March 28, 2025 • 7 mins
West Coast Cops is a new show on the tele which features a new breed of policemen on W.A streets, the ones who have uprooted their lives and moved here from the U.K. Clairsy & Lisa spoke to one of those people, Sergeant Ben Woods who told them what it's like to move countries and the differences with law enforcement here compared to the U.K.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
West Coast Cops is premiering tonight at seven thirty on
Channel nine and nine Now British Cops embarking on a
new beat down under.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
One of them is Sergeant Ben Wood's good.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
Morning, good morning, exact very well, from.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
West End to the West Coast, something like that. What
made you decide to make the big move?
Speaker 4 (00:18):
Oh, look, there was a number of factors. I think
that all fell into place at that moment in time
when wa Police came to the UK tempting us with
this new life recruiting. Yeah, you know, but yeah, I
just think that my mantaries you get one life, right,
and I think we've got to We've got to make
the most of it. Yeah, and why not take this
fantastic opportunity to come to a beautiful location in a
(00:39):
beautiful country and just give it a good go.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
So, yeah, there was no one factor.
Speaker 4 (00:44):
That's made me go I'm leaving the UK, I'm leaving
everything behind that I've built over the first part of
my life. But it was a number of things. You know.
The job wasn't great at the time, the country wasn't
great at the time. Things you know, helped push me
towards making this because It's not an easy decision leaving
(01:04):
everything behind it.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
It's a huge decision.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
You know.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
And I think you see that in the program. You
see that in the program how tough things things are.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
We anytime you make a job move is a huge decision.
But when you're.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Talking about going from one side of the planet.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
Yeah, And I think that's what's good about this program
is you're seeing the story. This isn't just about lights
and sirens and locking up the bad guys. This is
the person behind the uniform.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
Because do you have a family that So it wasn't
just your decision either other people.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
So for me, I am I did come here alone completely.
So you'll see my colleagues that have made that in
the show as well. Some of those have families, some
of those have children, some of those are single. And
I think whatever your situation is, there are there are
challenges to overcome with your single with you've got children
with you or a partner, you know, And again you
(01:56):
see that in the show.
Speaker 5 (01:57):
Yeah, I would have feel right to not say hello, Hello, Hello.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
What's going on?
Speaker 5 (02:07):
Do you know Lisa? Had you heard of Lisa mchune before,
who's the four time Gold LOGI winner? Who narrates the show.
She's very famous in Australia.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
I didn't, but obviously i've I've managed to see episodes
one and two when they did the promo down and
I think it was I think it was Bustleton or yeah,
so I did. I managed to see one and two
already and obviously hearing her voice since she's got a lovely,
lovely soft.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
Also she famously played a police officer, did a very
famous show.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
For quite a while.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Perfect person for the job.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Then maybe Yeah, so you were a seasoned officer in
the UK before moving here.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
How does it compare?
Speaker 1 (02:45):
What the what's the first thing that you thought, Oh,
this is different to being a cup on the beat there?
Speaker 4 (02:51):
So I think if you're going to do a bit
of compare and contrast, there are a lot of similarities actually,
so because of our shared history, the laws are pretty similar.
It's just the acts, the sections, all the boring bits
are very different, right, But in terms of the powers
and policies available to us here, I would say, actually
they're in a bit more streamlined so British legislation and
(03:13):
I'm not going to get boring about it, but it's
a bit complicated, right, with the old English English words.
Australian legislation is very to the point. It's really easy
to understand and it's really easy to use. It is refreshing,
you know. So so actually I feel like they got
it right here. You guys have got it right, you know.
I think it's so that's the difference is I think
that was your question where mainly really like.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
The cultural stuff.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
So you've got you've got things to do with our
indigenous communities, a lot of that to get your head around.
You know, there's all those the history that you know,
you need to be very careful of. So that's probably
the more challenging thing is that's new to us. That's
new to us as officers from a different country coming
here and actually to respect that and understand it and
actually try and build that bridge and what what what
(03:59):
better for some with fresh eyes to try and to
try and look at something differently and maybe try something new.
Speaker 5 (04:05):
Yeah, okay, do you ever copy from someone who you're
chatting to when they hear the accent what's going on?
Speaker 4 (04:11):
Yeah? Because people will sometimes yeah, sometimes you know, disrespectful
of course, you know, I think actually pretty cultured. I
think there are many accents here in perfect So actually
I think that you guys, you know, the born and
bred wa people are just so used to hearing all
these different accents. But I think I'm quite lucky. My
(04:31):
surname being Woods is actually an indigenous, very popular indigenous surname.
So a lot of the time they see the surname
and they like, oh you're Woods, Yeah, okay.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Cool, you're on patrol in Northbridge tonight. At some stage,
will you say you're nicked?
Speaker 3 (04:45):
So I actually have that slipped out of few times.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
I really have.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
The British caution may have slipped out a few times
as well, and I have had to catch myself and go, no, no,
that's not quite right, because.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
I'm telling than British cop shows, you guys make the
best shows.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Is it?
Speaker 3 (05:05):
The cops?
