The last week or so we've all been 'assaulted' by the media, of the death of Michael MURPHY, one of the five (5) individuals convicted of the cruel Anita COBBY slaughter (murder).

In my thirty-two years in the job, we all need to accept we're required to deal with a host of disparate people, many of them, not exactly the paragons of society. Both the Police and their Prison Officer colleagues during their parallel careers, have to manage and contain some truly awful people. My own, was Archie Beattie McCAFFERTY, an insane, multi-killer of four souls, who left an indelible mark on my own emotions and consciousness.

I'll not go into what McCAFFERTY did, 'Google' it if you wish. But considering you spend hours in their company listening to the horrors as they espouse them 'ab initio' (from the start), to a horrific conclusion. The same would apply to the five convicted of the Anita COBBY murder. I know the MURPHY bros. And that 'TRAVIS' creep (the ringleader), well, all of 'em are 'boob rats.' TRAVIS especially loved to torture cats, by methods, too dreadful to describe.

If ever there was a case for the reintroduction of Capital Punishment, these individuals might well be ideal candidates. Enumerating from the bottom for their horror & depravity - (i) Archie McCAFFERTY; (ii) John LUTHWAITE (positively evil); (iii) MURPHY bros, & TRAVIS & Co; (iv) and the very worst of the lot; Alan BAKER & Kevin CRUMP (the Virginia MORSE slaughter & torture). The latter I was only on the edge of the investigation, but I and a couple of others were required to 'protect' them both, from other *police*, by keeping our own hands deep within our pockets. Believe it or not?

Is there an emotional drain on law-enforcement personnel? You can betcha life there is, even though I've retired and shifted Cities.

o sung wo, lived in Blacktown at that time
Was one of hundreds who would have lynched him and them
Know still a great now ex cop who worked on the Moree rape torture and murder
He carries the scar still
A good cop is worth far more than we can ever pay
Our courts [see MacDonald set free today] betray us and the police too often

yeah o sung su. I am convinced Singapore is the closest to getting it right. Some people do forfeit their right to exist on earth although I must admit I would hate to be the one making that decision. I have certainly met some pretty cold unrepentant murderers in my time although obviously never experienced anywhere near the depth of garbage you blokes went through. Personally having faith that in the end justice will be done helps me immensly although this side of death we don't see it.

After watching that policeman last night having his head repeatedly banged on the ground by what was rightly called by a senior officer an animal, I am amazed that any young person wants to join up. On the news, we see police in America approaching dodgy people, guns drawn. It should be the same here. No police officer should have to accept being assaulted for doing his job. Batons, sprays and tasers are simply not enough protection. If any one has to be hurt, it should not be a police officer doing his job.

Everything you've all said is so right. I'm an old man, soon to meet my maker daresay, but if a young bloke were to ask me whether he should join the job, my answer would be an unambiguous no.

I'm neither superstitious nor religious, but staring into the eyes of either Archie MCCAFFERTY, Alan BAKER or Kevin CRUMP, I believe you're looking into the actual manifestation of pure evil, here on earth.

I'm a big bloke, and I've boxed professionally back in the day, so I would contend I can 'hold my hands up' with most boofheads. But I genuinely fear McCAFFERTY, ever managing to get behind me, and me not being aware of it. He would surely attempt to take you out.

Whereas BAKER & CRUMP are more predictable but just as dangerous. It's the very essence of their brutality that sets this pair apart - worth a 'Google' if you're so minded

o sung wu,

Over the years I've done a fair bit of 'counselling' of veterans (mainly lending the sympathetic ear of someone that they can unload to), and the blokes that have been the worst affected have been diggers that joined the police force, all the terrible things that they went through in war never prepared them for some of the things that they had to deal with as policemen.

I've had a listen in, (mostly), at the 'watering hole' upstairs in the Crystal Palace Hotel years ago and heard a lot of detectives open up after a few drinks, 99% of what I heard cannot ever be repeated, suffice to say there were some horror stories and all these blokes really wanted was to talk it out with somebody rather than bottle it up.