AUG 2022. Blues Vol 38 No. 8.

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62 Visit Galveston Island this Summer 

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4 The BLUES The BLUES 5

FROM THE PUBLISHER’S DESK 

The “Moth Effect” 

It’s real and your life hangs in the balance. 

Every night in America, at 

least one, sometimes multiple, 

emergency vehicles will be 

struck while parked alongside a 

highway. Sixty percent of those 

accidents will involve an intoxicated 

driver. The remaining 40% 

are either distracted drivers or 

drivers that experienced what 

experts call the moth effect. 

Just last week, a Deputy with 

Harris County Constables Pct. 

8 was parked on the shoulder 

of the Harris County Beltway 8 

tollway when a highway work 

crew plowed into her Chevy 

Tahoe. The impact crushed the 

doors and the vehicle immediately 

caught fire. Had it not been 

for the quick actions of a nearby 

wrecker driver, Deputy K. LeMelle 

would have surely lost her life. 

Last year, on a different section 

of the same tollway, Deputy Jennifer 

Chavis from Harris County 

Constable’s Pct. 7 lost her life 

when her Tahoe was rear ended 

by a drunk driver and burst 

into flames. Despite desperate 

attempts by citizens and other 

officers to free her, the fire was 

too intense, and she perished in 

the vehicle. 

So why are drunks, and sometimes 

completely sober drivers, 

slamming into hundreds of 

emergency vehicles on a nightly 

basis? A recent study showed 

drivers were drawn to the emer- 

gency lights like a moth to a 

flame. 

All drivers may have experienced 

this effect and just not 

realized it. You’re driving home 

at night. It’s darker than a coal 

mine at midnight when, in the 

distance, you see flashing red 

lights off to the side of the 

road. As the lights draw closer, 

you notice how bright they are. 

You’re mesmerized by the lights 

and suddenly you realize how 

close they are. You’re almost on 

the shoulder and coming up fast 

on the emergency vehicles. You 

swerve to regain your lane and 

avoid running into the parked 

police car with tons of flashing 

lights. 

According to some experts, 

you’ve just experienced “the 

moth effect.” 

Like the moths, experts maintain 

that motorists are attracted 

to bright lights, whether it’s the 

flashing lights of a police car or 

the stadium lighting of a construction 

zone. Even cops are 

guilty of rubbernecking at accident 

scenes, but at night it can 

be deadly if distracted for if only 

for a second or two. 

During the day, our eyes are 

able to process not only all that 

is happening on the shoulder, 

but we’re able to gauge our 

speed and distance relative to 

vehicles and people. We can 


gauge what lane we’re in and we 

can gauge how close we are to 

the parked vehicles and whether 

we need to move to the left. At 

night, it’s a different story. 

There are no objects to focus 

on. There is a minimal flow of 

optic information. It’s the same 

as driving at night in the rain. 

You just can’t see well, so you’re 

forced to rely on those objects 

you can identify. In the case of a 

crash, it’s those flashing lights. 

Theories suggest that fixating 

on these identifiable objects 

causes you to forget all the other 

factors that go into driving: 

maintaining speed, maintaining 

lane position. Instead, you focus 

on the lights and so you “aim” 

for them. 

Tom Vanderbilt writes in his 

book, “Traffic,” that “the simplest 

explanation may be that 

most drivers, upon seeing a car 

on the highway, assume that it is 

moving at the same high speed 

as everyone else — and cars 

with flashing lights are usually 

moving even faster than that.” 

This optical illusion proves your 

assumptions false because the 

vehicles are, in fact, stopped. 

He also notes that we tend to 

look longer at dramatic things, 

such as a bad crash, meaning 

that the longer we become 

distracted, the harder it is to 

maintain direction. Researchers 

have been studying the effect 

for decades, all the way back to 

B2 pilots in World War II, who 

spoke of becoming fixated on the 

lead plane and navigating toward 

it. 

Today, researchers look at its 

effects on motorists. 

In 2008, the University of Michigan 

Transportation Research 

Institute studied the effects of 

warning lamp color and intensity 

on driver vision. Variables 

included color and intensity of 

light. 

Participants were asked to 

differentiate, as quickly as possible, 

whether the flashing lights 

were on the right or left side 

of an emergency vehicle. They 

were then asked to differentiate 

whether an emergency responder 

was standing on the right or 

left side of the vehicle. 

As expected, participants were 

better able to differentiate the 

lights at night and the pedestrians 

during the day. When color 

was added to the equation, blue 

markings were the most easily 

distinguishable, followed by yellow, 

red and white. 

Researchers suggested equipping 

all emergency vehicles 

with blue lights, as is common 

in Europe. They also suggested 

that blue lights might prevent 

the moth effect, in which drivers 

would mistake red lights for vehicle 

taillights and follow them 

off the road and into the emergency 

personnel. 

According to the ODMP website, 

31 police officers were 

struck by vehicles and killed 

while directing traffic or assisting 

motorists to date in 2022. 

There were 61 in 2021 and 46 in 

2020. 

“The moth effect may be a pop 

phrase, but the phenomenon is 

real,” said Jack Sullivan, director 

of training for the Cumberland 

Valley (Va.) Volunteer Firemen’s 

Association’s Emergency Responder 

Safety Institute and one 

of the nation’s leading experts. 

Regardless of what you call 

it, every time you work an accident, 

make a traffic stop or 

just park on a highway at night, 

your chance of being hit are 90% 

greater than they are in daylight. 

Working accidents at night is 

just part of the job. Not much 

you can do about it, other than 

have your head on a swivel the 

entire time you’re out there. 

But when it comes to traffic 

stops on a busy highway, maybe 

moving the violator off to the 

frontage road is a better option 

and might just save your life. 

And finally, I say to the departments 

that require their night 

shift officers to make dozens 

of traffic stops. Is the revenue 

gained from a ticket worth your 

officers’ life? I think not. 


FROM THE GUEST EDITOR’S DESK 

CONGRATULATIONS 

Something for Everyone 

The BLUES is now the Largest Digital Police 

Magazine in the United States ! 

This past month marked 

yet another milestone in the 

history of The BLUES. From a 

rag tag, 16-page tabloid, to a 

200+ page digital magazine, 

seen all over the world. 

The BLUES has accomplished 

something no other 

police magazine has done to 

date. Become the largest all 

digital police magazine in 

America. 

Last month, the BLUES 

went nationwide with its 

distribution to the heads of 

every police department 

in the US and our monthly 

readership topped 184,000 

for the first time ever. But 

we’re not stopping there, our 

goal is in the millions. 

The BLUES has always 

been something different 

to everyone who reads it. 

Some read it for the news. 

Others scan the hundreds of 

job listings, looking to move 

up or even begin their law 

enforcement career. 

Did you know, The BLUES 

has more than 350 listings 

for police positions all over 

the State of Texas in every 

issue? And if you’re one of 

those departments seeking 

officers you can advertise for 

an entire year for only $250? 

The BLUES also has the 

best writers and monthly 

columnists in policing today. 

Their stories deal with 

real life issues be it mental 

health or weekend getaways. 

We feature stories on firearms, 

uniforms, equipment, 

vehicles, and even where to 

go fishing or boating on your 

day off. 

Our goal has been and 

always will be, to provide a 

quality product that we are 

proud to place our name on 

the cover. We remain resolute 

in our commitment to 

honor each and every officer 

that has given the ultimate 

sacrifice to his or her community. 

We owe it to the officer 

and his family to honor 

them in the most dignified 

way possible. 

It is hard to believe as I 

sit here typing this column, 

we have come so far. From 

paper and ink to the world 

of digital press. The world 

REX EVANS 

is changing fast, and we’re 

committed to keeping up 

with it. 

No matter what the future 

holds for Law Enforcement, 

we are here to support you, 

entertain you and to honor 

you. We’ll keep you up-todate 

and well informed. We 

may make you cry, but we’ll 

try our best to make you 

laugh. 

If you have a news story, 

or just want to let off some 

steam, sent it to our editorial 

desk at bluespdmag@gmail. 

com. 

Finally, just like you, we refuse 

to simply give up or give 

in. We refuse to walk away 

from this profession. Not 

because the pay is high, and 

the rewards are great. But, 

because if we don’t hold the 

line, who the hell else will? 

Thank you for reading our 

magazine and keeping The 

BLUES alive and well. 



READERS SPEAK OUT 

Suicide in America 

Over the last 20 years, nearly 

a million Americans have taken 

their own lives. During that time, 

suicide has been the tenth leading 

cause of death for all ages. 

In 2020, it was the second leading 

cause of death for the ages 

of 10-14 and 25-34 and the third 

leading cause for ages 15-24. 

Because the incidence of suicides 

is so high among young 

people, the years of life lost is 

especially tragic. One research 

group estimated that in 2020 

alone, there were nearly a million 

years of life lost in America 

to suicide. 

The number of suicides over 

the last two decades has been 

steadily increasing, reflecting 

both a larger population and 

about a third increase in the rate 

of suicide. Interestingly, suicides 

topped out at just over 48,000 in 

2018, and then declined slightly 

in 2019 and 2020. Preliminary 

data for 2021 indicates that there 

was probably not much change 

from 2020. This contradicts the 

predictions of many, including 

yours truly, that suicides would 

increase during the pandemic 

due to depression from isolation. 

Advocates for stricter gun 

laws, almost always lump suicides 

together with homicides 

and firearm accidents, when 

citing the toll of gun violence in 

America. I think that is unhelpful 

in trying to sort out why so 

many people die from guns in 

America because the two phenomena 

are so dramatically different. 

However, it is entirely fair 

to ask the question of whether 

American’s greater access to 

guns affects the number of suicides. 

It seems intuitive that greater 

access to a lethal weapon 

would certainly make it easier 

to commit suicide and therefore 

more likely. A survey of studies 

conducted by a research group 

at Harvard suggests a correlation 

between the number of 

gun ownership parameters and 

higher suicide rates, e.g., people 

who own handguns are almost 

ten more likely to commit suicide 

than non-owners. However, 

as I have previously discussed, 

correlation does not necessarily 

imply causation and some of the 

data suggests a more complicated 

picture. 

First, only about half of all suicides 

are committed with a firearm 

and that rate has remained 

fairly steady over the last twenty 

years, despite the rapid increase 

in gun ownership I noted in my 

last post. Indeed, the number 

of suicides committed without 

a firearm has actually increased 

by a greater percentage over the 

last twenty years than firearm 

suicides (72% vs. 46%). 

Also, the United States’ suicide 

rate is only slightly higher 

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when compared to other countries. 

In 2019, the global rate 

was about 10.4 versus 11.7 for the 

U.S., which, of course, does not 

come close to coinciding with 

our country’s dramatically disproportionate 

private ownership 

of firearms compared to other 

countries. And to further muddle 

the data, there are several 

countries with minuscule private 

gun ownership but which have 

higher suicide rates than the 

U.S., e.g., Belgium, Russia, South 

Korea. 

One factor is that individuals 

who attempt suicide with a 

firearm more often succeed in 

ending their life than those who 

use other methods. A 2000 study 

found that 82% of those who 

attempted suicide with a firearm 

died while less than 10% of those 

who used other methods did. 

The study was a relatively small 

sample and is somewhat dated, 

but I find those results intuitive 

and likely consistent with all suicides 

attempts. 

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to firearms in America result in 

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AROUND THE COUNTRY 

DETROIT, MICHIGAN 

OFFICER AMBUSHED 

Officer Loren Courts was shot and killed while 

responding to a 911 call about a man with a gun. 

TERMINATED 

DETROIT, MI. – Officer Loren 

Courts was shot and killed 

in Detroit, Michigan on July 6 

after responding to a 911 call 

around 7:30 p.m., according to 

the Detriot Free Press. Courts 

and his partner were responding 

to a call about a man with 

a weapon near Marlowe Street 

and Joy Road. 

Courts and his partner, Officer 

Amanda Hudgens, were reportedly 

ambushed by the suspect, 

19-year-old Ehmani Mack Davis. 

Davis allegedly fired at them 

with an AK-47-type weapon, 

a 7.62 semi-automatic Draco 

pistol, from a building window. 

Courts reportedly put the car in 

reverse after being shot before 

he and Hudgens jumped out to 

take cover. Courts collapsed 

and Hudgens reportedly applied 

pressure to his wounds as Davis 

advanced behind her. Other 

officers arrived on the scene 

and returned fire, killing Davis. 

Courts, 40, later died at the Sinai 

Grace Hospital. 

Detroit Police Chief James E. 

White described the five-year 

veteran of the police force as a 

hero. White also said that the 

Officer Loren Courts 

community has been robbed and 

should be outraged, per CNN. 

“Candidly, we were robbed. We 

were robbed of one of our heroes,” 

he said. “And we should all 

be outraged. We should be outraged. 

This is unacceptable.” 

Courts’ father was also a 

police officer with the Detroit 

Police Department and recently 

retired from the force. Courts’ 

grief-stricken widow Kristine 

Courts said she is more sad than 

angry. 

“I am angry, but I’m more sad,” 

said Mrs. Courts. “I’m sad that I 

don’t get to see him again, that 

we don’t get to hug him again. I’m 

sad. I don’t know if I have time to 

be angry right now.” 

The couple has two children, a 

nine-year-old daughter, Devyn 

Courts, and a 15-year-old son, 

Darian Courts. A GoFundMe 

page has been set up to help the 

family with expenses. His widow 

described Courts as the family’s 

Batman, her best friend and an 

amazing dad. 

“This man was so much more 

than a police officer,” she wrote. 

“He was an amazing dad, my 

best friend and the man I married. 

All the news articles talk 

about is a DPD officer. He was so 

much more to me and the kids. 

Our Batman! I’m broken, I can’t 

begin to imagine how we are 

going to live without him. My babies 

need him. I need him. I keep 

thinking I’m going to wake up 

from this nightmare and he’s going 

to come home … me and my 

babies will never be the same. I 

already miss his hugs, his voice, 

his jokes, and his smile with 

those eyes. Rest In Peace daddy, 

we will never stop loving you.” 



Four Heroes Down 

in Helicopter Crash 

Bernalillo County Undersheriff Larry Koren, Lt. Fred Beers, 

and Deputy Michael Levison killed In helicopter crash. 

SAN MIGUEL COUNTY, NM – 

Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office 

(BCSO) Undersheriff Larry Koren, 

Lieutenant Fred Beers, and Deputy 

Michael Levison died in the 

line of duty on July 16 when the 

helicopter they were traveling in 

crashed in a remote area outside 

of Las Vegas. 

Bernalillo County Fire Department 

(BCFD) Rescue Specialist 

Matthew King was also killed in 

the crash, New Mexico Governor 

Michelle Grisham said in a press 

release last month. 

The four first responders were 

inside BCSO helicopter Metro 

2 assisting with wildfire suppression 

efforts by “providing 

bucket drops and other air 

logistics needs to fire crews on 

the ground” and were returning 

to Bernalillo when the crash 

occurred at approximately 7:20 

p.m., the BCSO said in a press 

release. 

“At this time, the specific cause 

of the crash is unknown,” the 

sheriff’s office said. 

The helicopter was a Bell UH-1 

Iroquois, according to the Albuquerque 

Journal. 

A multifaceted, multi-agency 

investigation into the tragic 

collision remained ongoing on 

Sunday, the sheriff’s office said. 

“Our hearts are broken by the 

tragic and distressing news that 

we lost four of the state’s finest 

public servants, killed in the 

line of duty,” New Mexico Public 

Safety Cabinet Secretary Jason 

Bowie said in a statement to 

the Albuquerque Journal. “It’s a 

sacrifice no one should have to 

make.” 

The BCSO and the Office of 

the Medical Investigator recovered 

the fallen heroes from the 

crash site and transported their 

bodies to Albuquerque on Sunday 

afternoon. 

Flags were raised and people 

stood along the route to salute 

and honor the procession of 

first responders as they passed 

by, the Albuquerque Journal 

reported. 

“Our focus remains on providing 

care and support for the 

surviving family members as 

they grapple with the situation,” 

the sheriff’s office said. 

Grisham said that the loss of 

all four dedicated public servants 

“will leave a devastating 

hole in the lives of countless 

family members, friends, and 

colleagues at the Bernalillo 

County Sheriff’s Office and Fire 

Department.” 

“Their bravery and public 

dedication will not be forgotten,” 

the governor added. 

Undersheriff Koren served the 

BCSO for more than 23 years, 

according to the Albuquerque 

Journal. 

Lt. Beers had been with the 

department for 13 years. 

In addition to his service as a 

law enforcement Officer, Deputy 

Levison also served in the 

New Mexico Air National Guard, 

the Albuquerque Journal reported. 

Rescue Specialist King had 

been a paramedic for the past 

17 years. 

University of New Mexico 

Associate Professor of Emergency 

Medicine Dr. Drew Harrell 

said he knew all four of the 

fallen heroes and that they had 

worked together on numerous 

rescue missions in the past, the 

Albuquerque Journal reported. 

Undersheriff Larry Koren 

Rescue Specialist Matthew King 

Lieutenant Fred Beers 

Deputy Michael Levison 

“Seldom do you lose one or two, 

much less undersheriffs and lieutenant 

officers as well as patrol 

deputies to a single event,” Harrell 

said, adding that their deaths “will 

certainly reverberate for quite some 

time.” 

“These were four dedicated public 

servants who were doing what so 

many of our first responders do day 

in and day out: working tirelessly to 

serve and protect their fellow New 

Mexicans,” Grisham said in a statement 

to KRQE on Sunday. “On 

behalf of the people of New 

Mexico, I extend my deepest 

gratitude to these four brave 

individuals, and my deepest 

sympathy to their families, 

friends and colleagues.” 

The governor ordered all 

state and U.S. flags be lowered 

to half-staff through sundown 

on July 22 to commemorate 

the lives of the four officers 

who lost their lives. 



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EDMOND OFFICER 

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Officers responded to a 

five-vehicle crash in the northbound 

lanes of the 14000 block 

of Broadway Extension just 

after 3 p.m. When they arrived, 

they found a utility truck driven 

by 54-year-old Jay Fite had 

crashed into a group of vehicles 

that were stopped at a red light, 

including Nelson’s police motorcycle 

Nelson, who was on duty 

at the time of the crash, was 

brought to the OU Medical Center 

but passed away from his 

injuries. Nobody else was injured 

in the crash. 

Fite was taken to St. Anthony 

Hospital to be checked out after 

the crash. Investigators obtained 

and served a search warrant to 

draw a sample of his blood. 

He was later booked into the 

Oklahoma County Detention 

Center on a second-degree murder 

charge. 

The 38-year-old Nelson leaves 

behind a wife, an 11-year-old 

daughter, and a 7-year-old son. 

Wednesday would have been 

his 13th anniversary with Edmond 

police. He’s the first Edmond 

officer to lose his life in 

the line of duty. 

A makeshift memorial has 

been set up outside the Edmond 

police building in the wake of 

the crash. Many have been sharing 

their grief with the officer’s 

family, the department, and the 

city. 

“We just ask for your 

thoughts and prayers for the 

officer’s family, our department, 

and our community at 

this difficult time,” said Deputy 

Chief Larry Campbell with the 

Edmond Police Department. 

The owner of CrossFit 822, 

Jenae Judge, describes Nelson 

as a caring and hardworking 

Sgt. C.J. Nelson 

individual. 

“He was just super nice, like 

a very, very nice person, very 

kind, very generous. He was very 

supportive of everybody around 

him,” Judge said. “I never saw 

him in a bad mood. I never saw 

him grouchy, never complained 

about any workouts or anything.” 

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ROCHESTER, NY 

Suspect arrested in the shooting death of Officer 

Anthony Mazurkiewicz. 

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Rochester 

Police Chief David Smith announced 

the arrest of a suspect 

in the killing of officer Anthony 

Mazurkiewicz and the wounding 

of two others. 

Mazurkiewicz, 54, was on 

patrol in a northeast Rochester 

neighborhood when he was 

fatally shot on Bauman Street 

shortly just after 9:15 p.m. Thursday. 

His partner, 37-year-old 

Sino Seng, was shot and wounded 

in the attack. 

The suspect, identified as 

21-year-old Kelvin Vickers, is 

being held in the Monroe County 

Jail and will be arraigned in 

city court Saturday morning. He 

is charged with second-degree 

murder, attempted second-degree 

murder, second-degree 

assault, and two counts of second-degree 

criminal possession 

of a weapon. 

A 15-year-old girl was in a 

nearby house and grazed by one 

of three shots that penetrated 

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the walls of her house. 

Investigators found Vickers 

a short time later in a vacant 

building nearby and took him into 

custody. Umbrino said that initial 

tests indicated that a 9mm handgun 

found near Vickers was the 

weapon used to shoot the two 

officers. 

Vickers is from Boston, Umbrino 

said, and has an extensive criminal 

history. 

At a news conference Friday 

morning, Chief Smith said Mazurkiewicz 

was a member of the 

department’s tactical unit and 

a 29-year veteran of the police 

force. Both officers were in plainclothes 

Thursday. 

“Last night, Officer Mazurkiewicz 

and his partner, Officer 

Sino Seng, were attacked in a 

cowardly ambush and fell victim 

to the very violence in our 

community that we are trying 

to combat,” Chief Smith said at 

a press briefing Friday morning 

at Rochester’s Public Safety 

Officer Anthony Mazurkiewicz 

Building. “During this incident, 

the full force of the region’s law 

enforcement responded to the 

scene. This same full force is 

being utilized to bring whoever is 

responsible for this heinous act to 

justice.” 

Umbrino said Friday evening 

that police had Vickers in custody 

within an hour of the shooting. 



CLARK COUNTY OHIO 

Deputy Matthew Yates was shot and killed while responding 

to a possible break-in at mobile home park. 

HARMONY, Ohio — A sheriff’s 

deputy was shot and fatally 

wounded while responding to 

a report of a possible break-in 

and gunfire at a mobile home in 

western Ohio. 

Deputy Matthew Yates was 

a 15-year veteran of the Clark 

County Sheriff’s Office and a 

member of its special operations 

team, Sheriff Deb Burchett said 

at a press conference Sunday. 

The responding officers were 

shot at after they entered the 

mobile home in Harmony Township, 

Burchett said. 

Yates, 41, was wounded and 

remained inside the home for 

several hours Sunday before other 

officers could get him out and 

take him to a hospital, where he 

died, the sheriff said. 

At some point during the episode, 

the mobile home caught 

fire. Authorities have not released 

any additional information 

about a suspect, the shooting 

or the fire. 

The charred frame of the 

home could be seen in a photo 

tweeted Sunday by Ohio Attorney 

General Dave Yost. 

“My heart breaks for his father, 

who he followed into law 

enforcement,” Yost wrote. 

The sheriff’s office said Monday 

that another deputy sustained 

an injury to an extremity 

not caused by gunfire while 

trying to rescue Yates and is 

recovering at home after treatment 

at a hospital. 

Deputy Matthew Yates 

24 The BLUES The BLUES 25 

ODMRBuckslip_2022.indd 1 

6/14/22 12:57 PM


LAPD OFFICER DEATH 

Officer Houston Tipping, 32, suffered a fatal spinal 

cord injury during a grappling exercise in May. 

By Sarah Calams 

LOS ANGELES, CA. — Months after 

the training death of LAPD officer 

Houston Tipping, an autopsy has 

determined his cause of death as an 

accident. 

Officer Tipping, 32, suffered a 

fatal spinal cord injury during a 

grappling exercise in May. Since his 

death, Tipping’s mother has filed a 

wrongful death claim against the 

city, alleging assault and battery 

and other civil rights violations 

in the training exercise she says 

was “meant to simulate a mob.” 

Last month, Tipping’s mother also 

claimed the department did not 

have a certified training instructor 

on site during the training exercise. 

However, the autopsy report’s findings, 

according to The Los Angeles 

Times, contradicts allegations made 

by Tipping’s mother. A laceration to 

Tipping’s head, which was used as 

evidence to support his mother’s 

claim, found that injury – along 

with fractured ribs – were a result 

of efforts used to save his life. 

Deputy Medical Examiner Lawrence 

Nguyen said the laceration was 

from a clamp used during spinal 

surgery and the rib fractures resulted 

from efforts to resuscitate 

Tipping, according to the report. 

Members of the department, who 

continue to remain anonymous, told 

the L.A. Times that Tipping’s death 

was an accident, but they also 

questioned if proper safety measures 

were in place. 

For instance, they said Tipping 

wasn’t certified to be an instructor 

and the training room lacked 

sufficient padding, according to the 

report. Tipping was wearing padded 

protective gear when the incident 

occurred. 

Since Tipping’s death, LAPD Chief 

Michel Moore has ordered an investigation 

by the department’s 

Office of Constitutional Policing and 

Officer Houston Tipping 

Policy, which would determine if 

the exercise adhered to statewide 

standards. The investigation remains 

ongoing. Tipping’s family is 

conducting their own investigation 

into the incident. 

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26 ODMRBuckslip_2022.indd The BLUES 1 

6/14/22 12:57 PM 

The BLUES 27


MISSOURI CITY, TEXAS 

Officer Crystal Sepulveda shot in face. 

By Sarah Calams 

HOUSTON, TX — A 29-year-old 

officer who was shot in the face by 

a suspect after a weekend pursuit 

is keeping her spirits high while she 

faces a long road to recovery. 

Missouri City Officer Crystal Sepulveda, 

who has been an officer 

with the department for three years, 

was shot multiple times after spotting 

a car that had been reported 

stolen during a carjacking. Sepulveda 

and other officers tried to pull 

the car over, but the driver led them 

on a pursuit, KHOU.com reported. 

The suspect eventually got out of 

the car and led officers on a foot 

pursuit, leading them to the backyard 

of a house. That’s when the 

suspect opened fire and hit Sepulveda 

three times – once in the face, 

left calf and left toe. 

“She went down immediately 

… struck in the face by a bullet,” 

Missouri City Police Chief Michael 

Berezin said. “Then she was able to 

struggle back to her feet.” 

The bullet, Berezin said, hit Sepulveda 

in the face, which shattered 

her cheek and exited through her 

ear. Her injuries, according to the 

report, were non-life-threatening, 

but she has undergone reconstructive 

surgery for her face. 

The male suspect was later shot 

by police after opening fire on more 

officers. He was taken to a hospital, 

where he was pronounced dead, 

KHOU reported. 

“She was just trying to make the 

community safer and get the bad 

person off the street,” Clint McNear, 

Texas Municipal Police Association 

Field Service Supervisor, said. “He 

chose to hide and intentionally ambush 

her.” 

Berezin said he hopes Sepulveda 

is able to make a full recovery and 

return to the department. 

“She’s an amazing person and 

outstanding officer,” he said. “She 

Officer Crystal Sepulveda 

is extremely well-rounded and she 

volunteers to do a lot of extra duty 

things.” 

A fund has been started to help 

Sepulveda with medical expenses. 

TX Deputy Saved from Burning Patrol SUV by 

Tow Truck Driver, Richard Borgstrom 

HOUSTON. TX – A tow truck 

driver rescued a Harris County 

(TX) Precinct 8 deputy constable 

from her burning patrol SUV 

early Tuesday morning. 

Deputy K. LeMelle was parked 

on the side of the road monitoring 

traffic around 2 a.m. when 

her patrol vehicle was struck 

from the rear by a commercial 

work vehicle after the driver 

veered onto the shoulder, the 

constable’s office said on Facebook. 

“Upon impact, Deputy 

LeMelle’s patrol vehicle became 

engulfed in flames.” 

Tow truck operator Richard 

Borgstrom was nearby when he 

heard the collision and immediately 

came to the deputy’s aid. 

Deputy LaMelle was trapped inside 

the burning SUV. “Borgstrom 

broke Deputy LeMelle’s driver’s 

side window and was able to 

pull her out of the patrol vehicle 

moments before the flames 

reached the driver’s cabin. His 

actions undoubtedly saved Deputy 

LeMelle’s life,” the constable’s 

office says. 

The deputy was transported to 

a hospital, treated and released. 

“At this time, the cause of the 

crash remains under investigation. 

Our thoughts and prayers 

are with Deputy LeMelle and all 

those effected by this event. I 

would like to extend my thanks 

to Mr. Borgstrom, who without 

regard for his own safety, did not 

hesitate to act in this situation. 

This is yet another example of a 

tow truck operator who stepped 

up to render assistance to one of 

my Deputies when needed and 

for that, I am grateful,” Phil Sandlin, 

Constable of Harris County 

Precinct 8 said in a statement. 

28 ODMRBuckslip_2022.indd The BLUES 1 

6/14/22 12:57 PM 

The BLUES 29


MASS EXODUS @ NOLA 

Like New York, New Orleans PD is losing officers at a fast 

pace and response times exceed 2-3 hours. 

By John Simerman 

NEW ORLEANS, LA. – Gregory 

Rotton’s career as a New Orleans 

Police Department officer ended 

with a crash. 

A detective in the First District, 

Rotton was tapped to investigate 

after four young people in a stolen 

SUV barreled into a St. Claude 

Avenue arcade on Jan. 12 with 

police in pursuit, severely injuring 

a worker. 

As he walked away a month 

later, after almost seven years on 

the force, Rotton said his superiors 

pressured him to accuse 19-yearold 

Lamar Logan, the lone adult in 

the crash, of trying to rob a federal 

agent in Treme minutes earlier. 

Rotton argued that the account 

from the off-duty agent amounted 

to “a suspicious person incident at 

most.” He said he was then quickly 

yanked from a choice assignment. 

“I refuse to work for an agency 

in which I can be punished for 

upholding my oath and the rule of 

law,” Rotton wrote in a letter to 

the department. 

His account sits among hundreds 

of pages of officer exit interviews 

reviewed by The Times-Picayune, 

a hefty stack mostly filled with 

harsh criticism for a department 

struggling to find and keep offi- 

cers. 

The interviews are from officers 

who resigned or retired in 2022, 

many of them leaving for jobs at 

other police agencies. Together, 

their parting shots echo a chorus 

of despair from an overtaxed, 

dispirited force that today enters 

its second decade under federal 

oversight. 

When former Mayor Mitch 

Landrieu and then-Attorney General 

Eric Holder announced the 

sprawling federal consent decree 

at Gallier Hall on July 24, 2012, the 

department employed more than 

1,300 commissioned officers, with 

a budget for 1,600 and plans to 

remake the NOPD in the image of 

reform. 

Now, fewer than 1,000 officers 

remain after a net loss of one in 

six officers since the start of last 

year. More than 90 have left the 

force this year as of early July, 

according to police officer groups. 

That’s about the same number 

who resigned, retired or were fired 

in all of 2020. 

The departing thoughts of veteran 

officers and newbies alike lend 

biting and often emotional detail 

to a recent NOPD-commissioned 

survey that reflected similar discontent, 

with pay a distant second 

in the reasons officers gave for 

leaving in droves. 

Overly punitive discipline and 

restrictive policies were nearly 

twice as likely to be cited as a 

reason for officers’ departure than 

was pay, according to the survey 

by SSA Consultants. 

Officers went further in their exit 

interviews, speaking of crippling 

internal politics, run-down gear, a 

lack of support from police brass, 

disciplinary head-hunting, and 

for many officers, little sign of an 

NOPD ready to address its problems. 

The exit interviews were provided 

by the city in response to a 

public records request, with the 

names of the officers redacted. 

They are identifiable, however, 

through other information in the 

records. 

“I can no longer watch the 

citizens suffer to violence and 

crime while the department is not 

allowed to do the basic service 

of protecting the citizens of this 

community,” wrote Nathan Gex, a 

23-year NOPD veteran who moved 

to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s 

Office in April. “People become 

police officers to make a difference 

and protect citizens. This is 

not happening, and we hear it and 

see it in the community.” 

“It’s not about the money. It’s 

about job satisfaction and appreciation,” 

wrote Joseph Brooks, a 

sergeant who resigned in March 

after 12 years. “The department 

has been in decline for some time. 

Disciplinary issues prevent personnel 

from performing without 

fear of punishment. I would refuse 

to be bullied into punishing officers 

for minor infractions.” 

Some, like Rotton, aired specific 

gripes over incidents or supervisors 

that soured them. Others 

hammered the department in 

broad strokes. A few retiring veterans, 

including some long-serving 

police brass who left this year, 

gave the department high marks. 

Others declined to participate. 

Amid a surge in homicides and 

carjackings, confidence among 

residents in a downsized police 

force also has tanked. The bloodloss 

at the NOPD, the exit interviews 

show, weighs on those who 

remain. 

“Sometimes there’s no time to 

eat,” said one rookie officer who 

resigned to return to school. 

Several officers who resigned 

this year after stints patrolling 

New Orleans East described 

clocking in at the Seventh District 

to a mountain of unattended 911 

calls, with police emergency response 

times continuing to hover 

at decade highs. 

“Working in the 7th district on 

‘C’ platoon with only four officers 

on the streets with a 55-call 

backlog plus threats of (discipline) 

if evals and training weren’t done 

is ridiculous,” wrote Willie Herron, 

who wrote that he was jumping to 

St. Tammany Parish after less than 

two years. 

“Due to working overnight, I never 

see my family. Was in the 7th 

and the backlog was unbearable,” 

wrote Meghan Silva, who quit as 

an officer after two years. 

In recent months, Mayor LaToya 

Cantrell and the City Council have 

pushed to reignite an officer recruiting 

campaign that has foundered 

over the pandemic, while 

offering tidy sums to keep officers. 

This week, the City Council 

approved a plan to help stanch 

attrition with big bonus payments 

for officers and other public safety 

workers. In a year, officers are 

slated to receive $5,000 for every 

five years they’ve served, up to 

$20,000. 

Yet in their exit interviews, officers 

generally praised the NOPD’s 

pay, benefits and academy training, 

while panning department 

culture. 

Joshua Fontenot, a senior police 

officer who resigned after seven 

years, wrote that the NOPD’s “pension 

system and pay are amazing,” 

but that “cronyism is rampant.” 

Fontenot took a scorched-earth 

approach in the space marked 

for suggestions: “Fire everyone, 

dissolve the department and start 

over.” 

The NOPD’s federal overseers 

have not been nearly as despairing, 

praising department leaders 

for dramatic strides toward compliance 

in all areas of the reform 

agreement. 

It’s still unclear, however, when 

U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan 

plans to release the department 

from court oversight. In April, 

Morgan projected a phase-out to 

begin in June. That timetable has 

passed with no public action. 



SMITH COUNTY, TEXAS 

Deputy Lorenzo Bustos was struck and killed by 

a drunk driver on his last shift of FTO training. 

SMITH COUNTY, TX – Deputy 

Lorenzo Bustos was on his last 

shift of training Friday night July 

29th, when he was killed in the 

line of duty. 

At the end of that shift, Bustos 

would’ve had his first chance 

to go solo at the Smith County 

Sheriff’s Office after working 

alongside a field training officer. 

Bustos was killed by what 

the sheriff’s office said was a 

drunk driver, who struck him at 

a “moderate to very fast speed” 

as he worked a traffic stop 

just after midnight. Bustos was 

standing behind the patrol vehicle 

when the vehicle hit him. The 

driver, 21-year-old Daniel Nyabuto, 

was arrested and will be 

charged with intoxication manslaughter, 

Sheriff Larry Smith 

said. 

Bustos was at the sheriff’s office 

for less than six months after 

previously working for other 

local law enforcement agencies. 

The 29-year-old was early in 

his career but had high aspirations, 

said Bryan Pool, who hired 

Bustos at the Rusk County Sheriff’s 

Office a few years ago. 

“He wanted to excel in his 

career and promote up ... He was 

ambitious, just a lot of fire, a lot 

of heart,” Pool said in an interview 

with CBS19. 

After a year, Bustos left the 

sheriff’s office to work for the 

Henderson County Police Department 

where he worked for over 

a year. He started working for 

Smith County this year, where he 

quickly bonded with the department. 

“He had become to be very 

loved by all of his cohorts and 

co-workers,” Smith said. “He 

was doing a great job.” 

Bustos may have been just getting 

started on his career in law 

enforcement, but it didn’t take 

long for him to make an impact 

on those in the field. News of his 

death spread quickly and drew 

an outpouring of support from 

the law enforcement community. 

“We are deeply saddened by 

the loss of one of our brothers ... 

The officers at Henderson Police 

Department are in mourning and 

extend our deepest condolences 

to his family and friends at their 

darkest and hardest time. Deputy 

Bustos will forever hold a special 

place at the Henderson Police 

Department,” Henderson PD said 

on its Facebook page. 

East Texas sheriff’s offices and 

police departments posted on 

Deputy Lorenzo Bustos 

their Facebook pages an image 

of the Smith County Sheriff’s 

Office back with a black line 

over it. Soon, agencies across the 

state began to share the image 

and offer words of comfort to 

fellow officers and Bustos’ family. 

He was “a young deputy who 

has left us way too soon,” the 

East Texas Peace Officers Association 

said. 

Bustos leaves behind a wife 

and three children, ages 4, 5 and 

8. A lieutenant has been assigned 

to stay with the deputy’s 

wife until he is laid to rest. 

Gov. Greg Abbott ordered U.S. 

and Texas flags to be lowered to 

half-staff 

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Texas House Report: “Systemic failures” in shooting went far beyond local police. 

By Zach Despart, 

The Texas Tribune 

UVALDE,TX –The 18-year-old 

who massacred 19 students 

and two teachers in Uvalde on 

May 24 had no experience with 

firearms before his rampage 

began. He targeted an elementary 

school with an active shooter 

policy that had been deemed 

adequate but also had a long 

history of doors propped open. 

No one was able to stop the 

gunman from carrying out the 

deadliest school shooting in 

Texas history, in part because of 

“systemic failures and egregious 

poor decision making” by nearly 

everyone involved who was in a 

position of power, a new investigation 

into the shooting has 

found. 

On July 17, a Texas House 

committee released the most 

exhaustive account yet of the 

shooter, his planning, his attack 

and the fumbling response he 

provoked. 

It provides a damning portrayal 

of a family unable to recog- 

nize warning signs, a school district 

that had strayed from strict 

adherence to its safety plan and 

a police response that disregarded 

its own active shooter training. 

It explains how the gunman, 

who investigators believe had 

never fired a gun before May 

24, was able to stockpile military-style 

rifles, accessories 

and ammunition without arousing 

suspicion from authorities, 

then enter a supposedly secure 

school unimpeded and indiscriminately 

kill children and 

adults. 

In total, 376 law enforcement 

officers — a force larger than 

the garrison that defended the 

Alamo — descended upon the 

school in a chaotic, uncoordinated 

scene that lasted for more 

than an hour. The group was 

devoid of clear leadership, basic 

communications and sufficient 

urgency to take down the gunman, 

the report says. 

Notably, the investigation is 

the first so far to criticize the 

inaction of state and federal 

law enforcement, while other 

reports and public accounts by 

officials have placed the blame 

squarely on Uvalde Consolidated 

Independent School District 

police Chief Pete Arredondo for 

his role as incident commander 

and other local police who were 

among the first to arrive. 

The report also reveals for the 

first time that the overwhelming 

majority of responders were federal 

and state law enforcement: 

149 were U.S. Border Patrol, and 

91 were state police — whose 

responsibilities include responding 

to “mass attacks in public 

places.” There were 25 Uvalde 

police officers and 16 sheriff’s 

deputies. Arredondo’s school 

police force accounted for five 

of the officers on the scene. The 

rest of the force was made up of 

neighboring county law enforcement, 

U.S. marshals and federal 

Drug Enforcement Administration 

officers. 

The investigators said that in 

the absence of a strong incident 

commander, another officer 

could have — and should have — 

Family members and friends participate in a march in Uvalde on July 10, 2022, in support of those killed 

and injured in the school shooting at Robb Elementary. Credit: Evan L’Roy/The Texas Tribune 


stepped up to the task. 

“These local officials were 

not the only ones expected to 

supply the leadership needed 

during this tragedy,” the report 

said. “Hundreds of responders 

from numerous law enforcement 

agencies — many of whom 

were better trained and better 

equipped than the school district 

police — quickly arrived on the 

scene.” 

The other responders “could 

have helped to address the unfolding 

chaos.” 

The three committee members 

— Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock; 

Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso; 

and former state Supreme Court 

Justice Eva Guzman — said they 

sought to create a comprehensive 

account the Legislature can 

use to craft policies aimed at 

preventing future massacres. The 

trio also sought to present an 

accurate narrative to the public, 

in contrast to several conflicting 

and retracted accounts provided 

by other officials, including the 

governor and state police, in the 

seven weeks since the tragedy 

that have undermined residents’ 

trust in the ongoing investigations. 

They dedicated the document 

to the 21 people killed in the 

shooting and first unveiled their 

findings during a private meeting 

with Uvalde residents on Sunday. 

“The Committee issues this 

interim report now, believing 

the victims, their families, and 

the entire Uvalde community 

have already waited too long for 

answers and transparency,” the 

report reads. 

LAW ENFORCEMENT FAILURES 

The failure of police to quickly 

subdue the shooter has faced 

widespread public condemnation 

and criticism from fellow 

law enforcement officials. At its 

core, the committee report echoes 

criticisms made previously 

by police tactics experts: that 

instead of following the doctrine 

developed after the 1999 Columbine 

High School massacre, 

which dictates that officers immediately 

confront active shooters, 

police at Robb Elementary 

retreated after coming under fire 

and then waited for backup. 

“They failed to prioritize saving 

the lives of innocent victims over 

their own safety,” the committee 

said in its report. 

The report lists myriad law 

enforcement mistakes, which 

expanded far beyond any single 

commander or agency. They 

stemmed not from a lack of 

manpower, but from an absence 

of leadership and effective communications. 

In interviews conducted or 

obtained by the committee, police 

officers said they assumed 

Arredondo was in command or 

did not know who was in charge. 

Several described the scene as 

“chaos” or a “cluster.” 

The report listed several ways 

that an effective incident commander 

outside the school might 

have helped: The commander 

might have noticed that radios 

weren’t working well and found 

a better way to communicate. 

They might have found a master 

key to the school faster to get 

inside the classroom where the 

shooter was barricaded — or 

suggested checking to make sure 

the door was locked. Or they 

might have urged officers to find 

another way to get inside the 

classroom. 

But Arredondo told The Texas 

Tribune in June that he did not 

consider himself the incident 

commander after he was one of 

the first officers to arrive inside 

the school. He said he assumed 

another officer outside would fill 

that role. 

The committee did not find this 

argument persuasive. It cited the 

school district’s active shooter 

response plan, co-authored 

by Arredondo, which states the 

chief will “become the person in 

control of the efforts of all law 

enforcement and first responders 

that arrive at the scene.” The 

school district last month placed 

him on administrative leave. 

But blame for the flawed police 

response extends far beyond 

the school district police chief 

of a six-officer department, the 

report concludes. 

The report criticized other 

officers and law enforcement 

agencies, many of them better 

trained, for failing to fill the 

leadership vacuum left by Arredondo’s 

inaction. 

“In this crisis, no responder 

seized the initiative to establish 

an incident command post,” the 

committee wrote. “Despite an 

obvious atmosphere of chaos, 

the ranking officers of other responding 

agencies did not approach 

the Uvalde CISD chief of 

police or anyone else perceived 

to be in command to point out 

the lack of and need for a command 

post, or to offer that specific 

assistance.” 

In testimony to a Senate committee 

June 21, Department of 

Public Safety Commissioner Steve 

McCraw said some officers on 

scene observed that Arredondo 

was not acting like an incident 

Graphic Content Warning: Hallway footage obtained in Uvalde school shooting CLICK HERE TO WATCH 

commander. 

McCraw previously dismissed 

the idea that his state troopers 

could or should have stepped in 

to take control from Arredondo. 

“Let’s say a DPS captain shows 

up in a situation, decides he’s 

going to exercise control,” Mc- 

Craw told senators last month. 

“Well, first of all, he doesn’t have 

the information. And you know 

what? He may not be as sharp 

as the on-scene commander 

that’s there … so I’m reluctant to 

encourage or even think of any 

situation where you’d want some 

level of hierarchy where a larger 

police department gets to come 

in and take over.” 

Yet when pressed by Sen. 

Roland Gutierrez, a Democrat 

whose district includes Uvalde, 

McCraw conceded that confronting 

an active shooter is 

more important than deferring 

to an officer who, according to 

protocol, is the rightful incident 

commander. 

DPS officials did not respond to 

requests for comment Sunday. 

Ultimately, the report said 

Border Patrol agents decided 

they would breach the classroom 

without seeking permission from 

Arredondo. That team killed the 

gunman at 12:51 p.m., ending the 

standoff. 

Despite the collective failure 

of police to act decisively, the 

committee uncovered individual 

instances in which officers acted 

boldly without instruction. 

When officers were driven 

back by gunfire just after entering 

the school, Uvalde Police 

Department Lt. Javier Martinez 

attempted to confront the 

shooter again. He advanced up 

the hallway in “an evident desire 

to maintain momentum and 

to ‘stop the killing.’” No officers 

followed him, and he stopped. 

Several law enforcement officers 

told the committee that they believed 

if others had followed him 

as backup, he might have made 

it to the classroom and engaged 

with the shooter. 

DPS Special Agent Luke Williams 

disregarded a request that 

he assist in securing a perimeter 

outside and instead entered the 

building to help clear rooms. He 

found a student hiding in a boy’s 

bathroom stall with his legs up 

so he couldn’t be seen. The boy 

refused to come out until Williams 

proved he was a police 

officer, which he did by showing 

his badge beneath the door of 

the stall. 

Williams then encountered a 

group of officers clustered at 

the end of the hallway where 

the shooter was and overheard 

someone ask, “Y’all don’t know if 

there’s kids in there?” 

“If there’s kids in there, we 


need to go in there,” Williams 

said at 11:56 a.m., according to 

footage captured by his body 

camera. 

An officer in the hallway responded 

to Williams that “whoever 

was in charge would figure 

that out,” the report said. 

INADEQUATE SCHOOL SAFETY 

Robb Elementary School, on its 

face, had all the pieces in place 

to slow an intruder. The school 

is encircled by a 5-foot fence. It 

has an emergency management 

alert system and school policies 

for faculty and staff to keep exterior 

and interior doors locked 

at all times. 

But a culture of complacency 

weakened these safeguards. 

Multiple witnesses told the 

committee that employees often 

left doors unlocked, while teachers 

would use rocks, wedges and 

magnets to prop open interior 

and exterior doors. This was 

partly because of a shortage of 

keys. 

“In fact, the school actually 

suggested circumventing the 

locks as a solution for the convenience 

of substitute teachers 

and others who lacked their own 

keys,” the report said. 

In March, the teacher in Room 

111, through which investigators 

believe the shooter entered 

during the massacre, reported 

to school administrators that his 

classroom door “was not always 

locking.” The head custodian 

testified he never heard of any 

problems with that door, and 

maintenance records during the 

school year do not contain any 

work orders for it. The teacher, 

Arnulfo Reyes, was shot twice in 

the shooting but survived. 

Ultimately, the shooter was 

able to easily scale the fence and 

enter the school through a series 

of unlocked doors. 

“Had school personnel locked 

the doors as the school’s policy 

required, that could have slowed 

his progress for a few precious 

minutes — long enough to receive 

alerts, hide children, and 

lock doors,” the report found. 

The question of locked doors 

came into play again when law 

enforcement arrived and assumed 

they couldn’t break down 

the doors of the classroom to 

reach the gunman. 

They would fumble for several 

minutes in search of a key, and 

other equipment to break down 

the door, that is now believed to 

have been unlocked the entire 

time. 

The search for the unnecessary 

key was complicated by the 

fact that the school, which first 

opened in 1955, had different 

sets of master keys for different 

doors. Lt. Mike Hernandez of 

the district police department 

said he typically carried 50 keys 

to various campus buildings, 

though sometimes he had to jiggle 

them to turn locks. On other 

occasions, staff changed locks 

without his knowledge. During 

the shooting, other officers attempted 

without success to use 

Hernandez’s set to find a suitable 

master key for the wing of the 

school where the shooter was. 

Additionally, some faculty and 

staff did not initially take the 

intruder alert seriously because 

they were desensitized to the 

alert system, which often was 

triggered by frequent immigration-related 

police pursuits. 

Uvalde is about 50 miles east 

of the border with Mexico and 

sits at the intersection of major 

highways from the border cities 

of Del Rio and Eagle Pass. Police 

described a recent increase in 

“bailouts,” when officers chase a 

vehicle containing suspected undocumented 

migrants, who then 

purposely crash and scatter to 

avoid apprehension. School district 

officials told the committee 

there had been 47 “secure” or 

“lockdown” events since February 

2022. Around 90% of those 

had been because of bailouts. 

There has never been an incident 

of school violence related 

to the bailouts. 

“The series of bailout-related 

alerts led teachers and administrators 

to respond to all alerts 

with less urgency—when they 

heard the sound of an alert, 

many assumed that it was another 

bailout,” the report states. 

Even when there were alerts, 

it wasn’t certain that everyone 

would receive them. The emergency 

management alert system 

operates by sending out 

warnings online to teachers and 

faculty — and many access it 

through a smartphone app. 

But not all teachers received 

the alert about the gunman 

immediately, thanks in part to 

a poor wireless internet signal 

that made it difficult to send out 

the alert and the fact that many 

teachers didn’t have their phones 

or had them off at the moment 

they received it. 

Principal Mandy Gutierrez 

never attempted to communicate 

the lockdown over the school’s 

intercom system. 

MISSED WARNINGS SIGNS 

The gunman, Salvador Ramos, 

displayed signs he was unstable 

and possibly planning a violent 

attack, yet none of these warning 

signs reached authorities. 

A year before the massacre, 

he had earned the nickname 

“school shooter” on social media 

platforms because of violent 

threats he would make against 

other users. With few, if any, 

friends and a strained relationship 

with his parents, the report 

describes him as a high school 

dropout and social outcast who 

eventually concluded that spectacular 

violence could bring him 

“notoriety and fame.” 

Online, the committee found, 

he became interested in gore 

and violent sex, sometimes 

sharing videos and images of 

suicides and beheadings. His internet 

search history suggested 

he questioned whether he was a 

sociopath. 

In real life, he was fired 

from two fast-food jobs. At 

Whataburger, he harassed a 

female employee and at Wendy’s 

he would not talk with any 

co-workers, except one occasion 

when he attempted to start a 

conversation about guns. 

In the final months of his life, 

he was determined to acquire 

guns, a desire the report says 

family and friends were aware 

of. Because he lived with his 

grandmother and had no expenses, 

he was able to use his 

money for this effort. 

While he was still 17, the 

shooter asked at least two people 

to purchase guns for him, 

but they refused. Instead, he 

focused on purchasing accessories, 

including a gun sight, rifle 

sling and body armor carrier. He 

turned 18, the legal age to buy 

guns in Texas, on May 16. Over 

the course of the next week, he 

READ THE ENTIRE REPORT HERE 

spent more than $3,000 on two 

AR-15-style rifles from an online 

retailer, which shipped the 

weapons to an Uvalde gun shop. 

Because he had no license and 

did not know how to drive, an 

uncle transported him to the gun 

store twice. His uncle said the 

first time he didn’t know he was 

going to pick up a rifle, since the 

store is also a popular restaurant 

in town and his nephew said he 

was hungry. But he returned with 

a narrow box and no food. 

The owner of the gun store, 

Oasis Outback, remembered him 

and described him to investigators 

as an “average customer 

with no ‘red flags.’” Other store 

patrons told the FBI they thought 

he was “very nervous looking” 

and “appeared odd and looked 

like one of those school shooters.” 

The report details no attempt 

by anyone who interacted with 

the gunman to alert authorities 

about his troubling behavior. 

UNDERMINING TRUST 

In the days after the shooting, 

state officials unnecessarily 

undermined public trust in the 

38 The BLUES The BLUES 39

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ongoing investigations by making 

false statements about what had 

happened, the report states. The 

day after the massacre, an Uvalde 

Police Department lieutenant 

tasked with briefing Gov. Greg 

Abbott and other state leaders 

fainted just before the meeting 

began. 

DPS Regional Director Victor 

Escalon took his place, relaying 

the second hand accounts of 

police, as he had arrived at the 

school minutes before the shooting 

ended. Some of this information 

was inaccurate, which the 

committee said was the reason 

Abbott, in a news conference 

immediately following the briefing, 

presented a “false narrative” 

that the shooting lasted as few 

as 40 minutes thanks to “officers 

who rapidly devised a plan, 

stacked up and neutralized the 

attacker.” 

Abbott also said that the gunman 

had been confronted by a 

school resource officer before 

entering the school. At a news 

conference the following day, 

a DPS official said the exterior 

door through which the gunman 

entered had been propped open. 

Both statements were false. 

The committee criticized state 

officials for misleading the public. 

“A complete and thorough 

investigation can take months 

or even years to confirm every 

detail, especially when this 

many law enforcement officers 

are involved,” the report states. 

“However, one would expect law 

enforcement during a briefing 

would be very careful to state 

what facts are verifiable, and 

which ones are not.” 

Abbott’s office did not respond 

to a request for comment Sunday. 

The committee also refutes a 

significant revelation included in 

a report published last week by 

the Advanced Law Enforcement 

Rapid Response Training (ALER- 

RT) Center at Texas State University. 

That report stated that an 

Uvalde Police Department officer 

with a rifle had an opportunity 

to shoot the gunman before he 

entered the school. However, 

when he asked a supervisor for 

permission to fire, he never received 

a response and the gunman 

slipped into the school. 

The committee noted that 

the ALERRT staff conducted no 

investigation on their own and 

relied entirely on information 

supplied by the Department of 

Public Safety. The committee 

concluded that the person the 

Uvalde officer saw was a coach 

who was ushering children inside 

and found no evidence that 

any law enforcement personnel 

had a chance to engage the gunman 

outside the school. 

The disastrous police response 

at Robb Elementary has set this 

mass shooting apart from so 

many that have become a regular 

occurrence in American life. 

It has renewed the debate over 

the role of police and cast doubt 

on the theory embraced by many 

Second Amendment advocates 

that good guys with guns are 

the best defense against active 

shooters. 

Yet the report concludes with 

a somber finding: Because the 

gunman fired the majority of his 

rounds before police arrived inside 

the school, about 100 in the 

space of three minutes, whether 

the death toll would have been 

lower had police breached the 

classrooms immediately is unknown. 

Most of the victims died quickly, 

torn apart by bullets designed 

for battlefields, and it is unclear 

whether a flawless police response 

would have saved any 

lives. But the report suggests 

that stopping the gunman sooner 

could have made a difference. 

“Given the information known 

about victims who survived 

through the time of the breach 

and who later died on the way 

to the hospital,” the committee 

wrote, “it is plausible that some 

victims could have survived if 

they had not had to wait 73 additional 

minutes for rescue.” 

Uriel Garcia contributed to this 

story. Reprinted from The Texas 

Tribune. 



“WE STOPPED LOOKING FOR HEROES” 

Former school police chief in Uvalde ‘disappointed’ by law enforcement failures. 

By Alfredo Corchado 

DALLAS MORNING NEWS 

UVALDE, TX — He’s sat with 

grieving family members at funerals 

and accompanied them to 

ongoing wakes to honor victims 

of one of the most gruesome 

school mass shootings in the 

country’s history. 

Last week, Leo Flores — known 

as Chato — witnessed angry parents 

call on their school board 

members to resign, deriding 

them as cowards and demanding 

accountability in the wake of the 

massacre at Robb Elementary 

School that left 21 dead. 

Flores fidgeted uncomfortably 

— his anxiety rising. 

“I know one thing: Had I still 

been at the school, I wouldn’t be 

alive today,” he said. “For sure.” 

“As a mother, I would have 

expected more dead officers and 

more children alive,” added his 

wife, Melissa, 37. “If he had been 

there ... I wouldn’t have a husband 

today. I’d be a widow.” 

Flores, 37, is the former Uvalde 

Consolidated Independent 

School District police chief, 

replaced in 2020 by Pete Arredondo, 

who is facing intense 

criticism for not immediately 

storming the classroom and 

instead trying to negotiate with 

an active shooter. A school board 

meeting set for Saturday July 20, 

to decide whether Arredondo 

should be fired was delayed after 

his lawyer raised concerns. 

Among the 19 students killed 

was Flores’ niece, Eliahana 

Torres — Eli to her best friend 

and cousin, Unica Alicia Flores, 

the daughter of Flores and his 

wife. The couple have been at 

just about every post-shooting 

meeting, accompanying Melissa’s 

sister after the shooting, forming 

a tight family support system 

around her. 

“My niece was there so yes, I 

wish I had been there,” Flores 

said, and pausing through every 

word, he added “Every … Single 

… Day.” 

Nearly two months after the 

state’s deadliest school shooting, 

Uvalde remains a town filled 

with regret. Grief transformed 

into fury, following a leaked 

77-minute video showing footage 

of cops mostly standing 

along the hallway inside the 

school, waiting for someone 

to take command of a chaotic 

situation, waiting for instructions 

to attack an 18-year-old gunman 

who killed 19 students and two 

teachers. 

The week culminated with the 

special House subcommittee 77- 

page report, the most exhaustive 

account yet of the tragedy that 

detailed a “systemic failure of 

egregious poor decision making” 

by nearly everyone in power, every 

one of the 376 law enforcement 

officers who descended on 

the school. 

Flores read the report extra 

carefully, complete with the expected 

“Could have. Would have. 

Should have.” He created the 

school district’s original police 

department, trained staff for active 

shooter situations, and tried 

keeping teachers on their toes. 

After reading the report, he said 

he was at a loss for words. 

“Disappointed.” 

“You take an oath to protect 

and serve,” he said, adding “In 

an active shooter situation, you 

eliminate the threat at all costs. 

If it’s you, the one that’s killed, 

or the guy behind you, or the 

one behind him, the threat is 

eliminated in a timely matter. 

I’ve been through a door where 

I didn’t know what was on the 

other side numerous times. ... It’s 

just what you signed up to do. 


It’s part of the training from day 

one.” 

FEELING OF BETRAYAL 

In many ways, Flores’ life is 

synonymous with the majority-minority 

town’s underdog 

character — resilient yet faced 

with long odds. The community 

of some 15,000 is even more on 

edge since the leaked videos. The 

searing pain and overwhelming 

agony instantly returned, made 

worse by second-guessing, 

which Evadulia Orta, the mother 

of Rojelio Torres — Rojelito to 

her — said “isn’t healthy. We just 

want the truth of what happened 

and accountability so we 

can move forward.” 

Meanwhile, divisions, mistrust 

and acrimony continue to 

grow. Even the U.S. Border Patrol 

agents who were lauded for 

finally storming a classroom and 

taking down the shooter are facing 

scrutiny and some disdain. 

“Even the migra waited too 

long,” Ruben Mata, grandfather 

of victim Lexi Rubio, said in an 

interview in Spanish, referring to 

the U.S. Border Patrol. “We were 

betrayed by everyone and anyone 

with a badge. I can’t stop thinking 

what would have happened 

if the kids were white, or if we 

lived in Dallas, or Alamo Heights 

[San Antonio]. Where is the outrage? 

Where is the accountability?” 

Gone are most of the makeshift 

tributes, the balloons, the big 

crowds. The flowers have since 

wilted in the heat. Only plastic 

ones survived, though they’re 

fading, too, along with the teddy 

bears under a scorching sun. 

“We stopped looking for heroes,” 

said Rosie Ruiz, who lives 

around the corner from Robb. 

Ruiz has known Flores since he 

was born. “I do think he’s crazy 

enough to have stormed the 

classroom and taken down the 

shooter, without hesitating. He 

would have done his job.” 

Flores hears those words everywhere 

he goes, he said. 

“People approach me and say 

they wish I had been there, and 

I think people mean that as a 

compliment,” he said. “But it 

weighs heavy on me.” 

Flores concedes that he took 

himself out of the potential 

hero’s role. He resigned as chief 

of the school district in January 

2020 under a cloud of controversy, 

tied to “family problems,” 

Mayor Don McLaughlin said in 

an interview. “He made some 

personal mistakes, but I’ve done 

stupid things, too, when I was 

young,” he added, pointing to a 

divorce. “Some learn from their 

mistakes. I think he did, too.” 

PATH TO THE FORCE 

McLaughlin has known Flores 

for years, and following the 

cantankerous board meeting, the 

two huddled quietly late into the 

humid evening. Towering oak 

trees stood still as mosquitos 

attacked. 

A native of Uvalde, Flores was 

raised by his grandparents after 

his parents split. He was a star 

wide receiver during Friday night 

high school football games. Following 

graduation, he thought 

of joining the U.S. Border Patrol, 

common for young Mexican 

Americans living on or near the 

border. 

He didn’t have a chance. Melissa, 

his sweetheart since elementary 

school, was pregnant. 

He had no choice but to grow up 

fast, he said. 

Uvalde Police Detective Jerry 

Martinez’s hobby was restoring 

old cars. One weekend, he 

approached Flores, who was 

working on his 1979 Chevy Blazer. 

Martinez liked the hubcaps. 

Flores offered them for free. 

They struck up a conversation, 

and Martinez encouraged him 

to apply for a job in the police 

department. 

“I was attracted to his personality,” 

said Martinez, now a 

captain at the Carrizo Police Department, 

some 50 miles away. 

“Very approachable. Easy to get 

along with.” 

Flores responded: “That would 

require going to college, and 

school is not for me. I’m a father 

and I gotta work.” 

Martinez persisted and soon 

after, in 2007, Flores began 

working as a police dispatcher 

overnight for about a year, 

simultaneously attending the police 

academy during the day for 

six months. A year later, he was 

working as a police officer and 

member of the SWAT team. Later, 

he worked for a U.S. Marshals 

fugitive task force. He loved the 

adrenaline and was usually the 

“entry person in countless situations 

involving barricaded shooters, 

suicide-murders, very tense 

situations,” he said. 

But Martinez cautioned that no 

one person can take credit for 

taking down a bad guy in those 

situations. 

“There’s no I in SWAT,” he said. 

“He was very proactive.” 

By 2018, Flores was hired as 

the first chief of the Uvalde Consolidated 

Independent School 

District, where Melissa also 

worked. He quickly formed a 

four-member police force team. 

But soon, his good fortune 

dried out. In January 2020, he 

resigned under pressure from the 

district for causing a disturbance 

with his wife at work. Three 

months later, he was arrested 

at a local bar on charges of 

unlawfully carrying a weapon 

on premises that sell alcohol, 

obstruction or retaliation and 

Class C public order crimes 

and booked into the county jail, 

according to The Uvalde Leader-News. 

Flores eventually paid a $50 

fine and $350 in court fees. He 

also took a plea bargain from 

the district attorney “cause I 

couldn’t afford an attorney.” He 

lost his police license. 

In the last two years, he’s 

held a myriad of jobs, including 

a door-to-door delivery service. 

On May 24, he was doing a 

plumbing apprenticeship when 

a coworker said, “Bro, there’s a 

shooting at Robb.” Flores ignored 

it, assuming it was yet another 

false alarm. But his phone lit up. 

Flores abruptly ran out “and I 

left the poor lady with her sink 

undone.” He made a beeline for 

Robb. 

CHAOS AND CONFUSION 

Flores said he arrived about 

12:14 p.m. and was surrounded 

by hundreds of law enforcement 

officers, including many he knew 

from his days at the city’s police 

force and school district police. 

Among them was Arredondo, 

who had once served as the 

assistant police chief for the city. 

He saw a visibly upset Ruben 

Ruiz, his old friend and colleague 

at the district. In the video, Ruiz 

is shown scrolling through his 

phone in the hallway, reading a 


cousin Eli.” 

“We don’t know what we will 

do when it comes to school 

time, because she won’t go to 

the bathroom by herself,” Flores 

said. 

Asked what options they’re 

considering, he paused. 

“That’s a tough question,” he 

said. “One thing that nobody 

talked about at the board meeting, 

and everybody wants an 

answer, but nobody really asks 

is: Are we truly safe anywhere 

anymore?” 

