We hit a huge milestone this month! The Detectives Podcast broke into the Top 100 True Crime podcasts on Apple!

In this Squad Meeting, we celebrate this achievement and thank all of you, our listeners, because we couldn’t have done it without your support. To show our appreciation, we’re launching a giveaway to give back to our amazing community.

We also listened to your feedback about Patreon and rolled out a full tier restructure, so every listener has options that fit what they want most from the show. Then, we chat about our recent guest appearance on The Prosecutors Podcast and how much fun we had joining them.

Finally, we share updates on our ongoing Bunker in Bibb case coverage and our series The War We Owe Them.

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We’re kicking off Cross Examined by putting ourselves in the hot seat. Tom joined The Detectives Podcast to ask us questions.

We start with our paths into detective work, then dig into interviews and interrogations. We talk about how we maintain control without losing humanity, how we relate to people who’ve done terrible things, and what we do when we think the person across the table might not be the one who did it. We also get into what happens when detectives lose their cool, and we break down the classic good cop/bad cop approach (and when it turns into bad cop/bad cop).

Huge thank you to Tom for jumping in and asking thoughtful questions! If you’d like a chance to appear on the podcast and cross examine us in a future episode, head to https://www.patreon.com/thedetectives and sign up as a Lead Detective or an Investigative Commander.

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In this episode, Dave and Steve open up about the cumulative trauma detectives face while working difficult cases. They unpack the struggle of switching back into family roles as fathers, husbands, sons, friends, and functioning members of society.

They discuss how trauma shows up in subtle ways and how families or supervisors can normalize the behavior. They also examine the coping mechanisms detectives turn to, both good and bad, including dark humor, alcohol use, and isolation, as well as healthier outlets like exercise, good sleep routines, therapy, and hobbies.

Dave and Steve share their personal rituals that help them leave the job at the door and reset after a scene. They talk about what their families experience, and the weight that loved ones carry when they are in a relationship with a detective. They explore how to communicate openly without sharing horrors that could traumatize others, and how to maintain trust when working high-profile cases that can’t legally be discussed.

The conversation ends with practical advice for detectives, officers, and their families on how to better navigate the transition from crime scenes to barbecues.

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Resources & Support:

https://www.mofirstresponders.org/firstresponder-resources

RESPONDERSTRONG - ResponderStrong

National Helpline for Mental Health, Drug, Alcohol Issues | SAMHSA

Citations:

https://adcare.com/addiction-demographics/law-enforcement/

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3592498/

https://www.thenationalcouncil.org/substance-use-disorder-law-enforcement/

First Responders: Behavioral Health Concerns, Emergency Response, and Trauma

NOSIIssue_Brief_FINAL.pdf

https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/helplines/national-helpline

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Lieutenant Jerry Holeman of the Indiana State Police joins The Detectives Podcast with his wife, Nikki, after receiving the 2025 Crimefighter of the Year award at CrimeCon Denver. Dave and Steve trace Lt. Holeman’s path from the Marine Corps into law enforcement and explore the leadership, pressure, and resilience required to lead a major investigation that drew worldwide attention. Lt. Holeman explains why he views the recognition as shared with victims’ families and with all the investigators who worked on the case. He also discusses the demands of long-running investigations and the human cost that comes with the job. Nikki offers an honest look at being both a military and police wife, the missed moments, and the strength it takes to keep a family steady when duty calls. Together they reflect on what the honor means in their home and community. Lt. Holeman looks ahead to retirement with a simple goal: to be fully present for the family that stood with him through it all.

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In this special episode, Dave and Steve bring you along to CrimeCon 2025 in Denver. They share highlights from all three days of the convention—who they met, what they learned, and how it felt to be part of the true crime community.

From connecting with other creators, victims’ families, and advocacy groups, to meeting listeners and Patreon supporters, this episode captures the inspiring work being done across the true crime space. Dave and Steve also talk about attending panels, being surprised with their very own booth, and experiencing the CrimeCon Clue Awards.

Along the way, they reflect on the meaningful, constructive conversations they had with attendees about the criminal justice system and detective work. These conversations made their first CrimeCon experience unforgettable.

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At the request of a listener, Dave and Steve break down how jurisdiction works across law enforcement agencies in the United States. They explore the roles of university police, city police, county sheriffs, state police, and federal agencies, highlighting the types of calls they respond to and the responsibilities that define their authority.

The episode also sheds light on how these agencies cooperate, the behind-the-scenes conversations that determine who takes the lead on a case, and the process of establishing jurisdiction.

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In our very first Squad Meeting, we talk about heading to CrimeCon 2025 in Denver, our first CrimeCon experience! We don’t have a booth this year, but we’re excited to be there to connect with the true crime community, meet listeners in person, hang out with other podcasters, and see what the event is all about. And yes…we’ll have coffee mugs, t-shirts, and stickers to hand out!

