SA Police celebrate Aboriginal trackers

Aboriginal trackers such as those responsible for finding an abducted eight-year-old in 1966 were recognised today as part of SA Police's Foundation Day.

South Australia Police celebrate the contribution of Aboriginal trackers. Source: SBS

When eight-year-old Jane Pfeiffer was abducted in 1966 just metres from her family farmhouse in the Adelaide Hills, Jimmy James and Daniel Moodoo were called in to track her down.

The search involved more than 150 police and volunteers, but it was Indigenous Australians Jimmy James and Daniel Moodoo who found her alive after following her tracks through more than 20 kilometres of harsh scrub land.

SA Police recognised Aboriginal trackers as part of their Foundation Day ceremonies on Sunday celebrating 181 years of service, making it the third-oldest police force in the world.

16 Aboriginal trackers were employed by SA Police in 1852, with that number growing over time to more than 65.

The ceremony on Sunday also marked the beginning of a photographic exhibition to honour the work of trackers, including Jimmy James whose famed career spanned for 40 years.

"Trackers are famed for using their bush skills to spot subtle changes in the environment that reveal the path a person has taken in often harsh and remote areas," said SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens.