Growing up in an unpredictable and difficult home, she learned early what it felt like to live without safety or certainty. Instead of letting that past define her limits, she allowed it to shape her mission.

Today, she channels that lived experience into fierce advocacy for children caught in abusive and neglectful environments, bringing both professional skill and personal understanding to every case she handles.

Her work is more than law enforcement — it is protection, empathy, and a promise to vulnerable children that their story does not end where it began.

Kristen has been a part of the show, as a cohost, since episode 7 and has offered thought provoking questions and insight to pull the very best story from the guest.

She is the twin sister of Episode 64, Gillian Ethridge, and wife of podcast host Joe King.

Danny Canete will lead this interview of Kristen.

Major Cases discussed:

 Murder of Cash Gernon 2021

 Murder of Susette James in 2023

Linda Erwin didn’t just enter the homicide division of the Dallas Police Department — she changed it forever.

As the first woman in Dallas history to earn a place among its homicide detectives, she stepped across a line few believed a woman could cross. In an era when doors were closed and expectations were low, she walked into crime scenes, interrogation rooms, and command briefings determined not just to belong, but to excel.

Every case she worked carried more than evidence — it carried the weight of proving that courage, intellect, and relentless dedication know no gender.

Through grit and undeniable results, she reshaped what leadership looked like in one of policing’s toughest arenas.

Her badge, #2937, became more than metal; it became a symbol of possibility, paving the way for every woman who would follow her into the most challenging corners of law enforcement.

Homicide Detective Andrea Isom and Sgt. Kent Wolverton cohost.

Significant case discussed:

The curious case of American serial killer, Henry Lee Lucas. Linda was featured in Netflix the Confession Killer documentary.

Special guest cohost, Dallas Assistant Chief Jeremy Foy and ATO Chairman Joe Meno.

The Assist the Officer Foundation and the Dallas Police Department have partnered with Qt with one goal in mind: Making the Dallas Police the Department the best and making the City of Dallas the safest community.

QuikTrip began in 1958 and just opened their 1200th store and has many more projects planned across Texas. Since its inception they have poured back into the communities by giving five percent, annually, in charitable donations.

Across the country, communities are facing rising levels of homelessness, addiction, youth violence and strained public safety systems.

This message from the hosts will detail this great company’s mission and highlight the many police agencies they have assisted.

Michael Junk, Public Affairs Manager

Lauren Sherry, Community Relations Manager

Matt Garcia, Cornerstone

Projects discussed:

• Reality Based Training Village to be constructed at the Dallas Basic Police Academy
• QT/Fusion partnership
• Donation of four new blocker trucks to the Dallas Police Department
• Homeward Bound

The marital partnership of Haley and Silver and their story is a true testament to companionship and resiliency as they both navigated the struggles of their relationship and the effects alcohol can take on a mind, body, and soul.

Join us in supporting Haley as she continues her journey of sobriety. By sharing her story, she’s not only reclaiming her own life, but opening the door for others who may be suffering in silence. Her courage to speak openly is a powerful reminder that healing is possible—and that no one has to walk this path alone.

Righteous Oaks

www.stonegatecenter.com

#sobriety

#reachout

Casandra, growing up in Miami, did her research on where to serve and ultimately decided on calling Dallas her new home and her classmate, Jeremy, didn’t have to travel far to join DPD.

The Dallas Police Department has been in existence since 1881 and we have only had 31 Police Chiefs and so many great many men and women have put on our badge and served that never get to sit down with one of these Chiefs so we wanted to take a different approach to hear from the future of our Department and get their thoughts on how this journey is beginning for them and how we can continue to evolve our culture of excellency.

 Class 406 will graduate on February 27th, 2026.

In 2010, Chief Brown, began an initiative that mandated all seven patrol substations in Dallas to create a street level knock and talk unit that had one mission, to curb the division level narcotic sales.

This is the story of when the Southeast CRT was created and how, over time, it turned into an effective team that gained a reputation, not only in the Department, but in the streets amongst the suspects they targeted.  

To tell this story we see Danny Canete, Sgt. Mark Bacon, and new Ranger Master Sgt. Candelaria return ot the mic to talk about their experiences and growth while working on this team. We will give an inside look at the laughs, the frustrations, close calls, and brotherhoods forged.

Child Abuse Detective Kristen King, Sgt Kent Wolverton, and podcast newbie Emily Canete join this roundtable of shenanigans. Enjoy

Enjoy our Final Revisited episode.

**** Trigger Warning Alert****

Episode 100 was always going to be a special episode for our show but when I got today’s guest to finally agree to tell his story I knew I wanted to make it extra special for the listener but also make it special for one of my best friends and one of the most impressive humans I have ever met. – Joe King.

 We are honored to share this stage with Dallas SWAT Operator and ATO: Bridging the Divide Co-Creator, Daniel Canete.

 Danny gravitated to music at the age of five and quickly began mastering the language and art of music as he became a student of the piano. Most students that age avoided the stage, but Danny ran to it and excelled and built on his natural inquisitive nature and quickly began performing on that stage. Playing at churches, then to recitals, then began dominating in local and state competitions. He was a natural on the performance stage, this trait will become very important as later he will find himself on a life and death stage.

As a musician, his desire was to share music with people to perpetuate a love for the arts and to educate the public in order to keep the classical arts alive. He mastered the piano and percussion but the five-octave marimba will always hold a special place in Danny’s heart.

Danny left his mark on the music world at Colorado State as a scholarship was created in his name, the Daniel Canete Music Performance Scholarship.

 Sometimes we all reach crossroads in life and are thrust into a difficult decision as we navigate our life journey. Danny, with all of his skills and successes and dedication to music, was not impervious to these life changing decisions.  9/11 changed us all and changed the world but for some people, people like Danny, it provided him a new calling to serve this world in a different way.

He chose to serve with the Dallas Police Department and was assigned to “God’s Country”, the Southeast Division and fell in love with being a street cop and serving the citizens.

This story will finally give the listener a peek into the life of a very private man that just happens to have a very high-profile profession as a member of Dallas SWAT.  

 The stage is set and the ATO listeners are making their way to their seats to see a true talented and gifted performer.

Thank you for all of the support you have given us since August of 2021, it has been an incredible journey to 100.

Special Thanks:

Billings PD Lt. Brandon Wooley

USAF Lt. Colonel Zach, Cougar, Fennell

Dr. Janet Landreth

SWAT Lt. Andre Taylor

SWAT ASL Matt Smith

SWAT Sgt. Ryan Scott

SWAT Brandon Berie

Trent Custis

Kimberly Canete

 Critical Incidents Discussed:February 13th, 2012

Officer involved shooting in Pleasant Grove, Southeast Division, as CRT members engaged a robbery suspect.

 July 7th 2016

The shooting in downtown Dallas on July 7th2016 when five Officers were killed, and nine others were wounded during a protest in downtown Dallas Texas. Two civilians were also injured during this cowardly attack as it was the deadliest incident for law enforcement since the September 11th, 2001, attacks.

 Daniel Canete Music Performance Scholarship - College of Liberal Arts | Colorado State University (colostate.edu)

This episode has been a project since this show began as we finally tell the story of the attack on Dallas Police Headquarters on June 13th, 2015.

At approximately 12:30 am a suspect, driving an armored van, drove to police headquarters in Dallas Texas and planted bags containing pipe bombs and opened fire on the front of the building with an assault rifle. Several officers responded and were met with gunfire in the streets in front of headquarters and then led the police on a chase that would end in history being made in US law enforcement history with the method in which the threat was eliminated.

The episode will detail the tragedy from the 2013 arrest of the suspect to the events on June 13th, 2015, as he was eliminated by the use of a .50 caliber rifle, the first and only time this weapon platform has been used on a suspect in the United States.

This episode welcomes then Dallas SWAT members Jude Braun, Kent Wolverton, Danny Canete and Keith Rieg to the stage to give a play-by-play firsthand account of this incident and the significance in Dallas and US law enforcement history.

Guest List:

Jude Braun #5015           

36 years with Dallas Police and served 33 years with Dallas SWAT. Jude has the reputation of being an expert on explosive breaching and spearheaded the rifle program on the Dallas Police Department. Braun is now retired.

Keith Rieg #6809

32 years with the Dallas Police Department and is still an active SWAT member after 24 years. Keith is a sniper and pulled the trigger of the .50 caliber rifle during this incident.

Kent Wolverton #8393

20 years with Dallas Police Department and served as supervisor in SWAT for nearly 7 years. Kent also commanded the Dallas K9 Unit and now is a supervisor in Narcotics.

Danny Canete #8834

               17-year Dallas veteran with over 8 years in Dallas SWAT. Danny also was a member of the Dallas Narcotics Unit and the Southeast CRT.

               Master Breacher Certified, Sniper and Less Lethal and Rope Master and instructor for High Angle Team as well rappel instructor for TTPOA.

Terms used in episode:

               “Green Light”: Order giving by the Chief of Police authorizing operators to use deadly force to eliminate the threat.

Weapons used by the suspect:

               Jennings JA-9 9mm handgun

               Taurus Judge .45 caliber handgun

               Savage Model 111 6.5/284   Norma with Redfield scope

               Ruger 10/22 with Nikon scope

               Stevens Model 320 Security 12 gauge pump

               Pipe Bombs

 The Assist the Officer Foundation sits down with an incredibly accomplished and unique individual today in Sgt. Andre Taylor of Dallas SWAT.

As Dre grew up in the South side of Chicago, he regularly witnessed acts of violence but also witnessed an incredible community and family as his mother was ever present in his upbringing ensuring he didn’t fall prey to the many negative lifestyles of the streets that could lead to him in jail or dead.

Life laid itself out for Andre as he found himself moving to Dallas Texas to join the Police force in 1999 and began serving the City of Dallas. He joined the Dallas SWAT team in 2003 and trained under some of the toughest SWAT trainers who exposed him to a new level of police work . Andre experienced several critical incidents during his time in SWAT and one that sticks out more than others is an incident that’s familiar to this show. The hostage rescue on Martel still haunts everyone that was a part of that operation.

After leaving SWAT he joined the Dallas Mounted Unit and learned the tools to have a partner, Tommy, that weighed over 1500 lbs. and quickly understood the power and beauty of horses and saw the importance of community policing.

Andre Taylor returned to Dallas SWAT years later and found himself in a new role as the leader and not the operator, so he had to learn to develop tools for his new role as being a boss to high performing and highly trained operators.

Dre has always been in control of his life and his own destiny however in January of 2023 he looked into the mirror and did not like what he saw and realized he could not control an aspect of his life. As he contemplated his new direction, he typed out on email that would change his life, both personally and professionally, forever as he knew once he hit the send button everything would change.

Once he hit send and the first step in climbing a new mountain was taken and now Dre found himself in a completely new world as he had to ask for help to regain control of his life.

The listener will have to finish this story and hear Andre’s new challenge in life and career as he found a new purpose and “why”.  We are hoping Dre finds that needed time now to work on his old cars and roller skate.

ATO Family you are never alone in this life…….Please always reach out.

Critical incident:

Infant hostage on 5800 Martel, Dallas, Texas on 6/20/2007

Acronyms/Phrases:

APC- Armored personnel carrier

#SWAT

#Chicago

12 Step AA Programs: 12 Steps to Recovery for Addiction (americanaddictioncenters.org)

You are enough and people are in your life for a reason…..

This show will never shy away from having the difficult conversations. Thriving mental and physical health is paramount and crucial to survival and sadly, if not addressed, it could lead to a life ending.

First responders are three times more likely to die by suicide than the from the job that they do.

These numbers don’t include the suicide attempts or suicidal ideation of first responders that are suffering and struggling in silence. There are a lot of descriptors that officers apply to themselves such as Fearful, Shame, Unworthy, Useless, Despair and Apathy to Life to name a few.

These are all symptoms of depression, which is the ultimate liar.

It will tell you that you are a failure when you have actually succeeded.

It will make you feel like a burden to others.

It will make you feel that others will be better off without you in life.

It will tell you that you are alone.

Reality:

People do count on you.

Others do love and respect you.

These people will no longer have you there to help them, make them laugh, call you when they are struggling, and no longer to tell you they love you.

You are worth so much to so many.

Today’s episode will pull back the curtain on a first responder that was enveloped by the darkness and lost all hope and wished to leave this world and the people that call him a husband, a father, a sibling, a colleague, and a friend.

This is someone who went to the edge of the cliff and had one foot off and then was rescued by a voice to pull him back into this world and remind him that it was not his time and he had much more to give this world.

This guest could be your husband, wife, child, friend, coworker, partner on a call or your boss. The darkness is real and can come for us all at any time in our life and sadly there are many who do not hear that voice that calls them from that cliff.

If are struggling, there is help!:

Suicide Awareness (smore.com)

Call 988 suicide hotline

COPLINE: 1-800-COPLINE

#suicideawareness

#suicideprevention

#mentalhealthmatters

#reachout

#mentalhealth

#trauma

"Always come home".

This is the story of a young Dallas Officer who had ambitions of fighting crime, serving the city and starting a new family. Mitchell Penton embraced the Northeast Patrol Division’s fast pace and settled in with several other young officers that became a blue family.  Mitchell loved being a cop….was a loyal son, a devoted father, and husband and everyone in his life looked to the future to travel with him on this journey.

But life being what it is - a series of intersecting lives and incidents, out of anyone's control changed all of that on February 13th, 2021, on an icy morning in Dallas, Texas. Officer Penton was struck and killed by a drunk driver as he worked an accident scene on North Central Expressway and Walnut Hill.

He left behind an expectant wife, stepson, amazing parents and a brother and sister.

Today we are hearing from his parents, Tim and Kathy, as they give a peek into who Mitchell Penton was as a child, a soccer player, a goofy and fun-loving kid, to his decision to serve as an Officer.

They take us on their own journey from the night of February 13th, 2021, to the conclusion of a  trial in May of 2023.

 This story is a powerful reminder of the fleeting nature of life and of the importance of cherishing our moments.

It encourages us to live in the present, to appreciate the people and experiences around us, and to make the most of the time we have.

Please welcome the Penton family to the ATO stage.

Critical Incident:

February 13, 2021:

Police Officer Mitchell Penton was struck and killed by a vehicle operated by an intoxicated driver at about 1:45 am. He was working at the scene of a vehicle collision in the northbound lanes of the North Central Expressway at Walnut Hill Lane. He was securing traffic with the emergency lights from his patrol car when a vehicle driven by an intoxicated driver, traveling at a high rate of speed, hit the back of his patrol car. The collision pushed the patrol car into Officer Penton. Officer Penton was transported to Baylor University Medical Center when he died from his injuries. The driver of the vehicle that struck Officer Penton was arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter of a police officer and intoxication assault. In 2023, he was found guilty and sentenced to 30 years.

”Show me the survivor, I’ll show you the suspect “

IN 1887 SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE INTRODUCED THE WORLDS GREATEST DETECTIVE IN SHERLOCK HOLMES. HOLMES WAS KNOWN FOR HIS USE OF FORENSIC SCIENCE, DEDUCTIVE REASONING THAT BORDERS ON THE FANTASTIC. THE CITY OF DALLAS HAS THEIR VERY OWN DETECTIVE HOLMES….ALAN HOLMES.

GROWING UP IN BROOKLYN NEW YORK, COMING FROM A FIRST RESPONDER FAMILY, ALAN MOVED TO DALLAS TEXAS TO EMBARK ON HIS OWN FIRST RESPONDER CAREER. AFTER COMPLETING THE ACADEMY ALAN WAS ASSIGNED TO THE NORTHEAST DIVISION OF DALLAS AND HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AS HE ENGAGED IN A STYLE OF AGGRESSIVE PROACTIVE STYLE OF POLICING.

HOWEVER, IN 2015 ALAN FOUND HIS TRUE CALLING AS HE JOINED THE DALLAS PD SEXUAL ASSAULT UNIT. THIS UNIT INVESTIGATES SOME OF THE MOST HORRIFIC CRIMES AS THEY HUNT DOWN TRUE PREDATORS IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.

ALAN HAS INVESTIGATED OVER 50 SERIAL RAPISTS IN HIS TIME WITH THE SEX ASSAULT UNIT IN DALLAS.

DETECTIVE HOLMES HAS SPECIALIZED TRAINING AND EXPERTISE IN NEURO-BIOLOGY OF TRAUMA, AND SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE AND INVESTIGATIONS.

IN 2017 DETECTIVE HOLMES PUT HIS ART DEGREE AND FORMAL FORENSIC ART TRAINING TO WORK AS THE FORENSIC SKETCH ARTIST FOR DALLAS PD AND LOCAL AGENCIES. ALAN IS MARRIED, THE FATHER OF FOUR BOYS, ONE OF WHOM IS A PATROL OFFICER WITH DALLAS.

DETECTIVE HOLMES IS TRULY ONE OF DALLAS PD’S FINEST AND PROMOTED TO A SERGEANT ON MAY 24TH.

CONGRATULATIONS ALAN HOLMES!

WHEN IT COMES TO SOLVING CRIMES….IT IS ELEMENTARY WATSON

ATO Family please welcome one of our blue family members that has traveled over 800 miles to take the stage for the listeners.

Nearly a year ago the ATO received a heartfelt message of gratitude, and it formed a new friendship many states away. This rollercoaster of a story will touch on many topics and have many emotions but when we get to the “Never Give Up on You” exit music the listener will be reminded that Police work is the same everywhere, the trauma is the same everywhere and even trained first responders need help to survive.

In July of 2022 an incident occurred that changed the direction of this officer’s life but also reminded him of very old wounds that existed from the life of being in law enforcement for over two decades. The cumulative trauma officers endure daily can be as damaging as a rifle being leveled at you during a traffic stop and if, untreated, can weigh on you and become too much.

The weight of the badge is heavy not only for the one that wears it but also the ones they go home to. We have seen the weight ruin relationships with family and friends and we have also seen that NO ONE is immune to the effects of this weight.

The message today will be clear: YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

Here to present this story today is Joe, Kent, and the Great Dallas SWAT Operator Steve Claggett.

Todays guest is the husband to his beautiful wife Jen, father to Chloe and Hailee, and a true public servant to the state of Iowa.

Special Shout Out to Cedar Rapids Blair Klostermann as she and Matt recently won their Department’s Medal of Valor Award.

 Matt Jenatscheck the ATO stage is yours to tell us about the “Rolodex”.

Critical Incidents:

 The brutal murder of Lynnsey Donald on April 21, 2015. The suspect attacked her, as her 7-year child watched, and stabbed her to death in a parking lot. The suspect received life in prison with no parole.

Officer involved shooting in July 2022 in Cedar Rapids Iowa.

Acronyms used:

EMDR- Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing

In Memory of Richard Houston

On December 3rd, 2021, Richard Houston, a 21-year Mesquite PD veteran, answered a domestic disturbance call and tragic events unfolded and he did not make it home that night.

Being a family member or a friend of a first responder can be very rewarding as you have a front row seat of a true servant, a role model, and a hero. However tragedy can watch from afar and show up and cause a loved to receive a life changing phone call that will shape everyone’s future.

Richard was a dedicated husband, incredible father to his children and a dedicated peace officer that left this world too soon.  Before he responded to that call and left this world he sent his daughter, Shelby, a sweet and reassuring text that he and her mom will aways have her back.

At her father’s funeral she gave a breathtaking eulogy that inspired so many as it truly showed the beautiful side of humanity as Shelby spoke of forgiveness. This is her story of resiliency, faith and the incredible journey she is now a part of.

The ATO is honored to sit down with this amazing young woman as she tells her story of her new “Why” in life and how she honors her father. Here to help tell this story we also are honored to welcome on the Honorable Judge Rainey Webb and her husband, former Dallas SWAT member Chris Webb.

“If you are serious about your dream, surround yourself with people who love you well” -Bob Goff

 Mesquite Police Officer Richard Houston Badge #821

End of Watch December 3rd,2021

www.shelbyhouston.org

WWW.BOBGOFF.COM

Facing the Dragon  Continuation of Dallas Police Detective Matt Banes as he discusses 7/7/2016 in Dallas, Texas and his actions as he responded to the active scene as a member of Dallas SWAT that day. This day was one of the most horrific and tragic days for policing in America with the City of Dallas losing five great men that day along with others being physically wounded. To this day, the emotional damage from that tragic event is evident. This interview is one officer’s riveting perspective of being involved in this prolific event. 

Critical Incident discussed: July 7th 2016, El Centro College, Dallas, Texas.

The City lost 5 officers from this ambush attack. 

Acronyms/Phrases:

Tag Beats- Targeted areas within the city that, through crime stats, are deemed to drive the city's crime rate.

On the X, Pushing to the X- Refers to being in direct line of fire and also rushing to the gunfire. 

Former Dallas Police Homicide Detective Elmer “Sonny” Boyd badge #840.  Sonny started DPD in 1952 and eventually joined Captain Will Fritz’s elite Dallas Homicide unit. On November 22nd, 1963, he lost a friend, and the nation lost a President as he found himself immersed into one of the most controversial dates in world history.  Sonny reflects on handling Lee Harvey Oswald and his role in the Dallas PD before and after tragic day in our nation’s history.

Sonny Boyd passed away on May 24th, 2024, at age 96. He will be buried in his Dallas PD uniform and return home to his wife, Yvonne.

Dallas Officer J.D. Tippit

End of Watch 11/22/1963 Atodallas.org

We are very honored to sit with today’s guest with a message from a true innovator, leader, and inspiring figure. Salim Asrawi, the co-founder and President of Texas de Brazil, immigrated to the United States at the age of 14. He left Lebanon to come to America in search of the American Dream and after years of working his way through hospitality school and forming an unmatched work ethic that he still practices to this day.

Salim is not just a successful and inspiring businessman but also has an enormous and giving heart as he gives to various charities, notably ones that support veterans and the first responder community.

Today we will hear from this very inspiring Dallasite as he walks us through his life and tells us his life mission and “why”.

For this special holiday episode, we have a special guest cohost in the Dallas Chief of Police, and Salim’s friend, Daniel C Comeaux.

In 2001 HBO, Spielberg, and Tom Hanks released an epic story that told the story of the 506th Infantry Regiment in World War II that known as Easy Company. The show was inspired by historical author Stephen Ambrose and was made into a ten part mini series that has become legendary. The real life characters that showed extreme courage, leadership, and sacrifice are what made this story so successful. Chris’s Grandfather, Medic “Doc” Eugene Roe was a central figure in this story that spanned from the D-Day invasion to taking over Hitler’s Eagle Nest in Germany.

This episode will highlight how Chris keeps the memory of his grandfather and these “band of brothers” alive through his amazing work at Doc Roe Publishing and the children books he has written. If you are a history buff or just appreciate those who work to keep memories alive you will love this episode.

The Dallas Police Department has so many talented and unique people and this show is grateful to be in a position to highlight their stories.

Enjoy!

Chri’s books and info can be found out https://docroepublishing.com

Books:

How Easy Company Became a Band of Brothers

Patrick the Paratrooper

Draftee Marches with the Band of Brothers

A lot has happened since that episode, and our mics will always be open for this incredible warrior to continue her inspiring story.

The ATO stage now belongs to Crystal Almeida.

Chief updates us on some new projects and initiatives and wanted to touch on some recent decisions he made and why he will always make his Department and the community they serve the top priority.

We Are Dallas!

#operationjusticetrail

#leadership #Dallaspolicechief #Dallaspolice #policework #leadershipisanactivesport #geauxtime

Through her work in research, academia, and professional training, Cindy supports police agencies throughout the nation and internationally. A selection of collaborations she finds the most meaningful include: training the delegation of leaders from the Indonesian National Police Force on developing an effective, distance learning training model; serving as an expert on the 30x30 Initiative; supporting the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives through academic writing, educational pathways, and research; and assessing police agency practices in the areas of recruitment, hiring, and retention of sworn and professional staff personnel. Cindy holds a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Communications and a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Arizona State University, and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership, with an emphasis in Criminal Justice, from Northern Arizona University.

Mike walks us through the company’s history, from its roots in 1993, to now becoming the standard in law enforcement technology.

In 1993, Founder Rick Smith, had a vision to reduce gun violence and prevent crimes through technology to honor the murders of two of his high school football teammates.

Like all great stories, there was early struggle, and resiliency was financially tested before the energy weapon, TASER, was introduced to the world.

Mike gives us a unique sneak peek of what’s on the horizon with the new tech and mission expansion to wellness, AI tech and community partnerships that will save lives and solve crimes.

This message will tell this story of how a tragedy turned into a global phenomenon in ever evolving tech to subdue suspects, enhance accountability and boldly go where no man has gone before to make the world, the first responder world, a better and safer place.

We are honored to sit down with recently retired DFD Lt John Hampton as he wrapped up an amazing 25-year career.

Growing up in Maryland, the son of a fireman, Lt Hampton knew he would go into a life of service as he entered the Army and joined the historic 82ndABN. After seeing combat action and developing his unique, hard-nosed leadership style he decided it was time to answer his calling by joining the Dallas Fire Department.

Johnny was literally thrown into the fire as he joined one of the busiest stations in South Dallas, Station 44 off Lagow.

Johnny is very candid in telling the story of his life and career and we are honored he trusted us at the caretaker of his journey.

On July 21st, 2024, Lt Hampton entered Station 11 like any other morning and made a last minute decision to ride the engine to a structure fire call near downtown Dallas. The light rain coated the roadways, causing the rig’s tail to begin to swerve and the entire engine collided with the short wall went over several feet below onto the train tracks.

The race began to save LT Hampton from the wreckage as he was pinned for 45 minutes as he teammates and firefighting family worked.

This is the story of the life and career of an amazing man, leader, husband, father, and servant.

Thank you, Lt John Hampton, for your service to the country and to the city of Dallas.

James was on campus, as the SRO, at the Arapahoe High School on December 13th, 2013, when a disturbed teenager entered the school armed with a shotgun and Molotov cocktails and had a mission to murder the debate coach.

12:30 p.m.: The teen suspect enters Arapahoe High School with a shotgun, a machete, and three Molotov cocktails. On his arm, he has written the Latin phrase "Alea iacta est" ("The die has been cast"), along with numbers corresponding to the library and nearby classrooms.

Around 12:33 p.m.: After the suspect fires one round down a hallway, he shoots 17-year-old student Claire Davis in the head as she sits at a table near the library with a friend. She is not his intended target. He then entered the library and threw the incendiary devices starting a fire.

12:34 p.m.: Officer James Englert and a security guard confronted the suspect, who then takes his own life with a gunshot to the head.

December 21, 2013: Eight days after the shooting, Claire Davis dies from her injuries. Shortly after Claire’s family asked James if he would be a pall bearer at her funeral, which he accepted.

A year after the shooting, an outdoor space calledClarity Commons is dedicated to Claire Davis's memory at the school. 

James is an instructor and Vice President forNASRO (National Association for School Resource Officers).

Officer Englert also serves as the President of the “ I Love You Guys” Foundation.

Students face different challenges and pressures today than their parents; predators luring them over the internet; new, stronger drugs; sexting on cell phones.

Here are some of the current trends among young adults:

• Vaping (tobacco and marijuana)
• Alcohol and drugs
• Suicidal thoughts
• Bullying
• Sexting and Internet threats

Mr. Downing entered on duty with the DEA in 1995 as a member of Basic Agent Class 95. After graduating the academy in Quantico, Virginia, Mr. Downing served in various roles within DEA in locations such as Houston, Little Rock, the Office of Professional Responsibility in Dallas, Atlanta, and an overseas tour in the Bahamas. Mr. Downing has held the following titles: Special agent, group supervisor, inspector, resident agent in charge, assistant special agent in charge, deputy special agent in charge, and special agent in charge.

Special Agent in Charge Downing made it a priority to improve community partnerships as well as relationships with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. In addition, he led the Los Angeles Division through many successes, including two major diversion initiatives that significantly reduced opioid overdoses, the naming of Los Angeles as a 360 Pilot Project for opioid reduction and education, the indictment of Nemesio Oseguera-Cervantes, the leader of the most ruthless drug cartel in Mexico, and the formation of the Fusion Opioid HIDTA Task Force. But his most lasting legacy will be diversifying the Los Angeles Division.

We are please that Margaret Bedolla is back as a cohost to help tell this story of leadership, integrity, and the unwavering mission to uplift those around him.

Sit back in soak in this genuine good person’s story.

This is a very candid conversation on his recent promotions and how the selection process went and consideration for all of the movements. We also got a small peek into the new initiative, like Operation Justice Trail, and why he wants Dallas PD to have the reputation as the most proactive police force in the country. This is the first of many sit down we will have the Dallas Police Boss…….Geaux Time! #operationjusticetrail #leadership #Dallaspolicechief #Dallaspolice #policework #leadershipisanactivesport #geauxtime

Darron’s brief Dallas Police service was cut short on August 29th, 2024, but after this incident we all got to know the true incredible human being Darron Burks was. He had a lifetime of service as a teacher and mentor. After his death we heard story after story of the many lives he touched while on this Earth. He is the epitome of what we seek out as an officer and public servant.

I have no doubts that this great man would have touched so many more lives as an officer and mentored so many officers on this Department.

The City of Dallas lost a true gentle giant and amazing person.

Dallas Officer Karissa David and Jamie Farmer responded and were seriously wounded from gunfire.

Darron Burks #12543 EOW: August 29th, 2024

Episode speakers:

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson

Retired Dallas Chief Eddie Garcia

Darron’s Mother, Cherie Jeffrey

Outro song: “The Goodness of God” - CeCe Winans (Fair Trade - 2021)

The Assist the Officer Foundation will be running in the Freedom Run on September 6th, 2025, in Dallas to honor Darron Burks.

Today share his story with the listener and dive into his true “why” as he continually gives back to various charities and has a heavy presence in assisting the first responder community.

The Helfman Family has a legacy of giving and helping those in need, especially in the Houston area.

Alan holds the record for the highest leg kick as he is a regular in throwing out the ceremonial first pitch the start the Astros season. He just doesn’t write checks to organizations but he actually goes out and has a ball bringing his high energy and huge kind heart to spearhead these charity events.

For the past four decades Alan Helfman has raised millions of dollars for various causes and has touched so many lives and assisted people when they were at their darkest moments.

We are very happy to welcome Alan to Dallas Texas and onto the ATO stage.

Captain Brad Shepherd (Ret.) is the Director of Public Safety for Chateau Health & Wellness, a national First Responder residential treatment facility that treats Trauma, Suicide, PTSD, Substance Abuse, Depression & Anxiety.  

Brad retired after 25 years from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol as a Commander and served in a variety of assignments including Tactical Team, Bomb Squad, Special Operations, Oklahoma Homeland Security as well as member and later Commander of the Agency Peer Support Unit.  

Brad is the founder and former CEO / Executive Director of 2 separate non profit organizations that served in the first responder wellness community.   Brad is an experienced national presenter and instructor in a variety of disciplines including ICISF Critical Incident Stress Management. 

Brad has faced his own challenges of stress, trauma, mental health, and alcoholism as well as significant levels of betrayal which gives him the passion to help others find the peace and joy they desire in their personal lives, their relationships, and their careers.

Chateau’s Wellness Mission

https://www.chateaurecovery.com/about

Margaret walks us through her journey, growing up the daughter of an Agent, and living abroad and being exposed to true poverty and the excitement of the hidden dangers of her father’s work in a different country.

Starting the DEA at 24 she found herself working on the tragic and high profile case of the kidnapping and murder of DEA Agent Kiki Camarena.

Dedicating her life to the Administration and immersing herself in several long term cases she found a passion and knack for expanding investigations to hunt down the source of the drug trade.

As her career unfolded, she found another unique talent, which her natural compassion and empathy complimented, in working in the DEA EAP program. Like everything she does she puts her heart and soul into helping others on the Trauma Team to help her peers and their families that were struggling with the daily grind of the job and critical incident response.

After leaving the DEA she continued serving to provide education with Wake Up/Level Up leadership courses as she travels the country meeting with different organizations and first responder agencies to help them look at leadership through a different lens.

Margaret and retired DEA SAC, David Downing, are now presenting their unique leadership courses to the Dallas Police Command Staff.

She is extremely humble, extremely fierce, and still after over three decades, still leading with a servant’s heart.

Wake Up Level Up- Facilitated Leadership Conversations

 Investigation discussed:

Enrique "Kiki" Camarena Salazar was a DEA agent who was kidnapped and murdered by the Guadalajara Cartel in Mexico in 1985. His death sparked a major U.S. investigation and strained relations with Mexico. The case has been the subject of various media, including the miniseries "Drug Wars: The Camarena Story" and the docuseries "The Last Narc"

Chief Comeaux is a 33-year law enforcement veteran, currently serving as Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Houston Field Division, overseeing 12 offices throughout Texas, including Houston, San Antonio, and Austin. His jurisdiction covers nearly 16,000,000 residents who live in 114 counties across 118,000 square miles, 645 of which are at the United States-Mexico border. His leadership has focused on intelligence-driven crime reduction, operational efficiency, interagency collaboration, and officer development.  

Chief began his law enforcement career in the Houston PD in 1992 and quickly gained a knack for enforcing narcotic investigations. In 1997 Chief Comeaux took dope chasing to a new level as he joined the United States Drug Enforcement Agency and went to the Compton area to work. He rose through the ranks and showed great innovation in intelligence led enforcement as well as educating the public, notably in the “One Pill Can Kill” campaign to curb the deadly fentanyl overdoses.

Chief Comeaux hung up his federal credentials and returned to his police roots in joining the Dallas Police Department in April of 2025.

Welcome to the ATO: Bridging the Divide stage Chief Daniel Comeaux.

Chief Justin Ball immigrated to the United States from England more than thirty years ago, joining the fire department in 1997.

Chief has a bachelor’s degree in Fire Administration from Texas A&M and maintains certifications as a Master Firefighter, Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF), Fire Officer II, Fire Instructor II, Incident Commander, and Incident Safety Officer. 

We are excited to have the opportunity to have the listener take a small peek into the unique path that Chief Ball took to command the sixth largest fire department in the United States. 

Former broadcast journalist and current Dallas Fire and Rescue Director of Communications Susy Solis sits in to cohost this episode to bring the new Dallas Fire Chief to the listeners. 

Notable Topics Discussed:

2 in/2 out procedure

Medic One Program

Quartermaster Program

Expanding the wellness and peer support program

Welcome back on Sgt. Gordon Fulton and newly promoted Major Andre Taylor to have a discussion on the topic of alcohol use in the first responder community.

After some incidents over the last few months the Wellness Unit wanted to reiterate the Departments commitment to helping our own and putting our people in the best position to be the best versions of themselves.

In 2022 the alcohol leave policy was implemented and has been a successful tool to help our DPD family first seek help, then get help and continue their career and grow.

Assistant Chief Teena Schultz, Commander of the Wellness Unit, sits in as a cohost. 

For more information on the Dallas Police Wellness Unit and the Alcohol Leave policy email us atdpdwellness@dallaspolice.gov.

DFR is one of the few municipalities in the world to achieve the highest possible IOS rating, demonstrating its high-quality fire protection services.

Chief Stoy, starting his career in 1985, serves at Station 4 and has a reputation as a being a supportive leader in the field and mentor to many. His father spent over three decades himself serving this city and both men have a head full of amazing stories and a combined seventy plus years of firefighting history.  History is exactly what the listener will get in this episode, as well as hearing from a natural true leader that loves his Fire Department family.

We are honored to provide the platform for Chief Greg Stoy.

Critical Incident:

February 16th, 1964, Fire at the Golden Pheasant Restuarant in Dallas

On the morning of February 16, an alarm was transmitted on the Golden Pheasant Restaurant at 1417 Commerce. Ultimately, a fifth alarm was transmitted on the fire, both off-duty shifts were recalled, and four firemen had lost their lives. The first alarm was transmitted at 0233. About 0245, as the first alarm companies were attacking the fire, the first floor collapsed into the basement. James K. Bigham, Jerry T. Henderson, James R. Gresham, and Ronald E. Manley were unable to retreat or escape.

To further this show’s mission to change culture in the first responder profession in the realm of mental health maintenance, we have a roundtable with some of our highly trained ATO counselors.

Conversations and education are key to normalizing and prioritizing our own mental health, especially in the very hardened world of the first responders. Police and fire are excellent at saving lives and helping others but are historically awful in asking for help for themselves.

Today we sit down with Amanda Noyes of Finding Freedom Therapy, Tempa Sherrill and Sasha Kim of the Brave Fight, and the great Cydney Frizzel.

Each of these hand-picked and highly trauma trained counselors will tell the listeners what to expect if they reach out to them.

Each offer their expertise on the following topics to educate our listeners:

• • Cognitive Processing Therapy
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
  • EMDR
  • Family Therapy
  • Children Therapy

All of our ATO counselors can be located in the Services section at atodallas.org.

If you would like to know more about how the ATO provides these services and who is covered reach out to ATOBRIDGING@GMAIL.COM or the Dallas Police Department Wellness Unit atDPDWELLNESS@DALLASPOLICE.GOV.

Never forget: You are NOT alone!

https://thebravefight.com

https://findingfreedomtherapy.com

Billy was a 17-year veteran of the Braintree Police Department where he served as a patrol K9 Handler for 10 of those years. He is a two-time recipient of the Geroge Hannah Award for Valor among other honors. In this episode Billy tells the story of his K9 partner, Kitt, and the bond and partnership they shared.

On June 4th, 2021 Billy, Kitt, and backup officers responded to a domestic dispute at an apartment complex on McCusker Drive, in which the suspect fled to a wooded area. Billy and Kitt began their trek to locate the suspect when they were ambushed by the suspect, who was hiding.

Kitt, upon locating the suspect, advanced into the hail of gunfire. Kitt was struck by 3 fatal bullets and Billy was hit 5 times and Officer Donoghue was hit once during this gunfight. The suspect was eliminated during this gunbattle.

Billy was critically injured during this incident but recovered to start a new mission and journey to honor his hero partner Kitt.

In the wake of Kitts death Billy organized a Foundation, named the KITT Foundation, that would connect members of the public interested in providing support to K9 Teams across the country.

Dallas Police K9 Handler, Scott Jay sat in as a cohost.

HTTPS://K9KITTFOUNDATION.COM

This breakdown of these murders will detail the suspect’s life prior to entering the United States on a false Visa and show his lifetime of aggression and violence that would lead him from Morocco to a Dallas Texas nightclub.

In 1984 it was not a capital death penalty crime to murder one of more persons, a huge oversight in Texas State law.

Retired Dallas Police Officer Tom Hall was the first in the door at the club after the shooting and in this episode he gives us a firsthand account.

Fugitive Unit Sgt, Marcell Ford, was the niece of the suspects first victim and she bears her name in her aunt’s honor. Sgt. Ford sat with us to talk about this events impact on her family that would have a ripple effect through generations.

We want to dedicate this episode to the victims that lost their lives in Dallas Texas, 1984.

• Marcell Ford (deceased)
• Linda Lowe (deceased)
• Janice Smith (deceased)
• Ligia Koslowski (deceased)
• Joe Menasi (deceased)
• Frank Parker (deceased)
• John McNeil (wounded)

Sources used:

DPD case file

The novel, Worse than Death, by Gary M. Lavergne

Incident:

June 29th, 1984, 12801 Midway Rd, Dallas Texas

Suspect would enter Ianni’s Restaurant and Club and shot seven patrons, six of that would die.

Special guest cohost, NLLEO President, Juan Hernandez Jr. #8447 sits in to help tell this story. Juan and Justin rode together for years in the Southeast Division and continue their friendship to this day. This story will detail Detective Bowens career, their partnership and will highlight an awful night in March of 2009 at 700 Cliffview Dallas, Texas.

The very detailed, chilling facts of this case are laid out by both as they responded to a strong-arm takeover over a family in a trailer park in Pleasant Grove. What happened after they arrived on scene has been lost in history but both men still carry these awful memories of what was seen.

We also discuss the very complex financial crime investigations that can take years to solve and do involve true victims, especially the elderly.

Sit back and listen to a very deep behind the scenes look at a very quite and private servant.

Critical Incident:

March 17th, 2009, at Cliffview Dallas Texas when two gunmen took a family hostage during a home invasion robbery that ended in cold blooded murder of two victims.

Dallas Police Sgt. Bronc Mccoy EOW: 11/16/2020

Dallas Police Officer Matt Bacon: EOW: 8/8/2023

Dallas Police Officer Horacio Quiroz: EOW: 4/22/2019

This message details this foundations origins and highlights the mission of Megan Stockburger and Adam Davenport to create this platform to honor the many men and women who have dedicated their body, minds, and souls to serving others.

Mark your calendars!

The next Hall of Fame induction is taking place right here in the DFW area on April 11th at the Omni Hotel in Fort Worth Texas.

Fore more information go to the link below. Donations to keep this mission going is greatly welcomed and appreciated.

https://www.nationalleohalloffame.com/

This is a long overdue episode as we sit with two men that represent a great organization, the TMPA, to talk about our mutual mission in being there for our law enforcement brothers and sisters.

We go behind the scenes in the Blue Grit podcast origins and also get to know the hosts and understand their “why” in their journey.

Special guest cohost, Plano PD Sgt. James Babb sit in to help tell this story.

They are the voice of Texas law enforcement….They are the Blue Grit Podcast.

Critical Incident:

April 29th, 2008

The murder of Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Scott Burns

This guest has traveled over 1,800 miles to join us for this show to tell his story.

Barnstable PD Officer Brandon Sanders has a unique story in his journey to policing as his childhood could have very well created a different path but it was a chance meeting of a young police officer that became a big brother and showed him what the brotherhood was about.

Brandon grew up in Hull Massachusetts and learned, at a young age, what domestic disturbances looked like, and he also had to “police” his home as child.

This upbringing created a divide in the family and set the tone for the next several years as Brandon has not had contact with a part of his family, and a grandmother he has never met.

Traveling to Dallas Texas wasn’t just about sitting to record a podcast but also to go on a journey of forgiveness and openness as he wanted to seek out the grandmother that he never met. At the time of this recording Brandon only told us his mission to finally met his estranged relatives but had not taken that trip south of Dallas to find his grandmother.

We are very happy to report that, after this recording, Brandon and his fiancé Chanelle went to the small town of Gun Barrell City and finally met his grandmother.

This shows platform to bridge divides and have connectivity is something that we will always strive to achieve….. This story is more than just a cop war story.

Enjoy!

Next would be their cousin, Miguel, to join the PD and then these twin brothers. Saul and Sammy grew up in Progresso Texas in a family of fifteen siblings and learned the definition of work ethic early on.

As the family traveled the country to work the agriculture fields they learned to survive on hard work and family closeness that most do not get to experience.

Today we sit down with the twins, Sam and Saul, to talk about their lives, their blood family, and their blue family as we take the listener from Progresso Texas to Dallas Texas in telling their story.

ATO please welcome on the Sarmiento twins, Deputy Chief Samuel Sarmiento, and Lieutenant Saul Sarmiento of the Dallas Police Department.

****Update Sam Sarmiento will promote to Assistant Chief on 8/7/25 and will take over the investigative bureau.******

Critical Incidents Discussed:

Saturday April 14th, 2001:

Dallas SWAT member, Israel Sarmiento #5803 was killed in a motorcycle accident in Dallas Texas.  His death greatly impacted the Dallas Police Department as he was a greatly respected leader and friend. More so it left a void in the Sarmiento family that can never be filled.

October 23, 2002:

Officer Patrick Metzler was killed when his patrol car was struck from behind by a drunk driver while he provided traffic control at a construction site.

March 23rd, 2007:

Sr. Cpl. Mark Nix was shot and killed as he attempted to apprehend a murder suspect in Northwest Dallas.

October 12, 2022:

Dallas Police Officer Jacob Arellano was killed in a vehicle accident while on his was to work. A drunk driver caused this tragedy. He was survived by his fiancé Alyssa, his son Nolan, twin brother Joshua, Father Frank, Mother Rebecca, and sister Mia.

October 22, 2022:

Methodist Dallas Medical shooting occurred when a suspect opened fire on Katie Flowers and Jacqueline Pokuaa, resulting in both of their deaths. The suspect was later arrested after a brief standoff inside the hospital.

August 29th, 2024:

Dallas Officer Darron Burks was murdered in the line of duty in Southwest Dallas.

Officer Burks was ambushed by a suspect as he pulled into an Oak Cliff Community Center. The suspect then waited to ambush responding Officers David and Farmer as they approached Burks vehicle, shooting Officer David in the face and Officer Farmer in the leg with a shotgun.

Today we bring you a story from a retired servant that served over three decades in Los Angeles County.

Jeff Wenninger grew up in Kent Ohio and was raised in a unique blended family during a time in this country that family diversity was rare. Jeff realized that his natural physical prowess led him to dominate hockey and set him on a path to learning a new type of resiliency and leadership style.

He hired on with the LA County Sheriffs office and worked there until he joined the historic Los Angeles Police Department where he served thirty years and retired as a Lt.

This will tell his story of how he grew into a natural leader and developed a style that garnered the attention of the command staff to trust him in leading high profile units.

Jeff took over the RAMPART CRASH Unit after the scandal that rocked the Department and the police profession from the late 90s to the early 2000s.

This event has been glamorized in tv and film and spurred movies like Training Day and the hit show, the Shield.

Today Jeff is the founder and CEO of Law Enforcement Consultants LLC and has a mission to assist department and assist agencies to be the best organization they can be to serve.

The release of this episode is timely due to the upcoming inauguration of President Donald Trump as Jeff shares his insight on the intricacies of dignitary protection in today’s world with constant threats in the United States and afar.

https://lawenforcementconsultants.com/

Critical Incidents:

November 22nd, 1963: The assassination of President John F Kennedy in Dallas Texas.

Rampart scandal, official inquiry (1998–2000) into corruption among officers of the Rampart Division of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). More than 70 officers were implicated in misconduct, including unprovoked beatings and shootings, planting and covering up evidence, stealing and dealing drugs, and perjury.

July 13th, 2024, in Butler Pennsylvania:

Attempt assassination of President Donald Trump during a campaign rally.

This story begins with this guests journey from growing up as an Army brat to enlisting himself and joining the 10th Mountain Infantry Division and on a path to fighting terrorist in Afghanistan.

Tyler fit in as soldier, and a leader and on July 5th, 2006 all of his skills, resiliency, and faith were put to the test as his unit was ambushed in Afghanistan, and this day would change his life forever.

His path to DPD will be told in this episode as well as his passion to help and serve fellow first responders in buying their new homes.

Tyler and Frontline Realty started a program called Heroes Helping Heroes and this group has helped many military and first responders in making their life’s biggest purchase, their home.

Lt. Wade Dews sits in as a cohost to help tell this story.

www.frontlinerealestateteam.com

Critical Incident:

July 5th 2006

Tyler’s unit was ambushed by Taliban fighters in Afghanistan that resulted in Tyler receiving life threatening injuries.

We finally get to discuss an integral function in law enforcement and the criminal justice system, the Crime Scene Response Unit.

Today’s guest has a Master’s degree in Forensic Science, currently working on Doctorate, and is a dedicated member of the Dallas Police Department’s Crime Scene Unit.

It is up to the trained crime scene investigator to take advantage of every scientific and technological development in forensic investigation in order to correctly analyze, retrieve and collect evidence from the scene of any crime.

Crime scene analysis combines the human factor with scientific procedures and methods to interpret what has occurred. While the scientific evidence may speak for itself, it requires human understanding and voices to translate that evidence into a court of law in order to ensure that justice is always served.

Today we are sitting down with one of Dallas Pd’s Forensic specialists and someone who supervises our great Crime Scene Response Unit. She will walk us through their functions and shed some light on some of the facts vs myths of the job……..and we will also show how vital this unit is to investigations and prosecutions…

Courtney Lozano welcome to the ATO stage…..

Critical Incident Discussed:

September 6th, 2024

The tragic death of Dallas Crime Analyst Carmen Michelle Fletcher.

Michelle was killed in a horrific car crash in Fort Worth on 9/6/2024 at approximately 6:30 pm.

Today we sat down with some of the elves behind the scenes that make this incredible program run so that so many families in need can have a merry Christmas.

Former Dallas PD legend Chuck Young, now Victoria Texas PD Chief, in 1984 and grew this program into the holiday event it is today.

the Santa Cop program that started back in 1984 basically out of the trunk of a squad car. Mounted unit Larry Abney, Jerry Rhodes, and Captain Walker , Lynn Albright, Deanna Stratman, Lori Tittle, Jason Kennedy, Angela Arrendondo, Chuck and so many others made this program evolve for 4 decades.

Crime Against Children Sgt. Kristin Alvarado, Detectives Stephen Prince, and Meagan Mulvihill join the podcast crew to document this history and provide the listener with a final message to warm your hearts and wrap up 2024.

Please follow or support this program at the links below.

Merry Christmas ATO Family!

Special thanks to Chrys Hawkins for this message idea.

Facebook:  @SantaCops

Twitter:  @SantaCops

GiveButter.com

https://givebutter.com/BqHyH5

Amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1ZMROZDNUNBOM?ref_=wl_share

Email

Santa.cops@yahoo.com

First responders are three times more likely to die by suicide than the from the job that they do.

These numbers don’t include the suicide attempts or suicidal ideation of first responders that are suffering and struggling in silence. There are a lot of descriptors that officers apply to themselves such as Fearful, Shame, Unworthy, Useless, Despair and Apathy to Life to name a few.

These are all symptoms of depression, which is the ultimate liar.

It will tell you that you are a failure when you have actually succeeded.

It will make you feel like a burden to others.

It will make you feel that others will be better off without you in life.

It will tell you that you are alone.

Reality:

People do count on you.

