Ep 10 - Cactus Worshippers and Missing Persons - WA POLICE FORCE PODCAST

Episode 10 of Operation Podcast! The official WA Police Force Podcast.

On this week’s show:

- Cactus worshippers! Hear about it from Superintendent Amber Harvey.

- A brand new missing persons segment.

- The Commissioner joins us.

- Hear about the conclusion to a series of burglaries!

Transcript

SPEAKER_19 0:00

This podcast discusses real-life crimes and law enforcement matters. It may include detailed descriptions of criminal activity, traumatic incidents, and other content that could be confronting or distressing, particularly for victim survivors. Listener discretion is advised. If you find any of these topics upsetting, please consider whether this content is right for you and seek support if needed.

SPEAKER_06 0:30

Welcome back to Operation Podcast, the official weekly pod of the WA Plot. I'm Joey Catanzaro.

SPEAKER_18 0:35

I'm Maya Greve.

SPEAKER_06 0:36

I'm Sergeant Nate Gilmore. And by the end of this episode, you'll know what it takes to identify, locate, and lock up a crew of armed, violent criminals conducting a series of high-risk burglaries across the state.

SPEAKER_18 0:47

We're talking about thugs armed with weapons like axes, machetes, and handguns who target bulk cash.

SPEAKER_04 0:53

Stay tuned because we're about to take you inside the operations that took them down. Your police commissioner Cole Blanche joins us later to answer your questions.

SPEAKER_06 1:01

Plus, this week we launch our new missing persons cult case segment. Help us find them, or at least help us find closure for their loved ones. And I can't believe I'm saying these two words together. Yep, that's right. I did read that right. We dive into a cactus cult that's sprung up right here in the heart of Perth. Ready, team? Ready? This is Operation Podcast. Welcome back to Operation Podcast. Imagine you're asleep at home and sometime after dark, a crew of masked men, masked offenders, break into your home and armed with machetes, uh, handgun, an axe, and start making demands. These are violent offenders. This isn't a hypothetical. It happened to multiple homes uh on the fringes of the metro area here in Perth. I'm joined today by uh detective senior constable Kev Waters and Detective Senior Constable Jim Rapkins, who were part of uh something called Operation Woodlose.

SPEAKER_18 2:13

Or Task Force Woodless.

SPEAKER_06 2:14

Or Task Force Woodlast. Yeah, let's just go with Task Force Woodlast, because that's actually correct, isn't it, gentlemen? Okay, okay. Task Force Woodlose. Um firstly, so uh we prefaced in the intro that you know there was a crew who was targeting, I guess, bolt cash, um, targeting people that might be running small businesses, um, and and they were particularly violent. Uh can you tell us what was the first job that came to your attention and how how did that how was that burglary how did it play out?

SPEAKER_08 2:45

Yeah, so the first job that came to our attention was uh one that occurred in Martin, which is a a little regional area of um Armadale, um up in the hills, and it came to our attention it was very violent, but they're targeted, uh, and they're after some uh safe cash. It it looked um it was unusual for us to get that sort of job at that time or not. So that's the first job that came to our attention.

SPEAKER_06 3:11

Okay, so how many people broke in? Um was it a small business?

SPEAKER_07 3:17

I think um it was the home of some small business owners, but the reason this one sort of um brought came to our attention as detectives uh quite quickly was the fact that one of the occupants um decided to resist. Oh and confronted the attackers. Yes, uh, sorry, the offenders, and um they struck him with a hatchet. Yeah, yeah. An axe. Yes, an axe. Jeez. Uh that's was he okay? Uh he well, it hit him in the head and he was uh caused serious injury and he was in hospital, but he's made a full recovery.

SPEAKER_08 3:54

Um another uh injury was to his hand, which cut a few of his uh tendons to his fingers, which um it's a bit of a problem for his work line of work. He's a tree lopper. So he's he's got a bit of rehab with that, but also the skull was uh fractured at the top.

SPEAKER_06 4:12

Okay, so when something when somebody is uh prepared to have use that level of violence, that that's a red flag, that's an immediate trigger for you guys. Yeah, yeah, 100%. How much did they actually get away with in terms of cash?

SPEAKER_08 4:26

So it was uh three offenders, um, middle of the night. They've uh crept up and you can see them all on CCTV creeping up. Uh it's a bit eerie to watch, all armed and they've entered through an unlocked back uh door and woke the offend um occupants up while they were still in bed, demanding cash. Um, oh give us your code to your safe, we know you got a safe. Um and uh one also had a gun.

SPEAKER_06 4:55

Okay. How much did they they steal?

SPEAKER_08 4:57

Uh it was only about eight hundred to a thousand dollars in the game. In that one, yeah in the end. Yeah. So it was it it looked like they thought there was more there.

SPEAKER_07 5:06

Yeah. And so we get the investigation, and as part of any investigation, we look for similarities for the things that have happened. And we were made aware of something that had occurred previously that Midland detectives were dealing with in Darlington. Um I can't remember the I think it was two weeks prior or maybe a month prior.

SPEAKER_06 5:28

Okay.

SPEAKER_07 5:29

Um what were the circumstances for that particular job? Uh so basically the same. They've uh mass offenders have gone into the house, dragged everyone out, uh, out of bed, held them at gunpoint and whatnot, uh, demanded gold bullion. Uh, and they have they obviously had some awareness, and the uh homeowners have handed over what gold bullion they had, and that was uh a fairly substantial amount.

SPEAKER_08 5:58

Yeah, I think it was in excess of a hundred thousand dollars during that one.

SPEAKER_05 6:03

Okay.

SPEAKER_08 6:03

So that that one predated our one. Yep. Uh and the link we sort of knew they were linked, but there just wasn't enough evidence to say they were linked. Um so we're still working with not enough information um still, but kept it in the back of our minds as we continued. Um interesting thing, they're both tree loppers, different companies. So there's a there's a link there.

SPEAKER_06 6:27

So they they're kind of, I guess they're targeting it's a business where potentially there is cash involved. Um what about how do you think they were able to get this intelligence on well, I mean, how did they case them out? Do we have any idea?

SPEAKER_08 6:41

We we did work that out in the end. Um so um it turns out I don't know how I won't go into names, but the father of our main suspect um used to work for both the companies 10 years ago.

SPEAKER_11 6:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 6:58

Um when we first like scoured through the records, we obtained employment records from b each company and tried to compare to find a common name. We just couldn't go far back enough to work out that that link at that point in time. It came out after the fact.

SPEAKER_06 7:14

Jeez. Okay, all right. So two jobs, you're on the hunt. What's the next move? Like where do you go to from here? Well, I mean, you know that they're violent. They've they've put an axe in someone's head. Um, there's got to be some serious concerns about what they're capable of or someone getting hurt.

SPEAKER_08 7:31

Yeah, so the risk is really high, but uh we did have to let the job unfold itself because both incidents were rural. Um, we had limited CCTV, limited AMPR, limited any other sort of intelligence. So we we had to work with our scenes of what we had. So it involved um the CCTV was probably a big um I think that was C T V from CCTV? Yeah, we got CCTV from Martin, which was in infrared. Um so we had to do a lot of shoe matching in infrared.

SPEAKER_07 8:06

So Kev went out there at what the same time of night to make sure that the shoes matched the footage. What was an infrared?

SPEAKER_06 8:14

Oh, so the CCP was but how did you match it in infrared?

