Groundbreaking podcast brings new insights, recruits to Grand Prairie police
GRAND PRAIRIE (CBSNewsTexas.com) – A generation of controversial police actions has blurred the line among some between good guys and bad guys.
Police officers around the country have a lot of work to do to rebuild their public image – but the Grand Prairie Police Department has found an unusual way to do it.
An officer dramatically recounts his actions chasing an armed suspect, his fears and his injuries after a shootout captured by his body-worn camera. It's in one of the latest episodes of a podcast that's quickly becoming one the most popular online.
And believe it or not, it's produced by the Grand Prairie Police Department.
"The data shows people all around the world are listening, which is pretty cool, so we like it and we are going to continue to push it out," said Grand Prairie police officer K.D. Dixon.
Dixon and Detective Nathan Hight are just like other Grand Prairie officers who carry guns and wear badges – but they also don headsets once a week for what they believe is the only official police department podcast in North Texas.
"I will tell you, I was a little uncomfortable at first," said Grand Prairie police Chief Daniel Scesney.
Scesney says the recent actions of bad officers across the country have deservedly hurt the profession. He thinks if the public gets to know his officers through the podcast, they will hopefully respect them.
"That's part of it, rebuilding the damaged image in other parts of the country is part of our goal," Scesney said.
Most of the episodes are just casual chats between brothers and sisters in blue.
"It's pretty wide-ranging, we pretty much sit down with an open template and kind of go," Hight said. "We get an officer in here, what they do outside the uniform, so to speak, and talk about that for 30 to 45 minutes."
Inside the studio, officers are allowed to let down their guards, use rough language, and even shed tears telling stories about their struggles or upbringings. If it makes them seem more relatable to those they serve and protect, that's the point of the podcast.
"There are times when I listen to the podcast and hear some of my officers tell about their stories growing up and I cringe a little bit, but I think it's important for them to hear unvarnished past and history of our cops," Scesney said.
Scesney says 80% of new recruits from across the country have cited the podcast, which started last fall, as the reason they applied to work in Grand Prairie.
While the podcast is already working as a recruiting tool, it's also hoping to build back trust with the community.