A confession that became one of the most talked-about videos on our YouTube channel is now available on all platforms

In this interview, Rafael Jackson speaks directly with investigators and recounts his involvement in multiple violent crimes, answering questions about what happened, the weapons involved and the events surrounding the cases.

This is an extraordinary look inside a real homicide investigation and the process of getting a suspect to explain, in his own words, what happened.

#TheBrighterSideOfBlue #SLPOA #RafaelJackson #Confession #TrueCrime #HomicideInvestigation #PoliceInterview #Detectives #CrimeStories #LawEnforcement #StLouis #StLouisPolice #SLMPD #BehindTheBadge #TrueCrimeStories #PoliceStories

Featured Interview (31:14)...Some friendships are built over years. Others are forged in the heat of the job.

Joe Crews and Archie Shaw worked together, chased the same bad guys, shared plenty of laughs and experienced some things that only fellow police officers can truly understand.

Over the years, their professional relationship became something much more — a genuine friendship and a bond that lasted well beyond the badge.

In this conversation, Joe and Archie sit down with us to talk about their careers, the cases they remember, the people they worked alongside and some of the stories that came out of their years together on the streets of St. Louis.

There are plenty of laughs, plenty of crazy police stories and a great deal of respect between two guys who spent years having each other's backs.

Some call them colleagues. We think “brothers” is a little closer.

#TheBrighterSideOfBlue #SLPOA #JoeCrews #ArchieShaw #SLMPD #StLouis #PoliceStories #LawEnforcement #PoliceBrotherhood #BehindTheBadge #PoliceFamily #StLouisPolice #CopStories

(24:53) Our featured Interview...For the first time in its history, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department hired its chief from outside the department.Chief Robert Tracy came to St. Louis after more than four decades in law enforcement, with a career that took him from the Bronx to Chicago, Wilmington and ultimately St. Louis.And when he arrived, he knew exactly what he was walking into.SLMPD is a proud department with a long history, deep traditions and generations of officers who had spent their entire careers there. Tracy knew there would be skepticism about an outsider coming in to lead the department.But instead of flipping the table, he took a different approach.Respect the organization. Learn its history. Listen to its people. Give officers the tools to do their jobs. And make changes when changes are actually needed — not simply for the sake of making changes.In this episode of The Brighter Side of Blue, we sit down with Chief Robert Tracy for a conversation that goes well beyond crime statistics and the usual questions he gets from the media.We talk about what it was like coming into SLMPD as the department's first outside chief, how he earned the trust of the men and women wearing the badge, the changes he's seen over the past three years and why he believes the department is finding its stride again.But we also get to know the man behind the badge.Chief Tracy talks about his father, a highly respected NYPD homicide detective who helped shape his career, his mother and her career as a nurse, his wife Brenda, his five children and the importance of having mentors throughout a law-enforcement career.He talks about why he and his family have chosen to stay in St. Louis, what he loves about the city, St. Louis sports, his first encounter with St. Louis-style pizza and why he believes this city is often harder on itself than it needs to be.And yes... we even find out what happened when a young NYPD officer named Robert Tracy met Dolly Parton. 😂It's a very different conversation with the Chief — personal, funny, candid and a look at the man who came to St. Louis from the outside and decided to put down roots.Communities that support law enforcement are safer places to live.

Featured Interview (35:10)...What does it really cost to be a hero?

This week on The Brighter Side of Blue, we're joined by two men who know that answer better than most.

Colin Ledbetter was shot in the line of duty. He told us the story of that incident during his previous appearance on the show, but surviving the physical wounds was only part of the battle.

James Frost brings his own experiences from a career in law enforcement, sharing stories that show what officers see, what they carry with them and what can happen long after the call is over.

Two very different stories. Two different paths toward healing. But a common thread runs through both:Heroism has a cost.This is a conversation about the things officers experience, the things they don't always talk about, and what happens when the uniform comes off but the memories don't.

It's honest, personal and at times difficult, but it's also a reminder that the men and women behind the badge are human beings.

Two cops. Two stories. One fight.

