DEC 2021 Blues Vol 37 No. 12

The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 1

DECEMBER 2021 

ON THE COVER 

Police Chief of the Year for 

2021, Houston Police Chief 

Troy Finner. 

FEATURES 

36 The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t 

40 Remembering Those We’ve Lost - 

Sgt Richard Houston 

42 Remembering Those We’ve Lost to COVID 

46 Remembering Those We’ve Lost to LOD Deaths 

52 Troy Finner - Police Chief of the Year 2021 

62 Who Wants To Be A Cop Part 8 - Conclusion 

DEPARTMENTS 

8 Publisher’s Thoughts 

12 Editor’s Thoughts 

16 Guest Editorial w/Dave Smith 

20 Your Thoughts 

22 News Around the US 

76 War Stories 

80 Aftermath 

84 Open Road-The Final Cop Sedan? 

88 Healing Our Heroes 

90 Daryl’s Deliberations 

92 HPOU-From the President, Douglas Griffith 

94 Light Bulb Award 

96 Running 4 Heroes 

98 Blue Mental Health with Tina Jaeckle 

100 Off Duty with Rusty Barron 

104 Parting Shots 

106 Now Hiring - L.E.O. Positions Open in Texas 

152 Back Page -School of Glock 

SPECIAL INSERT 

Holiday Gift Guide, The answer 

to all those last minute 

gift giving ideas. Starts after 

Page 75. 

76 80 

2 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 3

OUR TEAM 

MICHAEL BARRON 

founder & publisher 


editor-n-chief 

REX EVANS 

contributing editor 

DIANE TRYKOWSKI 

creative editor 

RUSTY BARRON 

outdoor editor 

TINA JAECKLE 


DARYL LOTT 


SAM HORWITZ & JOHN SALERNO 

contributing editors 

DOUGLAS GRIFFITH 

HPOU contributing editor 

DIANE TRYKOWSKI 

sales manager 

OUR CONTRIBUTORS 

T. EDISON 

contributing writer / light bulb 

DAVE SMITH 

guest editorial 

SGT T.F. WOODS 

OFFICER D. SULLIVAN 

warstory/aftermath 

LANE DEGREGORY 

contributing writer 

ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS 


JOHN SEEWER 


VAL VAN BROCKLIN 


DAVID GRIFFITH 


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

expressed in some articles, op-eds, and editorials are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of 

The BLUES or its parent company. Rebuttals or submission of news articles and editorials may be submitted to: The 

BLUES Police Magazine @ thebluespdmag@gmail.com. The entire contents of The BLUES are copyrighted and may 

not be reprinted without the express permission of the publisher. The BLUES logo is a Trademark of Kress-Barr, LLC. 


Coming next month: A Special Insert 

HONORING ALL FALLEN OFFICERS IN 2021 • YOUR BUSINESS CAN PAY TRIBUTE FOR ONLY $375 FOR A FULL PAGE 


More Milestones as The BLUES prepares 

to enter it’s 38th Year. Nearly 

95,000 Readers in November, can 

we break 100K in December? 

As we prepare for the holidays, 

The BLUES has a lot to 

celebrate. Thirty-Seven years 

ago, a few young Sheriff’s 

Deputies sat around a table at 

The Humble Café and talked 

about the Sheriff’s Union that 

was being formed. One of its 

organizers was Nat Gutierrez, a 

longtime friend who lost his life 

this past summer due to COVID. 

Nat had this brilliant idea 

that we should create a Union 

newsletter and sell ads. We 

could keep 50% of what we 

sell and the Union would get 

the other 50%. I had a better 

idea, why don’t we create our 

OWN Newspaper/Newsletter, 

sell ads, and keep 100% of the 

money. Wala, the County Blues 

was born (for you rookies out 

there, the name came from the 

#1 Hit TV Show at the time, Hill 

Street Blues https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hill_Street_Blues). 

The very first issue hit the 

streets on Christmas Eve 1984. 

We only printed 2000 copies 

of the 8-page masterpiece (it 

was a complete design disaster 

typed on an IBM Selectric 

III typewriter (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_Selectric_ 

typewriter). But it was the start 

of something that would turn 

out to be the most controversial 

publication to ever see the light 

of day at the Harris County Sheriffs 

Dept. (Which also explains 

why it was eventually delivered 

in the middle of the night, sometimes 

literally dropped on the 

rooftops of some county jails). 

Now all these years later, after 

three name changes: County 

Blues, The Blues Police Newspaper 

and now The BLUES Police 

Magazine, we have grown into 

the largest independently owned 

all-digital police magazine in 

the U.S. Our page count has 

grown by 168+% at an average 

of 130-150 pages per issue, our 

FREE Subscription has grown 

to nearly 45,000 and on average 

nearly 3000 people a day, 

click on to one of seven servers 

around the country to ‘Click-n- 

View’ to read the current months 

issue, not counting another 300- 

500 who click on earlier issues. 

All-in-all, not bad from an 

idea concocted over lunch at the 

Humble City Café in booth #2. 

And yes, my friends, that fine 

establishment is still there and 

booth #2 is still there as well. 


But I’d be amiss, if I didn’t recognize 

Retired HPD Sgt. Buddy 

Williams who along with his 

daughter as editor, published 

The BLUES for over 25 years. 

August of 2018 was the last official 

year for the actual printed 

version of the BLUES. Buddy 

kept The BLUES alive and well 

all those years and if it weren’t 

for he and his family, I’m quite 

sure it wouldn’t be here today. 

Unfortunately, despite all our 

efforts, we’ve been unable to 

reach Buddy since our rebirth. 

We can only hope that if he 

does find us online one day, 

he’ll be proud of what we’ve 

both accomplished these past 

37 years and welcome all the 

new challenges that lie ahead 

as we start our 38th Year in 

2022. 

Godspeed to all our brothers 

and sisters in BLUE! 


Congratulations to HPD Chief Troy Finner, 

The BLUES Police Chief of the Year 

Our cover this month marks 

yet another first in the 37-year 

history of The BLUES. Well, two 

milestones actually. The first 

being our newest tradition of 

naming a Police Chief of the 

Year for 2021- Houston Police 

Chief Troy Finner, which also 

marks the first time for someone 

to be featured on a BLUES cover, 

twice in a single year. 

While the Chief and I have only 

recently met, I have followed 

his rise through the ranks of 

HPD starting back in the 1990’s. 

The BLUES was barely six years 

young at the time Finner graduated 

HPD Class #137, but nevertheless, 

this young policeman 

worked his ass off to get where 

he is today. 

Unlike the majority of Police 

Chiefs hired to run big city police 

departments in the US, Finner 

worked his way up the ranks 

at HPD and learned what being 

a “street-cop” is all about. He 

may not be known as the “Michael 

Jordan” of police chiefs 

as his former boss was sometimes 

called, but I can attest 

that he is 1000% better than his 

predecessor and looks more like 

Michael Jordan than Art Acevedo 

(yes, I’m referring to him being 

black.) And yes, I’m quite sure 

I’m not offending him by saying 

he’s black not a “person-of-col- 

or.” Finner is 

well aware of 

his skin color but 

treats every single 

officer under 

his command 

as well as the 

citizens of Houston 

as if they 

were HIS family. 

Finner’s love for 

his department 

and the citizens 

of Houston is 

shown on his 

face on any given 

day in Houston. 

And unfortunately, 

you don’t 

have to look hard 

to see it either. 

Since he was 

sworn in April 2, 

2021, Finner faced the cameras 

almost on a daily basis to brief 

Houstonians on yet another police 

shooting where one of his 

officers has been shot or possibly 

killed. But it’s not only HIS 

brothers and sisters in blue that 

get his emotions high. He’s upset 

every time someone is his city is 

hurt or worse, killed. 

His love and compassion to 

the citizens of the fourth-largest 

city in the country is undeniable. 

His loyalty and compassion to 

the approximately 5300 officers 

and 1200 civilian support staff 

that make up the fifth-largest 

municipal police department in 

the US, has been sorely missed 

these past few years. Troy Finner 

is man of his word, and a 

true leader of law enforcement. 

It’s an honor and a privilege to 

name Houston Police Chief Troy 

Finner as the Police Chief of 

the Year for 2021. To learn more 

about this amazing man and his 

path to success, please turn to 

page 52. Congratulations Troy 

Finner. 

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10 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 11 

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Santa - The Dream Job? 

In my lifetime, my career, I have 

been very fortunate in having several 

really good jobs. I have worked 

for some really amazing people and 

in some of the best places on Earth. 

Of all the jobs I have held though, 

I can definitively say the one job 

I have had required no badge, no 

gun, no SCBA or specialized gear. It 

only required my heart, my time and 

a red and white suit with a big belt 

and shiny boots. 

If you guessed “Santa Claus,” 

you’re right. For the 

last twelve years, I have 

donned the red and 

white suit, complete 

with the belt, buckle, 

boots, hair, cap, 

glasses and even a red 

nose! Although I have 

purchased many a suit 

over the years, as they 

don’t last but two or 

three Christmas’s, each 

suit has had its fair 

share of “stories.” 

Every year, no matter 

where I have been, 

no matter who I have 

seen, hugged, laughed, 

and even held, their 

story with Santa, infused 

itself within me. 

For example, the little 

boy who sat upon Santa’s 

lap at the Atascocita 

Fire Department 

Headquarters one year 

and only asked for one 

thing….his mom. You 

see that little eightyear-old 

boy had lost 

him mom earlier in 

the year. I can tell you, 

Santa called to the elves and told 

them what had just happened and 

old Santa had to get up and take a 

break shortly thereafter. 

Another year, at Southside Elementary 

School in Cleveland, a 

young student who was just 5 years 

old, had NO idea I was the Chief 

of Police for the School District, 

jumped up into Santa’s lap and 

explained how he had a gift for 

Santa! His smile and his eyes were 

so bright. Santa of course, asked 

REX EVANS 

him what he had and the little boy 

handed Santa, a tiny Hot Wheels 

Police Car…Some 

would call the moment 

a “coincidence.” 

Others would say it’s 

just “one of those 

things that happen.” 

I’d say, “Say what 

you will, as for me, I 

choose to believe the 

spirit of what Santa 

Clause and Christmas 

brings to a child and 

a family are immeasurable 

and cannot 

be, whimsically 

explained away or 

dismissed.” 

Of all the moments 

I have experienced 

with the old red and 

white suit, some of 

the most powerful 

brought about 

the most tears….in 

two different school 

districts, Cleveland 

and Splendora ISD’s, I 

was privileged to be 

the Chief of Police. I 

was also afforded to 

opportunity to fulfill 

the role of Santa 

12 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 13

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Clause throughout those respective 

districts. 

Some of the most incredible 

moments I have ever experienced 

in the role of Santa Clause was, 

with our special needs students. 

The light in their eyes when Santa 

Clause walked into the room or 

when he stepped of the Captain’s 

Seat of a firetruck was heartwarming. 

Seeing the light, which 

brilliantly shone from within those 

children so often overlooked or 

forgotten would truly restore one’s 

faith in humanity. 

I also was humbled and grateful 

for my years of being Santa at the 

World-Famous Ranch Hand Restaurant 

in Cleveland-Tarkington Prairie. 

Every year, Ms. Tara Stoneburger 

(recently passed away) and I, along 

with her stellar family and staff, 

orchestrate a sort of “Winter Wonderland” 

in the lobby of this very 

special place. As customers walked 

in, there was a “Winter Village” full 

of beautiful, collectable homes, 

churches, schools, fire stations and 

of course, people. And, just to the 

left of the door was, you guessed it, 

Santa. 

People would come from miles 

and miles around, they and their 

children all dressed up for a picture 

with Santa and a good old fashioned 

home cooked meal. It was as 

special as the story of Santa Clause 

himself. Not because of one person 

or thing. But, because of the genuine 

and sincere love behind the effort 

put forth. To simply bring families 

together for a special moment in 

time and a good, hot meal. 

And then there were the “special 

calls” for Santa. Those which 

parents, relatives and friends would 

call and present a special circumstance 

whereby they really needed 

Santa to somehow make an appearance. 

One such 

“special request” 

came 

from a family 

whose 

matriarch 

was in her 

final hours. 

Her only 

request, the 

only thing 

she wanted, 

was to see 

Santa…One. 

More. Time. 

Well, ole 

Santa and 

one of his 

officers rode 

as quickly as 

they could 

to the tiny home where this beautiful 

woman lay, in her final hours 

on this Earth. And Santa, quietly as 

he could, stood by her bed and held 

her hand. He listened to her faint 

voice and after a time, it was time. 

Santa quietly left the room and the 

matriarch quietly left to go home 

and to the waiting Angels above. 

Another “special request” came 

from the family of a young boy who 

was fighting and struggling with 

a terminal illness. With the help 

of the local fire department, Santa 

rode ride up to that families front 

door on a big red fire truck loaded 

with toys. Santa spent some time 

just listening to the young boy and 

all he had to say. All he dreamed, 

wanted, and hoped for. The time 

had come for ole Santa and the firefighters 

to get back onto the truck 

and head back from whence they 

had come. Sometime later, a report 

came from the family that young 

man did eventually lose his heroic, 

extremely brave battle with the disease 

he had been fighting for years. 

All that being said, every year I 

am so grateful for the opportunity 

to fulfill this special role. I sincerely 

pray I can continue this effort for 

many years to come. If for no other 

reason, than to simply see the light 

in a child’s eye and hear them say “I 

love you, Santa!” After all the horrible 

things I have seen in my role as a law 

enforcement officer and firefighter, 

believe me when I tell you, those few 

words and that brilliant beacon are 

truly, comforting to my very soul. 

And I am very humbly and sincerely 

grateful. 

Before I go, there’s one more thing 

to be said. None of what Santa has 

done or will ever do, would be possible 

without all the people who help 

Santa get to where he needs to go. 

And without question, to do whatever 

Santa needs to do. Without these 

beautiful, brilliant people….Santa just 

couldn’t do what he does. For them, 

I could never, ever convey enough 

gratitude. 

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Just How Do We Do This? 

When “defund the police” starts to implode on itself. 

With the “defund the police” 

gang slowly losing the argument 

around the country, as crime 

runs rampant and “no cash bail” 

reforms wreak havoc on communities 

nationwide, a new 

idiocy has raised its goofy head 

in the name of “police reform;” 

the limitations on police actions 

when the officer only has “reasonable 

suspicion” instead of 

“probable cause.” In other words, 

don’t pursue, detain, use force, 

or interview unless you have 

probable cause. For the non-police 

folks reading this, it means 

you have to tell me the ending of 

the story before you can read the 

book. 

This new idea is based on no 

actual reality in which any law 

enforcement officer can function. 

It means a fellow walking 

down the street from a business 

with a silent alarm going off, 

who sees an approaching police 

vehicle, turns, and runs, can’t be 

detained until the officers have: 

1. Determined a crime has been 

committed; 2. Find evidence 

linking that running fellow to the 

crime; 3. Have enough evidence 

to charge that runner with the 

crime. Probable cause is very often 

what an officer has after investigating, 

not during an investigation. 

Reasonable suspicion 

is what guides the investigator 

to find evidence, suspects, additional 

victims, and witnesses, 

and leads to the determination 

of probable cause. 

What is happening is that 

bureaucrats, politicians, and 

activists are finding new ways 

to hinder basic police activities. 

Citizens who don’t understand 

the day-to-day common-sense 

application of reasonable suspicion 

may not be easily persuaded 

that this ridiculous demand 

creates an undue burden on 

fighting crime. Worse, the effect 

will be increased danger to the 

very communities activists claim 

to represent, not to mention the 

hesitation created in the minds 

of officers in those critical moments 

of a deadly encounter 

when anxiety skyrockets and the 

intent of the suspect is ambiguous. 

With officer ambushes up 

around 148% over last year as I 

write this, the one thing apparent 

to me is the single-minded 

intent of those who seek to 

hinder crime fighting and my 

sincere doubt as to their motive. 

What are the consequences of 

these types of reforms, and what 

social, political, and statistical 

data would drive this movement? 

How do we get the citizens of 

our communities to understand 

how absurd these restrictions are 

on law enforcement, and how 

drastically and negatively will 

they affect our ability to fight 

crime? 

First, our leaders need to speak 

out about how wrong the restrictions 

are and what intervening 

during the commission of a 

crime actually requires. Probable 

cause is the result of, not the initiation 

of criminal investigations, 

which are often started by, and 

sustained by, reasonable suspicion. 

An officer’s use of force 

has traditionally been judged 

by what a “reasonable officer,” 

not an untrained civilian, would 

do; in the same way, reasonable 

suspicion is based on the common 

sense of the officer in the 

moment, without the benefit of 

hindsight. That is one of the key 

points that the citizens of this 

country need to understand: 

hindsight and foresight are not 

related in any way. In fact, we 

often misremember our perceptions 

in hindsight, forgetting the 

nonrelevant issues that we paid 

attention to during an event. 

Police are constantly in high 

threat, intense situations where 

only in retrospect (hindsight) do 

we know what was, and what 

wasn’t, a threat, an ally, a weapon, 

a phone, a suspect, a witness, 

or a victim. It is extremely 

difficult for humans to recall exactly 

what happened in a crisis; 

putting this additional burden 

on police will serve no purpose 


other than to further increase the 

lack of proactive policing, which 

is growing increasingly common 

today. 

In the end, the only winners in 

this odd social experiment being 

foisted on the American people 

are the career criminals, the 

gang bangers, and the extreme 

social activists. Speak out when 

you get a chance, explain these 

things to citizens whenever you 

can, write editorials, and keep 

faith that we will collectively 

come to our senses soon. 

A positive note among all the 

negatives is that the Fox show 

“COPS” is returning to a TV 

near you. It is a clue that, in this 

bizarre time, corporate powers 

are realizing that Americans love 

their police, and watching us do 

our daily activities further reinforces 

the difficulty of the job 

and reveals the mental gymnastics 

required to do the job well 

and “keep your head when all 

about you are losing theirs,” to 

quote Rudyard Kipling. 

So, for all of you still on street 

in the fight and keeping us safe, 

have faith. I believe if we keep 

our wits, keep speaking the 

truth, hang tough, and never give 

up, we will win. 


TROY FINNER ON BE- 

COMING POLICE CHIEF 

OF THE YEAR 

Over 30,000 people responded 

to our social media 

posts congratulating 

Chief Finner. Here are but 

just a few of those well 

wishes. 

Congratulations Chief! 

JIMMIE DOTSON 

Congratulations and 

waaaay better than last 

months cover!!! 

MIA SHARONA 

Congrats 

HARRY THOMAS 

Congratulations Chief!!! 

ROSE MARY Y. HARP 

Congratulations Chief 

Finner!!! 

JOE INOCENCIO 

That’s awesome! Congratulations! 

CHRIS BURNS FAISAL 

BASHIR 

Congratulations the 

friendliest Chief I ever 

met 

ADRIAN GASPAR 

Excellent and outstanding 

in every way ! Continue 

to make us proud !! Congratulations 

to Our Police 

Chief !!! Respect and 

Salute !!! Cheers 

JACK STEVEN FIELDS 


DWAYNE WRIGHT 

Congratulations Chief!! 

SUSIE BUCHANAN 

Congratulations! Well 

deserved! 

SHERRY TEMPLE 


deserved! 

FAROKH DEYHIM 

Congratulations old 

beechnut friend! 

RICHARD LAVEQUE 

That’s awesome! Congratulations! 

VIC ARCHER 

That’s great 

ERNEST MCNICHOLS 

Congratulations!!! CHIEF!!! 

JEFF GALLARDO 

Congratulations to our 

Chief! 

ALVIN GILLS 


deserved! 

Chief Finner 

JACQUELYN JONES 

Congratulations 

MAC MOORE 

Finally, a Chief worthy of 

being honored. Congrats 

Chief!!! 

JW MARCUS 


SHARLOT DEDEAR 

SUMNER 

Awesome! Congratulations!! 

VANETTA HALL 

Very cool! 

SHERI CORTEZ 


SWANNAH GRIFFIN 

WHEELER 

CongratulationsAwesome 

CAROLYN EAST 

Big Congratulations! 

KIM RICE 

Congratulations my friend 

SMOKIE PHILLIPS 

Most deserving, Great job 

Chief…. 

KATHY BUSH LEDET 

Congrats my Brother 

TERRY SALTER 

Congrats Chief!!! 

NON DAV 

Congrats 

SHERWIN JOHNSON 


ROZ BULMAN 


PAT KUMAR 

Congratulations Chief!!! I 

love it! 

LAISHA LANDRY 

Congratulations!!!! 

LORETTA PETITT 

Congratulations Chief Finner. 

Great job 

ERIC WOLFSHOHL 


KEVIN CLEMONS 

Congratulations!!! 

TROY NELMS 

Definitely Deserving Congratulations 

Chief 

DION M CLOUD 

Congratulations Chief Finner. 

Truly Awesome! 

LINDSEY JOHNSON 


KENNETH MCDONALD 


TAMMY DAVIS 


Rachel Shannon 

LUANNE GERSTNER 


PHOEBIE CAST 

Congratulations Chief!!! 

That’s awesome!!! 

Jacinda Beasley Gunter 


Congratulations Chief! 

SHELL BK 


Betty Stzelecke Doss 

Congratulations Sir. 

REGINALD DIXON 


LINDSAY SIRIKO 

Congrats 

RAMONA PARNELL 

My Brother Forever 

CURTIS MOBLEY 


4 Killed, Including Officer and 

Suspect, in Georgia Shooting 

By Associated Press 

ATLANTA — Four people are 

dead, including a police officer, 

after officers responded to a domestic 

disturbance call Tuesday 

in Clayton County, south of metro 

Atlanta. 

According to Clayton County 

police, Field Training Officer Henry 

Laxson was fatally shot, along 

with two women and the suspected 

shooter. 

A child and another officer were 

also shot, Clayton County Police 

Chief Kevin Roberts said. 

The child is in critical but stable 

condition. The officer, identified 

as Alex Chandler, is expected to 

survive. 

Police said on Tuesday night, 

November 30th, they were called 

to a domestic disturbance. It was 

not immediately clear exactly 

where the shooting had taken 

place. 

Police received another call 

about a child shot at a second location. 

By the time officers arrived, 

they found the child and one of the 

women in the yard. They said that 

while they were trying to render 

aid, someone started firing on the 

officers from an unknown location. 

The suspect was killed during 

the exchange of gunfire with officers. 

Police did not identify the victims 

or the shooter. 

GBI agents and Clayton County 

police officers continue their 

investigation Wednesday, December 

1, 2021, into a shooting that 

occurred in Clayton County, south 

of Atlanta. Four people are dead, 

including a police officer, after 

officers responded to a domestic 

disturbance call Tuesday. 

GBI agents and Clayton County 

police officers continued their investigation 

Wednesday, December 

1, 2021, into a shooting that occurred 

in Clayton County, south of 

Atlanta. Laxson is the third north 

Georgia police officer killed in the 

line of duty since November. 

Henry County Officer Paramhans 

Desai was shot as he attempted 

to make an arrest on November 

5th. He died from his injuries days 

later. 

Jackson County Deputy Lena 

Marshall was also shot at a separate 

call on November 5th when 

she responded to a domestic incident. 

She died from her injuries on 

November 8th. 

Dozens of Clayton County police 

officers were currently lining the 

streets near Grady Memorial Hospital 

in Atlanta. 

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Tragedy Strikes Mesquite 

A Mesquite sergeant was shot and killed responding to a disturbance 

at a local grocery store parking lot. 

A Mesquite police officer died 

Friday afternoon after being fatally 

wounded in a shootout that 

stemmed from a disturbance 

outside a grocery store parking 

lot, the department says. 

Mesquite Police Chief David Gill 

confirmed the wounded officer 

died while undergoing treatment 

at Baylor Scott & White Medical 

Center in Dallas. 

The shooting happened after 

1:40 p.m. in the parking lot of 

an Albertsons grocery store in 

the 1500 block of South Beltline 

Road, where the officer was 

called to a report of a disturbance 

involving two women, 

said Mesquite Police Capt. Stephen 

Biggs. 

At some point a man got out a 

gun, leading to a shootout with 

the officer, Gill said. 

The officer was struck twice, 

Gill said. He was taken to Baylor 

Medical Center where he succumbed 

to his wounds. 

