On Our Watch

KQED
  • 4.5 (2.2K)
  • DOCUMENTARY
  • WEEKLY SERIES
On Our Watch

When correctional officer Valentino Rodriguez first stepped behind prison walls, he wasn't just starting a job, he was joining a family. What he didn’t know was that he was now bound by an unwritten code that would ultimately test his loyalty to his oath and his fellow officers. Five years later, Valentino's sudden death would raise questions from the FBI, his family and his mentor in the elite investigative unit where they both worked. This season, join us as we follow in Valentino’s footsteps to uncover the secrets hidden inside the most dangerous prison in California: New Folsom. If you have tips or feedback about this series please reach out to us at onourwatch@kqed.org.  

See All
  1. 1. Welcome to the Family | S2: New Folsom

    EPISODE 1

    1. Welcome to the Family | S2: New Folsom

    Soon after correctional officer Valentino Rodriguez starts working at New Folsom prison, he gets caught up in a bad incident. An incarcerated man ends up in the hospital with horrific injuries, and the prison starts an investigation. Valentino feels pressured to back up his fellow officers' version of the story, even though he thinks it might not be the truth. Then he gets an opportunity he's dreamed of-- to join an elite unit investigating crimes in the prison. Resources If you are currently in crisis, you can dial 988 [U.S.] to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA National Help Line 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Helpline US Health and Human Services Warmline Directory Episode Transcript Find more information at our website. If you have tips or feedback about this series please reach out to us at onourwatch@kqed.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    54 min
  2. 2. Running the Race | S2: New Folsom

    EPISODE 2

    2. Running the Race | S2: New Folsom

    Consumed with stress and fed up with how he’s being treated, Valentino Rodriguez reaches a breaking point at work. A veteran officer and mentor to Valentino starts looking into the murder that happened in the dayroom. Valentino and Mimy get married, then Valentino goes in for a final meeting with the warden of New Folsom.  Resources If you are currently in crisis, you can dial 988 [U.S.] to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA National Help Line 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Helpline US Health and Human Services Warmline Directory Episode Transcript Find more information at our website. If you have tips or feedback about this series please reach out to us at onourwatch@kqed.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    52 min
  3. 3. Superhero | S2: New Folsom

    EPISODE 3

    3. Superhero | S2: New Folsom

    Valentino’s unexpected death just days after a confidential meeting with the prison’s warden leaves his grieving father with a tangle of questions and suspicions. When law enforcement and prison leadership fail to act, Val Sr. finds an ally in Sgt. Kevin Steele, a senior officer who’d taken Valentino under his wing. The two men have a shared mission–to find justice for Valentino.  Resources If you are currently in crisis, you can dial 988 [U.S.] to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA National Help Line 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Helpline US Health and Human Services Warmline Directory Episode Transcript Find more information at our website. If you have tips or feedback about this series please reach out to us at onourwatch@kqed.org.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 2m
  4. 4. "Foul Play" | S2: New Folsom

    EPISODE 4

    4. "Foul Play" | S2: New Folsom

    How did Sgt. Kevin Steele go from being a true believer in the institution of New Folsom to writing an explosive memo hoping to tear it down? We sift through video evidence, interrogation tapes and internal reports to find glimpses of his transformation. But when he feels his reports of corruption are ignored—he takes an even more drastic step. Resources If you are currently in crisis, you can dial 988 [U.S.] to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA National Help Line 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Helpline US Health and Human Services Warmline Directory Episode Transcript Find more information at our website. If you have tips or feedback about this series please reach out to us at onourwatch@kqed.org.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 2m
  5. 5. End of Watch | S2: New Folsom

    EPISODE 5

    5. End of Watch | S2: New Folsom

    Valentino Rodriguez Sr. is on the treadmill one morning when he gets a call—Sgt. Kevin Steele is dead. Val Sr. has lost not only his friend, but his partner in their shared quest to find the truth. A meeting with the FBI provides few answers, even as new questions arise about why a second whistleblower from New Folsom has lost his life. Resources If you are currently in crisis, you can dial 988 [U.S.] to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA National Help Line 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Helpline US Health and Human Services Warmline Directory Episode Transcript Find more information at our website. If you have tips or feedback about this series please reach out to us at onourwatch@kqed.org.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    55 min
  6. 6. The Day Room | S2: New Folsom

    EPISODE 6

    6. The Day Room | S2: New Folsom

    The team digs deep into the homicide of Luis Giovanny Aguilar—the murder in the day room that Officer Valentino Rodriguez was tasked to write a report about, and that had consumed Sgt. Kevin Steele up until the last day of his life. We track down each of the men who took part in the stabbing to find out: did officers also play a role? Resources If you are currently in crisis, you can dial 988 [U.S.] to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA National Help Line 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Helpline US Health and Human Services Warmline Directory Episode Transcript Find more information at our website. If you have tips or feedback about this series please reach out to us at onourwatch@kqed.org.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 9m
  7. 7. “We Don’t Do Coincidence” | S2: New Folsom

    EPISODE 7

    7. “We Don’t Do Coincidence” | S2: New Folsom

    We get to listen in on confidential interviews conducted by Sgt. Kevin Steele before his death. Plus, we finally get to see surveillance footage from inside the B8 unit that sheds new light on the murder of Luis Giovanny Aguilar. Editor’s note: After this episode first aired on April 2, 2024, CDCR finally located Valentino Rodriguez’s supplemental report about the murder of Luis Giovanny Aguilar that we reference in this episode. Their public records team was initially unable to find it. However, the agency said the report was exempt from disclosure. Resources If you are currently in crisis, you can dial 988 [U.S.] to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA National Help Line 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Helpline US Health and Human Services Warmline Directory Episode Transcript Find more information at our website. If you have tips or feedback about this series please reach out to us at onourwatch@kqed.org.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 14m
  8. 8. Last Stand | S2: New Folsom

    EPISODE 8

    8. Last Stand | S2: New Folsom

    After his son’s death, Valentino Rodriguez Sr. waited for the warden of New Folsom prison to call him. That call never came. In our season finale, we walk through the gates of New Folsom to ask the warden for answers. We also get a rare glimpse inside the world of correctional officer discipline and hear from Sgt. Kevin Steele in his own words.  Mental health resources If you are currently in crisis, you can dial 988 [U.S.] to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA National Help Line 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Helpline US Health and Human Services Warmline Directory Whistleblower resources The Lamplighter Project The Signals Network EMPOWR Whistleblowers of America Government Accountability Project National Whistleblower Center Whistleblower Aid Episode Transcript Find more information at our website. If you have tips or feedback about this series please reach out to us at onourwatch@kqed.org.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 25m
See All Season 2 (15)

Trailers

Hosts & Guests

4.5
out of 5
2,209 Ratings

About

When correctional officer Valentino Rodriguez first stepped behind prison walls, he wasn't just starting a job, he was joining a family. What he didn’t know was that he was now bound by an unwritten code that would ultimately test his loyalty to his oath and his fellow officers. Five years later, Valentino's sudden death would raise questions from the FBI, his family and his mentor in the elite investigative unit where they both worked. This season, join us as we follow in Valentino’s footsteps to uncover the secrets hidden inside the most dangerous prison in California: New Folsom. If you have tips or feedback about this series please reach out to us at onourwatch@kqed.org.  

Information

  • Creator
    KQED
  • Episodes
    24
  • Seasons
    2
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2024 KQED - For Personal Use Only
  • Show Website
    On Our Watch

You Might Also Like

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes, and get the latest updates.
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada