064.5 - After the Shootout: Peter Houlahan, Norco Shootout, Part 2

The 1980 Norco Shootout was an astonishing bank robbery turned running gun battle turned manhunt turned courtroom drama/circus.  And like any critical incident, it had an effect on everyone involved.  But throughout this story, I kept asking the same question: how are these officers doing now, 40 years after the deadly event?

Author Peter Houlahan was in a unique position to help me answer that question; he had interviewed almost everyone involved.  And while he and I are not claiming to be the final word on someone else's mental health, I have a lot of respect for Peter's assessment as a fellow first responder who has been to his own share of traumatic calls, including ones you would know the names of. Here in part two of my interview with Peter, we discuss the effects on the Norco participants both in the first few years and also decades later when he had the chance to speak to them directly for his book.  We also talk a bit more about the writing and researching process.

Resources:

• Peter's book, Norco '80: https://a.co/d/g801NJP
• Peter's website: https://www.peterhoulahan.com

Music is by Chris Haugen

Hey Chaplain Podcast Episode 064.5


Tags:

Bank Robbery, Book, Career, Debriefing, Gunfight, Health, Lawyers, Leadership, Mental Health, Psychology, PTSD, Pursuit, Sheriff, Shootout, Suicide, Trauma, Writing, Norco, Riverside, San Bernardino County, California