About this episode

Sheriff Ross Teeple discusses his leadership in corrections, the Netflix series 'Unlocked: A Jail Experiment', and shares personal law enforcement stories.

Pinal County Sheriff Ross Teeple joins the show to discuss his bold leadership, the high-stakes Netflix series "Unlocked: A Jail Experiment" Season 2, and life inside Arizona's corrections system. Fresh off taking office, Sheriff Teeple shares how he was "strong-armed" (old friends) by predecessor Sheriff Mark Lamb into filming a groundbreaking re-entry program that unlocked jail cells, shifted to indirect supervision, and empowered inmates to self-govern—aiming to build responsibility, reduce recidivism, and break cycles of crime. Hear raw stories from his career: his first high-speed pursuit gone wrong, a terrifying hand-to-hand fight during an arrest, heartbreaking search-and-rescue recoveries (including a tragic plane crash in the Superstition Mountains), bizarre and intense calls, and a heartwarming success saving a young woman from a predatory relationship. Sheriff Teeple opens up about border security challenges near the Tohono O'odham Nation (where 80% of U.S. fentanyl crosses), cartel threats on American soil, drone smuggling risks, staffing shortages, pay raises for detention officers, and advice for new law enforcement recruits: put down the phone, build real-world…

People in this episode

Host: Steven Gould

Guest: Ross Teeple

Topics covered

• law enforcement
• corrections system
• border security
• recidivism
• crime prevention
• personal stories

Keywords

• Sheriff Ross Teeple
• Unlocked: A Jail Experiment
• border security
• recidivism
• law enforcement stories
• Pinal County
• drug trafficking
• crime prevention

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Netflix, Pinal County Sheriff's Office

Places: Tohono O'odham Nation, Superstition Mountains

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