ZONE 7 : Danger, Duty, and the Badge: Detective Tom Smith’s Story

ZONE 7 : Danger, Duty, and the Badge: Detective Tom Smith’s Story

Listen to Zone 7 on all podcast platforms: https://link.podtrac.com/rkmb6ssw

Day after day, case after case, Tom Smith returned to the job with a clear sense of purpose: protect, respond, and stand with the people beside him. On this episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum talks with the retired NYPD detective about the path that led him from patrol work to the Joint Terrorism Task Force and ultimately, to a lifetime of service recognized at the national level. Tom shares how his father shaped his calling, how partnership becomes its own lifeline, and how a series of events during one 12-hour shift in the Bronx has stayed with him ever since.

Highlights:

  • (0:00) Sheryl welcomes listeners to Zone 7 and introduces guest Tom Smith
  • (1:15) Tom shares how his father's NYPD career inspired his own path
  • (5:00) Reconnecting with Detective Ralph, the most decorated detective in NYPD history
  • (7:00) A single shift: rooftop rescue, shooting scene, infant CPR, and a fallen officer
  • (12:15) Deployment to Afghanistan on a kidnapping case
  • (14:45) The emotional burden carried by spouses and families
  • (18:30) Choosing the right partner and building trust that saves lives
  • (30:15) Tom reflects on being inducted to the National Law Enforcement Hall of Fame
  • (33:45) Table 15: friendship, laughter, and shared history
  • (40:00) Continuing tradition and community beyond the job
  • (41:15) Closing reflections on service, loyalty, and legacy

Guest Bio:

Tom Smith is a retired NYPD detective and 2024 National Law Enforcement Hall of Fame inductee. Over 30 years of service, he worked in patrol, narcotics, and robbery investigations and spent 17 years working with the FBI/NYPD on the Joint Terrorism Task Force, including an overseas deployment to Afghanistan. Tom co-hosts the podcast Gold Shields, lectures on criminal justice and terrorism and provides investigative commentary for national media outlets.

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Sheryl “Mac” McCollum is an Emmy Award-winning CSI, a writer for CrimeOnline, forensic and crime scene expert for Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, and co-author of the textbook Cold Case: Pathways to Justice. She is the founder and director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, a national collaboration that advances techniques for solving cold cases and assists families and law enforcement with unsolved homicides, missing persons, and kidnappings.

Social Links:

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Episoder(4954)

Gabby Petito Dead, Brian Laundrie's Room Gutted

Gabby Petito Dead, Brian Laundrie's Room Gutted

There are reports that Briian Laundrie's parents “gutted and renovated” their son’s room while he was missing, evan as Gabby family was still searching for the missing 22-year-old. Nichole Schmidt spoke with Taylor Lautner and his wife on their podcast, “The Squeeze,” revealing the new stunning claim. An individual who claimed to have been in the Laundrie home at the time, said it was obvious that something was “wrong” with Laundrie’s mother, Roberta's mental health. Gabby Petito's parents have long claimed Christopher and Roberta Laundrie knew their son, Brian, murdered his girlfriend. Petito and Laundrie were on a cross-country road trip last year when Gabby went missing. Her body was later found in Wyoming, and her death ruled homicide by strangulation. Laundrie returned to his parents' Florida home, alone, driving a van owned by Petito. The FBI says Laundrie confessed to killing Petito in a notebook found with his belongings. The Petito family accuse the Laundries of concealing information a bout their daughter's death and, say the Laundries also tried to hide their son from law enforcement. Brian Laundrie committed suicide in a nature reserve in Florida. Joining Nancy Grace Today: Wendy Patrick - California prosecutor, author “Red Flags” www.wendypatrickphd.com 'Today with Dr. Wendy' on KCBQ in San Diego, Twitter: @WendyPatrickPHD Caryn Stark - NYC Psychologist, www.carynstark.com, Twitter: @carynpsych, Facebook: "Caryn Stark" Sheryl McCollum - Forensic Expert & Cold Case Investigative Research Institute Founder, ColdCaseCrimes.org, Twitter: @ColdCaseTips Joe Scott Morgan - Professor of Forensics: Jacksonville State University, Author, "Blood Beneath My Feet", Host: "Body Bags with Joseph Scott Morgan" Laura Ingle - Senior Correspondent, Fox News Channel, Twitter: @lauraingle, Instagram: @lauraingletv See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

18 Mai 40min

Body Bags  with Joseph Scott Morgan: Firing Squad Execution FAIL,  From 5 Yards Away

Body Bags with Joseph Scott Morgan: Firing Squad Execution FAIL, From 5 Yards Away