“This is a senseless act of violence 

that ripped a loving father 

from his family,” Gill told reporters 

in a news conference Friday 

evening outside the hospital. 

Sgt. Houston was a 21-year 

veteran of the Mesquite Police 

Department, Gill said. 

“He was a good 

man, a good friend 

and a good officer. 

Please keep his 

family and our family 

in your prayers,” he 

said, fighting through 

tears while dozens 

of law enforcement 

officers stood behind 

him. 

The man police 

accused in the shooting 

was last listed in 

critical condition with 

one gunshot wound. 

His name has not yet 

been made public. 

Dallas Mayor Eric 

Johnson was among 

the North Texans 

sharing their condolences 

on social media. “My 

heart goes out to the officer’s 

family, friends, and colleagues 

with @MesquitePD_TX. The people 

of Dallas mourn with you,” 

he wrote. 

“Praying and mourning alongside 

our brothers and sisters 

from @MesquitePD_TX,” Dallas 

Police Chief Eddie Garcia wrote. 

“The @DallasPD also wears your 

patch today, and for as long as 

you need our assistance.” 

“Our hearts are with the loved 

ones of the @MesquitePD_TX 

officer who passed away this 

evening after being shot in the 

line of duty. This tragedy is a 

solemn reminder of the risks our 

officers take every day by putting 

their lives on the line to serve 

and protect our communities.” 

“All of us at @CarrolltonTX- 

PD stand ready to support our 

brothers and sisters at @MesquitePD_TX,” 

Carrollton police 

wrote. 

Dozens of law enforcement officers gathered outside Baylor Medical Center to wait for news of the 

wounded officer’s condition. Many more formed a motorcade to escort the officer’s body from the 

hospital to the Dallas County Medical Examiner’s office. 

Officers salute as Sgt. Houston’s body is loaded into a van outside Baylor University 

Medical Center at Dallas on Friday December 3. 


Parents charged with 

Involuntary Manslaughter. 

Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald on Friday charged James 

and Jennifer Crumbley with four counts of involuntary manslaughter after 

their son killed 4 students and injured 7 others at a Michigan high school. 

Oakland County, Michigan, 

prosecutor Karen McDonald on 

Saturday December 4th, highlighted 

text messages and a 

social media post from James 

and Jennifer Crumbley to their 

son, suspected Oxford High 

School shooter Ethan Crumbley, 

during their arraignment 

hearing. 

McDonald said during the 

hearing that the “likelihood of 

conviction is strong” for the 

parents, who pleaded not guilty 

Saturday to four counts each 

of involuntary manslaughter 

after their son was accused of 

shooting and killing four students 

and injuring seven others 

on Tuesday. 

“Mr. Crumbley purchased this 

weapon for his son, and…on 

[November 27], Mrs. Crumbley… 

went to the shooting range 

with her son, posted on social 

media that it was a mother-son 

day, and that she…bought a 

gun for her baby for Christmas. 

It’s also clear from the facts 

that he had total access to this 

weapon and that it was it was 

for him,” McDonald said. 

Prosecutors disputed the 

claim that Ethan Crumbley, 15, 

had “free” access to the weapon, 

saying the gun was “locked” 

before he apparently accessed 

it and took the weapon to 

school. 

On November 29, the Crumbleys 

“were aware” that their 

son “was searching for ammunition 

on his phone at school,” 

McDonald said. The prosecutor 

previously said during a Friday 

press conference that an Oxford 

High School teacher noticed 

Ethan Crumbley searching 

for ammunition on his phone 

during class. A teacher also 

noticed disturbing drawings 

that the 15-year-old created in 

school. 

“Instead of reacting to that as 

a concerned parent and worried 

about safety, Mrs. Crumbley 

texted, ‘L.O.L, just I’m not 

mad. Just next time don’t get 

caught,’” McDonald said Saturday. 

On Tuesday, when Ethan 

Crumbley went to school with 

the 9mm Sig Sauer pistol that 

James Crumbley allegedly purchased 

from a local firearms 

store on Black Friday, November 

26, James and Jennifer 

Crumbley “were called to the 

school about their son’s drawing, 

which clearly depicted 

threats and acts of violence,” 

according to McDonald. 

“Instead of disclosing to the 

school that he had full access 

to this weapon, they chose not 

to take their son home. They 

chose not to tell anybody that 

he might be dangerous when 

it was clear [there was] every 

likelihood that he was. And instead, 

they left,” she said. 

After the Crumbleys left the 

high school, their son returned 

to class and pulled out the 

Ethan Robert Crumbley and his parents Jennifer Crumbley and James Crumbley are pictured at the 

Oakland County Jail in Pontiac, Michigan. (Oakland County Sheriff’s Office/Handout via REUTERS) 

weapon. 

“After the active shooting 

announcement went out, Mrs. 

Crumbley texted her son, Ethan, 

‘Don’t do it.’ And Mr. Crumbley 

went to his home purposely to 

search for this weapon because 

he was afraid his son had the 

weapon and was in fact shooting 

people and hurting them, 

which, as we know, is exactly 

what happened,” McDonald 

continued. 

Crumbley attorney Mariell 

Lehman accused Karen McDonald 

of creating a media “spectacle” 

during Saturday’s hearing 

after her clients did not appear 

at an arraignment apparently 

scheduled for Friday. 

Instead, local law enforcement 

officials sent out a “be on 

the lookout” (BOLO) alert and 

searched for the pair with help 

from the U.S. Marshals Service. 

Authorities eventually found 

them in a commercial building 

in Detroit early Saturday morning. 

Their defense attorneys 

argued that they were unaware 

charges would be filed against 

them on Friday and isolated 

themselves for their safety. 

“Unlike the prosecution, we 

weren’t attempting to make this 

a media ... spectacle. This case 

is absolutely the saddest, most 

tragic, worst case imaginable. 

There is absolutely no doubt. 

But our clients were absolutely 

going to turn themselves in. It 

was just a matter of logistics, 

and all the prosecution had to 

do was communicate with me 

about it,” she said. 

McDonald previously said that 

defendant attorney Smith sent 

a text message to her on Friday, 

which she did not have an obligation 

to respond to. The prosecutor 

also said the Crumbleys 

“didn’t need law enforcement 

permission to go to the court 

and turn themselves in.” 

“The whole country knew 

that these charges were coming. 

And lastly, to suggest that 

this anyone is somehow using 

this incident to create press — 

there’s a lot of attention here 

because four children were 

murdered, and seven others 

were injured, and that is on the 

mind of every single person in 

this country.” 

The four students who died 

in the shooting are 16-year-old 

Tate Myre, 14-year-old Hana St. 

Juliana, 17-year-old Madisyn 

Baldwin and 15-year-old Justin 

Shilling. 


FBI: Dayton Mass Shooter Fantasized About Killing for 

Years with a Phenomenon Known as “Bystander Fatigue.” 

By Andrew Welsh-Huggins and 

John Seewer 

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The man 

who gunned down nine people in 

Dayton, Ohio, two years ago had 

fantasized about mass shootings, 

serial killings, and murder-suicide 

for at least a decade before 

carrying out the August 4, 2019, 

attack, the FBI said Monday as it 

announced the conclusion of its 

investigation. 

Shooter Connor Betts didn’t 

share specific details with 

friends or family members about 

his fantasies, underscoring the 

importance of people being 

attuned to subtle changes in an 

individual, the agency said. 

A phenomenon known as “bystander 

fatigue” may account 

for why no one reported Betts 

to authorities before the shooting, 

according to a two-page FBI 

summary of its report. 

Mourners visit a makeshift memorial 

outside Ned Peppers bar 

following a vigil at the scene of a 

mass shooting, Sunday, August 4, 

2019, in Dayton, Ohio. 

Mourners visit a makeshift memorial 

outside Ned Peppers bar 

following a vigil at the scene of a 

mass shooting, Sunday, August 4, 

2019, in Dayton, Ohio. (AP Photo/ 

John Minchillo) 

That term is used “to describe 

the passivity, inaction, or inattention 

to concerning behaviors observed 

by individuals who have 

a close, interpersonal relationship 

to a person of concern due 

to their prolonged exposure to 

the person’s erratic or otherwise 

troubling behavior over time,” 

the FBI said. 

Betts, 24, was killed by police 

half a minute after he opened 

fire in Dayton’s crowded Oregon 

District entertainment area. 

Armed with an AR-15 style rifle 

and an extended ammunition 

magazine, Betts killed nine 

people, including his sister, and 

wounded dozens more. 

The FBI’s summary of its investigation 

did not address whether 

Betts intended to kill his sister, 

Megan, or if her death was inadvertent. 

After the shooting, high school 

classmates said Betts was suspended 

years ago for compiling 

a “hit list” of fellow students 

he wanted to harm. Two of the 

classmates said Betts had also 

been suspended after he came 

to school with a list of female 

students he wanted to sexually 

assault. 

Early on, police investigators 

said Betts had a “history 

of obsession with violent ideations 

with mass shootings and 

expressed a desire to commit 

a mass shooting.” The FBI said 

it uncovered evidence Betts 

“looked into violent ideologies.” 

A friend of Connor Betts told 

investigators he bought body armor, 

a 100-round magazine, and 

a part for Betts’ gun. However, 

they concluded there was no indication 

he knew of Betts’ plans. 

The friend, Ethan Kollie, pleaded 

guilty to unrelated federal 

firearms charges and was sentenced 

to 2 1/2 years in prison. 

In August, family members of 

four victims sued the magazine 

maker, Kyung Chang Industry 

USA Inc., saying the device serves 

no purpose other than allowing 

for the killing of as many people 

as possible. The magazine allowed 

Betts to fire 41 rounds in 

32 seconds. 


Cop’s Career Ended by a $25 Online Donation and 

‘Words of Encouragement’, Don’t Let This be You. 

Val Van Brocklin 

Cop Gumbo 

Last spring, Norfolk Police Lt. 

William Kelly, a 19-year veteran, 

made a $25 donation to a 

crowdfunding website for Kyle 

Rittenhouse’s legal defense. 

Rittenhouse was charged with 

killing two people and wounding 

a third with an AR-15 he carried 

during racially charged protests 

in Wisconsin following the police 

shooting of Jacob Blake, a 

Black man. Rittenhouse is white. 

Kelly intended the donation to 

be anonymous but a data breach 

shared with journalists linked it 

to his official email. Along with 

his donation, Kelly posted, “God 

bless. Thank you for your courage. 

Keep your head up. You’ve 

done nothing wrong. Every rankand-file 

police officer supports 

you. Don’t be discouraged by 

actions of the political class of 

law enforcement leadership.” 

Kelly was transferred to patrol, 

then placed on administrative 

leave. An investigation concluded 

his actions violated city and departmental 

policies and he was 

fired. He filed a grievance disputing 

each of the policy violations 

and making his own claims, 

including that his dismissal violated 

his right to free speech. 

This article addresses the First 

Amendment claim. 

I have written about the U.S. 

Supreme Court’s three-part 

test for when public employees’ 

speech is protected. Kelly’s 

lawyer acknowledged that test 

in his grievance by claiming 

Kelly’s online speech was made 

as a “private citizen” (rather than 

as a public employee) and was 

about a matter of “public concern.” 

His interest in the speech 

outweighed any interest the 

department had in regulating his 

speech. In the hopes of helping 

other officers avoid Lt. Kelly’s situation, 

let’s discuss his case. 

PRIVATE CITIZEN 

The city contended that when 

Kelly posted, “Every rank-andfile 

police officer supports you,” 

from his official email without 

any disclaimer he was speaking 

in a private capacity, he presented 

the impression he was 

representing, giving opinions, or 

otherwise speaking on behalf of 

the city. 

In Graziosi v. City of Greenville 

(2015), the city argued Graziosi 

spoke as a public employee 

because she invoked her status 

as a police officer by using 

words such as “we” and “our” 

to identify herself as a police 

officer. The U.S. Supreme Court 

in Lane v. Franks (2014) said the 

critical question was whether 

the speech itself was ordinarily 

within the scope of an employee’s 

duties, not whether it merely 

concerned those duties. 

Because Graziosi’s statements 

were not within the ordinary 

scope of her duties, the Fifth 

Circuit held they were made as a 

private citizen. The same being 

true of Lt. Kelly, he appears to 

meet this test. 

PUBLIC CONCERN 

Courts haven’t provided clear 

guidance on when speech is 

about a “public concern.” 

The U.S. Supreme Court stated 

in Connick v. Myers (1983) that 

matters of public concern are 

those of ‘‘political, social or other 

concern to the community.” 

Factors to be considered include 

content, form, and context of the 

speech, as well as the manner, 

time, and place of delivery. The 

speaker’s motive alone is not 

dispositive but may be a relevant 

factor. 

In Connick, the court held that 

speech related to the efficient 

functioning of government was 

not a public concern because the 

context revealed it was largely a 

personal grievance. But in Rankin 

v. McPherson (1987), an employee’s 

statement to a coworker 

about the attempted assassination 

of President Reagan that 

‘‘if they go for him again, I hope 

they get him’’ met the test because 

the speech was in the 

context of a discussion on the 

president’s policies. 

Kelly has a colorable argument 

his speech was about a “public 

concern” – the prosecution of 

a defendant in the high-profile 

homicides of two people 

and wounding of a third while 

the victims were protesting the 

police use of deadly force in 

the shooting of a Black man. He 

must still meet the third prong 

for his speech to be protected. 

THE BALANCING ACT 

In his grievance, Kelly argued: 

“The City of Norfolk had no legitimate 

interest in dismissing me 

because I engaged in this speech 

and, to the extent it had any interest 

in regulating that speech, 

that interest was insufficient to 

justify dismissal.” 

Kelly’s own statements undercut 

his argument. When Kelly 

was transferred to patrol, he 

told news media, “I was told that 

they had to look out for the department. 

I didn’t object to being 

transferred – I understand that 

public perception is very important 

in the 21st century and public 

trust is very important.” 

Public perception and trust 

were of significant concern to 

the city. The city manager said, 

“His egregious comments erode 

the trust between the Norfolk 

Police Department and those 

they are sworn to serve. The City 

of Norfolk has a standard of behavior 

for all employees, and we 

will hold staff accountable.” 

The police chief stated, “A 

police department cannot do 

its job when the public loses 

trust with those whose duty is 

to serve and protect them. We 

do not want perceptions of any 

individual officer to undermine 

the relations between the Norfolk 

Police Department and the 

community.” 

Kelly argued he intended his 

donation and comments to be 

anonymous. As previously noted, 

the speaker’s motive is not determinative. 

Kelly’s donation and 

statements did not remain anonymous 

– a risk he took by posting 

online, as other headlines 

about hacked or investigated 

websites attest. The department 

must address Kelly’s actions to 

maintain the public’s trust. 

Kelly thanked, praised, and 

donated to a criminal defendant 

against whom there was 

probable cause to charge with 

two homicides and a wounding 

during a racially charged protest 

of police use of deadly force. He 

contended he spoke for all “rank 

and file” officers. The city manager’s 

and chief’s concerns about 

the public perception of whether 

Kelly could be trusted to protect 

and serve all citizens in a diverse 

community equally and fairly 

are compelling given the critical 


mission of the department. 

Two cases shed light on how 

difficult it is for an officer to 

meet this third prong. In Graziosi, 

the Fifth Circuit found the 

police department’s interest 

in preserving loyalty and close 

working relationships within the 

department outweighed Graziosi’s 

individual interest. Quoting 

another Fifth Circuit case, Nixon 

v. City of Houston, the court added, 

“Because ‘police departments 

function as paramilitary organizations 

charged with maintaining 

public safety and order, they 

are given more latitude in their 

decisions regarding discipline 

and personnel regulations than 

an ordinary government employer.’” 

Kelly’s post pitted rank-andfile 

officers against police 

leadership. In Nixon, the court 

also found the city’s interest 

in promoting and maintaining 

confidence in the department 

outweighed the individual officer’s 

interest in his speech. That 

public confidence was important, 

the court noted, because 

“HPD often relies upon members 

of the public to provide critical 

information, to serve as witnesses, 

to respect law enforcement 

authority, and to provide financial 

support.” 

THE LESSON 

Do you really want to go 

through what Lt. Kelly is experiencing? 

The internet is a BIG bulletin 

board in the sky readable by 

anyone with an internet connection. 

Get real about anonymity. 

Do you know how easy it is to 

trace an IP address? 

Communities are diverse. Citizens 

have varied interactions 

with and perceptions of their police 

officers. Police must be perceived 

as protecting and serving 

all, without bias, to maintain 

public trust. Without that, police 

work is much more dangerous. 

Please, think before you “click.” 

About the author 

As a state and federal prosecutor, 

Val’s trial work was 

featured on ABC’S PRIMETIME 

LIVE, Discovery Channel’s Justice 

Files, in USA Today, The 

National Enquirer and RED- 

BOOK. Val can be found flying 

her airplane with her retriever, 

a shotgun, a fly rod, and high 

aspirations. Visit Val at www. 

valvanbrocklin.com and info@ 

valvanbrocklin.com 


Retired CA Officer Killed Guarding News Crew 

at Smash and Grab Robbery 

Kevin Nishita, who retired in 2018 

after serving with the Hayward, San 

Jose, and Colma police department, 

was shot in the abdomen during an attempted 

robbery of KRON-TV’s camera 

equipment near downtown Oakland, 

police said. 

“He was rushed to a local hospital 

for medical attention and, despite 

the hospital staff’s best efforts, succumbed 

to his injuries (Saturday) 

morning,” the City of Colma said in a 

statement. 

The KRON crew was covering a recent 

robbery where a group of thieves 

broke in and stole from a clothing 

store, the Associated Press reports. 

A reward of $32,500 is being offered 

for information that leads to an arrest 

in Nishita’s killing. 

NC Trooper Receives Congressional Badge of Bravery 

A North Carolina Highway Patrol 

Trooper who was seriously 

wounded during a 2019 shooting 

received the Congressional 

Badge of Bravery Monday. 

Trooper Daniel Harrell was 

shot in the face and neck. A 

suspect rammed his patrol car. 

Still, he continued pursuit until 

backup could arrive and make an 

arrest, WRAL reports. 

“He stopped. I stopped behind 

him,” Harrell told the North Carolina 

Department of Transportation 

in 2019. “Just as I was about 

to get out of my car, he leaned 

out the window and fired approximately 

four times, striking 

me in the corner of the lip and 

just above my eye.” 

Congressman G.K. Butterfield 

and Sen. Thom Tillis were on 

hand. State troopers lined the 

auditorium at Wilson Community 

College. 

John David Jones, the driver 

of the car Harrell tried to pull 

over, is serving a 10-year sentence 

in federal prison, convicted 

of unlawful possession of ammunition. 

Two other men were 

charged with possession of a 

stolen motor vehicle in connection 

with the crime. 

The initial stop was for illegal 

towing. 


The following story is true. 

No names were changed 

because no innocent people 

were involved. 

My story takes place on 

Christmas Eve many years 

ago. I had been a cop for more 

than 30 years and was a Lieutenant 

assigned to nights. 

With all the time I had in I 

could have been on days with 

weekends off and pushing 

paper all day, but I’d spent my 

entire life on the street. 

It was where I felt more 

comfortable. It was my 

home, I guess. My kids were 

all grown, and I had 4 failed 

marriages behind me. Yeah, 

I could retire but I had absolutely 

nothing to retire to. The 

streets were my home and I 

couldn’t see myself anywhere 

else….working or otherwise. 

Hell, if I weren’t a cop, I’d 

probably be homeless living 

on the streets. 

But despite my acceptance 

of being here forever, 

the weeks leading up to the 

night of this story were what 

seemed like the beginning of 

the end for me. Sounds confusing, 

I know, but let me start 

from the beginning. 

It was early December in 

the late 80’s. Like I said I was 

the lieutenant assigned to 

nights and in our department 

the nightshift lieutenant was 

pretty much the night sheriff. 

I was in charge of everybody 

and everything. But I had been 

doing it so long that it really 

didn’t seem like that big of a 

deal anymore. 

BY LT. BOB EVANS 

But more of all the ole heads 

were retiring and every day 

I had increased youngsters 

showing up at roll call. The 

sheriff decided that in order to 

fill vacancies he would accept 

lateral transfers from other 

departments. Since we paid 

more than the surrounding 

departments these kids (actually 

young men and women 

in their late 20’s) came over 

in droves. Everyday there was 

someone new and of course 

they all came to nights. 

The latest transfer was this 

young man from a PD up 

north. A real go getter. Reminded 

me of me at that age. 

His name was Randy Jones. 

Jones was married and had 

just had a brand-new baby 

girl. Wasn’t even 3 weeks old. 

The boy posted pictures of 

that girl all over the station. 

He was the proud papa for 

sure. 

But he was from a PD and 

this was the sheriff’s department. 

We did things differently 

and Jones had his own idea 

about how it ‘should’ be done. 

I had to sit that boy down 

several times during those 

first few weeks and just say 

look, ‘If you want to stay here 

and be successful you have to 

follow the book. Otherwise, 

I’m going to have to talk to the 

sheriff and send you back to 

the PD.” Broke my heart because 

he was really a good 

kid just stubborn. Reminded 

me when I started. The dayshift 

sergeant moved him to 

days for a week, just to teach 

him OUR ways. 

Now here it was Christmas 

Eve and Jones was back at 

working the nightshift with 

me again. 

Anyway, it was about 3am 

when a silent alarm dropped 

in a warehouse on the 

northside of the district. I was 

only a couple blocks away and 

Jones must have been sitting 

in the parking lot because he 

advised he was about to go 

out on it. I advised dispatch I 

was backing him up and was 

a couple minutes out. 

Jones arrived and advised 

he had an open rear door, as 

I was pulling up to the rear. 

We agreed we would clear 

the building starting towards 

the right and work our way 

to the front. This was one of 

those flex space warehouse 

with storage on the back and 

offices in the front and they 

weren’t really that large. As 

soon as we stepped inside, 

we heard movement near the 

front. Other than our flashlights, 

it was pitch black in the 

damn place. Suddenly a bright 

piercing light following by a 

deafening boom appeared in 

front of us….we were taking 

fire from multiple locations. 

I was literally firing into the 

dark. I just kept firing in the 

direction of the muzzle blast 

until there weren’t anymore. I 

stood there in the dark, shining 

my flashlight to see what 

or who was there and 20 feet 

away I saw two bodies on the 

ground, blood now running 

across the bare concrete. 

Unit 204 I have shots fired 

and two suspects down. I 

need EMS and backup. 

Where is Jones? “Jones?” 

“Unit 204 to Jones, where are 

you? 

“Jones where the fuck are 

you? I began running all over 

the warehouse to see where 

he was and as soon as I 

turned a corner, there he was. 

Laying in a pool of blood. 

“Officer down, officer down, 

Unit 204 I have an officer 

down.” 

Jones? As soon as I knelt 

down, I could see that a round 

had hit him in the neck and 

struck an artery. He had bled 

out in seconds. The first round 

those assholes fired went right 

through the thin portion wall 

and hit him. He was down 

within seconds of us entering 

that room. He never said a 

word. He didn’t get a chance 

to fire a single shot. 

Somehow by the grace of 

God, I hit both the suspects in 

the dark and they both went 

down as well. I was the lone 

survivor. That’s a term I would 

hear over and over again. 

Within seconds, I had deputies 

arriving from all over. 

Sirens. I could hear sirens everywhere. 

Ringing in my ears 

and sirens. The scene was just 

so surreal. Dust. Red and blue 

lights bouncing off the walls. 

Blood running across the bare 

concrete floors. Bodies motionless 

on the floor. And this 

young deputy at my side. I just 

sat there and waited for the 

EMTs. 

“Lieutenant…Lieutenant… 

Lieutenant….?” 

“What??” 

“Sir you need to get up and 

let them work on Jones.” 

I stood up and watched the 

EMTs from the firehouse squad 

that was just blocks from 

here begin working on him, 

but they stopped really before 

they started. There was 

nothing they could do. He was 

gone. 

I notified dispatch to send 

me detectives, crime scene 

and notify the sheriff. 

But I WAS the night sheriff 

and I knew what I had to do. It 

was my job to notify the next 

of kin, spouses or parents of 

36 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 37

a deputy killed in the line of 

duty. In my 30+ years, I had 

only had to do it once. But 

this was different. This young 

man was dead on my watch. 

