FEB 2022. Blues Vol 38 No. 2
FEATURES • Vote Their Ass Out • Remembering Those We’ve Lost to COVID • Remembering Those We’ve Lost to LOD Deaths • Harris County Jails - A Broken System DEPARTMENTS • Publisher’s Thoughts • Editor’s Thoughts •. Your Thoughts • News Around the US • Training - Prepare Yourself • Technology - Livestream 911 Calls • War Stories • Aftermath • Open Road • Healing Our Heroes • Daryl’s Deliberations • HPOU - From the President, Douglas Griffith • Reverse Light Bulb Award • Running 4 Heroes • Blue Mental Health with Tina Jaeckle • Off Duty with Rusty Barron • Ads Back in the Day • Parting Shots • Now Hiring - L.E.O. Positions Open in Texas • Back Page
FEATURES
• Vote Their Ass Out
• Remembering Those We’ve Lost to COVID
• Remembering Those We’ve Lost to LOD Deaths
• Harris County Jails - A Broken System
DEPARTMENTS
• Publisher’s Thoughts
• Editor’s Thoughts
•. Your Thoughts
• News Around the US
• Training - Prepare Yourself
• Technology - Livestream 911 Calls
• War Stories
• Aftermath
• Open Road
• Healing Our Heroes
• Daryl’s Deliberations
• HPOU - From the President, Douglas Griffith
• Reverse Light Bulb Award
• Running 4 Heroes
• Blue Mental Health with Tina Jaeckle
• Off Duty with Rusty Barron
• Ads Back in the Day
• Parting Shots
• Now Hiring - L.E.O. Positions Open in Texas
• Back Page
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The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 1
FOUNDED IN 1984<br />
<strong>FEB</strong>RUARY 2022<br />
FEATURES<br />
48 Vote Their Ass Out<br />
52 Remembering Those We’ve Lost to COVID<br />
56 Remembering Those We’ve Lost to LOD Deaths<br />
72 Harris County Jails - A Broken System<br />
ON THE COVER<br />
Our Feature story this month,<br />
looks at the ongoing problems<br />
at the HC Jail. Plus we honor<br />
three fallen Texas officers.<br />
DEPARTMENTS<br />
10 Publisher’s Thoughts<br />
12 Editor’s Thoughts<br />
14 Your Thoughts<br />
16 News Around the US<br />
42 Training - Prepare Yourself<br />
46 Technology - Livestream 911 Calls<br />
88 War Stories<br />
92 Aftermath<br />
96 Open Road<br />
98 Healing Our Heroes<br />
110 Daryl’s Deliberations<br />
104 HPOU - From the President, Douglas Griffith<br />
106 Reverse Light Bulb Award<br />
108 Running 4 Heroes<br />
110 Blue Mental Health with Tina Jaeckle<br />
112 Off Duty with Rusty Barron<br />
114 Ads Back in the Day<br />
118 Parting Shots<br />
120 <strong>No</strong>w Hiring - L.E.O. Positions Open in Texas<br />
160 Back Page<br />
88 92<br />
OFF DUTY<br />
BY RUSTY BARRON 112<br />
2 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 3
ALL POLICE OFFICERS NEED TO VOTE FOR<br />
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MARCH 1, 2022<br />
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• End multiple bonds for repeat violent offenders<br />
• <strong>No</strong> bonds for capital murder<br />
• We are going to put our police FIRST and provide them with any support<br />
necessary to include: increased funding, manpower, equipment and<br />
improved multi-agency interaction<br />
• Together we’ll weather any storm that comes our way and assist our<br />
citizens during those unforeseen events<br />
• We will cut wasteful spending and fight to lower our high property taxes<br />
without cutting county jobs<br />
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4 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 5
Murderers Being Released<br />
Back On Our Streets To Kill Again!<br />
UPCOMING MARCH 1<br />
HARRIS COUNTY<br />
REPUBLICAN PRIMARY<br />
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!<br />
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Vidal Martinez will make sure law enforcement is<br />
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It’s time to support our law enforcement<br />
It’s time to make our streets safe again<br />
It’s time to elect Vidal Martinez as our<br />
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The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 7
FOUNDED IN 1984<br />
OUR TEAM<br />
MICHAEL BARRON<br />
founder & publisher<br />
MICHAEL BARRON<br />
editor-n-chief<br />
REX EVANS<br />
contributing editor<br />
JESSICA JONES<br />
creative editor<br />
RUSTY BARRON<br />
outdoor editor<br />
DR. TINA JAECKLE<br />
contributing editor<br />
DARYL LOTT<br />
contributing editor<br />
SAM HORWITZ & JOHN SALERNO<br />
contributing editors<br />
DOUGLAS GRIFFITH<br />
HPOU contributing editor<br />
AMBER ROBERTS<br />
BAILEY BARRON<br />
sales team<br />
OUR CONTRIBUTORS<br />
T. EDISON<br />
contributing writer / light bulb<br />
get your<br />
FREE SUBSCRIPTION<br />
to The BLUES, scan the<br />
QR code or click here.<br />
MICHAEL BARRON<br />
warstory/aftermath<br />
MARIAH RUSH<br />
contributing writer<br />
ROB LOW<br />
contributing writer<br />
ADRIAN GOMEZ<br />
contributing writer<br />
LT. DAN MARCOU<br />
contributing writer<br />
TERRY RYAN<br />
contributing writer<br />
The BLUES Police Magazine is published monthly by Kress-Barr, LLC, PO Box 2733, League City Texas 77574. The opinions<br />
expressed in some articles, op-eds, and editorials are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of<br />
The BLUES or its parent company. Rebuttals or submission of news articles and editorials may be submitted to: The<br />
BLUES Police Magazine @ thebluespdmag@gmail.com. The entire contents of The BLUES are copyrighted and may<br />
not be reprinted without the express permission of the publisher. The BLUES logo is a Trademark of Kress-Barr, LLC.<br />
8 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 9
FROM THE PUBLISHER’S DESK<br />
michael barron<br />
Again, ENOUGH is Truly ENOUGH<br />
Twenty-four months ago, when<br />
we launched the Digital Version<br />
of the BLUES, the cover story was<br />
Enough is Enough! That issue<br />
covered the deaths of several LE<br />
officers in Texas.<br />
Over the next 24 months, 25 Texas<br />
police officers would lose their<br />
lives to violence on Texas streets.<br />
Last month we paid tribute to 877<br />
officers across the country that lost<br />
their lives in that same time period.<br />
Eight Hundred Seventy-Seven!<br />
That’s the most killed EVER in a<br />
two- year period. Since time began!<br />
And departments wonder why<br />
they can’t fill open slots for police<br />
officers. Who the hell wants to be<br />
a cop when there’s a 75% chance<br />
you’ll get shot, hurt or get COVID<br />
before your shift is over?<br />
We need law enforcement. Without<br />
it, there’s anarchy. Look at the<br />
cities that defended the police. We<br />
won’t have that in Texas. We are<br />
better than that. But if officers keep<br />
losing their lives every day, the<br />
desire to become a cop and defend<br />
the Thin Blue Line will dwindle<br />
even farther.<br />
The ONLY ANSWER is to keep the<br />
bad guys in jail and make ANY assault<br />
on a police officer a NO BOND<br />
offense. You sit in the jail until your<br />
case goes to trial. And in Houston<br />
that’s a long ass time. (of course,<br />
there is no room in the jails, so<br />
that’s a whole other problem.)<br />
If you kill anyone in law enforcement<br />
in the U.S., it should be an<br />
automatic death sentence regardless<br />
of what state it occurs in. Kill<br />
a cop, you die. It’s the only way this<br />
will stop. In the old west days, if<br />
you killed someone, they hung you<br />
at high noon. <strong>No</strong> bonds, no long<br />
trials, you did the crime you paid<br />
with your life.<br />
Judges and District Attorneys.<br />
They are the root of the problem.<br />
Case in point is a 17-year-old<br />
scumbag named Frank DeLong<br />
who shot 16-year Diamond Alvarez<br />
while she was out walking her dog.<br />
And why did he shoot her 22 times?<br />
Because she had a new boyfriend.<br />
And what does the DA recommend?<br />
A $250,000 bond and the scumbag’s<br />
family paid the $25,000 and<br />
he’s back out on the street.<br />
Judges who post low or no<br />
bonds on scum bags that are already<br />
out on bond, need to be held<br />
accountable. If a crook gets out on<br />
bond and kills someone, charge the<br />
judge with accessory to murder. I<br />
realize that isn’t a law, but it should<br />
be. Guarantee if a judge was held<br />
responsible for what a person did<br />
while out on bond, they would be<br />
no more people out on bonds.<br />
A Houston city councilman has<br />
also had enough. Michael Kubosh,<br />
Houston City Council Member At-<br />
Large Position 3, has taken unprecedented<br />
steps to hold judges<br />
accountable for granting several<br />
felony bonds to repeat violent<br />
offenders. He’s filing a Judicial Bar<br />
grievance against every judge in<br />
Harris County that has granted<br />
these low bonds.<br />
“We have to give them a strong<br />
message they can’t do this anymore<br />
without the public getting<br />
involved,” Kubosh said. “Filing a<br />
Judicial Bar grievance will get their<br />
attention trust me.”<br />
But what can you and I do to stop<br />
this madness? Can we make a difference?<br />
You bet your ass we can.<br />
This is an election year. Vote these<br />
MICHAEL BARRON<br />
asshat, low life liberal judges out<br />
of office. Starting this month, look<br />
for our new “VOTE THEIR ASS OUT”<br />
pages dedicated to unseating these<br />
morons. Do your part even if you<br />
don’t live in Harris County.<br />
A good majority of our readers<br />
WORK in Harris County so spread<br />
the word to every victim of crime<br />
you encounter. Tell them if they<br />
want these to chance it starts with<br />
them. We will also post a list of all<br />
these low-life judges on our website<br />
that need to go. Change starts<br />
and ends with us making it happen.<br />
And it doesn’t matter whether<br />
they are Republican or Democrat.<br />
Vote for the man or woman who’s<br />
right for the job and has your best<br />
interest at heart. The person that<br />
believes in justice and will put the<br />
bad guys away for good. This revolving<br />
door of injustice starts with<br />
us. YOU are the one that will make<br />
Harris County safe again.<br />
Enough is enough needs to be<br />
more than a quote. It needs to be a<br />
call to action. Let’s answer the call<br />
and stop the killing of our brothers<br />
and sisters in BLUE.<br />
10 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 11
FROM THE GUEST EDITOR’S DESK<br />
rex evans<br />
L.E. Suicide, We Have to do a Better<br />
Job of Helping Our Fellow Officers.<br />
This month’s column isn’t about<br />
one Law Enforcement Officer<br />
Suicide. It’s about ALL Law Enforcement<br />
Officer Suicides! For<br />
the last two decades, we know<br />
that Line of Duty deaths among<br />
officers who took their own lives,<br />
has more than doubled.<br />
Interestingly, another trend has<br />
emerged. Statistics show that female<br />
officer suicides are rising at<br />
an alarming rate, as are younger<br />
officers, those 30 and under.<br />
<strong>No</strong>w, some who have degrees in<br />
Psychology say this is because<br />
of internalization or some other<br />
such clinical term.<br />
Years of practical experience<br />
tells me, quite another story.<br />
Police work is NOT all balloons,<br />
sticker badges and coffee with a<br />
cop. Police work can be violent,<br />
wretched, heartbreaking and soul<br />
crushing. The things LE officers<br />
are called upon to see and do,<br />
no one should ever have to experience.<br />
Let alone do it over and<br />
over again each shift for 25-35<br />
years.<br />
The “average” patrol officer<br />
carries approximately 20-40<br />
pounds of gear, body armor,<br />
weapons and ammunition on<br />
their body for 8, 10, even 12-16<br />
hours a day. Just “gearing up”<br />
for a day/evening/night on patrol<br />
puts one in the mindset of “Survival<br />
Mode”. This sense of “High<br />
Alert” is ever present throughout<br />
their shift. That’s all before, your<br />
first call for service.<br />
Add in shootings, stabbings,<br />
auto-pedestrians, auto vs auto<br />
crashes, bloody violent assaults,<br />
sexual assaults, and child abuse.<br />
Then there’s elderly abuse, many<br />
at the hands of relatives or close<br />
friends of the victims. As the<br />
responding officer, you are required<br />
to handle these tragedies<br />
with stellar professionalism and<br />
the understanding that they will<br />
be reviewed under a microscope.<br />
You’re judged for every single<br />
move you make, and every word<br />
you speak. All captured on dash<br />
& body cams.<br />
In the many years I served as a<br />
Chief, officer suicide was a “Hot<br />
Topic” that was often discussed<br />
among other Chiefs, Sheriffs and<br />
Constables. To be fair, no chief<br />
administrator wants any officer<br />
or deputy under their command,<br />
to be suicidal or to follow thru<br />
with the actual act of committing<br />
suicide.<br />
That being said, there’s a real<br />
problem or quandary for supervisors<br />
and administrators in Law<br />
Enforcement. If an officer asks<br />
for mental health assistance and,<br />
in the course of that assistance,<br />
they indicate they are experiencing<br />
depression or thoughts of<br />
suicide, the department is IMME-<br />
DIATELY notified of this statement.<br />
Unfortunately, the context of the<br />
session(s) is protected by doctor/<br />
patient confidentiality, leaving<br />
departments to make decisions<br />
based on partial knowledge of<br />
the situation.<br />
The unfortunate outcome is<br />
how these departments respond<br />
to these notifications. If an officer<br />
comes forward and says I’m<br />
in dire straits (<strong>No</strong>, not the Band)<br />
they are subject to immediate<br />
suspension, may be relived from<br />
duty and even terminated. Unfortunately,<br />
all of these responses<br />
are negative producers and only<br />
exasperate the crisis in which the<br />
Officer was already facing and<br />
fighting.<br />
As I mentioned earlier, police<br />
work is extremely hard on the<br />
heart, mind and soul. Considering<br />
what an officer encounters on a<br />
daily basis, they are just expected<br />
to suck it up and endure. To think<br />
officers can continue to do this<br />
day-in and day-out without any<br />
type of mental health support is<br />
short sighted, at best. At worst<br />
it’s insensitive, irresponsible and<br />
sure to cause a tragic result. One<br />
which, no one wanted in the first<br />
place. Yet, we see this perpetual<br />
cycle that’s never ending.<br />
The question then becomes,<br />
why? Why are Law Enforcement<br />
administrators responding to this<br />
terrible crisis with the same old<br />
responses? I personally believe<br />
the following:<br />
First, the “L” word. Liability.<br />
If a supervisor or administrator<br />
allows an officer that’s been<br />
identified as potentially depressed<br />
or suicidal, (that has at some<br />
point in therapy expressed they<br />
are depressed or suicidal) there<br />
is a perceived and very real sense<br />
of the department being liable<br />
for any action(s) the officer may<br />
take, as a direct result of their<br />
current state of Mental Health.<br />
Second, the stigma of “Something<br />
is wrong with them” or<br />
“They are just weak” is also very<br />
real. Such words can destroy an<br />
officer’s career. Even if the circumstances<br />
of the mental health<br />
crisis are perhaps “warranted,<br />
these “Stigmas” stick like glue<br />
to the employee and no one can<br />
ever seem to overcome such a<br />
“Tag” or “Label” affixed to them.<br />
Third, when some administrations<br />
and supervisors learn of a<br />
possible Mental Health Related<br />
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These situations also affect<br />
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12 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 13
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR<br />
your thoughts<br />
SWIFT, SURE PUNISHMENT<br />
Two officers shot in NY. One<br />
killed. RIP my Brother in Blue.<br />
The mayor of NY was on TV saying<br />
it was us (the city) against<br />
the murderers. Well mayor you<br />
and your ilk brought this on by<br />
your inaction, ignorance, arrogance,<br />
and Leftist ideas. The only,<br />
and I mean the ONLY solution to<br />
crime is swift, sure punishment.<br />
Ignoring a class of crime, failing<br />
to prosecute criminals across the<br />
board, little or no bond amounts,<br />
and long date trials with minimal<br />
sentences all contributed<br />
to this shooting. Keep on with<br />
these same ideas and methods<br />
of crime and soon NYC will look<br />
like scene from the movie Escape<br />
from New York and they’ll<br />
have to call in Snake Plisskin to<br />
rescue the one honest citizen left<br />
there.<br />
JOHN HART<br />
SOMBER CUP OF COFFEE<br />
Truly, a quiet and somber cup<br />
of coffee, this morning. All these<br />
years in and, when weeks like<br />
this come around, you can’t help<br />
feel the weight of the badge,<br />
upon your heart.<br />
Especially when, the Mourning<br />
Badge Cover drapes across<br />
the very badge you wear. It is, a<br />
stark reminder of just how fragile<br />
your life, can in fact be.<br />
I cannot fathom ever doing<br />
anything else in or with my life.<br />
Being a Cop has always been a<br />
privilege, to me. To have stood<br />
shoulder to shoulder with some<br />
of the finest people who’ve ever<br />
walked upon the Earth and to<br />
ever wear a badge, has been an<br />
absolute honor.<br />
Tragically, some of those truly<br />
amazing, brilliant lives were<br />
violently taken or otherwise lost,<br />
in the Line of Duty. Yet, so long<br />
as their remains life inside me,<br />
I’ll forever do everything I can to<br />
help keep their memories, alive.<br />
As for the coffee, well, it certainly<br />
doesn’t hurt. Try to make<br />
it as good of a morning as you<br />
possibly can. One thing I’ve<br />
learned the hard way, this morning<br />
and every morning is, a gift<br />
and, an absolute privilege. For<br />
there’s no “Guarantee” we’ll see<br />
another one.<br />
(On a lighter note…When inside<br />
the Courthouse, it’s mask on<br />
time. So, don’t be like me. Don’t<br />
be “That guy”. Remember to pull<br />
the mask down or off, before<br />
that first sip.)<br />
REX EVANS<br />
COP KILLER ROSALES<br />
I don’t make it a habit to show<br />
the picture or name of ruthless,<br />
violent suspects on my page.<br />
I don’t believe cruel, calloced<br />
individuals like you, deserve the<br />
attention.<br />
That being said, for you, I’m<br />
making an exception…<br />
Oscar Rosales. Cop Killer and,<br />
on the run. Of course you’re on<br />
the run. That’s what cowards like<br />
you who ambush good men, like<br />
Corporal Charles Galloway do.<br />
I’ll never truly understand why<br />
some , like you, feel that it’s ok<br />
to be so ruthless, violent and<br />
hateful. Your lack of decency and<br />
common humanity, might define<br />
you as what some might call, a<br />
sociopath.<br />
Experience has taught me<br />
however, you’re not mentally<br />
impaired. <strong>No</strong>t at all. You’re just<br />
a coward who hides behind a<br />
gun and ambushes your victims.<br />
Murdering the innocent.<br />
You probably don’t care but,<br />
you took the life of a really good<br />
man. You hurt a lot of innocent<br />
people, in the process. His family,<br />
his friends the entire community,<br />
in fact.<br />
The pain your ruthless act<br />
has caused is, immeasurable.<br />
The tragic loss you’ve caused,<br />
the brilliant life you so violently<br />
took, none of it can ever be<br />
replaced. <strong>No</strong>thing you so deliberately<br />
and violently took, could<br />
ever be given back.<br />
I sincerely pray you’re found<br />
quickly and decisively. I sincerely<br />
pray the high cost of what you’ve<br />
done, weighs heavily upon you,<br />
forevermore.<br />
Just remember, you took a<br />
good man’s life, for no other reason<br />
than, he was doing his job.<br />
He was serving and protecting<br />
our community. That man, was<br />
the kind of man whom others<br />
could and should always look up<br />
to and strive to be.<br />
Corporal Galloway lost his life,<br />
trying to keep the kind of pure<br />
evil you represent from, the<br />
good and innocent people who,<br />
call Harris County, Home.<br />
In time, Justice ALWAYS finds<br />
its way unto the wretched , ruthless<br />
and violent likes of you…it’s<br />
just a matter of time.<br />
REX EVANS<br />
HARD HITS, KEEP COMING<br />
The hard hits, keep coming.<br />
I’ll freely admit, with tears in<br />
my eyes, I am crushed with yet<br />
another tremendous loss for our<br />
Texas and Harris County Law Enforcement<br />
Community.<br />
This morning we’re learning<br />
about the tragic passing of, Harris<br />
County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant<br />
Ramon Gutierrez.<br />
Ramon was working an extra-job<br />
with his law enforcement<br />
motorcycle for a roadway<br />
project. At the time he was<br />
struck, Ramon had dismounted<br />
his motor to further assist the<br />
project personnel.<br />
For those of us who knew the<br />
man, nothing about what Ramon<br />
was doing, comes as a surprise.<br />
Ramon was a hard worker. In<br />
fact, he always was. He worked<br />
tirelessly, to be a great Law Enforcement<br />
Officer and later in his<br />
career, an absolutely outstanding<br />
Law Enforcement Leader.<br />
Few and far between are such<br />
men, like he. From his first day in<br />
the Patrol Bureau, Ramon never<br />
shied away from that next call.<br />
He never failed to work over<br />
when needed. He never failed<br />
to help his fellow Deputies and<br />
citizens alike.<br />
More importantly though, I<br />
cannot express to you enough,<br />
he never, ever failed to be, a<br />
good friend. Ramon, (tears here)<br />
never failed to greet me with a<br />
grin and a hearty hand shake<br />
and an embrace.<br />
When I say this man was, one<br />
of the finest men I have ever<br />
known in my career and in my<br />
lifetime, I simply cannot express<br />
enough, just how good of a man,<br />
he was.<br />
Today is, January 24th. And,<br />
Ramon becomes the 24th Law<br />
Enforcement Officer to lose his<br />
life, in the Line of Duty. And, the<br />
fourth Texas Law Enforcement<br />
Officer to have lost his life in<br />
the service of the citizens of this<br />
great State and Harris County.<br />
<strong>No</strong> one, ever signs up for this<br />
job to lose their life. Quite the<br />
opposite, we sign up to save<br />
lives and enhance the quality of<br />
life in the communities we serve.<br />
That being said, great men like<br />
Ramon, know this single Truth<br />
from behind their Badge. Should<br />
our life be called upon for the<br />
life of another, so shall it be. It<br />
is, a solemn obligation we all<br />
never talk about but, sincerely<br />
know and abide by.<br />
I’ve always been grateful and<br />
proud to call Ramon, my friend.<br />
He was, one of best and finest<br />
men I have ever had the privilege<br />
of knowing and at one time,<br />
serve with. His life and his legacy<br />
will be deeply missed.<br />
Where he set the bar, will be<br />
hard to ever reach. For he excelled<br />
at working hard, being a<br />
model Law Enforcement Leader,<br />
a Husband, a Father and, a<br />
Friend.<br />
This is one man who, just cannot<br />
be replaced. He was just that<br />
good. But, he can be forevermore<br />
remembered, honored, respected<br />
and loved.<br />
Once again, in so few days<br />
time, I find myself saying;<br />
“Rest easy now, Brother. We’ll<br />
take it from here. God’s speed<br />
and God bless…”.<br />
KENTUCKY STATE POLICE<br />
Trooper Casey Caudill serves<br />
as Post 7 Richmond. He received<br />
the lifesaving award during the<br />
2021 Sworn Awards.<br />
On a Monday afternoon, Trooper<br />
Casey Caudill traveled southbound<br />
on KY-627 Boonesboro<br />
Road in Clark County. Traffic was<br />
congested, so he activated his<br />
emergency lights to investigate<br />
the cause.<br />
Trooper Caudill reached a<br />
sheriff’s cruiser stopped in the<br />
middle of the road. As he approached,<br />
the deputy was lying<br />
on the ground next to the cruiser.<br />
His pulse was weak, and eventually,<br />
he became unresponsive<br />
and stopped breathing. Trooper<br />
Caudill did CPR until EMS arrived.<br />
Emergency room staff<br />
commended Trooper Caudill’s<br />
action and said his immediate<br />
medical care helped save his life.<br />
Please join us in thanking him<br />
for his service and dedication to<br />
the commonwealth.<br />
PRAYER FOR MY BROTHERS<br />
Heavenly Father, Today, I want<br />
to pray for Your blessings and<br />
favor on my family, my friends<br />
and for anyone who may be<br />
struggling or going through hard<br />
times, and in need of a miracle.<br />
Father, give them the assurance<br />
today that You are right there<br />
with them through every storm<br />
in their life. Let them know that<br />
You are always listening to their<br />
prayers, the One who can turn<br />
things around to be in their favor.<br />
Remind them, that it is many<br />
times in the darkest hour that<br />
You show up, and pour out Your<br />
blessings. Give them strength,<br />
hope, and peace today as the<br />
Holy Spirit leads their way. In<br />
Jesus name I pray, amen...<br />
ALLEN FRENCH<br />
SEND YOUR LETTERS<br />
& COMMENTS TO:<br />
bluespdmag@gmail.com<br />
14 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 15
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
3 HPD OFFICERS<br />
SHOT, ARE OK<br />
Insane Shootout Captured on Video, Officers<br />
Hit with Automatic Gunfire. Suspect Captured.<br />
By Michael Barron, Publisher<br />
HOUSTON – What started as<br />
a call to a family disturbance,<br />
turned into a bizarre shootout<br />
with a suspect, three wounded<br />
officers, a carjacking, and ended<br />
with a barricaded suspect<br />
who hours later was arrested by<br />
SWAT officers.<br />
The entire incident began<br />
when HPD officers received a<br />
disturbance call in the 1500<br />
block of Tralle Street around<br />
2:20pm on Thursday, January<br />
27th. When they arrived, the suspect<br />
Roland Caballero took off in<br />
a Dodge Charger and the officers<br />
initiated a chase. That chase<br />
ended at in the 2100 block of<br />
McGowen and St. Emanual when<br />
the suspect failed to negotiate<br />
the turn and crashed into a fence<br />
on McGowen.<br />
Caballero opened the driver’s<br />
door and immediately began<br />
firing an automatic weapon at<br />
the arriving officers. Video of the<br />
incident was captured on a Nest<br />
Video Cam across the street and<br />
quickly sold to local TV station<br />
ABC 13 who began playing it live<br />
within minutes of the shooting.<br />
The two officers in the HPD<br />
vehicle immediately exited the<br />
car and ran for cover while<br />
Caballero laid down a barrage<br />
of bullets. Investigators later<br />
found close to 100 bullets and<br />
shell casings at the scene and<br />
recovered a modified Glock from<br />
inside the Charger.<br />
Arriving officers returned fire<br />
and Caballero was able to exit<br />
the vehicle on the passenger<br />
side and ran East on McGowen.<br />
He then car-jacked a woman in<br />
a white Mercedes on Hutchins<br />
and drove to a house in the 1800<br />
Block of Lockwood. Caballero<br />
continued to fire rounds at the<br />
arriving officers, but thankfully<br />
none was injured.<br />
Officer’s setup a perimeter<br />
around the house and after several<br />
hours, the standoff ended<br />
at 7:45 pm when the suspect<br />
Caballero surrendered to SWAT<br />
officers. Caballero was transported<br />
to a hospital for a gunshot<br />
to the neck.<br />
In a press conference at Hermann<br />
Hospital, HPD Chief Troy<br />
Finner advised that the three<br />
officers were being treated for<br />
non-life-threatening injuries.<br />
“One shot in the arm, one shot in<br />
the foot and the third officer was<br />
shot in the leg.<br />
The officers, who are all expected<br />
to recover, are Officer N.<br />
Gadson, 35, who has been with<br />
HPD for four years, Officer D.<br />
Hayden, 32, who’s been with the<br />
force for three years, and Officer<br />
A. Alvarez, 28, who’s been a<br />
Houston police officer for two<br />
years. All of them work out of<br />
northeast patrol, according to<br />
the Houston Police Department.<br />
Considering the barrage of bullets<br />
fired at the officers, it’s truly<br />
a miracle they weren’t killed or<br />
seriously injured. God was truly<br />
watching over these officers.<br />
The suspect, Roland Caballero<br />
is another piece of garbage that<br />
should have been in prison for<br />
life, not free to race through our<br />
streets and fire illegal weapons<br />
at police.<br />
In fact, according to court documents,<br />
Caballero was caught<br />
stealing several expensive items<br />
from West Point Auto Collision<br />
on Glenwood just last month.<br />
An employee told police when<br />
he arrived at work on Dec. 28, he<br />
saw Caballero carrying three vehicle<br />
scanners,<br />
which are used<br />
to diagnose<br />
mechanical<br />
issues. He said<br />
he recognized<br />
Caballero as a<br />
customer.<br />
The employee<br />
said when<br />
he confronted<br />
Caballero,<br />
the suspect<br />
threw one of<br />
the scanners<br />
at him, pulled<br />
out a gun and threatened to start<br />
shooting. The employee told police<br />
he backed off and Caballero<br />
drove away with the scanners.<br />
Two customers told police a<br />
similar story and confirmed they<br />
saw Caballero take other items,<br />
according to court documents.<br />
The auto shop owner later told<br />
investigators that Caballero was<br />
angry because his food truck<br />
hadn’t been repaired yet. He said<br />
the scanners were worth $6,000<br />
apiece and Caballero also stole<br />
a Breitling watch worth $10,000<br />
and a 1951 Gibson guitar worth<br />
$7,000. Surveillance cameras<br />
showed Caballero carrying<br />
the items out and returning for<br />
more, according to court documents.<br />
Records show Caballero was<br />
convicted of aggravated assault<br />
in 2010, a weapons charge in<br />
16 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 17
CLICK ON PHOTO TO WATCH VIDEO<br />
CLICK ON PHOTO TO WATCH VIDEO<br />
2014 and a drug charge in 2017.<br />
Based on his history as a<br />
“habitual felon,” prosecutors<br />
asked the judge to deny bond for<br />
Caballero on the recent robbery<br />
case in Katy. It’s not clear if he<br />
had been arrested in that case.<br />
The judge(s) that let this piece<br />
of crap out repeatedly, need to<br />
be voted out of office.<br />
The takeaway from this incident,<br />
for every officer on the<br />
streets in America, is to now<br />
expect that EVERY encounter<br />
you have with anyone could turn<br />
deadly in seconds. The game has<br />
changed for LE everywhere. For<br />
a hundred bucks in a back alley<br />
or on the dark web, you can buy<br />
a plastic adapter to turn any<br />
Glock into a machine gun pistol<br />
firing 100 rounds per second.<br />
Your only defense is to always<br />
have good cover. Be constantly<br />
thinking, if this guy opens-up,<br />
where can I go to be safe and<br />
return fire.<br />
I thank our Heavenly Father for<br />
watching over these officers yesterday<br />
and know they are going<br />
home to their families.<br />
Finally, watch these videos and<br />
learn from them. Be prepared for<br />
when this happens in your town<br />
or your watch.<br />
BE SAFE.<br />
18 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 19
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
TRAGIC ENDING<br />
DEPUTY AMANDA “MANDI” CROWDER<br />
Harris County Deputy, Mom of two, dies of self-inflicted gunshot.<br />
HOUSTON, TX – 33 year old Harris<br />
County Deputy has died in what appears<br />
to be a self-inflicted gunshot<br />
wound.<br />
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office<br />
has announced that Deputy Amanda<br />
“Mandi” Crowder died on January<br />
17th after allegedly shooting herself.<br />
The shooting happened after<br />
Crowder, who was off duty, had left<br />
a bar with her boyfriend.<br />
The Houston Police Department,<br />
the agency who is working the<br />
investigation, reported that Crowder<br />
and her boyfriend had left the Kung<br />
