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 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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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 ...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Welcome to the conclusion of a special two part show with renowned advocate and expert in the field of human trafficking, and the founder of Libertas International Tyler Schwab.
I’m going to warn you that the subject matter we cover during this interview is deeply disturbing and shocking, but I believe necessary to uncover the tragedy that is human trafficking.
Here are some shocking numbers for you think about. It is ...
Welcome to part one of a special two-part show with renowned advocate and expert in the field of human trafficking, and the founder of Libertas International Tyler Schwab.
I’m going to warn you that the subject we cover during this interview is deeply disturbing and shocking, but I believe necessary to uncover the tragedy that is human trafficking.
Here are some shocking numbers for you to think about. It is estimated ...
Thank you for joining me today for a truly enjoyable and informative chat with Dr. Danna Kollmann. I knew this was going to be a lot of laughs when I was going to interview Dr. Kollmann, the author of Never Suck on a Dead Man’s Hand: Curious Adventures of a CSI.
Dana Kollmann is an Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice. Dana received her BS in Anthropology from ...
This is going to be a different Cops and Writers episode. Today’s interview is like something you would see in a movie or read in a piece of fiction. Unfortunately for my guest, she was forced to live and still lives this nightmare.
Dr. Jan Canty was married and going through the process of attaining her PhD. Unknown to her, her husband, a psychology professor, was leading a double life of frequenting a prostitute and...
Welcome back to the conclusion of my special two-part show with Kansas City Police Detective Brent Cartwright.
Retired Detective Brent Cartwright dedicated over 25 years to serving as a US Army veteran and police officer, spending more than a decade as an undercover detective. He is the recipient of numerous awards and decorations, including the Purple Heart and a Commendation for Valor. Cartwright is recognized by th...
Welcome to part one of a special two-part show with Kansas City Police Detective Brent Cartwright.
Retired Detective Brent Cartwright dedicated over 25 years to serving as a US Army veteran and police officer, spending more than a decade as an undercover detective. He is the recipient of numerous awards and decorations, including the Purple Heart and a Commendation for Valor. Cartwright is recognized by the US Crimina...
Good evening everyone. It's evening as I record this special solo episode of the Cops and Writers Podcast.
Why do a solo episode? Good Question. I have been super busy taking care of my wife who had a total knee replacement surgery a couple of days ago. She’s a tough cookie but needs a little help from me and that has put most things on the back-burner, including this podcast.
So, I thought it would be a good idea...
It should be noted that this episode was recorded on January 2, 2025, one day after the terror attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas. Of course, there will be new information as the investigations proceed regarding these horrific acts of cowardly violence. My heart goes out to the victims and their families. We touch on this topic, but know that all the facts aren’t in and we may never know exactly what the motives wer...
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