Confronting Murderous Men

In the turbulent years from 1922 to 1952, Australia witnessed a chilling toll as twenty-two dedicated police officers sacrificed their lives in the line of duty. Others fell with them.

Emerging from the shadows of World War I, the nation, newly minted and resilient, navigated through The Great Depression's pall, only to confront the re-emergence of war. During World War II, police officers, though deterred from enlistment, were released for service, or seconded for intelligence work, thrusting expanded responsibilities onto those who remained.

Operating in an unspoken battleground, law enforcers met their demise at the hands of dangerous criminals – murderous men driven by madness or consumed by hatred, most to cover crimes of little worth. Their stories unfold in gun battles, investigations gone wrong, opportunistic killings, and the disturbing murder of two police officers dismembered and burnt by petty thieves.

This collection of stories is more than sensational; they are the tales of lives cut short. Each story stands testament to the indomitable spirit of those who faced duty's relentless call during an era when greed held sway over decency.

About the author

Alan Leek was born in Sydney in 1948 and left school at 15 to work as a rouseabout in a wool store. Leek returned to Sydney at 17 and joined the NSW police cadet corps. Sworn in as a constable on his 19th birthday, Leek began a 34-year career in policing, mostly as a detective and superintendent commander in Sydney's west, including Blacktown, Parramatta and Cabramatta.  Leek is the co-founder of an exhibiting fine art gallery concurrent with police duties -' … one virtue and a thousand crimes' as Byron would have it.

Alan Leek
Published July 2024
Paperback
384 pages 
230mm x 150mm
ISBN  9781923144446