Shows
On Being a Police OfficerEp. 80 - SFPD Deputy Chief Jim Dudley on 32 years policing in San Francisco, from the crack epidemic to open drug use and reflections on the challenges and rewards of the profession today.Ep. 80 - Joining me is Jim Dudley, host of Police1’s acclaimed podcast Policing Matters. Jim was with the San Francisco Police Department for 32 years, rising to the rank of Deputy Chief. He takes us back to policing in San Francisco in the 1980s and walks through how the profession — and crime itself — evolved over the decades, from the crack epidemic to today’s open drug use and reforms impacting law enforcement like reducing felony charges to misdemeanors. He reflects on his time as an Investigator in the Bureau of Inspectors, working cases ranging from burglary and property crimes to domes...
2026-02-111h 20On Being a Police OfficerEp. 79 Dallas PD’s Child Abuse Det. Kristen King Reflects on a Challenging Yet Rewarding JobEp. 79 As Child Abuse Detective Kristen King says in this episode, “If you haven’t cried in child abuse, you probably haven’t been there long enough or you’re lying.” In the years I’ve interviewed law enforcement, officers have always said that incidents with kids are the hardest. I wanted to shine a light on those that handle these cases on a daily basis. Kristen has been with Dallas PD for 12 years. We review her career and talk about her not so predictable path to choosing law enforcement, some memorable calls from patrol and making the move to...
2026-01-061h 19
Law Enforcement Talk: True Crime and Trauma StoriesThe Truth Being A Baltimore Maryland PoliceThe Truth Being a Baltimore, Maryland Police Officer: Crime, Violence, and Survival. A Special Episode. In a media landscape dominated by headlines, hashtags, and heated debates, few stories cut through the noise with honesty. A special episode of the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast does exactly that, by telling the truth about what it really means to be a Police Officer, Cop in Baltimore, Maryland. This special episode is streaming for free on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast website, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and most every major Podcast platform.
In this...
2025-12-1754 minOn Being a Police OfficerEp. 78 - LAPD Gang Det. Tim Pearce on his 18-year LE Career and the “Officer Needs Help” Call That Changed Everything.Ep. 78 - LAPD Gang Detective Tim Pearce reflects on choosing law enforcement; working the CRASH Gang Unit with his partner Kristina Ripatti who would become his wife; and on the “Officer Needs Help” call that changed everything for them both.Tim joined LAPD in 1996 in the wake of the Rodney King riots and the OJ Simpson trial working Skid Row as a rookie and later what was then known as South Central. Tim was paired with Kristina who he met in the Academy as patrol partners and later as partners on the CRASH Gang Unit assigned to the R...
2025-11-111h 42On Being a Police OfficerEp. 77 Dallas PD’s Joe King with 28 years on; Honoring The Dallas Five; Pioneering Trauma-Informed Care through the Wellness Unit and the Assist the Officer Foundation.Ep. 77 - Many of you know Dallas PD’s Joe King as the host of the compelling podcast “ATO: Bridging the Divide” which supports the mission of the Assist the Officer Foundation. Joe joined The Dallas Police Department in 1997, starting out in the Southeast Division. We talk about why he chose law enforcement, an early critical incident that sticks with him to this day, and how he quickly was drawn to street level narcotics and gangs which he worked for 20 years.On July 7th, 2016, everything changed for Joe, the Dallas Police Department and Dallas. That night, while DPD was...
2025-10-081h 23
Policing MattersWhen the world turned on cops, she listenedFor more than a decade, Abby Ellsworth has been listening to police officers, first through interviews in the Seattle area and later through her podcast, On Being a Police Officer. She launched the show in 2020, at a moment when policing was under intense scrutiny and officers faced both public criticism and personal strain from COVID restrictions and civil unrest. Ellsworth’s mission is clear: create a safe space where officers can share candidly, remind them of the wins that sustain their calling, and give civilians a more human, unfiltered view of the profession than news headlines allow.
In...
2025-10-0147 minOn Being a Police OfficerEp. 76 From Local Policing to the California DOJ: Andre Lemay on Narcotics and Firearms Investigations and Creating K9 Bullseye Detection to Keep Schools SaferEp. 76 Andre Lemay’s law enforcement career spans 33 years starting in 1991 with the Pittsburg Police Department in the Bay Area of CA and later as special agent for the California Department of Justice, a role he had for 26.5 years.We dive into his early critical incidents on patrol including his first life-or-death fight with a suspect who was not trying to get away, but who intended to do serious harm. Andre also talks about the harrowing experience of coming to the aid of fellow officers engaged in a shooting that nearly took their lives. He discusses achieving his...
2025-09-031h 08On Being a Police OfficerEp. 75 – Cop-Turned-Author Eric Tansey on his book “Pig Latin”- Naked Suspects, Pepper Spray Fails & Laugh-Out-Loud Police TalesEp. 75 – Strap in for a wild ride as On Being a Police Officer teams up with Cameron Santana of Santana True Crime to sit down with Eric Tansey—former cop, veteran, and host of the hit YouTube Show and Podcast Failure to Stop—to talk about his upcoming book, Pig Latin: A Seriously Funny True Story of a Former Police Officer, dropping August 26.Because Cameron was Eric’s field training officer (featured in the book as Jayce), this is the only interview where you’ll get the story behind the story. And you’ll hear some Eric adventures t...
2025-08-052h 11
Santana True Crime19. Pig Latin: Naked Suspects, Pepper‑Spray Fails & Laugh‑Out‑Loud Police Tales with Cop‑Turned‑Author Eric TanseyVeteran officer Cameron Santana—an 18‑year law‑enforcement veteran welcomes a special guest host: Abby Ellsworth, creator of the “On Being a Police Officer” podcast. Ellsworth launched her show in 2020 to give officers a national platform to share raw stories from the field and to help civilians understand the people behind the badge. A civilian interviewer with more than 14 years of experience, she brings a unique perspective to the conversation.
Together they sit down with cop‑turned‑podcaster-author-comedian Eric Tansey to discuss his upcoming memoir Pig Latin: A Seriously Funny True Story of a Former Police Officer. Tansey joined the police force...
2025-08-052h 11On Being a Police OfficerEp. 74 – Former Raleigh Police Officer Eric Tansey of Failure to Stop on his new book Pig Latin. It’s a wild ride with honesty, humor and compassion – Originally aired 2023.Ep. 74 – Join me on this re-airing of a wild ride of an interview from 2023 with Eric Tansey, co-creator and host of Failure to Stop (FTS) and former Raleigh Police Department officer from 2012 to 2019. If you follow Eric on FTS, then you know he is a high-energy, highly-engaging storyteller. And nowhere is that more evident than in his soon-to-be released book, “Pig Latin: a Seriously Funny True Story of a Former Police Officer.” I had the opportunity to read an advance manuscript and talk with Eric about some of the crazy and as well as poignant stories in the book. My...
2025-08-041h 22On Being a Police OfficerEp. 73 – Switching Mics: Eric Tung of Blue Grit Wellness Interviews Me on My 15-Year Mission to Support Law Enforcement and the Story Behind This PodcastEp. 73 – Switching Mics: Kent PD Police Commander Eric Tung of Blue Grit Wellness Interviews Me on My 15-Year Mission to Support Law Enforcement and the Story Behind This Podcast. This episode is a crossover with my friend and fellow podcaster Eric Tung of Blue Grit Wellness and Blue Grit Radio. I am honored to have been a guest on his show and to be able to share it here. Here is how Eric described this episode on “Blue Grit Radio:”“If only people understood what we did.. why we do this job.. what it takes.. what it te...
