Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
There is always a lot going on around the place.
And joining me in the studio right now, well, I
have got I'm just trying to make sure I've got
the right microphones on there. I have indeed got Sergeant
Chris Growth. Good morning to you now, Chris, you're from
the Search and Rescue you know.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Good morning, yeah, from the Police Search and Rescue section.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Yeah, wonderful to have you in the studio. And then
I have also got in the studio with us. And
the reason I'm slightly distracted is because whenever the police
dogs are in the studio, Rice, there are always lots
of fun. I know not everybody might not think they're
fun if you're doing the wrong thing, but in the
studio they are. And joining us in the studio this
morning is Sergeant Matt Unwan from the Dog Operations Unit,
(00:42):
and also Wedge. Good morning to you.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Good morning Katie.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
How are you? Yeah? Very well? Now. Is it possible
for Wedge to have grown a little bit more because
he looks massive.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
He's six and a half years old. He might have
packed on a bit of Wie.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
We've been training lately, says, been having a little bit
of arrest.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
There you go, well with fitness. Yeah, No, he looks
fit as a fiddle and he looks shiny. As I
did say to you, what are you washing him with?
Speaker 4 (01:10):
His glorious certainly not the same thing that he's tugged.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
It's quite disgusting.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
That's his toy for anybody out there listening. Now, look,
before I talk more about about the training that you
guys have been undertaking, I understand that there was this
crime spree from overnight. A number of youths involved in
this crime spree from overnight, Matt yourself, and which involved
in the arrests, is that correct?
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Yeah, the Dog Operations Unit.
Speaker 4 (01:41):
We had three handlers out this morning along with Strike
Force tryin and assisting them with the investigation with a bit.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Of a crime spree that happened overnight.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
So we have three thirteen, sorry, four thirteen year olds
in custody and a fifteen year old in custody for
a number of offenses. I think we've got around nine
or so offenses burglaries and attempted carjackings and weapon offenses
(02:10):
from those thirteen year olds.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Yeah, it sounds like it was a terrible night in
the sense that that's impact in a number of different people. Like,
how in the end were you able to apprehend some
of those those offenders.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
I used a combination of intelligence, CCTV, steel frames and that, sorry,
were just distracting here, just part of our investigative investigation
process for Strike Force China, And yeah, that we've started
early in order to identify and then apprehend those offenders.
The crime spree started around nine point thirty last night
(02:43):
at the United Service station in lud Miller and then
throughout the night all the way up until.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Four to ten this morning.
Speaker 4 (02:51):
They are committing a number of burglaries and yeah, there's
robberies at the service station where weapons were produced and yeah,
so quite serious offenses.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Business premises targeted primarily.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Yeah, well, look, I'm glad that you've been able to
apprehend them, and no doubt we'll keep a very close
eye on that situation from overnight. And look, I guess
you know what we hear in terms of different arrests
being made and various things happening across the top end
does really demonstrate the work that Northern Territory Police do
every single day. And some of that work is it
(03:26):
A lot of that work requires an extensive amount of training,
and we know that the Northern Territory Police Search and
Rescue have recently conducted quite an intensive search and rescue
exercise in Bachelor to really focus on testing and refining
some of those skills when it comes to search and
rescue and no doubt across a lot of different areas.
(03:46):
I'm assuming Chris tell us a little bit more about
the exercise and really why some of those skills are needed.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Yes, that's what we call a SAREX, or a search
and rescue exercise. So under the Intergovernmental Agreement for Search
and Rescue, we've got certain obligations to make sure that
we keep our skills up and we maintain those partnerships
and relationships with agencies outside of the police, just to
make sure that our procedures and practices are in place
and that we're performing up to standard. So the idea
(04:14):
of this particular exercise at Bachelor was to identify any
gaps in how lands are and how we respond and
coordinate to those sorts of matters. And we get a
number of different agencies inside the police, like other specialist
sections such as the Dog Operations Unit, Mounted and also
local police as well, and what that does is it
helps us identify those gaps and then bridge those gaps
(04:36):
if we've got any equipment deficiencies, or perhaps we need
to group up areas around our procedure and policy just
so that we're responding effectively to those incidents as they
come about.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
How often would you say, and I know that it
can change year on year, but how often would you
say you are sort of conducting those search and rescues
and I know some of them over the last sort
of year or so, I've been pretty extensive, even when
you look at places like the Larapinta Trail things like that.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
Yeah, so the Laripedo Trail one was quite a big
one for us. That spanned across about six days and
our You might not be aware, but we transitioned from
the water police section into the Search and Rescue section
and that was made official as of March this year,
and that was traditionally the lands are responsibilities traditionally held
with the TRG, so we've now taken on those responsibilities.
