The Crime Couch with Rochelle Jackson

Former Victoria Police Inspector Lilian Irwin sadly passed away on Saturday night, 17 June 2023. I was lucky to sit with the 96-year-old "Lil" as she was affectionately known, on The Crime Couch, during 2021. This is our interview, republished.  Lil led the way for women in the police force for nearly three decades. When she joined in 1961, she was only one of four women in her squad. Nick-named “...

I first met Colleen Woolley at the Retired Police Association (RPA). As a television producer, I'd contact her trying to contact Victoria Police members. The former Senior Sergeant served as a Woman Auxiliary in the South Australian Police Force and represented policewomen in Victoria as the sole Police Association delegate.  Colleen was the first female RPA Secretary, a founding Committee Member...

Joy Murphy is the longest serving female police officer in the world. The Victoria Police Detective Senior Sergeant worked in the first Rape Squad, the Dealers and Sexual Offences Squads.  She has more than 50 years in the job and renowned for her work in sex crime. Joy's changed the way Victoria Police investigate sexual assault and family violence. She coordinated the Sexual Offences and Child A...

This is the last of a two-part interview with Brian "The Skull" Murphy.  I interviewed him when writing Billy "The Texan" Longley's biography in 2004. Murph talks about the Pat Shannon trial, giving evidence against Billy in court and the company they set up called "Industrial Mediation". The former Victoria Police Detective Sergeant had a fearsome reputation with police and the criminal world. He...

This week on The Crime Couch I feature the first of a two-part historical interview with Brian "The Skull" Murphy. I interviewed the infamous former Victoria Police Detective Sergeant in 2004 when writing the biography of Billy "The Texan" Longley.  From his loungeroom, Brian opened up about the Painters and Dockers, when he first met The Texan and his suspension in 1971. He was the recipient of a...

Ian "Doss" Dosser is an experienced Detective with years of working in Victoria Police's Crime Squads. In part two of his interview, the former Detective Chief Inspector talks about Operation Sentinel, the investigation into the Drug Squad break-in, his two awards involving a successful fraud investigation and an armed offender situation where three people were shot and a woman was kidnapped. Doss...

Ian "Doss" Dosser is an experienced, decorated Victoria Police investigator with 33 years under his belt. The former Detective Chief Inspector initially worked at the usual round of suburban CIB's including the Heidelberg Crime Cars. Doss was in the Major Crime Squad and the Homicide Squad. He was Officer in Charge of the Armed Robbery, Arson, Asian, Stolen Motor Vehicle and Racing Livestock Squad...

Wendy Cowling is a former Victoria Police Sergeant with 34 years under her belt. She began at the Russell Street Policewomen's Division and had mentors like Joan Paffett, Sandy Langlands, Myrene Purcell and Jill Wood.  She was gazetted at Cheltenham General Duties and worked in GD's throughout Melbourne's south-east.  Wendy was promoted to Sergeant at the Police Schools program, a member of the Vi...

Kevin Collister is from "the school of hard knocks". He's spent more than 30 years in the military, prison sector and the Security and Emergency Services Group's dog squad. He's been an ADF Infantry solider and military policeman. Kev's spent years dealing with Australia's most dangerous criminals. As a lead defence tactics instructor, he's taught officers how to manage riots, hostage situations a...

Valentine "Val" Smith spent 45 years in police and military service, specialising in investigations. Val also helped create the "Crimestoppers" program and worked in Victoria Police's industrial relations division.  After leaving Victoria Police, Val's been a consultant for Stopline; the Victorian Department of Justice and Crimestoppers International. Val's also the Director and Founder of the Mis...

My dear father William (Bill) Jackson unfortunately passed on Saturday 1 April, 2023 after a fall two days earlier. He was my foundation, inspiration, role model and the person I always wanted to impress.  This week on The Crime Couch the former Chief Superintendent is featured in a special tribute. It's a compilation of the three interviews I've done with him during the last three years.  The top...

Janet Low was the 79th policewoman to join Victoria Police in the 1960's. In those days, policewomen were restricted in what jobs they did; usually involving only welfare and children. But Janet cracked the glass ceiling. She spent nearly 20 years at Victoria Police, retiring as a Senior Sergeant at Prahran. She was an opera-singer, cooking teacher and is very involved in Ballarat's theatrical and...

Janet Low is a legend inside and outside Victoria Police. When she received her cap badge, she was P/W 79. The former Senior Sergeant spent 20 years in the job, finishing at Prahran.  But Janet is so much more than a veteran police officer. She's an opera singer, cooking teacher and an invaluable member of Ballarat's art and theatrical scene, with Board and Presidential roles under her belt. She w...

Geoff Shepherd was going to be a Navy chopper pilot until a knee injury forced him to consider his choice of career. So, Geoff joined Victoria Police as his brother Phil was already in the job. The former Sergeant worked operational duties in Footscray, Altona DSG and Brunswick before joining the Homicide Squad, where he investigated the murder of Gregory Workman in the gangland wars.  But that's...

Geoff Tulloch was a Superintendent with Victoria Police. He worked in the Mobile Traffic section, Crime Cars, as a law instructor and in the Training Research section before finishing at the Police Academy. But Geoff's real passion is his Aerial Square 4 motorbike. He rode with his now wife Jean on the back of the bike to propose to her in Metung and at one stage was the only motorcycle cop in Gip...

Glenn "Dutchy" Holland hasn't always been a Victoria Police Sergeant. He used to work in the casino industry and on international cruise ships. Dutchy's worked on the van, as a Detective in Crime Command and is currently operational on Melbourne's frontline. But it's Dutchy's work in mental health where he really makes a difference. Seven years ago, at the request of his boss who was retiring due...

In her second interview on The Crime Couch, Christine "Chris" McIntyre talks about being the first woman to run a police station, how she arrested an armed robber and the wonders of an ASP baton! In an era where female Victoria Police officers had to know their place and were given jobs involving welfare and minor crimes; the former Victoria Police detective led the way for women in the job using...

Christine "Chris" McIntyre was the first female in the infamous Breaking Squad. The former Victoria Police detective led the way for women in the job; was the first female to run her own police station and be elected Director of the Police Association Credit Union. The gutsy officer had an extraordinary career; once leaping on the back of a crook attempting to put a sleeper-hold on him as he held...

Valentine "Val" Smith spent 45 years in police and military service specialising in investigations. He worked in a number of CIB's, the Dealers Squad, was the Operational Manager of Crimestoppers and in the State Intelligence Division. After leaving VicPol, Val continues to be a consultant for Stopline; he's also worked with the Victorian Department of Justice and Crime Stoppers International.  Va...

Well, it's the end of Season 2 on The Crime Couch. This is a compilation of some of the 40 episodes during 2022.  Every interview has been an extraordinary glimpse and insight into the lives of men and women "in the job". All of these interviews have made a real impact on us and on you, our listeners. I want to thank everyone who took a leap of faith and sat with me this year on The Crime Couch. I...

Just because you're a good operational police officer doesn't mean you'll be a good leader. Leadership in policing has never been more important, more challenging and under more scrutiny. After working for 36 years in Victoria Police and the AFP, Phil Shepherd is making a difference in this space. The former Inspector has worked with the FBI, Royal Canadian Mounties and the Met helping develop lea...

Phil Shepherd initially wanted to be an architect, but his career took a different design.  The former Victoria Police Inspector worked special duties in a "Bag-A-Thief" team, and the Homicide Squad before helping set up the Airlie Leadership Centre under Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon. Phil was seconded to the AFP and the Australian Institute of Police Management before returning to Vic Pol t...

The Victorian Coroner criticised Victoria Police this week for not banning one-up patrols after Senior Constable Tony Hogarth-Clarke's murder in 2005. This horrendous incident changed Dave Clarke's life. The former Detective Leading Senior Constable was a dear friend and colleague and arrived on the scene minutes after he'd been killed.  Dave suffered ill-health and wrestled with PTSD before leavi...

The Crime Couch returns!  Cyber-crime cost us $33 billion dollars last year. Recently, we've seen Optus and Medibank get hacked by cyber criminals. Chris McNaughton says cyber criminals are the new form of organised crime. He claims they have helpdesks and operate as highly sophisticated, big businesses.  The former Victoria Police Detective Leading Senior Constable worked in the Tactical Investig...

Former Detective Sergeant Mark Bagally is like many of the "D's" I've interviewed on The Crime Couch. He did his time as a tough, hard-nosed  Detective in the Rape, Armed Robbery, Drug and Homicide Squads before leading special duties teams and regional CIU's.  Then one day, the Victoria Police officer put down his gun and handcuffs and picked up a paint brush. After leaving the job in 2016, Mark...