The Danny and Park Novels Good News Podcast

 Today’s guest is RPD Sgt. James Hale. Sgt. Hale is one of the supervisors for RPD’s School Resource Officers. These are the police officers who not only keep the students and faculty safe, but also mentor the students, take them on trips, show them how to exercise correctly and so much more. So much, in fact, that I’m going to cut this intro short and jump right into the interview. I hope you enj...

Welcome to Christina's episode! After the interview was done, I texted Christina multiple thumbs up because of how well she did. She replied that she thought people would hate her because of what she said. I replied, ‘Nah’, but you know what? Some people may hate her because of what she said, but so what? Everyone, and I mean everyone, deserves to have their voice heard and be given an opport...

 Today’s guest is Austin Darnell, a Homicide detective with the Richmond Police Department. Darnell and I worked on separate Homicide teams, then I became his acting supervisor while his sergeant was having some shoulder surgery. As you’ll be able to tell in the interview, Darnell is irreverent, but smart as hell and funny as, well, you know. Take a listen to our interview and let me know what you...

Today’s guest is Reggie Allen, a 30yr veteran of the Richmond Police Department. Reggie started with the department in 1988 and retired in 2019. While with the department, Reggie spent a few years in patrol, about nine years in Narco-cide and Homicide, but eventually went back to do what he loved doing: narcotics work. Reggie and I talk about his career with the department, his outlook on life and...

Today’s guest is Antoinette Tull. Antoinette worked for the City of Richmond for nearly 14yrs as the Human Resources Chief for the Richmond Police Department. She also established RPD's first Wellness Unit in 2019. I initially asked Antoinette if she wanted to talk about the fact that many people of color who go missing don’t receive the media coverage that white women do. Antoinette agreed t...

Today’s guest is Donna Mensah, an author I met on Instagram. Her book, ‘Diaries of a Nagging Wife’ is available on Amazon and she SWEARS it’s not autobiographical. As my mother used to say, WJS: we’ll just see. Listen to the fun conversation I have with Donna and let me know what you think. And remember to check out her book on Amazon!

 Today’s guest is Kim Mooney, a lieutenant with the Richmond Police Department. Kim’s current assignment is at the police academy and she and I speak about what she sees in the new recruits and what she and the rest of the academy staff try to impart to them. She and I also talk about the assignments that she has worked in her 17yrs with the department.  Kim had initially reached out to me in resp...

Today’s guest is Sonia Austin-Moore, a Forensic detective with the Richmond Police Department. Sonia’s been with the Richmond Police Department for (16) years and has been a Forensic detective for the last decade. Sonia and I talk about her career with the department as well as a physical scare that she had that completely blindsided her. I’m going to keep this intro short so that we can jump righ...

 Today’s guest is Henrico police Chief Eric English. Chief English has been Henrico’s Chief for just over a year, and before that he was the chief in Harrisonburg, Virginia. And before THAT, he was with the Richmond Police Department from 1989 until 2018, where he retired as a Deputy Chief.  Chief English and I talk about his experiences with the three police agencies, his views on George Floyd in...

Today’s guest is Joi Fultz. Joi works for local tv station WTVR and is the daughter of retired Richmond Homicide detective Joe Fultz. In today’s somewhat divided political and media climate, Joi’s in the unique position of working for the media AND being a cop’s daughter. Joi and I talk about her growing up as a cop’s kid, working for the local media and what she loves about Richmond and it’s citi...

Today’s guest is retired Richmond Police Homicide detective Joe Fultz. Joe was with the Richmond Police Department for over 30yrs and worked many different assignments before landing in Homicide. Joe was one of my mentors when I got transferred to Homicide and he’s one of my favorite people in the world. Joe's also a character in one of the upcoming novels, hence the 'Papa Bear' in...

Welcome back to the podcast. Today’s guest is Shayna Perlstein, a drill sergeant and police officer. Shayna and I talk about her military service as well as the two police agencies that she’s worked for, as well as her views on police relationships with the community and with her experiences as a female police officer. Take a listen to her interview and let me know what you think.

Welcome back to the podcast. Today’s guest is RPD officer Chris Saunders. Chris works midnight shifts in Richmond’s 4th Precinct and has been with the department for (7) years. He’s active on Facebook and Twitter, with a personal page and a department page. I asked Chris to come on the podcast because of a photo he posted kneeling beside his patrol car before a shift. As we all know, kneeling has...