Mikal Mahdi was just 21-years-old when he began a crime spree that spanned four states and included two murders. One of the victims was James Myers, a 56-year-old Police Captain with the Orangeburg Public Safety Department in South Carolina. Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack discuss the crime spree and the murders that landed Mahdi a date with the executioners and how the firing squad, that seemed like such a good idea compared to other methods of death, didn't work out as planned. Did three shooters ALL miss the mark on Mikal Mahdi or was the "mark" misplaced? Transcript Highlights00:02.40 Introduction 01:13.17 A botched execution 05:18.91 Mikal Mahdi killed South Carolina Public Safety Officer James Myers in 2004 10:08.71 Mikal Mahdi ended writhing in pain while strapped to a chair 14:40.64 French Guillotine - used as a deterrent 19:55.79 Electrocution of Ted Bundy 25:05.72 Prison Employees volunteer to carry out execution 30:15.15 Three shooters, two bullet holes, not one heart hit 35:10.71 Static Target from 5 yards away 39:48.66 Was this a "botched execution"? 45:02.64 Was the "marker" misplaced? 47:02.47 ConclusionSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

18 Mai 47min

Seven-Year-Old Locked in Dog Cage for Christmas | Crime Alert Recap Saturday 05.15.25

Seven-Year-Old Locked in Dog Cage for Christmas | Crime Alert Recap Saturday 05.15.25

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17 Mai 9min

TEACHER FACING ALLEGED STUDENT SEX ABUSE  CLAIMS HUSBAND KNEW STUDENT WAS STALKER

TEACHER FACING ALLEGED STUDENT SEX ABUSE CLAIMS HUSBAND KNEW STUDENT WAS STALKER

Christina Formella, accussed of molesting a 15-year-old student claims the boy was a “stalker” and that new her husband knew. Her husband, however, says he was totally in the dark about the boy. The case unfolded after a Downers Grove, Illinois, mom comes across disturbing text messages while setting up her 15-year-old son’s new iPhone using a backup from his iCloud account. The contents prompt her to take her son straight to the police. It appears the teen is discussing a sexual encounter with a love interest—his married, 30-year-old teacher, Christina Formella. The student informs the police that Coach Formella began sending him flirty messages on the school’s chat system after she became his tutor in the fall of 2023. He explains that their conversations shifted to text after the teacher provided him with her phone number so they could play a game together. Records show numerous FaceTime calls between the two, with the victim stating that their relationship outside of school culminated in a rape in December. Formella denies raping the boy or having a romantic relationship with him, asserting that she is a “good person” and that “everybody” comes after her because of her looks. She admits to developing a close relationship with the student and claims that she “cares too much about him,” but simultaneously labels him a stalker. Formella insists she did not send the texts, arguing that her kindness towards the boy allowed him to break into her unattended phone, send the texts to himself, and then delete them from her phone to later use as blackmail. Joining Nancy Grace today: Eric Faddis - Partner at Varner Faddis Elite Legal, Former Felony Prosecutor and Current Criminal Defense and Civil Litigation Attorney; Instagram: @e_fad @varnerfaddis; TikTok: @varnerfaddis Dr. Shari Schwartz - Forensic Psychologist (specializing in Capital Mitigation and Victim Advocacy) and Author: "Criminal Behavior" and "Where Law and Psychology Intersect: Issues in Legal Psychology;" X: @TrialDoc Brian Fitzgibbons - Director of Operations for USPA Nationwide Security [leads a team of investigators specializing in locating missing persons]; Instagram: @uspa_nationwide_security Scott Eicher - A Founding Member of the FBI’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team (C.A.S.T); Historical Cellular Analysis Expert; Former FBI agent of 22 years; Former Police Officer and Homicide Detective with Norfolk,Virginia, Police Dept. Currently with Precision Cellular Analysis,Handling Criminal, Defense and Civil Case Anna Sonoda - Child Sex Abuse/Grooming Expert, Clinical Social Worker, Former Therapist for Convicted Sex Offenders, and Author of "Duck Duck Groom" Sydney Sumner - CrimeOnline Investigative Reporter See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

