JUNE 2023 Blues Vol. 39 No. 6

The BLUES 1

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FOUNDED IN 1984 

OUR TEAM 

MICHAEL BARRON 

founder & publisher 


editor-n-chief 

REX EVANS 

senior editor 

JESSICA JONES 

creative editor 

LT. JOHN KING (RET) 

copy editor 

RUSTY BARRON 

outdoor editor 

DR. TINA JAECKLE 

contributing editor 

DARYL LOTT 


SAM HORWITZ & JOHN SALERNO 

contributing editors 

BILL KING 


OUR CONTRIBUTORS 


light bulb 

OFFICERS ON GHOST PATROL 

warstory 


aftermath 

HAILEY KUNZ 

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JOHN AGUILAR 

DOUG WYLLIE 

HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH 

MARK PRICE 

MEAGAN JONES 

CAROL ROBINSON 

contributing writers 

The BLUES is published monthly by Kress-Barr, LLC, PO Box 2733, League City Texas 77574. The opinions 

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4 The BLUES The BLUES 5

FROM THE PUBLISHER’S DESK 

yrs. 

The CLUSTER at Our Border. 

This past month, I had the opportunity 

to attend in the 2023 Border 

Security Conference in El Paso, 

Texas, as The BLUES was a Media 

Sponsor and it was huge success. 

Participants, both attendees and exhibitors, 

got to see first-hand what 

the Border Crisis was all about, given 

that El Paso is pretty much the 

epicenter for border crossings. 

When we arrived at the beginning 

of the week, there were literally 

thousands of migrants sleeping in 

tents on the sidewalks. With the 

end of Title 42 only days away, 

CBP personnel walked the streets 

handing out flyers that advised the 

migrants to either turn themselves 

in at a processing center or they’d 

be arrested. Guess what? Less than 

24-hours later, they were all gone. 

But don’t kid yourself. And don’t 

listen to the President. The border is 

NOT SECURE and quite honestly, it’s 

a Cluster F**K. 

But it’s a bit better now, at least 

in Texas, after Governor Abbot sent 

more than 400 Members of an 

Elite Tactical team to El Paso and 

Brownsville which deployed rolls 

of razor wire and closed off the 

open holes that only days before, 

thousands of migrants had simply 

walked through. 

But we all know the Border is a 

disaster and we all know the current 

administration is doing nothing 

about it. What you probably don’t 

know, is what it’s like to work this 

shit show 12-hours a day, 7-days 

a week. That’s what the men and 

women of our Border Patrol are 

doing and have been doing for the 

past few months. They are severely 

overworked, understaffed and to be 

honest, just exhausted. Not only are 

they fighting a loosing battle, but 

they also must do it with little to no 

support from Washington DC. 

I had an opportunity to meet with 

dozens of these incredible officers. 

They are doing a phenomenal job 

under the circumstances. But you 

can see it in their faces that they 

just tired and need a day off. But 

they don’t complain. They come 

to work every day and serve their 

country. But they also know that 

what they’re doing makes no sense. 

Releasing thousands if not millions 

into our country is not right or 

safe. But it isn’t up to them to make 

policy, only follow orders. And that’s 

what they do. 

They are really two kinds of people 

they deal with. At least that’s 

what it appeared to me. Those that 

are truly looking for a better life 

for their families and left countries 

that had nothing to offer them. They 

were told to come to America, and 

you can be anything you want to be. 

They are lined up by the thousands, 

some with their entire families, 

waiting to be processed and told 

what to do next. And these lines 

are sometimes miles long, with no 

shade, in the blazing desert sun. 

But they wait and they wait. 

I’ve met these people. I’ve talked 

to those who spoke English and 

those who had someone else tell 

their story. All said they had come 

from other countries, looking for 

the American dream. It was heartbreaking 

to hear their stories and 

see them holding newborn babies 

and toddlers. Border patrol officers 

see these faces every day. They 

must have compassion for them, 

but at the same time they have a job 

to do. 

SGT. MICHAEL BARRON RET 

But for all the ‘nice’ people you 

see, there are just as many who 

aren’t. The coyotes, the human 

smugglers, and the drug smugglers 

bringing tons of deadly Fentanyl 

into this country. Some are gotaways. 

Many run from the CBP, State 

Troopers and local law enforcement. 

They crash their cars and kill 

innocent people. They aren’t here 

looking for a better life. They are 

here to break every law they can, 

because they work for the cartels 

and if they don’t do what they are 

told, the cartels will kill their families. 

It’s chase after chase. These 

are not nice people, they are just 

crooks. And God knows we don’t 

need any more crooks in America. 

We all need to all stop and thank 

the officers of the Customs and Border 

Patrol, not only on the Southern 

Border, but across America. They 

work 24/7 to keep America secure 

and safe and they do an incredible 

job. To the officers I met at the El 

Paso Sector, I thank you for your 

hospitality and showing me what 

really goes on at the Border. You 

are the best of the best, I’m honored 

to have met each and every one of 

you. 


FROM THE SENIOR EDITOR’S DESK 

yrs. 

Now Hiring! 

Hello this is the Chief; how can I 

help you today? 

So, you want a career in law 

enforcement? Cool!! That’s great!! 

We’re hiring!!! Like, we’re every police 

department in America, we’re 

hiring. Law Enforcement is in a place 

like never before. We need people 

to fill all kinds of positions. We need 

Dispatchers, Police Officers, Crime 

Scene Technicians, Crime Victim’s 

Advocacy Personnel, and Crime Analytics 

Technicians. I’m sorry, what? 

Yes, we have a SWAT Team. Like I 

was saying, we need everyone. Yeah, 

sure. What’s your question? Did you 

say, how long till you could be on 

days and have a take home ride? 

Well, let’s get you into the academy 

first, ok? 

We’ll need you to complete the 

application and Personal History 

Statement. It’s lengthy but necessary. 

And yes, all the documents 

we’re asking for need to accompany 

the statement when it’s submitted. 

There’s also an interview date 

and time. For this, you’ll need to be 

dressed appropriately for an interview. 

So, no crocs, no shorts, and no 

t-shirts. If you’re going to be late, 

call us. If you’re canceling the interview, 

at least have the courtesy to 

call or email us. A no call/no show is 

not cool. 

As for the Police Academy. We’ll 

need to run a complete background 

check on you. A credit history check. 

A complete physical and mental 

health examination. Oh, you can’t do 

drugs. Not even for “recreation.” I’m 

sorry, what? No, you can’t “do gummies” 

either. Are you sure this is a 

career path you’re wanting to take? 

Next, the Academy itself. You’ll 

need to be on time, and never be 

late. No, you can’t leave early so you 

can go hang with your friends on 

Friday nights. There’s a notebook 

you’ll be responsible for. You’ll be 

taking notes, then recopying those 

notes in a certain format with no 

mistakes. No, there’s no “App” for it. 

And no, you can’t use Chat/GPT to do 

it for you. You must do it. Just you. 

All by yourself. 

They’ll be physical agility requirements. 

Which can involve running, 

climbing and calisthenics. Yes, you 

get to drive a car around a track. But 

that comes way later. No, you’re not 

being issued a machine gun on your 

first day in the Academy. I’m sorry. 

What? No. You can’t just skip that 

part. Sorry. It’s all part of the process 

of becoming a Police Officer. 

You must endure each phase, it’s 

all part of the process. Each phase 

being much like a “gateway” to the 

next. A challenge to be met, mastered, 

and then move forward to the 

next challenge. And, with each successful 

completion, you find yourself 

evolving from who you once were, 

to who you must be to become a 

Police Officer. 

No, this career is not for everyone. 

And maybe it’s not for you. There’s 

lots of openings in every Department. 

We need people. But we must 

draw a line between qualified and 

just filling slots with bodies. There 

must be a “Standard” of conduct 

and responsibility for every person 

we hire. From the 9-1-1 Call Takers 

to the Police Officer to the Crime 

Scene Analyst. Every person we employ 

must have a degree of higher 

self-standard. 

I have seen this very scenario 

CHIEF REX EVANS 

repeated over and over again. I have 

seen department’s consistently lower 

their standards we all once held, 

and academies lower their entry 

and program standards simply to fill 

open spots and vacant positions. 

With that, those of us in law enforcement 

find ourselves in a quandary. 

We have calls holding and no 

one to answer them. We have people 

hurting and dying and no one to 

readily respond. We have a society 

which dictates lower standards than 

before, until such time as those lower 

standards affect them. I am not 

suggesting I have the answer. It’s just 

an observation. We’re in a struggle. 

How were resolve that struggle is up 

to us. 

There must be a line we aren’t 

willing to cross. We must be willing 

to endure the shorthanded shifts and 

overtime, to ensure the personnel 

we employ hold themselves and the 

department to a higher standard of 

operation. There’s no easy answer. 

The only caveat to this dilemma 

is it’s not going to ease up or fade 

away anytime soon. 

So, we’ve got come together and 

work the problem and stop letting 

the problem work us. 

I’m just Sayin. 



BILL KING 

monthly blog 

yrs. 

Please Don’t Fight 

for Me. 

Normally, I get several 

emails each day from some 

politician, either telling me 

how they are fighting for me 

or how they will fight for me if 

I help them get elected. I suppose 

it must be a successful 

pitch since it is so ubiquitous. 

But personally, the last thing I 

am interested in is an elected 

official, or prospective elected 

official, promising to fight 

more with the other side. 

Interestingly though, the 

polling indicates that a large 

majority of the American people 

agree with me. Marist College 

has been asking Americans 

for the last decade if it 

is more important to them to 

“stand on principle even if it 

means gridlock” or “compromise 

to find solutions.” A super 

majority has consistently responded 

that compromising is 

more important. In December, 

support for compromise hit its 

highest level in a decade. 

And the preference for compromise 

is consistent across 

all demographics. The crosstabs 

on the December 2022 

Marist poll show that Democrats 

and Independents are 

somewhat more inclined to 

compromise but a clear majority 

of Republicans are as 

well. Compromise is widely 

supported across all ethnicities, 

ages, income brackets 

and geographic locations. 

Despite this overwhelming 

consensus, 58% of the respondents 

had no confidence 

that the Washington officials 

would work together in a bipartisan 

way. 

Little wonder. In the current 

reincarnation of the recurring 

self-inflicted debt ceiling debacle, 

Americans see the two 

parties incessantly repeating 

their talking points that the 

other side is to blame. As if 

they repeat them for the one 

thousandth time, we are suddenly 

going to be persuaded. 

Polling shows that a small 

majority of Americans would 

rather not raise the debt ceiling 

but would reluctantly 

support doing so if it means 

the US avoiding a default. 

That seems like a pretty common-sense 

view. But most 

also think the government 

spends too much. 

Of course, the problem is 

BILL KING 

that Americans largely do 

not agree on what programs 

should be cut or increased. 

But that is hardly surprising in 

a large pluralistic country like 

ours. We have a representative 

government to hammer 

compromises on such issues 

that give everyone a little and 

no one everything. 

So, please do all of us all a 

favor and stop with the constant 

posturing, brinkmanship 

and finger-pointing, and get 

a deal cut that will raise the 

debt ceiling and hopefully begin 

to gradually turn our ship 

toward a more sustainable 

fiscal course. If our two moribund 

political parties cannot 

get it done on both counts, I 

suspect there is going to be 

hell to pay on both sides. 

The battle cry for the 2024 

elections may be, “Fire them 

all!” 


GUEST COMENTARY 

Police Law News 

yrs. 

Daniel Penny 

Now We Care. 

The only men who are opposed 

to the actions that Daniel Penny 

took are those who would quietly 

and meekly slink into another 

train car - as a violent maniac 

threatened elderly women - instead 

of doing something about 

it. 

The existence of men like Daniel 

Penny are a reminder to the 

rest of the pack that the default 

setting of cowardice can be 

manually altered with a jolt of 

testosterone and the will to do 

the right thing. 

The actions taken by Daniel 

Penny leave no excuse for 

competent people to stand up 

and smack the bully in the face 

- or, make the maniac submit 

via choke hold on the floor of a 

crowded subway. 

The Pact 

Can we all agree that if you 

threaten to kill strangers in a 

public setting - there should be 

a societal blank check that is 

issued to any competent and capable 

person willing to intervene 

- with immunity? 

As a society if we do not adequately 

fund police departments 

or enact laws that allow doctors 

to force mentally ill and violent 

persons into treatment - we are 

asking the capable amongst 

us to take responsibility for the 

safety of our communities. Those 

who valiantly step up and into 

situations to preserve life should 

not be faulted for the failures of 

the political class. 

It is not Daniel Penny’s fault 

that Jordan Neely was allowed 

to freely stalk the streets and 

complete his psychotic mission 

of terrorizing innocent people. 

The courts, lawmakers, “advocates”, 

and Neely’s family are far 

more to blame for the situation 

that unfolded. 

Deadly Threat 

Jordan Neely did threaten to 

kill people on the subway before 

Daniel Penny intervened. 

According to a witness, Mr. 

Neely yelled, “I don’t care. I’ll take 

a bullet, I’ll go to jail”. “I would 

kill a motherfucker. I don’t care. 

I’ll take a bullet. I’ll go to jail.” 

That is a deadly threat. That is 

the reason Mr. Penny intervened. 

It’s not as if Mr. Penny utilized a 

submission hold because he was 

annoyed by an off-key rendition 

of “Billie Jean”. 

Mr. Neely issued a deadly threat. 

Mr. Penny (and others) took Mr. 

Neely’s threats seriously. 

Swift and decisive action was 

taken to ensure that Mr. Neely 

did not follow through with his 

violent threats. 

This is what we want capable 

people to do in dangerous situations. 

To stop the bully. 

Give Send Go 

There are cultural events that 

act as a societal barometer. 

Events that inspire, define, and 

divide us. This is one of those 

events. 

If there is any question where 

public opinion lands for Mr. Penny 

- the fundraiser for his criminal 

defense has exceeded well 

over two million dollars! 

Those who oppose Daniel 

Penny come from the Antifa and 

“Defund the Police” wing of our 

society. The most dishonest and 

lowest IQ amongst us. We have 

not taken them seriously in years 

and armed with truth and basic 

common decency we will prevail 

in this particular cultural battle. 

This is one cultural battle that 

good people should fight and 

that good people can win. We 

can learn a lot about someone’s 

personal values based on their 

opinion of this incident. 

Final Thoughts 

You either support the man 

who threatened to kill strangers 

or the man who made sure that 

he didn’t. It is that simple. 


GUEST COMENTARY 

yrs. 

David Sullivan 

Can Community/Police Relations Be Salvaged? 

The following article has been 

written by David Sullivan. It includes 

editorial content which 

is the opinion and story of the 

writer and is reprinted from Law 

Enforcement Today. 

In 1994, amid a great deal of 

hoopla, President Clinton signed 

into law the “Violent Crime Control 

and Law Enforcement Act 

of 1994”. Title I of that Act deals 

with public safety and policing 

cited as the “Public Safety Partnership 

and Community Policing 

Act of 1994”. Under this act the 

Office of Community Oriented 

Policing allocated more than 

$8.8 billion dollars in grants for 

cities throughout the country to 

hire and re-hire police officers. 

By 1998, seventy-five thousand 

police officers had either been 

hired or re-hired as a result of 

those grants. This was the latest 

and perhaps the most aggressive 

attempt at creating community 

partnerships to address not only 

crime and quality of life issues 

but to enhance the relationship 

between the police, local governments, 

and all members of 

the community. 

It’s now 29 years later and the 

events in Ferguson, Missouri; 

Cleveland, Ohio; Baltimore, 

Maryland and other cities all 

across the country have shed 

doubt that the $8.8 billion dollars 

has been an effective use of 

taxpayer money as we have yet 

to realize any substantial ben- 

efits from community-oriented 

policing. 

Unfortunately, what went 

wrong is now a one-sided issue 

with police departments and 

police officers taking the brunt 

of the criticism with little to no 

support from the community and 

city leaders. Those who understand 

the community policing 

philosophy realize that it was, 

and still is, a lack of police, city 

and community leadership coupled 

with a misunderstanding of 

that philosophy that has caused 

the void in police/community 

relations. Sadly, that void is filled 

with empty rhetoric coming 

from self-appointed, self-serving 

so-called community activists, 

who far too often have very 

little or no stake in the affected 

communities. It is a fact however, 

that community policing 

aside, police officers have done a 

very credible, if not remarkable, 

job in policing their cities in spite 

of the criticism, hostility and 

resentment. 

Can community policing be 

salvaged? 

Regrettably, the answer is 

probably not, at least not with 

the older part of this generation. 

But we have to start somewhere 

and that should be with the 

younger members of this generation. 

Once the 1994 Act was 

signed into law police chiefs in 

many larger cities failed to fully 

understand the community-policing 

philosophy and in turn 

failed in their responsibility to 

identify and unite the community 

policing partners that are 

so essential to addressing crime 

and quality of life issues within 

the community. Instead, they 

became politicians, often separating 

themselves from their own 

police officers. City leaders and 

city services, crucial community 

policing partners, have not 

adequately addressed the issues 

that have a negative effect on 

overall crime and quality of life 

concerns. 

The media, another community 

policing partner, continually 

shows bias against police that 

constantly respond to deadly 

situations, social disorder, and 

civil disobedience, then sensationalizes 

to the point of escalating 

already volatile situations. 

Too often the media gives credibility 

to those contributing to 

civil disobedience along with 

the empty rhetoric spewed by 

those self-appointed, self-serving 

community activists who are 

demanding justice and action 

before the facts are known and 

investigations have even begun. 

And when the investigations 

are completed, they have shown 

that police officers acted appropriately 

and were justified in 

their actions in all but the rarest 

of instances and it’s those rarest 

of instances that the media 

depicts as the normal actions 


of the policing profession. It’s 

ironic that those who immediately 

accuse the police of being 

judge, jury and executioner are 

themselves doing exactly that. A 

compelling argument could be 

made that a bias media, being 

more subjective than objective 

while giving credibility to opinions 

rather than facts, is not in a 

position to be an effective community 

policing partner. 

What is salvageable however, 

is the relationship between the 

police department and the community. 

Arguably, the most important 

of the community policing partners 

are the citizens themselves. 

While city leaders have a vision 

for the future of the city, it’s the 

citizens, by their actions and 

inactions, that have the greatest 

impact on that vision. It’s also 

the actions of the citizens that 

determine how police resources 

and city services are prioritized 

and used. 

In 1829, Sir Robert Peel, England’s 

Home Secretary and 

London’s Police Chief, said, “the 

police are the public and the 

public are the police, the police 

being the only members of 

the public paid to give full time 

attention to ‘what is incumbent 

on every citizen’ in the interest of 

community welfare and existence”. 

That simply means all 

citizens are expected to follow 

the legislated and social “norms” 

of society and not deliberately 

and negligently become a drain 

on police and city services and 

negatively affect quality of life 

issues. At every opportunity, 

police and city leaders do not 

hesitate to tell the citizens that 

the police are out there 24 hours 

a day, every day “for” them. 

However, for whatever reason, 

they fail to tell the citizens the 

police are out there 24 hours a 

day “because” of them. 

Perhaps the problem is trying 

a “cookie cutter” approach to 

policing. In other words, trying 

to fit all cities and communities 

into the same mold. Many smaller 

cities already fit into community-oriented 

policing without 

having to make significant 

changes. At this point however, 

it’s questionable whether our 

larger cities will ever be able to 

evolve into community-oriented 

policing. 

Unfortunately, for cities that 

failed to successfully achieve 

community-oriented policing 

what is left is the single issue 

of a positive police/community 

relationship. That too is failing 

because of leadership issues 

among police and city administrators 

and self-appointed 

community leader/activists. 

Police/community relations are 

an included byproduct of successful 

Community-Oriented 

Policing. Without that success 

police/community relations are 

a separate issue much harder to 

achieve. 

President Dwight D. Eisenhower 

said it best; “The search for 

a scapegoat is the easiest of 

all hunting expeditions.” Unfortunately, 

too often, the police 

become that scapegoat with no 

pushback from city administrators, 

community leaders and 

police leaders themselves. 

David Sullivan, a former police 

officer, is a retired 26-year Air 

Force veteran where he was a 

hospital laboratory managing 

director and superintendent of 

Bacteriology and Hematology 

training responsible determining 

Air Force laboratory training 

needs, developing lesson plans, 

study guides, workbooks and 

measurement tests. He got into 

policing with the Dallas Police 

Department at the age of 48 

and stayed in patrol until retiring 

at the age of 65. At the age 

of 76 he returned to policing 

with the Lakeview Police Department 

serving the cities of 

El Lago and Taylor Lake Village, 

Texas as a patrol officer until 

retiring once again at the age 

of 82. He has a Bachelor of Science 

Degree in Criminal Justice 

from Midwestern State University 

in Wichita Falls, Texas, and 

is now working on his second 

book. 

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AROUND THE COUNTRY 

yrs. 

CHICAGO, IL. 

Chicago Police Officer Areanah Preston was shot and killed on Saturday, 

May 6th, as she returned home from work. 

CHICAGO - Four people have 

been arrested and charged with 

first-degree murder in the killing 

of a 24-year-old off-duty Chicago 

police officer, department 

officials announced Wednesday. 

Officer Aréanah Preston, 24, 

was in uniform and returning 

home from work early Saturday 

when four men in a stolen 

vehicle pulled up and ran toward 

her while armed, Interim Superintendent 

Eric Carter said in a 

press conference. 

One man fired at Preston, who 

fired back, he said. The men continued 

to shoot, stole Preston's 

weapon and fled the scene. 

Another officer responding to a 

call of an unrelated traffic crash 

near the scene of the shooting 

later found Preston, Carter said. 

She was taken to a hospital, 

where she pronounced dead, he 

said. 

"She was a beloved daughter, 

sister and friend who wanted to 

make a difference in this world. 

Those who knew her would tell 

you that’s exactly what she did," 

Carter said. 

A memorial service was held 

on May 17. The casket carrying 

Preston’s body arrived at Trinity 

United Church of Christ around 

10:30 a.m. 

Police officers, dignitaries and 

family members remembered 

the fallen 24-year-old as a ray of 

light — not just a police officer, 

but also a mentor, daughter, 

sister and friend. They spoke lovingly 

about a 5-foot, 100-pound 

dynamo: a former high school 

cheerleader who became a natural 

leader. 

“Confident,” Preston’s mother, 

Dionne Moon, said as she described 

her daughter. “Determined. 

Brave. Smart. Outgoing. 

Beautiful. Witty. Loyal.” 

Mayor Brandon Johnson and 

former Mayor Lori Lightfoot recalled 

Preston as a role model 

whose life was an inspiration to 

all young women of color. 

“Aréanah Preston was exactly 

the kind of person we want to 

recruit to our police department,” 

Lightfoot said. 

“Aréanah knew that laying her 

life down even for those who do 

not always value life, that is the 

exemplary example of righteousness,” 

Johnson said. 

She received her criminal justice 

master’s degree from Loyola 

University Chicago posthumously 

and, after three years on the 

force, was on her way to joining 

the FBI. 

“She had made her application 

OFFICER AREANAH PRESTON 

for the FBI and had one final interview 

left to do before going to 

the FBI academy,” former interim 

CPD Superintendent Eric Carter 

said. “So, Chicago’s loss would’ve 

been the FBI’s gain.” 

Fellow officers in the 5th 

District, where Preston served, 

remembered her as a dear friend 

and a leader who knew exactly 

where she wanted to end up. 

“We would always joke with 

her and say she was going to be 

the first female superintendent,” 

Officer Lesley Butler said. “Even 

though she was little, she was 

big.” 

There was a customary bagpipe 

salute Wednesday. Hundreds 

of officers and first responders 

stood at attention 

paying tribute to a life cut short, 

like so many before her. 

“A bright light taken away from 

the city far too soon,” interim 

Superintendent Fred Waller said. 

“But in that we find some comfort 

because now her name lives 

on forever. The whole country 

knows about Aréanah.” 

Preston is survived by two 

sisters, her mother, father and 

stepfather. 

Four teenagers are in custody 

for Preston’s murder. The four 

charged are Trevell Breeland, 

19; Joseph Brooks, 19; Jakwon 

Buchanan, 18; and a 16-yearold 

minor. The minor will be 

charged as an adult, Carter said. 

They are connected to multiple 

other alleged crimes in the hours 

leading up to the murder and 

will also be charged with armed 

robbery, burglary, motor vehicle 

theft, arson and weapons violations, 

Carter said. 



yrs. 

GLENWOOD, WI. 

St. Croix County Deputy Kaitie Leising was killed Saturday May 

6 while investigating a crash involving a drunk driver. 

By Hailey Kunz 

GLENWOOD, WI. — St. Croix 

County Sheriff’s Deputy Kaitie 

Leising was killed in the line of 

duty Saturday May 6th, according 

to the Wisconsin Department of 

Justice. 

Her funeral was held at Hudson 

High School on Friday, May 12, 

and a service with law enforcement 

honors followed directly 

after the funeral. Governor Tony 

Evers ordered flags to be flown 

at half-staff on Friday to honor 

Leising. 

The DOJ said that at approximately 

6:15 p.m., Leising was 

dispatched to a report of a potential 

drunk driver in a ditch. 

Shortly after Leising arrived at 

the scene, she encountered the 

driver of the vehicle, identified as 

Jeremiah Daniel Johnson of Minnesota, 

34, in a ditch, along with 

another vehicle of individuals 

that stopped to assist Johnson. 

Officials said Leising requested 

Johnson to take field sobriety 

tests before returning to his 

vehicle. They talked for eight 

minutes, according to St. Croix 

County Sheriff Scott Knudson. 

Johnson reportedly attempted to 

avoid taking the tests and after 

DEPUTY KAITIE LEISING 

several minutes, the DOJ said he 

turned toward Leising, drew a 

handgun and shot her. After being 

struck, Leising discharged her 

weapon, but none of the rounds 

hit Johnson before he fled to the 

nearby wooded area. 

According to the DOJ, the occupants 

of the assisting vehicle 

immediately began lifesaving 

measures on Leising before she 

was taken to an area hospital 

where she later died. 

Law enforcement later found 

Jordan in the wooded area after 

hearing a gunshot and witnessed 

him collapsing to the ground. A 

handgun was recovered at the 

scene where Johnson was located 

and found deceased. 

The incident was captured on 

body camera and the DOJ said 

there is no threat to the community. 

The DOJ will continue to review 

evidence and determine 

the facts of this incident and will 

turn over reports to the St. Croix 

County District Attorney when 

the investigation is finished. 

Leising was born in Scottsbluff, 

Nebraska, according to her 

obituary. 

“From a young age, Kaitie knew 

she wanted to go into law enforcement,” 

it read. 

Leising served with the St. 

Croix County Sheriff’s Office 

since 2022, the sheriff’s office 

said. She previously worked with 

the Pennington County Sheriff’s 

Office in South Dakota for two 

years, before she and her wife 

Courtney Leising decided to move 

to Wisconsin. 

Knudson said her wife works 

for the National Park Service. 

In addition to her wife, Leising 

left behind a 3-month-old son, 

Syler. 

“We will miss her infectious 

smile and personality. She will 

be missed by all she touched,” 

Knudson said. 



yrs. 

DEPTFORD TOWNSHIP,NJ. 

Deptford Township Police Officer Robert Shisler, died 2 months after being shot 

during a struggle with a suspect he was attempting to arrest. 

DEPTFORD TOWNSHIP, NJ – A 

New Jersey police officer has 

died two months after he was 

shot during a struggle with a 

suspect, authorities said Sunday. 

Deptford Officer Robert Shisler 

“paid the ultimate sacrifice in 

the line of duty” when he succumbed 

to his injuries Sunday, 

Police Chief Joseph Smith said 

in a press release. 

The 27-year-old officer was 

rushed to the hospital March 10 

after he and suspect Mitchell 

Negron exchanged gunfire, the 

New Jersey Attorney General’s 

Office said. 

Shisler fatally shot Negron, 

who was pronounced dead at 

the scene, according to the Philadelphia 

Inquirer. 

Negron ran from Shisler after 

the officer tried to stop the 

24-year-old while he was walking, 

the attorney general’s office 

said in March. A .38 special revolver 

belonging to Negron was 

recovered at the scene, NJ.com 

reported. 

“Our deepest sympathies are 

with the Shisler family during 

this difficult time of bereavement,” 

Smith said. “Though 

nothing can take away the pain 

of his passing, Bobby’s incredible 

strength and bravery will be an 

unforgettable example of being 

Deptford Strong. He was the best 

of all of us.” 

Shisler was born and raised in 

the town, and lived there before 

his tragic death. His prolonged 

hospital stay was at Cooper University 

Hospital in Camden. 

“Officer Shisler will always be 

remembered for his dedication 

and commitment to the residents 

of this great community,” 

Smith said. “We are extremely 

grateful and thankful for his 

service. 

“He will be sorely missed, but 

never forgotten.” 

Following the shooting, the 

police department continued to 

ask residents to pray for Shisler 

as he fought to recover. Local 

students wrote get-well letters 

to the officer and various community 

events were held to raise 

funds for the officer’s hospital 

bills. 

The New Jersey State Police 

announced the passing of Officer 

Shisler on Twitter. 

The department encouraged 

residents to donate blood and 

take a first aid course on behalf 

of Shisler. A social media campaign 

dubbed #shislerstrong 

showed support for the police 

officer. 

His grandmother said in an 

April 24 Facebook post that 

OFFICER ROBERT SHISLER 

Shisler had undergone numerous 

surgeries and lost part of his 

right leg, according to the Philadelphia 

Inquirer. 

“Thank you so very much for 

your prayers and love,” Ethel 

Hawkins wrote, noting Shisler’s 

father and brother were also 

police officers. “We appreciate 

each and every prayer for him 

and our family.” 

Shisler’s patrol car was parked 

outside the town municipal 

building with flowers and a thin 

blue line flag draped over the 

windshield. 

The shooting remains under investigation 

by the state AG’s office. 

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yrs. 

RUTHERFORD COUNTY,TN. 

Rutherford County Detective Jacob Beu was involved in crash on 

Sunday May 7 and transported at local hospital where he later died. 

RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TN. 

(WKRN) — Members of the 

Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office 

are in mourning following 

a deadly Sunday crash involving 

an on-duty detective. 

According to officials, deputies 

responded to the wreck on 

Sunday, May 7 along Armstrong 

Valley Road, where they found 

Detective Jacob Beu critically 

injured. He was brought to Ascension 

St. Thomas Rutherford, 

where he later died. 

“Detective Beu was a valued 

detective in the Narcotics Division,” 

Sheriff Mike Fitzhugh 

said. “We send our sympathy 

to his family and his Sheriff’s 

Office family in his death.” 

Authorities said Beu was a 

veteran sheriff’s office deputy 

who was promoted to patrol 

corporal in 2021 before being 

promoted to narcotics detective 

in 2022. 

Beu reportedly served as a 

member of the SWAT Team, 

with Beu and the rest of the 

team being honored as Officer 

of the Month in August 2021 for 

responding to the devastating 

floods in Waverly and Humphreys 

County. 

The sheriff’s office said Beu 

was also honored by the Mothers 

Against Drunk Driving in 

2018 for making numerous arrests 

of drunk drivers. 

In addition to his law enforcement 

career, Beu served as a 

U.S. Marine, officials said. 

“Rest in peace, Jacob. We’ll 

take it from here,” the sheriff’s 

office wrote. 

The sheriff’s office also posted 

a video on social media of 

Rutherford County first responders 

and Tennessee Highway Patrol 

troopers joining Rutherford 

County deputies Sunday afternoon 

to transport the detective’s 

body to the state Medical 

Examiner’s Office in Nashville. 

The La Vergne Fire Department 

also honored Beu by 

draping an American flag over 

Interstate 24, along the procession’s 

route. 

Numerous law enforcement, 

emergency response, and government 

officials have extended 

their condolences to Beu’s 

coworkers and family. That 

includes the Rutherford County 

government, the Murfreesboro 

Fire Rescue Department, the 

Middle Tennessee State University 

Police Department, the 

Mt. Juliet Police Department, 

DETECTIVE JACOB BEU 

Clay County Emergency Management, 

the Hickman County 

Sheriff’s Office, the Dickson 

County Sheriff’s Office, the Hendersonville 

Police Department, 

Monroe Fire and Rescue, and the 

Sumner County Sheriff’s Office. 

Funeral services were pending, 

at the time of publishing. 

Editor’s Note: The Rutherford 

County Sheriff’s Office originally 

said Detective Jacob Beu 

was off-duty at the time of the 

crash, but officials have since 

announced he was actually 

on-duty and heading to a sanctioned 

church security assignment 

in his own vehicle. 

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yrs. 

MOBILE,AL. 

Alabama Port Authority Officer Kimberly Sickafoose drowned 

after her police car plunged into the Mobile River. 

MOBILE, AL. (WALA/Gray News) - 

Authorities said the body of an 

Alabama Port Authority police 

officer has been recovered after 

her police cruiser plunged into 

the Mobile River early Thursday 

morning. 

Port Police Officer Kimberly 

Sickafoose died while on patrol, 

the Alabama State Port Authority 

reported. 

A search and rescue operation 

was mounted after the cruiser 

went into the river at about 2:30 

a.m. Mobile Fire-Rescue crews 

and Mobile police responded. 

“The thoughts, prayers, and 

support of the entire Port community 

are with her family,” said 

Maggie Oliver, Port Authority 

spokesperson, in a statement. 

Oliver shared that the port authority 

director said Sickafoose 

”always had a kind word, a 

smile, and a story to share (usually 

about her family or beloved 

labrador retrievers). She was a 

bright light and will be deeply 

missed.” 

Sickafoose worked many years 

in Law Enforcement in Baldwin 

County before being hired by the 

Port Authority. 

Jimmie Flanagan, a former 

port authority police chief, hired 

Sickafoose. 

He told News 5 in a statement 

that “She was well-liked at the 

Port Authority. I know the whole 

Port is devastated by this. There’s 

nothing worse than when a 

police chief gets a call that your 

officer has passed. You can’t 

explain how you feel unless you 

experience it. My prayers go out 

to the port and police chief Mark 

Janowski. It still hasn’t sunk in 

yet that it happened. It’s going to 

take a while… It may never sink 

in” 

Mobile County Sheriff Paul 

Burch said Sickafoose was a 

staple in her community but 

her tragic death is affecting law 

enforcement on both sides of the 

Bay. 

“Any time we lose a fellow law 

enforcement officer, it hurts everybody,” 

said Sheriff Burch. “Our 

condolences go out to her family 

and she will be missed. 

Mobile Police Chief Paul Prine 

DON’T MISS THIS MONTH’S 

WAR STORY ON PAGE 142 

OFFICER KIMBERLY SICKAFOOSE 

also weighed in saying “During 

this difficult time, we stand in 

solidarity with Officer Sickafoose’s 

family, offering our 

unwavering support, love, and 

prayers. Officer Kimberly Sickafoose 

will forever remain in our 

hearts as a shining example of 

valor, integrity, and dedication to 

public service. Let us honor her 

memory by continuing to uphold 

the principles she held dear 

and by supporting one another 

during this challenging time.” 



yrs. 

CAMERON, TX. 

Cameron Police Sergeant Joshua Lee Clouse was shot 

and killed while executing a search warrant on May 11. 

CAMERON, TX. – Joshua I. 

Clouse, a Waxahachie High 

School graduate and a sergeant 

for the Cameron Police Department 

in Central Texas, was fatally 

shot Wednesday night. 

According to authorities, 

Clouse, 39, was among several 

law enforcement officials 

serving a warrant for a suspect 

accused of shooting his spouse 

inside their home earlier that 

night on 7th Street in Cameron. 

According to Milam County 

Sheriff Mike Clore, around 11 p.m. 

a victim called 911 saying they 

had been shot. The victim had 

been grazed by a bullet and then 

went to a nearby business to call 

for help. 

Officers received a search warrant 

for a home in the 500 block 

of E. 7th St. Once the warrant 

was obtained, authorities from 

the Milam County Sheriff’s Office, 

Cameron Police Department, 

Rockdale Police Department 

and Texas Department of Public 

Safety attempted to serve the 

warrant at the home. 

According to the sheriff, law 

enforcement contacted the 

shooting suspect, who was still 

inside the home. Authorities said 

the suspect shot at officers when 

confronted, and Clouse was 

struck. Clouse was taken to a local 

hospital where he died from 

his injuries. 

Officers returned fire, hitting 

the suspect, who was later identified 

as 29-year-old Albert Rafael 

Acosta. He died at the scene. 

Clouse was a 2001 graduate 

of Waxahachie High School and 

a member of the Waxahachie 

Police Department’s Explorers 

program. 

“He married Stephanie Nicole 

Fortner in 2003 and from that 

union was born two sons, Jonathon 

Clouse and Jordan Clouse. 

He worked at the Milam County 

Sheriff’s Dept for several years 

SERGEANT JOSHUA CLOUSE 

and then for Cameron Small 

Engines before going to work 

for the Cameron Police Department,” 

states his obituary. 

According to the funeral home, 

memorials may be made to The 

Josh Clouse Memorial Fund at 

Citizens National Bank Cameron. 


BADGE OF HONOR ON PAGE 152 



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yrs. 

FIRST RESPONDERS 

RIVERSIDE, CA. 

Riverside County Deputy Brent Harris, died on 

Sunday May 14, succumbing to severe brain injuries 

suffered in a vehicle crash two days earlier. 

RIVERSIDE, CA. – Brett Harris, a 

Riverside County Sheriff’s Office 

deputy, died on Sunday, May 14, 

after succumbing to brain injuries 

sustained during an early 

morning crash two days earlier. 

In a statement on Sunday, 

Sheriff Chad Bianco announced 

that Brett Harris, 26, assigned to 

the Hemet Sheriff’s Station, was 

involved in an on-duty traffic 

accident with another vehicle on 

Friday, May 12, where he suffered 

major injuries, including a “catastrophic 

brain injury.” 

Harris reportedly collided with 

another vehicle at the intersection 

of Esplanade Avenue 

and State Street in San Jacinto 

around 2.15 am on Friday. While 

the circumstances that led to the 

collision are unknown, Bianco 

said the late deputy was responding 

to a call for backup 

when the crash happened. 

The individual in the other vehicle 

involved in the crash, identified 

as a 56-year-old Hemet 

woman, reportedly survived 

after sustaining minor injuries at 

the scene. 

“Our hearts are shattered to 

hear about another line-of-duty 

death at @RSO. On May 12th, 

Deputy Brett Harris was involved 

in an on-duty traffic accident 

while responding to a call for 

service. Deputy Harris suffered 

major injuries as a result of the 

crash.” #neverforget #eow 

Riverside County Sheriff Deputy 

Brett Harris was an organ donor 

On Sunday, Sheriff Chad Bianco 

condoled the death of Riverside 

County Sheriff Deputy Brett 

Harris who passed away after 

sustaining a fatal brain injury 

during a crash at the intersection 

of Esplanade Avenue and State 

Street in San Jacinto. He said: 

“With immense sadness and a 

heavy heart, I must report that 

the Riverside County Sheriff’s 

Office has lost another deputy in 

a line of duty death.” 

Sheriff Bianco said that Harris, 

who is survived by his wife, 

parents, brother, and twin sister, 

was an organ donor. Bianco added 

that Harris’ family is working 

with the hospital to “ensure his 

wishes are honored.” He added: 

“Harris suffered major injuries 

as a result of the crash, including 

DEPUTY BRENT HARRIS 

a catastrophic brain injury. In a 

final act of Service Above Self, 

it was Deputy Harris’ wish to 

donate his organs so that others 

may live. The Harris family 

is currently working with the 

hospital to ensure his wishes are 

honored.” 

Our deepest condolences to the 

family, friends and coworkers of 

Deputy Brett Harris. Dep. Harris 

died as a result of an on-duty 

traffic accident while responding 

to a call for service. He will not 

be forgotten. 

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ST. AUGUSTINE, FA. 

St. Johns County Sergeant Michael Kunovich died during a struggle 

with a combative subject who resisted arrest. 

By Scott Butler 

ST. AUGUSTINE, FL. – A 25-year 

veteran lawman with the St. Johns 

County Sheriff’s Office died during a 

struggle with a combative 18-yearold 

resisting arrest, according to 

Sheriff Robert Hardwick. 

Sgt. Michael Paul Kunovich, 52, 

collapsed from “medical distress” 

during the Friday-night encounter 

with Vergilio Aguilar Mendez, 

the sheriff said. The teen is now 

charged with murder and resisting 

law enforcement with violence. 

His jail listing shows he is detained 

without bail for the U.S. Immigration 

and Customs Enforcement. 

Hardwick provided the following 

account of what happened Friday 

night. 

It began about 9 p.m. when 

Kunovich made contact with a 

young man sitting in the dark outside 

a closed business in the 2500 

block of Florida 16 in St. Augustine. 

He attempted to pat him down to 

check for weapons, but Aguilar 

Mendez pulled away and tried to 

flee. Additional deputies arrived, but 

he continued to resist. 

“While fighting on the ground, the 

suspect attempted to grab the sergeant’s 

taser and continued to violently 

resist for about 6 minutes,” 

according to Hardwick’s statement. 

After he was handcuffed, he was 

able to arm himself with a pocket 

yrs. 

SERGEANT MICHAEL KUNOVICH 

knife that was forcefully removed 

by deputies. Kunovich collapsed 

moments later and was rushed to 

the hospital where he was pronounced 

dead. 

“This has been a difficult time for 

our agency with the loss of one of 

our own,” Hardwick said. “I want to 

thank St. Johns Fire Rescue, Flagler 

Health+ and our agency personnel 

for their lifesaving efforts on 

Sergeant Kunovich. I ask that you 

please respect the family and members 

of the St. Johns County Sheriff’s 

Office as we mourn the loss of 

Sergeant Kunovich.” 

Dozens of memorials filled social 

media as a tribute to the late sergeant. 

Among them was a former 

co-worker, Bonnie Beeson Layfield. 

“He was always so nice when he 

came into the Civil Unit when I was 

there at the Sheriff’s Office,” she 

posted on her Facebook. “He was 

easy to work with. I’m absolutely 

crushed by this. My soul hurts. He 

was way too young & leaves behind 

2 sons. End of watch Sgt Michael 

Paul. May he continue to shine 

down on his family & loved ones. 

Thank you for your service.” 

Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters 

also commented on the passing 

of his department’s neighboring 

comrade. 

“On behalf of the men and women 

of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, I 

want to extend our deepest condolences 

to Sergeant Kunovich’s 

family and friends and our brothers 

and sisters of the St. John’s County 

Sheriff’s Office,” Waters said. 

“Sergeant Kunovich’s line of duty 

death is a tragedy that we all feel 

and sends ripple effects in our 

Northeast Florida law enforcement 

community. While our prayers 

and thoughts go out to Sergeant 

Kunovich’s loved ones at this difficult 

time, JSO also vows to provide 

any needed resources and support 

to Sheriff Hardwick and his agency. 

At time of great sadness, we honor 

Sergeant Kunovich’s life of public 

service and his commitment to 

serve his community until his end 

of watch.” 

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yrs. 

GEORGETOWN, KY. 

Scott County Deputy Caleb Conley was shot and killed during a 

traffic stop on I-75 in Georgetown, Ky. 

GEORGETOWN, KY. – A Scott 

County sheriff’s deputy was 

shot and killed during a traffic 

stop on Monday afternoon, Scott 

County Sheriff Tony Hampton 

announced Monday. 

According to the sheriff, Scott 

County Sheriff’s Deputy Caleb 

Conley was shot during a traffic 

stop at around 4:48 p.m. Monday 

on I-75 southbound in Georgetown. 

Someone called in to report 

that a deputy had been shot, 

and responders arrived relatively 

quickly, Sheriff Tony Hampton 

said. He did not know why the 

vehicle was pulled over. 

Conley died at UK Hospital. 

First responders escorted the 

fallen deputy to the funeral 

home on Tuesday. 

Officials said the suspect fled 

the scene after the shooting but 

was later taken into custody, 

Kentucky State Police said. 

Fayette County Detention 

Center spokesman Maj. Matt 

Lemonds said the suspect, Steven 

Sheangshang, was being held 

on charges from Scott County, 

including murder of a police officer, 

possession of a handgun by 

a convicted felon, burglary, theft 

of an automobile, wanton endangerment 

and fleeing/evading 

police in connection to Conley’s 

death. 

Conley leaves behind a wife 

and small children, as well as 

his parents. “He was a damn 

good deputy, and he loved his 

job. He took it very serious. He 

was out there today doing his 

job, and look what happened to 

him. A coward coming through 

our county on I-75 took his life, 

took him away from his family,” 

Hampton said. 

The sheriff said Conley has 

been with the department for 

four years. Prior to that, Conley 

served as a member of the United 

States Army for eight years. 

Hampton called Conley a decorated 

deputy and an “excellent 

asset.” 

“We never want to see anything 

like this happen. The reality 

is we know it can, but when it 

DEPUTY CALEB CONLEY 

does, it’s hard,” Hampton said. 

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear 

released a statement on Monday 

night, saying, “Kentucky, please 

join Britainy and me in praying 

for the family and fellow law 

enforcement officers of Scott 

County Deputy Sheriff Caleb 

Conley, who was killed this evening 

while protecting our people. 

This hero made the ultimate 

sacrifice, and we will be forever 

grateful.” 


AFTERMATH ON PAGE 148 



LIVINGSTON, TX. 

Texas deputy survives crash after being ejected, thrown 50 feet from cruiser. Deputy Caleb Boyer has 

undergone surgery for a broken femur and other injuries; doctors said he has a long road to recovery. 

By Sarah Roebuck 

Police1 

yrs. 

IHIA 

29th ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM 

August 6 - 11, 2023 OKLAHOMA CITY 

LIVINGSTON, TX — A Polk 

County deputy survived a crash 

in his patrol vehicle after he was 

ejected and thrown nearly 50 

feet, according to PolkCountyToday.com. 

The crash happened May 12 

around 11:30 p.m. Deputy Caleb 

Boyer with the Polk County 

Sheriff’s Office was responding 

to an urgent call when he came 

up behind a trailer that was 

being pulled by a pickup truck 

without lights on. To avoid hitting 

the trailer, Boyer cut right, 

causing his patrol unit to leave 

the pavement. 

The patrol vehicle jumped a 

culvert, landed and rolled, ejecting 

Boyer about 50 feet from the 

vehicle before it landed upside 

down. Boyer landed in the grass. 

He was airlifted to Kingwood 

Hospital. 

According to KDFM, Boyer has 

undergone surgery for a broken 

femur, broken foot and other 

injuries. Doctors said he will 

survive, but he has a long road 

to recovery. The crash remains 

under investigation. 

UPDATE: Deputy Boyer ended 

up losing his left leg due to his 

injuries, but he’s doing well. 

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38 The BLUES The BLUES 39


yrs. 

‘STOP THE CAR!’ 

BWC shows an Iowa officer clinging to the roof of suspect’s car. The officer clung to the 

roof of the car during a pursuit, which ended shortly after the officer fell when the suspect 

drove through a ditch, breaking his back. 

By Sarah Roebuck, Police1 

CARROLL, IA. — New video released 

from a shocking 2021 incident 

shows a police officer clinging 

to the hood of a moving car, 

trying to get the driver to stop. 

What started as a traffic stop 

turned into a terrifying moment 

when a Carroll police officer 

stepped on top of a moving car, 

KCCI reports. 

During the traffic stop, Officer 

Patrick McCarty told passenger 

Dennis Guider Jr. there was a warrant 

for his arrest out of Illinois. 

The video shows the driver getting 

out of the vehicle and Guider 

sliding over into the driver’s seat. 

Once the vehicle started moving, 

McCarty stepped in front of the 

car. 

“Stop the car, man. Stop the car,” 

McCarty yelled at Guider, kneeling 

on the hood of the car. 

Video from a body-worn camera 

and a dashcam shows McCarty 

clinging to the hood of the car as 

he continues to tell Guider to stop 

the car. 

That’s when McCarty climbed 

up to the roof of the car. Guider 

continued to drive away as several 

more squad cars joined the pursuit. 

McCarty clung to the roof of 

the car during the pursuit, which 

only lasted for about a minute as 

Guider turned into a gravel lot. 

As Guider drove through a ditch, 

McCarty lost his grip, falling to the 

ground and causing him to break 

his back. 

Guider pleaded guilty on May 11 

to serious injury by vehicle and 

was sentenced to five years in 

prison. 

The injured officer has since fully 

recovered and is back on the job. 



yrs. 

INDIANAPOLIS,IN. 

‘I’m hit! I’m hit!’: BWC video show shootout that wounded 2 officers and killed the suspect. 

LEARN MORE 

By Sarah Roebuck 

Police1 

INDIANAPOLIS, IN. — Videos released 

from multiple body-worn 

cameras show intense moments 

when Indianapolis police officers 

were involved in a shootout that 

wounded two officers and killed 

a suspect, WXIN reports. 

The Indianapolis Police Department 

released an edited 

video compiling the bodycam 

footage from three officers who 

were involved in a pursuit that 

ended in a shooting from an 

April 20 incident. 

Police said the suspect, identified 

as Daniel Yefter Ghebrehiwet, 

drove off as officers attempted 

to pull him over near an 

intersection. As he drove away, 

officers attempted two PIT maneuvers 

on Ghebrehiwet’s car but 

were unsuccessful. 

Police said the suspect continued 

driving and went into a 

business parking lot with officers 

still in pursuit. 

As officers step out of their patrol 

cars, gunfire can be heard on 

the bodycam videos. Police said 

the suspect began open firing 

on the four officers with a rifle 

before the patrol cars were even 

stopped. 

“Ah! I’m hit, I’m hit, I’m hit,” Det. 

De Leon yells as he falls to the 

ground. “On my foot, in my foot.” 

“Put a tourniquet on, get a 

tourniquet on him,” another 

officer in the BWC can be heard 

saying as the exchange of gunfire 

continues. 

In one of the videos, Det. 

Phelps can be heard as he realizes 

he’s been shot shortly after 

giving orders and assessing the 

situation out loud. 

“I think I’m hit, I’m bleeding,” 

Phelps said. “I’m okay… Let’s go, 

we’re good.” 

Police said Phelps was shot in 

the torso. 

After four officers fired back 

at Ghebrehiwet, officers can be 

heard communicating that one 

suspect is down. Since officers 

could see Ghebrehiwet’s rifle, 

they used a ballistic shield to 

approach the suspect and secure 

the weapon. Once officers 

approached Ghebrehiwet, police 

said it was quickly determined 

he was deceased. 

The last parts of the bodycam 

footage released by police show 

officers approaching Ghebrehiwet’s 

van, which has its back 

window shot out. A passenger 

that was riding with Ghebrehiwet 

had run away from the 

scene. 

Police said the passenger was 

apprehended shortly after the 

shooting uninjured. 

Both detectives De Leon and 

Phelps were taken to hospital 

with non-life-threatening 

injuries. Phelps was released 

the same day and De Leon was 

released the next day, WXIN 

reports. 

ATR 

528 

1000W MOTOR 

REINFORCED 

FRAME 

DUAL BATTERY 

UPGRADED 

COMPONENTS 



Golden PD to try 4-day workweek. 

The Golden Police Department will be offering 40 hours of pay 

for 32 hours of work without reducing pay or benefits. 

By John Aguilar 

The Denver Post, 

Reprinted from Police1 

GOLDEN, CO. — Golden will be 

embarking on an experiment this 

summer that could prove to be 

the envy of every working stiff in 

Colorado: 40 hours of pay for 32 

hours of work. 

It’s part of the burgeoning 

four-day-a-week movement 

that’s been given extra fuel by 

pandemic disruptions to traditional 

work schedules over the 

last three years. Golden will be 

giving the truncated workweek 

a try over the last half of 2023 

with its police department only 

— for now. 

“I think it could be the largest 

single-game changer in retention 

of government employees,” 

said Golden Police Chief Joe 

Harvey. “It’s about building a culture 

people won’t want to leave.” 

His department of 72 full-time 

employees, he said, hasn’t been 

at full strength since 2015. 

City Manager Scott Vargas said 

Golden has had “long-standing, 

long-term employee recruitment 

and retention” issues, with 

“many dozens” of city jobs still 

unfilled. If the pilot program 

with the police department is a 

success, he said, it could expand 

to all 250 or so of Golden’s fulltime 

employees. 

“We’re expecting people to 

work fewer hours but have the 

same amount of output,” Vargas 

said. “We can find the time that 

is mysteriously lost during the 

week.” 

While flexible schedules — 

most notably revamping the 

standard 40-hour week into four 

10-hour days — have been in effect 

for years, the idea of shaving 

eight hours off the workweek 

without reducing pay or benefits 

is a newer concept. The city is 

teaming up with 4 Day Week 

Global, a New Zealand-based 

organization that got off the 

ground just five years ago and 

yrs. 

has been pushing pilot programs 

like Golden’s around the world. 

Golden is paying 4 Day Week 

Global $15,000 for its services. 

“Actually, the four-day week 

is already here — it’s just buried 

under overly long meetings, 

bursting inboxes, and poor processes,” 

said the organization’s 

global programs director, Alex 

Soojung-Kim Pang. “Studies tell 

us that people waste two to 

three hours of productive time 

per day to these distractions and 

interruptions. Deal with those, 

and you go a long way to doing 

in four days what you currently 

need five to do.” 

The way it will work at the 

Golden Police Department, Harvey 

said, is that 32 hours a week 

will be a de facto floor, with the 

potential that officers will have 

to work more some weeks if 

conditions present. 

“There will be times you will 

be working over 32 hours but 

you will not get paid overtime 

until you reach 40 hours,” Harvey 

said. “Those eight hours are a 

gift.” 

Advocates of the schedule say 

the extra weekday off allows 

employees to take care of personal 

obligations — visits to the 

dentist or doctor, grocery shopping 

or catching a kid’s soccer 

match — on their own time 

rather than trying to sneak them 

between meetings and assignments. 

The first large-scale study of 

the four-day workweek, involving 

61 organizations and nearly 

3,000 workers in the U.K. during 

the last half of 2022, resulted in 

revenue gains of 1.4% and half 

as much staff turnover as usual 

during the trial. Employee absenteeism 

dropped from two 

days a month to 0.7, according to 

the U.K. pilot. 

“People working four-day 

weeks are healthier,” Pang said. 

He said 40% of employees in 

the study reported they were 

sleeping better, and sick days 

dropped by 65%. And an overwhelming 

number of employees 

in the study didn’t want to return 

to the old ways once they got a 

taste of a four-day week. 

“So this means fewer messed 

up schedules, fewer double 

shifts, etc.,” he said. “Further, a 

four-day week will make Golden 

an employer of choice, and it’s 

easier to design schedules when 

you have a force that’s 100% 

staffed.” 

Maryland this year became the 

first state to consider providing 

tax credits to businesses that 

adopt a four-day week. A bill in 

the state legislature aiming to do 

so died in March. 

What about the hardwired 

proclivities in human beings to 

be lazy, opportunistic and to 

take advantage of a situation for 

greater self-benefit? Curt Steinhorst, 

a consultant who works 

with company executives as 

founder of Focuswise, calls the 

four-day week concept largely a 

“gimmick” but says it has potential 

if done right. 

“The idea that moving from 

40 to 32 hours is going to increase 

productivity is in my mind 

a marketing tool,” he said. “It 

might start with ‘we’re going to 

work less hours but everyone’s 

going to do more,’ but it ends up 

just being ‘we do the same thing 

and we work less hours.’” 

Steinhorst said the organization 

needs to “set really high or clear 

expectations on the shift in what 

they’re needing from the people 

that work there within the time 

that they have.” 

He concedes that a four-day 

week could be an effective way 

to improve recruitment and retention 

at a business — or in the 

city of Golden. 


OFF DUTY WITH RUSTY BARRON 

ON PAGE 162 

“If they’re having trouble recruiting 

police officers, lowering 

the ask is probably a good way 

to do it,” Steinhorst said. 

But the schedule shift needs to 

produce results, said Laura Argys, 

economics professor at the 

University of Colorado at Denver. 

“From the employer’s perspective, 

the long-term success of 

this pilot will depend on the resulting 

worker productivity,” she 

said. “Experience with enhancing 

compensation and providing 

better work conditions are often 

found to lead to increased worker 

retention and productivity, 

both of which can help pay for 

the investments.” 

Argys takes a more hopeful 

view of workers and their potential 

to exploit their employer’s 

largesse. 

“It is unlikely that employees 

who find this attractive will risk 

losing the opportunity through 

poor work habits,” she said. 

Harvey, Golden’s police chief, 

said his department has so many 

different shifts to cover during a 

24-hour cycle, it’s a good place 

to test out the 32-hour week. 

But if there are employee abuses 

of the clock or if service suffers 

in this city 20,000, Harvey won’t 

hesitate to pull the plug on the 

experiment. 



LOS ANGELES,CA. 

Los Angeles DA George Gascon’s outright disdain for 

public safety claims another victim. 

By Doug Wyllie 

LOS ANGELES, CA. – Late last 

month, a career criminal with a 

history of violence—including incidents 

resulting in charges of assault, 

assault with a deadly weapon, and 

attempted murder—was arrested in 

connection with the stabbing death 

of a 40-year-old father of two 

named Dennis Banner. 

Banner’s family contends that the 

accused killer should have never 

been out on the streets, free to 

inflict upon them the forever loss of 

their beloved. 

They’re absolutely right. 

The alleged assailant—identified 

as 23-year-old Jade Simone 

Brookfield—had repeatedly avoided 

incarceration and was offered “mental 

health diversion” on numerous 

occasions, despite her penchant for 

repeatedly wielding a knife in unprovoked 

attacks on innocents. 

In each instance, it was with the 

approval of Los Angeles District 

Attorney George Gascón that Brookfield 

was left untethered to meaningful 

criminal penalty and given 

unfettered access to the cutlery 

drawer. 

According to Fox News, Brookfield 

was arrested in early 2020 and 

charged with attempted murder after 

she allegedly stabbed a woman 

in the chest, puncturing the victim’s 

lung. 

In 2021, prosecutors in District 

Attorney George Gascón’s office accepted 

a deal in which Brookfield’s 

charges were reduced to Assault 

with a Deadly Weapon (ADW) and 

she be assigned to receive “mental 

health diversion” in lieu of jail time. 

Apparently, even that ultra-lenient 

“punishment” was too much for 

Brookfield to bear—she soon went 

absent from her court-ordered 

mental health treatment. 

Shortly thereafter, she was arrested 

for battery of a police officer 

(also involving an edged weapon). 

She was again slated to receive 

“mental health diversion” but Gascón’s 

office inexplicably and unilaterally 

dismissed the case. 

Brookfield was arrested again 

just few months later—this time for 

brandishing not one but two knives 

and threatening to kill a man. Citing 

a lack of evidence, the DA’s office 

dropped the charges and Brookfield 

was free once more to menace 

society. 

Brookfield was arrested again 

just a few months ago—this time 

for attempting to stab the driver of 

a transit bus. Like a song stuck on 

repeat, Gascón’s office let her walk 

free with nothing more than an ankle 

monitor as her “supervision.” 

Officials in Gascón’s office had 

four obvious opportunities to intervene 

in this individual’s collision 

course with murder charges. Due to 

yrs. 

George Gascón 

their failure to responsibly act, the 

fifth time Brookfield attacked a person, 

that individual ended up dead 

and two young girls will now grow 

up without Dennis Banner as their 

dad. 

George Gascón was one of several 

high-profile liberal DA candidates 

across the country to run on a platform 

emphasizing “criminal justice 

reform”—all following a summer of 

devastating anti-police riots in the 

aftermath of George Floyd in Minneapolis. 

Gascón’s soft-on-crime approach 

has been the target of justice-minded 

Angelenos ever since he won his 

2020 election bid for District Attorney. 

It wasn’t long after he took 

office that a groundswell of opposition 

began to form, and in 2021 

Jade Simone Brookfield 

efforts began in earnest to force a 

recall vote. Supporters of that initiative 

said in a statement that as soon 

as he was sworn in, “Gascón began 

issuing directives to his prosecutors, 

instructing them to go soft on crime, 

coddle criminals, and trample upon 

the dignity and rights of crime victims.” 

Organizers said further that Gascón 

has “disregarded the rule of law 

and weakened lawful sentencing 

requirements for the most violent 

criminals, including murderers, 

armed robbers, and rapists.” 

Unfortunately, that effort fell short 

of securing the requisite signatures 

to place the matter on a ballot. 

Undeterred, a second recall campaign 

was launched, but in August 

2022 county officials determined 

that only around 520,000 valid signatures 

were collected, falling short 

of the 570,000 needed. 

Importantly, opposition to Gascón’s 

“progressive” policies isn’t 

limited to the electorate. He has 

also faced substantial push-back 

from within the ranks in the District 

Attorney’s office, with some senior 

prosecutors complaining about 

policies that minimize criminal 

conduct and press for alternatives to 

incarceration such as the “diversion” 

applied in the tragic case resulting 

in Banner’s death. 

During the second of the two 

recall processes, members of the 

Los Angeles Association of Deputy 

District Attorneys (LAADDA) were 

Dennis Banner 

vocal in their support of showing 

Gascón the door. 

During an April 2022 podcast 

interview, LAADDA Vice President 

Eric Siddall bemoaned the “directives” 

put in place by his new boss, 

saying that those new instructions 

were probably written by people 

who were never prosecutors. 

“They were written by defense 

lawyers and people who have an 

agenda to basically decriminalize 

certain crimes,” Siddell said, adding 

that the authors were people 

“who don’t believe that prisons 

should exist.” 

In February 2022, the LAADDA 

took a vote on whether to support 

the recall. With 83.3% of the 

member prosecutors casting a 

vote, an astounding 97.9% of them 

supported the recall. 

Others have voiced their displeasure 

more quietly. For their 

effort—their committed defense 

of citizens of Los Angeles in 

particular and civilized society 

in general—those folks have met 

with a vicious wrath and unwarranted 

retaliation. 

According to Spectrum News, 

LA County Prosecutor Shawn 

Randolph was recently awarded 

$1.5 million in a lawsuit against 

Gascón after she had publicly 

opposed her boss’s policies of not 

charging juveniles as adults in 

certain cases. 

In the suit, Randolph—the former 

head of the juvenile division 

of the DA’s office—argued that she 

was transferred to the parole division 

in retaliation for her belief that 

Gascón’s blanket ban on trying juveniles 

as adults was not only harmful 

to the community, but also violated 

laws pertaining to victims’ rights. 

Randolph’s court victory could be 

a watershed moment—there are at 

present about a dozen similar civil 

claims pending against Gascón, filed 

by prosecutors who say they were 

reassigned or passed up for promotions 

after speaking out against Gascón’s 

policies. 

Following the failure of that 

second recall attempt, Gascón— 

unwittingly revealing an apparent 

total lack of self-awareness—said 

on Twitter that he was “grateful to 

move forward from this attempted 

political power grab.” 

Gascón made an even more 

tone-deaf statement following the 

recent arrest of the abovementioned 

23-year-old woman who stands 

accused of slicing to death Banner. 

“We appreciate the public concern 

when someone is participating in a 

mental health program and allegedly 

commits a serious crime,” Gascón’s 

office said in a statement. “Our 

prosecutors make the best decisions 

they can in light of all the available 

information. Our heart goes out to 

all the victims in this matter, and we 

stand ready to support them on their 

journey to healing.” 

It’s abundantly clear that despite 

the pervasive opinion—among his 

rank-and-file staff and a growing 

number of Angelenos—that he is 

failing in his duties to protect citizens 

from the criminal who would 

do them harm, Gascón appears 

unfazed. 

In fact, he seems to hold for those 

critics a bitter contempt that borders 

on outright disdain. 

Perhaps a day will come when 

Gascón is finally held to account for 

his blatant disregard for public safety—he 

faces re-election in November 

2024. 



yrs. 

DALLAS ,TX. 

In the age of social media, how are police learning 

to inform the public better after shootings? 

By Heather Hollingsworth 

Associated Press 

DALLAS, TX. — Jennifer Seeley 

was glued to her phone, safe at 

home but terrified, nonetheless. 

There was an active shooter at 

the Texas mall where she works 

as an assistant store manager. 

And she was searching desperately 

for information, praying. 

Was the gunman dead? Were 

her coworkers dead? What was 

happening? 

So, with law enforcement in 

the Dallas area town of Allen 

releasing information slowly on 

that horrible May 6 afternoon, 

she turned to social media 

for answers, stumbling across 

videos showing the bodies of 

some of the eight who were 

slain. Desperately she texted her 

coworkers. 

“That’s where all of my information 

came from was what I 

saw on Twitter. And, you know, 

nobody was really releasing any 

information on what actually 

happened,” she says now, nearly 

two weeks later. 

The shooting at the Allen Premium 

Outlets this month has law 

enforcement public information 

officers from around the country 

talking. Social media, they say, 

has accelerated everything. Now 

everyone can post images from 

their phone. That means if police 

don’t talk, reporters and the 

public will simply go online, as 

happened in Allen. 

And that presents a major 

problem, says Katie Nelson, 

social media and public relations 

coordinator for the Mountain 

View Police Department 

in northern California. Nelson 

teaches about crisis management 

and social media best 

practices. And these days, she 

says, when it comes to responding, 

“The luxury of time does not 

exist.” 

POLICE APPROACHES HAVE 

EVOLVED 

Police began to harness social 

media a decade ago, most 

famously after the Boston Marathon 

bombing in 2013. The fourday 

manhunt ended with police 

tweeting: “CAPTURED!!! The hunt 

is over. The search is done. The 

terror is over. And justice has 

won. Suspect in custody.” 

It was groundbreaking at the 

time, says Yael Bar Tur, a police 

communication consultant and 

former director of social media 

for the New York City police department. 

Now, she says, that it 

is the basic level expected of law 

enforcement. 

“It’s not enough just to be on 

social media, you have to be 

good at it,” she says. “At the end 

of the day, you know, we have to 

use this tool because if you don’t, 

it is going to be used against 

you.” 

In Allen, the mall shooting 

happened around 3:30 p.m. Allen 

police sent their first tweet 

around 4:20 p.m., announcing 

simply that police were at the 

mall and that an active investigation 

was underway. Seeley 

continued to fear that her coworkers 

at the Crocs store were 

hiding, and the gunman was still 

on the loose. 

At nearly 7 p.m., police in Allen 

said an officer had “neutralized 

the threat.” That meant he was 

dead. But the often-used term 

can be confusing to the public, 

says Julie Parker, a former 

broadcast journalist and law 

enforcement public information 

officer who now advises government 

agencies on how to respond 

to critical incidents. 

“Normal people who don’t 

work in law enforcement don’t 

know what the word neutralized 

means,” Parker says. 

Adding to the situation, the initial 

news conferences were brief 

and infrequent. One lasted less 

than two minutes, and police 

took no questions. 

Eventually she learned that 

her coworkers had survived, but 

a security guard she knew was 

among the dead. Twenty-yearold 

Christian LaCour had helped 

jump start a customer’s car just 

a few days earlier. 

“Very anxiety-inducing,” Seeley 

said of the whole experience. 

MAKING THE BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA 

How to harness social media 

in the best ways — and quickly 

— was on everyone’s mind 

last week as public information 

officers gathered at a midyear 

conference of the International 

Association of Chiefs of Police. 

“You had a little more time 

to get information out five or 

six years ago. The expectation 

wasn’t there that it would be 

immediate, and I think it is now,” 

says Sarah Boyd, who is on the 

executive board of the association’s 

group on public communication. 

She says her colleagues often 

text each other to discuss how 

communications are handled after 

tragedies. The responsibility 

weighs on her; she is well aware 

that the messages police tweet 

in the midst of a mass shooting 

might be read by someone hiding 

from the shooter. 

“All they’ve got is their phone, 

and that tweet is their lifeline,” 

says Boyd, a former newspaper 

reporter. She is now the public 

relations manager at the Clay 

County, Missouri, Sheriff’s Office 

in the Kansas City area. 

This newest crop of public information 

officers, who like Boyd 

are much more likely to be former 

reporters themselves than 

in the past, also are demanding 

to have a seat at the table when 

officers are planning how to 

respond to mass casualty events 

and police shootings. 

They note that the flow of 

information can go both ways, 

generating tips from the public, 

who might have cell phone or 

Ring doorbell video that could 

help investigators. 

It can be challenging, though, 

with police nationally struggling 

to regain the public’s trust in the 

wake of George Floyd’s killing 

in 2020 and the protests that 

followed. Many factors — for 

example is the suspect still on 

the loose? — play a role in what 

can be released. And even if the 

suspect is killed, the investigation 

isn’t over; law enforcement 

still must determine whether the 

shooter acted alone, says Alex 

del Carmen, an associate dean 

of the school of criminology 

at Tarleton State University in 

Texas. 

Missteps after the mass shooting 

at Uvalde, when law enforcement 

released shifting and at 

times contradictory information, 

show the importance of getting 

details right. 

“People were just scratching 


are looking for donors, 

We 

and starting to 

investors, 

DONA T E H E R E • D ON A T E H E R E • D ON A T E H E R E • 

their heads on the second or 

third day,” del Carmen says. He 

has sympathy, though, for the officers 

faced with communicating 

the unimaginable; entire careers 

can be defined by moments like 

these. 

A MODEL FOR QUICKER IN- 

FORMATION 

The bulk of the nation’s police 

forces are small, and there are 

vast differences in what each 

state allows them to release. In 

Missouri, for instance, 911 recordings 

are inaccessible to the 

public. 

The public itself has no such 

restrictions, though. 

After a man killed 10 people at 

a supermarket in Boulder, Colorado, 

in March 2021, an independent, 

part-time journalist began 

live streaming on his YouTube 

channel before officers even 

arrived. The effect can be instantaneous 

— and, for authorities, 

quite dizzying. 

“We’re putting out information 

quicker than I’ve ever seen 

before,” says Boulder police 

public information officer Dionne 

Waugh. Given the speed of 

social media, she says, there’s 

simply no choice. 

Amid a crush of media, each 

victim’s family was assigned its 

own public information officer. 

All the while, what had happened 

was hitting Waugh personally; 

the victims included police 

Officer Eric Talley, a friend 

who died rushing into the store. 

Though she described the experience 

as “life-changing” and 

“horrible,” she has led trainings 

in the years that have followed. 

She hopes that reliving it will 

help others. 

Sadly, it wasn’t long after 

Nashville Police Department 

spokesperson Don Aaron asked 

her to speak that he faced his 

own mass shooting. In March, a 

shooter killed three children and 

three adults at a Christian school 

in his city before being gunned 

down by police. 

The police tweets were fast. 

The very first one announced that 

the shooter was dead. Surveillance 

video was released before 

the 10 p.m. nightly newscast. 

Body camera footage came out 

the following morning, in line 

with the department’s policy of 

releasing such video quickly. The 

stream of information was fast, 

continual and generally accurate. 

“As we have made decisions 

about releasing body cam in 

police-shooting situations, I have 

said to some of my colleagues 

across the country, especially 

when this first started, that I was 

flying a jet trying not to crash 

it,” says Aaron, a 32-year police 

veteran. “And so far, it hasn’t 

crashed.” 

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yrs. 

CHAMBERS COUNTY,TX. 

A DWI stop by a Texas DPS Trooper turned tragic when a driver in a 

Utility Van slammed into a Troopers vehicle as well a Chambers County 

unit, killing the van driver and sending the Trooper to the hospital. 

HANKAMER, TX. - A Texas DPS 

trooper and a Chambers County 

deputy were taken to the hospital 

after a crash that left another 

driver dead, officials say. 

The crash occurred around 

6:50 a.m. in the eastbound lanes 

of I-10 near mile marker 815. 

The trooper was airlifted to a 

Houston hospital. Doctors will 

determine the extent of his injuries, 

but officials say he is able 

to talk. Texas DPS identified him 

as Trooper Travis Rocz, who has 

been with the department for six 

years. 

A deputy also went to the hospital 

with non-life-threatening 

injuries, Texas DPS say. 

The driver of a white van died 

at the scene. 

According to Texas DPS, the 

incident began when a trooper 

stopped an intoxicated driver on 

the interstate. 

“He made contact with the 

driver, determined that the driver 

was too inebriated to move the 

car. So, he exited his vehicle and 

moved the intoxicated driver’s 

vehicle to the inside shoulder, 

straddling the inside lane and inside 

shoulder,” says Sgt. Richard 

Standifer, a public information 

officer with Texas DPS. 

The trooper then 

moved his own patrol 

car behind the other 

driver’s car, officials 

say. 

A few minutes later, 

a Chambers County 

deputy also arrived 

behind the trooper. 

Then a short 

while later, a second 

trooper, Rocz, arrived 

behind the other vehicles, 

officials say. 

According to Texas 

DPS, Trooper Rocz 

was getting out of 

his patrol vehicle 

when the crash occurred. 

Officials say 

the trooper saw the 

white van coming 

and tried to get out of the way, 

but the trooper’s vehicle was 

hit, and then the deputy’s vehicle 

was struck as well. 

Sgt. Standifer says the three 

vehicles ended up in a pyramid 

formation, with one vehicle 

stacked on the other, and the 

trooper ended up in a space underneath. 

“His vehicle was not lying flat. 

It was kind of like on top of the 

patrol unit, which gave him 

enough space to be among the 

living on the bottom of that,” 

Sgt. Standifer says. “It truly is a 

miracle.” 

The driver of the white van 

died at the scene. 

The Chambers County deputy 

was still in his patrol vehicle 

at the time of the crash but 

sustained non-life-threatening 

injuries, officials say. 

The intoxicated driver was still 

in the first trooper’s vehicle and 

was not injured, officials say. 



yrs. 

ACROSS THE US 

DEPUTY RUN OVER OUTSIDE 

SCHOOL GRADUATION 

By Mark Price, The Charlotte 

Observer 

LECANTO, FL. — A deputy directing 

traffic was critically hurt 

when a driver ran over him outside 

a Florida high school graduation 

ceremony, according to 

the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office. 

It happened about 9 p.m. on 

Tuesday, May 23, as a crowd was 

exiting ceremonies for Lecanto 

High School, about 80 miles 

north of Tampa, the sheriff’s 

office said in a news release. 

“While several of our deputies 

were directing traffic ... a motorist 

traveling south on South 

Lecanto Highway struck Deputy 

Andy Lahera,” the sheriff’s office 

said. 

“Immediate life-saving measures 

were performed by onscene 

deputies and other first 

responders who quickly traveled 

to the scene to administer 

first aid. Because of the serious 

nature of his injuries, a (medical 

evacuation) helicopter was 

called in to fly Deputy Lahera to 

a trauma center where he remains 

in critical condition.” 

The Florida Highway Patrol is 

investigating the accident, which 

involved a 19-year-old woman 

from Homosassa, officials said. 

Her identity has not been released. 

Detectives report she was on 

traveling on County Road 491 

(also known as South Lecanto 

Highway) near the entrance to 

the campus when she “failed to 

observe” Lahera and struck him. 

Details of his injuries were not 

released. 

Lahera, 50, was wearing a 

reflective vest and carrying a 

glowing traffic wand, officials 

say. 

Investigators have not released 

details of charges against the 

driver. 

LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHER- 

IFF REQUESTS FUNDING FOR 

RECRUITMENT, EQUIPMENT 

Los Angeles County Sheriff 

Robert Luna requested funding 

to recruit more than 1,000 deputies 

to the force, along with other 

initiatives, during a public hearing 

on the County’s proposed $43 

million budget on May 10. 

Luna’s requests seem to surpass 

the $4 billion budget for 

the 2023–2024 fiscal year recommended 

by L.A. County CEO Fesia 

Davenport. 

As part of the proposal, Luna 

seeks to recruit 1,100 deputies, 

implement a jail management 

system and supply new Tasers 

to deputies on patrol. He also 

wants to place two captains at 

the East Los Angeles Station and 

two captains Compton Station, 

both of which had a history of 

having deputy gangs, in an effort 

to improve compliance with 

LASD standards. One captain 

would focus on administrative 

duties, while the other would 

engage with the community, addressing 

long-standing concerns 

within these stations. 

To address the issues plaguing 

county jails, which have faced 

lawsuits due to overcrowding 

and a Department of Justice 

consent decree demanding improved 

conditions and an end to 

excessive force, Sheriff Luna proposed 

the installation of a digital 

monitoring system. This system 

would help track the location 

of inmates and jail deputies, a 

measure he believes is necessary 

to identify and solve problems 

within the system. 

Luna also noted the strain on 

deputies caused recruitment 

difficulties and called to increase 

the number of academy classes 

to eight in the coming year, with 

100 recruits enrolled in each. 

Furthermore, the sheriff expressed 

the urgency of addressing 

the costly lawsuits 

and settlements resulting from 

excessive force and wrongful 

death claims, which significantly 

impact the County’s finances. 

Additionally, Sheriff Luna 

warned that failing to improve 

county jails could lead to federal 

or state receivership, emphasizing 

that the issue had been 

ignored by his predecessor, Sheriff 

Alex Villanueva. Luna stressed 



the need to confront these challenges 

head-on, acknowledging 

that they can no longer be avoided. 

Luna’s budget requests received 

mixed responses. Supervisor 

Lindsey Horvath expressed 

reservations about the request 

for additional Tasers, referring 

to a recent incident involving a 

Taser-related death. 

The American Civil Liberties 

Union of Southern California 

also objected to increasing the 

Sheriff’s Department’s budget, 

raising concerns about racial 

inequities and the potential for 

increased police violence resulting 

from hiring more deputies. 

During the public hearing, 

numerous individuals echoed 

the call to “defund the police,” 

advocating for the redirection 

of funds toward social welfare 

initiatives, such as hiring mental 

health and health care workers 

and increasing the availability of 

affordable housing units. They 

emphasized the lack of trust 

people of color have in the Sheriff’s 

Department and urged the 

Board to invest in counselors and 

support workers. 

Additional priorities outlined 

in the proposed budget include 

a significant allocation of $283 

million for alternatives to incarceration, 

aiming to address 

racial disparities in the justice 

system. Furthermore, $49.6 million 

is designated for improving 

conditions in county jails, in response 

to a court order from the 

DOJ, while $6.6 million would 

fund the revival of the Sheriff’s 

Department’s Office of Constitutional 

Policing. 

A substantial investment of 

$692 million to combat homelessness, 

with a $160 million 

increase from last year, is also 

included in the budget. 

The proposed budget would 

create various positions, including 

195 positions for the 

Department of Mental Health, 

86 clinicians for county hospitals 

and clinics, 70 positions for 

the Department of Children and 

Family Services, and 60 positions 

responsible for fighting wildfires. 

The budget is subject to revisions 

based on feedback from 

the Board of Supervisors and is 

expected to receive final approval 

on June 26, according to Board 

Chair Supervisor Janice Hahn. 

TRAFFIC AGENTS WANT 

BWCS SO NYPD, PUBLIC CAN 

SEE ABUSE THEY ENDURE. 

By Thomas Tracy 

New York Daily News 

NEW YORK CITY, NY. — You 

have to see it to believe it, say 

New York City traffic enforcement 

agents who want bodyworn 

cameras so their NYPD 

bosses and the public will understand 

the daily abuse they 

suffer from parking scofflaws 

and other miscreant motorists. 

The union representing the 

city’s 2,500 traffic agents — who 

are part of the NYPD and write 

parking tickets and direct traffic 

— are asking in contract talks 

for the same type of body-worn 

cameras used by police officers. 

“The body camera is even more 

important than the bulletproof 

yrs. 

vest,” the union said. (Howard 

Simmons) 

“It is very important issue for 

our members’ safety,” said Sayed 

Rahim, president of the traffic 

enforcement agents’ union, 

Communication Workers of 

America Local 1182. 

“The body camera is even more 

important than the bulletproof 

vest,” Rahim said. 

As they make their rounds 

writing parking tickets and 

directing traffic, traffic enforcement 

agents are regularly assaulted, 

spat on, screamed at 

and accused of writing bogus 

tickets, said the union president. 

Having a video recording of 

these encounters will be a game 

changer — it would create a record 

of any unscrupulous activity 

while the cameras itself could 

be a deterrent against motorists’ 

bad behavior, the union believes. 

“Right now, we have no proof 

of anything happening out in the 

street, and everybody is blaming 

our agents,” Rahim said. “If 

everything is recorded, we can 

prove who is at fault. It’s a very 

important issue for our members.” 

Local 1182 is taking a different 

approach to body-worn cameras 

than that of the Police Benevolent 

Association, the city’s largest 

police union, which initially 

feared the scrutiny the cameras 

would bring. 

When Mayor de Blasio’s administration 

first proposed cops 

wear body-worn cameras, the 

PBA opposed the move in court 

— but agreed in 2017 to drop the 

Backing the BLUE 

and your family too. 

Nationwide Group Health Insurance for 

First Responders, Police, Fire and Emergency by 

BlueCross BlueShield. 

www.FirstRespondersUS.com 

(800)236.4782 — Individuals 

(832)541.8842 — Groups 



lawsuits and have their members 

outfitted for cameras as they 

negotiated an 11% pay raise with 

the city. 

Attacks on traffic agents grew 

by 10% in 2022, when 43 city 

traffic agents were reported assaulted 

— up from the 39 reported 

assaulted in 2021, NYPD data 

shows. 

Another 18 traffic agents were 

harassed by motorists, and three 

were robbed of their equipment, 

including their electronic ticket 

books, the data shows. 

In July, a motorist ran down 

a traffic enforcement agent in 

Brooklyn with his Infinity luxury 

car after the agent gave the driver’s 

friend a ticket, police said. 

In November, also in Brooklyn, 

a man outraged about getting a 

ticket shoved a traffic agent to 

the ground and pummeled him, 

according to police. 

Union members say clashes 

like these happen every day. 

Many of these incidents go unreported, 

they say. 

“We’ve become first responders, 

and since we wear police 

uniforms, we’ve become force 

multipliers to help the NYPD at 

major events like parades. But 

the city has failed to treat us differently, 

falling back on the old 

job description.” 

An email to City Hall seeking 

comment was not immediately 

returned. 

KANSAS DEPUTY PULLS OVER 

MAN IN BUD LIGHT COSTUME 

DURING DUI TRAFFIC STOP. 

APB Team 

A sheriff’s deputy in Franklin 

yrs. 

County, Kansas, stumbled upon 

an unusual sight while conducting 

a traffic stop for suspected 

drunk driving. 

The May 12 incident, though 

serious in nature, took an unexpected 

twist when the deputy 

discovered that the driver was 

clad in a costume resembling a 

can of Bud Light. 

The local sheriff’s office, taken 

aback by the oddity of the situation, 

shared the bizarre tale on 

its Facebook page. 

“Deputies were surprised to 

see that the driver was wearing 

a beer can costume. Yes, you 

read that correctly,” the department 

wrote. 

The encounter unfolded as the 

driver traveled northbound on 

Interstate 35, southwest of the 

Kansas City metro area. 

A snapshot captured by the 

deputy’s dashboard camera displayed 

the unusual scene, featuring 

the law enforcement official 

alongside the beer-themed 

driver, their identities concealed. 

The Franklin County Sheriff’s 

Office, realizing the extraordinary 

nature of the incident, 

decided to share the image on 

social media, eliciting a wave 

of bemusement from the online 

community. 

Sheriff Jeff Richards, reflecting 

on the hilarity of incident, stated, 

“A career in law enforcement is 

exciting, and you get to experience 

something new every day. 

Sometimes you see things you 

can’t believe!” 

“Obviously it was significant 

enough that we thought it needed 

to be posted out on social 

media,” Richards continued. “We 

see strange things in our line of 

work, but that’s toward the top 

for sure.” 

Curiously enough, of all the 

beer-themed costumes one 

could choose from, fate had led 

this driver to choose one from a 

brand that had recently found itself 

embroiled in a controversial 

marketing campaign. 

Naturally, the department’s 

Facebook post became a breeding 

ground for humorous remarks, 

with witty comments 

pouring in. 

“Is it really under the influence 

if he IS the influencer?”, one person 

quipped. 

“Is that considered an open 

container?” another commenter 

joked. 

A few commenter’s even raised 

the question of whether the driver 

had attended a Cinco de Mayo 

celebration, though Richards 

indicated that this did not appear 

to be the case. 

The Franklin County Sheriff’s 

Office disclosed on Facebook 

that the driver had been arrested 

on suspicion of driving under 

the influence of alcohol and had 

been subsequently transported 

to the county jail. 

In line with the principle of 

“innocent until proven guilty,” 

police reminded the public that 

the driver remained a suspect 

until their case was resolved. As 

of this writing, the driver was no 

longer in custody. 

BMW Clocked at 176 

By Helena Wegner 

The Charlotte Observer 

WASHINGTON COUNTY, OR. — 

A 19-year-old driver in a BMW 

was clocked going 176 mph on an 

Oregon highway, authorities said. 

The driver was spotted by a 

deputy who was doing speed 

enforcement at about 12:32 a.m. 

Wednesday, May 17, on Interstate 

5, the Washington County Sheriff’s 

Office said in a news release. 

He was in a 2016 BMW M3 

going south on I-5 near Highway 

217, which is southwest of Portland. 

A deputy radioed another 

deputy to help stop the driver, 

authorities said. 

Once they reached the driver at 

an off-ramp, deputies said they 

“pinned (the car) in to prevent 

the driver from driving away.” 

The driver was arrested on a 

charge of reckless driving. He 

told authorities he had reached 

183 mph. 

https://youtu.be/_N4apmBypC0 

GEORGIA POLICE OFFICER 

SHOT IN FACE, SUSPECT DIES 

DURING GUN BATTLE AT HOTEL. 

COVINGTON, GA. – A Georgia 

police officer is stabilized after 

suffering a gunshot wound to 

the face Tuesday evening during 

a call of domestic violence at 

a hotel. The suspect involved in 

the shootout with police is dead, 

authorities said. 

The officer, who was not publicly 

identified, was shot near his 

eye and the bullet lodged in his 

jaw, law enforcement sources 

told FOX 5 Atlanta. 

The officer remains hospitalized 

undergoing critical care 

Wednesday morning, but is said 

to be in stable condition, according 

to the Covington Police 

Department. 

“We ask our community and 

our surrounding friends for your 

prayers and positive thoughts 

during this time for our friend 

and colleague, the family and 

our CPD family,” the department 

wrote on social media. 

The gun battle took place 

when officers were dispatched 

about 10:30 p.m. to the OYO Hotel 

on Alcovy Road in Covington regarding 

a call of domestic violence 

between a couple checked 

into one of the rooms, FOX5 

Atlanta reported. 

A female witness staying at the 

hotel said the couple had been 

“arguing all night” and refused 

to open to door for responding 

officers. 

Although someone eventually 

opened the door, the situation 

escalated, according to 

the woman. After the door was 

opened, she heard the officer repeatedly 

say, “Put the gun down,” 

prior to the exchange of gunfire. 

The officer went down after 

sustaining a gunshot wound to 

his face. As the gunman aimed 

the weapon at the downed officer, 

another officer returned fire, 

killing the suspect, the Georgia 

Bureau of Investigation said. 

GBI identified the deceased 

suspect as 23-year-old Treyvorius 

Stodghill, FOX News reported. 

No one else was injured during 

the gun battle. It was unclear if 

a survivor sustained injuries due 

to the domestic violence altercation. 

WASHINGTON STATE TO DE- 

CRIMINALIZE POSSESSION OF 

DRUGS 

The bill, which was voted 

down, 55–43, in April, would 

have kept criminal penalties in 

place for possession of drugs 

like fentanyl, while also incentivizing 

drug addiction treatment 

and offering access to rehab 

programs. 

Under the bill, possession 

would have been classed as a 

misdemeanor punishable by up 

to one year in jail and eliminated 

a requirement that police 

refer an individual to evaluation 

or treatment for their first two 

offenses. 

The bill also included funding 

for drug crisis centers and 

boosted access to withdrawal 

medication in jails and prisons. 

In response to the bill’s shutdown, 

Governor Jay Inslee called 

a special legislative session for 

May 16 to give legislators a sec- 



yrs. 

ond chance to approve it. 

“Cities and counties are eager 

to see a statewide policy that 

balances accountability and 

treatment, and I believe we can 

produce a bipartisan bill that 

does just that,” Inslee said. 

While a temporary law that 

makes possession of small 

amounts of drugs a misdemeanor 

is still in place, it is set to expire 

on July 1. Thus, if lawmakers 

fail to pass the new bill, Washington 

will become the second 

state after Oregon to decriminalize 

drug possession, which could 

undermine efforts to treat addiction 

as a public health issue. 

The goal was to craft a new 

bill to replace the temporary 

provision, but lawmakers have 

been ambivalent to the proposal. 

Washington state continues 

to grapple with rising overdose 

deaths due to fentanyl and other 

drugs over the past few years. 

According to a study conducted 

last year by QuoteWizard, the 

state ranked fifth in the nation 

with 2,500 overdose fatalities. 

ILL. SHERIFF’S OFFICE K-9 

KILLED IN SHOOTOUT FOLLOW- 

ING PURSUIT WITH SUSPECTED 

CARJACKER 

By Megan Jones 

The Beacon-News 

GENEVA, IL. — A man police 

believe was involved in a carjacking 

in Aurora was killed in a 

shootout with police in Geneva 

following a pursuit that began 

in South Elgin Wednesday afternoon, 

Kane County Sheriff Ron 

Hain said. 

Kane County Sheriff’s Office 

K-9 Hudson was also killed 

during the incident after he was 

deployed when police said they 

saw the man had a handgun. 

The man who was fatally shot 

allegedly carjacked a Honda 

Accord in Aurora around 1:57 

p.m., and sheriff’s deputies later 

spotted the vehicle using license 

plate readers in South Elgin, officials 

said. 

Hain said deputies tried to conduct 

a traffic stop but the car did 

not stop. Deputies then initiated 

a pursuit that led from the area 

of South Elgin and ended at Randall 

Road and Fabyan Parkway in 

Geneva, where the vehicle was 

stopped by sheriff’s deputies. 

At that point, the man exited 

the vehicle and “displayed a 

weapon toward deputies,” sheriff’s 

officials said. The police 

dog, Hudson, was deployed and 

became involved in “an active 

struggle” with the man, officials 

said. 

An exchange of gunfire then 

occurred, Hain said, during 

which the man and the K-9 were 

shot. 

The man was later pronounced 

dead at Northwestern Medicine 

Delnor Hospital in Geneva. Authorities 

have not yet released 

the man’s name or age. 

The police dog also died of its 

wounds. 

CRUISER STRUCK WHILE 

WORKING WRECK ON LA. 

INTERSTATE, SENDING 2 OFFI- 

CERS TO HOSPITAL. 

By Carol Robinson 

BIRMINGHAM, AL. — Three people 

– including two Birmingham 

police officers – were injured 

early Thursday in a crash on Interstate 

59. 

The two West Precinct police 

officers were sitting inside their 

patrol vehicle blocking traffic for 

a separate wreck when their SUV 

was struck by a Ford F-150. 

The crash happened about 4 

a.m. on I-59 southbound near the 

19th Street exit. 

Officer Truman Fitzgerald said 

Birmingham Fire and Rescue 

Service transported the driver of 

the pickup truck as well as both 

Admit it. We’ve all seen that flatbed sitting there wondering, what would happen? 

Well now you know. Definitely did not stick the landing. 

WARNING: Do attempt at home. Unprofessional, Inattentive drivers were used in the making of this video. 

This was not on a closed course. Viewing not safe for teenage drivers who might imitate. 

officers to the hospital. 

A female officer is in serious, 

but stable, condition. The male 

officer, as well as the F-150 driver, 

suffered non-life-threatening 

injuries. 

Fitzgerald said the circumstances 

surrounding the crash 

are accidental. However, he 

said, the department wants to 

remind motorists of Alabama’s 

Move-Over Act, a law passed in 

Alabama in 2009, designed to 

protect law enforcement officers, 

emergency responders, tow 

operators and highway maintenance 

personnel who are conducting 

business on Alabama’s 

roadways. 

Alabama’s “move-over” law 

requires motorists to move over 

and slow down when they encounter 

emergency responders 

stopped roadside with emergency 

signals activated. 

If a motorist sees a vehicle 

on the side of the road with its 

emergency lights flashing (red, 

blue and amber), the motorist is 

required to move out of the lane 

closest to the vehicle if possible. 

If not safe to move over, the 

driver should slow to a speed 

that is at least 15 miles per hour 

less than the posted speed limit 

unless otherwise directed by a 

law enforcement officer. 

HIGH HOUSING COSTS FORCE 

CALIF. OFFICERS WITH LONG 

COMMUTES TO SLEEP IN BAR- 

RACKS. 

By Sarah Roebuck, Police1 

SAN FRANCISCO, CA. — Teachers, 

nurses and other middle-income 

workers are increasingly 

being priced out of the area they 

serve. Many San Mateo police 

officers are finding themselves in 

the same situation, so some officers 

have found a way to catch 

up on sleep while avoiding crazy 

commutes. 

A few officers have started 

bunking in police barracks to 

catch up on sleep, the San Francisco 

Chronicle reports. An old 

fire station was converted into 

a police substation in acknowledgment 

that officers cannot 

afford to live in the area. In the 

three tiny rooms, there are 12 

bunk beds. The substation also 

includes a small kitchen with a 

stove, microwave and refrigerator. 

Before the converted substation 

was an option, officers slept 

at headquarters. 

Have a news story you’d like to 

share with The BLUES? 

Send it to: 

bluespdmag@gmail.com. 


Pearland Police Department Makes History 

The Future of Incident Response for All First Responders 

How it Began 

Drone as First Responder (DFR) program has 

become a transformational method of policing 

that has demonstrated the ability to increase 

officer and community safety and reduce overall 

police response times. DFR provides the ability 

to see what is occurring at an incident before 

emergency personnel arrive on scene. In 

addition to the overhead perspective that traditional 

air support has always provided, DFR allows 

a trained incident commander to “virtually” 

arrive on the scene first, sometimes minutes 

before officers are in harm’s way. 


Pearland Launches Drones as First Responders 

Becomes the nation’s first “fully beyond visual 

line of sight authorization” use of drones. 

The City of Pearland DFR program was 

built upon the Chula Vista, CA Police 

Department’s Drone as First Responder 

Program. This program focused on testing 

and evaluating civil and public drone 

operations integration into our national 

airspace system. In 2018, CVPD was 

granted the ability to partner with the 

FAA through their UAS Integration Pilot 

Program. From 2018 to May 2023, their 

DFR program responded to 15,000 calls 

for service. Of those calls for service, 

they have cleared a quarter of their calls 

with only the drone! 

Since Chula Vista pioneered the DFR 

program, approximately 15 more agencies 

have stood up similar programs. However, 

all of these DFR programs are required 

by the Federal Aviation Administration 

to be able to visually deconflict up to 2 

miles of airspace around the drone at all 

times with dedicated personnel. This creates 

costly personnel infrastructures and 

is a challenging proposition to maintain 

compliance. 


Challenges 

Pearland Police Department in Pearland, 

TX, started researching how to remove all 

personnel required to keep the visual line 

of sight of the operational environment in 

late 2021. We learned that to remove the 

visual line of sight requirement, we would 

need 1) A system that can scan the airspace 

for aircraft and 2) Both must operate 

the same or better than a human visual 

observer. 3) Deconfliction systems must 

notify in a manner that is easy for the pilot 

to understand and mitigate in the event of 

an incursion. 

First, we had to determine how effective a 

human is at not only locating an aircraft but 

also having the ability to know the aircraft’s 

altitude and heading. This is important because 

a pilot must accurately determine if 

a plane is at high risk for a midair collision. 

According to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical 

University’s study “Detecting and Assessing 

Collision Potential of Aircraft and Small 

Unmanned Air Unmanned Aircraft Systems 

by Visual Observers,” a human can reliably 

detect an aircraft on average 1.6 miles 

away. The study suggested that the visual 

observer’s capacity to accurately estimate 

collision distance is exceedingly poor. 

Next, Pearland researched what systems 

could scan the airspace and detect aircraft. 

Pearland found Iris Automation and 

their Casia G system through that research. 

Their system utilizes a 360-degree camera 

array that AI backs to catch manned and 

unmanned aircraft. The system also has 

an ADSB in the system to detect with transponders. 

The system has a max detection 

range of 1.8 miles and a 99% detection rate. 


Their design also can mesh networks to extend 

the detection to an unlimited range. 

Finally, Pearland worked with their piloting 

and situational awareness software, 

DRONESENSE, to integrate the detection 

systems to ensure compliance with the requirements 

set by the FAA. The detections 

located by the Casia G systems would populate 

visually on the remote operations map 

and sound off “Intruder.” 

The Future is Here 

In January 2022, Pearland submitted the 

initial request and safety case to the FAA 

for the nation’s first entirely beyond visual 

line of sight authorization. As expected, 

the FAA initially hesitated to authorize the 

request, mainly due to Pearland residing in 

a complex airspace environment. However, 

after many meetings and discussions, 

on March 10th, 2023, Pearland was granted 

the nation’s first fully beyond visual line of 

sight authorization! The FAA authorized the 

City of Pearland to launch their Drone as 

First Responder program and deploy drones 

across all 50sq miles of the city in Class B 

and Class G airspace. This unprecedented 

authorization is a massive step in revolutionizing 

how first responders approach 

critical incidents and calls for service. 

The Pearland program at total capacity 

will consist of 6 launch locations piloted 

from a central location at the Pearland 

Police Department. Utilizing DRONESENSE, 


a pilot not only controls the drone remotely 

but communicates with the units in the 

field, giving them information and tactical 

intelligence about what they are responding 

to and the behavior of the identified 

subject to be contacted. The system also 

streams the video feed to the cell phones 

or mobile computers of the first responders, 

supervisors, and command staff so they 

can see exactly what the drone is seeing 

before arriving on the scene. Widespread 

deployment of DFR Systems will transform 

how public safety agencies serve their 

communities, increasing safety, efficiency, 

and accountability. 

Finally, the traditional response to emergency 

events lies with on-scene personnel 

to determine whether more resources must 

be requested or disregarded. Due to the 

drone providing live feeds of the incident, 

resource allocation can be accurately determined 

while responding personnel are 

still en route. This will allow for officers 

to return to service before arrival if not 

needed or allow for the proper resources to 

be allocated to the incident to resolve the 

incident sooner. 

What’s Next? 

Replication! Pearland Police Department’s 

former UAS Integrations Coordinator, Brandon 

Karr, stressed to the FAA that this pathway 

needs to be streamlined and replicated. 

The FAA shared this belief and looks forward 

to working with future agencies to advance 

public safety UAS programs. Brandon 

currently works for DRONESENSE as their 

Drone as First Responder Solutions Engineer 

and Subject Matter Expert. He also works 

with agencies across the nation to recreate 

Pearland’s program. 

Pearland recently conducted a full-scale 

test of their program and was granted early 

access to the new DJI M30 docking station. 

Utilizing this system, they could remotely 

launch, operate, recover, and charge the 

M30 system, removing personnel associated 

with the operations. 


Unmanned Tactical Group 

Drone Training for First Responders, 

by First Responders 


Unmanned Tactical Unmanned GroupTactical Group 

History Of Unmanned Tactical Group (UTG) 

In 2017 Brandon Karr, Cofounder 

of Unmanned Tactical 

Group, formed the 

Pearland Police Department 

Drone Response Team in 

Pearland, TX. Brandon is the 

former Chief Pilot, UAS Integrations 

Coordinator, and 

night shift patrolman for 

the Pearland PD. Brandon’s 

interest in aviation began 

in 2006 when he earned his 

Commercial and Certified 

Flight Instructor licenses 

for manned fixed wing single-engine, 

multi-engine, 

and instrument ratings. He 

used his aviation knowledge 

and experience to start 

Pearland’s UAS program 

and since has assisted other 

agencies start or develop 

their own programs across 

the nation. He has developed 

Pearland PD’s UAS 

program to be integrated 

into Patrol, K9, SWAT, Crash 

Reconstruction, and Crime 

Scene functions. 

