JULY 2021 Blues Vol 37 No. 7

The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 1

JULY 2021 

FEATURES 

46 JENNIFER PROVAZNIK, GAME WARDEN & TV STAR 

52 TEXAS GAME WARDENS - OFF THE PAVEMENT. 

FROM THE FRONTIER TO THE FRONT LINE 

68 50TH ANNIVERSARY VIDEO 

70 HOW TO BECOME A GAME WARDEN 

OUR TEAM 

OUR CONTRIBUTORS 

On the Cover 

Jennifer Provaznik is a Texas 

Game Warden, one of the 

stars of ‘Lone Star Law” and 

one tough cop. The BLUES rides 

along with Provaznik as she 

recounts how she got here and 

why she loves being a Game 

Warden. 

42 

44 

DEPARTMENTS 

4 Publisher’s Thoughts 

6 Editor’s Thoughts 

10 Guest Editorial - Line of Duty Injuries 

12 Your Thoughts 

14 News Around the State 

24 News Around the Country 

74 Island Time - Galveston 

80 Healing our Heroes - John Salerno, Sam Horwitz 

84 Light Bulb Award 

86 Blue Mental Health with Dr. Tina Jaeckle 

88 HPOU - A Message from Douglas Griffith 

90 Running 4 Heroes 

92 Remembering My Hero 

96 Honoring our Fallen Heroes 

102 Outdoors with Rusty Barron 

104 Marketplace - Discounts for LEOs 

110 Parting Shots 

112 Now Hiring - L.E.O. Positions Open in Texas 

82 

86 

MICHAEL BARRON 

founder & publisher 


editor-n-chief 

REX EVANS 

contributing editor 

DIANE TRYKOWSKI 

creative editor 

RUSTY BARRON 

outdoor editor 

TINA JAECKLE 


DARYL LOTT 


SAM HORWITZ & JOHN SALERNO 

contributing editors 

DOUGLAS GRIFFITH 

HPOU contributing editor 

JANICE VANZURA 

sales mgr / austin 

CHRISTINA FRASER 

sales mgr / national 

contributing writer / light bulb 

T. EDISON 

contributing writer 

RICHARD SANDOMIR 


AMY FORLITI 


SUZIE ZIEGLER 


TERRY SPENCER 


ROSS BYNUM 


KARI HOLLOWAY 


STEVE KARNOWSKI 

contributing writer / COPS 

DON EGDORF 

PHOTOGRAPHY 


cover 

78 

DARYL’S DELIBERATIONS 

by DARYL LOTT 

BLUE MENTAL HEALTH by TINA JAECKLE 

The BLUES Police Magazine is published monthly by Kress-Barr, LLC, P.O. Box 2733, League City Texas 77574. The opinions 

expressed in articles, op-eds and editorials are those of each individual author and do not reflect the opinion of 

The BLUES or its parent company. Rebuttals or submission of news articles and editorials may be submitted to: 

The BLUES Police Magazine - bluespdmag@gmail.com. The entire contents of The BLUES is copyrighted© and may not be 

reproduced or reprinted without the express permission of the publisher. The BLUES logo is a Trademark of Kress-Barr, LLC. 

2 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 3

Finally, a Role Model 

for Young Girls 

With the march of progress for 

women in America still going 

strong, there are some women 

(a few former men now choosing 

to identify as women) that 

think they are role models for 

young women and in my mind, 

they are wrong. Some got into 

the limelight by being scourges 

to society, or at least drains on 

it. A few advanced bad causes 

that left dead bodies in their 

wake, treated their underlings 

terribly, stole vast of money and 

in short were just shitty people. 

Many agree that Megan Rapinoe, 

soccer player turned Subway 

spokesperson, is a bad role 

model for girls because, “They 

look up to her and see not a 

disciplined, respectful sports 

icon, but a groundlessly bitter, 

petulant celebrity who is totally 

ungrateful for the opportunities 

she’s had.” Not to mention she 

kneels for the National Anthem. 

Others are judged, not by their 

abilities, but rather how many 

followers they have on social 

media or how much of an ‘influencer’ 

they are. Oftentimes, it’s 

just their good looks and lack 

of clothing that earn them this 

‘superstar’ status. 

Regardless of how they rose to 

fame, they are not role models. 

At least not the type I want my 

daughter to aspire to be. There 

are however REAL role models 

out there and one is on our cover 

this month. Jennifer Provaznik 

is not only a celebrity on a 

reality show on Animal Planet, 

but she’s also one bad ass game 

warden. On TV she goes about 

her job of enforcing Texas’ 

hunting and fishing laws with a 

veracity that makes her one of 

the most popular game wardens 

on the show. 

On the show, she’s a ‘take no 

bullshit’ kind of cop. In real life, 

which by the way, is the same 

as the show, she’s a ‘take no 

bullshit’ kind of cop.” In other 

words, there’s no special 

performance for the cameras. 

Provaznik loves what she does, 

and it shows both on and off the 

camera. 

Her “job” is way more than 

writing tickets for fishing without 

a license and keeping undersized 

fish. On any given day, 

she might be saving people on a 

sinking boat, recovering bodies 

of children who went missing 

the day before, arresting murder 

suspects with open warrants, 

stopping a fight in progress 

on the Texas City Dike and yes, 

writing a few tickets. And sometimes, 

all in the same day. 

While she is no doubt one of 


the favorites on Lone Star Law, 

it wasn’t something she volunteered 

for. Her bosses announced 

one day back in 2016, “Oh, by the 

way, a TV crew is filming a new 

series and they will be riding 

with you.” Uh, OK. But despite 5 

years under her belt as a “Reality 

TV Star,” Provaznik’s number 

one priority is doing her job to 

the best of her ability. A job she 

gives 110% every day. 

I caught up with Provaznik 

at Moody Gardens last month 

during the TSDCA (police chiefs) 

conference. Ironically the hotel 

was filled with young girls and 

their moms checking in for a 

cheer conference. From the minute 

she walked in, people began 

to recognize her and of course 

most wanted a selfie. As she 

graciously interacted with the 

public, I couldn’t help thinking, 

what a great role model she was 

to all these young girls running 

around the hotel. A larger-thanlife 

TV star that is one hell of 

a game warden who’s also a 

woman. 

Born in West Virginia, the 

daughter of Tim and Gwen 

Provaznik, Jennifer graduated 

with a degree in Marine Science 

from Coastal Carolina University 

in 2007. Shortly after her degree, 

she joined the research institute 

Bimini Biological Field Station, 

in the Bahamas and researched 

sharks. During this time, she 

also worked as a contractor 

fisheries biologist for NOAA (National 

Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration). Jennifer eventually 

transferred to the NOAA 

labs in Pascagoula, MI where she 

conducted research on Bluefin 

tuna, plankton, and red snapper. 

In 2013 she applied and was 

accepted into the 58th academy 

class of Texas Game Wardens in 

Hamilton Texas. After graduating, 

she was assigned to the Galveston 

area and has been here ever 

since. 

To read the entire story of this 

amazing woman, turn to page 

46. If you have a son or daughter 

considering a career as a Texas 

Game Warden, our feature story 

begins on page 52. 

Role models for young girls 

and women are hard to come by 

these days. But Jennifer Provaznik 

is one perfect example of 

what a TRUE role model can be. 

We thank you for your service 

and your dedication to your job 

protecting our states valuable 

resources. 


Let’s take a walk down memory 

lane for a moment. Back in, 

let’s say the 80’s and 90’s, Law 

Enforcement and the “technology” 

available to us was well, 

not what it is today. And in some 

respects, that’s awesome! 

For example, you could, comfortably 

fit two six-foot-tall 

grown men in fill gear, in the 

front seat of a just about any patrol 

unit. “Gremlins” and “Dodge 

Diplomats” excluded. Oh, and the 

Plymouth Grand Fury. In the late 

80’s and 90’s there was this “Midsize” 

police vehicle craze. It kind 

of worked and it kind of didn’t. 

The radios we had, they 

worked! Now, they didn’t have 

5 million channels in them but, 

you never got a “busy signal” 

from an old MX 350!!! We had 

something called a “Convertacom” 

too. This allowed the Operator 

to take his/her handheld off, 

insert it into the Convertacom 

and it powered as a “car radio” 

while charging said handheld at 

the same time. 

We had Channel 3 or “Car to 

Car” and Channel 4 

“Inner-City” which was 

universal. That’s right, 

nationwide, bro. You 

could tell anyone “Look 

out on Channel 3 or 

Inner-City” and invariably, 

someone would 

answer. And there were 

no computers running 

that little technological 

wonder. Nowadays, 

you’ve got to be on the 

right regional system 

REX EVANS 

with the right bank, trunk, and 

channels to talk to the officer 

right next to you, let alone, miles 

ahead on the highway. 

The lights were incandescent 

bulbs with rotating mirrors and 

flash points. If a rotator stopped 

working, you just had to give 

the light “tap” and WHALA!!! The 

light worked again. Absolutely 

unlike the emergency lights 

of today which are brilliantly 

bright but, inconveniently complex. 

Somewhere along the 

line, there were these things 

called “strobes”. Now, we totally 

thought we had reached the 

pinnacle of emergency lighting 

when those came around. 

However, a few years later there 

were these things called LED. 

Kind of makes you wonder… 

What’s going to be next? 

As for computers in the cars…. 

well, they’ve been around a 

while, true enough. About 25 

years or so, in the Houston/Harris 

County area. At first, they were 

bulky and not very bright. No, 

not that kind of bright. Like brilliancy, 

I mean……… Wait. I guess 

comparatively, they weren’t all 

that bright either, back then, 

compared to what we 

are running around with 

today. 

Our body armor, firearms, 

flashlights, radios, 

and all kinds of other 

“bat-belt gadgets” have 

also changed over the 

years. Some for the better. 

Some, not so much. 

We used to carry a 

revolver with two speed 

loaders, flashlight/nightstick 

ring, handcuffs, 


and a handheld radio. That was 

about it. Now, lookout. We’re 

adding all kinds of fun stuff for 

an officer to carry and their hips, 

shoulders and back to ache with. 

While modern technology 

has improved our profession in 

many ways, there remains one 

constant which has not, nor will 

it ever change. We still must 

get up, saddle up and go out to 

catch the “bad guys.” Doesn’t 

matter what gear, gadgets, or 

gizmos we have, we still must 

do the fundamental task of being 

a good cop. 

The irony of all this is, the 

picture of the inside of the “old 

patrol car” looked totally modern 

and cool back in “its day” 

and the one just taken, well it 

looks modern and cool for “its 

day-today.” Time and technology 

will show us in a few years, 

RED MARK USA 

Rescuing the Innocent 

what was super cool today, is 

super old tomorrow. 

Guaranteed. 

Houston Police officers, Harris County Sheriff’s deputies and deputy constables 

are imprisoned by a corrupt district attorney on trumped up charges. A 

progressive police chief investigates and fires officers by the dozens on spurious 

complaints. 

The USA is under the control of a leftist government. Anyone found in contempt 

of the new ideology has their bank accounts closed and locked. That’s 

the Red Mark. 

Left wing rioters burn and destroy churches, synagogues, mosques and temples. 

The First and Second amendments to the Constitution are declared null 

and void. Right wing insurrectionists plot to kidnap the mayor and city council. 

Corrupt and inept Department of Human Relations police abuse citizens and 

act like a new Gestapo. 

Dozens of police officers, sheriff’s deputies and constables are scheduled 

for execution by public hanging in front of an angry mob. It’s up to a group of 

officers and deputies to rescue them before they’re killed. Working in strictest 

secrecy, knowing that the discovery of their plot will mean prison and death, 

they work against time to rescue the innocent. 

Deacon Blue is a retired Houston Police Officer. 

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This editorial will be rather 

difficult to write. I’m quite sure 

you’ll find it rather difficult to digest. 

But this needs to be talked 

about. It needs to be brought out 

into the light, from the darkness 

of hidden truth. 

When a law enforcement officer 

dies in the line of duty, he or 

she is provided a state funeral. 

21-gun salute, TAPS, bag pipes, 

everything. And that’s rightfully 

so. What I call your attention to 

is those officers who are seriously 

injured and survive their 

grievous injuries. Whether by 

gunfire, a blade, a violent and 

relentless assault or motor vehicle 

car crash. 

Those officers and their families 

are taxed with the steady 

influx of their “regular” bills, 

compounded by the arrival of all 

the medical bills. Then to add 

insult to injury, workers comp 

denies tests and medications 

time and time again, citing, not 

within their responsibility. 

Department heads defer to 

their city or county officials 

for “guidance” in such circumstances 

and are subsequently, 

released from all blame. Or are 

who were shot, stabbed, beaten 

or in some other manner, injured 

in the line of duty. We collectively 

owe this to those brave men and 

women and their families. We just 

do. To make private organizations, 

such as the 100 Club or private citizens 

organize private fundraisers 

just so the injured officer’s family 

can put food on the table is fundamentally 

WRONG. Yes, I know 

the age old saying, “That’s just the 

way it is.” Well, maybe so. That 

certainly doesn’t make it right. In 

fact, it’s just plain wrong. 

For example, when Deputy 

Sheriff Whitten at Liberty County 

Sheriff’s Office selflessly stood between 

an active shooter and more 

potential innocent victims, he sustained 

a catastrophic injury due to 

gunfire, which left him paralyzed 

from the chest down. Workers 

comp didn’t give a damn about his 

life, his bravery, his sacrifice, or his 

family. They wouldn’t help with a 

ramp for his home. They wouldn’t 

help with a wheelchair accessible 

van, for transport to and from all 

the numerous doctor’s appointments 

he had to endure. 

The men and women of the 

LCSO built that ramp for him and 

him paralyzed and unable to provide 

for his family. His family has 

endured years of struggles and 

failures by those who were supposed 

to be there for them, when 

they were needed the most. 

It would seem our state legislators 

could find the funds in 

their huge budget to lend a hand. 

I mean, there are some smaller, 

more rural agencies who absolutely 

do not have the resources 

even if they wanted to help. We 

are fortunate here in the greater 

Houston area to have departments 

with multimillion budgets. To 

abandon these men and women 

who are injured, and suffering 

is morally wrong. It is a terrible 

injustice and a blight on our profession 

which needs to not only be 

addressed but resolved. 

This is Texas. We should be 

doing better. We need to be doing 

better. Texas has shown the nation 

and the world just how we get 

things done for over two hundred 

years. This is another opportunity 

for Texas to show everyone else 

how it’s done. To show Texans 

truly do Back the Blue and care 

enough to not just honor our fallen 

but to honor those who were 

they? As a department, how can his family. The 100 Club of Houston 

purchased the van and had it duty. 

also seriously injured in the line of 

any of you just stand by and 

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income and do nothing? 

to do. 

fix it. We’re Texans, and correcting 

• Prevent unauthorized staff from driving specialist vehicles, or racking up miles on the 

I respectfully submit, perhaps Another local example of an injured 

injustices is what we’re famous 

newer fleet while older units sit idle. 

the state of Texas should step 

hero denied help by workers for. 

• Allow management to compel the use of vehicle pools rather than staff controlling the 

in and say “ENOUGH!” We need comp, Houston Police Officer John And to all those injured in the 

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THE OATH MADE ME A COP 

I wore uniform and a badge, did 

so with pride and thought I did a 

good job. Lots of turmoil today, lots 

of comments from cops and people 

in general. To serve, I was required 

to take an oath. Honestly, I do not 

remember the exact oath words from 

those days. 

Sure, I applied the oath as best as 

I could. But memory fades. Today I 

looked up the oath as required by the 

Texas Secretary of State. 

“I, Bobby Welborn, do solemnly 

swear (or affirm), that I will faithfully 

execute the duties of the office of 

police officer of the State of Texas, 

and will to the best of my ability preserve, 

protect, and defend the Constitution 

and laws of the United States 

and of this State, so help me God.” 

Short and to the point. No allowance 

for murder of a citizen by law 

enforcement, a clear duty to interfere 

if you see anyone committing 

such an assault, a clear duty to 

protect those who peacefully protest 

and petition, duty to enforce all laws, 

always, against all law breakers including 

police officers. 

You see, the First Amendment 

clearly protects free speech and a 

free press. 

The Preamble provides for justice 

and domestic tranquility. 

Texas clearly cites what is legal 

and illegal use of force, when deadly 

force can be used, and defines criminal 

homicide. 

No cop can deny what an officer’s 

duty is, especially in the use of force. 

And no officer should advocate an 

exemption for brothers in blue who 

violate the Constitutions and laws. 

I began this by confessing the Oath 

of Office faded in my memory. Boy, 

do we hear a lot about saying the 

Pledge of Allegiance. How about every 

police meeting, -every public and 

private gathering we open with the 

Oath of Office? We think prayer and 

pledges are important reminders, I 

think the Oath of Office is also. 

Consider the George Floyd case. Did 

you see officers honoring the oath 

they took? I did not. 

Cops and citizens, quit supporting 

illegal actions from police. You are 

ruining the value of the Oath of Office 

they took. You blemish my badge. 

If they cannot live the oath, they 

can get out. 

I thought the oath made me a cop. 

BOBBY WELBORN 

SHERIFF JOE 

For those not familiar with Joe 

Arpaio, he is the County Sheriff of 

Maricopa County, Arizona. He keeps 

getting re-elected repeatedly. 

These are some of the reasons why: 

Sheriff Joe Arpaio created the 

“tent city jail” to save Arizona from 

spending tens of millions of dollars 

on another expensive prison complex. 

Inmates sleep in tents! He has jail 

meals down to 20 cents a serving 

and charges the inmates for them. 

He banned smoking and pornographic 

magazines in the jails, and 

took away their weightlifting equipment 

and cut off all but “G” movies. 

He says: “They’re in jail to pay a debt 

to society, not to build muscles so 

they can assault innocent people 

when they leave.” 

He started chain gangs to use the 

inmates to do free work on county 

and city projects and save taxpayer’s 

money. Men work in pink “Clean and 

Sober” shirts. Their underwear is also 

pink! Then he started chain gangs for 

women so he wouldn’t get sued for 

discrimination. 

He took away cable TV until he 

found out there was a federal court 

order that required cable TV for jails. 

So, he hooked up the cable TV again 

but only allows the Disney channel 

and the weather channel. 

When asked why the weather 

channel, he replied: “So these morons 

will know how hot it’s going to be 

while they are working on my chain 

gangs.” 

He cut off coffee because it has 

zero nutritional value and is therefore 

a waste of taxpayer money. When 

the inmates complained, he told 

them, “This isn’t the Ritz Carlton. If 

you don’t like it, don’t come back.” 

He also bought the Newt Gingrich 

lecture series on US history that he 

pipes into the jails. When asked by a 

reporter if he had any lecture series 

by a Democrat, he replied that a 

democratic lecture series that tells 

the truth for a change would be welcome 

and that it might even explain 

why 95% of the inmates were in his 

jails in the first place. 

With temperatures being even 

hotter than usual in Phoenix (116 

degrees just set a new record for 

June 2, 2009), the Associated Press 

reported: About 2,000 inmates living 

in a barbed wire surrounded tent 

encampment at the Maricopa County 

Jail have been given permission to 

strip down to their government-issued 

pink boxer shorts. 

On that Wednesday, hundreds 

of men wearing pink boxer shorts 

were overheard chatting in the tents, 

where temperatures reached 128 

degrees. “This is hell. It feels like we 

live in a furnace,” said Ernesto Gonzales, 

an inmate for 2 years with 10 

more to go. “It’s inhumane.” 

Joe Arpaio, who makes his prisoners 

wear pink, and eat bologna 

sandwiches, is not one bit sympathetic. 

“Criminals should be punished 

for their crimes - not live-in luxury 

until it’s time for parole, only to go 

out and commit more crimes so they 

can come back in to live on taxpayer’s 

money and enjoy things many 

taxpayers can’t afford to have for 

themselves.” 

The same day he told all the inmates 

who were complaining of the 

heat in the tents: “It’s between 120 

to 130 degrees in Iraq and our soldiers 

are living in tents there too, and 

they have to walk all day in that sun, 

wearing full battle gear and getting 

shot at, and THEY have not committed 

any crimes, so shut your damned 

mouths!” 

Sheriff Joe was just re-elected for 

the fourteenth time as Sheriff in Maricopa 

County, Arizona 

A FAN OF SHERIFF JOE 

SHERIFF D. CLARKE SAYS IT BEST! 

It’s not the police who need to be 

retrained, it’s the public. We have 

grown into a mouthy, mobile phone 

wielding, vulgar, uncivil society 

with no personal responsibility and 

the attitude of ‘it’s the other person’s 

fault’, ‘you owe me’. A society where 

children grow up with no boundaries 

LE AGENCIES 

FN 15 

PROMOTION ENDS 7/31/21 

or knowledge or concern for civil 

society and personal responsibility. 

When an officer says “Put your 

hands up,” then put your hands up! 

Don’t reach for something in your 

pocket, your lap, your seat. There’s 

plenty of reason for a police officer 

to feel threatened, there have been 

multiple assaults and ambushes on 

police officers lately. Comply with 

requests from the officer, have your 

day in court. Don’t mouth off, or fight, 

or refuse to comply... that escalates 

the situation. 

Police officers are our sons and 

daughters, fathers and mothers, 

brothers and sisters. They’re black, 

white, brown, all colours, all ethnicities, 

all faiths, male and female, 

they are us. They see the worst side 

of humanity... the raped children, the 

bloody mangled bodies of traffic 

victims, the bruised and battered victims 

of domestic violence, homicide 

victims, body parts... day after day. 

They work holidays while we have 

festive meals with our families. They 

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miss school events with their kids, 

birthdays, anniversaries, all those 

special occasions that we take for 

granted. They work in all types of 

weather, under dangerous conditions, 

for relatively low pay. 

They have extensive training, but 

they are human. When there are 

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You, Mr & Mrs/Miss Civilian, also have 

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Many law enforcement officers are 

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Governor signs bill that lets citizens carry handguns with LTC or any 

handgun training. Most LE agencies are opposed to the new law. 

