15 Best Police Brutality Podcasts to Listen to (2026)

Still My Baby is a powerful, intimate limited series that tells the untold story of one of the most pivotal moments in modern American history - the murder of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. Told from the perspective of Lezley McSpadden, Mike Brown's mother, this is not a courtroom drama or a political explainer. It's a portrait of Mike's family told by those closest to him. The series traces the years before August 9, 2014, when Lezley was a young mom and Mike was just a funny, big-hearted kid. Then, everything changed. And in the deafening noise that followed - public shaming, national outrage, and a 400+ day uprising - one family was left behind, trying to pick up the pieces in private. We look at what happened to that family in the immediate aftermath of Mike's killing, how they longed for the ordinary after tragedy hit, and we'll see how they built themselves back to where they are today.  more

A Tradition of Violence is a podcast about deputy gangs that operate within the LA County Sheriff's Department. Host Cerise Castle wrote the history of deputy gangs in LA for Knock LA, exposing their 50-year reign of terror and murder. more

Why are Black Americans and other people of color disproportionately victims of overly aggressive police enforcement and brutality while walking, running, riding bicycles, taking public transit, or while driving? This podcast explores the ways in which people of color have had their mobility arrested. Hosted by Charles T. Brown, the founder and CEO of Equitable Cities LLC—an urban planning, policy, and research firm working at the intersection of transportation, health, and equity. Charles will take you to the streets of Philly, the sidewalks of Seattle, the neighborhoods of Kansas City, and elsewhere around the U.S. In each place, he'll ask: What can we do to change the outcomes when people of color step out their door to exist in the world? more

When Shapearl Wells's son Courtney is found outside a Chicago police station with a fatal bullet wound, Shapearl immediately distrusts the official narrative. So she launches her own investigation into her son's murder and teams up with journalists from the Invisible Institute to confront the cops and find the truth about Courtney's death. Somebody explores the racial disparities and turbulent relationship between law enforcement and citizens in one of America's largest cities. A co-production of Topic Studios, The Intercept, the Invisible Institute, and iHeartRadio, in association with Tenderfoot TV. more

When correctional officer Valentino Rodriguez first stepped behind prison walls, he wasn't just starting a job, he was joining a family. What he didn't know was that he was now bound by an unwritten code that would ultimately test his loyalty to his oath and his fellow officers. Five years later, Valentino's sudden death would raise questions from the FBI, his family and his mentor in the elite investigative unit where they both worked. This season, join us as we follow in Valentino's footsteps to uncover the secrets hidden inside the most dangerous prison in California: New Folsom.If you have tips or feedback about this series please reach out to us at ****@kqed.org.   more

Webby & New York Festival Award Winning series focusing on the assault and killing of people by police, highlighting incidents throughout the United States.Serving as a memorialization for these individuals, we learn about who these people were through the the words of the people that knew them best, while also helping us understand what these situations do to their families and communities not only in the immediate aftermath, but also what happens when the news-cycle moves on and the social media attention shifts focus. We offer solutions, spread awareness and support for these families & communities.This season we dive even deeper. In addition to talking to families and their support systems about their experiences…we also speak with community leaders, attorneys and officers on the right side of the law…all of whom are aligned in the goal of spreading awareness and ending police violence.  Until truth and justice is attained we will always Say Their Name. more

On May 13th, 1985 the Philadelphia Police Department dropped a bomb on the home of MOVE, a Black-led back-to-nature group in West Philadelphia. The bomb and its fiery aftermath killed 11 people including 6 children. It destroyed 61 homes and left 250 people homeless. Reporter Linn Washington has covered MOVE for more than 50 years. He weaves us through the tangled story of a cult-like leader, desperate neighbors, brutal cops, and a city torn apart Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. more

