Wearing the Badge with Garry McCarthy

By Fox 32 Chicago

In "Wearing the Badge," former Chicago top cop Garry McCarthy offers a rare look into the inner workings of one of America’s most-scrutinized police forces. Beyond breaking down the latest crime trend... more

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FAQs about Wearing the Badge with Garry McCarthy:

How many episodes does Wearing the Badge with Garry McCarthy have?

The podcast currently has 10 episodes available.

Wearing the Badge with Garry McCarthy episodes:

August 29, 2025 Inside the Boston Marathon Bombing: Ed Davis Remembers
In this powerful episode of "Wearing the Badge," Garry McCarthy sits down with longtime friend and former Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis to revisit the darkest days of his career — the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. Davis recounts his path from patrolman in Lowell to leading the city of Boston, the chaos of that Patriots’ Day, and the manhunt that followed.

The two veteran chiefs reflect on leadership, the human toll of policing, and the camaraderie that stretches across departments and decades. Along the way, they trade war stories from the drug wars, mob investigations, and personal moments that reveal the heart behind the badge.

Chapters:
00:00 Cold Open: Chaos in Boston
01:00 Baseball Rivalries & Old Friendships
04:00 Ed’s Start in Lowell Policing
06:00 Cutting Teeth on the Streets
09:00 Vice & Narcotics in the ’80s
11:00 The War on Drugs & Its Failures
14:00 Battling Organized Crime & Whitey Bulger
16:00 Mob Stories from Boston & Chicago
19:00 Wiretaps and the Rise to Chief
20:00 Cleaning Up the Lowell PD
21:30 Community Policing and Crime Drops
23:00 Major City Chiefs & National Policing Network
33:00 The Boston Marathon: A Festive Day Turns Deadly
34:30 Immediate Response to the Bombings
40:00 The Investigation & FBI Tensions
49:00 Sean Collier and the Watertown Shootout
53:00 Skip Shooting and Tamerlan Neutralized
56:00 The Manhunt and Lockdown
59:00 The Boat Capture & Final Arrest
1:02:00 Reflections on Leadership and Resilience

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1h 3min
August 11, 2025 SAFE-T Act: Prosecutor says defendant rights are trumping victim rights (Pt 3)
In the final chapter of our three-part SAFE-T Act special, host Garry McCarthy sits down with Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow to examine the controversial law from the prosecutor’s chair. Glasgow details how new restrictions “handcuff” those seeking justice, why enforcing warrants is critical to curbing crime, and how a new bill in Springfield could make most routine traffic stops—like expired plates or speeding—illegal.
They explore why such stops remain a vital crime-fighting tool, and the unique risks officers face every day. Beyond the headlines, Glasgow shares his decades of public service, his unwavering support for police K-9 units, and the charities he founded that pair service dogs with child survivors of sexual abuse—helping them through the darkest moments of investigations.
The conversation closes with a rare, behind-the-scenes look at Glasgow’s prosecution of Drew Peterson, the twists of the trial, and the unanswered questions that linger to this day.
00:00 Introduction
00:54 Meeting James Glasgow – Career path, shared history with Garry, and early life.
04:25 Giving Back to the Community – Adoption story, youth programs, and character education.
06:42 The SAFE-T Act from a Prosecutor’s View – How it passed, early problems, and pushing for fixes.
10:07 Warrants, Felony Murder, and Public Safety – Why enforcement matters and the risks of recent legal changes.
14:54 Proposed Ban on Routine Traffic Stops – From expired plates to excessive tint, and why officers push back.
18:46 Doing the Right Thing in High-Profile Cases – Kevin Fox, Internal Affairs stories, and navigating politics.
25:34 Protecting Animals and Supporting K-9 Units – From felony animal abuse laws to police dogs saving lives.
35:04 The Hidden Costs of Training – Overtime, quality issues, and AI-based instruction.
37:29 Dangerous Crimes That Aren’t Detainable – Fentanyl, threats to public officials, and gaps in the law.
38:01 Body Cam Restrictions and Human Memory – Why report-writing rules mattered.
44:36 The Drew Peterson Cases – Murder-for-hire plot, Savio’s death, and conviction.
51:03 Final Reflections on Public Safety – Risks officers take, balancing justice, and doing the job right.
53:49 Conclusion