Others do love and respect you.

These people will no longer have you there to help them, make them laugh, call you when they are struggling, and no longer to tell you they love you.

You are worth so much to so many.

Today’s episode will pull back the curtain on a first responder that was enveloped by the darkness and lost all hope and wished to leave this world and the people that call him a husband, a father, a sibling, a colleague, and a friend.

This is someone who went to the edge of the cliff and had one foot off and then was rescued by a voice to pull him back into this world and remind him that it was not his time and he had much more to give this world.

This guest could be your husband, wife, child, friend, coworker, partner on a call or your boss. The darkness is real and can come for us all at any time in our life and sadly there are many who do not hear that voice that calls them from that cliff.

If are struggling, there is help!:

Suicide Awareness (smore.com)

Call 988 suicide hotline

COPLINE: 1-800-COPLINE

#suicideawareness

#suicideprevention

#mentalhealthmatters

#reachout

#mentalhealth

#trauma

One of this shows mission is to create a platform to educate our listeners in the very complex and layered conversation of mental health and the many modalities and treatments that are available. This episode is one of our most information based shows as we take a deep dive into EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) and ART (Accelerated Resolution Therapy).

This show has talked about EMDR at length to provide as much information as we could on this trauma therapy but we have not discussed ART at length so we thought we should host some subject matter experts to lay it own there for us to we can better understand what we are walking into.

Today's guests are sisters that started the Healing Counselor Center and are trained in both EMDR and ART as well as CISM to help those in need before, during, and after crisis.

Welcome on Laurie Todd and Heidi Johanson to the stage.

EMDR vs ART

• EMDR is more cognitive, while ART is more visually oriented. EMDR guides people to replace negative thoughts with positive ones, while ART focuses on changing the visual and sensory aspects of memories.
• EMDR uses bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements, taps, or tones. ART incorporates elements from other therapeutic techniques, such as CBT, mindfulness, and guided imagery.
• EMDR is designed to reprocess traumatic memories to reduce their emotional impact. ART focuses on using creativity to explore emotions, gain insight, and promote healing.
• ART is often faster than EMDR, with sessions usually lasting 1–5. EMDR uses an 8-phase protocol that can take longer, depending on the complexity of the trauma.

www.healingcounselingcenter.com/mckinney/

There are perks in being best friends with the host of a show and this is it. John served over 29 years with DPD and is leaving as a Homicide Detective.

He did not want a big party or any attention as he walked out the door of DPD but I actually talked him to this.

So, sit back and enjoy the roast of John as he is surrounded by people who care for him.

Special guest cohost:

Mike Mata and Detective Mike Yeric.

This is for Kelly, Macy, and Alex Valdez

This show will take the listener back to the Dallas during the 90’s when a young talented ferocious new District Attorney walked into the Frank Crowley Court Building in downtown Dallas and her star began rising.

From1995 to 2002 worked as a prosecutor and ultimately become Chief over the Child Abuse Division.

In 2003 her star rose higher as she became the youngest female to be elected to the bench in Texas as she took office on a felony court bench in Dallas.

She then presided over this court until September of 2013 when she resigned as Judge to run for the District Attorney’s Office.

Judge Hawk then was victorious over a two-time incumbent DA as she became the first female District Attorney in Dallas history.

Then life being what life is, with all the surprises and ups and downs, changed her career as she resigned her position after less than two years.

This show prides itself in always keeping an open mind with all walks of life, people and careers, and with different challenges and this episode is no different.

Sit back and listen to a true comeback story from a huge piece of Dallas history.

Thank you, Judge Hawk, for joining us.

https://www.hawk-law.com

Today we return with a true piece of Dallas Police history with the Great Kevin Navarro as we chronicle his amazing life and servant career.

Kevin hired on with the Dallas Police Department in 1981 and remained in service until September 11th2012 and he laid the foundation for future procedures and trainings that have molded young and old officers for generations to come.

Officer Navarro started patrol at the Southwest Division before becoming a Detective in Assaults then ultimately in the Dallas Homicide Unit where he would work during the deadliest years in the City of Dallas history.  During Kevin’s stay in Homicide he saw a record number of homicides during the deadly drug wars as we saw the murder rate go over 500 deaths. Kevin made his mark and changed the landscape of training at DPD with years at the Inservice academy when he brought revolutionary training such as RBT, Surveillance school, Pursuit class, and the Art of Interrogation. These courses still are molding our men and women of Dallas PD, and many other agencies today.

Sit back and enjoy a true piece of Dallas Police lore with a genuine man with a servant’s heart.

Critical Incidents discussed:

The death and aftermath of Dallas Police Officer Gary Blair. EOW: March 20th, 1986. The passing of Sr. Cpl. Joey Fox on October 1st, 2018. Joey suffered a heart attack while off duty and his survived by his wife, Mary, and his children and stepchildren.

Topics:

Garden of Honor at Restland

The Garden of Honor at Restland Cemetary once belonged to the family of my current employer.  It was donated to be used as the final resting place for any Dallas County First Responder who dies in the line of duty.  There is a monument in the center of the Garden envisioned and commissioned by Ray and Nancy Hunt. It has DPD and DFR uniforms affixed on the base of the monument with two angels on the top.  One is holding a DFR Fireman and the other a DPD Officers as they ascend into heaven.  This was Ray Hunt’s creation.

This is a special message from Dallas Chief Eddie Garcia as he is retiring, after nearly 33 years, from the law enforcement profession.

It is a sad time for the Dallas Police Department as we are losing a true innovator and a “Cop’s Cop” natural leader for the Department.

Eddie Garcia started his law enforcement career, age 21, at the San Jose Police Department and he rose to become Chief of that Department in 2016. He served in Narcotics, SWAT, the Homicide Unit and then began to climb into leadership, setting the path to Dallas Texas.

The City of Dallas was reeling from skyrocketing crime, low Department morale and on the heels of covid and the defund the police movement and there was an opening for the Chief of Police position.

The Department was in need of a strong leader, the community demanded a transparent Chief, and the City prayed for a figure that could turn around a much-needed police department.

In February of 2021 Chief Eddie Garcia took over as the Department’s 30th Police Chief and the first Latino Chief in its 140-year history and quickly went to work building his command staff, connecting with the community and building trust in the Department.

Eddie was and always will be an old street cop masquerading as a four-star chief and the City of Dallas if lucky to have had a glimpse of true leadership that we hope that other future Chiefs will take note.

Chief Garcia will leave the Dallas Police Department on November 1st to start a new journey in the State’s Capital as the Assistant City Manager of Public Safety.

***Update***

Chief Garcia returned to policing, after less than a year, to become Fort Worth PDs Chief of Police.

Garcia’s administrations accomplishments:

Four straight years of violent crime reduction.

Greenlighting the implementation of the Wellness Unit.

Better relationships with community and city leaders.

Alcohol Leave Policy that has assisted 14 officers to date.

Authorizing the usage of blocker trucks to protect officers.

Improved recruiting from outside the State.

Creation of lateral transfer policy.

 We wanted to take this opportunity to give an update on the show and tell you about the Dallas Police Department’s upcoming David Clark Superhero Health Fair.

This will be the third Health Fair that was created to provide active first responders with access to key medical screenings and technology used to identify silent health conditions, as well as direct access to preventative health services, nutrition resources, and fitness techniques.

 The idea for this fair was created by Carly Zoerb, the sister of Dallas Officer David Clark, who made it her passion to help first responders have access to needed preventative tests and education.

The David Clark Superhero Health Fair was organized in honor a late Dallas police officer. The 33-year-old died unexpectedly from a heart attack on his way into work. Clark worked for the Dallas Police Department for 12 years and was described as someone who enjoyed helping people. David was the model of physical fitness and took diet and working out very serious.

Currently Dallas officers are not required to have annual physicals or evaluations.

Russ Burnham with Frontline Mobile Health joined us for this episode and gave incredible perspective and insight on the resources that will be available.

Medical Care For First Responders » Front Line Mobile Health

Event: September 21, 2024

8AM- 2PM

The David Clark Health Fair will be at 1402 Corinth St. Dallas Texas, at the Bill Priest Center

Episode 100 was always going to be a special episode for our show but when I got today’s guest to finally agree to tell his story I knew I wanted to make it extra special for the listener but also make it special for one of my best friends and one of the most impressive humans I have ever met. – Joe King.

 We are honored to share this stage with Dallas SWAT Operator and ATO: Bridging the Divide Co-Creator, Daniel Canete.

 Danny gravitated to music at the age of five and quickly began mastering the language and art of music as he became a student of the piano. Most students that age avoided the stage, but Danny ran to it and excelled and built on his natural inquisitive nature and quickly began performing on that stage. Playing at churches, then to recitals, then began dominating in local and state competitions. He was a natural on the performance stage, this trait will become very important as later he will find himself on a life and death stage.

As a musician, his desire was to share music with people to perpetuate a love for the arts and to educate the public in order to keep the classical arts alive. He mastered the piano and percussion but the five-octave marimba will always hold a special place in Danny’s heart.

Danny left his mark on the music world at Colorado State as a scholarship was created in his name, the Daniel Canete Music Performance Scholarship.

 Sometimes we all reach crossroads in life and are thrust into a difficult decision as we navigate our life journey. Danny, with all of his skills and successes and dedication to music, was not impervious to these life changing decisions.  9/11 changed us all and changed the world but for some people, people like Danny, it provided him a new calling to serve this world in a different way.

He chose to serve with the Dallas Police Department and was assigned to “God’s Country”, the Southeast Division and fell in love with being a street cop and serving the citizens.

This story will finally give the listener a peek into the life of a very private man that just happens to have a very high-profile profession as a member of Dallas SWAT.  

 The stage is set and the ATO listeners are making their way to their seats to see a true talented and gifted performer.

Thank you for all of the support you have given us since August of 2021, it has been an incredible journey to 100.

Special Thanks:

Billings PD Lt. Brandon Wooley

USAF Lt. Colonel Zach, Cougar, Fennell

Dr. Janet Landreth

SWAT Lt. Andre Taylor

SWAT ASL Matt Smith

SWAT Sgt. Ryan Scott

SWAT Brandon Berie

Trent Custis

Kimberly Canete

 Critical Incidents Discussed:February 13th, 2012

Officer involved shooting in Pleasant Grove, Southeast Division, as CRT members engaged a robbery suspect.

 July 7th 2016

The shooting in downtown Dallas on July 7th 2016 when five Officers were killed, and nine others were wounded during a protest in downtown Dallas Texas. Two civilians were also injured during this cowardly attack as it was the deadliest incident for law enforcement since the September 11th, 2001, attacks.

 Daniel Canete Music Performance Scholarship - College of Liberal Arts | Colorado State University (colostate.edu)

Jennifer and a team at the DA’s office saw a need to create something to provide support for their staff in the world of mental wellness and to address, head on, the trauma that they are exposed to.

Police and the District Attorney’s Office work as partners to help give justice to victims of crimes as they prepare each case to be presented before a court of law.

The exposure to violence and trauma is real…the exposure to the stress of carefully prepping a case is real….

Combing over mountains of evidence, graphic photos and videos, speaking with the victims and their families, and game planning against defense attorneys is part of the every day prosecution world and all the stress and anxiety that can accompany it.

Finding Freedom Therapy and ATO counselor Amanda Noyes sits in to cohost to lend her expertise on this topic.

Next time you hear us will be Episode 100……..

Joe

Today is our first episode of a training series that will be topic specific and will feature subject matter experts. Our goal is to help provide a form of training and education to other first responders as well as the community.

This episode will cover the art of investigative interviews and will be presented by retired Dallas Police Homicide Detective John Palmer.

John Palmer retired after 28 years of service with the Dallas Police Department (DPD). He served in the DPD Homicide Unit for 15 years. Prior to his time in the Homicide Unit, Palmer served in the Felony Assault Unit, and 10 years in the Patrol Division including time as Field Training Officer (FTO). Palmer also served as an instructor at the DPD In-Service Academy where he regularly taught classes on investigative topics, interview and interrogation, and Texas master peace officer certification courses.

Palmer has appeared as a guest speaker at numerous venues including the Crimes Against Children Conference, the Crimes Against Women Conference, the International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference, and many other seminars. He served on the National Advisory Board of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (VICAP).

Palmer’s investigative work in the DPD Homicide Unit has been featured on the A&E television show, The First 48.

Hosts: Daniel Canete, Kent Wolverton, and Joe King.

Special guest cohost Dallas Police Homicide Detective Andrea Isom.

#A&EFIRST48

#HOMICIDE

#INVESTIGATIVEINTERVIEW

#FLETC

#INVESTIGATIONS

#MURDER

#SUSPECTINTERVIEW

After growing up in Plano Texas, Jeff answered the call to serve in 2008 when he applied for the Dallas Fire Department and once, he stepped into that role and into the firehouse he knew that he was where he needed to be. He then had a second family as he now was a firefighter in Dallas and was assigned to one of the busiest areas in one of the most violent parts of Dallas.

On May 3rd, 2014, Jeff and his team answered a house fire call in the 4700 block of Chilton in Dallas and his life and his family’s life changed forever.

Jeff found himself trapped in the burning house and had to be dragged out from a window by one of his teammates, but the damage had been done.

He suffered third degree burns to nearly half of his body and was placed into a medically induced coma for six weeks to recover from these burns.

During this stay in the Parkland Burn ICU and his stay at Zale Lipshy enduring rehab his beautiful wife was diagnosed with cancer.

Another life hurdle for the Patterson family but as their friends and family bonded together they came out the other side stronger and with a different mission to give back.

This episode will release on the ten year anniversary of this incident.

This is the story resiliency, fait, and sheer willpower to survive and serve.

Critical Incident:

5/3/2014 on the 4700 block of Chilton.

In memory of Micheal Patrick Gordon ~ End of Watch August 8, 2004

Today we will feature one of our great partners in the Carry the Load organization.

This great organization started as a grass roots movement in Dallas to restore the true meaning of Memorial Day. It has since grown to a national movement as they have raised over 42 million dollars with a staggering 93% of the monies raised going to the programs for military and first responders and their families.  Carry the Load has donated over 800,000 dollars to the ATO since our partnership started.

We sit down with Active Dallas Officers Joe Meno, ATO Chairman Ed Lujan and Sgt. Tony Andujar as they tell the listener their unique stories of what this event means to them.

They will let us know who they are carrying and why in this years national relays.

Also participating in this years CTL relay are Mike Gonzalez, Thomas Ranshaw, Scott Crump, Priscilla Hernandez, retired officers Miguel Sarimento and Beth Sundquist who is New England team captain.

If you would like to find out more information on Carry the Load please go to www.carrytheload.org

In Memory of:

The Colony Fire Department Jeffrey Scott Bell. EOW: 8/8/22

Dallas Sgt. Mike Smith EOW: 7/7/16

Dallas Sr. Cpl. Lorne Ahrens EOW: 7/8/16

Dallas Police Officer Michael Krol EOW: 7/7/16

Dallas Officer Patrick Zamarripa EOW: 7/7/16

Dart Officer Brent Thompson EOW: 7/7/16

Dallas Officer Mitchell Penton EOW: 2/13/21

Dallas Officer Jose De LA Rocha EOW: 8/20/23

Dallas Officer Jacob Arellano 10/12/22

As we draw near to Memorial Day we would like everyone to reflect on the holidays true meaning and ask yourself…WHO ARE YOU CARRYING?

Scott has been a member of the FWPD since 2005 and has worked patrol, the Special Response Team, Crimes Against Children Unit, Major Case Unit, SRT, CIT, and is currently the Sgt. over the Fentanyl Overdose Team.

Scott is married to a true bad in Karen as she is a six time BJJ World Champion and owner of Genisis Jiu Jitsu and they are parent to four beautiful kids.

We will get a history lesson on the great city of Forth Worth and its PD but also walk through several critical incidents with Scott and how each impacted him.

His identical twin brother, the Great Matt Banes, sits in to tell this story of a nearly two-decade law enforcement officer that found himself at a cross roads in life when he found himself wrestling with a decision to pursue a lucrative career in construction or to follow his call to duty.

After this episode you will understand his decision and also see a sheepdog in this guest.

Both of these individuals are necessary in this world to help battle evil and to act as protectors to those who cannot defend themselves and are also the type of men, type of officers that would die protecting you.

Welcome the Banes twins, Scott and Matt.

Critical Incidents Discussed:

OIS involving a wanted fugitive motorcycle gang member who was attempting to flee to Mexico after sexually assaulting a twelve year old girl.

OIS involving a wanted fugitive when FWPD followed the suspect in an unmarked vehicle.

July 7th 2016 Dallas Texas when a gunman murdered five officers and injured several others. Scott’s twin brother, Matt, was in SWAT at the time and was involved in a shootout with the suspect in El Centro College.

Discussion on FWPD’s efforts to combat the fentanyl drug epidemic.

Today we are sitting with one of the original members of the Dallas Police Fugitive Unit in Daniel Jamieson.

Daniel hired on with the Dallas Police Department in February of 2008 and trained at the Southeast Patrol before moving to Northwest Patrol.

In 2012 Dallas Police Chief David Brown created a brand-new unit called METRO that was designed to follow violent crime trends and began hunting fugitives in the City.

In 2017 this unit morphed into the new Fugitive, and they quickly became every investigative units new best friend as they tracked and hunted down the City’s most violent offenders. Daniel found himself to have a knack for using intelligence and his relentless desire to catch the bad guy as he excelled as a plain clothes Detective in this unit.

This episode will follow the career of an extremely dedicated and accomplished husband, father and law enforcement officer that survived officer involved shootings, tragedy from July 7th, and the successes of putting handcuffs on some of the most evil people in Dallas Texas.

However, in May of 2022 life turned on a dime for this incredible servant as he found himself in a nightmare as he was arrested for DWI and his life and career would be forever changed.

We are hoping this episode could serve as a cautionary tale to everyone that wakes up every day and struggles with life to know that demons, left unchecked, can change lives forever. Even heroes can stumble.

To tell this story one of Daniel’s great friends, Sgt. Omar Figueroa sits in to have his partners back as he exhibits the utmost vulnerability as he shares this story in hopes that others can learn from his successes and his failures.

If anyone out there listens to this and can see themselves in this story….Please reach out and get help. You are Not Alone.

Critical Incidents Discussed:

Officer involved shooting in 2009 on Mesita Dr.

Dixon Circle Shooting

2015 Headquarters Attack

July 7th, 2016, incident in downtown Dallas

Daniel Jamieson’s arrest on May 25th, 2022, in Mckinney Texas

We sat down with General Manager Norm Bissonnette who tells the listener about his background in serving the great state of Kansas as a law enforcement officer for thirty years before moving to Texas to serve a different way. Norm was fortunate enough to be welcomed in by the Stewart Family who offered him a job just to maintain the property. After showing his true work ethic and loyalty they offered him the General Manager title.

Mill Creek Ranch is located in historic Canton Texas and offer cabin style cottage rentals.

The ATO has held their couple’s retreat at this location, which has grown in attendance and activities with each year and Mill Creek is always open to help make each event the best.

We are happy to promote our next event April 19th-21st, 2024 which will be our first responders weekend getaway.

April 20th we will have a barbeque and corn hole tournament with meal, music and fellowship.

All first responders are welcome to attend and join in the fun.

We look forward to seeing everyone there!

Today we will tell the listener the story behind the creation of the Dallas Police Honor Guard Unit. Like all great ideas there is a unique story, and this one is no different.

I knew this story would be important, so I sought out the person who had a vision that he turned, after years of planning and frustrations, into a reality for the Dallas Police Department. Sgt. Joe Denomy #4081 hired on with the Dept. in 1978 and proudly served for 36 years, most of this in Dallas SWAT.

After transferring to Tactical in 1985 part of the duties included an Honor guard function.

The duty was assigned to Tactical because “We looked good in uniform” Over the next several years attending way to many funerals, I noticed a couple of things.  One Almost every other police department in North Texas had a designated Honor Guard Team. Most importantly we were sending officers to this vital function that had no desire to be there.

In January of 2000 he was part of DPD representatives at Ft. Worth Chief Windham’s funeral.  At the graveside service all the attending Honor Guard were lined up together.  As Joe looked down the multiple rows of officers, each department there had an Honor Guard patch or designation.  That’s when I asked WHY not DPD.  That day started the 6+ years before the team became a reality.

Joe will tell the story of how it all started and how he handed off the torch to Chief Foy.

Chief Foy will detail how he, a Sgt. at the time, had to rally his troops in the Honor Guard to complete 13 events in 5 days as the City suffered its darkest day in law enforcement history after July 7th, 2016.

Sr. Cpl. Reed Higgins, a family services liaison at the time, also joins this documenting of Honor Guard history.

Incidents Discussed:

2000 Funeral of Ft Worth PD Chief Windham.

Death and services of Dallas PD Gang Unit Legend Norm Smith.

July 7th, 2016, shooting in Dallas as 5 officers were murdered by a gunman.

January 23, 1988, Death of Dallas Officer John Chase

January 16th, 1983, Death of Dallas Officer John Pasco

This episode will cover Ryan’s journey as he hired on with the Chino Police Department in 2013 and quickly realized the need to improve relations with the police and the communities they serve.

After years of working in Chino PD and being the school resource officer the Don Lugo High School he sharpened his God given talents as a pure communicator as he listened and actually heard the students and the community and formed much needed relationships.

Ryan wanted to take his calling and life mission a step further and create Breaking Barriers United to help transform law enforcement, business, and education, through relationship building using the model of Love, Empathy, and Respect into common practice.

He has created afterschool programs that train and teach students about the profession of Law Enforcement and Career Development and he also has a podcast called “ITSNEEDED” which is currently downloaded in over 47 countries. He hosts the “ITSNEEDED” conference, which brings law enforcement and city officials together for common goals. Currently Ryan is developing a program called “The United” which aims at recruiting and training the best future police officers. Ryan won’t cease his efforts until his goal of “Changing the face of modern-day policing”

The ATO started this podcast to provide a stage to first responders and their supporters to tell their stories to inspire, educate and humanize the profession.

Our title is Bridging the Divide because we understand that first responders Must have a relationship with the communities they serve so that we can better understand each other and be partners in this world.

Officer Tillman the stage is yours as we hear your passion and mission to truly bridging divides.

www.breakingbarriersunited.com

The ATO is proud to present the story of such a landmark and crucial piece of law enforcement as we tell the story of COPLINE. To tell this story is the founder, Stephanie Samuels. She is a psychotherapist that works exclusively with police officers. Ms. Samuels has lectured all over the country on PTSD and vicarious trauma, including undiagnosed PTSD and the from department silence after officers are involved in critical incidents as well as how traumatic pasts play a role in an officer’s career.

She is a part of a renowned National Research Team looking into the role concussions play in the mental health of law enforcement officers and the potential connection to suicide.

This information was published in Police1 in November in 2023 and this podcast will closely monitor this study as we all want to better understand the mind and spread awareness to help lengthen the minds and lives of the first responder.

In 2004 she officially launched COPLINE, national hotline for police officers which would later be answered 24/7 by retired, vetted, and trained officers throughout the United States. In April 2018, COPLINE became an international hotline when it was opened to Canada as well.

The listener will hear this incredible woman’s true passion for the her mission and the police profession after the end music roles and you will truly understand her “why” and her continued journey to assist the officers.

Ms. Samuels THANK YOU for your service.

Stephanie’s article in Police1 on the role of head injuries play in officers wellness and links to suicide below:

COPLINE's founder Stephanie Samuels on the role head injuries play in officer mental wellness (police1.com)

WWW.COPLINE.ORG

              -Herbert Ward

 Today’s episode will hold the listeners hand as we walk you through a child abuse investigation from someone that has walked this tragic path nearly twenty years with the Dallas Police Department.

Detective Corey Foreman hired on with Dallas in 1993 and graduated in Class #238 and then quickly headed to the Northeast Division to begin his career as a rookie cop.

However, a prior internship at the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center seemingly foreshadowed the person Corey would eventually become and who he would help to protect as a Detective.

The title of Child Abuse Detective elicits cringes and concerned looks for all when they find out they are talking with someone in the Child Abuse Unit.

When it comes to crimes and solving certain types of crimes, in my opinion, there is no crime that can literally haunt the victims of those crimes and the people that investigate those crimes more than child crimes.

 This episode will detail the early stages of an investigation, the partners involved, the puzzle building, and the emotional toll these investigations can take.

We have special guest cohosts in Child Abuse Detective Kristen King and Nakisha Biglow, Director of Partner Relations of Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center. Nakisha is a former forensic interviewer and has worked with Corey and assisted the Child Abuse Unit for several years. Detective King has been with the Child Abuse Unit since 2020 and has investigated child crimes ranging from chronic physical abuse, sexual abuse, and child homicide.

 We are happy to present the Great Corey Foreman to the ATO stage.

Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center – DCAC Improves the Lives of Abused Children.

 Welcome back ATO family and welcome one of Dallas Fire and Rescues finest in Casey Ellsworth.

