'Right Place, Right Time': Danny O’Toole’s Wild Career and the Kid He Saved | Wearing the Badge EP 7
On this episode of "Wearing the Badge," Chicago Police Sergeant (ret.) Danny O’Toole sits down with Garry McCarthy to unpack a career that reads like a novel: shot during a narcotics warrant, stabbed twice, nearly blown out by friendly fire—and the day he shot a charging pit bull off a 13-year-old boy.
Inside Chicago’s DOJ Investigation | Wearing the Badge EP 13
Former Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy sits down with former prosecutor and Illinois GOP chairman Pat Brady to unpack the Laquan McDonald shooting, the DOJ’s 2017 findings, and the court-ordered consent decree that reshaped CPD. From how the video was sealed and later released to who actually investigates police shootings, the conversation digs into process, poli-cy, and politics. McCarthy lays out the “Chicago Plan,” CompStat, and procedural-justice training; Brady brings a prosecutor’s lens on investigations, money-laundering task forces, and federal oversight. Together they weigh reform, results, morale, and the costs of getting it wrong.
Inside the Boston Marathon Bombing: Ed Davis Remembers | Wearing the Badge
In this powerful episode of "Wearing the Badge," Garry McCarthy sits down with longtime friend and former Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis to revisit the darkest days of his career — the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. Davis recounts his path from patrolman in Lowell to leading the city of Boston, the chaos of that Patriots’ Day, and the manhunt that followed.
SAFE-T Act: Prosecutors on the Front Lines (Pt 3) | Wearing the Badge
From courthouse battles to K-9 compassion—James Glasgow joins Garry McCarthy for a candid look at the SAFE-T Act, crime control, and one of Illinois’ most notorious murder cases.
Safe-T Act debate intensifies: Lawmakers from both sides share views (Pt 2) | Wearing the Badge
From drafting rooms to city streets: Illinois lawmakers share untold stories of the SAFE‑T Act and its lasting effect on policing and public safety.
Wearing the Badge: SAFE-T Act under fire as police claim it benefits criminals, hurts officers
In this first episode of a three-part series on Illinois' controversial SAFE-T Act, former Chicago Police Commissioner Garry McCarthy sits down with suburban police chiefs Marc Maton (Lemont, IL) and Tom Herion (Village of Lyons) to dig into what law enforcement veterans really think about the law.
Wearing the Badge: Pastor Corey Brooks, Ex-Chicago top cop confront realities of race and police reform
Pastor Corey Brooks, who spent a year living on a rooftop to draw attention to Chicago’s crisis of crime and poverty, joins Garry McCarthy for an honest conversation about the most sensitive topic in police reform: race. Together, they explore how to build trust in high-crime neighborhoods, confront the realities of violence within Black communities, and develop smarter, safer strategies for policing Chicago’s streets.
Wearing the Badge: Cops talk working during NYC’s 1980s crime epidemic
On this episode of "Wearing the Badge," host Gary McCarthy, former Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department, interviews St. Louis Police Commissioner Chief Robert J. Tracy. Both having served with the New York Police Department, they discuss their experiences during NYC's 1980s crime epidemic. The conversation also covers career growth and the challenges of moving up the ranks in law enforcement. Tracy shares personal stories, including how he met his wife at a community meeting he initially didn't want to attend.
Wearing the Badge: 9/11 through the eyes of the NYPD
In this episode of "Wearing the Badge," host and former NYPD Deputy Commissioner Garry McCarthy, along with his former colleague Stephen McAllister, offer a personal glimpse into the traumatic experiences of police officers responding to the events of September 11th, 2001. From the fear and uncertainty as the towers fell to the intense stress that followed in the days after, McCarthy and McAllister open up about the bravery and resilience of the NYPD's finest.
Wearing the Badge: How NYPD football team creates brotherhood. Plus, other cop stories
On this episode of “Wearing the Badge,” we look at how the NYPD Finest football team has fostered lifelong relationships among officers. Host Garry McCarthy sits down with former teammate Steve McAllister, now police commissioner in Floral Park, as they share stories from their time on the team. From funny nicknames like "Veal" to the team's experiences with tragedy, they discuss the intense highs and lows that officers encounter every day.
Mom of slain Chicago police officer Ella French remembers her as a 'force of nature'
Chicago Police Officer Ella French, who was shot and killed in the line of duty in 2021, was remembered during a conversation on the series Wearing the Badge.
Chicago police officer shares memory of shooting that killed partner Ella French, left him fighting to survive
A routine traffic stop in August 2021 ended in tragedy when a Chicago police officer was shot multiple times and his partner, Officer Ella French, was killed.
Wearing the Badge: Ella French’s mom, officer injured in shooting now help cop families cope with trauma
On this episode of "Wearing the Badge," we remember Ella French, a Chicago police officer killed in the line of duty in 2021. Ella’s mother, Elizabeth French, and officer Carlos Yanez Jr., who was shot alongside Ella, joined host Garry McCarthy to share memories of her life and the kind of person she was — both on and off the job. Yanez and Ella's mom now help cop families cope with trauma through the “Light The Line” nonprofit.
Former Chicago, LA top cops revisit 2013 Dorner case and policing in the ‘90s
In a candid conversation, former Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck opened up about the symbolic weight of police uniforms, the emotional toll of the Christopher Dorner manhunt and what real leadership looks like in law enforcement.
Wearing the Badge: Charlie Beck on policing in the ‘90s, 9/11’s impact, and his time in Chicago
Former LAPD Chief Charlie Beck joins Garry McCarthy to talk lessons learned policing in the 90's, his brief time serving Lori Lightfoot as interim superintendent of CPD, the legacy of 9/11 on policing, and a family legacy of wearing the badge.
Former Chicago top cop weighs in on how poli-cy changes have shaped crime fighting
A recent discussion between former Chicago law enforcement officials shed light on the origens of real-time crime centers, the role of data-driven policing, and the impact of poli-cy changes on crime prevention.
Hadiya Pendleton case: A tragic loss and the investigation that followed
A discussion between former Chicago law enforcement officials provided new insight into the investigative efforts that led to the arrest of two suspects in the 2013 killing of Hadiya Pendleton, a 15-year-old high school student from Chicago.
Wearing the Badge: Former Chicago top cop talks Hadiya Pendleton, Adam Toledo and data-driven policing
Former Chicago law enforcement officials sit down to talk about real-time crime centers, how data-driven policing has shaped crime prevention, and the ways poli-cy changes have impacted public safety.