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Hosted by State Police Director Brendan Kelly and narrated by legendary anchorman and docu-mentarian Bill Kurtis, the Illinois State Police podcast explores different issues related to police policy and procedure in an ever-evolving legal landscape. In each episode, we'll be hearing from multiple guests ranging from law enforcement officials, legal experts, forensic scientists, crime victims, and other experts involved in the topics being discussed.
The Illinois State Police Podcast is produced by Kurtis Productions Ltd.
Currently available on the following platforms:
Peer into part 2 of our discussion on collecting evidence and processing crime scenes. We talk about putting the pieces together and how very different each and every situation can be. Crime Scene Investigators and Traffic Crash Reconstructionists are detailed and persistent in mapping the path to justice. This is part 2 of a 2-part deep dive discussion on all things evidence.
In this episode - unique crime scenes and evidence processing. We cover a secret basement dungeon, a sunken concrete capsule, and insight from a forensic scientist. Processing a crime scene and evidence is complex, time-consuming, and requires meticulous attention to detail – but it can also be fascinating and unbelievable! This is part 1 of a 2 part deep dive discussion on all things evidence.
In this special holiday edition of the ISP Podcast, host Director Brendan Kelly is joined by a panel of several officers, special agents, and telecommunicators, sharing stories about their strangest nights on duty, their most embarrassing or funny moments, and other stories ranging from lighthearted to serious. You’ll hear about surprise trucks full of elephants, high-speed emu chases, accidentally falling into sewage ditches while in pursuit of a suspect, and more.
Hear stories of heroic Illinois State Police officers involved in lifesaving incidents. Some were on regular patrol duties or
responding to calls, and some just happened to be in the right place at the right time.
Guests include ISP Trooper Wes Van Hook, Master Sergeant Mark Flack, Special Agent Eric Heberer, Sergeant Cynthia Pfau, and
Master Sergeant Ross Green.
Fentanyl poisoning is currently the leading cause of death for Americans age 18-45. In recent years, Fentanyl has accounted for
nearly 70% of drug overdose deaths.
Director Brendan Kelly speaks with guests experienced in drug enforcement. You will hear the story of Terry Almanza, a retired
Chicago Police Department officer who lost her daugh-ter to drug poisoning and now advocates for enhanced legislation.
Other guests include FBI Special Agent Robert Wieczorek, ISP Master Sergeant Wayne Ladd from Will County CPAT, and Joliet Chief of
Police William Evans.
As a young adult, Kelley Marshall had a promising start. After falling on hard times, a man came along who seemed to be an altruistic,
caring boyfriend… only revealing he was a hu-man trafficker when it was too late.
Dylan Wecht, a representative for “Truckers Against Trafficking” weighs in as well.
Other guests include an undercover agent tasked with spearheading human trafficking en-forcement and Sara Runyon from The Center for
Prevention of Abuse.
East St. Louis has struggled with high crime, few jobs, and a 75% loss of population since the 1950’s. At various times, the city has
had the highest per-capita murder rate in the United States.
While the fight continues, ISP’s Public Safety Enforcement Group (PSEG) has made great strides working alongside East St. Louis
Police officers, resulting in more solved cases, more convictions, and a decline in the city’s crime rate.
Hear the story of Brittany Williams, who was caught in the crossfire of a shootout while at a gas station with her family, which
resulted in her nephew’s death.
As a college undergrad, Kaylyn Ahn was the victim of a sexual assault in 2021 Following her
experience, she set out to close a legal loophole in Illinois regarding alcohol and substance
consumption that prevented prosecutors from pursuing a case against her aggressor. The
bill passed in 2022.
Police departments are retraining officers in handling sexual assault cases, and thousands of
previously unaddressed sexual assault cases are now eligible for prosecution.
In 2002, at the age of 13, Alicia “Kozak” Kozakiewicz became the first known victim of an Internet
luring and child abduction that received widespread media attention.
In the years since, Alicia has become one of the most influential advocates for improved internet
safety for children. She has been featured on a multitude of media outlets, and travels
the country speaking to schools and pushing for improved legislation.
Her new book "The Internet Safety Guidebook: Protecting Kids in the Digital Age" was released
in February 2025 and is available now.