Fu Saloon on Washington Avenue<br />
when they began to argue.<br />
Crowder’s boyfriend, who was<br />
not identified, reported that as they<br />
drove down the street, he heard a<br />
gunshot.<br />
When the boyfriend looked over,<br />
he noticed Crowder with a self-inflicted<br />
gun shot wound to her head.<br />
The couple happened to be near a<br />
Fire Station when the incident happened,<br />
and the boyfriend pulled in<br />
to get assistance.<br />
Crowder was transported from<br />
the scene to the Memorial Hermann-Texas<br />
Medical Center where<br />
she was first listed in critical condition.<br />
Sadly, after a few hours of<br />
fighting for her life, Crowder succumbed<br />
to her wounds.<br />
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez<br />
announced Crowder’s passing on<br />
Twitter:<br />
“Our hearts<br />
are heavy and<br />
filled with sadness<br />
over the<br />
death of HCSO<br />
Deputy Amanda<br />
Crowder (33).<br />
Please continue<br />
to keep the<br />
HCSO, the family<br />
and friends of<br />
Deputy Crowder<br />
in your prayers.”<br />
The Houston<br />
Police Department<br />
is continuing<br />
their<br />
investigation<br />
to determine if<br />
Crowder’s boyfriend,<br />
a Houston<br />
Firefighter, is<br />
being accurate<br />
in his depiction<br />
of how she was<br />
shot.<br />
At this point,<br />
all accounts received thus far<br />
are indicating that the death was<br />
caused by suicide.<br />
A friend of the family created a<br />
GoFundMe to raise funds for the funeral<br />
expenses as well as financial<br />
support for the two daughters she<br />
has left behind. The post said:<br />
“As you all know by now, we have<br />
lost a dear, beautiful friend way too<br />
soon. For everyone that knew Amanda<br />
“Mandi” Crowder, knew that her<br />
radiant smile would brighten up the<br />
darkest of rooms, and her laughter<br />
would add cheer to our worst days.<br />
Her love for her friends, family and<br />
two beautiful daughters were what<br />
mattered to her the most. She was<br />
known as the friend who would drop<br />
everything to help a friend out at a<br />
moments notice and never ask for<br />
anything in return.”<br />
20 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 21
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
BRUTAL MURDER<br />
HARRIS COUNTY CORPORAL CHARLES GALLOWAY<br />
Was shot and killed during a traffic stop. He never made it out of his vehicle.<br />
HOUSTON, TX – A constable in<br />
Harris County Texas died after being<br />
shot during a traffic stop on<br />
January 23rd. The constable had<br />
been with Harris County Precinct<br />
5 for over a decade.<br />
Law enforcement in Harris<br />
County, Texas has started a large<br />
manhunt after yet another police<br />
officer was shot and killed in the<br />
line of duty. The fallen officer,<br />
Corporal Charles Galloway, died<br />
after being shot during a traffic<br />
stop just before 1 am.<br />
According to investigators, Corporal<br />
Galloway had stopped what<br />
is being described as a younger<br />
Hispanic male who was driving a<br />
white four door Toyota Avalon for<br />
an unknown reason.<br />
Houston Police Chief Troy Finner<br />
alleged witnesses in the area<br />
saw the traffic stop and the suspect<br />
exited the car before Corporal<br />
Galloway had a chance to get<br />
out of the patrol vehicle.<br />
Chief Finner alleged the suspect<br />
immediately started firing rounds<br />
toward Corporal Galloway and his<br />
vehicle with what he described as<br />
being some sort of assault-styled<br />
weapon. Chief Finner said:<br />
“He [the suspect] got out of his<br />
vehicle, immediately fired upon<br />
the deputy multiple times, striking<br />
him and then drove off.”<br />
Chief Finner noted that it did<br />
not appear that Corporal Galloway<br />
even had the opportunity to<br />
unholster his weapon before the<br />
shots were fired.<br />
Law enforcement and medics<br />
responded to the area and transported<br />
Corporal Galloway to the<br />
Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical<br />
Center where he succumbed<br />
to his injuries.<br />
Constable Ted Heap responded<br />
to the hospital and addressed the<br />
media after Corporal Galloway<br />
had died. He told the media and<br />
all listening:<br />
“This has got to stop.”<br />
The murder investigation will<br />
be handled by the Houston Police<br />
Department who has no doubt<br />
that they will bring the killer to<br />
justice. Chief Finner wanted the<br />
suspect to understand his best<br />
course of action is to surrender<br />
himself immediately. Chief Finner<br />
said:<br />
“A message to this suspect,<br />
the best thing you can do is turn<br />
yourself in peacefully.”<br />
Corporal Galloway’s murder<br />
comes only a few months after<br />
the agency lost another deputy,<br />
Harris County Constable Precinct<br />
4 Kareem Atkins. Deputy Atkins<br />
was shot to death after he and his<br />
partner were outside of a sports<br />
bar and were ambushed by a<br />
19-year-old man.<br />
That man was located and arrested<br />
in December and charged<br />
with capital murder in the case.<br />
Constable Heap commented on<br />
the loss his agency feels after the<br />
loss of both officers. He said:<br />
“These are not assaults, these<br />
are not attacks, these are brutal,<br />
brutal murders. We have to put<br />
an end to this. We cannot have<br />
people like this on our streets. I<br />
don’t want to raise my family, my<br />
grandchildren in a country where<br />
this type of crime is running rampant.”<br />
Constable Heap said that Corporal<br />
Galloway has left behind a<br />
sister and daughter. The 12-anda-half-year<br />
veteran was assigned<br />
to the midnight shift so that he<br />
could help the agency with being<br />
a field training officer.<br />
Because Corporal Galloway was<br />
a field training officer, his loss<br />
personally affects more deputies<br />
than normal as he trained a good<br />
portion of them. He said:<br />
“There are a lot of very broken<br />
up officers who [Galloway] meant<br />
a lot in their lives because he was<br />
the one sitting in the front seat<br />
with them. He was the one who<br />
was teaching them what to do<br />
and how to get home safely to<br />
their families.”<br />
A True American Hero<br />
22 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 23
24 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 25
‘ENOUGH IS ENOUGH” CLICK HERE TO WATCH<br />
CONSTABLE TED HEAP DELIVER MOVING EULOGY<br />
26 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 27<br />
26 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 27
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
TRAGIC ACCIDENT<br />
TEXAS DPS SPECIAL AGENT ANTHONY SALAS<br />
EAGLE PASS, Texas (CBSDFW.<br />
COM/AP) — A Texas Department<br />
of Public Safety officer has died<br />
after being involved in a single<br />
vehicle traffic accident near the<br />
U.S.-Mexico border.<br />
Special Agent Anthony Salas<br />
was working with the U.S. Border<br />
Patrol, helping transport six<br />
individuals who had illegally<br />
immigrated to the country, when<br />
the accident happened on January<br />
22 near Eagle Pass, according<br />
to U.S. Customs and Border<br />
Protection.<br />
Salas was initially taken to a<br />
hospital in Eagle Pass and then<br />
transported to University Hospital<br />
in San Antonio, about 140<br />
miles northeast. Salas, 37, died<br />
Saturday morning, the Texas Department<br />
of Public Safety said in<br />
a statement.<br />
“This tragedy is a somber reminder<br />
of the selfless sacrifices<br />
our law enforcement make as<br />
they work to keep us safe,” Gov.<br />
Greg Abbott said in a statement.<br />
Salas, who joined the department<br />
in 2013, had been stationed<br />
in El Paso. He served as a trooper<br />
with the Texas Highway Patrol<br />
before being promoted to a special<br />
agent in the department’s<br />
Criminal Investigations Division.<br />
He was a<br />
member<br />
of the DPS<br />
West Texas<br />
Special<br />
Response<br />
Team.<br />
The Texas<br />
agency and<br />
Customs<br />
and Border<br />
Protection’s<br />
Office of<br />
Professional<br />
Responsibility<br />
are investigating<br />
the<br />
accident.<br />
Special<br />
Agent Salas<br />
was a U.S.<br />
Marine Corps<br />
veteran.<br />
28 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 29
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
VIDOR OFFICER CHRIS<br />
BERRY DIES OF COVID<br />
Officer<br />
Christopher Wayne Berry<br />
Vidor Police Dept., Vidor Texas<br />
End of Watch Tuesday, January 25, 2022<br />
Christopher Wayne Berry was a keeper of the peace, a defender of the weak and meek, a kind spirit to the world. He<br />
was born June 19, 1967 at Orange Memorial Hospital. His End of Watch was January 25, <strong>2022.</strong> He attended Lorena Oates<br />
Elementary, Orangefield Middle School, & graduated from Orangefield High School in 1985. He graduated Lamar University<br />
with a degree in criminal justice. He served & protected the communities of Jefferson County, Newton County,<br />
Pinehurst & Vidor over a thirty-year career in law enforcement. He is survived by his loving & devoted wife Brenda,<br />
his daughter Bailey and her fiancé Andrew, & his son Brayden, and Amber, a bonus daughter through Brenda, as well<br />
as his parents, <strong>No</strong>rman & Loretta Berry. Chris is survived by his three brothers: Mike & his wife Jill, Stephen & his wife<br />
Laura, & Michael & his wife Nandita; nieces Meghan & Madeleine, as well as nephews Michael Anthony, Crockett, and<br />
Michael T; and more dear, true friends, than a man could ever hope to have, especially his beloved sisters & brothers in<br />
blue. A public visitation will occur at Claybar Funeral Home in Orange between 1-2p Saturday, January 29, followed by<br />
a celebration of life service at 2:30pm. His brothers in blue will lead the ceremonial procession to Orange Forest Lawn<br />
Cemetery.<br />
VIDOR — The Vidor Police<br />
Department has received confirmation<br />
from the Jefferson<br />
County Medical Examiner’s<br />
Office that Officer Chris Berry’s<br />
death is Covid related. His death<br />
will be treated as a Line of Duty<br />
Death under HB 541. (Enacted by<br />
the Texas Legislature in 2021)<br />
Chris was inseparable from his wife Brenda, the love of his life. She was his friend, confidante, fellow traveler, and<br />
Berry was escorted from the<br />
soulmate. Our entire family is grateful he had her. Chris was a father to Bailey and Brayden. Bailey’s impending wedding<br />
had Chris bursting with pride, but also nervous about his walk down the aisle with her on his arm. He adored her. His<br />
Jefferson County Medical Examiner’s<br />
Officer on Highway 69 in<br />
University, a frequent boast for his father. Brayden describes his dad as “tough, for my own good.” He wanted Brayden<br />
son Brayden is in so many ways just like his dad. Focused, intent, thoughtful. He is attending Chris’s alma mater, Lamar<br />
Beaumont to the Claybar Funeral<br />
Home in Orange at 9:00 a.m.<br />
to grow up strong, just as he did, and Brayden is well on his way.<br />
on Thursday, January 27, <strong>2022.</strong><br />
Chris was a son to his parents, <strong>No</strong>rman and Loretta, in the same ways he was an officer to his community. Always<br />
The procession exited IH-10 at<br />
there, eager to serve, the rock to lean on. Every child loves their parent, but Chris showed so much. Even into adulthood,<br />
Main Street to honor the citizens<br />
of Vidor that Officer Berry<br />
now in his 50s, Chris demonstrated it with action every single day.<br />
He considered himself the unpaid additional producer of the Michael Berry Show, which he was, but he was much<br />
served. The procession also<br />
more than that. His wry wit, as well as his retelling of everyday stories in a way that elevates them to pure comedic art,<br />
exited IH-10 at FM 1136 to honor<br />
has been shared on the radio with millions over the years, usually with attribution but often, says Michael, “I’d just tell<br />
his family before proceeding to<br />
people I said that, but it was always Chris.”<br />
the funeral home.<br />
Officer Berry was recovering<br />
from a Covid related illness<br />
session, gardening. Visitors to the home the night of his passing noted that potted key lime trees and lemon trees were<br />
Chris was passionate about the great outdoors, from huntin’ to fishin’ to his latest hobby, beekeeping, as well as his ob-<br />
filling the living room to keep them out of the unusually cold outside that day. He loved planting, feeding, and fussing<br />
when his wife found his body<br />
over fruit trees and their yield, as well as vegetables straight from the soil, flowers, and all living things. A special<br />
Tuesday evening at their home.<br />
place in his heart over the past few years was reserved for his constant companion, his dog, Newt.<br />
Officer Berry was a 30 year<br />
law enforcement veteran who<br />
Chris didn’t see being an officer as merely enforcing the law, but instead as helping people. It’s all he ever wanted to<br />
had served the Jefferson County<br />
do, and he did it in every aspect of his life. He was a community servant, never failing to help a person in need, always<br />
Sheriff’s Office, Pinehurst Police<br />
seeking out opportunities to assist, to provide, to solve problems, to calm tensions, to bring a smile, and most of all, to<br />
Department, Newton County<br />
deliver that magical medicine of laughter. He was funny, and fun.<br />
Sheriff’s Office and most recently<br />
the Vidor Police Department.<br />
and a public persona. Even a murder suspect who led him on a long chase, upon apprehension and after being handed<br />
He will be missed by everyone who knew him, and that is a lot over 30 years as a peace officer with a big personality<br />
Officer Berry joined the Vidor<br />
off to booking, told other officers that Chris was kind and respectful to him throughout. That was Chris. Professional,<br />
Police Department in August<br />
trusted, admired. He will be missed by a family that loved him, and relied on him daily. He will be missed by the Thin<br />
2021.<br />
Blue Line that he wanted to join from childhood and to which he gave his entire adult life’s energy. He will be missed,<br />
and he will always be remembered.<br />
30 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 31
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
The widow of slain 22-year-old NYPD Detective Jason Rivera<br />
delivered a heart-wrenching eulogy Friday morning during her<br />
husband’s funeral. Here is the full text...<br />
I would say good morning to you all. But in fact, this is the<br />
worst morning ever. I can’t believe I’m standing in front of thousands<br />
of people in the cathedral we planned to visit later this<br />
2-NYPD OFFICERS<br />
year. All of this seems so unreal. Like I’m having one of those<br />
nightmares that you never thought you’d have.<br />
Friday morning, we were together eating breakfast and drinking<br />
some Starbucks. Eating was probably our favorite hobby.<br />
Maybe that’s why we gained those extra pounds. Friday morning<br />
Killed Responding to a Family Disturbance<br />
began just like every other morning before work. You were always<br />
my big spoon, watching Netflix, YouTube law enforcement<br />
shorts, read me your emails and wait for your mom to come<br />
home. You packed your book bag because we had to leave before<br />
HARLEM, NY – Two New York<br />
2 and really, before 2 sharp because of your NCO sergeant.<br />
Police Officers are dead after<br />
having been shot in Harlem<br />
You would drive me home and say goodbye with three kisses,<br />
all the time, and texted me when you were eighty-four. That was<br />
our routine. At around 15:00, 15:15, I received a BRB roll-call text<br />
while investigating a domestic<br />
and throughout our day told me about your jobs until it was EOT.<br />
violence call. The first officer that<br />
This Friday was different. We had an argument; you know it’s<br />
died was only 22 years old and<br />
hard being a cop’s wife sometimes. It’s hard being patient when<br />
his partner was 27.<br />
plans were canceled or we would go days without seeing each<br />
other or when you’d have to write a report that would take forever<br />
because you’d have to voucher so many things, so you did<br />
On January 22nd, NYPD Officers<br />
Jason Rivera, Wilbert Mora,<br />
OT. Or when you had a bad day at work because an EDP drove<br />
and an unidentified third officer<br />
responded to an apartment<br />
This Friday, we were arguing because I didn’t want you to use your job phone while we were together. You were so mad<br />
you nuts, but you always reminded me that it was going to be all right, that we were going to get through it.<br />
on 135th Street after a woman<br />
that you took your LeBron jersey down, gave me your chain and put the lotions I gave you for your ashy hands in the bag and<br />
called them for assistance with<br />
said, ‘Here, take them.’ We left your apartment and because I didn’t want to continue to argue, I ordered an Uber. You asked<br />
me if you are sure ‘that you don’t want me to take you home, it might be the last ride I give you.’ I said no and that was probably<br />
the biggest mistake I ever made.<br />
her 47 year old son, Lashawn<br />
McNeil.<br />
Later that day, I received the call I wish none of you that are sitting here with me will ever receive. I had gotten a notification<br />
from the Citizen app, which was my central. And I saw that two police officers were shot in Harlem. My heart dropped.<br />
When officers arrived on scene,<br />
the unnamed officer stayed with NYPD OFFICER JASON RIVERA NYPD OFFICER WILBERT MORA<br />
I immediately texted you and asked you, ‘Are you okay? Please tell me you’re okay. I know that you’re mad right now but just<br />
the woman and spoke to her<br />
32ND PRECINCT<br />
32ND PRECINCT<br />
text me, you’re okay, at least tell me you’re busy.’ I get no response. We used to share locations on Find My iPhone and when I<br />
about the incident as Officers END OF WATCH: 1/23/2022 END OF WATCH: 1/25/2022<br />
checked yours, I see that you’re at Harlem Hospital. I thought maybe you were sitting on a perp but still, nothing.<br />
Rivera and Mora went down a juries he sustained while Officer<br />
I called and then called again and then called one more time and this time, I felt something wasn’t right. I messaged PO Kadavid<br />
and Joe because I know they were your friends from the 32 and I get no response. Then I get a call asking if I’m Jason’s<br />
tragedy we are enduring. We’re<br />
narrow hallway to the apartment Mora was transported to a nearby mourning, and we’re angry.”<br />
wife. And then I had to rush to the hospital.<br />
where McNeil was located. hospital died on two days later. Mayor Adams weighed in on the<br />
Walking all those steps seeing everybody staring at me was the scariest moment I’ve experienced. <strong>No</strong>body was telling me<br />
New York Police Department McNeil was also transported to tragic event on Twitter:<br />
anything. Dozens of people were surrounding me and yet I felt alone. I couldn’t believe you left me. Seeing you in a hospital<br />
Chief of Detectives, James Essig,<br />
a hospital where he was listed in “I lost my fellow officers in<br />
bed wrapped up in sheets, not hearing you when I was talking to you broke me up.<br />
reported that as the officers critical condition.<br />
the line of duty. I remember my<br />
I asked why. I said to you, ‘Wake up, baby, I’m here.’ The little bit of hope I had that you would come back to life just to say<br />
goodbye or say ‘I love you’ one more time has left. I was lost. I’m still lost. Today I’m still in this nightmare that I wish I never<br />
neared a bedroom, McNeil swung Democratic New York Mayor mother’s fear for her sons when<br />
had. Full of rage and anger, hurt and sad. Torn.<br />
the door open and opened fire. Eric Adams, a retired NYPD Captain,<br />
and newly appointed NYPD “Tonight, we lost a 22-year-old<br />
beside me telling me I can do this. And I’m trying, trust me I am. I didn’t prepare for this. <strong>No</strong>ne of us did.<br />
we went to work every day.<br />
Although I gained thousands of blue brothers and sisters, I’m the loneliest without you. I know you’re looking at me and<br />
Both officers were struck in the<br />
hail of gunfire while the third Commissioner Keechant Sewell, son, husband and police officer.<br />
Jason and I met in elementary school. All the way up to eighth grade, we had the time of our lives. He was part of the cool<br />
officer ran to assist.<br />
were at the hospital when the Another is fighting for his life.<br />
kid’s crew. There was never a dull moment with him around. He was the class clown, got me in trouble a couple of times,<br />
As the third officer got close, critically wounded officer passed “Our hearts go out to their families.”<br />
had our teachers sit us away from each other because we couldn’t focus.<br />
We never thought that our innocent childhood love would lead us to marriage. Even when we said, ‘I do,’ we couldn’t believe<br />
we said it. October 9 was the happiest day of our lives. I know I drove you crazy saying ‘I love you’ so many times that<br />
they were able to stop him before<br />
he escaped. At some point “Countless officers lined this “This week alone, four of our<br />
you would stop replying, ‘I love you more.’ But you made me feel alive. You make me feel alive.<br />
away. Commissioner Sewell said:<br />
while attempting to stop McNeil’s hallway after carrying him in officers have been shot and an<br />
Jason is so happy right now that all of you are here. Through pain and sorrow, this is exactly how he would have wanted to<br />
escape, the officer opened fire, and grieve for their brother while eleven month old baby was shot.<br />
be remembered. Like a true hero. Or like I used to call him, Big Peel Rivera.<br />
striking him twice, once in the praying with everything they have “This isn’t just an attack on the<br />
You have the whole nation on gridlock. And although you won’t be here anymore, I want you to live through me. The system<br />
head and the other in the arm. for the other. I am struggling NYPD. It’s an attack on New York<br />
continues to fail us. We are not safe anymore, not even the members of the service. I know you were tired of these laws,<br />
especially the ones from the new DA, I hope he’s watching you speak through me right now.<br />
Officer Rivera died from the in-<br />
to find the words to express the City.”<br />
I’m sure all of our blue family is tired too, but I promise, we promise that your death won’t be in vain. I love you until the<br />
32 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE<br />
end of time. We’ll take the watch from here<br />
The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 33
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
TICKETS via TEXT<br />
Traffic tickets via text? One Texas city is trying it out A pilot program<br />
hopes to reduce the potential for traffic stops to turn dangerous.<br />
By Mariah Rush<br />
The Charlotte Observer<br />
WINDCREST, Texas — In one Texas<br />
city, a program is trying to end a<br />
common occurrence that has led<br />
to tension and violence between<br />
police officers and motorists across<br />
the country.<br />
The Trusted Driver Program,<br />
which will be piloted out of Windcrest,<br />
hopes to help eliminate the<br />
ability for minor traffic stops to turn<br />
violent and improve trust between<br />
law enforcement and drivers.<br />
With the new program, police officers<br />
will be able to send motorists<br />
tickets via text instead of pulling<br />
them over.<br />
“It’s not a 100% solution, but it’s a<br />
step forward in the right direction,”<br />
said Val Garcia, president and CEO<br />
of the Trusted Driver Program.<br />
Garcia, a former San Antonio police<br />
officer, hopes the program will<br />
be successful.<br />
“If we minimize those interactions<br />
just for minor traffic violations,<br />
they have more time to dedicate to<br />
serious crime like DWI’s that are on<br />
the road, reckless drivers, racing,”<br />
Garcia told the news outlet.<br />
Garcia says sometimes a traffic<br />
stop is necessary, but other times it<br />
isn’t.<br />
“I saw many incidents where<br />
officers got themselves in trouble<br />
because they initiated a traffic<br />
stop,” he told WOAI. “And maybe<br />
there was not enough cause for it<br />
or there’s not a reason for it, or they<br />
just couldn’t back down from it<br />
after the stop occurred.”<br />
According to a 2021 report from<br />
The New York Times, police officers<br />
have killed more than 400 drivers<br />
or vehicle passengers who were<br />
unarmed and not suspected of a<br />
violent crime.<br />
The program hopes to decrease<br />
these “potentially dangerous encounters.”<br />
“By minimizing interactions between<br />
the police and the public, we<br />
create a more inclusive approach<br />
to public safety and community-based<br />
policing, while treating<br />
all with respect, compassion and<br />
fairness,” the website says.<br />
Drivers have to sign up for the<br />
program, which launched on Jan. 15<br />
in Windcrest, for officers to not pull<br />
them over for minor traffic offenses.<br />
First, motorists sign up online,<br />
and if an officer scans their license<br />
plate, they will see the driver in the<br />
Trusted Driver system and text them<br />
a warning or citation if it applies.<br />
You can also share on your Trusted<br />
Driver profile if you have any<br />
conditions or disabilities that should<br />
be noted.<br />
“If you’re deaf, if you have PTSD,<br />
autism, a medical condition like<br />
diabetes or a physical disability but<br />
you’re still allowed to drive,” Garcia<br />
told KIII-TV. “It really gives an officer<br />
information faster in the field to<br />
handle a traffic stop if it does occur<br />
and be able to deescalate.”<br />
If drivers want to contest the ticket,<br />
they can handle it online instead<br />
of in court.<br />
National Police Week 5K<br />
Honoring our own<br />
The 16th annual National Police Week 5K is Saturday, May 14, 2022<br />
Join us for our global event uniting thousands of law enforcement<br />
officers and their supporters to remember our fallen heroes. After<br />
the deadliest year in law enforcement history, the Officer Down<br />
Memorial Page (ODMP) and Concerns of Police Survivors need<br />
your continued support.<br />
For more information go to nationalpoliceweek5k.com or contact<br />
Amy Herrera at 5k@odmp.org.<br />
34 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 35
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
HOU. COUNCIL MEMBERS<br />
Hold Judges Granting Felony Bonds Accountable<br />
Michael Kubosh, Houston City Council Member At-Large Position 3, has taken unprecedented<br />
steps to hold judges accountable for granting several felony bonds to repeat violent offenders.<br />
HOUSTON - FOX 26 Houston’s<br />
series Breaking Bond has one<br />
Houston city council member<br />
taking unprecedented steps to<br />
stop Criminal District Judges<br />
from releasing violent offenders<br />
“The public is not going to<br />
stand for this anymore, and<br />
they’re going to have to answer<br />
for what they’ve done when<br />
there’s 156 people murdered on<br />
their watch,” said Michael Kubosh<br />
Houston City Councilmember At-<br />
Large Position 3.<br />
Kubosh might not be able to<br />
stop Criminal District Court<br />
Judges from releasing violent<br />
offenders back out onto the<br />
streets, but he is going to make<br />
them nervous.<br />
“We have to give them a strong<br />
message they can’t do this anymore<br />
without the public getting<br />
involved,” he said. “Filing a Judicial<br />
Bar grievance will get their<br />
attention trust me.”<br />
Most elected officials in Harris<br />
County won’t even acknowledge<br />
what we’ve been keeping track<br />
of for more than a year.<br />
At least 156 Harris County residents<br />
have been killed allegedly<br />
at the hands of repeat violent offenders<br />
free from jail on multiple<br />
felony or personal recognizance<br />
bonds.<br />
In addition to reading the<br />
names of the 156 killed some 4th<br />
Ward pastors prayed for them<br />
and their families on Friday, Kubosh<br />
is making an unprecedented<br />
move.<br />
He’s filing Judicial Bar Grievances<br />
against all Criminal District<br />
Court Judges accusing them<br />
of not considering public safety<br />
when setting bonds or granting<br />
multiple bonds to defendants<br />
who rack up even more criminal<br />
charges.<br />
“I think their peers will say the<br />
same thing I’m saying,” Kubosh<br />
said. “We need to sanction these<br />
judges and teach them a lesson<br />
not to ever do this again.”<br />
IS PROUD<br />
TO SUPPORT<br />
Sergeant Majorie Jordan of the Jersey City Police Department abandoned her position of cover<br />
and ran out into the open to help one of her officers that was shot in the shoulder. She assisted<br />
him to his feet and got him to safety, all while taking heavy gunfire. This right here, is a leader.<br />
Thank you Sergeant Jordan.<br />
CONGRATULATIONS<br />
& WELCOME TO THE<br />
HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL<br />
get your<br />
FREE SUBSCRIPTION<br />
to The BLUES, scan the<br />
QR code or click here.<br />
FOR HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL<br />
36 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 37
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
ONLYFANS EXTRA JOB<br />
Colorado deputy with OnlyFans page retires with $30,000 settlement.<br />
By Rob Low,<br />
Nexstar Media Wire<br />
ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo.<br />
(KDVR) — A former sheriff’s deputy<br />
in Colorado has retired with<br />
a $30,000 separation agreement<br />
rather than face an internal affairs<br />
investigation for her Only-<br />
Fans page.<br />
Melissa Williams still operates<br />
her OnlyFans page, which allows<br />
online subscribers to pay $10 a<br />
month to see her pose naked or<br />
partially naked and engage in sex<br />
acts with her husband. She spent<br />
28 years in law enforcement, including<br />
her last 11 years with the<br />
Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office,<br />
where she was most recently<br />
assigned to the detention center<br />
as a lieutenant.<br />
“I was a really good cop. I was<br />
a really good cop, and I was a<br />
really good leader,” the 48-yearold<br />
Williams said in an interview<br />
with KDVR.<br />
Williams said she never posed<br />
in her uniform or identified<br />
herself as a deputy and said it<br />
never occurred to her the sheriff’s<br />
department might find her page<br />
inappropriate.<br />
“I never did because I was doing<br />
it off-duty and it was never anything<br />
criminal,” she said.<br />
Williams said there were no<br />
issues with her OnlyFans page for<br />
the first 18 months.<br />
But eventually,<br />
co-workers found<br />
out and a female<br />
officer from a<br />
neighboring police<br />
department filed a<br />
complaint with the<br />
Arapahoe County<br />
Sheriff’s Office. In<br />
the Aug. 5 complaint,<br />
she stated<br />
that she felt the<br />
lieutenant’s “poor<br />
judgment was a<br />
discredit to the<br />
Arapahoe County<br />
Sheriff’s Office.”<br />
“I was like, this<br />
doesn’t even affect<br />
the person that reported it. It<br />
doesn’t affect my work, it doesn’t<br />
affect my employees, it doesn’t<br />
affect the community,” Williams<br />
said.<br />
But the sheriff’s office took the<br />
complaint seriously. In a memo<br />
obtained by KDVR, an internal<br />
affairs inspector wrote, “The<br />
website contained pictures of<br />
Lt. Williams posing for pictures<br />
clearly showing her face and her<br />
genitals, one or more of the photos<br />
appear to have been taken in<br />
a very public location.”<br />
“I think some people viewed<br />
as what I did for fun, as being a<br />
sex worker, but I’m the same as<br />
someone else’s neighbor, their<br />
friend, mom, daughter. I’m still<br />
the same person I was for the 18<br />
months the page existed and nobody<br />
knew,” Williams said.<br />
“There are a lot of things that<br />
are legal that someone might<br />
