The 10 Best Law Enforcement Podcasts (that you need to listen to)
*Edits have been made to this original blog post to reflect more up-to-date statistics
Are you on the podcast bandwagon? As of 2020, 55% of the US population has listened to a podcast, with the last count being at more than 1,000,000 podcast shows available. If you have not given it a shot yet, we highly recommend you do. Podcasts are a form of captivating story telling or discussion that allows you to be entertained wherever you are: in your car, running errands, on patrol, doing chores, at the gym, whatever you want!
If you have an interest or work in law enforcement, we have done all the work for you. We have compiled the best 10 law enforcement podcasts that you should check out today.
1. Policing Matters
Rating: 4.5/5 (43 ratings)
Episodes to date: 160
Average Episodes per month: 5
Average length per episode: 15 minutes
If you’re in law enforcement, then you probably know about PoliceOne.; the website that is the best source for all breaking police news, police resources and general law enforcement related material. You may have not been aware, but they also have a podcast! The podcast is hosted by Doug Wyllie (a senior contributor for PoliceOne) and Jim Dudley (retired San Francisco Deputy Chief).
For those that want to stay up to date with all the latest police news and trends, this is the perfect source for getting the inside scoop. Some of the “best of the podcast” episodes you might want to check out are: “Episode 33: Ordering Food While in Uniform” and “Episode 40: Get Out of the Car: Alternative Police Tactics.” Check out the podcast here.
2. Tactical Fitness
Rating: 5/5 (48 ratings)
Episodes to date: 134
Average Episodes per month: 4
Average length per episode: 30 minutes
Hosted by Stew Smith, a certified military fitness trainer who has trained thousands of students for Navy SEAL, Special Forces, SWAT, FBI, ERT and more. Tactical Fitness discusses different topics related to “tactical fitness training for military, special ops, police and fire fighting training.” This podcast is perfect for the fitness junkie who wants to get their fill on how to stay fit for the job. Some of the “best of the podcast” episodes you might want to check out are: “Episode 121: Post Workout Injury Prevention” and “Episode 111: Nutrition: Fuel for Prep, Training, Selection.” Check out the podcast here.
3. Sworn
Rating: 4.5/5 (116 ratings)
Episodes to date: 16
Average Episodes per month: 4
Average length per episode: 45 minutes
Host Philip Holloway in collaboration with the producers of the incredibly successful true crime podcast Up and Vanished, bring you Sworn. Philip is a deference attorney and former prosecutor with a background in law enforcement and uses his knowledge to comb through “untold stories and hard truths behind major crimes.” This podcast is perfect for those with a curiosity in the inner workings of our legal system. Some of the “best of the podcast” episodes you might want to check out are: “The Lake Oconee Murders: Part 1 and 2.” Check out the podcast here.
4. Things Police See: First Hand Accounts
Rating: 5/5 (111 ratings)
Episodes to date: 24
Average episodes per month: 4
Average length per episode: 30 minutes
Steve Gould, a former Massachusetts police officer, interviews fellow police officers about their most shocking moments on the job. The result is stories that are undeniably stupefying, funny, and startling. The phrase “you can’t make these stories up if you tried” is very applicable here; these episodes play out like a movie. Some of the “best of the podcast” episodes you might want to check out are: “Episode 10: Most Evil Criminal and Dumbest Criminal” and “Episode 9: Gil Reyes – Stories from the California Highway Patrol.” Check out the podcast here.
5. Cop Life
Rating: 5/5 (90 ratings)
Episode to date: 31
Average episodes per month: 1
Average length per episode: 1 hour
This podcast is hosted by Keith, a retired cop with 17 years of service in Texas. This podcast looks at stories from patrol – discussions around what it is like being a patrol cop and how being a cop crosses over into all aspects of your life. Cop Life is perfect for the LEO that just can’t get enough of great beat cop stories. Some of the “best of the podcast” episodes you might want to check out are: “The Fear Factor” and “So You Want to go to the Police Academy?” Check out the Podcast here.
