July 2026. Blues Vol 42 No.7

The BLUES - JULY ‘26 1

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VOL. 42 NO. 7 JULY 2026

FEATURES/COVER

94 THE WOUNDED BLUE,

NEVER FORGOTTEN, NEVER ALONE

114 APSCON CONVENTION INSERT

Lt. Daryl Lott 164

DEPARTMENTS

PUBLISHER’S THOUGHTS 08

EDITOR REX EVANS THOUGHTS 10

WEST COAST EDITOR - JESSICA JONES 14

WORDS OF FAITH - LT. JOHN KING 16

LETTERS FROM READERS 18

GUEST COMMENTARY - SGT. MICHAEL BARRON 20

GUEST COMMENTARY - JOHN COMMERFORD 24

NEWS AROUND THE US 28

BREAKING NEWS 56

CALENDAR OF EVENTS 138

REMEMBERING OUR FALLEN HEROES 148

WAR STORIES 154

AFTERMATH 156

BLUEPRINTS OF RESILIENCE 158

HEALING OUR HEROES 162

DARYL’S DELIBERATIONS 164

LIGHT BULB AWARD 170

ADS BACK IN THE DAY 172

PARTING SHOTS 176

NOW HIRING 180

BACK PAGE 258

154

156

14

16



FOUNDER, PUBLISHER, EDITOR-N-CHIEF

SGT. MICHAEL BARRON (Ret)

OUR TEAM

EDITOR-AT-LARGE

Chief Rex Evans(Ret)

SENIOR EDITOR

Dr. Tina Jaeckle

WEST COAST EDITOR

Jessica "JJ" 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)

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Doug Griffith

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Art Woolery

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Daniel Carr

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Emmanuel Gonzalez Sosa

FEATURE STORIES

Lt. Randy Sutton (Ret), Sgt. Bob Bemis (Ret)

OUR CONTRIBUTORS

WAR STORY

Unknown Author

AFTERMATH

Unknown Author

GUEST COMMENTARY

John Commerford

Sgt. Michael Barron, Ret

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Joanna Putman, Police 1

Jenna Curren, Law Enforcement Today

Greg Hoyt, Law Enforcement Today

Sara Roebuck, Police1

Pat Droney, Law Enforcement Today

Ellie Rushing, Brett Sholtis

Eric Tucker, Amber Kite, Rosalio Ahumada

Andrea Klick, Dylan Lovan, Conner Sheets

Jose De la Rosa, Spencer Levering

Noble Bringham, Caleb Lunettam

Michele Hunter, Joe Marusak, Sofia Saric

Mary Ella Hastings, Roni Jacobson

Our Thanks to:

Fox News, Associated Press,

Police Magazine

The Law Officer, Police 1.com

& Law Enforcement Today

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

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

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

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


FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Sgt. Michael Barron

Why I Wrote Thin Blue Line

The real motivation behind the book.

I want to thank everyone for all

the emails, texts and calls congratulating

me on last month’s

cover and my new book. Having

your picture on the cover of the

world’s largest police magazine

is an awesome experience and in

some cases life changing. With

over 6 million views per month,

you know you’re going to get calls.

The question nearly every interviewer

asked, “what led you

to write Thin Blue Line: Life Behind

the Badge?” The easy answer is

that after thirty-five years in law

enforcement, I had accumulated

enough stories to fill a book and

then some.

The honest answer is a little

more personal.

I didn't write this book just to

tell my story. I wrote it because I

was afraid that the stories of so

many good cops would simply be

forgotten.

Over the past several years, a

number of outstanding police

books have hit the market. Many

focus on the emotional trauma of

the profession and the devastating

effects of PTSD. I have tremendous

respect for those authors. They had

the courage to relive some of the

darkest moments of their lives so

that others might understand the

hidden cost of wearing a badge.

Those stories need to be told.

Trust me, I understand trauma.

I know what it's like to be shot

in the line of duty. I know what

it's like to sit in a hospital bed and

think about how close you came


to never seeing your family again. I

know the faces of victims that stay

with you long after the shift is over

and the calls you wish you could

somehow forget.

Those experiences changed me,

and they are part of who I am.

But they aren't all of who I am.

And they certainly aren't the whole

story of policing.

Somewhere along the way, I realized

that if all we ever talk about

is the tragedy, then we're missing

something beautiful about this

profession.

We're missing the humanity.

We're missing the friendships that

last a lifetime.

We're missing the laughter in the

patrol car after answering a call so

ridiculous that nobody back at the

station is going to believe it.

We're missing the little victories

and the major ones as well.

Families you recused from a

burning house. Reuniting lost kids

with their parents.

The lost dog you bring home. The

elderly widow who just needed

someone to sit and talk with her

for a few minutes because she was

lonely.

Those moments matter.

In fact, I'd argue they're the reason

most of us became cops in the

first place.

When I started writing Thin Blue

Line, I made a decision. This wasn't

going to be just another police

memoir. I didn't want to spend

three hundred pages talking about

myself.

Quite frankly, my story isn't

unique. There are thousands of

officers across this country with

stories that are funnier, sadder,

more courageous, and more inspiring

than anything I could write by

myself. And I didn’t have to go far

to find them. The fact is, they found

me.

For over 43 years, officers from

around the country have sent their

‘warstories’ into The BLUES. Not

just the shootings or the tragedies,

but the moments that made them

proud to wear the badge. The calls

they'd never forgotten. The partners

they'd never stop missing. The

cases that changed their lives. The

unbelievable situations that could

only happen to a cop.

As I went through them, I realized

it wasn't a collection of war

stories, it was a collection of lives.

Some made me laugh, while many

brought tears to my eyes.

Some reminded me of friends I've

lost over the years. Some made me

stop reading for a while because

they took me back to calls I'd handled

myself.

What I discovered was that po-

lice officers are incredible storytellers

because they've lived incredible

lives.

The public sees us for a few

minutes during a traffic stop or

when we answer a call for service.

They don't see the thousands

of little moments that make up a

career. They don't see the sacrifices

our families make. They don't see

Christmas dinners interrupted by

a homicide call or anniversaries

missed because someone else's

emergency became our priority.

They don't see the good cops

doing good things every single day

without expecting recognition.

I wanted them to see that. I

wanted them to meet the men and

women I've had the privilege of

serving beside.

I wanted them to understand that

behind every badge is a real person

who laughs, cries, worries about

their kids, argues with their spouse,

and hopes they'll make it home

after the shift.

I also wanted officers to see

themselves in these pages. I wanted

the retired sergeant to smile and

say, "I remember a call just like

that."

I wanted the rookie to realize that

the veterans before them walked

the same path.

I wanted the families of law enforcement

officers to better understand

the people they love.

Most of all, I wanted to preserve a

piece of our history.

One day, all of us who wore the

badge will be gone. Our patrol

cars will be replaced, our lockers

cleaned out, and our names slowly

forgotten. But our stories don't have

to disappear with us. That's what

Thin Blue Line is really about.

It's about the people I've had the

honor to serve with. It's about the

everyday heroes who never made

the evening news.

It's about the laughter that

helped us survive, the tears we

shed for those we lost, and the

friendships that became family.

It's about a profession that can

break your heart and somehow

fill it with pride at the very same

time.

I didn't write this book because I

think my story is extraordinary.

I wrote it because I think the

stories of ordinary cops are.

And I hope you'll pick up a copy,

spend some time with me, and

discover what I've known for thirty-five

years. Behind every badge

is a story worth telling.

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FROM THE EDITOR-AT-LARGE

There's a Time to Act,

Regardless of the Rules

I usually stay clear of "hot-button"

topics. However, on this one, I'm

going to make an exception.

By now, you've probably seen the

video circulating from the Sugar

Land area. A firefighter, sitting in a

clearly marked fire department vehicle,

witnessed a man lying prone

in moving lanes of traffic being violently

and repeatedly assaulted by

a wrong-way driver who had just

crashed into his vehicle.

Here's my view:

• The firefighter, regardless of his

assignment, was witnessing a human

being, being violently and repeatedly

assaulted. To be fair, I don't

know what the Sugar Land Fire

Department's policies or standard

operating procedures are regarding

incidents like this. That said,

the firefighter locked his doors and

windows, watched another human

being suffer a brutal assault, and

did nothing beyond radioing in the

incident. I saw nothing to indicate

that he made any attempt to intervene

or otherwise help the victim.

• Department policy or SOPs may

very well instruct SLFD personnel

not to become physically involved

in confrontations. I understand that.

However, after nearly fifteen years

as a Chief myself, I cannot accept

the defense of, "I was just following

policy." Not here. You sat there

and watched a human being absorb

multiple violent kicks and blows

to the head while facing an obvious

and immediate risk of serious

bodily injury or death. You made no

effort to help mitigate that danger. I

have a lot of problems with that.

• The responding officers attempted

physical presence, verbal

commands, and intermediate

force options to stop the assault.

The suspect refused to comply and

shrugged off those efforts. Finally,

the officers went "old school" and

went hands-on. Yes, they landed on

the victim during the struggle. I saw

that. And while that is unfortunate,

you know what else is unfortunate?

No one else there was doing

a damn thing to help. So, get off

the officers' backs. At the very least,

they were doing something—anything—to

save a victim who was in

obvious distress and imminent peril.

• At some point, policy and SOPs

be damned, we all have a fundamental

obligation to help those in

immediate danger. That's simply

what it means to be a decent human

being. Yes, you may get your

ass kicked in the process. But at

least afterward, you can look yourself

in the mirror and honestly say, "I

did something. I didn't just stand—

or sit—there and watch another

human being suffer without even

trying to help."

So, to be perfectly clear, I am not

advocating for intentionally, recklessly,

or needlessly violating department

policies and procedures.

I'm not. That said, there may come a

time in every public servant's career

when policy has to take a back

seat to doing what is morally right

to save another person's life. And

we absolutely do not stand by and

watch someone be violently beaten

without making every reasonable

effort to intervene.

Furthermore, life on these

streets—even in Sugar Land—isn't

always pretty. In fact, it can be violent,

chaotic, and downright ugly.

Being a first responder isn't always

about parades, community events,

lemonade stands, stickers, or photo

opportunities. Sometimes our profession

demands that we be forceful,

fast, decisive, tenacious, and,

when necessary, use the amount

of force required to stop violent

offenders from injuring or killing

innocent people. Period.

Lastly, as firefighters, EMS personnel,

and law enforcement officers,

we swore an oath to help others—

even when doing so places us in

harm's way. Don't tell me otherwise.

Either that's simply not true, or you

never intended to honor that oath in

the first place. Our professions are

dangerous. Very dangerous. Failing

to act when someone is in immediate

peril borders on dereliction of

duty, violates the spirit of that oath,

and, above all, fails the very people

we promised to protect.

EITHER KEEP YOUR OATH...

OR DON'T TAKE THE OATH IN

THE FIRST PLACE.


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FROM THE WEST COAST

America's 250th Birthday:

Through the Eyes of a 33-Year-Old American

Well by now, I’m sure you’ve

heard, I’ve faced near certain

death yet again. But thanks to

God, an incredible team of doctors

and first responders who

extricated me from a crushed

car, I’m alive and well. While I’m

not 100%, I am strong enough to

write a very special column for

our country’s 250th birthday.

When America celebrates her

250th birthday this year, I'll be

celebrating something too. At 33

years old, I've had the privilege

of growing up in one of the most

remarkable countries the world

has ever known.

No, I wasn't around for the

Moon landing, the Civil Rights

Movement, or the fall of the Berlin

Wall. I wasn't there when my

grandparents' generation fought

to preserve freedom across the

globe. But I've lived through my

own chapter of American history,

and what a ride it has been.

I was born in 1993. The internet

was just beginning to connect

the world. Cell phones were the

size of bricks, and social media

didn't exist. We played outside

until the streetlights came

on. We learned to respect our

teachers, stand for the National

Anthem, and say the Pledge

of Allegiance every morning in

school.

America seemed a little simpler

then.


In my lifetime, I've watched

our nation experience incredible

triumphs and heartbreaking

tragedies. I was a child when

terrorists attacked our country

on September 11, 2001. Like millions

of Americans, I remember

watching the images on television

and trying to understand

how something so terrible could

happen. But I also remember

what came afterward.

I remember seeing Americans

put politics aside and simply be

Americans.

Flags appeared on every front

porch. Neighbors checked on

neighbors. Police officers, firefighters,

and first responders

became heroes to an entire generation.

It was one of the darkest

days in our history, but it reminded

us of the light that exists

within the American spirit.

I've watched technology

change nearly every part of our

lives. I've seen smartphones replace

photo albums, streaming

replaces movie stores, and social

media connect people while

somehow pushing others apart.

I've watched America debate,

argue, protest, and struggle with

who we are and where we're

headed.

I've seen economic booms and

recessions. Wars overseas. A

global pandemic.

Political divisions that sometimes

make it feel like we're

speaking different languages.

I've watched law enforcement

officers run toward danger while

others ran away. I've seen communities

rally around each other

after hurricanes, tornadoes, and

floods. I've seen ordinary Americans

do extraordinary things

without expecting anything in

return.

That's the America I know.

An America that isn't perfect

but refuses to quit.

As I've gotten older, I've realized

something important.

Patriotism doesn't mean believing

your country is flawless.

It means loving your country

enough to celebrate what's good

while working to make it better.

America has always been a

work in progress.

For 250 years, we've stumbled,

learned, fought, sacrificed, and

persevered. Generation after

generation has passed the torch

to the next, trusting that they

would protect the freedoms so

many fought to secure.

Now it's our turn.

As someone who works alongside

law enforcement and first

responders, I've developed an

even deeper appreciation for

what makes this country special.

Every day, men and women put

on a badge, a uniform, or a military

service uniform and choose

to serve something bigger than

themselves.

That spirit of service is part of

America's DNA.

So, what do I expect for our

future?

Honestly, I think we'll continue

to face challenges. Technology

will move faster than we can

imagine. Politics will remain

noisy. The world will change in

ways we can't predict.

But I also believe America will

continue to adapt and overcome

because that's what we've always

done.

I believe the next generation

will discover cures for diseases,

build technologies we haven't

dreamed of, and continue pushing

the boundaries of what's

possible.

I believe our military will remain

the strongest in the world.

I believe our first responders

will continue answering calls for

help at three in the morning.

I believe our communities will

continue coming together when

disaster strikes.

Most importantly, I believe

the values that built this country—faith,

family, freedom, hard

work, personal responsibility,

and the willingness to help a

stranger—will endure long after

the headlines of today are forgotten.

As America turns 250, I'm

grateful to call this nation home.

I've seen her at her best and

her worst.

I've watched her celebrate victories

and mourn losses.

I've watched Americans disagree

passionately while still

sharing the same hopes for their

families and their future.

There may be prettier places in

the world.

There may be wealthier places.

There may be quieter places.

But there's nowhere I'd rather

live.

I'm proud to be an American.

Proud of our history.

Proud of our heroes.

Proud of the freedoms we

sometimes take for granted.

And proud to know that 250

years after a handful of brave

men signed a declaration that

changed the world, the American

experiment is still alive and well.

Happy 250th birthday, America.

May God continue to bless the

United States of America and

may the next 250 years be even

greater than the first.


WORDS OF FAITH

Chaplain's Corner

Lord, Teach Us To Pray . . .

As we all know, our nation,

these United States of America,

will celebrate its’ two hundred

and fiftieth anniversary

this month on July 4, 2026. We

regularly see and/or hear the

statements, “Pray for America,”

or “God Bless the USA.”

And to both of those statements

we say a hearty, AMEN!

But do we really know how or

what to pray for our country?

Let’s turn to Scripture and see

what Jesus said to his disciples

when they asked Him how they

should pray.

In the New Testament book

of Mark we find these verses

(Jesus speaking):

“So pray this way: Our Father

in heaven, may your name be

honored, may your kingdom

come, may your will be done

on earth as it is in heaven. Give

us today our daily bread, and

forgive us our debts, as we

ourselves have forgiven our

debtors. And do not lead us into

temptation, but deliver us from

the evil one. “For if you forgive

others their sins, your heavenly

Father will also forgive you.

But if you do not forgive others,

your Father will not forgive you

your sins.” (Matthew 6:9-15 NET

[New English Translation])

You may notice that Jesus did

not start the prayer with, “Just

tell God what you want,” or


something of that nature. He

told His disciples to start their

prayer by acknowledging God,

His Holiness, His authority and

His right to do as He pleases

in Heaven and on Earth. You

see, that leads the one praying

to focus their mind, heart, and

spirit on God instead of themselves.

That sets the tone for

when the one praying express

need(s). The request is made in

a way that honors who God is

and what He is capable of. Not

like they were rattling off a list

of items as if they’re placing an

order at a fast-food drive thru.

Scripture says it like this:

“You make your request but

you do not get it, because your

request has been wrongly

made, desiring the thing only so

that you may make use of it for

your pleasure.” (James 4:3 BBE

[Bible in Basic English])

It’s important to remember

that God is a thrice Holy God

(Revelation 4:8). He is the Creator

of EVERYTHING! It’s also

important to remember that

prayer does not change God, it

changes the one praying!

As we pray for our country in

this time of celebration of it’s

birth let me suggest that instead

praying for God to bless

America, which He has already

done bountifully and continues

to do so, consider praying that

we, America, bless God! Two

Scriptures come to mind that

say it much better than I can:

“I will call on the LORD, who

is worthy to be praised: so

shall I be saved from mine

enemies.” (2 Samuel 22:4 KJV

[King James Version])

“I will call upon the LORD,

who is worthy to be praised: so

shall I be saved from mine enemies.”

(Psalms 18:3 KJV [King

James Version])

And please notice that these

two, nearly identical verses

bring a promise that is very

appropriate and needed in our

country today, because we

have enemies within our country

and abroad.

America, bless God!

If you are a Chaplain for your

department, or know a Chaplain

who would like to contribute

an article for The Chaplain’s

Corner please contact our

office at: bluespdmag@gmail.

com


READERS SPEAK OUT Y

WE HEAR YOU


ROE VS WADE

I wanted to bring to your attention

something that, in my

opinion, no one else seems to

have noticed.

The 1973 Supreme Court decision

that declared abortion legal

also stated that if life were ever

proven to begin at conception,

the legal basis for abortion by

choice would erode, and the

fetus would have full constitutional

rights. I believe that event

has already occurred.

Experts in the field—including

medical associations specializing

in obstetrics and genetics—

agree that human life begins either

at fertilization or when the

double-helix DNA strand of the

new individual is formed. This

DNA serves as the architectural

blueprint that determines how

every cell in that person's body

will develop throughout his or

her lifetime. These events occur

within approximately 24 hours of

each other, long before a woman

even knows she is pregnant.

If that understanding is accepted,

then the condition referenced

in the 1973 Supreme Court ruling

has been met. In my view, that

means the legal basis for abortion

by choice no longer exists.

All members of law enforcement

and the judicial system

are sworn to uphold the Constitution.

I believe the Ninth and

Fourteenth Amendments protect

the life of the unborn child. The

Constitution does not specify

where a person must be located

in order to possess constitutional

rights. Rights not specifically

delegated to the government

remain with the people.

During the cultural changes of

the 1960s, the rise of drug use

and the "free love" movement,

in my opinion, left many women

vulnerable. A few years later,

the Supreme Court declared

abortion by choice to be legal. I

believe this benefited men financially.

At the time, a man who

chose not to marry a woman he

had impregnated could suffer

significant damage to his reputation

and career. Abortion also allowed

him to avoid the financial

responsibility of raising a child.

In my opinion, however, abortion

has harmed many women.

Studies conducted around the

world over the following decades

have reported associations

between abortion and increased

rates of suicide, substance

dependency, mental health

challenges, and remaining in

physically abusive relationships.

I believe these studies deserve

greater public attention.

A whistleblower also alleged

that when sex education was

introduced into schools during

the 1970s, abortion providers

used it to encourage sexual

activity among young teenagers.

According to these allegations,

some students were given birth

control pills that were ineffective

at preventing pregnancy and

were told that if they became

pregnant, they should go to an

abortion provider rather than

their parents. The claim fur-

ther alleges that these young

women were discouraged

from considering alternatives

to abortion because of the

financial incentives involved.

One abortion provider was

quoted as saying that it is

relatively easy to persuade a

pregnant woman to have an

abortion. According to that

account, pregnancy hormones

may make women more emotionally

vulnerable during the

decision-making process.

I also believe that the media

continues to influence teenagers

and young women despite

concerns about mental

health outcomes. One survey

of women leaving abortion

clinics reportedly found that

between 70% and 80% regretted

their abortions, felt

pressured into the decision,

and believed the counseling

they received minimized alternatives

to abortion.

In my opinion, many aspects

of the abortion industry

resemble the patterns seen

in other exploitative industries.

I believe teenage girls

and women deserve greater

protection.

I respectfully ask that you

reread the 1973 Supreme

Court decision and consider

whether the ruling's own

language regarding the beginning

of life should now be

applied in light of modern

scientific understanding.

Thank you for your time and

consideration. TRACY


GUEST COMMENTARY Y

Sgt. Michael Barron

250 Years of Liberty and the Thin Blue Line

This year, America celebrates

a remarkable milestone—250

years since our Founding Fathers

declared to the world that liberty

was worth fighting for. From the

battlefields of the Revolutionary

War to the streets of our modern

cities, generations of Americans

have answered the call to

defend the principles of freedom,

justice, and the rule of law.

As we celebrate our nation's

Sesquicentennial, it is also worth

reflecting on another American

institution that has evolved

alongside our country: law enforcement.

The story of policing in America

is, in many ways, the story of

America itself.

When the Declaration of Independence

was signed in 1776,

there were no police departments

as we know them today.

Communities relied on volunteer

night watches and local sheriffs,

many of whom were elected by

their neighbors. Citizens took

turns protecting their towns from

thieves, fires, and other dangers.

It was a simple system for a

young and growing nation.

As America expanded westward,

law enforcement evolved

with it. Sheriffs became symbols

of order on the frontier.

United States Marshals pursued

outlaws across vast territories.

Texas Rangers established a

legendary reputation for courage


and determination in one of the

most dangerous regions of the

country. Lawmen often worked

alone, carrying little more than

a badge, a horse, and the confidence

of the communities they

served.

By the mid-1800s, America's

growing cities needed organized

police departments. Urban policing

brought new challenges as

officers dealt with immigration,

industrialization, and rapidly

increasing populations. Departments

became more structured,

uniforms became standardized,

and policing slowly transformed

into a professional career rather

than simply a civic duty.

The twentieth century brought

automobiles, radios, fingerprinting,

forensic science, and eventually

computers. Patrol officers

who once walked a beat now

responded to calls across entire

cities. Detectives solved crimes

using scientific evidence rather

than simple eyewitness testimony.

Communication improved,

training became more sophisticated,

and the profession adapted

to an ever-changing world.

Then came the digital age.

Today's police officer carries


more technology in a patrol car

than many entire departments

possessed just a generation ago.

Body cameras, drones, thermal

imaging, GPS tracking, DNA evidence,

real-time crime centers,

and artificial intelligence have

transformed the way officers

investigate crimes and protect

their communities.

Yet despite all the changes

over the past 250 years, one

thing has remained remarkably

constant.

The mission.

At its core, policing has always

been about protecting

innocent people from those who

would do them harm. It is about

preserving peace, maintaining

order, and ensuring that the rule

of law prevails over chaos and

violence.

I've spent more than a quarter-century

wearing a badge. I've

answered calls that most people

could hardly imagine. I've seen

incredible acts of courage and

heartbreaking acts of cruelty.

I've watched officers run toward

danger while everyone else was

running away. I've missed birthdays,

holidays, anniversaries, and

family dinners because someone

else needed help.

No one ever said being a cop

was an easy job.

The uniform has changed. The

equipment has changed. The

laws have changed. But the sacrifices

remain much the same.

Every generation of officers has

faced unique challenges. During

the Prohibition era, they battled

organized crime. During the civil

unrest of the 1960s, they found

themselves standing between

order and chaos. Following the

terrorist attacks of September


11, 2001, local law enforcement

became part of the nation's first

line of defense against international

terrorism.

Today, officers face unprecedented

scrutiny. Social media

can turn a routine encounter into

international news within minutes.

Criminals have access to

military-style weapons and sophisticated

technology. Recruiting

and retention have become

major challenges as fewer young

Americans choose a profession

that demands so much and often

receives so little appreciation.

Yet every day, thousands of

officers, pin on a badge and go

to work.

They answer domestic violence

calls.

They rescue children from dangerous

situations.

They pull victims from burning

cars.

They track down violent criminals.

They comfort grieving families.

And most of these acts will

never make the evening news.

As America celebrates 250

years of independence, we

should remember that freedom

is not self-sustaining. Our Constitution

guarantees rights and

liberties, but those rights exist

only because generations of

Americans have been willing to

defend them. Soldiers defend

our nation from foreign enemies.

Law enforcement officers help

protect our communities from

those who would threaten the

peace and security we often take

for granted.

That does not mean policing

is perfect. No institution created

by human beings ever is. The

profession has learned from

mistakes, adapted to changing

times, and continues to evolve

to meet the expectations of the

communities it serves. Accountability

and professionalism are

not enemies of law enforcement;

they are essential to maintaining

the public trust upon which

effective policing depends.

As Editor-in-Chief of The BLUES

Police Magazine, I have had the

privilege of sharing the stories

of officers from across this great

nation. Their stories remind us

that behind every badge is a husband

or wife, a mother or father,

a son or daughter who simply

wants to make a difference and

return home safe at the end of

the shift.

America's 250th birthday gives

us an opportunity to reflect on

who we are as a people and

what kind of nation we hope to

leave for future generations.

For 250 years, Americans have

stood for liberty under law. For

generations, law enforcement

officers have helped preserve

that ideal, often at great personal

cost. They are part of the

fabric of our nation's history and

an important part of its future.

The faces may change. The

uniforms may change. The technology

will certainly change.

But as long as America endures,

there will be men and

women willing to raise their

right hand, pin on a badge, and

answer the call to serve.

And for that, on America's

250th anniversary, they deserve

our gratitude, our respect, and

our unwavering support.

God bless our law enforcement

officers, and God bless the United

States of America.


GUEST COMMENTARY

John Commerford

BLUE STATE GOVERNORS:

Join gun-grabbing efforts by targeting Glock pistols.


In rapid succession, three blue

states have followed California’s

lead and moved to ban some

of the most commonly owned

handguns nationwide. Within the

span of a single week, governors

in Maryland, Connecticut,

and New York signed sweeping

measures targeting Glock pistols

and similar firearms. Until

now, only California had enacted

such a categorical prohibition.

The speed and similarity of

these actions should alarm every

law-abiding gun owner in the

country.

In Maryland, the statute defines

the term "machine gun

convertible" pistol to effectively

ban most Glock and Glockstyle

handguns on the market

— firearms owned by millions of

Americans for lawful purposes.

Connecticut’s law follows

the same playbook. It bans the

future manufacture, sale and

importation of a wide range of

commonly owned handguns

while layering new restrictions

on unfinished frames and

receivers. New York has gone

even further, making it a Class D

felony to sell or transfer what it

calls a "convertible pistol."

The NRA has already filed suit

in Maryland, atop our prior suit

against California last October,

and we are considering challenges

in other jurisdictions.

These measures have less to

do with public safety than with

implementing a broader strategy

of restricting access to commonly

owned firearms. These

laws are being promoted to the

public as targeting "DIY machine

guns." The branding, like

the justification for these laws,

collapses under even minimal

scrutiny. Converting a semiautomatic

firearm into a fully automatic

firearm is already a serious

federal offense, punishable by up

to 10 years in prison, and federal

law also prohibits the manufacture,

sale and possession of the

conversion devices used to make

that modification. On top of that,

more than half the states in the

country have already outlawed

the conversion devices themselves.

Since converting a semiautomatic

to full auto is already

illegal three times over, the real

question is why aren’t criminals

deterred from using them? Quite

simply: lack of enforcement.

But rather than call for stronger

enforcement of existing

laws, activists instead have

shifted the focus away from

criminals and squarely onto

law-abiding citizens.

Glock bans won’t end criminal

creativity, but they will begin to

move the needle on the gun control

extremists’ long desired goal

to ban all handguns.

Courts have repeatedly rejected

broad handgun bans, so gun

control advocates are trying a

different route: redefine these

common firearms as "DIY machine

guns" and ban them as a

safety risk. But the guns being

banned aren’t exotic or unusual.

They are being targeted because

they are the most popular handguns

in America, widely used

for personal protection, law

enforcement, and recreational

shooting. Their consistent design

and affordability have made

them accessible to first-time gun

owners and valued by experienced

shooters.

Small businesses will bear the

brunt of the economic damage,

as the brand that accounts for

much of their sales is removed

from shelves. The impact of

the bans in these states is compounded

by pre-existing bans on

semiautomatic rifles passed under

the moniker "assault weapon."

Taken together, they threaten

the survival of small stores

in an industry where margins on

retail sales are historically tight.

The consequences for gun

owners, present and future, will

be substantial. Law-abiding

Americans will see their choices

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for self-defense sharply reduced.

Besides being affordable and

dependable, Glocks, which come

in more than 40 models, vary

widely in size and caliber to accommodate

a range of personal

and use case preferences.

Women often choose subcompact

and slimline variants because

they fit their hands better.

These laws reduce choice for

Americans who simply want

to defend themselves and their

families.

Americans have seen efforts

like this before, and they have

not survived constitutional scrutiny.

Under recent Supreme Court

precedent, including New York

State Rifle & Pistol Association v.

Bruen, firearm regulations must

be consistent with the nation’s

historical tradition of gun ownership.

That will not change here. The

right to keep and bear arms does

not hinge on the political preferences

of a handful of states,

nor can it be erased by redefining

common firearms out of

existence. These bans will face

vigorous legal challenges, and

if they are judged on the same

constitutional principles that

have protected this right for generations,

we are confident they’ll

be overturned.

But gun owners can’t sit back

and hope for the courts to intervene

on their behalf. Other states

will seek to follow now that

three others have joined California.

And when the gun grabbers

take this bad legislation as far as

they can go, they’ll move on to

other ways to limit your ability

to exercise your Second Amendment

rights. That’s why gun

owners have to stay engaged,

make your voice heard to your

elected officials, and when November

comes around, vote for

someone who will stand with

you.



AROUND THE COUNTRY

CARROLL CNTY, VA.

Deputy Sheriff Logan Utt was shot and killed while performing a welfare

check at 13658 Fancy Gap Highway in Cana.

CARROLL COUNTY, VA. — The

Carroll County Sheriff’s Office

has identified the deputy killed in

last month's shooting.

The sheriff’s office said Deputy

Logan Utt was killed in the line

of duty. He joined the agency in

2023 after serving in the military.

Utt was a husband and father.

The Mount Airy Rescue Squad

said Deputy Utt also served

as a firefighter with the Mount

Airy Fire Department. We have

reached out to the department

for more information about

when he served.

The sheriff’s office said Utt and

another deputy were called to

a home on Fancy Gap Highway

around 9:30 p.m. Friday for a

welfare check.

When they arrived, they made

contact with the suspect, identified

as Michael Puckett. Authorities

said Puckett opened

fire, shooting both deputies and

killing Utt. There is no word on

the other deputy's condition.

The sheriff's office said Puckett

fled the scene and remains

at large. The Mount Airy Police

Department is assisting in

the search for Puckett. The U.S.

Marshals Service is offering a

$10,000 reward for information

leading to his arrest. He is considered

armed and dangerous.

DEPUTY SHERIFF

LOGAN REECE UTT


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AROUND THE COUNTRY

EARL TOWNSHIP, PA.

Police Officer Kristen Yeager was killed in an automobile crash in

Earl Township, while responding to assist a neighboring agency.

EARL TOWNSHIP, PA. — A Central

Berks Regional police officer

was killed when her patrol vehicle

left the roadway and struck

a tree while she was responding

to assist a neighboring law enforcement

agency.

Officer Kristen Yeager was

responding to an emergency

call on May 29 when the crash

occurred near an intersection in

Earl Township, according to the

Officer Down Memorial Page.

Police said Yeager was ejected

from her patrol vehicle during

the crash. She was transported

to a local hospital where she later

died from her injuries.

Yeager had served with the

Central Berks Regional Police

Department for approximately

two and a half years.

“Officer Yeager served our

community with courage, compassion,

and unwavering dedication,”

the agency stated. “She

answered the call to protect and

serve each day, placing the safety

of others above her own. Her

commitment to her badge, her

fellow officers, and the citizens

she served will never be forgotten.”

She is survived by her husband

POLICE OFFICER KRISTEN YEAGER

and three children.

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I’m Jay “Packy” Dempsey, a retired K-9 Sergeant and law enforcement instructor

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I teach officers and first responders how to move beyond survival — to decisively

win in critical incidents,P.T.S.D. & Addictions.

My signature program, The Fastest 4 Seconds, is built around a real-world encounter

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drives my mission: helping others prepare for the moment that changes everything —

and how to handle what comes after.

In addition to tactical and mental readiness, I speak candidly about recovery from

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everything. That perspective tends to resonate well across law enforcement, military,

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enough time to defend myself.

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AROUND THE COUNTRY

CARROLLTON, GA.

Police Officer Dustin Krish succumbed to injuries he received when he

was struck by the driver of a car while directing traffic on June 11, 2025.


A Georgia police officer died

on Wednesday, June 10, nearly

a year after he was hit by a car

while on the job.

Officer Dustin Krish, 32, was

directing traffic near a construction

zone on Highway 27 on June

11, 2025, before he was struck by

the vehicle, the Carrollton Police

Department (CPD) said, ABC affiliate

WSB-TV and Fox affiliate

WAGA-TV reported last year.

Krish was transported to

Wellstar Hospital in Marietta in

critical condition following the

crash, NBC affiliate WXIA-TV

reported.

On Wednesday, the day before

the one-year anniversary of the

accident, the CPD announced

Krish's death.

“He is healed and home with

Jesus,” police said in a statement

on Facebook. “While we

are heartbroken on earth, what

a celebration Dustin is having in

Heaven.”

The CPD said Krish joined the

department on Sept. 24, 2022,

according to WAGA-TV.

The department described

Krish as a "courageous" and

“faithful” police officer who

“was unwavering in his duty.”

Police asked the public to continue

to pray for his wife, Emily,

his brother and fellow officer

Sgt. Chad Krish, and the rest of

his family.

“To know him was to love

him,” police said in the June 10

statement, which ended by quoting

John 15:13, a verse from the

Bible that reads, “Greater love

has no man than this, that a man

lay down his life for his friends.”

Krish underwent multiple

surgeries after the crash, and

later received both physical

and speech therapy, according

to WSB-TV and CBS affiliate

WRDW.

Jessica Krish, the officer's

sister-in-law, described Krish

on GoFundMe as “a man of deep

faith” who loved his job and lit

up every room he was in. Krish

and Emily wed in November

2024.

As of April 2026, Krish was still

receiving around-the-clock care

and “intense in-home therapy”

as he worked to recover, according

to an update shared by Jessica

on CaringBridge. However,

on June 2, CPD announced that

Krish was in critical condition

once again, this time with pneumonia,

according to WANF.

"Marty, the girls, and I join the

POLICE OFFICER DUSTIN KRISH

Carrollton Police Department

in mourning the loss of Officer

Dustin Krish," Georgia Gov. Brian

Kemp said in a statement.

"Please keep his family and

friends in your prayers as we

remember his faithful service to

the Carrollton Community."

The driver of the car that hit

Krish experienced a seizure

while behind the wheel in the

moments leading up to the

crash, according to WXIA-TV.

She was also hospitalized after

the crash with minor injuries.

The woman voluntarily gave

up her license after the crash.

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AROUND THE COUNTRY

CHILDRESS, TX.

Trooper Sergio Romero was killed in a vehicle crash on U.S. Highway

287 near Childress, Texas.

CHILDRESS COUNTY, Texas -

A Texas Department of Public

Safety Highway Patrol trooper

was killed Wednesday afternoon

after a crash while attempting

to conduct a traffic stop in Childress

County.

According to DPS, Trooper Sergio

Romero, 27, was attempting

to stop a vehicle on U.S. Highway

287 near Childress at approximately

4 p.m. when a truck-tractor

semi-trailer pulled out in

front of his patrol unit.

Authorities said Romero’s

patrol vehicle collided with the

semi-trailer. He was pronounced

dead at the scene.

The cause of the crash remains

under investigation.

“Today, we grieve the loss of

one of our own,” DPS Colonel

Freeman F. Martin said in

a statement. “Trooper Sergio

Romero served the people of

his community and the state of

Texas with courage, integrity

and selfless devotion. Our hearts

break alongside his family,

friends, fellow Troopers and all

who loved him. We will never

forget the ultimate sacrifice he

made in service of his fellow

Texans.”

Before joining the Texas Department

of Public Safety as

a member of Highway Patrol

Recruit Class B-2025, Romero

served with the Hall County

Sheriff’s Office. He was stationed

in Childress.

Romero is survived by his wife,

TROOPER SERGIO ROMERO

Francisca, and their two young

sons.

DPS said Romero is the 244th

DPS officer to die in the line of

duty.

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forcing Packy to make a life-or-death decision in mere

moments. Luckily, his K-9, Princess, who he bought as a puppy

and trained on his own, was there to intervene, giving Packy

enough time to defend himself.

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The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is dedicated to honoring the

fallen, telling the story of American Law Enforcement and making it safer for those

who serve. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the Memorial Fund built and

maintains the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, the National Law

Enforcement Museum, and life-saving officer safety and wellness programs.

Memorial

Museum

Officer Safety

and Wellness

The National Law Enforcement

Officers Memorial, located in

Washington DC, honors federal, tribal,

state, and local law enforcement

officers who have made the ultimate

sacrifice for the safety and protection

of our nation and its people.

The National Law Enforcement

Museum, across the street from the

Memorial, expands and enriches

the relationship shared by law

enforcement and the communities

they serve through educational

journeys, immersive exhibitions,

and insightful programs.

Officer safety and wellness

programs, partnerships, and

initiatives deliver best practices for

preventing line-of-duty deaths.

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Your Support Makes a Difference

By Respecting, Honoring, and Remembering Law Enforcement

Thanks to donors like you, nothing will stand in our way to honor the fallen, tell the story

of American Law Enforcement, and make it safer for those who serve.

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is a non-profit and non-partisan

organization. Although both the Memorial and Museum are on federal land by acts of Congress,

we do not receive taxpayer dollars but rely on your charitable, tax-deductible contributions.

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Visit NLEOMF.org for more information and to purchase museum tickets. The BLUES - JULY ‘26 35

AROUND THE COUNTRY

COLUMBUS CNTY, N.C.

Deputy Sheriff Damian Bost was struck and killed by the driver of a

tractor-trailer on U.S. Highway 74/76 near Hallsboro Road.

BOLTON, N.C. - A Columbus

County sheriff’s deputy died

Thursday morning when a tractor-trailer

hit his patrol vehicle

in a highway work zone on U.S.

74/76.

Sheriff Bill Rogers said during

a press conference that Deputy

Damien Draper Bost, 30, was

parked in the median with emergency

lights activated to warn

drivers about a repaving project

in the westbound lanes near the

Hallsboro Road exit. The tractor-trailer

crashed into the cruiser

from behind at around 10:40

a.m. June 25, Rogers said.

The N.C. Department of Transportation

said a subcontractor

crew was working in the

area when the crash happened.

The crew, hired by S.T. Wooten

of Wilson, was using a

truck-mounted attenuator and

DEPUTY SHERIFF

DAMIAN DRAPER BOST

a pavement-marking vehicle to

place permanent lane markings.

NCDOT said the subcontractor

employees suffered minor injuries.

The State Highway Patrol is

investigating.

Rogers said Bost served with

the Columbus County Sheriff’s

Office for eight years and

is survived by his wife and two

children.

“He was all the time joking,

happy,” said Rogers. “A family

man. A great kid to be around, he

enjoyed life.”

David Samuel McPherson, 33,

was charged Thursday with

misdemeanor death by vehicle,

reckless driving and failure to

reduce speed in connection with

the crash, according to the North

Carolina State Highway Patrol.

A memorial fund has been

created through the Police Benevolent

Foundation to support

Deputy Bost’s family. According

to the Columbus County Sheriff’s

Office, all proceeds will go

directly to the family. If you wish

to contribute can click here.


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AROUND THE COUNTRY

THE WOODLANDS,TX.

Montgomery County Deputy Sheriff Erika Serrato struck and killed

while directing traffic around an accident on I-45 in The Woodlands.

THE WOODLANDS, TX. – The

Montgomery County Sheriff’s

Office is mourning the loss of

one of their own following a

tragic incident that occurred

early Sunday morning.

On June 28, 2026, at approximately

2:39 a.m., deputies

responded to multiple 911 calls

reporting a multi-vehicle crash

on Interstate 45 North near

the Woodlands Parkway exit.

Deputies arrived on scene and

began assisting with this DWI

crash investigation, including

directing traffic to ensure the

safety of those involved.

While deputies were actively

working the scene, a heavy-duty

commercial truck pulling

a trailer struck Deputy Erika

Serrato who was outside her

vehicle directing traffic, along

with two marked patrol vehicles

that had emergency lights

activated.

Deputy Serrato, 24 years old,

who was assigned to District 2,

was transported to a local hospital

where she unfortunately

succumbed to her injuries and

was pronounced deceased. She

was serving the community

with dedication and courage at

the time of her death. She had


been employed with MCSO for

6 years.

An additional MCSO Deputy

was also injured during the

incident after being struck

by debris. He sustained minor

injuries, was treated at a local

hospital and was released.

One of the drivers involved

in the initial crash, identified

as Ashton Jammer, a 34-yearold

male, has been charged

with Driving While Intoxicated

and will be transported to the

Montgomery County Jail.

The driver of the commercial

vehicle that struck Deputy Serrato

was transported to a local

hospital, and this crash remains

under investigation.

The Montgomery County

Sheriff’s Office extends sincere

gratitude to all assisting

agencies that responded to this

tragic incident, including the

Texas Department of Public

Safety, Harris County Sheriff’s

Office, Houston Police Department,

Oak Ridge North Police

Department, Shenandoah Police

Department, Montgomery

County Precinct 3 Constable’s

Office, Harris County Precinct 4

Constable’s Office, The Woodlands

Fire Department, South

DEPUTY SHERIFF ERIKA SERRATO

Montgomery County Fire Department,

and Montgomery

County Hospital District.

“Our hearts are broken today,”

said Sheriff Doolittle. “Deputy

Serrato made the ultimate

sacrifice while serving and

protecting our community. We

ask that you keep her family,

friends, and fellow deputies

in your thoughts and prayers

during this incredibly difficult

time. We grieve alongside

them.”

Additional information, including

funeral arrangements,

will be released in the coming

days.

There really is no way to put into

words the devastation left behind

by the floods in the Texas Hill

County. The loss of life, especially

those lost from the camps along

what was the peaceful Guadalupe

River, is just incomprehensible. If

you’re the sheriff or police chief

of the town in the center of the

disaster, you are obligated to hold

daily press conferences. You share

what you know and when you

knew it. That’s what Kerr County

Sheriff Larry L. Leitha tried to do.

But each time he stood in front of

the cameras, the idiots from the

mainstream media, launched into

their blame-game questions.

Owning a police magazine

means you must wear two hats,

one of a First Responder and

another as a representative of the

media. While I am proud to be a

member of the first, I am embarrassed

to admit I have anything

to do with the latter. The outright

disrespect I witnessed from the

media towards the officials in Kerrville,

just trying to do their jobs

in unimaginable circumstances,

was unbelievable.

Sheriff Leitha showed great

restraint in dealing with these

lowlife reporters. Most I assume

were not from Texas. His job was

hard enough without Monday

Morning Quarterbacks criticizing

him for his every move. I wish my

good friend Sheriff Grady Judd

from Florida could spend a day

NEW RELEASE

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SPECIAL MEMORIAL ON PAGE 229


AROUND THE COUNTRY

MARKED TREE, AR.

Marked Tree Police Officer Trevor Howard was killed, and Officer Anthony

Johnson was injured in a two-vehicle crash on Sunday June 28.

MARKED TREE, AR. - Twenty-five-year-old

Marked Tree

Police Officer Trevor Howard

was killed and fellow Officer

Anthony Johnson was injured

in a wreck just before 3 a.m.,

according to the Arkansas State

Police.

The crash happened at the

intersection of Broadway and

Nathan streets about 2:50 a.m.

According to the Arkansas

State Police, Kareem Jones

of Marked Tree was traveling

north on Broadway in a 1991

Mercury Grand Marquis when

he failed to stop at a stop sign.

Johnson and Howard were in

a Dodge Ram 1500 driven by

Johnson, traveling east on Nathan

Street. Howard was sitting

in the front passenger seat.

Jones collided with the officers’

vehicle on the passenger

side, causing it to overturn, ASP

said.

Howard, who began working

full time for the Marked Tree

Police Department in May, died

of his injuries.

Jones was airlifted to Regional

One Health in Memphis

with serious injuries. Johnson

was transported to NEA

Baptist in Jonesboro with


non-life-threatening injuries.

The Poinsett County Sheriff’s

Office said Howard was on duty

at the time of his death.

“We stand with Officer Howard’s

family, friends, brothers

and sisters in blue, and the

entire Marked Tree community

as we grieve this heartbreaking

loss,” the sheriff’s office said.

For many in Marked Tree,

Howard’s death has shaken the

tight-knit community.

“It’s still devastating,” said

Misty Conatser, who works at a

nearby convenience store.

Although she didn’t know

Howard personally, Conatser

said she had heard nothing but

positive things about the young

officer.

“From everything I heard this

morning, he was just a really

great guy. A good, you know, a

dedicated officer,” she said.

She said the loss extends

beyond Howard’s family and

fellow officers.

“It just breaks your heart. You

know you lose people who are

good for your community. You

don’t find really great people

too much anymore,” Conatser

said.

Earlier Sunday, the Poinsett

OFFICER TREVOR HOWARD

County Sheriff’s Office honored

Howard’s service in a statement.

“It is with profound sadness

that we honor the life and

sacrifice of Officer Trevor Howard

of the Marked Tree Police

Department, who lost his life

in a motor vehicle crash while

serving the citizens of Marked

Tree early this morning,” the

sheriff’s office said.

The Marked Tree Fire Department

also expressed condolences,

saying it was mourning

“the tragic loss of a member of

the Marked Tree Police Department

who lost their life in a

vehicle accident.”































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Morning Quarterbacks

SPECIAL

criticizing

MEMORIAL ON PAGE 229





AROUND THE COUNTRY

HUMBLE, TX.

Harris County Precinct 4 Deputy Dante Zepeda was released from the hospital

following injuries he sustained after being shot in the line of duty while responding

to reports of a gunman at an apartment complex in Humble Texas.


HARRIS COUNTY, TX.— Harris

County Precinct 4 Deputy Dante

Zepeda was released from the

hospital Sunday night following

injuries he sustained after being

shot in the line of duty while responding

to reports of a gunman

at an apartment complex Friday

night.

According to Constable Mark

Herman, Zepeda was discharged

from the hospital after receiving

treatment for gunshot wounds

suffered during an incident that

occurred around 10 p.m. when

Precinct 4 deputies responded to

reports of a man discharging a

firearm at an apartment complex

in the 15800 block of Woodland

Hills Drive.

Authorities said Zepeda and

several other deputies arrived

at the scene and were allegedly

ambushed when the suspect

opened fire on responding officers.

Multiple deputies returned

fire, and the suspect retreated

into an apartment.

Investigators later determined

that Zepeda and another deputy

were struck by shotgun pellets

during the exchange. Zepeda

suffered injuries to his hip and

upper arm. Deputies immediately

transported him by patrol vehicle

to Houston Northeast Hospital

before he was transferred

to the surgical trauma center at

Memorial Hermann Hospital in

downtown Houston for additional

treatment and surgery.

The second deputy who was

struck remained on scene and

helped maintain the perimeter

until tactical units arrived. The

deputy later received medical

treatment and was released.

Following the shooting, the

suspect barricaded himself inside

a nearby apartment. With

assistance from Harris County's

SWAT unit, law enforcement

officers took the suspect into

WATCH BODY CAM

custody. Authorities said the suspect

sustained a police K-9 bite

and was transported to a local

hospital for treatment.

According to the Harris County

Precinct 4 Constable's Office, the

suspect has not been publicly

identified. The District Attorney's

Office has accepted a charge

of aggravated assault against a

peace officer, pending the suspect's

release from the hospital.

Zepeda is assigned to patrol

duties in the Atascocita area and

has served with the Harris County

Precinct 4 Constable's Office

since 2025.

AUTOGRAPHED COPIES- The BLUES CLICK - JULY HERE ‘26 43

AROUND THE COUNTRY

PHILADELPHIA, PA.

Three Philadelphia officers wounded by retired firefighter in shootout.

By Ellie Rushing, Brett Sholtis,

Maggie Prosser and Barbara

Laker

PHILADELPHIA, PA. — Three

Philadelphia police officers were

wounded in a shooting late last

month after an argument with a

retired city firefighter escalated,

and the man opened fire on them

in the street, law enforcement

sources and city officials said.

The gunman was killed by officers

in response, officials said.

Police responded to reports

of gunfire at a car near North

54th and Arlington Streets in

the Wynnefield section of West

Philadelphia around 10:30 p.m.,

Commissioner Kevin Bethel said

at a news conference early Sunday.

A 57-year-old man — identified

by his family and law enforcement

sources as Eric Franks

— then confronted four officers

on the block and began arguing

with them, according to video of

the encounter obtained by The

Inquirer.

The video appeared to show an

animated Franks yelling at officers

while another man attempted

to hold him back. Franks, according

to the video, then pushed

a sergeant.

Bethel said the officers repeatedly

told him to “stand down”

before attempting to arrest him

about 10:45 p.m.


As the officers tried to detain

Franks, the video showed him

break free, then pull a gun from

his waistband, and begin shooting

at the officers in the street.

The officers and several civilians

could be seen diving behind cars

and scattering for their lives.

Four officers shot back at

Franks, Bethel said. Three, including

a sergeant, were struck

by gunfire and taken to Penn

Presbyterian Medical Center. One

officer was shot in the face, one

in the hip, and another in the leg,

according to Mayor Cherelle L.

Parker. The officers’ names have

not been released by officials.

All were reportedly stable

Sunday.

The video then showed Franks

stumbling down the sidewalk

before collapsing. He died at

Thomas Jefferson University Hospital

at 11 p.m., Bethel said.

Bethel said the gunman was

not involved in the initial incident

for which police were called.

“Why he elected to come

into that scene and engage the

officers — whether this was

premeditated — we will walk

through that process to see,”

Bethel said. “But you don’t come

to a situation like that … to engage

the officer. We all can start

to think of what potentially his

intended purpose was.”

Franks’ family attorney James

Funt said Bethel should not have

“insinuated” that Franks may

have planned the shooting.

“That’s just not true,” Funt said.

“I don’t know where he got that

information.”

AUTOGRAPHED COPIES- CLICK HERE


AROUND THE COUNTRY

HARRISON CNTY, OH.

A Harrison County Deputy was shot at during a traffic stop and

the suspect was ultimately killed after multi-agency manhunt.

BY LAW OFFICER

Body camera footage released

this week by the Ohio Attorney

General’s Office captures

the moment a Harrison County

Sheriff’s Office deputy was

fired upon during what began

as a routine traffic stop, setting

off a running gun battle,

a multi-agency manhunt, and

three separate officer-involved

shooting incidents that ended

with the suspect dead in a

wooded field hours later. The

Harrison County deputy shot

at a traffic stop incident began

the morning of March 30 on U.S.

Route 250 near Eslick Road in

Franklin Township.

According to the Harrison

County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy

stopped a vehicle for following

too closely. Body camera footage

reviewed by Police1 shows

the deputy speaking with the

driver before asking a passenger,

later identified as Michael

W. Decker, 53, to exit the vehicle.

When the deputy asked Decker

if he could search him for

weapons, Decker refused, then

became combative. Moments

later, Decker pulled a handgun

from his waistband, pointed it at


the deputy, and fired.

The deputy was not struck by

gunfire. He was transported to

a hospital for a shoulder injury

that authorities said was a dislocated

shoulder unrelated to the

shooting. The deputy returned

fire but did not strike Decker,

who then got back into the vehicle

and fled.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s

Steubenville Post responded

and located the vehicle. When

troopers attempted to conduct

a traffic stop, Decker fled again,

and a pursuit followed.

Officers deployed a tire deflation

device on U.S. Route 22

near Hopedale in an attempt to

stop the fleeing vehicle, according

to the Ohio State Highway

Patrol. The device worked, and

Decker exited the vehicle near

Old Hopedale Road. He then fired

multiple shots at law enforcement

officers, striking an OSHP

trooper’s patrol vehicle, and

fled on foot into a wooded area,

according to the Harrison County

Sheriff’s Office and the OSHP.

A shelter-in-place order was

issued for the surrounding community.

Harrison County Sheriff

Mark Touville described Decker

at the time as armed and dangerous

with a violent history.



The manhunt involved the Harrison

County Sheriff’s Office, Cadiz

Police Department, the Ohio

State Highway Patrol, the Jefferson

County Sheriff’s Department,

the Jefferson County Drug

Task Force, the Belmont County

Sheriff’s Department, the Ohio

Department of Natural Resources,

and the U.S. Marshals Service,

according to a statement released

by Sheriff Touville.

Hours later, the OSHP Aviation

Unit located Decker in a wooded

area along Mine Road in Green

Township. Officers and a K-9 unit

moved in on the position. Aerial

units issued repeated verbal

commands to surrender, which

Decker ignored, according to the

OSHP. A third officer-involved

shooting occurred during the arrest

attempt when Decker brandished

his weapon. Decker died

as a result of injuries sustained

in that shooting, according to

Sheriff Touville.

No law enforcement officers

were killed. The deputy’s shoulder

injury was the only reported

officer injury across the entire

incident.

All three officer-involved

shooting incidents are being investigated

by the Ohio Bureau of

Criminal Investigation. The Ohio

Attorney General’s Office confirmed

that once the investigation

is complete, it will be referred to

the Harrison County Prosecutor’s

Office for review.

The release of the body camera

footage this week by the

Ohio Attorney General’s Office

brought renewed attention to

the incident and the close-call

nature of the initial attack at the

traffic stop.
































was unbelievable.










NEW RELEASE





AROUND THE COUNTRY

WASHINGTON, D.C.

FBI says multiple arrests made in thwarted attacks targeting White

House UFC show.


By Eric Tucker

Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Law

enforcement officials disrupted

“planned attacks” meant to

target the UFC cage-fighting

show staged at the White House

this past weekend for President

Donald Trump’s birthday, and

multiple people were in custody,

FBI Director Kash Patel said on

Tuesday.

The nature of the potential

threat was not immediately

disclosed, with additional details

expected to be released

once charges are unsealed later

Tuesday.

Five people were arrested from

states including Ohio, Missouri

and California, said a law enforcement

official familiar with

the matter. The official spoke

to The Associated Press on the

condition of anonymity to discuss

information that was not

yet public.

The FBI learned about the

possible threat on June 10, four

days before the mixed martial

arts extravaganza on the White

House’s South Lawn, “and thanks

to the rapid action of the FBI, our

partners, and the Department

of Justice in a multi-state operation,

multiple individuals are

now in custody and allegedly

planned attacks were stopped

cold,” Patel said in a post on X

on Tuesday morning.

The Secret Service “worked

around the clock to identify

those responsible and hold them

accountable,” Director Sean Curran

said in a separate statement.

The FBI released the following

Statement:

The Justice Department announced

today charges against

five men for an alleged plot to

carry out an attack to kill government

officials and others

attending the Ultimate Fighting

Championship (UFC) Freedom

250 event held at the White

House last Sunday.

The FBI launched an investigation

into the plot and identified

a group of conspirators who

procured weapons and made

plans to carry out the attack. The

FBI made arrests over the weekend

in Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska,

and California. The investigation

remains ongoing.

“The FBI, our law enforcement

partners and our U.S. Attorneys

did what they do every day to

make America Safe through

quick response and vigilance

in investigating, disrupting, and

dismantling this alleged plan

before it could be carried out,”

said Acting Attorney General

Todd Blanche. “We will take immediate

and aggressive action to

identify and prosecute those who

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incite and plan acts of violence.”

“On June 10, FBI and our law

enforcement partners became

aware of a potential threat to the

UFC America 250 event in Washington,

D.C. involving individuals

outside of the National Capital

Region — and thanks to the rapid

action of this FBI, our partners,

and the Department of Justice in

a multi-state operation, multiple

individuals are now in custody

and allegedly planned attacks

were stopped cold,” said FBI

Director Kash Patel. “While the

result represented the best of

investigative work, it was also

nothing out of the ordinary for

this law enforcement team — we

are built to detect, respond to,

and bring to justice those who

threaten the lives of American

citizens — particularly during

large gatherings like the historic

UFC 250 fight. That’s exactly

what we did here. I want to

thank our great agents and partners,

this work remains ongoing

and we will continue to update


the public as permitted.”

“Protecting the President of

the United States and the White

House grounds is priority number

one for the U.S. Secret

Service,” said Director Sean M

Curran of the U.S. Secret Service.

“The landscape has changed,

and as a result we have seen a

dramatic rise in threats against

our protectees. I am proud of the

men and women of the Secret

Service that vigorously monitor,

investigate, and arrest those that

plot to interfere with our protective

mission. We are grateful for

our extraordinary partnerships

we share with DHS, DOJ, Acting

Attorney General Blanche, FBI-

JTTF, Park Police, and DC Police.”

According to the charges,

Tycen C. Proper, 19, of Danville,

Ohio; Bryan Omar Roa, 24, of

Calimesa, California; Michael

Alan Thomas, 32, of Pinon Hills,

California; Daniel K. Eskridge, 32,

of Kidder, Missouri; and Abraham

Hermosillo Alvarez, 31, of

Omaha, Nebraska, conspired to

plan and execute a mass casualty

event targeting U.S. officials

in attendance at UFC Freedom

250 hosted on the White House

grounds. The conspirators allegedly

planned to deploy drones

armed with explosives in and

around the UFC Freedom 250

event in order to force an evacuation

of the event and then

planned to deploy snipers to fire

upon “high value targets” within

the fleeing crowd.

UPDATE

Two more men have been arrested

by the FBI since Friday in

a fast-moving FBI investigation.

William Lee Spartacus Falkner

was arrested midday Friday,

June 19 and is charged with conspiracy

to commit murder.

Jordan W. Rincker, 28, of St.

Joseph, Missouri, was arrested

Sunday, June 21 and is charged

with conspiracy to commit murder.

He appeared in U.S. District

Court in Kansas City at 2:00 central

time today.

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AROUND THE COUNTRY

BREWSTER CNTY, TX.

Texas DPS Trooper seriously injured, driver killed in head-on crash

on U.S. Highway 67 in Brewster County.

By Amber Kite

BREWSTER COUNTY, TX - A

Texas Department of Public

Safety trooper was seriously

injured and a pickup truck driver

was killed Tuesday morning in a

head-on crash on U.S. Highway

67 in Brewster County, authorities

said.

The injured trooper was identified

as Zachary Vasquez of

Alpine, according to the Department

of Public Safety Officers

Association. Vasquez’s canine

partner, Guido, was also in the

patrol vehicle but escaped major

injury.

According to state and local

officials, Trooper Vasquez was

traveling along U.S. Highway 67,

about five miles east of Alpine,

when a blue GMC Sierra pickup

truck crossed the center line into

oncoming traffic and crashed

Vasquez's DPS Chevrolet Tahoe

head-on.

An Alpine Police Department

officer traveling directly ahead

of Vasquez witnessed the crash,

returned to the site within a

minute, and immediately applied

tourniquets to the injured trooper.

Additional responding officers

and state troopers arrived shortly

after to assist with emergency

medical care.


Vasquez was initially taken

by emergency medical services

to Big Bend Regional Medical

Center with severe injuries to

his legs. He was later airlifted

to University Medical Center in

El Paso, where he is expected to

undergo multiple surgeries over

the coming days.

K-9 Guido was evaluated by a

local veterinarian in Alpine before

being taken to El Paso for a

secondary assessment. Officials

reported the canine is doing well

and is expected to be reunited

with Vasquez.

The driver of the GMC Sierra

died at the scene. The identity of

the driver is being withheld by

authorities pending the notification

of next of kin.

The crash remains under active

investigation by the Texas Highway

Patrol.

The DPS Troopers Foundation

has established a "Help A Hero"

fundraising campaign to assist

Vasquez and his family with

medical and recovery expenses.

Organizers noted that 100%

of the funds raised through the

campaign will go directly to the

family.

NEW RELEASE




AROUND THE COUNTRY

ACROSS THE US

The Latest Breaking News as we go LIVE.

CALIF. SHERIFF’S OFFICE

STATES IT WILL PULL LE SER-

VICES FROM CITY WITH NO PD

AFTER FAILED COST NEGOTIA-

TIONS

By Rosalio Ahumada,

The Sacramento Bee

WILLOWS, CA. — A small

Northern California city is seeking

a court injunction that would

order its county’s Sheriff’s Office

to continue providing law enforcement

services to its residents

as they negotiate a new

contract.

The City of Willows filed a civil

lawsuit in Glenn Superior Court

to give them more time to negotiate

a new contract with the

Glenn County Sheriff’s Office.

The current contract ends June

30, and sheriff’s officials announced

earlier this week they

will stop providing law enforcement

services to Willows when

the contract ends.

“The city is willing to pay for

law enforcement services at a

level that is lawful, reasonable,

financially sustainable, and the

product of good-faith negotiations,”

Willows officials said in a

news release Thursday. “The city

further maintains that it values


its longstanding partnership

with the Glenn County Sheriff’s

Office and remains committed

to ensuring uninterrupted law

enforcement services for the

Willows community.”

Willows scrapped its city-run

Police Department in 2017 and

transitioned to contracted services

from the Sheriff’s Office.

Willows , which is about 85

miles north of Sacramento, had

a population of about 6,300 as

of the 2020 U.S. Census, just over

one-fifth of Glenn County’s nearly

29,000 residents.

Last month, the Sheriff’s Office

said its $2.3 million contract

with the City of Willows will be

terminated at the end of June.

Sheriff’s officials said the cost

of providing law enforcement

services is currently $3.4 million

a year, which results in a loss of

nearly $1 million for Glenn County.

“This is unsustainable,” sheriff’s

officials said in Tuesday’s news

release. “The county cannot continue

to fund city services as the

county budget deficit grows.”

The Sheriff’s Office has taken

steps to transition services back

to Willows. Sheriff’s officials

said they’ve been forced to make

decisions on how to proceed after

the contract expires, because

Willows officials’ “unresponsiveness”

during this transition.

The Sheriff’s Office present-


ed two proposals for a new

contract on Jan. 22. Willows

officials said the first proposal

would increase the annual

contract amount to $3.4 million,

and the second proposal would

require Willows to hire a police

chief while increasing the contract

to $2.8 million.

On Feb. 9, Willows offered

a counterproposal that would

increase the contract amount

using the consumer price index,

then about 3%, plus an additional

1%. Willows’ proposal

increased the contract to $2.4

million in the next fiscal year

with CPI-based adjustments in

subsequent years.

Willows officials said the

annual contract costs were $1.5

million during a 2022 negotiation

with the Sheriff’s Office, and

the sheriff’s January 2026 proposal

would increase the costs

to about 120% over the past four

years.

ED-As went to press, no decision

had been made by either

party.

MULTIPLE CALIF. OFFICERS

PLACED ON LEAVE AMID NEW

PROBE INTO ‘HORSEPLAY’ IN-

CIDENT THAT LEFT OFFICER

WOUNDED

By Andrea Klick,

Pasadena Star-News, Calif.

PASADENA, CA. — Several officers

were placed on administrative

leave after Pasadena police

received new evidence Sunday,

June 14, in a shooting between

two officers that seriously injured

one of them while they

were joking around with loaded

guns before their shifts.

After the shooting Sept. 7,

police said the officer who fired


his weapon was “separated from

the city,” but officials placed additional

officers on leave Sunday

after a witness provided new evidence,

Police Chief Gene Harris

said in a statement. Harris didn’t

specify how many officers were

on leave or the nature of the

evidence, but said police have

opened an additional investigation

in response.

“When questions arise about

conduct, we act,” Harris said.

“Thorough investigations take

time, and I won’t rush one at the

expense of the truth. What I can

promise is that I will be as transparent

as California law allows

and share information with this

community as quickly as I’m

able.”

The announcement comes

days after police released mobile

phone video of the shooting June

10. The video shows an officer

in the parking garage, pointing

his gun at another officer driving

up to a parked patrol vehicle.

After the officer in view holsters

his gun, the driving officer fires,

shooting his front windshield

and then the officer’s left shoulder.

CLICK TO WATCH

Harris referred to the officers’

actions as “unsafe and

out-of-policy horseplay.”

The shooting remains under

investigation by Pasadena police

and the Los Angeles County District

Attorney’s office.

FORMER KY. OFFICER

CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGH-

TER IN FATAL OIS OF NAKED

MAN

By Dylan Lovan,

Associated Press

LOUISVILLE, KY. — A former

Louisville police officer who resigned

last week was charged by

a grand jury Monday with manslaughter

for fatally shooting a

naked man while responding to

an alleged assault.

The grand jury in Louisville

also indicted Nathan A. Stotts on

a charge of reckless homicide

for the May 30 fatal shooting of

27-year-old Martin Nitzken Jr.

Stotts encountered Nitzken

after being called to a neighborhood

on a report that three

women had been assaulted, Louisville

police said. Officers were

told the suspect had no clothes

on and was running down the































was unbelievable.














street.

On Stotts’ body camera footage

released by Louisville police,

the officer can be seen with his

gun drawn walking toward a

nude man sitting in the street.

The man gets up and starts moving

toward Stotts, who orders

him to stop. The man continues

to advance and the officer fires

one shot. The man drops to his

knees and doesn’t move as the

video ends.

Nitzken was pronounced dead

at the scene.

Police Chief Paul Humphrey

said at a news conference earlier

this month that Nitzken was “naked,

stumbling and unarmed.”

“Sometimes we have to make

decisions to take people’s lives,

and this was not one of them,”

Humphrey said.

Humphrey signaled that he

would fire Stotts after the body

camera footage was released

earlier this month, but Stotts

resigned. He joined the force in

2024.

Commonwealth’s Attorney

Gerina Whethers said in a media

release Monday that the grand

jury declined to charge Stotts

with murder.

The second-degree manslaughter

charge carries a maximum

prison sentence of five to

10 years and the reckless homicide

charge has a maximum

penalty of one to five years in

prison.

SUSPECT KILLED, TWO SAN

FRANCISCO OFFICERS INJURED

AFTER BEING RUN OVER BY

CAR DURING FOOT PURSUIT

By Connor Sheets,

Los Angeles Times

SAN FRANCISCO, CA. — A theft


suspect was killed and two San

Francisco Police officers were

injured after they were run over

by a motorist in the city’s Nob

Hill neighborhood.

The officers responded at 7:36

a.m. Friday to a reported theft

at a Trader Joe’s grocery store

on California and Hyde streets,

according to a statement by the

Police Department. They attempted

to make an arrest in the

alleged theft, but the suspect ran

away.

The officers followed and got

into a physical altercation with

the suspect that led to the three

of them being on the ground in

the roadway, according to graphic

video of the incident posted

on social media.

A Lexus SUV then proceeded

to run them over before coming

to a stop. The video shows

one person lying motionless in

the street as one of the officers

stands back up and bystanders

gather around. The other officer

was pinned under the vehicle,

the police’s statement said.

“Firefighters removed the officer

from under the vehicle while

paramedics rendered aid and

transported all three patients to

CLICK TO WATCH

the hospital,” the statement said.

“Despite life-saving efforts, the

initial theft suspect, who was

struck by the vehicle, succumbed

to his injuries and was declared

deceased.”

Both officers were taken to a

hospital, where they were being

treated for non-life-threatening

injuries as of Friday morning.

The driver of the Lexus “remained

on scene and is cooperating

with the investigation,”

according to the statement.

The department did not immediately

respond to a request

for comment. As of Saturday

morning, authorities had yet to

publicly release the names of the

people involved in the incident or

provide an update on the officers’

status or whether the driver had

been arrested or charged.

The vehicle “was unrelated to

the theft incident,” a representative

of the police department

told KTVU Fox 2 San Francisco. A

reporter for the TV station said

in a Friday broadcast that the

station had learned that there

was “not a lot of detail about

the injuries” and that “the two

officers, a rookie officer and a

field training officer, are in stable




condition being treated for their

injuries.”

San Francisco Mayor Daniel

Lurie posted on social media

about the incident Friday morning,

saying that he had “spoken

with both officers today” and

that he is “wishing them a full

and speedy recovery. Any loss of

life is a tragedy. I am grateful to

the first responders who acted

quickly to render aid to everyone

involved.”

The San Francisco Police Department

said in its statement

Friday that it was investigating

the incident. It called on anyone

who has relevant information to

call the department.

MINNESOTA POLICE OFFICER

SHOT, SUSPECT DEAD AFTER

STANDOFF

St. Peter, MN. – A St. Peter police

officer shot during a Thursday

night standoff is recovering

at a local hospital as state investigators

work to piece together

what led to the gunfire. The St.

Peter police officer shot incident

closed out a chase and standoff

that stretched across two southern

Minnesota cities and left a

suspect dead.

According to multiple local

outlets, the chain of events began

as a routine traffic stop near

Mankato. An officer reportedly

spotted a vehicle traveling well

above the posted speed limit and

attempted a stop near the intersection

of Highway 14 and Highway

169. The driver did not stop,

according to reporting from the

Union Star, and instead fled north

on Highway 169 into St. Peter,

prompting a pursuit.

Officers attempted to deploy a


tire deflation device near Highway

99 to end the chase, but the

driver maneuvered around it and

continued through town, according

to that same reporting. The

pursuit ended in the Washington

Terrace neighborhood near

the 2100 block of Bunker Lane,

where the suspect reportedly ran

into a townhome. A woman and

a child were said to be inside

the residence at the time, though

their condition has not been confirmed

by authorities.

The St. Peter Police Department

said in a Facebook statement

that the incident began

around 8 p.m. Thursday. An

officer was shot and transported

to a medical facility. As of Friday

morning, the department had

not released the officer’s condition,

name, rank, or assignment.

St. Peter police said the suspect

was found deceased following

the standoff, though the

department has not released

how he died or confirmed his

identity. The Minnesota Bureau of

Criminal Apprehension has taken

over the investigation, which is

standard practice in Minnesota

for incidents involving the use of

CLICK TO WATCH

force by law enforcement.

SUSPECT STEALS FLA. POLICE

VEHICLE FROM STATION WITH

K-9 INSIDE

A 63-year-old man allegedly

stole a marked Jacksonville

Beach police pickup truck from

a secured station parking lot

June 12 and drove off with a K-9

inside.

The incident happened just

after 8 p.m. June 12 when a

63-year-old man broke into a

marked Ford F-150 K-9 pickup

truck parked in the secured rear

lot of the Jacksonville Beach

Police Department, WJXT-TV

reports. Security camera footage

showed the man enter the lot

through an open gate.

The man drove to station's

front lot and sat in the parked

truck for nearly 15 minutes. He

then drove off, and footage from

the vehicle's dashboard camera,

which was released this week,

captured his brief joyride.

Police caught up with the

suspect shortly after 8:30 p.m.,

and he was taken into custody.

He was charged with theft of a

motor vehicle, grand theft and


other counts.

Furyk, a Belgian Malinois K-9,

was in the truck the entire time

and was safely recovered. Department

guns also were in the

vehicle when the suspect drove

away.

According to police, the man's

family had been worried about

the man's mental health.

FIVE TEXAS POLICE OFFI-

CERS INJURED RESCUING SUR-

VIVORS IN PLANE CRASH

By Jose De La Rosa, Zach Davis

and David Gomez Jr.

One person was killed after a

privately owned jet carrying six

people crashed Tuesday night on

Loop 20, according to the Laredo

Police Department.

The aircraft crashed shortly

before 10 p.m. near the City Hall

Annex building on Loop 20, just

before the Clark Boulevard exit.

Airport tower personnel alerted

police that the aircraft was

experiencing mechanical problems

before losing communication

with it, and shortly afterward,

police received reports

that it had crashed on Loop 20.

"What we have tonight is a

tragic event," LPD Public Information

Officer Joe Baeza said.

Authorities confirmed six

people were aboard the aircraft,

though the identity of the person

who died was being withheld

pending notification of next of

kin.

Information on the conditions

of the surviving occupants was

not immediately available.

According to Baeza, part of the

aircraft struck a vehicle traveling

southbound on Loop 20 during

the crash, though authorities

could not immediately confirm


which part of the aircraft was

involved.

The occupants of the vehicle

were taken to a local hospital

and survived, though authorities

did not immediately release

additional information on their

conditions.

Baeza said five LPD officers

were treated for smoke inhalation

after responding to the

crash, some of whom entered

the aircraft and helped remove

survivors. They were taken to a

local hospital and reported to be

in stable condition.

Several Good Samaritans also

CLICK TO WATCH

stopped to assist at the scene in

the immediate aftermath of the

crash, according to Baeza.

Loop 20 was closed in both

directions near Saunders Street

and Clark Boulevard as emergency

crews remained at the

scene.

Baeza said the closure was

expected to continue through

the morning commute and could

extend into Wednesday afternoon

as authorities document

and recover evidence across the

crash scene, which could stretch

across a large section of the

roadway.

NEW RELEASE



Aircraft fuel that spilled onto

the roadway was also being

contained by authorities.

The Laredo Fire Department

was assisting with firefighting

and fuel containment efforts at

the scene.

Baeza said FBI personnel were

at the scene, while National

Transportation Safety Board officials

and other agencies were

expected to arrive later.

NEV. TROOPER FIRES AFTER

SUV PINS HIM AGAINST FIRE

TRUCK

By Spencer Levering and Noble

Brigham

LAS VEGAS, NV. – Body and

dashboard camera footage

shows a Nevada Highway Patrol

trooper shooting at a motorist

who allegedly drove into a Las

Vegas crash scene and pinned

the trooper against a fire truck.

Authorities say the vehicle was

used as a weapon, and the driver

faces second-degree murder and

other charges.

Dashcam footage from a

Gwinnett County police cruiser

captured a child thrown from

a collision who landed on the

hood of the patrol vehicle and

survived with only minor injuries.

Nevada State Police unveiled

new footage Tuesday from last

week’s deadly police shooting on

Interstate 11.

The video showed the moments

leading up to and after

Nevada Highway Patrol trooper

Dustin Dunbar shot at Sean

Shirazi, 45, and Corinne Barnes,

40, after police said Shirazi

drove through a crash scene in

downtown Las Vegas on June 10,

clipped a semi-truck and used


his vehicle to pin Dunbar to a fire

truck.

Barnes died later that day from

a gunshot wound to her torso at

the Dignity Health- St. Rose Dominican

Hospital, Sahara Campus,

at West Sahara Avenue and

South Decatur Boulevard, police

said.

Nevada State Police Colonel

Michael Edgell told reporters

Tuesday that an investigation by

the Metropolitan Police Department’s

Force Investigation Team

found that Shirazi “used a vehicle

in a manner that created an

immediate threat to public safety

and law enforcement personnel.”

MAN SHOOTS AT OHIO DEP-

UTY DURING TRAFFIC STOP,

FLEES IN VEHICLE BEFORE

CONTINUING TO SHOOT AT

COPS

HARRISON COUNTY, OH. — A

man engaged officers in two

different shootouts before being

fatally wounded as he fled from

a multi-agency manhunt, according

to the Harrison County

Sheriff’s Office.

The incident began on March

30 when a deputy stopped a

vehicle for driving too closely to

the vehicle in front of it.

Body camera footage shows

the deputy speaking to the driver

as a man sat in the back seat.

After several minutes, the deputy

asked the driver to get out of

the vehicle, followed by a man

sitting in the back seat.

As the man was getting out of

the car, the deputy asked if he

could search him for weapons.

The man refused the search before

becoming combative.

The man then pulled a gun

from his waistband before pointing

it and firing at the deputy.

The deputy, who was not struck,

returned fire, but did not strike

the suspect.

He then got into the stopped

vehicle and fled.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol

and Cadiz police joined the sheriff’s

office in the pursuit. Officers

deployed spike strips several

times before the tire deflation

devices disabled the vehicle,

body camera video released by

the Ohio Attorney General’s Office

shows.

When the vehicle came to a

stop, the suspect got out and

xchanged gunfire with officers

before fleeing into the woods,


prompting a multi agency manhunt.

A trooper’s patrol vehicle

was struck during the exchange

of gunfire.

After several hours, authorities

located the suspect in a wooded

area on Mine Road in Green

Township. The Ohio State Highway

Patrol Aviation Unit located

him and repeatedly ordered him

to surrender as officers and a

K-9 unit moved in to take him

into custody, video shows.

A third officer-involved shooting

occurred during the arrest

attempt when the suspect ignored

commands and brandished

his gun. He died from his

injuries, according to the sheriff’s

office.

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal

Investigation is investigating all

three shooting incidents.

CALIF. OFFICER SHOOTS AT

WOMAN WHO LEFT ROADWAY

AND DROVE TOWARD OFFI-

CERS DEPLOYING SPIKE STRIPS

By Caleb Lunetta

The San Diego Union-Tribune

SAN DIEGO, CA. — Body-worn

camera footage released Thursday

shows a San Diego police

officer shoot — but miss — a

driver as she allegedly attempted

to flee from police and nearly

struck him in northern San Diego

last month.

San Diego police Sgt. Jeffrey

Houchins fired and struck

the front hood of a car being

allegedly driven at him by

35-year-old Janet Hammel near

San Dieguito Road and Derby

Farms Road, in the North City

neighborhood north of Carmel

Valley, on May 6, investigators

said.

Hammel was not hit or injured,


investigators said. She was later

arrested on suspicion of evading

police and assault with a deadly

weapon on an officer, investigators

said.

The edited video begins by

saying that on the day of the

shooting, San Diego police

officers received a report of an

occupied stolen vehicle around

11:05 a.m. on Tecolote Road near

Morena Boulevard.

The video cuts to footage

taken by the San Diego Police

Department helicopter flying

over a parked vehicle that it has

honed in on.

Police said Hammel was in

the car. The car backed up and

began to drive away from the

scene, and a pursuit began.

On Interstate 5 , the car drove

at speeds exceeding 90 mph,

and the driver refused to yield to

the officers with their lights on

behind her.

After taking several streets before

heading east on San Dieguito

Road, the pursuit was called

off due to erratic driving and

unsafe speeds, police said.

On Derby Farms Road near a

gated community, Houchins and

another officer deployed spike

strips and stood in a grassy embankment

waiting for the car to

drive by again.

The video then cuts to bodyworn

camera footage and helicopter

footage showing the car

seemingly attempting to avoid

the spike strip and driving up

onto the embankment where the

officers were standing.

The car drove between the

two officers, and Houchins fired

a single round from his service

weapon, the video shows. The

bullet did not strike the driver

but hit the hood of the vehicle,

according to police.

“I shot into the windshield,”

Houchins said into his radio in

the video. “She drove right at

me.”

The car continued driving east

until it reached Poway, where a

set of spike strips popped the

tires.

The woman was then arrested.

The Sheriff’s Office is handling

the investigation under a reciprocal

agreement with San Diego

police, so neither department

investigates its own officers or

deputies in on-duty shootings.



PA. MAYOR CRITICIZES NEW-

LY HIRED COP WHO QUIT PD

TO JOIN ‘LOVE ISLAND': ‘NEVER

THOUGHT I’D SEE THE DAY’

Joanna Putman

BETHLEHEM, PA. — A former

Bethlehem Police officer is

caught up in drama on TV and

at home after the town’s mayor

complained he had wasted

resources by leaving the force to

join the reality show “Love Island

USA,” FOX 8 reported.

Sean Reifel, 29, was recently

announced as a cast member of

the dating show, which places

single individuals together in an

island villa and requires them

to form couples in order to stay

on the show. A $100,000 prize

awaits the show’s winner(s).

In the first episode of season

8, Reifel spoke about his work

on the force, telling viewers that

working as an officer makes

“you feel like you made a difference.”

He was sent home

during episode 5, becoming the

first “islander” to get dumped in

season 8.

Reifel was sworn into the

Bethlehem Police Department in

August 2025. He resigned from

the department in May to appear

on the show, Bethlehem Police

Chief Michelle Kott told The

Morning Call.

“I love Sean, he’s a good guy,

he was a great officer, but I’m

disappointed,” Kott told The

Morning Call. “Just because we

work so incredibly hard to try to

recruit the best people we can to

be part of the Bethlehem Police

Department.”

Reifel’s departure also drew ire

from Bethlehem’s mayor.

“Our police department spent


a lot of time training and we

paid thousands of taxpayer

dollars to send him to the police

academy. We are disappointed

he left as we now have another

vacancy in our department that

is impossible to fill until next

year ...” Mayor J. William Reynolds

told FOX 8. “I never thought

I’d see the day in America where

reality show participation wins

out over being a police officer.”

The officer’s resignation raises

a question for law enforcement

agencies: Should officers who

leave soon after being hired have

to reimburse departments for

taxpayer-funded training?

SUSPECT ATTACKED BY

ALLIGATOR WHILE FLEEING

FROM LA. DEPUTIES THROUGH

SWAMP

By Michelle Hunter

The Times-Picayune | The New

Orleans Advocate

ST. CHARLES PARISH, LA. — A

motorist believed to be driving

while under the influence was

attacked by an alligator after he

leapt into the swamp below Interstate

310 in St. Charles Parish

to avoid arrest, according to the

CLICK TO WATCH

Louisiana State Police.

Victor Rivas, 40, of Montz, was

eventually taken into custody

after sustaining injuries to both

arms, according to authorities.

State Police were notified Sunday

about a Toyota Supra that

was driving recklessly on Interstate

10 near Bonnabel Boulevard

in Metairie, authorities said. The

car hit a concrete barrier, causing

a tire blowout.

Troopers began searching the

area for the vehicle and later

spotted the car driving south

on I-310, State Police said. They

conducted a traffic stop and

identified Rivas as the Supra’s

driver.

The troopers speaking to Rivas

noticed he had undisclosed signs

of impairment, according to officials.

Rivas then took off running

on the elevated interstate before

hopping over the side of the

highway and plummeting to the

swamp down below.

Deputies from the St. Charles

Parish Sheriff’s Office joined the

search for Rivas. They found him

later walking on Airline Highway,

according to State Police.

Rivas waded back into the

nearby swamp where he was

attacked by an alligator, State

Police said. Although injured,

Rivas continued to flee from

authorities.

State Police and the Sheriff’s

Office finally found him using a

drone. He was taken to a hospital

for treatment before being

booked in St. Charles Parish with

DWI and resisting an officer.

Rivas is also wanted on a warrant

out of Jefferson Parish for

hit-and run driving and careless

operation of a vehicle, State Police

said.

Rivas was being held Monday

at the Nelson Coleman Correctional

Center in Killona on a

$17,5000 bond.

FORMER N.C. POLICE LIEU-

TENANT PLEADS GUILTY TO

SECOND-DEGREE MURDER IN

FATAL OIS OF FLEEING MOTOR-

CYCLIST

Joe Marusak

The Charlotte Observer

NEWTON, N.C. — A former

Newton Police Department

lieutenant has pleaded guilty

to second-degree murder in the

fatal shooting of an unarmed

motorcyclist, the Catawba County

District Attorney’s Office said.

Carlos Uribe, 29, of Conover,

entered the plea in Catawba

County Superior Court Thursday,

prosecutors said.

Camden Childers, 21, was

fatally shot after a motorcycle

chase on June 26, 2025, according

to the District Attorney’s

office.

An investigation by the North

Carolina State Bureau of Investigation

determined that Uribe

kicked and shot Childers after

Childers raised his hands in

surrender “and was no longer

deemed a threat,” according to

a District Attorney’s office news

release Friday.

Childers had led officers on

two chases in other jurisdictions

before Newton police tried to

stop him, prosecutors said.

“Childers rode his bike into

a cul-de-sac near Walmart in

Conover and reached a point

where he no longer could get

away from officers,” according to

the news release.

Uribe used his patrol car to

knock Childers and his motorcycle

to the ground, prosecutors

said.

“Uribe’s body camera footage

captures the officer telling the

victim to get on the ground, and

Childers clearly has his hands up

in surrender,” according to the

news release.

‘I’m sorry!’ man yelled. ‘I’m so

sorry!’

The footage shows Uribe

kicking Childers in the stomach

before a gunshot is heard and

Childers repeatedly saying, “I’m

sorry!” and “He shot me!” prosecutors

said.

Childers was pronounced dead

CLICK TO WATCH

at Catawba Valley Medical Center.

An autopsy showed he died

of a gunshot wound to his chest,

prosecutors said.

Uribe is scheduled to be sentenced

on Sept. 8.

FLA. OFFICER USES PIT

MANEUVER TO STOP DRUNK

DRIVER PLOWING THROUGH

IRONMAN COURSE

A Jacksonville sheriff’s officer

used a PIT maneuver to stop an

accused drunk driver who drove

through portions of the Ironman

Jacksonville race course in May.

Dashcam footage showed the

suspect nearly striking bicyclists

while refusing repeated attempts

by officers to pull him over

during the event.


The driver was arrested on

multiple felony and misdemeanor

charges in what authorities

said was his third DUI arrest in

the past decade.

Dashcam footage from a

Gwinnett County police cruiser

captured a child thrown from

a collision who landed on the

hood of the patrol vehicle and

survived with only minor injuries.

A Florida sheriff's officer

needed to use a PIT maneuver to

stop an accused drunken driver

who plowed through an Ironman

course last month.

The incident happened May 16

as Jacksonville Sheriff's Officer

Ernesto Valerio was blocking

traffic for the Ironman Jacksonville

26.2-mile run in the city's

Riverside neighborhood, the

agency stated in a social media

post that included dashboard

camera footage. That's when a

call came over the radio that a

motorist was driving through the

bike and run courses.

Valerio was able to catch up

with the car, which could be

seen nearly hitting competing bicyclists.

Motorcycle Officer Aaron

Sanchez joined Valerio, and they

tried multiple times to pull over

the driver—later identified as

Darrell Simon—but he refused to

stop.

"The dash cam shows Motor

Unit Officer Aaron Sanchez

putting his own life in danger,

attempting to stop the car with

his motorcycle," the sheriff's office

stated.

Finally, Valerio was able to

execute a PIT maneuver at an

intersection and stop Simon. He

was arrested and charged with

eight felonies and nearly a dozen

misdemeanors.


It was Simon's third DUI arrest

in the past 10 years.

"We are incredibly proud of our

officers for putting their lives on

the line in this moment to protect

the Ironman athletes and

spectators from what could have

been a tragedy," the sheriff's

office stated.

'MIRACLE': BOY EJECTED

FROM VEHICLE CRASH NEAR-

LY LANDS ON GA. POLICE

CRUISER, WALKS AWAY WITH

SCRATCHES

By Joanna Putman

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — The

Gwinnett County Police Department

released body camera

footage showing a crash that

caused a child to be ejected from

a truck and land on the hood of

a police cruiser.

Police shared dash camera

video on June 3, showing a collision

that involved three vehicles.

A child can be seen hitting the

side of the cruiser’s hood after

being thrown from one of the

vehicles.

As body camera footage shows

the officer opening the cruiser

door, the child can be heard

CLICK TO WATCH

screaming. The officer walked

over to pick him up as he tried

to run back to the truck he was

ejected from.

The officer can be seen carrying

the child to the cruiser and

placing him in the driver’s seat.

He sustained only minor injuries.

“This video is nothing short of

a miracle ... traffic enforcement

is not just about writing citations.

It’s about preventing tragedies

and keeping our community

safe. Please take a few extra

seconds to make sure everyone

in your vehicle is properly restrained

before every trip,” the

department stated.

The child was not wearing a

seatbelt at the time of the crash,

USA Today reports. The driver

was cited for not properly restraining

a child.

FLORIDA DEPUTY, FEDERAL

AGENT STOP RUNAWAY BOAT

AFTER TEENS THROWN OVER-

BOARD

By Sofia Saric

Miami Herald

MONROE COUNTY, FL. — Three

teenagers were thrown from a

runaway vessel off Islamorada































was unbelievable.










NEW RELEASE




Sunday, marking the second time

people were tossed from a flats

boat in the Florida Keys in less

than three weeks, the Monroe

County Sheriff’s Office said.

None of the teens were hurt,

but the unmanned flats-style

boat kept traveling at around

35 mph “in a congested area on

a busy afternoon,” the sheriff’s

office said. They were thrown

from the vessel in waters off Mile

Marker 89 between Key Largo

and Marathon.

A good Samaritan picked up

the teenagers around 1 p.m.

while Marine Deputy Nelson Sanchez,

a U.S. Customs and Border

Protection boat and a TowBoatUS

vessel responded to the waters.

“An entangling device slowed

the boat, but not enough to stop

it,” the sheriff’s office said.

Sanchez approached the runaway

boat and matched its

speed and course. A U.S. Customs

and Border Protection

agent onboard the sheriff’s office

boat got close enough to reach

the other vessel’s controls and

stop it with a long boat hook.

There was a separate but similar

event on May 15, the sheriff’s

office said. Two people were

thrown from a flats boat near

Mile Marker 73 and were picked

up unharmed by a good Samaritan.

Both of these incidents “could

have ended very differently,”

Monroe Sheriff Rick Ramsay said

in the statement.

“The summer boating season is

here,” Ramsay said. “Now is the

time to revisit safety procedures

and remind yourself of marine

laws and regulations.”


EX-N.Y. TROOPER SEN-

TENCED UP TO 7.5 YEARS IN

PRISON IN PURSUIT CRASH

DEATH OF 11-YEAR-OLD

KINGSTON, N.Y. — Former state

trooper Christopher Baldner is

headed to state prison for his

role in the Dec. 22, 2020 , death

of 11-year-old Monica Goods,

who died after the vehicle she

was riding in crashed after being

struck twice by Baldner during

a high-speed chase on the state

Thruway in the town of Ulster.

Ulster County Judge Bryan

Rounds sentenced the 19-year

veteran state trooper to 2 1/2 to

7 1/2 years in prison during an

emotional daylong proceeding in

Ulster County Court on Tuesday.

Baldner, 48, faced a maximum

of 5-to-15 years in state prison

for his conviction on second-degree

manslaughter for the

Brooklyn girl’s death. However,

Rounds said the maximum sentence

was “too high.” Conversely,

he said, sentencing Baldner to a

CLICK TO WATCH

local jail sentence “understated

the gravity of the crime.”

Baldner showed no emotion as

Rounds handed down the sentence.

Monica Goods’ mother,

Michelle Surrency, wept.

Goods was a passenger in

a vehicle driven by her father,

Tristin Goods, on Dec. 22, 2020,

when Baldner stopped the vehicle

for traveling 101 miles an

hour on the state Thruway. An

argument between the two men

ensued and in audio captured on

Baldner’s cell phone, Goods —

who testified at trial that at the

time of the stop he believed in

the tenets of sovereign citizens

— could be heard screaming and

cursing at Baldner, refusing to

produce his license because he

was “traveling in my conveyance.”

When Goods refused to get

out of the vehicle, Baldner pepper-sprayed

the occupants and

Goods, saying he feared for his

life, sped off away from the



stop with Baldner in hot pursuit.

Within 30 seconds of that

chase, Baldner rammed the

Goods vehicle for the first time.

Nine seconds later, he rammed

them again, causing Goods to

lose control and crash. Monica

was killed when she was thrown

from the vehicle and trapped

beneath it.

By convicting Baldner of second-degree

manslaughter, jurors

found that he recklessly caused

or contributed to the girl’s death.

Inside the courtroom on Tuesday,

Monica was recalled as a

vibrant, kind and joy-filled girl

whose death has devastated her

family.

“Monica was a shining light,

a vibrant and joyful soul,” Surrency

said through tears. She

said her daughter loved to play

basketball, dance and sing and

was learning to cook. Her favorite

colors, she said, were red and

white.

“Every morning I wake up and

for a moment expect to find

Monica with us, then reality hits

me. My baby’s not here anymore,

a piece of my heart is missing,

forever broken and my family is

incomplete.”

“The pain of losing Monica is

a burden I will carry every day,”

she said, weeping.

In a statement read by Assistant

state Attorney General

Joelle Morabito-Cruz, Monica’s

father, Tristin, blasted Baldner,

calling him a monster who took

his daughter’s future from her

and her family.

“All I will (be) left with is the

memory of that God-awful

night: The night that man whose

duty is to protect and serve

became a monster. This monster


not only took my child but he

also caused an extensive amount

of mental anguish for my family

and myself.”

“His life will carry on. Maybe

not the way he planned, but he

will still breathe every single

day,” he said.

While family members inside

the courtroom spoke of the impact

of the crash and Monica’s

death, about 25 demonstrators

gathered outside the courthouse

awaiting word on Baldner’s sentencing.

At some point, the protesters

were told by officers with the

state Office of Court Administration

that they had to move

across the street because state

law prohibits protests in front of

a courthouse.

Using bullhorns and carrying

signs, the group maintained a

near-constant stream of chants,

including “No Justice, No peace.

No racist police” along with demands

for “Justice for Monica,”

and “Anthony Ricco, shame on

you.” Ricco, a Black man, is one

of Baldner’s defense attorneys.

Rounds blasted the tactics of

the demonstrators, who during

the first trial loudly disrupted the

trial during the closing arguments

of state Attorney General

Jennifer Gashi, handed out

leaflets to potential jurors in the

second trial and called Rico and

his paralegal, who is also Black,

the N-word.

Rounds also said he received a

batch of form letters that stated

in part “we are watching and we

will remember,” which Rounds

said he appeared to be “improperly

seeking to influence this

judge’s decision.”

“They will not be considered

in any way shape or form when

deciding the sentence of a criminal

defendant in this courtroom,”

Rounds said.

He went on to angrily denounce

the behavior of protesters,

calling “abhorrent” their predetermination

that Baldner was

guilty before “a single solitary

piece of evidence” was presented.

And he apologized to the

defense team for the epithets

spewed in their direction.

“It ain’t normal, it ain’t right

and whatever preconceived notion

you have about upstate, it

ain’t us,” he said.

Baldner is the second state


trooper in New York to be

charged with homicide in connection

with a fatal vehicle pursuit,

and the first to be convicted.

His trial in March was the second

time Baldner faced a jury on

charges connected to Monica’s

death. In November, a separate

jury acquitted Baldner of murder

and reckless endangerment

charges, but deadlocked on the

manslaughter charge, prompting

the state Attorney General’s

Office to try him again.

SUSPECT SLIPS OUT OF

HANDCUFFS, STEALS DALLAS

POLICE CRUISER WITH OFFI-

CER INSIDE

By Mary Ella Hastings

DALLAS, TX. – The Dallas

Police Department has released

body-camera footage and incar

video that shows a suspect

escape from his handcuffs and

drive off in a cop car as an officer

in the back seat tries to stop

him.

On May 30, Officers Ibrahim

Kante and Kenneth Harper conducted

a traffic stop for a registration

violation in the 2300

block of South Marsalis Avenue,

Dallas police said in a news

release. During this stop, Stacey

Huffman was arrested on suspicion

of driving with an invalid

license, possession of a controlled

substance, and unlawful

possession of a firearm.

Kante handcuffed Huffman and

put him in the back of the squad

car while the officers conducted

the rest of the investigation.

Huffman was able to get one of

his hands free from the cuffs,

and he hid his hands behind his

back, according to the video. After

the officers began driving, the


suspect tried to open the back

door and get out of the vehicle,

police said. They do not yet

know how he got his hands free.

When Kante and Harper noticed

the suspect was trying to

escape, they stopped the vehicle

on northbound I-35 near Illinois

Avenue. The officers got out of

the car to try to restrain Huffman,

but he climbed into the

front seat and started driving

the car, the video shows. Officer

Harper got into the back seat before

the car took off and yelled

at Huffman to stop, police said.

Officer Kante remained outside

the vehicle at this time.

As Huffman drove, Officer

Harper tried to shock him with a

Taser but it was ineffective because

Huffman pulled the wires

away, police said.

Harper then drew his gun on

Huffman and as the suspect

continued to drive the vehicle,

Harper hit him in the side of the

head with his weapon. Huffman

continued to drive recklessly,

CLICK TO WATCH

throwing Harper around in the

back seat, police said.

The car was accelerating at

about 50 mph and had gone

about 1,000 feet when Huffman

jumped out of the moving vehicle,

police said. Harper was then

able to get control of the car and

avoid an accident.

Huffman was unconscious

after hitting the ground, and he

and Harper were taken to a hospital

for treatment, police said.

As of Thursday, June 4, Huffman

is still admitted to the hospital

and faces charges of driving

without a valid license, possession

of a controlled substance,

unlawful possession of a firearm,

as well as unauthorized use of a

motor vehicle and escape from

custody. The officer was released

from the hospital.

According to the Dallas Police

Department press release, officials

want to ensure transparency

and that is why they have

released portions of the video

from the May 30 escape. This is

an ongoing investigation.

SUSPECT STABS COLO. OFFI-

CER IN HEAD MULTIPLE TIMES

BEFORE FATAL OIS

By Joanna Putman

AURORA, Colo. — The Aurora

Police Department released

body camera footage showing

an officer-involved shooting of

a man who stabbed an officer in

the head.

The April 9 incident began

when officers were dispatched

to a mental health crisis call.

When they arrived on the scene,

a man threatened to harm himself

and kill everyone around

him while looking out an apartment

window and holding a

butcher knife to his neck.

While officers worked to make

verbal contact with the suspect,

he ran out of the home with the

knife in hand, KDVR reported.

The man can be seen on body

camera video rushing out and

charging an officer with the

knife.

Officer Mark Moore then released

his K-9 partner, Cyrus,

who was subsequently stabbed

by the suspect, according to

police. After K-9 Cyrus retreated

due to his injuries, the suspect

attacked Moore with the butcher

knife, stabbing him in the head

multiple times.As Moore was being

stabbed, he fired shots at the

suspect multiple times, striking him.

The suspect was transported

to a hospital where he was pronounced

dead. As of May 29, the

officer was still recovering from

his injuries.

K-9 Cyrus, a cancer survivor,

received emergency veterinary

treatment the night of the incident

and is expected to make a

full recovery.

NYPD SERGEANT STRUCK

AFTER TEEN DRIVES STOLEN

SUV INTO OFFICERS

By Rocco Parascandola and

Roni Jacobson

NEW YORK -- An NYPD sergeant

was struck by the teen

driver of a stolen SUV in the

Bronx moments before another

cop jumped atop a police vehicle

and shot the suspect, police said.

The sergeant was hospitalized

in stable condition, police said,

and several other cops suffered

minor injuries when the suspect

rammed into their vehicles.

The 18-year-old suspect in the

Sunday evening confrontation,

shot in the arm, was taken to

St. Barnabas Hospital in stable

condition.

The drama played out over two

boroughs, police said, beginning

when a Kia Sportage with New

Jersey license plates was stolen

in the Bronx.

An alert from a license plate

reader flagged the Kia in Washington

Heights at 5:35 p.m.

Sunday. Ten minutes later an

alert flagged the car as it headed

into the Bronx over the University

Heights Bridge.

NYPD Aviation Unit tracked

the Kia from a helicopter, with

officers from the Community

Response Team following the

suspect through the streets in

unmarked cars.

The cops on the ground followed

the car for about a mile,

at which point the suspect

stopped and let out a passenger

before taking off again. Then,

two blocks away, the suspect

stopped on East Fordham Road

near Webster Ave., where he was

quickly surrounded by officers in

six unmarked vehicles.

The officers told the suspect

and his remaining passenger

multiple times to get out of the

car, NYPD Assistant Chief Aneudy

Castillo said, but the suspect

instead “put the car into reverse,

hitting one of the unmarked

vehicles, and ultimately hitting

multiple members of the NYPD.”

“He then put the Kia into drive

and turned the wheels of the Kia

to the right, where a sergeant

was standing,” Castillo added.

“He drove the car into the sergeant,

who was thrown to the

ground.”

Another officer jumped onto

an NYPD vehicle to avoid being

hit, Castillo said, but the suspect


again tried to escape, “reversing

backwards with the sergeant on

the ground in front of the Kia and

multiple additional officers in

close proximity to the car.”

The officer atop the Kia then

shot the suspect, Castillo said,

with other officers then arresting

the teen.

Castillo said the confrontation

was captured on police bodyworn

cameras and that the NYPD

Force Investigation Division is reviewing

the sequence of events,

as it does with all such incidents.

The suspect and his passenger

have not yet been charged.

The teen driving the Kia had

been arrested in February for

shooting a man nearby the scene

of the clash with cops, Castillo

said.

FLORIDA SHERIFF'S VEHI-

CLE SLAMMED INTO BY DRIVER

DURING TRAFFIC STOP

LUTZ, FL – A Pasco County traffic

stop crash left three drivers

involved in a serious collision

late Friday night, according to

the Florida Highway Patrol.

The crash occurred just before

10:30 p.m. on State Road 54

near Ballantrae Boulevard, when

a routine traffic stop escalated

into a multi-vehicle impact

involving a marked patrol unit, a

civilian vehicle, and a Jeep SUV,

according to WFLA-TV.

According to the Florida Highway

Patrol, a 30-year-old Pasco

County deputy was conducting

a traffic stop with emergency

lights activated. The patrol vehicle

was positioned partially in

the grass and inside lane when

an 18-year-old female driver in

an Audi A5 was stopped ahead

of the patrol car.


While the deputy was outside

the vehicles conducting the

stop, a Jeep Compass driven by

28-year-old Omar Malave of Lutz

struck the rear of the patrol vehicle.

The impact forced the patrol

unit into the median, where

it struck a speed limit sign and

a road work sign before coming

to rest.

The Jeep also collided with the

Audi, pushing it off the roadway

and into the median, according

to investigators.

Authorities said neither speeding

nor impairment is currently

suspected as a contributing

factor in the crash. The Pasco

County Sheriff’s Office confirmed

the deputy was evaluated by

medical personnel and released

with no reported injuries.

MO. CAMPUS POLICE CHIEF

CHARGED, ACCUSED OF GIVING

TEST ANSWERS TO LE ACADE-

MY STUDENTS

Joanna Putman

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO. — A

campus police chief has been

charged after allegedly giving

answers and submitting tests on

behalf of police academy students,

KRCU reported.

Dr. Richard Flotron was terminated

from his position as Southeast

Missouri State University

(SEMO) Campus Police chief following

an investigation into the

allegations, according to KRCU.

He has been charged with two

felony counts of forgery and two

misdemeanor counts of unauthorized

use of testing materials.

According to a probable cause

statement, Flotron claimed that

there was a delay in the exam

on the day of the December 2025

test because it was administered

through the state’s POST

board and some students had

difficulties getting the necessary

credentials. He also stated

that students were instructed to

bring their laptops to him before

they submitted the test so that

their scores could be recorded.

During his interview with investigators,

Flotron stated that

he did not manually change students’

answers, provide answers

or give hints. He stated that he

probably submitted a test for a

student who was too scared to

submit it them self.

According to the statement,


some students allegedly spent

up to 22 minutes with Flotron

while submitting their exams.

Flotron denied giving any answers

or hints to the students

but “could not give a good answer

on why cadets were with

him for an extended period of

time or why he had control of

their laptops,” the investigating

officer wrote.

A student interviewed in the

investigation stated that while

Flotron had her laptop, she saw

him change two answers before

submitting the test for her.

Another student alleged that

Flotron commented on one of

her answers that he “wouldn’t

pick that one.”

Captain Jason Morgan has

been serving as the interim University

Chief of Police since April

30, KCRU reported.

BODY CAMERA VIDEO RE-

LEASED IN FATAL OFFI-

CER-INVOLVED SHOOTING OF

AXE-WIELDING SUSPECT IN

CALIFORNIA

By Officer.com News

STOCKTON, CA. – Body camera

video has been released of an

officer-involved shooting last

month that left a suspect accused

of using an axe to break

into an occupied home dead,

according to the Stockton Police

Department.

On May 4 at approximately 7

a.m., Stockton police officers

responded to the 2000 block of

Nevada Street after a 911 call

reported a male suspect armed

with an axe attempting to force

entry into a residence. According

to police, the suspect, identified

as 25-year-old Moises Andrade,

allegedly used the axe to cause

substantial damage to the front

door of an occupied home.

Officers determined during

their initial response that Andrade

had attempted to enter the

residence and may have been en

route to another location where

additional acts of violence were

possible, according to the department.

Investigators said officers later

developed information that Andrade

was staying at a nearby

residence in the 1200 block of

Deep Cliff Way. Officers responded

to the location and made

contact at the front door, where

the garage door partially opened

and the suspect was observed

inside.

Police said officers began

speaking with Andrade when he

allegedly retrieved an axe that

was attached to a bicycle inside

the garage and armed himself in

front of them. One officer drew

a service weapon while another

deployed a TASER as a less-lethal

option.

Officers issued verbal commands

and attempted to de-escalate

the situation while creating

distance. According to police,

Andrade refused commands to

drop the axe, assumed a pre-assaultive

stance, and raised the

weapon in close proximity to

officers.

One officer discharged his firearm,

striking the suspect, police

said.

Officers immediately rendered

medical aid until Stockton Fire

Department personnel and

emergency medical services

arrived. The suspect was trans-



ported to a local hospital, where

he was later pronounced deceased.

No officers were injured

during the incident.

Both officers had activated

body-worn cameras during the

encounter, according to police,

and the Stockton Police Department

has since released

the footage as part of its public

transparency effort.

The Stockton Police Department

has initiated a multi-agency

critical incident investigation

involving the San Joaquin County

District Attorney’s Bureau of

Investigations, the California

Department of Justice, and the

San Joaquin County Medical Examiner’s

Office.

GEORGIA POLICE K-9 SERI-

OUSLY INJURED DURING FATAL

OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTING

By Officer.com News

COLUMBUS, GA. – A Columbus

police officer and a police K-9

were injured during an officer-involved

shooting June 23,

while a suspect was fatally shot,

according to the Columbus Police

Department.

The incident occurred at approximately

12:55 p.m. Members

of the Columbus Police Department

were involved in the shooting,

which left one officer and

K-9 Havoc injured. The suspect

was pronounced deceased.

In an update released later in

the day, the department said K-9

Havoc was transported to Auburn

Vet Hospital and remains in

stable condition. The K-9 is expected

to undergo surgery, and

his handler has remained by his

side throughout treatment.

The injured officer received


medical treatment and is expected

to make a full physical

recovery, according to the department.

"Today was a difficult day

for our community and for

#TeamCPD," the department

said in a statement. "In a matter

of hours, one life was lost, an

officer was injured, and one of

our K9s was seriously wounded.

It serves as a reminder of the

dangers our officers face every

day while working to protect this

community."

Police said there is no ongoing

threat to public safety.

TWO GEORGIA POLICE OFFI-

CERS INJURED, SUSPECT DEAD

IN CONFRONTATION

SAVANNAH, GA. – The Georgia

Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is

investigating an officer-involved

shooting in Savannah at the

request of the Savannah Police

Department following a fatal

encounter that left one man

dead and two officers injured.

According to the Georgia Bureau

of Investigation, the incident

occurred on June 23, 2026,

in Savannah, Chatham County.

Authorities identified the deceased

as Nicholaus Oxendine,

35, of Savannah. Two Savannah

Police Department officers

sustained minor injuries during

the encounter and were treated

at a local hospital before being

released.

Preliminary information indicates

that at approximately 7:15

a.m., two Savannah Police Department

officers were on patrol

when they observed Oxendine

loitering near a closed business

at the intersection of East Victory

Drive and Bull Street. Officers

initiated a contact with Oxendine

as part of a field interview.

During the interaction, Oxendine

allegedly attacked one of

the officers. He then reportedly

attempted to assault the second

officer. In response, one of the

officers discharged their firearm,

striking Oxendine and ending the

confrontation.

Emergency Medical Services

responded to the scene and

transported Oxendine to a nearby

hospital, where he was later

pronounced dead from his injuries.

The GBI has taken over the



investigation, which remains

active and ongoing. Oxendine’s

body will be transported to the

GBI Crime Lab in Pooler for an

autopsy as part of the standard

investigative process.

2 FLA. HIGHWAY PATROL

OFFICERS FIRED, ACCUSED OF

CLAIMING PAY FOR OFF-DUTY

SHIFTS THEY DIDN’T WORK

By Cristóbal Reyes

Orlando Sentinel

ORLANDO, FL. — The two

former Florida Highway Patrol

troopers fired this week after

being charged with fraud are

accused of overbilling thousands

of dollars in faked off-duty shifts

at ChampionsGate, court records

allege — including when one of

them was out of the country.

Capt. Lenita King , 63, and


Trooper Maurice Vilsaint, 43,

were arrested Wednesday on

charges stemming from the

alleged scheme, which came to

light following an investigation

earlier this year by the Office of

Inspector General at the Florida

Department of Highway Safety

CLICK TO WATCH

and Motor Vehicles.

Both were released on bond

from of the Osceola County Jail

shortly after surrendering to

authorities there on charges of

grand theft, defrauding to obtain

property, falsifying public

records and falsifying official

documents as public servants.

In both cases, according to

affidavits filed in Osceola County

court, they are accused of

defrauding the ChampionsGate

Community Development District,

which hired them to provide

law enforcement services

and paid them through their

personal corporations.

“The ChampionsGate CDD is not

providing any comment on this

matter,” a spokesperson said.

Vilsaint, who worked at FHP

for 18 years and was tasked with

commercial vehicle enforcement

at the district, is accused of

collecting $12,220 in payments

over 48 unworked days between

October and March, with an additional

$3,120 billed for 12 days

in April that he didn’t receive.

The affidavit filed in Vilsaint’s

case claims he was initially reported

to investigators on Feb. 5.

Although records don’t mention



falsified shifts prior to Oct. 1, the

investigation of his shifts from

June 2025 to April 2026 found

discrepancies in reports filed

while billing the district compared

to others submitted to FHP.

Investigators claim he turned

off his vehicle’s GPS tracker

on multiple days in question,

“which precluded the OIG the

ability to confirm” his true

whereabouts when he claimed

to be working. On some of the

days it was turned on, however,

investigators said his tracker

confirmed he never drove to

ChampionsGate on several of

the days for which he was later

paid.

Additionally, investigators

found he billed the district for

hours in which he was working

for FHP, “and on several occasions

[when] he was out of the

United States on international

travel,” the affidavit said.

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BOOK SHELF

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THIN BLUE LINE:

LIFE BEHIND THE BADGE

AUTHOR:

Michael E. Barron,

Retired Sergeant


cer-involved shootings, volatile domestic

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in the line of duty.

Barron writes not only as a journalist

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michael Barron began his law enforcement

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school as a deputy with the Harris

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the 1950s and 1960s whose career became

the subject of published accounts

and departmental lore. Honoring that

legacy, Barron even wore the same

badge number once carried by his

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was twice recognized by the 100 Club

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from a raging house fire, and later

for his role in locating a four-year-old

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and left for dead beneath a bridge in a

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which left both Barron and the suspect

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off his belt buckle, it would have severed

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bleed out within minutes. Barron later

ABOUT THE BOOK:

What does it truly mean to wear the

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In Thin Blue Line: Life Behind the

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pulls back the curtain on a profession

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split-second decisions carry

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For more than 42 years, The BLUES

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readers behind the scenes of real officontinued

his career with the Galveston

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In 1984, he founded The BLUES Police

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RESCUING 9-1-1: THE

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AUTHOR:

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Retired Sergeant LVMPD

ABOUT THE BOOK:

We Must Not Become a Nation of

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What would happen if you dialed

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He also leaves us with a plan and a

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-Sheriff Mark Lamb

Sheriff of Pinal County, Arizona

Author of American Sheriff

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Randy Sutton is a 33 year Law

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issues. He served ten years

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Them”, ‘A COP’S LIFE”, “TRUE BLUE To

Serve and Protect” and the Amazon #1

Bestselling book, “THE POWER OF LEG-

ACY, Personal Heroes of America’s Most

Inspiring People” His web site is www.

randysuttonspeaks.com

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING:

As I sat across the table from him!

My review of this incredible book is going

to be from a little different perspective

from many of the others on here. Randy

Sutton is a very close personal friend of

mine which I feel makes me uniquely qualified

to comment. I have spent time with

Randy in his home and mine sharing stories

and learning from this man. As I read the

book I felt as if I was sitting across the table

from him once again listening and learning.

I literally felt his presence and wanted

to ask him questions while reading. It felt

that real that I was not only reading the

words but sharing all of the emotions and

experiences.

I am an avid reader, last year reading

220 books I can say without hesitation

that Randy's latest book is one of the best

books I have ever read not just cop books,

all books. Randy is an incredible man, an

incredible story teller and the face and

voice of law enforcement. He has an unmatched

gift and passion for life and most

importantly his brothers and sisters in Blue.

This book needs to be required reading for

everyone in law enforcement. Thank you my

brother you knocked it out of the park with

this one. It reminds me of all of the times

we have talked. What a gift you have given

us all..God Bless you Warrior!

In Rescuing 9-1-1, Randy Sutton present a

sobering but unflinching look at America's

crumbling emergency response system and

the growing challenges facing law enforcement.

Pairing personal insight, a national

perspective,and an undeniable sense of

urgency, Sutton highlights how political

pressure. public distrust, and the downsizing

of police forces are eroding the foundations

of public safety. But this book is not only

about the problems; it is also a roadmap

for reforming the situation. Sutton provides

attendees with practical steps to support

law enforcement and restore that trust.

This is not fear mongering; it is a serious

warning from someone who has lived the

job. If you are a policymaker, community

leader or concerned citizen, Rescuing 9-1-1

is essential reading in our current climate.

It challenges us to act before silence on the

other end of the line becomes the norm.

AVAILABLE IN

Kindle and Paperback.

WHERE TO BUY IT:

Available at Amazon, Apple Books,

Kindle, Barnes & Noble.

What's your favorite

police book?


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T H

WOUNDE


E

D BLUE

Never Forgotten,

Never Alone

The The BLUES BLUES - JULY JULY ‘26 ‘26 95

T H

WOUNDE

Words by Sgt. Michael Barron,

BLUES Founder and Publisher

The following article is one of, if not

the most, significant article ever published

in the BLUES 43-year history.

There are a lot of organizations

in America that honor the men and

women in Blue. The work these

groups do is phenomenal and we

can’t them enough for the great

work they do.

But there’s one organization that

does more than honor our officers,

they provide a lifeline to officers

hurt in the line of duty when they

are forgotten by their own departments.

Let me introduce you to the

Wounded Blue.

The Wounded Blue is America’s

only national organization dedicated

exclusively to supporting law

enforcement officers injured or disabled

in the line of duty—physically,

mentally, or emotionally.

Founded to ensure that every

wounded officer is Never Forgotten,

Never Alone, The Wounded Blue

stands as a lifeline of Support, Education,

Assistance, and Advocacy for

those who have sacrificed so much to

serve others.

Since their founding in 2017 by Lieutenant

Randy Sutton, a retired veteran

of the Las Vegas Metro Police

Department, they have helped more

than 16,000 officers across the nation—saving

careers, restoring marriages,

and even saving lives. Through

their national Peer Support Program,

they connect struggling officers with

fellow wounded officers who understand

their pain, their courage, and

their fight to heal.

Each year, The Wounded Blue host

the National Law Enforcement Survival

Summit, which brings together

officers, families, and experts from

across the country to share vital

skills, healing strategies, and a message

of resilience—empowering law

enforcement to survive and thrive

both on and off the job.

The Wounded Blue is more than an


E

D BLUE

organization—they’re a movement

of hope, strength, and brotherhood

for America’s protectors. When those

who protect others are left wounded

and alone, The Wounded Blue refuses

to let them stand alone in the shadows.

The following pages tell the story of

just ONE officer whose life has been

changed by The Wounded Blue, Officer

Elizabeth Lamar of the Pelham,

Alabama Police Department.

If you would like to support The

Wounded Blue’s $9.11 Club and STAND

with America's Injured and Disabled

Officers. Make a lasting impact by

joining TWB's $9.11 Club. Your Monthly

donation directly supports law enforcement

officers across the nation

who have been wounded, disabled,

or traumatized in the line of duty. The

first 1,000 members of the 911 Club

will receive an autographed copy of

Lt. Randy Sutton's book, Rescuing 911,

A fight for America's Safety! JOIN TO-

DAY!


Words by Lt. Randy Sutton (RET),

Founder of The Wounded Blue


T H

WOUNDE

OFFICER DOWN: CALL THE WOUNDED BLUE

Every day in America, a law enforcement

officer is assaulted in the line of

duty. Every day, another officer answers

a call not knowing if it will be the one

that changes—or ends—their life forever.

Last year alone, 53 law enforcement

officers were feloniously murdered.

Tens of thousands more were physically

attacked. They were shot. They were

stabbed. They were beaten with fists,

clubs, bricks, and pipes. They were intentionally

struck by vehicles. They

suffered broken bones, traumatic brain

injuries, spinal injuries, and permanent

disabilities. According to FBI statistics,

last year was the worst year in history

for physical assaults on law enforcement

officers, with more than 90,000 reported

assaults. Even that staggering number

fails to tell the whole story because

many agencies never report these incidents

to the FBI.

But statistics are cold. They cannot

describe the sound of a spouse receiving

the phone call no family ever wants to

answer. They cannot measure the fear

in the eyes of children watching a parent

struggle to recover from catastrophic

injuries. They cannot capture the sleepless

nights, the chronic pain, the surgeries, the

depression, or the emotional scars that

often prove even more devastating than the

physical wounds.

The true cost of an injured officer cannot

be measured in numbers. It is measured in

shattered dreams, broken bodies, strained

marriages, financial hardship, and lives forever

changed.

My name is Randy Sutton. I proudly served

nearly 34 years behind the badge before

retiring as a lieutenant from the Las Vegas

Metropolitan Police Department. Like

countless officers, I believed in the oath,

the mission, and the brotherhood. I believed

in the Thin Blue Line—the promise that no

matter what happened, we would never

leave one of our own behind.

Then I witnessed a heartbreaking reality.

Far too often, when an officer suffers a

career-ending injury, that Thin Blue Line

begins to disappear. The officer who once

raced toward danger suddenly finds themselves

fighting an entirely different battle—

one against bureaucracy, indifference, and

E

D BLUE


T H

WOUNDE

isolation. Instead of receiving compassion

and support, many injured officers face

endless paperwork, denied medical care,

delayed benefits, financial uncertainty, and

the overwhelming feeling that they have

been forgotten by the very institutions they

served so faithfully.

No one pins on a badge believing they

will be the next officer to be permanently

disabled. Every officer understands the

risks, but deep inside lives the belief: It

won’t happen to me. And if it does, my department

will take care of me.

Sadly, that belief is too often shattered.

In states with strong workers’ compensation

protections, compassionate leadership,

and effective labor organizations, injured

officers may receive the care they deserve.

But across much of our nation, those safeguards

simply do not exist. Instead, injured

officers become trapped in a maze of insurance

companies, government bureaucracy,

and policies focused more on controlling

costs than restoring lives.

