SEPT 2023. Blues Vol 39 No. 9
SEPT 2023. Blues Vol 39 No. 9
SEPT 2023. Blues Vol 39 No. 9
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The BLUES 1
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yrs.<br />
yrs.<br />
VOL. <strong>39</strong> NO. 9 <strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER 2023<br />
FEATURES<br />
DEPARTMENTS<br />
72 Jason Aldean:<br />
Artist of the Year<br />
78 Austin’s Defund the Police<br />
Turns into a Cluster.<br />
COVER:<br />
Jason Aldean is our Artist of<br />
the Year for 2023 and we take<br />
a look into Austin’s Defund the<br />
Police Movement.<br />
PUBLISHER’S THOUGHTS<br />
EDITOR REX EVANS THOUGHTS<br />
GUEST COMMENTARY - DOUG GRIFFITH<br />
GUEST COMMENTARY - DANIEL CARR<br />
LETTERS FROM YOU<br />
NEWS AROUND THE US<br />
TEXAS ISD PD JOB LISTINGS<br />
THE ABC’S OF UAS<br />
CALENDAR OF EVENTS<br />
REMEMBERING OUR FALLEN HEROES<br />
WAR STORIES<br />
AFTERMATH<br />
HEALING OUR HEROES<br />
DARYL’S DELIBERATIONS<br />
RUNNING 4 HEROES<br />
BLUE MENTAL HEALTH DR.<br />
LIGHT BULB AWARD<br />
ADS BACK IN THE DAY<br />
PARTING SHOTS<br />
BUYERS GUIDE<br />
NOW HIRING<br />
BACK PAGE<br />
06<br />
08<br />
12<br />
14<br />
16<br />
20<br />
64<br />
68<br />
98<br />
104<br />
116<br />
120<br />
124<br />
126<br />
128<br />
130<br />
132<br />
134<br />
138<br />
140<br />
146<br />
222<br />
124<br />
A BADGE OF HONOR<br />
116 120<br />
130<br />
DR. TINA JAECKLE, SENIOR EDITOR<br />
BLUE MENTAL HEALTH<br />
The BLUES 3
4 The BLUES
FOUNDER, PUBLISHER, EDITOR-N-CHIEF<br />
Michael Barron<br />
OUR TEAM<br />
OUR CONTRIBUTORS<br />
EDITOR-AT-LARGE<br />
Rex Evans<br />
SENIOR EDITOR<br />
Dr. Tina Jaeckle<br />
CREATIVE EDITOR<br />
Jessica Jones<br />
COPY EDITOR<br />
Lt. John King (Ret)<br />
OUTDOOR EDITOR<br />
Rusty Barron<br />
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR<br />
Daryl Lott<br />
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS<br />
Sam Horwitz & John Salerno<br />
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR<br />
Bill King<br />
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR<br />
Doug Griffith<br />
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR<br />
Daniel Carr<br />
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR<br />
Brandon Karr<br />
WARSTORY<br />
Wendy Grossman Kantor<br />
AFTERMATH<br />
Kerry Breen<br />
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS<br />
Brittny Mejia<br />
Charles Rogland<br />
Shira Moolten<br />
Jake Sheridan<br />
Eugene Garcia<br />
Amy Taxin<br />
John Antczak<br />
Sara Roebuck<br />
Caleb Lunetta<br />
The BLUES is published monthly by Kress-Barr, LLC, PO Box 2733, League City Texas 77574. The opinions expressed in some articles,<br />
op-eds, and editorials are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of The BLUES or its parent company.<br />
Rebuttals or submission of news articles and editorials may be submitted to: The BLUES @ bluespdmag@gmail.com.<br />
The entire contents of The BLUES IS copyrighted© and may not be reprinted without the express permission of the publisher.<br />
The BLUES 5
FROM THE PUBLISHER’S DESK<br />
yrs.<br />
The Countdown has Begun.<br />
In 90 days or so, The BLUES will<br />
reach a milestone that no one,<br />
including myself, thought possible<br />
when we published the first issue<br />
in December of 1984. Yes, that was<br />
40 years ago. Way before most of<br />
our readers were even born. In other<br />
words, a long ass time ago.<br />
A lot has changed in the past 40<br />
years. For one, we are no longer<br />
that 20-page tabloid officers used<br />
to see laying around their offices.<br />
For more than 35 years, officers<br />
throughout Texas relied on The<br />
<strong>Blues</strong> Police Newspaper to bring<br />
a little levity into their somewhat<br />
routine lives. To read the latest war<br />
story with parts that were obviously<br />
embellished to the latest gossip<br />
from police agencies across the<br />
Lone Star State. Every cop in Texas<br />
has heard of The BLUES. If you’re<br />
an old head, you read it back in the<br />
day. If you’re a rookie, you’re reading<br />
it on your phone.<br />
The World has evolved in ways<br />
our parents and grandparents<br />
couldn’t have possibly imagined.<br />
Or is it exactly as they imagined it<br />
would be. Flying cars, communicators<br />
on their wrists, spaceships<br />
flying to far away planets. Google<br />
the “jetsons” and watch one of the<br />
old cartoons from the 60’s. It’s as<br />
if someone used a time machine<br />
to jump ahead 60 years, took a<br />
snapshot and returned to create a<br />
cartoon about life in the future.<br />
I’m sure every generation has at<br />
one time or another looked back at<br />
their past 40 years and said, “damn<br />
we’ve come a long way in forty<br />
years, who could have imagined all<br />
this.”<br />
And that’s exactly what we are<br />
going to do beginning next month.<br />
We are going to relive the past 40<br />
years of The BLUES beginning in<br />
December of 1984. From the patrol<br />
cars of the 80’s, to the electrification<br />
of the modern patrol car. From telefax<br />
machines to the latest electronics.<br />
The bag phone to the iPhone 15.<br />
From the design and layout of 20-<br />
page tabloid printed on newsprint<br />
to a 250-page all-digital platform<br />
read by over 1.5 million cops literally<br />
around the world. We will cover<br />
it all. And we need your help.<br />
We want all your old photos. Your<br />
first patrol car. Your grandfathers<br />
patrol car. Your first uniform. Every<br />
old photo you can dig up. Scan<br />
them and send them to us. If you<br />
have a war story you’d like to tell,<br />
send it. Featured in a newspaper or<br />
magazine, we want a copy. Tell us<br />
if you liked the BLUES or hated it,<br />
either way it’s part of our history<br />
and we want to include it.<br />
And finally, to the dozens of<br />
folks who had a part in producing<br />
the BLUES over the past 40 years,<br />
please, please send us your best<br />
and worst memories. The first unsolicited<br />
email from a former editor<br />
arrived just last week and is presented<br />
in its unedited form:<br />
“I remember working for Mike Barron<br />
in the late 80’s. Trying to read the<br />
chicken scratch he scribbled on the<br />
back sides of old offense reports,<br />
legal pads and anything other blank<br />
paper he could steal and typing it on<br />
a 1980’s typewriter. And he couldn’t<br />
spell for shit. On deadlines, he was<br />
screaming constantly about how we<br />
were never going to press on time.<br />
But we did and I remember when the<br />
paper was printed, how proud we<br />
all were to see our hard work turn<br />
into something that people could<br />
SGT. MICHAEL BARRON RET<br />
hold in their hands. To see people<br />
reading what we had created was<br />
really pretty damn cool. Barron was<br />
still an asshole most days. LOL. But<br />
I will say this. Regardless of how<br />
much pressure he was under from<br />
the sheriff that wanted him fired and<br />
the newspaper to just die, he never<br />
gave up and he never walked away.<br />
Some months, we didn’t even make<br />
enough money to pay the printer,<br />
and Barron would pay for it out of<br />
his county paycheck. So yeah, I’m<br />
damn impressed The BLUES is still<br />
around and that Barron is too. I say<br />
congratulations to Mike Barron for<br />
what he’s managed to accomplish….<br />
took him forty damn years to do it…<br />
but nevertheless…it’s pretty damn<br />
impressive.”<br />
Send what you have to: michael@<br />
bluespdmag.com or mail it to: The<br />
BLUES, PO Box 2733, League City,<br />
Texas 77574.<br />
6 The BLUES
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The BLUES 7
FROM THE EDITOR-AT-LARGE<br />
yrs.<br />
This Profession!<br />
Challenges in Law Enforcement<br />
are nothing new. Our profession has<br />
always done more with less and<br />
all the while do what we do while<br />
under fire. Both, literally and figuratively.<br />
And yet somehow, men and<br />
women from all across this Nation<br />
have sustained enough intestinal<br />
fortitude to still ensure the arduous<br />
process of a background check,<br />
academy, field training and then<br />
probationary time.<br />
IF and I mean IF a person makes<br />
it through all of that, then they get<br />
a patrol car (200,000 miles plus<br />
with minimal a/c-thank you) all<br />
to themselves for their shift. Going<br />
from call to call, problem to problem.<br />
Like homicides, sexual assaults,<br />
child abuse, abuse of a corpse,<br />
abuse of an animal, domestic violence<br />
calls, traffic accidents, lost<br />
children, I forgot where I parked my<br />
car, etc, etc, etc.<br />
Oh, and in between all of that,<br />
there’s a plethora of paperwork to<br />
be completed BEFORE you go off<br />
duty because hey, nothing is done<br />
till the paperwork is done, right?!<br />
Then, the next day comes around<br />
and you get to work only to find all<br />
those reports and paperwork you<br />
completed have been broad stroked<br />
with corrections for you to complete.<br />
<strong>No</strong>w, for the fun part. You ready?<br />
Hang on…here we go!!! <strong>No</strong> less than<br />
three or four people a day ask you<br />
if the road you are blocking with<br />
your patrol car with its lights on is<br />
really blocked or can they simply<br />
just go around you. Of those three<br />
or four, at least three probably argued<br />
with you, cussed you, or may<br />
have even shown a bit of exhibition<br />
of acceleration as they drove away.<br />
Pretty much every call you arrived<br />
at someone says, “oh great…so now<br />
you show up!” And you’re like, “Bro,<br />
I just came on duty and was dispatched<br />
straight here…” Your Sergeant<br />
(or Sergeants) is like “Where<br />
are you? We got calls holding!!<br />
Where’s your reports from earlier?<br />
Have you completed your time<br />
sheet? Why is your car so dirty?<br />
Where are you going? Where have<br />
you been? And the list goes on.<br />
Then there’s the walk by the Captain<br />
or Chief’s Office and wouldn’t<br />
you know it…they’re like “Hey<br />
buddy! How are you? How’s your<br />
day? Ok cool, look I got to go, nice<br />
talking to ya” and then you don’t<br />
see them for another six months.<br />
(sigh)<br />
Yep. This profession is fairly<br />
stagnant when it comes to some<br />
of what we do. It hasn’t changed in<br />
over 100 years. Oh, the technology<br />
and equipment have certainly been<br />
upgraded (or downgraded depending<br />
on your point of view) but the<br />
basics of Law Enforcement remain<br />
the same. Get out there, get berated,<br />
get chastised, get belittled, all<br />
the while keeping your head up and<br />
keep on keeping on.<br />
As you’re reading this, some of<br />
you are laughing or at least giggling<br />
by now. Because every word of it<br />
is true!!! And some would even beg<br />
the question of “Why? Why do we<br />
continue to do this job, under such<br />
circumstances?”<br />
The answer isn’t the pay, that’s<br />
for sure. There’s not enough money<br />
in the world that can cover a ride<br />
CHIEF REX EVANS<br />
like this. It’s one thing and one thing<br />
only…well, for most of us. It’s a<br />
“Calling.” Truly, no one decides to<br />
endure all that we endure, day after<br />
day, night after night, weekends<br />
and holidays, without it really being<br />
something special deep within our<br />
heart that drives us to do this job.<br />
The next time you ask yourself<br />
“Why am I doing this?” try to remember<br />
one little thing…<br />
If not you, then who?<br />
Keep on, keeping on. Don’t let this<br />
world or people bring you so far<br />
down that you want to turn in your<br />
badge. You went through hell to<br />
get it, remember. Don’t let anyone<br />
or anything take it away from you.<br />
Be a good cop, do your job and do<br />
it well. Maybe, even save a life or<br />
two along the way. If no one tells<br />
you’re doing a good job, I may or<br />
may not be your Chief but, I’ll tell<br />
you. You’re doing great. You are<br />
more appreciated than you think.<br />
Look around, people aren’t exactly<br />
knocking down the door to do this<br />
job. There’s a critical, nationwide<br />
shortage of Law Enforcement Officers.<br />
You are very much needed.<br />
So…DON” T YOU DARE GIVE UP OR<br />
GIVE IN. God bless. And hey!!! Let’s<br />
be careful out there.<br />
8 The BLUES
The BLUES 9
10 The BLUES
The BLUES 11
GUEST COMENTARY<br />
Doug Griffith<br />
yrs.<br />
Fights worth Fighting.<br />
Most of our members are<br />
unaware as to what we do<br />
over here at the union. Any<br />
given day you will find us in<br />
our office working to resolve<br />
whatever issue has jumped<br />
up in the last 24 hours. Over<br />
the last few weeks, we have<br />
been very vocal over a variety<br />
of issues that affect all of our<br />
members. I know that most do<br />
not watch the evening news<br />
and do not get to see my interviews<br />
or press conferences,<br />
but I do plenty of them. If I<br />
cannot do it, I have Ken, Ray,<br />
or Tim handle it, because it is<br />
important to get our message<br />
out there to the community.<br />
Three weeks ago, we held a<br />
press conference and called<br />
for the resignation or removal<br />
of Dr. Peter Stout with the<br />
Forensics Science Center. The<br />
Forensics Science Center is<br />
now backlogged in every single<br />
area in which they conduct<br />
analysis and continue to<br />
get farther and farther behind.<br />
I reached out to him to see<br />
what the plan was to catch up<br />
on the backlog, but he had no<br />
plan. Sexual assault kits are<br />
backlogged with an average<br />
test time of 308 days. So, if<br />
your daughter was sexually<br />
assaulted by someone they<br />
know, you are still waiting<br />
308+ days just for the testing!<br />
On the Forensics Science Center<br />
website, it states that gun<br />
testing is currently at 215 days,<br />
but in an email, he sent out to<br />
me, city council, DA’s office,<br />
and a Defense Attorney, it will<br />
be March of 2025 to test a gun<br />
used in a homicide today. 20<br />
months is an unacceptable<br />
amount of time to wait on<br />
evidence to charge an individual.<br />
This makes the department<br />
appear inept when it is<br />
completely out of our control.<br />
I cannot even start to talk<br />
about the narcotics issue, but<br />
it is the Science Center that is<br />
causing the DA to no charge<br />
under 4 grams without a test.<br />
I will continue to go after the<br />
Forensics Science Center until<br />
we get real leadership in the<br />
right position to fix the backlog.<br />
Last week, we found out<br />
that Travis Scott is going to<br />
be allowed to have two more<br />
concerts in Houston. It was<br />
just two weeks ago we released<br />
the 1200-page report<br />
giving the details of the tragic<br />
Astroworld concert, then four<br />
days later we get word of<br />
these concert dates. <strong>No</strong>t only<br />
is it disrespectful to the families<br />
of those lost that horrific<br />
night, but it is also disrespectful<br />
to our officers who worked<br />
valiantly to save those crushed<br />
DOUG GRIFFITH, HPOU<br />
by the crowds that night. It<br />
forever changed the lives of<br />
many of our officers and we<br />
should not be allowing this<br />
event back to Houston. We<br />
released a statement to the<br />
media, and we did at least a<br />
dozen interviews on why this<br />
should not be allowed in our<br />
city again.<br />
These are only a few of the<br />
big outside battles we are<br />
facing, but there are plenty of<br />
in-house issues as well that<br />
we deal with constantly. We<br />
will continue to fight and support<br />
our membership and do<br />
everything possible to make<br />
this department better. Also<br />
know, we can’t fix what we<br />
don’t know about so do not<br />
assume we are aware of every<br />
issue. Please call if you have<br />
questions or feel that there is<br />
something that we need to be<br />
aware of.<br />
Thanks for all that you do<br />
keeping this city safe!<br />
12 The BLUES
The BLUES 13
GUEST COMENTARY<br />
police law news<br />
yrs.<br />
Daniel Carr<br />
It’s a Damn Shame.<br />
Oliver Anthony’s poetic wrecking ball.<br />
I am the last person who<br />
should write a music review. I<br />
blew out my eardrums and have<br />
permanent hearing loss from attending<br />
hundreds of metal/rock<br />
concerts in small venues around<br />
the Chicagoland area while in<br />
high school and college. And<br />
because of that I nearly failed<br />
the audiology examination to get<br />
hired at the police department<br />
when I was 22 years old.<br />
But, on what I am qualified to<br />
write about - it is not music. Just<br />
ask my wife who has a degree<br />
in vocal performance and is a<br />
classically trained opera singer.<br />
She rolls her eyes at my musical<br />
preferences - which include<br />
Third Eye Blind, Atmosphere, and<br />
Zach Bryan.<br />
But the seismic rise of Oliver<br />
Anthony over the last few days<br />
cannot be brushed off as a purely<br />
musical achievement. This is a<br />
defining cultural moment where<br />
self-reflection of society itself is<br />
inevitable.<br />
If you are one of the 6 people<br />
in the country that hasn’t heard<br />
it yet - stop reading - go listen<br />
(here) and then I’ll connect this<br />
work of raw art to everything<br />
else that matters to decent people.<br />
THAT’S IT<br />
Oliver’s song Rich Men <strong>No</strong>rth<br />
of Richmond is THE anthem that<br />
a lot of normal people had a<br />
14 The BLUES<br />
craving to hear - to remind us<br />
that we are not the problem. A<br />
necessary admonishment that<br />
our aggressive resistance to bad<br />
ideas is instead - the solution.<br />
I wish politicians would look<br />
out for miners<br />
And not just minors on an island<br />
somewhere<br />
Lord, we got folks in the street,<br />
ain’t got nothin’ to eat<br />
And the obese milkin’ welfare<br />
Well, God, if you’re 5-foot-3<br />
and you’re 300 pounds<br />
Taxes ought not to pay for your<br />
bags of fudge rounds<br />
Young men are puttin’ themselves<br />
six feet in the ground<br />
‘Cause all this damn country<br />
does is keep on kickin’ them down<br />
When was the last time you<br />
that were stopped dead in your<br />
tracks by the lyrics of a song?<br />
THE WHY<br />
As a society we passively<br />
allowed rioters to destroy cities<br />
and businesses in 2020. We<br />
allowed maniacs to take control<br />
of our streets and offered up our<br />
sense of security as payment for<br />
the hope of woke social credit.<br />
We then had to think twice<br />
about where we let our kids<br />
play. My 70 year-old life-long<br />
Democrat mother felt compelled<br />
to remove her yard sign that<br />
expressed support for first responders<br />
so that her windows<br />
were not smashed in. And those<br />
who challenged the anarchy and<br />
took up arms to defend life and<br />
property were labeled by the<br />
media as “racists”.<br />
Elected leaders across the<br />
country bowed down and groveled<br />
at the boots of angry mobs<br />
that demanded we (via the<br />
threat of violence) defund our<br />
police departments to achieve<br />
their goal of destabilizing communities.<br />
Our weak leaders were<br />
cuckolded by dishonest elites<br />
who reside behind high walls<br />
with expensive private security<br />
forces - knowing that they enjoy<br />
the luxury of avoiding the consequences<br />
of their faux public<br />
beliefs.<br />
Employers held their workers<br />
hostage and forced compliance<br />
on personal health issues.<br />
The deep state nudged the<br />
dangerous and unelected administrative<br />
industrial complex<br />
to erode individual rights and<br />
promulgate scientific wrongs.<br />
And after all that we now have<br />
this guy calling us out - singing<br />
a song in the middle of nowhere<br />
- infecting our ears and smashing<br />
us in the face with truths that<br />
we can no longer deny.<br />
FINAL THOUGHTS<br />
Oliver Anthony now has a massive<br />
audience. This is the result<br />
of an honest man with something<br />
important to say - who has<br />
balls to say it. And we should<br />
listen. As the time to stand back<br />
and standby has long passed.
The BLUES 15
READERS SPEAK OUT<br />
letters from you<br />
BROTHERS & SISTERS IN BLUE<br />
I am one of those people whose<br />
wheels are always turning, full of<br />
nervous energy, can’t sit still, got to<br />
be doing something. I am also very<br />
impulsive; I sit around thinking of a<br />
project or something that is bothering<br />
me for months. Then, one day<br />
I wake up and decide to act on the<br />
problem. That is the case with what<br />
I am about to tell you.<br />
Those of us either currently, or<br />
formally, who are members of the<br />
Law Enforcement Community call<br />
each other our brothers and sisters.<br />
I know that we really feel that way<br />
in our hearts. I do call some of<br />
my old buddies from time to time<br />
to check on them, especially now<br />
that I am retired. We always end up<br />
saying “you know we really need to<br />
get together, seems like we only see<br />
each other at someone’s funeral”.<br />
I recently read there are more than<br />
800,000 sworn law enforcement<br />
officers in the United States. Around<br />
137,000 are Federal L.E. Officers, the<br />
rest work for State and local agencies.<br />
Woman now make up 13.3 %<br />
of the total number. The point is as I<br />
once heard an Officer tell a biker he<br />
had stopped “I belong to the biggest<br />
club in town”. After the biker had<br />
made reference to his affiliation,<br />
with a large biker club. The color<br />
of your skin, how you vote, who you<br />
support, how large or small your<br />
department is, does not matter to<br />
me. You are my brothers and sisters.<br />
My heart pumps blue blood and my<br />
eyes still light up, the alert buttons<br />
still get pushed and the adrenaline<br />
still sends sharp pain up my back<br />
when I see overheads flashing and<br />
hear sirens blasting.<br />
Our Country is changing or should<br />
I say it has changed. Road rage, jugging,<br />
car jackings in broad daylight.<br />
Are you kidding me? I am scared<br />
16 The BLUES<br />
for my wife<br />
to go grocery<br />
shopping alone,<br />
or anywhere<br />
alone for that<br />
matter. Recently,<br />
I pulled up<br />
at a red light<br />
and as I pulled<br />
up beside the<br />
vehicle to my<br />
left, I noticed<br />
the driver<br />
obviously had<br />
something to<br />
ask me. Maybe,<br />
like directions<br />
or something,<br />
I rolled my<br />
window down<br />
and I instantly<br />
realized I had apparently somehow<br />
pissed this asshole off, as he said<br />
to me, “do you want to die motherfucker”?<br />
I am thinking you are<br />
about a dumb SOB as I now sat with<br />
my 45ACP in hand held below the<br />
window line so he could not see it,<br />
hoping his hands remained in sight<br />
while he continued to spit venom in<br />
my direction. Fortunately, the light<br />
changed and we both went our<br />
separate ways. This incident along<br />
with PR bonds for terds already<br />
out on bond for assaults, robbery,<br />
murder and the like, who continue<br />
to pray on the innocent, really pisses<br />
me off. To be honest with you, I’ve<br />
had enough.<br />
It really bothers me that the leaders<br />
of our country spend most, or<br />
all of their time making sure they<br />
get rich while in office instead of<br />
doing for the people as they were<br />
elected to do. Never, have we seen<br />
such boldness and corruption in<br />
our nation’s Capital. I pray for the<br />
whistle blowers with the courage<br />
to come forward with information<br />
about the illegal activities of persons<br />
who the voters trusted to be<br />
honest and truthful and loyal to our<br />
country. With what we are seeing,<br />
nothing would surprise me, not<br />
even murder.<br />
To those of you still busting your<br />
ass, putting your life on the line everyday<br />
for the rest of us, thank you,<br />
and may God watch over you, and<br />
God Bless America!<br />
Detective Art Woolery, RET<br />
HCSO, Jersey Village PD<br />
A HERO OUT OF THE DARKNESS<br />
On Saturday, August 19 at approximately<br />
2am, I found myself in<br />
a dangerous situation that was absolutely<br />
going to cause me serious<br />
injury or possibly death. I would like<br />
to tell you, my story.<br />
On Friday, I started work at 11:30<br />
am and didn’t get off until after<br />
midnight. As I was making my way<br />
home about 1:30 am when I rolled<br />
up on a fatality accident and troopers<br />
had the road closed. <strong>No</strong>w I’m<br />
new to Florida and really didn’t<br />
know another way home. However,
The BLUES 17
I figured I could turn around and<br />
try to find an alternate route on my<br />
GPS. About two miles down the<br />
road, my car lost power.<br />
After a few minutes, it started<br />
again so I felt it was best to turn<br />
around and head back toward the<br />
officers in case the car had another<br />
issue. As I was turning around, my<br />
car died again. <strong>No</strong>w I was blocking<br />
both lanes of the road, with no<br />
lights, and traffic coming from both<br />
directions. I had no cell service and<br />
I felt I had to decide to be hit in my<br />
car or walking. I had dark clothing<br />
on and felt my chances were better<br />
in the car. This is when I started<br />
praying, I told God if it’s my time,<br />
I understand but please don’t let<br />
anyone else get hurt.<br />
It was at that moment I saw<br />
another car coming at me and I just<br />
braced for impact. To my surprise,<br />
the car slowed down, and I thought<br />
to myself, GREAT, I’m going to be<br />
killed by some drunk serial killer. It<br />
was at that moment the driver, who<br />
turned out to be a Florida Trooper,<br />
turned on his overheads and I<br />
couldn’t help but laugh and cry at<br />
the same time. I wasn’t out of the<br />
woods, but I had help.<br />
Out of nowhere, Trooper Brown<br />
came to my rescue. I jumped out of<br />
the car and explained I had no power<br />
and it wouldn’t go into neutral.<br />
The Trooper said he would use his<br />
car to push it off the road. He tried<br />
putting the car in neutral but had no<br />
luck. I knew he was risking his own<br />
safety to try and move my car. With<br />
no other options, he used his car<br />
to push mine off the road. He tried<br />
to be gentle, but he had to force it<br />
off the road and into a ditch. Once<br />
off the road, it was as no longer a<br />
danger to oncoming traffic. It was<br />
then that Sgt. Seay showed up to<br />
the scene and I told him if there is<br />
any damage, it’s on me. I told him<br />
thank you and that I could just walk<br />
home. He told me he couldn’t allow<br />
that and made sure I got home<br />
18 The BLUES<br />
safely.<br />
Trooper Brown is my Hero, and I<br />
can’t even image what would have<br />
happened if he had not shown up.<br />
In this day and age, it seems everyone<br />
wants to show LEO’s doing<br />
something wrong. Trooper Brown<br />
was extremely professional and<br />
made his badge shine. I can’t thank<br />
him enough for being there for<br />
me so I’m hoping there is something<br />
you can do to reward him for<br />
his actions. What an outstanding<br />
Trooper and person. AGAIN, THANK<br />
YOU!!!!!<br />
COPS AND DONUTS<br />
Okay, I know – cops and donuts<br />
go together. I mean, everyone likes<br />
donuts, but cops REALLY love them,<br />
right? Well, sort of… The joke is<br />
that cops take to donuts like a fish<br />
takes to a worm. While there is<br />
some truth to that – it’s not the<br />
whole story.<br />
The truth is, in the old days, cops<br />
liked the convenience of them…and<br />
the taste. Old cops remember the<br />
days when there were no 24-hour<br />
convenience stores, and not many<br />
all-night diners. In 1940s and 1950s,<br />
a cop assigned to the midnight shift<br />
was a lonely person. The good people<br />
were mostly at home, leaving<br />
only the cops and the bad guys out<br />
on the streets. In such cases, donuts<br />
were the key. When working a long,<br />
slow shift, most people, including<br />
cops, get sleepy. So, if there were<br />
only a couple of diners open in<br />
town, coffee was usually available.<br />
Further, if almost nothing else was<br />
open, that was the only place to go<br />
to take a break.<br />
By the way, the coffee was black<br />
– plain, black coffee. <strong>No</strong> sweetened,<br />
iced, double latte, whatever. It was<br />
just plain, hot, black coffee.<br />
Today, if a bad guy is looking for<br />
a place to get some quick cash, he<br />
has a plethora of places to choose<br />
from to rob. But in the 40s and 50s,<br />
the one or two open diners made<br />
for slim pickins for a bad guy to rob.<br />
In order to keep them away, a police<br />
car parked in front is a good deterrent.<br />
So, how do you get a police car in<br />
front without the expense of having<br />
to hire someone to provide security?<br />
Donuts. They are tasty, easy to<br />
make, and delicious. So, the diner<br />
owners surmised, why not offer<br />
free donuts and coffee to keep the<br />
cops coming around, and the police<br />
cars in front? It was a win-win!<br />
That is how it happened.<br />
Here is the problem… young<br />
officers are stuck with battling the<br />
stigma created by old guys like me,<br />
even though they don’t eat the little<br />
fat pills like we used to. But you<br />
better be quick about asking an old<br />
cop if he remembers the old days of<br />
eating donuts. Most have either died<br />
of heart disease or old age.<br />
Well, there you have it. You now
have the truth of the matter – maybe.<br />
I think I’ll go have a donut and a<br />
cup of black coffee.<br />
Mike Simmons<br />
DEMOLITION DERBY & TRUMP<br />
And now we have yet a fourth<br />
indictment against former POTUS<br />
Donald Trump for alleged efforts to<br />
overturn his loss in the last presidential<br />
election.<br />
The 98-page indictment lists 41<br />
separate counts against a total 19<br />
defendants for everything from not<br />
accepting the vote tallies in Georgia<br />
to stepping on a crack in the<br />
sidewalk (sarcasm). The indictment<br />
was brought by Fani Willis, the<br />
Fulton County district attorney. The<br />
DA’s Office webpage says Willis is<br />
a dogged chaser in fighting crime;<br />
it’s her webpage, it would say that.<br />
Where’s her pursuit against Trump<br />
and his supporters been for 2½<br />
years? I guess there’s a time and<br />
purpose for everything. It would<br />
seem Willis is now laser-focused<br />
on Trump but not so much on the<br />
other crime that flourishes in Fulton<br />
County which is in the 15th percentile;<br />
meaning 85 percent of the<br />
3,142 counties in America are safer.<br />
Fulton County beats the national<br />
average in assaults, murders, robberies<br />
and is statistically tied in the<br />
number of rapes, suggesting that if<br />
you live in the greater metropolitan<br />
Atlanta area either you or your<br />
property will eventually be a crime<br />
victim.<br />
I wondered how many crime<br />
victims in Fulton County were glad<br />
to see Fani focus on a presidential<br />
race now well in the rear-view<br />
mirror, and then the obvious occurred<br />
to me. Fani Willis, Alvin<br />
Brag (the Manhattan DA) and Jack<br />
Smith (special counsel), are all<br />
really focused on the next POTUS<br />
race in 2024, not 2020. So, if the<br />
Jan. 6 trial happens in Washington,<br />
D.C., in January; the Georgia trial<br />
in February; the Manhattan trial in<br />
March; and, the Florida trial happens<br />
in May, all the Dems have to<br />
do is get one more trial in the June<br />
timeframe and Trump’s Republican<br />
Convention hopes in July will be<br />
dashed forever. The Orange Man<br />
will have been beaten. Does anyone<br />
think this timing is an accident?<br />
That all this is some giant coincidence?<br />
All Democrat eyes now look<br />
to Arizona in hopes that Gov. Katie<br />
Hobbs can get the Arizona attorney<br />
general (Kris Mayes) to bring a fifth<br />
indictment. C’mon Katie, you can<br />
do it! Who doesn’t like to watch a<br />
demolition derby? This kind of judicial<br />
gaming erodes public faith in<br />
our election process even more than<br />
Jan. 6 ever could.<br />
DOG & PONY SHOW FOR CHIEF<br />
I read your editorial last month<br />
about cities hiring police chiefs and<br />
I have a question. Why do some<br />
agencies announce they are seeking<br />
a new police chief, launch a “nationwide<br />
search for the best candidate”<br />
and then hire someone they<br />
had in mind for the position anyway.<br />
They put on a dog and pony show<br />
to attract all these applicants from<br />
far and wide, narrow the list to 4 or<br />
5 candidates, have them spend days<br />
in an interview process, meet and<br />
greets, and such. Only to hire who<br />
everyone knew was their favorite<br />
from the get-go. Why waste taxpayer<br />
dollars, not to mention the<br />
time and money of the applicants,<br />
when you can just hire your favorite<br />
and be done with it.<br />
Did you know that 85% of cities<br />
that spend over a ¼ of million dollars<br />
to conduct a nationwide search<br />
for a new Chief, end up hiring either<br />
someone within the department<br />
or someone local from another<br />
department. $250,000 is a lot of<br />
money to waste. That money could<br />
be spent on new body armor, body<br />
worn cameras, etc.<br />
Here’s another fact. Of the 15%<br />
that do hire outside the department,<br />
90% of those new hires end up<br />
leaving in 2 years or less. In other<br />
words, the entire recruiting process<br />
for finding a new police chief is just<br />
a load of BS. Either promote someone<br />
within your department who<br />
has worked their way up through<br />
the ranks or hire an experienced<br />
chief from another local agency<br />
that has the experience you’re looking<br />
for. Just stop wasting money<br />
and everyone’s time acting like you<br />
want the best and then hire someone<br />
everyone knew from the start<br />
has the job.<br />
Finally, my last word of advice.<br />
Don’t hire a chief who has spent<br />
30+ years with another department<br />
and retired. They’ve already given<br />
their best years to that agency.<br />
<strong>No</strong>w they’re just looking for a place<br />
to chill and collect a check. If you<br />
think for a minute that ole timer is<br />
going to go out and run calls, you<br />
are sadly mistaken. They are riding<br />
the desk until they die.<br />
NAME WITHHELD<br />
DON’T MISS THIS MONTH’S<br />
BADGE OF HONOR ON PAGE 124<br />
The BLUES 19
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
L.A.COUNTY,CA.<br />
L.A. County Sheriff’s recruit dies eight months after<br />
being struck by wrong-way driver in South Whittier.<br />
yrs.<br />
BY BRITTNY MEJIA, LA TIMES<br />
An L.A. County sheriff’s deputy<br />
recruit struck by a wrong-way<br />
driver while out on a training<br />
run, died Friday night after<br />
spending the last eight months<br />
in the hospital.<br />
Alejandro Martinez, 27, died<br />
shortly before 7 p.m. at UCLA<br />
Ronald Reagan hospital surrounded<br />
by his family, friends,<br />
Sheriff Robert Luna, and other<br />
department members, according<br />
to the Sheriff’s Department.<br />
He had been out during an<br />
academy training run last year<br />
on the morning of <strong>No</strong>v. 16 when<br />
an SUV veered into the wrong<br />
lane and crashed into the formation.<br />
“Our condolences go out to<br />
Alejandro’s family, friends, and<br />
academy classmates. He will<br />
forever live in our hearts & never<br />
be forgotten,” the sheriff’s<br />
statement said.<br />
Martinez grew up in South<br />
Central L.A. and later graduated<br />
from Cal State <strong>No</strong>rthridge. He<br />
had dedicated his life to public<br />
service, joining the Army National<br />
Guard and later applying<br />
20 The BLUES<br />
to become a deputy sheriff.<br />
He was one of 76 recruits<br />
who started the training program<br />
at the Sheriff’s Training<br />
Academy and Regional Services<br />
Center last year, on Sept. 22.<br />
They would spend 22 weeks<br />
there, before graduating and<br />
launching their careers in law<br />
enforcement.<br />
They made up Class 464.<br />
In the academy, Martinez was<br />
part of the flag detail, a position<br />
of honor, according to the<br />
young man’s drill instructor,<br />
Victor Rodriguez. The recruits<br />
would march into the staff<br />
office each morning, recover<br />
the flags and would then raise<br />
them up for the day.<br />
When the class did their peer<br />
evaluations, Martinez didn’t get<br />
any bad ones. They were all<br />
positive, Rodriguez said.<br />
“He was a great recruit,”<br />
Rodriguez said. “He wasn’t one<br />
to draw attention to himself,<br />
which spoke volumes. He had<br />
this maturity, this life experience.<br />
He was an example of a<br />
recruit for other ones that are<br />
new to this type of career, new<br />
to this structure.”<br />
On the morning of <strong>No</strong>v. 16 —
eights weeks into the academy<br />
— the recruits were on a fourmile<br />
training run. They were<br />
running in formation around<br />
6:30 a.m., accompanied by six<br />
instructors and two black-andwhite<br />
radio cars. They were a<br />
mile into their run when those<br />
at the front of the group spotted<br />
a Honda CR-V approaching.<br />
The SUV veered to the wrong<br />
side of the road and into the<br />
group. The runners at the front<br />
were able to get out of the way<br />
before the SUV struck others<br />
and crashed into a lamppost.<br />
The driver, Nicholas Gutierrez,<br />
was arrested on suspicion<br />
of attempted murder of peace<br />
officers but was released the<br />
day after the crash. Gutierrez’s<br />
lawyer said he fell asleep at<br />
the wheel on his way to work.<br />
Twenty-five recruits were<br />
injured, five of them critically,<br />
with head trauma and broken<br />
bones. Martinez suffered brain<br />
swelling, compound femur<br />
fractures, a collapsed lung and<br />
damage to multiple organs and<br />
was placed on a ventilator following<br />
the crash.<br />
The weekend after, former<br />
Sheriff Alex Villanueva swore<br />
Martinez in as a full deputy.<br />
“All [Martinez] ever wanted<br />
to do was be a deputy sheriff,”<br />
said Capt. Pat Macdonald, who<br />
leads the Los Angeles County<br />
Sheriff’s Department’s training<br />
bureau. “He dedicated his life to<br />
serving the country and more<br />
specifically his community.”<br />
After Martinez’s death, around<br />
1 a.m., a procession escorted<br />
his body to the coroner’s office.<br />
Along with the Sheriff’s Department<br />
there were other law enforcement<br />
agencies, including<br />
the California Highway Patrol<br />
and the UCLA Police Department.<br />
“We’ve had many close calls<br />
in the last eight months and<br />
we’ve had a lot of weekends<br />
where we’ve kind of been ready<br />
in the event that his health<br />
takes a turn for the worse,”<br />
Macdonald said. “When this<br />
actually happened, I think that’s<br />
when it all kind of set in, of<br />
how horrific this incident was.”<br />
The BLUES 21
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
yrs.<br />
VILLE PLATTE, LA.<br />
Deputy Marshall Barry Giglio and a civilian were killed<br />
in a shooting in the town of Ville Platte.<br />
VILLE PLATTE, LA. (AP) — A<br />
deputy marshal and another<br />
man were killed and a woman<br />
was critically wounded in a<br />
shooting during a drug investigation<br />
in southern Louisiana,<br />
authorities said Tuesday.<br />
Ville Platte Deputy Marshal<br />
Barry Giglio died at the scene<br />
in the city about 75 miles (120<br />
kilometers) northwest of Baton<br />
Rouge at about 8:30 p.m. Monday,<br />
authorities said.<br />
Giglio was shot while helping<br />
members of the Evangeline<br />
Parish Sheriff’s Office serve<br />
a search warrant in a home<br />
where drug activity was suspected,<br />
Louisiana State Police<br />
said.<br />
A man and a woman in the<br />
home also were struck by<br />
gunfire and taken to hospitals,<br />
where the man died, authorities<br />
said.<br />
One person was arrested but<br />
authorities didn’t immediately<br />
release the names of the suspect<br />
and the other victims or<br />
other details of the shooting.<br />
“This tragedy is yet another<br />
reminder of the sacrifices men<br />
and women in law enforcement<br />
make each and every day when<br />
they put on their uniform and<br />
badge, not knowing if they’ll<br />
come home to their families<br />
at the end of each day,” Ville<br />
Platte Mayor Ryan Leday Williams<br />
said. “Deputy Marshall<br />
DEPUTY MARSHALL BARRY GIGLIO<br />
Giglio’s ultimate sacrifice in<br />
service of his community will<br />
never be forgotten.”<br />
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22 The BLUES
The BLUES 23
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
yrs.<br />
TRUJILLIO ALTO, P.R.<br />
Trujillio Alto Municipal Police Sergeant Pedro<br />
Torres-Santos was shot and killed in the line of duty.<br />
TRUJILLO ALTO, PUERTO RICO –<br />
Trujillo Alto Municipal Police<br />
Department (TAMPD) Sergeant<br />
Pedro Torres-Santos was murdered<br />
in the line of duty on<br />
Monday night while working a<br />
second job as a security officer<br />
at a bakery.<br />
Puerto Rico Police Colonel<br />
Roberto Rivera said 47-year-old<br />
Sgt. Torres-Santos was standing<br />
outside the El Punto bakery<br />
with two other TAMPD officers at<br />
approximately 10:30 p.m. on July<br />
31 when a gunman in a passing<br />
vehicle opened fire on them, El<br />
Nuevo Dia reported.<br />
“It was alleged that it was a<br />
robbery. We’re ruling out theft,”<br />
Col. Rivera said. “They stopped<br />
there and, from inside a vehicle,<br />
opened fire on them, killing Sergeant<br />
Pedro Torres.”<br />
The suspect vehicle fled the<br />
scene and the gunman has not<br />
been located.<br />
TAMPD Officer Jack Bruno<br />
Andujar, 49, and Sergeant Jorge<br />
Torres Rodriguez, 47, were also<br />
wounded in the attack, Primera<br />
Hora reported.<br />
They were rushed to a local<br />
hospital in unknown condition,<br />
according to El Nuevo Dia.<br />
Trujillo Alto Mayor Pedro<br />
Rodriguez-Gonzalez said he was<br />
shocked and saddened to learn<br />
of the deadly drive-by shooting.<br />
“I know the three policemen,<br />
their trajectory,” Rodriguez-<br />
Gonzalez said, according to El<br />
Nuevo Dia. “In the case of Pedro,<br />
he was a neighbor of mine…I<br />
saw him every day, if it wasn’t<br />
during the day working or at the<br />
bakery when I went shopping, I<br />
would see him in the afternoon<br />
when I would pass by his house<br />
every day to get to my house and<br />
I would say hello.”<br />
The mayor said the slain hero<br />
was a husband and father.<br />
“It is a very dear and big family<br />
in Trujillo Alto,” Rodriguez-Gonzalez<br />
added.<br />
He said Sgt. Torres-Santos’<br />
wife works at the bakery where<br />
the shooting occurred, Primera<br />
Hora reported.<br />
Sgt. Torres-Santos served the<br />
SGT. PEDRO TORRES-SANTOS<br />
TAMPD for 27 years, according to<br />
the Officer Down Memorial Page.<br />
The mayor said he was one<br />
of the first members to join the<br />
department when it was established,<br />
El Nuevo Dia reported.<br />
Our thoughts and prayers are<br />
with the family of Trujillo Alto<br />
Municipal Police Department<br />
Sergeant Pedro Torres-Santos,<br />
both blood and blue. Thank you<br />
for your service.<br />
Sergeant Pedro Torres-Santos,<br />
your life mattered.<br />
First Responders on Maui recount a<br />
night of terror in the ocean. Page 120<br />
24 The BLUES
luespdmag@gmail.com The BLUES 25
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
yrs.<br />
HUDSON, TX.<br />
Hudson ISD Police Officer Brian Holley died after suffering a medical<br />
emergency while on duty at Bonner Elementary.<br />
HUDSON, TX. (KETK) – The<br />
Hudson <strong>Vol</strong>unteer Fire Department<br />
said that Hudson ISD officer<br />
Bryan Holley died while<br />
working at Bonner Elementary<br />
on Friday. Several Angelina<br />
County law enforcement agencies<br />
and elected officials shared<br />
tributes to Officer Holley on<br />
Saturday.<br />
“Officer Bryan Holley was a<br />
valuable and loved partner of<br />
the Hudson Fire Department. He<br />
would frequently go outside of<br />
his required duties to assist on<br />
accidents and other emergencies<br />
in the community. He passed<br />
away in the performance of his<br />
duties. The noble duty of protecting<br />
our children each and every<br />
day. Standing between them<br />
and the evil in this world. And<br />
he did it with a smile. He was a<br />
great example of an honorable<br />
law enforcement officer and<br />
friend to all of Hudson’s kids.<br />
The Hudson Fire Department<br />
will miss Officer Holley. May his<br />
family have comfort knowing the<br />
impact he had. Rest easy brother!”<br />
HUDSON VOLUNTEER FIRE DE-<br />
PARTMENT<br />
Officials said Hudson VFD was<br />
called to Bonner Elementary to<br />
assist EMS on a medical call.<br />
First responders were working to<br />
26 The BLUES<br />
save Officer Holley, but he died,<br />
according to Hudson VFD.<br />
The Lufkin Police Department<br />
shared several photos and the<br />
following statement:<br />
“REMEMBERING BRYAN HOLLEY:<br />
Yesterday the community lost<br />
Hudson ISD Police Department<br />
Officer Bryan Holley. He was a<br />
wonderful man who dedicated<br />
his life to protecting and serving<br />
the citizens of Angelina County.<br />
Bryan suffered a medical issue<br />
on duty yesterday afternoon<br />
and sadly passed away. He was<br />
escorted from the hospital to<br />
a local funeral home by Lufkin<br />
Fire Department in a procession<br />
led by his brothers and sisters<br />
in law enforcement. Though<br />
Bryan served various agencies<br />
throughout his career, he made<br />
his final law enforcement home<br />
at Hudson’s Bonner Elementary.<br />
He spent the past decade there<br />
watching over the children and<br />
families of Hudson. Bryan was<br />
known for finding new ways to<br />
inspire smiles and laughter every<br />
day. One of his most famous antics<br />
was arguably the December<br />
he greeted students as “Elf on<br />
the Shelf” while perched atop a<br />
school awning.”<br />
Officer Holley served 17 of his<br />
31 years in law enforcement at<br />
the Angelina County Sheriff’s<br />
OFFICER BRIAN HOLLEY<br />
Office. Angelina County Sheriff<br />
Tom Selman shared a statement<br />
and photo of officer Holley:<br />
“With great sadness, the Angelina<br />
County Sheriff’s Department<br />
reports that one of our former<br />
Lieutenants, Officer Bryan Holley<br />
of the Hudson Independent<br />
School District, passed away<br />
Friday, August 18th while performing<br />
his duties at Bonner<br />
Elementary School in Hudson.<br />
Officer Holley was a 31-year<br />
veteran of law enforcement and<br />
was much loved by the students,<br />
parents and staff of Hudson ISD<br />
and by the extended community<br />
at large. Bryan began in law enforcement<br />
as a deputy constable<br />
for Angelina County Precinct One
in 1992. After 4 years of service<br />
in Pct. 1, Bryan moved over to<br />
the Angelina County Sheriff’s<br />
Department where, for nearly<br />
17 years, he worked patrol, as a<br />
K-9 officer in narcotics and was<br />
a member of the SWAT Team<br />
while rising through the ranks to<br />
become a Lieutenant and commander<br />
of a patrol shift. Officer<br />
Holley’s career led him to the<br />
Hudson ISD in 2013 where, for<br />
the last 10 years, he served the<br />
students, staff and parents of<br />
Hudson as a school police officer.<br />
Bryan was much loved by<br />
everyone in Hudson, was admired<br />
by his kids and he cared<br />
deeply about them. Bryan had a<br />
great sense of humor and while<br />
on duty, though serious about<br />
his job, was always looking to<br />
entertain and have a good time<br />
with everyone he met to make<br />
the school day more fun for all.<br />
Bryan cared enough about Angelina<br />
County that he expressed a<br />
willingness to serve the broader<br />
area by submitting himself as a<br />
candidate for sheriff in the election<br />
of 2020. The loss of Bryan is<br />
a shock to the law enforcement<br />
community, family and friends.<br />
Bryan was married and had children.<br />
Please pray for all of them<br />
during this difficult time.”<br />
ANGELINA COUNTY SHERIFF<br />
TOM SELMAN<br />
Angelina County Judge Keith<br />
N. Wright issued a proclamation<br />
stating that all flags at county<br />
facilities will be flown at halfmast<br />
until the morning of Aug.<br />
28, 2023, in honor of Officer Holley.<br />
Lufkin Mayor Mark Hicks also<br />
adopted Judge Wright’s proclamation<br />
honoring Holley.<br />
The BLUES 27
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
yrs.<br />
PLAINFIELD, IN.<br />
Johnson County Deputy Timothy J. Guyer was found unresponsive in<br />
the dorms of the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy.<br />
PLAINFIELD, Ind. — The Indiana<br />
State Police are investigating the<br />
death of a central Indiana Police<br />
Officer at the Indiana Law Enforcement<br />
Academy.<br />
ISP said during Tuesday’s press<br />
conference, a Johnson County<br />
Sheriff’s Deputy was found in the<br />
academy’s dormitory room unresponsive.<br />
Immediate life-saving<br />
measures couldn’t revive him,<br />
and he was pronounced dead on<br />
the scene.<br />
He was identified as 49-yearold<br />
Deputy Timothy J. Guyer.<br />
Guyer was attending the 230th<br />
session of the law enforcement<br />
academy. Guyer is survived by a<br />
wife and four children.<br />
ISP added they believe this is<br />
preliminarily a “pure medical<br />
issue” and no foul play was expected.<br />
Guyer was a lifelong Johnson<br />
County resident, family and businessman<br />
that authorities said<br />
had a “dream of being a deputy.”<br />
The deputy was sworn in on<br />
Dec. 1, 2022, but officers have a<br />
year to complete their training at<br />
the academy once they’re sworn<br />
in. <strong>No</strong> exceptions are made on<br />
age and over 200 men and women<br />
were currently training at the<br />
academy.<br />
The academy training is a<br />
16-week program and officials<br />
say Guyer’s death is considered<br />
a “line of duty” police officer<br />
death.<br />
Investigators are working with<br />
the Hendricks County Coroner’s<br />
Office to determine an official<br />
cause of death.<br />
The Indiana State Police extends<br />
its condolences to the<br />
family, friends and community of<br />
Deputy Guyer. Funeral arrangements<br />
are set to be announced<br />
in the coming days.<br />
IMPD released a statement<br />
Tuesday evening expressing its<br />
condolences for Guyer’s loss.<br />
“The IMPD would like to send<br />
our deepest condolences to the<br />
friends and family members of<br />
Deputy Timothy Guyer. We also<br />
are keeping those who worked<br />
DEPUTY TIMOTHY J. GUYER<br />
with Deputy Guyer at the Johnson<br />
County Sheriff’s Office in our<br />
thoughts & prayers,” read IMPD’s<br />
statement.<br />
Guyer’s patrol vehicle was<br />
parked in front of the sheriff’s<br />
department in Franklin, Indiana.<br />
The public was welcome<br />
to leave their sympathies and<br />
remembrances at the vehicle, the<br />
sheriff’s department said.<br />
Ian Barnes, a Maui First<br />
Responder, takes us into the fire and<br />
recounts his mission to save as many<br />
people as he can. Page 116<br />
28 The BLUES
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The BLUES 29
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
yrs.<br />
EASLEY, SC.<br />
Easley Police Officer Matthew Hare was struck and killed by an<br />
Amtrak Train while trying to pull a suicidal subject off the tracks.<br />
BY Chalmers Rogland<br />
Officer Hare, 22, was struck<br />
and killed by an Amtrak Train as<br />
he tried to tried to pull a suicidal<br />
woman off the tracks. He was<br />
killed instantly when hit by the<br />
train.<br />
The South Carolina Law Enforcement<br />
Division was called to<br />
investigate the death alongside<br />
the coroner’s office as requested<br />
by the Easley Police Department.<br />
A Facebook post on the police<br />
department’s page said a<br />
call came in around 5 am of an<br />
individual threatening suicide on<br />
the train tracks. Hare and another<br />
officer located an individual on<br />
the railroad tracks around 6 am<br />
on the 2000 block of East Main<br />
St. in Easley.<br />
According to the department,<br />
while attempting to get the individual<br />
off of the tracks, Hare was<br />
hit by an oncoming train.<br />
Hare was pronounced dead by<br />
the coroner’s office at 6:20 am<br />
on the train tracks at Allen St.<br />
“While attempting to remove<br />
the person from the tracks, Officer<br />
Matthew Hare was struck by<br />
the train. Tragically, Officer Hare<br />
did not survive,” the statement<br />
read.<br />
“This loss is incredibly difficult<br />
30 The BLUES<br />
OFFICER MATHEW HARE<br />
for The Easley Police Department<br />
and our community.”<br />
The second officer and train<br />
passengers were not injured.<br />
The individual on the tracks<br />
was also not injured and is in<br />
custody, according to the department.<br />
Hare’s body was escorted from<br />
the hospital in Anderson back to<br />
Easley Thursday evening.<br />
Lt. Anderson said Hare graduated<br />
from the South Carolina<br />
Criminal Justice Academy in<br />
March 2023, and had started<br />
with the department in October<br />
2022.<br />
“He was doing exactly what<br />
he wanted to do, which was to<br />
help and serve others, and for<br />
that, we are incredibly grateful,”<br />
Anderson told The News Thursday<br />
afternoon. “He was always<br />
in very good spirits, and he was<br />
very close to some of his fellow<br />
officers. He is certainly greatly<br />
missed.”<br />
A memorial fundraiser has<br />
been set up for the family of an<br />
Easley police officer who died<br />
after being struck by a train on<br />
the 2000 block of East Main St.<br />
early Wednesday morning. Matthew<br />
Logan Hare with the Easley<br />
Police Department was attempting<br />
to assist an individual officials<br />
say was suffering a “mental<br />
health crisis.”<br />
So far, the fundraiser has<br />
raised over $18,000. Lieutenant<br />
Ashley Anderson of the department<br />
said there is not an organized<br />
vigil scheduled right<br />
now, but the public is invited to<br />
come by the department to pay<br />
respects at a memorial set up<br />
outside the department office.<br />
Chalmers Rogland covers public<br />
safety for the Spartanburg<br />
Herald-Journal and USA Today<br />
Network. Reach him via email at<br />
crogland@gannett.com.
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The BLUES 31
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
yrs.<br />
FAIRWAY, KS.<br />
Fairway Police Officer Jonah Oswald was shot while attempting<br />
to arrest two suspects and he later died.<br />
FAIRWAY, KS. –Jonah Oswald,<br />
29, was a four-year veteran<br />
with the Fairway Police Department.<br />
He was injured in a<br />
shooting at a Johnson County<br />
QuikTrip and died Monday at an<br />
area hospital.<br />
A police officer in Fairway,<br />
Kansas, has died after suffering<br />
injuries from a early morning<br />
shootout at a QuikTrip, the second<br />
officer in the Kansas City<br />
metro to die while on duty this<br />
year.<br />
Jonah Oswald, 29, had been<br />
with the Fairway Police Department<br />
four years. Officials<br />
say Oswald, along with other<br />
officers, was trying to arrest<br />
two suspects at a QuikTrip in<br />
Mission at 4700 Lamar Avenue<br />
when shooting broke out.<br />
Oswald was injured in the<br />
shooting and taken to a hospital<br />
in critical condition. He died<br />
Monday.<br />
Fairway Chief of Police J.P.<br />
Thurlo said in a statement that<br />
Oswald “made the ultimate<br />
sacrifice while carrying out his<br />
oath to serve and protect.”<br />
“Officer Oswald was an integral<br />
part of our team and<br />
made significant contributions<br />
32 The BLUES<br />
to our department and to the<br />
Fairway community,” Thurlo<br />
said. “We will remember him<br />
as a warm-hearted individual<br />
whose hard work and passion<br />
touched the lives of many.”<br />
Oswald leaves behind a wife<br />
and two young children.<br />
The incident began when<br />
Lenexa police responded to<br />
reports of a stolen car Sunday<br />
morning, at West 95th Street<br />
and I-35. Officials say the<br />
driver, 40-year-old Shannon<br />
Wayne Marshall from Tennessee,<br />
struck a Lenexa patrol car<br />
and then fled in what was suspected<br />
to be a stolen car.<br />
The QuikTrip at Lamar Avenue<br />
and Foxridge Drive is where<br />
Fairway Police Officer Jonah<br />
Oswald was shot Sunday while<br />
pursuing two suspects.<br />
The ensuing police chase<br />
ended in Mission, Kansas, when<br />
the driver stopped at a QuikTrip<br />
near Lamar Ave. and I-35. Two<br />
people got out of the vehicle<br />
and then went into the gas station,<br />
officials say.<br />
Law enforcement from<br />
Lenexa, Fairway, Mission and<br />
the Kansas Highway Patrol were<br />
on the scene to arrest the sus-<br />
OFFICER JONAH OSWALD<br />
pects when gunfire broke out.<br />
One of the suspects, Shannon<br />
Wayne Marshall, died in the<br />
shootout.<br />
The other suspect, 32-yearold<br />
Andrea Rene Cothran from<br />
Tennessee, was arrested and<br />
charged Tuesday with aggravated<br />
battery, fleeing law<br />
enforcement, felony theft and<br />
reckless driving. Her bond was<br />
set at $1 million.<br />
The Johnson County Officer-Involved<br />
Critical Incident<br />
Investigation Team is investigating<br />
the shooting. It’s still<br />
unclear who fired the shots and<br />
how many were fired.
The BLUES 33
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
yrs.<br />
HONOLULU, HI.<br />
Honolulu Police Officer Bill Sapolu succumbed to<br />
injuries he sustained in a motorcycle crash back in July.<br />
HONOLULU (KITV4) -- Honolulu<br />
Police have announced the passing<br />
of Officer Bill Sapolu. Sapolu<br />
was injured in an accident while<br />
on duty on July 11. He passed<br />
away Tuesday, August 8 from his<br />
injuries.<br />
Sapolu served 21 years with the<br />
Honolulu Police Department, and<br />
22 years of military service, including<br />
4 overseas deployments.<br />
“Today, in his final act of service,<br />
he donated his organs to<br />
save the lives of others,” Sapolu’s<br />
family said in a statement.<br />
SHOPO President Robert Cavaco<br />
issued the following:<br />
On behalf of the State Board of<br />
Directors of SHOPO, I express our<br />
deepest condolences to the family<br />
and friends of Honolulu Police<br />
Department Solo Bike Officer Bill<br />
Sapolu, who succumbed to injuries<br />
related to an on-duty motorcycle<br />
collision. Officer Sapolu<br />
will be remembered as a fine<br />
officer and an outstanding human<br />
being who deeply loved his<br />
family, his community, and our<br />
profession. Bill was our brother,<br />
our friend, and our colleague. He<br />
will be missed. Officer Sapolu’s<br />
death is a tragic reminder of the<br />
dangers our officers face every<br />
day as they patrol our roads to<br />
help keep our community safe.<br />
We ask everyone to please keep<br />
his family in your thoughts and<br />
prayers during their time of grief<br />
and loss.”<br />
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi<br />
issued the following statement:<br />
“I am deeply saddened by the<br />
tragic loss of Solo Bike Officer<br />
Bill Sapolu, who gave his<br />
life while bravely serving and<br />
protecting our community. His<br />
unwavering commitment to<br />
upholding the law and ensuring<br />
the safety of our residents is a<br />
testament to his character and<br />
selflessness,” said Mayor Rick<br />
Blangiardi. “We mourn alongside<br />
his family, friends and fellow<br />
POLICE OFFICER BILL SAPOLU<br />
HPD officers during this difficult<br />
time. We must remember and<br />
honor his sacrifice by continuing<br />
to support and appreciate the<br />
courageous men and women<br />
who put themselves in harm’s<br />
way every day to keep us safe.<br />
Our thoughts and prayers are<br />
with his loved ones as they navigate<br />
through this heartbreaking<br />
loss.”<br />
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The BLUES 35
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
yrs.<br />
PHOENIX, AZ.<br />
Special Agent Patrick Bauer was inadvertently shot and killed while<br />
participating in a department firearms training in Phoenix.<br />
PHOENIX, AZ. — It’s been nearly<br />
one month since an Internal Revenue<br />
Service special agent died after<br />
being shot during a training exercise.<br />
Special Agent Patrick Bauer, 47,<br />
worked in the IRS Criminal Investigation<br />
Division at the Phoenix Field<br />
Office.<br />
IRS Criminal Investigation Special<br />
Agent in Charge Albert Childress<br />
said it has been a difficult couple of<br />
days for the entire division.<br />
“Pat was an outstanding individual,<br />
a fantastic investigator,” Childress<br />
said.<br />
Many words came to mind when<br />
Childress was describing Bauer to<br />
12News.<br />
“Talented, well-rounded, professional,”<br />
Childress said.<br />
Above all, Childress told 12News<br />
Bauer was a leader in the field.<br />
“Everybody knew Pat. Everybody<br />
would go to Pat for advice. (He)<br />
36 The BLUES<br />
had a great relationship with local<br />
police departments as well as our<br />
federal partners,” Childress said.<br />
Bauer spent over a decade working<br />
to solve crimes across Arizona,<br />
New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah.<br />
“He’s been in the Phoenix Field<br />
Office his entire career, came up as<br />
a special agent and worked a wide<br />
range of cases,” Childress said. “Everything<br />
from what you traditionally<br />
think of the IRS working, white<br />
collar sort of tax investigations all<br />
the way through narcotics investigations<br />
and some terrorism work<br />
with FBI.”<br />
Childress couldn’t speak with<br />
12news about the investigation into<br />
Bauer’s death.<br />
“We’re struggling as you can<br />
probably imagine. It’s shaken us<br />
sort of to the core,” Childress said.<br />
Childress told 12news the training<br />
the special agents complete is important<br />
for the cases they’re tasked<br />
SPECIAL AGENT PATRICK BAUER<br />
with.<br />
“We take on the complex investigations.<br />
We’ve got a skillset of<br />
forensic accounting, as well as law<br />
enforcement. So, it allows us to<br />
take on difficult investigations and<br />
challenges some other law enforcement<br />
agencies aren’t suited to<br />
address,” Childress said.<br />
Childress said Bauer was also a<br />
loving husband and father.<br />
“He was an incredible member<br />
of our team and he’ll be greatly<br />
missed,” Childress said.<br />
The Federal Bureau of Investigation<br />
is investigating Bauer’s death.<br />
The shooting range is located<br />
west of Interstate 17 and Daisy<br />
Mountain Drive.