Standing 10 feet from me. It 

was my responsibility to keep 

him safe and I failed. I failed 

him, his wife, and his baby 

girl. 

The truth is, I shouldn’t have 

left the scene. I had just shot 

and killed two suspects. I had 

a dead deputy on the ground 

20 feet from the dead crooks. 

The DA shoot team would 

be enroute and so would 

the sheriff. Maybe the sheriff 

should go to Jones’ and make 

the notification? 

Nope. It was my job and my 

job alone, I had to do what I 

had to do. Without realizing it, 

I had pulled off the highway 

and pulled up under an old 

railroad crossing underpass. 

I was trembling and crying 

uncontrollably. It was at that 

moment that I felt like my life 

had ended. A young man was 

dead because of me. I was his 

supervisor; his backup and he 

was dead. I was old and at the 

end of my career and he was 

just getting started. It should 

be me on that floor. God got 

this wrong. I should be dead. I 

should be dead. 

I found myself under that 

bridge, with my gun in my 

hand. I was praying that God 

would forgive me for everything 

that happened that night 

and what I was about to do. 

It was at that instant I heard a 

voice say, “Mister are you ok?” 

I turned around and standing 

there before me was this 

young couple holding a baby. 

“What? Where did you two 

come from? What are you doing 

down here?” 

“We have no other place 

to be. We lost our home in a 

fire and we’ve been camping 

under this bridge for a while 

now. What are you doing here 

officer? Are we in trouble? Are 

you hurt? You’re bleeding!” 

“No, you’re not in trouble. I 

just needed a minute to think. 

I guess I ended up here. And 

it’s not my blood.” 

“Officer, maybe you should 

sit down a minute. Let us get 

you something hot to drink, 

it’s freezing out here.” 

As I sat down with them 

under that bridge, I saw this 

young couple that had to be 

about the same age as Jones 

and his wife. Here they were 

on Christmas Eve living in 

a tent under a bridge comforting 

ME. Making ME take a 

minute. I listened to their story 

and how they ended up there 

and when the young man 

finished his story, he looked at 

me and said, now tell us how 

you ended up here …. with us. 

For the next few minutes, I 

shared what had transpired 

that evening. That I was on 

my way to tell a young mother 

and wife, her husband 

wasn’t coming home. And I 

guess I stopped to gather my 

thoughts and ended up here. 

I didn’t tell them I was seconds 

away from ending my 

own life. I thanked them for 

their kindness and asked them 

if I could take them to a shelter 

and they declined. They 

said they were happy to be 

together, be safe under that 

bridge, and knew God would 

keep them safe until they 

could find a new home. 

I left them there and drove 

to Jones’ house. As I pulled 

up the sheriff was just pulling 

up as well. I walked up to 

him and he hugged me said, 

“You know you shouldn’t be 

here. You have about a dozen 

detectives and DA shoot team 

looking for your ass.” 

“Yes sir, I know. But this is 

my job too, and he died on my 

watch. Under my command.” 

“Bob. I know. Let’s do this 

together.” 

The next few days were a 

blur. The following week we 

buried Deputy Jones. After the 

funeral, I drove to that underpass 

to make sure my young 

new friends were ok, but the 

tent was gone and so were 

they. I guess God found them 

that new home. As I was turning 

around under the bridge, I 

saw something where the tent 

had been. I got out of my car 

and picked up a cross that had 

been formed from branches 

and twigs. It had a red ribbon 

tied around it and a small 

piece of dirty paper tied to the 

top with the words: 

On this spot God saved us 

from ourselves and gave us a 

new beginning. 

IS PROUD 

TO SUPPORT 

FOR HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL 


REMEMBERING RICHARD HOUSTON 

Mesquite Police Sergeant 

When a Police Officer Dies 

When a police officer dies, his family cries 

and the world has lost a good friend. 

Though he may have saved lives 

and silenced young cries 

by performing his duties each day, 

there are those who will say he has passed away. 

Then there are those who will know this is not 

true, that his memory lives on in the good he has 

done and the love he has left behind. 

His body has passed but his spirit remains for 

those who must continue his quest 

as he goes to meet God, we pray as we nod and 

wish him the very best. 

Richard Houston 

End of Watch: Friday, Dec. 3, 2021 

Sgt. Richard Houston 


REMEMBERING THOSE WE’VE LOST 

Officers Lost Due to COVID in November 2021 

OFFICER 

JASON MICHAEL BELTON 

BORDER PATROL AGENT 

RAFAEL G. SANCHEZ 

POLICE OFFICER 

THOMAS KRISTOPHER HUTCHISON 

SENIOR OFFICER 

MATHEW L. LYONS 

LIEUTENANT 

DAVID FORMEZA 

POLICE CHIEF 

BUDDY CRABTREE 

CORRECTIONAL OFFICER 

JUAN CRUZ, JR. 

SERGEANT 

TIMOTHY WERNER 

DETECTIVE SERGEANT 

GARY R. TACCONE 

DEPUTY SHERIFF 

JOHN EDWARD MOON 



Officers Lost Due to COVID in November 2021 

BORDER PATROL AGENT 

ANIBAL A. PEREZ 

SERGEANT 

SCOTT M. PATTON 

CORRECTIONS OFFICER 

V KEVIN DUPREE 

MASTER TROOPER 

DANIEL A. STAINBROOK 

CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER 

ADAM RAY ARBOGAST 

When one falls, 

We all fall. 



Lost in the Line of Duty 

Senior Patrolman Sherman Otto Benys, Jr. 

Kingsville Police Department, Texas 

End of Watch Thursday, November 4, 2021 

Age 58 Tour 20 Years Badge # 81 

Senior Patrolman Sherman Benys succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained 

three days earlier while responding to a domestic dispute on the 300 block of 

South Wanda in Kingsville. 

When Patrolman Benys and another officer arrived at the scene, the male 

subject opened fire on them, striking Patrolman Benys and prompting the two 

officers to return fire. 

The subject fled the scene, was apprehended by officers, and taken into custody. 

Police Officer Paramhans Desai 

Henry County Police Department, Georgia 

End of Watch Monday, November 8, 2021 

Age 38 Tour N/A Badge # 7951 

Police Officer Paramhans Desai succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained at 

about 6:00 pm on November 4th, 2021, while responding to a domestic violence 

call near the intersection of Keys Ferry Road and Floresta Drive in McDonough. 

Officer Desai was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital where he remained 

on life support until succumbing to his wounds on November 8th, 2021. He 

continued to serve his community after his passing by having multiple organs 

donated. The subject who shot Officer Desai fled the area and remained at large 

for five days. He committed suicide after barricading himself inside of a home in 

Clayton County as officers attempted to take him into custody. 

Deputy Sheriff Lena Nicole Marshall 

Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Georgia 

End of Watch Monday, November 8, 2021 


Deputy Sheriff Lena Marshall succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained three 

days earlier while responding to a domestic disturbance call at 6416 Highway 

124 in Hoschton. As she and another deputy contacted someone in the home, 

a woman opened fire on them, wounding Deputy Marshall. Deputy Marshall’s 

partner returned fire and killed the woman. Deputy Marshall was transported to 

a local hospital, where she succumbed to her wounds. 

Deputy Marshall had served with Jackson County Sheriff’s Office for almost two 

years and had previously served with the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office, Habersham 

Sheriff’s Office, Winder Police Department, and the Helen Police Department. 

She is survived by her two daughters, son, two sisters, and two brothers. 

Sergeant Dominic Guida 

Bunnell Police Department, Florida 

End of Watch Tuesday, November 9, 2021 


Sergeant Dominic Guida suffered a fatal heart attack while participating in a 

multi-agency field force training exercise at the Relay Fire Tower in Bunnell. 

He was participating in the training while wearing a gas mask when he suddenly 

collapsed. He was immediately transported to the local hospital where he was 

pronounced dead. 

Sergeant Guida had served with the Bunnell Police Department for 19 years. He 

is survived by his two sisters, brother, nieces, and nephews. 

Officer Desai had previously served with the DeKalb County Police Department 

and the Georgia Department of Corrections. He is survived by his wife and two 

young children. 




Lieutenant Chad Brackman 

Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, Arizona 

End of Watch Wednesday, November 10, 2021 

Age 47 Tour 22 Years Badge # 7S1296 

Lieutenant Chad Brackman was struck and killed by a vehicle while directing 

traffic near the intersection of N 87th Street and N Pima Road in Scottsdale. 

He was working an overtime assignment at about 11:00 am when he was 

struck. He was transported to HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn where he succumbed 

to his injuries a short time later. 

Lieutenant Brackman had served with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office for 

22 years and was assigned to the Lake Patrol Division. He is survived by his 

wife, two children, and two stepchildren, a daughter, and grandchildren. 

Police Officer Michael D. Chandler 

Big Stone Gap Police Department, Virginia 

End of Watch Saturday, November 13, 2021 

Age 29 Tour N/A Badge # 512 

Police Officer Michael Chandler was shot and killed while performing a welfare 

check at a vacant home in the 2500 block of Orr Street. Officer Chandler was 

flagged down by a citizen at about 4:00 am who asked him to check on a person 

who was inside of the home. When he arrived on the scene, he encountered 

a subject and was shot. A deputy with the Wise County Sheriff’s Office located 

Officer Chandler in a ditch along the home’s driveway. He was transported to 

Norton Community Hospital and then flown to Johnson City Medical Center in 

Tennessee where he succumbed to his wounds at about 7:00 pm. 

The incident occurred on Officer Chandler’s 29th birthday. In addition to serving 

with the Big Stone Gap Police Department, he also served as a volunteer with 

the Big Stone Gap Fire Department. 

Detective Michael J. Dion 

Chicopee Police Department, Massachusetts 



Detective Michael Dion suffered a fatal heart attack while on traffic assignment 

at 60 Fuller Road in Chicopee. 

He had moved several large barricades as part of the road closure assignment 

when he collapsed. He was transported to the hospital, where he was kept on 

life support to donate his organs. 

Detective Dion had served with the Chicopee Police Department for 39 years. He 

is survived by his girlfriend and daughter. 

Corrections Officer Rhonda Jean Russell 

Blair County Prison, Pennsylvania 


Age 47 Tour 16 Years Badge # N/A 

Corrections Officer Rhonda Russell was shot and killed after a struggle for her 

firearm at the holding area of the Central Court building at 615 Fourth Street in 

Altoona. A male inmate attacked and disarmed Officer Russell while waiting for 

a court hearing. An Altoona police officer who was in the court building saw the 

altercation between Officer Russell and the suspect. The suspect had restrained 

Officer Russell and aimed the weapon at the officer. The officer shot at the 

suspect, but the suspect moved Officer Russell into the line of fire. She was 

transported to UPMC Altoona, where she succumbed to her wounds. The inmate 

who attacked Officer Russell was charged with murder of the second degree 

and murder of a law enforcement officer of the second degree. 

Officer Russell had served 16 years with the Blair County Prison. She is survived 

by her three sons, fiancé, and parents. 




Deputy Sheriff Frank Ramirez, Jr. 

Independence County Sheriff’s Office, Arkansas 

End of Watch Thursday, November 18, 2021 

Age 29 Tour 2 Years 5 months Badge # 121 

Deputy Sheriff Frank Ramirez was killed in a single-vehicle crash on State Highway 

14 at about 12:50 am. 

He was driving eastbound during a period of rain, responding to a call for assistance 

when his vehicle left the roadway on a curve and became airborne. 

Deputy Ramirez had served with the Independence County Sheriff’s Office for 

five months and had previously served for two years with the Batesville Police 

Department and the United States Border Patrol. He is survived by his wife, son, 

and daughter. 

Reserve Deputy Sheriff Madison “Skip” Nicholson 

Wilcox County Sheriff’s Office, Alabama 

End of Watch Wednesday, December 1, 2021 

Police Officer Henry Laxson 

Clayton County Police Department, Georgia 

End of Watch Tuesday, November 30, 2021 

Age N/A Tour N/A Badge # N/A 

Police Officer Henry Laxson was shot and killed as he and other officers responded 

to a domestic violence and shooting call in the 3600 block of Jervis 

Court in Rex at about 8:40 pm. The first officers to arrive on scene encountered 

a 12-year-old boy who had been shot in the face. Despite his injuries, the boy 

was able to lead officers to his house. As the officers approached the house, 

a man opened fire from inside before retreating inside toward the back of the 

home. Officer Laxson, along with other members of the Tactical Unit, were 

approaching the home from the rear when they encountered the man at the rear 

of the house. Both officers were transported to Grady Memorial Hospital, where 

Officer Laxson succumbed to his wounds. Officer Laxson had been recognized 

as the Clayton County Police Department’s Officer of the Quarter in October 

2020. He is survived by his wife. 

Detective Antonio Valentine 

St. Louis County Police Department, Missouri 

End of Watch Wednesday, December 1, 2021 


Reserve Deputy Sheriff Skip Nicholson was shot and killed while he and the chief 

deputy responded to a domestic disturbance call on Shamburger Road in Yellow 

Bluff at about 5:00 pm. A woman had reported that her estranged husband had 

threatened to kill her and had left to retrieve a firearm. As Deputy Nicholson and 

the chief deputy arrived at the home they encountered the man, who opened fire 

and shot both deputies. Despite being wounded, the chief deputy returned fire and 

killed the subject. Deputy Nicholson was flown to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola, 

Florida, where he succumbed to his wounds. Deputy Nicholson had served as 

a law enforcement in Wilcox County for 40 years, have served as a reserve deputy, 

a full-time deputy, and an elected constable. He was acting in the capacity of a 

process server at the time of his shooting. He had previously been shot in the line 

of duty while responding to a call for service in the 1990s. He is survived by his 

wife, two sons, daughter, and eight grandchildren. 


Detective Antonio Valentine was killed in a vehicle crash near the intersection 

of Bellefontaine Road and Crete Drive, in Bellefontaine Neighbors, at about 3:00 

pm. The department vehicle he and his partner were in collided with another car 

head-on. Both he and his partner were transported to Barnes-Jewish Hospital, 

where Detective Valentine succumbed to his injuries. The driver of the other vehicle 

was also killed in the crash. Detective Valentine was a United States Army 

combat veteran and had retired from the Air Force Reserves. He had served with 

the St. Louis County Police Department for 14 years. 

Detective Valentine’s uncle is a police officer with the St. Louis Metropolitan 

Police Department. 


BY MICHAEL BARRON 

the PROCESS 

? 

In the state of Texas there are 

approximately 2700 law enforcement 

agencies, 150 Federal 

Agencies, 237 Sheriff’s Departments 

and hundreds of police, 

constables, and marshalls. The 

BLUES has always maintained its 

mission: we will cover what’s 

happening in law enforcement 

in Texas and share it with the 

nearly 80,000 peace officers in 

this state. 

So naturally when we launched 

our new digital version 2-years 

ago, we reached out to as many 

of those departments as possible 

and said - keep us updated on 

what your department’s doing 

and we’ll cover it in The BLUES. 

What we didn’t know, was that 

we were signing up for an email 

Armageddon. On an average day 

we receive about 500 emails 

from departments all across the 

state. Some departments several 

times a day, others once every 

few months. My point is we get 

to know intimately what some 

departments endure on a daily 

basis. The never-ending SWAT 

calls, officer involved shootings 

and God forbid a department 

loses an officer. 

During the course of selecting 

cover topics for our upcoming 

2022 issues, our Editorial Board 

began discussing the possibility 

of selecting an Officer of the 

Year and perhaps a Police Chief 

or Sheriff of the Year to feature 

on the cover. We decided that 

we’d let our 90,000+ readers 

send in nominees for the Officer 

of the Year and have our readers 

vote for the winner in mid 2022. 

But I liked the idea of choosing 

a Police Chief of the Year. Now 

as much as I’d like to tell you this 

was all scientific and based on 

this parameter and that statistic, 

it wasn’t. The fact is each 

of the board members selected 

who ‘they’ thought deserved 

to be recognized for doing an 

outstanding job in 2021. Departments 

large or small, big cities, 

little towns - didn’t matter, everyone 

picked who they thought 

was #1. And then you had to tell 

everyone WHY he or she deserved 

this very special award, 

the first of its kind in our 38th 

year history. 

Ironically, all of us chose Troy 

Finner. Perhaps it’s because he’s 

literally on the news or in one of 

the thousands of emails we read 

every day, that he would be the 

first choice we would all consider. 

Or perhaps it’s the man behind 

the badge that each of us sees 

that the public doesn’t. 

To be honest, police chiefs of 

big cities in America come and 

go every day. A new mayor gets 

elected, new city manager is 

hired, new council elected, whatever, 

they decide they don’t care 

for the current chief’s policies 

and next thing you know they are 

on the hunt for new talent. And 

most big cities don’t promote 

from within, they recruit these 

so-called “rock-star” police 

chiefs from around the country 

and parade them around their cities 

like a King Cake at Mardi Gras. 

But thankfully for those of us 

here in Houston, Mayor Turner 

only did that once with Art Ace- 


TROY FINNER 

HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT 

vedo. And when that ship sailed 

to Miami, he made what turned 

out to be an outstanding choice 

for Houston’s new chief - Executive 

Assistant Chief Troy Finner. 

As Executive Assistant Chief, 

Finner already had ALOT on his 

plate. He oversaw one of the 

largest divisions in the city and 

literally had thousands of officers 

and civilians reporting to 

him daily. But Acevedo didn’t 

leave him with this pie-in-thesky 

department either. Finner 

still had to deal with cleaning 

up the mess in narcotics with 

hundreds of cases on the line 

after detectives lied their way 

into countless cases and ended 

up killing a couple in a no-knock 

raid. 

No to mention the city’s homicide 

rate was on target to surpass 

the past several years and a 

few months after he was sworn 

in as chief, he was on the scene 

of an off-duty New Orleans officer 

killed in the Galleria. Weeks 

the WINNER. 

later his own officer, William 

Jeffries was killed in a shootout 

with a felony suspect. But what 

the public didn’t know and those 

that have known Finner the past 

31 years could plainly see, was 

that each and every one of these 

senseless killings was affecting 

him personally. You could see 

it in his face and hear it in his 

voice. Doesn’t matter if it’s an 

innocent 15-year-old boy shot in 

his family’s backseat or his own 

officer killed in the doorway of 

a south-side apartment, Finner 

takes it personally. He hurts and 

bleeds for his city. 

You don’t need to spend but 

a few minutes with the man to 

know he is something special. 

That he comes from a place 

you can’t find in a pre-packaged, 

hyped up, ready-to-go, 

super-hero police chief from 

another-city kind of guy. He’s a 

superhero alright, but in a completely 

different kind of way. He’s 

a superhero from the heart. He 

cares about his department. The 

men and women are his brothers 

and sisters he’ll die protecting. 

And most importantly, he cares 

about the people in his city. If they 

are hurt, he’s hurt. When they lose 

a son or daughter, he suffers the 

same loss. They are all his extended 

family. 

Quite frankly I don’t think you 

could find a harder working police 

chief if you tried. The pace Finner 

keeps is hard to keep up with. 

And I’m referring to the ‘dayshift’ 

side of the business. God knows 

when this man sleeps. Although 

he has assistant chiefs on duty 

every night, if one of his people 

get hurt, he is there. If another 

innocent Houstonian is killed, he 

is there comforting the family. 

So yeah, selecting Police Chief 

of the Year for 2021 was easy. 

Hands down it was Houston Police 

Chief, Troy Finner. Now let’s 

look back at his 31 Years at HPD 

and see how it all began and 

what let to this moment in time. 



in the BEGINNING. 

Finner is a Houston native, 

having been born in Houston’s 

Fifth Ward. His mother and 

father were both raised in the 

Fifth Ward and at an early age, 

the family moved to the Hiram 

Clarke area of Houston. Finner 

spent most of his childhood in 

Hiram Clarke and graduated from 

James Madison High School in 

1985. 

Even in high school, Finner was 

a proven leader. He played safety 

and running back for the Madison 

Marlins and was a three-year 

starter at safety and served as 

the team’s captain. Because of 

the example of discipline and 

hard work set by his father, 

coupled with the mentorship 

and teachings of his high school 

coaches, Finner was always 

inspired to go the extra mile and 

strive for the highest goals. 

Finner enrolled at Sam Houston 

State University, where he 

discovered an interest in criminal 

justice. He earned a Bachelor 

of Science in Criminal Justice 

from Sam Houston State and his 

Master of Criminal Justice degree 

from the University of Houston-Clear 

Lake. 

After graduating from Sam 

Houston, Finner applied at the 

Houston Police Department, was 

accepted, and entered Class # 

137 in 1989. When he graduated, 

he was assigned to the old 

Beechnut substation. 

As he rose through the ranks, 

Finner always had this mindset 

of building relationships, 

respecting people, and understanding 

the differential aspects 

of people. Those qualities were 

things that he carried over in every 

rank he held and led to him 

rising higher and higher in the 

department. 

He worked in the Office of Public 

Affairs, Southwest Division, 

South Gessner Division, in the 

Internal Investigation Command 

and eventually as Assistant Chief 

of the South Patrol Command. 

When he promoted to Executive 

Assistant Chief, he oversaw the 

HPD Field & Support Operations, 

which included responsibility for 

three patrol region commands 

and one support command encompassing 

15 patrol divisions, 

the Traffic Enforcement Division, 

Emergency Communications 

Division, Mental Health Division, 

and the Gang Division. 

Throughout his career, Chief 

Finner has completed specialized 

training through enrollment 

in elite professional development 

courses. He is a Senior Management 

Institute for Police (SMIP) 

graduate and attended the Police 

Executive Leadership Institute 

(PELI) and the Federal Bureau of 

Investigation National Executive 

Institute (NEI). 

Outside of having a proven 

track record, Finner has also 

proven to be a true people person 

and a real down to Earth 

individual who isn’t afraid to talk 

to anyone. He believes his upbringing 

and his ability to relate 

to everyone across the entire city 

will help build stronger relationships 

with the members of the 

community. 


Finner was interviewed by a 

number of local magazines and 

I found the following quotes 

and responses truly indicative of 

the true role model Finner has 

become. 

“Nobody has been a better 

role model and mentor than my 

parents,” said Finner. “My mother 

showed me the art and blessings 

of unconditional love and true 

forgiveness. My father was a provider 

and did whatever he had 

to do to take care of his family. 

My mother grew up in Kelly 

Court projects in Fifth Ward, so 

when I’m rolling through there, 

I tell them that this is where my 

mother was raised, so I have love 

for the area because of the love I 

have for my own mother.” 

Finner says that he never 

thought about being a member 

of law enforcement as a young 

person, but it eventually captured 

his interest while in college. 

“I never grew up thinking about 

being a member of law enforcement 

because I never had 

a relationship with law enforcement 

growing up,” said Finner. “I 

really didn’t know a whole lot of 

them and I am a first-generation 

member of law enforcement, so 

I had nobody in my family that 

were police officers. It wasn’t 

until I took a class in college tied 

to criminal justice that it piqued 

my interest and put me on the 

path that I have been on relative 

to my law enforcement career.” 

true PURPOSE. 

Finner spends time talking to 

the younger generation about the 

importance of learning about the 

law enforcement profession, especially 

speaking to young black 

males. 

“These young people, especially 

our young brothers, should 

stop looking past a career in 

law enforcement. This is a great 

job and you can help so many 

people,” said Finner. “In this job, 

you can really make a difference 

and help people as part of your 

career, and while I know a lot of 

people tend to focus on many of 

the negative aspects of the job 

(and rightfully so sometimes), I 

also know that the majority of 

members of law enforcement do 

great and wonderful things.” 

Chief Finner says that God has 

given him a unique ability to talk 

to and build relationships with 

everyone, regardless of their 

status in life, and believes that is 

what has helped him successfully 

do his job and stay connected 

to the community. 

