1 00:00:01,880 --> 00:00:04,880 Speaker 1: The public has had a long held fascination with detectives. 2 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:08,039 Speaker 1: Detective see aside of life. The average person is never 3 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:11,080 Speaker 1: exposed her I spent thirty four years as a cop. 4 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:14,040 Speaker 1: For twenty five of those years I was catching killers. 5 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:16,200 Speaker 1: That's what I did for a living. I was a 6 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 1: homicide detective. I'm no longer just interviewing bad guys. Instead, 7 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:23,120 Speaker 1: I'm taking the public into the world in which I operated. 8 00:00:23,840 --> 00:00:26,400 Speaker 1: The guests I talk to each week have amazing stories 9 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:28,760 Speaker 1: from all sides of the law. The interviews are raw 10 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:31,440 Speaker 1: and honest, just like the people I talk to. Some 11 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:34,640 Speaker 1: of the content and language might be confronting. That's because 12 00:00:34,640 --> 00:00:37,640 Speaker 1: no one who comes into contact with crime is left unchanged. 13 00:00:38,159 --> 00:00:46,960 Speaker 1: Join me now as I take you into this world. Today, 14 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:50,840 Speaker 1: I had a conversation with former Victorian homicide detective called 15 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:54,680 Speaker 1: Andrew Stamper. Andrew led some of the biggest investigations in 16 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:59,319 Speaker 1: the country, including Melbourne's deadly gangland war. Andrew was one 17 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 1: of the leading investigators of Strikeforce Piranha, a police task 18 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:07,399 Speaker 1: force that looked into the notorious underworld killings and drug syndicates, 19 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:12,080 Speaker 1: involving infamous figures like Carl Williams. During that time Andrew 20 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:15,679 Speaker 1: put away two murderers for the killing of Lewis Kane. 21 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:19,959 Speaker 1: He also takes us inside the twenty seventeen Lone Wolf 22 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 1: Flinderstreet attack, where a car was deliberately driven in the 23 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:28,080 Speaker 1: busy Christmas crowds, injuring nineteen innocent people and killing one person. 24 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 1: Having spent more than forty years with the police, Andrew 25 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:34,399 Speaker 1: is a real deal as far as detectives go, and 26 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:36,280 Speaker 1: he's someone I would have liked to have worked with. 27 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:40,360 Speaker 1: Andrew Stamper, thank you for coming on I Catch Killers. 28 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:41,319 Speaker 2: Thanks for having me. 29 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:46,479 Speaker 1: Well, it's good talking to a former cop, and it's 30 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:49,120 Speaker 1: really this is the genesis of what this whole podcast 31 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 1: started about. THO I speaking to people that had worked 32 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:55,320 Speaker 1: homicide cases. So it's good to get back to our roots, 33 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 1: so to speak. 34 00:01:56,360 --> 00:01:57,160 Speaker 2: Yep, I agree. 35 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, you spent forty years in the in the police. 36 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:04,160 Speaker 1: What's your takeaway from it? We're looking back now you've 37 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:07,360 Speaker 1: probably been out long enough to have time to reflect 38 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:07,640 Speaker 1: on it. 39 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:11,120 Speaker 2: On my takeaway as it was a privilege, I think, 40 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:14,079 Speaker 2: you know, someone one of our former chief commissioners said 41 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:15,480 Speaker 2: you you know you've got a front seat to the 42 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:20,360 Speaker 2: best best show on Earth and I honestly feel that 43 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:23,400 Speaker 2: it sometimes in some of the roles I was able 44 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:28,359 Speaker 2: to do, I feel immense privilege and also a great 45 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:30,280 Speaker 2: deal of pride as well when I think about the 46 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:32,920 Speaker 2: people that I've worked with over the years, and you know, 47 00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:36,480 Speaker 2: and knowing how committed they've been to keep in the 48 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:40,280 Speaker 2: community safe too. So yeah, that's my overwhelming thoughts. 49 00:02:40,639 --> 00:02:44,399 Speaker 1: I like sitting down speaking to people that have spent 50 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:46,600 Speaker 1: as long as you have in the in the police, 51 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:48,600 Speaker 1: at the sharp end of the police, and you're always 52 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 1: in there with your sleeves rolled up doing the work 53 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:53,880 Speaker 1: that you come away from that. And I think you've 54 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:56,440 Speaker 1: mentioned the word privilege, and I look back at my 55 00:02:56,560 --> 00:02:58,240 Speaker 1: career and there is a privilege, isn't it. 56 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah, I mean, look, probably the same as You've 57 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:04,919 Speaker 2: got a few bruises over the journey, and I've certainly 58 00:03:04,960 --> 00:03:08,679 Speaker 2: got that, and I know you do too, But you know, holistically, 59 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:11,079 Speaker 2: it's been a pleasure and privilege. 60 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:15,640 Speaker 1: The other thing you said, it's like, or you attributed 61 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:19,160 Speaker 1: to someone else's comment, but a front row seat into 62 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:21,640 Speaker 1: some of the most interesting things you could possibly find 63 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 1: yourself at. I often felt that in cases, if they 64 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:30,480 Speaker 1: were high profile cases, you would think, Yeah, everyone's interested, 65 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:33,720 Speaker 1: what's behind that police tape? What's going on? What are 66 00:03:33,760 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 1: the police doing? And here you are in the thick 67 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:36,240 Speaker 1: of it. 68 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:38,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's life in the golfish bowl, isn't it. And 69 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:41,920 Speaker 2: you know, certainly there's been a number of cases over 70 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:44,760 Speaker 2: my career where you really feel that you're in the 71 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 2: Golfish bol and a lot of cases where you're really 72 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:53,120 Speaker 2: working hard to stay one step ahead of the media 73 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:55,800 Speaker 2: who are running their own investigations as well. And you know, 74 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:57,320 Speaker 2: that was a lesson that I learned a number of 75 00:03:57,440 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 2: years ago to you know, I hope that's one of 76 00:04:00,960 --> 00:04:06,120 Speaker 2: the things that enabled me later in my career to 77 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:09,400 Speaker 2: actually work more collaboratively with the media on a lot 78 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:13,480 Speaker 2: of those you know, those high impact cases. 79 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:16,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, Well, with the high profile comes a different type 80 00:04:16,520 --> 00:04:19,880 Speaker 1: of pressure, doesn't it when you're heading up an investigation 81 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:25,040 Speaker 1: or you're involved in an investigation. But I've followed your career, 82 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:28,719 Speaker 1: there's always interest. When I was in the cops, what's 83 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 1: happening down in Melbourne and I saw different things, But 84 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 1: in the times I saw you in the media, you 85 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:36,960 Speaker 1: always seem to have a purpose to what you were saying. 86 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:39,800 Speaker 2: Well, I think there has to be and you don't 87 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:43,080 Speaker 2: just do it for the sake of it, you know. 88 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:46,599 Speaker 2: And for me engaging with the media, that was either 89 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:50,080 Speaker 2: the purpose, you know, it was either in community, in 90 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:57,440 Speaker 2: community information or reassurance or trying to gain some strategic 91 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:02,479 Speaker 2: benefit for the investigation. And I think that was always 92 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:05,359 Speaker 2: a challenge early days in an investigation, certainly sitting in 93 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:08,120 Speaker 2: the position that I did in later years in a 94 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 2: leadership position there to think how, you know, how we 95 00:05:11,440 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 2: you know, how we could leverage that most effectively. 