SPEAKER_08 8:19

Yeah, so so the offenders walked um walked up on infrared with their shoes. The shoes are quite distinct, they're 270, um two seventy and night, 270s. Um, but we couldn't work out the colours. So you can't work out the colours because uh infrared works off the reflection of the material, not so much what the colour is. Um so I just went to JDD Sport and they lent me all their 270s of different colours. Went in the middle of the night, arranged all the shoes in the same area, and worked out that the ones that look black and white on the CCTV were actually a full black shoe. And we got rough size by matching it to where they stepped on the pavers. So we worked out one was size 12, one was around a size nine, nine uh or ten.

SPEAKER_07 9:11

And we have to like this is involving forensics, you know, specialists. Um like it wasn't just us going out there with some um tape measures, but yeah, it was at the start it is though.

SPEAKER_08 9:23

Yeah, that's how you have to, you just have to get it progressing.

SPEAKER_06 9:27

Um and you're looking at these shoes you've placed in it through that same CCTV camera, so you're getting the same like the same time of night as well, same sort of lighting conditions.

SPEAKER_07 9:37

Okay. Um things like the tire tracks, because it was a rural property, and I think there was some gravel tracks that we met like got near the tyres.

SPEAKER_08 9:49

Yeah, so there was um we analyzed any sort of tracks. Um we did find where the car had pulled up, but no description, it's too far from the CCTV. We had tire tracks which we uh eventually matched to a stolen car which was abandoned near one of the suspect's house. Yeah. Um, so it was a lot of like those little evidence just to build the bigger picture. Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 10:14

And we've talked about this before with Ravello, but it's just it's a real kind of Cinderella type.

SPEAKER_08 10:20

Yeah, I did bring a picture of the one of the comparisons, but um, it's a bit harder on the audio. It really is.

SPEAKER_06 10:26

It really is. We'll go we'll give you a detailed description. Now we might actually um, if we can, we might actually put some on socials. Yeah, we can just sort of illustrate it. So um head to our socials and we'll we'll see what we can do.

SPEAKER_07 10:38

Um we missed out on the car by what five minutes? Like, because we do to check for stolen cars and we did it too quickly because the car hadn't been reported stolen when we initially checked. Um, so we did what ANPR. So you've obviously aware of obviously the stuff that we can do with telco and matching, yeah. Yep.

SPEAKER_06 10:59

Um and just for anyone at home who hasn't been following this podcast, ANPR is automatic number plate recognition, something like that.

SPEAKER_07 11:07

Something similar to that. Yeah. I don't have to. I think it's automatic, yeah. Um, and then so we it could be awesome number plate recognition as well. Yeah, go, go. We did the same thing with cars. So we knew that we had multiple incidents of um these guys doing multiple. We I think we had three because there was something that happened in St. James where it was quite limited, but still linked to the these the offenders. Um, and so we had a we had CCTV of a car from that.

SPEAKER_06 11:38

So you had a similar kind of job, similar brief, similar kind of number of people.

SPEAKER_08 11:44

But then you found the car through that? Well, it turns out they used a separate car at each job, which was just a bit of a nightmare to sort of work through. But um we really tried to um use the different locations, use the AMPR system to match similar cars in the same areas. Didn't didn't eventuate in the end.

SPEAKER_07 12:04

They were in two, weren't they?

SPEAKER_08 12:06

And and we also did the same um with another with devices, yeah, same sort of thing.

SPEAKER_06 12:13

Okay. So how did you end up how did you actually come across before we talk about how you actually cracked this case? What about the suspects? Like how did you get to the point where you actually had viable suspects?

SPEAKER_08 12:25

So the turning point was escalation. So we had a third in uh a third main incident in Gilderton, which is up Moore River, um, closer to Lansland. Is that right? Uh yeah. Yep. Yep. Um, so a violent home invasion acts uh to the head again. Two offenders. Um the difference with this one is the um victims put up a fight straight away and it just turned bloody.

SPEAKER_07 12:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 12:52

Yeah. Um so one of the offenders left a replica firearm behind.

SPEAKER_06 12:57

Ah, okay.

SPEAKER_08 12:58

Um rookie error. So um because of how long DNA takes uh and forensics, we haven't got any of those results. So we're working with what we've got. So we've got a gun, replica firearm at the scene, very similar. The only problem is these aren't arborists, and we don't know why they were targeted, but it's just too similar for it to be discounted. The X, the gun, mass defenders, yeah. MPR. Um, there's one road up to Gilderton and one road back.

SPEAKER_06 13:29

That's automatic number plate recognition.

SPEAKER_08 13:30

Yeah. And one car comes up and comes back. Okay. So it belongs to the father of our main suspect.

unknown 13:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_11 13:38

Oh.

SPEAKER_08 13:39

Who turns out is also the guy that used to work for everyone.

SPEAKER_06 13:44

So once you start you look at the car, you look at the owner, you start, then that sort of thing is like, wait, hold on a second. Further, further back in history, he's worked for the other two arborists. We can link the three. So then you've got what the son as a primary the dad, the son.

SPEAKER_08 13:58

And then we start looking at social media. Social media. Um, yeah. Turns out he owns a black set of 270s, which match our offender at Martin.

SPEAKER_07 14:08

Okay. It's got him on on social media ballied up holding a gun.

SPEAKER_08 14:12

Yeah, he's holding a gun. And you're kidding me. Believe it or not, there's a serial number on the side of the gun that matches our serial number.

SPEAKER_06 14:20

Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_08 14:21

Unfortunately, it's a generic serial number that all replicated guns have. Still, still, it's pretty promising. But there's three chip marks underneath the serial number which match perfectly to our scene. So we've got a confirmed suspect and we've got a link.

SPEAKER_07 14:37

And then we start digging into his associates via his links, um, social media, um, telco, and then we start building a picture of all our suspects. And then whilst we're doing that, some uh some telecommunication stuff comes back. Some intelligence. Yeah, and that puts the devices of these new people who have been identified at some of our locations at the time of the offense. Wow.

SPEAKER_06 15:09

So it's it's a real combo here between your boots on the ground, old school detective work deduction, and and some of this newer capability that we've got.

SPEAKER_08 15:19

Yeah, and the the other complicating factor is um so Gilderton's ran by northern detectives. They did a very good job, the C. Um, so they've come into the task force. The Midland detectives had Darlington, they've come into the task force, and then we had Martin. So that's where the task force comes from. It's just that many different districts coming together to form an operation. Yep, yeah. And that's how Task Force Woodlows was formed.

SPEAKER_07 15:45

Okay. And normally something like this would go to like uh, well, back then Regional Investigations Unit, um, major crime uh stuff like and our district office like went into Bat Forest to say no, we were capable of doing it, and um all the way up. And then yeah, so we ran the task force. Um and it was, and we just got uh I'll give credit where it's due. We got a lot of resources that you wouldn't normally get at a local detective's office, and we got a lot of backing um to give us the resources and staff that um we needed, because like Kev and I, what are we we were working what 10, 14 hour days just on this? Yeah, wow.

SPEAKER_06 16:32

I can imagine again. I mean, the fact that you've now had two where there's been violence. And I meant to ask you, were the were the injuries pretty significant for the second one?

SPEAKER_08 16:40

Um guilded them, yeah. Yeah, so unfortunately he's um got a permanent injury to his brain. Oh so he has to struggle, he struggles day to day um still. Um that's that's terrible. And then um our other victim at Martin also has that significant injury to his hand. Um, but he's uh was lucky in regards to his brain.

