On Our Watch

KQED

When correctional officer Valentino Rodriguez first stepped behind prison walls, he wasn't just starting a job, he was joining a family. What he didn’t know was that he was now bound by an unwritten code that would ultimately test his loyalty to his oath and his fellow officers. Five years later, Valentino's sudden death would raise questions from the FBI, his family and his mentor in the elite investigative unit where they both worked. This season, join us as we follow in Valentino’s footsteps to uncover the secrets hidden inside the most dangerous prison in California: New Folsom. If you have tips or feedback about this series please reach out to us at onourwatch@kqed.org. read less

Our Editor's Take

On Our Watch is an investigative podcast that examines police accountability. The podcast host is Sukey Lewis, a criminal justice reporter for California's KQED news radio station. For a long time, police force operations were a mystery. If there was possible misconduct when someone died while in custody, there was no way to prove it. Internal investigations handled disciplining officers and rarely released information to the public.

In 2019, this all changed in California. The state passed a law that allowed the unsealing of police personnel records. It uncovered details about police shootings on duty, sexual misconduct, and dishonesty. The media got to see body camera footage, photos, and documents. They also reviewed witness statements and talked to victims of police brutality. On Our Watch discusses cases related to police brutality and misconduct.

The podcast host founded the California Reporting Project in 2019. She worked with other journalists to reveal the details of various internal investigations. The documents often had missing information. They had full pages that were redacted. Law enforcement even filed lawsuits to keep details secret. This project became even more crucial after 2020. It received new meaning when George Floyd and Breonna Taylor were killed. Journalists worked for three years to expose how police forces hold themselves accountable.

On Our Watch's first season talks about a different case in each episode. One episode discusses a famous police shooting in the Bay Area in 2009. The Michael B. Jordan movie Fruitvale Station dramatized the story. A police officer shot 22-year-old Oscar Grant. There was cellphone footage showing it. The episode details the timeline of the events. It also plays revealing tapes from the investigative room. This podcast gives more information about the shooting.

In another episode, the podcast details highway patrol officers who abused their power. One of them stopped cars to make advances on women. The other used police resources to stalk and harass a woman.

The second season of On Our Watch uncovers injustices caused by California correctional officers in the Folsom State Prison. The podcast updates weekly.

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Introducing On Our Watch from NPR and KQED

Introducing On Our Watch from NPR and KQED

What happens to police officers who use excessive force, tamper with evidence or sexually harass someone? In California, internal affairs investigations were kept secret from the public — until a recent transparency law unsealed thousands of files. On Our Watch is a limited-run podcast from NPR and KQED that brings you into the rooms where officers are interrogated and witnesses are questioned to find out who the system of police accountability really serves, and who it protects. New episodes drop weekly, starting Thursday, May 20. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season 2

Introducing Season 2: New Folsom

Introducing Season 2: New Folsom

We’re back with a second season of On Our Watch from KQED! “New Folsom” traces the footsteps of two whistleblowers in an elite investigative unit in California’s most dangerous prison. Host Sukey Lewis and co-reporter Julie Small piece together a gripping narrative about broken promises and unwritten rules. It’s a story about who gets hurt when the system that promises to keep us safe is bent on protecting itself. New episodes drop weekly, starting February 6. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1. Welcome to the Family | S2: New Folsom

1. Welcome to the Family | S2: New Folsom

Soon after correctional officer Valentino Rodriguez starts working at New Folsom prison, he gets caught up in a bad incident. An incarcerated man ends up in the hospital with horrific injuries, and the prison starts an investigation. Valentino feels pressured to back up his fellow officers' version of the story, even though he thinks it might not be the truth. Then he gets an opportunity he's dreamed of-- to join an elite unit investigating crimes in the prison. Resources If you are currently in crisis, you can dial 988 [U.S.] to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA National Help Line 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Helpline US Health and Human Services Warmline Directory Episode Transcript Find more information at our website. If you have tips or feedback about this series please reach out to us at onourwatch@kqed.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2. Running the Race | S2: New Folsom

2. Running the Race | S2: New Folsom

Consumed with stress and fed up with how he’s being treated, Valentino Rodriguez reaches a breaking point at work. A veteran officer and mentor to Valentino starts looking into the murder that happened in the dayroom. Valentino and Mimy get married, then Valentino goes in for a final meeting with the warden of New Folsom. Resources If you are currently in crisis, you can dial 988 [U.S.] to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA National Help Line 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Helpline US Health and Human Services Warmline Directory Episode Transcript Find more information at our website. If you have tips or feedback about this series please reach out to us at onourwatch@kqed.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

