Wearing the Badge with Garry McCarthy

Heart disease - the true cop killer | Wearing the Badge

"The number one killer of cops is heart attack." In this powerful episode of "Wearing the Badge," host Garry McCarthy welcomes Dr. John Sheinberg, a man who navigates the worlds of both high-stakes medicine and law enforcement. With a career spanning three decades as a sworn officer and a parallel journey as a board-certified cardiologist, Dr. Sheinberg brings a unique perspective to the "perfect storm" of stress, physiology, and culture that puts police officers at extreme risk. 00:00 – Episode Open: The Silent Killer 00:45 – Guest Intro: Dr. John Sheinberg’s "Triple Crown" 02:36 – From Jersey Boy to Military Medicine 07:12 – The Road Back to Law Enforcement in Texas 10:42 – The Disparity in Tactical vs. Health Training 11:53 – Presumptive Status and Line of Duty Death 15:31 – Garry McCarthy’s Personal Heart Attack Story 21:43 – Tactical Wellness: Moving from Reactive to Proactive 27:55 – Adrenaline Dumps and Physiological Changes 34:01 – The Science: Inflammatory Markers in Police 39:09 – The Sigma Wellness Screening Program 45:02 – Leadership’s Role in Officer Longevity 51:38 – Final Thoughts: The Nobility of Service Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

When 'tough it out' fails cops | Wearing the Badge

Police work puts officers in the middle of mental illness, homelessness, addiction, and trauma, often with little training and a lot of stigma. In this episode of Wearing the Badge, Garry McCarthy sits down with Ernie Stevens, a retired San Antonio police officer and crisis-intervention trainer, to talk about what works when someone is in crisis, and why officer wellness cannot be an afterthought. 00:00 Cold open 01:40 Who is Ernie Stevens? 03:35 “Volunteered” into crisis training 05:43 The NAMI story that changed him 09:11 Training as a reward 10:29 De-escalation with a gun present 18:15 Homelessness 20:03 Partnering with NAMI 25:03 The stigma of officers getting help 29:10 Officers come forward for help 29:28 Garry’s father and the 1953 shootout 32:58 Adam Toledo and the aftermath 39:34 Building a culture of officer wellness 43:53 What trauma really is 48:22 'Crisis Cops' and why the film mattered Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

This PD uses high-tech to bust lowlifes | Wearing the Badge

Oak Brook Police Chief Brian Strockis and Garry McCarthy dig into proactive policing, political pushback on tools like ShotSpotter and LPRs, and the real-world tactics Oak Brook says are working — from disciplined pursuit policies to drones and “tag-and-track” technology. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Can Chicago be saved? | Wearing the Badge S2E4

A special Town Hall edition of Wearing the Badge from Chicago. Former CPD Superintendent Garry McCarthy sits down with Fox News Channel's Gianno Caldwell for a wide-ranging conversation about crime, fear, disorder, policing strategy, and community intervention. CHAPTER MARKERS 0:00 Cold Open: What’s the solution? 1:27 What Wearing the Badge is about 2:48 McCarthy and Caldwell on urgency and unity 6:04 Town Hall Begins: Crime, fear, and what works 12:08 Disorder and deterrence: visible chaos, real consequences 20:28 Tio Hardiman: violence interruption, trauma, second chances 25:11 Policing tools and data: gangs, retaliation, ShotSpotter debate 33:50 Schools, jobs, mentorship: opportunity as prevention 43:32 Stops, stop-and-frisk, and the Terry v. Ohio framework 49:46 Accountability and partnerships: what a full strategy needs 50:09 Faith, family, and community as stabilizers 52:00 There should never be a next time: trauma and hope 58:30 Closing the room: unity, gratitude, next steps 59:00 Service, country, and a new path 1:01:19 Goodbye Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

He took a bullet to save the president | Wearing the Badge S2 E3

Former Secret Service Agent Tim McCarthy (no relation to host Garry McCarthy) joins Wearing the Badge with a story that puts him in an exceptionally small club: he took a bullet protecting President Ronald Reagan during the 1981 assassination attempt. Tim breaks down what happened in those seconds outside the Washington Hilton—how training takes over, how the team moved the president, and what stays with you for life. Then he fast-forwards to the second act of his career: leaving the federal world, stepping into local policing leadership, and eventually serving as Orland Park Police Chief—where the job becomes unions, arbitration, politics, and the everyday realities of public safety. 00:00 Cold open: the coin flip, the shooting, and the images that stay 01:36 Welcome + “Are we related?” 02:48 Ireland roots, “Black and Tans,” and family stories 05:05 Name confusion + the other Tim McCarthy (MAP union) 06:25 NY politics + fear of crime + quality-of-life policing 09:52 Chicago justice politics + Cliff Lewis case discussion 12:56 Major Crimes Task Force + murder numbers and clearance rates 15:01 Tim’s background: South Side, Leo High, Illinois football 18:44 Joining the Secret Service + the entrance test + Chicago field work 24:59 Presidential detail: Carter to Reagan to Bush 26:39 The day Reagan was shot: advance, crowd scan, six shots 32:35 Recovery, the danger of a .22, and meeting Reagan in the hospital 37:17 Back to work, body armor, and the 9/11 suit story 40:36 Leaving DC + private sector detour + path to Orland Park chief 43:36 Recertifying, training requirements, and what’s “useful” in the field 46:21 SES management training + learning a union environment fast 49:32 Command decisions, community pressure, and the “why I was sent” moment 52:23 Union arbitration war story + sanctions and settlements 54:32 Fitness standards, buy-in, and culture shifts 56:33 Final thoughts: courage, service, and closing the episode Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]