On February 7, 2008, Kirkwood City Hall became the scene of a tragedy that shook St. Louis and the nation. Cookie Thornton opened fire during a city council meeting, killing six people before being shot and killed by responding police officers.In this powerful episode, we sit down with John Hessel, Kirkwood’s longtime City Attorney, who was inside the council chambers when the shooting began.John walks us through what led up to that day—years of escalating conflict tied to the Meacham Park redevelopment, court battles, public meetings, and warning signs that, in hindsight, are impossible to ignore. He then recounts the moment everything changed, what he saw firsthand, how he survived, and what it took to live with the aftermath.This is a raw, respectful, first-person account of a tragedy that left a permanent mark on a community—told by someone who lived it, and honoring the victims and the law enforcement officers who ran toward danger.Communities that support law enforcement are safer places to live.#TheBrighterSideOfBlue #PolicePodcast #LawEnforcement #TrueCrime #BehindTheBadge #PoliceStories #Kirkwood #KirkwoodCityHall

The boys kick things off from our Florida studio with a full house and a few familiar faces, easing into some classic banter and a recap of a few vacation mishaps that prove you probably shouldn’t let retired cops near plumbing, shower knobs, or grocery stores.From there, we react to a recent article ranking the Top 10 police departments to work for in the St. Louis area, breaking it down the only way we know how — honest, opinionated, and with plenty of laughs. We’re also joined by Chief Joe Spiess, who stops by to accept a very official (and slightly uncomfortable) award after his department landed at the top of the list.Then we get into something big.We were recently asked by a national communications company to record a pilot episode, and you’ll hear that pilot in this show. In it, each of us shares the episodes and stories that meant the most to us — the ones that stuck, the ones that shaped the show, and the ones that remind us why we started doing this in the first place.Now we want to hear from you.Give the pilot a listen and let us know how we did — the pacing, the flow, the production, and the overall feel. All feedback is welcome, and we appreciate every comment.As always, thank you for supporting the show and helping us keep the stories alive.Communities that support law enforcement are safer places to live.#TheBrighterSideOfBlue #PolicePodcast #LawEnforcement#TrueCrime #BehindTheBadge #PoliceStories

It’s New Year’s in St. Louis and the guys open with cashew chicken, car theft, and “fun without guns” before turning to one of the city’s most haunting cases. Retired SLMPD Homicide Detective Tommy Carroll joins us to walk through his first big case: the 1996 school-bus murder of 15-year-old Beaumont student Kyunia Taylor, six months pregnant with her daughter Diamond.

Tommy takes us inside the chaos at College & Garrison, the pressure on the department, a false confession that nearly derailed everything, the rare Russian 9mm that broke the case, and how a routine gun-and-dope arrest in Wellston finally tied shooter Malik Nettles back to mastermind Mark Boyd. It’s a hard story about evil decisions, great detective work, and a family that never stopped hurting—told by a cop who was there. The Brighter Side of Blue—St. Louis stories from the men and women who wear the badge, recorded at Colombo’s Café in Dogtown. Communities that support law enforcement are safer places to live

St. Louis’ top defense attorney Scott Rosenblum returns to The Brighter Side of Blue to talk about what it’s really like defending people accused of absolutely horrific crimes. Scott breaks down why he says he doesn’t defend people, he defends sets of facts, how he handles cases that shock the public, how body cams and RTCC cameras have changed the game, and what young officers should and shouldn’t do on the stand.

We also hang with SLMPD K-9 Officer Brian Eisley and his Dutch-commanded partner Finn (Huckleberry Finn!), talk about Big Al finally getting bounced as sheriff, JJ almost burning down his yard, Waffle House Tuesday-night chaos, DK Metcalf vs. a fan, and Danny’s deep dive into whether “Jingle Bells” is secretly racist or just the world’s most misunderstood sleigh-racing song.

Recorded live at Colombo’s Café & Tavern in Dogtown, home of the legendary thin crust CBO’s pizza. Hit like, subscribe, and share to keep this grassroots St. Louis police podcast growing—because communities that support law enforcement are safer places to live.

#TheBrighterSideOfBlue #PolicePodcast #LawEnforcement #TrueCrime #BehindTheBadge #PoliceStories #ScottRosenblum #K9Finn

First, we’re joined by St. Louis Post-Dispatch legend Bill McClellan, a columnist who’s been telling the real story of St. Louis for decades. Bill sits down with the guys to talk about his work, the responsibility that comes with writing about people’s lives, and why certain stories—like Paige Spears’—stay with you. Bill wrote multiple columns about Paige while he was still incarcerated, helping shine light on a case that many felt was trapped under outdated laws and red tape.

