The Crime Couch with Rochelle Jackson
The Crime Couch podcast is a casual yet intimate chat hosted by journalist and true crime author Rochelle Jackson and cops, crooks and interesting individuals.
Episodes
"Prisons: the good, the bad, the mad and the sad"
John Van Groningen has over 50 years' experience in the prison and correction system. He's been a Prison Officer and Commissioner, academic researcher and teacher, bureaucrat, expert commentator and a ministerial and government advisor. Joh…
"The recapture of Australia's most wanted; Robert Lindsay Wright"
In a dramatic week where two members of Victoria Police were ambushed and murdered and another officer injured; we return to another dangerous pursuit and recapture of one of Australia's most wanted, Robert Lindsay Wright. In January 1984, …
"The Silver City story-teller"
Well, The Crime Couch has gone outback and recently I caught up with ABC Broken Hill journalist Bill Ormonde in the remote town. Bill's a former Nine reporter and video journalist and was named the 2024 Young Australian Journalist of the Y…
"Crafting a new police veteran space"
In her first public interview, the new Chief Executive Officer of Police Veterans Victoria, Debra Richardson talks about her vision for the organisation. The former Victoria Police Senior Constable and Criminal Intelligence Analyst also sur…
"A ground-breaking Breaker" - part 2
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 the ASP baton! In an era where female Victoria Police offi…
"A ground-breaking Breaker" - part 1
Christine "Chris" McIntyre was the first female in the infamous Breaking Squad. The former Victoria Police detective was one of the leading women in the job; was the first female to run her own police station and be elected Director of the …
"Reg Henderson - the diplomatic detective"
Victoria Police's Detective Senior Constable Reginald Ernest Henderson was an extraordinary police officer. In a career spanning 38 years, Reg apprehended more than 3,000 offenders, identifying many only by photographs he kept in a little n…
"Off with the wigs!"
Geoffrey Steward is a barrister of some note. He specialises in criminal law, coronial inquests and other quasi-criminal proceedings. Interestingly enough, he attended high school with the lads from Australian Crawl. Geoffrey did his artic…
"Law for the law"
Susan "Sue" Davis has two focuses in her rather brilliant career: as a Victoria Police Inspector and a principal lawyer. She's currently managing the Counter-Terrorism Legal Unit and also running her own law firm; Anmar Legal. Sue oversees …
"The person most likely to be in prison"
Kevin "Kev" Collister is from "the school of hard knocks". The former ADF Infantry solider and military policeman also spent years in the prison system working in the Security and Emergency Services Group's dog squad. He's wrestled with Aus…
"Giving survivors a voice"
Helen Adams is passionate about assisting victims of crime, sexual assault, elderly abuse and trauma.  This was a focus in her Victoria Police career of 29 years and continues in her current role as a Victims of Crime Support worker with t…
"TJF - turning a negative into a positive"
David (Dave) Evans and Cleve Salmon are former Victoria Police members with a wealth of experience between them. Dave was in the job for 23 years, working in family violence, a covert IT unit and as a detective in the Moorabbin Sexual Offen…
"Fighting the good fight"
Julie "Jules" McAlister is the second veteran police officer to be given a Police Assistance dog through the Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation. The black Labrador Charlie-Kane has made a major difference to her life. And Julie's been t…
"Shots fired - part 2"
This is final episode of a two-part special featuring former Victoria Police Special Operations Group member, Jim Venn. He was "in the job" for 24 years, also working in the Major Crime Squad, the BCI, Firearms Operational Survival Trainin…
"Shots fired - part 1"
Jim Venn, registered number 17909 is not your average former Victoria Police member. The highly decorated officer was a Special Operations Group member and qualified as a bomb technician, marksman and in close quarter combat. Jim spent 24 …
"Thanks to a small goods incident"
The Crime Couch - series 5 is back! Lex de Man has just retired from his CEO role at Victoria Police Legacy, but his career in the emergency services isn't as easily defined. He began as a 17-year-old volunteer CFA firefighter before joinin…
"The Crime Couch 2024 compilation - the end of season 4"
It's the end of season 4 on The Crime Couch and what a year it has been! This is a compilation of the 20 episodes during 2024. You'll hear former AFP Superintendent Tim Egan, former Victoria Police Sergeant Sheree Moore recall the Queen Str…
"Boots on the street"
Wendy Cowling was 20 years old and working at a supermarket when she applied to join Victoria Police. The former Victoria Police Sergeant spent 34 years in the job starting in the Russell Street Policewomen's Division. Here she was mentored…
'Blue ribbon service"
Neil Soullier's had a diverse career, he's worked in retail as the National Sales Manager for Tandy Electronics. He was the road manager for the Westfield Run that featured gumboot jogger Cliffy Young. He's currently the General Manager fo…
"Staying upright"
