Wear the Badge Podcast

Now streaming

Separating fact from fiction and perception from reality, Wear the Badge is a rare look and listen inside the often misunderstood profession of policing. In this podcast we examine the latest trends, explore how the career is changing, debate and discuss what it takes to do the work and find out why men and women choose to Wear the Badge. Wear the Badge is a production of the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association and is hosted by the association's executive director, Andy Skoogman.

Streaming Now: The Next Generation 
The Minnesota Chiefs of Police Foundation is awarding several Wear the Badge
scholarships to high schooland college students. These future police officers share
why they’re choosing to wear the badge. Click here to listen!

One Problem, Several Solutions.   What actions work best
to encourage more people to pursue law enforcement careers?  Some
communities have tried cash incentives while others have turned to other tactics. 
But solutions that have the most success are not the same in every community. 
Click here to listen!
 

New Beginnings. It's never too late to join the policing
profession. In fact, people with previous careers often bring valuable
experiences and perspectives. In this episode, hear from officers that originally
entered the workforce in another career and learn about Pathways to Policing
- a program to attract  non-traditional candidates to the police force.  
Click here to listen!
 

Then and now:  How the workforce crisis is impacting one agency
Comparing the past to the present, we see how the workforce crisis is
impacting one of the most resilient police departments in the Twin Cities -
how the candidate pool is shrinking and how the agency is adapting.
Click here to listen!

The Hiring Process
When it comes to hiring the next generation of police officers, agencies
work hard to ensure standards are maintained - not lowered.  In this
episode, we talk with local chiefs about their experiences and interview
an expert on the latest trends in psychiatric evaluations. Click here to listen! 
  Why Wear the Badge?
Why are police agencies locally and across the country facing
challenges finding enough qualified candidates?  We examine the latest
research on the profession and get perspectives from Minnesota chiefs
serving small, medium and large police agencies. Click here to listen!