Law Enforcement Talk: True Crime and Trauma Stories

Episode: Police Shooting Myths Shattered: From His Own Story
Host: John "Jay" Wiley
Guest: John Szaporski, former Roswell, GA police officer and founder of Law Enforcement Connect
Date: September 10, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the real-life experiences of John Szaporski, a former police officer, focusing on the myths and realities surrounding police shootings and use of force. Through Szaporski’s first-hand accounts, the discussion addresses public misconceptions, the psychological effects of police work, and the journey of building a meaningful life after a career in law enforcement. The episode also highlights the origin of Law Enforcement Connect, a support initiative Szaporski developed for officers transitioning out of law enforcement.

Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. Misconceptions about Police Use of Force

• Both host and guest emphasize that most police are not “trigger-happy.”
• Officers often face life-threatening scenarios without firing back, even when justified.
  • “I was in four shootings, a little more than 10 years. And the first two, I never fired a shot back.” – Jay Wiley [02:10]
  • “I was also involved in a shooting and never fired my gun either.” – John Szaporski [02:34]

2. Violence and Trauma Early in the Career

• Szaporski shares being nearly killed during his first month as a rookie officer.
• Jay underscores that trauma isn’t just for those serving decades—it can happen instantly.
  • “I was nearly killed the first month on the job. So tell me why again, I need 10 years of experience.” – John Szaporski [04:38]
  • “It doesn’t matter to me whether it’s one week, four years, 40 years, everybody’s going to pay a price.” – Jay Wiley [04:24]

3. A High-Stakes Pursuit: The Stolen Police Car Incident

• Szaporski recounts a wild pursuit where a suspect, after being tased and arrested, escaped handcuffs, slipped through an open patrol partition, stole a police cruiser, and led officers on a county-wide chase.
  • “Unbeknownst to [the officer], the middle partition wasn’t closed… the suspect was able to slip the handcuffs… steal the police car and lead us on chase.” – John Szaporski [06:44]
• During the chase, Szaporski narrowly escaped death, missing being hit by another police vehicle by inches; dashcam footage later haunted him.
  • “[My lieutenant] said, you can watch if you want, but I wouldn’t if I was you… That image played in my mind for the remainder of my career and several years after.” – John Szaporski [11:29]

4. Impact of Traumatic Incidents

• Both discuss how close calls and trauma accumulate, regardless of skill or experience.
  • “Some of the best police officers I’ve ever known were injured on the job… it wasn’t their fault.” – John Szaporski [14:18]
• Such incidents often propel agency-wide changes, like improvements to police vehicle partitions following Szaporski’s incident.
  • “Our agency… integrated wire or kind of fencing… so no one could slip through again. It speaks a lot to… always trying to improve.” – John Szaporski [14:42]

5. Lessons Learned from National High-Profile Police Incidents

• They reflect on tactical evolution prompted by the Miami FBI shootout and North Hollywood bank robbery.
  • “We changed the way we trained… all across the United States.” – Jay Wiley [15:27]
  • “The SWAT team was only one with AR15s. Everybody else had handguns and shotguns... wouldn’t penetrate the body armor…” – John Szaporski [17:40]

6. Another Shooting: Armed Robbery Pursuit

• Szaporski details responding to an armed robbery, foot chase, and an officer-involved shooting—again, choosing not to fire.
  • “My partner was the only one to fire. He fired three times. I didn’t have the opportunity to fire myself.” – John Szaporski [21:00]
  • “The foot chase might have been 10 seconds and the shooting was less than 2.” – John Szaporski [22:22]
• The chaos and split-second nature of such situations are emphasized.

7. Police Work: The Emotional Rollercoaster

• Life is described as alternating between long stretches of boredom and spikes of extreme adrenaline.
  • “Moments of downtime followed by moments of sheer panic and excitement.” – John Szaporski [24:19]
• Paperwork and mundane tasks are a constant, punctuating the dangers.