2025-06-2439 min
Blue Grit Radio: the Police Performance Podcast: Mindset, Wellness, Leadership224: How to Help Community Understand Police (On Being a Supporter & Telling Our Stories) w/ Abby EllsworthIf only people understood what we did.. why we do this job.. what it takes.. what it tests.. If only they knew we were people, doing our best..I connected with Abby in July 2023 and was humbled to be featured in an interview with her, (ep. 47 of On Being a Police Officer). In it, she called out my "relentless optimism." It was one of the coolest compliments I've heard and part of me wanted to deny it, since optimism is often a struggle and by no means easy. (However, I can't prove her wrong, since I'm still do...
2025-06-0540 minOn Being a Police OfficerEp. 72 Kent PD’s Tessa Melville discusses the critical incidents that formed her including responding to a line of duty death and her decision to return to patrol from Detective in Special Assault Unit.Ep. 72 Tessa Melville has been with the Kent Police Department for eight years, though her introduction to law enforcement began much earlier through her stepfather, a police officer, and her mother, a dispatcher. The realities of the job were made very clear before she even started. At just 16 years old, Tessa joined her parents in attending the memorial service for the devastating ambush murders of four Lakewood Police Department officers – known as the Lakewood Four – all of them gunned down as they sat in a coffee shop on a Sunday morning in 2009.With only three months on with...
2025-05-291h 17On Being a Police OfficerEp. 71 – Officer Tevon Davis on Losing His Gang Member Brother in a Police ShootoutEp. 71 – Officer Tevon Davis on Losing His Gang Member Brother in a Police ShootoutIn this powerful crossover episode, I co-host alongside former Raleigh Police Officer Cameron Santana on the Santana True Crime podcast.We sit down with Officer Tevon Davis, who shares the deeply personal and emotional story of his older brother Tyre—a Piru Bloods gang member who was killed in a shootout with Norfolk Police after murdering a fellow gang member. For years, Tevon harbored resentment toward law enforcement, unaware of the full circumstances surrounding his brother’s death. His perspective changed only a...
2025-05-061h 21Santana True Crime6. Officer Tevon Davis with Abby EllsworthIn this gripping episode , On Being a Police Officer host Abby joins forces with Santana True Crime to interview Officer Tevon Davis. From growing up in a gang-infested neighborhood and facing the tragic loss of his brother, killed by a police officer, Tevon shares his remarkable journey to becoming an officer himself. This powerful story of redemption, resilience, and giving back explores how one man transformed personal loss into a mission to serve and inspire. Tune in for an unforgettable tale of hope and purpose.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/on_being_a_police_officer?igsh=MWJyMjFqdGk3cG4w...
2025-05-061h 26On Being a Police OfficerEp. 70 - From Raleigh PD to True Crime Author: Cameron Santana on his law enforcement career and the Virginia Olson Cold Case.Ep. 70 - From Raleigh PD to True Crime Author: Cameron Santana on his law enforcement career and the Virginia Olson Cold Case. Cameron has 20 years in law enforcement. He started with Raleigh PD in 2005. In our conversation, we jump right in with his first call straight out of the academy – a violent murder scene. Cameron talks about what it’s like hitting the streets with no real world LE experience, being surrounded by chaos and relying on the direction of his Field Training Officer. Then, within short two years, Cameron would go from having an FTO to being an FTO a...
2025-04-221h 24On Being a Police OfficerEp. 69 - LAPD Lt. Jeff Wenninger (ret) – Rodney King Riots; rebuilding the Gang CRASH Unit following Rampart Scandal; the importance of leadership and training.Ep. 69 - LAPD Lt. Jeff Wenninger (ret) – Rodney King Riots; Rampart Scandal and rebuilding the Gang CRASH Unit through leadership and teamwork. Jeff Wenninger is a retired LAPD lieutenant with more than 30 years in law enforcement. He started with L.A. County Sheriff in 1991 and was on patrol during the Rodney King riots.He later lateralled to LAPD in 1993 and went on to work with some of the most highly-trained units, including the Metropolitan Division which encompasses SWAT, K9, high risk warrants, bank stakeouts, and more. The areas of focus over his career have included crowd management, hi...
2025-04-041h 16
The Intuition Incubator#35 Matthew Ellsworth - From Capitol Hill to Community Healing: The Real Work of LeadershipMatthew Ellsworth is the Executive Director of the Association of Washington Public Hospital Districts. He’s worn a lot of hats — political advisor, campaign strategist, nonprofit board member, credit union leader — and yet, the thread that runs through it all is curiosity.In this episode, we discuss what happens when your success stops feeling like success? When the title, the recognition, the open doors... no longer match what your inner knowing is whispering (or screaming)? We talk about what it really means to lead — especially from the second seat — and how hard it can be to pivot when you’v...
2025-04-0454 minOn Being a Police OfficerEp. 68 Talking Prison and Street Gangs with Brian “BC” Sanders retired LT and gang culture expert.Ep. 68 Talking Prison and Street Gangs with returning guest and gang culture expert retired Lt. Brian “BC” Sanders. In his 20+ years with a large agency in the southeastern U.S., Brian served on various proactive units including Gang Suppression, homicide, drug unit, aggravated assault and more. He is known for developing sources, actionable gang intelligence, motivating others to learn and work gangs and pushing disruption initiatives to reduce violence.In this episode, we explore the origins, evolution, and power dynamics of prison gangs – why they form, how they recruit, what their initiations or jump-ins look like, how they t...
2025-02-251h 20On Being a Police OfficerEp. 67 – NYPD Det. Tom Smith on 9/11, Joint Terrorism Task Force, Rescuing an American Hostage in Afghanistan, Stopping a School Shooter – Part TwoEp. 67 – In Part Two of my interview with NYPD Det. Tom Smith (Ret.) we discuss 9/11 and how the day unfolded for him; what it was like working rescue and recovery at Ground Zero and later at the landfill to identify belongings and remains and the unique emotional toll of trying to identify those we lost.After 9/11, Tom was assigned to the elite FBI/NYPD Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) for which he held a Top Secret/SCI clearance. As he says in the interview, “The responsibility was enormous…You have to prevent 9/11 from ever happening again. You are no...
2025-01-281h 10On Being a Police OfficerEp. 66 - NYPD Det. Tom Smith (Ret.) Narcotics, Robbery, Gang, Responding to Ground Zero, Joint Terrorism Task Force post 9/11Ep. 66 - Rescuing an American journalist kidnapped in Afghanistan, thwarting a school shooter, responding to Ground Zero on 9/11 - NYPD Det. Tom Smith (Ret.) did all of it in his 30 years with NYPD. Following in his NYPD Detective father’s footsteps, Tom joined NYPD in 1990 and started in patrol in Harlem. Within a few years he joined the anti-crime team and later Narcotics where he became a detective. He then moved into Gang Investigations in 1998 and then the Robbery unit in the Bronx in 1999.It was during his time there that 9/11 happened. We will talk about how the...
2025-01-071h 06On Being a Police OfficerEp. 65 Deadly force encounters and the impact on the officer involved; my interview with filmmaker and former police officer Patrick Shaver from 2021.Ep. 65 To mark the four-year anniversary of the podcast, I’m revisiting earlier episodes with content and issues that remain relevant today. This episode is about the impact of a deadly force encounter on the officer, something that is rarely discussed. I review the powerful documentary “Officer Involved” with the filmmaker Patrick Shaver, a former police officer. Over several years Patrick interviewed law enforcement from around the country about their incident and emotional toll it took on them. He also interviewed mental health experts who have researched and written about the subject. We are all sensitive to the tragedy surroundi...
