The remote life of an outback Aussie cop | Landline | ABC Australia

In the vast inland of Australia Luke Galey is the only police officer stationed at Kulgera (Pintjantjatjara Counrty). When trouble happens it falls to him to answer the call, by himself. It’s also an opportunity for his young family to forge deep connections with local Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in remote central Australia. Subscribe and tap the notification bell to be delivered Australian stories every day. kzbin.info?...
Video produced by Kristy O'Brien for ABC Landline.
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[@soundzrinmygarden3833]

His little lady is the unsung hero here. She would be very isolated from people while he interacts with the community. Must be a very strong woman, good on her.

[@jenb658]

“Little lady”. Is it 1956?

[@theamazingfreak]

This man is a legend, and his wife is a hero. So many outback people grow up and are used to this life. But for city folk to embrace this life and love it is amazing. Great work to you both.

[@jahwobble5214]

Spent a few months travelling around the outback in the 90s.. Met some brilliant outback cops who spoke the aboriginal languages fluently and really made an effort to integrate and understand the aboriginal people without the racism that was evident in many of the large cities ( back in that time anyway)

[@dasdasdsdasdasdasd363]

I was there in 1990. Not a lot of shit happening out there. There were no speed limits back then. The night sky is awesome though.

[@Mell0wY3ll0w]

I'd love to see the sky without light polution

[@somethingsinlife5600]

The night sky...oh yes! You can see the whole damn galaxy! It's magical!

[@johnnunn8688]

@@somethingsinlife5600, no you can’t, the earth is in the way 😉.

[@formerparatrooper]

I heard a marvelous story from an outback copper back in late 1969 traveling to Alice Springs from Adelaide and Melbourne. One night a bloke was stopped and told he had no tail lights. He began to rant and rave about and he was told it was bad but not that bad. "It's not the tail lights I'm worried about, it's me trailer. What's happened to me trailer?" I never forgot that as well as the accent of the words. Marvelous trip in the outback for me. Great memories of Australia for this Yank.

[@tomweaverling1366]

As an American, I'm absolutely obsessed with everything Australian. The Digger history fascinates me. I would love to move down to Australia and get into Law Enforcement. Aussies are bad ass.

[@martinjenkins6467]

Our cops aren't as full on as American cops. I love how yours know how to nudge cars off the road in high speed chases.

[@VibeXplorer]

As a fellow American, I relate to the obsession. Had a Sydney harbor poster on my bedroom wall during high school. Big INXS fan, etc...

[@scottbrandts610]

Mate, we'd love to have you here! 🤙

[@Noname-iz9uo]

Come and have a visit!

[@johnnunn8688]

Aussies are always looking for cops, so why not bang in an application?

[@mwangihenry91]

I would love to visit australia...my love from kenya 🇰🇪🇰🇪🇰🇪

[@han39761]

He looks like Ben Affleck

[@monkelife]

this is what Batman does in his freetime

[@yaboijack67]

Low budget Ben Affleck lol

[@rickydee9761]

Ha I was just about to write that

[@MareeStone798ms]

@hjh fhy 😆😆😆

[@Nerdburger85]

Pretty sure that’s Ben Affleck getting ready for his new role in Mad Max 5

[@aprilsmith3683]

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha... The resemblance... 🇿🇦

[@jacquelinewilson2279]

Hope he gets paid well and his family. Dangerous work on his own.

[@davidmayers8981]

Remote policing was the greatest thing I ever did. My kids learned so much and got to do things not many got to do or experience.

[@jenkudla]

The Outback is so beautiful. Love the gorgeous red hue.

[@slatibaadfast]

In 1999 we were having dinner in the 'truckies section' of the Kulgera pub, when blue lights flashing, quick siren call, a police car pulls up out the front. In walks the cop with his family. It's his birthday. And hour or so later, they leave, he, behind the wheel of his cruiser, lights flashing etc. Thing was he was as pissed as a newt. Free 'top shelf' drinks the whole time he was there. And if you've ever been to the Kulgera Pub of an evening, it gets very crowded.

[@ssssssnowy]

Australia is the most beautiful place on Earth

[@nestormiguelmartinezsoto8113]

What a nice story. I am writing to you from Asunción, Paraguay. I am passionate about Australia, and mainly about the Australian Outback. I hope one day to be able to visit that wonderful country, see places and its wonderful people. Greetings from Paraguay!

[@whatevertrends3627]

Hii from India. I think even your country is interesting people dont know much about paraguay.