96 00:05:14,839 --> 00:05:18,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, I see it. I see it as as a tool, 97 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:20,640 Speaker 1: a tool that you know, in the kit that you 98 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 1: have to solve a crime. You can certainly certainly use 99 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:27,360 Speaker 1: the media. Your policing career a little bit different from 100 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:31,000 Speaker 1: most Australian cops because you started your policing career in 101 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:33,400 Speaker 1: the in the UK. Tell us about that. 102 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:36,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, five years as a bobby and just to the 103 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:38,800 Speaker 2: west of London in an area car Wiltshire there, and 104 00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:41,240 Speaker 2: you know that was that was fantastic, you know, I 105 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:44,920 Speaker 2: grew up in the UK. Albeit, I you know, I'm 106 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 2: always pains to explain that I am Australian, particularly at 107 00:05:49,440 --> 00:05:52,360 Speaker 2: times such as now in the crickets, but yeah, I 108 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:55,080 Speaker 2: did five years over there, and you know that was 109 00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 2: very different starting off in the mid eighties where he 110 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:02,320 Speaker 2: was still on foot. You started off on foot patrol 111 00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:05,480 Speaker 2: and as a nineteen year old, you know, walking into 112 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:08,160 Speaker 2: people's homes. You know, I'd come from a small village 113 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:12,680 Speaker 2: in the north of England and suddenly I'm talking to 114 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:14,560 Speaker 2: people who are twice as old as me and had 115 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:16,640 Speaker 2: life experience and trying to tell them how to live 116 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:20,039 Speaker 2: their lives and a lot of early lessons there. You know, 117 00:06:20,080 --> 00:06:22,679 Speaker 2: one of my old sergeants who was a pretty fearsome character. 118 00:06:22,839 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 2: You know, he used to give you these old adages, 119 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:26,840 Speaker 2: you know, like to be a good copy, you've got 120 00:06:26,839 --> 00:06:29,680 Speaker 2: to have more faces in town hall clock and you know, 121 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:32,839 Speaker 2: that's one thing that's that's stuck with me that you 122 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:40,360 Speaker 2: really have to adapt your approach or your communication style 123 00:06:40,600 --> 00:06:44,880 Speaker 2: to the person you're dealing with. And that was something 124 00:06:44,920 --> 00:06:47,520 Speaker 2: that really really stuck with me all of my career 125 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:50,720 Speaker 2: that you know, you've got to communicate with people on 126 00:06:50,760 --> 00:06:53,760 Speaker 2: their level, and that could be you know, talking to 127 00:06:54,360 --> 00:06:59,760 Speaker 2: someone who's a multi millionaire and to someone who's living 128 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:02,479 Speaker 2: on the straight. But you know, another thing that that 129 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:05,120 Speaker 2: same sergeant told me is that you know that you 130 00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:08,600 Speaker 2: treat everyone equally. You treat everyone with respect, and you 131 00:07:08,920 --> 00:07:11,680 Speaker 2: know you start off from a position of respect, you know, 132 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:15,840 Speaker 2: not notwithstanding where they come from or what their status 133 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 2: is in life. You treat everyone the same. And you know, 134 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:22,320 Speaker 2: those two things I think have stayed with me from 135 00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:24,440 Speaker 2: from those early days in policing. 136 00:07:25,520 --> 00:07:28,560 Speaker 1: It's good advice, isn't it. That's very much formative views 137 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:32,840 Speaker 1: those early early times in policing. And you're fortunate enough 138 00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:35,280 Speaker 1: if you get a good mental pointing you in the 139 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:38,080 Speaker 1: right direction. I think that can shape your whole career. 140 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 1: The experience you get very early in policing. 141 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:44,880 Speaker 2: Oh absolutely. And you know I can still quite all 142 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:48,640 Speaker 2: of those little nuggets of gold that that you know, 143 00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 2: that particular sergeant used to used to drill into all 144 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 2: of us probation as we as we were at the time. 145 00:07:55,760 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, life is a bobby and you know a lot 146 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:01,760 Speaker 1: of our perception of what goes on in the UK 147 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:04,960 Speaker 1: is from the show The Bill. That was a big one. 148 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:10,800 Speaker 1: That was very much watching the life of life of 149 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:14,640 Speaker 1: cops walking the boat, not having a weapon, and you 150 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:17,640 Speaker 1: would quite often it was very much community based policing. 151 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:21,160 Speaker 1: That was my observation of it one out without without 152 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:24,000 Speaker 1: the firearm. What were what was the different nature of 153 00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:27,840 Speaker 1: policing that we don't follow that path in Australia. What 154 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:30,520 Speaker 1: was it about the UK policing that allowed that type 155 00:08:30,560 --> 00:08:31,040 Speaker 1: of policing. 156 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:35,319 Speaker 2: I think there was a cultural thing, I think that 157 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 2: society in the UK at that time. And I stress 158 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:42,679 Speaker 2: at that time because I think it's changed now. There 159 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:48,960 Speaker 2: was there was guns were were far less common and certainly, 160 00:08:49,960 --> 00:08:53,160 Speaker 2: you know, certainly the crooks for one of the better 161 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 2: better terms you probably were less less less armed than 162 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:03,240 Speaker 2: they were here and you know, and there's there's a 163 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:06,200 Speaker 2: cultural piece to that somewhere, but it was just always 164 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:11,000 Speaker 2: an acceptance that the British police weren't armed and there 165 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:13,959 Speaker 2: seemed to be this kind of unwritten code, I suppose, 166 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:18,320 Speaker 2: between between the crooks and the cops in the UK. 167 00:09:18,760 --> 00:09:20,560 Speaker 2: You know, and I'm talking back in the eighties and 168 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:25,560 Speaker 2: as I say, things have changed a lot now, but 169 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:29,960 Speaker 2: you certainly learned to think on your feet a lot more. 170 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:33,120 Speaker 2: And particularly as I was as a nineteen year old, 171 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 2: as I say, just green, you know, you know, just 172 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:39,120 Speaker 2: come out of training school and my first role was 173 00:09:39,160 --> 00:09:42,480 Speaker 2: as a you know, as a community, Bobby. So walking 174 00:09:42,559 --> 00:09:45,959 Speaker 2: around what you know, what we would call like a 175 00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:49,400 Speaker 2: housing commissioner state or you know, you know, a ministry 176 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:54,000 Speaker 2: of housing kind of a state. And that was you know, 177 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:56,680 Speaker 2: three shifts, twenty four hours and sometimes on night shift, 178 00:09:56,720 --> 00:09:59,920 Speaker 2: three o'clock in the morning, you're walking around in the 179 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:05,160 Speaker 2: little winter by yourself. Occasionally some of the some of 180 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:07,000 Speaker 2: the guys that were driving the cars had come and 181 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:08,920 Speaker 2: pick you up just to defrost you. And I'll just 182 00:10:09,040 --> 00:10:10,640 Speaker 2: get you in the car and just turn the heter 183 00:10:10,760 --> 00:10:14,600 Speaker 2: on and and uh and just you know, come some 184 00:10:14,679 --> 00:10:16,480 Speaker 2: life back into you and then you know, chuck you 185 00:10:16,520 --> 00:10:19,240 Speaker 2: out because the sergeant to be coming around, and you know, 186 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:22,199 Speaker 2: the expectation was that you'd be you be on your patch, 187 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:28,760 Speaker 2: you know, and but yeah, unverwhelmingly, I think it was 188 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:32,280 Speaker 2: just learning to think on your feet and talk your 189 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:35,640 Speaker 2: way through situations a lot, a lot more. And that's 190 00:10:35,679 --> 00:10:37,960 Speaker 2: a very important tool here as you know, you know, 191 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:43,520 Speaker 2: very often I get the privilege of speaking to young 192 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:45,880 Speaker 2: cops and one of the things I, you know, I 193 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:49,360 Speaker 2: do tell them is learn to talk to people. You know, 194 00:10:49,520 --> 00:10:52,599 Speaker 2: just have conversations with people. Because in the world the 195 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:55,360 Speaker 2: way it is now, and particularly with policing where it's 196 00:10:55,400 --> 00:11:00,680 Speaker 2: just I must become a response type profession. Just take 197 00:11:00,679 --> 00:11:03,360 Speaker 2: the time to talk to people. It's one of the 198 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:05,600 Speaker 2: greatest arts that couples have. 199 00:11:06,679 --> 00:11:09,319 Speaker 1: Well that's a good advice to pass on because it's 200 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:11,720 Speaker 1: amazing what you get when you do actually sit down 201 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:15,840 Speaker 1: and talk to people. And this is something that kept 202 00:11:15,880 --> 00:11:18,720 Speaker 1: my interest in policing too. You do get to speak 203 00:11:18,760 --> 00:11:21,320 Speaker 1: to a whole range of people. I was in the 204 00:11:21,360 --> 00:11:24,880 Speaker 1: course of my duties speaking to world leaders and people 205 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:27,520 Speaker 1: that were living on the streets and flyblay and it 206 00:11:27,559 --> 00:11:31,760 Speaker 1: was but that communication is crucial. And I look at 207 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:35,520 Speaker 1: all the cops that I respect, they had that ability 208 00:11:35,559 --> 00:11:39,520 Speaker 1: to communicate at different levels and often it breaks down 209 00:11:39,559 --> 00:11:40,120 Speaker 1: that barrier. 