Oct 2023. Blues Vol 39 No. 10

The BLUES 1

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>> PRODUCTS & SERVICES

VOL. 39 NO. 10 OCTOBER 2023 

FEATURES 

DEPARTMENTS 

74 The Story of Ray Simper 

& Central Police Supply, 

our first advertiser. 

80 Jacqueline Simper, CEO & 

President of Central PS. 

86 Cop Cars- Yesterday & 2024. 

122 Guide to TCOLE 2023 in Corpus. 

ON THE COVER 

Jacqueline Simper, President 

& CEO of Central Police Supply. 

PUBLISHER’S THOUGHTS 

EDITOR REX EVANS THOUGHTS 

COMING NEXT MONTH 

GUEST COMMENTARY - JOE GAMALDI 

GUEST COMMENTARY - DANIEL CARR 

GUEST COMMENTARY - PAULA FITZSIMMONS 

GUEST COMMENTARY - ALEX RAMON 

LETTERS FROM YOU 

NEWS AROUND THE US 

TEXAS ISD PD JOB LISTINGS 

CALENDAR OF EVENTS 

REMEMBERING OUR FALLEN HEROES 

WAR STORIES 

AFTERMATH 

HEALING OUR HEROES 

DARYL’S DELIBERATIONS 

RUNNING 4 HEROES 

BLUE MENTAL HEALTH DR. 

LIGHT BULB AWARD 

RUSTY BARRON’S OFF DUTY 

ADS BACK IN THE DAY 

PARTING SHOTS 

BUYERS GUIDE 

NOW HIRING 

BACK PAGE 

160 

06 

08 

12 

14 

16 

20 

22 

25 

26 

70 

140 

144 

152 

156 

160 

162 

164 

166 

168 

170 

174 

178 

180 

184 

254 

A BADGE OF HONOR 

152 156 

OFF DUTY with 

Rusty Barron 

170 

The BLUES 3

4 The BLUES

FOUNDER, PUBLISHER, EDITOR-N-CHIEF 

Michael Barron 

OUR TEAM 

OUR CONTRIBUTORS 

EDITOR-AT-LARGE 

Chief Rex Evans 

SENIOR EDITOR 

Dr. Tina Jaeckle 

CREATIVE EDITOR 

Jessica Jones 

COPY EDITOR 

Lt. John King (Ret) 

OUTDOOR EDITOR 

Rusty Barron 

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR 

Lt. Daryl Lott (Ret) 

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS 

Sam Horwitz & John Salerno 


Bill King 


Sgt. Joe Gamaldi 


Daniel Carr 


Brandon Karr 

WARSTORY 

5FRANK36 

AFTERMATH 

Lt. David Williams 

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS 

Paula Fitzsimmons 

Alex Ramon 

Sara Roebuck 

Ken Ritter 

Rio Yamat 

Anthony Gockowski 

Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D 

Ken Carlson 

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

op-eds, and editorials are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of The BLUES or its parent company. 

Rebuttals or submission of news articles and editorials may be submitted to: The BLUES @ bluespdmag@gmail.com. 

The entire contents of The BLUES IS copyrighted© and may not be reprinted without the express permission of the publisher. 

The BLUES 5

FROM THE PUBLISHER’S DESK 

How it all began. 

Last month, I promised we’d 

start celebrating The BLUES 40th 

Anniversary with the October Issue 

and by damn it’s October 2023 

already. This year has flown by 

and so has the past 40 years. 

It seems like only yesterday that 

a few deputies from the Harris 

County Sheriff’s Office asked me 

to consider writing a newsletter 

for the newly formed Harris County 

Deputies Union. The union was 

an alternative to the Harris County 

Deputies Association, which was 

pretty much a rubber stamp of 

what the current administration 

wanted it to be. 

Somehow, the conversation led 

to, “Hey Barron, you have a big 

mouth and no filter. You should 

write the newsletter for the 

Union.” After a few conversations 

with the Union, I decided if I was 

going to put my job on the line, I’d 

better make some money doing 

it. I had no publishing experience, 

but the idea of the County 

Blues came to me while watching 

the popular TV show “Hill Street 

Blues.” 

So, I called a meeting with some 

of the union reps and my good 

friend Nat Gutierrez to discuss 

how I could best serve the needs 

of the union, while creating an 

independent publication for myself. 

We all met at the Humble 

City Café in downtown Humble 

in November of 1984, just before 

Thanksgiving. 

Of course, everyone had their 

6 The BLUES 

idea of what the newspaper 

should be, but no one really volunteered 

to help with it. Nevertheless, 

a month later Nat and I met 

at the same Café, and I showed 

him a rough draft of the first issue. 

And when I say rough, it was 

ROUGH. But a week before Christmas, 

the first issue was ready. It 

was printed on plain old letter 

size paper and looked horrible. 

Sheriff Jack Heard had nothing 

but praises for it, but as it turned 

out, he liked it because incoming 

Sheriff Johnny Klevenhagen hated 

it. Not only did Klevenhagen hate 

it, but he also called me into his 

office a couple of years later and 

demanded I stop printing it…or 

else! My union attorney advised 

ole Johnny that my constitutional 

rights gave me every reason in 

the world to ignore his demands 

and keep right on poking the bear. 

Score a win for the Blues, not so 

much for Barron. I was immediately 

transferred to nights with, 

wait for it, Mondays, and Wednesdays 

off. As far as I know, I was 

the only employee in the history of 

the HCSO to ever have non-consecutive 

days off – on the nightshift. 

But my persistent attorney 

continued to plead my case and I 

eventually was given Mondays and 

Tuesdays off - for LIFE. 

As the newspaper’s circulation 

expanded to law enforcement 

offices all over the State, 

we eventually changed the name 

to The Blues Police Newspaper. 

SGT. MICHAEL BARRON RET 

It was about that time that I left 

Harris County and went to work 

for Sheriff Joe Max Taylor in Galveston. 

As my publishing and law 

enforcement careers expanded, I 

sold The Blues Police Newspaper 

to G.L “Buddy” Williams, a Houston 

cop who had been editor of 

both The Blues and HPD’s Badge 

& Gun. For the next 30 something 

years, Buddy did a magnificent job 

of keeping the tradition alive. 

Little did I know, that in August 

of 2018, Buddy wrote a parting 

editorial and pulled the pin on a 

tradition that had continued for 

some 34 years, setting a record for 

the largest and longest running 

independently operated Police 

Newspaper in the State of Texas, 

and that was that. The Blues had 

closed and gone peacefully into 

the night. 

The following year, a local TV 

station in Houston contacted me 

about running a story on the 35th 

Anniversary of The Blues. “Hey 

great” I said let me reach out to 

Buddy and let him know. It was 

then that I had discovered The 

Blues had closed, and Buddy had 

retired for good. Never wanting

to let a good thing go, I decided, 

what the hell, let’s do a modern 

version of what The Blues was 

famous for – entertaining Texas 

cops. That, my friends, is how the 

“rest of the story” begins. 

We reimagined the entire publication. 

Printing anything in the 21st 

century was out of the question 

and Digital was the future. Simply 

called The BLUES, we created a 

full-color digital magazine that 

would launch just before Christmas 

in 2019. Some 35 years after 

that first issue hit the streets in 

1984. 

We found a unique hosting site 

called YUMPU which was based 

out of Switzerland of all places. 

But the cool thing was, it converted 

the entire magazine to a 

true “digital” format which means 

every word in the magazine was 

searchable online. That first issue 

was only read by 2,893 people. 

As time went on, we attracted 

more and more FREE Subscribers 

and scored the National BOLO list. 

Before we knew it, we had over 

100,000 online readers and subscribers. 

In July of 2022, we created an 

International Site in the YUMPU 

Magazine World and joined the 

likes of Newsweek, Time, and 

People, all who hosted on the site. 

Almost immediately our readership 

jumped to over 250,000, then 

450,000, 750,000 and eventually 

settled at more than 1.4 million 

readers a month. That’s more 

readers in one month then we had 

in all of 2020. 

Today, I’m proud to say that The 

BLUES is the Largest Police Magazine 

in the World, both in terms of 

page count as well as circulation. 

And that is something to be damn 

proud of my friends. 

As I said when we started, to 

produce a great magazine, you 

must have a great team. It was 

Police Chief Rex Evans who convinced 

me creating an all-new 

BLUES was the right thing to do 

and as our Editor-at-Large, he 

has been instrumental in making 

The Blues the success it is today. 

Shortly after we began our 

little journey, I met Dr. Tina Jaeckle 

who was involved in crisis 

intervention with Florida Police 

Agencies, and her involvement 

since has truly made our magazine 

a world-class publication 

with her riveting interviews and 

feature stories. Tina is now our 

Senior Editor. 

And finally, what makes The 

BLUES the finest police mag on 

the planet is our monthly columnists 

that create entertaining 

and soul-searching content 

month after month. My brother 

Rusty Barron with his take on the 

outdoors and the retired life; Daryl 

Lott, a retired lieutenant from the 

Houston Police Department always 

teaching us a valuable history 

lesson; Sam Horwitz and John 

Salerno, former Secret Service 

Agent and retired NYPD Detective 

respectively, with their Badge of 

Honor Column; and finally, Brandon 

Karr who keeps us up-to-date 

on the latest Drone Technology. 

And the two most important 

people that make sure we don’t 

&$%# up our words and grammar, 

our Creative Editor Miss Jessica 

Jones and Lt. John King, a now 

retired pilot and lieutenant from 

HPD and a lifelong-best friend I’ve 

leaned on since the 4th grade. 

That’s it. A great magazine and 

a great team. We hope you enjoy 

this issue and hopefully another 

500 issues in the next 40 years. 

ENJOY and be safe out there. 

The BLUES 7

FROM THE EDITOR-AT-LARGE 

Making History. 

What once was the norm in our 

profession is mostly not the way 

it is today. Sure, we still answer 

calls, take reports, enforce traffic 

laws, arrest offenders, protect 

lives and property…Well, you get 

the idea. 

As a Chief in today’s world, you 

must be constantly thinking, analyzing, 

processing, evaluating, and 

trying new ideas about how you 

can create the most welcoming, 

supportive, and effective working 

environment for your employees. 

ALL your employees. 

Gone are the days of 6-foot tall, 

lean and mean male law enforcement 

agencies. Our profession has 

become a reflection of our communities. 

We have become diverse, 

accepting and more understanding 

than how we once were. 

I say all of this because I’m 

proud of the history our agency 

made on September 21, 2023. Our 

Day Watch on this particular day 

was an all-female team. Including 

the Service K-9 we have for 

helping people, specifically children 

who may need her for whatever 

emotional crisis they may be 

having. 

Each officer on duty that day, 

brings to the plate a diverse 

background. Experience in patrol, 

investigations, and crisis negotiations. 

All three are great individuals 

who know how to treat 

others with respect and often to 

get people to deescalate without 

a whole lot of trouble. 

As the Chief of the Tribal Police 

8 The BLUES 

Department, it was a privilege to 

witness this ‘first’ and one I’ll not 

soon forget. Nor will I ever take 

for granted the hard work these 

young women have provided for 

this great community. This moment 

was not taken lightly. They 

earned it. Hard work and Dedication 

to Duty. Dedication to their 

community and most important, 

dedication to one another. 

From my first appointment as 

Chief of Police in 2012, I strive to 

provide a fair and equitable opportunity 

for everyone who was 

willing to put in the work, do the 

job and act accordingly. I say that 

because I am keenly aware this 

has not always been the case in 

our profession. Believe me, I have 

run across a supervisor or two in 

my time who well, didn’t necessarily 

follow this doctrine. 

Now to be fair, I am NOT the 

“perfect” Police Chief. I honestly 

don’t believe there is such a 

person. However, I have along with 

Chiefs from all across this State 

and Country, have consistently 

tried hard to be the best Chief of 

Police I can be. Not for ourselves. 

But for those who are entrusted 

unto us. We have a solemn obligation 

to take care of the people 

who are taking care of our community. 

I have seen first-hand some 

who have implied this person or 

that person should not be a cop 

because of _______. I’m not 

inclined to follow this ideology. 

My only concern is when I look to 

CHIEF REX EVANS 

my left or my right, are you still 

standing right beside me or not? If 

you are, you are golden. 

I don’t care what you look like, 

what your social life is like, what 

religion you are or whatever other 

lame excuse people can find. I only 

care if you were a good person 

and a good cop. Do you genuinely 

care about the job and the people 

around you. 

Finally, while this was a historic 

day for us, I am not lost in the fact 

that we still have much to improve 

upon. There is always more to do, 

more to try and more to learn. It is 

important to our profession that 

we continue to evolve and reflect 

that which our community / communities 

demand of us. 

This is not always easy, but it 

is the cycle of our profession. 

Get better. Do better. Or get out. 

Today, thanks in no small part to 

three amazing human beings who 

just happen to be female Police 

Officers, we did a little be better 

and we are consistently getting 

better. A fact that I am humbly, 

very proud of. 

God Bless and be safe out there.

LE AGENCIES 

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The BLUES 9

10 The BLUES

The BLUES 11

ON THE COVER: 

Alan Helfman, The BLUES longest running sponsor. 

Alan Helfman is the human version of the Energizer 

Bunny. He goes and goes, nonstop 24/7. If 

he isn’t making the absolute best deal on new car 

for a First Responder, he is organizing another 

fundraiser for one of them. Helfman has raised 

millions and millions of dollars for injured officers, 

and officers killed in the line of duty. The 

BLUES and The Houston Police Department both 

honored him with Lifetime Achievement Awards. 

He’s earned the title Mr. Philantrophy and he’s 

seen here with Memorial Hermann President 

David Callender thanking him for donating to the 

Children’s Memorial Hospital. Next month, we’ll 

look back at his 40 years of support to The BLUES 

Magazine. 

FEATURE: 

Rick Fernandez, former Pearland Officer celebrates 

20 years in business @ Cop Stop. 

Twenty Years ago, Rick Fernandez, a Pearland Cop, had 

a vision of opening a business in a city that he grew up in 

and one that he once patrolled as one of its officers. That 

business, Cop Stop, opened in 2003 in a fraction of the 

space it currently occupies today. 

“Cop Stop started out as a vision. I put my thoughts on 

paper. I didn’t have the money to open a storefront at the 

time until one day, my grandfather told me, ‘Just do it!’ and 

loaned me the money I needed! I was standing there in the 

living room and my ideas went from a vision to reality in an 

instant! My mother retired early so she could help work the 

counter. This has been truly a family affair,” Fernandez said. 

In November, our editor Tina Jaeckle will go behind the 

scenes of this fledging business and witness first-hand 

what determination and a truly great team of folks can 

accomplish. 

12 

12 

The 

The 

BLUES 

BLUES

COMING IN NOVEMBER 

The BLUES 13 

The BLUES 13

GUEST COMENTARY 

Joe Gamaldi 

BLM Going Belly Up 

14 The BLUES 

A recent article published 

by Fox News highlighted the 

epic free fall of Black Lives 

Matter. The article laid out in 

detail how the donations to 

Black Lives Matter are down 

88% in 2023. This news comes 

on the heels of a recent Pew 

Research poll, which stated 

only 8% of people believe that 

Black Lives Matter has been 

effective in making the lives of 

Black Americans better. The 

crime numbers support the 

polling data in jaw dropping 

fashion. During the height of 

their fundraising, and supporting 

far left, woke ideology, 

including the revolving door 

criminal justice system, the 

homicide rate for black men 

has skyrocketed to 12 times 

the homicide rate of everyone 

else. You read that right, 

12 times the homicide rate! So 

where did all the money they 

raised during the height of the 

2020 riots go??? 

Well, it doesn’t take a detective 

to do a Google search and 

find the goods. There are articles 

upon articles highlighting 

the building of real estate 

empires, lavish purchases, six 

figure salaries for friends and 

families, IRS filings gone awry, 

the list goes on and on. I encourage 

you to take a look because 

there are just too many 

articles to include here. The 

truth is Black Lives Matter is a 

bunch of charlatans and one 

of the greatest scams perpetuated 

on the American people. 

They raised money under the 

guise of helping Black Americans 

but yet can’t provide any 

proof, or statistical data, of 

making black American’s lives 

better. 

Truth be told there were not 

many groups who called them 

out on the fact that they only 

made loud arguments about 

police officers and our profession, 

NOT factual ones. But I 

am proud to say the Fraternal 

Order of Police did. The FOP 

participated in numerous national 

interviews on this topic, 

podcasts, we did social media 

posts across all platforms, and 

a host of other content calling 

them out for their harmful, 

hateful, and threatening rhetoric. 

We called them out for 

the damage they have done to 

our profession, our communities, 

and our country. We 

continued to talk about it, and 

others took notice. Outlets began 

running more stories on 

the topics of where the money 

was going and whether this 

JOE GAMALDI, NATIONAL FOP 

VICE PRESIDENT 

organization had done anything 

positive at all. 

When you combine all the 

negative attention that Black 

Lives Matter received, it is isn’t 

difficult to look at the numbers 

I cited above, to show 

Americans are sick and tired 

of inflammatory rhetoric with 

no facts. They are sick of the 

yelling in the megaphone with 

nothing to say. The American 

people want facts, they want 

substance, they want passions 

and one of the places they are 

coming for it, is the Fraternal 

Order of Police. Just another 

reason why we are the number 

one voice for law enforcement 

in this country and it’s 

not even close. 

As always, be safe out there!

The BLUES 15


police law news 

Daniel Carr 

Dumb Comment of the Week. 

Goes to Wayne on Police Law News Facebook. 

To Wayne: Thank you for 

your submission. Your efforts in 

this regard were unmatched. 

Your comment had a special 

mixture of ignorance and 

arrogance. That is rare - even 

in today’s low IQ FB comment 

section. You stood out. Be 

proud of your achievement. 

Wayne does not understand 

Qualified Immunity. And that 

in itself, is no crime. 

There are many things that 

I do not have any knowledge 

of. I cannot tell you anything 

about cars, golf, baking, or the 

airspeed velocity of an unladen 

swallow. The difference 

is - I would never comment 

on the social media page of 

a master mechanic and tell 

him/her that they are installing 

a carburetor incorrectly. 

That would be idiotic. But, 

because people like Wayne 

have been able to watch 

NYPD Blue reruns for the last 

twenty years - they think that 

they know more about policing 

than they actually do. 

Watching Training Day for the 

47th time is not equivalent 

to making it through a hiring 

process, police academy, and 

16 The BLUES 

actually responding to calls 

for service. 

So, let’s help out Wayne 

here. 

Wayne is not the only idiot. 

QUALIFIED IMMUNITY 

In short - Qualified immunity 

(QI) is a type of legal immunity 

that protects a government 

official from lawsuits alleging 

that the official violated a 

plaintiff’s rights, only allowing 

suits where officials violated 

a “clearly established” statutory 

or constitutional right. 

But let’s talk about this 

concept as it relates to police 

officers. As no one reading this 

article gives a fuck about a 

city bus driver who gets sued 

for running over a cat. 

So, QI only protects police 

officers if they do not violate 

“clearly established” rights. 

So, all of the (arguably) bad 

cases that we know of: George 

Floyd, Tyre Nichols, Walter 

Scott, etc.… Are examples 

where police did violate 

“clearly established” rights - 

so these officers would not 

be afforded QI protection. 

Essentially, in these cases - QI 

is a moot issue - cops who 

commit crimes are not given 

protection under QI. 

QI does not protect police 

officers from: 

Internal investigations, discipline, 

suspension, or termination 

of employment. 

Prosecution for violations of 

state law. 

Prosecution for violations of 

federal law. 

The state “revoking” a law 

enforcement certification. 

A pension board denying 

benefits. 

The only thing that QI protects 

police officers from is 

civil lawsuits filed against 

them personally. And, again, 

only in cases where police

The BLUES 17

did not violate “clearly established” 

rights. 

WAYNE’S WORLD 

Now, I am not going to pretend 

that I don’t know what 

Wayne’s point was. He was 

trying to make the common 

uneducated argument that 

- if police officers were punished 

for their bad acts with 

expensive civil lawsuits, then 

there would be less bad police 

behavior. 

I get it. But, as I already stated, 

if a cop commits a crime 

or otherwise violates “clearly 

established” rights - they are 

not afforded protection by QI 

anyway. So, that argument 

make absolutely zero sense. 

ABOLISH QI? 

We can have a debate on 

whether or not to abolish QI. I 

am happy to have that discussion. 

But that discussion must 

come after the question of - 

what do you hope that abolishing 

QI will do? We need to 

know that answer. What are 

you hoping to accomplish by 

getting rid of QI? I already debunked 

most of the common 

myths and misconceptions 

about what QI actually does 

- in the above paragraphs. I 

believe that the majority of 

people who post “abolish QI” 

in comment sections really 

have no idea what QI does and 

what QI doesn’t do. 

MISCONDUCT INSURANCE 

So, here’s my take on what 

will happen when/if QI is 

abolished on the state or 

federal level. And not much 

would change. That’s essentially 

by main point. Abolishing 

QI does nothing to fix, 

stop, or discourage bad police 

behavior. 

We already have mechanisms 

in place to deal with 

cops who commit crimes 

or violate department policy. 

Cops can be investigated, 

disciplined, terminated, prosecuted, 

lose their state certification, 

and have their pension 

benefits revoked. All of this 

can occur, and QI does NOT 

protect police officers from 

any of it. 

If QI was abolished - then 

police unions would just 

contract with insurance 

companies to cover officers 

against lawsuits. These would 

be group policies, where all 

members pay the same premium 

- as no insurance company 

would be able to dictate who 

is insured or not insured. No 

police officer would be “uninsurable”. 

Since law enforcement 

agencies across the country 

are having a difficult time 

recruiting and retaining police 

officers - the competitive 

departments would either: 

cover the cost of the insurance 

premiums or give pay raises 

to officers with the cost of the 

premium in mind. 

So, even under this scenario: 

Police officers are not paying 

lawsuits - the insurance company 

is. 

Police officers are not paying 

insurance premiums - the 

taxpayers are. 

Finally 

If you were a police officer 

who committed a crime or 

made an honest mistake - 

what system would you want? 

A judge to determine whether 

or not you were afforded QI 

protection. 

An insurance company that 

was contractually obligated 

to pay any damages and there 

was zero risk of ever having 

to personally pay a dime. 

The answer is obvious. Abolishing 

QI would do zero to 

increase “police accountability” 

and would actually create 

a more beneficial environment 

for police who engage in misconduct. 

Sound good, Wayne? 

18 The BLUES

MARTINEZ 

TO REMEMBER 

NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER 

VOTE 

JULIAN 

R 

FOR 

BER www.JMARTINEZ2024.com 

HOUSTON MAYOR 

7,2023 

www.JMARTINEZ2024.com 

IT IS A VIOLATION OF STATE LAW (CHAPTERS 392 AND 393, TRANSPORTATION CODE) TO PLACE THIS SIGN IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY OF A HIGHWAY 

I 

MARTINEZ 

VOTE NOVEMBER 7,2023 

Paid for by Julian Antonio Martinez for Houston Mayor Campaign 

ign 

NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER 

NOVEMBER TO REM 

VOTE 

JULIAN 

FOR HOUSTON MAYOR 

VOTE NOVEMBER 7 

Paid for by Julian Antonio Martinez for Houston Mayor Campaign 

IT IS A VIOLATION OF STATE LAW (CHAPTERS 392 AND 393, TRANSPORTATION CODE) TO PLACE THIS SIGN IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY OF A HIGHWAY 

I 

www.JMA 

IT IS A VIOLATION OF STATE LAW (CHAPTERS 392 AND 

The BLUES 19


Paula Fitzsimmons 

National Outrage. 

Have you had enough? Do this today. 

Two tragic cases this past 

month exemplify why police 

officers need an added layer of 

legislative protection. The war on 

cops is real, regardless of what 

the talking heads may say. 

In Volusia County, Florida, 

prosecutors charged a man with 

first-degree murder of a police 

officer. This is someone who 

had previously posted on social 

media that he “would be proud 

to get ‘pig’s blood’ on his boots.” 

The jury bypassed this charge, as 

well as a second-degree murder 

charge, opting instead for manslaughter, 

the lowest possible 

charge in this case. 

Rightful outrage is being expressed. 

Per Mike Chitwood, 

sheriff of Volusia County: 

“The message I take away from 

this jury is that it’s open season 

on law enforcement. A lesser 

charge of Manslaughter for the 

MURDER of Daytona Beach Police 

Officer Jason Raynor is a slap in 

the face of everyone who puts on 

a uniform.” 

And early this morning, a Los 

Angeles sheriff’s deputy was executed 

while sitting in his patrol 

car. Law enforcement has vowed 

to hunt down this coward. 

This is PRECISELY Why the Protect 

& Serve Act Needs to Pass 

If passed, the Protect & Serve 

Act (H.R. 743) would create a 

new federal crime category and 

minimal sentencing for anyone 

who has knowingly assaulted a 

20 The BLUES 

police officer. 

Violence perpetrated on law 

enforcement, (including ambush-style 

attacks) have been 

on the rise since about 2015. This 

law would serve as a deterrent 

and dole out punishment that 

better aligns with the heinousness 

of these crimes. Right now, 

meting out consequences is 

arbitrary, subject to the political 

biases of district attorneys and 

fickleness of juries. 

The Silence From Our Legislators 

is Deafening!! 

It’s outrageous to me that of 

435 U.S. representatives, only 78 

(please thank your representatives 

if they’re on this list!) have 

co-sponsored this bill. It was 

introduced in February, for crying 

out loud! Where are the rest, 

including those who claim to 

support police officers and value 

law and order? 

Our elected officials sure know 

how to rush through bills when it 

serves their end goal. Yet legislation 

that can deter crimes 

against police officers and punish 

offenders accordingly continues 

to collect dust? Shameful. 

ACTION ALERT! Do this TODAY 

If you’re as outraged about 

these stories, please contact 

your U.S. representative tomorrow 

morning, and urge them to 

co-sponsor the Protect & Serve 

Act (H.R. 743). 

Tell them that violence against 

police officers continues to be on 

the rise and that this bill has the 

potential to deter these crimes. 

We need to send a resounding 

message that these egregious 

acts won’t be tolerated in our 

country. 

This bill is a legislative priority 

of the Fraternal Order of Police 

(FOP). In fact, they created a 

convenient form that takes but a 

moment to sign and send. 

Imagine the impact if every 

person reading this called their 

U.S. representative tomorrow or 

signed FOP’s letter. They would 

take notice. I’ve personally seen 

the good that comes when just a 

few concerned citizens take the 

time to speak out. 

Our voices are so much more 

powerful than I think many of 

us estimate. Each of us also has 

unique gifts that can be used to 

shepherd meaningful change. If 

you’re not sure where to use your 

gifts to support police officers, 

my e-book, Defending the Defenders, 

offers some ideas. 

Let me end with some positive 

news. A friend & colleague and I 

will be starting work on a “support 

the police network” for my 

national women’s organization. 

Progress is slow, but it is being 

made. 

Here’s hoping you have a safe 

and magnificent week!

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The BLUES 21


Alex Ramon 

To Serve with Love. 

Since time immemorial, 

dogs have owned the position 

of “mans best friend”. These 

fury companions are here for 

us during good times and bad. 

They support us and listen without 

judgment. I discovered the 

power of this connection in a 

surprising set of circumstances 

surrounding the death of my only 

son. 

After three combat tours as 

a Staff Sergeant in the United 

States Marine Corps, Alex came 

home for the last time and began 

facing a difficult transition. 

Many painful combat memories 

and adjustments to civilian 

life suddenly came to the forefront. 

The feelings my son had 

following his 10-year honorable 

stint of service are common 

among combat veterans. 

Enter Rocco. A black English 

Lab purchased by our son on a 

whim. We first laid eyes on this 

bundle of joy as a pup during 

one of our son’s many visits. On 

one memorable occasion, Rocco 

donned a service Vest with 

a bright red Marine Corps emblem. 

Now, he was Gunny Rocco 

our son’s Service dog. Aptly, it is 

military custom that a serviceman’s 

dog is always one rank 

higher than his owner. The two 

became inseparable. Through 

many a hardship, including a 

failed marriage, college, oil field 

work, recurring nightmares, and 

22 The BLUES 

struggles adjusting to peace 

time, Gunny Rocco was always 

there, distinguished, loyal, and 

ready to serve wherever Alex 

took him. 

Our sons service dog crisscrossed 

the country many times 

without complaint. Just to be 

with his owner was the joy of his 

life for this big beautiful black 

lab. We were Gunny Rocco’s 

babysitter on school nights from 

6:00 to 9:00 and sometimes on 

date nights. Our son’s black lab 

would look at me, and I would 

look at him, and we both would 

look at the clock waiting for our 

son’s arrival. This intuitive lab 

would be more than ready to 

leave. Admittedly, the relief was 

somewhat mutual as I was still 

getting accustomed to a 110lb. 

dog in our home. Gunny Rocco 

knew when it was a 9:00pm and 

would go straight to the front 

door to wait for Alex. 

Then one night, after celebrating 

the completion of the Law 

Entrance Exam earlier in the day, 

Alex did not come for Rocco. His 

loyal dog was still laying by the 

door waiting for his master the 

following morning when we 

discovered our son would never 

come home again. No words can 

describe the loss of your only 

beloved Son. During the previous 

night of celebration, he mixed 

alcohol with his prescribed Opioids 

for PTSD. We, along with 

his dog. were devastated. Life 

slowly progressed and I became 

Gunny Rocco’s new partner. It 

was a slow trust that man and 

beast had to earn from each 

other. Rocco would accompany 

us to Ft. Sam National Cemetery 

to visit our son’s grave. It

would amaze my wife and me 

when Rocco would whimper at 

his gravesite. The local news 

station, Kens TV, took note of 

this amazing behavior and documented 

it. It aired in a news 

story entitled, KENS TV Grieving 

Father. The story was nominated 

for the 2018 Lone Star Regional 

Emmy Awards under category of 

best Military-News Single Story 

(produced by Marvin Hurst). 

Rocco’s story and his bond 

with my son is similar to other 

stories. I also witnessed how a 

dog named Ruby changed two 

lives in a way I could never have 

imagined. And never did I ever 

think this new dog would end up 

impacting my life so intensely 

like Rocco had. 

While mourning the passing of 

our son, my only brother, Norbert 

Ramon was a huge comfort, 

checking in on us daily. During 

my son’s passing, he postponed 

a scheduled colonoscopy to be 

with my wife and me. Eight 

months later, a new appointment, 

a suspicious polyp, and 

dreadful news: advanced stage 

IV Colon cancer and 12 to 18 

months to live. From that point, 

time was blurred. My brother 

elected to continue working as 

a Houston Police Traffic Officer. 

He refused to let cancer rule his 

life. His wife Cindy, and I brainstormed 

ways to lift my brother’s 

spirits. Since my brother was an 

avid duck hunter, we decided to 

get him a puppy he could train 

and take duck hunting in the fall. 

Enter Ruby. An American black 

lab that was acquired through 

the help of Gunny Rocco’s trainer, 

also a former Marine. Ruby 

was beautiful. And she and my 

brother bonded instantly. They 

were inseparable 

and we were thrilled 

to welcome them 

on their visits to 

San Antonio. All 

welcomed Ruby, 

except Gunny Rocco. 

Their age difference 

and Ruby’s 

habit of jumping on 

Rocco to nip at his 

ears would annoy 

and frustrate him. 

Rocco would leave 

the room and hide. 

As Ruby got a little 

older, my brother 

enrolled her in duck 

retrieving school 

in preparation for 

the hunting season. 

Ruby was smart and learned to 

retrieve quickly but would only 

do it on her terms. It was comical. 

During my brother’s visits to 

the trainer to see Ruby’s progress 

and new skills, she would 

deliberately ignore the trainer. 

She rapidly made a bee line to 

my brother and faithfully stayed 

glued to my brother’s side. She 

cried and cried when visiting 

hours were over and she had to 

be kenneled. It was obvious that 

Ruby was not school material. 

My brother could not tolerate 

seeing his dog cry and withdrew 

her from the school. Those were 

happy days for my brother and 

Ruby. They both would spend 

countless hours exploring open 

fields, retrieving decoys from 

a nearby lake and just taking 

drives in his truck. 

Then one day, Hurricane Harvey 

made an unwelcome visit to 

Texas. At this stage, my brother’s 

condition was rapidly worsening. 

The Hurricane hit Houston 

and surrounding area with a 

vengeance. It was all hands-on 

deck. Norbert was exempt from 

work that day but still attempted 

to help. The flooding prevented 

safe passage to his assigned 

police substation. Norbert detoured 

and reported to Houston 

Boat Patrol near the Lake 

where he lived. His presence 

was welcomed since my brother 

was very experienced in handling 

boats and they were shorthanded. 

He assisted in rescuing 

thousands of Houstonians from 

the flood waters. He continued 

working in bacteria laden water 

until no longer needed. 

Officers at the boat patrol were 

not aware of his condition or 

diagnosis. A few good friends 

knew the situation and reported 

it to the media and the story 

caught on more broadly. The 

National News picked up on the 

story and my brother became 

a celebrity overnight. Then it 

happened. In my brothers own 

The BLUES 23

words, he bravely stated, “I’ve 

come to the end of the trail”. He 

had less than a week to live. Of 

course, Ruby and Rocco sensed 

something was wrong. 

Then, as predicted, my brother 

left to be with our Lord. In 

our home, on my birthday, in my 

arms, Norbert Ramon slipped 

from this world and went to the 

next. Ruby was still a young dog 

and my brother’s shadow. That 

day, we felt the inevitable was 

near and Ruby was taken to a 

dog day care. We knew Ruby 

would not understand and would 

be her normal playful self with 

my brother at a very bad time. 

My brother would not be able to 

respond to her affection. Upon 

her return, she knew something 

was amiss. Something terrible 

had happened to her beloved 

partner. 

After the funeral, Cindy returned 

to Houston and took Ruby. 

Life was not the same for anyone. 

Cindy attempted to resume 

work. Ruby had no one at home 

and had to be taken to dog day 

care. One day, Cindy called frustrated 

that Ruby did not want to 

go to daycare any longer. Ruby 

would run and hide under the 

bed and could not be coaxed to 

come out. Some of her friends 

had a farm and offered to take 

Ruby. They told Cindy that Ruby 

would have other dog friends 

and plenty of land to run around. 

