The Five-0 Podcast

TRIGGER WARNING This episode involves a frank discussion regarding rape and other forms of sexual assault.On this episode, Meaghan Ybos talks about her experience interacting with police as a rape victim. She talks about current problems with the system and what can be done to make substantive improvements.  Meaghan is the co-founder and Executive Director of PERL. In 2003 at the age of sixteen, Meaghan was raped in Memphis.  She reported her rape to law enforcement and submitted to a forensic exam, but law enforcement did not investigate the case or test her rape kit until over nine years later. Meaghan strategically used her mishandled rape case to raise awareness about needed policy changes. In the course of this work, Meaghan further exposed over 12,000 untested rape kits in MPD storage.  In 2013 and 2014, over the Memphis mayor’s objections, Meaghan successfully persuaded the Memphis City Council to allocate over $3 million of its own tax revenue to cover the costs of investigating thousands of previously ignored rape cases connected to untested rape kits. In 2015, Meaghan and a group of lawyers and community organizers formed PERL which advocates for criminal justice reform and provides the community’s only peer support for people who have experienced sexual violence. She is also a contributing writer at The Appeal, part of the Harvard University School of Law’s Fair Punishment Project. Meaghan holds a BA in English from Rhodes College and a Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi.  https://theappeal.org/i-was-raped-and-i-believe-the-brock-turner-sentence-is-a-success-story-fd571cb781ba-2/ https://theappeal.org/chanel-miller-brock-turner/On the Five-0 Podcast, co-hosts Randy Shrewsberry and Thomas Baker interview authors, activists, academics, practitioners, and individuals impacted by the U.S. criminal justice system - all with a focus on the problems we face and how we can change things for the better. Randy is the founder and current Executive Director of the Institute for Criminal Justice Training Reform. He’s a former police officer, Crash Reconstruction Investigator, and Certified Fire & Explosion Investigator. He has spent over 30 years in both the public and private sector criminal justice field and has attended basic police training in Ohio, South Carolina and Indiana as well as 100’s of advanced training in investigations as well as other specialized areas in law enforcement. Randy has been a lecturer on criminal justice matters and has been admitted as an expert in the State of California, State of South Carolina, and the State of Indiana in Criminal and Civil court. Thomas is a Pat Tillman Scholar and a Ph.D. student in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. His research is dedicated to improving our understanding police related deaths and their social implications. He’s a U.S Army veteran and worked as a police officer for almost nine years. Thomas is also a member of the Board of Directors at the Institute for Criminal Justice Training Reform.   Support the show (https://www.trainingreform.org/donate)

On this episode, Heather Taylor talks about navigating a career in policing as a woman of color. She discusses her youth in St. Louis, becoming an officer, the challenges the career presented, and what comes next in her life. Heather Taylor retired in October of 2020 from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. She was the president of the Ethical Society of Police from February of 2015 - October 2020. Taylor currently serves as a consultant with the ESOP as the Business Manager and Spokesperson. Taylor was the night watch Homicide Sergeant with the Metropolitan Police Department, City of St. Louis (SLMPD). Taylor has also worked in Sex Crimes, Child Abuse, Police Academy Instructor, Juvenile; as well as undercover, in Anti-Crime and Crime Suppression. In 2016 and 2020, Taylor co-authored the Ethical Society of Police’s one hundred and fifteen-page and sixty-page Comprehensive Evaluation of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. The evaluation detailed race-based issues in the community and internally with arrests, racial profiling, promotions, hiring, and discipline. Taylor has received twelve national and local awards for her humanitarian work as an officer/activist for police reform and for her advocacy for victims of violent crime. On the Five-0 Podcast, co-hosts Randy Shrewsberry and Thomas Baker interview authors, activists, academics, practitioners, and individuals impacted by the U.S. criminal justice system - all with a focus on the problems we face and how we can change things for the better. Randy is the founder and current Executive Director of the Institute for Criminal Justice Training Reform. He’s a former police officer, Crash Reconstruction Investigator, and Certified Fire & Explosion Investigator. He has spent over 30 years in both the public and private sector criminal justice field and has attended basic police training in Ohio, South Carolina and Indiana as well as 100’s of advanced training in investigations as well as other specialized areas in law enforcement. Randy has been a lecturer on criminal justice matters and has been admitted as an expert in the State of California, State of South Carolina, and the State of Indiana in Criminal and Civil court. Thomas is a Pat Tillman Scholar and a Ph.D. student in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. His research is dedicated to improving our understanding police related deaths and their social implications. He’s a U.S Army veteran and worked as a police officer for almost nine years. Thomas is also a member of the Board of Directors at the Institute for Criminal Justice Training Reform. Support the show (https://www.trainingreform.org/donate)