2024-12-0241 min
PBD PodcastZuckerberg Meets Trump, Kamala's Odd Video, Abby Phillip's "Dear" Meltdown | PBD Podcast | Ep. 513Patrick Bet-David, Tom Ellsworth, Vincent Oshana, and Adam Sosnick covering Mark Zuckerberg meeting with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, Kamala's odd message to supporters, CNN's Abby Phillips melts down over the word "dear," and Baker Mayfield sues his parents for $12 million!🦁 50% OFF BLACK FRIDAY VT SPECIAL: https://bit.ly/3COGKSb🧢 PURCHASE THE LIMITED EDITION VT BLACK OUT HAT: https://bit.ly/48lYfEY🎄 VT CHRISTMAS COLLECTION: https://bit.ly/4hDCt3S📕 PBD'S BOOK "THE ACADEMY": https://bit.ly/3XC5ftN📰 VTNEWS.AI: https://bit.ly/3Zn2Moj🎙️ FOLLOW THE PODCAST ON SPOTIFY: https://bit.ly/3ze3RUM🎙️ FOLLOW THE PODCAST ON ITUNES: https://bit.ly/47iOGGx🎙️ FOLLOW THE P...
2024-11-282h 20On Being a Police OfficerEp. 64 Policing without a gun. Three years to qualify to drive lights and sirens. Hertfordshire PD Constable Ross on being a police officer in the UK.Ep. 64 Imagine policing without a gun or not being approved to drive lights and sirens until three years on the job. I’m talking policing in the UK with Constable Ross who is a response officer with the Hertfordshire Police Department which is about an hour outside of London. Ross has three years on and serves in a patrol capacity. We are using only his first name for his privacy. He tells me: “The vast majority of officers are unarmed. In fact, the basic package when you're out of training school is a baton, incapacitate spray, handcuffs, leg restraints and a...
2024-10-221h 10
The Comm Center with Drew BreasyMenéndez Brothers: What Do You Believe?The crux of the defense was that Erik and Lyle believed their lives were in danger after they threatened to publicly expose their wealthy and powerful father's abuse. Drew is sympathetic to their story of lifelong assault and mortal fear. Jon sees it as an after-the-fact method of obtaining reduced charges and an eased sentence. Special guest Abby Ellsworth from On Being A Police Officer weighs in with her take. What do you believe?
2024-10-041h 11On Being a Police OfficerEp. 63 National Law Enforcement Suicide Awareness Day 9/26 – my interview with Inspector Steve Hough co-creator of Blue H.E.L.P. from Sept. 2021.Ep. 63 National Law Enforcement Suicide Awareness Day 9/26 – revisiting my interview from Sept. 2021 with Inspector Steve Hough co-creator of Blue H.E.L.P.To mark the four-year anniversary of my podcast I’m taking a look back and reposting a few episodes from the early days with content and issues that remain relevant today. This is about the tragedy of officer suicide, not just the loss of life, but how that loss of life is regarded. We are all keenly aware of the devastating frequency with which we see reports of yet another officer who has taken his...
2024-09-2432 minOn Being a Police OfficerWhy I do this podcast – Four Year Anniversary!Why I do this podcast – Four Year Anniversary! It was September 2020 – the height of the riots and civil unrest. I had to find a way to stand up for all of you in law enforcement. The attacks – physical and emotional – and the toll they took were too much. I could not sit idly by. I could not be silent. And so "On Being a Police Officer" began.By then, I had already been working with law enforcement in my area for ten years after the tragic loss of five officers to ambush murders in late 2009, all in less than a...
2024-09-1904 minOn Being a Police OfficerEp. 62 Justified or not? The Airman and the Deputy – Fatal Officer Involved Shooting – Breakdown with Daniel Carr of Police Law NewsEp. 62 Justified or not? The Airman and the Deputy – Fatal Officer Involved Shooting – Breakdown with Daniel Carr of Police Law News. Once again, I am turning to Daniel Carr of Police Law News to break down a controversial, tragic incident. This is the incident involving an Okaloosa County Sheriff's Deputy and his response to a domestic disturbance that led to the use of deadly force that took the life of US Air Force Airman Roger Fortson on May 3, 2024. Mr. Fortson answered the door after the deputy announced himself. Mr. Fortson was holding his gun pointed down at the ground. The deput...
2024-09-1150 minOn Being a Police OfficerEp. 61 Lawful but awful? Unjustified? The Deputy Grayson – Sonya Massey incident: a breakdown with Drew Breasy and Daniel CarrEp. 61 Lawful but awful? Unjustified? The Deputy Sean Grayson – Sonya Massey incident: a breakdown with Drew Breasy, host of The Comm Center and Daniel Carr of Police Law News. We are covering this together because this is a tough one and it requires thoughtful and thorough analysis. Both Drew and Daniel are returning guests. As many of you know, Drew retired as a lieutenant after serving 29 years with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and Daniel recently retired from the Albuquerque Police Department where he served for 20 years. He also holds a law degree. You’ll see where Daniel, Drew and I...
2024-08-2059 minOn Being a Police OfficerEp. 60 ATF Agent Pete Forcelli (Ret) turned whistleblower on Operation Fast and Furious and his new book "The Deadly Path" – Part TwoEp. 60 In Part Two with Pete Forcelli, we discuss his promotion in 2007 to ATF Deputy Assistant Director of the Phoenix Division and the series of events that led him to turn whistleblower on the scandal known as Operation Fast and Furious. Pete documents it all in his new book “The Deadly Path: How Operation Fast and Furious and Bad lawyers Armed Mexican Cartels.”It’s a page turning account of his shocking discovery that ATF agents were being ordered by federal prosecutors to let illegally purchased guns cross the border into Mexico so they could be tracked. Unfort...
2024-07-1754 minOn Being a Police OfficerEp. 59 ATF Agent Pete Forcelli (ret) and NYPD Homicide Detective (ret) on turning whistleblower on the Operation Fast and Furious scandal and his book The Deadly Path.Ep. 59 ATF Deputy Assistant Director (Ret) and NYPD Homicide Detective (Ret) Pete Forcelli joins me to talk about testifying before Congress as a whistleblower in the Operation Fast and Furious scandal. Pete documents it all in his new book “The Deadly Path: How Operation Fast and Furious and Bad lawyers Armed Mexican Cartels.”In this episode, Part One of my conversation with Pete, we begin with his career with NYPD. Pete started out walking a foot beat in the Bronx in 1987. Later, as a Homicide Detective, he conducted federal investigations into violent gangs involved in homicide or racket...
2024-07-0947 min
Law Enforcement Talk: True Crime and Trauma StoriesPolice In Baltimore, Four Gun FightsPolice In Baltimore, Four Gun Fights. Impact of TV News. Special Episode. The intense and often misunderstood world of a Baltimore Police Officer. This episode sheds light on the trauma and realities faced by cops in Baltimore, debunking the myths spread by TV news and social media like Facebook and Instagram about police work in American cities.
In this special episode John J. Wiley sits down with Abby Ellsworth on her "On Being A Police Officer" podcast to share his harrowing experiences during his tenure with the Baltimore Police Department. Wiley recounts being involved in four officer-involved...
2024-06-1956 minOn Being a Police OfficerEp. 58 - 96 shots: misplaced focus in the Dexter Reed incident – Breakdown with Daniel Carr of Police Law NewsEp. 58 - Breakdown with Daniel Carr of Police Law News. This is a special episode to discuss an incident that took place in March 2024 involving Dexter Reed, a 26-year-old black male who was fatally shot while engaged in a gun battle with officers in Chicago following a traffic stop. He did not follow commands to roll down his window and exit the vehicle. He then shot a police officer, wounding him. Officers returned fire to stop the threat.I don't often cover incidents that are in the news, but I felt this was important because of how i...
2024-05-1548 minOn Being a Police OfficerEp. 57 Dexter Pitts on riots, race, the anti-cop narrative and more. Pt 2.Ep. 57 In Part 2 of my interview with Officer Dexter Pitts, we pick up with Dexter's departure from the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) after 12 years to become a US Border Patrol agent. It's a fascinating conversation about what the job really is, what he sees as the issues at the border, and why the job was not for him.Then we get to 2020. Dexter talks about how sure he was that Louisville would not fall into the chaos he saw erupting in Minneapolis. Yet as he watched the news, he saw his city succumbing to the same...
