In the United Kingdom, police radios were pioneered largely by Captain Athelstan Popkess of the Nottingham City Police in the early 1930s, with trials commencing in 1931, and the results published in a 1933–1934 series of articles.
Two-way radios also known as walkie talkies are primarily used to communicate information quickly from one radio to another. Walkie talkies allow people to talk to others in different areas by using the same radio channel. Law enforcement, firefighters, and public safety professionals all use handheld radios to converse between other officers and respond to an emergency instantaneously.
Walkie talkies have greatly advanced over the years but remain a constant form of communication with police and commercial radio users. Law enforcement frequently uses walkie talkies that are manufactured by Motorola, Harris, Kenwood, and BK Technologies. Police handhelds require more security and features that are needed to correctly do their job. They also are required to communicate back and forth with dispatch radios for critical information so having a more secure radio without interruption is essential. This makes police walkie talkies different than commercial walkie talkies.
Commercial walkie talkies are used throughout many industries like bar security, event staff at large venues, hikers, and used in businesses like warehouses or construction sites. These people require fast communication too but don’t necessarily need the advanced features and security as a police radio. These radios are simple to use and often allow businesses to communicate to requests from their team quickly compared to using cell phones that are not as efficient in reaching someone when needed. In cases of hiking, cell phones may not be available in dense parts of the mountains.