March 2024. Blues Vol 40 No. 3

The Blues - March ‘24 1

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FOUNDER, PUBLISHER, EDITOR-N-CHIEF 

MICHAEL BARRON 

OUR TEAM 

OUR CONTRIBUTORS 

EDITOR-AT-LARGE 

Chief Rex Evans(Ret) 

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 & Det. John Salerno (Ret) 


Doug Griffith 


Art Woolery 


Daniel Carr 


Bill King 

WARSTORY 

Brian McVey 

AFTERMATH 

David Brown 

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS 

Joanna Putman 

Sheriff Kevin W. Windam 

Chief Joel Shults 

Greta Kaul 

Aungelique Proctor 

David Li 

Juan Lozano 

Robert Cronkleton 

Joseph Wilkinson 

Dr. James Jeffs 

The Law Officer & Police 1 

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

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4 The Blues - March ‘24 The Blues - March ‘24 5

FROM THE PUBLISHER’S DESK 

TABC Agent Adrian Herrera, 

a true American Hero. 

To be honest, this is not the original 

column I had written for this 

month’s issue. The original spoke 

about the difference between The 

BLUES and mainstream media? 

Where we focused on the Hero 

of the story not the villain. A year 

ago this month, officers of Metro 

Nashville PD stopped a shooter at 

the Covenant Presbyterian Church 

School. They didn’t hesitate, they 

ran in, found the suspect, and took 

her out. Unfortunately, not before 

she killed six people. 

Fast forward a year to Houston 

and off duty officers working security 

at Lakewood Church. A mentally 

ill and yes crazy woman walked 

into the mega church with her 

7-year son at her side and began 

shooting with an AR-15 style rifle. 

On any given Saturday or Sunday, 

Lakewood has dozens of off-duty 

officers working security. One of 

those officers on this horrific Saturday 

was TABC Agent Adrian Herrera. 

The minute the shooting started, 

Agent Herrera ran towards the 

gunfire and immediately confronted 

the shooter. And at no point did he 

retreat or back down. He engaged 

her and fired his weapon until she 

was down. Even when she claimed 

she had a bomb, he continued to 

neutralize the threat. 

Following active shooter protocols, 

Agent Herrera did exactly 

what he was supposed to do. He 

ran TOWARDS the gunfire and took 

the shooter out. In other words, the 

man is a damn hero. PERIOD 

Just before we went live with 

this issue, HPD released BWC and 

security footage from the scene. 

Since its release, social media 

and cops in general from all 

over the country have weighed 

in on how the officers handled 

the shooter. EVERYONE agrees 

that had it not been for Agent 

Herrera, the outcome could 

have been tragic. Had this crazy 

woman made it into the sanctuary, 

dozens and dozens of churchgoers 

would have been shot and most 

likely killed. 

As far as the other actions of the 

officers, well let’s just say very few 

kind words were used to describe 

their actions or lack thereof. 

I’m not going to Monday Morning 

Quarterback their actions until all 

the video is released. What I will 

say is this. 

In today’s world, active shooters 

are a reality. It’s not if but when 

one will strike in your town on your 

shift. You may in fact be the first one 

on the scene and it’s up to you to 

find the shooter and take them out, 

even if it means you getting shot 

and possibly killed in the process. 

When you were sworn in and they 

pinned that badge on you, from 

that minute forward, you accepted 

the realty that one day you might 

have to sacrifice your life to protect 

another human’s life. That is the job 

and that is the reality. But as my Editor 

reminded me, all the training in 

the world doesn’t really prepare you 

for the day that bullets are coming 

at you, and you’re prepared to make 

the ultimate sacrifice or you’re not. 

And if you’re not, you need to find 

a new profession. It’s really that 

simple. 

Finally, in my original article, I 

ranted and raved about the mainstream 

media and their focus on the 

shooters mental status and what 

pronouns she used. 

In fact, they spent days talking 

about her mental issues and what 

possessed her to take her son along 

on a shootout. (I speculate she 

wanted to die alongside her son to 

teach the ex-husband a lesson.) 

In both cases, the mainstream 

media focused 99% of their coverage 

on the suspect. But what 

about the true heroes – they barely 

mentioned Agent Herrera and the 

off duty officers who engaged the 

shooter. 

I had an email exchange with 

a local reporter who covered the 

Lakewood shooting and asked her 

why she kept referring to the shooter 

as “they” or “their” and said the 

shooter was a ‘man’ identifying as 

a woman. NO, SHE was a SHE and 

WAS A WOMAN. PERIOD! That’s how 

she gave birth to a son. Why is how 

they “identify” even important? Who 

frickin cares if they are a woman 

identifying as a man or vice versa. 

The only thing that really matters is 

that they are the assholes that took 

innocent lives and thank God a true 

hero was there to take them out. 

And that hero of the day is TABC 

Agent Adrian Herrera. May God bless 

you and forever keep you safe. 


FROM THE EDITOR-AT-LARGE 

Providing a Safe Vote 

Well, it’s election season again! 

(Sigh) There’s all the trash mail 

outs, the trash commercials 

flooding our televisions, and all 

the trash talk mixed with empty 

promises where nothing ever 

gets done. 

The Early Voting Polls are open! 

And there are a lot of folks who 

take advantage of it. Like me. I 

am one of those early voters who 

love to get over there and get it 

done. 

We all know there’s a lot of 

work that goes into an election. 

No matter whether it’s a Presidential 

Year or not. There’s a lot 

of people, machines, trucks, tables, 

chairs, forms, etc, all have 

to be distributed for continuity of 

the Election Process. 

There is also a quiet contingent 

of people in law enforcement 

involved. In Harris County, there 

is a lot of hard work, effort, and 

time that goes into Election Operational 

Safety and Security. A 

lot. 

So, it goes kind of like this… 

Deep inside an undisclosed 

building behind many locked 

doors and contained within what 

can only be described as a very 

non-descript and secure room, 

is a multi-agency, multi-faceted 

unified command post. There 

are multiple law enforcement 

agencies represented there along 

with County Election Department 

Officials who all have immediate 

contact with their Field Operations 

units. 

Numerous radios, video 

screens, computers, phones, 

back up radios, computers and 

devices are present in this room, 

much like any other Emergency 

Operations Command Post. 

There are a couple of Sergeants, 

Lieutenants, Telecommunications 

Personnel, and IT experts 

all participating in the process 

of ensuring everything that can 

be done to provide the voters of 

Harris County a safe and secure 

place to exercise their right to 

vote. 

The Safety and Security Operations 

Unit is not at all quite 

like you’d think. The County is so 

large, it is divided into sections 

with Deputies assigned to certain 

areas and they must patrol 

the Election Polls along with 

the immediate parking areas to 

ensure the safety and security of 

all Election Department personnel 

and of course, Harris County 

Voters. These dedicated men and 

women also respond to any call 

for service or assistance from 

any polling location in Harris 

County. 

Some folks might ask “Why do 

we need all that just to vote?” 

Well, if you’ve ever studied 

human history, voting can get 

ugly and even violent. You’ve 

heard the old saying “Ideas are 

peaceful, history is violent…” 

Well, my friend, there ya have it. 

In order to have a peaceful and 

safe voting process, there must 

be order and safety for everyone. 

No matter what party you are or 

who you’re voting for, the Harris 

County Election Department and 

all the law enforcement personnel 

involved are dedicated 

to providing a safe, welcoming 

environment to all. 

It’s an amazing process to 

watch unfold. When you think 

of the nearly eighty early voting 

polls and the geographical area 

to cover, coupled with the sheer 

number of people eligible to 

vote in Harris County and even as 

bad at math as I am, I can cypher 

that’s going to be a lot. 

Truly a group of highly educated, 

dedicated professionals quietly 

doing what they do, behind 

the scenes. Giving the citizens of 

Harris County and all the Cities 

within, a safe and secure place 

to vote. 

Well, it’s the New Year. Which 

in and of itself, brings about new 

opportunities. One of those new 

opportunities is the new TCOLE 

web site. Its up and running!!! Now 

to be fair, there’s still some “under 

construction” going on and I am OK 

with that. 

The fact that they finally got the 

darn thing back up and running is a 

huge help in more ways than one. 

For example, finding your account 

and information is critical to ensure 

you’re staying up to date on all the 

required courses the TCOLE Board 

continues to administer. Equally, 

there is a lot of information that 

helps officers understand how 

TCOLE works and gives an officer an 

opportunity to see what’s happening 

around the state. 

One of the critical features of this 

site is the Job Listings. This feature 

helps all kinds of people in our state 

who are looking for a job in the Law 

Enforcement / Criminal Justice field. 

Telecommunicators, Jailors, Peace 

Officers, and more, can all find 

the most up to date postings from 

across Texas. And as difficult as it is 

to fill those open positions, it’s just 

as welcome by Department Heads, 

START SHOPPING 



GUEST COMENTARY 

Bill King 

Senior or Senile 

Last week in a press conference, 

President Biden confused 

Mexico with Gaza and said he 

had recently spoken to François 

Mitterrand, who has not been the 

president of France since 1995 

and died in 1996. On the same 

day, former President Trump said 

in a speech to the National Rifle 

association that he saw a migrant 

shoplifting a refrigerator. It is 

truly frightening to watch both 

Biden’s press conference and 

Trump’s speech and think that 

one of them will likely be our 

president for the next four years. 

On Sunday, I was on a television 

panel discussing the two 

incidents with a Biden supporter 

and Trump supporter arguing 

over which gaffe was worse. Is 

this really what our country has 

come to – debating which of the 

leading candidates for the nominations 

of the Democratic and 

Republican parties is less senile? 

The American people have 

certainly not missed the awful 

choice they are likely to face in 

November. Polling has consistently 

shown 60%-75% do not 

want to see a Biden-Trump 

rematch. The polling also shows 

that a majority of those who plan 

to vote for one of the candidates 

are primarily motivated by wanting 

to vote against the other guy. 

As of now, Biden is clearly 

coming out on the short end 

of the cognitive stick in voters’ 

minds. But he is much more in 

the public’s view now because 

of the various international hot 

spots and his inexplicable border 

policy. Such events always 

put the spotlight on whomever is 

president. As the campaign heats 

up, the public’s attention will 

become more focused on Trump. 

And there are a couple of things 

we know about Trump. He cannot 

stop talking and he cannot stay 

on script. So, there is no telling 

what will come out of his mouth 

between now and November. 

I think we should be wary of 

relying too much on the polling 

at this time to predict what 

will happen in November. One 

can imagine all kinds of events 

between now and the election 

that could sway the independents 

who will decide this race. 

And at ages 81 and 77, there is 

the distinct possibility that either 

could suffer an acute health crisis 

between now and the election, 

especially when you consider the 

enormous pressure and stress of 

a presidential campaign. I believe 

the election could go either way. 

Regardless of the outcome in 

November, the dysfunction of the 

two-party system will never have 

been on a grander display than 

in this train wreck of an election. 

Defending the two-party system 

after it has forced this dreadful 

Hobson’s choice on us won’t be 

easy. 

In his 2020 book, The Storm before 

the Calm, George Friedman 

predicted that after a tumultuous 

decade, there will be a historic 

reset of the American political 

landscape in 2028. His prediction 

is predicated to a large degree on 

the collapse of traditional institutional 

authority and credibility, 

including our two moribund 

political parties. 

Most Americans are not actively 

engaged in politics. They are too 

busy making a living, caring for 

their families, coaching youth 

sports, attending their place of 

“The only time the White House isn’t lying to the American Public” 

worship, and the myriad other 

activities that make up their daily 

lives to pay a lot of attention to 

the nonsense that passes for civic 

discourse today. So far, they have 

been content to suffer the growing 

dysfunction of our government 

at all levels, as is indicated 

by the fact that a third of Americans 

do not bother to vote, even 

in presidential elections. Many 

who do, mostly go to vote, with 

little enthusiasm, for the least 

objectionable alternatives on the 

ballot. 

But as Theodore Roosevelt once 

observed, “The American people 

are slow to wrath, but when their 

wrath is once kindled it burns like 

a consuming flame.” I think that 

moment is coming, and perhaps 

as George Friedman predicts, it 

will come in the next election 

cycle. It may be a wild ride, but 

I agree that there will be calm 

on the other side of the building 

storm. 



police law news 

Daniel Carr 

This Week in Policing: 

Acorns Away & The Realm of Reasonable. 

ACORNS AWAY 

I do not feel bad making a joke 

about this. Especially because no 

one was injured. 

A deputy in Okaloosa County, 

FL was walking back to his 

patrol car. 

He mistook an acorn falling on 

his vehicle for a gunshot. 

He shot at his own patrol car - 

emptying an entire magazine. 

A man under arrest, was 

handcuffed in the backseat. And 

thankfully, somehow, survived. 

Now, let’s dig a little deeper. 

The deputy was a rookie and 

had previously attended West 

Point and served two tours in 

Afghanistan. 

The call that he was on - was a 

stolen vehicle incident where the 

offender was in custody in his 

patrol car. Deputies had evidence 

that the offender had posted a 

picture of him holding a gun in 

the car - just prior to arrest. At 

this point the gun had not been 

located. Even though the offender 

had been searched the deputy 

was concerned that the gun was 

still possibly concealed by the 

offender, and he was walking 

back to the patrol car to conduct 

a more thorough search. 

It was at this point that acorns 

began falling from the tree 

above - hitting him and his patrol 

car. The deputy believed that 

CLICK TO TAP TO WATCH 

he was being shot at by the suspect 

in the backseat of the police 

car. The deputy returned fire 

- emptying an entire magazine 

and rolling around on the ground 

yelling, “I’m hit!” - like Kramer by 

the “second spitter.” 

The deputy resigned during the 

internal investigation and will 

not be prosecuted. 

• More concerning is that there 

was a Sergeant on scene who 

also began to fire her weapon at 

the patrol vehicle - because she 

saw the deputy shooting. 

THE REALM OF REASONABLE 

Two deputies in Harris County, 

Texas opened fire on a woman 

who was walking towards the 

door armed with a gun. 

Here’s the question… 

Was it reasonable for the officers 

to believe that the woman 

approaching the door with a gun 

- was an armed burglar? 

If so. How long should police 

wait to fire their weapons? 

At 0200 hrs on February 3, 

2023, Harris County, TX deputies 

were dispatched to a call at an 

apartment complex. Deputies 

finished up the initial call and 

they were contacted by a resident 

who reported a residential 

burglary in a second-floor apartment. 

Deputies made their way to the 

apartment and observed broken 

glass on the ground and that a 

window screen had been removed. 

This evidence would lead 

a reasonable police officer to 

believe that a burglary may have 

taken place at the apartment. 

The deputies then knocked on 

the door and announced their 

presence. 


At that point a female (later 

identified as Eboni Pouncy) inside 

of the apartment approached 

the door holding a handgun. 

Deputies were able to observe 

this through the window. As Ms. 

Pouncy approached the door 

deputies fired their handguns. Ms. 

Pouncey was struck five times, 

but she survived. 

It turns out that Ms. Pouncy 

had permission from the owner 

to remove the screen and break 

the window to gain access to the 

apartment - as she had lost the 

key. 

QUESTIONS 

1. Was it reasonable for the 

deputies to believe that a residential 

burglary had taken 

place? 

a. Yes. There was glass on the 

ground and a screen was removed. 

2. Was it reasonable for deputies 

to believe that Ms. Pouncy 

was an offender of the residential 

burglary? 

a. Yes. If it is reasonable that a 

burglary had taken place - then 

a person inside of the residence 

would likely be the offender. 

3. Was it reasonable for deputies 

to be in fear for their safety 

as Ms. Pouncy approached the 

door holding a handgun? 

a. Yes. Deputies had reason 

to believe that Ms. Pouncy had 

just committed a felony and she 

was walking towards the door 

holding a gun. This is after the 

deputies knocked and announced 

their presence. 

NOW WHAT? 

The issue is not that the deputies 

properly identified a dangerous 

situation. 

The issue is how the deputies 

responded to that deadly threat. 


Writing this article, I have the 

luxury of time to carefully think 

through all the possible police 

responses from the safety of my 

home. The deputies had seconds 

as they thought that an armed 

felon was approaching. Never 

forget that when breaking down 

police incidents. 

The reality is that once Ms. 

Pouncy was approaching the 

door with the gun - there was 

seconds for the deputies to decide. 

Any suggestion to improve 

tactics/response must come 

before this moment. 

When the deputies were alerted 

to a possible residential 

burglary from a neighbor - they 

could have conducted more investigation 

before making contact 

at the apartment. 

• The deputies could have tried 

to contact the registered owner. 

• Essentially the deputies went 

to investigate a felony crime 

with no identifiable victim. 

• The deputies could have set 

a perimeter and used a PA system 

or yelled from behind cover 

to contact any occupants in the 

apartment. 

These suggestions are not perfect 

and may not have changed 

the outcome. But police leaders 

and trainers must give police 

officers some tools, tactics, and 

the education of what the best 

practices are to respond to this 

type of incident. 

Final Thoughts 

This police shooting is not 

illegal. It is also likely not even 

a violation of department use of 

force policy. A reasonable police 

officer would be able to articulate 

a specific deadly, imminent 

threat in a situation like this. 

The final question is - how long 

should have deputies have waited 

to fire their weapons? 

If the answer is - once the door 

opens and the gun is pointed at 

the cops. OK. That is a situation 

where virtually we all agree that 

using deadly force is reasonable. 

But that is also the last stop at 

the train station and if an officer 

waits until that point - they are 

likely taking fire. 

So, the realm of what is objectively 

reasonable has to extend 

at least a 1 or 2 seconds earlier. 


Still Handwriting Tickets? 

CHICAGO SHOTSPOTTER 

ShotSpotter is gunshot detection 

technology that has 

been utilized by Chicago Police 

for the past seven years. 

According to their website, 

the way that ShotSpotter 

works is, “ShotSpotter uses 

an array of acoustic sensors 

that are connected wirelessly 

to ShotSpotter’s centralized, 

cloud-based application to 

reliably detect and accurately 

locate gunshots using triangulation. 

Each acoustic sensor 

captures the precise time and 

audio associated with impulsive 

sounds that may represent 

gunfire. This data is used to 

locate the incident and is then 

filtered by sophisticated machine 

algorithms to classify the 

event as a potential gunshot.” 

Essentially, when gunshots 

are fired - police are alerted to 

the location. 

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson 

recently publicly ended the 

relationship with ShotSpotter. 

Often cited by anti-police 

activists is the police shooting 

involving Adam Toledo. The 

13-year-old Toledo was killed 

by Chicago police who were 

responding to a ShotSpotter 

alert. When the police officer 

arrived at the scene, Toledo ran 

away. The officer chased Toledo 

(who was carrying a gun) 

down an alley before shooting 

him in the chest. 

If Toledo did not fire a gun - 

the police would not have been 

notified. Blaming the gunshot 

detection technology for Toledo’s 

death - as opposed to 

- the illegal and dangerous 

actions of Toledo is insane. 

• So, the political leaders in 

Chicago want to make it difficult 

for law-abiding citizens to 

purchase guns and easier for 

violent criminals to get away 

with actually firing guns. 

• Fantastic. What could go 

wrong? 

SUPER BOWL PARADE 

There was a mass shooting 

at the Kansas City Chief’s Super 

Bowl parade. Over twenty 

people were shot, and one was 

person was killed. 

Tragedies like this bring out 

the anti-gun activists. 

I just ask the following question: 

What law, if implemented, 

would have prevented this 

shooting? 

Of course, since murder is 

already illegal and the people 

who violate the murder law do 

not follow gun control laws - 

this argument is a mixture of 

juvenile ignorance and dishonesty. 

The vast majority of murderers 

have multiple prior arrests 

- before they commit a homicide. 

Most of us know what the 

problem is - and it is not the 

guns. If anything, incidents like 

this inspire more law-abiding 

people to arm themselves. 

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Texas Sheriff Speaks Out 

An open letter to the Shelby 

County Commissioners Court from 

Sheriff Kevin W. Windham. 

As Sheriff of this county, I feel 

it is my duty to respond to the recent 

article published by The Light 

and Champion, dated Thursday, 

February 8, 2024, titled, “County 

expresses concern over sheriff’s 

office overtime expense.” 

The Shelby County Commissioners’ 

Court met Wednesday, February 

7, 2024. During the course 

of the meeting, overtime at the 

Shelby County’s Sheriff’s Office 

was a topic of conversation. For 

the 2023-2024 budget set forth 

by the commissioners, the SCSO 

is allowed an overtime budget 

of $75,000.00 The SCSO employs 

roughly 50 people. Our agency 

never closes. Our doors are open 

24 hours a day, seven days a 

week, and that means we always 

have employees working. We are 

always going to have overtime. It 

is unavoidable. 

Outside looking in, we are over 

budget. As of February 13, 2024, 

we are over on our overtime budget, 

but we are under on our payroll 

budget, as well as many other 

line items. We are aware that we 

will be over budget at the end of 

the year, however, right now, we 

are right on track. 

Another large strain on our 

budget has to do with housing inmates 

in Panola County. We have 

no control over this. 

Mental health calls and transports 

take up a 

large portion of our 

budget. These types 

of situations require 

two deputies. Currently, 

as of February 

14, 2024, we 

have five inmates 

awaiting transport 

to mental health facilities. 

When an individual 

is brought 

in on mental health 

issues, without 

criminal charges, 

a deputy must sit 

on the individual 

in our patrol office 

until a determination is made on 

their condition. If a higher level of 

care is recommended, the deputy 

will continue to sit with the individual 

until a bed is found, then 

at that time, we will transport 

the individual to the facility. This 

process can take two to 24 hours, 

not including transportation time. 

Transportation time is roughly six 

hours due to housing locations 

being in the Houston area. This 

requires calling another deputy 

in to assist with calls, due to not 

having a deputy on duty. 

I feel it is a personal attack on 

our agency for Commissioner 

Roscoe McSwain to state that the 

excess of overtime comes down 

to, “management, and no one is 

keeping an eye on what is going 

on.” It is no secret that my 

health has not allowed me to be 

in the office every day. However, 

Sheriff Kevin W. Windham. 

this does not mean that I am not 

involved with the everyday operations. 

I am 100 percent involved. I 

am fully confident in the administration 

that is in place at the office. 

I feel that Commissioner Mc- 

Swain is accusing my staff of 

stealing time, and that is completely 

unacceptable. Commissioner 

McSwain commented that, 

“People are just turning in their 

time and doing what they please, 

not getting their work done in 

their normal shift and then postponing 

it and doing it on overtime.” 

Chief Gonzales reviews 

every single timesheet. We have 

invited the commissioners to 

come to the office many times. We 

want them to see the day to day 

operations of the entire office; ride 

along with a deputy, spend time 

with our investigators, dispatchers 

and in the jail. Get a firsthand 

look at what a day is like. Unfortunately, 

as of this date, not one 

has responded to our offer. I find it 

difficult for someone to accuse us 

of stealing when they have yet to 

come spend any time at our office, 

and truly get an understanding for 

how each division operates. 

Crime does not stop. Mental 

health does not stop. Our agency 

is not fully staffed – none of the 

divisions within the office have 

been fully staffed at the same time 

in three years. 

Since October 2023, investigators 

have attended 27 forensic 

interviews at the Shelby County 

Children’s Advocacy Center. The 

interviews are lengthy, and in 

depth. Depending on the outcome 

of the interview, investigators 

could spend hours to weeks completing 

their investigation of the 

case. From October 2023, to the 

present; we have had 66 mental 

health calls, with 29 calls being at 

one residence. From October 2023, 

to the present, we have handled 

3,430 calls for service. From January 

1, 2023 to December 31, 2023, 

we had 9,173 calls for service. 

Calls for service under the previous 

administration from January 

1, 2020 to December 31, 2020 were 

7,289. 

These are just a few responsibilities 

we are tasked with daily; 

this doesn’t begin to scratch the 

surface.. The point is, we are doing 

the absolute best with what 

we have. We can only work with 

what we are given, and what is 

available. Unrealistic expectations 

will not create positive outcomes. 

Sheriff Kevin W. Windham 

EDITORS NOTE: It should be noted 

that Sheriff Kevin W. Windham underwent 

a double lung transplant 

surgery on Tuesday, August 22 of 

last year. 

The operation went well and 

he now has new lungs, according 

to Sheriff Windham’s wife, Brenda 

Windham, who has been updating 

the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office 

throughout the operation process. 

As a candidate for the double 

lung transplant since June 

2, Brenda reports that he is now 

resting comfortably. 

“While this is a life changing 

surgery, I have faith in God, and I 

know that this will place me on 

the road to recovery,” Windham 

said in a KTBS interview. “I have 

full confidence in the ability of 

my administration as well as the 

entire staff at the Shelby County 

Sheriff’s Office,” Windham said. 

In a Facebook post, Windham 

also mentioned after the surgery 

he will not be in the office on a 

daily basis. But he said he will 

continue to be very active in the 

daily operations of the office and 

the jail. 

Sheriff Windham also recently 

announced he would not be 

seeking re-election as Sheriff of 

Shelby County. 

We commend the sheriff for 

his years of service and wish him 

well in the years to come. 



Doug Griffith 

Arrive Alive 

Editor’s Note: The following editorial 

was Originally published on 

September 15, 2023 in the Badge 

& Gun. 

Arrive alive! How many times 

have we heard this over our 

career? From the early days in 

the academy, we have heard our 

trainers say that we can’t help 

if we don’t get there. We have 

always taken the stance that we 

want our officers to arrive safely 

on every scene. I remember 

very vividly running an assist the 

officer call on London Street in 

Southeast. As I slowed to make 

the turn, one of my classmates 

hit me from behind sending 

me into a ditch. We were two 

blocks from the assist. Luckily 

no one was hurt, other than my 

classmate’s pride, and another 

unit made it to the officer in 

need and quickly handled business 

at the assist. 

That was a very clear lesson 

that we both learned that day. It 

was true, you can’t help anyone 

if you are in an accident. This 

also pulls resources from other 

areas if you are in an accident. 

Last thing you want to 

do is get anyone hurt because 

you get “hyped up” running 

hot. Our adrenaline increases 

with the lights and sirens and 

high speeds, but we must consider 

the ramifications if you 

are involved in an accident. No 

officer wants to be responsible 

for injuring or killing a citizen or 

worse their partner due to an accident. 

You can look around the 

country at what is going on with 

litigation regarding accidents. 

Officers are now getting indicted 

for doing their jobs when they 

are in an accident, and someone 

is injured or killed. We have 

had several of our accidents go 

before a grand jury recently and 

it is difficult if you are one of 

those waiting for people who 

have never done the job, possibly 

determining your future. 

This leads me to the new chase 

policy. I have heard so many 

people saying that the department 

is going to stop us from 

chasing suspects. I have had 

several meetings with the chief 

and the committee working on 

the new policy. The Chief and 

I agree, we must have the ability 

to chase! The policy was 

changed very little but does call 

for more oversight by supervisors. 

Many of the discussions 

where over what reasons officers 

should be allowed to continue 

a pursuit. If it is only class 

C offenses, we must be able to 

articulate why it is important 

to chase. Example, the vehicle 

matches the description of 

robbery suspects, or you see a 

vehicle trying to pick up a child, 

this could be PC to be involved 

in a chase of a suspect, but we 

must articulate it to a supervisor. 

When you put the previous 

policy next to the new policy 

DOUG GRIFFITH, 

PRESIDENT, HPOU 

you will see that very little has 

changed. I have heard several 

supervisors say that we cannot 

chase for any reason if we know 

who they are. I have not seen 

anything in the policy saying that. 

The most dangerous time in 

any chase is the first few minutes. 

This is when adrenalin 

and tunnel vision is at its highest. 

We must train and prepare 

for those moments. We have 

asked the Chief for more training 

in real life pursuit driving as 

well as more PIT training, and 

we believe that he has this as a 

goal for the next few years. Remember, 

we lose more on-duty 

officers in this country every 

year due to traffic fatalities than 

any other reason. At the end of 

the day, our main goal should be 

to go home safe to our families 

without fear of injury or indictment. 

Please slow down and stay 

safe! 



police law news 

Daniel Carr 

Officer Involved: Casey Goodson 

Where was the gun? 

As in many Officer-Involved-Shootings 

(OIS) the entire 

case boils down to one very 

important and highly debated 

fact. 

In this case - the freedom of 

former Deputy Jason Meade 

resides inside the following 

question, 

WHERE WAS THE GUN? 

Police Law Newsletter is a 

reader-supported publication. 

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my work, consider becoming 

a free or paid subscriber. 

BACKGROUND 

This incident occurred in Columbus, 

OH in December 2020. 

Franklin County Deputy Jason 

Meade was working as 

part of a US Marshals “fugitive 

task force”. This meant that he 

was not working in full police 

uniform and driving a marked 

patrol vehicle. As part of his 

assignment, Deputy Meade was 

driving an unmarked vehicle 

and was wearing plainclothes 

while donning a vest that read 

“U.S. Marshal”. 

INITIAL CONTACT 

Deputy Meade claimed that 

while he was working his vehicle 

passed by a vehicle that 

was driven by Casey Goodson 

(23). Officer Meade stated that 

he had no prior contact with 

Mr. Goodson and that as the 

vehicles passed each other that 

Mr. Goodson brandished/waved 

a gun at him. 

LAWFUL OBJECTIVE 

Whether Deputy Meade was 

in full uniform or undercover 

- it is reasonable that a police 

officer would investigate/detain 

an individual that waved a gun. 

Deputy Meade reported that 

he then turned his car around 

and followed Mr. Goodson. 

Deputy Meade observed him 

exit the vehicle and approach a 

residence. Deputy Meade stated 

that he chased Mr. Goodson on 

foot, verbally identified himself 

as a police officer, and caught 

up to him just as he was entering 

the home. 

USE OF FORCE 


as Mr. Goodson was about to 

enter the home that he pointed 

a gun at him. Deputy Meade 

reported that, in response, he 

fired his weapon six times at 

Mr. Goodson - striking him five 

times. 

Mr. Goodson died from his 

injuries. 

THE EVIDENCE 

The shots that struck Mr. 

Goodson were all to his back. 

After being shot Mr. Goodson 

fell into the home and landed 

in the kitchen. A handgun was 

found next to his body. 

Deputy Meade on trial 

The Charges 

Deputy Meade was charged 

with murder and reckless homicide 

and is currently on trial. 

The trial continues this week 

and we will be following this 

case. 

THE CLAIM 

The family attorney of Mr. 

Goodson claimed that he was 

carrying a gun, but that it was 

concealed in a holster at the 

time of the OIS. The family 

attorney argued that Mr. Goodson 

had been carrying keys and 

a sandwich in his hands and 

did not brandish the gun. They 

stated that Mr. Goodson had a 

legal concealed carry permit 

and that he was carrying the 

weapon in an “inside the pants” 

holster and that the gun must 

have fallen out of the holster 

after the OIS. 

The family attorney also 

claimed that Deputy Meade did 

not identify himself or that if 

he did identify himself that Mr. 

Goodson did not hear him as he 

had air pods in his ears at the 

time of the OIS. 

ISSUES 

There was a lawful objective 

to detain Mr. Goodson. 

Deputy Meade was wearing a 

standard vest/uniform for his 

assignment. 


he identified himself and it is 

not his fault if Mr. Goodson was 

wearing air pods. 

This case boils down to one 

question - where was the gun 

at the time of the OIS? 

If Mr. Goodson was holding 

the gun and pointing it (or 

moving to point it) at Deputy 

Meade - then it is likely a legal 

use of force. 

If Mr. Goodson had the gun 

holstered and was not holding 

it - then it is likely not a legal 

use of deadly force. 

This case is that simple. 

BREAKDOWN 

The evidence indicates that 

the gun was in Mr. Goodson’s 

hands at the time of the shooting. 

Here’s why… 

The gun was found next to his 

body. It is very unlikely (maybe 

even impossible) that a holstered 

gun would fly out of an 

“inside the pants” holster and 

land next to Mr. Goodson as he 

fell. 

The fact that the gun was 

near to him - indicates that it 

was likely not holstered at the 

time of the OIS. 

Then we have to ask - why 

would a licensed, concealed 

carry holder unholster a gun 

as he was walking into his 

grandmother’s house? For most 

responsible firearm owners - a 

gun is unholstered once inside 

the home - not prior to entering. 

Any education on how the human 

body reacts under stress 

and/or the study of the limits 

of human performance - would 

indicate that a gun could be 

pointed at an officer, the offender 

then turns, and in the 

3/4 of a second that it takes the 

officer to respond to the deadly 

threat - the rounds strike 

the back of the offender. The 

placement of the shots do not 

prove anything that anti-police 

activists are trying to suggest. 

(If you haven’t yet - take the 

class. Force Science). 

FINAL THOUGHTS 

The unbiased evidence suggests 

that Mr. Goodson was 

holding the gun at the time of 

the OIS. Since there was no 

reason that he would have been 

holding a gun as he entered his 

grandmother’s house - the OIS 

is likely objectively reasonable. 

Deputy Meade should be acquitted 

of all charges. 

Here’s what could have happened. 

This is just my opinion. 

Perhaps Mr. Goodson did 

not realize that Deputy Meade 

was a police officer. The plainclothes 

and unmarked car in 

addition to the air pods could 

have created this perception. 

Perhaps Mr. Goodson thought 

that he was being pursued by 

a guy that he brandished a gun 

at and unholstered the gun and 

pointed it - to encourage the 

man chasing him to rethink his 

actions. 

Even if that is what occurred 

- the use of deadly force was 

legal. 

As once a gun is pointed at 

a police officer - there is but 

one expected and appropriate 

response. 



Chief Joel F. Shults, 

No Sacred Space: Worship at Risk 

There was a time when 

most church doors were left 

unlocked. If someone needed 

shelter or a place to pray 

or contemplate, they could 

slip into a sanctuary for some 

quiet reflection. Most of today’s 

houses of worship are not only 

locked and alarmed, but many 

also have their own armed 

security and safety teams ready 

to respond to violence. Attacks 

on churches began reaching 

record numbers in 2023 consistent 

with a years-long trend 

of rising vandalism, arson, and 

shootings. 

On February 11, 2024, Genesse 

Ivonne Moreno opened fire at 

the arena housing Joel Osteen’s 

Houston, TX Lakewood church, 

and was killed in an exchange 

with off-duty police officers 

present. The rifle found at the 

scene reportedly had pro-Palestinian 

writing on it. 

In addition to the highest 

profile incidents, there are many 

more assaults, disturbances, 

property damage, threats, and 

arson attempts that make no 

national headlines. No faith 

group is exempt because each 

represents an ideal that can 

enrage an attacker. Chapels, 

temples, mosques, gurdwaras, 

and religious educational facilities 

are all vulnerable. 

Also in February Zackary 

Plowman, 39, found the Community 

Fellowship Moravian 

Church in North Carolina, a 

place to hide on a Saturday 

after shooting 3 people in Lexington. 

On Sunday morning he 

encountered the pastor of the 

church and the pastor’s wife. 

Plowman kidnapped the couple 

at knifepoint, stealing their car, 

and later dropped them off at 

a different location where they 

were found uninjured. The suspect 

has been arrested. 

In Hendersonville, TN the Luna 

Lane Church of Christ had to 

cancel services due to massive 

vandalism affecting the atrium, 

nursery, lobby, and restrooms, 

along with flooding in the fellowship 

hall and classrooms. 

That investigation is still open, 

and no motive or suspect is 

known at the time of this writing. 

A Tulsa, OK man, upset over 

his marriage, was arrested after 

making threats to shoot up a 

church in the city. A witness reported 

a conversation in which 

the suspect claimed he had an 

automatic weapon and intended 

to kill everyone in the church. 

Investigating police officers 

recovered a weapon and ammunition. 

A teenage resident of a small 

community in eastern Colorado 

was sentenced to six years in 

prison for plotting to carry out 

shootings at multiple schools 

Genesse Ivonne Moreno 

and churches in the Colorado 

Springs area. The teen confessed 

to planning the attack 

and several planning documents 

were discovered. Authorities 

believe the arrest prevented a 

serious attempt to complete the 

crimes. 

A 32-year-old man in Pasadena, 

CA has been apprehended 

after a church arson and other 

criminal activity. The suspect 

was connected to two separate 

arson fires at Dream Church. He 

was arrested during an attempted 

carjacking in the church 

parking lot. 

Elsewhere, a Cumberland, 

MD man was arrested for burglary 

and malicious destruction 

of property, following reports 

of him discharging fire extinguishers, 

breaking light bulbs, 

and stealing food at a Lutheran 

church. A 22-year-old male 

was arrested for a shooting at a 

Catholic church in San Francisco 

in which, fortunately, no one 

was injured. Teens were involved 

in a stabbing in the parking 

lot of a Chico CA church near 

Chico State University. All of the 

events cited have happened in 

the first two months of 2024, according 

to Keith Graves, a church 

security expert who publishes a 

newsletter on the issue. 

Motives to explain this increase 

will vary. On a societal 

level, the division over issues 

like abortion, support for Israel, 

racial tension, or gay rights can 

shine a spotlight on a particular 

group or facility. An attack on 

the building or occupants can 

have symbolic meaning, just as 

any target of a terrorist would 

have. 

Individually, churches are 

places where domestic violence 

victims may have sought help, 

distressed persons suffering 

from mental illness or other life 

crises are attracted to churches, 

and even criminals evading capture 

may seek refuge there. 

Despite federal hate crimes 

and a federal task force on 

places of worship experiencing 

violence, many legislative attempts 

are being made to limit 

lawful weapon possession in 

churches and even restricting 

church security teams. People of 

faith have a right to be safe in 

their places of worship and only 

the most extreme of pacifists 

would argue against defending 

worshipers. 

This article originally appeared 

at the National Police Association 

and The law officer was 

reprinted with permission. 


AROUND THE COUNTRY 

PORT ST. LUCIE, FL. 

Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Zachary Fink was killed while trying 

to apprehend a fleeing felon on I-95 near Port St. Lucie. 

 

 

A man accused of fleeing a authorities said. 

traffic stop on a Florida interstate 

faces multiple homicide 30-year-old Michael Anthony 

The suspect -- identified as 

 

charges after a state trooper Addison -- was booked into the 

and semi-truck driver were St. Lucie County Jail on multiple 

 

killed during the ensuing pursuit, 

counts of felony homicide, ag- 

authorities said. 

gravated flee to elude with se- 

Florida Highway Patrol rious injury or death and driving 

Trooper Zachary Fink, 26, was 

without a license causing 

trying to apprehend a fleeing death, among other charges, 

felon who was driving recklessly 

in St. Lucie County early Saturday. 

the Florida Highway Patrol said 

 

Friday. The suspect refused to It is unclear if he has an attorney. 

stop and led Fink on a pursuit, 

authorities said at a news conference 

“This tragedy could have been 

TROOPER ZACHARY FINK 

Friday. 

prevented if Michael Addison 

The suspect then made an followed the rule of law and Motor Vehicles, said. 

abrupt turn and started driving complied with law enforcement,” 

“After speaking with his fam- 

in the wrong direction on the 

St. Lucie County Sheriff ily, I can say that Trooper Fink 

interstate, authorities said. Fink Keith Pearson said in a statement 

Saturday. “Thanks to ida State trooper when a felon 

was living his dream as a Flor- 

also turned around in an effort 

to apprehend him and warn the combined efforts of law tragically took his life,” added 

other drivers, authorities said. enforcement, he will be held Col. Gary Howze of the Florida 

PRICE REDUCED 

But once Fink turned, he collided 

with an 18-wheeler semi- 

Fink, a three-year veteran sponder, sacrifice is not new; it 

 

accountable for his actions.” Highway Patrol. “As a first re- 

 

truck driver. Both Fink and the of the highway patrol, leaves is daily and experienced while 

truck driver died from their behind his fiancée, father and living, when missing breakfast 

injuries, authorities said. stepmother, authorities said. with family, or when at work 

The suspect eventually “Trooper Fink is a hero who instead of with family. We appreciate 

Trooper Fink’s sacrifice 

 

crashed his car into a tree and died while helping people, 

fled the scene on foot, authorities 

something he was passionate and know that the people of 

 

said. A manhunt ensued about since the age of six,” Florida are safer because of his 

 

and the suspect was taken into Dave Kerner, executive director commitment to keeping them 

custody at about 8 a.m. Friday, of Florida Highway Safety and safe.” 

 

 



MOODY COUNTY, SD. 

Chief Deputy Sheriff Ken Prorok was struck and killed by the driver 

of a vehicle being pursued by the Madison Police Department. 

Chief Deputy Ken Prorok, 51, ment officer delivers a blow to 

of Wentworth was killed Feb. 2 that department, Howe said. 

when he was struck by a suspect’s 

“As an agency head, such as a 

vehicle while placing sheriff or chief, we never want 

spike strips during a high-speed to be in that position of losing a 

pursuit. He was killed when a deputy in a felonious manner or 

suspect’s car allegedly struck even an accident. It leaves a hole 

him during a high-speed pursuit that you can’t fill by simply hiring 

down Highway 34. 

a replacement,” he said. 

Joseph Gene Hoek, 40, has “We aren’t just faceless people 

been indicted on charges of 

wearing uniforms. These are 

first-degree murder and aggravated 

people we know and appreciate 

eluding. He could face as individuals, and hiring a new 

the death penalty and remains deputy to replace the old is hard 

incarcerated without bond. enough when one moves on to 

A witness who saw the oncoming 

another job. But when the deputy CHIEF DEPUTY KEN PROROK 

pursuit alleges that was killed, you just don’t move 

Hoek swerved intentionally to on from that easily.” 

hit Prorok as he was setting up The Clay County Sheriff’s ed effort to run down the chief 

the spikes. 

Office, along with other departments 

deputy. 

Clay County Sheriff Andy 

from across the nation, “Joseph Hoek took the life of 

Howe and a deputy attended the wanted to show their support for a good man by his deliberate 

funeral and participated in the the Prorok family, Howe said. actions,” Maggs said. “Hoek will 

vehicle procession. 

“Working in small agencies be convicted of Prorok’s murder, 

“I know each officer feels the means we know the deputies’ and once he is, I hope he gets the 

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so many of us have done as well all over to do that.” 

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CRAWFORD COUNTY, GA. 

Crawford County Deputy Timothy Rivers was killed 

when his patrol car struck another vehicle head on. 

A sheriff’s deputy died Tuesday 

night after hitting another car while 

responding to a call in Georgia. 

Local news reported Crawford 

County Deputy Timothy Tavarus 

Rivers was responding to a call 

to assist another officer when he 

crossed the center line on a road 

south of Lizella. Rivers tried to correct 

his path and hit an oncoming 

car head-on. 

Rivers was taken to a local hospital 

where he was pronounced dead. 

Sheriff Lewis Walker said the 

other driver is being treated for 

injuries. That driver’s name is being 

withheld. 

Rivers, 40, had run for sheriff in 

Bibb County in 2016 and was a Macon-Bibb 

County resident. 

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation 

will perform an autopsy on his 

body. The Georgia State Patrol is 

investigating the crash. 

Deputy Rivers had served with the 

Crawford County Sheriff’s Office for 

two years. He is survived by his four 

children, parents, three siblings, 

grandmother, nieces, nephews, and 

fiancée. 

DEPUTY TIMOTHY RIVERS 



HARNETT COUNTY, NC. 

Harnett County Deputy Christopher Johnson was killed in a three-vehicle accident 

involving an 18-wheeler. He died on the scene. 

A Harnett County deputy lost 

his life after a multi-vehicle 

crash on Darroch Road. 

Harnett County Deputy and 

SRO Chris Johnson, 51 was involved 

in a serious multi-vehicle 

crash on Tuesday, Feb. 6 around 

3:00 p.m. 

Emergency personnel arrived 

at the scene of the three-car 

collision where Deputy Sheriff 

Johnson had succumbed to his 

injuries. 

Deputy Johnson was an SRO 

at Highland Middle School and 

was employed with the Harnett 

County Sheriff’s Office for the 

past 16 months. Deputy Johnson 

was a veteran law enforcement 

officer who had previously 

worked for both Sampson 

County Sheriff’s Office and Dunn 

Police Department. 

The accident is being investigated 

by the North Carolina 

State Highway Patrol. 

Several Eastern North Carolina 

law enforcement agencies have 

offered their condolences: 

The Bertie County Sheriff’s Office 

sends our condolences and 

ask that you join us in prayer for 

the Johnson family as well as 

the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office 

in days and weeks to come. 

Beaufort County Sheriff Hammonds 

and the staff of the 

Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office 

would like to express condolences 

to the Harnett County Sheriff’s 

Office and the family of Deputy 

Chris Johnson. Deputy Johnson 

lost his life on February 6, 2024 

as a result of a vehicle crash that 

occurred on his way home from 

the school where he served as a 

School Resource Officer. Please 

join us in prayer for his wife, 

children, and family. 

Jones County Sheriff’s Office 

states: Our thoughts and prayers 

go out to the family, friends 

and co-workers of Deputy Chris 

Johnson of the Harnett County 

Sheriff’s Office. 

Pender County states: Our 

thoughts and prayers go out 

to the family of Deputy Chris 

Johnson and the Harnett County 

Sheriff’s Office during this time 

of sorrow. 

Lenoir County Sheriff Jackie 

Rogers: Prayers to Harnett County 

Deputy Sheriff Chris Johnson’s 

family and the entire Harnett 

County Sheriff Office. 

Pitt County Sheriff’s office 

states: The Pitt County Sheriff’s 

Office sends our prayers and 

support to the Harnett County 

DEPUTY CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON 

Sheriff’s Office and the friends & 

family of Deputy Chris Johnson 

in this tragic time. Deputy Johnson, 

a veteran School Resource 

Officer, lost his life in a vehicle 

crash while on duty yesterday in 

Harnett County. May God grant 

you all peace in these difficult 

days. 

Harnett County Sheriff Wayne 

Coats asks that you pray for all 

the families involved in this tragedy, 

“As we mourn the untimely 

loss of Deputy Johnson, we recognize 

the impact he has had on 

the community where he lived 

but also the community in which 

he served.” Please continue to 

pray for not only his family, but 

also those who he has impacted 

through his dedicated service to 

the Harnett County School System. 

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MARYVILLE, TN. 

Blount County Deputy Greg McCowan was shot and killed while conducting a 

traffic stop in Maryville Tennessee. Another deputy was also shot but survived. 

MARYVILLE, TN. (WVLT/Gray 

News) - A manhunt is underway 

in Tennessee for a man suspected 

of shooting two deputies, 

killing one and injuring the other. 

Deputy Greg McCowan was 

shot and killed while conducting 

a traffic stop at about 8:30 p.m. 

in the 4900 block of Sevierville 

Road in Maryville, Tennessee, 

according to officials with the 

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. 

TBI said the suspect, identified 

as Kenneth DeHart, would not 

cooperate with deputies and 

refused to get out of the vehicle. 

According to TBI, responders 

used a stun gun during the stop, 

but it had no effect. 

At some point during the stop, 

TBI said DeHart pulled a gun and 

fired shots, killing McCowan and 

injuring Deputy Shelby Eggers, 

who was later released from the 

hospital to recover at home. 

“I’m so sorry that we lost him,” 

Blount County Sheriff James 

Berrong said. “I talked to his 

family earlier. I apologize for not 

protecting him.” 

McCowan graduated from the 

police academy in Oct. 2020, 

according to a post made by the 

sheriff’s department. He received 

the Sheriff’s Office Lifesaving 

Award in 2021 after helping save 

a man from a burning car. 

Several warrants have been 

issued for DeHart, including 

first-degree murder, attempted 

first-degree murder and felon in 

possession of a firearm with no 

bond, according to Berrong. A 

Blue Alert has been issued and 

DeHart has been added to the 

TBI’s Most Wanted list. 

DeHart is considered armed 

and dangerous. If you see De- 

Hart, it is advised that you call 

for back up and conduct a felony 

stop. A tip line was set up 

for anyone with information on 

where DeHart might be. The 

DEPUTY GREG McCOWAN 

Blount County Sheriff’s Office 

asked for anyone who lives in 

the area to check outdoor security 

or doorbell cameras for 

any suspicious activity or people 

from overnight Thursday evening. 

Those with information 

should call 865-981-7125. 

Blount County Mayor Ed Mitchell 

issued a $10,000 reward and 

the TBI also announced a $2,500 

reward for information leading 

to DeHart’s arrest. 


The Blount County Sheriff’s office in Tennessee released body and dash camera video on Friday showing what led 

up to the shooting of two deputies during a traffic stop last week that triggered a days long manhunt for the 

gunman. The video shows the February 8 traffic stop begin with conversation and escalate into a shooting, with 

one deputy killed and another wounded and flagging down drivers for help. 



HOUSTON, TX. 

Thirty-year veteran Deputy Ronald Bates was killed when he lost control of 

his vehicle and struck a tree just south of downtown Houston. 

Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy 

Ronald Bates was traveling 

southwest of Houston’s downtown 

at around 9:45 p.m. on Saturday 

when the crash happened, 

KTRK-TV reports. Bates had just 

finished an overtime assignment 

and was headed to the Harris 

County Jail, according to the Officer 

Down Memorial Page. 

Bates was traveling along Travis 

Street when a bystander said 

the deputy lost control of his 

vehicle and struck a tree. Bates 

was taken to the hospital, where 

he was pronounced dead. 

“Bates was a man that was 

very much loved and respected 

by all,” said Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. 

“Just everybody was reminiscing 

about different conversations. 

They say he was a great father, 

a great husband, a great mentor, 

and a great friend. We’re united 

as a family to try to surround his 

immediate family with a lot of 

love and support as best we can 

- as we grieve also.” 

Bates had been with the sheriff’s 

office for 31 years. He is 

survived by his wife and two 

children. 

DEPUTY RONALD BATES 

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LAS CRUCES, NM. 

Las Cruces Officer Jonah Hernandez was stabbed to death 

by a homeless man while responding to a trespassing call. 

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KFOX14/ 

CBS4) — Las Cruces officials 

provided more information on 

the deadly stabbing of Officer 

Jonah Hernandez that happened 

on Sunday. 

Las Cruces Police Department 

Chief Jeremy Story identified the 

man who stabbed Hernandez to 

death as 29-year-old Armando 

Silva. 

Story said Silva was a homeless 

person and said he had a 

long list of violent crimes and 

mental illnesses. 

The incident happened when 

Hernandez responded to a trespassing 

call Sunday around 5 

p.m. on the 300 block of South 

Valley Drive, near Amador Avenue. 

Story said when Hernandez 

arrived Silva attacked him with a 

large kitchen knife. 

“For no reason whatsoever, 

Silva killed Officer Hernandez,” 

Story said. 

Based on their preliminary information, 

police said Silva was 

shot and killed by a person who 

witnessed part of the incident. 

The witness got a gun from 

their vehicle. Story said Silva 

tried to attack the witness when 

the witness fired at least one 

gunshot. 

Silva died from his injuries. 

