He wore a badge for eight years. Then a jail cell changed everything.
In this episode of Justice Unfiltered, host Tug Cowart and Daniel Matalon of A 2nd Chance Bail Bonds sit down with Dr. Kareem Puranda, a former police officer turned licensed clinical mental health counselor, author of Breaking the Code of Silence, and founder of the nonprofit Achieving Success on Purpose.

Puranda grew up in the Bronx, played championship college football, and spent eight years on patrol in Salisbury, North Carolina, before an indictment over a use-of-force incident landed him in a holding cell. That moment redirected his entire life. He opened Self-Talk Counseling and Consulting in 2017 and now works with people on both sides of the law.

In this conversation, Puranda unpacks the unwritten "code of silence" that keeps officers from admitting they are struggling, the doctoral research where all twelve officers he interviewed named the same barrier (their own leadership), and why he believes police officers and people who get arrested often share the same root: survival mode and unhealed trauma. He also offers practical, no-nonsense advice for first responders who want help but fear the fallout.

The episode closes where the show always does, on second chances. Puranda explains "borrowed belief," the work he does with at-risk youth, and why one person showing up at the right moment can break a cycle. Honest, raw, and full of hope.

Hosted by Tug Cowart and Daniel Matalon, CEO of A 2nd Chance Bail Bonds and A 2nd Chance Monitoring.

Listen to ALL episodes of the Justice Unfiltered Podcast here: https://www.thepodcastpark.com/justiceunfiltered/

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