In 1922 the Police Force of Tasmania consisted of 235 police officers.

It was considered by many of those members at that time that salaries and conditions of service were in urgent need of improvement. Approaches to the Police Department and the Government were made but to no avail. Because of these fruitless approaches a group of police officers gathered together for the purpose of forming a Police Association. Similar bodies had been established in the majority of mainland states. The main aim of the organisation was, of course, to be a representative body, which would make formal application to the Government for better salaries and conditions for serving police officers.

Formal recognition of the Tasmania Police Association was given in late 1922 and in January 1923 by notice in the Police Gazette nominations for office bearers to form an Executive Committee were called.

The Committee first met in March 1923 with the first conference of delegates of the Association having state wide representation coming together on the 11th and 12th September, 1923. Since 1923 the Conference of Delegates or commonly known as the Annual Conference has provided a forum for participation of members of the Police Association to air their views, create policies and to generally strive for better conditions for police officers.

Our history indicates that the original Executive Committee all of whom were honorary officers encountered many difficulties in the early stages of the Association in endeavouring to implement policy decisions. It was common knowledge that the authorities applied pressure on Executive members to suppress their activities.

The Police Association was registered under the Trade Union Act in 1956 as a Trade Union and also became a service organisation under the Public Service Tribunal Act. The Public Service Tribunal was later superseded by the Public Service Board in 1973 which has been superseded itself by the State Industrial Commission.

In 1967 the Association had grown with the expansion of the Police Force, which had reached 700 in numbers. It was decided that the Association had come of age and that a full time staffing situation was warranted to continue the aims of the Association and to provide a greater liaison with the membership generally. The Association appointed a General Secretary in a full time role.

In 2004 the Association continued its expansion with the appointment of a full time President. The President must be a serving police officer and is seconded to the Association for the term of their Presidency. The Association currently employs four full-time personnel, the President, the General Secretary, the Assistant Secretary and the Administration Manager, and one part time Office Assistant.