The Detectives Podcast
Join Dave and Steve, two seasoned, active investigators with over 35 years of combined law enforcement experience, as they pull back the curtain on the criminal justice system. From real case breakdowns to discussions on the inner workings of investigations, they bring firsthand insight into the realities of police work—the good, the bad, and the untold.Expect unfiltered perspectives, expert analysis, and candid conversations with professionals in the field. While they take their work seriously, they don’t take themselves too seriously, so buckle up for honest discussions, dark humor, and a no-nonsense look at the world of criminal investigations.
Episodes
The War We Owe Them: Interview with PACT CEO Lori Cohen
In part III of The War We Owe Them, Dave and Steve interview Lori Cohen, CEO of PACT (Protect All Children from Trafficking), a nonprofit working to end child trafficking and sexual exploitation in the United States and around the world. Lo…
Squad Meeting: October 2025
We hit a huge milestone this month! The Detectives Podcast broke into the Top 100 True Crime podcasts on Apple!In this Squad Meeting, we celebrate this achievement and thank all of you, our listeners, because we couldn’t have done it withou…
Cross Examined #1: Listener Q&A with Tom
We’re kicking off Cross Examined by putting ourselves in the hot seat. Tom joined The Detectives Podcast to ask us questions.We start with our paths into detective work, then dig into interviews and interrogations. We talk about how we main…
From Crime Scenes to Barbecues
In this episode, Dave and Steve open up about the cumulative trauma detectives face while working difficult cases. They unpack the struggle of switching back into family roles as fathers, husbands, sons, friends, and functioning members of …
2025 Crimefighter of the Year: A conversation with Lt. Jerry Holeman and his wife Nikki
Lieutenant Jerry Holeman of the Indiana State Police joins The Detectives Podcast with his wife, Nikki, after receiving the 2025 Crimefighter of the Year award at CrimeCon Denver. Dave and Steve trace Lt. Holeman’s path from the Marine Corp…
CrimeCon 2025
In this special episode, Dave and Steve bring you along to CrimeCon 2025 in Denver. They share highlights from all three days of the convention—who they met, what they learned, and how it felt to be part of the true crime community.From con…
Who's In Charge? Breaking Down Jurisdiction
At the request of a listener, Dave and Steve break down how jurisdiction works across law enforcement agencies in the United States. They explore the roles of university police, city police, county sheriffs, state police, and federal agenci…
Squad Meeting: CrimeCon, Many Thanks & What’s Ahead
In our very first Squad Meeting, we talk about heading to CrimeCon 2025 in Denver, our first CrimeCon experience! We don’t have a booth this year, but we’re excited to be there to connect with the true crime community, meet listeners in per…
The War We Owe Them: Inside ICAC and the Fusion Center
In Part II of The War We Owe Them, Dave and Steve sit down with Captain Bryan Harper of the Indiana State Police. As a former ICAC Commander and now the Director of the Indiana Fusion Center, Captain Harper shares his insight into the fight…
The War We Owe Them: The Fight Against CSAM
Disclaimer: This episode discusses Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). Listener discretion is strongly advised.In the launch of their mini-series, The War We Owe Them, Dave and Steve confront one of the darkest threats facing our world, Chi…
AI and Criminal Investigations
Artificial Intelligence is rapidly reshaping modern law enforcement, and detectives are on the front lines, figuring out where it helps and where it hurts. In this episode, Dave and Steve dive deep into how AI is changing criminal investiga…
Report Writing
In this episode, Dave and Steve dive into one of the most important and often overlooked aspects of police work: report writing. A report can not only make or break a criminal case, but it can also impact an officer’s entire career.They sha…
Bunker in Bibb: Part 1
In this special episode, we shift gears to cover a deeply disturbing and ongoing case out of Brent, Alabama where children were recently rescued from a suspected human trafficking operation. We break down what happened in Bibb County, inclu…
Interviews and Interrogations: Part 2
In the second half of this deep-dive, Steve and Dave get into the real-world techniques and challenges of interviewing and interrogating suspects. They touch on structured methods like REID and PEACE, but emphasize how much of the craft is …
Interviews and Interrogations: Part 1
Dave and Steve begin a deep dive into one of the most critical skills in detective work: talking to people. They break down the difference between interviews and interrogations, explain how each is used, and walk through the key characteris…
Dark Humor
In this episode, Dave and Steve tackle one of the most misunderstood aspects of law enforcement: dark humor. They break down what it is, and what it isn’t while, exploring why it exists in the policing world.From academic research to firsth…
The Investigative Process
In this episode, Dave and Steve take you behind the scenes of the real-life investigative process, walking step by step through what it’s like to be a detective working on a case. From the moment the call comes out or the file lands on thei…
Hollywood vs Reality
In this premiere episode, Dave and Steve dig into the differences between Hollywood’s portrayal of law enforcement in movies and TV shows versus how the job really works. From dramatic shootouts to instant confessions, they break down the m…
The Detectives Podcast Trailer
Join Dave and Steve, two seasoned investigators with over 35 years of combined law enforcement experience, as they pull back the curtain on the criminal justice system. From real case breakdowns to discussions on the inner workings of inves…