#TheBrighterSideOfBlue #LawEnforcement #Police #PoliceOfficers #FirstResponders #Heroism #BehindTheBadge #OfficerWellness #PoliceMentalHealth #StLouis #STL #ThinBlueLine

(33:49) Featured Interview Stephen Walker...If you're from St. Louis, you probably know the Lemp Mansion. You may know the stories of the brewery, the family's incredible wealth, the tragedies and the suicides that helped make the mansion one of the city's most infamous landmarks.

But there's a story you may not know.

Stephen Walker has been researching the Lemp family since 1982. What started with a fascination with the mansion's ghost stories turned into decades of digging through old newspapers, records, museums and historical archives.

In this conversation, Stephen takes us through the rise and fall of one of St. Louis' most powerful families before turning his attention to the death of Elsa Lemp Wright in 1920.

Elsa's death was ruled a suicide.

Stephen isn't convinced.

We get into the strange circumstances surrounding her death, the conflicting accounts, the delayed call to police, the involvement of a powerful attorney, the location of the gun, the testimony of the household servants and the questions that still surround the case more than a century later.

And, because this is The Brighter Side of Blue, we couldn't resist putting some retired cops in the room and asking the question:

If this happened today, would you call it suicide?

Featured Interview (37:06) Retired ATF Agent Bill Buford has lived a law enforcement career that sounds almost impossible.

A Vietnam-era Green Beret, Buford went on to become an ATF agent and SRT team leader. Before Waco, he had already been shot multiple times and seriously wounded during an arrest. Then, on February 28, 1993, he and his team were sent into the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas.

What followed was one of the most violent days in the history of federal law enforcement.

Bill takes us inside that day from the perspective of someone who was actually there. He talks about the loss of three members of his own 12-man Arkansas team, being shot multiple times himself, fighting his way out of the compound, and the incredible actions of the agents who fought alongside him.

But this interview goes far beyond Waco.

Bill talks about growing up in Kansas City, becoming a Green Beret, his Vietnam service, how he ended up at ATF almost by accident, building an SRT team, the importance of training and peer support, losing his friend and protégé Robert Williams at Waco, and continuing his law enforcement career long after that day.

It's an incredible conversation with a man who has spent his life serving his country and protecting others.

And, somehow, after everything he's been through, Bill is still planning to go bear hunting with a crossbow.

We were honored to have him tell his story.

We weren't planning on doing a Saturday night edition, but a few calls came in that changed that.

We've got a major update on a familiar name from our BMF series, some big developments involving local and federal law enforcement, and a look at a recent case that shows just how much work is being done behind the scenes.

We also get into the search for a missing two-year-old that ended with a good outcome, and Danny has a pretty unbelievable story about the person who recently hit the billion-dollar lottery.

There's a lot more to this one than we're putting in the description. Some of the best information is the stuff we're hearing directly from people in the know.

It's our first-ever Saturday night "Weekend Swirl," and we think you're going to enjoy this one.

#TheBrighterSideOfBlue #SLMPD #SLPOA #BMF #LawEnforcement #CrimeNews #StLouis #StLouisCrime #Police #DrugInvestigation #FederalInvestigation #CrimeThisWeek #WeekendSwirl #LawEnforcementCommunity

This week on The Brighter Side of Blue, we sit down with a man whose life has taken him through Vietnam, law enforcement, music and some truly unbelievable experiences.

Dann Glenn is a Vietnam combat veteran, former military and police officer, accomplished bassist and guitarist, composer, author and longtime member of the St. Louis community. His story is anything but ordinary.

Dann served in Vietnam with the 101st Airborne before becoming a military policeman. After returning home, he began a career in law enforcement, only to realize that his lifelong passion for music was calling him back. Years later, after 9/11, he found himself drawn back toward law enforcement and eventually landed in St. Louis, where his path crossed with Producer John and a number of familiar names from the St. Louis police family.

Dann shares stories from Vietnam, his police career, his incredible music career and the people he's met along the way. And wait until you hear how a chance encounter involving a bag of laundry eventually led to him sitting down with Van Morrison.

Before we get to Dann, we're doing what we always do around here: talking about the police family.

