Rich Schumaker warned Salem police Detective Stacey Sheppard that it wouldn't be easy being in the "hot seat."

In the days before his weekly "Copcast," a podcast "for cops, by cops," Schumaker repeatedly asked if she was nervous. Thousands would be listening, he joked.

True to form, he and co-host Steve Ferguson, a Salem sheriff's deputy, gave Sheppard a thorough ribbing during last week's podcast. Schumaker recounted how Sheppard once had responded to a complaint and made Schumaker's son stop playing roller hockey in the street. Schumaker played a recording of the voice of the Wicked Witch of the West: "I'm melting! I'm melting!"

As much as the Copcast hosts enjoy kidding around, they also discuss serious law enforcement issues when recording the hour-long podcasts each Wednesday from a "Digital Command Center" at the Cardinal Criminal Justice Academy in Salem. Schumaker, director of the academy since 1994, hopes eventually to put classroom material on podcasts so officers in training can listen to lectures on MP3 players in their cars -- or even while mowing their lawns.

A podcast is an audio recording that is posted online -- in this case, at copcast.net -- so users can download the content to a computer or portable listening device such as an iPod.

Schumaker and Ferguson started podcasting in August to broadcast positive stories about police officers and later plan to use the technology as a classroom tool.

"My main objective was not to become the next 'Imus in the Morning,' " Schumaker said. "It was to develop a training delivery vehicle."

Schumaker said he spends between 15 and 20 hours each week editing podcasts, keeping up the Web site and writing scripts for upcoming episodes. People from across the nation and eight other countries have downloaded audio content from the site, including between 500 and 600 people in September alone, he said.

Hot-seat guests have included Botetourt County sheriff's Sgt. Jeff Stritesky, who discussed the county's school resource officers; Roanoke police Officer John Hoover, who talked about police dogs; and Salem police Lt. David Rorer, who addressed crime prevention issues.

The weekly episodes also feature "Cop News of the Week" and a "Tech Talk" segment by Schumaker's son, Ricky Schumaker, a senior at the University of Virginia.

Rich Schumaker came up with the podcasting idea to cater to the interests of tech-savvy young people. His son is a perfect example.

The father and son attended a convention together this summer and Schumaker watched in awe as his son checked his e-mail, caught up on sports scores and took notes, all at the same time.

"It didn't even occur to me to check e-mail while the class was going on," said Rich Schumaker, 48. "I saw his notes. They were as good as mine."

"Watching him and the other young folks coming in" to the Cardinal academy, Schumaker said, "it became apparent we're not going to be able to do business as usual and keep their attention."

It took Schumaker and his son, who studies education and computer science at UVa, about a month to research and teach themselves how to set up a podcast. Between equipment they already had and gadgets used at the academy, the Schumakers had almost everything they needed to get the project under way at minimal expense.

Schumaker said he plans to start using the podcasts as instructional tools sometime in the spring.

Ferguson, a driving instructor for the academy, said that he enjoys being Schumaker's on-air sidekick and that the informal, conversational style of the podcast puts guests at ease.

"If it's a benefit to people, great," Ferguson said of the Copcasts. "I guess we'll do it until people don't consider it a benefit anymore."