Two Ordinary Cops

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The two ordinary cops are former Northern Territory Police Officers Remote Sergeant Ben Schultz and Detective Sergeant Damien Barbe. With over 25 years experience Ben and Damo share stories from their time in the job. Follow along through the laughter, anger and tears that come with the rigours of Policing Australia’s last frontier.

  1. 5 DAYS AGO

    Episode 95 – From Rolfe to Roadshows: Live Shows, Guests & What’s Next

    After seven huge weeks with Zach Rolfe, we’re back to basics—Two Ordinary Cops, eight jobs between us, and a candid debrief on where we’ve been and what’s coming. We unpack the big takeaways on resilience from the Rolfe series, preview an unmissable new multi-part interview with Cath Nielsen and Susie Forte (Brett Forte’s partner and widow), and recap our first live show—complete with real-world Q&A for aspiring recruits (VicPol vs the NT, the truth about learning curves, and why throwing yourself in the deep end can fast-track your career). We also tee up 2026 roadshows (Dorrigo and beyond), hint at US law-enforcement guests, and share a powerful story from a 1950s QPS veteran. Big lessons, big plans—zero fluff. Tune in.

    29 min

  2. 31 OCT

    Episode 94 – Part 7 Interview with Zach Rolfe – Your Questions Answered. Honest, Authentic and Unfiltered

    In the powerful conclusion to the Zach Rolfe series, the questions come from you — the listeners — and the answers come straight from Zach himself. No scripts, no rehearsals, just genuine, unfiltered truth. Schultzy and Damo sit down for one final deep dive where nothing’s off-limits. From leadership accountability and training shortfalls to moral courage, media bias, and what policing needs to look like going forward — Zach responds with honesty, reflection and conviction. The Two Ordinary Cops add their own frontline insight, challenging and unpacking each topic with the same openness and balance that’s driven the whole series. It’s raw, intelligent and deeply human — a conversation that peels back the layers of policing culture, examines the toll on those behind the badge, and asks the hard questions most avoid. If you’ve followed this story from the start, this is the episode that ties it all together — real questions, real answers, and the kind of authenticity rarely heard in Australian policing today.

    2h 1m

  3. 24 OCT

    Episode 93 – Part 6 Interview with Zach Rolfe – Evidence on the Table, Everything Called Racist, Victims Forgotten

    In the final part of the coronial series, Zach Rolfe lays it all bare — the evidence, the bias, and the fallout that followed. He recounts being torn apart on the stand, the silence when hard evidence challenged the narrative, and the irony of an $11 million inquest that left victims and frontline cops worse off. Schultzy and Damo join Zach in unpacking what was really achieved, how the system failed to learn, and why calling everything “racist” helps no one. Raw, honest, and unfiltered — this is the coronial aftermath, through the eyes of those who lived it.

    1h 17m

  4. 17 OCT

    Episode 92 – Part 5 Interview with Zach Rolfe – Coronial Choices: Narrative, Bias, and the Evidence Left Behind

    In this fifth instalment of the Zach Rolfe series, Schultzy and Damo sit down with Zach as he unpacks what unfolded after his Supreme Court acquittal — the return to work, the internal reviews, and the long shadow of the coronial inquest. Zach details how his private phone was accessed, the handling of his text messages, and how selective evidence shaped public perception. Through the lens of former cops who’ve lived the system, the discussion dives deep into what the coronial chose to hear — and what it didn’t. From questions of lawful process to professional reputation and media framing, this episode explores whether the search for truth was ever truly balanced.

    1h 18m

  5. 10 OCT

    Episode 91 – Part 4 Interview with Zach Rolfe - Trial First, Truths Revealed: Evidence or Agenda?

    The Two Ordinary Cops return for Part 4 of the Zac Rolfe series, diving into the tense lead-up to the Supreme Court trial and the five gruelling weeks that followed. From delayed hearings, hidden evidence, and internal charges laid just days before proceedings, to Rolfe’s decision to take the stand and the jury’s final verdict—this episode exposes the fine line between justice and agenda. It’s a raw, inside look at what really unfolded in the courtroom, how evidence was tested, and how one of the most controversial trials in Australian policing history came to a close.

    1h 17m

  6. 3 OCT

    Episode 90 – Part 3 Interview with Zach Rolfe - Arrest First, Answers Later: Impartial or Predetermined?

    In Part 3 of the Zac Rolfe series, we step into the moment everything changed—Rolfe’s arrest for murder. What followed raised difficult questions: was this an impartial investigation, or had the outcome already been decided? Rolfe recounts being directed to Darwin under the guise of “welfare,” only to face a murder charge days later, while the process itself left many wondering if justice was served fairly. From the watch house in Darwin to enforced exile in Canberra, this episode looks at the pressures, procedures, and perspectives that shaped those crucial first months. The Two Ordinary Cops believe in being impartial, so we explore these events as part of a search for the truth—one that matters not just to Zac, but to the police force and the community as a whole.

    1h 16m

  7. 26 SEPT

    Episode 89 – Part 2 Interview with Zach Rolfe - The Shooting That Split a Nation.

    In Part 2, Zac Rolfe takes us inside the events of 9 November 2019 in Yuendumu — the night that changed his life and shook policing across Australia. From the lead-up and mounting risks, to the split-second moment when a routine arrest turned into a fight for survival, Zac recounts the stabbing, the shooting, and the desperate efforts to save Kumanjayi Walker’s life. He lays bare the reality behind the headlines: respect shown, decisions made under extreme pressure, and the fallout that saw him charged with murder. This is not the media’s version — it’s the raw, unfiltered story from the man at the centre of it all.

    59 min

  8. 19 SEPT

    Episode 88 – Part 1 Interview with Zach Rolfe - Voluntary Discomfort, Real-World Pressure.

    In this first part of our three-part conversation with former NT Police Constable Zac Rolfe, we go behind the headlines to hear his story in his own words. From a privileged yet restless upbringing in Canberra, through boxing rings and the battlefields of Afghanistan, Zac explains how chasing discomfort and growth shaped him long before Alice Springs. He opens up about the culture shock of policing in the Centre, the camaraderie (and gaps) in training, and the river rescue that almost killed him but earned him a Bravery Medal in just his first week on the job. This isn’t the story you think you know—it’s the raw beginnings of a man who would find himself at the centre of one of Australia’s most controversial policing cases.

    1h 25m
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4.7
out of 5
33 Ratings

About

The two ordinary cops are former Northern Territory Police Officers Remote Sergeant Ben Schultz and Detective Sergeant Damien Barbe. With over 25 years experience Ben and Damo share stories from their time in the job. Follow along through the laughter, anger and tears that come with the rigours of Policing Australia’s last frontier.

Information

  • Creator
    benschultz
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2024 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Two Ordinary Cops

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