210 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:45,559 Speaker 2: Yep. Absolutely, And you know, and that's something I've always 211 00:11:46,400 --> 00:11:50,559 Speaker 2: I've always prided myself in and just treating everyone with 212 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:54,719 Speaker 2: respect kind of help me in good stead. I think 213 00:11:55,360 --> 00:11:56,720 Speaker 2: for the forty years that I was doing. 214 00:11:57,600 --> 00:12:01,120 Speaker 1: Okay, before we take you out of the voice and 215 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:05,160 Speaker 1: bring you crashing into Victorian ployees in some of the 216 00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:07,880 Speaker 1: information just preparing for the podcast, so I see that 217 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:10,160 Speaker 1: at one point in time, part of your duties was 218 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:14,040 Speaker 1: protecting a UK cabinet minister high on the r IRA 219 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:17,520 Speaker 1: hit list. What was the backstory there? That seems like 220 00:12:17,559 --> 00:12:18,760 Speaker 1: an interesting role. 221 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:23,120 Speaker 2: Yeaholved in just before I came over back to Australia. 222 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:26,400 Speaker 2: As it was, I did twelve months in a VRP 223 00:12:26,559 --> 00:12:31,320 Speaker 2: protection team for a fellow who was at the time 224 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:34,440 Speaker 2: the British Minister for Northern Ireland. And you know a 225 00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:39,480 Speaker 2: lot of people forget about about, you know, how serious 226 00:12:39,559 --> 00:12:43,480 Speaker 2: the Northern Ireland issue issue was. And in the in 227 00:12:43,520 --> 00:12:46,360 Speaker 2: the mid eighties or mid to mid to late eighties 228 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:48,719 Speaker 2: in the UK it was, you know, it's really at 229 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:50,920 Speaker 2: its highest where we were talking Margaret Thatcher was the 230 00:12:50,960 --> 00:12:57,199 Speaker 2: Prime Minister and yah, there was absolutely not I've lost 231 00:12:58,480 --> 00:13:02,359 Speaker 2: whatsoever between you know, the Irish Republicans and the British 232 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:06,640 Speaker 2: British government. So that was a really interesting time because 233 00:13:06,679 --> 00:13:09,160 Speaker 2: I was kind of thrust into this really high security 234 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:14,360 Speaker 2: environment and we talk about going from a non armed 235 00:13:14,400 --> 00:13:18,520 Speaker 2: situation and I then went into a situation where I 236 00:13:18,679 --> 00:13:21,800 Speaker 2: was heavily armed and you know, talking about driving around 237 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:27,840 Speaker 2: country lanes in range rovers with some serious weaponry as 238 00:13:27,880 --> 00:13:31,840 Speaker 2: a twenty two twenty three year old. So I'd done 239 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:36,839 Speaker 2: all the firearms training over there, and the threat from 240 00:13:36,920 --> 00:13:41,040 Speaker 2: the IRA was very real. They actually did. There was 241 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:44,480 Speaker 2: I think three people it was who who were initially 242 00:13:44,520 --> 00:13:47,400 Speaker 2: convicted of conspiracy to murder and this was all the 243 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:50,800 Speaker 2: time that I was looking after him. And then you know, 244 00:13:50,920 --> 00:13:54,760 Speaker 2: ironically they were acquitted due to comments made by the 245 00:13:54,800 --> 00:13:57,760 Speaker 2: subject that we were protecting, who made comments in the 246 00:13:57,840 --> 00:14:03,400 Speaker 2: media which were deemed a highly prejudicial and and you 247 00:14:03,440 --> 00:14:06,840 Speaker 2: know the cases, you know, they were they were acquitted 248 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:11,320 Speaker 2: on appeal. So that was quite ironic really that the 249 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:15,240 Speaker 2: person that we would try to protect screwed it up ultimately. 250 00:14:15,320 --> 00:14:19,880 Speaker 2: But yeah, they were really serious about it, and you know, 251 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:25,200 Speaker 2: they were highly highly trained, highly affective soldiers. You know, 252 00:14:25,280 --> 00:14:29,840 Speaker 2: they weren't some rag tag army like some street gang. 253 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:33,560 Speaker 2: They were highly effective soldiers and they did their work, 254 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:36,800 Speaker 2: They did their reconnaissance and you know, and then the 255 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:40,400 Speaker 2: reconnaissance team would pass it on to onto you know, 256 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:45,320 Speaker 2: onto a hit team. And yeah, so it was interesting times, 257 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:49,560 Speaker 2: you know, just just being in that environment and yeah, 258 00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:52,320 Speaker 2: just was it was actually you know good to come 259 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:54,600 Speaker 2: to Australia and kind of get out of that where 260 00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:56,920 Speaker 2: things were. 261 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:59,720 Speaker 1: More related would be very tense. I've done close personal 262 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:03,600 Speaker 1: prote action in situations like that. But not with that 263 00:15:03,720 --> 00:15:06,520 Speaker 1: threat of the IRA. And as you describe them, they're 264 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:10,560 Speaker 1: not they're not part time as they're professional and if 265 00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:13,520 Speaker 1: they've got a target, they're going to go after them tactically. 266 00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:15,960 Speaker 1: So yeah, you would have had to be on your taes. 267 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:19,240 Speaker 1: So is that why you have? I dug deep enough 268 00:15:19,240 --> 00:15:21,240 Speaker 1: to work out why you've come to Australia. 269 00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:25,360 Speaker 2: The look, I mean, I was born here. You know, 270 00:15:25,400 --> 00:15:28,880 Speaker 2: my parents are English, they came over here, went back, 271 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:31,560 Speaker 2: So I was born here and just always been my 272 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:35,600 Speaker 2: ambition to come back. So that was really a way 273 00:15:36,400 --> 00:15:40,520 Speaker 2: to you know, to you know, I took on that 274 00:15:40,640 --> 00:15:43,560 Speaker 2: role knowing that I was coming here in twelve months 275 00:15:43,600 --> 00:15:46,960 Speaker 2: time and so that was really you know, nothing to 276 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:49,480 Speaker 2: do with you know, I wasn't scaping that or anything 277 00:15:49,520 --> 00:15:51,840 Speaker 2: like that, but yeah, it was it was you know, 278 00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:55,200 Speaker 2: it was hairy times as well. Again, as you know, 279 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:58,800 Speaker 2: you learn something through all of these roles and you 280 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:02,280 Speaker 2: take that with you during your career and you know, 281 00:16:02,480 --> 00:16:08,080 Speaker 2: so that concept of personal and operational security has always 282 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:09,600 Speaker 2: been paramount as well. 283 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:14,400 Speaker 1: I think having done tactical policing myself, I think it 284 00:16:14,760 --> 00:16:18,680 Speaker 1: boted very well for working in criminal investigation when you 285 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:21,920 Speaker 1: might be doing the tactical stuff yourself at that stage, 286 00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:25,560 Speaker 1: but you had the communication, you understand their capabilities and 287 00:16:25,640 --> 00:16:29,320 Speaker 1: different things, so it's all about getting the experience. Did 288 00:16:29,360 --> 00:16:32,160 Speaker 1: you come over to Australia with the intent to join 289 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:32,600 Speaker 1: the police? 290 00:16:33,280 --> 00:16:36,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, ok, I'd actually come here on holiday and I 291 00:16:36,480 --> 00:16:41,440 Speaker 2: did all the recruiting interviews while I was here on holiday. 292 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:47,480 Speaker 2: And they at that time here in Victoria in nineteen 293 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:50,560 Speaker 2: eighty nine, it would have been a lot of people 294 00:16:50,680 --> 00:16:55,320 Speaker 2: that they just changed the superannuation scheme and so a 295 00:16:56,040 --> 00:16:59,800 Speaker 2: lot of the old timers left under the old scheme, 296 00:17:00,160 --> 00:17:03,320 Speaker 2: and so there was a massive recruiting drive and you 297 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:06,040 Speaker 2: know I didn't know that, but you know, they were 298 00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:11,760 Speaker 2: pushing people through, you know, very quickly, and unlike today, 299 00:17:11,840 --> 00:17:14,040 Speaker 2: there was a there was a you know, there was 300 00:17:14,080 --> 00:17:17,920 Speaker 2: a vast pool of applicants who wanted to do it, 301 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:22,480 Speaker 2: which is a different story these days. But yeah, so 302 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:26,560 Speaker 2: I came here, did all the testing and interviews and 303 00:17:26,760 --> 00:17:29,000 Speaker 2: they said, you know, come back in six months and 304 00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:30,960 Speaker 2: you can go straight in. So I was pretty much 305 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:32,680 Speaker 2: back within six months. 306 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:36,439 Speaker 1: Okay, did you get any the credit or allowances for 307 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:38,840 Speaker 1: your experience or you know, you had to start fresh 308 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:41,440 Speaker 1: and in the in the academy learned how to march. 309 00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:45,200 Speaker 2: And yeah, and you know I've used this, I've used 310 00:17:45,160 --> 00:17:50,160 Speaker 2: this analogy before. But back at the Academy in those days, 311 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:53,280 Speaker 2: they still did a thing here which was called fatigues. 