Reasons We Serve: Police Careers & Officer Experience

Reasons We Serve
  • 4.9 (24)
  • DOCUMENTARY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Police officer stories and law enforcement interviews revealing why people choose careers in policing. Do you ever wonder why people go into law enforcement? Does being in law enforcement change your views of the public over time, and how does being an officer affect your family? This podcast explores these questions and discusses different careers and the functions of various law enforcement agencies, including local, state, and federal agencies. The episodes include interviews with retired and active-duty law enforcement officers. Welcome to Reasons We Serve—your source for the most honest, unfiltered Law Enforcement Interviews and Military Stories on YouTube. We sit down with Police Officers, Corrections Deputies, Homicide Detectives, Military Veterans, and DEA Agents to share the true costs and triumphs of their careers. The episodes include interviews with retired and active-duty law enforcement officers. Dive into real True Crime Interviews that explore everything from Prison Life and Inmate Stories to solving Cold Cases and surviving Undercover Cop operations. Whether we're covering the dangers of Rikers Island, the challenges of First Responder Mental Health, or Military Missions in Vietnam, we bring you the raw experiences of those who serve.

  1. Police Chief Gary Scheihing: 40-Year Small-Town Cop Saga – Dispatcher Days to Tech & Family Wins

    3D AGO

    Police Chief Gary Scheihing: 40-Year Small-Town Cop Saga – Dispatcher Days to Tech & Family Wins

    Episode 148 Journey through rural Idaho's badge life with retired Emmett PD Chief Gary Scheihing (40+ years), who ditched family carpentry for LE at 18—starting as Ada County dispatcher/jailer (pre-21 patrol ban), evolving through Meridian PD's first MDT computers to a 2-year Emmett reorganization amid homicides and growth. From 1969 Impala patrols (lights only, no siren) to advising rookies on tech-savvy tests and unbreakable family ties ("Pick kids up from school? Priceless"), Gary's tales blend humor, history, and heart—why strong home circles outlast the grind. Welcome to our Channel Reasons We Serve, a podcast dedicated to exploring the motivations, challenges, and realities of working in law enforcement. We dive deep into the personal stories of officers, discuss different career paths, and break down the roles of various agencies—from local police departments to state and federal law enforcement. Please give us a 5-star review, Subscribe, and Share to stay updated on more inspiring law enforcement stories!

    1h 19m
  2. NYPD Auto Crime Boss: Jon Schwartz's 25-Year OC Busts, Gotti Chases & Unbreakable Badge Life

    FEB 8

    NYPD Auto Crime Boss: Jon Schwartz's 25-Year OC Busts, Gotti Chases & Unbreakable Badge Life

    Episode 147 Dive into the gritty underbelly of 1980s-90s NYC with retired NYPD Detective Sgt. Jon Schwartz (25 years, Organized Crime Control Bureau)—mastering auto theft rings tied to mobsters like John Gotti and Carmine Fatico, from street IDs spotting OC players on Utica Ave to FBI/Customs task forces dismantling chop shops and major cases. As a native New Yorker who ran the "Fundamentals of Auto Crime Investigations" school, John shares front-row freak show tales: Bizarre encounters, wheel-reinventing unit shifts, and the "million stories in the naked city" that defined his command. Post-retirement reflections on health scares (heart attack in Aruba, wife's COVID battle, his cancer), rock-solid marriage ("She's steady—wigs out on me now"), and paying forward via foundations like A DB—proving life's "no dress rehearsal." Edward Byrne Foundation www.poedwardbyrnefoundation.com Welcome to our Channel Reasons We Serve, a podcast dedicated to exploring the motivations, challenges, and realities of working in law enforcement. We dive deep into the personal stories of officers, discuss different career paths, and break down the roles of various agencies—from local police departments to state and federal law enforcement. Please give us a 5-star review, Subscribe, and Share to stay updated on more inspiring law enforcement interviews!