disapprove of,” said Don Mayer, a<br />
professor of business ethics and<br />
legal studies at the University of<br />
Denver.<br />
He said Colorado has a law<br />
called the “Lawful Off-Duty Activity<br />
Statute” that protects employees<br />
from being fired for what<br />
they do in their personal time as<br />
long as they’re not breaking any<br />
laws.<br />
“I don’t think there’s a strong<br />
argument that what she did was<br />
unlawful,” Mayer said.<br />
But a spokesman for Sheriff<br />
Tyler Brown said the agency felt<br />
Williams should have sought<br />
permission for secondary employment,<br />
just like any deputy<br />
who works security at a bar or a<br />
football game is required to do.<br />
“<strong>No</strong>, because it really doesn’t<br />
generate employment income<br />
and there are a lot of individuals<br />
throughout the metro area who<br />
have what could be considered<br />
secondary employment, but it<br />
isn’t something that gets claimed<br />
or gets reported,” she said.<br />
Williams declined to say how<br />
much money her OnlyFans page<br />
has earned her but acknowledged<br />
she has more than 300<br />
subscribers. She said she decided<br />
to accept a $30,000 separation<br />
and release agreement<br />
in <strong>No</strong>vember to retire from the<br />
sheriff’s department, partly<br />
because she was convinced the<br />
department was going to terminate<br />
her if she didn’t.<br />
“I did not leave out of shame,<br />
and I did not leave out of embarrassment<br />
for the OnlyFans page.<br />
I left because it was the right<br />
thing for myself and my family,<br />
and honestly, the OnlyFans piece<br />
was just one part of it,” Williams<br />
said.<br />
Sheriff Brown declined to discuss<br />
the Williams case, but his<br />
spokesperson told KDVR in an<br />
email:<br />
“As far as the secondary employment,<br />
our policy does not<br />
explicitly mention OnlyFans or<br />
similar web hosting platforms;<br />
however, the policy does cover<br />
secondary employment that may<br />
negatively affect a member’s<br />
performance of their regular<br />
assigned duties, or which likely<br />
would bring the Sheriff’s Office<br />
into disrepute. In light of the<br />
nature of OnlyFans platforms, the<br />
Sheriff has interpreted our policy<br />
to mean that anyone having such<br />
a website or page as a second<br />
job would need to notify the<br />
Sheriff and obtain his approval<br />
before pursuing such an undertaking.”<br />
“The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s<br />
Office began an investigation into<br />
Ms. Williams after receiving a<br />
complaint from a member of the<br />
public alleging that Ms. Williams<br />
was posing on a pornographic<br />
website and, in doing so, was<br />
bringing discredit to the Sheriff’s<br />
Office. Prior to the completion of<br />
that investigation, Ms. Williams<br />
sought to negotiate a severance<br />
and elected to resign her employment.<br />
Ms. Williams was not<br />
fired, nor was she forced to leave<br />
the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s<br />
Office. Ms. Williams’ allegations<br />
appear to be nothing more than<br />
an effort to manufacture a ‘newsworthy’<br />
story to drive traffic to<br />
her website.”<br />
<strong>38</strong> The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 39
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
TN DEPUTY KILLED<br />
Robertson County Sheriff Deputy found shot<br />
inside her burning house suspect arrested.<br />
SPRINGFIELD, TN – A suspect<br />
is in custody and faces charges<br />
including first-degree murder<br />
after a Robertson County Sheriff’s<br />
Office deputy was found was<br />
found dead on January 23rd in her<br />
burning home.<br />
Deputy Savanna Puckett, a fouryear<br />
department veteran, was<br />
found dead with a gunshot wound<br />
inside her burning home Sunday<br />
night, the sheriff’s office reported.<br />
She was 22.<br />
James Jackson Conn, 27, is<br />
charged with one count of<br />
first-degree murder and one count<br />
of aggravated arson in connection<br />
to Puckett’s slaying, the Tennessee<br />
Bureau of Investigation said.<br />
Conn, who lives in Smyrna, was<br />
arrested at his Odom Court home<br />
about 11:30 a.m. Monday after an<br />
hourslong standoff that stemmed<br />
from the execution of a search<br />
warrant, TBI said.<br />
Conn was acquaintance of<br />
Puckett, according to TBI. He was<br />
booked into the Robertson County<br />
Jail late Monday afternoon where<br />
he was being held without bond.<br />
“The investigation remains active<br />
and ongoing, and we’ll provide<br />
more details as soon as we’re able<br />
to do so,” said a representative<br />
of the Robertson County Sheriff’s<br />
Office.<br />
Another deputy<br />
went to check on<br />
Puckett around 5<br />
p.m. Sunday when<br />
she did not report<br />
for her shift and<br />
found her home<br />
in the 5100 block<br />
of Highway 41 in<br />
Springfield engulfed<br />
in flames, an RSCO<br />
release said.<br />
The deputy was<br />
not able to make it<br />
inside due to the extent<br />
of the fire. Once<br />
firefighters arrived,<br />
they found Puckett<br />
inside.<br />
Puckett had<br />
multiple gunshot<br />
wounds, including<br />
ones to her head<br />
and torso, an arrest<br />
affidavit for Conn showed. Two<br />
empty lighter fluid bottles were<br />
found in Puckett’s home with fingerprints<br />
matched to Conn.<br />
A .40 caliber cartridge casing<br />
was also found, the affidavit<br />
stated. Puckett’s .40 caliber service<br />
weapon was not found at the<br />
scene.<br />
“Words cannot express the<br />
sadness and grief that Savanna’s<br />
family and her sheriff’s office family<br />
are facing right now,” Sheriff<br />
Michael Van Dyke said in a statement.<br />
“This is a tragedy that we<br />
are processing minute by minute.<br />
Please keep Savanna, her family<br />
and the sheriff’s office in your<br />
thoughts and prayers.”<br />
It was not immediately clear if<br />
the gunshot wounds or the fire<br />
caused Puckett’s death. The cause<br />
and origin of the fire remained<br />
under investigation Monday.<br />
ACEVEDO SUES MIAMI<br />
Former Miami PD Chief Art Acevedo claims his public firing three<br />
months ago was in retaliation for him speaking out against corruption.<br />
By Adriana Gomez<br />
Associated Press<br />
MIAMI — The embattled former<br />
police chief of Miami is suing<br />
his former employer and city<br />
commissioners, saying his public<br />
firing three months ago was<br />
in retaliation for him speaking<br />
out against corruption.<br />
Art Acevedo had a six-month<br />
tenure and was suspended and<br />
then fired after three raucous<br />
meetings, in which he says he<br />
was “purposefully humiliated”<br />
and fired for reporting abuses of<br />
power by elected officials.<br />
The complaint was filed<br />
Wednesday in federal court<br />
against the city of Miami, its city<br />
manager Art <strong>No</strong>riega and three<br />
city commissioners.<br />
The lawsuit says a memo sent<br />
to the mayor and city manager<br />
accusing several commissioners<br />
of hampering his reform and<br />
meddling in the police department<br />
should have been protected<br />
by the First Amendment,<br />
but instead cost him his job. It<br />
says his firing was in violation<br />
of Florida Whistle-blower’s<br />
Act, which protects employees<br />
against retaliatory actions for<br />
reporting abuses of power.<br />
The complaint says that Acevedo<br />
was concerned two commissioners<br />
were trying to send<br />
police for code enforcement to<br />
specific bars<br />
and restaurants<br />
owned by a<br />
man who had<br />
supported a<br />
political opponent.<br />
He attempted<br />
“to push back<br />
on attempts by<br />
certain City of<br />
Miami Commissioners<br />
to<br />
use the men,<br />
women, and<br />
resources of the<br />
MPD to carry<br />
out their personal<br />
agendas and use the (Miami<br />
Police Department) as their<br />
puppet,” the complaint states.<br />
It includes details about the<br />
first public meeting to discuss<br />
Acevedo’s tenure, when commissioners<br />
played videos of him<br />
impersonating Elvis Presley in<br />
a white jumpsuit dancing the<br />
“Jailhouse Rock” at a fundraiser<br />
previous to his Miami post. They<br />
“attempted to humiliate him,”<br />
the complaint states.<br />
The city of Miami did not immediately<br />
respond to requests<br />
for comment.<br />
Acevedo was recruited by Miami<br />
Mayor Francis Suarez. At the<br />
time, he was touted as a progressive<br />
law enforcer who had<br />
headed the police department<br />
in Houston and shared ancestry<br />
with hundreds of thousands Cubans<br />
in Miami as a Havana-born<br />
refugee.<br />
But Acevedo began making<br />
waves almost immediately after<br />
he started in the post last April<br />
by taking over internal affairs<br />
and making significant changes<br />
to his command staff. He demoted<br />
four majors and fired two<br />
high-level police officials — a<br />
married couple — because they<br />
weren’t truthful about a crash<br />
involving a city-issued SUV.<br />
40 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 41
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
Preparing to react to 10 difficult<br />
experiences in law enforcement.<br />
Thinking about these experiences will better prepare you to choose<br />
a physical and emotional response when you inevitably face them.<br />
By Lt. Dan Marcou<br />
Police officers share many difficult<br />
experiences in their career,<br />
unique to their profession, but<br />
not each other. Each officer can<br />
choose to respond positively or<br />
negatively to each difficult experience.<br />
As someone who has<br />
experienced a full career and<br />
managed to enjoy it immensely,<br />
I would like to share my reaction<br />
to some of these shared experiences.<br />
You may not choose to react<br />
the way I did, but that is not the<br />
point of this article. Thinking<br />
about these experiences will<br />
better prepare you to choose a<br />
physical and emotional response<br />
when you inevitably face them.<br />
Here are a few shared experiences<br />
and my chosen reactions:<br />
Experience 1: After you save<br />
someone from an overdose, the<br />
person is angry with you because<br />
either their high was ruined, or<br />
they were cheated out of death.<br />
Reaction: I decided that nothing<br />
a person did or said could<br />
ever diminish the personal thrill<br />
and appreciation of the fact that<br />
I just saved another human life. I<br />
didn’t go home thinking, “I saved<br />
a life and the person treated<br />
me badly.” Instead, I went home<br />
thinking, “I saved a life. Cool!”<br />
Experience 2: A victim is<br />
rescued from an act of domestic<br />
violence and as their partner<br />
is being handcuffed the rescued<br />
person jumps on your back.<br />
Reaction: When this attack<br />
happened to me, I instantly<br />
shoulder-shucked the victim,<br />
sending her toppling. This disoriented<br />
her long enough so I could<br />
finish handcuffing her partner. I<br />
followed up by arresting her as<br />
well for the attack on my person.<br />
In subsequent domestics, I<br />
learned to position the suspect<br />
for arrest away from the rest of<br />
the family when possible. If not<br />
possible, during the arrest I positioned<br />
myself so as to be able<br />
to maintain a visual of the victim<br />
throughout the arrest.<br />
I came to understand and eventually<br />
was taught the complicated<br />
dynamics of domestic violence,<br />
and this made me better<br />
at dealing with these incidents<br />
criminally, tactically and emotionally.<br />
Experience 3: While in a<br />
police line at riots the chants become<br />
vile and directed at you.<br />
Reaction: It helped greatly that<br />
our team trained extensively for<br />
our riots before they occurred.<br />
That training included having<br />
a mock crowd yell everything<br />
imaginable. We learned to act<br />
as if we were the palace guard,<br />
seeming to ignore the chants<br />
that may or may not have risen<br />
to the level of probable cause.<br />
Meanwhile assigned officers<br />
taped people and the things<br />
they did. When that beautifully<br />
magic moment arrived where<br />
the existence of probable cause<br />
converged with the opportunity<br />
to arrest one or more of these<br />
agitators, we did so quickly and<br />
efficiently as a team, stunning<br />
them and the crowd.<br />
In conjunction with the recordings,<br />
describing the words said<br />
and dirty deeds done led to convictions.<br />
This resulted in great<br />
satisfaction in a job well done.<br />
You see, frozen water bottles and<br />
stones will break my bones, but<br />
words will never hurt me.<br />
Experience 4: A missing juvenile<br />
is taken into custody from a<br />
terrible environment and transported<br />
back to what appears<br />
to be a nice home. At the next<br />
night’s line-up, the same runaway<br />
is reported missing again.<br />
Reaction: I learned to use multiple<br />
contacts to show compassion<br />
and caring toward these kids<br />
while establishing rapport.<br />
While doing so I was able to<br />
work these questions into the<br />
conversations asking: “What is<br />
happening at home?” and “How<br />
do you get by on the run?” The<br />
responses triggered by these<br />
questions often resulted in arrests<br />
of other parties for everything<br />
from auto theft to burglary<br />
and from abuse to drug and sex<br />
trafficking.<br />
Experience 5: You take a<br />
suicidal person into protective<br />
custody, and they are almost immediately<br />
released by the doctor.<br />
That person then dies by suicide.<br />
Reaction: The way I processed<br />
this was to tell myself, “You<br />
saved him/her when it was your<br />
turn to save them. The later suicide<br />
was out of my control.”<br />
Experience 6: You arrest a<br />
person with a serious criminal<br />
record over and over again, but<br />
they are released over and over<br />
again seemingly with no repercussions.<br />
Reaction: This is easy. We<br />
only had one DA like this who<br />
was a governor-appointed party<br />
animal. He was in no way as<br />
complicit in crime as some of<br />
the DAs today. Still, our union<br />
discussed this matter and we<br />
decided to openly get behind a<br />
well-respected assistant in the<br />
office. The man we supported<br />
for district attorney won and<br />
went on to serve honorably. He<br />
also went on to retire after a<br />
long career as a well-respected<br />
circuit court judge.<br />
Additionally, while the<br />
sub-standard DA was failing to<br />
perform his job, we never as officers<br />
let that stop us from doing<br />
our jobs as police officers.<br />
Experience 7: You take a<br />
homicidal person into custody<br />
and shortly thereafter they are<br />
released, after which they kill<br />
someone.<br />
Reaction: This result proved<br />
that when my partners and I<br />
made the apprehension, it probably<br />
saved lives. The deaths could<br />
not be my emotional burden to<br />
bear, but as in the case of the<br />
suicide, it was for someone else<br />
to contemplate.<br />
Experience 8: You become a<br />
police officer to protect all people<br />
and you are called a racist.<br />
Reaction: This terrible insult<br />
has always been thrown at officers<br />
and when thrown at me I<br />
felt comfort in realizing that for<br />
someone to make that judgment<br />
about me without knowing me<br />
revealed them to be the true bigot.<br />
<strong>No</strong>rmally I would ignore the<br />
insult and just put it in my report.<br />
However, on occasion, after<br />
making an arrest, a suspect<br />
would say, “You arrested me just<br />
42 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 43
ecause I am ___________.”<br />
I would respond politely, “<strong>No</strong><br />
sir. I would have arrested you<br />
even if you were green because<br />
it is against the law to run out of<br />
a restaurant without paying for<br />
your supper and you know that.”<br />
(One actual example.)<br />
After a pause, I would continue,<br />
“So save that line for someone<br />
who it may work on. How<br />
about we get along from here on<br />
out. I’m Dan. You can call me Dan<br />
if you like.”<br />
This approach worked often for<br />
me but not always since some<br />
people will neither change their<br />
perspective nor accept responsibility<br />
for their actions.<br />
Experience 9: You testify to<br />
the truth, the whole truth and<br />
nothing but the truth and know<br />
it, and the defense’s entire case<br />
is built on accusing you of being<br />
a liar.<br />
Reaction: I learned to stay in<br />
the courtroom for only my testimony<br />
unless the district attorney<br />
insisted. This cut down on the<br />
number of times I had to listen<br />
to liars calling me a liar.<br />
In time, by always telling the<br />
truth, even when it might hurt<br />
my case, people learned to trust<br />
my word. I came to realize that<br />
defense attorneys were just doing<br />
their jobs when occasionally<br />
one would approach me afterward<br />
and shake my hand stating,<br />
“Sorry, Dan. I was just doing my<br />
job.”<br />
Experience 10: You have a<br />
shift where you answer a call,<br />
and someone has been killed<br />
accidentally, deliberately, or has<br />
died of natural causes.<br />
Reaction: After scene stabilization,<br />
I would do everything in<br />
my power to prevent the death or<br />
more deaths. When the situation<br />
was calm, or shortly thereafter,<br />
I would say a silent prayer for<br />
the soul of the departed. I am<br />
convinced this simple, secret,<br />
spiritual act kept me from ever<br />
experiencing any emotional after-effects<br />
from these tragic and<br />
at times horrific incidents. Once<br />
in a while I drive past the scene<br />
of an event and remember, and<br />
when I do, I repeat the prayer. It<br />
has always brought me peace.<br />
SOME LAST BITS OF SHARING<br />
These few experiences are just<br />
the tip of the iceberg, for there<br />
will be some shifts where you<br />
witness scenes of treachery,<br />
violence, dysfunction, death and<br />
even carnage. Each one of those<br />
events will require you to first<br />
respond effectively as a police<br />
officer, and later process them in<br />
a healthy way as you decompress<br />
from work.<br />
After each difficult shift, I<br />
aggressively reminded myself<br />
to appreciate what I have and<br />
hold onto my positive attitude at<br />
home, which is the real me, like<br />
an emotional life raft. Staying<br />
positive about a life facing such<br />
negativity is a discipline, just like<br />
brushing your teeth or exercising.<br />
It is difficult, but it will pay off in<br />
the long run; believe me.<br />
Police work is a unique profession<br />
where you are immersed<br />
in negativity. That immersion<br />
can turn you into a truly negative<br />
person, or it can make<br />
you recognize, as amazing, the<br />
incredible contrasts in your own<br />
life, when you beat the negativity<br />
at home. You can even gain<br />
the perspective that allows you<br />
to appreciate the difficult experiences<br />
you are privileged to<br />
have as a result of this extremely<br />
interesting career.<br />
You can’t always choose what<br />
you experience in your career.<br />
However, whether you react to<br />
those experiences positively or<br />
negatively is your choice.<br />
<strong>No</strong>w, as always, say safe, stay<br />
strong and stay positive, and be<br />
careful out there.<br />
About the author<br />
Lt. Dan Marcou is an internationally<br />
recognized police trainer<br />
who was a highly decorated police<br />
officer with 33 years of fulltime<br />
law enforcement experience.<br />
Marcou’s awards include Police<br />
Officer of the Year, SWAT Officer<br />
of the Year, Humanitarian of<br />
the Year and Domestic Violence<br />
Officer of the Year. Upon retiring,<br />
Lt. Marcou began writing. He is a<br />
co-author of “Street Survival II,<br />
Tactics for Deadly Encounters,”<br />
which is now available. His novels,<br />
“The Calling, the Making of a<br />
Veteran Cop,” “SWAT, Blue Knights<br />
in Black Armor,” “<strong>No</strong>body’s Heroes”<br />
and Destiny of Heroes,”<br />
as well as his latest non-fiction<br />
offering, “Law Dogs, Great Cops in<br />
American History,” are all available<br />
at Amazon. Dan is a member<br />
of the Police1 Editorial Advisory<br />
Board.<br />
Help us reach our<br />
goal of 100,000<br />
subscribers.<br />
It’s FREE.<br />
Just CLICK<br />
44 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 45
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
LIVESTREAM 911 CALLS<br />
DIRECTLY TO OFFICERS<br />
By Terry Ryan<br />
In emergency response, every<br />
second matters and law enforcement<br />
agencies are always<br />
striving to improve response<br />
times. <strong>No</strong>w, a new technology<br />
securely livestreams 911<br />
emergency calls directly to<br />
first responders, allowing them<br />
to obtain more information to<br />
make better-informed decisions,<br />
respond faster, and save<br />
people’s lives.<br />
THE PROBLEM<br />
While 911 call-takers are very<br />
fast in their ability to obtain information<br />
from callers, there is<br />
always a time lapse from when<br />
a 911 call is answered, the details<br />
are typed and entered into<br />
the CAD system, the dispatcher<br />
sends info to the radio operator,<br />
it is read, airtime becomes clear,<br />
and the call for service is broadcast.<br />
This process can take 90<br />
seconds to two minutes before<br />
an officer even becomes aware<br />
of a critical situation.<br />
Of course, time is not often on<br />
a first responder’s side and using<br />
technology to get a jump on<br />
response time would be advantageous.<br />
When an officer arrives<br />
at a situation that is potentially<br />
life or death, shaving off a<br />
minute or two of their response<br />
time could make all the difference.<br />
THE SOLUTION<br />
The vision for closing the gap<br />
between dispatchers and first<br />
responders by allowing officers<br />
in the field to hear incoming 911<br />
calls came from retired police<br />
Captain Fritz Reber. He introduced<br />
HigherGround to the<br />
concept, and we thought it was<br />
brilliant. He chose to partner<br />
with HigherGround since our<br />
team of engineers and product<br />
marketers have more than 20<br />
years of experience developing<br />
solution-based public safety<br />
software. The resulting solution<br />
is aptly called Live911.<br />
Here’s how it works. When a<br />
911 call comes in, Live911 sends<br />
it out simultaneously to first<br />
responders in the field. Officers<br />
hear it as it is happening. They<br />
can pre-set a geofence radius,<br />
so they only hear the calls near<br />
their current location.<br />
When a call is urgent, and<br />
they are free to assist, officers<br />
can see the location of the caller<br />
on a map and move in the direction<br />
of the incident—giving<br />
them a head start and allowing<br />
them to develop a response plan<br />
while driving to a call. All the<br />
while, first responders are hearing<br />
the interactions between the<br />
caller and the call-taker, including<br />
answers to questions, firsthand<br />
descriptions, emotional<br />
tones, and background noise on<br />
the scene.<br />
Hearing the calls has proven<br />
extremely helpful, but the<br />
ability to view precise GPS map<br />
location—within a couple of<br />
feet—where the caller is located<br />
can be equally valuable. Officers<br />
are able to look on the mapping<br />
feature and see exactly where<br />
the caller is standing and drive<br />
directly to that location without<br />
delay.<br />
An initial surprise to us, is that<br />
many of our clients continue<br />
to tell us Live911 has changed<br />
their officers’ perception of<br />
telecommunicators. Often officers<br />
express an elevated level of<br />
respect and even a new sense of<br />
protectiveness towards the dispatchers.<br />
<strong>No</strong>w that officers hear<br />
call-takers asking the appropriate<br />
questions and dealing with<br />
intense exchanges, they have<br />
gained a better understanding<br />
of the hard work they do on<br />
every call to ensure the officers’<br />
safety.<br />
Live911 livestreams the 911 call directly to the officer to improve response speed. In addition it<br />
gives officers the ability to view the precise GPS map location where the caller is located so officers<br />
can drive to that location without delay.<br />
RESULTS<br />
Live911 deployments are improving<br />
response times and<br />
increasing situational awareness<br />
in law enforcement agencies<br />
across America.<br />
The technology has contributed<br />
to the following success<br />
stories:<br />
Chula Vista, CA<br />
“One example of how livestreaming<br />
911 calls has changed<br />
officer response was during a<br />
recent call to report a drowning.<br />
The caller was understandably<br />
hysterical and could not provide<br />
an address. Officers heard the<br />
911 call and could see precisely<br />
where the caller was located<br />
and responded immediately,<br />
before the call was even dispatched.<br />
They saved that child’s<br />
life,” says Carla Evan, communications<br />
manager for the Chula<br />
Vista Police Department.<br />
Polk County, FL<br />
“In the first 30 days we saved<br />
three lives. We saved a child that<br />
was choking because we got<br />
there before fire or EMS. We also<br />
saved two people with our AED<br />
that were having cardiac arrests.<br />
Live911 is a remarkable tool that<br />
helps us to arrive at emergencies<br />
quicker. It’s a game changer,”<br />
says Polk County Sheriff Grady<br />
Judd.<br />
Clovis, CA<br />
“I heard the call of an 8-yearold<br />
reporting a domestic disturbance<br />
in progress. His father<br />
was beating his mother in front<br />
of him. “I was able to get on the<br />
scene before being dispatched.<br />
The victim told me she believed<br />
he would have killed her if we<br />
would not have shown up so<br />
quickly and arrested the suspect.<br />
Long story short, Live911 greatly<br />
reduced response time and I<br />
strongly believe it saved her life<br />
or at least prevented more injury,”<br />
says Officer Marcus Burks of the<br />
Clovis Police Department.<br />
Everyone wants well-informed<br />
first responders with a good<br />
understanding as to the type of<br />
situation they are going into. The<br />
more information and data that<br />
can be provided enhances their<br />
ability to de-escalate and resolve<br />
issues in the safest and most effective<br />
manner. There is no faster<br />
way to have immediate situational<br />
awareness on an incident<br />
than to hear the actual 911 call in<br />
real-time.<br />
Terry Ryan is the CEO of HigherGround.<br />
46 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 47
VOTE THEIR ASS OUT<br />
Nine judges who freed accused killers on low bonds AND need to go!<br />
The number of individuals murdered<br />
by felons nine specific state<br />
district judges released on low bonds<br />
or what amounts to a “Get Out of Jail<br />
Free” card has reached a crisis point.<br />
The judges – all first termers –<br />
seem to be in competition to see<br />
which one can release the most<br />
killers back on the streets so they can<br />
snuff out more innocent victims.<br />
Over the past three years in Harris<br />
County, 156 people have been killed<br />
by individuals charged with murder<br />
but turned loose after posting low<br />
bonds.<br />
“Fifty-eight of these defendants<br />
are charged with capital murder,”<br />
said Andy Kahan, director of victim’s<br />
services for Crime Stoppers. “Even<br />
more disturbing is over a dozen of the<br />
defendants on this list are actually<br />
out on bond again.<br />
“This has been one of the most interesting<br />
projects I have ever undertaken.”<br />
The record keeps getting worse.<br />
Of these 156 victims, two were<br />
police officers on duty while another<br />
was an off-duty New Orleans officer.<br />
HPOU PAC is using aggressive<br />
tactics to inform voters of this scary<br />
trend. The key steps are to identify<br />
the culprits and endorse their possible<br />
replacements, whether in the<br />
March primary or the <strong>No</strong>vember general<br />
election.<br />
One primary drawback is that Harris<br />
County voters don’t pay much attention<br />
to judicial candidates, making<br />
this a daunting task.<br />
A key step is – as one does in court<br />
– citing the record.<br />
Kahan compiled this judicial scoreboard<br />
over the last three years. Kahan<br />
and his non-partisan organization do<br />
not endorse candidates or take political<br />
positions. So, it should be carefully<br />
noted that these scary numbers<br />
were sorted by court identifiers and<br />
not by individual judges.<br />
Of course, elected judges are responsible<br />
for every decision in their<br />
court, even those made by magistrates<br />
or visiting judges.<br />
Besides identifying these wayward<br />
jurists by name, we will add the<br />
HPOU PAC’s endorsement in the upcoming<br />
election. These are all Democratic<br />
judges. Under the circumstances,<br />
this could mean that they have no<br />
primary opponent; thus, their only<br />
real opposition will be in <strong>No</strong>vember<br />
against a Republican challenger.<br />
And here’s the list:<br />
263RD DISTRICT JUDGE<br />
AMY MARTIN<br />
180TH DISTRICT JUDGE<br />
DASEAN JONES<br />
Freed six alleged killers on bond who<br />
are now charged with nine additional<br />
murders. HPOU PAC ENDORSEMENT:<br />
Tami Pierce in the Republican Primary.<br />
230TH DISTRICT JUDGE<br />
CHRIS MORTON<br />
182ND DISTRICT JUDGE<br />
DANIEL LACAYO<br />
Freed 11 defendants on bond, giving<br />
them the opportunity to kill nine other<br />
victims. HPOU PAC ENDORSEMENT: Rob<br />
Jackson (Retired HPD) in the Republican<br />
Primary.<br />
232ND DISTRICT JUDGE<br />
JOSH HILL<br />
184TH DISTRICT JUDGE<br />
ABIGAIL ANASTASIO<br />
Freed seven defendants out who<br />
went ahead and killed 10 more people.<br />
HPOU PAC ENDORSEMENT: Lori<br />
De Angelo in the Republican Primary.<br />
Katherine Thomas in the Democratic<br />
248TH DISTRICT JUDGE<br />
HILLARY UNGER<br />
208TH DISTRICT JUDGE<br />
GREG GLASS<br />
Freed five defendants who murdered<br />
nine others. HPOU PAC EN-<br />
DORSEMENT: Heather Hudson in the<br />
Republican Primary.<br />
262ND DISTRICT JUDGE<br />
LORI CHAMBERS GRAY<br />
Freed 10 defendants on bond who took Freed eight defendants on bond,<br />
Freed eight on low bonds, resulting Freed nine accused killers who are Freed 10 defendants now charged<br />
the lives of nine victims. HPOU PAC EN- seeing them commit seven additional in the opportunity to kill six additional now charged with seven additional with committing 11 murders after<br />
DORSEMENT: Amber Cox in the Republican<br />
murders. HPOU PAC ENDORSEMENT: Brad victims. HPOU PAC ENDORSEMENT: Josh-<br />
murders committed while back out posting bonds. HPOU PAC ENDORSE-<br />
Primary.<br />
Hart in the Republican Primary.<br />
ua <strong>No</strong>rman in the Republican Primary. on the streets. HPOU PAC ENDORSE- MENT: Tonya Mclaughlin in the Re-<br />
MENT: Julian Ramirez in the Republican<br />
publican Primary<br />
Primary<br />
48 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 49
Judge Glass and his abysmal<br />
record especially sticks in the<br />
craw of Houston police officers.<br />
For one of those nine murder<br />
victims who part of Glass’ low<br />
bond record was their colleague,<br />
Officer Bill Jeffrey, gunned down<br />
while serving a warrant. The<br />
name on the warrant was that of<br />
a wanton multiple felon Judge<br />
Glass let go free on bond despite<br />
his record.<br />
Makeshift Felony Bond Reform<br />
Kahan said, “Over 150 people<br />
have been killed by defendants<br />
released on multiple felony<br />
bonds, a felony PR bond Get Out<br />
of Jail Free or on bond and that<br />
you forfeited, meaning you were<br />
a fugitive.”<br />
In essence, Kahan opined, the<br />
state judges are implementing<br />
felony bail bond reform without<br />