Today’s guest is Vaughan Jones, a defense attorney and lifelong Richmond resident. Vaughan and I met twenty years ago when he did a three year stint as a prosecutor in the Richmond Commonwealth Attorney’s Office. Recently, Vaughan posted something on Facebook which I replied to in the comments section of his post. We didn’t see eye to eye and went back and forth a couple times, online. I asked him...

Welcome back to the podcast, I’m Jamie Baynes. Today’s guest is Lynne Hughes of Comfort Zone Camp. My friend Anthony Jackson reached out to me and said that he thought Lynne would be interested in being on the podcast and talking about Comfort Zone Camp. He gave me her number, I reached out to her and bam! Got her on the podcast. I’m going to let Lynne describe what Comfort Zone Camp does and I be...

Welcome back to the podcast, I’m Jamie Baynes. Today’s guest is author, mother and wife Kristine Blevins. Kristine is one of the authors I follow on Instagram and I have a link to her book on my website. Recently, Kristine posted a few paragraphs on her page about women’s body positivity and sexuality. I reached out to her to see if she’d be willing to do a podcast episode to talk about her post a...

     Welcome back to the podcast, I’m Jamie Baynes. Today I’m talking to Brendan and Carl, two Richmond police officers and the president and vice-president, respectively of RCOP. RCOP is the Richmond Coalition of Police and they exist to speak up for the fair treatment of Richmond’s police officers, as well as to give officers a voice when it comes to expressing their concerns for safety and pay....

 Thanks for listening to the podcast, I’m Jamie Baynes. Today’s guest is Nikki Bailey. I came across Nikki on Instagram because she followed some of the same people I followed. I actually used one of her Instagram photos on the Danny and Park website. I reached out to her to see if she’d be willing to be a guest on the podcast and she agreed. Prior to the episode, I asked her if she was a Richmond...

      Today I’m talking to Dave Burt, a retired police officer who worked for the Richmond Police Department 31yrs,(26) of those years as a Homicide detective. Over the course of his Homicide career, Dave worked over a hundred murders. Over a hundred. Incredible. Dave and I talk about his years with the department and he gives some sage advice to officers and detectives still out there doing what...

Today's guest is someone who was not just one of my favorite people at the Richmond Police Department but is one of my favorite people in the whole world: Tish Edmonds. Tish is a sergeant with the police department and is currently the supervisor of the Community Care Unit. Before that she was a Domestic Assault detective in the Youth and Family Crimes Unit.  Tish and I talk about her time in...

 Today's guest is Emily; survivor, mom, wife and advocate. Emily has an amazing story to tell about being kidnapped and assaulted while she was a college student. Her torment didn't end when she managed to escape; she was stalked for years afterwards. She recounts the horrific events, yet she still maintains hope and exudes positivity. That's what this podcast is all about. Listen t...

Welcome back to the podcast, I’m Jamie Baynes. Today’s guest is Chesterfield Police Chief Jeffrey Katz. Chief Katz heard my interview with Will Smith and commented that he enjoyed hearing from Will. Since I had Chief Katz’s attention, I asked him if he’d be willing to be on an episode. To my delight and surprise, he readily agreed. We’d planned on a three PM interview, but when I called at three,...

Today's guest is Deneice Coleman, a mother, daughter and employee of the Richmond Police Department. Deneice epitomizes positivity and optimism, so obviously I had to have her on the podcast. We worked together for many years in the Major Crimes Division of the RPD and in all those years I never saw her down, depressed or angry. She always has a smile for everyone and if she thinks that you&a...

Today I'm welcoming back Sharmeen Farooq. I'm sure you guys remember my last interview with this amazing author and poet. For those that don't, Sharmeen has experienced a lot in her life and I wanted to bring her back to talk about a multitude of topics. Too many in fact for another single podcast, so expect to hear from her again. Today, she's going to share why she and her fa...

     Today's guest is Will Smith who was Richmond's police chief up until last summer. Will and I are in the same generation of RPD officers; I graduated from the academy in 1993 and Will in 1995. Both of us worked Patrol in Richmond's east end, also known as Church Hill.      Will and I talk about our time in Patrol, as well as his rise to chief. We also discuss the current pay pro...