Hearing this, I could not bear 

the thought of my brother’s dog 

leaving the family and, with her 

blessing, I took Ruby to live with 

us. Now I am in the position of 

owning two black labs with 

whom I shared the love and loss 

of their previous owners, my son, 

and my brother. Their departures 

have left a searing painful hole 

in our hearts. Ruby and Rocco 

sensed my sorrow. As if on 

queue, they became my shadow, 

following me everywhere I went. 

We affectionately dubbed my car 

the Labmobile. Gunny Rocco and 

Ruby bonded and became unlikely 

best friends. It was heartwarming 

to see two dogs with 

opposite personalities become 

inseparable and attuned to one 

another’s feelings along with 

mine. It wasn’t long before I 

would wake in the middle of the 

night and discover Rocco lying 

next to me. Ruby would share 

my pillow, sometimes with her 

nose touching mine. What can I 

say? I fell in love with these two 

dogs and we developed a special 

bond, cemented through adversity. 

Their spirit lifted mine. For 

that, I will forever be grateful. 

One day, Rocco gazed at me 

in a strange manner and whimpered. 

Ruby would lay by his 

side and their playfulness subsided. 

Something was wrong. A 

quick trip to the vet confirmed 

the dreadful news. Rocco had 

advanced cancer and only a 

month to live. We were devastated. 

Rocco handled his illness 

with grace and courage. His 

eyes would assure me not to 

worry, everything would be okay. 

He had done his job and now it 

was time for him to join his true 

master: Our son. 

It is often said, time heals, 

and our plans are never Gods 

plans. I try to accept this, but it 

is difficult. I do know through 

this experience that God, in his 

infinite Wisdom, arranged for 

these black labs to come into our 

lives. I am now a firm believer 

that animals have souls and 

feelings and understand more 

than we know. They are truly 

Gods furry angels, placed on this 

Earth to interact with a specific 

person, for a specific purpose, at 

a specific time and place. This is 

one of God’s many gifts. Providing 

mankind with pets from His 

Animal Kingdom to “Serve with 

Love” 

24 The BLUES 

Click here for your 

FREE Subscription.

READERS SPEAK OUT 

letters from you 

PAROLE PROTEST – FELIX 

OCHOA COP KILLER 

My name is Craig Fos, and I am 

a twice-retired police officer, 

having served both the City of 

Galveston and City of Dickinson’s 

Police Departments. 

I am seeking your assistance 

in keeping a cop killer behind 

bars where he belongs. My wife’s 

father, William Mullins, started 

his short law enforcement 

career as a reserve police officer 

in Pearland, Texas. He then went 

to work as a full-time deputy 

with the Ft. Bend County Sheriff’s 

Office. Three years later, he 

was offered a job with the police 

department in the small town 

of Yorktown, Texas, his boyhood 

home. 

On July 11, 1976, Officer William 

Mullins, had been working as a 

patrol officer in Yorktown for 

only three months. He, like many 

police officers do each day, went 

to work with the full intention 

of returning home to his family. 

Felix Ochoa, on the other hand, 

decided that he would drink and 

make the choice to get behind 

the wheel of a car. His erratic 

driving got the attention of a 

concerned citizen who contacted 

Officer Mullins by CB radio. 

Officer Mullins stopped Ochoa 

to protect the citizens of this 

great state. Felix Ochoa had 

previously told a relative that he 

wanted to kill a police officer 

one day. When Officer Mullins 

stopped him, he saw an opportunity 

to get his wish. He shot 

Officer Mullins for no other reason 

than the fact that he was a 

police officer trying to do his job. 

Felix Ochoa was tried, convicted, 

and sentenced to death. 

His conviction was overturned 

because of a dispute about 

whether or not Ochoa requested 

an attorney before his confession 

was taken. Ochoa pled guilty 

to avoid a second trial and was 

sentenced to life in prison. 

My wife, who was still a teenager 

at the time, was promised 

that the man who killed her dear 

Daddy would spend the rest of 

his life in prison. The police officers 

of this state work hard to 

protect the citizens and to keep 

the state safe. They know that 

there are risks involved. In the 

event of a vicious criminal act, 

the officers count on our system 

for justice. 

When Felix Garcia Ochoa was 

sentenced to life in prison justice 

was served. I ask that you help 

keep this man where he belongs. 

Please write or email your 

protest letter to: TDCJ - Victim 

Services Division, 8712 Shoal 

Creek Blvd, Suite 265, Austin, 

Texas 78757 Email: victim.svc@ 

tdcj.texas.gov. 

Please include the following 

inmate information in your 

letter: Offender: Ochoa, Felix 

Garcia State ID: 01447719 TDCJ ID: 

00295407 With your assistance, 

we can help keep the state’s 

promise to that teenager that 

her father would receive justice. 

Thank you. Lest we forget. 

Craig Fos 

The BLUES 25

AROUND THE COUNTRY 

HARTFORD,CT. 

Hartford Police Officer Robert Garten was killed in an vehicle 

accident when a teenage driver plowed into his patrol car. 

Robert Garten, a 34-yearold 

Hartford police officer, was 

killed and another was critically 

injured on duty after a teenage 

driver drove into their patrol car 

on Wednesday, September 7. 

On Wednesday night, the 

teenage driver, identified as an 

11th-grade student, Richard Barrington, 

18, was pulled over by 

Barrington because of a traffic 

signal violation. During the traffic 

stop, police officers discovered 

that the car’s registration 

had been canceled. 

The teenager then tried to flee 

the scene, prompting the officers 

to give chase. During the pursuit, 

the suspect reportedly ran 

two red lights and crashed into 

another police car occupied by 

Robert Garten and Officer Brian 

Kearney. 

The collision resulted in the 

tragic death of Robert Garten, 

who succumbed to his injuries. 

Officer Kearney, who was seriously 

injured, was taken to the 

hospital, where his condition 

was reported to be stabilizing 

after the accident. 

The tragic death of Officer 

Robert “Bobby” Garten, an eightyear 

veteran who served in the 

street crimes unit of the Hartford 

26 The BLUES 

Police Department, focusing on 

gun violence and firearms removal, 

has shocked the Hartford 

community. 

On Thursday, in a press conference, 

the Hartford Police Department, 

lost in a fog of grief, paid 

homage to Officer Robert Garten 

as the flags outside the building 

flew at half-staff. Police Chief 

Jason Thody described Garten as 

a devoted officer who lived for 

his job and praised his exemplary 

service in the department. 

“[Bobby] was an amazing 

person who exemplified what 

it means to be a Hartford police 

officer. His commitment to 

serve was above reproach. Our 

HPD family has come together to 

support Bobby’s family, honor his 

memory, and do what he would 

want us to do, protect and serve 

the Hartford community.” 

Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin 

remarked that the entire city 

was mourning the death of the 

extraordinary officer in the wake 

of his passing. In a statement, 

Bronin said: 

“My heart and prayers and the 

love and prayers of our whole 

city are with Officer Garten’s 

parents, family, loved ones, 

friends and colleagues, and the 

OFFICER ROBERT GARTEN 

entire HPD family.” 

“Bobby Garten loved this city, 

loved the Hartford Police Department, 

served our community 

with distinction, courage, skill 

and compassion, and this loss is 

immeasurable for all who loved, 

served with, and knew him. 

Officer Garten and his family 

have our everlasting respect and 

gratitude.” 

Bronin revealed that the incident 

has triggered an outpouring 

of love and support from 

departments across the country. 

In a statement to Fox, Retired 

Hartford Police Officer Jill Kidik, 

who trained Garten, said that the 

34-year-old was a remarkable 

officer who was extremely competent 

at his job.

SAHQ IS BACK AS 5-0 

Shaq appears in hilarious L.A. 

Port Police recruitment video. 

By Sarah Roebuck 

Police1 

LOS ANGELES — Do you have what it takes to join the Los Angeles Port Police? NBA legend 

Shaquille O’Neal wants to know. 

In a recently released recruitment video, the department calls on “the big guy” to help 

apprehend a fake “bad guy on the run.” 

“Let’s bring in the Big Shamrock,” one officer says. 

“Bring in the Diesel,” another says. 

Shaq eventually makes his entrance by clinging to the back of a Lenco Bearcat. 

“Team is more important than any one of us,” Shaq says. “If you have what it takes to 

join the Los Angeles Port Police, come on down. It’s time to dive in.” 

“Big thanks to @SHAQ for his continued support for law enforcement and spending time 

with his old police department. It was great to see him back in our uniform!” the Port 

Police said in a post on X. 

In 2002, Shaq took on the role of a reserve officer for the Los Angeles Port Police Reserve, 

WJW reports. He continued his law enforcement journey in 2016 when he was 

sworn in as a sheriff’s deputy in Jonesboro, Georgia. 

The BLUES 27


FORSYTH CNTY, NC. 

Deputy Auston Smith Reudelhuber’s patrol vehicle was struck 

by a box truck while driving to work in his patrol vehicle. 

A Forsyth County (NC) Sheriff’s 

deputy was killed Saturday 

morning in a crash in Davidson 

County. Deputy Sheriff Auston 

Smith Reudelhuber was driving 

to work, the Forsyth County SO 

reports. 

Deputy Reudelhuber’s patrol 

vehicle was reportedly hit by a 

box truck around 5:16 a.m. He 

was transported to a local hospital 

where he succumbed to his 

injuries. 

The truck’s driver has been 

charged with misdemeanor 

death by motor vehicle, reckless 

driving, and driving left of center. 

He was not injured. 

Reudelhuber, 32, joined the 

Forsyth County SO in March 2021. 

He was assigned to the Field 

Services Division, and was a 

Field Training Officer. Prior to 

his service with Forsyth County, 

Deputy Reudelhuber was employed 

by the Davidson County 

Sheriff’s Office for over three 

years. 

Reudelhuber is survived by his 

wife and two children. 

“It is with a heavy heart that 

we share the news of the passing 

of one of our own. Deputy 

Sheriff Auston Reudelhuber was 

killed this morning in a fatal car 

crash. We are asking for prayers 

for the Reudelhuber family as 

well as for our FCSO Family. Together 

we stand and together we 

will get through this, with the 

DEPUTY AUSTON REUDELHUBER 

support from our community,” 

Sheriff Bobby F. Kimbrough, Jr. 

said on Facebook. 

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The BLUES 29


ALGONA, IA. 

Iowa Police Officer Kevin Cram was shot and killed 

serving an arrest warrant in Algona Iowa. 

ALGONA, IA. – A police officer 

in Iowa was killed Wednesday 

evening after he was shot while 

trying to arrest a male suspect 

who was later captured in Minnesota, 

law enforcement officials 

confirmed Thursday. 

Officer Kevin Cram with the 

Algona Police Department was 

shot just before 8 p.m. Wednesday 

as he tried to take Kyle 

Ricke, 43, into custody on an 

arrest warrant. The critically 

wounded officer was rushed to 

Kossuth Regional Health Center 

where he was pronounced dead, 

confirmed Mitch Mortvedt, assistant 

director of the Iowa Division 

of Criminal Investigation, according 

to MPR News. 

The 33-year-old fallen officer 

was a husband and father who 

had served in law enforcement 

for 10 years, first with the Nora 

Springs Police Department from 

2013-2015, and then the Algona 

Police Department from 2015- 

2023, the Iowa Department of 

Public Safety said in a press 

statement. 

Cram was on patrol in Algona 

when he learned that Ricke 

had an active arrest warrant 

charging him with harassment. 

He located the suspect and told 

him he would be arrested. That’s 

when Ricke shot and killed 

Cram, said Mortvedt. 

The deadly shooting occurred 

in a community of roughly 5,300 

residents and located about 30 

miles south of the Iowa-Minnesota 

state line. It prompted an 

alert to inform the public about 

a suspect who posed a threat to 

law enforcement and was on the 

run. 

State troopers and deputies 

with the Brown County Sheriff’s 

Office found Ricke at a relative’s 

house in Sleepy Eye, Minn. just 

before midnight. Law enforcement 

personnel took him into 

custody without incident, MPR 

News reported. 

“Tragic, heartbreaking, 

OFFICER JEVIN CRAM 

gut-wrenching pain and agony, 

but we will bow our backs, 

we will be strong, and we will 

continue to do our jobs,” Iowa 

Department of Public Safety 

Commissioner Stephan Bayens 

said at a news conference. 

Mortvedt said Ricke was 

charged with first-degree murder. 

He was booked at a jail 

facility in Minnesota pending 

extradition. 

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30 The BLUES

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The BLUES 31


PALMDALE, CA. 

Los Angeles County Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer was ambushed 

and killed in his patrol car in Palmdale California. 

PALMDALE, CA. – A Los Angeles 

County sheriff’s deputy was 

fatally shot while in his patrol 

vehicle in what authorities described 

as an ambush in Palmdale. 

Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer, 

a 30-year-old field training 

officer, was shot Saturday just 

outside the Palmdale Sheriff’s 

Station at the corner of Sierra 

Highway and Avenue Q according 

to ABC7. 

Sheriff Robert Luna said a 

good Samaritan found the deputy 

unconscious inside the vehicle 

around 6 p.m. 

Clinkunbroomer was quickly 

rushed to the Antelope Valley 

Medical Center in Lancaster 

where he later died. 

32 The BLUES 

Luna said Clinkunbroomer’s 

death is being investigated as a 

murder and is seeking the public’s 

help. 

“We really need your help,” 

said Luna. “We need to get this 

guy off the street, guy or guys. 

He’s a public safety threat. He 

ambushed and killed, murdered, 

one of our deputies. We need 

your help to get him off the 

street.” 

Clinkunbroomer was an eightyear 

veteran of the department 

and had been with the Palmdale 

station since July 2018. He had 

been working as a field training 

officer for the past year and a 

half. 

Describing Clinkunbroomer as 

“the best of the best,” Luna said 

OFFICER BRIAN HOLLEY 

DEPUTY RYAN CLINKUNBROOMER 

that his grandfather and father 

both had worked for the sheriff’s 

department. 

“Service was running through 

his veins … so unfair,” said Luna. 

“He embodied the values of 

bravery, selflessness and an absolute 

commitment to justice.” 

Clinkunbroomer had just celebrated 

his engagement a few 

days before he was killed. 

UPDATE: A Southern California 

man has been arrested in 

Palmdale for the shooting death 

of Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer 

with the Los Angeles County 

Sheriff’s Department, officials 

announced Monday.

The BLUES 33


ARLINGTON, TX. 

Arlington Police Officer Darrin McMichael was involved in a crash 

near I-20 in Dallas and transported to an area hospital, but was pronounced 

deceased from his injuries. 

ARLINGTON, TX. – Early Thursday 

morning, on September 21, 

2023, the Arlington Police Department 

was notified that an 

APD officer was involved in a 

crash near I-20 and Dowdy Ferry 

Road in Dallas as he was heading 

into work for the day. 

That employee, Officer Darrin 

McMichael, Badge #1805, was 

transported to an area hospital 

where he was later pronounced 

deceased from his injuries. 

Officer McMichael was a 24- 

year veteran of the Arlington Police 

Department and a dedicated 

member of our Motorcycle Unit, 

where he’d honorably served for 

the last 13 years. He also served 

as a patrol officer and as a detective 

in our North Patrol District 

during his APD career. 

OFFICER BRIAN HOLLEY 

OFFICER DARRIN McMICHAEL 

“Officer Darrin McMichael 

was a respected and beloved 

member of our APD family,” said 

Chief of Police Al Jones. “We are 

heartbroken and we are hurting. 

This is a devastating loss 

that will be felt for a long time. 

Please pray for his wife, who is 

also an APD employee, his family, 

his friends, and his APD family. 

They need all the support they 

can get right now.” 

Officials said he was driving 

his police-issued motorcycle 

when he bumped into an SUV in 

front of him, and fell. Then, officials 

said another car ran over 

McMichael and drove off. 

Dallas County deputies said 

they are looking for anyone with 

dashcam footage of the crash 

as it could aid in their investigation. 

Anyone with tips should call 

the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office 

vehicle crime unit Detective 

Chaney at 214-589-2323. 

At a press conference Thursday 

afternoon, Chief Jones urged the 

driver to come forward, saying 

loved ones would like closure. 

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34 The BLUES

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The BLUES 35


ST. TAMMANY PARISH, LA. 

Deputy Sheriff Mary Mayo succumbed to injuries sustained on June 

13th, 2007, when a large tree fell on the patrol car she was riding in. 

ST. TAMMANY PARISH, LA. – 

Deputy Sheriff Mary Mayo succumbed 

to injuries sustained 

on June 13th, 2007, when a 

large tree fell on the patrol car 

she was riding in. The incident 

occurred as she and her fiance, 

Sergeant Beau Raimer, were 

participating in a funeral procession 

for Deputy Hilery Mayo (no 

relation), who was killed in the 

line of duty four days earlier. 

The procession was traveling 

along West 21st Avenue through 

Covington when a violent thunderstorm 

with devastating rain 

and winds developed. A large 

pine tree fell onto the patrol 

car as it passed South Johnson 

Street. The tree crushed the top 

of the patrol car and killed Sergeant 

Raimer instantly. Deputy 

Mayo suffered a severed spinal 

cord that caused her to become 

paralyzed from the chest down. 

She underwent years of rehabilitation 

and was able to return to 

the sheriff’s office as a dispatcher 

for a short time, however, 

complications from her injuries 

caused her to become bedridden. 

She succumbed to her injuries 

16 years later on September 

21st, 2023. 

Deputy Mayo had served with 

the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s 

DEPUTY MARY MAYO 

Office for two years at the time 

of the crash. 

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36 The BLUES


EDGEWOOD, TX. 

Texas Police Chief David Hammonds was found dead in office. 

EDGEWOOD, Texas – The chief 

with the Edgewood Police Department 

in Texas was found 

dead in his office, multiple law 

enforcement sources confirmed 

Monday evening. 

Chief David Hammonds has 

died, according to a Facebook 

announcement by the Van Police 

Department, as well as a statement 

from the Wills Point Police 

Department, reported KETK. 

The chief was in good spirits 

the day before his death, and he 

was found in his office by Lieutenant 

Robert Dearing. The two 

men had worked together for 

many years, according to WJHG. 

The Van Police Department 

expressed condolences to the 

Hammonds’ family in a public 

statement. 

“The Van Police Department 

would like to extend our condolences 

to the Hammond’s Family. 

Nancy, David was one of a kind! 

Our prayers go to the Hammond’s 

Family, the Edgewood Police Department 

and the citizens. 

Wills Point Police Department 

said Hammonds served in law 

enforcement and in the community 

for several decades. 

“Tonight, we ask for prayers 

for the Hammonds family and 

everyone with the City of Edgewood. 

Chief Hammonds was not 

only a great man with decades 

dedicated to law enforcement, 

but he was also actively involved 

in the community!!! We will miss 

you sir.” 

Edgewood City Administrator 

Petra Marley said Hammonds’ 

death was a sudden shock to the 

community, and that he passed 

away doing what he loved. 

Although Marley was unable 

to confirm a cause of death, he 

believed it was due to natural 

causes. 

Edgewood is a small town of 

less than 2,000 residents located 

about 60 miles east of Dallas. 

The BLUES 37

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The BLUES 39


DETROIT, MI. 

Dash cam video shows the minute a SUV slammed into a 

Michigan State Troopers vehicle. 


Police1 

DETROIT — A trooper was 

struck by a speeding vehicle 

while he was outside of his 

cruiser during a traffic stop, according 

to Michigan State Police. 

The trooper was conducting 

a traffic stop on the freeway in 

Detroit on Sept. 17 when an SUV 

crashed into the stopped cruiser 

and went airborne. 

Dash cam video from the crash 

shows the SUV striking the back 

of the cruiser, then veering off to 

the side and hitting the trooper 

and two people inside the vehicle 

from the initial traffic stop. 

Michigan State Police said the 

trooper was taken to the hospital 

and treated for a possible 

torn tendon and road rash from 

being dragged by the suspect’s 

SUV. 

Before the suspect was transported 

to a hospital for injuries 

he received in the crash, he was 

belligerent and uncooperative 

with troopers on scene. A warrant 

was being written for suspected 

impaired driving, Michigan 

State Police said. 

“Here is another 

driver, possibly 

impaired, 

driving at a high 

rate of speed. 

It puts all of us 

in danger and is 

preventable. We 

are extremely 

lucky that this 

crash did not 

end up much 

worse. Just slow 

down and don’t 

drive impaired. 

It is that easy,” 

Lt. Mike Shaw 

said in a post 

on X. 

40 The BLUES

The BLUES 41


LAS VEGAS, NV. 

Retired Bell Police Chief Andreas Probst was killed by 

two teenagers as he rode his bike in Las Vegas. 

By Ken Ritter and Rio Yamat 

Associated Press 

LAS VEGAS, NV. — Two teenagers 

face murder charges for targeting a 

bicyclist in Las Vegas and capturing 

on video the moment they drove 

into the man as he pedaled along 

the side of a road, authorities said 

Tuesday. 

Las Vegas police said they have 

tied the teens to at least three hitand-run 

incidents on the morning 

of Aug. 14. They believe the death of 

64-year-old Andreas Rene Probst, a 

former police chief in Bell, California, 

was the final one. 

Video shot from the front passenger 

seat shows the vehicle approaching 

Probst from behind while 

he was riding near the curb on an 

otherwise traffic-free road. As those 

in the car laugh, the vehicle steers 

toward Probst and then rams the bicycle, 

sending Probst hurtling onto 

the hood and into the windshield. 

A final image from the moving car 

shows Probst on the ground next to 

the curb. 

Deputy Police Chief Nick Farese 

called the recording from inside 

a stolen vehicle appalling and a 

“cowardly act.” 

Clark County District Attorney 

Steve Wolfson said he has taken 

a personal interest in the case 

and vowed to charge both teens 

as adults. Until then, he said they 

wouldn’t be identified. 

“Justice will be served in this 

case,” Wolfson said. 

At a news conference Tuesday, 

Taylor Probst described her father 

— known as Andy — as a man of 

honor and integrity who worked for 

more than 35 years in law enforcement. 

“We are devastated by the senseless 

murder of Andy,” she said. 

“Andy’s life was robbed by two 

individuals who did not believe that 

lives of others matter.” 

The 17-year-old driver was arrested 

on the day of the crashes on 

traffic charges related to the fatal 

hit-and-run. Police said they initially 

weren’t aware of the video until 

weeks later when a school resource 

officer provided it to investigators, 

leading to a murder charge for 

the driver and prompting a police 

search for the passenger in the video. 

The second teen was arrested 

Tuesday. 

According to police, the vehicular 

crimes began just before 

dawn when the teenagers struck a 

72-year-old bicyclist before driving 

off and crashing into a Toyota 

Corolla. The driver wasn’t injured 

in the crash, police said. They didn’t 

detail what injuries, if any, the bicyclist 

suffered. 

Shortly after striking the Toyota, 

the teenagers drove into Probst as 

he rode his bicycle in a designated 

bike lane, police said. 

They took off while laughing, 

said Farese, the deputy police chief, 

“leaving him for dead on the side of 

a road.” 

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The BLUES 43


ARKANSAS, I-40-Mile Marker 265 

Arkansas State Trooper Cpl. Thomas Hubbard retires after performing 

PIT maneuver on wrong vehicle during chase on I-40. 

ARKANSAS – Officials with 

the Arkansas State Police said 

a trooper has retired after he 

performed a PIT (Pursuit Intervention 

Technique) maneuver on 

the wrong vehicle during a car 

chase, Fox News reported. 

The unfortunate mix up took 

place Sunday evening on Interstate 

40 when the trooper performed 

a Tactile Vehicle Intervention 

(TVI), also called a PIT 

maneuver, “in error” during a 

pursuit near Mile Marker 265. 

Although the PIT maneuver can 

be somewhat dangerous, it is 

widely used by law enforcement 

officers to avoid greater dangers 

created by a fleeing felon whose 

vehicle becomes a lethal weapon 

as it operates in a reckless 

manner, thus endangering uninvolved 

motorists and pedestrians. 

The trooper had been in pursuit 

of two vehicles traveling faster 

than 100 mph at about 8:30 pm. 

on Sunday. One of the vehicles 

being chased was a white, fourdoor 

sedan, officials said. 

In what can be described as 

a profound miscalculation, the 

trooper in pursuit misidentified 

an uninvolved motorist as the 

44 The BLUES 

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suspect’s car and executed the 

PIT maneuver, intentional causing 

the vehicle to spin out, bringing 

it to a halt. 

Dashcam footage of the pursuit 

shows the trooper’s patrol unit 

traveling at high speed on I-40 

during the chase. The trooper 

passes several vehicles before 

his unit approaches the white 

sedan. 

Yet as the white vehicle flashes 

its brake lights and slows down, 

the trooper initiates the PIT maneuver 

by intentionally bringing 

the automobiles together and 

causing the motorist to lose control 

and crash. 

Fortunately, both the driver 

and a passenger in the mistaken 

car were not injured, authorities 

confirmed. 

A supervisor with the Arkansas 

State Police immediately began 

an internal review of the incident, 

which remains ongoing. 

However, the trooper involved 

in the PIT maneuver, identified as 

Cpl. Thomas Hubbard, submitted 

his letter of retirement and has 

not returned to duty since the 

incident, Fox reported. 

It was unclear if the correct 

suspect vehicle was caught.

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The BLUES 45


MINNESOTA 

Three more Minnesota police agencies suspend school resource 

officer programs in response to a new state law. 

By Anthony Gockowski 

At least three more police 

agencies have announced within 

the last week that they are suspending 

their school resource officer 

(SRO) programs in response 

to a new state law. 

The new law, passed during the 

2023 legislative session, prohibits 

SROs in cases where there is no 

threat of bodily harm or death 

from using the prone restraint or 

any force that “places pressure or 

weight on a pupil’s head, throat, 

neck, chest, lungs, sternum, diaphragm, 

back, or abdomen.” 

The issue has now dominated 

local politics for more than a 

month as police leaders continue 

to call for a special session to 

clarify the law. 

Gov. Tim Walz told MPR News 

Sept. 8 that he was not prepared 

to call a special session on the 

issue, saying police and schools 

were “getting enough clarity.” 

Since Thursday, however, the 

Brooklyn Park Police Department, 

Maple Grove Police Department, 

and White Bear Lake Police Department 

have announced that 

they will be pulling their SROs 

from school. 

Maple Grove Police Chief Eric 

Werner said the new law created 

46 The BLUES 

two sets of standards for police 

officers. 

“It is unreasonable that a highly 

trained veteran officer assigned 

as an SRO is now required to 

stand by and call a patrol officer 

to perform the duties they have 

trained for years to perform. The 

use of force in the school environment 

is extremely low,” he 

said. “However, when split second 

decisions occur, SROs must be 

able to intervene and de-escalate 

a situation to keep students and 

school staff safe.” 

Brooklyn Park suspended its 

SRO program after a Park Center 

Senior High School staff member 

was assaulted during a fight last 

week, according to reports. 

“This is not a partisan issue. I 

am hearing from parents, teachers, 

school board members, law 

enforcement and others in the 

community who value the role 

of SROs in our schools. Everyone 

wants this fixed. Governor Walz 

should call the Legislature back 

into Special Session so we can 

provide the needed clarity in statute 

so our students, teachers, and 

staff all can have a great school 

year,” Rep. Kristin Robbins, R-Maple 

Grove, said in a statement. 

A total of at least 19 agencies 

have suspended their SRO programs. 

Update: The New Hope Police 

Department announced Tuesday 

that it will no longer provide 

SRO services to Cooper High 

School.

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The BLUES 47


MINNEAPOLIS,MN. 

Reimagining police departments in Minneapolis results in lowest 

LEO staffing in history. 

By Law Officer 

MINNEAPOLIS, MN. – Minneapolis 

politicians wanted to be 

the tip of the spear on “defunding 

and defaming” police and it 

seems they are getting exactly 

what they asked for. Over the 

past three years, MPD experienced 

the most significant exodus 

of uniformed personnel in its 

history and, last month, dipped 

to the lowest level in at least 

four decades according to the 

Star Tribune. 

With 585 sworn officers, the 

department hovers just above 

that of the St. Paul police department, 

an agency that serves 

roughly 120,000 fewer residents. 

That decline means Minneapolis 

holds among the lowest ratio 

of police officers to population 

served out of 22 sampled American 

cities, according to a Star 

Tribune analysis. 

Chief Brian O’Hara, who never 

wastes a minute without trashing 

law enforcement, agreeing 

with the Department of Justicesays 

the low numbers are “…not 

sustainable.” 

We agree but the blame lies 

squarely in the leadership of 

Minneapolis, including O’Hara. 

O’Hara recently admitted that 

48 The BLUES 

his Department had engaged in 

a “pattern or practice” of unconstitutional 

policing and that 

his officers are racially biased. 

O’Hara even condemned the entire 

law enforcement profession 

by saying that every agency that 

comes under federal investigation 

deserves to be punished by 

DOJ consent decrees. 

“The reality is: we have earned 

it. Policing as a profession has 

earned it. The cities where this 

happens, there is good reason — 

it’s because of our behavior.” 

In a sane world, no leader, anywhere, 

could say that without 

actual proof but Minneapolis is 

far from the real world. 

Their 72 page use of force policy 

even has a section on “trust:” 

“Officers shall act in a manner 

that promotes trust between 

MPD and the communities it 

serves.” 

Once again, in the real world, 

the practice of using physical 

force to defend a life is not 

equivalent with making sure 

everyone trusts but this is Minnehopeless. 

We feel horrible for the citizens 

of Minneapolis. They were 

told a lie on purpose and that 

lie is that “reimagining” policing 

would make them safer. 

Most know by now that it was 

all a scam and the rest will 

surely know soon enough.

The BLUES 49


CLEVELAND, OH. 

Two former East Cleveland police officers have been sentenced to prison. 

By Law Officer 

Two former East Cleveland police 

officers have been sentenced 

to prison for stealing thousands 

of dollars from motorists during 

traffic stops. 

Willie Sims, 32, and Alfonzo 

Cole, 35, stole a collective 

$14,781, two firearms and marijuana 

edibles from six victims 

between July 2020 and July 

2021, according to the Cuyahoga 

County Prosecutor’s Office. 

Fox News reports that both 

former officers pleaded guilty 

to four counts of felony robbery 

and one count of felony theft in 

office. 

Cole was convicted on additional 

charges of having weapons 

under disability and carrying 

concealed weapons for stealing 

guns from two separate drivers 

in June and July 2021. 

On Monday, Cole was sentenced 

to two and a half years 

in prison, court records show. 

Sims received a two-year prison 

sentence on Thursday. 

The two were finally apprehended 

after they robbed a 

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50 The BLUES 

21-year-old motorist of $4,000 

on his way to pay for his mother’s 

funeral services on July 9 of 

2021, Cleveland.com reported. 

That victim drove straight 

to the police station where he 

worked and filed a complaint. 

Later that day, department 

supervisors pulled Cole over 

and recovered $1,200 and weed 

edibles, according to the local 

outlet. 

Both officers were fined 

$40,000 and ordered to repay 

$5,000 to one of their victims. 

Sponsored by 

Cole was ordered to pay three victims 

he robbed on his own $4,580, 

while Sims must repay $6,931 to 

his victims. 

Sims’ and Coles’ arrests are 

among many amid a wider investigation 

into department corruption, 

WKYC reported. 

More than a dozen former and 

current East Cleveland police officers 

have been charged – among 

them former Police Chief Scott 

Gardner, who has denied charges 

of fraud, theft, money laundering 

and tampering with records.

CLICK TO LEARN MORE 

The BLUES 51


YOUNGSTOWN,OH. 

Man attacks an Ohio Officer in the Youngstown Police Dept. lobby. 


Police1 

YOUNGSTOWN, OH. — Video 

from security footage and an 

officer’s body camera shows 

the moment a man attacked 

an officer in the Youngstown 

Police Department’s lobby. 

The attack, which happened 

Tuesday, shows the suspect, 

identified as Keishaun Sims, 

walking into the lobby and 

asking the officer working the 

front desk if he could speak to 

a “manager,” WKBN reports. 

52 The BLUES 

The officer can be heard 

on body-worn camera video 

informing Sims that he would 

need to schedule an appointment 

to speak with the chief 

or anyone else. Sims ignored 

the comment and began discussing 

a “manifestation.” 

After several more comments 

from Sims, the officer got up, 

walked into the lobby and 

asked Sims to leave. 

An altercation ensued and 

Sims knocked the officer down, 

pinning him to the ground until 

two more officers came in and 

put Sims into handcuffs. 

The police department issued 

a statement saying they 

are investigating the incident 

and are considering implementing 

additional training for 

officers to better de-escalate 

similar scenarios. 

Sims was charged with aggravated 

robbery, a first-degree 

felony; two counts of 

assault on a police officer, a 

fourth-degree felony; and misdemeanor 

counts of resisting 

arrest and obstructing official 

business.


The BLUES 53


HOUSTON, TX. 

DJ continues to achieve his dream of becoming honorary 

police officer nationwide. He’s up to 792 departments. 

BY APB Team 

HOUSTON, TX. – Devarjaye “DJ” 

Daniel, an 11-year-old boy from 

Houston with terminal brain and 

spinal cancer, is on a remarkable 

mission to become an honorary 

police officer in as many departments 

across the United States as 

possible. 

DJ’s journey began when he 

was diagnosed with terminal 

cancer at a young age, but he defied 

the odds and strove to live a 

life filled with hope and service. 

His dream of becoming a police 

officer ultimately led him to 

embark on a journey to be sworn 

in by law enforcement agencies 

across the country. 

Most recently, DJ’s journey 

took him to Minnesota, where 

he became an honorary police 

officer for five Twin Cities metro 

police departments, including 

Eden Prairie, Edina, Hopkins, Minnetonka 

and St. Louis Park. 

The swearing-in ceremony, 

held on August 24, brought DJ’s 

total to 792 police departments. 

The ceremony was also attended 

by members of each department. 

