Stacey Rothwell is the director of innovation action across seven police forces leading ERIN, the Eastern Region Innovation Network in the UK. After a career as a sworn officer, including as a detective in financial investigation, she returned in a civilian role, pioneering the innovative use of rapid video response in domestic violence cases. She chatted to Jerry Ratcliffe at the Somers Town Coffee House to discuss her career and the challenges of getting an experiment in rapid video response u...
Jun 30, 2025•37 min
David Décary-Hétu is a professor at the University of Montreal and chair of the Darknet and Anonymity Research Centre. Décary-Hétu's research focuses on studying data from offenders who use anonymity technologies like the dark web, cryptocurrencies, and encryption. He reveals that the dark web was originally developed by the military to enable anonymous communication, and that while the dark web and other anonymity technologies pose challenges for law enforcement, they are not the unbreakable ha...
May 29, 2025•38 min
Loren Atherley is the Senior Director of Performance Analytics & Research and the Senior Research Scientist for the Seattle Police Department. He emphasizes the importance of taking an incremental, gradual approach to implementing evidence-based policing. He focuses on building data curiosity and buy-in within the department by providing useful analytical products and dashboards. He advocates for hiring "pracademics" - academics with applied experience - to help bridge the gap between resear...
Apr 28, 2025•36 min
Gina Hawkins, experienced police leader, former chief, and President of the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives, discusses the importance of support networks and mentorship for women in policing, especially at the executive level. She emphasizes the ‘sorority-like’ connections among women leaders that provide crucial emotional and professional support. She talks about the personal sacrifices that come with taking on leadership, the need for better mental health and wellness ...
Mar 24, 2025•36 min
Jerry Ratcliffe talks to Professor Cliff Stott, a distinguished social psychologist specializing in crowd behavior, group identity, and public order policing. Stott discusses his background and early life experiences, and how this led him to study crowd psychology and develop the Elaborated Social Identity Model as an alternative to outdated mob psychology theories. Stott's work aims to debunk the myth that crowds inherently lose control and become irrational, arguing instead that crowd behavior...
Feb 24, 2025•37 min
A line-of-duty death is the ultimate tragedy for a police department. Nobody likes to tempt fate, but planning ahead can make a significant difference should a catastrophe occur. After her police officer husband Greg was killed in the line of duty, Kassy Alia Ray founded the non-profit organization Serve & Connect and in this episode discusses how it fosters positive change through sustainable police-community partnerships. She also has practical proactive measures, borne of personal experie...
Jan 29, 2025•38 min
Adrian Raine is the Richard Perry University Professor of Criminology, Psychiatry, and Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Raine's pioneering work has used brain imaging and psychophysiological techniques to study the biological factors underlying antisocial and violent behavior, including in violent offenders and psychopaths. We have a fun and accessible chat about everything from psychopaths to the nature or nurture debate.
Dec 23, 2024•40 min
Jason Potts is the chief of the Las Vegas Department of Public Safety, and the president of the American Society of Evidence-Based Policing. Potts discusses the challenges of implementing evidence-based policing practices as a police leader, including getting buy-in from frontline officers, middle managers, and elected officials. In this chat, he emphasizes the importance of developing a culture that embraces ambiguity, risk, and failure as part of the process of implementing evidence-based refo...
Nov 21, 2024•35 min
Thaddeus Johnson is a former police officer from Memphis who is now an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Georgia State University. He has extensively researched issues related to policing, crime, and racial disparities. Johnson discussed his experiences as a Black police officer and the challenges of navigating his racial identity in that role. He also highlighted the broader systemic racism and inequities in society that contribute to disparities in crime and policing o...
Oct 26, 2024•40 min
Dr. Ian Adams talks about his career in policing, his transition to academia, and his recent policy research paper titled "Fuck: The Police." They discuss the use of profanity in policing and the need for a nuanced approach to regulating it. Adams conducted a survey experiment with police chiefs and sheriffs across the United States, finding a strong national consensus on the issue. He argues that policy should focus on the impact of profanity on public trust and professionalism rather than impl...