17 Mai 42min

DIDDY SUCKS PRINCE HARRY INTO SEX-TRAFFIC CESSPOOL

DIDDY SUCKS PRINCE HARRY INTO SEX-TRAFFIC CESSPOOL

Cross-examination in Sean "Diddy" Combs' federal sex trafficking trial resumed in Manhattan court today, Friday May 16. Combs' legal team continue to grill Cassie Ventura, Combs' ex-girlfriend, on what the defense call, her own history of domestic violence, as well as claims she was motivated by money to get back at him. And British royal family news reveals Prince Harry is named in the salacious legal filings against disgraced rap mogul Combs. The headlines are an unwelcome reminder of Prince Andrews troublesome involvement with dead alleged pedophile, Jeffrey Epstein. More celebrities like Chris Brown and Michael B.Jordan were mentioned as Cassie's Cross-Examination Continues. Follow Crime Stories with Nancy Grace for the latest on the Sean "diddy" Combs federal trial. Joining Nancy Grace today, Eric Faddis - Trial Lawyer and TV Legal Analyst, Founding Partner of Varner Faddis Elite Legal, former felony prosecutor and current criminal defense and civil litigation attorney Dr. Cheryl Arutt - Licensed Clinical and Forensic Psychologist specializing in Trauma Recovery, PTSD and EMDR, website: askdrcheryl.com, website: CreativeEMDR.com , IG: @askdrcheryl Robert Crispin - Private Investigator “Crispin Special Investigations”, Former Federal Task Force Officer for the United States Department of Justice, DEA and Miami Field Division. Former Homicide and Crimes against children investigator. CrispinInvestigations.com, Facebook: Crispin Special Investigations Inc. Brett Brown - Executive director of SASS Go (Surviving Assault Standing Strong) a nonprofit on a mission to eradicate abuse, trafficking and violence against women and girls globally, www.sassgo.org, @sassgoglobal FB, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok Lauren Conlin - Podcaster, Reporter, Host- Co-Host of "PopCrimeTV" on YouTube. Website: www.popcrime.tv & primetimecrimeshow.com X- @Conlin_Lauren, Instagram- @LaurenEmilyConlin, YouTube: @PopCrimeTV Sydney Sumner - CrimeOnline Investigative Reporter See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

16 Mai 41min

Badly Burned Body ID'd By Hero Dog | Crime Alert 05.16.25

Badly Burned Body ID'd By Hero Dog | Crime Alert 05.16.25

Hero dog would not leave the spot where his owner died, helping to solve her murder. Thieves take odd items from a Tennessee church. For more crime and justice news go to crimeonline.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

16 Mai 5min

Diddy's 'Tootsie Roll' Revealed, Cassie Cross-Exam

Diddy's 'Tootsie Roll' Revealed, Cassie Cross-Exam

Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, the government’s star witness, took the stand today for the first day of cross-examination and faced questioning by Sean "Diddy" Combs’ $10 million defense team. She previously spent two days detailing the alleged physical, emotional, and sexual abuse she says she endured during her decade-long relationship with the disgraced rap mogul. At the center of Combs’ defense today was the claim that Ventura was never coerced into participating in "freak offs," as she testified earlier. The defense pointed to text messages, including one Ventura sent to Combs in 2009 that read, “I’m always ready to freak off lolol.” Ventura remained composed and held her ground when confronted with the explicit messages. She testified that she eventually began to feel Combs was exploiting her. Combs’ defense team is expected to continue cross-examining Ventura through Friday morning. Follow Crime Stories with Nancy Grace for the latest testimony in rap mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs' sex-trafficking trial Joining Nancy Grace today: Greg Morse - Criminal Defense Attorney of Morse Legal, author of “The Untested” found on Amazon; website: morselegal.com Dr. Bethany Marshall - Psychoanalyst, Author of "Deal Breaker: When to work on a relationship and when to walk away,” and featured in hit show: "Paris in Love" on Peacock; Instagram & TikTok: drbethanymarshall, X: @DrBethanyLive Chris McDonough - Director at the Cold Case Foundation, Former Homicide Detective [worked over 300 homicides in 25-year career and trained the first Native American Homicide Task Force] Host of YouTube channel, "The Interview Room." Lynn Shaw - Founder and Executive Director of Lynn's Warriors - an organization committed to ending human trafficking and sexual exploitation,  Host of Lynn's Warriors on YouTube,; X: @lynns_warriors Youtube: @LynnsWarriors Rob Shuter - Host: Naughty But Nice Podcast, Former Publicist of Sean Combs, and Author: "The 4 Word Answer", radaronline.com; IG: @naughtygossip Lauren Conlin- Investigative Journalist, Host of The Outlier Podcast, and also Host of "Corruption: What Happened to Grant Solomon; X- @Conlin_Lauren/ Instagram- @LaurenEmilyConlin/YouTube- @LaurenConlin4 Sydney Sumner - CrimeOnline Investigative Reporter See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

15 Mai 43min

Woman Sentenced to 20 Years for Gas Station Shooting | Crime Alert 05.15.25

Woman Sentenced to 20 Years for Gas Station Shooting | Crime Alert 05.15.25

Woman sentenced to 20 years behind bars for gas station shooting. Woman missing over 60 years is found living happily states away. For more crime and justice news go to crimeonline.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

15 Mai 5min

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