Eden Prairie Patrol Officer Alli 

Biermaier, who helped organize 

DJ’s visit to Minnesota, recalled 

54 The BLUES 

the special moment 

when DJ 

personally greeted 

and thanked each 

officer. 

“We had a 

gauntlet of officers 

coming 

in on the day of 

the swearing in,” 

Biermaier said. 

“[DJ] took the time 

to walk up and 

shake every single 

officer’s hand, 

just say ‘thank you’ 

or make a joke. It 

was incredible, I 

think, for everyone 

involved.” 

During his three 

days in Minnesota, 

DJ was given tours by all five 

Minnesota agencies to see officers 

training behind the scenes. 

“For [the Eden Prairie Police 

Department], we did our drone 

team, Minnetonka [Police Department] 

showed them some 

SWAT stuff and canine,” Biermaier 

said. 

Prior to his trip to Minnesota, 

DJ visited Colorado in March, 

where he became an honorary 

police officer of the Aurora Police 

Department. 

During that ceremony, DJ 

honored his friend Abigail Arias, 

another terminally ill young girl 

who dreamt of a career in law 

enforcement. Sadly, she passed 

away in 2019 at the age of 7, but 

DJ continues to honor her with 

a prayer at every swearing-in 

ceremony. 

During the ceremony, Aurora 

Police Interim Chief Art Acevedo 

praised DJ’s courage and officially 

welcomed him as an honorary 

Aurora police officer.

“Live every day like it’s your last.” 

DJ, with his infectious sense 

of humor, couldn’t resist asking 

“How do I get paid?” to which 

Chief Acevedo replied with a 

smile, promising sugar-free 

candy. 

Throughout his journey, DJ has 

become an honorary member 

of numerous law enforcement 

agencies, including 100 in Houston 

and Montgomery County in 

Texas. 

The Houston Independent 

School District (HISD) even 

swore him in as their honorary 

police chief in an effort to bring 

awareness to childhood cancer. 

The Chambers County Sheriff’s 

Office also swore in DJ this 

year, stating: “Along with other 

local agencies, we were honored 

to assist DJ in being sworn 

in as an honorary peace officer 

representing 2,000 agencies and 

communities. We hope that DJ’s 

story continues to inspire us all 

to keep pushing forward and 

making a difference in our communities.” 

As DJ continues his mission 

to be sworn in by more law 

enforcement agencies, he has 

received an outpouring of support 

and gifts, including patches 

and pins, from each department 

he joins. 

His father, Theodis Daniel, a 

single parent of three, expressed 

his gratitude for the community’s 

support, acknowledging the motivation 

it gives DJ to fight harder. 

“It’s only a bad situation if you 

allow it to be,” Daniel said. 

As for Officer Biermaier, she 

said DJ left a powerful impact on 

her. 

“Just keep going. You don’t 

know how long you have to live, 

so live every day like it’s your 

last,” Biermaier said. 

The BLUES 55


MCALLEN, TX. 

Biden’s Border Crisis turns violent when an illegal migrant 

cartel member assaults a border agent. 

MCALLEN, TX. – A migrant cartel 

member who was labeled as an 

informant and had the word “RATA” 

carved into his forehead viciously 

attacked a Border Patrol agent, 

drawing blood during the blitz, 

according to a former Texas Republican 

lawmaker. 

Mayra Flores, 37, is a former U.S. 

congresswoman from Texas and 

the wife of a Border Patrol agent. 

She shared the bloodied image of 

the federal agent after the southern 

border attack in her social media 

accounts Sunday, while describing 

what led to his injuries, the New 

York Post reported. 

“This is the type of violence that 

is being exerted on Border Patrol 

Agents by those who don’t want to 

be apprehended,” she wrote on Instagram, 

saying that agents encountered 

the attacker near McAllen, 

Texas. 

“The suspect was labeled a rat by 

the cartels and fought against the 

agent until backup arrived,” Flores 

wrote. “Please pray for our men and 

women in uniform.” 

Flores also posted an image of 

the injured migrant, whose forehead 

apparently bore a marking 

etched by a Mexican drug cartel. 

The word “RATA” is visible, which 

means the feminine version of a rat. 

Cartels have a history of carrying 

out violent revenge – including beheadings, 

hangings and acid baths 

56 The BLUES 

– against traitors and enemies, but 

they also have branded those who 

dared to cross them with body 

paint, reported The Post.

The BLUES 57


COFFEE CITY, TX. 

In wake of TV Station KHOU 11 Investigative reports, the Coffee City 

Council fired the police chief and deactivated the police department. 

58 The BLUES 

COFFEE CITY, TX. — City 

Council members in Coffee 

City unanimously voted Monday 

to fire Chief of Police John 

Jay Portillo and to deactivate 

the entire department until a 

new chief can be hired. 

A series of reports done by 

KHOU 11 Investigative Reporter 

Jeremy Rogalski led to a 

deeper look into the Coffee 

City Police Department and 

Portillo himself. 

The City Council took less 

than 15 minutes to reach its 

decision. It means the town 

of 250 people that once had 

50 police officers on the force 

now has none. 

KHOU 11 Investigates discovered 

that in a city of almost 

250 people, there were 

50 police officers. That’s five 

times the number of cops than 

any town its size, according 

to Texas Commission on Law 

Enforcement records. More 

than half of the department’s 

50 officers had been suspended, 

demoted, terminated or 

dishonorably discharged from 

their previous law enforcement 

jobs, according to personnel 

files obtained through 

open records requests to other 

law enforcement agencies. 

Most of the officers were hired 

by Portillo. 

• PART 1: This Texas town has 

about 250 people. It has 50 

sworn police officers. VIDEO 

• PART 2: Caught on camera: 

Small-town police chief goes 

on tirade VIDEO 

• PART 3: Coffee City Police 

Department suspends division 

after KHOU 11 Investigates 

questioned its legality. VIDEO 

• RELATED: Coffee City police 

chief suspended after KHOU 11 

Investigation. VIDEO 

• RELATED: Coffee City mayor 

‘shocked’ by KHOU 11 Investigates 

findings over police 

hiring practices. VIDEO 

KHOU 11 Investigates also 

uncovered Portillo did not 

disclose an unresolved DWI 

charge out of Florida on his 

Coffee City job application. 

Portillo also launched a questionable 

warrant division, in 

which full-time Coffee City 

officers were not even required 

to work in Coffee City 

at all. 

“There were things that we 

weren’t aware of and that really 

just opened our eyes, you 

know, there’s major changes 

that have got to be made and 

made quickly,” Coffee City 

Mayor Jeff Blackstone said

after Monday’s council vote. 

Portillo had tried to email 

his resignation before the 

meeting, but council members 

refused to accept the unsigned 

notice and instead outright 

fired the police chief. 

“We just felt it was best to 

basically terminate the program, 

that way we’re able to 

go out and find a new chief, 

let him do the proper evaluations 

and determine if he 

wants to re-hire anybody or 

start from scratch,” Blackstone 

said. 

The decision was welcome 

news for some who attended 

the meeting. They said they 

have put up with over-aggressive 

police for too long. 

“Ever since we moved here, 

it was every day a cop pulling 

in for one reason or another,” 

resident Roseanna Billings 

said. 

“Something needed to happen, 

that’s for sure,” resident 

David Busch said. 

The Henderson County Sheriff’s 

Office will respond to 

calls for service for the time 

being, according to Blackstone. 

As for the 50 full-time and 

reserve officers, Blackstone 

said they will not be allowed 

to perform police officer duties 

unless they are picked up 

by another department. 

Portillo did not return a request 

for comment after the 

council vote. 

When asked last month why 

he would hire so many people 

with red flags, Portillo defended 

the practice. 

“There’s more to just what’s 

on paper,” Portillo said at the 

time. “And that’s where I rely 

on my captain and my background 

investigators to go in 

and dig and say, ‘Hey, what’s 

that? What’s the truth behind 

this?’” 

Portillo said in some cases, 

the criminal charges officers 

faced were dismissed or 

expunged, and the dishonorable 

discharges overturned 

after officers appealed them 

through the State Office of 

Administrative Hearings. Portillo 

claimed most of the applicants 

he’s hired got on the 

wrong side of agency politics. 

The BLUES 59


Losing Small Town Police Departments 

By Chief Joel F. Shults, Ed.D 

60 The BLUES 

As a monitor of law enforcement 

news, I frequently see 

headlines about small police 

departments affected by simultaneous 

resignations or simply 

being dissolved. Whether this is 

a good thing or a bad thing is 

subject to debate. 

The demands on modern law 

enforcement are intense and 

expensive. Recent legislation, 

media scrutiny, and anti-police 

sentiment have undoubtedly 

made it more difficult to recruit 

for small police agencies. Larger 

agencies, also feeling the recruitment 

and retention squeeze, 

already typically offered more in 

pay, benefits, and professional 

growth opportunities but many 

have recently increased financial 

incentives to lure officers from 

smaller agencies. 

Defining a small agency is 

tricky. According to the U.S. 

Department of Justice, approximately 

70 percent of agencies 

serve communities of fewer than 

10,000 population. Over 90% of 

local law enforcement agencies 

employ fewer than 50 sworn 

officers/deputies and serve 

populations of less than 50,000. 

A town with a small population 

may need a larger department 

than one might think at 

first glance. If they are part of a 

metropolitan area, near a major 

employer, or along a busy interstate, 

they may serve a transient 

population of several thousand 

more than just their permanent 

residents. 

Some small agencies came 

into being or came back to life 

in the 1990s with federal funding 

under the Clinton-era community 

policing grants. Some were 

sustained by traffic enforcement 

in speed traps until states began 

to clamp down on towns 

that generated too much of their 

revenue from writing ethically 

questionable tickets as a fundraiser. 

With those restrictions 

and the loss of grant funding, 

some very small agencies were 

not sustainable. Big Bend, Wisconsin 

eliminated its department 

of three full-time and nine parttime 

officers to contract with its 

sheriff’s department at a savings 

of over $200,000. 

Working conditions in small 

agencies can be particularly 

onerous. Depending on the 

agency size, the department 

could be exempt from federal 

labor laws that govern overtime 

pay. Officers may be required 

to be on call with little or no 

compensation, work additional 

hours for their regular wage, and 

be expected to be available to 

cover shifts for officers who are 

injured, out sick, or on administrative 

leave. If the officer lives in 

the area where they work, they 

cannot escape their police status 

when off-duty, always at risk of 

encountering a hostile person or 

expected to hear a complaint or 

answer a legal question. 

In other cases, scandals called 

into question the need for an 

independent police department 

and whether its reputation could 

be repaired. Although hiring 

standards are becoming less rigid 

to gain applicants, those with 

less than stellar backgrounds 

sometimes find that getting 

hired at a small agency is possible 

when they might have been 

weeded out in a more rigorous

process. 

For example, Coffee City, Texas 

Police Chief JohnJay Portillo 

was suspended for hiring officers 

with questionable backgrounds 

and the police department 

was deactivated. The small 

town of 250 residents had fifty 

full-time or reserve officers. 

More than half had left their previous 

police jobs due to allegations 

of misconduct before being 

hired by Portillo who quadrupled 

the number of officers for the 

town since his appointment in 

2021. 

Most communities rely on 

their sheriff’s office to take on 

response to calls for police 

service, either relying on the 

sheriff’s statutory responsibility 

for the citizens within the city’s 

boundaries or contracting for 

specific services and coverage. 

Cities can also contract with 

other nearby jurisdictions for 

services. 

The disappearance of a local 

police department is a loss of 

part of a town’s identity. It also 

removes direct accountability for 

law enforcement services from 

the control of town councils 

and residents. Law enforcement 

involvement in community activities, 

a core element of community 

policing, can suffer with 

an outside agency having less 

connection to the citizenry. 

On the plus side, there is no 

evidence that crime increases in 

most cases when a town’s police 

department is eliminated. Sheriff’s 

offices can use the advantages 

of scale and resources to 

potentially provide an equal or 

even better quality of policing. In 

most jurisdictions, the office of 

Sheriff is still an elected position 

and, therefore, subject to the 

voters in democratic accountability 

and independence from 

outside influences. 

Residents may celebrate or 

lament the loss of a small police 

department but they all want 

someone with a badge and gun 

to answer their 911 call. 

What the National Police Association 

Does 

The NPA brings attention to the 

anti-police efforts challenging effective 

law enforcement through 

mailings, national TV and radio 

public service announcements, 

legal filings on behalf of police 

officers and agencies, original 

articles authored for the NPA by 

law enforcement experts, book 

publishing, and our podcast. 

Additionally the National Police 

Association Report can be seen 

Sundays at 10:00 AM EST online 

at PlutoTV CH 244, on TheFirst- 

TV.com app, and anytime on our 

YouTube channel. 

The BLUES 61


ACROSS THE US 

The Latest Breaking News as we go LIVE. 

NEVADA TEEN TOLD OFFI- 

CERS ‘I’LL BE OUT IN 30 DAYS’ 

AFTER HE WAS ARRESTED IN 

KILLING OF RETIRED POLICE 

CHIEF. 

LAS VEGAS – The teen driver 

accused of mowing down and 

killing a retired police chief in 

a vehicular assault told officers 

with the Las Vegas Metropolitan 

Police Department that he would 

be back on the streets in under a 

month, according to reports. 

Jesus Ayala, who just turned 

18, was reportedly the driver of 

a stolen Hyundai Elantra on Aug. 

14. His passenger filming the 

appalling crime was identified 

as 16-year-old Jzamir Keys. The 

duo deliberately crashed into 

Andreas “Andy” Probst, 64, who 

had been riding his bicycle in a 

bike lane, according to LVMPD 

detectives. 

Probst retired as chief of police 

for the City of Bell, which is in 

Los Angeles County, and was 

currently working endeavors in 

global security. 

Ayala was arrested hours after 

Probst was killed. Sometime 

after being taken into custody, 

he reportedly told police that he 

wouldn’t be locked up for long, 

the New York Post reported. 

“You think this juvenile [exple- 

Jesus Ayala and Jzamir Keys are facing murder charges. 

tive] is going to do some [expletive]? 

I’ll be out in 30 days, I’ll bet 

you,” Ayala told police, according 

to KLAS. 

“It’s just ah, [expletive] ah, hitand-run 

— slap on the wrist.” 

At the time, police had not yet 

told Ayala about any charges 

related Probst’s death and was 

only arrested for a warrant and 

obstructing a peace officer, the 

outlet reported. 

Ayala was later booked at the 

Clark County Detention Center 

and is being held without bail. 

Prosecutors filed 18 criminal 

charges against him, including 

murder, attempted murder, and 

grand larceny. 

Keys was taken into custody on 

Tuesday. He is charged with the 

same crimes. Both defendants 

made their first appearances in 

Las Vegas Justice Court Thursday, 

where they face charges 

as adults. “Both these defendants 

will be charged with open 

murder, attempted murder, and 

many other related charges,” 

Clark County District Attorney 

Steve Wolfson told reporters 

outside court. 

Prosecutors also seek high bail 

pending trial, referring to the 

pair as a danger to the community. 

62 The BLUES

“The events in these cases are 

related,” Wolfson said. “I’m very 

confident these cases will be 

consolidated.” 

Keys was arrested after he was 

caught on camera getting into a 

fight last week. Police linked him 

with the killing of Probst because 

of the white tennis shoes 

seen in both videos. 

The video reportedly recorded 

by Keys in August captured the 

moment the stolen car hurled 

into the back of Probst while the 

two defendants laughed saying, 

“Hit his ass.” 

In the sickening video, Probst 

was thrown over the hood of the 

vehicle and left to die. 

His wife, Crystal Probst, and 

daughter, Taylor Probst, were 

in court for Thursday’s hearing. 

They left immediately afterward 

without speaking to reporters. 

However, earlier in the week 

Taylor Probst said the attack on 

her father was a senseless killing 

caused by the effect “social media 

has on our youth” — not due 

to his 35 years in law enforcement. 

Under Nevada law, the death 

penalty cannot be sought due to 

their age. However, they have an 

exposure of up to 20 years to life 

in prison for crimes committed 

prior to turning 18 years old. 

In addition to killing Probst, the 

pair is accused of hitting another 

72-year-old cyclist and crashing 

into a car while driving in the 

stolen Hyundai sedan. 

Afterward, they are accused of 

stealing two more cars before 

crashing them into each other. 

The stolen Hyundai Elantra 

was ditched with blood on the 

windshield about 10 minutes 

away from where Probst was 

mowed down and killed. 

Both teens’ mothers made 

comments and seemingly have a 

different perspective regarding 

their sons’ heinous actions. 

“I don’t know why he did 

this,” Ayala’s mother told KLAS 

Wednesday. “I don’t know if God 

can forgive this.” 

“My son’s side of the story will 

be told, ‘the truth,’ not the inaccuracies 

the media will try to 

portray,” Keys’ mother said in a 

text message to the station. 

DALLAS OFFICER SHOT, 

SAVED BY BODY ARMOR 

A Dallas police officer who 

was shot Thursday was saved 

from serious injury by his body 

armor Police Chief Eddie Garcia 

said Monday. 

Garcia said officers Derek 

Williams and Christopher Mazin 

were responding to a call at 

about 1:25 p.m. when they spotted 

a man shooting into a truck 

in front of a gas station. A man 

in the truck was killed, NBC DFW 

reports. 

Williams pulled their patrol 

vehicle into the parking lot and 

drove back to where the shooting 

took place. As the officers 

got out of their vehicle, the man 

began firing at them, hitting the 

patrol car as he drove away, 

police say. 

The officers got back into their 

vehicle and chased the man who 

did a U-turn and was headed 

back toward the officers. Williams 

stopped the patrol vehicle 

and the officers got out where 

they again exchanged gunfire 

with the man. 

During this second exchange of 

gunfire, Williams was shot in his 

vest as the man drove past them. 

He was treated and released at 

a local hospital. A suspect is in 

custody. 

HOUSTON POLICE REVISE 

PURSUIT POLICY AFTER DEAD- 

LY CRASH 

Houston Police Chief Troy 

Finner has released a revised 

vehicle pursuit for police on 

Thursday. 

On Sept. 7, the mother of a 

Houston Police Department 

sergeant was killed when two 

carjackers fleeing from police 

crashed into two vehicles at a 

red light in southwest Houston. 

The drivers of the two vehicles 

were transported to the hospital 

with non-life-threatening injuries, 

Click2Houston reports. 

Finner said he called on lawmakers 

around the nation to increase 

penalties for people that 

are fleeing in vehicles, causing 

danger to the community. He 

also discussed the policy with 

lawmakers on the way officers 

should handle situations like this. 

As required by department 

policy and state law, Finner 

said an officer may engage in a 

vehicle pursuit only if the officer 

determines in good faith, under 

the circumstances the need 

to immediately apprehend the 

suspect outweighs the risk of 

harm to the officer or the public 

in engaging in a pursuit. 

“If the risk of injury outweighs 

the needs to immediately apprehend 

the suspect, officers and 

supervisors alike, shall terminate 

the pursuit,” he said. 

“We need to be smarter, still 

proactive and intentional in 

fighting crime in our city, we 

should not pursue every vehicle 

that flees from us,” Finner 

The BLUES 63

said. “We don’t have to give up 

the search of the suspect when 

we terminate the pursuit -- that 

should continue.” 

HUNTER BIDEN INDICTED ON 

FEDERAL GUN CHARGES 

WILMINGTON, Del. – Hunter 

Biden was indicted on gun 

charges on Thursday in federal 

court in Delaware. The latest 

development was somewhat expected 

after plea deal negotiations 

around tax and gun charges 

crumbled in July. 

Biden failed to disclose on requisite 

paperwork to the Bureau 

of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms 

and Explosives that he was using 

drugs when he purchased a gun 

five years ago in Wilmington, 

Delaware, according to charges 

outlined in Thursday’s indictment, 

Law&Crime reported. 

Under federal law, it is a crime 

to knowingly make a false statement 

to the government. The 

president’s son reportedly came 

to possess the weapon in 2018. 

He is also charged with lying to a 

licensed gun dealer in Delaware 

and he is alleged to have possessed 

the firearm while using 

narcotics, a fact that has been 

widely exposed because of the 

infamous laptop images littering 

the internet. 

Earlier this summer, Biden was 

prepared to plead guilty to two 

misdemeanor tax charges if the 

federal gun charge of possessing 

a weapon while being addicted 

to a controlled substance was 

dropped. This would have allowed 

him to avoid jail time with 

nothing more than probation. 

The deal evaporated after it was 

challenged by a judge. 

Special Council David Weiss 

64 The BLUES 

still must decide whether he 

will charge Biden with any tax 

crimes. If so, the venue for those 

charges could be in Washington, 

D.C., or potentially California, 

reported Law&Crime. 

If convicted, the maximum 

penalty on all charges is 25 years 

in prison and fines of approximately 

$750,000. The incarceration 

time is highly unlikely for 

most defendant’s with a similar 

background, and certainly for the 

president’s son since preferential 

treatment has routinely been 

displayed. 

MAN WALKED NAKED OUT OF 

SHOWER, FOUND MOUNTIE IN 

HIS BEDROOM 

VANCOUVER, B.C. – A British 

Columbia man who is suing the 

RCMP claims he walked naked 

out of his shower to find a female 

uniformed Mountie standing 

in his bedroom. 

Kirk Forbes said the encounter 

in his Coquitlam home in June 

2022 left him “shocked, confused 

and embarrassed.” 

“I felt violated in my own 

home,” he said in an interview 

Wednesday. “That’s my safe 

place. It should always be that 

way.” 

Mounties said in a news release 

issued Tuesday that the 

officers entered the home when 

they found that it appeared “insecure.” 

In a notice of civil claim filed in 

July, Forbes said it was only after 

he asked the woman why she 

was in his home that she identified 

herself as an RCMP officer, 

then asked him his name and 

said she was there to serve him 

a traffic ticket. 

Forbes was told the violation 

– not stopping for a school bus 

– happened in Pemberton, but 

he said in the claim he was unaware 

of any traffic violation. 

“I was confused and at that 

point pretty much in a state 

of shock,” he said. “This is all 

(because of) a six-month-old 

alleged traffic violation that I find 

myself in the situation, and I do 

find it just unreasonable, unprofessional 

and unwarranted.” 

The lawsuit said that after he 

got dressed, he went to his living 

room where he found a male 

officer searching his home. 

He was told the officers had 

knocked on his door and “it had 

flung open” so they went in, the

claim said. The female officer 

then “joked mockingly that 

perhaps they should investigate 

whether a break-in had occurred.” 

Forbes said he was unsatisfied 

with that explanation and with 

the officer’s levity, which made 

him feel unsafe. He became 

“increasingly upset, angry and 

shocked,” the claim said. 

It said the Mounties served him 

the violation ticket and left the 

home. 

In the lawsuit, Forbes alleged 

the RCMP officers “abused their 

authority and power” by walking 

into his home without his permission 

or a warrant to serve the 

ticket. 

He said the incident has left 

lasting impacts. 

“It doesn’t add up for me,” 

Forbes said. 

“I can’t even talk about it without 

just blood pressure spiking,” 

he said, noting that if he sees a 

police car on the street he becomes 

anxious. 

The Coquitlam Mounties say in 

the news release they are aware 

of the claim and that officers 

entered “what appeared to be 

an insecure premise” to serve a 

traffic violation ticket. 

RCMP spokeswoman Cpl. Alexa 

Hodgins said in an interview that 

because there is litigation pending, 

there are limitations on what 

she can disclose. But she said 

there are circumstances in which 

an officer can enter someone’s 

property. 

“There’s case law that if there’s 

an insecure premise that police 

have a duty to make sure that 

nobody’s injured inside, and the 

only way you can do that is to 

enter,” she said. 

Hodgins said examples include 

“a window being smashed, or 

a door opening or maybe the 

doors already open – those types 

of things.” 

The RCMP news release says 

the resident raised concerns 

about the officers’ presence in 

his home, but police believed 

they had “dealt with those concerns 

informally” before the man 

initiated a formal public complaint. 

Forbes said he contacted the 

Coquitlam detachment and 

made an informal complaint 

about the situation the morning 

it happened. He said he was 

told they would investigate and 

report back to him. 

After three weeks without an 

update, he said he went to the 

detachment, where a receptionist 

allegedly referred to him as 

“the shower guy.” 

It was apparent that the incident 

had been discussed among 

other members and employees 

of the Coquitlam RCMP detachment, 

the lawsuit said, which 

caused Forbes “further anxiety, 

embarrassment and upset.” 

“It was pretty disturbing to find 

out that for some reason this 

incident has become the talk of 

the police station, and that was 

not a pleasant feeling for sure,” 

Forbes said in the interview. 

This is what led him to make a 

formal complaint to the Civilian 

Complaints Commission for the 

RCMP on May 12, 2023, he said. 

“It’s a slow erosion of personal 

freedoms,” he said of the incident. 

“It’s really bothered me to 

the point where I just decided I 

had to file a suit.” 

The RCMP statement says the 

incident is now under investigation, 

which will include a 

review of documentation, radio 

transmissions, and the informal 

process. 

Forbes said he hopes those 

records will be made public. 

“I do really want people to 

understand that this is happening,” 

he said. “Hopefully, we see 

change and we see improvement. 

That’s ultimately all we need to 

see.” 

EX-COLO. OFFICER WHO 

PLACED CUFFED WOMAN IN 

PATROL CAR HIT BY TRAIN 

SENTENCED TO PROBATION 


DENVER — A former Colorado 

police officer who put a handcuffed 

woman in a parked police 

vehicle that was hit by a freight 

train, causing the woman to suffer 

serious injuries, has avoided 

a jail sentence and must instead 

The BLUES 65

serve 30 months on supervised 

probation. 

Jordan Steinke, 29, was sentenced 

Friday by Weld County 

District Court Judge Timothy 

Kerns, who found her guilty of 

reckless endangerment and assault 

for the Sept. 16, 2022, crash 

near Platteville. Kerns acquitted 

the former Fort Lupton police 

officer of criminal attempt to 

commit manslaughter after her 

bench trial in July. 

Kerns said he had planned to 

sentence Steinke to jail, but he 

changed his mind after both 

prosecutors and defense attorneys 

sought a probationary sentence, 

The Denver Post reported. 

“Someone is going to hear this 

and say: ‘Another officer gets off,’” 

Kerns said. “That’s not the facts 

of this case.” 

He ordered Steinke to perform 

100 hours of community service. 

And if she violates the terms 

of her probation, “I will harken 

back to my original gut response 

as to how to address sentencing,” 

Kerns warned. 

Steinke, who wept during the 

sentencing hearing, apologized 

to Yareni Rios-Gonzalez, who 

attended the hearing virtually. 

“What happened that night has 

haunted me for 364 days,” Steinke 

said. “I remember your cries 

and your screams.” 

Steinke said she hoped to fulfill 

some of her community service 

by giving educational talks to 

new police officers about the 

dangers of railroad tracks and 

the importance of officers being 

aware of their surroundings. 

Then-Plateville Police Sgt. 

Pablo Vazquez had stopped 

Rios-Gonzalez after a reported 

road-rage incident involving a 

66 The BLUES 

gun. Steinke took her into custody 

and locked her in Vazquez’s 

police vehicle, which was 

parked on the railroad tracks. A 

train crashed into the SUV. 

Rios-Gonzalez, who suffered a 

lasting brain injury and is in pain, 

was conflicted about how she 

wanted Steinke to be punished, 

attorney Chris Ponce said. 

“The conflict that she feels is 

one where every day she has to 

feel this pain,” Ponce said. “And 

she’s had to deal with (doctor) 

appointments and having her 

life so radically changed. And 

feeling upset, very upset about 

that — angry about that — but 

on the other hand, feeling for Ms. 

Steinke, and, I think, truly empathetically 

feeling sorry for how 

she lost her career.” 

Steinke was fired from the Fort 

Lupton police department after 

her conviction. She is expected 

to lose her Peace Officer Standards 

and Training certification, 

her attorney Mallory Revel said, 

meaning she can never be a police 

officer again. 

During Steinke’s trial, her defense 

attorneys said she did not 

know that Vazquez had parked 

his police vehicle on the tracks. 

Vazquez still faces trial for his 

role in the crash. He has been 

charged with five counts of reckless 

endangerment for allegedly 

putting Rios-Gonzalez, Steinke 

and three other people at risk, as 

well as for traffic-related violations, 

including parking where 

prohibited. 

Rios-Gonzalez has also filed a 

lawsuit against the police agencies 

involved. 

MAN TRIES TO BREAK INTO 

CALIFORNIA AUTO SHOP BY 

RAPPELLING DOWN FROM 

THE ROOF ‘MISSION: IMPOSSI- 

BLE’-STYLE 

By Ken Carlson 

MODESTO, CA. — An accused 

burglar tried an unusual way 

of breaking into an auto repair 

shop in Patterson. He rappelled 

from the roof on a nylon cord 

like a cat burglar but soon was 

dangling upside down as a surveillance 

camera recorded his 

struggles to free himself. 

The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s 

Department said the 30-year-old 

man’s attempt to break into the 

business on Highway 33 occurred 

before 1 a.m. Sept. 7. 

“He decided to rappel into the

usiness like ‘Mission: Impossible’ 

and, as you can see, it didn’t go 

well,” Chief Joshua Clayton of 

Patterson Police Services said. 

The suspect’s leg and foot 

became entangled in the nylon 

cord. The video, lasting one minute 

and 38 seconds, shows him 

hanging upside down and making 

several attempts to reach up 

and grab the cord to free himself. 

His loud moaning and a crashing 

sound are heard on the video. 

Eventually, the man is shown 

falling from the cord several feet 

onto the floor. The man groans in 

pain after hitting the floor. 

The Sheriff’s Office said the 

moans of pain triggered an 

alarm, prompting a response 

to the business from Patterson 

deputies. 

Deputies arrested Elmer Sanchez, 

30, of Patterson. He was 

booked into jail on potential 

charges of first-degree burglary 

and possession of burglary tools. 

Clayton said Sanchez was in 

possession of a saw, bolt cutters 

and a pulley. 

Authorities received a call 

from the alarm company at 2:15 

a.m. Deputies found the suspect 

inside the business around 3 a.m. 

Sanchez was not seriously injured 

by the fall, Clayton said. 

The chief said the alleged 

burglar used a paracord, or a 

thin nylon cord, to lower himself 

from the roof. Using the thin cord 

was not advisable and is likely 

why he became entangled in the 

line, the chief said. 

Clayton wasn’t sure how the 

man gained access through the 

roof. He said Sanchez is known 

to Patterson police and has a 

criminal record. 

Sanchez remained in custody 

Monday, with bail set at 

$120,000. 

The alleged burglary is under 

investigation. Authorities did not 

release the name of the car repair 

business. 

PHILADELPHIA SHERIFF DIS- 

PUTES CONTROLLER REPORT 

THAT HER OFFICE CAN’T AC- 

COUNT FOR NEARLY 200 GUNS 


PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia’s 

sheriff on Thursday disputed a 

city controller report that determined 

that the sheriff’s office 

couldn’t account for 185 guns 

that the controller’s office says 

are missing. 

Sheriff Rochelle Bilal said at a 

news conference that the controller’s 

report released earlier 

this week contained “misleading 

statements,” and she questioned 

the controller’s review. 

Acting City Controller Charles 

Edacheril said his office conducted 

the review as a follow-up 

to a 2020 report that 

found the sheriff’s office couldn’t 

account for more than 200 

weapons. That report stated that 

the office had haphazard recordkeeping 

practices and unclear 

procedures regarding the handling 

of guns. 

Some of the missing guns were 

part of the sheriff’s office’s arsenal 

and others were confiscated 

from people subject to protection-from-abuse 

orders. 

Bilal, who took office in 2020, 

said earlier this year that her 

department had accounted for 

all but 20 of the guns cited in 

the 2020 report, and they were 

either located or found to have 

been disposed of or sold. 

The controller, though, notified 

the sheriff’s office on Wednesday 

that there wasn’t sufficient 

evidence to account for 76 of its 

guns and 109 weapons that were 

surrendered to the office. 

S.C. DEPUTY SHOT IN THE 

HEAD, K-9 FATALLY WOUNDED 

BY GUNMAN 


JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. — A man 

who shot two people, including 

a sheriff’s deputy, along 

the South Carolina coast was 

killed by officers after he fatally 

wounded a police dog, authorities 

said. 

The dog, named Rico, was sent 

The BLUES 67

into a home on Johns Island, 

west of Charleston, Thursday 

afternoon to search for Ernest 

Robert Burbage III in places a 

robot couldn’t reach, State Law 

Enforcement Division Chief Mark 

Keel said. After killing the dog, 

he came out of the home and 

pointed the same high-powered 

rifle at officers, who shot and 

killed him, authorities said, ending 

the daylong ordeal. 

Law enforcement had been 

looking for Burbage since he randomly 

fired at a car on the island 

on Wednesday, authorities said. 

After shooting at the vehicle, 

Burbage fired on members of a 

SWAT team as they got out of an 

armored vehicle late Wednesday, 

and one of the shots struck 

the deputy driving the vehicle in 

the head, Sheriff Kristin Graziano 

said. 

Charleston County Master Deputy 

James Gilbreath was alert 

and recovering in a hospital, and 

he’s soon to be discharged, said 

Graziano, who released photos 

of the deputy’s bloodstained 

ballcap. 

Thursday afternoon, a different 

SWAT team was sent to 

the Johns Island home where 

Burbage had been earlier in the 

search. A robot was sent inside 

first, but it couldn’t get to every 

place in the home, Keel said. 

The police dog was sent in to 

finish the search but was killed. 

Rico was 3 years old and tracked 

suspects nearly every day, said 

Keel, who asked for prayers for 

Rico’s team and handlers. 

“If it wasn’t for Rico, this could 

have been much, much worse. 

We’re very appreciative,” Graziano 

said. 

Deputies had asked people 

68 The BLUES 

on Johns Island to stay in their 

homes and report if they see 

something out of place in storage 

sheds, boats or other places 

someone could hide. 

A high school, middle school 

and three elementary schools 

in the area were closed before 

students arrived Thursday morning, 

Charleston County School 

District officials said. The park 

surrounding Johns Island’s Angel 

Oak, a tree up to 400 years old 

that is the largest oak east of 

the Mississippi River, was also 

closed as the search for Burbage 

continued.