    47 min
  3. Vineland K9 Sgt. Louis Platania: Officer Shootings, Dog's Medal & 16-Year "Black Cloud" Cop Saga

    FEB 1

    Vineland K9 Sgt. Louis Platania: Officer Shootings, Dog's Medal & 16-Year "Black Cloud" Cop Saga

    🎥 Episode 146 Unleash the unbreakable bond in retired Vineland City PD Sgt. Louis Platania's 16-year "shit magnet" ride (2008-2024)—proactive patrols in south Jersey's gang-plagued 67-sq-mile hotspot (67K pop, between Philly & AC) turning into K9 heroics when his partner saves him from a brutal 2015 attack amid a 911 call gone deadly. From poverty-stricken childhood with a prescription-pill-addicted dad (stealing pads for oxys/percs) to legal vindication after "villain" smears, Louis details the 2024 DC medal honor (9th dog in US history via Animals in War & Peace) and heartbreaking cancer farewell, closing a "Cinderella" chapter. A raw testament to resilience, family anchors, and why "if you're not looking for action, it's there." Welcome to our Channel Reasons We Serve, a podcast dedicated to exploring the motivations, challenges, and realities of working in law enforcement. We dive deep into the personal stories of officers, discuss different career paths, and break down the roles of various agencies—from local police departments to state and federal law enforcement. Please give us a 5-star review, subscribe, and share to stay updated on more inspiring law enforcement stories!

    1h 44m
  4. DEA Vet Richard Oakley: 30-Year Battle with Alcoholism & Cop Suicide Stigma

    JAN 25

    DEA Vet Richard Oakley: 30-Year Battle with Alcoholism & Cop Suicide Stigma

    🎥 Episode 145 In this law enforcement interview and police officer story, DEA Special Agent Richard Oakley discusses his career spanning from 1967 to 1996. Step into the raw, resilient world of retired DEA Special Agent Richard T. Oakley, whose badge spanned New Brunswick PD patrols, Union County narcotics probes, and DEA's gritty 1970s trenches—from basic agent class at D.C.'s 1405 I Street to undercover ops that tested his soul. Haunted by his father's WWII trauma-fueled death at 30 (when Richard was 13) and a family legacy of drinkers, he confronts the bottle's grip on cops: "I broke my promise—I'd die first." From losing a partner to suicide to advocating mandatory mental health at academies, Richard shares healing through storytelling, the firehous vs. patrol isolation gap, and advice for rookies—learn, share, overcome. A vital wake-up for LE families, vets, and advocates battling the badge's invisible scars. Welcome to our Channel Reasons We Serve, a podcast dedicated to exploring the motivations, challenges, and realities of working in law enforcement. We dive deep into the personal stories of officers, discuss different career paths, and break down the roles of various agencies—from local police departments to state and federal law enforcement. Please give us a 5-star review, subscribe, and share to stay updated on more inspiring law enforcement stories!

    1h 38m

  5. JAN 22

    Message to the listeners

    A brief message from the creator of Reasons We Serve, Niles Gooding, a retired DEA Agent.

    2 min
  6. Deep Undercover: Ken Larson’s Motorcycle Gang Takedowns & Badge Bonds

    JAN 18

    Deep Undercover: Ken Larson’s Motorcycle Gang Takedowns & Badge Bonds

    🎥 Episode 144 Uncover the shadows with retired Fairfax County PD Detective Ken Larson (FBI 12 years), whose journey began in 1983 with the Secret Service Uniform Division—fueled by a Youngstown steel-town kid's obsession with True Detective mags and "Walking Tall" heroism, no family LE legacy. From blue-collar roots to deep undercover infiltrating motorcycle gangs, Ken reveals the grind: Building informant trust through genuine empathy ("I see people as people, not handcuffs"), the "good vs. evil" pull, and wisdom's shift from black-and-white rookies to life-changers mentoring at-risk kids like "Joe" (now Virginia Tech-bound). Welcome to our Channel Reasons We Serve, a podcast dedicated to exploring the motivations, challenges, and realities of working in law enforcement. We dive deep into the personal stories of officers, discuss different career paths, and break down the roles of various agencies—from local police departments to state and federal law enforcement. Please give us a 5-star review, subscribe, and share to stay updated on more inspiring law enforcement stories! To watch more interviews with retired and active duty cops and law enforcement, watch here: https://www.youtube.com/@reasonsweserve