any court-ordered mandate.<br />
Misdemeanor bail bond reform<br />
is a different story. A federal<br />
court ordered misdemeanor<br />
courts to release defendants on<br />
a PR or general order bond. “This<br />
removed bond companies from<br />
having misdemeanor clients,”<br />
Kahan explained. “We have no<br />
issue with that whatsoever.”<br />
It’s these felony courts that are<br />
turning loose violent offenders<br />
who haven’t had to pay that<br />
much to get out of jail.<br />
“There is no court order regarding<br />
felony bonds,” Kahan<br />
said. “Judges have implemented<br />
their own version of felony bond<br />
reform by allowing defendants<br />
to be released time and again.<br />
It’s totally discretionary what<br />
they’re doing.”<br />
Politically speaking, a strong<br />
prerequisite for being a fair<br />
criminal district judge in Harris<br />
County is experience as a prosecutor.<br />
It was somewhat surprising<br />
to learn that five of these<br />
nine elected judges have prosecutorial<br />
experience in the DA’s<br />
office. There are four who have<br />
only served on the defense side –<br />
Jones, Unger, Martin and Glass.<br />
Adding further scariness to this<br />
horrid situation is the fact that<br />
50 of the defendants in these<br />
low-bond releases are charged<br />
with capital murder!<br />
Time was at the Harris County<br />
Courthouse when criminal district<br />
judges regularly refused any<br />
bond for a capital murder defendant.<br />
<strong>No</strong>w it happens as regularly<br />
as a Metro schedule.<br />
<strong>No</strong>ne of the revelations emanating<br />
from Kahan’s research<br />
bring good news to police officers<br />
and others who merely<br />
want justice done right.<br />
The records show three of the<br />
murder victims were unborn<br />
babies.<br />
There are other interesting<br />
numbers in the compilation.<br />
Kahan found that of the 156<br />
victims killed by these low-bond<br />
recipients, 79 were black and 48<br />
Hispanic.<br />
“If you look at victims,” Kahan<br />
said, “most are people of color,<br />
yet no one says anything. It always<br />
disturbs me about the lack<br />
of outrage, particularly by public<br />
officials.<br />
“You would expect outrage<br />
about unborn children. And you<br />
would expect somebody to say<br />
something about the large number<br />
of black and Hispanic victims.<br />
“It always disturbed me how<br />
our local leaders have no issue<br />
talking about crimes throughout<br />
the country. But when it’s in your<br />
backyard it’s very rare you hear<br />
outrage.”<br />
Each of these judges in question<br />
were vaulted into office<br />
four years ago when incumbent<br />
President Donald Trump’s radical<br />
actions prompted a heavy Democratic<br />
turnout in the general<br />
election in Harris County.<br />
History shows that 51 of 53 of<br />
the last midterm elections in<br />
the nation’s third largest county<br />
have gone against the party<br />
whose candidate was occupying<br />
the White House. Only in 1934<br />
after President Franklin Roosevelt’s<br />
New Deal popularity did<br />
the Democrats maintain control<br />
of the county and in 2002 when<br />
President George W. Bush was<br />
displaying strong leadership<br />
after 911, resulting in Republicans<br />
occupying the majority of county<br />
offices, including judgeships.<br />
In 2014, with Democrat Barack<br />
Obama in the White House,<br />
Republicans swept the judicial<br />
elections in the county, the<br />
justices of the peace contests<br />
notwithstanding, while four<br />
years later Democrats swept the<br />
judicial elections.<br />
So, the trends would indicate<br />
Republican judicial candidates<br />
stand a better chance of winning<br />
this year than they did four years<br />
ago.<br />
Ray Hunt, HPOU executive director,<br />
echoes the sentiments of<br />
Andy Kahan, but also points out<br />
that “since only about 50 percent<br />
of murders are solved, I believe<br />
the 156 killed by turds out on<br />
bond is probably more like 300.”<br />
REPRINTED FROM THE HPOU<br />
BADGE & GUN. The BLUES supports<br />
the efforts of the HPOU.<br />
IN<br />
Harris County Judge<br />
LINA HIDALGO<br />
“You have blood on your hands... I’m calling on<br />
you three to resign from office so the healing can<br />
begin.” STEVE RADACK, at a recent CC Meeting.<br />
Then she made an ass out of herself at Corporal<br />
Charles Galloway’s Funeral.<br />
SHE HAS TO GO!<br />
CLICK HERE TO WATCH DORA MAKE AN ASS OUT OF HERSELF<br />
50 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 51
REMEMBERING THOSE WE’VE LOST<br />
Officers Lost Due to COVID in January 2022<br />
DALLAS POLICE OFFICER<br />
CHRISTOPHER GIBSON<br />
END OF WATCH: SUNDAY, JANUARY 2, 2022<br />
DEPORTATION OFFICER<br />
WILLIAM HAYES<br />
END OF WATCH: SUNDAY, JANUARY 3, 2022<br />
CURRY COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFF<br />
BRYAN VANNATTA<br />
END OF WATCH: SUNDAY, JANUARY 3, 2022<br />
ENID POLICE OFFICER<br />
BART LANE ARNOLD<br />
END OF WATCH: SUNDAY, JANUARY 3, 2022<br />
CASA GRANDE POLICE OFFICER<br />
JESUS “CHUY” LARA<br />
END OF WATCH: SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022<br />
NEWMAN POLICE OFFICER<br />
RICHARD LYNN TOSTENSON<br />
END OF WATCH: SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2022<br />
WILSON POLICE CAPTAIN<br />
REGINALD KAMAL SMITH<br />
END OF WATCH: SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, 2022<br />
WILL COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFF<br />
MICHAEL QUEENEY<br />
END OF WATCH: SUNDAY, JANUARY 8, 2022<br />
MILLER COUNTY DETENTION SERGEANT<br />
JANELL L. VISSER<br />
END OF WATCH: SUNDAY, JANUARY 9, 2022<br />
PRAIRIE CITY CHIEF OF POLICE<br />
MICHAEL E. GERMAN<br />
END OF WATCH: SUNDAY, JANUARY 13, 2022<br />
52 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 53
REMEMBERING THOSE WE’VE LOST<br />
Officers Lost Due to COVID in January 2022<br />
MADISON COUNTY INVESTIGATOR<br />
STEVEN RAY FINLEY<br />
END OF WATCH: SUNDAY, JANUARY 14, 2022<br />
OSWEGO COUNTY CORRECTIONS OFFICER<br />
MELISSA M. FRANCE<br />
END OF WATCH: SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2022<br />
WAYNE COUNTY CORPORAL<br />
ERNEST M. ROBINSON<br />
END OF WATCH: SUNDAY, JANUARY 18, 2022<br />
JEFFERSON COLLEGE CHIEF OF POLICE<br />
DON RIFFE<br />
END OF WATCH: SUNDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022<br />
VIDOR POLICE OFFICER<br />
CHIRSTOPHER BERRY<br />
END OF WATCH: SUNDAY, JANUARY 25, 2022<br />
When one falls,<br />
We all fall.<br />
POLICE OFFICER<br />
FRANKLIN JOE<br />
END OF WATCH: TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2022<br />
54 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 55
REMEMBERING THOSE WE’VE LOST<br />
Lost in the Line of Duty<br />
Trooper John Sumter Horton<br />
<strong>No</strong>rth Carolina Highway Patrol, <strong>No</strong>rth Carolina<br />
End of Watch Monday, January 3, 2022<br />
Age 42 Tour 15 Years Badge # G-236<br />
Trooper John Horton was struck and killed by a patrol car while conducting a<br />
traffic stop near the intersection of High Shoals Church Road and Goodes Grove<br />
Church Road in Mooresboro at about 9:00 pm. Trooper Horton had detained the<br />
driver of the vehicle and was standing on the shoulder of the roadway with the<br />
subject. Another trooper arriving on the scene to back him up lost control of his<br />
patrol car and collided with Trooper Horton’s patrol car, which was then pushed<br />
into Trooper Horton and the detained subject. The detained subject died at the<br />
scene, and Trooper Horton died after being transported to a hospital in Spartanburg,<br />
South Carolina.<br />
Trooper Horton had served with the <strong>No</strong>rth Carolina Highway Patrol for 15 years.<br />
He is survived by his wife, six children, parents, sister, and two brothers.<br />
Police Officer Diane Gonzalez<br />
New Haven Police Department, Connecticut<br />
End of Watch Monday, January 10, 2022<br />
Age N/A Tour N/A Badge # N/A<br />
Police Officer Diane Gonzalez succumbed to injuries sustained on September<br />
10th, 2008, when her patrol car collided with another patrol car while responding<br />
to a domestic violence call. Her patrol car collided with Sergeant Scott Aponte’s<br />
patrol car at the intersection of East Street and Chapel Street as they both<br />
responded to the same call. Sergeant Aponte was killed in the crash, and Officer<br />
Gonzalez suffered a traumatic brain injury, causing her to slip into a coma. She<br />
remained in a coma until succumbing to her injuries.<br />
Officer Gonzalez had served with the New Haven Police Department for 13 years<br />
at the time of the crash. She is survived by her son, two daughters, and grandchildren.<br />
Police Officer II Fernando Arroyos<br />
Los Angeles Police Department, California<br />
End of Watch Monday, January 10, 2022<br />
Age 27 Tour 3 Years Badge # 4<strong>38</strong>35<br />
Police Officer Fernando Arroyos was shot and killed as he took police action<br />
when three men attempted to rob him in the 1700 block of East 87th Street.<br />
He and his girlfriend had stopped to look at a house that was for sale and were<br />
crossing the street when the three men got out of a vehicle and attempted to<br />
rob them at gunpoint. Officer Arroyo directed his girlfriend to safety as the men<br />
opened fire on him. He was able to return fire and shot one of the men before<br />
being mortally wounded. Officer Arroyos was taken to a local hospital where he<br />
succumbed to his wounds. Three men and one woman, all members or associates<br />
of the Florencia 13 gang, were charged federally with violating a federal<br />
racketeering statute in connection with Officer Arroyos’ murder.<br />
Officer Arroyos had served with the Los Angeles Police Department for three<br />
years and was assigned to the Olympic Division. He is survived by his mother<br />
and stepfather.<br />
Police Officer Corille Jones<br />
Memphis Police Department, Tennessee<br />
End of Watch Thursday, January 20, 2022<br />
Age 32 Tour 1 Year 11 Months Badge # N/A<br />
Police Officer CJ Jones was killed in a vehicle crash at the intersection of<br />
East Shelby Drive and Pleasant Hill Road at about 2:30 am. Officer Jones was<br />
responding to a call when another vehicle collided with his patrol car. The driver<br />
of the other car was killed in the crash. Officer Jones was transported to a local<br />
hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.<br />
Officer Jones had served with the Memphis Police Department for almost two<br />
years. He is survived by his two children.<br />
56 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 57
REMEMBERING THOSE WE’VE LOST<br />
Lost in the Line of Duty<br />
Police Officer Tyler Lenehan<br />
Elk Grove Police Department, California<br />
End of Watch Friday, January 21, 2022<br />
Age 44 Tour 9 Years Badge # 281 Veteran<br />
Police Officer Ty Lenehan was killed when his police motorcycle was struck<br />
head-on by a drunk driver on State Highway 99, near 12th Avenue, in Sacramento.<br />
The drunk driver was traveling in the wrong direction on the divided<br />
highway at about 5:15 am when he struck Officer Lenehan. The man was<br />
arrested by members of the California Highway Patrol as he attempted to walk<br />
away from the scene. The subject, who had at least one prior DUI arrest, was<br />
charged with felony DUI.<br />
Officer Lenehan was a U.S. Air Force veteran and had served with the Elk<br />
Grove Police Department for six years. He had previously served with the Citrus<br />
Heights Police Department for four years and the Galt Police Department for two<br />
years. Officer Lenehan is survived by his wife, who is an officer with the Sacramento<br />
Police Department, and two children.<br />
Police Officer Jason Rivera<br />
New York City Police Department, New York<br />
End of Watch Friday, January 21, 2022<br />
School Resource Officer Johnny Patterson<br />
Lee County School District Police Dept., Mississippi<br />
End of Watch Friday, January 21, 2022<br />
Age 58 Tour 28 Years Badge # N/A<br />
School Resource Officer Johnny Patterson succumbed to injuries sustained on<br />
January 13th, 2022, when he was struck by a car while directing traffic on <strong>No</strong>ah<br />
Curtis Street in front of Shannon Primary School. He was directing traffic at the<br />
end of the school day when a vehicle struck the back of his patrol car, which<br />
was then pushed into him. He was transported to <strong>No</strong>rth Mississippi Medical<br />
Center where he remained on life support until his organs were donated on<br />
January 21st, <strong>2022.</strong><br />
Officer Patterson also served as the assistant chief of the Verona Police Department<br />
and had served in law enforcement for 28 years. He is survived by his<br />
wife, two sons, and several grandchildren.<br />
Police Officer Wilbert Mora<br />
New York City Police Department, New York<br />
End of Watch Tuesday, January 25, 2022<br />
Age 22 Tour 1 Year 3 Months Badge # 257<strong>38</strong><br />
Age 27 Tour 4 Years Badge # 15918<br />
Police Officer Jason Rivera and Police Officer Wilbert Mora were shot and killed<br />
Police Officer Wilbert Mora and Police Officer Jason Rivera were shot and killed<br />
when they responded with a third officer to the report of a domestic dispute call<br />
when they responded with a third officer to the report of a domestic dispute call<br />
in an apartment at 119 West 135th Street in Harlem. When the officers arrived<br />
in an apartment at 119 West 135th Street in Harlem. Officer Rivera and Officer<br />
at the apartment about 6:30 pm, they spoke with the suspect’s mother. Officer<br />
Mora were transported to Harlem Hospital in grave condition. Officer Rivera<br />
Rivera and Officer Mora went to the rear of the apartment to interview the suspect<br />
succumbed to his wounds a short time later. Officer Mora died four days later.<br />
while the third officer stayed with the mother. As the officers approached<br />
the door to a bedroom the suspect was in, the suspect opened the door and immediately<br />
Officer Mora had served with the New York City Police Department for four years<br />
began to fire at the officers, striking Officer Rivera and Officer Mora.<br />
and was assigned to the 32nd Precinct.<br />
The third officer returned fire, killing the suspect.<br />
Officer Rivera had served with the New York City Police Department for just<br />
over a year and was assigned to the 32nd Precinct. He is survived by his wife of<br />
58 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE three months.<br />
The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 59
REMEMBERING THOSE WE’VE LOST<br />
Lost in the Line of Duty<br />
Special Agent Anthony Salas<br />
Texas Department of Public Safety -<br />
Criminal Investigations Division, Texas<br />
End of Watch Saturday, January 22, 2022<br />
Age 37 Tour 9 Years Badge # N/A<br />
Special Agent Anthony Salas was killed in an accident near Eagle Pass, Texas,<br />
while conducting joint tactical operations with the United States Border Patrol’s<br />
BORTAC unit. He was flown to University Hospital in San Antonio where he succumbed<br />
to his injuries the following day.<br />
Special Agent Salas was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. He had served with the<br />
Texas Department of Public Safety for nine years and was assigned to the Special<br />
Operations Group.<br />
Corporal Charles Galloway<br />
Harris County Constable’s Office - Precinct 5, Texas<br />
End of Watch Sunday, January 23, 2022<br />
Age 47 Tour 12 years 6 Months Badge # N/A<br />
Corporal Charles Galloway was shot and killed while conducting a traffic stop in<br />
the 9100 block of Beechnut Street at about 12:45 am.<br />
The driver of the vehicle he stopped exited the car and opened fire, killing Corporal<br />
Galloway. The man then fled the scene in his car and remains at large.<br />
Corporal Galloway had served with the Harris County Constable’s Office - Precinct<br />
5 for 12 years. He is survived by his daughter and sisters.<br />
Sergeant Ramon Gutierrez<br />
Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Texas<br />
End of Watch Monday, January 24, 2022<br />
Age 45 Tour 20 Years Badge # N/A<br />
Sergeant Ramon Gutierrez was struck and killed by a drunk driver on the East<br />
Beltway feeder road near Tidwell Road at about 1:00 am. He was providing an<br />
escort for a permitted heavy load and was directing traffic while blocking an exit<br />
ramp. The woman drove around his police motorcycle and struck him before<br />
fleeing the scene. Another deputy stopped the woman a short distance away<br />
and placed her under arrest. She was charged with intoxication manslaughter<br />
of a police officer, failure to stop and render aid, and evading arrest/detention<br />
in a motor vehicle. Sergeant Gutierrez was flown to Memorial Hermann Hospital<br />
where he succumbed to his injuries.<br />
Sergeant Gutierrez had served with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office for 20<br />
years and was assigned to the Vehicular Crimes Division. He is survived by his<br />
wife and three children.<br />
Officer Chris Berry<br />
Vidor Police Department, Texas<br />
End of Watch Tuesday, January 25, 2022<br />
Age 55 Tour 30 Years Badge # N/A<br />
The Vidor Police Department has received confirmation from the Jefferson<br />
County Medical Examiner’s Office that Officer Chris Berry’s death is Covid related.<br />
His death will be treated as a Line of Duty Death under HB 541. (Enacted<br />
by the Texas Legislature in 2021)<br />
Officer Berry was recovering from a Covid related illness when his wife found<br />
his body Tuesday evening at their home.<br />
Officer Berry was a 30 year law enforcement veteran who had served the<br />
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Pinehurst Police Department, Newton County<br />
Sheriff’s Office and most recently the Vidor Police Department. Officer Berry<br />
joined the Vidor Police Department in August 2021.<br />
60 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 61
REMEMBERING THOSE WE’VE LOST<br />
Lost in the Line of Duty<br />
Deputy Sheriff <strong>No</strong>ah Rainey<br />
Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, Indiana<br />
End of Watch Saturday, January 29, 2022<br />
Age N/A Tour 7 Years Badge # N/A<br />
Deputy Sheriff <strong>No</strong>ah Rainey and Corrections Officer Dane <strong>No</strong>rthcutt were killed<br />
in a vehicle crash in Sedalia, Indiana, while responding to assist a member of<br />
the Rossville Marshal’s Office during a vehicle pursuit. He was responding along<br />
Route 26 when his vehicle left the roadway near Washington Street and struck a<br />
utility pole. Other members of the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office and the Indiana<br />
State Police came across the crash while also responding to the pursuit. They<br />
immediately began to render aid but both Deputy Rainey and Officer <strong>No</strong>rthcutt,<br />
who was a passenger in the patrol car, succumbed to their injuries.<br />
Deputy Rainey had served with the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office as a full-time<br />
deputy for three years and as a reserve deputy for one year. He had previously<br />
served with the Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Office for three years and the Indiana<br />
Department of Correction for one year.<br />
Deputy Sheriff Lorin Marie Readmond<br />
Loving County Sheriff’s Office, Texas<br />
End of Watch Saturday, January 29, 2022<br />
Age 41 Tour 7 Years 1 Month Badge # LC106<br />
Deputy Sheriff Lorin Readmond was killed in a vehicle collision while en route to<br />
assist another deputy who had made a traffic stop at about 4:30 pm.<br />
A tractor-trailer attempted to turn in front of her patrol car on Highway 302,<br />
causing a fatal collision.<br />
Deputy Readmond was a U.S. Navy Reserve veteran. She had served with the<br />
Loving County Sheriff’s Office for almost three years and had previously served<br />
with the Hudspeth County Sheriff’s Office for over four years. She is survived by<br />
her mother, sister, and three brothers.<br />
Jail Deputy Dane <strong>No</strong>rthcutt<br />
Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, Indiana<br />
End of Watch Saturday, January 29, 2022<br />
Age N/A Tour N/A Badge # N/A<br />
Jail Deputy Dane <strong>No</strong>rthcutt and Deputy Sheriff <strong>No</strong>ah Rainey were killed in a<br />
vehicle crash in Sedalia, Indiana, while responding to assist a member of the<br />
Rossville Marshal’s Office during a vehicle pursuit.<br />
Deputy Rainey was responding along Route 26 when his vehicle left the roadway<br />
near Washington Street and struck a utility pole. Other members of the<br />
Carroll County Sheriff’s Office and the Indiana State Police came across the<br />
crash while also responding to the pursuit. They immediately began to render<br />
aid but both Deputy Rainey and Deputy <strong>No</strong>rthcutt, who was a passenger in the<br />
patrol car, succumbed to their injuries.<br />
Police Officer Donald Sahota<br />
Vancouver Police Department, Washington<br />
End of Watch Saturday, January 29, 2022<br />
Age 52 Tour 7 Years Badge # N/A<br />
Police Officer Donald Sahota was inadvertently shot and killed by a Clark County<br />
Sheriff’s Office deputy while attempting to apprehend a robbery suspect who<br />
was attempting to break into his home.<br />
Officer Sahota had served with the Vancouver Police Department for over seven<br />
years. He had previously served with the Gresham Police Department and the<br />
Port of Portland Police Department in Oregon. He is survived by his wife and two<br />
children.<br />
62 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 63
Texas Peace Officer<br />
Police Officer<br />
Franklin Joe<br />
Lone Star College Police Dept., Houston<br />
End of Watch Tuesday, January 4, 2022<br />
64 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 65
Texas Peace Officer<br />
Texas Peace Officer<br />
Sheriff’s Deputy<br />
Amanda “Mandi” Crowder<br />
Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Houston<br />
End of Watch Tuesday, January 18, 2022<br />
Special Agent<br />
Anthony Salas<br />
Texas Dept. of Public Safety, Austin<br />
End of Watch Saturday, January 22, 2022<br />
66 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 67
Texas Peace Officer<br />
Texas Peace Officer<br />
Corporal<br />
Charles Galloway<br />
Harris County Constable Pct. 5, Houston<br />
End of Watch Sunday, January 23, 2022<br />
Sergeant<br />
Ramon Gutierrez<br />
Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Houston<br />
End of Watch Monday, January 24, 2022<br />
68 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 69
Texas Peace Officer<br />
Texas Peace Officer<br />
Officer<br />
Christopher Berry<br />
Vidor Police Dept., Vidor<br />
End of Watch Tuesday, January 25, 2022<br />
Sheriff’s Deputy<br />
Lorin Marie Readmond<br />
Loving County Sheriff’s Office, Mentone<br />
End of Watch Tuesday, January 29, 2022<br />
70 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 71
HARRIS COUNTY JAILS<br />
Overcrowding, assaults, sexual assaults, fights, COVID, and lawsuits.<br />
By Michael Barron<br />
As far back as I can remember, The Harris County Jail<br />
System has always been over-populated and understaffed.<br />
Lawsuits, inmate complaints as well as horrible<br />
work conditions have been an on-going problem in<br />
the county since the 1970’s.<br />
Harris County’s overcrowding issues became big<br />
news in 1972 when a prisoner, named Lawrence Alberti<br />
filed a lawsuit against the county charging that conditions<br />
in the county jail amounted to cruel and unusual<br />
punishment. (As someone who worked just one week<br />
in the old 301 Jail, I can attest it was cruel for both inmates<br />
and deputies)<br />
The lawsuit eventually became a class action lawsuit,<br />
including all Harris County inmates as plaintiffs. The<br />
Alberti lawsuit forced the county to build additional<br />
jails and make changes to its entire jail system.<br />
This month we look at the problems,<br />
inside the Harris County Jails.<br />
THE PLAYERS<br />
72 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 73<br />
72 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 73
2310 Atascocita Rd<br />
HCSO Academy & Detention Center<br />
301 San Jacinto,<br />
HCSO Headquarters & Jail<br />
1945-1983<br />
In 1980, there were two major jails in Harris<br />
County. The main jail located at 301 San Jacinto<br />
and the Rehab at 2301 Atascocita Rd. in Humble.<br />
Each county substation also had an outlying jail<br />
that held prisoners until a ‘paddy wagon’ made a<br />
daily run to transport inmates downtown for processing.<br />
The 301 facility was also the headquarters of the<br />
Harris County Sheriff’s Dept. Three floors housed<br />
inmates while the basement had the booking,<br />
kitchen, laundry, and releasing areas. The commissary<br />
operated in a room on one of the housing<br />
floors. 301 was designed to hold 409 inmates and<br />
but at times had as many as 1000 inmates, most of<br />
which were sleeping on the floors.<br />
The Detention Center ‘Rehab’, located in Atascocita<br />
just outside of Humble, northeast of Houston,<br />
consisted of a 1250 inmate facility housed in a<br />
three-floor housing unit. There was a large inmate<br />
visitors center, laundry, inmate processing and a<br />
classification area. It too was over crowed with inmates<br />
often sleeping on the floor under bunks. The<br />
front of the rehab also housed the Harris County<br />
Sheriff’s Academy.<br />
The Houston Police Department also operated its<br />
own jail at 61 Reisner Street in downtown Houston.<br />
Every day, HPD officers arrived at the county jail<br />
with “the city drag” a new batch of city prisoners<br />
that had to be booked and processed.<br />
The first jail to be built in the aftermath of the<br />
Alberti lawsuit was the 850,000 square foot facility<br />
at 1301 Franklin, also in downtown Houston.<br />
The ‘new’ jail opened on September 13, 1982 and<br />
consisted of 13 stories and an inmate processing<br />
center in the basement. The Sheriff’s administrative<br />
offices moved out of the old 301 building and<br />
were located on the first floor of the new building.<br />
The tiny one-room dispatch area at 301 also moved<br />
into a larger more modern facility at 1301.<br />
This new modern jail had the capacity to house<br />
around 4,000 inmates but at times held up to<br />
6,000. The 1301 jail remained open until January<br />
23, 2003, when a newer more modern jail was<br />
built on Baker Street a mile or so away. After Hurricane<br />
Harvey flooded downtown Houston, the 1301<br />
building is scheduled to be demolished soon. The<br />
only thing living there now is bayou snakes.<br />
701 Jail<br />
To alleviate overcrowding at 1301 and to satisfy<br />
the Texas Jail Commission, a newer even more<br />
modern jail was built at 701 <strong>No</strong>rth San Jacinto<br />
Street and became one of the largest detention facilities<br />
in the United States. The five-story building<br />
was formerly a cold storage warehouse, The Houston<br />
Terminal Warehouse and Cold Storage Facility,<br />
that began operations in the late 1920s.<br />
Harris County began the planning and design<br />
stage of its new jail in 1986 and two years later<br />
completed the process and began thawing out the<br />
cold storage portion of the building. In December<br />
of 1989, construction on the facility began and the<br />
facility was gutted, and two additional floors were<br />
added. Harris County stated that the re-use of the<br />
warehouse saved the county about $21 million.<br />
The 701 Jail opened for business in August 1991.<br />
The seven-floor jail had a total of 4,144 inmate<br />
beds 3418 of which are in use today.) About 600<br />
sheriff’s deputies and detention officers work in<br />
61 Riesner St.<br />
Former Houston Police Dept. Jail<br />
1301 Franklin<br />
HCSO Headquarters & Jail<br />
1983-2003<br />
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the facility today. The county designates the 701<br />
Jail as a “Direct Observation” facility, which means<br />
staff members monitor inmates continuously for<br />
24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In 2002 the 701 Jail<br />
was the second largest jail in the U.S., with the Los<br />
Angeles County Men’s Central Jail of the LA County<br />
Sheriff’s Department being the largest. Today,<br />
Harris County ranks 3rd in the U.S. Behind LA and<br />
Rikers Island in New York.<br />
The 1200 Jail<br />
In early 2000, with the jail population approaching<br />
10,000, Harris County needed yet another facility<br />
to house inmates and a newer, even more modern<br />
facility was built at 1200 Baker Street. The new<br />
complex officially opened on January 23, 2003.<br />
Once again, the administrative offices of the<br />
Sheriff’s Department were on the move to this<br />
603,000 square foot facility which also came with<br />
a 100,000 square foot parking garage. (Something<br />
that was sorely missing from the 1301 Franklin<br />
location) This new jail was designed to hold 4,156<br />
regular beds, 124 beds for the Medical Division,<br />
and 96 beds for MHMRA. The building is the width<br />
of football field, and two football fields in length.<br />
(Due to COVID restrictions, 3,779 beds are available<br />
and in use at 1200)<br />
Today 430 sheriff’s deputies and detention officers<br />
work at the facility. The facility also houses<br />
an inmate classification center.<br />
JPC - Joint Processing Center<br />
The Joint Processing Center (JPC) project, located<br />
at 700 N. San Jacinto, is a partnership between<br />
Harris County and the City of Houston that<br />
consolidated all Houston Police Department (HPD)<br />
and Harris County Jail prisoner processing operations<br />
into one modern facility. The JPC allowed<br />
the city to close its’ jails and redeploy 100 HPD<br />
officers back to the streets. The JPC also allowed<br />
the HCSO to replace an old, undersized facility and<br />
modernize its outdated operating systems.<br />
With a basement, three full floors and a secure<br />
tunnel connection to other county facilities, the<br />
1200 Baker Street<br />
NEW HCSO Headquarters & Jail<br />
Opened 2003<br />
701 <strong>No</strong>rth San Jacinto<br />
Largest Jail in the US when Built<br />
Opened 1991<br />
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700 N. San Jacinto<br />
NEW Joint Processing Center (JPC)<br />
Opened 2019<br />
246,000-square-foot JPC facility serves the nation’s<br />
third largest county jail system. The JPC facilitates<br />
the efficient intake and release processing of approximately<br />
800 detainees daily, and also includes<br />
552 direct supervision housing beds.<br />
The new JPC was built using an open seating operational<br />
model, thus creating a more efficient, normative<br />
environment for all facility users. This model<br />
allows the Sheriff’s Office to proactively supervise<br />
all detainees, thus enhancing overall safety and<br />
security. In addition, the open model expedites the<br />
flow of inbound and outbound detainees by reduc-<br />
ing the need for officers to escort prisoners in/out<br />
of holding cells to perform the various processing<br />
functions. The JPC also contains some holding<br />
cells for those detainees who are disruptive or<br />
need protective status. The JPC has 545 beds.<br />
711 Jail<br />
The County also houses 144 inmates, mostly<br />
trustees assigned to outside areas of the downtown<br />
facilities, at a facility located at 711 San<br />
Jacinto Street.<br />
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Over Crowding/ It Never Goes Away<br />
<strong>No</strong>w that you know the layout and history of<br />
Harris Counties jails, let’s look at the operational<br />
side and see what led to yet another jail lawsuit,<br />
except this time, HC employees filed the suit not<br />
the inmates.<br />
Between 2004 and 2009 the population of the<br />
Harris County jails increased from 7,648 to 11,546.<br />
In 2012, the Harris County jail facilities had a combined<br />
capacity for 9,434 inmates. Even with new<br />
jails online, the county jail system was over- populated.<br />
In late 2012, 1600 inmates were eventually<br />
transferred to Louisiana to serve out their sentences.<br />