The BLUES 69

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bluespdmag@gmail.com 

70 The BLUES

ALDINE ISD 

POLICE DEPARTMENT 

JOIN OUR TEAM 

EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS 

• Sick Leave 

• Paid Vacation 

• Paid Holidays 

• Personal Days 

• Teacher Retirement System 

TCOLE CERTIFICATION INCENTIVE 

• Intermediate PO: $2,400 

• Advanced PO: $4,800 

• Master PO: $7,200 

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS 

• Must be 21 Years Of Age 

• Must Hold an Active Tcole Peace Officer License 

• Must Complete the Following: 

• Pass Physical Agility Test 

• Background Investigation 

• Psychological Evaluation 

• Drug Screening 

FOR MORE INFO CONTACT 

SGT. HALL AT 281.442.4923 

OR VISIT ALDINEISD.ORG 

APPLY AT 

ALDINEISD.ORG 

STARTING SALARY $55,000 WITH NO EXPERIENCE 

UP TO $85,000 DEPENDING ON EXPERIENCE 

ALDINE ISD PD OFFERS 

DEPARTMENT BENEFITS 

• Uniforms Provided, Including Duty Weapon 

• Department Provided Training 

• Starting Pay Depends on 

Qualifications / Experience 

• TCOLE Certification / Education Pay 

• Most Officers work Day Shift with Weekends Off 

(INCENTIVE PAY FOR DETECTIVES, K-9 HANDLERS, AND 

FIREARM INSTRUCTORS.) 

SPECIALIZED DIVISIONS 

• Criminal Investigations 

• Emergency Response Team 

• Honor Guard 

• Gang Task Force 

• Community Outreach Division 

• K-9 Division 

• Firearm Instructor 

$1,000 SIGNING BONUS 

 

Montgomery County’s 3 rd Largest Law Enforcement Agency 

• $50,363 minimum starting salary 

• Certification pay: 

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

FULL-TIME POLICE OFFICER 

• Competitive insurance & benefits 

• Teacher Retirement System (TRS) 

• 20 paid leave days & 12 paid holidays 

Opportunity 

multiple divisions including 

Investigations, Patrol, and 

K-9 services 

Growth 

100+ annual training hours, 

promotion opportunities, 

Field Training Officer 

Balance 

overtime pay, comp time, 

most weekends off, prior LE 

experience pay 

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT 

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

police.conroeisd.net 

CISDPolice 

@CISDPolice 

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NOW HIRING 

PRIORITY BOLO 

ISD PD JOB LISTINGS 

FIND YOUR ISD 

POSITION HERE 

72 The BLUES 

72 The BLUES

Now Hiring 

School District Police Officer 

Must be TCOLE Certified 

www.pfisd.net/police 

226 day work schedule with starting 

salary between $52,884 and $60,821 

depending on experience 

Overtime Opportunities Available 

Stipends for TCOLE Advanced & Master 

Licenses, MHO Certification, College 

Degrees, and Bilingual Proficiency 

Thanksgiving, Winter, & 

Spring Breaks off 

Take Home Vehicle Program 

Great Insurance & Benefits 

Package with TRS 

Retirement 

SPRING BRANCH ISD POLICE DEPARTMENT 

WE’RE 

HIRING 

Patrol & Onsite Officers (HS/MS) 

Gang Officer 

Mental Health Officers 

Community Relations Officer 

Emergency Management 

Criminal Investigations 

K-9 programs 

*All equipment provided including duty weapon 

**Training opportunities available 

DEPARTMENT 

HIGHLIGHTS 

55 officer department 

44 square mile district 

47 schools 

35,000 population 

24/7 Patrol 

We want you to preserve, protect, and defend our future. 

Starting Pay $63,000 (TCOLE Basic Peace Officer certification with no experience) 

Language pay 

Shift differential pay 

Intermediate, Advanced and 

Master Peace Officer 

certificate pay 

Paid time off 

Ample overtime opportunities 

Apply online today. springbranchisd.com/join-our-team 

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RAYMOND SIMPER 

CENTRAL POLICE 

The BLUES First Advertiser 

WORDS BY MICHAEL BARRON, 

FOUNDER OF THE BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 

In 1984, while just a rookie at the Harris County Sheriff’s 

Office, a few of my fellow deputies and I met at the 

Humble City Café to talk about creating a newsletter for 

the newly created Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy Union. 

I learned that the union was willing to share in the 

revenue generated by the aforementioned newsletter in 

an 80/20 split, with Mikey B. receiving the 20%. Now it 

didn’t take a genius to figure out that was going to be 

a lot of work for only 20%. So I decided to create my 

own newsletter/tabloid and charge the Union to include 

THEIR information in MY publication. On that 20th day of 

November, just before Thanksgiving, the concept for the 

County Blues was born. 

But if this new venture was going to work, I needed 

advertisers. At the time, I only knew one guy that was in 

the police supply business – Raymond Simper, the owner 

of Central Police Supply. 

I had been a frequent customer of ‘Ray’s Police Emporium’ 

and had become good friends with Ray. So, on a 

cold rainy day in December, I waltzed into Central and 

announced to Ray I was starting a police newspaper 

and what did he think of the idea. And he says, “there 

already is a Police Newspaper in town, it’s called the 

Badge & Gun. So, you might want to think of something 

else to occupy your time Mikey.” 

But Ray, I know about the Badge & Gun and it’s an association 

newspaper and the County Blues will be for 

everyone. “That’s the name ----County Blues---like as 

in Harris County? That’s the name you picked out?” says 

Ray in his somewhat sarcastic voice. 

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No, as in Hill Street Blues. This conversation 

went on for a while and I could tell 

it was going to take some convincing to 

get Ray to advertise. But by the time I got 

ready to publish the first issue just before 

Christmas, his interest began to grow as 

did his daily suggestions. You should add 

this or maybe write a story about so and 

so. 

“You want me to proof this rag before 

you print the darn thing.” 

No Ray, I’m good. 

The truth is, it wasn’t until the fourth issue 

in April of 1985 that I sold the first paid 

ad. Oh there were ads in the first three 

issues, but they were all my businesses 

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or friends that owned businesses. But the 

FIRST PAID AD was placed by Central Police 

Supply and Ray insisted that it be in the 

center of the newspaper and in COLOR. 

“Now what color blue do you use? Because 

we have a certain color blue we use 

for our logo” says Ray. Uh huh, and what 

pray tell is that color BLUE that is so critical 

to your logo Mr. Simper? 

“I don’t actually know, but I’m sure Judy 

knows, ask her.” 

And that’s the story of the how the first ad 

was sold in the BLUES and how Ray Simper 

became the first unofficial editor and color 

selector for the BLUES. Over the years, Ray 

and Central Police Supply became one of

WATCH: 

The History of Central 

Police Supply 

The BLUES 77 

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our most avid supporters. And it was Ray 

that introduced me to Buddy Williams the 

editor of the Badge & Gun, who would later 

become the owner of the BLUES for almost 

25 years. 

In fact, it was Ray’s idea (one of perhaps 

a thousand over the years) to change the 

name of the newspaper from County Blues 

to just The BLUES. Ray said I was too partial 

to Harris County, and I needed to expand 

my horizons or something like that. Expand 

readership statewide, he says. I’m pretty 

sure this was his idea to get Central’s ad 

seen by more cops across the state and of 

course not pay more for said ad. 

Around the time Ray retired from HPD, I 

sold the newspaper to Buddy Williams and 

it was rare that I ran into Ray at Central. But 

when I did, he and I would discuss ways to 

improve the BLUES. 

Not sure how much advice he gave Buddy 

over the years, but I’m sure if he had 

the chance, Ray would have imparted his 

knowledge of the publishing world to Buddy 

as well. 

Over the years, Central Police Supply 

became a second home to hundreds if not 

thousands of police officers. In fact, Central 

Police Supply began its long storied history 

as F15 in 1972 and Ray Simper was one 

of the 15 original owners. As he tells it, he 

gradually purchased shares from the other 

officers until he owned 100%. It wasn’t long 

after that, he changed the name to Central 

Police Supply. 

In the more than half of century that 

Central and F15 have been in business, they 

have outfitted officers with damn near everything 

they could ever need. 

When we relaunched The BLUES in 2019, 

I ran across a video that Greg Smith produced 

about Ray and the history of Central 

Police Supply. (See link on preceding page) 

It’s a great video that gives insight into 

Ray’s history as an HPD officer and his involvement 

with F15 and later as the owner 

of Central Police Supply. 

I was out of town in August of 2020 when 

a friend called me and said Ray had passed 

away. I was truly saddened by the news. 

Ray was always like an older brother to me, 

and I wish that I had made it a point to visit 

him more often over the years. I am however 

thrilled to see his daughter Jacqueline 

running the family business. I know Ray 

was so proud when Jacqueline wanted to 

take over as manager and she is every bit 

as smart as her old man. 

Finally, I’d like to thank Jacqueline and 

the staff at Central Police Supply for once 

again placing their trust in The BLUES to 

promote a true legend in Houston. I think 

Ray would be proud of the ad in this issue 

and yes Ray, we made sure the logo is in 

fact the right color blue. 

I know Ray is riding his tractor in heaven 

and watching over all his family – both personal 

as well as BLUE. Can’t wait to see you 

again my friend and tell you all about the 

digital version of The BLUES and I’m sure 

you’ll have ways to improve it. 

God Bless you, my friend. 

78 The BLUES

WATCH: 

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JACQUELINE SIMPER, PRESIDENT & 

CENTRAL POLICE 

On a recent visit to Central, I shared with Jacqueline my 

idea of featuring her on the first of our Three-Part Anniversary 

Issues. I have to admit I think she was a little hesitate 

about having her picture splashed across the cover of a 40- 

year old police magazine. But as I explained my reasoning 

for wanting to honor her father and the more than fifty-year 

history of Central Police Supply, she agreed to do it. I actually 

met Jacqueline and her older sister back in the day 

when they were just kids, visiting their father at his ‘extra’ 

job. On one of the many days I was hanging out at Central, 

Ray says “I’ll be right back” and God only knows where 

he went. But I looked up and it was just me and his two 

daughters. Jackie says, what can we do Mr. Mike. I tell you 

what you two can do. I’ll give you $5 each if ya’ll straighten 

up this messy desk of your dads. Jackie snatches the money 

from me and starts organizing and shuffling papers. Her 

older sister then takes the money away from her and tells 

me “she’s too young to have money!” About that time Ray 

walks back in and about has a heart attack when he sees 

his desk all organized. I’m not sure, but I don’t think he had 

even seen the top of that desk for years. He freaked the hell 

out. What did ya’ll do girls. And Jackie says “Mr Mike paid 

us $5 each to clean your desk. Did we do a good job?” 

“Uh, I think I have someplace to be, I gotta go.” I don’t 

know if he was more upset I gave them money or the fact 

his desk was actually organized (somewhat) and now he 

had no idea where anything was. When I told Jackie this 

story, she had no recollection of it but said “I think my sister 

owes me $5.” More like $5o with 35 years interest, I said. 

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SUPPLY 

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Our Editor Tina Jaeckle had a chance recently to ask 

Jackie some questions about her dad and the business. 

Here is what they talked about: 

What was it like growing up as the daughter 

of Houston Police Officer? 

My father did a good job separating work and home 

life. At home, he focused on being a good dad and 

spending time with the family. It wasn’t until I started 

working for him as an adult that I heard his HPD stories 

from back in the day. 

When you were young, did you go to work 

with your dad at Central? 

Yes, I worked at the store for a summer as a teenager. 

At what point did you decide to go to work for your 

dad? 

In 2008, I was working in the real estate industry. 

Although I enjoyed it, it was not fulfilling to me. One 

day, I visited the store with my dad, and he told me that 

the current manager was leaving. Since my dad did 

not have a replacement for him and I was looking for 

a more fulfilling career, it just made sense to come on 

board. I am happy that I stopped by that day. I really appreciate 

all the years that I got to work with my father 

and for the opportunity to learn the business. 

SOME OF THE FINE PRODUCTS 

YOU’LL FIND AT CENTRAL PS 

CLICK ON THE NAME 

FOR MORE INFORMATION 

HPD CHALLENGE COIN 

Where did you go to college? 

I went to Texas A&M University. I have a degree in Psychology 

with a minor in Business. 

What do you remember most about your 

dad? 

My dad was just a really special person. He would 

go out of his way to help others and genuinely wanted 

to lift those around him. It was hard to be in a bad 

mood around him because his positive attitude was 

contagious. One of the things he used to say was, “Every 

problem has a solution.” Those words come to me 

when faced with some kind of challenge, and they reassure 

me. 

82 The BLUES 

FAMILY BADGE 

TLR-1 HL

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My father was passionate about everything important 

to him. He never wanted to retire because he loved 

what he did. He was a devout Catholic and dedicated 

several hours a week volunteering at his church. I’ve 

always admired his work ethic and enthusiasm. 

Tell us about Central Police Supply today. 

How is the business today compared to 

when you first started? 

Many things have remained the same, but we are 

constantly evolving and adapting to meet the needs of 

our customers. One of the most significant changes is 

that we have become licensed to sell firearms and are 

now a Blue Label dealer for Glock, Sig, and Smith & 

Wesson. We also have a certified armorer available to 

install sights and optics. 

What are the challenges of running a business 

like Central? 

Like most small businesses, everyone has to wear 

many hats. There’s no IT department to turn to for 

technical issues or maintenance person to call if 

there’s a problem. We have to do some research and 

find a way to overcome any obstacles that may arise. 

Also, we are in a unique industry. Our sales staff 

must develop a wide array of knowledge specific to 

law enforcement. It takes time and experience to learn 

everything. We have a great team, and everyone helps 

each other out. 

I understand you have two young sons; do 

you think they’ll follow in their grandfather’s 

and mom’s footsteps and take over 

when you’re ready to retire? 

I would be thrilled if they did, but I want them to follow 

their dreams. Right now, one wants to be a police 

officer, and the other wants to be an entomologist. 

SOME OF THE FINE PRODUCTS 

YOU’LL FIND AT CENTRAL PS 

CLICK ON THE NAME 

FOR MORE INFORMATION 

Safariland 

Holster 

S&W HANDCUFFS 

HOLOSUN 

TRAFFIC VEST 

84 The BLUES 

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A LOOK AT 

POLICE CARS 

PAST & PRESENT 

Over the years, I guess you could say just about every car made has 

been a police car at one time or another. The first “police vehicle” 

was actually a wagon run by electricity on the streets of Akron, Ohio 

in 1899. 

In the 1920s the New York City Police Department has employed a 

fleet of “Radio Motor Patrol” vehicles to aid in its fight against crime 

within the city. In the United States and Canada, police departments 

have historically used standard-size, low-price line sedans since the 

days of the Ford Model A. 

Let’s look back at the history of the police car since that 1899 wagon 

and what the “big 3” have in store for the 2024 models. 

1899 

2024 

86 The BLUES 

POLICE MAGAZINE

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87

HOW IT ALL BEGAN 

The first police cars in America 

showed up at the end of the 19th 

century. In fact, the very first police 

car anywhere was actually 

a wagon powered by electricity 

used in Akron, Ohio, in 1899. 

Of course, back in 1899, when 

the first documented use of a 

self-propelled vehicle for police 

business took place in the U.S., 

no one really knew where it will 

eventually lead. At the turn of 

the 19th century, police officers 

began using the electrically 

powered wagons as a mean 

of transport for them (hence 

the name squad car for today’s 

police cars). This reportedly first 

happened in Akron, Ohio, in the 

aforementioned year. There are 

no records of how the vehicle 

performed, or what it managed 

to do. 

Slowly, the fast-growing automotive 

industry engulfed law 

enforcement efforts as well. 

The road opened by Ford’s Model 

T was the signal for police 

departments to go the motorized 

way. The T became as popular 

with police agencies because 

they were cheap and just 

about the single viable choice at 

the time. 

The early versions of the 

T were powered by a front 

mounted 2.9l four-cylinder 

engine, developing a tiny troop 

of only 20.2 hp. This gave it a 

top speed of at most 45 mph 

(75 km/h) and ate as much as 

18.7l of fuel every hundred kilometers 

(13 mpg). Despite this, 

being the only true choice on 

the market, made the T go into 

service with just about every 

law enforcement agency in the 

country by the 1920s. And it was 

common for the police to use 

the so-called paddy wagons to 

transport criminals of the day 

to jail. Most of the vehicles were 

enclosed bed trucks, used to 

carry both police officers and 

criminals. 

Regardless of the vehicle chosen 

for police work up until the 

1920s, they had one big advantage, 

which also happened to 

be their huge disadvantage. A 

vehicle is faster than a horse, 

and definitely much faster than 

a human on foot, a trait which 

makes it ideal for chasing bad 

guys across the state. 

At first, early vehicles were 

used as a means to allow officers 

to get to the scene of a 

crime faster. Even in their crude 

state, they started being used 

for patrol purposes, with the 

so-called supervisors moving 

around the city to monitor their 

respective patrol districts. 

But how could one chase 

someone effectively, if one 

doesn’t know who they are, 

where they are, where they’re 

heading and what they have 

done? Being fast and mobile 

meant police spent more time 

on the field, but this in turn left 

them with no actual means of 

communicating with HQ or with 

other police officers. Moving in 

packs of two or more vehicles 

was as equally ineffective, as the 

main purpose of the police 

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The very first police car anywhere was a wagon powered by electricity used in Akron, Ohio, in 1899 

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90 The BLUES 

car was to allow police to cover 

more ground, faster. 

THE THING THAT MADE THE 

DIFFERENCE, was the two-way 

radio. This apparently plain gadget 

allowed police cars to really 

take off. 

Created in its modern form by 

Senior Constable Frederick William 

Downie, from the Victorian 

Police in Australia, the twoway 

radio was the first means 

of communications which used 

no wires to transmit data. The 

Victorian Police were the first in 

the world in 1923, to use such a 

system in a car forever replacing 

the lengthy, ineffective calls via 

telephone boxes. 

By 1929, this new technology 

was really taking off in the U.S. 

The Detroit City Police began 

broadcasting on their KOP station 

in the late 1920s, a move which 

soon inspired a world’s first. In 

Michigan, following a $25,000 

investment in equipment and 

the support of the Federal Communications 

Commission, the 

world’s first state-operated police 

radio came to be in 1929: The 

station ID was WRDS. 

WRDS was just about the only 

transmitter at the time and its 

importance exceeded state borders. 

The station could be heard 

in 44 State Police cars, some 80 

State Police HQs and countless 

other local police departments. 

The advent of a centralized 

communications system allowed 

the police car to climb to 

the next level. Whereas up until 

then, cars were used for transport 

and patrol means. By coordinating 

them, they could take a 

more aggressive stance towards 

crime. In 1933, a blockade system 

was established in 41 Detroit-area 

counties and soon after, interstate-coordination 

began. 

On the parallel front, the vehicles 

themselves were turning 

into forces to be reckoned with. 

By the 1930s, there were three 

major players competing for a 

place in police garages: Chevrolet, 

Ford, and Plymouth. 

Ever since 1918, when Chevrolet 

introduced the Model D, 

a car powered by a V8 engine 

and developing twice as much 

power as the T (55 hp), Ford’s 

supremacy began to fade. With 

the introduction of the overhead 

valve 6-cylinder engine in 

1929, Chevrolet was beginning to 

threaten Ford’s huge slice of the 

police departments’ budgets. But 

Ford fought back. 

The star of the cops and robbers’ 

chases became Ford’s new 

flathead V8, introduced by the 

manufacturer in 1932 on the new 

V-8 model. 

Equally cherished by the figures 

of the “public enemy era” (Bonnie 

and Clyde & John Dillinger) 

and the police chasing them, the 

V-8 would establish high-powered, 

fast vehicles as the cars of 

choice for police departments. 

Also known as Model 18, the V-8 

developed over three times as 

much power as the T used to do, 

namely 85 hp. 

SETTING THEM APART 

As the use of cars for police 

purposes picked up, so did chases, 

roads blocks and any other 

type of hood-to-hood confrontations. 

For the innocent captivated 

bystander however, it was 

not always clear who was chasing 

who. As Henry Ford said, “any 

customer can have a car painted 

any color that he wants so long 

as it is black.” Although the 

THE 20’S - 50’S

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palette was more diverse than 

that, the color of choice for both 

police officers and criminals 

alike remained black. 

Few, if any markings let others 

know a car is being used by the 

police. In the early days, police 

cars were given just an insignia, 

stating the car’s purpose on the 

road. 

This minor setback, together 

with the need to make police 

cars better than their foes’, led 

to the creation of what is now 

known as the police package. By 

definition, a police package is the 

car itself, customized to become 

a police car and featuring 

performance, stance and visual 

enhancements. 

One of the first packages to be 

offered was created by Ford, but 

only after the end of the second 

World War. The American 

manufacturer found there were 

several repetitive items requested 

by police departments when 

it came to police cars. To make 

their job easier, Ford selected 

those features and combined 

them with several other parts 

and components, which were 

then sold to police departments 

as Police Packages. 

Of course, everyone picked 

up the idea and soon US streets 

were filled with identifiable police 

cars. Underneath the fancy 

painting and lights however, the 

packages hid serious improvements 

to both performance and 

resistance. Police cars became 

much tougher and resilient than 

their street versions. 

Police packages also began 

solving another problem officers 

had to face. Not being built for 

police use, cars did not have any 

means of separating the officers 

from the prisoners they transported. 

To make matters worse, 

until police packages arrived, 

policemen have reportedly been 

driving alongside the suspects 

sitting right beside them on the 

front seat. 

Police cars also began using 

sirens and lights. The sirens consisted 

of a rotating disk powered 

by an electric motor, while 

the lights were limited to a red 

flasher or a Federal Beacon Ray. 

By the 1960s, the single rotating 

light began being replaced 

with Federal bar mounted dual 

lights. Towards the end of the 

decade, manufactures created 

the enclosed light bars which 

are still used today, albeit with 

LED lights operated by a digital 

control system. Larger police 

departments started separating 

themselves from the public by 

requesting their cars be painted 

in two contrasting colors, on the 

doors and the front & rear fenders. 

Plymouth, a favorite choice of 

police departments, took police 

packages even further and came 

up with an advertising campaign 

to promote their products. 

They even began building several 

packages, to suit the needs 

of different law enforcement 

agencies. Chrysler replied with 

the release of the Dodge Coronet 

police package in 1956, followed 

by the Dodge Dart Pursuit in 1959. 

American police’s taste in 

terms of cars thus began taking 

shape. Even since the 1932 Ford 

V-8, the appeal of law-defenders 

for muscle cars grew. By the 

1970s, just about the entire fleet 

of police cars was a force to be 

reckoned with spearheaded by 

300+ hp engines. 

92 The BLUES

CHRYSLER ENFORCER 

In the 1960s, the Chrysler Enforcer was a Newport 4-Door Sedan with a Chrysler Police Pack that included 

power steering and drum brakes. It offered the cop that had to keep up a 5.9-liter V8 engine pushing power 

through the rear wheels using a push-button transmission. That huge lump of an engine made 265 horsepower 

and topped out at 130 mph. 

1960 FORD FAIRLANE 

The Ford Fairlane was widely used for fleets in the 1950s and 1960s. Powered by a V8 and starting at a pocket-friendly 

price, the big, comfortable cruiser was used by several police departments, including the Illinois State 

Police and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Department. 

A 1960 Ford Fairlane Fordor Sedan appeared as a squad car used by the fictional Mayberry Police Department 

in the 1960s American sitcom, The Andy Griffith Show. 

The BLUES 93

DODGE & PLYMOUTH 

1966 PLYMOUTH BELVEDERES 

The Plymouth Belvederes were deployed particularly by the LAPD and New 

York Police Department from the mid-1960s to the early 1970s. Powered 

by a V8 engine, the Belvedere police pursuit vehicles were surprisingly very 

affordable. The standard option for the 1966 Belvedere Police package was a 

383-cubic-inch V8, with an output of 330 hp and 425 lb-ft of torque. The V8 is 

bolted to a 727 Torqueflite automatic transmission. 

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1975-78 PLYMOUTH FURY A38 PURSUIT 

Some of the most famous classic American cars have been used by law 

enforcement, and one such is the Plymouth Fury. Plymouth offered the A38 

Police Pursuit Package on the seventh generation Fury, running from 1975 

to 1978. Plymouth beefed up the otherwise sedated 218-inch-long Fury with 

heavy-duty tuned suspensions, 7-inch-wide heavy-duty wheels, and fabric-belted 

radial police pursuit tires. The interior of the Fury A38 Pursuit was 

furnished with bench seats fitted in heavy-duty cloth/vinyl upholstery combinations. 

The Fury A38 Pursuit used mainly by the Virginia State Police was 

wrapped in silver and blue with a red beacon on the roof.

1974 DODGE MONACO 

The Dodge Monaco, as well as the Dodge Coronet and Plymouth Fury ,were built on the same body and chassis 

and the only significant visual difference between them was the grille. The 1974 Dodge Monaco Police Pursuit was 

powered by a 440-cubic-inch Magnum engine and used by the New York State Police. 

Car chase movie lovers would find it interesting to know that a 1974 Dodge Monaco patrol car and 12 other cars 

were used in the 1980 American musical comedy film, The Blues Brothers. 

1977-1988 DODGE DIPLOMAT POLICE PACKAGE 

Dodge produced the Diplomat from 1977 to 1989, and it initially shared design elements with the Chrysler LeBaron. 

For power generation, Dodge offered either a 1bbl or 2bbl 225 slant six, or the 2-bbl 318 V8 engines. It wasn’t until 

1981 before Dodge introduced the Police Package Diplomats, and they had the fiery 4bbl 360 V8 engine and a 727 

Torqueflite three-speed transmission. That being said, many police agencies still relied upon the Diplomat 318 V8 

engine because of its proven capability. 

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TIDE TURNING 

Another major change began in 

the beginning of the 1960s, when 

smaller cars began being used 

as squad vehicles. As the compact 

car was slowly making its 

way into the world, police began 

turning their attention from the 

large and mid-sized sedans. 

The shift in taste culminated 

with some call “the ultimate police 

car” of the ‘70s (and since), 

the Chevrolet Nova Police package. 

It surfaced in 1975, codenamed 

9C1, and was powered by 

a LM1 350-cid, four-barrel carbureted 

V8 engine, developing 

155 hp. 

Unfortunately, by the end of 

the 1970s, the oil crisis began 

and stricter emission regulations 

slowly pushed big engines out of 

the cars and consequently out of 

law enforcement. 

By early 1980s, big engines 

were nearly extinct and police 

departments had to turn to the 

likes of the Ford Fairmont and 

Plymouth Volare. Most of the police-spec 

vehicles were the same 

as the ones built for taxi use. 

By the mid 80s, police agencies 

had various uses for their patrol 

vehicles, which led to the current 

classes of police cars. The 

advent of the Sport Utility Vehicle 

(SUV) also opened the door 

for government agencies to set 

themselves apart from regular 

police forces. 

Since the 1990s, police are 

classified in police pursuit vehicles 

(PPV), special service vehicles 

(SSV) and special package 

vehicles (SSP). 

96 The BLUES

THE FORD LTDs 

1977-1979 Ford LTD II Police Car 

1984 Ford LTD LX 

The Ford LTD II is an automobile that was marketed and produced by the Ford Motor Company between 1977 and 

1979 in the United States and Canada. Deriving its name from the full-size Ford LTD model line, the intermediate LTD 

II was equipped with a police package and a 5.0 Engine. 

Ask almost anyone about the Ford LTD LX and you’ll probably draw a blank stare, except maybe from a highway 

patrol officer. This car was and remains virtually unknown due to the fact that only 3,260 were manufactured for 

civilian public sale and 800 for police use. 

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THE FORD CROWN V 

‘best cop car of all time’ 


Police1 

DEARBORN, Mich. — The 

Ford Crown Victoria, produced 

by Ford Motor Company, has 

been declared the “Best Police 

Cruiser of All Time” by Haloid 

Fleet, according to a news release 

from the company. 

This recognition is a result 

of a comprehensive evaluation 

of the vehicle’s performance, 

safety, reliability and overall 

cost. 

Despite production ending in 

2011, the Crown Victoria surpasses 

contemporary pursuit 

vehicles in Haloid Fleet’s 

evaluation, driven by a range 

of factors: 

Performance: It maintained 

pursuit speeds with low rollover 

risk and superior handling; 

it also sustained only 

minimal damage when hitting 

curbs. 

Convenience: It offered a 

large trunk and cabin with 

ample space for police gear. 

Safety: Its heavy-duty bodyon-frame 

platform kept the 

vehicle intact in the event of 

collisions. 

Reliability: The operating 

lifespan of a properly maintained 

Crown Victoria easily 

exceeded 200,000 miles. 

Cost: Its plain features, reusable 

and readily available 

parts, and long production cycles 

meant it was inexpensive 

to buy and operate, costing 

nearly 70% less to own and 

operate than today’s vehicles. 

“Many industry observers 

will question our recognition. 

But if you consider the Crown 

Victoria in terms of cost, reliability 

and utility, it’s easy to 

understand why we chose it. 

It did the job at a much lower 

cost than modern cruisers. 

Many cash-strapped public 

safety agencies would love 

to buy these vehicles today,” 

Haloid spokesperson, George 

Martinez, said in a news release. 

While the Crown Victoria receives 

high praise, a comeback 

for this iconic vehicle shouldn’t 

be anticipated. Current federal 

fuel regulations and its historically 

low sales volume render 

the revival of Crown Victoria’s 

production unfeasible. However, 

as modern pursuit vehicles 

see a rise in costs due to advanced 

technology and intricate 

drive trains, the Crown 

Victoria’s legacy of affordable 

and dependable manufacturing, 

which started in 1983, 

continues to resonate. 

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IC 

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THE FORD CROWN VIC 

What Police1.com readers said about their time in a Crown Vic 

By Police1 Staff 

As the Ford Crown Victoria is 

declared the “Best Police Cruiser 

of All Time” by Haloid Fleet, we 

turn to the experiences of the Police1 

readers who have driven this 

iconic vehicle on patrol. 

Despite production ending in 

2011, the Crown Victoria still holds 

a special place in the hearts of 

many law enforcement officers 

and continues to set a high bar 

in terms of performance, safety, 

reliability, and cost. 

Here’s what readers had to say 

about why the Crown Victoria 

still reigns supreme in the eyes of 

those who’ve had the privilege of 

driving one. 

• I pushed one for just shy of 

17 years. I abused them, as anyone 

I worked with could attest, 

including the shop. They were all 

but indestructible, only blew one 

engine and a couple of transmissions 

usually driving the same 

car for years so it was constant 

abuse and it just kept taking 

it. It was such an amazing car 

I bought a low mileage (2002 

46k miles) personal one. Such a 

good car. I cannot believe Ford 

quit making them. Bring it back 

and don’t change much Ford! 

• Still drive three of them, can’t 

get enough. I’ve hit a deer at 45 

with no damage to the car. Can’t 

say enough how amazing they 

are. 

• The Crown Vic had great performance 

power and excellent 

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cornering ability. I drove one in 

the early 1990s. 

• It was solid and it held the 

road. It was a big boat but didn’t 

float like a Caprice. It offered 

a lot of cover protection. One 

anecdote: I chased a Ferrari one 

night on I-171 in Fort Worth and 

caught him. I let the guy go with 

a warning telling him I caught 

him with an old Crown Vic with 

over 100,000 miles on it. He 

wondered why and I told him 

it was not his father’s V8 under 

that hood. It was a great car. 

• Fantastic K-9 vehicle. All your 

gear fit in the trunk. As long as 

you do all the required maintenance 

and repairs, the Crown 

Victoria will last many years. 

Both of mine had over 250,000 

miles before I was required to 

return them back to the county 

that I worked for. 

• First and foremost, it was 

a car, as in a police car. Not a 

tall wagon/van (called a SUV 

or crossover now). It was RWD, 

handled very well with a great 

turning radius and the power 

a police car should have. Did I 

mention it was a CAR! 

• Many years ago I drove 

through some very tough neighborhoods. 

That car was my 

friend. 

• In my experience, the Chevy 

Caprice beat the Crown Vic in 

acceleration, braking, passenger 

room and trunk space. The 

Caprice also had a larger alternator 

to keep pace with the extra 

lights on a police car. 

• Beautiful highway car. 

• The Crown Vic was a very 

stable platform. Mine was very 

reliable as long it was taken care 

of. There was also ample room. 

I also loved how the rear-wheel 

drive car excelled at driving in 

snow and ice. I teach EVOC at ID 

POST and we use an older Crown 

Vic as the rabbit car during the 

pursuit course. 

• Still drive a 2005 P71, 239,000 

and still a beast. The only issue 

with these cars is the crappy 

plastic intake. They all cracked 

and that was a $1,000 repair job. 

Other than that, Panther Platform 

4ever! 

• Very roomy, has excellent 

handling, is reliable and the A/C 

got cold enough to hang a side 

of beef inside (definitely a plus 

working in Florida). 

• You cannot beat a body on 

frame, rear-wheel drive car for 

toughness, durability and a great 

driving experience. The Crown 

Victoria had/has all that and 

Ford kept this platform long after 

Chrysler and Chevrolet ceased 

making them. Although the Chevrolet 

and Chrysler counterparts 

were fairly evenly matched, Ford 

deserves top honors for keeping 

their body on frame cars well 

past the others (Chrysler 1989 

and Chevrolet 1996). The replacement 

vehicles are just not 

the same. The Impala for exam-

ple was referred to as the “Wimpala” 

by the Ford guys. 

• Owned a 99 white one. P71. 

Loved that car. Saw the newer 

model and got a detective’s car. 

Still have it. Has 160000 miles 

and runs and looks like new. 

Love the push button middle of 

the dash for the trunk, and the 

headlamp above head. Put a cold 

air kit on it and you can hear that 

Crown Vic sound. 235 55 r17 tires 

coil over shocks handles great. 

Never sell it! 

• I drove them since they were 

boxes, great room and visibility. 

When I retired in 2018 I bought 

my own 2010. I love that beast 

and call it the Battlestar Galactica. 