Over the years, Pearland’s 

Drone Response Team has 

responded to multiple major 

incidents across the State 

of Texas. Through these responses, 

there were many lessons 

learned about how to respond 

and integrate the major 

incidents. To better prepare 

and train for events, Pearland 

searched for outside training 

consultants. However, one of 

the greatest complaints we 

had, was the lack of options 

for not just training, but also 

training from first responders 

doing work in the field. 

In 2021 Brandon founded 

the Unmanned Tactical 

Group (UTG). UTG is a training 

and consulting company 

that provides state-of-theart 

training, expertise, and 

resources to public safety 

and governmental agencies. 

Our mission is to equip today’s 

first responders with the 

much-needed training and 

tactics necessary to save lives, 

protect the public, and to protect 

each other. UTG’s motto 

is “For First Responders, By 

First Responders.” The volume 

of experience and depth 

of knowledge found at UTG is 

comparable to none. 

Scenario Driven Courses 



Classroom Training Sessions 

What sets UTG apart from everyone else? 

Brandon was fortunate 

enough to be a guest 

speaker, panelist, and moderator 

at conferences all 

over the world. Through 

those events, he was able 

to meet other experts who 

also had the drive to spread 

lessons learned and best 

practices to any agency in 

need. We believe that the 

only way to bring change 

to the level and quality of 

training in their industry, 

is from within. As Public 

Safety professionals, 

we strive to provide up to 

date courses based on real 

world experience. All our 

instructors are considered 

the best experts in their 

regions. There are many 

ways an agency can learn 

the basic theory. However, 

our instructors explain 

how to use the basic theory 

and how it can be used in 

real-world events through 

their real-world experience. 

Their real-world experience 

is what sets UTG apart from 

all other competitors. 



Courses offered at UTG 

What UTG Offers 

Our courses are developed 

on the foundations set 

by Law Enforcement Drone 

Association’s Basic Pilot 

Proficiencies. Our courses 

then build on those foundations 

by recreating real 

world scenarios based on 

real world incidents. What 

is great about UTG is we 

will come to your agency 

and teach any course that 

you believe would benefit 

your agency or the region. 

We also can custom tailor 

a course for your agency 

to ensure you are best 

equipped to move forward. 

Finally, we are first responders 

first. We will always 

help in any way we can. 

UTG also has built partnerships 

with multiple drone 

distributors and online 

course providers such as 

Pilot Institute. These partnerships 

are used to better 

serve your agency for any 

needs you may have. If your 

agency is interested in hosting 

courses, don’t hesitate 

to subscribe and reach out 

at UnmannedTacticalGroup. 

com. 

Legal Concerns for UAS Operations 

This course is designed to familiarize the participant with applicable 

Federal and State regulations and case laws regarding small unmanned 

aircraft system (sUAS) utilization. This course will prepare 

the participant for determining when an operation can be conducted 

with or without a warrant. 1 Day Course. Min Class Size 7 students. 

Part 107 Ground School 

The Part 107 Ground School course is designed to prepare the participant 

to successfully pass the FAA Part 107 Unmanned Aircraft General 

test. This course will discuss the following: Federal Regulations 

including new regulations Basic Aerodynamic Principles National 

Airspace System Aeronautical Charts Basic Weather Theory Airport 

Operations Aeronautical Decision Making Process. 3 Day Course 

designed to assist agencies in getting their pilots FAA remote pilot 

certifications. Min Class size 7 students. 

Aerial Crash/Crime Scene Reconstruction 

The UAS Crash/Crime Scene Mapping Course will provide the participant 

how to properly create flight plans, capture data sets, and create 

products in the photogrammetry platform of the agency’s choice. 

This hands-on course will also prepare the participants to use the 

final products created in the class to be integrated with other 3rd 

party programs. Designed for traffic accident reconstruction teams. 

Min class size 7 students. 

Tactical UAS Operations 

This course is designed for the intermediate to advanced pilot. The 

student will learn how to fly more advanced missions such as GPS 

denied environments, tactical interior operations for SWAT, overwatch, 

high speed vehicle takedown, BVLOS flights, payload delivery, 

and tactical flight practices for subject search. 2- Day Class. Min 

Class Size 7 students. 

Disaster Response 

The UAS Disaster Response course will provide best practices for 

responding to disasters or major incidents. Topics of discussion include: 

Preparation Response Coordination ICS Integration Product 

Development. Min Class Size 7 Students. 

First Responder UAS Operations 

First Responder UAS Operations course is designed to prepare the 

participant to effectively conduct first responder operations during 

day and night operations. Topics of discussion will include Proper 

strategy and tactics for effective searches Selecting the proper 

search pattern and techniques Day and Night search operations 

Effective Thermal sensor use for SAR K9/UAS Search 3- Day Class 

Min class size 7 students. 

Counter UAS For Public Safety 

Designed for agencies that are responsible for site protection at 

large scale events, sensitive facilities, and illegal drone related 

incursions. The students will learn current FAA laws and regulations 

and how the FAA enforces those rules. Provides emergency 

personnel with the knowledge and skills necessary to detect, 

identify, track, assess, respond, and report Unmanned Aircraft 

Systems (UAS) activity. Participants are presented with information 

on the current UAS criminal and terrorist threat, analog and 

electronic UAS detection techniques. This course includes performance-based 

field demonstrations and exercises where participants 

are presented with varying UAS types, their capabilities, and 

simulated UAS threats. 2 Day Class. Min Class Size 7 students. 

UAS Public Safety Supervisor 

The UAS Public Safety Operations Supervisor course is designed 

for those in the supervisory and command role. This course will 

help guide supervisors to effectively know how and when to deploy 

UAS on your scene. It will help build a foundation through 

training and teach supervisors the capabilities and limitations of 

these systems. 3- Day Class. Min Class Size 7 students. 


DRONES 

The Best Drones for Police UAS Programs 

REVIEWS 

Drones For Tactical Use 

1) DJI Avata with Fire House Tech lights 

2) DJI Mini with FHT lights 

3) Aardvark Loki 2 

Drones for Rapid Deployment: 

1) DJI Mavic 3T 

2) DJI Matrice M30T 

Drones for Use in Severe Weather 

1) The Sky Mantis by Evolve Dynamics 


Tactical Use 

DJI Avata 

with Fire House Tech lights 

Recently we saw the release of DJI’s Avata, the 

latest drone in their FPV (First Person View) lineup 

that has sparked a lot of conversation online. It 

packs some of the company’s more mature technologies 

into a brand-new airframe along with a 

couple of new features. But is the Avata even relevant 

to the public safety community, or is it best left 

to enthusiasts? This review will cover some of its 

unique features and discuss their potential application 

in these operations. 

FPVS IN PUBLIC SAFETY 

While FPV drones have been known for their 

stunts, they are no longer limited to diving over 

waterfalls or flying through courses. FPVs, specifically 

Cinewhoops, are now finding a place in public 

safety UAS programs. Their small size makes it easy 

for pilots to fly through open doors and tight spaces. 

Prop guards and a durable frame also allow it to 

survive repeated crashes. Finally, parts are easy to 

replace. 

It’s for these reasons that FPVs have become the 

platform of choice for indoor operations — clearing 

rooms ahead of an entry by personnel. One police 

department in California recognized the tactical 

advantage provided and has successfully integrated 

FPVs into its operations. 

However, unlike larger, more popular drones, FPVs 

are rudimentary in their design. Most require some 

technical knowledge to assemble or modify. And 

while this class of drones offers users configuration 

flexibility, they are not very accessible to beginners. 

DJI’s Avata FPV drone addresses this very issue. 

Announced last week, the Avata represents DJI’s 

effort to bring its expertise into the world of FPVs, 

specifically with features designed to open the door 

for newcomers. 

AVATA OVERVIEW 

Designed in the style of Cinewhoop — a small FPV 

equipped with prop ducts — the Avata is ready to 

fly right out of the box, much like DJI’s other aircraft. 

The graphic below highlights some important 

specifications. 

THE LEARNING CURVE 

FPVs, including Cinewhoops, are notoriously difficult 

to fly. They require precise inputs and are largely 

unforgiving towards erratic movement. Furthermore, 

they don’t automatically hover or hold their position 

like many other drones, two features that ease new 

pilots into flying. 

The Avata changes all of this. With the help of 

software, this drone offers three flight modes: Normal, 

Sport, and Manual. Normal and Sport modes 

allow the pilot to fly the Avata much like a Mavic. 

Manual mode unlocks the full performance capabilities 

of the drone, including aerobatics. This means 

pilots with different levels of experience can all fly 

the aircraft. For departments, this means they don’t 

need dedicated FPV pilots to use the drone — anyone 

on the UAS team could fly it. As pilots become 

more comfortable with the Avata, they can progress 

through the modes at their own pace. 

THE MOTION 

DJI is offering a bundle that includes their Motion 

Controller, a joystick that translates hand movements 

into flight inputs for the drone. Simply tilt the 

controller in the direction you want to fly, squeezing 

the trigger to control speed. 

The goggles supplement this by allowing pilots 

to turn the aircraft in the direction they are looking. 

Turn your head to the right, and the Avata yaws to 

the right. This innovative control interface makes it 

intuitive to explore your environment. 

SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND 

The Avata is incredibly durable, with several videos 

online to prove it. However, the commercial nature 

of the Avata means that it’s more difficult to repair. It 

won’t be easy to replace a snapped strut or replace 

a camera. Cinewhoops are much better in this regard. 

If you plan on purchasing the Avata, it would be 

advisable to add DJI Care to the aircraft. This guarantees 

coverage for damage incurred during an oper- 

ation, but also means you need to send the drone in 

for repairs. 

THE VERDICT 

Cinewhoop-style drones are proving their worth 

in a variety of public safety applications. As mentioned 

earlier, these aircraft are optimal platforms 

for clearing rooms or inspecting confined areas like 

tunnels, vents, and crawlspaces. 

Some departments have resorted to using smaller 

drones like the Mini 2 or Parrot ANAFI for the same 

purpose. While both are capable, the reality is that 

these aircraft are not optimized to fly indoors; operators 

may find themselves limited by the size of these 

aircraft. Therefore, we believe the DJI Avata is an 

excellent drone for this mission set. 

CONCLUSION 

Departments would do well to choose the DJI 

Avata FPV drone as it’s small, responsive, and easy 

to use. The features we mentioned are not gimmicks 

SPECS 

Flight Time: 18 minutes is significantly better 

than the mediocre 4-5 minute flight time of conventional 

Cinewhoop FPVs. 

Transmission Strength: DJI’s O3+ transmission 

system not only increases the range but also 

offers greater signal strength. No more random 

signal dropouts in buildings. 

Field-of-View: A 155° field-of-view allows 

a pilot to monitor their periphery despite being 

close to their subject. 

DJI Avata speed: 8 m/s (17.9 mph) in Normal 

Mode; 14 m/s (31.3 mph) in Sport Mode; 27 m/s 

(60.4 mph) in Manual Mode. 


Tactical Use 

DJI Mini 

with Fire House Tech lights 

The release of the Mini 2 (sans ‘Mavic’ branding) 

brought near feature parity with the higher-end models 

and a substantially better camera, but the image 

quality was still not quite up to the standards of pixel 

peepers. Now DJI is pushing beyond normal iterative 

upgrades with its latest model, the DJI Mini 3 Pro, pairing 

the tiny frame with a much more powerful camera 

and a new gimbal that rotates 90 degrees for vertical 

video. 

The DJI Mini 3 Pro combines the latest evolution of 

DJI’s ultra-lightweight Mini family with a really good 

camera that normally belongs on a heavier drone. It 

earns the ‘Pro’ name with a high-quality image and 

plenty of powerful features. And for the first time ever, 

DJI is allowing customers to choose between two controller 

models. 

DESIGN, HARDWARE, WHAT’S IN THE BOX 

The Mini 3 Pro looks exactly like a shrunken version 

of almost any other current consumer drone from DJI, 

excluding the FPV. It shares the same color scheme, 

with an off-white body and dark gray propellers. The 

familiar folding arms are there, but unlike most previous 

models, you don’t have to unfold them in a specific 

order. However, one thing common to the Mini family 

is the lack of spring-loaded mounts for the propellers. 

If they have to be replaced, you’ll have to use a 

screwdriver to remove a pair of screws on each set of 

propellers. Of course, this won’t be an issue if you can 

avoid hitting any trees or buildings. 

When the arms are folded, the Mini 3 Pro has about 

the footprint of a large smartphone (say a Pixel 6 Pro) 

and stands only about 2.5 inches high. It’s small enough 

to possibly fit into the loose pockets of a jacket or cargo 

shorts. In fact, the controller is a bit larger and more 

cumbersome than the drone itself. 

DJI offers a choice between two controllers at the 

time of purchase. There is the classic “RC-N1” model 

that has been included with every standard DJI drone 

released since the Air 2 came out in mid-2020. There’s 

a spring clamp on top for locking in a smartphone, 

and a USB-C port with cables included for attaching to 

phones with USB-C or Lightning ports. 

Alternatively, there’s a brand new option called the 

DJI RC, which includes a built-in display and is powered 

by a custom-built version of Android to run DJI’s flight 

software. It’s nearly identical to the DJI RC Pro controller 

released with last year’s highest-end model of the 

Mavic 3 Cine. It’s faster and more convenient to set up 

and connect than the old controller, and the software 

experience feels better optimized since it’s focused 

solely on flights. 

FLIGHT PERFORMANCE AND STABILITY 

The Mini 3 Pro design is slightly more optimized for 

forward motion than its predecessor, but it generally 

flies like any recent Mavic drone. All of the drones 

in this family are very easy and pretty safe to fly, so 

there’s not much to it. 

Moderate to high wind will push it around, as you’d 

expect with any drone. However, the lightweight body 

of the Mini 3 does make it a little more susceptible 

to big gusts. The built-in gimbal can compensate for 

any shake the wind introduces, but you may want a 

heavier drone if you need to hover perfectly in place. 

Suppose winds pick up after you’ve already taken off. In 

that case, the redesigned body and stronger motors on 

the Mini 3 seem to make it more capable of flying into 

headwinds compared to the previous Mini models. 

One thing I found myself missing from the larger 

models is more substantial obstacle avoidance. The 

Mini 3 Pro has sensors for detecting obstructions to the 

front, bottom, and rear, the latter of which I didn’t find 

to be entirely reliable. These sensors have a decently 

wide peripheral view. However, there’s still a relatively 

large blind spot on the sides that won’t protect you, especially 

since most of them are disabled in intelligent 

flight modes, including lateral movement. 

BATTERY LIFE 

Flight times always stretch a little further with every 

generation, and that trend continues as the Mini 3 Pro 

climbs to 34 minutes in the air compared to the 31 minutes 

of the Mini 2. An extra three minutes may not seem 

like much, but once you factor in takeoff, landing, and 

time to frame a shot, that extra 10% is more like 15% or 

20% additional time actually shooting. 

For anybody that needs even more duration, DJI 

is also selling a ‘Flight Battery Plus’ that can last a 

whopping 47 minutes. However, this battery weighs 

more than the standard model, meaning the combined 

weight crosses the 250g threshold that allowed the 

drone to avoid registration. 

During my time with the Mini 3 Pro using the standard 

battery, I could get up to about 27 minutes of usable 

flight while recording 4K video before I needed to bring 

it back in. After that, it takes about an hour to charge 

back to full. The ‘Plus’ battery wasn’t available to try 

out at the time of review. 

CAMERA AND GIMBAL 

For most of DJI’s history, the quality of the cameras 

scaled with the size of the drones. The larger the drone, 

the better the camera mounted on it. Internet commenters 

have argued for years that there’s no reason 

DJI can’t slap one of its better cameras onto one of its 

smallest bodies; and it took about a decade, but DJI 

proved the commenters right. As it turns out, that’s a 

win-win for everybody. 

The upgraded camera system is responsible for the 

‘Pro’ nomenclature. Without it, this would be a fairly 

incremental upgrade. The Mini 3 Pro comes equipped 

with a 1/1.3-inch sensor, which is a massive step up 

from the 1/2.3-inch sensor of the Mini 2. Not only is 

it growing beyond its predecessor, but this sensor is 

larger than the 1/2-inch sensor found in the larger Air 2 

drone. Of course, it still doesn’t rival the 1-inch sensor 

of the Air 2S — which was basically a pro variant of the 

Air 2. Frankly, it’s not even fair to match the Mini 3 Pro 

against the Mini 2 since it has more in common with 

the Air 2 and 2S. 

Several other camera stats were improved, as well. 

The Mini 3 Pro can record 4K@60fps and 1080p@120fps, 

which is now standard on all current DJI drones, but 

up from the 30fps and 60fps (respectively) of the Mini 

2 and a couple of other models from the previous 

generation. Likewise, the maximum video bitrate is up 

to 150Mbps, resulting in no discernible compression 

effects, and it adds support for natively encoding H.265 

if you want to keep file sizes down. 

SPECS 

Brand: DJI 

Camera: 48MP (effective) 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor 

Speed: 16 m/s (36mph) 

Weight:

Tactical Use 

AARDVARK LOKI 2 

When most people think about Small Unmanned 

Aircraft Systems (sUAS) in the context of law enforcement, 

dystopian images are likely what come to mind. 

The influence of popular media has played its part 

in this, such as when movies or television programs 

feature quadcopters that conduct unwarranted surveillance 

and chase down protagonists with lethal weapons. 

Recently, the quadcopter appeared in the Amazon 

series, The Terminal List, when a soldier deploys a 

sUAS known as the LOKI Mk2 to track down a character 

played by Chris Pratt. While it’s cool to see the LOKI 

Mk2 take to the skies in the series, its actual use cases 

are lower to the ground and more interesting than any 

Hollywood script. 

The real LOKI Mk2 from Sky-Hero is designed less for 

the skies, and functions instead as the eyes and ears in 

close-quartered indoor spaces for tactical teams in law 

enforcement and the military. Videos on social media 

of the LOKI will show footage of it sneaking through 

tight crawl spaces and under tables. 

The LOKI Mk2 is an essential need within many SWAT 

and tactical teams because breaching a building comes 

with a high risk for everyone involved when not much 

is known about the suspect inside. The LOKI Mk2 can 

greatly reduce this risk by entering buildings in place of 

the officers. 

Features of the LOKI Mk2—such as the ability to deliver 

communications devices for negotiations, locate 

hazards, and view the layout of the building—can help 

officers gain further information if they are required 

to enter the building. With fully shielded rotors and a 

rugged construction, the LOKI Mk2 can also be crashed 

without worry. 

“You can bounce it off walls and ceilings, fly it into 

attics, crawl spaces, under duct work—you can even 

fly it under furniture,” Aardvark Tactical CEO Jon Becker 

told Police magazine [Aardvark is the exclusive distributor 

of LOKI Mk2 in North America]. “Indoor tactical 

flight is a full-contact sport and often bouncing Loki 

off of the walls and floor is required to reach the objective.” 

The LOKI also requires no operator training for use. 

Its rugged, user-repairable cloverleaf body means it 

can take a beating and keep on ticking. It’s even able to 

self-right in the event of a crash. Most importantly, it’s 

mission capable in seconds. It can transition seamlessly 

from light to complete darkness with its forward-facing 

.0008 lux day/night camera. 

“The best thing about LOKI Mk2 is it just works,” a 

tactical drone team leader said. “In any environment or 

any circumstance, LOKI can get our team the information 

we need. It can be up and flying in seconds, and it 

can fly anywhere.” 

Recognized with an Innovation Award at Milipol Paris 

2021, the LOKI Mk2 is the first drone of its kind to be 

purpose-built for the unique function it performs—to 

serve special tactics teams in a highly secure way. 

The overarching purpose of the LOKI Mk2 is to make 

operations for tactical teams safer and more efficient. 

It was designed for total and virtually effortless integration 

within special tactics, law enforcement, and 

military units. 

LOKI Mk2 was developed in NATO and NATO-allied 

countries in conjunction with several of the world’s top 

counter terrorism units. It is a rugged sUAS that can 

operate in a completely denied environment without 

internet service, GPS, phone or tablet connection, or 

cellular service. 

What makes the LOKI even more unique is its seamless 

relay. The drone is operated via a highly efficient 

Ground Control System (GCS)—an entirely analog 

controller that has no lagging or freezing issues, preventing 

crashes and ensuring real-time intelligence. A 

single GCS can operate multiple LOKIs, allowing one 

pilot to gather intelligence on several areas at once. At 

the same time, other operators can follow the mission 

through the GCS or a unique Wrist Viewer Gauntlet. 

“We’re very excited about the capability that Loki Mk2 

can bring to our operators,” said Becker. “Although consumer 

sUAS systems certainly bring enhanced capability, 

there is nothing on the market that is purpose-built 

for tactical operations like LOKI. This system allows a 

pilot to put a camera anywhere, which prevents having 

to put an operator in harm’s way. I’m convinced this 

system will save countless lives.” And it has. 

Since its entrance into the market in 2020, the LOKI 

Mk2 has been integrated into more than 1,000 teams 

across six continents, 47 U.S. states, and all ten Canadian 

provinces. This includes some of the top counter-terrorism 

units in the world. 

However, the LOKI Mk2 went through years of technical 

refining at Sky-Hero to get to where it is today. Mk2 

is the second generation of the widely used LOKI Mk1— 

which was the first sUAS specifically built for indoor 

tactical use. But the Mk1 couldn’t be operated by just 

anyone—it required an expert drone operator for flight. 

Additionally, it didn’t have the stabilization capability 

of its successor. The Mk2 features plenty of upgrades, 

but one of the most significant is its easy deployment 

and operation. For Sky-Hero, Becker, and AARDVARK, 

another significant improvement came in the form of a 

tactical robotics suite. 

The LOKI Mk2 also boasts a range of gear built specifically 

for its housing and deployment. In collaboration 

with PROJECT7 ARMOR, another brainchild of Becker’s, 

Sky-Hero’s LOKI Mk2 can be carried hands-free in 

the ILB-LOKI backpack, which houses and provides an 

operating platform for up to two LOKIs. In addition, the 

PROJECT7 LOKI Vest Integration System (LVIS) is a practical 

solution for housing the GCS because it mounts 

directly to armor systems via MOLLE/PALS, providing 

protection and concealment to the GCS. 

In addition to easy deployment—and by easy, we 

mean it can literally be thrown into the air—the LOKI 

Mk2 can operate in “happy dog mode,” which allows 

an operator to fly the drone into a room, turn it over, 

and switch on its IR lights for night vision. 

Ultimately, the LOKI Mk2 has a lot of cool features, 

but its significance lies in its ability to “go first.” 

The LOKI Mk2 can be sent into buildings, rooms, or 

SPECS 

Average Speed: 10m/s 20kt 

Flight Endurance: 15min 

Sentry Endurance: 200min 

Range Line of Sight: 1,6km I 1mi 

Range No Line of Sight: 150m I 164yd 

Weight w/o Battery: 380gr I 0,83 lb 

Payload Max Weight: 150gr I 0,33 lb 

Ops Temperature: -20°C to 50°C I -4°F to 122°F 

C&C Encryption: AES-256 

Frequencies: 868/915 MHz A/V: 5.8 GHz 

Power Supply: LiPo3S 2400mAh Replaceable |

RAPID DEPLOYMENT 

DJI MAVIC 3T 

Drone technology is revolutionizing the way law 

enforcement agencies carry out their operations. 

The latest advancement, the DJI Mavic 3 drone, is 

streamlining the way agencies receive real-time 

video feeds. This technology is optimizing the 

speed and efficiency of law enforcement operations. 

The DJI Mavic 3 drone is equipped with a powerful 

camera and a number of sensors that provide 

a high-resolution, real-time video feed. This 

allows law enforcement to monitor the situation 

from a bird’s-eye view and respond quickly to 

any changes. The drone can also be used to track 

suspects or investigate a crime scene from a distance. 

The DJI Mavic 3 also features obstacle avoidance 

technology, which helps to avoid collisions and 

maintain a safe distance from buildings and other 

obstacles. This helps to ensure that law enforcement 

can safely monitor the situation without 

putting themselves in harm’s way. 

The all-new DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise Series redefines 

industry standards for small commercial-grade 

drones and the Mavic 3T (Thermal) 

brings high resolution thermal and visible imaging 

together in a turn-key, affordable and compact 

package. Newly released in the Fall of 2022, 

the Mavic 3T provides an extremely high level of 

performance at a fraction of the price of previous 

thermal drone options. The Mavic 3T offers extremely 

long flight times of up to 45 minutes and 

transmission distance of up to 9 miles making it 

an extremely capable platform for any required 

operation. This unit is ideal for law enforcement, 

firefighting, industrial inspection, search and 

rescue, and feral hog or predator control applications. 

The Mavic 3T features a wide-angle camera, as 

well as a zoom camera with 8x optical and 56x 

digital zoom. The thermal camera features a 640 

x 512, 12 micron uncooled VOx microbolometer 

with up to 28x digital zoom, a wide field of view, 

and offers multiple color pallets. The wide-angle 

visual camera operates with an intelligent lowlight 

mode for significantly improved performance 

in low-light conditions while operating the visual 

camera. These imaging arrays can operate independently 

or can run simultaneously in a split 

screen viewing mode viewing mode. Additionally, 

the thermal sensor has radiometric capabilities 

and can operate in spot meter and area measurement 

modes. 

The Mavic 3T comes in a complete package to 

include the DJI RC PRO Enterprise Smart Controller 

(an $1199.00 value), Intelligent Flight Battery 

(1), charging cables, 100w dual USB-C charging 

adapter, propellers (1 spare set), instruction manual, 

and waterproof hardcase. The case has slots 

to accommodate up to 6 total batteries, and other 

accessories. 

SPECS 

Base Take-off Weight: 920g 

Max Take-off Weight: 1.05kg 

Dimensions: 

Folded (without propellers): 221×96.3×90.3mm (L×W×H) 

Unfolded (without propellers): 347.5×283×107.7mm(L×W×H) 

Camera & Payloads: 

Wide camera, Tele Camera, Thermal Camera, Laser 

Rangefinder, FPV Camera 

Max Flight Time: 41 minutes 

Battery: Mavic 3 IFB (BWX260-5000-15.4) Removable 

- Yes 

Operating Temperature: -10° to 40° C 

Max Flight Speed: 15 m/s 21 m/s in sport mode 

Max Wind Speed Resistance: 12 m/s 

Max Transmission Distance: 15km 

Supported Remote Controllers: DJI RC Pro Enterprise 

Sensing System: Forward, Upward, Downward (w/ 

infrared), Backward, Sideward, Using visual cameras 

Accessories: RTK Module, Speaker Module1 Year Warranty 


RAPID DEPLOYMENT 

DJI MATRICE M30T 

vs 

DJI MATRICE M30T 

DJI MATRICE M300 RTK 

The following is an In-depth comparison between 

the DJI M30 Series, and the M300 RTK, 

including flight time, IP rating, safety features, 

controllers and design. Find out which DJI Enterprise 

drone platform is best for your operations. 

• In-depth comparison between the DJI M30 Series, 

and the M300 RTK. 

• M30 is a hybrid of the M300 RTK and M2EA: 

Combining M300 RTK’s performance with the 

M2EA’s portability; 

• M30 is DJI’s most weatherproof drone to date 

with an IP55 rating. The M300 RTK has an IP45 

rating. 

• M300 RTK is still DJI’s most versatile platform, 

and has the edge over the M30 for high-precision 

aerial surveying and LiDAR; 

• Use the new flagship RC Plus controller with the 

M30. Compatibility with the M300 RTK will come 

later; 

• M30 and M300 RTK can be used with the new 

FlightHub 2 flight and fleet management platform; 

• DJI Dock brings a drone in a box solution with 

the M30. 

“It looks like the M300 RTK and the Mavic 2 Enterprise 

Advanced had a baby.” This was the way 

Toby Knisely, Content Manager for DJI Enterprise, 

described the M30 Series at its official unveiling. 

It is a fitting analogy. Indeed, DJI’s latest enterprise 

solution is an innovative blend of the two: 

Combining flagship level specs and performance 

(akin to the M300) in a more lightweight and 

transportable airframe (similar to the M2EA). 

With this in mind, how does the M30 Series compare 

to the M300 RTK . 

This table provides a quick at-a-glance overview 

of the key specifications for the M30, and the M300 

RTK. 

As these images show, the M30 is very much a 

hybrid of these other two solutions: More closely 

aligned to the M300 RTK, but taking some inspiration 

from the Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced. 

In appearance, the M30 has a similar body to 

the M300 RTK and even uses the M300 RTK’s H20 

payload series as its inspiration for its integrated 

camera - albeit the payload is smaller (but no less 

powerful) on the M30. 

Crucially, though, the M30 is significantly lighter 

and smaller than the M300 RTK. Small enough to 

fit into a backpack - something not possible with 

the M300 RTK - the M30 is the perfect balance of 

portability and power. 

On top of this, the M30’s foldable arms have a 

quick-lock mechanism to minimize setup time - 

and an on-board computer only allows take-off 

when the arms, and payloads, are locked in place. 

And, unlike the M300, there is no landing gear, 

further boosting rapid deployment. 

At the other side of the scale, the M300 RTK is 

a far more substantial aircraft. It can still be deployed 

in less than two minutes, but it lacks the 

highly-portable nature of the other two. 

That said, its size enables it to carry a substantial 

amount of weight - with a maximum takeoff 

weight of 9kg - and can integrate up to three 

DJI MATRICE M300 RTK 


payloads at a time. 

Payloads will be discussed in more detail later 

in the article, but in terms of their design, the M30 

Series, and the M300 RTK have different configurations. 

The M30 Series has a fixed, multi-sensor camera. 

It can also carry a third-party payload via its top 

port. 

It is a similar story with the Mavic 2 Enterprise 

Advanced: With a fixed dual-sensor camera, as 

well as the ability to fly with an extra accessory on 

top - such as a speaker, spotlight, beacon or RTK 

Module. 

In contrast, the M300 RTK has no fixed payload: 

Rather, it can be integrated with a vast library of 

cameras and sensors - including LiDAR and photogrammetry 

- as well as other accessories, such as 

spotlights and loudspeakers. 

As mentioned previously, the M300 RTK can carry 

up to three payloads at once, utilizing these configurations: 

Single downward gimbal; Dual downward 

gimbals; Single upward gimbal; Upward and 

downward gimbals; Triple gimbals. 

M30 Series vs M300 RTK How Waterproof? 

A weather-proof drone can be an essential 

requirement for operators, especially for public 

safety personnel who can’t be restrained by the 

weather when an emergency calls. 

The M30 delivers by becoming DJI’s most weatherproof 

aircraft to date - boasting an impressive 

IP55 rating. 

IP ratings are represented by two-digit numbers 

that define the degree of protection against solids 

(first digit) and liquids (second digit). 

Therefore, an IP55 rating means that the M30 is 

protected against dust (limited ingress of dust 

permitted, not harmful) and against low pressure 

jets of water from any angle. 

While this is not a complete waterproofing, 

it does mean that the drone can operate in 

wet-weather environments. 

To complement this, the M30’s RC Plus is DJI’s 

first weatherproof remote controller, with an IP54 

rating. In comparison, the M300 RTK has an IP45 

rating - giving it the same performance specs 

during wet weather, but its strength against solids 

is slightly less, making it protected against a 

solid object greater than 1mm, such as screws and 

wires. 

Both the M30 Series and M300 RTK are also 

more rugged in their ability to handle extreme 

temperatures and wind speeds, compared to the 

Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced. 

Cameras And Payloads 

Both drones have powerful cameras, but offer 

different levels of versatility. 

The M30 Series has a fixed camera set up, but 

these integrated payloads are packed with extra 

features and additional capabilities: The M30 

comes with a wide angle, zoom and laser rangefinder, 

while the M30T features all of this, plus a 

thermal sensor. 

Highlights include a 48 MP zoom camera (including 

200x hybrid zoom) and a 12 MP wide camera 

- both able to shoot 4K 30fps video - while 

the thermal sensor has the same key specs as the 

Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced, including that 640 x 

512 resolution. 

In fact, the payloads on the M30/M30T take inspiration 

from the extremely powerful and interchangeable 

H20/H20T payloads for the M300 RTK. 

This includes an improved FPV camera that offers 

enhanced details in low light conditions, that 

allows pilots to pick out the horizon during night 

flights. However, the M300 RTK is a far more versatile 

drone than the M30 Series. 

It is true that the M30 Series has full PSDK integration 

and will support a growing library of 

third-party payloads, including spotlights, loudspeakers, 

edge computing, parachutes, gas detectors, 

and more. They attach to the drone via the top 

payload port. However, it is early days and there 

are not many of these solutions on the market, yet. 

But the M300 RTK is a true Swiss Army knife, able 

to integrate a huge swathe of payloads, and carry 

up to three at once. 

And the recent release of the H20N night vision 

camera shows that DJI is still very committed to 

the M300 RTK. 

