Steve Sund on When Cops Are Told to Stand Down

What happens when officers are ordered not to act even as lives hang in the balance?

In this episode of Heroes Behind the Badge, former U.S. Capitol Police Chief Steve Sund returns to discuss the growing tension between politics and policing in America. From the Chicago dispatch where officers were told to stand down to the lessons of January 6, Sund shares how split-second decisions collide with political agendas.

Joined by Dennis Collins, Bill Erfurth, and Craig Floyd, this conversation explores duty, leadership, and the cost of obedience in modern law enforcement. This is a clear-eyed look at what happens when orders conflict with honor — and why courage still defines the badge.

Key Moments:
00:00 – Opening Dispatch Audio: “All Units Stand Down”
01:00 – The Real Story Behind the Chicago Incident
04:30 – Steve Sund Returns: What Changed Since January 6
08:00 – The Politics of Policing Today
12:00 – When Duty Collides with Orders
20:00 – Leadership Under Pressure
35:00 – The Future of Law Enforcement
49:00 – Final Thoughts from Steve Sund

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If you haven’t read it already, don’t miss Steve Sund’s book: Courage Under Fire: The Definitive Account from Inside the Capitol

To listen to this podcast and many more, you can also visit: heroesbehindthebadge.com