SPEAKER_07 17:03

Yeah, he's made a full recovery in that way. Um yeah, so we've I think we've at that point we've identified our suspects. Well, we're building that picture. We've got the um we're starting to get gather all the evidence to you know corroborate what's going on, and then so we start going to that next phase, getting ready to arrest them, and um, we put things in place to monitor them. Yep, yeah, gather intelligence, gather intelligence, and some intel comes through pretty quickly that um they're gonna go out and pop some windows, and um, if they've anyone confronts them, basically too bad, so sad. So our time frame got ramped up pretty quickly. Significantly, yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 17:55

So it sounds like that's pretty imminent.

SPEAKER_08 17:57

Like we're talking two days between identifying all our all our targets and arrests phase going through. Yeah, it's pretty good.

SPEAKER_18 18:05

When you guys went to arrest them, did they have any idea that you guys were onto them at all?

SPEAKER_07 18:10

Or were they kind of so the first one, he they they were actually actively committing offences. Um and it's turned from a what is that what does that mean?

SPEAKER_06 18:23

Like they caught them red houses.

SPEAKER_07 18:26

You caught them breaking into a house. So there's some in a stolen vehicle. In a stolen vehicle, and then they're confronted by police and have a pursuit. Um they dump the c one dumps the car and he gets arrested. Um, and then we we just have to pull the trigger and start enacting a whole bunch of things. So that was when I think they've they were first aware that police were onto them.

SPEAKER_08 18:52

Well, so yeah, he was arrested. He's obviously up to badness already, so he's arrested in custody. So now we had to work on our other two targets. Is he the ex-guy?

SPEAKER_06 19:01

No, no, no, he's old.

SPEAKER_07 19:04

How old is he? Oh, he'd be mid-20s or mid twenty twenties. Yeah, mid-20s. Did he have a job? No. Oh, he no, no, he had a job, but I don't think he was going to it. Um and he was the facilitator, we'll put it that way, in terms of he was the one that would organise what to do. And um, and the leader of the group, if we'll put it that way.

SPEAKER_06 19:28

Yeah, I was saying brains is definitely not the right word in this context, uh, from some of the things you've told me. Um they don't have they I mean, putting social media posts with that with the with the weapon, I mean, I think that seems like a pretty rookie error.

SPEAKER_07 19:41

Well, and that's the thing. The guy that was doing that, and it was probably the main offender in the end, because he was involved in everything. Um he was a clean skin.

SPEAKER_08 19:53

Yeah, so no criminal record whatsoever. So DNA on the system, no fingerprints, hence why we haven't ID'd him from any of the burglary fire forensics.

SPEAKER_07 20:02

And I yeah, I think we forgot to mention, like in between Gilderton and identifying Vitelco and stuff like that, the DNA's come back on the gun that was located at Gilderton, and it's the blood from our victim at Martin.

SPEAKER_18 20:18

Oh, okay. Wow. So then you definitely knew that. They're all linked.

SPEAKER_08 20:23

Yeah, they're just lamb dunk. That was right there. I think that was after he was arrested. But um another, so another sort of um main. So once we went and arrested our main guy simultaneous with the second guy, yeah. So those two were the ones uh that did uh Gilderton.

SPEAKER_06 20:45

Yeah, main guy was the gun guy, right? Gun guy, yeah, fake gun guy. Fake gun guy. LT, by the way.

SPEAKER_08 20:50

20. 20. Yeah. He had a son at his son that wasn't born at the time. Oh. So uh newborn. So by the time he gets out of prison, his son would be the same age as him as when he went to prison.

SPEAKER_07 21:02

Wow.

SPEAKER_08 21:02

Is what I worked out.

SPEAKER_07 21:03

Okay. So yeah, so we did search warrants on that first day after the because that shoot when he got arrested was about two in the morning, I think. Um so then that day, I think it was a Friday, we've smashed out um search warrants at his address to try and and I think we recovered the shoes, one set of shoes, um and a few other things. And then we've sort of like gathered what we've got at the time. And I don't, I can't remember. Did he get charged that day for he didn't get charged for anything because we're still gathering? Um, he got charged for like the pursuit and a few other things just to hold him in, and then there was a few other things. And then the Saturday was takeout day, wasn't it? Mm-hmm. Yeah, and the two and simultaneous arrests.

SPEAKER_08 21:51

I arrested the main target in Bingo. The gun guy.

SPEAKER_11 21:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 21:56

Didn't have an idea. Yeah. And went into his house, had Polar had everything. He was just in bed asleep.

SPEAKER_06 22:03

He was arrested with ironic, really, considering that that was his MO of going into people's houses when they were asleep. And you've come knocking and come through through the front door and boom. How did he like it?

SPEAKER_08 22:16

Uh it was very white. Um a white pale from the shock. And um we found the 270s, the black 270s in his room. Bingo. Um, and then the other target was arrested in the shopping centre. Yeah. No, he's none other. It was in the shopping centre unaware as well. Um, and and that's how that job sort of panned out. How's that feel?

SPEAKER_06 22:44

Out of curiosity, when you know that there's people out there who are genuinely doing harm into other people, you know, using an axe on someone holding a it's a replica, but no one knows that at the time. A gun to their head. How does it feel when you when you actually get away from the other thing?

SPEAKER_08 22:57

Well, at the time, you don't got to think about it so much. You're just going from action to action, decision to decision, trying to trying to just wrap up the job as best you can.

SPEAKER_07 23:08

Um you're trying to tickle those boxes and make sure you've got enough evidence to hold them, of course. This we knew that if they got out, they were potentially gonna run. And then and also destroy whatever evidence. So it was more about making sure we had enough to hold them in.

SPEAKER_06 23:24

Yep.

SPEAKER_08 23:24

And it risk had escalated. So you you have to bring it a little bit, you have to move quickly. Yeah, you have to make decisions on what you've got. Um, and you sort of have to be prepared to make those decisions quickly. Um and then it's just a matter of just wrapping everything else up.

SPEAKER_06 23:41

Is there a point though when you kind of sit back and go, geez, that was that's pretty good?

SPEAKER_07 23:46

When they plead guilty.

SPEAKER_06 23:48

Did they plead guilty? Yeah. Uh yeah. Are we getting to the really good bit? Oh well, I think it's I'm not really I don't speak French, but I think it's coup de grain, isn't it? So yeah. Okay. You do speak French, though. A little bit. Okay.

SPEAKER_08 24:05

Well, so with um with him manning, uh it's in the paper. Uh he was sentenced to 21 years with a non-parole period of 20 years. Yeah.

SPEAKER_11 24:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 24:15

So he was convicted of Darlington, uh, the robbery, kidnapping, and rob uh burglary, and then the assault burglary at Martin, and then the assault burglary in Gilderton. Um so you got everything. His DNA um was found on the gun along with uh our victim's DNA at um Gilderton. Um at Martin, we found the axe in his house. Uh we found gloves in his house with our victim's DNA on it. And then he's left his DNA at Darlington on the windowsill and on the screwdriver. So he's being linked to all three. And then examination of his mobile phone revealed some rap lyrics. Rap lyrics that he unfortunately we didn't get a video of the rap.

SPEAKER_06 25:04

But he was actually rapping.

SPEAKER_08 25:07

He was a wannabe rapper, like he was wannabe. Yeah, so well, I think so. But uh there's no there's no video of our of these lyrics, but there's admissions to uh our Martin job in some of the lyrics.

