Reasons We Serve: Police Careers & Officer Experience

Interview with retired DEA Special Agent in Charge Steven Whipple

Years of Service: 1985-2021

Steve grew up in Texas but spent some of his formative years living in Iran while his stepfather worked in the oil industry.

In 1985, Steve was hired by the DEA in the Dallas Field Division and arrived in Quantico, VA, for training at the DEA Academy by December 1985. Being a native Texan, Steve was very unhappy to hear the news that he was being assigned to the New York Field Division and thought about quitting several times on his drive from Texas to New York. Once in New York, the work was so interesting that he decided he would make it work.

While in New York, Steve got his first chance to work undercover and was part of a group targeting Colombian importers and distributors.

During this same time, Steve learned about Operation Snowcap, which was a new program formed by the DEA to target South American drug traffickers in their home countries. The premise behind Snowcap was to take the fight to the traffickers by locating and destroying cocaine laboratories as well as clandestine airstrips used to smuggle drugs from South America to the United States. Steve served two tours in Ecuador before his wife gave him the ultimatum of his job or family. He said it was one of the only smart decisions he made, and he chose his family.

Steve was transferred to El Paso, Texas, where he continued to work undercover but also began working on an investigation targeting the Amado Carillo-Fuentes organization. Because of this investigation, a contract was put out on his life, and he was forced to move.

Throughout his career, Steve has worked in New York, Atlanta, DEA Headquarters, and offices throughout Texas, including El Paso, San Antonio, and Houston.

During this interview, Steve discusses some of his investigations and his rise through the ranks of the DEA to finally retire as the Special Agent in Charge of the Houston Field Division.

Interview with retired Special Agent Federal Bureau of Investigation Ann Kirkland.

Years of Service: 1996-2022

Growing up in Pennsylvania, Annie knew from an early age that she wanted to pursue a career in law enforcement. With encouragement from her father, she sought a goal to become a Special Agent with the FBI.

After college, she received her law degree and became an Assistant District Attorney for Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, handling minor and major criminal cases. In 1996, she achieved her goal of becoming a Special Agent with the FBI and was assigned to the New York Division.

During her career, Annie served different assignments, including the surveillance operations group, behavioral analysis coordinator, and adjunct faculty instructor for violent crime and crime scene management processing. Annie was assigned to the New York Division, Los Angeles Division, FBI Headquarters, Anchorage Division, and the Philadelphia Division.

She was part of the evidence response team throughout her career, which took her throughout the country and world, investigating bombings, murders, and plane crashes. 

Annie had an affinity for investigating violent crime but developed a deep desire to pursue cases involving children who were the victims of crime. During her career, Annie worked on investigations including bank robbery, wire fraud, kidnapping, organized crime, narcotics, human trafficking, terrorism, homicide, and January 6th protesters for a brief time.

Interview with CIA Officer Jerry O'Shea

Years of Service: 1984-2017 

Jerry was recruited into the CIA in 1984. During that time, he worked undercover as an operations officer for over three decades. He served in Europe, Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East, as well as numerous war zones. He was a four-time Chief of Station running some of CIA’s largest and most critical missions abroad.

During this interview, Jerry discusses why and how he began working for the CIA and discusses some interesting stories he was a part of while trying to recruit human assets. Jerry provides a fascinating look into the gray and blurred lines of being a CIA Officer and tells an interesting story about how he broke the news to his children that not only was he a CIA Officer, but their mother also worked for the CIA. He gives his personal opinion about Julian Assange and Edward Snowden, as well as his take on other intelligence agencies worldwide.

Jerry is the co-host of the podcast Mission Implausible which can be found on platforms such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify and is the co-founder of Spycraft Entertainment.

Life on the Front Lines: Chris Hastings' Journey Through Drug Wars and Personal Battles

Years of Service: 1980-2013

In this compelling episode, we sit down with Chris Hastings, a former customs patrol officer turned USCS Special Agent who shares his gripping experiences from the cocaine wars in South Florida, his role in high-stakes undercover operations, and the personal challenges that shaped his career. From surviving near-fatal encounters to navigating deep-rooted corruption, Chris opens up about the realities of law enforcement and his journey of rediscovery.

Interview with the most decorated NYPD Detective Ralph Friedman 

Years of Service: 1968-1984

Detective Friedman began his law enforcement career with the NYPD in 1968 as a fingerprint technician. He was later assigned to the 41st Precinct, also known as “Fort Apache,” as an officer on foot patrol.

Right from the start, Detective Friedman was a proactive police officer who sought out criminals both on and off duty, quickly earning a reputation as someone who got things done. He was eventually promoted to the Anti-Crime Unit, where he worked alongside some of his heroes, and through his hard work, he achieved the rank of Detective 3rd grade.

While serving as an officer and detective for the NYPD, Friedman made 2,000 arrests, including 100 off-duty arrests, and provided assistance in 6,000 cases. He was involved in 15 shootings, resulting in the deaths of 4 suspects. Unfortunately, Detective Friedman's career was cut short after just 14 years due to a severe on-duty car accident, which led to his medical retirement as a second-grade detective.

Detective Friedman has been the subject of numerous articles and interviews. He is the co-author of the book "Street Warrior: NYPD's Most Decorated Detective and the Era that Created Him" based on his career.

A 2017 television series, which is currently available on Amazon Prime and is called "Street Justice the Bronx," was also based on his career. Friedman was featured in the movie "Tattoo" with Bruce Dern, and he was the technical advisor to the Prequel Movie for the Sopranos called "The Many Saints of Newark."