312 00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:56,639 Speaker 2: So if you lived in the academy, I don't know 313 00:17:56,680 --> 00:17:58,600 Speaker 2: what it was like at Gulban back in your day, 314 00:17:58,680 --> 00:18:01,879 Speaker 2: but if you lived in the academy, you had to 315 00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:05,000 Speaker 2: have a job and you got allocated a role. So 316 00:18:05,040 --> 00:18:07,960 Speaker 2: it might be picking letter up, it might be washing 317 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:12,480 Speaker 2: dishes after dinner. And my role was sweeping the round 318 00:18:12,520 --> 00:18:14,320 Speaker 2: about it at the front of the Police Academy. So 319 00:18:15,160 --> 00:18:18,679 Speaker 2: you know, I'd gone from looking after the British Minister 320 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:21,320 Speaker 2: for noln Island to sweeping the roundabout the front of 321 00:18:21,359 --> 00:18:24,800 Speaker 2: the Police Academy in very quick time. But you know, again, 322 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:28,240 Speaker 2: out of that, you know, I remember those times and 323 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:30,679 Speaker 2: the humbling moments where you kind of think, you know, 324 00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:33,239 Speaker 2: we'll just put your head down, just do what you've 325 00:18:33,240 --> 00:18:35,520 Speaker 2: got to do, you know, just keep pushing, pushing forward. 326 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:37,560 Speaker 2: And you know you learn a lot from those moments 327 00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:40,720 Speaker 2: too that you know, you could actually throw your arms 328 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:42,480 Speaker 2: up in the air and say I'm too good for this, 329 00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:46,480 Speaker 2: or whatever. But you know, I think you just push 330 00:18:46,560 --> 00:18:50,160 Speaker 2: through and just just think, well, yeah, there's a goal 331 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:52,159 Speaker 2: at the end of the day, and this is you know, 332 00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:54,320 Speaker 2: this is part of the one of the hurdles I've 333 00:18:54,320 --> 00:18:55,200 Speaker 2: got to jump to get. 334 00:18:55,040 --> 00:18:58,679 Speaker 1: There, most definitely, And it's a good attitude to have. 335 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:01,680 Speaker 1: It's all learning process. You're paying your dues. I think 336 00:19:01,720 --> 00:19:06,760 Speaker 1: that's very very important in an organization like a police force, 337 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:11,480 Speaker 1: that you understand that, yeah, just learn your way, learn 338 00:19:11,520 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 1: all the things. It might be doing point duty of 339 00:19:14,119 --> 00:19:17,520 Speaker 1: the traffic accident, which is probably not what you're aspiring to, 340 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:19,400 Speaker 1: but it's all part of the learning process. 341 00:19:19,720 --> 00:19:22,800 Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah, I do stress that they don't do those 342 00:19:22,840 --> 00:19:28,159 Speaker 2: things anymore. 343 00:19:28,880 --> 00:19:32,240 Speaker 1: So we both had a conversation before this and we 344 00:19:32,280 --> 00:19:36,359 Speaker 1: were talking about policing and trying to encourage police because 345 00:19:36,359 --> 00:19:38,679 Speaker 1: the bigger pill you've got, the better people you can select. 346 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:41,960 Speaker 1: And it saddens me. I see across the country police 347 00:19:41,960 --> 00:19:47,520 Speaker 1: forces are struggling to attract recruits and yeah, it's okay, 348 00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:49,080 Speaker 1: we better not tell them they've got to sweep the 349 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:50,760 Speaker 1: roundabout if they if they. 350 00:19:50,920 --> 00:19:54,639 Speaker 2: Know, no, not and not to you know, not to 351 00:19:54,680 --> 00:19:56,800 Speaker 2: take away you know how hard the job is. But 352 00:19:57,000 --> 00:19:59,600 Speaker 2: it's very very satisfying and very fulfilling as well. 353 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:05,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, what what steered you towards the career in detectives. 354 00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:09,840 Speaker 2: I think I've been here for a number of years 355 00:20:09,840 --> 00:20:13,600 Speaker 2: and just did a few different roles in general duties 356 00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:16,600 Speaker 2: or you know, in regional policing, and then one of 357 00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:19,879 Speaker 2: my first postings was was in an area called paran 358 00:20:20,040 --> 00:20:23,800 Speaker 2: here in Melbourne, which is is pretty much next to 359 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:27,760 Speaker 2: sin Kilda as well. So I've worked at the support 360 00:20:27,760 --> 00:20:31,600 Speaker 2: group it was called at the time, where they did 361 00:20:31,640 --> 00:20:36,199 Speaker 2: a lot of the lower level drugs investigations and you 362 00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:41,280 Speaker 2: know another you know, I suppose middle level crimes, you know, 363 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:44,679 Speaker 2: I suppose that the ones that the detectives weren't doing, 364 00:20:44,760 --> 00:20:49,800 Speaker 2: and so I did that for a little while. And 365 00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:52,960 Speaker 2: one of the one of the great things about those 366 00:20:53,080 --> 00:20:58,000 Speaker 2: units and still is, is that they're a bit of 367 00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:02,919 Speaker 2: a breeding ground for new detectives. The junior people like 368 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:05,960 Speaker 2: I was come in, but the sergeants there tend to 369 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:09,200 Speaker 2: be people, you know, who've been detective, you know, either 370 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:12,639 Speaker 2: been off at the crime squad's got promoted and then 371 00:21:13,040 --> 00:21:16,560 Speaker 2: are coming into these units. So you're actually getting led 372 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:19,480 Speaker 2: by people who've got that background. So you know, it 373 00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:21,640 Speaker 2: was a really formative time for me. I think here 374 00:21:21,680 --> 00:21:23,880 Speaker 2: where I decided, yeah, this is what I wanted to do. 375 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:28,360 Speaker 2: And there's a few those sergeants there that had come 376 00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:32,679 Speaker 2: from the robbery squad and the homicide squad, and you 377 00:21:32,840 --> 00:21:36,080 Speaker 2: kind of just got a taste of those bigger investigations 378 00:21:36,080 --> 00:21:38,600 Speaker 2: as well, I suppose. So that's where it started for me. 379 00:21:38,880 --> 00:21:42,639 Speaker 1: Okay, we're going to jump into your career in major 380 00:21:42,680 --> 00:21:46,160 Speaker 1: crime and being involved in leading some of the country's 381 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:51,520 Speaker 1: biggest homicide investigations. But before we do, both former homicide detects, 382 00:21:51,960 --> 00:21:54,920 Speaker 1: I think it's important we talk about the impact victim 383 00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:58,840 Speaker 1: homicide has and the devastating that fact it has. And 384 00:21:58,880 --> 00:22:01,760 Speaker 1: there's a ripple effect homicide, isn't it When one life 385 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:04,760 Speaker 1: is taken, it's not just one life destroyed. There's there's 386 00:22:04,840 --> 00:22:08,160 Speaker 1: multiple lives that are destroyed. What's your your thoughts on 387 00:22:08,480 --> 00:22:10,280 Speaker 1: homicide investigation in general? 388 00:22:11,560 --> 00:22:16,199 Speaker 2: Ah, Look, it's it's it doesn't get any tougher. And 389 00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:18,800 Speaker 2: I think about you know, myself, and I think about 390 00:22:18,840 --> 00:22:21,240 Speaker 2: all the all the other people doing that work, that 391 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:26,160 Speaker 2: these cases stay with you forever. And I think, ultimately, 392 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:28,800 Speaker 2: if I look at why I stepped away, at the 393 00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:31,159 Speaker 2: end of the day, I think, you know it just 394 00:22:31,760 --> 00:22:33,920 Speaker 2: you know, there's some title of you know, of carrying 395 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:36,399 Speaker 2: all that from from over that period of time. You 396 00:22:36,600 --> 00:22:38,560 Speaker 2: just it's just a weight on your shoulders that you 397 00:22:38,640 --> 00:22:41,399 Speaker 2: kind of just want some release from. But I mean 398 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:45,800 Speaker 2: the reality is, as an investigator in a homicide squads 399 00:22:46,240 --> 00:22:50,480 Speaker 2: in a homicide manner, I should say those those cases 400 00:22:50,480 --> 00:22:54,040 Speaker 2: can take ten years to work through the courts. And 401 00:22:54,119 --> 00:22:57,280 Speaker 2: if you're the lead investigator in those, you carry those 402 00:22:57,359 --> 00:23:00,439 Speaker 2: cases and other cases, you know, so you as you know, 403 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:05,280 Speaker 2: all your homicide investigators O carry in multiple cases and 404 00:23:05,600 --> 00:23:07,480 Speaker 2: a lot of them can take a long time to 405 00:23:07,520 --> 00:23:12,159 Speaker 2: work through the courts, and you keep that, you know, 406 00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:15,000 Speaker 2: And this is probably one of the things if I 407 00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:20,040 Speaker 2: could actually change anything, or work towards changing something, it 408 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:23,200 Speaker 2: would be to take the reliance off the individual a 409 00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:26,840 Speaker 2: little bit more. And you know, I'm talking specifically about 410 00:23:26,920 --> 00:23:29,159 Speaker 2: Victoria here. I think there's too much reliance and too 411 00:23:29,240 --> 00:23:33,560 Speaker 2: much pressure put on what we call the informant here 412 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:38,080 Speaker 2: in Victoria, who are all things to all people. So 413 00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:40,680 Speaker 2: you know, they've got to prepare the case, they've got 414 00:23:40,720 --> 00:23:43,960 Speaker 2: to be the liaison with the families, which is a 415 00:23:44,119 --> 00:23:49,280 Speaker 2: very very difficult, you know, very difficult role the court 416 00:23:49,359 --> 00:23:54,439 Speaker 2: liaison prepare the matter for court, and that goes on 417 00:23:54,520 --> 00:23:55,840 Speaker 2: and on and on. If you get a man at 418 00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:59,040 Speaker 2: the coast of the High Court, then yeah, you look 419 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:02,520 Speaker 2: at you potentially ten years down the track. That's the 420 00:24:02,560 --> 00:24:05,800 Speaker 2: one thing that I would like, you know, some focus 421 00:24:06,480 --> 00:24:09,040 Speaker 2: to be on and just relieving some of that pressure 422 00:24:09,119 --> 00:24:12,040 Speaker 2: on the individual here. But you know, I think that's 423 00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:15,840 Speaker 2: the hardest part about homicide. I don't think there's any 424 00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:20,840 Speaker 2: other cases, and I've investigated pretty much everything else where. 