On this episode, co-hosts Randy Shrewsberry and Thomas Baker discuss the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6th 2021. They talk about why it happened, what it says about the state of U.S. policing, and how to move the institution forward in a post-Trump environment.  On the Five-0 Podcast, co-hosts Randy Shrewsberry and Thomas Baker interview authors, activists, academics, practitioners, and individuals impacted by the U.S. criminal justice system - all with a focus on the problems we face and how we can change things for the better. Randy is the founder and current Executive Director of the Institute for Criminal Justice Training Reform. He’s a former police officer, Crash Reconstruction Investigator, and Certified Fire & Explosion Investigator. He has spent over 30 years in both the public and private sector criminal justice field and has attended basic police training in Ohio, South Carolina and Indiana as well as 100’s of advanced training in investigations as well as other specialized areas in law enforcement. Randy has been a lecturer on criminal justice matters and has been admitted as an expert in the State of California, State of South Carolina, and the State of Indiana in Criminal and Civil court. Thomas is a Pat Tillman Scholar and a Ph.D. student in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. His research is dedicated to improving our understanding police related deaths and their social implications. He’s a U.S Army veteran and worked as a police officer for almost nine years. Thomas is also a member of the Board of Directors at the Institute for Criminal Justice Training Reform.https://www.trainingreform.org/Support the show (https://www.trainingreform.org/donate)

On this episode journalist Susan Goldsmith talks about her journalism career, how she came to focus on stories regarding child abuse, the role of science in the criminal justice system, and her film The Syndrome.  Film Description:Audrey Edmunds, mother of three, spent 11 years in prison for killing a baby she never harmed. And she is not alone. What happens when widely held beliefs based on junk science lead to the convictions of innocent people? The Syndrome is an explosive documentary following the crusade of a group of doctors, scientists, and legal scholars who have uncovered that "Shaken Baby Syndrome," a child abuse theory responsible for hundreds of prosecutions each year in the US, is not scientifically valid. In fact, they say, it does not even exist. Filmmaker Meryl Goldsmith teams with Award-winning investigative reporter Susan Goldsmith to document the unimaginable nightmare for those accused and shine a light on the men and women dedicating their lives to defending the prosecuted and freeing the convicted. The Syndrome uncovers the origins of the myth of "Shaken Baby Syndrome." It unflinchingly identifies those who have built careers and profited from this theory along with revealing their shocking pasts. Shaken baby proponents are determined to silence their critics while an unthinkable number of lives are ruined. Twitter: @SGinvestigationWebsite: thesyndromefilm.comWatch the film: https://tubitv.com/movies/461263/the-syndromeOn the Five-0 Podcast, co-hosts Randy Shrewsberry and Thomas Baker interview authors, activists, academics, practitioners, and individuals impacted by the U.S. criminal justice system - all with a focus on the problems we face and how we can change things for the better. Randy is the founder and current Executive Director of the Institute for Criminal Justice Training Reform. He’s a former police officer, Crash Reconstruction Investigator, and Certified Fire & Explosion Investigator. He has spent over 30 years in both the public and private sector criminal justice field and has attended basic police training in Ohio, South Carolina and Indiana as well as 100’s of advanced training in investigations as well as other specialized areas in law enforcement. Randy has been a lecturer on criminal justice matters and has been admitted as an expert in the State of California, State of South Carolina, and the State of Indiana in Criminal and Civil court. Thomas is a Pat Tillman Scholar and a Ph.D. student in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. His research is dedicated to improving our understanding police related deaths and their social implications. He’s a U.S Army veteran and worked as a police officer for almost nine years. Thomas is also a member of the Board of Directors at the Institute for Criminal Justice Training Reform. Support the show (https://www.trainingreform.org/donate)

On this episode Alex Salazar discusses his experiences as an officer at the Rampart Division of LAPD. He talks about a violent assault he suffered; the post-traumatic stress it lead to, how it impacted his work, and the long term implications. We also discuss the blue wall of silence and how it can be overcome. Alex Salazar is a police reform expert and activist drawing from his years of experience as a former US Airforce Security Police Officer, LAPD Officer at the infamous Rampart Division, and South Bureau Narcotics. He’s currently the owner of the California private investigation firm, All American Investigations. Alex speaks regularly on fear control training as well as bringing awareness to PTSD, mental health and racism in law enforcement. He’s been featured on MSNBC, E-True Hollywood Story, and documentaries such as Unnecessary Force, C.O.P., Voices of the Blue, Black and Blue and THS Investigates. Finally, he has a new book entitled “Chasing Monsters, Breaking the code of silence on PTSD in policing” that will be released soon.  Follow him on Twitter @alexmsalazar https://thewoundedblue.org/ Support the show (https://www.trainingreform.org/donate)