In January of last year, with COVID running rampant<br />
in Harris County, there was a rising concern<br />
that the jails could become a hotbed for COVID as<br />
it neared 97% capacity. With almost 9,000 inmates<br />
housed between the two jails, 60 had contracted<br />
the virus since the start of the year. Almost 2600<br />
tested positive since the pandemic began and six<br />
of those died.<br />
The threat of overcrowding forced the sheriff’s<br />
office to request aid from Commissioner’s Court<br />
to help fight the spread of the virus. The Court<br />
approved its request for $23.8 million in funds<br />
to cover operating costs while courts slowed to<br />
a snail’s pace, forcing the jail to hold even more<br />
inmates waiting for trial.<br />
In December 2021, Sheriff Gonzalez made a request<br />
to Commissioners to outsource up to 500 inmates<br />
to a jail outside of Harris County in an effort<br />
to reduce the overcrowding. The court agreed and<br />
in January 2022 those inmates were transferred<br />
to a private correctional company called LaSalle<br />
Corrections in Olla , LA.<br />
In a Houston Chronicle interview, the Sheriff<br />
stated, “The number of maximum (security) classification<br />
individuals is at an all-time high,” Gonzalez<br />
said. “If we add medium security, which are<br />
not necessarily a low-level inmate, you’re looking<br />
at almost 8,000 people that are either medium or<br />
maximum. There is no other facility in the entire<br />
state of Texas, no state prison and no county jail,<br />
that comes close to these kinds of numbers.”<br />
The start of 2022 didn’t show any signs things<br />
would change either. On a given day, the jail continued<br />
to average about 9,000 people detained in<br />
total. Gonzalez said people are being booked at<br />
a higher rate than those being released. With the<br />
courts running so far behind, inmates have been<br />
waiting up to 28-30 months before they go to trial.<br />
Of course, the ones who should be locked up, the<br />
repeat offenders charged with felonies, are released<br />
on no or low bonds and continue to commit<br />
crimes throughout the city and county.<br />
With a jail system at capacity and above, too<br />
few deputies to supervise them properly, the result<br />
is an unprecedented number of violent assaults<br />
and fights among the inmates, as well as the staff.<br />
As of December 31, 2021, there have been a total<br />
of 10,519 violent incidents reported with 1341 assaults<br />
on staff and 9178 reported violent assaults<br />
or fights among the inmates in 2021 alone.<br />
Back in 2019, there were only 181 assaults on<br />
inmates. This doesn’t include assaults on inmates<br />
that are considered mutual combat (fighting) but<br />
are determined to be one-sided events that resulted<br />
in medical care. That same year, there were 46<br />
documented assaults on detention staff.<br />
Harris County Jail Employees<br />
File Federal Lawsuit Over<br />
Working Conditions<br />
Deputies, detention officers and others say public<br />
safety is at risk if the county doesn’t provide funds<br />
for more staff.<br />
This rise in violence against HC deputies and<br />
detention officers led to the Harris County Deputies<br />
Union FOP Lodge 39 filing a federal class-action<br />
lawsuit on behalf of the Employees of the Harris<br />
County Jail accusing the county of refusing to<br />
properly fund and staff the facility.<br />
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It asserts that as a result, employees are working<br />
extreme hours and mandatory overtime, which it<br />
says puts both them and jail inmates at risk and<br />
doesn’t meet requirements set by the Texas Commission<br />
on Jail Standards.<br />
“There’s so many knives and shanks that have<br />
been discovered, it’s incredible that there’s not<br />
more prisoners that have died and more employees<br />
that have not been stabbed,” Harris County Deputies<br />
Organization President David Cuevas said.<br />
He said due to the shortage, jailers are not even<br />
allowed bathroom breaks.<br />
And the issue extends to outside of the jail as<br />
well, he said.<br />
“They’re now requiring our patrol deputies to<br />
help supplement our jails,” Cuevas said. “That is<br />
creating a further violent risk out in the community.”<br />
The plaintiffs are jail supervisors, deputies,<br />
detention officers, medical officers and civilian<br />
personnel who have worked at the county jail in<br />
the past two years. They are identified only as John<br />
and Jane Does for fear of retaliation.<br />
Named as defendants are Harris County, Sheriff<br />
Ed Gonzalez, as well as County Judge Linda Hidalgo<br />
and each county commissioner.<br />
The plaintiffs are not asking for monetary damages<br />
but for the county to provide sufficient funding<br />
and staffing for the jail and to implement “reasonable<br />
policies, procedures, and practices,” such<br />
as bathroom and lunch breaks. According to the<br />
lawsuit, whenever the employees have complained<br />
to the county about the conditions, their pleas have<br />
been ignored.<br />
“The only result of these attempts has been longer<br />
working hours and further intolerable conditions,”<br />
it states.<br />
Cuevas said the jail needs at least 500 additional<br />
deputies and detention officers.<br />
According to the lawsuit, about 2,500 people<br />
currently work at the jail, including civilians. The<br />
total inmate population remains around 9,000.<br />
“This didn’t happen overnight,” Cuevas said. “But<br />
it’s been manifesting and brewing over the last few<br />
years, and the current court is not addressing the<br />
issue.”<br />
When asked about the lawsuit, Hidalgo acknowledged<br />
that jail overcrowding has been a problem.<br />
She blamed a backlog of criminal cases that started<br />
when Harvey flooded the courthouse in 2017 and<br />
was made worse by the pandemic. Hidalgo called<br />
the lawsuit itself political and said the timing coincides<br />
with her reelection campaign.<br />
“It was filed with the press before it was filed<br />
with the court,” she said, alluding to an interview<br />
Cuevas did with local television about the lawsuit a<br />
day before it was filed. “So, it just tells you it was a<br />
stunt, a political thing.”<br />
Actually the lawsuit was filed the day of the press<br />
conference, but the federal clerks had an issue with<br />
the size of the lawsuit and it wasn’t served until<br />
later in the day.<br />
“We sincerely hope that this lawsuit filed against<br />
Harris County can be a catalyst for change inside<br />
the Harris County Jail. <strong>No</strong> employee should be<br />
subject to the conditions that have been allowed to<br />
happen in Harris County – working five 12-16 hour<br />
shifts, peeing in bags under desks because there<br />
are not enough employees to give relief breaks,<br />
and the daily assaults on staff. Female employees<br />
are constantly subject to sexual harassment and<br />
assaults because inmate discipline is a joke. The<br />
inmates have been allowed to run the facility and<br />
that has to stop. The safety of the employees and<br />
the inmates are at risk and Harris County needs to<br />
continue to make meaningful changes for the safety<br />
of their own employees,” remarked Robin Mcllhenny<br />
Foster, HCDO FOP attorney.<br />
Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, in an email, said the strain<br />
on the county’s criminal justice system and public<br />
health system by the pandemic has been “unyielding<br />
and unprecedented,”<br />
“Everyone with a stake in ensuring Harris County<br />
public safety recognizes that our current trajectory<br />
is unsustainable,” he continued. “We all understand<br />
we must do more to reduce violent crime, address<br />
the backlog of cases in our courts, and improve the<br />
working conditions of our dedicated public servants.<br />
As sheriff, I am committed to working with<br />
all partners on solutions that keep us safe.”<br />
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In the lawsuit, the employees provided accounts<br />
of sexual violence and assaults that occurred on a<br />
daily basis. They were certain that if the conditions<br />
in the jail didn’t change, someone would be seriously<br />
injured or even killed.<br />
Then on December 6, 2021, those fears came true<br />
when a female sergeant was attacked, beaten<br />
and sexually assaulted inside her office at the 1200<br />
Baker Street Jail. The assault occurred at 2pm by<br />
a 27-year-old inmate named Jeremiah Williams,<br />
who according to jail personnel, shouldn’t have<br />
been alone and was classified to always have an<br />
escort while outside his cell. The sergeant, who<br />
was beaten and sexually assaulted, was initially<br />
treated in the jail clinic but eventually transported<br />
to Hermann Hospital for treatment.<br />
“We had one of our employee representatives<br />
go down to the hospital and he said it’s the worst<br />
beating he’s ever seen in his 46-year career,” said<br />
David Cuevas, “It’s shaken our agency to the core.”<br />
Williams, was in jail on charges of sexual assault<br />
and attempted sexual assault from two attacks<br />
on September 8, 2020, that occurred within<br />
minutes of each other at a west Harris County<br />
Park. In one of those attacks, deputies said Williams<br />
punched a 45-year-old jogger in the face<br />
and body before sexually assaulting her. Minutes<br />
later, Williams allegedly ran up behind a 27-yearold<br />
jogger and tackled her to the ground but fortunately,<br />
she was able to escape.<br />
“The brutal attack of our Sheriff’s Office teammate<br />
warrants a thorough and swift investigation,”<br />
said Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez in an interview<br />
on a local TV station. “Uncovering all the<br />
relevant facts related to this alleged assault is a<br />
top priority as we seek answers and justice. All our<br />
brave employees deserve to feel safe, and we will<br />
do everything to protect them. Our team’s immediate<br />
focus is offering a range of full support to our<br />
team member.”<br />
“There’s not enough people in that jail. I keep<br />
saying that. I keep warning them. I keep telling<br />
them and they don’t listen,” said David Batton, attorney<br />
for the deputies’ organization.<br />
Less than a week later, two more detention officers,<br />
a male and a female, were assaulted and<br />
both sustained injuries that required them to both<br />
be transported to the hospital. Both officers were<br />
experienced detention officers with over 10 years<br />
of experience each.<br />
“The male had a broken ankle and a broken nose.<br />
His jaw was swollen but not broken but he had<br />
a black eye. The female had swelling in her head<br />
and lacerations. She was struck many times in the<br />
head by the inmate,” said Robin Mcilhenny, an attorney<br />
for the Harris County Deputies Organization.<br />
The Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Jarell Barrow,<br />
who is currently in jail on capital murder charges,<br />
is the suspect in the attacks. The Harris County<br />
district attorney’s office said 20-year-old Barrow<br />
is now facing several additional charges.<br />
Here are two excerpts from the lawsuit filed<br />
against Harris County:<br />
274. Jane Doe 20 was assigned as a rover on the<br />
6th floor of 701 on June 10, 2021. She went to do<br />
CorreTrak rounds in Cellblock 6F. That cellblock<br />
has four pods designed to hold twenty-four inmates<br />
each. Jane Doe 20 had made CorreTrak<br />
rounds in the first two cells and was in the third<br />
(6F2-3) when she was assaulted. The QR codes<br />
have been moved inside the cells, so she had to<br />
physically enter the cell to do her job. According to<br />
policy, there should have been another detention<br />
officer at the doorway when she entered the cell,<br />
but there was not because the jail is too shorthanded.<br />
6F2-3 is a two-tier cell. She had reached<br />
the top of the stairs when she noticed an inmate<br />
had his hand inside his pants and was masturbating.<br />
She told the inmate to take his hand out of his<br />
pants. It appeared the inmate was going to comply,<br />
but moments later she saw him approaching<br />
her through her peripheral vision. The inmate<br />
stated something to the effect of, “I’m going to<br />
get some, some kind of way.” The inmate grabbed<br />
Jane Doe 20’s left breast. She tried to push him<br />
away and he tried to grab her vagina. Jane Doe 20<br />
circled around the bunk to get away from him, but<br />
he jumped through the bottom bunk and grabbed<br />
her pants from behind. Jane Doe 20 tried to punch<br />
the inmate but missed and struck the concrete<br />
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pillar and broke her right hand. Another inmate<br />
got between her and the inmate that was trying<br />
to rape her and she was able to go downstairs.<br />
As she exited the door the responding rovers were<br />
coming in and she identified the inmate that had<br />
assaulted her. She was told by Harris County, that<br />
in order for charges to be filed she would have to<br />
write a report before going to the hospital. That<br />
took a while because she had to type with one<br />
finger. When that was done, she went to the 701<br />
clinics. The staff there wrapped her hand in ice<br />
and sent her to the Memorial Herman emergency<br />
room. At the hospital she learned her hand was<br />
broken.<br />
275. Jane Doe 7 worked on the 6th floor at the<br />
time of the assault on Jane Doe 20. She states that<br />
the inmate that assaulted Jane Doe 20 was well<br />
known for masturbating in front of female staff,<br />
but staff felt powerless to have him moved or disciplined<br />
for his actions. After the assault, however,<br />
he was moved to another floor.<br />
Besides the lawsuit, Harris County has to contend<br />
with ongoing jail inspections conducted by<br />
the Texas Commission on Jail Standards. The last<br />
inspection was held on <strong>No</strong>vember 15-17, 2021, and<br />
The Commission found that deficiencies existed<br />
in the jails and the county was given 14 days to<br />
correct them.<br />
The report stated: “While reviewing the faceto-face<br />
observations from the 1200 Baker Street<br />
and 701 N. San Jacinto jail facilities, the inspection<br />
team observed multiple checks that were late<br />
with as much as 90-144 minutes lapsing between<br />
rounds. In some instances, comments were entered<br />
into the system revealing why rounds were<br />
conducted late and included such remarks as short<br />
staffed, no rover available, the Corretrk system did<br />
not update. There were several occasions where<br />
no comment was entered into the system indicating<br />
why the observation round was conducted<br />
late. This was an area of deficiently during the last<br />
annual inspection.” The report indicated that the<br />
county had to submit a plan of action within the<br />
next 14 days to the lead inspector Byron Shelton,<br />
detailing how the county was going to correct the<br />
deficiency.<br />
The report also stated “That the jail was utilizing<br />
supervisors and essential personal such as intake<br />
personnel to work housing unit assignments in<br />
order to meet the officer to inmate ratio of 1:48.<br />
This is being done on a regular and ongoing basis<br />
which does not all these personnel to perform<br />
their regular duties. Minimal staffing has a direct<br />
impact on the ability to provide a safe and secure<br />
environment for inmates and staff in areas such<br />
as enforcing inmate rules, ensuring inmates clean<br />
housing areas, provide for sufficient staff to support<br />
housing officers and has possible contributed<br />
to an increase in inmate-on-inmate assaults and<br />
inmate on officer assaults.”<br />
The commission ordered the county to submit a<br />
plan within 14 days on how they intended to correct<br />
these deficiencies.<br />
The Sheriff likes to state that the jail is meeting<br />
the 1 to 48 ratio but the way the jail buildings are<br />
laid out, the housing floor can meet ratio and still<br />
not be able to function. There are some floors that<br />
can meet ratio and not even have enough people<br />
to man all the essential stations for the care,<br />
custody, and control of the inmates. The important<br />
factor is if the jail is doing its essential functions<br />
such as the mandated rounds, the contraband<br />
searches, and inmate control. These things are not<br />
happening, and the jail is not functioning even if<br />
the math on paper shows compliance with the 1:48<br />
ratio.<br />
The increase in assaults across the board is reason<br />
enough for Commissioners to act immediately<br />
to hire 500 to 1000 new officers to correct this situation.<br />
If they don’t act, the next assault on a staff<br />
member may result in that officer’s death instead<br />
of a trip to the hospital.<br />
Next month, we’ll look into the staffing issues<br />
at the Harris County SO and see how 345 deputies<br />
patrol 1,778 square miles and protect 2 million<br />
people.<br />
HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE<br />
Violent Incident Displinary<br />
Statistics<br />
Jan. 2016 - Sept. 2021<br />
Assaults on Inmates 7,755<br />
Assaults on Staff 1,995<br />
Fights 6,650<br />
Total 16,400<br />
Jan. 2021 - Dec. 2021<br />
Assaults on Inmates 5,156<br />
Assaults on Staff 1.341<br />
Fights 4,025<br />
Total 10,522<br />
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BY SGT. MICHAEL BARRON, RET.<br />
Case Solved in 30 Minutes or Less<br />
I was only a block away when<br />
the call dropped. “Fight in progress,<br />
man fighting with young<br />
female at the Bridgestone Apartments,<br />
Apartment 203, possible<br />
weapon involved.” As soon as I<br />
turned into the complex, I saw<br />
a crowd of people gathered in<br />
the parking lot in a circle. Well, I<br />
guess the fight had moved downstairs.<br />
See this wasn’t my first<br />
time at Apt 203. In fact, I knew<br />
both tenants very well. Angelia<br />
and Marcus Smith. Common-law<br />
man and wife, boyfriend/girlfriend,<br />
fightee and fighter. As I<br />
called out, I thought here we go<br />
again. Same ole bullshit.<br />
As I walked up, the crowd<br />
backed up and there on the<br />
ground in a pool of blood was<br />
Angelia. Her head flattened<br />
against the concrete sidewalk,<br />
her leg twisted and obviously<br />
broken. I felt for a pulse and<br />
nothing. All the times I’d been<br />
there, all the drama, all for nothing.<br />
I called for a supervisor, detectives,<br />
ambulance, Crime Scene<br />
Unit and notify the ME. It’s going<br />
to a long night.<br />
• • •<br />
I first met this lovely couple<br />
about two years ago. They had<br />
moved to Spring from Gulf Port,<br />
Mississippi. I really don’t remember<br />
why, but they were both<br />
Meth heads and nothing they<br />
ever said really made any sense.<br />
Marcus worked construction and<br />
Angelia did a little bit of everything.<br />
When they needed a fix<br />
between paydays, Marcus would<br />
send Angelia out to do tricks so<br />
they could score some crystal.<br />
Then he would beat the crap out<br />
of her when he got wasted for<br />
whoring around. Dude, you sent<br />
her out to get money to score<br />
your dope. <strong>No</strong>w you’re beating<br />
her for doing exactly what you<br />
asked her to do. WTF.<br />
<strong>No</strong>w mind you all this took<br />
place in the early 80’s and Domestic<br />
Violence laws weren’t a<br />
thing yet. The wife/girlfriend had<br />
to appear as the complainant<br />
not the State. And every single<br />
time I took ole Marcus to jail and<br />
filed on him, Angelia would drop<br />
the charges.<br />
“But I really love him, and he<br />
loves me. He says he’s sorry and<br />
that he didn’t mean to hit me.”<br />
Over and over again I’d show<br />
up, file a report and file charges.<br />
She’d either drop the charges or<br />
refuse to go to court. And the<br />
ADA would yell and scream at<br />
me every time. Once, she even<br />
asked if she could ride to the jail<br />
with us so she could bail him<br />
out.<br />
“Sure Angelia, get in the back<br />
seat with him. I have to handcuff<br />
you, it’s policy” <strong>No</strong>w I’m gonna<br />
book your stupid ass for PI and<br />
whatever the else I can think of,<br />
to put your ass in jail with him.<br />
Didn’t matter, they were both<br />
out the next day and within<br />
hours fighting again. They moved<br />
to a dozen different apartment<br />
complexes over the past twenty-four<br />
months, as apartment<br />
managers grew tired of the police<br />
kicking in doors to stop the<br />
fights.<br />
On two different occasions, I<br />
actually helped her move out.<br />
I rented her a van, helped her<br />
move what little stuff she had<br />
while Marcus was at work. I<br />
enrolled her in a drug rehab and<br />
signed her up to get help from<br />
the women’s shelter. The first<br />
time she stayed away a couple<br />
of months. Then “she missed<br />
her man” and low and behold<br />
one Friday night I’m back at yet<br />
another apartment complex and<br />
he’s beaten the crap out of her…<br />
again. He goes to jail, she cries,<br />
yada yada.<br />
The second moveout was different,<br />
or so I thought. I checked<br />
her into a new Drug Treatment<br />
Center that had opened in downtown,<br />
and it was locked down<br />
tight. Check-in and you don’t get<br />
out until you’re clean and ready<br />
to move on with your life. Angelia<br />
stayed inside for six months<br />
and according to her counselor,<br />
she was really doing well. She<br />
had met a really nice guy inside<br />
and was ready to start a new<br />
life. BUT. She got released and<br />
he didn’t. I heard she kept visiting<br />
him while staying at a nearby<br />
women’s shelter.<br />
Eight months had passed, and<br />
I was actually pretty proud that<br />
I had taken a meth head and got<br />
her rehabilitated and stopped a<br />
string of violence between her<br />
and Marcus that would have had<br />
a tragic ending, at least in my<br />
mind anyway. Then early one<br />
Wednesday night, I got a disturbance<br />
call at the Bridgestone<br />
Apartments, Apt. 203. Imagine<br />
the look on my face when I<br />
walked in an open door and saw<br />
Angelia sitting on a couch with a<br />
bloody nose. Are you serious?<br />
What the hell are you even<br />
doing up here Angelia? I broke<br />
up with Steven (the rehab boyfriend)<br />
and I missed Marcus. Holy<br />
shit, are you kidding me with this<br />
crap. And are you high? NO, I just<br />
took a bump with Marcus! I’m<br />
not HIGH!<br />
And where the hell is Marcus?<br />
“He’s at his brothers around<br />
the corner. He didn’t want to get<br />
popped, he’s on probation you<br />
know.” She says in a slurred,<br />
barely audible drunken voice.<br />
Naw, I didn’t know. Are you<br />
going to file on him this time and<br />
actually GO TO COURT.<br />
“Yes, yes I will. I’m tired of his<br />
shit”<br />
So, I drive around the corner<br />
and there in the courtyard of, yet<br />
another dirtball complex was<br />
Marcus and his dirtball brother.<br />
One thing I will say about Marcus<br />
was he was never any trouble.<br />
He may have been a f’up but I<br />
never had to fight him. I cuffed<br />
him, went back to Bridgestone,<br />
wrote the report and transported<br />
the boy to jail.<br />
Angelia, I hope this is the last<br />
88 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 89<br />
88 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 89
time I have to come out here.<br />
“I promise it’s the last time. I’ve<br />
learned my lesson. I promise.<br />
I’d sooner die then come back<br />
here.”<br />
Uh huh. We’ll see.<br />
• • •<br />
As soon as the detectives arrived<br />
on the scene, I told the lead<br />
detective that I’d be right back.<br />
He looked at me like I was nuts.<br />
“You’re leaving? Do we have any<br />
suspects? Do we have a description?<br />
Where the hell are you<br />
going?”<br />
To arrest a guy for murder,<br />
where else! He looked at me like<br />
I was crazy.<br />
“Hey, bring me back some<br />
Whataburger, I know that’s<br />
where you’re going. Arrest a suspect,<br />
my ass.”<br />
I drove around the corner,<br />
and yep I was right. There were<br />
Marcus and his dumbass brother<br />
smoking a pipe in the parking lot.<br />
As soon as I walked up, Marcus<br />
looked me right in the eye and<br />
said “I know, I know, I’m sorry<br />
I didn’t mean to fight with her,<br />
and I didn’t mean to push her. But<br />
she’ll be OK, and she won’t file<br />
on me. She loves me. I’m her entire<br />
world. I’ll go with her to the<br />
hospital and I’ll take care of her. I<br />
promise officer.”<br />
As I handcuffed him for the last<br />
time, I said, “no Marcus you aren’t<br />
going to the hospital, you’re<br />
going to prison… for life. See<br />
this time, I’m filing the charges<br />
and I don’t need Angelia. And she<br />
won’t ever have to worry about<br />
you beating her again. She’s at<br />
peace finally.” As I finished reading<br />
him his rights, he says,<br />
“Naw, she always comes back<br />
to me. She’ll be back, you’ll see.<br />
It was just a little push, she’ll be<br />
OK,”<br />
<strong>No</strong> Marcus, she won’t. As we<br />
pulled back into the Bridgestone<br />
Apartments for the last time,<br />
the ME was loading Angelia into<br />
the body car. Marcus didn’t fully<br />
understand what was going on<br />
until we got out of the car and<br />
the detectives walked up.<br />
Detective Martin, this is Marcus<br />
Smith. I mirandized him and he<br />
has just confessed to pushing his<br />
common law wife Angelia Smith<br />
off the second-floor balcony and<br />
killing her.<br />
Oh, and I’m sorry, I didn’t make<br />
it to Whataburger.<br />
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WORDS BY A DE-FUNDED POLICE OFFICER<br />
The Second You Realize De-Funding the<br />
Police Was a Mistake<br />
I live and work in a city that<br />
just defunded their police. I<br />
won’t mention the name because<br />
it will result in my immediate<br />
termination. See, we<br />
are not allowed to comment on<br />
our “transition to a non-violent<br />
police force.” This “transition”<br />
was what everyone said it would<br />
be. The city officials behind the<br />
move thought they could cut our<br />
budget, cancel academy classes<br />
and hire civilians to come in and<br />
do police work. Well, it didn’t<br />
quite work out that way.<br />
When the announcement was<br />
made, 152 officers submitted<br />
their paperwork and took early<br />
retirement. Another hundred or<br />
so started burning overtime and<br />
accumulated vacation time. I<br />
work evenings and, in my district,<br />
we normally have 45 officers<br />
on duty at any given time.<br />
Today, at roll call, there were 10<br />
of us. I thought I made a mistake<br />
when I walked in. Like a lot of<br />
departments, we don’t have roll<br />
call every day. So, did I miss the<br />
notice today was one of those<br />
days?<br />
The Sgt. walked in and looked<br />
like he just lost his best friend.<br />
Rather than stand behind his<br />
podium he just grabbed a chair,<br />
turned it around and sat next to<br />
me.<br />
“Guys I don’t know what to say.<br />
This is all we have to work with<br />
tonight. Everyone is riding oneman<br />
units and we all need to<br />
back each other up. Priority calls<br />
only, we’re leaving the reports<br />
for tomorrow’s day shift.”<br />
Sarge, are you saying that the<br />
ten of us are going to cover the<br />
entire district? With protesters in<br />
the streets?<br />
“Unfortunately, that’s exactly<br />
what I’m saying. The good<br />
news is that the State has sent<br />
troopers in to cover the protesters,<br />
hell call it what it is, RIOTS.<br />
So at least we don’t have to go<br />
downtown. Besides I hear city<br />
council is making some kind of<br />
appearance down there and I<br />
don’t need you guys mouthing<br />
off to them. We all know they<br />
are assholes, but I can’t afford<br />
to lose any more people due to<br />
mandatory days off for cussing<br />
out council members.”<br />
Yes, our city council is comprised<br />
of a bunch of left-wing<br />
radical morons who have no idea<br />
what they’ve done. Bunch of rich<br />
assholes living uptown in their<br />
big ass mansions with private<br />
security guards and K9’s. <strong>No</strong>thing<br />
bad ever happens to them, and<br />
they figure they don’t need us<br />
when they have their own private<br />
army protecting their stupid<br />
butts.<br />
I just shook my head, fist<br />
bumped the sarge and got the<br />
hell out of there. This was going<br />
to one bullshit night; I just knew<br />
it. I loaded all my stuff into a<br />
spare Shop, as my regular ride<br />
has been in the shop waiting on<br />
parts for over a week. Hmmm.<br />
New explorer and it actually<br />
still had that new car smell. I’m<br />
pretty sure I’m not going like this<br />
over my Charger, but it’s better<br />
than one of the 200,000+ mile<br />
Crown Vic’s out back.<br />
I logged in, told the dispatcher<br />
I was in service, and asked<br />
what she was holding. Obviously<br />
the Sarge had already<br />
called 911 to advise them we<br />
weren’t taking any report calls,<br />
because she started rattling off<br />
all the alarms calls that had<br />
gone unanswered from day<br />
shift. So, for the next couple<br />
of hours, I ran call after call<br />
clearing most unfounded or<br />
GOA as they had been holding<br />
for hours. Only 15 people had<br />
showed up for day shift.<br />
I kept monitoring the states<br />
channel and District 1’s traffic<br />
to see how bad it was downtown.<br />
It was almost nonstop<br />
with one incident after another.<br />
There were times I almost<br />
wanted to say fuck it and go<br />
help them. But I couldn’t leave<br />
9 guys to fend for themselves.<br />
I do remember around 2200hrs<br />
hearing the van carrying the city<br />
council members had departed<br />
downtown and was headed north.<br />
<strong>No</strong>thing like having a limo service<br />
to take you home after your protest<br />
appearance.<br />
At 2245, dispatch put out a major<br />
accident up on the interstate<br />
that involved a head-on collision<br />
and one vehicle off the bridge<br />
with entrapment. Well, what the<br />
hell. I made a U-turn and headed<br />
that way, hoping to God that<br />
Fire & Rescue beat me there. Less<br />
than five minutes later, I pulled<br />
up to pure carnage in the middle<br />
of the highway and not a single<br />
rescue truck in sight. I could not<br />
even identify what type of car this<br />
was. I was met by a young woman<br />
dressed in scrubs and obviously a<br />
doctor or nurse.<br />
She said “the driver was DOA<br />
when I got here, there was nothing<br />
I could do. I think the other vehicle<br />
ran off the highway and down<br />
the embankment,” pointing to<br />
the broken guardrail.<br />
I advised dispatch I needed<br />
the ME and began looking for<br />
the second vehicle. As the two<br />
of us looked over what was left<br />
of the guardrail, I saw the second<br />
vehicle, upside down at the<br />
bottom of the hill, and on fire. As<br />
I ran back to my unit to grab a<br />
fire extinguisher, I yelled for the<br />
nurse to send the Fire Dept. down<br />
to me as soon as they arrived. I<br />
could hear sirens and fire trucks<br />
in the distance, and I hoped they<br />
were seconds, not minutes away.<br />
As I ran down the hill screaming<br />
at the dispatcher to get me<br />
help. I had what looked like<br />
a transport van with multiple<br />
victims inside. The first person<br />
I came upon was covered in<br />
blood and grabbed my arm and<br />
said, “officer there are six more<br />
in the van, please get them out.”<br />
92 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 93
When he looked up at me, I was<br />
shocked to see it was the Mayor.<br />
Sir, who’s in that van.<br />
“The entire city council and my<br />
aide. He was driving”<br />
Well fuck me. I used up the<br />
fire extinguisher within about 30<br />
seconds and knocked some of<br />
the engine fire out, but I knew I<br />
had mere seconds to get these<br />
people out before the van would<br />
be totally engulfed. I pulled the<br />
driver out first and one by one,<br />
I pulled the others out. I drug<br />
them 25-30 feet up the hill side.<br />
The flames were already past<br />
the driver’s seat when I went<br />
back in for the final passenger.<br />
She looked at me with the<br />
most frightened look and said,<br />
‘please don’t let me die” But her<br />
leg was pinned under the seat<br />
in front of her and there was no<br />
way I could move it by myself.<br />
At that very second, I felt a hand<br />
on my shoulder and turn to see<br />
my sergeant standing over me.<br />
Without saying a word, he pulled<br />
on the bottom of the broken seat<br />
and I pulled as hard as I could<br />
on the councilwoman and got<br />
her leg free. We both drug her<br />
up the hill as the van exploded<br />
behind us. I could feel the heat<br />
and smell my vest melting from<br />
the flames that were less than a<br />
foot way.<br />
When I picked myself up, I<br />
saw dozens of firemen and EMTs<br />
running towards us. Within minutes,<br />
the fire was out and rescue<br />
workers, EMTs, firemen, troopers<br />
and all nine district cars were<br />
on the scene helping. I heard the<br />
helicopter overhead as dozens<br />
of ambulances began arriving. It<br />
was about that time that I guess<br />
the adrenaline was starting to<br />
fade when I felt my neck burning<br />
and realized that the explosion<br />
has sent pieces of burning<br />
plastic flying through the air, of<br />
which a small piece had landed<br />
on the back of my neck and<br />
upper back.<br />
As I walked over to the ambulance<br />
that was treating the<br />
mayor, I jumped inside and asked<br />
how he was doing. He was an<br />
older man and I thought for sure<br />
he was having a heart attack. He<br />
turned his head away from the<br />
constant questions of the EMTs<br />
and looked at me, held his hand<br />
up to me. I grabbed his hand and<br />
said, “are you alright Mr. Mayor?”<br />
With tears in his eyes, he said<br />
“I’m so sorry, I’m just so sorry.<br />
We made a terrible mistake. I<br />
made a terrible mistake.”<br />
What mistake sir, this was an<br />
accident. It wasn’t your fault. The<br />
driver of the car that hit you was<br />
going the wrong way. He didn’t<br />
make it sir, I’m sorry. But you’re<br />
going to be ok.<br />
“<strong>No</strong> officer, I’m not. I’m just so<br />
sorry. Please forgive me.”<br />
What are you saying, what are<br />
you sorry for? What mistake?<br />
“I thought we could get by<br />
without you, without the police. I<br />
thought it was the right thing to<br />
do, but I was wrong. You saved<br />
my life tonight. You saved the<br />
entire city council. You could<br />
have just left us inside that van.<br />
You didn’t have to risk your life<br />
to save the very people that said<br />
you didn’t matter. I’m just so very<br />
sorry. Please, please forgive us.”<br />
“Officer, we have to go,” said<br />
the EMT, “and you need to come<br />
to the hospital and let us look at<br />
that burn on your neck.”<br />
Okay. I’ll see you up there. And<br />
take care of him, he’s, our mayor.<br />
I slammed the door and tapped<br />
the back to let them know they<br />
were good to go. I walked back<br />
to the scene where the deceased<br />
driver was still sitting behind<br />
what was left of his car just as<br />
they were placing a plastic sheet<br />
across the top. My sergeant was<br />
talking to the trooper and turned<br />
to say something, but no words<br />
were spoken. He didn’t have to<br />
say anything. The look on his<br />
face said it all.<br />
Only by the grace of GOD were<br />
we able to save these people.<br />
GOD decided that the wrong way<br />
driver didn’t deserve a second<br />
chance. The van driver, mayor<br />
and city council all suffered<br />
serious, but non-life-threatening<br />
injuries. My neck had first and<br />
second-degree burns, but I’ll live.<br />
We do what we do, regardless<br />
of what people may think of us.<br />
Our job is to protect the people<br />
we serve. It doesn’t matter<br />
whether they like us, support<br />
us or even want us to be their<br />
police. We do it because it’s our<br />
sworn duty. We do it because it’s<br />
the right thing to do. We do it as<br />
God’s servants and his children.<br />
We do it because WE ARE THE<br />
PEACEMAKERS.<br />
EDITOR: It’s unknown what if any<br />
impact or changes this accident had<br />
on the mayor and city council of<br />
this city. It’s unknown if they intend<br />
to reverse their decision on future<br />
policing needs. What is known is<br />
that this officer and his sergeant<br />
were both awarded the Medal of<br />
Valor. It’s the highest decoration for<br />
bravery a police officer can receive<br />
and is comparable to the military’s<br />
Medal of Honor. Their actions saved<br />
the lives of eight people including<br />
the bus driver, the mayor and six city<br />
council men and women. The deceased<br />
driver had a BAC of .24%.<br />
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94 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE<br />
The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 95<br />
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CLICK TO WATCH<br />
THE OPEN ROAD<br />
by Michael Barron<br />
MSP Ranks the Fastest<br />
Police Vehicles of 2022<br />
The Michigan State Police held<br />
its annual police vehicle tests<br />
in September and has released<br />
the full report of all 2022 model<br />
year vehicles and motorcycles<br />
tested.<br />
The Michigan State Police has<br />
been testing police cars since<br />
the 1950s. Successful test results<br />
from MSP and the Los Angeles<br />
Sheriff’s Department validate<br />
manufacturers’ engineering efforts<br />
in building a car capable of<br />
handling the stresses associated<br />
with police pursuits. The MSP<br />
recommends that agencies apply<br />
the information to the needs of<br />
their departments.<br />
Vehicles are tested on acceleration,<br />
top speed, braking, and<br />
dynamics. This year, the police<br />
vehicles tested were:<br />
Chevrolet Tahoe 5.3L RWD<br />
Chevrolet Tahoe 5.3L 4WD<br />
Dodge Charger 3.6L AWD<br />
Dodge Charger 5.7L RWD<br />
Dodge Durango 3.6L AWD<br />
Dodge Durango 5.7L AWD<br />
Ford Police Interceptor Utility Hybrid AWD<br />
Ford Police Interceptor Utility 3L EcoBoost AWD<br />
Ford Police Interceptor Utility 3.3L AWD<br />
Ford F-150 Police Responder 3.5L EcoBoost<br />
Ford Mustang Mach-E AWD<br />
For vehicle dynamics, the Ford PIU<br />
3L EcoBoost AWD had the fastest<br />
average lap speed of 1:36:01. The<br />
second fastest was the Dodge Charger<br />
5.7L RWD, with an average of<br />
1:36:43.<br />
The Ford Police Interceptor Utility<br />
3L EcoBoost AWD had the fastest<br />
average lap speed.<br />
The Ford Police Interceptor Utility<br />
3L EcoBoost AWD had the fastest<br />
average lap speed.<br />
For the acceleration test, the<br />
Mach-E achieved the fastest 0-60<br />
mph and 0-100 mph at 4.03 seconds<br />
and 11.94 seconds. This was<br />
followed by the PIU 3L EcoBoost at<br />
5.45 seconds and 13.47 seconds. The<br />
PIU 3L EcoBoost was the fastest vehicle<br />
tested, achieving a top speed<br />
of 148 mph, followed by the two<br />
Chargers, which tied at 139 mph.<br />
During brake testing, the Mach-E<br />
had the shortest projected stopping<br />
distance from 60 mph of all vehicles<br />
tested (125 feet), followed by<br />
the Chevrolet Tahoe 5.3L RWD at<br />
129.1 feet.<br />
Vehicles were also rated for<br />
ergonomics and communications<br />
— officers provide scores for the<br />
ergonomics section, while another<br />
team determines the difficulty of<br />
installing required communications<br />
and emergency warning equipment.<br />
In communications, the Dodge<br />
Durango scored highest (9.78 points<br />
out of 10), with top scores in dashboard<br />
accessibility, trunk accessibility,<br />
and in the engine compartment.<br />
This was followed by the Ford PIU<br />
with 9.44 points.<br />
In the ergonomics category,<br />
taking into consideration comfort,<br />
convenience, instrumentation,<br />
and visibility, the Chevrolet Tahoe<br />
ranked highest with 8.74 points out<br />
of 10, followed by the F-150 Police<br />
Responder with 8.44 points.<br />
As for fuel economy, the Mach-E<br />
has an estimated 84 MPGe. The PIU<br />
Hybrid is projected to deliver 24 MPG<br />
combined. Among the traditional<br />
gasoline-powered vehicles, the<br />
Charger 3.6L AWD and the Durango<br />
3.6L AWD tied at 21 MPG combined.<br />
96 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 97
A BADGE OF HONOR<br />
COMING SUMMER 2022<br />
healing our heroes<br />
And the Beat Goes On<br />
In 2020 and 2021 law enforcement<br />
Several departments implement-<br />
experienced the highest rates ed mandatory overtime leading<br />
of retirement and resignations. to a myriad of heath issues like<br />
The defund the police movements, stress and burnout. “Every once<br />
COVID mandates, the elimination in a while, after working long and<br />
of qualified immunity, and judges sometimes grueling shifts, after<br />
who refuse to prosecute are just a<br />
getting yelled at and spat on<br />
few of the reasons.<br />
and occasionally having plastic So even with full recruit classes<br />
Is there hope for the communities cups thrown at him, Officer Brian like the one I was with in Dallas,<br />
that are pleading to get their police Vaughan feels so worn down that is it enough to bring departments<br />
force back?<br />
he wonders if being a cop is still back to full strength to be able<br />
I stand in front of a full recruit worth it.” https://www.gpb.org/ to serve their communities? It is<br />
class in Dallas, Texas. Half a dozen news/2021/06/14/violence-stress-<br />
difficult to predict the future, but if<br />
of them carrying on a family tradition<br />
scrutiny-weigh-on-police-mental-<br />
cities continue to undervalue their<br />
of law enforcement service, health<br />
police officers and the services<br />
another six are veterans and or Some departments are taking the they provide, the mass exodus will<br />
serve in the National Guard. When I initiative, bringing in organizations likely continue making it impossible<br />
ask, “Why now?” The overwhelming<br />
like A Badge of Honor to help. The<br />
for departments to catch<br />
response, “I want to serve my departments that recognize the up, keeping the revolving door of<br />
community.”<br />
added stresses on the sworn officers<br />
waiting for academy classes recruits spinning and some cities<br />
outgoing officers and incoming<br />
FOREWORD<br />
To those that wore it, no explanation is necessary. For life behind the badge is like no other. It is a line that once<br />
Some of you reading this may<br />
you cross, you can never go back. The line between right and wrong, happiness and sadness, and finally life and<br />
think, well of course, it is Texas to graduate, and who offer training wondering if they will ever be able<br />
death.<br />
and majority of cities support their and or professional help without to get ahead of their out of control<br />
It isn't for everyone, nor should it be. God created it, not for those who chose it, but for those that are chosen. It<br />
police departments. The answer the fear of reprisals are starting crime rates.<br />
is these brave souls who trade their happiness, their security, their fears, their love, and even their life for you.<br />
is yes, and no. Get out of the cities to gain a foothold. With funds And the beat goes on…<br />
When life itself is in question they must answer. When death is imminent, they must stand tall. In the face of<br />
like Dallas, Austin, and Houston and through the Law Enforcement<br />
danger, they must endure. When all is said and done, there really isn't much that separates us from them, but a thin<br />
the support is there. The big cities<br />
however are suffering attrition even had the opportunity to bring contributor to The <strong>Blues</strong> Police Mag-<br />
•••<br />
Mental Health Act, agencies have Samantha Horwitz is a regular<br />
blue line.<br />
Being a cop meant everything to me. It was something I dreamed of as a kid. <strong>No</strong>, my parents weren’t cops but<br />
rates never seen before. For example,<br />
in Austin, Texas, the police de-<br />
create peer support teams. “The former United States Secret Service<br />
on mental health practitioners and azine. She is a 9/11 first responder,<br />
my grandfather was. He was my hero and someday I wanted to walk in his footsteps.<br />
I remember the day the notice came in the mail that said I'd been accepted into the Police Academy. It was<br />
partment experienced ninety-seven<br />
retirements in 2020 and in the police officers is peer support. and her business partner, retired<br />
and changed in a way that would never be the same. Once that badge is pinned on, life itself is suddenly different.<br />
biggest choosing of services for Agent, speaker, and author. She<br />
the happiest day of my life or so I thought. <strong>No</strong>w that I look back, I'm sure it was definitely the day my life changed<br />
first quarter of 2021, a whopping Three out four would rather go to firefighter and NYPD detective John<br />
It starts out as euphoric, on top of the world and invincible. Later it becomes one of disgust, then mistrust, finally<br />
forty-five. https://pjmedia.com/ peer support than any other kind Salerno created A Badge of Honor,<br />
resentment. Your entire perspective changes and never again is life and death seen in the same light. You see how<br />
news-and-politics/bryan-pres-<br />
of services out there.” Says Sherri a 501(c)(3), post-traumatic stress<br />
precious life is and how fast it can be taken and by those who have little or no respect for it. Life behind the badge<br />
ton/2021/04/06/exclusive-exo-<br />
Martin, National Wellness Director, awareness and suicide prevention<br />
is many things to many people. All are affected by it. Some good, some bad, some you just never know. You’ve<br />
probably heard that life as a cop, is hours and hours of boredom interrupted by seconds of sheer terror. It’s more<br />
dus-underway-as-record-shatter-<br />
National Fraternal Order of Police. program for first responders. John<br />
like years of boredom, interrupted by hours of terror. At one time or another we all remember being scared. Really<br />
ing-surge-of-austin-police-offi-<br />
cers-leave-the-force-n14377<strong>38</strong> this proactive approach, officers ence) Radio, Wednesday 7pm central<br />
it. When it comes, it comes in slow motion almost surreal. What seems like hours happens in seconds and lasts for<br />
And the beat goes on…Even with and Sam host MAD (Making a Differ-<br />
scared, so scared you're literally in suspended animation awaiting what surely must be the end of life as you know<br />
And the beat goes on…Those have said they simply do not have live on FB @Makingadifferencetx.<br />
years. They say fear is good, but true fear the kind that hangs in the air like the smell of ozone after a lightning strike<br />
answering the call to serve are time to engage in peer support or For more about Sam & John and the<br />
is anything but healthy.<br />
filling the gaps. But at what cost? training, feeling torn between getting<br />
wellness and resiliency workshops<br />
But those who live without fear aren't really living. They've accepted their own demise and are simply waiting for<br />
sleep, and their roles as moms, for first responders, visit ABadgeof-<br />
the bus to take them home. And that's one bus you don't want to get on.<br />
The massive departures left departments<br />
scrambling to fill shifts. dads, and spouses.<br />
Honor.com.<br />
•••<br />
CLICK OR SCAN HERE<br />
The following chapters take you through a cop’s world. A world of pimps and whores, lovers and killers, robbers<br />
98 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE and rapists, muggers and burglars, and just plain thieves. But be forewarned. What The BLUES maybe POLICE be erotic MAGAZINE one minute 99<br />
can be deadly the next. For see in their world, life is just as long as the turn of the next page.
DARYL LOTT<br />
daryl’s deliberations<br />
Forget the Alamo? Hell NO!<br />
This essay is in response to the<br />
progressive book entitled “Forget<br />
the Alamo” or, more accurately,<br />
the publisher’s summary of the<br />
book. <strong>No</strong>t wanting to support any<br />
left wing revisionist book, I would<br />
not purchase the book. Therefore,<br />
I read the publisher’s summary<br />
about the thesis of the book and<br />
the free excerpts provided by Amazon.<br />
One of the authors is employed<br />
by the Houston Chronicle as<br />
a writer of left wing rhetoric. The<br />
Chronicle Editorial Board supports<br />
him and enthusiastically endorses<br />
the book. The thesis of the book<br />
is that the Texas Revolution was<br />
caused by slavery and the legendary<br />
stories of the Alamo, Goliad,<br />
and San Jacinto were all made<br />
up in the South later to celebrate<br />
“whiteness.” General Santa Anna<br />
was a crusading abolitionist while<br />
the heroes of the Alamo were motivated<br />
by the thought of becoming<br />
wealthy plantation owners with<br />
slavery as the fuel for their economic<br />
engines.<br />
In order to comprehend the 1820’s<br />
and 1830’s in our part of the world,<br />
one must clearly understand two<br />
tenets. First, the concept known as<br />
the “Right of Conquest.” The second<br />
critical thing to understand is<br />
that during this period of history<br />
Texas was under the control of<br />
the Comanche Indians, the most<br />
powerful Indian tribe in American<br />
history.<br />
The oldest right known to man<br />
is called “the right of conquest.”<br />
Imagine the man in the next cave<br />
beating the weaker caveman and<br />
taking his woman, kids, and cave<br />
as his own. The right of conquest is<br />
invoked. The right of conquest then<br />
advanced through the hundreds of<br />
thousands of centuries evolving to<br />
apply to neighbors, clans, settlements,<br />
tribes, villages, territories,<br />
cities, and nations. It is the one<br />
historical constant that has always<br />
been with mankind. It always will<br />
be. In <strong>No</strong>rth America the Right<br />
of Conquest was also known as<br />
“Manifest Destiny.”<br />
In modern society we are always<br />
on the defensive against our enemies<br />
by employing police officers<br />
to protect our homes and soldiers<br />
to protect our nation. Others are<br />
out there that would conquer us<br />
individually and collectively. The<br />
Marxist movement to defund the<br />
police is an example of criminals<br />
and their Marxist supporters<br />
wanting to weaken our first line<br />
of defense of the Rule of Law. The<br />
right of conquest is always in play.<br />
It is literally in our DNA so it cannot<br />
be neatly delegated to the dustbin<br />
of history. Biology, particularly<br />
masculine biology, prepares for<br />
conflict at all times. As opposed<br />
to progressive Marxist assertions<br />
otherwise, biology cannot be contained<br />
or “identified” away.<br />
The Comanche Indians controlled<br />
Texas regardless of who was in<br />
Mexico City or, later, Washington<br />
DC. The Comanches were a fierce<br />
(read savage) and brutal enemy<br />
who subjugated other Indian tribes,<br />
Mexicans, Texians, and Americans.<br />
<strong>No</strong> army could match their skill<br />
as warriors. During this time the<br />
bow and arrow was a far superior<br />
weapon than the one shot musket.<br />
The one “super power” that the<br />
Comanche Indians had over any<br />
other tribe was they learned the art<br />
of domesticating that European resource:<br />
the horse. The Comanches<br />
were the only mounted Indians at<br />
this time. Comanche boys were<br />
expert archers and riders by the<br />
time they were ten. European military<br />
tactics dictated that soldiers<br />
fight dismounted. It worked against<br />
eastern Indians who had no horses,<br />
but the Comanches made that<br />
strategy obsolete. The Comanches<br />
could ride their horses hundreds of<br />
miles without stopping. They could<br />
navigate the vast grassland prairie<br />
that was Texas by following the<br />
Buffalo trails of crushed grass and<br />
scrubby trees. They enslaved many<br />
of their captives (they were slave<br />
holders). In short, the Comanches<br />
were the real power in Texas and<br />
they had no equals in living off the<br />
land, horsemanship, archery, navigation,<br />
combat, and decentralized<br />
leadership. They recognized their<br />
own right of conquest.<br />
Immanuel Kant, a German philosopher<br />
of the late 18th Century,<br />
famously said that man’s natural<br />
state is war as opposed to peace.<br />
If we are not actively engaged in<br />
making war, we are preparing for<br />
it or<br />
watching our rivals prepare for<br />
it. It is natural for us to do this<br />
because since the beginning of<br />
time we either conquer or we are<br />
conquered. There is no stasis when<br />
it comes to this.<br />
In 1810, Father Hidalgo launched<br />
an insurrection against Spanish<br />
rule in Mexico. The Spaniards,<br />
however, were very distracted<br />
by Napoleon Bonaparte and the<br />
person he placed on the Spanish<br />
throne. This civil revolutionary war<br />
lasted until 1821 when the Spanish<br />
gave up Mexico. The Mexicans began<br />
work on a constitution and one<br />
was approved in 1824.<br />
Americans had been presented<br />
land grants through Moses Austin<br />
from the Spanish, but that deal fell<br />
through after the Mexicans won<br />
independence from Spain. Moses<br />
Austin died and his son, Stephen<br />
F. Austin, took up the effort. The<br />
first ruler of Mexico after the new<br />
constitution was an emperor. He<br />
approved the colonization, but<br />
abdicated the throne because an<br />
emperor was not what the Mexicans<br />
wanted. That deal, again, fell<br />
through.<br />
The 1824 constitution was unique.<br />
It was not based on the U.S. Constitution.<br />
For example, the Catholic<br />
Church was the state church in the<br />
constitution. Regarding “states’<br />
rights”, it was unusual. Mexican<br />
states were granted authority relative<br />
to their distance from Mexico<br />
City. The thinking was that states<br />
close to the capital did not need<br />
as much autonomy as ones that<br />
were far away. Texas did not have<br />
a large enough population to be a<br />
state so it was joined to Coahuila<br />
to form the Mexican state of “Coahuila<br />
y Tejas.” Because the state<br />
was far away from Mexico City, it<br />
had autonomy. The state granted<br />
Austin the authority to bring Americans<br />
into Texas. He did so.<br />
The reasoning of the Mexican<br />
government was based on the<br />
inadequacy of Spanish colonization<br />
all over the world. To see the inadequacy,<br />
one needs to see the Spanish<br />
model and British model side<br />
by side. The British model called<br />
for the introduction of settlers<br />
from Europe in order to populate<br />
the land. The settlers would continue<br />
to invite families and friends<br />
to come across the ocean. The British<br />
set their colonies up in a long<br />
view with people as their greatest<br />
resource. The Spanish, by contrast,<br />
sent people from Spain to exploit<br />
the resources of the New World<br />
using an enslaved local population<br />
as labor. The Spaniards would then<br />
return home leaving their colonies<br />
unpopulated. This is what led to<br />
Mexico’s predicament with Texas.<br />
Mexico needed to populate Texas,<br />
but the Comanches basically killed<br />
everyone who came up from Mexico.<br />
Mexico turned to the Anglos to<br />
come to Texas as garrison settlers<br />
to fight the Comanches and settle<br />
Mexico’s northern frontier. The Anglo<br />
settlers had experience settling<br />
an area with hostile Indians. The<br />
Mexicans referred to Texas as “Comancheria”<br />
and expected that the<br />
Anglos would create a buffer zone<br />
between the Indians and Mexico.<br />
The Texians, as they referred<br />
to themselves, received vast land<br />
grants and protected property<br />
rights from the state of Coahuila y<br />
Tejas. Of course, property rights,<br />
sadly, included enslaved people.<br />
The Constitution of 1824 was the<br />
instrument that granted the state<br />
the right to grant property to the<br />
100 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 101
American settlers. This was thrown<br />
out in favor of a new constitution<br />
that denied property rights to<br />
Texian settlers. This caused a loss<br />
of property (including enslaved<br />
people) that hurt the settlers. Many<br />
of these people had land grants for<br />
over 1000 acres of Texas land. Many<br />
of the Texians had already invested<br />
heavily in their land, including shed<br />
blood. Many, if not most, of the<br />
settlers had no slaves, but they had<br />
property in the form of very large<br />
tracts of land.<br />
The authors of “Forget the Alamo”<br />
would have us believe that<br />
the new constitution’s abolition of<br />
slavery was the proximate cause<br />
of the Texas Revolution and, therefore,<br />
the heroes of the Alamo are<br />
not heroes at all. Actually, it was<br />
the loss of all property (including<br />
slaves) and the state’s right to<br />
grant property that were the reasons<br />
why the Texians rebelled.<br />
The Texians considered themselves<br />
to be a part of America’s<br />
Manifest Destiny. Travis’ inspirational<br />
letter from the Alamo was<br />
addressed “To the People of Texas<br />
and All Americans in the World.”<br />
Texian settlers were mostly from<br />
the southern United States and the<br />
minute that they set foot in Texas<br />
they had to earn their land by<br />
fighting the Comanches for it. They<br />
were basically in a war zone and<br />
many of them paid with their lives.<br />
Yes, there was tremendous opportunity<br />
to be had, but the dangers<br />
were not insignificant.<br />
The authors of the book set forth<br />
the notion that some Alamo defenders<br />
were captured alive and<br />
then executed and this should<br />
deflate the myth of the Alamo.<br />
First, we need to understand what<br />
“myth” is. It is critically important<br />
to know that mythology can be<br />
literally true or it may be figuratively<br />
true. It is not an insult to call<br />
something a “myth.” Myths contain<br />
any people group’s values and are<br />
extremely important in studying<br />
people.<br />
The Alamo Myth is that heroes<br />
gave their lives unselfishly in an effort<br />
to carry on the dream of an independent<br />
Texas for their families<br />
and Americans who would settle<br />
the land. The authors of the book<br />
believe that the myth should be<br />
“forgotten” and that it was created<br />
in the Jim Crow South to celebrate<br />
the White race. They put forth the<br />
notion that David Crockett and others<br />
did not go down fighting as the<br />
myth states. They base this belief<br />
on unconfirmed diary entries from<br />
the Mexican side of the battle. Texas<br />
A&M University, by contrast, has<br />
a first person account from another<br />
Mexican veteran (Felix Nuñez)<br />
who said that there was a very tall<br />
person wearing a round hat with a<br />
long “fox tail” who was still standing<br />
as the battle was ending. Eight<br />
lifeless Mexican soldiers lay at his<br />
feet. Other Mexican soldiers were<br />
dumbstruck by this sight when a<br />
Mexican lieutenant rushed up and<br />
smashed a sword over the right<br />
brow of the Alamo defender, killing<br />
him. Let us just say that there are<br />
conflicting reports on this, but it is<br />
irrelevant in the long run because<br />
it doesn’t affect the myth as the<br />
authors claim it does.<br />
I personally believe Señor Nunez<br />
because the conscripted Mexican<br />
Indian soldiers had seen atrocities<br />
committed in other parts of Mexico<br />
by their madman dictator and they<br />
did not want to disobey an order<br />
from Santa Anna.<br />
I have said all of this to point out<br />
an existential threat to our country.<br />
The Marxist Left has us questioning<br />
our heroes and mythology because<br />
it knows that heroism is a cultural<br />
marker that shows us what we<br />
live for and for what we will die.<br />
Heroism itself is now politically<br />
incorrect. When I say politically<br />
incorrect, I am not referring to<br />
courtesy at a dinner party where<br />
people have different political<br />
beliefs. I am referring to the chilling<br />
effect of the loss of freedom<br />
of speech in any matter that does<br />
not match left wing ideology. The<br />
Left claims to be inclusive, but it is<br />
actually extremely intolerant. The<br />
politics of perpetual victimhood<br />
points specifically to white people<br />
and wants us to display one trait:<br />
shame. We should be ashamed<br />
of Crockett, Bowie, Travis, and the<br />
other Alamo defenders.<br />
Of course, the Marxists use the<br />
convenient issue of slavery as a<br />
litmus test because nothing or<br />
nobody can stand up to it. One was<br />
either a slave owner or one tolerated<br />
slavery. That entangles all<br />
of our Founding Fathers, including<br />
those of Texas. One can easily see<br />
where this is going. Since the issue<br />
occurred in our distant past, there<br />
is nothing that we as white people<br />
(or any person who values our<br />
heroes) can do except relinquish<br />
our positions, rights, and property.<br />
Calling Santa Anna an abolitionist<br />
ignores the fact that Santa Anna<br />
conscripted people as servants<br />
or soldiers against their will. The<br />
Constitution of 1824 prevented<br />
“chattle slavery,” but did nothing<br />
to help the victims of other forms<br />
of slavery that were practiced in<br />
Mexico.<br />
In history, this is called the<br />
“Hegelian Dialectic.” Basically,<br />
this philosophical tenet of history<br />
says that one group (it could be<br />
the government) creates an issue<br />
where there is none. Then a<br />
“solution” spontaneously pops up<br />
and the people, thinking that they<br />
cleverly thought of the “solution”<br />
themselves, clamor for the solution.<br />
Contributing to BLM, teaching<br />
CRT in public schools, accepting<br />
“White privilege”, and “Forgetting<br />
the Alamo” are all part of the solution<br />
in the dialectic formula.<br />
<strong>No</strong>t recognizing the Right of<br />
Conquest is a critical error which<br />
presupposes that one’s country<br />
will never itself be the object of<br />
another’s conquest. All countries<br />
rise and fall. Period. A country<br />
where heroism and self defense<br />
are politically incorrect should be<br />
placed on suicide watch.<br />
In 9 A.D. a Roman general named<br />
Varus led an entire legion into the<br />
Teutoburg Forest. The Romans<br />
never made it back out. The legion<br />
was lost to an ambush by<br />
the Germanic barbarians who<br />
lived on the northern frontier of<br />
the Roman Empire. The Romans<br />
started recruiting barbarians to<br />
garrison their frontier and keep a<br />
buffer zone between Rome and the<br />
Teutoburg Forest. Even the vaunted<br />
Roman Legion was no match for<br />
the savage barbarians who called<br />
<strong>No</strong>rthern Europe home. These same<br />
barbarians would enter Rome in<br />
476 as the new masters relying<br />
on the Right of Conquest for their<br />
claim.<br />
The Mexicans committed the<br />
exact same critical error as the<br />
Romans did when they recruited<br />
foreigners to garrison their northern<br />
frontier to act as a buffer zone<br />
between Mexico and Comancheria.<br />
The Mexicans, like the Romans,<br />
grossly underestimated a people’s<br />
drive to reach their full potential<br />
when provided an opportunity. The<br />
Americans ultimately subjugated<br />
the Comanches, but it was not until<br />
after the Civil War when American<br />
cavalry units had the combat experience<br />
and weapons to fight from<br />
the saddle. They ran the Comanches<br />
down into Palo Duro Canyon<br />
and ended their threat.<br />
By Right of Conquest, the Americans<br />
had finally obtained a free<br />
Texas. There were no more slaves<br />
or slave holders. All people would<br />
incrementally receive the full<br />
