Podcast by 2 Saskatoon police officers tackles trauma, addiction, burnout
CBC
It's a low-tech setting for a high-stakes conversation.
Two casually-dressed men with microphones sit in a basement in white mesh chairs, a laptop computer on a low table between them. The room is filled with plants. Soft, natural light filters in from the ground-level windows.
The men are Saskatoon police officers Dylan Kemp and Jason Garland. On May 15, they began broadcasting The Quiet Fight, a podcast they bill in promos as "the show that talks honestly about what the job does to your mind, your body, your identity as a man."
"We're here for the ones who show up, who carry the weight, and who often suffer in silence. No shrink talk, no fluff. Just real conversations about burnout, trauma, addiction, leadership, and life beyond the badge."
They do not identify themselves on the show as Saskatoon police officers, and use only their first names.
The reach of the podcast has slowly grown since that first episode, which featured Garland and Kemp talking about childhood trauma and the expectations of the job.
By Episode 6, it had gone from an audio-only podcast on Spotify to video episodes available on Youtube, TikTok and Instagram. They now sell branded T-shirts, hoodies and coffee mugs online.
Episode 6 featured a two-and-a-half hour conversation with Sam Kosolofski, a Regina police officer shot by another officer while executing a search warrant on April 26, 2024. It's the first time Kosolofski spoke publicly about the shooting and, to date, the episode has been viewed 1,800 times.
The Saskatoon Police Service does not want to talk about the podcast, or Kemp and Garland. It refused to answer questions on its social media policy, whether it approved the podcast or even whether Kemp and Garland are active members.
Kemp and Garland have not responded to requests for comment on their podcast.
The Saskatoon Police Association, the union representing more than 600 members, is not as reticent.
"Yes, they are part of the association," union president Chris Rhodes said.
Rhodes is aware of the podcast.
"From our perspective, it's important," he said.
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