Heroes Behind the Badge

In Part 1, Vivian Eney Cross revealed how her husband — U.S. Capitol Police Sergeant Chris Eney — was killed in a 1984 training accident, and how the system failed her completely in the aftermath. In Part 2, we hear the rest of the story.Vivian finally learns the full circumstances of how Chris died: the abandoned Capitol Hill building, the zigzag stairwells, the training drill that went wrong in a single unguarded moment. With remarkable grace, she describes forgiving the officer who fired the shot — and meaning it. From there, the conversation moves to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial itself. Vivian reveals how she argued for the lions over the eagles, why a children's book called Chronicles of Narnia shaped that decision, and how the inscription now etched into the memorial wall came to her in an instant — not researched, not labored over.The episode closes with two moments that bring everything full circle: an active-duty officer standing at the memorial wall, tears streaming down his face, telling Vivian "you're the one that let me know I don't have to die to be appreciated" — and Craig Floyd spotting Vivian on a Washington street 33 years after their first difficult phone call, the day the National Law Enforcement Museum was dedicated.👍 If you support law enforcement stories told with honesty and context, like, subscribe, and share.🔔 Turn on notifications so you never miss an episode of Heroes Behind the Badge.#LawEnforcement, #TrueCrime, #FirstResponders, #PoliceStories, #HeroesBehindTheBadge, #NationalPoliceWeek, #PoliceMemorial, #CapitolPolice, #PoliceSurvivor, #CitizensBehindTheBadge

On August 24, 1984, U.S. Capitol Police Sergeant Chris Eney was shot and killed in a training exercise — accidentally, by a fellow officer and friend. When his wife Vivian got the call, she was told someone was coming to take her to him. They took her to the wrong hospital. By the time she reached the right one, Chris was gone.What followed was a cascade of institutional failures. No death benefits — the federal PSOB had been inadvertently written to exclude federal officers. Over 1,000 hours of her husband's unpaid comp time, gone. Everything in his name. Vivian even owed inheritance tax on assets that were hers. She took her 9 and 11-year-old daughters door-to-door on Capitol Hill and spent more than two years fighting Congress for what she was owed.This first part of a two-part conversation also covers COPS (Concerns of Police Survivors), how survivor community helped Vivian heal, and a quiet moment with her daughter that captures exactly what it means to carry grief forward.In Part 2: Vivian reveals how she shaped the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial — and wrote the inscription on its wall that has moved thousands of officers to tears.👍 If you support law enforcement stories told with honesty and context, like, subscribe, and share.🔔 Turn on notifications so you don't miss Part 2 — Vivian's story isn't over yet.#LawEnforcement, #TrueCrime, #FirstResponders, #PoliceStories, #HeroesBehindTheBadge, #CapitolPolice, #LineOfDuty, #PoliceSurvivor, #NationalPoliceMemorial, #COPS

In Part 1, Mindhunter co-author Mark Olshaker traced how FBI legend John Douglas unlocked the psychology of serial predators through audacious prison interviews and left us at the doorstep of the most baffling double life in American criminal history. Part 2 opens there: how does a church president, Boy Scout leader, and devoted family man spend decades as BTK - one of the most feared serial killers in the country - while everyone around him has no idea?In this Part 2 conversation with hosts Craig Floyd, Dennis Collins, and Bill Erfurth of Heroes Behind the Badge, Olshaker unpacks Dennis Rader's chilling compartmentalization, the "homicidal triad" warning signs that may identify a serial predator before they strike, and the psychological evolution of David Berkowitz from setting 1,000 fires to terrorizing New York City as the Son of Sam. He also draws a sharp line between serial killers - who expect to get away with it - and mass murderers, who don't.Bill Erfurth brings it to street level with a real serial killer arrest that ended at a Wendy's drive-through with a punchline no screenwriter would dare write. The episode closes on two of the hardest questions in the field: why are serial predators almost exclusively men, and what does the Nancy Guthrie kidnapping case reveal about how these crimes almost always end?If you support law enforcement stories told with honesty and context, like, subscribe, and share.Subscribe so you never miss a future episode of Heroes Behind the Badge.

