Betrayal: Season 4, Episode 7 — "The Golden Few"

Release Date: July 3, 2025
Host: Andrea Gunning
Podcast: Betrayal (iHeartPodcasts & Glass Podcasts)

Episode Overview

This episode, “The Golden Few,” dives into the toxic culture within the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD), exploring how officers like Joel Kern and Glenn Thomas managed to abuse their power and evade accountability. Through interviews with whistleblowers, survivors, and law enforcement experts, the episode highlights systemic failures that protect certain officers—“the golden few”—even when their actions are criminal or morally abhorrent. The primary narrative uses Glenn Thomas, a “DUI God” with a history of misconduct and disturbing personal violence, to demonstrate how loyalty and favoritism inside police culture shield some individuals from consequences, perpetuating cycles of harm and mistrust.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Role of Integrity in Policing

• (03:51–07:22)
  • The episode opens with reflections on the profound responsibility society places in police, emphasizing that truthfulness is a fundamental requirement because officers’ word can determine the outcome of criminal cases—from traffic stops to murder trials.
  • Neil Franklin (06:17): “We need to be about telling the truth, because a critical job function that we have is testifying in court.”

Culture of Rumors and Loyalty

• Barb’s Story (07:22–10:31)
  • A former CSPD employee, “Barb,” relates her experience trying to address rumors of Joel Kern’s affair. She is disturbed not by the alleged infidelity, but by the willingness of colleagues to shut down discussion and protect reputations at the expense of accountability.
  • When Barb raises the rumor through official channels, her supervisor disparages Caroline (Joel’s wife) instead of confronting possible misconduct, highlighting the department’s tendency to circle wagons around favored officers.

Toxic Departmental Culture & Suppression of Whistleblowers

• John’s Journey (11:09–19:59)
  • John, a 12-year CSPD officer and former military colonel, describes a culture where loyalty to superiors trumps merit or integrity.
  • John’s proposal to improve notification procedures after a colleague's death is rejected, and he’s reprimanded for “not knowing his place.” His attempts to raise concerns about fellow officer Glenn Thomas are met with internal retaliation.
  • John (14:33): “The next day, I was called into the commander's office and... given the knife hand and yelled at about knowing my place. My place was to answer the radio calls.”

The Rise and Fall of Glenn Thomas: The “DUI God”

• Glenn Thomas’ Misconduct (15:25–22:35; 26:13–36:44)
  • Glenn Thomas is lauded for his high DUI arrest record but suspected by peers of falsifying interactions and cutting corners to inflate statistics.
  • John’s report of Glenn’s alleged misconduct leads to an internal investigation which amounts to little more than excusing paperwork errors and ultimately blames John for raising concerns.
  • John (19:59): “If you show up and... you didn't talk to the guy, and you wrote down that he was a refusal, that's a lie. That's not an administrative error.”
  • The department refuses to release investigation records to the podcast team.

Personal Abuse and Systemic Failure: Sarah’s Story

• Domestic Violence and the Limits of Justice (26:13–46:05)
  • Glenn’s ex-wife, Sarah (herself a former officer), details years of escalating abuse—from physical violence to emotional manipulation—including incidents in which Glenn used his police training and authority as intimidation.
  • Sarah (27:29): “There were times that he hit me. There were times that he threw me across the room in front of the kids.”
  • When Sarah attempts to report Glenn’s violence, she encounters apathy and victim-blaming from CSPD. The DA declines to prosecute citing “insufficient evidence,” despite clear conflict of interest since Glenn regularly trains DA staff.
  • Sarah (29:19): “I just didn't feel like I would be taken seriously even if I went to them. I did not feel like there would be any consequences for him which then would most likely make things very, very, very much worse for me and my children.”
  • In family court, a judge agrees Glenn’s actions constitute domestic violence. Despite this, an internal affairs investigation clears Glenn of wrongdoing and he remains on the force.