3. Superhero | S2: New Folsom

3. Superhero | S2: New Folsom

Valentino’s unexpected death just days after a confidential meeting with the prison’s warden leaves his grieving father with a tangle of questions and suspicions. When law enforcement and prison leadership fail to act, Val Sr. finds an ally in Sgt. Kevin Steele, a senior officer who’d taken Valentino under his wing. The two men have a shared mission–to find justice for Valentino. Resources If you are currently in crisis, you can dial 988 [U.S.] to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA National Help Line 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Helpline US Health and Human Services Warmline Directory Episode Transcript Find more information at our website. If you have tips or feedback about this series please reach out to us at onourwatch@kqed.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

4. "Foul Play" | S2: New Folsom

4. "Foul Play" | S2: New Folsom

How did Sgt. Kevin Steele go from being a true believer in the institution of New Folsom to writing an explosive memo hoping to tear it down? We sift through video evidence, interrogation tapes and internal reports to find glimpses of his transformation. But when he feels his reports of corruption are ignored—he takes an even more drastic step. Resources If you are currently in crisis, you can dial 988 [U.S.] to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA National Help Line 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Helpline US Health and Human Services Warmline Directory Episode Transcript Find more information at our website. If you have tips or feedback about this series please reach out to us at onourwatch@kqed.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

5. End of Watch | S2: New Folsom

5. End of Watch | S2: New Folsom

Valentino Rodriguez Sr. is on the treadmill one morning when he gets a call—Sgt. Kevin Steele is dead. Val Sr. has lost not only his friend, but his partner in their shared quest to find the truth. A meeting with the FBI provides few answers, even as new questions arise about why a second whistleblower from New Folsom has lost his life. Resources If you are currently in crisis, you can dial 988 [U.S.] to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA National Help Line 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Helpline US Health and Human Services Warmline Directory Episode Transcript Find more information at our website. If you have tips or feedback about this series please reach out to us at onourwatch@kqed.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

6. The Day Room | S2: New Folsom

6. The Day Room | S2: New Folsom

The team digs deep into the homicide of Luis Giovanny Aguilar—the murder in the day room that Officer Valentino Rodriguez was tasked to write a report about, and that had consumed Sgt. Kevin Steele up until the last day of his life. We track down each of the men who took part in the stabbing to find out: did officers also play a role? Resources If you are currently in crisis, you can dial 988 [U.S.] to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA National Help Line 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Helpline US Health and Human Services Warmline Directory Episode Transcript Find more information at our website. If you have tips or feedback about this series please reach out to us at onourwatch@kqed.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

7. “We Don’t Do Coincidence” | S2: New Folsom

7. “We Don’t Do Coincidence” | S2: New Folsom

We get to listen in on confidential interviews conducted by Sgt. Kevin Steele before his death. Plus, we finally get to see surveillance footage from inside the B8 unit that sheds new light on the murder of Luis Giovanny Aguilar. Editor’s note: After this episode first aired on April 2, 2024, CDCR finally located Valentino Rodriguez’s supplemental report about the murder of Luis Giovanny Aguilar that we reference in this episode. Their public records team was initially unable to find it. However, the agency said the report was exempt from disclosure. Resources If you are currently in crisis, you can dial 988 [U.S.] to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA National Help Line 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Helpline US Health and Human Services Warmline Directory Episode Transcript Find more information at our website. If you have tips or feedback about this series please reach out to us at onourwatch@kqed.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

8. Last Stand | S2: New Folsom

8. Last Stand | S2: New Folsom

After his son’s death, Valentino Rodriguez Sr. waited for the warden of New Folsom prison to call him. That call never came. In our season finale, we walk through the gates of New Folsom to ask the warden for answers. We also get a rare glimpse inside the world of correctional officer discipline and hear from Sgt. Kevin Steele in his own words. Mental health resources If you are currently in crisis, you can dial 988 [U.S.] to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA National Help Line 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Helpline US Health and Human Services Warmline Directory Whistleblower resources The Lamplighter Project The Signals Network EMPOWR Whistleblowers of America Government Accountability Project National Whistleblower Center Whistleblower Aid Episode Transcript Find more information at our website. If you have tips or feedback about this series please reach out to us at onourwatch@kqed.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BONUS: The Whistleblower Playbook | S2: New Folsom

BONUS: The Whistleblower Playbook | S2: New Folsom

Sukey sits down with Mary Inman and Poppy Alexander, two whistleblower attorneys who talk about the cost of speaking up, and unpack the playbook that employers use to keep people quiet. They also discuss a shift in thinking that can protect both whistleblowers and their organizations. Mental health resources If you are currently in crisis, you can dial 988 [U.S.] to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA National Help Line 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Helpline US Health and Human Services Warmline Directory Whistleblower resources Whistleblower Partners, LLP (where Mary and Poppy are partners) The Lamplighter Project The Signals Network EMPOWR Whistleblowers of America Government Accountability Project National Whistleblower Center Whistleblower Aid Mary Inman was profiled in the New Yorker piece, "The Personal Toll of Whistleblowing." Episode Transcript Find more information at our website. If you have tips or feedback about this series please reach out to us at onourwatch@kqed.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BONUS: “The Prison Beat” | S2: New Folsom

