Things Police See: Firsthand Accounts
A veteran cop interviews fellow officers about their most intense, bizarre, and career-defining moments on the job.
This is a highly structured interview show where law enforcement veterans recount their war stories. Host Steve Gould uses a fixed set of prompts—first hot call, most bizarre, most intense, most heartwarming—to guide guests through their careers, creating a predictable but compelling format for true crime fans interested in the officer's perspective. Each episode is a deep dive into the guest's personal case files and the psychological impact of their work.
“Its rigid, four-act story structure ("hot call," "bizarre," "intense," "heartwarming") is unique, creating a consistent listening experience across all guests. Unlike many true crime shows that focus on solving a case, it centers exclusively on the officer's direct experience and emotional recall of events throughout their career.”
Who hosts this show
Steve Gould, a police sergeant and veteran officer from Massachusetts, hosts "Things Police See." He interviews active and retired law enforcement officers, providing a platform for them to share unfiltered firsthand accounts from the field. Gould started the podcast after working as a civilian background investigator for the LAPD, where he was inspired by the stories he heard from veteran officers. The show delves into the raw realities of policing, from harrowing calls to heartwarming encounters.
Credentials & credits
- Police Sergeant, Leverett, MA Police Department
- 19-year veteran police officer
- Former Police Officer, Eastham, MA (10 years)
- Former Civilian Background Investigator, LAPD
- Former Natural Resource Officer, Cape Cod (4 years)
Other ventures
- The Sergeant Steve (YouTube Channel)
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01
- 02
- 03Homicide & Heartbreak: Detective Kevin Grogan on the Toll of PolicingMay 13, 2026 · 1h 01m
- 04
- 0517 Years of Oregon & Montana Law Enforcement | Adam MillerApr 22, 2026 · 1h 17m
- 06Rookie Years in Milwaukee PD: Jeffery Dahmer, Riots, Worst DistrictsApr 8, 2026 · 1h 05m
- 0751 Years as Cop & Sheriff: Everglades Voodoo, Bear Attack & Riot ChaosApr 1, 2026 · 1h 14m
- 08
Notable episodes
- 01I Trained Keanu Reeves for John Wick... But My NYPD Special Ops Stories Are Wilder | George Sichler
The guest reveals he trained Keanu Reeves for the 'John Wick' films and tells the origin story of the famous 'Wick Flick' reload technique.
- 0229 Years in Chicago Metro Policing Chaos: Undercover Stings & Bizarre Calls | Betsy Smith Interview
Features a frank discussion on the challenges for women in policing in the 1980s, including hazing, and a debate on the '30x30' initiative to hire more female officers.
- 03New York State Police High-Stakes SWAT Operations & Survival Stories with Captain Scott Brown
Contains a harrowing story of the guest nearly falling 172 feet from a bridge and a graphic account of investigating a double homicide involving dismemberment.
- 04Homicide & Heartbreak: Detective Kevin Grogan on the Toll of Policing
The guest candidly discusses the psychological toll of the job, including his own struggles with alcohol and PTSD, and the process of writing about it in his book trilogy.
What you'll be asked on this show
Gould's interviews are built on a standardized framework. He typically opens by establishing the guest's career path before moving into his signature question sequence: the "first hot call," the "most bizarre," the "most intense," and a "heartwarming" story. This structure acts as a reliable narrative arc for each episode. He probes by sharing his own experiences to elicit more detail ("that reminds me of a time...") rather than using direct pushback. He consistently closes with a question about advice for new officers, followed by an opportunity for the guest to promote their own projects, such as books or new podcasts.
Steve Gould hosts one-on-one interviews with fellow officers, often establishing a personal connection by sharing his own brief, related anecdotes. He uses a recurring set of thematic questions to structure the conversation, which are sometimes displayed on-screen. Gould frequently refers to himself as "Old Gingerface" and typically ends episodes with a shout-out to his Patreon supporters.
Questions the host keeps coming back to
9 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when the host reaches for it.
origin
1- Q.01
“What was your first 'hot call' that got your adrenaline going?”
