110.5 - BTK - Meeting Evil Face to Face: Dana Gouge, chaplain

This is the second part of our story of Detective Dana Gouge, who handcuffed the BTK serial killer, Dennis Rader.  If you haven't heard part one which told the story of a narcissistic serial killer who couldn't stop talking… then what are you doing?! Go back and listen to Ep 110 right now!  

We left off with Detective Gouge putting the handcuffs on Dennis Rader before the task force took him to be interviewed.  Dana is going to tell us a bit about those interviews but what I find interesting, and what I think is missing from your typical true crime podcast, is what effect it had on the detectives to encounter a truly evil man, to be the team working such a large case, and then to wrap it up.  So I'm going to explore these topics with Dana and talk about how that affects him twenty years later.

But first let me tell you what I did not reveal in part 1: the reason I know Dana Gouge.  Dana isn't just a retired homicide detective, today he's also a chaplain.  In fact at the time of this recording he's in the process of becoming a police chaplain at the same agency where I serve.  I'm really excited about the prospect of serving alongside him and his background in both policing and now counseling, pastoral care, ministry, and theology make him an excellent person to discuss the topic what to do when you encounter true evil. 

Dana's invitation: May 18, 2025 at One Hope Church, 9400 Nall, Overland Park, KS

Music is by Brian Bolger and by Chris Haugen

Hey Chaplain Podcast Episode 110.5

Tags:

Serial Killer, BTK Killer, Chaplaincy, Detectives, DNA, Evil, Faith, Family, FBI, History, Hospice, Infighting, Interviews, Investigations, Murder, Police, Task Forces, Theodicy, Wichita, Kansas