We also take a moment to thank all of you for your incredible support and share how much it truly means to us. We’ll tell you how you can stay connected with us and announce our brand-new interactive series, Cross Examined, where you’ll get the chance to interview us directly on the podcast.

Finally, we give an update on our current series, The War We Owe Them, talk about why it was our first deep dive, and reveal two new upcoming series: Justice for Sale and Justice Abroad.

Connect with The Detectives Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thedetectivespodcast

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Citations:

https://www.fbi.gov/news/press-releases/fbi-releases-2023-crime-in-the-nation-statistics

https://www.fbi.gov/news/press-releases/fbi-releases-2024-reported-crimes-in-the-nation-statistics

https://bjs.ojp.gov/document/hvus23.pdf

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children

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In Part II of The War We Owe Them, Dave and Steve sit down with Captain Bryan Harper of the Indiana State Police. As a former ICAC Commander and now the Director of the Indiana Fusion Center, Captain Harper shares his insight into the fight against Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).

The conversation covers the role of ICAC task forces, fusion centers, the most effective tools available, and the challenges of keeping pace with evolving technology. They explore how investigations unfold across local, state, federal, and international levels. They also examine the complex role of private tech companies in both supporting law enforcement and balancing privacy concerns.

Captain Harper discusses the toll this work takes on investigators, the difficulty of replacing those who can no longer continue, and what the Indiana State Police is doing to lead the fight against CSAM. Finally, they discuss what can truly be done to stop CSAM, the obstacles in the way, and why public education, awareness, and legislative action are critical. This isn’t just law enforcement’s battle, we need help from the public if we want to win the war against CSAM. 

Connect with The Detectives Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thedetectivespodcast

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Disclaimer: This episode discusses Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). Listener discretion is strongly advised.

In the launch of their mini-series, The War We Owe Them, Dave and Steve confront one of the darkest threats facing our world, Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). Unlike the wars on poverty, drugs, or terrorism, this is a war society has yet to fight with everything we have, despite its global scale and devastating impact.

Dave and Steve break down what CSAM really is, and why calling it “child pornography” dangerously minimizes the reality of these crimes. Drawing from their experience working these types of cases, they discuss the investigative process, from treating images and videos as crime scenes to the painstaking work of documentation. They examine how predators operate, the rise of AI-generated CSAM, and the psychological toll these cases take on investigators.

They also highlight the role of organizations like NCMEC, explore the importance of language and advocacy, and explain how offenders use the dark web to share material and exploit children. Above all, they stress why law enforcement cannot win this battle alone. Ending CSAM requires all of us, educating, protecting, and refusing to look away. This series will be difficult to hear, but it is necessary, because we owe it to our children to fight this war against CSAM.

Connect with The Detectives Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thedetectivespodcast

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https://www.missingkids.org/home

ACLU Represents Man-Boy Love Group - ABC News

Murdered boy's parents sue North American Man/Boy Love Association

ACLU to Defend Pedophile Group | WIRED

https://www.boston.com/news/crime/2020/07/01/charles-jaynes-parole-hearing-jeffrey-curley/

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Artificial Intelligence is rapidly reshaping modern law enforcement, and detectives are on the front lines, figuring out where it helps and where it hurts. In this episode, Dave and Steve dive deep into how AI is changing criminal investigations.

They start with facial recognition, how it’s evolved, how detectives use it for suspect identification, and the tough balance between public safety and a potential police state. From there, the detectives examine predictive policing software, breaking down both its possibilities and the real-world failures that led to bans in some cities.

The conversation moves into the world of cell phone forensic dumps and social media returns, where AI tools are saving detectives countless hours by sorting through overwhelming amounts of digital data. They also look at license plate readers, traffic cameras, and how AI is speeding up every day investigative work like report writing.

The detectives take on the dangers of AI deepfakes in criminal cases, and how these fakes spill over into courtrooms, affecting attorneys, judges, juries, and public opinion. Finally, they tackle the bigger picture: how dangerous AI could become if it replaces human discretion, what the future of policing might look like with tech like brain implants, and why legislation will be one of the toughest battles ahead.

Connect with The Detectives Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thedetectivespodcast

Join us on Patreon for early access and ad-free episodes: https://www.patreon.com/thedetectives

Shop official merch: https://www.tritonpublishing.net/thedetectivespodcast

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Links:

Colorado dentist found guilty of fatally poisoning wife - ABC News

Cheerleader's mom accused of making "deepfake" videos of daughter's rivals - CBS News

ACLU v. Clearview AI | American Civil Liberties Union

The new lawsuit that shows facial recognition is officially a civil rights issue | MIT Technology Review

Santa Cruz is first U.S. city to ban predictive policing - Los Angeles Times

Chicago police no longer using ShotSpotter gunshot detection technology; Mayor Brandon Johnson exploring other options - ABC7 Chicago

Chicago-Police-Departments-Use-of-ShotSpotter-Technology.pdf

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