6. Watch Your Six
Rating: 5/5 (70 ratings)
Episodes to date: 87
Average episodes per month: 4
Average length per episode: 30 minutes
This podcast is hosted by Jonathan Parker, a police officer since 2007 and a professional speaker who often performs as a keynote speaker or conference speaker nationwide. ‘Watch Your Six’ is targeted for an audience of law enforcement, first responders, and their families. It promises to “watch your six by protecting the six vulnerable areas of life often left exposed to danger.” The six categories are: 1) mental, 2) marital – relationships that include parenting, 3) muscle, 4) money, 5) mission – leadership and current events, and 6) ministry – spiritual. A podcast that could fall into the “self-help” and “self-improvement” category, you will learn how to enhance all aspects of your life and combat the damage that the toll of being in a law enforcement family can have. Some of the “best of the podcast” episodes you might want to check out are: “Episode 86: The Lifestyle Change You Should Consider Making for Good Health” and “Episode 28/29: Excellence in Training Part 1 & 2 – Mental and Marital Health.” Check out the podcast here.
7. Sheepdog Nation
Rating: 5/5 (42 ratings)
Episodes to date: 44
Average Episodes per month: 4
Average length per episode: 25 minutes
Hosted by police officer Autumn Schmidt, this podcast discusses all the challenges that come with being a cop, and the challenges for their families as well. Sheepdog Nation tackles a broad variety of topics including mental health, physical health, marriage and getting hurt on the job. Autumn brings a refreshing approach to podcasting and isn’t afraid to tell it like it is. Careful – the podcasts are explicit and should only be listened to if you’re not offended by a few F-bombs. Some of the “best of the podcast” episodes you might want to check out are: “What Every Police Officer Wants Their Spouse to Know” and “What Police Spouses Want their Police Officers to Know.” Check out the podcast here.
8. 70 Million
Rating: 5/5 (29 ratings)
Episodes to date: 12
Average Episodes per month: 2
Average length per episode: 30 minutes
Host Mitzi Miller, journalist and multi-published author, takes you through episodes that discuss local jails and their impacts on communities and people. Travelling across the United States, the podcast tackles “diversion, bail reform, recidivism and adoption of technology.” This podcast is great for those who want to learn more about the prison and criminal justice system. Some of the “best of the podcast” episodes you might want to check out are: “Ep. 6: In One State, An Opioid Crisis Led Police to Start an Angel Program” and “Ep. 8: In Miami, Jailing Fewer, Treating More.” Check out the podcast here.
9. Finest United
Rating: 5/5 (28 ratings)
Episodes to date: 1
Average Episodes per month: 1
Average length per episode: 40 minutes
Finest United is hosted by Lenny Bradley who has over 12 years of Law Enforcement experience. This is a new podcast, but we can already tell it’s going to do quite well. With only one episode released so far, the podcast already has a five-star rating from 28 reviews. This podcast is focused on NYC Law Enforcement but can be appreciated by LEO anywhere. Discussions are going to be around police perspectives both on duty and off duty. The first episode that has been released was titled “Maintaining a Positive Mindset on ‘The Job’.” Check out the podcast here.
10. Countdown to Capture by Newport Beach Police
Rating: 4/5 (11 ratings)
Episodes to date: 6
Average Episodes per month: n/a
Average length per episode: 15 minutes
This podcast is quite different from the others we have mentioned in this blog post so far. While the other podcasts have been made for a Law Enforcement audience, this podcast is made by police for a civilian audience. That being said, it is quite interesting and well done, and can be appreciated by LEOs as well.
Newport Beach Police released a 6-episode podcast highlighting a cold case. Peter Chadwick was released on bail for the murder of his wife when he failed to appear in court. The Newport Beach PD hoped that by detailing the case to the public, it could rekindle a flame for the cold case and bring in new leads for Chadwick’s current whereabouts.
An interesting and refreshing take on amplifying a cold case, this podcast generated a lot of media interest and made national headlines. We recommend it to civilians and LEOs alike. Check out the podcast here.
Is our list not long enough for you? Here is a few more podcasts we came across that any police officer can enjoy:
The Law Enforcement Social Media Podcast
Let us know if we missed one of your favorites! Or, take a listen and give us feedback on what you thought of our recommendations.
About the Author
Kristina Obodivskiy
Marketing Specialist
Kristina Obodovskiy is a Marketing Specialist at InTime. With a BBA in Marketing Management and over 4 years of marketing experience, Kristina has written guest contribution content for several organizations in the past. If you would like to connect with Kristina, find her on LinkedIn here.
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