425 00:24:21,359 --> 00:24:23,600 Speaker 2: They stay with you as long as long as they do. 426 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:26,239 Speaker 2: And of course it's not just stay with you in 427 00:24:26,280 --> 00:24:30,800 Speaker 2: a technical sense, or it's an emotional sense too, because 428 00:24:31,320 --> 00:24:34,159 Speaker 2: most of us, you know, most of us carry a 429 00:24:34,200 --> 00:24:36,879 Speaker 2: little bit you know with this, you know, and just 430 00:24:36,920 --> 00:24:41,040 Speaker 2: through that dealing with the families day to day and 431 00:24:41,160 --> 00:24:45,800 Speaker 2: these manners, you know, it attaches to you. 432 00:24:45,800 --> 00:24:48,800 Speaker 1: You talked about the pressure on the informant, I know 433 00:24:48,920 --> 00:24:51,159 Speaker 1: in New South Wales and I'm sure it's in Victoria. 434 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:54,320 Speaker 1: It's just the nature of things and resources are limited. 435 00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:57,520 Speaker 1: Quite often you'd have a big strike force investigating a 436 00:24:57,960 --> 00:25:02,240 Speaker 1: particular murder and then someone's been charged and then Okay, 437 00:25:02,280 --> 00:25:05,480 Speaker 1: well we need to allocate the resources elsewhere and you're 438 00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:08,400 Speaker 1: left You're left there. You used to have a team 439 00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:10,720 Speaker 1: of twenty. Now you've got a team of one or 440 00:25:10,760 --> 00:25:15,120 Speaker 1: two and you've expected to run the matter through the courts. 441 00:25:14,920 --> 00:25:17,800 Speaker 2: And you're expected to help other people with other jobs, 442 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:21,399 Speaker 2: and you know, and also take on new cases too. 443 00:25:21,480 --> 00:25:25,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, you said in the chat we had the other 444 00:25:25,440 --> 00:25:27,960 Speaker 1: day that in the UK they have a system where 445 00:25:28,000 --> 00:25:31,119 Speaker 1: that what you were saying we should aspire to, they 446 00:25:31,240 --> 00:25:33,520 Speaker 1: had a system in place there where there was a 447 00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:35,920 Speaker 1: little bit less or it was spread around. Once you've 448 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:39,320 Speaker 1: charged someone, there's more people available to help the matters 449 00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:41,040 Speaker 1: proceed through the courts. 450 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:43,159 Speaker 2: Yeah. So going back to nineteen eighty nine when I 451 00:25:43,240 --> 00:25:48,640 Speaker 2: left the UK, that there was investigation support teams which 452 00:25:48,680 --> 00:25:52,200 Speaker 2: were generally retired cops. Most cops retire after thirty years 453 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:55,239 Speaker 2: in the UK, and a lot of them are just 454 00:25:55,440 --> 00:25:58,280 Speaker 2: you know, forty nine to fifty and not ready to 455 00:25:57,880 --> 00:26:02,679 Speaker 2: do nothing. So a lot of them actually finish on 456 00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:05,840 Speaker 2: the Friday is as a as a cop and come 457 00:26:05,880 --> 00:26:09,359 Speaker 2: back on the Monday as an administrative assistance or an 458 00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:15,399 Speaker 2: investigative assistant. And there's not much that they can't do 459 00:26:15,520 --> 00:26:18,520 Speaker 2: that you know, the cop can do is basically only 460 00:26:18,560 --> 00:26:22,399 Speaker 2: the arrest bows that the change. So there was a 461 00:26:22,520 --> 00:26:27,199 Speaker 2: lot of assistance through those areas. You know, looking at 462 00:26:27,240 --> 00:26:32,960 Speaker 2: it practically as a detective, as a as a cop 463 00:26:33,040 --> 00:26:35,080 Speaker 2: on the street, you go out, you make an arrest, 464 00:26:35,119 --> 00:26:38,560 Speaker 2: you bring them back, you'd interview them, then you charge 465 00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:40,720 Speaker 2: them and that would essentially be the last you'd see 466 00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:42,399 Speaker 2: it until it goes to court. There would be a 467 00:26:42,520 --> 00:26:45,639 Speaker 2: whole range of other support services that would put the 468 00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:50,760 Speaker 2: brief together with liaison with the CPS as it is there, 469 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:53,760 Speaker 2: or the opp as we'd call it here. Yeah, you're 470 00:26:53,840 --> 00:26:58,680 Speaker 2: essentially just a witness on the brief. As the arresting officer. Here, 471 00:26:58,800 --> 00:27:02,000 Speaker 2: it's a lot different you you do the individual does 472 00:27:02,040 --> 00:27:07,160 Speaker 2: all those things. And there's a lot of conversations here 473 00:27:07,240 --> 00:27:12,080 Speaker 2: in Victoria at the moment about bringing back some of 474 00:27:12,160 --> 00:27:15,879 Speaker 2: the retired retired cops and to you know, to do 475 00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:19,240 Speaker 2: some of this work that's been spoken about for a 476 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:21,399 Speaker 2: long time. I just don't think. I don't think in 477 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:25,680 Speaker 2: Australia it's it's it's a priority for at the political level. 478 00:27:27,000 --> 00:27:29,520 Speaker 2: I think it's always a conversation is always around police 479 00:27:29,600 --> 00:27:32,480 Speaker 2: numbers and around you know, get more police, get more police. 480 00:27:32,520 --> 00:27:38,600 Speaker 2: That's that's sexy for politicians. Yeah for twelve months. Yeah, yeah, 481 00:27:38,800 --> 00:27:41,240 Speaker 2: so you know we're in that cycle again, or we 482 00:27:41,280 --> 00:27:44,440 Speaker 2: will be in that cycle again here very soon. And 483 00:27:44,560 --> 00:27:47,879 Speaker 2: what never gets spoken about was, you know, well, we 484 00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:51,639 Speaker 2: could we could probably do with less police if we 485 00:27:51,800 --> 00:27:56,560 Speaker 2: had more more assistances, more administrative assistance. And they're not 486 00:27:56,640 --> 00:27:58,639 Speaker 2: people that actually have to be swarm police, so they 487 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:01,399 Speaker 2: don't have to go off and do three months. And 488 00:28:02,040 --> 00:28:05,280 Speaker 2: as you know, there's a body of people out there 489 00:28:05,760 --> 00:28:09,480 Speaker 2: in ex cops who would be prepared to come in 490 00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:15,919 Speaker 2: and if it was just taking statements or putting briefs together, 491 00:28:16,119 --> 00:28:19,639 Speaker 2: that sort of stuff. You know, those are the roles 492 00:28:19,680 --> 00:28:23,000 Speaker 2: where you could actually free up your investigators to actually 493 00:28:23,080 --> 00:28:24,480 Speaker 2: do the stuff that you want them to do. You 494 00:28:24,560 --> 00:28:26,000 Speaker 2: can go out and catching crooks. 495 00:28:27,000 --> 00:28:30,520 Speaker 1: Andrew I think that's an important conversations, something that we've 496 00:28:30,600 --> 00:28:34,399 Speaker 1: touched on previously, and it's usually with the experienced cops 497 00:28:34,800 --> 00:28:39,000 Speaker 1: like yourself, that that is really a way forward. It 498 00:28:39,160 --> 00:28:43,560 Speaker 1: doesn't necessarily we have to increase the police numbers, but 499 00:28:43,880 --> 00:28:46,240 Speaker 1: take a bit of the pressure off the administrative stuff, 500 00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:49,160 Speaker 1: not just with the criminal investigations, but the administration in 501 00:28:49,320 --> 00:28:52,520 Speaker 1: terms of keeping diaries up to date and different things 502 00:28:52,600 --> 00:28:56,360 Speaker 1: that really even and people I think have a misconception 503 00:28:56,520 --> 00:28:59,000 Speaker 1: that and I'm sure you would have experienced this. You 504 00:28:59,080 --> 00:29:02,320 Speaker 1: could be leading a hole profile homicide investigation, and you 505 00:29:02,400 --> 00:29:05,000 Speaker 1: could also be spending a day on the phato copier 506 00:29:05,320 --> 00:29:08,440 Speaker 1: making sure you could FADO copy, getting the brief prepared, 507 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:11,600 Speaker 1: and doing stuff like that. And I often thought, with 508 00:29:12,120 --> 00:29:15,680 Speaker 1: the experience of experienced officers that we could have people 509 00:29:15,760 --> 00:29:18,160 Speaker 1: assisting in those roles. But there seems to be a 510 00:29:18,200 --> 00:29:21,360 Speaker 1: reluctance to it. But I think it's definitely worth having 511 00:29:21,440 --> 00:29:22,560 Speaker 1: the conversation about. 512 00:29:22,840 --> 00:29:26,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, well, as an example of the major cases you're 513 00:29:26,440 --> 00:29:31,280 Speaker 2: talking and I often used to say, you know, somewhat flippantly, 514 00:29:31,800 --> 00:29:34,000 Speaker 2: when we've made a significant arrest. 515 00:29:33,880 --> 00:29:36,200 Speaker 1: You know, all the fund's over that, you know, the 516 00:29:37,240 --> 00:29:38,040 Speaker 1: hard work begins. 517 00:29:38,240 --> 00:29:40,560 Speaker 2: The hard work begins and putting the brief together. And 518 00:29:41,160 --> 00:29:43,480 Speaker 2: these days it's not just putting the brief together, it's 519 00:29:43,920 --> 00:29:47,080 Speaker 2: the disclosure. The disclosure and in a lot of cases 520 00:29:47,520 --> 00:29:52,000 Speaker 2: is greater than the brief. And you know, and through 521 00:29:52,080 --> 00:29:55,560 Speaker 2: disclosure we're talking about when you know, obviously, just to 522 00:29:55,640 --> 00:29:59,040 Speaker 2: explain to the listeners, when the solicitors get the brief 523 00:29:59,080 --> 00:30:06,240 Speaker 2: and they and put in their disclosure requests or demands 524 00:30:06,280 --> 00:30:09,320 Speaker 2: as they are, you know, or the other material that 525 00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:15,000 Speaker 2: they deem to be relevant or want to assist their 526 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:19,280 Speaker 2: case has to be prepared and submitted, and in a 527 00:30:19,360 --> 00:30:21,640 Speaker 2: lot of cases there's a lot of redaction and a 528 00:30:21,720 --> 00:30:23,840 Speaker 2: lot of a lot of work got to go into that, 529 00:30:23,960 --> 00:30:26,640 Speaker 2: and generally it's one person doing that again, and that 530 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:28,360 Speaker 2: can take longer than the brief. 531 00:30:28,160 --> 00:30:32,320 Speaker 1: To put together. Most definitely, I think it's quite often, 532 00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:37,040 Speaker 1: I believe, not just solely, but sometimes use strategically by 533 00:30:37,160 --> 00:30:41,360 Speaker 1: defense barristers and solicitors that you get your requisitions on 534 00:30:41,440 --> 00:30:45,040 Speaker 1: a Friday afternoon and they can be extremely broad, and 535 00:30:45,120 --> 00:30:48,560 Speaker 1: it would be literally going through hundreds and hundreds if 536 00:30:48,600 --> 00:30:51,920 Speaker 1: not more, pages of evidence and redacting certain things and 537 00:30:52,320 --> 00:30:56,800 Speaker 1: gathering gathering information. So look, it's a conversation that I 538 00:30:56,920 --> 00:30:59,360 Speaker 1: think's worth having, and it's good sitting down speaking to 539 00:30:59,440 --> 00:31:02,880 Speaker 1: an experience police officer looking at it, stepping away, not 540 00:31:03,000 --> 00:31:05,680 Speaker 1: involved in it now, but thinking where there could be improvements, 541 00:31:05,720 --> 00:31:09,560 Speaker 1: and just using the experience of retired police officers. That's 542 00:31:09,600 --> 00:31:12,960 Speaker 1: something that I've often said about New South Wales and 543 00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:17,160 Speaker 1: I can only speak with knowledge on New South Wales. 