This is his standard opening question to get an origin story about the guest's first high-stress experience on the job.
personal
2- Q.01
“What was the strangest or most bizarre thing you've dealt with?”
Asked in every interview to elicit a unique, unusual, or often humorous story that breaks from typical police work.
- Q.02
“Do you have a positive or heartwarming situation you can share?”
Used to provide a positive contrast to the more graphic and intense stories, showing a different side of policing.
craft
1- Q.01
“What was your most intense or terrifying call?”
This question serves as the climax of the interview, prompting a story about a high-stakes, life-threatening situation.
advice
1- Q.01
“What advice would you give to new police officers or people looking to get into law enforcement?”
This is his signature closing question, providing a practical takeaway for listeners interested in the profession.
backstory
1- Q.01
“How did you get from [one place] to [another] in your career?”
He often asks this early on to trace the guest's career path and understand their motivations.
process
2- Q.01
“What was the testing or selection process like for a specialized unit like [detective/scuba]?”
This question is used to dig into the specific requirements and challenges of advancing into elite roles.
- Q.02
“Did you have to go through the academy again when you transferred departments or states?”
He asks this to understand the practical, bureaucratic hurdles officers face when changing agencies.
future
1- Q.01
“Can you tell us about your book/podcast/latest project?”
Near the end of the interview, he gives guests a platform to discuss their post-policing ventures.
Signature segments
- · The 'Four-Act' Story Structure (Hot/Bizarre/Intense/Heartwarming calls)
- · Host refers to himself as 'Old Gingerface'
- · Patreon Supporter Roll Call
- · Advice for New Officers segment
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are exclusively active or retired law enforcement officers, ranging from patrolmen and detectives to high-ranking captains and specialized unit commanders (SWAT, K9, Scuba). They represent a wide variety of agencies, from major metropolitan departments like the NYPD and LAPD to state and rural police. Many guests are also authors or have other post-policing ventures to promote.
- Betsy Brantner Smithon 29 Years in Chicago Metro Policing Chaos: Undercover Stings & Bizarre Calls | Betsy Smith Interview
- George Sichleron I Trained Keanu Reeves for John Wick... But My NYPD Special Ops Stories Are Wilder | George Sichler
- Kevin Groganon Homicide & Heartbreak: Detective Kevin Grogan on the Toll of Policing
- Scott Brownon New York State Police High-Stakes SWAT Operations & Survival Stories with Captain Scott Brown
- Adam Milleron 17 Years of Oregon & Montana Law Enforcement | Adam Miller
- Patrick O'Donnellon Rookie Years in Milwaukee PD: Jeffery Dahmer, Riots, Worst Districts
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The show is primarily listener-supported via Patreon, with supporters receiving on-air shout-outs. It also promotes guests' books, podcasts, and occasionally features sponsors for related products like the safety equipment from MIRA Safety.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- Who is the host of Things Police See?
- The host is Steve Gould, a veteran police sergeant from Massachusetts with over 19 years of law enforcement experience.
- What is the format of the show?
- It's a weekly, long-form interview podcast. In each episode, host Steve Gould interviews a current or former law enforcement officer about their career using a structured set of questions about their most memorable calls.
- Is this podcast still running?
- Yes, new episodes are released weekly.
- What kind of guests are on the show?
- The guests are exclusively active and retired police officers from various departments and ranks, who share firsthand stories from their careers.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The podcast is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other major podcast platforms.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Things Police See: Firsthand Accounts - Official Websitethingspolicesee.com
- [02]Things Police See: Firsthand Accounts - YouTube Channelyoutube.com
- [03]About - Things Police See Podcastthingspolicesee.com
- [04]The CopDoc Podcast - Steve Gould - Host, Things Police See Podcastthecopdoc.com
- [05]Things Police See: Firsthand Accounts - Apple Podcastspodcasts.apple.com
- [06]Uncovering the Reality of Being a Police Officer Today with Steven Gould - YouTubeyoutube.com
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