2024-05-071h 04On Being a Police OfficerEp. 56 Dexter Pitts on nearly losing his life, nearly taking his life, and ultimately finding purpose as a law enforcement officer. Part 1 of 2.Ep. 56 Dexter Pitts is well known to many of you as the author of “I Am Pitts: Memoirs of an American Patriot” and his “I Am Pitts” podcast. Whether you know Dexter or not, you will definitely enjoy this interview. This is Part One of Two.Dexter is a decorated, medically retired U.S. Army veteran who proudly served with the 10th Mountain Division in Iraq in 2004 as a machine gunner. We talk about the incident that nearly took his life and for which he received the Purple Heart.We cover his early days in law enfor...
2024-05-0158 min
Beyond the Uniform with The LT's Daughter14. Active Officer Interview: Mental health on and off the job & leaving a legacy for his children with Mike P.Today’s episode features an active police officer who wants to share about the importance of family and mental health, as a police officer. Mike has been a cop for about 8 years. He is married with two young daughters.He was also recently featured on Abby Ellsworth’s Podcast - On Being a Police Officer.Balancing work, life, mental health, and family can be tough but is so important and I really enjoyed listening to Mike’s perspective on things as again, he is an active officer and is raising a young family of his own. H...
2024-04-021h 09On Being a Police OfficerEp. 55 Scott Medlin - Giving up his 15-year law enforcement career and embarking on a mission to help LEOs survive and thrive.Ep. 55 - Scott Medlin found his calling as a police officer, a career he wanted since high school. After his deployment with the Marine Corps in 2003 and 2005 for Operation Iraqi Freedom, Scott fulfilled his dream and joined a police department in North Carolina. His most thrilling role was as K9 handler; he loved tracking and “the adrenaline rush of running in, not knowing what you're going to come up on.” But his commitment to the job was overtaking his life and taking its toll on his family. He decided to leave the streets to become a School Resource Officer (SRO...
2024-03-291h 09On Being a Police OfficerEp. 54 Long-term Deep Undercover with Det. Matt Pitcher (Ret.)Ep. 54 Det. Matt Pitcher (Ret.) on working long-term deep undercover: creating and maintaining an identity; going years without spending time with family knowing that one slip could cost him the case – or his life. Matt and I connected on Instagram when he posted photos from his two long-term deep undercover cases. The visual instantly conveyed, more than words ever could, what it was like to risk his life for years as those two people. The stories are both fascinating and haunting, and they show the commitment and sacrifice that officers and agents like Matt make doing this work.
2024-02-191h 21On Being a Police OfficerEp. 53 Officer Mike, seven years on, juggling the job and a young familyEp. 53 Officer Mike from a mid-sized agency in the Mid-Atlantic has been in law enforcement for seven years. He wrote to me saying, “I want to discuss the mental health aspect of the job and juggling it with family life. I've been married for about five years. We have two daughters who are four and almost two. I've gone through times when I see things at work that hit me in a way that I can't keep bottled up. Calls with children are what hit home the most. I tend to be pretty open with my family about what I...
2024-02-0250 minOn Being a Police OfficerEp. 52 Addressing public misperceptions of police ethics, training, use of force and more with Lt. Jared Ross, Arlington TX PDEp. 52 Lt. Jared Ross of the Arlington TX Police Department contacted me to discuss the public's misperceptions of police ethics, training, accountability, use of force and more. Jared has been with the department for 18 years and is currently Patrol Commander. He also is the department’s primary instructor for Ethics & Professionalism.He says, “whenever I hear the media or members of the public allude to the fact that we're undertrained or that we don't care about training, we don't value education or professional development, it's completely not true. And that's one of the things I wanted to be ab...
2024-01-071h 14
Hard Time: A Look At The Law Inside The Walls4. Cut Him Down: The Murder of Jeffrey EpsteinAbby Ellsworth from the podcast "On Being A Police Officer" is a civilian who seeks to reveal the truth of the lives of those in law enforcement. Jon appeared on her episode #41, and now Abby is back to return the favor in the first of a multi-episode interview.
2023-12-2731 minOn Being a Police OfficerEp. 51 – (Ret.) Officer Eric Hofstein - from street to transit cop, defining moments and saving lost souls.Ep. 51 Joining me is Eric Hofstein who was in law enforcement for 27 years and recently retired in 2021. After working as an EMT, he made the switch to law enforcement working with agencies in CA and FL before becoming a transit officer for BART, The Bay Area Rapid Transit System. We cover two of the most defining moments in his career. The first as a deputy with the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office, responding to the line-of-duty shooting death of California Highway Patrol Officer Kenyon Youngstrom, an incident that, as Eric says, was the final straw for him emotionally and fore...
2023-12-021h 19On Being a Police OfficerEp. 50 - NYPD Cold Case Det. Jason Palamara (Ret.) - responding to 9/11, solving cold cases, supporting LEOs and Veterans as a crisis counselor.Ep. 50 – NYPD Cold Case Det. Jason Palamara (Ret.) was with the department for 20 years and recently retired in 2020. Prior, he served in the U.S. Navy for three years. I've long wanted to interview a homicide or cold case detective about the challenges of their work and because of what I see as the public’s misperceptions of their commitment.We start with the inauspicious beginning to his law enforcement career. He writes on his LinkedIn page, “I became a cop on July 2, 2001. Two months later, I would respond to Ground Zero.” We discuss his memories of that day...
2023-10-281h 02On Being a Police OfficerEp. 49 14-year-old Tyler wants to be a police officer.Ep. 49 I am welcoming 14-year-old Tyler from the Midwest. He emailed me with a very important message about his hope to be a police officer. We recorded this interview a week before he started high school. And I did get permission from his mom!In his email Tyler wrote, “Dear Abby, I'm a 14-year-old-boy from the Midwest. I absolutely love listening to your podcast. I plan one day to be a police officer. I was hoping you could share my story on your podcast. Last year, in eighth grade, we had a mandatory project. All of the eig...
2023-09-1950 minOn Being a Police OfficerEp. 48 Seattle PD Lt. Brandon James on working undercover narcotics, ICAC, School Resource Officer and more.Ep. 48 Joining me is Lt. Brandon James who has 24 years with the Seattle Police Department. Much of our conversation focuses on his role supervising the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and the dedication of these detectives to saving our children from predators. I interviewed a detective in this unit more than a decade ago and that conversation has never left me. Brandon and I review the challenges for ICAC detectives in maintaining wellness considering what they are exposed to in these investigations.We begin the interview with a subject that I feel strongly about: the ro...
2023-08-301h 10On Being a Police OfficerEp. 47 Kent PD’s Sgt. Eric Tung – Relentless Optimism for Law EnforcementEp. 47 Kent (WA) Police Department’s Sgt. Eric Tung, known to many of you through his Blue Grit Wellness platform, joins me today to look back on his 16 years in law enforcement, and to look toward the future not just for him and his department, but for all law enforcement with what I call “relentless optimism.” First, we take a look back at Eric's career which started in 2007, just two years before the 2009 ambush murders of Seattle PD Officer Timothy Brenton and of the Lakewood Four, as they are known. We discuss our shared experience of that difficu...
2023-07-201h 10On Being a Police OfficerEp. 46 The LT’s Daughter – Katherine Boyle tapping her own experience to help LE make family connectionsEp. 46 The LT’s Daughter Katherine Boyle joins me to talk about her mission to help police officers who want more connection with their families. Katherine is the first law enforcement family member I’ve interviewed on this podcast. It’s important to me to do so as I have learned law enforcement is a family job, one that requires sacrifice and commitment from all. Katherine’s story is unusual in that her childhood was not unusual. She shares all the ways in which her father partnered with her mother to keep the job from negatively affecting their fami...
