Dale Kemp

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Detective Dale Kemp is the supporting protagonist of the episode “The Weakest Link” in season seven of Stingers. Kemp is a rogue Homicide detective, who crosses paths with Peter Church while pursuing human smuggler Erik Mills, in an attempt to take down child murderer and prison escapee Joseph Carter.

He was portrayed by Damon Herriman, who also portrayed Charles Manson in Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood, Kabal in the 2021 film Mortal Kombat, Tom Kitten in Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway and Scary Skell in Breaking Bad.

Biography[]

What is known about Kemp is that he was part of the investigation towards Joseph Carter for the ransom kidnapping and later murder of an eight-year-old boy, Kemp was also the officer who had to inform the parents of their son’s death, their grief leaving have a lasting impact on him mentally. Eventually, he arrests Carter, but he escapes from prison seven years later, causing Kemp, by now a Homicide detective for the past three years, to become determined to take him down. He soon confronts Carter’s brother for his whereabouts, before Kemp beats up Carter’s brother, prompting his boss Eric Chatterly to place him on stress leave.

Several weeks later, Kemp decides to go undercover on his own to try and meet with people smuggler Erik Mills, as he hears a rumour that Carter hired Mills to help him escape from the country. However, Mills does not want to talk to Kemp, despite the latter’s insistence, and is later taken out of the venue by Nick Taviner, who is in fact undercover cop Peter Church, after being taken outside by Church, Kemp pulls a gun on him, only to be overpowered by Church, who takes Kemp to Police HQ when he finds out he’s a cop. Kemp reveals his suspicions about Mills helping Carter out to Church and his boss Luke Harris, while also admitting that he hasn’t been sanctioned to investigate them, prompting Harris to warn Mills not to pursue Mills or Carter any further, especially as he unwittingly put Church at risk. Meanwhile, Kemp ignores Harris' order to leave, and later plants drugs on Mills’ while his pilot is on board, then anonymously contacts the drug squad, resulting in Mills’ pilot getting arrested. He later approaches Mills again, while Church is with him, offering his services once again, and this time Mills seems open to the idea, but also alerts Church to kill Kemp if Mills was responsible for the drug bust. Church and Harris later complain to Chatterly about Kemp’s behaviour just moments before Kemp shows up, and Chatterly places him under suspension.

Kemp later plans to commit suicide in his home by using his car engine to gas out the place, although he abandons this attempt before he can turn the engine on. Church visits him shortly after, wanting Kemp to help him since Mills is now willing to use him to help Carter flee the country. However, Kemp refuses to help since he’s still angry at Church for getting him suspended. He later changes his mind agrees to help, going along with Church to meet with Mills to discuss the plan to smuggle someone out. However, this is briefly cancelled when Immigration shows up to detain Mills’ associate and Church’s informant Derek Trukan for entering Australia illegally, although Church later reassures Mills that Derek won’t talk, and the operation begins to proceed. Kemp is later seen in the surveillance van with Harris, Christina Dichiera and Leo Flynn as they listen to Church and Mills head to Carter’s hideout, although they later find it empty. Kemp later receives a call from Mills telling to meet up with him, on route to the location, Chris has Kemp wear a wire, as Church’s recording device is no longer operational due to the battery dying out. Kemp soon meets up with Mills and Church, where Mills tells Kemp that they’re smuggling someone out of the country later that night, who is revealed to be Carter. However, when Carter turns up, he immediately recognizes Kemp, prompting Carter to punch Mills in the gut and pull out his gun, forcing Kemp to get on the ground at gunpoint. However, when Chris and Leo arrive, Kemp manages to stop Carter from shooting Chris by tackling him to the ground and finally arresting him.

Following Carter’s arrest, Kemp talks to Church at Police HQ, who offers to speak to Chatterly on his behalf on reinstating him, but Kemp tells him he’s already spoken to Chatterly and is still suspended, although he admits that he needs to take some time off, before thanking Church for not telling anyone about his aborted suicide attempt. As Kemp is entering the elevator, Church quickly jokes to Kemp that he should finally "lose the rug", which Kemp replies by throwing his disguise to Church before the elevator door closes, both men parting ways having earned each other's respect for one another.