Sep 30, 2024•37 min
Grant Edwards APM, a retired commander from the Australian Federal Police, shares his experiences and struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in this episode. He discusses the cumulative effect of trauma in policing and the importance of mental health management, and emphasizes the need for a mentally safe workplace and a culture that supports vulnerability and open communication. He suggests that organizations should prioritize mental health literacy and provide resources for self-...
Aug 29, 2024•43 min
A former police officer and detective, Dr. Cynthia Lum is Distinguished University Professor of Criminology, Law and Society at George Mason University, and directs their Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy. She is an appointed member of the National Academies of Sciences Committee on Law and Justice, an appointed trustee to the Council on Criminal Justice, and a board director for the National Policing Institute. We talk about evidence-based policing, implementing innovation, and how to over...
Jul 30, 2024•41 min
In this episode, John Mina, the Sheriff of Orange County, Florida, discusses his background in law enforcement, including his time as Chief of Police in Orlando, and his decision to run for Sheriff. He talks about the benefits and challenges of being an elected law enforcement official and the unique role of the Sheriff in American policing. Mina also shares his views on recruitment and retention, the relationship between law enforcement and the media, and the issues facing sheriffs and police c...
Jun 26, 2024•38 min
Dr. Peter Neyroud, former Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police and director of the Police Executive Programme at Cambridge University, discusses his career in British policing and his involvement in leadership challenges, police firearm use, and training. He highlights the importance of evidence-based policing and the need for clear guidance and policies in areas such as police shootings. He emphasizes the need for a strong evidence base to evaluate interventions and make informed decisions. ...
May 28, 2024•41 min
Jerry Ratcliffe chats with Keith Humphreys, an influential figure in drug policy and a professor at Stanford University. They discuss the dangers of synthetic opioids, the role of academics in advising government, and the differences between drug policies in San Francisco and Portugal. Humphreys emphasizes the importance of a balanced approach to drug policy, combining public health and public safety measures. He highlights the need for coercion in certain cases to encourage behavior change and ...
Apr 30, 2024•48 min
Alex Piquero, a professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology at the University of Miami, discusses his career in criminology, including his time as the director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics. He talks about the importance of mentors, the role of universities in challenging and provoking ideas, and the need for academics to engage in public intellectualism. Piquero also discusses challenges he faced in government and the risks around evidence-based advocacy. He concludes with e...
Mar 26, 2024•42 min
Did you see the movie BlacKkKlansman? If so you will love this episode. Host Jerry Ratcliffe chats with his mate Jim Rose, a former narcotics officer and senior advisor to the US State Department's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. Rose was also the real-life white cop in BlacKkKlansman. He discusses his experience infiltrating the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) as a young undercover officer and his subsequent work in Central America. He also talks about the challenges and succe...
Feb 28, 2024•38 min
In this episode of the Reducing Crime podcast, host Jerry Ratcliffe interviews Beatriz Magaloni, a professor of international relations and political science at Stanford University. Magaloni discusses her work on community policing with a specific ‘pacifying police unit’ in Brazil's most dangerous favelas, focusing on the different types of control exerted by criminal organizations in these areas. She explains the challenges faced by police in these environments and the importance of understandi...
Jan 29, 2024•42 min
In this episode of Reducing Crime, host Jerry Ratcliffe interviews criminologist David Weisburd. They discuss Weisburd's career, his work on hotspots policing and procedural justice, and his advice for young scholars. Weisburd emphasizes the importance of focusing on long-term research questions rather than being swayed by current trends or immediate concerns. He also discusses the misconceptions surrounding hotspots policing, including the assumption that it is solely about heavy-handed policin...
Dec 27, 2023•44 min
In this episode of the Reducing Crime podcast, host Jerry Ratcliffe interviews Martin Bouchard, a professor of criminology at Simon Fraser University, about social network analysis and its application to understanding gangs and organized crime groups. Bouchard explains the concepts of social network analysis, including dyads and brokers, and discusses how police can use this understanding to strategically target and disrupt criminal activity. He also highlights the similarities between gang netw...
