DEC 2020 Blues Vol 36 No. 12 - 36TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION
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DEC 2020 Blues Vol 36 No. 12 - 36TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

DEC 2020 Blues Vol 36 No. 12 - 36TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION DEC 2020 Blues Vol 36 No. 12 - 36TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

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The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 1

The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 1

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2 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 3

<strong>DEC</strong>EMBER, <strong>2020</strong> • VOL. <strong>36</strong> NO. <strong>12</strong><br />

MICHAEL BARRON<br />

publisher<br />

REX EVANS<br />

editor-n-chief<br />

MISTY ROBERTS<br />

editor<br />

RUSTY BARRON<br />

outdoor editor<br />

THE TEAM<br />

TINA JAECKLE<br />

blue mental health<br />

DARYL LOTT<br />

daryl’s deliberations<br />

On the Cover /<br />

Feature Story<br />

<strong>36</strong><br />

REBECCA CESARI<br />

sales manager<br />

houston/south texas<br />

PHIL PIERCE<br />

sales manager<br />

north texas<br />

JANICE VANZURA<br />

sales manager<br />

austin/san antonio<br />

This month marks the <strong>36</strong>th Anniversary<br />

of The BLUES Police Magazine.<br />

Who would have thought<br />

<strong>36</strong> years ago, that a small police<br />

newspaper would end up becoming<br />

the largest digital police<br />

magazine in America. We hope<br />

you enjoy this moment in police<br />

publishing history.<br />

38<br />

52<br />

C O N T R I BUT O R S<br />

DAVID JONES<br />

contributing writer<br />

DOUGLAS GRIFFITH<br />

contributing writer<br />

CHERYL PEREZ<br />

contributing writer<br />

LIZ SAWYER<br />

contributing writer<br />

JOSH CAIN<br />

contributing writer<br />

DANIEL O’KELLY<br />

contributing writer<br />

BRISTOW MARCHANT<br />

contributing writer<br />

JOE SEVERINO<br />

contributing writer<br />

The BLUES Police Magazine is published monthly by<br />

Kress-Barr, LLC, PO Box 2733, League City Texas<br />

77574. The opinions expressed in some articles, op-eds,<br />

and editorials are those of the author and do not reflect<br />

the opinion of The BLUES or its parent company. The<br />

entire contents of The BLUES are copyrighted© and<br />

may not be reprinted without the express permission of<br />

the publisher. The BLUES logo is a Trademark of<br />

Kress-Barr, LLC.<br />

FEATURES<br />

09 LEOs LOST TO COVID<br />

18 REMEMBERING HPD OFFICER RAY SIMPER<br />

40 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE<br />

56 SIX REASONS WHY YOUR AGENCY<br />

NEEDS A CERTIFIED FIREARMS SPECIALIST<br />

DEPARTMENTS<br />

06 Publisher’s Thoughts<br />

08 Editor’s Thoughts<br />

14 Your Thoughts<br />

22 News Around the State<br />

30 News Around the Country<br />

68 Remembering my Hero - Officer Steve Perez<br />

70 Running 4 Heroes<br />

74 Blue Mental Health with Dr. Tina Jaeckle<br />

78 Honoring Fallen Heroes<br />

82 Outdoors with Rusty Barron<br />

84 Parting Shots<br />

86 <strong>No</strong>w Hiring - L.E. Positions Open in Texas<br />

62 SHOP FOR BLUES, BACK THE BLUE MERCHANDISE<br />

72<br />

76<br />

DARYL’S DELIBERATIONS,<br />

by DARYL LOTT<br />

HPOU EDITORIAL,<br />

by PRESIDENT DOUGLAS GRIFFITH<br />

4 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 5

<strong>36</strong> years and counting<br />

Twelve months ago, we began<br />

a journey. A journey that actually<br />

began <strong>36</strong> years ago this month.<br />

When we made the decision to<br />

resurrect the BLUES, we had no<br />

idea we were about to enter the<br />

twilight zone. Creating a digital<br />

version of the oldest private<br />

police newspaper in Texas was<br />

daunting, yet exciting at the<br />

same time. We knew what to do<br />

and how to do it. What I personally<br />

didn’t expect, was the flood<br />

of emotions of reliving 35 years<br />

of policing in Texas. <strong>No</strong>t only my<br />

experiences, but those of all my<br />

brothers and sisters in Blue.<br />

Anybody in law enforcement<br />

will tell you they compartmentalize<br />

their worst experiences<br />

in order to have any semblance<br />

of a normal life. But when you<br />

dredge up all those memories<br />

and begin to put them in words<br />

for the world to see, all those<br />

bottled up feelings come back<br />

with a vengeance.<br />

And in the midst of these PTSD<br />

flashbacks, the world suddenly<br />

changed course and life as we<br />

know it changed as well. March<br />

7, <strong>2020</strong> was THE day that I was<br />

first informed of what a Coronavirus<br />

was. And that something<br />

called COVID was about<br />

to impact my life and millions<br />

of people on earth. As of December<br />

1, <strong>2020</strong>, over 14.2 million<br />

Americans have contracted the<br />

virus and over 276,000 have died.<br />

In the world, 65.4 million have<br />

contracted COVID<br />

and 1.51 Million have<br />

died. As we went to<br />

press, 158 police officers<br />

have lost their<br />

lives to the pandemic.<br />

Over 35 people<br />

I know personally<br />

have died.<br />

Thinking back to last New<br />

Years Eve, at the stroke of midnight,<br />

I toasted to the beginning<br />

of a new year that I thought was<br />

about to be something incredible<br />

and life changing. I was referring<br />

to bringing the BLUES back to<br />

life. <strong>No</strong>t a pandemic that would<br />

kill my friends. <strong>No</strong>t a war against<br />

police that result in 270 police<br />

officers losing their lives. <strong>2020</strong><br />

was life changing alright, but<br />

certainly not like I envisioned it<br />

to be.<br />

And in the midst of this horrible<br />

battle, millions of Americans<br />

rallied together to support<br />

their president in ways never<br />

seen before. The re-election of<br />

Trump seemed like a slam dunk.<br />

But that too faded into an unbelievable<br />

defeat. Despite claims<br />

of voter fraud and a rigged<br />

election, Biden will take office<br />

January 20, 2021 and the fate<br />

of future Trump trains remains<br />

unknown. What do the thousands,<br />

no millions of pro-Trump,<br />

pro-police people do now?<br />

Trump lit a fire in the hearts<br />

of Americans never seen before.<br />

He made people proud of<br />

their country and more importantly<br />

proud and supportive of<br />

their police. This movement<br />

must continue. The BLUES is hell<br />

bent on re-directing this massive<br />

Trump Train into a BACKthe-BLUE<br />

movement the likes<br />

of which we have never seen<br />

before. The only way to survive<br />

four years of Biden’s bullshit<br />

is to show him and his cronies<br />

that the majority of Americans<br />

support law and order. We<br />

will stand with and protect our<br />

police to the bitter end. We are<br />

unwavering in our commitment<br />

and unstoppable in numbers. You<br />

will not burn down our cities,<br />

nor will you hurt our brothers<br />

and sisters in blue. We will fight<br />

you and we will be victorious.<br />

As the year comes to a close,<br />

I feel like we are all on a beach<br />

at sunset, after a hurricane.<br />

There may be total destruction<br />

behind us, but the beautiful sun<br />

setting on crystal clear water<br />

says I’m the future and it’s better.<br />

Like so many times before, God<br />

has reset humanity. We are so<br />

wrapped up in what we think<br />

we NEED to do to live, we let life<br />

slip by without ever knowing it.<br />

If nothing else, <strong>2020</strong> taught us<br />

how to live life differently when<br />

needed. Taught us to appreciate<br />

the smaller things in life and<br />

realize how fragile it is. Showed<br />

us we need to spend time with<br />

our parents, grandparents, aunts<br />

and uncles, brothers and sisters,<br />

as their time here is shorter than<br />

we think. And for that matter,<br />

time is short for all of us. We<br />

have to make each day count,<br />

live each day as if it were our<br />

last and do our best to leave this<br />

world a little bit better than we<br />

found it. And as the sun slowly<br />

sets on <strong>2020</strong>, all we really know<br />

about 2021 is that sun will rise<br />

again.<br />

And when it does, we need to<br />

rally around our brothers and<br />

sisters in Blue and show them<br />

once and for all we have their<br />

backs and we will not stand for<br />

more innocent lives to be lost.<br />

Each of us needs to watch each<br />

others back, both on duty and<br />

off. If you see a fellow officer out<br />

on traffic or making contact with<br />

a subject, take a minute to make<br />

sure they are OK.<br />

And let’s take time to do what<br />

we can for those officers that are<br />

sick with COVID. I know we can’t<br />

visit them in person, but do what<br />

ever you can, and make sure<br />

they know we are all praying for<br />

them.<br />

And let’s also not forget our<br />

brothers and sisters that have<br />

retired. Just because they no longer<br />

wear a badge and uniform,<br />

doesn’t mean they aren’t still a<br />

part of the BLUE family. These<br />

men and women dedicated their<br />

lives to making sure you and<br />

your family had a safe environment<br />

to grow up in. We owe<br />

them a huge debt of gratitude for<br />

their service.<br />

In the first quarter of 2021, the<br />

BLUES is going to organize the<br />

largest BLUE reunion in the history<br />

of Houston. A chance for first<br />

responders who have served in<br />

the Greater Houston area in the<br />

past 50 years, to come together<br />

and celebrate our history together.<br />

If you would like to assist<br />

with the planning of this monumental<br />

event, send us a quick<br />

email to: bluespdmag@gmail.<br />

com. Also watch our social media<br />

pages for more information<br />

on this incredible event.<br />

As we close the books on <strong>2020</strong>,<br />

the entire staff at the BLUES<br />

would like to wish you and your<br />

family the happiest of Holidays.<br />

A Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah,<br />

and a Happy New Year.<br />

May God Bless our entire BLUE<br />

family.<br />

HAPPY HOLIDAYS<br />

6 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 7

IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO DIED IN THE LINE OF DUTY DUE TO COVID<br />

As this year’s Holiday Season broad daylight attacks against<br />

$150,000 gets under way, we here ..what the officers it won’t who were get doing you. nothing<br />

<strong>Blues</strong> cannot help but to hit the<br />

proverbial “Pause Button” for a<br />

moment and humbly and sincerely<br />

reflect upon those whom<br />

we’ve lost this year.<br />

The Staff at The <strong>Blues</strong> are truly<br />

saddened and teary eyed, as we<br />

reflect on all the names, faces,<br />

friends, family, brothers and<br />

sisters, whose lives we’ve lost<br />

this year. Whether by violence,<br />

accident or this damn virus. This<br />

year has taken a record number<br />

of our Brothers and Sisters away<br />

from us. Our Thin Blue Line, perhaps<br />

thinner than ever before.<br />

For not only have we endured<br />

record losses of Law Enforcement<br />

Officers, we’ve endured<br />

record protests, marches, online<br />

and in person attacks of the<br />

likes never seen before. Officer<br />

after officer beaten, threatened,<br />

spit upon, human waste thrown<br />

upon, burned, run over, stabbed<br />

and shot as never before. Brazen,<br />

more than wearing their uniform<br />

and sitting at an intersection or<br />

in some parking lot.<br />

What some fail to realize or<br />

perhaps justify in their minds,<br />

is the fact that it’s not just the<br />

officer you’re attacking. It’s<br />

their family and friends as well.<br />

Their mothers, fathers, sons and<br />

daughters. It’s their brothers and<br />

sisters, coworkers, teachers and<br />

teammates from back in the<br />

day. For every officer attacked<br />

or killed, no less than a hundred<br />

people are deeply, personally<br />

and directly affected.<br />

When you look at it in such<br />

context, one can begin to see the<br />

widespread carnage, we in Law<br />

Enforcement are all enduring.<br />

The weight is nearly, unfathomable.<br />

Immeasurable pain, loss<br />

and suffering are wrongly inflicted<br />

because of no other reason or<br />

logic than “They were a cop, so<br />

they deserved it!”<br />

As of the date this is being<br />

written, 263 Law Enforcement<br />

Officers lost their lives in the<br />

Line of Duty. This number (much<br />

more than just a number, mind<br />

you) comes to a 102 percent increase<br />

of last year’s total number<br />

of Officers lost. Keeping in<br />

mind, this is the first of December,<br />

we’ve thirty more days to go<br />

in this terrible year of <strong>2020</strong>.<br />

In closing, it is not all loss,<br />

doom and gloom. We refuse to<br />

end this article on such a note.<br />

There were babies born unto<br />

those families who lost an officer.<br />

Children started Kindergarten<br />

while others, graduated High<br />

School. Some of the surviving<br />

children have become Law Enforcement<br />

Officers, themselves.<br />

Carrying on a tenacious tradition<br />

where their Mother or Father had<br />

left off.<br />

So much sacrifice and its ultimate<br />

endurance of profound loss<br />

Senior Police Officer Ernest Leal, Jr.<br />

Houston Police Department, TX<br />

EOW: Friday, <strong>No</strong>vember 27, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Correctional Officer Glenn F. Martinez<br />

Guam Department of Corrections<br />

EOW: Monday, <strong>No</strong>vember 23, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Detention Officer Dwight Willis<br />

Greene County Sheriff’s Office,<br />

EOW: Sunday, <strong>No</strong>vember 22, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Correctional Officer Richard Allen Wright<br />

Missouri Department of Corrections<br />

EOW: Thursday, <strong>No</strong>vember 19, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Agent Christopher Doyle Carney<br />

Department of Homeland Security<br />

EOW: Monday, <strong>No</strong>vember 16, <strong>2020</strong><br />

cannot be ignored. And yet, neither<br />

can the fact that out of all<br />

the loss, the old saying of “We’ll<br />

find in the ashes, that which we<br />

lost in the fire”, rings true. Out of<br />

everything and everyone we’ve<br />

lost; we must continue to stand<br />

back up and hold the line. If<br />

not for ourselves than certainly<br />

we owe this in the very least to<br />

those whom we’ve lost and held,<br />

Deputy Sheriff Johnny R. Tunches<br />

Harris County Sheriff’s Office,<br />

EOW: Tuesday, <strong>No</strong>vember 3, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Lieutenant Loyd Ray Hamm<br />

Richland Parish Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Monday, <strong>No</strong>vember 2, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Corporal Avery Hillman<br />

Crisp County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Saturday, October 31, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Police Officer Jerad Lindsey<br />

Tulsa Police Department<br />

EOW: Wednesday, October 28, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Deputy Sheriff Raul Gomez<br />

Wharton County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Monday, October 26, <strong>2020</strong><br />

oh so close and so dear.<br />

As December 1, <strong>2020</strong> these are<br />

the officers who have died in the<br />

Line of Duty due to COVID. Please<br />

keep these officers and their<br />

families in your prayers.<br />

Let us all pray that COVID<br />

comes to an end soon and we<br />

don’t lose another brother or sister<br />

in blue to this horrible virus.<br />

Captain Jeff Sewell<br />

Oklahoma Highway Patrol<br />

EOW: Saturday, September 26, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Customs Officer Renie Tumanda<br />

Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency<br />

EOW: Friday, September 25, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Master Jail Officer Robert Charles Sunukjian<br />

Hampton Roads Regional Jail<br />

EOW: Thursday, September 24, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Captain Randy M. Vallot<br />

Richland Parish Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Wednesday, September 23, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Deputy Sheriff Christopher Smith<br />

McLennan County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Monday, September 21, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Lieutenant Marzell Jerome Brooks<br />

Brookhaven Police Department,<br />

EOW: Sunday, <strong>No</strong>vember 15, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Police Officer Alex Arango<br />

Everman Police Department,<br />

EOW: Thursday, October 22, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Sergeant Charles Edward <strong>No</strong>rton<br />

Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, GA<br />

EOW: Sunday, September 20, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Agent Juan R. Ramírez-Padilla<br />

Puerto Rico Police Department,<br />

EOW: Friday, <strong>No</strong>vember 13, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Major Rickie A. Groves<br />

Kennett Police Department<br />

EOW: Friday, October 16, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Officer Carlo Jay Cayabyab<br />

Department of Homeland Security Officer<br />

EOW: Wednesday, September 16, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Officer Domingo Jasso, III<br />

Department of Homeland Security<br />

EOW: Thursday, <strong>No</strong>vember 5, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Sheriff Pete Smith<br />

Sumter County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Wednesday, October 14, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Sergeant Eric John Twisdale<br />

Clay County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Wednesday, September 16, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Sergeant William Darnell<br />

DeWitt Township Police Department<br />

EOW: Wednesday, <strong>No</strong>vember 4, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Sergeant Dennis R. Oliver, Jr.<br />

Highland Village Police Department,<br />

EOW: Friday, October 2, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Deputy Sheriff Angela Chavers<br />

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office,<br />

EOW: Saturday, September <strong>12</strong>, <strong>2020</strong><br />

First Lieutenant Roberto Rodríguez-Hernández<br />

Puerto Rico Police Department\<br />

EOW: Wednesday, <strong>No</strong>vember 4, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Correctional Officer Donald E. Parker<br />

Texas Department of Criminal Justice<br />

EOW: Thursday, October 1, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Corrections Officer Susan Ann Roberts<br />

Williamson County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Saturday, September <strong>12</strong>, <strong>2020</strong><br />

8 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 9

IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO DIED IN THE LINE OF DUTY DUE TO COVID<br />

Detective Jose Mora<br />

Fresno County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Monday, September 7, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Lieutenant Maybelle W. Hendricks<br />

Ridgeville Police Department<br />

EOW: Monday, August 17, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Deputy Sheriff Michael Stevens<br />

Galveston County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Friday, July 31, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Captain Steven M. Gaudet, Jr.<br />

Pearl River Police Department<br />

EOW: Thursday, July 16, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Correctional Officer Jose Marquez<br />

Cook County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Sunday, June 28, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Officer Marshall Lee “Bem” London, Jr.<br />

Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, MS<br />

EOW: Monday, May 18, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Corporal Charles E. Holt<br />

Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Tuesday, September 1, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Lieutenant Aldemar Rengifo<br />

Broward County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Sunday, August 16, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Correctional Officer Jairo Antonio Bravo<br />

Miami-Dade County Dept. of Corrections<br />

EOW: Thursday, July 30, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Corrections Officer V Jerry Esparza<br />

Texas Department of Criminal Justice<br />

EOW: Wednesday, July 15, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Juvenile Corrections Officer Sean Rahina<br />

Wilson | Texas Juvenile Justice Department<br />

EOW: Sunday, June 28, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Correctional Officer Berisford Anthony Morse<br />

Washington State Department of Corrections<br />

EOW: Sunday, May 17, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Sergeant Mayra Rodríguez-Burgado<br />

Puerto Rico Police Department,<br />

EOW: Monday, August 31, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Deputy Marshal Anthony Charles McGrew<br />

United States Department of Justice<br />

EOW: Saturday, August 15, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Lieutenant Erik L. Lloyd<br />

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department<br />

EOW: Wednesday, July 29, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Investigator Donald K. Sumner<br />

Patton State Hospital Police Department<br />

EOW: Tuesday, July 14, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Sergeant Dale Multer<br />

Travis County Constable’s Office - Precinct 5<br />

EOW: Saturday, June 27, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Officer Ching Kok<br />

Department of Homeland Security<br />

EOW: Saturday, May 16, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Deputy Sheriff Maurice Ford<br />

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Thursday, August 27, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Corrections Officer V Elizabeth Jones<br />

Texas Department of Criminal Justice<br />

EOW: Saturday, August 15, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Corrections Officer V Eric Johnson<br />

Texas Department of Criminal Justice<br />

EOW: Monday, July 27, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Master Police Officer Robert J. Hall<br />

Columbia Police Department, SC<br />

EOW: Tuesday, July 14, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Assistant Chief Gail Green-Gilliam<br />

