DEC 2022. Blues Vol 38 No. 12
FEATURES 56 COVER STORY IACP OFFICER OF THE YEAR, OFFICER THADEU HOLLOWAY 68 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE DEPARTMENTS 6 PUBLISHER’S THOUGHTS 8 EDITOR’S THOUGHTS 12 GUEST COMMENTARY - BILL KING 14 NEWS AROUND THE US 46 HEALTH & AWARENESS 52 COP CAR NEWS 84 CALENDAR OF EVENTS 86 REMEMBERING OUR FALLEN HEROES 92 WAR STORIES 98 AFTERMATH 102 OPEN ROAD 108 CLASSIFIEDS 110 HEALING OUR HEROES 112 DARYL’S DELIBERATIONS 114 LIGHT BULB AWARD 116 RUNNING 4 HEROES 118 BLUE MENTAL HEALTH WITH DR. TINA JAECKLE 120 OFF DUTY WITH RUSTY BARRON 124 ADS BACK IN THE DAY 124 PARTING SHOTS 130 BUYERS GUIDE 150 NOW HIRING - L.E.O. POSITIONS OPEN IN TEXAS 202 BACK PAGE
FEATURES
56 COVER STORY
IACP OFFICER OF THE YEAR,
OFFICER THADEU HOLLOWAY
68 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
DEPARTMENTS
6 PUBLISHER’S THOUGHTS
8 EDITOR’S THOUGHTS
12 GUEST COMMENTARY - BILL KING
14 NEWS AROUND THE US
46 HEALTH & AWARENESS
52 COP CAR NEWS
84 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
86 REMEMBERING OUR FALLEN HEROES
92 WAR STORIES
98 AFTERMATH
102 OPEN ROAD
108 CLASSIFIEDS
110 HEALING OUR HEROES
112 DARYL’S DELIBERATIONS
114 LIGHT BULB AWARD
116 RUNNING 4 HEROES
118 BLUE MENTAL HEALTH WITH DR. TINA JAECKLE
120 OFF DUTY WITH RUSTY BARRON
124 ADS BACK IN THE DAY
124 PARTING SHOTS
130 BUYERS GUIDE
150 NOW HIRING - L.E.O. POSITIONS OPEN IN TEXAS
202 BACK PAGE
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The BLUES 1
VOL. <strong>38</strong> NO. <strong>12</strong><br />
<strong>DEC</strong>EMBER 2022<br />
FEATURES<br />
56 COVER STORY<br />
IACP OFFICER OF THE YEAR,<br />
OFFICER THADEU HOLLOWAY<br />
COVER:<br />
IACP selected Dayton Ohio Police<br />
Officer Thadeu Holloway for its<br />
Officer of the Year for <strong>2022.</strong> Read<br />
all about this brave officer starting<br />
on Page 56.<br />
130<br />
68 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE<br />
DEPARTMENTS<br />
6 PUBLISHER’S THOUGHTS<br />
8 EDITOR’S THOUGHTS<br />
<strong>12</strong> GUEST COMMENTARY - BILL KING<br />
14 NEWS AROUND THE US<br />
46 HEALTH & AWARENESS<br />
52 COP CAR NEWS<br />
84 CALENDAR OF EVENTS<br />
86 REMEMBERING OUR FALLEN HEROES<br />
92 WAR STORIES<br />
98 AFTERMATH<br />
102 OPEN ROAD<br />
108 CLASSIFIEDS<br />
110 HEALING OUR HEROES<br />
1<strong>12</strong> DARYL’S DELIBERATIONS<br />
114 LIGHT BULB AWARD<br />
116 RUNNING 4 HEROES<br />
118 BLUE MENTAL HEALTH WITH DR. TINA JAECKLE<br />
<strong>12</strong>0 OFF DUTY WITH RUSTY BARRON<br />
<strong>12</strong>4 ADS BACK IN THE DAY<br />
<strong>12</strong>4 PARTING SHOTS<br />
130 BUYERS GUIDE<br />
150 NOW HIRING - L.E.O. POSITIONS OPEN IN TEXAS<br />
202 BACK PAGE<br />
92 98<br />
2 The BLUES The BLUES 3
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 />
BILL KING<br />
contributing editor<br />
OUR CONTRIBUTORS<br />
BLUES STAFF WRITERS<br />
light bulb<br />
LT. BOB EVANS, RET.<br />
warstory<br />
MICHAEL WILLIAMS<br />
HOLLY MATKIN<br />
SANDY MALONE<br />
BRADY WAKAYAMA<br />
MYLES MILLER<br />
HUNTER LEE<br />
ASHLEY SILVER<br />
MATT COHEN<br />
DEVOUN CETOUTE<br />
PATRICK DRONEY<br />
ELLEN GERST<br />
MARIE RIDGEWAY<br />
DAVID KESSLER<br />
contributing writers<br />
The BLUES 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<br />
of The BLUES or its parent company. Rebuttals or submission of news articles and editorials may be<br />
submitted to: The BLUES @ bluespdmag@gmail.com. The entire contents of The BLUES IS copyrighted©<br />
and may not be reprinted without the express permission of the publisher.<br />
4 The BLUES The BLUES 5
FROM THE PUBLISHER’S DESK<br />
It’s Been One Hell of a Ride<br />
In December of 2020, we<br />
launched an all-new BLUES. At a<br />
time when magazines were going<br />
away, we did something very few<br />
publishers were doing; we created<br />
a true magazine and then<br />
digitized it. Isn’t that just like all<br />
other on-line magazines?<br />
Well yes and know. Yes it’s<br />
kinda the same. But the look and<br />
feel of The BLUES is unique to the<br />
YUMPU format and The BLUES is<br />
the only police magazine on the<br />
YUMPU hosting site.<br />
In the past three years, we’ve<br />
published 36 issues. That’s 4,508<br />
pages of content that’s been read<br />
6,660,000 times. In 2020, our average<br />
page count was 75 pages.<br />
In 2021 it grew to 139 pages. In<br />
2022, we now average over 200<br />
pages per issue.<br />
<strong>No</strong>t only has our page size<br />
increased, so has our readership.<br />
In 2020 we started with<br />
less than 10,000 subscribers and<br />
the average readership per issue<br />
was 95,000. In 2021, the numbers<br />
grew to 33,000 subscribers and<br />
130,000 readers per issue.<br />
<strong>No</strong>w as we close out 2022, we<br />
email copies to over 82,000 first<br />
responders, including every police<br />
chief, sheriff, and constable<br />
in the US. And the average readership<br />
per month has grown to over<br />
350,000.<br />
All of this adds up to The BLUES<br />
is now the Largest Digital Police<br />
Magazine in <strong>No</strong>rth America. We<br />
could not have accomplished any<br />
of this without you, our readers,<br />
and our fantastic staff. I can’t<br />
thank either one enough for all<br />
your support.<br />
Next year brings another milestone<br />
for The BLUES. December<br />
2023 will mark 39 years since<br />
Nat Gutierrez and I decided to<br />
create <strong>12</strong>-page tabloid for our<br />
department. Who knew it would<br />
become the largest digital police<br />
magazine in America. I wish Nat<br />
was still with us to celebrate this<br />
momentous occasion, but I sure<br />
he’s looking down on us saying,<br />
“ahh, I was just an intern at best.”<br />
Red Wave that Wasn’t<br />
By now, it’s pretty clear that what<br />
was supposed to be a Red Wave,<br />
was more like a crimson tide at<br />
best.<br />
While Republicans did take the<br />
house and fired Nancy Pelosi, the<br />
rest of the country was still pretty<br />
much split 50/50.<br />
And why is that? Why is this<br />
country is still just as divided as it<br />
was two years ago. The Dems hate<br />
Republican values so much they<br />
would rather elect a man in Pennsylvania<br />
that can barely put two<br />
sentences together. But then again<br />
look at their leader. Biden is closer<br />
than ever to full blown dementia.<br />
And apparently crime doesn’t<br />
concern them at all. With the highest<br />
crime rate in the country, New<br />
Yorkers elected Kathy Hochul for a<br />
full-term as governor even though<br />
she said, “why is crime such a big<br />
deal to you people.” Maybe because<br />
people are dying? Duh!<br />
And here in Harris County, where<br />
the incumbent Country Judge Lina<br />
SGT. MICHAEL BARRON RET<br />
Hidalgo stated she may be indicted<br />
at some point, was re-elected to<br />
another 4 years in office.<br />
<strong>No</strong>ne of this makes any sense to<br />
me whatsoever. I can understand<br />
backing your party and staying true<br />
to your beliefs. But when people<br />
are literally dying in the streets,<br />
when do you say enough is enough.<br />
What about the economy? Most<br />
Democrats are lower to middle<br />
income folks with families to feed.<br />
How can they be happy with the<br />
high prices of gas or the insane<br />
price of food?<br />
Democrats do not care about<br />
crime or the economy. They do<br />
not care about the border. They<br />
do not care about Fentanyl and<br />
the fact it’s killing our people.<br />
They don’t care that our President<br />
is killing this country. As<br />
long as Biden promotes their climate<br />
agenda and hands out free<br />
money, they are willing to look<br />
the other way.<br />
6 The BLUES The BLUES 7
FROM THE GUEST EDITOR’S DESK<br />
<strong>No</strong>tifying Next of Kin<br />
The hardest part of our job!!<br />
The Holidays are here! Thanksgiving.<br />
Christmas. New Years. And,<br />
while most of the time that translates<br />
into a lot of fun times, happy<br />
memories being made and a lot<br />
of good food being eaten, there’s<br />
another thing, too….<br />
As any Peace Officer will tell<br />
you, <strong>No</strong>tifications are one of the<br />
hardest parts of this job. Anytime<br />
of the day, night, month or the<br />
year, its never easy. But at Holiday<br />
time…. whew. It’ll hurt your heart,<br />
folks. I’m here to tell ya.<br />
Today, I responded to a scene<br />
with a few of my Officers and<br />
a Patrol Supervisor, not to be<br />
“Chief” on the scene or whatever,<br />
but to simply be supportive.<br />
Without going into a lot of detail,<br />
the deceased was a medically<br />
retired employee of the Department.<br />
Thus, I felt it important to<br />
be there.<br />
Fast forward, the Officers were<br />
busy at the scene and the nearest<br />
relative lived a short distance<br />
away. Again, not there to be the<br />
“Chief” but to sincerely be supportive,<br />
I told them, I got the<br />
<strong>No</strong>tification. <strong>No</strong> worries. To which,<br />
come to think of it, I got no argument<br />
on.<br />
Anyway, as I was walking up<br />
the sidewalk to the Next of Kin’s<br />
residence, a very small framed,<br />
elderly female opened the door<br />
and immediately recognized me<br />
as the Chief of Police and tears<br />
welled up in her eyes, before I<br />
ever uttered a word. As respectfully,<br />
humbly and sincerely as possible<br />
I made the notification. After<br />
a few moments, she said, “When<br />
I saw the Chief of Police walking<br />
up, I didn’t know what it could be.<br />
But, I knew it couldn’t be good.”<br />
Two things here friend….Being a<br />
Chief, Constable, Sheriff, Director<br />
etc. carries a lot of weight. A LOT.<br />
We don’t even have to speak and<br />
our mere presence causes an effect.<br />
Secondly, Death <strong>No</strong>tifications<br />
are a very serious part of the job.<br />
There are not always the same,<br />
either. Some go ok, low key even.<br />
And others, well, not so much.<br />
I’d have to say, during this time<br />
of year, a Death <strong>No</strong>tification carries<br />
with it, something which is almost<br />
downright tangible. It’ll weigh<br />
on as you speak to people by a<br />
Christmas Tree, Wreath, Menorah<br />
or other Holiday Decorations. You<br />
know the news you’re bringing to<br />
the door isn’t good. <strong>No</strong>t at all. And<br />
you know whatever you’re going<br />
to say, every single word of it, the<br />
other person will never forget.<br />
Believe me, when you’re called<br />
upon for this specific task, look<br />
sharp. Wipe the dust and crap off<br />
your boots. Tuck in your shirt, and<br />
look the part. Speak with care,<br />
concern, empathy and respect.<br />
Tell it for what it is. Don’t jack<br />
around the subject. That’s disrespectful<br />
for all involved and does<br />
you, the Officer, no good what so<br />
ever. Remember how you look,<br />
speak and act during the moments<br />
of a Death <strong>No</strong>tification with<br />
CHIEF REX EVANS<br />
resonate with that person, the<br />
family and friends, forevermore.<br />
I would say I can remember each<br />
one I have made. But over so many<br />
years, I just can’t. I can remember<br />
every Officer involved <strong>No</strong>tification<br />
and every child death notification.<br />
Those are seared into my mind<br />
and into my heart, for the rest of<br />
my days. There have been some<br />
nights, deep in the night, I am<br />
jolted awake by the screams from<br />
those very <strong>No</strong>tifications.<br />
To sum it up, the Holidays are<br />
usually a great time of joy for<br />
many. But please be mindful of<br />
the fact that if you’re called upon<br />
to provide a Death <strong>No</strong>tification,<br />
especially over the Holidays, there<br />
comes a certain amount of weight<br />
with that moment. For the family.<br />
For the friends. And, for you.<br />
Always remember, look out for<br />
your brother and sister Law Enforcement<br />
Officers. Please. <strong>No</strong><br />
one else is. And we of all people,<br />
should always strive to remember,<br />
we are in fact our Brothers and<br />
Sisters Keeper.<br />
God bless and thank you all for<br />
supporting this Institution we call<br />
“The <strong>Blues</strong>”. Be careful out there!!!<br />
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10 The BLUES The BLUES 11
READERS SPEAK OUT<br />
Throwing Down-Ballot<br />
Candidates Under the Bus<br />
Imagine that you are a Democrat<br />
campaigning for a statewide office<br />
in Texas, where one in six jobs<br />
is tied to the oil and gas industry.<br />
Then imagine that two days ahead<br />
of your election, the Democratic<br />
president of the United States<br />
promises at a campaign rally in<br />
New York there will be no more<br />
drilling for oil and gas.<br />
Or imagine that you are running<br />
for a local office in Harris County,<br />
Texas, as a Republican, where<br />
a Democrat has an 8-10 point<br />
natural advantage. Then imagine<br />
that the Republican governor and<br />
legislature pass an abortion ban<br />
that does not contain an exception<br />
for rape and incest, a position<br />
opposed by about 90% of Harris<br />
County residents.<br />
Welcome to the world of being<br />
thrown under the bus as a<br />
down-ballot candidate. There was<br />
a time when party leaders at the<br />
state and national levels cared<br />
about winning down-ballot races<br />
as part of building their party, but<br />
those days are long gone.<br />
That is because the only elections<br />
that matter to most elected<br />
officials are primaries, which increasingly<br />
have become ideological<br />
purity tests. If a gubernatorial<br />
candidate must do something to<br />
satisfy the primary base but that<br />
damages down-ballot candidates<br />
in swing districts, so be it. It is just<br />
another example of how the toxic<br />
stew of extreme gerrymandering<br />
and the primary system have<br />
poisoned the historic two-party<br />
system in America.<br />
Prior to about 1990, we really<br />
had a four-party system, because<br />
both parties had conservativeand<br />
progressive-leaning wings.<br />
To be sure, these wings were<br />
minorities within their respective<br />
parties. <strong>No</strong>netheless, having<br />
essentially four different “parties”<br />
allowed for deal-making across<br />
the aisle. For example, the civil<br />
rights legislation of the 1960s was<br />
passed by progressive Democrats<br />
and Republicans, largely over the<br />
objection of each party’s conservative<br />
wings.<br />
But since 1990, the minority<br />
wings of both parties have been<br />
virtually eliminated. This is a chart<br />
that Lee Drutman’s book, Breaking<br />
the Two-Party Doom Loop, based<br />
on data collected by www.voteview.com,<br />
a research project led<br />
by UCLA, which shows the demise<br />
of the minority wings of the two<br />
parties in the U.S. House of Representatives.<br />
I suspect that a chart<br />
of most state legislatures would<br />
look similar over the same period.<br />
With the complete ideological<br />
sorting of the two parties,<br />
down-ballot candidates who attempt<br />
to navigate more moderate<br />
policies to appeal to local voters<br />
have become sacrificial lambs<br />
to ideological purity. Candidates<br />
from both parties cynically use<br />
the positions of their opponents’<br />
BILL KING<br />
national and state parties’ platforms<br />
to paint them as ideological<br />
extremists, even though those<br />
issues frequently have nothing to<br />
do with the office for which they<br />
are running.<br />
In the process, critically important<br />
state and local issues go<br />
largely unaddressed in campaigns.<br />
In Texas, for example, the failure<br />
of Texas Republicans to address<br />
the glaring problems with the<br />
Texas electrical grid, resulting in<br />
the worst blackout in decades,<br />
was barely discussed in the statewide<br />
elections. Instead, Democrats<br />
running in Texas were constantly<br />
attempting to explain and/<br />
or distance themselves from the<br />
Biden administration’s energy and<br />
border policies.<br />
At some point, Democrats in<br />
places like Texas and Florida, and<br />
Republicans in California, are<br />
going to have to accept that their<br />
parties’ platforms are simply not<br />
viable in their states. Instead, they<br />
need to find an alternative means<br />
to attempt to affect policy in their<br />
states and local jurisdictions.<br />
<strong>12</strong> The BLUES The BLUES 13
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
GRAND PRAIRIE, TX<br />
Texas officer dies in vehicle crash while pursuing car<br />
with fake tags.<br />
By Michael Williams<br />
GRAND PRAIRIE, TX ‐ Grand Prairie<br />
Police Officer Brandon Tsai, was<br />
killed in a single-car crash Monday<br />
<strong>No</strong>vember 14th after attempting to<br />
stop a car that had a fake paper<br />
license plate.<br />
Tsai. 32, was killed after his car<br />
struck a light pole, according to<br />
Grand Prairie Police. Around 10:45<br />
p.m., Tsai noticed a car with fake<br />
tags near the intersection of Southwest<br />
3rd Street and Pioneer Parkway,<br />
in Grand Prairie.<br />
“Officer Tsai attempted to stop<br />
the vehicle which immediately fled,”<br />
police spokesman Mark Beseda said<br />
in a statement. “During the pursuit,<br />
Officer Tsai lost control of his squad<br />
car causing it to strike a light pole.”<br />
Tsai was taken by firefighters to<br />
Methodist Dallas Medical Center,<br />
where he died, Beseda said.<br />
He had worked for the Grand<br />
Prairie Police Department since<br />
January. He previously worked at<br />
the Los Angeles Police Department<br />
in California for five years, authorities<br />
said.<br />
“He was a loving friend, a trusted<br />
colleague and an outstanding officer<br />
whose passion was providing<br />
service to the public,” Beseda said<br />
in the statement.<br />
The crash remains under investigation.<br />
Tsai’s funeral service was held<br />
on Monday, <strong>No</strong>vember 21st in Grand<br />
Prairie.<br />
Mrs. Tsai, you did an outstanding<br />
job raising Brandon,” an emotional<br />
Chief Daniel Scesney told Tsai’s<br />
mother in front of the crowd.<br />
Scesney revealed the fallen officer<br />
loved camping, shooting and driving.<br />
“Fast cars, classic cars, unique<br />
cars,” he added.<br />
A handful of Tsai’s favorites were<br />
parked in front of Gateway Church<br />
during the funeral service in his<br />
honor.<br />
Tsai also loved food. Street tacos,<br />
Texas barbeque, sushi, dim sum,<br />
just to name a few.<br />
“Most of us would bring one<br />
lunch... Brandon would bring three,”<br />
joked friend and fellow officer Ilan<br />
Marhasin.<br />
Tsai’s sister, Staci Tsai, addressed<br />
his fellow officers from the stage.<br />
“Please take care of yourselves,”<br />
Staci said in tears. “Be safe and<br />
remember to always tell the people<br />
that you love that you love them.<br />
Every day.”<br />
Tsai’s girlfriend and her 7-yearold<br />
daughter also attended services<br />
Monday. Tsai was helping raise the<br />
young girl, Scesny said.<br />
“Kinsley would paint his fingernails,”<br />
Scesny remembered fondly.<br />
“He’d even take a spin in Kinsley’s<br />
pink electric four-wheeler around<br />
the block.”<br />
OFFFICER BRANDON TSAI<br />
Scesney also told the crowd Tsai<br />
spent Thanksgiving volunteering<br />
at homeless shelters, and revealed<br />
he saved a suicidal man’s life last<br />
month when he talked him out of<br />
jumping off a bridge.<br />
Tsai was laid to rest with the<br />
honors he deserved, Scesney said.<br />
That included the presentation of<br />
the colors, a 21-gun salute, taps,<br />
a flyover, folding of the flag, bagpipes,<br />
the ‘’riderless horse” and final<br />
radio call.<br />
Hundreds of Texas police officers<br />
from departments as far as Lubbock<br />
and Corpus Christi were in<br />
attendance as well.<br />
“Officer Brandon Tsai has now<br />
been officially sworn in to protect<br />
the streets of heaven,” remarked<br />
Scesney.<br />
14 The BLUES The BLUES 15
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
CABO ROJO, PUERTO RICO<br />
US Customs Agent Michel Maceda was shot and killed while conducting<br />
a narcotics operation <strong>12</strong> miles southwest of Puerto Rico.<br />
By Holly Matkin and Sandy Malone<br />
CABO ROJO, PUERTO RICO – U.S.<br />
Department of Homeland Security<br />
(DHS) Customs and Border Protection<br />
(CBP) Air and Marine Operations<br />
Marine Interdiction Agent<br />
Michel Maceda was murdered in the<br />
line of duty on Thursday <strong>No</strong>vember<br />
17th, during a shootout with alleged<br />
drug smugglers.<br />
The confrontation occurred approximately<br />
14 miles off the southwest<br />
coast of the island of Puerto<br />
Rico, near Cabo Rojo, at approximately<br />
8 a.m. on <strong>No</strong>v. 17, FOX News<br />
reported.<br />
“On <strong>No</strong>v. 17, at approximately<br />
8:00AM, three CBP Marine Interdiction<br />
Agents were involved in an<br />
exchange of gunfire with individuals<br />
on board a suspected smuggling<br />
vessel upon approach 14 miles off<br />
the coast of Cabo Rojo Puerto Rico,”<br />
CBP said in a statement.<br />
The encounter took place along<br />
the Mona Passage, a major corridor<br />
for smugglers running cocaine from<br />
South America, the Associated Press<br />
reported.<br />
The three agents were shot during<br />
an exchange of gunfire with two<br />
suspects who were aboard the alleged<br />
smuggling vessel, the agency<br />
said. One of the suspects was killed<br />
in the gunfight.<br />
The second suspect was arrested.<br />
The three wounded CBP agents<br />
were airlifted to hospitals in Puerto<br />
Rico, where one agent was pronounced<br />
dead.<br />
“An agent that was transported<br />
directly to a hospital in Mayagüez…<br />
they have confirmed he has passed<br />
away,” said CBP Spokesperson Jeffrey<br />
Quinones, according to CNN.<br />
The deceased agent was later<br />
identified as Michel Maceda.<br />
Puerto Rico Medical Services<br />
Administration Medical Director<br />
Israel Ayala said on Thursday night<br />
that one of the surviving wounded<br />
agents remained in critical condition,<br />
and the other was in stable<br />
condition, CNN reported.<br />
“One of them was immediately<br />
admitted to the stabilization unit<br />
and is being treated by emergency<br />
physicians and trauma surgeons,”<br />
Ayala said. “Meanwhile, the other<br />
agent is in an area that we call minor<br />
surgery and is also being evaluated<br />
and treated by the emergency<br />
room and trauma services.”<br />
The FBI is leading the ongoing investigation<br />
into the deadly shootout,<br />
the Associated Press reported.<br />
Quinones said investigators are<br />
working to determine where the<br />
boat was coming from, as well as<br />
the nationalities of its passengers.<br />
“These are brave members of our<br />
Air and Marine Operations within<br />
U.S. Customs and Border Protection,”<br />
Homeland Security Secretary<br />
Alejandro Mayorkas told a Senate<br />
committee after the gun battle, according<br />
to the Associated Press. “So,<br />
the difficulty of this job cannot be<br />
compared to the difficulty that our<br />
front line personnel face every day.<br />
Their bravery and selfless service<br />
AGENT MICHEL MACEDA<br />
should be recognized.”<br />
Later the same morning, a second<br />
U.S. marine interdiction team intercepted<br />
another nearby smuggling<br />
vessel and arrested two suspects<br />
they found on board, the Associated<br />
Press reported.<br />
Investigators also seized multiple<br />
firearms and other contraband<br />
from the boat. The CBP said both<br />
suspects apprehended on the vessel<br />
are U.S. citizens.<br />
Our thoughts and prayers are with<br />
the family of U.S. Department of<br />
Homeland Security Customs and<br />
Border Protection Air and Marine<br />
Operations Marine Interdiction<br />
Agent Michel Maceda, both blood<br />
and blue. Thank you for your service.<br />
Agent Michel Maceda, your life<br />
mattered.<br />
16 The BLUES The BLUES 17
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
BELLEVUE, WA.<br />
Motor Officer Jordan Jackson was killed when his motorcycle collided<br />
with a car in Bellevue Washington.<br />
By Brady Wakayama<br />
BELLEVUE, WA. — The Bellevue<br />
Police Department is mourning<br />
the loss of motorcycle officer<br />
Jordan Jackson. He died on<br />
Monday, <strong>No</strong>vember 21st., after his<br />
motorcycle collided with a car in<br />
Bellevue. He was 34 years old.<br />
“A tragedy to lose him, he was<br />
a great officer but an even better<br />
human being,” said Bellevue Police<br />
(BPD) Chief Wendell Shirley.<br />
Shirley reflected on Jackson’s<br />
life just one day after he died<br />
from his injuries. He was struck<br />
while traveling northbound on<br />
Bellevue Way near Wolverine<br />
Way.<br />
“The hardest thing to face a<br />
wife, his sister, his mother in<br />
such grief and not be able to fix<br />
it,” said Shirley.<br />
Officer Jackson leaves behind<br />
a wife and two young children.<br />
OFFICER JORDAN JACKSON<br />
He was a Washingtonian dedicated<br />
to serving his community,<br />
graduating from Issaquah High<br />
School and Central Washington<br />
University. He’s been with BPD<br />
since 2018 and was even on the<br />
hiring panel for Shirley who was<br />
appointed to his new role earlier<br />
this year.<br />
“I could tell he was a leader<br />
right from the start, the way he<br />
carried himself, the way he conducted<br />
himself, he was friendly,<br />
he was engaging, and I had a<br />
few meetings with him in my<br />
office and I knew this guy was<br />
an up-and-coming leader,” said<br />
Shirley.<br />
As a memorial of flowers and<br />
balloons expands just outside<br />
the doors of BPD Tuesday afternoon,<br />
so does the sorrow from<br />
the greater community.<br />
“Horrible to see this senseless<br />
act happen,” said David Roosevelt<br />
the owner of Seattle Used<br />
Bikes, just off Aurora Avenue.<br />
Roosevelt said Jackson was a<br />
loyal customer of his since 2019.<br />
Roosevelt said Jackson was a<br />
responsible rider and would talk<br />
about his family often.<br />
“My heart goes out to them,<br />
and I hope the kids someday<br />
understand what a good man<br />
their father was, and that legacy<br />
is what continues for him,” said<br />
Roosevelt. A legacy that should<br />
never be forgotten.<br />
“Jordan Jackson paid the ultimate<br />
sacrifice for serving and so<br />
I think we should all be grateful<br />
and count our blessings,” said<br />
Shirley.<br />
BPD along with the Jackson<br />
family are still organizing funeral<br />
arrangements.<br />
18 The BLUES The BLUES 19
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
PUNTA GORDA, FL.<br />
Charlotte County Deputy Christopher Taylor, was fatally<br />
struck by a vehicle while conducting a traffic stop.<br />
PUNTA GORDA, FL. - Charlotte<br />
County Sheriff Bill Prummell has<br />
identified the deputy who was<br />
fatally struck by a motorist while<br />
conducting a traffic stop on I-75<br />
near mile marker 163 in Punta<br />
Gorda.<br />
Deputy Christopher Taylor was<br />
struck and killed in Punta Gorda.<br />
Life-saving measures were given<br />
on the scene by good Samaritans<br />
and later by other deputies.<br />
