National Police Association Podcast

In this episode of the National Police Association Podcast, Sergeant Betsy Brantner Smith sits down with veteran journalist, author, and law-enforcement communications expert Anne Schwartz. Their conversation covers Schwartz’s extraordinary career—from crime reporter to police public information officer—and her firsthand experience covering one of the most infamous criminal cases in modern history: the crimes of Jeffrey Dahmer.

Schwartz shares what it was like as a young reporter arriving at the crime scene the night the Dahmer case broke in Milwaukee, how investigative journalism and police work intersect, and why building trust between reporters and law enforcement is essential to telling the public the truth.

The episode also explores the evolution of police media relations, the impact of social media on public information, and the lessons law-enforcement agencies must learn to communicate effectively in today’s media environment.

Key Topics Discussed

* How Anne Schwartz Entered the World of Crime Reporting
* Covering the Jeffrey Dahmer Case
* How Dahmer Was Finally Caught
* Media Relations and the Role of a Police PIO
* The Explosion of True Crime

https://www.amazon.com/Monster-Story-Jeffrey-Dahmer-Murders-ebook/dp/B095W1RQ34
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-e-schwartz-a6b6309/
https://www.facebook.com/schwartz.strategies/
https://x.com/AnneSchwartz911