Phenix City Police Departmen<br />

EOW: Wednesday, June 24, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Sergeant José García-Vázquez<br />

Puerto Rico Police Department<br />

EOW: Friday, May 15, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Corrections Officer V James Weston, Jr.<br />

Texas Department of Criminal Justice<br />

EOW: Wednesday, August 26, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Deputy Sheriff Stephen Bradley Dutton<br />

Harris County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Friday, August 14, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Sergeant Corey Pendergrass<br />

Lauderhill Police Department<br />

EOW: Sunday, July 26, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Director N. Kyle Coleman<br />

Bexar County Fire Marshal’s Office<br />

EOW: Tuesday, July 14, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Master Detention Deputy Lynn Jones<br />

Lake County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Wednesday, June 24, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Corrections Supervisor Fella A. Adebiyi<br />

Kansas Department of Corrections<br />

EOW: Tuesday, May <strong>12</strong>, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Police Officer Jorge Cabrera<br />

Mission Police Department<br />

EOW: Monday, August 24, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Corrections Officer IV Lebouath Boua<br />

Texas Department of Criminal Justice<br />

EOW: Wednesday, August <strong>12</strong>, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Senior Police Officer Sharon Williams<br />

New Orleans Police Department<br />

EOW: Sunday, July 26, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Officer Roel De La Fuente<br />

Department of Homeland Security<br />

EOW: Monday, July 13, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Deputy Sheriff Steven Allen Minor<br />

Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Wednesday, June 24, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Corrections Supervisor George<br />

Kansas Department of Corrections,<br />

EOW: Monday, May 11, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Sergeant Raul Salazar, Jr.<br />

Nueces County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Sunday, August 23, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Correctional Officer Dudley J. Champ<br />

Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, TX<br />

EOW: Monday, August 10, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Corrections Officer IV Ruben Martinez<br />

Texas Department of Criminal Justice<br />

EOW: Sunday, July 26, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Corrections Officer Jose “Joe” Kates<br />

California Department of Corrections<br />

EOW: Saturday, July 11, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Police Officer Michael Lee<br />

Navajo Division of Public Safety<br />

EOW: Friday, June 19, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Sergeant Charles<br />

Glen Ridge Police Department, NJ<br />

EOW: Monday, May 11, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Detective Irving Gene Callender, III<br />

Newark Police Department<br />

EOW: Saturday, August 22, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Sergeant Gilbert Polanco<br />

California Department of Corrections<br />

EOW: Sunday, August 9, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Border Patrol Agent Agustin Aguilar, Jr.<br />

Department of Homeland Security<br />

EOW: Saturday, July 25, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Border Patrol Agent Enrique J. Rositas, Jr.<br />

Department of Homeland Security<br />

EOW: Saturday, July 11, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Deputy Sheriff Juan Menchaca<br />

Harris County Sheriff’s Office,<br />

EOW: Saturday, June 13, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Correctional Officer Antoine J. Jones |<br />

Cook County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Sunday, May 10, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Deputy Sheriff Richard Treadwell<br />

Dane County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Saturday, August 22, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Lieutenant Chris Cunningham<br />

Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Wednesday, August 5, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Investigator Mark Brown<br />

Harris County Constable’s Office - Precinct<br />

5EOW: Saturday, July 25, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Lieutenant Bobby Almager<br />

Corpus Christi International Airport<br />

EOW: Friday, July 10, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Corrections Officer V Thomas Adedayo Ogungbire<br />

| Texas Department of Criminal Justice<br />

EOW: Thursday, June 11, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Sergeant Michael W. Clegg<br />

Newark Police Department,<br />

EOW: Sunday, May 10, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Officer Lucas Saucedo<br />

Department of Homeland Security<br />

EOW: Friday, August 21, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Border Patrol Agent Marco A. Gonzales<br />

Department of Homeland Security<br />

EOW: Wednesday, August 5, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Deputy Sheriff Oscar W. Rocha<br />

Alameda County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Thursday, July 23, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Officer Alfonso H. Murrieta<br />

Department of Homeland Security<br />

EOW: Thursday, July 9, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Sergeant Mikkos Leonardo Newman<br />

Lee County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Monday, June 8, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Chief of Police Marvin Wayne Trejo<br />

Dumas Police Department<br />

EOW: Sunday, May 10, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Sergeant Virgil Thomas<br />

Richmond Police Department<br />

EOW: Thursday, August 20, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Chief Probation Officer Leslie Dale Allen<br />

Athens-Clarke County Probation Services<br />

EOW: Tuesday, August 4, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Lieutenant Brian McNair<br />

Hall County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Monday, July 20, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Captain Glenn Allen Green<br />

Pike County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Monday, July 6, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Police Officer Efren Coronel<br />

El Centro Police Department,<br />

EOW: Wednesday, June 3, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Corrections Officer V Maria Mendez<br />

Texas Department of Criminal Justice<br />

EOW: Saturday, May 9, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Corporal Michael Ambrosino<br />

Horry County Police Department<br />

EOW: Wednesday, August 19, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Corrections Officer Daniel Glenn Oaks<br />

Yakima County Department of Corrections<br />

EOW: Saturday, August 1, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Corrections Officer IV Jackson Pongay<br />

Texas Department of Criminal Justice<br />

EOW: Sunday, July 19, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Corrections Officer Kenneth Harbin<br />

Texas Department of Criminal Justice<br />

EOW: Saturday, July 4, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Deputy Sheriff Kietrell Pitts<br />

Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Sunday, May 31, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Corrections Officer V Jesse Wayne Bolton<br />

Texas Department of Criminal Justice<br />

EOW: Friday, May 8, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Detention Deputy Charles Pugh, II<br />

Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Tuesday, August 18, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Sergeant Parnell Guyton<br />

University of Alabama at Birmingham Police<br />

EOW: Friday, July 31, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Master Sergeant Henry Turner<br />

Louisiana Department of Corrections<br />

EOW: Saturday, July 18, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Sergeant Kelvin Dewayne Mixon<br />

Edwards Police Department,<br />

EOW: Thursday, July 2, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Corrections Officer Daniel Lopez Mendoza, III |<br />

California Department of Corrections<br />

EOW: Saturday, May 30, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Sergeant Raymond John Scholwinski<br />

Harris County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Wednesday, May 6, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Corrections Officer V Herbert Garcia<br />

Captain Kevin Trahan<br />

Master Detention Deputy Richard Barry<br />

Parole Officer IV Joseph William Lange Detective John D. Songy<br />

Officer Omar E. Palmer<br />

Texas Department of Criminal Justice Church Point Police Department<br />

Lake County Sheriff’s Office<br />

Texas Department of Criminal Justice Rutland Police Department<br />

Department of Homeland Security<br />

EOW: Tuesday, August 18, <strong>2020</strong><br />

EOW: Friday, July 31, <strong>2020</strong><br />

EOW: Thursday, July 16, <strong>2020</strong><br />

EOW: Wednesday, July 1, <strong>2020</strong><br />

EOW: Friday, May 29, <strong>2020</strong><br />

EOW: Monday, May 4, <strong>2020</strong><br />

10 10 The The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 11

IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO DIED IN THE LINE OF DUTY DUE TO COVID<br />

Deputy Sheriff Richard O’Brien, Jr.<br />

Cook County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Sunday, May 3, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Corrections Officer V Jonathon Keith Goodman<br />

Texas Department of Criminal Justice<br />

EOW: Tuesday, April 21, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Sergeant Jose Diaz-Ayala<br />

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Saturday, April 4, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Police Officer Ronald Newman<br />

Chicago Police Department<br />

EOW: Friday, April 17, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Deputy Sheriff Terrell Young<br />

Riverside County Sheriff’s Department<br />

EOW: Thursday, April 2, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Officer Richard G. McCoy<br />

Department of Homeland Security<br />

EOW: Saturday, May 2, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Warden Wilmot Sandlin<br />

Louisiana Department of Corrections, LA<br />

EOW: Monday, April 20, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Deputy Sheriff Shannon Bennett<br />

Broward County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Friday, April 3, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Detective Alex Ruperto<br />

Union City Police Department<br />

EOW: Thursday, April 16, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Police Officer Marco DiFranco<br />

Chicago Police Department<br />

EOW: Thursday, April 2, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Senior Police Officer Mark Hall, Sr.<br />

New Orleans Police Department<br />

EOW: Thursday, April 30, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Correctional Officer Sheila Rivera<br />

Cook County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Sunday, April 19, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Corporal Dean Savard<br />

Wayne County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Friday, April 3, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Sergeant Joseph Spinosa<br />

Sands Point Police Department<br />

EOW: Wednesday, April 15, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Deputy Sheriff Jeff Hopkins<br />

El Paso County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Wednesday, April 1, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Police Officer Michael Alexander Conners<br />

Newark Police Department,<br />

EOW: Thursday, April 30, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Police Officer Ronald Newman<br />

Chicago Police Department<br />

EOW: Friday, April 17, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Deputy Sheriff Terrell Young<br />

Riverside County Sheriff’s Department<br />

EOW: Thursday, April 2, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Police Officer Jose Fontanez<br />

Boston Police Department<br />

EOW: Tuesday, April 14, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Correctional Officer Kenneth J. Moore<br />

District of Columbia Department of Youth<br />

EOW: Wednesday, April 1, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Detective Sergeant Randall C. French<br />

Troy Police Department<br />

EOW: Thursday, April 30, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Detective Alex Ruperto<br />

Union City Police Department<br />

EOW: Thursday, April 16, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Police Officer Marco DiFranco<br />

Chicago Police Department<br />

EOW: Thursday, April 2, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Sergeant AlTerek Shaundel Patterson<br />

Bedminster Township Police Department,<br />

EOW: Sunday, April <strong>12</strong>, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Detective Marylou Armer<br />

Santa Rosa Police Department<br />

EOW: Tuesday, March 31, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Detention Deputy Timothy De La Fuente<br />

Bexar County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Thursday, April 30, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Sergeant Joseph Spinosa<br />

Sands Point Police Department,<br />

EOW: Wednesday, April 15, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Deputy Sheriff Jeff Hopkins<br />

El Paso County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Wednesday, April 1, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Police Officer Francesco S. Scorpo<br />

Paterson Police Department<br />

EOW: Sunday, April <strong>12</strong>, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Deputy Sypraseuth “Bud” Phouangphrachanh<br />

Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Tuesday, March 31, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Corrections Officer V James D. Coleman<br />

Texas Department of Criminal Justice<br />

EOW: Tuesday, April 28, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Police Officer Jose Fontanez<br />

Boston Police Department<br />

EOW: Tuesday, April 14, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Correctional Officer Kenneth J. Moore<br />

District of Columbia Department of Youth<br />

EOW: Wednesday, April 1, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Interim Police Chief Mark J. Romutis<br />

Ambridge Borough Police Department<br />

EOW: Sunday, April <strong>12</strong>, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Deputy Constable Levi Kelling Arnold<br />

New Orleans Constable’s Office<br />

EOW: Monday, March 30, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Corrections Officer Coy D. Coffman, Jr.<br />

Texas Department of Criminal Justice<br />

EOW: Sunday, April 26, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Sergeant AlTerek Shaundel Patterson<br />

Bedminster Township Police Department<br />

EOW: Sunday, April <strong>12</strong>, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Detective Marylou Armer<br />

Santa Rosa Police Department<br />

EOW: Tuesday, March 31, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Sergeant Clifford W. Martin, Sr.<br />

Chicago Police Department<br />

EOW: Friday, April 10, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Reserve Captain Raymond Andrew Boseman<br />

New Orleans Police Department<br />

EOW: Sunday, March 29, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Senior Detention Officer Alexander Reginald<br />

Pettiway | Durham County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Saturday, April 25, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Police Officer Francesco S. Scorpo<br />

Paterson Police Department<br />

EOW: Sunday, April <strong>12</strong>, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Agent Miguel Martínez-Ortiz<br />

Puerto Rico Police Department<br />

EOW: Friday, April 24, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Police Officer Kurt James Enget<br />

Bainbridge Island Police Department<br />

EOW: Friday, April 10, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Commander Donafay Collins<br />

Wayne County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Wednesday, March 25, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Police Officer Joseph Cappello<br />

Melrose Park Police Department<br />

EOW: Friday, April 24, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Interim Police Chief Mark J. Romutis<br />

Ambridge Borough Police Department<br />

EOW: Sunday, April <strong>12</strong>, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Corporal Lawrence Onley<br />

United States Department of Defense<br />

EOW: Tuesday, April 21, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Corrections Officer IV Kelvin D. Wilcher<br />

Texas Department of Criminal Justice<br />

EOW: Monday, April 6, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Captain Jonathan Parnell<br />

Detroit Police Department<br />

EOW: Tuesday, March 24, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Patrolman Gary Walker<br />

Bloomingdale Police Department,<br />

EOW: Friday, April 24, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Sergeant Clifford W. Martin, Sr.<br />

Chicago Police Department<br />

EOW: Friday, April 10, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Correctional Deputy Jeremy Smith<br />

Shelby County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Tuesday, April 21, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Special Deputy Marshal Brian Leath Magee<br />

United States Department of Justice<br />

EOW: Monday, April 6, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Agent Miguel Martínez-Ortiz<br />

Puerto Rico Police Department<br />

EOW: Friday, April 24, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Police Officer Kurt James Enget<br />

Bainbridge Island Police Department<br />

EOW: Friday, April 10, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Corrections Officer V Jonathon Keith Goodman<br />

Texas Department of Criminal Justice<br />

EOW: Tuesday, April 21, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Sergeant Jose Diaz-Ayala<br />

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Saturday, April 4, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Corporal Lawrence Onley<br />

United States Department of Defense<br />

EOW: Tuesday, April 21, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Corrections Officer IV Kelvin D. Wilcher<br />

Texas Department of Criminal Justice<br />

EOW: Monday, April 6, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Warden Wilmot Sandlin<br />

Louisiana Department of Corrections<br />

EOW: Monday, April 20, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Deputy Sheriff Shannon Bennett<br />

Broward County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Friday, April 3, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Correctional Deputy Jeremy Smith<br />

Special Deputy Marshal Brian Leath Magee Correctional Officer Sheila Rivera<br />

Corporal Dean Savard<br />

Shelby County Sheriff’s Office,<br />

United States Department of Justice<br />

Cook County Sheriff’s Office<br />

Wayne County Sheriff’s Office<br />

EOW: Tuesday, April 21, <strong>2020</strong><br />

EOW: Monday, April 6, <strong>2020</strong><br />

EOW: Sunday, April 19, <strong>2020</strong><br />

EOW: Friday, April 3, <strong>2020</strong><br />

<strong>12</strong> The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 13 13

CIVILIAN POLICE BOARD IN CHI-<br />

CAGO WANTS POLICE FIRED FOR<br />

JUSTIFIED SHOOTINGS<br />

Maybe the Chicago police should<br />

stand down from ALL calls for now<br />

because any call, as we know, can<br />

be dangerous.<br />

Instead, let the civilian board review<br />

idiots get their little asses out<br />

there and handle the calls themselves:<br />

without guns since they’re so<br />

worried about criminals being shot.<br />

Tell them to bring a social worker<br />

along with them and see how that<br />

works.<br />

I think BEFORE they’re allowed<br />

to make any decisions, that they<br />

should be required to work the<br />

streets as police officers do, for at<br />

least one year prior to becoming a<br />

civilian board review idiot.<br />

They also should require a psychological<br />

evaluation for each civilian<br />

board review idiot.<br />

It’s the OTHER idiots that are<br />

allowing anybody two become a<br />

civilian board review idiot and that’s<br />

why they don’t even understand<br />

anything about police officers and<br />

working the streets. They’re complete<br />

idiots and so are the people<br />

that let them on that review board.<br />

MORE SENSELESS KILLINGS<br />

We do not understand why the<br />

senseless evil in this world exists or<br />

why some embrace and even promote<br />

it. The war on law enforcement<br />

by radical, evil people continues.<br />

Charleston, WV police officer<br />

Cassie Johnson was shot in the face<br />

and killed over a traffic complaint.<br />

A damn traffic complaint!! The life<br />

of a police officer is less important<br />

than a parking situation? The<br />

devaluing of human life and the<br />

desensitizing of life itself as well as<br />

the nonchalant attitude about death<br />

has become the normal to some. It’s<br />

absolutely sickening and disgusting.<br />

This young police officer, on<br />

the job for just 1 year was shot in<br />

the face and killed by a degenerate,<br />

evil, thug who was prowling<br />

the streets while out on bond for<br />

OTHER firearm offenses!! Our criminal<br />

justice system and political<br />

environment is failing. Our families<br />

are failing by turning their backs on<br />

faith, refusing to teach their children<br />

about the Lord, pursuing the<br />

obscene and embracing the wickedness.<br />

What was spoken by Jesus<br />

is now hidden from our world. It’s a<br />

sad, sick time this world faces.<br />

Officer Johnson, go rest high on<br />

that mountain, Sister. You’ve served<br />

your time in hell, here on earth.<br />

Your shift has ended and we’ll call<br />

you off duty. You are 10-7/10-41.<br />

You’ve earned your wings and the<br />

title of Police Officer. The modern<br />

day Saint Michael and protector.<br />

Heavenly Father, welcome<br />

Your newest angel, comfort her<br />

co-workers, family and friends and<br />

heal our hearts. Jesus, we surrender<br />

and trust in You. Amen.<br />

Loosing a K9<br />

I found myself trying to console<br />

Officer Clark today on the phone<br />

and telling him how lucky Trevor<br />

was to have him in his life while I<br />

was uncontrollably sobbing myself.<br />

We knew this day was coming and<br />

we were not looking forward to it.<br />

Throw Away Dogs K9 Trevor was<br />

laid to rest today as he was failing<br />

fairly quickly from Canine degenerative<br />

myelopathy and also had a<br />

tumor on his kidney.<br />

This is so hard for me as Trevor<br />

was our very first Throw Away Dog.<br />

I’ll never forget the first time Jason<br />

and I met him. Boy was he a ball<br />

of energy with a little bit of sass.<br />

But so loyal and loving. He was in a<br />

shelter then went to rescue and returned<br />

twice before we found him.<br />

This was our pilot program dog. We<br />

had no idea what we were doing<br />

at the time but managed to make<br />

it work and we all fell in love with<br />

this special dog that was sure to be<br />

euthanized if this didn’t work out.<br />

Michael and Trevor became a<br />

bonded pair and worked tirelessly<br />

to make Trevor the best Narcotic<br />

Detection K9 he could be.<br />

A piece of me feels like I died<br />

today because our beloved Trevor<br />

was the beginning of something<br />

so special and near and dear to my<br />

heart. One of the pictures below<br />

was the day Jason and I had to say<br />

goodbye to Trevor and leave him<br />

to start his new life with his new<br />

purpose. I cried all the home from<br />

Indiana worried about what might<br />

happen.<br />

Thank goodness for Officer Clark<br />

and his Department for giving<br />

Trevor and our program a chance<br />

otherwise he wouldn’t have the life<br />

he did and his purpose.<br />

I will never forget you dear Trevor,<br />

thank you for being you and being<br />

your quirky self. You were absolutely<br />

misunderstood but not broken<br />

Rest In Peace my sweet boy, until<br />

we meet again.<br />

K9 Trevor, EOW 11-29-20<br />

Narcotic Detection,<br />

Lawrence Indiana PD<br />

CAROL<br />

TIRED OF THE HURT<br />

I hope all is safe first off, I’m tired<br />

of seeing everyday an officer is hurt<br />

or killed in the line of duty. I am<br />

a former LEO and former military.<br />

With that being said, the officers<br />

out here following the orders of a<br />

politician has got to f—king stop.<br />

Your oath is not to the crooked<br />

dumb asses sitting in their office.<br />

It’s to the people of this country.<br />

14 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 15

The officers in NYC that arrested a<br />

man for keeping his busy operating<br />

to support his family is a disgrace.<br />

Grow a set and stand up to these<br />

jackasses who continue to violate<br />

the constitution which you swore<br />

to uphold. I am on LEO’s side, I will<br />

never drive by an officer in need and<br />

not stop. There are millions like me<br />

out here but y’all have got to start<br />

honoring the oath and the people of<br />

this country. I pray all of you return<br />

home safely to your love ones. Take<br />

a stand ,you are the publics first line<br />

of defense.<br />

MIKE SARGENT<br />

BUNCH OF IDIOTS<br />

I love it when these anti-police<br />

and anti-military Liberals try to hire<br />

my dad’s private security company.<br />

He of course tells them to f*** off!<br />

The hypocrisy of these people is<br />

just mind boggling. They hate the<br />

police but they want someone to<br />

protect them. They hate the military<br />

but they want someone to defend<br />

the country. The city of Minneapolis<br />

abolishes the police department.<br />

Then they decide the city needs<br />

protection so they hire private<br />

security. Private security is armed<br />

just like the cops. Unlike the cops<br />

private security can legally shot first<br />

and ask questions later. So which is<br />

better? A group that will just shoot<br />

criminals or a group that will arrest<br />

them and read them their rights?<br />

You can’t make this stuff up. What a<br />

bunch of idiots!!!<br />

STEPHEN GOODE<br />

they would the regular keypad?<br />

Cashier: no words. Confused look.<br />

Me : Why Don’t you pack the grocery<br />

bags anymore?<br />

Cashier : Because of COVID 19 to<br />

reduce the spread of catching or<br />

spreading the virus.<br />

Me : But a shelf packer took it out<br />

of a box and put on the shelf, a few<br />

customers might of picked it up and<br />

put back deciding they Don’t want<br />

it, I put it in my trolley then on the<br />

conveyor belt, YOU pick it up to scan<br />

it.. But putting it in a bag after you<br />

scan is risky??<br />

Cashier : no words, confused look<br />

Me AT DRIVE-THRU:<br />

Server: (holds a tray out the window<br />

with a bag of food for logical<br />

friend to grab)<br />

Me: why is my bag of food on a<br />

tray?<br />

Server: so I don’t touch your food<br />

because of COVID.<br />

Me: didn’t the cook touch my<br />

food? Didn’t the person wrapping<br />

my food touch it and then touch it<br />

again when placing it in my bag?<br />

Didn’t you touch the bag and put<br />

it on the tray? Didn’t you touch the<br />

tray?<br />

Server: no words. Confused look.

BLUES Founder & Editor<br />

Remember Ray Simper<br />

MICHAEL BARRON, BLUES FOUNDER<br />

REX EVANS, BLUES EDITOR In CHIEF<br />

In 1984, I was just a rookie at<br />

Harris County, but I was about to<br />

embark on a mission that would<br />

continue for the next <strong>36</strong> years. I had<br />

this idea of starting a police newspaper<br />

and in order to make it work,<br />

I needed advertisers. At the time, I<br />

really only new one guy that was<br />

in the police business – Raymond<br />

Simper, the owner of Central Police<br />

Supply.<br />

I had been a frequent customer of<br />

Ray’s Police Emporium and had become<br />

fairly good friends with Ray.<br />

So, on a cold rainy day in October<br />

of 1984, I waltzed into Central and<br />

announced to Ray I was starting<br />

a police newspaper and what did<br />

he think of the idea. And he says,<br />

there already is a Police Newspaper<br />

in town, it’s called the Badge &<br />

Gun. So, you might want to think of<br />

something else to occupy your time<br />

Mikey.<br />

But Ray, I know about the Badge<br />

& Gun and it’s an association newspaper<br />

and the County <strong>Blues</strong> will<br />

be for everyone. “That’s the name<br />

----County <strong>Blues</strong>---like as in Harris<br />

County? That’s the name you picked<br />

out?” says Ray in his somewhat sarcastic<br />

voice of his.<br />

<strong>No</strong>, as in Hill Street <strong>Blues</strong>. This<br />

conversation went on for a while<br />

and I could tell it was going to<br />

take some convincing to get Ray<br />

to advertise. But by the time I got<br />

ready to actually publish an issue<br />

in December, his interest began to<br />

grow as did his daily suggestions.<br />

You should add this or made write a<br />

story about so and so. You want me<br />

to proof this rag before you actually<br />

print the darn thing. <strong>No</strong> Ray I’m<br />

good.<br />

The truth is that it wasn’t until the<br />

fourth issue in April of 1985 that I<br />

sold the first paid ad. Oh there were<br />

ads in the first three issues, but they<br />

were all my businesses or friends<br />

that owned businesses. But the<br />

FIRST paid ad was Central Police<br />

Supply and Ray insisted that it be in<br />

the center of the newspaper and in<br />

COLOR.<br />

“<strong>No</strong>w what color blue do you use<br />

for your logo? Because we have a<br />

certain color blue we use” says Ray.<br />

*NEXT PAGE<br />

You’d have to go a mighty long building.<br />

“whatchamacallit”.<br />

ways back to find the origins of There were multiple owners, all There were a few times some<br />

Central Police Supply Store, located Houston Police Officers, and they snap broke, some light stopped<br />

at the corner of Houston and Washington<br />

Avenues. Conveniently locat-<br />

‘F15’ business. Well time and fate it and it was always easier to just<br />

had gone in together on the original working or a jacket had a hole in<br />

Retired HPD Officer Raymond ‘Ray’ Simper,<br />

ed, right across from the old Central dwindled the number of ‘partners’ stop in at Central and get what I<br />

Founder of Central Police Supply<br />

Headquarters of the Houston Police in the business until the longest needed fixed, repaired, serviced<br />

AUGUST 16, 1945 – AUGUST 28, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Department.<br />

running partner, Officer Ray Simper, or replaced! A few times, the folks<br />

<strong>No</strong>w to be fair, it wasn’t always was the sole survivor of the original there proved to be a “lifesaver” of<br />

called Central Police Supply. It’s group.<br />

sorts when you work evenings or<br />

original name was “F-15”. And it Over the years, a LOT of Officers, nights and your SL-20 stopped<br />

wasn’t always located in the red Deputies, Troopers, State and Federal<br />

charging or working. They would<br />

brick building it has been housed in<br />

Agents have all made a stop always repair it right then and there.<br />

for the last 20 years either. Though into Central Police Supply. I can’t I’ll even admit, there was a time<br />

it’s always been located at that intersection,<br />

possibly remember all the times or two, I had gone in with holes in<br />

it was once housed in the I have been there over the last 30 my boots, uniform, or jacket and<br />

