Cops and Writers Podcast

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

June 15, 2025 46 mins

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I wanted to start the show today with a disclaimer. I do not and never have condoned criminal behavior. I was a cop for 25 years, and my heart is with the men and women who enforce the law and bring criminals to justice. 

That being said, I wanted to bring you, the listener/viewer, a different perspective. One from an unapologetic outlaw living out the last chapters of his life (who knows, maybe he will live to a 100)....

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Welcome back for the conclusion of my interview with Professor, bestselling Author, and Retired ATF Special Agent Jay Dobyns. If you're enjoying this episode, you'll love my interview with ATF Special Agent Ken Croke from episode 120, where he chats about his deep undercover mission taking down the outlaw motorcycle gang, The Pagans. I thought it would be interesting to get a different perspective on these c...

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Do I have a treat for all of you! On today’s episode of the Cops and Writers Podcast, I have with me Professor, Bestselling Author, and Retired ATF Special Agent Jay Dobyns for this special two-part interview that will conclude next Sunday.

Jay Dobyns spent over two decades as a federal agent embedded in the dark heart of America’s violent crime, participating in more than five hundred undercover missions targeting gun...

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Welcome, everyone, to a special bonus edition of the Cops and Writers Podcast. A few weeks back, it was my pleasure to be a guest on the Ireland Crimes and Mysteries Podcast hosted by the wonderful Nules Ní Chleirigh. Being a child of two Irish immigrants, I jumped at the opportunity to be on her show. Her podcast is recorded over in the Emerald Isle in County Tipperary. I had so much fun talking to her about American...

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Welcome everyone to the conclusion of my special two-episode conversation with Author and Retired DEA Special Agent Jaime Forza! Here are just some of Jaime’s career highlights. 

After serving eight years in the U.S. Navy, Jaime joined the U.S. Department of Defense, Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) as a Special Agent serving for two years. In 1989, he became a Special Agent with the DEA, first in Charleston...

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Welcome to part one of my special two-episode conversation with Author and retired DEA Special Agent Jaime Forza! Here are just some of Jaime’s career highlights. 

After serving eight years in the U.S. Navy, Jaime joined the U.S. Department of Defense, Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) as a Special Agent serving for two years. In 1989, he became a Special Agent with the DEA, first in Charleston, South Carolin...

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Hey everyone, thanks for joining us as we’re going the back to west coast today for the conclusion of our interview with Author and Retired Los Angeles Police Department Lieutenant Jeff Wenninger!   

Jeff is a retired LAPD lieutenant with more than 33 years in law enforcement. He started with L.A. County Sheriff in 1991 and worked the Rodney King riots on the street and jail, where he and his coworkers were not allowed...

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Hey everyone, thanks for joining us, as we’re going west coast today! Welcome to part one of my two-part conversation with Author and Retired Los Angeles Police Department Lieutenant Jeff Wenninger!   

Jeff is a retired LAPD lieutenant with more than 33 years in law enforcement. He started with the L.A. County Sheriff in 1991 and worked the Rodney King riots on the street and jail, where he and his coworkers were not a...

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Welcome back everyone to the conclusion of my conversation with the amazing Nick Chiarkas! I was so excited about this interview I didn’t want you guys to wait for next Sunday! I really enjoyed talking to Nick and I think you guys are going to feel the same about this episode.  

Nick grew up in the Al Smith housing projects on Manhattan's Lower East Side. When he was in the fourth grade, his mother was told by the...

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Welcome to part one of my two-part conversation with the amazing Nick Chiarkas! I really enjoyed talking to Nick and I think you guys are going to feel the same about this episode.  

Nick grew up in the Al Smith housing projects on Manhattan's Lower East Side. When he was in the fourth grade, his mother was told by the principal of PS-1 that "Nick was unlikely ever to complete high school, so you must steer h...

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Welcome back for the conclusion of my interview with Author and Retired DEA Special Agent Chris Feistl. 

Chris Feistl served with distinction for 26 years with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), retiring in 2014 as an Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division.

After serving an initial six-year assignment in Miami, Florida, Chris was sent to Colombia in July 1994 and assigned to a special Ta...

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Welcome to a bonus episode of the Cops and Writers Podcast, with me being interviewed on the Things Police See Podcast hosted by Steve Gould!

We talk about everything from rectal hot sauce to a last-second murder confession. 

Check out the most awesome Steve Gould's Things Pollice See Podcast!

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!
Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante J...

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Welcome to part one of my interview with Author and retired DEA Special Agent Chris Feistl. 

Chris Feistl served with distinction for 26 years with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), retiring in 2014 as an Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division. 

After serving an initial six-year assignment in Miami, Florida, Chris was sent to Colombia in July 1994 and assigned to a special Task Force cr...

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Welcome back to the conclusion of my interview with retired Las Vegas Metro Lieutenant Randy Sutton. 

Most cops, including myself, have a recurring nightmare of being in a gunfight and their firearm malfunctioning or their rounds hitting the bad guy with no effect. My guest on today’s show lived that nightmare, going toe to toe with a gunman less than a few feet away from him, with his pistol malfunctioning, and once h...

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Welcome to part one of my show with retired Las Vegas Metro Lieutenant Randy Sutton. 

Most cops, including myself, have a reoccurring nightmare of being in a gunfight and their firearm malfunctioning or their rounds hitting the bad guy with no effect. My guest on today’s show lived that nightmare, going toe to toe with a gunman less than a few feet away from him, with his pistol malfunctioning, and once he cleared his ...

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Welcome back to the conclusion of a special two part show with former FBI Special Agent, Zach Schoffstall. 

You never embarrass the bureau! The truth and facts of a case be damned! That is what happened to my guest at the end of his FBI career. 

Let’s take a closer look at my guest on the show today. Zach started serving his country as an intelligence officer in the United States air force where he was stationed in Iraq...

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Today is a bonus episode of the Cops and Writers Podcast I shall name, Author Spotlight. Think of it as an offshoot of the Cops and Writers Podcast, with more of an emphasis on giving writers actionable help with the authorly side of things. Not a bunch of fluff or theories. Concrete things that will help you build your author career. Think of this as an experiment, for now.

I am not abandoning the Cop side of Cops and...

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Welcome to part one of a special two part show with former FBI Special Agent, Zach Schoffstall. 

Zach started serving his country as an intelligence officer in the United States air force where he was stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan for four years. He then continued to serve his country transitioning from his military career to becoming a special agent in the FBI where he served for 16 years. 

While at the FBI, Zach r...

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Welcome to the conclusion of a special two part show with fan favorite, former Gambino Family Mobster turned mafia historian and international bestselling author, Louis Ferrante. 

Mr. Ferrante grew up in New York City and became entangled in the Gambino crime family. He was eventually arrested and served almost ten years in prison. While he was incarcerated, he taught himself to write, and he fell in love with books. H...

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Welcome to part one of a special two-part show with former Gambino Family Mobster turned mafia historian and international bestselling author Louis Ferrante. 

Mr. Ferrante grew up in New York City and became entangled in the Gambino crime family. He was eventually arrested and served almost ten years in prison. While he was incarcerated, he taught himself to write, and he fell in love with books. He promised himself th...


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