SEPT 2021 Blues Vol 37 No. 9
SEPT 2021 Blues Vol 37 No. 9 Features • Remembering Those We Lost - 13 Brave U.S. Soldiers in Kabul - First Responders on 9/11 - Blues Co-Founder Nat Gutierrez - Officers Lost to COVID • 9/11 Attacks Shape Today’s FBI • Jaeson Jones: Battle at the Border Departments • Publisher’s Thoughts: Part I & II • Editor’s Thoughts • Guest Editorial - Samantha Horwitz • Your Letters • News Around the Country • Warstories & Aftermath • Light Bulb Award: Judge Abigail Anastasio • Open Road: Paint Protection for your new car • Hundreds of NEW JOB LISTINGS
SEPT 2021 Blues Vol 37 No. 9
Features
• Remembering Those We Lost
- 13 Brave U.S. Soldiers in Kabul
- First Responders on 9/11
- Blues Co-Founder Nat Gutierrez
- Officers Lost to COVID
• 9/11 Attacks Shape Today’s FBI
• Jaeson Jones: Battle at the Border
Departments
• Publisher’s Thoughts: Part I & II
• Editor’s Thoughts
• Guest Editorial - Samantha Horwitz
• Your Letters
• News Around the Country
• Warstories & Aftermath
• Light Bulb Award: Judge Abigail Anastasio
• Open Road: Paint Protection for your new car
• Hundreds of NEW JOB LISTINGS
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The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 1
<strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER <strong>2021</strong><br />
FEATURES<br />
On the Cover:<br />
WE REMEMBER: The First<br />
Responders we lost on<br />
9/11, BLUES Co-Founder Nat<br />
Gutuerrez, NOLA Officer Everette<br />
Briscoe, & 13 US Soldiers<br />
Killed in Kabul.<br />
FEATURE STORY: Former DPS<br />
Captain Jaeson Jones takes<br />
us to the Battle at the Border.<br />
REMEMBERING THOSE WE’VE LOST<br />
48 13 BRAVE US SOLDIERS IN KABUL AUGUST 26, <strong>2021</strong><br />
54 FIRST RESPONDERS LOST ON <strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER 11, 2001<br />
66 BLUES CO-FOUNDER NAT GUTIERREZ, AUGUST 17, <strong>2021</strong><br />
68 OFFICERS LOST TO COVID IN AUGUST <strong>2021</strong><br />
76 ATTACKS 20 YEARS AGO SHAPED TODAY’S FBI<br />
84 JAESON JONES: BATTLE AT THE BORDER<br />
96 WHO WANTS TO BE A COP<br />
DEPARTMENTS<br />
8 Publisher’s Thoughts Part I<br />
10 Publisher’s Thoughts Part II<br />
12 Editor’s Thoughts<br />
14 Guest Editorial - Samantha Horwitz<br />
16 Your Thoughts<br />
22 News Around the State<br />
34 News Around the Country<br />
112 Island Time - Galveston<br />
122 Healing our Heroes - John Salerno, Sam Horwitz<br />
124 Daryl’s Deliberations<br />
128 HPOU-From the President, Douglas Griffith<br />
130 Light Bulb Award<br />
132 Running 4 Heroes<br />
134 Honoring our Fallen Heroes<br />
140 Outdoors with Rusty Barron/Congrats on Retirement<br />
142 Marketplace - Discounts for LEOs<br />
148 Parting Shots<br />
150 <strong>No</strong>w Hiring - L.E.O. Positions Open in Texas<br />
166 Last Page -Take Out the Trash<br />
OUR TEAM<br />
MICHAEL BARRON<br />
founder & publisher<br />
MICHAEL BARRON<br />
editor-n-chief<br />
REX EVANS<br />
contributing editor<br />
DIANE TRYKOWSKI<br />
creative editor<br />
RUSTY BARRON<br />
outdoor editor<br />
TINA JAECKLE<br />
contributing editor<br />
DARYL LOTT<br />
contributing editor<br />
SAM HORWITZ & JOHN SALERNO<br />
contributing editors<br />
DOUGLAS GRIFFITH<br />
HPOU contributing editor<br />
DIANE TRYKOWSKI<br />
sales manager<br />
OUR CONTRIBUTORS<br />
T. EDISON<br />
contributing writer / light bulb<br />
SAM HORWITZ<br />
guest editorial<br />
DOMINGO RAMIREZ,JR.<br />
contributing writer<br />
MARY HELEN MOORE<br />
contributing writer<br />
GREGORY PRATT<br />
contributing writer<br />
DAVE MONTGOMERY<br />
contributing writer<br />
LANE DEGREGORY<br />
contributing writer<br />
TINA JAECKLE<br />
feature story<br />
DAVID PAN<br />
aftermath<br />
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY<br />
MICHAEL BARRON<br />
108<br />
110<br />
116<br />
The BLUES Police Magazine is published monthly by Kress-Barr, LLC, P.O. Box 2733, League City Texas 77574. The opinions<br />
expressed in articles, op-eds and editorials are those of each individual author and do not reflect the opinion of<br />
The BLUES or its parent company. Rebuttals or submission of news articles and editorials may be su<br />
2 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 3
4 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 5
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6 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 7
PART I<br />
What the F*** should America<br />
do with Joe Biden?<br />
I would say that as the editor<br />
of The BLUES we try and stay<br />
out of politics, but that would<br />
be a blatant lie. We have always<br />
positioned ourselves on one side<br />
of an issue or another and in<br />
many cases, endorsed one candidate<br />
over another.<br />
To be honest, and despite my<br />
desire to jump on my soap box<br />
and go to town on the stupid<br />
shit our leaders in Washington<br />
are doing, I also know there is<br />
so much divide among us already,<br />
I hate to drive that wedge<br />
even farther.<br />
But, given the events that have<br />
rocked our country in the last<br />
few weeks, I must speak up. Joe<br />
Biden has got to go. His handling<br />
of Afghanistan and our<br />
withdrawal is shocking on a<br />
global level. Thirteen U.S. brave<br />
soldiers lost their lives because<br />
our Commander in Chief is not<br />
fit to serve. Joe Biden should<br />
have never been elected in the<br />
first place. Someone elected to<br />
the highest office in the land<br />
because half of America hated<br />
Trump so much, they would<br />
elect anyone to replace him.<br />
Fox News says Biden is facing<br />
a crisis of confidence in his ability<br />
to serve as Commander in<br />
Chief due to the overwhelming<br />
negative fallout he is receiving<br />
over the botched Afghanistan<br />
withdrawal which left thirteen<br />
U.S. service members dead, and<br />
thousands of Americans and<br />
Afghan allies stranded.<br />
Former defense officials,<br />
military leaders, and members<br />
of Congress on both sides of<br />
the aisle have criticized Biden<br />
for leaving Americans behind<br />
as the last U.S. C-17 plane took<br />
off from Kabul Monday night,<br />
despite the President’s promise<br />
weeks ago that “if there are<br />
American citizens left, we’re<br />
going to stay until we get them<br />
all out.” Biden lied.<br />
During the election, the mainstream<br />
media (MSM) hated<br />
Trump so much, they did everything<br />
they could to make sure<br />
Sleepy Joe was elected. <strong>No</strong>w<br />
here we are with a totally incoherent<br />
old man standing as a<br />
puppet for whomever the hell<br />
is really running our country.<br />
<strong>No</strong>w, even the MSM is turning on<br />
Biden. They realize, “Holy Fuck,<br />
what have we done.” What<br />
you’ve done is put everyone on<br />
this planet in harm’s way. When<br />
the most powerful man in the<br />
world is a bumbling idiot, you’ve<br />
upset the balance of politics and<br />
world order. Every leader on the<br />
planet is trying to determine<br />
what their next move is. Yes,<br />
MICHAEL BARRON<br />
what the fuck have you done<br />
indeed.<br />
<strong>No</strong>t only is he incompetent, but<br />
he is also the most disrespectful<br />
President ever elected. Thirteen<br />
brave men and women gave<br />
their lives for this country and<br />
Joe Biden acted like he couldn’t<br />
be bothered. Yes, I’m referring to<br />
him checking his watch 13, yes<br />
13 times during the ceremony<br />
to receive their bodies at Dover.<br />
What the fuck was so important<br />
Joe? The disrespect you showed<br />
towards those Gold Star families<br />
was unbelievable. President<br />
Trump was the most loving<br />
President in modern times and<br />
would have spent hours if not<br />
days comforting those families.<br />
Then again, thirteen soldiers<br />
wouldn’t have been killed on<br />
Trumps watch.<br />
But nevertheless, to these<br />
Gold Star families, I want you<br />
to know that America stands by<br />
you in these horrible times. Each<br />
American knows the sacrifice<br />
your son or daughter has made<br />
for this country, and we honor<br />
and cherish their memories.<br />
They will never be forgotten, and<br />
you will never be forgotten. We<br />
apologize for the poor excuse<br />
of a President that we have and<br />
will do everything possible to<br />
remove him from office.<br />
Of course, removing him from<br />
office (which no doubt will most<br />
certainly happen before his term<br />
is up) only means that laughing<br />
Kamala takes over and God help<br />
us when that happens.<br />
So no, I don’t have all the answers.<br />
But I hope and pray that<br />
our leaders in Congress will find<br />
a way to solve the worst crisis in<br />
our nation’s history – what the<br />
f*** do we do with Joe Biden.<br />
“How many more are there? They told me not to say anything!”<br />
“I shouldn’t have answered questions. <strong>No</strong>w what do I do?”<br />
8 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 9
PART II<br />
Save Yourself from Me, Get the<br />
Shot...Stop Dying from COVID!<br />
This past month, I lost five more<br />
friends to COVID. <strong>No</strong>ne had been<br />
vaccinated. All believed that the<br />
vaccine was un-necessary. Despite<br />
pleas from friends and relatives<br />
to just get vaccinated, they stood<br />
fast in their beliefs and ultimately<br />
lost their lives to this dangerous<br />
disease.<br />
<strong>No</strong>w before I go on, let me be<br />
clear. There is NO ONE that mistrusts<br />
our government more than<br />
me. I don’t believe anything that<br />
comes out of the mouth of our socalled<br />
President, nor do I believe<br />
his advisors, World Heath Organizations<br />
etc. They will say and<br />
do anything to get you to buy into<br />
their rhetoric and BS.<br />
Take for example the whole<br />
mask-up debate. If EVERY person<br />
on the planet wore an N95 mask in<br />
public, would that limit the spread<br />
of COVID? Yes, it would “limit” the<br />
spread, not stop it. But wearing a<br />
‘scarf’ or ‘gaiter face mask’ does<br />
nothing. Besides looking like a<br />
train robber from the 1940’s, you’re<br />
wasting everyone’s time. But you<br />
are complying with the rules by<br />
wearing a ‘face mask.’ So, unless<br />
it’s certified N95, I believe the entire<br />
mask thing should just go away.<br />
So, let’s talk about the vaccine.<br />
I’ve heard it all. It’s dangerous,<br />
untested, unknown future side effects,<br />
a government conspiracy, not<br />
FDA approved, experimental, you’ll<br />
get chipped, yada, yada, yada.<br />
And statistically, you have a better<br />
chance of catching COVID from<br />
a fully vaccinated person (ME)<br />
than someone who isn’t vaccinated.<br />
Why? Because even if we get<br />
COVID, we are asymptomatic and<br />
don’t even know we have it.<br />
But let’s look at some real-world<br />
statistics. (These were gathered<br />
and averaged from several sites<br />
and not provided by the American<br />
Government. Data as of August 23,<br />
<strong>2021</strong>)<br />
Total Cases of Coronavirus<br />
around the World – 212,912,833<br />
Total Cases of Coronavirus in the<br />
US – 38,548,413<br />
Total Deaths related to COVID<br />
worldwide – 4,449,453<br />
Total Deaths related to COVID in<br />
the US – 645,068<br />
Total Recovered – 190,607,775<br />
Total Doses of vaccine administered<br />
in the World – 4.97 billion,<br />
32.5% of World Population one<br />
dose, 24.5% is fully vaccinated.<br />
Total Doses in the US – 339 million<br />
given to 187.2 million people (*<br />
as of July 23, <strong>2021</strong>)<br />
Total deaths due to blood clots<br />
after receiving the vaccine – 3 (* as<br />
of July 23, <strong>2021</strong>)<br />
Total of people who died even<br />
though they were totally vaccinated<br />
– 6,207 or .0018% of all doses<br />
administered in the US<br />
Total “flu” deaths in 2020 – 646<br />
Each flu season, the CDC tracks<br />
a few important metrics that help<br />
tell the story of how severe the<br />
current flu season is compared to<br />
MICHAEL BARRON<br />
previous seasons. Here are a few<br />
numbers to sum up the 2020/<strong>2021</strong><br />
flu season, running from October 1,<br />
2020, to April 1, <strong>2021</strong>.<br />
Mortality - The PIC mortality rate<br />
is the rate of deaths attributed to<br />
pneumonia, influenza, or COVID-19.<br />
This year, most PIC deaths were due<br />
to COVID-19. 646 deaths were attributed<br />
to the flu.<br />
Pediatric Deaths - Pediatric deaths<br />
are the number of deaths of people<br />
under the age of 18. In 2019/20, there<br />
were 195 pediatric deaths. There<br />
was one pediatric death during the<br />
2020/21 season.<br />
Total LEO deaths related to the Flu<br />
in 2020 – 0<br />
Total LEO deaths related to the Flu<br />
in <strong>2021</strong>– 0<br />
Total LEO deaths related to COVID<br />
in 2020 – 241<br />
Total LEO deaths related to COVID<br />
in <strong>2021</strong> – 107<br />
Total LEO deaths related to receiving<br />
a COVID vaccine – 0<br />
Total LEO reporting serious side<br />
effects related to COVID vaccine – 1<br />
The chance of you dying from a<br />
COVID vaccine is 3 in 187 million.<br />
My brothers and sisters in Blue,<br />
please stop and consider how much<br />
your life means to everyone in your<br />
life. There is no way to describe the<br />
pain of watching someone standing<br />
outside the window of a hospital<br />
watching their loved one slowly die<br />
on the other side of that glass wall.<br />
And die alone, because NO ONE is<br />
allowed to hold your hand while<br />
you slip away from this earth to<br />
your final resting place.<br />
Yes, I know we all could be killed<br />
tomorrow. That’s the risk every one<br />
of us takes the moment we step out<br />
of bed each day. I also know and<br />
have heard “when it’s your time to<br />
go, God will take you.” That doesn’t<br />
mean you can stand on a railroad<br />
track in front of an oncoming train<br />
and think God is going to save you<br />
at the last moment. God gave us the<br />
sense and knowledge to do what<br />
we MUST do to survive in this world.<br />
But it’s 100% up to you to do what’s<br />
necessary to make it to your “designated<br />
time of departure.”<br />
Despite all the reasons why you<br />
think you shouldn’t get vaccinated;<br />
I’ll give you at least one reason why<br />
you should – you have nothing to<br />
lose.<br />
Statistically speaking your chance<br />
of dying from the shot is: ALMOST<br />
ZERO<br />
The chance of being allergic to<br />
the ingredients of the vaccine is:<br />
LESS THAN .0000018%<br />
Long term effects of the vaccine –<br />
UNKOWN<br />
Yes, I know you can die a million<br />
other ways.<br />
Chance of dying in a car wreck – 1<br />
in 5000<br />
Chance of dying in a plane crash<br />
– 1 in 11 million<br />
Chance of dying in an earthquake<br />
– 1 in 20,000<br />
Bottom line, we could all die tomorrow.<br />
But if there’s even a small<br />
chance that by getting a stupid<br />
shot, you won’t die tomorrow, or<br />
next week or even next month, you<br />
should roll the dice and give it a<br />
shot – LOL see how I used that word<br />
‘shot.’<br />
But seriously, I hate seeing all<br />
my retired and active LEOs dying<br />
from this horrible pandemic. If I<br />
convinced even one of you to take<br />
a leap of faith and get vaccinated,<br />
then perhaps that’s one life I may<br />
have saved and I’m happy with that.<br />
Regardless, just know that everyone<br />
hear at the BLUES is praying for<br />
you and your family.<br />
10 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 11
Dozens of LEOs are Losing<br />
Their Lives to COVID<br />
To date, over one dozen Greater<br />
Houston area Law Enforcement<br />
Officers have lost their lives as a<br />
direct result of the COVID-19 Virus.<br />
These numbers aren’t “made up” or<br />
“fictional.” They are truthful, accurate<br />
and confirmed.<br />
With that being said, a number<br />
of these officers were not just our<br />
co-workers. Some were our friends<br />
and even family. I cannot tell you<br />
how difficult it has been for so<br />
many people in our area, specifically<br />
our Law Enforcement family. The<br />
losses themselves hurt. The emptiness<br />
left by their absence, seemingly<br />
hurts even more.<br />
For a family, any family, when a<br />
Grandparent dies, a Parent or Sibling,<br />
there is forevermore an empty<br />
space for every meal, family gathering,<br />
special occasions and holidays.<br />
Law Enforcement families are<br />
no different. We feel loss, just like<br />
everyone else. Sometimes, I think<br />
people, including ourselves, forget<br />
just how “human” we really are.<br />
There’s no immediate end in sight<br />
to this ordeal. All these new ways<br />
of living our lives have well, taken<br />
its toll upon us all. I doubt anyone<br />
will know the long-term effects on<br />
our mental and physical health this<br />
whole pandemic has taken upon us<br />
but, we’ll surely all find out as time<br />
goes by.<br />
<strong>No</strong> one can make the decision for<br />
you or make you get ‘the shot.” It<br />
is YOUR decision to make. I understand<br />
the various sides or this argument.<br />
I understand and respect each<br />
man and woman’s decision to get<br />
it, or not. It’s something you must<br />
do because you have finally reached<br />
that decision for yourself. Or maybe<br />
you decide to get it because of your<br />
family. Maybe you too, knew one of<br />
these fallen officers from COVID-19.<br />
Maybe their loss got so close to<br />
you and your heart, you made the<br />
decision to go get it. Maybe it only<br />
bolstered your resolve to abstain. I<br />
don’t know…<br />
But I do know this, there are a lot<br />
of officers gone now who were here<br />
before. There are many more who<br />
are fighting, struggling and battling<br />
their way through the fight of their<br />
lives with this damn virus. Some of<br />
them will win their fight and tragically,<br />
some of them will not. We<br />
know this to be a truth, if for no<br />
other reason than our profession<br />
surely has taught us, some people<br />
make it and some people don’t.<br />
So, there’s no “sugar coating” this<br />
subject. It’s a sensitive subject and<br />
it hurts. <strong>No</strong> matter what side of the<br />
argument you’re standing upon.<br />
Our profession is a very difficult<br />
one. It is inherently dangerous. It<br />
has been a proven fact, just wearing<br />
a uniform, badge, and driving<br />
around in a marked patrol car,<br />
can get you killed. And that’s even<br />
when/if you’re not engaged in any<br />
action. The hours, rotating shifts,<br />
extra jobs and not to mention the<br />
direct frontal assault by National<br />
Media against our profession takes<br />
its toll. It’ll hurt your mind and your<br />
heart.<br />
I am so sorrowful for the loss<br />
of our brothers and sisters in law<br />
enforcement during this seemingly,<br />
never-ending pandemic. Surely,<br />
REX EVANS<br />
there will be more to come. I would<br />
simply say, brace yourselves for that<br />
impending fact. For if all the charts,<br />
graphs, and trends we’re seeing<br />
area indicative of anything, this is<br />
going to get worse before it gets<br />
better.<br />
Finally, I am not trying to persuade<br />
or keep anyone from the<br />
vaccine. Like I said, I respect you<br />
and your choice, no matter what.<br />
Especially if you have the intestinal<br />
fortitude to wear a badge like me.<br />
All I can say is, please, give it some<br />
thought. I know! I know! You already<br />
have and you’re sick of the whole<br />
damn thing. I can totally get and<br />
respect that, too!! (Mostly because I<br />
am, also).<br />
And yet, it’s not the virus that’s<br />
making me write this article, it is<br />
the lives of my friends which it<br />
has ripped away from me that is<br />
making me write this article. These<br />
were men and women whom, we<br />
all knew and loved. I figure if for no<br />
other reason on Earth, they deserve<br />
for us to at least think about this<br />
virus, its effects upon our families,<br />
departments, and communities.<br />
Ultimately, their memory deserves<br />
the pause for thought and reflection…not<br />
out of fear, but rather, out<br />
of love and sincere respect for all<br />
those whom we’ve lost.<br />
12 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 13
The nightmares have all<br />
but disappeared. That darn<br />
jumper and Mohammad Attah,<br />
two faces I can recall in a<br />
split second. I hug my family<br />
a little tighter. I tell them and<br />
my friends that I love them<br />
a bit more and then I fight. I<br />
fight the demons of anger and<br />
cynicism the most. Year after<br />
year they come for me somewhere<br />
around two weeks<br />
before the anniversary date.<br />
Even while using tools like<br />
Eye Movement Desensitization<br />
and Reprocessing (EMDR)<br />
Therapy and stress management<br />
techniques, they are still<br />
able to grab hold. They grab<br />
at my heart and taunt me<br />
with thoughts of defeat. They<br />
whisper, “You’ll never really<br />
be okay.” And “You will never<br />
win.” I pause. I take a deep<br />
breath, and say with a smile, “I<br />
already have.” I remind myself<br />
of my why. Seventeen years<br />
ago, in my basement in the<br />
dark, I did not pull that trigger<br />
pressed against my head<br />
when Post-Traumatic Stress<br />
consumed me. Seventeen<br />
years ago, I made a choice<br />
to stay and fight. To bear the<br />
scars in my brain from September<br />
11th so that others<br />
could learn and benefit from<br />
the pain. It was the most difficult<br />
decision of my life, and in<br />
the end, the most rewarding.<br />
What was born from the<br />
pain is a passion driven<br />
purpose to help others<br />
find a way out of their<br />
darkness and despair. To<br />
educate and help smash<br />
the stigma of Post-Traumatic<br />
Stress that surrounds<br />
first responders<br />
with clear message, “You<br />
are not alone” was the<br />
inspiration for my book,<br />
The Silent Fall: A Secret<br />
Service Agent’s Story of<br />
Tragedy and Triumph<br />
After 9/11.<br />
I am never alone on<br />
September 11th. I purposely<br />
surround myself<br />
with other 9/11 first responders,<br />
and others<br />
who serve, some retired<br />
and some still on the job.<br />
Those people who “get it.”<br />
They get where my head is,<br />
my short temper, my frustrations.<br />
<strong>No</strong> one tries to fix<br />
anyone. We simply listen<br />
and offer support. We are<br />
united in our grief and determined<br />
to never forget.<br />
On September 11, <strong>2021</strong>,<br />
twenty years will have<br />
passed. Although our world<br />
has changed tremendously,<br />
my world, for that one day<br />
is infinitely small. I think<br />
of the words, “United We<br />
Stand,” and find comfort<br />
knowing that at least here,<br />
in my hometown, we will<br />
never forget.<br />
Samantha Horwitz & John<br />
Salerno are regular contributors<br />
to The <strong>Blues</strong> Police Magazine.<br />
They are the founders of A Badge<br />
of Honor, a 501(c)(3) post-traumatic<br />
stress awareness and<br />
suicide prevention program for<br />
first responders. Sam’s book is<br />
available to purchase online from<br />
every major retailer. John and<br />
Sam host MAD (Making a Difference)<br />
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10310 Wortham Center Dr.<br />
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14 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 15<br />
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HERO DISPATCHER IN CHICAGO<br />
Family & Friends, I’m good. I’m<br />
well. Don’t worry about a thing.<br />
Even though this catastrophe<br />
took place under my watch,<br />
and as devastating as it was, I<br />
wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere<br />
else.<br />
I’ve been in this field since 2001.<br />
I’ve dealt with death, murder,<br />
and suicide on a constant basis<br />
amongst things that most people<br />
would never imagine.<br />
Sounds bad to say this, but I’m<br />
used to it, and within much of<br />
the norm that I’ve taken in over<br />
three years, well - it’s prepared<br />
me to know exactly how I must<br />
take care of myself.<br />
I do this by doing the things<br />
that I do on the regular - travel,<br />
ride my Harley, play with my dog,<br />
take a car ride, spend quality<br />
time with my family and friends<br />
while most importantly, remaining<br />
ready to get back in the<br />
game as the show must go on.<br />
So, I say this with respect: I<br />
had a bad day the other day. We<br />
all did, whether one was on the<br />
scene, on the other side of the<br />
radio as a dispatcher, a citizen<br />
just listening, or inside the ER<br />
working hard to save our heroes.<br />
But with time, it’ll get better if<br />
we keep our faith, hope, and<br />
love.<br />
I got back up to my police<br />
officers in a matter of seconds<br />
during the time that they needed<br />
it the most. I was fortunate<br />
enough to have my back up with<br />
me from the very beginning all<br />
the way until now - His name is<br />
God.<br />
My phone is blowing up, my<br />
social media is blowing up, it’s a<br />
lot to process with media reaching<br />
out, the victims’ family and<br />
friends reaching out, and executives<br />
from various departments<br />
reaching out. It is a lot.<br />
So please give me some time<br />
to respond back to you if I do,<br />
but if I don’t, I sincerely apologize.<br />
I just want to reassure you<br />
that I am good though. I am well<br />
and I truly see that I am loved.<br />
Thank you from the bottom of<br />
my heart.<br />
Let’s keep Police Officer Ella<br />
French in our prayers and let’s<br />
continue to pray for our other<br />
true hero who is at the University<br />
of Chicago Hospital fighting for<br />
his healthy life.<br />
If you want to show me some<br />
love or give me some kudos, do<br />
so by stopping an officer today<br />
and offering them a wave, high<br />
five, hug or even just a hello.<br />
Take a picture with them and<br />
share it below.<br />
Our culture must change. Our<br />
society must change. Our mindsets<br />
must change. We as people<br />
must change. Do this for me. Do<br />
this for her. Do this for our police<br />
officers who are hurting each<br />
day because many of them feel<br />
unsupported, unloved, and on<br />
edge. <strong>No</strong> one wants to live like<br />
this, and no one should have to<br />
work like this.<br />
Get out of your car, stop midway<br />
through your jog, or walk,<br />
and make a purposeful effort to<br />
show my brothers and sisters in<br />
Blue YOUR LOVE for them. This<br />
is what we are to do with our<br />
positive energies today and every<br />
day.<br />
I swear - no matter if you’re<br />
Black, White, Hispanic, Asian,<br />
Middle Eastern, Indian, LGBQTA+,<br />
Straight, Democratic, Republican,<br />
independent, Green, Pro Police,<br />
or <strong>No</strong>t for the Police - whatever<br />
the hell you are, I love you<br />
all and we need to start loving<br />
each other.<br />
There’s a quote that states,<br />
“We are, because of each other.”<br />
Share this, make it trend, and<br />
let’s put a smile on our officers<br />
faces throughout this country.<br />
KEITH A. THORNTON JR.<br />
ED - Keith Thornton is the Chicago<br />
dispatcher on duty when<br />
Ella French & her partner were<br />
shot in Chicago.<br />
SOUTH HOUSTON POLICE DEPT<br />
LOSES SGT. WANG TO COVID.<br />
It is with a heavy heart that<br />
we must make this post that<br />
this morning our police department<br />
lost one of our own.<br />
Sergeant Kuo-sheng “Johnny”<br />
Wang. Johnny unfortunately,<br />
lost his battle with covid early<br />
this morning. Sgt. Wang started<br />
his career with the South Houston<br />
Police Department in 2001<br />
and served our community for<br />
20 years. He was a wonderful<br />
husband, a loving father, and a<br />
mentor to many at our police<br />
department. Please keep his<br />
16 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 17
family and his blue family in your<br />
thoughts and prayers during this<br />
devastating time.<br />
SOUTH HOUSTON PD<br />
REMEMBERING FIRE CHIEF<br />
DALTON GREGORY SR.<br />
Many a heart, are both broken<br />
and in a very real, compassionate<br />
sense, relieved this morning.<br />
For a great man, a stellar,<br />
steadfast rock of Tarkington<br />
Prairie, has passed. A man who,<br />
for over 50 years answered<br />
one call for help after another.<br />
Nights, weekends and holidays,<br />
this gentleman never faltered or<br />
failed to get up, leave his own<br />
family behind to help his neighbors.<br />
Never did he ask for a dime.<br />
In fact, truth be told, he spent a<br />
small fortune of his own money<br />
over all those years, just to keep<br />
the lights on in the firehouse<br />
along with fuel and water in the<br />
old fire trucks that leaked from<br />
every place a fire truck could<br />
leak from.<br />
This man was from a time<br />
where firefighters were like,<br />
“What the hell is an air pack?”<br />
And “Who’s got time to put on<br />
all the crap? Grab a 2 1/2 with a<br />
straight tip and let’s go!” He was<br />
a true founding member of The<br />
Old Guard of Firefighting.<br />
Beyond all this, he was a<br />
strong family man. Tragically,<br />
much loss did he endure in his<br />
personal life. Over the years I<br />
had the privilege of knowing this<br />
man, many a cup of coffee and<br />
biscuits and gravy did we share,<br />
I learned something about him I<br />
don’t think many knew.<br />
You see, all that pain and<br />
loss had made him tough, for<br />
sure. But brother, I’ll tell you,<br />
his heart was a big as Texas<br />
itself. He cared deeply for his<br />
family, friends and community.<br />
He would fret and worry about<br />
what would happen for his<br />
beloved Tarkington Prairie and<br />
greater Cleveland area.<br />
His sons continued the proud<br />
tradition of being a Public Servant<br />
and Firefighter. Both, in Education<br />
and Education in the Fire<br />
Service. Both, stellar men who,<br />
deeply care for others without<br />
question.<br />
I watched him grow older and<br />
I found that, I tried to be like a<br />
sponge when around the man.<br />
To listen more than I spoke. To<br />
watch more than not. He had<br />
after all, taken me in like I was a<br />
son of his own. Because this man<br />
just seemed on the outside to be<br />
a “grumpy old man.” But, on the<br />
inside and if you listened to what<br />
he said and watched what he<br />
did, he was probably more full<br />
of love and compassion for his<br />
fellow man and community than<br />
most whom I’ve ever met and<br />
known.<br />
Fire Chief Dalton Gregory Sr.<br />
(Ret). One of the truest, honest<br />
to God, greatest Firefighting<br />
Heroes to ever walk this Earth.<br />
You’re hurting no more. For that,<br />
I am grateful. Though I know<br />
there’ll never be another fella<br />
like you, I’m sure grateful for the<br />
time we had together.<br />
You’ll always be remembered<br />
as a true, quiet, and sincere hero.<br />
<strong>No</strong>t solely because of all the<br />
flames you faced and fought. But<br />
because you showed me a man<br />
can be as hard as a rock and still<br />
care more than anyone else in<br />
the room.<br />
You were and shall always be,<br />
a true East Texas Gentleman and<br />
a Fireman’s, Fireman to me. Yes<br />
sir. That’s how I’ll always remember<br />
you and all the while,<br />
I’ll never have biscuits and gravy<br />
again without sincerely hearing<br />
you say “You want some more?<br />
Get up and get yourself then!!”<br />
God’s speed, Chief. May you finally,<br />
rest easy in the arms of the<br />
Angels in Heaven above.<br />
REX<br />
REMEMBERING DARREN GOFORTH<br />
Good morning, brother. Well,<br />
today is the anniversary of the<br />
day we lost you. Doesn’t seem<br />
like six years has gone by, but I<br />
guess time escapes us all.<br />
Honestly, this was very personal<br />
and surreal for me. Like it was<br />
for many of us, I’ve no doubt. I<br />
chose to stop by the place we<br />
used to laugh, cut up, even cried<br />
once. <strong>No</strong>t the place where your<br />
life was so ruthlessly, violently,<br />
and needlessly taken.<br />
I thought of this place and how<br />
we solved all the problems of<br />
the Harris County Sheriff’s Office<br />
and the world. Only no one else<br />
knew it (grinning here). How you<br />
used to ask me as I was walking<br />
in a prisoner, “How many are you<br />
bringing in here tonight, Rexy?”<br />
Those times, we had some serious<br />
conversations. Life. Family.<br />
Work. You would tell me how<br />
you were going to get your “blue<br />
shirt” and get out on the streets<br />
and be just like me. I never understood<br />
why. You were such a<br />
better man, deputy, and friend.<br />
Brother, with tears in my eyes<br />
right now, I can still see your<br />
crazy grin, hear your voice and<br />
dearly miss your laughter.<br />
Though time and assignments<br />
shifted us towards different<br />
paths, you never were that far<br />
18 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 19
from me. I often thought and<br />
still think to myself “How in the<br />
world did Darren ever want to be<br />
like me when all I ever wanted<br />
to be, was like him?”<br />
The whole world seemingly<br />
changed the night we lost you.<br />
<strong>No</strong>t just individually, for each<br />
one of us who loved you and<br />
cared for you. I mean literally,<br />
the whole world just changed.<br />
Harris County and the whole<br />
country in fact, reeled from the<br />
violent attack upon you. I honestly<br />
do not believe we ever<br />
really recovered. <strong>No</strong>r am I sure<br />
we ever will. For such a profound<br />
loss seems to remain for<br />
all eternity.<br />
Much like this morning though,<br />
I personally choose to think of<br />
your life, not your death. I choose<br />
to remember our friendship,<br />
laughter and time together. <strong>No</strong>t<br />
of the short, few moments you<br />
spent at that Chevron Station six<br />
years ago today.<br />
In the end, no matter what,<br />
I am and shall always be your<br />
friend, your brother in blue. I<br />
shall forevermore mourn for and<br />
miss you. But I’ll never forget nor<br />
forsake the beautiful, brilliant<br />
light of a life you lived either.<br />
Please take care of yourself<br />
up there in Heaven above. Try<br />
not to fret or worry too much<br />
about your family and friends<br />
down here. You and Sandeep<br />
and some of the other guys, y’all<br />
just watch over us and one day,<br />
I sincerely pray I can see you all<br />
once again. Who knows, maybe<br />
we’ll solve some more problems<br />
for the S.O. (Stupid grin and tears<br />
here).<br />
I’ll end with the same way<br />
we always parted, “Take care,<br />
brother. See you soon,” because<br />
“Goodbye” is like forever, and<br />
that just won’t work for me.<br />
FOREVER YOUR FRIEND.<br />
NOLA SUSPECTS<br />
BOTH were known criminal<br />
street gang members, and BOTH<br />
were out on bond. One for aggravated<br />
assault with a deadly<br />
weapon and the other for aggravated<br />
robbery.<br />
This vicious cycle of “bond<br />
reform” is costing the lives of<br />
good, innocent, and law-abiding<br />
men, women and children, every<br />
day in Harris County.<br />
And now, tragically it has cost<br />
the life of a dedicated Homicide<br />
Detective from New Orleans who<br />
wanted nothing more than to<br />
come to Houston and dine with<br />
his good friends at a famous<br />
Houston landmark restaurant.<br />
Bond reform has been a complete<br />
and utter disaster and<br />
failure. Costing the lives of good<br />
people while the not so good<br />
