Come along and hear interesting case studies from the lives of former Detectives and Sergeants Kelly Clarke (ex SAPOL) and Debbie Shearer (ex Lothian and Borders Police, Scotland).

Facilitated by Samantha Battams, Sisters in Crime SA convenor.

Please arrive at 6.30pm. There will be networking before and after the event. Discussion will commence around 7pm.

Please see more information about our guests below.

Kelly Clarke

Kelly Clarke, APM, is a retired SAPOL Detective with an interest in reading and writing crime stories.

She has experienced significant, positive changes in policing for women since 1980 when she first joined SAPOL as an enthusiastic police cadet.

Her diverse career has ranged from patrol officer to Detective including secondments with the Armed Robbery Squad and Major Crime, two tours at Major Crash with some unique prosecution wins and two years managing the Counter Terrorism Branch. She enjoyed success as a Sergeant and Senior Sergeant and was awarded the Australian Police Medal in the 2016 Queen’s Honours list for her leadership.

‘Senior Sergeant Clarke's leadership was fundamental during a period of significant change to the major crash investigation section. This section, and the now outstanding reputation of the major crash investigation section, is testament to Senior Sergeant Clarke's guidance, mentoring and the outstanding manner in which she leads her people in a consistently complex and traumatic policing environment.’ The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS, then Police Minister

She primarily misses the gnarly investigations and the comraderie that comes from being part of a dynamic team of first responders.

Kelly loves travelling with her husband, is a doting grandmother, an enthusiastic rather than proficient horse rider, a doggy mum and a budding writer.

Debbie Shearer

Debbie Shearer served for 16 years with Lothian and Borders Police in Scotland, before Scotland's regional police forces were amalgamated to form Police Scotland.

She served as both a Detective Constable and a Uniformed Sergeant, working in Edinburgh in some of the city's busiest and most challenging communities.

Her career included frontline policing, sexual crime investigations, undercover operations and criminal investigations. She attended crime scenes, interviewed victims, suspects and witnesses, and investigated everything from everyday offending to complex and deeply confronting cases.

Those years taught her that every investigation has a story, rarely the one you expect.

Although no longer a police officer, Debbie has never lost her fascination with crime, investigations and the psychology behind offending. She enjoys reading across many genres but inevitably finds herself drawn back to crime fiction and true crime because the characters, procedures and investigations feel familiar. She still catches herself mentally critiquing investigative techniques in novels, television dramas and podcasts.

Now living in South Australia, Debbie enjoys sharing what policing was really like beyond the flashing lights and TV clichés; the unexpected moments, the camaraderie, the dark humour that keeps officers going, the cases that stay with you, and the realities of investigating crime.

Case Files: Life in the Police Force, with former Detectives Kelly Clarke and Debbie Shearer

Choose your tickets

General Admission ticket

Sisters in Crime SA / Writers SA ticket

Concession ticket