Casey started in 2009 in Dallas and hit the ground running at Station 19, one of the Department’s Urban Search and Rescue stations in Dallas.

He is trained in High Angle Rescue, Low angle Rescue, Trench Rescues, Structural Collapse situations, Heavy Machinery Rescues, Disaster Medical Specialists, Confined Space and Wide Area Searches.

Casey currently holds the position as the Peer Support Coordinator for the DFFA. The Peer Support work is all voluntary and done on the side. His primary job and assignment is Station 39, B Shift, Tiller-man.

In this episode Casey will take the listener back to May 1, 2017, on Reynolds street in Southeast Dallas as he and his partner Will An were ambushed by an active shooter as they attempted to assist a victim who was laying shot in the streets. Will suffered life threatening injuries as the shooter, armed with an AR-15, opened fire as they approached.

The Dallas Fire Department was formed in July 1872 and has a long history of saving lives in this county and the ATO is proud of the partnership and friendships we have formed.

Critical Incident:

Shooting on May 1,2017 on Reynolds St. 

Dallas Firefighters were ambushed as they responded to a down person,

Mike started in God’s country, the Southeast Division, and quickly gravitated to an aggressive, proactive style of policing and worked in the 3080s drug enforcement unit and had a unique knack for communicating, a trait that will serve him well later in his career.

He several assignments such as the academy, major crimes, and the traffic unit but all along, behind the scenes, Mike was fighting for the rank and file in the Department.

After years of serving on the Dallas Police Association board and serving as a Vice President, Mike took the keys to the DPA in 2016 then life at Dallas seemingly traveled into the twilight zone as they saw unbelievable tragedy, fight for pay, pension issues poor department leadership that the new president had on his plate.

Mike has dedicated his life to serving the city and not only the Dallas Police Officers but all of Texas law enforcement as he has fought tirelessly for their rights.

The stage lights are bright, the curtain is raised, and Sgt. Mike Mata is standing front and center to tell his amazing story of being a true difference maker in the city of Dallas.

Critical Incidents Discussed:

• The tragedy of July 7th, 2016, that saw five officers murdered by a lone gunman.
• The Dallas Chief Hall administration.
• The Dallas Police pension issues.
• September 6th, 2018, Dallas Texas shooting of Botham Jean.
• 2020 George Floyd riots

 ***Trigger Warning: Death by Suicide conversation***

 We want to ring in the New Year and welcome on the great Dallas Attorney Terry Bentley Hill to our ATO Family.

Terry turned her personal tragedy into a new mission in speaking on the very uncomfortable topic of a person taking their own life.

She can speak from the unique perspective of being someone left behind not once but twice in her life as both her former husband and 14-year-old daughter suffered from depression and died way too young.

Terry started her career in journalism, and she married Amarillo District Attorney Danny Hill who prosecuted some very high-profile cases and took on all of the pressure and anxiety that accompanies that role.

On Palm Sunday in 1995 The Hill family suffered tragedy as Danny’s battle with depression came to an end as he took his own life as the children slept and Terry was left as the sole parent to pick up the pieces to move forward.

Less than a decade later, in 2004, Terry’s 14-year-old daughter Hallie, who like her father suffered from depression, also died by suicide. Terry’s grief was compounded.

At the time of her daughter’s suicide, Hill was in law school at Texas Wesleyan University School of Law, where she earned her degree in 2008. Today, Hill practices criminal defense law in Dallas, Texas, is remarried, enjoys time with her family and dedicates much of her life to helping others dealing with mental health issues.

Now Terry’s mission is to keep people from minding their own business as she tells her story so that it will bring awareness and education to recognizing to the red flags that lead to this tragic loss of life.  Also, her story can help understand the extreme grief and loss that can accompany the void that’s left in families. We also are thrilled to welcome on special guest cohosts Lt Lisette Rivera and new ATO License Professional Counselor, Johanna Wender. Johanna specializes in first responder trauma.

Terry Bentley Hill you have the ATO’s stage and our undivided attention.

Critical Incidents Discussed:

Palm Sunday 1995 in Amarillo Texas.

Terry’s husband, District Attorney Danny Hill, suffers death by suicide.

2004 Terry’s daughter, Hallie, passed away at the age of 14.

WWW.TERRYBENTLYHILL.COM

www.stopmindingyourownbusiness.org

We are extremely grateful for our loyal listeners. We want to say thank you to some of our day one listeners and we want to give special mentions to some of the many folks that have reached out with inspiring messages.

This message we will talk about upcoming episodes and projects we have in store for 2024. This podcast wants to hear from our listeners for suggestions and feedback, good and bad, to sharpen our knives to get better and put out a better product for you.

Please contact us atATOBRIDGING@GMAIL.COM if you have suggestions, complaints, or just want to say hi.

If you would like to donate to our cause and support both the Police and Fire Community, please go to ATODALLAS.ORG and donate.

Until next time…..Be safe and let’s take care of each other.

 Joe.

”The Dallas SWAT saved my life”

This show takes pride in providing a variety of topics and guests and although we are all different, we are still human beings. We are flawed, we are complex, we are unique, and we all have the potential to serve at the highest levels.  However, some of us take very different paths….dark paths, before we find our true calling.

Life for all of us is literally like a pot of boiling water and what we become in that water will determine and define who we become in this finite life.

Today’s guest will tell the listener how he became hooked on meth and traveled down a dark path that led him on a collision course and a date with destiny with our Dallas SWAT on July 30th, 2008.

The Uptown Dallas area was on high alert after several citizens were victimized as they not only lost their property but also their sense of security. Today’s guest was the ringleader of these crimes and was captured and sentenced to sixty-five years in the Texas Prison system.

In true Shawshank Redemption fashion this guest received help and guidance from the most unlikely of people as he was about to enter the ultra-hot boiling pot of prison life.

The coffee bean story was born and applied as today’s guest fought, learned, and grew as a person through his journey in the penal system and created a mission to help others and be a change agent as he shared his experience and story with others to try to inspire and motivate others.

The Damon West story has been told on many platforms and stages, all across the world, but never from a stage inside of the police department that changed his life fifteen years ago. ATO Family sit back and soak in the coffee bean story and ask yourself, How can I be a change agent in life?

Incidents discussed:

 Damon West arrest by the Dallas SWAT Unit on July 30th, 2008, for the Uptown Burglaries.

Trial, verdict and sentence on May 18th, 2009, for his role in the crimes. Presiding over the proceedings was Judge Mike Snipes.

Dallas County jail to TDCJ from 2009- 2015.

Damonwest.org

The best-selling novel:

The Change Agent: How a Former College QB Sentenced to Life in Prison Transformed His World

This episode has been a project since this show began as we finally tell the story of the attack on Dallas Police Headquarters on June 13th, 2015.

At approximately 12:30 am a suspect, driving an armored van, drove to police headquarters in Dallas Texas and planted bags containing pipe bombs and opened fire on the front of the building with an assault rifle. Several officers responded and were met with gunfire in the streets in front of headquarters and then led the police on a chase that would end in history being made in US law enforcement history with the method in which the threat was eliminated.

The episode will detail the tragedy from the 2013 arrest of the suspect to the events on June 13th, 2015, as he was eliminated by the use of a .50 caliber rifle, the first and only time this weapon platform has been used on a suspect in the United States.

This episode welcomes then Dallas SWAT members Jude Braun, Kent Wolverton, Danny Canete and Keith Rieg to the stage to give a play-by-play firsthand account of this incident and the significance in Dallas and US law enforcement history.

Guest List:

Jude Braun #5015           

36 years with Dallas Police and served 33 years with Dallas SWAT. Jude has the reputation of being an expert on explosive breaching and spearheaded the rifle program on the Dallas Police Department. Braun is now retired.

Keith Rieg #6809

32 years with the Dallas Police Department and is still an active SWAT member after 24 years. Keith is a sniper and pulled the trigger of the .50 caliber rifle during this incident.

Kent Wolverton #8393

20 years with Dallas Police Department and served as supervisor in SWAT for nearly 7 years. Kent also commanded the Dallas K9 Unit and now is a supervisor in Narcotics.

Danny Canete #8834

               17-year Dallas veteran with over 8 years in Dallas SWAT. Danny also was a member of the Dallas Narcotics Unit and the Southeast CRT.

               Master Breacher Certified, Sniper and Less Lethal and Rope Master and instructor for High Angle Team as well rappel instructor for TTPOA.

Terms used in episode:

               “Green Light”: Order giving by the Chief of Police authorizing operators to use deadly force to eliminate the threat.

Weapons used by the suspect:

               Jennings JA-9 9mm handgun

               Taurus Judge .45 caliber handgun

               Savage Model 111 6.5/284   Norma with Redfield scope

               Ruger 10/22 with Nikon scope

               Stevens Model 320 Security 12 gauge pump

               Pipe Bombs

The Drug Enforcement Administration was formed in 1973, by the Nixon administration, for the war on drugs and over the years this administration has grown, evolved and they have been the countries leading experts on illicit narcotic sales that terrorize the globe.

The Western Australian Police Force, colloquially WAPOL, was formed in 1834 and provides police services to over 2.5 million citizens of Western Australia.

This story will detail how two countries formed a partnership and created a “pilot” program that sent two Detectives from WAPOL to the Dallas DEA Field Division for a 90-day special assignment to observe the DEA investigate cases in the United States.

After a strict selection process, WAPOL Detectives Benjamin Willian Cox and David Joseph Gilliland were sent to the Dallas Texas to work under Special Agent in Charge Eduardo Chavez and Special Agent Guy Baker.

SAC Chavez leads the DEA Dallas Field Division.

Detectives Cox and Gilliland joined the amazing Strike Force Group to immerse themselves in long term investigations so that both groups can learn from each other in detective styles, techniques and case managing.

Longtime Dallas Narcotics Task Force member, David Roach #9150, took the mates under his wing to show them all that Dallas and the great state of Texas has to offer in narcotics and violence.

Enjoy this different type of episode as we bridge two countries that have common goals in making their home a better and safer place for their people.

Episode Guest List:

 Detective Superintendent John Hutchison

Superintendent Hutchison spearheaded this initiative and oversees the Serious Organised Crime Squad in WAPOL. He started in WAPOL in 1986 and became a Detective Sgt in 1992 and has served as a Detective in several positions including covert undercover unit, drug and organized crime investigations and in 2022 he started a TSOC Squad to build the capabilities of the Western Australian Police Force.

DEA Special Agent in Charge Eduardo Chavez

               SAC Chavez leads the DEA Dallas Field Division that oversees daily operations in the North Texas Region and the entire state of Oklahoma.

SAC Chávez began his career with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in the San Francisco Field Division in 2000 as a Special Agent assigned to the Bakersfield, California, Resident Office. During this period in the Central Valley of California, SAC Chávez conducted numerous complex conspiracy and undercover operations where his fluent Spanish and upbringing along the U.S.-México border allowed him to infiltrate several Mexican Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs).

DEA Assistant Special Agent Guy Baker

I met Guy as I learned he enjoyed listening to this podcast and he prefers to be a behind the scenes operator and does not like the limelight however I want the listener to know this episode would not have happened without Guy. He commands the respect of his peers and has dedicated his life to the DEA. I am honored to have met him.

Guy has over 25 years with the DEA and is keen and outspoken in the fact that Fentanyl is one of the globes most dangerous crisis.

Dallas Police Narcotics DEA Task Force Detective David Roach #9150

David has gravitated to enforcing narcotics going back to working in God’s Country, the Southeast Division, when he started as a rookie officer. David’s proactive talents and knack for natural street instincts as pure police was noticed by all as he spent several years in uniformed positions on assignments that allowed him to showcase his talents.  Detective Roach was assigned to the Dallas Narcotics Division and quickly joined the Narcotics Lab Unit then was hand picked to be a member of the DEA Task Force. David is a friend, respected and loyal team member and is bulldog of a Detective that is relentless in building cases on some of the most violent traffickers in the metroplex.

Today’s episode will welcome on two true Texas servants in Gretchen and Aaron Grigsby as they will detail their lives of service and how they found each other to form this true partnership.

Both are homegrown true Texans and both, albeit via different routes, traveled a path that led them to the Lone Star State’s Capitol, Austin Texas.

Gretchen worked for the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security, Texas Senate Committee on Agriculture, Rural Affairs and is currently the TCOLE (Texas Commission on Law Enforcement)   Director of Government Relations.

Aaron enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and served as a combat engineer and was a member of the Pistol and Rifle Teams.  Afterwards he joined the Texas Department of Public Safety in January of 1997. He served several roles in his career with DPS, from 1997 to 2020, that included Highway Patrol, Narcotics, and the legendary Texas Rangers. He now is the Deputy Executive Director of Operations at the Texas Racing Commission.

However, before the TxRC,  Aaron took his talents to Round Rock Police Department in 2020 and this profession put that experience and talents to the test on June 7th, 2021, at a Round Rock Hotel. This incident will play a major role in today’s story as it put the Grigsby couple to the test as they both struggled through the fear, the anger, and uncertainty of surviving a law enforcement shooting in today’s world. They took this incident and the recovery head on like they have done personally and professionally their entire lives and careers.

We are also honored to welcome on a very special guest cohost in Round Rock PD Commander Melissa Grubbs as she stepped up in June of 2021, and led by example and displayed true leadership after she took care of the people that mattered most that day…….Her troops And his family.

Dallas Police Child Abuse Detective Kristen King sitting in to cohost.

When I first spoke to Gretchen about this episode, their primary goal was to introduce this story for first responder families out there that wrestle with the fear that when their loved ones leave to serve that they may never come home to know that THEY ARE NOT ALONE.

Both of these amazing Texans have offered to speak with or help other families out there that have endured critical incidents and are still recovering from loss, tragedy, or just guidance on how to process.  

P.S. I have to mention their sweet pups, Hope and Felicia. 

Critical Incident:

OIS July 2005

OIS June 2021 at the Home2 Suites Hotel in Round Rock Texas during an active shooter situation.

Texas Law Enforcement Peer Network | Texas Commission on Law Enforcement

www.Texaspoliceofficersmemorial.org 

He treats undercover work as a form of artwork…. he uses his tools to gain to win the target’s admiration and trust, then betray them for the greater good.

The cat and mouse game of police undercover work, in the United States, goes back to the early 1800s when the New York City Police created the Italian Squad to combat the crime in the poor Italian neighborhoods.  Clandestine work has become a major tool against the war on drugs as this trade is global.  The narcotic trades breeds violence, corruption, theft, homicide, terrorism, and ruined families and lives.

Today’s guest joined the Dallas Police Department after the tech collapse after 9/11 and hit the Northeast Division, The other God’s Country, streets and quickly began chasing dope.

He ventured off to other Investigative Units but found his niche as a Narcotics Detective ten years ago.

His resume is as follows:

• Logged about 500 dynamic entries.
• Received clan lab training at Camp Dodge in Johnston, IA and DEA Academy in Quantico, VA / received Level A training at classified DEA facility in California.
• In the FBI Task Force, I conducted federal investigations on transnational organized crime groups including various cartels, syndicates and mafia organizations.  I was certified as an FBI undercover employee.  I began travelling the United States extensively to work undercover on domestic terrorism, counter terrorism, drug trafficking and money laundering cases.  At the same time, I was tasked with running the FBI drug interdiction/bulk currency smuggling operation at Dallas Love Field with FBI SA Perez.  During my time with the FBI, I was awarded the United States Attorney’s Award of Excellence for helping prevent a terrorist event on U.S. soil.  After 4 years with the FBI Task Force, I was given the opportunity to transfer to the IRS Money Laundering Task Force.
• In the IRS Task Force, I conduct federal money laundering investigations.  The nature of these cases is highly classified.

The ATO Family will get to know Steve Hodack up close and personal and even hear characteristics that most of his close friends do not know. Steve chose us to open up on his personal life, professional drive and how a psychological profile made his life and career make sense.

Detective Hodack the stage is yours………

Critical Incident:

November 24th, 2009, Officer involved shooting in the Northeast Division while Hodack was working in the Deployment Unit.

And we want to introduce the Blue Goes Pink Initiative.

 Backing the Blue or showing the Thin Blue Line is a way of letting the community and police officers know that they have your admiration and respect. With that in mind, "Blue Goes Pink" is a way of showing that same admiration and respect to the individuals that have been affected by breast cancer

Our purpose is to help promote breast cancer awareness and highlight the importance of early detection. Breast cancer awareness promotes more funding directed to treatment and more importantly, to a potential cure.

Today we sit down with Sgt. Wanda West, retired Dallas PD Lacrondia Ellis, Dallas Officers Sean Moses, Melinda Gutierrez, and Sgt. Crystal Cortinez to discuss this great initiative as we would like to see the entire blue community go pink.

In memory of Carmen Ellen King, Cortney Benavides, and all of those who have lost loved ones to this awful disease.  

ATO Family please welcome retired Dallas SWAT and current Texas Attorney General Fugitive Unit Chris Webb is back on the mic for another episode. He sat in his own episode to talk about his incredible career and also a vision that he had back in 2019 to continue to serve his brothers and sisters in the first responder community by creating a retreat that puts mental health and wellness on the forefront. Chris and his amazing wife, Judge Rainey Webb, put their amazing minds together and created a comprehensive approach to give back to the community.

However, the 2020 pandemic had different plans for this retreat and would shelve this program. Then life unfolded for Chris as he got back into law enforcement and began a journey with the Texas Attorney General’s office.  Chris became focused on his new career and mission but never fully gave up on his dream for his first responder retreat.

This is a different story of Chris Webb’s life journey. It isn’t the story of him applying and fighting to become a member of the Dallas SWAT team, or enduring critical incident after critical incident, or stepping away from a career to be there for his family.

This is the story of Chris and Rainey Webb’s dream coming to fruition as the idea of the Righteous Oaks Retreat became a reality. Here to help tell this story has the Great Misty Vancuren and the highly respected Mesquite PD Assistant Chief Doug Yates behind the mics to talk about taking this leap of faith in joining The Webbs and the Warrior Healer,  Dr. Tania Glenn, on this Righteous mission.

The Righteous Oaks Retreat is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization. Every donation is tax deductible.

For more information or to donate to this incredible cause please go to the link below.

https://righteousoakretreat.com

This is the story of a young Dallas Officer who had ambitions of fighting crime, serving the city and starting a new family. Mitchell Penton embraced the Northeast Patrol Division’s fast pace and settled in with several other young officers that became a blue family.  Mitchell loved being a cop….was a loyal son, a devoted father, and husband and everyone in his life looked to the future to travel with him on this journey.

But life being what it is - a series of intersecting lives and incidents, out of anyone's control changed all of that on February 13th, 2021, on an icy morning in Dallas, Texas. Officer Penton was struck and killed by a drunk driver as he worked an accident scene on North Central Expressway and Walnut Hill.

He left behind an expectant wife, stepson, amazing parents and a brother and sister.

Today we are hearing from his parents, Tim and Kathy, as they give a peek into who Mitchell Penton was as a child, a soccer player, a goofy and fun-loving kid, to his decision to serve as an Officer.

They take us on their own journey from the night of February 13th, 2021, to the conclusion of a  trial in May of 2023.

 This story is a powerful reminder of the fleeting nature of life and of the importance of cherishing our moments.

It encourages us to live in the present, to appreciate the people and experiences around us, and to make the most of the time we have.

Please welcome the Penton family to the ATO stage.

Critical Incident:

February 13, 2021:

Police Officer Mitchell Penton was struck and killed by a vehicle operated by an intoxicated driver at about 1:45 am. He was working at the scene of a vehicle collision in the northbound lanes of the North Central Expressway at Walnut Hill Lane. He was securing traffic with the emergency lights from his patrol car when a vehicle driven by an intoxicated driver, traveling at a high rate of speed, hit the back of his patrol car. The collision pushed the patrol car into Officer Penton. Officer Penton was transported to Baylor University Medical Center when he died from his injuries. The driver of the vehicle that struck Officer Penton was arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter of a police officer and intoxication assault. In 2023, he was found guilty and sentenced to 30 years.

Movies and documentaries have been made about this era, specifically Cocaine Cowboys, as the beautiful city of Miami turned into a warzone and became known as the drug capital of the world.

Today’s guest was at the heart of this war as he hired on with Miami Metro-Dade Police Department, the drug capital of the world, and quickly formed a reputation as a hardworking and honest cop who quickly gained a knack for undercover work.

He joined the Police Department in 1981 and began undercover work in 1986. This man worked in various positions that include SWAT, Homicide Bureau, Robbery and Public Corruption and excelled in all of them.

With all the accolades and legendary lawman reputation he also managed to be an amazing father to his children as he mentored and raised some incredible kids. The listeners have heard his name before on the show as the Candelaria twins praised him and emulated their lives and career after him. One half of the twins, Bryan Candelaria, share the mic as a guest cohost to show some love to their pops.

He was their hero.

ATO family……Omar Coming.

Critical Incident:

June 1992, during a narcotics bust, Omar Carillo was involved in a officer involved shooting as the suspect attempted to rob him. The entire incident was captured on video.

The murder of Jimmy Ryce

On September 11, 1995, fifteen days before his 10th birthday, nine-year-old Ryce was riding the bus from school. He was dropped off, along with ten classmates, and had to walk less than a block to his home. According to his confession, Chavez blocked Ryce's path with his pickup truck and forced him at gunpoint into the truck. Chavez took Ryce to his trailer on a nearby ranch where he raped him. About four hours later, when he heard a helicopter hovering above, Ryce ran to the door and tried to open it only to be shot in the back by Chavez, who held the child until he took his last breath. Then, Chavez decapitated and dismembered him.

• Corporate Security Director @ Frito Lay
• Director @ Pepsico Global Security
• Mortgage Fraud Investigator @ Citimortgage

Welcome back ATO Family

Today we welcome the Boss of Dallas PD back to the mic as we talk about the Dallas Police Department’s mission in making mental wellness a priority.  

Over the last couple of months Dallas has endured tragedies with officers taking their own life as well as losing officers to medical emergencies.

Chief Eddie Garcia is here to talk about making his employee’s health a priority and is dedicated to establishing a culture to come forward and get help more importantly, trust in the system.

The first responder’s world has long stigmas in Officers seeking help. We are very good at saving people but often do not make our own mental health a priority.

Our mission is daunting, and change is intimidating but with a leader like Chief Garcia at our helm we have HOPE in changing a culture for generations of Dallas Police Officers. You are NOT ALONE!

If you would like to see our policies for the Dallas Wellness unit, email us at ATOBridging@GMAIL.COM

Our next guest grew up in a very small town in NORTHERN Minnesota, which is why his accent is still so strong despite the fact he hasn’t lived there since 2005. He spent his childhood playing every sport possible, with a year-round focus on hockey. He played hockey in college at Hamline University where he graduated with a degree in criminal justice. Upon graduating college, he joined the Dallas Police Department in 2005. Admittedly, he chose southwest division (ch4) as his first choice but was luckily assigned to God’s country – southeast patrol division. 

In 12.5 years with the Dallas Police Department, he was fortunate enough to work in multiple capacities, SE patrol, NE Patrol, SC Patrol, NW Patrol, Operation Disruption, Auto Theft, Vice, Narcotics Street squad, Narcotics meth lab squad, and ended his career as a “SAFE” detective.

After the events of July 7th, 2016, he evaluated what he really wanted to do “for his next 30 years” and decided law enforcement was likely not it.  Despite an amazing career, he resigned from the Dallas Police Department in January 2018.

He moved with his eventual wife to Maui, Hawaii where he was the supervisor of the welfare fraud investigations for all of Maui County. While in Maui he started a website or “blog” where he wrote articles about his experiences in law enforcement and reactions to current events as they happened. This blog has evolved and changed over the years and now primarily exists as a “Facebook page”. He says the simple goal of the page is helping and supporting officers however possible.

Whether it’s via fundraising in times of financial hardship or just a voice of support when needed and appropriate.

The motto of the page is simple: Support the good, condemn the bad, honor the fallen.

After a move from Maui to San Diego, he was offered a job in finance which has ultimately proven to be his “second calling in life” after law enforcement. He is currently in the process of building Wood Financial Consulting, a comprehensive financial practice that will help people with everything from personal finance and budgeting to planning for their retirement. He is most excited to work with law enforcement clients to improve their financial situation so they can work less and spend time doing the things in life they enjoy – not working extra jobs!

ATO Family welcome badge #8672 to the stage.

https://guardianfinancialstrategies.com/

Critical Incident:

The case of Robert Sparks, who was convicted for fatally stabling his two stepsons and his wife in the Dallas home in 2007.

Sparks was executed by lethal injection on September 25, 2019.

July 7th, 2016, shooting in downtown Dallas, Texas that left 5 Officers dead and several wounded. Commonly referred to as 7/7.

On September 11th, 2001, todays guest woke up to head to work to the World Trade Center to lead a meeting on an upcoming event.  Her stress began as she sat behind a wreck on the way to the twin towers. The life of a Secret Service Agent is calculated and the importance of being punctual is paramount as she parked and quickly entered the WTC to make her meeting.