544 00:31:17,240 --> 00:31:21,000 Speaker 1: But when someone retired, they were gone from the force. 545 00:31:21,600 --> 00:31:26,800 Speaker 1: And I had friends colleagues that had retired for whatever reason, 546 00:31:27,080 --> 00:31:29,000 Speaker 1: but they would love to be working two or three 547 00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:31,040 Speaker 1: days a week and it could just be as simply 548 00:31:31,200 --> 00:31:34,920 Speaker 1: as sitting down taking witness statements just to and there's 549 00:31:34,960 --> 00:31:37,000 Speaker 1: a skill set that they've walked away with and we're 550 00:31:37,040 --> 00:31:37,800 Speaker 1: not utilizing that. 551 00:31:38,040 --> 00:31:40,600 Speaker 2: And don't get me started on witness statements, because you know, 552 00:31:40,720 --> 00:31:43,000 Speaker 2: that's probably one of the you know, if I had 553 00:31:43,040 --> 00:31:45,520 Speaker 2: to talk about one of the one of the arts 554 00:31:46,240 --> 00:31:51,120 Speaker 2: of certainly being being an detctive is good witness statements 555 00:31:51,200 --> 00:31:54,440 Speaker 2: and they're very rarely done. And you know, some of 556 00:31:54,520 --> 00:31:57,400 Speaker 2: the some of the more experienced people, if that's all 557 00:31:57,440 --> 00:32:00,000 Speaker 2: you're doing, you know, because as you know, your case. 558 00:31:59,920 --> 00:32:02,600 Speaker 1: Is revolve on your witness witness statements. 559 00:32:02,800 --> 00:32:08,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, so yeah, I'm not submitting my CLV just. 560 00:32:10,560 --> 00:32:14,960 Speaker 1: But just for I know what you say. And we 561 00:32:15,120 --> 00:32:18,480 Speaker 1: look at it. And I was working with strike forces 562 00:32:18,520 --> 00:32:20,840 Speaker 1: and I'm thinking, I know these people are sitting home 563 00:32:20,920 --> 00:32:23,080 Speaker 1: board because they're fanning me all the time since they've 564 00:32:23,160 --> 00:32:24,800 Speaker 1: left the police, and I would love them to come 565 00:32:24,880 --> 00:32:28,840 Speaker 1: in and get this detailed twenty page witness statement covering 566 00:32:28,880 --> 00:32:33,360 Speaker 1: off all the information that's required. But look, we're getting distracted. 567 00:32:33,640 --> 00:32:37,160 Speaker 1: I was going to have the conversation about about policing, 568 00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:39,920 Speaker 1: but let's let's delve into some of the cases that 569 00:32:40,880 --> 00:32:45,080 Speaker 1: you've been involved in. I'd be criticized by the audience 570 00:32:45,160 --> 00:32:49,240 Speaker 1: if I didn't take you to strike a Force or Piranha, 571 00:32:49,440 --> 00:32:54,160 Speaker 1: the Melbourne Underworld gangland killings that certainly played out big 572 00:32:54,280 --> 00:32:58,560 Speaker 1: time and in the Underbelly TV series. What was your 573 00:32:58,640 --> 00:33:01,080 Speaker 1: involvement in that investigation and tell us about what was 574 00:33:01,120 --> 00:33:02,280 Speaker 1: going on at that time. 575 00:33:02,640 --> 00:33:06,600 Speaker 2: Well, I was there at the start, so I'd not 576 00:33:06,880 --> 00:33:09,719 Speaker 2: long been a homicide and I was I was allocated 577 00:33:09,760 --> 00:33:13,480 Speaker 2: to to a crew. My senior sergeant was Pheli Bonymus 578 00:33:13,640 --> 00:33:17,880 Speaker 2: Phil Swindles at the time, and we actually had a 579 00:33:17,960 --> 00:33:21,959 Speaker 2: lot of the unsolved cases on our crew which had 580 00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:26,080 Speaker 2: happened so unsolved shooting murders out in the western suburbs 581 00:33:26,240 --> 00:33:32,160 Speaker 2: of Melbourne, and that it was actually Phil who put 582 00:33:32,200 --> 00:33:38,040 Speaker 2: together a report a recommending a task force be set 583 00:33:38,120 --> 00:33:40,920 Speaker 2: up to investigate these all of these unsold murders because 584 00:33:40,960 --> 00:33:44,040 Speaker 2: there was some commonality in some of the some of 585 00:33:44,080 --> 00:33:47,840 Speaker 2: the identities that were that were that were cropping up. 586 00:33:47,880 --> 00:33:50,360 Speaker 2: And of course you know, now people like Carl Williams 587 00:33:51,080 --> 00:33:54,600 Speaker 2: and as you know, as a as a trooper and 588 00:33:55,240 --> 00:33:58,840 Speaker 2: and then as a boss task forces, you don't you know, 589 00:33:59,240 --> 00:34:01,840 Speaker 2: you don't want us that one up unless you absolutely 590 00:34:01,920 --> 00:34:03,480 Speaker 2: have to. So there was there was, you know, there 591 00:34:03,600 --> 00:34:08,279 Speaker 2: was some resistance at at the early stages, so that 592 00:34:08,440 --> 00:34:10,759 Speaker 2: was knocked back that request initially. And then there was 593 00:34:10,800 --> 00:34:13,680 Speaker 2: a there was a feller by name of Nick Radev 594 00:34:13,760 --> 00:34:18,360 Speaker 2: who was notoriously known as Nick the Russian, which I 595 00:34:18,400 --> 00:34:21,279 Speaker 2: could never understand because he was actually Bulgarian. But Nick 596 00:34:21,360 --> 00:34:25,160 Speaker 2: the Russian was shot and killed in Melbourne in an 597 00:34:25,320 --> 00:34:29,319 Speaker 2: area of Melbourne called Cobert and that was pretty much 598 00:34:29,360 --> 00:34:31,520 Speaker 2: the straw that broke the camel's back. So when that 599 00:34:31,640 --> 00:34:35,600 Speaker 2: happened to happened in a very public place, and there 600 00:34:35,719 --> 00:34:39,360 Speaker 2: was you know, rightfully, there was a lot of media 601 00:34:39,560 --> 00:34:43,360 Speaker 2: outrage about that, and so that was the start of Prana. 602 00:34:43,480 --> 00:34:46,080 Speaker 2: So it was really you know, for any of your 603 00:34:47,440 --> 00:34:50,880 Speaker 2: listeners and yourself, if you've watched the wire, when you 604 00:34:50,920 --> 00:34:52,840 Speaker 2: know it's a bit like setting up setting up the 605 00:34:53,360 --> 00:34:56,960 Speaker 2: task force in the wy you know that you go 606 00:34:57,120 --> 00:34:59,440 Speaker 2: down to the basement with the old you know the 607 00:34:59,520 --> 00:35:03,160 Speaker 2: facts mass. You know, we didn't quite have the walking 608 00:35:03,200 --> 00:35:05,839 Speaker 2: wounded that they had in the in the in the wire. 609 00:35:05,960 --> 00:35:10,279 Speaker 2: But again I always I've always found the startup of 610 00:35:10,400 --> 00:35:15,360 Speaker 2: task forces or strike forces something, you know, it's funny 611 00:35:15,400 --> 00:35:19,080 Speaker 2: and it's it's it's it's got its own culture itself 612 00:35:19,160 --> 00:35:19,680 Speaker 2: in policing. 613 00:35:19,760 --> 00:35:23,520 Speaker 1: I think as well, well, you've opened up my mind 614 00:35:23,600 --> 00:35:25,799 Speaker 1: about some of the strike forces that were started up 615 00:35:25,880 --> 00:35:28,040 Speaker 1: and then to be announced by the senior police that 616 00:35:28,120 --> 00:35:30,280 Speaker 1: we've got the strike force. And then you look around 617 00:35:30,360 --> 00:35:36,000 Speaker 1: and we're still sitting at the same desk. No car, yeah, 618 00:35:36,560 --> 00:35:39,520 Speaker 1: no computers. Well what about staff? We should be able 619 00:35:39,520 --> 00:35:41,640 Speaker 1: to get you some stuff. And invariably you get someone 620 00:35:41,719 --> 00:35:44,560 Speaker 1: that's on long term sick for on holidays. 621 00:35:44,560 --> 00:35:46,319 Speaker 2: He's coming back in six months. Yeah, but you can 622 00:35:46,400 --> 00:35:46,719 Speaker 2: have him. 623 00:35:46,800 --> 00:35:50,920 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, Well it has twigged my memory on on 624 00:35:51,080 --> 00:35:54,719 Speaker 1: those times and that work was chaotic and I would 625 00:35:54,760 --> 00:35:57,360 Speaker 1: explain to people, and the more experienced I got, and 626 00:35:57,400 --> 00:35:59,920 Speaker 1: I was taught by people that were experienced, I couldn't 627 00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:02,360 Speaker 1: the stand when we're starting the strikeforce. When I was 628 00:36:02,360 --> 00:36:06,120 Speaker 1: a young fresh detective, all excited, Why we're worrying so 629 00:36:06,280 --> 00:36:08,400 Speaker 1: much about where are we going to access a whiteboard? 630 00:36:08,440 --> 00:36:10,799 Speaker 1: Why are we worried about computers? Shouldn't we be locking 631 00:36:10,880 --> 00:36:14,080 Speaker 1: up the bad guys? But I came to learn that 632 00:36:14,320 --> 00:36:17,200 Speaker 1: was imperative for the success of an investigation, to make 633 00:36:17,239 --> 00:36:19,840 Speaker 1: sure your fought for everything you could to get your 634 00:36:19,880 --> 00:36:20,359 Speaker 1: strike force. 635 00:36:21,920 --> 00:36:25,000 Speaker 2: White boys were a serious commodity, weren't they, and policing 636 00:36:25,880 --> 00:36:31,000 Speaker 2: in but I do say that Piranha was different in that. 637 00:36:31,560 --> 00:36:34,839 Speaker 2: So our entire crew went up to this task force, 638 00:36:34,880 --> 00:36:36,560 Speaker 2: and then they brought in some other people and some 639 00:36:36,680 --> 00:36:40,320 Speaker 2: great people as well from different areas, from drugs and 640 00:36:40,400 --> 00:36:43,960 Speaker 2: stolen stolen cars. And so that was the start of it, 641 00:36:44,280 --> 00:36:50,000 Speaker 2: and then it multiplied significantly after the murder of Jason 642 00:36:50,040 --> 00:36:54,000 Speaker 2: Moran and a feller by name of Pasquali Barbera added 643 00:36:55,320 --> 00:36:59,239 Speaker 2: add at the Cross Keys Hotel in Pascal Vale. And 644 00:36:59,400 --> 00:37:02,840 Speaker 2: this was the one that happened on an oz kick mourning. 645 00:37:03,760 --> 00:37:07,279 Speaker 2: All the kids are playing playing footy and the two 646 00:37:08,080 --> 00:37:11,719 Speaker 2: deceased in that manner actually loaded their kids into into 647 00:37:11,760 --> 00:37:15,160 Speaker 2: a van and we're just about to leave from memory 648 00:37:15,200 --> 00:37:18,600 Speaker 2: when they were, you know, they were brutally assassinated and 649 00:37:19,680 --> 00:37:22,520 Speaker 2: in public view with all these kids at this junior 650 00:37:22,560 --> 00:37:26,880 Speaker 2: footy morning, and that was the one that just caused 651 00:37:27,000 --> 00:37:29,640 Speaker 2: enormous outrage. And you know, as I've said before, I 652 00:37:29,719 --> 00:37:32,080 Speaker 2: think there are a number of things that are sacrosanct 653 00:37:32,160 --> 00:37:37,520 Speaker 2: in Australian society and kids sport on the weekends as 654 00:37:37,560 --> 00:37:40,520 Speaker 2: one of them, and for something like that to happen 655 00:37:40,560 --> 00:37:43,759 Speaker 2: in that environment, so then there was there was a 656 00:37:43,800 --> 00:37:48,520 Speaker 2: big injection of staff into the task force. As a 657 00:37:48,600 --> 00:37:52,360 Speaker 2: result of that, we probably tripled in number, went to 658 00:37:52,400 --> 00:37:55,759 Speaker 2: a bigger room, got a couple more cars, a couple 659 00:37:55,880 --> 00:37:59,960 Speaker 2: more whiteboards. But yeah, that's when it really took off. 660 00:38:00,840 --> 00:38:03,040 Speaker 1: What was the pressure like then, because I know when 661 00:38:03,360 --> 00:38:06,640 Speaker 1: you're involved in big strike forces like that, it's twenty 662 00:38:06,680 --> 00:38:10,640 Speaker 1: four to seven For each action, there's a reaction. You're 663 00:38:10,719 --> 00:38:14,239 Speaker 1: targeting people, you're keeping an eye that further crimes, and 664 00:38:14,320 --> 00:38:17,400 Speaker 1: it's a little bit different from some homicide investigations because 665 00:38:17,400 --> 00:38:19,600 Speaker 1: you've almost got to be proactive in the way that 666 00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:23,760 Speaker 1: you're trying to prevent further fever crimes happening. 667 00:38:24,160 --> 00:38:27,520 Speaker 2: It was like who's next, So you know, we all 668 00:38:27,680 --> 00:38:33,400 Speaker 2: were allocated an investigation, and then there's homicides that are happening. 