Constitutional Carry Becomes Law September 1 

AUSTIN – Texans will soon be 

able to carry a handgun without 

a license after Gov. Greg Abbott 

signed a bill allowing for the 

permitless carry of firearms. 

The new law, which goes into 

effect September 1, allows those 

who are 21 and older and not 

otherwise prohibited from having 

a gun to carry a handgun 

without a license. Abbott signed 

House Bill 1927 on Wednesday 

and held a ceremonial signing 

for the legislation and other new 

gun laws on Thursday. He was 

joined by members of the legislature 

and representatives from 

the National Rifle Association, 

as well as Jack Wilson, who 

stopped a gunman at a While 

Settlement church in 2019. 

“Constitutional Carry is now 

law in Texas,” Abbott said after 

adding his signature to the bill at 

Alamo Hall in San Antonio. 

The law prohibits permitless 

carry for people convicted of 

certain misdemeanors in the 

past five years and increases 

penalties for felons who illegally 

carry a gun. It also requires 

the Texas Department of Public 

Safety to develop a free online 

course on firearm safety and 

training. 

Texans wanting to carry a 

handgun have been required to 

get a license, a process that includes 

submitting fingerprints to 

the Texas Department of Public 

Safety, a criminal history background 

check and an LTC course 

with components education on 

Texas firearm laws. 

“I believe that the right to 

defend yourself and your family 

is given to us by God,” said Rep. 

Matt Schaefer, the bill’s author 

and a Tyler Republican, in a 

Wednesday statement. “The Second 

Amendment stands to ensure 

that right can be exercised, 

and infringements contrary to 

that right must be removed. Laws 

only constrain law-abiding citizens. 

Fools and criminals don’t 

care what laws we pass. My faith 

is with law-abiding Texans.” 

The law applies to both Texas 

residents and people from out 

of state, according to Schaefer’s 

office. Handguns can be carried 

openly in a holster or concealed. 

The legislative session that 

ended May 31 was the first since 

the 2019 mass shootings at an El 

Paso Walmart and in the Midland-Odessa 

area. El Paso lawmakers 

and gun safety advocates 

have expressed disappointment 

that more wasn’t done to address 

gun violence. 

Texas Gun Sense in a statement 

said that the bill is irresponsible 

and will endanger Texans. 

“No one with any credibility 

believes that allowing more 

untrained people to wield guns 

will make any of us safer,” said 

Texas Democratic Party Chair 

Gilberto Hinojosa in a statement. 

Former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke 

of El Paso agreed that the new 

law will make Texas less safe. 

He said communities that have 

experienced mass shootings 

“understand all too well what 

happens when we don’t prioritize 

gun safety in this state.” 

“I hope we as a state come to 

our sense on this one,” O’Rourke 

said. 

The legislation has received 

opposition from the Texas Police 

Chiefs Association. The Sheriffs’ 

Association of Texas previously 

said it supports the bill as 

amended by the Senate. Chambers 

County Sheriff Brian Hawthorne, 

who serves as the sheriff 

association’s legislative chairman, 

said most of the changes 

they wanted stayed in the final 

version of the legislation and 

that the new law has the group’s 

support. 

“We feel like it is still a good 

bill that is capable of being 

managed, and we don’t think 

that the average citizen in the 

state of Texas will even feel or 

see a difference,” he said. 

A spokesperson for Tarrant 

County Sheriff Bill Waybourn did 

not immediately return a request 

for comment. Fort Worth Police 

Chief Neil Noakes expressed 

opposition to the proposal in an 

April letter where he said the 

department doesn’t support any 

legislation that would allow a 

handgun to be carried without a 

license. 

“At the FWPD we respect the 

right of Texas to responsibly own 

and use firearms,” Nokaes said in 

a previous statement that was 

provided to the Star-Telegram 

Thursday after it requested an 

interview. “We also know that 

doing so is a great responsibility. 

Having measures in place to 

ensure the safety of all Texans 

is paramount. It comes down to 

responsibility and safety, not an 

infringement on Texan’s rights.” 

The Arlington Police Department 

declined to comment on 

the bill. 

Abbott signed several other 

bills related to firearms while in 

San Antonio. 

Among them is House Bill 

2622, which makes Texas a 

“Second Amendment Sanctuary 

State,” one of Abbott’s priorities. 

The law, which goes into effect 

September 1, bars the state and 

local law enforcement from 

contracting with or assist in the 

enforcement of certain federal 

firearm laws that didn’t already 

exist under state law. 

Abbott also signed a bill that 

prohibits hotels from adopting 

a policy that bars guests from 

carrying or storing a firearm or 

ammunition in their rooms and 

another that allows Texans to 

carry a handgun in the holster 

style of their choice. 

“Politicians from the federal 

level to the local level have 

threatened to take guns from 

law-abiding citizens — but we 

will not let that happen in Texas,” 

Abbott said in a statement. 

“Texas will always be the leader 

in defending the Second Amendment, 

which is why we built a 

barrier around gun rights this 

session. 

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Laredo PD Improves Officer Safety with 

Mobileye Collision Avoidance System 

LAREDO – Police officers are 

distracted drivers. Between 

scanning the environment and 

interacting with their radio and 

computer, driving is just another 

part of their duties, according 

to Uri Tamir, general manager 

of Mobileye North America. That 

means safety behind the wheel 

is an even bigger concern, especially 

since vehicle-related 

incidents are a leading cause of 

officer death. 

Emanuel Diaz, public information 

officer for the Laredo 

(TX) Police Department, agrees. 

Officers are often checking information 

or updating notes in 

their mobile data terminals, and 

the department wanted to ensure 

an extra safety measure 

was available for their drivers. 

The department began installing 

the Mobileye collision avoidance 

system several years ago on all 

new vehicles. 

The system works like advanced 

driver assistance systems 

(ADAS) that provide lane departure 

and collision warnings 

but has police-specific features 

such as the ability to turn the 

alerts off, Tamir said. This allows 

officers in pursuit mode to have 

full control of their vehicle when 

needed. 

“It allows an extra safety feature 

or warning system. In the 

off chance we may be doing 

something within our computers, 

checking a note or something 

like that on a hot call, and we’re 

coming close to another vehicle, 

we hear that distinct beep. 

We know something’s about to 

happen, so we start applying 

our brakes and taking an evasive 

maneuver if we need to,” Diaz 

said. “It’s essentially an added 

security feature for our officers 

that helps in their everyday job 

duties.” 

Mobileye is installed in most 

of the PD’s fleet of 200 vehicles, 

which consists of mostly Ford 

Police Interceptor Utility SUVs 

but also includes Dodge Chargers, 

F-150 pickups, Crown Vic’s, 

and Chevrolet Caprices. The goal 

is to have all patrol vehicles 

installed with the technology, 

which will be complete once all 

the older vehicles are cycled out. 

Diaz said at first, officers 

were confused by the beep that 

sounded when they, for example, 

changed lanes without signaling. 

However, they got used to it and 

“it has saved them from actually 

rear-ending other motorists,” 

Diaz said. 



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“Truckin’ for a Cause” 

Event on the 17th of July to raise money for ATO - Assist the Officer – Houston 

HOUSTON – Leaders of a local 

Houston diesel truck group 

called “Dirty South Diesels” have 

created an event on the 17th 

of July to raise money for ATO 

(Assist the Officer – Houston). 

The event “Truckin’ for a Cause” 

in Kemah at Jackie’s Brickhouse 

will consist of diesel truck enthusiasts, 

and those who continue 

to show support for officers. 

The DSD group president Chris 

Gehring, VP Jonathan Calhoun, 

financial handler Katlyn Calhoun, 

Shane Hetzler, and event 

planner Michael Gregory are 

looking to raise more than $10K 

through donations (monetary/ 

items), and a truck/car show 

that is expected to draw hundreds 

of supporters. 

Event coordinator Michael 

Gregory says, “Our group has al- 

ready received a lot of response 

by having a total of $4,000 

before the event has even started, 

even though our goal was 

set at $10,000, we will continue 

to push to the end in hopes that 

our final number exceeds that!” 

The event will consist of raffle/ 

auction items, and lots of spectacular 

vehicles that are made 

and designed for the “show 

industry.” Some of the raffle/ 

auction items include: Astros 

tickets, sports memorabilia, 

truck light bars, custom ordered 

challenge coins, a Gen 3 Glock 

17 9mm, and a semi auto shotgun. 

The truck/car show portion 

will consist of lifted/modified 

trucks, sports/classic cars, SXS, 

Jeeps, kids power wheels, and 

more! “If you’re looking for a 

great event designed to give 

back to our officers, great food, 

drinks, DJ, and even a K9 demo, 

this event will be perfect for the 

whole family to enjoy! The venue 

will be Jackie’s Brickhouse at 

1053 Marina Bay Drive in Kemah, 

TX. The group consists of 

almost 1,700 diesel members, 

and will be supported by several 

other local truck/car groups 

across Texas. The event slogan 

is “It’s our turn to be a hero for 

our heroes!” 

“We want our officers to know 

that we are here to fully support 

them through any tough times 

they may encounter, especially 

in our current society. We look 

forward to doing more events 

like this soon, but also for all 

first responders across the 

board! Officers, we have your 6!” 

per Michael G. 


Supreme Court rules police can NOT enter a home without a warrant even 

if they are in ‘hot pursuit’ of a misdemeanor suspect. 

Court Limits Warrantless Entry Even in Pursuit 

WASHINGTON — The Supreme 

Court on Wednesday put limits 

on when police officers pursuing 

a fleeing suspect can enter a 

home without a warrant. 

The high court ruled that when 

officers are pursuing someone 

suspected of a misdemeanor, a 

less serious crime, they cannot 

always enter a home without a 

warrant if a suspect enters. 

The court had previously said 

that police in “hot pursuit” of a 

suspect believed to have committed 

a more serious crime, a 

felony, can enter a home without 

a warrant. 

The case the justices decided 

Wednesday is important both to 

law enforcement and to groups 

concerned about privacy. 

“The flight of a suspected 

misdemeanant does not always 

justify a warrantless entry into a 

home. An officer must consider 

all the circumstances in a pursuit 

case to determine whether there 

is a law enforcement emergency. 

On many occasions, the officer 

will have good reason to enter 

— to prevent imminent harms of 

violence, destruction of evidence, 

or escape from the home. 

But when the officer has time to 

get a warrant, he must do so — 

even though the misdemeanant 

fled,” Justice Elena Kagan wrote 

for most of the court. 

The case before the justices 

involved California resident 

Arthur Lange. One evening in 

2016, an officer saw Lange driving 

his station wagon in Sonoma 

County, playing music loudly and 

honking his horn several times. 

The officer believed those were 

noise violations punishable by 

small fines and followed Lange. 

The officer later turned on his 

car’s lights to get Lange to stop. 

But Lange continued driving for 

about four seconds, turned into 

his driveway and entered his 

garage without stopping. 

The officer got out of his car 

and, as Lange’s garage door was 

closing, stuck his foot under the 

door so it would re-open. Lange 

was ultimately arrested after the 

officer smelled alcohol on his 

breath, and he was charged with 

driving under the influence as 

well as an excessive noise offense. 

Lange argued that the officer’s 

entry into the garage without 

a warrant violated his Fourth 

Amendment right to be free of 

“unreasonable searches and 

seizures.” 

The case is Lange v. California, 

20-18. 



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“BAD BOYS, BAD BOYS, WHAT YA GONNA DO ...” 

Creator of COPS, John Langley Passes Away 

at age 78. 

By Richard Sandomir 

John Langley, a creator of 

“COPS,” the stark-looking reality 

television crime series that 

followed police officers on drug 

busts, domestic disputes, and 

high-speed chases for more than 

30 years, died on Saturday in 

Baja, Mexico. He was 78. 

Mr. Langley apparently had a 

heart attack while driving with 

a navigator in the Ensenada San 

Felipe 250 Coast to Coast offroad 

race, said Pam Golum, the 

spokeswoman for Langley Productions. 

“COPS,” which made its debut 

on Fox in 1989 and ran until last 

year, documented misdemeanors 

and felonies through the lenses 

of hand-held video cameras. Its 

stories told without narration or 

music except for its reggae theme 

song, “Bad Boys.” 

The show, created with Malcolm 

Barbour, was supposed to 

be an unbiased look at law enforcement, 

and Mr. Langley later 

saw it as a truer expression of reality 

TV than series that followed 

it, like “Survivor.” 

“You can be entertained by it, 

you can be disgusted, but it is 

what happened,” he told The New 

York Times in 2007. “It wasn’t 

staged, it wasn’t scripted. I didn’t 

put anyone on an island and tell 

them what to do.” 

Each episode told a different 

story shot by a crew embedded 

with one of various police departments. 

A drug sting at a pain 

management clinic. A taser used 

to subdue a man called Lion. A 

woman found in a car with warrants 

for terroristic threats. A car 

pursuit into the woods. A man 

arrested in a car with fake license 

plates while holding 20 grams of 

crystal meth. 

Reviewing the first episode 

for The Times, John J. O’Connor 

wrote: “For purposes of the show, 

however, the court of law is the 

video camera, which is kept running 

even when the trapped suspect 

protests its presence. We are 

reminded several times that ‘this 

program shows an unpleasant 

reality’ and that ‘viewer discretion 

is advised.’ That should keep them 

from switching to another channel.” 

“COPPS” began in Broward 

County, Fla., where in 1986 Mr. 

Langley and Mr. Barbour got the 

local police to cooperate in a nationally 

syndicated documentary, 

“American Vice: The Doping of a 

Nation,” hosted by Geraldo Rivera, 

who was also the executive 

producer. 

Mr. Langley recalled in a television 

Academy interview in 2009 

that the Broward County episodes 

became part of his successful 

pitch to other police departments. 

“We’re not the news,” he said 

he told them. “We’re not here to 

expose your department or look 

A scene from a 1998 episode of “Cops.” “We’re not the news,” Mr. Langley said he would tell local police departments. 

“We’re not here to expose your department or look for dirt, but to show how difficult your job is on an everyday basis.” 

for dirt, but to show how difficult 

your job is on an everyday basis.” 

Nick Navarro, the former sheriff 

of Broward County, said “COPS” 

had helped make police departments 

more transparent by combating 

negative stereotypes about 

officers. 

“I was sick and tired of seeing 

police officers portrayed in TV 

shows and movies as Dirty Harry 

and Miami Vice, and just out 

there killing and maiming and 

doing extravagant things,” Mr. 

Navarro told The Miami Herald in 

1999. 

In 2013, after Fox had aired 

several hundred episodes, a civil 

rights group, Color of Change, 

mounted a campaign to cancel 

“COPS.” The group said that the 

show’s producers and advertisers 

had built “a model around distorted 

and dehumanizing portrayals 

of Black Americans and 

the criminal justice system” and 

had created a reality “where the 

police are always competent, 

crime-solving heroes and where 

the bad boys always get caught.” 

In the Academy interview four 

years earlier, Mr. Langley addressed 

criticism about race in 

“COPS” by saying that while 60 to 

70 percent of street crime was 

“caused by people of color,” he 

had made sure that most of the 

criminals seen on the show were 

white, to avoid “negative stereotyping,” 

he said, and because 

most of the show’s audience was 

white. 

Fox did cancel “COPS,” but it 

was swiftly resuscitated by Spike 

TV (now the Paramount Network). 

Last year, however, amid 

protests over the police murder 

of George Floyd in Minneapolis 

and calls for criminal justice 

reform and police accountability, 

Paramount dropped the show. 

John Russell Langley Jr. was 

born on June 1, 1943, in Oklahoma 

City and moved to Los Angeles 

with his family when he was a 

baby. His father was an oil wildcatter. 

His mother, Lurleen (Fox) 

Langley, was a homemaker. 

After serving in Army intelligence 

in the early 1960s — he 

was in Panama during the Cuban 

missile crisis — Mr. Langley 

earned his bachelor’s and mas- 


ter’s degrees in English literature 

from California State University, 

Dominguez Hills, and studied for 

a Ph.D. in the philosophy of aesthetics 

at the University of California, 

Irvine, but did not complete 

his degree. 

He worked in marketing for 

Northwest Airlines, wrote short 

stories and a screenplay, and had 

a job with a company — where 

he met Mr. Barbour — that produced 

press kits and posters for 

movies. Forming their own company, 

the two men directed “Cocaine 

Blues” (1983), a documentary 

about the perils of cocaine 

abuse, which led them to make 

an antidrug music video, “Stop 

the Madness,” for Ronald Reagan’s 

White House in 1985. (Mr. Barbour 

retired from producing in 1994.) 

Mr. Langley produced several 

other documentaries, some with 

Mr. Rivera, while trying to pitch 

“COPS” to NBC, CBS, and ABC, all 

of which rejected the idea. But 

Fox ordered a pilot. 

“Barry Diller watched it and 

said: ‘God, that’s powerful, too 

powerful,’” Mr. Langley said in the 

Academy interview, referring to a 

meeting with the Fox chairman at 

the time. Another executive worried 

that Fox’s stations would not 

accept such a raw program. (Mr. 

Langley had left in a lot of blood 

and guts, he said, knowing he 

could cut it.) But Rupert Murdoch, 

whose company controls Fox, 

said, “Order four episodes.” 

“COPS” spawned several other 

unscripted crime series by Mr. 

Langley, including “Las Vegas 

Jailhouse,” “Jail,” “Street Patrol,” 

“Undercover Stings” and “Vegas 

Strip,” which he produced with 

his son Morgan, the executive 

vice president of development at 

Langley Productions. 

In addition to his son, Mr. Langley 

is survived by his wife, Maggie 

(Foster) Langley; their daughter, 

Sarah Langley Dews; another 

son, Zak, who is the senior vice 

president of music at Langley 

Productions; a daughter, Jennifer 

Blair, from a previous marriage to 

Judith Knudson, which ended in 

divorce, and seven grandchildren. 

Mr. Langley understood the 

power of a police department’s 

cooperation when, while shooting 

“American Vice,” he asked the 

Broward police if he could shoot 

a drug raid live. 

“I said, ‘If you’re going to do this 

bust anyway, can you do it on this 

date, and maybe do it in this twohour 

window?’” he told the Television 

Academy. “They said, ‘Yeah, 

sure,’ and that’s how we did it.” 

Richard Sandomir is an obituaries 

writer. He previously wrote 

about sports media and sports 

business. He is also the author 

of several books, including “The 

Pride of the Yankees: Lou Gehrig, 

Gary Cooper and the Making of a 

Classic.” @RichSandomir 


Chauvin Sentenced to 22 1/2 Years 

Former Minneapolis police 

officer Derek Chauvin was 

sentenced last month to 270 

months in prison on Jun 25, 

2021. 

By Amy Forliti and 

Steve Karnowski, AP 

MINNEAPOLIS — The punishment 

— which fell short of the 

30 years that prosecutors had 

requested — came after Chauvin 

broke his more than yearlong 

silence in court to offer condolences 

to the Floyd family and 

say he hopes more information 

coming out will eventually give 

them “some peace of mind.” 

With good behavior, Chauvin, 

45, could be paroled after serving 

two-thirds of his sentence, 

or about 15 years. 

In imposing the punishment, 

Judge Peter Cahill went beyond 

the 12 1/2-year sentence prescribed 

under state guidelines, 

citing “your abuse of a position 

of trust and authority and also 

the particular cruelty” shown to 

Floyd. 

Chauvin was immediately 

led back to prison. As with the 

verdicts in April, he showed 

little emotion when the judge 

pronounced the sentence. His 

eyes moved rapidly around the 

courtroom, his COVID-19 mask 

obscuring much of his face. 

The fired white officer was 

convicted of second-degree 

unintentional murder, third-degree 

murder and second-degree 

manslaughter for pressing his 

knee against Floyd’s neck for up 

to 9 1/2 minutes as the 46-yearold 

Black man gasped that he 

couldn’t breathe and went limp 

on May 25, 2020. 

Chauvin, who did not testify at 

his trial, removed his mask and 

turned toward the Floyd family, 

speaking only briefly because of 

what he called “some additional 

legal matters at hand” — an apparent 

reference to the federal 

civil rights trial he still faces. 

“But very briefly, though, I do 

want to give my condolences to 

the Floyd family. There’s going to 

be some other information in the 

future that would be of interest. 

And I hope things will give you 

some peace of mind,” he said, 

without elaborating. 

In asking that Chauvin be left 

off on probation, defense attorney 

Eric Nelson called Floyd’s 

death “tragic” and said that 

Chauvin’s “brain is littered with 

what-ifs” from that day: “What 

if I just did not agree to go in 

that day? What if things had 

gone differently? What if I never 

responded to that call? What if, 

what if, what if?” 

Floyd’s family members took 

the stand and expressed sorrow 

about his death. They asked for 

the maximum penalty. 

“We don’t want to see no more 

slaps on the wrist. We’ve been 

through that already,” said a 

tearful Terrence Floyd, one of 

Floyd’s brothers. 


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Axon Launches New In-Car Video System 

Axon’s AI-powered ALPR automatic license plate recognition delivers 

up to 8x more plate reads for the same price as traditional systems. 

By Suzie Ziegler 

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — On 

Wednesday, public safety technologies 

manufacturer Axon announced 

that its new generation 

of in-car video systems in now 

shipping to customers. 

The Fleet 3 in-car video system 

features Axon’s AI-powered automatic 

license plate recognition 

service along with real-time situational 

awareness through Axon 

Respond for Devices, according 

to the release. The integration 

with Axon Respond brings live 

video streaming, alerts, and 

location updates enabled by 5G 

connectivity, thereby providing 

real-time visibility and location 

mapping of vehicles in the field. 

“This breakthrough technology 

is a game changer for in-car 

cameras,” said Blake Bullock, 

Director of Axon Fleet, in a 

statement. “We’ve substantially 

elevated the simple in-car dash 

camera to one that can automatically 

and simultaneously scan 

plates across multiple lanes of 

traffic at closing speeds up to 

140 mph. We’ve designed the 

system to be disruptively affordable 

to allow for ALPR deployment 

across an agency’s entire 

fleet of police vehicles instead of 

just in a small number of designated 

vehicles.” 