just laugh as they walk out of<br />
jail, on bond, to commit more<br />
crimes against the innocent.<br />
As for me and those who wear<br />
a badge like me, we’ll keep<br />
doing what we do to the best of<br />
our ability. I can assure you, this<br />
revolving door of bond reform in<br />
Harris County has nothing to do<br />
with us.<br />
I assure you, we’re risking our<br />
lives daily, doing our part….<br />
Heartbroken, frustrated rant<br />
over.<br />
TIME FOR CHANGE<br />
HONORING HUNTER LOPEZ<br />
Hunter’s father and mother<br />
serve their community in law<br />
enforcement (Riverside, California)<br />
and he was planning on<br />
joining the sheriff’s department<br />
like his parents when he returned<br />
from deployment.<br />
One of his last acts of service<br />
was bringing this little boy in<br />
Afghanistan to safety … carried<br />
him on his shoulders for five<br />
miles.<br />
Rest In Peace, Hunter Lopez.<br />
May we honor your service and<br />
bravery. May your memory be a<br />
light in all of us.<br />
SHERIFF ED GONZALEZ<br />
DEPUTY CLINT SEAGLE, CLAY<br />
COUNTY<br />
Clay County Sheriff’s Office<br />
Deputy Clint Seagle passed away<br />
Sunday after a long battle with<br />
COVID-19. Deputy Seagle has<br />
been a devoted member of the<br />
Clay County Sheriff’s Office since<br />
2006. He also proudly served his<br />
country for 21 years in the United<br />
States Navy. Deputy Seagle<br />
served the residents of Clay<br />
County in Patrol, Traffic, and<br />
most recently, the Civil Unit. Our<br />
thoughts and prayers are with his<br />
family, and we will remember<br />
his service to our county and our<br />
country always.<br />
CLAY COUNTY SO<br />
Got something to say?<br />
Send your comments to:<br />
bluespdmag@gmail.com<br />
Police star worn by fallen CPD Officer Ella French, soared above the Chicago skyline one last time.<br />
Her star was on-board with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels during their demonstration at Chicago’s air<br />
and water show. Today fallen Officer French flew with the Angels. #NeverForget #CPDMediaCar<br />
20 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 21
Congratulations to Alan Helfman<br />
Alan Helfman Has HCC Criminal Justice/Law<br />
Enforcement Program Named After Him.<br />
Congratulations are in order for<br />
Alan Helfman! The President of 5<br />
Helfman Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge,<br />
Ram, Fiat, Maserati, and Ford dealerships,<br />
and HCC Foundation Ambassador.<br />
Alan’s generous philanthropy,<br />
which earned him The<br />
BLUES Lifetime Achievement Award,<br />
now has the Criminal Justice & Law<br />
Enforcement Program named after<br />
him at Houston Community College.<br />
When it comes to community<br />
giving, Alan Helfman does it all- he<br />
donates resources, time, and helps<br />
raise funds for countless causes.<br />
A native Houstonian, he supports<br />
numerous philanthropic efforts<br />
throughout the city, but one of his<br />
obvious passions includes supporting<br />
law enforcement.<br />
The Board of Trustees of Houston<br />
Community College unanimously<br />
approved at the May 19th HCC<br />
Board meeting the naming of the<br />
Alan Helfman Criminal Justice / Law<br />
Enforcement Program. The board is<br />
extremely grateful for Alan’s many<br />
contributions to HCC and sincerely<br />
appreciate all that he does for the<br />
college and its students.<br />
On Tuesday, August 24th, HCC<br />
Board members along with HPD<br />
Chief Troy Finner, Former HPD Chief<br />
Clarence Bradford, Harris County<br />
Constable Jerry Garcia, as well as<br />
other dignitaries gathered at HCC<br />
to officially unveil the Alan Helfman<br />
Criminal Justice Law Enforcement<br />
Program.<br />
Alan thanked HCC for the privilege<br />
of having the program named<br />
after him and thanked his parents<br />
for teaching him to share his wealth<br />
with those less fortunate. Helfman<br />
also thanked his wife and children<br />
for allowing him time to attend all<br />
the functions and fundraisers as<br />
well as the opportunity to give back<br />
to the community.<br />
The Helfman family is focused on<br />
serving first-responders, particularly<br />
those who have been injured<br />
or the families who have lost loved<br />
ones in the line of duty. They personally<br />
have conducted more than<br />
100 fundraising events for several<br />
law enforcement agencies, particularly<br />
the Houston Police Officers’<br />
Union.<br />
In a video produced for the<br />
naming ceremony, (CLICK HERE TO<br />
WATCH) Alan discusses the importance<br />
of investing within his own<br />
community, and HCC often getting<br />
overlooked in comparison to the big<br />
Universities around Texas. He believes<br />
HCC is a cornerstone of building<br />
a good community and giving<br />
folks an opportunity for education<br />
and jobs over crime and drugs.<br />
Alan also speaks on how important<br />
benevolence is to him and his family,<br />
that he is proud to be able to donate<br />
vehicles every year to various philanthropic<br />
causes.<br />
Helfman is a household name<br />
within Houston law enforcement.<br />
He has been a constant and powerful<br />
supporter of HPD Officers and<br />
other law enforcement causes over<br />
the years. Always going over and<br />
above to lend a hand and generously<br />
donate his time and resources. He’s<br />
personally given over $1 million of<br />
his own money to the Houston Police<br />
Department (HPD). “My passion for<br />
the HPD is helping the widows pay<br />
the bills and stay in their homes,<br />
helping the guys who are hurt or<br />
sick—it’s really good money.”<br />
Houston is fortunate to have<br />
Helfman and we are appreciative<br />
of his kind philanthropic work!<br />
The BLUES is thankful to have Alan<br />
and his five dealerships endorse<br />
our magazine and we are equally<br />
thankful that Alan remains a champion<br />
for law enforcement in Houston.<br />
Congratulations for another job<br />
well done.<br />
22 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 23
Off-Duty New Orleans Detective Shot & Killed at<br />
Galleria Area Restaurant<br />
Detective Everette Briscoe had only been in Houston a few hours<br />
when he and another member of the Zulu Social Club were shot<br />
while dining on the patio of the Grotto Restaurant.<br />
HOUSTON, Texas –An off-duty<br />
New Orleans Detective, Everette<br />
Briscoe, was killed Saturday August<br />
21, at a Houston restaurant after<br />
arriving with friends.<br />
Briscoe was part of the Zulu<br />
Social Club, a New Orleans organization<br />
known for its elaborate Zulu<br />
parade each year during Mardi Gras.<br />
He and a group of Zulu members<br />
had traveled from New Orleans to<br />
Houston to meet with other Zulu<br />
members who now live in the area.<br />
Elroy James, president of the Zulu<br />
Social Club, told ABC13 the group<br />
had dropped off their bags at Hotel<br />
Derek before walking to Grotto<br />
Ristorante in the 4700 block of<br />
Westheimer.<br />
As the group mingled at Grotto,<br />
James said he walked to CVS at<br />
about 5 p.m. to pick up some items.<br />
“While I was looking for the pain<br />
medicine, my phone rang and it<br />
said, ‘Elroy, you got to come back.<br />
They shot DJ,’” James recalled. “I<br />
was kind of startled and said, ‘What<br />
do you mean? I just left.’ And they<br />
said, ‘They shot DJ. You got to come<br />
back. And they’ve shot [Briscoe] as<br />
well.’”<br />
When he got back to the restaurant,<br />
James said he saw Dyrin Riculfy,<br />
also known as DJ, in the chair he<br />
had been sitting in. He added that at<br />
the time he arrived, he saw a group<br />
of men comforting Briscoe, who<br />
was still conscious and alert.<br />
“He was certainly alert, and they<br />
were trying to keep him calm while<br />
I immediately dialed 911, trying to<br />
get some medical attention and<br />
police officers on the scene,” James<br />
said, adding that Briscoe got up at<br />
one point before his group insisted<br />
he stay put.<br />
HFD Paramedics arrived and<br />
performed lifesaving efforts but<br />
despite their efforts, Briscoe was<br />
pronounced dead at the scene.<br />
While it’s still unclear what led to<br />
the shooting, James said he heard<br />
from other members that the suspects<br />
approached them, demanded<br />
they put their hands up and started<br />
shooting, striking Briscoe and Riculfy.<br />
He adds that the suspects did not<br />
ask for or take any property from<br />
the men.<br />
“We had just been in Houston for<br />
two hours. So, it’s certainly strange<br />
to me that we had not even gotten<br />
out of our travel clothes, most of<br />
us, and this occurs,” James said.<br />
In a statement by HPD Chief<br />
Finner, witnesses stated that the<br />
suspects attempted to rob the customers<br />
on the patio when for whatever<br />
reason, then they just started<br />
shooting.<br />
Briscoe, a 13-year veteran, leaves<br />
behind his wife and their two sons<br />
who are 10 and 16 years old.<br />
Surveillance video from nearby<br />
businesses showed the two men who<br />
are believed to be the suspects. One<br />
was seen wearing a black hoodie and<br />
blue jeans. The other was wearing<br />
black pants with a white hoodie. They<br />
left the scene in a gray or silver Nissan<br />
Altima that had paper tags.<br />
In a press conference held on<br />
Sunday, HPD Chief Finner was visibly<br />
upset by the senseless shooting of<br />
yet another police officer. Finner and<br />
Chief Shaun Ferguson of NOLA PD<br />
are close friends and Finner assured<br />
Ferguson he wouldn’t rest until these<br />
thugs were behind bars.<br />
** UPDATE: Dyrin Riculfy died from<br />
his injuries on Tuesday, August 31.<br />
Two Suspects Arrested and Charged<br />
in the Shooting Death of NOLA Officer.<br />
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- HPD<br />
arrested two men suspected of<br />
shooting and killing an off-duty<br />
New Orleans Detective, Everette<br />
Briscoe, in the Galleria area.<br />
19-year-old Frederick Jackson<br />
and 21-year-old Anthony Jenkins<br />
were both charged with capital<br />
murder.<br />
Both were arrested in the days<br />
following Briscoe’s murder at the<br />
Grotto restaurant in Houston and<br />
after Houston businessman Tillman<br />
Fertitta offered a $100,000<br />
reward for information leading to<br />
their arrest. Briscoe’s friend, Dyrin<br />
Riculfy, was also shot during the<br />
encounter and is still in critical<br />
condition at a Houston hospital.<br />
While detectives withheld specific<br />
details on how they determined<br />
the two men as suspects,<br />
they stated research on the motive<br />
and the vehicle, as well as several<br />
Crime Stoppers tips, led investigators<br />
to them.<br />
Jenkins was arrested at an<br />
apartment complex in southwest<br />
Houston, where investigators<br />
seized a Nissan Altima that<br />
matched the description of the<br />
vehicle that had fled the shooting.<br />
Jackson was arrested on Thursday,<br />
taken into custody by a SWAT<br />
team.<br />
During a news conference on<br />
Friday, August 27 to announce the<br />
arrests, Harris County District Attorney<br />
Kim Ogg hinted at seeking<br />
the death penalty in the case due<br />
to the capital murder charge.<br />
Ogg revealed that both men<br />
were out on bond for previous<br />
crimes, also lamenting that fact<br />
during the event.<br />
“It should surprise no one, at this<br />
point in Harris County, Texas, that<br />
both individuals were already out<br />
on bond,” Ogg said.<br />
According to the district attorney,<br />
Jackson was out for an<br />
aggravated robbery from 2020<br />
in which he allegedly followed<br />
someone home from the Galleria<br />
area. His bond was forfeited<br />
earlier this year, and earlier this<br />
month, Jackson failed to appear<br />
for a court hearing, which, in its<br />
wake, led to the discovery that his<br />
ankle monitor was cut off.<br />
Detectives further stated the<br />
two men are also connected<br />
to other robberies in the area,<br />
specifically targeting people for<br />
high-end jewelry. All indications<br />
from Briscoe’s killing showed the<br />
shooting stemmed from a robbery<br />
gone bad, police said.<br />
Ogg speculated that the pair<br />
committed the robbery attempt<br />
in order to raise bail money for a<br />
friend.<br />
24 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 25
A Clay County deputy was shot during a traffic stop but was<br />
saved by his ballistic vest.<br />
Suspect who shot Texas deputy arrested<br />
after manhunt.<br />
By Domingo Ramirez Jr.<br />
Fort Worth Star-Telegram<br />
FORT WORTH, Texas — An Arlington<br />
man accused in the shooting of<br />
a deputy with the Clay County Sheriff’s<br />
Office was arrested Wednesday<br />
morning after a brief foot chase in<br />
Arlington, the Clay County sheriff<br />
said.<br />
In a Facebook Live video, Clay<br />
County Sheriff Jeff Lyde identified<br />
the suspect as Joshua Lee Green.<br />
At about 10 a.m. Wednesday,<br />
Green, 31, was located at an Arlington<br />
hotel in the 4000 block of Scots<br />
Legacy Drive, where SWAT team<br />
and local police, who are members<br />
of the U.S. Marshals <strong>No</strong>rth Texas<br />
Fugitive Task Force, arrived with<br />
a warrant, according to Arlington<br />
police.<br />
Green ran across Interstate 20 before<br />
he was taken into custody, Lyde<br />
said in the Facebook post Wednesday<br />
morning.<br />
The shooting occurred shortly<br />
after 7:30 p.m. Monday near Jolly,<br />
Texas, in Clay County. Jolly is about<br />
10 miles southeast of Wichita Falls.<br />
Deputy Breanton Chitwood had<br />
stopped a Cadillac for speeding, the<br />
sheriff said, and he approached the<br />
window. Lyde noted that the license<br />
plate did not match the car.<br />
As the deputy approached the<br />
window, Green shot him, but the<br />
deputy was saved by his bulletproof<br />
vest, the sheriff said.<br />
Chitwood managed to return fire,<br />
damaging the car, the sheriff said.<br />
The deputy was treated and released<br />
from a <strong>No</strong>rth Texas hospital.<br />
A Blue Alert was issued Monday<br />
night by the Texas Department of<br />
Public Safety for the then unknown<br />
gunman and the vehicle, a white<br />
Cadillac sedan.<br />
The alert was discontinued after<br />
the car was found in Wichita Falls<br />
and investigators didn’t have a detailed<br />
description or identity of the<br />
suspect.<br />
The investigation led to authorities<br />
identifying Green as the suspect<br />
Tuesday night. He faces a charge of<br />
aggravated assault on a peace officer.<br />
He was in custody Wednesday<br />
at the Arlington Jail with bond set<br />
at $750,000 and will be returned to<br />
Clay County.<br />
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26 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 27
Galveston County Constables assist Sheriff at the border.<br />
“Law enforcement down here is over-extended.”<br />
KINNEY COUNTY – Constables<br />
Jimmy Fullen and Justin West,<br />
elected Constables for Precincts<br />
2 and 4 in Galveston County, are<br />
in Kinney County, which is a little<br />
over a two-hour drive west from<br />
San Antonio, assisting the sheriff’s<br />
office that is overwhelmed<br />
by the border crisis.<br />
“The law enforcement down<br />
here is over-extended,” said<br />
West, a Precinct 4 Constable.<br />
“Where we’re at in Kinney County<br />
there has been over a 500%<br />
increase in calls for service since<br />
the beginning of the year.”<br />
Kinney County only has six<br />
deputies and the sheriff asked<br />
for help in dealing with a large<br />
influx of migrants crossing the<br />
border illegally, and then making<br />
their way through the county.<br />
Kinney County is in Border Patrol’s<br />
Del Rio sector, which has<br />
seen a 532% increase in apprehensions<br />
from last year, according<br />
to Customs and Border<br />
Protection data.<br />
“The landowners out there,<br />
the cattle owners, they’re having<br />
their fences torn down, their<br />
cattle are getting out. So, it’s a<br />
major problem,” said Fullen, a<br />
Precinct 2 Constable.<br />
In addition to Fullen and West,<br />
two more deputy constables<br />
and one Galveston County sheriff’s<br />
deputy are assisting Kinney<br />
County. According to Fullen, the<br />
plan is to work 12-hour shifts on<br />
two-week rotations.<br />
State troopers and Texas<br />
Rangers are also in the area<br />
as part of Gov. Greg Abbott’s<br />
initiative to arrest migrants who<br />
cross the border illegally and<br />
commit state crimes like trespassing.<br />
DPS officials said only single<br />
adults are being arrested, family<br />
units and unaccompanied minors<br />
are being handed over to<br />
Border Patrol.<br />
According to the Texas Department<br />
of Criminal Justice,<br />
352 migrants are being held in<br />
the Briscoe prison unit. This unit<br />
was cleared out to make room<br />
for border-related arrests.<br />
The constables say a rail depot<br />
in the county is a hotspot<br />
for migrants traveling north.<br />
“Any of the northbound trains<br />
coming from the Eagle Pass<br />
area, coming up, you’re guaranteed<br />
you’re going to get them<br />
each time,” said Fullen.<br />
When KPRC 2 spoke with the<br />
Constables they had just assisted<br />
DPS with an operation that led to<br />
the arrest of 41 individuals’ onboard<br />
cargo and lumber cars.<br />
“We’re seeing people from<br />
all over, and that includes other<br />
continents,” said West.<br />
In July, Galveston County Judge<br />
Mark Henry issued a disaster<br />
declaration in response to the<br />
border. Henry also authorized<br />
law enforcement to aid other<br />
counties dealing with border-related<br />
crimes. Henry said the<br />
effort is voluntary, reserve peace<br />
officers temporarily fill the vacancies<br />
of those who are on the<br />
border and this effort is being<br />
paid for with American Rescue<br />
Plan funds from the federal government.<br />
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The Walker County Sheriff’s Department is now accepting applications for the position of Patrol Deputy. We are a family based department that is dedicated to<br />
preserving the lives and property of the citizens of Walker County which is currently around 73,000 residents. As a Patrol Deputy within our department, you would<br />
be patrolling over 800 square miles of small towns, national forest and East Texas countryside. Our county seat is the town of Huntsville, Texas which has many of<br />
the comforts and amenities of larger city while still providing a small town atmosphere.<br />
Perks:<br />
• Starting Salary: $55,160.00<br />
• Retirement: Vested after 8 years in TCDRS. Every $1 invested in retirement is matched 210%.<br />
• Insurance provider: Blue Cross Blue Shield<br />
• Equipment: Uniforms & Patrol Equipment Provided. Currently issuing Glock 22’s and Colt SBR Rifles.<br />
• Vehicles: Take home Chevy Tahoe • Schedule: 12 hour shifts, every other weekend off.<br />
• Time Off: Paid Vacation / Holidays on a yearly basis. • Patrol Style: Proactive /Community Based Policing<br />
Requirements: Must be TCLOE Certified; Must have a valid Texas Drivers License;<br />
Must pass a written & physical test; Must complete a rigorous Field Training Program in a timely manner.<br />
APPLICATIONS CAN BE SUBMITTED ON THE WALKER COUNTY WEBSITE (WWW.CO.WALKER.TX.US) OR BY CONTACTING PATROL LT. JASON SULLIVAN (936) 435-2400.<br />
28 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 29
La Porte Police Department to upgrade body<br />
and dash cameras with improved technology<br />
THE END-TO-END<br />
DRONE SOLUTION<br />
FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.<br />
LA PORTE, TX (August 23,<br />
<strong>2021</strong>) – The La Porte City Council<br />
recently approved a contract for<br />
the La Porte Police Department<br />
to partner with law enforcement<br />
technology provider, Utility, Inc.,<br />
to equip 80 La Porte officers with<br />
its patented BodyWorn camera<br />
technology as well as 49 in-car<br />
video systems. The technology<br />
provides unique, automated<br />
capabilities and tools that will<br />
support an increase in transparency<br />
and accountability between<br />
the La Porte Police Department<br />
and the community.<br />
“This project is going to improve<br />
our ability to ensure body<br />
camera activation and provide a<br />
better means to keep the camera<br />
secured to our officers’ uniforms.<br />
This new tool will also enhance<br />
the safety of our officers in the<br />
field while providing transparency<br />
and accountability.” Assistant<br />
Chief Ditrich – Patrol Bureau<br />
The five-year contract with<br />
Pictured above: Officers Emily Harness and Yesenia Rodriguez<br />
display the uniform application of the BodyWorn Camera<br />
Utility, Inc. includes outfitting<br />
officers with BodyWorn cameras,<br />
which are embedded in<br />
the officers’ uniforms to prevent<br />
them from detaching. The camera<br />
technology utilizes artificial<br />
intelligence to create situational<br />
awareness and offers features<br />
like a two-minute buffer,<br />
which allows for capture of<br />
two minutes of video prior to<br />
the camera being activated,<br />
along with automatic, policy-based<br />
recording functionalities<br />
designed to remove the<br />
burden from the officers to turn<br />
on the cameras.<br />
Over the last few weeks LPPD<br />
has worked closely with Body-<br />
Worn to have uniforms altered,<br />
equipment installed, and training<br />
provided to all applicable staff.<br />
The new system is now fully in<br />
use by all uniformed LPPD officers.<br />
For more information regarding<br />
the BodyWorn technology,<br />
please contact the LPPD at 281-<br />
471-2141 and follow them on<br />
Facebook at @LaPortePoliceDepartment.<br />
Learn more at axon.com/AIR<br />
30 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 31
It’s September 1st, Everyone is Packing<br />
“New Texas law allowing people to carry handguns without permits stirs<br />
mix of fear and concern among law enforcement,” so says the media.<br />
As of September 1st, most<br />
Texans will be able to carry<br />
handguns in public without<br />
going through training or having<br />
to get permits. Several law<br />
enforcement departments, say<br />
this could make their jobs more<br />
dangerous.<br />
Conservative activists have<br />
long pushed for permitless carry<br />
law in Texas, but such measures<br />
got little traction in the previous<br />
three legislative sessions.<br />
In 2019, a permitless carry bill<br />
didn’t even get a committee<br />
hearing in the Texas House.<br />
Gov. Greg Abbott lauded the<br />
so-called “constitutional carry”<br />
legislation and other firearms<br />
bills when he signed them into<br />
law.<br />
“You could say that I signed<br />
into law today some laws that<br />
protect gun rights,” Abbott said<br />
at the bill signing in June. “But<br />
today, I signed documents that<br />
instilled freedom in the Lone Star<br />
State.”<br />
But some Texas law enforcement<br />
officers have stated that<br />
removing restrictions to carrying<br />
handguns could increase crime<br />
rates while putting officers and<br />
residents in danger.<br />
“When it comes down to it,<br />
it’s just a sense of disappointment<br />
that the bill ultimately was<br />
passed,” said Kevin Lawrence,<br />
executive director of the Texas<br />
Municipal Police Association.<br />
When lawmakers gaveled<br />
in for the <strong>2021</strong> regular legislative<br />
session in January — the<br />
first since back-to-back mass<br />
shootings in El Paso and Midland-Odessa<br />
— some legislators<br />
expected to pass substantive<br />
firearm restrictions.<br />
After all, Abbott had proposed<br />
several policies to keep guns<br />
out of the hands of people who<br />
should not possess them. Lt. Gov.<br />
Dan Patrick famously said he<br />
was “willing to take an arrow”<br />
from the National Rifle Association<br />
in order to pursue stronger<br />
background check laws.<br />
Instead, the Texas Legislature<br />
moved in the other direction.<br />
Advocates of permitless carry<br />
said a shakeup in House leadership<br />
and the growing number of<br />
states with similar laws meant<br />
this year was their best chance<br />
to get a bill through. The Senate<br />
and House passed different<br />
versions of House Bill 1927, but<br />
agreed to a negotiated piece of<br />
legislation in May. The House approved<br />
the final version 82-62.<br />
It was part of a slew of progun<br />
legislation that lawmakers<br />
passed this year. Other measures<br />
passed include a bill that would<br />
bar government contracts with<br />
those who discriminate against<br />
the firearm industry as a whole,<br />
one that would remove firearm<br />
suppressors from the state’s list<br />
of prohibited weapons, and a<br />
House bill that prohibits state<br />
and local governments from enforcing<br />
new federal gun regulations.<br />
“Texas is finally a pro-gun state<br />
despite years of foot-dragging,<br />
roadblocks, and excuses from<br />
the spineless political class,”<br />
Texas Gun Rights executive<br />
director Chris McNutt said in a<br />
statement after Abbott signed<br />
the bill. “I’m proud of the work<br />
grassroots gun owners have put<br />
in to get Texas Constitutional<br />
Carry finally signed into law.”<br />
Before September 1st, Texans<br />
were required to be licensed to<br />
carry handguns, regardless of<br />
whether they are open or concealed.<br />
To obtain a license, applicants<br />
were required to submit<br />
fingerprints, complete four to<br />
six hours of training, and pass a<br />
written exam and shooting proficiency<br />
test. This doesn’t apply<br />
to rifles, which do not require<br />
licenses to be carried in public.<br />
The new law allows anyone 21<br />
years or older to carry a handgun<br />
in public without need for a<br />
permit or training as long as they<br />
aren’t otherwise prohibited from<br />
owning a firearm by law, such as<br />
people with felony or domestic<br />
violence convictions.<br />
Most Texas voters opposed the<br />
idea of allowing people to carry<br />
handguns in public places without<br />
permits or licenses, according<br />
to a University of Texas/Texas<br />
Tribune Poll conducted in April.<br />
Although 56% of Republicans<br />
supported unlicensed carry, 59%<br />
of all voters opposed it.<br />
Texas law enforcement officers<br />
voiced staunch opposition to the<br />
new law as it moved through the<br />
Legislature.<br />
“I don’t know what it’s a solution<br />
to,” said James McLaughlin,<br />
executive director of the Texas<br />
Police Chiefs Association. “I don’t<br />
know what the problem was to<br />
start with.”<br />
Lawrence, also the chair of<br />
trustees for the Texas Fraternal<br />
Order of Police, said part of<br />
the reason the bill got support<br />
was because of some increased<br />
crime rates last year, leading<br />
Texans to fear that law enforcement<br />
might not be able<br />
to protect them. He also noted<br />
it could have partially been<br />
pushback to calls last year to<br />
“defund the police,” a movement<br />
that aims to lower law<br />
enforcement budgets and reallocate<br />
funds to social service<br />
programs.<br />
“The entire process was done<br />
to appease a certain block of<br />
voters, to appease a very, very<br />
vocal, active group that were<br />
just demanding that they be<br />
allowed to carry guns,” he said.<br />
Lawmakers added several<br />
amendments to the bill to<br />
assuage law enforcement’s<br />
concerns, including a requirement<br />
that the Department of<br />
Public Safety offer a free online<br />
firearm safety training course.<br />
Ray Hunt, executive director<br />
of the Houston Police Officers’<br />
Union, said the bill could<br />
potentially have grave consequences<br />
for law enforcement<br />
officers, noting that it could be<br />
harder for them to decipher<br />
whether someone carrying a<br />
weapon is legally able to do so.<br />
His opposition toward the<br />
bill lessened after lawmakers<br />
changed it to ease law enforcement’s<br />
worries about certain provisions,<br />
including one that would<br />
have banned officers from questioning<br />
a person based solely on<br />
their possession of a handgun.<br />
Hunt and other law enforcement<br />
officials hope their fears<br />
over the permitless carry law<br />
won’t come to pass.<br />
Law enforcement heavily condemned<br />
2016’s “open carry” law<br />
that permits Texans to openly<br />
carry handguns in public as long<br />
as they have a permit. Many said<br />
they didn’t end up seeing noticeable<br />
effects after it passed.<br />
“We were completely opposed<br />
to ‘license to carry’ when it happened,<br />
and we said all of the<br />
same arguments that we’re saying<br />
now,” Hunt said. “And nothing<br />
happened, so we’re hoping<br />
that we’re overreacting. We’re<br />
just concerned because anytime<br />
there’s more guns, there’s a problem.”<br />
32 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 33
NASCAR fans pay tribute to slain Daytona<br />
Beach officer before the Coke Zero race.<br />
Officer Jason Raynor died on August 17, nearly two months<br />
after he was shot while on patrol.<br />
By Mary Helen Moore<br />
Daytona Beach News-Journal<br />
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Race<br />
fans paid tribute to fallen Daytona<br />
Beach Police Officer Jason<br />
Raynor, his patrol car getting<br />
covered in messages and tributes<br />
as it was parked in One Daytona’s<br />
Victory Circle in the leadup<br />
to the Coke Zero Sugar 400 race.<br />
Raynor died in the hospital Aug.<br />
17, 55 days after he was shot in<br />
the head while on patrol. The<br />
26-year-old was laid to rest last<br />
week.<br />
Joe Swetz, a former lieutenant<br />
in the Port Orange Police Department,<br />
where Raynor began<br />
his career, stopped by with his<br />
teenage daughter about 1 p.m.<br />
“It’s very somber, surreal,”<br />
Swetz said. “It kind of hits home<br />
that he’s really gone.”<br />
Daytona Beach Police officer<br />
Jason Raynor’s patrol car was<br />
brought to Victory Circle at One<br />
Daytona on Friday, August 27,<br />
<strong>2021</strong>.<br />
Before working in Daytona<br />
Beach, Raynor was a police<br />
officer in Port Orange, where<br />
he was honored for his heroism<br />
after helping talk a suicidal<br />
woman out of jumping off the<br />
Dunlawton Avenue bridge.<br />
“He was very tenacious. He had<br />
a passion for his job that I hadn’t<br />
seen in a long time,” Swetz said.<br />
Swetz said it’s been a difficult<br />
few weeks, especially for<br />
his friends who remain in law<br />
enforcement, but the way people<br />
came together to show their<br />
sympathy for the Raynor family<br />
and Daytona Beach Police Department<br />
has helped ease the<br />
pain.<br />
“Seeing this outpouring support<br />
from the community in this<br />
time when it seems like everybody’s<br />
against law enforcement,<br />
it’s refreshing,” he said. “It’s a<br />
testament to the impact Jason<br />
had.”<br />
Oliver Dobai, of Oviedo, and<br />
Jayson Aten, of Davenport, were<br />
in the same car club as Raynor,<br />
the Central Florida Mopar Mafia.<br />
They came to town for the<br />
Daytona Car Corral and race, but<br />
stopped by the patrol car to pay<br />
their respects.<br />
“It hits home. It’s sad to think<br />
that our world is the way it is.<br />
I just wish it was a lot better,”<br />
Dobai said.<br />
Both men are Army veterans,<br />
This photo, from 2019, shows<br />
Jason Raynor being sworn in as a<br />
Daytona Beach police officer.<br />
and feel a kinship with Raynor beyond<br />
their shared love for cars.<br />
“We’re all brothers,” Aten said of<br />
the connection between military and<br />
law enforcement. “I’m doing everything<br />
I can not to cry right now.”<br />
Black permanent markers were<br />
tucked into the roses and lilies and<br />
gladioluses wilting in the summer<br />
heat, and both men left personal<br />
notes on the patrol car.<br />
Daytona Beach Police officer Jason Raynor’s patrol car was brought to Victory Circle at One Daytona on Friday,<br />
Aug. 27, <strong>2021</strong>. (Tribune News Service)<br />
“R.I.P. ‘Til Valhalla,” Dobai<br />
wrote, referencing the great hall<br />
in <strong>No</strong>rse mythology where heroes<br />
slain in battle are received.<br />
“Got your six,” wrote Aten, a<br />
former New York City firefighter.<br />
The phrase used by military<br />
and first responders to mean “got<br />
your back,” referencing the position<br />
of 6 o’clock on a clock face.<br />
PATROL CAR TO BE RETIRED<br />
Raynor’s patrol car, #5502, will<br />
be retired by the department<br />
to honor the young man, Police<br />
Chief Jakari Young said.<br />
It includes the signatures of his<br />
mom and sister.<br />
“I’ll always have your six. Your<br />
Big Sister,” was written above<br />
the grille.<br />
“Love You Always, Mom.” was<br />
on the driver’s door.<br />
Raelene Blake and her 8-yearold<br />
daughter Amelia were at One<br />
Daytona to shop and paused to<br />
pay tribute about 2 p.m. They<br />
circled the vehicle slowly, reading<br />
the messages.<br />
“It’s overwhelming,” Blake said.<br />
“We’ve followed the story since<br />
it first started, prayed hard he’d<br />
make it through.”<br />
They have a “Raynor Strong”<br />
sign in their yard in Ormond<br />
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to The BLUES, scan the<br />
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Beach, but Blake said Amelia<br />
doesn’t yet know what happened<br />
to the officer.<br />
“We don’t let her watch news,”<br />
Blake said.<br />
She said she planned to talk to<br />
her on the drive home: “Things<br />
happen. Unfortunately, there are<br />
bad people, and they sometimes<br />
do bad things, but cops are here<br />
to protect us.”<br />
Mother and daughter wrote<br />
notes on the right rear wheel<br />
arch. The child’s message was<br />
simple, punctuated by a smiley<br />
face with hearts for eyes.<br />
“Thank you. Amelia.”<br />
34 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 35
Chicago announces COVID vaccine<br />
mandate for city workers<br />
Chicago Fraternal Order of Police has said it will oppose vaccine mandates.<br />
By Gregory Pratt<br />
Chicago Tribune<br />
CHICAGO — All city of Chicago<br />
workers must be fully vaccinated<br />
by October 15th, though employees<br />
can apply for medical or<br />
religious exemption, Mayor Lori<br />
Lightfoot announced Wednesday.<br />
The move follows numerous<br />
private businesses and cities<br />
across the country which are<br />
implementing similar mandates,<br />
as has Cook County and Chicago<br />
Public Schools.<br />
“As cases of COVID-19 continue<br />
to rise, we must take every step<br />
necessary and at our disposal to<br />
keep everyone in our city safe<br />
and healthy,” Lightfoot said in a<br />
statement. “Getting vaccinated<br />
has been proven to be the best<br />
way to achieve that and make<br />
it possible to recover from this<br />
devastating pandemic. And so,<br />
we have decided to join other<br />
municipalities and government<br />
agencies across the nation, including<br />
the U.S. military, who are<br />
making this decision to protect<br />
the people who are keeping our<br />
cities and country moving.”<br />
Workers who wish to be exempt<br />
for medical or religious<br />
reasons must get approval from<br />
the Department of Human Resources<br />
which will consider<br />
the requests on a case-by-case<br />
basis, the city said.<br />
More than 30,000 people are<br />
employed by the city. But not all<br />
are happy about the mandate.<br />
The Chicago Fraternal Order of<br />