“I communicate with everybody, 

which is a gift from God 

and which is why I have been so 

effective,” said Finner. “I want 

to share an untold story with 

you. During the large George 

Floyd protest here in Houston, 

I had members of the hip-hop 

community and even some gang 

members right there alongside 

of me and HPD, when more than 

about 5,000 people stayed back 

to cause problems in our great 

city. I told them I needed it to be 

done the right way and didn’t 

need anyone assaulted or any 

other violence, and they said that 

wouldn’t happen. They told me 

that they just weren’t going to 

let outsiders come into our city 

and wreck our city. We often 

hear the narratives of how our 

young black males cause havoc 

and chaos, but I want the story 

to be told that we had young 

black males who stood up, did 

the right thing, and helped us 

as members of law enforcement 

protect our city. That’s the 

strength and a true example of 

what solid relationships between 

police and the community 

should look like. That is the story 

I want told.” 



TROY FINNER for the rest of his life. 

With his left hand on the Holy Bible held by his 

wife, Sherrian, Chief Finner took the oath of office 

while his children, parents, and other family and 

friends looked on. His ten-year-old son Wyatt took 

top honors, as he was able to pin the official badge 

of office on his father. 

“It’s time to work,” said newly installed Houston 

Police Chief Troy Finner at his swearing-in ceremony. 

Coming into office very clearly aware of the 

challenges that face him – a high homicide rate, an 

increase in violent, lawsuits about the botch raid 

that left a couple dead and other police misconduct 

allegations hanging overhead. Finner also wants to 

build trust in the community as well as address the 

HPD reforms by directed by the mayor’s policing task 

force.” Tough roads are ahead of us,” said Finner, 

who added that he has never walked away from a 

challenge. 

As far as his top immediate focuses as the new 

police chief of HPD, Finner stated that addressing 

violent crime is at the top of the list, followed 

by building trust with the community, focusing on 

transparency, and ensuring that good police officers 

are fully supported and appreciated. 

As it relates to his legacy, Finner states that he 

wants to be remembered as the man he has always 

been…a man of his word. 

“I’m Chief of Police for a short while, but I’m Troy 

Finner for the rest of my life,” said Finner. “My word 

and my family name means everything to me, so if 

I don’t stand on my word and protect my family’s 

name, then I have failed as a man. That is not something 

I plan to do.” 



WHO WANTS TO BE A COP? 

New series takes deep dive into St. Petersburg Police Academy 


PART 81 

END OF WATCH 

“One family! One Fight!” 

BY LANE DEGREGORY 


A van is driving in from the 

west; a car is speeding from 

the east; a school bus is coming 

from the north, blinking its lights 

to turn left. 

Four lanes of traffic cross here 

— and the light has been turned 

off. 

The only thing keeping the vehicles 

from crashing is a cadet in 

a neon yellow vest. 

He blows his whistle, one long 

blast, holds up his hand toward 

the bus. 

“Watch that van behind you!” 

KeVonn Mabon shouts from the 

curb. “Man, it’s confusing out 

here. You got to have 360-degree 

coverage and think like a stoplight.” 

It’s the end of January, and the 

recruits from the St. Petersburg 

police academy are at the corner 

of 22nd Avenue S and 22nd 

Street, learning how to direct 

traffic. Everyone has to stand in 

the road for five minutes. 

Putting them out there, a coach 

says, “is terrifying.” 

“Make sure they can see you,” 

he calls to the cadet. “You got to 

get out there in the center of the 

intersection more.” 

By LANE DeGREGORY, 

Times 

The instruction 

Staff Writer 

is brief: One 

long whistle means stop. Two 

short They tweets can’t get mean over go. the Get wall. the 

drivers’ It’s 6-feet attention. tall, made Show of smooth them 

what wood. you Nothing want to them hold to or do. stand Keep 

your on. head on a swivel. Don’t 

cause Even an the accident. tallest men Don’t are get struggling. 

killed. 

“Run “You’re at going it. Get to a grip. have Haul to address 

yourself 

up,” 

each 

shouts 

car, because 

a coach in 

the 

a red 

shirt. “Don’t give them a huge 

driver in the car behind it might 

target.” 

not 

You 

see 

never 

your 

know 

hand 

when 

signals,” 

you’re 

says 

the going coach. to have to chase a suspect 

over Wearing a wall. a green safety vest, a 

cadet It’s a gestures drizzly day to in traffic. late September. 

The The cadets police say recruits KeVonn are Mabon lined 

looks like an NFL referee when 

he directs traffic. 

Mabon strides into the intersection, 

adjusts his vest, plants 

his feet shoulder-width apart. 

For the first couple minutes, cars 

only come from opposite directions; 

he waves them straight 

through. 

Then someone driving in from 

the east wants to turn left. “Exaggerate 

your motions,” shouts 

the coach. 

Mabon waves with his right 

hand, stops with his left. A tow 

truck rolls by, then a car with 

a dog. When two cars come in 

from the south, side-by-side, he 

stops the east-west traffic to 

let them turn. “Nice!” shouts the 

coach. “Good job keeping the 

side streets moving.” 

“Hey, Mabon!” calls one of the 

recruits. “I hope to be like you 

when I grow up!” 

When it’s Brittany “Mama” 

Moody’s turn, she slides on dark 

sunglasses. She forgot her whistle, 

which she had taken to her 

son’s basketball game. She’s 

coaching his team now. 

“That’s okay, the whistle is optional,” 

the coach says. “Now go 

up behind St. Petersburg College’s predict their perils: crawl under a 

Allstate get ’em.” Center, between the rifle fence, slither through a tube, hoist 

range Wearing and shoot a green house. safety vest, a yourself into a make-shift attic. 

Three cadet weeks gestures into to training, traffic. They’re slick with sweat, covered 

they’ve Moody learned doesn’t to keep need their a whistle eyes in dirt, cheering each other on. 

on to the direct door, traffic. do push-ups She’s confident 

cadence, 

in the tell intersection, reasonable suspicion using just her ing!” If you fall, you have to start 

“You got it! Come on! Keep go- 

from hands. probable cause, frisk someone, 

Each search cadet a car develops and carry their coffee own “You have three chances,” the 

over. 

in their 

style 

left 

in the 

hand 

street. 

so they 

Mabon 

can grab 

mimics 

a referee’s motions. Instead 

coach says. 

their gun with their right. 

In the real world, you might only 

Brittany Moody is the first woman 

in her class to conquer the Class 219 is mostly white and 

get one. 

of using her whole hand, Moody doesn’t mean they’re going to 

obstacle points course. to drivers She with played two five fingers. 

growing up and works out yet, said A Joe man Saponare, in a silver who Nissan over- 

honks 

male, 

stop.” 

but it is the most diverse 

sports 

every “Good morning. job! Great! But be careful!” 

morning, calls the they’re coach. starting “Just be- 

the burg College’s dan waves Law and Enforcement shouts, “Thanks 

sees recruit at one training recruit. at A woman St. Peters- 

in a se- 

This 

obstacle cause course you put that’s your designed hand up to Academy: for being seven here!” women, five Black 

An hour later, traffic picks up. 

Hannah Anhalt had wanted to 

wait, watch her classmates, 

build her confidence. 

“You look scared,” Mabon tells 

her. “Just go out there and get 

it over with.” He fist-bumps her. 

“You got this!” 

She stands beneath the stoplight, 

motions with her right arm 

above her head, then swoops her 

left hand across her waist, waving 

on a pickup. 

“Looking good out there!” calls 

the coach. 

Later, Anhalt admits, “It wasn’t 

that bad.” Directing traffic, she 

says, “will be the least of my 


worries.” 

Arm bumps between cadets. 

Hannah Anhalt was nervous 

about standing in the street 

with cars coming at her from all 

directions. Here, she celebrates 

after taking her turn directing 

traffic. 

Graduation is only a couple of 

weeks away. Then the recruits 

have to pass the state test. 

After that, they start training 

with the agencies that hired 

them. They’ll spend at least four 

more months shadowing “field 

training officers,” going to accidents 

and incidents, working the 

radio, and writing reports. 

Even if all of them make it 

through the academy, another 

40 percent don’t make it 

through that next phase, when 

every day a senior officer rates 

them on appearance, communication 

skills, problem-solving, 

reactions — 36 aspects of their 

performance. 

They really need a year of 

training at the academy, says one 

coach. The others agree. “That’s 

why law enforcement officers 

get in trouble. They under-train 

and overreact, go for their guns.” 

In Florida, basic training for 

police officers was authorized by 

the Legislature in 1967 and began 

the next year. It then featured 5 

weeks of sessions. 

The state changes training 

standards often but not the 

length of the academy. As the 

Legislature adds requirements, 

there is “the possibility of an 

increase in hours in the near 

future,” said Jessica Cary of the 

Florida Department of Law Enforcement. 

This month, the state curriculum 

will add 24 hours of communications 

training and teach 

recruits about using “emotional 

intelligence and empathy as 

tools … responding with professionalism 

and empathy to people 

who appear different from oneself” 

and how to interact with 

people who fear police. 

The next class of cadets just 

started — the biggest yet, with 

32 recruits. The class includes 

11 women, 5 minorities, people 

from six countries and, surprisingly, 

two men in their 50s. 

When Coach Joe Saponare 

asked why they enrolled, they 

echoed the current cadet class: 

To serve my community, be a 

leader, because my dad was a 

cop. Several had been in the military. 

During the pandemic, some 

wanted “an essential job.” 

“I grew up in a household of 

really terrible criminals and got 

out at 18,” says a woman from 

Largo. “I want to help people like 

me.” 

“I grew up watching a lot of 

Robo Cop,” says a guy from 

Clearwater. “I want to be part of 

that.” 

A man from Tarpon Springs 

says, “If change is possible, I 

want to be that change.” 

Over the last year, the Minneapolis 

City Council pledged to 

dismantle its police department, 

New York lawmakers opened 

officers’ disciplinary records to 

the public, and several states 

banned chokeholds. 

Florida legislators recently 

approved new standards to limit 

the use of chokeholds. 

And around Tampa Bay, law 

enforcement agencies changed 

training and policies. Some 

departments now make officers 

wear body cameras; some send 

social workers on non-violent 

calls. Several added training on 

defensive tactics, de-escalation, 

and mental health. 

The state now investigates all 

officer-involved shootings in 

Tampa and Hillsborough County. 

In Pinellas County, a new task 

force investigates any “use of 

deadly force.” 

And most agencies added a 

“Duty to Intervene,” requiring 

officers to prevent or report 

wrongdoing by co-workers. 

The recruits are quiet, for once. 

It’s the day before graduation, 

and they’re finishing lunch in 

the classroom. Normally, they’d 

be joking around, making the 

youngest do push-ups. 

Today, it’s starting to sink in 

that they’re almost done. Some 

will stay together: three in Clearwater, 

four in St. Petersburg, 14 

at the Pinellas County Sheriff’s 

Office. 

Their class started with 30 

members. The 23 who stuck it 

out bonded so well they chose 

the slogan, “One family! One 

fight!” for the flag they’ll leave as 

a legacy. 

Recruits seated in class sharing 

a laugh. 

“Mama” Moody is always 

cleaning up after the cadets and 

joking around during breaks. 

“No tears,” Mabon tells a female 

cadet, who is sniffling. “My 

gun is hot, so don’t make me use 

it!” 

Over the last couple of weeks, 

they learned to make traffic 

stops, and that they’ll pull over 

an average of 500 cars a year. 

“Always touch the vehicle.” If the 

driver races off, there will be 

evidence for later. 

They learned to investigate 

accidents. “Measure the skid 

marks, draw a diagram.” 

They learned to test people for 

drunken driving. “If the ladies 

have heels on, let them take 



them off before you make them 

walk in a straight line.” 

They reviewed for the final 

exam, defining probable cause, 

proof beyond reasonable doubt, 

aggravated battery. They went 

over voyeurism, molestation, 

elder abuse. What to do when 

you show up at a carjacking, 

home invasion, dead baby. How 

to deal with runaways, computer 

crimes, meth labs, biological 

weapons, Nigerian scams, 

swarms of insects. 

“If the subject is urinating 

against a building, that’s disorderly 

conduct. If he turns around 

to face the street, it’s indecent 

exposure.” 

This afternoon, as they’re 

cleaning up from lunch, the 

academy director comes in and 

stands by the podium. “Congratulations!” 

Michael DiBuono tells 

the cadets. 

He asks about their experiences, 

what they would change 

about the academy. 

“We need more tactical gear to 

train in, sir,” says a former soldier. 

“More ride-alongs in the field,” 

says another. 

More walkie-talkie training. 

More driving. More days in the 

mat room. 

“Yeah, I want to add furniture 

in there, too,” DiBuono says. “You 

guys need to learn to fall over 

couches, into glass coffee tables.” 

Mabon wants more time 

talking to strangers. “We go 

through all these intense scenarios, 

but that’s like 1 percent 

of all we do,” he says. “We need 

more interaction with real, random 

people. Those 15 minutes at 

Walmart weren’t nearly enough.” 

As tough as the physical training 

was, Mabon and Moody say 

there should be more. Coaches, 

they say, should be tougher on 

slackers. 

“I don’t want someone to be 

my backup who barely skimmed 

by in the PT here,” Moody says. 

Cheaper, healthier food for the 

cafeteria, someone says. Roaches 

out of the locker room. Hot 

water in the showers. 

When everyone finishes their 

suggestions, Moody raises her 

hand. “Every suspect in the scenarios,” 

she says, “was a Black 

male.” 

Flashlights illuminate a cadet 

being helped into the back 

seat of a police car by the other 

recruits. 

Mabon plays a “bad guy” 

during a scenario about a traffic 

stop. 

The room falls silent. The 

director looks at the ground, 

then out at the cadets. “I don’t 

take that lightly,” he says. “We 

shouldn’t base crimes on someone’s 

ethnicity. I’ll take care of 

that.” 

“One more thing,” says Moody. 

“We could use a more diverse 

group of instructors. More women, 

people of color.” 

The director stretches out his 

arm. “Will you come back and 

teach with us?” 

Moody smiles. “Absolutely.” 

On their last morning at the 

academy, the recruits line up 

outside, shoulder-to-shoulder 

around the flagpole, like they always 

do. A recorded bugle pipes 

revelry through a speaker. The 

sun shines low in a cloudless 

sky. 

Moody carries the Florida flag 

and marches in step with four 

classmates, one cradling an 

American flag. While they raise 

the banners, the cadets salute. 

A broad-chested recruit calls 

for a moment of silence, like he 

always does, to honor an officer 

killed somewhere in the country, 

often years ago. 

This time, though, it’s one of 

their own. 

“Now, let’s all bow our heads,” 

says the cadet, “for the deputy 

who lost his life in the line of 

duty last night.” 

Moody closes her eyes, imagines 

her son waiting for her to 

come home. 

Two of the recruits bow their 

heads in respect. 

When the recruits bow their 

heads to honor fallen Pinellas 

County Deputy Michael Magli, 

Moody thinks about coming 

home to her son. 

After the recruits march back 

into the building, recite the levels 

of force and code of ethics, she 

walks to the front of the room 

and unfolds a piece of paper. 

She didn’t have to do this, but 



she wanted to. Looking out at 

her classmates, she says, “End of 

Watch.” 

Tampa Bay Times headline 

“Pinellas sheriff’s deputy killed 

trying to stop drunken driver, 

sheriff says” 

Tampa Bay Times headline, 

Feb. 17, 2021. 

Then she clears her throat and 

begins to read: “Pinellas County 

Deputy Michael Magli was killed 

by a drunk driver who fled at a 

high rate of speed on East Lake 

Road. The subject was passed 

out inside his vehicle and when 

paramedics broke the window, 

he suddenly awoke, accelerated, 

and crossed the median into oncoming 

traffic. Deputy Magli was 

preparing to deploy stop sticks 

when the driver lost control, 

overturned, and struck him.” 

A week later, she would have 

been working with Magli. 

“He was 30 years old,” she says 

shakily. Even younger than her. 

She folds the paper, swallows, 

lifts her glasses to wipe her eyes. 

Her classmates have never seen 

her cry. “He is survived by his 

wife,” she says, choking on her 

words. “And two young children, 

including a daughter who isn’t 

even a year old.” 

A coach comes to her side. 

“What happened yesterday 

was tragic. But it happens. You 

got to get back to work,” he tells 

the recruits. And he offers perspective: 

In 109 years, “that’s the 

first deputy Pinellas County has 

ever lost.” 

Later, while a coach runs the 

cadets through a review for the 

final exam, Moody rushes from 

the room, out of the building. 

She lowers the flags to halfstaff. 

Recruits in the hallway talk and 

gesticulate. 

On graduation day, the recruits 

get to wear their new uniforms. 

Mabon and Moody are both going 

to be deputies for the Pinellas 

County Sheriff’s Office. 

“All right, everyone line up! 

Time for the final fist-bump,” 

Mabon calls a half-hour before 

graduation. 

“Why do you keep saying final?” 

asks Moody. “This is really 

the beginning.” 

They’re in the classroom, taking 

selfies and group shots, dressed 

in new uniforms: Anhalt, in all 

black for Clearwater; Moody 

and Mabon wearing the sheriff’s 

forest green. 

The youngest recruit, who 

barely passed the physical training, 

still has on his academy 

uniform. He’s the only one who 

hasn’t been hired. 

“I’m so nervous,” says Moody, 

who seldom gets nervous. 

Her classmates selected her 

to be their graduation speaker. 

She practiced her speech several 

times but keeps thinking of more 

to say. 

In an auditorium at the dais, 

a recruit holds her head as she 

thinks about her speech. 

The day before graduation, 

Moody sweats every detail of 

her speech. She is honored, and 

stressed, to be chosen as her 

class’s graduation speaker. 

Over the last six months, 

they’ve all learned so much — 

about policing, the world and 

themselves. 

Mabon, the consummate team 

player, says he now knows he 

can’t trust everyone, not even all 

his classmates. With his life on 

the line out there, he says, “There 

are certain people I wouldn’t 

want to be paired with. You can’t 

count on backup. You gotta be 

able to fix things on your own.” 

Anhalt, who initially doubted 

she could do this, sees herself 

differently now. “I don’t question 

myself so much,” she says. “I’m 

no Mabon. But I’m so much more 

confident and capable than I 

thought I was.” 

For Moody, it’s all about her 

son. Now, she’s so much more 

scared that something might 

happen to him. She shares the 

biggest fear of all parents, 

compounded by what she now 

knows police face. 

“I think about him all the time, 

especially when we do stuff like 

school shooting drills,” she says. 

“Where should I tell him to hide? 

How can I help him if he’s in 

Hillsborough and I’m working in 

Pinellas?” 

They file into the hall and line 

up in alphabetical order. One 

cadet steps forward, salutes a 

coach and barks: “23 signed, 23 

present, sir! Forward, march!” 

The cadets turn so their right 

shoulders are against the wall 

and, for the last time, fall into 

step. “Left, left, left, right, left!” 

Their boots thud heavily, new 

guns bounce against their hips. 

In the auditorium, Coach Sap 

talks about their tenacity, willingness 

to tackle new technology, 

the way they came together. 

“Family means you never give up 

on each other,” he says. 

Anhalt’s academic score ties for 

second highest. Mabon wins the 

coaches’ award for leadership 

and athleticism. 

Moody starts her speech 

strong. “Today, we stand in front 

of you as brothers and sisters, 

united for a common purpose in 

a time of too many injustices to 

count.” Soon, she has to pause 

because she can’t read through 

her tears. 

A row of seated, uniformed re- 



cruits, one brushing a tear from 

her cheek. 

Moody promised herself she 

wouldn’t cry. But after giving her 

speech, she did. 

As they cross the stage to get 

their certificates, their families 

film them. Anhalt’s dad, stepmom 

and fiancé are in the front row. 

Moody’s mom, girlfriend and son 

are a few chairs back. In the corner, 

by the door, Mabon’s coach 

from pee-wee football sits with 

his wife, clapping. 

They’re all proud of the recruits. 

And terrified about what 

they’re getting into. 

A group of cadets exchange 

hugs. 

Anhalt, left, and Moody, right, 

embrace classmates after their 

final fallout. The 23 cadets 

pledged to stay connected and 

look out for each other on the 

streets. 

Afterward, officers from several 

of the agencies shake their 

hands and welcome the cadets 

to the thin blue line. The Pinellas 

sheriff couldn’t come, because of 

the officer’s death the day before. 

But he sent someone to give the 

new deputies their badges. 

Silver stars. Each bears a thick, 

black band. 



2 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 


Holiday Gift Ideas for Your 

Law Enforcement Family 

by Doug Wyllie 

Well Black Friday and Cyber 

Monday have come and gone — 

it’s officially time to let the serious 

shopping shenanigans commence. 

Did you know there’s an entire 

website devoted to tracking the 

death toll and injury count in 

shopping-related incidents on the 

Friday following Thanksgiving? 

I suppose it should have come 

as no surprise that BlackFridayDeathCount.com 

(which 

currently gets my vote for best 

ULR ever) was the third result 

in an Internet search for “Crime 

on Black Friday.” A blog post by 

a bail bonds establishment and 

another blog post from an attorney’s 

office were one and two in 

the search return, respectively— 

seriously, I’m not kidding. 

Wherever you patrol and 

whatever your shift, there will 

be mayhem and morons with 

which to contend on Black Friday. 

Among the most common violations 

you’ll see are brandishing a 

weapon, menacing, inciting riot, 

assault/battery, and (obviously) 

theft/shoplifting. 

Hopefully, however, you will 

also enjoy some downtime during 

which you can get ahead on your 

holiday shopping for family and 

friends—here is handful of ideas 

to get you started. 

SWEET STOCKING STUFFERS 

(UNDER $25) 

5.11 Level I Duty Socks 

The best things to put into a 

cop’s stocking is, well, warm 

stockings (socks). I’m a big fan 

of the 5.11 Level I Duty Socks, 

particularly of the 9” variety. 

They stay up above the calf all 

day long (few things are worse 

than socks that end up bunched 

up around your ankles all the 

time), and they offer just enough 

compression to be comfortable 

and not constricting. They’re 

available from the 5.11 website 

and retailers like Galls and run 

(pun intended) at $13 per pair. 

Black Rifle COTUS 20oz 2.0 

Coffee Tumbler 

It’s really easy to get sucked 

into the vortex that is the BRC 

website (there’s a plethora of 

stuff like t-shirts, coffee grinders, 

clever mugs, and whatnot) 

but a major favorite is the Constitution 

of the United States coffee 

tumbler. According to BRCC, 

this vessel is “perfect for enacting 

new tariffs and silencing 

whistleblowers” but it also keeps 

hot beverages hot for a really, 

really long time. It’s components 

are BPA-free components and 

designed to fit in any standard 

cup holder. Retail price is $20. 

NICE BUT NOT TOO NICE (BE- 

TWEEN $50 AND $100) 

Gerber Highbrow Onyx Serrated 

Edge Knife 

This compact tactical knife has 

a drop-point blade and eight 

flat-top serrations near the hilt. 

The sleek anodized aluminum 

handle makes it a smooth draw 

from a pocket, and the ambidextrous 

clip can be mounted for either 

left- or right-side carry. The 

open-assist is ample but unobtrusive. 

Not meant as a primary 

duty knife, the Gerber Highbrow 

Onyx Serrated Edge Knife makes 

for an outstanding backup blade 

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or an off-duty tool for everyday 

jobs. Priced at $52, it’s an outstanding 

value. 

Leatherman Heritage Super-Tool 

300 Multitool 

Nothing says “I love you man” 

quite like a top-quality multitool, 

and the Gold Standard 

belongs to Leatherman. The 

Heritage Super-Tool 300 has 

19 tools, including four screw 

drivers, needle-nose pliers, a 

nine-inch ruler, a wire stripper, a 

couple of knives, and (of course), 

the obligatory bottle opener. A 

person can spend plenty of cash 

on some of the items Leatherman 

has on the market, but for me, 

the sweet spot of the bat is this 

handy device priced at an even 

$100. 

SANTA IS AWASH IN CASH 

(WHAT PRICE TAG?) 

reset is excellent, and although 

there is no felt-recoil and no 

slide action, this is probably 

better than dry-fire practice with 

a real gun because you can see 

with the two lasers whether or 

not you’re jerking the trigger. It’s 

also great to practice changing 

magazines (tactical reloads). It’s 

pricey (at least for me) at between 

$339 and $439 depending 

on the model you choose, but 

well worth the investment. 

Force Science Certification 

The best gift a person can give 

another person is that of knowledge, 

and while there are myriad 

ways in which this valuable gift 

may be bestowed, having a certification 

in Force Science Analysis 

is way up there on the list. 

