After "Serial," Police Departments Replace Staff With Female NPR Hosts

This post originally appeared on Reductress.com.

After years of incompetence and racial profiling among its forces and in light of the popular new podcast, "Serial," Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel has launched an innovative new program replacing the core of Chicago's police force entirely with NPR hosts and producers.

Led by "Serial" host Sarah Koenig and a team of producers, Emmanuel hopes that in-depth investigations and nuanced perspective will help solved many of the cities' unsolved crimes. Additionally, Emanuel hopes that the beloved NPR hosts will boost the negative perception of the police around the country with their affable personality and compelling storytelling abilities.

"Our current system has failed us," says Emanuel. "And the only solution is hordes of quiet, highly educated yet lovable women."

"I've been on the force for over 25 years, leading years-long investigations," says police chief Garry McCarthy, "but it's clear that these women are just better at doing this kind of work."

The popular podcast unearthed many new facts about a murder that occurred 15 years ago--most of which were ignored or cast aside by investigators and attorneys. NPR staffers will utilize their dogged research skills and knack for looking deeper into the moments we often take for granted in order to restore faith and a positive public image to the police force.

"I had lost faith in the justice system altogether," says Jerome Walker, a public defender. "But now I am captivated by everything they have to say."

He adds: "Tedious meetings, long depositions, you name it...I literally can't stop listening."

If this pilot program succeeds, authorities will explore modifying the existing court system to make it more easily digestible and podcast-like.

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