BONUS: “The Prison Beat” | S2: New Folsom

Reporting on prisons from the outside is often difficult; it’s a closed and secretive world. But there is also important reporting being done by people who are inside prison, which comes with dangers of its own. Sukey and Julie sit down with two formerly incarcerated journalists, Rahsaan Thomas and Jesse Vasquez, to talk about the challenges and opportunities of prison reporting. Rahsaan Thomas is the Executive Director of Empowerment Avenue and a producer at Ear Hustle. Jesse Vasquez is the Executive Director of the Pollen Initiative and former Editor-in-Chief of the San Quentin News. Mental health resources If you are currently in crisis, you can dial 988 [U.S.] to reach the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. SAMHSA National Help Line 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Helpline US Health and Human Services Warmline Directory Episode Transcript Find more information at our website. If you have tips or feedback about this series please reach out to us at onourwatch@kqed.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season 1

Introducing On Our Watch from NPR and KQED

Introducing On Our Watch from NPR and KQED

What happens to police officers who use excessive force, tamper with evidence or sexually harass someone? In California, internal affairs investigations were kept secret from the public — until a recent transparency law unsealed thousands of files. On Our Watch is a limited-run podcast from NPR and KQED that brings you into the rooms where officers are interrogated and witnesses are questioned to find out who the system of police accountability really serves, and who it protects. New episodes drop weekly, starting Thursday, May 20. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the small Northern California town of Rio Vista, a woman named Katheryn Jenks calls 911 for help. But after the police arrive, she ends up injured and inside a jail cell, facing serious charges. That same day, California Governor Jerry Brown signs a new law, State Senate Bill 1421, that opens up long hidden records of police misconduct, including files that might change the outcome of Jenks' case. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Conduct Unbecoming

Conduct Unbecoming

One officer in Los Angeles used car inspections to hit on women. In the San Francisco Bay Area, another woman says an officer used police resources to harass and stalk her. The California Highway Patrol quietly fired both of them for sexual harassment, but never looked into whether their misconduct was criminal. The second episode of On Our Watch examines the system of accountability for officers who abuse their power for sex and exposes where that system falls short. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

20-20 Hindsight

20-20 Hindsight

After his son is shot and killed by a Richmond, Calif. police officer, a father looking for answers becomes a police transparency advocate. When the files about his son's death are released, they show an accountability system that seems to hang on one question: did the officer fear for their life? And in a rare interview, we hear from the officer who pulled the trigger. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Perceived Threat

Perceived Threat

A 16-year-old Black kid walks into a gas station in Stockton, Calif. to buy gummy worms for his little sister. When the teen gets in an argument with the clerk over a damaged dollar bill, a white officer in plainclothes decides to intervene — with force. In the fourth episode of On Our Watch, we trace the ripple effects of this incident over the next 10 years in a department trying to address racism and bias. But can the chief's efforts at truth and reconciliation work when the accountability process seems to ignore the truth? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Neglect of Duty

Neglect of Duty

An officer is repeatedly disciplined for not turning in his police reports on time. A mom goes to the police asking for help with her missing daughters. In the fifth episode of On Our Watch, we look at what can happen when police don't follow through on reports of victimization, and an accountability process that doesn't want to examine those failures. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fellow officers long suspected a veteran detective in Antioch, Calif., was leaking operational police secrets to a drug dealer. For years, the department didn't act on their concerns. Even after the detective was finally fired in 2017, his record remained secret. In episode six of On Our Watch we look at the incentives departments have to investigate dishonest cops and what the secrecy around police misconduct means for criminal defendants who are prosecuted on their testimony. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Under Color of Law

Under Color of Law

One of the first police shootings to be captured on cell phone, millions saw Bay Area Rapid Transit police Officer Johannes Mehserle fire a single, fatal gunshot into Oscar Grant's back as the 22-year-old lay face down on the train station platform. Now, a lawsuit filed by NPR member station KQED has forced BART to comply with California's 2019 police transparency law, and release never-before-heard tapes from inside that investigation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Update: Oscar Grant and the Attorney General

Update: Oscar Grant and the Attorney General

Less than six weeks after On Our Watch published an episode examining the shooting and death of Oscar Grant, California's Attorney General Rob Bonta opened an external investigation into the 12-year-old case. In a wide-ranging interview with On Our Watch's Sukey Lewis, Bonta talks about California's systemic issues in policing, his efforts at addressing them and says the Oscar Grant case remains unresolved. We also look at new police reforms promising that cops who commit serious misconduct can be stripped of their badges. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices