#41 - Former Secret Service Agent: The Psychology of Interrogating Evil | Brad Beeler

Jeffrey van Leeuwen Podcast

What does true evil look like? And how do you confront it face-to-face? In this raw conversation with Brad Beeler, who served as a Special Agent for the United States Secret Service for 25 years, we explore his extraordinary career confronting humanity’s darkest crimes, especially those involving children. Brad reveals a rarely-seen side of the United States Secret Service, reflecting deeply on his experiences as a polygraph examiner, where he faced some of the most malicious individuals imaginable.

In our conversation, we also discuss:

• Why empathy can become a crucial weapon in interrogations, even with society’s worst criminals.
• How international cooperation enabled Brad and his team to crack complex child exploitation cases.
• The subtle psychological strategies used to identify deception, gain trust, and ultimately reveal truth.
• The chilling realities of interacting with truly evil individuals, and what Brad learned about the darkest corners of human behavior.

Brad’s story is profoundly human, exploring the complex layers of morality, ethical boundaries, and personal resilience required to confront humanity’s most troubling personalities.

Thank you for listening.

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OUTLINE:

00:00 Introduction

02:19 Brad’s Most Proud Career Achievement

03:09 Secret Service Beyond Presidential Protection

05:31 Future of Secret Service Investigations

06:55 Inside the Trump Assassination Attempts

10:22 Debunking Trump Assassination Conspiracies

14:21 Conspiracy Theories and Media Polarization

16:53 Strategies for Distinguishing Truth from Falsehood

20:03 Building Trust and Rapport

23:38 The Role of Empathy in Criminal Investigations

41:58 The Psychological Cost of Interviewing Criminals

46:13 Combating Child Exploitation: Global Collaboration

49:00 Navigating Legal Complexities in International Law Enforcement

50:32 Four Key Behavioral Analysis Questions

01:00:12 Detecting Deception in Interviews

01:15:34 Negotiation Techniques: Tactical Empathy & Body Language

01:28:38 Recognizing Manipulation and Assessing Intentions

01:33:00 Does True Evil Exist?

01:40:57 Brad’s Perspective on Humanity

01:44:14 Overcoming Personal and Professional Setbacks

01:46:32 “Tell Me Everything”: Brad’s Upcoming Book

01:47:36 Final Thoughts

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This episode has been co-produced by Kate van Leeuwen.