CLICK TO WATCH THE VIDEO 

An officer sits in a patrol car mounted with an Axon Fleet 3 in-car video system. 

According to the release, the 

company consulted Axon’s AI 

Ethics Board report on ALPR to 

balance effectiveness with privacy 

and accountability. 

“We are proud of the connected 

capabilities of the Fleet 3 

in-car video solution,” said Axon 

CEO and founder Rick Smith in a 

statement. “With seamless connection 

and integration into our 

real-time situational awareness 

platform, Respond for Devices, 

agencies will have better visibility 

into what’s happening in the 

field.” 

Axon partnered with Flock 

Safety, Cradlepoint, and Airgain 

as part of the Fleet 3 project, 

according to the company. 

Have news about your 

department? Send it to: 

bluespdmag@gmail.com 

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Every PD is Hiring, Salaries Vary 

from High to Barely Getting By 

Average police officer salaries across US range from $19K to 

$131K, depending on location, statistics show. Bureau of Labor 

Statistics data shows a mean hourly wage of $33.66 and average 

yearly salary of $70K 

Dr. John DeCarlo 

American police or sheriff’s 

patrol officers make anywhere 

from just under $19,000 up to 

$131,000, with salaries varying 

significantly by region and the 

department level, statistics analyzed 

by Fox news show. 

A police or sheriff’s patrol officer 

makes a mean hourly wage 

of $33.66 and an average yearly 

salary of $70,000, but their 

annual pay varies significantly 

by region and jurisdiction, the 

Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) 

most recent data for May 2020 

shows. 

Broken down by state, officers 

in California make the highest 

yearly salary, with $107,440, 

while those in Mississippi make 

the lowest, at $37,210 per year, 

statistics show. 

Meanwhile, looking at the more 

local level by examining the 

salaries of officers employed in 

metropolitan and non-metropolitan 

areas, BLS data shows mean 

yearly pay ranges from under 

$19,000 in some places and more 

than $131,000 in others. 

“We have tens of thousands 

of police departments across 

the nation, which is probably 

the most inefficient and ineffective 

policing model in the free 

world,” said Miami Police Chief 

Art Acevedo, who also serves 

as president of the Major Cities 

Chiefs Association. 

“Consequently, what happens 

[is] you have departments where 

officers are fairly compensated 

and you have departments 

where officers across the country, 

they don’t qualify for [Aid 

to Families with Dependent 

Children], AFDC, food stamps. 

They’re close to it, and they have 

to work more than one job to 

actually make ends meet.” 

Officers in Aguadilla-Isabela, 

Puerto Rico, for example, make 

$18,980 on average per year. 

In Guayama, Puerto Rico, they 

make a mean salary of $21,370, 

to name two areas in the commonwealth, 

according to data. 

Other areas of the country 

where officers make an average 

annual salary of under $40,000 

include parts of Arkansas and 

Mississippi, as well as Central 

Louisiana, Macon, Georgia, East 

Georgia’s nonmetropolitan area, 

Northeast South Carolina and 

South-Central Kentucky, figures 

show. 

“You look across the country, 

there are a lot of departments 

where officers are underpaid, 

which is a recruitment issue, a 

retention issue, and not to mention 

a quality of the candidate 

you’re going to get in the firstplace 

issue,” Acevedo told Fox 

News. 

Meanwhile, officers in Sunnyvale, 

San Jose and Santa Clara, 

California, are paid, on average, 

$131,090 per year, marking the 

highest mean annual salary of 

the country’s metropolitan areas. 

Second highest are the San 

Francisco, Oakland and Hayward, 

California, areas, with a 

mean annual salary of $122,570, 

BLS figures show. All 10 of the 

top-paid police departments 

in metropolitan regions are in 

California. 

Top-paying non-metropolitan 

areas include the North Valley, 

Eastern Sierra and North Coast 

regions of California, which 

range in mean annual pay from 

$82,740 to $93,570, as well as 

Hawaii and its Kauai area, with 

$84,370, and Alaska’s non-metropolitan 

jurisdiction, with 

$79,230, BLS statistics show. 

Retired police Sgt. Betsy Brantner-Smith, 

National Police Association 

spokesperson, noted 

how much police compensation 

varied so regionally, such as in 

Mississippi, where, looking at the 

state, the average hourly wage 

for officers is $17.89, according to 

BLS numbers. 

“I made a lot more than that 

in the Chicago metro area,” she 

told Fox News. “There is no real 

standard -- it has to reflect 

where you live. So, I was a cop 

in the Chicago suburbs. It’s expensive 

to live there, but not as 

expensive as Los Angeles. And so, 

it does need to reflect the area.” 

In Illinois, it’s $37.72, and in 

California, it’s $51.65, statewide 

BLA stats show. 

Brantner-Smith highlighted the 

range of training and “specialty” 

information officers need to have 

to respond to the litany of police 

calls. 

“As a police officer for 29 

years, I did everything from dealt 

with mentally ill people, negotiating 

people into letting their 

hostages go, talking to people 

out of killing themselves, delivering 

a baby, tasering somebody 

30 years younger than me 

through a neighborhood who 

just committed a burglary, and 

everything in between,” she said. 

“In today’s atmosphere, [there 

is] the expectation that police officers 

are going to have so much 

more specialty training, especially 

when we’re talking about 

mental illness and utilization of 

various different kinds of weapons 

and making sure that we’re 

always exactly within policy and 

things like that.” 

As of May 2020, the Bureau of 

Labor Statistics estimated there 

were 654,000 police and sheriff’s 

patrol officers employed 

throughout the country at the 

non-executive or non-supervisor 

levels. 

Dr. John DeCarlo, an associate 

professor at the University of 

New Haven’s Henry C. Lee College 

of Criminal Justice and Forensic 

Sciences, estimated that about 

$304 dollars are spent on police 

protection per person in the United 

States. DeCarlo told Fox News 

there are approximately 18,500 

police departments throughout 

the country, which are funded by 

local tax dollars. 


Miami Condo Collapses, 54 Dead, 94 Missing 

Video shows moment Fla. condo collapses: Responders still hope to find people 

alive as they comb through the rubble. 

By Terry Spencer and Adriana 

Gomez Licon, Associated Press 

SURFSIDE, FL. — About 94 people 

were still unaccounted for as 

of July 7th, two-weeks after an 

oceanside condominium building 

collapsed into a pile of rubble, 

and searchers combing through 

a twisted, shifting pile of concrete 

and metal feared the death 

toll of at least 54 could go much 

higher. 

With scores of firefighters 

working overnight to reach any 

possible survivors both from under 

and atop the remains of the 

building, hopes rested on how 

quickly crews using dogs and 

microphones to sift through the 

wreckage could complete their 

grim, yet delicate task. 

Workers ride in a lift as smoke 

rises off the rubble where a wing 

of a 12-story beachfront condo 

building collapsed, late on 

Thursday, June 24, 2021, in the 

Surfside area of Miami. 

“Every time we hear a sound, 

we concentrate on those areas,” 

said Assistant Miami-Dade Fire 

Chief Raide Jadallah. 

Three more bodies were 

removed overnight, and Miami-Dade 

Police Director Freddy 

Ramirez said authorities were 

working with the medical examiner’s 

office to identify the 

victims. Eleven injuries were re- 

ported, with four people treated 

at hospitals. 

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella 

Levine Cava said rescuers were 

at “extreme risk” going through 

the rubble. 

“Debris is falling on them as 

they do their work. We have 

structural engineers on site 

to ensure that they will not be 

injured, but they are proceeding 

because they are so motivated 

and they are taking extraordinary 

risk on the site every day,” she 

said. 

With searchers using saws and 

jackhammers to look for pockets 

large enough to hold a person, 

Levine Cava said there was still 

hope of finding people alive. 

The missing at what was left 

of the 12-story Champlain Towers 

South included people from 

around the world: A beloved 

retired Miami-area teacher and 

his wife. Orthodox Jews from 

Russia. Israelis. The sister of 

Paraguay’s first lady. Others from 

South America. 

State Sen. Jason Pizzo of Miami 

Beach told the Miami Herald he 

watched as tactical teams of 

six worked early Friday to sift 

through the debris. He said he 

saw one body taken in a yellow 

body bag and another that was 

marked. They were taken to a 

homicide unit tent that was set 

up along the beach. 

Many people remained at the 

reunification center set up near 

the collapse site early Friday 

morning, awaiting results of DNA 

swabs that could help identify 

victims. 

Officials said no cause for the 

collapse has been determined. 

Video of the collapse showed 

the center of the building appearing 

to tumble down first and 

a section nearest to the ocean 

teetering and coming down seconds 

later, as a huge dust cloud 

swallowed the neighborhood. 

About half the building’s 

roughly 130 units were affected, 

and rescuers pulled at least 35 

people from the wreckage in the 

first hours after the collapse. But 

with 147 still unaccounted for, 

work could go on for days. 

Television video early Friday 

showed crews still fighting flareups 

of fires on the rubble piles. 

Intermittent rain over South 

Florida is also hampering the 

search. 

Jadallah said that while listening 

devices placed on and in the 

wreckage had picked up no voices, 

they had detected possible 

banging noises, giving rescuers 

hope some are alive. Rescuers 

were tunneling into the wreckage 

from below, going through 

the building’s underground parking 

garage. 

Personal belongings were 

evidence of shattered lives amid 

the wreckage of the Champlain, 

which was built in 1981 in Surfside, 

a small suburb north of Miami 

Beach. A children’s bunk bed 

perched precariously on a top 

floor, bent but intact and apparently 

inches from falling into the 

rubble. A comforter lay on the 

edge of a lower floor. Televisions. 

Computers. Chairs. 

Argentines Dr. Andres Galfrascoli, 

his husband, Fabian Nuñez, 

and their 6-year-old daughter, 

Sofia, had spent Wednesday night 

there at an apartment belonging 

to a friend, Nicolas Fernandez. 

Galfrascoli, a Buenos Aires 

plastic surgeon, and Nuñez, a 

theater producer and accountant, 

had come to Florida to get away 

from a COVID-19 resurgence in 

Argentina and its strict lockdowns. 

They had worked hard to 

adopt Sofia, Fernandez said. 

“Of all days, they chose the 

worst to stay there,” Fernandez 

said. “I hope it’s not the case, but 

if they die like this, that would be 

so unfair.” 


At Surfside, Volunteers Shower First Responders 

& Rescue Workers with Food 

Firefighters, police officers and others working 12-hour shifts at the site have 

been plied with everything from pizza and energy drinks to deep-fried Oreos 

By Russ Bynum 

Associated Press 

SURFSIDE, Fla. — Nicolette 

Daniel pulled a wheeled cart 

packed with takeout boxes of 

chicken tenders, French fries 

and deep-fried Oreos to the intersection 

where police officers 

stood by their cars Tuesday, directing 

traffic a block from the 

collapsed condominium tower 

in Surfside, Florida. 

“They can’t leave their spot,” 

said Daniel. Determined to offer 

first responders a hot meal, 

she and her husband hired a 

food truck to cook 350 meals 

that are being distributed in a 

parking lot of a nearby church. 

Robert Martinez talks with a 

law enforcement officer after 

handing him a hot meal from 

his food truck in Surfside, Fla., 

Tuesday, June 29, 2021. (AP 

Photo/Russ Bynum) 

One of the officers Daniel 

approached, Sgt. Patricia 

Vazquez, thanked her for the 

offered meal, but graciously 

declined. 

“So many people have been 

coming by with food,” Vazquez 

said, patting her stomach. 

“Somebody just came by here 

with 50 Big Macs.” 

Since a huge section of the 

Champlain Towers South building 

fell to the ground early 

Thursday, an ever-growing 

virtual army of volunteers has 

been offering everything from 

water and energy drinks to 

pizza and deep-fried Oreos to 

firefighters, police officers and 

other rescue workers working 

12-hour shifts at the site. 

At Casa Church near the disaster 

site, Pastor Ezequiel Fattore 

got to work handing out 

refreshments to first responders 

within hours of the building 

collapse Thursday, beginning 

with a few bottles of water and 

Gatorade. 

“We had them in the fridge, 

and we started with those,” 

said Fattore, whose congregation 

soon started pitching in to 

help. “A couple of hours later, I 

was at Costco spending $600. 

Those were the first donations.” 

In a side room at Fattore’s 

church on Tuesday, cases of 

water were stacked four high, 

along with a large assortment 

of energy drinks, bottled iced 

coffees and bags of chips and 

other snacks. As volunteers 

packed coolers to distribute 

among police and emergency 

crews in the area, a van pulled 

up to offload more refreshments. 

“They’re coming from another 

church,” Fattore said. “I have no 

idea what they’re bringing.” 

In the church’s parking lot, 

Robert Martinez and his crew 

of three busied themselves frying 

chicken tenders and Oreos 

in Martinez’s circus-themed 

food truck. 

Martinez said they’d brought 

enough to feed 350 people. 

“Once we got the call to 

come help out and do whatever 

we can, there was no decision 

to make,” Martinez said. “It was 

like, `Let’s go!’” 

The call came from Daniel 

and her husband, Patrick 

Daniel, who have a law firm in 

Houston. Nicolette Daniel said 

they traveled from Texas to 

Florida to offer whatever assistance 

they could to victims’ 

families and emergency workers. 

Daniel said she felt compelled 

to give back after the 

outpouring of support she 

received when her mother died 

suddenly a year ago. 

“It was the doorbell that kept 

ringing and the people who 

kept calling that kept me going,” 

she said. 

36 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 37

Biden Announces Anti-Crime Measures, 

Provides Money to Police from COVID 

Relief Fund 

President Biden in remarks 

Wednesday said his crime prevention 

strategy would focus 

on boosting community policing, 

strengthening background 

checks on gun purchases, 

banning “assault weapons,” and 

banning high-capacity magazines. 

Biden boasted of “historic 

funding for crime prevention” 

in the $350 billion for state 

and local governments, from 

the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief 

package, that can be used by 

cities to hire law enforcement 

officers, pay overtime, invest 

in technology to make law 

enforcement more efficient, 

and prosecute gun traffickers. 

Officials said the Biden administration 

hoped cities would 

choose to use the money for alternatives 

to policing, too, and 

to invest in community policing 

models, Fox News reports. 

Both Biden and Attorney General 

Merrick Garland, who spoke 

before him, pointed to a historic 

rise in crime in the summertime, 

and said that rise “may be more 

pronounced” as the nation comes 

out of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The White House has insisted 

curbing gun violence is key to 

tamping down a “staggering” 

surge of crime across the U.S. 

The president said the DOJ has 

created five new “strike forces” 

to crack down on illegal gun 

trafficking cartels and called 

on the Senate to reauthorize the 

Violence Against Women Act, 

thereby closing the “boyfriend 

loophole” to keep guns out of 

the hands of domestic abusers. 

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to The BLUES, scan the 

QR code or click here. 


Groups Ask, Where’s the Money Nat? 

Nat Silvester went viral for all the wrong reasons, and lost his job. 

Now he’s raking it in, while promising to use the cash for a series 

of ambitious—and yet to launch—projects. 

By Kali Holloway 

In a video released in early June, 

just days after his firing from the 

Bellevue Marshal’s Office, former 

Idaho police officer Nate Silvester—who 

got internet famous in 

April with a viral TikTok mocking 

LeBron James’ tweet calling for accountability 

for the cop who killed 

16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant — stated 

that the teen girl’s “death was 

tragic, but it was also justified.” He 

also chastised his critics’ “radical 

woke ideologies,” and issued a declaration, 

or perhaps a warning, that 

“because I’m not wearing a badge 

anymore, you’re going to be hearing 

a lot more from me, so buckle up.” 

Now Silvester seems to be delivering 

on that promise, by launching 

a police-boosting podcast, 

writing a book about being a cop 

that’s slated for release later this 

year, and founding a nonprofit to 

give financial aid to police officers 

who have been unfairly “mistreated.” 

He’s also expanding his social 

media footprint to defend law 

enforcement agents from what he 

described to me as the “anti-police 

sentiment… of the left.” 

All this is made possible not only 

by the free time of unemployment, 

but also because of a GoFundMe 

campaign for Silvester that has seen 

the donations roll in. The campaign, 

launched by Silvester’s friend Gannon 

Ward on April 28, initially had a 

goal of just $10,000—money meant 

to supplement “at least a week’s 

worth of pay for suspension” from 

the Marshal’s Office after Silvester’s 

TikTok went viral and officials put 

out a statement declaring “this is 

NOT how we expect our Deputies to 

act on duty or use city time.” Three 

days later, the GoFundMe had over 

$200,000 in donations; less than 

a week after that, funds topped 

$460,000. As the pot has climbed, 

and the organizer has repeatedly 

increased the target monetary goal, 

Silvester has thanked donors via 

short talking-head videos posted 

on the campaign page. “We’re not 

going to tolerate being attacked 

or bullied or vilified in the media 

anymore,” he told followers in an 

early clip. 

There were also new beneficiaries 

named as the Go Fund Me 

donation pile grew. After the campaign 

surpassed its goal within 

hours of launching, an update from 

organizer Ward informed donors 

that then-officer Silvester “has 

decided to donate a portion to the 

charity The First Responders Children’s 

Foundation, a charity for 

the families of fallen officers and 

first responders. Therefore,” Ward 

added, “I’m upping the goal.” A day 

later, as funds continued to accrue 

and the target goal was again 

raised, a video update from Silvester 

noted “the additional funds 

that are coming in…they’re going to 

be used to make more content to 

shed positive light on law enforcement.” 

The next day, a new Silvester 

clip announced plans to found “a 

nonprofit organization that’s going 

to benefit officers” who are “being 

vilified and demonized constantly 

by Hollywood, by the media, and 

we can’t stand for it anymore.” (In a 

lengthier text update, Silvester indicated 

that “I will be the CEO of this 

organization.”) On May 6, Silvester 

posted footage of himself touting 

recent TV appearances he’d made 

since going viral, and declared he’d 

just signed a book deal to produce 

a work that would “help educate 

people like LeBron James and others 

who have a very limited understanding 

of police officers.” 

Silvester’s Go Fund Me goal has 

now been raised to $1,000,000, and 

the campaign has taken in more 

than $540,000—and climbing. The 

header on the page was long ago 

changed from “Please help Officer 

Nate Silvester recover his pay” 

to “Please Help Officer Silvester & 

Other Families.” No doubt, his indications 

that he plans to spread the 

wealth, so to speak, have helped the 

flow of donations continue. When 

I spoke with Silvester earlier this 

week, I asked whether he had yet 

given the promised donation to the 

First Responders Children’s Foundation 

(FRCF). 

“Well, no,” he told me. “For some 

reason, they’re very hard to get 

ahold of, and they initially reached 

out to me when they found out that 

I was going to be donating a portion 

of that GoFundMe campaign 

to them. And then, there was some 

brief correspondence between me 

and the foundation, but I haven’t 

heard from them since. I’m still 

waiting to reconnect with the staff 

at that foundation so that we can 

discuss that. But that still hasn’t 

changed. And I’m still going to 

donate to them, but just waiting to 

hear back essentially.” 

I got a hold of staff from FRCF in 

a few hours and with relative ease, 

and talked via phone and via email 

with spokesperson Dan DeMello. In 

a written message, DeMello told 

me that after Silvester “declared the 

proposed donation via the media,” 

an FRCF staff member reached out 

to him, and an “enthusiastic” exchange 

occurred. However, recently, 

the agency has been awaiting 

Silver’s next move. 

“Last contact the foundation 

actually had with him was in late 

April. We reached out on May 3 and 

then again later in May (on Go Fund 

Me) in the hopes of confirming an 

exact amount, but haven’t heard 

back yet,” DeMello wrote to me. 

“We’re hoping he’ll come through 

on the donation because the funds 

would mean a lot to these children 

whose parents were lost in the line 

of duty.” 

One of the things keeping Silvester 

busy is likely Never Off Duty, the 

book he has in the works. Silvester 

told me that while it won’t be a 

traditional memoir, the book will 

“definitely cover my experience as 

a police officer, but then the larger 

focus will be on what many police 

officers experience over the course 

of their careers.” 


July 4th War-Stories 

And suddenly the sky was 

filled with fireworks. 

I hadn’t been assigned 

to patrol very long and in fact 

it was just before the July 4th 

weekend that my FTO cut me 

loose and I was on my own. The 

4th was on a Saturday, and it 

would be the first Saturday night 

I would be riding by myself. I 

was assigned to the 11pm-7am 

shift, so my girlfriend and I 

went down to Memorial Park to 

watch the fireworks and as soon 

as it was over, I headed over to 

the station, picked up my car 

and went right to work. And like 

any Saturday night, the calls 

just poured in. 

The calls were non-stop until 

like 4am and then it was just 

dead. I guess everyone had 

enough partying and decided 

to call it a day. About 4:30am, 

my FTO had me got to the back 

channel and said to meet him 

on the west side of the district. 

When I pulled up next to him, 

he said to follow him to another 

location. After 5 minutes of 

following him, I honestly had no 

damn idea where we were. Suddenly 

he turns right into what I 

could swear was a ditch. Come 

to find out, it was a dirt road that 

crossed a deep ditch and just on 

the other side was a thick row of 

weeds and bushes, but damn if 

we didn’t just drive right through 

them like batman entering the 

bat cave. One the other side was 

an open clearing in the woods 

and about six or seven other 

units all parked in a semi-circle. 

As I got out of my car, I glanced 

over and saw another rookie I 

knew that had just hit the streets 

as well. I walked over and saw 

pizza boxes and beer all scattered 

over the truck of another 

patrol car and helped myself to 

the pizza. “Hey bud what’s up? 

What’s with the beer?” He said 

he was thinking the same thing 

but hey we were rookies and far 

be it from us to say shit about 

anything. As we were catching 

up on what happened since the 

academy, one of the older officers 

walked over and said, “Hey 

you two come on, you’re going to 

miss the show.” We both looked 

at each other, shrugged our 

shoulders and followed him. Everyone 

was sitting on the backs 

of cars looking towards the 

south. I thought, what the hell 

are they looking at? Suddenly the 

sky was filled with bottle rockets 

and fireworks by the hundreds. 