The world watched as the North Tower was struck by an airliner at 8:46 am and the destruction and terror unfolded that day.

The South Tower was struck at 9:03 am and the city became aware that the first plane crash was no accident.

At 9:37 am Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon and then at 10:02 and Flight 93 crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. In a little over an hour after the coordinated terror attacks started both Towers of the World Trade Center in New York had fallen.

America was under attack and today we sit down with a survivor who was in the North Tower as the first plane struck and she gives a detailed account of her day watching this terror unfold until she went home that night.

The story did not stop for this guest as she went home however the nightmare was just beginning as she began to see how PTSD is real and can create despair and loss of hope. This guest will walk us through the years of struggle that led her to her basement to take her own life to stop the pain.

This episode is just not an episode about the terrorist attacks on 9/11 but more importantly discusses the real battle, that so many people fight daily with PTSD.

Today’s guest not only survived the incident, not only survived the mental decline, not only survived the thoughts of suicide but now has a new “Why” in life. She fights for so many as she educates others in trauma management and tells her story in hopes that others can learn and survive and thrive themselves.

ATO Family please welcome Samantha Horwitz to the stage as she takes us back to September 11th 2001.

www.samanthahorwitz.com

www.abadgeofhonor.com

 Critical Incident:

 The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11,[d] were four coordinated Islamist suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, 19 terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners scheduled to travel from the New England and Mid-Atlantic regions of the East Coast to California. The hijackers crashed the first two planes into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, two of the world's five-tallest buildings at the time, and aimed the next two flights toward targets in or near Washington, D.C., in an attack on the nation's capital. The third team succeeded in crashing into the Pentagon, the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense in Arlington County, Virginia, while the fourth plane crashed in rural Pennsylvania following a passenger revolt. The attacks killed nearly 3,000 people and instigated the multi-decade global war on terror.

Even today several survivors are still suffering from this day with PTSD and unique forms of cancer.

May We Never Forget!

 Welcome back ATO family!

 Today we give the stage to Lifeologie founder Melanie Wells (LPC-S, LMFT-S, RYT, PYT) as she educates us on the difficulties of navigating life and relationships.

The first responder world endures much trauma in the work life but even more in the homelife as marital issues, bad coping skills, bad communication skills, and divorce is prevalent in our profession. This is the topic we have not tackled yet but we couldn’t find a better guest to share her expertise on the topic.

Melanie specializes in couples and marital therapy – particularly last-ditch marriage counseling. She enjoys taking on the trickiest, stickiest relationship issues after couples have all but given up. She also works with a variety of other issues, including spousal abuse, women’s issues, codependency and divorce recovery.

This mean fiddle player grew up in the Texas panhandle and she and her family gravitated to the world of music. However, Melanie found a new passion in serving others and helping them have better qualities of life.

Her unique approach and insight, stemming from real life relationship trauma, has helped so many people of all walks of life and careers.

The sad truth is that no one is immune to relationship issues as it will find you if you are rich, poor, successful, member of SWAT or a firefighter donning a helmet to serve. We are all vulnerable to this epidemic.

Sit back and listen and learn from the Great Melanie Wells.

www.wefixbrains.com

www.thelispyschool.com

www.thedawgproject.org

 ATO Family today we are celebrating our milestone 75th episode with a true piece of Dallas Police and ATO history with David Rodriguez.

David was born in 1948 and grew up in a segregated West Dallas and joined the Vietnam War right after high school. At this time Dallas PD had their recruiting doors wide open for veterans of this war and David walked right through those doors and into DPD’s open arms in 1969 and graduated in academy class #107.

He made his name as a legendary FTO in the Northwest Division and was awarded an award for Trainer of the Decade.

At age 46 years old David wanted to try something new ventured to the growing Narcotics Unit to battle the deadly drug wars in Dallas in the 90’s

David fell in love with the high speed dynamics of the Narcotics Division and embraced this new role and this new war on drugs.

But life being what it is- a series of intersecting lives and incidents, out of anyone’s control changed David’s life and career.

In January of 1994, while executing a Narcotics Search Warrant. David was shot four times by a suspect and became paralyzed from the chest down.

After a lengthy period of rehabilitation, David found himself unable to perform his duties and was forced to retire.

David did retire from Dallas PD but he did not stop working. He recognized the need help his fellow officers who found themselves in similar circumstances and focused on his new mission.

He helped Bill Carollo, Eddie Crawford and Tom Popken create the Assist the Officer Foundation.

Sit back and listen to a true story of resiliency and determination.  Badge #2776 the ATO is yours……

Critical Incident:

 January 1994 Narcotics officer involved shooting that left Detective David Rodriguez paralyzed.

This run was created in November 2001, after the deadly 9/11 attacks, to honor first responders dedication to serving their communities across the country.

DAYL was formed in the 1920s and is now nearly three thousand members strong as they are the only bar organization in Dallas dedicated exclusively to the needs of young lawyers and the community service projects about which they are most passionate.

If you would like to give the ATO feedback or just say hello please email us atATOBRIDGING@GMAIL.COM.

Until next time……..

If you would like to participate, sponsor or volunteer at the Freedom Run please check the links and sites below.

www.dayl.com

Website: WWW.FREEDOMRUN.COM

Date and Location: September 9, 2023 at 8:00amat Trinity  Groves

Instagram: dayl.freedomrun

Facebook: The Freedom Run

Price Increases: August 14th at 12:00am

Registration Coupon: JBTD_23 

Garland Texas Police Department Internet Crimes Against Children Detective Tony Godwin

****Sensitive Material Warning****

Welcome back ATO Blue Family.

Today we are sitting with a true expert in his field, a law enforcement Hall of Famer, a Detective that investigates some of the most horrific crimes against the truly vulnerable…..children.

Garland Pd Detective Tony Godwin has been a Detective with the Garland Police Department (30thyear). Assigned to the Northern Texas ICAC Task Force for almost 18 years now.

He has conducted in excess of 3,500 criminal investigations as the primary Detective into offenses related to the exploitation of children. He is a certified computer and cell phone forensic examiner. Tony has conducted joint criminal investigations while assisting the Federal Bureau of Investigation, The United States Postal Service, the Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency, the United States Secret Service and other local Law Enforcement agencies in an effort to combat child exploitation and child pornography on the World Wide Web.

In this episode we delve into the seedy underworld of Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) and take the listener down a dark road as we hope to bring awareness and educate the listener on this awful topic and crime.

Tony is the best in the business and is a national expert on this topic and recently was inducted into the National Law Enforcement Hall of Fame.

He has owned Law Man Laser Engraving for over 15 years to show off his creative side as well as leave behind a business for his family.

Tony is also cohost of the hit podcast Catfish Cops as they dissect case studies and provide information so that other children and parents do not become another victim in this horrible world.

They also provide information and victims resource on their site https://Catfishcops.com.

You can reach him at LawManLaser@gmail.comfor custom award work and engraving.

As you heard in the Great Clint McNear’s episode this guy is a loyal friend and truly dedicated to helping others. More evidence is Tony’s battle with the Texas Legislative as the is attempting to change laws in Texas to help these children that are victims of these crimes.

Sgt. Jessica Criddle returns to the mic as a guest cohost for this show.

ATO listener sit back and soak in the words of an incredibly humble human being and a true treasure to the law enforcement profession.

Dallas Police Homicide Sergeant Jessica Criddle

Welcome back ATO Family as we are extremely happy to welcome Dallas native, Homicide Sgt. Jessica Criddle to the ATO stage and pull back the curtain a bit on this amazing human’s life.

She attended The Booker T. Washington Highschool for Arts and studied dance. She then ventured to Sam Houston State and dove into Biology Pre-Med and Dance and graduating with honors in 2003.

Jessica then began interning at the Medical Examiner’s Office and was accepted into the Dallas School of Mortuary Science, but turned it down to join Dallas PD. After reading her resume, pre- DPD, I wondered how in the hell did the City of Dallas get such an exceptionally brilliant mind to work on the Dallas Police Department?

The answer is simple…..She chose to serve this City.

She has worked various assignments, including IAD, ICAC, Child Exploitation and now her current assignment is Dallas Homicide. Wherever she goes the lasting Impression she leaves on her coworkers is that they love her and would run into battle with her.

There are so many layers to Jessica’s “Why” in life and I encourage the listener to sit back and soak in the story of a truly fierce and incredibly unique individual that just happens to wear a Dallas Police badge.

The theater lights are dimmed...the curtain is slowly rising and the stage lights are shining bright……….Jessica Criddle is center stage.

Acronyms Used:

PIU: Public Integrity Unit

IAD: Internal Affairs Division

ICAC: Internet Crimes Against Children

"You saved your partner's life"

Today we are sitting down with former Los Angeles Police Department David Klinger as he tells us his story of starting in LA PD in the 80s and immediately being thrusted into a life in death situation as he had to take a life to protect his partners in the streets of LA.  Following his shooting he continued his work in law enforcement and delved into the academic world to continue his research and studies to further serve law enforcement by arming them with facts and education.

His book on police shootings, Into the Kill Zone: A Cop’s Eye View of Deadly Force, was published by Jossey-Bass in 2004.

David A. Klinger is a Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and Senior Fellow at the National Policing Institute in Washington, DC.

He has held research positions at the National Policing Institute in Washington, D.C.; the University of Washington, Seattle; the Washington State’s Attorney’s Office; and the Seattle Police Department. In 1997 he was the recipient of the American Society of Criminology’s inaugural Ruth Cavan Young Scholar Award for outstanding early career contributions to the discipline of criminology.

Dallas Police Major Dr. Stephen Bishopp and the great Dallas SWAT Legend Steve Claggett sit in as cohosts to show the Dr. our Texas hospitality.

Sit back ATO listeners and enjoy this police academia round table.

Critical Incident discussed:

July 25th 1981 Officer Klinger shot and killed suspect, Edward Randolph, as he was in the process of stabling his partner; Officer Dennis Azevedo of LA PD.

Nationally recognized criminology professor is featured ALEAPS speaker (wtvy.com)

 Welcome back ATO family and welcome on Dallas Police Assistant Chief Reuben Ramirez who commands the Tactical Support Division. The Units under his command include Dallas SWAT, Gang Unit, Narcotics Division, Fugitive Unit, Mounted, K-9, Traffic/Motors and the Helicopter Unit.

He started Dallas PD in 1995 and went to the Southwest Division and quickly engaged in proactive policing with the amazing Southwest 4040’s Unit. This unit made a reputation as being the go to team as the most effective crime fighters in that division.

He has worked many units within the Dept that include undercover Narcotics, Major Crimes Unit, PIU, Internal Affairs, Crimes Against Persons Bureau Commander and now over Tactical Operations Bureau Commander.

All of this experience, at different levels of command, different types of people, has helped Reuben grow as a person and a professional and also open his mind to a systemic issue in the American policing model in handling officers’ mental health after long term exposure to trauma.

Fast forward to 2021 Dallas Chief gave Ramirez an assignment to gauge the Dallas Police Department’s overall approach to caring for their employees.

After several months of meeting, focus groups, and building a core team to help put his vision in motion the Dallas Police Wellness Unit was born.

Just under a year in existence the Unit has seen early success and is continuing to gain steam to be the leaders and standard to change the mindset in its approach to first responder wellness.

Chief Ramirez wrote a manuscript that was published in the International Association of Chief of Police (IACP) magazine on the implementation of the Dallas Police Wellness Unit for the month of May, Mental Health Awareness Month.

In March of 2023 Reuben drafted Texas House Bill 3858 to incentivize other Texas Police agencies to create a wellness unit that proactively supports the mental health of their employees for years to come. At time of this episodes release it has passed the Texas House and Senate and is on its way to the Texas Governor's desk to sign.

He also created Church Safety Ministry, after a church shooting in Southerland Springs Texas, to provide protocol to church members to survive if attacked. 

 In this episode we will break down this article and listen to Chiefs vision on how he wants this Checkpoint model to become infectious beyond Dallas County to help change a culture, break stigmas, and show vulnerability is not weakness in the policing profession.

This episode begins with a story from over 20 years ago and by the time you finish it you will see that Reuben took a tragedy and is now implementing and idea to benefit generations of first responders.

 Welcome Chief Ramirez to the ATO stage.

Link to the IACP article:

From Idea to Implementation - Police Chief Magazine

“The Rolodex”

ATO Family please welcome one of our blue family members that has traveled over 800 miles to take the stage for the listeners.

Nearly a year ago the ATO received a heartfelt message of gratitude, and it formed a new friendship many states away. This rollercoaster of a story will touch on many topics and have many emotions but when we get to the “Never Give Up on You” exit music the listener will be reminded that Police work is the same everywhere, the trauma is the same everywhere, and even trained first responders need help to survive.

In July of 2022 an incident occurred that changed the direction of this officer’s life but also reminded him of very old wounds that existed from the life of being in law enforcement for over two decades. The cumulative trauma officers endure daily can be as damaging as a rifle being leveled at you during a traffic stop and if, untreated, can weigh on you and become too much.

The weight of the badge is heavy not only for the one that wears it but also the ones they goes home to. We have seen the weight ruin relationships with family and friends and we have also seen that NO ONE is immune to the effects of this weight.

The message today will be clear: YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

Here to present this story today is Joe, Kent, and the Great Dallas SWAT Operator Steve Claggett.

Todays guest is the husband to his beautiful wife Jen, father to Chloe and Hailee, and a true public servant to the state of Iowa.

Special Shout Out to Cedar Rapids Blair Klostermann as she and Matt recently won their Department’s Medal of Valor Award.

 Matt Jenatscheck the ATO stage is yours to tell us about the “Rolodex”.

Critical Incidents:

 The brutal murder of Lynnsey Donald on April 21, 2015. The suspect attacked her, as her 7 year child watched, and stabbed her to death in a parking lot. The suspect received life in prison with no parole.

Officer involved shooting in July 2022 in Cedar Rapids Iowa.

Acronyms used:

EMDR- Eye Movement Desinsitization Reprocessing

Very Special guest cohosts Dallas K9 Angela Arredondo and Sgt Andrea Shipp.

Hello ATO Fam and welcome back for a quick message.

Today we are sitting down with Chief Operating Officer Rebecca Leppert from the Pro Players Foundation that is dedicated to improving the quality of lives for the most in innocent in the world we live in……children.

 This organization endeavors to enrich the lives of kids in need across North Texas through their many projects and programs that benefit underserved victims of catastrophic illness, injury, abuse and sex trafficking.

They truly are serving and saving the lives of those who cannot fight for themselves.

Rebecca Leppert will tell us the history of this great mission, which has first responder ties, and how YOU can help them and be a part of it,

Last year they built over 900 bikes for children ages 2-5 and in 2023 they are hoping to build and deliver over 1000.

 This is REAL and SELFLESS service folks. Please this message a listen and help them out.

https://ppf.ngo

 Welcome back ATO friends as we welcome on a guest that proves that determination, desire and support can lead to a path of greatness no matter where you grow up.

It about the people around you and that inner drive that can propel you to having the desire to being the human being that can help others and make your family proud.

Dallas PD Officer Brandon Dye embodies these qualities.

He grew up in one of the roughest parts of Dallas Texas, South Dallas, the 415, and attended The Great James Madison High School.

We have mentioned before that in certain parts of inner cities the daily crime and violence can become theater for some neighborhoods and police interaction can vary on the experience.

The Dallas Police and the Dallas SWAT Unit were part of Brandon’s life growing up and it sparked a desire in him to serve and help others. He joined the Dallas Police Explorer Program at the Central Post #7980 and knew he was going to lead and forge his own path to be great. He was an explorer from 2009-2015 and then quickly after hired on with the Dallas Police Dept and joined class 346.

He gravitated to Gang Unit enforcement and utilized his real-life experience and knowledge of growing up in the toughest part of Dallas to sharpen his craft in good old fashion street cop work.

This episode will chronicle the life of a young man that experienced challenges at a young age as he grew up in an area that DOES NOT provide some opportunities, they others may enjoy. This episode will inspire, motivate and show that we can resiliency is created and not given to you.

ATO Family please welcome to the stage Brandon Dye and his partner Jacob Holmes as they tell their story of growth, partnership and earning each other’s utmost respect.

Critical Incidents:

Memorial Day 2018 Incident at the People’s El Shadai (Butterbean Apts)

Arrest of Trap Boy Freddy

2020 George Floyd riots in Dallas Texas

“Obsession with Time” Welcome back ATO family as today we present the story of a true visionary in the documentary photographer Richard Sharum. Guest cohosts are Dallas Police Major Nathan Swyers and Dallas Police Homicide Detective Andrea Isom.

Richard Sharum is a documentary and project-centered photographer based in the Dallas, Texas area.  Mainly focusing on socio-economic or social justice dilemmas concerning the human condition, his work has been regarded as in-depth, up-close and personal.

This man will show us the world through a different lens….his camera lens as he commits himself to his projects to show all angles to ensure the reader of his books gets the full picture and the story behind it.

Richard has been embedded with the Dallas Homicide Unit for over a year as he has lived like a Homicide Detective with the midnight callouts for murders as well as the suicide deaths. As Detectives applied their craft at the crime scene so did Richard…..capturing every angle, every emotion from all parties involved. Richard tackles the phenomenon of homicide in our country as he paints a picture from the perspective of the victims, their families, the suspects and their families and the investigators as they attempt to piece together their own puzzles to ensure justice has been served.

Richard showed the world Cuba unlike the United States has ever seen or been told with his book Campesino Cuba.

He documented the unknown community Under Las Vegas, the natural disaster of Katrina and is now showing the beauty of our great county inSpina Americana.

 And now he is telling his story on the ATO stage and after the episode you will truly understand Richards “why” in life.

 Mr. Sharum the stage is yours….. 

https://richardsharum.com

IG: @Richard_Sharum 

richard.andrew.sharum@gmail.com

”It took God to close his eyes in order for him to see…”

Welcome back ATO family and please welcome on a piece of Dallas PD history in Leroy Quigg.

Leroy, curly top, Quigg joined the Dallas Police Department in 1992 and quickly volunteered for the Dallas Gang Unit, during the height of the rise of gangs in Dallas Texas.

From 1993 to 2004 he was an enforcement officer for the Gang Unit. In 1997 he formed a gang intervention project called GI COP to further connect officers to the gang members and community to avoid recidivism. More importantly he wished to stop the violence in the gang world.

In 2004 he became a Detective in the Gang Unit and stayed in this position until 2010 before he climbed the leadership ladder to Sgt.

Leroy has been a trailblazer in community policing in the Dallas Police Department as he created several initiatives such as “Enough is Enough” and barber shop talk called “Getting Faded with 12” to bridge divides with the community. He would sit in barbershops, in the roughest parts of Dallas, and welcome honest open dialogue with the patrons because he gained their trust not as Detective, Sgt, Lt. or Major Quigg……..He did it as Leroy.

Leroy dedicated over 30 years to the City of Dallas and now he is enjoying retirement in Ohio taking care of his family.

Leroy Quigg the stage is yours……..

”You are not alone…..”

Former Dallas PD turned U.S. Marshal -  Chris White returns to the podcast for a second episode to talk about the US Marshal C.I.R.T (Critical Incident Response Team) that responds to critical incidents across the country for the Marshal Service.

CIRT members are trained personnel and are peers that are of high character that respond to incidents to assist with the involved Marshal as well as their families.

In this episode we discuss the responsibilities and importance of these units to help the involved and their families through tragedies.

Marshal White discusses a few incidents that he assisted with as a member of the CIRT.

This is a truly inspiring story told by a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt, former MMA pro-fighter, devoted family man, and dedicated law man. 

ATO Family welcome US Marshal Chris White back to the ATO stage.

Critical Incidents discussed:

In March of 2019 Deputy Jacob Keltner was working with a U.S. Marshals Service fugitive task force to serve an arrest warrant and was shot and killed as the suspect shot through the door. The suspect received 55 years in prison for this offense.

Deputy Keltner left behind a wife and two young children.

Senior Inspector Jared Keyworth, 42, died in the line of duty on Oct. 1 at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Mississippi, from severe injuries incurred in a vehicular accident Sept. 28.

US Marshal Ryan Marten passed away on September 14th 2020.

Ryan was known for having an immense amount of love for his family, friends, country, and of course—the Dallas Cowboys. He was the definition of a true patriot. He will be deeply missed and remembered by all those who had the opportunity to cross paths with him.

And today we sit down with a true patriot in Todd Boeding from the Carry the Load Podcast, Lessons from the Front.

Their podcast can be heard on all streaming platforms as they have on service members from all branches of military and all first responders to tell their incredible stories of resiliency.

The Carry the Load Foundation was created by Navy SEALS Clint Bruce and Stephen Holly as their mission is to restore the true meaning of Memorial Day.

To date the Carry the Load group has raised over 38 million dollars to go towards programs to assist military and first responders.

The Assist the Officer Foundation has been a partner with CTL for several years and are extremely grateful for their amazing mission and generosity.

We look forward to our continued partnership with this great organization as we all Carry the Load.

So leading up to Memorial Day 2023 we ask you……who are you carrying?

WWW.CARRYTHELOAD.ORG

WWW.DALLASATO.ORG 

 “Trust God, Clean House, Serve Others”

 The Assist the Officer Foundation sits down with an incredibly accomplished and unique individual today in Sgt. Andre Taylor of Dallas SWAT.

As Dre grew up in the South side of Chicago, he regularly witnessed acts of violence but also witnessed an incredible community and family as his mother was ever present in his upbringing ensuring he didn’t fall prey to the many negative lifestyles of the streets that could lead to him in jail or dead.

Life laid itself out for Andre as he found himself moving to Dallas Texas to join the Police force in 1999 and began serving the City of Dallas. He joined the Dallas SWAT team in 2003 and trained under some of the toughest SWAT trainers who exposed him to a new level of police work . Andre experienced several critical incidents during his time in SWAT and one that sticks out more than others is an incident that’s familiar to this show. The hostage rescue on Martel still haunts everyone that was a part of that operation.

After leaving SWAT he joined the Dallas Mounted Unit and learned the tools to have a partner, Tommy, that weighed over 1500 lbs. and quickly understood the power and beauty of horses and saw the importance of community policing.

Andre Taylor returned to Dallas SWAT years later and found himself in a new role as the leader and not the operator, so he had to learn to develop tools for his new role as being a boss to high performing and highly trained operators.

Dre has always been in control of his life and his own destiny however in January of 2023 he looked into the mirror and did not like what he saw and realized he could not control an aspect of his life. As he contemplated his new direction, he typed out on email that would change his life, both personally and professionally, forever as he knew once he hit the send button everything would change.

Once he hit send and the first step in climbing a new mountain was taken and now Dre found himself in a completely new world as he had to ask for help to regain control of his life.

The listener will have to finish this story and hear Andre’s new challenge in life and career as he found a new purpose and “why”.  We are hoping Dre finds that needed time now to work on his old cars and roller skate.

ATO Family you are never alone in this life…….Please always reach out.

Critical incident:

Infant hostage on 5800 Martel, Dallas, Texas on 6/20/2007

Acronyms/Phrases:

APC- Armored personnel carrier

#SWAT

#Chicago

12 Step AA Programs: 12 Steps to Recovery for Addiction (americanaddictioncenters.org)

Gillian was born in Dallas in 1988 and she and her family moved to Fairfax, Virginia where she had dreams of becoming a firefighter as a teen and some of the best times of her life was when she was an explorer for the fire department.

Her dream was to be in the fire department but life, as it often does, takes you down several turns that you do not wish to take.  So, she started as a 911 call taker and fell in love with the faster pace and found her niche in problem solving and critical thinking behind the headset.

She applied for Dallas PD Communications as a police dispatcher in 2015 and thrived in the fast-paced city of Dallas, Texas.  But once again life took a different turn and Gillian and her new girlfriend decided to move back to Fairfax as both dove back into communications, and also dove into love as they married in 2017.

Gillian promoted to supervisor in 2020 and subsequently won an award for Excellence in Supervision for her agency her first year in.

Her story isn’t just about call taking and dispatching, the necessity for always being the quarterback for her officers when a “tone” comes out, an inaudible shriek calling for help, or being the one that calms the airwaves as chaos erupts. This story is also about resiliency….extreme mental and physical resiliency in professional and personal life.

She is dedicated to her profession, to her wife Jam, to her twin sister Dallas Detective Kristen Greene, and to the many first responders she assisted over her life.

Gillian Ethridge is truly the Heart Under the Headset.

What is MS? | National Multiple Sclerosis Society (nationalmssociety.org)

Today’s story time features a true warrior and an incredibly kind human being that also happens to be a Dallas Police Officer.

Jose Julian Arvizu hired on with the Dallas Police Department in 2013 and spent most of his time at the Southeast Division (God’s Country) and quickly gained a reputation as being a by the book officer and natural born leader.