Best police car ever made. 

• Imported a 2009 CVPI from 

Warminster, PA to the UK. Despite 

coming into the country 

with 130k miles, it drives like 

new. Still has all the original 

lights, sirens, graphics, partitions, 

etc. The only problem I had 

that put it off the road was the 

intake manifold cracking. This 

car can take abuse. I can floor it 

over speed humps, knock into 

curbs and reverse into concrete 

posts, and the car just keeps 

it together. Ultra reliable and 

sounds awesome when you floor 

it. Pretty quick for a car weighing 

2 tonnes! 

• I currently still push one with 

SDPD in the Mid-City Division. 

I love the stability, suspension, 

engine power and full fuel injection. 

Not like the new slow 

hybrids with engine lag delay. I 

can still fit a 300lb 10-16 in the 

back seat. 

• Still use them in our training 

environment. They are the only 

platform we can get consistent 

skids (oversteer and understeer) 

for our recruits to experience. In 

my 36-plus years in law enforcement, 

it is and will be the best 

and most consistent platform for 

law enforcement. 

• Great acceleration, responsive 

handling and it looked like a 

police car! 

• Despite its unflattering description 

as an “upside down 

bathtub,” the Ford Crown Victoria 

was a beast! Rapid acceleration, 

smooth motor function, 

easy handling, could turn on a 

dime, and roomy enough inside 

for even the biggest officers. 

Nothing since has compared to 

it. In my humble opinion, it was 

a mistake for Ford to discontinue 

production. 

• I never lost a pursuit, always 

had room to put my gear and it 

ran like a scalded dog! The new 

stuff just cannot even come 

close to comparison. 

• I started my career in 1986 

and after three agencies, I have 

driven the Ford Crown Vic, Chev 

Caprice, Chev Lumina, Ford Explorer, 

Chev Tahoe and Dodge 

Charger on patrol. The Ford 

Crown Victoria was the best car 

for the patrol function because 

of the room, outside visibility, 

handling and reliability. Even 

with the MDT in the vehicle, it 

was by far the most functional 

vehicle ever suited for patrol 

use. I was disappointed when 

the model was discontinued. 

• I owned a 94, 97 and 2003. 

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The 03 had 165,000 miles on it 

and I had it for 15 years. it was 

dependable, easy to service 

and handled great. The only two 

reasons I replaced it was that 

Ford would not sell me one in 08 

so I went to the 17 Expedition in 

2018 and I needed more room for 

grandchildren. 

• I loved the old Crown Vics. 

Very rarely was the phrase 

“down your car” used when we 

had them in the fleet. And nothing 

will ever take a speed bump 

the way they could. 

• The ability to quickly turn 

around on violators. All you had 

to do was pull over, come to a 

quick stop, turn the wheels to 

the left and then PUNCH it! The 

rear-wheel drive would spin you 

180 degrees in a split second and 

you were in pursuit and gaining 

ground as compared to today’s 

all-wheel drive Explorers. 

• As a retired California Highway 

Patrol sergeant, I can only 

speak highly of the Ford Crown 

Victoria. For the bulk of my 

career, the Crown Vic was the 

102 The BLUES 

primary patrol vehicle used by 

the CHP. It was comfortable, 

reliable, functional and durable. 

It performed well in virtually all 

conditions and was easy to get 

in and out of, an important issue 

with all of the gear we wore on 

duty. I personally loved the car 

so much that I owned one for 

a number of years and recently 

bought a 2011 Mercury Grand 

Marquis, a cousin of the Crown 

Vic, because no other car in the 

market today has the same qualities 

that this Ford product possesses. 

I disagree with the belief 

that full-size cars like the Crown 

Vic will no longer sell well. It’s 

been over a decade since a true 

full-size car has been available 

to the public. As a result, SUVs 

and minivans have been the only 

vehicles that could come close 

to replacing the full-size car 

market. The revival of a reliable, 

affordable and comfortable fullsize 

car that provides solid, economical 

performance, and built 

with quality parts and materials, 

would be a tremendous product 

in a market barren of such a 

vehicle. Bring back the Vic! 

• The A/C was almost too 

powerful, which was perfect for 

hot days in an under-the-shirt 

vest. The way they feel when you 

are flipping around on someone 

is unmatched by the all-wheel 

drive SUVs. When you were in 

a fight and backup was a block 

away, the sound of the V8 on 

high RPMs is like the sound of 

angels. 

• I loved the reliability. I was an 

MS Highway Patrol Trooper and, 

although not the fastest thing 

out there, the Crown Vic was 

tough as nails. We have a takehome 

agency, so if your unit 

went down, you were borrowing 

your partner’s unit. That was the 

worst thing EVER. Turn the key, 

put her in drive, and you were 

10-8. I drove one from 1993-2011 

when I was issued a Tahoe, 

which I also LOVED. Then, in late 

2019, was issued an Explorer. After 

about a week, I requested my 

2011 Tahoe with 250,000+ miles 

on it back. Hated the Explorer.

• The Crown Vic was over and 

above our other police zone cars 

in Cleveland, Ohio in my opinion. 

You would not lose us on 

cornering, through alleys and 

around curves. It really held the 

road. Even with 100K miles on 

them, they had a comfortable 

ride that was appreciated. In all, 

it outperformed ALL other makes 

and models. 

• As the fleet got older, the 

new officers would always want 

to drive the new Explorers and 

would leave me (one of the older 

cops) with the older Crown Vics 

(which made me very happy – 

they had no business driving my 

car). Neither the rookies, nor 

their fancy Explorers, could outperform 

us. I ran the FB page and 

since I drove Cruiser 28, it was 

the most photographed cruiser 

on our page. Cruiser 28 had its 

own following on the page (Out 

and About With Cruiser 28) and 

many even thought our department 

only had one vehicle. We 

even posted a retirement video 

when it was retired: 

• I’ve had 2 Crown Vics, 2001 

and 2006. I still have the 2006, 

they were both retired police. 

My first one my dad bought me 

before he passed away in 2010. 

It was a black and white and 

fully loaded minus the radio and 

cage but it had everything else. 

It was a very fun car to drive. I 

used it for the fire department 

when I was on the fire department 

but unfortunately, that one 

got totaled in a car accident 

when an old lady pulled in for 

me. Then I bought another one. It 

was all white. It was fully loaded 

with everything except the 

radio. I used it as well for the fire 

department. It has been a very 

dependable car. 

• It was just an awesome police 

vehicle. It held the road and was 

extremely durable. I worked the 

Interstate on a highway interdiction 

team, and each of my Vic’s 

dependable and very few offenders 

got away! 

• I was in law enforcement for 

over 40 years and I drove a lot 

of vehicles. The Crown Vic was 

bomb-proof. Cops are hard on 

vehicles and having a bunch of 

different drivers makes a new 

vehicle old in no time. The Crown 

Vic was tough, reliable and had 

the get-up-and-go that cops 

needed. I was sad to see it go. 

• I’m still driving a 2010. They 

are comfortable to sit in, handle 

very well and have a lot of cabin 

and trunk space. They were true 

workhorses that could flat get 

down the road. 


IT’S CHEVY’S TURN 

CHEVY NOVA 

When police departments wanted better performance and gas mileage and could make do with a smaller 

car, the Chevy Nova was a popular choice. Chevy designated the Chevrolet Nova as a 9C1 Police Package 

and was tested as a prototype for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department before becoming widely 

available from 1975 to 1979. The feature set of the police package included oversized front and rear sway 

bars, a high-output alternator, four-wheel disc brakes, HD steel wheels, a quick-ratio power steering system, 

stiffer body mounts, a dual exhaust, anti-stab steel plates in the front seat backs, and a performance 

3.08 final drive ratio from the 4.3-liter L99 V8 making 200 hp and 245 lb-ft of torque. 

CHEVY TAHOE PPV 

When Chevrolet stopped making the Caprice in 1996 and Ford stopped making the only rear-wheel-drive 

police packaged car, Chevy decided to offer a police package of its V8 powered rear-wheel-drive Tahoe. At 

the time, many police departments were slow on the uptake of a full-sized SUV, but it was popular in rural 

areas despite an all-wheel-drive version not being available. It was an inch lower and faster than a standard 

Tahoe, despite all the heavy-duty and performance components added to bring it up to law enforcement 

specification. The Chevrolet Tahoe is still out there in full “Pursuit” spec and a valuable tool for law 

enforcement. 

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1996 CHEVY CAPRICE 9C1 

Beginning in 1986, the Caprice would replace the Impala for the retail, taxi, and police markets based on 

the third generation model which was launched in 1977. Like its civilian counterparts the car would get a 

face-lift in 1987 and would remain the same until 1990. The Caprice 9C1 was available with either a V6 or 

V8 in this generation. When the fourth generation 1991 model was released, the V6 was dropped and only 

two choices of V8 were offered (the 5.0 V8 carried from the former generation and 5.7 V8) and featured 

a digital instrument cluster unlike its civilian version’s analog interface, which would remain until 1993 

when the LTZ version was introduced. When the 1993-96 model cars lost its rear fender skirts design, this 

increased the 9C1’s sales and appeal to law agencies, as this feature wasn’t popular on the 4th generation 

Chevrolet Caprice. Despite General Motors ending production of the fourth generation model 9C1 Caprice 

in 1996, many police departments across the nation kept them in service a lot longer than most other 

police vehicles, reason being for lack of finding a good enough equivalent for replacement with decent fuel 

mileage for its large size, high horsepower, affordable sales pricing, and reliability. With General Motors 

leaving the police market in 1996, Ford’s second generation Ford Crown Victoria police interceptor became 

the de facto police car, despite being more costly. But it too went away in 2011. 


2024 

New Police Cars 

And Interceptors: 

A Guide To America’s 

Upgraded Cop Cars 


The BLUES 107 


The first American police car was an electric wagon used 

by the Akron Police Department of Ohio in 1899. More than 

a century later, we’re now witnessing a shift of cop cars 

from gas-guzzlers to EVs as part of the global automotive 

transformation. Various police departments all across the 

country are now prioritizing electric cars. Ford and Chevrolet 

are already offering electric cop cars. The remainder 

of the big three is expected to follow soon with the upcoming 

Dodge Charger EV or RAM 1500 REV. 

However, the transition is gradual and for the most part, 

American police cars are still gas-powered, along with 

a few hybrids and EVs. The country’s police force has 

predominantly preferred American cars as their ride of 

choice, and this continues to be the case. That said, these 

police-ready fleets of vehicles are specially designed and 

built with stronger, upgraded components to suit their line 

of duty. Let’s delve into the detailed list of America’s evolving 

police fleet and see which are the best cars, pickup 

trucks, and SUVs. 

Chevrolet Blazer EV SS PPV 

• Powertrain: Dual Electric Motors 

• Output: 557 hp, 648 lb-ft (est) 

• Highlights: Larger rear cargo capacity, Police-rated tires, Dedicated electrical center, 

Standard upfitter wiring harnesses 

Chevy has been tweaking their models into law-enforcement vehicles for more than 

60 years now. The upcoming Chevrolet Blazer EV SS Police Pursuit Vehicle is their first 

all-electric police-ready vehicle. The Chevrolet Blazer EV PPV is a puissant electric SUV 

underpinned by the GM Ultium platform. The SS is its range-topping trim propelled by a 

dual-motor AWD powertrain. Chevy claims that the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV SS will hit 

60 mph in under 4 seconds and offer a range of around 290 miles. The cop-ready version 

of the Blazer will come equipped with specialized hardware including skid plates, police-rated 

tires, steel wheels, and additional emergency equipment support. 


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Ford F-150 Police Responder 

• Powertrain: 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 

• Output: 400 hp, 500 lb-ft 

• Highlights: Universal top tray for mounting aftermarket 

hardware, Police-specialized all-terrain tires, Police Engine 

Idle feature 

The Ford F-150 Police Responder was the first pursuit-rated 

pickup truck on the market when it launched 

in 2021. This latest and greatest pursuit-ready Ford police 

truck has an increased top speed of 120 mph compared to 

its predecessor which was capped at 105 mph. Powered 

by the 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 motor, the 

Ford F-150 Police Responder is a potent beast outfitted 

with an array of police-specialized features. These include 

unique off-road tires and the “Police Engine Idle” feature. 

This system allows keeping the engine running, but prevents 

unauthorized usage when the included passive key is 

removed from the vehicle. 

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Chevrolet Tahoe Police Pursuit Vehicle 

• Powertrain: 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 


• Highlights: Universal top tray for mounting aftermarket hardware, 

Police-specialized all-terrain tires, Police Engine Idle feature 

The Ford F-150 Police Responder was the first pursuit-rated pickup 

truck on the market when it launched in 2021. This latest and greatest 

pursuit-ready Ford police truck has an increased top speed of 120 mph 

compared to its predecessor which was capped at 105 mph. Powered by 

the 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 motor, the Ford F-150 Police 

Responder is a potent beast outfitted with an array of police-specialized 

features. These include unique off-road tires and the “Police 

Engine Idle” feature. This system allows keeping the engine running, but 

prevents unauthorized usage when the included passive key is removed 

from the vehicle. 

112 The BLUES

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Ford F-150 Lightning Pro SSV 

• Powertrain: Dual Electric Motors 

• Output: Standard Range – 452 hp, 775 lb-ft, Extended Range – 580 hp, 775 lb-ft 

• Highlights: Built-in steel intrusion plates, Upfit-friendly reinforced instrument 

panel top tray, 220-amp DC-DC power source 

Another first for a Ford pickup truck. The Ford F-150 Lightning is the first electric 

pickup truck to don the law enforcement livery, and it comes prepped for the job. 

The 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning Pro SSV (Special Service Vehicle) is an upgraded 

version of the base Pro trim of the Ford electric truck. This police truck is invigorated 

by two electric motors sending power to all four wheels while the power 

output depends on the chosen battery configuration. The EV truck can accelerate 

to 60 mph in less than four seconds, provide a range of up to 320 miles, and is capable 

of towing up to 10,000 lbs. 

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Dodge Durango Pursuit 

• Powertrain: 3.6-liter V6 or 5.7-liter V8 

• Output: V6 – 293 hp, 260 lb-ft / V8 – 360 hp, 390 lb-ft 

• Highlights: Load-leveling suspension, Stealth Mode, Heavy-Duty BR9 

four-wheel disc brakes 

The Dodge Durango Pursuit is hands down the coolest SUV used by the 

force. Powered by the Pentastar V6 or a mighty Hemi V8 motor, the Durango 

Pursuit generates up to 360 horses under its hood. Ride and handling 

are enhanced with performance-tuned, load-leveling suspension 

featuring Nivomat self-leveling dampers and upgraded anti-roll bars. 

Other standard features include stronger brakes and a Ready Alert Braking 

feature that decreases braking time during emergency situations. On 

the inside, the Dodge Durango Pursuit boasts a K-9-friendly three-zone 

automatic climate control that provides comfort to both human officers 

and their canine partners. 

116 The BLUES

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Chevrolet Silverado Police Pursuit 

• Powertrain: 5.3-liter V8 


• Highlights: Z71 off-road package with Rancho shocks, Auxiliary wiring 

circuits, Five Upfitter switches 

The 2023 Chevy Silverado is another mighty full-size pickup truck that 

recently signed up for law enforcement duty. The Chevrolet Silverado 

PPV shares many of its pursuit-ready underpinnings with the Tahoe PPV 

including the sturdy Brembo front brakes with 16-inch rotors. Standard 

with the included Z71 package is a 2-inch lifted suspension comprising 

high-performance Rancho shocks. Chevy also enhances the 5.7-liter V8 

motor’s performance with a standard heavy-duty air filter. This robust 

police pickup truck is rated to tow a maximum of 9,300 lbs. 

118 The BLUES

Ram 1500 Classic Special Service 

Powertrain: 5.7-liter V8 

Output: 395 hp, 410 lb-ft 

Highlights: 220-amp alternator, Upgraded wiring harness, Power distribution 

center with two 100-amp fused circuits 

Based on the last generation RAM 1500 a.k.a. the RAM 1500 Classic, that 

brand offers a patrol-ready truck. Powered by the 5.7-liter Hemi V8, the 

Ram 1500 Classic Special Service Vehicle offers a max towing capacity of 

10,220 lbs. The truck can be configured in 3.21:1 or 3.92:1 rear axle ratios 

with or without an antispin rear differential. Additional enhancements bestowed 

upon the Ram police truck include a 220-amp alternator, a dedicated 

engine oil cooler, and two additional key fobs. RAM also offers a 

plethora of upfitter options compatible with the police-grade 1500 Classic. 

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Ford Mustang Mach-E 

• Powertrain: Single Motor RWD or Dual Motor AWD 

• Output: 266-480 hp, 317-634 lb-ft 

The Ford Mustang electric SUV hasn’t officially joined the force police force yet. 

However, in 2021, the New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services 

(DCAS) placed an order for 184 Ford Mustang Mach-E crossover SUVs. The 

most powerful iteration of the Mustang SUV, the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT produces 

a whopping 480 ponies and sprints to 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds. Ford claims that 

the Mustang Mach-E is the first all-electric vehicle to successfully pass the Michigan 

State Police 2022 model year evaluation. We’ll have to wait and see how Ford 

bedizens the Mach-E to further meet pursuit requirements. 

120 The BLUES

Dodge Charger Pursuit 

Powertrain: 3.6-liter V6 + AWD or 5.7-liter V8 + RWD 

Output: V6 – 300 hp, 264 lb-ft, V8 – 370 hp, 395 lb-ft 

Highlights: Heavy-duty four-wheel disc brakes, Available NIJ level III ballistic protection 

doors, Specially designed front, and rear crumple zones 

The Dodge Charger Pursuit is arguably the meanest police cruiser in the American police 

fleet. This potent muscle sedan is impelled by a Pentastar V6 or a Hemi V8 engine, both 

mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. Along with a strengthened body structure 

and stronger brakes, the Charger Pursuit can also be equipped with armored doors. The 

available NIJ (National Institute of Justice) Level III ballistic protection doors are capable 

of withstanding rifle rounds. This gas-guzzling Charger is currently one of the fastest 

police cars in the country. Unfortunately, if you haven’t placed your order for the last of 

the 2023, the only place you’ll see a new Charger is from the rear, trying to catch it. 

Only time will tell if the new electric version of the Charger will come equipped with 

a police package. Or they could drop a HEMI in the new body and call it the Pursuit. 

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WHERE: CORPUS CHRISTI 

WHEN: OCT. 23-26TH 

CONFERENCE: AMERICAN BANK CENTER 

HOST HOTEL: OMNI CORPUS CHRISTI 

The BLUES 123

REGISTER TODAY! 

For questions, please contact: 

conference.registration@tcole.texas.gov 

(512) 936-7767 

October 23-26, 2023 | American Bank Center | Corpus Christi, Texas 

124 The BLUES

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS 

The BLUES 125

SCHEDULE/ BREAK OUT SESSIONS 

SUNDAY OCTOBER 22ND 

12:00pm-5:00pm Vendor Setup Exhibit Hall 

2:00pm-6:00pm Registration Begins Exhibit Hall 

MONDAY OCTOBER 23RD 

7:00am-1:30pm Registration Exhibit Hall 

8:00am-5:30pm Vendor Exhibits/ Silent Auction Open Exhibit Hall 

PRE-CONFERENCE (OPTIONAL) 

9:00AM-12:00pm Legislative Update Course 3188 Selena Auditorium 

12:00pm-1:00pm Lunch (On Your Own) 

CONFERENCE BEGINS 

REQUIRED INDIVIDUALS MUST ATTEND EACH EVENT FOR CONFERENCE CREDIT 

1:00pm-5:00pm Opening Ceremony & TCOLE Commission Meeting Selena Auditorium 

5:30pm-7:30pm Happy Hour Exhibit Hall 

TUESDAY OCTOBER 24TH 

8:00am-5:00pm Exhibits / Silent Auction (LAST DAY) Exhibit Hall 

8:00am-9:00am (BREAKOUT SESSIONS) 

Coping Behind the Console 

Henry Garrett A 

Empathetic Leadership 

Henry Garrett B 

Instructor Devlopment for the 21st Century Police Dept. 

Henry Garrett C & D 

TCOLE Presents: Audits 

Watergarden B 

9:00am-9:30am 

Break 


Working with Multiple Choice Academic Exams and Their Questions Henry Garrett A 

The Best Solution to Agency Recruiting Challenges is Retention 


Leading Through Change: Strategies for Effective Change Management Henry Garrett C & D 

Beyond Bullet Points: Bringing Your Power Back to Your PowerPoint Presentation Watergarden B 

12:00pm-2:00pm 

Catered Lunch in Exhibit Hall 

126 The BLUES

2:30pm-3:30pm (BREAKOUT SESSIONS) 

TCOLE Presents: Sunset Bill and TCOLE Policy Updates 

Best Practices for Teaching Course #7887: 

Interacting with Drivers who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing 

Instructor Development for the 21st Century Police Officer 

Social Media and Law Enforcement 




Watergarden B 

3:30pm-4:00pm 

Break 


Forensic Macrophotography 

TCOLE Presents: How to Succeed at Achieving Target 100 

The Uvalde Tragedy, Radio Coverage Problems, and the Solution 





Watergarden B 

Open Evening in Corpus Christi 

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 25TH 

8:00am-5:00pm Silent Auction Pickup Exhibit Hall 


Texas Law Enforcement Peer Network 


Who Does 911 Call After the Call 


The Uvalde Tragedy, Radio Coverage Problems, and the Solution Henry Garrett C & D 


Watergarden B 

9:00am-9:30am 

Break 


Performance Analysis and Training Needs Assessment 

Working with Multiple Choice Academic Exams and Their Questions 

The Best Solution to Agency Recruiting Challenges is Retention 

Leading Through Change: Strategies for Effective Change Management 




Watergarden B 

11:30am-12:30pm Lunch (On Your Own) 

The BLUES 127

SCHEDULE/ BREAK OUT SESSIONS 


Beyond Bullet Points: Bringing Your Power Back to Your PowerPoint Presentation 


Five Questions to Understand the Fourth Amendment 


Emotional Intelligence in Public Safety-The Science of Emotions 

in Saving Your Bacon 


Brain-centric Design-What You’re Missing When You Think Engagement Watergarden B 

2:30pm-3:00pm 

Break 


Workplace Wellness 

Driving on Empty: Supporting Tired Cops to Improve Safety & 

Performance on the Roadways 

Tech-less to Tech-Wow: How to Improve Your Classes 

Building Media and Community Relations-The PIO and Beyond 




Watergarden B 

Open Evening in Corpus Christi 

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26TH 

8:00am-10:00am (BREAKOUT SESSIONS) 

Emotional Intelligence in Public Safety- 

The Science of Emotions in Saving Your Bacon 

Brain-centric Design-What You’re Missing When You Think Engagement 

Workplace Wellness 

Employing Excellence-Recruiting and Keeping Your Best People 




Watergarden B 

10:00am-10:30am Break 

10:30am-11:30am (BREAKOUT SESSIONS) 

Social Media and Law Enforcement 

Forensic Macrophotography 

Five Tools You’ll Need to Properly Engage Your Audience 

Crash 101 for LEOs: How TxDoT is Working to Make Crash 

Data Less of Your Job 




Watergarden B 

CONFERENCE ENDS 

128 The BLUES

SPEAKER BIOS 

2023 TCOLE Conference - Speaker Bios 

Cullen Grissom is the Deputy Chief of Credentialing, Field 

Services, and Education Services for the Texas Commission 

on Law Enforcement. Cullen has 37 years of experience 

within the law enforcement profession, including 30 years 

as a law enforcement trainer. He has developed, designed, 

and implemented police/security training programs at the 

state, national and international level. Cullen holds master’s 

degrees from University of Houston and Texas A&M 

University. He has been with the Texas Commission on Law 

Enforcement since 2016. 

Josh Smith is an independent journalist and media 

consultant who has trained hundreds of first responders 

from agencies of all sizes. Josh focuses on communication 

strategies, crisis management and improving workflows 

and infrastructure. He has worked in the media industry for 

30 years, including time as reporter, producer and News 

Director. In 2004, he founded his own media company and 

for the last 15 years, he has helped companies, charities 

and first responders articulate their message. A documentary 

film producer with extensive experience, both in 

front of the camera and behind it, Josh brings a unique 

perspective to public relations and media relations training. 

He has interviewed hundreds of people from all walks of 

life, including music legends Lyle Lovett and Robert Earl 

Keen, veterans of every major conflict since World War II 

(including a Medal of Honor recipient), Presidents George 

H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, as well as Panamanian President 

Martin Torrijos, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, 

numerous flag officers including several four-star generals, 

presidents of fortune 500 companies, cabinet members, 

congressmen, governors and many more. 

Officer Joel Miller joined the Houston Police Department 

in March 2019. He spent over six years as a patrol officer 

and transferred to the In-Service Training Unit at the Training 

Academy in March of 2017, developing over 60 lesson 

plans and composing three lesson plans for department 

wide mandatory courses in communications. Having taught 

over 300 hours of classroom instruction to officers and 

cadets, he was recognized as the HPD Instructor of the Year 

in 2021. In September of that same year, he took over the 

Certification Testing Office and reorganized the curriculum 

and testing to be in compliance with the 2019 Basic Peace 

Officers Course. While testing over 700 cadets, he initiated 

a test item vetting process, including statistical and content 

analysis, the establishment of a test review board, and 

comprehensive classroom reviews. During the past three 

years, Officer Miller invested over 70 hours in course work 

on statistics, cognitive ability research, teaching methods, 

and testing analysis and development, studying materials 

written and taught by Cognitive Scientist, Professors, and 

PhD’s including Daniel T. Willingham, Stanislas Dehaene, 

Thomas M. Haladyna, Patti Shank, Patrick N. Allitt, and 

Richard J. Haier to name a few.As the current primary instructor 

for Verbal Communication and Public Interactions, 

Written Communication, Crew Resource Management, and 

Tactical Interactions courses, Officer Miller continues to 

receive outstanding reviews from the officers and cadets 

he teaches. 

Tom Kimbriel: Military Police US Army, Harlingen Police 

Department, Patrolman, Crimes Against Persons Detective, 

Patrolman Sergeant, US Border Patrol, Linewatch, Marine 

Operations, Helicopter Operations Observer, Ranchland 

Operations, Developed Evidence Collection Team in the 

Rio Grande Valley and trained over 200 agents to process 

crime scenes. Developed Ranchland 911 system used 

across entire southern border. Developed postmortem 

Identification using chemical processes and Macrophotography. 

Served on US Marshal fugitive task force. Also 

served as a FBI task force officer for two years. Texas 

Southmost College Adjunct Instructor 3 yrs Police Academy, 

In service training, Forensic Macrophotography, 3D Crime 

Scene Modeling, Consulted for the International Committee 

of the Red Cross in Delhi India. 

Sgt. Brian Casanova is an investigator with one of 

the largest metropolitan police agencies in Texas. He is 

currently assigned as a Task Force Officer with a Federal 

Cybercrime Task Force. Detective Casanova has been utilizing 

social media and open source investigative techniques 

since 2013. Sgt Casanova has utilized these techniques 

to advance narcotic, violent crime, human trafficking and 

missing children cases. He was selected to create a Violent 

Crimes Task Force for his department where he utilized 

social media intelligence to advance homicide, robbery, 

sexual assault and domestic terrorism cases. This led his 

Violent Crimes Task Force to be selected as unit of the year. 

He was then selected to be a part of a federal task force 

where he utilizes social media investigative techniques for 

The BLUES 129

SPEAKER BIOS 

cases at both the national and international level. Sgt Casanova 

currently supervises a plain clothes street crimes unit 

where he continues to use social media and open source 

investigative techniques to advance his investigations. He 

is regularly sought out to assist other investigative details 

both at the state and federal level. He lectures extensively 

on social media investigations in both the public and 

private sector. 

Alberto Valbuena has over 20 years of public safety 

experience where he has served his community as a Firefighter, 

Emergency Medical Technician, and a Public Safety 

dispatcher. He became interested in public safety during 

the horrific event on September 11 where he found out 

that he was unable to help unless he was a first responder, 

in public safety or in construction. A few years later after 

taking a Firefighter Instructor class he found his passion 

for teaching and has continued to improve it since. Alberto 

has since been teaching multiple subjects to a variety of 

students. 

· Training and re-training public safety dispatchers. 

· Fire safety in pre-schools, elementary schools, 

middle schools, daycare, and senior care centers. 

· Firefighter training and drills. 

· BLS CPR to First Responders, and medical providers. 

· CPR and first aid to families, employees, and 

community leaders. 

Richard Bryan is an honorably retired Texas and Federal 

Law Enforcement Officer and Retired Law Enforcement 

Academy Manager/Director. He is an active TCOLE certified 

Advanced Instructor and Federal Certified Police Instructor 

and has taught peace officers, corrections officers, and 

communication specialists since 2001. Richard attended 

specialized training in recruiting and retention, and service 

excellence methods and techniques. He is also a Texas 

Certified Public Manager, and has a Master’s Degree in 

Law Enforcement Leadership and Management. Richard 

planned and coordinated multiple police recruitment job 

fairs for police cadets and peace officers during his tenure 

as a Law Enforcement Academy Manager in the San 

Antonio area. 

Lee H. Duren is a proud graduate of both Sam Houston 

State University and Lamar University, with a Bachelor’s 

Degree in Criminal Justice, and a Master’s Degree in 

Education focusing on Digital Learning and Leadership. Lee 

is currently a Lieutenant for the Texas Board of Criminal 

Justice Office of the Inspector General. He is assigned to 

the Support Services Division of the agency, headquartered 

in Huntsville, Texas. Lee is the Training Coordinator for the 

agency, holds a Master Peace Officer Certification, has 

an Advanced TCOLE Instructor Certification, is a Firearms 

Instructor, and is a certified Field Training Officer (FTO). Lee 

graduated from the East Texas Police Academy in October 

2002. Since then, he worked for the Walker County Sheriff’s 

Office as a Deputy and a Jailer. Lee also worked for the 

Anderson County Sheriff’s Office where he rose through the 

ranks to Sergeant Investigator. Since joining the Office of 

the Inspector General, as an Investigator, Lee was assigned 

collateral duty as a firearms instructor, patrol rifle instructor, 

and ALERRT instructor. Since moving to the training department 

full-time in 2019, Lee has traveled Texas training 

not only the Inspector General’s Investigators but other law 

enforcement officers across the state. Lee is a member of 

the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers 

Association (ILEETA) and in October 2021 was published in 

the ILEETA Journal. 

Duren, L. H. (2021, October). Is Your Training Enough? 

ILEETA.org. Retrieved October 21, 2021, from https://www. 

ileeta.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/ILEETA-Journal-Volume-.... 

Frank Muñiz is a full-time Mental Health Officer, Detective, 

and Lead Trainer for the Katy Independent School District 

Police Department. He has been a policeman for over 

29 years now and is certified as a Master Peace Officer. 

Frank’s career began in 1994 as a police officer for the University 

of Houston-Downtown Police Dept. In 2005, after 

obtaining his Police and Firearms Instructor certifications, 

Frank joined the Katy ISD Police Department where he 

continued to pursue his passion for training. As a result, in 

2006, he attained his first Train-the-Trainer certification in 

Crisis Intervention. Shortly after receiving this certification, 

Frank was then appointed to his agency’s Training Division 

and Advisory Board where he currently serves as President. 

In 2012, Frank sought to find more training opportunities 

and he started working for the Greater Harris County 9-1-1 

Emergency Training Center as an Associate Trainer. A short 

time later, this assignment also earned him an appointment 

to their Advisory Board as well. In 2018, out of numerous 

nominees from across the country, Frank was selected by 

130 The BLUES

SPEAKER BIOS 

the Bob Pike Group to attend a complimentary, three-day 

“Train-the-Trainer Bootcamp Workshop,” which enhanced 

his instructor skills to levels that he never imagined possible. 

Collectively, Frank has been training and developing 

curriculums for over seventeen years now and has accumulated 

over a dozen Instructor/Train-the-Trainer certifications 

in a variety of topics and specializations. 

Antonio Zarzoza, better known by colleagues and students 

as “Instructor Z”, is an internationally recognized police 

& corrections trainer, he is a Below 100 Core Instructor, 

A Certified Force Science Analyst, and a Texas Master 

Peace Officer with over 20 years of combined law enforcement 

experience. He is a Certified Microsoft PowerPoint 

Expert and a Certified Microsoft PowerPoint Educator. He 

currently serves as the lead instructor & training coordinator 

for the University of Texas Advanced Law Enforcement 

Training Center in Edinburg, TX where he trains local, state, 

and federal law enforcement officers year-round. Zarzoza 

has been qualified in state & federal court as a Subject 

Matter Expert in police use of force, defensive tactics, and 

crisis intervention. Zarzoza is a contract trainer with the 

International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement 

Standards and Training and has served with the US Department 

of State as an expert police trainer providing specialized 

training for law enforcement officials in Mexico, and 

other countries in Latin America. He is a published writer 

and an entrepreneur operating his own training firm as 

Instructor Z & Associates International, LLC. 

Tanida Mullen has a proven track record of excellence 

and has been a trainer in the hospitality and restaurant 

industry for over 20 years. With a Bachelor of Science in 

Psychology and a minor in Business Administration from 

Texas A&M University-Central Texas, she has been able to 

tune into what customers want and create result-producing 

training programs to ensure that it benefits her client’s 

bottom line. Tanida has been selected to facilitate customer 

service programs for several divisions within her company 

and has created and led leadership and sales classes to 

promote employee development. Her success in working 

with teams has been the result of her creativity and thirst 

for knowledge. Tanida is a member of MPI Texas Hill Country 

Chapter and has served on the board for MPI THCC in 

communication & membership positions. Tanida has served 

as chair for the Global MPI Diversity & Inclusion Advisory 

Committee. Curator at The Savvy Young Professional, Tanida 

has built a platform for young professionals to garner 

career advice with a passion for helping teams build camaraderie 

and focus on creating the best experience for their 

target customer, Tanida focuses on using custom strategies 

for the unique needs of her clients. 

