Heroes Behind the Badge
Heroes Behind the Badge
Podcast Description
From the front lines to the final call, Heroes Behind the Badge brings you the untold stories of America's law enforcement community. Led by Craig Floyd, who spent 34 years working alongside police officers across the nation, alongside veteran facilitator Dennis Collins and law enforcement expert Bill Erfurth, this podcast cuts through misconceptions to reveal the true nature of modern policing.
Our dynamic trio brings unique perspectives to each episode: Craig shares deep insights from his decades of experience and relationships within law enforcement, Dennis guides conversations with meticulous research and natural flow, and Bill adds engaging commentary that makes complex law enforcement topics accessible to all listeners.
Each episode features in-depth conversations with law enforcement professionals, sharing their firsthand experiences, challenges, and triumphs. Drawing from extensive research and real-world experience, we explore the realities faced by the over 800,000 officers who serve and protect our communities every day.
From dramatic accounts of crisis response to quiet moments of everyday heroism, our show illuminates the human stories behind the badge. We dive deep into the statistics, policies, and practices that shape modern law enforcement, offering listeners a comprehensive understanding of what it truly means to serve in law enforcement today.
Whether you're a law enforcement professional, a concerned citizen, or someone seeking to understand the complexities of modern policing, Heroes Behind the Badge provides the context, insights, and authentic perspectives you won't find anywhere else. Join us weekly as we honor those who dedicate their lives to keeping our communities safe, one story at a time.
Presented by Citizens Behind the Badge, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and advocating for law enforcement professionals across the United States. Join over 126,000 Americans who have already signed our Declaration of Support for law enforcement at behindbadge.org.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast covers critical themes related to law enforcement, focusing on the realities and challenges faced by police officers. Episodes explore firsthand accounts from law enforcement professionals, such as Chief Steven Sund's detailed experiences during the January 6th Capitol riot, while also discussing relevant topics like mental health, public perception, and the implications of current policies affecting policing.
From the front lines to the final call, Heroes Behind the Badge brings you the untold stories of America’s law enforcement community. Led by Craig Floyd, who spent 34 years working alongside police officers across the nation, alongside veteran facilitator Dennis Collins and law enforcement expert Bill Erfurth, this podcast cuts through misconceptions to reveal the true nature of modern policing.
Our dynamic trio brings unique perspectives to each episode: Craig shares deep insights from his decades of experience and relationships within law enforcement, Dennis guides conversations with meticulous research and natural flow, and Bill adds engaging commentary that makes complex law enforcement topics accessible to all listeners.
Each episode features in-depth conversations with law enforcement professionals, sharing their firsthand experiences, challenges, and triumphs. Drawing from extensive research and real-world experience, we explore the realities faced by the over 800,000 officers who serve and protect our communities every day.
From dramatic accounts of crisis response to quiet moments of everyday heroism, our show illuminates the human stories behind the badge. We dive deep into the statistics, policies, and practices that shape modern law enforcement, offering listeners a comprehensive understanding of what it truly means to serve in law enforcement today.
Whether you’re a law enforcement professional, a concerned citizen, or someone seeking to understand the complexities of modern policing, Heroes Behind the Badge provides the context, insights, and authentic perspectives you won’t find anywhere else. Join us weekly as we honor those who dedicate their lives to keeping our communities safe, one story at a time.
Presented by Citizens Behind the Badge, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and advocating for law enforcement professionals across the United States. Join over 126,000 Americans who have already signed our Declaration of Support for law enforcement at behindbadge.org.
Dave Hinners was not quite three years into his career with the Wichita Police Department in December 2000. Today he is the executive director of the United States Deputy Sheriff’s Association. In this first of two parts, he tells hosts Dennis Collins and Craig Floyd what happened on the night he became the first officer to speak with the lone survivor of the Wichita Massacre.
The call came in mid-December, in a foot and a half of snow. Dispatch described it first as an assault, then a stabbing, then a shooting. At the house, Hinners found a young woman wrapped in a blanket, bleeding from the back of her head. She had walked about a mile through the snow after being shot, hiding from passing cars in case the killers were coming back. A plastic hair clip had deflected the bullet just enough to keep it from penetrating.
He followed her to the hospital, and she never stopped talking. Hinners calls her the best witness he has ever had. She knew she was the only one left, and the only one who could solve the case. Over the next several hours he filled a case book, relayed descriptions of both suspects and a stolen pickup truck, and eventually had to tell her that none of her friends had survived. An off-duty partner with a broken hand wrote up the stolen-truck report from the hospital. By the next morning, a 911 call about a man dragging a big-screen TV across an apartment parking lot led officers to the first of the two brothers.
Along the way, Craig Floyd reads the names of the victims — Brad Heyka, Heather Muller, Aaron Sander, Jason Befort and Ann Walenta — and Hinners describes trying to process what one human being could do to another while still doing the job in front of him. He stayed with her until he was relieved the next morning, then went in to write up the cases.
In Part 2, how the second brother was found, the survivor’s testimony at trial, and what the case still costs the officer who was there at the start.
New episodes drop every Tuesday and Thursday. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.
Learn more at https://heroesbehindthebadge.com.
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