Undercover Dad Podcast: Criminals Don't Care about Family Time

June 18, 2023
"When an informant calls about a guy that's got a load of dynamite he's trying to sell that he stole from the Alaska pipeline, you have no choice but to act. And your mom knew that."

OFFICER Magazine has a new podcast that's part time capsule, part inside look at what it was like to be in law enforcement nearly 50 years ago.   

Undercover Dad features OFFICER Assistant Editor Joe Vince talking with retired ATF agent Joseph J. Vince Jr. about his father's time working undercover in Detroit and Flint, Michigan, in the 1970s. The podcast looks at the elder Vince's career, touching on the colorful aspects of the job and discussing the changes law enforcement has seen over the decades. And because it's father-and-son podcasts, episodes will explore how working undercover affected family life and work-life balance.

Episodes are available on Podbean, along with OFFICER Magazine's Officer Roll Call, Command Q&A and The Lineup podcasts (see below).

Episode 6

Undercover Mom returns for another episode. Retired ATF agent Joe Vince Jr. and special guest Mary Ellen Vince, Joe's wife, talk about navigating the responsibilities of parenthood and the perils of law enforcement, from keeping the salty language at work to jumping into action when an informant calls about a guy looking to sell a load of dynamite he stole from the Alaskan pipeline.

Episode 5

What happens when a raid turns violent and shots are fired? Retired ATF agent Joe Vince Jr. and special guest Mary Ellen Vince, Joe's wife, talk about a shooting that left Joe wounded and how the harrowing experience affected the young couple.

Episode 4

How do you find a work-life balance when you're working as an undercover ATF agent in Detroit in the 1970s? Joe Vince Jr. talks about the challenges of being a young father and husband, and learning what parts of the job to never bring home.

Episode 3

Working out of a dumpster in Detroit in the middle of December? Facing down a suspect with a sawed off shotgun? Having a loaded crossbow pointed at your head? Undercover work for Joe Vince Jr. wasn't glamorous in the '70s, and it was often dangerous.

Episode 2

Retired ATF agent Joseph J. Vince Jr. talks how the best advice he got starting out in law enforcement came from a veteran police officer —his granddad.

Episode 1

Meet retired ATF agent Joseph J. Vince Jr. as he talks with his son about working undercover in Detroit and Flint, Michigan, in the 1970s.

OFFICER Magazine Podcasts

Along with Undercover Dad, OFFICER Magazine also has two other podcasts available:

  • Officer Roll Call: Our flagship podcast covers a vast range of subjects in the law enforcement community, from news to equipment to policy topics and more.
  • Command Q&A: Editor Paul Peluso interviews law enforcement leaders from around the country.
  • The Lineup: A weekly look at the most intriguing law enforcement and policing headlines.

How to Listen

OFFICER Magazine's podcasts are available through the following outlets:

Check back here as more episodes are available.

Sponsored Recommendations

Build Your Real-Time Crime Center

March 19, 2024
A checklist for success

Whitepaper: A New Paradigm in Digital Investigations

July 28, 2023
Modernize your agency’s approach to get ahead of the digital evidence challenge

A New Paradigm in Digital Investigations

June 6, 2023
Modernize your agency’s approach to get ahead of the digital evidence challenge.

Listen to Real-Time Emergency 911 Calls in the Field

Feb. 8, 2023
Discover advanced technology that allows officers in the field to listen to emergency calls from their vehicles in real time and immediately identify the precise location of the...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Officer, create an account today!