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The BLUES 37
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
yrs.<br />
NIXON, NV.<br />
Tribal Officer Anthony Francone was struck and killed by a vehicle<br />
as he attempted to deploy stop sticks during a chase in Nevada.<br />
NIXON, Nev. — A Pyramid Lake<br />
Tribal Police officer was killed<br />
while trying to stop a fleeing<br />
suspect, the Storey County Sheriff’s<br />
Office said.<br />
On Friday, Aug. 25, Officer<br />
Anthony Francone attempted<br />
to stop the suspect’s vehicle by<br />
deploying spike sticks, 2News<br />
reports. That’s when the suspect<br />
intentionally hit Francone with<br />
his vehicle, police said.<br />
The suspect was shot and<br />
killed by police, the FBI told<br />
2News.<br />
Before he became an officer<br />
with the Pyramid Lake Tribal<br />
Police, Francone was a deputy<br />
with the Storey County Sheriff’s<br />
Office.<br />
For more than 10 years, Francone<br />
dedicated his service to<br />
the community of Storey County,<br />
holding positions as both deputy<br />
and corporal. Throughout<br />
this period, Francone gained<br />
acknowledgment and accolades<br />
due to his courageous acts, his<br />
commitment to safeguarding the<br />
public and his camaraderie with<br />
fellow law enforcement personnel,<br />
the sheriff’s office said.<br />
“While with the Storey County<br />
Sheriff’s Office, Anthony was the<br />
<strong>No</strong>. 1 traffic enforcement officer.<br />
Anthony was also the agency’s<br />
primary RADAR instructor, lead<br />
accident investigator and field<br />
training officer. Anthony’s humor<br />
was definitely one of his greatest<br />
qualities and he always had<br />
a way of making people laugh<br />
regardless of the situation,” the<br />
sheriff’s office said in a statement.<br />
Francone was a former Storey<br />
County Sheriff’s deputy, that<br />
agency posted on Twitter.<br />
“Anthony Francone served the<br />
residents of Storey County for<br />
over a decade in the rank of<br />
Deputy and Corporal. During that<br />
time Anthony was recognized<br />
and awarded for his bravery, his<br />
duty to protect the public, and<br />
his fellow officers,” the Storey<br />
OFFICER ANTHONY FRANCONE<br />
County Sheriff’s Office posted.<br />
“Anthony’s humor was definitely<br />
one of his greatest qualities and<br />
he always had a way of making<br />
people laugh regardless of the<br />
situation.”<br />
James Phoenix, chairman of<br />
the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe,<br />
posted that the investigation is<br />
still ongoing. Reprinted from<br />
Police1<br />
38 The BLUES
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The BLUES <strong>39</strong>
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
yrs.<br />
POMPANO BEACH, FL.<br />
A BSO Helicopter experienced a fire and a catastrophic failure of its tail boom<br />
and crashed into an apartment building, killing one of the crew members and a<br />
civilian in the apartment.<br />
POMPANO BEACH, Fl. – A Broward<br />
Sheriff’s Office Fire Rescue<br />
helicopter crashed into an<br />
apartment building in Pompano<br />
Beach Monday morning, killing<br />
two people and injuring four<br />
others, authorities confirmed.<br />
According to the National<br />
Transportation Safety Board, one<br />
person on-board the helicopter<br />
was killed, along with another<br />
person on the ground.<br />
Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony<br />
identified the BSO captain who<br />
died in the crash as 50-year-old<br />
Terryson Jackson, who has been<br />
with the agency for 19 years.<br />
Tony said he knew Jackson<br />
personally for over 14 years.<br />
“Terryson was a rock star. He<br />
was one of the best of us, one of<br />
the brightest. He bled this profession<br />
inside and out all day long,”<br />
the sheriff said. “There’s almost<br />
6,000 people in this agency. I’m<br />
not going to meet everybody,<br />
and I haven’t, but that man I<br />
knew. I knew very well. And the<br />
type of effort and commitment<br />
he had for this community – impeccable.”<br />
Tony confirmed that a woman<br />
who was inside the apartment<br />
building was killed. He said the<br />
two other BSO employees who<br />
40 The BLUES<br />
were on-board the chopper were<br />
able to crawl out and survived.<br />
He identified them as Pilot<br />
Daron Roche, 37, who has been<br />
with BSO for four years and firefighter/paramedic<br />
Mikael “Mike”<br />
Chaguaceda, 31, who has been<br />
with BSO for five years.<br />
The crash was reported just<br />
after 8:45 a.m. in the area of<br />
<strong>No</strong>rth Dixie Highway and Atlantic<br />
Boulevard, a half-mile southwest<br />
of the Pompano Beach Airpark.<br />
Tony confirmed that the air<br />
rescue crew was headed to<br />
<strong>No</strong>rth Lauderdale, responding to<br />
a call regarding a mother and<br />
her child.<br />
“They were in air within a<br />
minute,” he said. “They were
CLICK TO WATCH<br />
CLICK TO WATCH<br />
CLICK TO WATCH<br />
The BLUES 41
42 The BLUES<br />
‘mayday’ and putting out the<br />
distress within two minutes, and<br />
throughout that time they still<br />
had the foresight to notify the<br />
local fire department that we<br />
weren’t going to be able to land<br />
and that they needed to be able<br />
to get there and rescue these<br />
people. So, we’re talking about<br />
the character of these men and<br />
women -- or these men in this<br />
case, on this aviation unit -- as<br />
they were fighting for their life,<br />
they were worried about someone<br />
else’s.”<br />
The Federal Aviation Administration<br />
confirmed that three<br />
people were on-board the Eurocopter<br />
EC135 helicopter that<br />
“crashed into a structure.” Sky 10<br />
was above the scene just after 10<br />
a.m. as an apartment building in<br />
the area had a large, gaping hole<br />
in the roof with burned debris<br />
visible.<br />
Video posted to Facebook<br />
shows smoke coming from the<br />
helicopter before it starts going<br />
around in circles and then crashes<br />
to the ground.<br />
Pompano Beach spokeswoman<br />
Sandra King said two crew<br />
members and two civilians who<br />
were inside the apartment building,<br />
helped the victims out of the<br />
chopper and were all hospitalized<br />
after the crash.<br />
BSO spokeswoman Veda Coleman-Wright<br />
later confirmed that<br />
all four were taken to Broward<br />
Health <strong>No</strong>rth and are listed in fair<br />
condition.<br />
“They jumped?” a witness is<br />
heard saying in the video. “These<br />
(expletive) saved their life.”<br />
The sheriff, however, said the<br />
crew members did not jump<br />
from the chopper, but miraculously<br />
survived after crawling<br />
out.<br />
Another closer up video shows<br />
the two men coming down from<br />
the roof after first responders<br />
and witnesses placed a ladder<br />
against the building.<br />
Local 10 News reporter Samiar<br />
Nefzi spoke with the father and<br />
sister of the two civilians who<br />
were injured.<br />
They said the brothers were<br />
alone inside their apartment<br />
when the crash occurred.<br />
“I’m trying to find out what’s<br />
happening with my brothers.<br />
They’re at the hospital and I just<br />
got a phone call from my son,<br />
and I don’t know what’s going<br />
on,” the victims’ sister said.<br />
Another resident at the apartment<br />
building said he was<br />
inside his home when he heard<br />
a loud sound.<br />
“When I was inside, there was<br />
a ‘pop, pop, pop, pop.’ There<br />
was fire (inaudible) everywhere,”<br />
he said.<br />
Dixie Highway was shut down<br />
between <strong>No</strong>rtheast Fifth Street<br />
and <strong>No</strong>rtheast 10th Street after<br />
the crash. Drivers are asked to<br />
avoid the area.<br />
The FAA confirmed that it will<br />
investigate the cause of the<br />
collision, along with the NTSB,<br />
which will be in charge of the<br />
investigation.
The BLUES 43
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
yrs.<br />
Sheriff says he asked county for new<br />
helicopters years before fatal crash.<br />
By Shira Moolten<br />
South Florida Sun-Sentinel<br />
POMPANO BEACH, Fla. — Broward<br />
Sheriff Gregory Tony had<br />
asked the county for new helicopters<br />
years before the fatal<br />
crash Monday that killed two<br />
people, he said at a news conference<br />
Tuesday afternoon. <strong>No</strong>w,<br />
after a verbal agreement from<br />
the county, two new helicopters<br />
are on the way.<br />
The Airbus Helicopter EC 135T-<br />
1 helicopter, one of only two<br />
paramedic helicopters operated<br />
by BSO, had an engine fire in<br />
flight, a pilot told investigators,<br />
plummeting into an apartment<br />
building in Pompano Beach Monday<br />
morning and killing a Broward<br />
Sheriff’s Fire Rescue captain<br />
and a woman on the ground.<br />
Four people were injured.<br />
“This is the result of not just<br />
one administration, whether it<br />
be BSO or the county government,”<br />
Tony said Tuesday. “This<br />
is how things have operated in<br />
government here in this county<br />
for too long, in that tragedy<br />
strikes, and then we respond.”<br />
The exact cause of the crash<br />
remains unknown, but the helicopter<br />
fell out of the sky after an<br />
in-flight fire, the National Transportation<br />
Safety Board said in an<br />
update Tuesday. A pilot reported<br />
44 The BLUES<br />
both a left engine failure and an<br />
engine fire during flight.<br />
NTSB investigators were on the<br />
scene Tuesday, examining the<br />
wreckage and speaking to witnesses<br />
as cranes began to lift the<br />
wreckage from the building. The<br />
wreckage was taken to an offsite<br />
facility, according to the NTSB,<br />
where investigators will continue<br />
to analyze it, including examining<br />
the engines.<br />
The Sheriff’s Office and the<br />
county had a “multitude” of conversations<br />
about replacing the<br />
current helicopters over the last<br />
three years, Tony said. In June,<br />
he said, he again raised concerns<br />
about the state of the helicopters.<br />
“Listening back to my statements<br />
in June, you probably<br />
heard more of an awareness<br />
tone,” he said, “Of, hey, we need<br />
to get this done, because eventually<br />
the aircraft are not going to<br />
be capable of flying, and the risk<br />
factor of one falling out of the<br />
sky is too great. <strong>No</strong>w it’s happened.”<br />
Spokespeople for the county<br />
did not immediately return<br />
voicemails left late Tuesday<br />
afternoon.<br />
The Fire Rescue captain, Terryson<br />
Jackson, and his crew<br />
were responding to a car crash<br />
in <strong>No</strong>rth Lauderdale when the<br />
helicopter plummeted out of<br />
the sky. He was trapped in the<br />
wreckage and could not get out,<br />
said Tony.<br />
The woman who died was a<br />
resident of the apartment building.<br />
Carey Codd, a spokesperson<br />
for BSO, said the Medical Examiner’s<br />
Office was working to<br />
identify her Tuesday.<br />
The Sheriff’s Office is “down an<br />
aircraft” and “tripling up inspections,”<br />
Tony said Tuesday, but<br />
now, two state-of-the-art H145<br />
helicopters are on the way after<br />
talks with Broward Mayor Lamar<br />
Fisher and Airbus, the helicopter<br />
manufacturer. A contract had<br />
fallen through with a different<br />
buyer, and Airbus reached out to<br />
him.
“With this tragedy, an opportunity<br />
presented itself,” Tony<br />
said. <strong>No</strong>w, they’re waiting on a<br />
cost estimate, which he says<br />
they should get by the end of the<br />
week.<br />
Ideally, Tony said, the Sheriff’s<br />
Office will get six helicopters,<br />
not just two. The total cost for<br />
all six would be about $60-$70<br />
million, or about $10-$12 million<br />
per helicopter.<br />
Tony also posthumously promoted<br />
Jackson to Battalion Chief<br />
on Monday.<br />
Jackson “was known for his<br />
affable personality and his forever<br />
willingness to help,” Debra<br />
White, a manager for Broward<br />
Sheriff’s Office Chaplain Services,<br />
wrote in an email to the<br />
department. “He was praised<br />
by his supervisors for exceeding<br />
expectations and his initiative to<br />
accomplish tasks.”<br />
Jackson is survived by his<br />
mother, father, son, daughter,<br />
and siblings. His brother, Cleavone<br />
Brooks, is also a sergeant<br />
within the department, according<br />
to the email.<br />
Brooks did not respond to a<br />
voicemail Tuesday afternoon.<br />
Residents of the one-story,<br />
eight-unit building where the<br />
helicopter crashed were evacuated<br />
Monday after the NTSB<br />
declared the building a crime<br />
scene. It will be closed for at<br />
least 72 hours, after which Pompano<br />
Beach will send a structural<br />
engineer to determine if<br />
it is safe for residents to return,<br />
according to city spokesperson<br />
Sandra King.<br />
The Red Cross is housing residents<br />
in need of shelter but did<br />
not say where.<br />
“Our hearts are with the families<br />
and loved ones who have<br />
been impacted by this tragic<br />
incident,” the organization said<br />
in a statement Tuesday.” … the<br />
American Red Cross is coordinating<br />
with local officials and the<br />
Broward Sheriff’s Office to offer<br />
immediate assistance, mental<br />
health support and spiritual<br />
care to all the families affected<br />
as they process their emotions<br />
during this difficult time.”<br />
The NTSB will release a preliminary<br />
report about the crash<br />
in two to three weeks.<br />
©2023 South Florida Sun-Sentinel.<br />
The BLUES 45
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
yrs.<br />
MAUI, HI.<br />
A PD’s response to helping an officer<br />
affected by Lahaina wildfire devastation.<br />
Police officers are wired to help, not be helped; here are<br />
six ways to ensure your officers are supported in their time<br />
of need with tangible action items.<br />
If your department is looking<br />
to help with Maui fire relief and<br />
recovery, here is a verified list of<br />
organizations you can donate to<br />
and share within your community.<br />
When we consider the adversity<br />
law enforcement agencies are<br />
facing regarding unprecedented<br />
attrition, public scrutiny, and<br />
emerging social and legal challenges,<br />
any prudent leader will<br />
recognize the need to focus on<br />
what we can control. We need<br />
to do so in a positive, constructive<br />
and collaborative manner<br />
– following suit with how we<br />
manage public safety, criminal<br />
justice and community engagement.<br />
I frequently study, write and<br />
speak upon foundational issues<br />
that will galvanize recruiting and<br />
retention. The answer? Culture.<br />
At the epicenter of organizational<br />
and team culture are our<br />
values.<br />
Amid the aforementioned<br />
challenges, supporting our<br />
46 The BLUES<br />
people must be our top priority<br />
if we are to thrive as public<br />
safety agencies. We need to take<br />
care of the people who do the<br />
caretaking for our community.<br />
This fosters strong individuals,<br />
resilient teams and efficacious<br />
organizations.<br />
By sharing efforts and successes,<br />
it solidifies the connection<br />
with the community. I come from<br />
a long-standing peer support<br />
and wellness background, specifically<br />
within the law enforcement<br />
profession. These efforts<br />
are critical, but they’re more than<br />
just themes and programs. Leaders<br />
need to nurture how we support<br />
our officers amid personal,<br />
familial or community hardship.<br />
An officer who I have supervised<br />
for years is from the Maui<br />
town of Lahaina, Hawaii.<br />
The same town that has re-
cently been ravaged by wildfires,<br />
resulting in neighborhoods being<br />
reduced to ash and rubble. When<br />
the fires devastated that region,<br />
his family’s home was destroyed.<br />
The following is a case study<br />
of how we can put our intent<br />
and goal of officer-focused support<br />
into action to highlight that<br />
pillar of healthy agency culture.<br />
SIX WAYS TO SUPPORT OFFI-<br />
CERS IN NEED<br />
1. Peer support: This needs to<br />
be a defining facet within a successful<br />
organization. It is something<br />
every member of the team<br />
can and should embrace. It is<br />
checking in, knowing your people<br />
and hedging on over-checking<br />
rather than assuming someone<br />
is OK. This is something my<br />
department has practiced for<br />
years.<br />
By the time I called my officer,<br />
several others had already been<br />
in contact with him and his wife<br />
to check on his family and see<br />
how they could help. Like most<br />
first responders, he was stoic,<br />
embraced ownership and focused<br />
on “handling it.”<br />
2. Be persistent: As first responders<br />
and public servants,<br />
we tend to want to do things by<br />
ourselves. It is not necessarily<br />
stubbornness, but often a belief<br />
that everyone else has their own<br />
issues and we do not want to be<br />
a burden. We are wired to help,<br />
not be helped. In speaking with<br />
his wife later, I believe I was<br />
the straw that broke that stance<br />
after many others had been<br />
checking in and offering help. I<br />
relayed how people feel helpless<br />
not being able to help. I offered<br />
a posed scenario: if the situation<br />
was reversed, then how would<br />
he want to respond? He was<br />
Donated supplies gathered in Kent (Wash.) PD’s recruitment office<br />
awaiting packaging for their trip to Maui. (Photo/Eric Tung)<br />
humble and open to receiving<br />
the suggestions and, frankly, the<br />
love we wanted to share.<br />
3. Initiate and identify key players:<br />
My part was minimal. There<br />
is nothing special about what<br />
I did, but someone has to get<br />
things in motion. Once I received<br />
buy-in from my officer, I recognized<br />
needing to find lynchpins<br />
that could help carry and continue<br />
our momentum. My officer<br />
was already going home to Maui.<br />
He already got support and the<br />
blessing from our administration<br />
to help as a first responder with<br />
documentation (this was critical;<br />
we will return to this).<br />
When I learned about this<br />
support, I just had to confirm<br />
permission to engage the department<br />
staff via email, which<br />
I was immediately granted. With<br />
our officer being boots on the<br />
ground, I connected with his<br />
wife as a liaison to what resources<br />
were needed as there’s<br />
currently spotty communication<br />
in Maui (phone/Wi-Fi intermittent<br />
or down). This process continued<br />
with quick adjustments,<br />
pivots in the plans and logistics,<br />
but nothing we police officers<br />
aren’t proficient in!<br />
My department already<br />
had members who manage a<br />
non-profit for funds to support<br />
officers and their families in<br />
times of extreme hardship and<br />
loss. By engaging a representative,<br />
I confirmed details on how<br />
employees and others could<br />
contribute funds in a simple,<br />
effective hub. This eliminated<br />
the need to utilize a public<br />
crowd-sourcing module, which<br />
ends up being resource-skimming<br />
with associated fees.<br />
4. Give direction: People are<br />
willing and want to help. Give<br />
them a job! I wrote an email that<br />
explained the situation, gave<br />
an overview and what the plan<br />
was. I outlined the types of items<br />
needed and how to donate funds.<br />
I gave them a place to drop<br />
items, how to access and gave<br />
a deadline, which allowed us<br />
to project when and where we<br />
would ship the collections.<br />
Donations poured in and filled<br />
the designated office. I was<br />
alerted to the volume with a<br />
quick photo sent to my phone<br />
The BLUES 47
y one of our officers. I was one<br />
part humbled and inspired to see<br />
the outpour of support, yet one<br />
part dreading if I could get everything<br />
packed and loaded between<br />
my agenda the next day.<br />
When I returned to the office,<br />
nearly everything was gone.<br />
A few of our staff had self-initiated<br />
to dive into this critical<br />
task, knowing the timeline previously<br />
relayed. They strategically<br />
“beat the heat” of the upcoming<br />
summer day and got a cargo<br />
van loaded to the brim, leaving<br />
a very manageable excess for<br />
another truckload. Remember:<br />
people want to help. When they<br />
know the communicated plan,<br />
they will fill in the blanks and<br />
find the work to get the mission<br />
accomplished. Absent that, I am<br />
confident that if I arrived to find<br />
the area full, I could have easily<br />
asked and allowed people to<br />
help (reference above).<br />
5. Adapt: This is an emergency<br />
response situation. Things<br />
change. Contingencies emerge;<br />
this is part of the job we do daily.<br />
The shipping method (cargo<br />
company) fell through. As with<br />
most large-scale emergency<br />
responses, specific and reliable<br />
information is hard to legitimize<br />
in a short time. Hearsay is involved,<br />
games of telephone warp<br />
the intel. Luckily, members of<br />
this team were on top of firming<br />
out the emerging issues, utilizing<br />
contacts and finding resources.<br />
The rest of the plan went off<br />
without a hitch, except ultimately<br />
what I thought was free<br />
Priority air shipping ended up<br />
being a hefty bill, to pair well<br />
with the elevation of the flight.<br />
I figured we would utilize the<br />
funds raised, but in yet another<br />
48 The BLUES<br />
inspiring moment – highlighting<br />
goodwill and community – a local<br />
business owner with knowledge<br />
of the operation covered<br />
the bill. hat’s another tick mark<br />
in the “allow and receive help”<br />
column.<br />
6. Communicate/report back:<br />
Those of us who have learned<br />
the hard way by not calling our<br />
loved ones back on shift or not<br />
answering our attentive dispatchers<br />
promptly know the<br />
power of timely communication.<br />
People want updates because<br />
they are concerned. Be sure to<br />
provide those updates at reasonable<br />
timing, when you can.<br />
In this case, I collected some<br />
photos and gave a brief back to<br />
the whole team, which included<br />
our officer’s status (and his long<br />
shifts working alongside Maui PD<br />
in the relief zone), images of the<br />
volume collected and donated,<br />
and “thank you’s” to many behind-the-scenes<br />
“lynchpins.”<br />
Reporting back with clear<br />
and intentional messaging can<br />
be a catalyst for bonding. It<br />
helps underline the collaborative<br />
efforts and connects us<br />
in this special culture. It relays<br />
that things were a success, and,<br />
frankly, that we are a success. It<br />
is about galvanizing a team and<br />
its bonds. Acknowledging people<br />
on your team (when deserved<br />
and detailed properly) is not<br />
self-praise; it is celebrating the<br />
quality of your people. It is relaying<br />
gratitude, not taking them<br />
or your team for granted. It helps<br />
actualize your unified purpose.<br />
ADDITIONAL LESSONS<br />
Support from administration<br />
was critical. This sets a tone<br />
from the top that your organization<br />
truly supports its people.<br />
<strong>No</strong>t only was the hardship acknowledged,<br />
but officializing the<br />
response back home allowed our<br />
officer to get into relief efforts.<br />
This was clearly impactful to<br />
the officer, inspirational to the<br />
department, and elevating to<br />
the profession and community.<br />
It highlighted two key things we<br />
must always focus upon:<br />
• The heart of a first responder<br />
transcends state lines (or country<br />
borders) and certainly patches.<br />
• At the end of the day, we are<br />
people who devote themselves<br />
to taking care of people.<br />
Be ready to manage and limit<br />
expectations and know your<br />
boundaries. As word spread,<br />
other city departments asked if<br />
we should create a city-wide effort.<br />
I immediately recognized a<br />
couple of issues that could affect<br />
the result.<br />
First, opening it up would increase<br />
the volume, but it would<br />
also require a longer time frame.<br />
The increased volume would be<br />
hard to estimate and logistics<br />
could be dramatically more difficult<br />
to secure.<br />
While I was tempted to go for<br />
more, I had to focus on the goal:<br />
to get a bulk of necessities in<br />
the fastest practical timeline.<br />
I offered a “not right now, but<br />
…” clause, where I suggested<br />
a larger city-wide effort that I<br />
would be happy to liaise on a<br />
larger team with more bandwidth<br />
and director coordination.<br />
I recognized it did not have to be<br />
either/or, and we could carry on<br />
our mission as planned without<br />
dismissing help and good intent.<br />
Don’t forget about spreading<br />
the good news. Our city communications<br />
team asked if they
RAW VIDEO: New aerial footage shows scope<br />
of wildfire devastation in Lahaina<br />
could share our efforts. Most<br />
police shy away from this, as<br />
we do not do good deeds for<br />
attention or praise, but because<br />
we want to. However, if I have<br />
learned anything in my time with<br />
community engagement and<br />
recruiting roles, first responders<br />
and police officers specifically<br />
can afford to let people in.<br />
By sharing efforts and successes,<br />
it solidifies the connection<br />
with the community. We don’t<br />
need the praise, but it is our<br />
community and it does not hurt<br />
to let them know more about<br />
us. It does not hurt to be more<br />
entwined and part of one whole.<br />
Outside of police relations and<br />
social dynamics, I find it healthy<br />
to recognize that sharing good<br />
news and positivity is simply<br />
infectious; it breeds more good<br />
feelings and energy. What is the<br />
harm in that?<br />
If that was too idealistic for<br />
you, I will submit to you this: after<br />
it was shared as an overview<br />
on social media, other area police<br />
officers I knew reached out.<br />
They wanted to learn what we<br />
were doing; in doing so, I learned<br />
about other efforts departments<br />
were building with connections<br />
and resources we were unaware<br />
of. Sharing information for good<br />
begets more goodness.<br />
CONCLUSION<br />
We know we are facing an uphill<br />
battle to rebuild and sustain<br />
our ranks in policing. If there is<br />
a way we can do it, it is through<br />
culture.<br />
Our people are our most valuable<br />
assets. By demonstrating it<br />
through support and action, we<br />
not only highlight it, but create<br />
that culture of caring.<br />
It is what will optimize our<br />
officers, our departments, and<br />
create connection with the<br />
community in order to serve and<br />
protect them best. After all, this<br />
is our main role and purpose.<br />
About the author<br />
Sergeant Eric Tung has been<br />
a police officer for 16 years in<br />
Washington State. He currently<br />
supervises Recruiting, Hiring<br />
and Outreach. He has led patrol<br />
squads as well as training, community<br />
engagement, civil disturbance<br />
and Field Training program<br />
supervision. He has worked<br />
as a field training officer and<br />
K-9 generalist handler. Eric is a<br />
peer support team coordinator<br />
and wellness program developer.<br />
Eric was a 2022 40 Under 40<br />
honoree, recognized by the International<br />
Association of Chiefs of<br />
Police. He develops wellness and<br />
leadership content on @bluegritwellness<br />
on Instagram and the<br />
Blue Grit Radio podcast.<br />
The BLUES 49
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
yrs.<br />
SEATTLE, OR.<br />
“Criminals are Running This City!”<br />
A now-retired Seattle police lieutenant wrote a 15-page resignation letter that promised<br />
an “unfiltered, raw and unapologetic” description of why she decided to retire.<br />
By Police1 Staff<br />
SEATTLE — A now-retired Seattle<br />
police lieutenant called it<br />
quits at the beginning of August<br />
after 23 years on the force,<br />
releasing her resignation letter<br />
voicing her frustrations with<br />
the city and local leaders, KTTH<br />
reports.<br />
Lieutenant Jessica Taylor told<br />
the Jason Rantz Show that she<br />
did not fill out the exit form<br />
when announcing her resignation,<br />
which asks questions like<br />
why an officer is leaving, their<br />
new employer, and what the officer<br />
liked most and least about<br />
working in the department.<br />
Instead, she wrote Chief Adrian<br />
Diaz a 15-page resignation letter<br />
that promised an “unfiltered, raw<br />
and unapologetic” description of<br />
why she decided to retire.<br />
In the interview with the Jason<br />
Rantz show, Taylor said<br />
she “wanted to go out with the<br />
truth.”<br />
“Chief Diaz, let me tell you,<br />
the state of the Seattle Police<br />
Department and this city is a<br />
disgrace,” she wrote in the letter<br />
she shared with the Jason Rantz<br />
Show on KTTH. “The toxic mix of<br />
50 The BLUES<br />
the Seattle City Council’s absurdity,<br />
the spinelessness of the<br />
mayor, the leniency of the prosecutor’s<br />
office and your failed<br />
leadership has accelerated this<br />
city’s downhill slide straight<br />
to rock bottom. The problems<br />
were already brewing before<br />
you came on the scene, but since<br />
your arrival, it’s been a free fall<br />
into anarchy and chaos.”<br />
Taylor criticized the Seattle<br />
city council members for having<br />
“strayed from reality,” as their<br />
decisions were characterized<br />
by a lack of common sense and<br />
fundamental logic.<br />
“Their absurd policies have<br />
turned Seattle into a playground<br />
for anarchists and criminals, and<br />
they seem utterly unconcerned<br />
with the devastating consequences<br />
of their actions. If you<br />
haven’t noticed, the criminals are<br />
running this city,” Taylor said.<br />
Although she had reservations,<br />
Taylor’s decision to resign<br />
brought about mixed emotions.<br />
She holds a deep affection for<br />
the city, devoting her time to<br />
volunteering for the homeless<br />
and contributing to the Special<br />
Olympics. Her commitment was<br />
acknowledged by the National<br />
CLICK TO READ LETTER<br />
Guard through a Patriot Award,<br />
a distinction reserved for supervisors<br />
who exhibit exceptional<br />
dedication in aiding soldiers<br />
within the National Guard.<br />
Taylor said she entered the<br />
field of policing with the intention<br />
of aiding her community,<br />
but she reached a point where<br />
she believed she could no longer<br />
fulfill that objective. She lauds<br />
her colleagues as profoundly<br />
devoted, courageous and skilled<br />
individuals, describing them as<br />
“exceptional, exceptional people.”<br />
Taylor has transitioned to a<br />
role beyond law enforcement.<br />
The Seattle Police Department<br />
told KTTH in a statement that<br />
they want their “officers to feel<br />
valued and respected for their<br />
hard work every single day. We<br />
are committed to highlighting<br />
that work on a routine basis.”