SPEAKER_07 25:19

He's written notes and like done his, I guess, for to read out to do his raps and stuff like that. And uh in those raps, there's yeah, it pretty much spells out what was going through his head and what happened. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_06 25:34

Okay. Um we do have a sample of the uh of one of the reps. Um I I think it'll need some some bleeping or beeping, if you will, but um Maya, uh this is yeah, this is I'm no rapper. He's a terrible criminal, and can I just be honest, a terrible rapper, but come to it.

SPEAKER_18 25:51

Not great. Always stay on my grind, IDC, how I do it. I make that money because me and my butters get into it. The door comes off and we run straight in. This is a robbery. I swear I'll cave your head in. I'll hack you right up. We can prevent that though. Just stay calm and quiet. No sudden movements, bro. Don't be moving funny. Don't make us get violent, don't try to be a hero, get the f on the floor. I mean, stay quiet, tell me the pin. I know where the safe is here. Make it easy on yourself, just give in. Um, that was one of the one of the segments of the rap that uh this man has created.

SPEAKER_07 26:34

And that's pretty much word for word what the victims told us.

SPEAKER_18 26:38

They said Yeah, wow.

SPEAKER_06 26:40

Okay. So yeah, really bad at rapping, really bad at climbing.

SPEAKER_18 26:45

Um you came across this, did you kind of go, We've definitely got him now?

SPEAKER_08 26:51

It was um it was in the bag before that. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. This was that was, I think, just a cherry on top.

SPEAKER_18 26:57

Cherry on top.

SPEAKER_06 26:58

Yeah. Jeez. Uh well, I mean, look, he aspiring rapper, he does have quite the rap sheet now.

SPEAKER_07 27:05

Um well, yeah, and that's that's the thing. It's like he was completely unknown to police. Like, I think it might some minor things, like he might have had some interactions, but no criminal history, no court outcomes. So the from our perspective, the sentence that he got with being a complete clean skin, was really I was surprised. I didn't think he'd get quite that much.

SPEAKER_06 27:33

But and that brings me back to the question that we we sort of were asking earlier and didn't get an answer. I mean, how does it feel? What do you surely after the guilty plea, what what's going on? What are you thinking? What are you feeling?

SPEAKER_08 27:47

Uh I don't know. You're so burnt out by that point, you're sort of already on to the next job. So it's satisfying. Um, but you're sort of living it after the fact because it's down the track.

SPEAKER_07 27:59

And then there's the I think everyone thinks that we lock them up and that's it. Um, there was like Supreme Court bail hearings and things like that, and um, we had to go and give evidence for various things in there's a there's a lot that goes on, there's a lot of effort that happens after. Like I know both of us what we were of, I think it was like three weeks straight, four weeks straight. Yeah. Um, and we were doing big hours. I know my missus was very upset with me.

SPEAKER_08 28:34

And at one stage, I think we had uh two detectives from each metro metro area just coming on the one day just to give us a hand with search warrants. So it was a real big massive team effort. Um so um the detective from Northern actually saw the um one of the prosecutions through for his part of it. So we all sort of try to work together on the briefs. Um so it was a real joint effort.

SPEAKER_07 29:02

Because yeah, takeout day, there was Mandra, there was Jundlap, there was uh Midland, Armada Perth, Perth.

SPEAKER_06 29:11

That's how we do it. That's how that's that's how the Westrade Police Force rolled. Just my last my last thought. Maybe maybe the album title for this, um, 20 years in Kazarina. I don't know if it's Hakear or Casarina. 21 Years in Hakear or Kazarina. Yep. Uh not on sale now, never will be. Yeah. Cool. Yo.

SPEAKER_18 29:33

Operation Podcast.

SPEAKER_04 29:36

We're joined once again on the podcast by senior media liaison officer Claire Sienta. Claire, welcome back. Thanks for having me. What's happening out there in the world of uh police media news?

SPEAKER_19 29:46

On a sad note, um, we have a senior constable in our blue family who's sadly passed uh recently, senior constable Jason Bernellini. Um he has actually left quite a lasting presence uh in one of our recruitment campaigns. So in liaison with his family, they've kindly um supported his his continuing role in one of the LJF campaigns, in the Let's Join Forces campaigns. Um so yeah, his his service to the Blue family and to the WA community um continues.

SPEAKER_06 30:19

And everybody who knew him just said, great guy and loved the job so much, was so passionate about the job. And it's really so lovely of his family to still be supporting the Blue family and the next generation um of Jasons that are coming, coming on to coming online, coming to the agency as a result of you know just his efforts. Yeah. So condolences to to them and to all of his mates.

SPEAKER_19 30:46

Well, WA police will actually be soon farewelling one of its very finest members, and one actually with the I think the coolest name that you could have as a as a police officer. Um, he's actually going to be swapping chasing crooks for Cuddles on the Couch, and it's our very own police dog Doom.

SPEAKER_06 31:06

He was in episode two. If you're interested in hearing a little bit about him and his hands on what it's like to work in the dog squad.

SPEAKER_19 31:12

Yes, and he's um, yeah, I guess hanging up the handcuffs if they're hanging up the league. Um so after uh yeah, he's an eight and a half-year-old Belgian Melanoy, and um, yeah, he'll be retiring next week.

SPEAKER_06 31:26

Oh, time for a well-owned pause.

SPEAKER_04 31:32

It's about your eight and a half years of service to the agency. Well done, Doom, and thank you for your service. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_19 31:38

And in other news, our very own pipe band have um been crowned the winners of the National Pipe Band Championships, which was held here in Perth.

SPEAKER_06 31:47

It was Australia. Claire, quick question. May I ask? How many people, how many other bands were competing against them in their category?

SPEAKER_19 31:56

Um, well, including them. One. Um, so yeah, they they had the class to themselves.

SPEAKER_06 32:03

Now, I just want to put put this out there on the record quickly. They are amazing. And clearly, the other jurisdictions, and if you're listening, yeah, I'm throwing some shade right now. Some tartan shade. You were too scared to come over and face them. And I understand. I can understand why. So, yes, they are once again the reigning champions. Good work, WA Police Pipe Band. They killed it.

SPEAKER_11 32:27

Yes.

SPEAKER_06 32:28

Just before we go, if I may, um, Claire, I think you've been working on something special.

SPEAKER_19 32:35

I have indeed. We've had something in the pipeline.

SPEAKER_06 32:38

Yes. Can you tell us what it is?

SPEAKER_19 32:39

Yes. So we've actually been talking to our very own missing persons unit within the major crime division of WA police. Um, and we're actually exploring some cold case-esque type of missing person, long-term missing persons cases, uh, where people have just vanished and we don't know where they are. We don't know what happened to them. So uh we're really delving into some of those cases, and we're really excited to unpack that.

SPEAKER_06 33:05

Okay. Now you caught up with somebody from missing persons, I think, earlier this week. We'll have a listen to that this break.

SPEAKER_00 33:22

People in the quick market, quickbike, meaning helicopters, people of the people community, helping the person, holding true common, not just working, you know. Ordinary people who are out for doing extraordinary things.

SPEAKER_20 33:36

If you can be one of these people, you found your people. So much, let's join forces.