rights of citizenship regardless of<br />
race, religion, gender, or ethnicity,<br />
including the Comanches. <strong>No</strong><br />
other conquering nation can say<br />
that. <strong>No</strong>rmally, the fate of a people<br />
group that loses a war is bare, but<br />
America provides opportunity for<br />
all. This is exactly why America<br />
remains the Holy Grail of immigration.<br />
I, for one, am not ashamed of<br />
my ancestors. I revere the heroes<br />
of my youth and am thankful<br />
for the sacrifices that they made.<br />
Judging them by modern standards<br />
and sensibilities is unfair and<br />
unproductive. Were they racists<br />
by today’s standards? Yes, but be<br />
assured that they were living in a<br />
different world. The words “racist”<br />
and “ racism” wouldn’t even<br />
be invented for over a hundred<br />
more years (mid 20th Century). The<br />
defenders of the Alamo wouldn’t<br />
recognize concepts those 20th<br />
Century words convey. If your ancestors<br />
were enslaved people, they,<br />
too, are heroes of mine. They gave<br />
all they had in the hopes that one<br />
day their descendants would enjoy<br />
the walk of a free people in a land<br />
that they also pioneered.<br />
I think back on the Alamo and<br />
I don’t see the sanitized version<br />
of Hollywood or Disney films. I<br />
see men fighting for their lives<br />
smashing skulls, gouging out eyes,<br />
spilling their guts into the dirt, and<br />
cannonballs and lead shot taking<br />
limbs and lives. Señor Nuñez’<br />
account states that the battlefield<br />
was so bloody, smoky, and dirty<br />
that it was difficult to tell the Texian<br />
bodies from the Mexican ones.<br />
The difference, he said, was critical<br />
because the Mexicans did not<br />
want their soldiers’ bodies burned<br />
as the Texian bodies were. This<br />
pertained to a Catholic belief at<br />
that time where cremation was not<br />
an approved method for Christian<br />
burial. That has since changed for<br />
Catholics, but it tends to support<br />
the Nuñez account of the battle’s<br />
end in my mind.<br />
The Alamo defenders knew that<br />
they would not survive. They knew<br />
they would never see their families<br />
or homes again. Slavery was the<br />
last thing on their minds. These<br />
heroes did not fall asleep. They<br />
sold their lives at a steep cost taking<br />
many of Santa Anna’s officers<br />
and non-commissioned officers<br />
with them. At San Jacinto the loss<br />
of his experienced soldiers meant<br />
his army couldn’t get organized<br />
when General Houston arrived and<br />
he lost the most decisive battle in<br />
world history after only 18 short<br />
minutes.<br />
As the Texian soldiers ran across<br />
the San Jacinto peninsula, Santa<br />
Anna’s cowardly ears could hear<br />
the battle cry that formed Texas,<br />
“Remember Goliad! Remember the<br />
Alamo!”<br />
I certainly will remember Goliad,<br />
the Alamo, and San Jacinto.<br />
<strong>No</strong>t only will I remember, I will<br />
never kneel or disrespect the flag<br />
of Texas or the United States as<br />
the progressive Marxists would<br />
have me do. I recognize their attacks<br />
on our history as more than<br />
symbolic attacks on our nation<br />
itself. It’s disgraceful. As I remember<br />
the Alamo I know that the<br />
_______________ (fill in the<br />
blank, Russians, Chinese, Arabs,<br />
Iranians, etc) are all watching the<br />
emasculation of America by the<br />
Left and are licking their chops<br />
thinking about the Right of Conquest<br />
that is always in play. The<br />
good news is that there are more<br />
of us who remember the Alamo<br />
than those who want to forget it. A<br />
lot more.<br />
For further reading: Empire of the<br />
Summer Moon, by S. C. Gwynne and<br />
Last Stands: Why Men Fight When<br />
All Is Lost by Michael Walsh<br />
102 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 103
HOUSTON POLICE OFFICERS UNION<br />
from the president<br />
New Year doesn’t have the start we wanted –<br />
the manpower shortage And discipline policies<br />
that directly relate to the morale of all of us<br />
Members, I know that we<br />
have all had a long couple<br />
of weeks. With Redbook<br />
closures, COVID, mandatory<br />
overtime, it is obviously not<br />
the start we wanted to a new<br />
year.<br />
I don’t want to be a downer,<br />
but it appears that this may<br />
not end anytime soon.<br />
Manpower and discipline<br />
are still the largest issues on<br />
the minds of our members.<br />
We work constantly to try to<br />
remedy the issues when they<br />
come into the office. Some<br />
we can fix and some we can’t.<br />
Manpower will not be fixed<br />
for years, as it is getting harder<br />
and harder to find qualified<br />
applicants. We are continually<br />
working on the discipline<br />
issue and hope we get the department<br />
to understand that<br />
discipline is directly related to<br />
the morale of the department.<br />
Until we fix these issues, we<br />
will continue to lose good<br />
officers.<br />
Patrol is relying on a large<br />
number of younger officers to<br />
be the crimefighters. At every<br />
station you can see that<br />
the senior officers are getting<br />
younger and younger.<br />
I know a lot of older officers<br />
will criticize these young officers,<br />
talking about this “new<br />
generation.” But I am confident<br />
that the new generation<br />
of officers will continue to be<br />
dedicated to the job.<br />
I am proud of every single<br />
officer – veteran or rookie<br />
– who is out there running<br />
and gunning even in this time<br />
where we are a single call<br />
away from being injured or indicted.<br />
You are all impressive<br />
and I am very proud to be your<br />
representative as the president<br />
of our Union.<br />
With everything going on,<br />
we still have officers willing<br />
to answer the call when<br />
the time comes. The officers<br />
involved in the shootout last<br />
week were not only brave, but<br />
very impressive in the way<br />
that took the fight to the suspect.<br />
Even wounded by gunshots<br />
all three did everything<br />
they could to get back into the<br />
fight.<br />
This suspect was very violent<br />
and had no problem<br />
shooting it out with our officers.<br />
Even when surrounded<br />
he wanted a gunfight, and our<br />
SWAT guys were well trained<br />
DOUGLAS GRIFFITH<br />
and prepared. They engaged<br />
the suspect at his home where<br />
he fled to.<br />
The SWAT team did an unbelievable<br />
job “encouraging”<br />
him to surrender.<br />
I made the scene where the<br />
officers were shot and spoke<br />
with each of them at the<br />
hospital. They were amazing!<br />
All were in good spirits and<br />
joking with me in their rooms.<br />
We will continue to monitor<br />
their recovery.<br />
Each of these officers as<br />
well as those who assisted in<br />
getting them to the hospital<br />
are real HEROS!<br />
I am honored to represent<br />
you all! Stay safe out there!<br />
REPRINTED FROM THE HPOU<br />
BADGE & GUN<br />
104 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 105
NOT SO BRIGHT AWARD<br />
light bulb award<br />
REVERSE LIGHT BULB AWARD<br />
GOES TO STEVE RADACK<br />
By Michael Barron<br />
So, last month’s Harris County<br />
Commissioner’s Court meeting<br />
was ANYTHING but business as<br />
usual!!! Although a familiar face<br />
entered the room, the entrance<br />
came from the opposite side of<br />
the Courtroom, and it was only<br />
cordial for about 17 seconds or<br />
so.<br />
Retired Commissioner Steve<br />
Radack is an Institution of sorts<br />
in Harris County. His many years<br />
on the Court earned him accolade<br />
after accolade. On this day,<br />
he politely walked up to the podium,<br />
said a few nostalgic words<br />
and then he let loose with both<br />
barrels into the County Judge,<br />
Commissioner Garcia and Commissioner<br />
Ellis.<br />
To put into reference because<br />
Radack was angry, you have look<br />
back at the history and legacy he<br />
left behind. Most only know of<br />
him as a County Commissioner.<br />
But before he became a commissioner,<br />
he was a County Constable.<br />
Years ago, he ran against a<br />
notorious Constable by the name<br />
of Tracey Maxon. Even though<br />
Maxon had his share of personal<br />
problems and subsequent criminal<br />
investigations, he is remembered<br />
for one historic change<br />
in Harris County. Maxon was the<br />
“Creator” of the Contract Deputy<br />
Program<br />
in Harris<br />
County<br />
and<br />
for that<br />
matter,<br />
the entire<br />
State of<br />
Texas.<br />
<strong>No</strong>t only<br />
did he<br />
start the<br />
Contract Deputy Program, but he<br />
also created a Traffic & Patrol<br />
Division for the Constables as<br />
well. Prior to these new entities,<br />
all the Constables in Harris<br />
County were primarily serving<br />
civil process. Patrol and traffic<br />
duties were left up to the Sheriff.<br />
Needless to say, Jack Heard,<br />
the sheriff at the time, wasn’t too<br />
pleased that monies that should<br />
have gone to HIS department,<br />
were being funneled to his rival<br />
in the west end of Harris County.<br />
But Constable Maxon’s failure<br />
to maintain control over his<br />
personnel and his own personal<br />
affairs, led to a packed ballot<br />
come election time. And one of<br />
those opponents was a recently<br />
retired Houston Police Sergeant<br />
named Steve Radack. Radack<br />
lived in Pct. 5 (Constable Precinct)<br />
and was determined to<br />
unseat Maxon at any cost. His<br />
campaign focused on bringing<br />
discipline, order and continuity<br />
to the constable’s office. He won<br />
by a landslide. Maxon was out<br />
and Radack was in. For years<br />
Steve Radack ran the Harris<br />
County Pct. 5 Constable’s office<br />
with pride and integrity.<br />
He created a policy manual,<br />
instituted fleet maintenance<br />
protocols and expanded the contract<br />
deputy program. His tenure<br />
as Constable set the bar high,<br />
not only in Pct. 5 but for every<br />
Constable office across Harris<br />
County.<br />
Fast forward and Radack decided<br />
he wanted a seat at the<br />
big boy’s table and ran for Commissioner<br />
of Precinct 3 in Harris<br />
County. Once elected, with years<br />
of experience as Constable, he<br />
brought a new fiscal responsibility<br />
to the court. This was our<br />
money he was spending, and he<br />
acted responsibly doing it. There<br />
were moments of triumph and<br />
tribulation in his over thirty years<br />
as County Commissioner.<br />
Fast forward to last month’s<br />
Commissioners Court meeting.<br />
He blasted Dora the County<br />
Judge, Commissioner Garcia<br />
and Ellis for their lack of action<br />
and complete failure to support<br />
Harris County Law Enforcement.<br />
He pointed out specific moments<br />
whereby their actions, or<br />
inaction, directly and adversely<br />
affected every man and woman<br />
in Harris County, who dares to<br />
wear a badge.<br />
Radack launched an all out<br />
attack on the Democratic majority,<br />
blaming the trio for the<br />
breakdown of law and order in<br />
Harris County and accusing each<br />
of “having blood on their hands.”<br />
“Let me just express this as<br />
sincerely as I can, you are a<br />
disgrace. I never dreamed after<br />
32 years on this court that there<br />
would be three members of this<br />
court, Hidalgo, Garcia and Ellis<br />
who would kiss the rears of<br />
hardened criminals, who victimize<br />
law-abiding citizens, including<br />
law enforcement officers,”<br />
said Radack.<br />
“You are spending money everywhere<br />
on the dumbest things,<br />
but when it gets down to really<br />
protecting the citizens of this<br />
County you are A-W-O-L. I’m<br />
calling on you three to resign<br />
from office, so that the healing<br />
can begin.”<br />
He brought to light, their free<br />
and unchecked mismanagement<br />
of the County’s money, such as<br />
the 60 MILLION DOLLARS they<br />
spent for a COVID Field Hospital<br />
at NRG that was NEVER used.<br />
NOT ONCE. That’s right, not one<br />
COVID patient ever entered the<br />
$60M Field Hospital. Any idea<br />
just how far 60 million dollars<br />
would go to assist Harris County<br />
Law Enforcement? How about<br />
bullet proof windshields for all<br />
the patrol vehicles?<br />
He also pointed out NOT ONE<br />
TIME has County Judge “Dora”<br />
Hildago bothered to show up<br />
at Hermann Hospital when a<br />
County Officer had been shot<br />
or injured. Only in the past few<br />
months, has she made an appearance<br />
ironically just before<br />
her re-election bid. Radack<br />
specifically pointed out her “fake<br />
tears” last month on television<br />
for the tragic loss of Pct. 5 Deputy<br />
Galloway.<br />
He then directed his attention<br />
towards Commissioner Garcia,<br />
highlighting his service as<br />
a Houston Police Officer and<br />
former Harris County Sheriff.<br />
Radack pointed out the Commissioner’s<br />
lack of action and productivity<br />
as a Law Enforcement<br />
Officer and his lack of support<br />
for Harris County Deputies on the<br />
street today.<br />
Then it was Commissioner<br />
Ellis’ turn. Though short, he was<br />
poignant and direct. Commissioner<br />
Ellis’s anti-law enforcement<br />
rhetoric and ideology was<br />
directly responsible for the public’s<br />
distain for Harris County Law<br />
Enforcement Officers. His actions<br />
or lack thereof have placed every<br />
deputy in Harris County in imminent<br />
danger, and possible even<br />
the death of some.<br />
Anyone who witnessed or<br />
watched this two-and-ahalf-minute<br />
presentation, was<br />
shocked and stunned that Commissioner<br />
Radack would take<br />
the time to drive up to Houston<br />
and give these arrogant commissioners<br />
and judge a piece of<br />
his mind. But Radack loves Harris<br />
County and to see what it’s<br />
become because of these individuals;<br />
he couldn’t let it go. He<br />
stepped up and set his sights on<br />
the Judge and two commissioners<br />
he felt were responsible. His<br />
actions were, well unprecedented.<br />
They may have been unprecedented,<br />
but they were way<br />
overdue. On behalf of the staff<br />
here at the BLUES, all the men<br />
and women in Law Enforcement<br />
in Harris County and certainly for<br />
the surviving family members<br />
who’ve lost loved ones due to<br />
this War on Police, Radack is our<br />
hero.<br />
Commissioner Radack, you’ve<br />
done something no one else<br />
cared to do. Right the wrong at<br />
Commissioners Court. You’ve<br />
addressed what we’ve all seen<br />
become the norm across this<br />
country. Fuel the hatred for police<br />
and fail to support those that<br />
would give their lives for you.<br />
And you did so with the passion<br />
and drive that you brought to<br />
the Court every day you served.<br />
Either do your job or get the hell<br />
of this Court.<br />
With that, this month’s Light<br />
Bulb award is actually a first for<br />
The <strong>Blues</strong>…It’s a Reverse Light<br />
Bulb Award. Because for once,<br />
someone had such a profound<br />
idea that wasn’t well, dumb<br />
or stupid. It was in fact, well<br />
thought out and well executed.<br />
A sincere “Thank you” to former<br />
Commissioner, Constable,<br />
and Sergeant, Steve Radack for<br />
standing up for every citizen in<br />
Harris County and doing what<br />
everyone of us wanted to do.<br />
106 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 107
unning 4 heroes<br />
Total Miles Run in 2022: (as of 1/28/22): 33<br />
Total Miles Run in 2021: 325<br />
Total Miles Run in 2020: 401<br />
Total Miles Run in 2019: 376<br />
Overall Miles Run: 1,135<br />
- - - - - - - - - -<br />
2022 Run Stats:<br />
Total Miles Run for 2022 Fallen LEO’s (<strong>No</strong>n COVID-19): 11<br />
Total Miles Run for 2022 Fallen Firefighters (<strong>No</strong>n COVID-19): 9<br />
Total Miles Run for 2022 Fallen Canada LEO’s: 0<br />
Total Miles Run in 2022 for Fallen COVID-19 Heroes: 6<br />
Total Miles Run for 2021 Fallen LEO’s: 3<br />
Total Miles Run for 2021 Fallen Firefighters: 2<br />
States/Cities Zechariah has run in:<br />
Zechariah<br />
Cartledge:<br />
a True American Hero<br />
Florida - Winter Springs, Lake Mary, Clearwater, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Orlando, Temple Terrace, Blountstown,<br />
Cocoa, Lakeland, Daytona Beach, West Palm Beach, Starke<br />
New York - New York City, Weedsport<br />
Georgia - Cumming, Augusta, Savannah<br />
South Carolina - <strong>No</strong>rth Myrtle Beach, Charleston, Sumter<br />
Pennsylvania - Monaca<br />
Illinois - Springfield, Naperville, Glen Ellyn<br />
Texas - Houston (2), Fort Worth, Midland, New Braunfels, Freeport, Madisonville, Irving, Sadler, San Antonio<br />
Kentucky - Nicholasville<br />
Arkansas - Bryant, Hot Springs, Springdale, Prairie Grove<br />
Nevada - Henderson<br />
Kansas - Overland Park<br />
California - Mt. Vernon, La Jolla<br />
Arizona - Mesa<br />
<strong>No</strong>rth Carolina - Concord, Raleigh<br />
Virginia - <strong>No</strong>rton, Richmond<br />
Tennessee - Bristol<br />
Delaware - Milford<br />
Minnesota - Arden Hills<br />
Indiana - Sullivan, Spencer<br />
Mississippi - Grenada, Olive Branch<br />
Missouri - Springfield, Rolla<br />
Iowa - Independence, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids<br />
108 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 109
DR. TINA JAECKLE<br />
blue mental health<br />
Law Enforcement Suicide and the Need<br />
for Transparency as a Catalyst for Change.<br />
EDiTOR - We’ve experienced<br />
even more suicides in the past 30<br />
days and thought we run this very<br />
important column again. Please<br />
let us help you.<br />
While access to effective<br />
mental health services for law<br />
enforcement officers has significantly<br />
improved over the last<br />
two decades, we continue to<br />
struggle with compiling accurate<br />
statistics on the true number(s)<br />
of those in the field who<br />
die by suicide. Although open<br />
dialogue on officer suicide has<br />
also become more accepted over<br />
time, there is still a great need<br />
for law enforcement agencies<br />
to approach an actual suicide in<br />
a transparent manner. Countless<br />
agencies remain culturally<br />
ingrained in the need to hide an<br />
officer suicide by omitting the<br />
details of the cause of death. We<br />
must practice this transparency<br />
in order to confront the shame<br />
and secrecy of suicide. Our<br />
ability to help and heal officers<br />
who are struggling can only be<br />
effectively built on a foundation<br />
of truthfulness and promotion<br />
of acceptance of the actual<br />
humanness behind the badge.<br />
Fortunately, the tide appears to<br />
be turning as demonstrated by<br />
the press releases of the events<br />
surrounding three recent tragic<br />
suicides in Florida. I applaud the<br />
leadership of these agencies in<br />
approaching these devastating<br />
losses in a compassionate, yet<br />
direct manner and highly urge<br />
other agencies to do the same. It<br />
is an essential way to spread the<br />
message that it is “Ok not to be<br />
Ok”.<br />
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s<br />
Office (HCSO) (FL) Deputy Christopher<br />
Former died by suicide<br />
on Wednesday night, December<br />
29, 2021, according to his department.<br />
One of the 49-yearold<br />
deputy’s family members<br />
contacted the HCSO 911 Center<br />
shortly after 7 p.m. and told the<br />
operator that Deputy Former had<br />
threatened suicide in a phone<br />
call, the sheriff’s office said in a<br />
press release on Thursday. HCSO<br />
deputies responded to Deputy<br />
Former’s Mira Lago home and<br />
spoke with him briefly before<br />
the veteran deputy barricaded<br />
himself inside the residence. Attempts<br />
to convince Deputy Former<br />
to exit the home peacefully<br />
were unsuccessful. At approximately<br />
11 p.m., SWAT officers<br />
entered the residence and found<br />
Deputy Former dead from an<br />
“apparent self-inflicted gunshot<br />
wound,” the HCSO said in their<br />
press release.<br />
“My deepest condolences go<br />
out to Deputy Former’s family<br />
and those that knew and loved<br />
him,” Hillsborough County Sheriff<br />
Chad Chronister said. “While<br />
this is a difficult time for our<br />
Sheriff’s Office family, it is times<br />
like this where we rely on each<br />
other and the community for<br />
DR. TINA JAECKLE<br />
support. Together we will grieve<br />
and try to make sense of what<br />
happened.”<br />
Deputy Former served the<br />
HCSO for 23 years and was most<br />
recently assigned to the Ruskin<br />
area as a community resource<br />
deputy. “He was a guardian at<br />
heart,” longtime friend John-Michael<br />
Elms told the Tampa Bay<br />
Times. “He wanted to protect<br />
people from those bad things out<br />
there and I think he did it wonderfully<br />
for over 20 years.” “You<br />
go into that profession because<br />
you want to help people, and<br />
what I saw of him on the job, he<br />
never developed that stereotypical<br />
cynicism that some do in<br />
those kinds of jobs,” Elms added<br />
“He always looked for the best in<br />
people.” In addition to his service<br />
as a law enforcement officer,<br />
Deputy Former was also a U.S.<br />
Army veteran, the Tampa Bay<br />
Times reported. He leaves behind<br />
two grown children, Elms said.<br />
The St. Lucie County Sheriff’s<br />
Office (FL) announced Tuesday,<br />
January 3, 2022, that two of its<br />
deputies died by suicide in the<br />
last week. Deputy Clayton Osteen<br />
attempted suicide on New<br />
Year’s Eve and was removed<br />
from life support by his family<br />
days later on Sunday. In the wake<br />
of his death, Deputy Victoria<br />
Pachero took her life, according<br />
to the sheriff’s office. She shared<br />
a 1-month-old son with Deputy<br />
Osteen. “Words cannot express<br />
the tremendous loss we all feel<br />
after losing these two members<br />
of our Sheriff’s Office family,”<br />
Sheriff Ken Mascara said in a<br />
statement. “To the general public,<br />
and sometimes even myself,<br />
it’s easy to view law enforcement<br />
as superhuman...but let’s<br />
not forget that they’re human<br />
just like us. “Law enforcement<br />
deal with not only the day-today<br />
stress we all face but also<br />
the stress of those whom they<br />
serve in our community, which<br />
can sometimes be very challenging.<br />
“While it is impossible for us<br />
to fully comprehend the private<br />
circumstances leading up to this<br />
devastating loss, we pray that<br />
this tragedy becomes a catalyst<br />
for change, a catalyst to help<br />
ease the stigma surrounding<br />
mental well-being and normalize<br />
the conversation about the<br />
challenges so many of us face<br />
on a regular basis.” Very well<br />
said sheriff. The nation grieves<br />
with you.<br />
Please do not hesitate to reach<br />
out for assistance at any time at<br />
the following law enforcement<br />
numbers, contacts, and agencies:<br />
Copline (www.copline.org),<br />
1-800-COPLINE; Humanizing the<br />
Badge (contact@humanizingthebadge.com);<br />
and Safe Call <strong>No</strong>w<br />
(www.safecallnowusa.org),<br />
206-459-3020.<br />
110 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 111
RUSTY BARRON<br />
off duty & outdoors<br />
Field to Table Recipes: My Top Favorites (Part I)<br />
For many of us, the fall has<br />
been filled with days hunting<br />
deer, birds, and small game<br />
resulting in freezers full of meat<br />
ready to be cooked into amazing<br />
table fare. Preparing a meal<br />
from wild game is not only<br />
amazing to share with friends,<br />
but it completes the hunting<br />
adventure. Sometime back in<br />
my youth, I made the life-long<br />
pledge to the Hunting Gods that<br />
I will not shoot it unless I enjoy<br />
eating it. Therefore, for me personally,<br />
I don’t do a lot of small<br />
game hunting and this probably<br />
explains why I love big game<br />
and dove hunting so much.<br />
Over the years I have enjoyed<br />
sharing my wild game cookouts<br />
with my family and friends<br />
and thought this month I would<br />
share two of my favorite crowd<br />
pleasers in the hopes that maybe<br />
you too can become the<br />
go-to chef for neighborhood<br />
parties.<br />
First a big disclaimer; I love<br />
cooking, but over the years I<br />
have developed my own style<br />
and philosophy of cooking. I<br />
believe cooking is an art, not a<br />
science, and therefore recipes<br />
are there to guide you, not be<br />
some chore that must me followed<br />
exactly. I encourage you<br />
to treat these two as just that,<br />
a guideline or starting point to<br />
which, you can add your own<br />
personality.<br />
MORNING LIMITS OF DOVE IN THE FIELD WILL MAKE FOR A GREAT<br />
EVENING OF GRILLED DOVE POPPERS<br />
Rusty’s Grilled Dove Poppers<br />
Doves can be breasted in the<br />
field and then later each breast<br />
should be removed from the<br />
breastbone and fillet into 4<br />
boneless strips. Therefore, each<br />
dove will result in 4 small boneless<br />
breast fillets, with each<br />
quarter being about the size of<br />
your small finger.<br />
Ingredients:<br />
-15 Dove breasts, quartered<br />
(so 60 small quarters of dove<br />
breast) washed and soaked in<br />
bowl of milk for at least 12 hours<br />
before preparing them<br />
-3-4 Fresh Jalapenos cleaned,<br />
sliced in half, deseeded, and<br />
sliced across to make a piece<br />
about the size of ½ your wedding<br />
ring.<br />
-4 packages of Bacon<br />
-2 packages of Cream cheese<br />
-1 box of Round Toothpicks<br />
PREPARING DOVE POPPERS HAS BECOME A FAMILY EVENT<br />
FOLLOWING OUR ANNUAL WEST TEXAS DOVE HUNTING TRIP<br />
RUSTY BARRON<br />
Cooking instructions<br />
-Layout newspapers on a counter<br />
for a good workspace then<br />
add a layer of wax paper on top.<br />
-Cut the strips of bacon in half<br />
and layout on the wax paper for<br />
a production line<br />
-Place a dove breast quarter on<br />
the half bacon strip<br />
-Place a small piece of cream<br />
cheese next to the dove breast<br />
on the half bacon strip<br />
-Push a piece of the fresh jalapeno<br />
into the piece of cream<br />
cheese on the half bacon strip<br />
-Roll the half bacon strip with<br />
the dove breast, cream cheese<br />
and jalapeno and hold together<br />
with two round toothpicks.<br />
(Always place two toothpicks<br />
and always tell your guests there<br />
are two toothpicks in each popper.<br />
This is important because<br />
when you grill them, sometimes<br />
the toothpick ends will burn off<br />
where you cannot always identify<br />
both…I tell my guests “if you<br />
don’t pull out two toothpicks before<br />
you put them in your mouth,<br />
we will be pulling one toothpick<br />
out of the top of your month, so<br />
please pull two before you eat<br />
them.”)<br />
-Place the rolled-up poppers<br />
on a hot grill and keep turning<br />
them. You might need to have a<br />
cup of water close by if the grill<br />
flames up from the bacon grease<br />
cooking.<br />
-Keep turning them until the<br />
bacon is cooked crisp and then<br />
remove them from the grill and<br />
serve.<br />
-Makes 60 Grilled Dove Poppers.<br />
Enjoy!<br />
112 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 113
ADS BACK IN THE DAY<br />
114 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 115
ADS BACK IN THE DAY<br />
116 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 117
THERE ARE NO WORDS<br />
parting shots...<br />
...pardon our humor<br />
But Sarge!<br />
Guy came out of nowhere, mowed us over!<br />
Don’t look, he’s over by the guardrail..<br />
My first day as a SGT, can you belive this crap.<br />
118 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 119<br />
The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 119<br />
118 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE
NOW HIRING<br />
LE job positions<br />
Baytown Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 03/09/2022 - 5pm<br />
New Boston Police Department Get Info Police Officer 03/22/2022 - 5pm<br />
Bryan Police Department Get Info Police Officer 03/14/2022 - 5pm<br />
Galveston Police Department Get Info Police Cadet 02/03/2022 - 5pm<br />
Seymour Police Department Get Info Police Officer 02/21/2022 - 5pm<br />
Brady Police Department Get Info Police Officer 02/19/2022 - 5pm<br />
Hutto Police Department Get Info Police Officer 02/22/2022 - 5pm<br />
Leonard Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 02/22/2022 - 5pm<br />
Bandera County Sheriff's Office Get Info Patrol Officer 02/28/2022 - 5pm<br />
Jefferson Police Department Get Info Police Officer 02/28/2022 - 5pm<br />
Bedford Police Department Get Info Police Officer 03/05/2022 - 5pm<br />
Trophy Club Police Department Get Info Police Officer 02/28/2022 - 5pm<br />
Lindale Police Department Get Info Police Officer 03/04/2022 - 5pm<br />
Bell County Constable PCT 4 Get Info Deputy Constable II 03/05/2022 - 5pm<br />
Kimble County Sheriff's Office Get Info Deputy 03/05/2022 - 5pm<br />
Carrolton Police Department Get Info Police Officer 02/05/2022 - 5pm<br />
Haltom Police Department Get Info Police Officer 02/24/2022 - 5pm<br />
Bruceville-Eddy Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer 03/11/2022 - 5pm<br />
Meridian Police Department Get Info Police Officer 03/31/2022 - 5pm<br />
Marlin Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer 03/30/2022 - 5pm<br />
Jersey Village Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer 03/18/2022 - 5pm<br />
Woodway Public Safety Department Get Info Public Safety Officer 03/25/2022 - 5pm<br />
River Oaks Police Department Get Info Police Officer 03/18/2022 - 5pm<br />
Memorial Villages Police Department Get Info Police Officer 03/18/2022 - 5pm<br />
Port Aransas Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer 03/10/2022 - 5pm<br />
Richardson Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 03/19/2022 - 5pm<br />
Wylie Police Department Get Info Police Officer 03/18/2022 - 5pm<br />
Hansford County Sheriff's Department Get Info Patrol Deputy 04/20/2022 - 5pm<br />
Texas City Police Department Get Info Police Officer 03/20/2022 - 5pm<br />
Concordia University Texas Police Department Get Info Police Officer 02/21/2022 - 5pm<br />
Memphis Police Department Get Info Police Officer 03/01/2022 - 5pm<br />
Kingsville Police Department Get Info Police Officer 03/24/2022 - 5pm<br />
Samson Park Police Department Get Info Police Officer 03/25/2022 - 5pm<br />
Oak Ridge <strong>No</strong>rth Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer 04/01/2022 - 5pm<br />
Baylor University Police Department Get Info Police Corporal 02/26/2022 - 5pm<br />
Center Texas Police Department Get Info Patrol/Police Officer 02/26/2022 - 5pm<br />
Dimmitt Police Department Get Info Police Officer 03/25/2022 - 5pm<br />
Seguin Police Department Get Info Police Officer 02/26/2022 - 5pm<br />
San Saba County Sheriff's Office Get Info Deputy Sheriff 03/25/2022 - 5pm<br />
Fannin County Sheriff's Office Get Info Patrol Deputy 02/22/2022 - 5pm<br />
Mansfield ISD Police Department Get Info Police Officer 03/30/2022 - 5pm<br />
Somervell County Sheriff's Office Get Info Patrol Deputy 02/28/2022 - 5pm<br />
Cuero Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer 03/31/2022 - 5pm<br />
Universal City Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer 03/01/2022 - 5pm<br />
Tyler County Sheriff's Department Get Info Deputy Sheriff 04/01/2022 - 5pm<br />
Gatesville Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 03/31/2022 - 5pm<br />
Ennis ISD Police Department Get Info Police Chief 04/01/2022 - 5pm<br />
The University of Texas Police at Houston Get Info Detective 03/31/2022 - 5pm<br />
The University of Texas Police at Houston Get Info Police Officer 03/31/2022 - 5pm<br />
The University of Texas Police at Houston Get Info Senior Detective 03/31/2022 - 5pm<br />
Keller Police Department Get Info Police Officer 04/05/2022 - 5pm<br />
Azle Police Department Get Info Police Chief 04/02/2022 - 5pm<br />
Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office Get Info Cadet 02/18/2022 - 5pm<br />
Roberts County Sheriff’s Office Get Info Deputy 03/07/2022 - 5pm<br />
City of Marlin Police Department Get Info Police Sergeant 04/07/2022 - 5pm<br />
