Izzy speaks with Terry Orchard, a retired Queensland police officer with 36 and a half years of service, about the winding path from a childhood in London to a long career across general duties, CIB, drug squad work, covert operations, and witness protection. Terry also shares how a career that was intense, high-pressure, and often chaotic eventually led him into a very different life as a wedding celebrant.This episode covers policing history, undercover work, major drug investigations, burnout, marriage breakdowns, recovery, and the surprisingly fitting second career Terry built after retirement.

Timestamps

00:00 - Introducing Terry Orchard and his 36.5-year policing career
03:56 - Childhood in London, Hampstead, and family background
04:56 - School struggles, reading difficulties, and bad influences
06:10 - Sport at school and finding basketball
08:20 - First jobs and unknowingly growing cannabis in a greenhouse
11:53 - Father’s sudden death and the move to Australia
14:51 - Emigrating to Australia and settling in Sydney, then Brisbane
19:32 - Job hunting with no qualifications and landing at David Jones
23:07 - Deciding policing was the next career move
24:05 - TAFE courses, reapplying, and finally getting into the police
30:17 - Academy life at Oxley and the discipline of the 1980s
36:56 - First major pursuits, including the Channel Seven helicopter job
41:07 - Early trainee duties and the courthouse/morgue work
44:55 - The Story Bridge suicide callout and its impact
49:42 - City CIB, Fortitude Valley, and street prostitution enforcement
56:31 - Reforming Valley CIB after Fitzgerald
58:58 - Australia’s Most Wanted and Terry on television
61:21 - Moving into the drug squad and choosing specialization
64:14 - ILIT, clandestine labs, and the awkward acronym problem
68:30 - Doggett Street and Operation Chinook
72:18 - Emerald raid day and the RSL drumming disaster
81:59 - Burnout, drinking, and marriage collapse
88:24 - Joining the National Crime Authority
93:35 - Becoming the undercover operator in Yapoon
95:05 - Holding the line when a rifle is pointed at him
99:30 - Cover, trust, and the reality of undercover drug work
101:28 - Pollen testing cannabis to confirm its origin
102:56 - Getting $100,000 for a sting and the reserve bank run
104:48 - The takedown and the radio failure at the critical moment
107:13 - Returning to uniform

Brad Grieve's early life and career path

The importance of procedural accuracy in policing

Leadership and team building in police work

Experiences with trauma and high-stakes situations

Training and skill development in firearms and tactics

Community engagement and police culture

Lessons learned from major events like G20 Police trauma and mental health

Critical incident response and procedures

Support systems for officers after traumatic events

Impact of investigations and coronial processes on officers

The importance of peer support and debriefing in policing

takeaways

Procedural accuracy can be the difference between success and failure in police operations

Strong leadership and team morale are crucial in high-pressure situations

Training should be continuous and realistic to prepare officers for real-world challenges

Understanding community dynamics enhances police effectiveness

Personal growth often comes from challenging and traumatic experiences Traumatic police incidents have lasting emotional effects that are often unspoken.

Support systems like peer presence and buddy systems can make a difference.

The process of investigation and coronial hearings can be retraumatizing for officers.

Policing culture often discourages discussing mental health struggles.

Proactive career planning and support are vital for officer well-being.

00:00 Introduction and Brad Gree's background

02:09 Early life and career choices

04:56 Joining the police force and initial experiences

09:58 Training, skills, and leadership development

20:11 Major events and operational challenges

29:48 Trauma, decision-making, and procedural lessons

40:06 Reflections on police culture and community

50:09 Key takeaways and advice for officers

54:29 - Support from senior officers and ambulance response

57:31 - Separation, debrief process, and waiting for interviews

62:25 - Going home after the incident and the physical exhaustion

66:10 - No immediate trauma, but lingering questions and a coronial process

74:41 - Coroner’s hearing two years later and giving evidence in court 78:09 - Reading the 26 page coronial findings report

81:04 - Why Brad questioned the need to attend the job in the first place 84:32 - How he thinks police should support officers after critical incidents

87:03 - Staying in general duties for his whole career

92:29 - Why progression was so hard for competent general duties officers

97:46 - Another confronting job near the end of service

100:05 - No pension or gold card style support after leaving QPS

100:32 - Security, close protection, Uber, and landing in grounds work 102:18 - From employment to property maintenance

Mal Logue brings 40 years of military experience, 15 years in policing, and a blunt firsthand view of what happens when frontline service meets bureaucracy, bad policy, and constant scrutiny. This episode covers his path from Adelaide to the army, deployments in Somalia and beyond, his move into Queensland Police, and the burnout that came from trauma, understaffing, and boxed-in decision-making.We also discuss his COVID vaccine mandate fight, the human rights court case that followed, and why he believes support systems inside policing often fail the very people they claim to protect.