2023-07-0650 minOn Being a Police OfficerEp. 45 Meet NYPD’s and LAPD’s Knocko NolanEp. 45 Knocko Nolan has served on two of the country’s largest and finest police departments, NYPD and LAPD where he is now currently a detective sergeant. While on patrol, Knocko worked Brooklyn and Manhattan, as well Hollywood and downtown Los Angeles including Skid Row.In his nearly three decades of service, Knocko has been on a wide range of units including Narcotics, Vice, the Career Criminal Unit where he tracked and investigated violent repeat offenders; the infamous anti-gang unit CRASH where he collected intelligence on street and prison gangs and participated in undercover, reverse-sting operations; a Sp...
2023-06-101h 11On Being a Police OfficerEp. 44 Talking street gangs with B.C. SandersEp. 44 B.C. Sanders is widely known for his expertise in gang culture based on insights he draws from 20 years in law enforcement. He is with a large agency in the southeastern United States and has served on a number of units in addition to gang including drug unit, aggravated assault, homicide and more.B.C. began studying the inner workings of gangs from the time he was a rookie patrol officer when “gangs were just taking off in the South.” He went straight to the source – gang members themselves – to understand why they form and how they opera...
2023-05-031h 18
Failure To Stop292. NIGHTSHIFT: The Case of Sky MetalwalaOn November 6, 2011, the town of Bellevue, Washington, was rocked. Julia Biryukova was taking her two year old son to the doctor in the wake of an illness. Her car ran out of gas along the highway, and she left on foot to seek assistance, leaving the toddler alone in his seat. She returned to an empty car, and little Sky has never been seen again. But why didn't she have her phone or wallet with her? A bitter divorce had taken place and a custody battle ensued. We will talk culture, mental health, and public perception in the wake...
2023-04-191h 29On Being a Police OfficerEp. 43 Police Law News - compelling law enforcement insights by Det. Daniel CarrEp. 43 I’m joined by Detective Daniel Carr who has been in law enforcement for more than 17 years with a large agency in the southwestern United States. Daniel also holds a Master's Degree in criminal justice and a law degree, both of which he earned while being a full-time police officer. Many of you know Daniel as the creator of Police Law News – video and written content that honestly examines police incidents, police policy, law, culture and, in my opinion, addresses civilian misperceptions of law enforcement. All of it is thought provoking, well researched and insightful. You can find his v...
2023-04-031h 11On Being a Police OfficerEp. 42 Eric Tansey of Failure to Stop & former Raleigh PD Officer on his upcoming bookEp. 42 Join me on this ride of an episode with Eric Tansey, co-creator and host of Failure to Stop (FTS) and former Raleigh Police Department officer from 2012 to 2019. If you follow Eric on FTS, then you know he is a high-energy, highly-engaging storyteller. And nowhere is that more evident than in his soon-to-be released book, “PIG LATIN, a serious – but funny – true story.” I had the opportunity to read an advance manuscript and talk with Eric about some of the crazy and as well as poignant stories in the book.We discuss why he got into LE following...
2023-03-151h 22On Being a Police OfficerEp. 41 Dispatcher/911 Call Taker Jonathan Bates of Failure To Stop’s Comm CenterEp. 41 Dispatcher/911 call taker and former corrections officer, Jonathan Bates joins me for this episode. Many of you know him as co-host with Drew Breasy on Comm Center, a new show on the Failure to Stop YouTube channel and podcast where they breakdown all elements of a police incident – the 911 calls, dispatch and the police response via body cam footage. As Jon says in our conversation: “You basically see how a problem enters the criminal justice system. A problem exists, someone dials 911 and we start working. It's true crime in real time because we're trying to solve a mys...
2023-02-221h 08
Work From Your Happy Place with Belinda EllsworthTake your Artistic Skills to the Next Level and Find Your Path to Success with Marlene SharpArtists often face a variety of challenges on their creative journeys. Whether it’s establishing a unique style, achieving financial stability, or managing the highs and lows that come with creating art, many obstacles exist. One of the most significant ones is figuring out what route to take. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution, there are some essential things to keep in mind. Artists need to develop certain skills such as creativity, attention to detail and patience in order to find success.The path that we take in life, especially when it comes to art, can be complicated and ev...
2023-02-1632 minOn Being a Police OfficerEp. 40 Officer Nate on the TikTok that changed everything and his victory over cancel cultureEp. 40 Joining me is Nate Silvester, known as The Officer Nate and the guy who took on LeBron James' anti-police rhetoric via TikTok. Nate was in law enforcement just over 12 years, first with the Twin Falls, Idaho Police Department from 2006 to 2018, and then with the Bellevue, Idaho Marshal's Office which he joined in December, 2020. Just a few months later on April 24, 2021, Nate posted a TikTok in which he is pretending to seek advice from LeBron James on how to handle an imaginary disturbance involving two men wielding knives. To say the video went viral would be an understatement. Shared...
2023-01-231h 02On Being a Police OfficerEp. 39 (Ret) Seattle PD Sgt. Nick Bauer: how Code 4 NW can help all first responders in WA State. You do not need to suffer alone.Ep. 39 Returning to the podcast is Sgt. Nick Bauer who was with the Seattle Police Department for 30 years. He retired just under a year ago. He worked many units, including robbery, Major Crimes Task Force and the Force Investigation team. His most recent role was as the sergeant in the Wellness Unit, a role he was in during the 2020 riots which presented an unprecedented need for officer wellness and support.Nick is a founding member and executive director of Code 4 NW, a nonprofit organization that provides confidential support to all first responders and their families in Washington S...
2022-12-1654 minOn Being a Police OfficerEp. 38 WA State officer’s message of hope after seeking PTSD treatment: you are not aloneEP. 38 I am talking with Tricia Minkler who served in law enforcement in Washington state for eight years. Tricia's primary reason for doing this interview is that she has a very important story she wants to share about wellness, survival and recovery. Tricia's path has not been easy. She's developed PTSD over the course of her career, including during her time as prosecutor during which she worked at the county level with King County and then Mason County prosecutors' offices, and then as an assistant city attorney for the city of Auburn. Trauma on the job has led her to...
2022-12-1637 minOn Being a Police OfficerEp. 37 Media bias and perpetuation of myths: a breakdown of a New York Times article on traffic stopsEp. 37 When the news gets to shape the narrative, the consequences can become deadly for citizens and police alike. This is a special crossover episode with Drew Breasy of YouTube’s “Failure To Stop” and “Drew Breasy Uncuffed.” Together, Drew and I break down an article that has haunted me for more than a year titled: “How broken taillights end in killings by police.” It ran Oct., 31, 2021 in the Sunday New York Times, splashed across the front page above the fold. Under it was a breakout story with the headline: “At traffic stops, officers’ presumption of danger breeds overreaction...
2022-11-2457 minOn Being a Police OfficerEp. 36 Seattle PD Det. Britt Kelly on the ambush murder of her FTO Tim Brenton and her mission to honor all SPD line of duty deaths.Ep. 36 Seattle PD Det. Britt Kelly (née Sweeney) who has 13 years on the department, is embarking on a passion project to honor the department’s line of duty deaths, of which she was nearly one. On Oct. 31, 2009, just a few weeks into Britt’s field training, her Field Training Officer Timothy Brenton was murdered in an ambush attack as the two of them sat in their squad car pulled off to the side of the road. Britt sustained injuries but was able to exit the vehicle to return fire at the fleeing shooter’s car. She walks me through th...
2022-10-281h 11On Being a Police OfficerEp. 35 Hurricane Ian and First Responders, including the ones we don’t seeEp. 35 A special episode in reaction to the devastation of Hurricane Ian and the impact on first responders. Joining me for the second time on the podcast is Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office retired Lt. Drew Breasy to talk about this response, in particular the first responders we don’t see – the 911 Call Takers and Dispatchers, the “first” first responders as Drew calls them. Drew lives in the Tampa area which was initially in Hurricane Ian’s direct path. Drew started his career as a Dispatcher and 911 Call Taker and later returned to the Communications Center as a lieutenant...