Documentary filmmaker and Mindhunter co-author Mark Olshaker opens with one of the most chilling sequences in American criminal history: Ed Kemper - a 6-foot-8 serial predator who targeted hitchhiking co-eds to punish a mother who told him he'd never be loved - then drove to Nevada, called the Santa Cruz police from a payphone, and said, "It's me. I've done it. Come and get me."In this Part 1 conversation with hosts Craig Floyd, Dennis Collins, and Bill Erfurth of Heroes Behind Behind the Badge, Olshaker traces how two FBI agents armed with nothing but their badges started interviewing the worst serial predators in American history - and built a system that changed how killers are caught. He reveals what goes on inside the mind of a serial killer before, during, and after a crime — and how those prison interviews became the Emmy-nominated documentary Mind of a Serial Killer and the book that named the movement: Mindhunter.The conversation goes deep on Ed Kemper's displacement psychology, Sam Little's 90 confessed murders, and why FBI legend John Douglas once described Kemper as "rather likable." Olshaker also unpacks the crucial difference between MO and signature, and why understanding it is the key to profiling any serial predator.Part 1 closes at the doorstep of Dennis Rader's story. In Part 2, Olshaker goes deeper into the serial killer who hid behind a church pulpit, whether these predators can be identified before they strike, and the kidnapping case he says was never going to end well.If you support law enforcement stories told with honesty and context, like, subscribe, and share.Turn on notifications so you don't miss Part 2.

What if the technology to solve cold cases already exists — and most law enforcement doesn't know how to use it?In Part 2 of this two-part conversation on Heroes Behind the Badge, Morgan Wright goes beyond the Guthrie case and reveals what's actually changing in cold case investigation.This episode is not about hope or hype. It's not about what AI might do someday. And it's not about replacing investigators.It's about what is already operational — and the uncomfortable gap between what law enforcement knows and what they could know if the right tools were in their hands.We talk about:How a six-month fugitive was located in 36 hours using only open-source dataWhy treating a case like a social media profile changes everythingHow AI-structured prompts are producing 15-page investigative reports in hoursWhy the reward in the Guthrie case may not be what breaks it openThe second-suspect question — and what the ring camera footage doesn't tell usThe $5.7 trillion annual cost of unsolved crime in AmericaHow ordinary citizens can contribute to active cases right nowThe conversation that started in Part 1 with first-principles analysis of the Guthrie case ends here with something bigger: a look at how the entire architecture of cold case investigation is being rebuilt — and how citizens are now part of that system.If you want to understand where investigative technology is actually headed, this is the episode.Learn More or Get Involvedhttps://CitizensBehindtheBadge.orghttps://openunsolved.orgListen to more episodes of Heroes Behind the Badge.Like, Subscribe, and Share to support the men and women who serve behind the badge.

Was Nancy Guthrie abducted, or was it something else entirely?In Part 1 of this two-part conversation on Heroes Behind the Badge, we sit down with Morgan Wright, former state trooper, former detective, technical advisor to America's Most Wanted, and one of the most innovative investigative minds in law enforcement today.This episode is not about speculation. It's not about true crime sensationalism. And it's not about rehashing what you've already seen on the news.It's about what the evidence actually shows — and the uncomfortable conclusions that follow when you strip away the narrative and rebuild from the ground up.We talk about:Why the "burglary gone wrong" theory doesn't survive scrutinyThe critical 16-minute window that changes everythingWhat the blood trail and the end of the driveway tell investigatorsWhy the suspect on the ring camera was not acting like a burglarHow an 84-year-old woman with a pacemaker factors into the investigationThe crime scene handling mistakes that could haunt a future prosecutionWhat investigators may be hiding in plain sightThis conversation goes beyond headlines.It applies first principles investigative methodology to one of the most talked-about disappearances in recent memory, and arrives at conclusions most people haven't been willing to say out loud.If you follow the Guthrie case, this episode will reframe everything you think you know. If you're in law enforcement, it offers a masterclass in how narratives can derail even the best investigators.