Like a fireworks finale only it just 

didn’t stop. This went on for like 

25 minutes until you hear fire 

trucks in the background. Then 

I heard, “Well guys, I guess the 

show is about over, we’d better 

go help the FD.” 

Everyone got back into their 

cars and just like that the party 

was over. The rookie and I 

looked at each other and both 

said “what the fuck” at the same 

time while laughing our butts 

off. We jump in our cars, turned 

on lights and sirens and followed 

the pack. Sure enough, 

just a couple miles away the fire 

department was on the scene 

of a fire ---wait for it---of yes, 

a FIREWORKS stand. Go figure. 

Now I wonder how all these cops 

knew that THIS fireworks stand 

would suddenly catch fire thus 

creating a fireworks show in the 

middle of the night. I didn’t want 

to know. I just got out and directed 

traffic and never talked 

about it again…until now. LOL 

The night all hell broke 

loose. 

I hated working July 4th. People 

either like fireworks or they 

hate them and those that hate 

them call every five minutes to 

report someone shooting fireworks 

in their neighborhood. Seriously, 

get a damn life. And our 

town is like most others, in that 

our city puts on a professional 

fireworks show down by our city 

lake. They launch a barge from 

the park and anchor it in the 

middle of the lake. Thousands 

of families pack every inch of 

the park to watch the 30-minute 

show. It’s about the most exciting 

thing that every happens here in 

Smallville USA. 

Our department is small too 

at only 30 officers and the fire 

department is all volunteer. It’s 

just a sleepy little town stuck in 

the middle of nowhere. The closest 

town is over 30 miles away 

and the big city is almost an 

hour away. But my wife wanted 

to return to the area her family 

was from, so I retired from 

Kansas City PD and moved the 

family here. For the most part 

it was pretty damn quiet and 

after working in the big city for 

20 years, I was ready for some 

peace and quiet. 

The 4th of July celebration is 

a daylong event here. The park 

is packed all day with concerts, 

food, games for the kids, carnival 

rides. You know typical 

country fair stuff. So, by 9pm, 

there isn’t a lot of traffic coming 

into the park, most of the town is 

already here. The fireworks were 

scheduled to begin at 9:20pm. 

I remember looking down at 

my watch and it was 9:19 and I 

thought, OK this is about to start 

and about that time the first 

rocket launched and burst into 

a huge star about the crowd. 

Everyone cheered and clapped 

and waited for the next one. 

But for about 2 minutes nothing 

happened. At 9:25 another rocket 

went up and suddenly you could 

hear what sounded like a freight 

train coming from the lake. 

At 9:26 the entire sky light up 

with thousands of rockets going 

off in every direction. They 

weren’t going straight up; they 

were literally going in every 

direction. Sideways, left, right, 

straight towards the park. Something 

obviously had gone wrong 

on the barge and the entire damn 

thing blew up. Suddenly I was 

back in Iraq and taking fire. It 

was suddenly a PTSD flashback. 

I looked around and people were 

getting hit with mortar fire all 

around me and small fires were 

starting in the grassy areas of 

the park. People were running 

in all directions, and it was just 

pure chaos. All I could do was 

help the injured and get people 

running the right direction 

- away from the lake. The explosions 

only lasted about 4 minutes, 

but it seemed like an hour. 

When it finally stopped, over 200 

people were injured and laying 

all over the park. I had only seen 

something like this once before 

in my life and it was after a IED 

went off back in Iraq. 

I was on the radio trying to 

get EMS directed to the severely 

injured, but it was clear we were 

undermanned and unprepared 

for the sheer number of injured 

we had. Our chief put out an 

all channel 911 assist as did the 

fire department and we have 

departments from every neighboring 

towns headed our way. 

Over 100 ambulances eventually 

responded and had to transport 

victims to hospitals all over the 

state. The national guard arrived 

with Blackhawks and medics 

and set up triage tents to treat 

the wounded until they could be 

transported. The last patient was 

airlifted at 3am and by 6am the 

park was empty except for first 

responders. As daylight broke 

and you could see what was left 

of the barge. Just a smoldering 

hulk of metal partially sunk in 

the middle of the lake. 

Over 500 people were injured 

that day and only by God’s good 

graces no one was killed. They 

determined that static electricity 

had caused the spark that shorted 

out the control board on the 

barge causing the entire display 

to be launched at the same time. 

The explosion caused the barge 

to rock thus sending the rockets 

in all directions. So much for us 

being a sleepy little town. The 

next day we were worldwide 

news. 

Have a unique story you’d 

like to share with the 

BLUES readers? 

Send it to: bluespdmag@ 

gmail.com. Please change 

all the names to protect the 

innocent and to avoid prosecution 

in the event that 

the statute of limitations 

hasn’t expired. 

42 The 42 BLUES The BLUES POLICE POLICE MAGAZINE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 43

WORDS BY MICHAEL BARRON 

these difficult times. The answer 

unfortunately was that there are 

none. At least not for emotional 

support as opposed to financial 

help. We both agreed this needs 

to change. Therefore, The BLUES 

will begin exploring all options 

to create such a group or find an 

existing group that will assist 

these officers and their families. 

Every day, a first responder 

gets injured on the job in Texas. 

When it happens, especially if 

the officer is shot or critically 

injured, we all respond immediately. 

We create a rolling roadblock 

to get the officer to the 

hospital as quickly as possible. 

Someone is sent to the officer’s 

house to get their spouse to the 

hospital and to their side as soon 

as possible. Hundreds of fellow 

officers crowd every square inch 

of the hospital waiting on word 

from the docs that they will be 

OK. 

The next day, some of the officers 

stay behind to make sure 

the hospital is secure and to take 

care of the family members. But 

as hours, turn into days, then 

weeks and months, the flow of 

officers turns to a trickle. Soon 

only family and maybe the officer’s 

closet friends come to 

visit. The wounded officer has 

months and maybe years of 

physical therapy ahead of them. 

Many times, they have numerous 

surgeries and more and more 

recovery rooms. Every day is just 

a fight to stay alive and get back 

to some sort of normalcy. 

As the days, weeks and months 

wear on, officers feel more and 

more alone and forgotten. Of 

course, they realize that cops 

have their shift to work, extra 

jobs, family; their own lives to 

deal with. And then there’s the 

fallen officers that take precedence 

over the wounded. Their 

families need support and attention 

as well. It’s a never-ending 

chain of events that take place 

all over the US every single day. 

I’m just as guilty as everyone 

else when it comes to reaching 

out to friends and officers still 

recovering from gunshots, accidents, 

assaults, fires and yes 

even aircraft crashes. We get 

all wrapped up in our daily lives 

and while you mean to call or 

visit your buddies, you just forget. 

Well, we need to do better. 

All of us need to take time to at 

least call or text our brothers 

and sisters in blue and tell them 

we are thinking about them and 

ask how they’re doing. We owe 

them that and more. 

Chase Cormier is one friend I 

try and stay in touch with. I know 

he was a wonderful wife and 

tons of friends, but when you’re 

injured and it’s a long road back 

to leading a normal life, you can 

never have too many friends. 

Chase still faces many challenges 

but has an incredible mental 

attitude. He has this “I will not 

fail, and I will get back to normal 

one way or another” outlook 

on life. But no matter how positive 

he may be, he still needs 

reassurance from all of us that 

we have his back. That we love 

him and his wife Brooke and that 

we will always, always be there 

for them. 

Unfortunately, not all injured 

officers have this positive attitude 

and feel lost and abandoned 

by their peers and their 

department. Sure, everybody 

was there when they were 

injured, but as time went by, 

it seemed they were forgotten 

and written off. Some are still 

hospitalized while others are 

recovering at home. Many live 

with permanent disabilities. 

Some stuck in wheelchairs for 

life, and others even bedridden. 

It’s a terrible way of life for those 

that sacrificed so much for their 

department. Not to mention the 

strain it places on their family, 

both emotionally as well as 

financially. 

As I wrote this, I reached out to 

our editor Rex Evans to see what 

programs or support groups 

exist to help officers through 

Have a unique story you’d 

like to share with the 

BLUES readers? 

Send it to: bluespdmag@ 

gmail.com. Please change 

all the names to protect the 

innocent and to avoid prosecution 

in the event that 

the statute of limitations 

hasn’t expired. 


TEXAS GAME WARDENS 

Jennifer Provaznik, 

Game Warden, TV Star 

WORDS & PHOTO, BY MICHAEL BARRON 

As we continue our summer series on law enforcement in the 

Galveston area, this month’s issue features Texas game wardens 

and the role they play not only as law enforcement 

officers, but also protecting Texas’ natural resources. 

And if you’re going to highlight Game Wardens in Galveston, 

you can’t help noticing one officer that has been in the spotlight 

since 2016. Game Warden Jennifer Provaznik, featured 

on this month’s cover, is also a cast member and one of the 

co-stars of Animal Planet’s, Lone Star Law reality TV series. 




Jennifer Provaznik grew 

up along the Ohio River in 

Huntington, West Virginia, 

with her parents Gwen & 

Tim Provaznik. She spent 

time hiking, camping and 

fishing alongside her father, 

who held three different 

jobs simultaneously while 

she was growing up. Her 

work ethic to this day stems 

from watching him work as 

a firefighter, paramedic and 

911 dispatcher. In 2009, her 

dad was promoted to fire 

chief of Huntington. 

She graduated from Spring 

Valley High School and enrolled 

at Coastal Carolina 

University in Myrtle Beach, 

majoring in marine science. 

And like her father, she 

worked several jobs simultaneously 

while attending 

school. Countless times, she 

slept in her truck in between 

jobs and classes. 

Shortly after graduation 

in 2007, she went to 

the Bimini Biological Field 

Station in the Bahamas to 

research sharks and found 

herself working alongside 

scientists from around the 

world. While working at 

the station, she was hired 

by the National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration 

(NOAA) to work offshore on 

commercial fishing vessels 

as a fisheries observer. She 

worked on multiple styles 

of fishing vessels collecting 

data on targeted and 

bycatch species. The boats 

consisted of tuna long line 

vessels, shrimp boats, and 

bandit boats (boats that 

catch snapper and grouper). 

While at NOAA, Jennifer 

also had the role of doing 

statistical analysis on information 

collected in the 

field and writing scientific 

papers. 

Eventually, she transferred 

to the NOAA lab in Pascagoula, 

Mississippi, where 

her research expanded to 

bluefin tuna, plankton and 

red snapper. 

While working offshore, 

she noticed some things on 

the vessels that just didn’t 

seem right and thought 

to herself that there must 

be rules and regulations 

and someone to enforce 

them. Never on shore long 

enough to research who 

that was, Jennifer called an 

old co-worker and asked 

what he was up to. He stated 

he was a game warden 

cadet in Texas. Jennifer 

said what’s that and franticly 

started Googling Texas 

Game Warden and while 

she was reading what game 

wardens do, she thought to 

herself, that sounds just like 

me! When does the application 

process end? Wait, 

it’s tomorrow?? She sent her 

application over immediately 

and was amazed she got 

in on her first attempt. 

Provaznik entered the 

Game Warden’s 58th Cadet 

Class in 2013. When I asked 

her what the academy was 

like she said, “The Academy 

is almost 8 months long 

and you stay on academy 

grounds in Hamilton, TX. 

It’s a large facility and to 

describe the ruralness of it, 

the closest cheeseburger 

is about 30 mins away. It’s 

a full day of learning and 

physical exercise every day. 

You learn fast, take all the 

PHOTO COURTESY OF TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE DEPT. & THE TEXAS GAME WARDENS 




PHOTO COURTESY OF TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE DEPT. & THE TEXAS GAME WARDENS 

information a state trooper 

learns, then add all the rules 

and regulations for Parks 

and Wildlife. Also, while 

you are there, you will learn 

how to back trailers, drive 

boats, ride four wheelers, 

and anything else you can 

think of a game warden 

might use. It’s an unforgettable 

experience for sure. 

After graduation, Provaznik 

was assigned to the 

Galveston district (a natural 

place for someone with 

her marine background) 

and she’s been there ever 

since. In early 2016, her boss 

approached her about the 

opportunity for her and her 

work partner, Mack Chambers, 

to participate in a reality 

show for Animal Planet 

that chronicles their adventures 

as Game Wardens. 

“Lone Star Law” premiered 

on June 2, 2016, and Provaznik 

has become one of the 

most popular ‘stars’ of the 

show. 

But Provaznik will tell you 

that fame, notoriety, whatever 

you want to call it, may 

sound cool, but there’s a 

downside as well. Like people 

following you down the 

highway because they want 

a selfie. Trying to arrest 

someone while people are 

asking for autographs. And 

don’t think for a minute that 

friendly Texas attitude and 

pretty face is going to go 

light on you if you’re breaking 

the law. Provaznik is as 

tough as her male counterparts, 

and she doesn’t back 

down from anyone. 

Like all law enforcement 

officers, Provaznik has her 

share of war-stories. When 

asked what’s the funniest 

thing she’s experienced 

since the academy, she said, 

“One of the funniest things I 

ever saw was during flounder 

season. I was checking 

bank fishermen and looking 

into coolers and almost 

everyone had a limit. I get 

to one cooler and the gentleman 

said “Aren’t they big! 

I got my two” and as I look 

at him, I saw the crotch of 

his pants move. And I look 

him straight in the face 

and asked “Um, excuse me 

sir, but do you have a fish 

in your pants?” he stated 

“Nope,” and the pants 

flopped again. Now dying 

laughing on the inside, I call 

my partner over the radio 

to see if he will search this 

man’s pants for a fish. And 

you know what he did, he 

stuck a live flounder into his 

boxers. It may had been my 

first time seeing someone 

put fish in their pants, but it 

was definitely not my last.” 

And your worst day? 

“Some of my worst days 

involve water fatalities, especially 

when most of them 

could have been prevented 

by wearing a life jacket. It’s 

my opinion that EVERYONE 

should wear a life jacket 

while underway, it’ll dramatically 

improve your 

chances of survival in an 

accident.” 

Finally, I asked her what 

her advice to someone 

thinking about becoming a 

game warden. 

“My advice to anyone 

looking to be a game warden 

is, first, make sure you 

love the outdoors, and you 

want to be a police officer. 

Yes, we work in the outdoors 

enforcing wildlife and 

boating rules and regulations, 

but we also are Texas 

Peace officers, you never 

know when you will stop an 

armed bank robber (trust 

me, I checked that box). 

Second, make sure you are 

willing to go anywhere in 

the state of Texas and know 

you may be stationed in a 

one warden county. Volunteer 

in your community, 

choose your friends wisely, 

and don’t be afraid of hard 

work. 

And last, but not least. 

Train. Train like your life depends 

on it because it just 

might one day. Hit the gym, 

swim, and run. Not only 

will it make you a healthier 

person, but it will also keep 

you strong mentally and 

physically for the demands 

of this job.” 



OFF THE PAVEMENT 

From the frontier to the front line, Texas game wardens 

have answered the call for 125 years. 

BY STEPHANIE SALINAS GARCIA, 

TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE DEPT. 

PHOTOS COURTESY OF TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE DEPT. 

& THE TEXAS GAME WARDENS 

For 125 years, “Law Enforcement Off the Pavement” 

has been more than a motto for Texas game wardens 

— it’s the core of what they do day and night to protect 

Texans and the state’s natural resources. 

In a state this size, it’s a massive, coordinated operation. 

More than 550 game wardens (stationed in all 

254 counties) patrol about 11 million miles of roads 

and coastline and everything in between. 

“Our game wardens have a long and storied history 

of conservation law enforcement in our state, beginning 

with the first wardens hired to stop the overexploitation 

of oysters in Galveston Bay,” says Carter 

Smith, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department executive 

director. “I am proud to say that our game wardens are 

still working to protect oysters in Galveston Bay, plus 

a whole lot more, 125 years later.” 



THE FRONTIER YEARS 

Utilizing a variety of new techniques, 

teams and technology, the game wardens 

we know today have evolved dramatically 

since the first ones were commissioned in 

1895. 

During Texas’ frontier days, most people 

lived in rural areas and spent their days 

ranching and farming; Texas became a leading 

producer of cotton and cattle at the 

time. Major oil deposits were discovered in 

Texas in 1894, and oil became a profitable 

industry. 

During this boom, Texans enjoyed the 

state’s bounty of game animals without 

limit. The resulting overharvesting caused 

pressure on the fish and wildlife populations, 

so the Texas Legislature established 

new regulations to help manage these resources. 

The state’s first game law in 1861 established 

a two-year closed season for quail. 

Thirteen years later, state fishing regulations 

were adopted on coastal seining and 

netting. There was an immense amount of 

local pushback — in 1883, 130 Texas counties 

claimed exemption from all game laws. 

The Texas Legislature stepped in to create 

a regulatory office, the Fish and Oyster 

Commission, in 1895. I.P. Kibbe was appointed 

commissioner by the governor; a handful 

of deputies became law enforcement agents 

to help regulate the harvesting of shrimp, 

fish and oysters in the Gulf of Mexico. 





The legislature expanded the oversight of 

the Fish and Oyster Commission to include 

the responsibility of managing game animals 

and laws in 1907, and the agency morphed 

into the Game, Fish and Oyster Commission. 

By 1919, six game wardens enforced the 

regulations protecting fish and game in Texas; 

in the next decade, the number grew to 

80. 

Radios were introduced in the 1930s, a 

revolutionary way for wardens to communicate 

and conduct law enforcement. Most 

game wardens patrolled on horseback or in 

personal vehicles. They were outfitted with 

their first official uniforms in 1938. 

In 1946, the first game warden cadet class 

graduated from a school held at Texas A&M 

University. The class consisted of 17 cadets, 

who studied wildlife law and more. By the 

end of the 1950s, 210 game wardens were 

patrolling the state. 

As the commission became the Texas Parks 

and Wildlife Department in 1963, life as a 

game warden evolved as well. Game wardens 

were assigned state patrol cars with 

the comforts of automatic transmission and 

air conditioning, along with firearms and 

other equipment. 

The 1970s ushered in a new era for game 

wardens as they received peace officer 

status. This new designation allowed game 

wardens to enforce not only game laws, but 

all state laws. They also began patrolling 



for violations of the Water Safety Act, helping 

Texans safely recreate on the water. 

MODERN TECHNIQUES 

Through the remaining decades of the 

century, the Texas game wardens not only 

grew in numbers, but also in patrol techniques. 

They began using new methods (like 

using deer decoys to catch poachers), new 

defensive tactics and new handcuffing procedures. 

New patrol vessels enhanced their 

presence on waterways, and game wardens 

were equipped and trained to use new firearms 

for the first time. 

The new training and equipment came just 

in time, as modern game wardens face new 

and increasingly complicated duties. Although 

wardens continue to focus on conservation 

law enforcement, they have adapted 

to stay at the forefront of all modern law 

enforcement strategies. 

Game wardens are now “The Texas Navy,” 

designated as the primary enforcement 

agency in Texas public waters, enforcing resource 

violations, promoting boating safety 

and investigating boating accidents. 

The Special Investigations Unit focuses 

on conducting web-based investigations 

of illegal wildlife trafficking. Through the 

Operation Game Thief program, people who 

notice illegal wildlife activity online can 

submit tips for investigation. 

Game wardens have always assisted in 

search-and-rescue efforts across the state, 



but new technology and techniques increase 

their effectiveness. 

TPWD incorporated a new K9 team in 

2013 to assist in search and rescue, cadaver 

search, narcotics enforcement and detection 

of illegally taken or smuggled game and 

fish. 

The new game warden helicopter, added 

in 2014, has a rescue hoist, thermal imager, 

searchlight, public address system, satellite 

communication and night vision. In 2018, 

game wardens expanded their arsenal further 

with a new search-and-rescue drone. 

WHEN DISASTER STRIKES 

New training techniques focusing on swift 

water have enabled wardens to respond 

during floods and natural disasters. 

These skills were instrumental when 

wardens responded to some of the most 

destructive natural disasters to strike the 

Gulf Coast, including hurricanes Katrina and 

Harvey. 

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina 

struck New Orleans. For several days, the 

powerful storm flooded the city. On August 

30, wardens crossed the Louisiana state line 

to help, marking the first time Texas game 

wardens were deployed for disaster relief 

out of state. Game warden Chris Davis was 

part of that first wave. 

“We really didn’t know exactly where we 

were going, where we would stay or what 

the conditions would be like,” Davis recalls. 





The wardens used 4X4 trucks and shallow-water 

vessels to reach and evacuate 

residents in the hardest-hit areas of New Orleans. 

By the end, more than 100 Texas game 

wardens rescued more than 5,000 people 

from their homes. 

“We witnessed the devastation of a historic 

city and how it brought out the best and 

worst of human behavior,” he says. 

Davis says the wardens hold on to personal 

stories about the people they met, and still 

think about the people rescued and the ones 

who didn’t make it. 

“I’ll never forget the dedication and tireless 

efforts of each and every game warden who 

answered the call,” Davis says. “They persevered 

through unimaginable challenges and 

made a difference when it counted the most.” 

Twelve years later, it was Texas’ turn to feel 

the wrath of Gulf weather. Hurricane Harvey 

hit the Texas coast near Rockport, causing 

widespread flooding across most of the 

state’s coastline. Game wardens leapt into 

action to help with search-and-rescue efforts 

throughout Texas. When it was over, 368 

wardens had rescued more than 12,000 from 

floodwaters. 

“Harvey was originally set to hit my hometown 

of Corpus Christi,” says game warden 

Carmen Rickel. “I had spent the day before 

preparing my own home, and helping my 

neighbors board up their houses. I worried 

about getting my husband to a safe place and 

making sure our extended family was prepared.” 



Rickel’s unit was deployed first as part of 

the Incident Response Assessment Team, assigned 

to the hardest-hit areas to report the 

immediate needs of that community to the 

State Emergency Operation Center. 

“We drove into Rockport, and it was still 

dark and raining,” says Rickel. “As the daylight 

started to creep up on us, so did the 

magnitude of the devastation. We worked 

all day into the night in Rockport and by 

then, Houston was literally drowning.” 