Stephen James, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the 

Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine at Washington State 

University and core faculty in the Sleep and Performance 

Research Center. His research focus includes the interaction 

between physical stressors [such as sleep-related 

fatigue], law, policy, training, and practice and its effect 

on operational performance for military and law enforcement 

personnel. Dr. James strives to better understand 

the dynamics of performance in a wide variety of military 

and policing tasks, including driving, citizen encounters, 

crisis intervention, and deadly force encounters. Prior to 

becoming an academic, Dr. James spent more than 20 

years in the British infantry as a soldier and officer, serving 

in Cyprus, the Former Yugoslavia, Northern Ireland, and 

Afghanistan. 

Bret Batchelor: I serve as the is the 9-1-1 Training Coordinator 

for the North Central Texas Emergency Communications 

District. I have 13 years of service in Public Safety. I 

started her career as a 9-1-1 Telecommunicator and joined 

the North Central Texas Council of Government’s Regional 

9-1-1 Program in 2019. I am certified TCOLE Instructor, 

and Master Licensed Telecommunicator. This topic covered 

in this presentation is the overview and steps for creation 

of a Regional CISM Program. I serve as an Administrator for 

the NCT9-1-1 Regional CISM Taskforce Coordinator. 

Dr. Marshall Jones leverages his combined experiences 

as a law enforcement practitioner, consultant, executive 

coach, trainer, educator, and applied researcher to explore 

problems impacting organizations. A practitioner at heart, 

Dr. Jones considers himself an “accidental academic,” who 

has earned much of his graduate education in criminal justice 

and industrial-organizational psychology while working 

full-time in law enforcement. He also holds a doctorate 

in business administration with a focus on organizational 

behavior. Marshall has trained and presented on a variety 

of policing topics at state and regional police chief and 

sheriff associations, IACP, FBI NA, FBI, National Advocacy 

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SPEAKER BIOS 

Center, Association of Threat Assessment Professionals, 

and numerous law enforcement professional organizations 

and agencies. Marshall is currently researching leadership 

challenges, including police recruiting and retention, generational 

differences, and leadership development systems. 

Dr. Jones has recently co-authored the book Law 

Enforcement Leadership, Management and Supervision 

with John Blackledge published by Blue360 Media. 

Anthony Bandiero is a police officer turned attorney. As 

a police officer he realized the need for additional training 

to better understand search and seizure law as it pertains 

to the Fourth and Fifth Amendments. After earning his law 

degree, Anthony has dedicated his life to passing along his 

knowledge and experience. 

Dr. Michael Goold, Rancho Cordova PD (ret.), Principal. 

Dr. Goold is the principal of SiTNA Solutions; a leadership 

development firm specializing in public safety teams. He 

is certified in the PSEQ, EQi 2.0, MBTI, 6 Working Genius, 

VIA, Certified Executive Coach, Level 2 administrator of the 

Team Diagnostic Survey, facilitator of the 5 Dysfunctions 

of a Team, and certified Systemic Team Coach. Dr. Goold 

is also an adjunct faculty member for Umass Global Ed.D. 

leadership program. Chief Goold recently retired as the 

Chief of Police for the City of Rancho Cordova. His previous 

assignments included the Asst. Commander of Investigations 

(Homicide, Robbery, Child Abuse, Elder Abuse, 

Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Human Trafficking), CSI 

Bureau Commander, Communications Commander (9-1- 

1), Patrol Sergeant, Internal Affairs, and some other really 

cool assignments. Dr. Goold has a Bachelor of Science in 

Criminal Justice from CSU Sacramento, a Master’s Degree 

in Organizational Development from the University 

of San Francisco, and a Doctorate of Education from the 

University of La Verne. His doctoral dissertation examined 

traumatic stress in 9-1-1 personnel. Chief Goold has been 

married for over 31 years and has four children. When not 

volunteering, he enjoys trying to stay fit and has run 10 

marathons and several triathlons. 

Josh Crosby has over 20 years in law enforcement 

experience including patrol, FTO, narcotics, sex crimes and 

training. Josh has spent 2 years overseas as both a contractor 

to the US Department of State for law enforcement 

training and a law enforcement instruction advisor for the 

TEEX PSS division in Abu Dhabi. Over the past 20 years, 

Josh has become proficient as a firearms instructor, field 

training officer and Advanced law enforcement instructor. 

Josh has served as an instructor at ILEETA, IALEFI, and 

multiple local LE agencies across the country for multiple 

disciplines. 

Katharine Manning is the author of The Empathetic 

Workplace: Five Steps to a Compassionate, Calm, and Confident 

Response to Trauma on the Job (HarperCollins Leadership 

2021) and the President of Blackbird DC. She has 

worked on issues of trauma and victimization for more than 

25 years. As a Senior Attorney Advisor with the Executive 

Office for United States Attorneys, for fifteen years Manning 

guided the Justice Department through its response 

to victims in cases ranging from terrorism to large-scale 

financial fraud to child exploitation. Some of the cases 

she advised on include the Boston Marathon bombing, the 

Pulse nightclub and South Carolina AME church shootings, 

the uprising in Charlottesville, the Madoff investment fraud, 

and the federal case against Larry Nassar, doctor for the 

U.S. Women’s Olympic Gymnastics team. Manning now 

uses her expertise to help organizations prepare for and respond 

to the challenges they face involving employees and 

clients who may be in trauma. Her work has been featured 

in the Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Thrive 

Global, and CEOWorld. Prior to her government service, 

Manning served as an attorney with the law firm Pillsbury 

Winthrop in San Francisco, where she represented Fortune 

500 companies in class actions, insurance, and media cases. 

She is a graduate of Smith College and the University of 

Virginia School of Law and teaches at American University 

and in the Master’s in Trauma-Informed Leadership Program 

at Dominican University. 

Sofia Brabham is currently a Training Coordinator at the 

Tarrant County 9-1-1 District. She has about 9 years of 

Public Safety Experience as a trainer and telecommunicator. 

Sofia is passionate about training 9-1-1 telecommunicators 

on a variety of topics from mental health to domestic 

violence awareness. At Tarrant County 9-1-1 she focuses 

on curriculum development and instruction. Sofia currently 

holds a BS and MS in Criminal Justice from the University 

of North Texas. 

Trevor Anderson is Communication Access Oversight 

Specialist at the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (DHHS) 

132 The BLUES

SPEAKER BIOS 

with Texas Health and Human Services. Before DHHS, 

Trevor taught high school social studies to Deaf and Hard 

of Hearing students for six years. As a Deaf Texan, Trevor 

believes in advocating for best practices in providing 

accessibility and sharing knowledge of the Deaf culture 

and communication strategies. Outside of work, you will 

find Trevor enjoying state parks and/or staying current with 

news. 

Kerry Mensior, a 30-year law enforcement veteran, is 

the consummate First Responder. He spent 9 years in the 

US Navy Submarine Service, is a former Firefighter, current 

EMT and retired as a Police Sergeant from the San Diego 

Police Department. A POST Master Instructor, IADLEST 

Nationally Certified Instructor (NCI), international speaker, 

college professor and best-selling author, Kerry is well 

recognized for his expertise in Brain-centric Instructional 

Design, neuroscience research, as well as communication 

and leadership skills. Kerry teaches you skills that are 

easy to understand, easy to remember and even easier to 

implement! 

Jim Markham is the Director, Crash Data & Analysis 

for the Texas Department of Transportation Traffic Safety 

Division. As the CDA Director, he is the custodian for crash 

records for the State of Texas and is responsible for the 

Crash Records Information System and its components, including 

providing crash data analysis for TxDOT, other state 

agencies, the Texas Legislature, and the public, to include 

media. A retired U.S. Army officer, he served for over 20 

years in the U.S. Army and Air Force as a Military Intelligence 

officer and Operations Research Systems Analyst. 

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the 

University of Kentucky and a Master of Science in Operations 

Research from the Air Force Institute of Technology. 

He has served as a Wargame Analyst, Personnel Analyst, 

Foreign Military Trainer, Operations Officer, Warrior Transition 

Unit Commander, Doctrine Editor, Division Assessments 

Officer, Training with Industry Fellow, and a Director 

of Medical Analytics. He has been assigned all over the 

continental U.S. and Hawaii and has deployed to Iraq and 

Poland in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation 

Atlantic Resolve, respectively. After retiring from the Army, 

Jim served as an Army Civilian Operations Research Analyst 

with Operational Test Command at West Fort Hood, TX 

before coming onboard with TxDOT in September of 2022. 

Dustin Schellenger joined the CPI Team on January 14th 

2022 as the State Director for the Texas Law Enforcement 

Peer Network. Dustin has valuable experience working 

with both the military and Law enforcement in a variety of 

positions. Prior to joining CPI Dustin was project manager 

for Dallas Police Department and a retired Gunnery Sergeant 

in the US Marines. He is passionate about supporting 

law enforcement and preventing police suicide. Dustin 

Served for 20 years as a Military Policeman in the US 

Marines and has experience in crisis management, Special 

Reaction Team (SRT) tactics and management, and law 

enforcement management. He has worked on high risk 

warrants, hostage situations, drug raids, and lovingly as a 

regular patrolman. Dustin has served in Iraq as well as 13 

other countries and is very familiar with PTSD and what 

families go through both in law enforcement and military 

service. 

John “JW” Wilkerson entered public service at the age 

of 17, enlisting in the United States Army. JW completed his 

commitment to his country, with distinguished service, and 

returned to Texas to pursue his dream of becoming a law 

enforcement officer. Since becoming a Texas Peace Officer, 

JW has worked in both the municipal and county law 

enforcement levels. JW’s work assignment history includes 

patrol level operations, narcotics, K9 Handler, Investigator, 

Investigations Supervisor and Patrol Supervisor. JW began 

formally instructing law enforcement in Texas in 2009. 

Since then, he has instructed countless officers throughout 

the State in areas of underage impaired driving prevention 

& enforcement, Standardized Field Sobriety Testing, Sexual 

Assault/ Family Violence Investigator course, Advanced 

Child Abuse Courses, Legislative Update(s), Firearms Instructor 

Courses, Basic TCOLE Instructor Courses, academy 

and In-Service Firearms and Force on Force/ Active Shooter 

training courses. JW works for the Texas Municipal Police 

Association as a Legislative Liaison, where he works at the 

State Capitol, educating policy makers on matters affecting 

law enforcement. He holds an associate degree in criminal 

justice, a Texas Master Peace Officer License and is commissioned 

with the Bell County Sheriff’s Office. Additionally, 

JW continues to routinely instruct firearms at the Central 

Texas College Basic Peace Officer Academy and is currently 

serving his second term as the elected Mayor of the City 

of Kempner. JW resides in Lampasas County with his wife, 

Sarah. Together, they have five children, 20, 19, 18, 16 and 11. 

The BLUES 133

EXHIBITORS 

BTH# EXHIBITOR 

1 Texas A&M Univ - Bush School of Government 

& Public Service 

2 Ecos Systems, Inc. 

3 TxDOT Crash Division 

4 CTC Gunworks 

5 Off Duty Management 

6 ZOLL Medical Corporation 

7 Phoenix Geosystems 

8 NMS Labs 

9 Tarleton State Univ., School of Criminoloagy, 

Criminal Justice, And Public Admin. 

10 Columbia Southern University 

11 Texas Alcohol Beverage Commission - TABC 

13 TxDMV Enforcement Division 

14 Drone Source Technologies 

15 Lone Star Hero Gear 

16 Texas Racing Commission 

17 VirTra 

19 Texas Law Enforcement Peer Network - TLEPN 

20 JMA Technology, LLC 

21 KIS Accessories Booth 

22 Vector Solutions 

23 Computer Information Systems, Inc. 

24 Texas Humane Network 

25,26 CLEAT 

27 Ti Training 

28 Texas Police Trainers LLC 


30 Nuvola Networks 


32 Spanish on Patrol 


34 Safeguard Medical 

35,36 OSS Academy 

37 Southern Software, Inc. 

38 Saltus Technologies 

39 Justice Federal Credit Union 

40 ALERRT 

41 UNT Center for Human Identification 

42 Blue360 Media, LLC 

43 Blue to Gold Law Enforcement Training 

44 Stalker Radar 

45 A. P. Performance 

46 Texas Correctional Industries 

47,48 InVeris Training Solutions 

49 Crime Reduction Institute 

50 Virtual Academy 

51 Element Learning Management Solutions 

52 PepperBall 

53 Element Learning Management Solutions 

54 The BLUES Police Magazine 

56 FoldAR 

57 Point Blank Enterprises 

58 Lopez Engraving 

59 TMPA - Texas SFST 

61 TMPA - DRE 

62 Texas A&M University - Commerce 

63 TMPA - LEL 

64 Barney’s Police Supplies 

65 TMPA - LEADRS 

66 GTS Technology Solutions 

67 Texas Municipal Police Association - SAFVIC 

68 Security Safety Products 

69 GLOCK, Inc. 

70 Laser Strike Systems, LLC 

71 Compliant Technologies 

72 AARDVARK TACTICAL 

73 Compliant Technologies 

74 National Police Credit Union 

75 Texas Southmost College 

76 OIG - FUGINET 

77 911 Tactical Medicine 

78 Range USA LE 

79 Texas A&M Engineering Extension Services (TEEX) 

80 Axon Taser 

81 Texas A&M Engineering Extension Services (TEEX) 

82 Ultimate Lighting Solutions, LLC 

84 3 Nails Coatings, LLC 

85 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department - K9 Team 

86 LensLock 

87 Symbol Arts 

88 National Child Safety Council 

89 TMPA 

90 Excalibur Consulting LLC 

91,92 Relentless Defenders 

93 Texas School Safety Center 

94 DetectaChem, Inc. 

96 GT Distriboutors 

98 Peacemaker Technologies, LLC 

99 Instructor Z & Associates International, LLC 

134 The BLUES

EXHIBITORS 

100 Proforce Law Enforcement 

101,102,103 Lexipol 

104 Lexipol 

105,106 The Evans Group 

110 ID Dynamic Solutions, LLC 

112 Trulieve TX. 

117,118 Galls 

119,120 Lone Star Skill Powered by Paceomatic 

Tents and Vehicles 

C2 

Federal Signal 

C1 

CAP Fleet 

T5 

Virtual Precision 

T1 

Street Smarts VR 

C4 

Axon / Taser 

T4 

Laser Shot 

The BLUES 135

136 The BLUES 

EXHIBITORS

EXHIBITORS 

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WHERE TO EAT 

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CRAWDADDY'S 

138 The BLUES

WHERE TO EAT 

The BLUES 139

OCTOBER 

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

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

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

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

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

5 Forensic Statement Analysis - Deception Detection McKinney, TX 

6 SLR15 1911 Pistol Armorer Course Waxahachie , TX 

9-11 LPVO Operator Course Dallas, TX 

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

14-17 IACP Conference & Expo San Diego, CA 

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

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

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

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

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

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

22-26 TCOLE TRAINING CONFERENCE CORPUS,TX 

23-24 Advanced Field Training Officer Course Pharr, TX 

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

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

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

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

NOVEMBER 

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

5-10 National Honor Guard Academy Texas City, TX 

6 High Risk/Profile Trial Operations 7 Planning By Court Security Concepts Denton, TX 

6 Bulletproof Report Writing by Blue to Gold Denton, TX 

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

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

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

7 Bulletproof Courtroom Testimony by Blue to Gold Denton, TX 

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

13-17 GST Defensive Tactics Instructor Course Seguin, TX 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

DECEMBER 

1 High Performance Leadership - By Leading Blue Cincinnati, OH 

4-6 Advanced Homicide Investigation by IPTM Jacksonville, FL 

4-6 Effective Strategies for Staff Inspections by IPTM Altamonte Sp., FL 

4-6 Officer Involved Shooting-3 Day *BY PATC Columbus, OH 

4-6 Pat McCarthy’s Street Crimes - Real World Training for the Real Police Billings, MT 

4-6 Pat McCarthy’s Street Crimes - Real World Training for the Real Police Lafayette, LA 

4-6 Pat McCarthy’s Street Crimes - Real World Training for the Real Police Marysville, WA 

4-6 Penn State - Grant Writing - Virtual University Park, PA 

4-6 Recovery of Human Remains by Suncoast Forensics St. Cloud, FL 

4-6 Tactical Breaching Instructor Course Warrensburg, MO 

4-7 PRW Police Sniper BASIC Nunn, CO 

4-8 Advanced Undercover Techniques and Survival Westminster, CO 

4-8 Covert Entry Specialist I & II Course (5-Days) San Marcos, TX 

4-8 Criminal Investigations Using Cellular Technologies SME 40 hour Palm Beach, FL 

4-8 Death and Homicide Investigation *BY PATC Corpus Christi, TX 

4-8 Detective and New Criminal Investigator *BY PATC Baytown, TX 

4-8 Force Science Certification Course Sacramento, CA 

4-8 Hostage Negotiations, Phase III *BY PATC Pearland, TX 

4-8 Methods of Instruction - Training Practical Professional Policing Skills Sanford, FL 

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

JANUARY 

9-11 Interview and Interrogation for Investigators *BY PATC Texas City, TX 

16-18 Supervising and Managing the Drug Unit *BY PATC Angleton, TX 

16-19 Reid Technique of Investigative Interviewing Pharr, TX 

17-19 First Responder to Death, Injury and Sexual Violence Scene Texas City, TX 

22-24 3 Day UAS “Drone” Search and Rescue & Thermal Imaging Trophy Club, TX 

22-26 5 Day Use of Force and Officer Involved Shooting by LLRMI New Braunfels 

22-26 Covert Entry Specialist I & II Course Dallas, TX 

22-26 Covert Entry Specialist I & II Course Dallas , TX 

22-26 Death and Homicide Investigation *BY PATC Texas City, TX 

23-26 Reid Technique of Investigative Interviewing Angleton, TX 

FEBRUARY 

1-2 Negotiating Team Leadership *BY PATC Lansing, MI 

1-2 SLR15 Law Enforcement Shotgun Armorer Course Defiance, MO 

1-2 Tactical Debrief: Intelligence gathering for law enforcement Texas City, TX 

2 Geofence Investigations St. Charles, MO 

5-6 Tactical Street Enforcement & Violence Force Encounters Wheeling, WV 

5-7 Field Training Officer by IPTM Jacksonville, FL 

5-7 FTO Certification and Program Managers course Little Rock, AR 

5-7 Pat McCarthy’s Street Crimes - Real World Training Mt. Washington, KY 

5-7 Pat McCarthy’s Street Crimes - Real World Training South Bend, IN 

5-8 Force Science Certification Course Dallas, TX 

5-9 40 Hour Criminal Investigations Using Cellular Technologies Gilbert, AZ 

5-9 Death and Homicide Investigation *BY PATC Thornton, CO 

5-9 Event Data Recorder Use in Traffic Crash Reconstruction - 

Level I by IPTM 

Noblesville, IN 

5-9 Internal Affairs Conference and Certification *BY PATC Phoenix, AZ 

5-9 New Detective and Criminal Investigator *BY PATC Sawnee, OK 

5-9 Officer-Involved Shooting and Use-of-Force *BY PATC Greer, SC 

6-7 PREA *BY PATC Massillon, OH 

6-8 Criminal/Drug Interdiction Techniques and Concealment Locations 

Angleton, TX 

6-8 WZ Criminal Level I Investigative Interviewing Techniques Lake Forest Pk, WA 

6-9 Reid Technique of Investigative Interviewing & Advanced 

Interrogation 

Denver, CO 

7-9 Social Media, Open Source & Geofence Investigations Ruston, LA 

140 The BLUES

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142 The BLUES

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HONORING OUR 

GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS MICHAEL ELAINE GRIFFIN 

144 

144 The 

The BLUES 

BLUES 

POLICE MAGAZINE 

MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, MS. 

END OF WATCH MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2023 

AGE: 62 TOUR: 36 YEARS BADGE: N/A 

Governmental Affairs Liaison Mike Griffin was killed at the scene of a crash on Highway 6 

near Batesville at about 11:00 am. He was en route to Jackson when he encountered the 

crash involving a partially overturned vehicle. As he was checking on the entrapped driver 

the vehicle shifted and fell on top of Governmental Affairs Liaison Griffin, causing him to 

suffer fatal injuries. Governmental Affairs Liaison was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. He had 

served in his current position as a sworn law enforcement officer with the Mississippi Department 

of Public Safety for two years after having retired from the Mississippi Highway 

Patrol with 34 years of service. He is survived by his wife and daughter.

FALLEN HEROES 

DETECTIVE ROBERT GARTEN 

HARTFORD POLICE DEPARTMENT, CONNECTICUT 

END OF WATCH WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2023 

AGE: 34 TOUR: 8 YEARS BADGE: 1781 

Detective Bobby Garten was killed when his patrol car was struck by a fleeing vehicle at the intersection of 

Asylum Avenue and Broad Street at about 10:30 pm.Detective Garten was in the passenger seat of a patrol 

car traveling east on Asylum Avenue with emergency equipment activated en route to another incident. The 

fleeing car sped through the Farmington Avenue red traffic signal, and as it was speeding through the red traffic 

signal at Asylum Avenue, it struck the passenger side of the cruiser. Detective Gartner and the officer driving 

the cruiser were transported to St. Francis Hospital where Officer Garten succumbed to his injuries. The other 

officer was admitted in stable condition. Detective Garten had served with the Hartford Police Department for 

eight years. He was a second-generation police officer. He is survived by his parents, brother, nephews, and 

grandmother. Detective Garten was posthumously promoted to detective. 

The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 145 

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HONORING OUR 

DEPUTY SHERIFF II AUSTON SMITH REUDELHUBER 

FORSYTH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, NORTH CAROLINA 

END OF WATCH SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2023 

AGE: 32 TOUR: 5 YEARS BADGE: D-178 

Deputy Sheriff Auston Reudelhuber was killed in a vehicle crash on North Carolina 150 at 5:15 a.m. A box 

truck driving south on NC 150 crossed the center line and struck Deputy Reudelhuber’s patrol car traveling 

northbound. Both vehicles came to a stop on the southbound shoulder. Deputy Reudelhuber was transported 

to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. 

Deputy Reudelhuber was a United States Army veteran and had served with the Forsyth Sheriff’s Office for 

over two years and previously served with the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office for three years. He is survived 

by his wife and two children. 

146 The BLUES 

POLICE MAGAZINE

FALLEN HEROES 

POLICE OFFICER KEVIN CRAM 

ALGONA POLICE DEPARTMENT, IOWA 

END OF WATCH WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2023 

AGE: 33 TOUR: 10 YEARS BADGE: 55-18 

Police Officer Kevin Cram was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man with an active arrest warrant for 

harassment. At 7:53 p.m., Officer Cram located the subject at the 1100 block of South Minnesota Street in 

Algona. When Officer Cram notified the man that he was being placed under arrest, the subject shot him and 

fled. Officer Cram was transported to Kossuth Regional Health Center where he was pronounced dead. 

Officer Cram had served with the Algona Police Department for eight years and previously served with the 

Nora Spring Police Department for two years. He is survived by his wife and children. 

The BLUES POLICE The MAGAZINE BLUES 147

HONORING OUR 

DEPUTY SHERIFF RYAN CLINKUNBROOMER 

Deputy Sheriff Ryan Clinkunbroomer was shot and killed in an unprovoked ambush at the intersection of 

Sierra Highway and Avenue Q just outside of the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station at about 6:00 pm. Deputy Clinkunbroomer 

was stopped at a red light when another car pulled alongside his patrol and an occupant opened fire, 

striking him in the head. A passerby located Deputy Clinkunbroomer in the vehicle moments later and alerted 

authorities. Deputy Clinkunbroomer was transported to Antelope Valley Medical Center where he succumbed 

to his wounds. A suspect was arrested later the evening. 

Deputy Clinkunbroomer had served with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for eight years and was 

a third-generation member of the agency. He is survived by his fiancée, parents and grandparents. 

148 The BLUES 


LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT, CA. 

END OF WATCH SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2023 

AGE: 30 TOUR: 8 YEARS BADGE: N/A

FALLEN HEROES 

POLICE OFFICER DARRIN MCMICHAEL 

ARLINGTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, TEXAS 

END OF WATCH THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2023 

AGE: N/A TOUR: 24 YEARS BADGE: 1805 

Police Officer Darrin McMichael was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver on Interstate 20 near St. Augustine 

Drive at 6:10 a.m. While driving his department motorcycle to work, Officer McMichael struck the back 

of an SUV when traffic suddenly stopped in front of him. The collision caused him to fall off his motorcycle. 

Before he could get up, another vehicle ran over him and drove away. Officer McMichael was transported to 

Baylor Medical Center where he died from his injuries. The driver has not been apprehended. 

Officer McMichael had served with the Arlington Police Department for 24 years, assigned to the Motorcycle 

Unit for 13 years. His wife also serves with the agency. 


HONORING OUR 

DEPUTY SHERIFF MARYLIN MAYO 

Deputy Sheriff Mary Mayo succumbed to injuries sustained on June 13th, 2007, when a large tree fell on the patrol 

car she was riding in. The incident occurred as she and her fiance, Sergeant Beau Raimer, were participating in a 

funeral procession for Deputy Hilery Mayo (no relation), who was killed in the line of duty four days earlier. The procession 

was traveling along West 21st Avenue through Covington when a violent thunderstorm with devastating rain and 

winds developed. A large pine tree fell onto the patrol car as it passed South Johnson Street. The tree crushed the top 

of the patrol car and killed Sergeant Raimer instantly. Deputy Mayo suffered a severed spinal cord that caused her to 

become paralyzed from the chest down. She underwent years of rehabilitation and was able to return to the sheriff’s 

office as a dispatcher for a short time, however, complications from her injuries caused her to become bedridden. She 

succumbed to her injuries 16 years later on September 21st, 2023.Deputy Mayo had served with the St. Tammany 

Parish Sheriff’s Office for two years at the time of the crash. 

150 The BLUES 


ST. TAMMANY PARISH SHERIFF’S OFFICE, LOUISIANA 

END OF WATCH THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2023 

AGE: 42 TOUR: 2 YEARS BADGE: N/A

FALLEN HEROES 

DEPUTY SHERIFF JACOB ERIC SALRIN 

RICHLAND COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT, SC 

END OF WATCH FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2023 

AGE: 23 TOUR: 1 YEAR BADGE: N/A 

Deputy Sheriff Jacob Salrin was killed in a vehicle crash at the intersection of Bluff Road and Windy Drive. 

His patrol car collided with a tractor-trailer that was attempting to make a left turn onto Windy Drive. 

Deputy Salrin had served with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department for one year and graduated from the 

police academy in January 2023. 


WORDS BY 5FRANK36 

Just another night shift. 

According to the careers section 

of my sons “high school 

career manual” a career as a 

police officer can be: “satisfying, 

rewarding, saddening, lonely, 

and fulfilling—all during the 

same shift. The job pays pretty 

well, and the benefits are typically 

very good, but each day 

can present—and probably will 

present—a new challenge.” 

UH HUH. These days, I’m just 

satisfied if I can make it through 

a shift in one piece and make it 

back home again. 

I’m still working nights, which 

is good and bad. The good thing 

is it seems I have a lot more “day 

hours” to get things done. The 

bad thing is, while I get a lot 

done in my daylight hours, my 

3-hour nap from 6-9 isn’t helping 

much. I’m still tired as shit. 

But the truth is, I love working 

nights. It’s cooler for one. And 

there’s a lot less report writing. 

And getting my car ready for 

shift isn’t done in the blistering 

heat. And when I say get ready, 

I mean cleaning up after my car 

share partner. I’m lucky that he 

152 The BLUES 

152 The BLUES 

drops the car at my house and 

for the most part, he keeps it 

fairly clean. But when he’s late, 

I must move all his crap to the 

trunk and get mine out. But hey 

I’m not complaining. I can get in 

service from my driveway and 

only have roll call a couple of 

times a week. 

But today is his day off and I 

washed and cleaned the unit and 

she’s ready to go. I’m showered 

and shaved and about ready to 

walk out the door. No wife or 

kids to kiss goodbye. With over 

15 years on the job, the wife left, 

and the kids are all in college. 

But I think about all the other 

cops on my shift that do have 

families. What it must be like 

these days for them to walk out 

the door and worrying what will 

happen if they don’t come back. 

In that high school manual, 

I also read that when you get 

dressed “you become quiet, 

stern, and thoughtful as you 

prepare yourself mentally for the 

day ahead. You stop being “you” 

and become “officer you” as you 

put on your vest, zip up your 

uniform shirt and strap on your 

gun.” Yeah, I don’t know about 

all that. I just hope and pray 

tonight won’t be another protest 

night. 

“5Frank36, I’m in service 

checking traffic.” 

“5Frank36, show you in service 

and you’re clear at this time.” 

I log in on the laptop, check for 

emails, BOLOs and see what’s 

what. 

I pull out of the driveway, turn 

on to the highway outside my 

subdivision and first thing I spot 

is a car with a headlight that’s 

out. Please dear God let’s don’t 

start the night with an asshole. I 

was nice, he was nice, gave him

a warning and sent him on his 

way. Why can’t they all be this 

simple. 

“5Frank36, major accident, 

14300 FM3466, two pinned in, 

possible fatality. Care Flight has 

been dispatched.” 

“5Frank36 is enroute” Yep, it’s a 

Friday night. 

They should teach people what 

to do if you see flashing lights in 

your rear view and hear sirens 

and air horns blasting in your 

ears. Because people obviously 

don’t know shit about what to 

do. Assholes all over the place. 

5Frank36 arrived, FD is on the 

scene. 

Holy shit. It’s hard to tell these 

were even two cars. Head-on 

collision. Both had to be traveling 

at 60-70+. It’s pure chaos. 

You can smell burnt oil and 

coolant. It’s always the coolant 

that hangs in the air. 

The Fire Dept and EMT’s have 

both just arrived. I hear the Fire 

Chief yelling commands to his 

guys on how they were going to 

cut open the two cars. An EMT 

walks up and tells me the driver 

of the SUV is DOA. “Hey, are you 

guys still needing Care Flight? He 

says yes and I tell him they are 

inbound with an ETA of 3 minutes. 

“Let’s put them down in the 

school across the street. I’ll get 

an LZ set up.” 

“5Frank36, I need units to set 

up an LZ at the High School for 

Care Flight. I have one confirmed 

fatality. Can you notify DPS and 

get them in route to work that.” 

I walk over to my unit and 

grab a blanket out of my trunk 

to cover up the front of the SUV. 

On my way back to the crumpled 

remains of what was a new 

Tahoe, I see the roof come off 

the compact car. The woman inside 

is covered in blood. My first 

instinct? Look in the back seat 

and pray to God there is not a car 

seat. NOPE. No car seat. Thank 

you, Father. 

A fireman and I had just finished 

placing the blanket over 

the Tahoe when I heard Care 

Flight overhead. I thought to myself 

they are going to be waiting 

awhile. They are still cutting 

that car into a dozen pieces. The 

crowd of onlookers has grown 

to a few dozen, everyone with 

their phones out. I just don’t understand 

the need to film people 

when they are having the worst 

day of their life. 

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154 The BLUES 

Trooper Evans walked up, and I 

filled him in on what I had so far. 

He agreed to start the report if I 

handled traffic and Care Flight. 

This was going to be a long, long 

night for him. Fatalities take forever 

to work. 

Finally, they got the lady out of 

the car and onto a stretcher and 

headed to the helicopter. Once 

you hear those blades and motor 

rev up, you know to look away 

because dirt and sand are headed 

your way. 

I gathered all the witnesses’ 

names and turned them over 

to the Trooper. He was already 

taking statements and working 

the scene. 

Now came the worst part of 

my night. “Hey Evans, I’ll do the 

notification for you.” 

“Are you sure” he asked, but 

really didn’t want me to say no. 

“Yeah, it was my call, and you 

have a shitload of work ahead of 

you, so I’ll do it” 

I shot a pic of the man’s driver’s 

license and Googled the 

address. I was thankful it wasn’t 

right around the corner. I needed 

time to prepare myself. I hate 

making notifications. As I pulled 

up outside a beautiful two-story 

home on a cul-de-sac, I couldn’t 

help but think how I was about 

to destroy someone’s life. I mean 

I know it wasn’t me that took his 

life, but I’m the one that would 

deliver that horrible news and 

his family would always remember 

that cop that told them their 

loved one was never coming 

home. 

As I walked up the driveway, 

I saw what I assumed was the 

wife’s minivan. On the back window 

was one of those stupid decals 

I hate with the stick figures. 

A man, wife and two kids. So, 

you already know in your head 

what’s about to happen. 

I rang the doorbell and a small 

boy about 10 years old opens 

the door. “Hi son, is your mom 

home?” 

The mom walks up as I said 

‘home’, and you could tell by the 

look on her face, she knew. She 

knew her world was never going 

to be the same no matter what 

I was there for. She knows why 

you’re there, and you know she 

knows. 

There is just no easy way to 

tell them. “Ma’am, can we go 

inside, I have some bad news 

to share with you about your 

husband. I’m very sorry to tell 

you that your husband has been 

killed in a car crash.” 

Naturally, she cries, while you 

do your best not to. You offer to 

make phone calls for her and 

to stay with her until a family 

member, minister, or someone 

that cares about her can get 

there. And the kids. Why is mommy 

crying? I don’t know what’s 

worse. Telling a spouse, the 

one they love isn’t coming home 

again, or telling a parent they 

lost a child. 

I stayed there comforting her 

for almost two hours, until her 

sister arrived. Then I needed 

someone for the sister. It was 

almost 4am. I had two hours to 

go. Truth is I just wanted to go 

home. 

“5Frank36, I’m back in, notification 

was made at 01.56 hrs. 

ma’am” 

I check the open calls and take 

an open burglary just around the 

corner. As I pull up the family is 

standing in the driveway. What 

the hell! 

“Hello. What’s going on? Why 

are you guys outside? Is someone 

in your house? 

The husband tells me they just 

returned home from a family trip 

and found the front door wide 

open. I called for backup, and we 

checked the house. It was clear, 

but someone had obviously ransacked 

the place. The homeowners 

check for missing property, 

and I started the report. The total 

value wasn’t much, and I knew, 

CS Techs weren’t coming out for 

this. So, I finished the report and 

gave the wife the case number. 