Speaker 4 (05:06):
And make the breath shows with the fact there's so
much crime over there, that's what makes it interesting.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Make really good police TV.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Do you do you part of the hope to show
you know, the I mean, I think cops are fantastic.
I love police, but sometimes they get a bad rap from.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
You know, from the bad guys.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
So it shows a positive light on on on.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
Things, it does?
Speaker 4 (05:33):
It really does you know when I was agreed to
do this, This filming part of the worries when it's finished,
you go, oh my god, what am I going to
look like? How am I going to come across?
Speaker 5 (05:42):
The perception?
Speaker 4 (05:43):
Perception right from my phones and family in the UK
that have managed to watch this, because it adds slightly
earlier over there is the positive feedback has been nothing
but positive.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Oh good.
Speaker 4 (05:51):
It's because it shows you it's not just about, like
I said earlier, lights and signs and looking at the
bad guys. You're getting to see the person behind the badge.
You're getting to see tears, you getting to see laughter,
You're getting to see tears from laughter, right, you know,
you getting to see a person, not just a uniform.
And that's what's so important, is it's giving you, guys
a new perspective that actually police officers really are just
(06:13):
normal people that have lives, they have friends, They do
the same stuff. It's just that we do a job
that can sometimes be confronting and challenging.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
And that's what it is. That's what it is.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
And you know, it's about remembering just see as you
find and not everybody in all walks of life are
going to be good people. But for the most part,
my colleagues and I are just normal people trying to
do a difficult job.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
Yeah, and in that group of people that run towards
tough things while the rest of us are running away
from them.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
So respect to that.
Speaker 5 (06:44):
I've been something fundamental with Australia. How many shifts did
you do during the day in Australia before you felt
you went, oh, I think I need a bit more
sun to him, that's so creat because it's just one
of those basic things.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
It's day one I was just very conscious of.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
So my first shift actually was Christmas Day, so that was.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
My first shift. So it's very much like sun cream on.
Speaker 5 (07:09):
Yeah, take care of it.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
I have.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
I have been a bit, you know, I've got about
a couple of times when you can't put the sun.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Cream on because you're just stuck at a job.
Speaker 4 (07:17):
But you know, I'm lucky enough to ride the bikes
around the city as well, so you see.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Them, right, Okay, Well I will give you a wave
because I sometimes said the bikes.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Were heading out here.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
West Coast Cops premieres tonight at seven thirty on Channel nine.
Sergeant Ben Woods, thanks for coming. In and welcome to
you know, to doing it here.
Speaker 5 (07:36):
Yeah, absolutely, yeah, yeah, welcome and I see I've got
a big head mate. Now you're famous.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Okay, they'll be lining up to get arrested now yeah,
West Coast Cops is premiering tonight at seven thirty on
Channel nine and nine Now British Cops embarking on a
new beat down under.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
One of them is Sergeant Ben Wood's good.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
Morning, good morning, exact very well, from.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
West End to the West Coast, something like that. What
made you decide to make the big move?
Speaker 4 (00:18):
Oh, look, there was a number of factors. I think
that all fell into place at that moment in time
when wa Police came to the UK tempting us with
this new life recruiting. Yeah, you know, but yeah, I
just think that my mantaries you get one life, right,
and I think we've got to We've got to make
the most of it. Yeah, and why not take this
fantastic opportunity to come to a beautiful location in a
(00:39):
beautiful country and just give it a good go.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
So, yeah, there was no one factor.
Speaker 4 (00:44):
That's made me go I'm leaving the UK, I'm leaving
everything behind that I've built over the first part of
my life. But it was a number of things. You know.
The job wasn't great at the time, the country wasn't
great at the time. Things you know, helped push me
towards making this because It's not an easy decision leaving
(01:04):
everything behind it.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
It's a huge decision.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
You know.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
And I think you see that in the program. You
see that in the program how tough things things are.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
We anytime you make a job move is a huge decision.
But when you're.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Talking about going from one side of the planet.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
Yeah, And I think that's what's good about this program
is you're seeing the story. This isn't just about lights
and sirens and locking up the bad guys. This is
the person behind the uniform.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
Because do you have a family that So it wasn't
just your decision either other people.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
So for me, I am I did come here alone completely.
So you'll see my colleagues that have made that in
the show as well. Some of those have families, some
of those have children, some of those are single. And
I think whatever your situation is, there are there are
challenges to overcome with your single with you've got children
with you or a partner, you know, And again you
(01:56):
see that in the show.
Speaker 5 (01:57):
Yeah, I would have feel right to not say hello, Hello, Hello.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
What's going on?
Speaker 5 (02:07):
Do you know Lisa? Had you heard of Lisa mchune before,
who's the four time Gold LOGI winner? Who narrates the show.
She's very famous in Australia.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
I didn't, but obviously i've I've managed to see episodes
one and two when they did the promo down and
I think it was I think it was Bustleton or yeah,
so I did. I managed to see one and two
already and obviously hearing her voice since she's got a lovely,
lovely soft.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
Also she famously played a police officer, did a very
famous show.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
For quite a while.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Perfect person for the job.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Then maybe Yeah, so you were a seasoned officer in
the UK before moving here.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
How does it compare?
