For two years, Queensland police officer Jason Somerville lived a dangerous double life. Under the assumed identity of Michael Bates, he posed as a heroin dealer, infiltrated Brisbane's drug trade, befriended hardened criminals and earned their trust to gather evidence against them. He even went undercover in a police cell to obtain a confession from an accused double murderer. But living a lie comes at a price. When the operations ended, Somerville discovered that leaving his undercover identity behind was far harder than adopting it. The constant danger, deception and paranoia had taken a psychological toll. His marriage eventually collapsed, and the effects of his undercover years followed him long after the operations were over.

Jason discusses his new book, Undercurrent: The Hidden Cost of Going Undercover, revealing the close calls, moral dilemmas and personal sacrifices involved in infiltrating Australia's criminal underworld.

https://artists.australianculturalfund.org.au/s/project/a2EMn00000k7A78

 

For two years, Queensland police officer Jason Somerville lived a dangerous double life. Under the assumed identity of Michael Bates, he posed as a heroin dealer, infiltrated Brisbane's drug trade, befriended hardened criminals and earned their trust to gather evidence against them. He even went undercover in a police cell to obtain a confession from an accused double murderer. But living a lie comes at a price. When the operations ended, Somerville discovered that leaving his undercover identity behind was far harder than adopting it. The constant danger, deception and paranoia had taken a psychological toll. His marriage eventually collapsed, and the effects of his undercover years followed him long after the operations were over.
Jason discusses his new book, Undercurrent: The Hidden Cost of Going Undercover, revealing the close calls, moral dilemmas and personal sacrifices involved in infiltrating Australia's criminal underworld.
<a href="https://artists.australianculturalfund.org.au/s/project/a2EMn00000k7A78">https://artists.australianculturalfund.org.au/s/project/a2EMn00000k7A78</a>
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Join investigative journalist Adam Shand each week as he takes you into his world of real crime, honed from forty years of covering Australia's biggest law and order stories. These are the firsthand stories of the cops, robbers, and victims who lived them.

Join investigative journalist Adam Shand each week as he takes you into his world of real crime, honed from forty years of covering Australia's biggest law and order stories. These are the firsthand stories of the cops, robbers, and victims who lived them.

Real Crime with Adam Shand

Join investigative journalist Adam Shand each week as he takes you into his world of real crime, honed from forty years of covering Australia's biggest law and order stories. These are the firsthand stories of the cops, robbers, and victims who lived them. 

Join investigative journalist Adam Shand each week as he takes you into his world of real crime, honed from forty years of covering Australia's biggest law and order stories. These are the firsthand stories of the cops, robbers, and victims who lived them.&nbsp;

UNDERCOVER: THE COP WHO LIVED A LIE 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/61ae9994-8c5b-4deb-b022-b4ec002dee77/transcript

The alleged attack on Helen Haines has shocked Australia and raised urgent questions about the safety of our elected representatives. How do we protect politicians while keeping them accessible to the communities they serve?

Adam Shand examines the threatening language poisoning public debate and reflects on his own approach to handling vile comments on social media. With the accused’s motive still to be established, this is a call to consider the conversations we create—and our responsibility when anger becomes an invitation to violence.

The alleged attack on Helen Haines has&nbsp;shocked Australia and raised urgent questions about the safety of our elected representatives. How do we protect politicians while keeping them accessible to the communities they serve?
Adam Shand examines the threatening language poisoning public debate and reflects on his own approach to handling vile comments on social media. With the accused&rsquo;s motive still to be established, this is a call to consider the conversations we create&mdash;and our responsibility when anger becomes an invitation to violence.

From The Desk - When Political Anger Turns To Violence

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/3e1081a9-9c00-4dc3-84b4-b4eb0063dba0/transcript

Former police officer Amanda Schultz has spent years questioning the official finding that her father, Detective Inspector Geoffrey “Whit” Whitford, took his own life. The highly respected Whitford was found dead from a gunshot wound at a remote South Australian beach in October 1981. His death was officially ruled a suicide by police without a formal coronial inquest, backed by a sealed 30-year coronial report. Whitford led a covert organised crime and drug taskforce targeting the marijuana and heroin trade. Amanda discusses the evidence she believes doesn’t fit the accepted account, what her father may have known through his police work—and why she continues to fight for a fresh investigation into his death.

Former police officer Amanda Schultz has spent years questioning the official finding that her father, Detective Inspector Geoffrey &ldquo;Whit&rdquo; Whitford, took his own life. The highly respected Whitford was found dead from a gunshot wound at a remote South Australian beach in October 1981. His death was officially ruled a suicide by police without a formal coronial inquest, backed by a sealed 30-year coronial report. Whitford led a covert organised crime and drug taskforce targeting the marijuana and heroin trade. Amanda discusses the evidence she believes doesn&rsquo;t fit the accepted account, what her father may have known through his police work&mdash;and why she continues to fight for a fresh investigation into his death.

The Cop Who Knew Too Much

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/8af54fab-057b-4779-8d6a-b4e90033ed89/transcript

Ivan Milat murdered seven young backpackers in the Belanglo State Forest. But were those his only victims?

Investigative journalist Camille Bianchi joins Adam Shand to discuss her gripping new podcast, Back to the Wall, which explores disturbing allegations linking Australia's most notorious serial killer to the dark underworld of Sydney's Kings Cross. In the 1980s and 1990s, vulnerable streetkids gathered at a place known simply as the Wall. Some disappeared. Others survived with stories of predators, powerful men and secrets that have remained buried for decades.

As a New South Wales inquiry examines allegations about Milat's activities before his arrest, Bianchi tracks down witnesses whose accounts challenge the accepted history. Were opportunities to investigate serious crimes missed?

Who knew what was happening? And how much of the truth can still be uncovered?

A confronting conversation about missing children, institutional failures and the survivors who are finally finding their voices.

Follow and listen to Back to the Wall here

Ivan Milat murdered seven young backpackers in the Belanglo State Forest. But were those his only victims?
Investigative journalist Camille Bianchi joins Adam Shand to discuss her gripping new podcast, Back to the Wall, which explores disturbing allegations linking Australia's most notorious serial killer to the dark underworld of Sydney's Kings Cross. In the 1980s and 1990s, vulnerable streetkids gathered at a place known simply as&nbsp;the Wall. Some disappeared. Others survived with stories of predators, powerful men and secrets that have remained buried for decades.
As a New South Wales inquiry examines allegations about Milat's activities before his arrest, Bianchi tracks down witnesses whose accounts challenge the accepted history. Were opportunities to investigate serious crimes missed?
Who knew what was happening? And how much of the truth can still be uncovered?
A confronting conversation about missing children, institutional failures and the survivors who are finally finding their voices.
Follow and listen to Back to the Wall<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1YNXY729C7bV8CCYSoPSiU?si=4430d434351e44c5">&nbsp;here</a>

Ivan Milat: The Missing Children, The Kings Cross Connection

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/333f7585-3760-4e34-8c91-b4e6001b3e79/transcript

UNDERCOVER: THE COP WHO LIVED A LIE

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