“Officer Jonah Hernandez was 

a compassionate and dedicated 

officer who was out doing 

his job while most of us were 

watching the Super Bowl. Jonah 

was attacked while making 

contact with the subject of a 

trespassing call. This sudden and 

unprovoked attack took the life 

of an officer, a husband, a father, 

brother, son, a friend, and a 

great young man,” said Story. 

“Silva had a long history of violent 

crime and mental illness,” 

said Story. 

“This is just one more agonizing 

reminder of the brokenness 

of the New Mexico justice system,” 

said Story. “On every call, 

there is potential for tragedy for 

[our officers],” said Story 

The witness used the fallen 

officer’s radio to call for help, 

according to police. 

Hernandez was rushed to 

MountainView Regional Medical 

Center where he died from his 

injuries. 

Police said Hernandez responded 

to the scene after the 

property owner called 911 to 

report someone was trespassing 

on his property. 

OFFICER JONAH HERNANDEZ 

Police said Hernandez was a 

two-year veteran of LCPD but 

originally from El Paso. He was 

from El Monte, Calif., and grew 

up in El Paso, Texas. He was a 

2006 graduate of Americas High 

School. 

Hernandez served as a Las 

Cruces Police Department officer 

since June 2022. 

Hernandez is survived by a 

wife and two sons. 

“The Las Cruces Police Department 

will get through this together,” 

said Story 

An LCPD spokesperson confirmed 

this is the first line of duty 

for the department. 

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SHERIDAN, WY. 

Sergeant Nevada Krinkee was shot and killed while 

serving a trespass warning in Sheridan Wyoming. 

Sergeant Nevada Krinkee was 

shot and killed while serving 

a trespass warning near 5th 

Street and Val Vista Street in 

Sheridan. 

Sergeant Krinkee was transported 

to Sheridan Memorial 

Hospital where he succumbed 

to his wounds. 

The subject, who had a 

lengthy criminal record, fled 

and barricaded himself inside 

a residence. After a 30-hour 

standoff, the subject refused to 

surrender, attempted to flee, 

and was shot and killed. 

Sheridan Police Department 

Chief Travis Koltiska and Captain 

Tom Ringley said Sgt. Krinkee 

led a life of selfless service 

to his country and community. 

He graduated from Bozeman 

High School in Montana, in 2009 

and chose to serve his country 

by joining the U.S. Army as 

a light infantryman during the 

Global War on Terror. Krinkee 

served proudly in the distinguished 

82nd Airborne Division. 

Krinkee would spend eight 

years with the U.S. Army, earning 

the rank of Staff Sergeant. 

He was honorably discharged in 

SERGEANT NEVADA KRINKEE 

2017. During his time in service, 

Krinkee would earn the Afghanistan 

Campaign Medal with two 

campaign stars, Army Commendation 

Medal (4th Award), 

Army Achievement Medal (4th 

Award), Combat Infantryman 

Badge and his Jumpmaster 

Wings. 

It was not long after leaving 

the U.S. Army, at the age of 26, 

Krinkee joined the Sheridan 

Police Department. His service 

to the Sheridan community as 

a peace officer began on Oct. 2, 

2017. 

Krinkee made an immediate 

impact on the department and 

community through his work as 

a patrol officer. He was quickly 

promoted to the rank of Corporal 

and then Patrol Sergeant. 

Krinkee’s leadership set the 

example for all levels of leadership 

within the department. 

Krinkee was married to Karla, 

a Corporal with the Sheridan 

Police Department, and they 

recently welcomed their first 

child, Bella, to their family. 

Sergeant Nevada Krinkee 

tragically lost his life on Feb. 13, 

2024 while serving the community 

he called his home. Krinkee’s 

integrity, selflessness and 

servant leadership will forever 

be his legacy to the department 

and community. He will forever 

be remembered. 

A benefit account for Krinkee’s 

family has been established at 

First Federal Bank and Trust. 

Please make checks payable 

to Karla Krinkee or FBO Nevada 

Krinkee and the team will ensure 

the funds are deposited to 

the account. Checks can also be 

mailed to PO Box 6007, Sheridan 

WY 82801. 



MEIGS COUNTY, TN. 

Meigs County Deputy Robert Leonard died when his vehicle 

crashed into the Tennessee River. 

BIRCHWOOD, TN. (WDEF)- A 

woman is dead and a Meigs County 

Deputy was initially missing after 

authorities say he drove into the 

Tennessee River Wednesday Feb 

14th. 

District Attorney Russell Johnson, 

who represents Meigs County, 

says that shortly before 10 p.m. 

Wednesday night, Meigs County 

Deputy Robert Leonard had made 

the arrest of a woman and had 

radioed that he was enroute to the 

Meigs County Jail. 

However, dispatchers lost contact 

with him, and the last communication 

anyone received from Leonard 

was a text to his wife that said 

just, “Water.” 

Authorities were able to triangulate 

his location to Blythe Ferry, 

and eventually located his police 

vehicle in the river. 

General Johnson said, “So we’ve 

got a person in the back of the 

vehicle, we think it was the female 

subject that was arrested, we don’t 

have an identification or confirmation 

on any of that. We have a 

lot of mud in the front seat but no 

body in the front seat.” 

General Johnson says the driver 

side front window was open, 

which Hamilton County Sheriff 

Austin Garrett says could have 

made the situation worse. 

Sheriff Garrett said, “He could’ve 

been driving with the window 

down, could’ve got the window 

down when he first went into the 

water, we don’t know any of that, 

those are all just theories. I can tell 

you this, with the window down, 

the car is going to sink much faster.” 

The following day, District Attorney 

Russell Johnson announced 

that the body of Meigs County 

Deputy Robert Lenoard has been 

recovered. 

He was found by Meigs County 

EMS and Rescue Squad along with 

Hamilton and Monroe County dive 

teams with assistance from THP 

and TBI crews at 6:40 Thursday 

evening. 

He was found submerged in the 

Tennessee River not far from where 

his car was removed. 

Johnson said Deputy Leonard was 

from New York and had just moved 

to Meigs County with his family, 

and may have been unfamiliar with 

Blythe Ferry Road. 

Blythe Ferry Road descends down 

towards the river past the Cherokee 

Removal Memorial Park. 

It used to be the only connection 

between Cleveland and Dayton before 

the Tri-County Veterans bridge 

was built and now is popular with 

local fisherman as a boat ramp. 

Deputy Leonard had only served 

with the Meigs County Sheriff’s Office 

for two months. He is survived 

by his wife and three children. 

DEPUTY ROBERT LEONARD 

For the Department, who had 

just transferred Deputy Leonard 

from the Cleveland State Police 

Academy, they fear this will be 

a difficult ending for an already 

small department. 

Malone said, “It’s a hard time for 

us here. Please forgive me. This 

is something we don’t ever deal 

with here in Meigs County. We’re a 

small, rural county. Deputy Leonard 

was only here for a couple of 

months, but he had become a part 

of our family.” 

General Johnson says he is continuing 

an investigation into this 

incident, and is receiving help from 

multiple agencies including the 

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. 



BURNSVILLE, MN. 

Burnsville police officers Matthew Ruge and Paul Elmstrand, and paramedic 

Adam Finseth, were shot and killed while responding to a call Sunday Feb. 18th. 

By Greta Kaul 

Burnsville Police Chief Tanya 

Schwartz described the three 

members of Burnsville’s public 

safety team who were fatally 

shot Sunday morning as heroes 

who made the ultimate sacrifice. 

“They come to work every 

day,” Schwartz said. “They know 

they may have to give up their 

life for their partners, for someone 

else.” 

Officer Paul Elmstrand, 27, 

joined the department in 2017, 

according to the city. He was 

promoted from community 

service officer to officer in 2019, 

and served with the department’s 

mobile command staff, 

peer team, Honor Guard and field 

training unit. 

Matthew Ruge, also 27, joined 

the department in 2020 and was 

on its crisis negotiations team 

and worked as a physical evidence 

officer. 

Burnsville firefighter and 

paramedic Adam Finseth, 40, 

formerly served in the Army’s 

Bravo Company 1st battalion 

327th Infantry during Operation 

Iraqi Freedom, according to his 

LinkedIn page. He was hired in 

Burnsville in 2019 and previously 

worked for the 

cities of Savage and 

Hastings. The three 

were fatally shot 

on the 12600 block 

of 33rd Avenue in 

Burnsville about 

5:30 a.m. The suspect 

is also dead 

after a standoff that 

took place in the 

home, where seven 

children also were 

present. 

Savage Fire Chief 

Jeremie Bresnahan 

said Finseth 

“embodied the true 

spirit of a firefighter,” 

showing others respect, 

empathy and compassion, the 

chief wrote in an email Sunday 

to city staff and shared with the 

Star Tribune. Finseth worked as a 

paid on-call firefighter for Savage 

for more than six years. 

“His legacy is etched in the 

memories of those who served 

alongside him and characterized 

by his calm demeanor and unwavering 

support for his fellow 

team members,” Bresnahan 

wrote. “Adam’s impact on our 

department and community will 

be remembered, and his selfless 

OFFICER PAUL ELMSTRAND PARAMEDIC ADAM FINSETH OFFICER MATTHEW RUGE 

ing Monday to honor the victims. 

Walz, who was at the news 

conference, asked Minnesotans 

to pause and reflect on the families 

who will be forever affected 

by Sunday’s events when they 

see flags half staff. 

“They’re moms and dads, 

brothers and sisters, sons and 

daughters,” Walz said of first 

responders. “They’re the world 

service inspires us all.” 

Sgt. Adam Medlicott was taken 

to a hospital with injuries and is 

expected to survive, according to 

the city. 

“This is the toughest day that 

the city of Burnsville and our 

public safety family has ever experienced. 

My heart and prayers 

go out to the families who lost 

a loved one in the line of duty 

today,” Burnsville Fire Chief BJ 

Jungmann said at the news conference. 

Gov. Tim Walz ordered that 

flags be flown at half staff startto 

a lot of people, and they go 

out and do the job to provide us 

safety.” 

The officers were responding 

to a call where a man had taken 

several family members hostage 

and barricaded himself inside of 

the home. 

As officers and rescue personnel 

arrived at the scene the 

man opened fire on them, fatally 

wounding Officer Elmstrand, 

Officer Ruge, and Burnsville 

Firefighter/Paramedic Adam 

Finseth. A Burnsville Police 

sergeant Adam Medlocott was 

also wounded but is expected to 

survive. 

The suspect was found dead 

inside the home and it’s unknown 

if he took his own life or was 

struck by the officer’s rounds. 



CLAYTON COUNTY, GA. 

Trooper First Class Chase Redner was struck and killed while investigating a fatal 

pedestrian crash scene at Interstate 75 North near Mt. Zion Boulevard in Morrow. 

By Aungelique Proctor 

CLAYTON COUNTY, GA. - Georgia 

State Patrol Trooper First 

Class Chase Redner was killed 

in the line of duty while investigating 

a crash in Clayton County 

on Monday night, the Georgia 

Department of Public Safety 

announced. 

Redner was investigating a 

fatal vehicle crash involving a 

construction worker on Interstate 

75 North on Feb. 20 near 

Mt. Zion Boulevard when he was 

struck by a vehicle, according to 

GDPS. 

He was rushed to Grady 

Memorial Hospital where he 

passed away. 

GSP investigators say a black 

Kia ventured into the construction 

zone and struck and killed 

a construction employee. 

Trooper Redner was on the 

scene investigating when he 

was struck and killed while 

outside his patrol car. 

The crash is being investigated 

by the Troop C Specialized 

Collision Reconstruction Team. 

It is unknown if the driver 

of the vehicle that struck the 

trooper will be charged. 

Redner was a graduate of the 

103rd Trooper School and had 

been employed with GSP since 

2017. 

He most recently was a member 

of the GSP Specialized Collision 

Reconstruction Team, the 

same team which is now tasked 

with investigating his death. 

“The Department of Public 

Safety sends its sincerest condolences 

and prayers to TFC 

Redner’s family and co-workers. 

Please keep TFC Redner’s family 

in your prayers as they cope 

with the loss of their loved one,” 

the Georgia Department of Public 

Safety wrote on its Facebook 

page. 

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp released 

a statement on social 

media saying that he and his 

family are devastated by the 

news of Trooper Redner’s sudden 

and tragic passing. 

The governor wrote: 

“Marty, the girls, and I are 

devastated by the news of 

Trooper Chase Redner’s sudden 

and tragic passing. As the 

second state patrolman to die 

in the line of duty in less than 

a month, our hearts are broken 

for his mother and fiancée, for 

TROOPER CHASE REDNER 

his friends and community, and 

for the entire department of 

public safety family.” 

This is the second Georgia 

trooper to be killed in the line 

of duty in less than a month. 

Georgia State Trooper Jimmy 

Cenescar died after a crash on 

Sunday, Jan. 28, while attempting 

to stop a motorcycle for a 

traffic violation on Interstate 85. 

Cenescar’s vehicle left the road 

and struck an embankment. 

Emergency personnel responded 

and attempted life-saving 

measures before he was rushed 

to Northside Gwinnett Hospital 

where he passed away. 



SUPPORT THE OFFICER 

CENTERVILLE, TX. 

Montgomery County Deputy Charles Rivette was killed in a crash 

during an inmate transfer in Centerville Texas along I-45. 

CENTERVILLE, TX. (KTRK) -- A 

Montgomery County sheriff’s 

deputy died in a crash while 

transporting an inmate on 

Wednesday night, according to 

the sheriff’s office. 

The crash happened just before 

10:30 p.m. in Centerville, 

Texas, which is about two hours 

and 100 miles north of Houston. 

According to the Texas Department 

of Public Safety, an 

MCSO patrol vehicle conducting 

an inmate transport was traveling 

southbound on I-45 in Leon 

County when it hit an 18-wheeler 

also traveling southbound. 

Officials believe the patrol 

vehicle may have sideswiped the 

18-wheeler. 

During the crash, 38-year-old 

Deputy Charles Rivette, the front 

seat passenger, was ejected 

from the patrol vehicle and landed 

in the northbound lanes, DPS 

said. That’s when a pickup truck 

in the northbound lanes hit him, 

and two other 18-wheelers hit 

the patrol vehicle. 

The driver of the patrol vehicle, 

identified as 37-year-old Deputy 

James Francis, and the inmate 

who was sitting in the back seat 

were taken by Life Flight to area 

hospitals with serious injuries. 

Deputy Rivette was pronounced 

dead at the scene, DPS said. 

One of the 18-wheeler drivers 

who struck the patrol vehicle 

was taken to an area hospital 

with minor injuries. DPS said 

the other drivers involved were 

uninjured. 

An ongoing investigation is being 

conducted by the Texas Highway 

Patrol with the assistance of 

the District Crash Reconstruction 

Team. 

“Sheriff Henderson expresses 

his profound sorrow and extends 

condolences to the family, 

friends, and colleagues of 

Deputy Rivette. The Montgomery 

County Sheriff’s Office is lifting 

TROOPER CHARLES RIVETTE 

up Deputy Rivette, Deputy Francis, 

and the injured inmate in our 

prayers,” MCSO said in a statement. 

MCSO said Deputy Rivette had 

been with the sheriff’s office for 

about 18 years. 

It’s unclear if speed played a 

factor in the crash, but officials 

noted that the speed limit on 

that stretch of I-45 is 75 mph. 

DOWN MEMORIAL PAGE 

VIA THE 2023 CFC 

CHARITY # 62937 

Calling all federal employees, military personnel, and retirees – the Officer Down 

Memorial Page (ODMP) is participating in the 2023 Combined Federal Campaign 

(CFC) organized by OPM.Your support through the CFC can make a significant 

impact on our mission to honor and remember the over 26,000 brave men 

and women in law enforcement who have sacrificed their lives for our safety. To 

pledge your support to ODMP, follow these simple steps: 

1. Visit https://cfcgiving.opm.gov/offerings 

2. Search “Officer Down Memorial Page” or use CFC code 62937. 

3. Add us to your pledge by January 2023. 

Your pledge in CFC shows gratitude to those who protect us. Thank you for 

considering ODMP in the CFC 

Learn more at ODMP.org/info/cfc. 



POLK COUNTY, TX. 

The body of 11-year old Audrii Cunningham was found in the Trinity 

River in Polk County Texas and a suspect is in custody. 

By David K. Li 

POLK COUNTY, TX. – The body 

of missing 11-year-old Audrii 

Cunningham was found in the 

Trinity River in Texas, officials 

announced Tuesday. 

Don Steven McDougal, 42, who 

was already in custody on an 

unrelated matter, was charged 

with capital murder in connection 

with her murder, Polk 

County booking records showed 

Wednesday. He is being held on 

no bond. 

Sheriff Byron Lyons said information 

from the suspect, cellphone 

data and social media 

imagery sent in by citizens led 

them to the body off Highway 59 

in the county. 

A local water authority lowered 

the water level of the river 

to assist divers in their search, 

the sheriff said. Her body was 

with a medical examiner, who 

would determine an exact cause 

and manner of death, he said. 

Cunningham had not been 

seen since she left her Polk 

County home on Thursday at 

about 7 a.m. to catch a school 

bus, officials said. 

But she never got on that bus 

or made it to school that day, 

according to Polk County Sheriff’s 

deputies. 

An Amber Alert was issued for 

the 4-foot-1 child with blond 

hair and blue eyes. She was 

wearing black pants, a black 

hoodie with white lettering and 

black tennis shoes on Thursday. 

McDougal was called “one of 

the persons of interest” involved 

in the case when he was arrested 

Friday on suspicion of aggravated 

assault, in an unrelated 

incident, officials said. 

McDougal lived in a trailer 

behind Cunningham’s home and 

is considered a family friend 

who’d occasionally take the girl 

to the bus stop or to school, 

officials said. 

A small children’s backpack 

was found at the Lake Livingston 

Dam, not far from the Cunningham 

family home, authorities 

said. Trinity River feeds into 

the lake. 

According to jail records, Don 

Steven McDougal, 42, has been 

charged with capital murder 

and has been denied bond. 

Polk County Sheriff’s Office 

said McDougal has been in a 

single cell, by himself, since his 

Don Steven McDougal, the thug 

charged with Capital Murder of 

young Audrii Cunningham. 

arrest and has not had any contact 

with other inmates, 

McDougal is being closely 

monitored by jail staff and has 

not been threatened and he has 

not experienced or sustained 

any injuries since his incarceration 

in the Polk County Jail, 

authorities say. 

During a press conference on 

Monday, Sheriff Byron Lyons said 

McDougal admitted to leaving 

with Cunningham on Thursday 

morning but wouldn’t acknowledge 

if she ever made it to the 

bus stop. However, the sheriff 

said McDougal was believed to 

have been the last one to see 

her. 



HOUSTON, TX. 

Off-duty TABC Agent Adrian Herrera, prevented a near tragedy at Houston’s 

Lakewood Church when he took down a woman with an AR-15 as 

she began shooting at a recent church service. 

BY JUAN A. LOZANO (AP) 

HOUSTON, TX. (AP) — A woman 

in a trench coat opened fire 

with a long gun Sunday inside 

celebrity pastor Joel Osteen’s 

megachurch in Texas, sending 

worshipers rushing to find safety 

while off-duty TABC Agent Adrian 

Herrera confronted and killed 

the shooter. Two other people 

were shot and injured, including a 

7-year-old boy who was in critical 

condition. 

The violence erupted shortly 

before the Houston church’s 2 p.m. 

Spanish service was set to begin, 

just as the rest of the country was 

preparing for the Super Bowl. The 

woman entered the enormous 

Lakewood Church – a building 

with a 16,000-person capacity 

that was previously an arena for 

the NBA’s Houston Rockets -- with 

the boy who was later hurt in the 

shootout with police. A man in his 

50s was also wounded. 

“I will say this,” Houston Police 

Chief Troy Finner told reporters 

during a news conference outside 

the church. “That female, that suspect, 

put that baby in danger. I’m 

going to put that blame on her.” 

The woman suspect was identified 

as 36-year-old Genesse Ivonne 

Moreno, according to a search 

warrant executed by Houston 

Police and the Texas Rangers. 

The 7-year-old child was shot 

in the head in the incident and 

is in critical condition. He is not 

expected to survive. Authorities 

identified the suspect as the biological 

mother of the child during 

a press conference Monday. 

The search warrant states Moreno 

was armed with an AR-15 and 

threatened to have a bomb. An 

officer on scene observed she has 

“substances consistent with the 

manufacture of explosive devices,” 

though it is not known now 

whether the threat was credible. 

In a press conference held the 

Monday after the shooting Police 

said that the substances were 

“benign” and “common products,” 

and that anyone who would have 

been exposed to them would not 

have been harmed. 

The Texas Alcoholic Beverage 

Commission identified their officer 

as agent Adrian Herrera, who was 

working security for the church at 

the time of the shooting. 

“While we are still gathering the 

facts on what took place at Lakewood 

Church, I can say that I’m 

extremely proud of the quick response 

of our agent as well as the 

TABC Agent Adrian Herrera 

other law enforcement agents on 

the scene,” TABC Chairman Kevin 

Lilly said. “These officers likely 

prevented a much greater tragedy 

through their brave actions.” 

Herrera has been employed by 

TABC for around five years. He 

was placed on paid administrative 

leave pending an internal TABC 

investigation into the shooting, 

TABC said in a press release. 

Authorities said the preliminary 

investigation showed the suspect 

had a history of mental health 

disorders. 

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a 

statement saying “our hearts are 

with those impacted by today’s 

tragic shooting and the entire 

Lakewood Church community in 

Houston. Places of worship are 

sacred.” 



KANSAS CITY, MO. 

‘We got shots fired’: Police radio traffic captures chaos of Kansas City 

parade shooting. 

By Robert A. Cronkleton 

The Kansas City Star 

KANSAS CITY, MO. — For the 

first few hours of the Kansas City 

Chiefs’ Super Bowl parade and 

rally, police radio traffic sounded 

much like what anyone would 

expect from a large citywide 

celebration. 

There were lost children being 

reunited with parents. Medics 

attending to fans and spectators 

who had fallen, fainted or had 

other medical problems. And of 

course, intoxicated people, according 

to audio of radio transmissions 

captured by Broadcastifycom. 

The chatter from the radio 

traffic was nonstop as dispatchers 

and commanders managed 

ambulances, medical resources 

and officers for traffic and crowd 

control. 

At about 1:30 p.m., officers 

responded to a shooting at 27th 

Street and McGee Trafficway on 

the south side of Crown Center, 

according to Broadcastify. 

Initially, police had problems 

finding the second victim. When 

a gunshot victim was found 

a few blocks away near Main 

Street and Grand Boulevard, 

there was confusion whether 

a third victim had been found, 

according to the audio. 

Officer Alayna Gonzalez, a 

spokeswoman with the Kansas 

City Police Department, 

at the time said there were 

only two victims, both with 

non-life-threatening injuries. 

The shooting was away from the 

parade route and rally area. 

When asked about the shooting 

Wednesday, Kansas City 

Police Chief Stacey Graves said it 

was not known to be connected 

to the violence at the rally itself. 

“Right now, we don’t have any 

information that those are related,” 

Graves said. “But that’s under 

investigation.” 

While officers were investigating 

the shooting, radio traffic 

indicated that a pocket drone 

was flying in front of the stage 

at Union Station, a car was doing 

doughnuts near 18th and Oak 

streets and police were getting 

ready to escort buses and vehicles 

of dignitaries from the rally. 

“We got shots fired,” said an 

officer over the radio shortly before 

2 p.m. “Repeat Shots fired.” 

‘We have multiple victims’ 

“What’s your radio number and 

location?” a dispatcher asked in 

return. 

Initial reports started coming 

in that people had been shot. 

Meanwhile, officers were asking 

for a description and location of 

the shooter. 

“We have multiple victims 

over here,” another person said. 

“West of the stage in the parking 

lot near Pershing and Kessler.” 

“All staff on the west side and 

east side of rally operations, take 

cover,” a person said. “Stay out 

of the east. Stay out of the west.” 

One officer advised he had two 

people with gunshot wounds. 

“All units, shelter in place,” a 

dispatcher said. “Shooter on the 

west side of the Union Station. 

All units shelter in place.” 

One person advised that two 

people had been shot and that 

CPR was in progress near Pershing 

and Kessler. Another advised 

that a victim was found under 

the awning at Union Station. 

Another victim was found in the 

parking garage with a gunshot 

wound to the leg. 

Meanwhile, officers were 

asking for a description of the 

shooter. They were told the suspects 

were two males last seen 

running east through the crowd 

on Pershing. 

A dispatcher advised at the 

time there were five patients 

with gunshot wounds, one with 

a gunshot wound to the neck. 

At the west side medical tent, 

emergency medical workers 

advised that they had multiple 

victims. 

“We’re trying to determine the 

number at this time, but we got 

more coming in,” a person said. 

The number of victims kept rising 

as police and medical personnel 

located more. The conditions 

of the victims varied. 

“Mass casualty incident, possible 

active shooter.” 

“All units be advised, shots 

fired inside Union Station,” a dispatcher 

said. “Shots fired inside 

Union Station.” 

By that time, the patient count 

had risen to nine. Shortly afterwards, 

a person in west command 

asked dispatchers to alert 

all available hospitals for a possible 

mass casualty incident with 

a possible active shooter. 

A dispatcher advised all units 

not to shelter inside Union Station. 

“We have a shooter in custody, 

right in front of Union Station,” 

one officer said shortly thereafter. 

Meanwhile officers were making 

plans to evacuate people out 

of Union Station by clearing the 

outside and making sure they 

“have a safe path for everyone to 

get out.” 

At one point, a person advised 

that they were out of ambulances 

at one location, except for the 

VIP ambulances. 