Taylor was transported to Punta<br />
Gorda ShorePoint Health and<br />
regrettably succumbed to his<br />
injuries.<br />
The driver, identified Cassandra<br />
Smith, 30, called 911 after<br />
losing control of her Jeep and<br />
veering across three lanes onto<br />
the shoulder striking the deputy’s<br />
patrol vehicle which in turn<br />
hit the deputy. Smith was taken<br />
into custody by Florida Highway<br />
Patrol and transported to the<br />
Charlotte County Jail on charges<br />
of DUI Manslaughter. Smith is<br />
from Massachusetts.<br />
Bill Prummell said this is<br />
Smith’s second DUI charge and<br />
that she had just gotten off probation<br />
for the first.<br />
Deputy Taylor joined the agency<br />
in August of 2021 and was<br />
officially sworn in on February<br />
14, 2021. He is survived by his<br />
parents and fiancé.<br />
“In his little less than a year<br />
of service to Charlotte County,<br />
Chris exemplified the core values<br />
of the CCSO; Integrity, Professionalism,<br />
and Trust. Chris<br />
just celebrated his 23rd birthday<br />
on Saturday. Losing a deputy<br />
is unspeakably difficult for the<br />
agency, but the passing of such<br />
a promising and kind young man<br />
is a tremendous loss for the<br />
world,” shared Sheriff Bill Prummell.<br />
Friends say Christopher Taylor<br />
worked hard to become a Charlotte<br />
County Deputy.<br />
“They say only the good die<br />
young, and this is the epitome of<br />
this because he is a wonderful,<br />
wonderful soul,” Shelly Walton<br />
said<br />
Christopher Taylor, or Chris<br />
as they knew him, worked for<br />
Shelly Walton at Backstreets<br />
Sports Bar in Cape Coral.<br />
“He didn’t have the easiest life<br />
growing up and he was great in<br />
school,” Walton said. “He tried<br />
very hard to get onto the force.<br />
That was his goal; that’s what he<br />
wanted to do.”<br />
Right after he graduated from<br />
<strong>No</strong>rth Fort Myers High School, he<br />
DEPUTY CHRISTOPHER TAYLOR<br />
waited on customers, but Shelly<br />
knew it was not his end goal.<br />
“The kid worked full-time for<br />
me for three years,” Walton said.<br />
“And when he was going through<br />
the academy, he was still working<br />
for me.”<br />
Taylor had dreams of working<br />
in law enforcement, something<br />
Walton said he often mentioned.<br />
“When he was getting hired I<br />
thought he was going to work at<br />
the jail, so I was a little worried,<br />
then after that he told me he was<br />
going on the road so I was doubly<br />
worried,” Walton said.<br />
Walton saw Taylor with a big<br />
smile at his swearing-in ceremony<br />
just a few months ago.<br />
20 The BLUES The BLUES 21
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
YONKERS, NY.<br />
Yonkers Police Sergeant Frank Gualdino was killed by<br />
a 16 year driver with a learner’s permit.<br />
By Myles Miller<br />
YONKERS, NY – The Yonkers<br />
police sergeant killed in a<br />
multi-vehicle crash involving a<br />
BMW and Bee-Line bus a day<br />
ago was identified Friday as<br />
Frank Gualdino, a married father<br />
of two who served the department’s<br />
traffic division, according<br />
to police.<br />
Gualdino, who was recognized<br />
just last month for saving the life<br />
of a 3-year-old child while on<br />
a funeral detail, was driving an<br />
unmarked department vehicle<br />
while on duty on Tuckahoe Road<br />
around 3:30 p.m. Thursday when<br />
a BMW heading the opposite<br />
way apparently lost control, slid<br />
across the yellow line and into<br />
oncoming traffic.<br />
According to the preliminary<br />
investigation, the person behind<br />
the wheel of the BMW M5, a<br />
sports car, was a 16-year-old<br />
with a learner’s permit, Yonkers<br />
Police Commissioner Christopher<br />
Sapienza said Friday. <strong>No</strong> one<br />
with a valid driver’s license was<br />
in the vehicle, Sapienza said. He<br />
also said the teenage driver appeared<br />
to have been speeding.<br />
Dashcam video released at<br />
Friday’s briefing shows the BMW<br />
SERGEANT FRANK GUALDINO<br />
driver lose control, cross over<br />
the line and slam into Gualdino’s<br />
late model Impala and the Westchester<br />
County Bee-Line bus.<br />
Sapienza said the investigation is<br />
ongoing, but that it appears the<br />
young driver couldn’t handle the<br />
“extremely fast sports car” he<br />
was driving.<br />
The video was released at a<br />
press conference on Friday.<br />
“Frank was the victim of a horrible<br />
motor vehicle accident that<br />
occurred yesterday,” Sapienza<br />
said Friday of the 24-year Yonkers<br />
police department veteran.<br />
“He was a personal friend, and<br />
he was an asset to this job. He<br />
was credited his job and he was<br />
a credit to the community. And<br />
this is a tragic, tragic loss for us.”<br />
Gualdino was the lone occupant<br />
of his vehicle and died<br />
at a hospital. The sedan also<br />
crashed into a Westchester<br />
County Bee-Line bus, according<br />
to police. There were about 30<br />
people aboard at the time. Some<br />
suffered minor injuries. The bus<br />
driver was also hurt, but that<br />
person’s injuries were not considered<br />
to be life-threatening.<br />
The driver of the BMW was<br />
badly injured in the crash. He remained<br />
hospitalized in an intensive<br />
care unit on Friday. Details<br />
on possible charges weren’t<br />
immediately known.<br />
Gualdino, 53, was hired by<br />
Yonkers police in 1998. He had<br />
been set to retire next year.<br />
Officers stood at full salute as<br />
his body was transported from<br />
the hospital overnight. Funeral<br />
arrangements have not yet been<br />
released.<br />
Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano<br />
described Gualdino as a friend,<br />
sergeant, decorated officer and<br />
a “good family man” who headed<br />
a prestigious unit. He said<br />
he was well-respected by colleagues<br />
and his Westchester<br />
community and offered condolences<br />
to his wife, Lisa, and<br />
children, Emily and Mark.<br />
“We mourn the loss of a tremendous<br />
officer. There’s also a<br />
family,” Spano said. “You know,<br />
we were all 16 once. We all have<br />
teenagers in our families. We<br />
know when you’re 16, you kind of<br />
like teetering at edge, you know,<br />
always telling your kids over and<br />
over again to watch it, to slow it<br />
down, drive slow -- and sometimes<br />
they continue to do what<br />
was just going on out there.”<br />
22 The BLUES The BLUES 23
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
LAS ANGELES, CA<br />
Driver who plowed his SUV into a group of LASD Recruits, was arrested<br />
and then released due to a lack of evidence, says he fell asleep.<br />
By Hunter Lee<br />
The Orange County Register<br />
LOS ANGELES, CA — A 22-yearold<br />
Diamond Bar driver was arrested<br />
on suspicion of attempted<br />
murder of one or more peace officers<br />
for plowing into 75 cadets<br />
out for a training run in South<br />
Whittier on Wednesday morning,<br />
and then released a day later<br />
when Sheriff Alex Villanueva<br />
stated they didn’t have enough<br />
evidence to charge him.<br />
The Sheriff’s Department said<br />
Nicholas Joseph Gutierrez was<br />
arrested by deputies just after<br />
3 p.m. the day of the collision<br />
and added in its Thursday statement<br />
that more charges could be<br />
added.<br />
Gutierrez, authorities had said,<br />
was behind the wheel of a SUV<br />
and on his way to work, suffering<br />
minor injuries in the crash.<br />
Then later on Thursday, citing<br />
the need for further investigation,<br />
authorities released Gutierrez<br />
from custody.<br />
“Due to the extreme complexity<br />
of the investigation, which<br />
includes ongoing interviews,<br />
video surveillance review, and<br />
additional evidence needed to be<br />
analyzed, homicide investigators<br />
have released Mr. Gutierrez from<br />
the Sheriff’s Department custody<br />
today at approximately 9:55 PM,”<br />
the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s<br />
Department said in a statement.<br />
Authorities identified Gutierrez<br />
as the driver of an SUV that<br />
veered onto the wrong side of<br />
the road early Wednesday in the<br />
suburban Whittier area, where<br />
a sheriff’s academy facility is<br />
located.<br />
Seventy-five recruits for the<br />
sheriff’s department and other<br />
law enforcement agencies were<br />
on a routine run in formation<br />
through the area. Five of the recruits<br />
were critically injured and<br />
two remained in critical condition<br />
Thursday afternoon, according<br />
to the department.<br />
Sheriff Alex Villanueva told<br />
NewsNation earlier Thursday that<br />
investigators believe the crash<br />
was a “deliberate act” and that<br />
there was probable cause to<br />
make the arrest.<br />
But he said Gutierrez was going<br />
to be “provisionally” released<br />
“until we can have the case iron<br />
clad, iron proof, and submitted<br />
to the DA for filing consideration.<br />
Right now, we want to tie up all<br />
the loose ends on the case and<br />
then present it to the DA.”<br />
It will be up to the county district<br />
attorney to decide whether<br />
Gutierrez will be charged and for<br />
what offense.<br />
“The Sheriff’s Department<br />
would like to thank the Los Angeles<br />
County Fire Department,<br />
the California Highway Patrol,<br />
the incredible medical staffs<br />
who are caring for our injured<br />
personnel, the other agencies<br />
that assisted in this investigation,<br />
and the outpouring of love and<br />
support we have experienced<br />
from the community.”<br />
The entire class of 75 cadets,<br />
mostly Sheriff’s Department<br />
recruits but some in line to get<br />
hired by other Southern California<br />
police agencies, were<br />
jogging in four columns on<br />
Telegraph Road, heading toward<br />
Mills Avenue, just before 6:25<br />
a.m.<br />
Two sheriff’s patrol cars were<br />
alongside to protect them from<br />
traffic as they ran in the street,<br />
the sheriff has said. The class<br />
went north on Mills, merging<br />
from four columns into two. The<br />
patrol cars let them pass and<br />
went to the rear.<br />
That’s when the SUV, going<br />
southbound on Mills at about 20<br />
to 30 miles per hour, suddenly<br />
veered into the opposite lane<br />
and collided with the cadets.<br />
Some recruits said that the driver<br />
continued accelerating before<br />
smashing into a light pole and<br />
coming to a halt, a sheriff’s captain<br />
has said.<br />
In an interview with the LA<br />
Times, Gutierrez’s attorney Alexandra<br />
Kazarian, said Gutierrez<br />
was traveling in a Honda CR-V<br />
on Wednesday morning to his<br />
job as an electrical engineer for<br />
a solar panel company. his attorney.<br />
Gutierrez, who wakes for<br />
work at 5 a.m., had been up late<br />
the night before, she said.<br />
“He’s a good kid that fell<br />
asleep on his way to work early<br />
in the morning,” Kazarian said.<br />
Gutierrez comes from a law<br />
enforcement family, Kazarian<br />
said. His father is a retired<br />
corrections officer, and he has<br />
uncles in the Los Angeles Police<br />
Department, the California<br />
Highway Patrol and the Sheriff’s<br />
Department.<br />
“He harbors absolutely no<br />
animosity toward law enforcement,”<br />
Kazarian said. She added<br />
that reports that Gutierrez was a<br />
disgruntled academy recruit are<br />
“completely incorrect.” He “never<br />
had any association with being a<br />
recruit,” she said.<br />
24 The BLUES The BLUES 25
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
HOUSTON, TX.<br />
A Houston Police patrol car was riddled with bullets after<br />
a man opened fire on officers with an AK-47.<br />
By Ashley Silver<br />
Police1<br />
HOUSTON, TX — Photos shared<br />
by the Houston Police Department<br />
reveal the shocking aftermath of a<br />
shooting that left a patrol car riddled<br />
with bullet holes.<br />
KHOU News reported the incident<br />
began when Houston police identified<br />
a car going at a high rate of<br />
speed, running stoplights and driving<br />
erratically. As officers attempted<br />
to pull over the driver, the suspect<br />
threw an unidentified item from his<br />
window in the direction of police.<br />
The man eventually lost control of<br />
the vehicle, smashing into a nearby<br />
tree.<br />
The driver then began shooting at<br />
police through his windshield using<br />
a “AK-47-style” style rifle, according<br />
to HPD Assist. Chief Wyatt<br />
Martin. Two officers returned fire,<br />
hitting the suspect several times.<br />
“These officers were very lucky.<br />
If you see the front of their vehicle,<br />
the suspect was firing from inside<br />
his vehicle, and he struck their vehicle<br />
numerous times in the hood<br />
and in the windshield,” Martin told<br />
KHOU News. “The officers were<br />
very lucky that they were not hit.”<br />
The two HPD officers were uninjured<br />
in the shooting. The driver,<br />
who was shot in the arm and leg,<br />
was taken to a hospital and is expected<br />
to survive.<br />
The suspect was charged with<br />
two counts of attempted murder<br />
along with other charges.<br />
26 The BLUES The BLUES 27
BACK THE BLUE AWARD<br />
FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL<br />
TROOPER TONI SCHUCK<br />
Highway Patrol Trooper Toni Schuck<br />
received the “Back the Blue” award for<br />
her heroic, selfless actions. She has<br />
served the state of Florida since 1995 as<br />
a member of the 89th Patrol School, but<br />
an incident in 2022 showcased her deep<br />
commitment to her job and her community.<br />
Risking her life to save runners in the<br />
Armed Forces Family Skyway 10K,<br />
Trooper Toni Schuck crashed her patrol<br />
vehicle head-on into an oncoming<br />
drunken driver, driving at nearly 100<br />
mph directly toward the group of runners.<br />
She is still undergoing physical<br />
therapy after the collision.<br />
“Every day we put on this uniform<br />
and with the hopes that we’re going<br />
to come home,” Schuck said<br />
after being presented the award.<br />
28 The BLUES The BLUES 29
HEROISM AWARD<br />
TEXAS DPS<br />
LT. JAMES MORRIS<br />
Sgt. James Morris began his career with the Texas Department of Public<br />
Safety in 2002, and since then, his productivity, loyalty and devotion have<br />
resulted in the apprehension of thousands of migrants and the seizure of<br />
tens of thousands of pounds of narcotics.<br />
“A lot of people don’t realize we work the border out here in the west<br />
Texas region, we work well with our border patrol agents and our other<br />
Fed agents out there in our state… It’s just something that I’ve been doing<br />
every day. And then for Fox News to come out and to fly with us, to walk<br />
with us a little bit,” Morris said before being met with applause.<br />
Morris has also assisted in numerous life-saving missions during active<br />
shooter events, natural disasters and other critical incidents, earning several<br />
awards and letters of commendation from DPS and other agencies.<br />
“We catch a lot of good people that come, and they do want to come in,”<br />
Morris said. “But there is a handful of folks that are murderers, sex offenders,<br />
druggies, a lot of bad folks.”<br />
Before joining DPS, Morris served in the U.S. Marine Corps. The father of<br />
five has been a youth sports coach for more than 18 years, and in February<br />
2022, Sgt. Morris was the recipient of the William P. Clements Award of<br />
Excellence.<br />
After his acceptance speech, Sgt. Morris was promoted on stage to lieutenant.<br />
30 The BLUES The BLUES 31
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
TAMPA BAY, FL.<br />
New Florida bill enables police to arrest, charge street<br />
racers without witnessing the race.<br />
By Matt Cohen<br />
Tampa Bay Times<br />
TAMPA BAY, FL. — Florida Sen.<br />
Jason Pizzo said he remembers the<br />
look on the faces of the transportation<br />
committee members when he<br />
showed them a gruesome video of<br />
a decapitated woman’s head lying<br />
on the sidewalk.<br />
The video posted to Instagram<br />
showed dead bodies — including<br />
the headless woman — lying on<br />
the ground in Miami Gardens after<br />
a “street takeover” — blocking and<br />
occupying intersections or parking<br />
lots to perform doughnuts and<br />
other car tricks — that had gone<br />
wrong.<br />
“The video resembles the chaos<br />
more likely found after a bombing<br />
in a war zone,” Pizzo, a Democrat<br />
representing parts of Miami-Dade<br />
County, said.<br />
He said showing the video was his<br />
way to illustrate how street races<br />
and takeovers can turn deadly in<br />
Florida.<br />
Street racing and takeovers have<br />
been a part of Tampa Bay’s nightlife<br />
culture for “years and years,”<br />
according to Sgt. Steve Gaskins, a<br />
spokesperson for the Florida Highway<br />
Patrol.<br />
But now, the internet and social<br />
media allow street racers to instantly<br />
show off their speed to large<br />
audiences. In addition, organizers<br />
often use social media to spread<br />
the word about meetups — typically<br />
at gas stations or parking lots. In<br />
many cases, dozens of people in<br />
souped-up rides show up, videos on<br />
Instagram and YouTube show.<br />
Pizzo introduced a bill earlier this<br />
year that was cosponsored by former<br />
Sen. Ray Rodrigues, a Republican<br />
who did not seek reelection this<br />
fall. The bill passed unanimously in<br />
both chambers and was signed by<br />
Gov. Ron DeSantis earlier this year. It<br />
went into effect on Oct. 1.<br />
Part of the new law adds street<br />
racing and street shows to a list of<br />
exceptions for misdemeanors where<br />
the police don’t have to physically<br />
see the incident take place. That<br />
means just seeing a video showing<br />
one of those incidents allows law<br />
enforcement officers to track down<br />
those involved based on the vehicles,<br />
license plates or people filmed,<br />
Pizzo said.<br />
Violators can be charged with a<br />
first-degree misdemeanor and face<br />
a possible fine between $500 and<br />
$1,000, according to the law’s text.<br />
The violator’s driver’s license also<br />
could be revoked for up to one year.<br />
“People have public profiles that<br />
are showing racing and doughnuts<br />
and tear outs and terrorizing a<br />
neighborhood,” he said. “It’s something<br />
people can do because there<br />
were no police officers there.”<br />
Sometimes, Pizzo said, organizers<br />
and spectators will use their<br />
vehicles to block off intersections<br />
while a driver performs doughnuts.<br />
If someone gets hurt, there is<br />
no way for them to get out, or an<br />
ambulance to get in, he said. That’s<br />
why the new law also targets these<br />
types of takeovers.<br />
Based on arrest reports, the<br />
Gandy Bridge is one of the most<br />
common locations for races in the<br />
Tampa Bay area. Sometimes the<br />
races are planned, and other times<br />
they are random.<br />
According to the reports, they often<br />
start out the same: Two or more<br />
vehicles slow down to pull even<br />
with each other before the sound of<br />
shifting gears and engines purring<br />
as they take off down the highway.<br />
Some videos on Instagram show<br />
cars purportedly zooming down<br />
the road at around 130 miles per<br />
hour. One video on YouTube shows<br />
a driver claiming to hit 208 mph on<br />
the Gandy Bridge.<br />
Dashcam footage from the Florida<br />
Highway Patrol provided to the<br />
Tampa Bay Times shows police<br />
cruisers weaving around traffic<br />
and driving at high speeds as they<br />
try to catch up to the drivers operating<br />
their own vehicles at what<br />
the troopers describe as “unsafe<br />
speeds.”<br />
Gaskins said troopers have operations<br />
from “time to time” targeting<br />
racing. They’ll pick spots to wait<br />
along the Gandy Bridge, anticipating<br />
a race. Other times, troopers<br />
happen across races while driving<br />
around.<br />
Lili Trujillo founded Street Racing<br />
Kills — a national outreach and education<br />
organization that provides<br />
traffic safety courses and reckless<br />
driving prevention presentations —<br />
after her 16-year-old daughter was<br />
killed as a passenger in a California<br />
street race. She said the kind<br />
of speeds drivers engage in while<br />
racing and doing stunts on public<br />
streets is deadly.<br />
“It’s the adrenaline, its the immaturity,<br />
it’s the no fear of dying<br />
because they’re young, it’s the way<br />
of thinking that it’s not going to<br />
happen to me,” Trujillo said. “It’s<br />
fun to them.”<br />
Trujillo said Florida is a hot spot<br />
nationally for street racing and<br />
street takeover events, and there<br />
have been an increasing number of<br />
these incidents since the COVID-19<br />
pandemic began. She said some<br />
people put stimulus checks received<br />
during the pandemic toward souping<br />
up their cars. She also said the<br />
streets were more open during the<br />
pandemic as people stayed home.<br />
And that meant more opportunities<br />
for street events.<br />
Florida isn’t the only state with a<br />
law like this, Trujillo said. She said<br />
there is hesitation in some states<br />
because police believe street racers<br />
will use other means to share footage<br />
that are more difficult to track.<br />
But people will still share their<br />
videos anyway, Trujillo said, because<br />
it’s a chance to get attention.<br />
“I think social media has been a<br />
very big part of it,” Trujillo said. “If<br />
you think about the spectators that<br />
can watch them — they can put it<br />
on social media and get all these<br />
likes.”<br />
Drivers want their cars to look<br />
good for the camera, too, Trujillo<br />
said. That means loud engines,<br />
flashy wheels and eye-catching<br />
wraps. There are dozens of custom<br />
car shops around the Tampa Bay<br />
area. Some of them specialize in<br />
speed and power and want to build<br />
cars for racing, but they say they<br />
distance themselves from those<br />
racing illegally.<br />
Bob Brooks of Vortex Motorsports<br />
says he can tell when a customer<br />
is looking to race on the street. The<br />
business often works with Ferraris,<br />
Lamborghinis and McLarens. Those<br />
cars, he said, are meant for racing<br />
safely on a track with helmets and<br />
instruction. Vortex customizes cars<br />
to increase horsepower and, in turn,<br />
speed. Brooks said he builds cars<br />
meant for proper racing.<br />
So when he sees someone come<br />
to him with a Subaru or a Nissan intending<br />
to race them, he said he can<br />
often tell they’re not the customers<br />
he wants.<br />
“If someone tells me they’re street<br />
racing, I don’t want anything to do<br />
with them,” Brooks said.<br />
“If you do something and you go<br />
out and get killed,” Brooks said he<br />
tells his potential customers in jest,<br />
“I lose a repeat customer.”<br />
32 The BLUES The BLUES 33
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
ST. PETERSBURG, FL.<br />
Florida officers prevent driver from speeding into<br />
thousands of 5K racers on Thanksgiving.<br />
By Devoun Cetoute<br />
Miami Herald<br />
ST. PETERSBURG, FL. — A Florida<br />
woman nearly was the cause<br />
of a Thanksgiving disaster when<br />
she weaved around cops to try<br />
to drive through a 5K race with<br />
thousands of runners. Officers’<br />
quick actions stopped her and<br />
ended what could have been<br />
“tragic results,” police said.<br />
The St. Petersburg Thanksgiving<br />
Day 5K Turkey Trot was<br />
already underway Thursday with<br />
3,000 runners on its secure racecourse<br />
closed to traffic around<br />
8 a.m., when Ashlee Morgan, <strong>38</strong>,<br />
sped toward the track, St. Petersburg<br />
Police said.<br />
WTVT reported she was driving<br />
at about 60 mph in her 2019<br />
Range Rover Velar toward the<br />
race in St. Petersburg.<br />
Police say she was driving<br />
recklessly when three officers<br />
stopped her and asked to see<br />
her ID. She refused and hit the<br />
gas, speeding onto the 5K racecourse.<br />
“Our officers immediately<br />
identified the reckless driver as<br />
being a threat to the runners,”<br />
police said.<br />
Another officer tried to stop<br />
her, but she drove past two<br />
police cars. She was eventually<br />
forced to a stop by another officer,<br />
police said.<br />
She was then put in cuffs and<br />
charged with reckless driving,<br />
leaving the scene of a crash,<br />
resisting an officer without violence<br />
and two counts of fleeing<br />
and eluding.<br />
“Thanks to the quick response<br />
of the officers on scene, they<br />
were able to stop her, and avert<br />
what could have ended up being<br />
tragic results,” police said.<br />
Police later learned she was<br />
leaving the scene of a crash<br />
where she hit a stop sign.<br />
The <strong>No</strong>rth Shore Elementary<br />
PTA said in a statement, “...We<br />
would like to express our gratitude<br />
to the St. Petersburg Police<br />
Department for their quick<br />
actions to protect participants<br />
in yesterday’s Coffee Pot Turkey<br />
Trot 5K from a reckless driver.”<br />
34 The BLUES The BLUES 35
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
WASHINGTON, DC.<br />
Drones manufactured in China commonly used in<br />
America now pose a huge national security threat.<br />
By Patrick Droney,<br />
Reprinted from Law Enforcement<br />
Today<br />
WASHINGTON, DC- While Joe<br />
Biden apparently cozied up to the<br />
Chinese Communist Party in his<br />
shady business dealings with his<br />
son Hunter, we are now seeing a<br />
disturbing trend taking hold in the<br />
U.S. as hundreds of so-called “recreational<br />
drones” manufactured by<br />
Chinese company DJI have found<br />
their way into restricted airspace<br />
around Washington, D.C., Politico<br />
reports.<br />
According to the report, hundreds<br />
of Chinese-manufactured<br />
drones have ended up in the skies<br />
over Washington, DC. While the<br />
drones are allegedly designed with<br />
“geofencing” restrictions which<br />
are designed to keep them outside<br />
sensitive locations, there are<br />
simple workarounds which enable<br />
users to bypass those restrictions.<br />
The existence of the Chinese<br />
drones is according to sources<br />
privy to meetings before the Senate<br />
Homeland Security, Commerce<br />
and Intelligence committees, federal<br />
officials and drone industry<br />
experts.<br />
The Politico piece is based on<br />
anonymous sources, seven in total<br />
comprised of government officials,<br />
lawmakers, congressional<br />
staffers and contractors. Politico<br />
wrote the reasons for remaining<br />
anonymous is because the sources<br />
are not authorized to speak publicly<br />
about the discussions, some<br />
of which were classified.<br />
While the sources do not believe<br />
the drones are being directed by<br />
the Chinese communist government,<br />
the violation of restricted<br />
airspace marks a new chapter<br />
in users being able to use the<br />
somewhat inexpensive, but rather<br />
sophisticated drones which are<br />
typically used for recreation and<br />
commerce.<br />
The new report comes as Congress<br />
is discussing possibly enhancing<br />
current federal authorities<br />
in order to track the drones as<br />