What does it actually mean to say officer deaths dropped below 100?In Part 2 of this two-part conversation on Heroes Behind the Badge, we sit down again with Bill Alexander, CEO of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund and a 25-year law enforcement veteran.This episode is not about celebration. It’s not about spin. And it’s not about minimizing loss.It’s about what the numbers actually show—and the complicated questions behind them.We talk about:The 2025 line-of-duty death numbers and what “Below 100” really meansHow COVID dramatically reshaped officer fatality statisticsThe lasting impact of 9/11-related illnesses on law enforcementWhy traffic fatalities and seatbelt use still matterThe mental health crisis inside policingThe ongoing debate over whether suicide deaths should be honored on the MemorialThis conversation moves beyond headlines.It explores safety, accountability, wellness, and the difficult responsibility of deciding who is remembered—and how.If you wear the badge, this episode speaks directly to your safety. If you don’t, it offers context for statistics that are often misunderstood.Learn More or Get Involvedhttps://citizensbehindthebadge.orgListen to more episodes of Heroes Behind the Badge.Like, Subscribe, and Share to support the men and women who serve behind the badge.

Before the names are etched in stone, there are lives. Families. Communities forever changed.In Part 1 of this two-part conversation on Heroes Behind the Badge, we sit down with Bill Alexander, CEO of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund and a 25-year veteran of law enforcement.This episode is not about headlines.It’s not about politics.And it’s not about statistics.It’s about why the Memorial exists—and what it represents to the men and women who have stood watch over their communities for generations.We talk about:What the Memorial means to officers who have lost colleaguesThe origin and mission of the National Law Enforcement MuseumWhy remembrance is a responsibility, not a ritualWhat Police Week reveals about the weight carried by surviving familiesWhy every American should visit the Memorial at least onceThis conversation is about legacy.About sacrifice.And about the quiet promise that no name is forgotten.If you wear the badge, this episode honors those who came before you.If you don’t, it offers a clearer understanding of what service has cost—and why it matters.Learn More or Get Involvedhttps://citizensbehindthebadge.orgListen to more episodes of Heroes Behind the Badge.Like, Subscribe, and Share to support the men and women who serve behind the badge.

What happens when the people sworn to enforce the law are treated as the problem?In this episode of Heroes Behind the Badge, we sit down with Chuck Marino, a former Secret Service agent and senior Department of Homeland Security official, for a clear-eyed conversation about a moment many people feel but struggle to explain.This is not an argument.It’s not a rally.And it’s not a soundbite episode.It’s a conversation about what changes when enforcement is confused with policy and when political rhetoric turns the men and women doing the job into targets.We talk about:Why law enforcement officers do not make the laws they are asked to enforceHow rhetoric and pressure can escalate real-world riskWhat it feels like inside federal law enforcement right nowThe difference between protest, politics, and responsibilityWhy clarity matters when consequences are realThis episode isn’t designed to tell you what to think.It’s designed to slow the moment down so you can see it more clearly.If you wear the badge, this conversation is for you.If you don’t, it may help you understand what’s being carried, often silently, by those who do.Learn More or Get Involvedhttps://citizensbehindthebadge.orgListen to more episodes of Heroes Behind the Badge.Like, Subscribe, and Share to support the men and women who serve behind the badge.