“The Golden Few”: Institutional Protection for Chosen Officers

• Departmental Impunity & Community Harm (40:21–52:53)
  • Even after Sarah’s daughter accused Glenn of inappropriate touching—a charge eventually dropped for lack of evidence—Glenn is accused, and then criminally charged, with intimidating a child witness at her school and violating a protection order.
  • Despite this, he remains employed by CSPD, can still testify in court, and is only placed on the “Brady List” (a registry of law enforcement officers deemed untrustworthy as witnesses) after media attention.
  • Andrea Gunning (43:19): “If you're one of the golden few, there are no consequences.”
  • Internal culture discourages officers from reporting on each other and punishes whistleblowers, perpetuating cycles of harm.
  • Major Neil Franklin (49:08): “We've developed this, stop snitching, don't snitch on your peers. And it's a culture that I don't think has changed over many, many, many, many decades.”

The Toll on Good Officers and Victims

• Morale and Fallout (52:53–54:37)
  • A leaked morale survey reveals that 63% of sworn staff are considering leaving CSPD within the next five years. John and others credit this to leadership’s refusal to address systemic issues.
  • Victims without insider knowledge have little hope of navigating or overcoming departmental barriers.
  • Sarah (53:58): “Navigating all of these situations would be impossible without... information. Again, I'm heartbroken for the people that are victims and don't have my special set of skills and knowledge and information.”
  • Barb (54:40): “If you have no integrity in your personal life, why would you have integrity in your public life? If you will lie about little stuff, you'll lie about big stuff.”

Call for Reform and Final Reflections

• The Need for Integrity (55:26–56:25)
  • Major Neil Franklin (55:26): “I'm not asking you to be saints. I'm asking you to have integrity. I'm asking you to value your position. I'm asking you to raise the level of professionalism within your craft. I'm asking you to be the best. That's all.”

Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

• Barb (07:50): “So I heard this rumor that Joel had been having an affair with someone from DHS... I was like, he can’t be that kind of a dog. And it bothered me.”
• John (14:33): “The next day, I was called into the commander's office and... given the knife hand and yelled at about knowing my place.”
• Sarah (27:29): “There were times that he hit me, there were times that he threw me across the room in front of the kids.”
• Sarah (29:19): “I just didn't feel like I would be taken seriously even if I went to them. I did not feel like there would be any consequences for him which then would most likely make things very, very, very much worse for me and my children.”
• John (19:59): “If you show up and... you didn't talk to the guy, and you wrote down that he was a refusal, that's a lie. That's not an administrative error.”
• Andrea Gunning (43:19): “If you're one of the golden few, there are no consequences.”
• Neil Franklin (49:08): “We've developed this, stop snitching, don't snitch on your peers. And it's a culture that I don't think has changed over many, many, many, many decades.”
• Barb (54:40): “If you have no integrity in your personal life, why would you have integrity in your public life? If you will lie about little stuff, you'll lie about big stuff.”
• Neil Franklin (55:26): “I'm not asking you to be saints. I'm asking you to have integrity. I'm asking you to value your position. I'm asking you to raise the level of professionalism within your craft. I'm asking you to be the best. That's all.”

Notable Segments & Timestamps

• [03:23] “Clearing the house”—Survivor’s early warning about police abuse of power.
• [07:22–10:31] Barb’s account of rumor reporting and toxic loyalty inside CSPD.
• [11:09–19:59] John’s experience as a whistleblower and the failed investigations into Glenn Thomas.
• [26:13–36:44] Sarah’s story of escalating abuse, failed justice, and systemic protection.
• [40:21–46:54] Turning point: Glenn Thomas faces criminal investigation and employment consequences—eventually added to the Brady List.
• [49:08–50:30] Major Franklin’s insights on the “blue wall of silence.”
• [52:53–54:37] Officer morale crisis, the impact on honest public servants, and survivors’ perspectives.
• [55:26–56:25] Final call for institutional change and professional integrity.

Episode Tone & Language

The tone is raw, forthright, and occasionally emotional—reflecting the seriousness of both personal and systemic betrayal. There’s an undercurrent of frustration and heartbreak, but also resilience and hope for institutional reform, especially in survivors’ and whistleblowers’ voices.

Conclusion

“The Golden Few” exposes how law enforcement culture—in particular at CSPD—can foster impunity for a select group of officers, even when their actions are unconscionable. Survivor stories and insider testimony paint a sobering picture of cronyism, intimidation, and systemic failure that perpetuates harm both inside and outside the department. The episode drives home the stakes: without integrity and accountability, the badge’s power becomes not a safeguard but a weapon. The episode ends with a call for reforms grounded in community trust and professional ethics, promising to continue Caroline’s story and a focus on healing in the next episode.