The BLUES 51
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
yrs.<br />
RIVERSIDE, IL.<br />
Former Cicero Officer Zenna Ramos, who stole a $15 shirt in<br />
2008, was decertified by the state, barred from working as a cop.<br />
By Jake Sheridan<br />
Chicago Tribune<br />
RIVERSIDE, Ill. — Former Cicero<br />
Police Officer Zenna Ramos freely<br />
and remorsefully admits she stole a<br />
T-shirt 15 years ago.<br />
She said she had just escaped<br />
an unsafe living situation with her<br />
young child, and didn’t have clothes<br />
when she said she took the shirt<br />
worth $14.99.<br />
But Ramos, 37, doesn’t think it’s<br />
fair the cheap shirt is now derailing<br />
her career.<br />
In April, the Illinois Law Enforcement<br />
Training and Standards Board<br />
blocked Ramos from certification<br />
as she transferred to the Riverside<br />
Police Department, citing the theft.<br />
The state police certification<br />
authority told an attorney for the<br />
western suburb that law compelled<br />
the finding and the misdemeanor<br />
charge Ramos faced would harm<br />
her ability to effectively serve as an<br />
officer by potentially making her<br />
court testimony not credible with<br />
jurors.<br />
Riverside leaders are pushing back<br />
against the decision. The board has<br />
the power to certify Ramos, they<br />
argue, and she deserves a second<br />
chance.<br />
“Yes, she made a mistake in 2008,”<br />
Riverside’s public safety director,<br />
Matthew Buckley, said at a news<br />
conference Tuesday held in support<br />
of Ramos. “But what she has done<br />
since that day is the important part.”<br />
52 The BLUES<br />
In the years since the theft, Ramos<br />
has gone to school to study criminal<br />
justice, worked as a Cicero<br />
community service officer and<br />
served for a year as a Cicero police<br />
officer.<br />
“That’s the kind of person I want<br />
working here in Riverside. Because,<br />
Riverside, we give second chances.<br />
We work with people,” Buckley<br />
said.<br />
Ramos uttered just six words at<br />
Tuesday’s news conference before<br />
breaking down in tears.<br />
“I know I made a mistake,” she<br />
said inside Riverside Village Hall,<br />
before pausing to collect herself as<br />
she began to cry.<br />
“I took responsibility for my<br />
actions,” she continued. “And I felt<br />
that I did everything right to better<br />
myself for myself and my family,<br />
so I could be a police officer, so I<br />
could help people who are dealing<br />
with circumstances that I’ve dealt<br />
with.”<br />
Ramos was certified as a police<br />
officer in August 2021 after being<br />
hired by the Cicero Police Department<br />
and completing the Cook<br />
County sheriff’s office police academy,<br />
Buckley said.<br />
She decided to leave the Cicero<br />
department because she preferred<br />
the pace of policing in Riverside,<br />
where she sensed she had more<br />
time “to give people full attention,”<br />
she said.<br />
After taking Riverside’s entrance<br />
exam and going through interviews,<br />
she became the <strong>No</strong>. 2 candidate on<br />
the department’s list of potential officers,<br />
Buckley said. The department<br />
hired her the day before Valentine’s<br />
Day this year and immediately put<br />
her into field training.<br />
In late March, after the training<br />
and standards board sent a letter<br />
with questions about Ramos’ background<br />
to Riverside police leaders<br />
seeking her recertification, the<br />
department responded with a letter<br />
acknowledging and accepting the<br />
2008 theft charges.<br />
“We were very well aware of it.<br />
She was very forthcoming,” Buckley<br />
said.<br />
The board responded with a decision<br />
in April denying Ramos recertification<br />
as a police officer, noting<br />
that it could “only approve applicants<br />
of good character and free of<br />
disqualifying convictions” in a letter<br />
sent by general counsel Patrick<br />
Hahn and obtained by the Tribune.<br />
In the letter, Hahn identified theft<br />
as a “disqualifying misdemeanor”<br />
under Illinois state law. He also<br />
cited the sweeping SAFE-T criminal<br />
justice law reform, stating that the<br />
law compelled the board to review<br />
applicants for certification to make<br />
sure they had not been involved in<br />
“any crime of moral turpitude.”<br />
“Past behavior is a logical predictor<br />
of future behavior,” Hahn wrote,<br />
citing the 2008 case and adding that<br />
Ramos was placed on court supervision<br />
in 2003 for retail theft.<br />
“There’s an old proverb that says,
‘the person who steals once is always<br />
thought a thief,’” he continued<br />
in the letter. “And while such thinking<br />
may be unfair, it is not most<br />
uncommon particularly in light of<br />
today’s jury opinions on police. Ensuring<br />
the credibility of prosecution<br />
witnesses is a modern-day challenge,<br />
which requires the reputation<br />
of testifying officers to be above<br />
reproach.”<br />
Buckley told the Tribune the<br />
charges against Ramos were vacated,<br />
dropped and expunged after she<br />
successfully completed a conditional<br />
discharge term of six months.<br />
Buckley argued that she was never<br />
convicted. Hahn, however, wrote<br />
in his April letter that “conditional<br />
discharge” should be considered a<br />
conviction.<br />
The board’s decision is listed as<br />
a “decertification,” making Ramos<br />
ineligible to serve as a police officer<br />
at departments across the country,<br />
Buckley said. Ramos was added to<br />
the Cook County state’s attorney’s<br />
office’s “do not call” list of officers<br />
whom prosecutors will not call on<br />
to testify in court.<br />
Village Trustee Jill Mateo and<br />
former Village President Benjamin<br />
Sells shared their support for<br />
Ramos’ certification after the news<br />
conference. State Rep. Abdelnasser<br />
Rashid, D-Berwyn, has also stated<br />
his support for Ramos’ certification,<br />
according to the Riverside-Brookfield<br />
Landmark.<br />
Also speaking in support of<br />
Ramos, state Rep. La Shawn Ford,<br />
D-Chicago, argued the SAFE-T<br />
Act, which he voted for, should not<br />
prevent the board from approving<br />
Ramos as a police officer.<br />
“They actually have the power to<br />
see it as it is, but they’re choosing<br />
not to,” Ford said at the news conference.<br />
Buckley said the law could potentially<br />
affect many officers transferring<br />
departments in Illinois if left<br />
unaddressed.<br />
The Police Department will appeal<br />
the decision at a training and<br />
standards board meeting in early<br />
September, Buckley said. Meanwhile,<br />
Ramos is working for Riverside<br />
but not as a police officer. The<br />
department is holding an officer<br />
position open for her, Buckley said.<br />
Ford said he would work to<br />
change Illinois law so Ramos and<br />
officers in similar positions can be<br />
certified if the appeal is unsuccessful.<br />
Ramos, who now has three children<br />
and is married to a Cicero police<br />
officer, is still holding out hope.<br />
The BLUES 53
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
yrs.<br />
TRABUCO CANYON,CA.<br />
Retired police sergeant killed three people at a local bar including<br />
his estranged wife who he shot first.<br />
By Eugene Garcia, Amy Taxin<br />
and John Antczak<br />
Associated Press<br />
TRABUCO CANYON, CA — The<br />
retired police sergeant who<br />
opened fire in a popular Southern<br />
California biker bar during a<br />
lively evening, had traveled from<br />
Ohio to confront his estranged<br />
wife, whom he shot in the face<br />
before turning his gun on the<br />
crowd, authorities said.<br />
John Snowling killed three<br />
people, including his wife’s dining<br />
companion and a man who<br />
approached him as Snowling<br />
retrieved additional guns from<br />
his truck, and wounded six others,<br />
Orange County Sheriff Don<br />
Barnes said Thursday. He was<br />
fatally shot by deputies within<br />
minutes of the rampage.<br />
The shooting unfolded as a<br />
cover band entertained guests<br />
during the bar’s popular weekly<br />
spaghetti night. Some froze and<br />
others ran as bullets flew inside<br />
the bar before Snowling exited<br />
to the parking lot and continued<br />
to fire, witnesses and authorities<br />
said.<br />
As the shooting began, M Street<br />
band keyboardist Mark Johnson<br />
hid behind a speaker with his<br />
wife, singer Debbie Johnson.<br />
54 The BLUES<br />
“Once he started shooting, it<br />
was very indiscriminate,” Mark<br />
Johnson said.<br />
Snowling, 59, was a retired<br />
police sergeant with the Ventura<br />
Police Department in Southern<br />
California. His wife, Marie<br />
Snowling, had filed for divorce in<br />
December 2022, citing irreconcilable<br />
differences. The proceedings<br />
were ongoing and the case<br />
was scheduled for a mandatory<br />
settlement conference in <strong>No</strong>vember.<br />
The two had been married for<br />
more than three decades and had<br />
two adult children.<br />
Officials said John Snowling<br />
traveled from Ohio, where<br />
he had been living on a 7-acre<br />
property with his dog, according<br />
to his divorce lawyer, Tristan<br />
teGroen. It was unclear when he<br />
arrived in Southern California,<br />
where he still owns property in<br />
Camarillo. There was “no murmur<br />
of domestic violence or<br />
threats or anything like that from<br />
the other attorney,” teGroen said.<br />
John Snowling used two guns<br />
at the beginning of the shooting<br />
and then went to retrieve two
more from his truck. All four —<br />
three handguns and a shotgun —<br />
were purchased legally, Barnes<br />
said.<br />
Two of those killed weren’t<br />
immediately named and the third<br />
was identified as John Leehey, 67,<br />
of Irvine, Calif. All nine people<br />
shot were adults. Marie Snowling<br />
was conscious and speaking but<br />
remained in the hospital Thursday,<br />
Barnes said.<br />
Her father, William Mosby,<br />
of Lake Forest, told The Orange<br />
County Register, that John<br />
Snowling could not “deal with<br />
the divorce.”<br />
Kenneth H.J. Henjum, Marie<br />
Snowling’s attorney, said in an<br />
email that her family was in<br />
shock and was requesting privacy.<br />
John Snowling had worked for<br />
the police department in coastal<br />
Ventura, northwest of Los Angeles,<br />
from 1986 to 2014. Ventura<br />
Police Chief Darin Schindler<br />
issued a statement expressing<br />
condolences to the victims’ families,<br />
the survivors and the deputies<br />
who responded.<br />
Cook’s Corner has long been a<br />
place for motorcyclists to gather<br />
for bands, open-mic nights or<br />
just a cold beer after a long ride.<br />
It calls itself the oldest motorcycle<br />
bar in Southern California<br />
and it sits at the intersection of<br />
two picturesque highways in an<br />
area of scrubby hills and bicycle<br />
trails. It attracts everyone from<br />
motorcycle riders on choppers to<br />
avid cyclists in Lycra and families<br />
with young children.<br />
“It’s a Disneyland for bikers,”<br />
Kamran Amiri, who has been a<br />
Cook’s Corner regular for two<br />
decades, said Thursday.<br />
Amiri, who was there Wednesday<br />
but left before the shooting,<br />
said the bar is “just full of the<br />
friendliest people” who go there<br />
to chat over a drink, listen to<br />
music or show off their motorcycles.<br />
Hours before the shooting,<br />
rows of motorcycles and bikes<br />
framed the gravel entrance<br />
where plaques describe the bar’s<br />
history.<br />
M Street had performed in<br />
Cook’s Corner’s outdoor area before,<br />
but this was the band’s first<br />
time on the stage inside, Mark<br />
and Debbie Johnson said.<br />
Two people in the crowd were<br />
celebrating birthdays, and the<br />
band promised a special song<br />
later in the evening, Debbie<br />
Johnson said.<br />
It never came.<br />
“We launched into our next<br />
song and somewhere in the<br />
middle of it this man just walks<br />
in, doesn’t say a word, and just<br />
starts shooting,” she said.<br />
Some bargoers fled and ran up<br />
a nearby hill.<br />
Mark Johnson said that once<br />
the gunman went outside, he<br />
and about 30 others shut the<br />
doors and hunkered down inside.<br />
Johnson called 911.<br />
“We opened the back gate to<br />
see where he was and he immediately<br />
started shooting,” he said.<br />
He and his wife said two of<br />
their fellow band members were<br />
wounded and were expected to<br />
survive. The fifth member was<br />
not injured.<br />
“I have never been so happy to<br />
see dozens of police cars heading<br />
my way,” Debbie Johnson<br />
said. “We were fish in a very<br />
small barrel.”<br />
Be sure and check out<br />
our updated<br />
BUYERS GUIDE<br />
on Page 140<br />
Sponsored by<br />
The BLUES 55
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
yrs.<br />
WILCOX COUNTY,GA.<br />
Wilcox County Sheriff Robert Rodgers dies in one-vehicle crash.<br />
WILCOX COUNTY, GA. — Wilcox<br />
County Sheriff Robert Rodgers is<br />
dead after a car crash on Tuesday,<br />
according to Wilcox County<br />
Coroner Janice Brown.<br />
Brown says Rodgers was driving<br />
on Highway 233 en route to a<br />
domestic call when his car hit a<br />
tree near Matthews Road.<br />
The Georgia State Patrol says<br />
that Rodgers lost control of his<br />
car, striking a tree and the vehicle<br />
came to rest on the driver’s<br />
side.<br />
Rodgers most recently ran for<br />
re-election in 2020, and he was<br />
first elected sheriff in 2016, according<br />
to his re-election Facebook<br />
page.<br />
According to Brown, the Georgia<br />
State Patrol is investigating<br />
and the Rodgers’ next of kin have<br />
been notified.<br />
click here for your<br />
FREE Subscription.<br />
56 The BLUES
CLICK TO WATCH VIDEO<br />
Best Take Down of 2023<br />
By Sarah Roebuck<br />
Police1<br />
ATLANTA — A person operating a pickup truck was recorded on video while being apprehended after<br />
performing donuts at a busy intersection in northwest Atlanta, WSB reports.<br />
The pickup driver was doing donuts in the middle of <strong>No</strong>rthside Drive and 17th Street Sunday evening. It<br />
didn’t take long for Georgia State Highway Patrol to show up at the scene.<br />
A trooper turned on his emergency lights and siren, causing the F-150 to escape through the crowd,<br />
striking multiple pedestrians. One of the pedestrians sustained an injury as a result.<br />
The trooper performed a PIT maneuver, forcing the F-150 to hit a curb, making the vehicle inoperable.<br />
As depicted in the video footage, the state trooper maneuvered alongside the truck and eventually<br />
succeeded in bringing it to a halt. At that moment, the trooper exited his vehicle and leaped onto its<br />
roof, extracting the driver from the truck and taking him into custody.<br />
Be a part of something special.<br />
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The BLUES 57
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
yrs.<br />
HOUSTON,TX.<br />
Shaq offers support for HCSO Deputy Anderson who was shot<br />
last month during a traffic stop. Anderson is still recovering.<br />
HARRIS COUNTY, TX — Harris<br />
County Sheriff’s Office Deputy<br />
Joseph Anderson continues to<br />
recover after being shot last<br />
month during a traffic stop.<br />
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez<br />
said he visited Anderson<br />
in the hospital Monday and said<br />
he was in “good spirits” and<br />
was even smiling.<br />
“He wanted me to convey his<br />
appreciation for the outpouring<br />
of support from our citizens,<br />
his agency teammates, and<br />
colleagues from all agencies,”<br />
Gonzalez said in the social media<br />
post. “He asked for continued<br />
prayers for a speedy recovery.”<br />
One of Anderson’s supporters<br />
is former NBA basketball player<br />
Shaquille O’Neal. The sheriff<br />
said Shaq sent Anderson a<br />
personal video wishing him all<br />
the best.<br />
“Great gesture by Shaq and<br />
much appreciated,” Gonzalez<br />
said.<br />
Anderson was shot on Aug.<br />
16 along Homestead Road by a<br />
man also accused of shooting<br />
two more law enforcement officers<br />
and injuring another.<br />
The day Anderson was shot,<br />
he was flown to the hospital<br />
58 The BLUES<br />
in critical condition. He immediately<br />
underwent surgery at<br />
Memorial Hermann, where he<br />
continues to recover.<br />
Anderson is 29 and has been<br />
with HCSO for about a year<br />
and three months. According to<br />
Commissioner Adrian Garcia, he<br />
has a twin brother and is engaged.<br />
Terran Green is the suspect<br />
accused of shooting Anderson.<br />
The day after shooting Anderson,<br />
he allegedly injured three<br />
more law enforcement officers<br />
as they were closing in on him.<br />
He was finally arrested after<br />
an hours long standoff in<br />
Atascocita.<br />
Green appeared in court for<br />
the first time Monday. He faces<br />
four counts of attempted capital<br />
murder of a police officer.<br />
Green was already out on<br />
bond for violent offenses, and<br />
on Monday, a judge gave him<br />
no bond for the most recent<br />
charges.
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
yrs.<br />
SHELBY COUNTY,TX.<br />
Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputy Matthew Pierson, in only his<br />
second day on the job, was killed in a patrol vehicle crash on<br />
Tuesday, August 29th.<br />
SHELBY COUNTY, TX. – A<br />
Shelby County sheriff’s deputy<br />
was killed Tuesday morning in a<br />
patrol vehicle accident involving<br />
an 18-wheel truck.<br />
“It is with a heavy heart that<br />
Sheriff Kevin W. Windham<br />
announces the passing of our<br />
deputy, Matthew Pierson, in the<br />
fatal accident that occurred this<br />
morning,” the Shelby County<br />
Sheriff’s Office reports on Facebook.<br />
The Texas Department of Public<br />
Safety (DPS) is investigating<br />
the crash.<br />
“The preliminary crash investigation<br />
indicates that at approximately<br />
7:30 a.m., a 2014 Peterbilt<br />
truck tractor semi-trailer was<br />
traveling west on S.H. 103.<br />
It is reported that a Deputy<br />
Pierson, operating a marked patrol<br />
unit, was traveling north on<br />
S.H. 147 and failed to yield to the<br />
truck tractor, striking the trailer<br />
portion of it,” the Shelby County<br />
SO said on Facebook.<br />
Rex Evans, Editor: Our hearts<br />
hurt for this young man who,<br />
was literally just starting his<br />
career. He was only two days in<br />
and lost his life, in the Line of<br />
Duty.<br />
His Mom and<br />
Aunt work for our<br />
Tribe, in adjoining<br />
departments. We<br />
are all, very devastated<br />
for this<br />
amazing family.<br />
To say this has<br />
been long and<br />
difficult week<br />
around the Tribe<br />
would be, quite<br />
an understatement.<br />
Matthew, did<br />
not have an<br />
easy life. He<br />
had to struggle,<br />
hurt and fight for everything<br />
and everyone he had in his life.<br />
Through all of, he maintained his<br />
steadfast commitment to being<br />
a Law Enforcement Officer to try<br />
and make this world a better and<br />
safer place.<br />
That being said, we’re completely<br />
committed to one another<br />
here, at the Tribe. We will rise<br />
back up from our grief together,<br />
lifting one another along the way,<br />
to move forward.<br />
We will continue to live as<br />
well as we can, for Matthew.<br />
Carrying on all the good, he<br />
stood for. Remembering him and<br />
ensuring that, he is never, ever<br />
forgotten.<br />
We humbly offer our sincerest<br />
condolences to the Family, the<br />
Shelby County Sheriff’s Office<br />
and the entire Shelby County<br />
Community.<br />
God’s speed, Matthew. We’ve<br />
got it from here, young man.<br />
You rest easy now.<br />
The BLUES 59
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
yrs.<br />
ACROSS THE US<br />
Latest Breaking News as we go LIVE.<br />
KENTUCKY GRAND JURY<br />
DECLINES CHARGES AGAINST<br />
OFFICER INVOLVED IN FATAL<br />
SHOOTING<br />
JESSAMINE COUNTY, KY. – A<br />
Kentucky grand jury declined to<br />
indict an officer who fatally shot<br />
a 22-year-old man in Nicholasville<br />
who was experiencing a<br />
mental health crisis in October<br />
2022.<br />
Officer Joseph Horton with the<br />
Nicholasville Police Department<br />
used lethal force against Desman<br />
LaDuke after police were called<br />
to LaDuke’s residence regarding a<br />
welfare check. Upon arrival, the<br />
man aimed multiple weapons at<br />
officers through a window.<br />
The Kentucky State Police were<br />
the lead investigators of LaDuke’s<br />
death. They said in a press statement<br />
that local police were at<br />
LaDuke’s home because they<br />
were told he was armed and<br />
suicidal.<br />
The Nicholasville Police Department<br />
released a statement<br />
saying LaDuke aimed two<br />
firearms at officers through a<br />
window prior to being shot by<br />
Horton.<br />
Scott Miller is the attorney representing<br />
Horton in his civil case,<br />
which stems from the shooting.<br />
On Thursday, he said he has not<br />
60 The BLUES<br />
yet seen KSP<br />
documents from<br />
the investigation,<br />
the Herald-Leader<br />
reported.<br />
“The main<br />
thing for us is<br />
getting a copy<br />
of the KSP<br />
investigation,<br />
which we did<br />
not have,” Miller<br />
said. “My focus is mainly on defending<br />
(Horton) in the civil case,<br />
and the resolution of this (criminal)<br />
case allows us to get additional<br />
information and hopefully<br />
resolve the civil matter as well.”<br />
Miller previously told the news<br />
outlet the shooting was “tragic”<br />
but said Horton’s actions followed<br />
nationally-recognized<br />
policing guidelines.<br />
Special prosecutor Richard<br />
Bottoms was assigned to the<br />
case, but was not immediately<br />
available for comment Thursday.<br />
LaDuke’s family blames the<br />
police for escalating the situation<br />
due to the department’s<br />
response, according to the Herald-Leader.<br />
Attorney Sam Aguiar who represents<br />
LaDuke’s family said the<br />
grand jury’s decision was “confusing.”<br />
“(LaDuke’s family) are confused,<br />
frustrated and not surprised,”<br />
Aguiar said. “Desman’s<br />
family are not naive, and they<br />
know historically that KSP investigations<br />
do not typically result in<br />
indictments. They were prepared<br />
for that.”<br />
Naturally, officers should not<br />
be charged when lethal force is<br />
justified, which the Jessamine<br />
County grand jury determined<br />
was the case in this situation.<br />
CAPITOL POLICE PROMOTES<br />
OFFICERS WHO GOT JAN. 6<br />
ATTACK SPOTLIGHT<br />
A lieutenant who shot and<br />
killed a pro-Trump rioter and an<br />
officer who testified to Congress<br />
are on a list of more than 30<br />
promotions<br />
The Capitol Police are poised<br />
to promote a lieutenant who<br />
shot and killed a pro-Trump
ioter on Jan. 6, 2021, as well as<br />
an officer who vividly testified<br />
before a House select committee<br />
about the violence she encountered<br />
during that attack.<br />
Michael Byrd, who fatally<br />
shot rioter Ashli Babbitt as she<br />
tried to break into the Speaker’s<br />
Lobby, will be promoted to<br />
captain, according to an internal<br />
announcement reviewed by CQ<br />
Roll Call that lists more than 30<br />
employees moving up the ranks<br />
on Sunday.<br />
And Caroline Edwards, who<br />
recounted how she was knocked<br />
unconscious and described the<br />
environment at the Capitol that<br />
day as a “war zone” with officers<br />
bleeding and throwing up, will<br />
be promoted to sergeant.<br />
A spokesperson said the department<br />
doesn’t discuss specific<br />
personnel matters but that “the<br />
promotional process is competitive<br />
and equitable” and the<br />
promotions “were well earned<br />
across the Department to include<br />
multiple Captains, Lieutenants,<br />
and Sergeants.”<br />
During the Jan. 6 Capitol<br />
attack, Byrd’s fatal shooting of<br />
Babbitt was caught on video<br />
as she tried to climb through<br />
a broken window and into an<br />
area that abuts the House floor.<br />
Byrd told NBC that Babbitt posed<br />
a threat to the House and that<br />
he fired his weapon after commands<br />
to get back and stop<br />
were not followed.<br />
Babbitt, a 35-year-old Air<br />
Force veteran and follower of<br />
the unfounded far-right, pro-<br />
Trump QAnon conspiracy theory,<br />
was taken to Washington Hospital<br />
Center, where she died. She<br />
was not armed.<br />
Former President Donald<br />
Trump and his supporters have<br />
questioned Byrd’s decision to use<br />
lethal force. The Justice Department<br />
decided not to bring criminal<br />
charges against Byrd, and the<br />
Capitol Police’s internal investigation<br />
by the Office of Professional<br />
Responsibility found Byrd’s<br />
conduct was “lawful and within<br />
Department policy.”<br />
Byrd has faced scrutiny from<br />
the department before. In 2019,<br />
he left his gun unattended in a<br />
Capitol Visitor Center bathroom.<br />
Edwards was on the front lines<br />
during the mob’s initial surge<br />
toward the Capitol and sustained<br />
a traumatic brain injury. She<br />
presented dramatic testimony<br />
before the House panel investigating<br />
the Jan. 6 attack and was<br />
among a group of police officers<br />
awarded the Presidential Citizens<br />
Medal by President Joe Biden.<br />
“I saw friends with blood all<br />
over their faces,” Edwards told<br />
the committee in 2022. “I was<br />
slipping in people’s blood.”<br />
A slate of promotions for the<br />
assistant chief, deputy chief and<br />
inspector levels are expected in<br />
the coming weeks.<br />
SWAT TEAM FREES CORREC-<br />
TIONAL OFFICER HELD HOS-<br />
TAGE BY INMATES AT ST. LOUIS<br />
JAIL.<br />
Associated Press<br />
ST. LOUIS, MO. — A correctional<br />
officer was abducted Tuesday by<br />
inmates at a downtown St. Louis<br />
jail but was freed hours later<br />
after a police SWAT team intervened.<br />
Officials with the St. Louis<br />
Department of Public Safety<br />
said the 70-year-old correctional<br />
officer was abducted by two<br />
inmates while serving breakfast<br />
shortly after 6 a.m. Tuesday.<br />
Other inmates eventually joined<br />
in, but authorities weren’t sure<br />
how many, they said at a news<br />
conference. Surveillance footage<br />
is being reviewed.<br />
“They saw an opportunity and<br />
they took it,” Corrections Director<br />
Jennifer Clemons-Abdullah said.<br />
How exactly the inmates overtook<br />
the correctional officer<br />
remains under investigation.<br />
The motive behind the abduction<br />
remains under investigation<br />
but Clemons-Abdullah said one<br />
inmate demanded pizza.<br />
A police SWAT team was<br />
called in shortly after 8 a.m.,<br />
and the correctional officer was<br />
freed within minutes. The correctional<br />
officer, whose name<br />
was not released, suffered minor<br />
injuries and was treated at a<br />
hospital. Charges will be filed<br />
against those involved, officials<br />
said.<br />
Interim Public Safety Director<br />
Chris Coyle said “less-than-lethal<br />
ammunition” was used on<br />
the inmates, but he did not elaborate.<br />
Coyle said two inmates<br />
suffered minor injuries inflicted<br />
by other inmates during the hostage<br />
situation.<br />
The abduction was the latest<br />
of several acts of violence inside<br />
the jail, known as the City Justice<br />
Center, which holds nearly<br />
700 inmates.<br />
In February 2021, inmates set<br />
fires, caused flooding, broke out<br />
fourth-floor windows and tossed<br />
chairs and other items through<br />
the broken glass. A correctional<br />
officer also was attacked.<br />
Inmates again broke windows<br />
and set a fire during another riot<br />
in April 2021. A month later, Dale<br />
Glass, the embattled director of<br />
the jail, resigned.<br />
The BLUES 61
62 The BLUES<br />
WHITE POLICE CHIEF SUES<br />
CITY OVER ALLEGED ‘RACIAL<br />
QUOTAS’ IN PROMOTION PRO-<br />
CESS<br />
By Law Officer<br />
ALEXANDRIA, VA.– A police<br />
captain in Alexandria, Virginia,<br />
alleged that the city denied her<br />
a promotion to fill racial quotas,<br />
according to The Washington<br />
Post.<br />
Captain Monica Lisle, who<br />
served in the Alexandria Police<br />
Department (APD) for more than<br />
two decades, alleged that officials<br />
manipulated scores to remove<br />
her from consideration for<br />
an open assistant chief position,<br />
according to the Post. Lisle asked<br />
an Alexandria Circuit Court judge<br />
to enforce a ruling from a city<br />
arbitration panel that found she<br />
was unjustly disqualified from<br />
being promoted.<br />
“I believe that Chief [Donald]<br />
Hayes believes that diversity is<br />
specific to African Americans,”<br />
Lisle said in a 2022 complaint to<br />
the Equal Employment Opportunity<br />
Commission, according to<br />
the Post. “I am a member of at<br />
least three protected classes, as<br />
a gay, woman, over the age of<br />
40.”<br />
“A lot of our membership feels<br />
like their service is being disregarded<br />
by the city — their career<br />
paths come to a halt,” Damon<br />
Minnix, president of the Alexandria<br />
chapter of the Southern<br />
States Police Benevolent Association,<br />
told the Post.<br />
City attorneys argued that Lisle<br />
did not show the officials’ motive<br />
to unfairly disqualify her from<br />
selection, according to the Post.<br />
“The city’s delay and refusal to<br />
abide by its own policies at the<br />
outset and now are unacceptable,”<br />
William Thetford, Lisle’s<br />
attorney, said in a statement,<br />
according to the Post.<br />
APD did not immediately respond<br />
to the Daily Caller News<br />
Foundation’s request for comment.<br />
CALIF. OFFICER SURVIVES<br />
CLOSE CALL AFTER SUSPECT’S<br />
WEAPON MALFUNCTIONS<br />
By Caleb Lunetta<br />
The San Diego Union-Tribune<br />
LA MESA, CA. — La Mesa police<br />
released video footage Thursday<br />
of an officer fatally shooting a<br />
41-year-old man who authorities<br />
said tried to fire a handgun<br />
at the officer but the weapon<br />
jammed, investigators said.<br />
Officer Brian Heller shot Jason<br />
Hampton, 41, on Aug. 6 in a<br />
condominium complex parking<br />
lot on University Avenue near La<br />
Mesa Boulevard. Heller was one<br />
of two police officers who had<br />
gone to the complex that afternoon<br />
to arrest Hampton on a<br />
felony warrant for burglary.<br />
In the edited video, released<br />
Thursday, La Mesa Police Department<br />
officials describe the incident<br />
from the officers’ point of<br />
view, and provide footage from<br />
body cameras worn by Heller<br />
and the second officer,<br />
The footage shows Heller as<br />
he approaches Hampton, who is<br />
standing behind the open door of<br />
a blue pickup.<br />
As the officer approaches he<br />
asks: “Are you Jason?”<br />
“<strong>No</strong>,” the man, later identified<br />
as Hampton, replies.<br />
Heller is standing at the front<br />
end of the truck and asks if the<br />
man is “Jason” again.<br />
The video shows Hampton<br />
pulling out a 9mm handgun<br />
and — through a crack between<br />
the open door and windshield —<br />
aiming it at the officer.<br />
A click can be heard in the video.<br />
Investigators said the sound<br />
was the gun jamming as Hampton<br />
attempted to load the gun<br />
and fire on the officers. The gun<br />
does not go off.<br />
In the video, Heller can be seen<br />
ducking momentarily before<br />
pulling his own handgun. The<br />
officer fires multiple rounds as<br />
Hampton runs behind a row of<br />
cars.<br />
Hampton then runs along the<br />
outside wall of the apartment<br />
complex and down a flight of<br />
stairs.<br />
The other officer follows the
suspect along the apartment<br />
wall. He does not fire his gun.<br />
Heller keeps his weapon<br />
trained on Hampton and continues<br />
to fire.<br />
In the video, Hampton disappears<br />
from view momentarily,<br />
and the shooting stops. He then<br />
runs back into view and runs<br />
toward the street.<br />
Police said Hampton had been<br />
trying to clear the jammed<br />
round from his gun while running<br />
away. A slowed down<br />
portion of the video shows him<br />
slightly turning toward the officers<br />
while continuing to run<br />
toward the street with a gun in<br />
his hand.<br />
The officer shoots four more<br />
times, the video shows.<br />
Hampton falls to the ground.<br />
“Are you all right,” the second<br />
officer asks Heller.<br />
“I don’t know,” Heller says.<br />
“Check me, bro, check me.”<br />
Heller calls for paramedics,<br />
and the other officer checks him<br />
for gunshot wounds.<br />
The officers were not injured.<br />
Police said Hampton died before<br />
he could be taken to a hospital.<br />
During the shooting, one of<br />
Heller’s rounds hit a passing vehicle.<br />
The driver wasn’t injured,<br />
police said. Another round hit a<br />
building.<br />
Heller has been with the La<br />
Mesa Police Department for six<br />
years and works patrol, police<br />
said. Per the department’s policy,<br />
he’s been placed on leave<br />
while the shooting is investigated,<br />
police said.<br />
The San Diego Police Department<br />
is investigating the shooting<br />
per a county wide protocol<br />
that ensures agencies don’t<br />
investigate shootings involving<br />
their own officers. Once the<br />
department completes its investigation,<br />
it will be forwarded<br />
to the county District Attorney’s<br />
Office, which will determine<br />
whether the officer bears any<br />
criminal liability.<br />
The La Mesa Police Department<br />
will also investigate the shooting,<br />
as will a police auditor from<br />
La Mesa’s Community Police<br />
Oversight Board.<br />
Reprinted from POLICE1.<br />
The BLUES 63
NOW HIRING<br />
PRIORITY BOLO<br />
yrs.<br />
ISD PD JOB LISTINGS<br />
IS YOUR ISD PD<br />
HIRING?<br />
YOUR DEPARTMENT’S RECRUITING AD<br />
CAN BE LISTED HERE FOR ONLY $250<br />
bluespdmag@gmail.com<br />
64 The BLUES
ALDINE ISD<br />
POLICE DEPARTMENT<br />
JOIN OUR TEAM<br />
EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS<br />
• Sick Leave<br />
• Paid Vacation<br />
• Paid Holidays<br />
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• Teacher Retirement System<br />
TCOLE CERTIFICATION INCENTIVE<br />
• Intermediate PO: $2,400<br />
• Advanced PO: $4,800<br />
• Master PO: $7,200<br />
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS<br />
• Must be 21 Years Of Age<br />
• Must Hold an Active Tcole Peace Officer License<br />
• Must Complete the Following:<br />
• Pass Physical Agility Test<br />
• Background Investigation<br />
• Psychological Evaluation<br />
• Drug Screening<br />
FOR MORE INFO CONTACT<br />
SGT. HALL AT 281.442.4923<br />
OR VISIT ALDINEISD.ORG<br />
APPLY AT<br />
ALDINEISD.ORG<br />
STARTING SALARY $55,000 WITH NO EXPERIENCE<br />
UP TO $85,000 DEPENDING ON EXPERIENCE<br />
ALDINE ISD PD OFFERS<br />
DEPARTMENT BENEFITS<br />
• Uniforms Provided, Including Duty Weapon<br />
• Department Provided Training<br />
• Starting Pay Depends on<br />
Qualifications / Experience<br />
• TCOLE Certification / Education Pay<br />
• Most Officers work Day Shift with Weekends Off<br />
(INCENTIVE PAY FOR DETECTIVES, K-9 HANDLERS, AND<br />
FIREARM INSTRUCTORS.)<br />
SPECIALIZED DIVISIONS<br />
• Criminal Investigations<br />
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$1,000 SIGNING BONUS<br />
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Montgomery County’s 3 rd Largest Law Enforcement Agency<br />
• $50,363 minimum starting salary<br />
• Certification pay:<br />
Int - $1,600, Adv - $2,400, Mstr - $3,700<br />
FULL-TIME POLICE OFFICER<br />
• Competitive insurance & benefits<br />
• Teacher Retirement System (TRS)<br />
• 20 paid leave days & 12 paid holidays<br />
Opportunity<br />
multiple divisions including<br />
Investigations, Patrol, and<br />
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overtime pay, comp time,<br />
most weekends off, prior LE<br />
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FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT<br />
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The BLUES 65
NOW HIRING<br />
PRIORITY BOLO<br />
yrs.<br />
ISD PD JOB LISTINGS<br />
FIND YOUR ISD<br />
POSITION HERE<br />
66 The BLUES
<strong>No</strong>w Hiring<br />
School District Police Officer<br />
Must be TCOLE Certified<br />
www.pfisd.net/police<br />
226 day work schedule with starting<br />
salary between $52,884 and $60,821<br />
depending on experience<br />
Overtime Opportunities Available<br />
Stipends for TCOLE Advanced & Master<br />
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55 officer department<br />
44 square mile district<br />
47 schools<br />
35,000 population<br />
24/7 Patrol<br />
We want you to preserve, protect, and defend our future.<br />
Starting Pay $63,000 (TCOLE Basic Peace Officer certification with no experience)<br />
Patrol & Onsite Officers (HS/MS)<br />
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Mental Health Officers<br />
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certificate pay<br />
Paid time off<br />
Ample overtime opportunities<br />
Apply online today. springbranchisd.com/join-our-team<br />
The BLUES 67
the abc’s of<br />
UAS<br />
Brandon Karr<br />
Formation and Evolution of the Drone Program at<br />
Montgomery County, TX Pct. 4 Constable’s Office.<br />
INTRODUCTION<br />
In a world where technology is<br />
revolutionizing law enforcement<br />
and public safety, the Montgomery<br />
County Pct. 4 Constable’s Office<br />
has not only embraced the change<br />
but led the way in innovation. Their<br />
drone program, initiated in late<br />
2019, is a testament to their forward-thinking<br />
approach, enhancing<br />
efficiency, surveillance capabilities,<br />
real-time response, and much more.<br />
THE GENESIS OF THE PROGRAM<br />
The Constable’s Office embarked<br />
on a pioneering journey when they<br />