The physical injury is only the beginning.

The emotional trauma of feeling abandoned

can be every bit as painful as the

bullet wound, the broken spine, or the traumatic

brain injury. Careers are lost. Families

are pushed to the breaking point. Marriages

suffer. Depression takes hold. Some officers

begin to believe they no longer have value

because they can no longer wear the badge

they loved.

Far too many begin to lose hope.

That is precisely why The Wounded Blue

was created.

As the assistance and support organization

for injured and disabled law enforcement

officers, The Wounded Blue exists to

ensure that no injured officer ever fights

this battle alone. During the past eight

years, our nationwide charity has touched

the lives of more than 17,000 American law

enforcement officers and their families.

We are saving lives.

We are saving marriages.

We are saving careers.

Most importantly, we are restoring hope.

Our mission is simple but powerful: Never

Forgotten. Never Alone.

We provide completely confidential peer

support, advocacy, education, and resources

for officers recovering from physical

injuries, emotional trauma, and psychological

wounds. Our team is made up of

current and retired law enforcement professionals

who have lived through these

experiences themselves. Many have survived

shootings, devastating crashes, disabling

injuries, and unimaginable trauma.

They understand because they have walked

100 The BLUES JULY ‘26 ‘26

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D BLUE

the same difficult path.

Despite their own challenges, these extraordinary

men and women continue

serving their brothers and sisters with compassion,

experience, and unwavering commitment.

They prove every day that service

does not end when the uniform comes off.

At The Wounded Blue, we believe every

officer deserves to be treated with dignity,

fairness, competence, and compassion. Every

officer deserves access to quality medical

care, emotional support, and someone

who understands what they are going

through. Every officer deserves to know

they still matter.

We strive to become the Thin Blue Line

every officer believed existed when they

first took the oath. We become the family

that stands beside them when others cannot—or

will not.

The men and women of American law

enforcement willingly place themselves

between danger and the communities they

serve. They ask for very little in return.

When they are injured protecting others,

they should never have to fight alone for

the care, respect, and support they have

earned.

Today, I ask you to stand with us.

Whether you are a police officer, a family

member, a community leader, or simply

someone who believes those who protect

us deserve protection themselves, you can

make a difference.

Join our mission. Support The Wounded

Blue. Help us ensure that every injured

officer knows they have not been forgotten,

that they are not alone, and that there is

still hope beyond the injury.

Because when an officer goes down, our

responsibility does not end when the sirens

fade.

HOW YOU CAN HELP.

Your monthly gift of $9.11 provides direct

peer support, crisis response, and

life-changing assistance to the heroes

who have sacrificed for us.

Just $9.11 a month can help save an officer

from despair to hope. Join the $9.11

Campaign today by click on the logo below.

Stand with those who stood for us.

Join the. That is when it truly begins.

The The BLUES - JULY ‘26 ‘26 101

OFFICER ELIZABETH LAMAR

A Blue Heart Recipient's Courage to Rebuild

Words by Sgt. Bob Bemis (RET)

If you ask most cops why they were drawn

to public service in the first place, the answer

might be for a variety of personal, practical, and

values-based reasons. You may hear responses

like they wanted to protect people and keep the

community safe, or perhaps they enjoy the unpredictable

nature of field work as opposed to

a mundane office job. There may even be some

who, without hesitation, credit the salary, benefits,

and job security a career in law enforcement

may provide as being their primary motivation.

Much further down on the list is likely the opportunity

to wear a sharp-looking uniform adorned

with medals and ribbons.

While a great number of officers will experience

a sense of pride in earning the right to wear

a uniform that represents their agency, police

cultures (as well as the armed forces) often

emphasize humility, discipline, and teamwork,

teaching that success comes from the unit, not

the individual. Publicly showing excitement about

personal recognition can sometimes feel out of

step with those values and often the quiet ‘thank

you’ is more appreciated than the large-scale

celebration.

But what if recognition never comes at all? It

is important for an agency and its leadership to

understand that personnel may need acknowledgment

not for the sake of praise itself, but to

know that their contributions made a difference

and that their work had value to others. This is

especially true when those contributions came at

the high cost of personal injury.

When an officer is injured in the line-of-duty,

the way that the agency responds can have a significant

impact not only on the individual’s wellness

and recovery, but also the overall morale of

the department. Major agencies such as the Federal

Bureau of Investigation, New York City Police

Department, and many large municipal departments

do have service-related injury awards, but

many smaller departments have no formal decorations

program at all.

Many agencies that provide recognition adopt

policies modeled loosely on the military’s Purple

Heart, which is reserved for wounds received as a

result of enemy action and excludes incidents such

as training accidents, vehicle collisions, and other

non-combat injuries. In law enforcement, however,

officers may suffer serious injury in a wide range

of circumstances that do not involve assault or

criminal intent. This raises a difficult question: is

it appropriate for agencies to maintain a narrowly

defined threshold that limits recognition to injuries

arising from hostile action, or should non-assault

injuries incurred in the line of duty also be eligible

for similar honor?

This is where outside organizations, such as The

Wounded Blue (TWB), enter the conversation and

offer solutions. First is to “right the wrong” of previous

injury cases by providing long overdue recognition

to active or retired officers that received


The The BLUES - JULY ‘26 103

catastrophic injury for holding to their oaths.

TWB’s Order of the Blue Heart is the organization’s

highest award and seeks to redefine the definition

of a “wound”, being more expansive in acknowledging

how those injuries occurred, including not

only assaults, but motor vehicle crashes and other

accidental causes such as falls, training mishaps,

and illnesses attributed to exposure to dangerous

chemicals, opioids, and other hazards.

The second way that TWB strives to solve the

problem is to offer to work with agencies that

have overly strict policies, or no policy at all.

Wounded Blue representatives, who are mostly

survivors of injury themselves, can assist agency

leadership with suggestions on how to best update

or draft policy that is more inclusive. These efforts

fall into line with the motto of The Wounded Blue:

Never Forgotten-Never Alone.

For the first of what is hoped to be a long-running

series in this publication, let’s look at the

story of an Order of the Blue Heart recipient, and

how her agency demonstrated superior leadership

in recognizing her sacrifice.

While there’s no correct answer to the question,

“Is it better to be seriously injured early in

your career or later?”, the likely response probably

isn’t before it ever really begins. That’s the tale of

Officer Elizabeth Lamar of the Pelham, Alabama

Police Department.

Growing up in Shreveport, LA, Elizabeth Minter

played in the woods surrounding her home and

when the favorite game of “cops and robbers” was

picked, she always wanted to be the ‘good guy’, as

she describes it. Drawing further inspiration from

police themed television shows, she knew early

on that law enforcement might be a strong career

path. Her family's concerns about the safety of her

desired profession led her to choose a different

direction, earning a degree in Elementary Education

at Southeastern Bible College in Alabama.

Marriage and children soon followed, but a life

that appeared to be off to a great start quickly

dissolved into the nightmare of an abusive relationship.

Although it’s hard to find the positives in that

type of situation, Elizabeth’s “light in the darkness”

came through the assistance and compassion

shown by the police officers tasked with investigating

the violence. With their encouragement,

she forged ahead to rebuild her life as a single

mother of three, finding refuge and enjoyment in

exercise and weightlifting at the local YMCA and

vowing that neither she nor the women she helped

as a personal trainer would ever become victims

of abuse again.

Her interest in a career in law enforcement also

returned, and she soon found employment as a

deputy with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department

in Columbiana, AL. After two years of working

in the jail, her desire for street patrol led her

to apply for an officer position with the Pelham

Police in 2022. The physical challenges of being

a cadet at the police academy were amplified not

only by Elizabeth's being slightly older than her

peers, but also by the stress of balancing the cost

of full-time childcare with the demands of being

a full-time student. After graduating in February

2023, she began field training with hopes of a long

career and future assignments with the SWAT

team or in traffic crash investigations.

She also found hope for the future in her personal

life and began dating a fellow academy

classmate, Tyler Lamar, now a detective with the

Wetumpka, AL Police Department.

Momentum stalled during field training after a

major medical emergency requiring hospitalization

forced a temporary pause to the program. “One

step forward, two steps back” she says. Following



a short recovery, Elizabeth returned to the training

cycle and was nearing completion of the program,

when on July 1, 2023, everything changed.

While working one of her final shifts with her

training officer, she was assigned to a twelve-hour

overnight tour and responded to assist with traffic

control near the scene of a prior DUI-related crash

on Interstate 65 near Pelham. As Elizabeth and

others were rerouting traffic near Exit 242, another

impaired driver ignored all warning signals, entered

the area at a high rate of speed, and struck

her as she attempted to run to safety. The impact

was devastating, literally knocking her out of her

boots and scattering the equipment she carried

across the highway. Her injuries were severe and

included a shattered pelvis, broken leg, torn tendons,

a spinal injury and a concussion.

The driver fled the scene but was quickly apprehended

by law enforcement. He was charged

with multiple crimes, pled guilty, and ultimately

received a lengthy prison sentence. In a strange

twist of coincidence, Elizabeth had previously met

him when he was an inmate at the jail where she

once worked.

Elizabeth doesn’t remember much about the

crash, only a few brief glimpses as fellow officers

heroically provided aid. However, she vividly recalls

the extreme pain of her recovery and begging

God to take her as she lay in her hospital bed. She

shared that although she was sometimes frustrated

with her faith during her ordeal, she still credits

positive moments during her rehabilitation to

divine intervention and believes her life continues

to have meaning and purpose. It was during her

recovery that Tyler proposed, and the two later

married, making her now Officer Lamar.

Surgeries and painful therapy sessions turned

months into years, and although she remained

hopeful that she would one day return to police

work, it became increasingly difficult to ignore the

doubts caused by her mobility issues.

Those doubts were not shared by Police Chief

Edward Delmore and other Pelham city officials,

who committed early to helping Lamar get back

on the job. Navigating bureaucracy, especially in

injury cases, can be difficult, but strong leadership

can sometimes tip the scales in favor of an injured

officer who is otherwise at a clear disadvantage.

When Officer Lamar returned to duty in September

of 2025, Chief Delmore moved her into

a new assignment that leverages her strengths,

without the physical demands of street patrol.

The Chief also introduced her to The Wounded

Blue as an organization and planned for her and

her husband, Tyler, to attend the charity's annual

training conference, where the couple witnessed

several officers receiving TWB's Order of the Blue

Heart. Tyler later contacted the organization and

nominated Elizabeth to receive the award.

As previously discussed, like many other departments,

Pelham policy prevented Elizabeth

from receiving the agency’s Purple Heart medal

due to the nature of her injury. In a further demonstration

of leadership, Chief Delmore has since

committed to working with TWB to draft a policy

more aligned with recognizing a wider spectrum

of duty-related injuries.

In January of 2026, Officer Lamar received the

Order of the Blue Heart to the applause of family

members, friends and colleagues at a meeting of

the Pelham City Council attended by the Pelham

mayor and Chief Delmore. TWB’s Founder, Randy

Sutton, presented the award while Detective

Tyler Lamar proudly draped the Blue Heart medal

around her neck. As she related her feelings on the

evening’s event, she said, “There were times during

this incident that I felt alone, that I wasn’t worthy

of recognition and wasn’t injured in the ‘cool way’



by being shot. After being told I was nominated

to receive the Blue Heart, I realized my efforts did

matter. I was out there doing the job and helping

to protect the responders who were working at the

original crash scene. It felt like validation.”

As for her thoughts about the Pelham Police,

Elizabeth says “I’m so thankful to work for a department

that didn’t give up on me and gave me

the important job that I have now.”

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Sergeant (Ret.) Robert

Bemis retired in 2017 as

a supervisor in the Operational

Training Division

at the Pennsylvania State

Police Academy in Hershey.

With over 30 years

of law enforcement experience,

Sgt. Bemis spent

more than a decade as a

trainer specializing in officer

safety, self-defense and civil disorder tactics.

He is the author of Forged in Scars & Stripes:

A Trooper’s Victory Over Critical Injury. Sgt. Bemis

is currently the Director of Training and Awards

Program Coordinator for The Wounded Blue, the

national support and assistance organization for

injured and disabled officers.



DONATE

For more information on The Wounded Blue and

its programs, visit www.thewoundedblue.org



TWB TRAINING

THE WOUNDED BLUE:

TRAINING & EDUCATION DIVISION

At The Wounded Blue, we believe that education

is not just about learning — it’s about transforming

how we support those who serve. Our Training

and Education Division works tirelessly to deliver

life-changing programs to law enforcement agencies,

associations, and the general public, bridging

the gap between awareness and action.

Our mission is simple yet powerful: to strengthen

the heart of law enforcement by equipping officers,

leaders, and communities with the knowledge,

empathy, and tools they need to support

injured and disabled officers. Every course we offer

is built on real-world experience, compassion, and

the shared commitment to never let a wounded

officer be forgotten or alone.

SURVIVAL SUMMIT

The National Law Enforcement Survival Summit,

hosted by The Wounded Blue, is a premier national

event dedicated to supporting the men and women

of law enforcement who have faced injury, illness,

trauma, and the lasting impacts of service.

Held annually, the Summit brings together active

and retired officers, injured and disabled LEOs,

critical incident survivors, law enforcement families,

peer support professionals, medical experts,

clergy, and public safety leaders for several days

of powerful connection, education, and healing.

To register, or for more information, visit www.

twbsummit.com.

SIGNATURE COURSES

• THE SUPPORTIVE LEADER:

EMPOWERING INJURED AND DISABLED

OFFICERS

Presented by Award-Winning Sergeant Robert

“Bob” Bemis (Ret.) and Lieutenant Randy Sutton

(Ret.)

This impactful course helps leaders develop the

awareness, emotional intelligence, and strategies

necessary to support officers facing physical or

emotional injury. It challenges agencies to redefine

leadership through empathy, accountability, and

resilience.

• THE WOUNDED BLUE AND YOU: THE

POWER OF PEER SUPPORT

Presented by Lieutenant Randy Sutton (Ret.)

This cornerstone program reveals how peer support

can transform organizational culture, build

trust, and save lives. Participants learn how to recognize

the unseen wounds of trauma and create a

support network that sustains wellness and connection

in law enforcement.

• DR. KEVIN GILMARTIN’S EMOTIONAL

SURVIVAL FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT

An essential training that delves into the emotional

challenges faced by officers both in and out

of uniform. This course provides strategies for

maintaining psychological resilience, preventing

burnout, and navigating the long-term emotional

effects of a demanding profession.

• INTERESTED IN OUR COURSES?

These and many others, all designed to meet the

evolving needs of those who protect and serve.

Whether you’re an agency leader, a peer support

advocate, or a community partner, The Wounded

Blue’s Training and Education Division offers

a pathway to understanding, empowerment, and

healing.

Join us in transforming the future of officer

wellness and leadership. Inquire below to bring

one of our dynamic, nationally recognized training

programs to your organization or event.

• TRAINING INQUIRY

Contact us if you are looking for Training and

Education programs. CLICK HERE TO INQUIRE








Special Insert

Sponsored By


By Dan Knight, APSA Training Program Manager

Welcome to the

Conference Preview

Issue. We here at the

Airborne Public

Safety Association are excited to be in Fort

Lauderdale, FL, this year. As the APSA Training

Program Manager, I think I have been

able to set up an exciting lineup of education

programs that span the spectrum of public

safety aviation. Following are some of the

highlights for this year.

Fort Lauderdale, considered the “Yachting

Capital of the World,” is sure to impress

all our attendees. The Broward County

Convention Center sits right on the Intercoastal

Waterway, and the views do not

disappoint. Various smartphone applications

are available that allow you to point your

camera at a large yacht sitting on the water

and learn all about the boat and owner.

The cruise ships leaving Fort Lauderdale

depart from right in front of the convention

center. Don’t be surprised to see one of the

“floating cities” tied up to the pier wall only

feet from where you will be taking courses

and classes, easily visible from the windows

of the convention center.

Also directly in front of the convention

center is a water taxi service that takes you

up and down the Intercoastal Waterway,

where you can experience dining, nightlife,

shopping and other activities. The water taxi

is a highlight of Fort Lauderdale and great

way to see the city, its offerings and many of

its yachts. The boat captains and staff point

out yachts, mansions and other points of

interest and share great stories about them.

Attached to the convention center is the

brand new OMNI Hotel. The hotel opened

less than a year ago, and fresh paint and

new carpet smells permeate the building. It

offers several restaurants, bars, snack shops

116 6 AIR The BEAT BLUES MAGAZINE JULY l ‘26 Conference Preview l 2026

APSCON CONFERENCE INSERT

and a rooftop bar and pool to help fill your

time outside the classroom and expo hall.

From Monday to Wednesday, we will be

offering outstanding conference courses that

include the:

Aviation Safety Officer Course. This

course is designed to educate both

the newly assigned and experienced

aviation safety officer (ASO). The

class incorporates all aspects of

successfully implementing a safety

program or SMS and understanding

the duties and responsibilities of an

ASO, public aircraft laws, initial/preliminary

accident investigations and

more. The class was redesigned and

updated for our 2026 conference,

and we hope you enjoy the new

format and information.

Fixed-Wing Operations Course. Our

fixed-wing course has also been

updated with new content and

instructors. The course focuses on

units that perform public safety

operations using fixed-wing aircraft.

Although their missions are the

same—and some of their equipment

may even be the same—as that of

rotorcraft operators, the tactics

used differ. This course teaches the

tactics and tips necessary to ensure

successful missions.

Safety Management Systems

Course. The SMS course is one of

our foundational offerings deeply

rooted in the belief that safety is

paramount in public safety aviation.

The course is a “must-have” for

anyone assigned as unit safety

manager or for those seeking a true

understanding of the safety culture

required for continued safe operations

of public safety aircraft. We

suggest that new safety officers

take this course first, before taking

the ASO Course.

Flight Instructor Refresher Course.

This course is an FAA-approved

Flight Instructor Refresher Course

(FIRC). All the training will be

provided by a team of professional

instructors from Helicopter Institute

Inc., located in Fort Worth, TX. The

FIRC is designed for flight instructors

who wish to renew their current

Flight Instructor Certificates under

Federal Aviation Regulation Part 61

while honing their knowledge and

skill with the latest developments in

standards, regulations and helicopter

flight instructional techniques.

Inspection Authorization Renewal

Course. APSA proudly supports our

maintenance technicians and offers

this class at no cost to our

members. The course provides

several classes relevant to aviation

www.publicsafetyaviation.org The BLUES - JULY ‘26 l 117 7


maintenance and maintenance

management, developed as an eighthour

dedicated course for members

who are maintenance technicians.

The sessions are instructed by maintenance

experts from across the

aviation industry and cover a variety

of topics.

Unit Manager Course. This course

remains one of our most popular

and sought-after educational opportunities.

We are excited to have

revamped this course once again

this year and have added new

content and even a roundtable

session designed for both new and

senior unit managers. The course is

paramount for new unit managers,

as well as seasoned managers, to

ensure we are operating using the

best practices available.

Tactical Flight Officer & Airborne

Thermographer Course. Based on

comments from past courses, we

created a hybrid model that merges

airborne tactics, theory and intelligence-based

policing with the highstress,

fast paced world of thermal

imaging from aircraft. The new

course has been highly sought after,

and to date, we have held it in

several locations around the U.S.

and Canada with great success.

Clay Lacey, Brian Spillane and Daniel

Rosenberg each bring their expertise

and education to a single, wellrounded

course that benefits both

the new and seasoned pilot or TFO.

Wednesday also brings ground school

refreshers back to APSCON. This year, we

are offering eight-hour refreshers on the

AS350/H125 and Bell OH-58. Updated for

this year, we are also offering the Aircrew

Operators Communication Equipment

Course. The course was born from last

year’s TDFM 9000 Series Course and adds

AEM equipment, as well as the Juniper

Avionics Corporation devices. This class was

developed in response to all the operators

using these systems who may not fully

understand or deploy the full potential the

radios and equipment bring to the tactical

environment. The course is four hours.

On Wednesday evening, we will open the

convention show floor from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

to provide a sneak peek of the vendor area.

This will be a great opportunity to mingle and

talk with more than 150 vendors specifically

there to support and enhance the public

safety aviation community. The event occurs

on the first floor of the convention center and

is conveniently located directly below the

course classrooms, offering an easy walk to

the event after a long day in class.

Thursday is a day full of vendor visits

and Tech Talks but light educational opportunities.

As in the past, we offer one day of

minimal education so attendees can maximize

their time on the show floor. Rounding

out the day will be the Safety Symposium

and SAR Symposium, which contains

portions of the popular presentation Accidents

in Helicopter Rescue Operations.

Panelists for the symposium include Charley

Shimanski, Dave Callen and Cory DeArmitt.

Lastly, we will have General Session -

GENOT 7110.801 - 4 Months In, How Is It

Affecting Your Operations. This hot topic has

been discussed extensively on various

scales, including in a webinar APSA hosted

that included Air Traffic Controller Crystal

Ball from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Friday offers our typical wide range of

classes, spanning anywhere from 60 to 90

minutes. Currently, we plan to offer 28

classes focusing on tactics, unit overviews,

maintenance, search and rescue, aircraft

acquisition, safety, panel discussions,

airborne use of force, public relations, new

unit start-up and sustainment, UAS topics,

accreditation updates and more. Be sure to

check the APSA website and APSCON app

for the most updated information on our

class offerings.

APSA is proud to be the premier education

and training association for the airborne

public safety sector. We would not be able to

hold our annual APSCON event without the

vendors that support it. Be sure to spend

ample time on the floor visiting them. You

never know when you’ll make a new connection

or find out someone offers that “one

thing” your unit needs to be more successful.

APSCON Tech Talks offer great opportunities

to see product demonstrations or

technical briefings from select vendors. The

presentations can be invaluable to those

looking for new equipment or getting

updates on equipment you already use. Be

sure to keep track of all the Tech Talks using

the APSCON mobile application.

One of the best reasons to attend

APSCON—or any other APSA event—is the

opportunity to network with like-minded people.

For me, that has always been one of the top

benefits offered by our association. Whether

you are looking at starting a new unit, embarking

on a new mission type, adding equipment

or sharing best practice ideas, someone in our

industry has likely gone down that road before

and can offer invaluable insight into what lies

ahead. Bring lots of business cards; you’ll be

surprised how many you hand out.

Finally, I want to thank all our members

for making APSA and our annual conference

such a huge success. I look forward

to seeing you all in Fort Lauderdale. I may

be busy, but stop me and say hello. Fort

Lauderdale has plenty to do and the

weather will be great, so bring your family

and friends and you are guaranteed a great

time and great education. Keep an eye on

our website and download the APSCON

2026 app now available in the Apple App

and Google Play Stores for the most up-todate

conference information.

8 AIR BEAT MAGAZINE l Conference Preview l 2026



APSCON COURSES

All conference courses will be held at the Broward County Convention Center unless otherwise noted.

Aviation Safety

Management

Systems Course

Tue. July 14 - Wed. July 15

0800 - 1700 Daily

Location: 208A

Effective risk management compels

organizations to examine how they

conduct their operations and make the

right safety decisions. An SMS is an

organization-wide, comprehensive,

proactive approach to controlling the

impact of hazards. This course is

designed as an introduction to SMS and

will properly equip participants with the

necessary knowledge and skills to effectively

implement a “real-world” SMS in

their unit or agency. Successful completion

requires attendance of all 16 hours

of classroom sessions. The course

meets the SMS training requirement for

the APSAC accreditation standards. It is

primarily for unit safety officers and unit

managers/commanders who are new to

understanding SMS initiation and

sustainment. SMS is a shared responsibility

for all personnel in an organization,

and this course also has direct application

for maintenance technicians,

aircrews, supervisors and administration

support personnel. Maximum enrollment

is 70.

Tactical Flight Officer (TFO) / Airborne

Thermographer Certification Course

Mon. July 13 - Wed. July 15

0800 - 1700 Daily • Location: PALM A

The Tactical Flight Officer and Airborne Thermographer Certification

Course is designed to provide aircrew members the

tactical skills and information necessary to support ground

units engaged in law enforcement missions. Although specifically

designed for TFOs, the course is also applicable to pilots, crewmembers and unit

supervisors. Attendees will learn the elements of crew coordination and how to set up a

perimeter, direct the activities of ground units from the air, manage a vehicle pursuit and

conduct a thermal imagery search using the latest in airborne tactics. Attendees will learn

what specialized equipment is available and how to properly use the most common tools.

The class is essential to the professional development of aviation law enforcement

personnel and meets one of the requirements for TFO training related to accreditation.

The course also offers certification as an airborne thermographer to qualified students

who attend all 24-hours of training, pass the written exam and demonstrate proficiency

with a static airborne thermal imagery system. The Airborne Thermographer Certification

portion of the course is presented by Teledyne FLIR’s Brian Spillane, a certified thermographer

instructor. Maximum enrollment is 90.

Cost: $415 members; $515 non-members

Sponsored by

Cost: $295 members;

$395 non-members

The APSCON 2026 App is Live!

Simply scan the QR code applicable

to your device and start exploring. For full

app functionality, you must be registered

for the event and logged into the app

using your registration email address.

www.publicsafetyaviation.org l 9



APSCON COURSES


Aviation Safety

Officer Course


0800 - 1700 Daily

Location: 208B

This course is designed for both the

newly assigned and experienced aviation

safety officer (ASO). The class

incorporates all aspects of successfully

implementing a safety program and

understanding the duties and responsibilities

of an ASO, public aircraft laws,

initial/preliminary accident investigations

and more—all geared toward what

an ASO must know. Successful completion

requires attendance of all 24 hours

of classroom courses. The course is

intended for public safety ASOs that are

responsible for a public safety aviation

unit’s safety program. It is highly recommended

that students have attended

SMS training prior to attending. Maximum

enrollment is 70.

Cost: $415 members;

$515 non-members




Public Safety Aviation

Unit Manager Course


0800 - 1700 Daily • Location: 209A

This course is designed Sponsored by

to provide both newly

assigned and experienced

aviation unit

managers the latest information relative to

aviation unit management in support of

public safety operations. Students will

obtain valuable guidance from experienced

public safety professionals that will allow

them to effectively and efficiently manage

and lead their agency’s aviation unit.

Topics include aviation safety, personnel

selection, organization, training, creative

finance and budgeting, legal responsibilities,

maintenance and SOP development—

all geared toward what a public safety

aviation unit manager must know.

Successful completion requires attendance

of all 24 hours of classroom

courses. The course is intended for public

safety command staff, managers and unit

supervisors responsible for management

and supervision of public safety aviation

units. Maximum enrollment is 70.

Cost: $415 members;

$515 non-members

Fixed-Wing

Operations Course

Mon. July 13 -

Wed. July 15 Sponsored by

0800 - 1700 Daily

• Location: 209B

This course is designed to provide the

student with an extensive education related

to the operation of fixed-wing aircraft for

public safety use. In times of fiscal

constraints, fixed-wing aircraft have proven

to be an economical solution to providing

aviation assets for public safety agencies.

The curriculum for the course will guide

students through the various missions and

applications of fixed-wing aircraft operations.

In addition, the course extensively

covers the use of fixed-wing aircraft in all

aspects of public safety airborne operations.

Successful completion requires

attendance of all 24 hours of classroom

courses. The course is intended for public

safety personnel that are considering or

are operating fixed-wing aircraft. Maximum

enrollment is 65.

Cost: $415 members;

$515 non-members

Flight Instructor

Refresher Course

Tue. July 14 - Wed. July 15

0800 - 1700 Daily • Location: 205

This course is an FAA-approved Flight

Instructor Refresher Course (FIRC). All

training will be provided by a team of

professional instructors from Helicopter

Institute Inc. located in Fort Worth, TX.

The FIRC is designed for flight instructors

who wish to renew their current Flight

Instructor Certificates under Federal Aviation

Regulation Part 61, while honing

their knowledge and skill with the latest

developments in standards, regulations

and helicopter flight instruction techniques.

The course is intended for law

enforcement certified helicopter instructors;

however, all certified helicopter

flight instructors are invited to attend.

Maximum enrollment is 70.

Cost: $295 members;

$395 non-members

APSCON COURSES


Aircrew Operators

Communication Equipment

Ground School Refresher Course

Wed. July 15 • 0800 - 1200

Location: 203

Dallas Avionics Presented by

presents an aircrew

operators' course

using Technisonic

radios, with an

emphasis on the

9000 series, Anodyne Electronics Manufacturing

equipment, and Jupiter Avionics

Corporation devices. The course will focus

on advancing the radio operators' proficiency

and refreshing their skills. The

format is student-driven, allowing all questions

to be addressed using the available

equipment for each participant. The

curriculum will include code plug discussions

and user options that can help

reduce workload and improve aircrew efficiency

and effectiveness. Troubleshooting,

common misdiagnoses and trends

observed by Dallas Avionics and its sister

company Radio Masters Inc. will also be

covered. Maximum enrollment is 40.

Cost: $80 members

and non-members

Maintenance IA

Renewal Course

Wed. July 15

0800 - 1700

Location: 204

This course provides Sponsored by

several classes relevant

to aviation maintenance

and maintenance

management. The course is developed as

an eight-hour dedicated maintenance course

for members who are maintenance technicians.

The classes are instructed by maintenance

experts from across the aviation

industry and cover a variety of topics. The

course is intended for all maintenance technicians,

as well as aviation maintenance

managers and aviation unit supervisors.


FAA IA Renewal Course Approval Number:

C-IND-IM-190411-K-012-001 (3/31/2030)

Cost: FREE for APSA Members;

$165 non-members

Bell OH-58 Ground

School Refresher Course

Wed. July 15 • 0800 - 1700

Location: OMNI Hotel, OCTOCORALS B

The OH-58 Ground School Refresher

Course provides an essential opportunity

for pilots to enhance their skills and

knowledge in helicopter aviation. The

program includes eight hours of intensive

ground training focused on crucial

aircraft systems, including electrical, fuel,

hydraulics and powerplant. Maximum

enrollment is 40.

Cost: $130 members

and non-members

AS350/H125 Ground

Refresher School

Wed. July 15 • 0800 - 1700

Location: OMNI Hotel, OCTOCORALS A

The AS350/H125 Ground School

Refresher Course provides an essential

opportunity for pilots to enhance their

skills and knowledge in helicopter aviation.

The program includes eight hours of

intensive ground training focused on

crucial aircraft systems, including electrical,

fuel, hydraulics and powerplant. The

comprehensive curriculum covers the

AS350 B2 and B3 and H125 (B3e) series

aircraft, ensuring pilots are well-versed in

various models and configurations. Maximum

enrollment is 40.

Cost: $130 members

and non-members




APSCON COURSES

MONDAY • JULY 13, 2026

TIME COURSE ROOM

Aviation Safety Officer Course

208B

0800 – 1700

Fixed-Wing Operations Course

Sponsored by Pilatus Aircraft USA Ltd

Public Safety Aviation Unit Manager Course

Sponsored by Airbus

Tactical Flight Officer (TFO) /

Airborne Thermographer Certification Course

Sponsored by Teledyne FLIR

TUESDAY • JULY 14, 2026

209B

209A

PALM A

TIME COURSE ROOM

Aviation Safety Management Systems Course

208A


208B

0800 – 1700



209B

Flight Instructor Refresher Course 205


Sponsored by Airbus


Airborne Thermographer Certification Course


209A

PALM A




WEDNESDAY • JULY 15, 2026

TIME COURSE ROOM

0800 – 1200

Aircrew Operators Communication Equipment Ground

School Refresher Course

Presented by Dallas Avionics

203

APSCON COURSES


TIME COURSE ROOM

AS350/H125 Ground School Refresher Course

OMNI Hotel

OCTOCORALS A

Aviation Safety Management Systems Course

208A

0800 – 1700


Bell OH-58 Ground School Refresher Course



208B

OMNI Hotel

OCTOCORALS B

209B

Flight Instructor Refresher Course 205

Maintenance IA Renewal Course

Sponsored by RMCI, Inc.


Sponsored by Airbus


Airborne Thermographer Course


204

209A

PALM A




APSCON Classes

All APSCON classes will be held at the Broward County Convention Center. Tech Talks will be conducted on Thursday and Friday

at the Broward County Convention Center. The Tech Talk schedule will be posted in the APSCON 2026 Event App for your convenience.

THURSDAY • JULY 16, 2026

0900 – 1030 Opening Breakfast / Membership Meeting

Floridian

Ballroom A-D

1030 – 1600 NETWORKING & TRADESHOW Exhibit Hall

EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS

1100 – 1230

General Session

SAR Symposium

Charley Shimanski,

Flight for Life (CO), Mountain

Rescue Program Coordinator

Dave Callen,

SR3

Cory DeArmitt,

APSA Safety Program Manager,

Cook County (IL)

Sheriff’s Office, Pilot

PALM A

1330 – 1500 Safety Symposium

Facilitated by Cory DeArmitt,

APSA Safety Program Manager, Cook

County (IL) Sheriff’s Office, Pilot

Panelists:

Dudley Crosson, PhD,

APSA Aeromedical Liaison / Delta P, Inc.

Bryan Smith,

Chief L.E. Pilot (Ret.) /

Sentinel Aviation

Dr. Kodey Bogart,

KB Aviation Solutions, Author,

Law Enforcement Pilot (Ret.)

PALM A

1500 – 1630

General Session

GENOT 7110.801- 4 Months In, How Is It

Affecting Your Operations

Andrew Nicoletti,

Palm Beach County (FL) Sheriff’s

Office, Aviation Section Commander

Bryan Smith,


Sentinel Aviation

PALM A

FRIDAY • JULY 17, 2026

9/11 - The 25th Anniversary - The Retelling of

a Terrorist Tragedy on United States Soil

Ken Solosky,

NYPD Aviation Unit (Ret.)

Room 208A

0800 – 0930

ATAK in the Air- Real-Time Situational Awareness

(Tactics / Unit Manager)

Amos Halava,

Carter County (TN) Sheriff’s Office

(Ret.), Samsung Public Sector

Room 208B

Considerations for Fatigue and Sleep

Deprivation Update (Aeromedical / Safety)

Dudley Crosson, PhD,

APSA Aeromedical Liaison / Delta P, Inc.

Room 202




APSCON CLASSES


The Last 100’: Preventing Accidents Through

Better Ground Helispot Management

(SAR / Training)

Charley Shimanski,

Flight for Life (CO), Mountain

Rescue Program Coordinator

Room 204

Practical SMS: Understanding Hazards, Risk,

and Reporting for Safer Operations (Safety)

Kodey Bogart,

KB Aviation Solutions

Room 205

0800 – 0930

Promoting Your Unit – Podcasts and Beyond

(Unit Manager / Marketing)

Jack Schonely,

LAPD Air Support (Ret.),

Hangar Z Podcast

Jon Gray,

Ontario (CA) Police Department Air

Support, Founder- Hangar Z Podcast

Room 209B

TFO Selection and Assessment

(Unit Manager / Training)

Clay Lacey,

Texas Department of Public Safety

Room 203

0930 – 1000 BREAK Exhibit Hall

Airborne Public Safety Operational

Development - New Unit Start Up,

Sustainment and Expansion (Acquisition)

Terry Miyauchi,

TM Aviation Consulting, Arizona

Department of Public Safety (Ret.)

Room 209B

Airborne Public Safety Accreditation

Commission Update (Public Safety)

Don Shinnamon,

APSAC Lead Assessor, Chief of Police

(Ret.), Port St. Lucie (FL)

Room 205

Airborne Use of Force (Tactics)

Mike Peck,

Paladin Resources Group

Room 204

1000 – 1130

Managing Safety Through Professionalism

(Safety)

Bryan Smith,


Sentinel Aviation

Room 202

Marketing: The Key to Building and Sustaining

Your Aviation Unit (Unit Manager/ Marketing)

Justin Cromer,

Captain, Ohio State Highway Patrol,

Aviation Section Commander

Room 208B

Planning for Evolution: Strategy, Innovation

and Efficiency in Alagoas Air Aviation

(HEMS / Unit Manager)

André Alessandro

Madeiro de Oliveira,

Alagoas State Department

of Aviation - Brazil

Room 208A

Vehicle Pursuit Management (Tactics)

Clay Lacey,


Room 203

1130 – 1230 NETWORKING | LUNCH Exhibit Hall




APSCON Classes


5th Generation Air Support Tactics (Tactics)

Intelligence Based Policing in Air Support

Operations (Tactics)

Bryan Smith,


Sentinel Aviation

Daniel Rosenberg,

Swedish Police Authority,

Air Support Unit, TFO / Instructor

Room 202

Room 208A

Post-Retirement Aviation Jobs (Employment)

Jason Jensen,

Minnesota Dept of

Natural Resources (Ret.)

Richard Bray,

Alachua County (FL)

Sheriffs Office (Ret.)

Room 204

1230 – 1400

Rich Bookbinder,

California Highway Patrol (Ret.)

Ken Solosky,

NYPD Aviation Unit (Ret.)

Public Aerospace Assistance: Management,

Innovation and the Future (HEMS / Management)

Elaine Kristhine Rocha Monteiro,

Alagoas State Department

of Aviation - Brazil

Room 205

Time-Critical Pilot Response in Loss of

Control Events (Safety, Training)

Unit Standardization - Building a Training

Program That Future-Proofs Unit Success

(Unit Manager)

Wildlife from the Wing: The Biology

of Aerial Surveys in South Carolina

Paul Ransbury,

CEO, Aviation Performance Solutions

Nathan Dungan,

Sgt. / Chief Pilot, Metropolitan

Nashville Police Dept.,

Aviation Section

Owen Barker,

South Carolina Dept. of

Natural Resources, Chief Pilot

Room 209B

Room 208B

Room 203

1400 – 1430 NETWORKING Exhibit Hall

Beyond Flight Hours: Preserving Search

and Rescue Effectiveness in Resource-

Constrained Environments (Unit Manager)

Juan Felipe Gonzalez,

Colombian Aerospace Force

Room 202

1430 – 1600

Deconflicting Multi Agency Operations

(Unit Manager / Tactics)

Scott Masonis,

FBI Aviation, Pilot & Safety Officer

Ernie Carlson,

Pennsylvania Attorney’s

General Office, Chief Pilot

Room 208B




APSCON CLASSES


ESPN-R Guidance for HEC Safety

(SAR, Unit Manager, Safety)

Brendan Fitzpatrick,

Technical Capture Manager,

Onboard Systems

Room 203

How the USGS Can Assist

Your Organization

(Natural Resources / Management /

Fire Fighting)

Matthew Burgess,

Program Chief, National

Uncrewed Systems Office,

U.S. Geological Survey /

U.S. Dept. ofInterior

Room 209B

1430 – 1600

Intro to Aerial Firefighting: Safe Integration

for Non-Fire Aviation Assets

(Natural Resources / Fire Fighting)

Brad Weller and Francis Neely,

Florida Forest Service

Room 208A

Recent Changes to Department of War

Divestments (UH60, CH-47, C-12) (Acquisition)

Gerald Dwyer,

Actual Aviation Solutions LLC (AAS)

Room 205

Starlink in Aircraft - From Single Engine,

to Jets, to Helicopters

(Equipment / Technology)

Sgt. Elliot Corderio,

Florida Highway Patrol, Pilot/TFO

Room 204




By Dan Knight, APSA Training Program Manager

The Airborne Public Safety Association

formally invites you to Fort Lauderdale,

FL, for APSCON Unmanned 2026 in the

Broward County Convention Center.

Bringing like-minded and similarly-employed

public safety UAS operators together for a

week of education, training and networking is

always a highlight of our year.

The Broward County Convention Center is

located right on the intercoastal waterway in

Fort Lauderdale and offers spectacular views

of cruise ships, yachts, sea life and other tropical

scenes. Connected to the convention

center is the host hotel, the OMNI. Less than a

year old, it is an amazing feat of architecture

that will not disappoint. From brand new

rooms to great restaurants, bars, snack shops

and a rooftop bar/pool, there is plenty to do

when you are not in a class or course.

The courses and classes this year are on

the second floor of the conference center

and directly above the expo floor. This

makes for an easy walk back and forth once

the floor opens on Wednesday evening. On

Monday and Tuesday, we are offering a

series of courses. Following is a look at

some of the offerings.

Public Safety Drone Operations Course–

Advanced. This course offers a multitude of

classes designed to increase a drone operator’s

knowledge base to make them a

more effective and competent tactician.

The course will contain new content and

instructors for 2026.

Public Safety Drone Operations

Course–Unit Manager. This course is a

continuation and adaptation of the Unit

Manager Course we offer on the manned

side of the conference. It gives insight,

techniques and guidance to unit managers

about the complexity of running a drone

unit and is one of our most attended

courses year after year. For 2026, we

have updated the blocks of instruction and

added several new instructors to the mix.

DFR from A to Z–Starting a Drone as

First Responder Program. Much is being

talked about in the DFR arena, and this

course offers insight to attendees on how

to go about starting a program. The course

covers a multitude of topics, including why,

where, how, costs, management, supervision

and product selection.

Counter-Drone Measures Course. The

Counter-Drone Measures Course is a new

offering this year, and we are excited to have

it. Learn how to safely and lawfully use multiple

life-saving strategies for counter-drone

operations. This two-day course provides

students with the latest technology and tactics

to prevent and respond to a drone attack.

NIST Proctor Course–Basic/Open

Levels 1-3. Sixteen hours of knowledge




based and hands-on flight instruction in this

course cover the National Institute of Standards

and Technology (NIST) Small UAS

Test Methods–Test Lanes Levels 1-3. The

NIST sUAS Test Methods are an excellent

way to add an sUAS pilot flight skills

credentialing component to your program.

NIST has created a comprehensive user

guide, scoring forms, and apparatus

targets that can be printed and placed in

the test apparatus buckets. Attendees will

learn how to conduct trials and embed

them into their own training and credentialing

programs. Successful completion of the

course will provide you with a Proctor

Certificate, which will allow you to serve as

a proctor for all open test lanes. Note that

this class is Wednesday and Thursday.

Check our website for more information.

Wednesday will include a full agenda of

approximately 14 UAS-specific, 60- to 90-

minute classes focusing on all aspects of

flying drones. Classes will cover topics like

tactics, unit management, media relations,

C-UAS, thermal imaging, video sharing,

accreditation standards and many more.

After classes on Wednesday, APSA is

proud to open the floor of the exhibit hall to

all attendees and will feature a reception.

This is a great opportunity to visit with

APSCON vendors focused on UAS equipment

and technology.

While APSCON Unmanned officially ends

Wednesday evening, drone operators may

choose to stay for Thursday and Friday

training and events. Thursday is light on

education, allowing attendees to focus on

visiting vendors on the show floor. Friday

offers a host of manned and unmanned

classes that appeal to all operators of

public safety aircraft. Be sure to check the

list of classes offered on our website or the

APSCON app for your mobile device.

APSCON 2026 will once again have

Tech Talks on the exhibit floor. The short

technical seminars are an ideal way to hear

from exhibiting corporate members on the

latest and greatest technology, training,

equipment or anything else they may want

to share. Be sure to look for the schedule

in your APSCON app for the updated list of

Tech Talks and times. Our corporate

members would appreciate you stopping

by—and you are likely to learn something

invaluable from them.

Networking is a big part of our association,

and a lot of information can be learned

from experts in the field. Don’t miss the

opportunity to meet others in our industry

and share ideas, bounce thoughts off one

another, and learn from others’ mistakes and

successes. Bring lots of business cards; you

won’t regret it.

We are excited for APSCON Unmanned

and to be in Fort Lauderdale. APSA is

proud to have you as a member, and we

look forward to seeing you soon. Continue

to monitor our website and show app for

the latest and greatest information on this

one-of-a-kind conference.




APSCON UNMANNED COURSES

All conference courses will be held at the Broward County Convention Center unless otherwise stated.

sUAS Proctor Training Course –

Basic/Open

Wed. July 15 - Thu. July 16 • 0800 - 1700 Daily

Location: Summerset Academy Village • 225 NW 29th St.•

Wilton Manors, FL

This course includes 16 hours of knowledge-based and hands-on

flight instruction covering the National Institute of Standards and

Technology (NIST) sUAS Test Methods - Test Lanes Levels 1-3:

Open Test Lane Level 1 - Basic Proficiency Evaluation for Remote

Pilots (BPERP-Part 107 qualification); Open Test Lane Level 2 -

Maneuvering; Open Test Lane Level 3 - Payload Functionality. The

NIST sUAS Test Methods add a skills credentialing component to

your sUAS program, with a comprehensive user guide, scoring

forms and apparatus targets that can be printed and placed in the

test apparatus buckets. Attendees will learn how to conduct trials

and embed them into their own training and credentialing

programs. Attendees must be experienced sUAS pilots who want

to hone their skills, evaluate sensor systems and/or have a desire

to train and evaluate other sUAS pilots. Attendees must bring their

own quadcopter style sUAS, capable of at least 15 minutes of

flight time, equipped with a camera. Additional sUAS batteries and

a battery charging station are also required. Successful completion

will provide attendees with an APSA Open Test Lane (Levels 1-3)

Remote Pilot Certificate and an APSA Open Test Lane (Levels 1-3)

Proctor Certificate. The certification allows holders to serve as a

proctor for all open test lanes.


Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Operator Course

Mon. July 13 - Tue. July 14 • 0800 - 1700 Daily

Location: Room 202

Developed to elevate every facet of public safety operations, this

course provides cutting-edge knowledge and tools to enhance

existing drone units. Covering tactical operations, a specialized

class in TFO style, and drone laws, instruction is delivered by

experts in public safety aviation drone operations. Geared towards

experienced public safety personnel aiming to refine their skills, the

program is not suitable for those who have only completed the

basic NIST course. Maximum enrollment is 70.


Counter-Drone Measures Course


Location: Room 201A

Drone attacks are occurring almost daily across the globe. This

two-day course provides students with the latest technology and

tactics to prevent and respond to the attacks. Students will be

able to:

• Explain the legal issues governing law enforcement conduct

and investigations.

• Describe how to influence legislation for enforceable drone laws.

• Conduct effective investigations into criminal drone activity.

• Use counter-drone measures, including emerging

technology for detection and interdiction.

• Describe drone weaponizing techniques.

• Identify potential drone threats.

The course is intended for public safety aviation personnel

assigned to, overseeing or managing a UAS program or those

involved with tactical or security operations teams. UAS experience

is recommended but not required. Maximum enrollment is 30.


Drone Unit Manager’s Course


Location: Room 203

Tailored specifically to managers and supervisors of small

unmanned aircraft systems units within public safety agencies,

this course delivers the latest insights and tools for effective

leadership. Topics include unit administration, budgeting, safety

protocols, SOP management, training program oversight, legal

and regulatory compliance, and personnel selection strategies,

ensuring comprehensive skill enhancement. The course caters

to public safety sUAS managers responsible for overseeing

drone operations within their agencies, including law enforcement,

fire departments, and search and rescue teams.



DFR From A to Z: Starting & Maintaining a Drone as First Responder Program Course

Tue. July 14 • 0800 - 1700 • Location: Room 201B

This course is focused on training air support officers (also called teleoperators or remote operators) and their supervisors on all the

aspects of setting up and operating a world-class DFR program. It will include both classroom strategies and hands-on remote flying

examples. The course caters to both sworn and non-sworn personnel, including UAS program managers, real-time crime center

managers, and command staff responsible for implementing or overseeing DFR programs within public safety agencies (including law

enforcement and fire departments). Maximum enrollment is 70.





APSCON UNMANNED CLASSES

All conference classes will be held at the Broward County Convention Center.



Commission – UAS Standards (Public Safety)

Don Shinnamon,

APSAC Lead Assessor, Chief of

Police (Ret.), Port St. Lucie (FL)

Room 202

0830 – 1000

Manned / Unmanned Airspace Deconfliction

(UAS / Tactics)

Matthew Bridgefarmer,

Texas Parks & Wildlife Department

Room 201A

Streaming Video: Manned and Unmanned

(UAS / Tactics / Technology)

Aaron Fritch,


Room 201B

Airspace & Authorization: The SGI process

Nicholas J. Romano,

Broward County (FL) Sheriff’s Office

Room 201B

1030 – 1200

Case Law That Influences Unmanned

Aviation - Panel Discussion

Michael Kleinfelt,

Orange County (FL) Sheriff’s Office



Room 201A

Movement to Contact

(UAS / Tactics)

Aaron Fritch,


Room 202

Law Enforcement and Citizen Awareness

of UAS Operations (Media / Unit Manager)

Laz Schreck,

Great Falls (MT) Police Department

Room 201B

1300 – 1430

Panel Discussion -

Planning a Large-Scale Event

Nicholas J. Romano,


Michael Kleinfelt,


Room 202

Starting a DFR Program (UAS / Unit Manager)

Steven Katz,

Flying Lion, Inc.

Room 203

Tactical Awareness Kit (TAK)

(UAS / Tactics / Training)

Aaron Fritch,


Room 201A

Remote ID: Beyond the Digital License Plate

Nicholas J. Romano,


Room 202

Thermal Imaging Techniques

for Drone Operators

(UAS / Tactics / Equipment)



Room 203

1500 – 1630

THI & Crime Scene Mapping:

3D & 2D Renderings

Sean Strzalkowski,


Room 201B

Unauthorized Drones in the Airspace:

Operational Risks and Effective C-UAS

Approaches for Airport and

Airborne Public Safety

Brett Feddersen,

D-Fend Solutions

Room 201A








Commission – UAS Standards (Public Safety)

Don Shinnamon,

APSAC Lead Assessor, Chief of

Police (Ret.), Port St. Lucie (FL)

Room 202

0830 – 1000

Manned / Unmanned Airspace Deconfliction

(UAS / Tactics)



Room 201A

Streaming Video: Manned and Unmanned

(UAS / Tactics / Technology)

Aaron Fritch,


Room 201B

Airspace & Authorization: The SGI process

Nicholas J. Romano,


Room 201B

1030 – 1200

Case Law That Influences Unmanned

Aviation - Panel Discussion

Michael Kleinfelt,




Room 201A

Movement to Contact

(UAS / Tactics)

Aaron Fritch,


Room 202

Law Enforcement and Citizen Awareness

of UAS Operations (Media / Unit Manager)

Laz Schreck,

Great Falls (MT) Police Department

Room 201B

1300 – 1430

Panel Discussion -

Planning a Large-Scale Event

Nicholas J. Romano,


Michael Kleinfelt,


Room 202

Starting a DFR Program (UAS / Unit Manager)

Steven Katz,

Flying Lion, Inc.

Room 203

Tactical Awareness Kit (TAK)

(UAS / Tactics / Training)

Aaron Fritch,


Room 201A

Remote ID: Beyond the Digital License Plate

Nicholas J. Romano,


Room 202

Thermal Imaging Techniques

for Drone Operators

(UAS / Tactics / Equipment)



Room 203

1500 – 1630

THI & Crime Scene Mapping:

3D & 2D Renderings

Sean Strzalkowski,


Room 201B

Unauthorized Drones in the Airspace:

Operational Risks and Effective C-UAS

Approaches for Airport and

Airborne Public Safety

Brett Feddersen,

D-Fend Solutions

Room 201A







Airborne Search Tactics

Christian Sandberg,


Room 201B

0800 – 0930

Payload Delivery Using Drones



Room 201A

1000 – 1130

UAS: A Conversation with Manned Aviation

Nicholas J. Romano,


Christian Sandberg,


Room 201A

Open Session - See Mobile App TBD Room 201B

1230 – 1400

C-UAS: State & Local Landscape

with Safer Skies Act

Nicholas J. Romano,


Room 201A

Training Program Management for

Public Safety Drone Units

(UAS / Unit Manager)

Aaron Fritch,


Room 201B




APSCON 2026 schedule

All events take place at the Phoenix Convention Center unless otherwise noted.

SUNDAY, JULY 12

Registration Open • 1600 – 1800

Hall B Lobby (1st Floor)

‘The Hangar’ APSA Store Open • 1600 – 1800


MONDAY, JULY 13


Hall B (1st Floor)


Hall B (1st Floor)

WEDNESDAY, JULY 15





APSCON Conference Courses (Day 3)

0800 – 1700

Classrooms (2nd Floor)

APSCON Unmanned Classes • 0800 – 1700



0800 – 1700


APSCON Unmanned Courses (Day 1)

0800 – 1700


Aircraft Fly-In Briefing • 0600

Aircraft Fly-In • 0700

TUESDAY, JULY 14






0800 – 1700


APSCON Unmanned Courses (Day 2)

0800 – 1700


Exhibitor Set-Up • 0800 – 1700

Exhibit Halls B-C (1st Floor)

Exhibitor Set-Up • 0800 – 1400

Halls B-C (1st Floor)

Exhibit Hall Opening Ceremony • 1700 – 1715


Exhibit Hall Opening Reception • 1715 – 2000

Sponsored by Bell Textron


THURSDAY, JULY 16





Opening Breakfast / General Membership Meeting

0900 – 1030 • Floridian Ballroom A-D (3rd Floor)

Breakfast sponsored by Trakka Systems

Exhibit Hall Open • 1030 – 1600


Tech Talk Sessions • 1100 – 1545

Halls B-C Theaters (1st Floor)

Conference General Sessions • 1300 – 1700





APSCON 2026 schedule

Teledyne FLIR Vision Awards • 1800 – 2000

OMNI Fort Lauderdale Hotel / Port Everglades Ballroom

FRIDAY, JULY 17





APSCON Conference Classes • 0830 – 1700


Exhibit Hall Open • 1000 – 1400


Tech Talk Sessions • 1000 – 1345

Halls B-C Theaters (1st Floor)

Exhibit Hall Attendee Lunch • 1130 – 1300


Exhibitor Move-Out • 1400 – 2100


Aircraft Fly-Out • 1400

APSA Awards Reception • 1800 – 1900

OMNI Fort Lauderdale Hotel /

Port Everglades Ballroom EFG

Airbus Friday Night Happy Hour • 1900

TBA

SATURDAY, JULY 18

Exhibitor Move-Out • 0800 – 1200


All events to take place at the Broward County

Convention Center WEST unless otherwise noted.




HOST AGENCY PROFILE

By Chris Marchese, Lieutenant, Broward (FL) Sheriff’s Office Department of Law Enforcement Regional Patrol

After a consequential 2019 split, the Broward (FL) Sheriff’s Office airborne law

enforcement team reshaped its fleet, staffing model and mission focus.

Long before a patrol supervisor

can fully size up a perimeter, a

Broward (FL) Sheriff’s Office helicopter

is often already overhead,

widening the perspective. From up

there, the county reveals its complexity: dense

neighborhoods stitched together by major

highways, commercial corridors that can turn

volatile in minutes, canal banks and industrial

zones that complicate ground searches, and

the western edge of a county where the landscape

opens toward the Everglades.

In the complex Broward County environment,

aviation is not a luxury. It is a true

force multiplier—one that helps deputies find

missing people, track fleeing suspects, coordinate

K-9 teams and manage unfolding incidents

with a speed that ground units alone

cannot match.

Since July 2019, the unit has been dedicated

specifically to the law enforcement




HOST AGENCY PROFILE

tracking, K-9 coordination and support to

major incidents where an aerial perspective

changes the pace of decision making.

Surveillance still has a place, but it is more

selective now, reserved for high-profile or

particularly significant cases, rather than

serving as the unit’s defining identity.

The post-split fleet reflects the department’s

focus. Broward’s law enforcement

aviation side initially moved forward with two

Airbus H125 helicopters, a choice consistent

with the 2017 review’s recommendation

that the police mission could be served by

single-engine aircraft tailored to airborne law

enforcement work. Since then, the unit has

added a third H125, giving it more flexibility

in scheduling, maintenance rotation and

mission coverage. The aircraft are well

suited to the demands of urban overwatch

and quick-turn police response: agile,

comparatively efficient, and able to carry the

sensor and communications packages

central to modern airborne policing.

Broward’s leadership is still considering

fleet upgrades, however. The unit expects to

receive an H145 in the coming years. The

planned addition would expand tactical capability

while gaining the operational advantages

of a twin-engine platform. For

Broward, that would mean additional safety

margins, lift and space, and an improved

platform for missions involving tactical

teams or complex law enforcement support.

In a county where calls can range from a

nighttime search in a canal corridor to a

fast-moving violent offender operation, the

added versatility would be critical.

A Personnel Shift

Since 2019, the Broward’s law enforcement-focused

aviation unit has created a

dedicated TFO model. The concept again

aligns with the 2017 outside review: put

experienced sworn personnel in the aircraft

who understand police tactics, communications,

perimeter management, suspect

behavior and the needs of deputies on the

ground. The model has helped align the view

from the cockpit with the realities of the

street, with the TFOs serving as airborne

tactical coordinators capable of reading

scenes, directing resources and turning

technology into actionable information for

the deputies below.

The structure is still a work in progress.

The unit is budgeted for six TFOs, with two

now in flight school, two in training and

another preparing to enter the pipeline. The

pilot side, with four full-time aviators and the

unit’s lieutenant also serving as an active

pilot, has its own pressures. It is currently

short-staffed, with its budget allowing for

seven pilots. To strengthen recruiting and

retention, the agency recently created a civilian

public safety pilot position with improved

compensation, acknowledging a reality many

airborne public safety units face: experienced

aviators are hard to attract and even

harder to keep.




HOST AGENCY PROFILE

tracking, K-9 coordination and support to

major incidents where an aerial perspective

changes the pace of decision making.

Surveillance still has a place, but it is more

selective now, reserved for high-profile or

particularly significant cases, rather than

serving as the unit’s defining identity.

The post-split fleet reflects the department’s

focus. Broward’s law enforcement

aviation side initially moved forward with two

Airbus H125 helicopters, a choice consistent

with the 2017 review’s recommendation

that the police mission could be served by

single-engine aircraft tailored to airborne law

enforcement work. Since then, the unit has

added a third H125, giving it more flexibility

in scheduling, maintenance rotation and

mission coverage. The aircraft are well

suited to the demands of urban overwatch

and quick-turn police response: agile,

comparatively efficient, and able to carry the

sensor and communications packages

central to modern airborne policing.

Broward’s leadership is still considering

fleet upgrades, however. The unit expects to

receive an H145 in the coming years. The

planned addition would expand tactical capability

while gaining the operational advantages

of a twin-engine platform. For

Broward, that would mean additional safety

margins, lift and space, and an improved

platform for missions involving tactical

teams or complex law enforcement support.

In a county where calls can range from a

nighttime search in a canal corridor to a

fast-moving violent offender operation, the

added versatility would be critical.

A Personnel Shift

Since 2019, the Broward’s law enforcement-focused

aviation unit has created a

dedicated TFO model. The concept again

aligns with the 2017 outside review: put

experienced sworn personnel in the aircraft

who understand police tactics, communications,

perimeter management, suspect

behavior and the needs of deputies on the

ground. The model has helped align the view

from the cockpit with the realities of the

street, with the TFOs serving as airborne

tactical coordinators capable of reading

scenes, directing resources and turning

technology into actionable information for

the deputies below.

The structure is still a work in progress.

The unit is budgeted for six TFOs, with two

now in flight school, two in training and

another preparing to enter the pipeline. The

pilot side, with four full-time aviators and the

unit’s lieutenant also serving as an active

pilot, has its own pressures. It is currently

short-staffed, with its budget allowing for

seven pilots. To strengthen recruiting and

retention, the agency recently created a civilian

public safety pilot position with improved

compensation, acknowledging a reality many

airborne public safety units face: experienced

aviators are hard to attract and even

harder to keep.




HOST AGENCY PROFILE

The personnel are necessary to handle

the Broward Sheriff’s Office’s rapid mission

tempo. The airborne law enforcement division

logs roughly 1,600 flight hours annually

across its three aircraft. Publicly, the

sheriff’s office has highlighted the unit’s

operational output; in one summary of

2022 performance, Broward reported that

in the first 10 months of the year, the unit

helped direct deputies on the ground to

nearly 1,000 arrests. Another sheriff’s

office report credited the reworked unit in

its early period with more than 1,100

arrests, hundreds of stolen vehicle recoveries,

and the location of missing or

endangered people.

The unit’s cooperation with K-9 operations

is also critical. On paper, the units are

separate, specialized functions. But in practice,

Broward treats them as complementary

pieces of the same tactical system. A helicopter

can widen and stabilize the search

picture, identify likely travel paths, monitor

containment and protect K-9 teams from

going blindly into danger.

The Final Pieces

In addition to separating its two

airborne operations over the past

seven years, the Broward Sheriff’s Office

has focused on its internal support

systems. Maintenance is performed primarily

in-house by a director and two technicians,

giving the unit more direct control

over readiness.

At the same time, the aviation unit has

been overhauling its safety management

system. The unit’s original SMS system was

largely perfunctory. Administrators intend the

new system to improve operations, efficiency

and safety in real, practical ways,

with disciplined maintenance, deliberate risk

management and a culture that treats safety

as an operational enabler.

The evolution of the Broward Sheriff’s

Office Aviation Unit has not gone unnoticed.

The unit received the 2022 International

Association of Chiefs of Police Leadership in

Police Aviation Award. The award reflects a

team that has managed to turn structural

change into operational success. Staffing

remains a challenge, and the long-term

success of the model will depend on

whether Broward can continue filling pilot

and TFO positions, sustain a strong safety

culture and integrate a future H145 into a

mission set that is already demanding. But

since 2019, the Broward Sheriff’s Office

Aviation Unit has only improved.

Broward County's aviation unit is

focused on arriving early, seeing into the

distance, communicating clearly, and helping

ground personnel make safe and smart

decisions. The post-2019 structure has

given the unit the room to convert altitude

into advantage for the deputies and

communities below.





CALENDAR OF EVENTS

TEXAS CRIME

PREVENTION

ASSOCATION

ST

51 TCPA

ANNUAL

CONFERENCE

July 20-23, 2026

Omni Corpus Christi

900 N Shoreline Blvd

Corpus Christi, TX 78401

Registration:

Early Bird (Ends 3/1/26)

Membership: $350

Non-Membership: $400

After 3/1/26:

Membership: $425

Non-Membership: $475

Meals Provided:

Annual Meeting Luncheon

Awards Luncheon

tcpa.wildapricot.org/conference


T M P A / T X F O P J O I N T C O N F E R E N C E 2 0 2 6

R E G I S T E R N O W




REGISTER HERE

EXHIBITORS - REGISTER HERE







THE LA MARQUE POLICE DEPT. PRESENTS

THE WARRIOR WITHIN!

MENTAL HEALTH AND

WELLNESS SUMMIT 2026

SEPTEMBER 23RD AND 24TH, 2026

DOYLE CONVENTION CENTER

2010 5TH AVE. N, TEXAS CITY, TEXAS 77590

FIRST RESPONDERS ARE IN CRISIS!

Law enforcement, fireman, and EMS are more likely to die

by Suicide than in the line of duty.

Between 17% and 24% of Dispatchers have symptoms of

PTSD and 24% have symptoms of depression.

60-75% of first responder marriages end in divorce.

The La Marque Police Department is hosting a free 2-day

summit geared towards helping our Police, Fire, EMS, and

Dispatch focus on their own mental health, relationships,

and physical wellness.

This FREE event will feature industry experts, experienced

first responders, and clinicians providing tools and resources

to first responders and their families.




HONORING OUR

DEPUTY SHERIFF LOGAN REECE UTT


CARROLL COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, VIRGINIA

END OF WATCH: FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2026

AGE: 31 TOUR: 2 YEARS BADGE: 122

Deputy Sheriff Logan Utt was shot and killed while performing a welfare check at 13658 Fancy Gap Highway in Cana.

Around 9:26 p.m., the Carroll County Sheriff's Office received a call for a welfare check. When Deputy Utt and another

deputy arrived at the scene, the subject fired at both deputies before fleeing. Deputy Utt was killed. The other deputy was

struck in his ballistic vest and received medical treatment. The suspect was arrested two days later in North Carolina. He

has been charged with murder. The suspect, a convicted felon, was convicted of eight felony charges in 2015, but only

served eight months of the 40-year sentence.

Deputy Utt was a United States Air Force veteran and had served with the Carroll County Sheriff's Office for over two

years. He had previously served with the Cana Volunteer Fire Department and Mount Airy Fire Department. Survivors

include his wife, two children, grandmother, two brothers, and two sisters.

FALLEN HEROES

POLICE OFFICER KRISTEN YEAGER

CENTRAL BERKS REGIONAL POLICE DEPARTMENT, PA

END OF WATCH: FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2026

AGE: 42 TOUR: 3 YEARS BADGE 101

Police Officer Kristen Yeager was killed in an automobile crash near the intersection of W Philadelphia Avenue and Manatawny

Road in Earl Township, while responding to assist a neighboring agency. Officer Yeager was ejected from her

patrol car after it left the roadway and struck a tree while she was responding to the emergency call shortly before 8:00

pm. She was transported to a local hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries.

Officer Yeager had served with the Central Berks Regional Police Department for two and a half years. Survivors include

her husband and three children.

The BLUES - JULY ‘26 151 151

HONORING OUR

POLICE OFFICER DUSTIN KRISH

CARROLLTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, GEORGIA

END OF WATCH: TUESDAY, JUNE 9, 2026

AGE: 33 TOUR: 4 YEARS BADGE: N/A

Police Officer Dustin Krish succumbed to injuries he received when he was struck by the driver of a car while

directing traffic on June 11, 2025. Officer Krish was directing traffic on Highway 27 in Carrollton due to

construction lane closures. A car traveling southbound passed through the light, struck Officer Krish, and then

crashed into another vehicle. Officer Krish was thrown several feet into the air. He was airlifted to Marietta’s

Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center, where he underwent multiple surgeries for severe brain injuries.

On June 2, 2026, his condition deteriorated, and he passed away on June 9, 2026.

Officer Krish had served with the Carrollton Police Department for over three years. Survivors include his wife

and brother, who also serves with the agency.


FALLEN HEROES

TROOPER SERGIO ROMERO

TEXAS HIGHWAY PATROL, TEXAS

END OF WATCH: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17, 2026

AGE: 27 TOUR: 9 MONTHS BADGE: N/A

Trooper Sergio Romero was killed in a vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 287 near Childress, Texas.

Around 4:00 p.m., Trooper Romero was attempting to pull over a vehicle when a tractor-trailer pulled out in front of his

patrol vehicle. He died at the scene.

Trooper Romero had served with the Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Highway Patrol for nine months and

previously served with the Hall County Sheriff's Office. Survivors include his wife and two sons.


HONORING OUR

DEPUTY SHERIFF DAMIAN DRAPER BOST

COLUMBUS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, NORTH CAROLINA

END OF WATCH: THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 2026


Deputy Sheriff Damian Bost was struck and killed by the driver of a tractor-trailer on U.S. Highway 74/76

near the Hallsboro Road exit. At 10:40 a.m., Deputy Bost was parked in the median with his cruiser lights

activated. He was at the construction scene to warn drivers about the repaving project when a tractor-trailer

in the westbound lane hit his cruiser. A construction worker was also injured.

The driver was charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle, reckless driving, and failure to reduce speed.

Deputy Bost had served with the Columbus County Sheriff's Office for eight years. Survivors include his wife,

two children, and parents.


FALLEN HEROES

DEPUTY SHERIFF ERIKA SERRATO

MONTGOMERY COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, TEXAS

END OF WATCH: SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2026


Deputy Sheriff Erika Serrato was killed while directing traffic near the Woodlands Parkway exit on Interstate 45 North,

at approximately 3:00 am. At approximately 2:40 am, deputies were called to assist with the investigation and traffic

control at a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 45 North. While directing traffic near two marked patrol vehicles, with emergency

lights activated, Deputy Serrato was struck by a heavy-duty commercial vehicle that was pulling a trailer. Deputy

Serrato was transported to a local hospital where she succumbed to her injuries. One other Montgomery County Deputy

was also injured after being struck by debris. He was treated at the local hospital for minor injuries. The driver of the

vehicle was also transported to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Deputy Serrato had served with the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office for six years.


HONORING OUR

POLICE OFFICER TREVOR HOWARD


MARKED TREE POLICE DEPARTMENT, ARKANSAS

END OF WATCH: SUNDAY, JUNE 28, 2026

AGE: 25 TOUR: 2 BADGE: N/A

Police Officer Trevor Howard was killed in a vehicle crash at approximately 2:50 a.m. at the intersection

of Broadway and Nathan streets in Marked Tree. Officer Howard, positioned in the passenger seat, was on

patrol with another officer when their patrol truck collided with a vehicle that failed to stop at a stop sign. The

impact of the crash, predominantly on the passenger side of the patrol vehicle, caused the truck to overturn.

Officer Howard succumbed to his injuries at the scene. The other officer was transported to NEA Baptist

Memorial Hospital in Jonesboro with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the other vehicle was airlifted

to Regional One Health in Memphis in serious condition.

Officer Howard had worked with the Marked Tree Police Department for nearly two months.

FALLEN HEROES

"When a police officer is killed,

it's not an agency that loses an

officer, it's an entire nation."

— Chris Cosgriff, ODMP Founder


The Old Man on Maple St.

It was 2:30 in the morning,

and the shift had been

quiet. Too quiet. Every cop

knows those nights. The radio

seems asleep, and you're

almost afraid to mention it

because you'll jinx yourself.

Dispatch put out a welfare

check.

"Caller reports an elderly

male standing in the middle

of Maple Street for over an

hour. Refusing to leave."

I rolled my eyes.

Great. Another intoxicated

old timer who'd wandered

away from the neighborhood

bar.

When I arrived, I saw him

immediately.

He was standing perfectly

still under a streetlight.

No jacket, despite the cold.

Hands in his pockets.

I stepped out of my unit.

"Evening, sir. Everything

okay?"


He looked at me.

"I can't find my wife."

I asked his name.

"Frank."

"What's your wife's name?"

"Margaret."

"Do you know where she

lives?"

"At home."

"Where's home?"

He just looked confused.

I figured dementia. It happens.

I got him into my patrol car

to warm up while dispatch

tried to locate family.

As we drove around the

neighborhood, he kept giving

directions.

"Turn here."

"No, left."

"She likes this street."

Nothing made sense.

Finally, he asked me to stop

in front of a small white

house.

"She's in there."

The house was dark.

I knocked on the door.

A woman answered.

When she saw Frank, she

started crying.

I smiled.

"Ma'am, we found your

husband wandering."

She shook her head.

"No, Officer."

"My father lives with me."

I looked back at Frank.

She whispered,

"My mother died three years

ago."

Frank had Alzheimer's.

Every night around the

same time, he'd forget she

was gone.

He'd leave the house looking

for her.

His daughter thanked me

and started leading him inside.

Frank stopped.

He looked back at me.

"Officer?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Did we find her?"

I didn't know what to say.

His daughter looked at me

with tears in her eyes.

I knelt down beside him.

"I think she knows you're

looking for her."

He smiled.

"Good. I didn't want her to

think I forgot."

His daughter took his hand

and walked him inside.

I sat in my patrol car for a

long minute before clearing

the call.

In this job, you expect the

shootings, the fights, the pursuits,

and the adrenaline.

Nobody tells you or prepares

you to deal with the

old man standing in the

middle of the street, trying

to find the wife he loved so

much that, even after three

years, his heart refused to

believe she was gone.

I've made felony arrests.

I've chased armed suspects.

I've worked fatal accidents

and violent crimes.

I've held people in my arms

as life slowly left their bodies.But

after all these years,

I still remember Frank on

Maple Street.

Because sometimes the

hardest calls aren't the dan-

gerous ones.

Sometimes they're the ones

that remind you that beneath

every badge is a human being,

and beneath every police

report is someone's story.

4C77 Back in service.

ED-If you have a Frank

story you would like to

share with The BLUES readers

or become a Chapter

in Sgt. Barron's next book,

send it to bluespdmag@

gmail.com.


The Little Girl in the Red Pajamas

There are shootings I can't remember.

Fights, burglaries, robberies,

domestics... after thirty years, they

all start running together. Faces

fade. Addresses disappear.

But there are a handful of calls

that stay with you forever.

This happened on a rainy night

about twenty years ago.

I was working midnight patrol.

About two in the morning, dispatch

aired a disturbance.

"911 caller reports screaming

from a residence. Possible domestic."

Nothing unusual.

Every cop works hundreds of

domestics during a career. They

can go from a simple argument to

a homicide in about three seconds.

I rolled up to the little house.

Porch light on.

Front door open.

Not a good sign.

As I walked up, I heard yelling

inside.

A man.

A woman.

Things breaking.

I called for another unit.


Before my backup arrived, a little

girl stepped out onto the front

porch.

She couldn't have been more

than six.

Red pajamas.

Barefoot.

Holding a stuffed rabbit.

She looked up at me.

"Mister Policeman?"

"Yeah, sweetheart."

"Can you make my daddy stop

hurting my mommy?"

I've been shot at.

I've fought grown men in alleys.

I've chased armed suspects

through neighborhoods.

Nothing prepared me for that

question.

I told her to stay on the porch.

She nodded.

Like she'd done this before.

Backup arrived, and we went

inside.

The husband was drunk.

Furniture overturned.

Kitchen chairs broken.

His wife was bleeding from her

mouth.

The man decided he wasn't going

to jail.

He swung.

Bad decision.

A short fight later, we had him

handcuffed and sitting in the back

of my patrol car, screaming that

we'd ruined his life.

I looked over at his wife.

She wasn't crying.

She was apologizing.

"He didn't mean it."

"He had a rough day."

"He really loves us."

Every cop has heard those

words.

I asked if she had somewhere

safe to stay.

She looked at her little girl

standing on the porch.

Then she quietly said,

"No."

Another officer took her to the

hospital.

I stayed with the little girl until

family arrived.

She climbed into the front seat

of my patrol car.

Looked around at all the switches

and lights.

"Do you catch bad guys every

day?"

"I try."

She thought about that.

Then she handed me her stuffed

rabbit.

"Can he ride with you tonight?

He helps me not be scared."

I told her I'd take good care of

him.

She smiled.

It was the first smile I'd seen all

night.

Her grandmother arrived a little

later.

The little girl hugged me before

she left.

"Now Mommy won't get hurt

anymore, right?"

I wish I could tell you that's how

the story ended.

It didn't.

The husband bonded out.

The wife went back.

A few months later, we were

dispatched to the same house.

Same argument.

Same people.

Same little girl.

Same stuffed rabbit.

That's when I learned one of the

hardest lessons in police work.

You can't save everybody.

You answer the call.

You make the arrest.

You write the report.

You testify in court.

But you can't make people

change.

Years passed.

I forgot about that family.

Then one afternoon I was working

an off-duty security job.

A young woman walked up to

me.

"You don't remember me, do

you?"

I apologized.

She smiled.

"I was the little girl in the red

pajamas."

I looked at her.

Then I saw it.

The eyes.

She reached into her purse and

pulled out an old stuffed rabbit.

One ear was missing.

The fur was worn smooth.

"You gave him back to me."

I laughed.

"I guess I did."

She shook her head.

"No, Officer."

"You gave me something else."

"What was that?"

"Hope."

She told me her mother finally

left.

She graduated high school.

Went to college.

Became a social worker helping

abused children.

Before she walked away, she

said something I'll never forget.

"I became what I needed when I

was six years old."

I've forgotten thousands of calls.

Thousands of names.

Thousands of reports.

But every once in a while, I think

about a little girl standing barefoot

on a porch in red pajamas

asking a policeman to stop her

daddy from hurting her mommy.

And I think maybe we did more

than make an arrest that night.

Maybe we planted a seed.

In this job, you don't always get

to know how the story ends.

Sometimes...

...twenty years later...

...the story comes back and tells

you.

10-8. Back in service.


BLUEPRINTS OF RESILIENCE

Emmanual Gonzalez Sosa

Social Media and Modern Policing

Building Trust in the Digital Age

INTRODUCTION

The role of law enforcement

has evolved significantly over the

past two decades. While police

officers and sheriff deputies

continue to perform traditional

duties such as crime prevention,

emergency response, criminal

investigations and community

protection, they now operate in

an environment heavily influenced

by digital communication

and social media. Platforms

such as Facebook, Instagram,

X, YouTube and TikTok have

transformed how information is

shared, how communities communicate

and how public perception

is formed. News spreads

instantly, videos can reach millions

of viewers within hours and

public opinions are often developed

before complete information

becomes available.

Social media has become one

of the most powerful communication

tools in modern society.

For law enforcement agencies,

this technological shift presents

both opportunities and challenges.

Agencies now have direct

access to the communities they

serve, allowing them to communicate

important information

quickly and efficiently. At the

same time, officers and agencies

must navigate concerns related

to misinformation, privacy, professionalism

and public trust.

As a Sheriff Deputy, I have

observed how social media can

strengthen relationships between

law enforcement and the

public when used responsibly. I

have also seen how inaccurate

information and negative online

interactions can create confusion

and erode trust. Understanding

the benefits and limitations of

social media has become an

essential component of modern

policing. In today’s digital age,

social media is no longer optional

for law enforcement agencies;

it has become a critical tool for

communication, transparency,

community engagement and

public safety.

THE GROWTH OF SOCIAL

MEDIA IN LAW ENFORCEMENT

Law enforcement agencies

across the United States increasingly

rely on social media

platforms to communicate with

citizens. Departments use these

platforms to share public safety

alerts, crime prevention information,

traffic updates, missing

person notices, emergency notifications

and information regarding

community events. Recent

research conducted between

2024 and 2026 indicates that

agencies with active and professional

social media strategies

often experience higher levels

of community engagement and

greater public awareness regarding

local safety concerns.

The ability to communicate

directly with the public provides

agencies with an opportunity

to distribute accurate information

quickly. Instead of relying

exclusively on traditional media

outlets, departments can reach

thousands of citizens instantly

through official social media

accounts. This direct communication

allows agencies to provide

timely updates and reduce

uncertainty during rapidly developing

situations. As technology

continues to evolve, social media

has become an important extension

of public service and community

outreach.

TRANSPARENCY AND PUBLIC

TRUST

Public trust remains one of

the most important foundations

of effective law enforcement.

Citizens are more likely to cooperate

with officers, report criminal

activity, and support public

safety initiatives when they

believe agencies are transparent

and accountable. Social media


provides law enforcement organizations

with a unique opportunity

to strengthen public trust by

sharing information directly with

the communities they serve.

Through social media, agencies

can explain departmental

policies, provide updates on

major incidents, highlight officer

training programs and educate

citizens about various aspects

of law enforcement operations.

This level of communication

helps the public better understand

the responsibilities and

challenges officers face on a

daily basis. When agencies communicate

openly and honestly,

they demonstrate accountability

and reinforce their commitment

to serving the community.

Transparency through social

media can also help reduce misinformation.

By providing factual

and timely updates, agencies

can address rumors and clarify

misunderstandings before they

spread widely. However, transparency

must be balanced with

legal and ethical obligations,

including protecting ongoing investigations,

safeguarding sensitive

information, and respecting

the privacy of victims and witnesses.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN

THE DIGITAL ERA

Community policing has long

been recognized as a cornerstone

of successful law enforcement.

Building positive

relationships with residents

creates opportunities for collaboration

and helps officers better

understand the concerns of the

communities they serve. Social

media has expanded the ways in

which agencies can engage with

the public beyond traditional

meetings, neighborhood gatherings

and community events.

Through digital platforms, law

enforcement agencies can interact

with citizens, answer questions,

share educational content

and promote positive dialogue.

Departments frequently use social

media to highlight community

partnerships, recognize local

achievements, promote public

safety campaigns, and showcase

the positive contributions of officers

and community members.

These efforts help humanize

law enforcement personnel and

provide citizens with a greater

understanding of police work.

Many community members

only encounter law enforcement

during emergencies or enforcement

actions. Social media

creates opportunities to showcase

the broader scope of police

services, including community

outreach, youth programs, educational

initiatives and public

safety efforts. These interactions

can strengthen relationships and

foster mutual respect between

officers and the public.

THE CHALLENGE OF MISIN-

FORMATION

Despite its many advantages,

social media also presents

significant challenges for law

enforcement agencies. One of

the most pressing concerns is the

rapid spread of misinformation.

Information shared online is not

always accurate, complete, or

properly verified. Videos, photographs

and personal accounts

may lack context, leading to misunderstandings

and inaccurate

conclusions.

In many cases, information

can spread widely before investigators

have an opportunity to

determine the facts. This can

create confusion, increase public

anxiety and damage community

trust. As a result, agencies must

be prepared to respond quickly

and professionally when misinformation

emerges. Providing

accurate updates, correcting

false narratives and maintaining

open communication are essential

strategies for addressing

these challenges.

The speed of social media

requires agencies to balance

accuracy with timeliness. While

citizens expect rapid updates,

agencies must ensure that the

information they release is factual

and consistent with legal

and investigative requirements.

Maintaining credibility requires

careful communication and professional

judgment.

PROFESSIONALISM AND OF-

FICER RESPONSIBILITY

The use of social media requires

a high level of professionalism

and accountability from

law enforcement personnel.

Officers represent their agencies

both on and off duty, and their

online conduct can influence

public perception. Many law

enforcement organizations have

implemented social media policies

that establish expectations

regarding professionalism, confidentiality,

ethical conduct and

appropriate interactions with the

public.

Officers must understand that

comments, photographs, videos

and other online content can

quickly become public and may

affect both personal reputations

and departmental credibility.

Maintaining professionalism

online is no different from maintaining

professionalism while in


uniform. Public trust depends

on responsible behavior in every

setting.

The digital environment has

created new challenges for law

enforcement professionals, but

it has also reinforced the importance

of ethical conduct and

sound judgment. Officers who

use social media responsibly can

contribute positively to community

relationships and public

confidence.

SOCIAL MEDIA DURING

EMERGENCIES

One of the most valuable applications

of social media in law

enforcement involves emergency

communication. During natural

disasters, severe weather events,

active threats, public safety

emergencies and other critical

incidents, social media provides

agencies with a rapid and effective

method of sharing important

information with the public.

Emergency updates regarding

evacuations, shelter locations,

road closures, weather conditions

and safety instructions

can be distributed almost instantly.

This ability to communicate

quickly can help protect

lives and improve public safety

outcomes. Many agencies now

incorporate social media communication

into their emergency

management and crisis response

plans because of its effectiveness

in reaching large audiences

during critical situations.

The speed and accessibility of

social media make it one of the

most important communication

tools available during emergencies.

Citizens increasingly rely on

digital platforms to obtain information,

making social media an

essential component of modern


public safety operations.

TRAINING AND FUTURE CON-

SIDERATIONS

As technology continues to

evolve, law enforcement agencies

must adapt to new forms

of communication and public

engagement. Social media

training should be incorporated

into professional development

programs to ensure that officers

understand both the opportunities

and risks associated with

digital communication.

Training should address topics

such as ethical social media use,

crisis communication, misinformation

management, digital

professionalism, community

engagement strategies and legal

considerations. Agencies that

invest in training and education

are better prepared to navigate

the challenges of the digital

environment while maintaining

public trust.

Future advancements in artificial

intelligence, digital media

and communication technology

will likely continue to influence

how agencies interact with the

public. Law enforcement organizations

that proactively

embrace responsible communication

strategies will be better

positioned to meet community

expectations and maintain credibility.

CONCLUSION

Social media has fundamentally

transformed the relationship

between law enforcement

agencies and the communities

they serve. It provides valuable

opportunities for transparency,

education, public engagement

and emergency communication.

At the same time, it requires professionalism,

accountability and

a commitment to ethical communication.

As officers, we must recognize

both the influence and responsibility

that accompany digital

communication. Every public

interaction contributes to how

law enforcement is perceived

by the community. Social media

can either strengthen or weaken

public trust depending on how it

is used.

As a Sheriff Deputy, I believe

social media can serve as a

powerful bridge between law

enforcement agencies and the

citizens they protect. When used

responsibly, it promotes transparency,

strengthens relationships

and enhances public safety.

Modern policing requires more

than enforcement and investigative

skills. It also requires communication,

engagement and the

ability to connect with communities

in meaningful ways. Social

media, when used professionally

and ethically, can help law

enforcement agencies achieve

these goals and strengthen the

partnership between officers and

the public they proudly serve.

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A BADGE OF HONOR

Healing Our Heroes

Mental Health and Journaling

Thoughts to words, words to

pen, pen to paper. It’s one of

the many effective ways to help

those who are battling mental

health challenges. You don’t

need a Bachelor of Arts or a

writing degree to heal. I have

met many first responders and

veterans who have successfully

put their thoughts on paper and

gone on to become well-established,

notable authors. They

have also discovered a renewed

sense of purpose that may have

been lost through retirement or

injury.

But it’s not about writing a

book or becoming an author. It’s

about healing.

Writing is a resource that

can be started at any time and

at any age. You can write by

hand, type on a computer, or

use voice-to-text apps, and it

can be done almost anywhere.

There’s no need to travel to a

gym or therapist, log onto the

internet, or purchase special

equipment. There’s no insurance

or co-pay required. All you need

is something to write with, a

quiet place, an open mind, and

a little light.

As we know, there are many

outstanding mental health modalities

available, but few offer

the level of honesty and intimacy

that journaling provides. To

truly heal from the battles we’ve


faced on the job, during childhood,

or simply through life

itself, we must be completely

honest with our feelings—and

with ourselves.

For any therapeutic approach

to work, we must first achieve a

level of comfort and trust. Each

of us processes trauma differently.

Our experiences are personal

and unique. What deeply

impacts one person may not

affect another in the same way.

Journaling helps de-fragment

memories, allowing you to see

your thoughts on paper. Writing

your thoughts and feelings

down can quiet the constant

noise in your mind by releasing

them through the physical act of

writing.

Taking just a few minutes

each day to write can help regulate

your emotions, organize

your thoughts, and transform

painful experiences into positive

post-traumatic growth.

Here’s a good way to begin.

Get an empty notebook. Flip

through the pages and take a

few deep breaths. Remember,

you are in a safe environment.

You are in control, and whatever

you put on those pages is

as private and secure as you

choose for it to be.

The empty pages will soon

be filled with memories—some

good, some bad—but they are

SAMANTHA HORWITZ &

JOHN SALERNO

all yours.

You control the narrative.

When we think about the

traumas we’ve experienced, our

minds sometimes blend multiple

traumatic events together,

making them seem much larger

than they really are. Overlapping

traumas can become overwhelming

and much harder to

process. When you break them

down into individual experiences

on paper, you can begin to

see each one for what it is. This

makes them less frightening

to face. You can then evaluate

them one at a time and recognize

that each traumatic event

was beyond your immediate

control when it happened.

Remember, you didn’t cause

that car wreck. You didn’t cause

the shooting. You didn’t start the

fire. You responded to help. The

events that took place before

your arrival were not your fault.

Let yourself heal.

John Salerno

Retired NYPD Detective

A Badge of Honor


DARYL'S DELIBERATIONS

The Witness Tree:

Roots of a Nation

The question came on a warm

afternoon at Antietam National

Historical Park.

My grandson Lincoln and I had

spent the morning exploring the

old battlefield. We crossed Burnside

Bridge, the stone span that

loomed large in my imagination

since boyhood. Like many boys

of the 1960s, I fought countless

Civil War battles on the living

room floor with a Sears Blue &

Gray playset. Burnside Bridge

had been one of its landmarks.

Decades later, I found myself

standing on the real bridge with

my grandson beside me.

A short distance away stood

a massive tree. A National Park

Service sign identified it as a

“Witness Tree.”

Lincoln stopped and studied

the sign for a moment.

“What’s a witness tree, Papa?”

It was a simple question. Yet

as I looked at the old sycamore

stretching its branches over

Antietam Creek, I realized the

answer was larger than either of

us knew.

The tree was standing there on

September 17, 1862. It watched

Union and Confederate soldiers

struggle toward the bridge. It

heard the crack of rifles, the rolling

thunder of a hundred cannons,

and the mournful cries of


wounded and dying men.

Long after the armies were

gone, the old tree remained.

It was a witness.

And that question followed me

home.

“What is a witness tree?”

A witness tree is exactly what

its name suggests—a living tree

that stood in a place where history

happened.

Across America, and around

the world, these silent sentinels

still endure.

Their roots clutch the ground

at places whose names still echo

through our time. Gettysburg,

Fredericksburg, Yorktown, Lexington

and Concord. They stood

when smoke drifted through the

woods, when cannon fire shook

the earth, when youthful souls

failed to return home. Long after

monuments were raised and

veterans were laid to rest, the

trees remained. Although scarred

by bullets, artillery, swords, and

lightning, they continue their

silent vigil over the story of a

people.

Before America was a nation, it

was a planting.

When Jamestown was founded

and long before thirteen

colonies became one republic,

men and women crossed oceans

carrying more than tools and

DARYL LOTT

provisions. They carried convictions.

They carried Bibles worn

by use and dampened with sea

spray. Their Judeo-Christian devotion

was more than a fashionable

idea. By faith, they carried

the belief that God governed

nations as surely as He governed

their own souls. They called this

creed Providence and cited it in

the 1776 Declaration.

Some came seeking the freedom

to worship according to

conscience. Others came to build

communities shaped by their

faith in God. Their vision was

clear, though their execution

sometimes fell short, as human

endeavors often do. Yet they

planted something that would

outlive them.

Like a young tree pressing

roots into the ground, the nation

took hold in soil watered by sacrifice,

hope, prayer, and perseverance.

The psalmist described the

righteous man as a tree planted

by rivers of water, bringing forth

fruit in his season, whose leaf

does not wither, and prospering

in whatever he does. For centuries,

Americans have recognized

the wisdom of that image. A

healthy tree does not endure because

of what can be seen above

the ground. Its strength comes

from roots hidden beneath the

surface.

The same is true of nations.

Laws matter.

Armies and navies matter.

Commerce matters.

Education matters.

Yet beneath them all lie the

unseen roots of character, faith,

virtue, family, and self-government.

When those roots run

deep, a people can weather

storms that might otherwise

destroy them.

No tree reaches maturity without

scars.

The old sycamore at Antietam

is one such tree. It watched as

thousands of Americans fought

and died along the banks of a

crimson creek during the single

bloodiest day in our nation’s history.

Long after the mass slaughter

of our young people, the tree

remained.

That tree does not stand alone.

America’s path has never been

free of suffering. The Revolution

demanded sacrifice from farmers,

merchants, pastors, mothers,

and soldiers. The young republic

endured uncertainty, division,

and hardship. Later generations

faced trials no less severe.

The fields of Goliad, the walls

of the Alamo, the rolling grasslands

of the Little Bighorn, and

countless other places became

scenes of grief that wrenched

the souls of good men and

women. The witness trees stood

through it all.

They watched our youth bleed

out and their comrades bury

them beneath their branches.

They watched prayers offered

in hope and tears shed in sorrow.

They watched Americans test

whether the principles they professed

were strong enough to

survive the raging fires of history.

They beheld suffering all along

the Trail of Tears.

They stood at Seneca Falls

where women declared that liberty

belonged to them as surely

as it belonged to men.

They witnessed the long journey

of the Civil Rights Movement’s

Freedom Riders.

Through these events, we

learned the greatest wounds suffered

by a nation are not always

visible.

A shattered branch can be seen

from a distance. A damaged root

cannot.

Witness trees remind us that

survival alone is not enough. A

tree may remain standing while

decay spreads unseen within.

They warn us of the same danger.

Every generation inherits blessings

it did not create and responsibilities

it cannot escape. Freedom,

faith, self-government, and

civic virtue must be renewed or


they gradually weaken. The roots

that nourish a people can be neglected

even while the trunk still

appears strong.

The branches of the American

story have stretched far beyond

her own borders.

Not all witness trees stand in

America.

Around the world, trees have

stood as silent witnesses to the

triumphs and tragedies of America’s

sons and daughters.

The trees of Belleau Wood

watched Marines fight through

smoke and shellfire in 1918.

The forests of the Ardennes

saw freezing, hungry Americans

push back the Nazis’ last great

offensive with little ammunition

and few supplies.

Tropical jungle canopies stood


over young Americans on distant

shores from Guadalcanal to

Vietnam.

Desert palms beheld freedom’s

push back against terrorists in

Iraq and Afghanistan.

Though they grew beneath foreign

skies, they became witnesses

to American courage, duty,

and honor far from home.

Through every age, trees have

remained where men could

not, preserving in their rings

the memory of moments that

changed the course of history.

Across the ocean, on a hillside

outside Jerusalem, grow olive

trees whose ancestors were already

ancient when the Romans

marched into the city. Their

twisted trunks and deep roots

have endured wars, kingdoms,

crusades, conquests, and centuries

beyond counting.

They stand in the Garden of

Gethsemane, where our Lord

prayed on the night He was betrayed.

There, Christ submitted

Himself to the will of the Father

and bore a burden unlike any

other. Those ancient trees stood

nearby as He wrestled in prayer,

His sweat falling like great drops

of blood. Through His last great

sacrifice, grace and mercy became

available to all mankind.

These trees remind us that

history is not merely a collection

of dates and documents. It is the

story of real people who lived,

suffered, hoped, prayed, and

died hoping to leave the world a

better place.

They teach a common lesson.

The future is purchased by

those willing to plant, labor, and

sacrifice for people they will

never meet.

The colonists who crossed

the Atlantic could not imagine

the nation that would emerge

from their settlements. The

bone-weary and starving soldiers

who endured Valley Forge

would never see the United

States celebrate its centennial.

The young men who fell at

Gettysburg would never witness

the prosperity, innovation, and

influence that came after they

offered their last full measure of

devotion. Each one contributed

to a harvest they would never

personally enjoy.

That is the way of a healthy

tree. One generation plants. Another

tends. A third rests in the

shade.

Among all the witness trees of

the world, ours stand in a story

uniquely our own.

As America celebrates her

250th birthday, her witness trees

are still on watch.

They abide in churchyards,

cemeteries, town squares, family

farms, and forgotten corners

of great cities. Some bear scars

visible to every passerby. Others

carry wounds hidden beneath

layers of bark put on long ago.

As I stood on the banks of

the creek with Lincoln, I found

myself wondering what that old

tree would say if it could speak.

Would it tell us about its

bloody day?

Maybe.

But I suspect it would reveal

something more infinite.

Plant deeply.

Stand faithfully.

Endure storms.

Leave shade for those who

come after you.

Today’s children will celebrate

America’s 300th birthday.

In fifty years, Lincoln may make

the journey to Maryland and visit

our old friend at Antietam Creek.

I hope he takes his grandson

with him.

I can almost hear that inquisitive

lad ask, “What’s a witness

tree, Papa?”

When that day comes, I hope

Lincoln will recall the time we

spent there. I hope I did enough

to instill in him the love of God,

the love of family, and the love

of America. If I have, his answer

will honor our fathers and mothers.

I hope Lincoln and his generation

find rest in the shade of

trees planted by rivers of water,

whose leaves never wither.


ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY



NOT SO BRIGHT AWARD

Light Bulb

Ms. Blue Hair

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) once again proves she can make an

ass out of herself in front of the cameras.

This month’s LB Award goes Ms.

Blue Hair herself, Rep. Rosa DeLauro

(D-CT). Time after time, she embarrasses

herself and her office by

coming off as a complete lunatic.

It’s one thing to be passionate about

causes and the people you represent,

but damn lady you never ever

state the facts or the truth. You just

make an ass out of yourself in front

of the world.

The latest installment came late

last month when. She clashed with

Department of Homeland Security

(DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin

during a heated House Appropriations

Subcommittee on Homeland

Security hearing. The fiery

exchange, driven by debates over

immigration policies and child separations,

quickly derailed when the

two traded loud interruptions and

accusations.

The Hearing Showdown

The confrontation began when

the House Appropriations Committee

Ranking Member DeLauro

pressed Secretary Mullin on DHS

immigration and family separation

policies. As she cited statistics

about children separated from their

families, Mullin pushed back and

attempted to defend his agency

while DeLauro was still speaking.

DeLauro appealed to the acting

subcommittee chairman, Rep. Mark

Amodei (R-NV), and asked, "Could

you put him in his place first?" Mullin

quickly fired back, "You should

be put in your place," calling De-


Lauro a "hypocrite" for complaining

about the current administration's

record when she previously did not,

in his view, vocalize similar outrage

over border issues during the Biden

administration.

The dramatic exchange instantly

made headlines across the political

spectrum. Conservative pundits and

commentators quickly mobilized

behind Secretary Mullin, pointing

to the argument that Democratic

figures like DeLauro were using the

hearing for political "sound bites"

rather than substantive oversight.

Critics of DeLauro have characterized

her aggressive questioning and

finger-pointing toward the newly

appointed DHS chief as unhinged

or theatrical, with some conservative

media outlets referring to the

confrontation as an unmanageable

CLICK TO WATCH

outburst.

Of course, her supporters defended

the Congresswoman's questioning

as necessary, intense oversight

meant to hold the Trump administration's

immigration enforcement

accountable. They argue that the

DHS chief’s demand for a legislator

to be "put in his [her] place" was a

disrespectful dismissal of legitimate

congressional inquiries regarding

the treatment of migrant children.

What they failed to mention is the

450,000 children that went missing

under the Biden administration that

some say are not trafficked in sex

rings around the globe.

Watch the Clash

For a look at the exact moment

Secretary Mullin and Rep. DeLauro

traded sharp words and finger-pointing.


ADS BACK IN THE DAY



ADS BACK IN THE DAY



THERE ARE

parting shots...


NO WORDS


THERE ARE N

parting shots...


O WORDS


NOW HIRING

Brownfield Police Department Detective - Criminal Investigations Division 07/01/2026

Santa Fe ISD Police Department Police Officer 07/03/2026

Wichita Falls Police Department Entry Level Peace Officer 07/04/2026

Wichita Falls Police Department Lateral Peace Officer 07/04/2026

City of Garland Deputy Marshall 07/05/2026

Grapeland Police Department Patrol Officer 07/01/2026

Weimar Police Department Patrol Officer 07/06/2026

Hempstead Police Department Police Officer 07/07/2026

University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Police Officer 07/07/2026

The University of Texas Southwestern Police Police Cadet & Lateral Police Officer 07/07/2026


Hays County Sheriff's Office Patrol Deputy 07/11/2026

Community ISD Police Department Police Officer 07/07/2026

Cedar Hill Police Department Police Chief 07/12/2026

Abilene Police Department Lateral Police Officer 07/12/2026

City of Starbase Public Safety Director | Future Chief of Police 07/12/2026

Schertz Police Department Police Officer 07/10/2026

Amarillo Police Department Out-of-State Lateral Police Officer 07/12/2026

Selma Police Department Peace Officer 07/11/2026

Moody Police Department Reserve Police Officer 07/14/2026

Texas Woman's University Police Officer 07/15/2026

Giddings Police Department Police officer 07/17/2026

The University of Texas at Tyler Peace Officer 07/14/2026

Memorial Villages Police Department Police Officer 07/17/2026

City of Garland Deputy Marshal (Part – Time) 07/18/2026

Jack County Sheriff's Office Deputy 07/18/2026

Castle Hills Police Department Patrol Officer (Licensed) 07/15/2026

Concho Valley Council of the Governments Criminal Justice Instructor - Training Specialist 07/20/2026

Wichita Falls Police Department Entry Level Peace Officer 07/04/2026

Wichita Falls Police Department Lateral Peace Officer 07/04/2026

City of Garland Deputy Marshall 07/05/2026

Weimar Police Department Patrol Officer 07/06/2026

Hempstead Police Department Police Officer 07/07/2026

University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Police Officer 07/07/2026

The University of Texas Police Dept Police Cadet & Lateral Police Officer 07/07/2026


Hays County Sheriff's Office Patrol Deputy 07/11/2026

Travis County Sheriff's Office Law Enforcement Deputy 07/26/2026

Mathis Police Department Patrol Officer 07/26/2026

Flour Bluff Police Department Police Officer 07/14/2026

Corsicana Police Department Peace Officer 07/27/2026

Garza County Sheriff's Office Patrol Deputy 07/29/2026

McLennan Community College Police Police Officer 07/28/2026

Caldwell Co. Constable Pct 4 School Based Law Enforcement Deputy 07/27/2026

Calallen ISD Police Department Police Officer 07/25/2026

Jarrell ISD Police Department Police Officer 07/31/2026

Burleson Police Department Police Officer and Police recruit 08/01/2026

South San Antonio ISD Police Department Peace Officer 08/02/2026

Santa Fe ISD Police Department Police Officer 08/03/2026

Hutto Police Department Peace Officer 08/03/2026

Anderson County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Sheriff 08/03/2026

Anderson County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigator 08/03/2026

Concho Valley Council of the Governments Law Enforcement Academy Manager and Lead Instructor 08/10/2026

Tarleton Police Department Police Officer 08/08/2026

Crowell Police Department Chief of Police 08/08/2026

Clute Police Department Patrol Officer 08/08/2026

Bruceville-Eddy Police Department School Resource Officer 08/10/2026

Three Rivers Police Department Police Officer 08/12/2026

Scurry County Patrol Deputy 08/12/2026

Thompsons Police Department Police Officer 08/12/2026

Hemphill County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Deputy 08/01/2026

Roosevelt ISD Police Department School Resource Officer 08/01/2026

Northeast Texas Community College Police Officer 08/15/2026


WELCOME OUR NEWEST DEPARTMENT

LE jo

BROWNSVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT

answer

the call.

serve

Brownsville.

Service From the Heart.

Excellence Through Action.

competitive

pay

modern

technology

career

advancement

Exceptional

benefits

start a career

that matters

become part of something

bigger than yourself.

Minimum age 21

Must be a U.S. Citizen

High School Diploma or GED

Possess a valid Driver’s License

Pass Background Investigation

why brownsville pd?

Modern Technology & Equipment

Drone First Responder Program

Specialized Units

Tuition Reimbursement

Career Advancement Opportunities

New Public Safety Complex

Proudly Serving a DiverseCommunity

on the Texas Border

starting pay

$ 40,902

TO

$ 79,295

Annually

Plus specialty pay, certification pay,

overtime opportunities and benefits.

earn more through

Specialty assignments

SWAT-650 Annually

FTO-2 overtime hours per trainee shift

Investigators-1 hourly & clothing

allowance 200 quarterly

Incentive certicate pay(TCOLE)

Intermediate-1,440 Annually

Advanced-2,100 Annually

Master-2,700 Annually

your future

starts here.

scan for more info!

What you’ll receive

Assignment Pay

2,080 Annually

Seniority Steps

1,200-6,120 Annually

Night Differential

1 Hourly

Vacation-Up to

21 days annually

Holiday Pay :

10 Holidays at 1.5 rate

15 days of sick leave

annually

Healthcare Insurance

Texas Municipal Retirement

System 7% gross earnings

withheld and matched 2:1


www.brownsvillepd.com

(956)548-7150

600 E. Jackson St,

Brownsville, Texas 78520

protect. serve. lead. building the future of policing in south texas.


NOW HIRING


LE job positions

SANTA FE ISD POLICE DEPARTMENT

IS NOW HIRING

187 Day Contract

Salary: $31.11 to $43.84 Hourly

(Commensurate with experience)

BENEFITS INCLUDE:

Full Time Employment

Full Medical Insurance Options

Teacher Retirement System

Summers off

Paid Holidays: Thanksgiving,

Christmas, Spring Break

INCENTIVES

Certificate Pay

Intermediate - $100.00 mo.

Advanced - $150.00 mo.

Master - $200.00 mo.

Degree Pay

Associate’s - $100.00 mo.

Bachelor’s - $150.00 mo.

Master’s - $200.00 mo.

Take home vehicle after 3 yrs. Service

Uniforms, equipment and duty weapons

provided

https://santafe.schoolspring.com/


WELCOME ABOARD PASADENA PD




NOW HIRING


LE job positions




WE’RE

HIRING

Join Our Growing College

Police Department!

POLICE OFFICER

Benefits Include:

Uniforms & equipment provided

Modified take-home vehicle program

$1 meal plan

12 hour shifts, every other weekend off

Paid overtime and training

Vacation and sick leave

TRS retirement and great insurance

Modern tattoo and facial hair policies

Employee educational benefits

Location:

Mount Pleasant, TX

Starting Salary:

$54,288

Apply Now at

NTCC.EDU/HR

Key Requirements:

U.S. resident with a high school

diploma or equivalent

TCOLE certified or

enrolled in an academy

Pass background checks

and drug screening

Physically fit and ready for action




LE job positio




Your Department's

Recruiting Ad

could be right here!

email us today at

bluespdmag@gmail.com





JOIN MPD

TEXT "JOINMPD" TO

TO APPLY OR SPEAK

WITH A RECRUITER

SALARY

Up to $20,000 lateral officer signing bonus

Police officer entry-level: $6,883 monthly

Custody officer salary range: $5,970–$7,132 monthly

EDUCATION INCENTIVE

90 quarter credits/ 60 semester credits/ AA: 6%

BA/ BS: 8%

RETIREMENT PENSION

Police officers: LEOFF 2

Custody officers: PERS 2

VACATION

Police officer range: 200 hours annually, up to 320

hours annually depending on years of service

Custody officer range: 192 hours annually, up to 312

hours annually depending on years of service

SPECIALIZED UNITS

Police officer: Investigations, Traffic, Pro-Act

(N.I.T.E.) and K9

Custody Officer: Court Security Unit


HEALTH COVERAGE

Medical, Dental and Vision covered 100% for

employees and 90% for dependents




WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE?

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO

Make a DIFFERENCE

Provide SERVICE to YOUR community!

MEANINGFUL careers

Growing Organization

Career DEVELOPMENT

*Our agency is a certified OJT training agency for qualified Veterans


BUDA POLICE DEPARTMENT

NOW HIRING - POLICE OFFICER

Starting Salary

$64.5K to $74.8K

*TCOLE Licensed Only

We are proud to be one of the safest cities in the State of Texas

and have tremendous support from our community.

Benefits

Retirement

2-1 City Match with TMRS

Medical/Dental/Vision

100% Medical Coverage

Offsetting Copays

Educational Pay

$50- $150 Per Month

Incentive Pay

$75-$150(max) per Month for

assignments such as:

FTO, Bike Patrol, SWAT

Annual Leave Accruals

15 Paid Holidays

80 Hours Vacation

120 Hours Sick Leave

Bilingual Pay

Shift Differential Pay

Lateral Entry Program

On-site Gym

Officer Wellness Program

www.budatx.gov/92/Employment




NOW

HIRING

BIG SPRING PD IS NOW HIRING POLICE OFFICERS

• 100% PAID ACADEMY TRAINING FOR NON-

CERTIFIED CADETS

• LATERAL POLICE OFFICER RECRUIT PROGRAM

• EQUIPMENT AND UNIFORMS ARE PROVIDED

• TAKE HOME VEHICLES WITH A ONE HOUR

RESPONSE TIME

• 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

• TUITION REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM

• PROGRESSIVE ANNUAL IN-SERVICE TRAINING AND

EXTERNAL TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES.

• DIVERSE ASSIGNMENTS SUCH AS SWAT, NARCOTICS,

TRAFFIC, AND CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION

• $5,000 ACADEMY REIMBURSEMENT AND

$4,500 RELOCATION PAY FOR CERTIFIED OFFICERS

• CERTIFIED OFFICERS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR $800

MONTHLY HOUSING ALLOWANCE FOR ONE YEAR

• FREE DORMITORY HOUSING FOR NON-CERTIFIED

CADETS IN THE ACADEMY

• LATERAL RECRUIT PROGRAM FOR EXPERIENCED

OFFICERS

Cadet Pay: $54,109/year ~ Certified Officer Pay: $65,538/year

ENTRY LEVEL TESTING ON MARCH 5, 2026

The application deadline is March 2, 2026

Testing for Certified Police Officers is scheduled as needed. Certified

Police Officers are strongly encouraged to apply at anytime.

APPLY TODAY AT WWW.MYBIGSPRING.COM


BIG SPRING POLICE DEPARTMENT

JOIN OUR TEAM!

LATERAL ENTRY POLICE OFFICER

POSITIONS AVAILABLE

BENEFITS

• Health/Vision/Dental Insurance

• Paid Life and AD&D Insurance

• TMRS (2 to 1 match)

• Deferred Compensation with a

6.7% match

• Vacation Buy Back (up to 68

hours annually)

• 12-hour shift schedule, every

other Friday, Saturday, and

Sunday off

• Longevity Service Pay

• Tuition Reimbursement

• Uniforms & Equipment Supplied

• Upfront vacation leave:

• 5yrs—80 hours

• 5 to 10 yrs—120 hours

• 10+yrs—160 hours

3 YEARS EXPERIENCE

$70,578

5 YEARS EXPERIENCE

$72,989

7 YEARS EXPERIENCE

$75,479

10+ YEARS EXPERIENCE

$81,282

• Take home patrol car within one hour response radius

INCENTIVE PAYS

Relocation Pay $4,500

1 yr. Housing Allowance $800/mo

Academy Reimbursement $5,000

Firearm Allowance $800

Associate Degree

Bachelor Degree

Shift Differential

FTO Pay

$1,200/yr.

$2,400/yr.

5% Increase

$50 daily

*The BSPD lateral pay scale pays

for 2 to 10+ years of experience.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Subject to the same hiring process as all other police officer applicants.

• Must have 12 months certified, full-time, law enforcement experience from a comparable size agency.

• Must not have pending disciplinary actions or investigations for misconduct.

APPLY TODAY

www.mybigspring.com

BIG SPRING POLICE DEPARTMENT

3613 West Highway 80, Big Spring, TX 79720

432-264-2347 ▪ sking@mybigspring.com


BROWNSVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT

answer

the call.

serve

Brownsville.

Service From the Heart.

Excellence Through Action.

competitive

pay

modern

technology

career

advancement

Exceptional

benefits

start a career

that matters

become part of something

bigger than yourself.

Minimum age 21

Must be a U.S. Citizen

High School Diploma or GED

Possess a valid Driver’s License

Pass Background Investigation

why brownsville pd?

Modern Technology & Equipment

Drone First Responder Program

Specialized Units


Career Advancement Opportunities

New Public Safety Complex

Proudly Serving a DiverseCommunity

on the Texas Border

starting pay

$ 40,902

TO

$ 79,295

Annually

Plus specialty pay, certification pay,

overtime opportunities and benefits.

earn more through

Specialty assignments

SWAT-650 Annually

FTO-2 overtime hours per trainee shift

Investigators-1 hourly & clothing

allowance 200 quarterly

Incentive certicate pay(TCOLE)

Intermediate-1,440 Annually

Advanced-2,100 Annually

Master-2,700 Annually

your future

starts here.

scan for more info!

What you’ll receive

Assignment Pay

2,080 Annually

Seniority Steps

1,200-6,120 Annually

Night Differential

1 Hourly

Vacation-Up to

21 days annually

Holiday Pay :

10 Holidays at 1.5 rate

15 days of sick leave

annually

Healthcare Insurance

Texas Municipal Retirement

System 7% gross earnings

withheld and matched 2:1


www.brownsvillepd.com

(956)548-7150

600 E. Jackson St,

Brownsville, Texas 78520


protect. serve. lead. building the future of policing in south texas.

Your Department's

Recruiting Ad


email us today at



Hiring

Police Officers

Annual Salary $57,592 - $62,899 range + Benefits | Certification Pay | Longevity Pay | Bilingual

Certification by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE)

Pay 12 Hour Shift Schedule - Alternating weekends off and good life/work balance

All equipment/uniform provided | Take home patrol car program | Visible tattoo & beard policy

Benefits at NO COST TO EMPLOYEE:

• Education Reimbursement Program

• 80 hours of Vacation (accrued annually)

• 96 hours of sick leave annually (accrued annually)

• 14 Paid Holidays

• Life Insurance 2x annual base salary

• Employee Assistance Program

• Paid Training Opportunities

Additional Benefits

• TMRS retirement system - 5% employee

contribution - City matches 2:1 at retirement

• Medical Insurance: - United Health Care

† Ask about our Lateral Transfer Program

requirements

Questions? Contact Lt. Kelvin Raven at kraven@cityofbrenham.org | 979-337-7363


jobs.cityofbrenham.org

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

Starting Pay Depends on Qualifications (Academy Graduates start at $53,400)

Police Academy Tuition Reimbursement opportunity

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




$

U

T

S

v

e

b

o

w

FRIENDSWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT

PRIDE DEDICATION PROFESSIONALISM

UP

TO

$ 15,000

* FOR QUALIFIED TCOLE-CERTIFIED OFFICERS

HIRING

INCENTIVE

C

AVAILABLE PROGRAMS

• Special Weapons & Tactics Team

• Crisis Negotiation Team

• K-9 Program

• Drone Pilot Program

• D.O.T. & Traffic Safety Unit

• School Resource Officers

• Bicycle Patrol

• Marine Patrol

• Honor Guard








Place your department’s recruiting ad

in The BLUES for only $250 for an

entire year, only $20 a month.



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

For additional information contact

Harris County Sheriff’s Office

Recruitment Unit

(713) 877-5250


TO APPLY

www.harriscountyso.org | www.hcsojobs.com

SCAN

THIS CODE Harris County

@HCSOTexas

Sheriff’s Office

HCSOTexas HCSOTexas @HCSOTexas






Your Department's

Recruiting Ad


email us today at



Your Department's

Recruiting Ad


email us today at




NOW HIRING

ositions


LEAGUE CITY POLICE

D E P A R T M E N T

RECRUITING

LATERAL OFFICERS

LATERAL INCENTIVES:

Salary Equal to Years of Service (3 - 7 yrs)

$5,000 Hiring Bonus

REQUIREMENTS:

To be Considered as a Lateral Applicant, You Must Meet the Following Qualifications:

Lateral Pay Credit Will be Granted Only for Whole Years of Qualified Experience.

Cannot Have a Break of Service More Than 180 Days to Qualify for Experience Credit.

Must Have at Least Three Years of Qualified Law Enforcement Experience (Commissioned,

Full-time, Paid).

TCOLE Licensed Peace Officer or Equivalent Out-of-State Certification Accepted by TCOLE

will Qualify.

3 YEAR PAY --

4 YEAR PAY --

5 YEAR PAY --

WATCH HERE FOR NEW

6 YEAR PAY --

7 YEAR PAY --

VISIT LCPDJOBS.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION!






Patrol Officer

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

division.

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

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

corridor approximately 4 miles South of the City of Houston.

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

on experience and certification levels.

Requirements:

High school diploma or GED

Valid Texas Driver’s License

with good driving record

TCOLE certified OR currently

enrolled in Academy

program

Preference for LE experience

Hiring Process Includes :

Written test

Oral board interview

Physical agility test

Thorough background

investigation

Accelerated Field Training

Program for experienced officers

One year probationary period

Pay and Benefits:

Competitive pay with an employment

improvement step program

TMRS retirement up to 7% with 2:1 match

by city

Retirement vested after 5 years of service

Medical Insurance covered 100% for

employees and 100% paid for employees

and dependent by the city after 3 years

12 hour shifts (DuPont Schedule)

Personal time off - Vacation and Holiday

accruals

Paid sick time

Lateral transfers

For more information you can contact

The City of Manvel Police Department at

281-489-1212

Rochelle Carr-Lacy

rcarrlacy@manvelpd.org



SALARY RANGE

$79,201 - $105,716

ADDITIONAL PAY

(MONTHLY)

ASSOCIATES DEGREE

$99-$250

BACHELOR’S DEGREE

$180-$400

MASTER’S DEGREE

$230-$500

TCOLE CERTIFICATES

$60-$150

OTHER INCENTIVES

FIELD TRAINING OFFICER

$700

FIELD TRAINING SERGEANT

$600

TACTICAL UNIT ASSIGNMENT

$200

LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY

$200

HONOR GUARD

$200

W W W . M I D L A N D T E X A S . G O V / 1 3 1 7 / L A T E R A L - O F F I C E R S




STARTING SALARY $66,497.60 WITH NO EXPERIENCE

BENEFITS

• Competitive pay with scheduled increases every 2 years

• Friday/Saturday or Sunday/Monday days off

• Flexible work schedules

• Overtime available

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance

• Tuition Reimbursement - $5000/yr

• Paid vacation, employee days, well day, sick days, and holidays

• Uniforms and Equipment

• Department Provided Training

TCOLE CERTIFIED POLICE OFFICER POSITIONS

FULL TIME

INCENTIVE PAY

• Bilingual

• TCOLE Certificate

Intermediate $1,560

Advanced $3,420

Master $6,000

• Education

Associate $1,320

Bachelor $3,180

Master $4,500

$8,000.00 HIRING INCENTIVE*

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

21 YEARS OF AGE

HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR GED

MUST HOLD AN ACTIVE TCOLE PEACE OFFICER LICENSE

VALID DRIVER’S LICENSE

MUST PASS BACKGROUND CHECK, PSYCHOLOGICAL,

DRUG AND MEDICAL SCREENING

*$2000.00 after 3 months, $2000.00 after 6 months, $4000.00 after 1 year


NOW HIRING

ositions




WE’RE

HIRING

Join Our Growing College

Police Department!

POLICE OFFICER

Benefits Include:

Uniforms & equipment provided

Modified take-home vehicle program

$1 meal plan

12 hour shifts, every other weekend off

Paid overtime and training

Vacation and sick leave

TRS retirement and great insurance

Modern tattoo and facial hair policies

Employee educational benefits

Location:

Mount Pleasant, TX

Starting Salary:

$54,288

Apply Now at

NTCC.EDU/HR

Key Requirements:

U.S. resident with a high school

diploma or equivalent

TCOLE certified or

enrolled in an academy

Pass background checks

and drug screening

Physically fit and ready for action




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

POLICE DEPARTMENT

Thinking of retiring?

Want a change but still want to serve?

Put on a NEW uniform and JOIN US!

YOUR CAREER

OUR PORT

ONE MISSION

NEW!

• No BMI Requirements

• No Polygraph Required

• No Physical Agility

STARTING PAY*

$71,000 up to $81,000

* Salary depends on experience

EMPLOYMENT

TESTING

Employment is contingent on pass

any post-offer pre-employment

screening as listed below:

• Criminal background check

• Motor vehicle record check

• Drug screening

• Physical exam

• Psychological exam


BENEFITS:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance

eligible first day of employment

• Vacation & Sick Leave, PLUS Paid Holidays.

(12 days/year).

• 401a & 457 Plans

• Tuition Reimbursement

(Up to the IRS annual limit and a maximum lifetime

reimbursement $25,000)

REQUIREMENTS

• Must be 21 years old

• Must have 2+ years of police officer

experience

• Must have valid Texas Driver’s

• License & 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

• Must have a GED or high school diploma

ing

SIGN UP TODAY!

www.porthouston.com/careers-2





SANTA FE ISD POLICE DEPARTMENT

IS NOW HIRING

187 Day Contract

Salary: $31.11 to $43.84 Hourly

(Commensurate with experience)

BENEFITS INCLUDE:

Full Time Employment

Full Medical Insurance Options

Teacher Retirement System

Summers off

Paid Holidays: Thanksgiving,

Christmas, Spring Break

INCENTIVES

Certificate Pay

Intermediate - $100.00 mo.

Advanced - $150.00 mo.

Master - $200.00 mo.

Degree Pay

Associate’s - $100.00 mo.

Bachelor’s - $150.00 mo.

Master’s - $200.00 mo.

Take home vehicle after 3 yrs. Service

Uniforms, equipment and duty weapons

provided

https://santafe.schoolspring.com/






HAPPY 250th

AMERICA


July 2026. Blues Vol 42 No.7

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