Interview with the most decorated NYPD Detective Ralph Friedman

Years of Service: 1968-1984

Detective Friedman began his law enforcement career with the NYPD in 1968 as a fingerprint technician. He was later assigned to the 41st Precinct, also known as “Fort Apache,” as an officer on foot patrol.

Right from the start, Detective Friedman was a proactive police officer who sought out criminals both on and off duty, quickly earning a reputation as someone who got things done. He was eventually promoted to the Anti-Crime Unit, where he worked alongside some of his heroes, and through his hard work, he achieved the rank of Detective 3rd grade.

While serving as an officer and detective for the NYPD, Friedman made 2,000 arrests, including 100 off-duty arrests, and provided assistance in 6,000 cases. He was involved in 15 shootings, resulting in the deaths of 4 suspects. Unfortunately, Detective Friedman's career was cut short after just 14 years due to a severe on-duty car accident, which led to his medical retirement as a second-grade detective.

Detective Friedman has been the subject of numerous articles and interviews. He is the co-author of the book "Street Warrior: NYPD's Most Decorated Detective and the Era that Created Him" based on his career. A 2017 television series, which is currently available on Amazon Prime and is called "Street Justice the Bronx," was also based on his career.

Friedman was featured in the movie "Tattoo" with Bruce Dern, and he was the technical advisor to the Prequal Movie for the Sopranos called "The Many Saints of Newark."

Interview with the most decorated NYPD Detective Ralph Friedman

Years of Service: 1968-1984

Detective Friedman began his law enforcement career with the NYPD in 1968 as a fingerprint technician. He was later assigned to the 41st Precinct, also known as “Fort Apache,” as an officer on foot patrol. Right from the start, Detective Friedman was a proactive police officer who sought out criminals both on and off duty, quickly earning a reputation as someone who got things done. He was eventually promoted to the Anti-Crime Unit, where he worked alongside some of his heroes, and through his hard work, he achieved the rank of Detective 3rd grade.

While serving as an officer and detective for the NYPD, Friedman made 2,000 arrests, including 100 off-duty arrests, and provided assistance in 6,000 cases. He was involved in 15 shootings, resulting in the deaths of 4 suspects.

Unfortunately, Detective Friedman's career was cut short after just 14 years due to a severe on-duty car accident, which led to his medical retirement as a second-grade detective.

Detective Friedman has been the subject of numerous articles and interviews. He is the co-author of the book "Street Warrior: NYPD's Most Decorated Detective and the Era that Created Him" based on his career. A 2017 television series, which is currently available on Amazon Prime and is called "Street Justice the Bronx," was also based on his career. Friedman was featured in the movie "Tattoo" with Bruce Dern, and he was the technical advisor to the Prequal Movie for the Sopranos called "The Many Saints of Newark."

Years of Service: 1985-2002

John began his career with NYPD in 1985 on foot patrol in Midtown. When John started working he was told that he would have a grandstand seat to the greatest show on earth which turned out to be true. Every day John interacted with the public and met people from all over the world and all walks of life. John talks about his interaction with David Letterman which is included in the interview.

John discusses working in downtown New York during the 1980s when Times Square was a mess and there was a police officer almost on every block dealing with every imaginable type of crime.

During this interview, John discusses what it was like to grow up in New York and why he became a police officer for NYPD. He discusses his time on patrol and his promotion to detective in the Auto Crime Unit where he dealt with every possible crime including, theft, drugs, and gun trafficking.

John gives a personal and emotional account of what happened to him on 9/11 and the injury that forced him to retire from the job that he loved and as he puts it "I can't believe they paid me to do".

Years of Service: 1977-2009  

Bill began his career as an educational release specialist in Nebraska and eventually worked as a prison guard.  

In 1980, Bill moved to Colorado and began a long career with the Colorado Department of Corrections where he finished his career as the Director of Offender Services.  

After he retired, he was then hired by the Department of State where he served in the role of Senior Corrections Advisor. In his capacity, he traveled all over the world evaluating and providing recommendations to prison facilities in other countries so that they could bring their inmate housing to first-world standards.  

In this episode, Bill discusses topics surrounding prisons such as transgenderism, race relations, gang relations, smuggling of contraband, and the difference between the levels of prisons to include Super Max.  

Bill also talks about the things he saw in prisons all over the world and some countries that house their criminals well as well as some who

Years of Service: 1996-Present  

Karl had always been fascinated with law enforcement but when he was attending college, he found that he had a knack for chemistry and math and decided that getting a degree in chemical engineering was the smart way to go. Karl worked at the Idaho National Laboratory for several years but was not fulfilled in what he was doing.  

In 1996, Karl became a reserve deputy for the Shelly Police Department and knew he had found his calling. Karl took a substantial pay cut to pursue his dream but said he never regretted making the jump into law enforcement.  

In 2005, Karl was hired by the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office and after a short while on patrol was promoted to detective. Karl gravitated toward sexual assault cases but as a detective handled investigations such as domestic violence, fraud, and homicide. Karl used the analytical thinking gained from his chemical engineering degree to investigate his cases and prided himself in taking a different approach to his cases than a traditional detective.  

In addition to his detective duties, Karl was also a SWAT negotiator.  

Today Karl works as a cold case investigator for the Idaho State Police investigating cases that are in need of a fresh perspective to bring justice for the victims.