Poisoned, not “overdosed”: Inside America’s fentanyl war
Former NYPD/CPD leader Garry McCarthy sits down with retired CPD gang investigator Terry Almanza and former DEA Special Operations chief Derek Maltz for a blunt conversation about America’s synthetic-drug crisis. They compare “overdoses” versus poisonings, unpack cartel–China pipelines, debate border and national-security gaps, and talk plainly about loss: both Garry and Terry lost daughters. Almanza explains how she pushed Chicago to pursue drug-induced homicide cases and built a national advocacy network; Maltz brings hard numbers and a strategy for education, accountability, and data-driven enforcement. It’s tough, personal, and focused on fixes.
Catching School Shooters Before They Act | Wearing the Badge S2E1
Former Naperville detective turned national trainer Rich Wistocki explains how “leakage” on social media lets schools and police spot would-be shooters before they act. In a wide-open conversation, he walks through the three-phase playbook that’s stopped dozens of plots and how simple evidence steps turn red flags into real cases.
'Right Place, Right Time': Danny O?Toole?s Wild Career and the Kid He Saved | Wearing the Badge EP 7
On this episode of "Wearing the Badge," Chicago Police Sergeant (ret.) Danny O?Toole sits down with Garry McCarthy to unpack a career that reads like a novel: shot during a narcotics warrant, stabbed twice, nearly blown out by friendly fire?and the day he shot a charging pit bull off a 13-year-old boy.
Inside Chicago?s DOJ Investigation | Wearing the Badge EP 13
Former Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy sits down with former prosecutor and Illinois GOP chairman Pat Brady to unpack the Laquan McDonald shooting, the DOJ?s 2017 findings, and the court-ordered consent decree that reshaped CPD. From how the video was sealed and later released to who actually investigates police shootings, the conversation digs into process, policy, and politics. McCarthy lays out the ?Chicago Plan,? CompStat, and procedural-justice training; Brady brings a prosecutor?s lens on investigations, money-laundering task forces, and federal oversight. Together they weigh reform, results, morale, and the costs of getting it wrong.
Inside the Boston Marathon Bombing: Ed Davis Remembers | Wearing the Badge
In this powerful episode of "Wearing the Badge," Garry McCarthy sits down with longtime friend and former Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis to revisit the darkest days of his career ? the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. Davis recounts his path from patrolman in Lowell to leading the city of Boston, the chaos of that Patriots? Day, and the manhunt that followed.
SAFE-T Act: Prosecutors on the Front Lines (Pt 3) | Wearing the Badge
From courthouse battles to K-9 compassion?James Glasgow joins Garry McCarthy for a candid look at the SAFE-T Act, crime control, and one of Illinois? most notorious murder cases.
Safe-T Act debate intensifies: Lawmakers from both sides share views (Pt 2) | Wearing the Badge
From drafting rooms to city streets: Illinois lawmakers share untold stories of the SAFE?T Act and its lasting effect on policing and public safety.
Wearing the Badge: SAFE-T Act under fire as police claim it benefits criminals, hurts officers
In this first episode of a three-part series on Illinois' controversial SAFE-T Act, former Chicago Police Commissioner Garry McCarthy sits down with suburban police chiefs Marc Maton (Lemont, IL) and Tom Herion (Village of Lyons) to dig into what law enforcement veterans really think about the law.
Wearing the Badge: Pastor Corey Brooks, Ex-Chicago top cop confront realities of race and police reform
Pastor Corey Brooks, who spent a year living on a rooftop to draw attention to Chicago?s crisis of crime and poverty, joins Garry McCarthy for an honest conversation about the most sensitive topic in police reform: race. Together, they explore how to build trust in high-crime neighborhoods, confront the realities of violence within Black communities, and develop smarter, safer strategies for policing Chicago?s streets.
Wearing the Badge: Cops talk working during NYC?s 1980s crime epidemic
On this episode of "Wearing the Badge," host Gary McCarthy, former Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department, interviews St. Louis Police Commissioner Chief Robert J. Tracy. Both having served with the New York Police Department, they discuss their experiences during NYC's 1980s crime epidemic. The conversation also covers career growth and the challenges of moving up the ranks in law enforcement. Tracy shares personal stories, including how he met his wife at a community meeting he initially didn't want to attend.
Wearing the Badge: 9/11 through the eyes of the NYPD
In this episode of "Wearing the Badge," host and former NYPD Deputy Commissioner Garry McCarthy, along with his former colleague Stephen McAllister, offer a personal glimpse into the traumatic experiences of police officers responding to the events of September 11th, 2001. From the fear and uncertainty as the towers fell to the intense stress that followed in the days after, McCarthy and McAllister open up about the bravery and resilience of the NYPD's finest.
Wearing the Badge: How?NYPD football team creates brotherhood. Plus, other cop stories
On this episode of ?Wearing the Badge,? we look at how the NYPD Finest football team has fostered lifelong relationships among officers.?Host Garry McCarthy sits down with former teammate Steve McAllister, now police commissioner?in Floral Park, as they share stories from their time on the team. From funny nicknames like "Veal" to the team's experiences with tragedy, they discuss the intense highs and lows that officers encounter every day.
Wearing the Badge: Former Chicago top cop talks Hadiya Pendleton, Adam Toledo and data-driven policing
Former Chicago law enforcement officials sit down to talk about real-time crime centers, how data-driven policing has shaped crime prevention, and the ways policy changes have impacted public safety.