Cops and Writers Podcast
Cops and Writers is a podcast hosted by retired police sergeant and author, Patrick O'Donnell. The podcast provides valuable insights and humor for crime writers who want to create accurate and believable police stories. O'Donnell conducts in-depth interviews with members of law enforcement and civilian experts, discussing police procedures and culture. He also interviews crime fiction writers and writers from different genres, discussing what works in the ever-changing landscape of book sales and publishing. The podcast offers candid stories told with cop humor and technical details about the world of law enforcement.
Episodes
Welcome everyone as we travel to the city of brotherly love and Rocky, Philadelphia. Today on the show, we have former Philadelphia warrant squad member Tristin Kilgallon.
Tristin grew up in Philadelphia and started his career in law enforcement with the city’s Warrant Unit, tracking fugitives and working the tough streets of Philly.
Tristin later moved to Ohio to attend law school, earning a JD and LLM. Tristin went on...
In this episode of the Cops and Writers Podcast bonus series, retired Milwaukee Police Sergeant Patrick O'Donnell reads Chapter 31, "All-City Assist," from his upcoming book:
Police Stories: The Rookie Years - True Crime, Chaos, & Life as a Big City Cop
Rachel and Patrick are processing a routine arrest at District Five when the radio crackles to life: "245B, they're shooting at us! Send us mor...
Welcome back everyone for the conclusion to my interview with retired Central Florida Sheriff Deputy Michael Dilks.
Mike is a retired Deputy Sheriff and Police Officer with 23 years with experience in patrol, investigations, and undercover narcotics.
Mike was a member of SWAT, the United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force, the DEA Narcotics Task Force and supervised a Street Crimes Unit.
Prior to his law enforcement car...
In this episode of the Cops and Writers Podcast bonus series, retired Milwaukee Police Sergeant Patrick O'Donnell reads Chapter 28, "Wow! That's Realistic!" from his upcoming book:
Police Stories: The Rookie Years - True Crime, Chaos, & Life as a Big City Cop
It's 2:00 AM at District Five. Patrick and his partner Rachel are processing an arrest when a bloodcurdling scream echoes from the front ...
Welcome, everyone to part one of my interview with retired Central Florida Sheriff's Deputy Michael Dilks. The conclusion of this interview will air next Sunday!
Mike is a retired Deputy Sheriff and Police Officer with 23 years of experience in patrol, investigations, and undercover narcotics.
Mike was a member of SWAT, the United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force, the DEA Narcotics Task Force and supervised a Stre...
In this episode of the Cops and Writers Podcast, retired Milwaukee Police Sergeant Patrick O'Donnell reads Chapter 18, Cannibal Dad, from his upcoming book:
Police Stories: The Rookie Years - True Crime, Chaos, & Life as a Big City Cop
Fresh off probation and officially a "real cop," Patrick rides for the first time without a senior officer alongside his academy classmate, Tommie. What starts as an excit...
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas? Not today. Welcome back, everyone, to the conclusion of my interview with retired Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sergeant Jenn Benjamins.
Jenn Benjamins is a retired sergeant from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department with nearly 22 years of real-world experience in patrol, case investigations, and covert/undercover operations.
Her interest in undercover work led her ...
In this episode of the Cops and Writers Podcast, retired Milwaukee Police Sergeant Patrick O’Donnell reads Chapter 12, Pistol Packing Grandma Moses, from his upcoming book:
Police Stories: The Rookie Years - True Crime, Chaos, & My Life as a Big City Cop
While still a rookie cop "warhorsing" (filling in for other officers), Patrick partners with DJ, a 6'5", 300-pound gentle giant and former Chicago ...
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas? Not today. Welcome, everyone, to part one of my interview with retired Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sergeant Jenn Benjamins. The conclusion of this interview will be next Sunday!
Jenn Benjamins is a retired sergeant from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department with nearly 22 years of real-world experience in patrol, case investigations, and covert/undercover operation...
In this episode of the Cops and Writers Podcast, retired Milwaukee Police Sergeant Patrick O’Donnell reads the Introduction and Chapter 1, Baptism By Fire! from his upcoming book:
Police Stories: The Rookie Years — True Crime, Chaos, & My Life as a Big City Cop
These are true stories from Patrick’s first years working the streets of Milwaukee during the height of the crack wars—stories of chaos, dark humor, tragedy, an...