With an hour to go, I decided 

a Whataburger drive-thru for a 

Breakfast on a Bun was just the 

ticket. A block away, the pickup 

in front of me was weaving all 

over the road. WTF. 

5Frank36, traffic, possible 

DWI, Main Street in front of the 

Whataburger. Can you send me 

another unit. 

Sure enough, he was drunk. 

Three more hours of paperwork. 

No Breakfast on a Bun, and damn 

if it wasn’t daylight. I hate getting 

home after sunrise. 

So, there it is, my war story. 

Really not much of a war story 

at all. Just another routine night 

on patrol. 

CLICK OR SCAN HERE

LEARN MORE 

ATR 

528 

1000W MOTOR 

DUAL BATTERY 

REINFORCED 

FRAME 

UPGRADED 

COMPONENTS 

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WORDS BY LT. DAVID WILLIAMS 

First 12 hours of ‘defunded’ police. 

On September 4, 2020, our 

city council voted to defund the 

police department I just retired 

from. Effective October 1, 2020, 

the start of the city’s fiscal year, 

the police department and its officers 

was replaced by what the 

city called ‘a non-violent social 

alternative to law enforcement.’ 

What you’re about to read is 

what happened in just ONE PA- 

TROL DISTRICT in the first 12 hours 

without a police force. 

October 1, 2020 

00:01 am – Just after midnight, 

I stepped outside to see 

if anything was happening and 

it seemed like a quite night. I 

expected the worse but didn’t 

hear any sirens. No screams for 

help. So I walked back inside and 

went to sleep. All was well. 

02:20 am – I woke up to the 

sound of my neighbor’s car 

alarm going off next to our bedroom 

window. I looked outside 

and saw several people standing 

by his new black BMW. I grabbed 

my new conceal-carry Glock and 

ran outside and started yelling at 

the men to get out of the car. My 

156 The BLUES 

156 The BLUES 

neighbor was already on the 

front lawn with a golf club 

(he despises guns and says 

he is a non-violent person) 

and he too was yelling at the 

men to get out of his car. One 

of the men, teenagers actually, 

pointed a gun out of the 

driver’s side and fired a shot 

at my neighbor. Luckily he 

missed, but my neighbor ran 

inside to get his phone. The 

three boys smoked the tires and 

left the cul-de-sac in a cloud of 

smoke. By this time my wife was 

outside with me. 

“I called 911” she said. 

What did they say? We don’t 

have police, who are they sending? 

“No one, they advised me to try 

and reason with the young men.” 

“Do what? Reason with them?” 

My neighbor re-emerged from 

his house screaming into the 

phone, saying they took his car 

and tried to kill him. The 911 

operator said a Crime Prevention 

Specialist would come out 

after 8am to speak with him 

if he liked. He threw the phone 

across the driveway. I did my 

best to calm my neighbor down 

and went back inside and turned 

on the citywide scanner. For the 

next 10 hours I was glued to the 

computer and could not believe 

what was happening in my city. 

02:50 am – Two blocks away, 

three men in a Black BMW 

walked into the Corner Convenience 

store, pointed a gun at 

the clerk and demanded all the 

money. On the way out the door 

with $45 in cash, an armful of 

beer and cigarettes, they fired 

two shots at the clerk. One hit 

him in the upper arm. A customer 

saw what happened and 

called 911. 911 dispatched an 

ambulance but they waited two

locks away for the scene to 

be cleared by police. But there 

were no local police, so they had 

to wait 30 minutes for a State 

Trooper to arrive. The clerk lost 

so much blood they didn’t know 

if he would survive. 

03:55am – A major accident 

on the Interstate with people 

trapped in a car that was on fire 

was dispatched on the intercity 

radio band. That’s what the 911 

operators were told to do given 

the local agency was now defunct. 

The trooper handling the 

robbery was the closest unit to 

the accident, so he left the crime 

scene and headed to the accident. 

Since there were no detectives 

or crime scene units to be 

called, he turned the scene over 

to a manager the alarm company 

had called. 

04:11am – The trooper arrived 

on the scene of the accident and 

immediately called for backup 

for traffic control. The dispatcher 

said all the units were tied up 

on other city calls. No one was 

coming. The trooper asked one 

of the witnesses what happened, 

and she said the white car that 

was on fire, was run off the road 

by a black car that looked like a 

BMW (wait is that my neighbor’s 

car?) The white car struck the 

bridge support and burst into 

flames, while the black car with 

3-males inside took off at a high 

rate of speed. 

04:20am – Two more cars 

slammed into the burning vehicle 

on the Freeway. The trooper 

was lucky to be alive. He jumped 

over the guardrail just before 

the first car slammed into the 

burning hulk of a car. When the 

accident was all said and done, 

one person was dead, and three 

more went to the hospital. 

05:01am- According to 911 

call records, sixty-five calls for 

police service were now holding. 

Twenty-five were in progress 

calls. 

05:16am – A citizen called 911 

to say that he saw a wrecker 

driving at a high rate of speed 

down Main Street. And was 

dragging what appeared to be 

an ATM machine with sparks 

flying everywhere. Make that 26 

in-progress calls. 

05:25am – A report of a minor 

accident, Main and 33rd Avenue. 

A UPS truck reports his van was 

struck by an object being towed 

behind a wrecker - an ATM I 

assume. 

05:26am – A man walking his 

dog in the 2500 block of 33rd, 

reports a wrecker has struck a 

fire hydrant and water is flooding 

the street. While 911 is talking to 

the gentlemen, the operator 

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hears tires squealing and the 

man says a car spun out of 

control on the flooded street 

and has struck his dog. Please, 

please send help. The 911 operator 

calls animal control and the 

wastewater department. Both 

departments are closed and 

don’t open until 8am. 

05:55am Reports come into 

911 that a man is sitting on the 

overpass on the Interstate threatening 

to jump. Troopers are still 

tied up and the 911 operator calls 

the emergency number for the 

county health dept for a social 

worker. Sorry they don’t get in 

until 8am. The Health Dept transfers 

the call to a Suicide Help 

Line. “Can you pass the phone 

to the gentlemen in distress 

please.” Wait, What? 

06:10am - Another major accident 

was reported on the feeder 

of the Interstate and Barker Rd. 

The reportee says a black BMW 

ran the red light and slammed 

into a green Honda Civic. Two, 

possible three men crawled out 

of the BMW and car jacked a 

red Toyota that was stopped at 

the light. The lady of the Toyota 

needs an ambulance, she is 

bleeding from the head. The Toyota 

was last seen southbound 

on Barker from the freeway. (I 

called my neighbor. Hey Fred, I 

think your car is on Barker Rd. 

and the Interstate. It’s been in an 

accident.) 

06:17am – Reports of shots 

fired at a 24-hr check cashing 

store at the 24000 Block of 

Interstate 55. Subjects left Westbound 

on the feeder headed 

towards Barker, driving a black 

4-door car. 

06:35am – A silent alarm at the 

North Side Bank & Trust on 45th 

158 The BLUES 

Avenue. 

06:45am – Citizen reports 

hearing glass breaking in the 

2600 Block of 45th Avenue. 

06:50am – Reports of a wrecker 

driving at a high rate of speed 

on 45th pulling a square piece of 

metal making lots of sparks. And 

same reportee says there is glass 

all over the road and someone 

should get it cleaned up before 

cars get flat tires. 

07:01am – Alarm company 

calls back says there is glass 

breakage and movement inside 

the bank. A bank representative 

has been notified. 

07:10am – Several motorists 

have called 911 to report flat tires 

caused by what appears to be 

broken glass and metal on 45th 

Street. 

07:35am – 911 receives a call 

from the manager of the North 

Side Bank & Trust asking for a 

police unit. The front of the bank 

has been smashed in and the 

front door is missing. 911 advised 

that a Crime Prevention Specialist 

will be dispatched to his 

location, but they don’t come in 

until 8:00am. The bank manager 

wasn’t happy. 

07:44am – The manager of 

the Corner Convenience Store 

call 911 to ask when a police 

unit was coming to his store to 

take a report. Yes sir, we have 

dispatched a Crime Prevention 

Specialist to your location, they 

should arrive sometime after 

8am. “But I don’t want a Crime 

PREVENTION specialist, the 

crime has already been committed. 

We know sir, but all crime 

reports are now handled by the 

Civilian Crime Bureau.” The manager, 

now beside himself says, 

“what the hell is the Civilian 

Crime Bureau? They are the ones 

dispatched to your location sir. 

8:01am – The County Health 

Dept., Mental Health Division 

& Suicide Help Line, opens for 

business. “You have 33 new calls 

for service – Press 1 to hear the 

first call” 

08:05am - Civilian Crime 

Bureau is now open for business. 

“You have 115 new calls for 

service – Press 1 to hear the first 

call” 

08:35am – MHD-SU is dispatched 

to a call of a man on a 

bridge threatening suicide. When 

MHD-SU arrives, they advise 

there is no one on the bridge. 

They do report a large backup 

on the Interstate just north of 

the bridge where the jumper 

was supposed to be. They hear 

reports of debris on the roadway 

below. (By the way, MHD-SU 

stands for Mental Health Department 

– Suicide Unit) 

09:00am – CPS (Crime Prevention 

Specialist) Unit 33 is 

dispatched to a report of a car 

burglary in progress at 2409 

Walker Street. The vehicle is a 

2019 Black BMW. The reportee 

will meet you in the driveway. 

Hey that’s next door. Hey Fred, 

CPS are on the way...LOL) 

09:05am – CPS Unit 143 can 

you check for a man reported to 

be bleeding from an unknown 

type of injury at the Corner Convenience 

store at Walker and 

Elm. 

09:15am – Any CPS unit clear 

to take a call. We have 85 calls 

holding. 

09:35am – CPS Unit 143 arrives 

at the Corner Convenience and 

is met by the manger. “Yes sir, 

we received a report about a 

man bleeding from an unknown

injury” 

“Yes, my employee was shot by 

a robber. Are you here to investigate?” 

“Aw no sir, that’s handled by a 

CPSS unit.” 

“What the hell is that?” asks 

the manager. 

“That a Crime Prevention Specialist 

Supervisory Unit sir.” 

09:44am – 911 Dispatch to CPS 

Unit 143. Can you check by with 

CPS33 about two blocks from 

you. He’s requesting backup on 

a reported car break-in and an 

angry man threatening him with 

a golf club. 

09:46am – CPS Unit 143 advises 

the store manager a CPSS unit 

will be dispatched to his location 

within the next 24-48 hours. 

Please don’t touch anything sir 

until they arrive. I must leave sir, 

there is a situation a couple of 

blocks from here. 

09:50am – CPS Unit 143 to 

dispatch. I’ve arrived with CPS 

Unit 33 and ma’am there’s a man 

beating CPS Unit 33’s Prius with 

a golf club. Is there a CPSS unit 

in the area? Or can you dispatch 

a POLICE unit from a neighboring 

city to assist us. 

09:55am – Dispatch to CPS Unit 

143, CPSS Unit 02 advises that he 

is unavailable to assist but has 

requested a Mental Health Advisory 

Unit to head your way, ETA 

is 45 minutes. 

10:44am – MHA Unit 22 show 

me arrived with CPS Unit 143 and 

CPS Unit 33. Can you dispatch a 

wrecker to our scene for a disabled 

CPS Prius Unit please. 

11:05am – MHA Unit 22 to dispatch, 

we have a CODE 12 at our 

location, can you please dispatch 

a MHA Supervisor to my location. 

11:08am - MHA Unit 22, be 

advised MHA Supervisor Unit 11 

is en-route to your location with 

an ETA of 55 minutes. Also, can 

you advise CPS Units 143 and 33 

I need them back in service, we 

are now holding over 200 calls 

for service in the district. 

12:01pm – MHA Unit 11 is on the 

scene with MHA Unit 22, CPS 143 

and CPS 33. Dispatch, it appears 

there has been some type of 

accident at this location. I have 

two damaged CPS Prius units 

and one damaged MHA minivan. 

Can you please dispatch a city 

wrecker and a Municipal Dam- 

age Assessment Supervisor 

to this location. 

12:30pm. - Well, I’ve heard 

enough, and I need a nap. 

This night shift is kicking my 

butt. I’d better get some rest 

before tonight’s shift starts. I 

don’t want to miss anything. 

And they said retirement 

was going to be boring. If 

you don’t think this stupidity 

can’t happen in your city. 

just defund your PD and sit 

back and watch. 

By the way, MHA, CPS, 

MDAA and MHD are all hiring 

in our city. 

The BLUES 159 

The BLUES 159

A BADGE OF HONOR 

healing our heroes 

Our Mental Health Wellness 

depends on many various factors. 

When it comes to First Responder 

Mental health and 

wellness, we need to get out of 

the “One and Done” mentality. 

First responder wellness must 

begin at the beginning. The 

mental mindset along with 

the proper conditioning, must 

become your career lifestyle. 

Once you decide to make the 

commitment to serve, make the 

commitment to survive. 

Let’s face it, the choice to become 

a First Responder is a life 

change. 

So, adding a few basic ingredients 

to your Mental Health 

recipe will help in longevity. 

We all know the trauma we 

witness can impact our mindset. 

We all have access to many 

of the resources around us to 

handle the short and long-term 

impacts. 

Remember YOU ARE NOT 

ALONE. 

But we need to look on how 

we can lessen these impacts 

of trauma prior to the trauma 

itself. Proper preparation is 

what it takes. So how do you 

prepare for the things we may 

encounter? Well education is 

key. Learning what your mind 

and body can withstand is most 

important. First responder life 

is not for everyone. It is truly a 

calling. 

160 The BLUES 

If you are going to run a marathon, 

it takes training. Training 

each day to make it to the 

end without strains, sprains, 

or long-lasting injuries. Some 

people are not meant to run 

these distances, so preparation 

is needed. 

The First responder world is 

no different. We all want to 

make it across the Finish Line. 

To do this successfully, we 

MUST train, condition, prepare 

and ask for help when needed. 

Everyone needs a spotter 

every now and then. There is no 

shame in asking for assistance. 

A Healthy Coping Mechanism 

depends on it. 

First, our eating habits. Working 

long and rotating shifts 

does not always afford us the 

opportunity to eat healthy. So 

just reducing our fast-food 

intake a few times a week can 

help. Taking a few extra minutes, 

a day to prepare a healthy 

meal at home will improve your 

mental mindset and will also 

be more heart healthy. 

Reducing our intake of foods 

high in carbohydrates and 

sodium can benefit our Mental 

Health greatly. 

Taking vitamin supplements 

each day can also help reduce 

stress levels by suppling our 

body with the much-needed 

SAMANTHA HORWITZ & 

JOHN SALERNO 

replacement of nutrients our 

bodies may have depleted. 

Proper R.E.M sleep is something 

many of us lack. Getting 

6 to 8 hours of improper sleep 

is as bad as getting no sleep at 

all. Many of us toss and turn, 

not really getting full rest. 

Utilizing your bodies senses 

can help. Natural Oils (such as 

Magnesium) or pleasant scents 

around your sleeping area can 

make a huge difference. 

Exercise is essential, but 

lifting weights and walking the 

treadmill at a gym is only one 

form of physical wellness. 

Sometimes a less impactful 

form of exercise can be more 

rewarding than the muscle burn 

of weight training. 

Walking, Yoga, Meditation 

and stretching all while connecting 

your mind and body 

will put you into a healthy 

balance. 

Once this is achieved, you will 

find everything around you will 

also fall into a proper balance. 

Retired NYPD Detective 

John Salerno

CLICK TO LEARN MORE 

The BLUES 161

DARYL LOTT 

daryl’s deliberations 

“There Stands Jackson Like a Stone Wall!” 

When touring all the major 

battlefields of the Civil War, one 

cannot help but look upon the 

legendary officers of both sides 

with a sense of awe. Thomas 

J. Jackson is one that inspires 

many people to this day. There 

are monuments to him in several 

different places. His colorful 

nickname, “Stonewall”, contributed 

to his revered status in 

Virginia. That nickname has a 

Texan connection which is kind 

of an unusual story in itself. 

After General Sam Houston 

defeated Santa 

Anna at San Jacinto, 

he took the “Napoleon 

of the West” 

into custody. Many 

people wanted to 

hang Santa Anna, 

so Houston needed 

to do something 

with the dictator. He 

decided to send the 

maniac to Washington, 

DC and turn 

him over to President 

Andrew Jackson for 

his own safety. Houston 

thought President 

Jackson could resolve 

the dispute between 

Mexico and Texas. 

Santa Anna spent 

several days at the White House 

where President Jackson hosted 

a state dinner in his honor. “El 

Presidente” wanted to negotiate 

a purchase of Texas with 

Jackson, but he was rebuffed. 

Santa Anna was surprised at 

that because Mexico had been 

in negotiations to sell Texas for 

several years. The Mexicans previously 

strung Jackson along in 

purchase negotiations with the 

snag being the “green grease” 

they expected for the Mexican 

officials personally. This time it 

was the Americans who pushed 

back. Jackson said it would offend 

the Texans who conquered 

Texas with their own courage 

and military prowess. Jackson 

then put Santa Anna on a USN 

vessel and sent him to Vera 

Cruz where he would continue 

to cause mischief. 

When Houston sent Santa 

DARYL LOTT 

Anna to Washington, 

the mission 

was overseen by a 

Texan officer named 

Bernard Bee. Bee 

took the Mexican 

dictator to Washington 

under guard. 

Santa Anna had no 

uniform as his were 

ripped to shreds at 

San Jacinto with 

Bowie knives and 

Texan steel. Santa 

Anna asked Bee for 

a loan so he could 

procure a fine suit 

of clothing fit for a 

head of state. Bee 

provided his personal 

funds and “his 

excellency” was outfitted for a 

state visit at the White House. 

Fifteen years passed and Bee 

found himself on a battlefield in 

Manassas, Virginia. Union troops 

162 The BLUES

were pressing the Alabama 

rebels under Bee’s command 

in the Civil War’s first major 

battle. He saw the Virginian 

standing like a “stone wall” 

and supplied Thomas J Jackson 

the moniker that would 

stick with him the rest of his 

life and beyond. The South 

won the battle that day owing 

much of their success to 

a previously unknown officer, 

and the “Legend of Stonewall 

Jackson” was born. 

Incidentally, if you are 

wondering, Santa Anna never 

repaid his debt to Bee. 

Questions or Comments? 

DarylLott.Texas@gmail.com 

Photos: Jackson Monument, 

Manassas and monument at 

the location where Jackson 

fell at Chancellorsville. 

The BLUES 163

HONORING FA 

“Honoring our fallen heroes 

through running while providing 

financial support to the families 

of our fallen Heroes, 

First Responders injured in the 

Line of Duty and Safety 

Equipment to K9s in need.” 

Zechariah 

Cartledge: 

a True American Hero 

164 The BLUES 

POLICE MAGAZINE

LEN HEREOS 

AS OF 6/16/23 

Total Grants Awarded to Injured First Responders: 48 

Total Amount Awarded: $437,500 

Total Funds Awarded to Families of Fallen Heroes: 47 

Total Amount Awarded: $317,951 

Funds/Equipment Awarded to K9 Officers: $40,150.10 

Total Amount of Grants Given: $795,601.10 

- - - - 

2023 Run Tracker: 

Total Miles Run in 2023: (as of 8/13/23): 149 

- Zechariah - 56 

- Jayden - 11 

- Andrew - 16 

- Giuliana - 5 

- Anthony - 12 

- Morgan - 29 

- Theresa - 2 

Total Miles Run in 2022: 325 




Overall Miles Run: 1,557 

Overall Miles Run (K9’s): 73 

- - - - - - - - - 

2022 Run Stats: 

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

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

Total Miles Run for Non-LODD/Suicide: 13 

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

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

Total Miles Run for 2021 Fallen LEO’s: 21 

Total Miles Run for 2021 Fallen Firefighters: 2 

Total Tribute Runs by State/Country: 17 

States/Cities Zechariah has run in: 

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

Cocoa, Lakeland, Daytona Beach, West Palm Beach, Starke, Melbourne 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

District/Countries/Territories: Washington D.C. • Puerto Rico - San Juan 

The BLUES 165

DR. TINA JAECKLE 

blue mental health 

Give Yourself the Gift of Hope 

Many of our nation’s law 

enforcement officers have 

had a challenging year in 

countless ways. The 2023 

statistics for line-of-duty 

deaths (especially by gunfire) 

and suicides in this field 

are staggering and can be 

overwhelming. The impending 

holidays are also often a 

difficult time for LEO families 

due to work schedules, 

family conflict, financial 

constraints, and at times, a 

sense of helplessness due 

to depression and lack of 

hope. We also live in a world 

in which the comparison of 

our lives to others is commonplace 

and frequently 

perpetuated by social media 

and high expectations for the 

“perfect” holiday experience. 

It can place a great deal of 

unnecessary pressure on an 

LE family during an already 

stressful time of the year. 

Instead of this month’s 

article focusing solely on 

the negative, I want to offer 

the gift of hope through 

some basic approaches that 

are designed to reduce psychological 

stressors and 

increase hope for the holiday 

season. Amy Morgan (Police1, 

2019) offered the following 

excellent suggestions, and 

I encourage you to practice 

these often. 

1. STOP COMPARING. If you 

find yourself comparing your 

holiday with others, stop 

and focus on what matters 

to you, and then let that be 

enough. Be content with 

where you are, who you are, 

and what you have. If you 

are financially stressed, don’t 

worsen the situation by giving 

gifts to try to match the 

actions of others. Instead, 

give of yourself and work 

with what you have, but 

don’t deplete yourself in the 

process or let comparisons 

make you feel unworthy. 

2. SET REALISTIC EXPEC- 

TATIONS. All the hype around 

the holidays makes us feel 

like we should ramp up our 

energy, our home décor, our 

financial ability, our time 

with friends and family, and 

even our level of happiness. 

Instead, set your expectations 

in line with the reality of your 

little piece of the world. If 

you aren’t a cook, don’t expect 

to present your family 

with a golden holiday turkey 

and all the fixings. Set realistic 

expectations about how 

your own holiday will and 

DR. TINA JAECKLE 

should look for your own life. 

3. LET GO OF REGRET. 

Maybe this wasn’t your best 

year. If something in your life 

you wish was different, and 

you still can change it, start 

working on it. But if you can’t 

change something, try letting 

go of the feeling of regret 

that’s eating away at you. 

If you need to apologize to 

someone, do it genuinely and 

sincerely. If you need to forgive 

someone, do it, for your 

own sense of peace. And 

then move on. Let go of the 

regrets so you can start new 

free of stress and anxiety. 

4. ACCEPT YOUR STRUG- 

GLES. Life is hard sometimes, 

and nobody is getting 

through it as easily as they 

may make it seem. Things 

may be hard for you for 

many reasons – it is okay to 

admit that things aren’t great. 

166 The BLUES

Accept that we all struggle 

at different points in life with 

different things. Don’t let the 

season make you focus on 

the struggles – remember 

that this season and its challenges 

will pass. 

5. TAKE THE TIME TO EX- 

ERCISE. You do not have to 

jump right into CrossFit if 

you have not exercised regularly, 

but get out for at 

least a brisk walk and break 

a sweat. You will feel and 

think better. You can also do 

this three times a week and 

invite your spouse, partner, 

and/or children to walk with 

you to enjoy family time. 

6. GIVE BACK TO OTHERS. 

A local FOP hosts an “adopt 

a LE retiree or survivor” 

each holiday and encourages 

others to take them to 

lunch, provide a gift card, or 

give the gift of “presence.” 

There are numerous charities 

and opportunities available 

this time of year, including 

for children. Giving to others 

allows a mental shift of 

perspective away from our 

struggles toward better understanding 

and connecting 

with others. Remember, we 

rise by lifting others. Most 

importantly, practice hope, 

even a little every day. It 

makes a greater difference 

than you might believe. 

The BLUES 167

NOT SO BRIGHT AWARD 

Light Bulb Award 

THE DEPLORABLES 

Coffee City Texas PD Fired by Council 

COFFEE CITY, TX. – Residents of 

a small Texas town that is famous 

mostly for a robust speed trap 

operation are worried after the city 

council disbanded the entire police 

force. 

The mass firing came after an 

investigation by KHOU, a Houston-based 

CBS affiliate, which 

found that the Coffee City Police 

Department was employing 50 

police officers, many with questionable 

backgrounds, to police the 

town of just 250 residents. 

The force brought in more than 

$1 million in court fees from more 

than 5,100 traffic citations last year, 

which is the most citations for any 

town in Texas the size of Coffee 

City, the report says. 

According to the outlet, the city’s 

now-fired police chief, John Jay 

Portillo, who was hired in 2021, 

quadrupled the size of the police 

department in a span of just two 

years. 

And a lot of those officers had 

troubled pasts. 

More than half of Coffee City’s 

cops had been either suspended, 

demoted, fired, or dishonorably 

discharged from their previous jobs 

in law enforcement, according to 

personnel documents obtained by 

the outlet. 

And at least a dozen Coffee City 

officers had previously faced criminal 

charges, ranging from aggravated 

assault with a deadly weapon to 

168 The BLUES 

endangering a child, KHOU reported. 

Jeff Blackstone, the mayor of Coffee 

City, said in a September 1 press 

release that the city council had put 

Portillo on a 30-day suspension and 

would be conducting an internal 

investigation into his conduct. 

Following that investigation, the 

city council on Monday voted to fire 

Portillo and temporarily “deactivate” 

the entire police department, according 

to a local CBS station. The 

city’s investigation confirmed allegations 

that Portillo had received 

a DUI prior to being hired as police 

chief, which he did not disclose in 

his job application, according to the 

outlet. 

Blackstone told the outlet that the 

city decided to disband the police 

department rather than conduct 

individual investigations into every 

officer. Any officer who wants 

to stay with the department must 

reapply once the city hires a new 

police chief, CBS reported. 

“We’re going to have a new police 

department that everybody in the 

community can trust,” Blackstone 

told the outlet. 

In an interview with KHOU, Portillo 

defended his vetting of the officers 

he hired, saying that several of 

them had faced “retaliation” at their 

previous police departments. 

“There’s more to just what’s on 

paper,” Portillo told the outlet. 

“That’s where I rely on my captain 

and my background investigators to 

go in and say ‘hey, what’s the truth 

behind this?’” 

Sheriff’s deputies from the nearby 

Smith County Sheriff’s Office are 

helping respond to calls in Coffee 

City until the town can hire a new 

police force, according to CBS.

CHICAGO MAYOR, 

STILL A MORON 

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The BLUES 169

RUSTY B 

off duty & outdoors 

“OK, 

Fall 

I like 

Backyard 

it, Picasso” 

Fall is a great time of year for 

all my favorite outdoor activities 

like hunting, fishing, camping, 

and hiking but it also a great 

time to enjoy our own backyard 

cookouts. I am writing this story 

specifically about an addition to 

our backyard that we absolutely 

love, and I am going to encourage 

more people to include these 

into their backyard plans. I am 

talking about a wood fired pizza 

oven. We added this unique 

backyard cooking feature to 

complement our new pool and 

grill area to create one of our 

top outdoor spaces in our new 

retirement home. 

This is actually the second 

time we added this pizza oven 

to our back yard, so combined 

I probably have now over 10 

years’ experience cooking pizzas 

in my own wood fired pizza 

ovens. Having said this, I highly 

recommend Chicago Brick Oven 

( www.chicagobrickoven.com) 

for your complete DIY oven kits. 

They offer different sizes of ovens 

that can shipped directly to 

you for easily installation by any 

brick or tile contractor. I personally 

like the CBO 750 model 

for about $3,600, but they have 

smaller and larger ovens as 

well, depending on your budgets 

and needs. That may seem like 

a lot of money compared to a 

gas grill, especially with added 

170 The BLUES

ARRON 

Cooking 

The BLUES 171

RUSTY B 

off duty & outdoors 

cost 

“OK, 

for installation, but these 

I like it, Picasso” 

additions become a permanent 

feature of your home and I am 

convinced add additional value 

as well. 

So let me paint a picture of 

what a backyard pizza party 

looks like with your own oven. 

First, like any good BBQ, it does 

take a little preparation before 

your entire family shows 

up with plates in hand. I build 

a small fire in a Grill Chimney 

out of hardwood lump coal. 

While the small fire is burning, 

I build a small teepee of either 

oak, pecan, or mesquite wood 

in the middle of my pizza oven. 

Then I add the burning coals to 

the middle of the wood teepee 

in the oven and blow some air 

onto the wood/coal mixture 

to get the wood burning like a 

small campfire. I then continue 

to add wood to this small fire 

in the oven for about 1.5 hours 

until the roof of the oven turns 

white from the heat of the fire. 

Then with fire tools, I push the 

fire and coals to the back and 

sides of the pizza oven. With the 

steel brush provided with the 

oven kit, I brush the pizza stone 

surface the fire has been burning 

on. At this point, the oven is 

ready to wow your guests with 

pizza after pizza creation for the 

next two hours. It takes practice 

creating pizzas with just the 

right blend of toppings that your 

family will be forever calling 

their favorite pizza. 

One tip is to sprinkle the pizza 

peel with plenty of rice flour 

before you place the dough on 

172 The BLUES 

the peel and that will enable it 

to slide off the peel easier while 

placing in the oven. Another 

tip is to buy a BBQ pigtail that 

are made for turning steaks but 

works great for grabbing the side 

of the cooking pizza and keep 

them rotating in the oven. 

So, if you are thinking of upgrading 

your backyard kitchen, 

I highly encourage you to look 

into a wood fired pizza oven.

ARRON 

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THERE ARE 

parting shots... 

178 The BLUES

NO WORDS 

... pardon our humor 

The BLUES 179

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180 The BLUES

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The BLUES 181 

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supported The BLUES since our first issue. 

There is simply no better dealership 

in Houston to purchase your Chrysler, 

Dodge, Jeep, Ram or Ford product. 

The sales team provide honest, no BS 

pricing and their service department 

ranks among the top in the nation. 

Call Alan or Blake Helfman at 713-524- 

3801 when you are ready to purchase 

your next vehicle. It will be the best 

car buying experience you’ve ever had. 

AUTOMOTIVE 

the ground up to provide a superior 

customer experience. Planet offers over 

30 acres of new Ford inventory, Certified 

Pre-Owned Fords, pre-owned vehicles 

of all makes and models, as well 

as aftermarket and performance parts, 

service, commercial truck services, and 

collision repair. Beyond automotive services, 

the Randall Reed family and Planet 

team support and gives back to the 

community, from local charity events 

to sponsoring schools and veteran programs. 

Learn more at PlanetFord.com. 

E-BIKES 

Every community deals with contemporary 

problems concerning officer 

and public safety, such as homelessness, 

mental issues, family disputes, 

and outright crime. There is the added 

burden of reporting to various state and 

federal agencies. For over 35 years, 

the Cardinal Tracking Suite of Public 

Safety products has offered agencies a 

cost-effective solution to gather essential 

information that increases operational 

efficiency, policing effectiveness, 

and citizen safety. 

With Cardinal Tracking, agencies gain 

access to software, hardware, and 

services that streamline management 

report generation, as well as prompt 

and knowledgeable customer service 

with real people. Our comprehensive 

product lineup includes: 

MobileCite – eCitation issuance 

MobileLink - Field Reporting 

BALLISTICS 

PLANET FORD IN SPRING, 20403 

I45 NORTH, SPRING TEXAS 

Planet Ford on I-45 in Spring, Texas 

has been the No. 1 Ford Dealer in 

the greater-Houston area for over 20 

years.* Our Ford dealership earns this 

distinction year after year because our 

team makes our clients and their vehicle 

needs our top priority. Planet Ford is 

part of the award-winning World Class 

Automotive Group. The dealership has 

earned many top honors, including multiple 

Triple Crowns, which is bestowed 

upon only the best. In order to be recognized, 

a dealership must receive 

all of Ford’s top awards, including The 

President’s Award for customer service. 

Planet Ford has been redesigned from 

182 The BLUES 

182 The BLUES 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE 

INFORMATION 

SAN DIMAS, CA – As law enforcement 

agencies strive to enhance their capabilities 

and adapt to the evolving needs 

of modern policing, one company has 

taken a giant leap forward in creating 

a purpose-built solution. Introducing 

the ATR 528 Law Enforcement eBike, by 

American Bike Patrol Services—a remarkable 

two-wheeled marvel meticulously 

crafted over 18 months with an 

unwavering focus on delivering unrivaled 

performance, tactical attributes, 

and reliability. With its groundbreaking 

features and cutting-edge design, the 

ATR 528 sets a new standard for police 

eBikes worldwide. 

Public Safety Software 

“Protection... Revolutionized” Law 

enforcement agencies need ballistically 

capable products that offer mobility and 

maneuverability. In tactical situations, 

your agency likely utilizes an armored 

vehicle. Do you consider it to be ‘fast’ 

and ‘maneuverable’? TC Burton offers 

the LD-1, which will change the face of 

law enforcement and security forever. 

The LD-1 is a patented, lightweight, 

ballistic armor kit for a single-rider ATV 

that utilizes a laser cut steel exoskeleton 

integrated with NIJ III capable ballistic 

panels that can stop up to a 7.62x51mm 

round, which includes AR-15 and AK-47. 

It is the next generation of ballistically 

capable kits for vehicle protection; 

offering law enforcement protected maneuverability 

and speed in all outdoor 

terrain, but also including tight indoor 

spaces such as school corridors, malls, 

freight elevators and warehouses. 

To learn more, visit us at www.tcburton.com

POLICE SUPPLIES 

GUNS/AMMO 

Starting in 2003, Cop Stop Inc. 

Opened with a vision and goal to 

service first responders; “Our everyday 

heroes.” Catering mainly to Police, 

Fire, Military and EMS, but also open to 

the public, Cop Stop offers a variety of 

products, gear and apparel. Open and 

operated by Rick Fernandez, a former 

officer of 10 years, he prides himself 

on maintaining the highest standards 

of customer service. Cop Stop understands 

its our customers who drive 

our success, and we strive to offer the 

best service to everyone who walks 

through our doors. At Cop Stop we 

offer quality products at great low 

prices. With access to over hundreds 

of brands and products, and constantly 

adding more, we are confident we can 

fulfill your needs. 