“Let’s lock down Union Station 

and not let anyone inside,” a 

person said. “Make sure that we 

are checking everybody outside 

as well.” 

One officer advised he had a 

group of people inside Amtrak 

waiting room next to Harvey’s. 

“Everybody seems to be OK,” 

the officer said as he asked for 

an additional officer to come 

over and help. 

Ambulances responding to the 

shooting scene were directed to 

head down Kessler and wait on 

Pershing, according to the radio 

traffic. 

“PD is securing the shooting 

scene and will come in and 

guide you to your patient,” they 

were told. “Remain outside on 

Pershing until PD comes and 

meets you.” 

Meanwhile, a person advised 

that there were several buses 

ready to go and the Chiefs were 

wanting to send them. 

Shortly thereafter, command 

asked officers who heard the 

shooting inside Union Station to 

confirm whether one had actually 

taken place. 

Officers then were advised that 

a person was being detained on 

the west side of Union Station. 

About 2:25 p.m., the initial 

clearing of Union Station was 

completed and tactical officers 

were working to get the Chiefs 

players out, according to Broadcastify. 

Officers were told that the 

scene at Union Station was still 

unsecured a half hour after the 

shooting. 

A commotion occurred around 

2:30 p.m. after someone set off 

what was believed to have been 

fireworks. Officers who were 

running in that direction were 

told to slow down. 

“We were just told we believe 

it was fireworks, and hope so,” a 

person said. 

Police then received reports 

of gunshot fired in the area of 

25th and Cherry streets, east 

of Crown Center. At the time, 

a person said it was unknown 

if the shooting was a walking 

wounded from Union Station or a 

separate incident. 

Officer Alayna Gonzalez on 

Thursday said there were no additional 

incidents of note regarding 

violent crime. 

It was unclear in the audio 

when the buses left Union Station, 

however. Interstate 670 was 

shut down about 2:40 p.m. 

About an hour after the shooting, 

tactical teams were sweeping 

the garages in Crown Center 

looking for possible suspects. 

Meanwhile, police were still 

trying to reunite parents with 

their missing children. 



DETROIT, MI. 

Ford unveils enhanced 2025 

Police Interceptor Utility 

By Police1 Staff 

Ford has officially opened 

the order banks for the 2025 

model year of the Police Interceptor 

Utility (PIU). 

This year’s model features 

an enlarged center display, 

which offers superior imagery, 

graphics and enhanced 

over-the-air (OTA) capabilities, 

marking a substantial 

upgrade over its predecessors. 

The introduction of the Ford 

Pro Upfit Integration System 

(UIS) streamlines the unfitting 

process with added functionality 

and intelligent vehicle 

programming for law enforcement 

agencies. 

Further enhancing its pursuit 

capabilities, the 2025 PIU 

introduces a Manual Police 

Pursuit Mode, complementing 

the Automatic Pursuit Mode 

available in previous models. 

This new feature improves 

drivability and power delivery 

during critical 

scenarios, 

such as 

maneuvering 

through 

tight traffic 

conditions. 

The vehicle 

also maintains 

its front-end design, 

including the grille, allowing 

for the cost-effective transition 

of upfitting components 

from older models, thereby 

reducing expenses for police 

departments. 

Safety and productivity 

features are at the forefront 

of the 2025 Police Interceptor 

Utility, with several key technologies 

coming standard. 

The Police Perimeter Alert 

system enhances situational 

awareness by detecting moving 

threats around the vehicle, 

activating safety measures 

such as the rear camera, 

chime alerts, automatic window 

closure and door locking. 

The Police Engine Idle and 

Police Dark Car features cater 

to specific operational needs 

like quick vehicle exit without 

compromising security and 

stealth operations during surveillance 

missions. Additionally, 

the vehicle is equipped with 

advanced driver assist technologies, 

including an updated 

automatic emergency braking 

system, Blind Spot Monitoring 

with Cross-traffic Alert (BLIS), 

and enhanced radar systems 

for improved performance. 

For more information, visit 

https://www.ford.com/police-vehicles/. 



ACROSS THE US 

The Latest Breaking News as we go LIVE. 

THREE SOUTH CAROLINA 

DEPUTIES CHARGED OVER 

HOAX CALLS ON DUTY 

Three South Carolina sheriff’s 

deputies have been 

charged with misconduct 

after they allegedly reported 

five “hoax emergencies” about 

finding a dead body while 

on duty, officials announced 

Tuesday. 

Chesterfield County Sheriff 

Cambo Streater said he 

learned about “possible misconduct 

by three of our deputies” 

last week, NBC News 

reports. 

“Based on the nature of the 

allegations, I requested the 

State Law Enforcement Division 

(SLED) to investigate. 

SLED has begun their inquiry 

and the Chesterfield County 

Sheriff’s Office is cooperating 

fully,” he said in a statement 

on Facebook. The sheriff has 

suspended all three deputies. 

The three deputies — First 

Sgt. Justin Tyler Reichard, 28; 

Sgt. Darien Myles Roseau, 25; 

and Deputy Killian Daniel Loflin, 

26 — were charged Monday 

with misconduct in office, 

criminal conspiracy and 

aggravated breach of peace, 

SLED announced Tuesday. 

An arrest warrant released by 

SLED stated that the three officers, 

while on duty on Feb. 4, 

reported “five hoax emergencies” 

in the Cheraw, Chesterfield, 

McBee and Pageland municipalities. 

The false calls were made to 

convenience stores or local municipal 

law enforcement agencies 

and notified whoever picked 

up about the “location of a ‘dead 

body’ within the municipalities,” 

the warrant said. 

GEORGIA OFFICERS FALL ILL 

AFTER BEING HANDED PAPER- 

WORK 

Two Smyrna, Georgia, police 

officers were sickened Tuesday 

after a man came into their 

station and handed them some 

documents. 

According to an arrest warrant, 

a man named Little Stone III of 

West Point walked into police 

headquarters in Smyrna on Tuesday 

afternoon. The warrant says 

he spoke with Officers S. Smith 

and D. Jones about Smyrna officers 

and Gov. Brian Kemp. 

Stone reportedly handed the 

officers two pieces of paper and 

asked the officers to give them 

to the chief. About five minutes 

later, the warrant reads, both 

officers “began to experience 

respiratory distress and extreme 

fatigue. They were rushed to the 

hospital “suffering chest pain, 

chest tightness, dizziness and 

difficulty breathing.” 

The FBI is testing the documents, 

Fox 5 reports. 

Stone was arrested and is 

being held without bond at the 

Cobb County Jail. He is charged 

with two counts of aggravated 

assault on police officers. 

MINNESOTA TOWN SHUT- 

TERS POLICE DEPARTMENT 

MOOSE LAKE, MN. – The City 

Council in Moose Lake, Minnesota 

plans to shutter its police department 

and contract with the 

county sheriff for law enforcement 

services, according to reports. 

The small town is at least 

the fifth such governing body in 

The North Star State to recently 

dissolve its police department. 

The vote in Moose Lake was 

partially motivated by budget 

concerns. Last fall, the City 

Council reduced the size of a 

“5-person police force in order 

to fund the entire department,” 

the Star Tribune reported. Then, 

in January, two officers resigned, 

which left only one officer in 

service. 

“Public safety would have 

made up a major portion of 

Moose Lake’s $2.8 million 2024 

budget — about $900,000 for a 

five-person force and part-time 

administrative support,” said city 

administrator, Ellissa Owens. 

Mayor Ted Shaw told the news 

outlet that he was “disappointed” 

by the council’s decision. 

Moose Lake will contract with 

the Carlton County Sheriff’s Office 

for law enforcement services, 

Fox News reported. 

Moose Lake houses “prisoners 

of the Minnesota Correctional 

Facility and residents of the Minnesota 

Sex Offender Program,” 

according to the Star Tribune’s 

Thursday report. “Together, they 

make up about half of the city’s 

population.” 

Other Minnesota towns that 

have recently dissolved police 

departments include Goodhue, 

Motley, Morris, and Clara City, 

among others. 

“That tells you there is a real 

problem with inflation and budget 

and state supports,” Shaw 

said in response to the number 

The former Moose Lake Police Department 

of closed agencies in the state. 

“Something isn’t right.” 

According to the 2020 census, 

Moose Lake has a population of 

just under 2,800 people residing 

in approximately 3.66 square 

miles. 

LOUISIANA GOVERNOR DE- 

CLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY 

DUE TO POLICE SHORTAGE 

By Sara Cline 

Associated Press 

BATON ROUGE, LA. — Louisiana 

Gov. Jeff Landry has declared 

a state of emergency due to a 

police officer shortage. 

Landry’s executive order issued 

Thursday lifts limits on how 

many new employees Louisiana 

sheriffs can hire and on payroll 

increases for their departments. 

Landry, who previously had 

a career in law enforcement, 

said that police departments in 

the state are experiencing record-low 

employments “resulting 

in increased crime and less 

public safety.” As of July, sheriff’s 

offices statewide were down 

1,800 deputies, Landry said. 

“We applaud Governor Landry 

for highlighting the importance 

of the law enforcement profession 

and our state’s desperate 

need to fill valuable front 

line deputy positions,” Michael 

Ranatza, executive director of 

Louisiana Sheriffs’ Association, 

said in a written statement Friday. 

Landry’s order removes restrictions 

that state law places on 

hiring and payroll for a period of 

time following a gubernatorial 

election. Landry was elected last 

year and took office in January. 

Agencies around the U.S. have 

experienced police shortages 

in recent years. Small towns, 

including in Maine, Texas and 

Ohio, have disbanded their police 

departments, turning over law 

enforcement work to county 

sheriffs, a neighboring town or 

state police. 

Officer resignations were up 

47% in 2022, compared with 

2019, the year before the pandemic 

and Floyd’s murder, according 

to a survey of nearly 200 

police agencies by the Police 

Executive Research Forum, a 

Washington, DC-based think 


tank. Retirements are up 19%. 

Landry’s order is in effect until 

March 15. Lawmakers return to 

the state Capitol Monday for a 

special legislative session to address 

crime. 

The “executive order, and the 

upcoming crime special session, 

will ensure our law enforcement 

officers are supported and we 

can begin to bring law and order 

back to our state,” Landry said. 

ALABAMA DEPUTY DIES IN 

SUSPECTED SUICIDE OUTSIDE 

TRAINING EVENT 

Fultondale, Alabama, police 

reported an Elmore County Sheriff’s 

Office deputy committed 

suicide Thursday in the parking 

lot of an event center where law 

enforcement training had been 

held all week. 

Fultondale police said a call 

reported someone was shot, 

reported WVTM. 

Sgt. John Tanks, of the police 

department, told WBMA said 

the man was found dead from a 

gunshot wound in the backseat 

of the car outside the event center 

in Fultondale. According to 

Tanks, there are indications that 

show the death was a suicide. 

The deceased man was identified 

as Steven Earl Sims II, 43, 

and Elmore County Sheriff Bill 

Franklin confirmed that he was 

one of his deputies. 

US BORDER PATROL ACTING 

DEPUTY CHIEF JOEL MARTINEZ 

SUSPENDED 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Border 

Patrol Acting Deputy Chief 

Joel Martinez was suspended on 

Thursday without much of an explanation, 

according to reports. 

Martinez departed from the 

U.S. Border Patrol Acting Deputy Chief Joel Martinez 

agency’s Washington headquarters 

immediately following 

his suspension, The Washington 

Post reported, citing three 

Customs and Border Protection 

(CBP) sources. 

CBP did not provide details 

surrounding the suspension, yet 

the agency led people to believe 

some kind of “misconduct” was 

involved due to a statement 

released by spokeswoman Erin 

Waters, reported The Western 

Journal. 

“CBP does not tolerate misconduct 

within our ranks” Waters 

said. “When we discover any 

alleged or potential misconduct, 

we immediately refer it for 

investigation and cooperate fully 

with any criminal or administrative 

investigations. Federal 

privacy laws prohibit discussion 

of individual cases.” 

Martinez has been acting deputy 

chief since last month, The 

Washington Post reported. 

A June 2023 post on the CBP 

website said Martinez had been 

with the agency for 31 years at 

that time. He began his career as 

a Border Patrol agent at the Laredo 

South Border Patrol Station 

in 1992. 

NATURAL GAS EXPLOSION 

SEVERELY INJURES 9 LOS AN- 

GELES FIREFIGHTERS, 2 CRIT- 

ICAL 

LOS ANGELES, CA. – Nine firefighters 

in Los Angeles were 

injured — two critically — when 

a 100-gallon compressed natural 

gas cylinder being used to power 

a semi-truck exploded Thursday 

morning. 

The blast decimated the crew 

of ten firefighters who responded 

to the scene in the Wilmington 

area as nine were taken to the 

hospital. Among the injured, two 

are listed in critical condition 

and one is receiving specialized 

care in the burn unit, FOX 11 Los 

Angeles reported. 

According to the news outlet, 

several other firefighters who 

were injured were evaluated and 

treated at the scene. 

Fire crews responded prior to 

7 a.m. in the 1100 block of North 

Alameda Street near Henry Ford 



to a reported accident involving 

a big rig that had caught on fire, 

officials said. 

About six minutes after firefighters 

arrived at the scene, 

one of two tanks of compressed 

natural gas that was part of the 

truck’s fuel system exploded. 

The blast was so powerful 

it caused other damage in the 

area, including a transformer 

that exploded. 

Capt. Erik Scott of the Los Angeles 

Fire Department said the 

truck driver was not injured in 

the blast. Scott said the driver 

noticed something wrong with 

the truck and called 911, leading 

to a response from LAFD. 

Dr. Molly Deane of Harbor UCLA 

Medical Center commented on 

the injured fire personnel, saying, 

“Frankly, it’s remarkable none of 

them were more severely injured.” 

During a press conference later 

on Thursday, officials said there 

was no further danger to the 

public, FOX 11 reported. 

“I’m reminded of how heroic 

our members are and that each 

and every day they are putting 

themselves in harm’s way to provide 

an incredible level of expertise 

and professionalism to the 

people that we serve,” said Los 

Angeles Fire Department Chief 

Kristin Crowley. 

Crowley said a “significant incident 

review team” will analyze 

the department’s response and 

tactics used while responding to 

Thursday morning’s incident, and 

members will “gather opportunities 

for improvement.” 

GIRLFRIEND OF FORMER 

TEXAS JUDGE CHARGED WITH 

MURDER AFTER REPORTEDLY 

SUPPLYING HIM WITH FENTAN- 

YL-LACED DRUGS 

GRAPEVINE, TX. – A new Texas 

law that allows prosecutors to 

charge drug suppliers with murder 

if a user dies of an overdose 

is being applied to a woman 

accused of buying drugs from 

a dealer and reportedly providing 

the deadly combination to 

her boyfriend, a former judge, 

according to reports. 

William Shane Nolen, 47, 

was a former associate Tarrant 

County judge who died of 

a drug overdose. His girlfriend, 

Kami Ludwig, 35, was arrested 

Monday and is accused of buying 

fentanyl-laced Xanax pills, 

cocaine and other illegal narcotics 

that led to Nolen’s death in 

November, KDFW reported. 

Nolen’s 9-year-old son was 

home when he overdosed. Now, 

Ludwig faces counts of murder 

and possession of a controlled 

substance, according to a news 

release issued by the Grapevine 

Police Department. 

William Shane Nolen, 47, died 

in November after ingesting fentanyl 

and antidepressants. 


Ludwig’s arrest after her boyfriend’s 

overdose death stems 

from a new state law that became 

effective in September, 

which makes the circumstances 

qualify for murder, the New York 

Post reported. 

“They found evidence that she 

sought out the pills,” Amanda 

McNew, with the Grapevine 

Police Department, told KDFW. 

“She bought them and brought 

them back to the victim. He took 

them, and he died.” 

The investigation revealed that 

Ludwig obtained the narcotics 

from dealers in the nearby city 

of Fort Worth and a location in 

Louisiana. 

Ludwig, who called 911 on Nov. 

20, 2023, said she awoke before 

dawn to find Nolen unresponsive 

next to her and ran to a neighbor’s 

home for help. 

When officers arrived, they 

found the 47-year-old man dead 

in his bedroom from a drug 

overdose. At the time of death 

he had “bluish-purple” skin and 

white foam around his nose and 

mouth, Law&Crime reported, 

citing a police affidavit. 

During the subsequent death 

investigation, several pills 

marked “M-30” were found 

scattered nearby. Detectives also 

seized 40 blue fentanyl-laced 

pills, cocaine, oxycodone and 

Xanax from Ludwig’s purse, according 

to the affidavit. 

The woman was arrested in 

November for narcotics violations, 

and later released from 

jail. 

During the ongoing investigation, 

detectives believe Ludwig 

purchased the narcotics from 

drug dealers identified as “Blue” 

and “T.” 

Ludwig allegedly 

purchased 

the 

controlled 

substances 

from “T” in 

Fort Worth on 

Nov. 19, according 

to the 

affidavit. She 

also reportedly 

received 

a package 

shipped from 

Louisiana in an 

Apple iPhone 

box that contained 

Xanax 

pills. 

An autopsy revealed that Nolen 

died from a combination of 

fentanyl and the antidepressant 

Trazodone. 

Once Grapevine police obtained 

an arrest warrant 

charging Ludwig with murder, 

she surrendered on Monday and 

subsequently posted bond. 

COLO. PD EXTENDS 32-HOUR 

WORK WEEK PROGRAM AF- 

TER SUCCESSFUL START 

By Joanna Putman, Police1 

GOLDEN, CO. — After a successful 

pilot program, the 

Golden Police Department will 

extend its 32-hour work week 

experiment, CBS News reported. 

The pilot program was 

launched to keep the department 

fully staffed in the face of a 

shortage of officer applications, 

according to the report. The officers 

and civilian workers of the 

department did not have benefits 

cut and were still paid their 40- 

hour workweek salaries. But they 

only work four, eight-hour days 

per week. 

“We are still seeing response 

times that are typically less than 

the response times under the 

previous schedule. We are seeing 

more calls for service activity 

under that previous model, 

and we have a level of morale 

and engagement with the staff 

that is in the 90-plus percentile,” 

Golden City Manager Scott Vargos 

said. 

Several officers reported positive 

impacts on their personal 

lives away from work, according 

to the report. 

“I’m able to make more of my 

kids’ outings at school and be 

present with their academies... 

I’m less stressed,” Crime Scene 

Investigator Latar Durand said. 

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BWC: OHIO OFFICER SHOT 

TRYING TO RESCUE HOSTAGE 

HELD AT GUNPOINT 

By Joanna Putman 

Police1 

ONTARIO, OH. — Body camera 

footage released by the Ontario 

Police Department shows the 

moment an officer and a hostage 

were shot during a standoff, 

WBNS reported. 

Officers responded to a call 

on Feb. 12 that Jareth Vance, 32, 

had violated a protection order, 

according to the report. The 911 

caller told police that the suspect 

was armed. 

When officers arrived at the 

scene, Vance confronted them 

while holding a woman hostage 

at gunpoint. Video shows other 

people, including crying children, 

pouring out of the home. 

Officers can be heard instructing 

the group of people to go to a 

neighbor’s house and commanding 

Vance to drop the weapon. 

Vance appeared to be struggling 

with the hostage as she 

tried to escape his custody. 

As officers continued to yell 

at Vance to drop the weapon, 

several shots can be heard. The 

woman and Officer Dylan Bailey 

were wounded by Vance’s gunshots. 

Vance then barricaded himself 

inside the apartment where 

he held a 16-year-old hostage, 

according to the report. Hostage 

negotiators and other agencies 

soon arrived at the scene. After 

around four hours, Vance surrendered. 

The 16-year-old was 

unharmed. 

Both Bailey and the woman 

injured by gunfire were taken to 

the hospital in stable condition 

and are expected to survive, 

according to the report. Vance is 

facing an attempted aggravated 

murder charge. 

“This is one of those calls that 

you train for, but you can never 

prepare for all of the other 

people who are there. This was a 

situation where you have people 

that are coming out - we 

couldn’t get some of the people 

to move,” Ontario Police Chief 

Tommy Hill stated in a news 

conference. “When I watch this 

[body camera footage], my heart 

just sank. This is the worst situation 

you never want your officers 

to be involved in.” 

BEN CRUMP SAYS CRIME IS 

‘BLACK CULTURE’ AND SHOULD 

BE LEGALIZED 

No one has ever accused serial 

drifter Ben Crump of being smart 

but if there was any question 

about his intelligence, that was 

decided after a recent appearance 

on MSNBC. 

Crump told the other panelists, 

that included Al Sharpton, that 

he has a plan to reduce crime in 

America. 

The answer is simple according 

Experience the only first 

responder owned and 

operated THEME studio 

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to Crump…just legalize crime. 

This isn’t some joke developed 

by artificial intelligence. In fact, 

it’s not intelligent at all. 

“We can get rid of all the 

crime in America overnight, just 

like that,” Crump told his fellow 

guests. 

“And people ask ‘how attorney 

Crump?’ – Change the definition 

of crime.” 

“Of course!” responded another 

guest. 

“If you get to define what conduct 

is gonna be made criminal, 

you can predict who the criminals 

are gonna be…They made 

the laws to criminalize our culture” 

added Crump. 

Another guest responded by 

saying that suggested all black 

people were criminals by their 

nature. 

“They made the laws to criminalize 

our culture – black culture,” 

responded Crump. 

Wait…Did Attorney Crump just 

say that blacks are criminals? 

If we said that, wouldn’t he be 

the first face you would see in the 

mainstream media the next day 

calling us a racist? 

While Crump, who we’ve never 

actually seen in a court of law, 

has been a joke for years, he is 

also the face of the American 

Dream. 

If he can become a millionaire…anyone 

can. 

HOUSTON PD WORKING TO 

REOPEN THOUSANDS OF CASES 

SUSPENDED DUE TO ‘LACK OF 

PERSONNEL 

By Joanna Putman, Police1 

HOUSTON — The Houston Police 

Department has been unable 

to fully investigate more than 

260,000 cases since 2016 because 

of a “lack of personnel” suspension 

status, Houston Public Media 

reported. 

Houston Chief Troy Finner has 

stated that the suspended cases 

represent about 10% of the 

2.8 million incident reports filed 


with the department in the past 

8 years, according to the report. 

Finner also stated that the department 

would be reopening 

about 4,000 of the suspended 

cases to investigate sexual assaults. 

Finner stated that the status 

of the cases as “suspended due 

to lack of personnel” should 

never have existed, according 

to the report. Houston officers 

reportedly began using the code 

in 2016 until Finner instructed 

them to stop in 2021, with some 

officers still labeling cases with 

the code despite Finner’s instructions. 

“Regardless of staffing challenges, 

this should have never 

happened and will not continue,” 

Finner said in a statement 

last week. “All victims and their 

families are important to me 

and deserve to be treated as 

such.” 

Finner stated that the department 

is short about 2,000 

officers, according to an earlier 

report. 

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SURVIVING THE 

STREETS 


The Art of Stillness 

By Brian McVey, MAP 

I frequently listen to author and 

speaker Eckhart Tolle on the internet. 

In the past few years, he’s 

had a lot of open sessions, (see 

his YouTube Video’s) on spirituality 

and how to attain peace. In Tolle’s 

book titled, “Stillness Speaks”; he 

gives his thoughts on why stillness 

is the best weapon in the fight 

against aimlessness, depression 

and despair. There is depression 

and despair right now in Police 

Departments across the country. 

For me, when the noise of life gets 

overwhelming, I practice what Tolls 

preaches which is stillness. The art 

of being still. 

Officers now more than ever need 

calm in their lives. One way about 

going at this would be to practice 

quieting the mind and body daily. 

All over the country, Officers 

are over worked, understaffed and 

become political pawns for politicians 

without backbones. Less we 

forget, these same men and woman 

are working at Departments with 

poor leadership, trying to just get 

through the day without worry of 

a complaint from a citizen or a 

zealous boss. All the stress “noises” 

officers must deal with throughout 

their day is exhausting. For the 

average citizen, simply listening to 

a police radio would be draining, 

let alone driving the squad car, 

answering every call, and observing 

behaviors all around you every day 

is simply exhausting. 

Tolle preaches the humble practicing 

of stillness. He speaks about 

eliminating the “commotions” in 

one’s life and replacing that noise 

with silence. Tolle explains, “sometimes 

we become trapped in a 

stream of thought, we are anchored 

in the past or dreaming or worrying 

about the future, and we miss the 

now!” 

Tolle lectures on the truth and 

true intelligence operates silently. 

Stillness is where creativity and 

solutions to problems are found. 

Tolle’s words make me think of all 

the wise mentors I had on the Chicago 

Police Department. The wise 

officers were not loud, aggressive 

and these fine men could handle any 

situation. Why you ask? Because 

they were always in the present 

mindset. I realized then as I do now, 

these men commanded respect because 

of their ability to be present. 

This is a current practice which I 

am teaching my children now. Basically 

be present with what you are 

doing …in the now. Far too many 

officers are juggling to many plates 

in life and wonder why/how it came 

crashing down? Slow down and 

clear your mental and physical zip 

drive clean. Everyone who owns 

a phone knows the importance of 

charging it or else? Well, why not 

practice charging yourself daily 

with the gift of stillness! 

Here are some free and easy tips 

to unwind and practice stillness. 

• Breathe. Taking slow, deep 

breaths induces the parasympathetic 

system and slows your heart rate. 

• Practice when you need it - You 

can practice this at roll call daily. 

• Find a favorite spot - Try to 

make it outdoors, such as a park 

bench, or in the yard. 

• Listen to soft music - Every Mentor 

I had while on the job had this 

in common, they all would unwind 

with classical music. 

• Learn to enjoy being alone – 

People are often afraid of being 

alone with their thoughts 

• Turn the TV off for a night – This 

is one way of turning the noise literally 

off. 

• Getting off social media – Try it 

out, you will soon find out, it’s consuming 

your life. 

• Learn to say No – Don’t give 

yourself out to everyone; it’s not 

sustainable. 

• Take a walk – Going on a walk 

without my phone or talking can be. 

• Reading a book – Getting lost in 

a great read is incredibly relaxing 

for many officers. 

• Stop thinking negatively – This 

small behavior is critical in mentally 

rebooting. 

Eckhart’s profound, yet simple 

teachings have helped countless 

people around the globe experience 

a state of vibrantly alive inner peace 

in their daily lives. I think some of 

his (free) video’s online where his 

teachings focus on the power of 

presence, the awakened state of 

consciousness, which transcends 

ego could help immeasurable officers. 

Finally, just because the world 

around us is in full-blown chaos, 

doesn’t mean we always need to 

join. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Proud dad, former Chicago Police 

officer injured in the line of duty in 

2012. Brian has a master’s degree in 

Police Psychology from Adler University 

in Chicago IL. 

Brian likes to talk, email him at 

btmcvey77@gmail.com 


BORDER CRISIS 

WORSE BY THE DAY 

74 The Blues - March ‘24 The Blues - March ‘24 75 


What’s really going on at the border 

WASHINGTON (AP) — A small town on the Texas border declares 

a state of emergency as tens of thousands of migrants cross the 

border. The Biden administration grants protection to nearly half a 

million Venezuelans in the country, giving them the ability to work. 

This comes after some Democratic mayors and governors warn that 

growing numbers of migrants in their care are busting their budgets. 

The various scenarios playing out across the country paint a picture 

of a strained immigration system making an impact far from 

the U.S.-Mexico border. The Biden administration last month announced 

measures intended to alleviate the problems. 

The U.S. has had immigration surges before so what’s different 

now, and why? 

HOW DOES THE NUMBER OF MIGRANTS ARRIVING NOW COM- 

PARE TO PREVIOUS DECADES? 

Part of the issue is that a lot more people are coming to the U.S. 

The numbers dropped earlier this summer after pandemic-era migration 

rules ended and tougher enforcement measures kicked in. 

But the numbers are climbing again. 

In February, the border town of Eagle Pass, Texas, announced a 

state of emergency after nearly 6,000 migrants crossed the Rio 

Grande River from Mexico into the town of roughly 28,000 people in 

two days. 

In fiscal year 2022, Border Patrol encountered 2.2 million people 

crossing the border illegally. The numbers have gone down in fiscal 

year 2023 — about 1.6 million so far — but that’s still high. 

You have to go back decades to see comparable numbers. From 

1990 to 2006, Border Patrol encounters nearly always topped one 

million a year, with a peak of 1.6 million in 2000. Then the numbers 

began to fall. From 2010 to 2020, the agency recorded below half 

a million encounters a year, except for 2019 when they climbed to 

859,501. 

Statistics aren’t always a perfect measure, of course. The numbers 

from the 1990s and 2000s are considered vast undercounts because 

migrants often evaded authorities as they entered the U.S. Now, migrants 

often turn themselves in so they can request asylum. 

In recent years, the measures used to contain the COVID-19 pandemic 

skewed the count. The government relied heavily on a public 

health tool called Title 42 to quickly eject people from the country. 

But there was no penalty so experts say migrants returned again 

and again, thus pushing up the statistics. 



WHAT’S THE GOVERNMENT DOING? 

The Biden administration announced in February it was giving 

Temporary Protected Status to an estimated 472,000 Venezuelans 

who arrived in the country as of July 31. That makes it easier for 

them to work in the U.S. Venezuelans make up such a large proportion 

of the people coming to the U.S. that changing their status has 

an out sized effect. In New York City, about 40 percent of the roughly 

60,000 asylum seekers the city is paying to house are from Venezuela. 

The administration also vowed to speed up the time it takes for 

migrants who are already eligible to work to get their authorizations 

processed — a key demand from Democratic governors and mayors. 

More broadly, the administration has relied on a carrot and stick 

approach over the last year to deal with immigration. That’s involved 

doing things like giving humanitarian parole to people from certain 

countries provided they have a financial sponsor and fly into the 

country. And then relying heavily on consequences for those who 

don’t follow the rules. For example, they have beefed up deportations 

and expulsions. 

Republicans say it’s not enough and accuse the administration of 

doing little to control the southern border. 

WHO IS COMING AND DOES THAT AFFECT RESOURCES? 

Julia Gelatt, of the Migration Policy Institute, said there are key differences 

between what’s going on now and during past immigration 

surges. 

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, there were more single adults 

coming to the U.S. Now, families with children are increasingly arriving, 

and they have different needs. While a single adult traveling 

by himself may be OK crashing on a friend’s couch, families often 

expect more for their children and may be more likely to need government 

services to protect them. Kids need to go to school. 

Also, communications have advanced. These days, migrants can 

easily share information on social media about the best places to go 

and what services are available. 

Gelatt noted that many of the migrants crossing the border don’t 

hide from the government. Some have been granted humanitarian 

parole or have a notice to appear in immigration court. They may 

feel more empowered to ask for assistance. 

WHERE ARE MIGRANTS STAYING? 

One of the challenges that has thrust immigration into the spotlight 

is housing. 

New York City and Massachusetts have right-to-shelter rules, 

meaning they must provide housing to people who need it with 

certain restrictions. In addition to the roughly 60,000 migrants New 

York is housing, Massachusetts is also paying to shelter about 11,000 

new arrivals. 

78 The Blues -- March ‘24 The Blues - March ‘24 79 79

Murad Awawdeh, who heads the New York 

Immigration Coalition that advocates for immigrants’ 

rights, said immigrants arriving in the city 

previously didn’t really use the city-run shelter 

system. They had friends or relatives to help them 

find places to stay. But that’s changing. 

“The most unique thing about this situation is 

simply that folks don’t have a family connection 

here or community connections like they have had 

historically,” Awawdeh said. 

Decades ago, migrants arriving in the U.S. were 

almost all Mexican nationals. Experts and officials 

note that migrants today arrive from a 

vast array of countries across South and Central 

America and Africa, as well as from China and 

India. Their disparate countries of origin complicate 

deportations, because they have to be flown. 

In some cases, migrants can’t be deported because 

the U.S. has no agreement with their native 

countries, notably Venezuela. 

WHAT’S THE IMPACT OF MIGRANTS BEING 

BUSED FROM THE BORDER? 

In 2022, Texas began busing migrants to Democrat-led 

cities around the country to challenge 

the Biden administration’s border policies. Arizona 

has also bused migrants out of state. 

The numbers are relatively small compared to 

the overall migrant flow. For example, since the 

spring of 2022, New York says it has counted 

113,000 newly arrived migrants compared to the 

8,200 Texas said it bused there. 

But the Migration Policy Institute wrote last year 

that the Republican-sponsored trips had repercussions 

far beyond the numbers. After crossing 

the southern border, migrants used to spread “organically, 

quietly, and gradually” across the U.S., 

the Institute wrote. 

“The buses have instead brought migrants to 

these cities in an orchestrated, visible, and deliberately 

disorderly way. … In generating this 

chaos, the busing scheme has succeeded at least 

in showcasing the challenges at the border,” the 

organization wrote. 

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The Blues -- March ‘24 83 83

HARRIS 

COUNTY 

SHERIFF 

GALVESTON 

COUNTY 

SHERIFF 

84 The The BLUES Blues 40th -- March January Anniversary ‘24 ‘24 Issue The The BLUES Blues Blues 40th - January - March Anniversary ‘24 Issue 85

HARRIS 

COUNTY 

SHERIFF’S RACE 

REPUBLICAN PRIMARY 

GLENN COWAN 

“I remember the first night of the 

George Floyd riot in downtown 

Houston. As soon as I reported to 

my division, I was ordered downtown 

immediately to assist. I reported 

to the Central Patrol Division at 

61 Riesner, and the building had a 

security perimeter like a compound 

under siege. I remember downtown 

looking post-apocalyptic, with people 

running around on the streets 

with no cars to be seen anywhere. 

On the radio, I heard officers asking 

for assistance at a specific intersection, 

so I headed that way. I saw 

officers in disarray with no leadership 

– we were short on supervisors 

– so I stepped up and eased the 

panic I saw in some of the officers’ 

faces. Officers were asking me for 

directions and looking to me for 

leadership, and I stepped up to the 

challenge. As I stood downtown, I 

was in absolute disbelief. 

I considered the county and 

community that I grew up in and 

wondered, “How did we get here?”. 

Harris County, for all its problems, 

has historically enjoyed one distinct 

characteristic beyond other large 

cities and counties - lower crime. 

Why? Because county leadership 

resembled the citizens’ bi-partisan 

attitudes toward law and order and 

their resistance to relinquishing a 

safe community by submitting to 

contrary ideologies. I witnessed the 

chaos in that riot with the realization 

that it was a byproduct of 

weak local and national leadership. 

The riot was indicative of endemic 

attitudes that were against law 

and order produced by politicians, 

judges, and their activist associates. 

The cameras and journalists were 

there covering every minute of the 

riot, but it was just one example 

of the community’s influence being 

appropriated by people who didn’t 

represent or respect them. 

I later learned that most of the rioters 

who were arrested that night 

weren’t members of our community 

- they were bused in as far as out 

of state. It was in this situation that 


most people would never experience 

that I realized how vital it is to 

have qualified police leadership that 

is ready at a moment’s notice. I was 

born and raised in Harris County, 

and I don’t like what it has become. 

Due to my concerns for our community, 

I prayed and spoke with my 

family and decided that I needed to 

step up and run for sheriff. I’m the 

only republican candidate with police 

supervisory experience and jail 

supervisory experience - qualifications 

that are paramount to being 

sheriff of the nation’s third-largest 

county. Escalating violent crime and 

violence and death in our county 

jail equate to human rights violations 

that have to be addressed 

immediately. We should ask sheriff 

candidates tough questions about 

their recent training, supervisory 

experience, real-life scenarios that 

they have encountered, and their 

commitment to protecting citizens’ 

constitutional rights. One Republican 

candidate has stated that you 

just need to be a good politician to 

be sheriff – I think 100% of Harris 

County citizens would disagree.” 

PAUL DAY 

As I stand before you as a candidate 

for Harris County Sheriff, 

I am reminded of the journey 

that has led me here. With over 

45+ years of experience in law 

enforcement, including 32 dedicated 

years with the Houston 

Police Department (HPD) and a 

significant tenure with the Harris 

County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO), 

my life has been a testament to 

the values we uphold as guardians 

of the community. 

My years with HPD, particularly 

the 17 spent with SWAT, shaped 

me into a resilient officer, ready 

to face the unpredictable challenges 

of law enforcement. I 

continued my service by joining 

the HCSO, where I eventually 

retired after 11 years of diligent 

work. This unique journey makes 

me the only Republican candidate 

in the primary who has not 

just served but retired from the 

HCSO. This firsthand experience 

as a Harris County Sheriff’s deputy 

gives me an intimate understanding 

of the intricacies and 

demands of the role I now aspire 

to lead. 

As Sheriff… my focus will be 

clear: 

• Advocate for High Double-Digit 

Raises: I am committed 

to using all available resources 

to persuade the Commissioners 

Court of the critical need for 

significant salary increases. Our 

dedication and risk deserve equitable 

compensation. 

• Expand the Recruiting Process: 

Recognizing the need for 

a robust and talented force, I 

aim to broaden our recruitment 

strategies to bring in individuals 

who reflect the values and skills 

essential for modern policing. 

• Stand Behind Our Deputies: A 

fundamental promise from me – 

to always have your backs. Your 

safety and well-being will be 

my utmost priority, in and out of 

the field. 

• Control & Pass Jail Inspections: 

Managing the County Jail 

efficiently and ensuring it surpasses 

the Texas Commission 

Jail Standards (TCJS) will be a 

top priority. Our aim is not just 

to meet but exceed these standards. 

• Expand K-Time: Understanding 

the importance of your 

professional growth and financial 

stability, I plan to increase 

opportunities for you to engage 

in specialized assignments, 

enhancing both your career and 

personal well-being as well as 

enhancing the ability to protect 

those we serve. 

• Invest in advanced training for 

a skilled Deputy/Detention Officer 

workforce. 

In my bid for Sheriff, my commitment 

is to you, the men and 

women who put their lives on 

the line every day. I understand 

your challenges, I share your 

concerns, and I promise to lead 

with the same dedication that I 

served. Together, we can elevate 

the Harris County Sheriff’s Office 

to new heights of excellence 

and integrity. With your vote on 

March 5th, I WILL NOT LET YOU 

DOWN! 

Paul Day 

Elect Vergil Ratliff 

for 

Harris County Sheriff 

Committed to service has been my mantra and has defined 

my purpose throughout my law enforcement career. I am 

committed to the safety and security of all the citizens of 

Harris County and want to continue my service to the 

community as the next Sheriff for Harris County, Texas. 

Early Voting 

February 20 - March 1, 2024 

Primary Election Day 

March 5, 2024 

www.ratliffforsheriff.com 

Ratliff for Sheriff Campaign 

P. O. Box 980533 

Houston, TX 77098 

832-965-1748 

info@ratliffforsheriff.com 


Political Advertisement Paid For by the Ratliff for Sheriff Campaign

MIKE KNOX 

DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY 

JOE INOCENCIO 

My name is Joe Inocencio and I 

am running to become your next 

Harris County Sheriff? 

My primary reason to run 

against the Incumbent is the 

way the Jail has been neglected 

and managed like those in a 

Third World Country. The state 

Jail with its historic homicides, 

suicides, recent violent sexual 

assault of a female Jailer by 

an unescorted violent offender, 

Harris County faces serious 

threats. Increasing crime related 

to illegal immigration, narcotics 

and human trafficking, jail safety 

and the lack of manpower are 

issues which must be addressed. 

The next Sheriff of Harris County 

must be an advocate for law enforcement 

and must abandon the 

popular “hug a thug” approach 

currently infecting the politics at 

Commissioners Court. As Sheriff, 

I will focus on pushing back 

against unreasonable demonization 

of our law enforcement 

community. I will focus on enforcing 

all the laws of Texas and 

will get the jail recertified under 

the requirements of the Texas 

Jail Commission. I will reestablish 

the relationship with our 

federal partners by cooperating 

with I.C.E. and reinstituting the 

287G program. 

I bring over 15 years of practical 

police experience, from routine 

patrol to investigating complicated 

homicide cases to this 

office. I helped create the first 

Divisional Gang Unit in Houston 

and I am a founding member 

of the board of the Texas Gang 

Investigators Association, which 

now has hundreds of members 

statewide. Over 20 years ago, I 

launched a firm which consults 

with law enforcement agencies 

in the United States and abroad 

about street gangs and violent 

youthful offenders. I am a published 

author and a recognized 

international expert on street 

gangs. 

In 2015, I was elected to At- 

Large Position 1 of the Houston 

City Council and served two 

4-year terms. I gained a reputation 

as a person who stood up 

for conservative values and was 

unafraid of confrontation with 

the Democrat Mayor and liberal 

majority of council by focusing 

on good government based on 

social and fiscal conservative 

values. 

I have the law enforcement, 

business, political and electoral 

experience to be the winning 

Republican nominee for Harris 

County Sheriff. I am the best 

candidate to make public safety 

the most critical issue at the 

Sheriff’s office and at Commissioner’s 

Court. I ask you to vote 

for Mike Knox for Harris County 

Sheriff in the March 5 Republican 

primary. 

Jailer on detainee and detainee 

on detainee assaults and beating 

deaths, detainee deaths due to 

medical malfeasance, historic 

staff shortages, resignations, and 

low morale, historic number of 

Federal class-action lawsuits, 

and FBI and Texas Rangers’ murder 

investigations are just some 

of the reasons why I am running 

for Sheriff. We are in the national 

news for all the wrong reasons. 

The way the Harris County 

Jail has been managed has been 

labeled by employees as “The 

Culture of Death” and it has 

become not only a Public Safety 

crisis, but a Human Rights issue. 

My solution: We must reintroduce 

deputies back into the 

Jail. The experiment of having 

civilians with only five weeks 

of training staffing the Jail has 

failed miserably. The idea to save 

taxpayers’ dollars has ironically 

VERGIL RATLIFF 

As a public servant in law enforcement 

for more than thirty-eight 

years, I bring a varied 

amount of experience, both of 

which is essential in the role of 

an effective leader. I am currently 

employed as Captain 

with the Texas Comptroller of 

Public Accounts - Criminal Investigation 

Division, Professional 

Standards. I have patrolled the 

streets of Houston and Harris 

County, primarily working in 

black and brown communities. I 

have worked undercover in various 

capacities from purchasing 

and selling narcotics to posing 

and soliciting prostitution. I have 

investigated allegations of inappropriate 

behavior and/or criminal 

activities of officers while 

assigned to the Internal Affairs 

Division-Personnel Concerns. 

Yet, while all of the aforementioned 

assignments are notable, 

my most rewarding experience 

was as a Police Activities League 

(P.A.L.) Officer. I mentored and 

cultivated relationships with inner-city 

kids in the Cuney Homes 

community. Many of them call 

upon me today for advice and 

cost millions more due to multiple 

lawsuits, overtime, and outsourcing 

detainees out of state, 

not to mention multiple needless 

deaths. The “culture of violence” 

is perpetrated by undertrained 

civilians. When I joined the Harris 

County Sheriff’s Department 

in 1980 as a deputy jailer we had 

a lot less problems than we have 

today with a lot less deputies, 

and we certainly did not have a 

national stigma of a “culture of 

death” an “expectation of violence”, 

or a “place of torment 

and punishment”. Deputies must 

be the ones that control the jail, 

not the inmates. I have over 38 

years in law enforcement, retiring 

as a lieutenant from the 

Houston Police Department in 

2014, and as an Assistant Chief 

Investigator from the Harris 

County District Attorney’s Office 

in 2020. It is time for change! 

guidance. 

In the 1990’s, when communities 

across the country were 

being infiltrated with crack cocaine, 

I organized a community 

of people in Acres Homes. They, 

along with law-enforcement 

officers, developed strategies to 

combat drugs in their community. 

The organization was later called 

the “Acres Homes War on Drugs,” 

and for my leadership role I 

received the Presidential 1000 

Points of Light Award from President 

George H.W. Bush. Based on 

my extensive law-enforcement 

experience and my known commitment 

to community service, in 

2010, I was appointed by City of 

Houston Mayor Annise Parker to 

serve on the Board of Managers 

for the Greater Harris County 911 

Network. As of this date, I continue 

to serve on the Board of Managers 

as an appointee by Mayor 

Sylvester Turner. 

I have received numerous 

awards, commendations, and 

recognitions throughout my law 

enforcement career. In 2019 I 

was recognized with a life saving 

award and for Women in Leadership 

in 2023 by the Texas Comptroller. 

Over the years I’ve cultivated 

my leadership by attending 

classes, workshops, conferences 

and seminars. I have accepted 

leadership roles through employment, 

political appointments, and 

community volunteerism, all of 

which have afforded me the opportunity 

to exercise my acquired 

leadership skills through practical 

application. 

I am hard-working, dedicated 

and committed to professionalism 

and excellence. Although 

my chosen profession is under 

attack and scrutiny, I continue 

to wear the badge proudly and 

remain committed to restoring 

community faith and trust in law 

enforcement. 


GALVESTON 

COUNTY 

SHERIFF’S RACE 

 

 

 

 

REPUBLICAN PRIMARY 

JIMMY FULLEN 

 

 

Jimmy Fullen is a 35+ year law inal activity will not be tolerated. I 

enforcement veteran rising through will defend your 2nd amendment 

the ranks as a patrolman, to police 

rights, fight against the woke left 

chief, to most recently serving that want to defund the police and 

the past 14 years as the Republican you have my promise that I will aggressively 

Elected Constable for Galveston 

protect and defend your 

County Precinct 2. His dedication to God Given Rights as Americans. 

protecting the citizens of Galveston Elect me, Jimmy Fullen as your next 

County has earned him the endorsements 

Galveston County Sheriff. 

of nearly every municipal po- 

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Almost a year 

lice association in the County along ago, longtime friend and fellow law 

with CLEAT, TMPA, COPS and 90% enforcement officer Jimmy Fullen, 

 

of the Republican elected officials called me to say he was running for 

 

in Galveston County. Jimmy Fullen sheriff. I’ve known Jimmy for well 

 

will dedicate more resources in the over 30 years, and he is one of the 

Sheriff’s Office to tackle the increase finest men to ever wear a badge. has your back. There is NO ONE 

 

of gang violence and fentanyl overdoses 

in Galveston County. I will times and bad. Hurricanes and Mardi Jimmy Fullen to be the next Sheriff 

We’ve worked together during good more qualified or prepared than 

continue allocating resources to the Gras. Traffic accidents and serving of Galveston County. It is with great 

southern border to help combat the felony warrants. No matter what honor on behalf of The BLUES, 

invasion of illegal aliens that are the circumstances, Jimmy has always 

the largest police magazine in the 

shown his passion for the job world, to endorse Jimmy Fullen for 

flooding across our borders. 

 

As Sheriff, I will put criminals on and his desire to serve the citizens the Office of Sheriff for Galveston 

notice that Galveston County is no of his community. He’s always the County. MICHAEL BARRON, PUBLISH- 

longer open for business and crim- 

first one through the door and 100% ER, THE BLUES 

 


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RAY NOLEN 

Major Ray Nolen is a dedicated 

law enforcement professional with 

an impressive career spanning 

over three decades. He began his 

journey with the Galveston County 

Sheriff’s Office in June 1991 as a 

Reserve Deputy while also working 

full-time for the City of La Porte. 

After 32 years of service, he retired 

as the Chief of EMS, leaving behind 

a legacy of excellence. 

Major Ray Nolen’s career in law 

enforcement and public service 

spans over three decades, showcasing 

his dedication to protecting 

and serving his community. 

Throughout his tenure, he has acquired 

a wealth of experience and 

expertise in various areas. 

As the Chief of EMS for the City 

of La Porte, Major Nolen played a 

crucial role in ensuring the safety 

and well-being of the residents. 

His leadership and strategic decision-making 

skills contributed to 

the efficient operation of the emergency 

medical services, ultimately 

saving countless lives. 

Major Nolen’s commitment to 

continuous learning and professional 

development led him to pursue 

higher education. He attended 

the University of Houston, where he 

obtained his Law Enforcement credentials, 

Additionally, he completed 

the prestigious Certified Public 

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Houston State University, solidifying 

his expertise in public administration 

and management. 

In addition to his law enforcement 

and EMS background, Major 

Nolen has been actively involved in 

various community organizations 

and initiatives. He currently serves 

as a board member for the College 

of the Mainland - Police Academy 

Program, where he contributes to 

shaping the future of law enforcement 

professionals. Major Nolen’s 

involvement with the Galveston 

County Crisis Incident Stress Management 

Team demonstrates his 

commitment to supporting and assisting 

law enforcement individuals 

in times of crisis. 

Major Nolen’s impact extends 

beyond his daily duties. He wrote a 

grant for Operation Lone Star, securing 

State of Texas funding of $3.1 

million to assist with South Texas 

Border security in Kinney County. His 

proactive efforts have ensured that 

agencies in Galveston County can 

provide much-needed assistance at 

the border. 

Outside of his professional commitments, 

Major Nolen has taken 

on leadership roles in community 

organizations. He served as President 

of the Rotary Club, where he 

worked alongside fellow members 

to carry out impactful projects and 

initiatives. Additionally, he held the 

position of President of the Heritage 

Society, contributing to the preservation 

and celebration of the rich 

history and heritage of his community. 

Major Nolen’s personal life is 

equally fulfilling. He resides in 

League City with his wife Michelle, 

creating a loving and supportive 

home environment. Together, they 

have raised three children and are 

proud grandparents to four grandchildren. 

Major Nolen’s dedication to 

his family mirrors his commitment 

to his profession and community, 

showcasing his well-rounded character 

and values. 

Overall, Major Ray Nolen’s impressive 

career, extensive qualifications, 

and active involvement in community 

organizations exemplify his 

unwavering commitment to public 

service, leadership, and making a 

positive impact in the lives of others. 

With his wealth of experience, 

unwavering dedication, and impressive 

track record, Major Nolen is the 

ideal candidate to serve as Galveston 

County Sheriff. He is committed 

to upholding the values of integrity, 

professionalism, and public safety. 

With Major Nolen at the helm, 

the community can trust that their 

well-being and security are in capable 

hands. 

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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 

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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 

98 The Blues - March ‘24 The The Blues Blues - March - March ‘24 ‘24 99

The following conferences represent only a few of the better 

police conferences you should attend in 2024. A list of EVERY 

police conference will appear later this month in this section. 

If your group has a conference or training session scheduled 

for2024, please send the information to: bluespdmag@gmail. 

com. 

10th Annual International Police K-9 Conference & Vendor 

Show 

When: March 12, 13, 14 – 2024 

Where: Las Vegas, NV = Tuscany Suites & Casino 

Why Attend: If you’re a K-9 officer, this is the must-attend conference 

for police and military professionals who work with 

dogs. Meet K-9 Handlers from around the world, shop for over 

60 vendors, and learn from diverse training topics. 

Master Instructor Development Program 

Truth or Consequences, NM 87901 

3/19/2024 - 3/21/2024 

2024 National Child Protection Task Force Conference 

When: MARCH 12-14 

Where: JACKSONVILLE, FL 

Why Attend: This three-day event, is geared toward teaching 

law enforcement professionals to enhance and expand their 

ability to identify and track suspects involved in child exploitation 

and child sexual abuse material featuring speakers from 

industry and law enforcement. 

17th Annual Gang Training / Mid-Atlantic Regional Gang Investigators 

Network 

When: March 17-20, 2024 

Where: Hanover, Maryland 

Why Attend: This annual training conference is restricted to 

sworn law enforcement officers, corrections officers, and criminal 

justice professionals and is organized in partnership with 

the US Attorney’s Office - District of Maryland, the American 

Military University, and the Middle Atlantic-Great Lakes Organized 

Crime Enforcement Network (MAGLOCLEN). 

Court Security Specialist Training 

When: April 8-12, 2024 

Where: Conroe, Tx 77301 

This course is designed for Texas Law Enforcement personnel 

who want to achieve TCOLE certification as a Court Security 

Specialist through the approved TCOLE curriculum. Officers will 

learn the various aspects and operations of court security. This 

certification will meet the court security training mandate. This 

course is also eligible for Oklahoma CLEET credit. 

International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence 

Analysts 

When: April 21-26, 2024 

Where: New Orleans, Louisiana 

Why Attend: The IALEIA annual training event is designed to 

help set high standards for professionalism in law enforcement 

intelligence analysis at the local, state/provincial, national, and 

international levels and this is perhaps, the best event for those 

working in the analytical side of law enforcement. 

2024 National Cyber Crime Conference 

When: April 23-25, 2024 

Where: Norwood, MA 

The NCCC event will feature “three days of extensive training 

full of instructions and conversations on the most recent and 

challenging cyber crime concerns for law enforcement. This 

unique training event is sponsored by the National White Collar 

Crime Center (NW3C), SEARCH, the National Association of 

Attorneys General, the Fox Valley Technical College/National 

Criminal Justice Training Center, and Federal Law Enforcement 

Training Center 

FBI-LEEDA the Annual Executive Education Conference 

When: April 28 - May 1, 2024 

Where: San Antonio, Texas 

Why Attend: This education-based event brings some of the 

top law enforcement thought-leaders in the profession and 

is open to law enforcement – sworn and civilian professional 

staff. 

International Public Safety Association Annual Conference 

When: May 1-2, 2024 

Where: Mesa, Arizona 

Why You Should Go: The IPSA hosts an annual conference that 

brings together law enforcement, fire, EMS, telecommunications, 

emergency management and allied emergency responders 

from around the world and provides excellent networking 

and learning opportunities for the latest public safety best 

practices. 

IACP Technology Conference 

When: May 21-23, 2024 

Where: Charlotte, North Carolina 

Why Attend: The IACP Technology Conference is a professional 

law enforcement information technology event bringing together 

leaders in law enforcement to discuss the best ways to 

adopt and apply new technologies in policing to keep pace with 

sophisticated cyber crimes. The event hosts up to 750+ attendees, 

roughly 50 education sessions, and 75 industry exhibitors. 


National Sheriff’s Association Annual Education & Technology 

Conference 2024 

When: June 24-27, 2024 

Where: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 

Why You Should Go: The NSA Annual Conference and Exhibition 

features vendor displays of products and equipment relevant 

to every aspect of law enforcement including; jails, prisoner 

transport, courtroom security, and police work. 

Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators 

When: June 24-27, 2024 

Where: New Orleans 

Why You Should Go: The IACLEA 2024 annual conference will 

provide campus law enforcement professionals with the best 

educational programming for university police, a vendor showcase, 

and training and tools to positively impact their jobs. 

FBI National Academy Associates Annual 2024 Conference 

When: July 20-23, 2024 

Where: Kansas City, Missouri 

Why Attend: FBINAA is one of the best networking events with 

more than 17,000 members from 170 countries. Training and 

learning sessions have been led by experts from the likes of FBI, 

NYPD, Philadelphia Police Department, Department of Defense, 

Homeland Security, US Army War College, Ontario Provincial 

Police, leading technology companies such as Microsoft, and 

major retailers. 

2024 National Interdiction Conference 

When: August 18-23, 2024 

Where: Anaheim, California 

Why Attend: This event focuses on training and influencing a 

pro-active “All Crimes” approach to criminal interdiction and is 

coordinated by the National Criminal Enforcement Association. 

Annual SMILE CONFERENCE 2024 

When: September 18-19, 2024 

Where: Palm Beach, FL. 

Why You Should Go: Hosted by the Scottsdale Police Department, 

the SMILE annual conference is the leading event devoted 

to Social Media, the Internet and Law Enforcement initiatives. 

The organization pioneered the adoption of social media by law 

enforcement agencies across the world for public outreach, 

crime prevention, and forensics. 

High Technology Crime Investigation Association (HTCIA) 

When: September 19-22, 2023 

Where: Phoenix, AZ 

Why You Should Go: HTCIA features some of the world’s top industry 

leaders and is one of the most respected high technology 

investigation conferences in the world. Current practitioners 

who engage in high technology daily serve as both presenters 

and attendees. 

National Association for Civilian Oversight in Law Enforcement 

Conference 

When: October 13-17, 2024 

Where: Tucson, Arizona 

Why Attend: NACOLE started with its first event in 1995, and 

continuously works to put together comprehensive, informative, 

and inclusive programs that address skills training and current 

or emerging topics. This conference is best suited for civilian 

oversight practitioners, law enforcement officials, journalists, 

elected officials, students, community members, and others. 

International Association of Chiefs of Police 2024 Conference 

When: October 19-22, 2024 

Where: Boston, Massachusetts 

Why You Should Go: The IACP annual conference provides law 

enforcement leaders with the new strategies, techniques, and 

resources they need to successfully navigate the ever-evolving 

policing environment. 

Ontario Gang Investigators Association 2024 Conference 

When: November 2024 

Where: TBD 

The ONGIA conference brings together members of the law enforcement 

community to learn the latest in gang trends, investigations, 

and intelligence while providing professional development 

for Police, Probation and Parole, Correctional Officers, 

Crowns Attorneys, CBSA Officers, Victim Witness Assistance 

Program (MAG) and others. 

Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association 

46th Annual Symposium 

When: TBD IN 2025 

Where: Los Angeles, CA 

Why Attend: The HAPCOA is the oldest and largest association 

in the U.S. of Hispanic-American command officers from law 

enforcement and criminal justice agencies at the municipal, 

county, state, and federal levels. This year’s national training 

symposium will also feature a career fair. 

National Law Enforcement Exploring Leadership Conference 

When: TBD 

Where: TBD 

Why Attend: This conference is designed to inspire and educate 

law enforcement explorers who will be future law enforcement 

professionals and leaders. 

Crimes Against Children Conference 

When: TBD 

Where: TBD 

The annual CACC event, typically held in Dallas, Texas, is organized 

by the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center and brings 

together up to 10,000 law enforcement and children advocates 

focused on preventing and addressing the repercussions of 

crimes against children. 

PROUDLY PRESENTS THE 2024 

ST ND RD 

1 / 2 / 3 PLACE PRIZES TO BE AWARDED IN THREE CATEGORIES: 

ISD Police Unit Non-ISD Police Unit Open Category 

102 The Blues - March ‘24 FOR CONTESTANT HANDBOOK AND TO REGISTER, The Blues VISIT: - March ‘24 103 

txssc.txstate.edu/events/tss-conf

SAN ANTONIO, TX 

JUNE 23-27, 2024 

Registration 

Early Registration Ends 

May 24, 2024 

If you are a Texas school administrator, school-based law enforcement officer, 

educator, emergency manager, school safety specialist, first responder, mental health 

provider, or school board member, the 2024 Texas School Safety Conference is for 

you! 

Join us from June 23-27, 2024 at the beautiful San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter Hotel 

for a deep dive into current trends, best practices, and innovative, evidence-based 

approaches in school safety and security. Learn from leading experts in the fields of 

school behavioral threat assessment, emergency management, school-based law 

enforcement, and mental health, and hear from your peers throughout the state about 

strategies to effectively engage educators, law enforcement, and community 

members to promote positive cultures of safety and preparedness. 

Register Early 

$350 / person 

2024 Texas School Safety 

Conference Program 

Come prepared to network, share ideas, and return to your community equipped with new knowledge, tools, and inspiration, to continue the 

essential work of creating safe and healthy environments in Texas schools and communities. 

Space is limited. Register today! Registration will be closed once full capacity is reached. 

The TxSSC will offer up to 19 TCOLE and/or CPE credit hours. 

2024 Texas School Safety Center Conference Host Hotel 

San Antonio 

Marriott Rivercenter 

101 Bowie Street 

San Antonio, Texas 78205 

210.223.1000 (hotel) 

877.622.3056 (reservations) 

RivercenterMarriott.com 

Google Maps 

Situated on the vibrant River Walk, the San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter greets you with the city's authentic culture, newly restyled hotel 

rooms, an indoor/outdoor pool and a premier location in downtown San Antonio, Texas. Located on the San Antonio River Walk, the San 

Antonio Marriott Rivercenter hotel places you just steps from popular dining, shopping and entertainment. Stroll to historical landmarks, 

browse the Shops at Rivercenter, enjoy family fun at Legoland Discovery Center San Antonio or visit the Alamo. 

Special Rate: $219 - Single / $219 - Double 

Special Rate Cut-Off Date: May 31, 2024 

Book Your Room 

For more information about the Texas School Safety Conference 

contact Cynthia J. Arredondo at cj19@txstate.edu. 


Cold Case/No-Body Homicide 

Investigation & Prosecution Course 

The IHIA, FBI and Kansas City Police Department will be 

holding our Cold Case/No-Body Homicide Investigation 

& Prosecution course in Kansas City, Missouri 

Topics Include: 

• Establishing a Cold Case 

Unit 

• Investigative First Steps 

• Complete Case Analysis 

• Case Strategy 

April 29-May 2, 2024 

Kansas City Police Training Academy 

6885 NE Pleasant Road, Kansas City, Missouri 64157 

$ 410 

Non Member 

Includes all training materials, IHIA membership, coffee each 

morning, and a networking event. 

REGISTER HERE 

$ 360 

IHIA Active Member 

BOOK HOTEL 

For questions, please contact: 

Lt. Steve Lewis (ret), (813) 299-9921, slewis@ihia.org 

Detective First Lieutenant Dave Eddy (ret), (517) 749-4167, deddy@ihia.org 

or visit IHIA.org 

Department credentials will be required at check-in. Individuals who do not have 

issued department credentials should contact us directly prior to arrival. 

• Laboratory Considerations 

• Evidence Considerations 

• Interview and Interrogation 

• False Confessions 

• Missing Persons 

• How to Build a No-Body 

Case 

• Case Presentation to 

Prosecution 

• Prosecution Considerations 

/Strategies 


HONORING OUR FALLEN HEROES 

TROOPER ZACHARY FINK 

CHIEF DEPUTY SHERIFF KEN PROROK 

FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL, FLORIDA 

END OF WATCH FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024 

AGE: 26 TOUR: 3 YEARS BADGE: 1550 

Trooper Zachary Fink was killed in a vehicle crash during a pursuit on Interstate 95 north at 

Crosstown Parkway near Port St. Lucie at 3:00 a.m. At 2:40 am, the subject was speeding 

and reckless driving on I-95, and St. Lucie deputies attempted to initiate a traffic stop. Other 

agencies joined the pursuit when the subject did not stop. The subject made a U-turn on 

Interstate 95, driving southbound in the northbound lanes on I-95. Trooper Fink initiated a 

U-turn to stop the vehicle and was struck by a semi-tractor trailer. Trooper Fink was transported 

to HCA Lawnwood Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The driver of the 

tractor-trailer was also killed. Trooper Fink had served with the Florida Highway Patrol for 

three years. He is survived by his mother, father, and fiancée. 

MOODY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, SOUTH DAKOTA 

END OF WATCH FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024 

AGE: 51 TOUR: 7 YEARS BADGE: 52-18 

Chief Deputy Sheriff Ken Prorok was struck and killed by the driver of a vehicle being pursued 

by the Madison Police Department at 4:12 p.m. Chief Deputy Prorok responded to the 

call for assistance and was deploying spike strips at South Dakota Highway 34 and 472nd 

Avenue in Colman. The driver intentionally swerved toward Chief Deputy Prorok, killing him. 

Chief Deputy Prorok had served with the Moody County Sheriff’s Office for almost eight years. 

He is survived by his wife, a son, and two daughters. 

108 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 

108 The Blues -- March ‘24 The Blues - March ‘24 109 109


DEPUTY SHERIFF TIMOTHY TAVARUS RIVERS 

DEPUTY SHERIFF CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON 

CRAWFORD COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, GEORGIA 

END OF WATCH TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2024 

AGE: 40 TOUR: 2 YEARS BADGE: 333 

Deputy Sheriff Timothy Rivers was killed in a vehicle crash on Marshall Mill Road, south of Chapman Road in 

Lizella. At 10:09 p.m., Deputy Rivers was responding to an officer assistance call, traveling southbound, when 

his patrol car crossed the center line. When he attempted to correct his path, he hit another vehicle. He was 

transported to Atrium Health Navicent Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries. 

Deputy Rivers had served with the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office for two years. He is survived by his four 

children, parents, three siblings, grandmother, nieces, nephews, and fiancée. 

HARNETT COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, NC 


AGE: 51 TOUR: 26 YEARS BADGE: J26 

Deputy Sheriff Chris Johnson was killed in a three-vehicle crash on Darroch Road in Lillington at 2:56 

p.m. Deputy Johnson had left Highland Middle School and was on his way to another school when he 

collided with a tractor-trailer. His patrol vehicle was thrown into multiple vehicles. He died at the scene. 

Johnson was with the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office for 16 months and was the Student Resource 

Officer at Highland Middle School. He previously served with the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office for 16 

years and the Dunn Police Department for 9 years. He is survived by his wife, four children, and father. 

110 The Blues - - March ‘24 The Blues - March ‘24 111


DEPUTY SHERIFF GREG MCCOWAN 

DEPUTY SHERIFF RONALD BATES 

BLOUNT COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, TENNESSEE 

END OF WATCH THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2024 

AGE: 43 TOUR: 4 YEARS BADGE: N/A 

Deputy Sheriff McCowan was shot and killed while initiating a traffic stop at 4959 Sevierville Road in Maryville. 

Around 9:00 p.m., Deputy McCowan and his partner pulled over a vehicle for erratic driving. The driver would 

not cooperate and shot Deputy McCowan and the other deputy in the leg. She returned fire, but the subject 

fled on foot. Deputy McCowan was taken to Blount Memorial Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds. 

The other deputy was treated at the hospital and released. 

Deputy McCowan had served with the Blount County Sheriff’s Office for four years. He is survived by two 

children, a granddaughter, parents, and fiancée. 

HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, TEXAS 

END OF WATCH SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2024 


Deputy Sheriff Ronald Bates was killed in a vehicle crash while en route to the Harris County jail at 10:00 p.m. 

After finishing an overtime assignment, Deputy Bates was traveling on Travis Street when he lost control of his 

vehicle and struck a tree near Richmond Avenue in Houston. He was transported to the Ben Taub Hospital 

where he succumbed to his injuries. 

Deputy Bates had served with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office for 31 years. He is survived by his wife and 

two children. 

112 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 

112 The Blues - - March ‘24 The Blues - March ‘24 113


PATROL OFFICER JONAH HERNANDEZ 

SERGEANT NEVADA KRINKEE 

LAS CRUCES POLICE DEPARTMENT, NEW MEXICO 

END OF WATCH SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2024 

AGE: N/A TOUR: 2 YEARS BADGE: 989 

Patrol Officer Jonah Hernandez was stabbed to death while responding to a trespassing call at the 300 block 

of South Valley Drive in Las Cruces. A witness to the stabbing shot the suspect and then used Officer Hernandez’s 

radio for help. 

Officer Hernandez was transported to MountainView Regional Medical Center where he died from his wounds. 

The subject had a long criminal record and mental illness. 

SHERIDAN POLICE DEPARTMENT, WYOMING 


AGE: N/A TOUR: 6 YEARS BADGE: N/A 

Sergeant Nevada Krinkee was shot and killed while serving a trespass warning near 5th Street and Val Vista 

Street in Sheridan. Sergeant Krinkee was transported to Sheridan Memorial Hospital where he succumbed to 

his wounds. The subject fled and barricaded himself inside a residence near Sixth Street and North Sheridan 

Avenue. The standoff is still active. 

Sergeant Krinkee was a United States Army veteran and had served with the Sheridan Police Department for 

over six years. He is survived by his wife, who also served with the Sheridan Police Department, and daughter. 

114 The The BLUES Blues POLICE - March - MAGAZINE ‘24 The Blues - March ‘24 115


DEPUTY SHERIFF ROBERT J. LEONARD 

PARAMEDIC ADAM FINSETH 

MEIGS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, TENNESSEE 

END OF WATCH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2024 

AGE: N/A TOUR: 2 MONTHS BADGE: 807 

Deputy Sheriff R.J. Leonard died in a single-vehicle crash into the Tennessee River off the Blythe Ferry Boat Ramp 

in Birchwood. Deputy Leonard was at home when he took the call relating to a disturbance near the Highway 60 

Bridge in Birchwood. He arrived at the scene at about 9:48 p.m. and, at 10:15 pm, radioed that he had arrested 

a female subject and was transporting her to the Meigs County Jail. A few moments later, dispatchers received an 

unclear transmission where Deputy Leonard mentioned “water.” When he failed to respond to a status check, a 

search began. The next day, his patrol car was found upside down in the water with the female subject in the back. 

His window was rolled down, and he was not in the vehicle. His body was recovered at 6:30 p.m. on February 15, 

2024. Deputy Leonard had served with the Meigs County Sheriff’s Office for two months. He is survived by his 

wife and three children. 

BURNSVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENT, MINNESOTA 


AGE: 40 TOUR: N/A BADGE: N/A 

Burnsville Firefighter/Paramedic Adam Finseth was shot and killed after responding to a domestic incident in 

the 12600 block of 33rd Avenue at about 2:00 am. As officers and rescue personnel arrived at the scene 

the man opened fire on them, fatally wounding Officer Elmstrand, Officer Ruge, and Burnsville Firefighter/Paramedic 

Adam Finseth. A Burnsville Police Department sergeant was also wounded. 

Officer Elmstrand had served with the Burnsville Fire Department for four years. 

116 116 116 The The BLUES Blues Blues POLICE - March - March MAGAZINE ‘24 ‘24 The The Blues - March - ‘24 ‘24 117


POLICE OFFICER PAUL ELMSTRAND 

POLICE OFFICER MATTHEW RUGE 

BURNSVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT, MINNESOTA 



Police Officer Paul Elmstrand and Police Officer Matthew Ruge were shot and killed after responding to a domestic 

incident in the 12600 block of 33rd Avenue at about 2:00 am. A man had taken several family members hostage 

and barricaded himself inside of the home. As officers and rescue personnel arrived at the scene the man opened 

fire on them, fatally wounding Officer Elmstrand, Officer Ruge, and Burnsville Firefighter/Paramedic Adam Finseth. 

A Burnsville Police Department sergeant was also wounded. 

Officer Elmstrand had served as a sworn officer with the Burnsville Police Department for five years and had previously 

served as a community service officer. 

BURNSVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT, MINNESOTA 



Police Officer Matthew Ruge and Police Officer Paul Elmstrand were shot and killed after responding to a 

domestic incident in the 12600 block of 33rd Avenue at about 2:00 am. As officers and rescue personnel 

arrived at the scene the man opened fire on them, fatally wounding Officer Elmstrand, Officer Ruge, and 

Burnsville Firefighter/Paramedic Adam Finseth. A Burnsville Police Department sergeant was also wounded. 

Officer Elmstrand had served with the Burnsville Police Department for four years. 

118 118 The The BLUES Blues POLICE - March - MAGAZINE ‘24 ‘24 The Blues -- March ‘24 119


TROOPER FIRST CLASS CHASE REDNER 

DEPUTY SHERIFF CHARLES RIVETTE 

GEORGIA STATE PATROL, GEORGIA 



Trooper First Class Chase Redner was struck and killed while investigating a fatal pedestrian crash scene at Interstate 

75 North near Mt. Zion Boulevard in Morrow. At 10:30 p.m. on February 19, 2024, a construction worker 

died after being struck by a vehicle while setting up a work zone. Trooper Redner was investigating the collision site 

and was standing outside his patrol cruiser at 12:30 a.m. when he was hit by a passing vehicle. He was transported 

to Grady Memorial Hospital where he died from his injuries. 

MONTGOMERY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, TEXAS 

END OF WATCH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2024 

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

Deputy Sheriff Charles Rivette was killed in a single-vehicle crash in Centerville, Texas, at 10:30 p.m. 

Deputy Rivette and another deputy were transporting an inmate when the crash occurred. The other deputy 

and inmate also suffered serious injuries. 

Trooper Redner had served with the Georgia State Patrol for over six years. He is survived by his mother and 

fiancée. 

120 120 

120 The BLUES 

The Blues POLICE 

Blues - March MAGAZINE 

- March ‘24 ‘24 The The Blues Blues - March - March ‘24 ‘24 121

WORDS BY Brian McVey, MAPP 

The Importance of Sleep in Law Enforcement 

Are you that officer who shows 

up to work thinking you are “officer 

friendly?” Ask your spouse 

or co-workers and they will 

inform you that you are actually 

“officer tired and cranky.” Working 

long hours, different shifts, 

and side jobs all while getting 

little or no sleep limits an officer’s 

performance drastically. In 

our line of work officers need 

sleep. 

I believe that many of us are, at 

times, “Officer tired and cranky.” 

But we need to make time for 

sleep. Make time for naps, our 

on-going schedules make it 

clear that effective sleeping and 

resting impact our physical and 

mental readiness. 

I know many officers who 

struggle in their daily tasks 

because they do not get enough 

sleep. Sleep deprivation influences 

not only mental but also 

physical health and performance. 

Lack of sleep is also associated 

with depression and mood 

disorders. If you have become 

that moody officer, get some 

sleep and friends and family 

might just like you more. Judging 

by sales of prescribed over 

the counter sleep medications, 

numerous people in our society 

(and on the job) rely on medications. 

Unfortunately, some medications 

are highly addictive, yet 

none of these drugs reproduce 

natural sleep. 

I came across a few articles 

how athletes have become 

masters of sleep. These athletes 

understand they must perform at 

high levels and cannot function 

properly under pressure. Sound 

familiar? Retired NFL player 

Tom Brady attributes much of 

his on the field success to his 

insistence on rest. Brady told 

ESPN Magazine that “I have to do 

things differently” means going 

to bed well before people his 

age typically do. Brady understands 

that without proper rest, 

he would find it nearly impossible 

to muster a winning mind 

set. 

“The old school approach of 

toughing it out is completely 

bogus, not to mention counterproductive,” 

maintains Charles 

Czeisler, director of the division 

of sleep medicine at Harvard 

Medical School. Czeisler, who 

is known around the National 

Basketball Association (NBA) 

as the “sleep doctor”. Charles 

recommends a simple formula 

for maximizing elite athletic 

skills: MORE SLEEP! It’s just not 

the area of sports, Warren Buffet 

one of the world’s most successful 

investors is similarly greedy 

about his sleep. He famously, 

told investors, “Why don’t you 

go home and get a good night’s 

rest, and we’ll meet again tomorrow” 

after an important 

meeting in the 1990’s. ` 

An expert on this topic is Bryan 

Vila. Bryan pioneered the study 

of police fatigue, in his book 

called, Tired Cops: The Importance 

of Managing Police Fatigue 

(2000). Bryan Vila, PhD, is a 

professor of criminal justice and 

criminology at Washington State 

University. His research focuses 

on the impact of sleep-related 

fatigue, shift work and long 

work hours on the safety, health 

and performance of police 

officers. Bryan stated in a Ted 

Talk that “As you work officers 

harder, you wear them out, more 

officers get sick and more of 

them burnout. You then have 

fewer bodies to put out on the 

street” Make sense to you? Bryan 

served as a law enforcement 

officer for 17 years—including 

nine years as a street cop and 

supervisor with the Los Angeles 

County Sheriff’s Department, six 

years as a police chief helping 

the emerging nations of Micronesia 

develop stable and culturally-appropriate 

law enforcement 

agencies, and two years as a 

federal law enforcement officer 

in Washington, D.C. 

Over the long-term, sleep 

disruption effects your immune 

system. It suppresses its actions. 

This means officer’s dis-proportionality 

gets cancer, cardiovascular 

deceases, metabolic disorders 

as well as psychological 

disorders. Forget bad guys and 

gunfire: several police studies 

done at the Center for Sleep 

Medicine at Mount Sinai School 

of Medicine in New York confirmed 

that officers shift work 

contributes to undiagnosed and 

untreated sleep problems and 

excessive fatigue. 

Maybe it’s time for you to seek 

medical help. The national 

counseling of aging suggests 

over forty million Americans 

have sleep apnea, a disorder 

in which the airway becomes 

blocked, causing sufferers to 

snore loudly and stop breathing 

for short periods. Those that 

suffer from sleep apnea feel 

drowsy from poor sleep, which 

raises their blood pressure to 

dangerously high levels. 

A good night of sleep practiced 

regularly will help improve 

your mental and physical state 

and help get you recharged. 

Sleep also helps to burn calories. 