2022-10-1433 minOn Being a Police OfficerEp. 34 Seattle PD SWAT Sgt. Drew Hancock (Ret. 2021)Ep. 34 Seattle PD SWAT Sgt. Drew Hancock, (retired 2021), discusses his 28-year career with the department working foot patrol, mountain bikes, undercover VICE and Narcotics, and SWAT as a sergeant/supervisor for ten years. In this role, he helped manage the Unit’s response to the 2020 riots that famously shut down a several-block area of the city and temporarily shuttered the department’s East Precinct. He talks about the scope and intensity of those days and compares this experience to working the World Trade Organization (WTO) riots in 1999 for which Seattle also made national news. I met Drew 12 years...
2022-09-171h 14On Being a Police OfficerEp. 33 Spokane Officer Stacy Roark and Clinician Jenny MandinEp. 33 I continue my conversation with Spokane PD Officer Stacy Roark. In Ep. 32, we started with an overview of Officer Roark’s 30-year career in law enforcement. We also talked about his current role on the Behavioral Health Unit and as a negotiator. Joining us is Jenny Mandin, a mental health professional with Frontier Behavioral Health. Officer Roark and Jenny are co-deployed to respond to persons in crisis. We discuss how this pairing works, the calls they respond to and the role each of them plays in assessing each person’s needs. Their goal is to connect people with service...
2022-09-0142 minOn Being a Police OfficerEp. 32 Spokane Officer Stacy Roark and Clinician Jenny MandinEp. 32 I continue my conversation with Spokane PD Officer Stacy Roark. In Ep. 31, we started with an overview of Officer Roark’s 30-year career in law enforcement. We also talked about his current role on the Behavioral Health Unit and as a negotiator. Joining us is Jenny Mandin, a mental health professional with Frontier Behavioral Health. Officer Roark and Jenny are co-deployed to respond to persons in crisis. We discuss how this pairing works, the calls they respond to and the role each of them plays in assessing each person’s needs. Their goal is to connect people with service...
2022-08-3142 minOn Being a Police OfficerEp. 32 Officer Stacy Roark with Spokane PD’s Behavioral Health Unit’s co-deployed modelEp. 32 Joining me is Officer Stacy Roark who has been in law enforcement for 30 years. He is currently with the Spokane Police Dept. in the Behavioral Health Unit which uses a co-deployed model for responding to persons in mental crisis. Officer Roark rides with a mental health professional (MHP), Jenny Mandin from Frontier Behavioral Health. We talk about the calls they respond to and how they get people the help they need with the goal of keeping them out of jail or the hospital. I’ve previously discussed the co-responder model on the podcast in which officers call...
2022-08-1846 minOn Being a Police OfficerEp. 31 Drew Breasy UncuffedEp. 31 Joining me is Andrew Baxter, a.k.a., Drew Breasy, creator and host of the popular social media channel “Drew Breasy Uncuffed” which he launched after retiring a year ago. It is, in his words, “the unapologetically honest opinion of a retired police lieutenant.” First, we look back on Drew’s 29 years with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (Tampa area). We talk about why he knew “come hell or high water” he would become a deputy with HCSO. We then jump into his resume which is so impressive, I focused on what, to me, is the stuff of TV shows...
2022-07-1058 minOn Being a Police OfficerEp. 30 WA State police reform update with Teresa Taylor, WACOPSEp. 30 Teresa Taylor, executive director of WACOPS, the Washington Council of Police and Sheriffs, shares an update on the wide-ranging police reform legislation that went into law in Washington State in July 2021. Now almost a year later, we look at the impact of the legislation on law enforcement and the community, the revisions that have been made and why, and what still needs to be changed. We also look at some concerning new developments including legislation that would make deadly use of force justified only if the threat is “immediate” as opposed to “imminent,” a potentially dangerous distinction. And we talk ab...
2022-06-0556 minOn Being a Police OfficerEp. 29 Constable James Walkling from UK and New Zealand PoliceEp. 29 Joining me is New Zealand police officer, Constable James Walkling. James is originally from the UK where he started his career in law enforcement with the Metropolitan Police in London in 2011. We talk about policing in these very different countries, in particular what it’s like to be unarmed in the UK and “semi armed” in New Zealand. We also review the current debate in New Zealand to move to “generally armed,” which would allow officers to carry a handgun as they do in Australia. This debate was ignited in 2021 following the murder of New Zealand Constable Matthew Hunt during a...
2022-05-0349 minOn Being a Police OfficerEp. 28 Head of public affairs for Baltimore, Chicago and Fairfax County PDEp. 28 Head of Public Affairs for the Baltimore, Chicago and Fairfax County VA police departments, Anthony Guglielmi talks about advocating for LE while being transparent with and educating the public on what it means to be a police officer. He reflects on the rewards and challenges of supporting police departments in two of the largest and most violent cities in the country. While with Baltimore PD from 2008 to 2013, Anthony helped the department communicate their strategy to reduce rampant gun violence through “targeted prosecution and putting the right people in jail for the right reason at the right tim...
2022-04-0458 min
Law Enforcement Talk: True Crime and Trauma StoriesFour Officer Involved Shootings as a Baltimore Cop. Special Episode.Four Officer Involved Shootings as a Baltimore Cop. Special Episode of the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast. The reality of being a Cop in Baltimore. Shattering myths spread by the media about Police in American Cities, especially Baltimore. Telling truths about Police Officers and the misreporting about Use Of Force. In this special episode, John J Wiley is a guest on the "On Being A Police Officer Podcast" with Abby Ellsworth. John talks about the realities of his career in the Baltimore Police Department. During his career, he was involved in four officer-involved shootings, contrary...
2022-03-2755 minOn Being a Police OfficerEp. 27 John “Jay” Wiley host of Law Enforcement Today Radio Show and PodcastEp. 27 John “Jay” Wiley retired police sergeant and host of the Law Enforcement Today Radio Show and Podcast shares his personal story about his time with the Baltimore Police Department from 1980 to 1992, as well as his views on the issues and challenges LEOs are facing in these tough times.Jay details the incidents and resulting injuries that led to his being forced to retire from the Baltimore Police Department at the age of 33. This is the first time in my podcast that I’ve discussed the impact on officers injured in the line of duty. Jay shares his deep...
2022-03-0953 min
On Being a Police OfficerEp. 26 – Retired Southfield PD (MI) Officer Anthony McNeil and Host of The Off Duty PodcastEp. 26 – Retired Southfield PD (MI) police officer Anthony McNeil shares his stories, experiences and insights from 21 years on the department as well as the inspiration behind his podcast “The Off Duty Podcast” and the Everyday Heroes Podcast Network which he created for podcasts about first responders and those who support them. I am pleased to report that my podcast is now part of Anthony’s network and that he recently interviewed me on The Off Duty Podcast. You can hear our conversation here and all about why I do this podcast.
In my interview with Anthony, we have a l...
2022-02-1858 min
The Off Duty Podcast - Law EnforcementAre They Arresting Him Because He's Black - Abby Ellsworth - Ep 78Abby Ellsworth is a civilian who supports the law enforcement profession! She's not only supports the profession, but she has taken actions to help recognize the men and women of the profession and to help shed a more positive light on the profession.Abby and I talk about, why she has chosen to support law enforcement and she shares detail about some of the thing she has done and is doing to move the profession forward.ABOUT ABBY ELLSWORTH:Accomplished public relations professional, writer and content creatorHost - “On Being a Police Officer” podcastFrom Wash...
2022-02-1454 min
On Being a Police OfficerEp. 25 Chief Doug Shoemaker with Colorado Junction PD and 5th VP with IACP shares his passion for the profession and his vision for the futureEp. 25 - I am kicking off 2022 on National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day with a thoughtful and forward-looking interview with Chief Doug Shoemaker with the Colorado Junction Police Department. The Chief shares his passion for the profession, his enthusiasm for its future and his focus on relationship building.