This weeklong seminar will hurt 

your brain, but pain is weakness 

leaving the body and when it’s 

all said and done, there’s a tremendous 

feeling of accomplishment. 

Tuition is $1,650—no small 

investment—and the participant 

will have to travel to some location, 

pay for hotel, meals, and all 

the other accoutrement required 

of such a trip, but as a FSI “Cert 

Holder” holder I can attest to the 

fact that it’s worth every penny. 

FINAL WORDS 

Over the years I’ve suggested a 

whole host of other options, and 

they merit mention in this space 

(ICYM). I love the Battle Mug, 

which is simultaneously frivolous 

and indispensable. In my 

opinion a person can never go 

wrong giving books. The most 

recent release I place in the “essential” 

category is Street Survival 

II: Tactics for Deadly Force 

Encounters, by Lieutenant (ret) 

Jim Glennon and Lieutenant (ret) 

Dan Marcou. 

Then there is a plethora of 

non-police related gifts. For the 

outdoorsman or woman in your 

life, I challenge you to wander 

around Bass Pro Shops or REI for 

a half hour and not come away 

with something perfect for them 

and priced for you. Send a picture 

of your partner to MyCustomBobbleHeads 

and you’ll get 

an amusing likeness of them they 

will either love or hate (either of 

which is a good outcome, in my 

estimation). There are endless 

options if your shopping list includes 

someone who likes a funny 

or ironic t-shirt (my current 

favorite is the “Let’s Go Brandon” 

shirt I got off Amazon). 

In the end, it really is the 

thought that counts. This Holiday 

season has the potential to bring 

with it some additional irritations 

and inconveniences, and 

there’s no getting around the fact 

that those issues SUCK. 

Make the most of what you 

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Three Great Books 

WRITTEN BY FORMER HPD SGT. DAVID COLE aka Deacon Blue 

The Battle of Houston-Hezbollah Attacks 

What would happen if a terrorist force numbering almost one thousand attacked a major American 

city and conducted a series of coordinated terror attacks that lasted nearly a month? This 

book will show the reader what could happen in the event of a major terror attack on a large U.S. 

city and the effects of the terror on the population and the men and women of the police departments 

who must fight them to the death. Veteran fighters from the wars in the Middle East are 

sent to Houston by a malevolent country to strike terror into the citizens by killing and maiming as 

many as possible with small arms, explosives, poison gas and finally an atomic bomb. The Houston 

Police Department, the Harris County Sheriff’s Department and other local law enforcement 

must battle on their own until the National Guard and the Texas Rangers arrive to join the fight 

READ TODAY, CLICK HERE 

The Battle of Houston-The Evil That Men Do 

The Battle of Houston continues to its final devastating end when a malevolent country sends its best 

fighters to Texas to cripple the petrochemical industry in the United States. Three oil tankers bearing 

not crude oil but Quds Force fighters, attack helicopters and combat drones are sent against the Texas 

gulf coast oil refineries and chemical plants for a knock out blow. With the help of the Israeli Mossad, 

the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy must find and destroy those ships before they can launch their 

attacks. When they do, sea battles, the likes not seen before off the coast of Texas ensue. Meanwhile, 

the remnants of the thousand strong Hezbollah terrorists continue their attacks on the civilians and 

police in the city of Houston. HPD Chief Marcus McDonald, Sgt. Mark Conway and his intrepid group 

of officers, the Texas Rangers and the National Guard fight the terrorists to the death as they blow up 

trains, police stations, power plants, fire stations and murder any civilian that gets in their way. The 

Battle of Houston ends at the historic San Jacinto battlefield when officers, sheriff’s deputies, Texas 

Rangers, National Guard Apache AH-64 helicopters and the U.S.. Coast Guard attempt to sink the last 

remaining enemy ship that has an atom bomb deep in its cargo hold. 


The Battle of Houston-Mouton’s Revenge 

The Battle of Houston continues as the Houston Police Department is joined by the Harris County 

Sheriff’s Department, the National Guard and the Texas Rangers to fight the hundreds of terrorists 

unleashed on the city by a malevolent country. Outgunned in every fight, the men and women of law 

enforcement must overcome the forces sent to destroy their city. As each terrorist attack is fought to 

the death, another attack explodes in another part of Houston. City buildings and critical infrastructure 

are demolished with explosives and heavy ordnance used by the veteran fighters from the middle 

eastern wars. Maurice Mouton, retired HPD SWAT marksman continues his mission to avenge the 

death of his fellow marines from a truck bomb in Beirut, Lebanon in 1983. Sgt. Mark Conway leads 

his small group of intrepid officers as they find themselves in fight after fight with veteran terrorists. 

HPD Chief of Police Marcus McDonald must make critical decisions when he discovers an impending 

poison gas attack. With heavy losses, his Department is losing the battle of attrition. With the help of 

Sheriff Mark Holloway and his deputies, they hope to stop the attacks and save their city. Texas Ranger 

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

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

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


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

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

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

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


The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 11 

nine years of his career in the Office of Planning. Now that he’s retired, he cuts the grass, drives his wife to the store and sometimes writes books.

WORDS BY OFFICER D. SULLIVAN 

Marines Land at Precinct 8 

Ever since COVID and the Pandemic 

started, the night shift at 

Pct. 8 has been pretty sparse. 

The Desk Sergeant, Patrol Lieutenant, 

and a handful of officers 

and detectives that filtered 

through all night. The only two 

assigned to the desk were me 

and Officer Tommy Wilson. For a 

Thursday night it was fairly quiet 

except for the protesters that 

were still in the downtown area. 

But from what we had been 

told, they were several blocks 

away and seemed to be loud but 

peaceful. 

All that changed at 10:55pm 

when the front door burst open 

and two black males came in 

carrying a young white girl covered 

in blood. One of the males 

yelled she had been shot by an 

unknown subject and then all 

hell broke loose. They said as 

soon as the shooting started the 

protesters started throwing bottles 

and rocks at the police, and 

the police responded with rubber 

bullets and tear gas. Somehow, 

they managed to escape through 

an alley and made their way here 

to the Precinct. 

I grabbed the first aid kit while 

Tommy called dispatch to have 

a bus dispatched to us forthwith. 

The girl was in pretty bad shape, 

she was awake and alert but obviously 

in a lot of pain. The good 

news was the bullet seemed 

to be through and through her 

thigh, and I did the best I could 

to stop the bleeding. I asked the 

two men if they knew the woman 

and they said they didn’t. They 

saw her get shot and knew she 

needed help, so they brought her 

here. 

The Desk Sgt. for the night was 

Sgt. Townsend, and after hearing 

all the commotion, he came 

down to see what was going on 

and freaked the hell out when he 

saw me covered in blood. “It’s ok 

Sarge, it’s not my blood, we’ve 

got a shooting victim that was 

brought in from the protests up 

the block.” 

“Well, we’ve got bigger problems 

than that,” he said “dispatch 

just called me on my cell and 

told me that the ambulance you 

called is trapped on the other 

side of the protest line and can’t 

get through. Not only that, but 

the group has also turned violent 

and started torching buildings 

and is making their way 

towards us.” 

Well, that’s great! We have 

two cops, one sergeant, three 

civilians, one of which has 

a gun shot in her thigh, and 

we’re about to be surrounded 

by an angry mob. It was about 

that time that I noticed the two 

males had on shirts that said, 

“Black Lives Matter.” Not that 

that had any bearing on our situation, 

but I looked them both 

in the eyes and said, “Guys, I 

don’t know whether you two 

support the police or not, but 

you did the honest thing by 

bringing a complete stranger 

here for help. But I’m afraid the 

shit is about to get deep and 

we need to barricade the doors 

and do our best to protect this 

building and this woman. I 

understand if you guys need to 

go.” 

They both looked at each 

other and back at me and said 

“we’re not going anywhere. 

We’re both ex-military, and 

we’re here to do whatever you 

ask us to do.” I wanted to hug 

them both but that had to wait. I 

grabbed a female clerk from the 

bonding desk and had her keep 

pressure on the girl’s leg and told 

her to stay with her no matter 

what. 

Townsend and Wilson walked 

back into the lobby and said, 

“We need to move and move 

fast. The crowd is only a couple 

of blocks away and we need to 

lock these doors and barricade 

ourselves in. “Sarge, these guys 

are ex-military and they want to 

stay and help.” 

He said, “Then let’s do this!” 

I’m pretty sure at this point I 

had seen all this shit in a movie 

before. Not sure what the hell 

the movie was, but this was 

definitely a movie. And just like 

in the movie, we used desks and 

file cabinets to block the front 

entrance and both side doors. 

Knowing full well that buildings 

were being torched all over 

town, I had the Marines go and 

gather up all the fire extinguishers 

they could find. 

“Sarge, have we called dispatch 

to get us back up?” He 

looked at me with that shit eating 

smirk and said, “what do you 

think, they have no one to send. 

It’s just us.” 

The Marines returned with 

dozens of fire extinguishers and 

as they were lining them up 

near the front door, I asked, “By 

any chance do either one of you 

have “license to carry permits?” 

and they both grinned and said, 

“What do you think” and raised 

their shirts at the same time 

with what I assumed were .45’s 

tucked in their waist bands. 

Thank God for LTC. I glanced up 

at the security monitors and noticed 

two paramedics at the rear 

entrance. “We got company at 

the rear exit. I have no idea how 

those EMTs got here, but let their 

asses in.” 

Both EMTs looked to be about 

20 something and looked scared 

as shit as they started working 

on our girl. 

“Guys I’m not even going to ask 

how in the hell you got here, but 

please do what you can with this 

poor girl. She’s been in and out 

and lost a lot of blood.” 

“We walked 8 blocks behind 

buildings and jumped fences” 

said the younger of the two 

EMTs, “but hell we’re firemen so 

that’s what we do, save cops” 

Uh huh, well save her ass, and 

then you can save ours because 

you have no idea what the hell 

you just walked into. 

It was about that time that we 

heard rocks hitting the building 

and glass breaking on the second 

floor. Thankfully, there were 

no shots fired, but several Molotov 

cocktails were thrown at 

the building, but quickly burned 

themselves out. For the next hour 

to hour and a half, I would guess 

that nearly 300 people had surrounded 

the precinct. They wrote 

all over the sides of the building 

and torched about a dozen police 

cars parked along the curb. 

There wasn’t a minute that went 

by that every person in the building 

didn’t think we could all burn 

to death at any minute. 



WORDS BY OFFICER D. SULLIVAN 

Two Heroes Emerge from the Aftermath of Precinct 8 

About 2am, officers from other 

Precincts arrived and managed 

to push the crowd back and setup 

a perimeter around the building 

and escorted an ambulance 

and a squad of paramedics to us 

and transported the girl to the 

hospital. As they were leaving, I 

told the two EMTs, “Hey, thanks 

for saving our asses.” 

They both laughed but we all 

knew that we all saved each 

other’s asses that night. It wasn’t 

until 4am that the crowd had 

dispersed, and it was safe to 

step outside. As I walked out 

into the sidewalk, the carnage 

was unbelievable. The smell 

of burning rubber and gasoline 

filled the air and the remains of 

burnt patrol cars lined the street. 

The Marines were on my heals 

as I turned back towards the 

entrance, and the look on their 

faces was unforgettable. 

THE AFTERMATH: 

You know, I don’t even know 

your names, Marines. 

“Ed Johnson and Robert Jones” 

they both replied as they fist 

bumped for social distancing, 

which really didn’t seem to matter 

considering all that the three 

of us had been through that 

night. 

We all sat down on the front 

steps and took it all in. 

“You know we never wanted 

all this” said Johnson “We just 

wanted our side of the story to 

be told and people to listen. We 

wanted all people, not just cops, 

to see that innocent people were 

being hurt. No one ever said Blue 

Lives didn’t matter. Hell, all lives 

matter.” 

I’m sure you both noticed that 

young girl you brought in here 

was wearing a THIN BLUE LINE 

shirt and a Blues Lives Matter 

arm band. 

“Yes sir, we did” 

But yet you both risked your 

lives to bring her here, to safety 

and to a police station no less! 

“Yes sir, yes we did” 

But why? Why did you bring 

her here? And then why did you 

stay? 

“Because it was the right thing 

to do,” said Johnson. 

So, this is what everyone in this 

damn country needs to understand. 

It doesn’t matter what 

color the lives are you’re trying 

to protect. We are all AMERI- 

CANS. We need to stand by and 

protect each other. There are bad 

cops, bad citizens, bad protestors, 

bad everything. No one is 

perfect and everyone makes 

mistakes. But there’s a difference 

in making mistakes and intentionally 

taking one’s life or burning 

down buildings and people’s 

businesses. 

There is a problem in this 

country that isn’t going away. 

One side is always blaming the 

other side. The sides shouldn’t 

by divided by color, they should 

be divided by right and wrong. 

What’s fair and just and what’s 

not. 

Cops have a right to defend 

themselves, but not cross the 

line to unjustly take someone’s 

life. At the same time, just because 

a white cop has to shoot 

and even kill a person of color, 

doesn’t mean that cop is racist. It 

means that cop took the action 

necessary to protect himself and 

others. 

Concurrently, there are a lot 

of angry, hateful people in this 

world and they are out to destroy 

everything they can. They 

use race as an excuse, but the 

truth is, they would just as soon 

shoot and kill a member of their 

own race as that of another. 

There are honest and just people 

in this world. On this step, in 

front of this hated building, sat 

two black men and one white 

cop. All three risked their lives 

tonight to protect themselves 

and the lives of people they 

didn’t even know. They risked 

their own lives to save the life of 

a young women that was on the 

street protesting against the very 

thing they stood for. But yet they 

looked past her beliefs to see 

she was a human being that was 

hurt and needed help. Why? 

For one, they fought for their 

country and know that Americans 

don’t fight Americans. We 

fight the enemy. This girl clearly 

wasn’t the enemy. In fact, she 

was just like them. An American 

expressing her right to free 

speech. She didn’t deserve to 

get shot any more than anyone 

else on that street did…cops or 

protestors. 

It’s time we joined hands in this 

country and realized that regardless 

of your skin color, we are 

not enemies of each other. We 

need to realize that bad people 

are going to do bad things and it 

doesn’t matter what color they 

are, they need to be stopped and 

pay for their sins. There is no 

other answer other than this. 

No one need be judged by the 

color of their skin, but by their 

actions whether they be good or 

bad. I don’t know if this will ever 

happen in my lifetime. But I do 

know that there are good honest 

people in this world that believe 

as I do. I also know that I met 

two of them tonight. 


WORDS BY SGT. T.F. WOODS 

View From Ground Zero 

To begin with, I don’t live in 

Texas and I’ve never heard of The 

BLUES. But a law enforcement 

friend of mine does live in Texas 

and has read The BLUES for 

the past 25 years. When he sent 

me a link to last month’s issue, I 

read it from cover to cover and 

related immediately to the War 

Story about Pct. 8. I was one of 

the cops on the street that night. 

I noticed the author didn’t use his 

real name nor the real names of 

the people involved. And I know 

why. Because our mayor and 

police commissioner have completely 

lost their minds. Rather 

than back the rank and file, 

they have joined these left-wing 

radicals in their quest to dismantle 

not only our department but 

cops in general everywhere. This 

is what it’s like in my city, on my 

shift, in this war zone. 

Having served two tours in 

Iraq, I know what a hot zone 

looks like. I know the fog of war. 

I know what death looks like. I 

know that in battle, your goal is 

to kill the enemy before they kill 

you. And to protect the men and 

women, that serve with you. Everybody 

goes home. Nobody gets 

left behind. Watch your six. I get 

it and I understand it. 

Tonight, as we gear up and get 

ready to hit the streets, you can 

see the uncertainty in the eyes of 

my brother officers. For those of 

us that served, the M4 a shorter 

more compact version of the 

M16 rifle used by most military, 

feels comfortable. For those that 

haven’t served, I see how nervous 

they are carrying a rifle as their 

primary weapon. What pisses 

me off, we’re loaded with rubber 

bullets and told not to fire at protesters 

unless your life if threatened. 

That goes against everything 

the military or the police 

academy teaches you. 

If your life is in danger, your job 

is to put the suspect or enemy 

down. So, what the hell are 

we doing here? I’m confused as 

to why we are even lining up 

against these violent thugs. Now 

let me just say, getting hit with 

a rubber bullet fired from an M4 

will do more than leave a mark. 

It’s going to hurt like hell. But 

it isn’t going to kill you. And if 

you are wearing body armor, its 

barely going to leave a mark. But 

it is what it is, and if faced with 

an armed individual that threatens 

me or my team, I have still a 

Glock that will take them out. 

While I won’t identify myself, I 

will say that I’m a sergeant and 

tonight I have 10 men and 2 women 

officers assigned to my squad. 

Our assignment is to go downtown 

and keep several thousand 

protesters from destroying our 

city. Out of the thousands that 

show up, only about 15% are what 

I call ‘paid instigators.’ They are 

being bused into our city, obviously 

paid by some radical or 

left-wing group, to infiltrate the 

peaceful protestors and get them 

to rally against the police. 

And by that, I don’t mean yell 

and scream, and shove “BLM” 

or “I can’t breathe” signs in our 

face. I mean they are providing 

water bottles, hammers, wooden 

stakes, and anything they 

can find that will injure us to the 

crowd. They are arming otherwise 

unarmed protesters and 

encouraging them to throw everything 

they have at every cop 

they can find. In some cases, 

I’ve seen smoke and flashbang 

grenades, as well as tear gas 

and pepper spray cans being 

used. They come prepared and 

they come loaded. And our job? 

Stand there and hold the line 

and keep them from taking over 

city hall, police headquarters, 

and other prime targets I won’t 

mention. 

It’s now 12am, and my squad 

and I have arrived downtown. 

We met up the evening shift 

commander and he advised me 

of what’s transpired since this 

‘event’ began at 1700 hours. Our 

assignment, keep the crowd 

contained between 8th and 

9th Avenues and south of Main 

Street. This area is only 2 miles 

from a major interstate. Under 

no circumstances are we to 

allow the crowd to gain access 

to that freeway. 

“The command post is set up at 

Congress and 7th. They have multiple 

buses being used for temporary 

holding and staff on hand 

to handle the booking process. 

Just zip up, walk them over and 

drop ‘em off. EMT’s, paramedics 

and a number of ambulances are 

also staged behind the CP. Any of 

your guys get hurt, get them their 

ASAP.” 

“And Sarge, tonight we’ve implemented 

Operation T.A.G. We’ve 

got SWAT snipers located on 

rooftops all throughout the area. 

They have UCs on the ground in 

the crowd. Once they identify a 

suspect inciting or arming, they 

will pull them from the crowd, 

zip ‘em and transport to the CP.” 

Ok Lieutenant we’ve got it from 

here. I briefed my team and we 

fell in behind the troops already 

on the front lines. The screaming 

and yelling is so loud, it’s nearly 

impossible to hear the radio in 

your ear. In less than 5 minutes, 

I’ve already been hit by several 

dozen water bottles and God 

knows what else. As I look out 

over the crowd, I think to myself, 

we’ll at least tonight they’re all 

wearing face coverings. LOL. But 

I’m assuming it’s not to protect 

them from COVID, it’s so they can’t 

be identified. And tonight’s crowd 

isn’t protesters. These are 100% 

troublemakers. Their mission is to 

seek out and destroy everything 

in their path: cops, patrol cars, 

buildings, anything of value. 

When you get up close to these 

people, you can see one of two 

things in their eyes: fear or rage. 

Either they are scared shitless 

to be here or they hate you and 

want to kill you, or at least hurt 

you. The ones that are scared, 

probably came down here thinking 

it’s just a calm protest, no big 

deal. Then all hell broke loose 

and suddenly they are in the middle 

of a full-scale riot. 

For the next few hours, we 


move the crowd south, keeping 

them as far away from city hall 

and the freeway entrance as 

possible. The T.A.G squads are 

working their asses off, as I’m 

seeing more assholes being jerked 

backwards and then disappearing 

behind the crowds. I hear 

status reports every now and 

then from the CP and they are 

reporting over 100 in custody. The 

Sheriff’s Department transport 

vans are making regular runs 

from the CP to Central and I hear 

booking is a war zone. 

By 0400 hours you’d think the 

crowd would be thinning, but it 

isn’t. Then again, we have boxed 

them into an area 1/3 the size as 

when we arrived so maybe it’s an 

illusion. But I’m tired, I’m hungry, 

I’m thirsty and I got to pee. 

I’m thinking I’ll never bitch again 

about it being on boring ass 

nights in South District. 

At 0445 the sound of gunshots 

echo throughout the downtown 

area. It’s impossible to tell from 

the direction from which they are 

coming. People are now running 

in all directions and cops are 

screaming in my ear. Reports 

are that a young girl has been 

shot on 8th Avenue but no officers 

are hurt. I grabbed five of my 

guys and headed in that direction. 

Literally hundreds of people 

are running in all directions. My 

only thoughts are please, please 

God let there be no sniper. All 

throughout this entire ordeal, 

that’s really what’s been in the 

back of my mind. We don’t need 

another Dallas here in my city. 

I called the SWAT commander 

and got an update from the 

rooftop teams. NO evidence of a 

sniper, just a random shooter. No 

ID, no description. As I hung up, 

we arrived at the scene where 

the victim was supposed to be 

and all that we found was blood. 

Lots of blood. As we searched the 

area, a man armed with a shotgun 

over his shoulder approached 

us and advised he was a local 

merchant who was standing 

guard inside his store when the 

shooting occurred. He said the 

victim was a young white woman 

and she was carried off by two 

black men he described as ‘military 

types.’ 

“Where did they go?” I asked, 

and he pointed north. 

I called SWAT back and they 

advised a team would search 

the area and attempt to locate 

the victim. I gathered my team 

and headed towards the CP. We 

needed water and a restroom 

break. By 05:30 we were back 

on the active line and I sent my 

Corporal and the rest of my team 

to the CP for a break. What was 

left of the crowd was now just 

random people milling around. 

It looked like the bars had just 

closed and here’s a bunch of 

young people looking for rides 

home. I guess UBER doesn’t do 

riots. 

At 06:30 the incident commander 

dismissed our squad 

and set us home. As we walked 

back to the CP, I half expected 

our patrol units to be torched, but 

nope. All just where we left them. 

My corporal joked, “Damn I was 

hoping this piece of crap would 

have fallen last night. I really 

need a new shop Sarge.” “Sorry 

Dan, maybe you’ll get lucky 

tomorrow.” At least there was 

some humor left in my people. 

The sun was just starting to 

come up as we tossed all our 

gear in the backs of our units. 

My small little group gathered 

around as we began our new after-shift 

tradition. In the past few 

days, on the nights we had to go 

to war, we formed a circle and 

prayed. I usually took the lead 

and started but tonight it was my 

rookie that led us. 

“Heavenly Father, we thank 

you for keeping us safe tonight. 

We thank you for keeping all our 

brothers and sisters in Blue safe, 

wherever they might be. We ask 

that you not only watch over 

us, but keep everyone safe, even 

those that would do us harm. 

Give them guidance and wisdom 

to know when speak their minds 

and when to walk away when 

things turn bad. We also pray 

Father that the young woman 

who was injured tonight is safe 

and in your arms. We ask that 

you watch over her and heal her 

wounds. And finally, Father, we 

pray that someday we all can 

stand and pray together and 

that everyone sees that all lives 

matter regardless of the color of 

their skin. In God’s name we pray 

for peace. Amen.” Amen. 


CLICK TO WATCH 

THE OPEN ROAD 

by Michael Barron 

DODGE CHARGER 

Is this the Last Patrol Sedan? 

by David Griffith 

The pursuit-rated car—the 

Caprice, the Crown Vic, the 

Fury—was once the ever-present 

symbol of American law enforcement. 

Now the patrol “car” 

is quickly becoming a thing of 

the past, as more often than not, 

agencies are fielding patrol SUVs 

built on light truck platforms. 

Currently, there is only one 

pursuit-rated sedan still for sale 

to law enforcement agencies, 

the Dodge Charger. The Chrysler 

muscle sedan is actually one of 

the last four-door American cars 

still available to consumers, as 

well as police fleets and other 

fleet customers. Increasingly, 

the Big 3 American car makers 

are dedicating their production 

facilities to turning out 

SUVs and light trucks and they 

have dropped their car lines or 

trimmed them down to a few 

specialty models. 