SPEAKER_19 33:42

Behind every missing person report is a family waiting, questions left unanswered, and a community holding on to hope. While many people are found pretty quickly, there are some cases that remain unresolved over the years, leaving loved ones living with uncertainty that never truly fades. But through years and sometimes decades of quiet, relentless effort, the Western Australia Police Force Missing Persons Unit continues its unwavering work to locate the long-term missing persons by bringing answers, understanding, and where possible, hope to the families who continue to wait. I'm joined by Detective Sergeant Jeremy Spibe from the WA Police Force Missing Persons Unit. Thanks for jumping in. So at the Missing Persons Unit, tell me a little bit about you know the team and and what it is that you guys do.

SPEAKER_17 34:32

So we're based in uh that service the whole state of Western Australia. Um and for those in the WA, you know the size of the state. Um there's six staff in total within the team, and that's a mixture of detectors and uniformed officers. Um have a lot uh a lot of experience in the field.

SPEAKER_19 34:56

And when it comes to looking up uh, you know, how this person just disappeared, where where do you even start when it comes to an investigation like that?

SPEAKER_17 35:06

Yeah, I guess it uh it depends on the circumstances surrounding the disappearance and generally with a a missing person matter, you have a starting point. Um but of course with some you you don't have a starting point, someone's just fallen off the f the face of the earth, yeah, which can be difficult. Uh so it's just the same as as any police investigation, really. You start you start at a point, uh, you look for evidence, uh, you look for anything that may assist you in uh in in these cases locating locating someone who's missing.

SPEAKER_19 35:40

And when it comes to um you know, some of the other things that you guys uh do, you know, it's not just looking for missing people. Um tell me about some of those other jobs that that you know fall under your um your scope as well.

SPEAKER_17 35:53

Yeah, so the missing persons team obviously, as it sounds, look after missing person investigations. Um and for that, yeah, the uh what you would call, I guess, a short-term missing person, so someone who has gone missing and in the early days of the investigation, we we generally monitor monitor those investigations and assist the stations and districts with those investigations in the early days. Um we then also look after any missing people that may go missing overseas, any Australians that are uh missing overseas. Uh so in that uh area we work closely with Interpol and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Uh uh to locate missing people overseas, and we also work with other states within Australia or any West Australians who are missing over East. Um and likewise any Eastern states people that have have gone missing in WA. Uh so that's the missing person sort of sphere. Uh we're also responsible for what's called unidentified human remains. So that is uh human remains that are found, um, which you would generally find in uh bush like bush location, sorry, um, or perhaps at sea. Um and we investigate those uh remains to see if we can identify who the people are um to return them to the the loved ones.

SPEAKER_19 37:19

And and speaking of the loved ones, these uh cases obviously have a pretty profound impact. Um and you guys would see that firsthand. But you know, um I suppose they're dealing with families and the the people who have left have been left behind. Um what is that impact like for those family members?

SPEAKER_17 37:36

Yeah, definitely. So I think that everyone would understand that for someone to go missing, the person hasn't committed an offence, they haven't done anything wrong, uh they've gone missing, and there could be a number of reasons why why someone would go missing. Uh but the impact on the family, understandably, is um a void or a loss. Um the term ambiguous loss is used to describe the the grief that someone goes through who is missing a loved one. Um and that ambiguous loss is is is a long term uh grief. Uh the uncertainty, the unknown um and the impact that that obviously has on on the people left behind and aware and it would be the uncertainty, the unknown as to as to what's happened to their loved one, um perhaps why their loved one's gone missing. Um and it would be un unimaginable the pain that that someone can go through.

SPEAKER_19 38:39

And and seeing that firsthand, obviously um you know, your team at the missing persons unit has a real uh close connection to these cases, uh having investigated them for for some of them decades and a number of years. Is that impact felt within the team as well?

SPEAKER_17 38:57

I think um throughout policing, we obviously deal with people in grief throughout the whole facet of policing and different fields. Um so missing persons really is is no different. I guess the difference would be that um for some people it may be hard to imagine, but help coppers are just family people. I have parents, I have some siblings, some have children. So for a missing person matter, like I said, no one's done anything but wrong. So it would be easy to imagine your loved one or your family member going missing. Um which really I think drives you to try to find answers to be able to find those missing people.

SPEAKER_19 39:43

And there have been a number of, you know, uh obviously there are some unresolved uh missing persons cases within WA. Um but there have been some really notable success stories as well. People have gone who have gone missing um and have been found. Can you recall a couple of those really notable uh ones that that maybe someone listening remembers?

SPEAKER_17 40:04

Yeah, I guess there's um in in recent times there was uh uh Carolina Wilger who went missing um and was fortunately located alive uh in that instance after being missing uh in the bush for quite some time. Um there was uh Cleo Smith who uh originally um was obviously missing, um, but the the victim of an offence in that instance. Um and there's been other cases that day in, day out that people don't hear of where someone goes missing, but unfortunately they're resolved in a short period of time. Um and luckily that is uh quite often the case that that a missing person is uh is found in a short period of time. Uh in the last year uh there were over 1700 reports of missing people. Um and of that only sixteen uh were unable to be located and became what we would call a long-term missing person.

SPEAKER_19 41:04

And can you describe uh I suppose what that what that actually means? What qualifies someone to become a long-term missing person?

SPEAKER_17 41:12

Well, a long-term missing person is someone who's been missing for over 90 days. Um and generally uh leading up to that, the investigations are managed by uh stations and districts um with our assistance throughout. Um but when someone becomes a long-term missing person, that investigation is transferred to the missing person state. Um and that's generally for any incidents that occur within Western Australia.

SPEAKER_19 41:41

And I suppose back to those um those cases that are resolved quickly and uh you know, particularly in the Cleo Smith example or Carolina Bilga. What is that feeling like? And and you know, if you didn't work on them yourself, what what would that feeling be like as a detective to to have the best possible outcome in a case like this?

SPEAKER_17 42:04

It's obviously rewarding to be able to find someone um and to find them alive and return them to family or to assist them themselves. You can imagine the distress that someone would be feeling and going through if they are, for instance, lost in the bush or lost out at sea and the despair that they would go through. So to find a rescuer, I guess um would be very uh satisfying for them or yeah. Um so it is it is rewarding to to find missing people um and to return them to their loved ones and to help them in what could be a time of need for themselves.

SPEAKER_19 42:45

And I suppose that's really why we're here, why we're talking is so that some of these unresolved long-term missing persons cases can hopefully someone out there listening in the community might have that bit of information um that that is the key to unlocking the the answers for those families.

SPEAKER_17 43:04

Yeah, exactly. There's in WA at the moment there's 377 long-term missing people. So as we said before, long-term missing person is someone that's been missing for over 90 days. So there are 377 people that we haven't been able to locate, and their cases remain uh active cases. Um and that ranges back to 1953, that was the first uh first recorded one. Um so it's a a long period of time since then. Um and exactly there could be just one little piece of information that someone may have that could uh help to to resolve some of these matters.

SPEAKER_19 43:43

And three hundred and seventy-seven isn't just a number, right? It's uh it's three hundred and seventy seven different people with different families who who don't have the answers, they don't know where their loved one is. How important is it? And if you do know something, there is uh reward available as well.

SPEAKER_17 44:41

Five hundred thousand dollars for any information that might lead to um being like a micro any information, we were rewarded rewarding.

SPEAKER_19 45:23

And uh I suppose just lastly, um you know, over the next couple of weeks we'll be unpacking a few cases, um going into some of these long-term missing persons cases. So um yeah, we look forward to to having a chat and and unpacking those cases a little bit further, discussing them. Um yeah, thank you so much for joining us this morning.