possible security threats.<br />
“This is part of a trend of commercial<br />
drones for potentially<br />
nefarious reasons,” Rachel Stohl,<br />
vice president of research programs<br />
at the Stinson Center, a<br />
think tank that tracks the global<br />
drone market, said.<br />
“We’re seeing in conflict zones,<br />
in other theaters, the reliance and<br />
use of commercial drones.”<br />
“These may be just innocent<br />
data collection—or really just<br />
looking around, seeing what’s<br />
happening—and not in a systemized<br />
way,” Stohl continued. “But<br />
the potential, of course, is that<br />
eventually they could be more<br />
dangerous.”<br />
It is unknown what exactly<br />
Congress might do to address the<br />
threat posed by the drones. While<br />
some legislation has been introduced,<br />
few have made it to the<br />
committee level, Politico wrote.<br />
Moreover, the limited authority<br />
currently enjoyed by non-defense<br />
federal agency is set to soon<br />
expire unless Congress votes to<br />
extend it. It is currently covered<br />
under the continuing resolution<br />
used to fund the federal government<br />
in lieu of actually approving<br />
a federal budget. That resolution<br />
expires on Dec. 16.<br />
While the Chinese government<br />
may not be directly overseeing the<br />
swarm of unauthorized drones,<br />
DJI has received funding from<br />
investment entities owned by the<br />
Chinese government which DJI has<br />
desperately tried to conceal.<br />
Worse still, with the apparent<br />
ease which recreational users can<br />
evade flight restrictions, it isn’t a<br />
reach to suggest that the high-def<br />
cameras and other sensors might<br />
be easily hacked for intelligence<br />
gathering operations.<br />
“Any technological product<br />
with origins in China or Chinese<br />
companies holds a real risk and<br />
potential of vulnerability that can<br />
be exploited both now and in a<br />
time of conflict,” Sen. Marco Rubio<br />
(R-FL), vice chair of the Senate<br />
Intelligence Committee, said in a<br />
recent interview.<br />
“They’re manufactured in China<br />
or manufactured by a Chinese<br />
company, but they’ll put a sticker<br />
on it of some non-Chinese company<br />
that repackages it, so you don’t<br />
even know that you’re buying it.”<br />
He continued, “But anything<br />
that’s technological has the capability<br />
of having embedded, in the<br />
software or in the actual hardware,<br />
vulnerabilities that can be<br />
exploited at any given moment.”<br />
DJI however denies any involvement<br />
with the Chinese communist<br />
government and says it has no<br />
control over what customers do<br />
once they purchase their drones.<br />
“Unfortunately, while DJI puts<br />
everything in place to identify and<br />
notify our customers about areas<br />
in which they can’t fly, we can’t<br />
control the end users’ behavior,”<br />
said Arianne Burrell, communications<br />
manager for DJI Technology,<br />
Inc.<br />
“But we do everything from our<br />
end to ensure that they do follow<br />
the regulations that are set out by<br />
their localities,” she continued.<br />
The drone maker is the world’s<br />
largest manufacturer of personal<br />
and professional drones while its<br />
products account for most of the<br />
recreational drones flown in the<br />
U.S.<br />
Both the government as well<br />
as security experts have long<br />
expressed concerns about Chinese<br />
communist ties to the drone<br />
maker, with the Pentagon banning<br />
purchase of Chinese-made drones<br />
in 2017.<br />
The Department of the Interior,<br />
operator of the largest civilian<br />
drone fleet in the federal government,<br />
banned the use of DJI<br />
drones except in emergencies.<br />
Sill, thousands of federal, state<br />
and local law enforcement agencies<br />
still rely heavily on DJI drones<br />
according to a 2020 study, Politico<br />
wrote.<br />
That study showed public safety<br />
agencies in the states of California,<br />
Texas, Illinois, Wisconsin and<br />
Florida are heavy users of drones,<br />
with the majority of those being<br />
DJI drones.<br />
Commercial drones use GPS for<br />
navigation and that prevents them<br />
from operating within Washington,<br />
D.C.’s restricted airspace. They<br />
also have instructions for users<br />
about the need to follow local<br />
regulations, however it is some-<br />
36 The BLUES The BLUES 37
what easy to bypass those restrictions<br />
some say.<br />
“There’s YouTube videos that<br />
could walk your grandparents<br />
through how to update the software<br />
on one of these drones to be<br />
non-detectable and to do a whole<br />
lot of other things—get rid of elevation<br />
ceilings, all kinds of stuff,”<br />
a government contractor who has<br />
helped collect data for federal<br />
authorities said.<br />
“If you were to go buy a DJI<br />
drone at the store, it wouldn’t fly<br />
over airports or specific cities<br />
because of a specific no-fly zone.<br />
So, anything that we see in DC that<br />
is a DJI-manufactured product has<br />
been hacked or manipulated to<br />
enable flight in these zones.”<br />
Malicious actors might be able<br />
to take advantage of being able to<br />
easily bypass restrictions.<br />
The contractor compared the<br />
potential threat as that of “an<br />
eight-year-old kid or an unsuspecting<br />
adult who got a DJI for<br />
Christmas and is unwittingly<br />
collecting data for somebody who<br />
could become a serious trea.”<br />
The contractor warned that a<br />
sophisticated user might be able<br />
to “use a drone for industrial<br />
espionage or cyber-attacks.” Or it<br />
could be something as simple as<br />
someone using such a drone for<br />
access to wireless info in a home.<br />
“One could land a drone on your<br />
house and start capturing all the<br />
wireless information that’s being<br />
broadcast out of your home,” the<br />
contractor said.<br />
“Similarly, one could do that on<br />
a federal building, a power grid<br />
or other critical infrastructure.<br />
And the reality is, people on the<br />
tech side always said, ‘look, at any<br />
point in time the Chinese can take<br />
control of a DJI that’s flying in the<br />
air.”<br />
Politico noted that the federal<br />
government has accused DJI of<br />
having ties to the Chinese government,<br />
while public records indicate<br />
Beijing-backed individuals<br />
are among investors in the company.<br />
Those links were considered<br />
when the Pentagon decided to<br />
blacklist the drones.<br />
Meanwhile Burrell, DJI’s communications<br />
manager denies the<br />
company has any ties to the Chinese<br />
government.<br />
“We are a private company. We<br />
don’t take any money from the<br />
Chinese government,” she said.<br />
She also said the company is<br />
committed to following US laws<br />
and regulations, claiming the<br />
company is “passionate about<br />
flight safety.”<br />
According to the Federal Aviation<br />
Administration, there are<br />
over 870,000 drones currently<br />
registered in the United States, an<br />
amount that is three times that of<br />
piloted aircraft.<br />
The FAA further estimates that<br />
by 2024, there will be some 2.3<br />
million “unmanned aerial systems”—1.5<br />
million recreational<br />
drones and model aircraft and<br />
800,000 commercial drones—registered<br />
to fly in the U.S.<br />
With the increase in drones has<br />
come an accompanying increase<br />
in drones being flown in restricted<br />
areas, including violating temporary<br />
flight restrictions or TFRs that<br />
are designed to protect the president.<br />
Since 2018, the Secret Service<br />
has encountered “hundreds of<br />
drones” violating TFRs, according<br />
to Samantha Vinograd, acting<br />
assistant secretary of Homeland<br />
Security testifying before the Senate<br />
Homeland Security and Government<br />
Affairs Committee.<br />
In her testimony, she also<br />
warned that commercially available<br />
drones can “be used by hostile<br />
foreign intelligence agencies<br />
or criminals to collect intelligence<br />
and enable espionage, steal sensitive<br />
technology and intellectual<br />
property, and conduct cyber-attacks<br />
against wireless devices or<br />
networks.”<br />
“The potential implications can<br />
be significant for sensitive U.S.<br />
facilities, the defense industrial<br />
base, technology firms, and others,”<br />
she added.<br />
Meanwhile in Washington, D.C.,<br />
there have been a reported 100<br />
or more incursions in the city’s<br />
airspace over a 45-day period,<br />
however sources speaking to<br />
Politico asked that specific numbers,<br />
locations, and frequency of<br />
the incursions not be reported for<br />
security reasons.<br />
For example this past summer,<br />
one such incursion resulted in<br />
flights into and out of DC’s Ronald<br />
Reagan Washington National<br />
Airport being halted.<br />
“There are a lot more drones flying<br />
in our airspace than you would<br />
expect,” the contractor said.<br />
“You’ll see hundreds of them<br />
over that same time period, but<br />
the biggest difference is obviously<br />
the national capital region is<br />
the most secure air space in the<br />
world,” they continued.<br />
The so-called Special Flight<br />
Rules Area around the nation’s<br />
capital consists of a 55-mile ring<br />
that starts at Reagan National. Any<br />
user requesting to fly inside the<br />
area must obtain a waiver from<br />
the FAA.<br />
The agency has implemented a<br />
number of additional steps to detect<br />
drones to ensure they do not<br />
interfere with commercial aircraft<br />
or otherwise pose safety hazards,<br />
Politico wrote.,<br />
For example, the agency adopted<br />
a “remote identification rule”<br />
lasts year that requires drones be<br />
identifiable with a form of “digital<br />
license plate,” designed to assist<br />
law enforcement agencies “find<br />
the control station when a drone<br />
appears to be flying in an unsafe<br />
manner or where it is not allowed<br />
to fly,” the FAA said.<br />
The FAA, in addressing incursions<br />
above sensitive federal<br />
buildings, said while the agency<br />
is responsible for managing that<br />
restricted airspace, it is the Secret<br />
Service that is charged with<br />
defending it.<br />
“Due to the need to maintain operational<br />
security, the U.S. Secret<br />
Service does not comment on the<br />
means, methods or resources used<br />
to conduct our protective operations,”<br />
a Secret Service spokesperson<br />
told Politico.<br />
Congress has become increasingly<br />
concerned about the use of<br />
drones and the potential threat to<br />
national security.<br />
In February, Rubio introduced a<br />
bill to add DJI to a Federal Communications<br />
Commission list designating<br />
the company as a national<br />
security threat.<br />
That would restrict the company’s<br />
drones’ ability to link to U.S.<br />
telecommunications systems.<br />
The bill has gone nowhere in<br />
Congress, likely because Senate<br />
Democrats are more concerned<br />
about things such as codifying gay<br />
marriage.<br />
Rubio proposed the measure<br />
after a report that DJI was attempting<br />
to conceal its funding by<br />
the Chinese government. Rubio, in<br />
partnership with some Democrats<br />
has likewise proposed legislation<br />
to prohibit U.S. government entities<br />
from using federal funds to<br />
purchase Chinese-made drones.<br />
That legislation has also hit a<br />
brick wall.<br />
Politico wrote that Democrat<br />
Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich), chairman<br />
of the Homeland Security<br />
and Governmental Affairs Committee<br />
helped author a bipartisan<br />
bill in July that would expand the<br />
authority of the Departments of<br />
Homeland Security and Justice, as<br />
well as state and local law enforcement<br />
authorities, to detect<br />
and counter drones which may<br />
present a national security threat.<br />
That bill would also create a<br />
database of “security-related” incidents<br />
involving unmanned aerial<br />
systems within the U.S.<br />
Some however worry that a<br />
nationwide drone tracking system<br />
might present First Amendment<br />
issues. For example, the American<br />
Civil Liberties Union, which<br />
was absent as COVID restrictions<br />
that violated a number of constitutional<br />
amendments went unchallenged<br />
by the group, claims<br />
the proposal violates the right to<br />
privacy, among other rights.<br />
The group argues that “such a<br />
system threatens to erase any possibility<br />
of anonymous operation of<br />
drones so that, for example, an activist<br />
wishing to record corporate<br />
malfeasance or police actions at<br />
a protest [always after the police,<br />
the ACLU] might be targeted after<br />
the fact, or chilled before it.”<br />
However, with the federal government’s<br />
current authorities to<br />
counter drones set to soon expire,<br />
the Biden administration and other<br />
federal authorities are urging Congress<br />
to act.<br />
“We have located hundreds<br />
of drones that have been acting<br />
in violation of federal law each<br />
time, and as the threat continues<br />
to grow, we’re investigating even<br />
as we speak several incidents,<br />
even within the U.S., of attempts<br />
to weaponize drones with homemade<br />
[improvised explosive devices],”<br />
FBI Director Christopher Wray<br />
told Peters’ committee on <strong>No</strong>v. 17.<br />
“That is the future that is here<br />
now, and this authority desperately<br />
needs to be reauthorized.”<br />
<strong>38</strong> The BLUES The BLUES 39
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
HAMILTON CNTY, TN.<br />
Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office unveils a drone command<br />
vehicle to support its drone team.<br />
By Ellen Gerst<br />
Chattanooga Times Free Press<br />
HAMILTON COUNTY, TN. — A new<br />
drone command van unveiled last<br />
month is set to help Hamilton County<br />
first responders streamline search<br />
and rescue missions, crime scene<br />
investigations and other operations.<br />
The vehicle is the first of its kind<br />
to be used by law enforcement in<br />
Tennessee, according to the Sheriff’s<br />
Office.<br />
Hamilton County has used drones<br />
since 2016, Sheriff Austin Garrett<br />
said. Eighteen pilots from the<br />
Sheriff’s Office and Hamilton County<br />
Emergency Management are now<br />
certified to fly them.<br />
So far this year, the county’s drone<br />
team has used the aircraft in around<br />
670 missions for a total of nearly<br />
500 miles flown, according to the<br />
Sheriff’s Office.<br />
The new van, an enhanced sprinter<br />
the Sheriff’s Office said cost the<br />
county $168,100, will be shared by<br />
deputies and emergency responders.<br />
It’s an update from the previous<br />
vehicle the office used for drone<br />
command, a 2001 work van that<br />
was modified in-house. The updated<br />
van will also be used to help<br />
respond to calls from other agencies<br />
in the area, Garrett said in an<br />
interview last week.<br />
“This is kind of seen as a toy by<br />
most people, but in this profession,<br />
there’s a lot of areas that we<br />
can’t get to on foot and in the right<br />
amount of time,” Garrett said.<br />
A 15-foot mast on the van’s roof<br />
boosts the command center’s connection<br />
to drones and extends the<br />
drones’ range, Capt. Mark Hooper<br />
said.<br />
Drones are most commonly used<br />
for search and rescue operations,<br />
or to find missing people, according<br />
to data from the Sheriff’s Office.<br />
Deputies also use them to locate<br />
suspects, map crime or accident<br />
scenes, and monitor large crowds<br />
at events including Riverbend and<br />
the annual Ironman race.<br />
“When you got a place that’s got<br />
10,000 people in it, and we get a<br />
report that somebody’s down on<br />
the other side, we can fly that, get<br />
exactly where it’s at and see, OK,<br />
what’s going on,” Garrett said. “It<br />
saves a lot of time.”<br />
He said the drones can also protect<br />
deputies from being harmed<br />
when going into a dangerous situation.<br />
The updated van provides first<br />
responders with a safe and warm<br />
place where they can operate<br />
drones and monitor live feeds in<br />
any weather. The system can also<br />
live stream drone footage for other<br />
responders to watch even if they<br />
aren’t on scene, Hooper said.<br />
In April 2020, the drones were<br />
used to assess damage from a<br />
tornado that moved through East<br />
Brainerd and other parts of Hamilton<br />
County. A few months later, the<br />
Sheriff’s Office said, deputies used<br />
drones to monitor protests against<br />
police brutality that brought thousands<br />
of people to the streets of<br />
Chattanooga.<br />
While most of the county’s drones<br />
are only equipped with cameras,<br />
some can also perform thermal<br />
imaging or drop small items like<br />
lifejackets to people in hard-toreach<br />
places.<br />
40 The BLUES The BLUES 41
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
ACROSS THE US<br />
Latest law enforcement news from across the country.<br />
SAN FRANCISCO WILL ALLOW<br />
POLICE TO DEPLOY LETHAL,<br />
REMOTE-CONTROLLED ROBOTS<br />
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Supervisors<br />
in San Francisco voted Tuesday<br />
to give city police the ability<br />
to use potentially lethal, remote-controlled<br />
robots in emergency<br />
situations — following an<br />
emotionally charged debate that<br />
reflected divisions on the politically<br />
liberal board over support<br />
for law enforcement.<br />
The vote was 8-3, with the majority<br />
agreeing to grant police the<br />
option despite strong objections<br />
from civil liberties and other police<br />
oversight groups. Opponents<br />
said the authority would lead to<br />
the further militarization of a police<br />
force already too aggressive<br />
with poor and minority communities.<br />
DALLAS OFFICER FIRED,<br />
ANOTHER SUSPENDED AFTER<br />
FAILING TO HELP DRIVER WHO<br />
CRASHED<br />
DALLAS — A Dallas Police Department<br />
officer has been fired<br />
and another was suspended for<br />
30 days after they failed to help a<br />
driver who crashed his car after<br />
a pursuit in May.<br />
Senior Cpl. Leonard Anderson<br />
and Darrien Robertson, who was<br />
being trained by Anderson at the<br />
time, attempted to pull over a<br />
driver whose headlights were off<br />
after leaving a convenience store<br />
on May 13, WFAA.com reported.<br />
The driver didn’t stop, leading<br />
to a short pursuit before it was<br />
called off due to department<br />
policy. Seconds after the officers<br />
cancelled the pursuit, the driver<br />
jumped a curb and crashed on<br />
the side of a road.<br />
“Did you see that?” Robertson<br />
can be heard asking on dash<br />
cam video.<br />
“That’s his fault,” Anderson<br />
replies.<br />
The vehicle soon became<br />
engulfed in flames. DPD Chief<br />
Eddie Garcia said the officers<br />
returned to the crash scene after<br />
the vehicle had caught fire, but<br />
he was “embarrassed” and “outraged,”<br />
saying: “This is not what<br />
we stand for.”<br />
Nearby good Samaritans<br />
helped the driver until Dallas<br />
Fire-Rescue arrived. The driver<br />
did survive.<br />
“Those citizens did an admirable<br />
job – and did a job that<br />
our officers should have done,”<br />
Garcia said.<br />
WIDOW OF SLAIN CA OF-<br />
FICER FILES CLAIM AGAINST<br />
DISTRICT ATTORNEY<br />
The widow of an El Monte<br />
police sergeant announced the<br />
filing Tuesday of a $25 million<br />
claim against Los Angeles District<br />
Attorney George Gascón and<br />
other parties stemming from the<br />
ambush death of her husband<br />
and his partner in June.<br />
Claimant Janine Paredes, the<br />
widow of Sgt. Michael Paredes,<br />
claims the cop killer should<br />
have been incarcerated at the<br />
time because of his prior criminal<br />
record. The claim she filed<br />
also names as respondents the<br />
county, the Los Angeles County<br />
District Attorney’s Office, and the<br />
county probation department,<br />
reports KFI AM. She alleges their<br />
actions resulted in the wrongful<br />
deaths and emotional distress.<br />
Her husband and Officer Joseph<br />
Santana, 31, were ambushed<br />
and killed by Justin<br />
Flores when responding to a call<br />
at a motel on June 14.<br />
CUFFED SUSPECT SHOOTS<br />
DENVER COP WHILE BEING<br />
REMOVED FROM CRUISER<br />
By Sarah Calams, Police1<br />
DENVER — A Denver Police<br />
Department officer was shot in<br />
the neck by a suspect who was<br />
being removed from a police<br />
cruiser at a jail Monday night.<br />
The suspect, who had been arrested<br />
earlier in the evening after<br />
police pursued an alleged stolen<br />
vehicle and found a handgun<br />
and narcotics in the car, had a<br />
42 The BLUES The BLUES 43
concealed weapon on him while<br />
handcuffed in the back of the<br />
cruiser, KDVR.com reported.<br />
The suspect shot one of two<br />
officers inside the parking structure<br />
at a detention center. The<br />
officer suffered a gunshot wound<br />
to the neck and was taken to a<br />
hospital with non-life-threatening<br />
injuries.<br />
The suspect was shot multiple<br />
times by at least one other officer.<br />
He was taken to a hospital in<br />
critical condition.<br />
UVALDE OFFICIALS SAY LO-<br />
CAL PROSECUTOR IMPEDED<br />
INVESTIGATION INTO POLICE<br />
RESPONSE TO SHOOTING<br />
The City of Uvalde is suing the<br />
local district attorney, accusing<br />
her of withholding information<br />
an independent investigator<br />
needs to conduct an internal<br />
affairs investigation of the police<br />
response to the Robb Elementary<br />
School shooting.<br />
City officials hired Jesse Prado<br />
of JPPI Investigations LLC<br />
to conduct the internal affairs<br />
inquiry. The suit filed Thursday<br />
names Christina Mitchell, Uvalde<br />
County district attorney for the<br />
<strong>38</strong>th Judicial District, as the lone<br />
defendant. It seeks a judge to<br />
compel Mitchell, who could not<br />
be immediately contacted for<br />
comment, to hand over all relevant<br />
law enforcement investigative<br />
records and materials from<br />
all law enforcement agencies.<br />
“The internal affairs investigation<br />
by Prado is ongoing, but<br />
it is significantly restricted by<br />
the scope of evidence available<br />
to Prado by defendant,” the suit<br />
alleged.<br />
In a statement about the suit,<br />
city officials said the Uvalde<br />
community had “waited entirely<br />
too long for answers and<br />
transparency” about the May 24<br />
shooting and the widely criticized<br />
law enforcement response.<br />
“Despite the City of Uvalde’s<br />
efforts to amicably obtain the<br />
necessary investigative materials<br />
for its ongoing Uvalde Police<br />
Department’s Internal Affairs<br />
investigation, the District Attorney<br />
has blocked the City’s ability<br />
to obtain critical information to<br />
assess its officers’ actions and<br />
compliance with police department<br />
policies and expectations,”<br />
they said in a statement. “From<br />
day one, the city’s focus is on<br />
helping the entire Uvalde community,<br />
parents who lost children,<br />
children who lost parents,<br />
and young survivors navigate<br />
through the healing process.”<br />
OFF-DUTY DALLAS COP FIRED<br />
AFTER SHOOTING AT ANOTHER<br />
OFFICER DURING UBER RIDE<br />
By Ashley Silver, Police1<br />
DALLAS — Last week, a Dallas<br />
police officer was arrested on an<br />
aggravated assault charge and<br />
placed on administrative leave<br />
for allegedly shooting at another<br />
officer while riding together in<br />
an Uber. <strong>No</strong>w, according to the<br />
Dallas PD, the officer has been<br />
fired following the incident.<br />
According to WFAA News, DPD<br />
officer Anthony Heims is accused<br />
of pointing a gun at the head of<br />
another officer while riding in<br />
the Uber. As the two off-duty<br />
officers struggled for control of<br />
the weapon, the gun discharged,<br />
hitting the sunroof. The Uber<br />
driver called 911, reporting a<br />
back seat passenger had shot a<br />
front seat passenger, according<br />
to the report.<br />
Officers later recovered Heims’<br />
pistol from the front passenger<br />
seat of the vehicle. The officer<br />
in the front seat, according to<br />
WFAA, “was intoxicated” and<br />
told officers he “heard a gunshot<br />
and his ears were ringing.” He<br />
also said he didn’t remember<br />
“how he came to be in possession”<br />
of the pistol, but placed it<br />
on the front passenger seat after<br />
the gunshot.<br />
ARMED SUSPECT AMBUSHES<br />
OKLA. OFFICERS INSIDE TRAILER<br />
Police were searching for a<br />
burglary suspect when they found<br />
him hiding in a storage area under<br />
a bed armed with a pistol<br />
OKLAHOMA CITY — Earlier this<br />
month, three Oklahoma City police<br />
officers went inside a trailer<br />
searching for a burglary suspect<br />
from Missouri. Once inside,<br />
the officers made a potentially<br />
life-threatening discovery.<br />
Police were searching for Timothy<br />
Johnson inside the trailer on<br />
<strong>No</strong>vember 15 when they found<br />
him hiding in a storage area under<br />
a bed, KOCO.com reported.<br />
“Shots fired! Shots fired!” an officer<br />
is heard yelling in the video.<br />
Footage captures Johnson<br />
armed with a pistol – pointing it<br />
directly at the responding officers.<br />
“Come out with your hands<br />
up!” another officer yells.<br />
Two officers run for cover, but<br />
one is stuck on the other side of<br />
the trailer. The suspect shoots<br />
again and police return fire into<br />
the bed. In the video, one officer<br />
flies backwards after getting hit<br />
by debris.<br />
“I’m hit. I’m hit. I’m hit. We’re<br />
stuck inside the trailer. I’m hit in<br />
the face,” an officer says.<br />
The officers were able to escape<br />
from the trailer and waited<br />
for a backup tactical team. Five<br />
hours later, police went inside<br />
the trailer and found Johnson<br />
dead from the gunfire exchange.<br />
The shot officer was treated<br />
and later released from a hospital<br />
with non-life-threatening<br />
injuries. The owner of the trailer,<br />
who police said knew the suspect<br />
was armed when granting<br />
officers permission to search,<br />
was arrested for harboring a<br />
fugitive.<br />
$27 BILLION LAWSUIT FILED<br />
AGAINST OFFICERS, AGENCIES<br />
BY UVALDE SCHOOL SHOOTING<br />
FAMILIES<br />
Attorneys hand-delivered a<br />
$27 billion lawsuit related to the<br />
shooting at Robb Elementary to<br />
Uvalde officials Wednesday.<br />
So far, the class-action suit<br />
does not involve immediate relatives<br />
of the 21 people who died<br />
on May 24. Instead, the plaintiffs<br />
are mostly parents of children<br />
who were on campus during the<br />
shooting, away from the classrooms<br />
the gunman attacked,<br />
KENS5 reports.<br />
The plaintiffs named specific<br />
law enforcement officials who<br />
responded to the incident, along<br />
with DPS head Steve McCraw.<br />
They’re also suing the school<br />
district and former UCISD police<br />
chief Pete Arredondo.<br />
The lawsuit states that surviving<br />
children experience nightmares,<br />