Nov 28, 2023•40 min
In this episode of the Reducing Crime Podcast, host Jerry Ratcliffe interviews Detective Superintendent Dave Cowan of Australia's Victoria Police. They discuss Cowan's journey into evidence-based policing (EBP) and the experiments he has conducted, including a focused deterrence trial and a trial using behavioral science to reduce failure to appear at court. They also discuss the importance of rigorous testing and evaluation in policing strategies, the need for better communication and applicati...
Oct 30, 2023•38 min
In this episode of Reducing Crime, host Jerry Ratcliffe interviews Seth Williams, the former Philadelphia District Attorney who was convicted and incarcerated on charges related to the receipt of undisclosed gifts. Williams discusses his time in prison and the role of the District Attorney. He talks about his background and experiences as a prosecutor, as well as his efforts to implement community-based prosecution and reduce gun violence in Philadelphia. Williams also shares his views on holdin...
Sep 27, 2023•41 min
In this episode of "Reducing Crime," host Jerry Ratcliffe sits down with criminology legend Ron Clarke to discuss his career and contributions to the field. Clarke is known for his development of situational crime prevention and the rational choice perspective on crime. He emphasizes the importance of practical application in criminology and the need for targeted interventions based on careful analysis of micro-environments associated with crime. Clarke also discusses his frustration with mainst...
Aug 30, 2023•43 min
In this episode of the ReducingCrime Podcast, host Jerry Ratcliffe interviews Terry Cherry, a recruiting officer with the Charleston South Carolina Police Department. Cherry discusses her evidence-based approach to police recruitment and retention, as well as her work with academic colleagues. She emphasizes the importance of treating recruitment like a business, understanding the competition, and systematizing the recruitment process. Cherry also highlights the need for police departments to pr...
Jul 28, 2023•37 min
Andrew Lemieux manages the Problem-Oriented Wildlife Protection program for LEAD Ranger – an organization that supports wildlife park rangers around the world. Dr. Lemieux is also the editor-in-chief of the Wilderness Problems Resource Portal, an open-source collection of guides and manuals specifically written for field teams and hosted by the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing. We talk about poaching, wildlife crime, habitat management and problem-solving in these unique and diverse wilderne...
Jun 29, 2023•40 min
Mark Evans, OBE is the Executive Lead for Future Policing with the New Zealand Police (NZP), and Vice President of the Australia and New Zealand Society of Evidence Based Policing. He is the chair of the independent advisory board at the Royal New Zealand Police College and has an operational portfolio focused on fair and equitable policing outcomes, evidence-based policing, and the future use of new technologies. In a previous career, he reinvigorated crime and intelligence analysis in the Poli...
May 30, 2023•42 min
Dr. Steve James is now an assistant professor in the Department of Translational Medicine and Physiology at Washington State University, having previously served for over 20 years in the British military. He has since become one of the US’s foremost experts on the effects of fatigue and sleep deprivation on law enforcement. He outlines a range of practical ways police officers can manage their sleep, coffee and stimulant intake, overtime, and seasonal changes.
Apr 26, 2023•40 min
Ken Pease, OBE is a British crime prevention legend, and the pioneer who directed the Kirkholt repeat burglary prevention project. He is currently a visiting professor at University College London, the University of Manchester, and Huddersfield University. We discuss the Kirkholt project, as well as his time teaching in Canada, having his class bombed by the provisional IRA, repeat victimization, and misleading government graphics.
Mar 28, 2023•34 min
Vera Bumpers is the police chief for the Houston Metro Transit Authority Police Department. She has served as the president of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives and is this year’s winner of the Woman Law Enforcement Executive of the Year Award. We talk about mentorship, community outreach, and her role encouraging other women in policing.
Feb 27, 2023•39 min
Scott Payne served in law enforcement for 28 years, primarily with the FBI in a long-term undercover capacity. We discuss his role infiltrating outlaw motorcycle gangs, sacrificing goats to gain access to white supremacist, neo-Nazi groups, and playing Lynyrd Skynyrd songs at Ku Klux Klan rallies. He also talks honestly about the mental and physical toll it took on him and his personal relationships.
Jan 26, 2023•39 min
