An ABC-TV police procedural, M.P.S.I.B. followed the investigations of the Missing Persons Special Investigation Branch, specifically Constable Lisa Hesse, Senior Constable Gary Malone, and Sergeant Noel Braden. According to contemporary magazine articles, the episodes all followed a similar structure:
'Mike Preston plays the department chief [Sergeant Noel Braden], with Peta [Toppano, as Constable Hesse] and Barry [Quin, as Senior Constable Malone] his computer-wise Indians. The computer is used initially to give a hint to a missing person's whereabouts, then Barry and Peta are sent off like bloodhounds.' (Australian Women's Weekly Wednesday 15 December 1982, p.25).
According to contemporary reviews, 'the trio behave more like social workers than police' (Australian Women's Weekly Wednesday 15 December 1982, p.25).
M.P.I.S.B. is now a sufficiently obscure program that little information is available outside contemporary reviews and television guides: for example, not all of the specific authors and directors who worked on this program have yet been traced.
The National Film and Sound Archive does, however, hold scripts for two episodes: 'Death of a Ghost' (episode two) and 'The Best Policy' (episode eight).
Further Reference:
Greg Flynn. 'Cabaret Cop'. Australian Women's Weekly Wed. 27 January 1982, p.97.
—. 'Facing the Cameras Together Again ... and Again'. Australian Women's Weekly Wed. 15 December 1982, p.25.
