The Detectives Podcast

In Part IV of The War We Owe Them , Dave and Steve sit down with Chantal, a mother, entrepreneur, and survivor of human trafficking. In a courageous and deeply personal conversation, Chantal shares her story in her own words, offering insight into the warning signs others may have missed, the myths that harm survivors, and the trauma responses that are often misunderstood. She speaks openly about...

In this February 2026 Squad Meeting, we answer listener questions from our recent episodes, including some great follow-ups that dive deeper into investigations and the reality of the criminal justice system. We also break down our latest Cross Examined episode with Lead Detective Emma, an elected Superior Court Clerk. The conversation pulled back the curtain on something we don’t often talk about...

Police pursuits are often portrayed like action movies, but the reality is far more complicated and far more dangerous. In this episode, Dave and Steve break down what police pursuits actually involve, why policies have tightened over the years, and why officers are forced to make split-second decisions with no perfect outcomes. From school zones and rush-hour traffic to weather, speed, and suspec...

Why do violent and other serious offenders sometimes end up with fan clubs? In this episode, Dave and Steve examine why certain suspects and convicted individuals attract romantic or sexual attention across genders. They explore what that fascination reveals about psychology, media culture, and modern true crime consumption. From infamous killers to viral mugshots and online fandoms, they explore...

In this episode, Dave and Steve break down the crime of scams. What legally separates scams, fraud, theft, and bad business deals, and why many situations that feel criminal end up being civil matters. They explain why these distinctions matter, why victims often feel dismissed, and why some of the most damaging scams never result in criminal charges. They also walk through why scams are so diffic...

In this episode, Dave and Steve break down the realities of the job the public rarely sees and applicants aren’t always told about. They discuss the pressures, delays, and limitations that shape police work every day, along with how those realities impact investigations, officers, and the people they serve. They discuss the mental and emotional toll of the work, internal stressors within departmen...

“No body” cases are some of the hardest homicide investigations to build and prosecute. In this episode, Dave and Steve explain what makes these cases different, why investigators assume death early, and how circumstantial evidence becomes decisive when there’s no body. Using real-world examples, including references to the Brian Walshe case, they break down the must-dos: proving the victim is dea...

We’re kicking off 2026 with our first Squad Meeting of the year and wishing everyone a Happy New Year. We talk about our personal goals for the year, including fitness, mental health, and making time for travel and life outside the job. We also look ahead at what’s coming in 2026 for the podcast, including continued Bibb County trial coverage, legislative developments, and other cases we’re keepin...

In Part III of Bunker in Bibb , Dave and Steve sit down with Alabama State Representative, Matt Simpson who proposed legislation that would allow the death penalty in cases involving the sexual abuse of children under the age of 12. Representative Simpson discusses his background as a prosecutor, what motivated the proposed bill, and how lawmakers think through penalty structures, constitutional p...

In Part II of Bunker in Bibb , Dave and Steve return with a focused update on the ongoing investigation and criminal case unfolding in Bibb County, Alabama. Since the first episode, additional charges have been filed, court hearings have taken place, and new details have emerged through testimony and court records. The detectives break down where the case currently stands, including bond decisions...

In this K9 Roll Call episode, Dave and Steve sit down with Officer Gilpin from the University of Notre Dame Police Department to meet Barkley, a vapor-wake explosive detection dog with serious skills and plenty of personality. Officer Gilpin shares how he got into K9 work, the transition from his retired partner Toxy to Barkley, and why vapor-wake detection plays a critical role in public safety....

In this episode, Dave and Steve explore the foundational principle of death investigations: treat every death like a homicide until it isn’t. Using the 2011 death of Ellen Greenberg as a case reference, they walk through the steps investigators typically take in unattended deaths and why beginning with the broadest possible approach protects the integrity of any final determination. The conversati...

Welcome to our December Squad Meeting! In this episode, we sit down and look back at our unbelievable 2025 journey. From launching The Detectives Podcast in July to everything that’s happened since. We talk about how much we’ve learned along the way, and the incredible support from our listeners and Patreon subscribers. We also share stories from our recent trip to Mexico celebrating Steve’s birth...

Part II of this listener-requested episode picks up where the patrol journey ends and the detective path begins. Dave and Steve explore what happens when an officer decides they’re ready to enter criminal investigations and take the next step in their career. They break down the two ways officers typically become detectives, direct appointment or a competitive promotional process. They offer pract...

Part I of this listener requested two-part episode explores how someone actually becomes a detective and answers the question of whether someone can bypass patrol and jump straight into investigations. Dave and Steve walk through the journey from the very beginning, starting with the decision to go into law enforcement itself. They talk about why this profession requires calling, purpose, and pers...

In this special Thanksgiving-week episode, Dave and Steve open up about what it’s really like to spend the holiday as a police officer and a detective. From eating Thanksgiving dinner in a patrol car to getting called out to crime scenes instead of gathering with family. They share the challenges, and the unexpected peaceful moments that come with working holidays. The guys also dive into everythi...

Dave and Steve dive into the wild world of animal encounters on duty. From deer appearing out of nowhere to run-ins with raccoons, opossums, and all kinds of critters, the guys share some of their funniest and strangest stories from the field. They even talk about the legendary tale of Dave’s pigeon case. Connect with The Detectives Podcast: https://linktr.ee/thedetectivespodcast Join us on Patreo...

In this Squad Meeting, we break down the launch of our K9 Roll Call series, and talk about how great it was having DPA Alex and K9 Roger join us on the show. We also talk about some of the upcoming types of K9s listeners will get to meet as this series continues forward. Next, we revisit our very first live stream and how much fun it was. We had a blast hanging out with everyone and the conversati...

Dave and Steve take listeners on a journey through nearly a thousand years of policing history. They begin with the origins of the badge, tracing its symbolism back to medieval heraldry and shields. Then they move into Old English sheriffs under common law, night watchmen, and the creation of the first organized police department in Boston. From there they explore how the American detective emerge...

In this episode, Dave and Steve pull back the curtain on the language of law enforcement—10-codes, signals, and the everyday jargon used on job. They kick things off with a mock example of an officer and dispatcher speaking entirely in code before breaking down what those codes actually mean, where they came from, and why they sound like a foreign language to anyone outside policing. They share ho...

In the first episode of The Detectives Podcast mini-series K9 Roll Call , Dave and Steve are joined by Alex, a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney who also serves as the handler for Roger, a highly trained electronic device detection K9. Roger’s job is unlike any other, he searches for hidden electronic devices such as cell phones, SD cards, USB drives, hard drives, computers, and more often uncovering ev...

In this episode, Dave and Steve sit down with Dr. Kelly Dardeen, a clinical psychologist specializing in first responders. Together, they take a deep dive into the mental health challenges and trauma detectives and officers face throughout their careers. Dr. Dardeen shares how she began her work in trauma therapy, from her early days with the VA to her current role supporting 30 first responder ag...

In part III of The War We Owe Them , Dave and Steve interview Lori Cohen, CEO of PACT (Protect All Children from Trafficking), a nonprofit working to end child trafficking and sexual exploitation in the United States and around the world. Lori explains what trafficking is, what it is not, and why every child has the fundamental right to grow up free from sexual exploitation. Lori shares real cases...

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...

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 b...