But the Charger has survived 

the sedan purge and is still on 

duty with police nationwide. It’s 

been on duty with American police 

since 2006. 

Evolving Platform 

For baby boomer car enthusiasts, 

the late 1960s and early 

1970s Dodge Chargers are legendary 

machines, known for 

their cool styling and Mopar 

performance. The nostalgia for 

these cars is even more powerful 

with kids who watched the 

1980’s TV show “Dukes of Hazard,” 

which starred a 1969 Charger 

race car. So, it’s little wonder 

that Dodge decided to resurrect 

the Charger brand during the 

early 2000s era of American 

muscle car rebirth that began 

with the retro styling of the 2004 

Ford Mustang. 

The 2006 Dodge Charger did 

not have the retro styling of the 

2000s Mustangs and Camaros, 

Dodge saved that for the Challenger. 

But what that Charger did 

have was the four-door performance 

needed for a police 

vehicle. 

The Charger police pursuit vehicle 

debuted at the 2005 International 

Auto Show, and it was 

a hit with a wide variety of law 

enforcement agencies. Highway 

patrol agencies were particularly 

enamored of the Hemi V8 version 

of the Charger, which boasted 

a top speed of 152 mph at the 

Michigan State Police evaluations 

and just as importantly offered 

heavy-duty brakes. 

Since its debut, the Charger 

patrol vehicle has gone through 

several iterations. The 2011 version 

was officially named the 

Dodge Charger Pursuit. There 

have also been a number of updates 

to the body styling and the 

features and options. 

The Charger Pursuit has 

evolved with the consumer version. 

It’s also evolved with the 

needs of law enforcement agencies 

for different features and 

different technologies. “I think 

that one of the reasons the vehicle 

has been such a mainstay 

in law enforcement is that it is 

constantly being improved,” says 

David Callery, program manager 

for Dodge Law Enforcement. 

“The company is really supportive, 

and we have dedicated engineering 

support for the pursuit 

program.” 

300 HP AWD 

For the 2021 model year, the 

Dodge Charger Pursuit comes 

in two versions, the 3.6-liter V6 

with all-wheel drive and the 

5.7-liter V8 Hemi with rearwheel 

drive. 

The 2021 V6 Charger offers 

some serious performance. It’s 

powered by a Pentastar engine 

that produces 300 horsepower 

and 264 pound-feet of torque. 

That’s some serious get up and 

go for a non-turbo V6. It gets 

that punch from its dual overhead 

cam 24-valve engine architecture. 

At the 2020 Michigan State 

Police testing, the 2021 3.6L V6 

AWD Charger hit a top speed of 

140 mph in 2.31 miles. Its acceleration 

scores were 0 to 60 mph 

in 7.41 seconds, 0 to 80 mph in 

11.81 second, and 0 to 100 mph in 

17.97 seconds. 

Of course, there’s more to performance 

than power. Braking is 

equally important in emergency 

vehicle operations. The MSP tested 

the brakes of the V6 Charger 

and found it can go from 60 mph 

to dead stop in 127.2 feet. MSP 

evaluators recorded no severe 

fade to the brakes in their repeated 

trials, and they also recorded 

that the vehicle stopped 

in a straight line. 

All-wheel drive is one of the 

big selling points of the 2021 V6 

Charger. The system transitions 

from rear-wheel drive to AWD 

through an active transfer case 

and front-axle disconnect, and it 

adapts to environmental conditions. 

The 2021 V6 Charger Pursuit 

with AWD is turning some heads 

among Charger customers. Catherine 

Brown, director of the Fleet 

and Facilities Division of the Missouri 

State Highway Patrol, says 

the agency’s 495 Chargers are 


all V8s but it is now buying the 

new V6. “We wanted to continue 

with the AWD feature, given our 

location in the Midwest and the 

varying weather conditions we 

experience,” she explains. 

Still Gotta Hemi 

There are few stock sedans 

in the world that can match the 

power and performance of the 

Dodge Charger 5.7L. Its still “gotta 

Hemi,” as the old TV ad touted, 

and that Hemi V8 produces 

370 hp and 395 foot-pounds of 

torque. 

That power pushes the 

4,356-pound Charger 5.7L to 

a top speed of 140 mph in 1.01 

miles, according to the MSP testing. 

At the same MSP testing the 

Charger 5.7L accelerated from 0 

to 60 mph in 5.91 seconds, from 

0 to 80 mpg in 9.36 seconds, and 

from 0 to 100 mph in 14.14 seconds. 

Even with its powerful performance, 

the Charger 5.7 boasts 

excellent mileage thanks to fuel 

saver technology that turns off 

four cylinders of the eight when 

they are not needed. The EPA 

estimated mileage is 16 mpg 

in the city and 25 mpg on the 

highway. Under law enforcement 

conditions with long idle times at 

scenes, mileage is likely to vary. 

The Charger 5.7L also decelerates 

quickly. The MSP measured 

its 60 mph to stop distance at 

128.8 feet. Testers said the brakes 

did not experience any severe 

fading and the car stopped 

straight. 

Features and Options 

Dodge Chargers now feature 

the TorqueFlite automatic 

8-speed overdrive transmission, 

which offers better performance 

than Dodge’s previous five-speed 

auto transmission. 

The gross vehicle weight rating 

or GVWR of both models of the 

Charger Pursuit was recently 

increased to 5,500 pounds. “The 

increased GVWR means that 

much more payload for agencies 

that need it,” says Callery. 

Charger Pursuit models are 

also available with a number 

of officer safety features and 

options. It comes standard with 

multiple front and side and curtain 

air bags. 

Ballistic door protection for 

the driver and passenger is also 

available. “We offer NIJ Level III+ 

ballistic door protection,” Callery 

says. “The ballistic material is 

ballistic steel because it’s thinner 

than other options. If you think 

of the design of the Charger, 

with the scalloped doors, there’s 

not a lot of room in the doors to 

add armor, so we needed a thin 

option.” The armor adds about 

38 pounds to each door, which 

is not enough extra weight to 

affect performance, according to 

Callery. 

On the Road 

Chargers are particularly 

well-suited to highway enforcement 

duty. The handling and a 

particular aspect of the performance 

make the Charger a favorite 

with troopers. “It’s not the 

top speed, it’s the closing speed,” 

Callery says. “The biggest concern 

for highway patrols is how 

quickly they turn on speeders and 

get up to them so that the troopers 

don’t get into a chase. No one 

wants to get into a chase.” 

Callery says highway patrols 

want the closing speeds, but they 

are less likely to want the muscle 

car top speeds of the Charger 

models. That’s why Dodge offers 

to control the top speed. It 

also offers Mopar service tools 

that can be used to lower the top 

speed even further. “Some police 

fleet managers say, ‘I like the 

acceleration and I like the closing 

speed, but I don’t need my folks 

going 130 mph.’ So, we give them 

the option to dial it down.” 

Speed is not the only reason 

the Charger is so popular with 

troopers. Missouri State Highway 

Patrol’s Brown says MSHP 

officers also like another aspect 

of the rear-wheel-drive and 

all-wheel-drive sedans. “One of 

the things the troopers like is its 

handling capabilities in almost 

any condition.” 

The Charger is also on duty in 

many cities, according to Callery. 

He says the V6 model is very 

popular with some urban agencies, 

and he expects the V6 AWD 

model will be a hit with city 

agencies, particularly those in 

harsh winter climates. 

One reason so many cities are 

fielding Charger patrol sedans is 

economics. And with the defund 

the police movement and the 

strain on tax bases from COVID’s 

effects on businesses, Callery 

expects demand for sedans to 

be high. He estimates that sedans 

can save agencies from $3,000 to 

$4,000 per vehicle, depending on 

numerous variables. 

When Dodge announced the 

2018 Durango Pursuit—its first 

patrol SUV—there was speculation 

that it spelled the end of 

the Charger patrol car. Callery 

says Chrysler’s Police Advisory 

Board told the company not to 

“abandon the sedan market” and 

the company has no intention of 

doing so. He believes the Charger 

sedan and the Durango SUV pursuit 

vehicles complement each 

other. 

“I think the Charger checks a lot 

of boxes for what many agencies 

need,” Callery says. “It’s durable, 

reliable, offers excellent performance 

and handling, and it’s a 

good value.” 


Photography 

Professional 

Video 

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Matterport 

Showing 

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Open 

Tips 

Staging 

media marketing for 

Social 

extra Ah Ha! 

the 

Climate Change: In the 

“First Responder” World 

Let us talk about climate change, 

I am not referring to the melting ice 

caps or the change in the tides, I am 

referring to the nationwide change 

in the support and value of our law 

enforcement and first responder 

community. 

Our first responders, who are the 

backbone of today’s society, must 

battle climate changes every day 

nationwide. Our heroes must endure 

the social and political propaganda 

spewed out by those who 

have no clue what it takes to put on 

a uniform and go out to protect and 

serve the community. 

A community of blatant disrespect 

and ungratefulness for the 

duties and jobs our heroes perform 

day in and day out. 

These words not only have caused 

many to leave their chosen careers 

but have caused distention in the 

ranks, low morale, family breakups 

and yes, suicide. 

What many do not understand is, 

our first responders have taken an 

oath to protect and serve, aide and 

rescue others. A calling that goes 

way beyond what a normal day at 

work is like for most Americans, 

yet they will continue to judge us 

on performance, actions, and ethics 

based upon the actions of one or a 

few bad apples. 

Imagine if society painted our 

Politicians, Teachers and Doctors 

with the same broad brush they 

continue to paint our law enforcement 

with. 

Back in my day as a police officer 

on the streets of New York we worried, 

but far less than what our first 

responders of today must worry 

about. 

We worried about the next call; 

will we survive it? And where will 

we get our next good cup of coffee? 

Today, our first responders not 

only have to worry about surviving 

the next radio run, but will their action 

be captured on video, will their 

training be called into question or 

will some social media post from 

across the nation cause a spontaneous 

protest. Will some activist 

group spread fake news causing 

an ambush on them while they are 

having lunch, or will a false 911 call 

lure them into a dangerous situation? 

The list goes on and on. 

Yes, all these things happen back 

in the day, but they were rare or 

not a top mental priority. Today 

these outside issues not only cause 

increased stress levels but cause 

slower judgement responses which 

can lead to the officer losing his 

life. Remember we are Human not 

Robots. 

Officers need to be sharp and 

mentally prepared to be effective, 

a slight deviation in mental judgement 

can make a significant difference 

in the outcome. 

Just in the past year or so we 

have seen many departments lose 

experienced officers as the Defund 

the Police movement grows, we 

have seen the handcuffs placed 

tighter on our officers as criminals 

are set free and not held accountable. 

Now a mandated vaccination will 

risk a forced retirement or termination 

in some cities. 

How much more mental stress 

is going to be placed on our heroes 

who are already overworked, 

understaffed, underpaid, overburdened, 

and underfunded? 

As the leaders, dreamers and others 

dictate how law enforcement 

officers should act and respond to 

dangerous situations, they comfortably 

sit behind their computers and 

security gated walls with high-tech 

alarm systems to keep themselves 

protected. 

These are the same people who 

expect our Heroes to be at their 

door in 2 minutes after placing a 911 

call and will rally to indite, terminate, 

and ruin your life if you make 

the wrong split-second life or death 

judgement call. 

The pressure continues! 

As I said “back in the day” as an 

LEO when we worried, but we were 

able to filter a lot of what we see 

and do during our workday. Today, 

our families, our spouses our children 

might as well ride along in the 

car with us as there is nothing to 

filter for them. 

Not only has the trauma of our 

jobs affected us, now it affects our 

families as well. 

Our families now suffer from 

vicarious trauma. Our children are 

mentally torn on how they look at 

dad and mom who don the uniform. 

I remember my daughter was 

so proud when the teacher asked, 

“What do your parents do for a 

living?” 

“My dad’s a police officer” she 

would say with enthusiasm. I do 

not know if she would be as fast to 

say the same thing today under extreme 

pressure and liberal teacher 

criticism. 

Back in the day it was an honor to 

have your mom or dad come in for 

Career Day and speak in uniform. 

Now a days, if classmates find 

out that one or even both of your 

parents are law enforcement they 

are subjected to ridicule, harassment, 

bullying and in some cases 

total alienation from the group. The 

stress now bleeds onto our loved 

ones like an open artery. 

Who is to blame for all this, well 

it would be “politically incorrect” 

for me to name anyone out right, 

but let us look at the past, shall 

we? Way back to 2014, when a 

protest in Manhattan, New York 

shouted words such as “What do 

we want? Dead cops! When do we 

want them? Now!” Our political administration 

both local and Federal 

did nothing to condemn the rhetoric 

and those words caused a ripple 

effect across the nation. 

Headlines and protests span a 

nation throughout 2015 into 2016 

and a year later, a lone shooter decided 

to act, and on July 7th, 2016, 

ambushed 14 Dallas, Texas Police 

Officers killing 5 and wounding 9 

during the same type of protest just 

a year and a half later. No outrage 

or condemnation of the protest, just 

a sorry about the loss. 

The political narrative born, the 

hate train had left the station and 

many in power were fast to jump 

on board. 

Many calling for social changes 

and demanding that heads will roll. 

The Woke community loved it and 

politicians knew they could score 

more votes by condemning the heroes 

of our society. 

The next few years were rougher 

than ever on our law enforcement 

as assaults, murders and the suicide 

rate soured. Many city politicians 

were blind to these issues and 

chose to ignore them and continue 

with the hate speeches. 

Our LEW community suffered 

hard and the emotional and mental 

burdens increased. Even many 

commanders sided with the Woke 

community giving almost no support 

or concern to those under their 

command who were placing their 

lives on the line. 

It is in this writer’s opinion that 

until this “climate change” is corrected, 

we will shortly see the fall 

of more officers and their families. 

There will always be criminals, 

psychopaths, and haters in our society, 

as LEOS we know and accept 

that, it is one of the reasons why we 

took the job. 

But not until our own leaders, 

commanders and community support 

groups give our law enforcement 

officers back the tools needed 

to perform the job effectively, 

safely, and mentally sharp, will we 

see a demise of safety and mental 

issues plaquing our heroes. 

John Salerno. Co-Host Mad Radio 

(Ret) NYPD (New York City Police 

Department) 

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My Favorite Christmas Carol 

What is your favorite Christmas 

carol? Christmas songs are among 

the first songs learned by youngsters 

all across Christendom. The 

first Christmas song you learned 

as a preschooler may still be your 

favorite. Listening to children sing 

the old carols will delight anyone’s 

heart. I missed the children’s programs 

last year that we normally go 

to in order to watch our grandchildren 

sing. Covid robbed us of some 

special times, so this year we won’t 

take such a privilege as attending 

a children’s Christmas program for 

granted. We will be in our usual 

seats with the parents and grandparents 

of shepherds, wise men, 

angels, and, of course, the Holy 

Family. 

Someone asked me what my 

favorite carol was the other day. I 

do love them all, but my favorite is 

one that I appreciate because of the 

pain it expresses. I am always concerned 

when someone is offended 

by a book, a poem, or a song 

because it hurts to read or listen to 

it. To those critics, I say that good 

literature or lyrics are good precisely 

because they elicit an emotional 

response from the reader or listener. 

Sometimes it hurts to read something. 

The author has accomplished 

their objective if you get emotional. 

Any artist is really baring their soul 

on canvas or paper in an invitation 

for the audience to share the experience. 

There was a great American poet 

who could write lyrics about historical 

events and love stories like no 

other. He was actually quite famous 

in his own time. He was from Maine 

but moved around looking for a 

literary community in which to participate. 

He was a bright and handsome 

young man who wooed his 

beloved for years before she married 

him. Their marriage was in its 

19th year when tragedy struck. As 

Frances, his wife, was sealing some 

envelopes with wax, her candle 

caught the drapes on fire. He rushed 

in the room and battled the fire, but 

Frances would die the next day of 

her injuries. His face was disfigured 

as a result of the fire and he sunk 

into a deep depression with his loss. 

When Christmas came around, he 

vowed that he would never enjoy 

another merry Christmas again. 

His son, Charley, joined the army 

against his father’s wishes. Charley 

was his father’s pride and joy and 

the thought of losing Charley after 

the loss of Frances was too much 

to bear. Charley said that he had 

to join the fight to save his country 

and he hoped that his father would 

understand. His father understood, 

but understanding and concern for 

his son’s safety were two different 

things. The Civil War was the 

bloodiest conflict our country ever 

suffered. Charley was marching 

off into a conflagration that would 

stagger the imagination in its intensity. 

He was quite depressed and the 

division of the country only added 

to the misery that he felt in his soul. 

Then he received word that Charley, 

a young lieutenant, had been shot 

and grievously wounded in Virginia. 

His heart leapt in agony as a father’s 

worry nearly overcame his capacity 

to act. He gathered his wits 

and traveled to Washington from 

Massachusetts and met Charley at 

the army hospital there. President 

Lincoln was a frequent visitor at the 

hospital and another poet friend, 

Walt Whitman, served as an ambulance 

attendant and nurse there. 

He found Charley among the many 

wounded soldiers. It was apparent 

that the needs of the patients were 

overwhelming the hospital’s ability 

to care for the wounded, so he 

packed Charley up and took him 

back home to Cambridge. Charley 

could barely recognize his father as 

his father’s disfigured face was now 

covered with a beard so as not to 

alarm sensitive folk. 

It was December 1863 when they 

arrived in Cambridge. In spite of 

the horrendous war being waged, 

Christmas carols were being sung. 

His depression was made worse by 

his son’s suffering. He thought the 

carols were unrealistic and they ignored 

the real suffering that people 

were enduring. He hated the songs 

as they scorned his misery. He took 

up his pen—the only weapon he 

could use to discharge his feelings 

and wrote. As he wrote, his feelings 

went from rage and hurt to something 

else. As he looked at his boy’s 

face he saw not an injustice, but a 

young man who wanted to right 

a wrong even if that meant giving 

his life. He wondered where God 

was, but as he wrote, he knew the 

answer. God is not dead, nor doth 

He sleep. He penned those famous 

words in my favorite Christmas 

carol. It’s a good song for bad times. 

When friends and family suffer, it 

speaks of God who will right all 

wrongs and reunite all who love 

him one day. That’s what Henry 

Wadsworth Longfellow saw as he 

gazed into his son’s wounded face 

and heard the bells on Christmas 

Day. 

I heard the bells on Christmas Day. 

Their old, familiar carols play, 

And wild and sweet 

The words repeat 

Of peace on earth, good-will to men! 

And thought how, as the day had come, 

The belfries of all Christendom 

Had rolled along 

The unbroken song 


Till ringing, singing on its way, 

The world revolved from night to day, 

A voice, a chime, 

A chant sublime 


Then from each black, accursed mouth 

The cannon thundered in the South, 

And with the sound 

The carols drowned 


It was as if an earthquake rent 

The hearth-stones of a continent, 

And made forlorn 

The households born 


And in despair I bowed my head; 

“There is no peace on earth,” I said; 

“For hate is strong, 

And mocks the song 

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!” 

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: 

“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; 

The Wrong shall fail, 

The Right prevail, 

With peace on earth, good-will to men.” 


You may be asking: What is involved 

in contract negotiations? 

Every time we work on a 

contract, we do a survey of 

what people would like to 

see in the contract. In the last 

survey in 2020 we only had 51 

members who responded, and 

it was obvious that most were 

supervisors. Since that survey, 

I have received about 40 more 

emails regarding the writers’ 

“wish list” for the contract. 

Overwhelmingly, pay was on 

the top of the list for items in 

the contract. Second was more 

time off. 

We are only in our second 

meeting over the contract and 

are bound by a confidentiality 

agreement. So, discussing 

issues is prohibited. But I wanted 

everyone to know how the 

process works as many do not 

understand the intricacies of 

meet and confer. 

Being in a right-to-work 

state, it is a process that seems 

to work better than collective 

bargaining. In northern states, 

collective bargaining works because 

of the binding arbitration, 

which is not allowed in Texas, 

which is why the firefighters are 

having such a hard time. In the 

meet and confer process it is 

important that it be integrated 

to the point that it is almost impossible 

for the city to back out 

of the deal. We are currently in 

a perpetual evergreen portion 

of the contract until we work 

out another one. At this point, 

neither side can end our last 

contract until we have a new 

one in place. 

Speed is important when 

negotiating a contract. Slow 

and steady is best while working 

through the process and 

the details of any contract. But 

once an agreement is made, it 

is important to move as quickly 

as possible. We only need 

to look as far as Austin to see 

how quick an agreement can 

unravel with the wrong outside 

influence. 

Campaign Zero walked into 

Austin City Hall and killed a 

contract that had already been 

ratified by the Austin Police 

Association and the city within 

one week. So once a tentative 

deal is reached, we will be 

moving very quickly to get it 

ratified and before City Council. 

Your responsibility in this process 

is an important one. 

First, I suggest that everyone 

read the contract that we currently 

have in place. The contract 

is an easy read and can 

be completed in a matter of a 

few hours. The more you know 

about the current contract, the 

easier it will be to understand 

the new one. 

DOUGLAS GRIFFITH 

Second, once it us ready and 

released, read the proposed 

contract and vote. Remember, 

you will be voting on your 

future and we believe it is very 

important to have overwhelming 

numbers when we take a 

ratified contract to City Council. 

We may have a contract 

before the end of the year, but 

more than likely we will go into 

next year. Any pay raises would 

go into effect the first full pay 

period in July 2022, so a completed 

contracted by May is our 

goal. 

I will keep you updated as 

best I can but urge you to make 

sure your email address is correct 

with the HPOU by calling 

832-200-3410, or download the 

app as we send out information 

regularly. 


As we look back on our year of 

Light Bulb Awards, we started off 

the new year right and give credit 

where credit is due. These two 

morons (and I use that term lightly 

and in utmost respect, because I 

have a lot of titles much more fitting) 

Nancy Pelosi and Mitch Mc- 

Connell, who once again screwed 

over the American public. 

I know some you would say, 

aren’t there plenty of Light Bulb 

candidates right here in Texas that 

deserve the distinct honor of being 

the first out of the gate for 2021? 

NOPE. None come anywhere close 

to the low life scum of the earth 

character of these two. 

In February, we focused on Madison 

WI, where backlash from a 

November social media photo that 

showed a “thin blue line” flag displayed 

in the UW-Madison Police 

Department’s office, Police Chief 

Kristen Roman has banned officers 

from using thin blue line imagery 

while acting in an official police 

capacity. 

In an email to UW-Madison Police 

staff that was released Tuesday, Roman 

said the flag has been “co-opted” 

by extremists with “hateful ideologies.” 

She said her department 

needs to distance itself from thin 

blue line imagery to build trust with 

Giving Biden and his White House 

staff the Light Bulb Award seems 

lame compared to the total disrespect 

these people have towards 

Police and those that fight to defend 

this country. 

Speaking of riots, The Seattle 

Police Department needs to find a 

better way to interact with anti-police 

demonstrators, including allowing 

officers to express solidarity 

with protesters marching against 

police brutality and racism, acthe 

community. What a moron. 

In March, Ithaca Mayor Svante 

Myrick announced a plan to 

replace the city’s police department 

with a new Department of 

Community Solutions and Public 

Safety. 

The proposal, part of a statewide 

police reform effort, is 

now up 

for public 

comment 

and 

requires 

legislative 

approval. If 

passed, the 

city would 

install a 

civilian department 

leader to 

oversee two divisions, an unarmed 

force of “community 

solution workers,” and an armed 

division focused on responding 

to and investigating crimes. 

Officers would have to reapply 

to keep jobs as armed “public 

safety workers” with the city. 

Another moron. 

Ithaca Mayor 

When Biden decided to invite the 

family of George Floyd to the White 

House and ten refused to lower 

flags to half mast during Police 

Week, you don’t deserve our respect. 

Invite me to the White House 

and let me bring some real damn 

heroes for you to honor. Heroes 

who have chosen to fight for and 

save people they don’t even know. 

Even your “people of color.” We 

don’t see color, we see people. We 

see right and wrong. Good vs Evil. 

Not this feel good crap. 

cording to the first in a series of 

detailed critiques of the department’s 

response to protests and 

riots. Are they serious? 

