About this episode
Police in a Riot: An Officer Speaks. Special Episode. Riots are something most people only see through the lens of a television screen or a viral clip on social media. Flames in the background. Police lines in riot gear. Shouting crowds. What rarely makes it into the headlines is what it feels like to stand in the middle of that chaos, especially when you’re a young police officer with only weeks of experience on the street. This special episode is streaming for free on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast website, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and most every major Podcast platform
In this special episode, former Charlotte, North Carolina police officer Bill Broadway takes listeners inside the harsh realities of policing during violent riots. His account is raw, detailed, and deeply unsettling, not because it’s political, but because it’s personal. Look for The Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast on social media like their Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , Medium and other social media platforms.
Thrown Into the Fire
Bill Broadway was just weeks out of field training when he was suddenly called into action to help control violent riots in Charlotte. Like many young officers, he expected to learn policing step by step, traffic stops, calls for service, building rapport with the community. Instead, he found himself facing crowds that were no longer protesting, but actively engaging in violence. Police in a Riot: An Officer Speaks. Special Episode. Supporting articles about this and much more from Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast in platforms like Medium , Blogspot and Linkedin .
“These weren’t peaceful demonstrations,” Bill explains. “This was chaos.”
From the moment he arrived, it was clear this was something different. Police vehicles were targeted and removed. Officers were surrounded. Projectiles were thrown. Every decision carried the risk of serious injury, or worse. Police in a Riot: An Officer Speaks. Special Episode.
Protest vs. Riot: A Critical Distinction
Much of the public conversation blurs the line between protest and riot, but legally and practically, the difference matters.
Gene