While you sleep, you are 

more likely to burn between fifty 

and one hundred calories an 

hour. Be consistent with your 

bedtime routines; try to get to 

bed at the same time each night 

to train your body for a consistent 

melatonin release. We 

never say, “This person is a great 

worker because he is drunk all 

the time,” yet we continue to 

celebrate people who sacrifice 

sleep for work. Few U.S. police 

departments have established 

comprehensive shift, work-hour, 

and fatigue management policies 

despite the well understood, 

long-standing, and profound 

influences that round-the-clock 

schedules have on worker health, 

safety, performance, job satisfaction, 

and family life. So, work 

on getting more sleep. It just 

might be that simple. 

Brian is a proud dad, a former 

Chicago Police officer injured in the 

line of duty in 2012. Brian has a 

Master’s Degree in Police Psychology 

from Adler University in Chicago 

IL. Reach Brian @ btmcvey77@ 

gmail.com 

122 The The Blues - March - ‘24 ‘24 The Blues -- March ‘24 123

What Happens One Second 

After an EMP Attack: 

An Interview with Author William Forstchen 

By David Brown 

William R. Forstchen is a literary 

hero of mine going back to 

grade school. The prolific author 

and historian has written some 

of the finest speculative fiction of 

our time, and in recent years, he 

has achieved super stardom with 

the novel ONE SECOND AFTER. 

It is the story of how a father of 

two and his small, North Carolina 

community respond to an 

electromagnetic pulse (EMP) 

attack on the United States. 

His book has become a touchstone 

work in the “SHTF” (shit 

hits the fan) genre, and triggered 

a national conversation that 

remains ongoing. An EMP strike 

would involve a hostile power 

detonating one or more nuclear 

weapons over the U.S. at high 

altitudes. As Congressional testimony 

described, the explosion 

would interact with the ionosphere 

(the electrically conducting 

layer of the atmosphere) and 

the Earth’s magnetic field. The 

resultant surge in electromagnetic 

currents would essentially 

fry electronics from coast to 

coast, cripple the power grid, 

and cause cascading failures in 

American infrastructure. The 

United States is woefully unprepared 

for such an attack. 

We spoke recently about how 

an EMP attack would work, what 

its consequences would be, and 

how best to prepare for what 

happens one second after. This 

interview has been lightly edited 

for length and clarity. 

WHERE IS THE EMP THREAT 

MOST LIKELY TO COME FROM? 

North Korea, followed by Iran. 

Long ago for nuclear weapons, 

there was a concept called 

‘mutual assured destruction.’ 

If we launched at the Russians, 

the Russians would launch at us. 

Everybody would get blown up 

and so nobody would win. 

But for an EMP, the use of a nuclear 

weapon is a game changer. 

It’s known as an ‘asymmetrical 

first strike.’ All you need is one, 

two, three small warheads, loft 

them up over the United States, 

pop them, and you’ve blinded 

your enemy. You’ve shut down 

the power grid. It’s a catastrophic 

situation. 

If that happened, we could find 

ourselves in a scenario where 

we don’t even know who the hell 

launched it. It would be as easy 

as them using a container ship 

off the coast of Florida. Launch 

the weapon, blow the ship up, 

and where are the fingerprints? 

Who did it? So this is a very different 

type of warfare. 

WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO 

FUNDAMENTALLY CRIPPLE THE 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA? 

AND HOW PRECISE DO YOU 

HAVE TO BE IN DETONATING 

THESE THINGS? 

Good question. Really good 

question. When North Korea 

launched its first attempts at intercontinental 

ballistic missiles, 

I started asking some questions. 

And people, including from the 

White House, responded that 

North Korea doesn’t have EMP 

capability because ICBMs require 

a successful launch—it’s 

got to get up there—and then the 

warhead has to have a precise 

guidance system to bring it to 

its target. Seattle, for instance. It 

needs a precision reentry for a 

precision strike. 

But you don’t need that with an 

EMP. All you have to do is launch 

the weapon up there and get it 

over the western United States— 

doesn’t matter at that point if 

it’s over Seattle, San Francisco, 

wherever. You don’t need any 

precision guidance. Therefore 

they already have the capability. 

The ideal scenario is three of 

them. One in the western United 

States, one somewhere over the 

middle—it doesn’t matter if it’s 

over in Nebraska or Iowa, just 

pop it—and then one over the 

Eastern United States, say, over 

Pennsylvania. Pop it. You don’t 

need precision guidance to do 

this. It’s like horseshoes: As long 

as you’re in the general area, 

you’re going to get some kind 

of points. 

WHAT’S TERRIFYING—AND 

YOU’VE WRITTEN GREAT LIT- 

ERATURE ON THE SUBJECT—IS 

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. THE 

REAL ENEMY BECOMES HU- 

MAN NATURE. 

Yes, exactly. For a lot of people, 

you go to the sink and fill a 

glass of water, and it’s almost 

miraculous. You turn a faucet 

and water comes out. If you shut 

down the electricity, though, 

you are going to lose your water 

supply—and that’s true for 

every major city in the country, 

because it requires pumping and 

filtration. What happens to the 

general populace, within two 

days, if there is no water? People 

will be willing to kill to put 

a bottle of water into their kid’s 

hand. 

Society just starts to break 

down. The food supply? Twenty 

days you’re out of food. Medication? 

The pharmacies are closed. 

We turn on each other to try and 

survive, and according to Congressional 

reporting, upward of 

90% of the population will be 

dead a year later. 

ONE OF THE STRENGTHS THE 

UNITED STATES HAS HISTOR- 

ICALLY ENJOYED IS GEOGRA- 

PHY: WE’RE JUST SO SPREAD 

OUT. HOW DOES THAT PLAY 

INTO ANY SORT OF POST-EMP 

SCENARIO? 

124 124 The The Blues - March - ‘24 ‘24 The Blues - - March ‘24 125

You know, people have this 

fantasy that if we get hit by an 

EMP, four or five days into it, you 

could decide to get the hell out 

of the city and head to the country. 

Why? Because there’s a fantasy 

that out in the country you’ll 

find food and you’ll find water. 

Well, even in Nebraska, what do 

you think they’re dependent upon 

to bring in the harvest? To plant 

the seeds? To do all of it? Electricity. 

But without electricity, all 

bets are off whether you are in 

Montana or you are in New York 

City—it’s all the same. 

DOES AN EMP ATTACK HAVE 

TO BE 100% SUCCESSFUL TO BE 

FUNDAMENTALLY DESTABILIZ- 

ING? HOW WOULD WE EVEN 

KNOW WE HAVE BEEN HIT? 

You have to detonate the 

weapon in the upper atmosphere, 

the rarefied atmosphere, 

200 miles up. The nuclear detonation 

sets up an electrostatic 

discharge that then cascades 

down to the Earth’s surface and 

blows us out. But it’s not a lightning 

bolt. You won’t see it, except 

maybe if you were looking at the 

point of detonation. Then you’d 

see a flash, but it wouldn’t even 

bother your eyesight. You don’t 

need precision: just put it two 

hundred miles up, pop it, and it’s 

a game changer. It’s over. 

TELL ME ABOUT DEFENSE 

POLICY WITH RESPECT TO RE- 

TALIATION FOR THIS SORT OF 

THING. 

At the end of my book ONE 

SECOND AFTER, some military 

people finally come into the 

town a year later, and one of 

them says, ‘Oh, yeah, it was the 

North Koreans who did this to 

us and we flattened them—we 

turned their whole country into 

glass.’ And my main character 

says, ‘So? What difference does 

that make now?’ 

So if this really happened and 

we retaliated? It would make no 

difference to any of us because 

we’d have already lost the war, 

literally in one second. What we 

do afterward, it doesn’t matter 

to you and to me. 

SO WHAT IS CONGRESS DO- 

ING ABOUT THIS? 

I started thinking and writing 

about the EMP question about 

20 years ago, and I based a lot 

of my book, initially, on Congressional 

testimony. A number 

of experts were going up there, 

all saying the same thing: We’ve 

got to harden the grid, or we’re 

waiting to get our butts kicked. 

There was an attempt at legislative 

action, but it was killed in 

committee, particularly thanks 

to Lisa Murkowski from Alaska, 

because the bill didn’t have the 

perks she wanted. 

We’ve had at least two or 

three major efforts to put a bill 

through. A very strong leader on 

the issue was Congressman Roscoe 

Bartlett from Maryland. He 

was the only person with a PhD 

in the hard sciences in Congress, 

and rather than listen to him, 

they gerrymandered his district 

to eliminate him. So for 20 years, 

it’s been gridlocked, and every 

legislative action has failed. 

Now, what are we going to 

tell those people the day after? 

Gee, thanks? I had someone say 

to me more than once that the 

elite will take care of their own, 

but the rest of us slobs, we’re 

doomed. It’s kind of frightening, 

isn’t it? 

SO WHAT DO YOU RECOM- 

MEND TO PEOPLE WHO READ 

YOUR BOOK, OR WHO ATTEND 

YOUR LECTURES, ABOUT WHAT 

THEY SHOULD BE DOING IN 

THEIR OWN LIVES TO PREPARE 

FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS? 

To the person who hasn’t done 

anything: What’s preventing you 

from getting a month’s worth of 

supplies in your home? You can 

do it even if you’re just in a little 

apartment. Take some two-liter 

bottles of soda, and when you’re 

done, clean them out, fill them 

up with water, and stick them in 

a closet. You should have at least 

a couple of gallons of water per 

day per person in your household. 

Next time you go to the market, 

you don’t need to buy the 

fancy twenty-five-year shelf life 

stuff. Just simply pick up Campbell’s 

Soup and such. That stuff’s 

good for three or four years. Buy 

them on sale. Spend fifty bucks 

a month more than usual to get 

food, get water. 

The third thing I’d say, if you 

are on medication, don’t wait 

until the day before the medication 

comes due to get a refill. 

If possible, try to keep a three 

month supply on hand. Next: security. 

I do not advise people one 

way or the other regarding guns, 

but if you decide to do that, I beg 

you to get trained—and not by 

your neighbor. Get trained by a 

professional. I’ve seen too many 

cases of people getting hurt or 

killed because of stupidity with 

guns. 

Transportation-wise, you 

should have a G.O.D. bag in your 

car: Get Out of Dodge. Just take 

a backpack, fill it up with two 

liters of water, a couple of days’ 

worth of food, one of those 

space blankets, and keep it in 

your car. And put some silver in 

there—actual real silver coins. 

Because the day after something 

happens, you could be waving 

hundred dollar bills and nobody 

would care. But if you pull out 

a silver coin, you might be able 

to trade enough to get what you 

need. So very basic things like 

that. They can make a big difference. 

There’s this assumption among 

the public, I think, that if something 

goes wrong, someone 

else—likely the government— 

will take care of everything. 

But we’ve never encountered a 

situation where the mechanisms 

necessary to take care of everything 

also stop working. Your car 

stops in the street, and the tow 

truck that can move it is also 

stopped. Suddenly, that’s one 

move too many in a chess game 

for people to think ahead. 

It’s called the expectation of 

normality. The way things are at 

this very moment is “normal,” 

and we expect it will be that 

way tomorrow and the day after. 

That’s true for all of us. But if the 

rug gets pulled out from under 

us, then what? Suppose on September 

10, 2001, a bunch of people 

started pointing at the sky 

saying, you know, you could take 

a couple of jets and turn them 

into giant cruise missiles. The 

reaction would be “Oh, you’re 

crazy. That will never happen.” 

And then the next day it did. 

I keep telling people not to expect 

normalcy forever. Sooner or 

later something will happen. 

If there’s one consistent, recurring 

motif in the story of human 

existence, it is that “something” 

happens constantly. 

Our civilization is temporary. 

All civilizations are. If you went 

to the streets of Rome in 150 AD 

and said, “Guys, it ain’t always 

gonna be this way. Someday it’s 

gonna change,” no one would 

believe you. American civilization, 

we’ve had 250 years, and 

we’re doing pretty good. But 

don’t expect it to run for another 

250 years. Something will 

replace it. Maybe for the better, 

possibly for the worse. You can’t 

live on the expectation of normality 

forever. Every civilization 

rises, reaches a peak, and collapses. 

Who’s to say we’re different? 

We’re not. 

126 The The Blues - March - ‘24 ‘24 The Blues -- March ‘24 127

A BADGE OF HONOR 

healing our heroes 

What’s in your Mental 

Health Toolbox? 

We all have tools; we know 

what we have and sometimes 

we use them every day. When 

something needs repairing 

around our house, we go to 

our toolbox, take out the tool 

we need and fix what’s broken. 

We are very meticulous when 

it comes to our tools. We keep 

them clean, wiped down, oiled 

properly, and put them back in 

the proper place when we are 

finished so we know where they 

are if we need it again. 

We need to do the same thing 

with our Mental Health tools. 

If a door handle in your home 

is loose, you don’t just let it stay 

loose. Eventually the handle is 

going to break! So, what do you 

do? Well, you can just avoid 

using that door! You can keep 

it closed? Or you can open it 

more gently, hoping the handle 

won’t fall off. Or you go can go 

to your toolbox grab the proper 

tool, tighten the loose screw, 

which will take you less than 

5 minutes from start to finish, 

and you’ll have a more secure 

door handle. It may not seem 

like much. All you did was turn 

a screw a few times, but once 

its fixed you feel accomplished, 

happy, and more confident 

the door will not break. You’re 

Done. 

Your Mental Health Toolbox 

works the very same way. We 

all have mental health screws 

which need to be tightened every 

now and then. We have the 

tools needed to fix these little 

things. We just need to look 

for the proper tool. 

• Five Minutes of Breathing 

Exercises 

• Five Minutes of Stretching 

• Five Minutes of Mental Mindfulness 

• Five Minutes of relaxation 

These are just a few of the 

tools we have readily available 

to us at any time. These 

are tools we can use at home, 

at work or in our car. Just five 

minutes of tightening up, can fix 

most issues and keep us from 

breaking. 

Sometimes, the issue requires 

some outside help. Let’s look at 

this another way. 

When our car is low on gas, 

what do we do? We go to the 

gas station and fill our tank. 

Nobody likes to drive around 

with a 

blinking gaslight, it’s extremely 

stressful. We have all been 

there. Not knowing when the 

car will run out of fuel! 

We say to ourselves I can 

SAMANTHA HORWITZ & 

JOHN SALERNO 

make it just a few more blocks 

or I will fill up tomorrow, but 

without further warning the car 

just stops!! 

At this point, we always say to 

ourselves, I should have stopped 

for fuel and just filled up. Why 

did I let this happen? 

Our bodies work the same 

way. We need to keep an eye on 

our mental health gas light and 

refill our tank, sometimes we 

need to go see someone to help 

refill our own tank. 

Finding someone to talk to is 

easier than finding a gas station. 

As first responders, We have a 

directory at our fingertips of the 

best places to refill. We have 

the inside track on where to get 

premium fuel at the best price. 

There is no reason to run out 

of gas or live with a loose door 

handle. All the tools and resources 

we need to fix these 

issues are right in our own 

toolbox. 

We all face these issues, and 

you are not alone. Written by 

Retired NYPD Detective John 

Salerno, A Badge of Honor 


DARYL LOTT 

daryl’s deliberations 

Who’s Fault Is It? 

I think that this screenshot of 

a particular op-ed piece from 

the Washington Post probably 

captures the factional divide in 

our country better than anything 

I have read or heard. The Post 

writer blamed me for the shooting 

in Uvalde. She said former 

President Obama was right to 

cite me as “clinging to their guns 

or religion” and therefore, I am at 

fault. If you are a responsible gun 

owner and or a person of faith, 

I’m afraid the Washington Post 

has indicted you as well. 

The German Enlightenment 

philosopher, Immanuel Kant, 

coined a term that he called 

“Categorical Imperative” in his 

philosophical treatise on the 

“Social Contract.” The “Categorical 

Imperative” basically says 

that morality is based on rational 

logical actions and cannot be 

waived to serve passing notions 

of styles on what is or is not allowed 

in society. 

Personal responsibility is unwavering 

and rational. The abdication 

of the categorical imperative 

or personal responsibility is 

irrational, and therefore immoral. 

Irrational behavior is ultimately 

what causes society to collapse. 

The current atmosphere of upended 

rationale to justify witless 

spending and violating our laws 

with impunity is something that 

strikes conservatives (clingers of 

guns and God) in their hearts. 

The opposite of “categorical 

DARYL LOTT 

imperative” is “moral relativism.” 

Moral relativism says that 

“good” and “bad” are not objective 

and are subject to the 

styles and whims of the day. It 

states that people living marginally 

outside the boundaries 

of the rule of law are not to be 

judged. Their behavior whether 

it be stealing from a place of 

business or disruptive conduct in 

school must be accepted in the 

name of “social justice.” Where 

are our students going to learn 

personal responsibility when we 

can’t even agree on what is right 

or wrong? We can’t even agree 

on what constitutes a male or 

female! Moral relativism is an insidious 

tool of evil that not only 

allows for, but encourages bad 

behavior. 

The Washington Post’s writer 

is wrong. The person responsible 

for the Uvalde shooting is the 

shooter. The shooter, apparently, 

has lived his whole life with 

no accountability. He has been 

taught that he is not responsible 

for his actions. He knows that 

there are no consequences for 

bad decisions. He is the ultimate 

example of an individual who 

has lived with no one teaching 

him objective truth and objective 

standards. He was one of millions 

of boys who have become 

sociopaths or they live in a basement 

as part of a group often 

described as “Failed to Launch.” 

He was alive during other shootings 

and heard the same old 

hand wringing mantra, “It wasn’t 

his fault. We have to do better.” 

The next cowardly little sociopath 

to kill children is already 

lurking in the shadows of his 

mother’s basement. He’s known 

as a bully and a cruel abuser of 

animals. He is amoral, meaning 

he has no moral compass. A 

sociopath is not mentally ill. A 

sociopath can very easily pass 

any psych interview because 

he knows what the interviewer 

needs to hear. A sociopath is 

actually quite bright, but he does 

not have any empathy for others. 

He considers other sociopaths his 

“real” family. He has no respect 

for his mother and grandmother 

and he manipulates them into 

unwittingly supporting his evil 

intent. He’s listening, watching, 

and waiting for his fifteen minutes. 

He’s heard the mantra and 

knows it’s not his fault. 

Comments? DarylLott.Texas@gmail. 

com or faithfultexasfootprints.com 


DR. TINA JAECKLE 

blue mental health 

Survivors of LODD: 

We Honor Your Journey to Healing 

We continue to honor our survivors 

by dedicating this monthly 

mental health column to sharing 

the first-person journeys of those 

who have been deeply impacted 

by a line of duty death and will 

continue until Police Week 2024. 

As we listen to their voices, I am 

hopeful you will gain powerful 

life lessons and perspective, appreciation, 

and respect for those 

who continue to serve every day, 

and for those who have made 

the ultimate sacrifice. We should 

also never forget those left 

behind in the aftermath. 

This story is the fourth in 

the series, David Edwards, 

the father of Corporal Matthew 

Edwards, graciously 

agreed to offer his insight 

and road to recovery in his 

own words below. 

“It wasn’t that long ago . . 

. the first time I felt it. July 

23, 2010. 

I was busily preparing 

breakfast for my wife and 

worrying about being able 

to get in and out of the shower 

quickly enough to make it to 

work on time. Breakfast preparation 

in those days was pretty 

intense, and the order was the 

same every day. Two eggs – not 

over medium because the yokes 

were too runny, and not over 

hard because she still had to 

be able to dunk her toast. For 

someone who doesn’t even eat 

eggs, I struggled with getting it 

right, and some days I would go 

through 5 or 6 eggs just to get 

2 that she would eat! But that 

morning, breakfast preparation 

was interrupted by a phone call 

that caused me to simply turn off 

the stove and leave the uncooked 

eggs in the pan, because I now 

had a more important mission. 

I had to go upstairs and tell my 

wife that her baby boy had been 

CORPORAL MATTHEW 

LLOYD EDWARDS 

TAYLOR POLICE DEPARTMENT, MI. 

END OF WATCH 

FRIDAY, JULY 23, 2010 

DR. TINA JAECKLE 

shot and killed early that morning 

in the line of duty. 

I was ultimately able to pull 

myself together well enough to 

meet up with my oldest 

son . . . also a police officer 

. . . and we made our way 

to the hospital to spend 

a few minutes with Matt 

before his body would be 

escorted to the medical examiner’s 

office. We were 

greeted by a wall of police 

officers from several jurisdictions, 

and escorted into 

a tiny waiting room where 

some of Matt’s fellow officers 

were standing, some 

were sitting, but all were 

fidgeting with nervous anxiety. 

There was coffee, and I hadn’t 

yet had a cup that morning, but 

I didn’t want any. I patiently 

mumbled my response to a few 

officers and hospital workers 

whose only words were, “I’m 

sorry for your loss.” I sat down, 

and a few other officers settled 

in the room. I especially noticed 

the detective diagonally across 

the room with 2 large paper 

bags on the floor next to his 

chair. I instinctively knew what 

was in the bags, and why he had 

to guard them so carefully. 

And there we sat for what 

seemed like an eternity but was 

probably not more than 4 or 5 

minutes. And that’s when I began 

to feel it. Whether it is an 

instinct, a compulsion, or simply 

a calling, I felt like I was there 

to minister to the officers in 

the room as much as they were 

there to minister to me and Mike. 

I have been an ordained minister 

since 1976, but I had never felt 

more “called” to the ministry 

than I did that morning. After a 

few more minutes in the waiting 

room, we were finally able to go 

into the treatment room and say 

goodbye to Matt. As we were 

leaving the room, a lieutenant 

said to me, “Mr. Edwards, I just 

want you to know that we will 

do everything we can to help 

your family through this.” And 

instantly I knew how I had to respond: 

“You all are Matt’s family, 

too, and I want to do what I can 

to help you all through this. Let’s 

just get through it together.” 

I think for the very first time 

in my ministry, I actually understood 

the conversation that had 

taken place several centuries 

before between God and the 

prophet Ezekiel. The people of 

God were suffering in exile, and 

God was calling Ezekiel to go 

minister to them. But God didn’t 

immediately tell Ezekiel what 

he should say . . . He instructed 

him to simply go and observe the 

plight of his countrymen. Don’t 

ask any questions. Don’t preach 

any sermons. Just sit there and 

watch. And so Ezekiel describes 

in his narrative how he went and 

simply stayed among the people, 

and summed up his week-long 

experience with these words: “I 

sat where they sat.” Ezekiel was 

moved by that experience. His 

capacity to minister to them was 

built upon a foundation of having 

lived that experience himself. 

His compassion for them was 

not the sympathy of an outsider, 

but the empathy of one who 

had been immersed with them in 

their sufferings. 

The morning of July 23, 2010, I 

sat where they sat. I don’t know 

how else to explain it. But I can 

tell you that it is what drives me 

to do what I do as a police chaplain 

and as the leader of a nonprofit 

that focuses on the wellness 

of law enforcement officers 

and other first responders. Every 

time there is a line of duty death, 

my personal instinct is to shrink 

away and selfishly care for my 

own freshly opened emotional 

and spiritual wounds. But then I 

remember, “I sat where they sat.” 

There are people suffering who 

need to be ministered to, and no 

one can do it with more sincerity 

and empathy than one who has 

sat where they now sit. There 

are family members whose heart 

may only be touched by a loving 

word from someone who has 

been there. There are young 

officers who may be attending 

their first funeral who need to 

learn how to put themselves in 

the shoes of the suffering. 

I would be dishonest if I were 

to deny that whenever I see a 

social media post about a line of 

duty death, my personal desire 

is to shut down the computer, 

retreat from the pain, and protect 

myself. But I can’t because 

I sat where they sat. Whenever 

there is a line of duty death that 

happens close by, I would rather 

do anything besides put on my 

Class As and accompany a group 

of officers, stand in formation, 

hold a salute, and listen to one 

more final radio call. But I have 

to go, because I sat where they 

sat. I will continue to fight that 

feeling, and to embrace that 

feeling, because I sat where they 

sat”. -David Edwards, Father of 

Corporal Matthew Edwards 

For more information on the 

services and resources offered 

by Concerns of Police Survivors, 

please visit Concerns of Police 

Survivors (C.O.P.S.) 


NOT SO BRIGHT AWARD 

Light Bulb Award 

DEPUTY ACORN RESIGNS 

A Florida officer, who shot at cuffed suspect after mistaking acorn 

landing on patrol car for gunfire, resigns after Internal Investigation. 

By Joseph Wilkinson 

New York Daily News 

FORT WALTON BEACH, FL. — A 

Florida police officer confused 

a falling acorn for a gunshot 

and responded by unleashing a 

hail of bullets on his own patrol 

car while a man sat handcuffed 

inside. 

Jesse Hernandez of the Okaloosa 

County Sheriff’s Office 

shot up his vehicle after the 

acorn struck the hood during the 

Nov. 12, 2023 incident. His partner, 

Beth Roberts, also opened 

fire on the vehicle after Hernandez 

yelled “Shots fired!” and said 

he had been struck by gunfire. 

The handcuffed suspect inside 

the car, Marquis Jackson, was 

not struck by any of the bullets. 

“Windows were shattering on 

me the whole time as bullets 

continued flying across me,” 

Jackson wrote Feb. 7 on Facebook. 

“I was blessed not to get 

hit by any bullets or get hurt 

physically but mentally, I’m not 

ok. I haven’t been the same since 

and I don’t think this feeling I 

have will ever change.” 

Hernandez, Roberts and two 

other officers responded to two 

calls in Fort Walton Beach in 

the Florida Panhandle. A woman 

had reported that 

her boyfriend, Jackson, 

refused to return her 

vehicle and sent her 

threatening messages, 

including an image of a 

firearm silencer. 

