Episode 148
Journey through rural Idaho's badge life with retired Emmett PD Chief Gary Scheihing (40+ years), who ditched family carpentry for LE at 18—starting as Ada County dispatcher/jailer (pre-21 patrol ban), evolving through Meridian PD's first MDT computers to a 2-year Emmett reorganization amid homicides and growth. From 1969 Impala patrols (lights only, no siren) to advising rookies on tech-savvy tests and unbreakable family ties ("Pick kids up from school? Priceless"), Gary's tales blend humor, history, and heart—why strong home circles outlast the grind.

Welcome to our Channel Reasons We Serve, a podcast dedicated to exploring the motivations, challenges, and realities of working in law enforcement. We dive deep into the personal stories of officers, discuss different career paths, and break down the roles of various agencies—from local police departments to state and federal law enforcement.

Please give us a 5-star review, Subscribe, and Share to stay updated on more inspiring law enforcement stories!

Episode 147
Dive into the gritty underbelly of 1980s-90s NYC with retired NYPD Detective Sgt. Jon Schwartz (25 years, Organized Crime Control Bureau)—mastering auto theft rings tied to mobsters like John Gotti and Carmine Fatico, from street IDs spotting OC players on Utica Ave to FBI/Customs task forces dismantling chop shops and major cases. As a native New Yorker who ran the "Fundamentals of Auto Crime Investigations" school, John shares front-row freak show tales: Bizarre encounters, wheel-reinventing unit shifts, and the "million stories in the naked city" that defined his command. Post-retirement reflections on health scares (heart attack in Aruba, wife's COVID battle, his cancer), rock-solid marriage ("She's steady—wigs out on me now"), and paying forward via foundations like A DB—proving life's "no dress rehearsal."

Edward Byrne Foundation
www.poedwardbyrnefoundation.com

Welcome to our Channel Reasons We Serve, a podcast dedicated to exploring the motivations, challenges, and realities of working in law enforcement. We dive deep into the personal stories of officers, discuss different career paths, and break down the roles of various agencies—from local police departments to state and federal law enforcement.

Please give us a 5-star review, Subscribe, and Share to stay updated on more inspiring law enforcement interviews!

🎥 Episode 146
Unleash the unbreakable bond in retired Vineland City PD Sgt. Louis Platania's 16-year "shit magnet" ride (2008-2024)—proactive patrols in south Jersey's gang-plagued 67-sq-mile hotspot (67K pop, between Philly & AC) turning into K9 heroics when his partner saves him from a brutal 2015 attack amid a 911 call gone deadly. From poverty-stricken childhood with a prescription-pill-addicted dad (stealing pads for oxys/percs) to legal vindication after "villain" smears, Louis details the 2024 DC medal honor (9th dog in US history via Animals in War & Peace) and heartbreaking cancer farewell, closing a "Cinderella" chapter. A raw testament to resilience, family anchors, and why "if you're not looking for action, it's there."

Welcome to our Channel Reasons We Serve, a podcast dedicated to exploring the motivations, challenges, and realities of working in law enforcement. We dive deep into the personal stories of officers, discuss different career paths, and break down the roles of various agencies—from local police departments to state and federal law enforcement.

Please give us a 5-star review, subscribe, and share to stay updated on more inspiring law enforcement stories!

🎥 Episode 145

In this law enforcement interview and police officer story, DEA Special Agent Richard Oakley discusses his career spanning from 1967 to 1996. Step into the raw, resilient world of retired DEA Special Agent Richard T. Oakley, whose badge spanned New Brunswick PD patrols, Union County narcotics probes, and DEA's gritty 1970s trenches—from basic agent class at D.C.'s 1405 I Street to undercover ops that tested his soul. Haunted by his father's WWII trauma-fueled death at 30 (when Richard was 13) and a family legacy of drinkers, he confronts the bottle's grip on cops: "I broke my promise—I'd die first." From losing a partner to suicide to advocating mandatory mental health at academies, Richard shares healing through storytelling, the firehous vs. patrol isolation gap, and advice for rookies—learn, share, overcome. A vital wake-up for LE families, vets, and advocates battling the badge's invisible scars.

Welcome to our Channel Reasons We Serve, a podcast dedicated to exploring the motivations, challenges, and realities of working in law enforcement. We dive deep into the personal stories of officers, discuss different career paths, and break down the roles of various agencies—from local police departments to state and federal law enforcement.

Please give us a 5-star review, subscribe, and share to stay updated on more inspiring law enforcement stories!

A brief message from the creator of Reasons We Serve, Niles Gooding, a retired DEA Agent.

🎥 Episode 144
Uncover the shadows with retired Fairfax County PD Detective Ken Larson (FBI 12 years), whose journey began in 1983 with the Secret Service Uniform Division—fueled by a Youngstown steel-town kid's obsession with True Detective mags and "Walking Tall" heroism, no family LE legacy. From blue-collar roots to deep undercover infiltrating motorcycle gangs, Ken reveals the grind: Building informant trust through genuine empathy ("I see people as people, not handcuffs"), the "good vs. evil" pull, and wisdom's shift from black-and-white rookies to life-changers mentoring at-risk kids like "Joe" (now Virginia Tech-bound).