introduced the drone program in<br />
late 2019. With the selection of 10<br />
pilots, the initial training was undertaken<br />
by the Unmanned Tactical<br />
Group. The first drone to join their<br />
ranks was a DJI M300RTK, which<br />
set the stage for what would become<br />
an impressive fleet.<br />
TRAINING & SKILLS DEVELOP-<br />
MENT<br />
The initial batch of 10 pilots underwent<br />
rigorous training by Unmanned<br />
Tactical Group, led by the<br />
instructor/co-owner, Brandon Karr.<br />
His expertise played a critical role<br />
in the training program, encompassing<br />
both theoretical knowledge<br />
and practical skills to ensure that<br />
the pilots were fully equipped to<br />
maneuver the drones.<br />
Over the years, the program expanded,<br />
and by 2023, an additional<br />
four pilots were trained through the<br />
same group, reflecting the growth<br />
and dynamism of the program.<br />
FLEET EXPANSION & DIVERSIFI-<br />
CATION<br />
The drone program did not<br />
68 The BLUES<br />
stagnate with its initial acquisition.<br />
From the original DJI M300RTK, the<br />
fleet has grown to include:<br />
-DJI Mini Pro3: Designed for indoor<br />
operations, it provides flexibility<br />
and accessibility in confined<br />
spaces.<br />
- DJI Mavic 2: Employed as a<br />
training drone, it ensures continuous<br />
learning and skill enhancement.<br />
- DJI M30T: Recently approved<br />
for purchase using asset forfeiture<br />
funds and acquired from FireHouse<br />
Technology, this addition highlights<br />
the program’s continuous commitment<br />
to leveraging cutting-edge<br />
technology.<br />
OPERATIONAL STRUCTURE &<br />
MANAGEMENT LEADERSHIP<br />
The drone program’s success is<br />
guided by an able leadership team,<br />
including:<br />
- Lt. Jim Slack: As the Chief Pilot<br />
and Program Coordinator, he spearheads<br />
the strategic direction and<br />
overall coordination of the program.<br />
- Lt. Art Looza: Responsible for all<br />
evening and nighttime operations,<br />
his expertise ensures seamless operations<br />
around the clock.<br />
The pilots, coming from both patrol<br />
and detective roles, further add<br />
diversity and multifaceted perspectives<br />
to the program.<br />
TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION<br />
The program’s technological<br />
backbone is provided by Dronesense,<br />
an all-in-one platform that<br />
handles flight control, live video<br />
feed, interoperability, and reporting<br />
software. The future integration of<br />
their DFR (drone as first responder)<br />
program promises to augment the<br />
current capabilities significantly.<br />
Plans are also underway to build<br />
a drone deploy vehicle that will<br />
double as a command post for<br />
larger operations. This mobile command<br />
center would enable quicker<br />
response and enhanced coordination<br />
during critical missions.<br />
APPLICATIONS & IMPACT<br />
The drone program is not limited<br />
to mere surveillance; it extends into
The BLUES 69
the abc’s of<br />
UAS<br />
Brandon Karr<br />
70 The BLUES<br />
a variety of applications that serve<br />
the community and the Constable’s<br />
Office:<br />
Tactical Operations<br />
Whether it is a high-risk arrest<br />
or a complex sting operation, the<br />
drones have proven to be invaluable.<br />
They provide real-time intelligence<br />
and an aerial advantage,<br />
ensuring the tactical operations<br />
are conducted with precision and<br />
safety.<br />
SEARCH AND RESCUE<br />
In search-and-rescue missions,<br />
time is of the essence. Whether<br />
searching for a fleeing suspect,<br />
a missing child, or an adult, the<br />
drones’ agility and extensive reach<br />
have been vital. They allow for<br />
faster discovery and coordination,<br />
saving precious time and potentially<br />
lives.<br />
MAPPING CAPABILITIES & CRASH<br />
RECONSTRUCTION<br />
As the program grows, the integration<br />
of mapping capabilities,<br />
including crash reconstruction, is on<br />
the horizon. These advancements<br />
would not only speed up crash<br />
cleanup and open roadways sooner<br />
but also provide valuable data for<br />
investigation and analysis.<br />
BUILDING INSPECTION & MAIN-<br />
TENANCE<br />
In a bid to enhance safety for<br />
county employees, drones are being<br />
considered for mapping county<br />
buildings and conducting inspections.<br />
This eliminates the need for<br />
workers to climb ladders or rooftops,<br />
reducing risks and improving<br />
efficiency.<br />
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT &<br />
PROCUREMENT<br />
The expansion and sustenance of<br />
the drone program required meticulous<br />
financial planning and strategic<br />
procurement. Utilizing asset forfeiture<br />
funds for the recent acquisition<br />
of the DJI M30T highlights the<br />
commitment to financial prudence<br />
while not compromising on technology.<br />
VENDORS SUCH AS FIREHOUSE<br />
Technology were pivotal in the<br />
supply chain, ensuring timely and<br />
efficient procurement.<br />
PARTNERSHIP WITH UNMANNED<br />
TACTICAL GROUP<br />
[Unmanned Tactical Group]<br />
(https://www.unmannedtacticalgroup.com)<br />
has been instrumental<br />
in shaping the drone program,<br />
providing comprehensive training<br />
for the pilots. Specializing in offering<br />
custom-tailored training solutions,<br />
they have been a key partner<br />
in ensuring the program’s pilots are<br />
equipped with the right skill set.<br />
INTEGRATION WITH DRONE-<br />
SENSE<br />
The drone program’s success is<br />
intricately tied to its technological<br />
backbone, prominently supported<br />
by [Dronesense](https://www.<br />
dronesense.com). As a leading<br />
platform designed specifically for<br />
public safety missions, Dronesense<br />
offers a full suite of tools enabling<br />
efficient coordination and deployment.<br />
COLLABORATION WITH FIRE-<br />
HOUSE TECHNOLOGY<br />
Most recently, [FireHouse Technology](https://www.firehousetechnology.com),<br />
owned by co-owner<br />
of Unmanned Tactical Group, Scott<br />
Mlakar, stands as another crucial<br />
partner in the drone program’s<br />
journey. Their focus on offering<br />
cutting-edge technology resonates<br />
with the program’s commitment to<br />
excellence.<br />
ANOTHER COLLABORATION<br />
PARTNER<br />
Another partnership that has<br />
greatly helped the office build its<br />
program is [Darley] (www.darley.<br />
com), whether it was initial planning,<br />
giving advice on what drones<br />
are in the market, having an expert<br />
ear to the tracks, or providing help<br />
with repair assistance, Darley.com<br />
has always been there for us.<br />
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TX: A<br />
BRIEF OVERVIEW<br />
The drone program is housed in<br />
Montgomery County, Texas. Known<br />
for its rich history, cultural diversity,<br />
and economic vitality, the county<br />
is a vibrant hub in the Lone Star<br />
State. You can learn more about<br />
Montgomery County at [mctx.org]<br />
(https://www.mctx.org.)<br />
CONCLUSION<br />
The drone program at Montgomery<br />
County Pct. 4 Constable’s Office<br />
represents a blend of technology,<br />
innovation, and public service. From<br />
tactical operations to search and<br />
rescue, building inspection, and<br />
potential crash reconstruction, the<br />
drones are more than just eyes in<br />
the sky; they are a versatile tool<br />
enhancing public safety and community<br />
welfare.<br />
With continuous growth and<br />
exploration of new applications,<br />
the program stands as a beacon of<br />
positive technological integration,<br />
reflecting a future where technology<br />
serves humanity in various<br />
aspects of life.<br />
The Montgomery County Pct. 4’s<br />
Constable Office Drone Team is very<br />
open to helping and assisting other<br />
first responder agencies forming<br />
and building their own drone teams.<br />
Please feel to reach out to Lt. Slack<br />
anytime, james.slack@mctx.org or<br />
their social address: @mocopct4
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The BLUES 71
BY SENIOR EDITOR, DR. TINA JAECKLE<br />
72 The BLUES
ARTIST OF THE YEAR<br />
TRY THAT IN A SMALL TOWN<br />
Dr. Tina Jaeckle<br />
The BLUES Police Magazine has selected Jason Aldean as Artist<br />
of the Year <strong>2023.</strong> As a well-known public figure and long-time<br />
country music performer, Aldean has taken a stand against the<br />
misinterpretation of the lyrics and music video of his song “Try<br />
That in a Small Town”. This has emerged as a familiar political<br />
litmus test, with interpretations of its message often falling<br />
along voting divides. As a law enforcement magazine, we applaud<br />
Aldean for pushing back against the critics and ongoing<br />
cancel culture. Our nation’s officers have sadly experienced this<br />
position far too many times and are often unable to counter it.<br />
Thank you, Mr. Aldean, for holding the line.<br />
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Country music superstar<br />
Jason Aldean faced<br />
a firestorm recently regarding<br />
this new song.<br />
According to Aldean, originally<br />
from Macon, Ga.,<br />
he first released it in May<br />
<strong>2023.</strong> Still, it wasn’t until<br />
the accompanying music<br />
video was launched in<br />
July 2023 that the conflict<br />
on interpretation ratcheted<br />
up. In a statement<br />
released alongside the<br />
video, Aldean said the song<br />
represents an “unspoken<br />
rule” for those raised in<br />
small towns: “We all have<br />
each other’s backs, and we<br />
look out for each other.” The<br />
singer is not credited as a<br />
writer for the song, as has<br />
been the case for most of<br />
his 27 hit singles. The tune<br />
was written by songwriters<br />
Kelly Lovelace, Neil Thrasher,<br />
Tully Kennedy, and Kurt<br />
Michael Allison.<br />
While countless can directly<br />
appreciate being<br />
raised or living in an “American<br />
small town”, there have<br />
been numerous outspoken<br />
critics. They have described<br />
the lyrics as evocative of<br />
vigilantism, racism, and<br />
“sundown towns” that practice<br />
a form of all-white<br />
segregation in which people<br />
of color and others who<br />
were considered outsiders<br />
knew they faced violence<br />
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74 The BLUES
if they were not out of an<br />
area before the sun went<br />
down. This controversy<br />
then reached a new level<br />
when some viewers identified<br />
scenes in the video<br />
that were shot in front of<br />
what appears to be the<br />
Maury County Courthouse<br />
in Columbia, Tennessee.<br />
The courthouse has been<br />
the site of several incidents<br />
of racial violence, including<br />
the 1927 lynching of a<br />
Black man named Henry<br />
Choate. It also served as a<br />
backdrop for the Columbia<br />
Race Riot in 1946. Aldean<br />
took significant issue with<br />
the criticism, writing in a<br />
tweet, “There isn’t a single<br />
video clip that isn’t real<br />
news footage.” The seemingly<br />
pro-gun lyrics were<br />
also termed “very scary” by<br />
some. Aldean further commented<br />
in a tweet that “Try<br />
That In A Small Town, for<br />
me, refers to the feeling of<br />
a community I had growing<br />
up, where we took care of<br />
our neighbors, regardless of<br />
differences of background<br />
or belief. Because they were<br />
our neighbors, and that was<br />
above any differences”.<br />
On July 19, 2023, Country<br />
Music Television (CMT) removed<br />
Aldean’s music video<br />
based on this criticism.<br />
CMT then faced backlash<br />
when Aldean fans called for<br />
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a boycott of the CMT after<br />
the network pulled the<br />
song. The song further divided<br />
opinions, with some<br />
on social media speaking<br />
out while others, including<br />
former president Donald<br />
Trump, defended Aldean.<br />
Some initially compared<br />
the channel unfavorably to<br />
Bud Light, which has been<br />
facing boycott calls over its<br />
collaboration with transgender<br />
influencer<br />
Dylan<br />
Mulvaney.<br />
The fall<br />
out continued.<br />
“America<br />
first”<br />
influencer<br />
Paul<br />
Hookem<br />
called for<br />
a boycott<br />
of CMT, giving them<br />
“the Bud Light treatment”<br />
to “make them learn.” Conservative<br />
commentator and<br />
host of his own show, Charlie<br />
Kirk told his 2.3 million<br />
followers that he thinks<br />
CMT has made an error in<br />
judgment. “CMT just murdered<br />
their own brand, and<br />
for what? Because a bunch<br />
of leftists who don’t even<br />
listen to country music<br />
complained about Jason<br />
Aldean’s music video? Let’s<br />
give CMT the Target and<br />
Disney treatment. Hold the<br />
line,” he wrote. Conservative<br />
author and broadcaster<br />
Clay Travis suggested to his<br />
1.1 million followers that the<br />
channel should embrace<br />
all styles of country music.<br />
“CMT canceled @Jason_Aldean’s<br />
new video. Pathetic.<br />
[...] The city of Nashville, my<br />
hometown, should embrace<br />
all songs,@taylorswift13 or<br />
@Jason_Aldean.”<br />
Jason’s wife, Brittany<br />
Aldean, also has a history<br />
of making comments on<br />
Instagram that fuel debate.<br />
Last August, she made an<br />
Instagram post sharing a<br />
before-and-after makeup<br />
video. In the post, she<br />
thanked her parents for “not<br />
changing my gender when<br />
I went through my tomboy<br />
phase.” Critics felt the comments<br />
were transphobic.<br />
Music stars, including Cassadee<br />
Pope and Maren Morris,<br />
spoke out against the<br />
comments. At the time, Brittany<br />
Aldean defended the<br />
post and said her comments<br />
were taken out of context.<br />
Shortly after she made the<br />
comments, Nashville firm<br />
The GreenRoom PR dropped<br />
Jason Aldean<br />
after representing<br />
him<br />
for 17 years.<br />
Brittany Aldean<br />
further<br />
addressed the<br />
issues on the<br />
song in an Instagram<br />
story.<br />
In the story,<br />
black text<br />
appears over<br />
a picture of a<br />
palm tree. Brittany Aldean<br />
criticizes the media specifically,<br />
accusing them of not<br />
focusing on “real” stories<br />
while reporting on the Try<br />
That in a Small Town controversy.<br />
“It’s the same song<br />
and dance,” Brittany Aldean<br />
wrote. “Twist everything<br />
you can to fit your repulsive<br />
narrative [sic]. How about<br />
instead of creating stories,<br />
we focus on the REAL ones,<br />
76 The BLUES<br />
76 The BLUES
such as CHILD TRAFFICK-<br />
ING? Food for thought.”<br />
CMT’s decision inspired<br />
conservative fans to stream<br />
and purchase the track, with<br />
sales skyrocketing. The song<br />
debuted at Number 2, behind<br />
Jung Kook and Latto’s<br />
track “Seven,” and kept its<br />
momentum for consecutive<br />
weeks. The track remains<br />
at the top of iTunes’ songs<br />
chart, and per Billboard, the<br />
song earned 30.7 million<br />
streams — up 165 percent.<br />
*Article complied from<br />
previously published information.<br />
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AUSTIN<br />
BLUE CITY TURNS BL<br />
• Fewer Cops = More Crime<br />
• 911, Please Hold!<br />
• 3 Hour Response Times<br />
• Murder Rates Climb<br />
• DPS Patrolling Streets<br />
• Worst DA in the Country<br />
• Welcome to Austin<br />
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TEXAS<br />
EAK<br />
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Austin’s Defund t<br />
BY DR. TINA JAECKLE<br />
AUSTIN POLICE CHIEF CHACO<br />
It is a storm that has been brewing for some time. In<br />
August 2023, Austin (Texas) Police Department Chief<br />
Joseph Chacon abruptly retired from his post due to<br />
major staffing shortages, the absence of a police union<br />
contract, and years of issues with the city council and<br />
mayors. “This is one of the hardest messages I’ve ever<br />
had to write,” Chacon said. “A few months ago, I began<br />
seriously considering retirement, and after long conversations<br />
with my wife and family and thoughtful prayer,<br />
I have now decided that the moment is right to hang<br />
it up on a 25-year career with APD.” He further added,<br />
“It’s just a very personal decision about my career, my<br />
family, and just figuring out that it was just my time. It<br />
should not be viewed as something that will destabilize<br />
this department.”<br />
Chacon is not unfamiliar with the pushback and criticism<br />
that APD’s officers have received from the mayor,<br />
city council, the citizens, and the “defund the police”<br />
movement. Chacon, 55, was named interim chief in the<br />
spring of 2021 after the retirement of Brian Manley and<br />
appointed to the position six months later after a national<br />
search. He took the position as the city and department<br />
were still reeling from the Black Lives Matter<br />
protests of May 2020 after the police killings of George<br />
Floyd in Minneapolis and Michael Ramos in Austin. In<br />
demonstrations in downtown Austin, police crowd-con-<br />
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80 The BLUES
he Police Crisis<br />
N RETIRES<br />
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trol tactics injured more than a dozen protesters. The use<br />
of less lethal shotguns led to the indictment of 19 police<br />
officers — most cases are still pending — and the city<br />
has settled civil lawsuits totaling nearly $19 million.<br />
During his confirmation process, Chacon, the city’s 10th<br />
police chief, faced two hours of questioning by City<br />
Council members about how an internal candidate could<br />
reform the department, including its training and culture.<br />
A 9-2 vote appointed him. During his tenure, Chacon has<br />
taken steps to improve departmental transparency, including<br />
a policy in which the department releases body<br />
camera video from police shootings within ten days,<br />
which police critics have widely supported.<br />
However, three years later, the aftermath of the protests<br />
still looms in the department. The use of less lethal<br />
shotguns remains an ongoing topic of debate. Recently,<br />
the department banned officers from deploying the guns,<br />
which use beanbag rounds as ammunition, after details<br />
of a 2021 incident surfaced in which officers used the<br />
weapons on a 15-year-old girl who was not armed and<br />
not accused of any crime, and amid objections by District<br />
Attorney José Garza and prosecutors. Chacon did not<br />
discipline the officers. Chacon said his relationship with<br />
the mayor and council has been stable, and this decision<br />
was not something he made due to strained relationships<br />
with anyone at City Hall, adding that he was asked<br />
by officials to stay in his role. He said there was “no hint”<br />
he would have been removed had he decided to stay.<br />
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THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPAR<br />
DPS PARTNERSHIP<br />
During his tenure, Chacon has seen unprecedented levels of<br />
officers leave the department, which prompted a partnership<br />
with the Texas Department of Public Safety. The department<br />
currently has approximately 330 vacancies — 240 on patrol.<br />
Chacon said staffing levels are one of the biggest disappointments<br />
of his tenure, and he wants the department to fill the<br />
vacancies. Chacon said one of the easiest ways to begin filling<br />
those positions is for the Austin Police Association, the union<br />
representing Austin police, to work out a long-term contract<br />
with the city. Austin police have been without a contract with<br />
the city since the end of March after the previous contract<br />
ended and negotiations fell apart.<br />
Earlier this year, Mayor Kirk Watson announced a new partnership<br />
with the Texas Department of Public Safety for its<br />
troopers to help patrol parts of the city — an arrangement<br />
that sparked community backlash amid data showing most<br />
citations and arrests were occurring in minority parts of the<br />
city. Chacon called it a success during its early weeks, saying<br />
violent crime had dropped 25% from the weekly average.<br />
However, Watson abruptly ended the partnership in July amid<br />
allegations that troopers pulled a gun on a 10-year-old, a<br />
claim the video did not support. Chacon has said he was not<br />
part of the decision to end the relationship.<br />
Although the actual reasons for the severance remain unclear,<br />
city leaders cited ‘recent events’ that were ‘not in sync<br />
with Austin’s values’ as the purpose for ending the partnership.<br />
There was an incident involving state troopers who shot<br />
two people, one fatally, but the more likely event that instigated<br />
the end of the partnership was a traffic stop in which<br />
troopers drew their weapons as a 10-year-old tried to exit a<br />
car and then pointed their guns at that vehicle with the child<br />
inside, a claim the video did not support.<br />
84 The BLUES<br />
84 The BLUES
TMENT/<br />
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TEXAS GOVERNOR GREG ABB<br />
Following the city’s decision to end the Austin Police<br />
Department/DPS partnership, Gov. Greg Abbott announced<br />
that he would deploy 30 additional troopers<br />
to “protect and serve the city of Austin.” The infusion<br />
of state police would bring the total number of “special<br />
assignment” troopers patrolling Austin to 130, but<br />
it is unclear if APD will continue to have a say in where<br />
those troopers are deployed. APD declined to comment.<br />
Abbott’s announcement comes on the heels of conservative<br />
uproar over Austin city leadership pulling the<br />
plug on the partnership prematurely, for what they see<br />
as an appropriately handled traffic stop. Austin Police<br />
Association President Thomas Villareal, writing in a<br />
statement that ending the partnership was “absolutely<br />
unconscionable.” Especially, Villareal continued, because<br />
the decision seems to have been based mainly<br />
on a “poorly researched news story … purely intended<br />
to get clicks. Villareal’s reference is to the Fox 7 story,<br />
which aired allegations from a father and son pulled<br />
over by DPS troopers on July 9. In that story, Carlos<br />
Meza claims that during a traffic stop initiated by state<br />
troopers, the troopers aimed a gun at his 10-year-old<br />
son, Angel. But video footage of the stop shows that’s<br />
not exactly what happened.<br />
Video shows Angel attempt to exit the passenger side<br />
of the vehicle and a trooper approaching – with his<br />
gun drawn, though aimed downward – while shouting<br />
commands for Angel and Carlos. Both troopers<br />
briefly point their guns at the vehicle, though they are<br />
approaching from the driver’s side, and it is unclear if<br />
Angel, the 10-year-old in the passenger seat, would<br />
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OTT INTERVENES<br />
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have seen the firearms pointing at them. About 20<br />
minutes into the stop, one of the troopers tells<br />
Angel he can go inside. After the initial confrontation,<br />
both troopers holster their firearms and do not<br />
draw them again.<br />
Five Austin City Council members issued a joint<br />
statement emphasizing this problem with the partnership,<br />
which had been pitched from the start as a<br />
stopgap measure to address the officer shortage at<br />
the Austin Police Department. “Austin needs more<br />
AUSTIN police officers,” the statement reads. “In the<br />
absence of the APA’s willingness to get more APD<br />
officers on the street,” the statement continues, the<br />
DPS partnership was struck. But it has proved to<br />
be “out of step with what Austinities deserve from<br />
their police.”<br />
While city politics have been influential in the<br />
decision-making process, the severance of this<br />
partnership has partly been about the labor contract<br />
between the city of Austin and the APA, which<br />
expired on March 31. Since then, the two sides have<br />
not resumed negotiations over a new four-year<br />
contract. Some at City Hall speculate that Watson<br />
struck the DPS deal to pressure the APA to come<br />
back to the bargaining table (the idea being, in<br />
part, that increased DPS patrols would eat into the<br />
overtime that city cops depend on to boost their<br />
salaries). Some think the partnership was meant to<br />
fend off some privately communicated threat that<br />
the state would assume a bigger role in local public<br />
safety. There appears to be some truth to both<br />
perspectives.<br />
88 The BLUES
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SURGING CRIME AND THE FAC<br />
According to a recent article published 8-31-23 (Foxnews.com),<br />
the mother of a man killed in one of the most<br />
high-profile mass shootings in recent Austin, Texas history<br />
sent a blistering letter shortly before her son’s alleged<br />
killer, De’Ondre White, went on trial for murder. The letter<br />
was addressed to the Austin city council that defunded<br />
police in 2020, which she says contributed to the lawlessness<br />
that claimed her son’s life. Julia Kantor’s letter,<br />
in part, read, “Aug 28th in Austin, Texas, there will be jury<br />
selection for the murder of my son Douglas Kantor and the<br />
attack on 14 others for the June 12th, 2021 mass shooting<br />
on 6th street. I hope you follow this [trial] as your duty to<br />
your citizens. It was you, the city council, and others who<br />
defunded the police and welcomed these evil people with<br />
no regard for life to run and ruin your city. It’s time you<br />
see what you have done to not only the victims like my<br />
son but also to our family and friends and your city. Your<br />
irresponsible choices for political gain have put a target<br />
on the backs of Austin’s citizens and all who visit. You<br />
have killed and ruined thousands of lives and couldn’t care<br />
less as long as you stay in power. Just like the killer, you<br />
are ALL COWARDS. NONE OF YOU HAD THE GUTS TO SPEAK<br />
UP AND POINT OUT HOW STUPID AND DESTRUCTIVE THAT<br />
WAS. I’M SURE IF YOUR KIDS WERE BEING KILLED YOU<br />
WOULD FIND YOUR VOICE.”<br />
The incident came roughly a year after the Austin City<br />
Council voted to defund the police amid the unrest following<br />
the death of George Floyd in the summer of 2020.<br />
Critics of that move have long maintained that the spike in<br />
crime that followed, which included Austin setting an alltime<br />
record for homicides in 2021, was due at least in part<br />
to the defunding and alienating of police.<br />
90 The BLUES
E OF THE VICTIMS<br />
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THE CURRENT STATE OF POL<br />
PUBLIC SAFETY IN AUSTIN<br />
Villareal, as President of the Austin Police Association,<br />
has continued to remain a vocal advocate<br />
for improvement in Austin policing and often challenges<br />
the city’s decisions. In a recent podcast, he<br />
offered the following update. “We’ve seen a dramatic<br />
increase in the number of separations that<br />
we’ve had from the police department. We cut 150<br />
vacancies in 2020, but the city council also paused<br />
our police academy. When you have multiple years<br />
of people leaving and our inability to have cadet<br />
classes, we’ve seen a decrease in our actual staffing<br />
numbers. Some people who argue the other<br />
side of this issue would say that all your funding<br />
has been put back through the legislature, and you<br />
have all these allocated positions. The problem is,<br />
the reality thought process behind the podcast is<br />
that funding might be there, but we don’t have actual<br />
people at the police department to do those<br />
job functions anymore. I try to talk to people oftentimes<br />
about this problem. The reality is you get<br />
better response times by patrol officers. You get<br />
better case clearance from our detective units. Our<br />
detectives don’t have to go back and work. Patrol<br />
DPS probably goes away if we have adequate<br />
staffing. The answer to all of these kinds of issues<br />
is the addition of about 500 cops. How do we find<br />
these people? We need to do a better job of finding<br />
these people and then competing to attract<br />
them to come to the Austin Police Department. The<br />
tough conversation that people don’t want to have<br />
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ICING AND<br />
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FINAL THOUGHTS, FROM THO<br />
PRESIDENT, AUSTIN POLICE A<br />
is who’s committing crime in this city. If you look<br />
at who’s the victim of crime in this city and who’s<br />
committing those crimes, especially violent crimes.<br />
Any good police agency worth its salt should use<br />
data-driven policing strategies. I think it’s very<br />
shortsighted for folks to just cast away the data<br />
that was driving those decisions and in those moments.”<br />
FINAL THOUGHTS<br />
I had the wonderful opportunity to speak with<br />
Thomas Villareal and gain additional insight into<br />
the current events in Austin. He shared that the<br />
crisis is nothing new and began in December 2017,<br />
and it is because of the decisions the city has made<br />
and continues to make. Austin Police Department is<br />
incredibly short-staffed with no resolution in sight.<br />
At the end of the day, the folks who are hurt by this<br />
are the people that these council members profess<br />
to be fighting for: the people of color and poor<br />
communities who are the victims of crime in Austin,<br />
Texas. They are harming people, and it’s going<br />
to be a long, long time before we’re able to pull<br />
ourselves out of this mess.<br />
*Some of this information was obtained from previous<br />
news articles on Austin.<br />
94 The BLUES
MAS VILLAREAL,<br />
SSOCIATION<br />
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96 The BLUES
UPDATE, 8/25 - The cars won’t be available again until the HPOU’s Gift Shop’s grand reopening in September.<br />
It’s currently scheduled for 9/5, but it could change due to construction. We’ll make an official<br />
announcement on FB when the date gets closer. We are not accepting pre-orders or pre-payments and<br />
there are no cars physically available at the HPOU at this time.<br />
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yrs.<br />
<strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER<br />
10-13 VA Chiefs Conference <strong>No</strong>rfolk, VA<br />
12-14 AACOP Annual Training and Vendor Expo Laughlin, NV<br />
11-15 Force Science Certification Course Houston, TX<br />
18-22 40 Hr Court Security Specialist - By Court Security Concepts Tahlequah, OK<br />
19-21 WZ Criminal Level I Investigative Interviewing Techniques McKinney, TX<br />
19-22 Reid Technique of Investigative Interviewing Denton, TX<br />
21-22 Homicide Investigations Seminar Denton, TX<br />
22 WZ Criminal Investigative Interviewing Techniques McKinney, TX<br />
22 WZ Criminal Level II - Advanced Interviewing Techniques McKinney, TX<br />
25 Bulletproof Courtroom Testimony by Blue to Gold Fort Worth, TX<br />
25-27 Proactive Leadership Waxahachie, TX<br />
25-29 Detective and New Criminal Investigator *BY PATC Crowley, TX<br />
26 Advanced Search & Seizure by Blue to Gold Denton, TX<br />
27 Advanced Traffic Stops by Blue to Gold Denton, TX<br />
28 Advanced Criminal Investigations by Blue to Gold Denton, TX<br />
OCTOBER<br />
2-3 SLR15 AR15 / M16 / M4 / AR308 Armorer Course Waxahachie , TX<br />
2-4 FTO for today’s recruits and Pgm. Mgr. McKinney, TX<br />
3-6 Reid Technique of Inv. Interviewing & Advanced Interrogation Ft Worth, TX<br />
4-5 Extracting the Truth-Advanced Interview and Interrogation Denton, TX<br />
4-5 SLR15 Law Enforcement Shotgun Armorer Course Waxahachie , TX<br />
5 Forensic Statement Analysis - Deception Detection McKinney, TX<br />
6 SLR15 1911 Pistol Armorer Course Waxahachie , TX<br />
9-11 LPVO Operator Course Dallas, TX<br />
10-12 Pat McCarthy’s Street Crimes - Real World Training for the Real Police Lufkin, TX<br />
14-17 IACP Conference & Expo San Diego, CA<br />
16 TrapMate* Hidden Compartment Training (Dynamic Interdiction) Burleson , TX<br />
16-18 Interview & Interrogation for New Detectives BY LLRMI Beaumont, TX<br />
16-18 Leadership 101 - Professionalism Defined (TX New Supervisor) McKinney, TX<br />
16-20 5 Day New Detective and New Criminal Investigator By LLRMI Pharr, TX<br />
16-20 Detective and New Criminal Investigator *BY PATC Rockport, TX<br />
19-20 Advanced Forensic Statement Analysis - Deception Detection McKinney, TX<br />
22-26 TCOLE TRAINING CONFERENCE CORPUS,TX<br />
23-24 Advanced Field Training Officer Course Pharr, TX<br />
23-24 Covert Surveillance *BY PATC Texas City, TX<br />
24-26 Inside the Tape Homicide Investigation & Crime Scene MGT Training Rio Grande , TX<br />
31-1 Death Investigation: Cause, Manner and Mechanism By LLRMI Ft. Worth, TX<br />
31-3 Reid Investigative Interviewing & Advanced Interrogation Rockport, TX<br />
NOVEMBER<br />
1-3 Sexual Deviant Offenders *BY PATC Texas City, TX<br />
5-10 National Honor Guard Academy Texas City, TX<br />
6 High Risk/Profile Trial Operations 7 Planning By Court Security Concepts Denton, TX<br />
6 Bulletproof Report Writing by Blue to Gold Denton, TX<br />
6-8 Background Investigator Training by ProFirst Training Pharr, TX<br />
6-9 Tactical Training for Narcotics & Vice Units Cedar Park , TX<br />
6-10 Hostage Negotiations Phase 1 By LLRMI Pharr, TX<br />
7 Bulletproof Courtroom Testimony by Blue to Gold Denton, TX<br />
7-9 Reid PEACE Method of Investigative Interviewing Dyess , TX<br />
13-17 GST Defensive Tactics Instructor Course Seguin, TX<br />
13-17 Methods of Instruction - Training Practical Professional Policing Skills McKinney, TX<br />
14 Mastering Search & Seizure (In-Person & Live-Online) by Blue to Gold San Antonio, TX<br />
14-15 Protests, Demonstrations and Civil Unrest Operations By LLRMI Georgetown, TX<br />
15-16 Bulletproof Report Writing Blue to Gold (In-person & Live Stream) San Antonio, TX<br />
16 Duty to Intervenes (In-Person & Live-Online) by Blue to Gold San Antonio, TX<br />
16 Real World De-Escalation (In-Person & Live-Online) by Blue to Gold San Antonio, TX<br />
28-30 Pat McCarthy’s Street Crimes - Real World Training for the Real Police Jourdanton, TX<br />
1 High Performance Leadership - By Leading Blue Cincinnati, OH<br />
4-6 Advanced Homicide Investigation by IPTM Jacksonville, FL<br />
4-6 Effective Strategies for Staff Inspections by IPTM Altamonte Sp., FL<br />
4-6 Officer Involved Shooting-3 Day *BY PATC Columbus, OH<br />
4-6 Pat McCarthy’s Street Crimes - Real World Training for the Real Police Billings, MT<br />
4-6 Pat McCarthy’s Street Crimes - Real World Training for the Real Police Lafayette, LA<br />
4-6 Pat McCarthy’s Street Crimes - Real World Training for the Real Police Marysville, WA<br />
4-6 Penn State - Grant Writing - Virtual University Park, PA<br />
4-6 Recovery of Human Remains by Suncoast Forensics St. Cloud, FL<br />
4-6 Tactical Breaching Instructor Course Warrensburg, MO<br />
4-7 PRW Police Sniper BASIC Nunn, CO<br />
4-8 Advanced Undercover Techniques and Survival Westminster, CO<br />
4-8 Covert Entry Specialist I & II Course (5-Days) San Marcos, TX<br />
4-8 Criminal Investigations Using Cellular Technologies SME 40 hour Palm Beach, FL<br />
4-8 Death and Homicide Investigation *BY PATC Corpus Christi, TX<br />
4-8 Detective and New Criminal Investigator *BY PATC Baytown, TX<br />
4-8 Force Science Certification Course Sacramento, CA<br />
4-8 Hostage Negotiations, Phase III *BY PATC Pearland, TX<br />
4-8 Methods of Instruction - Training Practical Professional Policing Skills Sanford, FL<br />
28-1 Reid Investigative Interviewing & Advanced Interrogation San Antonio, TX<br />
9-11 Interview and Interrogation for Investigators *BY PATC Texas City, TX<br />
16-18 Supervising and Managing the Drug Unit *BY PATC Angleton, TX<br />
16-19 Reid Technique of Investigative Interviewing Pharr, TX<br />
17-19 First Responder to Death, Injury and Sexual Violence Scene Texas City, TX<br />
22-24 3 Day UAS “Drone” Search and Rescue & Thermal Imaging Trophy Club, TX<br />
22-26 5 Day Use of Force and Officer Involved Shooting by LLRMI New Braunfels<br />
22-26 Covert Entry Specialist I & II Course Dallas, TX<br />
22-26 Covert Entry Specialist I & II Course Dallas , TX<br />
22-26 Death and Homicide Investigation *BY PATC Texas City, TX<br />
23-26 Reid Technique of Investigative Interviewing Angleton, TX<br />
23-26 Reid Technique of Investigative Interviewing San Marcos, TX<br />
29-31 Pat McCarthy’s Street Crimes -<br />
DECEMBER<br />
JANUARY<br />
Real World Training for the Real Police<br />
Georgetown, TX<br />
Send your calendar listings to:<br />
bluespdmag@gmail.com<br />
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HONORING OUR<br />
DEPUTY SHERIFF ALEJANDRO MARTINEZ<br />
104 The BLUES<br />
POLICE MAGAZINE<br />
LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPT. CALIFORNIA<br />
END OF WATCH FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2023<br />
AGE: 27 TOUR: 2 MONTHS BADGE: N/A<br />
Deputy Sheriff Alejandro Martinez succumbed to injuries sustained on <strong>No</strong>vember 16th, 2022, as he and other<br />
recruits from Academy Class 464 ran in formation as part of their morning physical fitness routine. The academy<br />
class of 75 recruits was running in formation when an oncoming vehicle veered over the center line and<br />
struck the group near the intersection of Mills Avenue and Telegraph Road in Whittier. A total of 25 recruits<br />
were struck by the vehicle before it came to a stop. Twelve of the recruits suffered critical injuries that ended<br />
their careers. Deputy Martinez was sworn in as a sheriff’s deputy two weeks after the incident. He remained<br />
hospitalized in critical condition until succumbing to his injuries eight months later. Deputy Martinez was a U.S.<br />
Army National Guard veteran and had served with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for only eight<br />
weeks at the time he was injured. He is survived by his father and sister.