Her unit left for the Houston area the following 

morning. 

“We arrived in Fort Bend County to never-ending 

rain and thousands of people 

needing help and evacuation,” she says. 

Rickel says the wardens never stopped until 

every person was safe. 

“I drove home at the end of the week in 

awe of my partners and with a new respect 

for the resiliency of our people in this great 

state,” Rickel says. “The most important 

lesson learned is not about responses and 

tactics but that when we are hit the hardest, 

the police and the people come together as 

one.” 



WOMEN JOIN THE RANKS 

Thirty-nine women are Texas game wardens today, 

serving in counties across the state. 

In the 1920s, Cordelia Jane Sloan Duke became the first 

(appointed) female Texas game warden. The land around 

her homestead was designated as a wildlife sanctuary 

that annually hosted thousands of wild ducks. 

In 1979, Stacy Bishop Lawrence became the first female 

game warden to graduate from the Texas Game Warden 

Academy. This was one of the first years the academy 

was held in Austin. 

“The first time I applied I was rejected, because I would 

not have been 21 by graduation,” Bishop Lawrence says. 

“I had to wait almost four years for the next application 

process. Back then, TPWD received approximately 3,000 

applications for 30 to 40 positions. Competition was 

brutal. Somehow, someway, I made it through the application 

process.” 

In September 1978, Bishop Lawrence began her study 

with the 33rd Game Warden Academy; only three of the 

38 cadets were female. 

“The training was tough,” Bishop Lawrence says. “Unfortunately, 

one of the females quit soon after training 

began; the second left about a third of the way through.” 

Alone in a class full of guys, she says she was “too 

stubborn” to try to be friends. 

“It took one of my classmates to break the ice, and the 

door was opened,” she says. “To this day, I deeply appreciate 

the friendships and the camaraderie that evolved.” 





In July of 2013, the 

Texas Parks and 

Wildlife Department 

celebrated its 50th 

Year Anniversary. In 

1963, the Texas Parks 

and Wildlife Department 

was created 

by the merger of the 

Texas Game and Fish 

Commission and the 

State Parks Board. 

Since then, their 

mission has been to 

make “life better outside” 

in Texas. This 

video was created to 

celebrate that occasion. 



HOW TO BECOME 

A Texas Game Warden. 

The Minimum requirements to be 

a game warden are: 

AGE: An applicant must have 

reached the age of 21 years on or 

before the date of entry into the 

Game Warden Training Academy. 

There is no maximum age limit for 

employment. 

EDUCATION: Applicants must 

have successfully completed and 

have conferred a bachelor’s level 

degree from an accredited college 

or university in any field of study. 

Prior military or law enforcement 

experience is not a substitute for 

the education requirements. 

CITIZENSHIP: Must be a citizen of 

the United States. 

WORK ELIGIBILITY: Federal law 

requires that all new employees 

present original documents that 

establish identity and U.S. employment 

eligibility. These documents 

must be presented at the time of 

employment. 

LICENSE: The applicant must 

possess a valid driver’s license 

*From any state in the US 

PEACE OFFICER LICENSE: The 

applicant must not have had a 

commission license: 

• denied by final order 

• revoked 

• have a voluntary surrender of a 

license currently in effect. 

MILITARY SERVICE: The applicant 

must not have been discharged 

from any military service under 

less than honorable conditions. 

BACKGROUND: Applicants will be 

subjected to, and must successfully 

pass, a thorough and comprehensive 

background investigation 

prior to appointment to a cadet 

position. The applicant must be 

of good moral character and not 

have any of the following incidents 

in their criminal history: 

• a conviction for any Felony or 

Class A Misdemeanor offense at 

any time. 

• a conviction for any Class B 

Misdemeanor offense within 10 

years prior to the date of application, 

which includes convictions 

for DWI (driving while intoxicated), 

DUID (driving under the influence 

of drugs) and BWI (boating 

while intoxicated), never have been 

convicted of any family violence 

offense, currently on court-ordered 

community supervision, and/or 

probation or parole for any criminal 

offense above the grade of 

Class C Misdemeanor. 

SALARY (SCHEDULE C): Applicants 

currently holding Schedule C positions 

with another state agency 

in Texas, who meet all minimum 

qualifications, are selected and 

complete the Game Warden Academy, 

will return to their current 

Schedule C salary position after 1 

year of satisfactory performance 

in the field. This applies only to the 

similar rank of Game Warden VI or 

below. 

DRUG USE: Applicant must have 

no current illegal drug use, within 

the past 2 years from the start 

date of the application process. 

Illegal drug use is the use of a drug 

that is considered illegal in Texas. 

For example: Marijuana use in 

some states is legal, but illegal in 

Texas. So, if you used marijuana in 

those states, TPWD will consider 

that as illegal drug use. This also 

includes the use of prescribed 

drugs used in an illegal manner. 

PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITION: The 

applicant must be examined by a 

licensed psychologist and be declared 

to be in satisfactory psychological 

and emotional health 

for law enforcement duty prior to 

employment and the issuance of a 

peace officer license. 

PHYSICAL CONDITION: The applicant 

must be examined by a 

licensed physician and be declared 

to be able to physically perform 

the duties of a game warden cadet 

prior to employment. 

HEARING: The applicant must 

meet the minimal standard with or 

without hearing aids of 35 decibels 

or better in each of the following 

four frequencies: 500, 1000, 2000 

and 3000 Hz; to include long distance, 

directional and voice conversation 

hearing. 

VISION: 

• Uncorrected visual acuity must 

be at least 20/100 (both eyes) for 

those who wear glasses or hard 

contact lenses. 

• Wearers of soft contact lenses 

are exempt from uncorrected 

visual acuity. If you wear contact 

lenses, you must wear them during 

the medical exam 

• Corrected visual acuity should 

be at least 20/20 (both eyes) and 

20/40 (each eye). 

• Applicant must have uninterrupted 

peripheral vision of 140 

degrees or better, have night vision 

and be able to distinguish red and 

green colors. 

Physical Readiness Test 

The applicant must successfully 

complete a physical readiness 

test, which includes the following 

activities: 

• Handgun stability 

• 2,000-meter row 

• Swim 



*NOTE: Before being allowed to 

take the physical readiness tests the 

applicant will be required to provide 

a description of the test to a physician 

and obtain a written medical 

clearance. 

The application process to become 

a Texas Game Warden is very competitive, 

and only the top qualified 

applicants will be selected to attend 

the Texas Game Warden Academy. 

All Game Warden Cadets accepted 

to attend the academy must pass 

the entrance physical readiness test 

at the minimum 70 percentile on 

the first day of the academy. Game 

Warden Cadets not passing the entrance 

physical readiness test at the 

minimum requirement will have their 

conditional job offer rescinded and 

will be sent home. Cadets sent home 

due to not passing the entrance 

physical readiness test or who resign 

from the game warden academy will 

be required to reapply and complete 

the application process again if the 

applicant wishes to attend a future 

game warden academy. 

HANDGUN STABILITY *DRY FIRE 

• Complete five consecutive dry 

fire trigger pulls with the index 

finger in the standing position, with 

both the left and right hand, holding 

the barrel within a 5-inch ring without 

touching the sides of the ring. 

• While holding the handgun with 

both hands, the applicant must 

transition to the kneeling position 

and dry fire the pistol five times 

while holding the barrel inside a 

5-inch ring without touching the 

sides of the ring. 

• After the exercise is complete, 

the applicant is required to return 

to the standing position and using 

both hands pull the slide to the rear 

locked position therefore displaying 

a safe weapon. 

2,000 METER ROW 

*This test will be conducted on a 

Concept 2 Rower 

• Applicants must achieve, at minimum, 

the 70th percentile VO2 max 

• Time limits will be individualized 

and calculated based upon, age, 

weight, and gender. 

• Each rower will be set at 2000 

meters with the damper set on level 

5. 

SWIM 

• Applicants must fall backwards 

into the pool and tread water or 

float for 1 minute without touching 

the sides or the bottom of the pool. 

• After the 1-minute water tread, 

applicants will be required to swim 

100m within 4 minutes. 

• Any stroke may be used. 

• Applicants will be allowed to 

push off the vertical part of the 

wall under the water line on each 

end of the pool or use a flip turn. 

• Applicants will not be allowed to 

do the following: (any of the following 

will result in a failure) 

• Touch or hold the horizontal 

edge of the pool 

• Touch the bottom of the pool 

• Hold onto any pool lane markers 


What to Do? 

Making the Most 

of Island Time 

Attractions 

Galveston Island is home to some of the 

best attractions Texas has to offer, including 

Moody Gardens, Schlitterbahn Waterpark, 

the Historic Pleasure Pier, unique 

museums, dazzling Victorian architecture, 

and 32 miles of sun-kissed beaches. 

Galveston Beaches 

With 32 miles of shoreline and a variety of 

parks, Galveston Island offers something for 

every kind of beachgoer. 

Sandcastle Building Lessons 

My name is Emerson and I’ve been a professional 

sandcastle builder for over 10 years. Join me every 

Saturday this summer at Stewart Beach and learn 

the fundamentals of sand sculpture (Yes, it’s sculpture!) 

We’ll cover the basics of making strong structures 

and how to carve them. 

Free sandcastle lessons are available at Stewart 

Beach on Saturdays at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. 

No reservation necessary. You can find me by the 

water’s edge, straight down from the pavilion. Private 

lessons are also available by appointment 

throughout the week at the beach of your choice. 

For more information, click here. Join me and learn 

how to have more fun at the beach forever! 


Katie’s Seafood House 

2000 Wharf Rd. (409) 763-65688 

Where to Stay? 

Casa Del Mar Beachfront Suites 

Be the hero of your family vacation! With 

a relaxed vibe, beautiful views of the Gulf 

of Mexico and steps from the beach, 

Casa del Mar is ideal for a family vacation 

or weekend getaway. Each suite offers a 

private balcony, a small living room with a 

queen sleeper sofa, a studio kitchen, private 

bedroom, and junior bunks for small 

kids. 

Famous as the Galveston restaurant 

industry’s busiest fresh-fish supplier, 

Katie’s Seafood Market is now providing 

stock for its own new establishment, 

Katie’s Seafood House. This 

brand-new “boat to table” restaurant 

is located at Pier 19, steps from The 

Strand Historic District, Pier 21, and 

the Galveston Cruise Ship Terminals. 

Owner Buddy Guindon, a local leader 

of the fishing business, has operated 

that family-owned wholesaler 

for roughly 40 years, and is thrilled 

to enter the burgeoning Galveston 

restaurant scene. 

Queen’s Bar-B-Que 

3428 Avenue S, Galveston, TX | 

Phone: (409)762-3151 

Tours & Sightseeing 

Whether you prefer to stroll down quaint 

alleyways by foot or trot through the streets 

in a carriage, all paths can lead you on an 

unforgettable journey back in time. You’ll 

be entertained and enlightened by knowledgeable 

guides giving tours on foot, 

carriage, shuttle or even boat. If you prefer 

to do you own thing, we’ve assemble 

self-guided tours of popular sights with 

maps designed for mobile devices. 

Explore the Ocean’s Depths 

MOODY GARDENS 

Dive into the oceans of the world in 

a 1.5-million-gallon aquarium teeming 

with creatures from tuxedo-clad 

penguins to seals, stingrays, sharks 

and more! 

Queen’s is family-owned and operated, 

and has been serving up oak and 

pecan-smoked favorites since 1966. 

The Island mainstay offers delicious 

barbequed beef, ribs, links, smoked 

turkey and ham, seasonal brisket Texas-style 

chili, and mouth-watering, 

finger-lickin’ sides and daily specials. 

Gaido’s Famous Seafood 

Restaurant 3828 Seawall Blvd,| 

Phone: (409)761-5500 

Gaido first opened his doors to the 

public in 1911, the same year air conditioning 

was invented. With an 

unwavering commitment to serving 

the freshest Gulf seafood, Gaido’s is 

a cherished tradition for thousands 

of both locals and visitors – offering 

only the freshest seafood prepared by 

hand and the some of very best service 

you’ll find anywhere. 


THE OPEN ROAD 

by Michael Barron 

Ford’s F-150 Police Responder 

Quickest Vehicle at MSP, LASD Testing 

The all-new 2021 Ford F-150 

Police Responder has scored the 

best acceleration of any pursuit-rated 

police vehicle tested 

at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s 

Department testing and the 

Michigan State Police testing. 

America’s only pursuit-rated 

pickup truck had the fastest 

0-60 mph, 0-100 mph and 

quarter-mile times of any law 

enforcement vehicle, including 

SUVs and sedans. 

“Vehicle acceleration and 

speed contribute to how quickly 

first responders can safely arrive 

at an emergency scene,” said 

Greg Ebel, Ford police vehicle 

brand manager. “Shaving even 

a few seconds off response 

times can make a big difference. 

Whether responding to an accident 

on the highway or a distress 

call from somewhere off-road, 

law enforcement officers can 

count on 2021 F-150 Police Responder 

to get them there fast.” 

In Michigan State Police tests, 

preliminary results show 2021 

F-150 Police Responder clocked 

a 0-60 mph time of 5.4 seconds. 

That’s 1.2 seconds faster than the 

outgoing model and at least 0.4 

seconds faster than any other 

vehicle tested. Its 0-100 mph 

time was 3.7 seconds faster than 

the 2020 model at 13.1 seconds 

and 0.8 seconds faster than the 

runner up. The agency also confirmed 

the new truck’s 120 mph 

top speed, a 15 mph increase 

over the previous model. 

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s 

Department tests showed 2021 

F-150 Police Responder hitting 

the quarter mile in just 14.4 seconds, 

a full second faster than 

the 2020 model and 0.4 seconds 

faster than the closest competitor. 

The main drivers of the acceleration 

improvements are the 

truck’s increased torque and new 

torque-on-demand 4x4 transfer 

case. The F-150 Police Responder 

standard police-tuned 3.5-liter 

EcoBoost engine produces 

500 pound-feet of torque, more 

than any other pursuit-rated 

police vehicle. Its automatic 

four-wheel-drive mode and 

torque-on-demand transfer case 

constantly adjust torque to front 

or rear wheels as needed. This 

contributes to faster starts because 

it provides instant traction 

to all four wheels regardless of 

road—or off-road—conditions. 

The torque-on-demand transfer 

case also plays a role in the 

truck’s overall performance, 

since it facilitates carrying faster 

speeds when cornering. This 

was showcased during the 32- 

lap vehicle dynamics tests run 

by both the Michigan State Police 

and Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. 

The 2021 F-150 Police Responder 

showed dramatic improvements 

over the original, 

cutting 5.8 seconds off its average 

lap time during the Michigan 

tests, and 3.6 seconds per 

lap during the Los Angeles tests. 

(Los Angeles testing protocols 

add 400 pounds of payload to 

police trucks and SUVs to simulate 

cargo). Laps in the dynamic 

tests are run on winding, curving 

tracks, as well as a tight city 

course, to simulate real-world 

pursuit driving conditions. 

“The vehicle dynamics course 

is where the entire vehicle is put 

to the test,” explained Allen Magolan, 

Ford police vehicles integration 

manager. “It shows how 

well the vehicle’s systems work 

together to deliver the performance 

an officer relies on in an 

unpredictable high-speed situation—its 

acceleration, straightline 

speed, cornering and overall 

performance.” 

Introduced in 2017 as a powerful 

and capable all-terrain law 

enforcement tool, F-150 Police 

Responder is part of America’s 

best-selling police vehicle 

lineup. The truck is built on 

the all-new 2021 F-150 Super 

Crew platform and engineered 

to meet a wide range of agency 

needs from allowing officers 

to travel with an assortment 

of emergency response gear to 

transporting mobile command 

centers. It offers the most towing 

capacity, payload capacity, and 

interior passenger volume of any 

pursuit-rated law enforcement 

vehicle. 

F-150 Police Responder is assembled 

at Kansas City Assembly 

Plant in Claycomo, MO, and will 

arrive in fleets this fall. 


When the Music Ends 

BY Retired NYPD Detective 

John Salerno 

Everyone has a favorite song, 

and we all hate it when the song 

comes to an end. We want to rewind 

it and listen to it again. We 

know every word; we can even 

remember when we first heard 

it, and how it made us feel. 

Just like the day we raised our 

right hand and took the oath to 

protect and serve our communities. 

That day changed our lives 

forever. 

It was a proud moment for 

us, our friends, and our families. 

We spoke the words of 

honor, respect, and community. 

We vowed to protect and serve. 

These words were not said halfhearted 

or taken lightly. 

Many call Law Enforcement 

a career; but when you think 

about it, what every officer goes 

through, it is more of a calling. 

Matthew 5.9 

Blessed are the peacemakers, 

for they will be called children 

of God. 

There are very few careers 

where a person will leave his 

or her family and go into work 

willing to lay down their own life 

for the life of stranger, there is 

no other line of work where you 

place yourself in grave danger, 

just to catch a thief that will 

soon beat the system and be 

back on the streets in just a few 

short hours. 

That music gets old, just like 

rewinding and listening to 

your favorite song repeatedly, 

the song loses its feeling. It 

loses its meaning. 

But your song can regain its 

meaning. All it takes is a little 

time. 

Retirement is one of the most 

bittersweet days of our lives. 

We have spent most of our 

time giving back to strangers 

and placing our family on hold. 

Now, how do we adjust to a 

semi-normal routine? 

It is going to take time. We 

must be prepared. 

Retirement can weigh heavy on 

us. Our emotional preparedness 

for what is ahead is never really 

laid out. For most, retirement is 

a command party with our work 

family, a cheap Walmart cake, 

lots of drinks, war stories and 

remember when’s. Then toss in 

a few “You made it! Enjoy your 

days fishing on the lake.” Then, 

30 years of risking your life 

comes to a screeching halt. 

We clean out our desks and 

lockers usually finding a lost memento 

or trinket that reminds us 

of a lifetime ago. We pack it all 

in a cardboard box and head out 

the door. 

The sounds of radio runs, typing 

and orders being given, fill 

your ears as you leave. You walk 

through the parking lot and see 

patrol cars coming and going. 

You get to the car, slam the door 

and SILENCE. It is over. My time is 

complete. 

At this point you begin to either 

feel joy, sadness, loneliness, 

anger, or all the above. Retirement 

affects each of us differently. 

What are we going home 

to? What is life going to be like 

out of the bag? This can be the 

beginning of a downward spiral 

if we are not properly prepared. 

Transitioning back into civilian 

life can be the hardest part. We 

usually do not think of the effects 

until it is too late. We are 

never fully prepared on how our 

minds will react. 

The things we do make sure 

of is our medical insurance, 

pensions, and 401K. Oh, and 

depending on which state, our 

carry permit. We never ask what 

retirement will be like. What are 

some of the emotions my family 

and I will experience? Even if 

those questions were asked, I am 

sure many would not even know 

how to answer them. So how do 

we prepare? When do we prepare? 

Well, it all goes back to the 

day we raised our right hand and 

swore that oath. 

The time to prepare for retirement 

is not 1 year, 5 years or 

even 10 years before. The time to 

mentally prepare yourself is before 

you hit the streets. The day 

you raised that right hand. 

We took an oath to protect and 

serve, we upheld that oath for 20 

plus years. 

We need to have our officers 

take an oath to protect and serve 

themselves as well. To uphold 

that oath throughout their career 

and into retirement. 

Cops follow order and train 

hard. The training we learn over 

the years sticks with us even after 

retirement. Think about it…... 

you go grocery shopping, and 

you are constantly scanning for 

threats, you go out to eat, you 

sit with your back to the wall. 

Training! Always scanning for a 

threat. We never train to scan for 

the mental health threat. What 

to do if it becomes dark, how to 

handle the spiral down. 

Some of us even teach our 

spouses how to react if a threat 

is encountered. 

Why are we not teaching our 

spouses to recognize the mental 

health threat? 

STIGMA…. poor department 

programs, budgets, time, resources 

etc. etc. 

All these things can be fixed, 

altered, and reinvested to heal 

the wounds before they begin. 

We wear a bullet resistant vest 

to protect us from injury, now 

if you get shot in the vest it is 

going to hurt, your will have a 

bruise but you most likely will 

not DIE. Mental health vests 

should be given out as well, 

stacked trauma will hurt, it will 

leave a bruise but most likely you 

will not DIE. 

Starting to sink in, getting the 

picture? 

It is no secret we will be exposed 

to trauma during our time 

in the streets, but the streets are 

what keeps our traumas down, 

hidden, locked up. Why? Because 

we go onto the next trauma 

without decompression. 

Many traumas are not felt or 

even remembered until after 

retirement. That is when we have 

the time to think… two words a 

cop hates “Time” and “Thinking.” 

Let’s face it, during a confrontation 

we have neither. Sometimes 

a split second is all we 

have. 

However, retirement gives us 

both. The time to reflect in our 

own thoughts. The ability to 

think about things. A place that 

many are scared to go. 

Why are we not preparing 

ourselves mentally? This is the 

100,000-dollar question. 

How do we mentally prepare 

for Traumas we have never even 

encountered? 

Well historically, law enforcement 

has only provided a knee 

jerk reaction to traumas. When 

a shooting occurs, or a major 

incident happens we bring in the 

crisis intervention team. When 

an officer falls into the rabbit 

hole, we take their gun and send 

them to the couch! This is not 

preparing us; this is setting us up 

to fail. It also puts the mindset 

that a person is weak or incomplete. 

That there is something 

wrong with them. We are validating 

the negative stigma about 

mental health which will push 

officers to just place band-aides 

on bullet holes or just patching 

a tire which one day is going to 

blow. 

Maintenance is key to a healthy 

retirement; like changing the oil 

in your car. 

We get a warning light when 

we are at 20%. Well officers 

need a warning light. Officers 

need to be conditioned that after 

a certain amount of time in the 

field they need to come in for a 

tune-up. A trauma oil change! 