The M300 RTK can also carry a range of surveying 

payloads, such as the DJI Zernmuse P1 photogrammetry 

camera and L1 LiDAR sensor as well as 

third-party mapping payloads, like the GeoSLAM 

ZEB Horizon. This makes the M300 RTK a highly-powerful 

surveying solution. 

M30 Series vs M300 RTK: Controller And 

Transmission Distance 

The M30, and M300 RTK utilize different controllers, 

each with their own capabilities. 

The new flagship RC Plus is designed for the 

M30, although it is expected to be made compatible 

with the M300 RTK at a later date. 

For the time being, M300 RTK operators will continue 

to use the Smart Controller Enterprise, while 

the DJI Smart Controller is the device for the Mavic 

2 Enterprise Advanced. DJI has not said anything 

about the Mavic 2 Series being made compatible 

with the RC Plus. 

With the RC Plus being DJI’s latest enterprise 

controller, it does have some distinct advantages 

over the other two: It has a larger and brighter 

screen, has longer runtime - thanks to the ability 

to hot-swap batteries or be charged during 

use via its top 65W USB-C port - and has an IP54 

weather-proofing - making it DJI’s first weatherproof 

remote controller. 

The RC plus also has additional physical buttons 

that give easy access to key functionality - 


without having to tap on a screen or let go of the 

sticks. 

Meanwhile its quad-antenna design ensures 

long-range stable connection, as well as two features 

which further optimize connectivity: 

1. Remove the top two antennas. This gives teams 

the ability to attach their own solutions to enable 

greater range and video feed clarity when interference 

is disruptive. 

2. The second is the option to add a DJI Cellular 

Module, which is a 4G dongle that gives you 

connectivity, even in remote regions or complex 

environments with signal interference. Please note 

that 4G availability varies depending on country 

and region. 

For the record, the RC Plus enables a transmission 

distance of 8km using O3 Enterprise. The 

Smart Controller Enterprise for the M300 RTK allows 

the same distance, with OcuSync Enterprise, 

while the Smart Controller has a maximum transmission 

distance of 6km, via OcuSync 2.0. Please 

note, these distances are based on operational 

limits within CE regions. 

M30 Series vs M300 RTK: Flight Time 

Both drones are powerful performers, but the 

M30 and M300 RTK have the edge over the Mavic 2 

Enterprise Advanced when it comes to flight time. 

The M30 Series and M300 RTK also benefit from 

high-performance, fast-charging battery stations. 

The M30’s BS30 charging case - which is 

IP55-rated (with the cover closed properly) - allows 

two TB30 batteries to be charged from 20% 

to 90% in 30 minutes, or fully-charged in 50 minutes. 

In fact, the BS30 case - which has capacity for 

eight M30 TB30 batteries and two WB37 remote 

controller batteries - has three charging modes: 

• Standard Mode: Charges each pair of batteries 

to 100%, one pair at a time. 

• Ready-to-Fly Mode: Fast charges each pair to 

90%, with each pair taking less than 30 minutes, 

and then keeps them at 90% on standby. This is 

ideal for first responders and emergency teams 

who need their drones and batteries ready to go, 

at a moment’s notice. 

• Storage Mode: Charges each pair to 50%. This is 

ideal for the battery’s health if you don’t have any 

work scheduled with the M30 in the near future. 

The M300 RTK’s BS60 Intelligent Battery Station 

also enables rapid charging time for TB60 batteries: 

• 220V input: 60 minutes (fully charging two 

TB60 batteries), 30 minutes (charging two TB60 

batteries from 20% to 90%). 

• 110V input: 70 minutes (fully charging two TB60 

batteries), 40 minutes (charging two TB60 batteries 

from 20% to 90%). 

The BS60 Battery Station can simultaneously 

store eight TB60 Intelligent Flight Batteries and 

four WB37 Intelligent Batteries. It can charge two 

TB60 Intelligent Flight Batteries and one WB37 

Intelligent Battery at the same time. 

To further reduce downtime, the M30 and M300 

RTK have hot-swappable batteries. 

The batteries for the M30 Series and M300 RTK, 

both have self-heating capability for operation in 

cold environments. 

M30 Series vs M300 RTK: Safety Features 

DJI is renowned for its flight safety and the M30 

Series, and the M300 RTK duly deliver. 

The M30 and M300 RTK take flight safety to 

another level, featuring AirSense, built-in redundancies 

and backup systems, three-propeller 

emergency landing, a Health Management System, 

and six-way obstacle avoidance sensors with enhanced 

detection ranges. 

The M30 Series and M300 RTK also benefit from 

enhanced flight displays on the remote controllers, 

integrating flight, navigation, and obstacle 

information to empower the pilot with exceptional 

situational awareness. 

Additionally, the M300 RTK has Advanced Dual 

Control, which allows either operator to take control 

of the aircraft (or payload). This creates new 

possibilities for mission strategies, provides higher 

flexibility during operations, and improves safety. 

M30 Series vs M300 RTK: Data Security 

As well as flight safety, data integrity is key. 

The M30 offers best-in-class data security protocols 

built on DJI’s security-first Matrice 300 V3 

firmware. This includes: 

• Offline Updates: Enables future firmware updates 

to be completed entirely off-line. 

• Local Data Mode: Completely disconnects the 

drone from the Internet, ensuring all data stays 

only in the drone. 

• SD Card AES Encryption: Protects all the photos, 

videos, and flight logs that get stored on the microSD 

card by a security code and AES encryption. 

A hybrid of the popular and powerful M300 

RTK and Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced, the M30 

Series is an impressive platform, offering superb 

performance in an extremely rugged and portable 

frame. 

Taking the best bits of the M300 RTK and Mavic 2 

Enterprise Advanced and putting them together in 

one airframe, the M30 combines endurance, enhanced 

weatherproofing, incredible camera specs, 


advanced safety features and slimline design to 

be a truly exciting prospect and an extremely 

strong and innovative all-rounder - especially for 

public safety and inspection. 

But what does it mean for DJI’s other enterprise 

platforms, namely the M300 RTK and Mavic 2 Enterprise 

Advanced? 

The M300 RTK should still be considered as a 

key part of a commercial drone programme - 

thanks to its capabilities and vast array of quality 

payloads and configurations. 

In fact, the M30 and M300 RTK both have their 

place in a drone fleet: The M30 deployed as a 

rapid solution, while the M300 RTK brings its versatility 

to the table, especially as a high-precision 

surveying or inspection option. 

After all, the M30 is tailor-made for the emergency 

services - for instance - but the M300 

RTK’s LiDAR and photogrammetry capabilities ensure 

public safety crews can conduct key missions 

such as crime-scene mapping. 

And what of the Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced? 

Does the M30’s arrival make it redundant? No, not 

necessarily. After all, the Advanced is still a powerful 

aerial tool which is a more cost-effective 

and portable platform than the M30 and M300 RTK, 

which will tick numerous boxes for some operators. 

In fact, the M30 should be seen as a drone fleet 

scaler, offering an exciting addition to a drone 

fleet, rather than replacing existing aircraft. The 

M30, M300 RTK and Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced 

provide a suite of top-class enterprise drones, 

each with their own capabilities and mission-specific 

roles within expanding drone programmes. 

It is an exciting time to be a commercial drone 

pilot, and the M30 and the drone in a box concept 

brings a new frontier to the industry. 

DRONESENSE AD 


The SKY MANTIS 

by Evolve Dynamics 

When availability matters, The Sky Mantis is ready to go, no 

matter what the weather conditions are. 

What is the most important attribute 

of your Unmanned Aircraft 

System (UAS) solution? Is it price? 

Ease of use? Visual and Thermal 

Imaging capabilities? I suggest 

that the most important attribute 

is availability. Because if your UAS 

isn’t available due to weather conditions 

then all the other attributes 

don’t matter. 

Case Study: Beachy Head, England 

The Wall Street Journal estimates 

that Beachy Head, England 

is the third most common suicide 

spot in the world, after the Golden 

Gate Bridge, US and Aokigahara 

Woods, Japan. The Sussex police 

department is charged with 

patrolling this infamous place 

and saving lives, to do so they 

have 20 minutes to be on scene 

when called out for a suspected 

‘jumper’. One way they achieve 

this goal is to carry a drone in the 

back of their vehicles. But which 

drone? How did they decide which 

of all the available UAS platforms 

to choose? They undertook an 

availability study, looking at wind 

history for their local area. They 

wanted to know which UAS would 

have the most available flight days 

per year. 

Only Sky Mantis can provide the 

availability uptime required for 

mission critical services, when 

lives are on the line, you want Sky 

Mantis above you. While we may 

never know how many lives Sky 

Mantis has saved in Sussex (UK 

privacy laws prevent it) we do 

know that it’s more than one, and 

that’s enough. 

Advantage Sky Mantis 

The weather doesn’t stop the 

bad guys, why does it stop your 

drone? Most drones are not designed 

for public safety work, they 

are actually hobby or commercial 

drones that have been modified 

for public safety use. They are selected 

primarily for their price, not 

availability or long-term return on 

investment. Your Airborne Intelligence, 

Surveillance, and Reconnaissance 

(AISR) is as important 

as your vehicle, body armor or 

weapon; durable, dependable, 

and ready when you need it. You 

wouldn’t wear body armor that’s 

only rated for .22LR, why fly a 

drone that is only rated for ‘mild 

weather’? 

At Beachy Head, Sky Mantis can 

operate 99% of the time annually, 

affording an additional 71 days of 

operation compared to its market 

competitors. In an environment 

where every second counts, an 

increase in operational days of 

nearly a quarter of a year provides 

a significant edge. 

On days when other drones can’t 

operate due to adverse weather 

conditions, agencies may have to 

resort to more expensive alternatives 

like a helicopter. According 

to a report by the US Coast Guard, 

the average cost of operating a 

helicopter for SAR missions is 

about $1,600 per hour . Given that 

these operations often last several 

hours, even a single mission can 

cost well over $10,000. In contrast, 

Sky Mantis, with its superior 

wind durability, can remain operational 

during these conditions, 

potentially saving law enforcement 

agencies these significant 

costs. 

If Sky Mantis replaces a helicopter 

just five times per year, with 

each mission lasting an average 

of five hours, the savings could 

potentially be $40,000 in a single 

year. Over three years, this 

amounts to potential savings of 

$120,000. 

This considerable cost saving, 

achieved from a relatively small 

number of missions, more than 

justifies the cost of Sky Mantis and 

provides a strong return on investment. 

Civil disturbances also present 

a scenario where an available and 

reliable Remotely Piloted Aircraft 

System (RPAS) can provide crucial 

real-time intelligence, leading to 

a more effective response. The 

cost of civil disturbances can be 

astronomical, as evidenced by the 

1992 Los Angeles riots, where the 

total property damage was estimated 

at about $1 billion . Even a 

fraction of such costs, if saved by 

more effective management with 

the help of Sky Mantis, could be in 

the millions. 

The Sky Mantis System 

Evolve Dynamics Ltd (EDL) is 

a UK based designer, developer, 

and manufacturer of all-weather 

RPAS. EDL’s flagship product, the 

Sky Mantis, is a highly capable 

AISR asset with an operational 

envelope that provides much 

higher availability uptimes than 

our competitors. 

Sky Mantis is capable of operation 

in winds up to 46 MPH and 

is IP55 rated. It has been designed 

from the ground up as a public 

safety platform with payloads and 

optional features specific to that 

mission set. With single battery 

flight times up to 60 minutes and 

when equipped with our proprietary 

Infinity Tether, flight times 

up to 48 hours, Sky Mantis provides 

long duration situational 

awareness for overwatch, SAR, 

AISR, etc. With payloads including 

high definition still and video 

cameras, thermal imaging (in 

several wavelengths), cell phone 

signal identification/tracking and 

toxic gas identification. Sky Mantis 

is the multi-role NDAA Compliant 

UAS relied upon by militaries, border 

security agencies, police, and 

fire services worldwide. 


For persistent AISR requirements, 

Sky Mantis can’t be outdone. 

The Infinity Tether system 

allows Sky Mantis to remain aloft 

for up to 48 hours. Additionally, 

should the need arise, the operator 

can command the tether to 

detach in flight while the aircraft 

remains aloft for up to 30 minutes. 

The Field to Command router 

allows encrypted Command and 

Control (C2 ) and video/data to 

be sent over cellular or private 

networks for remote situational 

awareness. 

The International Mobile Subscriber 

Information (IMSI) capture 

device is the latest payload to be 

integrated into Sky Mantis. As with 

all our payloads, it is custom integrated 

to maintain our high wind 

resistance and long flight times. 

We don’t just hang a new thing 

under our UAS, it is integrated into 

the Ground Control System (GCS) 

and the aircraft itself making it 

not an add on, but a part of the 

solution. 

IMSI is a SAR and counter terrorist, 

mobile/cellular phone detection 

device that is used to locate 

and identify victims, perpetrators 

and hostiles through the broadcast 

from their mobile device. Even if 

the target is not visually or thermally 

identifiable if the phone is 

on, IMSI can find it. 

*IMSI is a controlled device and 

may only be used with appropriate 

judicial oversight (typically a 

warrant). IMSI does NOT capture 

mobile phone numbers, it captures 

the device ID which may 

then be traced to its owner. 

You’re watching a house from 

300 feet above with a drone, it’s 

raining, and the wind is blowing 

25 MPH. You’re recording thermal 

and visual evidence, waiting for 

the judge to sign the warrant to 

apprehend the suspects. As usual 

that takes several hours, but since 

you are flying Sky Mantis on the 

Infinity Tether, you don’t have to 

land and change batteries every 

20 minutes. You enjoy continuous 

surveillance from the moment you 

send the drone up. Since the navigation 

lights are disabled, you’re 

sure the guy with the binoculars in 

the front window won’t spot your 

eye in the sky, nor will he spot a 

little black dot against the white 

clouds. Sky Mantis is white to 

make it nearly invisible at altitude. 

Neither will the geek with the RF 

analyzer and an antenna in his 

hand. All Sky Mantis’ data is being 

passed over the tether, nothing 

for RF geek to find. Your mission 

commander is sitting at the station 

watching everything you are 

thanks to the Field to Command 

router sending C2 and video over 

the secure police network to him 

in near real time. 

When the order is given to 

enter, your GCS alerts to motion 

behind the house, you spot a lone 

suspect sneaking out between the 

approaching officers. No problem 

for Sky Mantis, drop the tether, the 

radios switch on and you have 30 

minutes to track the suspect while 

you pass real time location data 

to your ground team from the GCS 

display. 

Suspect in custody, time to 

come home. Push one button on 

the GCS and Sky Mantis returns 

to you, even if you have changed 

your location, Sky Mantis comes 

home to the GCS not the launch 

point! 

Sky Mantis is not a typical drone, it’s not supposed to be. Just as public safety work is unique in its requirements 

Sky Mantis was designed, built and refined to meet those requirements. With over 7 years of 

experience, providing world-class RPAS to public safety, military and commercial customers worldwide. 

Evolve Dynamics and Sky Mantis are ready to support you and your unique missions. 

For more information or to schedule a demonstration please contact: Russ Roberts, Head of US Business 

Development, Russ.Roberts@evolvedynamics.com • 443.280.9081 • www.evolvedynamics.com 


UNWANTED DRONES 

When the Drones aren’t yours and they invade your airspace. 

AN EMERGING DRONE-POWERED SOCIETY 

Drones now bring tangible value and benefits to 

millions around the world and are reshaping the 

way modern societies function. Drones are changing 

the way various fields and industries operate. 

But as drones continue to proliferate, there is a 

small portion of bad actors, as well as inexperienced 

operators, who can cause tremendous damage. 

Law enforcement is increasingly called upon 

to face this threat, overcoming the danger but 

also, as a result, allowing the new drone society to 

flourish. 

THE DRONE THREAT 

Drones are becoming faster, harder to detect 

and more durable. Many can fly long distances and 

carry heavy payloads, and are quite easy to operate, 

which poses safety and security risks to every 

type of environment. Drones can be used to attack 

police, target facilities, smuggle, disrupt major 

events and pose dangers to traffic. 

POLICE CONTENDING WITH INCREASING 

DRONE INCIDENTS 

In May this year, a drone flew dangerously close 

to a Minnesota State Patrol helicopter near Loring 

Park in Minneapolis. Last August, in Spokane, WA, 

a burglar used his own drone to attack a pursuing 

police drone. Last June, police were called in 

American Canyon, CA when a man dropped illegal 

fireworks from a drone. In December, police in 

Richland County, Ohio, responded when a drone 

carrying marijuana, cell phones, and tobacco 

crashed into a house. In April 2021, police were 

called when thieves used drones to stakeout rural 

locations to target farm property. Also in April 

2021, the NYPD arrested a man who crashed his 

drone at 3 World Trade Center. In January 2021 a 

Hollywood man pleaded guilty to recklessly operating 

a drone that crashed into an LAPD helicopter. 

These incidents represent just a small sample 

of hundreds of incidents occurring on an ongoing 

basis. 

LAW ENFORCEMENT TASKED WITH CON- 

FRONTING A NEW THREAT AT EVENTS 

Law enforcement agencies worldwide are often 

tasked with ensuring safety at heavily populated 

mega-events, such as concerts, championship 

games and marathons, political rallies, etc. 

Commercial drones are now readily available, 

relatively inexpensive and can cause mayhem at 

events – but that is far from their only application. 

They could also be used by bad actors to surveil 

law enforcement agencies, attack police stations 

and vehicles, and even target high-ranking law 

enforcement officials. 

First responders in dangerous situations could 

suffer collateral damage during a terrorist act or a 

criminal attack via drones. Malicious actors could 

also use drones to prevent first responders from 

helping victims, or otherwise managing the situation. 

BACKGROUND: EMERGING DRONE THREATS AND 

SHIFTING COUNTER-DRONE RESPONSIBILITIES 

Countering rogue drones, and protecting airspace 

in general, has traditionally been the responsibility 

of federal security agencies in the DoD, 

DHS, and DoJ. State and local law enforcement has 

not had this authority in their realm of responsibilities. 

However, in recognition of the rapidly rising 

threat, new proposals and initiatives have come 

from both the White House and Congress to start 

to give state, local, territorial, tribal (SLTT) and 

critical infrastructure security agency levels some 

initial detection and/or mitigation allowances, 

sometimes in the context of pilot programs. 

The idea makes sense, since local law enforcement 

agencies are tasked with ensuring safety in 


many environments, use cases, and scenarios in 

which drones represent a tangible threat, including 

heavily populated mega-events such as concerts, 

championship games, marathons, and political 

rallies, as well as at sites such as local government 

buildings and other facilities. In such situations, 

local law enforcement may often be the only 

resource available to contend with and prepare for 

such incidents. 

The environments in which local police operate, 

however, may be very different than those in 

which military and federal units are active, and 

include sensitive urban and civilian environments. 

The technology to confront drone threats therefore 

will need to be suitable for local law enforcement. 

A NEW TECHNOLOGY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT 

FOR WHEN THEY ARE GIVEN COUNTER-DRONE 

AUTHORITY 

Given the possibility that this responsibility may 

soon be given to state and local police, the timing 

is now such that it is important to take a close 

look at a new technology specifically designed for 

confronting drone threats in civilian environments, 

namely RF Cyber counter-drone technology. 

TRADITIONAL AIR DEFENSE IS NOT DESIGNED FOR 

LAW ENFORCEMENT IN CIVILIAN ENVIRONMENTS 

Traditional, legacy drone detection and mitigation 

technologies that came from military space 

may often be unsuitable or inadequate in the civilian 

environments within which law enforcement 

operates. They are insufficient in such sensitive 

scenarios. 

DETECTION – IDENTIFYING THE REAL THREAT 

Radars often have trouble differentiating between 

small drones and other flying objects, are 

complicated to operate, and may generate false 

alarms. Optical solutions are ineffective without 

a line of sight, obviously a problem in urban environments. 

Acoustic solutions are inadequate in 

noisy environments, especially as drones are becoming 

increasingly quiet. 

MITIGATION – STOPPING THE THREAT 

Jamming-based solutions emit large amounts of 

energy to block drones’ controller signals, rendering 

them unable to function. This, however, may 

not be an optimal solution for law enforcement 

agencies and large venues. Jammer-based tools 

may affect other radio communications, which 

could hamper the communication between law 

enforcement agencies and local security personnel. 

In addition, many law enforcement agencies 

and first responders today utilize their own drones 

to monitor events, investigate active shooting 

situations, reconstruct accidents, etc., but jammer-based 

solutions may be unable to distinguish 

between authorized and unauthorized Also, 

drones that get jammed can behave unpredictably, 

sometimes dangerously plummeting to the ground. 

Finally, jamming is temporary, and when the 

jamming stops, the rogue drone pilot may regain 

control. 

Kinetic counter-drone solutions, which involve 

shooting down the UAV with some sort of projectile, 

are very risky in crowded situations. The falling 

drone, the falling projectile, or the debris that 

is created from shooting a drone, could injure law 

enforcement personnel, or people in the affected 

area. 

A NEW GENERATION OF RF- CYBER TECH- 

NOLOGIES WILL ALLOW SAFE LANDINGS FOR 

SAFE OUTCOMES 

New generation RF cyber takeover technology-based 

systems detect, locate and identify 

rogue drones in the airspace, and then neutralize 

the threat by allowing full control over the drone 

and landing it safely in a predefined zone. During 

the mitigation takeover process, the rogue pilot 

loses all control of the drone and cannot regain it. 

Since the technology does not rely upon jammers 

or kinetic technology, the system avoids collateral 

damage, interference, disruption or disturbance. 

Continuity would prevail as communications, commerce, 

transportation and everyday life smoothly 

proceed. 


KEY BENEFITS & ADVANTAGES OF NEW GEN- 

ERATION RF-CYBER BASED COUNTER-DRONE 

TECHNOLOGY 

RF-Cyber takeover-based counter-drone systems 

bring a unique capability to mitigate risk by 

taking control of rogue drones. The rogue drones 

land safely in a predefined safe zone. The system 

employs non-jamming, non-kinetic technology 

that does not require line-of-sight. The method 

distinguishes between authorized and unauthorized 

drones in an advanced and autonomous 

system. The system comes in a wide variety of deployment 

configurations for complete operational 

flexibility. The end-to-end counter-drone capabilities 

are suitable for any scenario or environment. 

They also have open application programming interfaces 

for integration with third party command 

and control systems 

PRESERVATION OF OPERATIONAL CONTINUITY 

With RF-Cyber counter-drone takeover, the system 

passively and continuously scans and detects 

unique communication signals used by commercial 

drones. Once detected, the system identifies 

relevant characteristics of the drone and determines 

if it is friendly and unauthorized, or potentially 

hostile and unauthorized. The drone position 

is determined and tracked, including take-off position. 

Authorized drones can continue to function 

without interruption, while the system tracks the 

rogue drone. 

During the mitigation process, the takeover process 

commences, and the pilot loses all control of 

the drone, and cannot regain it. 

Since the system does not rely upon jammers or 

kinetic technology, this avoids collateral damage, 

interference, disruption or disturbance. The system 

takes control over the rogue drone without 

interfering with other drones and communication 

signals. Continuity prevails as communications, 

commerce, transportation and everyday life proceeds 

smoothly. 

PROVEN AT GLOBAL AND FEDERAL LEVELS – 

READY FOR STATE & LOCAL WHEN ALLOWED 

RF Cyber takeover technology is already used by 

the military, top-tier federal government agencies, 

and security agencies in developed countries in 

Europe and Asia. This technology has been proven, 

tested, selected and trusted by operational units 

and security agencies in sensitive environments 

and deployed at high-level government agencies 

– including military, federal law enforcement, 

homeland security departments, and airports 

around the world. The technology has been selected 

for large-scale events and entrusted to protect 

high level VIPs around the world, at major stadiums, 

arenas and open-air venues. 

COUNTER-DRONE CORE CONCEPTS FOR CONTINUITY 

RF Cyber takeover counter-drone technology is 

based on four core concepts, all of which contribute 

to the overarching goal of enabling continuity. 

The concepts are (1.) Control: The best way to 

control the drone threat is to take control of the 

drone itself; (2.) Safety: A safe landing or fending 

off the rogue drone is the best possible outcome 

for safe airspace and continuity; (3.) Focus: Focus 

on the real risk, the most dangerous drones; and 

(4.) Future : Foresee the drone future and always 

stay a drone threat ahead 

RF CYBER CORE CAPABILITIES ACROSS THE 

ROGUE DRONE INCIDENT LIFECYCLE 

RF Cyber takeover can be described in the context 

of the lifecycle of a rogue drone incident, in 

which the system maintains constant control and 

ultimately towards a safe and controlled outcome, 

from Detect and Alert, through Locate and Track, 

For more information, email D-FEND at: info@d-fendsolutions.com 

Identification, to quickly either Fending-Off or Taking 

Control and Landing the rogue drone. 

VARIED DEPLOYMENTS NEEDED FOR OPERA- 

TIONAL FLEXIBILITY 

Counter-drone technology must provide operational 

agility and flexibility to contend with many 

use cases, environments, and scenarios. It’s important 

that the systems’ core elements can be 

easily set up, transferred, mounted and configured 

within minutes. Deployment options should include 

vehicular – including covert options; tactical, 

both ground level and high-altitude, and stationary 

including high-altitude and long-range. 


What to Do This Summer? 

Head Down to 

Galveston Island 

Welcome to Galveston Island – the Playground of the South! 

If you’re looking for the perfect spot for your next vacation, you’ve come to the right 

place! Being less than an hour south of downtown Houston, Galveston Island is Texas’ 

friendliest and most accessible portal to the Gulf. 

There are 32 miles of beaches in Galveston, whether you’re looking for a relaxing afternoon 

soaking up the sun or an adventure through the waters as you swim, fish or sail. 

Galveston Island may be small, but offers a wide variety of things to do, no matter the 

season or interests; adventure, amusement parks, water parks and other water activities, 

sports, thrift and boutique shopping, a vast array of restaurants, biking, sports, history, 

and more tours than most can imagine. The possibilities are truly endless on your Texas 

coastal vacation! 

With Galveston Island’s friendly community of locals and its sub-tropical weather, the 

island has become a favored home-away-from-home for tourists from around the world. 

108 Go The to BLUES visitgalveston.com to plan your trip today. 

The BLUES 109

Head Down to 


Plan Your Stay! 

Galveston Island boasts a tremendous variety of accommodations for every budget 

and preference. From luxury hotels and resorts to elegant bed & breakfasts, and from 

vacation rentals and condos to RV parks, you will find just the place to suit your needs. 

And if you’re cruising from the Island? A number of hotels on the Island offer parking 

and transfer packages with an overnight stay, so guests can leave their car at the hotel 

and catch a ride to the cruise ship terminal. Spend a night or two in one of the Island’s 

beautiful resorts or bed and breakfasts, or find a condominium on the beach for a relaxing 

view. Bon voyage! 

Casa del Mar Beachfront Suites 

Seawall & 61st, Galveston • 409-572-0371 

The BLUES recommends: 

Casa del Mar offers 2 pools, a 

BBQ area and several meeting 

rooms ideal for small groups 

and family reunions. Centrally 

located to all of the Island attractions, 

each suite has a small 

private bedroom, a living area 

with fully stocked kitchen amenities, 

a sofa sleeper, and bunks 

ideal for small children. Casa 

del Mar is perfect for a family 

vacation or weekend getaway, 

so let their friendly staff help 

you plan a vacation that’s relaxing 

and fun! 


Head Down to 


Beach Time Vacation Rentals 

Book Online at: beachtimevacationrentals.com 

Attention all Heroes!! Are you looking for a well-deserved break? Beach Time Vacation Rentals in Galveston 

has the perfect getaway for you and your family. 

Our vacation homes and condos are located on beautiful Galveston Island, close to all the local attractions 

and activities that make Galveston a popular vacation destination. Whether you’re looking for a 

quiet, secluded retreat or a fun-filled family adventure, we have something for everyone. 

Our properties offer a comfortable “home-away-from-home,” providing all the amenities you need to 

relax and recharge. From fully equipped kitchens to comfortable sleeping arrangements, we have everything 

you need to make your vacation as stress-free as possible. 

At Beach Time Vacation Rentals, we understand the importance of taking time off to rejuvenate your 

mind, body, and spirit. That’s why we offer special discounts to all law enforcement personnel and their 

families. 

Whether you want to spend your days soaking up the sun on the beach or taking a stroll in the Historic 

Strand District, Galveston is the perfect vacation spot. And, we have everything you need to make 

your stay unforgettable. 

Book your stay with us today and experience all that Galveston has to offer. Contact us directly to 

learn more about our vacation rental properties and special discounts for law enforcement officers… 

OUR HEROES 

Call and mention your law enforcement affiliation for our 

Hatmaker’s Heroes Discount! 

(409)9744598 


1021 61st St., Galveston, TX 77551

Head Down to 


What to See & Do. 

Making the Most of Island Time. 

Galveston Island is home to some of the best attractions Texas has to offer, including Moody Gardens 

as well as Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Waterpark and the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier 

amusement park. Galveston also offers a plethora of unique museums, including The Bryan Museum, 

Texas Seaport Museum, Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig & Museum and Galveston Railroad Museum. 

Having one of the largest and well-preserved concentrations of Victorian architecture in the country, 

Galveston allows visitors to explore the island’s interesting history by touring one of its popular historic 

mansions. 

Cruise Ships 

The Port of Galveston is the fourth busiest 

home port in the United States with 

departures from Carnival, Royal Caribbean 

and Disney Cruise Lines. Need an itinerary? 

We’ve got suggestions no matter 

how much time you have before that ship 

sails. 

Historic 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. Visit the Homes Tour during the 

month of May. 


Head Down to 


What to See & Do. 

Making the Most of Island Time. 

Galveston Beaches 

With 32 miles of shoreline and a variety of 

parks, Galveston Island offers something for 

every kind of beach goer. And with warm Gulf 

waves from spring through October, there’s 

plenty of time to explore each beach’s unique 

personality. Whatever your sun seeking fancy, 

Galveston has a beach for you. 

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. 


Galveston Railroad Museum 

2602 Santa Fe Place, Galveston • 409-765-5700 

The Galveston Railroad Museum, 

2602 Santa Fe Place, a living 

history museum, allows visitors to 

step into exhibits and participate 

in interactive displays. Located 

supervised welfare program, the 

trains operated from 1854 – 1929, 

transporting more than 200,000 

children from the East Coast to the 

West Coast in search of adoptive 

for Transportation and Commerce, 

this is the story of the last dreadnought 

battleship that fought I 

both World War I & II, the Atlantic 

and Pacific theater, D-Day, Okinawa, 

Iwo-Jima, Operations Torch, 

the restored 1932 train depot, the 

museum sits on 5 acres of railyard 

families. Galveston was one of 

the last stops on the Orphan Train Overlord-Neptune, Detachment, 

The Orphan Train: Now thru November 15 

District. 

The centerpiece of the museum’s 

exhibits are restored railcars 

that include dining and baggage 

cars, post office, military transport, 

and more. The museum is also 

home to a unique RailHotel that 

hosts guests overnight accommodations 

on restored luxury railcars. 

For a virtual tour or to make a 

reservation go to www.galvestonrrmuseum.org. 

“Ghosts of Travelers Past” in 

the Train Depot give a face to rail 

travelers from the past. Lift the 

handset in a phone booth to overhear 

their conversations. Adjacent, 

visit the Map Room to view a new 

exhibit. The Orphan Train, a quiet 

part of American history that some 

looked upon as a tragedy, and others 

as a godsend. America’s first 

in the heart of the Strand Historic 

through photographs, and testimonials. 

Continue your tour through the 

Exhibit Hall adjacent to the depot 

to visit Dining in Style - the largest 

collection of 20th Century Railroad 

Porcelain China and Silver serving 

pieces. America’s romance with 

rail travel spanned a century and a 

half, during which time enjoying a 

meal in the dining car as the scenery 

rushed by was the epitome 

of luxury travel. The fundamental 

characteristics of quality manufacture 

and design endured until the 

end of privately owned rail passenger 

service. 

Coming soon: “Traveling the 

World on a City at Sea: The Story 

of the Battleship Texas”. A collaboration 

of Texas Parks and Wildlife, 

Battleship Texas, and the Center 

journey. The exhibit tells the story 

Learn of Her illustrious career as 

seen in graphics and artifacts. 

Groups welcome. July 1 – January 

31, 2024. 

Never travel by rail? Experience 

the thrill of rail travel by hopping 

aboard the Harborside Express for 

a train ride. Available on weekends 

weather permitting, or by group 

reservation during the week. Tickets 

required to board. 

A family friendly attraction, 

there’s lots to do for all and kids 

enjoy free Blue Bell Ice Cream 

all summer. Military veterans and 

first responders receive admission 

discounts year ‘round. 

For information, membership, 

student field trips, group tours, 

and admission go to www.GalvestonRRMuseum.org. 

(409) 765- 

5700. All Aboard! 

Iceberg and Magic Carpet Ride. 


Head Down to 


When You’re Hungry. 

Best Places to Eat. 

Shrimp ‘N Stuff Downtown 

2506 Ball Street, Galveston • 409-974-4609 

Since 1976, Shrimp ‘n Stuff’s 

39th Street location has been 

“the place where the locals 

love to eat.” This downtown 

location features many of 

the same delicious po-boys, 

gumbo, and salads but they’ve 

also added broiled versions of 

Snapper, Flounder, Salmon, 

and several other fish. The 

downtown spot also ups the 

ante with full, tableside service, 

and custom table ware 

made in Mexico. 