On this episode, co-hosts Randy Shrewsberry and Thomas Baker talk with John Feal about his work ensuring 9/11 workers from Ground Zero receive the care and support they deserve. We discuss his foundation, The Feal Good Foundation, and the path that led him to his work. He tells us about his experiences as a worker at Ground Zero, the injury he sustained, his struggle with PTSD, his fight for legislation, and his current work to pass similar legislation for individuals exposed to burn pits through their military service.  “John Feal (born November 13, 1966) is an American political activist and retired construction worker from Commack, NY, known for his advocacy on behalf of first responders to the September 11 attacks. In 2001, Feal was a demolition supervisor at Ground Zero when a falling steel beam landed on his foot. He developed gangrene, then sepsis, and eventually required partial amputation. As Feal's injury occurred just outside of a 96-hour window following the attack, he was denied compensation for the injury. The denial led to him becoming an advocate for 9/11 first responders. Feal founded the FealGood Foundation, dedicated toward lobbying members of the U.S. Congress to provide additional funding to 9/11 responders, as well as connecting responders with various resources. In 2019, Feal worked closely with comedian and fellow advocate Jon Stewart to lobby Congress for the renewal of a 9/11 victim's compensation fund. After Senators Rand Paul and Mike Lee opposed motion for unanimous consent of the renewal, Feal and Stewart appeared in a viral segment on Fox News lambasting the Senators” (From John’s Wikipedia Page).  If you would like to learn more and/or support his work please visit:  https://fealgoodfoundation.com/ Follow him on Twitter @JohnFeal2  Support the show (https://www.trainingreform.org/donate)

On this episode, co-hosts Randy Shrewsberry and Thomas Baker interview Professor Jody Armour regarding his book N*gga Theory. We talk about the history of policing, how race shapes the way people are treated by the criminal justice system, and why limiting the number of police-citizen contacts in the best way to reduce police violence.     Jody David Armour is the Roy P. Crocker Professor of Law at the University of Southern California. He has been a member of the faculty since 1995. Armour’s expertise ranges from personal injury claims to claims about the relationship between racial justice, criminal justice, and the rule of law. Armour studies the intersection of race and legal decision making as well as torts and tort reform movements. A widely published scholar and popular lecturer, Armour is a Soros Justice Senior Fellow of The Open Society Institute’s Center on Crime, Communities and Culture. He has published articles in Stanford Law Review, California Law Review, Vanderbilt Law Review, Boston College Law Review, Southern California Review of Law and Women's Studies, University of Colorado Law Review, University of Pittsburgh Law Review, Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review, Southwestern University Law Review, and Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law. His book Negrophobia and Reasonable Racism: The Hidden Costs of Being Black in America (New York University Press) addresses three core concerns of the Black Lives Matter movement—namely, racial profiling police brutality, and mass incarceration. He has recently completed a second book that examines law, language, and moral luck in the criminal justice system. Armour often appears as a legal analyst on NBC, CBS, ABC, MSNBC, KPCC, KCRW, and a variety of other television and radio news programs. At the request of the US Department of State and European Embassies, Professor Armour has toured major universities in Europe to speak about social justice as well as Hip Hop culture and the law. His work on the intersection of these topics grew into a unique interdisciplinary and multimedia analysis of social justice and linguistics, titled Race, Rap and Redemption, produced by USC alumna J. M. Morris, and featuring performance by Ice Cube, Mayda del Valle, Saul Williams, Lula Washington Dance Theatre, Macy Gray Music Academy Orchestra, and Mailon Rivera. Armour earned his AB degree in Sociology at Harvard University and his JD degree with honors from Boalt Hall Law School at UC Berkeley. Prior to joining USC, he was an associate at Morrison & Foerster, Kirkpatrick and Lockhart and taught at UC Berkeley’s Boalt Hall, Indiana University and the University of Pittsburgh. Armour currently teaches students a diverse array of subjects, including Criminal Law, Torts, and Stereotypes and Prejudice: The Role of the Cognitive Unconscious in the Rule of Law. https://www.google.com/books/edition/N_gga_Theory/3IAIygEACAAJ?hl=en https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4S__60QUoM&t=269s&ab_channel=Prof.JodyDavidArmour%2CJ.D. Thanks for joining us.Support the show (https://www.trainingreform.org/donate)

On this episode, co-hosts Randy Shrewsberry and Thomas Baker discuss the lack of national training standards for police officers. They also talk about Covid-19, PTSD, suicide, and other risks police face that are not adequately addressed by law enforcement training regimes. Thanks for joining us.    Support the show (https://www.trainingreform.org/donate)

On this episode, co-hosts Randy Shrewsberry and Thomas Baker discuss the movement to defund the police, how we can engage in harm reduction during the transition, and the role of fear in police training. Thanks for joining us.Support the show (https://www.trainingreform.org/donate)

On this episode, co-hosts Randy Shrewsberry and Thomas Baker discuss the history of modern policing, the role corporate interests’ play in law enforcement, and the lack of training standards for police officers in the United States. They also talk about the origins of the Institute for Criminal Justice Training Reform and how we can improve the criminal justice system by re-imagining the way we educate police officers. Thanks for joining us.Support the show (https://www.trainingreform.org/donate)

On this episode, co-hosts Randy Shrewsberry and Thomas Baker introduce themselves and the podcast. They talk about their personal backgrounds, their individual paths into the policing profession, their personal experiences on the job, and how they came to leave law enforcement. They also discuss the relationship between the military and law enforcement as well as the role race and class play in American policing. Thanks for joining us.Support the show (https://www.trainingreform.org/donate)