Police has said it will oppose<br />
vaccine mandates.<br />
Chicago Federation of Labor<br />
head Bob Reiter released a statement<br />
saying the union believes<br />
the mandate might be counterproductive<br />
and “harden opposition<br />
to the vaccine instead of<br />
protecting the workers who have<br />
sacrificed so much over the past<br />
18 months.”<br />
“We are still in very preliminary<br />
discussions with the city<br />
about a proposed vaccination<br />
policy and we hope this process<br />
can be resolved through policymaking,<br />
not public communications,”<br />
Reiter said. “However, any<br />
discussion around a vaccine policy<br />
should include not only medical<br />
and religious exemptions, but<br />
also testing alternatives as we<br />
continue to build trust around<br />
the benefits of voluntary vaccination.”<br />
Earlier this month, Gov. J.B.<br />
Pritzker required state employees<br />
who work in congregate settings,<br />
such as prisons and veterans’<br />
homes, to be vaccinated by<br />
October 4th. The state’s largest<br />
employee’s union, the American<br />
Federation of State, County and<br />
Municipal Employees, has encouraged<br />
vaccination but opposes<br />
a vaccine mandate.<br />
Meanwhile in Texas<br />
Gov. Greg Abbott bars mandates for<br />
vaccinations and masks in Texas.<br />
By Dave Montgomery<br />
Many states, cities, businesses<br />
and schools have been scrambling<br />
to institute new mandates since<br />
Tuesday, when the federal health<br />
authorities recommended that even<br />
fully vaccinated people should<br />
wear masks again in public indoor<br />
spaces in Delta-variant hot spots<br />
and urged universal masking in<br />
schools. <strong>No</strong>t Texas.<br />
In an executive order issued on<br />
Thursday August 12, <strong>2021</strong>, Gov. Greg<br />
Abbott prohibited local governments<br />
and state agencies from<br />
mandating vaccines, saying that<br />
protection against the virus should<br />
be a matter of personal responsibility,<br />
not forced by a government<br />
edict.<br />
The order also reinforced his<br />
prior directive prohibiting local<br />
officials from requiring face masks,<br />
despite growing calls from city<br />
leaders for greater flexibility to reverse<br />
the renewed spread of Covid.<br />
The daily average of cases in<br />
Texas as of 8/13/<strong>2021</strong> was 8,820,<br />
according to a New York Times<br />
database, a 209 percent increase<br />
over the past 14 days. Cities across<br />
the state are facing a surge in<br />
hospitalizations reminiscent of<br />
the alarming spikes that occurred<br />
before Covid cases began nosing<br />
downward with the arrival of<br />
vaccines.<br />
With 56 percent of the state’s<br />
population unvaccinated — including<br />
nearly five million children<br />
under 12 who are not eligible —<br />
health officials have expressed<br />
concern about the state’s vulnerability.<br />
Abbott is hardly the only elected<br />
official who has responded to the<br />
CDC’s new guidance with defiance.<br />
On Friday, Gov. Ron DeSantis,<br />
Republican of Florida, signed an<br />
executive order rejecting mask<br />
mandates in schools.<br />
But Abbott’s executive order<br />
reached further. “<strong>No</strong> governmental<br />
entity can compel any individual to<br />
receive a Covid-19 vaccine administered<br />
under an emergency use<br />
authorization,” the order said. It<br />
also prohibits any public agencies or<br />
private entities receiving public funds,<br />
including grants and loans, from requiring<br />
consumers to show documentation<br />
of vaccinations before entering<br />
or receiving a service from the entity.<br />
The order encourages public safety<br />
measures such as wearing face masks<br />
and practicing social distancing, particularly<br />
in areas with high transmission<br />
rates, but adds: “<strong>No</strong> person may<br />
be required by any jurisdiction to wear<br />
or to mandate the wearing of a face<br />
covering.”<br />
Abbott, who is facing re-election<br />
next year, is not against vaccines. He<br />
was photographed getting a Covid<br />
shot at an Austin hospital on December<br />
22nd, saying he wanted to show<br />
fellow Texans how “safe and easy” it<br />
was, according to The Texas Tribune.<br />
But in a statement elaborating on<br />
his order, Mr. Abbott said that vaccines<br />
“are the most effective defense<br />
against the virus” and “remain in<br />
abundant supply.”<br />
But he stressed that vaccinations<br />
would “always remain voluntary —<br />
never forced — in the State of Texas.”<br />
36 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE <strong>37</strong>
Ella French funeral: Chicago pays respect to officer<br />
killed in line of duty.<br />
CHICAGO - As tradition dictates,<br />
bagpipes were playing as<br />
a casket containing the body of<br />
29-year-old Chicago Police Officer<br />
Ella French was carried by<br />
her fellow officers Thursday.<br />
Hundreds of squad cars from<br />
Chicago, the suburbs, and all<br />
over the country lined up on<br />
Western Avenue to take part in<br />
the procession.<br />
A sea of officers in their dress<br />
blue uniforms formed outside St.<br />
Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel as<br />
mourners — including Mayor Lori<br />
Lightfoot, former Mayor Richard<br />
M. Daley, and top department<br />
officials and friends and family<br />
— filed slowly inside to remember<br />
French.<br />
Cardinal Blase Cupich led<br />
the traditional Catholic funeral<br />
mass, and spoke in his homily<br />
about the difficulty of policing —<br />
urging officers not to get discouraged<br />
by anti-police sentiment<br />
in the country.<br />
Officer French’s mother and Officer<br />
Joshua Blas, French’s third<br />
partner that night who tried to<br />
save her life, spoke as well.<br />
“Ella was so proud to be a<br />
member of your family,” said<br />
Elizabeth French. “Every day you<br />
leave home to serve and protect.”<br />
Mother of Officer Ella French<br />
reflects on her daughter in a<br />
stirring eulogy.<br />
“She was loud and fun and<br />
outgoing,” said Blas. “She always<br />
loved getting<br />
to know the<br />
people and talking<br />
to them. She was<br />
bubbly and always<br />
smiling…Ella,<br />
you’re a great police<br />
officer, friend<br />
and partner. Thank<br />
you for all the great<br />
memories. I miss<br />
you.”<br />
French was<br />
gunned down<br />
during an August<br />
7th traffic stop in<br />
West Englewood.<br />
She served for<br />
three years on the<br />
police force.<br />
As tradition dictates, bagpipes<br />
were playing as a casket containing<br />
the body of 29-yearold<br />
Chicago Police Officer Ella<br />
French was carried by her fellow<br />
officers Thursday.<br />
French’s brother, Adam, said<br />
she “wanted to do good for the<br />
world.”<br />
“… My sister is a badass—. She<br />
always wanted to make a difference<br />
however it was possible. I<br />
was never surprised when she<br />
said she was going to be a sheriff<br />
and then a cop. It just made<br />
sense,” Andrew wrote in a message<br />
to the Sun-Times.<br />
French’s partner, Carlos Yanez<br />
Jr., was also shot and critically<br />
wounded during the traffic stop<br />
gone wrong. He released a video<br />
from his hospital room Wednesday.<br />
The shooting sent shockwaves<br />
across Chicago.<br />
Police Superintendent David<br />
Brown delivered impassioned<br />
words of support for the police<br />
force.<br />
“They go down dark alleys<br />
none of you would go down, to<br />
protect you,” Brown said. “They<br />
run toward bullets.”<br />
Yanez’s father, a former Chicago<br />
cop, also spoke during the<br />
funeral and said his son only<br />
learned of French’s death two<br />
days ago.<br />
“He sank into such sorrow,”<br />
said Carlos Yanez Sr. “And if you<br />
know my son, he’s the happiest<br />
Draped with a city of Chicago flag, the body of Chicago Police Officer Ella French is carried<br />
into the St Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel for the funeral service on August 19, <strong>2021</strong><br />
guy in the world all the time. But<br />
I’ve never seen him so sad and in<br />
pain.”<br />
Two brothers have been<br />
charged in the shooting. A third<br />
man accused of acting as a<br />
straw purchaser to buy the gun<br />
that was used to kill French faces<br />
federal gun charges.<br />
Prosecutors say the brothers’<br />
car was pulled over for expired<br />
plates. They say three officers<br />
approached the car and the situation<br />
exploded after the younger<br />
brother — accused shooter Monte<br />
Morgan — refused to cooperate<br />
and became unruly.<br />
“Monte Morgan exited that<br />
vehicle with a drink in one hand<br />
and a cell phone in the other. He<br />
refused repeated instructions to<br />
set those items down,” said Risa<br />
Lanier, Interim First Assistant<br />
State’s Attorney. “He began physically<br />
jerking his arms away from<br />
those officers.”<br />
Moments later, Lanier says<br />
Morgan pulled a .22 caliber<br />
handgun from his waistband and<br />
fired several shots, hitting and<br />
killing French with a single shot<br />
to the head, and hitting Yanez in<br />
the shoulder and the right eye.<br />
Outside court, prosecutors said<br />
the initial responding officers<br />
“had their own guns holstered<br />
the entire time” of the incident.<br />
Monte Morgan was later shot and<br />
wounded by a second group of officers<br />
who were called for backup.<br />
French had recently purchased a<br />
new home in the Parkview neighborhood<br />
on the Southwest Side in<br />
June, records show.<br />
Her neighbor, who identified<br />
himself only as Johnny R., was<br />
shocked to learn the fallen officer<br />
from recent news reports was the<br />
same “decent person” who lived<br />
next door to him.<br />
“That breaks my heart right<br />
there,” Johnny, 62, told the Chicago<br />
Sun-Times. “She literally just<br />
moved in.<br />
38 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 39
Slain Chicago officer’s partner moves to rehab after being paralyzed, losing an eye.<br />
Officer Carlos Yanez, who was hurt in the shooting that killed<br />
Officer Ella French, still has “a long road of recovery ahead.”<br />
By Associated Press<br />
CHICAGO — A Chicago police<br />
officer left partially paralyzed by<br />
a shooting that killed his partner<br />
has been moved to a rehabilitation<br />
center but still faces<br />
“a long road ahead,” the city’s<br />
police superintendent says.<br />
Officer Carlos Yanez, Jr.’s<br />
move out of a hospital marks<br />
“a major step in his recovery<br />
process,” Superintendent David<br />
Brown said Monday.<br />
Yanez, 39, lost an eye and was<br />
partially paralyzed when he<br />
was shot three times on August<br />
7th in a shooting during a<br />
routine traffic stop that killed<br />
his 29-year-old partner, Officer<br />
Ella French. They had pulled<br />
over a vehicle for expired plates<br />
when a passenger in the vehicle<br />
opened fire.<br />
Yanez’s sister and sister-inlaw<br />
have set up a GoFundMe<br />
page seeking contributions for<br />
the extensive therapy he will<br />
need as he tries to overcome the<br />
paralysis.<br />
“He still has a long road ahead,<br />
but we are grateful for the progress<br />
he is making,” Brown said.<br />
The shooting suspect, 21-yearold<br />
Monty Morgan, was shot in<br />
the abdomen by a third officer.<br />
He has been arrested and is<br />
charged with first-degree murder<br />
of a peace officer and attempted<br />
murder.<br />
His brother, 22-year-old Eric<br />
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Morgan, who prosecutors say<br />
was driving the vehicle, was<br />
also arrested. He faces gun<br />
charges and an obstruction of<br />
justice charge. Both were being<br />
held in Cook County Jail without<br />
bail.<br />
A third man accused of acting<br />
as a straw purchaser to buy the<br />
gun used in the shooting faces<br />
federal gun charges.<br />
Las Vegas Officer Shot in Head During Protest<br />
Last Summer Attends Charity Hockey Game<br />
Las Vegas Metro Police Officer<br />
Shay Mikalonis, who was gravely<br />
wounded when he was shot in<br />
the head during anti-police protest<br />
last summer, made a public<br />
appearance at a charity hockey<br />
game Friday night at City National<br />
Arena.<br />
The “Play for Shay” game was<br />
part of the Injured Police Officers<br />
Fund’s “Pray for Shay” fundraiser.<br />
Mikalonis, a longtime hockey<br />
fan, was honored at the game<br />
by the Las Vegas Metro Honor<br />
Guard, the Review Journal reports.<br />
“While the road to recovery<br />
can be long, we are by your side<br />
Shay,” the Metropolitan Police<br />
Department wrote in a Facebook<br />
post Monday, adding that all<br />
money raised during the event<br />
went directly to Mikalonis. “He’s<br />
making incredible progress since<br />
he was shot in June 2020.”<br />
Mikalonis was shot following a<br />
demonstration in downtown Las<br />
Vegas on June 1, 2020. He was<br />
paralyzed from the neck down<br />
and spent months at a rehabilitation<br />
center before coming<br />
home. He has required 24-hour<br />
care and breathes with the assistance<br />
of a ventilator.<br />
A suspect is in custody facing<br />
an attempted murder charge.<br />
40 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 41
Detective sues Sig Sauer after she<br />
says her holstered P320 handgun<br />
nearly killed her.<br />
Det. Brittney Hilton had no<br />
idea she had just been shot. All<br />
she said she felt at first was an<br />
incredible amount of pain, and<br />
a “very sick feeling.”<br />
“I was cold at some points,<br />
shaking. The fear kind of takes<br />
over, the adrenaline takes over,”<br />
Hilton told ABC News. “I just<br />
said, ‘Am I going to die?’”<br />
“I said, ‘Please just tell my<br />
kids that I love them and don’t<br />
let them find out on social<br />
media that I’ve been shot,’” she<br />
continued. “I didn’t know if I was<br />
going to make it to the hospital.”<br />
Hilton, a mom of three who has<br />
been with the Bridge City, Texas,<br />
Police Department for 11 years,<br />
said the bullet came within one<br />
millimeter -- the edge of a penny<br />
-- from killing her.<br />
But what Hilton said she also<br />
didn’t realize at first was that the<br />
bullet had come from her own<br />
service gun, a semi-automatic<br />
pistol called the P320. It was<br />
still holstered inside her purse,<br />
according to the police report.<br />
Hilton is now suing gunmaker<br />
Sig Sauer over the December<br />
2020 incident.<br />
“Never, in my wildest dreams,<br />
would I have believed that my<br />
gun would just have shot me,”<br />
she said. “Gun owners don’t want<br />
to think that their gun can just<br />
go off without the trigger being<br />
pulled.”<br />
Sig Sauer’s P320 is widely used<br />
by police departments across the<br />
country, and is a big seller in the<br />
civilian market, with about half<br />
a million sold nationwide.<br />
But now, P320 is the subject<br />
of multiple lawsuits in connection<br />
with incidents like Hilton’s,<br />
where owners claim the weapon<br />
fired without the trigger being<br />
pulled.<br />
Hilton said she was inside the<br />
Bridge City Police station when<br />
her gun went off. She still has<br />
the purse with the bullet hole in<br />
the bottom.<br />
“I picked up my bag, my keys<br />
were on top,” she said. “As I<br />
walked around my desk, my<br />
purse swings out and it shoots<br />
out the bottom of my bag.”<br />
It happened so fast, Hilton said,<br />
that she didn’t process what was<br />
going on at first, but she smelled<br />
the gunpowder.<br />
“And then I took one step, and I<br />
felt this pain. It felt like a hot rod<br />
of metal had just been placed<br />
not only in my private, but<br />
through my leg,” she said. “And<br />
it [the bullet] exits out [of] my<br />
lower buttocks.”<br />
Hilton said she still has pain<br />
from her injury.<br />
“There’s never a point that I’m<br />
really not in pain unless I’m laying<br />
down,” she said.<br />
Attorney Jeffrey Bagnell represents<br />
Hilton and several other<br />
police officers who have filed<br />
individual lawsuits against Sig<br />
Sauer over the P320.<br />
“I think it’s a very, very serious<br />
safety problem for law enforcement<br />
and for the public at large,”<br />
Bagnell said. “I’m not aware of<br />
any other semi-automatic pistol<br />
today that has this problem.”<br />
Hilton’s $15 million lawsuit<br />
said, “There have been 54 reported<br />
uncommanded discharges<br />
of the P320,” meaning the gun<br />
Det. Brittany Hilton shows the bullet hole in the bottom right corner of<br />
her purse that she says was caused by her holstered P320<br />
Det. Brittany Hilton says her P320 handgun was in its holster<br />
when it went off inside of her purse<br />
went off by itself, over the last<br />
five years in 22 states and Washington,<br />
D.C.<br />
Sig Sauer did not respond to<br />
ABC News’ request for comment.<br />
The gunmaker has previously<br />
denied liability for these<br />
incidents and, in some cases,<br />
blamed the plaintiffs for negligence.<br />
The gunmaker said in an<br />
August 2017 press release that<br />
“the P320 meets and exceeds all<br />
U.S. standards for safety.”<br />
After Hilton’s incident, the<br />
Bridge City Police Department<br />
had Sig Sauer examine the gun.<br />
In Sig Sauer’s response to the<br />
Bridge City Police Department<br />
after Hilton’s incident, the company<br />
contends that “a foreign<br />
object entered the trigger guard<br />
(causing) the pistol to discharge.”<br />
Hilton disputes that, saying the<br />
gun was holstered in her purse<br />
and that it would be near impossible<br />
for something to wedge<br />
inside the holster and be enough<br />
to pull the trigger.<br />
“I’m very pro-gun,” Hilton said.<br />
42 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 43
“But this gun is so dangerous,<br />
and it just scares me that there<br />
are so many out there that don’t<br />
know the potential it has to go<br />
off.”<br />
There are currently 10 pending<br />
lawsuits against Sig Sauer<br />
for this particular firearm, all<br />
alleging the gun went off on its<br />
own. A number of those suing<br />
the gunmaker said they are in<br />
law enforcement with extensive<br />
firearms experience.<br />
“It’s not credible to claim that<br />
people with this amount of<br />
training, this amount of skill are<br />
all shooting themselves,” Bagnell<br />
said. “These are experts. It’s happening<br />
all over the country.... you<br />
would have to conclude there’s<br />
a problem with the product, not<br />
with the people.”<br />
Virginia Sheriff’s Deputy Marcie<br />
Vadnais was injured in 2018<br />
when she said her P320 handgun<br />
went off on its own as she was<br />
removing the weapon from her<br />
belt, still in its holster. She said<br />
the bullet hit her in the thigh and<br />
shattered her femur.<br />
Sig Sauer settled her lawsuit,<br />
without admitting wrongdoing,<br />
for an undisclosed amount<br />
of money the day after the jury<br />
heard Vadnais testify at the start<br />
of the trial.<br />
Vadnais said she wants the gun<br />
off the market.<br />
“I saw what it did to me. I saw<br />
what it did to my family. And<br />
I don’t want that to happen to<br />
anybody else,” she said.<br />
Bagnell said he’s been pressing<br />
Sig Sauer to recall the P320 for<br />
years, noting that firearms are<br />
not subject to any federal safety<br />
regulations.<br />
“If this were a car, a phone,<br />
a refrigerator, it would’ve been<br />
recalled long, long ago,” Bagnell<br />
said. “So, I think it is unconscionable,<br />
given the number of incidents<br />
of this gun defectively discharging<br />
without a trigger pull<br />
would necessitate that someone<br />
order it to be recalled, and only<br />
Sig can do that.”<br />
While Sig Sauer has continued<br />
to dispute that there is anything<br />
wrong with the P320, the<br />
company offered what it called<br />
a “voluntary upgrade” in 2017,<br />
saying, “the upgraded P320 has<br />
lighter internal components,<br />
including a new thinner-profile<br />
trigger and a lighter sear and<br />
striker. These upgrades will enhance<br />
the protection against unintended<br />
discharges if the pistol<br />
is dropped.”<br />
Then the gunmaker began<br />
manufacturing all P320s with<br />
the upgrade.<br />
Vadnais’ P320 handgun was<br />
not the upgraded version, however,<br />
Hilton’s P320 was the upgraded<br />
version, and her lawyer is<br />
convinced the modifications have<br />
not fixed the problem.<br />
“The defect has not been addressed,”<br />
said Bagnell.<br />
Peter Villani is a veteran police<br />
officer with 35 years of experience,<br />
including as a firearms<br />
instructor and a Sig Sauer-certified<br />
armorer -- someone who is<br />
certified to repair and inspect a<br />
firearm -- of the P320. He said he<br />
believes there are design flaws<br />
and manufacturing issues with<br />
the firearm.<br />
“I carry Sig. I own Sig. I just<br />
don’t own a [P]320, nor would I<br />
ever,” he told ABC News, referring<br />
to all models of the P320<br />
pistol, including the upgraded<br />
version.<br />
Villani, who is an expert witness<br />
for Hilton in her lawsuit,<br />
said he began investigating the<br />
P320 after an officer in his police<br />
department was injured by an<br />
upgraded version of the gun.<br />
He also referred to body camera<br />
footage captured in 2016 that<br />
shows an officer’s P320 firing as<br />
he was getting out of his cruiser<br />
during a traffic stop.<br />
“Something hit my leg,” the officer<br />
can be heard saying on the<br />
video. “I don’t know if I’m shot<br />
or what... I just for the life of me<br />
can’t figure out how that went<br />
off.”<br />
A second officer whose body<br />
camera captured the incident responded:<br />
“Yeah, because there’s<br />
no-- your seat belt wouldn’t<br />
have--”<br />
“<strong>No</strong>, the trigger was completely<br />
covered,” the first officer said.<br />
“I don’t know. I honestly don’t<br />
know... I’m glad you’re my witness.”<br />
“When I see videos of police<br />
officers getting out of their car<br />
and their weapon discharges in<br />
their holsters, there’s a problem<br />
with the gun,” Villani said.<br />
Firearms expert and ABC News<br />
consultant Joshua Harrison<br />
agrees there was a problem with<br />
the P320, but he believes it’s<br />
been fixed.<br />
“There were a lot of changes.<br />
It was expensive, and they would<br />
not have done that for no reason<br />
at all,” Harrison told ABC News.<br />
“In my opinion, the only reason<br />
Sig would have done that is if<br />
they knew there was a safety<br />
problem with the original gun,<br />
otherwise they would not have<br />
done it.”<br />
Harrison said if indeed there<br />
are cases of the upgraded versions<br />
of the gun firing on their<br />
own, it is unclear what would be<br />
causing them to do so.<br />
“I have not seen enough to<br />
convince me that the upgraded<br />
version’s dangerous,” Harrison<br />
said. “I do not have an explanation<br />
for why the updated version<br />
should have these complaints<br />
from trained individuals. If it’s<br />
not legal momentum, then it<br />
would have to be some other<br />
mechanism of failure.”<br />
Still, there are at least two police<br />
departments that had safety<br />
concerns about the P320 and<br />
replaced it with a different gun.<br />
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In Philadelphia, the transit<br />
police <strong>SEPT</strong>A swapped out its<br />
P320s for Glocks after one of its<br />
officers had a P320 go off unexpectedly<br />
in 2019. The bullet in<br />
that case narrowly missed the<br />
officer and a woman nearby.<br />
In Stamford, Connecticut, an<br />
officer sued Sig Sauer after he<br />
says he dropped his P320 and it<br />
shot him in the knee. That department<br />
replaced all P320s in<br />
2017.<br />
Hilton said her department in<br />
Bridge City is ordering new guns,<br />
but in the meantime, many of its<br />
officers still carry the modified<br />
version of the P320 pistol.<br />
“I have a lot of anxiety every<br />
day [over this],” Hilton said. “The<br />
fact that I carried my purse into<br />
my house every single day and<br />
my children were at home ... Sig<br />
put their life at risk. Sig knows<br />
they put their life at risk.”<br />
She said she continues to live<br />
with the physical and emotional<br />
scars from her incident.<br />
“I think that this gun needs<br />
to be removed from the shelf,”<br />
Hilton said. “I hope it doesn’t<br />
take something fatal, and I’m<br />
hoping by bringing awareness to<br />
the public that maybe it’ll bring<br />
attention to Sig to say, ‘Hey, this<br />
gun’s an issue, and before it gets<br />
someone killed, take it off the<br />
shelf. Stop manufacturing this<br />
gun. Find a different solution.’”<br />
CLICK OR SCAN HERE<br />
44 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 45
Law enforcement parents lose<br />
son to suicide bomber in Kabul<br />
USMC Corporal Hunter Lopez was the son of Riverside County<br />
Sheriff’s Department Captain Herman Lopez and Deputy Alicia Lopez<br />
RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. — All<br />
of America is mourning the loss<br />
of life in Afghanistan after a suicide<br />
bomber claimed the lives of<br />
13 U.S. service members. One of<br />
those killed in action was USMC<br />
Corporal Hunter Lopez, 22. He<br />
was the son of Riverside Sheriff’s<br />
Department Captain Herman<br />
Lopez and Deputy Alicia Lopez.<br />
The Riverside County Sheriff’s<br />
Department discussed Hunter’s<br />
involvement with the agency as<br />
well as his aspirations to join the<br />
organization upon completion of<br />
his tour of duty. The department<br />
issued the following statement<br />
on Facebook:<br />
It is with great sadness that<br />
I announce the death of Hunter<br />
Lopez, the son of two of our<br />
department members, Captain<br />
Herman Lopez, and Deputy Alicia<br />
Lopez.<br />
Hunter also served our Department<br />
as an Explorer from<br />
September 2014 through August<br />
2017 at our Palm Desert Station.<br />
Hunter graduated from La Quinta<br />
High School in 2017.<br />
On September 5, 2017, Hunter<br />
joined the United States Marine<br />
Corps and was assigned to the<br />
22nd Battalion, 1st Marines.<br />
Hunter, who was 22 years old<br />
at the time of his death, planned<br />
on following his parent’s footsteps<br />
and becoming a Riverside<br />
County Sheriff’s Deputy after<br />
returning home from his current<br />
deployment.<br />
Hunter, thank you for your service<br />
to our community and our<br />
country. My thoughts and prayers<br />
are with your family.<br />
Sheriff Chad Bianco<br />
Lopez’ death was also covered<br />
by CBS Los Angeles. The news<br />
outlet included details from the<br />
Riverside Sheriff’s Association.<br />
With a heavy heart, we announce<br />
the passing of a beloved<br />
member of the Riverside Sheriff’s<br />
family, United States Marine<br />
Corps Corporal Hunter Lopez,<br />
one of one 13 United States service<br />
members killed at the Kabul<br />
airport during the U.S. led evacuation<br />
effort. We are heartbroken<br />
to hear this sad news about<br />
Hunter, who chose to follow<br />
a life of service, selflessness,<br />
courage and sacrifice, like his<br />
parents. Hunter was a Riverside<br />
Sheriff’s Explorer Scout with the<br />
Palm Desert Station from September<br />
2014 to August 2017.<br />
Hunter joined the United States<br />
Marine Corps and was assigned<br />
to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines.<br />
Hunter, who was 22 years old<br />
at the time of his death, planned<br />
on becoming a Riverside County<br />
Sheriff’s Deputy after returning<br />
from his current deployment.<br />
Today the entire law enforcement<br />
community stands with<br />
the Lopez family, friends, fellow<br />
Marines, and all who loved him,<br />
praying for comfort, peace.”<br />
Hunter was the victim of vicious<br />
evil and was killed because<br />
he wore a United States<br />
Marine uniform with love and<br />
pride. Our entire community<br />
feels the anguish, and we mourn<br />
the death of Hunter, who answered<br />
the call to serve, defend<br />
and protect our nation. Like his<br />
parents who serve our community,<br />
being a Marine to Hunter<br />
wasn’t a job; it was a calling.<br />
He loved his family, and as we<br />
grieve for Hunter and his fellow<br />
Marines taken from us too soon,<br />
there are simply no words to<br />
express how deeply he will be<br />
missed — Semper Fi.<br />
The Lopez family requests that<br />
all donations be made to the<br />
Riverside County Deputy Sheriff<br />
Relief Foundation in the name<br />
of the Lopez Family. The address<br />
is 21810 Cactus Avenue, Riverside,<br />
CA 92518. The Lopez family<br />
respectfully requests privacy<br />
during this incredibly difficult<br />
time. The family will share<br />
details and plans for the celebration<br />
of Hunter’s life at a later<br />
date.<br />
46 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 47
REMEMBERING THOSE WE’VE LOST<br />
AUGUST 26, <strong>2021</strong> • KUBAL, AFGHANISTAN<br />
For the 13 brave soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice<br />
for our country, we will never forget you, your service, or your<br />
love for the country. You died serving your country and helping<br />
those who sought freedom from those who would do them<br />
harm. One by one, you lifted them to a better life, a free life, a<br />
life where they could make their own destiny. A life where their<br />
children could grow up without the sounds of gunfire and explosions<br />
throughout the night. To live in a land that’s free because<br />
of the sacrifice you made here today. And to the families of<br />
these brave men and women, we prayed you would never know<br />
the life of a Gold Star family. But know that you will forever be<br />
in our thoughts and prayers each day. Your sons and daughters<br />
are true heroes, and we will never forget them. For they<br />
live forever in our hearts.<br />
48 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 49<br />
48 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 49
REMEMBERING THOSE WE’VE LOST<br />
AUGUST 26, <strong>2021</strong> • KUBAL, AFGHANISTAN<br />
U.S. MARINE<br />
CPL. DAEGAN PAGE<br />
U.S. MARINE<br />
CPL. HUNTER LOPEZ<br />
U.S. MARINE<br />
LANCE CPL. DAVID LEE ESPINOZA<br />
U.S. MARINE<br />
LANCE CPL. KAREEM NIKOUI<br />
U.S. MARINE<br />
LANCE CPL. RYLEE MCCOLLUM<br />
U.S. MARINE<br />
SGT. JOHANNY ROSARIO<br />
U.S. MARINE<br />
SGT. NICOLE GEE<br />
U.S. MARINE<br />
LANCE CPL. JARED SCHMITZ<br />
U.S. NAVY<br />
CORPSMAN MAX SOVIAK<br />
U.S. MARINE<br />
STAFF SGT. TAYLOR HOOVER<br />
50 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 51<br />
50 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 51
REMEMBERING THOSE WE’VE LOST<br />
AUGUST 26, <strong>2021</strong> • KUBAL, AFGHANISTAN<br />
U.S. MARINE<br />
CPL. HUMBERTO SANCHEZ<br />
U.S. ARMY<br />
STAFF SGT. RYAN KNAUSS<br />
U.S. MARINE<br />
LANCE CPL. DYLAN MEROLA<br />
52 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 53<br />
52 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 53
REMEMBERING THOSE WE’VE LOST<br />
<strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER 11, 2001<br />
Oh, Gracious God, Today, we come before you with heavy hearts as we remember<br />
the events of 9/11. For years, those numbers simply meant a call<br />
for help. <strong>No</strong>w they also remind us of September 11th, 2001, the date of<br />
the worst terrorist attack on the United States of America and one of the<br />
deadliest days ever on American soil. We are here today to remember the<br />
attacks and honor those we lost from both our community and our armed<br />
forces. For some of us, 9/11 is a mixed bag of emotions. We hurt deeply<br />
for those who lost their lives and those who lost their loved ones. We<br />
mourn the nearly 3,000 who died that day. We are humbled by the bravery<br />
of the first responders. We are still saddened by the loss of our brother<br />
and sister firefighters and police officers. We continue to grieve with our<br />
neighbors in the loss of our national innocence - our false sense of security.<br />
We remember when churches, synagogues, and temples opened their doors<br />
to ALL people. We remember strangers carried strangers out of buildings.<br />
We remember those we lost and those we saved. We remember the bravery<br />
of the passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93. Yet, we continue<br />
to struggle with the immense tragedy of that day, so long ago. Lord, we<br />
still remember how the world responded, supporting us, and even declaring<br />
us one people. God of all people, teach us to be patriotic again. Teach us to<br />
see the frailty, beauty, and value of life in light of this tragedy rather than<br />
using it to elevate trivial difference to the heights of divisive reasons for<br />
hatred. Remind us of the way the true heart of our nation’s people was revealed<br />
in open doors, open arms and open hearts. May we never forget that<br />
on that day we did not focus on nationality, wealth, race, or education. We<br />
focused on humanity and love for our fellow AMERICANS. Lord, call us back<br />
to that place in our hearts. Instill in us the deepest sense to be that people<br />
once again. We lift up to you all those who, even today, 20 years later,<br />
continue to suffer from the loss. May we continue to heal and help each<br />
other just as we did that day.<br />
54 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 55<br />
54 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 55
REMEMBERING THOSE WE’VE LOST<br />
<strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER 11, 2001<br />
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals<br />
Humane Law Enforcement, New York<br />
SPECIAL INVESTIGATOR DIANE DIGIACOMO<br />
Arlington County Police Department, Virginia<br />
CORPORAL HARVEY SNOOK, III<br />
Cayuga County Sheriff’s Office, New York<br />
UNDERSHERIFF STEPHEN B. MCLOUD<br />
City University of New York Department of Public Safety,<br />
New York<br />
DEPUTY CHIEF JOHN P. MCKEE<br />
Connecticut State Police, Connecticut<br />
TROOPER FIRST CLASS EUGENE KENNETH BARON, JR.<br />
TROOPER FIRST CLASS WALTER GREENE, JR.<br />
Harrison Police Department, New York<br />
POLICE OFFICER WALTER L. MALLINSON<br />
Montclair State University Police Department, New Jersey<br />
SERGEANT CHRISTOPHER A. VIDRO<br />
Nassau County Police Department, New York<br />
POLICE OFFICER BRIAN R. ABBONDANDELO<br />
POLICE OFFICER CHARLES DENNIS COLE, JR.<br />
POLICE OFFICER PETER FRANCIS CURRAN<br />
POLICE OFFICER PETER MARTINO<br />
POLICE OFFICER PAUL J. MCCABE<br />
POLICE OFFICER JAMES V. QUINN<br />
LIEUTENANT MICHAEL P. SHEA<br />
New Jersey State Police, New Jersey<br />
LIEUTENANT WILLIAM GEORGE FEARON<br />
STAFF SERGEANT BRYAN U. MCCOY<br />
TROOPER ROBERT EMMET NAGLE<br />
New Rochelle Police Department, New York<br />
DETECTIVE MARK S. GADO<br />
POLICE OFFICER KATHLEEN O’CONNOR-FUNIGIELLO<br />
New York City Fire Department -<br />
Bureau of Fire Investigation, New York<br />
FIRE MARSHAL RONALD P. BUCCA<br />
New York City Police Department, New York<br />
DETECTIVE SANDRA Y. ADRIAN<br />
DETECTIVE I GERARD A. AHEARN<br />
DETECTIVE JAMES JOHN ALBANESE<br />
CHIEF OF DETECTIVES WILLIAM H. ALLEE<br />
DETECTIVE SIXTO ALMONTE<br />
DETECTIVE LUIS GUSTAVO ALVAREZ<br />
SERGEANT ALEX W. BAEZ<br />
POLICE OFFICER CURTIS JOSEPH BAKO<br />
POLICE OFFICER KAREN E. BARNES<br />
DETECTIVE THOMAS J. BARNITT<br />
POLICE OFFICER RONALD G. BECKER, JR.<br />
DETECTIVE ASLYN A. BECKLES<br />
POLICE OFFICER JAMES A. BETSO<br />
SERGEANT GERARD THOMAS BEYRODT<br />
POLICE OFFICER DERRICK BISHOP<br />
POLICE OFFICER SCOTT R. BLACKSHAW<br />
POLICE OFFICER FRANK M. BOLUSI<br />
DEPUTY CHIEF STEVEN JOSEPH BONANO<br />
SERGEANT PATRICK J. BOYLE<br />
SERGEANT WILLIAM BRAUTIGAM<br />
POLICE OFFICER THOMAS GERARD BROPHY<br />
LIEUTENANT REBECCA A. BUCK<br />
POLICE OFFICER JAMES M. BURKE<br />
CAPTAIN CARMINE C. CANTALINO<br />
POLICE OFFICER AUDREY P. CAPRA<br />
POLICE OFFICER MADELINE CARLO<br />
DETECTIVE MEGAN K. CARR-WILKS<br />
DETECTIVE JOSEPH A. CAVITOLO<br />
POLICE OFFICER YOLANDA CAWLEY<br />
SERGEANT CHRISTOPHER M. CHRISTODOULOU<br />
POLICE OFFICER PETER D. CIACCIO<br />
LIEUTENANT STEVEN L. CIOFFI<br />
SERGEANT CHARLES J. CLARK<br />
POLICE OFFICER DANIEL CHARLES CONROY<br />
SERGEANT JOHN GERARD COUGHLIN<br />
SERGEANT PATRICK T. COYNE<br />
DETECTIVE CHRISTOPHER EDWARD CRANSTON<br />
DETECTIVE ANGEL ANTONIO CREAGH<br />
SERGEANT MICHAEL SEAN CURTIN<br />
DETECTIVE KEVIN ANTHONY CZARTORYSKI<br />
POLICE OFFICER JOHN D’ALLARA<br />
POLICE OFFICER ANTHONY D’ERASMO<br />
DETECTIVE ANNETTA G. DANIELS<br />
POLICE OFFICER VINCENT G. DANZ<br />
SERGEANT GARRETT S. DANZA<br />
DETECTIVE MICHAEL KENNETH DAVIS<br />
POLICE OFFICER ANTHONY DEJESUS<br />
56 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 57<br />
56 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 57
REMEMBERING THOSE WE’VE LOST<br />
<strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER 11, 2001<br />
DEPUTY CHIEF VINCENT A. DEMARINO<br />
POLICE OFFICER MICHAEL O. DIAMOND<br />
DETECTIVE COREY J. DIAZ<br />
DETECTIVE LEROY DIXON<br />
POLICE OFFICER KENNETH XAVIER DOMENECH<br />
POLICE OFFICER JEROME MARK PATRICK DOMINGUEZ<br />
POLICE OFFICER STEPHEN PATRICK DRISCOLL<br />
POLICE OFFICER RENEE DUNBAR<br />
POLICE OFFICER ROBERT M. EHMER<br />
POLICE OFFICER MARK JOSEPH ELLIS<br />
POLICE OFFICER OTTO R. ESPINOZA<br />
DETECTIVE PEDRO ESPONDA, JR.<br />
POLICE OFFICER WILLIAM P. FARLEY<br />
POLICE OFFICER ROBERT FAZIO, JR.<br />
DETECTIVE LUIS G. FERNANDEZ<br />
SERGEANT PAUL MICHAEL FERRARA<br />
POLICE OFFICER KEITH A. FERRARA<br />
POLICE OFFICER JOHN P. FERRARI<br />
POLICE OFFICER EDWARD M. FERRARO<br />
INSPECTOR DONALD G. FESER<br />
DETECTIVE CARMEN M. FIGUEROA<br />
POLICE OFFICER ALEXANDER FIGUEROA<br />
POLICE OFFICER NICHOLAS G. FINELLI<br />
DETECTIVE STUART F. FISHKIN<br />
POLICE OFFICER EDWARD J. FITZGERALD<br />
LIEUTENANT JEFFREY W. FRANCIS<br />
SERGEANT GARY M. FRANKLIN<br />
DETECTIVE SEAN PATRICK FRANKLIN<br />
POLICE OFFICER FRANK L. GAGLIANO<br />
POLICE OFFICER SCOTT N. GAINES<br />
CAPTAIN BARRY GALFANO<br />
POLICE OFFICER THOMAS J. GALLAGHER<br />
SERGEANT MICHAEL J. GALVIN<br />
POLICE OFFICER DEBORAH A. GARBUTT-JEFF<br />
POLICE OFFICER MATTHEW J. GAY<br />
POLICE OFFICER JUDY ANN GHANY-BAROUNIS<br />
POLICE OFFICER ANTHONY C. GIAMBRA, JR.<br />
DETECTIVE PETER “PIETRO” GIANFRANCESCO<br />
DETECTIVE JAMES THOMAS GIERY<br />
SERGEANT RODNEY C. GILLIS<br />
CAPTAIN EDWARD CHARLES GILPIN<br />
DETECTIVE CHARLES GILBERT GITTENS, JR.<br />
DETECTIVE MICHAEL E. GLAZER<br />
POLICE OFFICER JAMES JUNIOR GODBEE<br />
DETECTIVE JOHN E. GOGGIN<br />
POLICE OFFICER MICHAEL H. GRANNIS<br />
POLICE OFFICER ROBERT C. GROSSMAN<br />
POLICE OFFICER DAVE E. GUEVARA<br />
INSPECTOR JAMES GUIDA<br />
SERGEANT CHARLES R. GUNZELMAN<br />
POLICE OFFICER DIANE F. HALBRAN<br />
POLICE OFFICER MICHAEL J. HANCE<br />
POLICE OFFICER ANTHONY R. HANLON<br />
SERGEANT CLAIRE T. HANRAHAN<br />
POLICE OFFICER RAYMOND HARRIS<br />
DETECTIVE KEVIN GEORGE HAWKINS<br />
POLICE OFFICER JOSEPH F. HEID<br />
POLICE OFFICER ROBERT BERNARD HELMKE<br />
DETECTIVE MICHAEL R. HENRY<br />
DETECTIVE ALICK W. HERRMANN<br />
DETECTIVE WILLIAM J. HOLFESTER<br />
POLICE OFFICER RICHARD G. HOLLAND<br />
DETECTIVE NATHANIEL HOLLAND, JR.<br />
DETECTIVE STEVEN HOM<br />
POLICE OFFICER DEMETRIAS HOPKINS<br />
DETECTIVE CHARLES JAMES HUMPHRY<br />
SERGEANT MICHAEL VINCENT INCONTRERA<br />
SERGEANT WAYNE A. JACKSON<br />
POLICE OFFICER RICHARD JAKUBOWSKY<br />
POLICE OFFICER CHERYL D. JOHNSON<br />
POLICE OFFICER PAUL J. JOHNSON<br />
POLICE OFFICER LOUISE M. JOHNSTON<br />
SERGEANT SCOTT JOHNSTON<br />
POLICE OFFICER ROBERT W. KAMINSKI<br />
POLICE OFFICER CHARLES M. KAREN<br />
DETECTIVE WILLIAM D. KINANE<br />
POLICE OFFICER WILLIAM J. KING<br />
POLICE OFFICER RONALD PHILIP KLOEPFER<br />
POLICE OFFICER GARY LEE KOCH<br />
POLICE OFFICER KELLY CHRISTINE KORCHAK<br />
POLICE OFFICER FRED J. KRINES<br />
DETECTIVE JOHN F. KRISTOFFERSEN<br />
DETECTIVE STEPHEN T. KUBINSKI<br />
POLICE OFFICER THOMAS MICHAEL LANGONE<br />
DETECTIVE ROBERT F. LARKE<br />
SERGEANT MARK LAWLER<br />
POLICE OFFICER JAMES PATRICK LEAHY<br />
DETECTIVE MICHAEL LAWRENCE LEDEK<br />
DETECTIVE JEFFREY A. LEE<br />
INSPECTOR JUSTIN C. LENZ<br />
POLICE OFFICER ANDREW J. LEWIS<br />
DETECTIVE CHRISTIAN R. LINDSAY<br />
LIEUTENANT LUIS A. LOPEZ<br />
POLICE OFFICER RICHARD LOPEZ<br />
DETECTIVE THOMAS J. LYONS<br />
POLICE OFFICER FRANK GERARD MACRI<br />
POLICE OFFICER DAVID MAHMOUD<br />
POLICE OFFICER SHAUN M. MAHONEY<br />
58 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 59<br />
58 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 59
REMEMBERING THOSE WE’VE LOST<br />
<strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER 11, 2001<br />
DETECTIVE JOHN J. MARSHALL<br />
SERGEANT ROBERT P. MASCI<br />
POLICE OFFICER VITO S. MAURO<br />
POLICE OFFICER GARY GERALD MAUSBERG<br />
LIEUTENANT JACQUELINE MCCARTHY<br />
POLICE OFFICER BRIAN GRADY MCDONNELL<br />
POLICE OFFICER PATRICK THOMAS MCGOVERN<br />
SERGEANT COLLEEN A. MCGOWAN<br />
CAPTAIN EDWARD JOSEPH MCGREAL<br />
SERGEANT MICHAEL J. MCHUGH<br />
POLICE OFFICER DENIS REID MCLARNEY<br />
POLICE OFFICER CHRISTOPHER SHAWN MCMURRY<br />
LIEUTENANT JENNIFER MEEHAN<br />
POLICE OFFICER GREGORY V. MELITA<br />
DETECTIVE TOMMY L. MERRIWEATHER<br />
DETECTIVE MARK MKWANAZI<br />
LIEUTENANT BRIAN S. MOHAMED<br />
DEPUTY CHIEF JAMES GERARD MOLLOY<br />
DETECTIVE JAMES W. MONAHAN<br />
DETECTIVE ROBERT A. MONTANEZ<br />
DETECTIVE MICHAEL P. MORALES<br />
CAPTAIN DENNIS MORALES<br />
DETECTIVE JOHN K. MULLER<br />
SERGEANT PATRICK P. MURPHY<br />
LIEUTENANT PAUL MURPHY<br />
SERGEANT EDMUND P. MURRAY<br />
SERGEANT ANTHONY NAPOLITANO<br />
POLICE OFFICER MARK J. NATALE<br />
POLICE OFFICER ROBERT J. NICOSIA<br />
DETECTIVE MAUREEN M. O’FLAHERTY<br />
SERGEANT TERRENCE SCOTT O’HARA<br />
SERGEANT DONALD J. O’LEARY, JR.<br />
LIEUTENANT CARLOS J. OCASIO<br />
POLICE OFFICER JASON HOWARD OFFNER<br />
DETECTIVE EDWIN ORTIZ<br />
POLICE OFFICER ROBERT ORTIZ<br />
POLICE OFFICER ROBERT V. OSWAIN, JR.<br />
POLICE OFFICER JOSEPH CAVANAUGH PAGNANI<br />
POLICE OFFICER ALLISON MARIE PALMER<br />
LIEUTENANT PHILLIP E. PANZARELLA<br />
DETECTIVE JOSEPH PAOLILLO<br />
POLICE OFFICER WILLIAM G. PARKER<br />
POLICE OFFICER MARIE ANN PATTERSON-BOHANAN<br />
CAPTAIN RONALD G. PEIFER, SR.<br />
POLICE OFFICER ANGELO PELUSO, JR.<br />
POLICE OFFICER JOHN WILLIAM PERRY<br />
DETECTIVE PHILIP T. PERRY<br />
POLICE OFFICER GLEN KERRIN PETTIT<br />
DETECTIVE JOSEPH L. PIDOTO<br />
SERGEANT LOUIS R. PIOLI<br />
CAPTAIN PETER L. PISCHERA<br />
POLICE OFFICER FRANCIS THOMAS PITONE<br />
POLICE OFFICER FRANK J. PIZZO<br />
POLICE OFFICER NANCY A. PUCA<br />
LIEUTENANT CHRISTOPHER M. PUPO<br />
ASSISTANT CHIEF MICHAEL V. QUINN<br />
DETECTIVE ANDREA RENEE JACQUELINE RAINER<br />
POLICE OFFICER MOIRA ANN REDDY-SMITH<br />
POLICE OFFICER CHRISTINE ANNE REILLY<br />
DETECTIVE GEORGE CLAY REMOUNS, JR.<br />
LIEUTENANT GERALD REX<br />
LIEUTENANT ROBERT DANIEL RICE<br />
DETECTIVE CLAUDE DANIEL RICHARDS<br />
DETECTIVE RONALD A. RICHARDS<br />
DETECTIVE ROBERTO L. RIVERA<br />
POLICE OFFICER LAWRENCE J. RIVERA<br />
POLICE OFFICER PETER O. RODRIGUEZ<br />
DETECTIVE JOSEPH M. ROMAN<br />
LIEUTENANT KENNETH W. ROSELLO<br />
LIEUTENANT JOHN CHARLES ROWLAND<br />
SERGEANT TIMOTHY ALAN ROY, SR.<br />
LIEUTENANT JAMES D. RUSSELL<br />
DETECTIVE JOHN A. RUSSO<br />
SERGEANT MICHAEL W. RYAN<br />
LIEUTENANT JAMES E. RYAN<br />
POLICE OFFICER PATRICE MARIE RYAN-OTT<br />
DETECTIVE THOMAS SANTORO<br />
SERGEANT STEPHEN P. SCALZA<br />
SERGEANT JACQUELINE C. SCHAEFER<br />
DETECTIVE JAMES A. SCHIAVONE, JR.<br />
DETECTIVE JOSEPH EDWARD SEABROOK<br />
POLICE OFFICER PETER M. SHERIDAN, JR.<br />
LIEUTENANT MARCI SIMMS<br />
DETECTIVE BASILIO A. SIMONS<br />
DETECTIVE ANDREW L. SIROKA<br />
SERGEANT HAROLD JOHN SMITH<br />
CAPTAIN SCOTT V. STELMOK<br />
DETECTIVE CHRISTOPHER STRUCKER<br />
POLICE OFFICER RAMON SUAREZ<br />
SERGEANT BARBARA J. SULLIVAN<br />
POLICE OFFICER ROBERT S. SUMMERS<br />
DETECTIVE TRACI L. TACK-CZAJKOWSKI<br />
POLICE OFFICER PAUL TALTY<br />
POLICE OFFICER RICHARD E. TAYLOR<br />
SERGEANT EDWARD DOYLE “NED” THOMPSON<br />
DETECTIVE SALLY A. THOMPSON<br />
60 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 61<br />
60 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 61
REMEMBERING THOSE WE’VE LOST<br />
<strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER 11, 2001<br />
DETECTIVE WILLIAM B. TITUS, JR.<br />
POLICE OFFICER MARTIN TOM<br />
POLICE OFFICER REGINALD UMPTHERY, SR.<br />
POLICE OFFICER SANTOS VALENTIN, JR.<br />
DETECTIVE HARRY VALENTIN<br />
POLICE OFFICER MANUEL VARGAS, JR.<br />
DETECTIVE DENNIS J. VICKERY<br />
POLICE OFFICER JOHN F. VIERLING, JR.<br />
DETECTIVE JOSEPH VINCENT VIGIANO<br />
POLICE OFFICER PERRY T. VILLANI<br />
POLICE OFFICER MATTHEW S. VON SEYDEWITZ<br />
SERGEANT MICHAEL B. WAGNER<br />
POLICE OFFICER WILLIAM T. WALSH<br />
LIEUTENANT WILLIAM H. WANSER, III<br />
DETECTIVE THOMAS P. WARD<br />
POLICE OFFICER WALTER EDWARD WEAVER<br />
DETECTIVE THOMAS FRANCIS WEINER, JR.<br />
POLICE OFFICER RONALD EVAN WEINTRAUB<br />
DETECTIVE RICHARD H. WENTZ<br />
DETECTIVE JENNIFER A. WILLIAMS<br />
POLICE OFFICER WADE JASON WILLIAMS<br />
DETECTIVE ROBERT W. WILLIAMSON<br />
INSPECTOR RICHARD DANIEL WINTER<br />
POLICE OFFICER KENNETH W. WOLF<br />
POLICE OFFICER GEORGE MON CHENG WONG<br />
DETECTIVE JOHN T. YOUNG<br />
DETECTIVE JAMES ZADROGA<br />
POLICE OFFICER ROBERT A. ZANE, JR.<br />
New York County District Attorney’s Office,<br />
SENIOR INVESTIGATOR FRED GHUSSIN<br />
New York State Environmental Conservation Police,<br />
CONSERVATION OFFICER STEPHEN LAWRENCE RAYMOND<br />
New York State Office of Court Administration,<br />
SENIOR COURT OFFICER THOMAS JURGENS<br />
CAPTAIN WILLIAM THOMPSON<br />
SENIOR COURT OFFICER MITCHEL SCOTT WALLACE<br />
New York State Office of Tax Enforcement -<br />
Petroleum, Alcohol and Tobacco Bureau, New York<br />
BUREAU CHIEF CHARLES MILLS<br />
New York State Office of Tax Enforcement -<br />
Revenue Crimes Bureau, New York<br />
INVESTIGATOR CLYDE FRAZIER<br />
INVESTIGATOR RICHARD MOORE<br />
INVESTIGATOR SALVATORE PAPASSO<br />
ASSISTANT DEPUTY COMMISSIONER WILLIAM POHL-<br />
MANN<br />
New York State Police, New York<br />
TROOPER MICHAEL J. ANSON<br />
TROOPER DARRYL J. BURROUGHS, SR.<br />
SERGEANT JEFFREY M. CICORA<br />
TROOPER JENNIFER M. CZARNECKI<br />
TROOPER BRIAN S. FALB<br />
INVESTIGATOR RYAN D. FORTINI<br />
SENIOR INVESTIGATOR THOMAS G. MORAN, JR.<br />
TROOPER COVEL CHASE PIERCE<br />
SERGEANT CHARLES ROBERT SALAWAY<br />
INVESTIGATOR PAUL R. STUEWER<br />
Newtown Police Department, Connecticut<br />
POLICE OFFICER STEPHEN A. KETCHUM<br />
Paterson Police Department, New Jersey<br />
DETECTIVE ANTHONY JOSPEH LUCANTO<br />
Peekskill Police Department, New York<br />
DETECTIVE CHARLES JOHN WASSIL, JR.<br />
Port Authority of New York and<br />
New Jersey Police Department, New York<br />
POLICE OFFICER CHRISTOPHER AMOROSO<br />
POLICE OFFICER MAURICE BARRY<br />
POLICE OFFICER CHARLES BARZYDLO<br />
LIEUTENANT JOHN J. BRANT<br />
POLICE OFFICER LIAM CALLAHAN<br />
LIEUTENANT ROBERT CIRRI<br />
POLICE OFFICER JOHN MARK CORTAZZO<br />
POLICE OFFICER CLINTON DAVIS<br />
LIEUTENANT WILLIAM E. DOUBRASKI<br />
POLICE OFFICER DONALD FOREMAN<br />
POLICE OFFICER GREGG FROEHNER<br />
POLICE OFFICER THOMAS GORMAN<br />
SERGEANT LAWRENCE A. GUARNIERI<br />
POLICE OFFICER UHURU GONJA HOUSTON<br />
POLICE OFFICER GEORGE HOWARD<br />
POLICE OFFICER STEPHEN HUCZKO, JR.<br />
INSPECTOR ANTHONY INFANTE<br />
DETECTIVE THOMAS M. INMAN<br />
POLICE OFFICER PAUL JURGENS<br />
SERGEANT ROBERT KAULFERS<br />
POLICE OFFICER JAMES W. KENNELLY<br />
62 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 63
REMEMBERING THOSE WE’VE LOST<br />
<strong>SEPT</strong>EMBER 11, 2001<br />
POLICE OFFICER PAUL LASZCZYNSKI<br />
POLICE OFFICER WILLIAM JAMES LEAHY<br />
POLICE OFFICER DAVID P. LEMAGNE<br />
POLICE OFFICER JOHN LENNON<br />
POLICE OFFICER JOHN LEVI<br />
POLICE OFFICER JAMES LYNCH<br />
CAPTAIN KATHY MAZZA<br />
POLICE OFFICER DONALD MCINTYRE<br />
POLICE OFFICER WALTER MCNEIL<br />
POLICE OFFICER MARK J. MEIER<br />
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY FRED V. MORRONE<br />
POLICE OFFICER JOSEPH NAVAS<br />
POLICE OFFICER JAMES NELSON<br />
POLICE OFFICER ALFONSE NIEDERMEYER<br />
SERGEANT VINCENT JOSEPH OLIVA<br />
POLICE OFFICER PAVLOS D. PALLAS<br />
POLICE OFFICER JAMES PARHAM<br />
POLICE OFFICER DOMINICK PEZZULO<br />
POLICE OFFICER BRUCE REYNOLDS<br />
POLICE OFFICER ANTONIO RODRIGUES<br />
POLICE OFFICER RICHARD RODRIGUEZ<br />
CHIEF JAMES ROMITO<br />
POLICE OFFICER JOHN SKALA<br />
POLICE OFFICER WALWYN STUART<br />
POLICE OFFICER MICHAEL EDMUND TEEL<br />
POLICE OFFICER KENNETH TIETJEN<br />
POLICE OFFICER STEVEN JOHN TURSELLINO<br />
POLICE OFFICER NATHANIEL WEBB<br />
POLICE OFFICER MICHAEL WHOLEY<br />
Suffolk County Police Department, New York<br />
Police Officer Craig L. Capolino<br />
SERGEANT JAMES THOMAS FARRELL<br />
DETECTIVE STEPHEN JOHN MULLEN<br />
SERGEANT DENNIS WALLACE REICHARDT<br />
United States Department of Homeland Security -<br />
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland<br />
Security Investigations, U.S. Government<br />
SPECIAL AGENT LOUIS HENRY AGUIRRE<br />
SPECIAL AGENT DENNIS PATRICK MCCARTHY<br />
SPECIAL AGENT EDWARD JOSEPH SMITH<br />
SPECIAL AGENT ROBERT T. WILLIAMS<br />
SPECIAL AGENT THOMAS MICHAEL WISCHERTH<br />
United States Department of Justice -<br />
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and<br />
Explosives, U.S. Government<br />
SPECIAL AGENT WILLIAM C. SHELDON<br />
United States Department of Justice -<br />
Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Government<br />
SPECIAL AGENT DENNIS BONELLI<br />
SPECIAL AGENT STEVEN A. CARR<br />
SPECIAL AGENT WILLIAM ROBERT CRAIG<br />
SUPERVISORY SPECIAL AGENT BRIAN LAWRENCE<br />
CREWS<br />
SPECIAL AGENT LAURIE J. FOURNIER<br />
SPECIAL AGENT LEONARD HATTON<br />
SPECIAL AGENT JERRY D. JOBE<br />
SPECIAL AGENT MARK C. JOHNSTON<br />
SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE DAVID JAMES LEVALLEY<br />
SPECIAL AGENT MARK JOSEPH MIKULSKI<br />
SPECIAL AGENT MELISSA S. MORROW<br />
SPECIAL AGENT ROBERT MARTIN ROTH<br />
SPECIAL AGENT GERARD D. SENATORE<br />
SPECIAL AGENT REX AARON STOCKHAM<br />
SPECIAL AGENT PAUL H. WILSON<br />
SPECIAL AGENT WESLEY J. YOO<br />
United States Department of Justice - United States<br />
Marshals Service, U.S. Government<br />
DEPUTY U.S. MARSHAL KENNETH J. DOYLE<br />
DEPUTY U.S. MARSHAL BETTY ANN PASCARELLA<br />
DEPUTY U.S. MARSHAL ZACARIAS TORO, JR.<br />
United States Department of the Interior - Fish and<br />
Wildlife Service - Division of Refuge Law Enforcement,<br />
U.S. Government<br />
REFUGE MANAGER RICHARD JERRY GUADAGNO<br />
United States Department of the Treasury -<br />
United States Secret Service Special Services Division,<br />
U.S. Government<br />
MASTER SPECIAL OFFICER CRAIG J. MILLER<br />
Yonkers Police Department, New York<br />
POLICE OFFICER ANTHONY MAGGIORE<br />
LIEUTENANT ROY D. MCLAUGHLIN<br />
64 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 65<br />
64 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 65
REMEMBERING THOSE WE’VE LOST<br />
Natividad “Nat” Gutierrez<br />
Co-Founder of the BLUES<br />
May 18, 1953 - August 17,<strong>2021</strong><br />
It is with great sadness that we said goodbye late last month to one of the co-founders of The BLUES Police Newspaper – Sgt.<br />
Natividad “Nat” Gutierrez, a 38-year veteran of the Harris County Sheriff’s office. On August 17, <strong>2021</strong>, Nat passed away due<br />
to complications of COVID.<br />
It was Nat, who in the fall of 1984 after being promoted to Sergeant, suggested we start a newspaper to distribute to members<br />
of the Sheriff’s Dept. After meeting with then Sheriff Jack Heard and receiving his ‘seal of approval’ we proceeded with<br />
plans to release the first edition just before Christmas. It was also Nat’s idea to name the newspaper The County <strong>Blues</strong>, after<br />
the popular TV show “Hill Street <strong>Blues</strong>.” Nat remained active in the newspaper for the first months but soon learned that being<br />
a supervisor for Sheriff Johnny Klevenhagen and being the co-publisher of a controversial newspaper did not make for bright<br />
future at the department.<br />
I’ll share a “Nat” story with everyone. I got a call one afternoon to report to the station and see the captain. Once I got there, I<br />
was ordered to report to the Sheriff’s office forthwith. Oh yeah, you’re supposed to take Nat Gutierrez with you. So, I called the<br />
dispatcher and advised her to have Nat call me ASAP at District 2. Seconds later Nat is on the phone and freaking out because<br />
the Sheriff is calling us downtown. We both knew the Sheriff wasn’t happy with some of the articles in the newspaper and wanted<br />
us to stop publishing it. Nat said, “Listen Mike, I have your back. <strong>No</strong> matter what he says, I’m 100% behind you.” Well since<br />
this newspaper was pretty much your idea Nat, that’s really nice of you. We both laughed until we were standing in Klevenhagen’s<br />
office getting our butts chewed out. Then Klevenhagen says, “Gutierrez, I can’t do much to Barron, he’s just a low life deputy<br />
(wait did he call me a lowlife?) but you sir, I can bust you back to a deputy and send you back to the jail. And Nat says, “Wait I’m<br />
just like a consultant or an intern at best, I don’t make the editorial decisions, Barron does.” I immediately started laughing<br />
and Klevenhagen went off on me. Then he threatened to fire me and ordered me to stop publishing The BLUES. So, I asked to use<br />
the phone and called my attorney. Klevenhagen dismissed us both and told Nat to go back to work and ordered me to wait in the<br />
lobby. We both walked outside, and I looked at Nat and said “Consultant….an intern at best…. you sure had my back in there<br />
huh…?” And Nat is turning all red and I’m like dude, I’m just busting your ass…it’s OK, just go back to work and come pick my<br />
ass up later. We both started laughing and Nat went back to work. When he finally came back to get me, he couldn’t wait to hear<br />
what happened. I said, “You’re off the hook, I’m now on nights and oh yeah…. I have Mondays & Wednesdays off.” I guess it wasn’t<br />
so funny after that, but it was all good. Nat went on to other great things, his idea for a community police newspaper continued<br />
to grow, year after year and I ended up with better days off after six months or so.<br />
Fast forward 36 years, and the BLUES was about to be reborn as the BLUES Police Magazine. Nat was one of the first people I<br />
emailed to share the news. Nat said, “Well at least this time you have better days off…LOL.” So, it’s an honor to feature Nat on<br />
this month’s cover of The BLUES. We will always be thankful for Nat’s contribution and creative mind that led to the formation<br />
of The County <strong>Blues</strong>.<br />
Finally, it was Nat’s desire to hold a massive reunion for Retired Harris County Employees at his place in Livingston. The BLUES<br />
will honor Nat’s wishes by immediately planning the greatest retirement party of all time in 2022 for retired law enforcement<br />
officers in the Greater Houston area. Stay tuned as we plan this monumental event in Nat’s honor.<br />
“Nat” Gutierrez<br />
66 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 67
REMEMBERING THOSE WE’VE LOST<br />
Officers Lost Due to COVID in August <strong>2021</strong><br />
DEPUTY SHERIFF<br />
SHAUN WATERS<br />
CORRECTIONS OFFICER<br />
MAURICE “REESE” JACKSON<br />
SHERIFF<br />
LEE D. VANCE<br />
DETECTIVE<br />
DALE SYLVESTER, JR.<br />
RESERVE SERGEANT<br />
JOHN RICHARD BULLARD, JR.<br />
SPECIAL AGENT<br />
GREGORY CLEVELAND HOLLAND<br />
POLICE OFFICER<br />
JUAN MANUAL GOMEZ-LOPEZ<br />
POLICE OFFICER<br />
JENNIFER B. SEPOT<br />
TROOPER<br />
LAZARO R. FEBLES<br />
SERGEANT<br />
STEVEN MAZZOTTA<br />
68 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 69
REMEMBERING THOSE WE’VE LOST<br />
Officers Lost Due to COVID in August <strong>2021</strong><br />
BORDER PATROL AGENT<br />
RICARDO ZARATE<br />
POLICE OFFICER<br />
EDWARD PEREZ<br />
DEPUTY SHERIFF<br />
ERIC OTIS RITTER<br />
SERGEANT<br />
JOHN HARRIS<br />
SERGEANT<br />
KUO-SHENG “JOHNNY “WANG<br />
SERGEANT<br />
FRANK TOBAR<br />
CORRECTIONS DEPUTY<br />
KEVIN KOKINIS<br />
DETECTIVE<br />
MANUAL “CHRIS” WIDNER<br />
DEPUTY SHERIFF<br />
CHRISTOPHER BROADHEAD<br />
DEPUTY SHERIFF<br />
ROGER A. MITCHELL<br />
70 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 71
REMEMBERING THOSE WE’VE LOST<br />
Officers Lost Due to COVID in August <strong>2021</strong><br />
CHIEF<br />
KENNETH KIRKLAND<br />
CORRECTIONS DEPUTY<br />
LAKIESHA TUCKER<br />
SENIOR POLICE OFFICER<br />
RANDOLPH BOYD, JR.<br />
SENIOR SERGEANT<br />
STEVE URIAS<br />
SERGEANT<br />
CHRISTOPHER RAY WILSON<br />
CORRECTIONS OFFICER<br />
JAMES N. HENRY<br />
POLICE OFFICER<br />
BRANDON ARD<br />
DEPUTY SHERIFF<br />
WILLIAM DIAZ<br />
POLICE OFFICER<br />
GARY L. WOODARD<br />
TROOPER<br />
SEAN C. HRYC<br />
72 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 73
REMEMBERING THOSE WE’VE LOST<br />
Officers Lost Due to COVID in August <strong>2021</strong><br />
DEPUTY SHERIFF<br />
JAMES MORGAN<br />
CORRECTIONS OFFICER<br />
DENNIS BENNETT<br />
DEPUTY SHERIFF<br />
DENNIS W. DIXON<br />
CORRECTIONS OFFICER<br />
DARRYL “SCOUT” GOODRICH, JR.<br />
DEPUTY SHERIFF<br />
HARRY “BUDDY” HUTCHINSON<br />
CAPTAIN<br />
JOSEPH MANNING<br />
SERGEANT<br />
CLAY GARRISON<br />
BORDER PATROL AGENT<br />
CHAD E. MCBROOM<br />
MARSHALL<br />
MICHAEL KEATHLEY<br />
DEPUTY SHERIFF<br />
CARLOS ORTIZ<br />
74 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 75
FBI<br />
STORIES OF THE<br />
2001 - <strong>2021</strong> N E V E R F O R G E T<br />
76 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 77
Remembering<br />
Attacks 20 Years Ago Shaped Today’s FBI<br />
9/11<br />
The morning of September 11, 2001 remains one of the most pivotal points in American history—and<br />
for the FBI. The ensuing investigation was the largest in the history of the Bureau. The<br />
attacks led to far-reaching changes in the organization as it elevated terrorism to the gravest<br />
threat against the U.S.<br />
The attacks took the lives of nearly 3,000 people, and the crash sites represented the largest<br />
crime scene in FBI history. At the peak of the case, more than half of all FBI agents were at<br />
work to identify the hijackers and their sponsors and along with other agencies, to head off any<br />
possible future attacks.<br />
Over the last 20 years, the Bureau evolved from an agency focused primarily on criminal offenses<br />
into an intelligence-based national security and law enforcement organization. Preventing<br />
terrorism continues to be the FBI’s top priority; the Bureau has established more than 200<br />
Joint Terrorism Task Forces with partner law enforcement agencies across the country.<br />
The events of 9/11 are forever etched in the minds of anyone old enough to remember the day.<br />
Those who were on the East Coast recall that it was a brilliant, clear morning. Then, at 8:46<br />
a.m., American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the <strong>No</strong>rth Tower of the World Trade Center in New<br />
York City.<br />
In a meticulously planned attack, terrorists hijacked four airliners. They flew three of the<br />
planes into buildings: the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon<br />
in Arlington, Virginia. They crashed the fourth plane in rural Pennsylvania. The attacks killed<br />
2,976 people and injured thousands more. Today, many first responders are still dealing with<br />
adverse health effects from working in toxic conditions.<br />
This is the first in a series of stories about how 9/11 shaped today’s FBI.<br />
The crash sites in New York,<br />
Virginia, and Pennsylvania represented<br />
the largest crime scene<br />
in FBI history. The ensuing investigation<br />
was also without precedent;<br />
at one point, more than<br />
half of all special agents were<br />
working on some aspect of the<br />
case.<br />
Immediately after the attacks,<br />
the FBI’s top job was to identify<br />
the attackers and prevent another<br />
incident. Experts in terrorism,<br />
evidence collection, and other<br />
specialties worked feverishly to<br />
determine what had happened<br />
and who was responsible. The<br />
FBI also coordinated with its<br />
partners in law enforcement<br />
and the intelligence community<br />
domestically and abroad as<br />
it launched its most ambitious<br />
investigation ever.<br />
Within minutes, officials at FBI<br />
Headquarters in Washington,<br />
D.C., activated the Strategic Information<br />
and Operations Center.<br />
By the end of the day, the FBI had<br />
established command posts for<br />
each of the three crash sites.<br />
Thousands of agents interviewed<br />
witnesses and sources.<br />
They tracked down clues and tips<br />
worldwide to determine what<br />
had happened, who did it, and<br />
how future acts could be prevented.<br />
The FBI started identifying<br />
the 19 terrorists within hours.<br />
Then-FBI Director Robert S.<br />
Mueller, III broke with routine<br />
and based the massive investigation<br />
out of FBI Headquarters<br />
instead of a field office. The<br />
PENTTBOM Team—short for<br />
Pennsylvania, Pentagon, and<br />
Twin Towers Bombing—coordinated<br />
the investigation out of a<br />
basement office, where dozens<br />
of agents would build a case<br />
against those responsible.<br />
The case, which remains open,<br />
revealed extraordinary acts of<br />
courage and selflessness among<br />
the spectrum of responders. And<br />
it forever changed the way the<br />
FBI works with law enforcement<br />
and intelligence community<br />
partners to keep Americans safe<br />
in the U.S. and abroad.<br />
“Because of that terrible day,<br />
starting in 2001 under the leadership<br />
of Director Mueller, the<br />
FBI transformed itself in ways<br />
that have made us stronger and<br />
better—and our country safer,”<br />
Director Christopher Wray said<br />
in 2019 during a visit to the National<br />
September 11 Memorial &<br />
Museum in New York City.<br />
78 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 79
...in their own words.<br />
Responders to the 9/11 attack<br />
sites in New York, Virginia, and<br />
Pennsylvania recalled the early<br />
hours, days, and weeks that<br />
followed.<br />
Washington<br />
SPECIAL AGENT C.C. RECALLS 9/11<br />
Special Agent C.C. was the<br />
assistant weapons of mass<br />
destruction coordinator on the<br />
National Capital Response Squad<br />
out of the Washington Field<br />
Office at the time. He set up the<br />
first FBI command post at the<br />
Pentagon and was the first onscene<br />
commander. Transcript<br />
SPECIAL AGENT M.G. RECALLS 9/11<br />
Special Agent M.G. led the<br />
PENTTBOMB team that investigated<br />
the 9/11 attacks. Transcript<br />
SPECIAL AGENT J.P. RECALLS 9/11<br />
Special Agent J.P., assigned<br />
to the Washington Field Office<br />
Joint Terrorism Task Force, was<br />
one of three on-scene commanders<br />
at the Pentagon.<br />
Transcript<br />
New York<br />
SPECIAL AGENT A.B. RECALLS 9/11<br />
Special Agent A.B. worked near<br />
Ground Zero after the September<br />
11 attacks on the World Trade<br />
Center and served as the liaison<br />
between the FBI and the New<br />
York City mayor’s office on victims’<br />
issues. Transcript<br />
SPECIAL AGENT W.J. RECALLS 9/11<br />
Special Agent W.J. was based<br />
in the Brooklyn-Queens Resident<br />
Agency but was in the city<br />
for an interview the morning of<br />
September 11. He was working<br />
on an organized crime squad at<br />
the time. He was nearly killed in<br />
the collapse of the <strong>No</strong>rth Tower.<br />
Transcript<br />
SPECIAL AGENT J.A. RECALLS 9/11<br />
Special Agent J.A. was working<br />
on a truck hijacking squad<br />
in Brooklyn-Queens and was<br />
attending a meeting for hostage<br />
negotiators in New York City on<br />
September 11. He led the investigation<br />
of two suspected co-conspirators<br />
in the weeks that followed.<br />
Transcript<br />
SPECIAL AGENT S.S. RECALLS 9/11<br />
Special Agent S.S. was a member<br />
of New York’s Joint Terrorism<br />
Task Force. She worked briefly<br />
at the forensic recovery operations<br />
in Staten Island and near<br />
the World Trade Center site after<br />
the attack on New York City on<br />
September 11. Transcript<br />
Pennsylvania<br />
SPECIAL AGENT B.C. RECALLS 9/11<br />
Special Agent B.C. was the media<br />
representative for the Pittsburgh<br />
Field Office. He was on<br />
site the day after the event and<br />
stayed until the FBI turned the<br />
scene over to the county coroner.<br />
Transcript<br />
SPECIAL AGENT M.S. RECALLS 9/11<br />
Special Agent M.S. was one of<br />
three supervisory agents from<br />
the Pittsburgh Field Office on the<br />
scene after terrorists crashed a<br />
plane near Shanksville. He oversaw<br />
site logistics.<br />
Transcript<br />
SPECIAL AGENT P.M. RECALLS 9/11<br />
Special Agent P.M. oversaw site<br />
security at the crime scene near<br />
Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after<br />
terrorists crashed a plane there<br />
on September 11. script<br />
After planes crashed in New<br />
York and Washington, D.C. on<br />
September 11, 2001, employees<br />
at the FBI’s Pittsburgh office<br />
weren’t sure where to respond.<br />
Then news came of a fourth<br />
plane—United Flight 93—heading<br />
their way.<br />
Transcript / Visit Video Source<br />
...by the numbers.<br />
More than 4,000 special agents<br />
and 3,000 professional employees<br />
helped in the recovery and<br />
subsequent investigation of the<br />
9/11 attacks, which challenged<br />
the FBI to deploy its assets efficiently<br />
and in innovative ways.<br />
All FBI Headquarters divisions,<br />
field offices, and nearly every<br />
unit at the FBI Laboratory contributed.<br />
Among the efforts:<br />
• In New York, more than 1,000<br />
FBI employees from 55 of the 56<br />
field offices worked to recover<br />
victims, evidence, and personal<br />
belongings.<br />
• At the Pentagon, 155 FBI employees<br />
from eight field offices<br />
recovered evidence.<br />
• In Pennsylvania, 152 FBI employees<br />
from eight field offices<br />
recovered evidence.<br />
• Special agents and personnel<br />
in at least 30 of the FBI’s foreign<br />
offices tracked down leads and<br />
worked with international partners.<br />
• The FBI responded to more<br />
than 500,000 investigative leads.<br />
• Special agents conducted<br />
more than 167,000 interviews.<br />
• The FBI collected and processed<br />
more than 150,000 pieces<br />
of evidence.<br />
• Photographers took more<br />
than 170,000 pictures.<br />
• Computer experts examined<br />
more than 35 terabytes of data in<br />
the first 30 days of the investigation<br />
alone.<br />
• More than 70 agents and<br />
professional staff worked on the<br />
core investigative team.<br />
• Scores of FBI laboratory personnel<br />
helped identify victims<br />
and hijackers through DNA.<br />
• Dozens of document experts<br />
reviewed more than 1,600 small<br />
or damaged pieces of paper.<br />
• Dozens of fingerprint examiners<br />
received more than 3,800<br />
pieces of evidence and conducted<br />
more than 126,600 comparisons.<br />
• Five FBI cadaver dogs worked<br />
at the Pentagon.<br />
• Highly skilled FBI artists developed<br />
models of the sites and<br />
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produced dozens of graphics.<br />
• Hazardous materials specialists<br />
from numerous field offices<br />
worked the three sites.<br />
• Explosives experts examined<br />
plane wreckage and building debris<br />
for evidence of bombs.<br />
• FBI pilots transported teams,<br />
equipment, and specialists to<br />
different locations.<br />
• Technical specialists restored<br />
the New York Field Office’s computer<br />
and phone systems and<br />
provided emergency communication<br />
systems in Virginia and<br />
Pennsylvania.<br />
• FBI SWAT teams provided<br />
security at all three sites, and<br />
Hostage Rescue Teams evaluated<br />
security at several locations.<br />
• Specialists helped recover audio<br />
and data from cockpit voice<br />
and flight data recorders and<br />
analyzed other audio and video<br />
recordings.<br />
• The FBI’s Office for Victim<br />
Assistance (now the Victim Services<br />
Division) was created to<br />
serve thousands of victims and<br />
their families.<br />
The Flights: A Timeline.<br />
The Terrorists.<br />
The 19 men who hijacked and<br />
crashed the four planes were<br />
all trained by al Qaeda. Three of<br />
the suspected pilots—Mohamed<br />
Atta, Marwan Al-Shehhi, and<br />
Ziad Jarrah—were part of an al<br />
Qaeda cell based in Hamburg,<br />
Germany. All four pilots took flying<br />
lessons in the United States.<br />
Fifteen of the hijackers came<br />
from Saudi Arabia, two from the<br />
United Arab Emirates, one from<br />
Egypt, and one from Lebanon.<br />
The oldest was 33; the rest were<br />
between 20 and 29. The group<br />
also included two sets of brothers:<br />
Wail and Waleed Al-Shehri<br />
on American Flight 11, and Nawaf<br />
and Salem Al-Hazmi on American<br />
Flight 77.<br />
The hijackers began entering<br />
the United States in January<br />
2000 to advance the plot. All 19<br />
were in the country by early July<br />
2001.<br />
Nearly 3,000 people died on<br />
9/11. A 2-year-old girl on Flight<br />
175 died with her parents on<br />
their way to Disneyland. An<br />
85-year-old man on Flight 11<br />
died alongside his wife on their<br />
way to her son’s wedding. Eight<br />
children died, including three<br />
11-year-olds on Flight 77 taking<br />
a school trip. Three college students<br />
died on Flight 93.<br />
The victims lived in New York,<br />
Washington, D.C., and 27 states.<br />
One financial services firm lost<br />
658 employees. The U.S. Army<br />
lost 75 men and women. More<br />
than 400 first responders, including<br />
60 law enforcement officers,<br />
were killed. Nearly 3,000 children<br />
lost a parent. The FBI family<br />
lost two members that day:<br />
Special Agent Lenny Hatton was<br />
assisting firefighters was inside<br />
the World Trade Center when<br />
the buildings collapsed. Former<br />
Special Agent John O’Neill was<br />
also killed in the collapse.<br />
Today, FBI Director Wray requires<br />
new special agents and<br />
intelligence analysts to visit the<br />
National September 11 Memorial<br />
& Museum to remind them of<br />
their role to protect the American<br />
people and to remember the<br />
sacrifices of their brothers and<br />
sisters who rose to the occasion<br />
The Victims.<br />
and responded on 9/11.<br />
“When you have tough days—<br />
and I guarantee you, you will<br />
have tough days—remember this<br />
day and let it bring you back to<br />
the core of your job,” Wray tells<br />
new agents and analysts. “The<br />
stakes of the work we do. The<br />
people we do the work with. The<br />
people we do the work for. If you<br />
always keep those things front<br />
and center, you’ll have an incredibly<br />
rewarding career at the<br />
Bureau and you’ll leave the organization<br />
even better than when<br />
you found it. And our country<br />
will be better for it, too.”<br />
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JAESON JONES<br />
& THE BATTLE AT THE BORDER<br />
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JAESON JONES<br />