In this episode of Heroes Behind the Badge, we sit down with Rich Stanek for a candid conversation about policing in the age of viral video—and what happens when the same footage produces radically different interpretations.This is not a breakdown of one incident.It’s a discussion about power, perception, and trust.Why do viral videos shape public opinion so quickly?How do leaders respond when emotion, politics, and public pressure collide?And what gets lost when nuance disappears from the conversation?Rich shares his perspective on responsibility, leadership, and the difficulty of thinking clearly in moments charged with emotion. The conversation moves deliberately, leaving space for uncertainty instead of easy answers.Learn more or get involved: https://citizensbehindthebadge.orgListen to more episodes of Heroes Behind the Badge.Like, Subscribe, and Share to support the men and women who serve behind the badge.

Most people think the Beltway Sniper case ended with a dramatic takedown.It didn’t.It ended with a quiet rest stop, two officers, and a decision that sounds backwards: don’t rush in.Retired Maryland State Police Lieutenant Dave Reichenbaugh was there, the on-scene commander during the capture of John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo. In this episode, he explains the real friction inside the manhunt:Why the public wasn’t just “panicking”… they were the missing assetThe Fed vs. State vs. Local disagreement that changed the entire playThe moment forensics confirmed it was one gun (fast) and why that made it worseThe clue that shattered the terrorism theory: a tarot card that said “Call me God”And the chilling detail that still follows him: the last bullet “twirling… and the tinkle on pavement.”This isn’t a retelling. It’s a firsthand account from the person standing at the edge of the decision.If you thought you knew the Beltway Sniper case… you knew the headlines.This is what happened between them.Guest: Dave Reichenbaugh, retired Maryland State Police LieutenantTopic: The Beltway Sniper arrest, the I-70 rest stop standoff, and the “last bullet” momentEditorial Note: A statement made by the guest regarding John Allen Muhammad’s ideological influences reflects his personal perspective and is presented as commentary, not as a conclusively established fact.Learn more or get involved: https://citizensbehindthebadge.orgListen to more episodes of Heroes Behind the Badge.Like, Subscribe, and Share to support the men and women who serve behind the badge.

On January 6, 2021, the failure wasn’t a lack of warning.It wasn’t a lack of experience.It was a failure of permission.In this episode of Heroes Behind the Badge, former U.S. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund takes listeners inside the command center as the attack on the Capitol unfolded—minute by minute, decision by decision.Chief Sund explains what he saw in real time, why requests for reinforcements were delayed, and how structural and legal constraints prevented immediate action while officers were being overrun. He walks through what has since changed, what has not, and where accountability still remains unclear.The conversation also examines the aftermath: political fallout, scapegoating, nondisclosure agreements, unanswered questions about intelligence and response, and the personal cost of being reduced to a single day in history.This is not a partisan argument or a retrospective built on hindsight. It is a sober, first-hand account of leadership under constraint—and a candid discussion about what happens when responsibility is assigned without authority.By the end of this episode, the listener is left with a clearer understanding of how fragile public safety becomes when systems fail, and what leaders must do to protect both their people and the truth when the pressure is highest.Learn more or get involved:https://citizensbehindthebadge.orgListen to more episodes of Heroes Behind the Badge.Like, Subscribe, and Share to support the men and women who serve behind the badge.Show Notes DisclaimerThis episode reflects the first-hand experience, perspective, and professional judgment of former U.S. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund, as shared during this recorded conversation.Where topics involve ongoing debate, unresolved investigations, or contested interpretations, the discussion distinguishes between what is personally observed, what is documented, and what remains unanswered. This episode is not intended to serve as a comprehensive investigative record, nor does it assert conclusions beyond the speaker’s direct knowledge and publicly available information at the time of recording.The views expressed are those of the participants and are presented in the interest of understanding leadership, accountability, and decision-making under extreme institutional constraint.