Chief Shoemaker has been in law enforcement for more than 30 years. For more than ten years, he has served on various committees and sections within the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) including as chair the association’s Police Professional Standards and Ethics Committee. In 2021, he was elected the Fi...
2022-01-1051 min
On Being a Police OfficerEp. 24 WA State’s new wide-ranging police reform legislation causing concern for LE and citizensEp. 24 - A Captain from a mid-sized agency in Washington State discusses the wide-ranging new police reform legislation that went into law in July 2021 in Washington. Many states are enacting police reform bills into law, but to date, few go as far as the new laws in Washington – including being the only state to ban Terry stops, a long-held practice which allows the police to briefly detain a person based on reasonable suspicion of involvement in criminal activity.
Because of how these laws are written and their overall scope and restrictiveness, they have been met with concern an...
2021-11-0642 min
On Being a Police OfficerEp. 23 National Law Enforcement Suicide Awareness Day - 9/26 - Blue H.E.L.P.Ep. 23 Today, I am bringing awareness to suicide and mental health issues within law enforcement. Joining me is Inspector Steve Hough who has 25 years in law enforcement. He is one of the co-founders, along with Karen Solomon and Dr. Jeffrey McGill, of Blue H.E.L.P., a non-profit organization committed to honoring the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers who have been lost to suicide and to supporting their families and loved ones. It is the only organization in the country that collects LE suicide data. Blue H.E.L.P. also works to de-stigmatize mental health...
2021-09-2432 min
On Being a Police OfficerEp. 22 Mountain View PD’s PIO Katie Nelson on the #Path Forward for LEEp. 22 Today’s episode is with Katie Nelson, Public Information Officer (PIO) for the Mountain View Police Department. We talk about how police agencies are connecting with community at the local and national level. Katie has a prominent role as the Chair of the PIO Section for the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) – the world’s largest and most influential professional association for police leaders with more than 31,000 members in more than 165 countries. I tap her insight into what’s going on around the country in terms of new legislation in certain states, the elimination of qualified immunity...
2021-09-1828 minOn Being a Police OfficerEp. 21 What it means to be an "Officer Involved." Interview with Filmmaker and former officer Patrick ShaverEp. 21 What is it like to be an officer involved in a deadly force incident? This is the subject of a powerful documentary, “Officer Involved” by filmmaker and former police officer Patrick Shaver. Over several years, Patrick interviewed officers from around the country about their incident and the emotional toll it took on them. He also interviews experts on the subject. We are painfully aware of the tragedy surrounding deadly use of force on those lost and their loved ones. This film and my conversation with Patrick shed light on the part of the story that is rarely discussed: what...
2021-07-2840 min
On Being a Police OfficerEp. 20 NYC Pride Parade bans police – Seattle PD LGBTQ Officer Jim Ritter respondsEp. 20 With the NYC Pride Parade’s ban of NYPD officers from working and participating in this year’s parade, I turned to retired Seattle PD Officer Jim Ritter for his reaction. Ritter, who had a 40-year career in law enforcement, was Seattle PD’s first full-time LGBTQ liaison, and he created Safe Place originally for the protection of the LGBTQ community. Shortly after this interview was recorded, groups in Seattle began making similar police-banning announcements for the Pride parade activities there. Jim’s reaction to NYC addresses the issues in both cities and any other that may follow. Equally...
2021-06-0332 min
On Being a Police OfficerEp. 19 Seattle PD Det. Beth Wareing discusses surge in hate crimes and much more.Ep. 19 With the dramatic increase in attacks on Asian Americans, I turn to Det. Beth Wareing who investigates bias and hate crimes for the Seattle Police Department. I ask: What is a hate crime? How is it investigated? What are the challenges? We discuss not only the increase in hate crimes against Asian Americans, but also in other categories like homeless, Black and Brown, and LGBTQ communities. This is not an interview about statistics. This is about people – the people who suffer these assaults – and the people who are committed to investigating them. Det. Wareing reinforces the importance of patro...
2021-05-2138 min
On Being a Police OfficerEp. 18 Another Seattle Police Officer Departs. Why and What’s Next.Ep. 18 My interview with another officer who recently left the Seattle Police Department. We discuss why he originally made the move from his home town in Alabama to join SPD, only to make the tough decision to leave due to the lack of community support and not being able to police effectively, including seeing victims re-victimized when police cannot make arrests. As he says, having to be a proactive officer turning a blind eye to crime. We get into these and other issues in this current environment. This officer is also one of two SPD officers that King County Metro...
2021-04-2123 min
On Being a Police OfficerEp. 17 Sgt. Part 2 - Tough Topics and RewardsEp. 17 In Part 2 of my interview with this sergeant in the Pacific NW, we tackle the subject of deadly use of force and when it is necessary. We examine often-asked questions citizens have about these encounters. We then turn to how LE is a true family and the rewards of the job. As she describes, her best days on patrol were when people thanked her at the end of the contact, often after she had to arrest them. She talks about the citizens she remembers, and how sharing a little about herself and listening to people goes a long...
2021-04-1714 min
On Being a Police OfficerEp. 16 Sgt. from Pacific NW. Part 1 of 2. LE was not her original path but would have it no other way.Ep. 16 Part 1 of 2. A sergeant with 20 years on a mid-sized agency in the Pacific NW explains she never considered becoming a police officer because of the unfavorable view she had of law enforcement growing up. We talk about what changed her mind and why a career as an LEO means so much to her especially, as she explains, as a woman of color being able to represent the underrepresented. We discuss how the area she grew up in, which was known for gang violence, and her first job as a counselor for incarcerated youth helped inform her work. We...
2021-04-1429 min
On Being a Police OfficerEp. 15 Former Seattle PD Officer Part 3 of 3. Riots. Rewards. Resignation.Ep. 15 Former Seattle Police Officer Part 3 of 3. Riots. Rewards. Resignation. Today I complete a series of three interviews with a former Seattle police officer who was with the department for 14 years. We talk about working the protests and riots over the summer, in particular holding the line at the SPD’s East Precinct the closure of which made national news. The officer discusses watching legitimate protests overrun by those bent on destruction and harming officers. We talk about the inability to police effectively and hold those committing crimes accountable due to changes in filing standards and failure to press ch...
2021-03-3112 min
On Being a Police OfficerEp. 14 SPD Officer Part 2 of 3 - Joel's StoryEp. 14 - Part 2 of 3. Joel’s story. This the second of three interviews with an officer who spent 14 years on the Seattle Police Department. We pick up where we left off in Part 1 talking about the work this officer did with SPD’s Crisis Intervention Team. We focus on the story of Joel Reuter. Much has been written about Joel, his skill working in technology, his friendly nature as well as his mental illness and the incident that ultimately took his life. We discuss how much this officer along with the mental health professional that partnered with the CIT did t...
2021-03-2414 min
On Being a Police OfficerEp. 13 - Part 1 of a three-part series with former Seattle PD Officer - Saving LivesEp. 13. Part one of three – Saving Lives. This is the first in a three-part series with a former Seattle Police Officer who recently left the department after 14 years. First, in this part, we look back at the great work this officer did with the Seattle Police Department. We start with his response to the shooting in March 2019 of Metro Bus Driver Eric Stark whose story of heroism is featured in EP. 8. Eric credits two SPD officers with saving his life. This is one of those officers.
We then talk about this officer’s work on SPD’s Crisis...
2021-03-1725 min
On Being a Police OfficerEp. 12 Asst. Chief Green with San Bernardino PD on the challenges of state crime mandates and the 2015 terrorist attackEp. 12 features Assistant Chief David Green with the San Bernardino Police Department. We talk about the challenges of policing in California due to the impact of state initiatives involving decriminalization, zero bail amounts, moving the prison population into county jails and more, mandates that are having a major impact on law enforcement and the community, as similar initiatives are having in other markets around the country. Chief Green also discusses the horror of the 2015 terrorist attack, a mass shooting and attempted bombing perpetrated by heavily-armed husband and wife extremists that left 14 dead and dozens injured. It was the deadliest t...
