On todays episode I have the pleasure of speaking with authors Ali Winston and Darwin BondGraham about their new book titled, The Riders Come Out at Night: Brutality, Corruption and Cover-up in Oakland.

Their book is a meticulously researched and engaging account of a police force rotten to its core and serves as a poignant reminder that the problem with policing in America isn’t just about crooked cops. The problem is a broken system that lacks the will to reform.

During our conversation we’ll be introduced to a group of sadistic cops known as “The Riders” whose disregard for the oath they took to protect and serve is on full, tragic, and infuriating display.

We’ll also meet the wide-eyed rookie, turned whistleblower who was unwittingly partnered with the leader of the Riders.

The Riders Come Out at Night is the story of one city and the explosive scandals, and systematic corruption and brutality in its police department, but it’s also the story of American policing - and where it is headed in 2023.

The Show Notes

The Riders Come Out at Night
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Riders-Come-Out-at-Night/Ali-Winston/9781982168599

Ali Winston is an independent reporter covering criminal justice, privacy, and surveillance. His work has been rewarded with several awards, including the George Polk Award for local reporting in 2017. Ali is a graduate of the University of Chicago and the University of California, Berkeley. He lives in New York.

Darwin BondGraham has reported on gun violence for The Guardian and was an enterprise reporter for the East Bay Express. BondGraham’s work has also appeared with ProPublica and other leading national and local outlets. He holds a doctorate in sociology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and was the co-recipient of the George Polk Award for local reporting in 2017. He lives in Oakland, California.