SPEAKER_17 45:43

Yeah, thank you. Thanks for the opportunity.

SPEAKER_04 45:47

You're listening to Operation Podcast. Have you ever wanted to ask the commissioner something? Well, some of you already did, and he's here today to answer. Commissioner Blanche joins us now. Sir, welcome back.

SPEAKER_16 45:58

Always great to be here.

SPEAKER_04 45:59

Thanks for taking the time out to uh to come down.

SPEAKER_06 46:01

Um, just just before we get into it, I just want to say sorry to the community of Western Australia. I had a what I thought was a great idea to put on our social media an open-ended question of have you got a commission question for the commissioner? Why don't you send it to us or put it in the comments? We received in excess of 280 questions, which is very cool. And thank you everybody for who sent a legitimate question in. Uh that's a lot of questions. He's a busy guy, and he's got to support the troops, fighting crime, protecting the community. So we've turned off the comments for now. We'll work our way through all of as many of those legitimate questions as we can that we'll let you know when the tank's running empty again. So apologies, everyone, particularly to you, boss.

SPEAKER_16 46:43

Oh, look, there's plenty of themes in there. I think we can get through most of them, and ultimately I am a public servant and accountable to our community. So I'll do my very best.

SPEAKER_06 46:51

Okay, question number one. Do police officers still have to enforce the law when they're off duty? And that's from Patrick in Atwood.

SPEAKER_16 47:00

Look, there's certainly an expectation that if you are a sworn police officer, that you will uh respond to anything that happens on or around you. But remembering when police are off duty, they do not have their accoutrements on them. So meaning they don't have their weapons, they don't have their um safety equipment, they don't have their radios, so they have to take extra precautions. But there is an expectation they'll get on the phone, they'll ring Triple Zero, uh, they will seek any help they possibly can, and they are trained in a certain way. You still have your powers, and I think that's what's important. You do have your police powers, but all police have to be extra careful not to cause themselves harm because the best thing a police officer can do is stay safe and solve the problem the best way they know how.

SPEAKER_06 47:45

Excellent. And apologies, Patrick. It's Patrick Atwood, not Patrick in Atwood. There you go.

SPEAKER_04 47:50

Maybe he does live in Atwood, we don't know. Um, cool. Question number two, sir. What strategies are being developed to dismantle the organized criminal networks behind illegal tobacco products rather than just targeting individual stores?

SPEAKER_16 48:04

Look, we know Australia is having a quite a large conversation about illegal and illicit tobacco in this country. And I have been a strong advocate from the start about consistent laws across this country that shut down those obvious places that are just selling illicit tobacco right in the in the public's eye. And I think that's always a bad look. Any illegal behavior that's just happening in front of our community is not acceptable. So the first thing is the laws are changing and have changed here in WA, and I think that's a great outcome. But all departments, so the health department, police department, uh, the federal agencies continue to work together on strong enforcement, and that means at the border, stopping it from coming in. It means following the money, those who are earning profit from them. And I know this question is specifically about organized crime. The best way to dismantle organized crime is to follow their money, to follow their assets and the profit they're earning, and to take it from them. And if that means they buy a house or a car or a boat, you take the lot. And uh that will always be my plan against organized crime. I'm I'm somewhat of an organized crime agnostic, whether it's tobacco, methamphetamine, heroin, guns, counterfeit, Gucci handbags, you it's all about the money and the profit. And my view is take the lot.

SPEAKER_06 49:23

And and look, I guess that's that's a really interesting interesting topic. And we will we'll get into that probably, if not next week, the week after on the podcast. We'll get someone on from financial crimes and and you can find out exactly how we we followed the money and we take the money and everything that goes with it.

SPEAKER_18 49:40

Absolutely. Next question. Um, after the attempted bombing at the Invasion Day rally in Perth, what changes are being made to detect and prevent political or racial motivated extremism in WA?

SPEAKER_16 49:51

Look, I think it started way before January the 26th. Uh again, not dissimilar to tobacco. The nation needs to work together on preventing these horrible, horrible attacks against our community. But the best way to stop it is, in fact, uh the community way, and that is at home, particularly around young people who are self-radicalizing online. And that takes mums and dads and brothers and sisters and friends and other family to talk to one another. You know, don't let people just live on devices and don't engage with them. If you're having conversations with your family and your friends, you're probably going to see this type of behaviour earlier. But that doesn't absolve police from their responsibility, and that means we have to continue looking online. Uh, we have to have the network of contacts out in our community, and that's exactly what we do. Um, but again, this is a community responsibility, and that comes from strong voices in our community, whether it's politicians, media personalities, police commissioners. Uh, we have to be calm and measured and responsible about what we say so we don't create the angst within the community, but also we rely heavily on our family and our friends to look for those who are maybe going down the wrong rabbit hole online. And often it's with people who don't even live in Australia and and are following our values of Australians. It's often finding narratives that exist overseas and them being angry about what's happening here in Australia. And that's really, really a dangerous space for many people to be online.

SPEAKER_06 51:23

Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_04 51:25

Next question. So uh what are the biggest challenges facing the WA police force over the next three to five years?

SPEAKER_16 51:31

Well, this is uh reflecting on us. So it's I I will I'll talk about two things I think that we are really facing, not even in just three to five years, but now and certainly in the next five years. And the first one is retention of police officers. We want to make sure our police officers are healthy, are getting through their careers with a smile on their face and retiring, as I say, I think a 40-year career is a short time. It goes really fast for a lot of 40-year veterans who I have the privilege of saluting at the door. And I'd love to see people join at a young age and stay 40 years. But that takes a couple of things. Looking after their health and well-being during their career, giving them plenty of opportunities to try try different things, but also making it worth their while to stay. And that is when you retire, you've got some good money to go and spend it on a great retirement. And I think that's really important for police. It used to happen many, many years ago, and I would like to see that continuing to happen in the future where police see a benefit in staying internally. Just as equal is the challenge, I think, is the um the rise of technol more and more technology, the use of data, the use of artificial intelligence, and how it helps police do their job better. But it's the adoption of technology. And police have always been very good at knocking on people's doors, boots on the ground, taking statements, talking to other humans. Now you've got this whole new world of field-based devices collecting information on the way people are moving, where they're moving, where their cars are going, where their phones are. So to solve crimes has become extremely complicated. But those early adopters in police, you're really seeing them get to the head of the pack by being able to not only use information and technology and artificial intelligence, but having those boots on the ground skills and doing everything else. Um, that is going to be a challenge for all police forces around the world in doing both of those things well and adapting a police force to be able to do it. So I reckon that's our greatest challenges.

SPEAKER_06 53:31

That's a very good answer. Um it kind of leads into the next question. You've I think you've half answered it, boss. What qualities do you think define a great police officer today, in addition to being someone who is uh an early adopter and innovator? Is there something that's that's um, I don't know, it's always been there?

SPEAKER_16 53:50

Yeah, look, I don't uh think we're anything special other than saying that we're part of our community. And I think if you're a balanced person that can remain calm under pressure, you've you're 90% of the way there. And I think that's probably the best quality of most police. If often you attend a scene and it's utter chaos. People might be yelling and screaming, there might be dangers and risks and lives are in danger. You've got to stay calm, you've got to make decisions, and we don't always get it right. And I'm the first to say I didn't make get everything that I did in my career right. Uh, you've got to have good balance and empathy and compassion, but you've got to be a quick thinker and you've got to be able to use your mouth and use your ears really, really well. And I think if you possess all those qualities, and I know I had a question on a on a recent podcast about, you know, what should I be good at at school? And I think my answer was it doesn't really matter as long as you apply yourself and you have the duty and you turn up and you're part of it and and you want to help our community, you'll do really well in this job. Um, but you can probably hear in my voice over many years now as a commissioner, remaining calm and measured is probably something we all learn through this job. Because uh when I was a constable, I probably wasn't that calm and measured on my first few weeks or years in the job. I'd probably turned up and like everyone else in the community, going, what do I do now? And that's why experience in this job is so important, because it does calm you down, it does slow you down as far as being able to make better decisions through experience. And that's why I rate very highly our experienced officers in this job.

SPEAKER_06 55:31

Well, thank you very much. My biggest takeaway there was um you mentioned we don't always get it right, we often make mistakes. Does that also include opening up uh the online floodgates to questions of the commissioner and and you having 280 to get through?

SPEAKER_16 55:45

This is why you have my total forgiveness, Joey. I would be throwing rocks in glass houses because we all we all we all do things in good faith. And that's what I know about you and particularly our police force. We go out there to do the right thing, and sometimes we on reflection we go, could have done that better.

SPEAKER_06 56:01

That was definitely one of those times. But thank you for your questions and feel free to keep them coming, and we'll we'll do our very best. Um, and by keep keep them coming, I mean by via the email address, um, to to answer them as they're topical or group them together. So maybe there's there's slightly less than 280.

SPEAKER_02 56:17

This is Operation Podcast.

SPEAKER_06 56:22

Welcome back to Operation Podcast. This is possibly two words I'd never thought I'd ever say in conjunction, but cactus cult. We've seen something very bizarre happening on social media here in Perth. And here to talk about it with us is Superintendent Amber Harvey, uh, the OIC of Perth. Amber, why are people bowing to, and just just for an explainer, we have a big cactus sculpture in in the middle of Perth, in one of the shopping shopping areas. Why are people bowing to the cactus?

SPEAKER_15 56:55

It's something that's spoiled from um Instagram. Someone thought that it would be a bit of a wholesome, fun, friendly, get people out of um their homes and um come down and bit of fun content um and started a trend where let's all bow down to the cactus. Worship the cactus. Worship the cactus.

SPEAKER_13 57:13

Okay.

SPEAKER_15 57:13

So that's where it stemmed from. And then that's gained some traction on Instagram and social media, and now everybody's coming. Wait.

SPEAKER_05 57:21

How much traction?

SPEAKER_15 57:24

He thinks that his page has been visited over a million times since he instigated the trend. And I think it's been shared quite a few times on social media.

SPEAKER_06 57:35

Okay.

SPEAKER_15 57:35

Now, so there's a bit of a trend out there.

SPEAKER_06 57:37

Maya, you you spotted this, didn't you?

SPEAKER_18 57:40

Yeah, I spotted it a couple couple weeks ago, and I just straight away thought this is this is gonna go, this is gonna go somewhere.

SPEAKER_09 57:47

Oh boy.

SPEAKER_15 57:48

And get some legs. And it has certainly gone. We've got people coming in costumes, banana suits, all sorts. I think it's the most elaborate wins $20.

SPEAKER_18 57:56

I was gonna say there is a financial incentive.

SPEAKER_06 58:00

I mean, look, we are in a cost of living crisis, so fair enough. Um, so what have we seen? So we've seen costumes, but it came to police attention because there was sort of an escalation of of uh behavior. Yes. What was that, Amber?

SPEAKER_15 58:13

So we had a call from a concerned member of the public. They thought that someone was potentially being bullied because he was being strapped up to the cactus. Taped. Taped to the cactus with electrical tape. So police attended um and spoke with them and found out that it was all part of the cactus cult.

SPEAKER_12 58:29

So it was voluntary.

SPEAKER_15 58:30

It was voluntary. It was to try and be elaborate and have a bitter shot of winning the $20 and decided to tape themselves to the cactus. Um, he was obviously cut down very quickly. Um, but then it's sort of spiraled in the next day. We had more turning up that wanted to tape themselves to the cactus.

SPEAKER_06 58:48

Oh, jeez.

SPEAKER_15 58:49

So we had two of them the following day.

SPEAKER_06 58:50

Okay. So where is this at now? And and you know, what's the advice to people?

SPEAKER_15 58:55

The advice is uh the wholehearted bowing with your friends coming in, that's okay. But in terms of climbing on the cactus, taping yourselves to the cactus, um, police will obviously respond to that. These two individuals were given move-on notices um and asked to leave the city. Um, but we asked that for safety reasons, you know, taping yourselves, climbing on it, anything to do with the cactus itself is putting yourself at risk.

SPEAKER_06 59:22

It's a bit of a prickly subject, isn't it? It is a very there's there have been a few of those going around, uh Perth, Perth police station, the the cactus kind of puns.

SPEAKER_15 59:32

Uh I haven't heard many yet, but I imagine there would be a few going around.

SPEAKER_04 59:37

Ultimately, we're we're there to ensure public safety, aren't we? And you know, we we don't want people injuring themselves or, you know, like like you said, concerned members of the public ringing up saying that someone's been held against their will.

SPEAKER_15 59:49

Yes, exactly. Yeah. And it's also that, you know, the taping, it could lead to asphyxiation. It could be you don't know what's going to happen. So you place yourself at risk by doing that.

SPEAKER_06 59:59

True, true, very true. There you go. Um, so just to finish up on this very bizarre, very bizarre and unexpected segment, thanks, Amber. Um, the the organizer has he called off the big event, the the mass worship event.

SPEAKER_15 1:00:17

We believe it has been called off, um, but it's still sort of being advertised as um the competition runs until the 19th of April. So we're in anticipating there'll still be a few people coming through for Saturday.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:30

Okay. All right.

SPEAKER_15 1:00:31

But police will be there.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:33

You won't find me there, that's for sure. Maya.

SPEAKER_18 1:00:37

Maybe. No, I'm joking. I won't be there. It's okay.

SPEAKER_06 1:00:40

Okay. Well, Emma, thank you so much. And um, yeah, best of luck to our cactus worshippers. Um, but please just follow the advice from the police. This is Operation Podcast.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:53

All units. The WA police forces looking for people, all kinds of people, people in the tank, in the comedian, in the formal driving, gold people, and horse people, people who like motorbikes, bootbikes, planes, helicopters, and blue, people who are being on community, helping others and solving true comedy, not just watching it, you know. Ordinary people who are up for doing extraordinary things.

SPEAKER_20 1:01:16

If you can be one of these people, you've found your people. Search, let's join forces.

SPEAKER_06 1:01:21

Welcome back to Operation Podcast. This is possibly two words I'd never thought I'd ever say in conjunction, but cactus cult. We've seen something very bizarre happening on social media here in Perth. And here to talk about it with us is Superintendent Amber Harvey, uh, the OIC of Perth. Amber, why are people bowing to, and just for an explainer, we have a big cactus sculpture in in the middle of Perth, in one of the shopping shopping areas. Why are people bowing to the cactus?

SPEAKER_15 1:01:54

It's something that's spoiled from um Instagram. Someone thought that it would be a bit of a wholesome, fun, friendly, get people out of um their homes and um come down and bit of fun content um and started a trend where let's all bow down to the cactus. Worship the cactus. Worship the cactus.

SPEAKER_13 1:02:12

Okay.

SPEAKER_15 1:02:12

So that's where it stemmed from. And then that's gained some traction on Instagram and social media, and now everybody's coming. Wait.

SPEAKER_05 1:02:20

How much traction?

SPEAKER_15 1:02:23

He thinks that his page has been visited over a million times since he instigated the trend. And I think it's been shared quite a few times on social media.

SPEAKER_06 1:02:34

Okay.

SPEAKER_15 1:02:35

Now, so there's a bit of a trend out there.

SPEAKER_06 1:02:37

Maya, you you spotted this, didn't you?

SPEAKER_18 1:02:39

Yeah, I spotted it a couple couple weeks ago, and I just straight away thought this is this is gonna go, this is gonna go somewhere.

SPEAKER_09 1:02:47

Oh boy.

SPEAKER_15 1:02:48

And get some legs. And it has certainly gone. We've got people coming in costumes, banana suits, all sorts. I think it's the most elaborate wins $20.

SPEAKER_18 1:02:56

I was gonna say there is a financial incentive.

SPEAKER_06 1:02:59

Yes, I mean, look, we are in a cost of living crisis, so fair enough. Um, so what have we seen? So we've seen costumes, but it came to police attention because there was sort of an escalation of of uh behavior. Yes. What was that, Amber?

SPEAKER_15 1:03:12

So we had a call from a concerned member of the public. They thought that someone was potentially being bullied because he was being strapped up to the cactus. Taped. Taped to the cactus with electrical tape. So police attended um and spoke with them and found out that it was all part of the cactus cult.

SPEAKER_12 1:03:28

So it was voluntary.

SPEAKER_15 1:03:29

It was voluntary. It was to try and be elaborate and have a bitter shot of winning the $20 and decided to tape themselves to the cactus. Um, he was obviously cut down very quickly. Um, but then it's sort of spiraled in the next day. We had more turning up that wanted to tape themselves to the cactus.

SPEAKER_06 1:03:47

Oh, jeez.

SPEAKER_15 1:03:48

So we had two of them the following day.

SPEAKER_06 1:03:50

Okay. So where is this at now? And and you know, what's the advice to people?

SPEAKER_15 1:03:54

The advice is uh the wholehearted bowing with your friends coming in, that's okay. But in terms of climbing on the cactus, taping yourselves to the cactus, um, police will obviously respond to that. These two individuals were given move-on notices um and asked to leave the city. Um, but we asked that for safety reasons, you know, taping yourselves, climbing on it, anything to do with the cactus itself is putting yourself at risk.

SPEAKER_06 1:04:21

It's a bit of a prickly subject, isn't it? There's there have been a few of those going around, uh, Perth, Perth police station, the the cactus kind of puns.

SPEAKER_15 1:04:32

Uh I haven't heard many yet, but I imagine there would be a few going around.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:36

Ultimately, we're we're there to ensure public safety, aren't we? And you know, we we don't want people injuring themselves or, you know, like like you said, concerned members of the public ringing up saying that someone's been held against their will.

SPEAKER_15 1:04:48

Yes, exactly. Yeah. And it's also that, you know, the taping, it could lead to asphyxiation. It could be you don't know what's going to happen. So you place yourself at risk by doing that.

SPEAKER_06 1:04:58

True, true, very true. There you go. Um so just to finish up on this very bizarre, very bizarre and unexpected segment, thanks, Amber. Um, the the organizer has he called off the big event, the the mass worship event.

SPEAKER_15 1:05:16

We believe it has been called off, um, but it's still sort of being advertised as um the competition runs until the 19th of April. So we're in anticipating there'll still be a few people coming through for Saturday.

SPEAKER_03 1:05:29

Okay. All right.

SPEAKER_15 1:05:30

But police will be there.

SPEAKER_03 1:05:32

You won't find me there, that's for sure. Maya.

SPEAKER_18 1:05:36

Maybe. No, I'm joking. I won't be there. It's okay.

SPEAKER_06 1:05:39

Okay. Well, Emma, thank you so much. And um, yeah, best of luck to our cactus worshippers. Um, but please just follow the advice from the police. This is Operation Podcast. Thank you very much for listening to another episode of Operation Podcast. We'll be back. Back next week. But before we go, Nate, you teased our history fact last week, and I've been dying to know the answer.

SPEAKER_04 1:06:08

Yeah. So uh there was one award that can no longer be given, and it was given to a WA police officer who earned it nearly 60 years ago.

SPEAKER_06 1:06:16

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 1:06:17

So the answer to that particular uh history fact is that in March 1965, Constable Alan Newton, just weeks into the job, he was stabbed in the neck and again in the eye while patrolling Hay Street in the Perth CBD.

SPEAKER_06 1:06:32

Jeez Louise, Hay Street's a very was a very different place uh back then. Go on.

SPEAKER_04 1:06:36

Yes. So uh he chased down his armed attacker, and despite having no radio or firearm at the time, and had been stabbed in the neck and the eye. Correct. Yep. Uh for his actions, he was awarded the British Empire Medal for Gallantry.

SPEAKER_06 1:06:50

I'd I'd say that's pretty fair. Yes, so well deserved.

SPEAKER_04 1:06:54

Constable Newton went on to enjoy a lengthy career in the water police as a diver and as an investigator, and he continues to enjoy a well-earned retirement. Uh so if he is listening, what yeah, he's still around. He's still around. Yeah, yeah. So um, Alan Newton, if you're listening to the podcast, um we salute you.

SPEAKER_06 1:07:14

We salute you, sir. Um look, we've got so many legends who obviously Greg McDougall is somebody who's been through a lot who has returned to the job. Um, I think when you've got the support of the Blue family around you, and anything's possible, really, isn't it? Which is why we um, if you're interested, you could always jump on the website.

SPEAKER_04 1:07:31

Yes, search Let's Join Forces and uh go from there, submit your applications.

SPEAKER_18 1:07:36

And if you have any questions for the commissioner, send them through to operation.podcast at police.wa.gov.au. Now to wrap up today's episode, because the pipe band won their award, we thought we would head out to some pipe band music and listen to a bit of drum and bass fanfare IP.

SPEAKER_06 1:07:57

This is one of their bangers, isn't it? We're celebrating the pipe band with a song that has no pipes.

SPEAKER_18 1:08:03

But that's okay because it's done by the WA Police Pipe Band. The drum and bass fanfare.

SPEAKER_06 1:08:10

And um, if I may, just quickly, uh, we do have a lot of people behind the scenes in this podcast that help us every week. Joe, Danny, Lisa. I think they're all drum and bass fans. I certainly know that that Lisa is. Um, so it's it's a dual dedication. Also, hi to Lisa's mum. Big fan, apparently, big fan.

SPEAKER_04 1:08:29

On the subject of the pipe band, next week's history teaser. Do you know how long they've been around for?

SPEAKER_06 1:08:35

I have no idea, but I I feel like we're gonna find out.

SPEAKER_04 1:08:38

They're gonna chalk, they chalk up a significant milestone. So we'll uh tell you all about that on next week's episode of Operation Podcast. Thanks for listening. Operation Podcast.

SPEAKER_14 1:09:18

Sound editing by Joe and Danny, a cover song by the WA Police Piper Band, and Cheesy Podcast The Music by Joey Catanzaro. By the way, why just listen to a podcast about policing when you could actually be doing it? Let's join forces dot W A.gov.au