[@cecilforbes3034]

Treats people equally and respects them as they do in return,an Aussie bloke,you know what Im getting at here

[@lydiaanderson0083]

@hello Forbes how are you doing?

[@jaqs125]

Grettings from Spain, we love Aussies in the running of the bulls, nice people and very open minded

[@DTPandemonium]

Props to those cops out there. As a person that's been an ''amateur cop'' in a remote area. It's always quite difficult to respond to calls. It can take upwards to 30 minutes to get to some of the towns and most of the time it's nothing serious to call the cops for but you just hope it stays like that. We were responsible for 5 small towns and had 5 head officers only with 2 cars. With us amateurs we had 24 people max but when taking the cars out one of the officers has to come of course. Oh and the paperwork... top 10 worst parts of being a cop.

[@somethingsinlife5600]

I've been on a road Trip out there, it is fricking *Serene* out there in the outback.

[@shazanali692]

There is something so magic about the reds and oranges of the outback

[@ilovegurusahib]

I love the outback. Lived in Wallgett NSW for a brief period enjoyed it a a lot. Borders closed isn't helping can't wait to come back. Miss downunder really bad.

[@aprilsmith3683]

An admirable profession for those who feel a true calling... 🇿🇦

[@CampAndDriveAustralia]

We were just in Kulgera a few days ago for a couple nights. The road house is like a rotating door where each day around 20 caravans and trucks overnight stayers come in. The staff are also on a work visa which must make it harder for them to deal with the temporary patrons when an issue arises.

[@abdulqudz89]

i rate him for being in the middle of woop-woop (middle of nowhere) doing this job.

[@Gaston-08]

Only came here to say that the thumbnail looks like Ben Affleck

[@andreideac3962]

I would move there in no time if the opportunity would surface! Australia is fascinating! Best wishes from🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@COLDoCLINCHER37]

@Jamie what?

[@rosebella5462]

Loved your story It was really nice to read You write very well 😊

[@colinmartin6804]

Well done pal full credit respect earned not just expected

[@huilee7689]

I was half expecting the cop to be armed with a boomerang. 🚨🦘

[@just_daryl4863]

Frosty Boy Ah yes, stereotypes.

[@Tarc_]

Very stereotypical, but he carries a gun..

[@cliffhigson7581]

Nah he's got a dropbear for backup though.😉🐨

[@Sams_Uncle]

RESPECT ✊

[@TheSoftVelcro]

really enjoyed this thanks

[@northerntrucker72]

Top stuff guys. Took the chance and nailed it

[@David-jw7km]

"with them" "not to just lock them up"

[@mickregan8431]

hats off to you and your family mate to deal with different cultures and treat people with respect good luck on ya next posting

[@ronniewilliams2465]

After Wolf Creek, maybe areas need more than single police officer, lol. He is a hand full!

[@siroswaldfortitude5346]

lol, yep so true

[@deshaunjackson8188]

So many questions: So he is the police officer for multiple "towns"? How do they keep the police officer from not being corrupt? Seems like there would be little oversight. What if he needs back up? What kind of helpers does he have at the police station? Is he always on call? Does he get paid a lot more being a remote officer than an officer in a big city? What are the perks? Is the housing covered? Where does he fuel up? I always assumed police fill up at the station. Does a fuel truck make a special stop at the police station? What are the education services like for children in these remote areas? Are the classes all online?

[@mutchumbo]

Yes There's remote supervision Wait a long time Zero Unless he's on leave - yes There's a significant financial incentive Housing is covered - yes. Petrol station Nothing's online. Aboriginals teach their own.

[@04smallmj]

Why does the US need a different police department for every town, city, county and state when you could have one department covering an entire state?

[@Yopops215]

@@04smallmj the us has a decentralized system. Each state is technically its own "country", but is part of the "united states" (federal laws, national defense, immigration, etc.). Within the states the counties and cities are also their own "autonomous provinces" in a way. It can be cumbersome at times but the us is purposely made this way as a "checks and balance" system. Im just a layman in civics but it has to do with slowing down corruption and subversion if and when such a thing was to arise. Dont quote me on it tho

[@kingtut7213]

Yopops215 wtf. No wonder the us has massive policing problems. There’d be almost no sense of accountability if it’s that decentralised, so I am not surprised American police get away with so much. That seems like there’d be so much abuse of power, and you could just move bad cops around towns like bad priests to different parishes

[@foxxy2583]

@@kingtut7213 I don't think that's the issue. Their just needs to be a system in place so that bad cops can't become a cop at other counties. Here in Australia though we still kind of have counties. Each officer is part of a station and that's who they report to. Also, in some cases in America, the amount of people in one county is the same amount of people in one state in Australia.

