WIU: Inside the System, An LEJA Podcast

Welcome to WIU: Inside the System, presented by Western Illinois University’s School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration (LEJA). We start our second season of the podcast introducing you to Chief Gary Baum, an Assistant Professor for Fire Protection. Chief Baum has been involved in fire services since 2001 and had been involved in teaching for more than 35 years. Before coming to Western...

Welcome to WIU: Inside the System, presented by Western Illinois University’s School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration (LEJA).In this week's episode we are introduced to our newest professor in LEJA, Franco Perez, who teaches in Emergency Management with interests in Homeland Security, Preparedness and Planning, Security, THIRA, Red Teaming, Evacuation Planning, and Strength Traini...

Welcome to WIU: Inside the System, presented by Western Illinois University’s School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration (LEJA).In this installment Associate Professor David Young shows us how a real polygraph test works in law enforcement. In this episode, we take you inside an actual polygraph examination and break down the science behind lie detector tests. Watch as a subject undergoe...

Welcome to WIU: Inside the System, presented by Western Illinois University’s School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration (LEJA).In this installment Dr. Todd Lough is back to explain the significance of earning a four year degree in law enforcement and criminal justice. Hear his story on how his degree helped him be prepared for the academy, and why he thinks a degree will put students ah...

Welcome to WIU: Inside the System, presented by Western Illinois University’s School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration (LEJA).In this week's episode we meet David Harlow, a Western Illinois University graduate who served in various positions with the U.S. Marshal Services, culminating in serving as the acting director until his retirement in 2018.Hear about some of his experiences...

Welcome to WIU: Inside the System, presented by Western Illinois University’s School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration (LEJA).This week's episode, our final one for 2025, we are introduced to Marie Hunt, who is the implementation project manager at D4H. She discusses her career path from personal trainer to the technical side of emergencymanagement, and what she says is the best pa...

Welcome to WIU: Inside the System, presented by Western Illinois University’s School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration (LEJA).In this week's episode retired FBI specialist and current WIU professor Dr. Jack Schafer returns to discuss his experiences in behavioral analysis. In law enforcement behavioral analysis is used to aid in criminal investigations by creating profiles of unkno...

Welcome to WIU: Inside the System, presented by Western Illinois University’s School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration (LEJA).This week we have a special Guest joining us all the way from Dublin, Ireland, Founder and CEO of D4H, Mr. Robin Blandford. D4H was founded in 2008 and based on Mr. Blandford's own experience in the Irish Coast Guard. He wanted to build meaningful, data driv...

Welcome to WIU: Inside the System, presented by Western Illinois University’s School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration (LEJA).This week's show is hot, literally, as we introduce you to WIU Fire Protection Services Program professor Joe Henning. Henning is a retired fire chief from Quincy, Illinois, who spent nearly 28 years with the department, 12 of them serving as fire chief. The...

Welcome to WIU: Inside the System, presented by Western Illinois University’s School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration (LEJA).In this week's episode we are introduced to retired FBI specialist and current WIU professor Dr. Jack Schafer. Dr. Schafer specializes in behavioral analytics and served as behavioral analyst assigned to FBI's National Security Behavioral Analysis Program. Hear...

Welcome to WIU: Inside the System, presented by Western Illinois University’s School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration (LEJA). In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Barry McCrary, a juvenile justice expert and professor at Western Illinois University. Dr, McCrary began his career in 1984 and has held numerous positions in the juvenile justice field, 18 of which were in the Pittsburgh a...

Welcome to WIU: Inside the System, presented by Western Illinois University’s School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration (LEJA). In this episode, Professor Dr. Thomas Meloni sits down with Dr. Johnson to discuss his nearly forty year career in law enforcement that included stops in Will County as a sheriff's deputy, Los Angeles as a police officer, Thornton, Illinois as the chief of poli...

In this episode of WIU: Inside the System, presented by Western Illinois University’s School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration (LEJA), Dr. Jamie Johnson introduces Assistant Professor and Graduate Coordinator Patricia Walton, a former attorney and judge with over 40 years of experience..Professor Walton retired as an Associate Judge in 2019, serving in the Ninth Judicial Circuit of Ill...

In this episode of WIU: Inside the System, presented by Western Illinois University’s School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration (LEJA), Dr. Jamie Johnson introduces Professor Robert Kelly, a 25-year veteran of the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP).Professor Kelly retired as a Lieutenant and Station Commander, serving in both field operations and administrative leadership roles. His career...

In this episode of WIU: Inside the System, presented by Western Illinois University’s School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration (LEJA), we sit down with Instructor Glen Schwartz, a 27-year veteran of the Illinois State Police. During his decorated career, Instructor Schwartz served in multiple ranks of Trooper, Special Agent, Sergeant, Master Sergeant, Lieutenant, and District Commander...

Welcome to WIU: Inside the System, presented by Western Illinois University’s School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration (LEJA).In this episode, Professor David Young shares his incredible journey as a 26-year FBI Special Agent. Assigned to the Atlanta and Springfield Divisions of the FBI, Professor Young investigated cases involving: Violent crimes, Public corruption, Civil rights viola...

Welcome to the first episode of WIU: Inside the System, presented by Western Illinois University’s School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration (LEJA).In this episode, Interim LEJA Program Director Jamie Johnson chats with Dr. Todd Lough, who shares his experiences as a former Chicago Police Officer and current WIU professor. With nine years at the Chicago Police Department (CPD), Dr. Loug...