severe anxiety, emotional<br />
changes, anger, separation anxiety<br />
and thoughts of suicide.<br />
Parents reportedly want to see<br />
changes with law enforcement<br />
so everyone can feel safe. Survivors<br />
are also demanding policy<br />
changes in the school system as<br />
well.<br />
The lawsuit criticizes the actions<br />
of Uvalde CISD, the Texas<br />
Department of Public Safety,<br />
San Antonio Police Department’s<br />
SWAT unit, Uvalde’s Sheriff’s<br />
office, and Border Patrol saying<br />
they “fundamentally strayed<br />
from conducting themselves<br />
in conformity with what they<br />
knew to be the well-established<br />
protocols and standards for responding<br />
to an active shooter.”<br />
Tuesday one of the parents of<br />
a child killed during the shooting<br />
filed a separate lawsuit against<br />
officers and agencies.<br />
TAMPA, Fla. — A Florida police<br />
chief flashed her badge after she<br />
and her husband were pulled<br />
over by a deputy in a neighboring<br />
county while riding a golf<br />
cart without a license plate<br />
outside of a residential area last<br />
month, authorities said.<br />
According to a body camera<br />
video released by the Tampa<br />
Police Department on Thursday,<br />
Tampa police Chief Mary O’Connor<br />
identified herself as the city’s<br />
top officer, pulled out her badge<br />
and said to a Pinellas County<br />
sheriff’s deputy that “I’m hoping<br />
you’ll just let us go tonight,”<br />
WFLA-TV reported.<br />
She was placed on leave and<br />
now has lots of time to drive<br />
around in her golf cart. Get some<br />
tags Mary.<br />
44 The BLUES The BLUES 45
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
Mental Wellness Check-ins<br />
What they are and how they help.<br />
By Marie Ridgeway,<br />
Imagine you have a car you depend<br />
on but don’t take care of. You<br />
fill it with gas and drive it every day,<br />
but never change the oil, rotate the<br />
tires, or add coolant or other fluids.<br />
When the “check engine” light illuminates,<br />
you just keep driving. More<br />
warning lights come on, but you<br />
ignore them. After all, the car has<br />
been going for years without any<br />
serious problems. Why shouldn’t it<br />
keep running forever?<br />
Many of us treat our minds the<br />
same way. We use them every day,<br />
fill them up with experiences (both<br />
positive and negative) but otherwise<br />
take them for granted. We<br />
actively ignore problem thoughts<br />
and behaviors, assuming they’ll just<br />
go away or somehow take care of<br />
themselves. Unfortunately, like a<br />
poorly maintained car, neglecting<br />
your mental health can result in an<br />
eventual breakdown.<br />
The primary goal of mental wellness<br />
check-ins is to provide public<br />
safety employees with increased<br />
quality of life as well as tools to<br />
manage their response to stress and<br />
trauma.<br />
First responders deal with difficult<br />
situations almost every day. They<br />
see accidents, experience violence<br />
and witness some of the worst<br />
humanity has to offer. All those<br />
images, incidents and experiences<br />
can get internalized in their minds<br />
as trauma.<br />
Unfortunately, the stigma against<br />
seeking help for this trauma can<br />
cause the problems to multiply.<br />
Many in public safety turn to alcohol<br />
or other substances to dull<br />
the pain. Some (as many as one<br />
in four) consider taking their own<br />
lives. In an effort to improve mental<br />
health, reduce negative perceptions<br />
of treatment and break the cycle<br />
of neglect, my practice, Ridgeway<br />
& Associates, has put together a<br />
program that combines mandatory<br />
mental wellness check-ins and<br />
optional follow-up therapy sessions<br />
in a package for law enforcement<br />
agencies.<br />
MENTAL WELLNESS CHECK-IN<br />
PROGRAM<br />
Going back to the hypothetical car<br />
mentioned earlier, mental wellness<br />
check-ins are a lot like checking<br />
fluids and rotating tires. They provide<br />
an opportunity for every person<br />
in a law enforcement agency<br />
to literally check in with a therapist<br />
with no pressure or expectations<br />
– at no cost to the participant and<br />
with complete confidentiality.<br />
If everything is fine … great! The<br />
person has satisfied the requirement<br />
and nothing else has to happen<br />
until next year. If the participant<br />
decides they could benefit from<br />
therapy for any reason, they can<br />
come back for follow-up counseling<br />
(which is also completely confidential).<br />
Also, if the person doing<br />
the check-in has unresolved trauma<br />
or other issues but is hesitant to<br />
commit to therapy, at least they’ll<br />
have established a relationship with<br />
a therapist and know someone they<br />
can call when they eventually decide<br />
to seek help.<br />
WHAT IS A CHECK-IN?<br />
Some of the agencies we work<br />
with refer to mental wellness<br />
check-ins as “a checkup from the<br />
neck up.” A check-in is an annual,<br />
mandatory 50-minute session in<br />
which someone sits down and talks<br />
with a therapist.<br />
Sounds straightforward, right? In<br />
the case of law enforcement employees,<br />
it’s a private conversation<br />
between a public safety professional<br />
and a mental health professional<br />
who really understands public<br />
safety and the challenges that go<br />
along with the profession. Since<br />
they’re mandatory, check-ins ensure<br />
every department employee has a<br />
chance, at least once a year, to talk<br />
about any problems they might be<br />
experiencing and determine whether<br />
they might need additional help.<br />
The primary goal of mental wellness<br />
check-ins is to provide public<br />
safety employees with increased<br />
quality of life as well as tools to<br />
manage their response to stress<br />
and trauma. Check-ins help prevent<br />
suicide by building positive relationships<br />
between law enforcement<br />
personnel and therapists certified<br />
to work with them so that officers<br />
understand there is always someone<br />
who knows how to help and something<br />
that can be done when stressors<br />
become overwhelming. These<br />
relationships might pay off now or<br />
in the future, depending on each<br />
person’s frame of mind and individual<br />
needs.<br />
WHAT A CHECK-IN ISN’T<br />
Imagine going to your dentist for<br />
a checkup and saying, “Hey, while<br />
I’m here, can I get a quick root<br />
canal?” That’s not how it works<br />
– you’ll need to make a separate<br />
appointment (or multiple appointments)<br />
for that. Dental checkups<br />
and mental wellness check-ins are<br />
both about prevention, not treatment.<br />
A mental wellness check-in is<br />
not a therapy session. During the 50<br />
minutes, the therapist will not evaluate<br />
you or diagnose you. But that’s<br />
not to say that a check-in can’t lead<br />
to therapy. In fact, between 10% and<br />
20% of the people who come to us<br />
for annual check-ins end up scheduling<br />
additional sessions. Like the<br />
check-ins, the cost of those additional<br />
voluntary counseling sessions<br />
are included in the contract our<br />
practice has with the agency so that<br />
you can continue to see the person<br />
you completed your check-in with,<br />
if you choose. They’re also protected<br />
by the same umbrella of confidentiality.<br />
(Read more about this<br />
below.)<br />
WHAT DO WE TALK ABOUT?<br />
With mandatory annual checkins,<br />
the baseline requirement is that<br />
the employee make an appointment<br />
and show up at the allotted time.<br />
There is no expectation of what a<br />
participant shares, nor that they<br />
stay the full 50 minutes, but nearly<br />
everyone does feel comfortable<br />
enough to stay and to share.<br />
In a typical check-in, the therapist<br />
will take time to get a general<br />
idea of how that individual is doing.<br />
If the individual is open to some<br />
coaching, the therapist may also<br />
review some of the ways people<br />
in law enforcement can maintain<br />
mental wellness, including:<br />
Physical factors like sleep, exercise,<br />
hydration and nutrition Mental<br />
factors like mindset, work-life<br />
balance and coping strategies<br />
Social factors like support structures<br />
(family, friends, workplace<br />
and coworkers) and group activities<br />
How stress accumulation can impact<br />
a person’s physical well-being,<br />
mood and cognitive function<br />
The benefits of receiving professional<br />
mental health counseling and<br />
therapy and how it works<br />
If the person participating in the<br />
check-in doesn’t want to talk about<br />
any of this stuff, they might tell the<br />
therapist about last weekend’s fishing<br />
trip, or the lake house they love<br />
to get away to. Most participants<br />
are interested in talking about<br />
wellness and their unique situation.<br />
The important thing is the visit, the<br />
touchpoint and the relationship. As<br />
therapists, the one takeaway we<br />
want every public safety employee<br />
to leave with is that we’re here for<br />
them when they need us – today,<br />
tomorrow, 24/7 and on into the<br />
future.<br />
CHECK-IN CONFIDENTIALITY<br />
Mental wellness check-ins are<br />
not therapy, but the rules of confidentiality<br />
that apply to therapy<br />
sessions also apply to check-ins.<br />
46 The BLUES The BLUES 47
We’ve all heard the saying, “What<br />
happens in Vegas stays in Vegas”<br />
… and the same goes for check-ins.<br />
<strong>No</strong>thing that is said during a checkin<br />
or subsequent therapy session is<br />
reported back to the employer. <strong>No</strong><br />
diagnosis is made, and because the<br />
practice bills the agency directly<br />
(and “in bulk”) there is no record of<br />
the check-in or therapy sessions on<br />
the employee’s medical or insurance<br />
history.<br />
With mandatory check-ins, your<br />
agency will see your name on an<br />
invoice to indicate that you attended.<br />
That’s it. If you opt for further<br />
therapy sessions (which are included<br />
in the program contract), your<br />
employer will eventually know<br />
that somebody in the department<br />
received treatment, but they won’t<br />
know who or what issues were<br />
addressed.<br />
The sole exceptions to this confidentiality<br />
rule are situations where<br />
the person attending the session<br />
is likely to cause immediate harm<br />
to themselves or others, or if the<br />
person discloses abuse of a child or<br />
vulnerable adult. Those notifications<br />
are mandated by law and ethical<br />
codes and are made to the appropriate<br />
law enforcement entity – not<br />
necessarily the employer.<br />
WHO NEEDS A CHECK-IN?<br />
Some might assume that only<br />
sworn law enforcement officers<br />
need to get check-ins, but we<br />
advocate for a different approach.<br />
<strong>No</strong>n-sworn employees of law<br />
enforcement agencies share in<br />
the stress and trauma their sworn<br />
colleagues’ experience. Dispatchers,<br />
crime scene technicians and even<br />
administrative workers also feel the<br />
impact. Because of this, we recommend<br />
that all employees – from the<br />
chief on down – commit to annual<br />
check-ins. However, it is common<br />
that only sworn personnel are required<br />
to do a check in while it is a<br />
voluntary benefit for other LE staff.<br />
FEELING THE BENEFITS: THE<br />
BURNSVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT<br />
Sergeant Dave Zerwas of the<br />
Burnsville (Minn.) Police Department<br />
knows firsthand how helpful<br />
the check-in/therapy program has<br />
been at his agency. “We started<br />
our program four or five years ago<br />
with Marie Ridgeway’s practice,” he<br />
says. “I’ve used her myself, and it’s<br />
benefited me personally. I know the<br />
program is being utilized because I<br />
pay the bills when they come.”<br />
According to Zerwas, the BPD<br />
wanted to be more proactive regarding<br />
mental wellness. “We’re<br />
investing in the front end to prevent<br />
either losing people or having<br />
them spiral and have some type of<br />
incident on the job, which is a very<br />
real danger,” he says. “If somebody’s<br />
not hitting on all cylinders, they’re<br />
more likely to have a use-of-force<br />
complaint, make a bad decision<br />
on the street, or have an accident<br />
because maybe they’re not sleeping<br />
or focused.”<br />
Sgt. Zerwas says keeping his<br />
employees in the best physical and<br />
mental shape helps prevent losing<br />
them to medical retirement or termination.<br />
It also reduces the risk of<br />
officers creating problems for both<br />
the agency and themselves.<br />
“Several of my closest friends<br />
have, over the last several years,<br />
been involved in officer-involved<br />
shootings,” Sgt. Zerwas says. “These<br />
are all great cops, all of whom I<br />
admire. When they had their shootings,<br />
they openly admitted to me<br />
they were struggling. When you<br />
don’t get help after something so<br />
traumatic, you suffer and your family<br />
suffers. But by dealing with those<br />
strong emotions, they were able to<br />
get their lives and families back in<br />
order and feel whole again.”<br />
FEELING THE BENEFITS: CROW<br />
WING COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE<br />
Meliene Fontaine-Laska is the human<br />
resources director for the Crow<br />
Wing County Sheriff’s Office, headquartered<br />
in Brainerd, Minn. Before<br />
adding the check-ins and therapy<br />
sessions as an official program, the<br />
agency already had a peer support<br />
structure in place. Still, the leadership<br />
believed more could and<br />
should be done.<br />
“When we first developed our<br />
program here, we took a long, hard<br />
look at why we felt we needed<br />
this,” Fontaine-Laska says. “We had<br />
a few leaders on our team who had<br />
incredible passion for officer wellness.<br />
Part of the reason is that they<br />
themselves had some baggage that<br />
they’d been carrying around for 25<br />
to 30 years – images they couldn’t<br />
get out of their minds. So, we contacted<br />
Marie and said, ‘How do we<br />
do this?’”<br />
The main focus, according to<br />
Fontaine-Laska, was on the quality<br />
of life for all employees: “Who do<br />
you really have to talk with to filter<br />
those things out of your work life<br />
and still have an enjoyable home<br />
life?”<br />
Fontaine-Laska likened on-thejob<br />
trauma to a cup that each<br />
person carries around, which<br />
eventually fills up to the point of<br />
overflowing. “And if you can’t empty<br />
that cup,” she says, “it becomes too<br />
overwhelming and you’re just numb<br />
to what’s going on out there. And<br />
then something else happens and<br />
you become very ineffective as an<br />
officer.”<br />
With check-ins and follow-up<br />
therapy sessions, she adds, the<br />
trauma is still there. It’s just more<br />
manageable.<br />
“Every day in county government,<br />
we put people in harm’s way,” Fontaine-Laska<br />
says. “This program is<br />
our way of making sure our officers<br />
deal with the ongoing, day-to-day<br />
trauma that builds up over time,<br />
so at the end of the day or the end<br />
of the week they can go home and<br />
have a satisfying life.”<br />
SUMMING IT UP<br />
In many ways, we as a nation<br />
have normalized indifference to<br />
mental health. Fortunately, this is<br />
changing. While the old “ignore it<br />
and it will go away” attitudes still<br />
Amid stressful year, St. Paul Police mandates annual officer check-ins with therapist<br />
persist in some places, many public<br />
safety departments are recognizing<br />
the importance of proactive mental<br />
wellness to keep their employees<br />
healthy and happy (and on the job).<br />
For public safety, a specialized approach<br />
with specialized clinicians<br />
who are culturally competent is key.<br />
We’ve found that an “all of the<br />
above” approach is best. Employee<br />
assistance programs can be great.<br />
Peer support structures can be<br />
invaluable. Innovative technologies<br />
can deliver anonymous help 24/7.<br />
And mental wellness check-ins are<br />
the perfect tool to provide mental<br />
health maintenance and encourage<br />
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48 The BLUES The BLUES 49
AROUND THE COUNTRY<br />
Grief & The Holidays<br />
Dealing with the pain.<br />
By David Kessler<br />
“The holidays are times spent<br />
with our loved ones.” This has<br />
been imprinted on our psyche<br />
from a young age. Holidays mark<br />
the passage of time in our lives.<br />
They are part of the milestones we<br />
share with each other, and they<br />
generally represent time spent<br />
with family. But since holidays are<br />
for being with those, we love the<br />
most, how on earth can anyone be<br />
expected to cope with them when<br />
a loved one has died? For many<br />
people, this is the hardest part of<br />
grieving, when we miss our loved<br />
ones even more than usual. How<br />
can we celebrate togetherness<br />
when there is none?<br />
When you lose someone special,<br />
your world lacks its celebratory<br />
qualities. Holidays magnify that<br />
loss. The sadness deepens and<br />
the loneliness can feel isolating.<br />
The need for support may be<br />
the greatest during the holidays.<br />
Pretending you don’t hurt and/or<br />
it isn’t a harder time of the year is<br />
just not the truth for you. But you<br />
can – and will – get through the<br />
holidays. Rather than avoiding the<br />
feelings of grief, lean into them. It<br />
is not the grief you want to avoid;<br />
it is the pain. <strong>No</strong> one can take that<br />
pain away, but grief is not just<br />
pain, grief is love.<br />
There are a number of ways to<br />
incorporate your loved one and<br />
your loss into the<br />
holidays.<br />
Holiday Season<br />
These are the<br />
biggest and usually<br />
most challenging<br />
of all. You can and<br />
will get through<br />
the holidays. Rather<br />
than avoiding the<br />
feelings of grief,<br />
lean into them. It is not the grief<br />
you want to avoid; it is the pain.<br />
Grief is the way out of the pain.<br />
Grief is our internal feelings and<br />
mourning is our external expressions.<br />
WAYS TO EXTERNALIZE THE<br />
LOSS GIVE IT A TIME AND A PLACE<br />
A prayer before the Holiday dinner,<br />
about your loved one.<br />
Light a candle for your loved<br />
one.<br />
Create an online tribute for<br />
them.<br />
Share a favorite story about<br />
your loved one.<br />
Have everyone tell a funny story<br />
about your loved one.<br />
At your place of worship remember<br />
them in a prayer.<br />
Chat online about them.<br />
WAYS TO COPE<br />
HAVE A PLAN A/PLAN B<br />
Plan A is you go to that holiday<br />
dinner with family and friends<br />
and if it doesn’t feel right, have<br />
your plan B ready. Plan B may be<br />
watching a movie you both liked,<br />
or looking through a photo album,<br />
or going to a special place you<br />
went to together. Many people<br />
find that when they have Plan B in<br />
place, just knowing it is there is<br />
enough.<br />
CANCEL THE HOLIDAY ALTOGETHER<br />
Yes, you can cancel the holiday.<br />
If you are going through the<br />
motions and feel nothing, cancel<br />
them. Take a year off. The holidays<br />
will come around again and will<br />
always be there. For other people,<br />
staying involved with the holidays<br />
is a symbol of life continuing.<br />
Let the holiday routine give you<br />
a framework during these tough<br />
times and lean on a holiday support<br />
system.<br />
TRY THE HOLIDAYS IN A NEW WAY<br />
Grief has a unique way of giving<br />
us permission to evaluate what<br />
parts of the holidays we enjoy and<br />
what parts we don’t. Remember,<br />
there is no right or wrong way to<br />
handle the holidays in grief. You<br />
have to decide what is right for<br />
you and do it. You have every right<br />
to change your mind, even a few<br />
times. Friends and family members<br />
may not have a clue how to<br />
help you through this time of year,<br />
and you may not either.<br />
It is very natural to feel you may<br />
never enjoy this time of year again.<br />
They will certainly never be the<br />
same as before your loved one’s<br />
death. However, in time, most<br />
people are able to find meaning<br />
again in the traditions as a new<br />
form of the holiday spirit grows<br />
inside of them. Even without grief,<br />
our friends and relatives often<br />
think they know how our holidays<br />
should look, what “the family”<br />
should and shouldn’t do.<br />
DOS AND DON’TS<br />
Do be gentle with yourself and<br />
protect yourself.<br />
Don’t do more than you want,<br />
and don’t do anything that does<br />
not serve your soul and your loss.<br />
Do allow time for the feelings.<br />
Don’t keep feelings bottled up.<br />
If you have 500 tears to cry don’t<br />
stop at 250.<br />
Do allow others to help. We all<br />
need help at certain times in our<br />
lives.<br />
Don’t ask if you can help or<br />
should help a friend in grief. Just<br />
help. Find ways; invite them to<br />
group events or just out for coffee.<br />
Do, in grief, pay extra attention<br />
to the children. Children are too<br />
often the forgotten grievers.<br />
JUST REMEMBER...<br />
Holidays are clearly some of the<br />
roughest terrains we navigate after<br />
a loss. Finding meaning in the<br />
loss is as individual as we are. We<br />
often say a part of us died with<br />
them, but finding meaning is also<br />
realizing a part of them still lives<br />
within us.<br />
What is vitally important is<br />
that we be present for the loss in<br />
whatever form the holidays do or<br />
don’t take. These holidays are part<br />
of the grieving journey that we<br />
must fully feel. They are usually<br />
very sad, but sometimes we may<br />
catch ourselves doing okay, and<br />
we may even have a brief moment<br />
of laughter. <strong>No</strong>w more than ever,<br />
be gentle with yourself. Don’t do<br />
more than you want, and don’t do<br />
anything that does not serve your<br />
soul, your loss, or the meaning<br />
that still lives within you.<br />
ABOUT THE AUTHOR<br />
David Kessler is one of the<br />
world’s foremost experts on grief<br />
and loss. He is the founder of<br />
www.grief.com. David has taught<br />
physicians, nurses, counselors, police,<br />
and first responders about the<br />
end of life, trauma, and grief.<br />
He also volunteers with the Los<br />
Angeles Police Department as a<br />
Specialist Reserve for traumatic<br />
events.<br />
50 The BLUES The BLUES 51
JAY LENO HITS POLICE CAR<br />
Leno was en route to comeback stage performance in Hermoss Beach, just two<br />
weeks after a fiery accident seriously burned his face, chest and hands.<br />
Jay Leno hit a police<br />
car as he arrived for<br />
his much-hyped comeback<br />
performance on<br />
Sunday - six days after<br />
being discharged from<br />
a burn center following<br />
a fiery accident that<br />
seriously burned his<br />
face, chest and hands.<br />
The comedian, 72,<br />
was driving up to The<br />
Comedy & Magic Club<br />
in Hermosa Beach, California<br />
with wife Mavis<br />
for his regular, evening<br />
set when the rear right<br />
tire of his Tesla collided<br />
with a police Jeep<br />
in front of scores of<br />
onlookers.<br />
Hearing the ominous<br />
crash, the police officers could<br />
be seen turning around startled<br />
as the TV legend pulled up in<br />
front of the club.<br />
The star was filmed checking<br />
with police if he had ‘hit their<br />
tire’ with cops saying it was ‘no<br />
big deal’, with no damage done<br />
to either of the cars.<br />
Jay, who was seriously burned<br />
after an explosion from one of<br />
his vintage cars set him alight,<br />
looked happy and healthy as he<br />
addressed the press, quipping:<br />
‘Ah, the elephant man is here.’<br />
52 The BLUES The BLUES 53
Spanish Police Take Delivery<br />
of 169 Electrified BMWs<br />
Spanish police in the city<br />
of Madrid have purchased 169<br />
electrified vehicles from BMW<br />
to renew a portion of its vehicle<br />
fleet.<br />
The authorities will take delivery<br />
of BMW i3, BMW 225xe<br />
Active Tourer, BMW 220i Active<br />
Tourer, BMW 530i, and BMW X5<br />
xDrive30d models as part of the<br />
deal with the German car manufacturer.<br />
Approximately onethird<br />
of the vehicles delivered<br />
will be EVs and plug-in hybrids<br />
while the rest will be mild-hybrids<br />
with 48-volt systems.<br />
The Madrid Municipal Police<br />
will use the vehicles for a variety<br />
of functions. For example,<br />
the all-electric models will<br />
be used primarily in Central<br />
Madrid while the X5s can be<br />
equipped with a host of accessories,<br />
including a snow<br />
shovel, winch, traction strap,<br />
and hooks.<br />
A handful of these cars were<br />
handed over to the Madrid<br />
Municipal Police during a<br />
ceremony with Madrid mayor<br />
José Luis Martínez-Almeida,<br />
BMW Group Spain and Portugal<br />
executive chairman Manuel<br />
Terroba, and the general<br />
director of the Municipal Police,<br />
Pablo Enrique Rodríguez<br />
Pérez.<br />
While the BMW i3 is far<br />
from the most imposing vehicle<br />
out there, it has been used by a<br />
number of police forces around<br />
the world since its introduction.<br />
These include forces in Austria,<br />
Romania, Italy, and the United<br />
States, including the Los Angeles<br />
Police Department.<br />
Interestingly, BMW ended<br />
production of the i3 in August<br />
so it is unclear where it<br />
has sourced these new police<br />
vehicles from. One possibility<br />
is that they were all built prior<br />
to August or that they were<br />
i3s without buyers that were<br />
rounded up and converted into<br />
police vehicles.<br />
54 The BLUES The BLUES 55
IACP, POLICE OFFICER of the YEAR<br />
OFFICER THADEU HOLLOWAY<br />
56 The BLUES The BLUES 57<br />
56 The BLUES The BLUES 57
True Warrior:<br />
Officer Thadeu Holloway,<br />
Dayton Police Department, Ohio<br />
By Dr. Tina Jaeckle, Contributing Editor<br />
September 21, 2021: Everything Changed<br />
A Dayton police officer shot in the left side of his face and<br />
then returned fire, striking the suspect multiple times, was<br />
able to request help for himself and the wounded suspect<br />
as well as direct by-standers to safety. The officer shot<br />
was identified as Thadeu Holloway, an eight-year veteran<br />
of the Dayton Police Department, said Matt Carper, interim<br />
director and chief, during an afternoon news briefing. The<br />
officer-involved shooting began with an investigation into<br />
a fake bill passed at a Dollar General store, Carper said.<br />
Holloway responded around 6:45 p.m. to Dollar General<br />
at 888 S. Gettysburg Ave. for a fraud complaint after a customer<br />
passed a counterfeit bill earlier in the day, Carper<br />
said. Holloway arrived at 7:26 p.m. at the rear of 609 Ingram<br />
St. and approached 39-year-old Antwyane Deon Lowe,<br />
who matched the description of the suspect in the Dollar<br />
General fraud call, Carper said. As Holloway approached<br />
and addressed Lowe, he ignored the officer and began to<br />
walk away. As Holloway got closer to Lowe, he turned and<br />
punched Holloway in the face without warning, Carper<br />
