View From the Saddle

Saddle up and meet the men and women of the fabled Queensland Police Service Rural and Stock Crime Squad.

This legendary unit was formed in 1959 as the Queensland Stock Investigation Squad, pivoting through the years to the Stock and Rural Crime Investigation Squad then to the

Major Organised Crime Squad Rural.

Whatever its name, the squad’s core function has remained steady through the decades from when it was run out of the Criminal Investigation Branch in Brisbane with just a

Detective Sergeant and three plainclothes officers on board.

Officers with some rural experience and who knew their way around a horse were preferred.

Today the Rural and Stock Crime Squad has teams across Queensland, including in Roma, Charleville, Longreach, Charters Towers and Mareeba. Two detective senior

sergeants – based respectively in Toowoomba and Rockhampton - coordinate the Southern and Northern regions.

The work of the squad, too, has gone way beyond just nabbing cattle duffers and sheep thieves.

Not only does its extensive remit include drug offences, fraud, firearms theft, and wildlife and horse racing offences, but its work may cross state and international borders.

The Queensland Police Service acknowledges all members, including those attached to the Crime and Intelligence Command, who contributed in some way to Breakthrough

and their ongoing efforts to prevent, disrupt, respond and investigate serious crime.

The QPS is also grateful to rural communities across all corners of Queensland – whose support is critical to our mission to make Queensland the Safest State and especially so when living and working in remote and isolated areas.

This episode was produced on the lands of the Toowoomba Jagera, Giabal and Jarowairm peoples.

Special thanks also to the members who have assisted with the production of this podcast episode:

• Assistant Commissioner Katherine Innes APM

• Assistant Commissioner Brian Connors APM

• Detective Inspector Melissa Anderson BM APM

• Det Sgt Glenn Evans (Case Officer) – Toowoomba RSCS

• Det Snr Sgt Jim Lacey – Southern Coordinator.

• Detective Senior Constable Chris Hurtz

• Sarah Trinne and the team at Queensland Police Service Media.

Breakthrough is co-produced by Moo Media and the Queensland Police Service.

Writer and host: Matthew Condon.

Producer: Kate Morris.

Audio production: Tepid Leopard Audio.

LINKS:

Qld Crime Stoppers: ⁠Crime Stoppers Queensland | Make a Report Today

(crimestoppersqld.com.au)⁠

© Queensland Police Service 2025