List Your Restaurant Here 

email us: bluespdmag@gmail.com 

Katie’s Seafood House 

2000 Wharf Rd., Galveston • 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! 

The Spot 

3204 Seawall Blvd., Galveston • 409-621-5237 

Rudy & Paco 

2028 Post Office Street, Galveston • 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. 

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. 



new products 

yrs. 

AMERICAN BIKE PATROL SERVICES 

Introducing the ATR 528 Police eBike 

By: Tiffany Vidal 

SAN DIMAS, CA – As law enforcement 

agencies strive to 

enhance their capabilities and 

adapt to the evolving needs of 

modern policing, one company 

has taken a giant leap forward in 

creating a purpose-built solution. 

Introducing the ATR 528 Law 

Enforcement eBike, by American 

Bike Patrol Services—a remarkable 

two-wheeled marvel meticulously 

crafted over 18 months 

with an unwavering focus on delivering 

unrivaled performance, 

tactical attributes, and reliability. 

With its groundbreaking features 

and cutting-edge design, the 

ATR 528 sets a new standard for 

police eBikes worldwide. 

THE ATR 528: ELEVATING 

ENFORCEMENT 

Over the years, general law 

enforcement and police bike patrol 

has proven that bike patrol 

units perform effectively in most 

dimensions of patrol duties and 

create closer relations with the 

public. With their unparalleled 

mobility, the ATR 528 has the 

ability to grant officers enhanced 

accessibility to various areas 

within the community with ease, 

such as busy streets, congested 

areas, and high-traffic zones. 

This swift and nimble response 

capability also ensures that 

officers reach incident scenes 

promptly, while mitigating risks 

and fostering a safer environment 

for all. And with maneuverability, 

versatility, and safety 

being vital aspects of effective 

law enforcement, it’s no wonder 

the ATR 528 eBike has been 

entrusted by agencies across the 

country to uphold these values 

versus other traditional means of 

patrol and enforcement. 

By equipping law enforcement 

with the tools to be proactive 

rather than reactive, these eBikes 

empower officers to provide 

timely support and resolve situations 

efficiently. The result is a 

stronger sense of security and 

trust among community members, 

who witness firsthand the 

dedication of law enforcement 

to their well-being. 

THE HIGHLIGHTS 

POWERFUL AND AGILE 

At the heart of the ATR 528 is 

a formidable 1500W peak output, 

fortified by a 1000W Bafang 

mid-drive motor, propelling it 

to reach a maximum speed of 

30 mph. This exceptional power 

and torque ensures best-in-class 

maneuverability, allowing law 

enforcement officers to swiftly 

navigate through urban landscapes 

or challenging terrains 

with ease. The result is improved 

response times and enhanced 

operational efficiency. 

RELIABLE ENERGY SUPPLY 

The ATR 528 is equipped with 

dual high-performance smart 

batteries featuring Samsung 

cells. These batteries have an integrated 

discharge balance system 

that will evenly distribute 

their usage, providing a seamless 

and reliable energy supply. 

Officers can now embark on 

extended patrols or respond to 

emergencies without worrying 

about running out of power, 

making range anxiety a thing of 

the past. 

UNCOMPROMISING DURABILITY 

Law enforcement operations 

demand equipment built 

to withstand the rigors of the 

job. The ATR 528 rises to this 

challenge with a custom-designed 

and engineered frame, 

meticulously constructed from 

years of competitive cycling and 

27 years of law enforcement 

bike patrol experience. With a 

frame capacity exceeding 400 

pounds, this eBike can handle the 

demands of any officer and their 

additional equipment, ensuring 

that they are equipped for any 

situation that arises. 

ENHANCED CONTROL 

AND SAFETY 

Every aspect of the ATR 528 has 

been meticulously designed with 

officer safety in mind. Thru-axles, 

borrowed from professional 

MTB downhillers, provide a secure 

and stable connection between 

the frame and wheels, ensuring 

precise handling even during 

high-speed pursuits. Quad-piston 

hydraulic brakes, specifically 

tailored for law enforcement 

applications, offer superior stopping 

power, allowing officers to 

maintain control in any situation. 

The oversize front and rear 

rims, equipped with heavy-duty 

spokes and 4” Kenda patrol tires, 

deliver maximum traction control, 

enabling officers to confidently 

navigate through diverse 

terrains, including sand, gravel, 

grass, and uneven surfaces. 

TAILORED FOR EFFICIENCY 

Recognizing the importance 

of comfort during long patrols, 

the ATR 528 offers a host of 

features designed to optimize 

officer well-being. The extended 

400mm seat-post prevents overextension 

and reduces fatigue, 

allowing officers to remain 

focused and alert. Additionally, a 

heavy-duty rear rack and kickstand 

provide convenient storage 

options, accommodating essential 

gear and equipment. The 

inclusion of a water bottle cage 


LEARN MORE 

frame mount ensures hydration 

is always within reach, 

promoting officer health and 

endurance. 

SIZE MATTERS 

Understanding that every 

officer is unique, the ATR 528 

is available in four different 

sizes—SM, MD, LG, and XL. This 

commitment to size options 

sets the ATR 528 apart from 

other police eBike manufacturers 

who often offer limited 

choices, if any at all. By catering 

to individual preferences 

and requirements, the ATR 528 

ensures officers can enjoy an 

optimal riding experience that 

promotes both comfort and 

efficiency. 

TAILORED TO YOUR DEPT. 

A high powered, top of the 

line eBike would not be complete 

without an accompanied 

Police and Law Enforcement 

eBike Patrol Course. Similar 

in structure to our other 

courses (such as police bike 

patrol training), our eBike 

courses teach officers everything 

they need to know in 

order to safely and effectively 

learn the proper eBike patrol 

techniques. As with all of 

the courses, the eBike course 

is taught by P.O.S.T. certified 

instructors who have been 

involved with bike patrol in 

Southern California since its 

inception in the area. 

BOTTOM LINE 

In the pursuit of safer and 

more secure communities, law 

enforcement agencies must 

continually evolve their strategies. 

The ATR 528 eBikes offer 

a transformative and tailored 

solution by revolutionizing 

community policing efforts. 

Their enhanced accessibility, 

environmental consciousness, 

and unmatched mobility 

equip officers with the means 

to engage meaningfully with 

the public. By embracing 

these cutting-edge eBikes, 

law enforcement agencies 

can bridge the gap between 

themselves and the communities 

they serve, fostering trust, 

collaboration, and a positive 

impact that resonates for 

years to come. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE 

INFORMATION 

ATR 

528 

1000W MOTOR 

REINFORCED 

FRAME 

DUAL BATTERY 

UPGRADED 

COMPONENTS 


5-7 Leadership 101 - Professionalism Defined (TX New Sup.) McKinney, TX 

6-8 Reid Technique of Inv. & Advanced Interrogation Denton, TX 

11-13 TSDPCA ANNUAL CONFERENCE CORPUS CHRISTI 

12-16 OTOA ANNUAL CONFERENCE SANDUSKY, OH 

13-16 Reid Technique of Inv. & Advanced Interrogation Austin, TX 

18-22 IABTI IST CONFERENCE PONTE VEDRA, FL 

19-23 Detective and New Criminal Investigator *BY PATC Denton, TX 

26-29 NSA NATIONAL SHERIFF’S CONFERENCE GRAND RAPIDS,MI 

27-28 37TH ANNUAL POLICE SECURITY EXPO ATLANTIC CITY,NJ 

27-30 INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CAMPUS LE ADMINISTRATORS ORLANDO,FL 

28-JULY3 NASRO ANNUAL CONFERENCE AURORA,CO 

9-13 TEXAS CRIME PREVENTION ASSOC. CONFERENCE ROCKWALL, TX. 

11-14 Cognitive Interviewing and Analytic Interviewing Humble, TX 

13-14 Child Abuse Investigations Denton , TX 

17-18 Proactive Leadership Humble, TX 

17-21 Basic Instructor 1014 Texas City, TX 

18-21 Reid Technique of Inv. & Advanced Interrogation Houston, TX 

24-27 53rd Annual Texas Narcotic Officers Association Training Conf. San Marcos, TX 

1-4 Reid Technique of Inv. & Advanced Interrogation Kileen, TX 

2 De-Escalation #1849 Texas City, TX 

7-11 Interview & Interrogation for New Detectives BY LLRMI Georgetown, TX 

7-11 Rolling Surveillance presented by LCI Services Texas City, TX 

8-11 Reid Technique of Inv. & Advanced Interrogation Dallas, TX 

14-16 Pat McCarthy’s Street Crimes - Galveston, TX 

14-18 Detective and New Criminal Investigator *BY PATC League City, TX 

15-18 Chop Shop Investigations presented by LCI Services Texas City, TX 

16-17 Leadership for Front-Line Supervisors Denton, TX 

18 Statement Analysis® Interviewing Techniques Dallas, TX 

22-23 Overdose Investigations Course Georgetown, TX 

28-31 National Internal Affairs Investigators Assoc (NIAIA) 

Annual Training Conf 

Fort Worth, TX 

11-15 Force Science Certification Course Houston, TX 

19-21 WZ Criminal Level I Investigative Interviewing Techniques McKinney, TX 

19-22 Reid Technique of Investigative Interviewing 

& Advanced Interrogation 

Denton, TX 

21-22 Homicide Investigations Seminar Denton, TX 

22 WZ Criminal Investigative Interviewing Techniques 

Advanced Workshop 

22 WZ Criminal Level II - Advanced Interviewing Techniques 

Workshop 

25 Bulletproof Courtroom Testimony by Blue to Gold 

(Live Stream Available) 

JUNE 

JULY 

AUGUST 

SEPTEMBER 

McKinney, TX 

McKinney, TX 

Fort Worth, TX 

25-27 Proactive Leadership Waxahachie, TX 

25-29 Detective and New Criminal Investigator *BY PATC Crowley, TX 

26 Advanced Search & Seizure by Blue to Gold Denton, TX 

yrs. 

27 Advanced Traffic Stops by Blue to Gold Denton, TX 

28 Advanced Criminal Investigations by Blue to Gold Denton, TX 

OCTOBER 

2-3 SLR15 AR15 / M16 / M4 / AR308 Armorer Course Waxahachie , TX 

2-4 FTO for today’s recruits and Pgm. Mgr. McKinney, TX 

3-6 Reid Technique of Inv. Interviewing & Advanced Interrogation Ft Worth, TX 

4-5 Extracting the Truth-Advanced Interview and Interrogation Denton, TX 

4-5 SLR15 Law Enforcement Shotgun Armorer Course Waxahachie , TX 

5 Forensic Statement Analysis - Deception Detection McKinney, TX 

6 SLR15 1911 Pistol Armorer Course Waxahachie , TX 

9-11 LPVO Operator Course Dallas, TX 

10-12 Pat McCarthy’s Street Crimes - Real World Training for the Real Police Lufkin, TX 

16 TrapMate* Hidden Compartment Training (Dynamic Interdiction) Burleson , TX 

16-18 Interview & Interrogation for New Detectives BY LLRMI Beaumont, TX 

16-18 Leadership 101 - Professionalism Defined (TX New Supervisor) McKinney, TX 

16-20 5 Day New Detective and New Criminal Investigator By LLRMI Pharr, TX 

16-20 Detective and New Criminal Investigator *BY PATC Rockport, TX 

16-20 Detective and New Criminal Investigator *BY PATC Rockport, TX 

19-20 Advanced Forensic Statement Analysis - Deception Detection McKinney, TX 

22-26 TCOLE TRAINING CONFERENCE CORPUS,TX 

23-24 Advanced Field Training Officer Course Pharr, TX 

23-24 Covert Surveillance *BY PATC Texas City, TX 

24-26 Inside the Tape Homicide Investigation & Crime Scene MGT Training Rio Grande , TX 

31-1 Death Investigation: Cause, Manner and Mechanism By LLRMI Ft. Worth, TX 

31-3 Reid Investigative Interviewing & Advanced Interrogation Rockport, TX 

NOVEMBER 

1-3 Sexual Deviant Offenders *BY PATC Texas City, TX 

5-10 National Honor Guard Academy Texas City, TX 

6 Bulletproof Report Writing by Blue to Gold Denton, TX 

6-8 Background Investigator Training by ProFirst Training Pharr, TX 

6-9 Tactical Training for Narcotics & Vice Units Cedar Park , TX 

6-10 Hostage Negotiations Phase 1 By LLRMI Pharr, TX 

7 Bulletproof Courtroom Testimony by Blue to Gold Denton, TX 

7-9 Reid PEACE Method of Investigative Interviewing Dyess , TX 

13-17 GST Defensive Tactics Instructor Course Seguin, TX 

13-17 Methods of Instruction - Training Practical Professional Policing Skills McKinney, TX 

14 Mastering Search & Seizure (In-Person & Live-Online) by Blue to Gold San Antonio, TX 

14-15 Protests, Demonstrations and Civil Unrest Operations By LLRMI Georgetown, TX 

15-16 Bulletproof Report Writing Blue to Gold (In-person & Live Stream) San Antonio, TX 

16 Duty to Intervenes (In-Person & Live-Online) by Blue to Gold San Antonio, TX 

16 Real World De-Escalation (In-Person & Live-Online) by Blue to Gold San Antonio, TX 

28-30 Pat McCarthy’s Street Crimes - Real World Training for the Real Police Jourdanton, TX 

28-1 Reid Investigative Interviewing & Advanced Interrogation San Antonio, TX 

Send your calendar listings to: 

bluespdmag@gmail.com 

TCPA Invites 

You To 

Join Us! 

Texas Crime Prevention Association 

48th Annual Conference 

July 9 - 13, 2023 

Hilton Dallas/Rockwall Lakefront 

2055 Summer Lee Dr. 

Rockwall, Texas 75032 

TCPA invites public safety personnel, crime 

prevention practitioners, and organizations 

with crime prevention products or services to 

network at the largest event in the southern 

U.S. focused on suppressing criminal activity! 

Register Online Today! 

tcpa.wildapricot.org/conference 


Texas School District Police Chiefs’ Association 

2023 Conference Agenda 

OMNI BAYFRONT HOTEL 

800 N. Shoreline Blvd. 

Corpus Christi, TX 78401 

June 11, 2023 – June 15, 2023 

Sunday, June 11, 2023 4 pm – 6 pm Executive Board Meeting 

Monday, June 12, 2023 10 am – 5 pm Vendor Set Up 

12 pm – 5 pm Registration 

5 pm – 7 pm Chief’s Round Table 

Tuesday, June 13, 2023 7 am – 8 am Registration/Continental Breakfast 

8 am – 8:30 am Opening Ceremony 

8:30 am – 9 am TCOLE Commissioner – Ms. Martina Lemond-Dixon 

9 am – 10 am Colonel Steven C. McCraw, Director, Texas DPS 

10 am – 10:30 am Break with Vendors 

10:30 am – 11:30 am Dr. Kathy Martinez-Prather, Texas School Safety Center Director 

11:30 am – 1:30 pm Lunch and Break with Vendors 

1:30 pm – 2 pm John Beauchamp, Interim Director, TCOLE 

2 pm – 2:30 pm John Scott, TEA Chief of School Safety and Security 

2:30 pm – 3:30 pm Break with Vendors 

3:30 pm – 4:30 pm Max Westbrook, Jr, TPCA Accreditation Program 

5:30 pm – 8:30 pm Conference Networking Event - TBA 

Wednesday, June 14, 2023 7 am – 8 am Continental Breakfast 

8 am – 9 am Local Presentation - TBA 

9 am – 10 am Break with Vendors 

10 am – 11:30 am ALERRT, Assistant Director John Curnutt 

11:30 am – 1 pm Lunch and Break with Vendors 

1 pm – 2:00 pm FBI Presentation - TBA 

2:15 pm – 3:15 pm Dr. Paul Thompson, School Safety Coordinator, Region 7 ESC 

3:30 pm – 4:30 pm DPS Emergency Response Team Presentation 

5:30 pm – 8:30 pm Conference Networking Event - TBA 

Thursday, June 15, 2023 7 am – 8 am Continental Breakfast 

8 am – 10 am Chief Bill Avera, 88 th Session Legal Update 

10 am – 11:30 am General Business, Election, Gun Giveaway, Recognitions, 

Remarks by Chief Cook 

11:30 am – 12 noon Installation of New Officers, Special Recognitions, 

Closing remarks by Chief Avera 

12 noon Conference Adjournment 

12 noon – 1:00 p.m. Executive Board Meeting upon adjournment of General Meeting 

See you in 2024 at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine Texas! 


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HONORING OUR FALLEN HEROES 

SENIOR INVESTIGATOR NICHOLAS GEORGEADIS 

POLICE OFFICER ARÉANAH M. PRESTON 

NEW YORK STATE POLICE, NEW YORK 

END OF WATCH FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 2023 

AGE: 52 TOUR: 21 YEARS BADGE: N/A 

Senior Investigator Nick Georgeadis died as the result of cancer that he developed following his assignment to 

the search and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center site following the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks. 

Investigator Georgeadis was a United States Army National Guard veteran and had served with the New York 

State Police for 21 years, assigned to the Special Investigations Unit and New York State Homeland Security. 

He is survived by his wife, two sons, daughter, father, sister, nieces, and nephews. 

CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT, ILLINOIS 

END OF WATCH SATURDAY, MAY 6, 2023 

AGE: 24 TOUR: 2 YEARS BADGE: 15870 

Police Officer Aréanah Preston was shot and killed during an attempted robbery at 8157 South Blackstone Avenue 

in Chicago at about 1:40 am. She had finished her shift and was returning home when armed subjects confronted 

her, attempting to rob her. She was able to draw her weapon and exchanged shots with multiple subjects before 

being mortally wounded. The subjects stole her gun and fled the scene. An officer who was responding to a nearby 

crash discovered Officer Preston on the ground. The officer rendered aid and transported her to a local hospital 

in a patrol car. 

Officer Preston had served with the Chicago Police Department for 2-1/2 years and was assigned to the Fifth 

District. She is survived by her mother, father, and twin sibling. 

132 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE The MAGAZINE BLUES 133


DEPUTY SHERIFF KAITIE LEISING 

POLICE OFFICER ROBERT SHISLER 

ST. CROIX COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, WISCONSIN 



Deputy Sheriff Kaitie Leising was shot and killed while investigating a single-vehicle crash involving a drunk 

driver near the intersection of Route 128 and County Road G, south of Glenwood City. She had been speaking 

with the driver for approximately eight minutes and requested that he consent to field sobriety tests. The 

man suddenly produced a handgun and opened fire on Deputy Leising. Despite being mortally wounded, 

she returned fire but did not strike the subject. The man ran into nearby woods where he committed suicide 

approximately one hour later after other deputies spotted him. 

Deputy Leising had served with the St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office for one year and previously served with 

the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office (South Dakota) for two years. 

DEPTFORD TOWNSHIP POLICE DEPT, NEW JERSEY 

END OF WATCH SUNDAY, MAY 7, 2023 


Police Officer Bobby Shisler succumbed to complications of a gunshot wound sustained on March 10th, 

2023, while struggling with a suspect following a foot pursuit. He had conducted a subject stop on the man 

on Delsea Drive. The man fled on foot during the encounter, and Officer Shisler chased him to Doman Avenue, 

where a struggle ensued between the two. The man produced a handgun and shot Officer Shisler in the leg. 

Despite being wounded, Officer Shisler returned fire and killed the subject. 

Officer Shisler was taken to the University of Pennsylvania Hospital where he underwent multiple surgeries. He 

succumbed to complications of the gunshot wound on May 7th, 2023, without having ever been released 

from the hospital. 



DETECTIVE JACOB BEU 

PORT POLICE OFFICER KIMBERLY SICKAFOOSE 

RUTHERFORD COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, TN 

END OF WATCH SUNDAY, MAY 7, 2023 


Detective Jacob Beu was killed in a vehicle crash on Armstrong Valley Road in Murfreesboro. 

Detective Beu was a United States Marine Corps veteran and served with Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office 

for six years, assigned to the Narcotics Division for one year. 

ALABAMA PORT AUTHORITY POLICE, ALABAMA 

END OF WATCH THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2023 

AGE: N/A TOUR: 7 YEARS BADGE: N/A 

Port Police Officer Kimberly Sickafoose drowned after her patrol truck drove into the Mobile River in the area 

of 900 Alabama State Docks Boulevard while she was on patrol at about 2:40 am. 

The truck sank into approximately 40 feet of water. Officer Sickafoose’s body was recovered at about 8:00 

am. 

Officer Sickafoose had served with the Alabama Port Authority Police Department for seven years and had 

previously served as the police chief of the Silverhill Police Department. 



SERGEANT JOSHUA I. CLOUSE 

DEPUTY SHERIFF BRETT HARRIS 

CAMERON POLICE DEPARTMENT, TEXAS 

END OF WATCH THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2023 

AGE: 39 TOUR: N/A BADGE: N/A 

Sergeant Josh Clouse was shot and killed by a subject in the 500 block of E 7th Street as he and other 

officers executed a search warrant. The subject inside of the home was wanted for shooting his wife during a 

domestic violence incident earlier in the night. The wounded woman was able to walk to a neighbor’s home 

and call the police. Responding officers secured the subject’s residence and obtained a search warrant to take 

him into custody. As officers with the Cameron Police Department and several neighboring agencies attempted 

to execute the warrant, the man opened fire, fatally wounding Sergeant Clouse. 

Sergeant Clouse was a U.S. Army veteran and previously served with the Milam County Sheri000 

RIVERSIDE COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPT, CALIFORNIA 


AGE: 26 TOUR: N/A BADGE: 5658 

Deputy Sheriff Brett Harris succumbed to injuries sustained in a vehicle accident at the intersection of West Esplanade 

Avenue and South State Street in San Jacinto at 2:15 am. Deputy Harris was driving west on Esplanade 

Avenue, responding to a call for service, when his patrol SUV collided with another vehicle traveling north 

on South State Street. His vehicle was struck on the driver’s side and then left the roadway and hit a light pole. 

Another deputy was injured while trying to help free Deputy Harris from the vehicle. He was transported to a 

local hospital where he was kept on life support until his organs were donated. 

Deputy Harris was assigned to the Hemet Station. He is survived by his wife, parents, twin sister, and brother. 

138 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE The MAGAZINE BLUES 139


SERGEANT MICHAEL KUNOVICH 

DEPUTY SHERIFF CALEB CONLEY 

ST. JOHNS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, FLORIDA 

END OF WATCH FRIDAY, MAY 19, 2023 

AGE: N/A TOUR: 25 YEARS BADGE: N/A 

Sergeant Michael Kunovich suffered a fatal heart attack following a violent struggle with a man in the 2500 

block of State Road 16 in St. Augustine. The man was sitting in the dark outside of a closed business when 

Sergeant Kunovich approached him at about 9:00 pm. When Sergeant Kunovich attempted to pat the man 

down for weapons the subject attempted to flee. Sergeant Kunovich and other deputies struggled with the 

subject for over six minutes, during which the man attempted to disarm him of his taser. After the man was 

placed in handcuffs he was able to access a pocket knife which had to be forcibly removed from his hands. 

Sergeant Kunovich collapsed moments after the man was put in custody. 

Sergeant Kunovich had served with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office for 25 years. 

SCOTT COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, KENTUCKY 

END OF WATCH MONDAY, MAY 22, 2023 


Deputy Sheriff Caleb Conley was shot and killed while conducting a traffic stop near mile marker 127 on 

southbound I-75 in Georgetown at about 4:45 pm. The subject fled the scene but was arrested a short time 

later. He has been charged with the murder of a police officer, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon, 

burglary, theft of an automobile, wanton endangerment, and fleeing/evading police. 

Deputy Conley was a U.S. Army veteran and had served with the Scott County Sheriff’s Office for four years. 

He is survived by his wife, children, and parents. 


Ghost Patrol: The scariest 

things cops have seen on 

the beat. Part 3 

WALK THE LINE, PLEASE 

Editor’s Note: Our call for 

stories drew the attention of 

an anonymous electrical utility 

worker for Milwaukee, Wisc., 

who wished to contribute their 

experience. Since it involved 

them calling 911, we opted to 

share it with you as well. 

About 10 years ago, I was doing 

storm work at around 02:00 to 

03:00 one night. It was fall and 

just after a storm in the area, so 

there was no traffic. I was headed 

back home going south on 

the expressway going roughly 60 

mph in the right lane. 

Ahead I saw a young man 

walking on the yellow line on 

the east side of the road. On my 

left, if you will. He was about 6 

feet tall, blond, wore jeans and a 

t-shirt. He was either in late 20’s 

or early 30’s. I saw his shoes but 

couldn’t tell what type. He was 

a figure, just like you are sitting 

there next to me. 

So, he’s walking with his head 

down looking at the yellow line. 

As I pass, I saw him, it was a 

person walking. We’re not allowed 

to stop and give rides, so 

I call 911. To my surprise - I never 

even thought about it - dispatcher 

says, “Don’t worry about it. Everybody 

sees him. He’s a ghost.” 

With that, I think about what 

I saw. He was solid, not seethrough. 

He wasn’t hovering but 

walking. So, I take the next ramp 

I could, turn around - head back 

north and try to look for him - 

hoping to see him again. 

Nothing. He’s gone. 

A few weeks later I’m at a gas 

station. I see this van with “Ghost 

Chasers” on the side. I think 

about who I saw on the highway 

and decide to take my chance. 

So, I tell them my story. They say 

they heard of him. 

I never saw him again. Never 

could find any information online 

either. 

CHANGE THE CHANNEL 

Submitted by an officer who 

requested to remain anonymous. 

I first experienced a ghost in 

1997 at a house in Georgia. It was 

about 02:00 hours in the morning 

and I watched what appeared 

to be an 8-year-old little 

blond-haired boy walk out of my 

bathroom and then stroll into my 

living room area. He was wearing 

some very old overalls that 

looked blue in color and faded. 

His hair looked feathered like a 

young Brad Pitt. I grabbed my 

duty weapon and then searched 

my house looking for him. I never 

found anything. 

I experienced more encounters 

which then followed me from 

house to house even up to earlier 

this month. About 2 years ago, I 

was at a friend’s house, we were 

sitting in his living room along 

with his girlfriend and another 

male friend. We knew something 

was in the house because the 

light turned on in the kitchen, by 

itself and a cup flew through the 

air. 

At this point, we were sitting 

in front of a TV and were talking 

about the occurrence. The TV 

started acting weird. The screen 

was changing like one of us had 

a controller and was manipulating 

the screen. The controller 

was sitting on the couch beside 

us. 

My friend grabbed his phone, 

turned on the camera and audio 

recorder and recorded a recording 

by placing the phone on the 

ottoman. I ask who is messing 

with the TV, the spirit, ghost or 

whatever answers. We never 

heard the actual answer until we 

played back the recording. The 

rest is history. 

ON THE BEAT 

I got a call one night. It was 

early, probably around 22:00. 

This woman called the PD and 

said that there was drumming 

going on in her house. Native 

American drumming. 

I said, well, I didn’t say anything, 

I was dispatched to go 

there. 

So, I get out of the vehicle and 

I walk up to the house. When I 

opened the door and I could hear 

drumming. I thought they were 

just messing with me. It was 

faint, but I could hear it and it 

was coming from downstairs in 

the basement. 

She’s like, “Do you hear it?” 

“Yeah, I hear it. Is there kids 

downstairs or something?” 

“I don’t think so. But I hear this 

drumming and it’s not the first 

time. Will you go down and 

look?” 

“Sure, I don’t mind.” 

I open the door nice and slow 

- you never know what people 

do - and when I opened it wider 

it was getting louder and louder. 

This was drumming. I could hear 

some chanting too. Like Native 

American chanting with the 

drums and singing. 

I see the light switch and say 

to the lady, “Ok, I’m going to go 



downstairs to check this out.” I 

make a call back to the PD and 

say, “Hey, I’m here and I do hear 

drumming - I hear it. I’m going to 

go investigate it.” 

The minute I flicked the light 

switch for the stairs up and put 

the lights on, silence. Just complete 

silence. 

I’m thinking there’s got to 

be kids down here. It was too 

loud. Or a radio or a something, 

maybe a tape player. But I went 

downstairs and there was nothing. 

Just a regular basement 

with basement stuff in it. Furniture 

and whatever. Nothing. 

I went back upstairs thinking 

if it was light action, you know. 

Nothing happened. I turned it 

back on. Nothing happened. 

Turned it off, nothing happened. 

I did that maybe five times, but 

it never came back. I told her, “If 

this happens again, call me. I’m a 

PD, I’l come right back over.” 

She wasn’t impressed that 

it was happening but wanted 

someone else to hear it because 

she thought was going crazy. 

To my knowledge, the lady 

never called the PD again. 

REPORTING A SIGHTING 

I have a UFO story... as I work 

nights I listen to Coast to Coast 

a lot. They had this guy on who 

runs a website that collects and 

investigates reports of UFOs. 

He was reading off some of 

the reports He had received the 

previous day and one was from 

a small town literally on the 

other side of the state line. They 

reported seeing a black triangle 

craft hovering over a field and 

had watched it for a good long 

time. They said it suddenly shot 

off south ward. 

The same night as that was 

reported to have occurred I was 

sitting at a traffic light facing 

east, it was late, the tree line 

was pitch black, and sky was 

that dark blue, and I saw a black 

triangle flying southbound, 

within the same time period as 

the other report. The guy gave a 

phone number and I called it, he 

actually answered and I told him 

about what I had observed and 

backed up the other report and 

description. He asked if I would 

fill out a report and I did. Here is 

the report: 

National UFO Reporting Center 

Sighting Report - Occurred 

: 8/5/2015 22:00 (Entered as : 

08/05/15 22:00) 

Reported: 8/6/2015 10:53:12 PM 

22:53 

Posted: 8/13/2015 

Location: Indian Land, SC 

Shape: Triangle 

Duration:1 minute 

Witnessed same triangle 

shaped craft reported in Weddington. 

On Wednesday, August 

5, 2015, at between 2200-2300 

hours, while on patrol, I observed 

a triangle shaped craft, 

with three red lights on it, traveling 

at a high rate of speed 

near Indian Land, SC/ Waxhaw 

NC. The craft was traveling 

southbound, just east of Hwy 

521 in Indian Land, and west of 

Providence Road in Waxhaw, 

paralleling both roads. At first, I 

thought it was a private aircraft, 

due to several airports in the 

area, but as I work nights, I am 

familiar with the regular approach 

and departure patterns 

for the airport, and this craft was 

low, and traveling at a very high 

rate of speed, much faster than a 

normal aircraft. The body of the 

craft appeared black, and I was 

unable to make out any detail or 

cockpit. I did not hear any sound 

from the craft. I am reporting this 

after hearing the other report 

from the Weddington/ Wesley 

Chapel area in NC, which is 

literally just over the border. I am 

convinced that I witnessed the 

same craft that was reported on 

8/5/15. 

REMEMBER TO MAKE A WISH 

I was on patrol, it was 03:30 

to 04:00 in the morning and a 

bit foggy. Indian Island is about 

24 square miles. It doesn’t take 

long to go around it with all the 

roads. On the island, there is a 

pond, called “The Pond.” I was 

driving around the pond and I 

saw this woman coming out 

from the pond dressed all in 

white. 

I thought it was somebody 

that worked in a hospital that 

was just going to work and was 

walking up from the pond for 

some reason – headed to her car 

and to the hospital or whatever. 

That’s what I thought when 

I first looked at her. She had 

like a white jacket like a sports 

coat. When I was closer to her, 

I called it in and said, “Listen, 

I got this lady coming up from 

the pond.” I can’t remember the 

street. “I don’t know if she’s off 

her meds or what the story is 

but I’m going to be off here for a 

bit.” 

I was sitting in the car and she 

was coming up and getting closer 

and closer and closer. I was 

kind of vulnerable at that spot - I 

should have jumped out but all 

of the sudden she didn’t give me 

a chance. She was 25 feet away 

and the next thing you know she 

was in my pocket. 

I was still in drive – back then 

I drove a Chevy Impala and the 

shift was on the column – so 

I put my foot on the break and 

put it in park. It’s just instinct to 

look to make sure you’re in park 

before you put your foot off the 

break. I think everyone does it. 

Well, the nano-second I did that 

and looked back - she was gone. 

I was looking all around; she 

wasn’t there. 

So, I’m kind of getting freaked 

out. I jumped out of the car, I 

looked around the car, underneath 

the car, and there was just 

nobody there. Then I realized, 

“Holy cow, I think I just saw a 

ghost.” You’re always thinking 

of that stuff anyways because 

the island is very spiritual. We 

had to do building checks when 

you’re on the midnight shift and 

there are quite a few buildings 

that you have to check out. I was 

young - but not that brave – 

you’re always thinking of ghosts 

and stuff like that. Then I had 

realized the scene, and it started 

coming to me. I started putting 

two and two together. 

I didn’t see her feet. I didn’t see 

her face. Her face was blurred. 

I know she had white hair and I 

knew she was wearing that jacket. 

This is another thing too – her 

garments. Her lapels and bottom 

of her jacket flapped a bit, kind 

of like there was a wind, like it 

was breezy, just going back and 

forth. But there was no breeze at 

all. It was foggy and there was a 

street light there illuminating everything, 

but there was no wind. 