said.<br />
58 The BLUES The BLUES 59
The officer used his Taser, and Lowe fell to the ground but<br />
was able to reach into his pocket and pull out a handgun, firing<br />
one round that struck Holloway in the left side of his face,<br />
Carper said. “The officer fell to the ground and immediately<br />
returned fire with five rounds, striking the suspect multiple<br />
times. Despite his injuries, the officer was able to effectively<br />
request assistance for himself and the wounded suspect. The<br />
officer also provided for the safety of witnesses and bystanders<br />
by directing them to a place of safety.”<br />
Police played radio traffic of the incident during the media<br />
briefing. “609 Ingram. I’ve been shot. ... I returned fire. I need<br />
medics and I need crews, please,” Holloway told dispatchers.<br />
“609 Ingram. Please hurry. I’ve been shot on the left side of my<br />
head. I can barely hear my earpiece.”<br />
Another Dayton officer took Holloway in a marked cruiser to<br />
Miami Valley Hospital. His left temporal artery was torn in the<br />
shooting, but he was in stable condition. Dayton police who<br />
arrived provided aid to Lowe, and Dayton medics took him to<br />
Miami Valley Hospital. Police said he was in critical condition<br />
but was later upgraded to stable condition, police said.<br />
Holloway’s bodycam video, which was played during the<br />
media briefing, showed Holloway try to speak to Lowe and the<br />
point when Lowe suddenly turned around and punched the<br />
officer. Holloway immediately used his Taser and Lowe fell<br />
to the ground, but the Taser appeared to have limited effect.<br />
Lowe ignored Holloway’s commands to put his hands behind<br />
his back and get on his stomach. Lowe pulled a gun from his<br />
pocket and shot Holloway in the face; the video showed. Holloway<br />
returned fire, and requested help. He maintained contact<br />
with police dispatchers and asked concerned residents<br />
to stay inside and assured them that help was on the way.<br />
Carper said charges that will be filed against Lowe include<br />
two counts of felonious assault on a police officer as well as<br />
carrying a concealed weapon, weapons under disability and<br />
counterfeiting.<br />
60 The BLUES The BLUES 61
In a Split Second<br />
“When he turned to face me, I knew something<br />
was wrong,” Holloway said. He said the suspect<br />
threw a punch, so he tased him. Despite multiple<br />
requests to put his hands behind his back, Holloway<br />
said the suspect reached for a gun and shot<br />
him in the head. “I knew I’d been shot, obviously.<br />
I fell to the ground, I never lost consciousness, I<br />
knew what happened. I knew what I had to do, so<br />
after I had returned fire, I was in my head thinking,<br />
‘I’m going to die,’” Holloway said. He was covered in<br />
blood and knew he had to get to the hospital fast.<br />
“I could feel the blood spewing out of my head, I<br />
could taste the blood as it was running from my<br />
face, I could see it as it was pooling in front of<br />
me,” he recalled.<br />
62 The BLUES The BLUES 63<br />
62 The BLUES The BLUES 63
Family Matters<br />
His wife Amanda Holloway<br />
was home with their two girls<br />
when she got the phone call.<br />
When she turned on Main Street<br />
and saw the street covered with<br />
police cars, she knew that wasn’t<br />
a good sign. All she could do<br />
was wait while doctors worked<br />
on his injuries.<br />
“The bullet hit right here on<br />
my temple, and traveled underneath<br />
the skin and then came out<br />
here,” Thadeu recalled. Recovery<br />
has been a long, difficult, and<br />
ongoing process. Holloway said<br />
he is still dealing with a traumatic<br />
brain injury, memory issues<br />
and headaches. He also has<br />
trouble finding words, has ringing<br />
in his ear and some hearing,<br />
as well as vision loss.<br />
Law enforcement has always<br />
been a part of Thadeu and<br />
Amanda’s life. She started as a<br />
dispatcher 19 years ago and now<br />
works in the administrative office<br />
at the Huber Heights (Ohio)<br />
Police Division. Thadeu joined<br />
the National Guard in high school<br />
and got deployed three times.<br />
He spent nine years as a Dayton<br />
police officer. “In January 2022 I<br />
actually fought with my doctors<br />
to at least go back to work, they<br />
wanted me stay off work a little<br />
longer and I couldn’t stay off,” he<br />
said. He’s now on light duty, 20<br />
hours a week.<br />
In the meantime, his memories<br />
have brought him back to the<br />
night of the shooting every time<br />
an officer in our area has been<br />
shot on the job. “Definitely brings<br />
back the night of my shooting,<br />
makes me feel guilty that I survived<br />
and some of them didn’t,<br />
and it just makes me realize how<br />
dangerous being a police officer<br />
is,” Thadeu said. For now, he is<br />
focusing on his family. “My goal<br />
is to just be able to take care of<br />
my family, whatever that entails,<br />
you know whether it’s going<br />
back out to the streets or going<br />
a different avenue, I just want to<br />
make sure I’m still here, still able<br />
to take care of my family for you<br />
know a long time,” he said.<br />
Help on the<br />
Homefront<br />
Although Officer Holloway<br />
has now returned to light duty,<br />
the last few months have been<br />
a challenging period of time in<br />
which the main focus continues<br />
to be primarily on recovery. The<br />
inability to work clearly impacted<br />
everyday needs. One of those<br />
needs included a new roof which<br />
was out of question, until now.<br />
Thanks to DryTech Exteriors<br />
‘Roofs For Troops’ program, construction<br />
on his new roof went<br />
from start to finish in one day.<br />
“I’m not a veteran because I<br />
want accolades, I didn’t become<br />
a cop to get accolades,” Officer<br />
Holloway said. “Unfortunately,<br />
what happened with me as a<br />
police officer was a tragic incident…The<br />
fact that there’s a<br />
company out there willing to<br />
show their appreciation for that<br />
is awesome.” Officer Holloway<br />
was selected out of 100 nominees.<br />
“So many heroes in our community,<br />
you just don’t realize<br />
the stories that they carry of<br />
their service and sacrifice to our<br />
country,” Allie Hosler, co-owner<br />
of DryTech Exteriors, said. “To<br />
also be a police officer, who<br />
was shot in the head in the line<br />
of duty, we owe him so much.<br />
Putting a roof over his head is<br />
the least we can do.” Brad Hosler,<br />
who co-owns the company<br />
alongside his wife, said that<br />
Officer Holloway’s new roof is<br />
expected to last thirty years.<br />
Awards and<br />
Recognition<br />
Just a few days after his release<br />
from the hospital, Officer<br />
Thadeu Holloway attended the<br />
Annual Montgomery County<br />
(Ohio) Law Enforcement Memorial<br />
Ceremony which honors the<br />
40 officers county-wide who<br />
have died in the line of duty.<br />
Along with honoring those officer’s<br />
sacrifices, those in attendance<br />
also took time to speak<br />
with Holloway. “Haven’t we just<br />
witnessed in these last days the<br />
transformation of tragedy into<br />
triumph?” Keynote speaker Dr.<br />
Col. Kathy Platoni asked during<br />
her speech. “This, Officer Holloway,<br />
is what valor, courage and<br />
true heroism look like.” In addition,<br />
the Montgomery County Association<br />
of Police Chiefs named<br />
him officer of the year.<br />
The officers and those in attendance<br />
gave Holloway a round<br />
of applause and many took time<br />
after the ceremony to greet him<br />
and wish him well. “The officer<br />
fell to the ground and immediately<br />
re-turned fire with five<br />
rounds, striking the suspect multiple<br />
times. Despite his injuries,<br />
the officer was able to effectively<br />
request assistance for himself<br />
and the wounded suspect,” Interim<br />
Director and Chief Matt Carper<br />
said. “The officer also provided<br />
for the safety of witnesses<br />
and bystanders by directing them<br />
to a place of safety.” Carper said<br />
64 The BLUES The BLUES 65
Holloway showed “remarkable”<br />
calmness and professionalism<br />
in the moments following the<br />
shooting.<br />
In October 2022, Ohio Attorney<br />
General Dave Yost recognized the<br />
significant contributions of several<br />
peace officers, including Officer<br />
Holloway, who was selected<br />
to receive the Valor Award.<br />
“There are officers all over Ohio<br />
who heroically serve our communities<br />
every day and are the<br />
backbone of the civil society we<br />
all enjoy,” Yost said. “The officers<br />
being honored represent the best<br />
of those heroes, and I am proud<br />
of their dedication to protecting<br />
the unprotected.” The scar on the<br />
left side of Officer Holloway’s<br />
head is a testament to his bravery<br />
and a reminder of the fine<br />
line between life and death.<br />
In recognition of Officer Holloway’s<br />
bravery, the National<br />
Association of Police Organizations<br />
also honored the<br />
nine-year veteran with the TOP<br />
COPS award and the Citizens<br />
Choice award. Each year since<br />
1994 NAPO has presented the<br />
TOP COPS Awards® Ceremony.<br />
The purpose of the TOP COPS<br />
Awards® is to educate the American<br />
public about our nation’s<br />
heroes and to pay tribute to law<br />
enforcement officers in federal,<br />
state, county, tribal and local<br />
agencies from across the country<br />
for actions above and beyond<br />
the call of duty during the preceding<br />
year. Our TOP COPS are<br />
nominated by fellow officers. An<br />
independent Awards Selection<br />
Committee comprised of national<br />
law enforcement representatives<br />
select, from hundreds of<br />
nominations, one TOP COP case<br />
from each of the 50 States and<br />
U.S. territories. Officers from the<br />
top ten cases are selected as our<br />
TOP COPS Award® Winners. In<br />
each remaining state, one case<br />
has been selected for which the<br />
officer(s) will receive an Honorable<br />
Mention award.<br />
International<br />
Association of Chiefs<br />
of Police/2022 Axon<br />
Officer of the Year<br />
During the 2022 annual IACP<br />
conference in Dallas, Texas, Officer<br />
Holloway was selected for<br />
the prestigious IACP/Axon Police<br />
Officer of the Year Award for exceptional<br />
achievement. According<br />
to the IACP website, every<br />
day, police officers perform selfless<br />
acts in their commitment to<br />
public service and community<br />
safety. Acknowledging these acts<br />
formally provides the opportunity<br />
to showcase exceptional work<br />
of the profession and provides<br />
the ability to emulate these everyday<br />
achievements. The IACP/<br />
Axon Police Officer of the Year<br />
Award elevates the recognition<br />
of these acts to the global stage<br />
thereby impacting the profession<br />
as a whole by highlighting those<br />
who exemplify selflessness,<br />
empathy, and strength of character.<br />
It is an unparalleled award<br />
experience for the officer to<br />
share with their family and their<br />
department. It also provides an<br />
unmatched professional development<br />
opportunity. The IACP/<br />
Axon Police Officer of the Year<br />
Award represents the best of the<br />
police profession.<br />
IACP noted the following as the<br />
basis for selection for this prestigious<br />
award. On September 21,<br />
2021, Officer Thadeu Holloway of<br />
the Dayton Police Department,<br />
Ohio, was investigating a fraud<br />
complaint. He located a person<br />
matching the description of the<br />
suspect and approached him on<br />
foot. As Officer Holloway approached,<br />
the suspect became<br />
violent, rapidly escalating from<br />
physical force to deadly force in<br />
his attacks and shooting Officer<br />
Holloway in the head. Officer<br />
Holloway transitioned from his<br />
electronic control weapon to his<br />
pistol and returned fire, striking<br />
the suspect. Wounded, Officer<br />
Holloway stood guard over the<br />
suspect, summoned additional<br />
officers and rescue personnel to<br />
the scene, and maintained scene<br />
control by issuing clear and calm<br />
directions to ensure the safety<br />
of bystanders. Officer Holloway’s<br />
quick reaction and presence of<br />
mind resulted in the arrest of a<br />
violent offender.<br />
On behalf of all at The BLUES<br />
Police Magazine, we extend<br />
our deepest appreciation to<br />
Officer Holloway for his dedication<br />
to continue to serve<br />
and protect. A grateful nation<br />
continues to lift he and his<br />
family up in the journey on the<br />
road to recovery.<br />
66 The BLUES The BLUES 67
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Holiday Gift Ideas for Your<br />
Law Enforcement Family<br />
Police Patrol Bag<br />
This tactical gear bag can be installed<br />
quickly and comes with top and side<br />
adjustable buckle straps for fastening<br />
to the car seat, ensuring the patrol bag<br />
stays in place. The two compartments<br />
hold an enormous amount of gear<br />
and documents, helping to keep you<br />
organized while you’re on patrol.<br />
Tactical Self Defense Pen<br />
“The Pen is Mightier…” has never<br />
rung more true! This durable pen<br />
is made from CNC machines aircraft-grade<br />
aluminum for superior<br />
strength and is used by military pilots,<br />
Navy SEALS, first responders, SWAT,<br />
and other challenging professions. It<br />
has stood up well to the rigors of daily<br />
use and will work well for you! If you<br />
need the ultimate pen for the top cop,<br />
this is it!<br />
Can’t Fix Stupid Coffee Mug<br />
If you need a cup of coffee and a<br />
donut in between busts then this is the<br />
coffee mug for you! This hilarious coffee<br />
mug will make the police officer in<br />
your life laugh out loud with delight! It<br />
holds 11oz of your favorite beverage,<br />
is dishwasher and microwave safe<br />
and is sure to be their favorite morning<br />
coffee mug for years to come!<br />
Thin Blue Line Concealed Carry<br />
Hoodie<br />
Rothco’s Thin Blue Line Concealed<br />
Carry Hoodie is a comfortable 100%<br />
polyester performance material. It<br />
features a sizeable pass-through<br />
kangaroo pocket with an access point<br />
beneath for optimal concealed carry<br />
access. A distressed Thin Blue Line<br />
flag print is displayed on the front, left,<br />
and back. Both Thin Blue Line Flag<br />
sweatshirt sleeves possess a 4.5 x<br />
4.5 zippered pocket and thumb holes<br />
in the cuffs to prevent sleeves from<br />
riding up.<br />
<strong>12</strong> Gauge Shot Glasses<br />
Fire away while hunting and drink at<br />
the campfire afterward with these<br />
Buckshot Shot glasses. Each shot<br />
glass holds 2 ounces and is made<br />
from high-quality polyethylene. This<br />
shot glass gift pack comes with four<br />
plastic thin blue line shot glasses<br />
modeled after <strong>12</strong> gauge shells. They’ll<br />
make a great addition to the man<br />
cave, bar, or party.<br />
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70 The BLUES The BLUES 71<br />
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Thin Blue Line Travel Tumbler<br />
This 20-ounce stainless steel travel<br />
tumbler is double wall vacuum insulated,<br />
so it will keep your drinks hot or<br />
cold no matter what the temperature<br />
is outside! This travel tumbler would<br />
make a great gift for Christmas, birthday<br />
present, Father’s Day gift, Anniversary<br />
present, or just a welcomed<br />
thank you to someone you know in the<br />
law enforcement community.<br />
Grunt Style Flag T-Shirt<br />
What you wear is more than just a<br />
necessity; it’s about attitude! This<br />
shirt is instilled with the heroic American<br />
spirit that our military and police<br />
officers exhibit every day! You do not<br />
have to be a veteran to wear Grunt<br />
Style, but you do have to love freedom.<br />
All Grunt Style shirts are proudly<br />
printed in Carol Stream, IL., by a team<br />
of Veterans and Patriots who take<br />
pride in themselves, their military, and<br />
their country.<br />
Collapsible Can Cooler<br />
This 2-pack Thin Blue Line can cooler<br />
makes a great gift idea for that police<br />
officer in your life who loves to keep<br />
his beer or soda can ice cold! The Thin<br />
Blue Line American Flag print means<br />
they’ll feel supported and appreciated<br />
each time they slide a can into the<br />
cooler!<br />
HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2022<br />
CENTRAL POLICE SUPPLY<br />
GLOCK 43X BLACK<br />
(BLUE LABEL<br />
PRICE: $358.00<br />
713-225-4392 • 1410 WASHINGTON • HOUSTON<br />
CENTRAL POLICE SUPPLY<br />
PERFECT FIT BIFOLD<br />
WALLET WITH SINGLE ID<br />
(ID SIZE 2-1/2" X<br />
3-3/4")<br />
PRICE: $32.95<br />
CENTRAL POLICE SUPPLY<br />
Full Line<br />
of On & Off<br />
Duty Holsters<br />
713-225-4392 • 1410 WASHINGTON • HOUSTON<br />
CENTRAL POLICE SUPPLY<br />
STREAMLIGHT<br />
STINGER 2020 W/ “Y”<br />
USB CORD (78100)<br />
PRICE $134.95<br />
713-225-4392 • 1410 WASHINGTON • HOUSTON<br />
713-225-4392 • 1410 WASHINGTON • HOUSTON<br />
Custom Wall Mount Gear Rack<br />
This thin blue line wooden police<br />
shelf organizer makes organizing<br />
your police duty gear practical and<br />
straightforward! It is designed to keep<br />
your vest, duty belt, cap, police badge,<br />
radios/scanners, challenge coins, and<br />
much more perfectly organized. Stop<br />
wasting time finding your duty gear<br />
and EDC items & stay organized with<br />
this police rack for gear at home.<br />
Policeman Prayer Flashlight Pen<br />
This engraved Policeman’s Prayer<br />
3-in-1 inspirational stylus pen combines<br />
multiple functions into a sleek,<br />
compact design. It is an essential tool<br />
for any cop’s glove box, providing a<br />
rubber stylus tip for operating touch<br />
screens, a writing tip for filling out<br />
forms and reports, and a flashlight<br />
that assists with writing at night.<br />
Saint Michael Challenge Coin<br />
This challenge coin makes a thoughtful<br />
gift to give to a friend or family<br />
member mourning a loved one. On the<br />
reverse side of the coin is St. Michael,<br />
the patron saint of law enforcement<br />
officers. On the obverse is the verse of<br />
Matthew 5:9, which reads, “Blessed<br />
are the peacemakers for they shall be<br />
called the children of God.”<br />
Arrest My Vest Odor Eliminator<br />
This odor removal spray seriously<br />
works! It removes body odor and all<br />
types of odors in law enforcement,<br />
including vomit, urine, smoke, filth,<br />
BO, etc. The unique professional-grade<br />
formula is effective for the Military,<br />
Law Enforcement, Corrections, and<br />
Security services.<br />
CENTRAL POLICE SUPPLY<br />
FREE STANDARD<br />
SHIPPING<br />
on orders over $100<br />
use FREESHIP at checkout<br />
713-225-4392 • 1410 WASHINGTON • HOUSTON<br />
CENTRAL POLICE SUPPLY<br />
CHALLENGE COIN - HOUSTON POLICE DEPT<br />
PRICE: $14.95<br />
713-225-4392 • 1410 WASHINGTON • HOUSTON<br />
CENTRAL POLICE SUPPLY<br />
COMBO EDGE KNIFE W/<br />
HARRIS COUNTY LOGO<br />
PRICE: $24.95<br />
CENTRAL POLICE SUPPLY<br />
HOUSTON POLICE<br />
DEPARTMENT<br />
FAMILY BADGE<br />
PRICE: $44.95<br />
713-225-4392 • 1410 WASHINGTON • HOUSTON<br />
CENTRAL POLICE SUPPLY<br />
STRONGSUIT ARMOR 3<br />
TOUCHSCREEN GLOVES<br />
PRICE: $24.95<br />
713-225-4392 • 1410 WASHINGTON • HOUSTON<br />
CENTRAL POLICE SUPPLY<br />
Footwear for<br />
Men & Women<br />
713-225-4392 • 1410 WASHINGTON • HOUSTON 713-225-4392 • 1410 WASHINGTON • HOUSTON<br />
72 The BLUES The BLUES 73
Tactical Vest Koozie<br />
This is a funny drink koozie that is<br />
shaped like a tactical best, with the<br />
word police sewn into the front of it.<br />
It’s the perfect drink holder for a police<br />
officer, especially if they do any of the<br />
tactical type missions where they’re<br />
wearing the same sort of gear.<br />
Police Badge RFID Wallet<br />
These police wallets with badge<br />
holders were crafted using top-quality<br />
leather that’s supple but sturdy<br />
and will develop an attractive patina<br />
through wear and aging, the<br />
distinctive appearance of a choice<br />
accessory. Sandwiched between the<br />
scratch-resistant leather is a layer of<br />
RFID blocking material to help keep<br />
your credential secure. This functional<br />
wallet is ideal for the police, TSA, firefighters,<br />
private investigators, and law<br />
enforcement security officers.<br />
Police Rescue Truck Toy Set<br />
This police carrier truck set comes<br />
with twelve diecast vehicles, twelve<br />
police figures, and a police carrier<br />
truck. It’s the perfect gift for young<br />
kids to explore their imagination and<br />
perfect their hand-eye coordination.<br />
Each vehicle performs different duties,<br />
and your little one will be lost in playtime<br />
for hours with this fun set!<br />
Custom State Line Burlap<br />
This gorgeous custom state line burlap<br />
print is the perfect gift to help officers<br />
decorate their homes. This personalized<br />
gift can be customized with their<br />
name, the state they’re protecting,<br />
their time serving, and more! This<br />
company is easy to work with and has<br />
a 91% five-star rating! Whether they<br />
just graduated police academy or have<br />
been on the force for years, this is a<br />
gift idea they will love!<br />
74 The BLUES The BLUES 75
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76 The BLUES The BLUES 77
Kickass Rides for Adults<br />
ZFORCE 950 H.O. SPORT<br />
The ZFORCE 950 H.O. Sport side-by-side from CFMO-<br />
TO is built to handle the rocky trails you crave without<br />
devouring your paycheck. A 963cc V-twin delivers<br />
90 horsepower, and the Quadlink rear suspension<br />
includes adjustable gas shocks and multi-link<br />
trailing arms to tackle any obstacle. Added<br />
perks like a multifunction color TFT display,<br />
3,000-pound winch, and electronic throttle control<br />
and steering make this a bargain UTV that<br />
doesn’t compromise.<br />
holiday GG<br />
[Starting at $13,999; cfmotousa.com]<br />
ARCTIC CAT WILDCAT XX SE<br />
The new Arctic Cat Wildcat XX SE can handle<br />
just about any terrain thanks to its beefy<br />
130-horsepower engine, CVT, and premium Fox<br />
2.5 Podium Qs3 shocks. It comes with a<br />
shift-on-the-fly four-wheel-drive system<br />
and a locking front differential for<br />
maximum grip when the trail gets<br />
gnarly. And if you get stuck, you’re<br />
in luck: This cat comes with a<br />
3,500-pound winch to pull yourself<br />
out of sticky situations.<br />
See more on Page 102<br />
78 The BLUES The BLUES 79
Kickass Rides for Kids<br />
Ride-on electric cars are<br />
all the rage among kids<br />
these days. But it’s not just<br />
cars! Trucks, motorcycles,<br />
tractors, quads—you<br />
name it, there’s a ride-on<br />
electric toy for every little<br />
one. If you’re looking for a<br />
gift for the little car-lover<br />
in your life, check out<br />
the best ride-on electric<br />
cars for kids, as chosen by<br />
the experts at your favorite<br />
automotive magazine,<br />
Car&Driver.<br />
BEST RIDE-ON ELECTRIC SPORTS CAR FOR KIDS<br />
RIDE-ON LAMBORGHINI AVENTADOR<br />
There’s not a junior auto enthusiast on the<br />
planet who hasn’t marveled at the sleek<br />
lines and scissor doors of a Lambo.<br />
This officially licensed Aventador<br />
sports LED headlights, horn and<br />
engine sounds, a working suspension,<br />
water-resistant wheels, and<br />
hydraulic-powered doors that really<br />
swing open. Older kids can operate it<br />
independently using the steering wheel<br />
and pedal; for younger kids, parents can<br />
use the remote control to steer the toy.<br />
Powered by two 25-watt motors and <strong>12</strong>-<br />
volt rechargeable batteries, kids can enjoy up<br />
to two hours of ride time, with speeds up to 2.2<br />
mph.<br />
BEST RIDE-ON ELECTRIC JEEP FOR KIDS<br />
FLASHIEST RIDE-ON ELECTRIC CAR<br />
PINK RIDE-ON LAND ROVER<br />
Little adventure seekers will get a kick out of this<br />
replica Jeep, with its LED headlights, lockable<br />
doors, grid windshield, and off-road tires. It includes<br />
a parent remote, spring suspension, and a<br />
safe and manageable max speed of just 2.8 mph.<br />
It comes in five colors: black, blue, green, red,<br />
and white.<br />
While this ride-on Jeep replica claims<br />
to be for kids aged three to six, reviewers<br />
say that because of the roll bar<br />
it’s actually ideal for younger, smaller<br />
kids who can easily slide into the seat.<br />
Keep an eye on that weight limit.<br />
Also available in black, white, or red, this<br />
adorable Land Rover Discovery SUV is pretty<br />
in pink and perfect for little ones who want<br />
to own the road—er, sidewalk. It features<br />
2-wheel suspension, a parent remote, and<br />
can cruise at either a low speed of 1.8<br />
mph or a max speed of 3.7 mph. It also<br />
sports working LED headlights, a horn,<br />
startup sounds, and an AUX input so<br />
your little babe can cruise in style. Best<br />
of all, it’s got side-by-side seats for<br />
playdate fun.<br />
It’s designed for ages three and up but<br />
roomier than most others; some reviewers<br />
say their six- and eight-year-olds still fit<br />
in it.<br />
80 The BLUES The BLUES 81
RIDE-ON CAR MASERATI FOR KIDS<br />
This marvelous Maserati comes in red, black, and pink,<br />
as well as white. It features working headlights<br />
and horn, a movable rearview mirror, MP3<br />
input, a high/low speed switch, and doors<br />
that really open and close. Like all the<br />
best electric cars for kids, it also sports<br />
a remote control for parents to keep<br />
their little racer from driving away.<br />
With a top speed of about 2 mph, it<br />
offers a full hour of play time, depending<br />
on speed and terrain.<br />
Recommended for kids three to six<br />
years of age, it has a weight capacity<br />
of 77 pounds.<br />
DIRT ROCKET RIDE-ON MOTOCROSS BIKE<br />
Older kids will love these little electric motorcycles.<br />
Available in MX and SX packages, with 350-, 500-,<br />
or 650-watt motors, they come in blue, yellow, or<br />
green. The 350-watt version (ages 13 and up) can<br />
hit speeds up to 14 mph for about 30 minutes of<br />
ride time; the 650 (16 and up) jacks that to about<br />
17 mph with around 45 minutes of ride time; the<br />
500 (14 and up) falls in the midrange. Pricing is<br />
relative. All feature dual suspension and riser<br />
handlebars, pneumatic knobby tires, a retractable<br />
kickstand, and hand-operated dual disc<br />
brakes.<br />
While all are undeniably cute and cool, it’s important<br />
to note that these motocross bikes are not toys<br />
designed for small children.<br />
RIDE-ON JOHN DEERE TRACTOR<br />
RIDE-ON MERCEDES-BENZ<br />
This officially licensed G63 comes with tons<br />
of authentic touches, including exhaust<br />
pipes, body detail decals, and<br />
opening doors that lock from the outside<br />
for safety. The seat belt and<br />
soft-start design prevent kids<br />
from being startled by sudden<br />
acceleration. The spring<br />
suspension ensures smooth<br />
rides.<br />
We really like that the side<br />
window piece can be removed<br />
as kids grow, extending<br />
the usable life of the toy.<br />
Ever see a kids’ toy and wish you would’ve had one<br />
when you were that age? That’s the way this mini John<br />