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54min
July 31, 2025 Safe-T Act debate intensifies: Lawmakers from both sides share views (Pt 2)
In the second episode of our three‑part SAFE‑T Act series, Illinois House Speaker Pro Tempore Representative Kam Buckner and State Senator John Curran join the conversation—bringing perspectives from both sides of the General Assembly. They discuss how the bill was crafted without meaningful input from local law enforcement, the shift from reactive to proactive policing by blending data-driven models with broken‑windows theory, and the lessons learned from police chiefs across the country. They also unpack the behind‑the‑scenes political currents that shape policing in ways the public rarely sees, the urgency to act following high‑profile tragedies like George Floyd and Laquan McDonald, and the debate over wise versus wasteful use of police resources—especially given Chicago’s unique history and violence patterns. This episode pulls back the curtain on policy-making, giving you a legislative lens on the public safety reforms sweeping Illinois.
00:00 Introduction
01:20 Between Two Linebackers
03:00 Who is John Curran?
05:27 Who is Kam Buckner?
09:07 Telling Cops How to Do Their Jobs
10:43 Who Wrote the SAFE-T Act?
14:56 Reactive Policing to Proactive Policing
18:00 Ron Serpas and Data-Driven Policing
19:15 "Doing Something" After George Floyd
20:58 Learning from Other Chiefs
23:20 Policing Gang Activity
25:05 Abandoning Winning Strategies
26:10 Experts Versus Politicians
27:40 How Do We Move Forward?
30:21 The Three Kinds of Police
31:28 Dispatching and the Clean Screen
32:02 Using Cops Wisely
34:15 Laquan McDonald and George Floyd
37:15 Miranda Rights Were "Radical" Too
38:22 Half Cop/Half Egghead
39:11 Collaboration and Deadlines
40:24 Pre-trial Fairness Act
42:26 Learning from Scandals
45:01 Overlooking Black on Black Crime
46:18 Chicago's History of Violence
48:10 Cops are Human
49:58 Executing the Law
51:52 Suggested Fixes
52:52 Felony Murder
56:10 Conclusion

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57min
July 18, 2025 SAFE-T Act under fire: Police argue it benefits criminals, hurts officers (Pt. 1)
In this first episode of a three-part series on Illinois' controversial SAFE-T Act, former Chicago Police Commissioner Garry McCarthy sits down with suburban police chiefs Marc Maton (Lemont, IL) and Tom Herion (Village of Lyons) to dig into what law enforcement veterans really think about the law.
They open up about being completely shut out of the negotiation process, how the reforms are impacting both police and judicial decision-making, and the unintended mess that happens when civilians try to "police the police." From pre-trial release to electronic monitoring, they argue that post-bail reform is missing the mark — and what it’ll take to get it right.
This is a straight-talking, boots-on-the-ground look at the real-world effects of reform through the eyes of those sworn to uphold the law.

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52min
July 11, 2025 Race & Police Reform: Pastor Corey Brooks, Ex-Chicago top cop confront realities
Pastor Corey Brooks, who spent a year living on a rooftop to draw attention to Chicago’s crisis of crime and poverty, joins Garry McCarthy for an honest conversation about the most sensitive topic in police reform: race. Together, they explore how to build trust in high-crime neighborhoods, confront the realities of violence within Black communities, and develop smarter, safer strategies for policing Chicago’s streets.

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53min
June 06, 2025 Cops talk working during NYC’s 1980s crime epidemic
On this episode of "Wearing the Badge," host Gary McCarthy, former Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department, interviews St. Louis Police Commissioner Chief Robert J. Tracy. Both having served with the New York Police Department, they discuss their experiences during NYC's 1980s crime epidemic. The conversation also covers career growth and the challenges of moving up the ranks in law enforcement. Tracy shares personal stories, including how he met his wife at a community meeting he initially didn't want to attend .

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52min
May 03, 2025 9/11 through the eyes of the NYPD
In this episode of "Behind the Badge," host and former NYPD Deputy Commissioner Garry McCarthy, along with his former colleague Stephen McAllister, offer a personal glimpse into the traumatic experiences of police officers responding to the events of September 11th, 2001. From the fear and uncertainty as the towers fell to the intense stress that followed in the days after, McCarthy and McAllister open up about the bravery and resilience of the NYPD's finest.

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53min
May 02, 2025 How NYPD football team creates brotherhood. Plus, other cop stories
On this episode of “Behind the Badge,” we look at how the NYPD Finest football team has fostered lifelong relationships among officers. Host Garry McCarthy sits down with former teammate Steve McAllister, now police commissioner in Floral Park, as they share stories from their time on the team. From funny nicknames like "Veal" to the team's experiences with tragedy, they discuss the intense highs and lows that officers encounter every day.

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53min
April 26, 2025 Ella French's mom, Officer Carlos Yanez Jr. help cop families cope with trauma
On this episode of "Behind the Badge," we remember Ella French, a Chicago police officer killed in the line of duty in 2021. Ella’s mother, Elizabeth French, and officer Carlos Yanez Jr., who was shot alongside Ella, joined host Garry McCarthy to share memories of her life and the kind of person she was — both on and off the job. Yanez and Ella's mom now help cop families cope with trauma through the “Light The Line” nonprofit.

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1h 5min
April 21, 2025 Episode 1

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53min

FAQs about Wearing the Badge with Garry McCarthy:

How many episodes does Wearing the Badge with Garry McCarthy have?

The podcast currently has 10 episodes available.