Mr. Jones was responsible for<br />
providing timely information and<br />
analysis necessary to prevent<br />
and protect against all threats.<br />
This included providing analysis<br />
and Intelligence to the Texas<br />
Rangers, Criminal Investigations<br />
Division, Texas Highway Patrol,<br />
Aircraft Section, and State Emergency<br />
Management Division.<br />
Given his knowledge of Mexican<br />
Cartel operations and threats involving<br />
border security, his focus<br />
is on best practices for combating<br />
transnational threats and<br />
the spread of violent criminal<br />
networks. Mr. Jones served as<br />
the Critical Incident Commander<br />
in the State Intelligence Center<br />
during both Fort Hood shootings,<br />
Austin IRS Echelon building<br />
attack, University of Texas<br />
active shooter incident, Odessa<br />
shooting involving four officers<br />
shot with over 1,200 rounds fired,<br />
Ranger Recon Mexican Cartel<br />
shooting, Murder of a Bexar<br />
County Sergeant, and the Bastrop<br />
County wildfire disaster. Mr.<br />
Jones has also led investigations<br />
targeting Mexican cartel leadership<br />
and built programs that<br />
collaborated closely with the U.S.<br />
intelligence community to help<br />
save lives in Mexico and throughout<br />
the United States.<br />
Mr. Jones is currently the Director/CEO<br />
of Omni Intelligence, a<br />
private company that strives to<br />
make the public and governmental<br />
agencies aware of the threats<br />
posed by unsecured borders and<br />
best practices to combat transnational<br />
crime. He is a nationally<br />
recognized authority on the Mexican<br />
cartels and lectures across<br />
the US and is a regular guest on<br />
major local and national media<br />
and news programs.<br />
IN HIS OWN WORDS<br />
JAESON’S INSPIRATION<br />
He really was and remains a<br />
source of inspiration, his name<br />
was Otis Cable, an incredible<br />
man who loved my mother beyond<br />
measure. Some of my earliest<br />
and fondest memories are<br />
of him walking into the house<br />
as a Houston Police Detective in<br />
Burglary and Theft wearing a suit<br />
and having his 1911, 70 series,<br />
Colt Commander pistol slid in<br />
the front of his pants. I used to<br />
wait for him to get home just to<br />
ask how many bad guys he had<br />
September <strong>2021</strong><br />
San Marcos, Texas<br />
By Dr. Tina Jaeckle<br />
“There is no hunting like the hunting of man, and those who have hunted armed men<br />
long enough and liked it, never care for anything else thereafter.” -Ernest Hemingway<br />
I first met Jaeson Jones in San<br />
Marcos, Texas in July and I was<br />
immediately captivated by not<br />
only his passion for his calling<br />
but also his frustration at the significant<br />
brokenness of US policies<br />
on border security. This incredible<br />
combination has driven Jaeson to<br />
take calculated risks for several<br />
years, first as a law enforcement<br />
officer and now as the director<br />
of his own intelligence company<br />
with the focus on illuminating<br />
threats through the effective<br />
sharing of information. Jaeson is<br />
unapologetically critical of the<br />
lack of intervention and adequate<br />
policing of the cartels and their<br />
role in extreme violence, drugs,<br />
and human trafficking. His courageous<br />
breaking news stories<br />
and intelligence on these issues<br />
is bringing forth a powerful and<br />
much needed awareness on the<br />
US failures at the border. Jaeson<br />
has been clearly impacted by<br />
what he has witnessed. Today<br />
he crosses the country speaking<br />
about what is happening but<br />
more importantly sharing proven<br />
solutions to fix these major problems.<br />
EXTENSIVE SUPERVISORY AND<br />
FIELD EXPERIENCE<br />
Jaeson Jones is a retired Captain<br />
from the Texas Department<br />
of Public Safety’s Intelligence<br />
and Counterterrorism Division.<br />
He managed the daily operations<br />
for the Texas Rangers, Border Security<br />
Operations Center (BSOC).<br />
He supervised Human Intelligence<br />
(HUMINT) operations in<br />
several nations and managed Intelligence<br />
lead operations for the<br />
longest 24/7 border operation in<br />
Texas history, Operation Secure<br />
Texas. He liaised daily with law<br />
enforcement and members of<br />
the intelligence community to<br />
collaborate with all disciplines<br />
of the homeland security enterprise.<br />
Jaeson Jones with Texas DPS SWAT Deploying from DPS Aircraft<br />
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Jaeson Jones (top right) Texas DPS SWAT 2003<br />
arrested that day. He would usually<br />
say, “Son it was a slow day,<br />
I only arrested about 30 or so.” I<br />
would proceed to bother him for<br />
the next hour or so as he would<br />
make up these great stories of<br />
events that never occurred and<br />
laughing the entire time. They<br />
are great memories of the past<br />
but no doubt his inspiration has<br />
been there since the start.<br />
I knew from an early age I<br />
wanted to be in law enforcement.<br />
I would become a corrections<br />
officer at the Hays County<br />
Sheriff’s Office, and a year<br />
later went through an academy<br />
becoming a Sheriff’s Deputy at<br />
twenty-one. As a young law<br />
enforcement officer learning<br />
to deal with the carnage<br />
people can do to one another,<br />
dad was always there ready to<br />
provide guidance and leader-<br />
ship to move through it. Even<br />
in his later years he would cut<br />
news clipping from the paper<br />
and mail them to me to ensure<br />
I was aware of crimes that had<br />
occurred. They always had his<br />
handwritten thoughts but ended<br />
with reminders to be safe<br />
out there. He retired from HPD<br />
in 1978. We lost him in 2010, but<br />
the inspiration he forged for me<br />
continues to this day.<br />
BUILDING TRUST & CONNECTIONS<br />
I learned a great deal about<br />
building layers of trust quickly as<br />
a young narcotics agent. Later,<br />
when I traveled the country<br />
trying to collaborate with federal<br />
agencies and intelligence<br />
agencies, I failed miserably many<br />
times before figuring out what<br />
worked. When I began working<br />
with the media it started<br />
by calling blindly trying to give<br />
away what we knew historically<br />
and help provide value to them.<br />
Eventually, we started making<br />
it into print and then beyond<br />
where we are today and are now<br />
working with the best investigative<br />
reporters in the business (at<br />
least of the few who are left).<br />
I believe that you must create<br />
multi-layers of trust. Trust is at<br />
the core of building relationships.<br />
Then you need to give way more<br />
than you are willing to receive.<br />
After a while you have proven<br />
you can be trusted. The best part<br />
comes when you create real synergy<br />
between different outlets<br />
to try and show what’s really<br />
happening. They know now that<br />
when I speak about the issues,<br />
I tell them what I know, what I<br />
don’t know, and what I believe<br />
based on the best data and historical<br />
information we can provide.<br />
We also break stories using<br />
a lot of video and photographs<br />
with a direct focus on transnational<br />
crime. I am a field guy and<br />
a collector by trade. I moved nine<br />
times across Texas during my career<br />
and still travel to the border<br />
at least once a month.<br />
HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF<br />
THE BORDER ISSUES<br />
Historically, I believe most<br />
Americans think of their southwest<br />
border as a single sublayer<br />
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Jaeson Jones with Texas DPS Aircraft on the Hannity show at the Texas border <strong>2021</strong><br />
component of immigration and<br />
for good reason. Politically, it<br />
has become a major dividing line<br />
for politicians playing to their<br />
base. To me, it has become one<br />
of the greatest National Security<br />
failures in American history. To<br />
law enforcement, it has become<br />
THE GRAY ZONE, documented<br />
daily throughout the Homeland<br />
Security Enterprise (HSE) intelligence<br />
and case reporting. Yet,<br />
policing has been left only to<br />
law enforcement and their limited<br />
capabilities. We have utilized<br />
every single tool available to<br />
law enforcement in an attempt<br />
to hold the line at the border; all<br />
the while executives have been<br />
KNOWINGLY failing our fellow<br />
citizens at unprecedented levels<br />
impacting every community in<br />
America.<br />
During all border surges we<br />
see something different, and this<br />
year’s surge has taken a dangerous<br />
turn in three subcomponent<br />
layers.<br />
First, people from over 165<br />
countries have been apprehended<br />
at the southwest border,<br />
validating that this is no longer<br />
simply a U.S., Mexico, Central,<br />
or South America migration of<br />
people. The world is coming into<br />
the U.S. at unprecedented levels.<br />
In the first ten months of fiscal<br />
year (fy21) 1.3 million apprehensions<br />
have occurred and of<br />
those, 240,<strong>37</strong>9 are from other<br />
countries, according the CBP<br />
data. Four known or suspected<br />
terrorists who were identified<br />
in the Terrorist Screening Data<br />
Base (TSDB) have been arrested.<br />
Those are just the unclassified<br />
numbers we know about from<br />
CBP. We still have two months<br />
left to go in this fiscal year.<br />
Second, FETNANYL, FENTANYL,<br />
FENTANYL, this deadly poison<br />
was first seized at the southwest<br />
border in 2015 at only 70 lbs. In<br />
<strong>2021</strong>, CBP has already seized a<br />
record setting 9,700 lbs. To date<br />
it is the deadliest poison killing<br />
Americans across the U.S. <strong>No</strong>tice<br />
that I did not call it a drug. Today,<br />
this poison, is mostly produced<br />
by two Mexican Cartels,<br />
Sinaloa and Cartel Jalisco New<br />
Generation (CJNG) throughout<br />
Mexico. They have massive clandestine<br />
laboratories (pill-mills)<br />
producing millions of pills daily.<br />
As a nation we are experiencing<br />
the largest overdose deaths<br />
ever recorded in American history.<br />
According to CDC data in<br />
2020, Americans lost 93,331 family<br />
members. Most people link<br />
this to China, the truth is today<br />
China sends chemical precursors<br />
to these two cartels who work<br />
as proxies of America’s destabilization.<br />
What is misunderstood<br />
is that the cartels are the only<br />
group that possess the tradecraft,<br />
techniques, procedures<br />
(TTP’s) and the established relationships<br />
to the criminal underworld<br />
throughout our country<br />
at all levels to be able to move<br />
massive amounts of poison and<br />
other commodities in and out of<br />
the country at will.<br />
Third, we see a quantum shift<br />
from the Mexican Cartels smuggling<br />
of people to trafficking. I<br />
have never witnessed anything<br />
like it in all my years stationed<br />
on the U.S. border in El Paso,<br />
Brownsville, and Laredo. In 2014,<br />
the average cost by an alien<br />
smuggling organization (ASO)<br />
to cross the Rio Grande River in<br />
South Texas was approximately<br />
$100 dollars and they did<br />
not care where you originated.<br />
Today, if you are Mexican, it’s<br />
$2,500, Central or South American<br />
$3,000, Chinese $5,000,<br />
and if you are Middle Eastern or<br />
Russian $9,000 dollars.<br />
I’ve yet this year to meet one<br />
migrant who can afford these<br />
fees. Plus, these fees are just at<br />
the river never mind the other<br />
piso (tax) as they call it, that<br />
other groups charged to reach<br />
the border. So, these people are<br />
in debt-bondage, which is recognized<br />
as a form of trafficking.<br />
Our nation, acting with compassion,<br />
is moving people all over<br />
the U.S. However, the government<br />
either fails to realize or<br />
doesn’t care that these people<br />
are indebted to a criminal organization<br />
in a foreign country for<br />
years, if not decades to come.<br />
The worst part is we are spreading<br />
this virus of trafficking to every<br />
part of our country and most<br />
Americans have no idea.<br />
IMMEDIATE BORDER CONCERNS<br />
I should probably say it is the<br />
National Security implications<br />
or describe the Mexican Cartels<br />
military capabilities; like their<br />
surface to air missiles, armored<br />
vehicles, light anti-tank weapons,<br />
car bombs, encrypted<br />
global communications, or how<br />
they have become a parallel government<br />
in Mexico with virtually<br />
little difference between them<br />
and the Mexican government.<br />
Perhaps I should say it is the<br />
mass murders of 72 migrants in<br />
San Fernando or the 300 men,<br />
women, and children of Allende,<br />
Mx who were killed, and their<br />
bodies chopped into pieces then<br />
“guiso” (stew) cooked into nothing<br />
left but ash by the Los Zetas<br />
cartel. The truth is for me it’s<br />
not their actions any longer that<br />
keeps me up at night. The cartels<br />
evolution and evil deeds are well<br />
documented. What concerns<br />
me most is the rampant INSTI-<br />
TUTIONALIZED COWARDICE of<br />
government agency executives to<br />
protect our citizens.<br />
THE PASSION THAT DRIVES HIM<br />
During my career I sat across<br />
the table and debriefed many<br />
cartel operatives from ventanas<br />
(windows/watchers) to halcones<br />
(hawks/lookouts), sicarios<br />
(hitmen), plaza bosses, to even<br />
bosses of the cartels. Recently,<br />
I debriefed a former Los Zeta<br />
boss who worked closely with<br />
Omar and Miguel Trevino who<br />
now lives in the United States<br />
like so many others. I asked the<br />
question, what’s it like killing<br />
so many people? When I asked,<br />
the individual first paused for a<br />
second, looked down then back<br />
up at me without missing a beat<br />
and stated, “it’s like squashing a<br />
bug, after a while you get used<br />
to it.”<br />
I’m sharing this as an example<br />
of the threat that faces us. I<br />
believe that once again the U.S.<br />
Intelligence Community, government<br />
agencies, and leaders have<br />
again failed to see the Mexican<br />
Cartels as the emerging threat<br />
to our citizens and country just<br />
as they had prior to 9/11. It is our<br />
mission to stop it. The Mexican<br />
Cartels pose a clear and present<br />
danger to the National Security<br />
of the United States and a reckoning<br />
is coming for what they<br />
have done to so many innocent<br />
men, women, and children from<br />
countries all around the world.<br />
GREATEST PERSONAL AND<br />
PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVE-<br />
MENTS<br />
In 2012, a small unit within<br />
the department (that cannot be<br />
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Jaeson Jones on the border with Lara Logan - FOX NATION - Roma, Texas 2019<br />
mentioned) received information<br />
from a single human source that<br />
over forty migrants were being<br />
held in a stash house by the Los<br />
Zetas cartel in Piedras Negras,<br />
Mexico. The source stated that<br />
these people were to be killed<br />
in a mass execution as previously<br />
seen conducted by the cartel<br />
in a message to rivals. Through<br />
corroborated intelligence, the<br />
victims were identified from the<br />
countries of Honduras, Nicaragua,<br />
Mexico, and possibly China.<br />
These people were attempting<br />
to enter the United States illegally<br />
for a better life, but unknown<br />
to them had only hours to<br />
live. Unfortunately, time would<br />
run out on the first day and we<br />
would soon learn that at least<br />
ten people were removed from<br />
the residence taken to what<br />
the Zetas referred to as a kill<br />
house and executed them. They<br />
were chopped into pieces and<br />
their body parts tossed into the<br />
streets as the source had originally<br />
stated.<br />
It was a blow beyond words to<br />
so many who had worked tirelessly<br />
to save them. As a leader,<br />
I remember thinking how in the<br />
world can I pick these people<br />
back up from such horrendous<br />
events, help them to regain their<br />
confidence and trust to keep going.<br />
We were all operating at a<br />
much different level than at any<br />
other time. Many were just young<br />
analysts fresh out of college<br />
who had never dealt with such<br />
human tragedy. It was a challenging<br />
time to say the least.<br />
By the following morning, the<br />
same source had once again<br />
called pleading as more were<br />
to be killed in the same method<br />
that evening. Once again, these<br />
incredible people came together<br />
from the department, U.S.<br />
Customs and Border Protection<br />
(CBP), Federal Bureau of Investigation<br />
(FBI), Drug Enforcement<br />
Administration (DEA), United<br />
States Armed Forces, and members<br />
of the intelligence community<br />
to validate the information.<br />
Throughout the evening hours<br />
and into the following morning<br />
Law Enforcement in two (2)<br />
countries worked together and<br />
coordinated efforts to save lives.<br />
During the early morning hours<br />
Elite Units of (SEMAR) with the<br />
Mexican Military launched a<br />
liberation operation at the residence.<br />
While the details of this<br />
operation cannot be further<br />
described, the results can. Fifty-two<br />
(52) people in total, eight<br />
(8) woman and forty-four (44)<br />
men, from three different countries<br />
were freed during this operation.<br />
It is just one of the many<br />
that can be talked about publicly.<br />
It was not the operation here<br />
that is the story, the achievement<br />
was in the people working<br />
it, the synergy created by all<br />
and the agencies willing to put<br />
aside egos, titles, and fears, to<br />
work together. I was honored<br />
beyond measure to work with<br />
them and to help lead a new era<br />
in a team approach completely<br />
unique at the time for state law<br />
enforcement breaching previous<br />
barriers into a new realm of<br />
effort beyond borders through<br />
collaboration. It only occurred<br />
because we spent years traveling<br />
the country building trust forged<br />
at every level of the homeland<br />
security enterprise. That’s how<br />
you win operating in the GRAY<br />
ZONE which today is Mexico and<br />
our unsecure border.<br />
APPROACHES TO ADDRESSING<br />
TRANSNATIONAL CRIME<br />
Since retiring in 2016, my focus<br />
has been trying to get the<br />
Mexican Cartels designated as<br />
foreign terrorist organizations<br />
(FTO’s). To win against transnational<br />
crime and terrorism you<br />
have to have the capabilities and<br />
tools of national power. That<br />
does not mean going to war with<br />
the cartels. It means being able<br />
to add speed and additional capabilities<br />
to the system.<br />
Let me explain, I believe Americans<br />
would be surprised that<br />
most cartels’ operatives in the<br />
U.S. are here legally. Remember,<br />
they can afford to get a visa to<br />
be in the country. If we had the<br />
FTO designation we don’t need<br />
to work a two-year investigation<br />
on an individual. You can quickly<br />
revoke their visa and remove<br />
them rapidly from the country.<br />
It also allows us to put them on<br />
the terrorism watch lists globally.<br />
<strong>No</strong>w we can limit their mobility<br />
around the world not just<br />
in our own country. Finally, you<br />
hear a lot publicly about follow<br />
the money investigations. Here<br />
is the truth, we have been doing<br />
those investigations for well over<br />
a decade. The FTO designation<br />
allows us to go after their money<br />
with new tools and speed<br />
outside our own country. When<br />
you think of the Mexican Cartels<br />
today and the quantum leaps<br />
they have gone through, try to<br />
look at them through the lens of<br />
what they are now and not as we<br />
remember them as drug cartels.<br />
Drug sales is something they do;<br />
it is not what or who they are.<br />
Today, they operate globally and<br />
meet every definition of foreign<br />
terrorist organization because<br />
that’s what they have become.<br />
The lack of data collection: The<br />
Federal Bureau of Investigation<br />
(FBI) since 1934 has utilized a<br />
system for collection of crimes<br />
known as the Uniform Crime<br />
Report (UCR). It captures eight<br />
index crimes from law enforcement<br />
agencies across the United<br />
States. So, all the crimes I talk<br />
about, drug trafficking, weapons<br />
trafficking, human trafficking,<br />
human smuggling, money<br />
laundering, caltrop deployments<br />
(spikes used by the cartels in<br />
pursuits along border), bailouts<br />
(pursuit with migrants ending<br />
usually in a crash who then run<br />
in every direction), public corruption,<br />
kidnapping, extortions,<br />
stash houses, virtual kidnapping,<br />
and the long list of new 21st<br />
century crimes are not captured.<br />
This failed system is the single<br />
biggest point of failure on recognizing<br />
the effects of transnational<br />
crime in the United States<br />
because the data does not show<br />
the effects of spillover violence<br />
impacting the American people.<br />
In 1984, The FBI created what<br />
they call the new National Incident<br />
Reporting System (NIBRS),<br />
which in <strong>2021</strong>, was supposed<br />
to go into effect nationwide.<br />
It is better in that it collects<br />
on fifty-two new index crimes.<br />
However, once again the FBI<br />
Executives fail to recognize local<br />
and state law enforcement don’t<br />
need to know what happened<br />
with crime trends nationwide<br />
12 months ago. They need to<br />
know what happened 12 minutes<br />
ago and its effects on their<br />
state, city, and or county. A new<br />
real time data collection which<br />
captures all transnational crime<br />
and emerging trends needs to be<br />
created.<br />
Google can tell you words<br />
that are trending anywhere in<br />
the world, but the FBI can’t even<br />
collaborate with local, state, and<br />
other federal agencies to create<br />
a reporting system on crimes.<br />
This is an extremely important<br />
issue; I use to travel the country<br />
as a Captain with Texas Department<br />
of Public Safety and would<br />
brief leadership trying to get<br />
them to understand what we<br />
were seeing in Texas along the<br />
border with spillover violence.<br />
They would say Jaeson, “We<br />
hear you, but we don’t see it in<br />
the data.” What I would learn is<br />
that no one was lying, instead<br />
the system did not have the<br />
ability to capture transnational<br />
crimes. What I am trying to say<br />
is that if we expect to change<br />
multi-million-dollar programs<br />
to new initiatives that affect the<br />
nation we must be able to see it<br />
in the data. We need to be able<br />
to clearly articulate to elected<br />
leaders why we need the money<br />
in government agencies to focus<br />
on emerging trends. Therefore,<br />
our law enforcement is operating<br />
blindly and out of focus on<br />
the issues clearly affecting the<br />
American people.<br />
Lastly, transnational crime<br />
operating in the GRAY ZONE is<br />
92 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 93
igger in scope and capability<br />
than any single law enforcing<br />
agency in the country. This is why<br />
the whole of government approach<br />
is the requirement not the<br />
exception. The chaos unfolding<br />
at our border is the example. CBP<br />
should have had thousands of<br />
federal law enforcement agents<br />
and assets like aircraft sent from<br />
around the country. Here we find<br />
ourselves in the worst border<br />
crisis in American history. We<br />
are told how everyone is working<br />
together with our partners. Yet,<br />
the truth is that not near enough<br />
assets are being utilized at the<br />
border. The executive leadership<br />
of federal agencies have failed the<br />
men and women of CBP, state, and<br />
local law enforcement along the<br />
border by leaving them to handle<br />
this crisis alone.<br />
I will say it again, without hesitation.<br />
The institutionalized cowardice<br />
of the Director of the FBI,<br />
Administrator of the DEA, the Department<br />
of Justice, and many other<br />
leaders within the Department<br />
of Homeland Security (DHS) should<br />
be fired immediately for their lack<br />
of action on this crisis that has left<br />
our citizens and communities to be<br />
overrun with transnational crime.<br />
FUTURE DIRECTIONS<br />
I would like to have a show<br />
on some outlet traveling to the<br />
world’s borders to show how<br />
transnational organizations are<br />
wreaking havoc on citizens globally.<br />
Human Trafficking must be<br />
the focus. The world’s borders are<br />
crumbling and bad actors, either<br />
terrorist or criminal, are operating<br />
in the GRAY ZONE. I would like to<br />
illuminate it so we can eliminate<br />
it. I believe if we cast light on to<br />
what is occurring that is how we<br />
win against it.<br />
A FEW FINAL WORDS<br />
For our nation, we are at a solemn<br />
moment in history. I want all<br />
Americans to know that what is<br />
happening at our border and in our<br />
communities is fixable. I want them<br />
to know that there are those who<br />
have worked these issues for many<br />
decades and know exactly what<br />
needs to be done. For the Mexican<br />
cartels their end is already written.<br />
What should never be forgotten is<br />
the silence and inaction by leaderless<br />
agencies that have allowed<br />
this evil to triumph.<br />
94 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE<br />
The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 95
WHO WANTS TO BE A COP?<br />
New series takes deep dive into St. Petersburg Police Academy<br />
96 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 97
PART 41<br />
The Shoot House<br />
“Just like that: Bang. You’re Dead.”<br />
By LANE DeGREGORY<br />
Times Staff Writer<br />
Photographs by<br />
JOHN PENDYGRAFT<br />
Some guy is blaring music in<br />
his apartment, so a neighbor<br />
calls the cops. “You got to go out<br />
there, assess the situation, think<br />
fast!” a coach tells the cadets.<br />
“Action beats reaction every<br />
time.”<br />
It’s a chilly Tuesday in December,<br />
and the recruits are carrying<br />
radios, wearing gun belts. They<br />
are lined up across from the St.<br />
Petersburg police academy, outside<br />
the shoot house.<br />
Anything can happen.<br />
The upstairs of this two-story<br />
building is set up like a shabby<br />
apartment: old couch, bookshelf,<br />
fake flowers.<br />
Seen through the open door<br />
and a window, recruits in caps<br />
stand listening to their instructor.<br />
Cadets wait to be called into<br />
the shoot house to see what<br />
scenes their instructors will<br />
role-play with them.<br />
Downstairs is an abandoned<br />
office complex, or warehouse, or<br />
whatever the coaches want it to<br />
be.<br />
Today, for the first time, the<br />
cadets will pretend they are officers<br />
sent to a scene. It’s called<br />
“role-based training.”<br />
The scenarios are from actual<br />
calls, acted out by coaches and<br />
classmates.<br />
You don’t have to arrest someone,<br />
the coach says. And remember<br />
to keep your guard up.<br />
“Warn the person to turn down<br />
their music. If you have to come<br />
back, write a ticket. Check halls<br />
and bedrooms. Don’t do your<br />
business in the kitchen. There are<br />
bad weapons there. Find your exit<br />
points. Know how to get out of<br />
the house if something happens.”<br />
There’s no way to prepare rookie<br />
cops for every situation they<br />
will face. So, instructors throw all<br />
sorts of possibilities at the recruits.<br />
Some scenarios they might<br />
not confront for years, or ever.<br />
The goal is to help them think<br />
through ways to react, consider<br />
what-ifs, develop physical memories.<br />
Learn to be decisive, act<br />
quickly.<br />
They teach them that 911 calls<br />
aren’t always what they seem. A<br />
disorderly complaint can lead to<br />
an abused child. Someone loitering<br />
can turn into a K-9 chase.<br />
Suicides become homicides.<br />
Sometimes, it’s shoot or get<br />
shot.<br />
“Try to disarm them,” the coach<br />
says. “But if they threaten you,<br />
shoot for center mass. We don’t<br />
train to wound.<br />
“Keep shooting until the threat<br />
stops. That’s why you see suspects<br />
shot seven times, if they’re<br />
still coming at you.”<br />
Metal music is throbbing inside<br />
“the apartment,” so Hannah<br />
Anhalt knocks loudly. “Police!”<br />
she says. “We want to talk to you<br />
really quickly.”<br />
The music gets softer. From inside,<br />
someone calls, “Come on in!”<br />
Anhalt and her partner have silver<br />
handcuffs and orange plastic<br />
weapons. They look at each other,<br />
unsure what to do. “We’d rather<br />
you come out here in the hall and<br />
talk to us,” says her partner. “Step<br />
outside, sir.”<br />
He won’t. From across the hall,<br />
a neighbor confronts the cadets.<br />
“What’s going on?”<br />
The door opens slightly. “I don’t<br />
really want to go outside,” the<br />
man says. He must be hiding<br />
something, Anhalt’s partner decides.<br />
So, she shoulders the door<br />
open and shoves the man back.<br />
While her partner is making<br />
“contact,” Anhalt should be<br />
“covering,” watching the hall.<br />
Instead, she follows her partner<br />
inside, leaving the door open. As<br />
her partner tries to wrestle the<br />
man into handcuffs, the neighbor<br />
strides into the room and grabs<br />
Anhalt’s gun.<br />
He wraps his left arm around<br />
her neck, presses the barrel to<br />
her temple. Says, “You’re my<br />
hostage now.”<br />
Anhalt’s partner freezes. “I<br />
don’t know what to do.”<br />
The instructor, his back to the<br />
camera, holds an orange training<br />
pistol to his head while a recruit,<br />
her back to the wall, points a<br />
blue training pistol at him.<br />
Hannah Anhalt wonders how to<br />
react to a suicidal man.<br />
“That went horribly,” Anhalt<br />
says. But she realizes her mistake.<br />
“I should’ve grabbed you<br />
and stopped you from coming<br />
into the apartment,” she tells the<br />
coach. “I got distracted and had<br />
tunnel vision.”<br />
“One hundred percent,” says<br />
the coach, letting her go. “You<br />
should have made the suspect<br />
talk to you in his apartment,<br />
instead of in the hall, where<br />
neighbors can get involved. You<br />
should’ve warned me that if I<br />
came into that apartment, you<br />
would arrest me for obstruction.<br />
You should’ve been more assertive.<br />
Tell me, ‘Sit your ass down<br />
now!’”<br />
Have a plan with your partner,<br />
98 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 99
the coach says. “If you say her<br />
first name, she’ll take a shot. She<br />
might hit you in the shoulder, but<br />
at least you’ll be alive.”<br />
Anhalt nods. “Did you feel me<br />
pull your gun?” asks the coach.<br />
Anhalt shakes her head. “<strong>No</strong>t at<br />
all.”<br />
“Yeah, just like that,” the coach<br />
says. “Bang! You’re dead.”<br />
Halfway through the academy,<br />
the recruits have learned to collect<br />
evidence, photograph injuries,<br />
check suspects’ waistbands<br />
for weapons. They figured out<br />
how to load a gun in six seconds,<br />
then do it with their eyes<br />
closed. They saw how blood<br />
pools and settles in a body.<br />
Battery, they now know, is any<br />
form of striking. If someone loses<br />
a tooth, that’s a felony battery.<br />
If the suspect has a weapon — or<br />
the victim is pregnant — it’s an<br />
aggravated battery, which means<br />
more time in jail.<br />
In a darkened classroom, a<br />
recruit intently studies her textbook.<br />
Brittany Moody always has her<br />
textbook and highlighters so she<br />
can get in extra study time while<br />
waiting to be called into the next<br />
scenario. By LANE DeGREGORY,<br />
Times The 24 Staff cadets Writer have spent days<br />
at the rifle range shooting with<br />
both They hands, can’t get learning over the how wall. to hit<br />
a It’s moving 6-feet target tall, made and of fire smooth while<br />
they’re wood. <strong>No</strong>thing running. to They’re hold or judged stand<br />
on<br />
on.<br />
the speed of their reactions,<br />
Even the tallest men are struggling.<br />
how well they use cover, the<br />
accuracy of their shots. They’re<br />
“Run at it. Get a grip. Haul yourself<br />
expected up,” shouts to a become coach in marks-<br />
a red<br />
not<br />
men shirt. during “Don’t give the academy, them a huge and are<br />
encouraged target.” to keep practicing<br />
and You get never more know training. when you’re<br />
going They’ve to have been to taught chase a how suspect to<br />
counsel over a wall. someone contemplating<br />
suicide, It’s a drizzly how to day subdue in late subjects September.<br />
The police recruits are lined<br />
on their stomachs. “Put your<br />
knee on their back,” a coach<br />
said. “<strong>No</strong>t on the neck. Never on<br />
the neck. With George Floyd, that<br />
was never a tactic. That guy just<br />
screwed up.”<br />
They rehearsed knocking hard<br />
and announcing, “Police!” — so<br />
whoever is inside will know.<br />
“In the Breonna Taylor case,<br />
that was the whole problem,”<br />
a coach said. “They didn’t announce.”<br />
After three months, they’ve<br />
learned about each other.<br />
Anhalt is a great shot, especially<br />
at moving targets. KeVonn<br />
Mabon started calling her, “Jane<br />
Wick,” after the movie action<br />
hero. She loves that, and can’t<br />
wait to take her fiancé shooting<br />
to show off her skills.<br />
Mabon is “the rabbit,” Anhalt<br />
said. “He keeps us all chasing<br />
him, but no one can keep up.” In<br />
drills, would-be suspects can<br />
never run fast enough to escape<br />
his tackles.<br />
Brittany “Mama” Moody is<br />
fierce in the mat room, especially<br />
good at “gift-wrapping”<br />
— taking suspects to the floor.<br />
She’s become more suspicious of<br />
strangers. up behind St. Petersburg College’s<br />
Allstate A coach Center, is on between the couch the in rifle the<br />
next range scenario, and shoot leafing house. through<br />
magazines Three weeks on into an old training, coffee<br />
table. they’ve He learned told cadets to keep he their called eyes<br />
911, on the then door, hung do up. push-ups So, they on had ca-tdence,<br />
check on<br />
tell<br />
him.<br />
reasonable suspicion<br />
from probable cause, frisk someone,<br />
search a car and carry coffee<br />
When Mabon knocks loudly, the<br />
coach calls, “Come in!”<br />
in their left hand so they can grab<br />
their Mabon gun scans with their the room, right. keeping<br />
Brittany his right Moody hand is on the his first holster. woman<br />
in partner her class checks to conquer the hall, the then<br />
His<br />
follows, obstacle closing course. She the apartment played five<br />
door. sports growing up and works out<br />
every Before morning. either recruit says a<br />
word, This morning, the coach they’re yells: starting “What the<br />
obstacle course that’s designed to<br />
took you so long? I lost my job.<br />
My wife left me. And now I can’t<br />
find my dog.”<br />
“Can you stand up for me?”<br />
asks Mabon’s partner. He’s not<br />
sure why.<br />
“<strong>No</strong>! I don’t want to do that!”<br />
screams the coach. “This is my<br />
f---ing house! And I can’t find my<br />
dog.”<br />
“What kind of dog?” asks<br />
Mabon’s partner, watching the<br />
coach’s face. Mabon is fixed on<br />
his hands. When he sees him<br />
slowly reach for the magazines,<br />
Mabon whips out his gun, points<br />
it at the coach’s chest, and says,<br />
“Bam!”<br />
His partner, stunned, stares. He<br />
never saw the gun beneath the<br />
Elle Decor.<br />
“I didn’t want to tell you he had<br />
a gun, or let him know I knew,”<br />
Mabon says. “We could have a<br />
code word for that, I guess?”<br />
“Code words are good,” says<br />
the coach. “We used red for<br />
weapons. ‘I pulled you over at<br />
the red light …”<br />
“You were going to shoot me,<br />
weren’t you?” Mabon asks the<br />
coach. “I broke leather as soon<br />
as I saw you move for your gun.”<br />
predict “Okay, their yes. perils: Even if crawl a gun under is on a<br />
the fence, table, slither it’s through a threat.” a tube, hoist<br />
yourself State curriculum into a make-shift calls for attic. 56<br />
hours They’re of training slick with on sweat, interviewing<br />
dirt, and cheering report writing, each other 35 hours on.<br />
covered<br />
on “You “fundamentals got it! Come of on! patrol,” Keep going!”<br />
If<br />
80<br />
hours of<br />
you<br />
defensive<br />
fall, you<br />
tactics.<br />
have to<br />
Individual<br />
academies can’t deviate<br />
start<br />
over.<br />
“You have three chances,” the<br />
from those mandates, but Coach<br />
coach says.<br />
Joe In the Saponare real world, added you “role-based might only<br />
training” get one. in every block.<br />
After Class the 219 is first mostly one, white the cadets and<br />
know male, but they’ll it is never the most get enough. diverse<br />
yet, Being said in Joe the Saponare, room with who a oversees<br />
recruit suspect, training figuring at St. Peters-<br />
out<br />
would-be<br />
what burg College’s to do and Law when, Enforcement trying to<br />
Academy: seven women, five Black<br />
talk to someone who’s screaming<br />
at you, worrying that he has<br />
a gun — or might grab yours…<br />
“It’s not like just reading it in<br />
the book,” Anhalt said.<br />
The coaches agree. Six months<br />
isn’t nearly long enough to get<br />
someone ready to be a police<br />
officer. Becoming a lawyer takes<br />
people, a college two degree Latinos. plus Half three went to<br />
college. years; a Six doctor were needs in the military. at least<br />
The four youngest, more. And age those 19, lives jobs with aren’t<br />
his nearly parents. as dangerous. One of the oldest is<br />
raising “The a more son. She’s you train, already the earned better<br />
a off nickname, you’ll be,” Mama the Moody. coach tells the<br />
cadets.<br />
Some registered<br />
“You have<br />
for<br />
to<br />
the<br />
keep<br />
academy<br />
working,<br />
stay sharp.”<br />
last spring, before George Floyd<br />
was killed, before people took to<br />
Don’t get lazy, the coach says.<br />
the streets demanding that governments<br />
“Lazy breeds defund complacency, the police. They and<br />
decided complacency to attend breeds anyway. death.”<br />
Others Work applied on your because communication of those<br />
outcries. skills, he tells them. Practice<br />
having They know conversations, they will be even insulted,<br />
just targeted, talking hated to yourself. — some You’ll critics be<br />
if it’s<br />
are surprised openly hostile. how much But 30 you young can do<br />
people signed up for the first class<br />
with words.<br />
Be kind but cautious, the coach<br />
says.<br />
Hold true to your ethics. Do<br />
what you know is right, he says,<br />
no matter what others are doing<br />
around you. “Your destiny rests<br />
with you.”<br />
Illuminated only by a flashlight<br />
the beam pandemic shining closed on the the floor,<br />
since<br />
academy. a recruit squats near a corner of<br />
Saponare, a darkened who room, cadets holding call a blue<br />
Coach training Sap, pistol. expected applications<br />
to plummet Moody watches after the her protests teammates’<br />
Instead, backs he as said, they more clear people a dark<br />
last<br />
year.<br />
than building. ever applied.<br />
<strong>No</strong><br />
At<br />
agency<br />
a warehouse,<br />
tracks how<br />
an<br />
many<br />
alarm goes<br />
people apply to U.S. police academies,<br />
according to the National<br />
off. You get there and see the<br />
Police<br />
side<br />
Foundation.<br />
door is open,<br />
Anecdotal<br />
Coach Sap<br />
evidence<br />
explains. from You the country’s must figure 18,000 out<br />
law what’s enforcement happened, agencies see if is anyone’s<br />
contradictory. inside, clear Some the building. departments<br />
are struggling Form groups to fill of vacancies. three, he tells<br />
And the officers cadets. are Pick quitting a leader. at record Knock<br />
rates, and many announce. after only When a few you years. have<br />
In September 2019, even before<br />
a suspect in custody, cuff them.<br />
Communicate with the subject<br />
and each other.<br />
On this second day of scenarios,<br />
the recruits are carrying blue<br />
guns that shoot pink paintballs.<br />
“Has anyone here been hit by<br />
simulated bullets?” asks a coach.<br />
“They hurt, so try not to get shot.<br />
the Identify protests, your the target. Police Executive Know where<br />
Research the threat Forum is coming released from. a report I’ve<br />
about seen the partners “workforce shoot crisis.” partners.” It<br />
said <strong>No</strong> the matter job of policing what, he has says, be-don’come<br />
give more up. “Your challenging, scenario as isn’t offi-ovecers<br />
just grapple because with you social got shot.” issues<br />
like mental Moody illness, leads the and first new group. types<br />
of She criminals, stops at like the those doorway who deal and<br />
in cyberspace.<br />
steps to the side, using the wall<br />
St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony<br />
Holloway, an officer for 35<br />
as a barrier. She doesn’t knock<br />
years,<br />
or announce.<br />
said last summer<br />
When she<br />
was<br />
leans<br />
the<br />
first out time to look he questioned down the whether hall, she<br />
he points still wanted her gun to serve. to the “It ground. felt<br />
like everybody Two recruits, was wearing against goggles, us,” he<br />
said. advance “I’d like carefully to see the through naysayers an<br />
see opened what our doorway, officers the have only to deal illumiwith<br />
every day.”<br />
100 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 101
nation a flashlight beam.<br />
Anhalt peeks around a corner.<br />
When cadets make a wrong<br />
move, a coach shoots them with<br />
paint pellets.<br />
“Never hold your gun down!”<br />
calls a coach. “Never peek out<br />
the door without pointing your<br />
gun there.”<br />
She nods, and proceeds down<br />
the dark hall, two recruits following.<br />
“<strong>No</strong>t close enough!” calls<br />
the coach. “Butt to gut!”<br />
With a flashlight in her left<br />
hand, the gun in her right, she<br />
searches a storeroom. “Clear!”<br />
A bathroom. “Clear!” A cluttered<br />
classroom. “Pinellas County<br />
sheriff!” she shouts. “If you’re in<br />
here, come out with your hands<br />
up!”<br />
<strong>No</strong> one does. She shines a<br />
flashlight around the walls, then<br />
moves onto another bathroom,<br />
which one of her partners is<br />
checking. “I got your back! I got<br />
your back!” Moody calls, watching<br />
the hall.<br />
Coach Sap had been hiding behind<br />
the door in that classroom.<br />
He jumps out and points his gun<br />
at Moody, shoots her six times.<br />
Pink splats stain her shirt.<br />
Her partners stand beside her,<br />
mouths open.<br />
“What are you going to do?<br />
What do you do now?” asks<br />
Two of you kept your backs to<br />
the door, Coach Sap says. <strong>No</strong> one<br />
called, “Shots fired!”<br />
“You guys have to communicate<br />
better. You can’t be afraid,”<br />
he tells them. “I was ready to<br />
light you up some more.”<br />
In the next scenario, Coach Sap<br />
holds a gun to his head, cries<br />
that his wife is cheating on him,<br />
again.<br />
“Sir, we can help you. Put the<br />
gun down,” Moody says calmly,<br />
falls face down.<br />
In a darkened hallway, the<br />
trainer holds a blue training<br />
pistol to his head as a recruit in<br />
the foreground points a training<br />
pistol towards him.<br />
Coach Joe Saponare challenges<br />
cadets’ decision-making skills<br />
in a dark hallway.<br />
“Somebody else needs to know<br />
what to do,” Coach Sap says<br />
from the floor. “It can’t always be<br />
Moody.”<br />
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PART 5<br />
COP CARS<br />
“Live the Aggression.”<br />
By LANE DeGREGORY, Times<br />
Staff Writer<br />
Photographs by JOHN PENDY-<br />
GRAFT<br />
This is supposed to be the fun<br />
part: screaming sirens, strobing<br />
lights, steering cars through<br />
quick turns, but orange cones<br />
are everywhere. “Bad guys” are<br />
getting away. Coaches are yelling,<br />
stressing out the recruits.<br />
The cadets are beside the vast<br />
driving range at the St. Petersburg<br />
police academy, alternating<br />
through the “pursuit” course:<br />
Four-point turns in tight intersections,<br />
racing through gravel,<br />
then along wet pavement, backing<br />
up through cones at 35 mph,<br />
screeching to sudden stops.<br />
A coach rides with each recruit,<br />
watching their maneuvers, offering<br />
advice — and angry criticism.<br />
“What are you thinking? If you<br />
do that out there, you’ll die!”<br />
It’s a crisp December morning.<br />
A second recruit had to drop out<br />
after catching COVID-19 during<br />
Thanksgiving break, so now<br />
there are 23. Everyone is tired,<br />
distracted, anxious.<br />
“Take a deep breath,” says a<br />
coach. “Talk to yourself. Remind<br />
yourself what you’ve learned.<br />
Tap your brakes going into those<br />
turns.”<br />
If you hit a cone — or start<br />
crying — you’re done.<br />
A blurred photograph taken<br />
through the windshield of a<br />
moving car, the only sharp point<br />
being the rear-view mirror with<br />
the recruit’s face reflected in it.<br />
Instructors keep the pace fast<br />
and the pressure high on the<br />
driving range.<br />
They only have one week to<br />
practice in the white, unmarked<br />
cars. They’ve been getting used<br />
to the powerful engines that<br />
leap off the line, the loud motors,<br />
tight steering, quick brakes.<br />
Most of them have been driving<br />
Taurus’s. A few were assigned<br />
classic Crown Vics.<br />
This afternoon, they’re competing<br />
to be the “Top Driver,” an<br />
honor given to whoever finishes<br />
the course fastest.<br />
You get an award at graduation.<br />
You get to sign the orange<br />
cone that gets handed down<br />
from class to class.<br />
“Okay, you’re going to go<br />
straight into the intersection,<br />
we’ll shout at you where to stop.<br />
Make sure you stop correctly, no<br />
skids,” cautions a coach, pointing<br />
out corners of the course. “Make<br />
the 90-degree turn. Serpentine<br />
through the six-pack. Don’t run<br />
over the pole.”<br />
“This is a timed event. Line up<br />
in alphabetical order. Oh, and<br />
today, everybody’s driving the<br />
Crown Vics.”<br />
The cadets start complaining.<br />
Why those old cars? That’s not<br />
fair. Why teach us on Taurus’s,<br />
then switch now?<br />
In a police car, the instructor in<br />
the driver’s seat points his finger<br />
in the air while the recruit pays<br />
attention.<br />
Coach Rick Tapia lectures<br />
Anhalt before her final driving<br />
examination.<br />
First up, Hannah Anhalt, one of<br />
the smallest recruits. She climbs<br />
behind the wheel. The seat is so<br />
much lower than in the Taurus,<br />
the dashboard so much higher.<br />
When she stretches to see<br />
through the windshield, her feet<br />
barely brush the pedals.<br />
<strong>No</strong> time to adjust the seat. Or<br />
mirrors.<br />
As soon as she straps on her<br />
seatbelt, the coach beside her<br />
barks, “Go!” and starts his stopwatch.<br />
“You got this!” classmates yell.<br />
She knows she doesn’t. When<br />
she presses the gas, the Crown<br />
Vic lurches forward, and she<br />
brakes. “Go!” yells the coach. “Go!<br />
You’re being timed!”<br />
On the rifle range, she learned<br />
to tune everything out, keep her<br />
cool, focus. She scored 47 out of<br />
48 on the exam. “More Jane Wick<br />
stuff,” KeVonn Mabon teased her.<br />
That’s been her favorite part<br />
of the academy so far. For Hanukkah,<br />
she asked her fiancé<br />
for a gun, so she wouldn’t have<br />
to keep borrowing his. She’d<br />
wanted to take him shooting<br />
over the break, but she has to do<br />
ride-alongs with the Clearwater<br />
police.<br />
US News and World Report<br />
headline “Second Black Man Shot<br />
Dead by Police in Ohio City, Officer<br />
Relieved of Duty.”<br />
Over Thanksgiving, she had<br />
helped arrest an elderly homeless<br />
man defecating on a loading<br />
dock, responded to a domestic<br />
violence call where a man had<br />
a concealed weapon license,<br />
and gone to a park to settle a<br />
dispute between two women<br />
arguing over a dog collar. Every<br />
night, her brother texts her, “Did<br />
you die today?”<br />
A cadet had asked her classmates<br />
if they have ever felt like<br />
they were going to die? One<br />
woman had panicked while<br />
rock climbing. Anhalt had talked<br />
about waking up in her fiancé’s<br />
car, while it was spinning, just<br />
before they crashed.<br />
Here on the driving range, she<br />
tries to block that out. But she<br />
can’t concentrate with all the<br />
obstacles she has to skirt, with<br />
coaches screaming and everyone<br />
104 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 105
watching. “C’mon Anhalt!” someone<br />
shouts. “Hurry!”<br />
Gripping the wheel,<br />
white-knuckled, she steers into<br />
the first turn. Beside her, the<br />
coach clicks on the stereo. Deck<br />
the Halls blasts across the driving<br />
range.<br />
Anhalt, grimacing, plows over<br />
the first cone. “Out!”<br />
During the first couple of years<br />
on the force, cops spend most of<br />
their time in their cars, on patrol<br />
or answering calls.<br />
You have to get used to sitting<br />
there for 10, 12, 15 hours, a coach<br />
told them. Practice paying attention.<br />
You can’t doze off.<br />
Make yourself get up and move.<br />
And just because you’re ensconced<br />
in a cop car doesn’t<br />
mean you’re safe. Chases can be<br />
as dangerous as responding to<br />
shots fired.<br />
One coach echoed a persistent<br />
message: Treat everyone as if<br />
they want to kill you.<br />
The cadets who are former<br />
military have mastered that<br />
mindset. But it’s a shift for those<br />
who are used to trusting strangers.<br />
“That guy you pull over for<br />
rolling through a stop sign might<br />
have a gun — and use it.”<br />
The next two cadets bowl over<br />
cones and get disqualified. Then<br />
a beefy guy speeds to the finish<br />
line and makes a clean stop.<br />
“That’s how it’s done!” shouts<br />
a coach. “1:07. That’s the time to<br />
beat.”<br />
The recruit beams and fistbumps<br />
the air. Most of his classmates<br />
cheer.<br />
The youngest cadet crosses his<br />
arms and says: “That’s not fair.<br />
He’s been driving the Crown Vic<br />
all week.”<br />
In the police car, the instructor<br />
in the passenger seat, the recruit<br />
turned around in the driver’s<br />
seat, looking out the back window<br />
as he backs the car up.<br />
KeVonn Mabon loves steering<br />
through quick turns and speeding<br />
in cop cars.<br />
When it’s Mabon’s turn, he’s<br />
grinning. He loves being in a cop<br />
car, speeding through the obstacles.<br />
He tears into the straightaway,<br />
Jingle Bells blasting through the<br />
open windows. He stops without<br />
skidding, races into the turn,<br />
pumps his brakes. He slaloms<br />
through the six-pack, avoids the<br />
pole, tears into the final stretch.<br />
“Coming in hot! I like that!”<br />
calls a coach. “Love the aggression.”<br />
Mabon already broke the academy<br />
record for the 300-meter<br />
dash and got to write his name<br />
on the mat room wall. He wants<br />
to buy himself $220 Air Jordans<br />
for Christmas but worries about<br />
spending that much. On the NFL<br />
practice squad, he made $18,000<br />
a month. As a cop in training, he<br />
makes $3,000.<br />
“Go! Go! You got it!” calls a<br />
coach, as Mabon’s classmates<br />
cluster at the edge of the asphalt,<br />
watching.<br />
Mabon takes the last turn too<br />
quickly — and knocks over a<br />
cone.<br />
Everyone groans, even the<br />
coaches. Mabon climbs out of<br />
the car, smiling, and shrugs.<br />
Seen through the windshield, a<br />
recruit outside the car replaces a<br />
traffic cone.<br />
Mabon hustles after the cone<br />
that he hit, which ended his final<br />
run on the driving range.<br />
When it’s Brittany “Mama”<br />
Moody’s turn, she walks across<br />
the asphalt confidently. She’s<br />
5-foot-9, drives a Tacoma pickup.<br />
Fast. She’s ready.<br />
“Get in there, Moody!” a classmate<br />
calls. “You go!” shouts<br />
another.<br />
She nods at them, then folds<br />
into the driver’s seat. Before<br />
she even straps on her belt, the<br />
coach beside her turns up the<br />
radio, roaring Sleigh Ride.<br />
She’s dreading the holidays. Her<br />
son Bryan keeps asking for Nerf<br />
guns, but she won’t buy them.<br />
She doesn’t want him to think<br />
guns are toys. And what does<br />
she want? Ammo. It’s getting so<br />
expensive and hard to find.<br />
On the driving range, Moody<br />
takes off quickly, stops, then races<br />
into the turn. Too fast. Her left<br />
front tire topples a cone.<br />
She slams on the brakes,<br />
throws open the door and<br />
stomps out, scowling.<br />
During the long walk across the<br />
pavement, she balls her hands<br />
into fists, keeps her head down.<br />
Seen from inside the car, a<br />
recruit walks from the driver’s-side<br />
door with a glaring<br />
look.<br />
Moody slams the door after her<br />
final drive came up short.<br />
After a dark-haired recruit<br />
wins Top Driver and signs the<br />
cone with a Sharpie, the cadets<br />
start moving toward the academy.<br />
But a coach calls them back.<br />
“When you get distracted, look<br />
at all the mistakes you make.<br />
Just do it as the coaches told<br />
you to do it,” he says.<br />
“And quit complaining.” He<br />
switches to a whiny voice, “This<br />
car sucks. This gas pedal is too<br />
close to the brakes.”<br />
“Be a chameleon,” he shouts.<br />
“Just do your job. Don’t make<br />
excuses. When you screw up,<br />
own it.”<br />
Back in the classroom, they<br />
have to take a written driving<br />
test: 50 questions in an hour. Mabon<br />
finishes first, in 10 minutes,<br />
scores 96.<br />
When Anhalt gets a perfect<br />
score, a coach tells her, “Well,<br />
you’re doing better than most.<br />
Most women don’t know which<br />
way to turn the wheel.”<br />
She tells this to a female recruit,<br />
who says: “Yeah. He told<br />
me I was going to be a sucky<br />
deputy.”<br />
The cadets end the day listening<br />
to two young cops tell war<br />
stories: Trying to calm a schizophrenic<br />
woman robbing a bank<br />
with a bomb — that turned out<br />
to be a sandwich; tending to<br />
someone stabbed at a church;<br />
smelling a body that had been<br />
decomposing for days.<br />
The hardest call, one tells the<br />
class, was for a 28-year-old veteran<br />
who killed himself. “I had<br />
to tell his mother, “The cop says.<br />
He closes his eyes. “That night,<br />
when I went home, I shed a few<br />
tears.” He pauses. “I’m a vet, too.”<br />
Silence swallows the room.<br />
These recruits are about to face<br />
so many tragedies. They look at<br />
each other, then at their laps.<br />
“But don’t get me wrong,” the<br />
officer tells them, “this really is<br />
the best job in the world.”<br />
In the back of the room, Coach<br />
Joe Saponare laughs and says,<br />
“Like getting a ticket to the<br />
greatest show on earth!”<br />
He tells them to have a good<br />
break. “Enjoy yourselves, but stay<br />
focused.”<br />
When they come back in<br />
January, they all have to take<br />
the Cooper Test, an assessment<br />
of physical fitness. If they don’t<br />
pass, they’ll get kicked out.<br />
Most of them are confident. Everyone<br />
is excited to see if Mabon<br />
will beat his own record for the<br />
run.<br />
106 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 107<br />
106 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 107
Survivor Recalls Collapse of the Towers<br />
It’s been two decades since<br />
former Port Authority Police Officer<br />
Will Jimeno was miraculously<br />
pulled to safety from the twisted<br />
wreckage of the World Trade Center<br />
that entombed him in a narrow<br />
void for 13 hellish hours.<br />
At various points, fireballs of<br />
burning jet fuel began falling atop<br />
of him and exploding bullets from<br />
a slain fellow cop’s gun whizzed<br />
by as he lay lonely and helpless in<br />
the darkness, alongside PAPD Sgt.<br />
John McLoughlin, who was similarly<br />
trapped.<br />
The dramatic saga he endured<br />
led to a Hollywood movie, “World<br />
Trade Center,” directed by Oliver<br />
Stone and featuring the actors Michael<br />
Pena playing him and Nicholas<br />
Cage playing the sergeant.<br />
Jimeno, then a rookie, was forced<br />
to retire from PAPD due to the injuries<br />
he suffered, which led at least<br />
11 separate surgeries. In January<br />
2008, he appeared on the television<br />
show, “Deal or <strong>No</strong> Deal,” where he<br />
won $271,000.<br />
<strong>No</strong>wadays, he opts to play down<br />
his personal heroics when recounting<br />
what he went through, focusing<br />
instead upon the many selfless<br />
sacrifices that were made by others<br />
that terrible day.<br />
His deepest appreciation is reserved<br />
for McLoughlin, who was<br />
stuck for more than<br />
20 hours before<br />
he, too was pulled<br />
to safety, and for<br />
Dominick Pezzulo,<br />
a fellow PAPD cop,<br />
who laid down his<br />
own life to save<br />
Jimeno and the<br />
sergeant.<br />
“Dominick was<br />
a schoolteacher in<br />
The Bronx before<br />
becoming a cop,”<br />
Jimeno said, referring<br />
to Pezzulo.<br />
“He volunteered<br />
trying to do the<br />
right thing and<br />
gave his life trying<br />
to bring people home. In his last<br />
moments he was thinking about the<br />
team,” he said.<br />
Jimeno came to the United States<br />
as a child from Colombia with his<br />
family and served in the U.S. Navy<br />
before becoming an American citizen<br />
and joining the PAPD.<br />
Six weeks before 9-11, he had purchased<br />
a new home in Clifton, N.J.,<br />
with his pregnant wife, Allison, and<br />
their daughter, Bianca, then 4.<br />
Assigned to the Port Authority<br />
bus terminal, Jimeno remembers<br />
seeing an ominous shadow passing<br />
overhead in Midtown before being<br />
summoned aboard a city bus, along<br />
with Sgt. McLoughlin and about 20<br />
other cops for a ride to the WTC.<br />
At the scene of the disaster, he<br />
encountered a veteran PAPD cop<br />
with tears in his eyes who told<br />
him people were jumping from the<br />
<strong>No</strong>rth Tower — and Jimeno remembers<br />
looking upward to see that the<br />
outlandish claim was indeed true.<br />
“As I turned, I saw people jumping.<br />
I felt helpless. There was nothing<br />
I could do,” Jimeno recalled.<br />
His spirits were bolstered momentarily<br />
when he saw ordinary<br />
office workers performing feats of<br />
amazing bravery.<br />
“I remember that in all the chaos<br />
and all the mayhem, people were<br />
helping each other. I saw a black<br />
gentleman and a white gentleman<br />
were carrying a blond woman who<br />
was injured.”<br />
I remember thinking, if these people<br />
are so brave, we have to be that<br />
much braver — we must be two or<br />
three steps better than them.<br />
McLoughlin, who had led rescue<br />
efforts during the first WTC terrorist<br />
attack in 1993, began requesting<br />
volunteers — and Jimeno, along<br />
with Pezzulo and two other PAPD<br />
cops, Officers Christopher Amoroso<br />
and Antonio Rodrigues, followed<br />
the sergeant’s lead.<br />
When the South Tower tumbled<br />
down with a deafening roar, Amoroso<br />
and Rodrigues were caught<br />
beneath the avalanche of cascading<br />
debris and perished in an instant.<br />
McLoughlin, Pezzulo and Jimeno<br />
barely made it to an elevator shaft,<br />
where they remained entombed in<br />
a tight void, amid tons of twisted<br />
metal, smoldering ashes, and crumbling<br />
concrete.<br />
Pezzulo was close enough to<br />
the surface to climb to safety, but<br />
he refused to leave Jimeno or the<br />
sergeant.<br />
The <strong>No</strong>rth Tower collapsed soon<br />
afterwards — and Pezzulo’s injuries<br />
proved fatal.<br />
Before he died, Pezzulo mustered<br />
up enough strength to fire a single<br />
gunshot to the skies above, hoping<br />
someone would somehow hear the<br />
noise and rescue them.<br />
Before Pezzulo died, Jimeno recalled,<br />
he made modest request —<br />
that he be remembered.<br />
He told me, “I love you! Just remember<br />
I died trying to help you<br />
guys, the team,” he added.<br />
I said, “Dominick, I will never let<br />
anyone forget that.”<br />
In his last moments, he fired his<br />
weapon, a last-ditch effort to let<br />
someone know we were down<br />
there, Jimeno noted.<br />
“He fired his weapon and he<br />
passed,” he said.<br />
Jimeno spent about 12 more<br />
hours entombed in the wreckage, in<br />
pain and parched, fighting the urge<br />
to simply give up.<br />
He became so thirsty at one point,<br />
he recalled, that he saw a vision of<br />
Jesus holding what he thought was<br />
a water bottle for him.<br />
Two passing Marines, Jason<br />
Thomas and Dave Karnes, finally<br />
heard his cries for help and Jimeno<br />
was pulled to safety, narrowly<br />
averting having to have his leg amputated<br />
so he could be freed.<br />
McLoughlin, who was more<br />
deeply buried, remained trapped for<br />
about 20 hours before he, too, was<br />
freed early the next morning.<br />
Six weeks later, on Jimeno’s birthday,<br />
his second daughter, Olivia,<br />
was born.<br />
108 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 109
WORDS BY DAVID PAN<br />
David Pan is currently assigned means.<br />
to the National Counterterrorism “I felt a very strong sense of<br />
Center at the ODNI. Pan has over national cohesion in the aftermath<br />
<strong>37</strong> years of federal service.<br />
of 9/11. We rallied behind<br />
“I remember that day as clearly our president and were determined<br />
as yesterday.”<br />
to find and punish those<br />
It has been 19 years since the who perpetrated the attack on<br />
tragic attacks in New York, NY, all of us,” said Pan. “Nineteen<br />
Arlington, VA, and Shanksville, years have passed, but I think<br />
PA. Nearly 3,000 of our friends, we are still united in preventing<br />
family members, neighbors and another 9/11 on our soil.”<br />
colleagues never made it home The hijackers of the plane that<br />
that night.<br />
hit the Pentagon flew the aircraft<br />
For David Pan, a career intelligence<br />
into the western façade of the<br />
officer who was inside the Pentagon, the exact location of<br />
Pentagon on the fateful morning<br />
where Pan’s office used to be. they would witness the largest<br />
of September 11, 2001, these On the day of the attacks, Pan terrorist attack on American soil ercise with us ran into our space “I looked up and saw smoke cell phones lines were jammed<br />
events changed his life forever. and his colleagues were working since the attack on Pearl Harbor and told us that a plane had hit coming over the building from and I couldn’t get through.”<br />
Pan was fortunate to make it out on a global nuclear command in 1941.<br />
the building and we needed to the other side of the Pentagon Pan ultimately made it home<br />
of the Pentagon alive; however, and control exercise in the basement<br />
of the Pentagon.<br />
ing in New York City, with the<br />
But many did not feel the<br />
went to my car and turned on reflect on his morning. Each year,<br />
“I watched the events unfold-<br />
evacuate.”<br />
where the plane had struck. I safely to his wife and began to<br />
the emotional impact the day<br />
made on him is everlasting. To Pan, and many others, the report of the first plane crashing urgency and seriousness of the the radio. I could see the smoke he remembers the events, the<br />
“To me, 9/11 was a life defining day appeared no different than into the <strong>No</strong>rth Tower, and then attack right away.<br />
from the other side by Route smells, and the chaos that ensued<br />
the Pentagon that morning.<br />
moment. The world will never other late summer days in the the second going into the South “It was surreal, walking up the 27. After a while, I decided that<br />
be the same as the day before,” D.C. area.<br />
Tower. It was then I knew that it stairs with others with no sense it wasn’t wise to stay there, as On September 11, 2001, the<br />
said Pan, currently a contractor “September 11, 2001, started as was a terrorist attack.”<br />
of urgency that felt like a fire things were very confusing. I got United States suffered a loss that<br />
at the Office of the Director of a beautifully clear morning when With these attacks occurring drill. It was only when we arrived<br />
at the exit, we knew it was As thousands of Americans as a normal day turned into an<br />
on the road.”<br />
no one expected. What started<br />
National Intelligence (ODNI). “Our I arrived at the Pentagon parking just four hours north of the Pentagon,<br />
the question arose as to not normal. The security guards learned about the Pentagon at-<br />
ongoing 19-year Global War on<br />
innocence at our home front was lot at 7:00 that morning. I remember<br />
watching a plane take where the next attack or target told us to keep moving, not to tack on TV, they began to worry Terrorism. On behalf of the ODNI<br />
forever shattered. We look at the<br />
world and ourselves differently.” off from the National Airport would be.<br />
swipe our badges and exit the about their loved ones who were and the entire Intelligence Community,<br />
we mourn the lives lost<br />
Pan has committed over <strong>37</strong> while walking inside. We had “We kept working on our<br />
building to the parking lot.”<br />
in the building that day. All they<br />
years of his life to protecting the TVs in the room in the basement exercise after that, but I made a As the masses made it outside, wanted to do was call and see on that day and salute the brave<br />
national security of the United of the building, near corridor 8.” remark that the Pentagon police<br />
better tighten up security as Even from the other side of the that was not an option.<br />
nation to ensure another 9/11<br />
the attack became very real.<br />
if they were alive. Unfortunately, men and women who serve our<br />
States of America, but the emotions<br />
that he felt on 9/11 created on that morning, nobody in the we’re probably next. A short time world’s largest office building,<br />
“My wife didn’t know what does not happen on American<br />
When they turned the TVs<br />
a new sense of what service Pentagon basement thought later, the officer working the ex-<br />
smoke and flames could be seen. happened to me since all the soil.<br />
110 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 111
What to Do?<br />
Making the Most<br />
of Island Time<br />
Attractions<br />
Galveston Island is home to some of the<br />
best attractions Texas has to offer, including<br />
Moody Gardens, Schlitterbahn Waterpark,<br />
the Historic Pleasure Pier, unique<br />
museums, dazzling Victorian architecture,<br />
and 32 miles of sun-kissed beaches.<br />
Galveston Beaches<br />
With 32 miles of shoreline and a variety of<br />
parks, Galveston Island offers something for<br />
every kind of beachgoer.<br />
Sandcastle Building Lessons<br />
My name is Emerson and I’ve been a professional<br />
sandcastle builder for over 10 years. Join me every<br />
Saturday this summer at Stewart Beach and learn<br />
the fundamentals of sand sculpture (Yes, it’s sculpture!)<br />
We’ll cover the basics of making strong structures<br />
and how to carve them.<br />
Free sandcastle lessons are available at Stewart<br />
Beach on Saturdays at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m.<br />
<strong>No</strong> reservation necessary. You can find me by the<br />
water’s edge, straight down from the pavilion. Private<br />
lessons are also available by appointment<br />
throughout the week at the beach of your choice.<br />
For more information, click here. Join me and learn<br />
how to have more fun at the beach forever!<br />
112 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 113
GAIDO’S SEAFOOD<br />
RESTAURANT<br />
3828 Seawall Blvd<br />
Galveston, Texas 77550<br />
Tours & Sightseeing<br />
Whether you prefer to stroll down quaint<br />
alleyways by foot or trot through the streets<br />
in a carriage, all paths can lead you on an<br />
unforgettable journey back in time. You’ll<br />
be entertained and enlightened by knowledgeable<br />
guides giving tours on foot,<br />
carriage, shuttle or even boat. If you prefer<br />
to do you own thing, we’ve assemble<br />
self-guided tours of popular sights with<br />
maps designed for mobile devices.<br />
Where to Stay?<br />
Casa Del Mar Beachfront Suites<br />
Be the hero of your family vacation! With<br />
a relaxed vibe, beautiful views of the Gulf<br />
of Mexico and steps from the beach,<br />
Casa del Mar is ideal for a family vacation<br />
or weekend getaway. Each suite offers a<br />
private balcony, a small living room with a<br />
queen sleeper sofa, a studio kitchen, private<br />
bedroom, and junior bunks for small<br />
kids.<br />
From the moment you walk through the<br />
door, you will feel a sense of history and<br />
family tradition at Gaido’s. Founded in<br />
1911, Gaido’s Restaurant has established<br />
itself as a landmark for fresh and deliciously<br />
prepared seafood in Galveston.<br />
Located right along the Seawall, diners will<br />
enjoy an unforgettable meal and panoramic<br />
views of the Gulf of Mexico. Don’t leave<br />
without trying the world-famous pecan<br />
pie, the official state pie of Texas.restaurant<br />
scene.<br />
THE SPOT<br />
3204 Seawall Blvd<br />
Galveston, Texas 77550<br />
Island Famous: Five Venues, One Spot: The<br />
Spot, Tiki Bar, SideYard, Rum Shack and<br />
Squeeze! You can’t go wrong at The Spot, Galveston<br />
Island’s premier beachfront dining and<br />
entertainment destination. Dive into a mouthwatering<br />
burger or fresh seafood, grab a beer<br />
and find a sweet spot to relax inside or out<br />
on our multi-level beachfront patios. Whether<br />
you want to catch the game on one of our<br />
many HDTVs or enjoy the sparkling views of<br />
the Gulf of Mexico, every seat’s the best seat<br />
in the house.<br />
FISH TALES<br />
2502 Seawall Blvd<br />
Galveston, Texas 77550<br />
Explore the Ocean’s Depths<br />
MOODY GARDENS<br />
Dive into the oceans of the world in<br />
a 1.5-million-gallon aquarium teeming<br />
with creatures from tuxedo-clad<br />
penguins to seals, stingrays, sharks<br />
and more!<br />
Enjoy wholesome fare on Fish Tales beachfront balcony<br />
right by the Seawall in Galveston. Fish Tales specializes<br />
in fresh Gulf of Mexico fare along with pasta, steaks,<br />
salads, and more. Don’t miss out on their popular<br />
Shrimp Kisses, bacon-wrapped shrimp stuffed with jalapeno<br />
cheese or other signature dishes including Redfish,<br />
Fried Shrimp, Blackened Stuffed Catfish Étouffée,<br />
Snow Crab Legs, or Baby Back Ribs. Fish Tales is open<br />
daily for lunch and dinner.<br />
114 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 115