Staff writer Jamie Landers in 

Dallas contributed to this report. 

Reprinted from the Dallas 

Morning News 

Be sure and check out 

our new 

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on Page 142. 

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text from his wife, who had just 

been shot and told her husband 

she “was dying.” 

Flores stared at the school, 

encircled by a 5-foot fence, 

the same one he used to climb 

over in drills when he disguised 

himself as an intruder to keep 

staff on their toes — just like the 

shooter had done that morning, 

entering the school through an 

unlocked door. 

After his drills, Flores would 

write reports for the principal, 

specifying how many doors were 

unlocked and making recommendations. 

He would share the 

information on Facebook to alert 

the community, especially parents. 

“A culture of complacency 

weakens those safeguards,” he 

said. 

Flores stared at what he described 

as a “chaotic scene.” 

He offered his former police 

colleagues help but “I was told 

‘everything is under control.’ And 

then I saw them pull a couple of 

bodies out of the school, and I 

knew nothing was under control. 

Everything was in such chaos. It 

was bad.” 

As the situation deteriorated, 

“one of my nephews ran toward 

me and said, ‘Eli has been 

shot.’“And I just, it was … so 

difficult. ... Still is. I just wished I 

had been in there.” 

Eli’s uncle and legal guardian, 

Al Salinas, 54, has heard the 

talk in town about how things 

might have been different under 

Flores. He knows Flores. Salinas 

is married to one of Melissa’s 

older sisters, making him a “concuño, 

brother-in-law,” he said. 

And he’s seen the videos, too, 

with law enforcement members 

standing around, paralyzed. 

Salinas isn’t convinced. 

“It’s easy for him in a conversation 

to tell me that he would 

have done this, and he would 

have done that, but he didn’t 

have actual live rounds shot at 

him,” he said. “No one did their 

job. We’ll never know.” 

Flores agrees that it’s wasted 

time to second-guess. It’s time 

to move forward, he said, and 

prepare for the next mass shooting. 

This week, he wrote to the 

school board and offered to be 

part of a committee to look into 

what happened at Robb and 

come up with informed suggestions 

on how to prevent another 

mass shooting. 

“I asked not as someone who 

wants to be a cop again, because 

I know that’s not going 

to happen, but as a concerned 

parent,” he said. 

His eldest child, Leo, 18, who 

was a school classmate of the 

shooter, just graduated from 

high school. His second son, Jett, 

14, is entering high school, and 

his youngest, Unica Alicia, 9, 

hasn’t slept in her bedroom since 

the shooting. She’s moved into 

her parents’ room “to sleep at 

night, feel safe. She misses her 


“Today we are turning a page in the history of this 

agency and the community,” Sheriff Michelle Cook. 


A True Passion for Service 

Sheriff Michelle Cook, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Florida 

Words by Dr. Tina Jaeckle, Editor, The BLUES 

As the only female sheriff 

currently holding this office 

in the State of Florida, Michelle 

Cook has reached a 

level in her career that few 

will ever achieve. I first met 

Michelle several years ago at 

the Northeast Florida Criminal 

Justice Center in Jacksonville, 

Florida. At that time, 

she was serving in the role of 

Assistant Chief and Academy 

Director and her passion for 

public service was already 

clearly present. I respected 

her confidence, intelligence, 

and drive and had no question 

she would continue to 

rise. However, the characteristics 

that make Sheriff Cook 

truly extraordinary are not 

only her love and commitment 

to her community and 

agency but also to her family. 

In fact, when asked what 

she considered her greatest 

personal achievement, she 

stated without hesitation, it 

was adopting a sibling group 

of four from the Florida foster 

care system. Along with 

her husband Don Tuten at her 

side, she clearly cherishes 

her role as a parent to all six 

of their children. 

Sheriff Cook has deep roots 

in the community she serves. 

The Cook family moved to 

Clay County in the early 80’s 

when Michelle’s father, a 

Navy veteran, was stationed 

at Naval Air Station Cecil 

Field. Michelle attended 

Orange Park Middle School 

and is a Clay High School 

graduate. Michelle entered 

the law enforcement profession 

as a Patrol Officer, 

working as a beat cop on the 

street. With earned promotions 

throughout her 26 year 

career, Michelle retired as a 

3-star Director, and third in 

command, from the Jacksonville 

Sheriff’s Office, a 

3,300-person agency and the 

nation’s 25th largest police 

department. As Director of 

Patrol and Enforcement, her 

responsibilities included the 

strategic deployment and 

activities of over 1,000 first 

responders and community 

relations personnel, and direct 

management of a budget 

of over $100 million. She 


also oversaw the over 1,000 

special events that occurred 

in the Downtown Jacksonville 

area each year. She also 

served as the agency lead 

on collective bargaining and 

routinely worked with elected 

officials while promoting 

the law enforcement mission. 

In 2017 Michelle accepted 

the position of Chief of Police 

for the City of Atlantic Beach, 

Fl. The Atlantic Beach Police 

Department (ABPD) is 

a full-service agency with 

a 6-million-dollar budget, 

serves approximately 14,000 

residents and handles approximately 

25,000 calls for 

service each year. Under her 

leadership, the City of Atlantic 

Beach saw a decrease in 

the crime rate and improved 

employee and citizen morale 

and support. She is credited 

with successfully leading 

the ABPD through the Florida 

Commission for Law Enforcement 

Accreditation process. 

She is also credited for writing 

the City of Atlantic Beach 

All-Hazard Response (hurricane) 

plan. 

In early 2020 Michelle retired 

from the Atlantic Beach 

Police Department and began 

her campaign for Sheriff 

in the County she was born 

and raised. Michelle successfully 

beat out five other candidates 

to win her primary 

and then was declared the 

winner when a write-in candidate 

withdrew. On September 

1, 2020, Governor Ron 

Desantis appointed Michelle 

to Sheriff of Clay County to 

complete the term left vacant 

by her predecessor and 

on January 5, 2021 Michelle 

was officially sworn in to 

start her first term. It was 

a big step forward for Clay 

County. 

Recognized for her extensive 

experience and leadership 

in law enforcement, 

Michelle has built a reputation 

of being a firm, yet 

compassionate law enforcement 

leader whose integrity 

and genuine management 

style bring respect not only 

from her work family but 

also the community she 

serves. Sheriff Cook has 

numerous career highlights 

to include, but not limited 

to, having served as the 

Incident Commander during 

SWAT/Negotiator call-outs; 

Training Academy Director in 

which she commanded the 

firing range, recruiting, basic 

recruit training, Criminal 

Justice Standards and Training 

Commission Trust Fund 

Advanced and Specialized 

Training and all police and 

corrections basic and in-service 

training requirements; 

Assistant Chief of Narcotics 

and Vice and supervised 

all undercover narcotics 

and vice operations, internet 

crimes against children, 

technical support, and served 

as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking 

Area member; Chief 

of Professional Standards 

in which she commanded 

the firing range, training 

academy, polygraph unit, 

inspections, internal affairs, 

accreditation, crime analysis, 

continuous improvement, fusion 

center and information 

systems management; Commander 

of the Intelligence 

Unit and represented the 

Jacksonville sheriff’s Office 

on the Joint Terrorism Task 

Force, North Florida Fusion 

Cell, and served as key agency 

liaison to US Marshals and 

FBI; Incident Commander for 

the North Florida All Hazards 

Team for hurricane and 

crisis response and credentialed 

through the Emergency 

Management Institute as an 

Operations Section Chief and 

Incident Commander and has 

served in this role for over 

500 unplanned incidents 

and pre-planned events in 

the region, combining her 

extensive knowledge of the 

Incident Command System 

with real world experience 

handling complex critical 

incidents; and serves as an 

instructor and consultant for 

an organization that provides 

training nationally for Active 

Shooter Incident Management, 

sharing her extensive 

experience in the command 

and leadership portion of the 

training curriculum and provides 

crucial input and feedback 

on course development. 

Incident Commander, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office 

Meeting with the Community 


Sheriff Cook’s commitment 

to service also extends in 

other areas as demonstrated 

through her participation in 

numerous community initiatives 

including, but not limited 

to, the Continuity of Care 

Board; Jax Journey Oversight 

Committee; Jax Journey Juvenile 

Justice Sub Committee; 

Leadership Jacksonville 

Board Member; IM Sulzbacher 

Campus (Homeless Shelter 

and Services), working group 

member; State of Florida 

Emergency Response Management 

Team (NEFLAHIMT); 

Fusion System Cell Steering 

Committee; Law Enforcement 

Terrorism Prevention 

Program (RDSTF); FBI Hate 

Crimes Working Group; Career 

Training Curriculum 

Development Committee; 

Career Oral Board for police 

candidates; Career Development 

Committee; State Law 

Enforcement Training Center 

Directors group; Region V 

Training Advisory Committee; 

and the Florida State College 

at Jacksonville Criminal Justice 

Advisory Committee 

Sheriff Cook holds a master’s 

degree in Criminal Justice 

from University of North 

Florida and a bachelor’s degree 

in Criminal Justice and 

a minor in Public Administration 

from the same institution. 

She is also a graduate 

of the FBI Law Enforcement 

Executives training and a 

member of the Florida Police 

Chief’s Association and Florida 

Sheriff’s Association. Her 

dedication has earned her 

countless awards to include 

the Law Enforcement Legacy 

Leader Award; Contributing 

Writer/Award Winner – “Police 

Director’s Consortium”; 

Chad Reed First Responder 

Award for Hurricane preparedness 

and response; and 

the 6 Pillars of Character 

Award Winner. 

During this interview I had 

the opportunity to learn 

more about what motivates 

Sheriff Cook to continue to 

serve and her philosophy 

that drives her passion. She 

shared “I love my job. I love 

serving others. I love building 

a culture and an organization 

based on giving back 

to our community. I love 

law and order and the ability 

to maintain a strong prolaw 

commitment while still 

building community relationships”. 

Her positive attitude 

Enjoying Horseback Riding 

Chief of Police, 

Atlantic Beach Police Department, Florida 

SWAT Call Out in the Spring of 2021 


also helps combat what she 

considers one of the greatest 

challenges her field faces 

today, the negativity toward 

law enforcement and their 

mission. 

The policing field has historically 

changed over the 

last two decades and this 

has clearly impacted opportunities 

for women. I asked 

Sheriff Cook her thoughts 

on these changes and she 

shared that although she was 

grateful that the uniforms fit 

now, women still make up 

a very small percentage of 

police officers overall. In addition, 

acceptance of women 

in law enforcement appears 

to have increased, however, 

the actual number of women 

joining the ranks is still 

low and these opportunities 

should be encouraged by 

agencies. 

Given an increasing number 

of high profile active shooter 

incidents in this nation 

and Sheriff Cook’s extensive 

expertise, I inquired about 

her thoughts on best practices 

in the policing field. She 

offered “I have been involved 

in active shooter tactical 

training and active shooter 

incident management for 15 

years now. I have traveled 

the country teaching Active 

Shooter Incident Management. 

We must continue to 

train our line level personnel 

in active shooter tactical response, 

but it is also imperative 

that police leaders also 

obtain active shooter incident 

management training”. 

When I asked Sheriff Cook 

where she saw herself in five 

years in this field, she simply 

stated, Sheriff of Clay 

County. I have no doubt. Very 

well done, good and faithful 

servant. 

Sheriff Cook with her Husband Don Tuten 


AUGUST 

7-10 

WPLF Summer Training 

Conference 

Green Bay, WI 

88th Annual APCO International 

Conference 

Anaheim, CA 

https://www.apco2021.org/ 

8-9 

International Conference 

on Special Admin Law 

New York, NY 

8-11 

Kentucky Association 

Chiefs of Police State 

Conference 

Center for Rural Development 

Somerset, KY 

11-13 

21st Annual State Criminal 

Justice Network Conf. 

The Breakers 

Palm Beach, FL 

15-18 

Fleet Patrol Conference & 

Expo 2022 

Austin Convention Center 

Austin, TX 

18-19 

Midwest Security & Police 

Conference 

Tinley Park Convention Center 

Tinley Park, IL 

22-23 

Police Recruitment & Retention 

Summit 

Bellagio Hotel 

Las Vegas, NV 

24-26 

TacOps South 

Sheraton Music Center 

Nashville, TN 

24-27 

NYTOA SWAT Training 

Conference 

Turning Stone Resort 

Verona, NY 

1-7 

39th Annual NTOA Law Enforcement 

Conference 

Kansas City Marriott Downtown 

Kansas City, MO 

4-6 

Interpol 

The Ritz 

Raleigh, NC 

SEPTEMBER 

7-9 

TaCops East Tactical 

Training Conference & 

Expo 

Crystal Gateway Marriott 

Arlington VA 

11-14 

2022 VACP Conference 

Roanake, VA 

19-23 

27th Annual Advanced 

Homicide Investigation 

Conference 

The Claridge 

Atlantic City, NJ 

24 

OFFICER DOWN MEMORIAL 

RIDE 

Bull Run Harley-Davidson 

Manassas, VA 

27-29 

GSX 2022 Conference 

Orange County Convention 

Center 

Orlando, FL 

OCTOBER 

15-18 

IACP – International Association 

of Chiefs of Police 

Dallas Convention Center 

Dallas, Texas 

17-21 

TAVTI– Texas Association 

of Vehicle Theft Investigators 

Emerald Beach Hotel, 

Corpus Christi 

24-27 

TCOLE Training Conference 

American Bank Conference 

Center 

Corpus Christi, TX 


Registration is NOW OPEN for the 2022 TCOLE Conference! 

 

Join us on October 24th-27th 

at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, the Gulf Coast Capital! 

 

Check out some of the breakout sessions we have planned for this year’s conference on 

innovative training approaches, conflict solutions, active listening, PTSD, Texas Law 

Enforcement Peer Network, legislative updates, background investigations and Secure 

Share, TCLEDDS, police recruiting and retention, and more: 

www.tcole.texas.gov/content/tcc-schedule 

 

Reminder: All sessions must be attended to receive conference credit. 

 

Early Bird Pricing = $200 before September 25th, 2022 

Regular Pricing = $275 on or after September 26th, 2022 

 

The TCOLE Conference draws around 1,000 attendees annually. If you would like to be a 

vendor or sponsor for this year’s conference, please contact 

vendor.support@tcole.texas.gov. 

 

There is no shortage of fun, miles of beaches, incredible views, and great weather in Corpus 

Christi, where many attractions and adventures await!! Come see what makes this place the 

Gulf Coast Capital. 

 

See you in Corpus Christi!! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Register Today! 

All sponsors will get signage dependent on individual sponsorship deal. 

Additional on-stage recognition may be given for certain event/food sponsorships. (ex: Enjoy your break sponsored by xxx) 

60 The BLUES 

The BLUES 61

What to Do This Summer? 

Head Down to 

Galveston Island 

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 beach- 

Historic Buildings & Homes 

Although most of the original structures are long gone, the 

stories of early islanders live on in renovated structures 

and new establishments created in memory of the past. 

Galveston Beaches 

With 32 miles of shoreline and a variety of 

parks, Galveston Island offers something for 

every kind of beachgoer. And with warm Gulf 

waves from spring through October, there’s 

plenty of time to explore each beach’s unique 

personality. Whatever your sunseeking fancy, 

Galveston has a beach for you. 


Head Down to 


Katie’s Seafood House 

2000 Wharf Rd Galveston, Texas 

(409) 765-5688 

For more than 20 years, Katie’s Seafood 

Market has provided the highest quality 

seafood to Galveston locals and visitors. 

In September of 2019, Katie’s husband, 

Buddy, opened Katie’s Seafood House 

right next to the store. The market supplies 

the restaurant with its fresh seafood, 

which is a unique attribute among 

restaurants and takes each dish to the 

next level. Stop in for a delicious shrimp 

platter and enjoy a house cocktail next 

time you in Galveston! 

Where to Stay? 

The BLUES recommends: 

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. 

The Spot 

3204 Seawall Blvd Galveston, Texas 

(409) 621-5237 

Island Famous: Five Venues, One Spot: The 

Spot, Tiki Bar, SideYard, Rum Shack and 

Squeeze! You can’t go wrong at The Spot, Galveston 

Island’s premier beachfront dining and 

entertainment destination. Dive into a mouthwatering 

burger or fresh seafood, grab a beer 

and find a sweet spot to relax inside or out on 

our multi-level beachfront patios. Whether you 

want to catch the game on one of our many 

HDTVs or enjoy the sparkling views of the Gulf 

of Mexico, every seat’s the best seat in the 

house. It’s the perfect setting to hang out with 

your friends and meet new ones. 

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. 

Rudy & Paco Restaurant and Bar 

2028 Postoffice St., Galveston, TX 

Phone: (409)762-3696 

When visiting Galveston Island, you simply 

can’t miss the Island’s most unique 

dining experience, Rudy & Paco. Awarded 

Top 100 Restaurants of 2017 and Top 100 

Romantic Restaurants of 2018, Rudy & 

Paco features grilled seafood and steak 

with a South and Central American sabor. 

Relax and unwind with your favorite 

cocktail while enjoying delicious Antojitos. 

Whether you’re dining for a special 

occasion or just grabbing a drink at the 

bar, coming to Rudy & Paco will surely 

be an experience like no other. 


Head Down to 


TRAIN RIDES 

EVENT VENUE 

Galveston Railroad Museum 

Visit the Galveston Railroad Museum to learn the history of the golden age of rail and experience 

the excitement of bygone days. Interactive activities include walking through a 

railroad post office, sleeping cars, dining and baggage cars. Visit the fully restored train depot 

and enjoy current exhibits as well as hands-on fully operational signal lights, learn the 

Legacy of the Railroad including the story of the Pullman Porter, view a rare railroad calendar 

collection, artwork and the take selfies with the lifelike alabaster sculptures that depict 

depot passengers in period dress. Step inside a telephone booth, lift the receiver to your 

ear and overhear their conversations. Don’t miss additional exhibits located on the railyard 

and board a caboose for a real train ride! The Galveston Railroad Museum is family friendly 

and has something for all ages to enjoy! Check our online schedule for upcoming events. 

Home of the popular Christmas holiday family event The Polar Express Train Ride, pajamas 

are encouraged for the full experience that runs November thru December. Membership at 

the Galveston Railroad Museum is loaded with benefits including Polar Express early bird 

ticket purchase. In addition, members enjoy year- round access to the museum and enjoy 

discounts in the museum store and at special events. Don’t miss the train! For additional 

information go to www.GalvestonRRMuseum.org or call (409) 765-5700. 

EXHIBITS 

Established 1983 

galvestonrrmuseum.org 

409-765-5700 

RAIL HOTEL 

Show this ad at the museum ticket counter or online code “Blue” to receive a 1st responder 

20% discount on museum exhibits and rides. Valid Through September 30, 2022 


HONORING OUR FALLEN HEROES 

SERGEANT JOHN K. WILLIAMS 

POLICE OFFICER LOREN MICHAEL COURTS 

CORALVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT, IOWA 

END OF WATCH SUNDAY, JULY 3, 2022 

AGE: 59 TOUR: 28 YEARS BADGE: 376 

Sergeant John Williams passed away after suffering a medical emergency following his response to a shooting 

call. The shooting occurred in an apartment complex and involved a 3-year-old victim. Sergeant Williams was 

on scene of the incident when he began to experience symptoms of an acute medical emergency. He was 

transported to a local hospital where he passed away a short time later. 

Sergeant Williams had served with the Coralville Police Department for 28 years. He is survived by his wife, 

four children, and six grandchildren. 

DETROIT POLICE DEPARTMENT, MICHIGAN 

=END OF WATCH WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2022 


Police Officer Loren Courts was shot and killed while responding to a shooting call near the intersection of Joy 

Road and Marlowe Street at about 7:30 pm. When Officer Courts and his partner arrived on the scene, the subject 

immediately began shooting at them, striking Officer Courts while he was still in his patrol car. His partner tried 

to save him by applying pressure to his wound, with her back toward the approaching gunman. The subject had 

come downstairs from the building, pointing the gun at the two officers. Other officers who had arrived on the 

scene shot and killed the suspect. Officer Courts was transported to Sinai Grace Hospital, where he succumbed to 

his wounds a short time later. Officer Courts had served with the Detroit Police Department for five years and was 

assigned to the 2nd precinct. He is survived by his wife, son, daughter, and parents. His father had recently retired 

from the Detroit Police Department. 

68 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE The MAGAZINE BLUES 69


POLICE OFFICER BRIAN OLLIFF 

UNDERSHERIFF LARRY KOREN 

NATCHITOCHES POLICE DEPARTMENT, LOUISIANA 

END OF WATCH SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022 


Police Officer Brian Olliff died after suffering a heat-related medical event while working in the city’s downtown 

district. 

Officer Olliff had served with the Natchitoches Police Department for 20 years and concurrently served with 

the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office. He previously served with the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office. He is 

survived by his wife and four children. One of his sons also serves with the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office. 

BERNALILLO COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, NM=E 



Undersheriff Larry Koren, Deputy Sheriff Michael Levison, and Lieutenant Fred Beers were killed when the agency’s 

helicopter, Metro 2, crashed near Las Vegas, New Mexico. Rescue Specialist Matthew King of the Bernalillo 

County Fire Department was also killed in the crash. Metro 2 was returning to Albuquerque after assisting fire 

crews at the East Mesa Fire. They were returning to Albuquerque after conducting bucket drops when the crash 

occurred at about 7:20 pm. 

Undersheriff Koren had served with the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office for 25 years. He is survived by his wife, 

two sons, and two sisters. 