Sometimes we may only need 

to change the oil, but on occasions 

we may need to take the 

time to get a front-end alignment, 

have the tires rotated or 

change out the squeaky brake 

pads, all normal routine maintenance 

procedures. It all depends 

on how the car was driven. 

But when we pull the car out 

of the shop, we can immediately 

feel the difference. 

We immediately feel a change 

in the performance. 

It just took a little extra time. 

So, now when you turn on your 

favorite song it will again have 

the meaning it had when you 

first heard it. 

John Salerno and Sam host MAD 

(Making a Difference) Radio each 

Wednesday 7pm central live on FB 

@Makingadifferencetx. 







co-workers. 



Janus of Rome 

In the pantheon of Roman mythology 

there is a god that is not 

borrowed from the Greeks. The 

Romans were brilliant people 

who did not like reinventing the 

wheel. Therefore, they shamelessly 

took the inventions and 

discoveries of others and made 

them their own. Many times, they 

improved on the original models 

and our world is still receiving 

the benefits. Today, we can still 

see their aqueducts, roads, concrete, 

and even bound books. In 

their religious mythology most 

all their gods are Greek gods 

who have 

been renamed. 

For example, 

Zeus is the 

chief god in 

Greek myths, 

but in the 

Latin myths 

his name is 

Jupiter. Same 

god, different 

name. 

Janus, however, 

is pure 

Roman. Janus 

is a god with 

two faces. He 

has eyes in 

the back of his 

head as well as the front. Romans 

had a concept that beginnings 

and endings were important 

components of the same 

event. Janus was the god that 

started war and ended peace. 

Janus also started peace and 

ended war. Apollo governed the 

war itself, but Janus started and 

ended it. Janus is also concerned 

with journeys as they begin and 

end. When one journey is ended, 

another starts. Therefore, 

Janus guards the doorways and 

passageways of a building as 

these are important starting and 

ending points of a journey. We 

get our word “janitor” from this 

function of Janus’ mission. The 

most important of all the duties 

of Janus was guarding the 

gateways of the city of Rome. 

The very security of the Roman 

people was 

in the hands 

of Janus as 

he was the 

gatekeeper of 

the city. With 

his unique 

ability to see 

from multiple 

points of 

view, he could 

maintain the 

gates and 

protect the 

people. 

On September 

4, 476 

AD, Janus no 

longer kept 

the gates. The Romans squandered 

their birthrights with 

riotous overspending and political 

corruption. They could no 

longer manage their far-flung 

affairs in an efficient manner, 

so mismanagement became the 

norm. They no longer superintended 

their borders, and they allowed 

their enemies to come in and serve in 

their once mighty legions. They quite 

literally trained foreigners in their 

military tactics and technology. They 

did this because the average Roman 

no longer had the intrinsic loyalty 

and patriotism to perform their civic 

responsibilities in an organized society. 

The new segment of their society 

called Christians was extremely 

disgusted by the collective sexual 

depravity that injured children and 

vulnerable women. They also saw the 

reliance on slave labor to be peculiarly 

depraved. 

Despite Rome’s glorious history 

with her stupendous accomplishments, 

the society could not stand. In 

a geographical area that went from 

the Atlantic Ocean to the Euphrates 

River, the once mighty empire crumbled. 

Edward Gibbon’s book concerning 

the rise and decline of Rome 

indicated that the most surprising 

characteristic of the fall was that 

the Romans did not know it was 

in decline! 

On September 4, 476 AD, Janus 

failed to protect the Roman 

people and their once dominant 

gates. “Barbarians” entered the 

phenomenal city. They marveled 

at the architecture and engineering 

involved in creating this 

dazzling metropolis. The “Barbarians” 

could neither read nor 

write, but they could fight as 

their one-time masters trained 

them. 

Upon further reflection, I wonder 

if Janus did do his duty. 

Perhaps he wasn’t the negligent 

deity the now conquered Romans 

thought he was. Conceivably, he 

may have executed his obligations 

perfectly. Janus, with his 

powers of multiple viewpoints, 

apparently believed that the 

citizens of Rome were no longer 

worthy of the sacrifices that 

the centurion gatekeepers were 

asked to make on their behalf. 

The centurions enforced the 

greatest written law code ever 

produced up until that time - the 

“Corpus Juris Civilis.” The once 

illustrious force that patrolled 

the roads of the empire and the 

gates of Rome herself now protected 

an ungrateful and dishonorable 

population. The Romans 

exhausted the honor, loyalty, and 

Congratulations to 

Alan Helfman 

on your 

Lifetime 

Achievement Award 

PROUD SUPPORTER OF THE BLUES 

FOR OVER 36 YEARS 

courage of the centurions who 

had sworn an oath to protect 

them. Janus didn’t need four 

eyes to see this detestable behavior. 

On September 4, 476 AD, Rome 

fell. The journey was over. The 

ungrateful and despicable Romans 

had new masters as any 

conquered people does. 

On September 4, 476 AD, Janus 

started a new journey on history’s 

timeline. It was one in which 

the new masters were illiterate 

barbarians with tribal names like 

Goths, Vandals, Celts, Angles, 

Saxons, Franks, and Visigoths. 

The new journey had a name: 

The Dark Ages. 

HELFMAN’S 

RIVER OAKS CHRYSLER 

JEEP • DODGE • RAM • CHRYSLER • FORD 

FIAT • ALFA ROMEO • MASERATI 


NBC’s Lester Holt 

Fails to tell the entire truth, so help him God! 

With regards to this months 

“Lightbulb Award” Mr. Lester Holt 

wins! If you’re not familiar with 

NBC’s Nightly News, Mr. Holt is the 

host, or anchor, of the nearly half a 

century old show. There’s a section 

of the show entitled “Truth Be Told” 

in which, I will certainly concede, 

Mr. Holt and the Nightly News staff, 

do in fact present the truth. However, 

the problem is they do not 

include the whole truth! 

You can tell a part of a story and 

well, leave it at that, right? But then, 

at the end of the story, you’re wondering, 

where’s the whole story? 

Where are the key, critical, fair, and 

impartial facts which are pertinent 

to telling the whole truth? ESPE- 

CIALLY when it comes to speaking 

with regards to America’s men and 

women in law enforcement. 

In recent years, men and women 

in law enforcement have come 

under intense scrutiny for the media 

and the public. And I’ll certainly 

concede rightfully so. However, NOT 

SO FAST, Mr. Holt and Co. You’re only 

speaking to specific incidents and 

circumstances which DO NOT, and 

I mean ABSOLUTELY DO NOT fairly 

or accurately represent the entire 

profession of law enforcement. 

Yes, there have been some officers 

who have crossed the line and done 

wrong. That has been clearly seen, 

brought to light and dealt with. And 

yet, for some unknown reason, the 

many law enforcement officers who 

every single day, go out and give 

everything they’ve got, some even 

losing their lives, rarely if ever, are 

mentioned on NBC’s Nightly News or 

referenced by Mr. Holt and his staff. 

“Why?” some would ask. Like 

I said, Mr. Holt hasn’t lied to the 

American people. He has in fact, 

told the truth in his Truth Be Told 

section. Unfortunately, he has NOT 

told the WHOLE TRUTH. For you 

see, in the same time frame of 

the critical series of stories with 

regards to America’s law enforcement 

officers, Mr. Holt has declined 

to tell the WHOLE STORY. In that 

same time frame, hundreds of law 

enforcement officers have lost their 

lives, in the line of duty. HUNDREDS. 

Many more, have been grievously 

assaulted, injured and maimed. 

Many a widow, mother, father, 

daughter, son, brother, and sister 

have grieved and endured the loss 

of a loved one who, proudly, honorably 

and with distinguished service, 

lost their lives, in the service of the 

communities where they so gallantly 

served. 

I understand, the WHOLE TRUTH 

doesn’t always “sell.” At the same 

time, I would imagine from all I 

have studied of men such as the 

late, Mr. Walter Cronkite, they 

would tremble and shake with 

furious anger where the WHOLE 

TRUTH had NOT been told. Such 

men arguably were not always liked 

for their reporting. However, one 

thing they did have going for them 

was this, no one doubted their word 

because, they knew no matter what, 

they were going to tell the truth, 

the whole truth and nothing but the 

truth, so help them by God!! 

Today’s newscasters and producers…NOT 

SO MUCH. Oh, they’ll tell a 

part of or a portion of the truth. The 

segment they want you to know 

about and then, they’ll sacrifice the 

remaining facts of the story. No 

matter who it hurts or how misinformed 

viewers will be, at the end 

of their presentation. 

In closing, I would challenge Mr. 

Holt to a bit of the Telling of the 

Truth. Tell the WHOLE story!! Not 

just whatever happens to fit anyone’s 

narrative. The truth demands 

to be told. To restrain the truth is to 

deny justice to all those who seek 

and deserve to know the truth. 


One Tribe Foundation: 

Restoring the Value of Life 

Through Empowerment 

“Human beings need three basic 

things in order to be content: 

they need to feel competent at 

what they do; they need to feel 

authentic in their lives; and they 

need to feel connected to others. 

These values are considered “intrinsic” 

to human happiness and 

far outweigh “extrinsic” values 

such as beauty, money and status,” 

Sebastian Junger, Tribe: On 

Homecoming and Belonging. 

In continuing to highlight the 

wonderful missions of Texas 

based organizations that focus 

on the mental health needs 

of first responders, I contacted 

Jacob Schick, Chief Executive 

Officer with the One Tribe Foundation. 

Based in Dallas, Texas, 

the One Tribe Foundation was 

created (originally as 22KILL) 

when the push up challenge 

went viral as a response to the 

VA study findings that 22 veterans 

a day were dying by suicide. 

Since that time, the foundation 

has grown into a HIPAA-compliant 

mental and emotional wellness 

organization that provides 

both traditional and non-traditional 

therapies for veterans, first 

responders, law enforcement officers, 

frontline medical workers, 

and their families. They serve 

those who run toward the fight. 

Jacob Schick is a third-generation 

combat Marine, motivational 

speaker and actor who 

epitomizes service and sacrifice. 

Jake helps individuals and teams 

maximize their potential by using 

his experience and the effects 

of being severely wounded 

in Iraq. His story is one of recovery 

and resilience and motivates 

individuals to live well and is a 

staunch advocate of mental and 

emotional wellness of the human 

tribe as a whole. 

After a triple-stacked tank 

mine detonated below his vehicle 

in the Al Anbar Province, Iraq 

in 2004, Jake suffered compound 

fractures in his left leg and left 

arm; multiple skin, ligament, 

and bone losses; varying burns; 

partial loss of his left hand and 

arm; amputation below the knee 

of his right leg, traumatic brain 

injury (TBI) and post-traumatic 

stress disorder (PTSD). Jake 

has undergone over 50 operations, 

23 blood transfusions, 

and countless hours of rehabilitation. 

He will tell you his 

physical injuries were not the 

worst that happened to him. 

DR. TINA JAECKLE 

For years, he dreaded his TBI 

and PTSD diagnosis, a common 

mindset amongst warriors and 

people alike. Jake has appeared 

on James Gandolfini’s HBO special 

“Alive Day Memories: Home 

from Iraq,” as well as “60 Minute 

Sports” and various other 

local and national mediums. 

Jake has been featured in roles 

in Clint Eastwood’s productions 

of “American Sniper” and “The 

Mule”, and appeared in Bradley 

Cooper’s production of “A Star is 

Born.” 

One Tribe Foundation is fully 

aware of the struggles and 

demands of the work police 

officers do and advocate through 

traditional and non-traditional 

therapy and social media 

campaigns to bring awareness 

as well as science-based solutions 

to these struggles and the 

need for tools to combat mental 

health issues. They have over 30 

therapists on staff that serve the 

tribe through our Stay the Course 

program and four non-traditional 

programs 

to include WATCH 

(We Are the Children 

of Heroes), 

Wind Therapy, and 

Forge & White Star 

Families. They also 

provide peer-topeer 

conversations 

through their Tribal 

Council. Another 

significant goal is 

to break the stigma 

and influence leadership 

to encourage 

their officers to ask 

for help. Law enforcement 

officers 

should not have to 

be concerned with 

losing their gun and 

badge to better 

their mental and 

emotional state, in 

fact, it would only 

better equip them 

as public servants. 

One Tribe Foundation 

focuses 

first on prevention 

and begins with 

awareness. This 

means educating 

themselves and the 

public, opening 

the conversation, and learning 

to become comfortable with 

the fear of being vulnerable. By 

doing this, they can identify the 

often avoided or unaddressed 

issues that can lead someone to 

thoughts of suicide, and confront 

those issues as they come, rather 

than letting them accumulate 

into something much worse. 

The next step is empowerment. 

One of the biggest challenges 

veterans and first responders 

face is finding a sense of purpose 

after service. 22KILL has 

successfully built a vast network 

of organizations and resources 

across the country, and whether 

through its own programs, or 

through external sources, veterans, 

first responders, and family 

members can locate services 

to help them find or rediscover 

that sense of purpose. The other 

side and of equal importance 

is engagement. Often one may 

come to realize that all they 

really needed was the brotherhood 

and camaraderie that may 

have been absent from their lives 


To 

since leaving service. The 22KILL 

“Tribe” allows service members 

to connect with like-minded 

individuals and gives them the 

opportunity to get involved with 

community events and projects, 

and be a part of something 

great. 

Our deepest gratitude to you 

Jake for choosing to pay it forward 

and all at One Tribe Foundation 

for your life saving mission. 

More information on all can be 

found at: 1tribefoundation.org.

Attitudes toward officers makes 

proactive policing very difficult, yet 

we HPD officers have more support 

than officers in most big cities. 

I came onto the Houston 

Police Department in 1990 in 

class No. 142. During my entire 

career I have been incredibly 

proud of the department and 

consider it one of the best police 

departments in the nation. 

I can recall times when other 

departments would look 

to Houston and ask us to help 

train other departments. We 

have led the nation with our innovative 

homeless outreach and 

mental health response teams 

(CIRT). I have always considered 

myself a proactive officer 

being in the Gang Task Force, 

Divisional Gang Unit, and the 

Tact Team at Southeast. 

I know firsthand that proactive 

policing is necessary to 

keep crime rates down and 

the community safe. If it were 

not for great proactive patrol 

officers and line level Tac and 

Gang units, the City of Houston 

would have been crime ridden 

years ago. 

Now, with all the calls for police 

reform, proactive policing 

is slowly dying. Cities across 

the country have pulled back 

their proactive units or enacted 

DOUGLAS GRIFFITH 

policies that greatly reduce the 

effectiveness of actual police 

work. From very restrictive 

use-of-force policies to nochase 

policies, many cities are 

changing the way in which 

police officers are allowed to 

do their jobs. 

Between the defunding of 

departments to restrictive policies, 

it is no surprise that crime 

rates are quickly going up in 

every major city in America. 

This had led to increased retirements 

and low recruiting levels 

across the nation as officers 

feel disrespected and undervalued. 

We are truly blessed here 

in Houston, as we have been 

spared from these ridiculous 

calls to defund or “reimagine” 

our department. In fact, 

the mayor has allocated more 

money for the department for 

an extra academy class and for 

overtime to help with the crime 

spikes. Just like some other 

cities, crime in Houston can be 

directly linked to the courts and 

judges not doing their jobs, not 

the officers. 

But this also brings into question 

our ability to do proactive 

policing. Proactive policing in 

our department has slowed 

and I believe this is a combination 

of issues, the first being 

that we do not want to get 

into trouble for just doing our 

jobs. This is directly related to 

our current issues regarding 

“accountability” and the departments’ 

investigation of IAD 

complaints. 

When the department is more 

concerned over how we talk to 

a criminal or whether we are 

taking our seatbelt off too early 

than the fundamental aspects 

of a use-of-force complaint, 

then we will continue to have 

an erosion of proactive policing 

in our department. This also 

has a big impact on morale 

around the department. 

The next – and probably the 

biggest detriment to policing 

– is the combination of bail 

reform and the criminal court 

judges. When we have violent 

offenders constantly released 

back onto the streets time and 

time again, it emboldens these 

offenders. 

Our last four shootings have 

involved officers being fired 

upon and I truly believe that 

they feel that offenders are not 

being held accountable for their 

actions. 

I believe that we will continue 

to see a slowing of proactive 

policing and an erosion of our 

profession for the near future. 

I pray that we will again see 

the day that criminals are held 

accountable, and officers are 

allowed to do their jobs without 

fear of IAD or the courts! 







co-workers. 


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unning 4 heroes 

Total Miles Run in 2021: (as of 6/29/21): 167 

Total Miles Run in 2020: 401 

Total Miles Run in 2019: 376 

Overall Miles Run: 944 

2021 Run Stats: 

Total Miles Run for 2021 fallen LEO’s (Non COVID-19): 83 

Total Miles Run for 2021 fallen Firefighters (Non COVID-19): 30 

Total Miles Run for 2021 fallen COVID-19 Heroes: 15 

Total Miles Run for 2021 fallen Canada LEO’s: 1 

Total Miles Run for 2021 Non Line of Duty Deaths: 0 

Total Miles Run for 2020 Fallen LEO’s: 24 

Total Miles Run for 2020 Fallen Firefighters: 6 

Total Miles Run for 2020/2021 Fallen K9’s: 0 

Total Tribute Runs by State for 2021: 8 

- - - - - - - - - - 

Zechariah 

Cartledge: 

a True American Hero 

States/Cities Zechariah has run in: 

Florida - Winter Springs, Lake Mary, Clearwater, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Orlando, 

Temple Terrace, Blountstown, Cocoa, Lakeland, Daytona Beach, West Palm Beach 

New York - New York City. Georgia - Cumming, Augusta. South Carolina - North Myrtle Beach, 

Charleston, Sumter. Pennsylvania - Monaca, Illinois - Springfield, Naperville, Glen Ellyn 

Texas - Houston (2), Fort Worth, Midland, New Braunfels, Freeport, Madisonville 

Kentucky - Nicholasville . Arkansas - Bryant, Nevada - Henderson 

California - Mt. Vernon, Arizona - Mesa. North Carolina - Concord, Tennessee - Bristol 

Delaware - Milford, Minnesota - Arden Hills, Indiana - Sullivan, Spencer 

Missouri - Springfield, Iowa - Independence 


emembering my hero ... 

... HPD Officer Kevin Will 

Concerns of Police Survivors is an organization whose mission is to help rebuild the 

shattered lives of those family members and co-workers of law enforcement officers 

that are killed in the line of duty. Sergeant Don Egdorf is a 20-year Veteran of the 

Houston Police Department who has spent his career working with the DWI Task 

Force. He has spoken about DWI, Line of Duty Death cases and Peer Support all 

over the country. Now he tells us about his father and his motivation to work DWI 

Cases and become involved with MADD. 

HPD Sgt. Don Egdorf 

When I graduated from the 

Houston Police Academy in May 

of 2001, I never knew how much 

my life was going to change or 

how quickly it would happen. 

Within just a few days of graduation, 

Officer Albert Vasquez 

was killed in the same patrol 

beat where I had just been assigned 

to train. Even though I 

had grown up in a police family, 

and was now a third-generation 

officer, I had no idea how quickly 

things would turn. Seeing the 

aftermath of a line of duty death 

so quickly changed my perspective 

a little, and I had no idea 

how many more changes would 

be coming. 

Like most people that have 

joined, I did not really have a set 

path that would guide what I did 

within the department. I knew I 

was a patrol officer and expected 

to be doing that for a number 

of years until I had enough 

time on the department to get 

a “more exciting” spot, such as 

Homicide or K9 (Canine Unit). 

To say that my father was a big 

influence on my career would be 

a gross understatement. While 

I wanted to follow in his footsteps, 

I also wanted to forge my 

own path and experiences. After 

I had about a year in patrol, I 

started gravitating to more and 

more DWI cases. It really wasn’t 

hard to find DWI’s since I was 

working in the Richmond Strip 

area in the Westside Division; 

and on weekend nights it seems 

like all I could ever find were 

drunk drivers. I was able to join 

the Westside DWI Task Force 

and worked very hard to try and 

be the best DWI officer that I 

could be. DWI Task Force has 

never really been a position that 

people looked at as a fun or exciting 

place to work, but for me, 

that’s exactly what it became. I 

soon discovered that over the 

years, many of the officers that 

worked in the DWI Task Force, 

and remained for a lengthy time, 

had been personally affected by 

an intoxicated driver - and for 

me, it was no different. In 1984, 

when my father was a Beechnut 

K9 officer, he was hit by an 

intoxicated driver while assisting 

with a crash investigation on the 

Southwest Freeway. His crash 

changed our lives in more ways 

that we could have ever imagined, 

and is really what ended up 

shaping my career. Fortunately, 

he survived and recovered, and 

subsequently, was able to return 

to work before finally retiring in 

1999. 

In the following years, I transferred 

to the Traffic Enforcement 

Division, and did the one thing 

that no officer ever hopes to become, 

an expert in working Line 

of Duty death cases. I have been 

involved in working hundreds 

of fatal crash cases; however, 

the seven on duty police officer 

fatal crashes are the ones that 

will never go away. The crash 

that has stuck with me the most 

was in May of 2011 when Officer 

Kevin Will was killed by a drunk 

driver. Oddly enough, the crash 

that killed Kevin was very similar 

to my dad’s crash, and even happened 

at about the same time – 

in the early morning hours. 

Even though there are so many 

negatives that come from working 

these cases, there has also 

been quite a bit of good to come 

from them. My work with the 

DWI Task Force has led to a 

relationship with MADD, Mothers 

Against Drunk Driving, that 

started with looking for help on 

a DWI Awareness Campaign, 

whereas now, I am the Vice- 

Chair of the National Board of 

Directors. I have been chosen to 

speak on behalf of the Houston 

Police Department 

at National 

Conferences/ 

Trainings 

all over 

the country, 

and 

continue 

to assist 

as one 

of the 

“subject 

matter 

experts” 

for The 

National 

Highway Traffic Safety Administration 

(NHTSA) and International 

Association for Chiefs of 

Police (IACP). 