smaller gray stone and brick building plus years. I always had to have<br />

TRIBUTE TO RAY/PLAY<br />

THE HISTORY OF CENTRAL POLICE SUPPLY/PLAY<br />

immediately adjacent to the current the latest and greatest “thing” or<br />

*NEXT PAGE<br />

18 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 19

MICHAEL BARRON, BLUES FOUNDER<br />

REX EVANS, BLUES EDITOR In CHIEF<br />

Uh Huh, and what pray tell is that<br />

color BLUE that is so critical to your<br />

logo Mr. Simper?<br />

“I don’t actually know, but I’m sure<br />

Judy knows, ask her”<br />

And that’s the story of the how the<br />

first ad was sold in the BLUES and<br />

how Ray became the first unofficial<br />

editor and color selector of the<br />

BLUES. Over the years, Ray and Central<br />

Police Supply became one of<br />

our biggest supporters. And it was<br />

Ray that introduced me to Buddy<br />

Williams the editor of the Badge &<br />

Gun, who would later become the<br />

owner of the BLUES for almost 25<br />

years.<br />

In fact, it was Ray’s idea (one of<br />

perhaps a thousand over the years)<br />

to change the name of the newspaper<br />

from County <strong>Blues</strong> to just<br />

the BLUES. Said I was too partial to<br />

Harris County and I needed to expand<br />

my horizons or something like<br />

that. Expand readership statewide,<br />

he says. I’m pretty sure this was<br />

his idea to get Central’s ad seen by<br />

more cops across the state and of<br />

course not pay more for said ad.<br />

About the time that Ray retired<br />

from HPD I had sold the newspaper<br />

to Buddy and it was rare that I ran<br />

into him at Central. But when I did,<br />

he and I had to catch-up and take<br />

note of ways to improve the BLUES.<br />

LOL<br />

<strong>No</strong>t sure how much advice he<br />

gave Buddy over the years, but<br />

I’m sure if he had stopped by, Ray<br />

would have imparted his knowledge<br />

of the publishing world to Buddy.<br />

Over the years, Central became<br />

a second home to hundreds if not<br />

thousands of officers. In the almost<br />

half of century that Central and F15<br />

have been in business, they have<br />

outfitted officers with damn near<br />

everything they could ever need.<br />

When we relaunched the BLUES a<br />

year ago, I ran across a video that<br />

Greg Smith made about Ray and<br />

the history of Central Police Supply.<br />

(see attached<br />

link)<br />

It’s a great<br />

video that<br />

gives insight<br />

into Ray’s<br />

history as an<br />

HPD police<br />

officer and<br />

his involvement<br />

with<br />

F15 and later<br />

as the owner<br />

of Central<br />

Police Supply.<br />

I was out<br />

of town in<br />

August when<br />

a friend<br />

called me and said Ray had passed<br />

away. I was truly saddened by the<br />

news. Ray was always like an older<br />

brother to me and I wish that I had<br />

made it a point to visit him over the<br />

years. I am however thrilled to see<br />

his daughter Jacqueline running<br />

the family business. I know Ray was<br />

so proud when Jacqueline wanted<br />

to take over as manager and she is<br />

every bit as smart as her old man.<br />

Finally, I’d like to thank Jacqueline<br />

and the staff at Central Police<br />

Supply for once again placing their<br />

trust in the BLUES to promote a true<br />

legend in Houston. I think Ray would<br />

be proud of the ad in this issue and<br />

yes sir, we made sure the logo is in<br />

fact the right color of blue.<br />

I know Ray is riding his tractor in<br />

heaven and watching over all his<br />

family – both personal as well as<br />

BLUE. Can’t wait to see you again<br />

my friend and tell you all about the<br />

digital version of the BLUES and I’m<br />

sure you’ll have ways to improve it.<br />

God Bless you my friend.<br />

Ray or one of the girls would let<br />

‘charge’ new pair until payday. It<br />

wasn’t often mind you, but the two<br />

or three times over 30 years I could<br />

charge something, kept me returning<br />

as a faithful and loyal customer.<br />

<strong>No</strong>t so much for the convenience, as<br />

the leniency and compassion they<br />

always had for their customers. <strong>No</strong><br />

one there ever had to help me. They<br />

did so because they knew me and<br />

they knew I would always show up<br />

with cash and a dozen donuts. My<br />

way of saying “Thank you” for the<br />

grace given unto me when I needed<br />

it.<br />

<strong>No</strong>wadays, such customer service<br />

isn’t really<br />

afforded anywhere<br />

on this<br />

planet! Which I<br />

understand. Times<br />

and people have<br />

changed. Hell,<br />

the whole world<br />

has changed.<br />

One thing that<br />

hasn’t changed,<br />

is the fact Central<br />

Police Supply<br />

remains open and<br />

active at the intersection<br />

of Houston<br />

and Washington<br />

Avenue. And<br />

Officers, Deputies,<br />

Troopers, Federal and State Agents<br />

are still walking in, getting whatever<br />

they need, buying the latest and<br />

greatest, and the whatchamacallits<br />

they just had to have!<br />

For a business in the City of Houston,<br />

that’s quite an accomplishment.<br />

When it comes to Law Enforcement,<br />

we haven’t exactly kept our rich,<br />

dedicated and oftentimes quite<br />

interesting history alive. Central<br />

Police Supply is a testament to over<br />

a half century of service to those<br />

who, Serve and Protect.<br />

In closing, on a very personal<br />

note, one day in a pouring thunderstorm,<br />

I stopped in for one of those<br />

long “Duster style” raincoats. I had<br />

just enough money for it. Ray was<br />

over attending to something else as<br />

the girl rang me up. But he stopped<br />

what he was doing and mentioned<br />

the holes in the sides of my boots<br />

where they had become separated.<br />

With the raging thunderstorm<br />

going on outside he said “What size<br />

boot do you wear?” I told him and<br />

within about a minute he walked<br />

back over with a brand new pair of<br />

boots in the box. He told me to take<br />

off my soaked, torn up boots and<br />

put on the new ones. I explained<br />

to him I only had enough money to<br />

get the coat, I didn’t have money<br />

for the boots. He went on to tell<br />

me he didn’t ask me about money,<br />

he simply couldn’t and wouldn’t<br />

let a cop come in with boots like<br />

that and walk out in a middle of<br />

thunderstorm with the same worn<br />

out boots on. He said “I know when<br />

payday is…just come back and see<br />

me then, ok?” I thank him, switched<br />

to new and dry boots and went<br />

back to work. I’ll never forgot his<br />

kindness and I’ll never shop anywhere<br />

else. Such moments are all<br />

but a rarity these days, locked away<br />

to history. <strong>No</strong>t all “Old School” was<br />

bad. <strong>No</strong>t at all….<br />

20 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 21 21

HPD Sgt. Sean Rios<br />

Another Houston Hero Lost to Gunfire<br />

HOUSTON – On <strong>No</strong>vember 9,<br />

<strong>2020</strong>, Houston Police Sgt. Sean<br />

Rios, a 24-year veteran of the<br />

department, was on his way to<br />

work at Houston’s Intercontinental<br />

Airport when he witnessed a<br />

road rage incident that erupted<br />

in gunfire on Houston’s <strong>No</strong>rth<br />

Freeway.<br />

<strong>No</strong>t one to ignore a crime in<br />

progress, Rios found himself in<br />

the middle of a gunfight between<br />

two thugs from Houston<br />

– Robert Soliz, a 24 yr. old<br />

known gang member who was<br />

out on bond for what else, a gun<br />

possession charge; and another<br />

suspect Jason Vasquez, who is<br />

still at large as of <strong>No</strong>v. 30th.<br />

According to court records,<br />

prosecutors said three men witnessed<br />

the exchange of gunfire<br />

from the Dixon Motors car dealership<br />

on Interstate 45. They told<br />

detectives that they noticed a<br />

black Chevrolet truck and a blue<br />

Mercedes Benz parked behind<br />

the business on Stuebner Airline.<br />

A man, believed to be Soliz, was<br />

seen getting out of the Mercedes<br />

and running into the nearby Cactus<br />

King nursery, directly across<br />

from the dealership.<br />

Another man, later identified<br />

as Rios, was seen firing into the<br />

nursery from a driveway. The<br />

man in the nursery fired back at<br />

Rios, witnesses said, and the sergeant<br />

retreated<br />

back toward<br />

Stuebner Airline.<br />

At that point,<br />

the witnesses<br />

saw the driver<br />

of the black<br />

truck waving his<br />

hands toward<br />

the nursery. One<br />

witness said the<br />

driver appeared<br />

to be signaling<br />

for Soliz to<br />

come out. Soliz<br />

then stepped<br />

onto Stuebner<br />

Airline and again<br />

opened fire<br />

toward Rios, the<br />

witness said.<br />

Both the Mercedes<br />

and the<br />

pickup sped off,<br />

while Rios made<br />

his way toward<br />

the front office<br />

of the nearby Taj Inn & Suites,<br />

where he walked inside and<br />

asked the clerk to call 911 and<br />

then collapsed. By the time EMS<br />

arrived, Rios was pronounced<br />

dead.<br />

According to prosecutors, Soliz<br />

went to GTO Transmission Repair<br />

on Berwyn Drive, about half a<br />

mile from the scene. His child’s<br />

grandfather works there, and<br />

Soliz asked the man if he knew<br />

anyone who could fix his car.<br />

There was a fresh bullet hole<br />

in the windshield. Soliz told him<br />

he “just got shot at on the freeway,”<br />

according to prosecutors.<br />

The grandfather told detectives<br />

that he went inside the shop<br />

and when he returned, Soliz had<br />

driven away with a man in a<br />

black pickup.<br />

He knew Soliz always carried a<br />

gun and when he saw the bullet<br />

hole, he “didn’t touch the vehicle<br />

as he did not want to get involved,”<br />

prosecutors said.<br />

Surveillance video from the<br />

repair shop, shows Soliz arriving<br />

with the man in the black pickup.<br />

In the video, Soliz appears to be<br />

pacing and can be heard saying<br />

“my f’ing jammed,” according to<br />

prosecutors, who believe he was<br />

referring to his gun. He also said,<br />

“he almost hit me,” prosecutors<br />

said.<br />

At the scene, HPD recovered<br />

two types of ammunition. Two<br />

.40-caliber casings were found<br />

on Stuebner Airline and two 9<br />

mm casings were found within<br />

the nursery. Police also found a<br />

.38 revolver on Stuebner Airline,<br />

believed to be Rios’ gun. Detectives<br />

said he fired three rounds.<br />

The casings were still in the<br />

cylinder of the gun.<br />

Soliz was charged with capital<br />

murder in Rios’ death and also<br />

faces two counts of aggravated<br />

assault with a deadly weapon<br />

for unrelated incidents — one of<br />

which was connected to a road<br />

rage shooting earlier this year<br />

with a former high school classmate.<br />

Wade Smith, Soliz’s attorney<br />

at the hearing, said his client is<br />

originally from the Houston area.<br />

Soliz’s social media accounts<br />

show he is a member of The<br />

Sauce Factory gang, which is<br />

known for selling drugs and<br />

promoting underage prostitution.<br />

The group also has been<br />

tied to several murders in the<br />

Houston-area and are involved in<br />

ongoing feuds with rival gangs.<br />

At the time of the shooting,<br />

Soliz, had been out on a $100<br />

bond since February for an unlawful<br />

carrying of a weapon in a<br />

motor vehicle charge. According<br />

to Harris County records, Soliz<br />

has bonded in and out of jail<br />

for several misdemeanor arrests<br />

dating back to 2014 when he was<br />

a teenager.<br />

In January 2018, he pleaded<br />

guilty to charges of evading arrest<br />

and weapons possession in<br />

exchange for a six-month sentence<br />

in the Harris County Jail.<br />

He failed to surrender to the jail<br />

to start that sentence and another<br />

agency picked him up within<br />

days.<br />

That following July, he served<br />

another 90 days in the jail for a<br />

terroristic threat charge.<br />

Soliz also faces two additional<br />

charges of aggravated assault<br />

with a deadly weapon, according<br />

to prosecutors. The first case is<br />

from January, when he was accused<br />

of threatening store clerk<br />

with a gun. In the second case<br />

from October, he was accused<br />

of shooting at a person’s vehicle<br />

*NEXT PAGE<br />

22 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 23

Chase Cormier ready for XGAMES with ATV wheelchair.<br />

during a road rage dispute.<br />

Attorney Looney said Soliz<br />

called him on Monday <strong>No</strong>v. 9th<br />

and said he needed his help. Looney<br />

picked him up the following<br />

afternoon, about 24 hours after<br />

Soliz had shot Rios to death.<br />

Looney arranged with prosecutors<br />

to deliver Soliz to the Harris<br />

County District Attorney’s Office<br />

downtown and outlined when<br />

he was leaving and which route<br />

they would take.<br />

But HPD decided to stop the<br />

two in route and Looney found<br />

himself surrounded by unmarked<br />

police vehicles on the Katy Freeway,<br />

where he was pulled from<br />

the vehicle and Soliz was arrested<br />

with Rios’ handcuffs.<br />

In a statement, Dane Schiller,<br />

spokesman for the district attorney’s<br />

office, said “Officers acting<br />

on a warrant arrested the defendant<br />

before he could surrender<br />

and took him into custody<br />

without anyone being harmed,”<br />

Schiller added that his office<br />

is limited in what can be said<br />

about the case because of an<br />

ongoing investigation.<br />

The shooting once again illustrates<br />

the broken criminal justice<br />

system in Harris County. The<br />

BLUES has called for the resignation<br />

of Harris County DA Kim<br />

Ogg who clearly has the blood<br />

of nearly a dozen Houston Police<br />

officers on her hands.<br />

“The total disregard for human<br />

life at the Harris County District<br />

Attorney’s Office is unacceptable,”<br />

remarked BLUES Publisher<br />

Michael Barron. “Until the entire<br />

judicial system in Harris County<br />

is replaced, innocent citizens and<br />

police officers will continue to<br />

die at the hands of thugs who<br />

should be locked up. <strong>No</strong>w more<br />

than ever, Kim Ogg needs to step<br />

down”<br />

Since May <strong>2020</strong>, Houston Police<br />

Department helicopter pilot<br />

Chase Cormier has been working<br />

to recover from a helicopter<br />

crash that left his partner dead<br />

and him without the use of his<br />

legs. Cormier, 35, said he remembers<br />

steering the helicopter<br />

away from an occupied apartment<br />

building to a vacant one<br />

as the helicopter went down. He<br />

remembers not feeling his legs<br />

after the crash and asking about<br />

whether they’d been severed as<br />

firefighters worked to remove<br />

him and his partner, Officer Jason<br />

Knox, from the wreckage.<br />

Months later, Cormier is still<br />

working to recover. Cormier<br />

hopes to one day fly again, but<br />

in the meantime, he has to learn<br />

to walk again. “You just have to<br />

keep pushing hard. You have to<br />

stay focused mentally and physically<br />

focused toward goals,”<br />

Cormier said. “It’s a marathon,<br />

not a sprint and I truly understand<br />

what that means,” he said.<br />

Independence Corps, a<br />

non-profit organization which<br />

helps to restore the freedom and<br />

dignity of mobility to the nation’s<br />

wounded and disabled heroes,<br />

purchased the nearly $14,000<br />

chair for Cormier to help him<br />

traverse hills and uneven terrain.<br />

“You can get out there go<br />

hunting, shooting, fishing, play<br />

soccer, football, baseball, all<br />

of it from the chair,” Cormier<br />

said. “I know in my soul that I’ll<br />

walk again, but there’s still a<br />

lot of unknown factors of what<br />

that will look like and what I’ll<br />

be able to recover with. It’s out<br />

of my hands but I trust in God’s<br />

hands and he’s been great and<br />

he’s blessed me so far.” A Go-<br />

FundMe page has been established<br />

to help the Cormier family<br />

with medical and other expenses.<br />

24 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 25

Sunset Advisory Commission <strong>No</strong>vember <strong>2020</strong><br />

Sunset Advisory Commission issues blistering report<br />

on Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCLOE)<br />

AUSTIN – Texas Commission<br />

on Law Enforcement (TCOLE)<br />

received a not so glowing report<br />

from The Sunset Advisory<br />

Commission amid a contentious<br />

nationwide re-evaluation of<br />

the fundamental role of police.<br />

The commission, which reviews<br />

the performance of state agencies<br />

every 10 years or so, issued<br />

the blistering report, citing the<br />

deaths of Sandra Bland, Eric<br />

Garner, Tamir Rice and George<br />

Floyd, among others, prompting<br />

calls for stronger oversight from<br />

police departments and civilian<br />

review boards, as well as stricter<br />

limits on police use of force.<br />

In the report, they claim more<br />

than 600 Texas law enforcement<br />

officers received a dishonorable<br />

discharge from their agencies<br />

for misconduct. Yet more than a<br />

quarter of them were rehired to<br />

work as sworn officers.<br />

They also state: ”to qualify for<br />

a peace officer license, Texas<br />

cops need fewer hours of basic<br />

training than licensed cosmetologists<br />

and less than half the<br />

education required of air-conditioning<br />

and refrigeration contractors.<br />

While the basic training<br />

requires officers to spend 48<br />

hours on the firing range, it demands<br />

only two hours of “civilian<br />

interaction” instruction.”<br />

And the report says: “The difficulty<br />

of purging bad officers<br />

from the ranks of Texas police<br />

and outdated and inadequate<br />

officer training highlight how<br />

state lawmakers have rendered<br />

the Texas Commission on Law<br />

Enforcement unable to meaningfully<br />

oversee law enforcement<br />

agencies in Texas.”<br />

Although it is charged with<br />

licensing police, correctional officers<br />

and 911 dispatchers, TCLOE<br />

differs from state agencies that<br />

regulate other professions in<br />

that it has almost no authority to<br />

act against an officer’s license.<br />

Instead, most oversight of police<br />

conduct is left up to each of the<br />

state’s 2,700 law enforcement<br />

agencies, which set their own<br />

policies and standards.<br />

Without a shared definition of<br />

professional conduct, many have<br />

widely differing rules. For example,<br />

“In the Dallas-Fort Worth<br />

Metroplex, choke holds are an<br />

acceptable technique west of the<br />

3200 block of Sandy Lane, but<br />

are not allowed on the east side<br />

of the same street because it<br />

crosses two different … jurisdictions,”<br />

the Sunset report found.<br />

Texas’ patchwork of uneven<br />

oversight has resulted in “a<br />

fragmented, outdated system<br />

with poor accountability, lack of<br />

statewide standards, and inadequate<br />

training,” the Sunset report<br />

stated.<br />

While advocacy groups and<br />

demonstrators have demanded<br />

better police oversight, they also<br />

have called on cities to reallocate<br />

millions of dollars from law<br />

enforcement budgets into community<br />

services. That, in turn,<br />

has sparked swift blow back<br />

from conservative politicians and<br />

supporters of law enforcement.<br />

In Austin, a lawmaker recently<br />

filed legislation prohibiting local<br />

governments from cutting police<br />

budgets.<br />

Washington-based criminologist<br />

Matthew Hickman said the<br />

protests and impassioned conversations<br />

about police reform<br />

have revealed holes in how<br />

municipalities, states and the<br />

federal government oversee law<br />

enforcement officers.<br />

Accountability starts at the department<br />

level, he said, with internal<br />

affairs investigation. At the<br />

other end, in the most egregious<br />

circumstances, the Department<br />

of Justice can pursue civil rights<br />

investigations against problem<br />

departments.<br />

Early in Process<br />

Charley Wilkison, executive<br />

director of the Combined Law<br />

Enforcement Associations of<br />

Texas (CLEAT), said the Sunset<br />

report was just the beginning of<br />

the process of state lawmakers’<br />

evaluation of the law enforcement<br />

commission. Legislators<br />

will hold hearings next year and<br />

almost certainly change some of<br />

the Sunset staff’s recommendations.<br />

ExEcutivE Summary of<br />

SunSEt Staff rEport<br />

Project Manager: Andrew McConnell<br />

Texas’ approach to law enforcement regulation no longer meets the needs<br />

of the state. Texas has relied on a bifurcated regulatory model since it began<br />

licensing peace officers in 1970. At the state level, the Texas Commission on<br />

Law Enforcement (TCOLE) sets minimum licensing and training standards<br />

for law enforcement personnel and enforces compliance with them. Meanwhile,<br />

local law enforcement agencies set their own standards of professional<br />

conduct and disciplinary policies, as well as additional training requirements<br />

for their employees. However, over the past 50 years, the<br />

world in which law enforcement personnel operate has<br />

changed significantly, becoming much more complex and<br />

demanding. Technology has increased the public’s awareness<br />

of law enforcement activities, greatly increasing pressure<br />

for professionalism and external scrutiny of conduct. The<br />

bifurcated regulatory model from 1970 has not kept pace<br />

with these changes, and can no longer ensure the conduct,<br />

training, transparency, and accountability the public expects of law enforcement<br />

in <strong>2020</strong>. The Sunset review found the state’s regulatory approach has resulted<br />

in a fragmented, outdated system with poor accountability, lack of statewide<br />

standards, and inadequate training. And while Texas has a continuing need to<br />

regulate law enforcement, the state’s current regulation is, by and large, toothless.<br />

TCOLE has struggled to adapt to this changing environment, but many<br />

struggles are beyond its control. Instead, they stem from the state’s bifurcated<br />

regulatory model, which has created a significant disparity between the public’s<br />

expectations and TCOLE’s actual authority. The public presumes TCOLE is a<br />

fully capable professional licensing and regulatory agency, similar to the Texas<br />

Medical Board or Texas Pharmacy Board, with broad authority to set high<br />

standards for individuals to receive and maintain a law enforcement license,<br />

and to hold these licensees fully accountable.<br />

In reality, TCOLE has relatively limited authority to set or enforce anything<br />

but minimum licensure standards, which are outdated and insufficient. TCOLE<br />

has no role in setting or enforcing standards of professional conduct for law<br />

enforcement personnel, and only has authority to hold law enforcement<br />

licensees accountable for their conduct in cases of a criminal conviction or<br />

deferred adjudication. TCOLE also has no authority to enforce standards for<br />

law enforcement agencies, such as local sheriffs’ offices. Additionally, within<br />