Deere has us feeling. This thing is remarkable! It’s got<br />
two speeds—2.25 and 4.5 mph—plus reverse. (High<br />
speed can be disabled for beginners.) It operates<br />
via an accelerator pedal and has farm-like tractor<br />
wheels for traction on grass, dirt,<br />
gravel, or pavement. It also has a<br />
cool stake-side trailer and (get this!)<br />
a working FM radio.<br />
All that’s super-cool, but as parents,<br />
we love the fact that it recharges in<br />
just two hours (claimed).<br />
82 The BLUES The BLUES 83
<strong>DEC</strong>EMBER<br />
1-2 School Resource Officer Training *BY PATC Las Vegas, NV<br />
5-6 Recruiting, Hiring, Background Investigations and Retention *BY PATCLas Vegas, NV<br />
5-9 Detective and New Criminal Investigator *BY PATC Jeffersonville, IN<br />
5-9 Field Training Officer Certification *BY PATC Las Vegas, NV<br />
5-9 Hostage Negotiations Phase 1 By LLRMI Abington, PA<br />
7-8 Courtroom Security and Threat Assessment *BY PATC Las Vegas, NV<br />
7-9 The Essential Field Training Officer By LLRMI Urbana, IL<br />
<strong>12</strong>-13 Advanced Internal Invest: Legal and Practical Issues *BY PATC Idaho Falls, ID<br />
<strong>12</strong>-14 Ambush and Lethal Environment Recognition Training *BY PATC Albuquerque, NM<br />
<strong>12</strong>-14 Investigating Basic Sex Crimes *BY PATC Ocala, FL<br />
<strong>12</strong>-16 Field Training Officer Certification *BY PATC Waterville, OH<br />
<strong>12</strong>-16 Train the Trainer Instructor Academy Las Vegas, NV<br />
13-14 Managing the Property and Evidence Room *BY PATC Fort Myers , FL<br />
20-21 Recruiting, Hiring, Background Investigations *BY PATC Greeley, CO<br />
JANUARY<br />
9-10 Courtroom Security and Threat Assessment *BY PATC West Monroe, LA<br />
9-13 Detective and New Criminal Investigator *BY PATC Hayden, ID<br />
9-13 Field Training Officer Certification *BY PATC Rock Hill , SC<br />
9-13 Internal Affairs Conference and Certification *BY PATC Hoover, AL<br />
10-11 Recruiting, Hiring, Background Investigations *BY PATC Austell, GA<br />
10-<strong>12</strong> Fire/Arson Investigation and Arson Case Management By LLRMI Upper Darby, PA<br />
10-<strong>12</strong> Responding to Veterans and Police Officers in Crisis *BY PATC Royal Oak, MI<br />
11-<strong>12</strong> Managing the Property and Evidence Room *BY PATC Abington, PA<br />
16-20 New Fire and Arson Investigator Academy *BY PATC Wayne, NJ<br />
16-20 Train the Trainer Instructor Academy Scott, LA<br />
23-24 Search Warrant Major Case Investigation *BY PATC Hoover, AL<br />
23-27 Fit-to-Enforce Fitness Instructor Course Huntsville, AL<br />
23-27 Special Operations Supervisors Training Nashville, TN<br />
26-27 Responding to Veterans and Police Officers in Crisis *BY PATC Jonesboro, GA<br />
30-3 Detective and New Criminal Investigator *BY PATC Belfast , ME<br />
31-1 Recruiting, Hiring, Background Investigations *BY PATC Beaumont, TX<br />
FEBRUARY<br />
1-2 3-Day New Detective and New Criminal Investigator By LLRMI Pearl River, LA<br />
1-2 Officer Involved Shooting By LLRMI Pearl River, LA<br />
6-8 The Essential Field Training Officer By LLRMI Abington, PA<br />
6-10 Advanced Vice and Narcotics Investigations Nashville, TN<br />
6-10 Detective and New Criminal Investigator *BY PATC Pearland, TX<br />
8-9 Investigating Cases of Child Homicide By LLRMI Ft. Worth, TX<br />
9-10 Crisis Communications for Dispatchers *BY PATC Greeley, CO<br />
13-14 Courtroom Security and Threat Assessment *BY PATC Greeley, CO<br />
13-17 5 Day New Detective and New Criminal Investigator By LLRMI Abington, PA<br />
14-15 Recruiting, Hiring, Background Investigations *BY PATC Easley, SC<br />
14-16 Interview & Interrogation for New Detectives BY LLRMI Ft. Worth, TX<br />
15-17 Ambush and Lethal Environment Recognition Training *BY PATC Greeley, CO<br />
16-17 PREA Investigator Training By LLRMI Lexington, KY<br />
21-22 Arrest, Search and Seizure - Best Practices *BY PATC Hoover, AL<br />
21-23 Recruiting, Hiring, Background Investigations *BY PATC Colton, CA<br />
27-28 Managing the Property and Evidence Room *BY PATC Myrtle Beach, SC<br />
27-1 Principles for De-escalation and Understanding People *BY PATC Greeley, CO<br />
27-1 Responding to Veterans and Police Officers in Crisis *BY PATC Scotch Plains, NJ<br />
FEBRUARY<br />
27-3 5 Day Homicide and Death Investigation By LLRMI Georgetown, TX<br />
27-3 Detective and New Criminal Investigator *BY PATC Myrtle Beach, SC<br />
27-3 Hands-On Hostage Negotiator Certification By LLRMI Urbana, IL<br />
27-3 Internal Affairs Conference and Certification *BY PATC Myrtle Beach, SC<br />
27-3 Smartphone Technology and Forensics Certification LLRMI Shelby Twp., MI<br />
28-2 Interview & Interrogation for New Detectives BY LLRMI Rio Rancho, NM<br />
MARCH<br />
2-3 Stress Management in Law Enforcement *BY PATC Myrtle Beach, SC<br />
6-7 Recruiting, Hiring, Background Investigations *BY PATC Nampa, ID<br />
6-10 Detective and New Criminal Investigator *BY PATC <strong>No</strong>blesville, IN<br />
7-8 Basic Drug Investigation By LLRMI Stapleton, AL<br />
13-17 Hostage Negotiations Phase 1 By LLRMI Ft. Worth, TX<br />
14-16 3-Day New Detective and New Criminal Investigator By LLRMI Franklin, IN<br />
14-16 Sexual Deviant Offenders *BY PATC League City, TX<br />
20-23 Bravo-3 Law Enforcement Training Conf. Daytona Beach, FL<br />
21-22 Investigating Cases of Child Homicide By LLRMI Stapleton, AL<br />
21-23 Hands-On Vehicle Fire/Arson Investigation By LLRMI Longview, TX<br />
27-31 Detective and New Criminal Investigator *BY PATC Charlotte, NC<br />
APRIL<br />
4-6 3-Day New Detective and New Criminal Investigator By LLRMI Ft. Worth, TX<br />
11-<strong>12</strong> Managing the Property and Evidence Room *BY PATC Hoover, AL<br />
17-21 Field Training Officer Certification *BY PATC Texas City, TX<br />
18-19 Managing the Property and Evidence Room *BY PATC Texas City, TX<br />
24-25 Advanced Internal Investigations: Legal & Practical Issues *BY PATC Las Vegas, NV<br />
24-25 Arrest, Search and Seizure - Best Practices *BY PATC Las Vegas, NV<br />
24-28 5 Day Cellular Technology and Forensics (CTF) Certification-LLRMI Urbana, IL<br />
24-28 5 Day Homicide and Death Investigation By LLRMI Franklin, IN<br />
24-28 Detective and New Criminal Investigator *BY PATC Texas City, TX<br />
24-28 Use of Force Conference and Certification By LLRMI Clermont, FL<br />
25-27 Hands-On Vehicle Fire/Arson Investigation By LLRMI Upper Darby, PA<br />
25-27 Violent Crime Symposium 2023 Wilmington, DE<br />
26-28 Human Trafficking *BY PATC Las Vegas, NV<br />
MAY<br />
1-5 Detective and New Criminal Investigator *BY PATC Rio Rancho, NM<br />
2-3 Managing the Property and Evidence Room *BY PATC Salina, KS<br />
2-4 Sexual Deviant Offenders *BY PATC Desloge, MO<br />
9-11 2023 <strong>No</strong>rth American Use of Force Symposium: Lessons Learned Scottsdale, AZ<br />
10-11 Basic Drug Investigation By LLRMI Geo, TX<br />
Send your calendar listings to:<br />
bluespdmag@gmail.com<br />
84 The BLUES The BLUES 85
HONORING OUR FALLEN HEROES<br />
LIEUTENANT KRISTINA ZELL<br />
POLICE OFFICER BRANDON TSAI<br />
NIAGARA FALLS POLICE DEPARTMENT, NEW YORK<br />
END OF WATCH MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2022<br />
AGE: 47 TOUR: 22 YEARS BADGE: 17066<br />
Lieutenant Kristina Zell died from complications as a result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.<br />
Lieutenant Zell had served with the Niagara Falls Police Department for over 22 years and was assigned to the<br />
Criminal Investigation Division. She had previously served with the U.S. Marshals Violent Fugitive Task Force.<br />
She is survived by her parents and two brothers.<br />
Lieutenant Zell was posthumously promoted to Lieutenant.<br />
GRAND PRAIRIE POLICE DEPARTMENT, TEXAS<br />
END OF WATCH MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2022<br />
AGE: 32 TOUR: 6 YEARS BADGE: Cook 659<br />
Police Officer Brandon Tsai was killed in a vehicle crash while pursuing a vehicle with a fraudulent temporary tag at<br />
about 10:45 pm.The vehicle fled when Officer Tsai attempted to stop it at the intersection of SW 3rd Street and<br />
Pioneer Parkway. Officer Tsai and another officer pursued the vehicle for approximately five miles until it slowed<br />
suddenly to turn. Officer Tsai’s patrol car made contact with the patrol car in front of him as they both attempted<br />
to slow down as well. The impact caused Officer Tsai’s patrol car to turn on its side and strike a utility pole. Officer<br />
Tsai was transported to Methodist Dallas Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries<br />
Officer Tsai had served with the Grand Prairie Police Department for 11 months and had previously served with the<br />
Los Angeles Police Department, California, for five years.<br />
86 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE The MAGAZINE BLUES 87
HONORING OUR FALLEN HEROES<br />
MARINE INTERDICTION AGENT MICHEL O. MACEDA<br />
POLICE OFFICER JORDAN JACKSON<br />
CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION - AIR & MARINE<br />
END OF WATCH THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2022<br />
AGE: 44 TOUR: 7 YEARS BADGE: N/A<br />
Marine Interdiction Agent Michel Maceda was shot and killed during a maritime narcotics interdiction operation<br />
approximately <strong>12</strong> miles southwest of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. He and two other Marine Interdiction Agents<br />
intercepted a vessel they believed to be transporting narcotics. One of the occupants of the vessel opened<br />
fire on the agents as they began to board it. All three agents and both subjects were shot during the ensuing<br />
shootout. Over 1,300 kilograms of cocaine were recovered from the boat the agents were attempting to<br />
board and a second boat that was interdicted nearby.<br />
Agent Maceda had served with the United States Customs and Border Protection - Air and Marine Operations<br />
for seven years.<br />
BELLEVUE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON<br />
END OF WATCH MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2022<br />
AGE: 34 TOUR: 4 YEARS BADGE: NA<br />
Police Officer Jordan Jackson was killed in a motorcycle crash in the 500 block of Bellevue Way SE. He was traveling<br />
northbound when a vehicle pulled out of a parking lot and into his path, causing a collision. He was transported<br />
to Harborview Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries several hours later.<br />
Officer Jackson had served with the Bellevue Police Department for 4-1/2 years and was assigned to the Motor<br />
Unit. He had previously served as an EMT and as a volunteer with the King County Sheriff’s Office Search and<br />
Rescue Unit. He is survived by his wife and children.<br />
88 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE The MAGAZINE BLUES 89
HONORING OUR FALLEN HEROES<br />
DEPUTY SHERIFF CHRISTOPHER TAYLOR<br />
SERGEANT FRANK GUALDINO<br />
CHARLOTTE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, FLORIDA<br />
END OF WATCH TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2022<br />
AGE: 30 TOUR: N/A BADGE: N/A<br />
IDeputy Sheriff Christopher Taylor was struck and killed by a drunk driver while conducting a traffic stop on<br />
I-75, south of US-17, at about 8:45 pm. He was standing on the shoulder of the highway with the person he<br />
had stopped when the driver of an approaching vehicle lost control of her car and struck Deputy Taylor’s patrol<br />
car. The patrol car was pushed into Deputy Taylor and the person he had stopped. Deputy Taylor was transported<br />
to ShorePoint Health where he succumbed to his injuries. The other person who was struck suffered<br />
minor injuries.<br />
Deputy Taylor had served with the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office for 15 months. He is survived by his parents<br />
and fiancée..<br />
YONKERS POLICE DEPARTMENT, NEW YORK<br />
END OF WATCH THURSDAY, <strong>DEC</strong>EMBER 1, 2022<br />
AGE: 53 TOUR: 24 YEARS BADGE: N/A<br />
Sergeant Frank Gualdino was killed in a vehicle crash on Tuckahoe Road at 3:30 pm. He was driving westbound<br />
when an oncoming vehicle lost control and collided with his unmarked vehicle and a transit bus. Sergeant Gualdino<br />
was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The bus driver and passengers were<br />
treated for minor injuries. The 16-year-old unlicensed driver who caused the crash was transported to a hospital in<br />
critical condition.<br />
Sergeant Gualdino had served with the Yonkers Police Department for 24 years and was due to retire in August<br />
2023. He is survived by his wife, daughter, and son.<br />
90<br />
90 The<br />
The BLUES<br />
BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE<br />
The<br />
MAGAZINE BLUES 91<br />
91
The Best of the Best<br />
The very first War Story I heard<br />
in the academy, goes like this. A<br />
Texas Trooper was about to head to<br />
the house when a major accident<br />
dropped with possible fatalities.<br />
When he arrived, an evening shift<br />
unit said he’d work the wreck and<br />
the fatality, if he would just direct<br />
traffic.<br />
Well, “just direct traffic” sounds<br />
like the better deal for sure, but<br />
closing a main thoroughfare will no<br />
doubt result in the usual idiots who<br />
stop in the middle of the street and<br />
ask one of the following:<br />
“What’s going on officer? Is the<br />
road closed?”<br />
<strong>No</strong>pe I’m just standing here in the<br />
rain for the hell of it. Yes, the road is<br />
closed. Follow the car ahead of you.<br />
“But Officer I HAVE to go this way<br />
to get home. I don’t know any other<br />
way.”<br />
Just follow the car ahead of you.<br />
20 minutes later…. “Officer, I followed<br />
those cars, but they didn’t go<br />
to my house. Where do I do now?”<br />
See that parking lot, just go wait<br />
there. (For about 8 hours)<br />
“What’s going on officer? Anyone<br />
get hurt?”<br />
NOPE, we always land a helicopter<br />
in the middle of the road, he’s<br />
bringing us lunch.<br />
Finally, a family of six packed in a<br />
SUV, will all the windows down and<br />
kids hanging out every everywhere,<br />
stopped in the middle of the road…<br />
“OMG did anyone get hurt?<br />
The trooper standing next to a<br />
sheet over a severed head, reached<br />
down, grabbed the head by the<br />
scalp, blood dripping everywhere,<br />
held it up and said, “well this one<br />
got banged up a bit !!”<br />
The SUV went full speed into the<br />
night with all the kids screaming<br />
and crying.<br />
<strong>No</strong>w I’ve had all of the above and<br />
more happen while directing traffic.<br />
But the severed head is a bit much,<br />
but the instructor swore it was the<br />
honest to Gods truth. Uh Huh.<br />
• • •<br />
Then there was the Sgt that<br />
screamed on the radio that his<br />
house was on fire, resulting in no<br />
less than a half dozen fire departments<br />
showing up, only to find out<br />
it was steam coming off the roof,<br />
not smoke. His neighbors were very<br />
helpful and had nearly all his furniture<br />
on the lawn before the Fire<br />
Chief halted crews from punching a<br />
hole in his roof. Idiot.<br />
• • •<br />
Let’s not forget about the airplane<br />
pilot who claimed a guy fell out of<br />
a Cessna 152 while doing maneuvers,<br />
when in fact the fellow committed<br />
suicide and jumped. NO, he<br />
didn’t make it. There was a BIG hole<br />
in a pasture where he landed with<br />
cows standing guard.<br />
• • •<br />
Or the town that defunded their<br />
police force during a city council<br />
meeting and afterwards ,loaded<br />
into a church van to celebrate at the<br />
local Applebee’s. Unfortunately, they<br />
were broadsided by an 18-wheeler<br />
and ended up rolling into a creek<br />
some 200 feet off the roadway.<br />
Luckily, one of the town’s cops<br />
rolled up on the scene and pulled<br />
every one of them out just before<br />
the van exploded. Realizing they had<br />
made a BIG mistake; they held an<br />
emergency council meeting at the<br />
hospital and voted to reinstate the<br />
cops.<br />
• • •<br />
Finally, we’ve taken the liberty to<br />
reprint two of the best War Story<br />
and Aftermath’s we’ve ever published.<br />
Both involved officers that<br />
felt they had reached the end of<br />
their ropes, and both were ready<br />
to say goodbye to this world. Both<br />
had intervention and both lived to<br />
tell their stories. If you ever get in<br />
a position where you feel you’re at<br />
the end of your rope, please call the<br />
First Responder helpline at: 833-<br />
367-4689<br />
92 The BLUES The BLUES 93
BY LT. BOB EVANS<br />
The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t<br />
The following story is true.<br />
<strong>No</strong> names were changed<br />
because no innocent people<br />
were involved.<br />
My story takes place on<br />
Christmas Eve many years ago.<br />
I had been a cop for more than<br />
30 years and was a Lieutenant<br />
assigned to nights. With all<br />
the time I had in I could have<br />
been on days with weekends<br />
off and pushing paper all day,<br />
but I’d spent my entire life on<br />
the street.<br />
It was where I felt more<br />
comfortable. It was my<br />
home, I guess. My kids were<br />
all grown, and I had 4 failed<br />
marriages behind me. Yeah,<br />
I could retire but I had absolutely<br />
nothing to retire to. The<br />
streets were my home, and I<br />
couldn’t see myself anywhere<br />
else….working or otherwise.<br />
Hell, if I weren’t a cop, I’d<br />
probably be homeless living<br />
on the streets.<br />
But despite my acceptance of<br />
being here forever, the weeks<br />
leading up to the night of this<br />
story were what seemed like<br />
the beginning of the end for<br />
me. Sounds confusing, I know,<br />
but let me start from the beginning.<br />
It was early December in<br />
the late 80’s. Like I said I was<br />
the lieutenant assigned to<br />
nights and in our department<br />
the nightshift lieutenant was<br />
pretty much the night sheriff. I<br />
oversaw everybody and everything.<br />
But I had been doing<br />
it so long that it really didn’t<br />
seem like that big of a deal<br />
anymore.<br />
But more of all the ole heads<br />
were retiring and every day I<br />
had more and more youngsters<br />
showing up at roll call.<br />
The sheriff decided that to fill<br />
vacancies he would accept<br />
lateral transfers from other<br />
departments. Since we paid<br />
more than the surrounding<br />
departments these kids (actually<br />
young men and women<br />
in their late 20’s) came over<br />
in droves. Everyday there was<br />
someone new and of course<br />
they all came to nights.<br />
The latest transfer was this<br />
young man from a PD up<br />
north. A real go getter. Reminded<br />
me of me at that age.<br />
His name was Randy Jones.<br />
Jones was married and had<br />
just had a brand-new baby<br />
girl. Wasn’t even 3 weeks old.<br />
The boy posted pictures of<br />
that girl all over the station.<br />
He was the proud papa for<br />
sure.<br />
But he was from a PD, and<br />
this was the sheriff’s department.<br />
We did things differently<br />
and Jones had his own idea<br />
about how it ‘should’ be done.<br />
I had to sit that boy down<br />
several times during those first<br />
few weeks and just say look,<br />
‘If you want to stay here and<br />
be successful you must follow<br />
the book. Otherwise, I’m going<br />
to have to talk to the sheriff<br />
and send you back to the<br />
PD.” Broke my heart because<br />
he was really a good kid just<br />
stubborn. Reminded me when<br />
I started. The dayshift sergeant<br />
moved him to days for<br />
a week, just to teach him OUR<br />
ways.<br />
<strong>No</strong>w here it was Christmas<br />
Eve and Jones was back<br />
working the nightshift with<br />
me again.<br />
Anyway, it was about 3am<br />
when a silent alarm dropped<br />
in a warehouse on the<br />
northside of the district. I was<br />
only a couple blocks away and<br />
Jones must have been sitting<br />
in the parking lot because he<br />
advised he was about to go<br />
out on it. I advised dispatch I<br />
was backing him up and was<br />
a couple minutes out.<br />
Jones arrived and advised<br />
he had an open rear door, as<br />
I was pulling up to the rear.<br />
We agreed we would clear<br />
across the bare concrete.<br />
Unit 204 I have shots fired<br />
and two suspects down. I<br />
need EMS and backup.<br />
Where is Jones? “Jones?”<br />
“Unit 204 to Jones, where are<br />
you?<br />
“Jones where the fuck are<br />
you? I began running all over<br />
the warehouse to see where<br />
he was and as soon as I<br />
turned a corner, there he was.<br />
Laying in a pool of blood.<br />
“Officer down, officer down,<br />
Unit 204 I have an officer<br />
down.”<br />
Jones? As soon as I knelt<br />
down, I could see that a round<br />
had hit him in the neck and<br />
struck an artery. He had bled<br />
out in seconds. The first round<br />
those assholes fired went right<br />
through the thin partition wall<br />
and hit him. He was down<br />
within seconds of us enter-<br />
the building starting towards<br />
the right and work our way<br />
to the front. This was one of<br />
those flex space warehouses<br />
with storage on the back and<br />
offices in the front and they<br />
weren’t really that large. As<br />
soon as we stepped inside,<br />
we heard movement near the<br />
front. Other than our flashlights,<br />
it was pitch black in the<br />
damn place. Suddenly a bright<br />
piercing light following by a<br />
deafening boom appeared in<br />
front of us…. we were taking<br />
fire from multiple locations.<br />
I was literally firing into the<br />
dark. I just kept firing in the<br />
direction of the muzzle blast<br />
until there weren’t anymore. I<br />
stood there in the dark, shining<br />
my flashlight to see what<br />
or who was there and 20 feet<br />
away I saw two bodies on the<br />
ground, blood now running<br />
94 The BLUES The BLUES 95<br />
94 The BLUES The BLUES 95
ing that room. He never said a<br />
word. He didn’t get a chance<br />
to fire a single shot.<br />
Somehow by the grace of<br />
God, I hit both the suspects in<br />
the dark and they both went<br />
down as well. I was the lone<br />
survivor. That’s a term I would<br />
hear over and over again.<br />
Within seconds, I heard<br />
deputies arriving from all<br />
over. Sirens. I could hear sirens<br />
everywhere. Sirens echoing<br />
throughout the building. The<br />
scene was just so surreal.<br />
Dust. Red and blue lights<br />
bouncing off the walls. Blood<br />
running across the bare concrete<br />
floors. Bodies motionless<br />
on the floor. And this young<br />
deputy at my side. I just sat<br />
there and waited for the EMTs.<br />
“Lieutenant…Lieutenant…<br />
Lieutenant….?”<br />
“What??”<br />
“Sir you need to get up and<br />
let them work on Jones.”<br />
I stood up and watched the<br />
EMTs from the firehouse squad<br />
that was just blocks from<br />
here begin working on him,<br />
but they stopped really before<br />
they started. There was<br />
nothing they could do. He was<br />
gone.<br />
I notified dispatch to send<br />
me detectives, crime scene<br />
and notify the sheriff.<br />
But I WAS the night sheriff,<br />
and I knew what I had to do. It<br />
was my job to notify the next<br />
of kin, spouses or parents of<br />
any deputy killed in the line<br />
of duty. In my 30+ years, I had<br />
only had to do it once. But<br />
this was different. This young<br />
man was dead on my watch.<br />
Standing 10 feet from me. It<br />
was my responsibility to keep<br />
him safe and I failed. I failed<br />
him, his wife, and his baby girl.<br />
The truth is, I shouldn’t have<br />
left the scene. I had just shot<br />
and killed two suspects. I had<br />
a dead deputy on the ground<br />
20 feet from the dead crooks.<br />
The DA shoot team would<br />
be enroute and so would<br />
the sheriff. Maybe the sheriff<br />
should go to Jones’ and make<br />
the notification?<br />
<strong>No</strong>pe. It was my job and my<br />
job alone, I had to do what I<br />
had to do. Without realizing it,<br />
I had pulled off the highway<br />
and pulled up under an old<br />
railroad crossing underpass.<br />
I was trembling and crying<br />
uncontrollably. It was at that<br />
moment that I felt like my life<br />
had ended. A young man was<br />
dead because of me. I was his<br />
supervisor; his backup and he<br />
was dead. I was old and at the<br />
end of my career and he was<br />
just getting started. It should<br />
be me on that floor. God got<br />
this wrong. I should be dead. I<br />
should be dead.<br />
I found myself under that<br />
bridge, with my gun in my<br />
hand. I was praying that God<br />
would forgive me for everything<br />
that happened that night<br />
and what I was about to do.<br />
It was at that instant I heard a<br />
voice say, “Mister are you ok?”<br />
I turned around and standing<br />
there before me was this<br />
young couple holding a baby.<br />
“What? Where did you two<br />
come from? What are you doing<br />
down here?”<br />
“We have no other place<br />
to be. We lost our home in a<br />
fire and we’ve been camping<br />
under this bridge for a while<br />
now. What are you doing here<br />
officer? Are we in trouble? Are<br />
you hurt? You’re bleeding!”<br />
“<strong>No</strong>, you’re not in trouble. I<br />
just needed a minute to think.<br />
I guess I ended up here. And<br />
it’s not my blood.”<br />
“Officer, maybe you should<br />
sit down a minute. Let us get<br />
you something hot to drink,<br />
it’s freezing out here.”<br />
As I sat down with them<br />
under that bridge, I saw this<br />
young couple that had to be<br />
about the same age as Jones<br />
and his wife. Here they were<br />
on Christmas Eve living in<br />
a tent under a bridge comforting<br />
ME. Making ME take a<br />
minute. I listened to their story<br />
and how they ended up there<br />
and when the young man<br />
finished his story, he looked at<br />
me and said, now tell us how<br />
you ended up here …. with us.<br />
For the next few minutes, I<br />
shared what had transpired<br />
that evening. That I was on<br />
my way to tell a young mother<br />
and wife, her husband<br />
wasn’t coming home. And I<br />
guess I stopped to gather my<br />
thoughts and ended up here.<br />
I didn’t tell them I was seconds<br />
away from ending my<br />
own life. I thanked them for<br />
their kindness and asked them<br />
if I could take them to a shelter<br />
and they declined. They<br />
said they were happy to be<br />
together, be safe under that<br />
bridge, and knew God would<br />
keep them safe until they<br />
could find a new home.<br />
I left them there and drove<br />
to Jones’ house. As I pulled<br />
up the sheriff was just pulling<br />
up as well. I walked up to<br />
him, and he hugged me said,<br />
“You know you shouldn’t be<br />
here. You have about a dozen<br />
detectives and DA shoot team<br />
looking for your ass.”<br />
“Yes sir, I know. But this is<br />
my job too, and he died on my<br />
watch. Under my command.”<br />
“Bob. I know. Let’s do this<br />
together.”<br />
The next few days were a<br />
blur. The following week we<br />
buried Deputy Jones. After the<br />
funeral, I drove to that underpass<br />
to make sure my young<br />
new friends were ok, but the<br />
tent was gone and so were<br />
they. I guess God found them<br />
that new home. As I was turning<br />
around under the bridge, I<br />
saw something where the tent<br />
had been. I got out of my car<br />
and picked up a cross that had<br />
been formed from branches<br />
