Episode 140 - Interview with Roger Mayer APM - Part 3 - Riots, Detectives & Police Dogs

Welcome back to the Two Ordinary Cops as we continue our conversation with Roger Mayer APM. In this episode, Roger takes us from the NT Police to the NSW Police, where the action quickly steps up. Starting in general duties at busy Campbelltown, Roger recalls confronting fatal accidents and the toll those jobs could take before moving into the Tactical Response Group — including a firsthand account of the infamous Bathurst riots, where police faced bricks, Molotov cocktails and absolute chaos. From there, Roger moves into plain clothes and detective work, before finding the role that would define much of his career — police dog handling. Roger takes us inside the early days of the NSW Police Dog Unit, introduces us to his first police dog, Cancho, and shares some incredible stories of tracking and catching offenders. And just as Roger introduces one of the dog handlers who worked on his team — Brett Meredith — we leave it there. Both Damo and Schultzy would later work with Brett in the Northern Territory Police, making his story a particularly personal one for the Two Ordinary Cops. And Brett's story deserves an episode of its own.