FALLEN HEROES<br />
DEPUTY MARSHAL BARRY GIGLIO<br />
VILLE PLATTE MARSHAL’S OFFICE, LOUISIANA<br />
END OF WATCH MONDAY, JULY 31, 2023<br />
AGE: 65 TOUR: 25 YEARS BADGE: N/A<br />
Deputy Marshal Barry Giglio was shot and killed at about 8:30 pm while assisting the Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s<br />
Office in serving a warrant in the 100 block of West Beauregard Street. A subject at the residence opened fire<br />
on the officers, killing Deputy Marshal Giglio and critically wounding a sheriff’s deputy. A civilian was also shot and<br />
killed. The subject was taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder.<br />
Deputy Marshal Giglio had served with the Ville Platte Marshal’s Office for 10 years and previously served with the<br />
Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office for 15 years. He is survived by his son and two granddaughters.<br />
The BLUES POLICE The MAGAZINE BLUES 105
HONORING OUR<br />
SERGEANT PEDRO TORRES-SANTOS<br />
TRUJILLO ALTO MUNICIPAL POLICE DEPT. PUERTO RICO<br />
END OF WATCH MONDAY, JULY 31, 2023<br />
AGE: 47 TOUR: 27 YEARS BADGE: 8-016<br />
Sergeant Pedro Torres-Santos was shot and killed in a targeted drive-by shooting as he stood in front of a<br />
store with other officers while working a secondary employment job. He and two other officers were standing<br />
in front of the store, at the intersection of Highway 181 and Highway 851 in Trujillo Alto, when a vehicle drove<br />
by and an occupant inside opened fire on them. All three officers were struck by the gunfire. Sergeant Torres-Santos<br />
succumbed to his wounds and the other two officers were seriously wounded.<br />
Sergeant Torres-Santos had served with the Trujillo Alto Municipal Police Department for 27 years and was<br />
one of its first officers when the agency was formed. He is survived by his wife and children.<br />
106 The BLUES<br />
POLICE MAGAZINE
FALLEN HEROES<br />
DEPUTY SHERIFF TIMOTHY J. GUYER<br />
JOHNSON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, INDIANA<br />
END OF WATCH TUESDAY, AUGUST 1, 2023<br />
AGE: 49 TOUR: 8 MONTHS BADGE: 41-65<br />
Deputy Sheriff Tim Guyer suffered a heart attack after completing mandatory physical training at the Indiana<br />
Law Enforcement Academy at 5402 Sugar Grove Road in Plainfield. Deputy Guyer returned to his dormitory<br />
room to clean up after physical training. At 7:30 am, he was found unresponsive in his room when he did not<br />
report for breakfast. Despite life-saving measures, he was unable to be revived.<br />
Deputy Guyer had served with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office for eight months. He is survived by his wife<br />
and four children.<br />
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HONORING OUR<br />
POLICE OFFICER MATTHEW HARE<br />
EASLEY POLICE DEPARTMENT, SOUTH CAROLINA<br />
END OF WATCH WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2023<br />
AGE: 22 TOUR: 5 MONTHS BADGE: N/A<br />
Police Officer Matthew Hare was struck and killed by an Amtrak train near the 2000 block of East Main Street<br />
while attempting to pull a suicidal subject from the railroad tracks. The subject had called 911 at about 5:00<br />
am while suffering a mental crisis. Officer Hare and another officer located the subject on the tracks at about<br />
6:00 am as the oncoming train approached. The officers were removing the subject from the tracks when<br />
Officer Hare was fatally struck. Neither the other officer nor the subject was injured.<br />
Officer Hare had graduated from the police academy only five months earlier. He s survived by his mother,<br />
brother, aunt, grandparents, cousin, and stepsister.<br />
108 The BLUES<br />
POLICE MAGAZINE
FALLEN HEROES<br />
POLICE OFFICER JONAH OSWALD<br />
FAIRWAY POLICE DEPARTMENT, KANSAS<br />
END OF WATCH MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 2023<br />
AGE: 29 TOUR: 6 YEARS BADGE: 5801<br />
Police Officer Jonah Oswald succumbed to gunshot wounds he received when he attempted to arrest two<br />
subjects who fled from officers in a stolen vehicle. Officers from neighboring agencies, including the Fairway<br />
Police Dept, assisted in the pursuit on Interstate 35 until the subjects crashed their vehicle and ran into the<br />
QuikTrip at 4700 Lamar Avenue in Mission. Officer Oswald and other officers entered the store, and when<br />
officers attempted to arrest the subjects, gunfire broke out. Officer Oswald was critically injured and transported<br />
to the hospital where he succumbed to his wounds the next day. fficer Oswald was a United States Army<br />
Reserve veteran who had served with the Fairway Police Department for four years and previously served with<br />
the Buckner Police Department. He is survived by his wife and two children.<br />
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HONORING OUR<br />
OFFICER BILL SAPOLU<br />
HONOLULU POLICE DEPARTMENT, HAWAII<br />
END OF WATCH TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 2023<br />
AGE: N/A TOUR: 21 YEARS BADGE: 2229<br />
Officer Bill Sapolu succumbed to injuries sustained in a motorcycle crash on Farrington Highway, east of Fort<br />
Barrette Road in Kapolei, on July 11th, <strong>2023.</strong> He was responding to backup another officer on a weapons<br />
violation call at about 9:00 pm when his motorcycle struck a concrete median. He was thrown from the motorcycle<br />
and sustained serious injuries. He remained in critical condition until his organs could be donated.<br />
Officer Sapolu was a U.S. Army National Guard veteran and had served with the Honolulu<br />
Police Department for 21 years. He is survived by his wife and children.<br />
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POLICE MAGAZINE
FALLEN HEROES<br />
SPECIAL AGENT PATRICK BAUER<br />
IRS - CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS<br />
END OF WATCH THURSDAY, AUGUST 17, 2023<br />
AGE: 47 TOUR: N/A BADGE: N/A<br />
Special Agent Patrick Bauer was inadvertently shot and killed while participating in departmental firearms<br />
training in Phoenix, Arizona. Members of IRS Criminal Investigation and other federal agencies were using the<br />
shooting range at Federal Correctional Institute Phoenix when Special Bauer was inadvertently shot by another<br />
agent. He was transported to HonorHealth Deer Valley Medical Center where he succumbed to his wounds.<br />
Special Agent Bauer was a veteran of the Arizona Air National Guard. He is survived by his wife and four children.<br />
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HONORING OUR<br />
OFFICER BRYAN HOLLEY<br />
HUDSON ISD POLICE DEPARTMENT, TEXAS<br />
END OF WATCH FRIDAY, AUGUST 18, 2023<br />
AGE: 57 TOUR: 31 YEARS BADGE: 882<br />
Officer Bryan Holley suffered a fatal medical emergency shortly after performing afternoon traffic control at<br />
Bonner Elementary School in Lufkin, Texas. He collapsed at about 4:10 pm after completing the traffic control<br />
assignment.<br />
Officer Holley had served with the Hudson Independent School District Police Department<br />
for 10 years and had served in law enforcement for 31 years. He had previously served with<br />
the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office for 17 years and the Angelina County Constable’s Office<br />
- Precinct 1 for four years. He is survived by his wife, four children, and three grandchildren.<br />
112 The BLUES<br />
POLICE MAGAZINE
FALLEN HEROES<br />
POLICE OFFICER ANTHONY FRANCONE<br />
PYRAMID LAKE PAIUTE TRIBAL POLICE DEPARTMENT<br />
END OF WATCH FRIDAY, AUGUST 25, 2023<br />
AGE: 48 TOUR: 25 YEARS BADGE: 1378<br />
Police Officer Anthony Francone was struck and killed by a vehicle after a pursuit south of Nixon, Nevada. The<br />
pursuit went to the area of Route 446 and Route 447 where he was struck.<br />
Officer Francone had previously served with the Storey County Sheriff’s Office for 10 years.<br />
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HONORING OUR<br />
SHERIFF ROBERT RODGERS<br />
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WILCOX COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, GEORGIA<br />
END OF WATCH TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2023<br />
AGE: 52 TOUR: 22 YEARS BADGE: N/A<br />
Sheriff Robert Rodgers was killed in a vehicle crash while responding to a domestic call at<br />
4:09 p.m. He was traveling on Highway 233 when his patrol vehicle left the roadway near<br />
Matthews Road. He struck a tree, and the impact overturned his vehicle on the driver’s side.<br />
Sheriff Rodgers died at the scene.<br />
Sheriff Rodgers was elected Sheriff in 2016 and was serving his second term with the<br />
Wilcox County Sheriff’s Office. He had served 15 years in law enforcement before being<br />
elected Sheriff.
FALLEN HEROES<br />
DEPUTY SHERIFF MATTHEW PIERSON<br />
SHELBY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, TEXAS<br />
END OF WATCH TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2023<br />
AGE: 25 TOUR: 5 DAYS BADGE: 9454<br />
Deputy Sheriff Matthew Pierson was killed in a vehicle crash at the Texas State Highway 147 and Texas State<br />
Highway 103 intersection at 7:30 a.m.<br />
He was driving his patrol vehicle east on Texas Highway 103 and collided with a tractor-trailer while attempting<br />
to turn north on Texas State Highway 147.<br />
Deputy Pierson had served with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office for five days.<br />
The BLUES POLICE The MAGAZINE BLUES 115
WORDS BY WENDY GROSSMAN KANTOR<br />
MAUI: First Responders<br />
loose everything, but still go<br />
to work saving lives.<br />
“I felt like I needed to go to work and help wherever I could,” Ian Barnes,<br />
who was scheduled for a week of vacation on the mainland, tells PEOPLE.<br />
Ian Barnes was off duty when<br />
the Maui fires ravaged his home.<br />
After getting his two young kids<br />
to safety, the first responder<br />
joined the search and rescue efforts,<br />
working around the clock<br />
trying to find the people still<br />
missing after jumping into the<br />
ocean to flee the deadly Hawaiian<br />
fires.<br />
“I felt like I needed to go to<br />
work and help wherever I could,”<br />
Barnes, a 34-year-old Ocean<br />
Safety Officer, which is under the<br />
Fire Department in Maui, tells<br />
PEOPLE.<br />
“The least I could do is go to<br />
work and go try and find someone<br />
that needs help that had to<br />
jump in the water in the middle<br />
of the night and is actually still<br />
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out there,” he adds. “Or find closure<br />
for somebody that is missing<br />
somebody that jumped in the<br />
water.”<br />
After becoming the deadliest<br />
wildfire in the U.S. in over a century,<br />
the death toll rise to 99 on<br />
Monday, and officials said earlier
this week that there could be<br />
around 1,000 missing.<br />
When the fires began on Aug.<br />
8, Barnes was hanging out with<br />
his two kids, ages 4 and 6. The<br />
power had been off since 4 a.m.,<br />
so he ran out to buy ice and<br />
water.<br />
“I drove through some fire on<br />
the highway to get back to the<br />
apartment and then got all the<br />
stuff out of the fridge into the<br />
cooler,” he says.<br />
“Then like 30 minutes later you<br />
could see smoke kind of going<br />
over the building and it shaded<br />
out the sun. It got super dark,<br />
almost like it was nighttime,” he<br />
recalls. “When that happened, I<br />
realized that we should move up<br />
north.”<br />
He took his kids to a friend’s<br />
house a few miles away. “Then<br />
the wind shifted, and we decided<br />
that we had to get out of there,”<br />
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he adds.<br />
“We did search and recovery<br />
on the jet skis out in front of<br />
Lahaina. And then I did that for a<br />
couple days,” says Barnes, who<br />
specializes in water rescues.<br />
He had been scheduled for a<br />
week of vacation on the mainland<br />
for a week, but he stayed<br />
on island instead, helping.<br />
“Everybody’s doing something,”<br />
he says. “The smoke was still<br />
coming off the land. There’s a lot<br />
of diesel and gas in the water<br />
because the harbor burned<br />
down. A lot of boats floated out<br />
of the harbor that were stuck<br />
on the reef. A lot of debris in the<br />
water just from all the wind.”<br />
Barnes lived in a 5-story<br />
apartment building in Lahaina.<br />
“The whole thing burned down,”<br />
he says.<br />
Besides his car, the only thing<br />
Barnes saved was his two kids.<br />
“You realize what’s important<br />
when you have to evacuate,” he<br />
says.<br />
“It’s just crazy. Pretty much the<br />
whole city’s gone. Everything.<br />
Most of the buildings are homes,<br />
so everyone’s displaced and I<br />
mean, Hawaii’s hard to live in in<br />
general, so it’s not like a lot of<br />
people had a lot of savings and<br />
all that stuff. Everyone’s kind of<br />
in the same boat,” he says. “Everyone’s<br />
kind of worried about<br />
rebuilding and what they’re<br />
gonna do or if they had to move<br />
off island. A lot of jobs are gone<br />
too. All retail and restaurant jobs<br />
are gone. I don’t know if there’s<br />
enough jobs for everyone to even<br />
stay.”<br />
A GoFundMe page was established<br />
to help Barnes and other<br />
families who lost their homes in<br />
the deadly fire.<br />
“I’ve lived here 13 years. My<br />
kids were born here. This is all<br />
they know. This is my home now<br />
and I know they’ve given back so<br />
much to me, this community and<br />
all of people. And I just felt like<br />
if I could do anything, I had to,”<br />
he says.<br />
MAUI UPDATE:<br />
First Responders face arduous task of<br />
locating 500-1000 missing people.<br />
Two weeks after the devastating<br />
Maui fire ravaged the community<br />
of Lahaina and became<br />
the deadliest fire in U.S. history,<br />
law enforcement must now face<br />
the arduous challenge of accounting<br />
for hundreds and possibly<br />
thousands of missing people.<br />
Hawaii authorities must now<br />
determine how many among the<br />
500 to 1,000 unaccounted for individuals<br />
have perished and how<br />
many may have escaped the fire<br />
but remain uncontacted.<br />
As of the most recent update<br />
on August 22, 115 confirmed<br />
deaths have been reported.<br />
However, the number of missing<br />
individuals has raised significant<br />
hurdles for officials<br />
118 The BLUES<br />
attempting to assess the true<br />
extent of the tragedy.<br />
The situation echoes a similar<br />
one that unfolded in 2018 after<br />
a wildfire claimed 85 lives and<br />
razed Paradise, California.<br />
In that case, Butte County authorities<br />
collaborated with the<br />
local newspaper to publish a<br />
list of the missing, resulting in a<br />
substantial reduction from 1,300<br />
names to just a handful within a<br />
month.<br />
In contrast, Maui authorities<br />
have chosen not to make their<br />
list of missing individuals public.<br />
Adam Weintraub, spokesperson<br />
for the Hawaii Emergency<br />
Management Agency, cited<br />
uncertainties about privacy rules<br />
and concerns over potentially<br />
traumatizing families as reasons<br />
for their decision.<br />
A Maui County spokesperson<br />
confirmed to the AP that the<br />
identities of missing individuals<br />
would be kept private.<br />
“The names of, and any information<br />
related to the missing individuals,<br />
will not be published<br />
or be made publicly available at<br />
this time,” the spokesperson said.<br />
Addressing the discrepancy in<br />
reported missing individuals,<br />
Hawaii Governor Josh Green<br />
estimated over 1,000, while Maui<br />
Mayor Richard Bissen mentioned<br />
850.<br />
White House homeland security<br />
adviser Liz Sherwood-Ran-
dall stated that the count likely<br />
ranges from 500 to 800.<br />
Families and residents affected<br />
by the disaster are becoming<br />
increasingly frustrated as the<br />
search for their loved ones extends<br />
further.<br />
Questions have also arisen<br />
regarding the pace at which the<br />
names of the deceased are being<br />
made public, even after family<br />
notifications.<br />
The American Red Cross has<br />
also been involved in efforts to<br />
locate missing individuals, generating<br />
its own list separate from<br />
law enforcement.<br />
The volunteers have crosschecked<br />
names with emergency<br />
shelter registration records,<br />
contacted hospitals and scoured<br />
social media platforms in their<br />
efforts.<br />
As of now, they have successfully<br />
completed about 2,400 out<br />
of over 3,000 requests for reunification<br />
or welfare updates.<br />
Identifying human remains after<br />
such a catastrophic event is a<br />
lengthy and challenging process,<br />
according to experts.<br />
Because some bodies may<br />
have been cremated, traditional<br />
identification methods like DNA<br />
testing can be difficult.<br />
Vyto Babrauskas, president of<br />
fire safety research consulting<br />
firm Fire Science and Technology<br />
Inc., explained: “If you go to the<br />
extreme of things — if turned<br />
to ash — you’re not going to be<br />
able to identify anything.”<br />
The extreme nature of the disaster,<br />
including debris removal<br />
and excavation, further complicates<br />
recovery efforts.<br />
Reflecting on similar incidents,<br />
Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea<br />
shared his experience from the<br />
Paradise wildfire.<br />
According to Honea, he had a<br />
team of 10-15 detectives working<br />
tirelessly to narrow down<br />
the list of missing individuals,<br />
employing traditional detective<br />
techniques combined with visits<br />
to last known residences and<br />
reaching out via various communication<br />
platforms.<br />
“We had this Excel spreadsheet<br />
with the people’s names and any<br />
of the different information we<br />
had,” he said. “We’d then start<br />
working the cases similar to the<br />
way you work any other case to<br />
try to locate somebody.”<br />
As the situation on Maui continues<br />
to unfold rapidly, those<br />
who have endured similar tragedies<br />
are watching closely, empathizing<br />
with the victims and their<br />
families.<br />
Nearly 22 years after the 9/11<br />
terror attacks, which claimed<br />
nearly 3,000 lives, almost 1,100<br />
victims remain without identified<br />
remains.<br />
Some families, like that of<br />
Joseph Giaccone, have chosen<br />
to focus on cherished memories<br />
rather than pursuing potentially<br />
painful identifications.<br />
“It would just reinforce the<br />
horror that his person endured<br />
that day, and it would open<br />
wounds that I don’t think I want<br />
to open,” Giaccone said.<br />
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The BLUES 119
WORDS BY KERRY BREEN<br />
MAUI FIRE WAS HELL ON EARTH<br />
Maui residents along with first responders ran from the racing<br />
flames and jumped into the ocean that too was on fire.<br />
People in Lahaina, a Maui<br />
town almost entirely destroyed<br />
by fast-moving wildfires, have<br />
shared horrific tales of how they<br />
had to fight to escape the blaze.<br />
Some hid in the ocean to stay<br />
safe, while others took their<br />
chances driving out of town before<br />
traffic became impassable.<br />
Many are still searching for family,<br />
friends and loved ones. So far,<br />
at least 115 people are confirmed<br />
dead, with many more missing<br />
and few of the victims identified.<br />
Residents and tourists alike<br />
said they were caught in the<br />
fast-moving flames because<br />
they heard no emergency warnings,<br />
and had to think quickly to<br />
survive.<br />
Here are some of their stories:<br />
WOMEN VACATIONING IN<br />
MAUI SPENT HOURS IN HOTEL<br />
POOL SURROUNDED BY FLAMES<br />
Kristina Lee-Garrido told CBS<br />
News that she was on vacation<br />
with a friend when the fires<br />
started. They were in a rental<br />
unit, and soon, that building was<br />
on fire.<br />
“We were in our rooms and<br />
the front part of the building<br />
started on fire, so we ran to the<br />
back part, the pool, and it continued<br />
to burn while we were in<br />
the pool,” Lee-Garrido said. “We<br />
could not see another living soul.<br />
It was thick black smoke, so we<br />
knew we needed to get to the<br />
pool. There were no other options.”<br />
Video footage taken by her and<br />
her friend shows the building<br />
burning and smoke pouring into<br />
the sky, while a woman in the<br />
pool holds a piece of fabric over<br />
her face. Lee-Garrido said it took<br />
between two and a half to three<br />
hours for emergency responders<br />
to rescue them.<br />
“We jumped into the pool and<br />
stayed there, contacted EMS<br />
through the SOS system on our<br />
iPhone and they told us to wait.<br />
They said, ‘You’re in the safest<br />
place right now. Don’t move.<br />
We’ve pinged you.’ So we just<br />
waited for somebody to come<br />
and get us.”<br />
WOMAN SAYS SHE WATCHED<br />
FROM ROAD AS HER MOM’S<br />
HOUSE BURNED<br />
Katheleen Cardenas-Haro, a<br />
mom of two, told CBS News<br />
that she and her family left their<br />
house after seeing fires “taking<br />
a house each at a time and just<br />
going all over the neighborhood.”<br />
She, her husband and<br />
their children wound up standing<br />
on an overpass, where she<br />
saw her mother’s home was on<br />
fire. Because of communication<br />
issues, Cardenas-Haro wasn’t<br />
able to contact her mother or<br />
her siblings right away.<br />
120 The BLUES<br />
120 The BLUES
“There was no way to get to<br />
her or to see if the apartment<br />
was still standing,” Cardenas-Haro<br />
said.<br />
Thankfully, her mother survived,<br />
but Cardenas-Haro<br />
questioned the decision not to<br />
activate sirens that might have<br />
alerted people to danger earlier.<br />
“They should have ran the<br />
sirens, because even if it wasn’t<br />
a tsunami, people would have<br />
been aware something’s going<br />
on, taken a look outside, seen<br />
the fire coming to them,” Cardenas-Haro<br />
said. “A lot of people<br />
I guess couldn’t smell it. Maybe<br />
some were sleeping, all the kids<br />
with no school. That would have<br />
woken them up. That would have<br />
made them alert and see, but the<br />
fact is, they didn’t do that. I think<br />
that caused a lot, a lot of unnecessary<br />
loss.”<br />
COUPLE EXPECTING BABY IN<br />
JUST WEEKS RECALLS NAR-<br />
ROW ESCAPE<br />
Tasha Anderson and Kevin<br />
Campbell said in an appearance<br />
on CBS News that they hesitated<br />
to leave, because Anderson was<br />
eight months pregnant.<br />
“I was pretty adamant about<br />
not leaving, honestly,” Anderson<br />
said. I was like ‘This is our home,<br />
this is where we built our home<br />
and our nursery.’ Everything was<br />
there. If it weren’t for Kevin, we<br />
probably wouldn’t have left. He<br />
definitely made that call for the<br />
both of us, for all of us.”<br />
Campbell said he knew it was<br />
time to go when he rode his<br />
scooter down to the highway<br />
and caught a glimpse of the fire.<br />
He had already been concerned<br />
about high winds that he’d<br />
observed earlier in the day, and<br />
when he arrived at the highway,<br />
he saw that the flames were<br />
close - and moving fast.<br />
“We would’ve had to run at<br />
some point. I just made the call<br />
a little earlier,” Campbell said.<br />
“I came back to the house in a<br />
panic and tried to get the peo-<br />
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The BLUES 121
ple that I could get to get in the<br />
cars with us to go. We didn’t<br />
grab anything extra. I felt like we<br />
couldn’t leave fast enough.”<br />
WOMAN FLED THE FLAMES,<br />
THEN SPENT DAYS WAITING<br />
FOR AID<br />
Hotel manager Kawena Kahula<br />
told CBS News that she actually<br />
“blindly” drove into Lahaina,<br />
searching for her son, as the fires<br />
came closer to the town. She<br />
sat in traffic, in “fear and panic,”<br />
when she heard a man on a<br />
motorcycle warn another driver<br />
about the conditions ahead: “If<br />
you continue to head into Lahaina,<br />
you’re not gonna make it<br />
out alive.” She decided to turn<br />
back, returning to the hotel<br />
122 The BLUES<br />
where she worked, which was<br />
not burned.<br />
“There was a lot of emotional<br />
hotel workers there. There was a<br />
lot of sad stories. And my team<br />
members coming back to work,<br />
smelling like fire, in ash, black,<br />
crying, telling me, ‘I don’t have<br />
nothing left except this shirt. Can<br />
I please stay here?’” Kahula said.<br />
The workers and guests stayed<br />
in the hotel for several days.<br />
Kahula said they reached “a<br />
point to where we could only<br />
provide food for the children.”<br />
On Wednesday, she was able to<br />
drive out of the area, leading her<br />
to question why government aid<br />
took so long to arrive.<br />
Her son was also safe, and they<br />
have been reunited.<br />
“It’s hard. It’s really hard. I<br />
feel like there’s so much more<br />
that could have been done in<br />
different ways, you know? ...<br />
I’m not a first responder, I’m<br />
not a government official and<br />
a politician in any way,” Kahula<br />
said. “I don’t have any say or<br />
my hands in any part of that,<br />
but coming from the hospitality<br />
industry, we did everything<br />
we could there, you know, and<br />
I just feel, like, I feel like there<br />
should have been more done<br />
sooner, faster.”<br />
TEENAGERS SPENT HOURS<br />
IN THE OCEAN.<br />
Two Maui teenagers told CBS<br />
Colorado that they waded in<br />
the Pacific Ocean for five hours
after traffic made it impossible<br />
to drive out of Lahaina. The<br />
boys stood with their mother in<br />
chest- to shoulder-deep water,<br />
watching the flames roar. Their<br />
father was on the other side of<br />
the island, unable to communicate<br />
with them.<br />
“(It was) like last resort time,<br />
because the fire was like across<br />
the street at this point,” 19-yearold<br />
<strong>No</strong>ah Tomkinson said. “So,<br />
we were like, yeah, we’ve got<br />
to jump in the ocean... and then,<br />
once we got in the water, just<br />
all the wind and just all the fire,<br />
and the smog just are coming<br />
straight toward us.”<br />
WOMAN WHO LOST HOME<br />
SAID A FRIEND TOLD HER FAM-<br />
ILY TO FLEE.<br />
Pamela Reader, who lived in<br />
Lahaina with her family, told CBS<br />
News that it wasn’t an evacuation<br />
order or emergency siren<br />
that made her realize it was time<br />
to leave: It was a friend who<br />
was riding a bicycle, warning<br />
people it was time to go.<br />
“He had been on a bicycle,<br />
driving around our neighborhood,<br />
just telling people to get<br />
out, covered in soot, and I think<br />
that’s what made people take<br />
him seriously. He was clearly<br />
near the fire, and we knew it was<br />
coming closer,” Reader said.<br />
“By the time we got to our car,<br />
which wasn’t that far ... we<br />
saw flames maybe a block and<br />
a half away, two blocks away.”<br />
Reader said her home<br />
burned. She and her family are<br />
now in a rental home in South<br />
Maui, on the opposite side of<br />
the island from where the fires<br />
were.<br />
“Our whole town is gone.<br />
It’s insane,” said Reader. “My<br />
whole neighborhood is gone,<br />
my whole community. The<br />
places we go to eat dinner,<br />
where my daughters eat ice<br />
cream. We’re just devastated.”<br />
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A BADGE OF HONOR<br />
healing our heroes<br />
yrs.<br />
The Terrorist attacks on September<br />
11th, 2001, changed the lives of<br />
millions of Americans forever.<br />
SAMANTHA RECALLS 9/11<br />
The sounds, the screams, the<br />
feelings of helplessness. You<br />
would think after twenty-two<br />
years it would have faded. But<br />
I can still recall everything I<br />
saw and experienced on 9/11.<br />
The tightly wrapped gift box in<br />
my brain is opened as soon as I<br />
wake up.<br />
I see all the American flags on<br />
the front lawns, I hear the songs<br />
that play on the radio. The calls,<br />
the texts, the messages sent to<br />
me. I was there. Front and center<br />
for the attack on New York<br />
City. A suicide attempt followed<br />
by treatment for Post-Traumatic<br />
Stress. All my memories<br />
nicely packaged and waiting to<br />
emerge every September 11th. It<br />
is my gift. You may be reading<br />
this thinking, “What the heck is<br />
she talking about?” Or “That’s<br />
not a gift I’d want.” The pain,<br />
stress, and healing therapy were<br />
worth it because now I get to<br />
give back.<br />
When I talk to first responders,<br />
I talk about “my gift” and<br />
how the trauma has helped<br />
me grow. Connecting the dots<br />
from trauma to growth can be<br />
challenging for first responders,<br />