Speaker 1 (02:45):
What the what's the first thing that you thought, Oh,
this is different to being a cup on the beat there?
Speaker 4 (02:51):
So I think if you're going to do a bit
of compare and contrast, there are a lot of similarities actually,
so because of our shared history, the laws are pretty similar.
It's just the acts, the sections, all the boring bits
are very different, right, But in terms of the powers
and policies available to us here, I would say, actually
they're in a bit more streamlined so British legislation and
(03:13):
I'm not going to get boring about it, but it's
a bit complicated, right, with the old English English words.
Australian legislation is very to the point. It's really easy
to understand and it's really easy to use. It is refreshing,
you know. So so actually I feel like they got
it right here. You guys have got it right, you know.
I think it's so that's the difference is I think
that was your question where mainly really like.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
The cultural stuff.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
So you've got you've got things to do with our
indigenous communities, a lot of that to get your head around.
You know, there's all those the history that you know,
you need to be very careful of. So that's probably
the more challenging thing is that's new to us. That's
new to us as officers from a different country coming
here and actually to respect that and understand it and
actually try and build that bridge and what what what
(03:59):
better for some with fresh eyes to try and to
try and look at something differently and maybe try something new.
Speaker 5 (04:05):
Yeah, okay, do you ever copy from someone who you're
chatting to when they hear the accent what's going on?
Speaker 4 (04:11):
Yeah? Because people will sometimes yeah, sometimes you know, disrespectful
of course, you know, I think actually pretty cultured. I
think there are many accents here in perfect So actually
I think that you guys, you know, the born and
bred wa people are just so used to hearing all
these different accents. But I think I'm quite lucky. My
(04:31):
surname being Woods is actually an indigenous, very popular indigenous surname.
So a lot of the time they see the surname
and they like, oh you're Woods, Yeah, okay.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Cool, you're on patrol in Northbridge tonight. At some stage,
will you say you're nicked?
Speaker 3 (04:45):
So I actually have that slipped out of few times.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
I really have.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
The British caution may have slipped out a few times
as well, and I have had to catch myself and go, no, no,
that's not quite right, because.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
I'm telling than British cop shows, you guys make the
best shows.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Is it?
Speaker 3 (05:05):
The cops?
Speaker 4 (05:06):
And make the breath shows with the fact there's so
much crime over there, that's what makes it interesting.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Make really good police TV.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Do you do you part of the hope to show
you know, the I mean, I think cops are fantastic.
I love police, but sometimes they get a bad rap from.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
You know, from the bad guys.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
So it shows a positive light on on on.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
Things, it does?
Speaker 4 (05:33):
It really does you know when I was agreed to
do this, This filming part of the worries when it's finished,
you go, oh my god, what am I going to
look like? How am I going to come across?
Speaker 5 (05:42):
The perception?
Speaker 4 (05:43):
Perception right from my phones and family in the UK
that have managed to watch this, because it adds slightly
earlier over there is the positive feedback has been nothing
but positive.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Oh good.
Speaker 4 (05:51):
It's because it shows you it's not just about, like
I said earlier, lights and signs and looking at the
bad guys. You're getting to see the person behind the badge.
You're getting to see tears, you getting to see laughter,
You're getting to see tears from laughter, right, you know,
you getting to see a person, not just a uniform.
And that's what's so important, is it's giving you, guys
a new perspective that actually police officers really are just
(06:13):
normal people that have lives, they have friends, They do
the same stuff. It's just that we do a job
that can sometimes be confronting and challenging.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
And that's what it is. That's what it is.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
And you know, it's about remembering just see as you
find and not everybody in all walks of life are
going to be good people. But for the most part,
my colleagues and I are just normal people trying to
do a difficult job.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
Yeah, and in that group of people that run towards
tough things while the rest of us are running away
from them.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
So respect to that.
Speaker 5 (06:44):
I've been something fundamental with Australia. How many shifts did
you do during the day in Australia before you felt
you went, oh, I think I need a bit more
sun to him, that's so creat because it's just one
of those basic things.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
It's day one I was just very conscious of.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
So my first shift actually was Christmas Day, so that was.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
My first shift. So it's very much like sun cream on.
Speaker 5 (07:09):
Yeah, take care of it.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
I have.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
I have been a bit, you know, I've got about
a couple of times when you can't put the sun.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Cream on because you're just stuck at a job.
Speaker 4 (07:17):
But you know, I'm lucky enough to ride the bikes
around the city as well, so you see.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Them, right, Okay, Well I will give you a wave
because I sometimes said the bikes.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Were heading out here.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
West Coast Cops premieres tonight at seven thirty on Channel nine.
Sergeant Ben Woods, thanks for coming. In and welcome to
you know, to doing it here.
Speaker 5 (07:36):
Yeah, absolutely, yeah, yeah, welcome and I see I've got
a big head mate. Now you're famous.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Okay, they'll be lining up to get arrested now yeah,
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!