The city’s Office of Inspector 

General for Public Safety report 

on local demonstrations that 

arose after the May 25 death of 

George Floyd in custody of Minneapolis 

police, said the department 

needs to do more to ensure 

officers at protests 

don’t show contempt 

for the people whose 

rights they’re supposed 

to be protecting, regardless 

of fatigue and 

stress. 

Back in Houston We 

hate to paint with a 

wide brush but every 

single liberal Democrat 

judge that has released 

charged felons with PR Bounds, 

$100, $200, $1000, $2000 or any 

other ridiculous bond amount, 

are candidates for our Light Bulb 

Award. 

But rather than give them Light 

Bulb awards, how about we pass 

a law that says, “Any judge that 

releases a previously charged or 

convicted felon on bond and said 

individual commits a capital 

offense, said Judge shall be held 

liable and charged along with 

the suspect.” Countless crimes 

have been committed in Harris 

County by individuals out on 

bond, all released by said Liberal 

Judges that should have never 

been elected in the first place. 

But this month, lets focus on 

one worthless Judge in particular 

- the Honorable Abigail Anastasio, 

judge of the 184th District 

Court in Harris County. First 

off, there is NOTHING ‘honorable’ 

about Abigail Anastasio. Time 

and time again, Anastasio lets 

convicted felons out on bond, 

only to commit more felonies. 

Which obviously doesn’t bother 

her in the least. 

Finally we ended up in DC 

were 4 dumb ass cops decided 

to “drag race” their Ford Interceptors 

and ended up totaling 

both cars. 

Let’s start by saying WTF were 

they thinking? Second, a damn 

Ford Taurus turned Interceptor 

is not a dragster. After the 

story went viral, Officers from 

the Sandy Springs PD, who by 

the way drive Hellcats, said if 

you want to drag race, come by 

some day and we’ll show you 

boys how it’s done – at our DRAG 

STRIP. LOL 

According to the main stream 

“we make it up as we go along” 

media (MSM), four D.C. cops are 

now under investigation after 

they totaled two patrol cars 

while drag racing last month 

through a DC neighborhood. 

Their boss said in a memo released 

to local TV Station WTTG: 

“Yesterday two 6D scout cars 

were totaled because officers 

decided instead of fighting crime, 

they would drag race each other” 


unning 4 heroes 

Total Miles Run in 2021: (as of 12/2/21): 304 

Total Miles Run in 2020: 401 

Total Miles Run in 2019: 376 

Overall Miles Run: 1,081 

2021 Run Stats: 

Total Miles Run for 2021 fallen LEO’s (Non COVID-19): 149 

Total Miles Run for 2021 fallen Firefighters (Non COVID-19): 64 

Total Miles Run for 2021 fallen COVID-19 Heroes: 30 

Total Miles Run for 2021 fallen Canada LEO’s: 2 

Total Miles Run for 2021 Non Line of Duty Deaths: 13 

Total Miles Run for 2020 Fallen LEO’s: 24 

Total Miles Run for 2020 Fallen Firefighters: 6 

Total Tribute Runs by State for 2021: 16 

States/Cities Zechariah has run in: 

Zechariah 

Cartledge: 

a True American Hero 

Florida - Winter Springs, Lake Mary, Clearwater, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Orlando, Temple Terrace, Blountstown, 

Cocoa, Lakeland, Daytona Beach, West Palm Beach, Starke 

New York - New York City, Weedsport 

Georgia - Cumming, Augusta, Savannah 

South Carolina - North Myrtle Beach, Charleston, Sumter 

Pennsylvania - Monaca 

Illinois - Springfield, Naperville, Glen Ellyn 

Texas - Houston (2), Fort Worth, Midland, New Braunfels, Freeport, Madisonville, Irving, Sadler, San Antonio 

Kentucky - Nicholasville 

Arkansas - Bryant, Hot Springs 

Nevada - Henderson 

California - Mt. Vernon, La Jolla 

Arizona - Mesa 

North Carolina - Concord, Raleigh 

Virginia - Norton 

Tennessee - Bristol 

Delaware - Milford 

Minnesota - Arden Hills 

Indiana - Sullivan, Spencer 

Mississippi - Grenada, Olive Branch 

Missouri - Springfield 

Iowa - Independence, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids 


Give Yourself the Gift of Hope 

This Holiday Season. 

Many of our nation’s law enforcement 

officers have had a 

challenging year in countless 

ways. The 2021 statistics for 

line of duty deaths (especially 

by gunfire) and suicides in this 

field are staggering and can be 

overwhelming. The holidays are 

also often a difficult time for LEO 

families due to work schedules, 

family conflict, financial constraints, 

and at times, a sense of 

helplessness due to depression 

and lack of hope. We also live in 

a world in which comparison of 

our lives to others is commonplace 

and frequently perpetuated 

by social media and high 

expectations for the “perfect” 

holiday experience. It can place 

a great deal of unnecessary 

pressure on an LE family during 

an already stressful time of the 

year. 

Instead of this month’s article 

focusing solely on the negative, I 

want to instead offer the gift of 

hope through some basic approaches 

that are designed to 

reduce psychological stressors 

and increase hope for the holiday 

season. Amy Morgan, (Police1, 

2019), offered the following 

excellent suggestions and I encourage 

to practice these often. 

1. STOP COMPARING. If you find 

yourself comparing your holiday 

with others, stop and focus on 

what matters to you, and then 

DR. TINA JAECKLE 

let that be enough. Be content 

with where you are, who you are 

and what you have. If you are 

financially stressed, don’t worsen 

the situation by giving gifts 

to try to match the actions of 

others. Instead, give of yourself 

and work with what you have, 

but don’t deplete yourself in the 

process or let comparisons make 

you feel unworthy. 

2. SET REALISTIC EXPECTA- 

TIONS. All the hype around the 

holidays makes us feel like we 

should ramp up our energy, our 

home décor, our financial ability, 

our time with friends and family, 

and even our level of happiness. 

Instead set your expectations 

in line with the reality of your 

own little piece of the world. If 

you aren’t a cook, don’t expect 

to present your family with a 

golden holiday turkey and all the 

fixings. Set realistic expectations 

about how your own holiday 

will, and should, look, for your 

own life. 

3. LET GO OF REGRET. Maybe 

this wasn’t your best year. 

If there’s something in your life 

you wish was different, and you 

still have the ability to change it, 

start working on doing that. But 

if you can’t change something, 

try letting go of the feeling of regret 

that’s eating away at you. If 

you need to apologize to someone, 

do it, genuinely and sincerely. 

If you need to forgive someone, 

do it, for your own sense of 

peace. And then move on. Let go 

of the regrets so you can start 

the New Year free of stress and 

anxiety. 

4. ACCEPT YOUR STRUGGLES. 

Life is hard sometimes, and 

nobody is getting through it as 

easily as they may make it seem. 

Things may be hard for you for 

many reasons – it is okay to 

admit that things aren’t great. 

Accept that all of us struggle 

at different points in life with 

different things. Don’t let the 

season make you focus on the 

struggles – remember that this 

season and its challenges will 

pass. 

5. SET NEW YEAR GOALS. 

Instead of pressure-filled resolutions, 

set some goals. But don’t 

set your expectations so high 

you’ll never be able to follow 

through. Name a few simple 

things you’d like to be different 

in your life – and then outline a 

plan to achieve that change. This 

year practice healthy approaches 

and do what you need to do. If 

you’re feeling down, depressed, 

or alone, please reach out to 

any number of law enforcement 

mental health resources and 

you’ll find a caring voice at the 

other end of the line to help you 

make it through the hard stuff. 

The holiday season, just like your 

life, is what you make it. Celebrate 

the holiday for the reasons 

you choose, in the way that fits 

you and your life, and make the 

very best of it that you can with 

whatever you have to work with. 

6. TAKE THE TIME TO EXER- 

CISE. You do not have to jump 

right into CrossFit if you have 

not exercised regularly but get 

out for at least a brisk walk and 

break a sweat. You will feel and 

think better. You can also do this 

a couple of times a week, and 

invite your spouse, partner, and/ 

or children to walk with you to 

enjoy family time. 

7. GIVE BACK TO OTHERS. A 

local FOP hosts an “adopt a LE 

retiree or survivor” each holiday 

and encourages others to take 

them to lunch or provide a gift 

card or simply give the gift of 

“presence.” There are numerous 

charities and opportunities 

available this time of year, including 

for children. Giving to 

others allows a mental shift of 

perspective away from our own 

struggles toward better understanding 

and connecting with 

others. Remember, we rise by 

lifting others. Most importantly, 

practice hope, even a little very 

day. Happy holidays and Merry 

Christmas to you all, blessings 

always. 


By Michael Barron 

A year after I started The 

BLUES, in 1986, my brother 

Rusty graduated from Stephen 

F. Austin and began writing a 

column in The BLUES called 

“off-duty.” The following year, 

he started his own newspaper 

“Barron’s Outdoor Update” and 

moved into our offices in Humble. 

For about six months or 

so, I enjoyed working side by 

side with my youngest brother. 

Later that year, Rusty signed 

on with Shell Oil as a rookie 

salesperson and for the next 

35 years he blazed a trail and 

set records at Shell that will 

be hard for anyone to top. On 

August 1, 2021, he officially 

retired from Shell as a senior 

Vice-President of the largest 

oil and natural gas producing 

company in the world. And I 

have to say, all 

his family has 

been along for 

the journey of a 

lifetime – myself 

included. 

Rusty was 

the youngest 

in a family of 

four boys, and I 

was the oldest. 

After graduating 

high school, 

he worked for 

my dad selling 

specialized 

parts for 

Southwestern 

Bell. Apparently, 

he was 

damn good at 

it, because he 

earned enough 

money to pay 

his way through 

college. Even 

on summer 

breaks, he returned 

to Houston 

and worked 

with my dad. 

But on most 

any day that he 

wasn’t working, 

you’d find him 

outdoors. From 

an early age, 

Rusty was an 

avid hunter and 

fisherman (I 

always thought 

he’d become a 

Game Warden.) 

So, when he 

decided to start 

his own outdoor 

magazine, it was 

a perfect way to 

blend work and 

play into a paycheck. 

And that my 

friends, describes 

my 

brother’s 35 

years with Shell. 

Rusty has always 

managed to find 

a way to add 

hunting or fishing 

trip or both, 

onto a business 

trip. From fishing 

with Jimmy 

Houston and 

doing deals with 

Johnny Morris of 

Bass Pro Shops, 

to hanging out 

with Roger 

Penske, Helio 

Castroneves, and 

Joey Logano at 

various racetracks, 

Rusty has 

had his share of 

excitement all 

in the name of 

WORK. 

To say I’m 

proud of my 

little brother is 

an understatement. Rusty has 

always excelled at virtually 

anything he’s under-taken, 

and his knowledge of marketing 

and business is what has 

driven his success at Shell. 

And no matter what business 

venture I’ve taken on, (some 

successful and some not so 

much) Rusty has always stood 

by me with moral support and 

guidance. To have him writing 

once again for The BLUES, 

well let’s just say, we’ve come 

full circle. 

So now that’s he retired, 

what’s next for this world 

traveler? He, and my beautiful 

sister-in-law Kristi, will be 

spending time between Colorado, 

Florida and Texas. I’m 

sure the adventures will continue 

and hopefully Rusty will 

take our readers along for the 

ride. Can’t wait to see where 

we go next. 


ADS BACK IN THE DAY 




Austin ISD Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 12/17/2021 - 5pm 

Horseshoe Bay Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 12/31/2021 - 5pm 

Leonard Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 12/12/2021 - 5pm 

Cottonwood Shores Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 12/13/2021 - 5pm 

Cottonwood Shores Police Department Get Info Peace Officer (Reserve) 12/13/2021 - 5pm 

Dalhart Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 12/15/2021 - 5pm 

Brown County Sheriff's Office Get Info Peace Officer 12/14/2021 - 5pm 

Dekalb Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 12/10/2021 - 5pm 

Oak Ridge North Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 12/15/2021 - 5pm 

City of Slaton Get Info Peace Officer 12/19/2021 - 5pm 

Brady Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 12/18/2021 - 5pm 

Texas Woman's University Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 12/19/2021 - 5pm 

Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE)Get Info Investigator IV 12/20/2021 - 5pm 

216th District Attorney's Office Get Info Investigator (Full Time) 12/19/2021 - 5pm 

216th District Attorney's Office Get Info Investigator (Part Time) 12/19/2021 - 5pm 

Bangs Police Department Get Info Chief of Police 12/21/2021 - 5pm 

Swisher County Sheriff's Department Get Info Peace Officer 12/21/2021 - 5pm 

Hemphill County Sheriff's Office Get Info Peace Officer 12/15/2021 - 5pm 

Levelland Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 12/31/2021 - 5pm 

Bedford Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 12/21/2021 - 5pm 

Jeff Davis County Sheriff's Office Get Info Peace Officer 12/27/2021 - 5pm 

Richardson Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 12/27/2021 - 5pm 

West Lake Hills PD Get Info Peace Officer 12/15/2021 - 5pm 

Leon Valley Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 2/02/2021 - 5pm 

Milam County Sheriff's Office Get Info Peace Officer 12/28/2021 - 5pm 

McLennan Community College Police Dept. Get Info Peace Officer 01/31/2022 - 5pm 

Stanton Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 01/14/2022 - 5pm 

Marlin Police Department Get Info Police Officer 01/01/2022 - 5pm 

Denton County Police Get Info Water District Officer 12/31/2021 - 5pm 

Lockhart Police Department Get Info Police Officer 12/08/2021 - 5pm 

Mesquite Police Get Info Police Officer 12/09/2021 - 5pm 

Ochiltree County Sheriff’s Office Get Info Deputy Sheriff 12/17/2021 - 5pm 

Angelina County Sheriff's Office Get Info Patrol Deputy 12/10/2021 - 5pm 

Port Aransas Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 01/10/2022 - 5pm 

Alamo Colleges Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 12/10/2021 - 5pm 

Ingram Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 01/01/2022 - 5pm 

Brownswood Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 01/05/2022 - 5pm 

Baytown Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 01/09/2022 - 5pm 

Tyler Junior College Campus Police Get Info Police Lieutenant 12/10/2021 - 5pm 

Snyder Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 01/15/2022 - 5pm 

Pilot Point ISD Police Department Get Info Chief Of Police 12/15/2021 - 5pm 

Jonestown Police Department Get Info Police Officer 01/03/2022 - 5pm 

San Jacinto College District PD Get Info Police Lieutenant 12/31/2021 - 5pm 

Jarrell Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer 01/15/2022 - 5pm 

Coleman Police Department Get Info Police Officer 01/15/2022 - 5pm 

Jacksonville ISD Police Department Get Info Police Officer 01/01/2022 - 5pm 

Carrolton Police Department Get Info Police Officer 12/11/2021 - 5pm 

Hutto Police Department Get Info Police Officer 12/17/2021 - 5pm 

Ector County Sheriffs Office Get Info Deputy 01/17/2022 - 5pm 

Bruceville-Eddy Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer 01/14/2022 - 5pm 

Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi PD Get Info Police Officer 01/10/2022 - 5pm 

Mathis Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer 12/18/2021 - 5pm 

Del Valle ISD Police Department Get Info Police Lieutenant 12/17/2021 - 5pm 

Kennedale Police Department Get Info Police Officer 12/18/2021 - 5pm 

Plano Police Department Get Info Police Officer 02/17/2022 - 5pm 

Plano Police Department Get Info Detention Officer 02/17/2022 - 5pm 

Greenville Police Department Get Info Police Officer 01/21/2022 - 5pm 

Rollingwood Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer 01/22/2022 - 5pm 

Lancaster Police Department Get Info Police Officer 12/22/2021 - 5pm 

Grand Prairie Police Department Get Info Police Officer 01/08/2022 - 5pm 

Corsicana Police Department Get Info Police Officer 01/22/2022 - 5pm 

New Boston Police Department Get Info Police Officer 03/22/2022 - 5pm 

Clifton Police Department Get Info Police Officer 01/22/2022 - 5pm 

League City Police Department Get Info Police Officer 01/07/2022 - 5pm 

Wilson County Sheriff's Office Get Info Patrol Deputy Sheriff 01/29/2022 - 5pm 

Natalia Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 12/10/2021 - 5pm 

Roanoke Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 12/30/2021 - 5pm 

Kaufman County Sheriff's Office Get Info Peace Officer 01/30/2022 - 5pm 

Stephens County Sheriff's Office Get Info Patrol Deputy 12/31/2021 - 5pm 

Stagecoach Police Department Get Info Reserve Officer 12/31/2021 - 5pm 

Montgomery County Sheriff's Office Get Info Deputy 01/17/2022 - 5pm 

Bryan Police Department Get Info Police Officer 01/14/2022 - 5pm 

Galveston Police Department Get Info Police Cadet 02/03/2022 - 5pm 

Galveston Police Department Get Info Police Chief 02/02/2022 - 5pm 

Texas State Technical College Police Get Info Police Officer 02/02/2022 - 5pm 

Shenandoah Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 01/09/2022 - 5pm 

Parker Police Department Get Info Police Officer 01/03/2022 - 5pm 

Jones Couny Sheriff's Office Get Info Deputy Sheriff 03/30/2022 - 5pm 

Prairie View A&M University Police Dept Get Info Police Officer 02/07/2022 - 5pm 

Collin County Sheriff's Department Get Info Deputy Sheriff 12/13/2021 - 5pm 

City of Lago Vista Get Info Chief of Police 01/17/2022 - 5pm 

New Braunfels Police Department Get Info Police Officer 01/07/2022 - 5pm 

Victoria Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 02/02/2022 - 5pm 

Pflugerville Police Department Get Info Patrol Officers 02/20/2022 - 5pm 

Meridian Police Department Get Info Police Officer 01/08/2022 - 5pm 

Chandler Police Department Get Info Police Officer 01/09/2022 - 5pm 

Port Houston Police Department Get Info Police Officer 12/31/2021 - 5pm 

Marble Falls Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer 01/10/2022 - 5pm 

Schertz Police Department Get Info Police Officer 01/15/2022 - 5pm 

STATEWIDE VACANCIES FOR JAILERS 

Denton County Sheriff's Office Get Info Jailer 12/20/2021 - 5pm 

Rockwall County Sheriff's Office Get Info Detention Officer 01/04/2022 - 5pm 

Travis County Sheriff's Office Get Info Jailer 12/10/2021 - 5pm 

Tarrant County Sheriff's Office Get Info Detention Officer 12/31/2021 - 5pmDenton 

Rockwall County Sheriff's Office Get Info Detention Officer 01/04/2022 - 5pm 

Rockwall County Sheriff's Office Get Info Jailer 03/04/2022 - 5pm 

Tarrant County Sheriff's Office Get Info Detention Officer 12/31/2021 - 5pm 

Hunt Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Jailers 01/08/2022 - 5pm 


Pay scale: 

$57,000 (as a non-certified Cadet) up to $82,762, depending on certification 

BENEFITS 

• Supportive leadership and community 

• Civil Service 

• 12-hour shifts for patrol division 

• 3-day weekend approximately twice a month 

• Take-home vehicles 

• Tattoos permitted 

• Longevity Pay – $4/month for each year of 

service; maximum of $1,200/year 

• TCOLE certificate pay 

• Paid sick leave with unlimited accumulation 

• Vacation – 15 days/year 

• Holidays – 10 paid and 2 additional floating 

holidays/year 

• On-duty fitness time provided 

• Group health insurance with deductible, flexible 

spending accounts, and Section 125 options 

• Life insurance, long‐term disability and workers’ 

compensation 

• Optional life insurance and deferred plans are 

also available 

• Retirement plan with the Texas Municipal 

Retirement System 

• Employee contributes 7%, city matches 2:1 

• Opportunity to attend training schools 

• Equipment and uniforms are furnished, including 

regulation weapon 

• Employee Assistance Program 

• Post Police Academy pay - $58,469 @ 28.11/hour 

Important 

Information 

Application Deadline: 

January 14, 2022 

Written exam: 

January 21, 2022 

To learn more about hiring details, qualifications, and application instructions, visit: Bryantx.gov/PDJobs 

The City of Bryan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 


we're 

hiring! 

The City of Victoria 

invites applications for the position of: 

Police Officer or Senior Police Officer 

Salary 

$48,045 - $68,500 Annually DOQ 

Location 

Victoria, TX 

Job Type 

Full-Time 

JOB SUMMARY 

The Victoria Police Department is hiring qualified police officer candidates to join our 

team and to help enhance the livability of our community. VPD sets the bar for 

professionalism, innovation and a progressive approach to our policing strategies. Our 

workforce of more than 115 officers and 32 civilian support personnel are a dedicated, 

enthusiastic group of professionals who proudly serve over 65,000 Victoria residents. 

The Victoria Police Department offers a competitive salary and retirement structure, 

great health benefits, and many other incentives such as paid time off and departmentissued 

uniforms and equipment. 

Jailer/Corrections Officer 

hiring! 

Starting Pay $43,950 

Starting Pay $43,950 

Officers have lateral and promotional opportunities. Regardless of the assignment, you 

will work in an environment that fosters leadership, teamwork and courteous service to 

our community. 

For Questions, call 

For Questions, call 

1800 Ridgemar Dr. 

1800 Ridgemar Dr. 

No prior law enforcement experience is required but must be certified as a TCOLE 

Peace Officer. Upon employment, you will participate in the City of Victoria Police 

Department Field Training Program. You will receive specialized training from some of 

the finest officers in law enforcement. 

Salary amount offered will depend on qualifications. Lateral pay scale recognized for 

Senior Police Officers. This is a non-exempt position. 

Applicants currently attending a TCOLE Academy are encouraged to apply. 

Employment eligibility will require successful completion of the Academy courses and 

certification as a TCOLE Peace Officer. 

To learn more about this exciting opportunity and to apply, visit 

www.victoriatx.gov 

(817) 202. 2974 

(817) 202. 2974 

Cleburne, TX 76031 

Cleburne, TX 76031 


Oak Ridge North Police 

Department 

Chief of Police 

27424 Robinson Rd. 

Tom Libby Conroe, Tx. 77385 

(281)292-4762 

The Oak Ridge North Police Department is currently accepting resumes for the position 

of Police Officer. The Department serves the City of Oak Ridge North 24 hours a day, 7 

days a week. The Police Department is comprised of 1 Chief, 1 Patrol Lieutenant, 1 

Administrative Lieutenant, 1 Detective Sergeant, 1 Administrative Sr. Officer, 2 Patrol 

Sergeants, 1 Environmental Sergeant and 8 Patrol Officers. 

Minimum Requirements: 

Hiring Process: 

Job Description: 

1. TCOLE certified as a Texas Peace Officer. 

2. 21 years of age or older. 

3. Possess a valid Texas Driver’s License. 

4. High School Diploma or G.E.D. certificate. 

5. United States Citizen. 

6. Honorable Discharge from the U.S. Armed Forces. 

7. Vision correctable to 20/20. 

8. Able to read, write and speak English language. 

9. No Felony convictions or Class B or above in the last 10 

years. 

1. Submit resume to Lt. Barry, dbarry@oakridgenorthpdtx.us 

2. Physical Agility Test. 

3. Oral Board. 

4. Background Investigation. 

5. Firearms Qualification. 

6. Conditional Job Offer upon successfully passing the 

TCOLE mandated Medical/Drug Screening and 

Psychological Examination. 

1. Provide for public safety by maintaining order, responding 

to emergences, protecting people and property, enforcing 

motor vehicle and criminal laws, and promoting good 

community relations. 

2. Identify, pursue, and arrest suspects of criminal acts. 

3. Prepare incident report, arrest reports and accident 

reports. 

4. Ability to work 12 hour shifts or other shifts. 

5. Enforce applicable traffic laws of The State of Texas. 

6. Enforce Ordinance Violations of the City of Oak Ridge 

North. 

Starting pay for an Oak Ridge North Police Officer is $59,073 annually. Additional pay 

is awarded depending on qualifications, TCOLE certifications, and college degrees. 

Oak Ridge North Police Department is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not 

discriminate on race, sex, religion, color, origin, or creed. 

112 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 113

The Reserve Peace Officer is a voluntary position with the Lockney Police Department. Each volunteer 

must be able to commit 24 hours a month and attend training as needed. The City of Lockney is located 

in Floyd County, northeast of Lubbock County. Lockney Police Department was re-established this year 

and looking fill Reserve Positions. 