and twigs. It had a red ribbon<br />
tied around it and a small<br />
piece of dirty paper tied to the<br />
top with the words:<br />
On this spot God saved us<br />
from ourselves and gave us a<br />
new beginning.<br />
96 The BLUES The BLUES 97
A Cop, Flight Nurse and Two Endings<br />
I just read your feature story<br />
“the Christmas that almost<br />
wasn’t” and it brought me back<br />
almost 23 years when I had<br />
nearly the same experience.<br />
I too had lost a partner who<br />
was standing less than five feet<br />
from me when a sniper’s bullet<br />
ripped through his vest and<br />
killed him instantly. It was the<br />
single worst moment of my life.<br />
The emotions from that day still<br />
haunt me but thankfully I’ve been<br />
able to move past it and have a<br />
somewhat normal life.<br />
It wasn’t Christmas Eve but<br />
rather New Year’s Eve 1999. Yes,<br />
the new millennium was upon<br />
us, and we expected it to be a<br />
busy night. I had been on the<br />
force at the time for nearly 20<br />
years and worked the night<br />
shift by choice. My kids were all<br />
grown, and I was at the end of<br />
a third failed marriage. Working<br />
nights for me was my way of<br />
coping with the emptiness I had<br />
in my life at the time.<br />
On this night and for the previous<br />
30 days, I had a rookie riding<br />
with me after his FTO was injured<br />
in an off-duty car accident.<br />
And truthfully, I didn’t mind. After<br />
20 years of riding by myself I<br />
kind of enjoyed the company and<br />
I also liked the idea of imparting<br />
my knowledge into this young<br />
officer’s mind.<br />
But the FTO program of 1999<br />
isn’t like what you probably have<br />
today. It wasn’t that regimented,<br />
it was more like, ‘ride with<br />
me kid and I’ll show you how it’s<br />
done’ kind of thing. But this kid, I<br />
say kid he was 24, was actually<br />
doing a great job. He had spent<br />
almost 4 months on the evening<br />
shift with his FTO and was about<br />
to be cut loose. So, thirty days<br />
with me and he was ready to go<br />
solo. I’ll dispense with his last<br />
name in case his family might<br />
read this magazine and just use<br />
his first name Randy.<br />
On the night of the shooting,<br />
Randy and I were answering<br />
one disturbance after another.<br />
As you can imagine on this New<br />
Years, everyone was drunk and<br />
getting rowdy. One by one we<br />
were clearing calls. I guess after<br />
the 10th one or so, we became<br />
complacent and weren’t paying<br />
as much attention as we should<br />
have been.<br />
We were dispatched to a call<br />
on our city’s far east side that<br />
was on the extreme east side of<br />
our assigned district. But all the<br />
district cars on that side were<br />
tied up and we took the call to<br />
help them out. Same call as all<br />
the rest. Neighbor called in to<br />
report loud noises, fireworks and<br />
unknown persons possibly firing<br />
guns into the air. More people<br />
are killed on New Years from<br />
falling bullets than any other day<br />
of the year.<br />
We arrived at the complainant’s<br />
house and didn’t see<br />
activity outside nor did we hear<br />
any fireworks or guns being<br />
discharged. As we walked to the<br />
front door, a man in his fifties<br />
opened the door and began<br />
telling us about the neighbors<br />
across the street and how they<br />
had been outside earlier and<br />
were firing guns into the air and<br />
raising all kinds of hell.<br />
It was at that moment that a<br />
single gunshot rang out and Randy<br />
fell forward onto the man’s<br />
porch. I grabbed him by his vest<br />
and drug him behind a car that<br />
was parked in the driveway less<br />
than twenty feet away. I yelled at<br />
the man to go back inside and go<br />
to the back of the house.<br />
“Unit 10E50 shots fired, officer<br />
down, officer down, I need backup<br />
and EMS NOW…. NO send me<br />
Care Flight he’s not breathing”<br />
“All units assist the officer, officer<br />
down, I repeat officer down<br />
at 103 East Third, all units Code 3<br />
Officer Down.”<br />
“Unit 10E50 Care Flight has<br />
been dispatched”<br />
In the seconds, maybe minutes<br />
following that first shot,<br />
the suspect fired several more<br />
rounds towards us hitting the car<br />
we were behind as well as the<br />
sides of the complainant’s house.<br />
It was surreal in that you could<br />
hear the rounds hitting near us<br />
and seconds later you heard the<br />
rifle shot. I fired several shots<br />
towards the suspect, but he was<br />
over 50 yards away and it was<br />
pointless to keep firing. I focused<br />
my attention on trying to stop<br />
Randy’s bleeding and trying CPR.<br />
But the rounds kept ricocheting<br />
off the concrete and unless<br />
I moved into a better position, I<br />
was going to take a round myself.<br />
I heard the sirens in the distance<br />
and knew help would be<br />
here soon. But we had to survive<br />
NOW.<br />
I fired two more rounds towards<br />
the house and dragged<br />
Randy farther up the driveway<br />
to another vehicle parked beside<br />
the house. Seconds later units<br />
started arriving and the suspect<br />
fired several rounds at their cars.<br />
Then he ran in the house and that<br />
was the last I saw of him and the<br />
end of the shooting. He barricaded<br />
himself in the house and after<br />
a 4-hour standoff with SWAT,<br />
shot himself in the head.<br />
Care Flight arrived and they<br />
worked on Randy all the way<br />
to hospital, but I knew he was<br />
gone. I had rode in the helicopter<br />
with him and was there when<br />
his wife arrived. She and I had<br />
met a few days prior at a Christmas<br />
luncheon, and she ran up to<br />
me in the ER. I didn’t realize it,<br />
but I was covered in blood, and<br />
said I’m so sorry but they did everything<br />
they could. I’m sooooo<br />
sorry. She fell to the floor, and I<br />
sat on the floor holding her. My<br />
life, her life, would never be the<br />
same.<br />
98 The BLUES The BLUES 99
It was late afternoon before I<br />
finally got a ride home. My house<br />
was as empty as my heart. My<br />
kids had all gone back to their<br />
respective homes in other states.<br />
I was alone with my thoughts<br />
and sense of failure. Here was<br />
this rookie counting on me and<br />
he was dead. Because I didn’t do<br />
my job of protecting him. I was<br />
ready to give up. It wasn’t the<br />
first time I had thought about<br />
ending my life but today was<br />
different. The thought of attending<br />
another funeral, having<br />
everyone look at me with glaring<br />
eyes thinking ‘he’s responsible<br />
for Randy’s death’ was more than<br />
I could bare.<br />
I had my gun in my hand. <strong>No</strong><br />
notes. <strong>No</strong> final goodbyes. Just<br />
ready to end it. Then the doorbell<br />
rang. At first, I sat in the dark and<br />
hoped whoever it was would go<br />
away. But they kept ringing and<br />
knocking and calling my name.<br />
I didn’t recognize the voice, but<br />
it was obviously a female. So, I<br />
put the gun down and opened<br />
the door. It was the Flight Nurse<br />
from Care Flight.<br />
“What are you doing here<br />
Amy?”<br />
“I knew you would need someone<br />
to be with. I have been<br />
where you are dozens of times<br />
in the past year. Officers gunned<br />
down, involved in accidents or<br />
whatever and I couldn’t save<br />
them no matter how hard I tried.<br />
So, I know what you’re going<br />
through, and I knew I had to<br />
come see you. Can I come in?”<br />
We sat and talked for hours.<br />
She held me and I held her. She<br />
cried and I cried, and we cried<br />
together. <strong>No</strong>t only did we spend<br />
that New Year’s Day together,<br />
but we’ve also spent 20 more<br />
after that. Amy and I have been<br />
married for 20 years. She saved<br />
my life. <strong>No</strong>w we are both retired<br />
and travel the country. If<br />
this story changes just one life,<br />
saves just one officer from taking<br />
his or her life, then recounting<br />
my story was worth it.<br />
I’ve left my name off the<br />
email. Who I am isn’t important,<br />
my story is. I hope you’ll<br />
run it in your magazine to make<br />
a difference in someone else’s<br />
life.<br />
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100 The BLUES The BLUES 101
THE OPEN ROAD<br />
by Michael Barron<br />
Best Side-by-Side UTVs:<br />
14 Kickass Rides for 2022<br />
Are you ready to boost over<br />
sand dunes, peel through mud,<br />
and explore some of the world’s<br />
toughest trails? Looking for<br />
an easier way to get into the<br />
backcountry, or just feed your<br />
friends a face full of dirt?<br />
Sounds like you need seat time<br />
in side-by-side UTVs, the ultimate<br />
outdoor vehicles.<br />
The only hard part is sussing<br />
out the best sport side-bysides—there<br />
are a ton of great<br />
models to choose from. To<br />
guide your search, we’ve rounded<br />
up our favorite side-by-side<br />
UTVs of <strong>2022.</strong> Any of these fourwheeled<br />
beasts will satisfy<br />
your off-road appetite. These<br />
offroad vehicles offer plenty of<br />
ground clearance and throttle<br />
response when mudding—plus<br />
some even offer Ride Command,<br />
an integrated in-vehicle communication<br />
system so you can<br />
speak to passengers without<br />
getting drowned out.<br />
1. POLARIS RZR PRO R ULTIMATE<br />
As far as halo products go, look<br />
no further than the 74” wide<br />
open-stance RZR Pro R Ultimate.<br />
Sure, you’ll pony up<br />
roughly the price of a<br />
new Jaguar XF, but<br />
instead of driving<br />
your luxury<br />
midsize to the<br />
town bingo<br />
hall, you’ll<br />
be powering<br />
through<br />
trails in Polaris’<br />
high performing desert<br />
and dune master. A 2.0-liter,<br />
four-cylinder, 16-valve engine<br />
delivers 225 horsepower and<br />
features a naturally aspirated<br />
design for cooler temps and improved<br />
reliability. It also comes<br />
with Dynamix DV advanced suspension<br />
control with modes for<br />
Rock, Comfort, Track, and Baja—<br />
all controlled via a glove-friend-<br />
ly seven-inch touchscreen<br />
display. Want to crank some<br />
music? A Rockford Fosgate<br />
high-output system ensures<br />
that everyone will hear you. To<br />
really amp up the mean look,<br />
get yours in Stealth Black.<br />
[Starting at $40,699; rzr.polaris.com]<br />
2. KAWASAKI TERYX KRX 1000 ES<br />
Kawasaki didn’t mess around (except in the dirt, mud,<br />
rocks, and dunes) when it developed the new Teryx<br />
KRX 1000 eS. It comes with upgrades like shift-onthe-fly<br />
electronic four-wheel drive and a locking front<br />
differential, continuously variable transmission with<br />
centrifugal clutch, and the brand’s own electronically<br />
controlled suspension. It’s powered by a 999cc<br />
liquid-cooled parallel-twin engine for performance<br />
that’ll really blow your hair back.<br />
[Starting at $32,199; kawasaki.com]<br />
3. ZFORCE 950 H.O. SPORT<br />
4. POLARIS RZR XP 1000<br />
Polaris claims the RZR XP 1000 Sport is the<br />
industry’s best-selling performance side-byside<br />
UTV. It certainly has plenty of oomph:<br />
Owners can enjoy 110 horsepower from a 999cc<br />
twin-cylinder engine. Rocks, roots, sand, and<br />
mud are no match for this rig’s 20 inches of<br />
usable suspension travel and Walker Evans<br />
Needle Shocks. Instrumentation combines<br />
analog dials with a four-inch LCD Rider<br />
Information Center. The head-turning<br />
Indy Red colorway (shown above)<br />
comes with the Premium model.<br />
[Starting at $21,899; rzr.polaris.com]<br />
The ZFORCE 950 H.O. Sport side-by-side from CFMO-<br />
TO is built to handle the rocky trails you crave without<br />
devouring your paycheck. A 963cc V-twin delivers<br />
90 horsepower, and the Quadlink rear suspension<br />
includes adjustable gas shocks and multi-link<br />
trailing arms to tackle any obstacle. Added<br />
perks like a multifunction color TFT display,<br />
3,000-pound winch, and electronic throttle<br />
control and steering make this a bargain UTV<br />
that doesn’t compromise.<br />
[Starting at $13,999; cfmotousa.com]<br />
102 The BLUES The BLUES 103
5. CAN-AM MAVERICK X3 X RS TURBO RR 72<br />
The Can-Am Maverick X3 lineup includes several versions<br />
suited to your local terrain: RC for rock, MR for<br />
mud, RS for dunes, and DS for desert. The X package<br />
gets you exclusive graphics, seats, top-of-the-line<br />
suspension, and other features. The Turbo RR’s come<br />
in 64- and 72-inch width options and are built with<br />
a 200-horsepower Rotax ACE Turbo RR engine.<br />
Keep one thing in mind: With this powerful turbocharged<br />
mill, objects in the mirror are likely<br />
farther away than they appear.<br />
(Starting at $20,499; can-am.brp.com]<br />
8. YAMAHA YXZ1000R XT-R<br />
With its Warn winch, Special Edition<br />
paint with color-matched wheels, and<br />
998cc inline-triple engine, the YXZ1000R<br />
XT-R is a stylish and high-spec standout<br />
among side-by-side UTVs. Added bonus:<br />
<strong>No</strong>thing beats the feeling of blasting<br />
through the gears with Yamaha’s Sport<br />
Shift paddle-operated manual transmission.<br />
[Starting at $23,299; yamahamotorsports.<br />
com]<br />
6. HISUN STRIKE 1000R<br />
The value-oriented Hisun Strike 1000R is built around a 976cc<br />
V-twin motor, and it’s paired with a CVT with two-wheeldrive<br />
and four-wheel-drive modes and a locking rear differential<br />
for extra traction when you need it. In the cockpit,<br />
you get an analog display (with a tachometer) and an<br />
LCD display for additional information. Better yet, a<br />
3,500-pound winch comes standard.<br />
[Starting at $14,599; hisunmotors.com]<br />
9. ARCTIC CAT WILDCAT XX<br />
The new Arctic Cat Wildcat XX SE can handle<br />
just about any terrain thanks to its beefy<br />
130-horsepower engine, CVT, and premium<br />
Fox 2.5 Podium Qs3 shocks. It comes with<br />
a shift-on-the-fly four-wheel-drive system<br />
and a locking front differential for maximum<br />
grip when the trail gets gnarly. And if you get<br />
stuck, you’re in luck: This cat comes with a<br />
3,500-pound winch to pull yourself out of<br />
sticky situations.<br />
[Starting at $22,999; arcticcat.txtsv.com]<br />
7. SEGWAY VILLAIN SX10 H<br />
Segway has come a long way since its original twowheeled<br />
personal transporter arrived on the market two<br />
decades ago. The new Villain SX10 H brings maximum<br />
performance with maximum tech that should give its<br />
driver plenty of confidence for exploring. A 1000cc, fourstroke,<br />
twin-cylinder DOHC motor creates 195 horsepower,<br />
and a unique hybrid powertrain allows the Villain to<br />
deliver instant torque. Villain’s Smart Commanding<br />
System (SCS) connects with an app and an onboard<br />
touchscreen to display real-time vehicle<br />
data and allow you to tweak the settings for<br />
different drivers, terrains, and conditions.<br />
7. Segway Villain SX10 H<br />
10. HONDA TALON 1000R SPECIAL EDITION<br />
You can’t go wrong with any model in Honda’s 1000R lineup,<br />
which includes the Talon 1000R, Talon 1000R Fox Live<br />
Valve, and the Special Edition. These sporty side-by-side<br />
UTVs come in both two- and four-seat versions, and they<br />
all share the same high-output 999cc engine, snappy<br />
dual-clutch automatic transmission, and Honda-exclusive<br />
i-4WD tech. The Special Edition<br />
gets the Fox Live Valve suspension along with<br />
additional popular accessories installed from<br />
the factory.<br />
[Starting at $26,099; powersports.honda.<br />
com]<br />
[Starting at $21,499; powersports.segway.com]<br />
104 The BLUES The BLUES 105
11. HONDA PIONEER 1000-<br />
5This five-seat cruiser can fit the whole brood,<br />
and it should have no problem getting them<br />
around, either, with a 999cc engine. For<br />
additional safety, it includes debris-blocking<br />
side nets, and its traction control<br />
system uses the brakes to limit wheel<br />
spin for optimum traction (without<br />
the drawbacks of a locking diff).<br />
The comfortable cockpit is a big<br />
plus, too.<br />
13. YAMAHA WOLVERINE X2 850 R-SPEC<br />
This entry-level model has more than enough giddyap—thanks<br />
to a four-stroke 847cc engine—to<br />
clamber over rocks and debris, and its 8.7-inch<br />
front and 9.3-inch rear suspension will make<br />
doing so comfortable. The model measures<br />
62.2 inches wide and has an 83.7-inch<br />
wheelbase, so it’s compact enough to get<br />
deep into the woods.<br />
[Starting at $14,899; yamahamotorsports.com]<br />
[Starting at $18,099; powersports.<br />
honda.com]<br />
<strong>12</strong>. CAN-AM DEFENDER DPSHD10<br />
14. KAWASAKI MULE PRO-FXT RANCH EDITION<br />
This two-row, do-it-all workhorse<br />
has a 999-pound-capacity cargo<br />
bed and can tow up to a ton with<br />
its 8<strong>12</strong>cc engine. It also has 10 inches<br />
of ground clearance, 26-inch<br />
tires, and 8.7 inches of suspension<br />
travel, and you can option it to<br />
seat up to six people, making<br />
it perfect for either ranch<br />
work or hauling folks<br />
around.<br />
[Starting at $20,299;<br />
kawasaki.com]<br />
Designed with hunters in mind, this camouflaged, 64-inch-wide beast can haul up to 2,500<br />
pounds—so it’ll have no problem with that Booner whitetail you’re going to tag this season. You<br />
can also option it with Kolpin gun cases, a winch, a full skid plate, and a portable LED spotlight,<br />
all of which will prove useful in the field, and its Rotax V-twin 976cc, 82-horsepower engine will<br />
make for easy uphill climbs.<br />
[$13,199; can-am.brp.com]<br />
106 The BLUES The BLUES 107
108 The BLUES The BLUES 109
A BADGE OF HONOR<br />
healing our heroes<br />
Thirty Minutes<br />
of Tactical Brain Tools<br />
By John Salerno<br />
Gearing up. What does this<br />
mean to you.<br />
Gun, Vest, Taser, Cuffs. Check!<br />
We all make sure that all<br />
our safety equipment we use<br />
each day is in proper working<br />
order. We wouldn’t go out on<br />
shift without our gun or vest,<br />
that would be crazy. The Boss<br />
wouldn’t allow such a thing to<br />
happen, they would stop you<br />
at the door! But, what about the<br />
most important piece of equipment?<br />
which is not located on<br />
your gun belt.<br />
Our Brain. If our brain is not<br />
properly working during the<br />
shift, it can be as deadly as<br />
going out without a vest or<br />
empty clip in our firearm. How<br />
many Bosses check your brain<br />
health prior to you going out on<br />
patrol?<br />
So, what does it look like<br />
when you are getting ready<br />
for a shift? It’s how you begin<br />
your day that plays a vital role<br />
in how the day will most likely<br />
end, and vice versa, how you<br />
end your day is how the next<br />
Day will begin. This cycle is<br />
critical in your career.<br />
Your days are full of stressful<br />
events, and you don’t need to<br />
add any extra baggage.<br />
Most of us start the day<br />
wrong! Rushing around, shoving<br />
an unhealthy breakfast down<br />
our throats, and speeding to<br />
work. This is because we stay<br />
up late, eat a late dinner and<br />
deal with all the stressors of<br />
our daily life.<br />
When we finally get to bed,<br />
we toss and turn before finally<br />
falling asleep. The reason for<br />
this is we didn’t fully decompress<br />
from shift or before bed.<br />
When we get home from a<br />
long day, we tend to follow the<br />
same patterns which for each<br />
person, may vary depending on<br />
lifestyle.<br />
We need to break some of<br />
the toxic habits which have<br />
become the norm in our lives.<br />
Taking a few steps each day<br />
will help in a longer and<br />
healthier career.<br />
First, our new day should<br />
start the night before. What<br />
does that mean? It means we<br />
need to adapt to any de-stressing<br />
activity which works best<br />
for you after we get off shift.<br />
This can include breathing exercises,<br />
a short walk, meditation<br />
yoga, anything to get your<br />
SAMANTHA HORWITZ &<br />
JOHN SALERNO<br />
mind out of a hypervigilance<br />
state, slow down the chemical<br />
dump and place it back into<br />
healthy balance<br />
Remember the 5 Ps<br />
Proper Planning Prevents<br />
Poor Performance<br />
Proper nutrition and a good<br />
night’s rest is a great place to<br />
start and will make a world of<br />
difference in how we react on<br />
our next shift. So how to we<br />
achieve this.<br />
Plan on at least 15-30 minutes<br />
of activity to get your<br />
mind back in balance. We cannot<br />
carry the weight of the day<br />
into the night. When our brain<br />
is full of the day’s activities. It<br />
places us in a state of Hypervigilance,<br />
causing disruption in<br />
sleeping and poor eating habits.<br />
Eating an early dinner will<br />
allow your body to properly<br />
digest before bed.<br />
To get a good night’s rest, all<br />
our bodies’ internal systems,<br />
which include our digestion,<br />
need to slow down.<br />
Prepare the night before.<br />
Make sure you have everything<br />
ready before you go to bed.<br />
Rushing around in the morning<br />
also places your brain into a<br />
hypervigilance state.<br />
It’s the little things we forget,<br />
like having gas in your car for<br />
the next day. If you are running<br />
late and must stop for gas, this<br />
leads to more unneeded stress.<br />
Turn off the gaming, social<br />
media, and news at least 2<br />
hours before bed. Gaming, social<br />
media and the news place<br />
your brain into further hypervigilance.<br />
Remember, although your<br />
body may not feel tired, your<br />
brain is exhausted. The motor<br />
is always at high RPMs after a<br />
shift. It has been making life<br />
and death decisions all day<br />
long, and it needs proper rest.<br />
When you wake up, stretch,<br />
bend, and loosen up. Drink a<br />
glass of water (Before Coffee)<br />
to rehydrate your body. Eat a<br />
light breakfast and do a slow<br />
10 seconds before you walk out<br />
to your car to begin your day.<br />
This will allow your brain to<br />
settle down and prepare.<br />
Our Bodies and Mind must be<br />
in top working order to perform<br />
at the best of our ability.<br />
Changing a few habits will<br />
help bring our body back into a<br />
healthier balance. You will see<br />
and feel noticeable change by<br />
just adjusting these few things.<br />
John Salerno<br />
Co-Founder -Badge of Honor<br />
Ret. NYPD Detective<br />
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110 The BLUES The BLUES 111
DARYL LOTT<br />
daryl’s deliberations<br />
Christmas Time Perspective<br />
There was one Christmas that<br />
was different than all the others<br />
in our history. The Christmas<br />
of 1941 was the one that<br />
wins the dubious prize for sheer<br />
uncertainty and frightfulness.<br />
America had been mauled by<br />
Japan in a diabolical surprise<br />
attack at Pear Harbor on December<br />
7th—just 18 days before<br />
Christmas. The Philippines were<br />
under siege and it was all but<br />
certain that American forces<br />
were going to be captured by<br />
the notoriously cruel Japanese<br />
army. The Pacific Fleet was in<br />
disarray and the sunken and<br />
still smoking battleships sitting<br />
on the Hawaiian harbor<br />
sea bottom could not provide<br />
a quick response. The Atlantic<br />
fleet was being hammered<br />
by German U-boats in ocean<br />
battles that left merchant ships<br />
blazing within sight of coastal<br />
cities like New York and Boston.<br />
The indispensable life line of<br />
supplies between America and<br />
England was very much endangered.<br />
Many lives were being<br />
lost in the rough cold seas of<br />
the <strong>No</strong>rth Atlantic.<br />
In a bold move, Prime Minister<br />
Winston Churchill made<br />
the perilous sea journey from<br />
London to Washington in order<br />
to visit President Franklin D.<br />
Roosevelt. The men had talks<br />
regarding a common war strategy<br />
to defeat Germany and<br />
Japan. There was a feeling that<br />
the Christmas and New Year<br />
holidays should be cancelled.<br />
This was not as extreme as it<br />
might sound to our modern<br />
ears. The United States had to<br />
gear up wartime production<br />
in what was to be a fight with<br />
very powerful adversaries who<br />
wanted to destroy freedom<br />
around the world. We all know<br />
that the Christmas and New<br />
Year holidays may only be two<br />
days on the calendar, but those<br />
are normally “dead weeks” for<br />
most business and government<br />
operations. Many private and<br />
public sector executives did<br />
not want to lose those valuable<br />
weeks of initial productivity.<br />
England had already been<br />
at war for over two years and<br />
their production capacity was<br />
at 100%, but the British people<br />
were at the end of their rope.<br />
Anything that would delay the<br />
much needed supplies and<br />
support would cost British lives.<br />
American productivity had to<br />
be quickly geared up into overdrive.<br />
Lives depended on it.<br />
As Roosevelt pondered the<br />
unthinkable—cancelling Christmas,<br />
an executive spoke up.<br />
“The holiday isn’t for us. It’s to<br />
honor the Christ Child. It’s His<br />
holiday—not ours.” Exactly.<br />
Roosevelt ordered that federal<br />
holidays not be cancelled. In the<br />
longer term, the people would<br />
DARYL LOTT<br />
be energized by honoring God.<br />
On Christmas Eve, Roosevelt<br />
and Churchill addressed the<br />
freedom loving peoples of the<br />
world from the balcony of the<br />
White House. We would join<br />
the fight against evil until our<br />
last energy was spent. The men<br />
then ceremonially lit the White<br />
House Christmas tree. The<br />
brotherhood of free peoples<br />
would engage a ruthless and<br />
determined enemy.<br />
Roosevelt and Churchill saw<br />
a much needed opportunity to<br />
get our allied efforts off on the<br />
right foot. The notion that our<br />
countries needed each other<br />
was no longer simply a theory.<br />
In addition to the losses America<br />
suffered in the Pacific, the<br />
British were being handed some<br />
cruel defeats as well. “Fortress<br />
Singapore” was considered<br />
impregnable by sea invasion as<br />
it was on the southern tip of the<br />
Malay Peninsula. However, the<br />
Japanese figured if they could<br />
land much farther north, then<br />
their troops could, believe it<br />
or not, ride bicycles south and<br />
defeat the British army at Singapore.<br />
Japanese troop ships<br />
were dispatched to invade the<br />
Malay Peninsula and the soldiers<br />
inside would race their bicycles<br />
to the British back door.<br />
The British countered the move<br />
by sending a battleship, “HMS<br />
Prince of Wales”, and a cruiser,<br />
“HMS Repulse”, to destroy the<br />
Japanese troop ships at sea.<br />
These most powerful of British<br />
warships became the first capital<br />
ships in history sunk in the<br />
open ocean by aircraft alone.<br />
The British Empire was dealt a<br />
staggering blow that weighed<br />
heavily on the minds of Roosevelt<br />
and Churchill (both were<br />
Navy men at heart). What to do!<br />
The devastating losses that<br />
both nations suffered in December<br />
highlighted the reality that<br />
the war was going to be long<br />
and hard. Roosevelt and Churchill<br />
