Discipline and Punish
Episode Description
This week’s guest is Thomas Baker. He’s a military veteran and ex-police officer who is pursuing his doctorate in criminology. Tune in as we discuss police training, their relationship with the communities that they police, the use of deadly force, the gun debate, and fixing America’s criminal justice system.
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Timestamps
01:16 – Guest introduction
02:41 – Trying to find meaning in life after police work
03:05 – Police subculture and the blue wall
04:28 – Loyalty to the uniform vs loyalty to your race/community
07:34 – The effects of a lack of trust between the police and the community their policing
09:59 – The quantity of police officers vs the quality of police officers
11:27 – Do we ask too much of the police?
14:09 – Is being a police officer a good job in this day and age?
17:02 – How to make it in America
18:20 – Why did Tom retire from the police department?
19:54 – The first time Tom used physical force on the job
24:18 – What’s the real reason that police officers use deadly force?
26:10 – Breaking down the Rayshard Brooks killing in Atlanta
27:55 – Undertrained police officers and the type of training that officers actually need
31:02 – Are officers wary of being partnered with an officer who shows fear on the job?
36:15 – The George Floyd protests and the impact on conversations surrounding systemic change
38:52 – An ex-police officer’s take on defunding the police
43:10 – How to solve societal problems at the root
48:07 – Will the criminal justice system ever get fixed?
50:05 – America’s future and the upcoming election
55:45 – Is the gun debate is over?
58:13 – The world’s greatest sociology lesson
59:59 – What do you hope to achieve with your doctorate in Criminology
1:01:00 – The emotional aftermath of his use of force event as a police officer