Welcome to our Channel Reasons We Serve, a podcast dedicated to exploring the motivations, challenges, and realities of working in law enforcement. We dive deep into the personal stories of officers, discuss different career paths, and break down the roles of various agencies—from local police departments to state and federal law enforcement.

Please give us a 5-star review, subscribe, and share to stay updated on more inspiring law enforcement stories!

To watch more interviews with retired and active duty cops and law enforcement, watch here: https://www.youtube.com/@reasonsweserve

🎥 Episode 143
Step into the unyielding world of retired NYC Department of Corrections Deputy Warden Philip Billik (25 years, 1983-2008), who traded Wall Street publishing for Rikers Island's chaos—starting as a 23-year-old recruit bused straight to Bronx House of Detention amid 1970s civil service tests and civil servant dreams. From six-week Rikers training (classroom law to Bronx firearms drills) to commanding 500-inmate units through riots, stabbings, and escapes, Phil reveals the "my house, my way" mindset that kept stress at bay: No domestics, no bars, no drugs—just care, custody, control. As a native New Yorker from Inwood's Irish-Italian-Jewish trades hub, he shares stories of acclimation, holiday skeleton crews, and the wife who "kept him intact" through 38 years of marriage, missed birthdays, and schedule-shifting Thanksgivings.

How did "hell" forge heaven? Phil's skeptical eye sizes up subway crowds but fears nothing—nothing he can't endure after 25 years of the unimaginable. A raw blueprint for corrections pros, aspiring officers, and families navigating the badge's shadows.

Welcome to our Channel Reasons We Serve, a podcast dedicated to exploring the motivations, challenges, and realities of working in law enforcement. We dive deep into the personal stories of officers, discuss different career paths, and break down the roles of various agencies—from local police departments to state and federal law enforcement.

👍 Like, Subscribe, Comment, and Share to stay updated on more inspiring law enforcement stories!

🎥 Episode 142
Trace retired St. Louis County PD Sgt. Adam Kavanaugh's 25-year badge odyssey—from a poverty-stricken childhood idolizing his grandfather's heroism amid violent home beatings to a lifelong "policeman" fixation sparked by a homemade jean-car toy. Drawn to protect the weak, Adam's career peaks in the gut-wrenching Child Exploitation Unit, sifting through unimaginable abuse footage that fueled hyper-vigilance—scanning crowds at daughter's cheer games, phone-glued vacations, and a post-retirement escape to 8-acre isolation. He bears the toll: Savior complex from abuse, trust shattered ("I don't trust anybody"), and family strains eased by therapy, yet a forever changed worldview.

Welcome to our Channel Reasons We Serve, a podcast dedicated to exploring the motivations, challenges, and realities of working in law enforcement. We dive deep into the personal stories of officers, discuss different career paths, and break down the roles of various agencies—from local police departments to state and federal law enforcement.

👍 Like, Subscribe, and share to stay updated on more inspiring law enforcement stories!

🎥 Episode 141
Dive into the raw streets of 1980s-90s Baltimore with retired Prince George's County PD detective Maurice Hicks (20 years total, including Baltimore PD narcotics as well as a homicide detective), who traded a heroin-plagued backyard for a badge—not once, but twice—after reluctant recruiter tests hooked him despite zero interest in policing. From high-speed pursuits and foot chases to dismantling a drug kingpin linked to 12 murders on his beat, Maurice shares unfiltered tales of uniform patrols, undercover ops, and FBI task-force twists that inspired his Amazon-bestselling memoir, Looking for Trouble (International Impact Award winner, March 2023). As a Black officer navigating the "sellout" stigma and community distrust, he reveals how humanizing interactions built trust, solved cases, and humanized the badge—plus post-retirement life as a PI, adjunct professor at University of Maryland Global Campus, and dad of five.

Essential for true crime fans, aspiring cops, and Baltimore history buffs—grab Maurice's book on Amazon! LIKE if street stories grip you, SUBSCRIBE for retired cop memoirs, COMMENT: What's your wildest pursuit tale?

Welcome to our Channel Reasons We Serve, a podcast dedicated to exploring the motivations, challenges, and realities of working in law enforcement. We dive deep into the personal stories of officers, discuss different career paths, and break down the roles of various agencies—from local police departments to state and federal law enforcement.

👍 Like, give us a 5-star review, and share to stay updated on more inspiring law enforcement stories!

🎥 Episode 140
In an era where patrol officers spend half their shift buried in paperwork, discover how CLIPr.ai is transforming law enforcement with AI that auto-generates 90% of police report drafts from body cam audio or interviews—slashing documentation time and freeing cops for street duty. Co-founder Humphrey Chen shares the origin story sparked by a homicide detective's 3-hour interview miracle, the pushback from command staff on "too thorough" AI, and strategies for objective, bias-free narratives. From pilots proving 110% thoroughness to legal safeguards ensuring officer review, this eye-opening chat explores AI's role as a "productivity multiplier" without replacing human judgment. Plus, Chen's advice for aspiring AI pros: chase "hair-on-fire" problems over trendy tech. A game-changer for chiefs, recruits, and tech-savvy departments eyeing the future of smarter policing.

Welcome to our Channel Reasons We Serve, a podcast dedicated to exploring the motivations, challenges, and realities of working in law enforcement. We dive deep into the personal stories of officers, discuss different career paths, and break down the roles of various agencies—from local police departments to state and federal law enforcement.