(05:23):
But the annual twelve month period for the financial year
last year, we responded to over eighteen search and rescues
in marine and.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Land, and I would imagine depending on where exactly those
searchers are. The way in which you respond can change
quite dramatically and that is why some of that training
is required absolutely.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
So we've got a gazetted strength of seventeen qualified members
within our section and they've got a number of different
qualifications across vessels, motorbikes, how to operate around helicopter's search
and techniques. We also have a number of internal and
external courses that those members participate in so annually do
it as a national Search and Rescue course that we
(06:06):
go down to Canberra to do, and that's to help
with the coordination of these tops exercises. And as you
can understand, you know in the territory, whilst we do
go off a national doctrine, there are issues specific to
the ant that we need to consider. We've got big
lizards in the water, we've got big tile factors to consider,
some of the terrain and the territories are pretty hazardous,
so we have to take all of those things into it.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Don't know if i'd call them lizards, they are massive,
those crocodiles, they're bloody scary. And you know, then looking
at all of those different things and the way in
which you've got to deal with it's like it is
such a rugged place, and I know that we you know,
we kind of forget that. I suppose to some degree
after you've lived here for a while, but there are
so many different factors that you'd be dealing with, and
(06:48):
you know it would be really essential that you're keeping
up to date with all of that training.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Yeah, So these Cyrex's form part of that. As I
mentioned before, we try to do the at least one
big one per month where we're everyone to come in
so that we've got everything streamlined and we can pick
up on those gaps. And basically what that does is
brings everyone together so that we know and understand what
we're doing. When an operation does come about. It's a
little bit different in the marine space because there's not
(07:14):
as much human factor involved. If there's an incident on
the water, you're pretty much governed by which way the
water is going to push you. So that takes a
few different things into account when we need to consider
those type of operations.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
We're just keen to get involved in this conversation. He's
had enough of just sitting on the sidelines. He sees
nudging at me. Now, I know that over the years Obviously, Matt,
you and I have spoken on numerous occasions about some
of the different things that the Dog Operations Unit's been
involved in. But one of the incidents that always stands
out in my mind is actually the search and rescue
that yourself and Weeds were involved in right near the
(07:48):
waterfront where an elderly lady had gone missing, and the
way in which you know, and the work that you
guys had done to find her. And sometimes, you know,
we think of the Dog Operations Unit, we think of
the Northern Territory Police only in the response to crime scenario,
but it's absolutely pivotal that you guys are involved in
(08:11):
so many different areas of work.
Speaker 4 (08:14):
Yeah, exactly right, that particular case. Chris was actually the
case officer.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
For that one as well.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
Now he's set myself wedge in the put us in
the right search area for that which led to that
successful outcome.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
So he's still doing that to this day several years later.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
But the dogs, as well as searching and locating criminals,
we can also use them for that missing person capability
and for search to rescue exercises, just the land based
ones though they aren't going there in the Yeah, and
also the Dog Operations Unit. We build relationships with a
number of other agencies in the top end that also
(08:54):
utilized working dogs, so the Australian Federal Police and Strain
Border Force. We're training with the Army next week. And
just a new, a new thing that we're adding to
the capability for the search and rescue is some civilian
volunteers that yeah, certified under USA Australian Australian standards to
(09:16):
also deployed to conduct those such a rescue.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
So who can get involved in that?
Speaker 3 (09:22):
Is it a yeah, it's it's a small group.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
The lady that that's leading that, Bronwin Mullins, has been
doing it for about nine years and certified over in Queensland.