My brain is thinking “Ok, I just 

saw this woman come up from 

the pond, her jacket was moving 

- I didn’t see her feet and I 

couldn’t see her face.” She went 

from being 25 to 30 feet away 

with plenty of time for me to get 

out of the cruiser, but within a 

snap of the finger she was looking 

at me. Again, I couldn’t make 

any facial features out - I was a 

little freaked. 

I told dispatch, “Ok, I’m on my 

way in.” I said, “I got to ask you 

some questions.” 

I then sat with dispatch, and I 

mentioned what I had seen. The 

dispatcher laughed at me, “Well, 

you saw the white lady.” 

“Who’s that?” 

“Oh, that’s just one of the spirits 

that come up from the pond.” 

I’m like, “Are you serious?” 

“Oh yeah, did you make a 

wish?” 

“I didn’t make no wish. What 

are you talking about?” 

“Well, if you would have made 

a wish, the legend goes, she’ll 

grant it.” I didn’t have a chance 

to make a wish - she was just 

gone, and I didn’t know you can 

make a wish anyway. 

The rest of the summer I hung 

out by the pond, a lot. A lot at 

the wee hours of the morning 

hoping to see her again. Because 

I swore to myself, that “I’m going 

to make a wish” but I never did. I 

never saw her again. 

THE VIRGINIA SUPREME 

COURT BUILDING 

Paul Hope first experienced 

the paranormal during his childhood 

in the Isle of Man, British 

Isles. In 1996, at the age of 20, he 

emigrated to the United States; 

serving in the U.S. Army, and 

later becoming a police officer 

in Virginia. It was as a rookie 

officer that Paul once again 

encountered the paranormal 

while policing some of the most 

haunted and historical locations 

in the U.S. 

Although he left law enforcement 

for several years in late 

2010 to pursue opportunities as a 

private security contractor in Afghanistan, 

Paul returned to law 

enforcement and is once again a 

police officer. He lives in Central 

Virginia with his girlfriend and 

continues to explore his lifelong 

interest in the supernatural. 

During my first few months 

working for the Virginia Capitol 

Police, the Supreme Court 

Building became like a home 

away from home. During a 

regular five-night work week 

I was probably assigned to the 

Supreme Court Building at least 

three out of the five nights. 

Therefore, I became very familiar 

with the location’s interior, 

including its sub-basement 

levels that still house the money 

vaults, safes, and bullet-proof 

guard-turrets that were installed 

during the building’s previous 

tenure as Richmond’s U.S. Federal 

Reserve Bank. 

When it comes to creepy 

destinations, I rank the Virginia 

Supreme Court Building amongst 

the creepiest. During my time 

with the Virginia Capitol Police, 

hardly a week would go 

by without someone reportedly 

experiencing unexplained phenomena 

within the centuries-old 

building. Most of the activity was 

reported either in the sub-basement 

levels, or on the sixth floor, 

so it became commonplace for 

some officers to deliberately 

avoid these levels during their 

nightly patrols of the building. 

And, eight hours during the 

darkness of night is a long and 


lonely time to be locked inside 

a building that possesses such a 

chilling reputation for paranormal 

activity. 

Laying credibility to the 

claims of ghostly goings-on in 

the sub-basement level of the 

building is the story of a killing 

that occurred in February 1972, 

while the building served as the 

Federal Reserve Bank. The tragic 

killing of a bank security officer 

resulted from a disgruntled 

member of the bank’s security 

force going berserk with a gun. 

The ensuing gunfight ended with 

several security officers being 

shot by the deranged man, 

with one reportedly dying at the 

scene. 

It is not clear from old newspaper 

reports if the guard who 

initiated the violent confrontation 

is the person who was 

killed, but I’m sure that whoever 

did die from the gunshots experienced 

a rather unexpected and 

untimely death; a factor considered 

by many paranormal experts 

to be a major precursor to 

classic haunting cases. 

To this day, the evidence of 

the gun battle still remains in 

the sub-basement of the building. 

Several of the reinforced 

guard-turrets display bullet 

holes in their thick glass and 

steel and a couple of other holes 

can be found in the surrounding 

concrete walls; providing a chilling 

reminder of the events that 

occurred during that fateful day 

in 1972. 

Several months into my service 

as a Capitol Police Officer, 

I found myself once more on 

graveyard shift duty in the Supreme 

Court Building. It was a 

weekend, and the building had 

been closed for business since 

Friday evening. The only people 

who had been in the building 

since Friday were the cleaning 

crew and members of the Capitol 

Police. And, on that particular 

night, I was again alone within 

its walls for another long and 

lonely eight hours. 

As usual, I began my shift 

by double-checking all of the 

exterior doors and the security 

system. I then made my way 

to the sixth floor, where in the 

kitchen area I switched on the 

coffee maker and made a fresh 

pot of coffee. Located opposite 

the elevators, the kitchen 

was the only one in the building 

and was equipped as a breakroom 

for the numerous state 

employees who worked at the 

Supreme Court during the day, 

and contained seating, vending 

machines, a microwave oven, 

and various other break-room 

fixtures. 

For me, the kitchen provided 

not only a place to acquire a 

fresh cup of coffee, but it’s well 

lit and modern decor also provided 

a reprieve from the rest of 

the building’s age-old and traditional 

interior design. Walking 

through certain sections of the 

interior of the building was like 

traveling through a time warp, as 

modern design and color contrasted 

the much older looking 

designs and colors of the courtrooms, 

chambers, and judicial 

offices. In places, the building 

truly showed its age. 

After starting a fresh pot of 

coffee, I began my patrol of the 

sixth floor. Much like the mundane 

job of a security officer, 

Capitol Police Officers were required 

to perform regular checks 

of the interior of buildings they 

were assigned to. So, with flashlight 

in hand, I was required to 

walk every dimly lit corridor of 

the building, checking every floor 

and every door. 

Leaving the kitchen area of the 

sixth floor and proceeding past 

the freight elevator, the corridor 

suddenly narrows and leads 

into the older looking part of the 

building. Many of the lights in 

this area of the building are of 

course turned off at night, so it 

is always good practice to have 

a flashlight handy to lead the 

way. The maze of corridors and 

hallways within the building can 

be confusing and it takes several 

nights to learn the building’s 

layout, which stretches the entire 

width of a city block. 

I proceeded past the freight 

elevator and began to enter the 

older portion of the sixth-floor 

level when, all of a sudden, I noticed 

something move about 30 

feet in front of me. I did not have 

my flashlight on at the time, but 

something moving in the dimly 

lit corridor directly ahead of 

me definitely caught my attention. 

Not sure as to what it was, 

I stopped and stared straight 

ahead. There was not enough 

illumination from behind me to 

cast my shadow so far up the 

corridor, nor was there a window 

or open door close by that 

could facilitate a moving shadow. 

I didn’t see the shadow long 

enough to describe it with any 

detail, but it was definitely a 

dark mass that appeared to 

quickly dart from one side of the 

corridor to the other, from right 

to left. Momentarily startled, I 

stopped walking and stood still, 

listening for the sounds of anyone 

moving up ahead. As I stood 

still, my senses now alerting to 

the presence of something out of 

the ordinary, I suddenly detected 

a strong whiff of cigar smoke. 

Not so strange considering that 

some of the building’s employees 

still smoked in their offices, 

but strange enough considering 

there was no one other than me 

in the building at the time. 

The air was still, as I stood 

in the middle of the corridor, 

but I noticed a cold draft lightly 

passing by me as I began to 

walk towards the area where I 

had observed the moving shadow. 

The reason I noticed the draft 

was because it was unusually 

cold, in fact, quite chillingly cold, 

and I began to shiver. But again, 

trying to find a rational explanation 

for what I was experiencing, 

I reasoned that the unusually 

cold air was likely produced by 

the building’s air conditioning, 

even though it was wintertime 

and the air conditioning was 

probably off. 

I continued slowly towards the 

end of the corridor, and as I did, 

the odor of cigar smoke became 

increasingly present. At this 

point, I assumed that there was 

possibly someone in one of the 

many adjoining offices who was 

smoking a cigar, and I called out 

to whoever was there. Receiving 

no response, I called out again 

and as I did I experienced one of 

the most intense and unnerving 

feelings of paranormal presence 

I have ever felt. I can only describe 

it as a chillingly cold static 

electric charge that engulfed 

my entire body, causing every 

hair on my body to instantly 

stand on end. My heart skipped 

a beat and I was overcome with 

the feeling that I was not alone, 

as well as the overwhelming 

desire to immediately leave the 

area. At this point, the odor of cigar 

smoke was so intense that it 

almost seemed like someone had 

blown the smoke directly into 

my face, but there was no smoke 

visible, nor was there anyone 

else around. All I knew was that I 

felt that I was most definitely not 

alone in that area and it would 

be in my best interest to postpone 

my journey down that particular 

corridor. And so, I turned 

and walked hastily back towards 

the elevator while suppressing 

the urge to break into a run. 

Once back in the light of the 

kitchen area, I managed to 

regain my composure and persuaded 

myself to venture back 

down the corridor from where 

I had just come. I convinced 

myself that whatever I had just 

experienced at the location could 

not hurt me and it was my duty 

to continue my rounds of the 

building. So, after a couple of 

minutes in the kitchen, I walked 

cautiously back down the corridor 

to the area where I had just 

experienced what I strongly suspect 

was paranormal phenomena. 

Only, when I reached the 

area of my strange encounter, 

the atmosphere had completely 

changed. There was no longer 

any odor of cigar smoke, nor did 

I experience anything resembling 

the unnerving sensation 

I had moments ago experienced. 

The temperature of the 

corridor now felt normal, and I 

did not at all sense any fear or 

hesitation at continuing down the 

corridor. 

But, as a duty-bound precaution, 

I decided to check the 

interior of the offices in the close 

area to verify that there was no 

one present and no cigar accidentally 

left burning in an ashtray. 

I checked the interior of all the 

offices in the immediate area but 

could not locate anyone. I also 

could no longer detect any trace 

of an odor of cigar smoke. 

The whole scenario just 

seemed completely strange. 

Surely, after detecting such an 

intense odor of cigar smoke, 

there would remain at least 

some trace of the odor for several 

minutes, but I could no longer 

smell anything but the usual 

musky smell of the building’s 

interior. And, after sensing the 

presence of whatever it was that 

had been with me in the corridor, 

I could not believe that it had 

dissipated so quickly. 

I later considered that the experience 

may have resulted from 

actually passing by an invisible 

ghostly entity as it too walked 

down the corridor. Whatever it 

was, it had left a lasting memory 

with me. Never before had 

I experienced such an intense 

feeling that I was in the presence 

of something paranormal, nor 

have I since. 

Got a Warstory 

you’d like to share with 

our readers? 

Email your story to bluespdmag@gmail.com 

We’ll send you a free 

koozie. 


WORDS BY OFFICER MICHAEL BARRON 

The real Anna-Nicole Smith & her 

mother, Deputy Virgie Hart-Arthur 

This past week, I watched the 

NETFLIX special on Anna Nicole 

Smith – “Anna Nicole Smith - 

You Don’t Know Me.” Well yes, I 

do know you, but as Vickie Lynn 

Hogan. 

Vickie Lynn was the daughter 

of Deputy of Virgie Mae Hart. 

Virgie and I worked together for 

years at the District 2 office of 

the Harris County Sheriff’s Office 

located in Humble Texas. Both 

of us worked both the day shift 

and eventually nights. Unfortunately, 

we lost Virgie to cancer 

back in 2018. But I’ll never forget 

the times we spent on patrol, 

or the many times we spoke as 

her daughter became this bigger 

than life super model, who 

would later die exactly as Virgie 

said she would, of a drug overdose. 

Virgie and I met on my first day 

in District 2. I was initially assigned 

to day shift to a district 

car and Virgie was a contract 

unit in the Kingwood area. She 

made a point to come introduce 

herself and said, ‘welcome to the 

circus.’ It would be sometime 

later before I really knew what 

she meant by “the circus” but 

Virgie was one of the most sincere, 

kindest people you’d ever 

wanna meet. But I would soon 

learn that kindness would evaporate 

when a suspect would piss 

her off. 

Even though we worked the 

same shift, we rarely saw each 

other except for the times I 

would go up north to back her 

up. I remember one night Virgie 

called for backup at a fight in 

progress at a bar off Loop 494 

near Kingwood. By the time I 

got there, Virgie has four drunk 

males sitting in a straight line in 

the parking lot with their hands 

on their heads. Not handcuffed 

mind you, but hand locked 

together on their heads. As a 

walked up, one of the males 

started to lower his hands and 

I heard Virgie yell at him “hey 

asshole, what did I tell you to 

do, put your fucking hands back 

on top of your head or I’m gonna 

put them there for you.” And the 

drunk says, “yes ma’am I’m sorry 

I was getting a cramp, they’re 

back up, I’m sorry ma’am, deputy 

ma’am.” 

I was about to ask if she needed 

any help, but it was obvious 

she had everything well under 

control. We transported four 

drunk males to Humble, and I 

have never seen drunks more cooperative 

than these guys were 

to Virgie. Even the jailer asked, 

“what’s the deal with these guys, 

Virgie show them the dead guy 

pic again?” Wait what? He says 

never mind. 

After we got them booked, 

Virgie and I went to Whataburger 

across the street. It was the 

first time I had really spent time 

talking to her and after a few 

minutes it was apparent that 

Virgie Hart truly liked being a 

cop and liked working nights. 

That night we talked about a lot 

of things but not so much about 

her home life or that she had 

a daughter. A few weeks later, 

on Virgie’s night off, I was dispatched 

to a trespassing call at 

Kingwood High School. When I 

got there, a bunch of teenagers 

were hanging out near some 

vending machines on the backside 

of the school. Of course, 

when they spotted my patrol car, 

they all took off in different directions, 

expect one 13-year-old 

girl. She unfortunately had tried 

to reach her hand inside a vending 

machine that her friends had 

broken into, but got it wedged 

and couldn’t get it out. Caught 

red handed in other words. Being 

the smart ass I was at the time, 

I causally walked up and said, 

“hey what’s going on?” And she 

says, “what the fuck does it look 

like Barney, I got my fucking arm 

stuck in this fucking machine. 

Are you gonna just fucking stand 

there or help me?” 

“Well, are you the nice one.” I 

got her arm out and said you’re 

under arrest little lady. And she 

says. “No fucking way, do you 

know who my momma is?” Nope 

and I don’t care. 

“My momma is Deputy Hart 

and she’s gonna kick your ass 

when she finds out you handcuffed 

me.” 

Well, this was well before cell 

phones, so I tossed her ass in my 

car, and we headed off to jail. 

When we got there, the jailer 

sees her and says, “Hey Vickie 

Lynn, I see you’re back.” 

Wait. You know this girl? Yeah, 

that’s Virgie Mae’s daughter. And 

the girl says, “I told you motherfucker, 

now let me go.” 

I had the jailer hold her, while 

I went and called Virgie. “Virgie, 

this is Mike Barron. I have 

some bad news; I just arrested 

your daughter at Kingwood 

High School for breaking into a 

vending machine and….” “I’m on 

my way” and before I could say 

anything else, she hung-up. 

Thirty minutes later, Virgie 

walks in the jail and says, 

where’s my damn daughter? I 

point to the squad room where 

she’s flirting with the jailer hoping 

he’ll cut her loose before her 

momma arrived. Too late! Virgie 

walks in, grabs Vickie Lynn but 

the shirt and drags her across 

the hall into the holding cells 



and slams the door shut behind 

them. For the next 45 minutes, 

she reads her the riot act and 

how disappointed she was in 

her. When they were finished, 

Virgie yells for me to come open 

the cell. I walk in and say, “you 

locked yourself in a cell?” And 

she says, “Don’t fuck with me 

Mike Barron!” 

Yes ma’am. I unlocked the door 

and let them out. As we walked 

back into the hall, Vickie Lynn 

turns to me and says, “I apologize 

sir, I was wrong and I sorry 

I called you Barney.” We all 

cracked up laughing and Virgie 

looks at me and says “Barney?” 

And I said, “Don’t fuck with me 

Virgie May.” 

We agreed that if Virgie paid 

for the damages to the snack 

machine and the High School 

didn’t press charges, she was 

free to go. That was the first time 

I met the future Anna-Nicole. 

Vickie Lynn spent most of her 

time living with her aunt and 

Virgie never really talked much 

about her after that. It wasn’t 

until I left and went to Galveston 

County, that I learned that Vickie 

Lynn had changed her name to 

Anna-Nicole. I remember calling 

Virgie some time after that, and 

we had an hour long talk about 

Anna-Nicole and her new life. 

Years later, Virgie told me that 

she just knew one day she would 

get the call that Vickie Lynn had 

overdosed and was dead. That 

call would come on February 

8,2007. Virgie flew to the Bahamas 

for the funeral and for the 

next couple of years, she was 

thrust into the middle of a custody 

battle for her granddaughter 

Dannielynn. 

I’ll let you watch the NETFLIX 

special for the rest of the story 

of Anna-Nicole’s tragic life and 

death story. 

What happened to Virgie? 

Well, we lost her in 2018 to cancer. 

Virgie Mae Hart-Arthur, 67, 

died Sunday, November 18, 2018 

at her home after a long and 

courageous battle with cancer. 

¬Virgie was born in Italy, Texas 

on July 12, 1951. She grew up 

in Mexia, Texas and then later 

moved to Houston, Texas. On 

December 16, 2000, she married 

James Arthur and they were 

married for 18 years. 

Virgie was a 29-year veteran 

with the Harris County Sheriff’s 

Department. When she began 

her career with the Sheriff’s Department, 

she was one of very 

few women who worked as a 

patrol deputy. For many years, 

she worked the night shift and 

toward the end of her career 

she began teaching RAD classes 

(self-defense) classes for women. 

She was very sympathetic to 

women and children who were 

victims of domestic abuse. She 

always had toys for children in 

the trunk of her patrol car so 

that she could give them to the 

kids she encountered when she 

was working. 

Virgie was 67 years old when 

she passed away. I will always 

remember the kind, passionate 

women she was and miss her 

greatly to this day. Rest in peace 

my friend. 

ALL FIRST RESPONDERS & VETERANS 

10% OFF A NEW INTERIOR 

FOR YOUR CAR,TRUCK OR SUV 

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


CLICK HERE FOR WEBSITE

A BADGE OF HONOR 

healing our heroes 

yrs. 

Share Your Story 

It May Be the Key That Unlocks 

Someone’s Prison 

I am writing this after recording 

Bridging the Divide, a podcast by 

Assist The Officer in Dallas. They 

record stories like mine. Stories 

that make you mad. Stories that 

make you cry. Stories that impact 

lives. When you tell your story, 

you may be the only one able to 

break through to someone struggling. 

It is like saying, “I’ve been 

there, and you are not alone.” 

Sharing your darkest day matters. 

It may be the key to unlock 

someone else’s prison. It may even 

save a life. 

I never intended to put my trauma 

and its aftermath into writing. 

Never in my wildest dreams did I 

ever think that it would be a catalyst 

for starting a non-profit. 

I remember sitting at a big 

round table in Florida surrounded 

by a dozen people chatting 

about nothing in particular when 

a friend asked me to share my 

story. It was the first time I shared 

in front of a group that I did not 

really know. You could hear a pin 

drop. A few people gasped. When 

I was through answering a ton of 

questions, my friend asked me 

when was I writing the book. I 

stared at her in silence for what 

seemed like an eternity. She asked 

again, “Seriously Sam. When are 

you writing your book?” The only 

answer I could give was in the 

form of a question. It went something 

like this, “Why would I want 

to put the worst event in my life 

in a book and spill my guts for 

everyone to read?” I was a quiet 

and private person. Most people 

only knew that I was a former 

United States Secret Service Agent 

who survived the September 11th 

attacks in New York City. 

Fast forward a few years, four 

failed attempts to write, and some 

additional therapy to help handle 

the stress responses, the book 

was done. The Silent Fall: A Secret 

Service Agent’s story of Tragedy 

and triumph after 9/11 forced me 

to put it all out there for myself, 

and for others. Then came the 

requests to speak. Here I thought 

writing the book was tough. Now 

it was time to tell my story in person 

to audiences from all backgrounds. 

Palms sweating, heart racing, 

and lots of rehearsing I was out 

there. It was the emails and private 

messages thanking me for 

sharing the “tough stuff” and providing 

hope that kept me going. 

Hope saves lives. If there is a 

chance, no matter how small, 

and you connect with someone 

by sharing your story, you offer 

hope. Hope can help someone stay 

in the fight. Hope can help someone 

make one more move to find 

peace. Hope can help someone 

share their story to heal themselves 

and others. 

In the first responder space we 

SAMANTHA HORWITZ & 

JOHN SALERNO 

need to work together to make 

hope contagious. All it takes is the 

courage for us to share our stories. 

We already possess the courage 

to run into a burning building 

or take a bullet because we are 

trained to push away the fear. Let’s 

train the courage to share. It starts 

with you. 

Thousands of first responders 

have already answered that 

call. We have more peer support 

programs than ever before. They 

are literally unlocking the private 

prisons of their brothers and sisters, 

saving lives. We are not alone 

in our struggles; you are not alone 

in yours. 

Join A Badge of Honor on June 

24, 2023, in Garland, Texas as we 

team up with PTSD911 Movie to 

share the courageous stories of 

first responders who stayed in 

their fight and help others do the 

same. Tickets are only $10. Visit 

ABadgeofHonor.com 

Samantha Horwitz & John Salerno 

are the founders of A Badge of Honor, 

a 501(c)(3) post-traumatic stress 

awareness and suicide prevention 

program for first responders. John 

and Sam host A Badge of Honor Podcast 

Mondays 5pm CST or listen anytime 

on your favorite podcast app. 


DARYL LOTT 

daryl’s deliberations 

yrs. 

The Real Cost of Loss 

My grandson and I were recently 

conducting research on our family’s 

role in the Civil War. As it turns out, 

our ancestors fought on the side of 

their home state: Mississippi. They 

were early pioneers of Mississippi 

having entered America through 

Charleston in the 1600’s and then 

moved gradually westward. My 

sister’s genealogical research 

revealed that our ancestors joined 

the 22nd Mississippi Regiment 

and other units from the state 

and fought at Shiloh, Corinth, and 

Vicksburg. 

During the Battle of Shiloh, they 

fought on the Right Wing of the 

Confederate Army 

coming under the 

personal command of 

Lt. Gen. Albert Sydney 

Johnston until he was 

killed before their very 

eyes becoming the 

highest ranking officer 

of either side killed 

in action. One of my 

ancestors was killed at 

Shiloh with his general. 

He is buried in a 

trench with the other 

Confederate casualties 

of the Right Wing. After the war, 

the War Department purchased 

the land and created a national 

military historical park to honor 

the great battle there. Confederate 

veteran’s groups then marked 

the known trenches holding the 

Confederate dead. No individual 

graves were created for Confederate 

losses. Why? The Confederate 

Army left the field in defeat and the 

federal troops did not know who 

the dead soldiers in gray were. The 

Confederates managed to retrieve 

General Johnston’s body and he 

is buried in the state cemetery in 

Austin because he was the last 

commanding general of the Republic 

of Texas Army. 

When the Confederates retreated 

south, the US Army engaged 

them later in the year at Corinth. 

The fight at Corinth was over a 

railroad that connected the Mississippi 

River to the eastern Confederacy. 

The North, again, defeated 

the Confederate troops, but there 

was no wholesale purchase of the 

battlefields in and around Corinth. 

There is an interpretive center in 

the town operated by the National 

Park Service under the administration 

of the Shiloh site some twenty 

miles away. 

My grandson, Lincoln, and I 

asked the NPS Ranger for information 

on the 22nd Miss Regiment and 

Corinth. He had all the information 

memorized and shared the story 

with us. The regiment fought north 

of town where a dirt road and the 

DARYL LOTT 

railroad crossed. There was a fierce 

battle over a two day period. Our 

ancestor fell on the first 

day. The railroad is still 

an active rail line today. 

The road is now a paved 

roadway running NW 

out of Corinth to Tennessee 

a short distance 

away. It was easy to find. 

The battle known as the 

Second Battle of Corinth 

(October 3&4, 1862) 

produced a combined 

6500 casualties. It was 

no small affair. 

Lincoln and I drove 

the short distance to the battlefield 

marked by the ranger’s “X.” When 

we arrived, we expected to see 

a historical marker denoting the 

site. There was none. I surmised 

that the little Mississippi roadway 

was too narrow to accommodate 

anything on the side of the 

road. We scanned the battlefield 

itself for any sign of the battle, 

but nothing was there. Prior to 

leaving the interpretive center, we 

asked the ranger where the Confederate 

casualties were buried. 

He told us that they were buried 

in mass graves where they fell. As 

we looked at the field where they 

fell in their own home state all we 

could see was the cattle pasture 

that was probably always there 

since Anglos settled the area in the 

early 1800’s. There was absolutely 

no sign or indication a great battle 

took place in that field and that one 

side’s casualties were buried in a 

mass grave. 

Lincoln was visibly shaken as 

he is only ten years old. He said, 

“Papa, the cows poop on the 

graves of the men.” 

I said, “Yes, that’s what happens 

when you lose.” 

I want our grandchildren to understand 

there are no trophies for 

2nd Place in wars. The fate Mississippi 

and the other Confederate 

states brought upon themselves 

was horrible. The visionary governor 

of Texas, Sam Houston, refused 

to secede and warned his constituents 

that the first shot fired would 

mark the death knell of slavery and 

the destruction of the South. 

He had traveled in the North as a 

U.S. Senator and Congressman. He 

saw first hand that the wealth and 

power of the North was not imagined 

in the leveraging of human 

beings who could run away. He 

saw real wealth in industry and 

technology. The vastly superior 

population of the North led to filling 

the ranks of their army with no 

end of personnel resources. 

The saddest day of Houston’s life 

was the day that according to the 

Texas Constitution he had to convene 

a convention called by delegates 

elected from each county. 

The Texas Secession Convention 

was modeled after early such conventions 

in other states. The delegates 

did give written cause for 

seceding from the Union - slavery. 

They saw themselves as patriots 

and wanted no misunderstanding 

about such a shocking episode. 

Slavery was the written cause of 

secession in every Southern state 

save one - Louisiana. Louisiana 

seceded due to slavery but was the 

only state in the Confederacy that 

didn’t write it down. 

The Texas delegates put their 

work up for a popular election and 

Texans (white males only) voted 

to leave the Union. Sam Houston 

refused to “reject that compact 

known as the United States Constitution.” 

He was removed from 

office and Frank Lubbock took his 

place. Houston died before his 

wayward daughter was brought 

back to the fold, but not before he 

released his own enslaved servants. 

The destruction of the South and 

the forfeiture of wealth devastated 

southern households of which 80% 

owned no slaves. It still serves as 

a cautionary tale of what happens 

when a vocal minority wrests 

power from the majority by controlling 

the narrative as the entitled 

Planter Class did in the South. 

Northern citizens were repeatedly 

incensed when this minority exercised 

disproportionate power in 

the halls of Congress with compromises 

that were only good for one 

side. One must always be cautious 

when awakening a sleeping giant. 


HONORING FALLEN HEREOS 

yrs. 

“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 

AS OF 5/29/23 

Total Grants Awarded to Injured First Responders: 46 

Total Amount Awarded: $417,500 

Total Funds Awarded to Families of Fallen Heroes: 34 

Total Amount Awarded: $272,301 

Funds/Equipment Awarded to K9 Officers: $29,682.32 

Total Amount of Grants Given: $669,483.32 

- - - - 

2023 Run Tracker: 

Total Miles Run in 2023: (as of 5/29/23): 95 

- Zechariah - 40 

- Jayden - 5 

- Andrew - 12 

- Giuliana - 4 

- Anthony - 8 

- Morgan - 25 

- Theresa - 1 

Total Miles Run in 2022: 325 




Overall Miles Run: 1,522 

Overall Miles Run (K9’s): 64 

- - - - - - - - - 

2022 Run Stats: 

Total Miles Run for 2022 Fallen LEO’s (Non COVID-19): 135 

Total Miles Run for 2022 Fallen Firefighters (Non COVID-19): 80 

Total Miles Run for Non-LODD/Suicide: 13 

Total Miles Run for 2022 Fallen Canada LEO’s: 3 

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: 17 

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 

156 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 

The BLUES 157


blue mental health 

Making a Difference and 

Breaking Down Barriers 

Over the years, I have been 

blessed to meet countless 

excellent current and former 

law enforcement officers who 

have committed to breaking 

down the stigma and barriers 

to seeking and receiving adequate 

mental health services. 

Recently I became aware of 

a Texas-based award-winning 

radio show called MAD 

(Making a Difference) and had 

the opportunity to connect 

with John Salerno and Samantha 

Horwitz, co-hosts of 

the show, along with Charles 

Clark, Founder of the Blue 

Voice. MAD radio originated 

from the realization that 

laughter makes a difference 

and can save lives by reducing 

stress and providing a healing 

forum for the first responder 

community to understand that 

it’s okay not to be OK (#Itsoknototbeok). 

The show’s co-hosts bring 

numerous years of experience 

and wisdom. John Salerno is 

a retired New York City Detective 

with over 30 years as 

a first responder, starting as 

an emergency medical technician/firefighter 

and then 

moving into law enforcement. 

John was also a 9/11 first 

responder who conducted 

search and rescue. Samantha 

(Sam) Horwitz was a former 

United States Secret Service 

Agent in World Trade Center 

Tower 1 on 9/11 when American 

Airlines Flight 11 struck 

it. Sam is the recipient of the 

United States Secret Service 

Director’s Citation for Valor for 

her service on 9/11. Sam has 

also been honored with the 

Texas State Flag from the Texas 

House of Representatives in 

recognition of her service as 

a United States Secret Service 

Agent and a Proclamation 

from the Texas Senate honoring 

her continued service 

to the citizens of the State of 

Texas. Sam’s been featured in 

People Magazine, ABC, CBS, 

Blaze TV with Glenn Beck, and 

other local and national media. 

She is the author of The 

Silent Fall: A Secret Service 

Agent’s Story of Tragedy and 

Triumph After 9/11. Together 

John and Sam (and with 

guests) discuss the impact of 

Post Traumatic Stress (PTS) 

and Post-traumatic Stress 

Injury (PTSI) within the first 

responder community and 

offer tools and resources to 

help cope with the stressors 

yrs. 


of performing daily job tasks. 

MAD also serves as a healing 

network to share John and 

Sam’s own experiences of 

PTSD with others and to help 

smash the mental health stigma 

for first responders seeking 

assistance. 

A Badge of Honor (www. 

ABadgeofHonor.com) was 

born out of this passion and 

offers educational workshops 

on PTS throughout the country. 

This organization has 

reached hundreds in Texas 

from agencies across the DFW 

metroplex and beyond. All 

participants are provided a 

questionnaire at determined 

intervals after the workshops 

to assess whether they utilize 

the tactics and tools demonstrated. 

This approach allows 

for measuring what works 

and how A Badge of Honor 

can keep innovating and improving. 

As a mental health provider 

who has consistently advocated 

for more academy training 

on these issues, I wholeheartedly 

agree with A Badge of 

Honor’s current and future 

goals. They envision a 40- 

hour block of instruction in 

academies on PTS followed by 

yearly or semi-yearly training. 

Additionally, they aim for all 

departments to have a written 

policy about mental health 

and how the department will 

support a first responder in 

need by providing 100% confidential 

resources and creating 

peer and family support programs. 

John Salerno offered the 

following valuable insight, “As 

mental health is not a one size 

fits, we need to show our first 

responders the many options 

available to them and their 

families. Families are also affected 

by PTSD, and we must 

educate them on what their 

loved ones are going through 

daily. Once a person becomes 

a frontline responder, your life 

changes if you want it to or 

not. Your mental health and 

how your department handles 

it are most important to 

the longevity of the career 

and the family unit. Many first 

responders are divorced due 

to work-related issues. So, if 

we can bring the knowledge 

to the entire first responder 

family, we may be able to 

save lives and families”. 

MAD radio, now called A 

Badge of Honor Podcast, now 

has more platforms, such as 

YouTube and others, and has 

moved the show out of the 

studio so they can interview 

first responders worldwide. 

The goal is to bring change in 

policies and procedures within 

the first responder community 

and to give front-line 

click or scan 

here, for your 

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Subscription. 

heroes the ability to speak 

openly about an event or a 

feeling from an event without 

any repercussions. A Badge 

of Honor Podcast runs every 

Monday on OBBM or our Facebook 

page @MakingADifferenceTX 

from 5 pm to 6 pm 

central. 


NOT SO BRIGHT AWARD 

Light Bulb Award 

yrs. 

CHICAGO MAYOR, 

STILL A MORON 

TWO NEW MORONS! 

There are no shortages of Light Bulb candidates in Congress these 

days. But these two morons stand out for their lack of support for police. 

This month’s award goes to 

two morons in Congress. Two 

members of progressive group 

“the Squad” were the only Democrats 

to vote against a resolution 

that memorialized police officers 

killed in the line of duty and 

expressed condolences to their 

loved ones. 

During a vote Monday, May 

15th, recognizing National Police 

Week, Reps. Rashida Tlaib, 

D-Mich., and Cori Bush, D-Mo., 

uttered the only nays heard from 

the House floor as the chamber 

voted on the pro-law enforcement 

resolution. 

