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In this episode of the Cops and Writers Podcast bonus series, retired Milwaukee Police Sergeant Patrick O'Donnell reads Chapter 32, "Wojo," from his upcoming book:

Police Stories: The Rookie Years - True Crime, Chaos, & Life as a Big City Cop

There were characters on the job who should have been stand-up comedians. Wojo was one of those guys.

But one morning at 7:00 AM, Wojo got serious. A man barricaded himself in an apartment with a rifle pointed at his five-year-old son's head. SWAT was on the way. Hours of negotiation loomed.

The way Wojo negotiated with the suspect was unorthodox but effective. 

All stories are real. Names and locations have been changed where necessary.

🎧 This episode includes:

• Wojo running out of gas—again—and hitchhiking to a gas station
• Choir practice one-liners: "I had to feed the old lady breakfast first. A pack of Newports and a six-pack of Pabst Blue Ribbon."
• A 7:00 AM rifle call-subject shooting out a window at a four-family apartment
• The scene: A man in boxers, covered in sweat, rifle pointed at his terrified five-year-old son's head
• Watching the suspect's trigger finger: "If he moved his index finger to the trigger, I would be forced to shoot."
• Wojo's unorthodox negotiation tactic: "I don't want to work too much overtime."
• The empty rifle reveal: "What if I shot this guy who was holding an empty gun?"
• Walking out like heroes—Wojo carrying the suspect "like a trophy."
• The aftermath: Commendation written up, but later denied
• "Thanks for the laughs, Wojo, until we meet again."

📘 About the Book:
Police Stories: The Rookie Years - True Crime, Chaos, & Life as a Big City Cop is a true crime memoir chronicling Patrick O'Donnell's early career as a big city cop during Milwaukee's crack wars in the 1990s.

Book Release: Mid-March 2026
Book Update: Pre-orders are LIVE on Amazon. The book is currently a #1 New Release in Biographies of Law Enforcement. 

🔗 Pre-order now for $3.99 (price goes up after launch): Search "Police Stories Patrick O'Donnell" on Amazon or check the link below.

📧 Contact Patrick:
Email: [email protected]
Website: copsandwriters.com
Facebook Group: Cops and Writers

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