    2h 10m
  7. NYC Corrections Deputy: Phil Billik's 25-Year Rikers Hell – Riots, Stress Wins & Family Sacrifices

    JAN 11

    NYC Corrections Deputy: Phil Billik's 25-Year Rikers Hell – Riots, Stress Wins & Family Sacrifices

    🎥 Episode 143 Step into the unyielding world of retired NYC Department of Corrections Deputy Warden Philip Billik (25 years, 1983-2008), who traded Wall Street publishing for Rikers Island's chaos—starting as a 23-year-old recruit bused straight to Bronx House of Detention amid 1970s civil service tests and civil servant dreams. From six-week Rikers training (classroom law to Bronx firearms drills) to commanding 500-inmate units through riots, stabbings, and escapes, Phil reveals the "my house, my way" mindset that kept stress at bay: No domestics, no bars, no drugs—just care, custody, control. As a native New Yorker from Inwood's Irish-Italian-Jewish trades hub, he shares stories of acclimation, holiday skeleton crews, and the wife who "kept him intact" through 38 years of marriage, missed birthdays, and schedule-shifting Thanksgivings. How did "hell" forge heaven? Phil's skeptical eye sizes up subway crowds but fears nothing—nothing he can't endure after 25 years of the unimaginable. A raw blueprint for corrections pros, aspiring officers, and families navigating the badge's shadows. Welcome to our Channel Reasons We Serve, a podcast dedicated to exploring the motivations, challenges, and realities of working in law enforcement. We dive deep into the personal stories of officers, discuss different career paths, and break down the roles of various agencies—from local police departments to state and federal law enforcement. 👍 Like, Subscribe, Comment, and Share to stay updated on more inspiring law enforcement stories!

    1h 19m
  8. St. Louis County PD Sgt. Adam Kavanaugh on Child Exploitation Cases and the Cost of a Police Career

    JAN 4

    St. Louis County PD Sgt. Adam Kavanaugh on Child Exploitation Cases and the Cost of a Police Career

    🎥 Episode 142 Trace retired St. Louis County PD Sgt. Adam Kavanaugh's 25-year badge odyssey—from a poverty-stricken childhood idolizing his grandfather's heroism amid violent home beatings to a lifelong "policeman" fixation sparked by a homemade jean-car toy. Drawn to protect the weak, Adam's career peaks in the gut-wrenching Child Exploitation Unit, sifting through unimaginable abuse footage that fueled hyper-vigilance—scanning crowds at daughter's cheer games, phone-glued vacations, and a post-retirement escape to 8-acre isolation. He bears the toll: Savior complex from abuse, trust shattered ("I don't trust anybody"), and family strains eased by therapy, yet a forever changed worldview. Welcome to our Channel Reasons We Serve, a podcast dedicated to exploring the motivations, challenges, and realities of working in law enforcement. We dive deep into the personal stories of officers, discuss different career paths, and break down the roles of various agencies—from local police departments to state and federal law enforcement. 👍 Like, Subscribe, and share to stay updated on more inspiring law enforcement stories!

    1h 12m
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4.9
out of 5
24 Ratings

About

Police officer stories and law enforcement interviews revealing why people choose careers in policing. Do you ever wonder why people go into law enforcement? Does being in law enforcement change your views of the public over time, and how does being an officer affect your family? This podcast explores these questions and discusses different careers and the functions of various law enforcement agencies, including local, state, and federal agencies. The episodes include interviews with retired and active-duty law enforcement officers. Welcome to Reasons We Serve—your source for the most honest, unfiltered Law Enforcement Interviews and Military Stories on YouTube. We sit down with Police Officers, Corrections Deputies, Homicide Detectives, Military Veterans, and DEA Agents to share the true costs and triumphs of their careers. The episodes include interviews with retired and active-duty law enforcement officers. Dive into real True Crime Interviews that explore everything from Prison Life and Inmate Stories to solving Cold Cases and surviving Undercover Cop operations. Whether we're covering the dangers of Rikers Island, the challenges of First Responder Mental Health, or Military Missions in Vietnam, we bring you the raw experiences of those who serve.

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