90-year-old Geoff Tulloch is a former Superintendent with Victoria Police. He spent 32 years in the job and worked in the Mobile Traffic section, Crime Cars, did several stints as a law instructor and in the Training Research section before…
"It was not a job for girls"
October is cyber-safety awareness month, so it makes sense I sit with Australia’s cyber-safety expert, Susan McLean. Susan spent 27 years in Victoria Police where she was known as” the cyber cop”. She was the first Vic Pol officer appointed…
"Standing in the gap"
Reverend Jim Jung hasn't always worked with Victoria Police. The Senior Chaplain grew up In Melbourne's south, trained to be a motor mechanic, played local footy and was the first person in his family to obtain a Bachelor's degree. He's ha…
"Operation Soul Surf"
Sergeant Barry "Baz" Randall grew up on the NSW Central Coast. Here he gained a passion for rugby and surfing. Barry moved interstate in 1994 to join Victoria Police when he was the victim of an attempted murder that ended in a fatal shoot…
"The good, the bad and the ugliness of failure"
Allan Sicard admits he's made mistakes in his career. A rare admission from a former NSW Police Superintendent. In a police culture that's often autocratic and unforgiving, Allan is upfront about his short-comings and says what he's learnt …
"Actions speak louder than words"
Wayne "Snapper" Rotherham is a legend in the job. The former Detective Inspector's resume reads like a boy's own adventure. Snapper worked in the Major Crime Squad and been in more stoushes than he's had glasses of red. He's also had multi…
"Looking back on The Crime Couch"
In this episode, we take a look back at the last three and half years of The Crime Couch. We've published more than 100 episodes and had over 100,000 downloads. I've interviewed many former and current serving members of Victoria Police, in…
"A police veteran's best friend"
It's often been said a dog is man's best friend. A trained dog may also be the best friend for any veteran police officer who's been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI) or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The Police Ass…
"A man of the people - part 2"
Bob Kumar re-joins me on The Crime Couch to talk about youth crime, contest mentions, life as a Magistrate and retirement The former Deputy Chief Magistrate of Victoria spent nearly 40 years on the bench. Bob's been described as " a vision…
"A man of the people - part 1"
Bob Kumar is a former Magistrate who spent nearly 40 years on the bench. He presided over the Broadmeadows Magistrates Court and also appointed as Victoria's Deputy Chief Magistrate. Bob's been described as a "visionary Magistrate" and "a m…
"Running for the blue family"
Glenn "Dutchy" Holland wasn't always a Victoria Police Sergeant. He used to work in the casino industry on a tiny island called Tinian and on international cruise ships. Dutchy's been in the job for 21 years starting in Frankston on the va…
"Backup is three hours away"
Mark “Trigger” Tregellas has broken his spine, knee, shoulder and elbow. He's been shot in the face and battled with cancer. The former Victoria Police Leading Senior Constable has served 31 years mainly in three remote coastal towns. Like …
"This is what we're paid to do"
In the 1990's Deb Keogh was one of the few female detectives "in the job". It was challenging. The former Victoria Police Sergeant worked in traffic operations, accident investigation and as a Detective stationed in the suburbs, including w…
"Blue Widow - part two"
This is the final of a two-part interview with Queensland Police Detective Sonya Leeding. Sonya's husband, Damien - also a Queensland Detective - was shot and killed in May 2011 during a botched armed robbery. Since that fateful night, Sony…
"Blue Widow - part 1"
The 29th of May 2011 is a date that changed Queensland Police Detective Sonya Leeding's world forever. This was the night her husband, Damien - also a Queensland Detective - was shot and killed during a botched armed robbery. Since that fat…
"Loitering with intent"
Annette in't Hout is one of three fulltime Senior Chaplains working with Victoria Police. There's also about 85 volunteer Chaplains across the state. This year the Victoria Police Chaplaincy commemorates it's 50-year anniversary of making a…
"The tyranny of distance, shocking roads and crappy communications"
Tim Egan is not your average police member. The retired AFP Superintendent has served 34 years in three continents. Before joining the Northern Territory Police, Tim was a mine worker, timber millhand, builder's laborer and bank clerk. His …
"I can still hear the gunshots"
Sheree Moore still hears the gunshots from the Queen Street shootings involving killer Frank Vitkovic. It's not something you ever forget, she says. Sheree was on duty in December 1987 when the Queen Street massacres took place. The former …
”The Crime Couch compilation 2023 - the end of Season 3”
Well, it's the end of Season 3 on The Crime Couch. This is a compilation of the 39 episodes during 2023. You'll hear from former Detective Senior Constable Carl Stella, retired members Colleen Woolley, Graeme Simpfendorfer, Val Smith, Highw…
”The Majors - we took no shit!”
Working in Victoria Police's Major Crime Squad was not for sissies, according to Ian "Doss" Dosser. He recalls going through doors with a nine-pound door-key and loaded firearms when chasing armed robbers. The former Detective Chief Inspec…
”The operational policewoman”
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 an operationa…