The resolution, which passed 

with unanimous support from 

Republicans and nearly all Democrats, 

amended H.Res. 363 title 

to read: “Resolution memorializing 

law enforcement officers 

killed in the line of duty.” 

Its passing honored “the 556 

law enforcement officers killed 

in the line of duty, including 224 

officers killed in 2022, as well 

as 332 officers killed in previous 

years whose stories were recovered 

during 2022,” while also 

ensuring police are equipped 

with the resources and training 

necessary to keeping communities 

safe. 

The amendment opposed by 

the Democrats expressed “unwavering 

support” for law enforcement 

officers and offered 

“condolences and solemn appreciation” 

for the loved ones of lost 

officers. 

The resolution vowed that the 

House of Representatives would 

acknowledge “that police officers 

and other law enforcement 

personnel, especially those who 

have made the ultimate sacrifice, 

should be remembered and honored,” 

and recognized as heroes. 

“Why did Cori Bush and Rashida 

Tlaib just vote against a 

simple resolution to honor law 

enforcement officers during 

National Police Week?” Rep. Troy 

Nehls, R-Texas., posted on Twitter 

after the vote. 

Several representatives in the 

“Squad” have a history of anti-police 

rhetoric. But fellow 

original members Reps. Alexandria 

Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., 

Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Ayanna 

Pressley, D-Mass., all voted in 

favor of the resolution. 

Tlaib and Bush did not immediately 

say why they voted against 

the resolution, but claimed Tuesday 

that they view community 

safety as a “top priority.” 

“Let us be clear: the health and 

safety of every one of our community 

members — including our 

first responders — is a top priority 

for us,” the Democrats said in 

a joint statement. 

The representatives wrote 

that the Republican-introduced 

amendment “is not a referendum 

on support for the safety of first 

responders.” 

“But this resolution is not a 

referendum on support for the 

safety of first responders. It is a 

document intended to advance 

Republicans’ false narrative 

around supporting law enforcement 

and gaslight the public 

about where they stand,” they 

said. 

Vote these ASHATS out of Congress. 

Drain the swamp and start 

with these two morons. 

Last Month, we awarded the 

Lightbulb to Chicago’s new mayor 

when he said we shouldn’t 

punish the rioters who overtook 

a downtown area and beat 

innocent citizens half to death. 

They were just being kids. Ok 

you idiot. 

Now this month, as he was 

being sworn in as the mayor, he 

does this: 

Chicago’s new Democratic 

mayor, Brandon Johnson, during 

his Monday inauguration speech, 

compared the recent murder of 

a city police officer to the 2021 

shooting death of an armed teen 

by police. 

Johnson, who has come under 

fire over his past comments ex- 

AREANAH PRESTON 

A TRUE HERO 

pressing support for the “defund 

the police movement,” told the 

crowd at the inauguration, “The 

tears of Adam Toledo’s parents 

are made of the same sorrow as 

those of Officer Preston’s parents.” 

He was referencing 24-yearold 

Chicago police officer Areanah 

Preston, who was tragically 

shot to death outside her 

South Side home on May 6 after 

returning from a night shift, and 

13-year-old Adam Toledo, who 

was shot by a police officer 

while armed during a foot pursuit 

in March 2021. 


Boat Camping in Coastal Cities 

I have been very fortunate 

all of my life to experience the 

outdoors the way I have, but I 

especially love camping. I think 

my first camping trip was with 

my high school buddies to bow 

hunt whitetail deer in LaGrange, 

Texas. Tent camping not only 

included the many hunting trips 

in Texas, but also our first backpacking 

trip to the Weminuche 

Wilderness in the mountains of 

Colorado. I soon learned that 

camping was just another way 

we could go anywhere on a 

limited budget to explore areas 

we had never seen. Camping 

back then even turned into an 

occasional car camping trip 

when the surf was up and the 

swell was just right down in 

Sargent, Texas. My love for 

camping continued when I went 

to the Pineywoods and attended 

Stephen F. Austin State University. 

My then girlfriend, and now 

my wife of 37 years, spent many 

a night star gazing up at the 

skies of East Texas during those 

four years of college. Then we 

started having kids and tent 

camping got upgraded to a Popup 

camper, where you get the 

feel of tent camping but with 

the comforts of a bed. Later in 

life, we even tried full Class-C 

RVs, but a couple of bad experiences 

kept us from getting 

one of the road warriors for our 

exploring the back roads of the 

US. When we built our cabin 

outside of Steamboat, Colorado, 

I thought I might be done with 

camping altogether as we now 

had a beautiful rustic cabin in a 

remote area of the Rocky Mountains 

at 10,000 feet, adjacent to 

one million acres of National 

Forest to play in. Then came 

retirement, our move to Florida, 

and the purchase of our Axopar 

37XC cross cabin boat that 

has become our luxury camper 

on the water, complete with 

a comfortable bed, hot water 

shower, toilet, and the ability to 

go anywhere by water. 

Last month, after owning our 

boat for one year, we took her 

on a 3-day trip exploring a total 

of 319 miles of the beautiful Gulf 

Coast of Florida. We traveled 

from Destin Harbor through the 

Intercoastal Waterway down to 

Apalachicola. The Intercoastal is 

a great way to safely explore the 

coastal communities without 

the worry of weather or rough 

seas and just about any type of 

boat can take advantage of this 

wonderful waterway through 

our Country. Along the route, 

we got to see a variety of wildlife 

and the great hidden gems 

of waterfront living, all in the 

very remote feeling low-country 

backwaters along the Gulf 

Coast. 

Once we arrived in Apalachicola, 

we spent two nights 

there along the Scipio Creek at 

a small marina that offered a 

place to tie up and connect to 

shore power, making our “boat 

camping” very comfortable 

with electricity powering everything 

on our boat, including 

AC. Apalachicola, FL is a little 

fishing village known for its 

oysters and fresh seafood, and 

now on my list of must-see 

destinations when traveling in 

the area. Everything was within 

walking distance of our marina, 

including our favorite local spot 

called the Half-Shell Dockside, 

which not only serves the very 

best seafood in town, but also 

had live music every night. I 

did notice that the couple with 

the boat in the slip next to ours 

had also traveled through the 

ICW for a similar excursion but 

since they had a center console 

fishing boat, they were staying 

at a local hotel in town rather 

than on their boat. Two tips I 

can share from the trip include: 

1) subscribe to The Waterway 

Guide to get access to charts 

and information on how to best 

Sunset in Apalachicola, FL where we spent two nights along the Scipio Creek at a small marina that 

offered a place to tie up and connect to shore power, making our “boat camping” very comfortable. 

explore the Intercoastal Waterway 

and the waters of the U.S., 

including places to stay, get fuel 

and marine supplies. 2) I also 

would suggest paying close 

attention to your charts as you 

navigate unfamiliar waters as 

shallow shoals have taken many 

boats whose captains have failed 

to notice waters shifting from 

30 feet to 2 feet. We discovered 

several such sunken boats on the 


Our charts showed several sunken boats whose captains failed to notice waters shifting from 

30 feet to 2 feet around the shallow water shoals just off Cape San Blas. 

charts as we came around Cape 

San Blas. 

After spending one day of 

exploring the shops and restaurants 

of Apalachicola on foot, 

and then one day exploring 

the islands of St George and St 

Vincent by boat, we set out on 

our trip home through the Gulf 

of Mexico. From 8:00 a.m. until 

almost 2:30 p.m., the Gulf was 

beautiful, clear, and completely 

calm for our ride along the 

coastline. We saw the beautiful 

white sand beaches of Cape San 

Blas and the cool coastal cities 

of Port St Joe, Panama City, and 

then our home beaches of 30A 

in South Walton County before 

arriving back in Destin Harbor. 

Along the way we caught a few 

fish, were escorted by many 

playful dolphins, and were 

buzzed by two Airforce F-22 

Raptors pilots at what seemed 

to be less than a mile up who 

showed their approval of our 

boat with a wing waggle greeting 

as we were solo in the Gulf 

just off the coast. It was my 

favorite day on the water, after 

one of my favorite camping 

trips. 


ADS BACK IN THE DAY 



ADS BACK IN THE DAY 


THERE ARE NO WORDS 

parting shots... 

yrs. 

... pardon our humor 


yrs. 

Your Source for 

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yrs. 

Air Bear announces the arrival of 

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airbear 

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174 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 175

yrs. 

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 

over hundreds of brands and products, and constantly adding more, we are confident we can fulfill your 

needs. 

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

It’s that simple!” Rick Fernandez 


176 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 177

yrs. 

INTRODUCING THE PEPPERBALL VKS PRO 

Key Management & 

Key Control Products 

All of our KeyWarden Security 

products are reliable, easy to use 

and expandable to meet your 

growing needs. 

Through seamless design, 

manufacturing and support, we 

have earned the reputation as 

the world leaders in security 

management products. We also 

write our own software to ensure 

system compatibility and performance. 

Every Morse Watchman’s 

product and system is meticulously 

designed and inspected to 

offer the latest in security technology 

and reliability. 

KEYWATCHER TOUCH 

KeyWatcher Touch brings one touch key 

control to the KeyWatcher, one of our industry-leading 

electronic key cabinets. Our 

new big, bright 7″ touch screen key register 

systems give you an easier-to-use interface. 

KEYWATCHER FLEET 

The industry’s only key control system for 

fleet management applications, KeyWatcher 

Fleet puts you in command of vehicle 

distribution, comprehensive utilization, 

right-sizing of your fleet and much more. 

The new PepperBall VKS PRO is the ULTIMATE 

multi-payload, long-range, semi-automatic, 

non-lethal launcher. With its exceptional accuracy, 

and easy to handle design, the VKS PRO mirrors the 

AR-15 platform, can be used with both a hopper and 

a magazine and offers a disposable 88g cartridge 

option. 

The VKS PRO offers many features including: 

• Twist lock barrel technology that can easily 

switch from magazine to hopper fed on the fly; no 

need to remove the hopper to use the magazine. 

• Flip up sights that allow the user to adjust 

their sight based on windage and/or elevation. The 

sights can be used alone for a low-profile view, 

flipped down and moved out of the way or can be 

combined with an optic to co-witness. 

• 14-inch micro-honed barrel that is designed to 

accurately shoot both round and VXR finned long 

• Ambidextrous QD sling mount that allows for a 

wide range of motion, enabling versatile launcher 

handling for both left and right-handed users. 

• M-LOK handguard allowing for advanced 

modularity past the 1913 picatinny rail system. 

Machined to mil-spec dimensions and built with 

aircraft grade aluminum, the new handguard is 

lightweight yet robust enough to handle any optional 

accessories to enhance the performance of 

the VKS PRO. 

• Adjustable folding foregrip that improves 

handling but also can fold down and get out of 

the way so the VKS PRO can be utilized in all high 

stress deployment situations. 

The VKS PRO is available from Pepper- 

Ball. For more information or to request a 

demo, visit pepperball.com. 

THE KEYBANK 

The KeyBank® key control system eliminates 

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KeyWatcher Illuminated is a modular, scalable 

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178 The The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES 179

yrs. 

PLANET FORD IN SPRING, 20403 I45 NORTH, 

SPRING TEXAS 

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

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

for over 20 years.* Our Ford dealership earns 

this distinction year after year because our team 

makes our clients and their vehicle needs our top 

priority. Planet Ford is part of the award-winning 

World Class Automotive Group. The dealership 

has earned many top honors, including multiple 

Triple Crowns, which is bestowed upon only 

the best. In order to be recognized, a dealership 

must receive all of Ford’s top awards, including 

The President’s Award for customer service. Planet 

Ford has been redesigned from the ground up 

to provide a superior customer experience. Planet 

offers over 30 acres of new Ford inventory, Certified 

Pre-Owned Fords, pre-owned vehicles of all 

makes and models, as well as aftermarket and 

performance parts, service, commercial truck 

services, and collision repair. Beyond automotive 

services, the Randall Reed family and Planet team 

support and gives back to the community, from 

local charity events to sponsoring schools and 

veteran programs. Learn more at PlanetFord.com. 



yrs. 

Supporting Law 

Enforcement in 

TEXAS 

Inset: Dan Rooney ProForce President 

Firearms and Tactical Equipment for Law Enforcement Professionals 

800-367-5855 



SPOTLIGHT ON 

ProForce’s commitment to providing excellent customer 

service is a key element in the company’s success 

throughout the western United States. As a relative newcomer 

in the state of TEXAS ProForce has been welcomed with open 

arms by the law enforcement community. 

ProForce’s relationships with top industry manufacturers 

and vendors, as well as their sales volume, allows them 

to negotiate better pricing to meet the budgetary needs 

of law enforcement agencies. While some vendors may 

not always have product availability in a timely manner. 

ProForce’s industry relationships and direct contact through 

vendor representatives, the sales team is able to suggest 

and provide alternatives to meet specific requirements of 

agencies, ensuring that the agency’s needs are always met. 

“ 

Working with PROFORCE through the 

bidding and purchasing of the M&P 2.0’s was 

very easy and simple. We added the ACRO red 

dot along with the holster and the light. This 

purchase was simple and easy. 

The troops love the improvement to the 2.0 

and the red dot. 

Lt. Socha. Austin PD. 

“ 

#X300U-A #13353 #200691 

The company features an excellent selection of high demand 

law enforcement firearms, equipment and accessories from 

great manufacturers such as: 

Axon/Taser, Aimpoint, Beretta, Colt, H&K, Bola Wrap, 

Bianchi, Smith & Wesson, Eotech, Daniel Defense, 

NightStick, Sig Sauer, Kimber, Otis, Defense Technology, 

Shadow Systems, Magpul, L3 Harris, Burris, Mossberg, 

Ruger, Streamlight, Safariland, Springfield, Blackhawk, 

Holosun, Trijicon, Vortex, Surefire, Us Peacekeeper ,OSS, 

Nightstick, FNH USA and UTM. 

Proforce takes great pride in distributing high quality public 

safety products from top tier manufacturers and this 

transaction has set a trend for many other law enforcement 

agencies in the State of Texas. 

Agency demonstrations, test and evaluation 

of products is available upon request. Ask us 

about trade-ins! We will buy your agency duty or 

confiscated firearms, any model and condition! 

First class customer support and quality service 

makes PROFORCE the number one choice for first 

responder equipment and accessories! 

Call (800) 367-5855 

Email: sales@proforceonline.com or 

visit our website 

www.proforceonline.com 

SEND US AN EMAIL 

SCAN THE QR CODE 

High Speed Gear ® is dedicated to building 

the best 100% American-made, battleproven 

tactical gear. HSGI ® started as 

a custom shop in 1999, making gear for 

Marines at Camp Lejeune. Since then, the 

company has grown to be the largest fulltime 

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HSGI ’ s products are designed for the 

highest level of comfort, functionality, and 

versatility. Satisfaction is guaranteed for all 

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CALL US TODAY FOR PRICING! 

800-367-5855 

>> PRODUCTS & SERVICES

yrs. 

BIOFIRE SMART GUN 

THE FUTURE OF FIREARMS. 

BROOMFIELD, Colo. – The Biofire 

Smart Gun is the world’s first biometric 

firearm, a 9mm handgun designed 

from the ground up to be always 

locked while remaining instantly 

accessible to the owner. Biofire’s revolutionary 

Guardian Biometric Engine 

uses facial and fingerprint recognition 

to unlock the firearm for up 

to five authorized users, and to lock 

the moment it leaves your hand. The 

Smart Gun only fires for the people 

you choose, so your firearm is much 

less likely to cause a tragic outcome 

in the hands of a child, criminal, or 

anyone else. 

MAKING CHILDREN SAFER IN 

AMERICA 

Last year, the New England Journal 

of Medicine report revealed that 

firearm-related accidents, homicides 

and suicides are the primary cause 

of death for children and teenagers 

in the U.S. The Biofire smart gun is 

expected to hit the market in 2024. 

Some believe that when it does, it 

could significantly help curb the crisis 

American children are facing. One 

of the main advantages of Biofire’s 

smart guns is that they can dramatically 

reduce the risks of suicides 

and accidental shootings at home. 

The biggest impact will be seen in 

the areas of accidental shootings 

and suicides. According to a medical 

journal article published in the JAMA 

Network in 2021, over 40% of American 

children claimed they could 

access their parents’ “secured” guns 

within two hours in a recent survey. 

Therefore, this technology can benefit 

responsible gun owners by increasing 

safety and reducing the likelihood 

of tragic accidents, especially with 

young children who may not understand 

the dangers of firearms. 

REDUCING THE CRIMINAL IMPACT 

OF STOLEN FIREARMS 

In addition, smart guns can also 

help reduce gun theft. Traditional 

guns can be stolen and easily sold 

on the black market,contributing to 

crime and gun violence. However, 

smart guns that require biometric or 

electronic authentication contain a 

built-in theft deterrent and are impossible 

for criminals to use illegally 

if they are stolen. 

HOW DOES THE NEW SMART 

GUN WORK? 

Biofire’s proprietary Guardian 

Biometric Engine uses integrated 

fingerprint and 3D facial recognition 

systems to make sure only authorized 

users can arm the firearm. . 

Authorized users can instantly unlock 

the firearm just by picking it up - no 

codes, buttons, or gadgets required. 

Several prominent firearms and safety 

influencers have been able to test 

the Smart Gun already. Here’s one 

detailed review by Ian McCollum of 

Forgotten Weapons [LINK]. 

HOW WILL THIS AFFECT MASS 

SHOOTINGS IN AMERICA? 

Since many mass shootings are 

carried out using legally obtained 

firearms, it is unlikely that this smart 

gun alone will effectively prevent 

mass shootings in America. However, 

many minors do misuse their parents’ 

firearms to commit school shootings 

and mass shootings. This new smart 

gun’s locking mechanism could potentially 

have stopped a school shooters 

likeAdam Lanza, who used his mother’s 

firearm to murder 26 people at Sandy 

Hook Elementary School in 2012. 

WHO MADE THE SMART GUN? 

Biofire is a team of gun owners, 

engineers, and parents developing 

innovative new solutions to keep their 

loved ones safe based near Denver, 

CO. Biofire’s CEO, Kai Kloep- fer, began 

work on the Smart Gun more than almost 

10 years ago. After raising millions 

in venture funding and building a team 

of nearly 40 top engineers and other 

experts, the Smart Gun itself finally 

emerged from stealth and publicly 

launched on April 13th, 2023. 

BOTTOM LINE 

The introduction of this new smart 

gun by Biofire could offer a solution to 

some of the issues surrounding firearm 

safety and gun violence. Its fingerprint 

and facial recognition sensor can absolutely 

help reduce accidental shootings, 

gun theft, and the use of firearms 

by criminals. While this new technology 

may not solve the issue of mass 

shootings, it can still benefit responsible 

gun owners and increase safety for 

everyone, especially at home with kids. 

“We’re not claiming that the Biofire 

Smart Gun is going to prevent every 

instance of firearm misuse. But we do 

believe this tool can help prevent some 

firearm suicides, accidents, and injuries 

from occurring,” Kloepfer said. 


yrs. 

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

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, 

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

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carpet replacement, or auto detailing, we’ve got 

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

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into Auto Facelifts and upgrade your ride today! 

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. 

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 

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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/ 


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TSTC Police Department Get Info Police Officer 07/18/2023 - 5pm 

Pecos Bastow Toyah ISD Police Dept. Get Info Police Chief 06/15/2023 - 5pm 

Port Aransas Police Dept. Get Info Patrol Officer 06/30/2023 - 5pm 

Bovina Police Department Get Info Police Officer 07/18/2023 - 5pm 

Nacogdoches ISD Police Department Get Info Police Officer 07/22/2023 - 5pm 

Richardson Police Department Get Info Police Officer 07/23/2023 - 5pm 

Tarrant County Get Info Detention Officer 07/23/2023 - 11am 

Wilmer Police Department Get Info Police Officer 07/23/2023 - 5pm 

Floyd County Sheriff's Office Get Info Patrol Deputy 07/23/2023 - 5pm 

Paris ISD Dept. of Safety & Security Get Info Police Officer 07/23/2023 - 5pm 

San Jacinot College Police Dept. Get Info Police Lieutenant 06/26/2023 - 5pm 

Liberty Hill ISD PD Get Info Police Officer 07/25/2023 - 5pm 

Montgomery ISD Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer 07/21/2023 - 5pm 

Mesquite Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer 06/21/2023 - 5pm 

City of Rollingwood Get Info Patrol Officer 07/26/2023 - 5pm 

City of Trinidad Police Department Get Info Police Officer 07/29/2023 - 5pm 

Municipal Court Get Info Deputy City Marshal II (Part-Time) 06/29/2023 - 5pm 

Schleicher County Sheriff’s Office Get Info Sheriff Deputy 07/29/2023 - 5pm 

Nacogdoches County 145th District Court Get Info Court Bailiff 07/29/2023 - 5pm 

Dallas County Marshal Service Get Info Police Officer 07/30/2023 - 5pm 

STATEWIDE VACANCIES FOR JAILERS 

Tarrant Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Detention Officers 06/26/2023 - 5pm 

Hood County Sheriff's Office Get Info Jailer 06/04/2023 - 5pm 

Shelby County Sheriff's Office Get Info Jail Administrator 06/26/2023 - 5pm 

Farmers Branch Police Department Get Info Detention Officer 06/08/2023 - 5pm 

Plano Police Department Get Info Detention Officer 06/10/2023 - 5pm 

North Richland Hills PD Get Info Detention Officer 07/14/2023 - 5pm 

Travis County Sheriff's Office Get Info Corrections Officer 07/14/2023 - 5pm 

Grimes Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Jailer 07/14/2023 - 5pm 

Richardson Police Dept. Get Info Detention Officers 07/23/2023 - 5pm 


STATEWIDE VACANCIES TELECOMMUNICATION OPERATOR 

Saginaw Police Department Get Info Telecommunicator 06/01/2023 - 5pm 

Tarrant Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Dispatchers 06/26/2023 - 5pm 

Tarrant Regional Water District Get Info Communications Specialist III 06/03/2023 - 5pm 

City of Plano Get Info Communications/911 Call Taker 06/04/2023 - 5pm 

City of Lewisville Get Info Public Safety Dispatcher 06/05/2023 - 5pm 

Lago Vista Police Department Get Info Dispatcher 06/10/2023 - 5pm 

Burleson County Sheriff's Office Get Info Telecommunications Officer 06/11/2023 - 5pm 

Corsicana Police Department Get Info Telecommunicator 06/16/2023 - 5pm 

Plano Public Safety Communications Department Get Info Dispatcher 06/30/2023 - 5pm 

City of University Park Get Info 911/311 Communications Specialist 06/09/2023 - 5pm 

North Richland Hills PD Get Info Dispatcher 07/14/2023 - 5pm 

Port Aransas Police Dept. Get Info Dispatcher 06/30/2023 - 5pm 

Richardson Police Department Get Info Telecommunicator 07/22/2023 - 5pm 

Wilmer Police Department Get Info Telecommunicator 07/23/2023 - 5pm 

STATEWIDE VACANCIES OTHER 

Keller Police Department Get Info NETCOM Manager 06/25/2023 - 5pm 

City of Waxahachie Get Info Emergency Management Assistant 07/11/2023 - 5pm 

City Of Bryan Get Info POLICE RECORDS SUPERVISOR 07/23/2023 - 5pm 

McLennan Community College LEA Get Info Administrative Assistant 06/29/2023 - 5pm 

City of Fort Worth Get Info Deputy City Marshal II 07/29/2023 - 5pm 


Welcome Aboard 

Alief ISD Police Department 




austin officers 

austin dispatch 


ALDINE I.S.D. 

POLICE DEPARTMENT 

JOIN OUR TEAM 

APPLY AT 

WWW.ALDINEISD.ORG 

EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS 

• Sick Leave 

• Paid Vacation 

• Paid Holidays 

• Personal Days 

• Teacher Retirement System 

STARTING SALARY $55,000 WITH NO EXPERIENCE 

ALDINE ISD PD OFFERS 

DEPARTMENT BENEFITS 

• Uniforms Provided, Including Duty Weapon 

• Department Provided Training 

• Starting Pay Depends on Qualifications / Experience 

• TCOLE Certification / Education Pay 

SPECIALIZED DIVISIONS 

• Criminal Investigation Division 

• Emergency Response Team 

• Honor Guard 

• Gang Task Force 

• Community Outreach Division 

• K-9 Division 

FOR MORE INFO CONTACT 

SGT. HALL AT (281) 442-4923 

#AldineConnected 

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS 

• MUST BE 21 YEARS OF AGE 

• MUST HOLD AN ACTIVE TCOLE PEACE OFFICER LICENSE 

• MUST COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING: 

• PASS PHYSICAL AGILITY TEST 

• BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION 

• PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION 

• DRUG SCREENING 



October 15 

WATCH FOR NEW TEST DATES 


Cuero Police Department 

Montgomery County’s 3 rd Largest Law Enforcement Agency 

• $50,363 minimum starting salary 

• Certification pay: 

Int - $1,600, Adv - $2,400, Mstr - $3,700 

Opportunity 

multiple divisions including 

Investigations, Patrol, and 

K-9 services 

FULL-TIME POLICE OFFICER 

Growth 

100+ annual training hours, 

promotion opportunities, 

Field Training Officer 

• Competitive insurance & benefits 

• Teacher Retirement System (TRS) 

• 20 paid leave days & 12 paid holidays 

Balance 

overtime pay, comp time, 

most weekends off, prior LE 

experience pay 

Now Hiring for Patrol Officer Position 

Department Benefits 

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 

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT 

HTTPS://POLICE.CONROEISD.NET/DEPARTMENT/ADMINISTRATION/EMPLOYMENT/ 

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

Academy and pass a background investigation. 

206 The BLUESpolice.conroeisd.net 

CISDPolice @CISDPolice 

The BLUES 207 

Email TCOLE Personal History Statement to sellis@cityofcuero.com


Forney ISD 

Police Department 

NOW 

HIRING 

Police Officers 

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. 

Experience 

SBLE Experience preferred 

Demonstrate the ability to 

teach & engage with youth 

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 

Positions starting 

at $29.89/hr 

Retention Stipends 

Clothing Allowance 

Health/Childcare Incentive 

Paid Training 

Lateral Entry 

APPLY ONLINE TODAY! 

www.forneyisd.net 


GALVESTON 

COUNTY 

SHERIFF’S OFFICE 

Seeking Individuals Who Are Interested in a Rewarding Career in Corrections 

Begin Your Career Today! 

GALVESTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE ESTABLISHMENT OF ELIGIBILITY 

Position: Corrections Deputy I 

Bureau/Division: Corrections/Jail 

Title/Rank: Corrections Deputy/Deputy I 

Reports to: Sergeant - Corrections 

Starting Salary: $51,250.00 

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES 

Maintains the security of the facility by conducting security checks, settling disputes, and performing cell searches and 

inspections; conducts outside perimeter checks. 

Preparation and proper completion in the documentation of inmate records. 

Issues inmate meals, clothing, linens, and personal items. 

Supervise inmate programs (recreational, legal, health care, visitation and religious services) 

Prepares reports on jail and inmate activities, enforce inmate handbook rules. 

Supervises inmates performing such assignments as cleaning and maintaining the jail facility and continuously observe 

locations and activities of inmates. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS 

• High School / GED Certificate and must be at least 18 years of age. 

• Must be a U.S. Citizen and resident of the contiguous United States for a period of time sufficient to conduct a 

background investigation. 

• Must be able to work days, nights, weekends, holidays and mandatory shifts when needed. 

• Must be able to work during natural disasters and or under declarations. 

• Must possess a valid Texas driver's license and an acceptable driving record as determined by the Galveston County 

Sheriff's Office in effect at the time of application. 

• Must have favorable employment history. All information given regarding past employment will be thoroughly checked. 

• Must have a stable credit history. 

• Must possess good computer skills and demonstrate comprehensive reading and comprehension skills. 

• No conviction above a Class B Misdemeanor or a Class B misdemeanor within the last 10 years nor have been on or 

currently on court-ordered community supervision or probation for any criminal offense and no Family Violence 

convictions of any level. 

• Applicant must pass all phases of the required testing. 

• Must be eligible for licensing by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) for the position applied for, if not 

presently licensed. 

TO APPLY 

An applicant interested in any of GCSO position shall first download, complete and return 

the Application Packet, per the instructions on the downloadable form. 

The Application Packet can be found at SHERIFF.GALVESTONCOUNTYTX.GOV 


JOIN US 

VISIT SHERIFF.GALVESTONCOUNTYTX.GOV TO APPLY! 

The Galveston County Sheriff’s Office is an Equal Opportunity Employer 

CONTACT US 

409.763.7585 : SO.EMPLOYMENT@GALVESTONCOUNTYTX.GOV



Place your department’s recruiting ad 

in The BLUES for only $250 for an 

entire year, only $20 a month. 


FOR A LIMITED 

TIME. 

The Harris County 

Precinct 4 

Constable’s Office is 

accepng 

LATERAL DEPUTIES 

The Harris County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office is searching for lateral 

transfer depues to be sworn in on September 14, 2023. 

Whether you have recently rered, looking for an opportunity to 

expand your current skill set or relocang to the Houston, Texas area, 

Constable Mark Herman would like to welcome you to our family. 

The physical and wrien test will be waived and up to 14 years of 

service will be credited for Lateral Transfer Depues. 

To Apply Contact 

Recruing at 

832-927-6229 or visit 

www.constablepct4.com 

STARTING SALARY up to $68,184.00 

Plus Thousands In Incenves Per Year 

Master Peace Officer $6,000.00 

Drug Recognion Expert $2,700.00 

LATERAL DEPUTY 

Bachelor’s Degree $3,180.00 

Accident Reconstrucon $2,700.00 

And many more 


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 

• Paid Parental Leave 

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 

CLASSIFICATION SERVICE HOURLY ANNUAL 

DEPUTY I 0-47 $26.23 $54,558 

DEPUTY II 48-83 $28.07 $58,386 

DEPUTY III 84-119 $29.73 $61,838 

DEPUTY IV 120-155 $31.23 $64,958 

TCOLE CERTIFICATION 

ANNUAL 

Intermediate $1,560 

Advanced $3,420 

Master $6,000 

EDUCATION 

ANNUAL 

Associate Degree $1,320 

Bachelor Degree $3,180 

Master/Doctorate $4,500 

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 Peace Officer (any break in service 

will be considered on a case-by-case basis) 

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

Peace Office at any one agency 

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

• Meet HCSO firearms qualification standard 

• 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 and liability insurance (Texas by start date) 

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

vision 

• Correctable normal audible range in both ears 

• A two (2) year minimum commitment to Patrol before being eligible 

to transfer to other Bureaus 

TO APPLY 

For additional information contact 

Harris County Sheriff’s Office Recruitment Unit 

(713) 877-5250 

Now Hiring 

OFFICERS 

TCOLE Certified Peace Officers 

Hutto ranked one of the 

safest cities in Texas. 

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

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

Additional Pay 

+ Education Pay up to $175/month 

+ Specialty/Certication up to $260/month 

Highlights 

Top-of-the-line Equipment 

and Technology 

Beards and Tattoos Allowed 

No Written Test for Most Lateral Officers 

To learn more or apply, visit or scan 

https: //linktr. ee/huttopd 

Benets 

Retirement 

2-to-1 City match with TMRS 

Take-home Patrol Car 

For officers living within 25 miles 

Starting Salary 

$62K to $81K 

Annual Leave Accruals 

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

Multiple Positions Available 

A wide variety of units and assignments available 

Sign On Bonus! 

$5,000* 

DEPUTY V 156+ $32.78 $68,182 

Questions? Email: PDrecruiting@huttotx.gov 

222 The BLUES 

Bilingual Pay $1,800 

Harris County 

The BLUES 223 

@HCSOTexas 

HCSOTexas HCSOTexas @HCSOTexas 

Tenure agreement required. 

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

Sheriff’s Office


L A P O R T E 

P O L I C E D E P A R T M E N T 

Lateral Police Officer 

Starting Pay $ 62,416. to $73,775. 

Effective October 1, 2022 

No prior experience required. High School diploma or GED required. 

Possession of Class C Texas Driver License. 

Must possess a TCOLE License or be enrolled in accredited Basic Peace Officer Academy. 

Certification Pay (bi-weekly): 

$46.15 - Intermediate Peace Officer 

$69.23 - Advanced Peace Officer 

$92.31 - Master Peace Officer 

Education Pay (bi-weekly): 

$46.15 - Associates Degree 

$69.23 - Bachelors Degree 

$92.31 - Masters Degree 

Employee Benefits: 

Medical / Dental / Vision Insurance 

Longevity Pay 

Tuition Reimbursement 

TMRS Retirement (2 to 1 match) 

ICMA Deferred Compensation/Roth IRA 

$1,000 Physical Fitness Program 

Weapon Purchase Program 

Take-home Vehicles 

Specialized Divisions: 

SWAT / Bomb Squad 

Bike Patrol 

Criminal Investigative Division 

Crime Scene Unit 

Drone Pilots 

School Resource Officers 

Traffic/DOT Officers 

Police Area Representatives 

Apply online at 

www.laportetx.gov/jobs 

Paid Leave Benefits 

15 days vacation (Civil Service)

JUNE 2023 Blues Vol. 39 No. 6

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