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Reasons We Serve

Reasons We Serve

Written by: Reasons We Serve
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 Do you ever wonder why people go into law enforcement? Does being in law enforcement change your views of the public over time and how does being an officer affect your family? This podcast explores these questions as well as discusses different careers and the functions of various law enforcement agencies including local, state and federal agencies. The episodes include interviews with retired and active-duty law enforcement officers.Copyright Reasons We Serve Political Science Politics & Government Social Sciences True Crime
Episodes
  • NYC Corrections Deputy: Phil Billik's 25-Year Rikers Hell – Riots, Stress Wins & Family Sacrifices

    NYC Corrections Deputy: Phil Billik's 25-Year Rikers Hell – Riots, Stress Wins & Family Sacrifices
    Jan 11 2026
    🎥 Episode 143
    Step into the unyielding world of retired NYC Department of Corrections Deputy Warden Philip Billik (25 years, 1983-2008), who traded Wall Street publishing for Rikers Island's chaos—starting as a 23-year-old recruit bused straight to Bronx House of Detention amid 1970s civil service tests and civil servant dreams. From six-week Rikers training (classroom law to Bronx firearms drills) to commanding 500-inmate units through riots, stabbings, and escapes, Phil reveals the "my house, my way" mindset that kept stress at bay: No domestics, no bars, no drugs—just care, custody, control. As a native New Yorker from Inwood's Irish-Italian-Jewish trades hub, he shares stories of acclimation, holiday skeleton crews, and the wife who "kept him intact" through 38 years of marriage, missed birthdays, and schedule-shifting Thanksgivings.

    How did "hell" forge heaven? Phil's skeptical eye sizes up subway crowds but fears nothing—nothing he can't endure after 25 years of the unimaginable. A raw blueprint for corrections pros, aspiring officers, and families navigating the badge's shadows.

    Welcome to our Channel Reasons We Serve, a podcast dedicated to exploring the motivations, challenges, and realities of working in law enforcement. We dive deep into the personal stories of officers, discuss different career paths, and break down the roles of various agencies—from local police departments to state and federal law enforcement.

    👍 Like, Subscribe, Comment, and Share to stay updated on more inspiring law enforcement stories!
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    1 hr and 19 mins
  • St. Louis County PD Sgt. Adam Kavanaugh on Child Exploitation Cases and the Cost of a Police Career

    St. Louis County PD Sgt. Adam Kavanaugh on Child Exploitation Cases and the Cost of a Police Career
    Jan 4 2026
    🎥 Episode 142
    Trace retired St. Louis County PD Sgt. Adam Kavanaugh's 25-year badge odyssey—from a poverty-stricken childhood idolizing his grandfather's heroism amid violent home beatings to a lifelong "policeman" fixation sparked by a homemade jean-car toy. Drawn to protect the weak, Adam's career peaks in the gut-wrenching Child Exploitation Unit, sifting through unimaginable abuse footage that fueled hyper-vigilance—scanning crowds at daughter's cheer games, phone-glued vacations, and a post-retirement escape to 8-acre isolation. He bears the toll: Savior complex from abuse, trust shattered ("I don't trust anybody"), and family strains eased by therapy, yet a forever changed worldview.

    Welcome to our Channel Reasons We Serve, a podcast dedicated to exploring the motivations, challenges, and realities of working in law enforcement. We dive deep into the personal stories of officers, discuss different career paths, and break down the roles of various agencies—from local police departments to state and federal law enforcement.

    👍 Like, Subscribe, and share to stay updated on more inspiring law enforcement stories!
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 12 mins
  • Baltimore Drug Wars: Retired Cop Maurice Hicks on Kingpin Hunts and His Memoir

    Baltimore Drug Wars: Retired Cop Maurice Hicks on Kingpin Hunts and His Memoir
    Dec 29 2025
    🎥 Episode 141
    Dive into the raw streets of 1980s-90s Baltimore with retired Prince George's County PD detective Maurice Hicks (20 years total, including Baltimore PD narcotics as well as a homicide detective), who traded a heroin-plagued backyard for a badge—not once, but twice—after reluctant recruiter tests hooked him despite zero interest in policing. From high-speed pursuits and foot chases to dismantling a drug kingpin linked to 12 murders on his beat, Maurice shares unfiltered tales of uniform patrols, undercover ops, and FBI task-force twists that inspired his Amazon-bestselling memoir, Looking for Trouble (International Impact Award winner, March 2023). As a Black officer navigating the "sellout" stigma and community distrust, he reveals how humanizing interactions built trust, solved cases, and humanized the badge—plus post-retirement life as a PI, adjunct professor at University of Maryland Global Campus, and dad of five.

    Essential for true crime fans, aspiring cops, and Baltimore history buffs—grab Maurice's book on Amazon! LIKE if street stories grip you, SUBSCRIBE for retired cop memoirs, COMMENT: What's your wildest pursuit tale?

    Welcome to our Channel Reasons We Serve, a podcast dedicated to exploring the motivations, challenges, and realities of working in law enforcement. We dive deep into the personal stories of officers, discuss different career paths, and break down the roles of various agencies—from local police departments to state and federal law enforcement.

    👍 Like, give us a 5-star review, and share to stay updated on more inspiring law enforcement stories!
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    1 hr and 11 mins
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