In this Episode 1 of Heroes Behind the Badge, former U.S. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund joins the conversation to take viewers inside one of the most scrutinized moments in modern American law enforcement - and the deeper leadership failures surrounding it.Steven Sund shares firsthand insight into:what really happened before January 6systemic breakdowns in leadership and accountabilityhow decision-making failures compound under pressurethe personal and professional toll on leaders in uniformwhy surface-level explanations often miss the real problemThis episode is not about soundbites or politics - it’s about how institutions fail, how responsibility gets blurred, and what law enforcement leaders face when clarity, authority, and trust collapse at the same time.You’ll hear Steven reflect on command responsibility, communication breakdowns, and what the public often misunderstands about crisis leadership inside large government systems.Episode 2 will go deeper examining structural reform, leadership lessons, and what must change if trust and operational clarity are to be restored.If you care about accountability, leadership under pressure, and the human cost of institutional failure, this is a conversation worth hearing.Learn more or get involved: https://citizensbehindthebadge.orgListen to more episodes of Heroes Behind the Badge.Like, Subscribe, and Share to support the men and women who serve behind the badge.

"Three years. That's all it took for my shooter to get away with it."===============**EDITOR'S NOTE:** This is Part 2 of Tom Weitzel's story, originally released on YouTube in December 2025. We're now making it available on all audio platforms.===============In Part 1, Tom Weitzel told us how he survived a gang ambush during a traffic stop in 1987. Part 2 is about what happened when the justice system failed him.When ATF agents finally identified Tom's shooter years later, Illinois law said it was too late to prosecute. The statute of limitations for attempted murder of a police officer? Three years. For writing a bad check? Forever.Tom went to Springfield and got that law changed. But he didn't stop there.Now, as three of his own sons serve in law enforcement, Tom is fighting for something bigger: making line-of-duty deaths federal crimes—with federal investigation, federal prosecution, and the death penalty in all 50 states.In this episode:Why the current system fails officer familiesWhat's happening at the ICE facility near ChicagoTom's federal crime proposal that the Biden administration ignoredHis collaboration with Citizens Behind the Badge to take it to CongressIf Part 1 was about survival, Part 2 is about making sure other officers don't face the same injustice.Haven't listened to Part 1 yet? Find it in your podcast feed from December 16, 2025.

In August 1987, Riverside, Illinois Police Officer Tom Weitzel stepped out of his squad car to check a suspicious vehicle parked on the wrong side of the street - no plates, dark tinted windows, door cracked open. Seconds later, a gang member rolled out of the back seat, racked a pump shotgun, and shot Tom at point-blank range.Tom’s portable radio was cut in half by the blast. He crawled back to his squad, called for help on the in-car radio, and survived... largely because of a bullet-resistant vest his wife had purchased.But what happened after the shooting would shape the rest of his career: the investigation, the shocking legal loopholes of the time, and the early signs of a system that often fails the very people it asks to run toward danger.This is Part 1 of Tom Weitzel’s story. Part 2 picks up with the fight for justice and the advocacy Tom took all the way to state lawmakers.👍 If you support law enforcement stories told with honesty and context, like, subscribe, and share.🔔 Turn on notifications so you don’t miss Part 2: “Fighting for Justice.”

In this powerful episode of Heroes Behind the Badge, Executive Director of the National Black Sheriffs Association, Anthony Amerson, shares the extraordinary story of his father - Lucius Amerson - the first Black sheriff elected in the South since Reconstruction.Anthony takes us inside the struggles, courage, and legacy of his father’s service, while also confronting today’s biggest challenges in law enforcement:recruitment and retentiondefund-the-police impactsmental health and wellnessthe rise of AI and automation in policingstrained budgets in rural Americathe need for community resiliencethe future of sheriffs’ offices nationwideYou’ll also hear deeply personal moments: a near-fatal car chase, a jailhouse shootout, handwritten letters from across the country, and the creation of the Black Sheriffs Memorial in Washington, D.C.If you believe in supporting the men and women behind the badge, this is a story worth hearing.Learn more or get involved: https://citizensbehindthebadge.orgSupport the National Black Sheriffs Association: https://blacksheriffs.com/Listen to more episodes of Heroes Behind the Badge.Like, Subscribe, and Share to support law enforcement across the country.