“If you provide good service and 

a fair price, customers will talk 

about you and come back. It’s that 

simple!” Rick Fernandez 

Supporting Law 

Enforcement in 

TEXAS 

ProForce’s commitment to providing excellent customer 

service is a key element in the company’s success 

throughout the western United States. As a relative newcomer 

in the state of TEXAS ProForce has been welcomed with open 

arms by the law enforcement community. 

ProForce’s relationships with top industry manufacturers 

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

to negotiate better pricing to meet the budgetary needs 

of law enforcement agencies. While some vendors may 

not always have product availability in a timely manner. 

ProForce’s industry relationships and direct contact through 

vendor representatives, the sales team is able to suggest 

and provide alternatives to meet specific requirements of 

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

“ 

Working with PROFORCE through the 

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

very easy and simple. We added the ACRO red 

dot along with the holster and the light. This 

purchase was simple and easy. 

The troops love the improvement to the 2.0 

and the red dot. 

Lt. Socha. Austin PD. 

“ 

#X300U-A #13353 #200691 

customer service and quality products. 

CENTRAL POLICE SUPPLY is 

located at 1410 Washington Ave, near 

downtown Houston, but you can 

purchase everything you need online 

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

Inset: Dan Rooney ProForce President 

The company features an excellent selection of high demand 

law enforcement firearms, equipment and accessories from 

great manufacturers such as: 

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

Bianchi, Smith & Wesson, Eotech, Daniel Defense, 

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

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

Ruger, Streamlight, Safariland, Springfield, Blackhawk, 

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

Nightstick, FNH USA and UTM. 

Proforce takes great pride in distributing high quality public 

safety products from top tier manufacturers and this 

transaction has set a trend for many other law enforcement 

agencies in the State of Texas. 

Agency demonstrations, test and evaluation 

of products is available upon request. Ask us 

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

confiscated firearms, any model and condition! 

First class customer support and quality service 

makes PROFORCE the number one choice for first 

responder equipment and accessories! 

Call (800) 367-5855 

Email: sales@proforceonline.com or 

visit our website 

www.proforceonline.com 

SEND US AN EMAIL 

SCAN THE QR CODE 

CENTRAL POLICE SUPPLY is 

your source for the best in police 

equipment. Based in Houston, 

we supply law enforcement 

with the equipment they need.” 

CENTRAL POLICE SUPPLY has been 

serving Houston law enforcement for 

nearly 50 years with the absolute best 

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NOW HIRING 

LE job positions 

Nassau Bay Police Dept. Get Info Patrol Officer 10/01/2023 - 5pm 

Liberty Police Department Get Info Detective 10/01/2023 - 5pm 

Liberty Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 10/01/2023 - 5pm 

Burnet Police Department Get Info Police Officer 10/02/2023 - 5pm 

Burnet Police Department Get Info School Resource Officer 10/02/2023 - 5pm 

Polk Co. Fire Marshal's Office Get Info Environmental Enforcement Officer 10/04/2023 - 5pm 

Anderson County Criminal District Attorney Get Info Investigator 10/06/2023 - 5pm 

Chapel Hill ISD Get Info Police Officer 10/06/2023 - 5pm 

Lancaster ISD Police Department Get Info Police Officer 10/07/2023 - 5pm 

Georgetown Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer - Lateral 10/09/2023 - 5pm 

Pflugerville ISD Police Department Get Info Police Officer 10/01/2023 - 5pm 

Oak Ridge North Police Department Get Info Police Officer 10/10/2023 - 5pm 

Addison Police Department Get Info Police Officer 10/15/2023 - 5pm 

Erath County Attorney's Office 

Get Info Police OfficerPre-trial Investigator/Officer 10/01/2023 - 5pm 

Pflugerville Police Department Get Info Officer 10/15/2023 - 5pm 

City of Bulverde Police Get Info Police Officer 10/16/2023 - 5pm 

Richardson Police Department Get Info Police Officer 10/16/2023 - 5pm 

Schleicher County Sheriff’s Office Get Info Deputy Sheriff 10/16/2023 - 5pm 

Crowley Police Department Get Info Police Officer 10/16/2023 - 5pm 

University of North Texas Police Department Get Info Police Officer 10/13/2023 - 5pm 

Dallam County Sheriff's Office Get Info Patrol Deputy 10/17/2023 - 5pm 

Dallas County Marshal Service Get Info Deputy Marshal 10/14/2023 - 5pm 

Westover Hills Police Department Get Info Patrol Officers 10/20/2023 - 5pm 

Eastland County Sheriff's Office Get Info Peace Officers 10/20/2023 - 5pm 

Mills County Sheriff's Office Get Info Patrol Deputy 10/15/2023 - 5pm 

Texas State Technical College Police Department Get Info Police Officer 10/17/2023 - 5pm 

Hartley County Sheriff's Office Get Info Deputy Sheriff 10/21/2023 - 5pm 

Alabama-Coushatta Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 10/24/2023 - 5pm 

Ore City Police Department Get Info Police Officer 10/15/2023 - 5pm 

Knox City Police Department Get Info Police Officer 10/23/2023 - 5pm 

Aransas Pass Police Department Get Info Harbor Safety & Enforcement Officer 10/23/2023 - 5pm 

Rollingwood Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer 10/23/2023 - 5pm 

Onalaska Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 10/27/2023 - 5pm 

Harris County Sheriff's Office Get Info Part-Time Deputy - Bailiff 10/27/2023 - 5pm 

West Orange-Cove CISD Get Info School Police Officer 10/27/2023 - 5pm 

Natalia Police Department Get Info Patrol Officers 10/27/2023 - 5pm 

League City Police Department Get Info Police Officer 10/27/2023 - 5pm 

Bexar County Hospital District Police Department Get Info Police Officer 10/27/2023 - 5pm 

Round Rock ISD Police Department Get Info Police Officer 10/27/2023 - 5pm 

Lamar CISD Police Department Get Info Police Lieutenant 10/27/2023 - 5pm 

West University Place Police Department Get Info Police Officer 10/20/2023 - 5pm 

Ore City Police Department Get Info Police Sergeant 10/20/2023 - 5pm 

UT System Police Department Get Info Police Inspector II 10/20/2023 - 5pm 

Anderson County Sheriff's Office Get Info Deputy 10/29/2023 - 5pm 

Aldine ISD Police Department Get Info Police Officer 10/29/2023 - 5pm 

Fate Police Dept. Get Info Municipal Court Bailiff (P/T) 10/08/2023 - 5pm 

Grimes County Sheriff's Office Get Info Narcotics Investigator 11/10/2023 - 5pm 

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

Greenville Police Department Get Info Police Officer Exam 10/13/2023 - 5pm 

184 The BLUES

Brownwood Police Department Get Info Police Officer Exam 10/13/2023 - 5pm 

River Oaks Police Department Get Info Certified / Lateral Peace Officer 11/09/2023 - 5pm 

Waxahachie Police Department Get Info Police Patrol Officer 10/06/2023 - 5pm 

Madison County Sheriff's Office Get Info Courthouse Security Deputy 10/11/2023 - 5pm 

Missouri City Police Department Get Info Police Cadet 10/11/2023 - 11am 

Saginaw Police Department Get Info Police Officer 11/10/2023 - 5pm 

Fate DPS Get Info Police Officer 11/10/2023 - 5pm 

Cuero Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer 11/10/2023 - 5pm 

Venus ISD Police Department Get Info Police Officer 11/10/2023 - 5pm 

Kilgore College Police Department Get Info Police Officer 11/11/2023 - 5pm 

Missouri City Police Department Get Info Police Cadet 11/11/2023 - 5pm 

Missouri City Police Department Get Info Police Officer 11/11/2023 - 5pm 

Fort Worth Police Department Get Info Lateral Entry Officer 10/31/2023 - 5pm 

Balch Springs Police Department Get Info Police Officer 11/11/2023 - 5pm 

Refugio Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Patrol Deputy 10/12/2023 - 5pm 

Goliad County Sheriff’s Office Get Info Patrol Deputy 11/11/2023 - 5pm 

Van Alstyne Police Department Get Info Police Officer 10/31/2023 - 5pm 

Electra Police Department Get Info Police Officers 11/12/2023 - 5pm 

Stanton Police Department Get Info Police Officer 11/12/2023 - 5pm 

Kyle Police Department Get Info Police Officer 10/26/2023 - 5pm 

Fort Worth Police Department Get Info Police Trainee 10/31/2023 - 5pm 

City of Olmos Park Get Info Chief of Police 11/13/2023 - 5pm 

Alamo Colleges District Police Department Get Info Police Officer 10/31/2023 - 5pm 

Buda Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer 11/13/2023 - 5pm 

Fulton Police Department Get Info Police Officer 10/06/2023 - 4pm 

Schertz Police Department Get Info Police Officer 11/13/2023 - 5pm 

Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission Get Info Probationary Agents 10/29/2023 - 5pm 

Katy Police Department Get Info Police Officer 10/15/2023 - 5pm 

Normangee Police Department Get Info Police Officer 11/17/2023 - 5pm 

Conroe ISD Police Department Get Info Police Officer 11/17/2023 - 5pm 

Madison County Sheriff’s Office Get Info Patrol Deputy 10/11/2023 - 5pm 

City of Hurst Get Info Police Officer Test Entrance Exam 11/03/2023 - 5pm 

Selma Police Department Get Info Police Officer 11/18/2023 - 5pm 

Travis County Sheriff's Office Get Info Sheriff's Deputy - Facilities 10/06/2023 - 5pm 

Valley Mills Police Department Get Info Police Officer 11/20/2023 - 5pm 

Anderson County Sheriff's Office Get Info Bailiff (Deputy Sheriff) 11/19/2023 - 5pm 

Lago Vista Police Department Get Info Police Officer 11/21/2023 - 5pm 

Anderson County Sheriff's Office Get Info Deputy Sheriff (Mental Health) 11/19/2023 - 5pm 

Burleson Police Department Get Info Police Officer 11/21/2023 - 5pm 

Anderson County Sheriff's Office Get Info Deputy Sheriff (Livestock) 11/19/2023 - 5pmm 

Travis County Sheriff's Office Get Info Law Enforcement Deputy 10/30/2023 - 5pm 

Travis County Sheriff's Office Get Info Sheriff's Deputy 10/06/2023 - 5pm 

Sunset Valley Police Department Get Info Police Officer 11/21/2023 - 5pm 

Manvel Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer 11/21/2023 - 5pm 

Mesquite Police Department Get Info Police Officer 11/01/2023 - 5pm 

Burleson Police Department Get Info Lateral Police Officer 10/27/2023 - 5pm 

Carrollton Police Department Get Info Police Officer 10/27/2023 - 5pm 

Bryan Police Department Get Info Police Officer 10/25/2023 - 5pm 

New Braunfels Police Department Get Info Certified Officers, Laterals, and Cadets 10/30/2023 - 5pm 

Dallas Area Rapid Transit Police Department Get Info Police Officer 11/30/2023 - 5pm 

Seguin Police Department Get Info Police Officers 11/25/2023 - 5pm 

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STATEWIDE VACANCIES FOR JAILERS 

Tarrant County Sheriffs Office Get Info Detention Officer 10/06/2023 - 5pm 

Ellis County Sheriff's Office Get Info Detention Officer 10/01/2023 - 5pm 

Hood County Sheriff Office Get Info Jailer 10/01/2023 - 5pm 

Richardson Police Department Get Info Detention Officer 10/16/2023 - 5pm 

Anderson County Sheriff's Office Get Info County Jailer - Sergeant 10/29/2023 - 5pm 

Anderson County Sheriff's Office Get Info County Jailer 10/29/2023 - 5pm 

Balch Springs Police Department Get Info Jailer 11/11/2023 - 5pm 

Grimes County Sheriff’s Office Get Info Jailer 10/19/2023 - 5pm 

Burleson County Sheriff's Office Get Info Detention Officer 11/19/2023 - 5pm 

Dallas County Sheriff’s Office Get Info Detention Service Officer 11/25/2023 - 5pm 

STATEWIDE VACANCIES TELECOMMUNICATION OPERATOR 

Richardson Police Department Get Info Telecommunicator 10/08/2023 - 5pm 

Crowley Police Department Get Info Telecommunicator 10/16/2023 - 5pm 

Alabama-Coushatta Tribe Police Dept. Get Info Telecommunicator 11/30/2023 - 5pm 

Guadalupe County Sheriff's Office Get Info Dispatch 10/23/2023 - 5pm 

Balch Springs Police Department Get Info Telecommunicator 11/11/2023 - 5pm 

Lago Vista Police Department Get Info Dispatcher 11/17/2023 - 5pm 

Lago Vista Police Department Get Info Dispatch Supervisor 11/21/2023 - 5pm 

City of University Park Get Info 911/311 Communications Specialist 11/21/2023 - 5pm 

Kyle Police Department Get Info Police Dispatcher 11/21/2023 - 5pm 

Van Alstyne Police Department Get Info Telecommunicator 11/21/2023 - 5pm 

Goose Creek CISD Police Department Get Info Dispatcher 10/15/2023 - 5pm 

The Port of Corpus Christi Authority Get Info Surveillance Analyst/Dispatcher 11/24/2023 - 5pm 

Austin Community College District Police Dept. Get Info Dispatcher 11/25/2023 - 5pm 

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JOIN OUR TEAM! 

ARANSAS PASS POLICE DEPARTMENT 

IS HIRING FOR 

TCOLE CERTIFIED POLICE OFFICERS 

The Aransas Pass Police Department is a progressive agency, employing some of the sharpest 

minds and equipping them with some of the best technology available. We continue to seek 

applications from those desiring to become part of our law enforcement family. 

Making a positive dierence in our community is what APPD is all about! Are you in? 

Opportunities 

Bike Patrol 

Crisis Intervention Team 

DEA Task Force 


Gang/Narcotics Investigations 

Criminal Investigations Div. 

Marine Patrol & Dive Team 

Mental Health Officers 

School Resource Officer 

TCOLE Training Instructor 

Salary 

Annual Salary: 

$44,200.00 Base 

$6,600 Retention Stipend 

Hourly Incentives: 

$1.50 Max for College Degree 

$0.50 Per TCOLE License Step 

$0.50 Bi-Lingual 

$0.50 Special Assignment 

Benefits 

Paid Bereavement Leave 

Cell Phone 

Holiday Pay/Leave 

Longevity Pay 

Paid Personal Leave 

Sick Leave 

TMRS Retirement (2:1 at 6%) 

Tuition Reimbursement 

Vacation Leave 

Weapon Purchase Program 

Point of contact: Administrative Captain Troy Poe (361) 758-5224 ext. 2421 or tpoe@aptx.gov 

For an application or more information visit: police.aptx.gov/jobs 

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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 

POLICE DEPARTMENT 

JOIN OUR TEAMAPPLY AT 

EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS 

• Sick Leave 

• Paid Vacation 

• Paid Holidays 

• Personal Days 

• Teacher Retirement System 

TCOLE CERTIFICATION INCENTIVE 

• Intermediate PO: $2,400 

• Advanced PO: $4,800 

• Master PO: $7,200 

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS 

• Must be 21 Years Of Age 

• Must Hold an Active Tcole Peace Officer License 

• Must Complete the Following: 

• Pass Physical Agility Test 

• Background Investigation 

• 190 Psychological The BLUES Evaluation 

• Drug Screening 

ALDINEISD.ORG 

STARTING SALARY $55,000 WITH NO EXPERIENCE 

UP TO $85,000 DEPENDING ON EXPERIENCE 

ALDINE ISD PD OFFERS 

DEPARTMENT BENEFITS 

• Uniforms Provided, Including Duty Weapon 

• Department Provided Training 

• Starting Pay Depends on 

Qualifications / Experience 

• TCOLE Certification / Education Pay 

• Most Officers work Day Shift with Weekends Off 

(INCENTIVE PAY FOR DETECTIVES, K-9 HANDLERS, AND 

FIREARM INSTRUCTORS.) 

FOR MORE INFO CONTACT 

SGT. HALL AT 281.442.4923 

OR VISIT ALDINEISD.ORG 

SPECIALIZED DIVISIONS 

• Criminal Investigations 

• Emergency Response Team 

• Honor Guard 

• Gang Task Force 

• Community Outreach Division 

• K-9 Division 

• Firearm Instructor 

$1,000 SIGNING BONUS

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NOW 

HIRING 

BIG SPRING PD IS NOW HIRING POLICE OFFICERS 

• 100% PAID ACADEMY TRAINING FOR 

NON-CERTIFIED CADETS 

• EQUIPMENT AND UNIFORMS ARE PROVIDED 

INCLUDING TAKE HOME VEHICLES 

• TMRS RETIREMENT (2:1 CITY MATCH) 

• 100% EMPLOYEE MEDICAL AND LIFE 

INSURANCE PREMIUM PAID BY THE CITY 

• PAID VACATION AND HOLIDAYS 

• PAID SICK LEAVE 

194 The BLUES 

• LONGEVITY PAY FOR YEARS OF SERVICE 

• EMPLOYEE WELLNESS PROGRAM 

• PROGRESSIVE ANNUAL IN-SERVICE 

TRAINING AND EXTERNAL TRAINING 

OPPORTUNITIES. 

• OPPORTUNITIES FOR DIVERSE 

EXPERIENCE IN ASSIGNMENTS SUCH AS 

SWAT, NARCOTICS, TRAFFIC, AND CRIMINAL 

INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION 

• $1500 ACADEMY REIMBURSEMENT AND 

$2400 RELOCATION PAY FOR CERTIFIED 

OFFICERS 

$55,900 STARTING ANNUAL SALARY FOR CERTIFIED POLICE OFFICERS. 

ENTRY LEVEL TESTING ON AUGUST 1, 2023 

APPLICATION DEADLINE IS JULY 26, 2023 

APPLY NOW AT WWW.MYBIGSPRING.COM 

THE CITY OF BIG SPRING IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

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Montgomery County’s 3 rd Largest Law Enforcement Agency 

FULL-TIME POLICE OFFICER 

• $50,363 minimum starting salary 

• Certification pay: 

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

• Competitive insurance & benefits 

• Teacher Retirement System (TRS) 

• 20 paid leave days & 12 paid holidays 

Opportunity 

multiple divisions including 

Investigations, Patrol, and 

K-9 services 

Growth 

100+ annual training hours, 

promotion opportunities, 


Balance 

overtime pay, comp time, 

most weekends off, prior LE 

experience pay 

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT 

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

200 The BLUESpolice.conroeisd.net 

CISDPolice 

@CISDPolice

October 15 

WATCH FOR NEW TEST DATES 

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Cuero Police Department 

Now Hiring for Patrol Officer Position 

Department Benefits 

14 Paid Holidays 

2 Weeks Paid Vacation 

Certification Pay 

100% Insurance Paid for Employees 

Retirement 2 to 1 match (20yr Retirement) 

FSA for Employees 

Longevity Pay 

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

Take Home Vehicle Within Surrounding Counties 

10 Hour Work Shifts 

Membership Paid to Local Gym 

Department Provided Training 

Off-duty Security Opportunities 

Cell Phone Stipend 

Starting Pay Depends on Qualifications 

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

Academy and pass a background investigation. 

Email TCOLE Personal History Statement to sellis@cityofcuero.com 

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Paid academy up to 

$70,560 

Lateral pay up to 

$81,321.70 

Additional Pay 

Education Pay 

Bachelor's 

Intermediate Cert. 

Advanced Cert. 

Master Peace Officer 

Shift Differential 

FTO Pay 

Language Pay 

WE'RE 

HIRING 

300+ NEW OFFICERS 

$2,880/yr 

$3,600/yr 

$600/yr 

$4,800/yr 

$7,200/yr 

3.5%-6.5% 

$1,200/yr 

$1,800/yr 

Benefits 


Pension plan 

Compensation plan 

15 paid vacation days 

12 paid holidays 

15 days military leave 

Additional 6 weeks paid 

parental leave 

Health/ Vision/Dental/ Life 

Insurance 

21-44 YEARS OLD 

45 COLLEGE 

CREDIT HOURS 

MUST MEET ONE REQUIREMENT 

19.5-21 YEARS 

OLD 

60 COLLEGE 

CREDIT HOURS 

ACTIVE TCOLE 

LICENSE 

MUST HAVE VALID 

TEXAS PEACE 

OFFICER LICENSE 

3 YEARS 

ACTIVE MILITARY 

HONORABLE 

DISCHARGE 

dallaspolice.net/join-dpd 214-671-4409 

206 The BLUES 

Civilian positions available: (Apply at www.Dallascityhall.com)

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208 The BLUES

GALVESTON 

COUNTY 

SHERIFF’S OFFICE 

Seeking Individuals Who Are Interested in a Rewarding Career in Corrections 

Begin Your Career Today! 

GALVESTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE ESTABLISHMENT OF ELIGIBILITY 

Position: Corrections Deputy I 

Bureau/Division: Corrections/Jail 

Title/Rank: Corrections Deputy/Deputy I 

Reports to: Sergeant - Corrections 

Starting Salary: $51,250.00 

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES 

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

inspections; conducts outside perimeter checks. 

Preparation and proper completion in the documentation of inmate records. 

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

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

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

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

locations and activities of inmates. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS 

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

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

background investigation. 

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

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

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

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

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

• Must have a stable credit history. 

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

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

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

convictions of any level. 

• Applicant must pass all phases of the required testing. 

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

presently licensed. 

TO APPLY 

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

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

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

JOIN US 

VISIT SHERIFF.GALVESTONCOUNTYTX.GOV TO APPLY! 

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

CONTACT US 

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409.763.7585 : SO.EMPLOYMENT@GALVESTONCOUNTYTX.GOV

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TELECOMMUNICATIONS DIVISION 

HEMPSTEAD POLICE DEPARTMENT 

Criminal Background 

Pass 

proficiently 

Type 

Nights, Weekends & Holidays 

Work 

Speaking Preferred 

Spanish 

Hour work schedule 

12- 

every other weekend 

off 

Welcome Aboard 


THE CITY OF 

ARE WE 

HIRING 

Dispatchers 

QUALIFICATIONS 

18 years of age 

Minimum 

Longevity Pay > 1 year 

11th Street 

1015 

Texas 

Hempstead, 

B E N E F I T S 

Starting Salary: $41,600 

Blue BlueCross Shield 

Vision & Dental Insurance 

Certificate Pay 

Provided 

Shirts Uniform 

JOIN OUR TEAM 

Hempstead's Finest 

BECOME A HEMPSTEAD POLICE OFFICER 


- BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD 

- VISION & DENTAL INS 

- CERTIFICATE PAY 

- WEAPONS ISSUED 

- OFF EVERY OTHER WEEKEND 

- CONTINUING TRAINING 

NOW HIRING 3 POLICE OFFICERS 

HPD BOASTS: 

- Training Provider 

- Canine Program 

- Narcotics Investigation 

- Crash Investigators 

- Telecommunications 

Division 

77445 

www.hempsteadcitytx.gov (job opportunities) 

1015 11th St Hempstead, TX 

hpdrecruing@hempsteadcitytx.gov 

Or call us at: (979) 826-3332 

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ARE WE 

HIRING 

Criminal Background 

Pass 

proficiently 

Type 

Nights, Weekends & Holidays 

Work 

Speaking Preferred 

Spanish 

11th Street 

1015 

Texas 

Hempstead, 

Hour work schedule 

12- 

every other weekend 

off 

THE CITY OF 

TELECOMMUNICATIONS DIVISION 


Dispatchers 

QUALIFICATIONS 

18 years of age 

Minimum 


B E N E F I T S 

BlueCross Blue Shield 

Vision & Dental Insurance 

Longevity Pay > 1 year 

Certificate Pay 

Uniform Shirts Provided 

77445 

214 The BLUES 

www.hempsteadcitytx.gov (job opportunities)

JOIN OUR TEAM 

Place your department’s recruiting ad 

in The BLUES for only $250 for an 

BECOME entire A HEMPSTEAD year, only $20 a POLICE month. OFFICER 

Hempstead's Finest 


- BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD 

- VISION & DENTAL INS 

- CERTIFICATE PAY 

- WEAPONS ISSUED 

- OFF EVERY OTHER WEEKEND 

- CONTINUING TRAINING 

NOW HIRING 3 POLICE OFFICERS 

HPD BOASTS: 

- Training Provider 

- Canine Program 

- Narcotics Investigation 

- Crash Investigators 

- Telecommunications 

Division 

1015 11th St Hempstead, TX 

hpdrecruing@hempsteadcitytx.gov 

Or call us at: (979) 826-3332 

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LATERAL DEPUTY

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WE ARE 

HIRING! 

BENEFITS 

• Free basic Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance for 

employee 

• Free basic Life insurance 

• Long Term Disability (LTD) 

• Affordable Medical, Dental and Vision benefits for 

eligible family members 

• Flexible Spending Accounts 

• 10 paid holidays per year 

• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) including 10 vacation 

days and 13 sick days per year accrued biweekly 

• Paid Parental Leave 

RETIREMENT 

• Harris County matches your investment at 225% 

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

retirement account 

• Retirement Vesting after 8 years 

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

SALARY SCALE 

INCENTIVE PAY 

CLASSIFICATION SERVICE HOURLY ANNUAL 

DEPUTY I 0-47 $26.23 $54,558 

DEPUTY II 48-83 $28.07 $58,386 

DEPUTY III 84-119 $29.73 $61,838 

DEPUTY IV 120-155 $31.23 $64,958 

DEPUTY V 156+ $32.78 $68,182 

220 The BLUES 

TCOLE CERTIFICATION 

ANNUAL 

Intermediate $1,560 

Advanced $3,420 

Master $6,000 

EDUCATION 

ANNUAL 

Associate Degree $1,320 

Bachelor Degree $3,180 

Master/Doctorate $4,500 

Bilingual Pay $1,800 

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

LATERAL DEPUTY 

REQUIREMENTS 

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

Enforcement (TCOLE) in good standing 

• Must be currently employed as a Peace Officer (any break in service 

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

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

Peace Office at any one agency 

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

• Meet HCSO firearms qualification standard 

• Must pass a thorough background investigation (criminal 

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

required by TCOLE 

• Must pass a physical and psychological evaluation as required by 

TCOLE 

• Valid driver’s license and liability insurance (Texas by start date) 

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

vision 

• Correctable normal audible range in both ears 

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

to transfer to other Bureaus 

TO APPLY 

SCAN THIS CODE 

For additional information contact 

Harris County Sheriff’s Office Recruitment Unit 

(713) 877-5250 

@HCSOTexas 

Harris County 

Sheriff’s Office 

HCSOTexas HCSOTexas @HCSOTexas

Now Hiring 

OFFICERS 

TCOLE Certified Peace Officers 

Hutto ranked one of the 

safest cities in Texas. 

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

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

Additional Pay 

+ Education Pay up to $175/month 

+ Specialty/Certication up to $260/month 

Highlights 

Top-of-the-line Equipment 

and Technology 

Beards and Tattoos Allowed 

No Written Test for Most Lateral Officers 

Benets 

Retirement 

2-to-1 City match with TMRS 

Take-home Patrol Car 

For officers living within 25 miles 

Starting Salary 

$62K to $81K 

Annual Leave Accruals 

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

Multiple Positions Available 

A wide variety of units and assignments available 

To learn more or apply, visit or scan 

https: //linktr. ee/huttopd 

Questions? Email: PDrecruiting@huttotx.gov 

Tenure agreement required. 

Sign On Bonus! 

$5,000* 

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THE KILLEEN POLICE DEPARTMENT 

IS NOW 

Hiring 

FOR THE POSITION OF 

Police Officer 

Online Applications 

will open: 

July 31, 2023 

Application Deadline: 

September 15, 2023 

Civil Service Exam will 

be: 

September 24, 2023 

To apply, go to: 

www.killeentexas.gov/16 

8/Job-Opportunities 

Wear The Badge, 

Make a Difference 

D 

b 

th 

a 

Officer De'Vonte Johnson 

Recruiter 

254-200-7987 

DJohnson@killeentexas.gov 

The Killeen Police Department is an 

224 The BLUES 

Equal Opportunity Employer

Starting pay - $57,889 

Paid: Vacation, Holiday & Sick Leave 

$15K Sign-on incentive for TCOLE 

certified Peace Officers 

College Degree pay incentive 

7% retirement plan through TMRS 

with a 2:1 match ratio 

Comprehensive Benefits Package 

Opportunity to work in various 

specialized units 

The Killeen Police 

epartment is dedicated to 

uilding a partnership with 

e community to fight crime 

nd improve every citizen's 

quality of life. 

Follow us at: 

KilleenPD 

KilleenPolice 

JoinKilleenPD 

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Visit www.KilleenPD.com for further details

L A P O R T E 

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

Lateral Police Officer 

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

Effective October 1, 2022 

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

Possession of Class C Texas Driver License. 

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

Certification Pay (bi-weekly): 

$46.15 - Intermediate Peace Officer 

$69.23 - Advanced Peace Officer 

$92.31 - Master Peace Officer 

Education Pay (bi-weekly): 

$46.15 - Associates Degree 

$69.23 - Bachelors Degree 

$92.31 - Masters Degree 

Employee Benefits: 

Medical / Dental / Vision Insurance 

Longevity Pay 


TMRS Retirement (2 to 1 match) 

ICMA Deferred Compensation/Roth IRA 

$1,000 Physical Fitness Program 

Weapon Purchase Program 

Take-home Vehicles 

Specialized Divisions: 

SWAT / Bomb Squad 

Bike Patrol 

Criminal Investigative Division 

Crime Scene Unit 

Drone Pilots 

School Resource Officers 

Traffic/DOT Officers 

Police Area Representatives 

Apply online at 

www.laportetx.gov/jobs 

Paid Leave Benefits 

15 days vacation (Civil Service) 

15 days sick leave 

Military Leave 

9 observed holidays per year 

2 employee holidays per year 

Bereavement Leave 

Comp Time 

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LEWISVILL 

E 

Benefits and Additional Pay: 

• $2500 Sign - On Bonus 

• Lateral Entry Program 

• Take - Home Vehicle 

$77,314 - $97,679 

• Cross Fit G ym 

• 24 /7 Private Indoor/Outdoor Range 

• Load Bearing Vests 

• Tattoos and Beards 

• Tuition Reimbursement 

• 20 Year TMRS Retirement 7% , 2:1 match 

• 457 Deferred Compensation p lan with 3.76% city match 

• 3 Weeks Paid Vacation 

• 15 Days Paid Sick Leave 

• 9 Paid Holidays 

• Field Training Officer 

• Bilingual 

• Longevity 

• Education /Certification 

GET PAID FOR YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A CERTIFIED OFFICER 

• 1 YEAR $83,566 

• 2 YEARS $86,877 

• 3 YEARS $90,373 

• 4 YEARS $93,677 

• 5 YEARS $97,679 

Specialized Units : 

• SWAT 

• Street Crimes 

• K - 9 

• Narcotics 

• UAS Drone 

• Bicycle Patrol 

• Criminal In vestigations 

• Traffic 

• DWI 

• Commercial Vehicle Enforcement 

• Training 

• School Resource Officer 

• Neighborhood Resource Officer 

• Co - Care Crisis Team 

www .PROTECTLEWISVILLE. com 

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- 

 

 

 

 

---

WE’RE HIRING 

Join our team and receive: 

• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance 

• Paid vacation, employee days, well days, 

sick days and holidays 

• Competitive pay (including bilingual pay incentive) 

AND MUCH MORE! 

APPLY NOW 

Scan here or visit 

RideMETRO.org/Careers 

Call 713-739-4953 or email JoinMPD@RideMETRO.org 

for additional information. 

METRO I S AN EQU A L O PPOR TUNIT Y E M P L O YER. 

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LONGVIEW POLICE DEPARTMENT 

JOIN OUR 

TEAM 

2-TIER HIRING 

INCENTIVE 

STARTING SALARY 

$60,085 

$3,000 

Insurance 

120 Hours Vacation 

11 Paid Holidays 

80 Hours Sick Leave 

20-Year Retirement Plan 

2/1 City Match TMRS 

232 The BLUES 

Beards & Tattoos Allowed 

Academy Pay 

Equipment Provided 

Excellent Training Provided 

Speciality/Cerification Pay 

Community Support 

Plentiful Outdoor Activities

$65,709-$67,685 

Based on Population and Experience 

25 YEAR STEP PLAN 

$60,085 - $84,308 

STEP INTO YOUR FUTURE 

NEW POLICE STATION 

COMING 2023 

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Patrol Officer 

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

division. 

The City of Manvel is a rapidly growing and diverse community. The current population is estimated at a 

little over 16000 and is located in the northern part of Brazoria County along the State Highway 288 

corridor approximately 4 miles South of the City of Houston. 

The Manvel Police Department has a competitive pay structure for cities of the same size. Salary is based 

on experience and certification levels. 

Requirements: 

High school diploma or GED 

Valid Texas Driver’s License 

with good driving record 

TCOLE certified OR currently 

enrolled in Academy 

program 

Preference for LE experience 

Hiring Process Includes : 

Written test 

Oral board interview 

Physical agility test 

Thorough background 

investigation 

Accelerated Field Training 

Program for experienced officers 

One year probationary period 

Pay and Benefits: 

Competitive pay with an employment 

improvement step program 

TMRS retirement up to 7% with 2:1 match 

by city 

Retirement vested after 5 years of service 

Medical Insurance covered 100% for 

employees and 100% paid for employees 

and dependent by the city after 3 years 

12 hour shifts (DuPont Schedule) 

Personal time off - Vacation and Holiday 

accruals 

Paid sick time 

Lateral transfers 

For more information you can contact 

The City of Manvel Police Department at 

281-489-1212 

234 Rochelle The BLUES Carr-Lacy 

rcarrlacy@manvelpd.org

MEMORIAL VILLAGES POLICE DEPARTMENT 

Serving the Villages of Bunker Hill, Piney Point and Hunters Creek 

POLICE OFFICER 

The Memorial Villages Police Department is currently looking for experienced officers who are 

self-motivated, innovative, enthusiastic and love working for

Oct 2023. Blues Vol 39 No. 10

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