retrace our steps to look at Police Life in its early days. One thing is certain – the SPF has certainly come a long way, and as a mirror of the SPF, Police Life too has changed in tandem.

Fitting the pieces together
All the copy, pictures and advertisements that have been approved are sent to the graphic’s designer’s studios for layout. This is where articles have to be edited, photos selected and trimmed and then put together with an artistic touch so that the magazine makes enjoyable reading.

Giving the final go – ahead
Just before the magazine goes to print, it’s checked once again for final proof- reading and colour- checking to ensure that everything is in order.

And now, the final product
There is little for PLM staff to do once the magazine is at the printer’s, except to ensure that production quality is of acceptable standard.

Bringing Police Life to you
This is perhaps the biggest logistics exercise in the production of Police Life – getting the magazine to you, our readers. First the magazines have to be sorted out, with varying quantities allocated to each department, division and unit, while some have to be mailed individually to people such as advertisers.

Back to square one
Even while one issue is in the final stages of production, work commences on the next issue. The production team regularly reviews issues of PLM to see what improvements can be made in subsequent issues. It’s this process of re-assessment and modification that helps Police Life improve with each issue.