Hey everyone! Today, we are going north, way north, to the last frontier, Anchorage, Alaska, with Author and retired Anchorage Police Officer Doug Fifer. And we are getting kinky.
Doug Fifer is a retired Alaskan police officer who specialized in crime scene analysis, deviant sexual crimes, hostage negotiations, and various special assignments throughout his twenty-five-year career. As a highly decorated investigator, Dou...
Welcome, everyone, to a special Cops and Writers Podcast. Due to the nature and timing of our topic today, I released this episode early. Back in late October, retired DEA Agents (legends) Steve Murphy, Wes Tabor, and Chris Feistl predicted on the Cops and Writers Podcast episodes 250 and 251, that the U.S. would take the fight t...
Welcome back, everyone, for the conclusion of my interview with Author and retired FBI Special Agent Seamus McElearney.
Séamus McElearney began his distinguished career with the FBI in 1998, joining Squad C-10 of the New York Organized Crime Branch. T...
Welcome, everyone, to part one of my interview with Author and retired FBI Special Agent Seamus McElearney. Come back next Sunday for the conclusion of my interview with Seamus.
Séamus McElearney began his distinguished career with the FBI in 1998, jo...
Welcome everyone to a very special Cops and Writers with my friend Ian Bick. Back in November, I visited Ian at his studio in Connecticut, where Ian interviewed me (That episode went live on 12-16-25 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/locked-in-with-ian-bick/id1662286355?i=1000741596571,
Hey cops and writers, thanks for being here with us today for another episode of the Cops and Writers podcast! I’m Patrick O’Donnell, and I will be your host for today’s show.
Before I start, can I ask you all a favor? If you are enjoying this podcast,...
Hey cops and writers, thanks for being here with us today for another episode of the Cops and Writers podcast! I’m Patrick O’Donnell, and I will be your host for today’s show.
Before I start, can I ask you all a favor? If you are enjoying this podcast,...
Welcome back, everyone, to the conclusion of my interview with former Assistant District Attorney, Police Superintendent, Professor, Podcaster, and Author Patrick Welsh.
Pat Welsh was an ADA turned cop. During his distinguished career, he rose through...
Welcome everyone to part one of my interview with former Assistant District Attorney, Police Superintendent, Professor, Podcaster, and Author Patrick Welsh.
Pat Welsh was an ADA turned cop. During his distinguished career, he rose through the ranks to...
Welcome back, everyone, for the conclusion of my interview with Army Veteran, retired Sheriff Deputy, and host of the popular Antihero podcast, Tyler Hoover.
Tyler Hoover is a United States Army Airborne Infantry Iraq War Veteran, having served with t...
Popular Podcasts
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Saskia Inwood woke up one morning, knowing her life would never be the same. The night before, she learned the unimaginable – that the husband she knew in the light of day was a different person after dark. This season unpacks Saskia’s discovery of her husband’s secret life and her fight to bring him to justice. Along the way, we expose a crime that is just coming to light. This is also a story about the myth of the “perfect victim:” who gets believed, who gets doubted, and why. We follow Saskia as she works to reclaim her body, her voice, and her life. If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal Team, email us at betrayalpod@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.
The Dan Bongino Show delivers no-nonsense analysis of the day’s most important political and cultural stories. Hosted by the former Deputy Director of the FBI, former Secret Service agent, NYPD officer, and bestselling author Dan Bongino, the show cuts through media spin with facts, accountability, and unapologetic conviction. Whether it’s exposing government overreach, defending constitutional freedoms, or connecting the dots the mainstream media ignores, The Dan Bongino Show provides in-depth analysis of the issues shaping America today. Each episode features sharp commentary, deep dives into breaking news, and behind-the-scenes insight you won’t hear anywhere else. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dan-bongino-show/id965293227?mt=2 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4sftHO603JaFqpuQBEZReL?si=PBlx46DyS5KxCuCXMOrQvw Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/bongino?e9s=src_v1_sa%2Csrc_v4_sa_o
Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.