Policing Matters

For more than a decade, Abby Ellsworth has been listening to police officers, first through interviews in the Seattle area and later through her podcast, On Being a Police Officer. She launched the show in 2020, at a moment when policing was under intense scrutiny and officers faced both public criticism and personal strain from COVID restrictions and civil unrest. Ellsworth’s mission is clear: create a safe space where officers can share candidly, remind them of the wins that sustain their calling, and give civilians a more human, unfiltered view of the profession than news headlines allow. In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley talks with Ellsworth about why a civilian voice can bridge divides, how she helps officers “remember the wins,” and why context is the missing ingredient in media coverage. The conversation also explores how storytelling eases trauma, how public support can go beyond slogans and what keeps Ellsworth committed despite pushback. About our sponsor Flock Safety