Podcast Summary: Law Enforcement Talk: True Crime and Trauma Stories

Episode: From Rookie To Chief of Police: His Journey
Host: John "Jay" Wiley
Guest: Rodney Muterspaugh, Retired Chief of Police, Middletown, Ohio
Date: November 26, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode presents the extraordinary 30-year journey of Rodney Muterspaugh, who began his career as a rookie police officer in Middletown, Ohio, and rose through the ranks to become the city’s Chief of Police. Host John J. Wiley and Muterspaugh provide an unfiltered look at the realities of law enforcement—exploring crime investigations, undercover narcotics work, the evolution of drug epidemics, departmental leadership, and the toll that police work takes on officers as ordinary human beings. Muterspaugh discusses his new memoir, The Blue View, which candidly details his professional and personal experiences from patrolman to Chief. The conversation is honest, gritty, and heartfelt—a rare behind-the-badge perspective on law enforcement, trauma, and community.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. "The Blue View" and Chronicling a Career

• Origin of the Book (03:23, 12:16)

  • The book began as private journal entries in the police academy and was never intended for publication.
  • It spans the entirety of Muterspaugh's 30-year career—including real experiences, feelings, and the evolution of law enforcement in a small American city.
  • Writing served as therapy: "It was either write or drink, sometimes both." (02:32, Muterspaugh)

• Importance of Documenting Experiences (12:25)

  • Muterspaugh’s regret-free chronicling contrasts with Wiley’s, who wishes he had written down or photographed more.
  • The journal became “addicting” and ultimately therapeutic: "It's the best thing I ever did. When you go back and read it now, it makes me laugh to this day." (12:53, Muterspaugh)

2. Rising Through the Ranks Entirely Within One Department

• Local Roots Matter (04:08)
  • Muterspaugh grew up, went to school, and worked his entire career in Middletown—a source of pride and effectiveness.
  • Community-staffed leadership is rare; departments often opt for outside chiefs, which both guest and host sharply criticize.
    • “It’s the way to go…It makes for a community-minded department and chief…When you hire from within, it really does make a huge difference.” (04:08, Muterspaugh)
  • Both highlight the disconnect when departments bring in outsiders, viewing it as a lack of confidence in veteran staff.
    • “What are you telling the people that work their way up…if you’re saying, well, none of you are good enough, we’re going outside?” (05:09, Muterspaugh)

3. The Realities and Stresses of Narcotics Policing

• Transition from Patrol to Narcotics (13:20)

  • Muterspaugh worked narcotics in multiple phases—both buying and supervising.
  • Emphasizes teamwork and the expertise required for undercover vs. surveillance roles.

• Evolution of the Drug Trade: Crack, Heroin, and Cartels (14:15, 15:30, 27:16, 28:29)

  • The arrival of crack cocaine was a turning point, dramatically raising street-level violence.
    • “We went from having 10 guys standing on the street to about 100…every five cars you stop, one you get dope out of.” (14:38, Muterspaugh)
  • Differences between crack (overwhelming volume, less overdose death, more violence) and heroin (epidemic-level overdoses, newer suburban spread).
  • Cartels and large drug organizations purposely target smaller or mid-sized communities believing them to be easier marks—but agencies collaborate regionally and federally to fight back.

• The Rapid Spread and Social Indifference to Opiates (15:54)

  • Muterspaugh agrees with Wiley's contention that the opioid epidemic was ignored by society until it reached suburbs and wealthier neighborhoods.
    • “You hit the nail on the head…It's like nobody cared. And then it started affecting people in different neighborhoods…and then all of a sudden, people started caring.” (16:35, Muterspaugh)

• Trauma for Officers – and the Families They Serve (17:16, 18:00)

  • Overdose deaths are “discarded like garbage”—an experience deeply demoralizing for officers.
  • Deep empathy for grieving families, regardless of how the child died: “Death is death, regardless.” (17:16, Muterspaugh)

• Hope Amid Addiction (18:55)

  • “As long as they're breathing in and out, there's still hope…It's when they die that all hope is gone.” (18:55, Wiley)

4. Undercover Work & The Risks and Realities

• The Challenge and Dangers (23:18, 25:00)

  • Undercover assignments are arduous, risky, and often unrewarding on a personal level.
    • “Surveillance is the hardest part…sit there for up to eight hours…The buying part is so quick…but the value is in those who can sit and do that for hours and hours and keep notes.” (23:47, Muterspaugh)
  • Officers regularly face direct threats and must deescalate without use of deadly force; the public rarely sees these daily acts of courage.
    • “Every day they do that without anybody dying or getting shot…you just see the bad stuff [on the media].” (25:00, Muterspaugh)

• Taking Down Major Gangs from Small Towns (25:45, 27:16)

  • Middletown’s narcotics unit was able to dismantle significant criminal enterprises, including the Rimble Gang and connections to major cartels.
    • “We ended up taking down one of the largest gangs in America through Middletown…we put 19 people in federal prison.” (25:45, Muterspaugh)
  • Collaborative work with the FBI and LAPD was particularly rewarding.

