Heroes Behind the Badge26 Aug 2025

Boston Bombers vs 3 Cops: 7-Minute Firefight

Episode Description:

April 19, 2013. Three small-town police officers found themselves face-to-face with the Boston Marathon bombers in what became the most intense firefight in modern American law enforcement history. Former Watertown Police Chief Ed DeVeau reveals the untold story of the seven-to-nine-minute shootout that involved hundreds of rounds, multiple pipe bombs, and split-second decisions that saved countless lives.

In this gripping first-hand account, Chief DeVeau takes us through the chaos of that night – from the initial traffic stop that went terribly wrong to the innovative tactics his officers used when their training couldn't prepare them for terrorists throwing explosives. You'll hear about courage under fire, quick thinking that defied department policy, and ordinary cops who did extraordinary things when evil came to their doorstep.

What You'll Learn:

How the bombers ended up in Watertown's jurisdiction
The tactical decisions that kept officers alive during the firefight
Why the officers had no idea they were facing the Boston Marathon bombers
The innovative techniques born of desperation that aren't taught in any police academy
The moment everything changed for a small-town police department

Featured Guest:

Ed DeVeau served as Chief of Police in Watertown, Massachusetts for nearly 15 years, culminating a 30-year career in law enforcement. His leadership during the Boston Marathon bomber manhunt exemplifies courage and tactical excellence under the most extreme circumstances.

Connect with Heroes Behind the Badge:

Website: behindbadge.org

This is Part 1 of a two-part series. Subscribe now to hear the dramatic conclusion in Part 2.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(76)

Dave Hinners — The Arrests, the Trial, and What It Cost | Part 2

Dave Hinners was a Wichita patrol officer, not quite three years on the job, when he became the first officer to speak with the lone survivor of the December 2000 Wichita Massacre. Today he is the exe...

8 Okt 26min

Dave Hinners — First Officer at the Wichita Massacre | Part 1

Dave Hinners was not quite three years into his career with the Wichita Police Department in December 2000. Today he is the executive director of the United States Deputy Sheriff's Association. In thi...

6 Okt 26min

Bill Bratton — Sweet Alice, the Bronx, and What the Job Costs | Part 2

Bill Bratton led six police departments over fifty years, including the NYPD twice and the LAPD from 2002 to 2009. In the second half of this conversation, the policy arguments give way to the people ...

24 Sep 33min

Bill Bratton — Broken Windows, Stop-and-Frisk, and the Defund Years | Part 1

Bill Bratton is the only person ever to have led both the New York City Police Department and the Los Angeles Police Department. He joined the Boston Police Department in 1970 at twenty-three, badge 1...

22 Sep 41min

Barry Black — Building the Case Against Timothy McVeigh | Part 2

Barry Black retired from the FBI after thirty-one years as a master bomb technician and master instructor. On April 19, 1995, he was one of only two FBI bomb technicians in the state of Oklahoma. Part...

10 Sep 29min

Barry Black — The FBI Bomb Technician at the Oklahoma City Bombing | Part 1

Barry Black spent thirty-one years in the FBI. He joined wanting white collar work, having changed his major and his university to get an accounting degree because that was what the Bureau was hiring....

8 Sep 26min

Frank Pegueros — Answering D.A.R.E.'s Critics, and What the Job Costs | Part 2

Part 1 covered what D.A.R.E. teaches now. This half is about the people who teach it, and about the criticism the program has carried for forty years.Frank Pegueros — retired LAPD captain, President a...

27 Aug 36min

Frank Pegueros — What the D.A.R.E. Program Actually Teaches Now | Part 1

Francisco "Frank" Pegueros spent 26 years with the Los Angeles Police Department, retiring as a captain, and has spent the 30 years since as President and CEO of D.A.R.E. America. He has now been with...

25 Aug 35min