especially if the culture is one<br />
where the “suck it up” attitude<br />
SAMANTHA HORWITZ &<br />
JOHN SALERNO<br />
is embraced. There is a fallacy<br />
that if you suck it up, move on,<br />
and it never crosses your mind<br />
again, that you have grown from<br />
the trauma or you have learned<br />
to insulate yourself from it. It is<br />
extremely rare that I come across<br />
a first responder who is not<br />
impacted by his / her trauma in<br />
some way. I have met many first<br />
responders who have drowned<br />
themselves in overtime, are on<br />
their second or third marriages,<br />
never talk about the bad calls<br />
they have gone on, and barely<br />
see their families. Always on the<br />
go, unable to pause or gain the<br />
awareness of the destructive<br />
path they are on. Until one day,<br />
they sit home alone after retiring<br />
with all the time on their hands,<br />
paralyzed because all those bad<br />
calls that they have sucked up<br />
and buried have now come back<br />
to life with no outlet or ability to<br />
process. It is here where suicidal<br />
ideation and contemplation can<br />
occur. I have experienced this.<br />
Where everything I saw from<br />
September 11th came flooding<br />
back. It is cold, lonely, and completely<br />
unnecessary.<br />
With awareness comes the<br />
opportunity for growth. The<br />
ability to find meaning in the<br />
trauma. It is a journey first responders<br />
deserve to experience.<br />
It was not until I completed my<br />
EMDR therapy that I knew I had<br />
the skill and ability to manage<br />
the triggers when they occurred.<br />
As first responders we receive<br />
the training to become experts<br />
in combatives, marksmanship,<br />
and report writing. Yet when it<br />
comes to the trauma exposure,<br />
we receive nothing close to the<br />
level of training we need. As<br />
individuals and leaders, we need<br />
to take ownership of our commitment<br />
to ourselves, our families,<br />
and out colleagues.<br />
After twenty-two years I am<br />
grateful for my “gift.” It continues<br />
to push me to help reach<br />
others to show them how to<br />
create power and growth from<br />
struggle. Your career as a first<br />
responder will define you. Your<br />
trauma does not have to. I encourage<br />
you to reach out because<br />
you cannot afford to bury<br />
it. Unpack “Your gift.”<br />
Samantha Horwitz & John<br />
Salerno are regular contributors<br />
to The <strong>Blues</strong> Police Magazine.<br />
124 The BLUES
The BLUES 125
DARYL LOTT<br />
daryl’s deliberations<br />
yrs.<br />
“There Stands Jackson Like a Stone Wall!”<br />
126 The BLUES<br />
When touring all the major<br />
battlefields of the Civil War, one<br />
cannot help but look upon the<br />
legendary officers of both sides<br />
with a sense of awe. Thomas<br />
J. Jackson is one that inspires<br />
many people to this day. There<br />
are monuments to him in several<br />
different places. His colorful<br />
nickname, “Stonewall”, contributed<br />
to his revered status in Virginia.<br />
That nickname has a Texan<br />
connection which is kind of an<br />
unusual story in itself.<br />
After General Sam<br />
Houston defeated<br />
Santa Anna at San<br />
Jacinto, he took the<br />
“Napoleon of the<br />
West” into custody.<br />
Many people wanted<br />
to hang Santa Anna,<br />
so Houston needed<br />
to do something<br />
with the dictator. He<br />
decided to send the<br />
maniac to Washington,<br />
DC and turn<br />
him over to President<br />
Andrew Jackson for<br />
his own safety. Houston<br />
thought President<br />
Jackson could resolve<br />
the dispute between<br />
Mexico and Texas.<br />
Santa Anna spent<br />
several days at the White House<br />
where President Jackson hosted<br />
a state dinner in his honor. “El<br />
Presidente” wanted to negotiate<br />
a purchase of Texas with Jackson,<br />
but he was rebuffed. Santa<br />
Anna was surprised at that because<br />
Mexico had been in negotiations<br />
to sell Texas for several<br />
years. The Mexicans previously<br />
strung Jackson along in purchase<br />
negotiations with the snag being<br />
the “green grease” they expected<br />
for the Mexican officials personally.<br />
This time it was the Americans<br />
who pushed back. Jackson<br />
said it would offend the Texans<br />
who conquered Texas with their<br />
own courage and military prowess.<br />
Jackson then put Santa Anna<br />
on a USN vessel and sent him to<br />
Vera Cruz where he would continue<br />
to cause mischief.<br />
When Houston sent Santa<br />
DARYL LOTT<br />
Anna to Washington,<br />
the mission was<br />
overseen by a Texan<br />
officer named Bernard<br />
Bee. Bee took<br />
the Mexican dictator<br />
to Washington<br />
under guard. Santa<br />
Anna had no uniform<br />
as his were ripped to<br />
shreds at San Jacinto<br />
with Bowie knives<br />
and Texan steel.<br />
Santa Anna asked<br />
Bee for a loan so he<br />
could procure a fine<br />
suit of clothing fit<br />
for a head of state.<br />
Bee provided his<br />
personal funds and<br />
“his excellency” was<br />
outfitted for a state<br />
visit at the White House.<br />
Fifteen years passed and Bee<br />
found himself on a battlefield in<br />
Manassas, Virginia. Union troops<br />
were pressing the Alabama
ebels under Bee’s command<br />
in the Civil War’s first major<br />
battle. He saw the Virginian<br />
standing like a “stone wall”<br />
and supplied Thomas J Jackson<br />
the moniker that would<br />
stick with him the rest of his<br />
life and beyond. The South<br />
won the battle that day owing<br />
much of their success to<br />
a previously unknown officer,<br />
and the “Legend of Stonewall<br />
Jackson” was born.<br />
Incidentally, if you are wondering,<br />
Santa Anna never<br />
repaid his debt to Bee.<br />
Questions or Comments? DarylLott.Texas@gmail.com<br />
Photos: Jackson Monument,<br />
Manassas and monument at<br />
the location where Jackson<br />
fell at Chancellorsville.<br />
The BLUES 127
HONORING FA<br />
“Honoring our fallen heroes<br />
through running while providing<br />
financial support to the families<br />
of our fallen Heroes,<br />
First Responders injured in the<br />
Line of Duty and Safety<br />
Equipment to K9s in need.”<br />
Zechariah<br />
Cartledge:<br />
a True American Hero<br />
128 The BLUES<br />
POLICE MAGAZINE
LEN HEREOS<br />
yrs.<br />
AS OF 6/16/23<br />
Total Grants Awarded to Injured First Responders: 48<br />
Total Amount Awarded: $437,500<br />
Total Funds Awarded to Families of Fallen Heroes: 47<br />
Total Amount Awarded: $317,951<br />
Funds/Equipment Awarded to K9 Officers: $40,150.10<br />
Total Amount of Grants Given: $795,601.10<br />
- - - -<br />
2023 Run Tracker:<br />
Total Miles Run in 2023: (as of 8/13/23): 149<br />
- Zechariah - 56<br />
- Jayden - 11<br />
- Andrew - 16<br />
- Giuliana - 5<br />
- Anthony - 12<br />
- Morgan - 29<br />
- Theresa - 2<br />
Total Miles Run in 2022: 325<br />
Total Miles Run in 2021: 325<br />
Total Miles Run in 2020: 401<br />
Total Miles Run in 2019: 376<br />
Overall Miles Run: 1,557<br />
Overall Miles Run (K9’s): 73<br />
- - - - - - - - -<br />
2022 Run Stats:<br />
Total Miles Run for 2022 Fallen LEO’s (<strong>No</strong>n COVID-19): 135<br />
Total Miles Run for 2022 Fallen Firefighters (<strong>No</strong>n COVID-19): 80<br />
Total Miles Run for <strong>No</strong>n-LODD/Suicide: 13<br />
Total Miles Run for 2022 Fallen Canada LEO’s: 3<br />
Total Miles Run in 2022 for Fallen COVID-19 Heroes: 18<br />
Total Miles Run for 2021 Fallen LEO’s: 21<br />
Total Miles Run for 2021 Fallen Firefighters: 2<br />
Total Tribute Runs by State/Country: 17<br />
States/Cities Zechariah has run in:<br />
Florida - Winter Springs, Lake Mary, Clearwater, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Orlando, Temple Terrace, Blountstown,<br />
Cocoa, Lakeland, Daytona Beach, West Palm Beach, Starke, Melbourne<br />
New York - New York City, Weedsport • Georgia - Cumming, Augusta, Savannah<br />
South Carolina - <strong>No</strong>rth Myrtle Beach, Charleston, Sumter • Pennsylvania - Monaca<br />
Illinois - Springfield, Naperville, Glen Ellyn • Texas - Houston (2), Fort Worth, Midland, New Braunfels, Freeport, Madisonville,<br />
Irving, Sadler, San Antonio • Kentucky - Nicholasville • Arkansas - Bryant, Hot Springs, Springdale, Prairie Grove<br />
Nevada - Henderson • Kansas - Overland Park • California - Mt. Vernon, La Jolla • Arizona - Mesa<br />
<strong>No</strong>rth Carolina - Concord, Raleigh • Virginia - <strong>No</strong>rton, Richmond • Tennessee - Bristol, Bartlett<br />
Oklahoma - Stilwell (2) • Delaware - Milford • Maryland - Towson • Minnesota - Arden Hills • Indiana - Sullivan, Spencer<br />
Mississippi - Grenada, Olive Branch • Missouri - Springfield, Rolla, Joplin • Iowa - Independence, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids<br />
District/Countries/Territories: Washington D.C. • Puerto Rico - San Juan<br />
The BLUES 129
DR. TINA JAECKLE<br />
blue mental health<br />
yrs.<br />
Toxic Public Safety Leadership<br />
and Employee Mental Health<br />
Part 2<br />
I had the opportunity recently<br />
to read the valuable<br />
book titled Toxic Boss <strong>Blues</strong><br />
(2014) written by Steve Neal,<br />
a tough, experienced, and retired<br />
police officer who confronts<br />
the sometimes noxious<br />
nature of leadership in law<br />
enforcement. This is a mustread<br />
and I have included some<br />
excerpts below as we continue<br />
to discussion on the negative<br />
impact on officer mental<br />
health.<br />
Neal offers the following<br />
important insight:<br />
Mean-spirited, malicious,<br />
discourteous, discriminatory,<br />
or deliberately hurtful behavior<br />
toward law enforcement<br />
officers by their bosses should<br />
never be acceptable. The<br />
“contempt of cops” by those<br />
in the chain of command creates<br />
toxic boss blues. Poisonous<br />
bosses who devalue, denigrate,<br />
chastise, and humiliate<br />
in the name of discipline and<br />
learning operate from a platform<br />
of ignorant aggression.<br />
Great leaders combine dignity<br />
and decency with order,<br />
prerogative, and governance.<br />
The best amongst us understand<br />
that treating other people<br />
as if they matter encourages<br />
constructive relationships<br />
that pay huge dividends in the<br />
workplace. Civility, tact, and<br />
gracefulness are sophisticated<br />
leadership skills that facilitate<br />
greater employee pride,<br />
self-respect, purpose in our<br />
work, and enhancement of<br />
our product.<br />
Law enforcement is one of<br />
the most noble and awe-inspiring<br />
professions in the<br />
world. Nearly all peace officers<br />
join the family of public<br />
safety because they hold honorable<br />
and principled belief<br />
systems close to their hearts.<br />
Our brothers and sisters<br />
demonstrate enormous integrity,<br />
are filled with compassion,<br />
and truly serve the needs<br />
of others every single day.<br />
Public safety officers willingly<br />
put themselves in harm’s way<br />
and live the biblical quote<br />
“Greater love hath no man<br />
than this, one lay down his life<br />
for his friends.” Law enforcement<br />
brethren keep the peace<br />
and ensure the security of the<br />
homeland.<br />
In law enforcement circles,<br />
DR. TINA JAECKLE<br />
it is often said that threats<br />
from the street are potentially<br />
lethal, but that the threat<br />
from the enemy within is a far<br />
worse hazard to a law officer’s<br />
health and well-being.<br />
When nastiness is allowed<br />
to flourish in a toxic management<br />
culture; confidence,<br />
assertiveness, decisiveness,<br />
teamwork, and values-based<br />
supervision can transform<br />
into vicious bullying, untruthfulness,<br />
arrogance, indecisiveness,<br />
immorality, micromanagement,<br />
revenge, and<br />
retribution. The evil of toxicity<br />
and negative behavior exposes<br />
our peace-keeping warriors to<br />
unnecessary and potentially<br />
life-threatening dilemmas.<br />
Another way of looking at<br />
the oddly paradoxical problem<br />
of public safety toxicity<br />
is through the lens of excessive<br />
force. The application of<br />
130 The BLUES
excessive, unnecessary, or<br />
improper use of force against<br />
the public is rightly one of<br />
law enforcement’s pivotal<br />
issues. Yet, far too many<br />
officers are experiencing<br />
unnecessary, unreasonable,<br />
and repugnant psychological<br />
force heaped upon them by<br />
their own bosses. Why are<br />
toxic bosses allowed to get<br />
away with applying indecent<br />
prerogative to their organization’s<br />
most valuable assets?<br />
Agencies with high turnover<br />
and low morale have<br />
a plethora of incompetent<br />
toxic authority figures. The<br />
most valuable weapons<br />
against management tyranny;<br />
knowledge, courage, and<br />
righteousness, will help to<br />
marginalize the enemy within<br />
and mitigate the toxicity.<br />
Those best able to accurately<br />
identify the toxic threats,<br />
understand their impact, and<br />
implement effective survival<br />
techniques are those most<br />
likely to persevere and prosper.<br />
The goal of Toxic Boss<br />
<strong>Blues</strong> is to keep law enforcement<br />
employees healthy by<br />
identifying and neutralizing<br />
the deadly management viruses<br />
that combine to form<br />
the killer from within.<br />
Toxic Boss <strong>Blues</strong> can be<br />
purchased at ToxicBoss-<br />
<strong>Blues</strong>.com, Amazon.com, and<br />
Barnesand<strong>No</strong>ble.com.<br />
The BLUES 131
NOT SO BRIGHT AWARD<br />
Light Bulb Award<br />
yrs.<br />
THE UN-HONORABLE<br />
Harris County Judge DaSean Jones<br />
First off Judge Jones, you need<br />
to wipe that smug-ass expression<br />
off your face as if you’re some bad<br />
ass judge that takes no shit and<br />
puts bad guys away. You are worse<br />
than those bad guys. Your record<br />
speaks for itself. Your actions have<br />
resulted in thousands of innocent<br />
citizens being victimized repeatedly<br />
by thugs you let out on low bonds,<br />
PR bonds, and probation. You have<br />
NO moral compass. I think you<br />
could care less that your actions on<br />
the bench end up hurting the very<br />
people that elected you in the first<br />
place.<br />
The Harris County Deputies’ Organization<br />
is calling for you to resign<br />
after a criminal you released on<br />
bail, shot multiple law enforcement<br />
officers and ultimately caused the<br />
destruction of home in Humble.<br />
Last week, a Harris County deputy<br />
was shot while conducting a<br />
traffic stop by a man who has had<br />
multiple felony convictions. Terran<br />
Green, a convicted felon, shot at the<br />
officer before fleeing and shooting<br />
two U.S. Marshals and another deputy.<br />
He then barricaded himself in<br />
a home before eventually agreeing<br />
to surrender following an extended<br />
standoff.<br />
Green’s previous felony convictions<br />
include aggravated assault<br />
with a deadly weapon and two<br />
counts of possession with intent to<br />
distribute a controlled substance.<br />
For his convictions, he was sentenced<br />
to 10 years in prison in 2011<br />
132 The BLUES<br />
and two years in<br />
2017. After being<br />
released from jail,<br />
he continued to<br />
have run-ins with<br />
the law, leading<br />
to multiple warrants<br />
being issued<br />
for his arrest in<br />
March and placing<br />
him on the list of<br />
the Texas 10 Most<br />
Wanted Fugitives<br />
compiled by the<br />
Texas Department<br />
of Public Safety.<br />
The judge we speak of, is Harris<br />
County Judge DaSean Jones, who<br />
presides over Texas’ 180th District<br />
Court. Jones allowed Green to be<br />
released on a low $55,000 bond<br />
earlier this year. As a result, Green<br />
was allowed back on the streets<br />
and failed to follow bond conditions<br />
and appear in court. Following<br />
Green’s recent arrest, the Harris<br />
County Deputies’ Organization is<br />
calling for Judge Jones to resign<br />
or be removed, citing his failure in<br />
allowing Green to roam free.<br />
“Judge DaSean Jones has a documented<br />
history of giving PR Bonds<br />
and low bonds to habitual, violent<br />
offenders. This isn’t the first instance<br />
where his low bonds have put law<br />
enforcement in danger,” David<br />
Cuevas, the president of HCDO told<br />
Texas Scorecard. “Community safety<br />
matters. The defendant’s criminal<br />
history matters. <strong>No</strong>ne of these are<br />
things Judge DaSean Jones considers<br />
or cares about. He is unfit<br />
to be on the bench and he should<br />
resign or be removed.”<br />
Green is currently charged with<br />
four counts of attempted capital<br />
murder of a police officer. Out of<br />
the four officers shot, only one<br />
was severely injured.<br />
Judge Jones has not responded<br />
to a request for comment,<br />
nor did we expect him too. To<br />
the citizens of Harris County<br />
that elected this clown to office,<br />
you might want to consider<br />
your voting options in the future.<br />
Unless of course you like the fact<br />
that judges let people like Terran<br />
Green out on bound to shoot<br />
people and rain terror down on<br />
your neighborhoods. Elections<br />
have consequences and Jones is a<br />
perfect example of who NOT TO<br />
ELECT in the next election.
CHICAGO<br />
THE<br />
MAYOR,<br />
UN-HONORABLE<br />
STILL A MORON<br />
WORTHLESS JUDGE<br />
WORTHLESS CROOK<br />
CROOK ON A ROOK<br />
THE ROOK<br />
THE LANDLORD “HOLY SHIT”<br />
The BLUES 133
ADS BACK IN THE DAY<br />
134 The BLUES<br />
134 The BLUES
The BLUES 135<br />
The BLUES 135
ADS BACK IN THE DAY<br />
136 The BLUES
The BLUES 137<br />
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THERE ARE<br />
parting shots...<br />
138 The BLUES
NO WORDS<br />
yrs.<br />
... pardon our humor<br />
The BLUES 1<strong>39</strong>
140 The BLUES<br />
140 The BLUES
yrs.<br />
POLICE SUPPLIES<br />
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Starting in 2003, Cop Stop Inc.<br />
Opened with a vision and goal to<br />
service first responders; “Our everyday<br />
heroes.” Catering mainly to Police, Fire,<br />
Military and EMS, but also open to the<br />
public, Cop Stop offers a variety of<br />
products, gear and apparel. Open and<br />
operated by Rick Fernandez, a former<br />
officer of 10 years, he prides himself<br />
on maintaining the highest standards<br />
of customer service. Cop Stop understands<br />
its our customers who drive our<br />
success, and we strive to offer the best<br />
service to everyone who walks through<br />
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products at great low prices. With<br />
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you and come back. It’s that simple!”<br />
Rick Fernandez<br />
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The BLUES 141<br />
The BLUES 141
4807 KIRBY DRIVE • HOUSTON, TEXAS • 713-524-3801<br />
RIVER OAKS CHRYSLER, DODGE, JEEP & RAM<br />
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There is simply no better dealership<br />
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The sales team provide honest, no BS<br />
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Call Alan or Blake Helfman at 713-524-<br />
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Learn more at PlanetFord.com.<br />
E-BIKES<br />
Every community deals with contemporary<br />
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the Cardinal Tracking Suite of Public<br />
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With Cardinal Tracking, agencies gain<br />
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services that streamline management<br />
report generation, as well as prompt<br />
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BALLISTICS<br />
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Planet Ford has been redesigned from<br />
142 The BLUES<br />
142 The BLUES<br />
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INFORMATION<br />
SAN DIMAS, CA – As law enforcement<br />
agencies strive to enhance their capabilities<br />
and adapt to the evolving needs<br />
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unwavering focus on delivering unrivaled<br />
performance, tactical attributes,<br />
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Public Safety Software<br />
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enforcement agencies need ballistically<br />
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your agency likely utilizes an armored<br />
vehicle. Do you consider it to be ‘fast’<br />
and ‘maneuverable’? TC Burton offers<br />
the LD-1, which will change the face of<br />
law enforcement and security forever.<br />
The LD-1 is a patented, lightweight,<br />
ballistic armor kit for a single-rider ATV<br />
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integrated with NIJ III capable ballistic<br />
panels that can stop up to a 7.62x51mm<br />
round, which includes AR-15 and AK-47.<br />
It is the next generation of ballistically<br />
capable kits for vehicle protection;<br />
offering law enforcement protected maneuverability<br />
and speed in all outdoor<br />
terrain, but also including tight indoor<br />
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freight elevators and warehouses.<br />
To learn more, visit us at www.tcburton.com
yrs.<br />
POLICE SUPPLIES<br />
GUNS/AMMO<br />
Starting in 2003, Cop Stop Inc.<br />
Opened with a vision and goal to<br />
service first responders; “Our everyday<br />
heroes.” Catering mainly to Police,<br />
Fire, Military and EMS, but also open to<br />
the public, Cop Stop offers a variety of<br />
products, gear and apparel. Open and<br />
operated by Rick Fernandez, a former<br />
officer of 10 years, he prides himself<br />
on maintaining the highest standards<br />
of customer service. Cop Stop understands<br />
its our customers who drive<br />
our success, and we strive to offer the<br />
best service to everyone who walks<br />
through our doors. At Cop Stop we<br />
offer quality products at great low<br />
prices. With access to over hundreds<br />
of brands and products, and constantly<br />
adding more, we are confident we can<br />
fulfill your needs.<br />
“If you provide good service and<br />
a fair price, customers will talk<br />
about you and come back. It’s that<br />
simple!” Rick Fernandez<br />
Supporting Law<br />
Enforcement in<br />
TEXAS<br />
ProForce’s commitment to providing excellent customer<br />
service is a key element in the company’s success<br />
throughout the western United States. As a relative newcomer<br />
in the state of TEXAS ProForce has been welcomed with open<br />
arms by the law enforcement community.<br />
ProForce’s relationships with top industry manufacturers<br />
and vendors, as well as their sales volume, allows them<br />
to negotiate better pricing to meet the budgetary needs<br />
of law enforcement agencies. While some vendors may<br />
not always have product availability in a timely manner.<br />
ProForce’s industry relationships and direct contact through<br />
vendor representatives, the sales team is able to suggest<br />
and provide alternatives to meet specific requirements of<br />
agencies, ensuring that the agency’s needs are always met.<br />
“<br />
Working with PROFORCE through the<br />
bidding and purchasing of the M&P 2.0’s was<br />
very easy and simple. We added the ACRO red<br />
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purchase was simple and easy.<br />
The troops love the improvement to the 2.0<br />
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“<br />
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CENTRAL POLICE SUPPLY is<br />
located at 1410 Washington Ave, near<br />
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purchase everything you need online<br />
at: https://www.centralpolice.com/<br />
Inset: Dan Rooney ProForce President<br />
The company features an excellent selection of high demand<br />
law enforcement firearms, equipment and accessories from<br />
great manufacturers such as:<br />
Axon/Taser, Aimpoint, Beretta, Colt, H&K, Bola Wrap,<br />
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Ruger, Streamlight, Safariland, Springfield, Blackhawk,<br />
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Nightstick, FNH USA and UTM.<br />
Proforce takes great pride in distributing high quality public<br />
safety products from top tier manufacturers and this<br />
transaction has set a trend for many other law enforcement<br />
agencies in the State of Texas.<br />
Agency demonstrations, test and evaluation<br />
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about trade-ins! We will buy your agency duty or<br />
confiscated firearms, any model and condition!<br />
First class customer support and quality service<br />
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Call (800) 367-5855<br />
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CENTRAL POLICE SUPPLY is<br />
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with the equipment they need.”<br />
CENTRAL POLICE SUPPLY has been<br />
serving Houston law enforcement for<br />
nearly 50 years with the absolute best<br />
The BLUES 143
LEARN MORE<br />
ATR<br />
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144 The BLUES<br />
144 The BLUES
yrs.<br />
ALL FIRST RESPONDERS & VETERANS<br />
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CLICK HERE FOR WEBSITE<br />
The BLUES 145<br />
The BLUES 145
NOW HIRING<br />
LE job positions<br />
yrs.<br />
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146 The BLUES
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The BLUES 147
STATEWIDE VACANCIES FOR JAILERS<br />
Victoria County Sheriff's Office Get Info Detention Officer 09/03/2023 - 5pm<br />
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Anderson County Sheriff's Office Get Info County Jailer - Sergeant 10/29/2023 - 5pm<br />
Anderson County Sheriff's Office Get Info County Jailer 10/29/2023 - 5pm<br />
STATEWIDE VACANCIES TELECOMMUNICATION OPERATOR<br />
Rusk Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Telecommunicator 09/05/2023 - 5pm<br />
Harris County Sheriffs Office Get Info Communications Officer 09/04/2023 - 5pm<br />
City of Austin Get Info Emergency Communications Manager 09/05/2023 - 5pm<br />
City of Katy Police Department Get Info Telecommunicator 09/09/2023 - 5pm<br />
Colorado City Police Dept. Get Info Telecommunicator 09/01/2023 - 5pm<br />
Manvel Police Department Get Info Telecommunications Operator 09/10/2023 - 5pm<br />
Flower Mound Police Dept. Get Info Communications Officer 09/15/2023 - 5pm<br />
<strong>No</strong>rth Richland Hills Police Department Get Info Dispatcher Manager / Supervisor 09/19/2023 - 5pm<br />
Corsicana Police Department Get Info Telecommunicator 09/18/2023 - 4pm<br />
Tarrant County Sheriffs Office Get Info Dispatch 09/30/2023 - 5pm<br />
Richardson Police Department Get Info Telecommunicator 10/08/2023 - 5pm<br />
Crowley Police Department Get Info Telecommunicator 10/16/2023 - 5pm<br />
Alabama-Coushatta Tribe Police Dept. Get Info Telecommunicator 11/30/2023 - 5pm<br />
Williamson County Emergency Communications Get Info Telecommunications Officer 09/27/2023 - 5pm<br />
Guadalupe County Sheriff's Office Get Info Dispatch 10/23/2023 - 5pm<br />
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JOIN OUR TEAM!<br />
ARANSAS PASS POLICE DEPARTMENT<br />
IS HIRING FOR<br />
TCOLE CERTIFIED POLICE OFFICERS<br />
The Aransas Pass Police Department is a progressive agency, employing some of the sharpest<br />
minds and equipping them with some of the best technology available. We continue to seek<br />
applications from those desiring to become part of our law enforcement family.<br />
Making a positive dierence in our community is what APPD is all about! Are you in?<br />
Opportunities<br />
Bike Patrol<br />
Crisis Intervention Team<br />
DEA Task Force<br />
Field Training Officer<br />
Gang/Narcotics Investigations<br />
Criminal Investigations Div.<br />
Marine Patrol & Dive Team<br />
Mental Health Officers<br />
School Resource Officer<br />
TCOLE Training Instructor<br />
Salary<br />
Annual Salary:<br />
$44,200.00 Base<br />
$6,600 Retention Stipend<br />
Hourly Incentives:<br />
$1.50 Max for College Degree<br />
$0.50 Per TCOLE License Step<br />
$0.50 Bi-Lingual<br />
$0.50 Special Assignment<br />
Benefits<br />
Paid Bereavement Leave<br />
Cell Phone<br />
Holiday Pay/Leave<br />
Longevity Pay<br />
Paid Personal Leave<br />
Sick Leave<br />
TMRS Retirement (2:1 at 6%)<br />
Tuition Reimbursement<br />
Vacation Leave<br />
Weapon Purchase Program<br />
Point of contact: Administrative Captain Troy Poe (361) 758-5224 ext. 2421 or tpoe@aptx.gov<br />
For an application or more information visit: police.aptx.gov/jobs<br />
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The City of Aransas Pass is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, or disability.