5. Police Culture, Myths, and the Human Toll

• Humanizing the Badge (29:17, 40:20)

  • Officers are not robots; community often forgets the trauma and pressure brought home each shift.
    • “We're not robots. We are human beings and…we make mistakes…People expect us to be robots…and it's just not humanly possible.” (29:17, Muterspaugh)
  • Perpetual media misrepresentation: Most officers never fire their weapons on duty; most use of force is proportionate and rare.
    • “The average police officer never fires his weapon in his career. I mean, that's a fact.” (41:42, Muterspaugh)

• Leadership Philosophy as Chief (35:04, 36:12)

  • Placing personnel and the community above politics.
    • “You have to put [the officers] first. When you lose them, you lose everything. They should be your first priority and with the community, then the politics, secondary.” (35:04, Muterspaugh)
  • Majority of cops are good—bad ones weeded out: “Good cops don't want bad cops around…that's like 1 or 2%.” (36:12, Muterspaugh)

• Policing and Public Perception (38:56, 39:34)

  • National scandals (e.g., Rodney King, George Floyd) have ripple effects in every department.
    • “If something bad happens in Minneapolis or Los Angeles, it affects us here in Ohio…people hated us here because of something happened there.” (38:56, Muterspaugh)
  • Politicians often obscure accountability and deflect blame onto rank-and-file officers.

6. Notable Quotes & Moments

• “It was either write or drink, sometimes both.” (02:32, Muterspaugh)
• “What are you telling the people that work their way up…the ranks…if you’re saying, none of you are good enough?” (05:09, Muterspaugh)
• “We went from having 10 guys…to about 100…crack took over, it was unbelievable.” (14:38, Muterspaugh)
• “It seems like nobody cared…and then it started affecting people in different neighborhoods…and all of a sudden, people started caring.” (16:35, Muterspaugh)
• “We're not robots. We are human beings…People expect us to be robots…and it's just not humanly possible.” (29:17, Muterspaugh)
• “Good cops don't want bad cops around. They just don't.” (36:12, Muterspaugh)
• “This is the one profession where something bad can happen 2,000 miles away, and it affects you directly here.” (38:56, Muterspaugh)
• “The average police officer never fires his weapon in his career…That's a fact.” (41:42, Muterspaugh)
• “If you want to be a cop and you're young, read it [The Blue View]…it'll tell you what it's really like, what you don't see on TV or in the newspapers.” (42:25, Muterspaugh)

7. The Book: The Blue View

• Honest, raw, diary-style recounting of a law enforcement life: real stories, not media fiction.
• Praised by J.D. Vance (Hillbilly Elegy) and Clarence Page (Pulitzer Prize winner).
• Available on Amazon and at theblueviewbook.com.

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:01] – Introduction to Rodney Muterspaugh and his book
• [03:23] – Process and reasons behind writing The Blue View
• [04:08] – Value of hiring chiefs from within the department
• [08:26] – Early career and motivations for promotion
• [13:20] – Transition to and realities of narcotics work
• [14:38] – The impact of crack cocaine and changes in street life
• [15:54] – Reflection on ignored drug epidemics
• [16:35] – Drug deaths and societal response
• [17:16] – Family trauma of addiction and overdose
• [23:18] – Undercover work: surveillance vs. buying vs. leadership
• [25:45] – Major takedowns from “small town” police work
• [29:17] – Officers are human, not robots
• [35:04] – Leadership: balancing officer welfare, community, and politics
• [36:12] – Addressing bad officers, value of the majority
• [38:56] – How national events impact local policing
• [40:20] – Media myths vs. realities of police use of force
• [42:25] – Book information, endorsements, and final word

Conclusion

This episode provides listeners uncommon access to the realities—both heroic and harrowing—of a life in law enforcement. Rodney Muterspaugh’s journey from rookie to chief and his candid reflections, especially through the lens of his new book, serve as a vital corrective to stereotypes and misconceptions about police work. The conversation stresses community-minded leadership, the evolution and impact of drug crises, the humanity of police officers, and the enduring importance of hope—both for officers and for the families affected by crime and addiction.

For more of Rodney Muterspaugh’s story, his book, and further perspectives on true crime and trauma in law enforcement, visit theblueviewbook.com or search "The Blue View" by Rodney on Amazon.