The guys reminisce about the ROMEOs, Retired Old Men Eating Out, including a table packed with decades of police experience, old friends and some familiar faces. Because as we always say, once you're part of the police family, you're in forever.

JJ also discusses the tragic death of U.S. Marshal Bradley Fisher, who was killed while deploying spike strips during a pursuit in Indiana. The guys talk about just how dangerous that seemingly simple police tactic can be and why proper training and positioning matter.

And, of course, there is plenty of the usual Brighter Side of Blue nonsense along the way, including a debate over women's sports, some questionable sandwich history, the St. Louis-born Gerber sandwich, a police call involving a landlord, a tenant and two alligators, snakes, an emu, dogs, cats and pigs, plus the guys somehow finding a way to turn almost every topic into a reason to bust each other's balls.

Our featured interview (47:50) This week on The Brighter Side of Blue, we're joined by SLMPD Officer Matt Tesreau, a 20-year veteran whose career has taken him from patrol to the Rapid Deployment Unit, SWAT, and now the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force.

Matt sits down with Tommy, JJ, and John to share stories from two decades of police work, including what it's like tracking violent fugitives across the country, serving high-risk warrants, working alongside federal agencies, and how technology has transformed modern policing. He also discusses the teamwork, patience, and investigative work that goes into finding some of the region's most dangerous criminals.

Along the way, you'll hear unforgettable stories about SWAT operations, nationwide manhunts, cutting-edge equipment, close calls on the job, and why—after 20 years—Matt still approaches every shift with the same enthusiasm he had on day one.

If you've ever wondered what happens after a violent suspect goes on the run, this is an inside look at the men and women dedicated to bringing them to justice.

Before we sit down with Matt, the boys are back around the table with another fun and unpredictable opening. This week, Tommy shares stories from his trip to Newfoundland, the crew discusses a bizarre new crime trend, recent developments in the St. Louis officer ambush investigation, an incredible teenage lifeguard rescue, the latest on Sophie Cunningham and the WNBA, upcoming SLPOA events, and JJ closes with another thought-provoking Zen. As always, expect plenty of laughs, good-natured ribbing, and the conversations that make The Brighter Side of Blue more than just another law enforcement podcast.

#TheBrighterSideOfBlue #MattTesreau #SLMPD #USMarshals #FugitiveTaskForce #LawEnforcement #PolicePodcast #TrueCrime #BehindTheBadge #StLouis #ThinBlueLine #PublicSafety #Podcast #BackTheBlue #SchickerFord

This week on The Brighter Side of Blue, we're joined by St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Melissa Price-Smith for an engaging conversation about justice, leadership, and the future of public safety in St. Louis County. Melissa reflects on her career, discusses the changes she's implemented since becoming Prosecuting Attorney, and shares why strong partnerships between prosecutors, law enforcement, and the community are essential to safer neighborhoods. She also opens up about her unique path to the courtroom, lessons learned along the way, and the philosophy that guides her office today.

Before our featured interview, the guys are back for another unpredictable opening segment.With Danny away exploring Newfoundland, Tommy, JJ, and John hold down the fort, sharing stories about everything from city tow operators and an inspiring update on Page Spears' new ice cream business to the latest antics from around St. Louis.Then, in true Brighter Side fashion, the show takes an unexpected turn when former guest Samir walks into the studio unannounced.

If you missed his original episode, Samir fled Iraq after participating in the uprising against Saddam Hussein, spent three and a half years living in refugee camps, eventually settled in St. Louis, and later returned to Iraq as an interpreter embedded with U.S. Special Forces. During that mission, he helped capture Saddam Hussein, even pulling him from the infamous "spider hole." In this surprise visit, Samir shares exciting news about his story attracting international attention, including interviews overseas and an upcoming Netflix project.

You'll also hear

-A surprise appearance by young fan Soleil.

-JJ's latest Zen, which Tommy calls "the best one yet."

-Plenty of laughs, stories, and the unscripted conversations you've come to expect from The Brighter Side of Blue.

Whether you're here for law enforcement, current events, incredible life stories, or just the camaraderie around the table, this episode delivers a little bit of everything.

Communities that support law enforcement are safer places to live.