Criminal Justice Spotlight

Episode 10- U of A Chief of Police, Chris Olson Session 2

Episode 9 - High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas, Executive Director, Dawn Mertz

Join Dawn Mertz, Executive Director of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program (HIDTA), as she leads powerful conversations at the intersection of public safety, prevention, and collaboration. With decades of experience working alongside federal, state, local, and tribal partners, Dawn brings a frontline perspective to the evolving challenges of drug trafficking, substance misuse, and community safety. This podcast explores the strategies, partnerships, and innovations that are driving measurable impact across jurisdictions — from intelligence-sharing and enforcement coordination to prevention and treatment initiatives. Through candid discussions with law enforcement leaders, policymakers, public health professionals, and community stakeholders, Dawn highlights what is working, where we must improve, and how cross-sector collaboration strengthens our collective response. This is more than a conversation about enforcement — it’s a platform for advancing smarter strategies, supporting communities, and building safer futures.

Episode 8 - Featuring Cold Case Detective and "Zombie Killer" Author, Troy Hillman

Today’s guest is someone who has spent his career giving a voice to the forgotten and answers to the unanswered. Troy Hillman is a veteran cold case detective and accomplished author whose work has helped bring clarity, accountability, and—most importantly—justice to cases long left in the shadows. With decades of investigative experience, Troy has dedicated his career to unraveling complex homicide cases, reexamining overlooked evidence, and proving that time does not erase truth. As an author, he takes readers behind the scenes of real investigations, including his gripping book on the infamous “Zombie Killer” case, a disturbing and highly publicized homicide that captured national attention. Through his writing, Troy explores not just the crime itself, but the investigative process, the human toll, and the relentless pursuit of justice. Today, we’ll talk about the cases that never left him, what it’s like to revisit the darkest moments years later, and why cold cases—and the stories behind them—still matter deeply to families, law enforcement, and the communities waiting for answers.

Episode 7 - Dr. Thaddeus Johnson - Senior Fellow for the National Council on Criminal Justice

Dr. Thaddeus L. Johnson is a nationally recognized criminologist, former law enforcement leader, and expert on policing policy, violence reduction, and criminal justice reform. A Senior Fellow at the Council on Criminal Justice (CCJ), Dr. Johnson’s research focuses on evidence-based public safety strategies, trends in crime and enforcement, and the impacts of policing practices on communities. Before entering academia and policy research, Dr. Johnson served as a police officer and major felony detective for nearly a decade, bringing frontline experience to his scholarship and national advisory work. His research has been widely featured in major media outlets and used by policymakers, law enforcement agencies, and community organizations to inform data-driven approaches to crime reduction and community trust-building. Dr. Johnson holds a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice and serves as an Assistant Professor at Georgia State University, where he teaches courses on policing, criminal justice systems, and quantitative research methods. He continues to work closely with national partners to advance innovative, equitable, and effective criminal justice solutions.

Criminal Justice Spotlight featuring ACJC's New Executive Director, Tony Vidale

In this episode of the Criminal Justice Spotlight podcast, media host, Pete Cummings interviews ACJC's New Executive Director, Tony Vidale.