Running From Cops
True crime podcast review — 2026
Reviewed · Updated
"Running From Cops is the investigation COPS never wanted — Dan Taberski found the real people behind the arrests and discovered a story of exploitation, racial bias, and media complicity that changes how you'll watch crime television."
Who is this podcast for?
- ✓Listeners who enjoy following a single case from start to finish
- ✓Binge listeners who want something they can't stop at one episode
Pros & cons
- +Rated "Must Listen" by our editorial team — exceptional across all dimensions
- +High binge factor — listeners consistently come back for more
- +Serialized format builds a compelling, sustained narrative arc across episodes
- −Must listen in order — cannot dip in and out between episodes
About this podcast
Journalist and filmmaker Dan Taberski investigates the TV show COPS — examining the human cost to the people filmed by its cameras, the show's distortion of race and poverty, the deals police departments made with producers, and the broader question of whether 'reality' crime television causes real harm.
Best episode to start with
Episode 1 — must listen in order
Serialized format — listen from the beginning for the full experience
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Frequently Asked Questions about Running From Cops
What is Running From Cops about?
Journalist and filmmaker Dan Taberski investigates the TV show COPS — examining the human cost to the people filmed by its cameras, the show's distortion of race and poverty, the deals police departments made with producers, and the broader question of whether 'reality' crime television causes real harm.
Is Running From Cops worth listening to?
Our editorial verdict is "Must listen". It scores 8/10 on binge factor. True crime fans who want media criticism alongside investigation; listeners interested in how crime is constructed and sold as entertainment, and the real people left behind.
Who is Running From Cops for?
Running From Cops is ideal for: Listeners who enjoy following a single case from start to finish; Binge listeners who want something they can't stop at one episode.
What is the best episode of Running From Cops to start with?
We recommend starting with Episode 1 — must listen in order. As a serialized show, it's best to listen from the beginning of a season.
Where can I listen to Running From Cops?
Running From Cops is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify. Search for it by name on any of those apps.
What podcasts are similar to Running From Cops?
If you enjoy Running From Cops, you might also like: Gangster Capitalism, In the Dark, Swindled, Dr. Death. See our full "Podcasts Like Running From Cops" page for more recommendations.
Quick facts
- Format
- Serialized
- Host style
- Solo narrator
- Style
- Investigative, critical, revealing
- Episode length
- Multiple episodes; bingeable across a weekend
- Binge factor
- 8/10
- Country
- United States
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In the Dark
Listeners who want journalism-grade investigation into wrongful convictions, systemic racism, and institutional failures — more 60 Minutes than true crime thriller.
Swindled
True crime fans bored of murder who want to be outraged by institutional and corporate evil; anyone who appreciates deadpan humor and business crime.
Dr. Death
True crime fans interested in medical crime, institutional failure, and white-collar predators — compelling for anyone who has ever trusted a doctor blindly.
Suspect (NPR/Embedded)
True crime fans who want journalism-grade investigation into systemic racial injustice; listeners who followed In the Dark and want more journalism-led true crime.
Wind of Change
True crime-adjacent listeners interested in espionage, Cold War history, and one of the most stranger-than-fiction investigations of the podcast era; fans of Patrick Radden Keefe's journalism.
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