At a time when police and community relations are at an all time low, our WGRL reporters took the opportunity to reach out and speak to two retired members of the police force, Karen Carlo and Joey Morelli, in the hopes that better communication and understanding of one another’s worlds can foster healthier communities.

Please take a listen to these fascinating glimpses into the lives of two very dedicated officers as they paint a vivid picture of the struggles and rewards that come with a life dedicated to law enforcement.

The Rev. Dr. Karyn Carlo, is a retired New York City Police Captain turned preacher, teacher, and theologian. She earned her Master of Divinity and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from Union Theological Seminary in New York City where she focused on Systematic Theology, with particular emphasis on the various ways Christians think about the cross and resurrection in the context of social justice work. An ordained American Baptist pastor, she currently, she serves as the Interim Pastor of The Church-in-the-Garden in Garden City, Long Island and as adjunct faculty at New York Theological Seminary.

Joey Morelli is a law enforcement officer with over 25 years of experience serving as a State Police investigator. Joey comes from a police family including Joey’s uncle, his son, and 2 granddaughters. Joey’s first job was to investigate complaints of police brutality made by defendants and the community. Joey worked at the World Trade Center for a Federal Task Force investigating money laundering. Joey later was a 9/11 first responder. After that, Joey became a threat assessment expert for domestic violence and sexual assault victims. Joey also coordinated efforts to assist former gang members to establish new lives through witness protection. Joey then was promoted to run District Attorney Hynes’ Command Center. Among Joey’s duties, Joey was liaison to the community, the NYPD, and the press, and was the incident commander for Homeland Security. Currently, Joey consults with Middle Collegiate Church on church safety and security.  She is a law enforcement officer who is honored to serve her city, state and country.