The hardest 

part over the 

years, has not 

been working 

the cases 

themselves, 

or even the 

trials; it has 

been everything 

that goes 

along with 

these things, 

yet more 

importantly, 

what happens 

once the case 

is over. After 

the funeral, 

trials, memorials, 

ceremonies 

and other 

events, life 

has to go on - 

and that is the hardest thing to 

grasp, at times. How do we get 

past the emotional trauma that 

comes with seeing and dealing 

with these cases? Well, that 

answer is a little different for everyone, 

but I can share what has 

worked for me. As officers, we 

really do a terrible job of dealing 

with emotional trauma, and for 

many years, we had been told 

to “suck it up” or just “deal with 

it”, while we struggle internally. 

The reality is that we need to 

spend more time on our mental 

health, and a big part is getting 

rid of the stigma that there is 

something wrong with us when 

we ask for help. We have to ask 

for help. As officers working line 

of duty cases, we have so many 

resources at our disposal, but the 

first step is that you have to ask 

for help. I was one of the people 

that refused to ask for help, 

and was finally confronted by a 

friend that pled with me to talk 

92 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 


to someone. I started out with 

our department’s Psychological 

Services Unit, and I have nothing 

but great things to say about 

how I was treated by Dr. Tate and 

his staff, but what really turned 

things around for me, has been 

my relationship with C.O.P.S or 

Concerns of Police Survivors. I 

attended a class called Traumas 

of Law Enforcement, and the 

amazing part of the class, is that 

most of the people that were 

there had also been involved in a 

Line of Duty Death (LODD) case; 

therefore, we all had a common 

bond where we all learned 

that it was easy to talk to each 

other and tell our stories. Later 

that year I attended the C.O.P.S, 

Co-Workers Retreat. The retreat 

is held each year in Missouri, and 

there is no cost to attend. I have 

been back every year and plan 

to continue going. This retreat 

is only open to officers (current, 

former or retired) that have been 

affected by a LODD, and because 

of this requirement, we know 

that we are with others that are 

suffering the same way, and for 

many - the same reasons. The 

co-worker’s group is 100% confidential, 

and agencies are never 

told about your attendance if 

you don’t want them to know. I 

have taken a different approach 

and I want to tell everyone about 

C.O.P.S. and the Co-Workers 

Retreat. I have friends that I can 

call at any time, and they are 

always willing to help when I 

need it. We are all human, and 

sometimes we need to reach out 

for a helping hand. The first time 

I spoke in public about what I 

had gone through, I was the keynote 

speaker at a Traffic Safety 

Conference, out of state. It was 

one of the most difficult presentations 

I had ever done, and 

when it ended, I really wondered 

if anyone “got it” or did they 

just think I was someone that 

couldn’t handle the job? Those 

questions were answered soon 

after when I was approached 

by someone that told me he had 

been afraid to talk to anyone 

and ask for help. He was on the 

edge of making a fatal decision. 

We talked for quite a while and 

I was able get him in touch with 

someone to get the help he needed. 

That one day, that one talk, 

made everything worthwhile. I 

don’t think there is anything better 

than using our experiences to help 

someone that has been suffering 

and searching for answers. To be 

able to reassure him that he isn’t 

the only one that has those feelings, 

and that we don’t have to be 

emotionally shut off to survive 

was such a great feeling. I truly 

think It might be the greatest 

accomplishment of my life, way 

better than any award or commendation. 

We owe it to each other to 

help each other. When you know 

someone is suffering, help them 

get to the right people. I wish 

someone had told me years ago 

that it’s okay to ask for help, that 

you aren’t a weak officer when 

the horrible things that we see 

every day bother you. 

It’s been 10 years since Officer 

Kevin Will was killed. Each time 

we talk about it, there are a flood 

of emotions; but now more than 

ever. It’s a sense of pride knowing 

that we pulled together and did 

everything that we could to help 

achieve justice for Kevin’s family. 

Looking back, eighteen Houston 

Police Officers have died in the 

line of duty in the 20 years that I 

have served in the Houston Police 

Department. Many of those eighteen 

were friends of mine. I don’t 

know how many more years I will 

serve, but I know that there will 

be more officers that we will lose. 

I also know that more officers will 

need help, and more of us will 

need to step up and be the help 

those officers are looking for. 


Police Officer 

Ginarro New 

Phoenix Police Department, Arizona 

End of Watch Monday, May 31, 2021 

Age 27 Tour 2 Years Badge # N/A 

Police Officer Ginarro New was killed in an automobile crash at the intersection 

of Cave Creek Road and E Greenway Parkway at about 10:30 pm. 

His patrol car was struck by another vehicle that ran a red light at a high 

rate of speed. The impact knocked Officer New’s patrol car through a brick 

wall and caused it to overturn. Responding rescue crews extricated him 

from the vehicle and transported him to a local hospital where he succumbed 

to his injuries. The driver of the other vehicle was also killed in the 

collision. 

Officer New had served with the Phoenix Police Department for two years 

and was assigned to the Black Mountain Precinct. He is survived by his 

wife, mother, brother, and grandmother. 

Detective 

Jamie Huntley-Park 

San Diego Police Department, California 

End of Watch Friday, June 4, 2021 


Detective Ryan Park and his wife, Detective Jamie Huntley-Park, were killed 

when their department vehicle was struck head-on by a wrong-way driver 

on I-5 near Route 905 in San Ysidro. They were conducting follow-up 

investigations when the crash occurred at about 10:25 am. The driver of 

the other vehicle was also killed in the collision. 

Detective Park and Detective Huntley-Park were in the same academy 

class and later married. Both were promoted to the rank of Detective on 

the same day. 

Detective 

Ryan Park 

San Diego Police Department, California 



Detective Ryan Park and his wife, Detective Jamie Huntley-Park, were killed 

when their department vehicle was struck head-on by a wrong-way driver on I-5 

near Route 905 in San Ysidro. They were conducting follow-up investigations 

when the crash occurred at about 10:25 am. The driver of the other vehicle 

was also killed in the collision. 

Detective Park and Detective Huntley-Park were in the same academy class 

and later married. Both were promoted to the rank of Detective on the same 

day. 


Emmanuel Familia 

Worcester Police Department, Massachusetts 


Age 38 Tour 5 Years 

Badge # N/A 

Police Officer Manny Familia drowned while attempting to rescue a juvenile 

who had gone underwater in a small pond in Green Hill Park at about 1:35 

pm. Three juveniles who had gone into the water became distressed. One 

of the juveniles went underwater and failed to surface. Officer Familia and 

several other officers responded to the pond and entered the water in an 

effort to save all three. Officers were able to bring the other two juveniles 

to shore, however, Officer Familia failed to surface while trying to save 

the third juvenile. Officer Familia was recovered from the water approximately 

one hour later and transported to a local hospital where he was 

pronounced dead. 

Officer Familia had served with the Worcester Police Department for five 

years. He is survived by his wife, son, and daughter. 



Deputy Sheriff 

William H. Smith 

Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, Alabama 

End of Watch Sunday, June 6, 2021 

Age 57 Tour 7 Years Badge n/A 

Sergeant 

Erasmo García-Torres 

Puerto Rico Police Department, Puerto Rico 

End of Watch Thursday, June 10, 2021 

Age 50 Tour 29 Years 11 Months, Badge # N/A 

Deputy Sheriff Bill Smith drowned while attempting a water rescue of 

three distressed swimmers in the Gulf of Mexico off of Fort Morgan 

Road. He and another deputy entered the water in an attempt to rescue 

the three swimmers. Deputy Smith also became distressed during the 

rescue. Deputy Smith was taken to a nearby medical facility where he 

was pronounced dead. The other deputy and all three swimmers were also 

treated at local facilities. 

Deputy Smith had served with the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office for 

seven years. He had previously served with the Calhoun County Sheriff’s 

Office and had served as a firefighter for 30 years. 

Sergeant Erasmo García-Torres was shot and killed while conducting a 

traffic stop at the intersection of Calle Villa and Calle Venus in Ponce, 

Puerto Rico. The driver started to walk away during the stop and Sergeant 

García-Torres began to follow him. The man suddenly turned around 

and opened fire on Sergeant García-Torres, striking him in the head. 

Sergeant García-Torres was transported to a local hospital where he was 

pronounced dead. 

Sergeant García-Torres had served with the Puerto Rico Police Department 

for 30 years and was assigned to the Ponce East Precinct. He was 

posthumously promoted to the rank of Sergeant. He is survived by his 

four sons. 


Alexandra Brenneman Harris 

Seattle Police Department, Washington 

End of Watch Sunday, June 13, 2021 

Age 38 Tour 5 years Badge #N/A 

Police Officer Lexi Harris was struck and killed by a vehicle while checking 

on the welfare of several drivers who had just been involved in a vehicle 

crash on I-5 near Spokane Street. Officer Harris had just completed her 

shift and was en route home when she encountered the crash at about 

1:15 am. She had exited her vehicle to check on the drivers when she was 

struck by another passing vehicle. After being struck, one of the drivers 

from the original crash stole her POV and fled the area. The driver who 

struck her remained at the scene and cooperated with investigating 

officers. 

Officer Harris had served with the Seattle Police Department for five 

years. 


Joseph William Burson 

Holly Springs Police Department, Georgia 

End of Watch Wednesday, June 16, 2021 

Age 25 Tour 1 Year 6 Months Badge 235 

Police Officer Joe Burson succumbed to injuries sustained when he was 

dragged by a vehicle during a traffic stop of a speeding vehicle at about 

11:00 pm. He had stopped the vehicle on Hickory Road between Little 

Road and Hickory Hills Drive. At some point during the stop, the driver 

attempted to flee in the car and dragged Officer Burson alongside it. Officer 

Burson was able to fatally shoot the subject while being dragged but 

suffered severe injuries when he fell to the pavement. 

Officer Burson had served with the Holly Springs Police Department for 

18 months. He is survived by his wife, parents, and brother. 




Gordon Beesley 

Arvada Police Department, Colorado 

End of Watch Monday, June 21, 2021 

Age N/A Tour 19 Years Badge # N/A 

Police Officer Gordon Beesley was shot and killed at about 1:30 pm after 

having responded to a suspicious event call near the Arvada Library in the 

7500 block of W 57th Avenue. While Officer Beesley was checking the 

area a subject who had expressed a hatred for police arrived and saw him. 

The subject retrieved a 12-gauge shotgun from his vehicle, approached 

Officer Beesley from behind, and opened fire, killing Officer Beesley. A 

Good Samaritan, Mr. Johnny Hurley, heard the shots, rushed to the area, 

and fatally shot the subject prior to the arrival of backup officers. Mr. 

Hurley picked up the subject’s rifle to secure it but was mistaken for the 

original shooter and was fatally shot by responding officers. 

Officer Beesley had served with the Arvada Police Department for 19 

years. He was the SRO at Oberon Middle School but was assigned to 

patrol during the summer break. 

Deputy Sheriff 

Anthony Redondo 

Imperial County Sheriff’s Office, California 

End of Watch Saturday, June 26, 2021 

Age 25 Tour 9 Months Badge # 623 

Deputy Sheriff Anthony Redondo was killed in a vehicle crash at the intersection 

of Aten Road and Forrester Road while responding to a call for 

service. 

His patrol SUV collided with another vehicle in the intersection. 

Deputy Redondo had served with the Imperial County Sheriff’s Office for 

only nine months. He is survived by his parents and siblings. 


Kevin Apple 

Pea Ridge Police Department, Arkansas 

End of Watch Saturday, June 26, 2021 

Age 53 Tour 23 Years Badge # 1212 

Police Officer Kevin Apple was struck and killed by a vehicle in the parking 

lot of a gas station at the intersection of Slack Street and N Curtis Avenue. 

The vehicle had fled from officers in Rogers, Arkansas, earlier after 

they attempted to stop it for a property-related crime. Officer Apple and 

another officer spotted the vehicle parked in the gas station parking lot 

and attempted to contact the driver. The driver accelerated and struck a 

police car before fatally striking Officer Apple. Officers pursued the vehicle 

into Bella Vista where she and another occupant were arrested. 

Officer Apple had served with the Pea Ridge Police Department for three 

years and had previously served with the Lowell Police Department and 

Farmington Police Department. 

“When a police officer is killed, 

it’s not an agency that loses an officer, 

it’s an entire nation.” 

Chris Cosgriff, ODMP Founder 



Now is Time to Plan for 

September Dove Season 

I know that for most of us July 

is about hot summer days, family 

cookouts, and trips to the beach and 

the lake. However, can you believe 

that hunting season is less than 60 

days away? The North and Central 

zones of Texas Dove Seasons begin 

September 1stand that means you 

need to make your plans now if 

you want to participate in opening 

day. As readers of my column have 

learned, I am a big fan of Texas 

Dove hunting and they are usually 

my favorite hunting trips of the 

year. This is also true for many 

other hunters so spots at the best 

outfitters fill up fast, therefore you 

must plan early. There are many 

great outfitters in Texas, but in my 

opinion no one does it better than 

Sammy 

Nooner and 

his Valdina 

Ranch staff. 

Once referred 

to as 

the “Duke of 

Dove”, Sammy 

knows 

what it takes 

to make his 

customers 

have a great 

experience, 

both on and 

off the dove 

field. I can 

personally 

attest you 

will not 

find better 

accommodations 

than this farm and horse 

ranch from the 1930s turned into 

a state-of-the-art 23 room Texas 

hunting lodge. All combined, it has 

a cool history, great accommodations, 

excellent food, and by far the 

best dove hunting fields and guides 

in the state. Check out their website 

http://www.valdinaranch.com , follow 

them on Facebook, or just call 

them (830) 741-9211. 

In addition to finding your hunting 

outfitter that will guide you to 

plenty of birds, it is not too early 

to pull out the shotguns and make 

a trip to the gun range. This time 

of year, the skeet fields tend to 

be less crowded and thus much 

more enjoyable. Carter’s Country 

in Spring off Treaschwig Road has 

been one of my favorite places to 

take a small group and shoot skeet 

and trap to prepare for dove season. 

(281) 443-8393. If you want more 

variety in your target shooting, then 

I recommend heading over American 

Shooting Centers on the West 

side of Houston 

at 16500 

Westheimer 

in the beautiful 

George 

Bush Park 

(281) 556- 

8199. If you 

live on the 

North side of 

Houston, try 

Blackwood 

Sporting 

Company 

located in 

Montgomery 

County 

at 11400 FM 

2854, Conroe, 

TX. (936) 

441-4040. 

If you live 

outside of Houston, a quick google 

search for “sporting clays course 

near me” will show you how popular 

this sport has become and 

how many locations are now open 

around the state. 

Lastly, check out your snake 

boots for wear and comfort now 

because as it gets closer to the 

season, you will find retailers running 

out of the most popular sizes 

leaving you with only a backorder 

situation. I have had great luck 

with snake boots from Bass Pro 

Shops for many years, but recently 

upgraded to Chippawa Boots. Like 

most other footwear, you must try 

own different brands and find a pair 

that feels good on your feet. I know 

some of might even say that snake 

boots are not required, but you will 

become a believer as soon as you 

go into the heavy brush of Texas, 

where everything either sticks, 

pricks, or bites you. I personally like 

locking my eyes on a down bird’s 

location and walking right to it, not 

looking down at where I am walking 

to steer around thorny bushes. 

So continue to enjoy your beach 

and lake time with family and 

friends this month, but maybe 

when you have some downtime, 

know that it is not too early to start 

planning for your September dove 

hunting trips. 


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106 106 The The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 


ADS BACK IN THE DAY 




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Walker County Sheriff's Office Get Info Peace Officer 08/09/2021 - 5pm 

McLennan Community College Police Dept. Get Info Peace Officer 07/30/2021 - 5pm 

Naples Police Department Get Info Chief of Police 08/09/2021 - 5pm 

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City of Texas City Fire Department Get Info Fire Marshal 08/05/2021 - 5pm 

Hamilton County Sheriff's Office Get Info Peace Officer (Reserve) 07/05/2021 - 5pm 

Sterling County Sheriff's Office Get Info Peace Officer 08/10/2021 - 5pm 

Southwestern Baptist Department Get Info Peace Officer 07/02/2021 - 5pm 

North Central Texas College Get Info Peace Officer 08/11/2021 - 5pm 

City of Austin Get Info Chief of Police 07/05/2021 - 5pm 

City of Katy Get Info Peace Officer 07/02/2021 - 5pm 

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Loving County Sheriffs Office Get Info School Resource Officer 08/11/2021 - 5pm 

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Montgomery Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 07/14/2021 - 5pm 

Bruceville-Eddy Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 07/09/2021 - 5pm 

Salado Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 08/06/2021 - 5pm 

Poth Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 07/10/2021 - 5pm 

Hamilton County Sheriff's Office Get Info Peace Officer 09/15/2021 - 5pm 

Bexar County Sheriff's Office Get Info Peace Officer 07/12/2021 - 5pm 

Clute Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 07/31/2021 - 5pm 

Anderson County Sheriff’s Office Get Info Peace Officer 07/11/2021 - 5pm 

Bryan Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 07/23/2021 - 5pm 

Hays County Sheriff's Ofice Get Info School Resource Officer 06/10/2021 - 5pm 

Memorial Villages Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 08/16/2021 - 5pm 

City of Roanoke & the Roanoke Police Dept. Get Info Peace Officer 07/12/2021 - 9am 

Cleveland ISD PD Get Info Peace Officer 08/16/2021 - 5pm 

Mustang Ridge Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 07/11/2021 - 5pm 

Alief ISD Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 08/13/2021 - 5pm 

Pewitt CISD Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 07/18/2021 - 5pm 

Ingleside Police Department Get Info Patrol Captain 08/15/2021 - 5pm 

UT at Tyler Get Info Peace Officer 07/13/2021 - 5pm 

Ingleside Police Department Get Info School Resource Officer 08/15/2021 - 5pm 

Town of Enchanted Oaks Get Info Chief of Police 07/16/2021 - 5pm 

Ingleside Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 08/15/2021 - 5pm 

Austin College Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 07/18/2021 - 5pm 

Ingleside Police Department Get Info Peace Officer (Motor) 08/15/2021 - 5pm 

Kleberg County Sheriff's Office Get Info School Resource Officer 07/11/2021 - 5pm 

Clifton Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 07/31/2021 - 5pm 

Kleberg County Sheriff's Office Get Info Peace Officer 07/11/2021 - 5pm 

Killeen Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 08/22/2021 - 11pm 

Kleberg County Sheriff's Office Get Info Court Security Officer 07/11/2021 - 5pm 

Dallas County Sheriff's Office Get Info Peace Officer 07/06/2021 - 5pm 

Schleicher County Sheriff's Office Get Info Peace Officer 07/30/2021 - 5pm 

Sherman ISD PD Get Info Chief of Police 07/16/2021 - 5pm 

City of Baytown Get Info Chief of Police 07/30/2021 - 5pm 

Dalworthington Gardens DPS Get Info Peace Officer (Reserve) 07/12/2021 - 5pm 

City of Center Get Info Peace Officer 07/21/2021 - 5pm 

Dalworthington Gardens DPS Get Info Public Safety Officer 07/12/2021 - 3pm 

Texas A&M University-Commerce PD Get Info Peace Officer 07/26/2021 - 5pm 

San Jacinto College Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 07/30/2021 - 5pm 

Waco Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 08/31/2021 - 5pm 

Forest Hills Police Department Get Info Chief of Police 09/18/2021 - 5pm 

Anna ISD Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 07/23/2021 - 5pm 

City of Spur Get Info Chief of Police 07/16/2021 - 5pm 

Argyle Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 07/25/2021 - 5pm 

Lockhart Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 07/21/2021 - 5pm 

Flower Mound Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 07/28/2021 - 5pm 

City of Denton Get Info Telecommunicator 08/22/2021 - 5pm 

Seagraves Police Department Get Info Chief of Police 08/27/2021 - 5pm 

Horseshoe Bay Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 10/01/2021 - 5pm 

Victoria Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 07/27/2021 - 5pm 

Brazos River Authority Get Info Peace Officer 08/31/2021 - 5pm 

Nassau Bay Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 07/31/2021 - 5pm 

Stinnett Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 08/31/2021 - 5pm 

Bryan Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 07/23/2021 - 5pm 

Manvel Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 07/27/2021 - 5pm 

UT Southwestern Medical Center Get Info Peace Officer 07/04/2021 - 5pm 

South San Antonio ISD Get Info Peace Officer 08/30/2021 - 5pm 

Keller Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 07/09/2021 - 5pm 

Swisher County Sheriff’s Department Get Info Peace Officer 08/30/2021 - 5pm 

Carrollton Police Department Get Info Baliff 07/05/2021 - 5pm 

Stratford Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 08/30/2021 - 5pm 

Carrollton Police Department Get Info Deputy Marshall 07/05/2021 - 5pm 

College of the Mainland Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 08/26/2021 - 5pm 

Hawley Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 07/04/2021 - 5pm 

Travis County Fire Marshal's Office Get Info Deputy Fire Marshal II 08/30/2021 - 5pm 

Spearman Police Department Get Info Chief of Police 07/05/2021 - 5pm 

Travis County Fire Marshal's Office Get Info Deputy Fire Marshal III 08/30/2021 - 5pm 

Ochiltree County Sheriff’s Office Get Info Peace Officer 07/16/2021 - 5pm 

Dalhart Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 08/30/2021 - 5pm 

Goliad County Sheriff's Office Get Info Peace Officer 07/04/2021 - 5pm 

Polk County Sheriff's Office Get Info Deputy Sheriff Patrol 08/27/2021 - 5pm 

Highland Village Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 08/08/2021 - 5pm 

Smith County Fire Marshal's Office Get Info Fire Marshal 08/03/2021 - 5pm 

Milam County Sheriff's Office Get Info Peace Officer 07/04/2021 - 5pm 


WASHINGTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE 

is accepting applications for 

Correctional Officers 

(Starting Salary: $16.48 per hour – After Certification: $18.24 per hour) 

JOIN OUR TEAM 

WALKER COUNTY 

SHERIFF’S DEPT. 

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is a progressive agency located 

in Brenham and is currently seeking career minded men and women for 

these positions. 

