Chief Joe Morris 9/11 Story (Part 1) | From LaGuardia to Ground Zero

Chief Joe Morris 9/11 Story (Part 1) | From LaGuardia to Ground Zero

Author: Citizens Behind the Badge September 9, 2025 Duration: 28:53

On September 11, 2001, the Port Authority Police Department suffered the greatest single-day loss of life in U.S. law enforcement history. Thirty-seven officers never came home.

In this first part of a powerful two-part series, Chief Joe Morris shares his firsthand 9/11 story. Starting the day as commanding officer at LaGuardia Airport, Joe recounts how he mobilized his team, rushed to the World Trade Center, and found himself the senior officer on the ground after the collapse of the South Tower.

This is a gripping account of courage, chaos, and survival - told by the man who suddenly had to bring order to the worst attack on American soil.

Chapters

  • 00:00 – Remembering 9/11
  • 02:00 – Chief Joe Morris’ background
  • 05:00 – Inside the Port Authority Police
  • 07:00 – The morning of September 11th
  • 10:40 – Mobilizing from LaGuardia
  • 13:30 – Arriving at the Towers
  • 16:30 – Collapse of the South Tower
  • 20:00 – Loss of leadership above Joe
  • 27:00 – Becoming the senior officer left in command
  • 30:00 – Preview of Part 2

9/11 podcast, Ground Zero survivor, Port Authority Police 9/11, Joe Morris interview, LaGuardia 9/11, Heroes Behind the Badge podcast.


Heroes Behind the Badge is a podcast that brings you the untold stories of America's law enforcement community, from the front lines to the final call. Guided by Craig Floyd, who spent 34 years working alongside police officers across the nation, and joined by veteran facilitator Dennis Collins and law enforcement expert Bill Erfurth, the show cuts through misconceptions and focuses on the real people behind the badge. In each episode, listeners can expect candid conversations, hard-earned insights, and powerful moments that highlight service, sacrifice, and the realities of the job. If you want to listen episodes that go beyond headlines and hear stories shaped by experience and respect, Heroes Behind the Badge by {author} offers a clear, grounded perspective on the law enforcement community.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 52

Heroes Behind the Badge
Podcast Episodes
"I'm Going to Kill That Cop": A Police Officer's Final Traffic Stop [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:28
Heroes Behind the Badge: The Harold Vitale Story (Part 1)In this powerful first installment, the Heroes Behind the Badge team speaks with Les Vitale about his brother Harold, a decorated police officer whose life was tra…
Shot 5 Times: A Police Officer's Survival Story [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:26
In this powerful episode of Heroes Behind the Badge, we share the extraordinary story of Jimmy Kuzak, a former police officer whose life changed forever when he was shot five times during a routine call. Despite being pa…