Badge of Betrayal

Senior Sergeant Paul Reynolds was a familiar face in Tasmanian policing, a mentor, a coach, a man people trusted.

But on a quiet night in Westbury, everything shifted. Just hours after celebrating his wedding anniversary, four officers from Professional Standards knocked on his door with a warrant to seize his devices. The ...

In this episode, we hear how Paul Reynolds embedded himself inside Launceston’s youth car scene  befriending young men, adding them on Facebook, and slowly shifting from friendly banter to explicit messages. Through Mike, a former friend who has never spoken publicly until now, we trace Reynolds’ grooming pattern step-by-step exactly as later exposed in the Weiss Report. As Mike remembers the late-night visits, the...

In this episode, we sit down with “Tom,” a current serving senior Tasmanian police officer who risks his career to speak candidly about the culture inside Taspol. Across a covert, one-off meeting, Tom reveals why allegations of family violence, sexual misconduct, and predatory behavior inside the force are now “at epidemic levels,” and why systems meant to stop offenders like Paul Reynolds failed for decades...

In this episode, we hear from a current serving Tasmanian police officer a man who spent nearly his entire career working alongside Reynolds. Using a voice actor to protect his identity, he describes Reynolds as he knew him: the outgoing, blokey colleague who could charm a room of young men, the officer who became increasingly absent as he climbed the ranks, and the man whose behaviour now looks disturbingly like grooming hiding in...

****A content warning before we begin: this episode contains references to suicide and suicidal ideation. Listener discretion is advised. Help is available below *******

In this episode, we uncover the hidden financial secrets of Paul Reynolds, from alleged theft from his own mother to casino withdrawals, gambling debts, and desperate pleas for fast cash just day...

In this episode, we examine how Paul Reynolds’ police honours funeral was approved.

Through Right to Information documents, we look at how the decision was made, who was involved, and what was known at the time. The episode also returns to the final sitting day in Parliament, where Dr Rosalie Woodruff raised further questions about unresolved issues surroun...

Seven referrals. Five known to police before 2024. Two still active. As insiders speak anonymously and integrity reforms are proposed, the question remains: does Tasmania need a Commission of Inquiry to uncover what still hasn’t been told?

If you have information that you would like to share, email us anonymously at podshape@proton.me

Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of alleged child sexual abuse and institutional violence. Some content may be distressing. Listener discretion is advised. Support resources are listed in the show notes.

In this episode, we examine how institutions respond when serious allegations emerge inside their own ranks. Drawing on Right to Information documents, parliamentary records and broadcast interviews, we trace the timeline that led to a full police funeral for the late Paul Reynolds in September 2018 at a time when professional standards investigations were already underway. This is not a story about assigning personal blame, but ab...

This episode exposes how youth sport and positions of authority were used as gateways to abuse in Tasmania for Reynolds and others. 

Through the Weiss Review, survivor testimony, and a firsthand account from a former player, we examine how trust, reputation, and police power created unchecked access to children — and a culture of silence inside change ...

Up until now, we haven’t been able to secure an interview with a family member of Reynolds — but in this episode, that changes.

Speaking under the protection of anonymity, a verified source takes us inside the Reynolds family unit, offering rare insight into what was happening behind closed doors.

We also speak with Tom Wallace-Pannell from Maliganis Edwards Johnson, the lawyer representing victim-survivors of Reyn...

In this episode a second current serving police officer comes forward. They attended Reynolds funeral and have their own experience inside Taspol. 

We also explore the links between Reynolds, James Griffin and the U-turn program that ran between 2003- 2013 in Tasmania.   

For clarity Mission Australia delivered the U Turn program as a contracted provider within a government-led youth justice initiative. The allegatio...

****Content Warning:****
This episode discusses alleged child sexual abuse and includes some graphic descriptions drawn from official Commission evidence. The content may be triggering or distressing. We encourage listeners to prioritise their well-being and pause or skip this episode if needed.

There’s a reason this episode took longer to release.

After our last episode aired, we were contacted by multiple independent sources urging us not to drop the story. What they shared raised new questions we couldn’t ignore.

In this episode, we follow a name that continues to surface in connection with events in Burn...

********Trigger and Content Warning******* 

This episode contains discussions of alleged abuse, addiction, and trauma. it also contains strong language. Listener discretion is advised. 

If this episode raises anything for you, support services are listed in the show notes.

He doesn’t want you to know his nam...

In 2019, a major review into Tasmania’s prosecution system found it was working “satisfactorily.”
A few issues. Some pressure. Nothing the system couldn’t handle.

But what happens when that pressure builds quietly… over time?

Through an RTI-obtained document, a ne...

A Tasmanian parliamentary hearing has exposed a shocking child safety loophole: for months, Tasmania Police were effectively outside the state’s reportable conduct scheme.

In this episode, we unpack the committee bombshell, what the regulator revealed, and why the failure to report police matters is causing alarm. We also share new listener information ...

***Trigger warning:
This episode contains discussions of child sexual abuse, grooming, trauma, sexualised behaviour toward minors, and suicide. It may be distressing for some listeners. Please take care while listening.

For years, it was brushed aside as banter. Something uncomfortable...