It's something that sort of happens a bit more in
other states and just starting.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
To introduce it.
Speaker 4 (09:37):
And they've got three volunteers that are doing it now
and they invest a lot of their own personal time
and money into you know, they have to go to
Queensland to do their certifications, so they're transporting dogs back
and forward. And yeah, we are starting to integrate them
into the exercises that are involved in the training exercise
(09:59):
last week and yeah, we're looking forward to seeing how
they can assist in the future, but we do appreciate
that help that they providing those Yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
Absolutely, and having the community involved in that way, it
can only be a good thing, right. Just one last question,
how did we have quite a number of police involved
in the exercise for last week?
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Yeah, so, off the top of my head, I think
it was thirty plus plus. The different resources and assets,
and as Matt was alluding to, those relationships and building
those professional working relationships with outside agencies is a key factor,
particularly you mentioned before, Lara Penna Trail. You've got Larapenner
Trail Trek support team down there. Zach Dragic runs a
(10:38):
pretty tight ship down there, and they've just got such
a wealth of knowledge when we have incidents occurring down there,
and they're always willing to help police out with those
type of operations as well. So with such a small section,
we need to leverage off those other assets around the
territory to make sure that we're responding quickly to these
jobs and we're doing it in a competent manner.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Great to catch up with you both this morning. I
always think it's interesting to talk a little bit more
about not only that training that gets underway, but some
of the expanded sort of things that our Northern Territory
Police do as well. All the while, Wedges had an
absolute enough of us talking. He wants us to play,
he wants us.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
To throw some things for him. Thank you.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
He's ready to go. I'll tell you what if if
someone if he was barking at me like that, I'd
stop whatever I was doing if I was engaged in
any kind of criminal behavior. Thank you guys so much
for joining us this morning. Sergeant Chris Growther from the
Search from the Search and Rescue Unit within the Northern
Territory Police, and Sergeant Matt Unwan from the Dog Operations Unit.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
And of course Wedge.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
Always good to have you guys in the studio. Thanks
so much for your time.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
Thanks, thank you,
There is always a lot going on around the place.
And joining me in the studio right now, well, I
have got I'm just trying to make sure I've got
the right microphones on there. I have indeed got Sergeant
Chris Growth. Good morning to you now, Chris, you're from
the Search and Rescue you know.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Good morning, yeah, from the Police Search and Rescue section.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Yeah, wonderful to have you in the studio. And then
I have also got in the studio with us. And
the reason I'm slightly distracted is because whenever the police
dogs are in the studio, Rice, there are always lots
of fun. I know not everybody might not think they're
fun if you're doing the wrong thing, but in the
studio they are. And joining us in the studio this
morning is Sergeant Matt Unwan from the Dog Operations Unit,
(00:42):
and also Wedge. Good morning to you.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Good morning Katie.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
How are you? Yeah? Very well? Now. Is it possible
for Wedge to have grown a little bit more because
he looks massive.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
He's six and a half years old. He might have
packed on a bit of Wie.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
We've been training lately, says, been having a little bit
of arrest.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
There you go, well with fitness. Yeah, No, he looks
fit as a fiddle and he looks shiny. As I
did say to you, what are you washing him with?
Speaker 4 (01:10):
His glorious certainly not the same thing that he's tugged.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
It's quite disgusting.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
That's his toy for anybody out there listening. Now, look,
before I talk more about about the training that you
guys have been undertaking, I understand that there was this
crime spree from overnight. A number of youths involved in
this crime spree from overnight, Matt yourself, and which involved
in the arrests, is that correct?
Speaker 3 (01:40):
Yeah, the Dog Operations Unit.
Speaker 4 (01:41):
We had three handlers out this morning along with Strike
Force tryin and assisting them with the investigation with a bit.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Of a crime spree that happened overnight.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
So we have three thirteen, sorry, four thirteen year olds
in custody and a fifteen year old in custody for
a number of offenses. I think we've got around nine
or so offenses burglaries and attempted carjackings and weapon offenses
(02:10):
from those thirteen year olds.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Yeah, it sounds like it was a terrible night in
the sense that that's impact in a number of different people. Like,
how in the end were you able to apprehend some
of those those offenders.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
I used a combination of intelligence, CCTV, steel frames and that, sorry,
were just distracting here, just part of our investigative investigation
process for Strike Force China, And yeah, that we've started
early in order to identify and then apprehend those offenders.
