In the 1970s and ’80s, Victoria was in the grip of an armed robbery epidemic. Banks, newsagents and small businesses were hit daily. Gunmen didn’t hesitate. Police were targets. And the Armed Robbery Squad was on the front line.

In this episode ofReal Crime, Adam Shand sits down with former Victoria Police detective Rod Porter, a proud member of the Armed Robbery Squad during its most violent era.

Rod takes us inside a time when policing was raw, relentless and often deadly. He recounts the 1987 fatal shooting of prolific heroin-fuelled robber Mark Milano — a split-second decision that would haunt him for decades. He describes the surreal seconds after shots are fired, the trauma of facing a coroner’s inquest and the personal toll that high-stakes policing took on his marriage and family life.

He also speaks candidly about handling one of Australia’s most infamous criminals — Mark “Chopper” Read — who became his informer before the notorious Bojangles nightclub murder. The relationship would drag Rod into controversy and scrutiny, adding yet another layer of pressure to an already dangerous career.

 

In the 1970s and &rsquo;80s, Victoria was in the grip of an armed robbery epidemic. Banks, newsagents and small businesses were hit daily. Gunmen didn&rsquo;t hesitate. Police were targets. And the Armed Robbery Squad was on the front line.
In this episode of Real Crime, Adam Shand sits down with former Victoria Police detective Rod Porter, a proud member of the Armed Robbery Squad during its most violent era.
Rod takes us inside a time when policing was raw, relentless and often deadly. He recounts the 1987 fatal shooting of prolific heroin-fuelled robber Mark Milano &mdash; a split-second decision that would haunt him for decades. He describes the surreal seconds after shots are fired, the trauma of facing a coroner&rsquo;s inquest and the personal toll that high-stakes policing took on his marriage and family life.
He also speaks candidly about handling one of Australia&rsquo;s most infamous criminals &mdash; Mark &ldquo;Chopper&rdquo; Read &mdash; who became his informer before the notorious Bojangles nightclub murder. The relationship would drag Rod into controversy and scrutiny, adding yet another layer of pressure to an already dangerous career.
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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;

War in the Suburbs: Inside Victoria’s Armed Robbery Squad | Rod Porter

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/26791272-4acc-4ab8-b78b-b3f40019217f/transcript