Police Life: The Experts

It has been 30 years since the worst mass shooting in the history of modern Australia, where 35 people were murdered at Port Arthur in Tasmania. Members of the Victoria Police Special Operations Group answered the call of Tasmania Police to help catch and arrest the offender. This is their story of that fateful day.  For more information about Victoria Police, go to police.vic.gov.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When a prolific money laundering syndicate found a new way of cleaning cash for criminal clients, police needed to be on the cutting edge of investigative techniques. Their pioneering efforts took down the syndicate and stopped tens of millions of dollars flowing back into the hands of organised crime groups.  For more information about Victoria Police, go to police.vic.gov.au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Having a stranger gain access to private, intimate images is a terrifying and constant worry for many social media users – particularly for children. That stranger then threatening to release the images brings a whole new level of humiliation. A team of detectives shares how a four-year investigation put a rampant Snapchat sextortionist, who exploited dozens of young victims, behind bars. For more information about Victoria Police, go to police.vic.gov.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are few roles more critical to the day-to-day police response than the 251 sergeant. These sergeants, like Dan Maffei and Dani Muntz, are responsible for the supervision and welfare of troops on patrol in their patch, and for keeping their community safe. It’s a sophisticated juggling act, but this dynamic duo has it all under control.  For more information about Victoria Police, go to police.vic.gov.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vision from a violent knife fight on a Dandenong public bus in 2021 shocked even the most seasoned police officers. What made the near-deadly altercation even more confronting? The offenders and victims were all teenagers. A pair of tenacious detectives share how they navigated the complexities of holding young people to account. For more information about Victoria Police, go to police.vic.gov.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People and dogs have amazing bonds but for handlers in the Victoria Police Dog Squad, who work and live alongside their canine colleagues, that bond runs even deeper. Hear from three of our elite dog handlers who, alongside their four-legged partners, dedicate themselves to catching crooks and sniffing out drugs and firearms. For more information about Victoria Police, go to police.vic.gov.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's summer 2019 and Bendigo's Detective Senior Constable Andy Heazlewood is determined to track down the perpetrator behind a series of suspicious grass fires. Locals fear it's only a matter of time before flames threaten their farms but a complex investigation is underway and police are on the hunt. For more information about Victoria Police, go to police.vic.gov.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Victorian community was shocked and outraged by the brutal murder of real estate agent Lorelle Makin in 2005 at a house she was trying to sell. A mother of two targeted by a calculated killer simply for how she looked. For the first time, Homicide Squad detectives tell their story of locking up Lorelle's killer. For more information about Victoria Police, go to police.vic.gov.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you're the only police officer in the place you call home, you need a full bag of skills, training and experience. And, like leading senior constables Lisa Lorenz and George Crawford, you need a fair bit of personality.For more information about Victoria Police, go to police.vic.gov.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A hostage in her own home for 10 years, Carol-Anne was convinced her family violence ordeal at the hands of her husband would end in her death. But two Victoria Police officers stepped in to help her escape her tormentor and start a new life.  For more information about Victoria Police, go to police.vic.gov.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When the Air Wing helicopter gets called in for a car chase, it’s game over for the crooks. A Tactical Flight Officer takes us into the cockpit and real-life radio chatter as police track two stolen cars through Melbourne’s suburbs.  For more information about Victoria Police, go to police.vic.gov.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A local detective and a forensic accountant team up to bring down a scammer who was behind a Ponzi scheme that fleeced millions of dollars from everyday victims.  For more information about Victoria Police, go to police.vic.gov.au  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s one of the most secretive police units in Australia but, in this episode, two serving Special Operations Group operators speak about what it’s like to work in a tactical police unit tasked with responding to terrorism incidents, hostage situations and arresting Victoria’s most dangerous criminals.  For more information about Victoria Police, go to police.vic.gov.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Rebels bikie gang member believes he is untouchable as he runs a network of drug and gun trafficking, seeking to strike fear into everyone he comes across. But he has no idea the Echo Taskforce is secretly following his every criminal move.  For more information about Victoria Police, go to police.vic.gov.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia held its breath for five days in 2015 as a massive search was underway for 11-year-old Luke Shambrook, who had gone missing from his family’s campsite in rugged bushland. We take you through the highs and lows of the search and into the decisions and moments that mattered.  For more information about Victoria Police, go to police.vic.gov.au  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Detectives from the Armed Crime Squad embark on an investigation full of twists and turns as they track down those responsible for one of the biggest gold and cash robberies in Victoria’s history.  For more information about Victoria Police, go to police.vic.gov.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A young mother, Ju "Kelly" Zhang, has gone missing and a tenacious detective begins an unrelenting pursuit to uncover whether she was murdered. The case is complex, but the Missing Persons Squad specialises in investigations where they have no body and no crime scene.  For more information about Victoria Police, go to police.vic.gov.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Victoria Police's official podcast, Police Life: The Experts is returning for season two. Come behind the scenes as we shine a light on our people and their extraordinary skills. The first episode of season two is out on 19 November wherever you get your podcasts. For more information about Victoria Police, go to police.vic.gov.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today’s investigators of historical murders and sexual assaults are reaping the benefits of the impressive foresight of forensic scientists back in the 1980s. We speak to a Victoria Police DNA expert and lift the lid on the Forensic Services Department’s freezer project, where evidence from hundreds of crimes from decades ago is kept.For more information about Victoria Police, go to police.vic.gov.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Detective Leading Senior Constable Tracy Jarrott is a shining example of the hundreds of investigators that work hard to solve crimes in their local areas across the state of Victoria. Tracy walks us through how she hunted down and brought to justice the men responsible for a chaotic stabbing attack in the border town of Wodonga.For more information about Victoria Police, go to police.vic.gov.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.