THE OPEN ROAD<br />
by Michael Barron<br />
PROS & CONS of Installing PPF on New Cars<br />
PPF or Clear Bras have been around for years, but the new films are light years ahead<br />
of the previous products. But is a Clear Bar or PPF right for your new car??<br />
A paint protection film is the<br />
best example of an aftermarket<br />
product that truly works as<br />
advertised. Its primary task is<br />
indeed – to protect the paint<br />
surface and other materials<br />
where it’s applied. PPF (which<br />
is an abbreviation for this super<br />
paint protection film) is a<br />
polyurethane-based substance.<br />
It’s transparent, and with some<br />
elevated brands, it can instantly<br />
heal if the top layer is scratched.<br />
So, is it a good idea to install<br />
PPF on new cars?<br />
In short – absolutely. In fact,<br />
this is the best time to apply PPF<br />
– or elastomeric polymer film as<br />
the primary objective of protective<br />
paint films is to maintain the<br />
condition of what’s underneath<br />
from UV exposure, chemicals,<br />
light scratches, toxins, and road<br />
grime.<br />
However, PPF is not for everyone.<br />
It is a premium product that<br />
is typically installed by certified<br />
and highly trained professionals.<br />
And there are times when<br />
protection film installation is not<br />
recommended. So, let’s explore<br />
some of the pros and cons of<br />
having a clear bra or paint protection<br />
film bonded to your new<br />
car’s paint surface.<br />
This type of material is completely<br />
safe to apply to your new<br />
car. In fact, most paint protection<br />
film customers opt to use this<br />
type of protective coating on the<br />
clear coat of vehicle’s paint vs<br />
a ceramic coating, traditional<br />
carnauba wax, or paint sealants<br />
due to its safe application. For<br />
those who are not aware, PPF is<br />
a thin, and uses a unique adhesive<br />
substance that bonds solidly<br />
to the substrate.<br />
During the installation process,<br />
the clear paint protection film<br />
undergoes a multiple-stage installation,<br />
where it is fitted, cut,<br />
placed, and then activated by a<br />
liquid spray. The installer will<br />
use a squeegee to help apply the<br />
film to the painted surface. This<br />
is when the adhesive goes to<br />
work to attach to the substrate.<br />
There are some vinyl materials<br />
or inferior quality protective<br />
films with cheap adhesives that<br />
will become quite sticky if water<br />
penetrates the topcoat. In fact,<br />
this is more common than you’d<br />
think with vinyl wraps. But when<br />
it comes to a quality PPF like<br />
the Reaction Series PPF by Sun<br />
Tek, it’s a completely reinvented<br />
product that merges the super<br />
hydrophobicity of ceramic coating<br />
with premium, self-healing<br />
paint protection film. This advanced<br />
two-in-one construction<br />
keeps your finish looking like it<br />
rarely sees the road, thanks to<br />
impressive protective benefits.<br />
Reaction stands up head-on to<br />
flying gravel, salt, grit and more.<br />
It also has self-healing properties<br />
plus a noticeably clear finish<br />
with intense gloss and no orange<br />
peel appearance. This trailblazing<br />
PPF utilizes Eastman Tetrashield<br />
protective resin system<br />
technology, trusted by OEMs for<br />
their own finishes.<br />
Reaction is formidable defense<br />
against nature’s harshest elements<br />
too, with 25% more stain<br />
resistance than top brands. Acid<br />
rain, bird droppings, tree sap,<br />
insects and dirt all wash effortlessly<br />
away from Reaction’s slick<br />
surface, leaving only envy-inducing<br />
shine behind.<br />
Can You Remove Protective<br />
Paint Film?<br />
Yes – a protective film for cars<br />
can be easily removed. However,<br />
once it is removed, the same film<br />
can’t be reinstalled on another<br />
vehicle or the same. This is a<br />
great example why PPF is best<br />
suited for people who are either<br />
leasing a vehicle (that are going<br />
to return it and want to ensure<br />
they don’t have exterior paint<br />
damage), or those planning on<br />
keeping the vehicle for extended<br />
periods.<br />
A high-quality protective film<br />
like Reaction by Sun Tek, can<br />
hold up for 12 years on factory<br />
paint. And, if you decide to<br />
apply a professional-grade nano<br />
ceramic coating on top of that<br />
PPF, the combination can offer<br />
a lifetime of protection. In fact,<br />
companies like Sun Tek offer<br />
warranties for this type of paint<br />
protection package.<br />
Can You Apply Paint Protection<br />
Film to Headlights?<br />
Absolutely. Installing Reaction<br />
by Sun Tek Instant Healing paint<br />
protection film on high-exposed<br />
areas like the front end, the<br />
fender, front bumper, the hood,<br />
grille, side-view mirrors, door<br />
edges, and of course, the headlights<br />
and fog lights is a smart<br />
idea. <strong>No</strong>t only does it help to<br />
protect those areas from rock<br />
chips, tree branches, and other<br />
hard road debris, but it also<br />
helps to provide a shield against<br />
bug splatter, bird droppings, tree<br />
sap and other natural contaminants.<br />
Here is where choosing the<br />
right PPF to protect automotive<br />
paint is important. Most of the<br />
automotive paint protection film<br />
solutions are not very hydrophobic<br />
– meaning that items tend to<br />
stick easily to the original paint.<br />
However, Reaction is one of the<br />
only protection films that has<br />
an infusion of ceramic coating<br />
on the top layer. This makes it<br />
extremely slippery, meaning that<br />
normally sticky items are easier<br />
to remove.<br />
This unique feature to Reaction<br />
permits you to keep the front of<br />
your trucks, RV’s, big rigs, SUVs,<br />
116 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 117
and cars cleaner. It also removes<br />
the need to use harsh chemical<br />
cleaners and agents – that can<br />
damage your paint finish.<br />
The Advantages of Applying<br />
PPF on a New Car<br />
If you’re going to invest in a<br />
paint protection film to keep<br />
your new vehicle’s paint job and<br />
other parts in mint condition,<br />
there are several advantages to<br />
consider.<br />
Produces an enhanced finish.<br />
While some PPF’s might improve<br />
the shine of your vehicle,<br />
Reaction is available in a gloss<br />
or matte finish. In fact, if you<br />
have a high gloss paint job, you<br />
can apply Reaction – to instantly<br />
create a brilliant and customized<br />
exterior look and appeal.<br />
Reduced orange peel and lack<br />
of glue marks. It’s common for<br />
some paint protection films to<br />
leave glue marks after the installation.<br />
Reaction’s proprietary<br />
adhesive does not leave these<br />
marks or create an orange peel<br />
finish.<br />
Superior protection against<br />
chemicals and corrosion. Reaction’s<br />
instant healing protective<br />
films are infused with four layers<br />
of material, each of them providing<br />
roadblocks for harmful<br />
contaminants or chemicals to<br />
penetrate. It also provides superior<br />
stain resistance and reduces<br />
paint damage due to stone chips.<br />
Instant healing of minor<br />
scratches.<br />
Most of the top brands of car<br />
paint protection have self-healing<br />
properties. This means, that<br />
minor scratches can be fixed by<br />
a detailer, simply by applying<br />
direct heat – or with a blowing<br />
heat gun. Reaction is the ONLY<br />
Instant Healing PPF on the market<br />
today. It uses nano technology<br />
to fill minor scratches within<br />
a few seconds.<br />
High temperature resistance.<br />
This same nanotech helps to<br />
provide a heat shield, which<br />
blocks UV and IR radiation from<br />
penetrating to the vehicles<br />
surface materials. This unique<br />
feature keeps headlights from<br />
fogging or fading, which maintains<br />
your on-road visibility.<br />
A Limited Lifetime Warranty.<br />
X-Pert Tint’s certified installers<br />
take pride in providing superior<br />
customer service. We prove<br />
this by offering a limited 12-year<br />
warranty on Reaction Instant<br />
Healing PPF.<br />
Disadvantages of Applying<br />
PPF on New Cars<br />
It’s important to clarify that<br />
not all paint protection films are<br />
equal. Some are simply better<br />
and superior to others. As such,<br />
there are some things you should<br />
consider before taking the<br />
plunge with PPF.<br />
Do your research. Before you<br />
have a professional place any<br />
film or coating on your car, do<br />
your due diligence. There are<br />
some good protection films for<br />
cars – but several ‘less-thanstellar’<br />
ones as well.<br />
Consider your options. There<br />
are several professional nano<br />
ceramic coatings that will provide<br />
superior protection for<br />
years. While they’re not as good<br />
as PPF for protecting from rock<br />
chips and larger road debris, they<br />
offer multiple benefits. Don’t be<br />
afraid to set up a consultation<br />
with a certified installer that offers<br />
both PPF and ceramic coating.<br />
They’ll guide you to the right<br />
product for your vehicle, budget,<br />
and needs.<br />
How long are you planning on<br />
keeping the vehicle? If you typically<br />
trade in your vehicle every<br />
few years, and want to have the<br />
best trade-in value, a PPF installation<br />
on the front end is a great,<br />
cost-effective option to consider.<br />
If you want to keep the vehicle<br />
for a long time, consider a full<br />
vehicle installation or a combination<br />
of PPF and nano ceramic<br />
coating.<br />
Paint protection films are exceptional<br />
products for keeping<br />
your car, truck, SUV, RV, motorcycle,<br />
or commercial equipment<br />
looking factory fresh. And<br />
believe it or not, PPF is more<br />
affordable than you’d assume –<br />
especially when you have a new<br />
vehicle that requires less paint<br />
correction or prep work.<br />
118 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 119
120 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 121<br />
120 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 121
John & Sam: Remembering 9/11<br />
John Salerno<br />
Mad Radio, Badge of Honor<br />
September 11th, 2001<br />
On 9/11/21 I had already retired<br />
from the NYPD 10 months<br />
earlier. I was the current<br />
Chief of the Local Fire Department<br />
in Farmingdale Long<br />
Island.<br />
I remember watching the<br />
first plane hit the towers and<br />
headed to the Firehouse. I<br />
began putting together a response<br />
plan with other Chiefs.<br />
When the 2nd Plane hit,<br />
we immediately knew it was<br />
no accident and we updated<br />
our response plan and an<br />
emergency call out was dispatched.<br />
Our department also had<br />
many FDNY members around<br />
the city that were responding<br />
which weighed heavy on everyone’s<br />
mind.<br />
Our team consisted of 13<br />
men and women. We arrived<br />
at approximately 1700 hrs. and<br />
staged at the corner of Vesy<br />
and Broadway. We made our<br />
way to the temporary command<br />
post to get our assignments.<br />
We broke up into teams<br />
and began sifting through<br />
the rubble, some ascending<br />
into voids, others working the<br />
bucket line.<br />
The most vivid memory of<br />
that day was when you heard<br />
someone yell “Got One” the<br />
entire pile went silent. Your<br />
stomach ached waiting to<br />
hear they are alive. Sadly,<br />
those words were not heard.<br />
Everyone was in hypervigilant<br />
mode. The race to rescue.<br />
The area was organized chaos<br />
as first responders relied on<br />
their own training, opposed<br />
to the operational orders of a<br />
central command.<br />
The thick dust and smoke<br />
lingered over the entire area<br />
making it impossible to see<br />
the blue sky above.<br />
As we all knew this was a<br />
terrorist attack, what we did<br />
not know however, was when<br />
it would be over! Many reports<br />
were flooding the pile as we<br />
heard about the Pentagon and<br />
Shanksville. Planes could be<br />
heard flying over overhead.<br />
Was it another attack or was<br />
it our own Military protecting<br />
the skies?<br />
It did not really matter at<br />
that point everyone was focused<br />
on one thing and one<br />
thing only: finding survivors.<br />
The days of 9/11 will be a<br />
part of everyone’s life forever,<br />
just like the memories for<br />
those who have fought the<br />
past Wars.<br />
What we need to remember<br />
as a Nation, is we must never<br />
forget the brave men and<br />
women we lost, the injuries<br />
that were sustained, and the<br />
emotional battles many still<br />
have.<br />
Samantha Horwitz<br />
Mad Radio, Badge of Honor<br />
September 11th, 2001<br />
The nightmares have all<br />
but disappeared. That darn<br />
jumper and Mohammad Attah,<br />
however. Two faces I can<br />
recall in a split second. I hug<br />
my family a little tighter. I tell<br />
them and my friends that I<br />
love them a bit more and then<br />
I fight. I fight the demons of<br />
anger and cynicism the most.<br />
Year after year they come for<br />
me somewhere around two<br />
weeks before the anniversary<br />
date. Even while using tools<br />
like Eye Movement Desensitization<br />
and Reprocessing<br />
(EMDR) Therapy and stress<br />
management techniques, they<br />
are still able to grab ahold.<br />
They grab at my heart and<br />
taunt me with thoughts of<br />
defeat. They whisper, “You’ll<br />
never really be okay.” And<br />
“You will never win.” I pause.<br />
I take a deep breath, and say<br />
with a smile, “I already have.”<br />
I remind myself of my why.<br />
Seventeen years ago, in my<br />
basement in the dark, I did<br />
not pull that trigger pressed<br />
against my head when<br />
Post-Traumatic Stress consumed<br />
me. Seventeen years<br />
ago, I made a choice to stay<br />
and fight. To bear the scars in<br />
my brain from September 11th<br />
so that others could learn and<br />
benefit from the pain. It was<br />
the most difficult decision of<br />
my life, and in the end, the<br />
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of 100,000 subscribers.<br />
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Please share with<br />
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most rewarding.<br />
What was born from the<br />
pain is a passion driven purpose<br />
to help others find a<br />
way out of their darkness<br />
and despair. To educate and<br />
help smash the stigma of<br />
Post-Traumatic Stress that<br />
surrounds first responders<br />
with clear message, “You are<br />
not alone.” My book The Silent<br />
Fall: A Secret Service Agent’s<br />
Story of Tragedy and Triumph<br />
After 9/11 the catalyst.<br />
I am never alone on September<br />
11th. I purposely surround<br />
myself with other 9/11 first<br />
responders, and others who<br />
serve, some retired and some<br />
still on the job. Those people<br />
who “get it.” They get where<br />
my head is, my short temper,<br />
my frustrations. <strong>No</strong> one tries<br />
to fix anyone. We simply listen<br />
and offer support. We are<br />
united in our grief and determined<br />
to never forget.<br />
On September 11, <strong>2021</strong>,<br />
twenty years will have<br />
passed. Although our world<br />
has changed tremendously,<br />
my world, for that one day is<br />
infinitely small. I think of the<br />
words, “United We Stand,” and<br />
find comfort knowing that at<br />
least here, in my hometown<br />
we will never forget.<br />
CLICK OR SCAN HERE<br />
122 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 123
September 11, 2001<br />
September 11, 2001, it is a date,<br />
like very few others, that will<br />
live in infamy. I wasn’t alive on<br />
December 7, 1941, but I think I<br />
know what Americans felt like in<br />
those days. The day after Pearl<br />
Harbor, President Roosevelt said,<br />
“The people of the United States<br />
have already formed their opinions<br />
and well understand the<br />
implications to the very life and<br />
safety of our nation.” Americans<br />
were united. Aside from the obvious<br />
tragic circumstances many<br />
of our fellow citizens personally<br />
experienced on September 11th,<br />
the warmth of unity and kinship<br />
felt as though it came from<br />
some far distant star and not our<br />
own sun. So different was this<br />
nearly other worldly feeling from<br />
anything else I experienced that I<br />
remember it still.<br />
At the moment that the first<br />
plane hit the north tower, I was<br />
teaching AP English at Pasadena<br />
High School. I had worked the<br />
night before, as usual, as the<br />
night shift commander at the<br />
Clear Lake Patrol Division of the<br />
Houston Police Department.<br />
I had recently viewed, per<br />
chance, a History Channel documentary<br />
that was about aviation<br />
accidents in New York City.<br />
Specifically, there was one about<br />
a B-25 crashing into the Empire<br />
State Building on a foggy night<br />
in 1945. When a fellow teacher<br />
knocked on my classroom door<br />
and told me about a plane crash<br />
in New York, my first thought<br />
was of the ill-fated B-25.<br />
Classes at the high school<br />
changed at the bell and the<br />
televisions were all turned on<br />
throughout the campus. It became<br />
obvious that it was a day<br />
like no other. Parents were lined<br />
up to take their teenagers home,<br />
but most students stayed and<br />
watched the news in the comfort<br />
of their peers’ presence. Then, of<br />
course, the Pentagon and Pennsylvania<br />
crashes happened in<br />
real time.<br />
After the crashes and their<br />
immediate aftermath were seen,<br />
there were new images. They<br />
were from Afghanistan. There<br />
was definite fighting going on in<br />
Afghanistan. Most viewers like<br />
myself didn’t know exactly how<br />
they were connected to what<br />
was happening in New York, but<br />
there was a connection in the<br />
caves of the Hindu Kush. The live<br />
unfiltered images from Afghanistan<br />
showed caves being blown<br />
up.<br />
After the final school bell rang,<br />
I went home. <strong>No</strong>rmally, I would<br />
go to bed and sleep prior to going<br />
to work at 9:30 PM, but this<br />
day I stayed awake. We had just<br />
remodeled our home and the<br />
remodeling included a new HD<br />
television. This tragic catastrophe<br />
was the first thing I watched<br />
on the new HD television. It was<br />
so new that the HD version of<br />
network TV didn’t have sponsors<br />
yet.<br />
Our city, as well as many others,<br />
was still in recovery mode<br />
from Tropical Storm Allison<br />
that unleashed high flood waters<br />
across the area the previous<br />
summer and killed people as far<br />
away as Boston. The news concerning<br />
Houston’s recovery efforts<br />
was pushed aside to broadcast<br />
news of the terror attack all<br />
day, every day.<br />
Besides the students at school,<br />
we had our own kids at home<br />
who were concerned about the<br />
day’s events. We encouraged<br />
them to be brave and follow<br />
their teachers’ instructions at<br />
school. Then the phone rang, and<br />
we were advised that our congregation<br />
would meet at church<br />
that very evening.<br />
When we arrived at University<br />
Baptist Church, we were met by<br />
a large, but subdued crowd. The<br />
images of our brother and sister<br />
Americans jumping to their<br />
deaths from the Towers were<br />
freshly, but indelibly, etched<br />
into our minds. Our pastor, Dr.<br />
Robert Creech, led us in prayer<br />
and worship noting that while<br />
this moment was unique to us<br />
personally, Christians and Jews<br />
had a long history of turning<br />
to the Lord in troubling times.<br />
After our worship was over, the<br />
large screen television played<br />
President Bush’s address to the<br />
nation. We all felt a little better<br />
knowing that the Lord was still<br />
in control of the world and that<br />
our leaders were addressing the<br />
situation.<br />
After the worship service, I<br />
went to work at the Clear Lake<br />
Station. What a difference a day<br />
makes! Clear Lake was a small<br />
division then with fewer officers<br />
and resources when compared<br />
to other patrol divisions in which<br />
I served. We found out just how<br />
many potential targets we had<br />
in our district. We had to guard<br />
the water treatment plant on<br />
Allen-Genoa. The water wasn’t<br />
really the issue, but the associated<br />
chlorine tanks would blow<br />
the whole area sky high if they<br />
were detonated somehow. We<br />
also guarded the masjid locations<br />
against those idiots who<br />
would think revenge on our Muslim<br />
neighbors was in order. The<br />
countless chemical and other<br />
installations required security.<br />
Our routine at the Houston Police<br />
Department was forever<br />
changed that day.<br />
Ten years later, I was on a tour<br />
of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. It was<br />
going along smoothly when the<br />
Navy stopped our tour shuttle.<br />
Armed sailors came aboard<br />
the vehicle and checked our<br />
ID’s and looked at images from<br />
our cameras. When they were<br />
satisfied, we were allowed to<br />
continue, but we were escorted<br />
from that point forward. The<br />
tour guide (he was one of the<br />
very few approved guides at that<br />
time) said that he had never seen<br />
anything like that before. He said<br />
something must have happened.<br />
I returned to our Royal Caribbean<br />
cruise ship in Honolulu and<br />
was reunited with Becky. I told<br />
her what happened on my tour<br />
of Pearl Harbor and that the<br />
tour guide said that something<br />
big must have happened. We<br />
got dressed and went to dinner<br />
and there the captain informed<br />
everyone that our mortal enemy<br />
Osama bin Laden had been killed<br />
by Navy Seals. Pandemonium<br />
broke out on the ship.<br />
In a “Post 9-11” world, the day<br />
that the Navy Seals killed the<br />
terrorist mastermind stands as<br />
the high point. The joy that we<br />
all experienced that day was the<br />
matching bookend to the horror<br />
we felt on September 11th. I<br />
traveled to New York when that<br />
city’s businesses asked their fel-<br />
124 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 125
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I saw the sacred place marking<br />
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provided mute testimony of the<br />
incredible mettle their users exhibited<br />
that day.<br />
I wish I could say that the evil<br />
forces of radical fundamentalist<br />
Islam were defeated after<br />
twenty years of conflict with it,<br />
but that would not be true. The<br />
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and those of civilized societies<br />
are mutually exclusive.<br />
Recalling my time at Pearl<br />
Harbor on the day Osama bin<br />
Laden was killed, I remembered<br />
my visit to the USS Arizona. I<br />
saw her oil bunkers still leaking<br />
the once precious life blood of<br />
the pride of the Pacific Fleet. I<br />
read the names of her crew who<br />
fought gallantly, but perished in<br />
a massive explosion of fire and<br />
steel. Our nation has a wonderful<br />
heritage of heroes who<br />
seem to step up when they are<br />
most needed. Men and women<br />
whose blood runs through our<br />
veins sacrificed all so that others<br />
could live free. Visiting sacred<br />
locations like the 9-11 Memorial<br />
and Pearl Harbor accentuates the<br />
connections we share with each<br />
other. These connections present<br />
themselves as an almost other<br />
worldly harmony when we are<br />
attacked by enemies who underestimate<br />
our determination and<br />
our love of liberty. Pilgrimages<br />
to places where patriots shed<br />
their blood heighten my sense of<br />
history which teaches that truth<br />
and justice cannot be stopped as<br />
they march hand in hand inexorably<br />
toward the eternal Light of<br />
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126 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 127
Interested in Being a Leader?<br />
To<br />
Leadership is a word tossed<br />
around by many to label the<br />
head of an organization. But<br />
what is a real leader? Is it a<br />
chief of police, is it the commander<br />
at the station, or is it<br />
the hard worker on your shift?<br />
There are plenty of supervisors<br />
out there who think they<br />
are “leaders.” But let’s be honest,<br />
not every supervisor is a<br />
leader. You can teach anyone<br />
to be a supervisor, but you cannot<br />
teach leadership.<br />
Can you teach aspects of<br />
leadership? Certainly. But we<br />
must also understand that there<br />
are certain aspects of leadership<br />
that cannot be taught or<br />
learned from a book. Leadership<br />
is a calling, a feeling, a<br />
burning from inside that makes<br />
you want to do what you do.<br />
True leaders will find a way to<br />
make things work in the worst<br />
of situations and a way that<br />
makes everyone feel valued<br />
and appreciated. I have been<br />
blessed over my 30 years here<br />
at HPD to have had some very<br />
good supervisors and some<br />
very good leaders. You need<br />
both to have a real and workable<br />
paramilitary organization<br />
like a police department.<br />
We all know a supervisor<br />
that we look at and go: How<br />
did they pass that test? I am<br />
not bashing supervisors, but<br />
we have all had one at some<br />
point in our career that we<br />
just shake our heads and move<br />
on. Our department needs to<br />
start developing our leaders<br />
for supervisory rolls within the<br />
department.<br />
In the same manner, we are<br />
going to have to work here at<br />
the HPOU to develop our future<br />
leaders. I like to think of myself<br />
as a leader and have always<br />
tried to be within the units that<br />
I worked. We all have known<br />
those guys who are control<br />
freaks who like to take over and<br />
handle any situation.<br />
That was me at Southeast. I<br />
loved being in the middle of<br />
any call and had no problem<br />
handling all the paperwork that<br />
went along with it. The more<br />
in-depth the incident, the more<br />
I liked it. Sadly, my sergeants<br />
had to do the paperwork associated<br />
with working officers,<br />
along with a lot of yellow<br />
paper that started with “Dear<br />
Chief.”<br />
I have repeatedly had to<br />
apologize to my supervisors for<br />
that, but they always seemed<br />
to understand. I was blessed to<br />
have worked for true leaders<br />
like Mark Bailey, Bobby Roberts<br />
and John Yencha, who helped<br />
me develop the leadership<br />
skills I have today.<br />
<strong>No</strong>w, here I am in a leadership<br />
DOUGLAS GRIFFITH<br />
role at the largest police union<br />
in Texas. As most know, I never<br />
expected to be in the position<br />
of president of the HPOU, but<br />
I am proud of the work we do<br />
here. Once again, I have been<br />
blessed to work with Ray, Joe<br />
and Tom – who have been incredible<br />
to work with and have<br />
helped me transition into the<br />
position.<br />
I now look forward to helping<br />
our future leaders in this same<br />
manner. For anyone wanting<br />
to help lead the Houston Police<br />
Officers Union into the future,<br />
please consider running for our<br />
board of directors. Sign-ups<br />
have begun and elections will<br />
take place in just a few weeks.<br />
So, if you consider yourself a<br />
leader and care about this future<br />
of the department and our<br />
officers, get involved!<br />
128 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 129
Judge Abigail Anastasio-<br />
Blood is on her hands for death of NOLA<br />
Detective Everette Briscoe<br />
We hate to paint with a wide<br />
brush here at the BLUES, but<br />
every single liberal Democrat<br />
judge that has released charged<br />
felons with PR Bounds, $100,<br />
$200, $1000, $2000 or any other<br />
ridiculous bond amount, are<br />
candidates for our Light Bulb<br />
Award.<br />
But rather than give them Light<br />
Bulb awards, how about we pass<br />
a law that says, “Any judge that<br />
releases a previously charged or<br />
convicted felon on bond and said<br />
individual commits a capital<br />
offense, said Judge shall be held<br />
liable and charged along with<br />
the suspect.” Countless crimes<br />
have been committed in Harris<br />
County by individuals out on<br />
bond, all released by said Liberal<br />
Judges that should have never<br />
been elected in the first place.<br />
But this month, lets focus on<br />
one worthless Judge in particular<br />
- the Honorable Abigail Anastasio,<br />
judge of the 184th District<br />
Court in Harris County. First off,<br />
there is NOTHING ‘honorable’<br />
about Abigail Anastasio. Time<br />
and time again, Anastasio lets<br />
convicted felons out on bond,<br />
only to commit more felonies.<br />
Which obviously doesn’t bother<br />
her in the least.<br />
Last month NOLA Detective<br />
Everette Briscoe was shot and<br />
killed at 5pm at a busy restaurant<br />
in the Galleria by a criminal<br />
out on a felony bond. And guess<br />
who let him out to commit this<br />
heinous crime – that’s right<br />
Judge Anastasio. And why wasn’t<br />
Frederick Jackson in jail prior to<br />
the double shooting and murder<br />
of Detective Briscoe? He violated<br />
his bond conditions, for separate<br />
aggravated robbery and burglary<br />
charges, numerous times. And<br />
the court was notified. Yet Anastasio<br />
took no action. So, Judge<br />
Anastasio, Detective Everette<br />
Briscoe’s death is 100% on you.<br />
His blood is on your hands and<br />
your hands alone. But she doesn’t<br />
care. Scores of other convicted<br />
and charged felons are out on<br />
bond from her court. Most have<br />
already missed court dates or<br />
had bonds revoked but when<br />
they appear in her court, she just<br />
lets them out AGAIN. And again,<br />
and again and again.<br />
While a LB Award is great and<br />
all, you know what’s better? A<br />
one-way ticket out of the Harris<br />
County Court system. Abigail<br />
Anastasio (Democratic Party) is<br />
a judge of the Texas 184th District<br />
Court who assumed office<br />
on January 1, 2019. Her current<br />
term ends on December 31, 2022.<br />
We need to start work now on a<br />
massive campaign to run Anastasio<br />
and every other Democratic<br />
Judge that supports this low/no<br />
bond system out of office.<br />
The citizens of Harris County deserve<br />
better than this. They deserve<br />
to feel safe in their homes,<br />
on the streets of Harris County<br />
and Houston and especially while<br />
spending their hard-earned money<br />
in restaurants all over the city.<br />
Hell, most don’t even feel safe<br />
driving anywhere, for fear that<br />
that they will be struck and killed<br />
by stray bullets in our freeways.<br />
Come on people, this isn’t Chicago<br />
and as Houstonians we are better<br />
than this.<br />
The one thing that Houstonians<br />
can count on, is their Police Chief<br />
and the thousands of officers at<br />
HPD. Chief Troy Finner has the<br />
backs of his men and women and<br />
truly wants to build a better and<br />
safer Houston. I applaud Chief<br />
Finner for the leadership he brings<br />
to the department and his compassion<br />
and kindness to everyone<br />
in this city, especially those who<br />
have become victims of these<br />
senseless crimes.<br />
So, let’s not waste another day.<br />
Let’s find some REAL candidates<br />
to replace these sorry excuses of<br />
judges and support them with<br />
whatever it takes. If you’re one of<br />
those judges, we’re coming after<br />
you.<br />
130 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 131
unning 4 heroes<br />
Total Miles Run in <strong>2021</strong>: (as of 8/31/21): 221<br />
Total Miles Run in 2020: 401<br />
Total Miles Run in 2019: <strong>37</strong>6<br />
Overall Miles Run: 998<br />
<strong>2021</strong> Run Stats:<br />
Total Miles Run for <strong>2021</strong> fallen LEO’s (<strong>No</strong>n COVID-19): 107<br />
Total Miles Run for <strong>2021</strong> fallen Firefighters (<strong>No</strong>n COVID-19): 49<br />
Total Miles Run for <strong>2021</strong> fallen COVID-19 Heroes: 21<br />
Total Miles Run for <strong>2021</strong> fallen Canada LEO’s: 2<br />
Total Miles Run for <strong>2021</strong> <strong>No</strong>n Line of Duty Deaths: 0<br />
Total Miles Run for 2020 Fallen LEO’s: 24<br />
Total Miles Run for 2020 Fallen Firefighters: 6<br />
Total Miles Run for 2020/<strong>2021</strong> Fallen K9’s: 0<br />
Total Tribute Runs by State for <strong>2021</strong>: 12<br />
States/Cities Zechariah has run in:<br />
Zechariah<br />
Cartledge:<br />
a True American Hero<br />
Florida - Winter Springs, Lake Mary, Clearwater, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Orlando, Temple Terrace, Blountstown, Cocoa, Lakeland,<br />
Daytona Beach, West Palm Beach<br />
New York - New York City, Weedsport<br />
Georgia - Cumming, Augusta, Savannah<br />
South Carolina - <strong>No</strong>rth Myrtle Beach, Charleston, Sumter<br />
Pennsylvania - Monaca<br />
Illinois - Springfield, Naperville, Glen Ellyn<br />
Texas - Houston (2), Fort Worth, Midland, New Braunfels, Freeport, Madisonville, Irving<br />
Kentucky - Nicholasville<br />
Arkansas - Bryant, Hot Springs<br />
Nevada - Henderson<br />
California - Mt. Vernon<br />
Arizona - Mesa<br />
<strong>No</strong>rth Carolina - Concord, Raleigh<br />
Tennessee - Bristol<br />
Delaware - Milford<br />
Minnesota - Arden Hills<br />
Indiana - Sullivan, Spencer<br />
Missouri - Springfield<br />
Iowa - Independence, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids<br />
132 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 133
Police Officer<br />
Scott Russell Dawley<br />
Nelsonville Police Department, Ohio<br />
End of Watch Tuesday, August 3, <strong>2021</strong><br />
Age 43 Tour 7 Years Badge # N/A<br />
Police Officer Scott Dawley was killed in a vehicle crash while responding<br />
to a shooting call at about 2:30 pm.<br />
His patrol car collided with two other vehicles at the intersection of East<br />
Canal Street and Hocking Street. Officer Dawley was flown to O’Bleness<br />
Hospital in Athens where he succumbed to his injuries. The occupants of<br />
the other two cars were injured in the collision.<br />
Officer Dawley had served with the Nelsonville Police Department for seven<br />
years. He is survived by his wife and four children.<br />
Police Officer<br />
George Gonzalez<br />
United States Department of Defense - U.S. Gov.<br />
End of Watch Tuesday, August 3, <strong>2021</strong><br />
Age <strong>37</strong> Tour 5 Years Badge # 1101<br />
Police Officer George Gonzalez was fatally stabbed in an unprovoked attack at<br />
the Pentagon’s Transit Center in Arlington, Virginia. He was conducting a foot<br />
patrol of the Transit Center when a subject exited a Metro bus, approached<br />
him, and stabbed him in the neck. Other officers on the scene fatally shot the<br />
subject. Officer Gonzalez was flown to The George Washington University Hospital<br />
where he was pronounced dead.<br />
Officer Gonzalez was a U.S. Army veteran and had served with the Pentagon<br />
Force Protection Agency for three years. He had previously served with the<br />
Federal Bureau of Prisons for two years. He is survived by his mother and<br />
brother, who is also a Police Officer.<br />
Police Officer<br />
Brian Russell Pierce, Jr.<br />
Brooklyn Police Department, Illinois<br />
End of Watch Wednesday, August 4, <strong>2021</strong><br />
Age 24 Tour 2 Years 9 Months Badge # N/A<br />
Police Officer Brian Pierce was struck and killed by a fleeing vehicle while<br />