Schleicher County Sheriff's Office Get Info Deputy Sheriff 04/08/2022 - 5pm<br />
City of Coleman Get Info Police Officer 04/08/2022 - 5pm<br />
City of Victoria Police Department Get Info Senior Police Officer 03/08/2022 - 5pm<br />
Texas State Technical College Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer 04/01/2022 - 5pm<br />
Dalworthington Gardens DPS Get Info Reserve Police Officer 04/12/2022 - 5pm<br />
Dalworthington Gardens DPS Get Info Public Safety Officer 04/12/2022 - 5pm<br />
Lockhart Police Department Get Info Police Officer 02/23/2022 - 5pm<br />
City of Kingsville Police Department Get Info Entry Level Police Officer 03/21/2022 - 5pm<br />
Sulphur Springs Police Department Get Info Police Officer 03/11/2022 - 5pm<br />
Santa Fe ISD Police Department Get Info Police Officer 04/10/2022 - 5pm<br />
Fair Oaks Ranch Police Department Get Info Police Officer 03/11/2022 - 5pm<br />
Travis Co. Const. Office Pct. 2 Get Info Deputy Constable 04/01/2022 - 5pm<br />
Travis County Police Department Get Info Peace Officer 04/14/2022 - 5pm<br />
Del Rio Police Department Get Info Police Officer 02/21/2022 - 5pm<br />
Tyler Junior College Police Dept. Get Info Campus Police Officer 04/15/2022 - 5pm<br />
STATEWIDE VACANCIES FOR JAILERS<br />
Rockwall County Sheriff's Office Get Info Jailer 03/04/2022 - 5pm<br />
Galveston County Sheriff's Department Get Info Corrections Deputy 02/07/2022 - 5pm<br />
Richardson Police Department Get Info Detention Officer 03/18/2022 - 5pm<br />
Tarrant County Sheriff's Office Get Info Detention Officer 03/18/2022 - 5pm<br />
Mesquite Police Department Get Info Detention Officer 03/20/2022 - 5pm<br />
Denton County Sheriff's Office Get Info Detention Officer 02/26/2022 - 5pm<br />
120 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 121
EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS<br />
• Paid Vacation<br />
• Sick Leave<br />
• Paid Holidays<br />
• Personal Days<br />
• Compensatory Days<br />
• Certification Pay<br />
ALDINE ISD POLICE DEPT.<br />
now accepting applications for:<br />
Dispatcher<br />
Salary starting at $32,690,<br />
no experience required.<br />
TO APPLY VISIT<br />
WWW.ALDINEISD.ORG<br />
OR<br />
Contact the Personnel<br />
Department at<br />
281-985-7571<br />
OR<br />
Contact Sergeant R. Hall at<br />
281-442-4923<br />
HIRING PROCESS<br />
• Oral Board Panel Interview<br />
• Complete Personal History Statement<br />
• Psychological Evaluation<br />
• Medical Examination<br />
• Interview with the Chief of Police<br />
122 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 123
EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS<br />
• Paid Vacation<br />
• Sick Leave<br />
• Paid Holidays<br />
• Personal Days<br />
• Compensatory Days<br />
• Certification Pay<br />
ALDINE ISD POLICE DEPT.<br />
now accepting applications for<br />
Full-Time Police Officers<br />
MUST HOLD A CURRENT TCOLE<br />
PEACE OFFICE CERTIFICATE<br />
Salary starting at $50,000<br />
with no experience<br />
TO APPLY VISIT<br />
WWW.ALDINEISD.ORG<br />
OR<br />
Contact the Personnel<br />
Department at<br />
281-985-7571<br />
OR<br />
Contact Sergeant R. Hall at<br />
281-442-4923<br />
HIRING PROCESS<br />
• Physical Agility Test<br />
• Written Exam<br />
• Oral Board Panel Interview<br />
• Complete Personal History Statement<br />
• Psychological Evaluation<br />
• Medical Examination<br />
• Interview with the Chief of Police<br />
124 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 125
Pay scale:<br />
$57,000 (as a non-certified Cadet) up to $82,762, depending on certification<br />
BENEFITS<br />
• Supportive leadership and community<br />
• Civil Service<br />
• 12-hour shifts for patrol division<br />
• 3-day weekend approximately twice a month<br />
• Take-home vehicles<br />
• Tattoos permitted<br />
• Longevity Pay – $4/month for each year of service;<br />
maximum of $1,200/year<br />
• TCOLE certificate pay<br />
• Paid sick leave with unlimited accumulation<br />
• Vacation – 15 days/year<br />
• Holidays – 10 paid and 2 additional floating holidays/year<br />
• Group health insurance with deductible, flexible spending accounts,<br />
and Section 125 options<br />
• Life insurance, long‐term disability and workers’ compensation<br />
• Optional life insurance and deferred plans are also available<br />
• Retirement plan with the Texas Municipal Retirement System<br />
• Employee contributes 7%, city matches 2:1<br />
• Opportunity to attend training schools<br />
• Equipment and uniforms are furnished, including regulation weapon<br />
• Employee Assistance Program<br />
• Post Police Academy pay - $58,469 @ 28.11/hour<br />
• On-duty fitness time provided<br />
The City of Coleman is seeking applications for a full-time position for Police Officer. The<br />
successful candidate must possess a high school diploma or equivalent and a valid current<br />
law enforcement license issued by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. Starting<br />
salary for patrol officers is $19.50/hr. The position includes an excellent benefits package,<br />
including longevity pay and TMRS retirement with a 7% employee contribution and 2/1<br />
matching by the city. Applications are available at City Hall, or an electronic version is<br />
available HERE. Applications should be returned to the Coleman Police Department, 109 N.<br />
Concho, Coleman, Texas, 76834, or emailed to police_chief@cityofcolemantx.us. This<br />
position will remain open until filled. For additional information on job requirements, contact:<br />
Chief of Police<br />
City of Coleman<br />
325-625-4114<br />
police_chief@cityofcolemantx.us<br />
An Equal Opportunity Employer<br />
Pre-employment drug test and physical is required.<br />
We work 12 hour shifts with every other weekend off. We offer certificate pay for<br />
Intermediate, Advanced and Masters Peace Officer certifications. Take home vehicle<br />
provided if you live within three miles from the city limits.<br />
Coleman is a growing community located about 30 miles <strong>No</strong>rthwest of Brownwood, 55 miles<br />
To learn more about hiring details,<br />
qualifications, and application instructions, visit: Bryantx.gov/PDJobs<br />
Southeast of Abilene and about 60 miles <strong>No</strong>rtheast of San Angelo.<br />
126 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE<br />
The City of Bryan is an Equal Opportunity Employer.<br />
The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 127
• Police Officer Salary<br />
• $52,436 to $72,284 DOE<br />
• Adjusted with prior experience<br />
• Yearly step increase of 2.5%<br />
• Yearly merit increases of up to 3%<br />
• Intermediate…………………$600/yr<br />
• Advanced……..……………..$1,200/yr<br />
• Master………………….……..$1,800/yr<br />
• FTO……………………..………….$600/yr<br />
• Bilingual….……....……..…….$600/yr<br />
• Instructor……………up to $1,200/yr<br />
• Associates Degree………...$1,000/yr<br />
• Bachelor’s Degree………...$2,000/yr<br />
• 12 Hour Shifts<br />
• Every other weekend off<br />
• All Uniforms and Equipment provided<br />
• $1,000 Annual Uniform Allowance<br />
• Allowed 1 hour on-duty to Exercise<br />
• All Training paid by Department<br />
• Vacation<br />
• 0-5yrs……….….120 hours annually<br />
• 6-10yrs……..….160 hours annually<br />
• 11-15yrs…….….200 hours annually<br />
• 16-20yrs……….240 hours annually<br />
• +21yrs……...….280 hours annually<br />
• Sick Leave………….….104 hours annually<br />
• 14 Paid Holidays Annually<br />
• 20-year Retirement Eligibility<br />
• Texas Municipal Retirement System<br />
• 7% - City matches 2 to 1<br />
• Long & Short-term Disability<br />
• City Paid Life Insurance Policy<br />
• Flexible schedules for those seeking<br />
Higher Education<br />
128 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 129
It's<br />
more<br />
than<br />
a job...<br />
It's an investment in our future.<br />
Gatesville Police Department<br />
COMPETITIVE SALARY<br />
STARTING AT $46,592<br />
BENEFITS INCLUDE:<br />
DEPARTMENT ISSUED WEAPONS<br />
ACCRUED SICK/VACATION TIME<br />
INCENTIVE PAY<br />
PAID HOLIDAYS<br />
TMRS RETIREMENT (2:1 MATCH)<br />
HEALTH INSURANCE<br />
LIFE INSURANCE<br />
Apply at:<br />
GatesvilleTX.com<br />
130 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 131
GALVESTON<br />
COUNTY<br />
SHERIFF’S OFFICE<br />
Seeking Individuals Who Are Interested in a Rewarding Career in Corrections<br />
Begin Your Career Today!<br />
GALVESTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE ESTABLISHMENT OF ELIGIBILITY<br />
Position: Corrections Deputy I<br />
Bureau/Division: Corrections/Jail<br />
Title/Rank: Corrections Deputy/Deputy I<br />
Reports to: Sergeant - Corrections<br />
Starting Salary: $47,715.20<br />
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES<br />
Maintains the security of the facility by conducting security checks, settling disputes, and performing cell searches and<br />
inspections; conducts outside perimeter checks.<br />
Preparation and proper completion in the documentation of inmate records.<br />
Issues inmate meals, clothing, linens, and personal items.<br />
Supervise inmate programs (recreational, legal, health care, visitation and religious services)<br />
Prepares reports on jail and inmate activities, enforce inmate handbook rules.<br />
Supervises inmates performing such assignments as cleaning and maintaining the jail facility and continuously observe<br />
locations and activities of inmates.<br />
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS<br />
High School / GED Certificate and must be at least 18 years of age.<br />
Must be a U.S. Citizen and resident of the contiguous United States for a period of time sufficient to conduct a<br />
background investigation.<br />
Must be able to work days, nights, weekends, holidays and mandatory shifts when needed.<br />
Must be able to work during natural disasters and or under declarations.<br />
Must possess a valid Texas driver's license and an acceptable driving record as determined by the Galveston County<br />
Sheriff's Office in effect at the time of application.<br />
Must have favorable employment history. All information given regarding past employment will be thoroughly checked<br />
Must have a stable credit history.<br />
Must possess good computer skills and demonstrate comprehensive reading and comprehension skills.<br />
<strong>No</strong> conviction above a Class B Misdemeanor or a Class B misdemeanor within the last 10 years nor have been on or<br />
currently on court-ordered community supervision or probation for any criminal offense and no Family Violence<br />
convictions of any level.<br />
Applicant must pass all phases of the required testing.<br />
Must be eligible for licensing by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) for the position applied for, if not<br />
presently licensed.<br />
TO APPLY<br />
An applicant interested in any of GCSO position shall first download, complete and return<br />
the Application Packet, per the instructions on the downloadable form.<br />
The Application Packet can be found at SHERIFF.GALVESTONCOUNTYTX.GOV<br />
132 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 133<br />
JOIN US<br />
VISIT SHERIFF.GALVESTONCOUNTYTX.GOV TO APPLY!<br />
The Galveston County Sheriff’s Office is an Equal Opportunity Employer<br />
CONTACT US<br />
409.763.7585 : SO.EMPLOYMENT@GALVESTONCOUNTYTX.GOV
JOIN TEAM HURST<br />
NOW HIRING POLICE OFFICERS<br />
HIRING PAY<br />
BENEFITS<br />
POST PROBATION PAY<br />
$74,755.20<br />
10 Paid holidays<br />
120 Hours vacation per year<br />
120 Hours sick per year<br />
Certification Pay<br />
$81,848.00<br />
LATERAL DEPUTY<br />
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS<br />
United States Citizen<br />
At least age 21 at the time of testing<br />
High school diploma or GED<br />
60 hours college<br />
Vision correctable to 20/20 - no color<br />
blindness<br />
<strong>No</strong>rmal hearing<br />
Must be licensable by the Texas Commission<br />
on Law Enforcement<br />
Good moral character<br />
Stable employment history<br />
Valid Texas Driver's License (or able to obtain<br />
one)<br />
Under age 45<br />
TEST DATE AND TIME<br />
Saturday, February 19, 2022<br />
8:00 AM<br />
Hurst Justice Center<br />
825 Thousand Oaks Drive<br />
Hurst, TX 76054<br />
817-788-7079<br />
Five points added for honorable<br />
discharge from the military.<br />
hursttx.gov/police<br />
134 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 135
FILL YOUR DEPARTMENTS’<br />
OPEN POSITIONS<br />
KELLER POLICE DEPARTMENT<br />
<strong>No</strong>w Hiring Lateral & Entry Level Police Officers<br />
SALARY<br />
First Year Officer- $63,065<br />
$2,500 Relocation Incentive<br />
$2,500 Lateral Incentive (TCOLE Certified)<br />
Lateral Program Available<br />
BENEFITS<br />
Medical, Dental, & Vision Insurance<br />
Paid Time Off<br />
Shift Differential<br />
Certification Pay<br />
TMRS Retirement<br />
APPLICATION DEADLINE<br />
April 5, 2022<br />
Test Dates– April 2 & 5<br />
Contact Us<br />
Sgt. D. Potts<br />
(817)743-4543<br />
dpotts@cityofkeller.com<br />
Visit cityofkeller.com to apply & view additional<br />
information about this job posting.<br />
* The City of Keller is an equal opportunity employer<br />
Pay scale:<br />
$57,000 (as a non-certified Cadet) up to $82,762, depending on certification<br />
BENEFITS<br />
• Supportive leadership and community<br />
• Civil Service<br />
• 12-hour shifts for patrol division<br />
• 3-day weekend approximately twice a month<br />
• Take-home vehicles<br />
• Tattoos permitted<br />
• Longevity Pay – $4/month for each year of<br />
service; maximum of $1,200/year<br />
• TCOLE certificate pay<br />
• Paid sick leave with unlimited accumulation<br />
• Vacation – 15 days/year<br />
• Holidays – 10 paid and 2 additional floating<br />
holidays/year<br />
• On-duty fitness time provided<br />
• Group health insurance with deductible, flexible<br />
spending accounts, and Section 125 options<br />
• Life insurance, long‐term disability and workers’<br />
compensation<br />
• Optional life insurance and deferred plans are<br />
also available<br />
• Retirement plan with the Texas Municipal<br />
Retirement System<br />
• Employee contributes 7%, city matches 2:1<br />
• Opportunity to attend training schools<br />
• Equipment and uniforms are furnished, including<br />
regulation weapon<br />
• Employee Assistance Program<br />
• Post Police Academy pay - $58,469 @ 28.11/hour<br />
Important<br />
Information<br />
Application Deadline:<br />
January 14, 2022<br />
Written exam:<br />
January 21, 2022<br />
To learn more about hiring details, qualifications, and application instructions, visit: Bryantx.gov/PDJobs<br />
The City of Bryan is an Equal Opportunity Employer.<br />
FOR ONLY $250,<br />
FOR 6 MONTHS.<br />
REACH 1/2 MILLION<br />
POTENTIAL CANDIDATES.<br />
136 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 137
Must be at least 21 years of age with High School diploma or equivalent.<br />
Must meet physical, mental & educational standards set by the State and<br />
the department.<br />
Current Basic Peace Officer certification from TCOLE.<br />
https://www.huttotx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/780/Certifiedinitial-application-Police-Officer-2021?bidId=<br />
HUTTO POLICE<br />
DEPARTMENT<br />
<br />
BENEFITS<br />
RETIREMENT—TMRS with City match ratio of 2 to 1 after 5-year<br />
vesting period.<br />
SIGN ON BONUS—$ 2,500.00<br />
SPECIALY/CERTIFICATION PAY :<br />
Intermediate Peace Officer—$ 50.00 per month<br />
Advanced Peace Officer—$ 100.00 per month<br />
Master Peace Officer—$ 150.00 per month<br />
Bilingual—$50.00 Level 1,$75.00 Level 2 per month (after testing)<br />
*Crash Reconstruction—$ 50.00 per month<br />
*EMT/Paramedic—$ 50.00 per month<br />
*Firearms Instructor—$ 50.00 per month<br />
*Field Training Officer—$ 130.00 bi-weekly<br />
*Hutto Response Team—$ 130.00 bi-weekly<br />
*Officer in Charge—$ 130.00 bi-weekly<br />
<br />
<br />
EDUCATION:<br />
Associates Degree—$ 50.00 per month<br />
Bachelors Degree—$ 125.00 per month<br />
Masters Degree—$1 75.00 per month<br />
UNIFORMS/EQUIPMENT—All necessary equipment, including<br />
AR-15, Shotgun, TASER and Body Armor. Also included is a<br />
$400.00 annual uniform allowance per officer.<br />
LEAVE ACCRUALS—12 paid Holidays, 80 hours of Vacation, 96<br />
hours of Sick Leave annually.<br />
<br />
<br />
TAKE HOME CAR—Upon completion of Field Training Program,<br />
officers living within 25 miles of Hutto, TX are authorized to<br />
take their police vehicle to their residence.<br />
STARTING SALARY—$ 58,880.00 (May vary based on experience.)<br />
*upon approval<br />
We want YOU to<br />
join our team!<br />
PATROL<br />
TRAINING UNIT<br />
STREET CRIMES<br />
INVESTIGATIONS<br />
COMMUNITY<br />
RESOURCE<br />
CRIME SCENE<br />
CRASH<br />
RECONSTRUCTION<br />
HUTTO RESPONSE<br />
TEAM<br />
BIKE PATROL<br />
K9<br />
1<strong>38</strong> The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 139
140 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 141
Memorial Villages Police Department<br />
Bunker Hill • Piney Point• Hunters Creek<br />
Police Officer<br />
EOE/M/F/D<br />
5+ Years Patrol Experience Required<br />
The Memorial Villages Police Department (Located on the West Side of Houston) currently has<br />
openings for experienced officers who are self- motivated and enthusiastic about community<br />
policing. We have overwhelming support of our communities and encourage our officers to be<br />
proactive and innovative.<br />
$1500 Sign on Bonus<br />
Starting Salary Range<br />
$71,179 – $82,808 (DOQ)<br />
• Healthcare Insurance, DHMO Dental, Vision – 100% paid for employee, 50% for<br />
spouse/dependents.<br />
• Paid long-term disability and life insurance for employee, with additional life insurance<br />
available for spouse/dependents.<br />
• Health Savings Account with departmental contributions up to $4200 annually<br />
• TMRS Retirement 2 to 1 match, 7% Employee ,14% Employer Contribution.<br />
• 457 Plan with employer contribution of 2% of annual salary<br />
• Bi-Lingual Pay (2.5% of Base salary)<br />
• Shift Differential Pay $3600 annually<br />
• Tuition reimbursement<br />
• Longevity Pay up to a max of $2400 annually at 10 years of service.<br />
• College Education incentive up to $3000 for a master’s degree<br />
• LEMIT or FBI NA pay $1200 annually.<br />
• ECA (Emergency Care Assistant) $1300 Annually, training provided to each employee.<br />
• 12 hour shifts with every other Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off.<br />
• Officer certification pay, Intermediate, Advanced, and Master up to 7.5% of Salary.<br />
To learn more or apply, visit our website at www.mvpdtx.org<br />
Or contact Sgt. Owens 713-365-3711 or lowens@mvpdtx.org<br />
Or Commander E. Jones 713-365-3706 ejones@mvpdtx.org<br />
11981 Memorial Dr. Houston, Texas 77024<br />
142 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 143
144 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 145
MAKE A<br />
DIFFERENCE<br />
IN YOUR<br />
COMMUNITY<br />
We are looking for outstanding individuals to<br />
join our team! As a Pearland Police Officer your<br />
mission will be to prevent crime and disorder, build<br />
partnerships within the community, and positively<br />
impact the quality of life for all our residents.<br />
CITY OF PEARLAND, TEXAS<br />
• Competitive Salary • Outstanding Training<br />
• Career Advancement • Exceptional Benefits<br />
The City of Pearland is one of the fastest growing<br />
communities within the region. Pearland is located<br />
approximately 20 minutes south of Downtown Houston<br />
and the current population is approximately 130,000<br />
residents.<br />
JOIN OUR TEAM<br />
HIRING POLICE OFFICERS AND CADETS<br />
$5,000 Hiring Incentive for T.C.O.L.E Certified Police<br />
Officers who qualify with at least 2 years of experience.<br />
TEST DATE:<br />
SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 8:30 A.M.<br />
Register by: April 12.<br />
Pearland Recreation Center & Natatorium<br />
4141 Bailey Road, Pearland, TX 77584.<br />
Doors Open: 7:15 a.m. <strong>No</strong> admittance after 7:45 a.m.<br />
Candidates must park in the north parking lot.<br />
SOCIAL DISTANCING MEASURES WILL APPLY<br />
• Attendance limited to first 150 arrivals<br />
• Mandatory temperature checks<br />
• Masks required, hand sanitizer available<br />
• Candidates seated 6 feet apart<br />
<br />
<br />
•Be a citizen of the nited tates able to read,<br />
write, and speak the English language<br />
• Have a high school diploma or equivalency certificate .E.. certified by<br />
the issuing agency with:<br />
0 credit hours with a cumulative PA of 2.0 or higher on a .0 scale from an accredited<br />
institute of higher learning or<br />
- Minimum 24 months of active duty service with an honorable discharge authenticated by<br />
a Member 2 or Member orm 21 or<br />
15 credit hours with a cumulative PA of 2.0 or higher on a .0 scale in addition to Basic<br />
Peace Officer Certification from TCOLE or<br />
An Intermediate Peace Officer Certification from TCOLE<br />
• Valid driver’s license with acceptable driving record<br />
• Must meet all legal requirements necessary to become a licensed Peace Officer by the Texas<br />
Commission on Law Enforcement TCOLE.<br />
• Be between 21 and 5 years of age at the time of the examination or<br />
• Be between 18 and 21 years of age if the applicant has received an associate’s degree or 60<br />
semester hours of credit from an accredited college or university or has received an honorable<br />
discharge from the armed forces of the nited tates after at least two years of active service.<br />
: Cadet $1. hourly Police Officer $2. hourly.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
April 12, 2021. Applications will not be accepted after this date.<br />
Submit applications online by visiting pearlandtx.gov/careers.<br />
THE CITY OF PEARLAND IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER<br />
pecial accommodations are available when necessary to aord equal opportunity to participate<br />
in testing. Please make request in writing, five business days prior to the test date to City of<br />
Pearland, HR Department, 3519 Liberty Drive, Pearland, TX 77581.<br />
or questions regarding the application process please contact Terene uddsohnson at<br />
281.652.1617 or hr@pearlandtx.gov.<br />
List will remain in eect for one 1 year or until exhausted, whichever is sooner.<br />
146 The For BLUES additional POLICE information MAGAZINE and to register for an upcoming Civil Service Exam, visit<br />
The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 147<br />
pearlandtx.gov/PDCareers
SANTA FE ISD POLICE DEPARTMENT<br />
IS NOW HIRING<br />
187 Day Contract<br />
Salary: $24.72 to $34.82 Hourly<br />
(Commensurate with experience)<br />
BENEFITS INCLUDE:<br />
Full Time Employment<br />
Full Medical Insurance Options<br />
Teacher Retirement System<br />
Summers off<br />
Paid Holidays: Thanksgiving,<br />
Christmas, Spring Break<br />
INCENTIVES<br />
Certificate Pay<br />
Intermediate - $100.00 mo.<br />
Advanced - $150.00 mo.<br />
Master - $200.00 mo.<br />
Degree Pay<br />
Associate’s - $100.00 mo.<br />
Bachelor’s - $150.00 mo.<br />
Master’s - $200.00 mo.<br />
Take home vehicle after 3 yrs. Service<br />
Uniforms, equipment and duty weapons<br />
provided<br />
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TRAVIS COUNTY<br />
invites applications for the position of:<br />
Constable Deputy<br />
SALARY:<br />
$52,454.27 Annually<br />
OPENING DATE: 02/01/22<br />
CLOSING DATE: 04/01/22 11:59 PM<br />
JOB SUMMARY:<br />
Performs timely service of all criminal and civil processes issued by the courts and enforces local,<br />
state and federal laws; under moderate supervision engages in investigatory duties.<br />
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:<br />
This job is within the <strong>No</strong>n-TCSO POPS job family. It is an entry-level job within the uniformed<br />
Constable series.<br />
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:<br />
Delivers and executes civil process papers, maintains records and files of executions<br />
received.<br />
Seizes property under court orders and holds auction on levied property.<br />
Enforces local, state, federal, and compulsory school attendance laws as required.<br />
Responds to inquiries and serves as liaison to other agencies and the public.<br />
Transports prisoners to jail and may transport persons committed to mental institutions to<br />
state hospital.<br />
Serves warrants, makes arrests.<br />
Serves as a bailiff for Justice of the Peace court.<br />
Responds to major emergencies and disasters.<br />
May perform the following additional duties (varies with the precinct assigned):<br />
Provides building security services and person inspections.<br />
May perform traffic related functions.<br />
Checks title and serial numbers on vehicles, maintains patrol vehicles, and searches for<br />
missing persons.<br />
Performs other job-related duties as assigned.<br />
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:<br />
Education and Experience:<br />
Requires a High School diploma or equivalency certificate with no felony convictions.<br />
Must be at least 21 years of age or at least 18 years of age with 60 or more hours of accredited<br />
college credits or 2 years of military service with an honorable discharge.<br />
Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements:<br />
Requires active peace officer license.<br />
150 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 151
City of Wylie<br />
Police Department<br />
OFFICER SALARY RANGE: HIRING PROCESS: BENEFITS:<br />
<strong>No</strong>n Certified Police Recruit Pay : $62, 370.00<br />
YEARS OF SERVICE ANNUAL SALARY<br />
1 Year—Step 0 $66, 626.06<br />
2 Years—Step 1 $68, 291.71<br />
3 Years—Step 2 $69, 999.00<br />
4 Years—Step 3 $71, 748.98<br />
5 Years—Step 4 $73, 542.70<br />
6 Years—Step 5 $75, <strong>38</strong>1.27<br />
7 Years—Step 6 $77, 265.80<br />
8 Years—Step 7 $79, 197.45<br />
9 Years—Step 8 $81, 177.<strong>38</strong><br />
10+Years—Step 9 $83, 206.82<br />
ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION:<br />
Certification Pay: Up to $1,800 annually<br />
Field Training Officer Pay: $2, 400 annually<br />
Bilingual Pay: $1 ,200 annually<br />
• Complete and submit a City of Wylie<br />
job application: https://<br />
www.governmentjobs.com/careers/<br />
wylietexas<br />
• Written Exam (exempt for Laterals)<br />
• Physical Agility Test<br />
• Complete and submit a Personal<br />
History Statement<br />
• Oral Board Panel Interview<br />
• Background Investigation<br />
• Police Chief Interview<br />
• Polygraph Examination<br />
• Psychological Evaluation<br />
• Medical Examination<br />
RECRUITING CONTACT:<br />
Wylie Police Department<br />
2000 <strong>No</strong>rth Hwy 78<br />
Wylie, TX 75098<br />
Sergeant Mark Johnson<br />
mark.johnson@wylietexas.gov<br />
972-429-8013<br />
• City Paid Medical/Dental/Vision<br />
• Texas Municipal Retirement System<br />
(TMRS) 14% City Contribution<br />
• Paid Time Off (Vacation and Sick Time)<br />
• City Paid Uniforms<br />
• City Paid Training<br />
• Life Insurance and AD&D<br />
• Long Term Disability Insurance<br />
• Employee Assistance Program<br />
• Longevity Pay<br />
• Tuition Reimbursement<br />
• Free Recreation Center Membership<br />
• Deferred Compensation Plan<br />
• Ancillary Benefits Available (Aflac,<br />
Avesis, and More)<br />
Wylie Police Department Mission: Our mission is to impact the quality of life, by providing a professional<br />
level of service that will foster, support, and build relationships with those we serve.<br />
https://www.wylietexas.gov/police.php<br />
152 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 153
WOHPD<br />
Westover Hills Police Department is supported<br />
by the community and city council. We have a<br />
low crime rate and call volume. Westover Hills<br />
will provide a great opportunity to a Police<br />
Officer applicant who is interested in community<br />
policing with a strong sense of service.<br />
APPLY NOW<br />
We have two (2) Police Officer vacancies:<br />
POLICE OFFICER<br />
- $60,000/year<br />
- Sick leave 14 days/year<br />
- Paid holiday 12 days/year<br />
- Paid vacation 2 weeks annually<br />
- 12 h/shifts, 3 days off every other weekend<br />
- Retirement fund 7% 2:1<br />
- Life, health, dental and vision insurance<br />
- Uniform allowance<br />
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS<br />
- US citizen<br />
- High school diploma or GED<br />
- TCOLE certified Peace Officer<br />
- Valid & current TX driver’s license<br />
Please email lback@westoverhillspd.org for information.<br />
12/16/2021<br />
154 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 155
WE'RE HIRING<br />
@UTPoliceHouston<br />
PREVENTION | PREPAREDNESS | PROTECTION<br />
We are currently accepting applications for a POLICE OFFICER.<br />
Well-qualified candidates can earn $65,500 or<br />
higher commensurate with experience.<br />
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE<br />
offers deliberate and caring services to patients, visitors, workforce members and students using industry<br />
standard tools and techniques, not only to respond to and investigate crime and disorder on-campus, but<br />
also to actively prevent problems before a crime occurs. This focus on prevention is through an individual<br />
health and institutional wellness approach to threat management. Through threat management, ideal<br />
officers seek to educate workforce members and students about early indicators of behaviors of concern.<br />
BENEFITS ELIGIBLE POSITION<br />
• Participate in the TRS Pension<br />
Program<br />
• Annual merit raises<br />
• Shift differential pay<br />
• Bilingual pay (up to $1,800)<br />
• Education pay (between $2,400<br />
and $8,000)<br />
• TCOLE certification pay (between<br />
$1,800 and $4,200)<br />
Learn about our 30x30 Initiative to increase women in law enforcement.<br />
To apply, visit http://bit.ly/utph-careers<br />
• Generous tuition reimbursement<br />
through a Cohort<br />
• 100% of health insurance<br />
premiums paid for the employee<br />
• Paid time off<br />
• Sick leave<br />
• Paid holidays<br />
• Earn up to 24 additional hours of<br />
time off based on performance<br />
• Back-up dependent care<br />
• Working Mothers’ Rooms<br />
• Eldercare referral services<br />
• Employee discounts<br />
• Employee Assistance Program<br />
• Three weeks of paid leave in the<br />
first year and accrual increase after<br />
two years<br />
• Extended illness bank<br />
Talent Management Team<br />
utp-hrecruiting@mdanderson.org | 713-792-0900 or 713-792-0823<br />
The City of Victoria<br />
invites applications for the position of:<br />
Police Officer or Senior Police Officer<br />
Salary<br />
$48,045 - $68,500 Annually DOQ<br />
Location<br />
Victoria, TX<br />
Job Type<br />
Full-Time<br />
JOB SUMMARY<br />
The Victoria Police Department is hiring qualified police officer candidates to join our<br />
team and to help enhance the livability of our community. VPD sets the bar for<br />
professionalism, innovation and a progressive approach to our policing strategies. Our<br />
workforce of more than 115 officers and 32 civilian support personnel are a dedicated,<br />
enthusiastic group of professionals who proudly serve over 65,000 Victoria residents.<br />
The Victoria Police Department offers a competitive salary and retirement structure,<br />
great health benefits, and many other incentives such as paid time off and departmentissued<br />
uniforms and equipment.<br />
Officers have lateral and promotional opportunities. Regardless of the assignment, you<br />
will work in an environment that fosters leadership, teamwork and courteous service to<br />
our community.<br />
<strong>No</strong> prior law enforcement experience is required but must be certified as a TCOLE<br />
Peace Officer. Upon employment, you will participate in the City of Victoria Police<br />
Department Field Training Program. You will receive specialized training from some of<br />
the finest officers in law enforcement.<br />
Salary amount offered will depend on qualifications. Lateral pay scale recognized for<br />
Senior Police Officers. This is a non-exempt position.<br />
Applicants currently attending a TCOLE Academy are encouraged to apply.<br />
Employment eligibility will require successful completion of the Academy courses and<br />
certification as a TCOLE Peace Officer.<br />
To learn more about this exciting opportunity and to apply, visit<br />
WWW.VICTORIATX.GOV<br />
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