Jim
O'Brien

Speaker Profile

Jim O'Brien is well known as one of the highest profile police operatives in Australia. As Officer in Charge of the Purana Task Force he was the man behind bringing a very high profile criminal back to Australia and breaking up his and some of the more widespread networks of organised crime in Australia. His and his team's work forms the basis of the hugely popular Underbelly television programs.

Jim's presentations are fascinating in the depth and complexity of police operations, entertaining and firmly establish police activity as a skilful, goal-orientated, complex process. His work is full of the sorts of management and leadership processes that are so necessary for success in any endeavour. In listening to Jim, however, you are constantly aware of the downsides of getting things wrong and the immense rewards that come from great leadership well directed.

Jim was a member of Victoria Police for over 30 years, 26 of those years as a Detective at all ranks. He retired in 2007 as a Detective Inspector to take up a national security role in private enterprise.

He has directed and supervised investigative duties at Divisional, Squad, Task Force and National Crime Authority levels and spent three years as the Unit Manager of the Victoria Police Clandestine Laboratory Unit from 2002 to 2005.

In 2005 he was appointed the Officer in Charge of the Purana Task Force where he established the future template for policing the investigation of organised crime. This involved a multi-disciplinary approach to the underlying causal effects of recent multiple homicides involving high profile criminals, who were predominantly involved in the amphetamine market, homicide and serious fraud offences in order to conceal substantial assets.

Jim holds a Graduate Certificate in Applied Management. He is a graduate of the Australian Federal Police Management of Serious Crime Course and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration Drug Unit Commanders and Advanced Money Laundering Courses. He was a Victoria Police representative on the National Working Group on the Diversion of Chemical Precursors from 2002 to 2005 for which he received Federal Ministerial recognition. He has represented Victoria Police on a number of State and National working parties relative to illicit drug issues. In 2005 he travelled to El Paso, Texas to examine and report on the U.S. Clan Lab Seizure System on behalf of the Australian Government Attorney-Generals' Department.

He initiated and implemented the illicit drug training package for all Australian Rules Football Clubs which has now spread to a number of other sporting codes and bodies. In 2007 he was awarded the 3AW Victorian Policeman of the year for various successful homicide investigations and the dismantling of the Mokbel criminal organisation which culminated in the arrest and extradition of Antonious Mokbel from Athens Greece.

Jim's presentations have excellent audio visual support – they are graphic, entertaining and provide a real insight into the fascinating world of elite police operations. He is an excellent motivation speaker with a wealth of business content.

Travels from Victoria