The crime spree started around nine point thirty last night
(02:43):
at the United Service station in lud Miller and then
throughout the night all the way up until.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Four to ten this morning.
Speaker 4 (02:51):
They are committing a number of burglaries and yeah, there's
robberies at the service station where weapons were produced and yeah,
so quite serious offenses.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Business premises targeted primarily.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Yeah, well, look, I'm glad that you've been able to
apprehend them, and no doubt we'll keep a very close
eye on that situation from overnight. And look, I guess
you know what we hear in terms of different arrests
being made and various things happening across the top end
does really demonstrate the work that Northern Territory Police do
every single day. And some of that work is it
(03:26):
A lot of that work requires an extensive amount of training,
and we know that the Northern Territory Police Search and
Rescue have recently conducted quite an intensive search and rescue
exercise in Bachelor to really focus on testing and refining
some of those skills when it comes to search and
rescue and no doubt across a lot of different areas.
(03:46):
I'm assuming Chris tell us a little bit more about
the exercise and really why some of those skills are needed.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Yes, that's what we call a SAREX, or a search
and rescue exercise. So under the Intergovernmental Agreement for Search
and Rescue, we've got certain obligations to make sure that
we keep our skills up and we maintain those partnerships
and relationships with agencies outside of the police, just to
make sure that our procedures and practices are in place
and that we're performing up to standard. So the idea
(04:14):
of this particular exercise at Bachelor was to identify any
gaps in how lands are and how we respond and
coordinate to those sorts of matters. And we get a
number of different agencies inside the police, like other specialist
sections such as the Dog Operations Unit, Mounted and also
local police as well, and what that does is it
helps us identify those gaps and then bridge those gaps
(04:36):
if we've got any equipment deficiencies, or perhaps we need
to group up areas around our procedure and policy just
so that we're responding effectively to those incidents as they
come about.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
How often would you say, and I know that it
can change year on year, but how often would you
say you are sort of conducting those search and rescues
and I know some of them over the last sort
of year or so, I've been pretty extensive, even when
you look at places like the Larapinta Trail things like that.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
Yeah, so the Laripedo Trail one was quite a big
one for us. That spanned across about six days and
our You might not be aware, but we transitioned from
the water police section into the Search and Rescue section
and that was made official as of March this year,
and that was traditionally the lands are responsibilities traditionally held
with the TRG, so we've now taken on those responsibilities.
(05:23):
But the annual twelve month period for the financial year
last year, we responded to over eighteen search and rescues
in marine and.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Land, and I would imagine depending on where exactly those
searchers are. The way in which you respond can change
quite dramatically and that is why some of that training
is required absolutely.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
So we've got a gazetted strength of seventeen qualified members
within our section and they've got a number of different
qualifications across vessels, motorbikes, how to operate around helicopter's search
and techniques. We also have a number of internal and
external courses that those members participate in so annually do
it as a national Search and Rescue course that we
(06:06):
go down to Canberra to do, and that's to help
with the coordination of these tops exercises. And as you
can understand, you know in the territory, whilst we do
go off a national doctrine, there are issues specific to
the ant that we need to consider. We've got big
lizards in the water, we've got big tile factors to consider,
some of the terrain and the territories are pretty hazardous,
so we have to take all of those things into it.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
Don't know if i'd call them lizards, they are massive,
those crocodiles, they're bloody scary. And you know, then looking
at all of those different things and the way in
which you've got to deal with it's like it is
such a rugged place, and I know that we you know,
we kind of forget that. I suppose to some degree
after you've lived here for a while, but there are
so many different factors that you'd be dealing with, and
(06:48):
you know it would be really essential that you're keeping
up to date with all of that training.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Yeah, So these Cyrex's form part of that. As I
mentioned before, we try to do the at least one
big one per month where we're everyone to come in
so that we've got everything streamlined and we can pick
up on those gaps. And basically what that does is
brings everyone together so that we know and understand what
we're doing. When an operation does come about. It's a
little bit different in the marine space because there's not
(07:14):
as much human factor involved. If there's an incident on
the water, you're pretty much governed by which way the
water is going to push you. So that takes a
few different things into account when we need to consider
those type of operations.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
We're just keen to get involved in this conversation. He's
had enough of just sitting on the sidelines. He sees
nudging at me. Now, I know that over the years Obviously, Matt,
you and I have spoken on numerous occasions about some
of the different things that the Dog Operations Unit's been
involved in. But one of the incidents that always stands
out in my mind is actually the search and rescue
that yourself and Weeds were involved in right near the
(07:48):
waterfront where an elderly lady had gone missing, and the
way in which you know, and the work that you
guys had done to find her. And sometimes, you know,
we think of the Dog Operations Unit, we think of
the Northern Territory Police only in the response to crime scenario,
but it's absolutely pivotal that you guys are involved in
(08:11):
so many different areas of work.