Benefits include: 

▪ Employee Health Insurance 

▪ Sick Pay ▪ Holiday Pay 

▪ Longevity Pay ▪ Retirement Plan 

▪ Vacation Days 

▪ Certification Pay 

Application and TCOLE Personal History Statement (both required) 

are available online at washingtoncosheriff.org 

(click Employment Opportunities) 

Open until positions are filled. 

The Walker County Sheriff’s Department is now accepting applications for the position of Patrol Deputy. We are a family based department that is dedicated to 

preserving the lives and property of the citizens of Walker County which is currently around 73,000 residents. As a Patrol Deputy within our department, you would 

be patrolling over 800 square miles of small towns, national forest and East Texas countryside. Our county seat is the town of Huntsville, Texas which has many of 

the comforts and amenities of larger city while still providing a small town atmosphere. 

Mail or deliver applications to: 

Washington County Sheriff's Office 

Attn: Recruiting Division 

1206 Old Independence Road 

Brenham, TX 77833 

Office: (979) 277-6251 

EOE 

Perks: 

• Starting Salary: $55,160.00 

• Retirement: Vested after 8 years in TCDRS. Every $1 invested in retirement is matched 210%. 

• Insurance provider: Blue Cross Blue Shield 

• Equipment: Uniforms & Patrol Equipment Provided. Currently issuing Glock 22’s and Colt SBR Rifles. 

• Vehicles: Take home Chevy Tahoe • Schedule: 12 hour shifts, every other weekend off. 

• Time Off: Paid Vacation / Holidays on a yearly basis. • Patrol Style: Proactive /Community Based Policing 

Requirements: Must be TCLOE Certified; Must have a valid Texas Drivers License; 

Must pass a written & physical test; Must complete a rigorous Field Training Program in a timely manner. 


APPLICATIONS CAN BE SUBMITTED ON THE WALKER COUNTY WEBSITE (WWW.CO.WALKER.TX.US) OR BY CONTACTING PATROL LT. JASON SULLIVAN (936) 435-2400.

ALDINE ISD POLICE DEPT. 

now accepting applications for 

Dispatch Supervisor 

Salary starting at $47,211 

Dispatchers 

Salary starting at $32,373 

EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS 

• Paid Vacation 

• Sick Leave 

• Paid Holidays 

• Personal Days 

• Compensatory Days 

• Certification Pay 

TO APPLY VISIT 

WWW.ALDINEISD.ORG 

OR 

Contact the Personnel 

Department at 

281-985-7571 

OR 

Contact Sergeant R. Hall at 

281-442-4923 

HIRING PROCESS 

• Oral Board Panel Interview 

• Complete Personal History Statement 

• Psychological Evaluation 

• Medical Examination 

• Interview with the Chief of Police 

Memorial Villages Police Department 

Bunker Hill • Piney Point• Hunters Creek 


EOE/M/F/D 

5+ Years Patrol Experience Required 

The Memorial Villages Police Department (Located on the West Side of Houston) currently has 

openings for experienced officers who are self- motivated and enthusiastic about community 

policing. We have overwhelming support of our communities and encourage our officers to be 

proactive and innovative. 

$1500 Sign on Bonus 

Starting Salary Range 

$71,179 – $82,808 (DOQ) 

• Healthcare Insurance, DHMO Dental, Vision – 100% paid for employee, 50% for 

spouse/dependents. 

• Paid long-term disability and life insurance for employee, with additional life insurance 

available for spouse/dependents. 

• Health Savings Account with departmental contributions up to $4200 annually 

• TMRS Retirement 2 to 1 match, 7% Employee ,14% Employer Contribution. 

• 457 Plan with employer contribution of 2% of annual salary 

• Bi-Lingual Pay (2.5% of Base salary) 

• Shift Differential Pay $3600 annually 

• Tuition reimbursement 

• Longevity Pay up to a max of $2400 annually at 10 years of service. 

• College Education incentive up to $3000 for a master’s degree 

• LEMIT or FBI NA pay $1200 annually. 

• ECA (Emergency Care Assistant) $1300 Annually, training provided to each employee. 

• 12 hour shifts with every other Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off. 

• Officer certification pay, Intermediate, Advanced, and Master up to 7.5% of Salary. 

To learn more or apply, visit our website at www.mvpdtx.org 

Or contact Sgt. Owens 713-365-3711 or lowens@mvpdtx.org 

Or Commander E. Jones 713-365-3706 ejones@mvpdtx.org 

11981 Memorial Dr. Houston, Texas 77024 


MAKE A 

DIFFERENCE 

IN YOUR 

COMMUNITY 

We are looking for outstanding individuals to 

join our team! As a Pearland Police Officer your 

mission will be to prevent crime and disorder, build 

partnerships within the community, and positively 

impact the quality of life for all our residents. 

CITY OF PEARLAND, TEXAS 

• Competitive Salary • Outstanding Training 

• Career Advancement • Exceptional Benefits 

The City of Pearland is one of the fastest growing 

communities within the region. Pearland is located 

approximately 20 minutes south of Downtown Houston 

and the current population is approximately 130,000 

residents. 

JOIN OUR TEAM 

HIRING POLICE OFFICERS AND CADETS 

$5,000 Hiring Incentive for T.C.O.L.E Certified Police 

Officers who qualify with at least 2 years of experience. 

TEST DATE: 

SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 8:30 A.M. 

Register by: April 12. 

Pearland Recreation Center & Natatorium 

4141 Bailey Road, Pearland, TX 77584. 

Doors Open: 7:15 a.m. No admittance after 7:45 a.m. 

Candidates must park in the north parking lot. 

SOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES WILL APPLY 

• Attendance limited to first 150 arrivals 

• Mandatory temperature checks 

• Masks required, hand sanitizer available 

• Candidates seated 6 feet apart 

 

 

•Be a citizen of the nited tates able to read, 

write, and speak the English language 

• Have a high school diploma or equivalency certificate .E.. certified by 

the issuing agency with: 

0 credit hours with a cumulative PA of 2.0 or higher on a .0 scale from an accredited 

institute of higher learning or 

- Minimum 24 months of active duty service with an honorable discharge authenticated by 

a Member 2 or Member orm 21 or 

15 credit hours with a cumulative PA of 2.0 or higher on a .0 scale in addition to Basic 

Peace Officer Certification from TCOLE or 

An Intermediate Peace Officer Certification from TCOLE 

• Valid driver’s license with acceptable driving record 

• Must meet all legal requirements necessary to become a licensed Peace Officer by the Texas 

Commission on Law Enforcement TCOLE. 

• Be between 21 and 5 years of age at the time of the examination or 

• Be between 18 and 21 years of age if the applicant has received an associate’s degree or 60 

semester hours of credit from an accredited college or university or has received an honorable 

discharge from the armed forces of the nited tates after at least two years of active service. 

: Cadet $1. hourly Police Officer $2. hourly. 

 

 

 

 

 

April 12, 2021. Applications will not be accepted after this date. 

Submit applications online by visiting pearlandtx.gov/careers. 

THE CITY OF PEARLAND IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER 

pecial accommodations are available when necessary to aord equal opportunity to participate 

in testing. Please make request in writing, five business days prior to the test date to City of 

Pearland, HR Department, 3519 Liberty Drive, Pearland, TX 77581. 

or questions regarding the application process please contact Terene uddsohnson at 

281.652.1617 or hr@pearlandtx.gov. 

List will remain in eect for one 1 year or until exhausted, whichever is sooner. 

118 The For BLUES additional POLICE information MAGAZINE and to register for an upcoming Civil Service Exam, visit 

The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 119 

pearlandtx.gov/PDCareers

Montgomery 

County Pct. 4 

Constable's 

Office 

full-time 

& 

reserve 

COME JOIN US! 

great retirement & 

great insurance 

Advancement Opportunities: Criminal 

Investigations - Special Response Team - Honor 

Guard - Special Response Group - Swift Water 

Rescue Team - K9 - Mounted Patrol - Drone team 

overtime opportunities: step - dwi 

enforcement - special teams - evidence - jp 

security 

Stipend Pay: k9 - specialist - fto deputy 

paid time off: holiday - vacation - comp time - 

personal - paid training 

salary - step pay slotted based on tcole full-time years of 

service: 

Under 2 yrs - $48,755.20 9 Yrs - $59,508.80 

2 Yrs - $51,188.80 12 Yrs - $61,150.40 

4 Yrs - $53,726.40 15 Yrs - $65,270.40 

6 Yrs - $56,368.00 16+ Yrs - $68,536.0 

license certification (up to $3599) and longevity pay 

civil service protected 

MORE INFO: 

Constable Kenneth "Rowdy" Hayden 

Pickup and complete applicant in 1. 

person. 

questionnaire 

Pct. 4 Constable, Montgomery County, TX 

assessment, 2. 

written exam 

Firearms qualification, fitness 

21130 personality Hwy assessment 59 scheduled. 

Ste. C New Caney, TX and 77357 

www.mcco4.org - 281.577.8985 - 

candidates 3. 

passing Successfully personal 

receive will 

@mcconstablepct4 

book. 

history 


board. 

4. Oral

Come join the Plano Police Department 

Plano Police Department currently employs over 414 peace officers, who are dedicated individuals that 

work with the community to create and maintain a safe, secure environment for our residents and visitors. 

We are a diverse department, which is a reflection of the various cultures within the community, and offering 

many different opportunities to promote the safety of the citizens which we serve. 

Registration Deadline: 

Friday, July 30, 2021 

Register at: 

https://www.plano.gov/1183/Employment 

The Plano Police Department will conduct 

a Civil Service Examination in order to 

establish an eligibility list for the position 

of Entry-level Police Officer. The eligibility 

list is created as a result of this examination 

and application process will remain in effect 

for a period of (6) months (beginning 

on date of test) or until the list has been 

exhausted, whichever occurs first. 

For more information: 

Contact the Plano Police recruiter 

Officer Andrae Smith at: 

andraes@plano.gov 

or go to our website at: 

ppdrecruiting@plano.gov 


Ingram Police Department 

NOW HIRING 

FULL-TIME POLICE OFFICERS 

LATERAL DEPUTY 

A PROFESSION THAT MAKES YOU PROUD 

Ingram Police Department 

226 Hwy 39 

Ingram, Texas 78025 

(830) 367-2636 

Starting Salary $46,720 

Vacation, Holiday, and Sick Pay Provided 

Health Insurance, Life Insurance, 2-1 Retirement 

match, take home vehicle within service area. 

Minimum of basic police certification required 


MILAM COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE 

WE’RE HIRING! 

Starting Salary 

$44,995 

──── 

Vacation, Holiday, 

and Sick Pay 

Provided 

PAY 

Patrol Deputy: $49,220/yr 

Sergeant: 

$51,360/yr 

CID Lieutenant: $56,705/yr 

CID Captain: 

$58,845/yr 

BENEFITS: 

PATROL DEPUTY OPENING! 

It’s not just a job 

It’s a Career 

Health Insurance: 100% of premium paid ($9,193.20/yr). 

County Retirement benefits provided. 

Vacation, Holiday, Sick Leave. 

Longevity pay begins after 4 years. 

Vehicle: Take-home vehicle. 

Cell phone: County-provided cell phone 

APPLY IN PERSON OR AT WWW.MILAMCOUNTYTX.ORG 

Q U E S T I O N S ? C A L L: 254.697.7033 

MUSTANG 

RIDGE POLICE 

DEPARTMENT 

NOW HIRING 

CERTIFIED 

OFFICERS 

Join Our Team Today! 

The City of Mustang Ridge is situated along US Hwy 183 and is 

located primarily in Travis County with portions in Caldwell and 

Bastrop County. We are minutes away from Circuit of the 

Americas and ABIA. Officers work rotating 12 hour shifts and we 

utilize the Travis County Sheriff’s Office for Dispatch. 


──── 

12 Hour Shifts 

──── 

401K Provided 

──── 

Angel Armor Load 

Bearing Vest 

Provided 

SUBMIT COMPLETED 

PERSONAL HISTORY 

STATEMENTS TO: 

lcantu@mustangridgetx.gov 

clerk@mustangridgetx.gov 

PHS Forms can be obtained 

at the following link: 

https://www.tcole.texas.gov/ 

content/forms-andapplications

JASON CHATHAM 

SHERIFF 

SCHLEICHER COUNTY 

Open Position: 

The Schleicher County Sheriff’s Office is currently seeking qualified applicants for the position of 

Deputy Sheriff. All applicants must hold a current Texas Peace Officer License. Qualified applicants 

will be subject to an extensive criminal history and background investigation. Applicants must have 

good communication skills and good organizational skills. Applicants must be self-motivated and 

able to work with little supervision. Applicants must be of high moral and ethical character, highly 

motivated, and trustworthy. 

Benefits: 

Hourly rate of $21.00 / Annual Average of $46,000.00 Plus, Overtime and Holiday Pay 

Group Health and Life Insurance with no charge to the employee 

*25 K Life Insurance 

*25 K Accidental Death or Dismemberment 

*1 Year Salary paid to Beneficiary 

Retirement Plan through Texas County and District Retirement System 

*Employee / County Match at 7% 

* Fully vested after 8 years 

Sick Leave accrues upon employment at one day per month 

Two weeks of vacation after the first year of employment. 

Paid Holidays 

Take-home vehicle 

Uniforms provided (excluding footwear) 

Body Armor provided 

Duty Weapons and Equipment Issuance 

Paid Training 

If you are interested, contact us by telephone at (325) 853-2737 or in person at 4 S. Divide in Eldorado. 

__________________________________________________________________________________________ 

4 S. Divide Street | Eldorado, Texas 76936 | Phone (325) 853-2737 | Fax (325) 853-2713 

Email: sheriff@co.schleicher.tx.us 


Kendall County Sheriff’s Office 

The City of Victoria 

invites applications for the position of: 

Police Officer or Senior Police Officer 

Position Title: Criminal Investigator 

Position Type: Criminal Investigation Division 

Closing Date: June 30, 2021 

Job Description: 

Salary Information: 

Benefits Include: 

Job Requirements: Age 21 

Contact: 

Under general supervision, the purpose of the position is to conduct thorough investigations on 

misdemeanor and felony crimes, collect and preserve evidence, interrogate offenders, question 

witnesses and victims, prepare case files for testimony in Grand Jury and trials, establish and 

maintain liaison with local, county, state, federal and public officials, and abide by all lawful 

policies and procedures, orders, and instructions issued by the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office. 

$57,685 – $60,730 (depending on experience) 

Annual Salary Increases 

Health Benefits 

Life/Disability Insurance 

Texas District and County Retirement System (TDCRS) 

Vacation, Holiday, Sick & Bereavement Leave 

County Paid Uniforms and Vehicle 

High School diploma or equivalent required supplemented by two (2) to three (3) years previous 

experience or training that includes law enforcement, knowledge of criminal laws and codes, and 

investigations; some college preferred 

Experience Preferred 

Applicants must possess a current T.C.O.L.E. license as a Peace Officer 

Knowledge of the English language, spelling and grammar. General knowledge of Microsoft 

Word and Power Point are encouraged. 

Bilingual preferred 

Lt. Butch Matjeka, Operations Commander 

Kendall County Sheriff’s Office 

6 Staudt St. 

Boerne, TX. 78006 

830-249-9721 

On-Line Application: https://www.kendallcountysheriff.com/employment 

Salary 

$48,045 - $68,500 Annually DOQ 

Location 

Victoria, TX 

Job Type 

Full-Time 

JOB SUMMARY 

The Victoria Police Department is hiring qualified police officer candidates to join our 

team and to help enhance the livability of our community. VPD sets the bar for 

professionalism, innovation and a progressive approach to our policing strategies. Our 

workforce of more than 115 officers and 32 civilian support personnel are a dedicated, 

enthusiastic group of professionals who proudly serve over 65,000 Victoria residents. 

The Victoria Police Department offers a competitive salary and retirement structure, 

great health benefits, and many other incentives such as paid time off and departmentissued 

uniforms and equipment. 

Officers have lateral and promotional opportunities. Regardless of the assignment, you 

will work in an environment that fosters leadership, teamwork and courteous service to 

our community. 

No prior law enforcement experience is required but must be certified as a TCOLE 

Peace Officer. Upon employment, you will participate in the City of Victoria Police 

Department Field Training Program. You will receive specialized training from some of 

the finest officers in law enforcement. 

Salary amount offered will depend on qualifications. Lateral pay scale recognized for 

Senior Police Officers. This is a non-exempt position. 

Applicants currently attending a TCOLE Academy are encouraged to apply. 

Employment eligibility will require successful completion of the Academy courses and 

certification as a TCOLE Peace Officer. 

To learn more about this exciting opportunity and to apply, visit 

www.victoriatx.gov 


CITY OF CARROLLTON 

Firefighters’ and Police Officers’ 

Civil Service Commission 

Announces 

MORE INFO: Visit WWW.CITYOFSACHSE.COM 

or call (972) 495-2271 

POLICE DEPARTMENT 

Entrance Examination Test Date: April 10, 2021 

REGISTRATION ENDS ON: 

April 10, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. 

Examination Date: Saturday, April 10, 2021 at 

9:00a.m. - Written Exam 

To register go to: www.cityofcarrollton.com/police 

Complete the online registration to be submitted electronically to: 

Carrollton Police Department 

2025 East Jackson Road 

Carrollton, Texas 75006 

Phone: 972 466 3028 

Website: www.cityofcarrollton.com/police 

Email: policedevelopment@cityofcarrollton.com 

City of Carrollton is an Equal Opportunity Employer 


ALIEF I.S.D. POLICE 

DEPARTMENT 

STARTING SALARY $58,469+ 

BENEFITS 

• Supportive leadership and community 

• Civil Service 

• 12-hour shifts 

• Take-home vehicles 

• Tattoos permitted 

• Longevity Pay – $4/month for each year of service; maximum of $1,200/year 

• Certification Pay – Up to $375/month, depending on certification(s) 

• Sick Leave – 15 days (7 ½, 24‐hour shifts) per year; unlimited accumulation 

• Vacation – 15 days/year 

• Holidays – 10 paid and 2 additional floating holidays/year 

• Certification pay 

• Group health insurance with deductible, flexible spending accounts, and 

Section 125 options 

• Life insurance, long‐term disability and workers’ compensation. Optional life 

insurance and deferred plans are also available. 

• Retirement plan with the Texas Municipal Retirement System. Employees 

contributes 7%, city matches 2:1. Retirement with 20 years of service any 

age, or at age 60 with 5 years of service. 

• Opportunity to attend training schools 

• Equipment and uniforms are furnished 

• Employee Assistance Program 

Scan QR Code to view City of Bryan 

Police Entrance Exam Information 

City of Bryan Police Department 

(979) 209-5300 / bryantx.gov/police 

City of Bryan Human Resources 

(979) 209-5064 

Important 

Information 

Position: 

Police Officer (Certified) 

Application Deadline: 

Friday, July 23, 2021 

Written Exam Date & Time: 

Friday, July 30, 2021 at 9:00am 

(check in time is from 8:30am-8:45am) 

Note: For those who successfully pass 

the written exam, the Physical Agility 

Test will be immediately following. 

Location: 

City of Bryan Justice Center 

Bryan Police Department 

303 E. 29th Street, Bryan, TX 77803 

Required Certification: 

For this exam, applicants must be 

currently certified as a Peace Officer 

by the Texas Commission on Law 

Enforcement (TCOLE) or hold an Outof-State 

Peace Officer Certification 

with the ability to meet minimum 

standards for Texas licensure (TCOLE 

RULE §217.1). Applicants with Outof-State 

Certification must be able 

to obtain TCOLE Certification by the 

date of job offer. 

Now accepting applications 

for 

Patrol Police Officer & 

Campus Police Officer 

Education/Certification: 

• High school diploma or GED 

• Texas Peace Officer License issued by TCOLE 

• Clear and valid Texas driver’s license 

Special Knowledge/Skills: 

• General knowledge of criminal investigation, police report writing, 

and criminal laws 

• Training and ability to subdue offenders, including use of 

firearms and handcuffs 

• Bonded as required by Texas Education Code §37.081(h) 

• Ability to pass required physical, psychological, and drug tests 

• Ability to work well with youth and adults 

• Good human relations and communication skills 

Experience: 

• Background in law enforcement or related work experience 

Hiring administrators review applications, interview, and recommend for hire. 

To start an exciting new career with the AISD PD visit us 

at https://www.aliefisd.net/ and go to career opportunities . 


College of Mainland Police Department 

Full-Time Police Officers Needed 

Salary Range: $42,712- $52,715 

Part-Time Police Officer Needed 

Salary: $20.00 hr. 

College of Mainland (COM) police officers provide safety and 

security for staff, students, and visitors. They will perform law 

enforcement duties including providing emergency medical 

response, patrolling college campus, conducting routine traffic 

enforcement, and performing other duties assigned. 

Must have Basic Peace Officer Certification with TCOLE, have at 

least two years of full time law enforcement experience with High 

School Diploma or GED 

Applicant must also have valid driver’s license, valid peace 

officer’s license, and current on TCOLE training units. 

Apply at https://jobs.com.edu 

136 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 137


STINNETT POLICE DEPARTMENT 

NOW HIRING FULL-TIME CERTIFIED 

POLICE OFFICER 

Stinnett is a wonderful small-town 

community (Population 1,881) that is the 

county seat of Hutchinson County. 

STARTING SALARY 

$40,500 

We are very proud of our PSPCISD school 

district. 

Lake Meredith is a short 15-minute drive! 

Vacation, Holiday, 

and Sick Pay! 

Free Health, Dental 

and Vision Benefits! 

Life Insurance 

Available! 

2-1 Retirement match 

(TMRS) 

Take home vehicle for 

those that live in the 

city limits! 

And Amarillo is only an hour drive away to 

unlimited shopping and entertainment! 

Job Description and link to apply can be found at the link 

below: 

http://www.cityofstinnett.com/explore_stinnett/job_opportuniti 

es.php 

For questions, contact Corisa Earls, Chief of Police, at: 

806-878-2422 ext. 401 or email 

CEarls@cityofstinnett.com 


142 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE

JULY 2021 Blues Vol 37 No. 7

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