669 00:38:33,760 --> 00:38:36,560 Speaker 2: You're looking at those and seeing there's any connections into it, 670 00:38:36,719 --> 00:38:40,080 Speaker 2: and then if there are connections, then there was a 671 00:38:40,120 --> 00:38:43,840 Speaker 2: bit of a negotiation with a homicide squad, you know, 672 00:38:43,960 --> 00:38:49,160 Speaker 2: to release those investigations to the Task Force. So it 673 00:38:49,440 --> 00:38:53,560 Speaker 2: was yeah, that was crazy days really that you kind 674 00:38:53,600 --> 00:38:55,960 Speaker 2: of just every day you were just kind of wondering who, 675 00:38:56,560 --> 00:38:59,759 Speaker 2: you know, who's next. That the crooks on us got 676 00:39:00,239 --> 00:39:04,400 Speaker 2: intoxicated on what they thought was this power that they 677 00:39:04,520 --> 00:39:08,480 Speaker 2: had to do this, And yeah, so that's why, you know, 678 00:39:08,800 --> 00:39:10,800 Speaker 2: I'm really proud of the work that we did. And 679 00:39:11,320 --> 00:39:14,319 Speaker 2: you know, I often get asked about there's obviously been 680 00:39:14,680 --> 00:39:18,120 Speaker 2: some issues over the years where you know, some of 681 00:39:18,160 --> 00:39:20,440 Speaker 2: the tactics that we use they have you know, certainly 682 00:39:20,520 --> 00:39:24,239 Speaker 2: been questioned. But holistically, from my point of view, it 683 00:39:24,400 --> 00:39:30,120 Speaker 2: stopped what was happening and undoubtedly saved lives and you know, 684 00:39:30,320 --> 00:39:33,520 Speaker 2: stop the underworld we're actually trying to run the city. 685 00:39:34,480 --> 00:39:38,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, that is the difficulty of situations like that, Like 686 00:39:38,719 --> 00:39:43,200 Speaker 1: I'm sure the task Force was set up to solve 687 00:39:43,280 --> 00:39:46,279 Speaker 1: the crimes but also prevent further crimes from happening, and 688 00:39:46,360 --> 00:39:49,680 Speaker 1: there's a lot of pressure and you've got to play 689 00:39:50,040 --> 00:39:53,880 Speaker 1: think outside the square in those ways. I think what 690 00:39:54,000 --> 00:39:56,000 Speaker 1: we're alluding to and we don't have to delve into 691 00:39:56,080 --> 00:39:58,880 Speaker 1: it was the solicit that became an informant that's been 692 00:39:58,960 --> 00:40:02,919 Speaker 1: playing out publicly over the past the past few years. 693 00:40:03,120 --> 00:40:05,520 Speaker 1: From it, I look at it, I look at it 694 00:40:05,600 --> 00:40:07,960 Speaker 1: from an investigator's point of view, and I can just 695 00:40:08,080 --> 00:40:10,359 Speaker 1: picture how Chao think that whole time would have been 696 00:40:10,960 --> 00:40:14,200 Speaker 1: down there, and the pressures that were on and the 697 00:40:14,280 --> 00:40:19,040 Speaker 1: people involved in Yeah, you got big personalities in the 698 00:40:19,160 --> 00:40:22,640 Speaker 1: investigations like this and you're getting pulled from pill the post. 699 00:40:22,920 --> 00:40:25,080 Speaker 1: Did you have a specific role, Yeah, well, I. 700 00:40:25,200 --> 00:40:28,080 Speaker 2: Was one of the one of the lead investigators. There 701 00:40:28,160 --> 00:40:30,640 Speaker 2: was a murder that happened after the task force had 702 00:40:31,080 --> 00:40:37,160 Speaker 2: started Fellabono of Lewis Kane who was shot and killed 703 00:40:37,200 --> 00:40:39,719 Speaker 2: out at Carlton and then his body was dumped in Brunswick. 704 00:40:40,880 --> 00:40:46,719 Speaker 2: And there was two too very well known criminal identity 705 00:40:46,840 --> 00:40:49,920 Speaker 2: who I can't name because of active suppression orders. Still 706 00:40:52,320 --> 00:40:55,640 Speaker 2: they were ultimately charged with that. So I was the 707 00:40:55,680 --> 00:41:00,399 Speaker 2: informant in that case, carried that one through know over 708 00:41:00,480 --> 00:41:03,360 Speaker 2: a period of time. But so I was, you know, 709 00:41:03,520 --> 00:41:07,960 Speaker 2: one of the one of the homicide investigators who, as 710 00:41:08,000 --> 00:41:09,839 Speaker 2: I say, we had a you know, we generally had 711 00:41:09,840 --> 00:41:11,759 Speaker 2: an active job, and we had a you know, we 712 00:41:11,880 --> 00:41:14,279 Speaker 2: had you know, other unsolved jobs as well that we 713 00:41:14,360 --> 00:41:15,000 Speaker 2: were looking. 714 00:41:14,840 --> 00:41:20,279 Speaker 1: At without giving away methodology on how they were caught. 715 00:41:20,400 --> 00:41:22,800 Speaker 1: A lot of them have gone through gone through the courts. 716 00:41:23,239 --> 00:41:25,440 Speaker 1: Where did you think that the police was starting to 717 00:41:25,480 --> 00:41:28,480 Speaker 1: get the upper hand on what was going on. 718 00:41:29,080 --> 00:41:33,400 Speaker 2: It was probably the most significant investigation, you know, in 719 00:41:33,520 --> 00:41:36,960 Speaker 2: terms of the volume of electronic surveillance that was carried 720 00:41:36,960 --> 00:41:39,759 Speaker 2: out of a period of time, and again without sort 721 00:41:39,800 --> 00:41:42,719 Speaker 2: of digging into the depths of that, as you know, 722 00:41:42,880 --> 00:41:46,000 Speaker 2: that's you know, that's pretty complicated stuff. It's not stuff 723 00:41:46,040 --> 00:41:49,040 Speaker 2: you get, you know, it's it's hard to get. It's 724 00:41:49,040 --> 00:41:52,960 Speaker 2: a very high bar and justification and then actually managing 725 00:41:53,080 --> 00:41:55,040 Speaker 2: that stuff and when you're talking about the volume of 726 00:41:55,320 --> 00:41:59,040 Speaker 2: you know, of electronic material that we were dealing with, 727 00:41:59,160 --> 00:42:01,279 Speaker 2: some of the people and the scene so never got 728 00:42:01,400 --> 00:42:05,320 Speaker 2: the accolades should be you know, hell up high because 729 00:42:05,600 --> 00:42:09,440 Speaker 2: as you know, managing that kind of you know, information 730 00:42:09,600 --> 00:42:11,600 Speaker 2: and going through it and listening to it twenty four 731 00:42:11,640 --> 00:42:15,160 Speaker 2: to seven is highly challenging. So that was one of 732 00:42:15,200 --> 00:42:18,000 Speaker 2: the big things. You know. Another one was the ability 733 00:42:18,120 --> 00:42:20,239 Speaker 2: of you know, some of our people and again just 734 00:42:20,360 --> 00:42:24,880 Speaker 2: coming back to talking to people, and even some of 735 00:42:25,000 --> 00:42:28,960 Speaker 2: these the people that we were talking to were were 736 00:42:29,239 --> 00:42:34,360 Speaker 2: you know, the hardest, hardest criminals in this country. You know, 737 00:42:34,400 --> 00:42:36,080 Speaker 2: at the end of the day, a lot of them 738 00:42:36,360 --> 00:42:38,040 Speaker 2: you can actually have a conversation with. 739 00:42:38,120 --> 00:42:40,799 Speaker 1: You again, that communication, Yeah, if. 740 00:42:40,719 --> 00:42:43,360 Speaker 2: You actually just give people respect and give them a 741 00:42:43,400 --> 00:42:47,200 Speaker 2: bit of time. And I'm not saying all of them, 742 00:42:47,239 --> 00:42:50,040 Speaker 2: as you know, there's some that you wouldn't waste your 743 00:42:50,120 --> 00:42:52,200 Speaker 2: time on, but you know, some of the some of 744 00:42:52,239 --> 00:42:54,960 Speaker 2: these people are actually you know, you can have a 745 00:42:55,040 --> 00:42:58,000 Speaker 2: conversation with him. There's kind of like a mutual respect. 746 00:42:59,040 --> 00:43:01,360 Speaker 2: So one of the really you know, important things that 747 00:43:01,400 --> 00:43:04,640 Speaker 2: happened during that time was that they actually recruited some 748 00:43:04,760 --> 00:43:07,040 Speaker 2: people and came on board and actually you know, gave 749 00:43:07,120 --> 00:43:12,720 Speaker 2: evidence against their associates. So that was a really important 750 00:43:12,760 --> 00:43:14,440 Speaker 2: part of it as well. And I think that came 751 00:43:14,520 --> 00:43:16,640 Speaker 2: from the quality of a lot of the investigators that 752 00:43:16,719 --> 00:43:19,960 Speaker 2: we had and the team who had those abilities to actually, 753 00:43:20,400 --> 00:43:23,120 Speaker 2: you know, to actually communicate with with you know, some 754 00:43:23,360 --> 00:43:25,600 Speaker 2: pretty serious crooks at the end of the day. 755 00:43:27,080 --> 00:43:30,720 Speaker 1: I don't think you can underestimate that ability for people 756 00:43:30,840 --> 00:43:34,840 Speaker 1: to be able to communicate and cultivate relationships with people 757 00:43:34,880 --> 00:43:37,560 Speaker 1: to get information and we're talking criminal informants here, but 758 00:43:38,200 --> 00:43:41,000 Speaker 1: there's some people that have from law enforcement have a 759 00:43:41,120 --> 00:43:43,799 Speaker 1: natural aptitude for it and it can make a world 760 00:43:43,840 --> 00:43:46,160 Speaker 1: of difference in investigations of that nature. 761 00:43:46,920 --> 00:43:49,360 Speaker 2: It is a bit of a dying art. But you know, 762 00:43:49,440 --> 00:43:52,480 Speaker 2: back in the back in the olden days, you know, 763 00:43:52,640 --> 00:43:54,400 Speaker 2: I talked about the olden days, and you know, in 764 00:43:55,239 --> 00:43:58,040 Speaker 2: the eighties you did actually get out on the town 765 00:43:58,080 --> 00:44:00,880 Speaker 2: a little bit more and talk to talk to people. 766 00:44:01,080 --> 00:44:04,320 Speaker 2: And that's gone now, you know. And for some reasons 767 00:44:04,800 --> 00:44:07,440 Speaker 2: that's a good thing, and you know, for other reasons 768 00:44:07,520 --> 00:44:09,239 Speaker 2: it's not a great thing. But you know, again, I 769 00:44:09,280 --> 00:44:11,360 Speaker 2: think that's just one of the challenges of modern policing 770 00:44:11,520 --> 00:44:15,759 Speaker 2: is how you kind of breage that gap where, you know, 771 00:44:16,200 --> 00:44:19,719 Speaker 2: in teaching our younger people how to actually communicate with 772 00:44:20,360 --> 00:44:22,480 Speaker 2: with with people on the other side of the tracks, 773 00:44:24,160 --> 00:44:26,760 Speaker 2: because a lot of them don't do very. 774 00:44:26,640 --> 00:44:30,080 Speaker 1: Well, No they don't. And we had that was identified 775 00:44:30,120 --> 00:44:32,319 Speaker 1: as a problem in the Royal Commission we had up 776 00:44:32,360 --> 00:44:36,040 Speaker 1: here in New South Wales police and informant relationships and 777 00:44:36,080 --> 00:44:41,719 Speaker 1: all that. But in my time involved post Royal Commission, 778 00:44:42,239 --> 00:44:45,000 Speaker 1: we're very accountable in the communications that we had with 779 00:44:45,640 --> 00:44:49,080 Speaker 1: criminal informants. We had to document it and it was painful, 780 00:44:49,239 --> 00:44:52,440 Speaker 1: like every time you virtually every time you're speaking to them, 781 00:44:52,560 --> 00:44:55,120 Speaker 1: documenting it and all that. It was painful at the time, 782 00:44:55,239 --> 00:44:57,000 Speaker 1: but what I see down the track when it came 783 00:44:57,080 --> 00:45:00,439 Speaker 1: through the courts, it was great. The barristers are things, Okay, 784 00:45:00,520 --> 00:45:02,960 Speaker 1: what's gone here? Is something shocky gone on here? And 785 00:45:03,080 --> 00:45:05,120 Speaker 1: you produce all the records. This is every time I've 786 00:45:05,160 --> 00:45:08,040 Speaker 1: spoken to the informant, this is what the informant told me. 787 00:45:08,160 --> 00:45:11,840 Speaker 1: And moving on from there with the what we know 788 00:45:12,040 --> 00:45:14,440 Speaker 1: is the Melbourne Gangland War, how long did that go 789 00:45:14,600 --> 00:45:14,800 Speaker 1: on for? 790 00:45:17,840 --> 00:45:23,920 Speaker 2: Well, it had started well before Piranha started, so you 791 00:45:24,000 --> 00:45:26,320 Speaker 2: know it would have started in the early two thousands 792 00:45:26,400 --> 00:45:30,520 Speaker 2: and you know, probably for at least five five years 793 00:45:30,560 --> 00:45:32,840 Speaker 2: after that, I would think, you know, it would be 794 00:45:32,880 --> 00:45:35,200 Speaker 2: at least five years and then you know, obviously you 795 00:45:35,320 --> 00:45:39,680 Speaker 2: talk about how things now long things take to work 796 00:45:39,719 --> 00:45:42,080 Speaker 2: through the courts. But yeah, I would say certainly there 797 00:45:42,200 --> 00:45:45,960 Speaker 2: was five years of it with Piranha. 