This week I have a very enjoyable chat with John Sutherland, where we discuss all things policing and compare notes on the experience of writing books.

This week I have a fascinating chat with Ian Johnston, who has devoted his entire life to keeping the public safe. He had a number of high profile roles in policing nationally and a front-row seat during the transition from the Blair years through the very unhappy period when Theresa May and the Tories did so much damage to policing. Ian became an independent Police and Crime Commissioner in 2012 in Gwent, his old force, from where he had retired as a Chief Superintendent two years previously. Never an easy task!

This week I discuss Russia/Ukraine, obsessive compulsive hoarding, caring for the dying and the impending report from the Strategic Review of Policing. I also ask what you lot want from the podcast.

This week I interview the quite remarkable Kevin Hurley who came to note as the first PCC in Surrey and who crossed swords with Theresa May as Home Secretary. Kevin has been very outspoken (even more than me!) about the damage caused to policing over the last 12 years and he now intends to throw his hat in the ring in the process to find a new Met Police Commissioner.

This week I discuss the resignation of the much-loved Met Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick and I consider whether this now marks a new low in the relationship between policing, politicians and journalists.

This week I have a fascinating chat with Lee Wharmby, who retired from the West Midlands Police 3 months ago. Lee is hugely experienced and knowledgeable about many areas of policing, but he is particularly knowledgable about the processes followed by the police following any incident that results in the deaths of large numbers of people. Essential listening for anyone who is interested in this most distressing discipline.

This week I discuss the latest Met police car crash i.e the idiots in Charing Cross exchanging insulting social media messages. I then give my thoughts on the police handling of Partygate and the recent publication of crime outcomes for England and Wales dropping to a new low of 6% of all crime resulting in a positive outcome. Listener warning ** Don't listen to this is you want to feel good about UK policing**

Annie Gooch is the real deal. What she hasn't done in the world of serious and organised crime just isn't worth doing. 40 years at the sharp end of UK law enforcement. An amazing woman and an amazing career.

This week I interview Joanne Rice, who spent 17 years in the Metropolitan police in London, the last eight of which were spent in covert policing investigating terrorist conspiracies. Jo decided to leave policing when the government changed the rules on pay and pensions, and she took up a new role in the private sector...an all-too-familiar story sadly in the last few years with many officers resigning. I really enjoyed chatting to Jo and it brought back many memories from my own work in that area.

This week I interview Eugenie Brooks, who was the first ever female sergeant on the world famous Metropolitan Police Special Escort Group (SEG). The SEG provide an armed escort on motorbikes and cars for high risk prison transfers, VIPs and senior members of the Royal family. They are highly trained to move the convoy at high speed through busy streets across London and no-one gets in their way. Fascinating stuff.