LIEUTENANT FRED BEERS 

DEPUTY SHERIFF MICHAEL ADAM LEVISON 

BERNALILLO COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, NM 


AGE: 51 TOUR: 13 YEARS BADGE: N/A 

Lieutenant Fred Beers, Undersheriff Larry Koren, and Deputy Sheriff Michael Levison were killed when the 

agency’s helicopter, Metro 2, crashed near Las Vegas, New Mexico. Rescue Specialist Matthew King of the 

Bernalillo County Fire Department was also killed in the crash. Metro 2 was returning to Albuquerque after 

assisting fire crews at the East Mesa Fire. They were returning to Albuquerque after conducting bucket drops 

when the crash occurred at about 7:20 pm. In 2017 Lieutenant Beers organized a hike to the summit of 

Wheeler Peak, the highest point in New Mexico, with other members of Cops on Top to honor fallen officers. 

Lieutenant Beers was a United States Air Force veteran and had served with the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s 

Office for over 13 years. He is survived by his wife, son, father, and two sisters.. 

BERNALILLO COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, NM=E 



Deputy Sheriff Michael Levison, Undersheriff Larry Koren, and Lieutenant Fred Beers were killed when the agency’s 

helicopter, Metro 2, crashed near Las Vegas, New Mexico. Rescue Specialist Matthew King of the Bernalillo 

County Fire Department was also killed in the crash. Metro 2 was returning to Albuquerque after assisting fire 

crews at the East Mesa Fire. They were returning to Albuquerque after conducting bucket drops when the crash 

occurred at about 7:20 pm. 

Deputy Levison was a New Mexico Air National Guard veteran and had served with the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s 

Office for five years. He is survived by his mother, father, stepmother, three brothers, a sister, grandmother, and 

girlfriend. 



POLICE OFFICER DANIEL VASQUEZ 

SERGEANT CHRISTOPHER JAMES NELSON 

NORTH KANSAS CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT, MO 

END OF WATCH TUESDAY, JULY 19, 2022 


Police Officer Daniel Vasquez was shot and killed while making a traffic stop near the intersection of 21st 

Street and Clay Street at about 10:40 am. The driver of the vehicle shot Officer Vasquez before fleeing. A 

backup officer who arrived at the scene began CPR before Officer Vasquez was transported to a nearby 

hospital. He succumbed to his wounds a short time later. The subject who shot him turned himself in at the 

Kansas City Police Department approximately three hours later. 

Officer Vasquez had served with the North Kansas City Police Department for two years. 

EDMOND POLICE DEPARTMENT, OKLAHOMA 

END OF WATCH TUESDAY, JULY 19, 2022 

AGE: 38 TOUR: 15 YEARS BADGE: M519 

Sergeant CJ Nelson was killed when his police motorcycle was struck by a utility truck on Broadway Extension at 

Comfort Drive at about 3:00 pm.The utility truck was driving northbound at a high rate of speed when it struck 

Sergeant Nelson’s motorcycle and several vehicles that were stopped at the light. Sergeant Nelson was transported 

to the OU Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries. The driver of the truck was charged with manslaughter 

and second-degree murder. Preliminary blood tests showed the presence of amphetamine and methamphetamine 

in the driver’s system. Sergeant Nelson was one day shy of his 13-year anniversary with the Edmond 

Police Department and previously served with the Honolulu Police Department for two years. He is survived by his 

wife, daughter, son, mother, stepfather, father, and brother. 



POLICE OFFICER ANTHONY PATRICK MAZURKIEWICZ 

DEPUTY SHERIFF MATTHEW YATES 

ROCHESTER POLICE DEPARTMENT, NEW YORK 

END OF WATCH THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2022 


Police Officer Tony Mazurkiewicz was shot and killed while conducting surveillance on Bauman Street at 9:15 pm. 

As part of a murder investigation, Officer Mazurkiewicz and another officer were in an unmarked police vehicle when 

the subject walked up from behind and fired 17 rounds. The other officer exited the passenger side and returned fire 

but did not strike the subject, who fled. Officer Mazurkiewicz was shot at least twice in the upper body. Officer Mazurkiewicz 

was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds. His partner was shot in 

the lower body and transported to Rochester General Hospital, where he was treated and released. A 15-year-old girl 

was grazed by a bullet that entered her home during the ambush.Officer Mazurkiewicz had served with the Rochester 

Police Department for 29 years and previously served with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department. He is survived 

by his wife, four children, three grandchildren, parents, brother, and sister. 

CLARK COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, OHIO 



Deputy Sheriff Matthew Yates was shot and killed while responding to shots fired call at the 1100 block of Ashwood 

Drive in South Charleston. At 10:51 am, Clark County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call reporting that a 

female subject had broken into a residence and fired five or six shots. When Deputy Yates and another deputy 

attempted to check the mobile home, they were met with gunfire. Deputy Yates was shot inside the trailer and was 

trapped inside for hours during the standoff with the subject. Clark County Special Operations and other tactical 

teams were called to rescue him. Deputy Yates was flown to the Miami Valley Hospital where he succumbed to his 

injuries. A second deputy was injured while trying to escape the gunfire. Deputy Yates had served with the Clark 

County Sheriff’s Office for 15 years. He is survived by his wife, daughter, two stepsons, and father, who retired from 

the Clark County Sheriff’s Office. 



PATROLMAN VINCENT ANTHONY PARKS 

DEPUTY SHERIFF LORENZO BUSTOS 

JONESBORO POLICE DEPARTMENT, ARKANSAS 


AGE: 38 TOUR: 1 MONTH BADGE: N/A 

Patrolman Vinnie Parks passed away after collapsing while participating in physical exercises at the Central Arkansas 

Law Enforcement Training Academy’s facility at Camp Robinson. He started showing signs of distress and was able to 

walk to an ambulance before collapsing. The Central Arkansas area was under a heat advisory at the time. 

Patrolman Parks had served with the Jonesboro Police Department for only one month. He is survived by his wife, 

daughter, mother, sister, and grandmother. 

SMITH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, TEXAS 

END OF WATCH FRIDAY, JULY 29, 2022 

AGE: 29 TOUR: 2 YEARS 1 MO. BADGE: N/A 

Deputy Sheriff Lorenzo Bustos was struck and killed by a drunk driver at about 12:50 while making a traffic stop 

in the 14000 block of State Highway 155. He and his field training officer had conducted a traffic stop shortly 

before midnight and had taken two occupants of the vehicle into custody. While they were completing their investigation 

of the initial traffic stop another vehicle struck Deputy Bustos as he stood behind his patrol SUV. The impact 

pushed Deputy Bustos beneath the patrol vehicle. His partner, who was sitting in the passenger seat at the time 

of the crash, immediately started rendering aid. Deputy Bustos was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed 

to his injuries about five hours later. Deputy Bustos had served with the Smith County Sheriff’s Office for 

six months and was on his final night of field training. He had previously served with the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office 

for one year and the Henderson Police Department for one year. He is survived by his wife and three children. 


By Lt. Brian Nichols, RET 

the Naked Truth 

Working nights taught me 

one thing. Intoxicated people 

lose all common sense and all 

inhibitions when it comes to 

clothing or the lack thereof. In 

other words, they get naked at 

the drop of a hat. Allow me to 

share a few of these encounters 

with you. 

LOCKED OUT. 

Many years ago, they were 

building a new business park 

on the north side of town. For 

the longest time, all that existed 

were paved streets that proved 

to be a haven for couples looking 

for a place to make out. Or 

more. 

One night, around 2am I made 

my usual swing through the 

complex to make sure the only 

thing being stripped were young 

couples not cars. Hey, I was 

young once and what you do in 

your own car is your business 

as long as you’re not breaking 

any laws. And since these were 

private streets without any No 

Trespassing Signs, they weren’t 

technically breaking any laws. 

But there’s always that one 

couple that pushed the boundaries 

and did something to draw 

attention to themselves. Tonight, 

was Tommy and Sherry’s night. 

As I turned down the last street 

in very back of the complex, I 

couldn’t help but notice these 

two love birds sitting on the 

hood of their car – completely 

naked. Oh yeah, this should be 

interesting. I turned on the takedown 

lights and immediately Ms. 

Sherry starts yelling at me. 

“Hey asshole, can you turn off 

the fucking spotlights?” 

Asshole huh. What the hell 

are you two doing? Why are you 

sitting naked on the hood of your 

car? 

Again, Sherry was obviously 

the brains of this pair “because 

asshole, we locked the keys in 

the car and our clothes are in 

the backseat. And why the fuck 

are you staring at my naked 

ass, don’t you have a blanket or 

something?” 

Well, I was going to ask for 

some ID but I’m assuming that’s 

locked up with your clothes. And 

no ma’am I don’t have any blankets. 

But I’ll….. 

“Well what kind of fucking 

cop are you? You don’t carry any 

blankets with you. That’s just 

bullshit!” 

I was going to say, I’ll call a 

wrecker and get your doors 

opened so you can get dressed. 

Then we’ll see whether or not 

you both to jail. So, I suggest you 

calm your ass down and be a little 

more respectful considering 

the predicament you’re in. 

All this time, her boyfriend 

Tommy hasn’t said a word and 

was keeping his hands in plain 

sight…cupped over his privates 

that believed they were stilled 

engaged in the previous activities. 

If you know what I mean. 

Normally I would search the two 

for weapons, but in this case, it 

was clear who was holding a 

loaded weapon…..well, you get 

the idea. 

I called dispatch and asked for 

a friendly wrecker to check by 

with a Slim Jim and while we 

waited, I asked the young man 

exactly what led to their extra 

vehicular activities. He says his 

girlfriend said his back seat was 

too small and that they should 

do it on the hood. Somehow, she 

hit the door lock and well here 

they were. 

“Hey, shit head don’t blame 

me, if you had a bigger car this 

wouldn’t have happened” 

I couldn’t help but inject myself, 

Oh I don’t know he seems to 

have a pretty big car over there 

now. LOL 

“Yeah, you’re real funny Mr. 

Asshole cop. What the fuck is 

taking so long for the damn 

wrecker? Can’t you do something 

to get them here faster? You’re 

just such an asshole.” 

Oh yes ma’am I can. Unit 2303 

dispatch, I need the first wrecker 

on the scene at my location with 

a Slim Jim, first wrecker with a 

Slim Jim to help a young lady 

retrieve her clothes from her 

locked car. Also, I need a blanket 

to cover up this young lady. 

Within minutes over 30 wreckers 

showed up to see the show. 

Sherry was furious. LOL 

They both got dressed. Tommy 

wasn’t drunk, so I let him go. 

His girlfriend Sherry took a ride. 

Bitch cussed me all the way to 

jail. 

• • • 

MS. NIGHTGOWN 

It was my first time to work the 

north district which consisted of 

mostly expensive homes and rich 

people. Not that I had anything 

against either one, just stating 

the facts. I had heard stories 

from the officers that worked 

this beat that the night shift was 

clearly the best beat in the city 

to work. 

I assumed it was the best because 

it was quiet, and you really 

didn’t have to do much. Nope. 

That wasn’t it. I was about to find 

out why this section of town was 

so desirable. At least for night 

shift cops anyway. 

My first call was for a possible 

prowler in a backyard. The house 

sat at the end of a cul-de-sac, 

and it was massive. I rang the 

bell, knocked, said police department 

and I hear this faint 

voice, “Hold on officer.” 

The door opens and an older 


woman in a night gown says, 

“thank God officer, I think there’s 

a man in my back yard.” 

It was at this moment, whether 

she staged it or not, that I noticed 

the entire house was dark 

except for a bright lamp that 

was situated just behind her 

in the hallway. That lone light 

shined right through that night 

gown, and it was quite obvious 

that was all she was wearing, 

Well, ok, ma’am, you lock the 

door and I’ll go around back and 

check it out. 

“Don’t you want to come in and 

check the house first?” 

I thought you said you heard 

someone in your backyard. 

“Back of the house, front of the 

house, what difference does it 

make. Surely it would be faster 

to come through the front?” 

What the hell was she saying. 

Ma’am, close the door, and I’ll 

check the backyard. Well, the 

back yard was like a country 

club. Huge swimming pool, tennis 

courts, guest house. It was 

massive. I checked every inch of 

that backyard and as I made my 

way to the back patio, there she 

was standing in the open doorway, 

buck naked. She ditched the 

gown and bared it all. 

“Officer, don’t you want to 

come check out the inside now? 

I got to admit, there was part 

of me that wanted to say what 

the fuck and go for it, but I used 

what little sense I had left and 

said ma’am, it’s all clear in the 

backyard. Be sure and lock all 

your doors and call us back if 

you hear anything else. 

In all the times that I worked 

that beat, I’d have no less than 

a dozen prowler calls from her 

and several other women on the 

same block. I’ll say one thing, 

that rich neighborhood sure had 

a lot of lonely women. 

• • • 

NAKED ON THE HIGHWAY 

Last but not least, I’m on the 

way to the station to meet with 

the Night shift Captain when I 

see this 20-something young 

girl walking alongside the highway. 

I pull over and before I can 

get out of my car, she opens the 

passenger side door and gets in 

the front seat, closes the door 

and says “hey what’s up, thanks 

for giving me a ride.” 

Uh ma’am where the hell are 

your clothes? 

“My soon to be ex-boyfriend 

threw me out of his car because I 

wouldn’t give him oral sex.” 

So why were you naked? 

And she says “why not? 

This was less than a week from 

my last encounter with the 

naked couple on the hood and 

you’d think I would have thrown 

a blanket or two in the truck. 

But since I had nothing, and it 

was the middle of the summer 

and I had no coats, windbreakers, 

nothing to cover this woman 

up, I decided the best thing to do 

was drive her to the station and 

find her something to cover up 

with there. 

I told the dispatcher I was in 

transit to the station with one 

“unclothed” female and gave her 

my mileage. 

When I pulled up at the jail, 

there must have been 20 officers 

waiting on me and of course, so 

was the captain. 

Hey Capt has it going. 

“Just fine LT. Who’s your 

friend?” 

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Mass Shooting Victim Wakes Up 

One of the worst assignments 

I’ve had in more than 25 years of 

policing, was working the aftermath 

of an active shooter and 

mass causality event. 

Long after the suspect was 

shot and killed, crime scene processed 

and the victims, some of 

which were children, transported 

to the ME’s office, did the tons 

of paperwork begin. It literally 

takes weeks to process everything 

and gather all the reports 

from the various agencies that 

worked the scene. Pray to God 

you never have to work a scene 

like this. It takes everything out 

of you and more. 

Weeks after the shooting, one 

of the victims was still in a drug 

induced coma. His wife and two 

kids were shot and killed while 

enjoying what they thought 

would be a normal Sunday afternoon. 

This father and loving 

husband had been shot multiple 

times including a head wound 

that doctors believed he most 

likely wouldn’t recover from. 

Considering the fact he lost his 

entire family, maybe joining 

them in Heaven wouldn’t be so 

bad. 

Then, some 3 months later, I 

got a call from the hospital. My 

victim was awake and alert. My 

worst fears were about to come 

true. I had to tell this young man 

that his entire life was about to 

change for the absolute worse. 

Everything he loved and cherished 

was gone. His beautiful 

wife and children had been the 

victims of a ruthless killer. The 

drive to the hospital was the 

longest drive of my life. On the 

way, I called the Chief to let him 

know and he agreed to meet me 

there. At least I didn’t have to do 

this alone, but never-the-less, I 

wanted to be doing anything but 

this. 

I met the Chief just outside 

the patient’s room and his doctors 

briefed us on his condition. 

They admitted they didn’t quite 

know why he was awake as he 

was still medicated and should 

still be in a coma. They advised 

if we wanted to speak with him, 

we needed to do it quickly as 

he might drift back into unconscious 

at any minute. 

I saw the look on the Chiefs 

face and knew I was going to 

have to take the lead and do all 

the talking. Mr. Young, I’m Detective 

Williams, do you know 

where you are? 

“Yes, I’m in a hospital” 

Do you know what happened? 

Do you know why you are here? 

“Yes. I was with my family 

when God came for them, and I 

came back to tell you they’re OK” 

Mr. Young, did someone tell 

you about your family and what 

happened to them? Did you 

know you and your family were 

involved in a tragic shooting? 

“Yes, I know Detective, but no 

one told me. I was there and I 

saw what happened. A troubled 

young man did horrible things to 

a lot of good people. But it’s OK, 

they are all in heaven now and 

safe. But I had to come back and 

tell you.” 

Tell me what Mr. Young? 

“That you don’t need to worry 

anymore. That I’m OK and 

I’m with my family. I know how 

much you hated to come here 

and tell me such bad news, 

and that your heart is broken. 

But it’s OK. We’re all together 

and we’ll be fine. Please tell 

everyone that lost loved ones 

not to be sad. Just know we 

are all safe now.” 

His eyes closed and the 

monitors in the room went 

crazy. 

Code Blue, Code Blue. Room 

312, Code Blue. 

We both stepped outside 

while the doctors and nurses 

worked to revive him, but we 

both knew he was gone. The 

Chief looked at me and said, 

“what just happened in there 

Williams?” 

I’m not really sure Chief. I guess 

God needed a way to let us know 

that despite all the evil in the 

world, we should still believe in 

God and heaven. 

You believe in heaven don’t you 

chief? 

“I guess I do know,” he said. 

We both stood their speechless 

until we heard the doctor 

say, time of death 15:56 hours. 

As we walked down the hall to 

the elevator, I asked the Chief if 

I should notify the press and let 

them know there was another 

death from the shooting. 

“Yeah, I guess so. Williams 

what about the rest? Should we 

tell anyone what he said?” 

I think that’s your call chief. 

Maybe at his funeral, you could 

say something then. 

“Yeah, yeah maybe you’re 

right.” 

That day changed us both in 

ways I can’t explain. But neither 

of us has missed a Sunday in 

church since. 

Share your AFTERMATH experiences 

with our readers. Send 

your story to: BLUES Aftermath, 

bluespdmag@gmail.com. 

Can’t wait to read it. 


THE OPEN ROAD 

by Michael Barron 

Ford Announces Electric Police 

Special Service Pickup 

Ford Pro has announced the 

launch of the 2023 Ford F-150 

Lightning Pro Special Service 

Vehicle, America’s first electric 

pickup truck purpose-built for 

police duty. 

The F-150 Lightning Pro SSV is 

designed to handle specialized 

departmental needs outside of 

pursuit situations such as assisting 

at an accident or crime scene 

or giving departments the ability 

to tow a boat or trailer. 

“We’re proud to offer America’s 

first electric police pickup 

truck to local government customers 

who can use the truck’s 

game-changing technology to 

help improve their productivity,” 

said Nate Oscarson, Ford 

Pro national government sales 

manager. “Pro Power Onboard 

can serve as a mobile power 

source to light up evening accident 

scenes on the highway, the 

electric powertrain helps to potentially 

reduce costs associated 

with fuel and scheduled maintenance 

needs and the Mega Power 

Frunk provides extra lockable 

storage on top of purpose-built 

police additions our customers 

have come to expect from the 

leader in police vehicles.” 

The 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning 

Pro SSV offers sub-four-second 

0-60 mph acceleration capabilities, 

with the vehicle’s high-tech 

electric platform and innovation 

with Ford Pro’s real-time software 

and support. 

PURPOSE-BUILT FEATURES 

FROM F-150 POLICE RESPOND- 

ER INCLUDE: 

Police-grade heavy-duty cloth 

seats with reduced bolsters to 

help holstered officers enter and 

exit the vehicle more easily 

Built-in steel intrusion plates in 

the front seatbacks. 

Available red/blue, amber/ 

white roof-mounted LED warning 

beacons 

An upfit-friendly reinforced instrument 

panel top tray for easy 

mounting of police equipment 

Easy-to-clean vinyl front seats 

and vinyl flooring 

Easy-to-clean vinyl rear seats 

and vinyl flooring are incorporated 

into the vehicle. 

STANDARD FEATURES INCLUDE: 

Interior: 12-inch digital cluster 

screen and 12-inch landscape-style 

touchscreen on the 

center stack 

Exterior: Mega Power Frunk 

gives officers 14.1 cubic feet of 

lockable cargo area in the front 

and offers easy access for upfitters 

to locate a 220-amp DC-DC 

power source 

Targeted performance and capability: 

452 horsepower, 775 lb.- 

ft. of torque, 7,700-pound towing 

capacity and 2,235 maximum 

payload with a standard-range 

battery, and sub-four-second 

0-60 mph acceleration, 580 

horsepower, 775 lb.-ft. of torque, 

and 10,000-pound towing capability 

with the extended-range 

battery 

Technology: Intelligent Range, 

SYNC 4, over-the-air Ford Power 

Up software updates and Ford 

Co-Pilot360 technology, including 

Automatic Emergency Braking 

and Blindspot Information 

System (BLIS) with Cross-Traffic 

Alert 

As part of Ford Pro’s platform 

of connected vehicles, software 

and services, the targeted zero-emissions 

police truck comes 

pre-configured to connect to a 

department’s existing fleet of 

Ford and non-Ford internal combustion 

engine and battery-electric 

vehicles, chargers, and fleet 

management software. When 

used together, police departments 

can manage 

when vehicles 

are charged 

and serviced, 

resulting in potentially 

lower 

operating costs 

and improved 

uptime. 

Ford Pro SSV 

customers also 

benefit from access to the following: 

Complimentary two-year Ford 

Telematics subscription, which 

delivers manufacturer-grade information, 

insights and solutions 

on potential fuel savings, vehicle 

health and more 

Established network of more 

than 650 electric vehicle-certified 

Ford Commercial Vehicle 

Centers across the United States, 

offering sales, service, financing 

and charging solutions, as well 

as 2,300 Ford electric vehicle-certified 

dealers. 

Consultative services related to 

charging installation and operation, 

data management and 

digital services 

Ford Pro, through its commercial 

lending arm FinSimple, 

offers flexible financing options 

for municipalities for vehicles as 

well as for charging solutions including 

depot installation, hardware 

and software to assist in 

the transition to electrified fleets 

Ford Pro’s Body Builder Advisory 

Service – a complimentary 

resource with guides and the 

latest information on how to add 

specialty tools and aftermarket 

equipment. 

More information 

on 2023 

F-150 Lightning, 

including range, 

will be released 

later this summer. 


A BADGE OF HONOR 

heal ing our heroes 

LEADERSHIP 

Delivered to Your Inbox 

Every Month FOR FREE 

Starts With You 

“We have the lowest morale ever,” 

said a commander from a police 

department in a large city. 

“There’s no accountability. Officers 

are afraid to act because they 

are now the target of our city’s 

politicians,” he continued. 

What do we do when it all seems 

to be falling apart? The once coveted 

job as a police officer is taking 

more from us than ever before. 

With our police chiefs caught up 

doing battle with local officials, and 

training budgets slashed, we are 

left to fend for ourselves, relying on 

supportive police associations, and 

the public to champion our cause. 

When it seems that there is no 

place to turn, how can we help 

ourselves? First, make the choice 

to lead. By our nature, we operate 

with excellence at our core. Our 

training helps build it. Once trained 

in our police duties, we sometimes 

only rely on that training to solve 

everything. There is a famous quote 

that says, “You will always fall to 

the level of your training.” By making 

the choice to lead, you choose 

to do more, to be more than what 

your training has provided to you. 

Next, create a plan to lead yourself. 

After all, if we simply try to 

be an excellent mom/dad, partner, 

spouse, supervisor, wearing lots of 

hats every day all the time, overwhelm 

and stress are typically the 

result because leaders want to be 

the best. When we try to wear a lot 

of hats all the time, typically we are 

not “engaged” or “present” in it. It 

becomes rote and robotic. So, what 

can you do to build a leadership 

plan for yourself so you can serve in 

all your roles effectively while also 

being “present?” 

First, go back to the beginning 

and define your why. Specifically, 

why did you decide to be a police 

officer? Author Simon Sinek says it 

best, “Your why is the one constant 

that will guide you toward fulfillment 

in your work and life.” Once 

you define it, write it down and put 

it in all the places you find yourself 

each day. Your office, your patrol 

car, your locker, your personal vehicle, 

and in a pocket in your uniform. 

When times get tough, and they 

will, you have your why as reminder 

of your excellence and why you 

chose to become an officer. 

Second, write out what is important 

to you right now, in the place 

you find yourself. Perhaps you are a 

new shift supervisor, and the most 

important thing right now is to be 

a good listener. Or maybe you are 

a veteran officer who has sought 

out some help because you cannot 

seem to separate job life from 

home life. For you, the most important 

thing may be to learn how to be 

dad or mom again when you walk 

in the door from work. 

Third, learn a strategy to delegate. 

We use control or the feeling 

of it to alleviate stress. Control 

can sometimes backfire however, 

often causing more stress in the 

SAMANTHA HORWITZ & JOHN SALERNO 

end. While “in the moment” control 

makes us feel good, when things 

get quiet and we cannot turn off the 

control, however, we often find ourselves 

wound tighter than a rubber 

band, ready to “snap” at the next 

person who asks for something, or 

worse at our own family. Ask others 

to do certain things at work and at 

home which can help alleviate the 

feeling that you need to do everything 

and be everything to everyone. 

Another strategy is, take time for 

yourself. Make YOU a priority. This is 

one of the most self-LESS and important 

things you can do. Whether 

it is setting a specific gym time each 

day or making time for your favorite 

hobby. The more purposeful you 

are with things away from your job 

the better your brain’s function. You 

can “turn off” and be in moment. 

A note of caution here. Should you 

find yourself unable to “turn off” it 

may be a sign of hypervigilance and 

uncontrolled “fight or flight.” Please 

reach out for help. 

Make the choice to lead yourself 

first, so you can lead others more effectively. 

When things go sideways, 

or you get stressed remember your 

why. Be more effective at work and 

at home by putting yourself first, and 

delegate. By implementing these 

strategies, you will be able to be 

engaged with everything. 


DARYL LOTT 

daryl’s deliberations 

God and Others Love Me and You 

I love America. It’s a country 

that is full of selfless, loving 

people. I recently heard about 

a fellow whose story was as 

magnificent as it was exemplary 

for those of us who never tire 

of examining the lives of heroes 

among us. 

The place where I first encountered 

the subject of today’s story 

was the news crawl on the bottom 

of my television screen from 

the Golf Channel. It was a “this 

day in golf history” type of thing. 

That’s where I first saw his name 

and decided that I needed to 

know more. 

The news crawl said that he 

missed the cut in the United 

States Senior Open in 1994. He 

shot a 90 on this particular day. I 

thought, “So what? I can do that 

on a good day.” There must be 

more to the story. 

There was. Mr. Corbin Cherry 

was a senior golfer who played 

amateur golf in elite competitions 

like the U.S. Open. I found that he 

was a poet and he also wrote a 

golf instruction book. I guess that 

the most prominent thing that set 

him apart was that he only had 

one leg. What happened? 

His story started (at least as far 

as his leg goes) in 1969. He was 

with comrades from the 101st Airborne 

Division in a place called 

the A Shau Valley near Hue, South 

Vietnam. Captain Cherry was 

serving the U.S. Army as a combat 

chaplain. As his unit was under 

fire, some of his comrades stumbled 

into a minefield and mines 

exploded. There were casualties. 

Captain Cherry ministered to 

his charges despite the fact that 

his own left leg was blown off. 

One can only imagine the scene 

of carnage, chaos, and courage 

that ruled that day in the A Shau 

Valley. 

Ultimately, it became time for 

the chaplain to be carried off the 

field. As his fellow soldiers were 

being airlifted out of the valley, 

Captain Cherry looked to his 

men’s welfare. The combat medic 

asked Captain Cherry if he had 

any immediate concerns. “How 

am I going to play golf on one 

leg?” 

“Whaaattt?!?! You’ve got to be 

kidding, sir!” He wasn’t. 

The Army wasn’t kidding either. 

By the time Captain Cherry left 

Vietnam he earned the Silver Star, 

the Bronze Star with “V”, three 

Purple Hearts, five Air Medals, and 

the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. 

That’s quite impressive—especially 

for a chaplain. It’s heroism 

on a grand scale. When Captain 

Cherry awakened in the Army 

hospital, the commanding general 

of the 101st was at his bedside. 

The captain was concerned that 

he was taking up valuable time of 

the general and brought to tears 

by the general’s concern. The 

general told the captain to shed 

his tears and not to worry about 

the general’s time -spending time 

in the hospital was his very highest 

priority. Nothing was more 

important. 

The 101st Airborne earned a 

startling number of Medals of 

Honor in Vietnam: seventeen. 

Their casualty figures were 

shocking: over 20,000 troopers 

killed or wounded. To put that 

number in perspective, that is 

over twice the number of casualties 

that the division suffered 

in World War Two. It should be 

remembered that the 101st landed 

at Normandy, fought through 

the hedgerows of France, fought 

the Battle of the Bulge, fought the 

vaunted SS in the Bavarian Alps, 

and liberated camps of the Holocaust. 

After service in Vietnam, Captain 

Cherry was appointed as the 

Chief Chaplain at Walter Reed 

Hospital in Washington DC. He 

moved around the country serving 

in similar capacities for the 

Veteran’s Administration and 

retired after over thirty years service 

out of the V.A. in San Francisco. 

He was a man of God first 

and foremost being an ordained 

minister of the Methodist Church. 

He served his fellow veterans 

for decades in that sometimes 

hopeless environment of the V.A. 

However, he also had a heart 

for others whose lives had been 

impacted by the pervasiveness of 

the dreaded land mine and other 

IED type bombs. 

In 1994, Chaplain Cherry finished 

the U.S. Senior Open. The 

U.S. Open is our country’s national 

championship in golf. It has 

the reputation of being the most 

grueling of all elite golf championships. 

The United States Golf Association 

makes the Rules of Golf in 

the U.S. and it puts on four major 

U.S. Open Championships (Men’s, 

Women’s, Senior Men’s, and Senior 

Women’s). Arnold Palmer, 

Gary Player, and Jack Nicklaus all 

competed in the 1994 U.S. Senior 

Open. That should give one 

an idea of just how exclusive of 

an event the U.S. Open is. Many 

levels of qualifying tournaments 

have to be completed for every 

competitor that is admitted to the 

U.S. Open. Simply getting into any 

of the four fields of play is a feat 

in and of itself. 

Chaplain Cherry walked the 

course with no assistance of any 

kind. A golfer typically walks 

around seven miles while playing 

eighteen holes. Each day was 

an uphill trek in the mountains 

of Pinehurst, North Carolina that 

would exhaust most of us. In addition 

to playing, one has to “keep 

up.” It’s called “pace of play” and 

one may not stop if it causes a 

delay of any kind. Chaplain Cherry 

would have normally changed 

his medical sock and adjusted his 

prosthetic during a recreational 

round, but not so during the U.S. 

Open. 

His leg developed blisters and 

then as he walked on, the blisters 

became raw and enflamed. 

The old warrior’s battle wound 

was rearing its bloody head. He 

walked on. He envisioned his 

wounded and lost comrades from 

the war in Vietnam. He walked 

on. Through his tears, he envisioned 

children around the world 

stepping on these most destructive 

devices as they played. 

He walked on. He saw a daddy 

pushing his wheelchair bound 

boy for two days over thirty-six 

mountainous holes so the boy 

would know what was possible 

if he didn’t give up. He walked 

on. He played on ever mindful of 

his failing body and the blazing 

summer sun’s toll on it. His eyes 

burned with sweat and tears impacting 

his vision, but he walked 

on. As he trudged the 451 yards of 

the last hole, spectators and golfers 

alike stopped in their tracks 

as they watched the battered and 


loody old war horse approach 

the last green. 

The customary silence required 

by golf etiquette was broken by 

the sobs emanating from the 18th 

hole at Pinehurst #2 Golf Course. 

Grown men were now weeping 

unashamedly while the story 

spread as if carried on angels’ 

wings. 

His wife had advised him not to 

be surprised if he got emotional. 

With thoughts of his old commanding 

general telling him it 

was okay to cry, he said he was 

sorry, but he couldn’t help it. The 

pain of his bloody stump was 

agonizing and he couldn’t believe 

what just happened. He wept 

when he retrieved his ball from 

the hole. He did it. He kept the 

faith. He finished the course. 

In retirement, Chaplain Cherry 

visited the wounded children 

of Vietnam. He brought them 

artificial arms, legs, and wheelchairs 

in the name of Jesus. He 

told them encouraging stories of 

others like himself who survived 

and thrived. He loved the children 

who shared his wounds. They 

loved him back. 

Many times he was asked, 

“Why?” He wrote a book of poetry 

about his many experiences 

which included that question: 

You see God loved me enough, 

even today to show me just the 

right way. 

The answer to the question 

why, I have no clue, except that 

God and others love me and you. 

The HALO (Hazardous Area 

Life-support Organization) Trust 

is an international nonprofit that 

shares Chaplain Corbin’s concerns 

and works around the 

world to de-mine fields and 

remove IED’s. They serve in Asia, 

Africa, and Europe. Afghanistan 

and Ukraine still have much work 

ahead for their HALO de-miners, 

but they are currently onsite. This 

is a UK headquartered organization. 

Princess Diana made the 

de-mining of old or recent battlefields 

her cause. Her sons still 

support this important work. 

Like many heroes before him 

and doubtless others that will 

follow, Rev. Corbin Cherry rests 

in the honored glory of Arlington. 

His standard government marker 

indicates some of his combat 

awards and that we lost him in 

2018. I intend to visit his grave 

when next I go to Arlington. It’s 

the least I can do for someone 

who gave his all for our country 

and the Good News that God is 

Love. 

Further Reading: 

“Nam Sense: Surviving Vietnam 

With the 101st Airborne Division” 

by Arthur Wiknik, Jr 

“From Thunder to Sunrise: Reflections 

of Vietnam” (poetry) by 

Corbin Lee Cherry 

“You Will Find a Way, The Inner 

Spirit of Golf” by Corbin Lee Cherry 

“Great Moments of the U.S. 

Open” by Robert Williams 


HOUSTON POLICE OFFICERS UNION 

from the president 

Why fewer HPD traffic stops? 

Now hiring police officers to work extra employment and Level 

II and Level III security officers for various locations. 

For information call: 713.540.0544 

DOUGLAS GRIFFITH 


NOT SO BRIGHT AWARD 

lig ht bul b award 

Ten Light Bulb Awards that should have 

never been awarded. 

By a Texas Chief of Police 

On May 24th, 2022, at approximately 

11:30 a.m. one of the absolute 

worst tragedies in Texas 

History occurred in, of all places, 

Uvalde, Texas. More specifically, 

at Robb Elementary School. To be 

even more specific, Classrooms 110 

and 112. 

We all know, the entire world 

knows, nineteen (19) children 

and two (2) teachers died as a 

direct result of point-blank gunshot 

wounds from a .223 or 556 

semi-automatic rifle. If you don’t 

know, such a wound inflicts catastrophic 

damage to a human 

being, especially a child. 

So, the first light Bulb on this 

whole thing goes to the shooter 

himself. Mental health issues be 

damned. You were a cruel demon 

as far as I am concerned. The 

torment and evil you brought upon 

those children and their teachers 

were unconscionable. 

Second, goes to those from the 

Superintendent on down. The 

culture of complacency that is 

rampant throughout your District 

(though fairly normal for most 

ISD’s in Texas prior to May 24th) is 

absolutely inexcusable. The manner 

in which so many Texas Superintendents, 

Deputy and Assistant 

Superintendents, and Principals 

casually disregard input from their 

District Police Chief, is absurd. Trying 

to advise them on anything, can 

only be described as arrogant and 

reckless disregard for the safety of 

their employees and more importantly, 

their students. 

Third, to the ISD Chief who literally 

froze when the one time, the 

one moment, he absolutely should 

not have. What the hell is wrong 

with you dude? An Active Shooter 

Incident is the SINGLE MOST CRIT- 

ICAL reason you and your officers 

are even there. It is the single most 

important thing you and your officers 

should be thinking, discussing, 

planning, training, and oh yeah, 

TRAINING for!!! To even think for 

a moment, you are not somehow 

the Incident Commander is incomprehensible. 

Dude, you ARE the 

ISD Police Chief. It is YOUR School 

District. Those are YOUR children 

inside that school. What the hell 

were you doing? More importantly, 

in this tragic case, what the hell, 

were you NOT doing? 

Fourth, to all the Law Enforcement 

Officers who took fire and 

ran, leaving those children with 

no defense, no help and no hope 

in the final moments of their lives. 

WTF? You are an embarrassment 

to Law Enforcement Officers across 

this country, and you have NO business 

wearing a badge. PERIOD. 

Fifth, to the Officers (more specifically, 

Supervisors) who arrived 

on this scene, witnessed the chaos 

or the lack of order, command and 

communications and did nothing. 

WTH is wrong with you? You’re a 

Supervisor for God’s sake. Act like 

one. Take control. Take charge. 

Take command. DO SOMETHING! If 

you are a Supervisor, from Sergeant 

on up, and you arrive at 

some crazy ass scene with Officers, 

Firefighters, and Medics running 

in different directions without 

any direction, do something. Especially 

with parents running into a 

wall of officers only to be knocked 

down and placed in handcuffs… 

and you, yes you, as a Supervisor 

do NOTHING to bring order to the 

chaos? You are nothing more than 

another part of the problem. With 

rank, comes privilege. More importantly, 

with rank comes RESPONSI- 

BILITY. Either be a Leader or get out 

of the way. 

Sixth, the Texas Governor, Lt. 

Governor, Attorney General and 

Texas Legislature. You were all 

briefed after the tragedy at Santa 

Fe, Texas. You witnessed the 

breakdowns in Command, Control 

and Communication. And yet, with 

all your PHD’s and fancy meetings, 

committees, and directives, you 

accomplished nothing. All those 

invaluable lessons learned were 

allowed to simply fade into the 

shadows of time. And tragically, 

nineteen children, two teachers 

and all those who were wounded, 

paid the price for your arrogance 

and inaction. 

Seventh, The Texas School Safety 

Center…. you are charged with 

overall safety and security of ALL 

Texas Schools. You have scored 

a huge, terrible, high priced “F”. 

The lackadaisical attitudes, careful 

not to ruffle any Superintendents 

“feathers” or incur the wrath of 

some high horsed School Board 

Member, led your organization to 

turn a blind eye upon the one job 

you had…. Keep Texas School Children 

and Teachers, SAFE. The Texas 

School Safety Center needs to have 

a Law Enforcement Component to 

it. Period. A section of professional 

men and women who are Commissioned 

Texas Peace Officers 

with the tenacious resolve to keep 

every child, teacher, and employee 

in our Texas Public Schools, safe 

and sound. A board that has the 

authority and ability to take the 

arrogant Superintendents and their 

Assistants to task! If their schools 

aren’t or don’t meet the State of 

Texas Standards with regards to 

safety and security, then by God, 

these men and women need to 

be able to hold those responsible, 

accountable. Drag them into court 

if need be. 

Eighth, ISD Police Chief’s as a 

whole…. STOP thinking in terms of 

“It won’t happen here!” or “I can’t 

even see or speak to my Superintendent”. 

That is all B.S. The State 

of Texas passed a Law that directs 

the ISD Chief of Police to report 

ONLY to the Superintendent. Stand 

up. Make it happen. Don’t waste 

your time talking to a Deputy or 

Assistant Superintendent. There 

needs to be direct and open communication 

between the ISD Superintendent 

and their Chief of 

Police. PERIOD. As for not happening 

where you are. I guarantee you, 

ask anyone in Santa Fe or Uvalde 

if they ever thought in a million 

years such evil would come to their 

community. I’m quite sure their answer 

would be a resounding “HELL 

NO.” And yet, how many precious, 

sweet, and innocent lives were lost 

in both of those communities. 

Ninth, ISD Police Officers as a 

whole…I know the schedule is 

awesome. Days. Weekends off. Holidays 

off. Summers, off…you know 

what else is off…the ability to train 

effectively and aggressively to fight 

the Devil, like the Devil himself. If 

your District isn’t training you to 

take on an Active Shooter in the 

way they should, find the training 

yourself. There’s plenty of venues 

to accomplish this. The next school 

targeted might just be YOUR 

school. Are you prepared? Are you 

ready? Have you trained, trained, 

and trained some more to go into 

immediate and resolute “Combat” 

and stop the killing, or not? 

Tenth and final light bulb. All of 

us. Every Texas Peace Officer. We 

failed. Period. We failed our kids 

and teachers in Santa Fe and in 

Uvalde. We failed one another and 

we failed ourselves. Evil came to 

us, and we failed to fight it head 

on, immediately, and with absolute 

ferocity. Shame on us. Every 

single Texas Peace Officer should 

take pause and look themselves in 

the mirror and make a conscious 

decision, MY LIFE, FOR THEIR LIFE. 

It really comes down to that…. And 

if we don’t, we’ve failed. Again. 

Look, I know I sound harsh. I get 

it. But I am in my eleventh year 

as a Chief of Police. Nearly ten of 

that as an ISD Chief of Police. I am 

keenly aware of how Texas ISD’s 

work. The politics, the drama, the 

tight budgets, the Bond Elections, 

etc. I am also keenly aware of the 

most important aspect of every 

school district in Texas. The students. 

I mean hey, that’s who we 

are all here for, right? 

As painful and profound as each 

loss of life was in Uvalde and in 

Santa Fe, we cannot, we must not 

allow those lives to be lost in vain. 

My God if we do, what does that 

say about us? Think of each family, 

devastated and reeling from such 

pain. Think of our fellow Law Enforcement 

Officers who lost their 

loved ones in both tragedies. How 

then, could we ever fail to act upon 

everything we’ve learned? 

I am not one of those Chiefs who 

rose through the ranks because 

of my master’s degree, stepping 

upon the backs of everyone else 

while playing “politics.” I am not 

one of those Chief’s who’s never 

worked the street. I’ve worked 

nights, weekends, and holidays. I 

am not one of those Chiefs who 

judged and ridiculed everyone who 

worked for me because they were 

doing a job, I had no idea how to 

do myself. Believe me, I know the 

type. They’re miserable to work for 

and intolerable to be around. 

I am a Chief who fights to never 

forget where he came from. I have 

been in more than one OIS. I have 

been shot. And I’ve had my share 

of ambulance rides and even one 

Life Flight ride. All due to injuries 

sustained in the Line of Duty. 

So, I am not writing this article 

based upon marginal experience 

or from some book I read. I am 

writing this from real life, hard 

roads traveled and broken-hearted 

experiences. Ladies and Gentlemen, 

collectively we MUST do better. 

There’s simply too much riding 

on what we do from this point 

forward. From what You and I do, 

from this point forward. 

In the movie Yellowstone, old 

Dutton is sitting on the porch 

talking to his son and he tells him 

“You can’t reason with Evil. Evil 

wants what it wants and it won’t 

stop until its won or you kill it. 

The way to kill it, is to meaner 

than Evil.” Now, I am not saying be 

mean. But when Evil shows up at 

a place where you are the responsible 

Law Enforcement Authority, 

you’d damn sure better be ready to 

be meaner than Evil, if you want to 

win. 

Think you have a candidate for a 

LB Award? Bluespdmag@gmail.com 


HONORING FALLEN HEREOS 

“Honoring our fallen heroes through running while providing financial support to the families of our 

fallen Heroes, First Responders injured in the Line of Duty and Safety Equipment to K9s in need.” 

Zechariah 

Cartledge: 

a True American Hero 

Grants Awarded to Injured First Responders: 34 

Total Amount Awarded: $297,500 

Funds Awarded to Families of Fallen Heroes: 24 

Total Amount Awarded: $250,000 

Funds/Equipment Awarded to K9 Officers: $10,000 

2022 Run Tracker: 

Total Miles Run in 2022: (as of 7/30/22): 191 

- Zechariah - 182 

- Giuliana - 5 

- Jayden - 4 

Total Miles Run in 2021: 327 



Overall Miles Run: 1,295 

- - - - - - - - - - 

2022 Run Stats: 

Total Miles Run for 2022 Fallen LEO’s (Non COVID-19): 84 

Total Miles Run for 2022 Fallen Firefighters (Non COVID-19): 57 

Total Miles Run for 2022 Fallen Canada LEO’s: 0 

Total Miles Run in 2022 for Fallen COVID-19 Heroes: 18 

Total Miles Run for 2021 Fallen LEO’s: 21 

Total Miles Run for 2021 Fallen Firefighters: 2 

Total Tribute Runs by State/Country: 9 

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, Starke, Melbourne 

New York - New York City, Weedsport • Georgia - Cumming, Augusta, Savannah 

South Carolina - North Myrtle Beach, Charleston, Sumter • Pennsylvania - Monaca 

Illinois - Springfield, Naperville, Glen Ellyn • Texas - Houston (2), Fort Worth, Midland, New Braunfels, Freeport, Madisonville, 

Irving, Sadler, San Antonio • Kentucky - Nicholasville • Arkansas - Bryant, Hot Springs, Springdale, Prairie Grove 

Nevada - Henderson • Kansas - Overland Park • California - Mt. Vernon, La Jolla • Arizona - Mesa 

North Carolina - Concord, Raleigh • Virginia - Norton, Richmond • Tennessee - Bristol, Bartlett 

Oklahoma - Stilwell (2) • Delaware - Milford • Maryland - Towson • Minnesota - Arden Hills • Indiana - Sullivan, Spencer 

Mississippi - Grenada, Olive Branch • Missouri - Springfield, Rolla, Joplin • Iowa - Independence, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids 

District/Countries/Territories: 

Washington D.C. • Puerto Rico - San Juan 

98 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 

The BLUES 99


blue mental health 

Supporting the Mental 

Health of our Corrections 

Officers: A Call to Action 

As the 2021 Annual Texas Sheriff’s 

Association Conference is 

held in San Antonio in early August, 

I am utilizing this month’s 

column as a call for action for 

correctional administrators in 

the state and across the nation 

to examine the need for more 

comprehensive mental health 

programs and support for their 

officers. According to a National 

Institute of Justice paper (Ferdik 

and Smith, 2017) titled “Correctional 

Officer Safety and Wellness-What 

We Learned from the 

Research Literature”, correctional 

officers experience high stress 

levels, burnout, and a variety 

of other mental health-related 

consequences as a result of 

their jobs. The combination of 

the negative physical and mental 

health for correctional officers 

can also have harmful effects on 

the wider jail institution. Between 

COVID and difficult working 

conditions, staffing shortages 

now consistently exist with low 

officer-to-inmate ratios and high 

turnover rates in staffing which 

can threaten a correctional facility’s 

ability to implement appropriate 

security measures. 

Both police and corrections 

officers experience similar issues 


including but not limited to constantly 

rotating work shifts, irregular 

sleep patterns, exposure 

to trauma and violence, and the 

challenges of family-work-life 

balance. These problems can 

contribute to increased stress 

levels, physical problems such as 

heart disease and diabetes, and 

the increased risk of suicide and 

domestic violence. However, far 

more law enforcement agencies 

have focused their attention and 

funding resources on assisting 

police rather than correctional 

officers. Many jail institutions 

lack appropriate mental health 

counseling for their correctional 

officers and much of this deficit 

can be attributed to difficulties 

in locating adequately 

trained clinical providers who 

are knowledgeable about best 

practices related to correctional 

mental health. Specialized 

training programs in corrections 

mental health should be developed 

and encouraged in graduate 

programs for mental health 

professionals. Additionally, both 

internal and external programs 

and policies designed to address 

these issues are absolutely 

critical in improving the overall 

psychological health of corrections 

officers and perhaps these 

lessons can be borrowed from 

police practices. Simply put, do 

not reinvent the wheel. 

One well known strategy that 

could be implemented to manage 

correctional officer stress is 

the establishment of peer support 

programs and it should be 

noted that there are a number of 

correctional agencies nationwide 

that have adopted this technique. 

Peer-support programs recruit 

workforce colleagues who 

can offer emotional and social 

support to those who may have 

experienced traumatic events, 

both on and off the job. These 

peers offer support and education 

to their colleagues to help 

them cope with the consequences 

of their stressors. However, in 

my experience over the last two 

decades training countless law 

enforcement critical incident 

stress management and peer 

support teams, I have directly 

observed that the emphasis for 

programs is often placed on the 

mental health needs of police 

rather than correctional officers. 

Although there are events that 

can occur in the jail setting that 

can be considered traumatic for 

most (inmate suicide, attack on 

an officer, etc.) some are frequently 

overlooked or not assessed 

as a reason to activate a 

peer support team. These policies 

must be re-evaluated. 

Recently I was provided the 

privilege to train a group of 

specially selected correctional 

officers who work at the Lake 

County Sheriff’s Office (Florida) 

jail facility. While we already 

have an established critical incident 

stress management and 

peer support team there was 

a glaring absence of members 

solely from corrections. Although 

one CISM team can be comprised 

of peer members from police, 

dispatch, and corrections, true 

peer to peer support is most 

effective when there is a more 

comprehensive understanding of 

the job responsibilities of each 

role. In other words, much like 

police to police peers, correctional 

officers supporting other 

corrections officers simply 

makes sense. With the assistance 

of Lake County Sheriff’s Office 

Chaplains Jason Low and Jim 

Cornell, we have now created 

a best practices model though 

a specific “jail” team to focus 

solely on corrections. It is important 

to note that these programs 

cannot exist without full 

endorsement and recognition 

of the administration and command 

staff. Lake County Sheriff 

(FL) Peyton Grinnell shared his 

thoughts on the new team, “The 

purpose of this new peer support 

program is quite simple. We recognize 

the inherent stress associated 

with the environment that 

our correctional officers work 

in, and we want to give them the 

tools and resources they need to 

effectively deal with that stress. 

Our goal is for them to stay 

healthy and enjoy a long, successful 

career here.” I encourage 

you to recognize that both police 

and corrections officers provide 

an essential role in our criminal 

justice system and should receive 

equally appropriate mental 

health support. 

 

Delivering solutions to 

Texas Public Safety Agencies. 


ADS BACK IN THE DAY 


ADS BACK IN THE DAY 


THERE ARE NO WORDS 

parting shots... 

... pardon our humor 


Your Source for 

Law Enforcement 

Products & 

Services 


The time is NOW to upgrade 

schools and universities with the 

latest communications and security 

software on the market. Datalink, 

is an internationally known and 

well-respected provider of some of 

the best software technology available 

to protect students, teachers 

and employees. 

Datalink Systems International 

Inc. a world leader in processing IP 

data over a wide range of wireless 

networks including LMR, cellular, 

and satellite. 

EduLink is one of those systems 

that is an all-encompassing, internet-based 

communications platform 

which is a variant of Datalink’s 

encrypted DataGate communications 

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software is used by military and 

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One cloud based EduLink platform 

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fixed locations and mobile assets for 

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EduLink is also meets the requirements 

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legislation addressing the issue 

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The law calls for the installation of 

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victims. Datalink’s recommended 

hardware include portable silent 

alarms. 

WebGate PTT is another “sole 

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“WebGate PTT, can be Cloud based 

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DataGate using assigned credentials ranging 

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MULTIPLE 4G NETWORKS 

Unlike FirstNET which is operated by AT&T 

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networks are used in each region including 

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4G Towers have wider coverage over 

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WebGate supports the smaller communities 

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DataGate + WebGate are popular choices 

for law enforcement, military, and government 

agencies as they can be installed 

on their own servers, and it operates as a 

private, stand-alone system behind their 

firewalls. DataGate and WebGate for Law Enforcement 

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is P25 compatible. 

It should be noted that Datalink is a software 

developer and recommends that 

School Districts contract local installers and 

hardware where required. For more information, 

follow this link to their website: 

https://datalinkinternational.com/edulink/ 


NEW KID ON 

THE BLOCK 

ProForce Law Enforcement is a relative newcomer to the 

law enforcement distribution market in the state of TEXAS. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

store continues to serve its law enforcement customers. The 

 

 

Inset: Dan Rooney ProForce President 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proforce Distribution Center Arizona 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Starting in 2003, Cop Stop Inc. Opened with a vision and goal to service first responders; “Our everyday 

heroes.” Catering mainly to Police, Fire, Military and EMS, but also open to the public, Cop Stop 

offers a variety of products, gear and apparel. Open and operated by Rick Fernandez, a former officer 

of 10 years, he prides himself on maintaining the highest standards of customer service. Cop Stop understands 

its our customers who drive our success, and we strive to offer the best service to everyone 

who walks through our doors. At Cop Stop we offer quality products at great low prices. With access to 

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“If you provide good service and a fair price, customers will talk about you and come back. 

It’s that simple!” Rick Fernandez 

114 

114 The 

The BLUES 

BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 

The BLUES 115 

115

People are Your 

Purpose, and Ours 

In 2008, the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office 

was informed by the federal government that it 

was violating inmates’ civil rights because of its 

indirect supervision policy. Part of the requirement 

to remedy the violation was to hire 200 detention 

officers in addition to the 450 they already 

had. 

Instead, Captain David Baisden turned to Digi 

Security Systems for a technological solution. Together, 

we designed a system that would provide 

100 percent visibility in each of the 30 pods in the 

jail. Digi installed the system, and the impact was 

definitive. 

“All of a sudden, we noticed an immediate drop 

in altercations from 300 to 30,” said Captain Baisden. 

“Ninety percent of the violence was gone.” 

We have a saying around here that People Are 

Our Purpose. As a security systems integrator, 

the work we do is important: we design, install, 

and service commercial security systems for all 

kinds of organizations. Those very security systems 

are the technology that keeps our children 

safe in their classrooms, our police officers protected 

from wrongdoers, our business’ assets 

secure, and our communities free from the worry 

of violent threats. We design systems that maximize 

safety and limit the number of personnel 

and hours spent trying to identify and respond to 

incidents. 

It’s important work. It’s work that makes a real 

difference. And that work is just part of the Digi 

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extension of their team. Because we care deeply 

about the safety and security of the very people 

you care deeply about, we do whatever it takes to 

help you meet your goals while providing you the 

most exceptional experience possible. 

We serve and support law enforcement agencies 

across the region, including jails and city and 

county governments. We understand the unique 

needs you have in protecting your staff and the 

public. Learn more at digiss.com/government. 

Customized Security Solutions 

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Key Management & 

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All of our KeyWarden Security 

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Office: 830-214-0867 Fax: 775-898-1807 

www.keywarden.com - click here to email us 


CAP Fleet is an emergency 

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PLANET FORD IN SPRING, 20403 I45 NORTH, 

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Planet Ford on I-45 in Spring, Texas has been 

the No. 1 Ford Dealer in the greater-Houston area 

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priority. Planet Ford is part of the award-winning 

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must receive all of Ford’s top awards, including 

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offers over 30 acres of new Ford inventory, Certified 

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makes and models, as well as aftermarket and 

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support and gives back to the community, from 

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veteran programs. Learn more at PlanetFord.com. 



CENTRAL POLICE SUPPLY is your source 

for the best in police equipment. Based 

in Houston, we supply law enforcement 

with the equipment they need.” 

CENTRAL POLICE SUPPLY has been 

serving Houston law enforcement for 

nearly 50 years with the absolute best 

customer service and quality products. 

CENTRAL POLICE SUPPLY is 

located at 1410 Washington Ave, near 

downtown Houston, but you can 

purchase everything you need online 

at:https://www.centralpolice.com/ 

JC Kaufmann, a former Master Police 

Officer in Texas, is now an agent with 

Leopold & Strahan Realty Group, located 

at 2715 Broadway on Galveston Island. 

JC can assist all First Responders and 

Peace Officers in finding that perfect 

home to purchase or lease. If you’re in the 

market to sell your home, JC can list your 

home and find you the perfect new home. 

JC can be reached by phone at 713-628- 

8670 or by email at jck765@yahoo.com 

Our Purpose 

Honor And Respect LLC is committed to bringing respect to all 

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With any Honor and Respect product, you are receiving quality 

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our product selection to include all first responder groups 

represented by our HR Gray All Hero tee and a variety of 

tri blend shirts. To ensure the best quality, each of our police 

and military apparel are checked before being sent out. 

SHOP ONLINE AT: 

https://honor-respect.com/collections/all 


4807 KIRBY DRIVE • HOUSTON, TEXAS • 713-524-3801 

RIVER OAKS CHRYSLER, DODGE, JEEP & RAM 

Alan & Blake Helfman are the named and primary 

sponsor of The BLUES. For over 65 years the 

Helfman’s have supported local area law enforcement 

and supported The BLUES since our first issue. 

There is simply no better dealership in Houston 

to purchase your Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, 

Ram or Ford product. The sales team provide 

honest, no BS pricing and their service department 

ranks among the top in the nation. 

Call Alan or Blake Helfman at 713-524-3801 when 

you are ready to purchase your next vehicle. It will 

be the best car buying experience you’ve ever had. 

12722 HWY. 3 • WEBSTER, TEXAS • 281-488-5934 

AUTO FACELIFTS is located on the South Side of 

Houston across from Ellington Airport. Auto Facelifts 

is an industry leader in auto upholstery in the Houston, 

TX area. We work on cars, trucks, and even boats, 

so no matter what you’re riding in, we can give it a 

facelift! Whether you’re looking for a new leather interior, 

carpet replacement, or auto detailing, we’ve got 

a package that will fit your needs. But we don’t stop 

there! We’ve also got an incredible selection of car and 

truck accessories to really take your vehicle to the next 

level. And, if that’s not enough, we can also provide 

you with premium car audio and car stereo equipment 

that will make your vehicle the talk of the town. Stop 

into Auto Facelifts and upgrade your ride today! 

ALL FIRST RESPONDERS & VETERANS 

START THE NEW YEAR OFF 

WITH A NEW INTERIOR 

10% OFF RETAIL 

12722 Hwy. 3 Webster, Texas • 281-486-9739 

CLICK HERE FOR WEBSITE 


NOW HIRING 

LE job posit ions 

Bryan Police Department Get Info Police Officer 08/14/2022 - 5pm 

Marlin Police Department Get Info Police Officer 08/12/2022 - 5pm 

Brownwood Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer (Notice of Exam) 08/17/2022 - 5pm 

Schleicher County Sheriff's Office Get Info Deputy Sheriff 08/30/2022 - 5pm 

Waco Police Department Get Info Police Officer 08/30/2022 - 4pm 

Missouri City Police Department Get Info Police Officer 08/06/2022 - 5pm 

Memorial Villages Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer 08/08/2022 - 5pm 

St. Edward's University Police Department Get Info On Call Police Officer 08/09/2022 - 5pm 

St. Edward's University Police Department Get Info Police Officer 08/09/2022 - 5pm 

Alamo Colleges Police Department Get Info Patrol Captain 08/13/2022 - 5pm 

Anderson County Sheriff's Office Get Info Deputy (Cadet) 08/10/2022 - 5pm 

Anderson County Sheriff's Office Get Info Deputy 08/10/2022 - 5pm 

Bastrop Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer 08/13/2022 - 5pm 

Tahoka Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer 08/13/2022 - 5pm 

Baytown Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer 08/02/2022 - 5pm 

Lakeport Police Department Get Info Police Officer 08/14/2022 - 5pm 

Bryan Police Department Get Info Police Officer 08/14/2022 - 5pm 

San Antonio Police Department Get Info Police Officer 08/14/2022 - 5pm 

Lindale ISD Police Department Get Info Police Officer 08/15/2022 - 5pm 

Hutto Police Department Get Info Police Officer 08/16/2022 - 5pm 

West Lake Hills Police Department Get Info Police Officer 08/16/2022 - 5pm 

Horseshoe Bay Police Department Get Info Police Officer 08/16/2022 - 5pm 

Flower Mound Police Department Get Info Police Officer 08/10/2022 - 5pm 

Stafford Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer 08/16/2022 - 5pm 

Texas Women's Univ. Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer 08/16/2022 - 5pm 

Brady Police Department Get Info School Resource Officer 08/17/2022 - 5pm 

Brady Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer 08/17/2022 - 5pm 

De Leon Police Department Get Info Police Officer 08/20/2022 - 5pm 

Milford Police Dept. Get Info Patrol Officer 08/21/2022 - 5pm 

Caldwell Police Department Get Info Police Officer 08/21/2022 - 5pm 

Bell County Constable Pct 4 Get Info Deputy Constable II 08/22/2022 - 5pm 

Sealy Police Department Get Info Police Officer 08/15/2022 - 5pm 

Crosbyton Police Department Get Info Chief of Police 08/15/2022 - 5pm 

Kingsville Police Department Get Info Police Officer - Entry Level 08/09/2022 - 5pm 

Paris ISD Police Department Get Info Police Officer 08/23/2022 - 5pm 

Malakoff ISD Police Department Get Info Police Officer 08/28/2022 - 5pm 

Tye Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer 08/25/2022 - 5pm 

Stratford Police Department Get Info Police Officer 08/27/2022 - 5pm 

Harris County Sheriff's Office Get Info Deputy I 08/28/2022 - 5pm 

Pelican Bay Police Dept. Get Info Peace Officers 08/28/2022 - 5pm 

Bruceville-Eddy Police Department Get Info School Resource Officer 08/28/2022 - 5pm 

Sachse Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 08/31/2022 - 5pm 

Goliad County Sheriff's Office Get Info Patrol Deputy 08/30/2022 - 5pm 

Delta County Sheriff's Office Get Info Deputy Sheriff 08/30/2022 - 5pm 

Beverly Hills Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer 08/30/2022 - 5pm 

Nolan County Sheriff's Office Get Info Patrol Deputy 08/29/2022 - 5pm 

Nolan County Sheriff's Office Get Info Courthouse Deputy 08/29/2022 - 5pm 

Baylor University Police Department Get Info Police Officer 09/01/2022 - 5pm 

Northside ISD Police Department Get Info Police Officer 09/01/2022 - 5pm 

DeWitt County Sheriff's Office Get Info Patrol Deputy 08/29/2022 - 5pm 

Highland Park Department of Public Safety Get Info Police Officer/Firefighter 08/31/2022 - 5pm 

Rollingwood Police Dept. Get Info Patrol Officer 09/02/2022 - 5pm 

Knox Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Chief Deputy 09/05/2022 - 5pm 

KNox Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Deputy 09/05/2022 - 5pm 

Garza Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Patrol Deputy 08/30/2022 - 5pm 

Oak Ridge North Police Dept. Get Info Patrol Officer 09/01/2022 - 5pm 

Tarrant Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Deputy Sheriff 09/30/2022 - 5pm 

Junction Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer 09/06/2022 - 5pm 

Greenville ISD Police Dept. Get Info Chief of Police 08/08/2022 - 5pm 

Woodway Public Safety Dept. Get Info Public Safety Officer 09/01/2022 - 5pm 

Hamilton Police Department Get Info Police Officer 09/20/2022 - 5pm 

Angelina Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Patrol Deputy 08/06/2022 - 5pm 

Crowley Police Department Get Info Police Officer 09/06/2022 - 5pm 

Crowley ISD Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer 09/01/2022 - 5pm 

Hearne Police Dept. Get Info Patrol Officer 08/07/2022 - 5pm 

Cisco Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer 09/11/2022 - 5pm 

Josephine Police Department Get Info Police Officer 09/11/2022 - 5pm 

Muleshoe Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer 09/11/2022 - 5pm 

Texas Juvenile Justice Department, Get Info Corporal 09/01/2022 - 5pm 

Killeen Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 09/16/2022 - 5pm 

Dallas Fort Worth Airport PD Get Info Police Officer 09/11/2022 - 5pm 

 

Delivering solutions to 

Texas Public Safety Agencies. 


Cottonwood Shores Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer (Level 1) 09/12/2022 - 5pm 

Dallas County Hospital District PD Get Info Police Officer 09/30/2022 - 5pm 

Cottonwood Shores Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer (Level 2) 09/12/2022 - 5pm 

Everman Police Dept. Get Info Patrol Officer 09/12/2022 - 5pm 

Beaumont Police Dept. Get Info Police Cadet 09/04/2022 - 5pm 

Beaumont Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer 09/04/2022 - 5pm 

Mesquite Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer 08/17/2022 - 5pm 

Hemphill Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Deputy Sheriff 09/06/2022 - 5pm 

Willis Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer 08/12/2022 - 5pm 

Haltom Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer 08/11/2022 - 5pm 

Palacios ISD Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer 08/31/2022 - 5pm 

Southwestern Baptist PD Get Info Police Officer (Part Time) 09/16/2022 - 5pm 

Coppell Police Department Get Info Police Officer 09/13/2022 - 5pm 

Farmers Branch Police Department Get Info Deputy Marshal P/T 09/13/2022 - 5pm 

Leonard Police Department Get Info Police Officer 08/23/2022 - 5pm 

Shenandoah Police Department Get Info Police Officer 09/01/2022 - 5pm 

Port Aransas Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer 09/01/2022 - 5pm 

Galveston County Sheriff's Office Get Info Reserve Deputy 09/18/2022 - 5pm 

Stagecoach Police Department Get Info Reserve Officer 08/18/2022 - 5pm 

Onalaska Police Department Get Info School Resource Officer 09/01/2022 - 5pm 

Lamb County Sheriff's Office Get Info Deputy 09/19/2022 - 5pm 

Conroe ISD Police Department Get Info Police Officer 10/11/2022 - 5pm 

Argyle ISD Police Department Get Info Police Officer 08/31/2022 - 5pm 

Santa Fe ISD Police Department Get Info Police Officer 09/19/2022 - 5pm 

Gillespie County Sheriff's Office Get Info Deputy Sheriff 09/30/2022 - 5pm 

TSTC Police Department Get Info Police Officer 09/02/2022 - 5pm 

Bedford Police Dept. Get Info Detective (lateral) 09/18/2022 - 5pm 

Elm Ridge Police Department Get Info Police Officer 09/21/2022 - 5pm 

Plano Police Department Get Info Police Officer 08/05/2022 - 5pm 

Henderson Police Department Get Info Police Officer 09/22/2022 - 5pm 

Keller Police Department Get Info Police Officer 09/25/2022 - 5pm 

University of Texas at Houston Police Get Info Police Officer 09/30/2022 - 5pm 

Greenville Police Department Get Info Police Officer (Entry) 10/07/2022 - 5pm 

Angelina Co. District Attorney Office Get Info Investigator 09/22/2022 - 5pm 

Burleson Police Department Get Info Police Officer 09/26/2022 - 5pm 

San Antonio Airport Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 09/28/2022 - 5pm 

Stanton Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer 10/26/2022 - 5pm 

New Braunfels Police Department Get Info Police Officer (Cadet or Lateral)08/19/2022 - 5pm 

Ingram Police Department Get Info Police Officer 09/26/2022 - 5pm 

Kyle Police Department Get Info Police Officer 09/15/2022 - 5pm 

San Marcos Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer 09/10/2022 - 5pm 

STATEWIDE VACANCIES FOR JAILERS 

Collin County Sheriff’s Office Get Info Detention Officer 10/12/2022 - 5pm 

Anderson County Sheriff's Office Get Info Jailer 08/10/2022 - 5pm 

Hemphill Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Jailer 08/16/2022 - 5pm 

Nolan Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Jailer 08/16/2022 - 5pm 

Ellis County Sheriff's Office Get Info Detention Officer 08/27/2022 - 5pm 

Goliad County Sheriff's Office Get Info Jailer 08/30/2022 - 5pm 

Harris County Sheriff's Office Get Info Detention Officer 08/30/2022 - 5p 

Nolan County Sheriff's Office Get Info Jailer 08/29/2022 - 5pm 

Garza Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Jailer 08/06/2022 - 5pm 

Tarrant County Sheriff's Office Get Info Detention Officer 09/11/2022 - 5pm 

Montague Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Corrections Officer 09/05/2022 - 5pm 

Galveston County Sheriff's Office Get Info Corrections Deputy 09/13/2022 - 5pm 

Rockwall County Sheriff's Office Get Info Detention Officer 09/18/2022 - 5pm 

Gillespie County Sheriff's Office Get Info Detention Officer 09/30/2022 - 5pm 

Uvalde County Sheriff's Office Get Info Jail Administrator 09/25/2022 - 5pm 

Keller Police Department Get Info Detention Officer 09/25/2022 - 5pm 

STATEWIDE VACANCIES TELECOMMUNICATION OPERATOR 

Galveston Police Department Get Info Telecommunicator 08/06/2022 - 2pm 

San Saba County Sheriff's Office Get Info Dispatcher/Jailer 08/09/2022 - 5pm 

St. Edward's University Police Department Get Info Telecommunicator 08/09/2022 - 5pm 

Scurry County Sheriff's Office Get Info Dispatcher 08/13/2022 - 5pm 

Stafford Police Dept. Get Info Dispatcher 08/16/2022 - 5pm 

Hemphill Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Telecommunicator 08/16/2022 - 5pm 

St. Edward's University Get Info Telecommunicator 08/23/2022 - 5pm 

Blanco County Sheriff's Office Get Info Telecommunicator 08/27/2022 - 5pm 

Goliad County Sheriff's Office Get Info Telecommunicator 08/30/2022 - 5pm 

Harris County Sheriff's Office Get Info Communications Officer 08/30/2022 - 5pm 

Beverly Hills Police Department Get Info Telecommunicator 08/30/2022 - 5pm 

Baylor University Police Department Get Info Dispatcher 09/01/2022 - 5pm 

DeWitt County Sheriff's Office Get Info Dispatcher 08/29/2022 - 5pm 

Northside ISD Police Dept. Get Info Police Dispatcher 10/06/2022 - 5pm 

Angelina Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Telecommunications Operator 08/06/2022 - 5pm 

Crowley Police Department Get Info Telecommunicator 09/06/2022 - 5pm 

Leander Police Dept. Get Info Telecommunications Officers 09/07/2022 - 5pm 

Castle Hills Police Dept. Get Info Public Safety Telecommunicator08/12/2022 - 5pm 

Tarrant County Sheriff's Office Get Info Dispatcher 09/11/2022 - 5pm 

Galveston County Sheriff's Office Get Info Telecommunicator 09/13/2022 - 5pm 

Waxahachie Police Department Get Info Police Dispatcher 09/11/2022 - 5pm 

Tarrant Regional Water District Get Info Telecommunication Specialist 09/12/2022 - 5pm 

Port Aransas Police Department Get Info Dispatcher 09/01/2022 - 5pm 

Bedford Police Dept. Get Info Public Safety Dispatcher 09/18/2022 - 5pm 

Williamson County Communications Get Info 911 Telecommunicator 0 9/30/2022 - 5pm 



EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS 

• Paid Vacation 

• Sick Leave 

• Paid Holidays 

• Personal Days 

• Compensatory Days 

• Certification Pay 

EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS 

• Paid Vacation 

• Sick Leave 

• Paid Holidays 

• Personal Days 

• Compensatory Days 

• Certification Pay 

ALDINE ISD POLICE DEPT. 

now accepting applications for: 

Dispatcher 

Salary starting at $32,690, 

TO APPLY VISIT 

WWW.ALDINEISD.ORG 

OR 

Contact the Personnel 

Department at 

281-985-7571 

OR 

Contact Sergeant R. Hall at 

281-442-4923 

ALDINE ISD POLICE DEPT. 

now accepting applications for 

Full-Time Police Officers 

MUST HOLD A CURRENT TCOLE 

PEACE OFFICE CERTIFICATE 

TO APPLY VISIT 

WWW.ALDINEISD.ORG 

OR 

Contact the Personnel 

Department at 

281-985-7571 

OR 

Contact Sergeant R. Hall at 

281-442-4923 

no experience required. 

HIRING PROCESS 

• Oral Board Panel Interview 

• Complete Personal History Statement 

• Psychological Evaluation 

• Medical Examination 

• Interview with the Chief of Police 

Salary starting at $50,000 

with no experience 

HIRING PROCESS 

• Physical Agility Test 

• Written Exam 

• Oral Board Panel Interview 

• Complete Personal History Statement 

• Psychological Evaluation 

• Medical Examination 

• Interview with the Chief of Police 


BECOME A BAYTOWN 

PATROL OFFICER! 

STARTING PAY: 

$67,320/YEAR 

$1,500 SIGNING 

INCENTIVE! 

SALARY 

(YEARLY) 

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS 

PAID LEAVE 

Probationary Patrol Officer $67,320 

5 Year Patrol Officer $81,073 

9 Year Patrol Officer $93,694 

Annual salary increases up to a max of 

$93,694 with longevity pay 

Modified Lateral Pay Scale for Peace 

Officers from time at immediately 

preceding Law Enforcement Agency 

CERTIFICATION PAY 

Intermediate PO Certification $92.08 

Advanced PO Certification $157.08 

Master's PO Certification $212.33 

RELOCATION 

(MONTHLY) 

Health Insurance 

Dental Insurance 

Vision Insurance 

Life Insurance 

Employee Wellness Center 

Training and Fitness Facility 

Retirement Plan (7% Mandatory with a 

2:1 match; 20 year retirement) 

457 Deferred Compensation Plan 

Tuition Assistance and Academy Tuition 

Reimbursement 

City Vehicle Program 

Uniforms/Equipment Provided with 

Annual Allowances 

15 Vacation days accrued per year 

(civil Service Status) 

10 City Holidays per year 

1 Personal day per year 

15 Sick days accrued per year 

15 days of Military Leave per year 

EDUCATION PAY 

Associates $50 

Bachelors $100 

Master $125 

SPECIALTY/ SKILL PAY 

(MONTHLY) 

(MONTHLY) 

Relocation Expenses Reimbursed 

Bilingual in Spanish $50 

WWW.BPDCAREERS.ORG 281-420-5354 281-420-6660 


Requirements 

Be eligible for certification from TCOLE (Texas 

Commission on Law Enforcement). (Please refer to Texas 

Administrative Code Title 37 Chapter 217.1 for clarification.) 

Must be 21 or older (at the time of certification) 

Must have a valid Texas Driver’s License (or ability to 

obtain) 

30 hours college credit from an accredited college (college 

requirement waived if certified peace officer OR two years 

active duty military experience with an honorable 

discharge) 

Incentives 

Step 

Police Salary 

 

 

 

Hourly 

Annual 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*College education pay for Associates Degree and above 

*TCOLE certification level pay 

*Foreign language pay 

*Tattoo and facial hair friendly 


Now Hiring for Patrol Officer Position 

 

13 Paid Holidays 

2 Weeks Paid Vacation 

Certification Pay 

100% Insurance Paid for Employees 

Retirement 2 to 1 match (20yr Retirement) 

FSA for Employees 

Longevity Pay 

Equipment & Uniforms Provided Including Duty Weapon w/ Red Dot Sight 

Take Home Vehicle Within City Limits 

10 Hour Work Shifts 

Membership Paid to Local Gym 

Department Provided Training 

Off-duty Security Opportunities 

Cell Phone Stipend 

Starting Pay Depends on Qualifications 

Requirements: Must be TCOLE Certified or currently enrolled in an accredited Police 

Academy and pass a background investigation. 


Email TCOLE Personal History Statement to sellis@cityofcuero.com 

October 15

DEER PARK POLICE 

DEPARTMENT 

Forney ISD 

Police Department 

WE ARE HIRING 

 

Police Officer 

Dispatcher 

Public Safety Attendant - Jailer 

Animal Control Officer 

Part time Crossing Guard 

Description 

School-based police officers work 

with school administrators, security 

staff, and faculty to ensure the safety 

and well-being of students at various 

campuses. This officer works as the 

main security arm of a school. 

Requirements 

U.S. Citizen 

Accredited High School Diploma 

or equivalent 

Valid Texas Peace Officer License 

Valid Texas Driver's License 

Two or more years of college or 

advanced training preferred 

 

 

Police Officers 

Experience 

SBLE Experience preferred 

Demonstrate the ability to 

teach & engage with youth 

 

 

Retention Stipends 

Clothing Allowance 

Health/Childcare Incentive 

Paid Training 

Lateral Entry 

 

 

APPLY ONLINE TODAY! 

www.forneyisd.net 


GALVESTON 

COUNTY 

SHERIFFS OFFICE 

 

 

 

GALVESTON COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE ESTABLISHMENT OF ELIGIBILITY 

APPLY TODAY AND BECOME A GALVESTON POLICE OFFICER 

 

 

 

- 

 

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NEXT CIVIL SERVICE EXAM IS 

October 7, 2022 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- 

 

 

 

 

TO APPLY 

 

 

SHERIFF.GALVESTONCOUNTYTX.GOV 


JOIN US 

 

 

CONTACT US

LATERAL DEPUTY 


WE ARE 

HIRING! 

BENEFITS 

• Free basic Medical, Dental and Vision insurance for 

employee 

• Free basic Life insurance 

• Long Term Disability (LTD) 

• Affordable Medical, Dental and Vision benefits for 

eligible family members 

• Flexible Spending Accounts 

• 10 paid holidays per year 

• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) including 10 vacation 

days and 13 sick days per year accrued biweekly 

RETIREMENT 

• Harris County matches your investment at 225% 

• 7% of your salary is invested pre-tax in your 

retirement account 

• Retirement Vesting after 8 years 

• Eligible upon earning 75 points (age+years of service) 

SALARY SCALE 

INCENTIVE PAY 

LATERAL DEPUTY 

REQUIREMENTS 

• Must be a licensed Peace Officer by the Texas Commission on Law 

Enforcement (TCOLE) in good standing 

• Must be currently employed as a first responder Peace Officer 

(any break in service will be discussed on a case-by-case basis) 

• Must have a minimum of 12 months of consecutive experience as 

a first responder Peace Officer at any one agency 

• Must successfully pass the Physical Abilities Test (PAT) obstacle 

course 

• Must pass a thorough background investigation (Criminal 

background check, fingerprinting, personal interview, etc.) as 

required by TCOLE 

• Must pass a physical and psychological evaluation as required by 

TCOLE 

• Valid Driver’s License (TX by start date) 

• Eyesight must be correctable to 20/20, normal color and 

peripheral vision 

• Correctable normal audible range in both ears 

• Firearms qualification 

For additional information contact Harris County Sheriff’s Office Recruitment Unit: (713) 877-5250 

Now Hiring 

OFFICERS 

 

Our fast-growing City shows a trending decrease in crimes based 

on four offenses from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting. 

 

Hutto ranked one of the 

safest cities in Texas. 

Retirement 

2-to-1 City match with TMRS 

Take-home Patrol Car 

 

Top-of-the-line Equipment 

and Technology 

Beards and Tattoos Allowed 

Additional Pay 

+ 

+ 

Starting Salary 

$59K to $63K* 

Annual Leave Accruals 

12 paid holidays, 80 hrs vacation, 96 hrs sick leave 

Multiple Positions Available 

 

Education Pay up to $175/month 

 

CLASSIFICATION SERVICE HOURLY ANNUAL TCOLE CERTIFICATION ANNUAL 

DEPUTY I 0-47 $25.22 $52,458 

Intermediate $1,560 

Advanced $3,420 

DEPUTY II 48-83 $26.99 $56,139 

Master $6,000 

EDUCATION 

ANNUAL 

DEPUTY III 84-119 $28.59 $59,467 

Associate Degree $1,320 

DEPUTY IV 120-155 $30.03 $62,462 

Bachelor’s Degree $3,180 

Master/Doctorate $4,500 

DEPUTY V 156-191 $31.52 $65,562 

TO APPLY 

146 The BLUES 

Bilingual Program $1,800 

Harris County 

 

The BLUES 147 

Receive up to fourteen (14) years of credit for time served! (Restrictions apply) 

@HCSOTexas 

HCSOTexas HCSOTexas @HCSOTexas 

SCAN THIS CODE 

Sheriff’s Office 

To learn more or apply, visit or scan 

www.huttotx.gov/policejobs 

Questions? Email: PDrecruiting@huttotx.gov 

Sign On Bonus! 

$2,500


MANVEL POLICE DEPARTMENT 

Patrol Officer 

The City of Manvel Police Department is looking to find qualified candidates to fill the ranks of the patrol division. 

The City of Manvel is a rapidly growing and diverse community. The current population is estimated at a little over 16000 and is located in the 

northern part of Brazoria County along the State Highway 288 corridor approximately 4 miles South of the City of Houston. 

The Manvel Police Department has a competitive pay structure for cities of the same size. Salary is based on experience and certification levels. 

The department currently has 32 sworn positions. 

18 officers currently in patrol with 8 positions added in this fiscal budget year. 

Patrol Salary: $53,704.56 to $68,031.84. Salary is based off experience and certification. 

Certification pay 

12-hour shifts / shifts rotate every four months. (Modified Dupont Schedule) 

Retirement through TMRS - 7% contribution with a 2:1 match 

Vested after 5 years with the city 

Employee health coverage paid 100% by the city, additional for family 

Health care for employee and eligible dependents through Prime Health Care. 

Personal Time off – Vacation and Holiday accruals 

Paid sick time 

Minimum Requirements: 

High school diploma or GED 

Valid Texas Driver’s License with good driving record 

TCOLE certified OR currently enrolled in Academy program 

Preference for LE experience 

Hiring Process Includes: 

Written test* 

Physical test * 

Oral board interview* 

 

 

 

Thorough background investigation 

Modified Field Training Program for experienced officers 

One-year probationary period 

For more information you can contact The City of Manvel Police Department at 281-489-1212 or email, rcarrlacy@manvelpd.org 


The Memorial Villages Police Department () currently 

looking for experienced officers who are self- motivated, innovative, and enthusiastic about 

community policing. 

 

 

 

 

Hiring Bonus $1500 

Night Shift Differential $3600 

ECA $1300 

Basic Peace Officer 

 

 

 

Hiring Bonus $1500 

Night Shift Differential $3600 

Master Peace Officer 

ECA $1300 

Bi-Lingual 2.5% of base pay 

College up to $3000 (Masters) 

 

 

 

Healthcare Insurance, DHMO Dental, Vision – 

. 

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, 20 Year Retirement 

457 Plan with employer contribution of 2.5% of annual salary 

Tuition reimbursement 

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

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

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

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 


142 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 143

MAKE A 

DIFFERENCE 

IN YOUR 

COMMUNITY 

We are looking for outstanding individuals to 

 

mission will be to prevent crime and disorder, build 

partnerships within the community, and positively 

 

CITY OF PEARLAND, TEXAS 

• Competitive Salary • Outstanding Training 

 

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 

 

 

TEST DATE: 

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

Register by: April 12. 

WATCH FOR UPCOMING 

Pearland Recreation Center & Natatorium 

4141 Bailey TEST Road, DATES Pearland, TX IN 77584. 2022 

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 

• 

• Mandatory temperature checks 

 

• Candidates seated 6 feet apart 

156 The BLUES For additional information and to register for an upcoming Civil Service Exam, The BLUES visit 157 

pearlandtx.gov/PDCareers

144 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 145


FILL YOUR DEPARTMENTS’ 

 

 

OPEN POSITIONS 

 

OFFICER SALARY RANGE: HIRING PROCESS: BENEFITS: 

 

YEARS OF SERVICE ANNUAL SALARY 

1 Year—Step 0 $66, 626.06 

2 Years—Step 1 $68, 291.71 

3 Years—Step 2 $69, 999.00 

4 Years—Step 3 $71, 748.98 

5 Years—Step 4 $73, 542.70 

6 Years—Step 5 $75, 381.27 

7 Years—Step 6 $77, 265.80 

8 Years—Step 7 $79, 197.45 

9 Years—Step 8 $81, 177.38 

10+Years—Step 9 $83, 206.82 

ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION: 

 

 

Bilingual Pay: $1 ,200 annually 

Complete and submit a City of Wylie 

job application: https:// 

www.governmentjobs.com/careers/ 

wylietexas 

Written Exam (exempt for Laterals) 

Physical Agility Test 

Complete and submit a Personal 

History Statement 

Oral Board Panel Interview 

 

Police Chief Interview 

Polygraph Examination 

Psychological Evaluation 

Medical Examination 

RECRUITING CONTACT: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

City Paid Medical/Dental/Vision 

Texas Municipal Retirement System 

(TMRS) 14% City Contribution 

 

City Paid Uniforms 

City Paid Training 

Life Insurance and AD&D 

Long Term Disability Insurance 

Employee Assistance Program 

Longevity Pay 

Tuition Reimbursement 

Free Recreation Center Membership 

Deferred Compensation Plan 

 

 

Pay scale: 

$57,000up to $82,762 

BENEFITS 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

 

• 

• 

• 

• 

 

• 

• 

 

• 

 

• 

 

• 

 

• 

• 

• 

 

• 

• 

Important 

Information 

Application Deadline: 

January 14, 2022 

Written exam: 

January 21, 2022 

Bryantx.gov/PDJobs 

The City of Bryan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

ONLY $250, 

FOR 12 MONTHS. 

REACH OVER 1 MILLION 

 

POTENTIAL CANDIDATES. 

Wylie Police Department Mission: Our mission is to impact the quality of life, by providing a professional 

level of service that will foster, support, and build relationships with those we serve. 


https://www.wylietexas.gov/police.php

STARTING SALARY 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At Hire 

At 

6 mos. 

end 

year 1 

end 

year 2 

end 

year 3 

end 

year 4 

end 

year 5 

end 

year 6 

end 

year 7 

end 

year 8 

end 

year 9 

GET STARTED 

 

LOCATED 5 MILES WEST OF 

DOWNTOWN AUSTIN 

$3,000 


We Love Florida Sheriffs 

166 The BLUES 

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AUG 2022. Blues Vol 38 No. 8.

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