Things Police See: Firsthand Accounts

Dive into the intense, bizarre, and unfiltered world of law enforcement with host Steve Gould on Things Police See. In this episode, Steve sits down with retired Sergeant Betsy Brantner Smith, who spent 29 years policing the relentless Chicago metro area.

As one of the pioneering female officers of the early 1980s, Betsy shares the raw reality of breaking into a male-dominated field, navigating systemic hazing, and turning her pers...

In this episode of Things Police See, host Steve Gould sits down with retired NYPD veteran George Sichler for an unforgettable look into the world of elite law enforcement special operations. Serving 20 years with the nation's largest police force, George transitioned from the intense "meat grinder" patrol blocks of NYC to the high-stakes NYPD Harbor and Scuba teams.

George shares incredible firsthand accounts of what it's like to ...

In this powerful episode, hosts Steve and Ken Roybal sit down with Andrew Gonzalez, a 20-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) who spent the majority of his career working the intense 77th Street Division and specialized gang units.

Andrew pulls back the curtain on the evolution of modern street gangs, revealing how social media and encrypted applications have shifted criminal enterprises into highly sophisticate...

In this episode of Things Police See, host Steve Gould sits down with former detective and author Kevin Grogan. From his early days at Westfield State to his high-stakes career with the Savannah-Chatham Metro PD, Kevin shares firsthand account...

In this gripping episode, we sit down with Captain Scott Brown, a veteran of the New York State Police with a decorated 32-year career. From his early days as a young trooper to his 18-year tenure as a Captain and SWAT commander, Scott shares firsthand accounts of the most intense and bizarre calls in his history.

We dive into a harrowing story of survival on the Newberg-Beacon Bridge, the chilling details of the 1996 Jennifer Bold...

In this episode of Things Police See, host Steve Gould welcomes back the legendary Lt. Joe Kenda, the "Homicide Hunter" and host of American Detective. With a career solving 387 homicides and maintaining a staggering 93% solve rate, Kenda dives deep into the reality of criminal investigation—far beyond the Hollywood myths of car chases and gun battles.  

Joe Kenda shares candid stories about his journey from a "college b...

In this intense and insightful episode, host Steve Gould sits down with Adam Miller, a veteran lawman with over 17 years of experience across the Pacific Northwest and Big Sky Country. From his 13 years at the Benton County Sheriff's Office in Oregon to his current role as a State Investigator in Montana, Adam shares the raw reality of life behind the badge.

Adam recounts a harrowing high-risk traffic stop involving a subject with ...

In this intense episode of Things Police See, host Steve Gould sits down with the "Homicide Hunter" himself, Lieutenant Joe Kenda. With a career spanning 23 years at the Colorado Springs Police Department and a staggering 92% solve rate over 387 murder cases, Kenda shares firsthand accounts of the cases that defined his career and the transition from the streets to stardom on Investigation Discovery.

Joe dives deep into his early d...

Retired Milwaukee Police Sergeant and bestselling author Patrick O'Donnell returns to Things Police See for a raw, no-filter conversation about his early days on the job. From his very first week—nearly shooting a suspect and witnessing open-heart massage on a dying man—to patrolling districts that mixed million-dollar lakefront mansions with some of the city's most violent neighborhoods, Patrick shares the unvarnished ...

Join host Steve Gould on Things Police See for an unforgettable interview with Thomas Loughren, a true law enforcement legend with 51 years of service—from rural New York sheriff's deputy to Miccosukee Police in the Florida Everglades, four terms as Chenango County Sheriff, and service on the New York State Commission of Corrections.
In this raw, firsthand account, Thomas shares his incredible journey starting as one of t...

Step inside the extraordinary career of Bob Lessemun, a retired British homicide detective whose work spanned England, the Turks & Caicos Islands, and the United States. In this rare and highly requested interview, Bob shares unbelievable stories from 32 years in policing, including his time with Scotland Yard, his transition to U.S. investigations, and his later work consulting on Guantanamo Bay and terrorism cases.

From his e...

In this episode of Things Police See, host Steve Gould sits down with Chad Jensen, a 25-year veteran of the Pomona Police Department and former SWAT team member. Chad shares harrowing stories from the front lines of Southern California law enforcement, including a high-stakes pursuit involving a Tech 9 submachine gun and a life-altering foot pursuit where a suspect would have killed Chad if his gun hadn't misfired.

The conversation...

Join host Steven Gould for an in-depth interview with St. Johns County Sheriff Robert Hardwick, a 32-year law enforcement veteran, former homicide detective, police chief, and retired National Guard member. Sheriff Hardwick shares powerful stories from his career, including his first homicide call involving a childhood friend, the bizarre 2008 staged murder case of Summer Smith (where investigators wired a coffin for a confession),...

Pinal County Sheriff Ross Teeple joins the show to discuss his bold leadership, the high-stakes Netflix series "Unlocked: A Jail Experiment" Season 2, and life inside Arizona's corrections system. Fresh off taking office, Sheriff Teeple shares how he was "strong-armed" (old friends) by predecessor Sheriff Mark Lamb into filming a groundbreaking re-entry program that unlocked jail cells, shifted to indirect supervision, and empowere...

Discover the raw truth about traumatic brain injury (TBI) and PTSD in law enforcement from retired officer Jeff Casselman, who served 27 years in the military and at Lorain Ohio PD. After multiple concussions from cruiser accidents, bar fights, and on-duty violence, Jeff faced memory loss, rage blackouts, seizures, and three failed marriages before a diagnosis changed everything.
He shares powerful stories: brutal fights, bizar...

What's it really like to work as a Peace Officer in Alberta, Canada? In this episode, Steve sits down with Brad Larsen, a veteran CPO who has served since 2014, to break down the major differences between Canadian policing and U.S. policing — from authority levels to training, to why peace officers aren't armed, and how they work alongside the RCMP.

Brad shares unfiltered stories from the road, including bizarre bylaw calls, ...

Step inside the world of frontline policing with retired San Antonio Police Officer Ernie Stevens, co‑author, crisis‑response pioneer, and star of HBO's Ernie & Joe: Crisis Cops. In this powerful interview, Ernie shares raw, unfiltered stories from 30 years on the job — from adrenaline‑pumping pursuits to heartbreaking death notifications, bizarre calls, and the creation of one of the nation's most respected police mental...

Retired Waltham Police Sergeant and NEMLEC SWAT operator Jim Vaglica returns to Things Police See to deliver a full, unfiltered account of his response to the Boston Marathon bombing and the massive manhunt that followed.

Jim walks listeners through the moment the bombs detonated, the chaos of deploying into Boston, the tense overnight searches in Watertown, and the dramatic final standoff where the second bomber was captured. His ...

Former FBI agent Barry Black joins Things Police See to share gripping firsthand accounts from his 31‑year career. Barry served as a sniper at Waco, responded to the Oklahoma City bombing, worked the Atlanta Olympic bombing, and deployed to Ground Zero after 9/11. He also trained military and law‑enforcement personnel around the world and recently released his memoir Hazardous Devices.

In this interview, Barry breaks down what real...