Texas Commission on<br />

Law Enforcement<br />

Full Report Here<br />

sunset.texas.gov<br />

The state’s current regulation<br />

of law enforcement is, by and<br />

large, toothless.<br />

26 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 27<br />

Texas Commission on Law Enforcement<br />

Executive Summary of Sunset Staff Report<br />

1

get your<br />

FREE SUBSCRIPTION<br />

to The BLUES, scan the<br />

QR code or click here.<br />

“What you’re seeing there is<br />

not going to be state law,” he<br />

said. While his organization<br />

agreed some changes were<br />

needed, he said, it opposed<br />

granting the state commission<br />

sweeping new enforcement<br />

powers to investigate and discipline<br />

officers.<br />

Still, policing watchdogs said<br />

the report’s findings rang true.<br />

“Right now, it definitely feels like<br />

at the state level, there’s little to<br />

no regulation of law enforcement<br />

that’s happening,” said<br />

Chris Harris of the nonprofit public<br />

interest justice center Texas<br />

Appleseed, “and to the extent<br />

there is, it’s not effective.”<br />

And one key Houston-area<br />

legislator said he was inclined to<br />

make some changes. Reforms to<br />

the agency are “long overdue,”<br />

said state Sen. John Whitmire,<br />

D-Houston, who said the Texas<br />

law enforcement commission<br />

should operate more like other<br />

regulatory boards such as the<br />

State Bar of Texas or the State<br />

Board of Pharmacy.<br />

The report was notable for<br />

its sweepingly critical evaluation<br />

of nearly every facet of the<br />

agency, calling its regulation of<br />

the profession “fundamentally<br />

broken.” It said the changes<br />

it recommended were stopgap<br />

and called for legislators to form<br />

a blue ribbon committee “to<br />

comprehensively look at how the<br />

state regulates law enforcement<br />

and recommend needed changes<br />

to improve law enforcement<br />

regulation in Texas.”<br />

It took particular note of the<br />

state’s inability to discipline<br />

officers for misconduct. It pointed<br />

to a recent incident in which<br />

the San Antonio Police Department<br />

fired an officer for giving a<br />

homeless man a sandwich filled<br />

with dog feces. Yet the officer,<br />

Matthew Luckhurst, was able to<br />

return to the force. He was later<br />

fired — for good — after another<br />

feces-related incident.<br />

The example highlighted the<br />

Texas Commission on Law Enforcement’s<br />

limited authority to<br />

take any action against an officer’s<br />

state license. The agency<br />

may act only when officers fail<br />

to complete mandatory continued<br />

education, if they are convicted<br />

of or received deferred<br />

adjudication for felonies or<br />

certain misdemeanors, or if they<br />

receive a second dishonorable<br />

discharge. The agency has even<br />

less authority to sanction individual<br />

law enforcement agencies.<br />

Rigorous Screening<br />

Roger Goldman, retired law<br />

professor from the Saint Louis<br />

University School of Law, said<br />

that about two-thirds of states<br />

have stronger oversight abilities<br />

at the state level than Texas, and<br />

that in many states, officers can<br />

have their licenses revoked for<br />

misconduct even if they haven’t<br />

been convicted of a crime.<br />

Many states across the country<br />

are taking other tacks to try to<br />

prevent bad officers from getting<br />

hired at other departments after<br />

allegations of gross misconduct.<br />

Some states are now requiring<br />

departments to screen candidates<br />

more rigorously. In Vermont,<br />

for example, lawmakers<br />

passed a bill requiring departments<br />

to provide information<br />

about why they fired officers to<br />

other departments when those<br />

officers try to get new jobs. In<br />

Connecticut, lawmakers implemented<br />

rules requiring regulators<br />

to create a list of officers<br />

fired for serious misconduct but<br />

whose licenses were not decertified.<br />

The list prevented officers<br />

from being rehired by other departments,<br />

Goldman said.<br />

Matt Simpson, with the ACLU of<br />

Texas, said that while the Sunset<br />

review recommended a panel<br />

to study needed changes, lawmakers<br />

in the meantime should<br />

“ensure public safety is not<br />

threatened” by unqualified cops<br />

and pass reforms to give the law<br />

enforcement commission more<br />

authority to discipline officers<br />

dishonorably discharged, as well<br />

as empower the agency to sanction<br />

law enforcement agencies<br />

that “fail to hold up their end of<br />

the bargain in hiring and training<br />

qualified law enforcement<br />

officers.”<br />

Simpson also urged the Legislature<br />

to pass reforms that set<br />

statewide use of force standards<br />

and require a focus on de-escalation<br />

and proportional response;<br />

require officers to intervene if<br />

they witness other officers using<br />

excessive force; and pass citation<br />

requirements for low-level<br />

offenses.<br />

28 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 29

Minneapolis mayor, police chief call<br />

proposed police cuts ‘irresponsible’<br />

Mayor Jacob Frey and Chief<br />

Medaria Arradondo pushed<br />

back on a proposal to cut the<br />

police budget by nearly $8<br />

million amid rising crime.<br />

By Liz Sawyer<br />

Star Tribune (Minneapolis)<br />

MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis<br />

Mayor Jacob Frey and police<br />

Chief Medaria Arradondo on<br />

Monday struck back at a proposal<br />

by three of City Council members<br />

to cut the Minneapolis police<br />

budget by nearly $8 million,<br />

with Frey calling the plan “irresponsible<br />

and untenable” amid a<br />

year of rising violent crime and a<br />

shrinking police force.<br />

Although both said they support<br />

some community alternatives<br />

and reforms in policing,<br />

they said it cannot come at the<br />

cost of further cuts to the department<br />

already facing historic<br />

attrition rates — the department<br />

is down <strong>12</strong>0 officers since the<br />

start of the year, with more destined<br />

for departure.<br />

“This notion that in order to<br />

have a more comprehensive<br />

public safety strategy you have<br />

to do away with one critical element,<br />

which is police, is wrong,”<br />

Frey said. “We are hearing from<br />

communities right now that they<br />

are looking for a ‘both-and’ approach.”<br />

by Sandy Malone & Holly Matkin<br />

“This is literally a life-anddeath<br />

matter right now and we<br />

need to get it right,” he said.<br />

The proposal by a trio of City<br />

Council members — President<br />

Lisa Bender, Phillipe Cunningham<br />

and Steve Fletcher — would<br />

move roughly 5% from MPD to<br />

violence prevention, a mental<br />

health crisis team and other departments<br />

that could help process<br />

reports of property damage<br />

and parking violations.<br />

The council members’ proposal<br />

would fund a department with<br />

roughly 770 officers and reduce<br />

the authorized force size to 750<br />

in future years. That’s far lower<br />

than the 888 “target level” included<br />

in Frey’s budget proposal.<br />

The three council members<br />

were on the losing side of a<br />

7-6 vote this month to spend<br />

$500,000 for other law enforcement<br />

agencies to help the Minneapolis<br />

police patrol the city.<br />

Frey’s budget plan includes<br />

roughly $1.5 billion in spending<br />

for 2021, about $179 million of<br />

which would go to the Police<br />

Department. His plan calls for<br />

adding three recruit classes to<br />

LAPD: Verbal consent now a must to<br />

search someone during routine stops<br />

New rules say officers must<br />

record detainees agreeing to<br />

a search if officers are making<br />

a stop without reasonable<br />

suspicion.<br />

By Josh Cain<br />

Daily News, Los Angeles<br />

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles<br />

Police Department officers who<br />

search people during routine<br />

stops must now document getting<br />

consent for those searches,<br />

according to a new policy approved<br />

Tuesday<br />

The new rules, adopted in a<br />

unanimous Los Angeles Police<br />

Commission vote, mean LAPD<br />

officers must use their body<br />

cameras to record detainees<br />

verbally agreeing to a search, or<br />

get written permission, if they’re<br />

making the stop without a reasonable<br />

suspicion that a crime<br />

has occurred.<br />

The change in policy follows<br />

an Office of Inspector General<br />

report released in October<br />

that showed LAPD was stopping<br />

Black and Latino drivers at a<br />

disproportionate rate to white<br />

drivers for minor traffic violations,<br />

as well as subjecting them<br />

to more intense searches of their<br />

vehicles.<br />

The intent of the searches<br />

was to suppress violent crime,<br />

Inspector General Mark Smith<br />

wrote in the report. But the strategy<br />

didn’t work.<br />

“The OIG concluded that some<br />

portion of the racial disparities<br />

seen in both stops and poststop<br />

activity ... were the result of<br />

strategies designed to use these<br />

violations as a pretext to identify<br />

or suppress more serious<br />

crimes,” Smith wrote. “The data<br />

also indicates that these strategies<br />

are, on balance, of limited<br />

effectiveness in identifying evidence<br />

of illegal firearms or other<br />

serious crimes.”<br />

The report found that in hundreds<br />

of thousands of such<br />

searches, Black and Latino drivers<br />

were less likely to be caught<br />

with guns or drugs than white<br />

drivers, or to be arrested of<br />

crimes.<br />

The practice came under scrutiny<br />

after a Los Angeles Times<br />

investigation found that squads<br />

of crime suppression officers<br />

in LAPD’s Metropolitan Division<br />

were making thousands of stops<br />

of mostly innocent drivers in<br />

South L.A. and around downtown.<br />

After furious outcry from community<br />

leaders and civil rights<br />

activists, LAPD wound down the<br />

strategy. The department recently<br />

redeployed Metro Division<br />

officers in units investigating<br />

shootings.<br />

The policies adopted Tuesday<br />

do not affect officers’ ability to<br />

stop and search people who they<br />

suspect have committed crimes.<br />

“This order pertains only to<br />

consensual searches and should<br />

not be confused with other legal<br />

searches, such as pat-downs<br />

when an officer has articulable<br />

facts which cause him or her to<br />

reasonably believe the person is<br />

dangerous or may be carrying a<br />

weapon,” officials wrote in the<br />

new policy.<br />

Commissioners said the policies<br />

implemented Tuesday,<br />

which also included new rules<br />

for serving search and arrest<br />

warrants, were part of a move to<br />

reduce biases found in the way<br />

LAPD polices different communities.<br />

Several commissioners<br />

also expressed interest in study-<br />

*CONTINUED ON PAGE 34 *CONTINUED ON PAGE 34<br />

30 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 31

Small town in S.C. loses entire police force<br />

The fourth police chief to step down in the last three<br />

years said his departure was due to a “hostile work<br />

environment” at the hands of the mayor<br />

By Bristow Marchant<br />

The State (Columbia, S.C.)<br />

PINE RIDGE, S.C. — Situated in<br />

the southeast of Lexington County<br />

near where Interstate 77 ends<br />

at Interstate 26, the town of Pine<br />

Ridge has a small police department<br />

protecting its population of<br />

2,000 people. At most, the town<br />

would normally have three fulltime<br />

officers on staff, supplemented<br />

by part-time officers.<br />

But Pine Ridge has been without<br />

a functioning police department<br />

since Oct. 13, when Lt.<br />

Vincent Silano, the town’s interim<br />

police chief and only serving<br />

full-time officer, resigned after<br />

only five months on the job.<br />

Silano is the fourth chief to<br />

step down in the last three years,<br />

and five other officers have left in<br />

the same time span.<br />

In a resignation letter to Mayor<br />

Robert Wells and the town<br />

council, Silano laid the blame<br />

for his resignation at the feet of<br />

the mayor. His departure, Silano<br />

said, was “solely due to the constant<br />

impediment of police matters<br />

and micro-managing at the<br />

hands of Mayor Robert Wells.”<br />

“It has created a hostile work<br />

environment for not only myself<br />

but my two part time officers as<br />

well and it will not be tolerated,”<br />

Silano wrote. “Since it does<br />

not seem that anything can be<br />

done regardless of the knowledge<br />

of wrongdoing, I have no<br />

choice but to resign from my<br />

position.”<br />

At a contentious town council<br />

meeting <strong>No</strong>v. 10, Wells said the<br />

town faces challenges in retaining<br />

personnel similar to what<br />

other small towns face.<br />

“We have Lexington and different<br />

towns offering a $10,000<br />

cash bonus just to walk in the<br />

door,” Wells said. “We have no<br />

tax base. <strong>No</strong>body in this room or<br />

in this town has paid a dime (in<br />

taxes) for police in this town. All<br />

the money comes from franchise<br />

fees and business licenses.”<br />

Wells told The State he had<br />

two main disagreements in the<br />

department. One was the decision<br />

to suspend the town’s K9<br />

officer program. Wells said a K9<br />

unit wasn’t really needed in Pine<br />

Ridge.<br />

“In town, the number of calls<br />

for a canine were zero,” he said.<br />

“Everything was mutual aid calls<br />

to other municipalities.”<br />

The other came over Wells’<br />

insistence that an officer police<br />

the school zones around Pine<br />

Ridge Middle School and Herbert<br />

A. Wood Elementary School at<br />

set times.<br />

“If that’s mismanagement or<br />

micromanagement or whatever<br />

you call it, then that’s micromanagement,”<br />

he said.<br />

The mayor reiterated that turnover<br />

in a town like Pine Ridge<br />

tends to be high, and officers<br />

leaving is not a sign that anything<br />

is wrong.<br />

“If we make a change, and we<br />

continue to have resignations,<br />

then we know it was not Mayor<br />

Wells,” Councilman Dinkins said<br />

at the town council meeting. He<br />

argued some action would be<br />

needed “to regain the trust and<br />

respect of the people of this<br />

town.”<br />

But town residents are worried<br />

about living in a town without a<br />

police department and whether<br />

the sheriff’s department will be<br />

able to respond in time to calls.<br />

Resident Cheryl Patrick recalled<br />

meeting Silano at a neighborhood<br />

watch meeting after neighbors<br />

had spotted a prowler in<br />

the area at night.<br />

Speaking to the town council<br />

Patrick said she hoped the town<br />

got its police department sorted<br />

out soon.“Barney Fife would be<br />

better than nobody,” she said.<br />

Charleston Officer Cassie Johnson<br />

dies from gunshot to head<br />

By Joe Severino<br />

CHARLESTON, W.Va. —<br />

Charleston Police Chief Tyke<br />

Hunt said the city police officer<br />

shot by a resident Tuesday<br />

afternoon, December 1, did not<br />

survive.<br />

Officer Cassie Johnson, 28,<br />

was gravely wounded when she<br />

was shot just before 3 p.m. on<br />

Garrison Avenue.<br />

“With a heavy heart, I hate to<br />

say she is not going to be able to<br />

pull through this,” Hunt said outside<br />

of Charleston Area Medical<br />

Center General Hospital. “She is<br />

still fighting but her body is unable<br />

to sustain life by itself.”<br />

Johnson was responding to<br />

a traffic complaint on Garrison<br />

Avenue when Joshua Phillips, 38,<br />

of Charleston, allegedly shot her<br />

in the face, said Kanawha County<br />

Sheriff Mike Rutherford. The<br />

Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office<br />

believes Johnson also shot<br />

Phillips, which sent him to CAMC<br />

General.<br />

Hunt said there was no update<br />

on Phillips’ condition as of<br />

Wednesday evening, except he<br />

was recovering in the hospital.<br />

Rutherford said the sheriff’s<br />

office is currently handling the<br />

investigation. He said a confrontation<br />

on Garrison Avenue led<br />

to the shooting, but declined to<br />

comment further until witness<br />

statements and evidence collection<br />

can be completed.<br />

“Once that’s finished, we will<br />

turn our information over to the<br />

Charleston Police Department<br />

and the Kanawha<br />

County Prosecutor’s<br />

Office<br />

and they will<br />

determine what<br />

charges [will be<br />

filed against Phillips],”<br />

Rutherford<br />

said.<br />

“I really can’t<br />

get into more<br />

detail, I’m sorry,”<br />

Rutherford said,<br />

“but we don’t<br />

want to cause a<br />

problem with the<br />

investigation and<br />

have a problem<br />

down the road.<br />

We want the full<br />

extent of the law<br />

to apply in this<br />

case. We’re going<br />

to do this right<br />

and we’re going<br />

to do a thorough and conclusive<br />

investigation.”<br />

Hunt asked for continued<br />

prayers for Johnson and her<br />

family, and commended Johnson<br />

“for even in her passing still<br />

being a true hero.”<br />

“As one final parting gift to<br />

continue to help others, she is<br />

an organ donor,” Hunt said. “The<br />

doctors are working with the<br />

family to determine eligibility<br />

and work out some donor-ship<br />

there.”<br />

Johnson was the first city<br />

police officer sworn in by Mayor<br />

Amy Shuler Goodwin when she<br />

began her term in January 2019.<br />

Goodwin said Wednesday Johnson<br />

is going to be remembered<br />

by the community for her commitment<br />

to service.<br />

“Her family still needs your<br />

prayers, and to this community<br />

we still need your strength,”<br />

Goodwin said. “[She] is a wonderful,<br />

bright young woman who<br />

is going to leave an amazing<br />

legacy for every woman in this<br />

city.”<br />

The city held a candlelight<br />

vigil for Johnson at 6:30 p.m.<br />

Wednesday, December 2 at Laidley<br />

Field.<br />

32 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 33

Minneapolis<br />

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31<br />

help offset a wave of officer departures<br />

following Floyd’s death<br />

and the related rioting.<br />

Arradondo cited more than<br />

500 shootings and nearly 80<br />

homicides, saying it would be<br />

“reckless and dangerous” to<br />

reduce department numbers<br />

without awaiting the results of<br />

a city-sanctioned study of MPD<br />

staffing numbers.<br />

“We need to dream about a<br />

better future but we cannot<br />

sleepwalk on public safety of<br />

our residences and our businesses,”<br />

Arradondo said. “Crime<br />

is occurring, the shootings, the<br />

carjackings, the robberies. They<br />

are citywide, they are impacting<br />

everyone, and not just one constituency<br />

base and not just one<br />

neighborhood.”<br />

In an email to constituents<br />

Monday, Fletcher lauded the<br />

“Safety for All Budget Proposal”<br />

as a data-driven solution to start<br />

transforming the current policing<br />

structure, while reigning in<br />

overtime spending by MPD.<br />

“These investments will reduce<br />

the burden on our police department,<br />

deliver more effective<br />

and appropriate responses when<br />

people in our communities need<br />

help, and prevent and interrupt<br />

cycles of violence,” he wrote.<br />

Minneapolis residents are<br />

still torn over whether the Police<br />

Department is best suited<br />

to improve safety in the city —<br />

and how much to invest in it —<br />

months after the police killing<br />

of George Floyd and in a year<br />

marred by violent crime.<br />

LAPD<br />

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31<br />

ing the effects on crime in other<br />

cities where police are banned<br />

from making any kinds of pretextual<br />

stops.<br />

LAPD Chief Michel Moore, however,<br />

balked for now at ending<br />

such stops altogether. He said<br />

the department would continue<br />

“proactive policing” strategies,<br />

especially amid a spike in shooting<br />

violence this year.<br />

“We need those officers out<br />

there,” he said. “And I think the<br />

vast majority of Angelenos want<br />

those officers out there.”<br />

P.U.S.H. LA, a coalition of civil<br />

rights groups that includes Black<br />

Lives Matter LA and the American<br />

Civil Liberties Union, said in<br />

a statement after Tuesday’s vote<br />

that the new rules didn’t go far<br />

enough.<br />

Speaking at the commission<br />

meeting, Hamid Khan, a frequent<br />

LAPD critic who founded<br />

the Stop LAPD Spying Coalition,<br />

said the numbers in the inspector<br />

general report showed the department<br />

needed to end pretextual<br />

stops.<br />

“The facts on the ground remain:<br />

We have people who were<br />

directly impacted because of<br />

these stops,” Khan said. “They<br />

talked about the level of humiliation,<br />

they talked about the level<br />

of dehumanization.”<br />

Flashlights<br />

Pepper spray<br />

Ammunition<br />

Handguns<br />

Cotton Masks<br />

Gloves<br />

Portable disinfectant<br />

Knives<br />

10345 Brockwood Rd<br />

DALLAS, TX 75238<br />

4930-D Dacoma Rd<br />

HOUSTON, TX 77092<br />

34 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 35

Working the night shift was<br />

something new to me. For 9<br />

years, I worked days and lived<br />

a somewhat normal life. <strong>No</strong>w I<br />

try my best to sleep until noon,<br />

get up, work an extra job, come<br />

home, see the wife and kids,<br />

take a nap and go back to work.<br />

Today was no different and as<br />

I was about to drift off for my<br />

45 minute nap, I prayed tonight<br />

would be slow and uneventful.<br />

As I showed up for roll call, I<br />

noticed “a lot” of shops parked<br />

everywhere. What the hell was<br />

going on. It’s a Sunday night for<br />

heaven’s sake, why is evening<br />

shift still here. I walked thru the<br />

door and into a war zone. People<br />

were scrambling everywhere,<br />

the phones were ringing, radios<br />

were raging non-stop and the<br />

Sergeant was yelling for everyone<br />

to take a seat.<br />

In almost 10 years of roll calls I<br />

have never been to one where all<br />

three shifts were here at once.<br />

All five sergeants, two lieutenant’s<br />

and the captain were<br />

all here. What in God’s name is<br />

happening.<br />

“Ladies and gentlemen and<br />

I use that term lightly, let me<br />

begin by thanking you all for<br />

coming in on a Sunday night.<br />

Some of you may be aware of<br />

the protests across the country<br />

that have become outright riots.<br />

It seems these so called protestors<br />

are coming to our city<br />

and we need to be prepared.<br />

But that’s not why we are here<br />

tonight. District 5 is covering our<br />

section of the city for the next<br />

hour or two, so we can brief you<br />

on what to expect in the coming<br />

days, weeks maybe even months.<br />

We have Mr. White from the CDC<br />

here with us and he is going to<br />

go over the pandemic and explain<br />

what a Coronavirus is and<br />

how COVID 19 will affect us all.”<br />

For the next hour, we sat and<br />

listened in disbelief. Restaurants,<br />

bars and retail stores will<br />

most likely close, the public<br />

will be ordered to stay at home<br />

and hospitals will become war<br />

zones. Lots of people, millions<br />

in fact will become infected and<br />

die. This virus will spread like<br />

wildfire and as first responders<br />

we need to be prepared. And<br />

yes, some of you will get sick<br />

and some will die. Come on. This<br />

must be worst case scenario. I<br />

heard the president say it’s just a<br />

bad case of the China flu. It can’t<br />

or won’t be as bad as they are<br />

making it out to be. Right?<br />

WORDS BY DAVID JONES, 2DAVID 20<br />

Unfortunately, the meeting<br />

was cut short. Dispatch was on<br />

the phone and wanted to speak<br />

to the captain ASAP. He walked<br />

back into the room and looked<br />

like he’d seen a ghost.<br />

“Guys we need to wrap this up.<br />

We have a problem downtown.<br />

Several hundred protesters have<br />

begun setting fires to buildings<br />

and Central is under attack.<br />

They are firing on FIRE and EMS<br />

preventing them from fighting<br />

the fires. We have reports of<br />

several officers down, one confirmed<br />

dead. I need all of you to<br />

partner up and get down to the<br />

command post at Main and 5 th<br />

avenue. They’ll have riot gear for<br />

us when we arrive. I’ll meet you<br />

down there”<br />

I found my car share partner<br />

in the parking lot and we loaded<br />

all his gear into the shop. As we<br />

left the lot and headed downtown,<br />

we were both in shock.<br />

What were we about to jump<br />

into. Jason called his wife to tell<br />

her he had to stay at work and<br />

don’t wait up for him. He left off<br />

the riot part. After that we pretty<br />

much rode in silence the rest of<br />

the way. Each lost in reflection<br />

on whether we would even make<br />

it home…ever.<br />

Downtown was insane. Flames<br />

from fires leapt hundreds of feet<br />

into the air. Smoke filled the air<br />

and you could hardly breathe.<br />

And the buildings were just<br />

burning. <strong>No</strong> one was even attempting<br />

to put them out. The<br />

protesters, let’s just called them<br />

rioters, were running madly<br />

through the streets carrying<br />

TVs, clothes, and whatever else<br />

they could grab out of now wide<br />

open store fronts. And the heat!<br />

You could feel the heat everywhere.<br />

Then we heard gunshots echoing<br />

from the buildings. That<br />