A senior cop. Decades of rumours. A trail of victim-survivors, buried complaints, and a police culture that looked the other way. Badge of Betrayal blows open the true story of Senior Sergeant Paul Reynolds, the high-ranking Tasmanian officer who rose through the force while dark allegations swirled behind him. From the producers who brought you Our Little Edey, this series follows the threads others left untouched. As the walls close in, new leads emerge, connections surface, and the line between institutional failure and deliberate protection becomes disturbingly blurred. Support Our Independent Storytelling on Patreon here With whistleblowers breaking ranks, insiders exposing cover-ups, and victim-survivors finally being heard, Badge of Betrayal reveals how a man trusted with power was able to hide in plain sight for decades. If you're interested at reaching a trusted Australian audience for your buisness in any one of our shows, book a free call here more

Welcome to Policing in America a podcast about race and policing: the good, the bad and the ugly. The goal? To have, at times, uncomfortable conversations to spark positive change. Your host is currently the Officer in Charge of a unit that creates, delivers and maintains police training in the largest urban police department on the west coast of America: Sergeant Tom Datro. more

PAR is a weekly show that seeks to hold one of the most powerful institutions in this country accountable, policing. To do so we will take a critical look at all facets of American policing, exploring both the systemic and political imperatives that often puts law enforcement at odds with the communities they purport to serve.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-police-accountability-report--4585846/support. more

In February of 2020, a 48-year-old Black man named Reggie Payne slipped into a coma and later died after police restrained him face down on his parent's living room floor as he cried out for help. No one filmed it on their smartphone. No footage flashed across newscasts.Reggie's death came and went quietly, unlike the murder of George Floyd just a couple months later. But journalists Rick Jervis and Jeff Pearlman refused to let it go. Nearly three decades earlier, Reggie, Jeff and Rick worked together as summer interns at a Nashville newspaper. While Rick and Jeff went on to enjoy successful careers in media, Reggie who went by the hip-hop moniker 'Sexy Sweat' vanished into a cloud of mental health struggles and personal trauma.Following his death, Rick and Jeff started digging. They wanted to find out not just the details of how their friend lapsed into a coma at the hands of police but also how Reggie smart, engaging, dynamic, ambitious wound up as yet another American tragedy. This is the story of Sexy Sweat. more

A true-crime anthology podcast investigating corruption and negligence of law enforcement in Cascade County, Montana, a county that is known for its heavy-handed police work as well as the incarceration and harassment of innocent civilians. Season One titled 'Trial By Fire' looks into the killing of Michael Hanson while he was tending to a friend's property in the middle of winter. more

The Infamous Ex-Chief is a hard-hitting podcast that exposes corruption, misconduct, and failures within the justice system without pulling punches. Hosted by a former police chief who believes in real accountability, this show dives deep into wrongful convictions, prosecutorial overreach, and law enforcement leadership gone wrong. Each episode dissects cases that don't add up, challenges flawed investigations, and brings hidden truths to light. We are pro-police, not pro-corruption, because justice should be about facts, not politics. Join Tentacle Nation as we uncover the stories they don't want you to hear. Available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and Rumble. more

This is Life After the Impact, a podcast FOR impacted families BY impacted families that focuses on what happens after the media, the lawyers, and the activists are gone. Impacted families are left to face the loss of a loved one to police sponsored violence. We will focus on their continued fight for justice and how YOU can get involved. more

The Chicago Justice Podcast challenges the stories we're told about crime, public safety, and justice. Instead of accepting headlines, political talking points, or conventional wisdom at face value, we dig deeper to uncover what the data, research, and lived experiences actually reveal. Each episode features candid conversations with journalists, researchers, advocates, policymakers, and people working to transform the justice system from within. Together, we examine the policies, institutions, and power structures that shape who is criminalized, who is protected, and who is left behind. From policing and police accountability to gun violence, surveillance, incarceration, public records, government transparency, and criminal justice reform, we explore the complex issues driving today's debates about safety and justice. Some conversations are uncomfortable. Others are infuriating. All of them are necessary. Grounded in evidence, accountability, and a commitment to challenging dominant narratives, The Chicago Justice Podcast goes beyond sound bites to expose how systems really work and whose interests they serve. If you're ready to question assumptions, confront hard truths, and explore what real justice and public safety could look like, this podcast is for you . more