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 “The Queen of Fitzroy” and “Legs 11,” Lil was the only female Inspector when she was promoted in 1977 at a time when policewomen thought they’d be lucky to get to Sergeant! Vale Lilian Irwin, registered number 13868.

Contains Snappy @2021 performed Jonathan Boyle with music written by Jonathan Boyle, courtesy of Premium Beat.

Post production by Pete Dillon @www.fearlesscollective.com.au and acknowledgement to Stephen Peters for his assistance and support. 

Thanks for listening. Please take the time to rate & review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. We'd love to hear your thoughts and it makes it easier for the rest of the podcast world to find The Crime Couch. 

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 of The Past and Present Women Police Association; a Justice of the Peace and  also an author.

Contains Snappy @2021 performed Jonathan Boyle with music written by Jonathan Boyle, courtesy of Premium Beat.

Post production by Pete Dillon @www.fearlesscollective.com.au and acknowledgement to Stephen Peters for his assistance and support. 

Thanks for listening. Please take the time to rate & review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. We'd love to hear your thoughts and it makes it easier for the rest of the podcast world to find The Crime Couch. 

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 Abuse Investigation Teams (SOCIT) and was the first female voice to be ever heard on D-24.

Contains Snappy @2021 performed Jonathan Boyle with music written by Jonathan Boyle, courtesy of Premium Beat.

Post production by Pete Dillon @www.fearlesscollective.com.au and acknowledgement to Stephen Peters for his assistance and support. 

Thanks for listening. Please take the time to rate & review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. We'd love to hear your thoughts and it makes it easier for the rest of the podcast world to find The Crime Couch. 

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 was the recipient of a Valour Award, charged and acquitted of a homicide and falsely accused of an underworld hit. 

At 90 years of age, Brian sadly passed away on the 25th of April 2023 surrounded by his family who he adored.  Vale Brian "The Skull" Murphy.

Contains Snappy @2021 performed Jonathan Boyle with music written by Jonathan Boyle, courtesy of Premium Beat.

Post production by Pete Dillon @www.fearlesscollective.com.au and acknowledgement to Stephen Peters for his assistance and support. 

Thanks for listening. Please take the time to rate & review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. We'd love to hear your thoughts and it makes it easier for the rest of the podcast world to find The Crime Couch. 

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 Valour Award, charged and acquitted of a homicide, and falsely accused of an underworld hit. Sadly, the living legend passed away on the 25 of April 2023. Vale Brian "The Skull" Murphy.

Contains Snappy @2021 performed Jonathan Boyle with music written by Jonathan Boyle, courtesy of Premium Beat.

Post production by Pete Dillon @www.fearlesscollective.com.au and acknowledgement to Stephen Peters for his assistance and support. 

Thanks for listening. Please take the time to rate & review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. We'd love to hear your thoughts and it makes it easier for the rest of the podcast world to find The Crime Couch. 

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 also remembers his time in the Royal PNG Constabulary. 

Contains Snappy @2021 performed Jonathan Boyle with music written by Jonathan Boyle, courtesy of Premium Beat.

Post production by Pete Dillon @www.fearlesscollective.com.au and acknowledgement to Stephen Peters for his assistance and support. 

Thanks for listening. Please take the time to rate & review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. We'd love to hear your thoughts and it makes it easier for the rest of the podcast world to find The Crime Couch. 

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 Squads. Doss also worked extensively in Internal Affairs, the Police Association and with the Royal PNG Constabulary.

Contains Snappy @2021 performed Jonathan Boyle with music written by Jonathan Boyle, courtesy of Premium Beat.

Post production by Pete Dillon @www.fearlesscollective.com.au and acknowledgement to Stephen Peters for his assistance and support. 

Thanks for listening. Please take the time to rate & review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. We'd love to hear your thoughts and it makes it easier for the rest of the podcast world to find The Crime Couch. 

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 Victorian Road Safety Education Reference Group and the State Coordinator of the VPYC program. She's also a life member of the Past and Present Women Police Association of Victoria.

Contains Snappy @2021 performed Jonathan Boyle with music written by Jonathan Boyle, courtesy of Premium Beat.

Post production by Pete Dillon @www.fearlesscollective.com.au and acknowledgement to Stephen Peters for his assistance and support. 

Thanks for listening. Please take the time to rate & review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. We'd love to hear your thoughts and it makes it easier for the rest of the podcast world to find The Crime Couch. 

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 and become high security escorts.

Kev's created a company "Totally Proactive" that focuses on a zero-harm approach to get the best result when confronted with challenging situations and dangerous people.

Contains Snappy @2021 performed Jonathan Boyle with music written by Jonathan Boyle, courtesy of Premium Beat.

Post production by Pete Dillon @www.fearlesscollective.com.au and acknowledgement to Stephen Peters for his assistance and support. 

Thanks for listening. Please take the time to rate & review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. We'd love to hear your thoughts and it makes it easier for the rest of the podcast world to find The Crime Couch. 

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 Missing Persons Network, a company focusing on missing persons cold cases. He joins me on The Crime Couch to discuss several cases that've stayed with him.

Contains Snappy @2021 performed Jonathan Boyle with music written by Jonathan Boyle, courtesy of Premium Beat.

Post production by Pete Dillon @www.fearlesscollective.com.au and acknowledgement to Stephen Peters for his assistance and support. 

Thanks for listening. Please take the time to rate & review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. We'd love to hear your thoughts and it makes it easier for the rest of the podcast world to find The Crime Couch.