[@steveborbiro]

Nicely done story!

[@Unknown-nf1se]

I met luke just can’t remember where ... nice guy congratulations mate I think when we meet your son was just born 🙂 god bless him . Good to see you enjoying life

[@glennmcmurtrie2508]

Good work man, good luck on your journey forward. Don’t forget to pass on all tips to your replacement

[@costernocht]

Sweet little family.

[@specialisedheavy9932]

i missed her name, but you can tell the wife is a quality woman. a real strong partner, good people

[@micktaylor7745]

Proud of him

[@lydiaanderson0083]

@hello Mick how are you doing?

[@stevewhyte862]

Cool Area to work.. great job out 4×4 ever day into remote areas and everything supplied and payed for ...Dream job and area to work ... Bet they pick another remote area further north after this contract finishers ..

[@andrew-hd8do]

When people say "it's a small world" they need to go see Australia, its just enormous..

[@speshul7525]

I found this very interesting. Life in Australia out side of the cities, in incredibly interesting

[@MrProzacmilkshake]

hard work

[@c-secofficer123]

As a cop that works rural isolated areas on FN communities, i can say it’s an experience like no other. Although we have temperatures of -40 Celsius come days. Anyone can work a big city, but you need to be able to think on your feet and handle everything. Your back up is hours away, and you got no detectives or swat team to pass the buck to. Stay safe.

[@jeremiahbuingen86]

Love the outback copper

[@satendersingh8130]

Imagine you are here and it's evening and you are having a cup of tea. Just osm🎉🎉

[@angloaust1575]

Worked in halls creek in 1966 Only two police officers there

[@jeanchardonnay5627]

3:45......ha ha ha ....the copper remove his keys from his car.....brilliant....

[@philmenzies2477]

Luke Galey is the only police officer stationed at Kulgera @5:15 shows 2 coppers with a highway patrol vehicle........... @8:10 shows 2 officers riding up front...........

[@avelar62003]

Thought this was gonna be a video about Ben Affleck preparing for a movie in Australia

[@iiNxtDilliStudios]

As an Aussie this is a very beautiful place

[@douglasrobson3875]

This would be my dream job. I don’t have to be a police officer but the remoteness would be relaxing.

[@jaimecaamano5436]

Good job men

[@PricillaMac1]

7 months old already. Has anything changed in this situation?

[@flowerpower8722]

Well there's two of them at the rbt, and he's always saying 'we', so there must be at least two of them.

[@chriswharton9092]

Good story.

[@daviemaclean61]

Mamba cops - miles and miles of bugger all! ;-) Nice insight

[@PlayingWithWilson]

I thought he was Ben Affleck in the thumbnail

[@JasonDouglasRalph67]

I remember Kulgera from family holidays in the 1970's, I think we bought boomerangs from an old Aboriginal bloke there.

[@seafoodpizza]

I felt there's a lot of "us and them" in these types of videos.

[@jt5747]

Correct. There is the state, and the wards of the state.

[@fahadbaloch8442]

Big change Sydney to Darwin , what a guy

[@sunshinecatcher8779]

Dream job

[@spiderbrandt4066]

It would have been nice to see a little more , this looked interesting

[@starlooker6612]

Weird comment I know but his dogs foot concerned me, the way it was turned in at the ankle. I couldn't help but think it may be in pain.

[@upsidedownbouncingonthecei1789]

Good lookin 79

[@razorblade136]

Hi Ryan, that outback town is pronounced Cooper Percy. It’s an opal mining town along with Lightning Ridge..

[@colinl9018]

*Coober Pedy*

[@df289]

TSV 1860 are a 3 division football team from Munich...Their fans have an obsession with their club I saw a sticker from " 1860"on the opening credits stuck on the side of a sign...

[@nyeeshan2790]

Wolf creek 2 movie must watch

[@markfryatt5127]

Mate you are a better man than me good on you

[@rexbeach9914]

The more I watch about life in the Australian outback and the people that live there the more I envy them. Australian people have always been sincere and honest from what I know

[@tagctgaca7402]

Show us more handball footage.

[@PattyBrahh]

Louise you champ!!!

[@kevinoxenham5109]

Gret example of real policing in the general Australian community

[@cecilforbes3034]

Will be the last tho

[@travelsphereuk-7090]

Which is bigger. Sahara desert or the outbacks?