sound was all to familiar to me<br />

and Jason. We have both done<br />

tours in Iraq and no one forgets<br />

the sound of gunfire echoing<br />

off buildings. As we checked<br />

in at the command post, I saw<br />

our captain talking to one of<br />

the assistant chiefs. They both<br />

looked confused as fuck. I knew<br />

right then and there we were on<br />

our own. We grabbed riot gear,<br />

radios, long guns and ammo<br />

and checked in with our Sgt. He<br />

too had served two tours in Iraq<br />

and Afghanistan knew we knew<br />

what to do. There were ten of us<br />

in our group. First and foremost,<br />

he said, watch each other’s six.<br />

Ironically none of us were given<br />

non-lethal rounds. If fired upon,<br />

we were given the green light<br />

to return fire. Protect ourselves,<br />

firefighters and civilians. That<br />

was the order. Of course, we all<br />

know how that changed after<br />

that first night. But tonight, it<br />

was balls to the wall.<br />

Our first order of business was<br />

to take out the shooters and get<br />

FD started on knocking down the<br />

fires and saving adjoin structures.<br />

Sarge sent two guys topside to<br />

provide cover in case we ran into<br />

snipers. I can’t believe I’m talking<br />

cover fire in downtown. Seemed<br />

so unreal, yet so familiar in a lot<br />

of ways. But I also could see that<br />

five of the guys in the group had<br />

not served and were confused as<br />

to what was happening. Jason<br />

and I took them aside and said,<br />

look just stay behind us and follow<br />

our lead. We’ll get through<br />

this together.<br />

For the next five hours, we<br />

hunted down and arrested over<br />

a dozen armed rioters. And not<br />

a single shot was fired from<br />

our team. <strong>No</strong> fatalities on either<br />

side. Come sunrise, the flames<br />

were reduced to mostly towers<br />

of white smoke from the burnt<br />

out hulks of storefronts. The<br />

owners of the business stood in<br />

the streets watching in horror<br />

as their dreams truly went up in<br />

smoke. The most shocking thing<br />

to me was the fact that 90% of<br />

these people were black and<br />

the people setting the fires were<br />

from Black Lives Matter. Don’t the<br />

lives of black business people<br />

matter too? I mean WTF.<br />

Tonight was only the first of<br />

many that would consume our<br />

time. Standing guard, trying to<br />

protect a city from out of town<br />

thugs. But the rules after that<br />

first night changed dramatically.<br />

When the mayor found out we<br />

were locked and loaded searching<br />

for looters, he went nuts.<br />

Going forward it would be mostly<br />

non-lethal rounds and non<br />

conformational contact with the<br />

protesters. Yeah, they continue to<br />

call them non-violent protesters.<br />

I continue to call them what they<br />

are, thugs.<br />

As time went on, this virus<br />

took over our lives. Stores<br />

Closed. Restaurants had food to<br />

go and pick-up zones. <strong>No</strong> more<br />

bars. Schools closed and remote<br />

learning became a thing. All of<br />

our extra jobs vanished. But the<br />

worst thing of all was the lives it<br />

was taking. Day after day, officers<br />

got sick and at least one<br />

a week died. And these weren’t<br />

old guys either. Just average<br />

joes that got sick, went to the<br />

hospital and never came home.<br />

I’ve gone to so many funerals<br />

I’ve lost count. Officers shot and<br />

killed for just doing their jobs<br />

plus all the COVID deaths. It’s just<br />

a nightmare.<br />

“Unit 2David20, I have local<br />

alarm at <strong>12</strong>500 Highway 390<br />

south, Code 2”<br />

Unit 2David20, show me in<br />

route. Hell, that’s just around the<br />

corner.<br />

Unit 2David20, show me out.<br />

Alarm is still sounding, and I<br />

have entry at the front door, can<br />

you send me another unit….”<br />

Unit 2David20, did you copy?<br />

Unit 2David20, dispatch did you<br />

copy?<br />

“David! David!” What?<br />

“David wake, up. Didn’t you<br />

hear the alarm? You’re gonna be<br />

late. And your sergeant called,<br />

he wants you to come by the<br />

station for role call, something<br />

about someone being sick from<br />

a virus. Are you Ok?”<br />

I had the weirdest dream about<br />

something called Corona and<br />

riots.<br />

“Honey you need to stop<br />

dreaming about beer and get<br />

your ass to work. LOL”<br />

OK, I’m going...wierd ass<br />

dream.<br />

<strong>36</strong> The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 37

After effects are “The AFTERMATH”<br />

The “action” of the event is<br />

always what everyone seems<br />

to remember and talk about.<br />

You know, the car chase, the<br />

shootout, the whatever it was.<br />

However rarely do we in Law<br />

Enforcement talk about what we<br />

went through, afterwards.<br />

For example, one Christmas<br />

Eve I was working for another<br />

Deputy so that he could spend it<br />

with his young family. I had no<br />

family at home at the time, so it<br />

seemed like a cool thing to do,<br />

right? Well, you’re about to see,<br />

not so much.<br />

The night was rolling along<br />

easy enough. <strong>No</strong>t a lot of calls<br />

for service and not a lot of traffic<br />

out to contend with. Then, as<br />

fate would have it, a Priority 1<br />

call drops. “Family Disturbance,<br />

with a weapon. Male has a knife<br />

to the neck of his girlfriend.” Off<br />

we go. Oh wait. I was the only<br />

Deputy in that beat that night.<br />

The closest units would be several<br />

minutes away….Oh well,<br />

he’ll probably be GOA by the time<br />

I get there, anyways.<br />

As I exited my unit, the screams<br />

told me otherwise. He was still<br />

there. To speed this up a bit, this<br />

guy beats the fire out of me and<br />

a Houston PD Officer who also<br />

responded to the call. The complex<br />

was oddly enough, half in<br />

the City and half in the County.<br />

So, the residents always seemed<br />

to get some pretty good response<br />

times, from one or the<br />

other.<br />

<strong>No</strong>w this was pre-Taser and OC<br />

Spray days, so the SL-20, radio<br />

and anything else I could put my<br />

hands on was used in the fight.<br />

Same goes for the City Officer.<br />

Realizing this fella was twice our<br />

size combined, I think it’s safe to<br />

say we were both very happy to<br />

hear all the responding back up<br />

Officers and Deputies arriving.<br />

As the peak of broken equipment,<br />

blood, mud, beer and<br />

cops, we finally got the suspect<br />

in custody. I felt a numbness on<br />

my left side and couldn’t move<br />

my arm, hand or fingers. Someone<br />

stopped and looked at me<br />

and said, “You don’t look so<br />

good bro…You ok?” That’s about<br />

all I really remember for the next<br />

few moments.<br />

As it turned out, my shoulder<br />

WORDS BY REX EVANS<br />

had been ripped from its socket,<br />

tendons and all. My arm and<br />

shoulder were hanging down<br />

freely by about three inches or<br />

so. When I arrived at the Hospital,<br />

even the Doctor was like, “I’m<br />

not going to lie, this is gonna<br />

hurt…” You know you’ve done<br />

screwed up big time when even<br />

the Doctor is like “oh boy!”<br />

It was six weeks of home<br />

bound, workers comp, no extra<br />

job, no one really stopping by<br />

and only a phone call now and<br />

then from my fellow Deputies.<br />

My Sergeant at the time called<br />

me the most, and only to ask “So,<br />

when you coming back to work?<br />

I got people who need off!” Yep!<br />

That’s how that one went for me.<br />

The aftermath of an incident<br />

of any kind that is traumatic, or<br />

injury driven in nature, causes a<br />

wake on the still waters of life, I<br />

assure you. You find out quickly,<br />

the workers comp folks are not<br />

your friends. Repeat after me…<br />

Workers Comp people are not<br />

your friends! Good? <strong>No</strong>w just<br />

remember, If you get hurt on<br />

duty understand this, if you’re off<br />

for any length of time, it will be<br />

challenging and upsetting. You’ll<br />

find you’re more alone, like on<br />

some island, than you are surrounded<br />

by friends.<br />

In Law Enforcement, this has<br />

been some kind of weird anomaly.<br />

The Fire Service has always<br />

done better with Incident Command/Control<br />

and taking care of<br />

their own, than we have. That’s<br />

just a fact. We need to work<br />

harder, do better and for crying<br />

out loud, take better care of one<br />

another. Our profession has one<br />

of the highest suicide rates in<br />

the world. That’s right, the world.<br />

Why do you think that is? Exactly!<br />

Because we (Law Enforcement)<br />

get an “F” in taking care<br />

of each other.<br />

Somehow, someway we’ve lost<br />

the “Old School” ways of looking<br />

out for one another, helping one<br />

another and lifting one another<br />

up. We now see where its all for<br />

one and one for themselves and<br />

no-one else. Which is a terrible<br />

tragedy. We’re fighting multiple<br />

fronts in our effort to “Hold the<br />

Line”. If you ever studied history,<br />

multiple fronts usually don’t turn<br />

out so well for those who try it.<br />

Which brings me to the end<br />

of the whole “Aftermath” point.<br />

Just because you survive the<br />

initial event/incident, understand<br />

it can and in all likelihood will,<br />

remain a burden of sorts for you<br />

forevermore. Don’t fight it alone.<br />

Don’t. And if you’re standing<br />

there watching a fellow Officer<br />

go down in flames from the<br />

trauma of something, they are<br />

struggling with…SHAME ON YOU!<br />

We owe it to ourselves and one<br />

another to stand up for our fellow<br />

Officers and help lift them to<br />

their feet. <strong>No</strong>t to simply step over<br />

them and forget about them.<br />

You want to do something with<br />

your career in Law Enforcement?<br />

Like, seriously do something.<br />

Reach out and help a fellow cop<br />

who’s hurting. Who’s down and<br />

struggling. Hold the Line isn’t just<br />

some rallying cry when the heat<br />

is on…it’s what it takes after the<br />

fight when our sick, injured and<br />

hurting counterparts need us the<br />

most. If we fail each other here,<br />

how are we really helping each<br />

other anywhere else.<br />

The Aftermath of trauma HAS<br />

to be faced. It just has to.<br />

Have a unique story you’d<br />

like to share with the<br />

BLUES readers?<br />

Send it to: bluespdmag@<br />

gmail.com. Please change<br />

all the names to protect the<br />

innocent and to avoid prosecution<br />

in the event that<br />

the statute of limitations<br />

hasn’t expired.<br />

38 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 39

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Thomas Metcalf and Ranger Major Fuentes must stop an nuclear attack on NASA. The National Guard,<br />

commanded by Lt. Colonel Nichols, use their Bradley Fighting Vehicles and Apache helicopters to bring<br />

superior firepower to the fight. Even with their help, the outcome of the battle is in doubt.<br />

READ TODAY, CLICK HERE<br />

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Deacon Blue is the pen name of retired Sgt. David Cole. He was a Houston Police officer from 1981 to 2018. He started<br />

in Southwest Patrol and then transferred to Homicide Division where he worked the desk for three years. He Continued was then on assigned Page 16 to the Ho-<br />

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE<br />

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE<br />

micide Sex Crimes Unit where he investigated sexual assaults and other cases. He finally promoted to sergeant in 2007 and went back to patrol.<br />

After six months as a patrol sergeant, he was assigned to the HPD Jail division. He escaped from the jail two years later and spent the last<br />

50 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE<br />

The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 51<br />

nine years of his career in the Office of Planning. <strong>No</strong>w that he’s retired, he cuts the grass, drives his wife to the store and sometimes writes books.

A Weary World Rejoices<br />

As we enter a holiday season<br />

in a year that has been devastatingly<br />

horrendous for many<br />

people around the globe, I would<br />

like to share an experience I had<br />

some years back when I was a<br />

teacher at Pasadena High School.<br />

As the story will reveal, taking<br />

life’s blessings for granted is<br />

something we should never do.<br />

Arrangements had been made<br />

at the school for a gentleman<br />

from the Houston Holocaust<br />

Museum Speakers Bureau to<br />

visit the school and speak of his<br />

experience in World War Two.<br />

The speaker had two conditions:<br />

first, due to the emotional toll<br />

the speech would take on him,<br />

he could only do it once, and,<br />

second, every student in the audience<br />

would have to be taught<br />

the Holocaust prior to the presentation.<br />

The teachers in the English<br />

Department were very sincere<br />

and their desire to expose the<br />

students to this material was<br />

compelling. To satisfy the first<br />

requirement, the auditorium was<br />

chosen to be the venue since<br />

it would actually hold all the<br />

students. This auditorium was<br />

actually a jointly owned location<br />

and held by Pasadena ISD and<br />

the City of Pasadena, so it was<br />

larger than most schools’ auditoriums.<br />

It wasn’t just a converted<br />

cafeteria. I’m not sure of<br />

the seating capacity, but it was<br />

greater than 2000. All the students<br />

would fit in the auditorium<br />

to listen to the speaker’s onetime<br />

remarks. First box checked.<br />

I was asked to teach the Holocaust<br />

to all the students at PHS.<br />

That was a huge honor for me,<br />

but it was an awesome responsibility.<br />

Administrators arranged<br />

for a substitute to handle my<br />

classes while I taught the subject<br />

to all the students in a newly<br />

constructed teaching theater. I<br />

developed my own lesson and<br />

taught it over the course of several<br />

days. I used PowerPoint; it<br />

was new then and the lesson had<br />

video clips and many photos. I<br />

included a video clip of a speech<br />

from Hitler and I told the students<br />

to listen for one word that<br />

is the same in English and German.<br />

“Intolerant” was the word<br />

that that the students learned<br />

that day in the teaching theater.<br />

They heard the word come directly<br />

from Der Fuhrer’s mouth.<br />

One of my precious students<br />

advised her peers that the word<br />

was basically the same in Spanish<br />

as well. This was important<br />

because Spanish was the native<br />

tongue of most of the students<br />

there. I suppose when a word is<br />

very ugly no language wants to<br />

claim it as its own. Every student<br />

was now equipped with the<br />

background information to fully<br />

appreciate the speaker’s remarks.<br />

Second box checked.<br />

The next day, the speaker<br />

arrived. He was an older gentleman,<br />

but certainly not frail. He<br />

actually looked like a movie star<br />

who could have been a leading<br />

man a couple of decades prior.<br />

He thanked us all for preparing<br />

his audience and then he went<br />

to work with an enthusiasm that<br />

can only be held by someone on<br />

a special mission. He was a gifted<br />

speaker. He introduced himself<br />

and told the kids that they<br />

could call him Walter. He told<br />

the kids he was going to relay<br />

to them what happened to him<br />

when he was a teenager. And<br />

then he did.<br />

I was already in awe of him<br />

and the instant rapport he established<br />

in the room. Every<br />

teacher’s nightmare is that their<br />

students will be unruly and<br />

disrespectful to a guest speaker.<br />

That fear is heightened exponentially<br />

if the speaker is an honored<br />

guest from the Holocaust Museum.<br />

That day I saw something<br />

that I never saw before or since.<br />

Over two thousand teenagers<br />

were in one room and nobody<br />

uttered a word. That in and of<br />

itself was incredible. It only added<br />

to the mystique of this man<br />

named Walter.<br />

After Walter established this<br />

incredibly magnificent rapport,<br />

he said that he was from Łódź,<br />

Poland. His father owned a large<br />

commercial laundry there and<br />

was very successful. Walter<br />

lived there with his parents and<br />

sister. Then the Germans came.<br />

They took his sister and some<br />

other people and shot them<br />

down in the street in front of<br />

Walter. The long evil nightmare<br />

had begun for Walter.<br />

His parents were separated in<br />

Łódź. Walter and his father were<br />

transported to various locations,<br />

including Oswiecim, Poland.<br />

The Germans called this place<br />

Auschwitz. Walter told us of his<br />

experiences there in his home<br />

country of Poland. One cannot<br />

imagine the horror of this place.<br />

Walter unrolled his sleeve and<br />

showed the kids a number that<br />

was tattooed on his arm. He was<br />

just a number to the Nazis.<br />

Walter’s father was assigned<br />

to a work detail outside the<br />

camp. Polish farmers in the area<br />

would hide food in the form of<br />

potato pancakes that the unfortunate<br />

Jews in the work parties<br />

would place under their clothes<br />

and smuggle back into the camp.<br />

Walter’s father would feed his<br />

son this hidden food to keep<br />

him alive. The days stretched to<br />

weeks, months, and years. The<br />

horrors of Auschwitz were magnified<br />

and increased daily. Eventually,<br />

over one million people<br />

died at this location alone. That<br />

scale of death is<br />

something that<br />

is impossible to<br />

wrap your head<br />

around.<br />

As the war progressed<br />

and the<br />

Soviets moved<br />

through Poland,<br />

Walter and<br />

his father were<br />

transported from<br />

Poland to Austria.<br />

They went through<br />

the system of unimaginable<br />

cruelty<br />

in Mauthausen and<br />

ultimately ended<br />

up in Gunskirchen.<br />

The German Army<br />

could no longer<br />

feed their own<br />

troops properly<br />

so the thought of<br />

giving a Jew some<br />

food never entered<br />

their minds.<br />

Mass starvation<br />

could now do the<br />

work of bullets<br />

and gas.<br />

There wasn’t<br />

a dry eye in the auditorium as<br />

Walter spoke. The teaching lesson<br />

of the Holocaust had literally<br />

come alive and the kids were<br />

receiving the lesson of a lifetime<br />

- and they knew it.<br />

Then, finally, one of the happiest<br />

days of Walter’s life had<br />

come at long last. The 71st Infantry<br />

Division of the U.S. Army<br />

arrived and liberated the death<br />

camp. One of the soldiers gave<br />

Walter a Hershey bar and he<br />

told the kids that it was still his<br />

favorite candy. But the Army and<br />

Walter learned a sobering lesson<br />

that day: starving people can’t be<br />

fixed with a Hershey bar.<br />

Walter’s father was admitted<br />

to a U.S. Army hospital and treated<br />

for hunger for thirty days.<br />

Walter was with his father daily<br />

hoping that their lives would<br />

soon be restored, but that was<br />

not to be. Walter received the<br />

Army doctor’s sad news that his<br />

father could not be saved. At age<br />

39, Walter’s father had starved<br />

to death and Walter was utterly<br />

alone. Walter now realized that<br />

his father had sacrificed his life<br />

by giving him his food so that<br />

*CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE<br />

52 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 53

Walter could live.<br />

By now the school auditorium<br />

could no longer conceal the<br />

audible sobs from the audience.<br />

Walter continued his story by<br />

telling the students that hate<br />

is something to be on guard<br />

against. He said that you know<br />

hate because it destroys while<br />

love builds things up. He told a<br />

knowing audience how intolerance<br />

led to the unimaginable.<br />

He reiterated that word. The kids<br />

knew that word was especially<br />

evil. They learned that word well.<br />

He started the conclusion of<br />

his remarks by telling the kids to<br />

never take for granted the special<br />

things in their lives. Their<br />

family being the first. Walter lost<br />

seventy members of his family<br />

in the Holocaust. He told the kids<br />

that their parents were doing<br />

the best that they could and to<br />

ALAN HELFMAN<br />

appreciate their efforts. He told<br />

them that their little brothers,<br />

sisters, and cousins might seem<br />

like brats, but the little children<br />

looked up to them for guidance.<br />

He told them never to take their<br />

freedom for granted and to not<br />

while away their youth in some<br />

jail cell someplace. He told them<br />

that sitting in an auditorium and<br />

receiving an education from<br />

people who cared for them was<br />

another thing he was denied as<br />

a teenager. He told them that<br />

shelter is something that all<br />

human beings need and it can<br />

be gone if the month’s rent is not<br />

paid. He said that his wife often<br />

kidded him about the pantry<br />

in his house. It was huge and<br />

always contained enough food<br />

so that nobody he knew would<br />

ever starve to death again before<br />

his eyes. He told the kids to<br />

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eat properly and to never waste<br />

food.<br />

Finally, he told the kids to<br />

never take love for granted. The<br />

love from and for others is God’s<br />

greatest gift to all human beings.<br />

In the end it will always overturn<br />

hate. Love for his father and from<br />

his father was what kept his<br />

faith in God alive and that gave<br />

him the will to live in the saddest<br />

circumstances our history<br />

has ever endured.<br />

Walter told the kids he loved<br />

them and he left the stage.<br />

<strong>No</strong>body who heard him was<br />

ever the same. We lost Walter<br />

Kase in 2015 to Parkinson’s, but in<br />

a sense we never lose anybody<br />

who lives on in the love of our<br />

hearts.<br />

This holiday season of <strong>2020</strong>, I<br />

am heeding Walter’s message to<br />

not take for granted those things<br />

in my life that hold a higher<br />

priority, it seems, than they did<br />

in the past. Over the last year, I<br />

have found out that priorities are<br />

things that have to be reevaluated<br />

from time to time. Hard times<br />

reveal the things that truly matter.<br />

Walter’s list is a good one<br />

to build upon: freedom, parents,<br />

education, family, shelter, food,<br />

and, of course, love.<br />

As we experience the <strong>2020</strong><br />

holiday season, let us not forget<br />

others who may need our help.<br />

In John’s Gospel, the sixth chapter,<br />

Jesus fed a multitude of over<br />

5000 with a lad’s sack lunch.<br />

Jesus didn’t wave a magic wand,<br />

his disciples acted as his hands<br />

and feet to feed all the people.<br />

The miracle wasn’t simply the<br />

supernatural event, the miracle<br />

was and is that we can be an answer<br />

to somebody’s prayers. We<br />

can be the hands and feet of God<br />

in a needy world.<br />

54 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 55

6<br />

Personnel<br />

reasons why your agency needs a<br />

certified firearm specialist<br />

with proven comprehensive<br />

firearms knowledge help prevent costly<br />

accidents, mistakes and legal battles<br />

BY DANIEL O’KELLY<br />

Having taught hundreds of multi-day firearm technology seminars to law enforcement personnel,<br />

the most common comment heard from LE personnel after a seminar is “I wish I’d had this<br />

training 20 years ago!” The irony is, the most common comment prior to this type of training is,<br />

“I already know everything about guns.”<br />

Let's test your firearms knowledge. Do you know the answers to these questions?<br />

• Why is one <strong>12</strong> gauge firearm legally allowed to have a 9” barrel, while another has a 16”<br />

barrel but is a felony to possess?<br />

• What does the second number “30” refer to in the name of the .30-30 Winchester cartridge?<br />

• What four categories of shootable and deadly firearms are exempt from federal gun laws?<br />

• What are the legalities of building a homemade “ghost gun”? What element, if missing,<br />

makes a "ghost gun" prosecutable in state court but not in federal court?<br />

Being a range instructor or even a firearm/toolmark examiner isn’t enough to equip you for the<br />

situations where technology meets difficult-to-maneuver gun laws. (Getty Images)<br />

The list of confusing questions about firearms and ammo technology is long, and not knowing<br />

the answer to a technical question about firearms or ammunition can be costly to law enforcement.<br />

The truth is that LE personnel are only taught how to shoot, when to shoot and maybe how to<br />

repair the gun models that we carry. But what do you do when your need for gun knowledge in<br />

the field goes beyond that?<br />

Consider that there are 393 million guns in private hands in the U.S., that’s <strong>12</strong>0.5 guns for every<br />

100 residents. Your chances of encountering them regularly are definite. As a result, your agency<br />

needs to have personnel who can ensure that firearms are accurately identified and classified so<br />

that court cases are not lost due to misidentification, violations are not overlooked, no injuries<br />

occur during handling, and arrests are not made for something that is not illegal.<br />

Being a range instructor or even a firearm/toolmark examiner isn’t enough to equip you for the<br />

situations where technology meets difficult-to-maneuver gun laws. Here are six reasons why<br />

your department needs to go the extra mile and have one or more certified firearm specialists:<br />

56 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 57

Daniel O'Kelly<br />

3. AVOID ARRESTS FOR NON-VIOLATIONS<br />

These are embarrassing, can<br />

lead to civil suits and are a<br />

waste of resources.<br />

The ability to classify firearms<br />

allows the specialist to know<br />

the legal difference between a<br />

pistol, a shotgun, a rifle, or an<br />

“other firearm” (which is neither<br />

a handgun nor a shotgun nor rifle)<br />

and which is not required to<br />

be registered with the ATF.<br />

Also, knowledge of the quirks<br />

in ATF rulings allows the specialist<br />

to avoid embarrassment<br />

by knowing things such as blank<br />

cartridges are not “ammunition”<br />

despite the fact that each of the<br />

three components that make<br />

them are ammunition separately.<br />

Well-developed knowledge of<br />

the category known as Curios<br />

and Relics will also allow the<br />

specialist to recognize those<br />

guns that would otherwise warrant<br />

an arrest for possession of<br />

an unregistered short-barreled<br />

rifle or shotgun but have been<br />

exempted. Again, civil suits for<br />

malicious prosecution and unlawful<br />

seizure of property can<br />

be avoided.<br />

1. AVOID OVERLOOKING SERIOUS FELONY VIOLATIONS<br />

Pictured above are several<br />

small gadgets considered by<br />

the ATF to be machineguns<br />

just by themselves. They don’t<br />

shoot, but the simple drop-in<br />

installation of them allows a<br />

certain model of a gun to fire<br />

fully-automatic. The fact that<br />

such gadgets are easily made at<br />

home from common materials<br />

allows for them to be commonly<br />

encountered by law enforcement,<br />

and failure to recognize<br />

them allows violations to go<br />

unchecked.<br />

Other examples of overlooking<br />

a violation are that the mere<br />

frame of a gun, although not<br />

always recognized, is a firearm<br />

by itself. Also, ammunition com-<br />

2. AVOID ACCIDENTS DUE TO IMPROPER GUN HANDLING<br />

The saying is that there are two<br />

kinds of gun-handlers: those<br />

who’ve had an accidental/unintentional<br />

discharge and those<br />

who will.<br />

Most classes of instruction<br />

will teach you that there are two<br />

places to check for ammunition<br />

in a gun (magazine or cylinder,<br />

and chamber); however, there<br />

are actually four places! There<br />

are also five safety considerations<br />

when test-firing a firearm.<br />

Do you know what they are?<br />

Many LE personnel have never<br />

heard of a gun that fires from<br />

an open-bolt. In such a design,<br />

the gun is meant to fire a cartridge<br />

upon chambering it. And<br />

many accidental/unintentional<br />

ponents are legally considered<br />

“ammunition” by themselves,<br />

even spent shell-casings. The<br />

ability to field-test an empty gun<br />

for full-auto capability is another<br />

valuable tool that helps avoid<br />

overlooking violations of law,<br />

and there are many more.<br />

discharges of a firearm result<br />

from the untrained handling of<br />

a modified firearm equipped<br />

with any number of after-market<br />

gadgets designed for various<br />

purposes. Of course, most<br />

accidental and unintentional<br />

discharges with injury result in<br />

expensive civil suits.<br />

4. AVOID MISIDENTIFICATION OF EVIDENCE<br />

It is believed that if you were<br />

to inventory the average law<br />

enforcement evidence vault, you<br />

would find any number of firearms<br />

listed as “Smith & Wesson”<br />

although they were actually<br />

manufactured by another company<br />

for use with ammunition<br />

invented by the Smith & Wesson<br />

company, and which only bears<br />

that notice.<br />

There is the propensity for tin-<br />

kerers to build their own firearms<br />

based on a classic design, such<br />

as the 1911 pistol or AR15, by<br />

using mixed parts made by any<br />

combination of other companies.<br />

As a result, the slide may say<br />

“COLT” as clear as day, although<br />

the firearm (frame) was actually<br />

manufactured by another company.<br />

Unhappy and embarrassed<br />

is the LE witness to whom this<br />

fact is displayed in court by a<br />

defense attorney asking, “Where<br />

is the Colt that you reportedly<br />

took from my client?”<br />

You’ve also undoubtedly heard<br />

of “ghost guns” manufactured<br />

from home-made frames. That<br />

topic alone makes even some<br />

firearm laboratory personnel<br />

nervous when it comes time to<br />

be grilled about them in court by<br />

the defense.<br />

5. LEARN THE OVERALL ABILITY TO EXPLAIN THE FACETS OF FIREARMS<br />

Defense attorneys have the<br />

liberty of letting the answer to<br />

one question bring about another<br />

question and do so indefinitely.<br />

For that reason, a firearm<br />

or ammunition witness needs<br />

to be able to explain more than<br />

just the definition into which a<br />

firearm falls. For example, being<br />

able to explain the eight steps<br />

that occur between the firing of<br />

one shot and the next are what<br />

can silence an attorney versus<br />

inviting them to do more digging.<br />

Also, being able to simply<br />

explain the differences between<br />

firearms that reload their own<br />

chamber automatically and those<br />

eight types that do not is key<br />

knowledge that establishes your<br />

credibility.<br />

6. BECOME CLEAR ABOUT AMMUNITION: NORMALLY A VERY CONFUSING TOPIC<br />

For many people, ammunition<br />

is the most confusing facet<br />

of the firearm field. It becomes<br />

simple after you learn that the<br />

source of the confusion is the<br />

various naming systems used<br />

since metallic cartridges were<br />

invented. Armed with this information,<br />

a specialist can determine<br />

what counts as ammunition<br />

in support of a criminal<br />

prosecution and what does not.<br />

Knowledge of ammunition<br />

components allows recognition<br />

of such things as armor-piercing<br />

cartridges and those that<br />

require ATF registration to avoid<br />

prosecution. This means you will<br />

be able to quickly convert in<br />

your head that an exotic-sounding<br />

cartridge marked 7.62x63 is<br />

actually an American-designed<br />

.30 ’06 hunting cartridge manufactured<br />

in a metric-system<br />

country.<br />

58 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 59

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emailed to you<br />

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Click HERE or scan the<br />

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DANIEL O’KELLY<br />

About the author: Daniel O’Kelly is the director of the International<br />

Firearm Specialist Academy. He uses his 34-year career<br />

experiences as a police officer and retired ATF Agent to raise the<br />

bar on firearm knowledge among law enforcement personnel. He is<br />

a former ATF National Academy instructor, where he co-wrote the<br />

ATF firearm training and has taught at the International LE Academies<br />

in Europe and Africa. He regularly teaches seminars at major<br />

law enforcement agencies nationwide.<br />

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emembering my hero ...<br />

Concerns of Police Survivors is an Organization whose mission is to help rebuild<br />

the shattered lives of those family members and co-workers of law enforcement<br />

officers that are killed in the line of duty. On Sunday, August 27, 2017 Cheryl<br />

Perez lost her husband, Officer Steve Perez in the midst of Hurricane Harvey. This<br />

is her story.<br />

Sergeant Steve Perez was a<br />

devoted and protective husband,<br />

father, son and officer. He spent<br />

most his free time with his kids<br />

and was always involved in their<br />

activities. When his father passed,<br />

he stepped up and took care of<br />

his mother too. He was so loved<br />

by his family. Sgt. Perez also loved<br />

his job. He supported a lot of people<br />

in the community and within<br />

the police department. Often<br />

giving advice and helping others<br />

with resources and information.<br />

He was a fair and considerate<br />

officer. He was chosen to attend<br />

the Academy in New Jersey and<br />

worked many local community<br />

events like the pride parade and<br />

rodeo and volunteered with the<br />

YMCA and church.<br />

Our family always knew the<br />

potential dangers a police officer<br />

could face and lived each day<br />

in appreciation; always taking<br />

the time to say our goodbye-s<br />

and I love you-s. We had gone<br />

through many storms, literally.<br />

If Sgt. Perez was physically able<br />

to patrol during a storm, he was<br />

out there no matter the severity.<br />

So when Hurricane Harvey hit, it<br />

was just another typical work day<br />

for him. When he was about to<br />

leave for work early that morning,<br />

I asked if he was sure he should<br />

be going out in this weather? He<br />

responded as he usually did, “We<br />

got work to do”. I hadn’t heard<br />

from him throughout the day<br />

and night but was not too concerned<br />

as this was typical during<br />

a bad storm. I knew he was busy<br />

and he knew we were safe. As<br />

usual, he had seen to it that<br />

we were prepared and safe at<br />

home before leaving. By the next<br />

afternoon, I still hadn’t heard<br />

from him and neither had his coworkers.<br />

<strong>No</strong>w I was concerned.<br />

The next morning, I heard on<br />

... Officer Steve Perez.<br />

the news that a police officer had drowned. By that<br />

afternoon, the Chief of Police was at my home telling<br />

my family that the drowned officer was my husband. I<br />

already knew it that morning, in my heart, that it was<br />

him.<br />

There were so many questions and so much to<br />

handle and grieve. The 100 Club and an HPD officer<br />

never left my side and helped with arrangements. I<br />

got through this all and still coping with the help of<br />

community support. I became involved with COPS,<br />

Concerns of Police Survivors. I now attend the memorial<br />

for fallen officers in Washington every year. I go<br />

to every funeral and fundraiser that I can to support<br />

the fallen and survivors. It helps to be involved with a<br />

community who knows what you are going through<br />

and I would encourage others in similar situations to<br />

reach out and stay involved. It is a way to heal. That’s<br />

what keeps me going, to be able to support other<br />

survivors. I know that’s what my husband, Sgt. Steve<br />

Perez, would have done.<br />

68 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 69

unning 4 heroes<br />

Zechariah<br />

Cartledge:<br />

a True American Hero<br />

ZZechariah’s <strong>2020</strong> Run Tracker and Sponsors:<br />

Total Miles Run in <strong>2020</strong>: (as of 11/30/20): <strong>36</strong>3<br />

Total Miles Run in 2019: 376<br />

Overall Miles Run: 739<br />

<strong>2020</strong> Run Stats:<br />

Total Miles Run for <strong>2020</strong> fallen LEO’s: 266<br />

Total Miles Run for <strong>2020</strong> fallen Firefighters: 75<br />

Total Miles Run for 2019 Fallen LEO’s: 4<br />

Total Miles Run for 2019 Fallen Firefighters: 0<br />

Total Miles Run for 2019/<strong>2020</strong> Fallen K9’s: 0<br />

Total Miles Run for <strong>2020</strong> <strong>No</strong>n Line of Duty Deaths: 13<br />

Total Miles Run for Other Heroes: 0<br />

Total Tribute Runs by State for <strong>2020</strong>: 5<br />

States Run: Florida, New York, Georgia, South Carolina (2), Pennsylvania,<br />

Illinois (2), Texas (3), Kentucky, Arkansas, Nevada, California,<br />

Arizona<br />

Sponsors:<br />

Shoes - Honor And Respect LLC<br />

Stickers - Powercall Sirens<br />

Lights - Guardian Angel Device<br />

Food - MISSION BBQ; Marco’s Pizza; Rock & Brews Oviedo30<br />

Games - ZagBag Board<br />

70 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 71

Don’t let the stars go to your head CHIEF !<br />

Sometimes you just have to<br />

wonder, who in the hell elects<br />

these guys. Or even more troubling,<br />

why would any mayor<br />

pick “this” guy to lead his department.<br />

You know the guy, or<br />

lady, I’m talking about. With the<br />

gold badge with Chief, Sheriff, or<br />

Constable emblazoned on it. The<br />

three or four Stars on their collar<br />

or shoulders. In the fancy office<br />

and the car with a million antennas<br />

on it. You know the ones.<br />

You’d be in awe of them if they<br />

weren’t so scatterbrained. They<br />

can’t seem to find their way out<br />

of a paper bag with two maglights<br />

guiding the way. Are you<br />

seeing them now?<br />

Most of us know these people.<br />

Those who “Lead” from behind<br />

closed doors. Having weekly<br />

or even daily ‘Command Staff’<br />

meetings behind those same<br />

closed doors where everyone<br />

leaves said meetings in an awful<br />

mood. Well, except for the<br />

person who called the meeting.<br />

They leave all giddy because<br />

they’ve “told” everyone what<br />

to do thus their “Ego” is in full<br />

swing!!<br />

These so-called leaders could<br />

honestly care less about the new<br />

guy on evenings or nights. They<br />

most likely don’t even know their<br />

name or who they are. They<br />

are too busy trying to impress<br />

people they call into THE office.<br />

Meanwhile, the Troops are carrying<br />

the burden of being a police<br />

officer in <strong>2020</strong>.<br />

Most people never see these<br />

types of leaders until it’s too<br />

late. Others see them for what<br />

they are right away. Either way,<br />

the damage they inflict upon<br />

innocent people is just about<br />

immeasurable. They are so<br />

narcissistic, they actually get off<br />

berating, chastising and hurting<br />

as many people in a day as<br />

they possibly can. <strong>No</strong>thing anyone<br />

does is right unless they put<br />

their two cents in. And whatever<br />

anyone else does is worthless.<br />

Which is exactly how such guys<br />

see everyone – as worthless.<br />

And when it comes to vehicles,<br />

by damn if they don’t get<br />

the newest vehicle in the fleet<br />

every single year. A true leader<br />

would drive the oldest vehicle in<br />

the fleet and ensure their troops<br />

have the best vehicles, radios<br />

and equipment money can<br />

buy. They’d realize it’s not about<br />

them, it’s about their people.<br />

Then again, that’s what should<br />

happen. But to the chosen ones<br />

- nope that’s not the case. It’s all<br />

about them!<br />

These guys look at their employees<br />

as pawns. Everything is<br />

just a “Game” to them. The problem<br />

with this Sociopath outlook<br />

is life isn’t a game and people<br />

are human beings, not pawns.<br />

They have hearts, emotions,<br />

ideas, feelings, dreams, families<br />

and friends. Some leaders never<br />

understand this. They are too<br />

busy trying to keep the spotlight<br />

on themselves to notice what a<br />

great job their employees are<br />

actually doing.<br />

<strong>No</strong>w to be completely fair,<br />

these tyrants and bullies are few<br />

and far in-between. More often<br />

than not, good hearted men and<br />

women wear the Chief’s Badge<br />

for all the right reasons. They<br />

take care of their troops and<br />

back them 100%. Unfortunately,<br />

the opposite is true here in Texas<br />

where some narcissistic leaders<br />

still exist. They hold senseless<br />

meetings, behind closed doors,<br />

with all their mementos, degrees,<br />

diplomas and the like<br />

are perfectly and strategically<br />

placed for all to see.<br />

So please allow me to add<br />

another prestigious award to<br />

that wall – the Famous LIGHT<br />

BULB AWARD. An award given to<br />

individuals who believe the universe<br />

revolves them. Who waste<br />

time patting themselves on the<br />

back instead of recognizing the<br />

fine men and women who actually<br />

do all the work. If you see<br />

yourself in this article, congrats<br />

on the award. On the other hand,<br />

if you one of the truly amazing<br />

leaders of a police agency here<br />

in Texas, you have our utmost<br />

admiration and gratitude. Perhaps<br />

you can have a chat with<br />

your less than perfect counterpart<br />

and get them to see the<br />

light. Or you can help them hang<br />

this famous award on their wall<br />

of fame. Either way, kudos to the<br />

good guys and the losers.<br />

72 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 73

Sometimes it helps just to talk<br />

EDITOR: Dr. Jaeckle is on special<br />

assignment this month and will<br />

return in January . Please enjoy a<br />

reprint of her column from February.<br />

I heard the phone vibrate at<br />

about 2 a.m. and I slowly turned<br />

over to answer it. On the other<br />

end was a young female police<br />

officer who had recently started<br />

her solo journey following the<br />

completion of her field training.<br />

She had been assigned to one of<br />

the most violent areas of the city<br />

and the pressure of the situation<br />

did create some anxiety, and<br />

she questioned her ability to “do<br />

the job”. Some may say this was<br />

weakness, and that she was not<br />

cut out for this work.<br />

I say, she is simply human and<br />

just needed some support. After<br />

a long and productive conversation,<br />

she was able to move<br />

forward, and today I consider<br />

her one of the finest officers I<br />

have ever met. I was fortunate<br />

to have met her during academy<br />

training, and she trusted<br />

me enough to call. During that<br />

vulnerable moment it could have<br />

gone either way. She could have<br />

decided to walk away from a<br />

career she loves, or she would<br />

become stronger and realize it<br />

is perfectly acceptable to ask<br />

for help. Fortunately, she chose<br />

the latter and will now have this<br />

experience to reflect upon and<br />

can hopefully encourage others<br />

to also reach out in times of<br />

crisis. I am simply blessed to be<br />

this lifeline.<br />

We watched the number of<br />

law enforcement suicides consistently<br />

rise in 2019 and it certainly<br />

ignited a call to do more.<br />

Public safety agencies and<br />

non-profit organizations stepped<br />

forward out of the shadows to<br />

offer more mental health services,<br />

peer support, education,<br />

and awareness on the stressors,<br />

challenges and potential toxicity<br />

of the career. Police leaders<br />

have begun to speak openly<br />

about law enforcement suicide<br />

although it is still not enough.<br />

Please do not misunderstand. I<br />

am fully supportive of all these<br />

approaches and have observed<br />

over the last twenty years the<br />

significant shift in the willingness<br />

to discuss these issues with<br />

transparency and honesty, but<br />

we can do more and we must. It<br />

is imperative that we start at the<br />

beginning when law enforcement<br />

officers are just beginning<br />

their journey.<br />

I was approached in 2017 by<br />

the Fraternal Order of Police<br />

Lodge 5-30 in Jacksonville,<br />

Florida regarding the need for a<br />

professional specifically trained<br />

in addressing the mental health<br />

needs of law enforcement officers.<br />

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s<br />

Office previously had an employee<br />

assistance program which offered<br />

support by trained mental<br />

health professionals who were<br />

DR. TINA JAECKLE<br />

culturally competent in providing<br />

services to law enforcement<br />

officers, but it was eliminated<br />

due to budget cuts. I was given<br />

the ability to create a program<br />

which included an eight-hour<br />

day of academy instruction to<br />

police and corrections on stress,<br />

PTSD, and resiliency in the career.<br />

This not only provides stress<br />

management tools, but also<br />

allows for the opportunity to<br />

build rapport with me as their<br />

EAP counselor moving forward.<br />

The recruits are given my contact<br />

information and encouraged<br />

to reach out whenever needed. I<br />

have an off-site office in a nonlaw<br />

enforcement related location<br />

to provide a sense of privacy<br />

for those who seek counseling.<br />

This program has no connection<br />

to any fitness for duty evaluative<br />

processes and is not mandatory.<br />

Police, corrections, and<br />

their families can utilize these<br />

services at no cost to them and<br />

includes unlimited visits.<br />

But education and support<br />

should not stop at academy<br />

instruction and counseling. With<br />

the assistance of the FOP and the<br />

Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office we<br />

have built a best practices model<br />

to also include family nights<br />

throughout the year. These<br />

events encourage officers and<br />

their families to enjoy a meal<br />

and discuss a wide range of topics,<br />

including financial planning,<br />

managing stress at the holidays,<br />

effective communication, and<br />

relationship skills, just to name<br />

We want to thank all the men and women in<br />

Law Enforcement in Texas and beyond, for all<br />

the great work and service during this past year.<br />

KopecekDesign LLC<br />

Peter & Nena Kopecek<br />

a few. An eight-hour course for<br />

officers who are transitioning<br />

into retirement has recently been<br />

added to this model. The goal<br />

is to provide a continuum of<br />

support and education throughout<br />

the entire law enforcement<br />

career.<br />

I would be highly interested in<br />

how Texas training academies<br />

view this important component.<br />

I have approached several law<br />

enforcement leaders who are<br />

charged with the creation and<br />

approval of state academy standards<br />

and curriculum, and I am<br />

often met with the response that<br />

there is simply no time to add<br />

this block of instruction. I recognize<br />

that a significant amount<br />

of money and time goes into the<br />

creation of a strong, well rounded<br />

officer. While I will never<br />

To<br />

question that tactical training is<br />

essential for survival in this field,<br />

I will always counter that we<br />

will ultimately save more lives<br />

with an equally important focus<br />

on the importance of mental<br />

health from beginning to end.<br />

74 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 75

Thank you, Joe! Here’s to looking<br />

back and moving forward<br />

EDITOR: Just as The BLUES was<br />

about to publish the final issue of<br />

<strong>2020</strong>, we learned that Joe Gamaldi<br />

had scored number one on the sergeants<br />

exam and resigned his post<br />

at HPOU. We want to thank Joe for<br />

his service as president also thank<br />

him for his monthly contribution<br />

at The BLUES. Given his position as<br />

vice-president at the FOP, I’m sure<br />

we’ll be hearing more from Joe in<br />

the future. On that note, we welcome<br />

Douglas Griffith as president<br />

and the newest contributor to the<br />

BLUES.<br />

Looking back over my time with<br />

the Union it is evident that I have<br />

worked with some really great<br />

leaders. As an HPOU board member,<br />

I had the good fortune to<br />

work with Gary Blankinship and<br />

J. J. Berry, who were class guys<br />

and taught me a lot about what a<br />

union should be and how it should<br />

function.<br />

After taking J. J.’s place as 1st<br />

vice president in 20<strong>12</strong>, I had the<br />

honor of working with Ray Hunt<br />

and Joe Gamaldi, both of whom<br />

have been exceptional leaders for<br />

our great organization, and individuals<br />

that I am proud to call<br />

friends.<br />

As most of you know, Joe<br />

worked very hard and burned a lot<br />

of time to prepare for the sergeant’s<br />

exam. In what should not<br />

be a surprise to anyone that he<br />

ended up number one on the list.<br />

I am so very proud of his hard<br />

work and dedication to this organization<br />

and the greatest police<br />

department in our nation. I look<br />

forward to watching him move<br />

up the management ladder in this<br />

department as he will be a great<br />

supervisor and – most of all – a<br />

great leader.<br />

As you know, the HPOU constitution<br />

does not allow a sergeant<br />

to hold the office of presidency.<br />

Therefore, Joe Gamaldi resigned<br />

as president of the Houston Police<br />

Officers Union at the Dec. 3 board<br />

meeting.<br />

Although Joe has left the HPOU<br />

leadership position, he will continue<br />

to be the national vice<br />

president of the Fraternal Order of<br />

Police, speaking out for officers<br />

across the country. For those not<br />

keeping up, since Joe was sworn<br />

into this national FOP office, the<br />

organization has excelled with its<br />

rapid growth.<br />

I am confident that under the<br />

leadership of Pat Yoes and Joseph<br />

Gamaldi the Fraternal Order of<br />

Police will be on the front line on<br />

issues that will affect the Law Enforcement<br />

community nationwide.<br />

Thank you, Joe, for your dedication<br />

and continued commitment<br />

to the HPOU and for your continued<br />

friendship.<br />

As we move forward as an organization,<br />

I want to thank the board<br />

of directors for having the faith<br />

in me to run the organization and<br />

voting me in as the new president<br />

of the HPOU for the remainder of<br />

DOUGLAS GRIFFITH<br />

the term. I know that I have very<br />

big shoes to fill, as the example<br />

has been set by those before me.<br />

I am honored to represent the<br />

officers of the Houston Police Department<br />

and will dedicate myself<br />

to leading the organization and<br />

continue to protect our officers.<br />

I also understand that it is<br />

incumbent upon myself and the<br />

leadership team to start looking to<br />

the future. The HPOU must recruit<br />

talented young officers and start<br />

developing the skills that they<br />

need to run the organization into<br />

the future.<br />

I know from experience that<br />

there is a learning curve to this<br />

job, it takes dedication and a<br />

healthy time commitment. I will<br />

do everything within my power<br />

to make sure that the HPOU will<br />

recruit and develop the future<br />

leaders of the organization for the<br />

next generation of officers.<br />

As always, stay safe and watch<br />

after each other.<br />

76 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 77

Police Officer<br />

Marshall Waters, Jr.<br />

Mangham Police Dept., Louisiana<br />

End of Watch Thursday, <strong>No</strong>vember 5,<strong>2020</strong><br />

Age 49 Tour #N/A Badge #PD3<br />

Police Officer Marshall Waters succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained<br />

on October 17th, <strong>2020</strong>, while conducting a traffic stop on Highway 425<br />

near the Franklin Parish / Richland Parish border. The vehicle had just been<br />

stolen during an armed commercial robbery in Rayville. As Officer Waters<br />

stepped from his patrol car the driver of the vehicle shot him once in the<br />

abdomen. The round struck Officer Waters below his vest and damaged<br />

his femoral artery. The man fled the scene and was arrested in Franklin<br />

Parish several hours later. Officer Waters remained hospitalized until succumbing<br />

to his wound.Officer Waters served as a part-time police officer<br />

with the Mangham Police Department and was a full-time EMT for the<br />

<strong>No</strong>rtheast Louisiana Ambulance Service.<br />

Sergeant<br />

Sean Rios<br />

Houston Police Dept., Texas<br />

End of Watch Monday, <strong>No</strong>vember 9, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Age 47 Tour 25 Years Badge #N/A<br />

Sergeant Sean Rios was shot and killed in the 7700 block of <strong>No</strong>rth Freeway<br />

at about 1:30 pm while en route to start his shift at George Bush<br />

Intercontinental Airport. He encountered two vehicles and an armed<br />

man on the roadway and became engaged in a shootout with the subject.<br />

Sergeant Rios was fatally wounded in the shootout. The subjects in both<br />

vehicles fled the scene. The man suspected of shooting Sergeant Rios<br />

was arrested the following day. The second subject remains at large.<br />

Sergeant Rios had served with the Houston Police Department for 25<br />

years and was assigned to the Airport Division. He is survived by four<br />

children, parents, brother, and two cousins who work also serve with the<br />

Houston Police Department.<br />

Police Officer<br />

Travis C. Wallace<br />

Helena-West Police Dept., Arkansas<br />

End of Watch Thursday, <strong>No</strong>vember <strong>12</strong>, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Age 41 Tour #N/A<br />

Badge #N/A<br />

Police Officer<br />

Charlie Cortez<br />

Tulalip Tribal Police Dept., Washington<br />

End of Watch Tuesday, <strong>No</strong>vember 17, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Age 29 Tour 3 years Badge # N/A<br />

Police Officer Travis Wallace was shot and killed in the <strong>12</strong>00 block of Highway<br />

Police Officer Charlie Cortez died after the 24-foot fisheries enforcement<br />

49 while attempting to arrest a subject wanted for a shooting that<br />

vessel he was in capsized after being struck by a rogue wave in the Puget<br />

occurred the previous week. Officer Wallace and another officer saw the<br />

Sound, Washington, at about 9:00 pm. He and his partner had just escorted<br />

subject in a vehicle and conducted a traffic stop as it exited a motel parking<br />

a distressed boater into Tulalip Bay when their vessel was struck<br />

lot. The suspect immediately exited the vehicle, advanced on Officer<br />

by the wave and capsized. A search was immediately initiated by tribal,<br />

Wallace’s vehicle, and opened fire. Despite being wounded, Officer Wallace<br />

local, state, and federal agencies in the area. Officer Cortez’s partner was<br />

returned fire at the suspect. Officer Wallace was transported to a local<br />

located in the water suffering from hypothermia near Hat Island at about<br />

hospital where he succumbed to his wounds.<br />

11:45 pm and rescued by tribal fishermen. Officer Cortez was not located<br />

and, due to cold water temperatures and adverse weather conditions,<br />

Officer Wallace is survived by his son.<br />

it was determined that Officer Cortez could not have survived.<br />

Officer Cortez had served with the Tulalip Tribal Police Department for<br />

three years.<br />

78 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 79

Deputy Sheriff<br />

Jared Michael Allison<br />

Nash County Sheriff’s Office, <strong>No</strong>rth Carolina<br />

End of Watch Tuesday, December 1, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Age 26 Tour 2 years 6 months Badge # I-104<br />

Deputy Sheriff Jared Allison succumbed to injuries sustained on Thanksgiving<br />

Day while attempting to stop a motorcycle on U.S. 301 Bypass in<br />

Rocky Mount. He had just completed a traffic stop and was attempting<br />

to catch a motorcycle when another car attempted a left turn in front<br />

of him at the intersection with May Drive. Deputy Allison’s patrol SUV<br />

struck the vehicle and overturned. He was ejected from the vehicle and<br />

sustained critical injuries. He was transported to Vidant Medical Center<br />

where he remained until succumbing to his injuries on December 1st,<br />

<strong>2020</strong>.<br />

Deputy Allison was a U.S. Army veteran and had served with the Nash<br />

County Sheriff’s Office for 2-1/2 years. He is survived by his wife, son,<br />

and parents.<br />

Patrolman<br />

Cassie Johnson<br />

Charleston Police Dept., West Virginia<br />

End of Watch Thursday, December 3, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Age 28 Tour 4 years Badge #N/A<br />

Patrolman Cassie Johnson succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained the<br />

previous day while responding to a parking complaint in the 200 block<br />

Garrison Avenue at about 2:30 pm. Despite her wounds, she was able<br />

to return fire and wounded the subject. The man was arrested a short<br />

distance away. Patrolman Johnson was transported to Charleston Area<br />

Medical Center where she remained on life support until December 3rd,<br />

<strong>2020</strong>, so that her organs could be donated.<br />

Patrolman Johnson had served with the Charleston Police Department<br />

for two years and had previously served as a city humane officer for two<br />

years.<br />

Police Officer<br />

Andy Ornelas<br />

California Highway Patrol<br />

End of Watch Wednesday, December 2, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Age 27 Tour 4 years Badge # N/A<br />

Officer Andy Ornelas succumbed to injuries sustained in a motorcycle<br />

crash near the intersection of West Avenue N-3 and <strong>No</strong>rth 32nd Street,<br />

in Palmdale, nine days earlier.<br />

He was en route to a vehicle crash at about 7:05 pm when another vehicle<br />

attempted a U-turn after missing its turn into a driveway. The vehicle<br />

turned directly into Officer Ornelas’ path, causing a collision. Officer Ornelas<br />

was transported to Antelope Valley Hospital where he succumbed<br />

to his injuries on December 2nd, <strong>2020</strong>.<br />

Officer Ornelas had served with the California Highway Patrol for four<br />

years and was assigned to the Antelope Valley Area Office. He is survived<br />

by his wife, parents, brother, and sister. His parents, brother, and an uncle<br />

all serve in law enforcement.<br />

Sergeant<br />

Herschel Turner<br />

Moline Acres Police Dept., Missouri<br />

End of Watch Saturday, December 5, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Age N/A Tour 22 years<br />

Badge #N/A<br />

Sergeant Herschel Turner was struck and killed by a police car while assisting<br />

a neighboring agency at the scene of a traffic stop on Chambers<br />

Road near Lance Drive. He and a Bellefontaine Neighbors Police Department<br />

officer had stopped a stolen vehicle at about <strong>12</strong>:30 am. Another<br />

Bellefonte Neighbors officer was arriving at the scene to assist when a<br />

vehicle in front of it struck one of the police cars. The officer swerved to<br />

avoid striking the vehicle and unintentionally struck Sergeant Turner.<br />

Sergeant Turner had served with the Moline Acres Police Department for<br />

16 years and had previously served with the Pagedale Police Department<br />

for six years. He is survived by his wife and three daughters.<br />

80 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 81

A tradition that I have enjoyed for<br />

the better part of the last decade is<br />

that a couple days after Christmas<br />

I load up my truck with my hunting<br />

gear and head to South Texas to enjoy<br />

one last dove hunting trip of the<br />

year with my two sons and many of<br />

my friends from Shell. There are<br />

a lot of reasons why this trip has<br />

become one of my most anticipated<br />

hunts of the year and such a great<br />

way to end the hunting season, not<br />

least of which is that Texas dove<br />

seasons open back up again in late<br />

December and runs into late January.<br />

First, most hunters will agree<br />

that dove hunting is one of the few<br />

hunts were it is ok to make it a<br />

social affair. I love the fact that you<br />

can hunt in groups and you can talk<br />

to your buddies in-between shots,<br />

either congratulating them on those<br />

amazing shots or give them grief<br />

when they miss the ones that seem<br />

to float right over their head. Dove<br />

hunting is also a great way to introduce<br />

beginners to hunting because<br />

it is easy to provide one-on-one<br />

coaching on gun safety and the art<br />

of wing shooting, while still being<br />

able to get some shots off yourself.<br />

Secondly, late season dove hunts<br />

can be very fun and very challenging,<br />

even for the most experienced<br />

shotgunner. See if you are hunting<br />

the early season opener you have<br />

a mix of immature and mature<br />

birds making their way casually in<br />

and out of the fields, unaware of<br />

the hundreds of small lead pellets<br />

about to be heading their way.<br />

While during the second season<br />

opener, these late season survivors<br />

have seemingly learned many evasive<br />

maneuvers to stay alive. On<br />

several morning hunts this year, the<br />

Whitewing doves would fly just out<br />

of shotgun range over our haybale<br />

hideouts only to see them get over<br />

their feeding grounds and dive<br />

down like Teal ducks dive-bombing<br />

to their favorite watering holes. If<br />

you have ever hunted Teal you know<br />

what I am talking about. Then<br />

after an hour of feeding, these late<br />

season doves come out of the fields<br />

equally as fast and full of quick<br />

turns and dives to avoid our awaiting<br />

guns. And for these memories<br />

alone of so many challenging<br />

flights, I love these late season dove<br />

hunts.<br />

However, the top reason that this<br />

trip has become a one of our family<br />

hunting traditions is that the place<br />

we go has the best dove hunting in<br />

the state of Texas and their lodge<br />

has indoor/outdoor spaces that<br />

are perfect for spending downtime<br />

with your friends and family. I<br />

am talking dove hunting like I hear<br />

about in Argentina, with plenty of<br />

birds to provide daily limits. Our<br />

host Sammy <strong>No</strong>oner, called the<br />

“Duke of Dove” by Texas Sporting<br />

Journal, operates the Valdina<br />

Ranch and the <strong>No</strong>oner Ranch. I have<br />

known Sammy for most of my 30+<br />

years at Shell and our mutual love<br />

for the outdoors and hunting connected<br />

us from the start. Sammy<br />

PHOTOS BY RUSTY BARRON<br />

was a successful Fuel Wholesaler<br />

for Shell in South Texas for several<br />

decades before he turned his<br />

attention full time to his passion<br />

for the outdoors. Today, Sammy’s<br />

ranches have earned recognition as<br />

being two of the top deer and dove<br />

hunting operations in Texas.<br />

So if you have never experienced<br />

hunting late season Whitewing<br />

doves in South Texas, consider<br />

grabbing some family and friends<br />

and try it in <strong>2020</strong>. You might be<br />

just starting a new tradition that<br />

will last for decades.<br />

82 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 83

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE BLUES<br />

84 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 85

City of Belton<br />

Hays County Criminal District Attorney’s Office Get Info Investigator 01/23/2021 - 5pm<br />

Hutto Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer <strong>12</strong>/07/<strong>2020</strong> - 11am<br />

Hemphill County Sheriff’s Office Get Info Peace Officer <strong>12</strong>/04/<strong>2020</strong> - 5pm<br />

Burkburnett Police Department Get Info School Resource <strong>12</strong>/31/<strong>2020</strong> - 5pm<br />

Clay County Sheriff’s Office Get Info Peace Officer <strong>12</strong>/14/<strong>2020</strong> - 5pm<br />

University of St. Thomas Police Department Get Info Peace Officer <strong>12</strong>/20/<strong>2020</strong> - 5pm<br />

Alvin Community College Get Info Peace Officer <strong>12</strong>/22/<strong>2020</strong> - 5pm<br />

Rollingwood Police Department Get Info Peace Officer <strong>12</strong>/26/<strong>2020</strong> - 5pm<br />

Belton Police Department Get Info Peace Officer <strong>12</strong>/07/<strong>2020</strong> - 5pm<br />

City of Leon Valley Get Info Peace Officer <strong>12</strong>/09/<strong>2020</strong> - 5pm<br />

Floyd County Sheriff’s Office Get Info Peace Officer <strong>12</strong>/09/<strong>2020</strong> - 5pm<br />

Texarkana ISD Police Department Get Info Peace Officer <strong>12</strong>/09/<strong>2020</strong> - 5pm<br />

Point Comfort Police Department Get Info Peace Officer <strong>12</strong>/18/<strong>2020</strong> - 5pm<br />

Onalaska Police Department Get Info Peace Officer <strong>12</strong>/31/<strong>2020</strong> - 5pm<br />

Wise County Sheriff’s Office Get Info Peace Officer <strong>12</strong>/15/<strong>2020</strong> - 5pm<br />

Loving County Sheriffs Office Get Info Peace Officer <strong>12</strong>/<strong>12</strong>/<strong>2020</strong> - 5pm<br />

Texarkana ISD Police Department Get Info Police Officer <strong>12</strong>/16/<strong>2020</strong> - 5pm<br />

Dalhart Police Department Get Info Peace Officer <strong>12</strong>/31/<strong>2020</strong> - 5pm<br />

Hearne Police Department Get Info Peace Officer <strong>12</strong>/20/<strong>2020</strong> - 5pm<br />

Andrews County Sheriff Office Get Info Peace Officer <strong>12</strong>/18/<strong>2020</strong> - 5pm<br />

City of Highland Village Get Info Peace Officer <strong>12</strong>/18/<strong>2020</strong> - 5pm<br />

City of Farmers Branch Get Info Peace Officer <strong>12</strong>/20/<strong>2020</strong> - 5pm<br />

Navarro College Department of Public Safety Get Info Peace Officer 01/20/2021 - 5pm<br />

Mills County Sheriff’s Office Get Info Cadet Deputy Sheriff <strong>12</strong>/23/<strong>2020</strong> - 4pm<br />

The Town of Trophy Club Police Department Get Info Peace Officer <strong>12</strong>/30/<strong>2020</strong> - 5pm<br />

Armstrong County Sheriff’s Office Get Info Peace Officer 01/01/2021 - 5pm<br />

BNSF Railway (El Paso) Get Info Peace Officer <strong>12</strong>/05/<strong>2020</strong> - 5pm<br />

BNSF Railway (Haslet) Get Info Peace Officer <strong>12</strong>/09/<strong>2020</strong> - 9am<br />

PLACE YOUR DEPARTMENTS’<br />

JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN THE BLUES<br />

FOR ONLY $250<br />

email us today: bluespdmag@gmail.com<br />

Police Officers<br />

Interested in a New Career?<br />

Join the Belton Police Department<br />

Join a team dedicated to community service, quality of life, and committed to the<br />

importance of family time. You can make a real difference while being part of the<br />

solution. The City of Belton is currently accepting applications for Police Officer<br />

positions. You do not have to be licensed/certified by TCOLE (Texas Commission on<br />

Law Enforcement) to apply. <strong>No</strong>n certified applicants will be required to attend a regional<br />

police academy at the City’s expense and be paid while attending.<br />

$5,000 Hiring incentive for certified, experienced officers<br />

Applicants must pass a written Civil Service exam to be administered on<br />

Saturday, December <strong>12</strong>, <strong>2020</strong>, at 9:00 am<br />

Harris Community Center<br />

401 N. Alexander Street, Belton<br />

Application Deadline: 8:00 a.m., Monday, December 7, <strong>2020</strong><br />

Interested persons may submit application via e-mail, by fax, or in person to Human<br />

Resources or the Belton Police Dept. Applications available at Human Resources or<br />

online. Visit our website at www.beltontexas.gov/policecareers for more detailed<br />

information regarding our hiring process.<br />

City of Belton-HR<br />

P O Box <strong>12</strong>0<br />

100 S. Davis<br />

Belton, Texas 76513<br />

Phone: (254) 933-5805<br />

Fax: (254) 933-5859<br />

hr@beltontexas.gov<br />

EOE<br />

86 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 87

SCHOOL<br />

RESOURCE<br />

OFFICER<br />

JOB SUMMARY<br />

The Burkburnett Police Department School<br />

Resource Officer (SRO) will be assigned to a<br />

designated Burkburnett Independent School<br />

District campus. The SRO will work with<br />

school principals to provide alcohol and drug<br />

education, maintain a peaceful campus<br />

environment, and take appropriate action<br />

regarding on-campus or school-related<br />

criminal activity. The work schedule will<br />

consist of 40 hours weekly, with a flexible<br />

schedule. Typically, the SRO will work a daily<br />

shift of 7:00 am to 4:00 pm, consistent with<br />

the District calendar.<br />

SALARY RANGE:<br />

$41,000-$49,500<br />

Additional Certification Pay<br />

MINIMUM<br />

QUALIFICATIONS<br />

TCOLE Peace Officer License<br />

2 years of experience as a fulltime<br />

TCOLE Peace Officer<br />

REQUIREMENTS<br />

Physical & Drug Screen<br />

Written Exam<br />

Physical Agility Test<br />

- 800 Meter Run,<br />

under 4min 15sec<br />

- 30 Sit Ups / 1min<br />

- 20 Push Ups / 1min<br />

- 70% Bench Press<br />

- 165lb Dummy Drag<br />

- <strong>12</strong>in Vertical Jump<br />

APPLY ONLINE<br />

https://www.burkburnett.org/human-resources-employment<br />

BENEFITS<br />

- Paid Health Insurance<br />

- Optional Dental & Life<br />

Insurance Plans<br />

- Vacation: 104 hours<br />

- Sick Leave: <strong>12</strong>0 hours<br />

- 13 Paid Holidays<br />

- Longevity Pay<br />

-<br />

Retirement System<br />

88 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES [2:1 match] POLICE MAGAZINE 89<br />

- Employee Wellness

90 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE

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