Episodes

The encouragement and allowance of peaceful protest and free speech is a cornerstone of the United States Constitution and is solidified in the First Amendment. Our nation was created from political dispute with England, and angry protests and fiery speeches energized the rebellion. Now, almost 250 years later, political disputes, speeches and demonstrations are once again front and center. Like all freedoms, there are rules and parameters to be followed and require close judicial scrutiny. Eve...

This episode concludes the discussion about the mass murder in Wakefield MA. on December 26, 2001. Previously, Jordan and Bill led listeners through an exhaustive examination of the investigative process and the legal challenges that led up to the trial of Commonwealth vs. Michael “Mucko” McDermott. Today they focus on the trial in general and distinguish the differences in trial methods and process when a defendant offers a defense of Insanity. Listen as Bill describes the jury selection, the ...

A defendant always has the presumption of innocence, and the prosecution always carries the burden of proving their case “beyond a reasonable doubt”. The burden is high because the stakes are as well. In a murder conviction, the defendant could lose their freedom for the remainder of their natural life. So, the preparation work leading up to a trial is enormous and needs to be on point. In this week’s episode Jordan and Bill discuss the process leading up to a trial, beginning with the thorough...

We continue our review of the mass murder in Wakefield and focus on the importance of protecting the crime scene in the original condition, preserving it from additional contamination, before documenting and meticulously collecting all of the evidence for additional testing at the crime lab and beyond. Bill addresses the strict judicial interpretations of the 4th Amendment regarding search and seizure, and he explains when, where and why a search warrant is required. He also mentions the limite...

Every death investigation presents unforeseen and unpredictable issues and complications. Each requires immediate, but considered decision making to restore order and safety, preserve the crime scene(s), summon the needed practitioners to assist, all the while keeping out those folks that aren’t central to the investigation. Only then can the next steps be determined and prioritized to move the investigation forward. In this episode we return to the scene of the mass murder in Wakefield MA on 1...

Every homicide investigation and prosecution is unique and, while there may be similarities to other cases, no two are ever identical. An often-quoted legal principle states “Each case turns on its own facts.” Some cases rely on direct evidence like the defendant’s fingerprints or DNA on the murder weapon or testimony from a surviving victim or eyewitness about their observations. Other cases are built in a circumstantial manner where there may be dozens of pieces of information that alone may ...

Growing technological and scientific improvements and their application and benefit in criminal investigations has been extraordinary and at times mind-boggling. But, with the changes come legal, evidentiary challenges to the technology, the science behind it and the expertise of the scientists who test and evaluate the results. Court decisions are definitive and swift and can often change the course of an investigation and prosecution the moment the decision is released. Listen in to this conv...

Today’s episode launches a new chapter in our podcast series. For the foreseeable future, the focus will be on the investigation and prosecution of homicide cases. Listen as we walk you through a series of cases, taking you from the arrival at a crime scene, through the trial preparation and prosecution of the case. Bill, and our guests, are practitioners with decades of experience and most often first-hand knowledge of the cases they will discuss. They will define the investigative and legal p...

Join us in this first episode of a new chapter as we transition from a general overview of policing in America today, to an in-depth look at criminal investigations. In many instances the witness interviews and evidence present in a simple, straight-forward manner and result in a quick arrest and prosecution. In other cases, the preliminary information and evidence may be lacking or in dispute, requiring a larger and more in-depth investigation. The bigger the challenge, the more rewarding when...

Our guest today is author and retired police officer Frank Scalise. Frank, who writes under the pen name Frank Zafiro, has produced more than thirty novels and countless short stories in the genre of police procedurals. All are authentic, topical, and well written. None are more timely or relevant though than the two we will discuss in this episode. I believe our discussion serves as an exclamation point to the end of this chapter in our podcast series directed towards police and community engag...

Our conversation continues with retired police superintendent and current college professor, Dr. Paul Joyce. In this episode, Paul discusses community policing as a philosophy and not a collection of protocols or checklists that are set in stone. He describes it as a way forward by building strong partnerships, to problem solve and improve quality of life in neighborhoods. He talks of the need for all community stakeholders to buy in to the effort and invest their time and resources to make it ...

Our guest in this episode is Dr. Paul Joyce, a retired Superintendent of the Boston Police Department, and current Assistant Professor and Chair of the Criminal Justice and Criminology Program at Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island. In any serious conversation about the best methods to generate a meaningful, collaborative effort between police and the communities they serve, Paul should be the featured speaker. His professional qualifications put him in the upper echelon of those w...

In part two of our interview with retired police chief and recent author Kristen Ziman (Imagining Blue: Thoughts on Life, Leadership, and a New Way Forward in Policing), we focus on recent events and the resultant calls for police reform with an increased expectation of deliverable police services. We discuss the best way for law enforcement to meet those demands as well as the need for a significant government investment of money and resources to provide more education and training for all poli...

Kristen Ziman is the boss you always wish you had! Like the legendary example of the kid who started in the mailroom and rose to be company CEO, Kristen started her police career as a 19-year-old cadet and rose through the ranks to become Chief of the Aurora, Illinois Police Department. Listen as she talks about growing up in Aurora, the daughter of a police officer, and why, from the time she was six, she had only one goal., to follow in her father’s footsteps. Kristen discusses her career an...

Community policing is both a policy and a strategy that requires buy-in and participation not only by the police department, but the community as well. It is never a “quick fix” but a long-term commitment that is built on mutual trust and respect, and that doesn’t happen overnight. Not an easy mission under any circumstances, but in higher education where the resident population turns over almost completely every four years, the challenges can be greater. Listen and learn as Bill talks about hi...

Our conversation with Terry Cunningham continues with a discussion about the political motivation and movement to “defund the police”. He explains that with crime now at an all-time high, most of the defund arguments and proposals have had disastrous results with high homicide rates and the physical and financial destruction of many cities. In their place, new anti-police schemes have risen. “Demoralize the police” is their newest campaign, delivering mistruths on both social and mainstream medi...

The IACP is the primary organization representing police leaders throughout the world. With more than 33,000 members in 173 countries, it is the advocate and the voice for police chiefs throughout the United States and the world. As the Deputy Director, Terry Cunningham is a primary diplomat, educator, and negotiator for the Association with both the Executive and Legislative branches of the federal government. I could think of no better or more informed guest to begin our series of podcasts abo...

There is much over-the-top talk about the need for police reform, without a real understanding of the issues. Historically, there is no profession that evolves and changes with the times as rapidly as policing. When laws change or government leadership redefines the role of their police department, or when courts make rulings that change or alter criminal investigative procedures, the transformation and “re-tooling” is immediate. Training to the change is instant and direct, and conducted in a m...

This is the first of what promises to be an epic series of podcasts designed to engage, enlighten, and educate listeners to the world of law enforcement and beyond. Our focus will be multi-dimensional and will cover current issues involving the criminal justice system as a whole, with an emphasis on criminal and courtroom procedures, as well as the forensic sciences. On the lighter side, we will speak with authors of both fiction and non-fiction mysteries based on their experiences in the crimin...