[@bernadettelanders7306]

Sahara Desert Area 9.2 million km² The Outback is a vast area spanning 5.6 million km2 and covering more than 70 percent of the Australian continent

[@judithparker602]

RBT is random breathe testing. It is quite normal to have random breath testing

[@again5162]

Different in USA they make you get out run hoops if the cop don't like you they can charge you anyway then have you to fight it at court

[@acde9355]

The only case where you really need a Toyota LandCruiser.

[@trancetuberevived1131]

Interlacing in a 2020 upload, wow

[@sangchethoitrang]

👍👍🍀🌸💐

[@civlyzed]

The cops can just make you take a random breath test with no probable cause? That blows!

[@lauramannyvlogs6675]

Yes this is normal in Australia, where are you from?

[@jt5747]

Most of the world isn't America, but we'll get to where the Aussies are eventually; wards of a nanny state.

[@frenchonion4595]

I'm sure they let people off all the time. A small community like that can make life hell for an officer.

[@anneloving8405]

​@@lauramannyvlogs6675yep,I've been tested 40x never been done coz I don't drink drive simple

[@Camker001]

Is Owen still OIC Kulgera?

[@wade4917]

He left the police a couple of years ago

[@shaneconnors757]

May the Gods Bless our Local Coppers

[@Caleb-lbj]

Wild West

[@kotahurt]

When I was young, we have disputes over breeds of horses

[@handymanr4729]

The bad part about this job , which ABC interestingly omitted to mention, Is the compounding self defeating process of interacting with alcohol affected communities/a broken system, day in day out without being able to do anything about it. NT cops are paid a small fortune however, because of this.

[@steve7970]

Agree. Alcohol is a serious problem in those communities.

[@mikebarton]

@@steve7970 I'd go further. It's a serious issue across the whole of Australia. Not sure what the answer is..🤷🤷

[@CrazyWhiteVanDriver]

1:50 don't teach the kid bad habits...

[@tkx86]

Correct, putting a half eaten orange in with untouched is a bad habit....Also idolising a bush ranger because of romantic notions of being in the spotlight as one yourself is also an unhealthy habit.

[@rumpleforeskin9543]

Oi, unc, you get around, seen you on Spanian's page last night!

[@Isaac-ho8gh]

@@tkx86 being a cop is a bad habit.

[@patriot1724]

@@Isaac-ho8gh No it isn’t

[@tonyrobins2644]

Own back yard 🦘🦘🚿🌡️☀️🐰🦊🐷🐫

[@tilly8221]

You need to hide a body Aus outback is a big place to hide 😂❤️👍🇦🇺😁

[@lukeelliott3813]

tf is up with that intense music

[@edwarddossantos9089]

Ben Aflec

[@alanak7421]

Ummmm was it actually raining!?? Looks dry hot and literally breath taking! But his wipers were going....

[@swag_8884]

At around 3:09 ish you can see the raindrops on the windscreen

[@colinl9018]

Yeah, it does rain now and again in the outback 😂

[@trampswildcampbushcraft2163]

G day mate. Me cooking up a rump burger.

[@ludo9234]

Breath test in the middle of nowhere.

[@johnniethepom2905]

Often Backpackers drink and drive because the have a ' we're on holiday ' mentality . They seriously underestimate both the distances involved and the utter remoteness of their routes . So many potential hazards, Kangaroos, cows , Camels , drop bears and Ivan Milat type weirdos .

[@kanga1234567]

And????

[@user-vk8yq8oq7p]

@Jamie i live in Ireland and in better than you

[@anneloving8405]

Drop bears very dangerous

[@foodie135]

Is it me Or does this guy look like Ben Affleck

[@Boogleye]

Air conditioning dose not make you tough

[@daviddowling9830]

Over here in the UK our deserts are much hotter.

[@glenemma1]

Yes, you are right. the UK is basically a nation of deserts. It hardly ever rains in the UK.

[@colinl9018]

Is that why your bathtubs are always empty? 😂

[@travsmit7956]

Wolf creek 2

[@brandonogc8936]

I thought he was Ben Affleck at first

[@Jilnn]

0:03 they don't even tell you the km to Sydney which is the most popular city in Australia... kinda triggered

[@johnniethepom2905]

Surely people live in Sydney by necessity rather than choice . I'm here for work and can't wait to get back to WA .

[@robnewman6101]

21st Century's Police. Law & Order.