Timestamps

(00:05) - The introduction and why Mal Logue was brought in(01:20) - Growing up in Adelaide and choosing the army at 17

(02:09) - Leaving the military, moving to Brisbane, and joining QPS

(03:50) - What Mal was like at school and why he hated it

(04:33) - Why he loved infantry life, fitness, and military work

(05:17) - Training at Kapooka and watching his son follow the same path

(06:58) - Deployments to Somalia, East Timor, and other exchanges

(08:06) - Somalia: first contact, command stress, and live rounds(10:10) - Military trauma versus policing trauma

(12:22) - Getting help, drinking, rage, and why support mattered

(14:21) - How army rank progression and promotion actually work

(17:00) - Reserve service, police academy life, and juggling family

(21:07) - Why he joined QPS and hated the academy

(23:02) - OST, fighting, taser training, and what academy skills missed

(25:24) - Why he thinks police training standards are too low

(27:57) - Spike strip training, union complaints, and being kicked out

(31:25) - Caboolture policing, team culture, and proactive patrol work

(34:48) - A typical shift, briefings, and how crews were deployed

(36:15) - DV, mental health, and the strain of modern policing

(37:33) - Resources, budgets, and why police are asked to do more with less

(39:04) - Burnout, rosters, and RBTs as stats-driven policing

(43:25) - How DV jobs evolved into paperwork-heavy cover your ass policing

(48:44) - Why he says decision-making has been replaced by fear

(51:01) - False DV allegations, family court, and the damage to officers

(55:38) - Why he believes DV policy is unbalanced and politically driven

(57:23) - Male suicides, false allegations, and what he sees in the data

(59:57) - How DV work consumes policing resources and shift time

(61:58) - A Christmas DV breach that left him sickened

(66:16) - A funny Redcliffe patrol story and classic dark humour

(68:26) - Dealing with tragic scenes without letting them destroy you

(69:24) - The lack of mental health support in QPS

(72:29) - Being stood down after injury and getting help only by pushing for it

(78:32) - COVID, masks, and why the vaccine mandate triggered everything

(83:24) - The human rights court case and why the mandate was unlawful

(88:35) - Being stood down again after the mandate lifted

(91:29) - A senior officer’s toxic attitude during a major training event

(95:07) - The 50/50 recruiting process and why he says merit was undermined

(101:09) - Selective crime stats and clearance-rate games

(103:19) - Pauline Hanson, immigration, and political frustration

(105:07) - Why DV systems often treat women as the default aggrieved party

(107:26) - His pet peeves, including immigration policy and crunching sounds

(109:09) - Closing reflections on policing, mental health, and a possible return visit

In this episode, Keith McDonald shares insights from his 37-year policing career, discussing the evolution of law enforcement, legislation, and community issues. Discover how policing has changed over decades and the lessons learned along the way.

keywordspolicing, law enforcement, police career, legislation, community safety, police evolution, domestic violence, social media impact, police training, law reform

key topics

• Career progression from recruit to inspector
• Impact of legislation on policing practices
• Evolution of police equipment and tactics
• Role of social media and public perception
• Handling domestic violence and community issues
• Major incidents and lessons learned
• Police training and leadership development
• Community engagement and trust building

Chapters

00:00Introduction and Keith's background

02:11Early life and career beginnings

05:08Policing in Cumbia and Gold Coast

09:56Police roles and responsibilities over the years

14:59Training at the Police Academy

20:12Evolution of police equipment and weapons

24:59Major incidents and their impact

30:01Legislation changes and community issues

34:55Leadership and mentorship in policing

39:58The role of social media and public perception

45:03Reflections on career and lessons learned

49:54Future of policing and law reform

55:09Closing thoughts and gratitude

In this episode, Loz shares her journey from Australia to the UK police force, her experiences in policing, and insights into the differences between UK and Queensland policing. She discusses her passion for sexual offenses, the challenges faced by officers, and the importance of mental health and accountability in law enforcement.

Keywordspolicing, UK police, Queensland police, sexual offenses, mental health, law enforcement challenges, police training, police culture, police career, police experiences

Key Topics

• Loz's background and move from Australia to the UK
• Differences between UK and Queensland policing
• Specialist roles in sexual offenses and mental health
• Challenges faced by police officers including burnout and culture
• The importance of communication, rapport, and de-escalation
• Training, career progression, and systemic issues in policing
• Impact of personal trauma and mental health in law enforcement
• The role of accountability and police culture change

Sound Bites

• "Support in Tottenham was my team, I think I went on my eighteenth birthday."
• "The job that I had, I was a sexual offenses investigator, and I am very proud of that."
• "All people want is to be heard and understood."

Chapters

00:00Introduction to Loz's policing journey

02:00Loz's move from Australia to London

04:03School life and early career choices

07:11Joining the police and initial training

10:11Support for Tottenham and football memories

12:50Deciding to pursue policing as a career

15:01Application process and interview experience

19:57First day at Hendon Police Academy

21:55Life in the police station and station environment

25:00Loz's first station in East London

29:56Police equipment and weapons in the UK

32:55Handling trauma and mental health in policing

40:02Specialist roles in sexual offenses and achievements

50:04Moving to Australia and reasons for returning

54:53Differences in police culture and operational approach

59:49Challenges faced by UK police officers in Queensland

01:05:10Mental health, burnout, and coping strategies

01:09:53Loz's advice for new officers and police culture

01:14:50The importance of communication and rapport

01:20:10Loz's pet peeves and closing thoughts