Speaker 4 (08:14):
Yeah, exactly right, that particular case. Chris was actually the
case officer.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
For that one as well.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
Now he's set myself wedge in the put us in
the right search area for that which led to that
successful outcome.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
So he's still doing that to this day several years later.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
But the dogs, as well as searching and locating criminals,
we can also use them for that missing person capability
and for search to rescue exercises, just the land based
ones though they aren't going there in the Yeah, and
also the Dog Operations Unit. We build relationships with a
number of other agencies in the top end that also
(08:54):
utilized working dogs, so the Australian Federal Police and Strain
Border Force. We're training with the Army next week. And
just a new, a new thing that we're adding to
the capability for the search and rescue is some civilian
volunteers that yeah, certified under USA Australian Australian standards to
(09:16):
also deployed to conduct those such a rescue.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
So who can get involved in that?
Speaker 3 (09:22):
Is it a yeah, it's it's a small group.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
The lady that that's leading that, Bronwin Mullins, has been
doing it for about nine years and certified over in Queensland.
It's something that sort of happens a bit more in
other states and just starting.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
To introduce it.
Speaker 4 (09:37):
And they've got three volunteers that are doing it now
and they invest a lot of their own personal time
and money into you know, they have to go to
Queensland to do their certifications, so they're transporting dogs back
and forward. And yeah, we are starting to integrate them
into the exercises that are involved in the training exercise
(09:59):
last week and yeah, we're looking forward to seeing how
they can assist in the future, but we do appreciate
that help that they providing those Yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
Absolutely, and having the community involved in that way, it
can only be a good thing, right. Just one last question,
how did we have quite a number of police involved
in the exercise for last week?
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Yeah, so, off the top of my head, I think
it was thirty plus plus. The different resources and assets,
and as Matt was alluding to, those relationships and building
those professional working relationships with outside agencies is a key factor,
particularly you mentioned before, Lara Penna Trail. You've got Larapenner
Trail Trek support team down there. Zach Dragic runs a
(10:38):
pretty tight ship down there, and they've just got such
a wealth of knowledge when we have incidents occurring down there,
and they're always willing to help police out with those
type of operations as well. So with such a small section,
we need to leverage off those other assets around the
territory to make sure that we're responding quickly to these
jobs and we're doing it in a competent manner.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Great to catch up with you both this morning. I
always think it's interesting to talk a little bit more
about not only that training that gets underway, but some
of the expanded sort of things that our Northern Territory
Police do as well. All the while, Wedges had an
absolute enough of us talking. He wants us to play,
he wants us.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
To throw some things for him. Thank you.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
He's ready to go. I'll tell you what if if
someone if he was barking at me like that, I'd
stop whatever I was doing if I was engaged in
any kind of criminal behavior. Thank you guys so much
for joining us this morning. Sergeant Chris Growther from the
Search from the Search and Rescue Unit within the Northern
Territory Police, and Sergeant Matt Unwan from the Dog Operations Unit.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
And of course Wedge.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
Always good to have you guys in the studio. Thanks
so much for your time.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
Thanks, thank you,
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations.
Crime Junkie
If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people.