He survived war. He survived addiction. But his own department almost broke him. Episode 110 of The Wild Chaos Podcast features Gabe Smith — US Army veteran, former SWAT officer, and police sniper — sharing one of the most raw and honest law enforcement stories we’ve had on the show. From deployments in Iraq to battling opioid addiction and surviving a near-fatal overdose, Gabe rebuilt his life and returned to service, earning a badge with the Reno Police Department and eventually joining SWAT. But the story doesn’t end there. We dive into the realities of modern policing: • Homeless crisis and compassion fatigue • Use-of-force and real-world decision making • Importance of defensive tactics and jiu jitsu • Internal department politics and leadership failures • Allegations of falsified records and retaliation • Why good officers walk away Gabe shares what pushed him out of law enforcement — not the streets, but the system behind the badge. CHAPTERS: 0:00 Meet Gabe And The Big Story 4:00 Reno Roots And Image Of Policing 6:25 Childhood Chaos And Early Substance Use 12:00 Crime Spree Probation And Relapse 23:35 Jail Wake Up And Joining Army 29:30 Boot Camp Discipline And Army Job 49:16 Iraq Invasion Reality And Vehicle Failures 58:46 Dysentery Mortars And Dark Humor 1:10:36 Pain Pills Psych Ward And Med Board 1:36:45 VA Meds Marriage For Scripts Overdose 1:43:42 Becoming A Cop After Rock Bottom 1:56:48 Homeless Calls Compassion Fatigue And Limits 2:14:28 Training Gaps Tasers DEI And Readiness 2:30:48 Reno PD Politics Corruption And Retaliation 2:43:01 SWAT Ego And The Cost Of Speaking 3:13:28 A Meth Using Cop And Team Cover Up 3:41:13 Shot At On Patrol Then Dismissed 4:08:06 Suicide Loss Psychedelics Faith And Purpose 4:18:46 Losing A Pistol In A Foot Chase 4:22:40 Why He Leaves And What Comes Next We also talk about recovery and what comes next: • PTSD and first responder mental health • Suicide in law enforcement • Psychedelic therapy (DMT, psilocybin, MDMA) • Faith, healing, and rebuilding purpose • Supporting veterans and first responders If you want to understand what’s really happening inside law enforcement and what needs to change, this episode is essential. To learn more about firearms and fitness training, visit: https://www.precision-resilience.com To help support Gabe and his mission of helping veterans and first responders, or to donate, visit: https://www.resilientlivesfoundation.org 👉 Share this with someone in law enforcement. Subscribe for more real conversations. And tell us: what would you change first? 🔔𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬. https://www.youtube.com/@wildchaospod/?sub_confirmation=1 🔗 Stay Connected With Us. Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/TheWildChaosPodcast Instagram (The Wild Chaos Podcast): https://www.instagram.com/wildchaospodcast/ Instagram (Bam): https://www.instagram.com/bambam0069/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wildchaospodcast Website: https://wildchaosshow.com/ 📩 For business inquiries: bam@sempersocial.com ============================= 🎬Suggested videos for you: ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5c7ESGgxVoY ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Syc0LbBInE ▶️ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtLt0DwADdY ================================= ✅ About The Wild Chaos Podcast. Welcome to The Wild Chaos Podcast, where real, raw, and remarkable stories are shared. Hosted by U.S. Marine Corps veteran Bam Marshall, this podcast gives a voice to extraordinary people who’ve faced chaos and come out stronger. From Navy SEALs battling addiction and law enforcement officers surviving near-death shootouts, to everyday people who’ve fought their way back from tough situations, each episode is packed with truth, resilience, and inspiration. Every Monday, new episodes dive deep into these powerful stories, showing you that no matter how wild or chaotic life gets, you can rise above it all. For Business inquiries, please use the contact information below: 📩 Email: bam@sempersocial.com 🔔 Want to hear from real survivors? Subscribe now and get inspired by remarkable stories of strength and resilience! https://www.youtube.com/@wildchaospod/?sub_confirmation=1 ================================= police corruption story why cops quit chief kathryn nance chief kathryn nance fired SWAT sniper interview law enforcement mental health police PTSD veteran addiction recovery opioid overdose survival Reno police department internal affairs corruption first responder suicide psychedelic therapy PTSD DMT psilocybin MDMA therapy police accountability discussion law enforcement culture problems Wild Chaos Podcast #LawEnforcement #PoliceAccountability #ptsdrecovery #chiefkathrynnance #FirstResponders #WhyCopsQuit #MentalHealth #WildChaosPodcast #SWAT #VeteranStories #addictionrecovery He Spoke Up — Then Everything Changed | Ep. 110 Gabe Smith A Cop on Meth… And the System That Covered It | Ep. 110 Gabe Smith