Dec 2023. Blues Vol 39 No. 12

FROM THE PUBLISHER’S DESK
Turning 40!
It’s been a long journey, but
we’ve finally made it. This month,
we celebrate the founding of The
County Blues, a small tabloid
created to serve law enforcement
in Texas. Forty years later, a new
magazine was created called THE
BLUES and become The Largest
Police Magazine in the World.
It all began in 1984 in a little
town in Texas called Humble.
(Pronounced Umble, the H is silent)
I was just a rookie deputy
with the Harris County Sheriff’s
Office when a few fellow deputies
and I met at the Humble City Café
and discussed starting a newsletter
for the department. One thing
led to another and The County
Blues was born on December 20,
1984. The County Blues became
simply The BLUES in 1987 and some
years after that, Buddy Williams
took over and changed the name
to The BLUES Police Newspaper.
Unfortunately in May of 2018, Williams
made the decision to retire
the Newspaper after a record 34
years. A year later, a new chapter
began as an all-new magazine
was created. This new publication
would simply be called “The
BLUES.” The first issue was published
on December 20, 2019, as
an all-digital, full color, on-line
magazine serving law enforcement
across America.
Our first issue had less than
5,000 readers and was only 60
pages in length. Four years later,
we average 250 pages and have
over 1.5 million readers
per issue. We are
humbled by the support
we’ve received these
past few years given the
unprecedented worldwide
epidemic that crippled our
economy and took so many of our
brothers and sisters in BLUE. But
we stayed the course and provided
support not only for our advertisers,
but the families of those that
paid the ultimate sacrifice.
The statistics are humbling:
480 issues; 8,240 pages; 480 war
stories; and over 36.9 million
readers. Over the years, hundreds
of individuals have contributed
their time and efforts to publish
The Blues. Not to mention the
hundreds of advertisers that have
provided the income necessary
to produce such a publication. In
the following pages, we honor
as many of these individuals and
businesses as possible. I apologize
in advance if we missed anyone,
but know we appreciate your support
and assistance.
Our cover this month is especially
noteworthy as well. In the
40-year history of The BLUES
and all its iterations, I have never
personally appeared on the cover.
I always felt it was more important
to cover the news, not be the
news. But this month, I broke with
tradition and stand proud with
two individuals that have been
instrumental in the success of The
BLUES.
I’ll begin with our Senior Editor
Dr. Tina Jaeckle, who joined the
BLUES in 2020, writing a monthly
column entitled “Blue Mental
Health.” Not long after, she expanded
her role to a contributing
editor providing our readers with
behind the scenes and in-depth
stories of law enforcement leaders
across the country. Dr. Jaeckle
received a BS degree in criminology
from Florida Southern
College, completed a master’s in
social work from the University
of Houston, a master’s degree in
criminal justice, with a specialty
track in the behavioral sciences
from Nova Southeastern University,
and earned a Ph.D. in the humanities
and social sciences, with
an emphasis in conflict analysis
and resolution (specialty in crisis
management), from the same
institution.
Dr. Jaeckle has served the law
enforcement community for
nearly 25 years as a crisis and
trauma counselor, consultant, and
instructor and is a strong supporter
of LEOs, their families, and
the mission to serve and protect.
Dr. Jaeckle’s feature stories have
elevated The BLUES to a worldclass
publication, and I am proud
to have her join us on the cover.
6 The Blues 40th Anniversary Issue