8. Dealing with Repeat Offenders and Mental Health Calls

• Stories of recurring community members and the evolution of crisis training, including de-escalation and crisis intervention.
  • “We had the advantage of the crisis intervention training… formal education on how to de-escalate… specifically for mental health…” – John Szaporski [27:15]
• Both note that much of what’s now considered “new” training has always been fundamental to good police work.

9. The Aftermath: Life After Law Enforcement

• Jay and John speak candidly about struggling with identity loss, absence of adrenaline, and depression after leaving police work.
  • “I was so used to the adrenaline rush… when I left… I had nothing but sheer boredom. It created huge problems for me.” – Jay Wiley [31:15]
  • “My body biologically didn’t know how to handle the adrenaline that wasn’t present… I suffered and went to a pretty deep depression.” – John Szaporski [32:21]
• Both joke about “the police look” being hard to escape.
  • “I’d be the guy in the old folks home… shh, here comes five-oh. I’ll always look like a police.” – Jay Wiley [33:14]

10. Transition and Creating Law Enforcement Connect

• Szaporski discusses how his difficult transition out of policing led him to start Law Enforcement Connect, supporting officers moving to civilian careers.
  • “I couldn’t find too many resources for veterans of law enforcement the same way that the military does... So I decided to help.” – John Szaporski [39:02]
  • The platform seeks to fill a gap, helping officers build new skills and connections for future success.

11. Understanding Trauma in Policing

• Importance of recognizing both acute and chronic trauma.
  • “Trauma and PTSI or pts, it can occur in two forms, acute and chronic… and that’s something that we need to obviously be managing day in and day out as law enforcement professionals.” – John Szaporski [35:50]
  • “People don’t fake being depressed, they fake being happy.” – John Szaporski [37:21]

12. Call for Awareness and Connection

• Stressing the need for officers to prepare for life after police work and for the community to offer understanding.
  • “Everybody who works in law enforcement, love your job. That’s great. If you get hurt, they’re going to replace you the next day. The job’s not going to love you, and you’re going to pay a price.” – Jay Wiley [31:09]
  • “Everyone will inevitably … transition and leave law enforcement. So develop your skills, invest in a hobby… something you can monetize later on.” – John Szaporski [34:51]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You literally just respond to everybody’s worst day.” – John Szaporski [03:05]
• “They don’t hate the person, they hate what we represent.” – John Szaporski [05:19]
• “[After close calls]… there’s no rhyme or reason to this. Some of the best police officers I’ve ever known were injured on the job … The job is dangerous.” – Jay Wiley [13:45, 14:18]
• “People don’t fake being depressed, they fake being happy.” – John Szaporski [37:21]
• “There is a career, there is a life after law enforcement… there is a way for a path to success.” – John Szaporski [38:19]

Key Segment Timestamps

• 00:00-02:30: Introduction, guest background, setting the episode’s theme
• 03:05-05:20: Early exposure to violence and common myths about police shootings
• 06:44-13:24: Breakdown of the stolen police car chase and its personal/departmental aftermath
• 15:27-18:05: Lessons from national police shooting incidents—how policy and equipment change
• 20:41-22:27: Second life-or-death incident, emphasizing chaos and restraint in gun encounters
• 24:19-27:40: Emotional pace of police work, paperwork, and coping with difficult calls
• 31:15-34:51: Personal challenges and mental health struggles during transition out of policing
• 39:02-40:18: Founding and mission of Law Enforcement Connect—officer transition resources

Overall Tone

The episode is deeply candid, blending a sense of camaraderie, honest self-reflection, and advocacy for officer wellness. Both men use plainspoken, occasionally wry language, respecting the gravity of the issues while also sharing the dark humor and survival instincts common among first responders.

Summary Takeaways

• Police shootings and use of force are far more complex and restrained than often portrayed.
• Trauma in police work can be immediate or cumulative, impacting officers regardless of time served.
• The adrenaline of police work and its aftermath leave lasting effects—developing healthy transitions is essential.
• Law Enforcement Connect exists to aid officers in building meaningful lives beyond the badge.
• The law enforcement community is continually learning, improving, and deserves understanding both from inside and outside its ranks.