This episode tells the story of a Marine, a Police Officer, and a dedicated husband whose life changed on April 18th 2018 as he found himself within a whisper of death.

While training for a charity boxing match, known as Guns and Hoses, Joey began sparring and woke up in Baylor Hospital trying to figure out what happened to him.

His wife, Cathy, stood by his side through all of the fears and all of the unknowns as he fought for his life.

Cathy had always heard of the “Blue Family” but she witnessed, first hand, just how strong that thin blue line is when one of its family is in need of help.

ATO family welcome on the Arvizu family.

Critical Incident discussed:

On April 18th, 2018 Joey Arvizu suffered a brain bleed while prepping for a charity boxing match.

Guns and Hoses event is an annual event that features local police and fire in boxing matches.

" Live Simple, Live Brave, and Live Kindly"

 Welcome back ATO Family today’s episode has a lot of moving parts and includes a lot of heartache, inspiration, healing and the survival.

Gretchen Rocha tells her unique story of growing up in Wisconsin as she was raised in the fundamental independent Baptist culture and learned resiliency at an early age. She chose to take a different path in her life as she experienced early trauma in family and in her religious upbringing that continues to stay with her.

 She hired on with the Dallas Police Department in 2016 and just three weeks into training the unthinkable happened as the City of Dallas was rocked by the most loss of police lives since the 9-11 attacks in NYC.  Gretchen found herself in the line of fire as she could hear the bullets whizzing by her ear and passing through her hair she had to take cover behind a car that was absorbing rounds from the sniper. After being struck, in two different places, she had to drive another downed officer to the hospital and seek medical attention herself.  July 7th 2016 saw five officers murdered and several others wounded, including this guest.

Sit back and listen to the story of an interesting woman, officer, mother, wife and bad ass entrepreneur.

The ATO stage is given to  the domestic Goddess Gretchen Rocha.

Follow her on Facebook at Dolce Beauty Bar 

Critical Incidents discussed:

July 7th 2016 in downtown Dallas at Lamar and Main St. that resulted in 5 Officers murdered and several others wounded.

November 16th 2018, Arts Apartments on Ross Ave. Off Duty Incident that Gretchen encountered burglary suspects in her apartment parking garage.

This will be our Kevin James Clayshoot Edition as we sit down with one of the organizers of this great event in Dallas SWAT Lt. Kevin Campbell.

Lt. Campbell currently commands the SWAT Unit and has been instrumental in planning and organizing the annual KJ Clay Shoot that benefits the Assist the Officer Foundation.

To register for this event go to WWW.KEVINJAMESCLAYSHOOT.COM if you want to sponsor a team or come out and shoot.

The Event will be April 7th at Elm Fork Shooting Range in Dallas. Registration begins at 8am and with a 9am shoot start.

Breakfast and lunch will be served and several kick ass items will be up for raffle.

We also always need volunteers to help run these events so please reach out atATOBRIDGING@GMAIL.COM OF YOU WANT TO COME SUPPORT US.

We are also raffling off a unique Peacock Bass fishing trip in the amazon that is all inclusive. The trip will be onboard Rio Negro Queen for two spots.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE PRESENT AT THE CLAYSHOOT TO WIN THIS FISHING TRIP.

Value of the trip is around 10K.

Big thank you to Wade Dews and Tyler Remediz at Frontline Real Estate Team for starting the Heroes Serving Heroes Program and will donate percentage of commissions to the ATO.

As always thank you for supporting us and be safe, keep listening and lets take care of each other.

Joe

“Don’t get left in Virginia”

ATO friends, you are in for a treat.  We sat down with the not so ordinary man with an ordinary name.  Senior Corporal Matt Smith talks about how his East Texas upbringing helped forge the discipline that has defined him throughout his police career. 

Matt joined the Dallas Police Department in 1999.  He was assigned to the Northeast Patrol division after completing the Police Academy.  In 2005 he competed in a tryout for the Dallas SWAT Team and has not looked back.

Senior Corporal Smith was originally assigned to a sniper role but since that time, he has been trained in almost every discipline the SWAT team offers. Matt attacked each role with a determination that is difficult to match.  He has been an Assistant Squad Leader in the prestigious Dallas SWAT Team for 8 years and running. In that role he demands a lot from the officers in the unit and more of himself.  For almost 18 years he has crafted different ways to be even more prepared for any incident. 

Whether it is a hostage rescue, barricaded person, natural disaster, or a presidential dignitary protection assignment, you can count on Matt Smith to be ready in a pressed uniform with his equipment prepared and his ride clean.

Join us as we discuss preparation, operations, mindset, and training with a true professional.

Critical incidents:

Oak Park search warrant/shooting multiple officers hit by gunfire

July 7th 2016

October 2007 search warrant in which Lieutenant Carlton Marshall was shot

 #SWATTRAINING

 #TTPOA

 #SWAT

#firstresponders

#mentalhealth

#policestories

#firefighters

#firstresponderpodcast

#wellness

#police

#policepodcasts

#coplife

#policecriticalincidents

#truecrime

#policedetectives

#SWAT

#DallasSWAT

#truecrimejunkie

#truecrimeobsessed

#crime

#murder

#truecrimefan

#truepolicestories

#podcasts

In his episode we discuss some police ride alongs he did with us back in 1999 and 2007 and we may have been too candid with these stories but hey everything turned out great.

They aired this segment right after we released Bob’s episode and, being a longtime Ticket fan, it was entertaining to hear.

I want The Ticket and Bob to know how grateful we are to have joined us for an episode and go even further to give us some additional love with an entire segment.

You are about to hear a segment of Bob’s World from The Ticket.

Thank You Bob and Thank You Hardline for the support.

ATO friends……Enjoy this bonus clip and have an amazing and safe weekend.

Joe

Dallas Police Department’s Bryan Candelaria #9294 and Gabriel Candelaria #9326

The Dallas Island Boys

The Assist the Officer Foundation welcomes on the Dallas Police Department’s identical twin brothers in Bryan and Gabriel Candelaria.

Hailing from the 305, Miami Florida, they do embody the flavor of South Florida as they grew up in the fast- paced post cocaine cowboy era of Miami.

They both gravitated to law enforcement as they grew up in a first responder family under the tutelage of the great Miami-Dade PD Legend Omar Carrillo.  (The ATO family will hear Omar’s story on a later episode)

In the true spirit of Greek mythology twin archers, Apollo and Artemis, they are identical yet very different in their approach to life and career.

They moved to North Texas to begin their law enforcement career and joined the Dallas Police Department and started the academy in the same academy class.

They hit the streets in different part of Dallas as Gabe went North and Bryan went South and both then truly began forming their own style of police work. Bryan chose “Chasing Dope” and Gabe gravitated to Intelligence led policing and finding his niche in undercover deployment.

Like Artemis and Apollo both had a passion for the “hunt” of policing as they quickly became effective in just taking bad guys off the street to make the neighborhoods safer.

After leaving the Southeast Division CRT Bryan joined the prestigious Dallas SWAT to fulfill a life-long dream, following in Omar’s footsteps and Gabe joined a team on the ground floor that would revolutionize the Dallas PD in ushering in the video age in the body worn camera program.

This story is about two brothers, different in many ways, but equally genuine as human beings that pursued a calling and both succeeding in every stop they’ve had with Dallas PD.  

Both are finally in leadership roles to be mentors and role models to help mold the future of the Dallas Police Department as Gabriel serves as the Lieutenant for the Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia and Bryan a Sergeant for the Violent Crime Task Force.

Sit back and enjoy laughter, inspiration, heartbreak and growth as we introduce the Candy Twins to the ATO stage.

Critical Incidents:

Officer involved shooting in the Dixon Circle Community 7/24/2012

Hostage rescue with children on 2/9/2020 at 6000 Abrams

Hostage Rescue Homicide/Suicide on 511 Highcrest 5/18/2020

George Floyd riots in downtown Dallas in 2020

Instagram: ato_bridging_divide

ATODALLAS.org

Contact us at atobridging@gmail.com

#firstresponders

#mentalhealth

#policestories

#firefighters

#firstresponderpodcast

#dallaspolice

#police

#dallaspolice

#SWAT

#305tillidie

#miami

Dallas Police Department Major Mark Harris #7877

”The craziest rage I’ve ever felt in my life”

Today the ATO crew is sitting with a genuine individual and true professional to discuss the “Charlie Brown Effect”.

Dallas Major Mark Harris grew up in St Louis and found the love of his life Yvonne before joining the United States Marine Corp as he started his life of service.  From 1986-1989 he began his life in law enforcement as an MP for the USMC before he traveled to South Texas to work for the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office until 2000. 

In 2000 he joined the Dallas Police Department and has risen through the ranks up to Police Major and now commands the North Central Patrol Division. 

Mark has had several events in his life and career that have defined him and also strengthen him as he endured the “Charlie Brown Effect”. 

Every year at Thanksgiving Charlie would trust Lucy to hold the ball while he kicks it, and every year she would yank the ball away and Charlie would fall flat on his back. Yet Charlie still tries, every year, to kick that ball that Lucy holds. 

Life can be that way for all of us…..Falling flat on our backs. However getting back up and being persistent is what can define a person and establish growth.  Throughout his career Mark never stopped trying to kick that ball and he is now a Major in one of the largest Police Departments in the country. 

Even as a Commander he never lost his genuine kindness he has possessed his entire life as he always treats his troops with fairness, compassion, and support. 

You can travel the halls of Dallas PD headquarters and you will be hard pressed to find anyone to say something negative towards Major Mark Harris.

Special guest cohost Narcotics Detective Todd “T-Bone” Conway joins us as he is a longtime friend of Major Harris as well having a unique perspective as he was present when Mark was shot while running a Narcotics search warrant in the Pleasant Grove area of Dallas.

Critical Incident:

On 9/28/2006 at 9711 Pinehurst, Dallas Texas, Dallas Police Narcotics Division were involved in a shooting while they executed a search warrant. During this officer involved shooting Major Harris was hit with gunfire as his teammates returned fire at the barricaded suspect.  #policenarcotics #criticalincident #fallenheroes #police #narcotics #narcos #policeresponse

Dallas Police Homicide Unit Detective Andrea Isom # 9272

The Dallas Police Department’s Homicide Unit is incredibly rich in history.

The Homicide and Robbery Unit, under Captain J.W. Fritz, was considered the elite unit of the Dallas Police Department as it investigated high profile crimes like the Texas Eyeball Killer, the pastor Walker Railey, and the murder of President John F. Kennedy in 1963.

Capt. Fritz created traditions and a standard in excellency that lives on today as they investigate the most egregious of crimes……taking another humans life.

Penal Code Chapter 19:

A person commits criminal homicide if he intentionally, knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence causes the death of an individual.

Today’s guest continues the great tradition of putting together puzzle pieces and solving crimes that a victim does not get a chance to tell their side of the story.  She does this with her meticulous style and grace that has formed her reputation as being one of the best Detectives that works for the City of Dallas.

Hailing from the great city of Kansas City Missouri Andrea Isom hired on with Dallas PD in 2007 and began working the streets in North East Patrol Division as a rookie street cop.

After working as an Assaults Detective she fulfilled her dream of becoming a Homicide Detective. She hit the ground running as the City of Dallas has no shortage of violent crimes as she cut her teeth on training as she assisted on the high-profile Zoe Hastings and the murder of a local dentist.

This episode Andrea details cases she worked on as well as the victimology aspect of putting together pieces of the puzzle to bring these suspects to justice to give the families and friends some form of peace.

Detective Isom recently was awarded the Dallas Police Association Cop’s Cop Runner-Up Award for the 2022 Officer of the Year. This award is voted on and given by her peers on the Dallas Police Department.

She also is co-founder of the TAB7 non-profit organization that was designed to raise funds for the Homicide Unit for equipment and training that can be used for solving crimes.

ATO family sit back and soak in the story of a true professional that sees and investigates some of this City’s most horrific scenes and still makes time to bake her coworkers homemade cookies. #firstresponders #homicidedetective #trauma #criticalincidentresponse #homicide

Bob Gorsky of Lyon, Gorsky, & Gilbert LLP.

Texas Super Lawyer 

When Police are put into a position to use deadly force or they have incurred an injustice they may have to make a phone call for help. 

For over 45 years attorney Bob Gorsky has picked up the phone when first responders call in need of help.

Members of the Dallas Police Association, Dallas PD’s largest association,  and many other Texas Officer and Firefighter groups have had to make that call to Bob.

Mr. Gorsky grew up in Buffalo, New York and graduated from the famed Southern Methodist University School of Law in 1978 and quickly began getting involved with the defense of Texas peace officer in the Dallas Area.

He is the founding partner of Lyon, Gorsky, & Gilbert LLP and has responded to over 2000 critical incidents since 1983. He is believed to be the first attorney in Texas to regularly respond to officer – involved critical incidents.

In addition to the development of the attorney’s role in responding to critical incidents, he was the first to attorney to represent an officer at an Internal Affairs Division. (Circa 1985)

He has passionately fought for the rights of first responders throughout his career and continues to do so to this day.

In this episode we detail some of those historic fights like the Ron Iscaro case that occurred on August 25th 1983 when Bob had to fight to create light duty positions for injured officers. Before this case there were no light duty positions for officers that were injured and unable to return to full duty.

There has not been a major fight for Officers against the City of Dallas or the Dallas Police Department that Bob’s expertise and true dedication hasn’t played a role in those fights.

Thank you, Bob for all that you do and being our guardian and protector for our first responders.

www.lyongorsky.com

 Critical Incidents:

On August 25th 1983 Dallas Officer Ron Iscaro responded to 1960 Toronto St. and was shot in the temple with a shotgun. Officer Iscaro was only 23 years old at the time of this incident.  

On the eve of releasing the Great Bob Gorsky episode I want to drop our latest message from the host.

This is no ordinary message as we are proud to sit down with a true first responder supporter in the creator of The Officer Next Door Page.

The father of this page likes to remain anonymous so we will respect his wishes but his former Dallas PD friends and family know the real man behind the mask and know his true mission behind this great page.

I met him when he arrived to God’s Country, Southeast Patrol, and I saw that we were very like minded as we both loved putting away neighborhood terrorist. His work ethic and charisma helped him propel to the Dallas Narcotics Division and climb to the top of that unit to take on the “Lab Unit” which is still looked at as the cream of the crop in that Division.

This message tells a little more about why he created his page, The Officer Next Door, and why he is committed to standing along side his police peers as he enjoys a new adventure in life.

Sit back and enjoy this message as it just a “glimpse” of a great man,Officer, Detective, and incredible friend.

Who is this mysterious person that runs this page??  Tune in to try and figure it out.

And please wish him a HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY!!!

THEOFFICERNEXTDOOR@GMAIL.COM

If you would like to donate to the ATO please go to ATODALLAS.ORG. Any contribution will be greatly appreciated and it will go to our first responders.

Keep listening….Stay Safe and we will see you soon.

JK

TMPA Field Services Supervisor and Retired Garland Texas Detective Clint McNear

Today’s episode is with a third generation Texas Law Enforcement and a true voice and advocate for all police officers across the country. Clint grew up in Plano Texas and was the son of long time Dallas Police Department Homicide Detective Stan McNear. He joined the Marines and became an MP to begin his long career of service. Clint then dove into being a true Texas Peace Officer as he was hired by the Garland Police Department and he hit the ground sprinting working some of the most crime ridden parts of Garland.

He climbed to the rank of Detective and worked burglary Division, Child Crimes, and finishes in the Crimes Against Persons Unit as he retired in 2013.

Every long police career has a story of heartbreak and Clint was not immune to experiencing life’s tragedies as he had to hold his partner as he gave his final breath after a tragic accident.

Clint McNear now dedicates his life fighting for officers rights as a TMPA, The Voice of Texas Law Enforcement, representative. The TMPA started in 1950 and is the largest police association in Texas and represents over 30,000 local, state and county law enforcement officers.

Clint McNear and Capt. Tyler Owens host the TMPA’s new podcast Blue Grit Podcast: The Voice of Texas Law Enforcement as they also give first responders a stage to tell their stories of resiliency and give their listener a peek at the behind the scenes in this great profession

Clint’s academy classmate and longtime friend Garland PD ICAC Detective Tony Godwin sits in to roast his buddy. Tony is also one half of the hit podcast Catfish Cops.  Detective Godwin is an expert in online child crimes and uses his podcast stage to educate the public and provide awareness to the seedy world of Crimes Against Children. Tony also shows why he is still a loyal friend to McNear and has stood by his friends side for almost 3 decades.

This is the first time, and maybe the only time, the ATO: Bridging the Divide crew sits with a guest and guest cohost who also have their own podcasts.

Sit back and enjoy the story of Clint McNear.

https://TMPA.ORG

CatFish Cops

The ATO brings you a different perspective today with an episode all about Doctor Alexander Eastman.

Oftentimes people find a level of success and become comfortable with their positions in life.  They rest on their laurels and allow their previous accomplishments to define them.  Alexander Eastman is not one of those people.

Growing up outside of Washington DC, Alex began a life of servanthood working as a firefighter/EMT/rescue worker and even spent time in the political arena of DC.  

Doctor Eastman navigated the education world of the University of Texas and George Washington University School of Medicine and achieved what few do, becoming the Chief of the Rees-Jones Trauma Center at Parkland Medical Center in Dallas.  He was also an Assistant Professor and trauma surgeon in the Division of Burns, Trauma and Critical Care at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

As if those achievements were not enough, a lunch with Lieutenant Owens led to Alex joining the Dallas Police Department in 2004 working alongside the Dallas SWAT team as the Lead Medical Officer, responding to every event the SWAT team would for years to come.  He and Doctor Jeffrey Metzger started the Tactical Medic program that has provided the SWAT team with an actual trauma surgeon on scene.  The Tactical Medic program has proven its worth time and time again saving lives in less than desirable conditions.

He is the Chief Medical Officer of the Dallas Police Department and has reached the rank of Lieutenant in the Dallas Police Reserve Officer program that allows volunteers to work hand in hand with active duty officers.

Doctor Eastman is now serving as the Senior Medical Officer at the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Health Security.

Listen as we reminisce through his distinctive journey of almost 20 years of service.

ATODALLAS.ORG

Critical Incidents:

Discuss Dr. Eastman’s involvement in the July 7th 2016 ambush attack in downtown Dallas

 October 2007 in North Oak Cliff Dallas SWAT Lt. Carlton Marshall was shot and paralyzed while executing a federal search warrant.

Dr. Eastman and Metzger performed tactical field surgery on the side of the house to save Marshall’s life. The suspect received 45 years in prison for her actions.

This will be our 7th Message from the Host with Joe King and Kent Wolverton as we say farewell to 2022 and welcome 2023 with open arms.

We are extremely grateful for our loyal listeners. We want to say thank you to some of our day one listeners and also welcome our new members.

The Assist the Officer Foundation if proud to announce a sponsorship with the First Responders Coffee Company (FRCC)!

The First Responders Coffee Company was started by Brent Tucker, Delta Force operator and Green Beret, as a way to give back to the first responder community. FRCC believes in the ATO’s mission in assisting our officers with improving mental health.

Nick Wacker of Osceola County Sheriff’s Office SWAT contacted the ATO and introduced us to this great company.

To look up information on this company go to https://frccoffee.com and check out their products and read on their staffs mission. Use promo code ATO and all retail profits are sent directly to the Assist the Officer Foundation.

This message we will talk about upcoming episodes and projects we have in store for 2023. This podcast wants to hear from our listeners for suggestions and feedback, good and bad, to sharpen our knives to get better and put out a better product for you.

Please contact us at ATOBRIDGING@GMAIL.COM.

If you would like to donate to our cause and support both the Police and Fire Community please go to ATODALLAS.ORG.

Until next time…..Be safe and lets take care of each other.

Joe.

Dallas Police Gordon Fulton #10785

“Walking on a razors edge “

Today’s story is a unique journey of heartbreak, darkness, accountability and redemption as this guest truly battled that demon in a bottle.

The Dallas Police recently created a policy to assist officers that are struggling with alcoholism to come forward and seek help and have full support from the Dept. More importantly, it was created to establish a culture to have a conversation, the brutally tough ones, to shine a light on the first responder worlds dark secret…..alcohol issues. The first responder community has a long culture of drinking to cope with the cumulative ptsd that occurs daily and throughout a long career.

The Assist the Officer Foundation is proud to sit down with one of these success stories and hear a courageous tale of divine intervention and a lot of dominos that fell perfectly into place to help this young man have a new lease on life in both mind and body.

This story is raw, candid and a peek inside the life of someone who is struggling in the shadows to cope with the rigors of this profession. Gordon said if his story can help one other officer come forward and get help then sharing his story is worth it. 

To the many other agencies across the country: 

Its not a matter of IF you have employees who are struggling…..THEY ARE.

Build it….. They Will Come. 

It Could Save a Life and Career. 

If you would like more info on the Dallas PD Alcohol Leave policy reach out to ATOBrIdging@gmail.com

Critical Incident:

The mass shooting in downtown Dallas Texas on July 7th 2016 that resulted in the death of 5 officers.

Paul Miltenberger was struck by a vehicle and killed in April of 2015.

Dallas Police Dept. Sgt. Michael Smith End of Watch: 7/7/16

Dart Officer Brent Thompson End of Watch: 7/7/16

Shelby Houston

In Memory of Richard Houston

On December 3rd, 2021, Richard Houston, a 21-year Mesquite PD veteran, answered a domestic disturbance call and tragic events unfolded and he did not make it home that night.

Being a family member or a friend of a first responder can be very rewarding as you have a front row seat of a true servant, a role model, and a hero. However, tragedy can watch from afar and show up and cause a loved to receive a life changing phone call that will shape everyone’s future.

Richard was a dedicated husband, incredible father to his children and a dedicated peace officer that left this world too soon.  Before he responded to that call and left this world he sent his daughter, Shelby, a sweet and reassuring text that he and her mom will aways have her back.

At her father's funeral she gave a breathtaking eulogy that inspired so many as it truly showed the beautiful side of humanity as Shelby spoke of forgiveness. This is her story of resiliency, faith and the incredible journey she is now a part of.

The ATO is honored to sit down with this amazing young woman as she tells her story of her new “Why” in life and how she honors her father. Here to help tell this story we also are honored to welcome on the Honorable Judge Rainey Webb and her husband, former Dallas SWAT member Chris Webb.

“If you are serious about your dream, surround yourself with people who love you well” -Bob Goff

 Mesquite Police Officer Richard Houston Badge #821

End of Watch December 3rd,2021

www.shelbyhouston.org

WWW.BOBGOFF.COM

Bob Sturm of the Ticket’s The Hardline

Welcome back to the show ATO family.

This episode the Assist the Officer Foundation sits down with the Sturminator himself, Bob Sturm of KTCK The Ticket.

Bob is a long time first responder supporter as he has a unique family connection with various types of law enforcement across the country.

Bridging the Divide host Joe has maintained a friendship with Sturm that goes back to 1999 as he had his first ride along with DPD and, admittedly, we flew a little to close to the sun that day with Bob’s safety as he was a passenger in the team’s “Trojan Horse” van.

Sturm’s big sports brain has fascinated Ticket fans since he was hired in 1998. His talents also caught a certain Dallas Legend’s eye as the great Troy Aikman summoned Bob for a visit that turned into a job.

This guest is much more than just a sports genius as Bob and his family discovered their true  “why” and purpose as they took a leap of faith and saved a life with an international adoption of an incredible young son.

Bob Sturm covers the Dallas Cowboys for The Athletic. He has written about the team for over two decades while also hosting talk shows for 96.7 The Ticket in DFW and can be heard on "The Hardline" from 3-7 p.m. M-F.

During his time in Dallas, he has also written about the Cowboys for The Dallas Morning News, D Magazine and Fox Sports.

Follow Bob on Twitter @sportssturm

WWW.THETICKET.COM

ATODallas.org

drinkhoist.com

legends.fit. 

Dallas SWAT Hostage Negotiator JD Byas

***Warning graphic content discussed involving suicide ***

The Assist the Officer Foundation gets many requests from across the country on guests and topics and one common topic we keep getting is to have on a hostage negotiator. The Dallas PD SWAT Unit has several members trained in hostage negotiations however they have on a very “seasoned” veteran in James “JD” Byas.

He Hired on with the Dallas Police Department in 1985 and spent five years working the streets in the North West Division and then was recruited to join the Mounted Unit. In 1993 JD found himself in the middle of downtown Dallas battling the mob during the Dallas Cowboys championship parade and helped clear the path, with his equine partner, to provide safety to the citizens and prevent the city from burning.

Shortly after this parade JD, again, was recruited to the Dallas SWAT unit and began mastering patience and precision as the role of a sniper, specializing in glass ballistics.

He became a hostage/crisis negotiator in 2000 and has completed over 700 hours of training with the Suicide/Crisis Center. His nearly 30 years of SWAT experience covers over 475 barricaded persons and suicide call outs, and several hundred high risk warrant operations. He travels the country instructing Police Departments in hostage negotiation while still remaining active with SWAT. JD was also featured in the A&E show Dallas SWAT.

ATO fans you asked for a hostage negotiator and we provided the best Dallas has to offer in this field…. so sit back and soak in the very cerebral topic of hostage negotiation with JD Byas.

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Critical incidents:

Dallas Cowboys championship parade riot in February 1993.

Chief Doug Kowalski

 Special THANK YOU to the ATO family and friends as we release our landmark episode in, fittingly, our Big 5-0.

The Assist the Officer Foundation is proud to release our 50th episode and capture a true piece of Dallas Police and Texas law enforcement history in this story.

Doug Kowalski moved to Texas and joined the Dallas Police Department in 1977, where he advanced through the ranks of Officer, Corporal, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, and Deputy Chief.

Chief Kowalski tells the story of the growth of the Dallas PD Narcotics Unit that went from only eight detectives in 1977 to swelling to over 100 during the 1990’s bloody drug wars in Dallas, Texas. Chief helped sculpt this unit and saw incredible Dallas PD history, good and bad, as he witnessed unit success, corruption, and tragedy.

During his Dallas career he commanded the Dallas SWAT Unit and oversaw the enormous task of implementing the 911 system in Dallas, Texas.

His boots on the ground approach as a SWAT leader was evident when he found himself surrounded by a hostile crowd during the Dallas Cowboys championship parade, fighting for his life in the heart of downtown Dallas.

After leaving Dallas PD he traveled North and began a new career in Mckinney, Texas to lead their police department and witnessed the department grow to three times its size under his command in over a decade of being the Mckinney PD’s Chief.

Now Chief Kowalski commands the Prosper Police Department and , again, is leading a department that is seeing massive growth in both city and PD.

For this landmark episode the ATO crew welcomed back LT. Bob Owens, a 40-year Dallas PD veteran, to sit with his old boss and give his perspective on this incredible career. This duo has over 80 years of law enforcement service.

Special Thank You to Misty Vancuren, Danny Canete, Josh Hertel, Randy Aguilar and so many incredible guests and guest cohosts to make this podcast happen.

Critical incidents:

Dallas Cowboys championship parade riot in February 1993.

1999 story of former Dallas Chief Terrell Bolton’s demotion of 9 commanders.

Sept 1990 Former Dallas Police Chief MAck Vines was indicted on perjury charges.

Dallas Fire and Rescue Firefighter Zack Talent

Dallas Fire Department is so rich in history and on July 4th 2022 it celebrated its 150th year anniversary.

The ATO is happy to sit down with one of their young, rising firefighter stars, Zack Talent, to honor this department and give the listener some more insight into this job and the toll it can take.

Zack and his beautiful wife, Meagan, join us to tell the listener a unique tale of gaining self- awareness and resiliency, as well as professional and personal growth.

Zack, a Rowlett, Texas native, grew up wanting to be a police officer and ultimately join a SWAT team. He would watch a little-known show called “Dallas SWAT” and watch legends like Claggett and Byas operate while visualizing himself donning the SWAT gear.

However, life’s road has many forks, different pathways, and decisions that one must make, and sometimes dreams have to be put on hold or redirected. In July of 2018 Zack followed a path that led him to the doors of the historic Dallas Fire Department to dedicate his life to service and saving others.

He hit the streets running as the City of Dallas has no shortages of critical incidents, heartbreak, and opportunities to save a life.  Zack immersed himself into the life of a firefighter and took the opportunity to join the Dallas Fire Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) as this elite team is trained in the art of rope rescue, structural collapse rescue, vehicle rescue as well as trench rescue.

The life of a first responder can be packed with critical incidents and trauma, and you never know which day can be your last or when the next incident will cut deeper than most.

Dr. T believes the first step of resiliency is becoming self-aware and Zack, after hearing Dr. Twedell’s episode, had a watershed moment in his life as he noticed something was wrong and needed to be fixed.

So Zack began a new journey, with his wife by his side, to become a better version of himself and sharpen his own tools of resiliency.

ATO listeners soak in the story of true courage as we give the stage and microphone to Zack and Meagan Talent.

”Fight Well”

Barbara and David Crump

The ATO is proud to sit down with another dynamic duo in Barbara and David Crump as they let the listener take a peek behind the curtain of a true first responder couple.

Barbara, a Licensed Professional Counselor and specializes in first responders and marriage therapy.  She wrote and taught curriculum for the Catalyst PHP program and was trained in EMDR therapy in 2019.  She’s a clinical director and board member for 3FTL and also one of the Assist the Officer Foundation counselors.

She takes an unique approach to helping first responders by honing her craft as a board member for 3FTL, a comprehensive mental health treatment team for first responders. They are dedicated to saving the lives of the people that save us. 3FTL is a non-profit that was started by Jennifer and Brian Halley in 2018. 

David, a Dallas native, is an active member of the Mckinney Fire Department as a firefighter and paramedic. He is heavily involved in the Peer support program for Mckinney Fire and he has had to personally fight off his own trauma from real life critical incidents in his profession. 

Together they are truly formidable as role models in their approach to marriage and true partnerships as they promote “ fighting well” and not sweating the small stuff.

ATO listeners it is now time to meet The Crumps.

About - Meier Clinics

3FTL

FD: McKinney Fire Department | McKinney, TX - Official Website (mckinneytexas.org)

Dallas Police Department Wellness Unit OWL episode

“Stay the Course “ ~Dr. T

Officer Wellness Longevity is the OWL

This story is a different type of episode as the ATO is happy to sit down and give the listener a look behind the curtain of Dallas PD’s brand new wellness unit.

In 2021 Chief Eddie Garcia tasked Assistant Chief Reuben Ramirez with creating a new robust unit to take a proactive approach to ensuring its officers have the support and education to be better versions of themselves in mind and body. This profession is a never-ending story of tragedy, violence, understaffing, and in some cases, underappreciation for the women and men that show up daily to serve their citizens.

Dallas PD, with its long history of traumatic events, carries the scars from decades of these events and the daily grind of putting on that uniform and their iconic Dallas Police badge. A robust, all hands of deck proactive approach is long overdue to help our profession normalize the conversation on mental health and overall fitness so our officers understand, and more importantly, feel they have support to know its ok to NOT be ok.

In late August 2022 the Dallas Police Dept rolled out their new unit with Lieutenant Lisette Rivera, Sgt. Omar Figueroa, David Massey, Demarquis Black, Nacole Glass, and Joe King to provide support to their peers.

Dr. Heather Twedell, DR. T,  is back with the Bridging the Divide podcast to give her incredible insight and expertise in the mind of the first responder and speaks on the beat practices and paths for officers to take on their journey in resiliency.

In Dr. T’s own words: The police profession is like a bad human experiment as we expect a human being to sit and watch bad vision after bad vision and terrible experience after terrible experience for decades and expect them to be normal in their own lives and have healthy relationships.

Critical Incidents discussed:

Ambush on July 7th 2016 in Downtown Dallas. 

#police

#wellness

#policementalwellness

#f1rst

#dallaspolicedepartment

”everybody deserves a second chance “

Today the ATO is proud to present our “rookie” episode as we sit down with young Dallas Police Officer Rodney Harrison.

We wanted a rookies perspective in starting this profession in today’s climate of culture change as well as public perception in law enforcement. However we got more than we bargained for in booking young Rodney as he has an interesting life story that started well before career putting on a gun and badge and taking an oath.

He attended Berklee College of Music, that gave us talents such as Quincy Jones and John Mayer, and put this degree to use in starting a music therapy program for an inpatient facility that specialized in dialectical and cognitive behavioral therapy. This program afforded him the ability to a music studio where he would either find musicians who lost their love of music due to addiction or provide a learning environment to those who wanted to get into music.

Most first responders have a “why” they choose to serve and protect and Rodney explains that moment when life directed him to serve and truly take evil off of the streets as he tells the story of his grandmother was visited by pure evil when he was 16 years old. This senseless crime fueled him to follow his heart to becoming a protector and why he chose the City of Dallas to pursue this passion.

Rodney joined the DPD in January of 2020 and a few months later the world shut down and the Dallas police department found itself, like the rest of the world, in uncharted territory as the police department could not shut down as the fear and uncertainty of Covid had to be navigated.

Rodney has a quote from his bio that I love: “My biggest thing was to find my why and to chase what I was passionate about….find something that fuels you so you can always use to embers when you need a push”

I think these are pretty wise words to live by….especially from a “Rookie”. – J. King

This will be our fifth message from the host with special guest cohost Dallas PD Sgt. Kent Wolverton. Kent was a SWAT supervisor, K9 Sgt, and currently assigned to the Narcotics Division and more Importantly……he’s just an incredible human being that genuinely cares about his officers. Today we talk about upcoming episodes with the lifesaver Dallas SWAT Dr. Alex Eastman.

Dr. Eastman, former Parkland Hospital Trauma Surgery Chief, helped start up the Dallas SWAT Dr. Program and instantly proved their value as they helped save the life of SWAT Lt Carlton Marshall.  We also discuss the career of former Garland Detective Clint McNear. Clint has dedicated his life to serving law enforcement as he is a rep for the TMPA. This episode also has a special guest cohost in, one half of the Catfish Cops podcast, Detective Tony Godwin. 

Also giving a shout out to first responder supporter and Dickey Foundation Board Member Gary Stapleton.  Gary is a co-owner of the brand new Dallas restaurant Willie D’s, located at 2929 N Henderson in uptown Dallas.   Until we meet again ATO listeners, be safe and take care of one another.   Contact us at ATObridging@gmail.Com  Joe

The Assist the Officer Foundation is sitting down with a “white coat” in this episode as our guest is Dr. Jeffery Metzger. Dr. Metzger went to UC Riverside for his undergraduate, majoring in Biomedical Sciences, finishing a 7 year Bachelor/MD program at UCLA School of Medicine.

Dr. Metzger then went to Duke University for Emergency Medicine training before coming to Dallas/UTSW for a fellowship in Government Emergency Medical Security Services before starting to work in the new DPD SWAT Dr. program.

He is here with us to talk about his incredible journey from a small town in the Mojave desert in California to working on the Dallas PD underwater rescue team to being involved with the city of Dallas response to Ebola and Covid-19 in 2020. Dr. Metzger was behind the scenes in closed door meetings with city leaders to formulate a  plan to keep the city of Dallas Emergency services functioning during a new deadly virus that the world knew little about. Dr. Metzger has saved lives in the civilian world as well as the first responder world as he was on scene performing field triage, during an active scene, as a Dallas SWAT Commander fell during a warrant.

ATO fans enjoy listening to the story of a humble hero that has dedicated his life to saving lives and service……meet Dr. Jeffery Metzger MD.

EOW: 3/23/2007 Dallas Sr Cpl Mark Nix 

Critical Incident discussed:

Dallas SWAT LT Carlton Marshall was shot by a suspect during a warrant entry on October 17th 2007  

#Dallasswat

#dallaspolice

#firstresponders

Dallas Assistant District Attorney Michelle Shughart

The ATO is excited to bring the listeners the story of one of Dallas’ most respected and accomplished prosecutors, A.D.A Michelle Shughart.

Michelle, an SMU Dedman School of Law grad, hired on with the Dallas District Attorney’s office in June of 2005 and remains there to this day.  

From 2015-2017 she investigated and prosecuted the notorious Dr. Death, Christopher Duntsch case in Dallas.  

Dr. Death covers the case of the Dallas neurosurgeon who maimed, paralyzed and killed patients during his operations. In his 18 months in Dallas, he operated at four hospitals, injuring over 30 patients.

This is the story from the prosecutor that presented this case to the citizens of Dallas and after thirteen days of trial it took these Dallas citizens only four hours to convict Duntsch and on February 20th2017 he was sentenced to life in prison.

The conviction of Duntsch has been called a precedent setting case as it is believed to be the first time that a physician has been convicted on criminal charges for actions in the course of their medical work.

ADA Shughart has also prosecuted criminals for homicide and child abuse cases as she is one of the offices “go to” veteran attorneys.

The citizens of the city of  Dallas demand justice and Michelle pours her heart and soul into the cases she presents so the victims and families of these crimes get some semblance of peace and justice.

The city of Dallas is lucky to have someone like Michelle Shughart fighting for them.

This is our fourth message from the  hosts to talk about the Assist the Officer Foundation and we very proud to sit down with the great Clint McNear.  In this message we talk about upcoming episodes and projects, including Clint’s upcoming episode.  We also tell the story of Deputy Inspector General Richard Hale.  Deputy Inspector General Richard Hale died in a vehicle crash on May 9, 2018. Deputy Inspector General Hale was 46 years old and is survived by his wife and eight children. He joined the Texas Juvenile Justice Department - Office of Inspector General and previously served with the Decatur Police Department.

You will not be forgotten.

This is also an opportunity for us to talk directly to the loyal listeners and tell you thank you and we want to hear from you.  If you have an idea…..gripe…..guest or topic suggestion let’s us hear from you at Atobridging@gmail.Com.  Also if you want to look up information on the ATO and donate to our cause in helping your first responders go to ATODallas.org  Again thank you for the incredible feedback and love.  So Until next time…keep listening…be safe and lets take care of each other.

Texas Officer Jackie Q and Dr. Tania Glenn

In this episode the ATO traveled to Cedar Park Texas to sit down with with Officer Jackie Q and the great Tania Glenn. Jackie’s journey of struggle, courage and recovery takes the listener through her early teen years, time on as an EMT to becoming a police officer in Texas. This story is unique as the guest cohost, Tania Glenn, is the person that Jackie turned to for help as she suffered through the gauntlet of PTSD in the world of a first responder.   This very candid tale from this courageous Officer shows many different aspects of PTSD, critical incidents and personal life that so many people battle through. Thank you Dr. Glenn for allowing us to use the amazing office of Tania Glenn and Associates. #mentalhealth #firstresponders #policelife #cedarparktx WWW.Taniaglenn.com

www.smashingthestigma.com

The ATO is honored to sit down with the owner, the great Aaron Conner, of Legends Fit Gym in Rockwall, Texas.

Aaron is owner of this true first responder gym and they are dedicated to providing a welcoming haven to all walks of life and especially the military and first responder community.  From the moment you walk in the door you see Police, Fire, every branch of the military, and yes our very own Dallas SWAT flag hanging from the ceiling.

Aaron is an Air Force veteran and a  2nd degree Brazilian Jiujitsu Brown belt under Master Carlos Machado. Master Machado has a law enforcement tailored Jiujitsu course that Aaron instructs at Legends Fit. Only first responders are allowed into the MMA room when this training is being instructed to our warriors.  He is also a father of 3, bodybuilding competitor, bull rider, and trail running coach at RunOn.

This gym caters to every level of fitness, body type and are completely dedicated to their members as they provide access to the best trainers in the DFW area.

Legends Fit is located on the E/B 1-30 frontage road just East of John King Blvd. in beautiful Rockwall Texas and is opened 24 hours, 7 days a week.

https://legends.fit

Legends Fit | Facebook

Legends IG: @legendsfitrockwall, @legendsfitrockwallmartialarts

Aaron Conner Facebook:  AARON CONNER, Jiu Jitsu Instructor in Rockwall - Legends Fit

This our third message with the great Misty Vancuren and Joe King We want to give the listener a heads up on more upcoming episodes and say Thank You.  In this message we preview our “rookie” episode with Rodney Harrison. There will be singing involved with this guest.  We speak on the Dallas SWAT Dr. Metzger episode in which he discusses several critical incidents as well as the city’s Covid and Ebola response.  The great Ticket’s own Bob Sturm sits down with us as well as the amazing dynamic couple duo of Barbara and David Crump.  As you can tell we have been busy with incredible stories and topics.  If you have an idea…..gripe…..guest or topic suggestion let’s us hear from you at Atobridging@gmail.Com.  Also if you want to look up information on the ATO and donate to our cause in helping your first responders go to ATODallas.org  So Until next time…keep listening…be safe and lets take care of each other.

”learned how to turn the squad car into a learning environment “

The Assist the Officer Foundation is proud to sit down with a true Dallas PD legend in Sr. Cpl Lance Crawford.

Lance hired on Dallas PD in 1988, one of Dallas PD’s most deadliest years, in which the Dept lost seven officers in a 12 month period.

Crawford was the epitome of what a field training officer, FTO, should be as he took extra care in teaching the rookie officer not only How to do the job but understand Why they are doing it a certain way.

Chasing dope in the Northwest Division is where Lance formed his incredible reputation as the entire Dept would hear stories of Crawford and Eggleston crawling around in bushes in the dark to take down a drug house.

The incredible career also saw personal and professional tragedy as he was on scene when his friend, Kevin “KJ” James,  was murdered at a Dallas nightclub.

Lance also found himself at the suspects end of a shotgun as he and his partner were both shot while making a drug arrest.

Please enjoy listening to one of the true professionals of the Dallas Police Department and this guest IS the definition of a Policeman.

This episode covers the murder of Officer Kevin James on November 25th 2001 while he worked at Club DMX in Dallas.

Dallas Officer Kevin James

End of Watch Sunday, November 25, 2001

This event has affected so many lives in so many ways as wives were made widows, friends had to salute the flag draped caskets, children lost their fathers, and the mental anguish will live on forever.

Please say a prayer for these heroes that paid the ultimate sacrifice for their city as well as this country and ask yourself this…..

How do You serve your community?

How do you make the world a better place for your friends and family?

What are You willing to sacrifice to protect those who cannot defend themselves?

1:24: Eulogy for Sgt. Michael Smith delivered by Detective Land

14:26: Eulogy for Officer Patrick Zamarripa delivered by David Brown

25:05: Eulogy for Officer Brent Thompson delivered by Emily Thompson and his daughter.

26:45: Officer Michael Krol put on a 66 end of watch by Police dispatch.

Please pray and honor the Dallas Five.

Episode 40

”Command, Control, Communication “

The History and Evolution of Dallas SWAT: Part 2

This episode is the conclusion to the history of Dallas SWAT. We touch on the failed February 1993 Dallas Cowboys’ Championship parade. This incident magnifies mob mentality as a celebratory day turned to rioting when agitators swayed Cowboys fans.

We also tell the story of a car jacker from January 24, 2006 that held a female driver, at gunpoint, and led Dallas PD on a multi-city chase.

Finally, mob mentality once again appeared in Dallas, Texas in 2020 when the city was under threat of destruction as three days of protests and riots stretched Dallas PD to the limits.  Sit back and hear the founding fathers of SWAT and the active operators that are training the next generation of this exemplary unit finish telling their incredible evolution and history.

IG: ATO_Bridging_Divide

“Once the threshold is breached…we push on”

THE HISTORY AND EVOLUTION OF DALLAS SWAT: PART 1

The Assist the Officer Foundation is proud to sit down and tell a story of one of the most recognized units in the history of law enforcement.

The acronym SWAT is known worldwide as it has been romanticized in tv as well as movies since the 1960’s. However real life is not pretty and the world of SWAT

is not beautiful and the actors involved do not get to hear the word “CUT”and get a redo. The job is both mentally and physically taxing, the hours are long,

the tasks are deadly, and the stakes are high as SWAT is rarely called when a situation is NOT dire.

They are warriors that have a unique history and we have four incredible former and current SWAT operators to talk about Dallas SWAT’s origins, how the foundation was laid and some of the heartbreak that led to changes in strategy and tactics change.

We speak on an incident at 3010 Arizona on March in 1993 that went terribly bad and only because certain SWAT members heroic actions lives were saved that day.

Sit down with The Commander Scott Mcdonnold, who hired on with DPD in 1968, that helped lay a foundation that lasts till this day in Dallas SWAT.

Steve Claggett, who helped form an intense training mindset in Dallas that helped his teammates truly harder to kill. His passion for training and dedication to building the foundation of SWAT is legendary.

Sr Cpl. Matt Smith has been with Dallas SWAT for 17 years and is a Dept. expert when it comes to dissecting hazardous warrant service and training. Matt has the respect of his teammates as well as SWAT units from across the country as a proven leader and dedicated professional.  You will not find a more dedicated professional who truly cares about his teammates and the citizens of Dallas.

Sr Cpl. Danny Canete has been a valued member of Dallas SWAT for 8 years, Master Breacher Certified, Sniper and Less Lethal and Rope Master and instructor for High Angle Team as well rappel instructor for TTPOA.

Term used in this episode: APC- Armored Personnel Carrier

Instagram: dallas.swat

ATODALLAS.ORG

#SWAT

#DALLASSWAT

This our second message and we have a new guest cohost…. We want to give the listener a heads up on more upcoming episodes and say Thank You.  Special thank you to Surah for her incredible feedback and supporting us. If you have an idea…..gripe…..guest or topic suggestion let’s us hear from you at Atobridging@gmail.Com.  Also if you want to look up information on the ATO and donate to our cause in helping your first responders go to ATODallas.org  Again thank you for the incredible feedback and love.  So Until next time…keep listening…be safe and lets take care of each other.

The Assist the Officer Foundation sits down with one of the most genuine human beings that Dallas PD has to offer.

Kevin was born in Orange County Texas and grew up in Houston and became a die-hard Astros fan. Living a fans dream in becoming a Houston Astros batboy then climbing that sports fan ladder and becoming an Assistant Equipment Manager for the Houston Rockets.  Kevin finally pursued his dream to go into law enforcement and becoming a true public servant.  Joining the Department in 1991 Kevin quickly obtained a reputation for being a “project guy” and spearheaded the Dallas Police Department newest project known as Interactive Community Policing.  This model of policing is now used in every part of the country.  Kevin tells his story of true friendship, partnership, and tragedy as he tells the listener about how his own personal guardian angel saved his life.  In memory of Kevin “KJ” James 

Dallas Officer Kevin James

End of Watch Sunday, November 25, 2001

This is just a little message from our hosts to talk about the Assist the Officer Foundation and some podcast projects we have in the hopper.  This is also an opportunity for us to talk directly to the loyal listeners and tell you thank you and we want to hear from you.  If you have an idea…..gripe…..guest or topic suggestion let’s us hear from you at Atobridging@gmail.Com.  Also if you want to look up information on the ATO and donate to our cause in helping your first responders go to ATODallas.org  Again thank you for the incredible feedback and love.  So Until next time…keep listening…be safe and lets take care of each other.

The Assist the Officer Foundation is honored to sit down with the Texas Radio Hall of Famer Mike Rhyner as he shares his many stories on the history of Dallas, Texas that span seven decades of change, tragedy, and reform.

Born in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas in 1950 Mike observed so many changes from the Civil Rights Movement, the Kennedy assassination, the birth of the Dallas Cowboys, to the creation of the national radio juggernaut known as The Ticket.

He is known as the Godfather of the Little Ticket, the four time Marconi Award winner for National Sports Radio of the Year.

The Old Grey Wolf is now back on the radio airways as evening drive time host of the Downbeat on 97.1 the Freak.

He also still plays in his band PETTY THEFT and has his own podcast called YOUR DARK COMPANION that can be heard on all streaming platforms and watched on VOKAL.COM.

So ATO fans its time to heed to, trice up, mill about smartly throughout the premises and enjoy Dallas history story time from the Great Mike Rhyner.

Dallas Police Department Assistant Chief Teena Schultz

” We have tomorrow….”

Straight from Council Bluffs Iowa Teena always has had a passion for helping others and being a protector for those who could not protect themselves.

Teena had a childhood hero….a person that grew up in a small town, was raised by parents of high character, had impervious skin, was faster than a speeding bullet, could leap tall buildings in a single bound, and was a guardian of all.

The world knew this hero as Superman.

Chief Schultz joined the police department to be a guardian however, learned very quickly, that her skin was not impervious, her bones were not indestructible, and All could not be saved from evil.

Teena’s body has been broken, she has lost a mentor to a tragedy however she has persisted in her professional and personal life to become the person she is today.

Listen to the inspiring tale of survival and professional growth as Teena Schultz went from a small town in Iowa, to playing college basketball, to the Dallas Gang Unit to becoming a Deputy Chief in Dallas Texas. 

*Update: Teena is now an Assistant Chief with the Dallas Police Department and commands the Tactical Bureau and the Wellness Unit.

Chief Schultz completed the FBI Academy in 2024.

Dallas Gang Unit Detective Norm Smith

End of Watch Tuesday, January 6, 2009

DALLAS PD SEXUAL ASSAULT DETECTIVE ALAN HOLMES

”Show me the survivor, I’ll show you the suspect “

IN 1887 SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE INTRODUCED THE WORLDS GREATEST DETECTIVE IN SHERLOCK HOLMES. HOLMES WAS KNOWN FOR HIS USE OF FORENSIC SCIENCE, DEDUCTIVE REASONING THAT BORDERS ON THE FANTASTIC. THE CITY OF DALLAS HAS THEIR VERY OWN DETECTIVE HOLMES….ALAN HOLMES.

GROWING UP IN BROOKLYN NEW YORK, COMING FROM A FIRST RESPONDER FAMILY, ALAN MOVED TO DALLAS TEXAS TO EMBARK ON HIS OWN FIRST RESPONDER CAREER. AFTER COMPLETING THE ACADEMY ALAN WAS ASSIGNED TO THE NORTHEAST DIVISION OF DALLAS AND HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AS HE ENGAGED IN A STYLE OF AGGRESSIVE PROACTIVE STYLE OF POLICING.

HOWEVER, IN 2015 ALAN FOUND HIS TRUE CALLING AS HE JOINED THE DALLAS PD SEXUAL ASSAULT UNIT. THIS UNIT INVESTIGATES SOME OF THE MOST HORRIFIC CRIMES AS THEY HUNT DOWN TRUE PREDATORS IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.

ALAN HAS INVESTIGATED OVER 50 SERIAL RAPISTS IN HIS TIME WITH THE SEX ASSAULT UNIT IN DALLAS.

DETECTIVE HOLMES HAS SPECIALIZED TRAINING AND EXPERTISE IN NEURO-BIOLOGY OF TRAUMA, AND SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE AND INVESTIGATIONS.

IN 2017 DETECTIVE HOLMES PUT HIS ART DEGREE AND FORMAL FORENSIC ART TRAINING TO WORK AS THE FORENSIC SKETCH ARTIST FOR DALLAS PD AND LOCAL AGENCIES. ALAN IS MARRIED, THE FATHER OF FOUR BOYS, ONE OF WHOM IS A PATROL OFFICER WITH DALLAS.

DETECTIVE HOLMES IS TRULY ONE OF DALLAS PD’S FINEST AND WILL PROMOTE TO A SERGEANT ON MAY 24TH.

CONGRATULATIONS ALAN HOLMES!

WHEN IT COMES TO SOLVING CRIMES….IT IS ELEMENTARY WATSON

OKLAHOMA CITY POLICE DEPT BRIAN “PICK” PICKLO

“ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SURVIVE”

The Assist the Officer Foundation welcomes on one of Oklahoma City PD’s finest in Brian “Pick” Picklo.

Brian’s story in becoming a lawman took a much different path as he also is a 2 time All American wrestler for the Michigan State Spartans and was the Big Ten Champion in the 190 pound weight class in 1996.  In a testament to his rugged refusal to fail attitude Brian accomplished this a walk on at Michigan State……taking a true Spartan path.  

In 2008 he made the United States Olympic trial finals in the USA Judo team and he considered this a “hobby”.

Since joining the Oklahoma City Police Department he has been a SWAT sniper, Narcotics Detective, Firearm training instructor, and now currently is a Motor Jock.  Brian is a devoted husband and father to three incredible kids who are all Division 1 athletes as both of his sons wrestle for Oklahoma University and his daughter plays soccer for the Oklahoma City Cowboys in Stillwater.

Our guest is resilient and determined and his Michigan State quest, alone, will motivate and inspire you. He models and inspires optimism as he has been infectious with instilling toughness and desire in the 1000’s of young wrestlers he has coached and mentored.

The definition of a Spartan:   1:A native or inhabitant of ancient Sparta.

 2:A person of great courage and self discipline.

Phrases:

• Motor Jock- Trained Officer who is in the Motorcycle Unit
• Motor school- Police motorcycle training
• CDT - custody & control defensive tactics - Training the use of physical restraint tactics such as arm, leg control and officer body control to mitigate injury if they go to the ground.

DR. CHASE TWEDELL AND NATE BORUNDA OF F1RST& SPORTS ACADEMY

“Your body IS your job”

Chase@F1RST.org

PERFORM-ENDURE-RECOVER

Today the bridging the divide crew sits down with Dr. Chase Twedell and Nate Borunda of F1rst and Sports Academy.

F1rst and Sports Academy have teamed up as partners to commit to care for the first responder community. they take a unique and holistic approach to treat first responders as they would treat professional athletes.

Meet Dr. Twedell and Nate Borunda…..

Dr. Chase Twedell, licensed physical therapist since 2013, was a two sport NCAA athlete, playing both football and baseball. His family ties to law enforcement and military, as well as being married to a first responder psychologist (Dr. T), gives him an understanding of the physical and mental demands of first responders.

Dr. Twedell is a firm believer that a healthy body leads to a healthy mind and creating optimal

physical health is the foundation for optimal well-being. He is dedicated to utilizing his

experiences and knowledge to objectively assess First Responder physical health, provide

solutions to address physical impairments and develop resiliency to the rigorous demands of

the First Responder.

Nate Borunda-F1RST Co-Founding Partner of Sports Academy.

Nate Borunda has worked inside the world of human performance since 2012. He has an

extensive background as both a collegiate basketball athlete and as a leader in human

performance. At the Sports Academy on the West Coast, he worked collaboratively with local

Fire Departments to create all aspects of diagnostic testing, performance training and recovery

for Fire Academy Programs. He currently manages all human performance activities, events and

programs at the Sports Academy located at the STAR in Frisco Texas.

F1RST Training - 469-525-6482 Therapy (TX residents) - 469-352-7491 www.F1RST-tx.org

https://thestar.sportsacademy.us/ Instagram: f1rst_per  

Dallas Officer Rogelio Santander

End of Watch: April 25th, 2018

On April 24, 2018, two rookie officers responded to police call for service at a nearby Home Depot to begin their shift. This call had no detailed information and most likely was a shoplifter detained by a loss prevention officer.   These two officers were classmates in the academy, the best of friends, and partners, no matter how brief. They were embarking on their career as Dallas Police Officers. One survived this incident, one did not. Officer Rogelio Santander was shot and killed in that small loss prevention office by a detained suspect. The loss prevention officer, Scott Painter, was left critically wounded.  Officer Crystal Almeida, Rogelio’s partner, survived after suffering a crippling gunshot wound to her head.

The bravest of souls chose to share her story of partnership, survival, and recovery with our listeners. She begins with her humble upbringing in El Paso, the start of her career in the Texas Prison system and getting hired by Dallas Police Department in 2014. Crystal describes her journey from the academy to Northeast patrol where she reunited with Rogelio.

Officer Almeida has been awarded the Medal of Valor, Police Shield, and the Blake Anderson Public Service Award. She is a Star of Texas and Theodore Roosevelt Award recipient and was selected as the Adaptive Training Foundation Athlete of 2019. Under this chest full of medals is an enormous courageous heart of service.

This episode frames the special connection endeavored in police partnership. Crystal’s determination will ignite your conqueror spirit. Her kinship with Rogelio will clench your grasp on divine connection. She came to the microphone to dauntlessly bolster the memory of her friend, Rogelio. Her wife, Samantha Baquera, joined Crystal in our studio to fearlessly share the reality of perseverance and healing.

The ATO Bridging the Divide podcast released Episode#32 on April 24th as a remembrance of Officer Rogelio Santander, #10934, and how the memory of his smile continues to embrace Crystal.

This episode is hosted by Misty VanCuren and special guest host Detective Angela Arredondo. Angela is a 24- year veteran with the Dallas Police Department. She played the vital role as the lead detective in the Special Investigations Unit by interrogating the suspect on this incident subsequently leading to a conviction. 

www.adaptivetrainingfoundation.org

Acronyms/Phrases:

MDC-Mobile Digital Communicator

CAD-Computer Aided Dispatch

AIS- Administrative Investigative System

Gang Cards-Used by DPD to document contact with gang members that notes identifiers of the individual being affiliated with a gang in Dallas.

In this episode the Assist the Officer Foundation shifts gears from highlighting an incredible first responder career to taking on one of the most controversial and misunderstood topics in America today.

This is part two of a two part episode that discusses NO KNOCK WARRANTS AND SURROUND AND CALL OUT tactics used in police enforcement from two very high profile units within DPD….Narcotics and SWAT.

PART TWO will feature Matt Smith of Dallas SWAT as he gives his perspective from an operational branch of the police department and why they utilize these tactics.

Matt Smith has been with DPD for 22 years and a member of Dallas SWAT for 17 years. Matt, a Squad Leader, has been an instructor for basic and advanced SWAT, Hostage Rescue and Hazardous Warrant Entry to name a few.  Matt Smith is an exceptional and dedicated member of SWAT that strives to make his teammates better, safer and to protect the citizens of Dallas.

In order to bridge divides with the community it is important to understand the content, define the content, and have a conversation about why these tactics are used by police in the safest and most effective ways to help make communities safer.

We are all in this together……

In this episode the Assist the Officer Foundation shifts gears from highlighting an incredible first responder career to taking on one of the most controversial and misunderstood topics in America today.

This is part one of a two part episode that discusses NO KNOCK WARRANTS AND SURROUND AND CALL OUT tactics used in police enforcement from two very high profile units within DPD….Narcotics and SWAT.

PART ONE will feature Matt Banes and Jerry Girdler of Dallas Narcotics as they give their perspectives from an investigative branch of the police department and why they utilize these tactics.

Detective Banes has been with Dallas Police over 20 years and currently is in the Narcotics training division. Sgt Jerry Girdler has been with DPD over 26 years, 7 years in Dallas SWAT,  and has been a supervisor in Narcotics for the past 9 years.

 In order to bridge divides with the community it is important to understand the content, define the content and have a conversation about why these tactics are used by police in the safest and most effective ways to help make communities safer.

 We are all in this together……

BASKETBALL HALL OF FAMER NANCY LIEBERMAN

Born in Brooklyn New York, Nancy moved to Queens shortly after  and was raised by her single mother. She quickly started gravitating to basketball as she taught herself skills and began playing pickup basketball games with boys in Rucker Park.

Nancy attended Far Rockaway High School in Queens and quickly established herself as one of the top basketball players in the country.

She attended Old Dominion University and in 1976 played on the very first United States Women’s basketball team. Nancy was the youngest basketball Olympian to win a medal as they took home the Silver and has been inducted into four Hall of Fames, including the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

She was general manager for the WNBA’s Detroit Shock and coached for three seasons before being hired as an assistant coach for the Sacramento Kings, making her the second female coach in NBA history.

Now an NBA broadcaster for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Nancy’s charities are dedicated to bridging divides between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Her Dream Courts and Shop with a Cop programs are some of the projects she has created in this endeavor. She is Lady Magic!!

Nancy Lieberman Charities

Dr. Heather Twedell 

“Silence isn’t always quiet”

Please go to www.F1RST-tx.org for more info on Dr. T

IG: @dr.t.f1rst

Dr. Twedell, also known as Dr T, has a Doctorate in forensic psychology and is licensed in the state of California and Texas and specializes in treating first responders. She truly understands the first responder mindset as she comes from a first responder family. She has developed a diverse and unique set of skills and tools in her arsenal to stand shoulder to shoulder with first responders to improve their physical and mental well being. Through her practice, F1RST (First Responder Stress & Trauma) she ensures first responders are provided the education, training, and support that is critical for occupational and personal resiliency.

F1RST Training - 469-525-6482 Therapy (TX residents) - 469-352-7491 Email - dr.t@htwedell.org Instagram: f1rst_per  

Retired Dallas Police Dept Dottie and Dallas SWAT Steve Claggett “Do you know what your problem is?”

This is a rare peek into the lives of two very distinguished careers of two true public servants that also happen to be partners in life.  Dottie and Steve Claggett are an amazing dynamic duo that their police careers, combined, spanned nearly 50 years as they served the city of Dallas.  Dottie spent 17 years working undercover in the Narcotics unit as she investigated several high level narcotics dealers. Steve also worked narcotics and finished his career as a long time member of Dallas Swat. Both dealt with success and heartbreak during their careers and managed to juggle the highs and lows of the police profession and building a healthy marriage and family. Both dealt with tragedy in their units in December of 1991 that shaped both of them as a professional and helped them discover their “whys”.  Dottie continues to serve as an original Assist the Officer Foundation mental health counselor as she learned, early on in her career, the importance of addressing mental health in the first responder profession.  Sit back and soak in two selfless public servant’s stories as they set a high standard for the Dallas Police Department that all should strive to meet

Dallas Officer John Pasco

End of Watch Sunday, January 16, 1983

Detective Larry Bromley

End of Watch Wednesday, December 11, 1991

"The Art of 4 Hands"

Www.rogue-methods.com Honor to welcome on Army veteran, former Chicago PD and the Chief Operating Officer for Rogue Methods.   Raul is a proud first generation American and has dedicated his life to service as a combat veteran, undercover Chicago PD Narcs  and now dedicates his life to training officers and civilians around the country……making them harder to kill. Sit back and enjoy this patriots unique training philosophy and dedication to service. The Assist the Officer Foundation welcomes Raul Martinez Jr to Dallas Texas.

"IF I DONT TEACH YOU HOW TO BE A GOOD PERSON....I FAILED"

DALLAS FIRE AND RESCUE DAVID LINDSEY

THE ASSIST THE OFFICER FOUNDATION CROSSES THE BRIDGE TO SPEAK WITH A MEMBER OF OUR RED FAMILY AS DAVID SPEAKS ON HIS NEARLY 4 DECADES WITH THE DALLAS FIRE DEPARTMENT. FROM STORIES OF STARTING IN THE 80S DURING THE ONSET OF THE AIDS EPIDEMIC TO SPEAKING ON THE REALITIES THAT MANY FORMER AND CURRENT FIREFIGHTERS FACE IN CONTRACTING UNIQUE FORMS OF CANCER FROM FIGHTING FIRES. 

DAVID PROUDLY SERVED THE GREAT CITY OF DALLAS AND NOW CONTINUES HIS LIFELONG DEDICATION TO SERVICE AS HE REMEMBERS HIS FALLEN RELATIVE LT. TODD KRODLE AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE KRODLE MEMORIAL FOUNDATION.

SIT BACK AND SOAK IN THIS EXTRAORDINARY MAN'S INSPIRING STORY......THANK YOU DFR!

Critical incident: 

August 14, 2011; West Oak Cliff, Texas

Lt. Todd Wesley Krodle 

LODD: August 14,2011

Krodle Memorial Foundation aka Krodle Foundation 

 http://www.krodlememorialfoundation.org/

Firefighter Cancer Support Network 

https://firefightercancersupport.org/

International Firefighters Association 

https://www.iaff.org/

Dallas Police Lt. Mark Rickerman

“Everybodys going to need help....you might need a little, you might need a lot”

One of Dallas’s finest Mark Rickerman’s story of survival from a unique on duty shooting in December 2005 shaped him as a person and as a professional.  The perspective gained from this incident stays with Mark as he is committed to promoting first responders mental health and wellness.  His mental preparation helped him make it home to his family In 2005.   Special guest cohost Dr Tania Glenn sat in to assist in this riveting and inspiring story.   Enjoy ATO listeners....

www.killology.com

www.taniaglenn.com

Dallas Gang Unit Detective Norm Smith

End of Watch Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Episode 21 U.S. Navy SEAL WILL CHESNEY ST-6 Part 2

This episode is the continuation of Navy SEAL Will Chesney as he discusses the daring mission Operation Neptune Spear that resulted in eliminating the most wanted man in the world, Osama bin Laden.  After a decade long manhunt the led ST-6 to Pakistan to conduct a mission that is arguably one of the most daring and successful operations in U.S. history. Will and his K9 Cairo were boots on the ground inside the compound and Will gives a first hand account from that night in Abbottabad. The bond that Will and Cairo shared is truly inspiring as they had a partnership in service and in retirement. 

Critical incidents: • Operation Neptune Spear • Extortion 17, August 6, 2011; A CH-47 Chinook helicopter-call sign Extortion 17- was shot down in Afghanistan, killing all aboard; 30 American military servicemen, one US military dog and 8 Afghans.

Warrior Dog Foundation https://warriordogfoundation.org/ Spike’s K-9 Fund https://spikesk9fund.org/

Instagram: @noordinarydogbook and @willcheeese Book: No Ordinary Dog

Episode 19 Dallas PD Gang/Swat/Intelligence Darian Loera

Detective Loera has succeeded in every high profile position he’s worked in. Starting with the Gang Unit as he learned from one of the legends in Norm Smith. He then joined Dallas Swat and was involved in two critical incidents and nearly lost his life twice. He now investigates threats of life in the FBI Joint Terrorist Task Force. 

Definition of Phrase: "Running in the stack, being in the stack" refers to being in the tactical lineup in operation approach or execution of an operation. Operators are designated by command and stacked (lined up) in order and have specific assignments for each op.

FORMER DALLAS PD MOUNTED/SWAT JT CURTIS Raised by a single mom in Kirbyville Texas he joined Dallas Police Department in 1984 at 20 years old. He spent 6 years in the Mounted Unit and finished up 26 years in Swat. This SWAT legend's leadership and mentor skills help mold several young officers become incredible officers and SWAT operators.  He is the epitome of being a true professional and his meticulous attention to detail was infectious. His off duty activities are most interesting as he turned pro in rodeo bare back competition and maintained a 12 year win streak at the Texas Peace Officer Association bare back competition and was inducted into the Cowboys of Color Hall of Fame. Jt is a true "cop's cop" and a real cowboy

*Discuss hostage situation from Nov 12th 2003 when a gunman shot and injured Dallas Officers Mike Flusche, Eddie Coffey, and Mike Patino. SWAT responded and took gunfire to their ballistic shield as they approached. 

The story of Chief Garcia is beyond inspiring as he grew up in Puerto Rico….started the San Jose police Department as a 21-year-old rookie cop who worked undercover Narcs, Special Operations and as a Homicide Investigator. Chief then climbed the ranks to become the Chief of Police of San Jose. His energetic leadership and innovative ideas in community engagement was infectious as he served the citizens of San Jose and lead his troops with great integrity and respect.  Chief retired from the San Jose after 29 years and shortly after was named the Chief of Police of the Dallas Police Department. Chief Garcia is the Department’s 30th Police Chief and first Latino to serve in this position in its 140-year history. Chief hit the ground sprinting in Dallas and quickly elevated morale and introduced policies that will set a leadership template for years to come.  

Sit back and enjoy this story of a true cop’s cop.

atodallas.org 

dallaspa.org

Retired Dallas Police Tom Popken Listen to this true DPD trailblazer as he discusses coming to Big D from Sleepy Eye Minnesota to embark on a police career that his footprint and legacy still exists. Tom was one of the cofounders of the Assist the Officer Foundation and created the Dallas Police Association Cops Cop Award. Former VP of the Dallas Police Association.  His tale of being one of the first on the scene of Delta Flight crash that cost 137 casualties in 1985 is absolutely riveting and an example of the haunting weight that first responders carry for the rest of their lives. A true honor to sit down with this DPD legend.

ATODALLAS.ORG

WWW.DALLASPA.ORG

Discussion of Delta Flight 191 from August 2nd 1985.

Former Dallas Police Homicide Detective Elmer “Sonny” Boyd badge #840.  Sonny started DPD in 1952 and eventually joined Captain Will Fritz’s elite Dallas Homicide unit. On November 22nd, 1963, he lost a friend and the nation lost a President as he found himself immersed into one of the most controversial dates in world history.  Sonny reflects on handling Lee Harvey Oswald and his role in the Dallas PD before and after tragic day in our nation’s history.

Sonny Boyd passed away on May 24th, 2024 at age 96. He will be buried in his Dallas PD uniform and return home to his wife, Yvonne.

Dallas Officer J.D. Tippit

End of Watch 11/22/1963 Atodallas.org

LT Dan is known throughout the SWAT world as being and incredible instructor and leader.  His leadership skills are legendary as he strives to make officers harder to kill.  Lt Dan recounts the events from 2015 in Garland Texas as he was the commander over security at the Curtis Culwell Center when two suspects arrived to carry out a terrorist attack. 

Critical incident:

May 3, 2015; Curtis Culwell Center, Garland, Texas

Dr Tania Glenn has dedicated her life to helping military and first responders to conquer PTSD.  Author of several books, including First Responder Resilience Caring for Public Servants, Tania Glenn specializes in the complex world and mind of a first responder. 

www.Taniaglenn.com

One of the busiest men in the Dallas Police Department as he is currently assigned to the DPD/Marshal Fugitive Task Force, Vice President of the Dallas Police Association, Vice Chair of the ATO, and a city council member for the city of McKinney. Listen to the incredible career of Frederick Frazier as he faced down a highly trained fugitive escapee to running the ATO to writing Texas legislation to now running for Texas House Representative for District 61 in Collin County. This is truly a man of many hats and is passionate about every single one he wears. 

www.DALLASPA.ORG

ATODALLAS.ORG

WWW.FRAZIERFORTEXAS.COM

This episode is dedicated to Dallas Dart Officer Brent Thompson who tragically gave the ultimate sacrifice on 7/7/2016.  Misty McBride’s story is one of true grit and determination to stay alive. Misty was shot several times on 7/7/2016 as she ran towards the X. She gives her first hand account of her experience that night, losing a dear friend, and the long road to recovery she faced. 

Hosts are Joe King, Misty Vancuren, Josh Hertel and special cohost Detective Kristen King.

Phrase used:

"As she ran towards the X" refers to Officer Mcbride running towards the line of fire during this gun battle on 7/7/2016.

In law enforcement and military this is a common phrase that is used to describe the actions in that you are behind the action/reaction power curve and reacting to a clear and present danger.

Also means that you have relinquished the tactical initiative to your adversaries.

Dart Officer Brent Thompson End of Watch: 7/7/16

Critical incident:

Infant hostage on 5800 Martel, Dallas, Texas on 6/20/2007

Acronyms/Phrases:

APC- Armored personnel carrier

EMDR- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

www.taniaglenn.com

Listen to the career and courageous story of survival of Dallas Fire and Rescue Deputy Chief of Arson Investigations Eric Beal. Chief Beal was badly burned as a rookie firefighter, persevered, and fought to rise through the ranks to command arson investigations in Dallas, Texas. 

Terms used in this episode: CRT-Crime Response Team

Facing the Dragon  Continuation of Dallas Police Detective Matt Banes as he discusses 7/7/2016 in Dallas, Texas and his actions as he responded to the active scene as a member of Dallas SWAT that day. This day was one of the most horrific and tragic days for policing in America with the City of Dallas losing five great men that day along with others being physically wounded. To this day, the emotional damage from that tragic event is evident. This interview is one officer’s riveting perspective of being involved in this prolific event. 

Critical Incident discussed: July 7th 2016, El Centro College, Dallas, Texas.

The City lost 5 officers from this ambush attack. 

Acronyms/Phrases:

Tag Beats- Targeted areas within the city that, through crime stats, are deemed to drive the city's crime rate.

On the X, Pushing to the X- Refers to being in direct line of fire and also rushing to the gunfire. 

Dallas PD Gang Unit Detective Norman Smith

End of Watch: January 6, 2009

He helped start the Dallas Narcotic unit street squad in the early 1990s as the bloody Jamaican drug wars started and saw the city of Dallas have the most homicide in its history.

His command over SWAT and training was legendary as he helped mold a tactical and training mindset for this great unit. 

*Discuss hostage situation from Nov 12th 2003 when a gunman shot and injured Dallas Officers Mike Flusche, Eddie Coffey, and Mike Patino. SWAT responded and took gunfire to their ballistic shield as they approached. 

Inservice- Training for active officers

Basic Academy- refers to the rookie police academy

Range Master- The hand selected supervisor that commands the pistol range on the Dallas Police Dept.

Detective Larry Bromley

End of Watch Wednesday, December 11, 1991

Former Dallas PD turned U.S. Marshal - Chris White tells his engaging story of survival as he confronted armed shooting suspects twice in the line of duty. His training and his strong faith contributed to his success in the professional world as well as his personal life. This is a truly inspiring story told by a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt, former MMA pro-fighter, devoted family man, and dedicated law man. 

Acronyms/Phrases:

DRT- Dead Right There

Backstop- Chris refers to his site picture, behind line of site behind suspect, if he were to engage armed suspect in the vehicle.

https://rogue-methods.com

2) Don’t take anything personal

3) Don’t make assumptions

4) Do your best

Senior Corporal Misty Vancuren shares her story of an amazing life and career with Dallas PD.  She spent a decade in Dallas SWAT as an operator and trainer, and now works in the FBI Intelligence Unit. A former Oklahoma University basketball player and former Golden Gloves champion, this officer is as accomplished personally as she is professionally. 

*Update: Misty honorably retired from DPD and now continues to serve in the academia world teaching youth law enforcement. She will continue to be a member of the show as time will allow. She is forever my friend and one of the most incredible people I have ever known. -Joe King

Critical incident:

Infant hostage rescue on 5800 Martel, Dallas, Texas on 6/20/2007

Sgt. Lujan's recovery came from his incredible support system in the Dallas Police Department and his amazing wife, Marcela Lujan.

Ed became ATO chair in January 2019 and quickly added new board members and expanded the confidential counseling program by adding new counselors that reach all areas of the Dallas metroplex.

CRITICAL INCIDENT: 

Sgt. Lujan was run over three times, outside a Dallas Nightclub, on November 8th 2015 at 2435 West Northwest Highway, Dallas, Texas.

ATODALLAS.ORG

BAGSFORBADGES@GMAIL.COM

www.carrytheload.org