While Roberts spoke 

with the woman, Hernandez 

returned to his 

vehicle to grab some papers. As 

he was walking past the vehicle, 

the acorn fell and struck 

the hood. Hernandez convinced 

himself that he’d been hit by a 

bullet, then dove and rolled dramatically 

on the ground. 

“I feel the impact. My legs just 

give out,” Hernandez told internal 

investigators. “I returned fire 

until I could get cover behind 


another vehicle that was parked 

in a driveway there.” 

Later in the interview, Hernandez 

was shown video of the 

acorn falling on his car. 

“Deputy Hernandez asked, 

‘Acorn?’” the report reads. “Investigator 

Hogan answered, ‘Acorn.’” 

Hernandez resigned on Dec. 4. 

Roberts remains a member of 

the department. 

ALL FIRST RESPONDERS & VETERANS 

10% OFF A NEW INTERIOR 

FOR YOUR CAR,TRUCK OR SUV 

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


CLICK HERE FOR WEBSITE

THE OPEN ROAD 

CES 2024 Showed that the Future 

of Cars will be Defined by AI 

By Dr James Jeffs, Senior Technolog.y 

Analyst at IDTechEx 

IDTechEx’s new report, “Future 

Automotive Technologies 2024- 

2034: Applications, Megatrends, 

Forecasts”, highlights the biggest 

changes coming to cars over the 

next ten years. Electrification will 

change what powers cars, and 

automation will change how they 

are driven, but one of the biggest 

opportunities is connectivity and 

software definition, which will 

change how cars are monetized. 

This was blindingly apparent at 

CES 2024, where it felt like “autonomous”, 

“connected”, “AI” and 

“software-defined vehicle” were 

prerequisite buzzwords for exhibitors 

to get through the door. 

We found that connected and 

software-defined vehicles have 

the greatest potential for growth 

in the automotive space. The 

reports found that these technologies 

will grow at a compound annual 

growth rate of 21.1% between 

2024 and 2034, reaching a value 

of US$700 billion. That’s around 

US$400-500 per vehicle on the 

road. So where is all that revenue 

going to come from? 

At CES this year, IDTechEx saw 

where some of this revenue will 

be coming from. Firstly, there will 

be the AI assistants in the cabin. 

This was a big focus from players 

like Mercedes, Amazon Web 

Services (AWS), and Qualcomm. 

The early functionality of these 

will be a more natural interaction 

with the car’s systems. Voice 

commands in cars are nothing 

new and have progressed over the 

years from an unusable gimmick 

to something that some readers 

will now be thinking, “Oh yeah, 

my car does have voice commands”. 

Even the best systems today 

are slightly clunky and require 

the user to memorize specific 

nomenclature and ways of phrasing 

requests. 

Over the past few years, the 

world has seen how much AI 

has grown, with chat GPT proving 

that machines can replicate 

normal human conservation and 

contribute to the vehicle experience. 

Qualcomm and AWS both 

had demonstrator interfaces that 

had been trained on the vehicle’s 

owner manual. This is an ideal 

first application as customers can 

ask about features on the vehicle 

and get an understandable explanation 

from the AI assistant. For 

example, the driver could ask the 

assistant, “Why is the engine turning 

off when the car is stopped?” 

and the assistant can explain that 

this is designed to save fuel and 

let the driver know how to turn it 

off if they desire. Another application 

is simply interacting with 

the vehicle’s settings. Lots of cars 

already have voice control systems 

that can change the climate 

control settings, but AI assistants 

offer a far more natural way of 

doing this. Drivers won’t need to 

hone their commands, and use 

specific words; they can say “I’m 

cold”, “turn the heat up”, “set the 

temp to 20 degrees” or “temp to 

70 degrees” and the car will make 

the change accordingly. 

AI assistants will likely come 

as a subscription service, though, 

especially since they tend to rely 

on connectivity. AWS’s AI assistant 

for the car is a cloud service, connecting 

to AWS servers to execute 

the AI functionality. Qualcomm’s 

latest chips incorporate built-in AI 

accelerators, allowing the vehicle 

to offer some AI features even 

when off line. However, it will 

likely require some connection for 

regular updates and requests that 

require accessing data that is not 

stored on the vehicle, such as calendar 

information or Wikipedia 

articles. Either way, AI assistants 

will very likely be a premium 

service, perhaps with the first year 

for free, to entice customers and 

demonstrate value. 

The AI examples discussed 

focussed on interactions with 

the vehicle, but combined with 

connectivity and third-party 

application stores, the possible 

applications of the AI assistant are 

unbounded. A basic application 

of this is scheduling car servicing. 

When the vehicle gets close to 

its service interval, the AI assistant 

can access the dealership’s 

service center availability, then 

offer the driver available slots to 

get their vehicle service, let them 

know the cost of different packages, 

and even schedule and pay 

for the appointment. 

In-vehicle payment will be 

another game-changing technology 

for the car market. These 

systems can use biometric security, 

powered by the in-cabin 

infrared and regular cameras, to 

authorize payments. In one of the 

demonstration booths, an exhibitor 

pressed to make a purchase on 

a mock-up infotainment system; 

the camera showed their face for 

verification, and then the bank 

transaction could be seen on a 

separate screen. This wasn’t a 

faked example or charade, but 

real money moving between accounts, 

processed by what would 

be a car. 

One company was demonstrating 

how a user could pay for an 

upgrade to access additional 

functionality, the feature-asa-service 

model. This currently 

exists with companies like Tesla, 

BMW, and others fitting hardware 

to their vehicles with its full functionality 

locked behind a paywall. 

Currently, the driver needs to pay 

to access these features through 

a smartphone app or online. With 

AI assistants, connectivity, and incar 

payments, the game changes. 

A driver could say “I’m cold” and 

the AI assistant could recommend 

subscribing to a package which 

includes heated seats. Connectivity 

and AI payments, then complete 

the purchase. This is how 

AI, connectivity, software-defined 

vehicles, features-as-a-service, 

and in-car payments all come 

together to generate hundreds of 

dollars worth of new revenue per 

vehicle in 2034. 


ADS BACK IN THE DAY 

138 The Blues -- January March ‘24 The The Blues Blues - January - March ‘24 139

ADS BACK IN THE DAY 

140 The Blues - January March ‘24 The The Blues Blues - January - March ‘24 141

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SCAN THE QR CODE 

146 The Blues - - January March ‘24 The The Blues Blues - January - March ‘24 ‘24 147

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REALTORS® is a federally registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a Member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict 

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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 

Field Training Officer 

Gang/Narcotics Investigations 

Criminal Investigations Div. 

Marine Patrol & Dive Team 


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 


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 


JOIN OUR TEAMAPPLY AT 

EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS 


• 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 

ALDINEISD.ORG 

STARTING SALARY $55,000 WITH NO EXPERIENCE 

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ALDINE ISD PD OFFERS 

DEPARTMENT BENEFITS 

• Uniforms Provided, Including Duty Weapon 

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• 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 

• Background Investigation 

FOR MORE INFO CONTACT 

154 • Psychological The Blues Evaluation - March ‘24 

SGT. HALL AT 281.442.4923 

The Blues - March ‘24 155 

• Drug Screening 

OR VISIT ALDINEISD.ORG



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 

• 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 



October 15 

WATCH FOR NEW TEST DATES 


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 


DALLAS POLICE department 

WE aRE HIRING 

Lateral Entry Police officers 

INCENTIVE PAYS 

Education Pay Up to $2,880/yearly 

Bachelor’s Degree $3,600/yearly 

Intermediate Cert. $600/yearly 

Advanced Cert. $4,800/yearly 

Master Peace Officer $7,200/yearly 

Shift Differential 3.5% - 6.5% 

FTO Pay 

$1,200/yearly 

Language Pay Up to $1,800/yearly 

3 years experience 

$80,431 


$82,736 


$85,109 

BENEFITS 

Assistance with state licensing 

endorsement 

15 paid vacation days/year (does 

not expire) 

Relocation assistance 

No residency requirement 

Wellness Unit and Peer Support 

6 Weeks maternity/paternity leave 

Health/Vision/Dental/Life 

Insurance 

Load Bearing Vests 

All Equipment provided at no cost 

Minimum Qualifications: 

Subject to same hiring process as all other police officer applicants 

Will have college credit hours substituted 

Must have 36 months certified, full-time, law enforcement experience 

Must not have any pending disciplinary actions or investigations 

Out of state applicants will complete state licensing process prior to entry into the lateral 

academy 

DALLAS POLICE RECRUITING 

Apply now at 

1400 Botham Jean Blvd., Dallas, TX 75215 

168 www.dallaspolice.gov 

The Blues - March ‘24 (214) 671-4409 




GALVESTON 

COUNTY 

SHERIFF’S OFFICE 

Seeking Individuals Who Are Interested in a Rewarding Career in Corrections 

Begin Your Career Today! 

GALVESTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE ESTABLISHMENT OF ELIGIBILITY 

Position: Corrections Deputy I 

Bureau/Division: Corrections/Jail 

Title/Rank: Corrections Deputy/Deputy I 

Reports to: Sergeant - Corrections 

Starting Salary: $51,250.00 

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES 

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

inspections; conducts outside perimeter checks. 

Preparation and proper completion in the documentation of inmate records. 

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

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

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

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

locations and activities of inmates. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS 

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

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

background investigation. 

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

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

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

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

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

• Must have a stable credit history. 

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

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

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

convictions of any level. 

• Applicant must pass all phases of the required testing. 

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

presently licensed. 

TO APPLY 

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

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

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

JOIN US 

VISIT SHERIFF.GALVESTONCOUNTYTX.GOV TO APPLY! 


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

CONTACT US 

409.763.7585 : SO.EMPLOYMENT@GALVESTONCOUNTYTX.GOV

GOOSE CREEK CISD PD 

NOW RECRUITING 

POLICE OFFICERS ! 

POSITION DETAILS: 

Provides law enforcement services to the school district to prevent and protect all students, personnel, 

and visitors from physical harm and prevent property loss due to theft or vandalism. Enforce all 

laws including municipal ordinances, county ordinances, and state laws. 

● 

● 

● 

● 

240 or 202 Duty Day Schedule 

Competitive Salary - MTD9* Starting 

Stipends available for Intermediate, Advanced and Master TCOLE License 

Various opportunities including K9, Patrol, Investigations, FTO, Instructor and more 

WELCOME ABOARD 



NOW RECRUITING 

POLICE OFFICERS ! 

REQUIREMENTS: 

● 

● 

● 

Current TCOLE Peace Officer License 

Ability to pass comprehensive background 

Ability to pass medical, drug and psychological 

exams 

HIRING PROCESS: 

● 

● 

● 

● 

● 

● 

Online Application 

Complete preliminary interview 

Complete background investigation 

Complete Oral Board Interview 

Conditional Job Offer 

Complete Medical, Psychological and Drug Screen 

PREFERRED: 

● 

● 

● 

● 

Intermediate TCOLE Peace Officer License 

Bilingual 

Previous ISD PD experience 

Background in law enforcement 

Contact us at 281-422-6461 to speak with a recruiter. 

Apply online @ https://www.gccisd.net/page/employment.home 

POSITION DETAILS: 

Provides law enforcement services to the school district to prevent and protect all students, personnel, 

and visitors from physical harm and prevent property loss due to theft or vandalism. Enforce all 

laws including municipal ordinances, county ordinances, and state laws. 

● 240 or 202 Duty Day Schedule 

● Competitive Salary - MTD9* Starting 

● Stipends available for Intermediate, Advanced and Master TCOLE License 

● Various opportunities including K9, Patrol, Investigations, FTO, Instructor and more 

REQUIREMENTS: 

PREFERRED: 

● Current TCOLE Peace Officer License 

● Intermediate TCOLE Peace Officer License 

● Ability to pass comprehensive background 

● Bilingual 

● Ability to pass medical, drug and psychological 

exams 

● 

● 

Previous ISD PD experience 

Background in law enforcement 

HIRING PROCESS: 

● Online Application 

● Complete preliminary interview 

● Complete background investigation 

● Complete Oral Board Interview 

● Conditional Job Offer 

● Complete Medical, Psychological and Drug Screen 

Contact us at 281-422-6461 to speak with a recruiter. 

Apply online @ https://www.gccisd.net/page/employment.home 


11th Street 

1015 

Texas 

Hempstead, 

Hour work schedule 

12- 

every other weekend 

off 

THE CITY OF 

TELECOMMUNICATIONS DIVISION 

HEMPSTEAD POLICE DEPARTMENT 

ARE WE 

HIRING 

Dispatchers 

QUALIFICATIONS 

18 years of age 

Minimum 

Criminal Background 

Pass 

proficiently 

Type 

Nights, Weekends & Holidays 

Work 

Speaking Preferred 

Spanish 

Longevity Pay > 1 year 

Starting Salary: $41,600 

B E N E F I T S 

Blue Shield 

BlueCross 

& Dental Insurance 

Vision 

Certificate Pay 

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 

Starting Salary: $57,750 

- 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 

Uniform Shirts Provided 

77445 


www.hempsteadcitytx.gov (job opportunities) 

1015 11th St Hempstead, TX 

hpdrecruing@hempsteadcitytx.gov 

Or call us at: (979) 826-3332

LATERAL DEPUTY 



WE ARE 

HIRING! 

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 

WE ARE 

HIRING! 

COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER 

REQUIREMENTS 

• High School Diploma or G.E.D. 

• A minimum of 6 months of work experience in emergency 

dispatch, call center, customer service, or a closely related field 

• Must successfully complete Telecommunicator training and pass 

all testing required to obtain TCOLE certification within a year 

of employment 

• At least 18 years of age (by start date) 





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

required by TCOLE 

• Must pass a medical and psychological evaluation as required by 

TCOLE 

• Demonstrated proficiency with computer and related software, 

i.e., Word/Excel, writing correspondence, reports, and 

processing documents. (In-person testing required) 

For additional information contact 

Harris County Sheriff’s Office 

Recruitment Unit 

(713) 877-5250 




(713) 877-5250 

TO APPLY 

www.harriscountyso.org | www.hcsojobs.com 

SCAN 

THIS CODE Harris County 

@HCSOTexas 

Sheriff’s Office 

HCSOTexas HCSOTexas @HCSOTexas 

TO APPLY 


SCAN 


@HCSOTexas 




WE ARE 

HIRING! 

DEPUTY CADET 

REQUIREMENTS 

• At least 60 college credit hours and/or 2 years of military 

experience with an honorable discharge 


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

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





background check, fingerprinting, personal interview, etc.) 

• Must pass a medical and psychological evaluation as required by 

TCOLE 

• Must pass all required testing 

YOUR LAW ENFORCEMENT CAREER 

STARTS HERE, JOIN OUR ACADEMY! 

• Must pass all required testing upon completion of the Basic 

Peace Officer Course (BPOC), sworn Deputies must successfully 

complete the Field Training Program (FTP) before receiving a 

Patrol assignment 

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

eligible for other Bureaus 




(713) 877-5250 

WE ARE 

HIRING! 

DETENTION OFFICER 

REQUIREMENTS 

Ask About Our Hiring Incentive 

• High School Diploma or G.E.D 

• U.S. Citizen 


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

and peripheral vision 


• Must pass all pre-employment testing 


background check, fingerprinting, personal interview, etc.) 

as required by TCOLE 

• Must pass a medical and psychological evaluation as required 

by TCOLE 

Lateral Detention Officer: 

If you have verifiable experience as a correctional officer or a 

jailer from any correctional facility, we will pay you up to 14 

years for your experience. 




(713) 877-5250 

TO APPLY 


SCAN 


@HCSOTexas 



TO APPLY 


SCAN 


@HCSOTexas 




WELCOME ABOARD PASADENA PD 



NOW HIRING 


THE KILLEEN POLICE DEPARTMENT 

IS NOW 

Hiring 

FOR THE POSITION OF 

Police Officer 

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 

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 

The Killeen Police 

Department is dedicated to 

building a partnership with 

the community to fight crime 

and improve every citizen's 

quality of life. 

Opportunity to work in various 

specialized units 

Officer De'Vonte Johnson 

Recruiter 

254-200-7987 

DJohnson@killeentexas.gov 

Follow us at: 

KilleenPD 

KilleenPolice 

JoinKilleenPD 

The Killeen Police Department is an 

194 

Equal 

The Blues 

Opportunity 

- March 

Employer 

‘24 The Blues - March ‘24 195 

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 


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 

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 

• 1 YEAR $83,566 

• 4 YEARS $93,677 

• 2 YEARS $86,877 

• 5 YEARS $97,679 

200 The Blues - March ‘24 • 3 YEARS $90,373 


community theatre, museums, shopping and much more, Lockhart has a community feel that can’t be beat. We have several 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• — 

 

• 

 

• 

 

• 

• 

$75, master’s $100 per 

 

• 

 

• 

 

• 

 

• 

 

• 

 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

 

• 

 

• ’ 

 

 

 

 

202 

 

The Blues - March ‘24 The Blues - March ‘24 203

LONGVIEW POLICE DEPARTMENT 

JOIN OUR 

$65,709-$67,685 

Based on Population and Experience 

TEAM 

2-TIER HIRING 

INCENTIVE 

STARTING SALARY 

$60,085 

$3,000 

25 YEAR STEP PLAN 

$60,085 - $84,308 

STEP INTO YOUR FUTURE 

Insurance 

120 Hours Vacation 

11 Paid Holidays 

80 Hours Sick Leave 

20-Year Retirement Plan 

2/1 City Match TMRS 

Beards & Tattoos Allowed 

Academy Pay 

Equipment Provided 

Excellent Training Provided 

Speciality/Cerification Pay 

Community Support 

Plentiful Outdoor Activities 

NEW POLICE STATION 

COMING 2023 


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 a community that supports them. 

5+ Years Patrol Experience Required 

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 

Hiring Bonus $1,500 

Night Shift Differential $3,600 

E.C.A $1300 

Bi-lingual Pay 

Education Pay 

Intermediate, Advanced, Master 

Peace Officer Certification Pay 

Starting at $83,459 up to $94,164 

Healthcare, Dental and Vision Insurance 

100% paid for employee, 75% for 

spouse/dependents. 

Paid long-term disability and Life Insurance 

for employee, additional life insurance 

available for spouse/dependents. 

Health Savings Account with Department 

contributions up to $4,200 annually. 

TMRS Retirement 7% w/ 2:1 match (20 yr). 

457 Deferred Compensation Plan with 

employer contribution of 2.5% of annual 

salary. 


Longevity Pay up to a max of $2,400 

annually at 10 years of service. 

12 Hour shifts with every other Friday, 

Scan for more 

information 

For more information you can contact 

The City of Manvel Police Department at 

281-489-1212 

W W W . M V P D T X . O R G 

11981 Memorial Drive – Houston, Tx 77024 

206 Rochelle The Blues Carr-Lacy - March ‘24 713.365.3700 The Blues - March ‘24 207 

rcarrlacy@manvelpd.org

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.



MAKE A 

DIFFERENCE 

IN YOUR 

COMMUNITY 

We are looking for outstanding individuals to 

join our team! As a Pearland Police Officer your 

mission will be to prevent crime and disorder, build 

partnerships within the community, and positively 

impact the quality of life for all our residents. 

CITY OF PEARLAND, TEXAS 

• Competitive Salary • Outstanding Training 

• Career Advancement • Exceptional Benefits 

The City of Pearland is one of the fastest growing 

communities within the region. Pearland is located 

approximately 20 minutes south of Downtown Houston 

and the current population is approximately 130,000 

residents. 

JOIN OUR TEAM 

HIRING POLICE OFFICERS AND CADETS 

$5,000 Hiring Incentive for T.C.O.L.E Certified Police 

Officers who qualify with at least 2 years of experience. 

TEST DATE: 

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

Register by: April 12. 

Pearland Recreation Center & Natatorium 

4141 Bailey Road, Pearland, TX 77584. 

Doors Open: 7:15 a.m. No admittance after 7:45 a.m. 

Candidates must park in the north parking lot. 

SOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES WILL APPLY 

• Attendance limited to first 150 arrivals 

• Mandatory temperature checks 

• Masks required, hand sanitizer available 

• Candidates seated 6 feet apart 

For additional information and to register for an upcoming Civil Service Exam, visit 

pearlandtx.gov/PDCareers 


PORT HOUSTON 


WE ARE 

HIRING 

SIGN UP TODAY! 

www.porthouston.com/careers-2 

STARTING PAY* 

$60,000 up to $71,000 

* Salary depends on experience 

BENEFITS: 

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance 

eligible first day of employment 

• Wellness Program 

(can earn up to $600 credit per year if requirements met) 

• Enrollment with Calm App for Wellbeing 

• Defined contribution plan (401a) 

– Employer Sponsored 

• Deferred Compensation Plan (457 Plan) 

– Employee Contributions 

• Vacation 


• Paid Holiday 12 days/year 

• Life and Accidental Death and 

Dismemberment Insurance 

• Short Term and Long-Term Disability Benefits 

• Flexible spending account (FSA) 

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) 

• Pet Insurance 

• Legal and Identity Theft Protection 

• Tuition Reimbursement 

Up to the IRS annual limit and a maximum lifetime 

reimbursement of $25,000 

• Onsite Credit Union 

– Port of Houston Credit Union 

Are you looking for a career with 

meaning? Do you want to make 

a difference in a highly supportive 

community? Join our team at 

Port Houston! 

REQUIREMENTS 

• Must be 21 years old 

• Must have 2+ years of police officer 

experience 

• Must have valid Texas Driver’s License 

• Must be a U.S. Citizen 

• Must have an honorable discharge 

from the military (if applicable) 

• Must never have been convicted of a 

Class A Misdemeanor or above 

• Not been convicted of a Class B 

misdemeanor within the last 10 years 

EMPLOYMENT 

TESTING 

Employment is contingent on passing 

any post-offer pre-employment 

screening as listed below: 

• Criminal background check 

• Motor Vehicle Record check 

• Drug screening 

• Physical exam 

• Psychological exam 

• Additional as required 

SCAN 

QR CODE 

TO APPLY 

• Must have a GED or high school diploma 


Provide Exceptional 

Service to All! 

CONTACT 

US NOW 

972-412-6240 

Welcome Aboard 

Rowlett Police Department 

NOW HIRING 

kharrelson@rowlett.com 

4401 Rowlett Rd., 

Rowlett, TX 75088 

Accepting Lateral 

Police Officers. 

Get paid for your 

experience! 

CURRENT SALARY 

Starting salary is $65,554 

Top Out Police Officer salary is $90,861 

Lateral Transfer - May be eligible for a starting 

salary of up to $75,221 

UNITS/ DIVISIONS 

Containment Team 

SWAT 

Bike Unit 

Community Services 

School Resource Officer 

Field Training Officer 

Criminal Investigations Division 

Traffic 

Crisis Assistance Team 

Crisis Negotiation Team 

BENEFITS 

TMRS Pension 7/14 

Medical Insurance 

Dental Insurance 

Vision Insurance 

10 paid vacation days during 

first year & 10 Paid Holidays 

Paid Sick 

Beards and tattoos are 

authorized 

Longevity Pay 

Long Term Disability 

Life Insurance 

Dry cleaning 

Three department issued 

firearms 

218 The Blues - March ‘24 The GROW Blues - WITH March US! ‘24 219

WELCOME ABOARD 

SAN ANTONIO ISD PD 



SPRING BRANCH ISD POLICE DEPARTMENT 

WE’RE 

HIRING 

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) 

Patrol & Onsite Officers (HS/MS) 

Gang Officer 


Community Relations Officer 

Emergency Management 

Criminal Investigations 

K-9 programs 

Language pay 

Shift differential pay 

Intermediate, Advanced and 

Master Peace Officer 

certificate pay 

Paid time off 

Ample overtime opportunities 

*All equipment provided including duty weapon 

**Training opportunities available 

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




VAN ALSTYNE POLICE DEPARTMENT 

JOIN OUR TEAM 

Van Alstyne Police is seeking motivated Certified Police Officers who are 

dedicated to making a difference in the community they serve! In exchange, 

VAPD offers a great opportunity for advancement in a fast-growing city! VAPD 

also offers the following incentives: 

▪ Excellent Salary $68,000 - $90,800 plus Certificate Pay 

▪ The City pays the employee’s Health, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance. The City also pays 

for 50% of dependent cost for medical insurance 

▪ TMRS 7% (City matches 2 to 1). Vested in five years 

▪ Twelve Paid Holidays 

▪ Generous Vacation, Sick, and Personal Leave 

▪ Twelve hours shifts 

▪ VAPD issues all uniforms, duty gear, body armor, duty weapon, patrol rifles, etc. 

▪ New state of the art Public Safety Complex currently in the design phase. Construction is slated 

to begin later Q4 2023 

PLACE YOUR 

DEPARTMENT’S AD 

HERE FOR ONLY 

$250 

For more information, contact Lt. Hayslip 903.482.5251 shayslip@vanalstynepolice.com 

Applications available at https://cityofvanalstyne.us/departments/human-resources/ 


We are hiring 

Police 

Officers 

now. 

Join the Waco ISD 

Police Department team! 

Pay Grade: 310 

Days: 207 and 226 

Salary: $42,228 to $55,542* 

*Depending on workday calendar 

and years of experience. 

Sign-on Bonus: $5,000 

Qualifications: 

Education/Certification: 

• High School Diploma or GED 

• Texas Peace Officer License issued by TCOLE 

• Current valid Texas class “C” drivers license 

To learn more or 

apply, please visit 

Wacoisd.org/apply 

Waco ISD Police Department 


234 The Blues - March ‘24 

HUNTER BIDEN

March 2024. Blues Vol 40 No. 3

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