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Published on:

23rd Mar 2021

Ep. 14 SPD Officer Part 2 of 3 - Joel's Story

Ep. 14 - Part 2 of 3. Joel’s story. This the second of three interviews with an officer who spent 14 years on the Seattle Police Department. We pick up where we left off in Part 1 talking about the work this officer did with SPD’s Crisis Intervention Team. We focus on the story of Joel Reuter. Much has been written about Joel, his skill working in technology, his friendly nature as well as his mental illness and the incident that ultimately took his life.  We discuss how much this officer along with the mental health professional that partnered with the CIT did to help Joel get the treatment he needed. It’s the part of Joel’s story you haven’t heard.

In the interview, we talk about Joel’s Law which was championed by Joel’s father and signed into law in 2015, two years after Joel’s death. Here is a link with more information:

https://www.tvw.org/blog/2015/05/gov-inslee-signs-joels-law-two-years-after-joel-reuters-death/

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About the Podcast

On Being a Police Officer
An inside look at law enforcement through a civilian’s interviews.
An inside look at law enforcement through a civilian’s interviews. These are stories of police told by officers themselves. They talk frankly about what it’s like to be a cop in these tough times, what drew them to the job, and what the people they serve don’t know about the challenges of their work. It’s a view from the front lines and some very personal and emotional stories, especially about why each of these officers chose to serve. I draw on my 14 years of interviewing, filming and photographing police officers – and many ride-alongs!

About your host

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Abby Ellsworth

I am a civilian interviewing law enforcement from around the country. My goal is to tell the real stories of LE, the ones that don't make the news.