Job Requirements 

• Must have TCOLE Basic Peace Officer's License. 

• All applicants must be a U.S. Citizen and 21 years of age. 

• Valid Texas Driver's License with acceptable driving record. 

• All qualified applicants MUST complete a Personal History Statement in order to be considered 

for the position. 

• Qualified applicants must submit to a pre employment written and physical agility test, drug 

test, psychological and physical examination as well as a criminal background check. 

• All qualified candidates must be of good moral character and able to communicate with the 

public, be available for shift work, weekends and holidays. 

* ALL EQUIPMENT AND UNIFORMS (EXCEPT 

FOOTWEAR) ARE PROVIDED TO RESERVES. 

Apply Today! 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12H129HNiSARhmikVbfhIX-tLd-NiGh1b/view?usp=sharing 

(806) 810-0500 

Email Personal History Statement to cfitzwater@cityoflockney.com or Mail to 305 N Main Street. 

Lockney, TX 79241 


Washington County 911 

E-911 Director 

Responsibilities: 

• Directs and administers E-911 operations; 

• Supervises E-911 Dispatchers and other department personnel; 

• Prepares and maintains reports and files for federal, state, and local authorities; 

• Defines goals, sets expectations, and provides performance oversight and guidance to hiring and 

retention plans, quality assurance program(s), budget/purchasing, support service projects, 

department records management and Public Information Requests; 

• Provides administrative presence during emergency management situations. 

Education and Experience: 

• Requires High School graduation or graduate equivalent degree; 

• Valid Texas Driver’s License or acceptable alternative transportation method; 

• Five years of experience in emergency dispatching; 

• Five years progressively responsible experience in emergency communications management 

with broad exposure and practical application of emergency communications systems and 

associated software support systems; 

• Experience in a county governmental entity preferred; 

• Equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that provides the required 

knowledge, skills and abilities. 

Knowledge Skills and Abilities: 

• Must possess a working knowledge of current laws, operations, trends and overall management of a 

911 center; 

• Must be available for emergency call-ins on weekends, holidays, disasters and after hours to support 

mission critical 24/7/365 operations; 

• General management principles, Computer Aided Dispatch Systems, 911 call-taking and 

dispatching procedures; 

• Ability to perform as a telecommunications operator. 

Certifications and Licensure: 

• Certification as an operator of the Texas Law Enforcement Telecommunications system (TLETS) or 

ability to acquire within one year; 

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Communications or a related field preferred; 

• Association of Public Safety Communications Officials Registered Public Safety Leader (APCO 

RPL), National Emergency Number Association Center Manager Certification Program (NENA 

CMCP), or NENA Emergency Number Professional (ENP) certification(s) preferred. 

APPLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE AT AND RETURNABLE TO 

Human Resources Office 

Washington County Annex Building 

105 West Main, Suite 101 • Brenham, Texas 

hr@wacounty.com 

Equal Opportunity Employer 


JOIN OUR TEAM 

WALKER COUNTY 

SHERIFF’S DEPT. 

EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS 

• Paid Vacation 

• Sick Leave 

• Paid Holidays 

• Personal Days 

• Compensatory Days 

• Certification Pay 

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 

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 

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 

the comforts and amenities of larger city while still providing a small town atmosphere. 

ALDINE ISD POLICE DEPT. 

now accepting applications for: 

Dispatcher 

Salary starting at $32,690, 

no experience required. 

TO APPLY VISIT 

WWW.ALDINEISD.ORG 

OR 

Contact the Personnel 

Department at 

281-985-7571 

OR 

Contact Sergeant R. Hall at 

281-442-4923 

HIRING PROCESS 

• Oral Board Panel Interview 

• Complete Personal History Statement 

• Psychological Evaluation 

• Medical Examination 

• Interview with the Chief of Police 

Perks: 

• Starting Salary: $55,160.00 

• Retirement: Vested after 8 years in TCDRS. Every $1 invested in retirement is matched 210%. 

• Insurance provider: Blue Cross Blue Shield 

• Equipment: Uniforms & Patrol Equipment Provided. Currently issuing Glock 22’s and Colt SBR Rifles. 

• Vehicles: Take home Chevy Tahoe • Schedule: 12 hour shifts, every other weekend off. 

• Time Off: Paid Vacation / Holidays on a yearly basis. • Patrol Style: Proactive /Community Based Policing 

Requirements: Must be TCLOE Certified; Must have a valid Texas Drivers License; 

Must pass a written & physical test; Must complete a rigorous Field Training Program in a timely manner. 


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 

Bunker Hill • Piney Point• Hunters Creek 

Police Officer 

EOE/M/F/D 

5+ Years Patrol Experience Required 

The Memorial Villages Police Department (Located on the West Side of Houston) currently has 

openings for experienced officers who are self- motivated and enthusiastic about community 

policing. We have overwhelming support of our communities and encourage our officers to be 

proactive and innovative. 

$1500 Sign on Bonus 

Starting Salary Range 

$71,179 – $82,808 (DOQ) 

• Healthcare Insurance, DHMO Dental, Vision – 100% paid for employee, 50% for 

spouse/dependents. 

• Paid long-term disability and life insurance for employee, with additional life insurance 

available for spouse/dependents. 

• Health Savings Account with departmental contributions up to $4200 annually 

• TMRS Retirement 2 to 1 match, 7% Employee ,14% Employer Contribution. 

• 457 Plan with employer contribution of 2% of annual salary 

• Bi-Lingual Pay (2.5% of Base salary) 

• Shift Differential Pay $3600 annually 

• Tuition reimbursement 

• Longevity Pay up to a max of $2400 annually at 10 years of service. 

• College Education incentive up to $3000 for a master’s degree 

• LEMIT or FBI NA pay $1200 annually. 

• ECA (Emergency Care Assistant) $1300 Annually, training provided to each employee. 

• 12 hour shifts with every other Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off. 

• Officer certification pay, Intermediate, Advanced, and Master up to 7.5% of Salary. 

LATERAL DEPUTY 

To learn more or apply, visit our website at www.mvpdtx.org 

Or contact Sgt. Owens 713-365-3711 or lowens@mvpdtx.org 

Or Commander E. Jones 713-365-3706 ejones@mvpdtx.org 

11981 Memorial Dr. Houston, Texas 77024 

120 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 121

MAKE A 

DIFFERENCE 

IN YOUR 

COMMUNITY 

We are looking for outstanding individuals to 

join our team! As a Pearland Police Officer your 

mission will be to prevent crime and disorder, build 

partnerships within the community, and positively 

impact the quality of life for all our residents. 

CITY OF PEARLAND, TEXAS 

• Competitive Salary • Outstanding Training 

• Career Advancement • Exceptional Benefits 

The City of Pearland is one of the fastest growing 

communities within the region. Pearland is located 

approximately 20 minutes south of Downtown Houston 

and the current population is approximately 130,000 

residents. 

JOIN OUR TEAM 

HIRING POLICE OFFICERS AND CADETS 

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

Officers who qualify with at least 2 years of experience. 

TEST DATE: 

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

Register by: April 12. 

Pearland Recreation Center & Natatorium 

4141 Bailey Road, Pearland, TX 77584. 

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

Candidates must park in the north parking lot. 

SOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES WILL APPLY 

• Attendance limited to first 150 arrivals 

• Mandatory temperature checks 

• Masks required, hand sanitizer available 

• Candidates seated 6 feet apart 

 

 

•Be a citizen of the nited tates able to read, 

write, and speak the English language 

• Have a high school diploma or equivalency certificate .E.. certified by 

the issuing agency with: 

0 credit hours with a cumulative PA of 2.0 or higher on a .0 scale from an accredited 

institute of higher learning or 

- Minimum 24 months of active duty service with an honorable discharge authenticated by 

a Member 2 or Member orm 21 or 

15 credit hours with a cumulative PA of 2.0 or higher on a .0 scale in addition to Basic 

Peace Officer Certification from TCOLE or 

An Intermediate Peace Officer Certification from TCOLE 

• Valid driver’s license with acceptable driving record 

• Must meet all legal requirements necessary to become a licensed Peace Officer by the Texas 

Commission on Law Enforcement TCOLE. 

• Be between 21 and 5 years of age at the time of the examination or 

• Be between 18 and 21 years of age if the applicant has received an associate’s degree or 60 

semester hours of credit from an accredited college or university or has received an honorable 

discharge from the armed forces of the nited tates after at least two years of active service. 

: Cadet $1. hourly Police Officer $2. hourly. 

 

 

 

 

 

April 12, 2021. Applications will not be accepted after this date. 

Submit applications online by visiting pearlandtx.gov/careers. 

THE CITY OF PEARLAND IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER 

pecial accommodations are available when necessary to aord equal opportunity to participate 

in testing. Please make request in writing, five business days prior to the test date to City of 

Pearland, HR Department, 3519 Liberty Drive, Pearland, TX 77581. 

or questions regarding the application process please contact Terene uddsohnson at 

281.652.1617 or hr@pearlandtx.gov. 

List will remain in eect for one 1 year or until exhausted, whichever is sooner. 

122 The For BLUES additional POLICE information MAGAZINE and to register for an upcoming Civil Service Exam, visit 

The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 123 

pearlandtx.gov/PDCareers


WE'RE 

Come join the Plano Police Department 

Plano Police Department currently employs over 414 peace officers, who are dedicated individuals that 

work with the community to create and maintain a safe, secure environment for our residents and visitors. 

We are a diverse department, which is a reflection of the various cultures within the community, and offering 

many different opportunities to promote the safety of the citizens which we serve. 

Registration Deadline: 

Friday, July 30, 2021 

Register at: 

https://www.plano.gov/1183/Employment 

The Plano Police Department will conduct 

a Civil Service Examination in order to 

establish an eligibility list for the position 

of Entry-level Police Officer. The eligibility 

list is created as a result of this examination 

and application process will remain in effect 

for a period of (6) months (beginning 

on date of test) or until the list has been 

exhausted, whichever occurs first. 

Starting Officer Pay $57,690 - Top Out $81,840 

HIRING 

QUALIFICATIONS: 

TCOLE Certified 

21 Years of Age 

High School 

Diploma/ GED 

Valid TX Drivers 

License (at date of 

hire) 

US Citizen 

*FOR A FULL LIST OF JOB 

DETAILS AND QUALIFICATIONS 

VISIT POLICEAPP.COM* 

For more information: 

Contact the Plano Police recruiter 

Officer Andrae Smith at: 

andraes@plano.gov 

or go to our website at: 

ppdrecruiting@plano.gov 

Uniform Provided 

City Issued Cell Phone 

College Tuition/Book 

Reimbursement 

TCOLE Certification Incentive 

Education Incentive 

BENEFITS 

Night Shift Differential 

10 Paid Holidays 

Longevity Pay 

Employee Gun Buy Back 

Program 

& More! 



CITY OF CARROLLTON 

Firefighters’ and Police Officers’ 

Civil Service Commission 

Announces 

POLICE DEPARTMENT 

Entrance Examination Test Date: December 11, 2021 

REGISTRATION ENDS ON: 

December 11, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. 

Examination Date: Saturday, December 11, 2021 at 

9:00a.m. - Written Exam 

To register go to: www.cityofcarrollton.com/police 

Complete the online registration to be submitted electronically to: 

Carrollton Police Department 

2025 East Jackson Road 

Carrollton, Texas 75006 

Phone: 972 466 3028 

Website: www.cityofcarrollton.com/police 

Email: policedevelopment@cityofcarrollton.com 

City of Carrollton is an Equal Opportunity Employer 


Job Posting for Full-Time Police Officer 

Posted on November 23, 2021, Open Until Filled 

The Clifton Police Department has an immediate opening for a full-time police officer. 

Clifton is located 30 miles northwest of Waco on State Highway 6 in Bosque County. 

Police Academy graduates and Basic Peace Officers are encouraged to apply! 

The Clifton Police Department has a thorough field training program. 

SALARY (Based on years of total police experience) 

TCOLE CERTIFICATE PAY 

1-4 years: $20.14 (per hour) Intermediate: $600 (annually) 

4 to 8 years: $20.92 Advanced: $1,200 

8 to 12 years: $21.83 Master: $1,800 

12 plus years: $23.25. 

OTHER BENEFITS OFFERED 

Take-home patrol vehicle, paid in-service training, overtime, vacation, holiday pay (double-time), all 

uniforms provided, paid medical insurance (for employee), retirement through the Texas Municipal 

Retirement System (TMRS), 12-hour shifts with every other 3-day weekend off, city-issued handgun, 

shotgun and patrol rifle. 

WAYS TO APPLY 

Call our office at (254) 675-6620, email us at cliftonpd@cliftontexas.us, or visit our office at 

402 West 3rd Street, Clifton, Texas 76634. 

ANY QUESTIONS? 

Please feel free to call, email or visit us. This position is open until filled. 


Must be at least 21 years of age with High School diploma or equivalent. 

Must meet physical, mental & educational standards set by the State and 

the department. 

Current Basic Peace Officer certification from TCOLE. 

https://www.huttotx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/780/Certifiedinitial-application-Police-Officer-2021?bidId= 

HUTTO POLICE 

DEPARTMENT 

BENEFITS 

We want YOU to 

join our team! 

PATROL 

STREET CRIMES 

CRASH 

RECONSTRUCTION 

HUTTO RESPONSE 

TEAM 

BIKE PATROL 


 

RETIREMENT—TMRS with City match ratio of 2 to 1 after 5-year 

vesting period. 

SIGN ON BONUS—$ 2,500.00 

SPECIALY/CERTIFICATION PAY : 

Intermediate Peace Officer—$ 50.00 per month 

Advanced Peace Officer—$ 100.00 per month 

Master Peace Officer—$ 150.00 per month 

Bilingual—$50.00 Level 1,$75.00 Level 2 per month (after testing) 

*Crash Reconstruction—$ 50.00 per month 

*EMT/Paramedic—$ 50.00 per month 

*Firearms Instructor—$ 50.00 per month 

*Field Training Officer—$ 130.00 bi-weekly 

*Hutto Response Team—$ 130.00 bi-weekly 

*Officer in Charge—$ 130.00 bi-weekly 

 

 

EDUCATION: 

Associates Degree—$ 50.00 per month 

Bachelors Degree—$ 125.00 per month 

Masters Degree—$1 75.00 per month 

UNIFORMS/EQUIPMENT—All necessary equipment, including 

AR-15, Shotgun, TASER and Body Armor. Also included is a 

$400.00 annual uniform allowance per officer. 

LEAVE ACCRUALS—12 paid Holidays, 80 hours of Vacation, 96 

hours of Sick Leave annually. 

 

 

TAKE HOME CAR—Upon completion of Field Training Program, 

officers living within 25 miles of Hutto, TX are authorized to 

take their police vehicle to their residence. 

STARTING SALARY—$ 58,880.00 (May vary based on experience.) 

*upon approval 

TRAINING UNIT 

INVESTIGATIONS 

COMMUNITY 

RESOURCE 

CRIME SCENE 

K9

Deputies 

ARE YOU READY FOR A REWARDING CAREER? 

WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO APPLY TODAY! 

*Full-Time Positions with Benefits * Experience Required 

*Starting Salary is $27.28 + Stipend 

Apply at www.co.ector.tx.us/page/ector.JobOpenings 

*Must be a Certified Peace Officer 

*Must be a United States Citizen 

*No felony convictions 

*Valid driver’s license 

*Veterans must have an Honorable 

Discharge 

*Ability to work 12 hour shifts 

*Ability to work some holidays 

*Ability to work overtime (if necessary) 

*21 or older 

*Complete candidate exam 

*Psychological exam 

*Must pass a background investigation 

*Must pass a drug screening 

*Ability to multi-task and prioritize job duties 

*Ability to work well with a team and 

independently 

*Provide excellent customer service while 

maintaining a professional attitude. 

*Must be able to work in inclement weather and 

be able to walk, run, climb, crawl or sit for 

extended periods of time. 

* Must be able to effectively communicate with 

the public; extensive communication (verbal and 

written) 

*Uniforms and Equipment provided upon employment 

*Retirement 

*13 Paid Holiday/Vacation/Sick Days 

*Insurance 

• Medical 

• Dental 

• Vision 

• Life 

If you have any questions or need assistance, contact: 

Ector County Sheriff’s Office; Administrative Assistant Kareli “Kay” Santos at 432-335-3050 or 

kareli.santos@ectorcountysheriff.us 

136 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 137


• NOW HIRING • 

• TCOLE CERTIFIED OFFICERS • 

Do you have what we are looking for? 

TRUST • INTEGRITY • PURPOSE 

*5-year lateral maximum starting salary- does not include certification pay or assignment pay 

CURRENT PAY STRUCTURE 

GENEROUS CERTIFICATION PAY ASSIGNMENT PAY 

PLENTY OF PART-TIME WORK AVAILABLE 

GREAT SUPPORT FROM OUR CITIZENS 

To apply, go to https://www.cityofkennedale.com/813/Recruiting 

For more information you can also visit- 

The Kennedale Police Department at: www.cityofkennedale.com/99/Police 

The City of Kennedale at: www.cityofkennedale.com 



WE’RE HIRING POLICE OFFICERS! 

Competitive pay 

scale 

____ 

Starting Pay 

$53,000 

• Officers work 12 hour shifts and have every other 3 day weekend off 

• Incentive pay for Intermediate, Advanced or Master TCOLE certifications 

• Incentive pay for Field Training Officer certification 

• Incentive pay for college degrees: Associates, Bachelors or Masters 

• After 5 years of service, employees receive longevity pay 

• City of Jonestown provides 11 paid holidays 

• Vacation leave accrues at the end of the first 2 weeks of employment at a rate of 3.08 hours for each 2-week 

pay period worked in a calendar year, totaling 10 working days each 12 months 

• Sick leave accrues to total 12 days every 12 months 

• Insurance: hospitalization, medical, dental, vision and life insurance 

• Retirement: Texas Municipal Retirement Systems, 7% with a 2:1 match by the City of Jonestown 

Officers will be trained and certified as Marine Safety Enforcement Officers to patrol the north shores of Lake Travis. 

JOIN THE LOCKHART 

POLICE DEPARTMENT 

Duty, Honor, Community 

Do you have what it takes to join the ranks of the LPD? We will be 

testing for multiple openings and look forward to seeing as many 

qualified applicants as possible. The Lockhart Police Department is 

community focused and operates with honor and respect to our 

citizens. We are looking for individuals who are duty and career 

driven. With focused leadership and the future ahead, we need 

individuals who can answer the high calling of being a Lockhart 

Police Officer. Ask yourself, are you ready? Visit 

www.lpdrecruiting.org for more information. 

Civil Service 

____ 

Hiring Incentive 

$5000 bonus 

____ 

Community Oriented 

Department 

____ 

You make a 

difference 

LOCKHART POLICE 

DEPARTMENT 

214 Bufkin Ln 

Lockhart TX 78644 

512-398-4401 

For more information 

512-267-7007 

policeinfo@jonestowntx.gov 

www.jonestowntx.gov 

Testing December 11, 2021 

Apply by December 8, 2021 

www.lpdrecruiting.org 


• LATERAL ENTRY WITH HIGHER STARTING SALARY 

• TUITION REIMBURSMENT 

• 8 HOUR ROTATING PATROL SHIFTS 

• EMPLOYER PAID MEDICAL, DENTAL, VISION, AND LIFE INSURANCE 

• EXCELLENT RETIREMENT PLAN WITH 2-1 MATCH 

• NEWER MODEL ASSIGNED TAKE HOME VEHICLE 

• CITY PAID SMARTPHONE 

• $360 A YEAR IN UNIFORM & EQUIPMENT ALLOWANCE 

• PROMOTIONAL OPPURTUNITIES 

• ABLE TO LIVE ANYWHERE IN SCURRY COUNTY 

• PAYROLL DEDUCTION PROGRAM FOR WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT 

• TATTOOS AND FACIAL HAIR ALLOWED 

PRIDE | HONOR | INTEGRITY | COMMUNITY | INNOVATION 

Equal Opportunity Employer 

400 37TH STREET 

Follow us @SnyderTexasPD 

SNYDER, TX 79549 

WWW.CI.SNYDER.TX.US 


Chief of Police - Kalon Rollins 

811 Hwy 31 East 

Chandler, TX 75758 

903.849.6853 

The Chandler Police Department is now accepting applications for the position of Police Officer. 

INCREASED SALARY!!! 

$42,000 - $45,000 (d.o.e.) 

Chandler PD is seeking a diverse, highly motivated, community-oriented individual with integrity willing to 

face a variety of challenges and responsibilities, one who is committed to working in partnership with the 

residents of our growing community to provide a safe and secure environment to enhance the quality of 

life. This is accomplished by patrolling, performing preliminary or follow-up criminal investigations, accident 

investigation and traffic control while enforcing state laws as well as local municipal ordinances. The 

Police Department is comprised of a Chief, 1-Lieutenant, 6-full-time patrol officers, 1-Fire Marshal/Code 

Enforcement officer and 1-reserve officer who provide 24/7 police coverage to the City of Chandler. The 

city offers a competitive salary for smaller towns, a standard (TML) employee covered benefit package 

paid by the city, paid overtime, paid holiday time and TML retirement. Chandler PD patrol officers work 12 

hour shifts that rotate every 3 months. Patrol shifts receive every other Friday, Saturday and Sunday off. 

Chandler has a population over 3000 citizens; however, the city is currently undergoing extreme growth. 

Chandler is located on State Highway 31 which is a main thoroughfare in and out of Tyler. Chandler 

receives a daily traveler population much greater than it’s listed population. Chandler has a hometown 

feel, a great school district and close proximity to Tyler which makes it a desired community for home 

buyers. Chandler is a great place to work for police officers. You will not find another community, city 

council or city administration that supports law enforcement like Chandler, Texas. 

More information can be found at www.chandlertx.com 

Requirements 

Possess a current Texas Peace officer's License (preferred) 

Must be at least twenty-one (21) years of age. 

High school graduate or equivalent. 

Have no prior felony convictions, including some misdemeanors. 

Applicants with prior military service must have an Honorable discharge provided on a DD214. 

Must be able to work twelve (12) hour patrol shifts, weekends and holidays. 

Applicants without a current peace officer's license may be considered for employment *to be enrolled in a 

BPOC. These applicants will be required to sign a 2 year commitment to the city along with other 

stipulations. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of BPOC academy and obtaining a 

peace officer license. **Preference may be given to current certified officers depending on the needs of 

the department. 

CPD PERSONAL HISTORY STATEMENT MUST ACCOMPANY APPLICATIONS WHEN SUBMITTED 

(applications without a PHS or incomplete applications will not be considered), Personal history 

statements can be obtained at the Chandler City Hall or contact Lt. Stanbery (cstanbery@chandlertx.com) 

or Chief Rollins (krollins@chandlertx.com) for a copy via email. 


"It's Not Just a Job, It's a Commitment" 

The New Braunfels Police Department is accepting applications for Certified 

Officers and Police Cadets. 

Applications are available on the City’s Human Resources page: 

https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/cityofnewbraunfels Search “police” 

Applications closing date: January 7, 2022 

Personal History Statement due: January 27, 2022 

Test date: February 5, 2022 

The first year starting annual base pay for certified police officers is $60,071 with 

a $3,000 sign-on and retention incentive (paid out in three $1,000 annual lump 

sum payments) *certified officers only* 

Additional pay benefits are available for special assignments, bilingual ability, and 

higher-level education and certification. Benefits include: Paid vacation/sick 

leave/holidays, military leave, retirement, and tuition reimbursement. 

To qualify for the Officer position, you must be at least 21 years old (but no older 

than 44) and possess a valid TCOLE license. To qualify for the Cadet position, 

you must meet the same age requirements listed above and also have a minimum 

of 30 hours of college, and/or have two years of active military service and/or have 

a minimum of six years of reserve status with the Armed Services of National 

Guard. All applicants must be able to pass a medical/drug screen, a thorough 

background check, a polygraph exam, psychological evaluation, and physical 

agility tests. 

Visit https://www.nbtexas.org/920/Employment to learn more. Questions? 

joinnbpd@nbtexas.org or (830) 221-2139. 


$53,560 - $64,896 

($25.75 - $31.20/hourly) 



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