attempting to deploy spike strips on the McKinley Bridge during a vehicle<br />
pursuit at about 3:00 am. Other officers from Brooklyn had started<br />
pursuing the vehicle following an incident at a local nightclub. Officer Pierce<br />
was attempting to deploy the spike strips on the bridge just prior to the<br />
state line when he was struck. Officers and one of the occupants exchanged<br />
gunfire. The driver was wounded, and all four occupants were taken<br />
into custody.<br />
Deputy Sheriff<br />
Brandon A. Shirley<br />
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Kentucky<br />
End of Watch Thursday, August 5, <strong>2021</strong><br />
Age 26 Tour 2 Years Badge # 4093/266<br />
Deputy Sheriff Brandon Shirley was shot and killed when he was ambushed<br />
while working a secondary employment assignment at 2618<br />
Rockford Lane in Shively, Kentucky.<br />
He was in uniform and sitting in a vehicle at about 2:30 am when a subject<br />
approached him and opened fire. Deputy Shirley was transported to<br />
University Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.<br />
The subject who shot him fled the scene and remains at large.<br />
Officer Pierce had served with the Brooklyn Police Department for nine<br />
months and had previously served with the Spillertown Police Department<br />
for two years. He also served with the Makanda Fire Department. He is<br />
survived by his parents.<br />
Deputy Shirley had served with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office for<br />
two years.<br />
134 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE<br />
The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 135
Police Officer<br />
Ella Grace French<br />
Chicago Police Department, Illinois<br />
End of Watch Saturday, August 7, <strong>2021</strong><br />
Age 29 Tour 3 Years 3 Months Badge 15013<br />
Deputy Sheriff<br />
Ryan J. Proxmire<br />
Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office, Michigan<br />
End of Watch Sunday, August 15, <strong>2021</strong><br />
Age 40 Tour 9 Years Badge # 4607<br />
Police Officer Ella French was shot and killed while she and her partner<br />
conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle containing three subjects near the<br />
intersection of West 63rd Street and South Bell Avenue. During the<br />
traffic stop, one of the subjects opened fire, striking Officer French and<br />
her partner. Despite their wounds, the officers were able to return fire<br />
and wounded one of the subjects. Both officers were taken to the University<br />
of Chicago Medical Center where Officer French was pronounced<br />
dead. Her partner was admitted in critical condition.<br />
Officer French had served with the Chicago Police Department for almost<br />
3-1/2 years and was assigned to the Community Safety Team. She is<br />
survived by her mother and brother.<br />
Officer Robert<br />
Craig Cloninger<br />
Mount Gilead Police Department, <strong>No</strong>rth Carolina<br />
End of Watch Sunday, August 15, <strong>2021</strong><br />
Age 38 Tour 19 Years Badge #723<br />
Deputy Sheriff Ryan Proxmire succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained<br />
the previous night while involved in a vehicle pursuit. A subject who had<br />
evaded officers in an earlier vehicle pursuit was spotted at a gas station<br />
on 35th Street near Galesburg. As deputies approached him, the man<br />
produced a gun and fled in his vehicle, prompting a second pursuit. During<br />
the second pursuit, the subject started shooting at the pursuing deputies.<br />
One of the rounds struck Deputy Proxmire, causing his vehicle to<br />
leave the roadway near the intersection of MN Avenue and 38th Street<br />
in Charleston Township .A passing motorist encountered Deputy Proxmire’s<br />
vehicle and called 911. He was transported to a local hospital<br />
where he succumbed to his wound the following day.<br />
Deputy Proxmire had served with the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office<br />
for nine years. He is survived by his wife, four children, and parents.<br />
Police Officer Jason Raynor<br />
Daytona Beach Police Department, Florida<br />
End of Watch Tuesday, August 17, <strong>2021</strong><br />
Age 26 Tour 5 Years<br />
Badge 3C77<br />
Officer Craig Cloninger died after suffering a medical emergency after<br />
responding to a structure fire involving a trapped occupant at 295<br />
Police Officer Jason Raynor succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained<br />
<strong>No</strong>rthview Road shortly before midnight. Officer Cloninger collapsed while<br />
on June 23rd, <strong>2021</strong>, while he was investigating a suspicious vehicle. He<br />
at the scene of the fire and rescue personnel immediately began life-saving<br />
efforts. He was transported to FirstHealth Montgomery Memorial<br />
noticed the vehicle parked near an apartment building in the 100 block of<br />
Kingston Avenue at about 8:50 pm. One of the occupants exited the vehicle<br />
and then suddenly pushed Officer Raynor. During the ensuing strug-<br />
Hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly after midnight.<br />
Officer Cloninger served as a reserve officer with the Mount Gilead Police<br />
gle, the subject shot Officer Raynor in the head.<br />
Department and as a full-time officer with the Biscoe Police Department.<br />
He had 19 years of law enforcement service and had previously served<br />
Officer Raynor had served with the Daytona Beach Police Department for<br />
with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and Montgomery County Sheriff’s<br />
Office. He also served with the Ellerbe Rescue Squad. He is survived<br />
two years and had previously served with the Port Orange Police Department<br />
for three years. He is survived by his mother, father, and sister.<br />
136 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE by his wife and two daughters.<br />
The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 1<strong>37</strong>
Trooper<br />
James J. Monda<br />
New York State Police, New York<br />
End of Watch Sunday, August 22, <strong>2021</strong><br />
Age 45 Tour 18 Years Badge # N/A<br />
Trooper James Monda drowned while conducting a training dive in the<br />
Great Sacandaga Lake in <strong>No</strong>rthampton, New York, at approximately 4:00<br />
pm.<br />
He failed to resurface after going into the water at a boat launch on Bunker<br />
Hill Road. He was working a marine patrol detail on the lake when the<br />
incident occurred.<br />
Trooper Monda had served with the New York State Police for 18 years<br />
and was assigned to SP Princetown. He is survived by his fiancée and<br />
parents.<br />
Police Officer<br />
Harminder Grewal<br />
Galt Police Department, California<br />
End of Watch Thursday, August 26, <strong>2021</strong><br />
Age N/A Tour 9 Years Badge # 7258<br />
Police Officer Harminder Grewal succumbed to injuries sustained four<br />
days earlier when his patrol car was struck head-on by a pickup truck on<br />
Highway 99, near Dillard Road, at about 4:30 am. The oncoming vehicle<br />
crashed through a barrier on the divided highway and collided with the patrol<br />
car. The driver of the vehicle was killed in the crash. Officer Grewal and<br />
his partner, who were en route to assist with evacuation efforts ordered<br />
in response to the Caldor Fire, were both critically injured in the crash.<br />
Officer Grewal was transported to Kaiser South Sacramento where he<br />
remained until succumbing to his injuries.<br />
Officer Grewal had served with the Galt Police Department for 2-1/2<br />
years. He is survived by his parents and brother.<br />
Correctional Officer Trainee<br />
Whitney Cloud<br />
Florida Department of Corrections, Florida<br />
End of Watch Thursday, August 26, <strong>2021</strong><br />
Age N/A Tour 3 Months Badge #142240<br />
Sergeant<br />
Brian Mohl<br />
Connecticut State Police, Connecticut<br />
End of Watch Thursday, September 2, <strong>2021</strong><br />
Age 50 Tour 27 Months Badge #283<br />
Correctional Officer Trainee Whitney Cloud was killed as the result of an<br />
accidental discharge while conducting firearms training at the Harry<br />
K. Singletary Training Academy in the Wakulla Correctional Institute in<br />
Crawdfordville.<br />
Officer Cloud was transported to a local hospital where she succumbed to<br />
the wound.<br />
Officer Cloud had served with the Florida Department of Corrections for<br />
three months and was assigned to the Jefferson Correctional Institution.<br />
Sergeant Brian Mohl drowned after his patrol car was swept off Jacks<br />
Bridge Road into the Weekeepeemee River, in Woodbury, at about 3:30<br />
am. He was checking water levels in the area during a period of severe<br />
rain in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida when his patrol was carried off the<br />
roadway. He was able to radio a distress call to dispatchers and a massive<br />
search was immediately undertaken. Sergeant Mohl was recovered<br />
from the river several hours later and was pronounced dead at Yale New<br />
Haven Hospital.<br />
Sergeant Mohl had served with the Connecticut State Police for 26<br />
years. He is survived by his wife, three children, parents, and five siblings.<br />
138 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE<br />
The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 139
By Michael Barron<br />
A year after I started The<br />
BLUES, in 1986, my brother<br />
Rusty graduated from Stephen<br />
F. Austin and began writing a<br />
column in The BLUES called<br />
“off-duty.” The following year,<br />
he started his own newspaper<br />
“Barron’s Outdoor Update” and<br />
moved into our offices in Humble.<br />
For about six months or<br />
so, I enjoyed working side by<br />
side with my youngest brother.<br />
Later that year, Rusty signed<br />
on with Shell Oil as a rookie<br />
salesperson and for the next<br />
35 years he blazed a trail and<br />
set records at Shell that will<br />
be hard for anyone to top. On<br />
August 1, <strong>2021</strong>, he officially<br />
retired from Shell as a senior<br />
Vice-President of the largest<br />
oil and natural gas producing<br />
company in the world. And I<br />
have to say, all his family has<br />
been along for the journey of a<br />
lifetime – myself included.<br />
Rusty was the youngest in a<br />
family of four<br />
boys, and I was<br />
the oldest. After<br />
graduating<br />
high school,<br />
he worked for<br />
my dad selling<br />
specialized<br />
parts for<br />
Southwestern<br />
Bell. Apparently,<br />
he was<br />
damn good at<br />
it, because he<br />
earned enough<br />
money to pay<br />
his way through<br />
college. Even<br />
on summer<br />
breaks, he returned<br />
to Houston<br />
and worked<br />
with my dad.<br />
But on most<br />
any day that he<br />
wasn’t working,<br />
you’d find him<br />
outdoors. From<br />
an early age,<br />
Rusty was an<br />
avid hunter and<br />
fisherman (I<br />
always thought<br />
he’d become a<br />
Game Warden.)<br />
So, when he<br />
decided to start<br />
his own outdoor<br />
magazine,<br />
it was a perfect<br />
way to blend<br />
work and play<br />
into a paycheck.<br />
And that my<br />
friends, describes<br />
my<br />
brother’s 35<br />
years with Shell.<br />
Rusty has always<br />
managed to find<br />
a way to add<br />
hunting or fishing<br />
trip or both,<br />
onto a business<br />
trip. From fishing<br />
with Jimmy<br />
Houston and<br />
doing deals with<br />
Johnny Morris of<br />
Bass Pro Shops,<br />
to hanging out<br />
with Roger<br />
Penske, Helio<br />
Castroneves, and<br />
Joey Logano at<br />
various racetracks,<br />
Rusty has<br />
had his share of<br />
excitement all<br />
in the name of<br />
WORK.<br />
To say I’m<br />
proud of my<br />
little brother is<br />
an understatement.<br />
Rusty has<br />
always excelled<br />
at virtually<br />
anything he’s<br />
under-taken,<br />
and his knowledge<br />
of marketing<br />
and business is what has<br />
driven his success at Shell.<br />
And no matter what business<br />
venture I’ve taken on, (some<br />
successful and some not so<br />
much) Rusty has always stood<br />
by me with moral support and<br />
guidance. To have him writing<br />
once again for The BLUES,<br />
well let’s just say, we’ve come<br />
full circle.<br />
So now that’s he retired,<br />
what’s next for this world<br />
traveler? He, and my beautiful<br />
sister-in-law Kristi, will be<br />
spending time between Colorado,<br />
Florida and Texas. I’m<br />
sure the adventures will continue<br />
and hopefully Rusty will<br />
take our readers along for the<br />
ride. Can’t wait to see where<br />
we go next.<br />
Congrats little brother.<br />
140 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 141
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142 142 The The BLUES BLUES POLICE POLICE MAGAZINE<br />
The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 143
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144 144 The The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE<br />
The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 145
ADS BACK IN THE DAY<br />
146 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 147
148 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE<br />
The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 149
Fair Oaks Ranch Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 10/10/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Frisco Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 10/07/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Plano Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 10/30/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Hamilton County Sheriff's Office Get Info Peace Officer 09/15/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Memorial Villages Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 09/16/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Horseshoe Bay Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 10/01/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Port Houston Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 09/30/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Bosque County Sheriff's Office Get Info Peace Officer 09/18/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Prairie View A&M University Police Dept. Get Info Peace Officer 09/30/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Oak Ridge <strong>No</strong>rth Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 09/14/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
La Porte Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 09/21/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Cibolo Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 09/19/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
City of Center Get Info Peace Officer 09/23/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
City of Brownwood Get Info Peace Officer 09/15/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Kosse Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 09/24/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
The Woodlands Campus Get Info Peace Officer 09/20/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Sunset Valley Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 10/01/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Denton County Water District Police Dept. Get Info Peace Officer 09/27/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Corsicana Police Department Get Info Police Officer 10/04/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Alamo Colleges Police Department Get Info Campus Peace Officers 10/04/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Hedwig Village Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 10/04/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Angelina County Sheriff's Office Get Info Peace Officer 10/06/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Katy ISD Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 10/04/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Calhoun County ISD Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 10/10/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
City of Bangs Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 10/05/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Woodway Public Safety Department Get Info Public Safety Officer 10/28/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Texas State Technical College Get Info Police Officer 11/12/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Bryan Police Department Get Info Police Officer 10/08/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Montgomery County Sheriff's Office Get Info Deputy Sheriff 09/08/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Texarkana Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 10/01/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Texas State University Police Department Get Info Director & Chief 10/09/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi Get Info Peace Officer 10/01/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Texas Woman’s University Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 10/13/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Texas State Technical College Police Dept. Get Info Peace Officer 11/12/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Kyle Police Department Get Info Police Officer Ent.Examinatoin 09/16/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
San Marcos Police Department Get Info Police Officer 09/16/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
WhiteFace CISD Police Department Get Info Chief of police 09/17/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Dallam County Sheriff's Office Get Info Peace Officer 10/17/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
San Saba Police Department Get Info Police Officer 09/17/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Victoria Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 10/16/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
San Saba Police Department Get Info Police Officer 09/17/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Brazos River Authority Get Info Lake Ranger Sergeant 09/17/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Windcrest Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 10/17/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Oldham Sheriff's Department Get Info Patrol Deputy Sheriff 09/18/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Highland Village Police Department Get Info Police Officer 09/18/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Grand Prairie Police Department Get Info Police Officer 09/18/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Crtoss Roads Polilce Department Get Info Police Department 10/18/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Pearsall Police Deptartment Get Info Peace Officer 09/24/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Ector County Sheriff's Office Get Info Peace Officer 10/17/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Plano Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 10/22/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Donley County Get Info Deputy Sheriff 09/20/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Tulia Police Department Get Info Police Officer 09/23/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
League City Police Department Get Info Police Officer 09/24/<strong>2021</strong> - 12pm<br />
Center Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer/Peace Officer 09/23/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Kingsville Police Department Get Info Police Officer 09/14/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Rollingwood Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer 10/23/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Highland Village Police Department Get Info Criminal Investigation Detective 10/25/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
San Augustine Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer 09/25/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council Get Info Assistant Director, 09/26/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Big Spring Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 09/20/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Southside San Antonio School District Get Info Peace Officer 09/27/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
City of Harker Heights Get Info Peace Officer 09/30/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
West Lake Hills Police Get Info Peace Officer 10/23/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Dallas County Sheriff's Office Get Info Peace Officer 11/01/<strong>2021</strong> - 12pm<br />
Bexar County Constable Pct. 3 Get Info Peace Officer 11/01/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Onalaska Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 11/01/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
El Paso Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 11/01/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
University of Houston Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 10/03/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office Get Info Arson Investigator (Part Time) 12/08/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Office of Attorney General Get Info Peace Officer 11/07/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
City of Spur Get Info Chief of Police 11/08/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Argyle Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 11/01/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Amarillo Police Department Get Info Peace Officer (Recruit & Lateral)12/07/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Mesquite Police Department Get Info Peace Officers 10/29/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Wise County Sheriff’s Office Get Info Peace Officer 11/08/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Smith County Constable Pct. 1 Get Info Peace Officer 09/30/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Chapel Hill ISD <strong>No</strong>rtheast Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 10/29/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Somerville Police Department Get Info Chief of Police 10/10/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
City of Llano Get Info Peace Officer 10/10/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Crowley Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 10/10/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
University of Texas at Arlington PD Get Info Peace Officer 10/06/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Denison Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 10/09/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Southwestern Baptist Police Department Get Info Peace officer 11/15/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Randall County Sheriff’s Office Get Info Peace Officer 10/07/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
NEW - STATEWIDE VACANCIES FOR JAILERS<br />
Denton County Sheriff's Office Get Info Jailer 12/20/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Bosque County Sheriff's Office Get Info Jailer 09/18/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Bell County Sheriff's Office Get Info Jailer 09/14/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Tarrant County Sheriff's Office Get Info Jailer 09/21/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Mesquite Police Department Get Info Detention Officer 09/04/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Upton County Sheriff's Office Get Info Jailer 09/30/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Ector County Sheriff's Office Get Info Jailer 10/17/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Tarrant County Sheriff's Office Get Info Detention Officers` 10/01/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Denton County Sheriff's Office Get Info Jailer 12/20/<strong>2021</strong> - 5pm<br />
Richardson Police Department Get Info Jailer 11/01/<strong>2021</strong> - 12pm<br />
150 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 151
POLICE OFFICER<br />
Bryan, Texas<br />
The Bryan Police Department, a Civil Service Department, is currently accepting applications for Police Officer (<strong>No</strong>n-<br />
Certified or Certified). We are seeking individuals with integrity who are committed to public service, dedicated and<br />
professional, with a willingness and compassion to work together with the citizens of Bryan to maintain a healthy<br />
and safe community.<br />
Starting Salary:<br />
$57,000 (as non-certified Cadet) up to $82,762 (depending on certification)<br />
*Range pending approval 10/4/21<br />
Application Deadline:<br />
Friday, October 8, <strong>2021</strong><br />
Written Exam Date:<br />
Friday, October 15, <strong>2021</strong><br />
(For those who successfully pass the written exam, the physical fitness assessment will be immediately following.)<br />
Minimum Qualifications:<br />
• U.S. Citizen;<br />
• High School Diploma or have a high school equivalency certificate/GED;<br />
• At least 21 years of age and not more than 44 years of age at the time of hire;<br />
• Valid Texas driver’s license with good driving record at the time of hire;<br />
• Good moral character, stable employment record and no history of any conduct which may affect suitability for<br />
law enforcement work;<br />
• If applicable, military service discharge must be under honorable conditions as stipulated on DD-214 form;<br />
• <strong>No</strong> felony or Class A misdemeanor convictions; no Class B misdemeanor convictions within the past (10) years.<br />
Application Instructions:<br />
To apply and/or to view more information regarding the application and testing process click here and follow the<br />
instructions provided. You will receive an online confirmation number upon successfully submitting your application.<br />
You will also receive a confirmation email from Human Resources within a week of submitting your application.<br />
The City of Bryan is an Equal Opportunity Employer<br />
152 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 153
JOIN OUR TEAM<br />
WALKER COUNTY<br />
SHERIFF’S DEPT.<br />
EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS<br />
• Paid Vacation<br />
• Sick Leave<br />
• Paid Holidays<br />
• Personal Days<br />
• Compensatory Days<br />
• Certification Pay<br />
The Walker County Sheriff’s Department is now accepting applications for the position of Patrol Deputy. We are a family based department that is dedicated to<br />
preserving the lives and property of the citizens of Walker County which is currently around 73,000 residents. As a Patrol Deputy within our department, you would<br />
be patrolling over 800 square miles of small towns, national forest and East Texas countryside. Our county seat is the town of Huntsville, Texas which has many of<br />
the comforts and amenities of larger city while still providing a small town atmosphere.<br />
ALDINE ISD POLICE DEPT.<br />
now accepting applications for<br />
Full-Time Police Officers<br />
MUST HOLD A CURRENT TCOLE<br />
PEACE OFFICE CERTIFICATE<br />
Salary starting at $47,211<br />
with no experience<br />
TO APPLY VISIT<br />
WWW.ALDINEISD.ORG<br />
OR<br />
Contact the Personnel<br />
Department at<br />
281-985-7571<br />
OR<br />
Contact Sergeant R. Hall at<br />
281-442-4923<br />
HIRING PROCESS<br />
• Physical Agility Test<br />
• Written Exam<br />
• Oral Board Panel Interview<br />
• Complete Personal History Statement<br />
• Psychological Evaluation<br />
• Medical Examination<br />
• Interview with the Chief of Police<br />
Perks:<br />
• Starting Salary: $55,160.00<br />
• Retirement: Vested after 8 years in TCDRS. Every $1 invested in retirement is matched 210%.<br />
• Insurance provider: Blue Cross Blue Shield<br />
• Equipment: Uniforms & Patrol Equipment Provided. Currently issuing Glock 22’s and Colt SBR Rifles.<br />
• Vehicles: Take home Chevy Tahoe • Schedule: 12 hour shifts, every other weekend off.<br />
• Time Off: Paid Vacation / Holidays on a yearly basis. • Patrol Style: Proactive /Community Based Policing<br />
Requirements: Must be TCLOE Certified; Must have a valid Texas Drivers License;<br />
Must pass a written & physical test; Must complete a rigorous Field Training Program in a timely manner.<br />
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APPLICATIONS CAN BE SUBMITTED ON THE WALKER COUNTY WEBSITE (WWW.CO.WALKER.TX.US) OR BY CONTACTING PATROL LT. JASON SULLIVAN (936) 435-2400.
Memorial Villages Police Department<br />
Bunker Hill • Piney Point• Hunters Creek<br />
Police Officer<br />
EOE/M/F/D<br />
5+ Years Patrol Experience Required<br />
The Memorial Villages Police Department (Located on the West Side of Houston) currently has<br />
openings for experienced officers who are self- motivated and enthusiastic about community<br />
policing. We have overwhelming support of our communities and encourage our officers to be<br />
proactive and innovative.<br />
$1500 Sign on Bonus<br />
Starting Salary Range<br />
$71,179 – $82,808 (DOQ)<br />
• Healthcare Insurance, DHMO Dental, Vision – 100% paid for employee, 50% for<br />
spouse/dependents.<br />
• Paid long-term disability and life insurance for employee, with additional life insurance<br />
available for spouse/dependents.<br />
• Health Savings Account with departmental contributions up to $4200 annually<br />
• TMRS Retirement 2 to 1 match, 7% Employee ,14% Employer Contribution.<br />
• 457 Plan with employer contribution of 2% of annual salary<br />
• Bi-Lingual Pay (2.5% of Base salary)<br />
• Shift Differential Pay $3600 annually<br />
• Tuition reimbursement<br />
• Longevity Pay up to a max of $2400 annually at 10 years of service.<br />
• College Education incentive up to $3000 for a master’s degree<br />
• LEMIT or FBI NA pay $1200 annually.<br />
• ECA (Emergency Care Assistant) $1300 Annually, training provided to each employee.<br />
• 12 hour shifts with every other Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off.<br />
• Officer certification pay, Intermediate, Advanced, and Master up to 7.5% of Salary.<br />
To learn more or apply, visit our website at www.mvpdtx.org<br />
Or contact Sgt. Owens 713-365-<strong>37</strong>11 or lowens@mvpdtx.org<br />
Or Commander E. Jones 713-365-<strong>37</strong>06 ejones@mvpdtx.org<br />
11981 Memorial Dr. Houston, Texas 77024<br />
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MAKE A<br />
DIFFERENCE<br />
IN YOUR<br />
COMMUNITY<br />
We are looking for outstanding individuals to<br />
join our team! As a Pearland Police Officer your<br />
mission will be to prevent crime and disorder, build<br />
partnerships within the community, and positively<br />
impact the quality of life for all our residents.<br />
CITY OF PEARLAND, TEXAS<br />
• Competitive Salary • Outstanding Training<br />
• Career Advancement • Exceptional Benefits<br />
The City of Pearland is one of the fastest growing<br />
communities within the region. Pearland is located<br />
approximately 20 minutes south of Downtown Houston<br />
and the current population is approximately 130,000<br />
residents.<br />
JOIN OUR TEAM<br />
HIRING POLICE OFFICERS AND CADETS<br />
$5,000 Hiring Incentive for T.C.O.L.E Certified Police<br />
Officers who qualify with at least 2 years of experience.<br />
TEST DATE:<br />
SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 8:30 A.M.<br />
Register by: April 12.<br />
Pearland Recreation Center & Natatorium<br />
4141 Bailey Road, Pearland, TX 77584.<br />
Doors Open: 7:15 a.m. <strong>No</strong> admittance after 7:45 a.m.<br />
Candidates must park in the north parking lot.<br />
SOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES WILL APPLY<br />
• Attendance limited to first 150 arrivals<br />
• Mandatory temperature checks<br />
• Masks required, hand sanitizer available<br />
• Candidates seated 6 feet apart<br />
<br />
<br />
•Be a citizen of the nited tates able to read,<br />
write, and speak the English language<br />
• Have a high school diploma or equivalency certificate .E.. certified by<br />
the issuing agency with:<br />
0 credit hours with a cumulative PA of 2.0 or higher on a .0 scale from an accredited<br />
institute of higher learning or<br />
- Minimum 24 months of active duty service with an honorable discharge authenticated by<br />
a Member 2 or Member orm 21 or<br />
15 credit hours with a cumulative PA of 2.0 or higher on a .0 scale in addition to Basic<br />
Peace Officer Certification from TCOLE or<br />
An Intermediate Peace Officer Certification from TCOLE<br />
• Valid driver’s license with acceptable driving record<br />
• Must meet all legal requirements necessary to become a licensed Peace Officer by the Texas<br />
Commission on Law Enforcement TCOLE.<br />
• Be between 21 and 5 years of age at the time of the examination or<br />
• Be between 18 and 21 years of age if the applicant has received an associate’s degree or 60<br />
semester hours of credit from an accredited college or university or has received an honorable<br />
discharge from the armed forces of the nited tates after at least two years of active service.<br />
: Cadet $1. hourly Police Officer $2. hourly.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
April 12, <strong>2021</strong>. Applications will not be accepted after this date.<br />
Submit applications online by visiting pearlandtx.gov/careers.<br />
THE CITY OF PEARLAND IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER<br />
pecial accommodations are available when necessary to aord equal opportunity to participate<br />
in testing. Please make request in writing, five business days prior to the test date to City of<br />
Pearland, HR Department, 3519 Liberty Drive, Pearland, TX 77581.<br />
or questions regarding the application process please contact Terene uddsohnson at<br />
281.652.1617 or hr@pearlandtx.gov.<br />
List will remain in eect for one 1 year or until exhausted, whichever is sooner.<br />
158 The For BLUES additional POLICE information MAGAZINE and to register for an upcoming Civil Service Exam, visit<br />
The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 159<br />
pearlandtx.gov/PDCareers
LATERAL DEPUTY<br />
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Come join the Plano Police Department<br />
Plano Police Department currently employs over 414 peace officers, who are dedicated individuals that<br />
work with the community to create and maintain a safe, secure environment for our residents and visitors.<br />
We are a diverse department, which is a reflection of the various cultures within the community, and offering<br />
many different opportunities to promote the safety of the citizens which we serve.<br />
Registration Deadline:<br />
Friday, July 30, <strong>2021</strong><br />
Register at:<br />
https://www.plano.gov/1183/Employment<br />
The Plano Police Department will conduct<br />
a Civil Service Examination in order to<br />
establish an eligibility list for the position<br />
of Entry-level Police Officer. The eligibility<br />
list is created as a result of this examination<br />
and application process will remain in effect<br />
for a period of (6) months (beginning<br />
on date of test) or until the list has been<br />
exhausted, whichever occurs first.<br />
For more information:<br />
Contact the Plano Police recruiter<br />
Officer Andrae Smith at:<br />
andraes@plano.gov<br />
or go to our website at:<br />
ppdrecruiting@plano.gov<br />
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MONTGOMERY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE<br />
DEPUTY SHERIFF<br />
OPEN POSITIONS<br />
Sign up at<br />
mctxsheriff.org<br />
Go to<br />
Apply Here<br />
Select<br />
Deputy Sheriff<br />
Click Apply<br />
Set up your<br />
account & begin!<br />
MCSO Recruiting<br />
(936) 538-7733<br />
mcsocareers@mctx.org<br />
1 Criminal Justice Dr.<br />
Conroe, TX 77301<br />
$48,755 - $68,536<br />
ANNUAL SALARY<br />
$48,755 - $68,536<br />
SALARY COMMENSURATE WITH PEACE OFFICER EXPERIENCE<br />
ENJOY BENEFITS PACKAGE, GREAT TRAINING, & ROOM FOR GROWTH<br />
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166 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE