Did anyone else used to listen to police messages on short wave radio? It was illegal apparently but we occasionally used to tune in on a saturday night cos thats when it would be busiest. If memory serves, you only got half the conversation (the copper talking to base but not the other way round?)
If anyones interested there's some good apps you can download onto your device that let you listen in to various emergency services perfectly legally from all over the world (except uk). My favourite is called Scanner 911, it comes with all the numbered codes and what they mean that they use so you can tell what they're talking about, and you get the full two way conversation. I think the app cost me about sixty pence from the app store but chances are there'll be a free one somewhere if anyone wants to trial it.