Podcasts to tune into this summer

“Behind the Police” by Robert Evans

By: Andrea Nadal

All Cops are Bastards. What does that phrase evoke in you? Whether you’ve spent the past year in the streets demanding the abolition of policing or you’re a staunch “back the blue” supporter or somewhere in between, this Podcast is a fundamental part of your education on American policing. Here is why you should listen to “Behind the Police, a Behind the Bastards” mini-series by conflict journalist Robert Evans this summer:

Behind the Police takes an in-depth look at policing in the United States of America. Going back centuries to the very foundations of this nation, Evans paints a clear picture of the ways that the modern system of policing that exists today is inextricably linked to colonialism, slavery, capitalism and labor disputes. 

By taking the listener chronologically through the development of policing, Evans helps to create a well-rounded and solid understanding of how it is that policing came to be what it is in America today. This understanding can be used as a foundation for further education and advocacy around the issue of policing. 

Whether you are looking to abolish policing as a whole, reform the current system, or defend the “thin blue line” you need to have a deep and critical understanding of exactly what policing is and what it means for marginalized and disenfranchised identities in this country. This podcast is exactly what you need to begin building that understanding.  

PNW crime podcast? Yes please!

By: Madi Williams

As someone who loves true crime podcasts, finding a new one to listen to that actually catches your attention can be hard. But finding a podcast that takes place in the Pacific Northwest was one of the best finds. 

“The Scene of the Crime” is hosted by Carolyn Ossorio and Kim Shepard, both with backgrounds in writing and reporting. With their backgrounds, they provide different insights on the crimes compared to other true crime hosts. They not only tell the stories, but also share opinions, interviews with important people and audio recordings of court proceedings or the killer themselves. 

Throughout the episodes that I have been listening to, I either have not have even heard of the case or this was the first podcast that I have heard the case talked about on. 

Some of the cases that the podcast covers are the Green River Killer, Ted Bundy, The Carnation murders, the biggest family massacre in Wa. history in 2007 and the Wah Mee massacre that happened in the Chinatown-International District of Seattle in 1983. Coverage of Michelle Knotek, a mother who didn’t have a mothering bone in her body, is set to be released in 2022.

What I enjoy about Ossorio and Shepard is that throughout episodes, they state that this is not about the killers, it’s about the victims. With many of these crimes, the victims are forgotten because the media often finds and disseminates information about the killers instead of the victims. Unlike others, they focus on the victims while trying to understand why someone would do these crimes without romanticising them.

So, if you need a new true crime podcast to binge over the summer, “The Scene of the Crime”  would be my top recommendation.