Then we welcome back Paige Spears, now nine months free after spending 37 years in prison. Paige opens up about what life is really like after release:

• the shock of how much the world changed in 37 years

• the first 90 days dealing with identity theft and being listed as deceased

• learning to drive again (and getting introduced to the legendary zipper merge)

• a new job at Milano’s Menswear and stepping into motivational speaking

• the mindset shift that helped him survive—then transform—inside prison

Paige also shares raw, unforgettable stories from the penitentiary, the rules you learn fast, and what “respect” really means behind the walls. He even talks about a documentary being produced about his life: “Rescue From Darkness” (past, present, and future)—plus a surprise new project: Zodiac Stick, his natural chapstick line with the slogan “Every stick deserves a kiss.”

Communities that support law enforcement are safer places to live.

The Brighter Side of Blue—St. Louis stories from the men and women who wear the badge, recorded at Colombo’s Café in Dogtown. Full interview is on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. If you dig it, please like, comment, and share so more St. Louis folks see

A brutal murder-for-hire plot, a wealthy businessman, a hitman, and a case that still echoes through St. Louis homicide history.In this episode of The Brighter Side of Blue, (47:23) we sit down with retired SLMPD Homicide Detective Jeff Stone, the lead investigator in the chilling Guy Westmoreland & Richard Abeln case — a murder-for-hire that grew out of greed, drugs, and betrayal. Jeff takes us inside the investigation, the evidence, and the moment everything finally came together.Before the deep dive, the show opens with classic Brighter Side of Blue storytelling — including a call-in from SLMPD legend Ron Klier, a perfect crime out of Japan, JJ's world travel strategy, a wild story involving a pilot on mushrooms, and Tommy’s timeless advice on how to steer clear of trouble 😯.From bar-banter humor to hard homicide facts, this episode blends insight, experience, and real St. Louis history the way only TBSOB can.Communities that support law enforcement are safer places to live.

#BrighterSideOfBlue #TBSOB #StLouis #TrueCrime #StLouisTrueCrime #STLPodcast #PolicePodcast #HomicideInvestigation #MurderForHire #DetectiveStories #BehindTheBadge #Dogtown #ColombosCafe #LawEnforcement #CrimeStories #PodcastClip #YouTubePodcast #STL #Missouri #Illinois

St. Louis Sheriff Alfred Montgomery is sleeping in a federal lockup while fighting to keep his elected job—and St. Louis Post-Dispatch crime reporter Katie Kull was in court every single day of his state removal trial.

In this episode of The Brighter Side of Blue, Katie joins us to break down the state civil removal trial, how it ties into the federal criminal case, and what she saw inside the courtroom:

-Why an elected sheriff is being brought to court from federal custody

-The handcuffing incident with a city jail commissioner

-Allegations of misuse of staff, budget issues, and transport duties

-How witnesses, politics, and public safety all collide in this case

🕒 Katie Kull’s interview starts at 50:37.

Before Katie sits down, we open the show with former pro baseball player Brian Howard (Danny’s son) to talk about legal sports gambling in Missouri, the recent NBA gambling scandals, shady poker setups, and how athletes get pulled into bad spots when gambling and money get out of control.

It’s classic Brighter Side of Blue: barstool banter, real-world law enforcement perspective, and a front-row seat to one of the wildest public-official stories in recent STL memory.

Communities that support law enforcement are safer places to live.

Please like, comment, and share to help more St. Louis folks find the show.

#TheBrighterSideOfBlue #STL #StLouis #DogtownSTL #ColombosCafe #LawEnforcement #PolicePodcast #TrueCrimePodcast #KatieKull #StLouisPostDispatch #AlfredMontgomery #STLSheriff #Courtroom #JusticeSystem #SportsBetting #SportsGambling #NBAGamblingScandal #JontayPorter #EricSpookEarnest #MLB #BackStoppers #FirstResponders #SupportTheBlue #Podcast #PodcastEpisode #STLNews

The viral Raphael Jackson confession has been viewed millions of times — and now we’re breaking it down with one of the top criminal profilers in the country.

At 29:00, retired ATF Supervisory Special Agent Ron Tunkel — who spent nearly two decades assigned to the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit at Quantico — joins The Brighter Side of Blue to analyze Jackson’s mindset, motives, and what the confession really reveals.

From the Boston Marathon bombing to serial killers and international threat cases, Tunkel has interviewed some of the most dangerous offenders alive.
Now he turns that experience on Raphael Jackson.

Was he a psychopath? A sociopath? Or something else entirely?
Tunkel breaks it all down.

We also open the show with a wild recap of the week — from law-enforcement absurdities to Trooper Fanboy at Texas A&M — before diving into the Jackson case.

The Brighter Side of Blue — St. Louis stories from the men and women who wear the badge.
Communities that support law enforcement are safer places to live.

#RaphaelJackson #RonTunkel #CriminalProfiler #BAU #FBIProfiler #TrueCrime #StLouis #TheBrighterSideOfBlue #ConfessionAnalysis #ViralConfession #BehavioralAnalysis #LawEnforcementStories #ATF #CrimePsychology #PolicePodcast

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