2021-03-0234 min
On Being a Police OfficerEp. 11 San Diego County Detective working robbery investigations; started his career with Seattle PDA Detective from a San Diego County agency with 15 years in LE talks about his current role in robbery, home invasion, kidnapping and carjacking investigations. He started out with Seattle PD in 2005 and shares stories of his time there including the interesting aspects of working undercover. For the first time in this podcast, we discuss the impact of line-of-duty deaths. We also talk about the challenges of the current anti-police environment, the importance of giving people a chance to be heard in any interaction, and the impact of CA state policies on LE’s ability to protect the community. An...
2021-02-1037 min
On Being a Police OfficerEp. 10 Jim Fuda of Crime Stoppers addresses Human Trafficking and the fight to stop itJanuary is Slavery and Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention month, so I am talking with Jim Fuda who is the Director of Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound and Vice Chairman of the recently launched Crime Stoppers Global Solutions. A big part of their focus is international outreach to stop human trafficking as well as other major felony crimes. Jim is a 48-year career police officer who has worked many overseas assignments where he has seen heinous crimes such as child sex trafficking. It compelled him to form an NGO where Crime Stoppers can leverage technology to assist in the...
2021-01-2316 minOn Being a Police OfficerEp. 9 New officer with Pacific NW agency discusses why she became an LEO in these tough timesI talk with an officer from a mid-sized agency in the Pacific NW who has been on for just under two years. We talk about why she recently changed careers to become a police officer and what it’s like having joined at this challenging time for LE. Given the location of her department, she has not been on the front lines of riots and protests. But she is battling an assault on a personal level, in her life and relationships with the perspective people have of the police, not just nationally, but within her own circle. It is so...
2021-01-1726 min
On Being a Police OfficerHonoring all LEOs on National Law Enforcement Appreciation DayFor National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, January 9, I’m sharing a short collection of quotes from the first set of interviews I did with officers in 2020. I am a civilian doing this podcast to give law enforcement a voice at this difficult time. My goal is to tell the real stories of LE to shine a light on your commitment, sacrifice and the good things you do every day. #NationalLawEnforcmentAppreciationDay
The quotes you hear in this short collection are from:
Episodes 1 with a Seattle Police Department Sergeant;
Episode 2 with a Chief from a mid...
2021-01-0905 min
On Being a Police OfficerEp. 8 Hero Seattle bus driver Eric Stark, shot on the job, thanks Seattle PD for saving his life and extends his gratitude to all LE with special challenge coins.Metro Transit Bus Driver Eric Stark is widely hailed as a hero in Seattle for his quick thinking and actions to save his passengers after he was shot while driving his bus in North Seattle on March 27, 2019. Eric recounts the harrowing ordeal and credits two Seattle Police Officers with saving his life. After receiving a Seattle PD Challenge Coin from then Chief Carmen Best, Eric decided to create his own challenge coin to thank and honor all LE. He has spent months making presentations and handing out his coins to officers at all SPD precincts and surrounding Seattle-area police...
2020-12-1027 min
On Being a Police OfficerEp. 7 Lt. Chris Cook, PIO of the Arlington Police Dept., discusses issues facing LE around the country.Lt. Christopher Cook, Public Information Officer for the Arlington Police Department in Texas has a unique perspective on issues facing police departments around the country because he is involved in three of the largest police and communications organizations in the world: Major Cities Chiefs, The International Association of Chiefs of Police and the National Information Officers Association. We talk about the toll defunding and riots are taking on officers. We discuss the death of George Floyd and the experiences of our black and brown communities. We examine use of force and LE transparency. He talks about my new favorite i...
2020-12-0335 min
On Being a Police OfficerEp. 6 A Colorado citizen, his wife and friends take active steps to show their support of all law enforcement.As we give thanks this time of year, I am sharing what one Colorado citizen and his wife and friends are doing to step out of being the silent majority into the vocal majority by taking active steps to show their support for officers in their area – and for all law enforcement. To all officers and your families and friends, I hope you’ll take a moment to enjoy this simple and heartfelt thank you.
2020-11-1810 min
On Being a Police OfficerEp. 5 Retired Los Angeles PD Det. Moses Castillo discusses the current environment in LA and looks back at his 30-year career most of it committed to investigating crimes against children.Retired LAPD Det. Moses Castillo discusses civil unrest in Los Angeles and the calls from city officials to defund LAPD the impact of which, as in other markets, affects not only their ability to respond to calls, but also demoralizes officers. A 30-year veteran of the department, he started out during the Rodney King riots, and he compares the social unrest then and now. He also discusses some of the most meaningful cases he investigated involving the assault and murder of children, work he did for more than 20 years. The stories are dramatic and emotional, and they reinforce the...
2020-11-1038 min
On Being a Police OfficerEp. 4 A citizen's heartfelt thank you to Seattle PD and all law enforcement.A Seattle citizen sends a very personal message of thanks to the Seattle Police officers who saved his life after a drive-by shooting two years ago this month. He tells his story not only to share his gratitude for all law enforcement, but also to help others see the good that officers do, the stories that don’t make news. As you will hear, he also is raising funds for two groups: YMCA’s Alive and Free Violence Prevention program to reduce gang violence, and The Seattle Police Foundation, a non-profit that helps fund needed training, equipment and community outr...
2020-10-2020 min
On Being a Police OfficerEp. 3 Former Seattle Police Officer reflects on 40 years in LE and the issues we face todayEp. 3 Former Seattle Police Officer looks back at 40-year career; his experience as a Black man in life and in law enforcement; the issues facing society and LE today; why he became a police officer, the people he remembers and the rewards of the job.
2020-10-1020 min
On Being a Police OfficerEp. 2 Chief from PNW shares unique views and solutions, and the heroic things cops doChief from a Pacific NW agency shares his views on steps law enforcement can take to win back public trust. We discuss bias and de-escalation training and how the best-trained officers are the least likely to use force; and we look at the viability of the co-responder model. He talks about how the Rodney King incident nearly caused him to leave the profession and his reaction to George Floyd. He details a solution-oriented program he created to bring officers and youth together in a positive environment. And he reflects on the heroic things officers do every day and the...
2020-09-2324 min
On Being a Police OfficerSeattle Police lose their Chief; a sergeant reacts to this, the riots in Seattle and tells us why he’s a cop.Ep. 1 Seattle TV reporter Linda Byron shares the significance of the Seattle Police Department’s loss of its first Black female police Chief when Carmen Best suddenly resigns. (6:15 min). An SPD sergeant reacts to Best's news, to the murder of George Floyd, and he describes what it’s like on the front lines of the riots that have plagued the city for weeks. He reflects on hope for law enforcement, the lives he’s touched while being a police officer, and why it's still a rewarding career. (23:30 min.)
2020-09-1631 min
On Being a Police OfficerTrailer - the questions I ask of officers and whyWe all have feelings about cops. Here's a short trailer on why I'm asking questions and telling their stories, the stories that you don't see in the news..
2020-09-1602 min
Lunar DatebookWe're All Wayfinding and "Intact"Episode 63- May 21, 2016 Navigating the seas without a map, a compass, or a sextant and nautical almanac would mean death for most of us. Today host Jennifer Ellsworth introduces the ancient art of Wayfinding, and explains how celestial navigation negates that fate. She also tells a true story about a group of hayfield partiers finding their way to the next vision, and reads a short story about a soldier and his wife staying connected. It's called "Intact." "..."Can you hear me?" She could. Abby was sitting at the kitchen table. Though it was 5:45 a.m. she wa...
2016-05-2126 min