ALDINE ISD<br />
POLICE DEPARTMENT<br />
JOIN OUR TEAMAPPLY AT<br />
EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS<br />
• Sick Leave<br />
• Paid Vacation<br />
• Paid Holidays<br />
• Personal Days<br />
• Teacher Retirement System<br />
TCOLE CERTIFICATION INCENTIVE<br />
• Intermediate PO: $2,400<br />
• Advanced PO: $4,800<br />
• Master PO: $7,200<br />
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS<br />
• Must be 21 Years Of Age<br />
• Must Hold an Active Tcole Peace Officer License<br />
• Must Complete the Following:<br />
• Pass Physical Agility Test<br />
• Background Investigation<br />
• 152 Psychological The BLUES Evaluation<br />
• Drug Screening<br />
ALDINEISD.ORG<br />
STARTING SALARY $55,000 WITH NO EXPERIENCE<br />
UP TO $85,000 DEPENDING ON EXPERIENCE<br />
ALDINE ISD PD OFFERS<br />
DEPARTMENT BENEFITS<br />
• Uniforms Provided, Including Duty Weapon<br />
• Department Provided Training<br />
• Starting Pay Depends on<br />
Qualifications / Experience<br />
• TCOLE Certification / Education Pay<br />
• Most Officers work Day Shift with Weekends Off<br />
(INCENTIVE PAY FOR DETECTIVES, K-9 HANDLERS, AND<br />
FIREARM INSTRUCTORS.)<br />
FOR MORE INFO CONTACT<br />
SGT. HALL AT 281.442.4923<br />
OR VISIT ALDINEISD.ORG<br />
SPECIALIZED DIVISIONS<br />
• Criminal Investigations<br />
• Emergency Response Team<br />
• Honor Guard<br />
• Gang Task Force<br />
• Community Outreach Division<br />
• K-9 Division<br />
• Firearm Instructor<br />
$1,000 SIGNING BONUS
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Welcome Aboard<br />
Alvin ISD Police Department<br />
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austin officers
austin dispatch<br />
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NOW<br />
HIRING<br />
BIG SPRING PD IS NOW HIRING POLICE OFFICERS<br />
• 100% PAID ACADEMY TRAINING FOR<br />
NON-CERTIFIED CADETS<br />
• EQUIPMENT AND UNIFORMS ARE PROVIDED<br />
INCLUDING TAKE HOME VEHICLES<br />
• TMRS RETIREMENT (2:1 CITY MATCH)<br />
• 100% EMPLOYEE MEDICAL AND LIFE<br />
INSURANCE PREMIUM PAID BY THE CITY<br />
• PAID VACATION AND HOLIDAYS<br />
• PAID SICK LEAVE<br />
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• LONGEVITY PAY FOR YEARS OF SERVICE<br />
• EMPLOYEE WELLNESS PROGRAM<br />
• PROGRESSIVE ANNUAL IN-SERVICE<br />
TRAINING AND EXTERNAL TRAINING<br />
OPPORTUNITIES.<br />
• OPPORTUNITIES FOR DIVERSE<br />
EXPERIENCE IN ASSIGNMENTS SUCH AS<br />
SWAT, NARCOTICS, TRAFFIC, AND CRIMINAL<br />
INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION<br />
• $1500 ACADEMY REIMBURSEMENT AND<br />
$2400 RELOCATION PAY FOR CERTIFIED<br />
OFFICERS<br />
$55,900 STARTING ANNUAL SALARY FOR CERTIFIED POLICE OFFICERS.<br />
ENTRY LEVEL TESTING ON AUGUST 1, 2023<br />
APPLICATION DEADLINE IS JULY 26, 2023<br />
APPLY NOW AT WWW.MYBIGSPRING.COM<br />
THE CITY OF BIG SPRING IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
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Montgomery County’s 3 rd Largest Law Enforcement Agency<br />
FULL-TIME POLICE OFFICER<br />
• $50,363 minimum starting salary<br />
• Certification pay:<br />
Int - $1,600, Adv - $2,400, Mstr - $3,700<br />
• Competitive insurance & benefits<br />
• Teacher Retirement System (TRS)<br />
• 20 paid leave days & 12 paid holidays<br />
Opportunity<br />
multiple divisions including<br />
Investigations, Patrol, and<br />
K-9 services<br />
Growth<br />
100+ annual training hours,<br />
promotion opportunities,<br />
Field Training Officer<br />
Balance<br />
overtime pay, comp time,<br />
most weekends off, prior LE<br />
experience pay<br />
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT<br />
HTTPS://POLICE.CONROEISD.NET/DEPARTMENT/ADMINISTRATION/EMPLOYMENT/<br />
166 The BLUESpolice.conroeisd.net<br />
CISDPolice<br />
@CISDPolice
October 15<br />
WATCH FOR NEW TEST DATES<br />
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Cuero Police Department<br />
<strong>No</strong>w Hiring for Patrol Officer Position<br />
Department Benefits<br />
14 Paid Holidays<br />
2 Weeks Paid Vacation<br />
Certification Pay<br />
100% Insurance Paid for Employees<br />
Retirement 2 to 1 match (20yr Retirement)<br />
FSA for Employees<br />
Longevity Pay<br />
Equipment & Uniforms Provided Including Duty Weapon w/ Red Dot Sight<br />
Take Home Vehicle Within Surrounding Counties<br />
10 Hour Work Shifts<br />
Membership Paid to Local Gym<br />
Department Provided Training<br />
Off-duty Security Opportunities<br />
Cell Phone Stipend<br />
Starting Pay Depends on Qualifications<br />
Requirements: Must be TCOLE Certified or currently enrolled in an accredited Police<br />
Academy and pass a background investigation.<br />
Email TCOLE Personal History Statement to sellis@cityofcuero.com<br />
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Paid academy up to<br />
$70,560<br />
Lateral pay up to<br />
$81,321.70<br />
Additional Pay<br />
Education Pay<br />
Bachelor's<br />
Intermediate Cert.<br />
Advanced Cert.<br />
Master Peace Officer<br />
Shift Differential<br />
FTO Pay<br />
Language Pay<br />
WE'RE<br />
HIRING<br />
300+ NEW OFFICERS<br />
$2,880/yr<br />
$3,600/yr<br />
$600/yr<br />
$4,800/yr<br />
$7,200/yr<br />
3.5%-6.5%<br />
$1,200/yr<br />
$1,800/yr<br />
Benefits<br />
Tuition Reimbursement<br />
Pension plan<br />
Compensation plan<br />
15 paid vacation days<br />
12 paid holidays<br />
15 days military leave<br />
Additional 6 weeks paid<br />
parental leave<br />
Health/ Vision/Dental/ Life<br />
Insurance<br />
21-44 YEARS OLD<br />
45 COLLEGE<br />
CREDIT HOURS<br />
MUST MEET ONE REQUIREMENT<br />
19.5-21 YEARS<br />
OLD<br />
60 COLLEGE<br />
CREDIT HOURS<br />
ACTIVE TCOLE<br />
LICENSE<br />
MUST HAVE VALID<br />
TEXAS PEACE<br />
OFFICER LICENSE<br />
3 YEARS<br />
ACTIVE MILITARY<br />
HONORABLE<br />
DISCHARGE<br />
dallaspolice.net/join-dpd 214-671-4409<br />
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Civilian positions available: (Apply at www.Dallascityhall.com)
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GALVESTON<br />
COUNTY<br />
SHERIFF’S OFFICE<br />
Seeking Individuals Who Are Interested in a Rewarding Career in Corrections<br />
Begin Your Career Today!<br />
GALVESTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE ESTABLISHMENT OF ELIGIBILITY<br />
Position: Corrections Deputy I<br />
Bureau/Division: Corrections/Jail<br />
Title/Rank: Corrections Deputy/Deputy I<br />
Reports to: Sergeant - Corrections<br />
Starting Salary: $51,250.00<br />
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES<br />
Maintains the security of the facility by conducting security checks, settling disputes, and performing cell searches and<br />
inspections; conducts outside perimeter checks.<br />
Preparation and proper completion in the documentation of inmate records.<br />
Issues inmate meals, clothing, linens, and personal items.<br />
Supervise inmate programs (recreational, legal, health care, visitation and religious services)<br />
Prepares reports on jail and inmate activities, enforce inmate handbook rules.<br />
Supervises inmates performing such assignments as cleaning and maintaining the jail facility and continuously observe<br />
locations and activities of inmates.<br />
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS<br />
• High School / GED Certificate and must be at least 18 years of age.<br />
• Must be a U.S. Citizen and resident of the contiguous United States for a period of time sufficient to conduct a<br />
background investigation.<br />
• Must be able to work days, nights, weekends, holidays and mandatory shifts when needed.<br />
• Must be able to work during natural disasters and or under declarations.<br />
• Must possess a valid Texas driver's license and an acceptable driving record as determined by the Galveston County<br />
Sheriff's Office in effect at the time of application.<br />
• Must have favorable employment history. All information given regarding past employment will be thoroughly checked.<br />
• Must have a stable credit history.<br />
• Must possess good computer skills and demonstrate comprehensive reading and comprehension skills.<br />
• <strong>No</strong> conviction above a Class B Misdemeanor or a Class B misdemeanor within the last 10 years nor have been on or<br />
currently on court-ordered community supervision or probation for any criminal offense and no Family Violence<br />
convictions of any level.<br />
• Applicant must pass all phases of the required testing.<br />
• Must be eligible for licensing by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) for the position applied for, if not<br />
presently licensed.<br />
TO APPLY<br />
An applicant interested in any of GCSO position shall first download, complete and return<br />
the Application Packet, per the instructions on the downloadable form.<br />
The Application Packet can be found at SHERIFF.GALVESTONCOUNTYTX.GOV<br />
JOIN US<br />
VISIT SHERIFF.GALVESTONCOUNTYTX.GOV TO APPLY!<br />
The Galveston County Sheriff’s Office is an Equal Opportunity Employer<br />
CONTACT US<br />
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409.763.7585 : SO.EMPLOYMENT@GALVESTONCOUNTYTX.GOV
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Place your department’s recruiting ad<br />
in The BLUES for only $250 for an<br />
entire year, only $20 a month.<br />
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FOR A LIMITED<br />
TIME.<br />
The Harris County<br />
Precinct 4<br />
Constable’s Office is<br />
accepng<br />
LATERAL DEPUTIES<br />
The Harris County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office is searching for lateral<br />
transfer depues to be sworn in on September 14, <strong>2023.</strong><br />
Whether you have recently rered, looking for an opportunity to<br />
expand your current skill set or relocang to the Houston, Texas area,<br />
Constable Mark Herman would like to welcome you to our family.<br />
The physical and wrien test will be waived and up to 14 years of<br />
service will be credited for Lateral Transfer Depues.<br />
To Apply Contact<br />
Recruing at<br />
832-927-6229 or visit<br />
www.constablepct4.com<br />
STARTING SALARY up to $68,184.00<br />
Plus Thousands In Incenves Per Year<br />
Master Peace Officer $6,000.00<br />
Drug Recognion Expert $2,700.00<br />
Bachelor’s Degree $3,180.00<br />
Accident Reconstrucon $2,700.00<br />
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And many more
LATERAL DEPUTY<br />
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Welcome Aboard<br />
HARTLEY COUNTY SHERIFF<br />
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WE ARE<br />
HIRING!<br />
BENEFITS<br />
• Free basic Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance for<br />
employee<br />
• Free basic Life insurance<br />
• Long Term Disability (LTD)<br />
• Affordable Medical, Dental and Vision benefits for<br />
eligible family members<br />
• Flexible Spending Accounts<br />
• 10 paid holidays per year<br />
• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) including 10 vacation<br />
days and 13 sick days per year accrued biweekly<br />
• Paid Parental Leave<br />
RETIREMENT<br />
• Harris County matches your investment at 225%<br />
• 7% of your salary is invested pre-tax in your<br />
retirement account<br />
• Retirement Vesting after 8 years<br />
• Eligible upon earning 75 points (age+years of service)<br />
SALARY SCALE<br />
INCENTIVE PAY<br />
CLASSIFICATION SERVICE HOURLY ANNUAL<br />
DEPUTY I 0-47 $26.23 $54,558<br />
DEPUTY II 48-83 $28.07 $58,386<br />
DEPUTY III 84-119 $29.73 $61,838<br />
DEPUTY IV 120-155 $31.23 $64,958<br />
DEPUTY V 156+ $32.78 $68,182<br />
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TCOLE CERTIFICATION<br />
ANNUAL<br />
Intermediate $1,560<br />
Advanced $3,420<br />
Master $6,000<br />
EDUCATION<br />
ANNUAL<br />
Associate Degree $1,320<br />
Bachelor Degree $3,180<br />
Master/Doctorate $4,500<br />
Bilingual Pay $1,800<br />
Receive up to fourteen (14) years of credit for time served! (Restrictions apply)<br />
LATERAL DEPUTY<br />
REQUIREMENTS<br />
• Must be a licensed Peace Officer by the Texas Commission on Law<br />
Enforcement (TCOLE) in good standing<br />
• Must be currently employed as a Peace Officer (any break in service<br />
will be considered on a case-by-case basis)<br />
• Must have a minimum of 12 consecutive months experience as a<br />
Peace Office at any one agency<br />
• Must successfully pass the HCSO Physical Abilities Test (PAT)<br />
• Meet HCSO firearms qualification standard<br />
• Must pass a thorough background investigation (criminal<br />
background check, fingerprinting, personal interview, etc.) as<br />
required by TCOLE<br />
• Must pass a physical and psychological evaluation as required by<br />
TCOLE<br />
• Valid driver’s license and liability insurance (Texas by start date)<br />
• Eyesight must be correctable to 20/20, normal color, and peripheral<br />
vision<br />
• Correctable normal audible range in both ears<br />
• A two (2) year minimum commitment to Patrol before being eligible<br />
to transfer to other Bureaus<br />
TO APPLY<br />
SCAN THIS CODE<br />
For additional information contact<br />
Harris County Sheriff’s Office Recruitment Unit<br />
(713) 877-5250<br />
@HCSOTexas<br />
Harris County<br />
Sheriff’s Office<br />
HCSOTexas HCSOTexas @HCSOTexas
<strong>No</strong>w Hiring<br />
OFFICERS<br />
TCOLE Certified Peace Officers<br />
Hutto ranked one of the<br />
safest cities in Texas.<br />
Our fast-growing City shows a trending decrease in crimes based<br />
on four offenses from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting.<br />
Additional Pay<br />
+ Education Pay up to $175/month<br />
+ Specialty/Certication up to $260/month<br />
Highlights<br />
Top-of-the-line Equipment<br />
and Technology<br />
Beards and Tattoos Allowed<br />
<strong>No</strong> Written Test for Most Lateral Officers<br />
Benets<br />
Retirement<br />
2-to-1 City match with TMRS<br />
Take-home Patrol Car<br />
For officers living within 25 miles<br />
Starting Salary<br />
$62K to $81K<br />
Annual Leave Accruals<br />
12 paid holidays, 80 hrs vacation, 96 hrs sick leave<br />
Multiple Positions Available<br />
A wide variety of units and assignments available<br />
To learn more or apply, visit or scan<br />
https: //linktr. ee/huttopd<br />
Questions? Email: PDrecruiting@huttotx.gov<br />
Tenure agreement required.<br />
Sign On Bonus!<br />
$5,000*<br />
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THE KILLEEN POLICE DEPARTMENT<br />
IS NOW<br />
Hiring<br />
FOR THE POSITION OF<br />
Police Officer<br />
Online Applications<br />
will open:<br />
July 31, 2023<br />
Application Deadline:<br />
September 15, 2023<br />
Civil Service Exam will<br />
be:<br />
September 24, 2023<br />
To apply, go to:<br />
www.killeentexas.gov/16<br />
8/Job-Opportunities<br />
Wear The Badge,<br />
Make a Difference<br />
D<br />
b<br />
th<br />
a<br />
Officer De'Vonte Johnson<br />
Recruiter<br />
254-200-7987<br />
DJohnson@killeentexas.gov<br />
The Killeen Police Department is an<br />
190 The BLUES<br />
Equal Opportunity Employer
Starting pay - $57,889<br />
Paid: Vacation, Holiday & Sick Leave<br />
$15K Sign-on incentive for TCOLE<br />
certified Peace Officers<br />
College Degree pay incentive<br />
7% retirement plan through TMRS<br />
with a 2:1 match ratio<br />
Comprehensive Benefits Package<br />
Opportunity to work in various<br />
specialized units<br />
The Killeen Police<br />
epartment is dedicated to<br />
uilding a partnership with<br />
e community to fight crime<br />
nd improve every citizen's<br />
quality of life.<br />
Follow us at:<br />
KilleenPD<br />
KilleenPolice<br />
JoinKilleenPD<br />
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Visit www.KilleenPD.com for further details
L A P O R T E<br />
P O L I C E D E P A R T M E N T<br />
Lateral Police Officer<br />
Starting Pay $ 62,416. to $73,775.<br />
Effective October 1, 2022<br />
<strong>No</strong> prior experience required. High School diploma or GED required.<br />
Possession of Class C Texas Driver License.<br />
Must possess a TCOLE License or be enrolled in accredited Basic Peace Officer Academy.<br />
Certification Pay (bi-weekly):<br />
$46.15 - Intermediate Peace Officer<br />
$69.23 - Advanced Peace Officer<br />
$92.31 - Master Peace Officer<br />
Education Pay (bi-weekly):<br />
$46.15 - Associates Degree<br />
$69.23 - Bachelors Degree<br />
$92.31 - Masters Degree<br />
Employee Benefits:<br />
Medical / Dental / Vision Insurance<br />
Longevity Pay<br />
Tuition Reimbursement<br />
TMRS Retirement (2 to 1 match)<br />
ICMA Deferred Compensation/Roth IRA<br />
$1,000 Physical Fitness Program<br />
Weapon Purchase Program<br />
Take-home Vehicles<br />
Specialized Divisions:<br />
SWAT / Bomb Squad<br />
Bike Patrol<br />
Criminal Investigative Division<br />
Crime Scene Unit<br />
Drone Pilots<br />
School Resource Officers<br />
Traffic/DOT Officers<br />
Police Area Representatives<br />
Apply online at<br />
www.laportetx.gov/jobs<br />
Paid Leave Benefits<br />
15 days vacation (Civil Service)<br />
15 days sick leave<br />
Military Leave<br />
9 observed holidays per year<br />
2 employee holidays per year<br />
Bereavement Leave<br />
Comp Time<br />
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194 The BLUES
LEWISVILL<br />
E<br />
Benefits and Additional Pay:<br />
• $2500 Sign - On Bonus<br />
• Lateral Entry Program<br />
• Take - Home Vehicle<br />
$77,314 - $97,679<br />
• Cross Fit G ym<br />
• 24 /7 Private Indoor/Outdoor Range<br />
• Load Bearing Vests<br />
• Tattoos and Beards<br />
• Tuition Reimbursement<br />
• 20 Year TMRS Retirement 7% , 2:1 match<br />
• 457 Deferred Compensation p lan with 3.76% city match<br />
• 3 Weeks Paid Vacation<br />
• 15 Days Paid Sick Leave<br />
• 9 Paid Holidays<br />
• Field Training Officer<br />
• Bilingual<br />
• Longevity<br />
• Education /Certification<br />
GET PAID FOR YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A CERTIFIED OFFICER<br />
• 1 YEAR $83,566<br />
• 2 YEARS $86,877<br />
• 3 YEARS $90,373<br />
• 4 YEARS $93,677<br />
• 5 YEARS $97,679<br />
Specialized Units :<br />
• SWAT<br />
• Street Crimes<br />
• K - 9<br />
• Narcotics<br />
• UAS Drone<br />
• Bicycle Patrol<br />
• Criminal In vestigations<br />
• Traffic<br />
• DWI<br />
• Commercial Vehicle Enforcement<br />
• Training<br />
• School Resource Officer<br />
• Neighborhood Resource Officer<br />
• Co - Care Crisis Team<br />
www .PROTECTLEWISVILLE. com<br />
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WE’RE HIRING<br />
Join our team and receive:<br />
• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance<br />
• Paid vacation, employee days, well days,<br />
sick days and holidays<br />
• Competitive pay (including bilingual pay incentive)<br />
AND MUCH MORE!<br />
APPLY NOW<br />
Scan here or visit<br />
RideMETRO.org/Careers<br />
Call 713-7<strong>39</strong>-4953 or email JoinMPD@RideMETRO.org<br />
for additional information.<br />
METRO I S AN EQU A L O PPOR TUNIT Y E M P L O YER.<br />
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LONGVIEW POLICE DEPARTMENT<br />
JOIN OUR<br />
TEAM<br />
2-TIER HIRING<br />
INCENTIVE<br />
STARTING SALARY<br />
$60,085<br />
$3,000<br />
Insurance<br />
120 Hours Vacation<br />
11 Paid Holidays<br />
80 Hours Sick Leave<br />
20-Year Retirement Plan<br />
2/1 City Match TMRS<br />
198 The BLUES<br />
Beards & Tattoos Allowed<br />
Academy Pay<br />
Equipment Provided<br />
Excellent Training Provided<br />
Speciality/Cerification Pay<br />
Community Support<br />
Plentiful Outdoor Activities
$65,709-$67,685<br />
Based on Population and Experience<br />
25 YEAR STEP PLAN<br />
$60,085 - $84,308<br />
STEP INTO YOUR FUTURE<br />
NEW POLICE STATION<br />
COMING 2023<br />
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MEMORIAL VILLAGES POLICE DEPARTMENT<br />
Serving the Villages of Bunker Hill, Piney Point and Hunters Creek<br />
POLICE OFFICER<br />
The Memorial Villages Police Department is currently looking for experienced officers who are<br />
self-motivated, innovative, enthusiastic and love working for a community that supports them.<br />
5+ Years Patrol Experience Required<br />
Hiring Bonus $1,500<br />
Night Shift Differential $3,600<br />
E.C.A $1300<br />
Bi-lingual Pay<br />
Education Pay<br />
Intermediate, Advanced, Master<br />
Peace Officer Certification Pay<br />
Healthcare, Dental and Vision Insurance<br />
100% paid for employee, 75% for<br />
spouse/dependents.<br />
Paid long-term disability and Life Insurance<br />
for employee, additional life insurance<br />
available for spouse/dependents.<br />
Health Savings Account with Department<br />
contributions up to $4,200 annually.<br />
TMRS Retirement 7% w/ 2:1 match (20 yr).<br />
457 Deferred Compensation Plan with<br />
employer contribution of 2.5% of annual<br />
salary.<br />
Tuition Reimbursement<br />
Longevity Pay up to a max of $2,400<br />
annually at 10 years of service.<br />
12 Hour shifts with every other Friday,<br />
Starting at $83,459 up to $94,164<br />
Scan for more<br />
information<br />
W W W . M V P D T X . O R G<br />
11981 Memorial Drive – Houston, Tx 77024<br />
713.365.3700<br />
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____________________________________________________________________________
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MAKE A<br />
DIFFERENCE<br />
IN YOUR<br />
COMMUNITY<br />
We are looking for outstanding individuals to<br />
join our team! As a Pearland Police Officer your<br />
mission will be to prevent crime and disorder, build<br />
partnerships within the community, and positively<br />
impact the quality of life for all our residents.<br />
CITY OF PEARLAND, TEXAS<br />
• Competitive Salary • Outstanding Training<br />
• Career Advancement • Exceptional Benefits<br />
The City of Pearland is one of the fastest growing<br />
communities within the region. Pearland is located<br />
approximately 20 minutes south of Downtown Houston<br />
and the current population is approximately 130,000<br />
residents.<br />
JOIN OUR TEAM<br />
HIRING POLICE OFFICERS AND CADETS<br />
$5,000 Hiring Incentive for T.C.O.L.E Certified Police<br />
Officers who qualify with at least 2 years of experience.<br />
TEST DATE:<br />
SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 8:30 A.M.<br />
Register by: April 12.<br />
WATCH FOR UPCOMING<br />
Pearland Recreation Center & Natatorium<br />
4141 Bailey TEST Road, DATES Pearland, TX IN 77584. 2022<br />
Doors Open: 7:15 a.m. <strong>No</strong> admittance after 7:45 a.m.<br />
Candidates must park in the north parking lot.<br />
SOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES WILL APPLY<br />
• Attendance limited to first 150 arrivals<br />
• Mandatory temperature checks<br />
• Masks required, hand sanitizer available<br />
• Candidates seated 6 feet apart<br />
For additional information and to register for an upcoming Civil Service Exam, The BLUES visit 205<br />
pearlandtx.gov/PDCareers
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Welcome Aboard<br />
Pflugerville ISD Police Department<br />
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PORT HOUSTON<br />
POLICE DEPARTMENT<br />
WE ARE<br />
HIRING<br />
SIGN UP TODAY! www.porthouston.com/career<br />
Are you looking for a career with meaning?<br />
Do you want to make a difference in a highly<br />
supportive community?<br />
Join our team at Port Houston!<br />
STARTING PAY*<br />
$60,000 up to $71,000<br />
* Salary depends on experience<br />
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REQUIREMENTS<br />
• Must be 21 years old<br />
• Must have 2+ years of police officer<br />
experience<br />
• Must have valid Texas Driver’s License<br />
• Must be a U.S. Citizen<br />
• Must have an honorable discharge<br />
from the military (if applicable)<br />
• Must never have been convicted of a<br />
Class A Misdemeanor or above<br />
• <strong>No</strong>t been convicted of a Class B<br />
misdemeanor within the last 10 years<br />
• Must have a GED or high school diploma
s-2<br />
BENEFITS:<br />
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance<br />
eligible first day of employment<br />
• Wellness Program<br />
(can earn up to $600 credit per year if requirements met)<br />
• Enrollment with Calm App for Wellbeing<br />
• Defined contribution plan (401a)<br />
– Employer Sponsored<br />
• Deferred Compensation Plan (457 Plan)<br />
– Employee Contributions<br />
• Vacation<br />
• Sick Leave<br />
• Paid Holiday 12 days/year<br />
• Life and Accidental Death and<br />
Dismemberment Insurance<br />
• Short Term and Long-Term Disability Benefits<br />
• Flexible spending account (FSA)<br />
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)<br />
• Pet Insurance<br />
• Legal and Identity Theft Protection<br />
• Tuition Reimbursement<br />
Up to the IRS annual limit and a maximum lifetime<br />
reimbursement of $25,000<br />
• Onsite Credit Union – Port of Houston Credit Union<br />
EMPLOYMENT<br />
TESTING<br />
Employment is contingent on passing<br />
any post-offer pre-employment<br />
screening as listed below:<br />
• Criminal background check<br />
• Motor Vehicle Record check<br />
• Drug screening<br />
• Physical exam<br />
• Psychological exam<br />
• Additional as required<br />
SCAN<br />
QR CODE<br />
TO APPLY<br />
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Provide Exceptional<br />
Service to All!<br />
CONTACT<br />
US NOW<br />
972-412-6240<br />
Welcome Aboard<br />
Rowlett Police Department<br />
NOW HIRING<br />
kharrelson@rowlett.com<br />
4401 Rowlett Rd.,<br />
Rowlett, TX 75088<br />
Accepting Lateral<br />
Police Officers.<br />
Get paid for your<br />
experience!<br />
CURRENT SALARY<br />
Starting salary is $65,554<br />
Top Out Police Officer salary is $90,861<br />
Lateral Transfer - May be eligible for a starting<br />
salary of up to $75,221<br />
UNITS/ DIVISIONS<br />
Containment Team<br />
SWAT<br />
Bike Unit<br />
Community Services<br />
School Resource Officer<br />
Field Training Officer<br />
Criminal Investigations Division<br />
Traffic<br />
Crisis Assistance Team<br />
Crisis Negotiation Team<br />
BENEFITS<br />
TMRS Pension 7/14<br />
Medical Insurance<br />
Dental Insurance<br />
Vision Insurance<br />
10 paid vacation days during<br />
first year & 10 Paid Holidays<br />
Paid Sick<br />
Beards and tattoos are<br />
authorized<br />
Longevity Pay<br />
Long Term Disability<br />
Life Insurance<br />
Dry cleaning<br />
Three department issued<br />
firearms<br />
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SEGUIN PD IS<br />
NOW<br />
ORDER - UNDERSTANDING - RESPECT<br />
HIRING<br />
POLICE OFFICERS<br />
UP TO $3,000 SIGN ON BONUS<br />
INCENTIVE PAY FOR TCOLE<br />
CERTIFICATION, BILINGUAL SPEAKERS, &<br />
EDUCATIONAL PAY<br />
WELLNESS PROGRAM PROVIDING ON-DUTY<br />
TIME FOR FITNESS AND FITNESS REWARD<br />
LEAVE<br />
POLICE CADETS CAN APPLY AFTER START<br />
OF ACADEMY, AND BEGIN RECEIVING<br />
CADET PAY OF $52,350<br />
EQUIPMENT AND UNIFORMS ARE PROVIDED<br />
INCLUDING TAKE HOME VEHICLES, HANDGUN<br />
WITH RED DOT SIGHT & SUPPRESSED PATROL<br />
RIFLE<br />
TMRS RETIREMENT (2:1 CITY MATCH)<br />
100% EMPLOYEE MEDICAL/DENTAL PREMIUM<br />
COVERED BY CITY<br />
PROGRESSIVE IN-SERVICE AND EXTERNAL<br />
TRAINING EXCEEDING NATIONAL TRAINING<br />
AVERAGES<br />
STARTING PAY AT $63,784<br />
ELIGIBLE FOR ANNUAL STEP RAISES<br />
OPPORTUNITIES FOR DIVERSE EXPERIENCE IN<br />
SPECIALIZED UNITS AND ASSIGNMENTS SUCH<br />
AS SWAT, K9, NARCOTICS, SPECIAL CRIMES,<br />
MENTAL HEALTH, TRAFFIC, AND CRIMINAL<br />
INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION<br />
$ 6 7 , 0 1 3 L A T E R A L S A L A R Y<br />
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APPLY NOW AT: WWW.APPLITRACK.COM/SEGUINTEXAS/ONLINEAPP<br />
T H E C I T Y O F S E G U I N I S A N E Q U A L O P P O R T U N I T Y E M P L O Y E R
SPRING BRANCH ISD POLICE DEPARTMENT<br />
WE’RE<br />
HIRING<br />
DEPARTMENT<br />
HIGHLIGHTS<br />
55 officer department<br />
44 square mile district<br />
47 schools<br />
35,000 population<br />
24/7 Patrol<br />
We want you to preserve, protect, and defend our future.<br />
Starting Pay $63,000 (TCOLE Basic Peace Officer certification with no experience)<br />
Patrol & Onsite Officers (HS/MS)<br />
Gang Officer<br />
Mental Health Officers<br />
Community Relations Officer<br />
Emergency Management<br />
Criminal Investigations<br />
K-9 programs<br />
Language pay<br />
Shift differential pay<br />
Intermediate, Advanced and<br />
Master Peace Officer<br />
certificate pay<br />
Paid time off<br />
Ample overtime opportunities<br />
*All equipment provided including duty weapon<br />
**Training opportunities available<br />
Apply online today. springbranchisd.com/join-our-team<br />
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We are hiring<br />
Police<br />
Officers<br />
now.<br />
Join the Waco ISD<br />
Police Department team!<br />
Pay Grade: 310<br />
Days: 207 and 226<br />
Salary: $42,228 to $55,542*<br />
*Depending on workday calendar<br />
and years of experience.<br />
Sign-on Bonus: $5,000<br />
Qualifications:<br />
Education/Certification:<br />
• High School Diploma or GED<br />
• Texas Peace Officer License issued by TCOLE<br />
• Current valid Texas class “C” drivers license<br />
To learn more or<br />
apply, please visit<br />
Wacoisd.org/apply<br />
Waco ISD Police Department<br />
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Welcome Aboard<br />
WACO Police Department<br />
We are hiring<br />
Police<br />
Officers<br />
now.<br />
Join the Waco ISD<br />
Police Department team!<br />
Pay Grade: 310<br />
Days: 207 and 226<br />
Salary: $42,228 to $55,542*<br />
*Depending on workday calendar<br />
and years of experience.<br />
Sign-on Bonus: $5,000<br />
Qualifications:<br />
Education/Certification:<br />
• High School Diploma or GED<br />
• Texas Peace Officer License issued by TCOLE<br />
• Current valid Texas class “C” drivers license<br />
To learn more or<br />
apply, please visit<br />
Wacoisd.org/apply<br />
Waco ISD Police Department<br />
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HUNTER BIDEN