Listeners: An Australian working as a police officer in Texas, USA

Lucas posted a photo of his view from his police cruiser in Texas. One place where he listens to Somehow Related in the USA.

So we got in contact with him to find out how and why he's there at the moment.

It's a great read, inciteful and real.

If you know someone who's listening from somewhere that's a little different, let us know - hi@nearly.com.au.

So, why did you move from Australia to Texas and how are you finding the new location?

I moved about 10 years ago; I moved all over.

Starting in Texas, I moved to New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Colorado and back to Texas.

I visited most states of this country and found Texas to be most suited to me.

I love it here and don’t plan on leaving here anytime soon.

What do people in Texas say when they find out you're Australian?

It seems to be the same discussion when I am in either country. Australian’s ask why I would move to America and American’s ask why I would ever leave Australia.

Firstly, in today’s world you never really leave any place you come from. Being a dual citizen, I can come and go from either country as much as I want.

In 24 hours, I could be back in Australia if I wanted to.

It is not like the old days when families would move from England, Scotland, Ireland, Turkey, Greece to Australia by boat and never go back to their home countries and never see family again.

Since moving here, I have become closer with a lot of my family, we talk a lot more often. When we do see each other in person it is not taken for granted and usually creates the best memories.

However, when the question is asked, I try to educate people about each country as most of the time an Australians has never been to America, nor Americans to Australia.

Therefore, they can only go off hearsay, or how the media portrays each country.

Generally, and stereotypically speaking, Americans believe Australians are just all laid back country folk who live on farms or beaches everyday without a worry in the world.

Australians believe, especially about Texas, they are all gun carrying rednecks. I work with the Texas public every day and assure you that is not the case.

People who do have firearms on them, say openly carrying them on their person are usually some of the most respectful people you will ever meet. 

Being Australian and working as a police officer does have a mixed reaction. While dealing with the public in a crisis, it is generally not mentioned.

However, when things have slowed down or it is not a priority call, yes sometimes people ask me where I am from and are surprised. I think it works in my favor at times.

For example, when dealing with people on a traffic stop and calmly speaking with them, whether it be about Australia or my accent there are more times than not I get thanked when handing a ticket for them travelling 30 miles (50km’s) over the speed limit.

It happened twice the other night!

Where do you listen to Somehow Related and The Junkees? Have you recommended them to any Texan friends or told people there about Australian podcasts?

I have listened to both podcasts for many years.

I listen to them while at the gym, outside running, riding my motorcycle and just at home. Right now, I listen to them while patrolling or driving to and from work. 

When at work I do need to remember to turn it off when I activate my lights and sirens as our cameras kick on.

While humorous to some, the police department has said it’s not real professional while chasing someone with any radio on especially a podcast.

However, at 3 o’clock in the morning when there is not much going on I drive on the open roads of Texas listening to what I consider a connection to home.

What's something about Texas that's very hard to know or understand unless you live there?

Aside from the gun culture, which is not as loose as everyone thinks.

No, I cannot just go into Walmart or Target and buy a gun.

There are other things Texans are very proud of such as their BBQ.

Specifically, chili and brisket.

They have competitions all over the state on who smokes the best meats.

However, Texas is quite unique.

For example, if you are from Melbourne or Sydney and enjoy that city living, coffee drinking, bar hopping life then you could go to Austin. Very similar feel.

If you like the more country laid back life there are hundreds of small towns with just that starting 30 minutes away from Austin, so you don’t even have to drive that far for a simpler life.

If you want that big city feel but are still more of a country person then Ft. Worth is a great place for that.

Has all the city resources but hosts plenty of rodeos. 

Aside from Texas, talking America wide. The policing is different, not just laws and rules but how it is laid out. 

Not talking federal like FBI, etc. each state has three levels of law enforcement agencies.

I will try and keep this simple because it can be confusing. 

We have city police, which look after just the city, which is translated into suburbs in Australia.

For example, being from Melbourne, you would have Box Hill police department, Camberwell police department and so on.

Then you have the county level of police, these are deputies that look after multiple cities within one county.

These would be considered city councils, multiple cities or suburbs under one council.

That would be like City of Darebin, Bundoora etc.

The county sheriff's office and deputies also run the jails in each county.

Lastly there are state police (troopers), which I guess is closest to what Australia has, like Victoria Police, NSW police etc.

Texas has their state troopers, and they have jurisdiction across the whole state and work differently depending on where they are stationed.

If they are stationed in a small city in a small county that doesn’t have the manpower or resources, the state troopers will do pretty much everything needed to help.

However, you go to somewhere like Austin or Ft. Worth, somewhere there are big city departments then a state trooper will help on the highways, offer more manpower if needed, overall contributing differently depending on the manpower of the local departments.

5. What are some crazy things you’ve seen/done on patrol? 

Where do I begin!

I will keep it family friendly as there are things you see and learn about people that you really don’t want to know or need to know.

Even stuff not relevant to a case but they tell you anyway!

What I am about to tell you guys is something I would not believe if I didn’t see it myself.

One of the craziest things so far would be (and I don’t want people thinking this is every day here in Texas because it really isn’t), a woman came home from vacation to her house.

She found a bullet hole in her wall. 

We checked the history of the neighbourhood and yes there was a call out a day or two earlier from neighbours hearing gunshots, but the police showed up and couldn’t find or see anything.

After locking the house down as a crime scene, getting out all the resources we have to determine what happened.

It turns out, on top of the homeowners tall closest was a firearm. Her cat had found it and started playing with it.

To this day, none of us could imagine that happening.

I really don’t know but its just one of those crazy things that happened. 

Thanks to Lucas for sending in his story about where he listens.

You can too! Are you listening somewhere that's a little bid different?

Email hi@nearly.com.au and we'll get back to you.