798 00:45:46,120 --> 00:45:48,520 Speaker 1: The task force that was set up. How many police 799 00:45:48,560 --> 00:45:51,040 Speaker 1: were attached to that at its highest. 800 00:45:50,920 --> 00:45:53,800 Speaker 2: Well, I would say we started off with from memory, 801 00:45:53,840 --> 00:45:57,120 Speaker 2: we started off with about ten or twelve in the 802 00:45:57,360 --> 00:45:58,960 Speaker 2: in the very early days, and then it went up 803 00:45:59,000 --> 00:46:01,560 Speaker 2: to about sixty years I think. So it was you know, 804 00:46:01,719 --> 00:46:05,320 Speaker 2: and that's a sizeable task forces, you know, in Australian terms, 805 00:46:07,960 --> 00:46:10,000 Speaker 2: it would have been up around those numbers. 806 00:46:10,160 --> 00:46:14,239 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's that's big numbers when it ended. Can you 807 00:46:14,320 --> 00:46:17,680 Speaker 1: put a point on when the war ended, as we 808 00:46:17,840 --> 00:46:20,600 Speaker 1: describe as a war and how many people were killed 809 00:46:20,719 --> 00:46:22,239 Speaker 1: or got the tributed in that course? 810 00:46:22,400 --> 00:46:22,960 Speaker 2: I couldn't tell you. 811 00:46:24,080 --> 00:46:24,480 Speaker 1: I can't. 812 00:46:24,840 --> 00:46:28,839 Speaker 2: I can't recall from from memory. But but pretty much 813 00:46:28,920 --> 00:46:32,279 Speaker 2: everyone either ended up dead or locked up one or 814 00:46:32,280 --> 00:46:34,400 Speaker 2: the other. And you know, certainly in the case of 815 00:46:34,480 --> 00:46:36,200 Speaker 2: Carl Williams, he was locked up and then he ended 816 00:46:36,280 --> 00:46:40,719 Speaker 2: up dead. But that's pretty much, you know. It was 817 00:46:40,800 --> 00:46:43,680 Speaker 2: actually the fact that we locked all the players up 818 00:46:43,960 --> 00:46:45,640 Speaker 2: at the end of the day or they were either 819 00:46:45,800 --> 00:46:47,480 Speaker 2: they'd either already been killed. 820 00:46:47,360 --> 00:46:50,319 Speaker 1: Or they've been killed or been locked up, and they 821 00:46:50,400 --> 00:46:51,320 Speaker 1: probably put an end to it. 822 00:46:51,640 --> 00:46:51,840 Speaker 2: It was. 823 00:46:52,080 --> 00:46:55,480 Speaker 1: It was a fascinating job and it certainly captured the 824 00:46:55,600 --> 00:46:59,360 Speaker 1: attention of the nation. With the Underbelly, the first Underbelly 825 00:46:59,400 --> 00:47:02,400 Speaker 1: series that the played out in it was that up 826 00:47:02,440 --> 00:47:04,800 Speaker 1: and running at the time of the investigations or that 827 00:47:04,920 --> 00:47:06,360 Speaker 1: came after the investigations. 828 00:47:06,680 --> 00:47:10,400 Speaker 2: Well it actually it actually came after the investigations, but 829 00:47:10,520 --> 00:47:14,400 Speaker 2: they started filming that and I was I was again 830 00:47:14,480 --> 00:47:18,520 Speaker 2: privileged to be part of that and actually was was 831 00:47:18,640 --> 00:47:24,399 Speaker 2: given permission within within Victoria Police to actually act as 832 00:47:24,440 --> 00:47:28,480 Speaker 2: the technical advisor to to that show, which was which 833 00:47:28,640 --> 00:47:31,680 Speaker 2: was really interesting. It wouldn't happen, it wouldn't happen now, 834 00:47:31,760 --> 00:47:36,279 Speaker 2: but different times. But that's where I got to know 835 00:47:36,320 --> 00:47:39,040 Speaker 2: a lot of people in that, you know, and in 836 00:47:39,200 --> 00:47:44,960 Speaker 2: the well in the film and television industry, I suppose 837 00:47:45,080 --> 00:47:47,800 Speaker 2: because a lot of the you know, the top people 838 00:47:48,200 --> 00:47:51,960 Speaker 2: in Australian film and television worked behind that, as you know, 839 00:47:52,040 --> 00:47:56,400 Speaker 2: because you were involved in it. And so that was 840 00:47:56,520 --> 00:48:01,080 Speaker 2: really really interesting experience to to be there from the 841 00:48:01,239 --> 00:48:05,440 Speaker 2: start with with Underbelly and to work with the writers 842 00:48:06,800 --> 00:48:12,000 Speaker 2: and the producers from the start of that. And you know, 843 00:48:12,080 --> 00:48:15,400 Speaker 2: I remember one of the one of the greatest takeaways 844 00:48:15,440 --> 00:48:18,040 Speaker 2: I had from that is a thing that I, you know, 845 00:48:18,160 --> 00:48:21,600 Speaker 2: I maintained today is that the truth is truth is 846 00:48:21,719 --> 00:48:25,680 Speaker 2: stranger than fiction. I remember sitting in writers' rooms with 847 00:48:25,960 --> 00:48:29,239 Speaker 2: you know, some of the best writers in Australian television 848 00:48:29,960 --> 00:48:32,000 Speaker 2: and seeing their jewels at the table when we were 849 00:48:32,040 --> 00:48:34,399 Speaker 2: telling them stories about things that had happened, and these 850 00:48:34,440 --> 00:48:38,040 Speaker 2: are ultimately things that made it into into the television show. 851 00:48:38,320 --> 00:48:40,160 Speaker 2: And they were, you know, saying, oh, we couldn't make 852 00:48:40,160 --> 00:48:42,080 Speaker 2: this up. You know that we couldn't. We couldn't, we 853 00:48:42,160 --> 00:48:44,799 Speaker 2: couldn't write this. And that's you know, that's one thing 854 00:48:44,840 --> 00:48:46,719 Speaker 2: that's actually stuck with me. There's a lot of things 855 00:48:46,760 --> 00:48:49,000 Speaker 2: that we see in the war exposed that you couldn't 856 00:48:49,400 --> 00:48:53,520 Speaker 2: make up. So that was really, you know, insightful for 857 00:48:53,640 --> 00:48:55,680 Speaker 2: me thinking that, yeah, a lot of a lot of 858 00:48:55,719 --> 00:48:58,920 Speaker 2: what we do see is actually stranger than fiction. 859 00:48:59,520 --> 00:49:04,320 Speaker 1: It seems. And I think you've got permission to consult 860 00:49:04,440 --> 00:49:08,160 Speaker 1: with the Underbelly. When they did the series on Underbelly 861 00:49:08,239 --> 00:49:11,960 Speaker 1: Badness on the Terry Falcon murder, senior police approached me 862 00:49:12,280 --> 00:49:16,440 Speaker 1: and said, look, Underbelly writers are doing this. We're happy 863 00:49:16,480 --> 00:49:19,360 Speaker 1: for them to sit down speak with you and all that. 864 00:49:19,520 --> 00:49:24,440 Speaker 1: So I had permission also to provide information to them. Sadly, 865 00:49:25,000 --> 00:49:27,080 Speaker 1: about three weeks before it was due to go on, 866 00:49:27,239 --> 00:49:30,560 Speaker 1: they've canceled that permission and I've said, well, you know, 867 00:49:30,920 --> 00:49:34,880 Speaker 1: I've already given all the details. They've followed me around 868 00:49:34,920 --> 00:49:36,960 Speaker 1: it at your direction, and now you're telling me not 869 00:49:37,080 --> 00:49:40,840 Speaker 1: to speak to them, But my experience with it, I 870 00:49:40,960 --> 00:49:43,800 Speaker 1: know in speaking to you, and I got to the 871 00:49:43,840 --> 00:49:46,800 Speaker 1: point where I said, look to the underbelly writers, you 872 00:49:46,920 --> 00:49:50,719 Speaker 1: can't be around while we're working. Step away from it, 873 00:49:50,840 --> 00:49:55,799 Speaker 1: and I'll give you my time after work. And they 874 00:49:55,840 --> 00:49:59,560 Speaker 1: would often say, well, yeah, we're taking up so much 875 00:49:59,640 --> 00:50:01,759 Speaker 1: of your time. I said, that's fine. And the thing 876 00:50:01,840 --> 00:50:06,880 Speaker 1: that helped me get through that was working with creative people. 877 00:50:07,440 --> 00:50:11,080 Speaker 1: I found it refreshing because police is so dark, heavy, 878 00:50:11,520 --> 00:50:15,160 Speaker 1: and you're stuck in this world, and then you sat 879 00:50:15,239 --> 00:50:17,440 Speaker 1: down with the writers and spending time in the writer's 880 00:50:17,560 --> 00:50:20,480 Speaker 1: room as you described, I found it quite refreshing, and 881 00:50:20,560 --> 00:50:23,640 Speaker 1: that balanced out the day to day police work I was. 882 00:50:24,600 --> 00:50:27,520 Speaker 2: I still am in awe of some of those people, 883 00:50:27,600 --> 00:50:29,680 Speaker 2: some of those writers, you know, I have the sort 884 00:50:29,719 --> 00:50:32,040 Speaker 2: of privilege of working with some of them still today. 885 00:50:32,680 --> 00:50:34,200 Speaker 2: And one i'll give a shout out to I know 886 00:50:34,560 --> 00:50:38,319 Speaker 2: he's mate of yours, Greg Hadrick. He's a good friend 887 00:50:38,360 --> 00:50:42,440 Speaker 2: of us. And Greg was one of the main guys 888 00:50:42,560 --> 00:50:49,120 Speaker 2: and his ability to absorb information and then to convert 889 00:50:49,239 --> 00:50:53,040 Speaker 2: that into a script or a story overnight, you know, 890 00:50:53,719 --> 00:50:58,120 Speaker 2: it was it still leaves me, leaves me and if 891 00:50:58,280 --> 00:51:00,640 Speaker 2: his skill and you know, Greg was one of one 892 00:51:00,680 --> 00:51:02,359 Speaker 2: of a number of writers and they were all good, 893 00:51:02,400 --> 00:51:03,640 Speaker 2: and a lot of them had come out of that 894 00:51:03,960 --> 00:51:07,239 Speaker 2: Neighbors and Harme and Away kind of environment where you know, 895 00:51:07,480 --> 00:51:11,680 Speaker 2: there's a constant churn, and I think that was kind 896 00:51:11,680 --> 00:51:14,440 Speaker 2: of where a lot of those riders cut their teeth 897 00:51:14,440 --> 00:51:16,839 Speaker 2: as well, you know, talking about where we cut our teeth, 898 00:51:16,920 --> 00:51:18,640 Speaker 2: you know, just on that constant churn. 899 00:51:19,000 --> 00:51:22,160 Speaker 1: The constant pressure. I was surprised that the depth and 900 00:51:22,440 --> 00:51:25,600 Speaker 1: the team that Greg had and I would fight often 901 00:51:25,680 --> 00:51:28,160 Speaker 1: joke with them that they delve so deeply. I said, 902 00:51:28,200 --> 00:51:31,000 Speaker 1: I need you guys on the strikeforce to work as 903 00:51:31,040 --> 00:51:35,399 Speaker 1: my analysts, like they would dig up things and come 904 00:51:35,480 --> 00:51:38,160 Speaker 1: back with things. But look, it's an interesting experience and 905 00:51:38,200 --> 00:51:40,640 Speaker 1: it's good sitting down speaking to a fellow cop who 906 00:51:40,719 --> 00:51:45,000 Speaker 1: has that experience, because it's something that's rather unique in 907 00:51:45,560 --> 00:51:46,200 Speaker 1: the world of police. 908 00:51:46,280 --> 00:51:48,040 Speaker 2: Well, if I could just say as well, I mean, 909 00:51:48,320 --> 00:51:50,239 Speaker 2: I know you've had experience of this, but in the 910 00:51:50,400 --> 00:51:52,760 Speaker 2: in the in the production phase, so when they're actually 911 00:51:52,840 --> 00:51:56,640 Speaker 2: filming things, you know, one thing that actually just just 912 00:51:57,160 --> 00:51:58,680 Speaker 2: I used to think I wish I could have these 913 00:51:58,719 --> 00:52:04,399 Speaker 2: people working for me doing doing warrant planning because they're 914 00:52:04,440 --> 00:52:09,280 Speaker 2: planning logistics and execution of their plans. You know, everything 915 00:52:09,360 --> 00:52:11,399 Speaker 2: is planned down because you know, time is money, as 916 00:52:11,440 --> 00:52:15,000 Speaker 2: you know, in that industry, and the planning that goes 917 00:52:15,040 --> 00:52:19,480 Speaker 2: into it, the communications and logistics is just it's just 918 00:52:19,600 --> 00:52:23,280 Speaker 2: first rate. So yeah, big shout out to that industry. 919 00:52:23,880 --> 00:52:27,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, interesting experience. We might we might take a break 920 00:52:27,760 --> 00:52:30,759 Speaker 1: here here, Andrew, and when we get back, I want 921 00:52:30,800 --> 00:52:33,279 Speaker 1: to talk about a couple of other cases. We'll talk 922 00:52:33,320 --> 00:52:36,520 Speaker 1: about the brutal rape and murder. You're a dissy Dixon 923 00:52:37,160 --> 00:52:40,239 Speaker 1: stalked on the streets of Melbourne. I'll get your thoughts on, 924 00:52:40,680 --> 00:52:43,759 Speaker 1: get your thoughts on policing, and I'm sure we're going 925 00:52:43,800 --> 00:52:45,600 Speaker 1: to have a lot more, a lot more to talk 926 00:52:45,600 --> 00:52:47,960 Speaker 1: about when we get back. OK. Thanks, cheers,