knew that the death toll<br />
would far exceed the 15 million<br />
of the Great War. They knew<br />
that “Happy New Year” was not<br />
going to be appropriate for the<br />
foreseeable future. They knew<br />
that the possibility of America<br />
and the British Empire losing<br />
the war was conceivable. Allied<br />
victory was not inevitable.<br />
What could they do to start this<br />
joint endeavor?<br />
Roosevelt and Churchill happened<br />
to be members of the<br />
same Protestant Church—the<br />
Church of England (as it is<br />
called in England) and the Episcopal<br />
Church (as it is called in<br />
America). The men reasoned,<br />
like George Washington before<br />
them, that anything they did<br />
without God’s Providential leadership<br />
would be fruitless. All<br />
of our citizens, young and old,<br />
black and white, healthy and infirm,<br />
Jew and Gentile, had to be<br />
engaged in the initial response.<br />
New Year’s Day 1942 would<br />
be, by Presidential Decree, a<br />
National Day of Prayer. The idea<br />
was simple, but genius. If the<br />
war was going to be an existential<br />
conflict between good<br />
and evil, then good people<br />
were going to have to pray. The<br />
prayer wasn’t the usual plea<br />
for forgiveness and remorse for<br />
failings. The prayer, according<br />
to the president and prime minister,<br />
was a prayer to make our<br />
nations worthy of being called<br />
good. Our nations had to ask<br />
God for his blessing of making<br />
us worthy to be on His side.<br />
The two leaders prepared<br />
themselves and went to George<br />
Washington’s own Anglican/<br />
Episcopal church on the Day<br />
of Prayer. They sat down in the<br />
general’s own pew and got<br />
right with God. They asked their<br />
Heavenly Father to take their<br />
nations’ heartfelt responses<br />
to a monstrous evil and make<br />
them worthy to be called good.<br />
American and British citizens<br />
echoed the prayers of their<br />
respective leaders. Our parents<br />
and grandparents wanted to<br />
be counted as worthy to fight<br />
evil in the name of Goodness.<br />
They did not ask the Father to<br />
take the bitter cup of war from<br />
their lips; they only wanted<br />
to be worthy of the struggle.<br />
Perhaps that’s why they have<br />
been called the “Greatest Generation.”<br />
The Americans and<br />
the British would never forget<br />
the Christmas of 1941– it was<br />
fraught with anxiety.<br />
Perhaps in this time of anxious<br />
uncertainty, we should<br />
pray that we are worthy to help<br />
our neighbors in need. Maybe,<br />
just maybe, we should pray<br />
that we are worthy to give our<br />
neighbor a cup of water in His<br />
name. I believe that is what my<br />
grandparents did—and yours<br />
did, too.<br />
1<strong>12</strong> The BLUES The BLUES 113
NOT SO BRIGHT AWARD<br />
lig ht bul b award<br />
TWO DRUNK COPS<br />
One in Indiana, One in Florida, Two Wrecked Patrol Cars.<br />
Doug Rutoskey<br />
Well as we close out the year<br />
and present the final Lightbulb<br />
award, we find not one, but two<br />
candidates nominated for the<br />
prize.<br />
It seems two officers, both<br />
off-duty in two separate cities<br />
in different states, saw fit to get<br />
drunk and then go drive their<br />
patrol cars which both ended in<br />
crashes.<br />
Both officers were charged<br />
with operating a vehicle while<br />
intoxicated and leaving the scene<br />
of an accident<br />
FOX 59 reported that off-duty<br />
Stinesville (Ind.) Police Department<br />
reserve officer Doug Rutoskey,<br />
36, was arrested after his<br />
marked patrol car rear-ended<br />
another vehicle on the south side<br />
of Indianapolis. Rutoskey left the<br />
scene following the crash, but<br />
somehow his vehicle continued<br />
on without him, and came to a<br />
stop after hitting a construction<br />
barrier. Rutoskey was arrested<br />
on preliminary charges of operating<br />
a vehicle while intoxicated<br />
and leaving the scene of an<br />
accident.<br />
The incident happened around<br />
1:20 a.m. on Sunday <strong>No</strong>v. 20th,<br />
near Southport Road and State<br />
Road 37. According to witnesses,<br />
a police cruiser rear-ended their<br />
car and then took off. IMPD confirmed<br />
a fully marked patrol vehicle<br />
was involved in the crash.<br />
Photos from the aftermath of<br />
the crash showed a police car<br />
with a smashed front end.<br />
The police report described the<br />
incident as a “hit-and-run crash<br />
involving [an] unknown agency<br />
police vehicle.”<br />
Further south, in the sunny<br />
state of Florida, off-duty Miami-Dade<br />
officer Leopold Louis,<br />
42, was also arrested after he<br />
crashed his marked patrol car<br />
into an unoccupied vehicle while<br />
driving drunk according to local<br />
TX station, Local 10 News .<br />
Louis was arrested in Hollywood<br />
early Sunday morning,<br />
<strong>No</strong>vember 21st after police said<br />
he was drunk behind the wheel<br />
of a marked patrol car.<br />
Officer Leopold Louis, 42, on<br />
Leopold Louis<br />
the force since 2017, was suspended<br />
with pay, according to<br />
Miami-Dade PD.<br />
According to the arrest report,<br />
Louis was involved in a hit-andrun<br />
crash at <strong>No</strong>rth 20th Avenue<br />
and Polk Street and officers later<br />
located him driving his patrol<br />
car on Federal Highway.<br />
In the report, Hollywood police<br />
Officer Carlos Diaz wrote that<br />
Louis smelled of alcohol, had<br />
watery, bloodshot eyes and was<br />
unable to maintain his balance.<br />
Louis said he did not realize<br />
he had been involved in a crash;<br />
Diaz wrote.<br />
“(Louis) continued to state his<br />
friend in the marked unit was<br />
waiting on him,” Diaz wrote.<br />
“The marked unit in the area was<br />
his.”<br />
Louis failed a battery of field<br />
sobriety tests and was taken into<br />
custody according to the report.<br />
He later consented to a breathalyzer<br />
test and had a blood-alcohol<br />
content of .223%, nearly<br />
three times the legal limit, it<br />
states.<br />
He faces charges of first-offense<br />
drunken driving, DUI with<br />
property damage and leaving the<br />
scene of a crash with an unattended<br />
vehicle or property.<br />
“This officer placed the public<br />
in danger in the same vehicle<br />
that the community has entrusted<br />
as a symbol of protection,”<br />
MDPD Director Alfredo “Freddy”<br />
Ramirez said in a statement to<br />
Local 10 News. “I will not tolerate<br />
any representative of the Miami-Dade<br />
Police Department to<br />
jeopardize the community’s trust.<br />
We will allow the Hollywood<br />
Police Department to conduct<br />
their investigation with complete<br />
transparency and have complete<br />
faith in the judicial process.”<br />
Louis was being held in the<br />
Broward Main Jail.<br />
Louis had nothing to say to<br />
Local 10 News after he bonded<br />
out Monday afternoon. I’m sure<br />
he didn’t.<br />
So, there you have it. The final<br />
Light Bulb Awards of 2022 given<br />
to two morons who thought it<br />
was OK to get drunk, get into<br />
marked units and crash then.<br />
Idiots. Have a wonderful Christmas<br />
and Happy New Year and<br />
guys, take an Uber when you get<br />
drunk.<br />
But whatever you do, don’t<br />
shoot at each other inside<br />
the Uber…oh wait, that’s next<br />
months award. Stay safe my<br />
friends.<br />
114 The BLUES The BLUES 115
HONORING FALLEN HEREOS<br />
“Honoring our fallen heroes<br />
through running while providing<br />
financial support to the families<br />
of our fallen Heroes,<br />
First Responders injured in the<br />
Line of Duty and Safety<br />
Equipment to K9s in need.”<br />
AS OF <strong>12</strong>/1/22<br />
Total Grants Awarded to Injured First Responders: 40<br />
Total Amount Awarded: $357,500<br />
Total Funds Awarded to Families of Fallen Heroes: 34<br />
Total Amount Awarded: $272,301<br />
Funds/Equipment Awarded to K9 Officers: $26,686.21<br />
Total Amount of Grants Given: $656,487.32<br />
- - - -<br />
2022 Run Tracker:<br />
Total Miles Run in 2022: (as of <strong>12</strong>/3/22): 291<br />
- Zechariah - 255<br />
- Jayden - 9<br />
- Andrew - 8<br />
- Giuliana - 7<br />
- Anthony - 6<br />
- Morgan - 5<br />
- Theresa - 1 (59 for K9s)<br />
Total Miles Run in 2021: 327<br />
Total Miles Run in 2020: 401<br />
Total Miles Run in 2019: 376<br />
Overall Miles Run: 1,395<br />
Over Miles Run (K9’s): 59<br />
- - - - - - - - - -<br />
2022 Run Stats:<br />
Total Miles Run for 2022 Fallen LEO’s (<strong>No</strong>n COVID-19): 135<br />
Total Miles Run for 2022 Fallen Firefighters (<strong>No</strong>n COVID-19): 80<br />
Total Miles Run for <strong>No</strong>n-LODD/Suicide: 13<br />
Total Miles Run for 2022 Fallen Canada LEO’s: 3<br />
Total Miles Run in 2022 for Fallen COVID-19 Heroes: 18<br />
Total Miles Run for 2021 Fallen LEO’s: 21<br />
Total Miles Run for 2021 Fallen Firefighters: 2<br />
Total Tribute Runs by State/Country: 17<br />
Zechariah<br />
Cartledge:<br />
a True American Hero<br />
States/Cities Zechariah has run in:<br />
Florida - Winter Springs, Lake Mary, Clearwater, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Orlando, Temple Terrace, Blountstown,<br />
Cocoa, Lakeland, Daytona Beach, West Palm Beach, Starke, Melbourne<br />
New York - New York City, Weedsport • Georgia - Cumming, Augusta, Savannah<br />
South Carolina - <strong>No</strong>rth Myrtle Beach, Charleston, Sumter • Pennsylvania - Monaca<br />
Illinois - Springfield, Naperville, Glen Ellyn • Texas - Houston (2), Fort Worth, Midland, New Braunfels, Freeport, Madisonville,<br />
Irving, Sadler, San Antonio • Kentucky - Nicholasville • Arkansas - Bryant, Hot Springs, Springdale, Prairie Grove<br />
Nevada - Henderson • Kansas - Overland Park • California - Mt. Vernon, La Jolla • Arizona - Mesa<br />
<strong>No</strong>rth Carolina - Concord, Raleigh • Virginia - <strong>No</strong>rton, Richmond • Tennessee - Bristol, Bartlett<br />
Oklahoma - Stilwell (2) • Delaware - Milford • Maryland - Towson • Minnesota - Arden Hills • Indiana - Sullivan, Spencer<br />
Mississippi - Grenada, Olive Branch • Missouri - Springfield, Rolla, Joplin • Iowa - Independence, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids<br />
District/Countries/Territories:<br />
Washington D.C. • Puerto Rico - San Juan<br />
116 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE<br />
The BLUES 117
DR. TINA JAECKLE<br />
blue mental health<br />
Give Yourself the Gift of Hope<br />
This Holiday Season.<br />
Many of our nation’s law enforcement<br />
officers have had a<br />
challenging year in countless<br />
ways. The 2022 statistics for<br />
line of duty deaths (especially<br />
by gunfire) and suicides in this<br />
field are staggering and can be<br />
overwhelming. The holidays are<br />
also often a difficult time for LEO<br />
families due to work schedules,<br />
family conflict, financial constraints,<br />
and at times, a sense of<br />
helplessness due to depression<br />
and lack of hope. We also live in<br />
a world in which comparison of<br />
our lives to others is commonplace<br />
and frequently perpetuated<br />
by social media and high<br />
expectations for the “perfect”<br />
holiday experience. It can place<br />
a great deal of unnecessary<br />
pressure on an LE family during<br />
an already stressful time of the<br />
year.<br />
Instead of this month’s article<br />
focusing solely on the negative, I<br />
want to instead offer the gift of<br />
hope through some basic approaches<br />
that are designed to<br />
reduce psychological stressors<br />
and increase hope for the holiday<br />
season. Amy Morgan, (Police1,<br />
2019), offered the following<br />
excellent suggestions and I encourage<br />
to practice these often.<br />
1. STOP COMPARING. If you<br />
find yourself comparing your<br />
holiday with others, stop and<br />
focus on what matters to you,<br />
and then let that be enough. Be<br />
content with where you are,<br />
who you are and what you have.<br />
If you are financially stressed,<br />
don’t worsen the situation by<br />
giving gifts to try to match the<br />
actions of others. Instead, give of<br />
yourself and work with what you<br />
have, but don’t deplete yourself<br />
in the process or let comparisons<br />
make you feel unworthy.<br />
2. SET REALISTIC EXPECTA-<br />
TIONS. All the hype around the<br />
holidays makes us feel like we<br />
should ramp up our energy, our<br />
home décor, our financial ability,<br />
our time with friends and family,<br />
and even our level of happiness.<br />
Instead set your expectations<br />
in line with the reality of your<br />
own little piece of the world. If<br />
you aren’t a cook, don’t expect<br />
to present your family with a<br />
golden holiday turkey and all the<br />
fixings. Set realistic expectations<br />
about how your own holiday<br />
will, and should, look, for your<br />
own life.<br />
3. LET GO OF REGRET. Maybe<br />
this wasn’t your best year.<br />
If there’s something in your life<br />
you wish was different, and you<br />
still have the ability to change it,<br />
start working on doing that. But<br />
if you can’t change something,<br />
try letting go of the feeling of<br />
regret that’s eating away at you.<br />
DR. TINA JAECKLE<br />
If you need to apologize to someone,<br />
do it, genuinely and sincerely.<br />
If you need to forgive someone,<br />
do it, for your own sense of<br />
peace. And then move on. Let go<br />
of the regrets so you can start<br />
the New Year free of stress and<br />
anxiety.<br />
4. ACCEPT YOUR STRUGGLES.<br />
Life is hard sometimes, and nobody<br />
is getting through it as easily<br />
as they may make it seem. Things<br />
may be hard for you for many<br />
reasons – it is okay to admit that<br />
things aren’t great. Accept that all<br />
of us struggle at different points<br />
in life with different things. Don’t<br />
let the season make you focus on<br />
the struggles – remember that<br />
this season and its challenges will<br />
pass.<br />
5. SET NEW YEAR GOALS.<br />
Instead of pressure-filled resolutions,<br />
set some goals. But<br />
don’t set your expectations so<br />
high you’ll never be able to follow<br />
through. Name a few simple<br />
things you’d like to be different<br />
in your life – and then outline a<br />
plan to achieve that change. This<br />
year practice healthy approaches<br />
and do what you need to do. If<br />
you’re feeling down, depressed,<br />
or alone, please reach out to<br />
any number of law enforcement<br />
mental health resources and<br />
you’ll find a caring voice at the<br />
other end of the line to help you<br />
make it through the hard stuff.<br />
The holiday season, just like your<br />
life, is what you make it. Celebrate<br />
the holiday for the reasons<br />
you choose, in the way that fits<br />
you and your life, and make the<br />
very best of it that you can with<br />
click or scan here,<br />
for your FREE BLUES<br />
Subscription.<br />
whatever you have to work with.<br />
6. TAKE THE TIME TO EXER-<br />
CISE. You do not have to jump<br />
right into crossfit if you have<br />
not exercised regularly but get<br />
out for at least a brisk walk and<br />
break a sweat. You will feel and<br />
think better. You can also do this<br />
a couple of times a week, and<br />
invite your spouse, partner, and/<br />
or children to walk with you to<br />
enjoy family time.<br />
7. GIVE BACK TO OTHERS. A<br />
local FOP hosts an “adopt a LE<br />
retiree or survivor” each holiday<br />
and encourages others to take<br />
them to lunch or provide a gift<br />
card or simply give the gift of<br />
“presence”. There are numerous<br />
charities and opportunities<br />
available this time of year, including<br />
for children. Giving to<br />
others allows a mental shift of<br />
perspective away from our own<br />
struggles toward better understanding<br />
and connecting with<br />
others. Remember, we rise by<br />
lifting others. Most importantly,<br />
practice hope, even a little very<br />
day. Happy holidays and Merry<br />
Christmas to you all, blessings<br />
always.<br />
The Leader In Law Enforcement Recruitment<br />
Delivering ZERO COST solutions to<br />
Texas Public Safety Agencies.<br />
118 The BLUES The BLUES 119
Elk Hunting in a Colorado Snowstorm<br />
<strong>No</strong>vember is one of my favorite<br />
times of the year because it<br />
represents fall, cool weather,<br />
and the start of big game hunting<br />
season. This year I met one of my<br />
sons, Austin, up at our cabin in the<br />
mountains of <strong>No</strong>rthern Colorado<br />
for elk rifle season #2. If you are<br />
not familiar with Colorado elk<br />
seasons, they are typically one<br />
weeklong, (except for bow season<br />
which is almost a full month), so<br />
you really have to make the most<br />
of your week. This year was going<br />
be exceptionally difficult for my<br />
son as he was only able to make<br />
it up for a Weds-Saturday hunt.<br />
<strong>No</strong> worries I thought, I will go up<br />
early and scout our usual hunting<br />
areas of our land and the national<br />
forest behind our cabin and make<br />
us a good plan for the time we<br />
had to hunt together. I had been<br />
watching the weather forecasts<br />
and it looked perfect. We should<br />
have slight snow on the ground<br />
when I get there and we will have<br />
more snow coming in, which usually<br />
really gets the elk moving and<br />
fresh power to track the animals.<br />
Three days before my son arrived,<br />
I got to our cabin and just<br />
as I thought, we had about 4-6<br />
inches of snow on the ground. I<br />
unpacked our gear and went out<br />
in the woods for an evening hunt.<br />
Within 20 minutes into my hike in<br />
the national forest lands, I started<br />
seeing fresh elk sign. Lots of elk<br />
sign, fresh tracks and fresh droppings.<br />
I was getting pretty excited<br />
when I approached the first of our<br />
many favorite hunting areas, the<br />
elk sign was even more abundant.<br />
New plan, I thought to myself. I<br />
am not going to continue to scout<br />
this area, the elk are here, and I<br />
don’t want to give them a reason<br />
to leave. My plan was to quietly<br />
slip in and hunt the front edge of<br />
this area until my son arrives and<br />
hopefully get an elk even before<br />
he arrives.<br />
That first afternoon scout was a<br />
fairly short one as I am not going<br />
to lie, it was during the World<br />
Series, and I really wanted to<br />
watch the Astros beat the Phillies.<br />
The next morning, I hiked<br />
into my stand well before daylight<br />
and watch the woods come alive<br />
with first light. However, no elk in<br />
sight and after three hours sitting<br />
in the freezing temperatures, this<br />
now Florida thin-blooded body<br />
was too cold to sit any longer, so I<br />
slipped out quietly. The afternoon<br />
hunt was a beautiful weather<br />
hunt as it warmed up, but no elk<br />
movement.<br />
For day three, I decided to<br />
not slip out into my spot in the<br />
dark but instead decided to wait<br />
until first light and still hunt to<br />
my stand. Within 10 minutes of<br />
moving very slowly through the<br />
woods and after climbing a small<br />
ridge, I spotted a cow elk about<br />
50 years away moving in my direction.<br />
I slowly dropped to the<br />
ground and realized I am completely<br />
exposed by the white snow<br />
and no cover between her and<br />
me. She didn’t see me and continued<br />
to eat on the dead grasses<br />
sticking up through the snow and<br />
I could see there were several<br />
more elk behind her. When she<br />
got about 25 yards in front of me,<br />
she did the funniest double-take<br />
and literally jump back 2 steps<br />
when she saw something that<br />
didn’t seem right, me. The wind<br />
was blowing into my face, so<br />
she couldn’t smell this thing she<br />
couldn’t identify and since I didn’t<br />
move, she starred at me for what<br />
seemed like 10 minutes trying to<br />
figure out what I was. When she<br />
finally couldn’t identify if this was<br />
a real threat or not, she decided<br />
to simply move on as two more<br />
cows had moved up to her and<br />
they too were waiting for her next<br />
move. Since I really couldn’t move<br />
during this stare down, I could<br />
now look back in the direction<br />
they came from, and I see a bigger<br />
elk coming my way and I can see<br />
antlers. I thought to myself, this<br />
is awesome! I am going to get a<br />
bull even before my son gets here<br />
and I can then focus on helping<br />
him get one. My heart was racing<br />
as he moved closer through the<br />
trees, and I could see now that he<br />
was only a spike bull, which is not<br />
a legal bull to take. So, I watched<br />
him take almost the same path<br />
as the cow and that brought him<br />
within 30 years in front of me. I<br />
kept hoping that there were more<br />
elk to follow as well but after<br />
waiting a good half hour, that<br />
was it, just a small group with<br />
three cows and one bull. I made<br />
it to the same stand I had hunted<br />
the night before, but nothing else<br />
moved past. That afternoon, I<br />
still hunted to the same stand on<br />
the edge of our hunting area but<br />
again despite all of the fresh sign,<br />
I didn’t see anything and headed<br />
to the airport to pick up Austin. I<br />
was thinking that tomorrow the<br />
snow should be moving in, and we<br />
could hunt some ground blinds I<br />
set up or could still hunt further<br />
into the forest and perhaps find<br />
other small groups or a big herd.<br />
That night the snow started and<br />
when we walked out the cabin a<br />
good hour plus before first light,<br />
it was snowing really hard. I left<br />
him at a ground blind I set up for<br />
him and I made it to my ground<br />
blind well before it started getting<br />
light. Our plan was to stay<br />
put for this first morning together<br />
and see if we can get some of the<br />
elk to come past one of us. The<br />
temperatures had dropped to the<br />
low 20s and it was hard to remain<br />
warm and still in this now<br />
blowing snowstorm. We met up<br />
after about 3.5 hours with nothing<br />
being seen and we noticed no<br />
fresh tracks in the new snow either.<br />
We hiked back to the cabin<br />
<strong>12</strong>0 The BLUES The BLUES <strong>12</strong>1
SUPPORT THE OFFICER DOWN MEMORIAL PAGE<br />
VIA THE 2022 COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN<br />
HOW TO PLEDGE TO SUPPORT THE OFFICER DOWN MEMORIAL PAGE:<br />
1<br />
2<br />
3<br />
Go to the CFC website<br />
(scan this QR code for quick access)<br />
Search for the Officer Down<br />
Memorial Page / CFC # 62937<br />
Add us to your pledge basket – make sure to<br />
make your commitment before January 2023!<br />
to warm up, grab some lunch, and<br />
head back out. That afternoon it<br />
continued to snow, and we again<br />
didn’t see any movement and no<br />
fresh signs of any elk movement.<br />
Undiscouraged, we again went out<br />
the next morning, but I convinced<br />
Austin this time to wait until first<br />
light and still hunt to our stands.<br />
It was easy moving quietly in the<br />
fresh snow, but despite this advantage,<br />
we didn’t see any elk and<br />
again no fresh signs. We hunted<br />
hard all that day and covered a<br />
lot of ground looking for fresh<br />
tracks in the snow to guide us for<br />
the rest of our hunt. All day the<br />
snow continued to fall and now<br />
we were walking in sometimes<br />
knee-deep snow and despite covering<br />
more ground, no sign of any<br />
elk moving in the snowstorm. We<br />
gave it one more try the next day<br />
with the same result. So just like<br />
that, with one brutal snowstorm,<br />
my elk covered hunting grounds<br />
were eerily void of any animals,<br />
or at least it appeared. I don’t<br />
know if they were simply bedded<br />
down in the heavy dark timber or<br />
whether they truly moved down<br />
into lower elevations as we were<br />
hunting at almost 9,500 feet. Either<br />
way, our elk hunt did not end<br />
up the way we had hoped.<br />
While this year didn’t put any<br />
elk in the freezer, it did provide<br />
another great opportunity to<br />
experience the beauty of the<br />
Colorado mountains. Our land<br />
and the national forest that adjoins<br />
it, is a mix of mountainous<br />
terrain with creeks, ponds, and<br />
old growth aspen trees along<br />
with thick pockets of large fir<br />
and spruce trees that all together<br />
provide great food & cover for<br />
the deer, elk, moose, and black<br />
bear. Add several feet of snow<br />
and it makes for a beautiful<br />
escape for any hunter to experience,<br />
especially when he gets to<br />
do while creating memories with<br />
his son that will last a lifetime.<br />
<strong>No</strong>vember is still my favorite time<br />
of year, and I can’t wait until next<br />
year to try it again.<br />
The Officer Down Memorial Page is proud to announce our participation<br />
in OPM’s Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) program. If you are an<br />
employee of the Federal Government (including postal, military, and federal/<br />
military retirees), your pledge though the CFC supports our mission to:<br />
• Honor and remember the nearly 26,000 law enforcement officers<br />
who have been killed in the line of duty since our nation’s founding<br />
• Generate over 200,000 letters to parole boards across the country<br />
to help deny parole to hundreds of convicted cop killers<br />
• Provide funding for the creation, restoration, or repair of memorials and<br />
grave markers honoring officers who have died in the line of duty<br />
• Recognize the contributions and sacrifices of our loyal K9 companions<br />
that serve on the front lines of our law enforcement efforts<br />
• And so much more...<br />
Learn more at ODMP.org/cfc<br />
<strong>12</strong>2 The BLUES The BLUES <strong>12</strong>3
ADS BACK IN THE DAY<br />
<strong>12</strong>4 The BLUES The BLUES <strong>12</strong>5<br />
<strong>12</strong>4 The BLUES The BLUES <strong>12</strong>5
ADS BACK IN THE DAY<br />
<strong>12</strong>6 The BLUES The BLUES <strong>12</strong>7
THERE ARE NO WORDS<br />
parting shots...<br />
... pardon our humor<br />
<strong>12</strong>8 The BLUES The BLUES <strong>12</strong>9
Your Source for<br />
Law Enforcement<br />
Products &<br />
Services<br />
130 The BLUES The BLUES 131
Air Bear announces the arrival of<br />
the DA62-MPP in <strong>No</strong>rth America<br />
airbear<br />
Air Bear Tactical Aircraft proudly<br />
announces that the Diamond<br />
DA62-MPP is now delivering to<br />
Airborne Law Enforcement customers<br />
in <strong>No</strong>rth America. The<br />
shape of things to come, the<br />
DA62-MPP (Multi-Purpose Platform)<br />
is represented by Air Bear<br />
Tactical Aircraft in the USA and<br />
provides best in class capabilities,<br />
performance, and economical<br />
operation.<br />
Recently concluding its first<br />
ever <strong>No</strong>rth American visit with a<br />
nationwide demo tour, the DA62-<br />
MPP has received rave reviews<br />
wherever it has visited. The “MPP”<br />
provides a robust, multi-mission<br />
surveillance platform which is<br />
readily adaptable to many missions,<br />
including patrol support, counter<br />
narcotics, border patrol, littoral<br />
maritime patrol, fire mapping and<br />
control, aerial survey as well as<br />
many other missions.<br />
It’s low cost of acquisition, utility,<br />
and incredibly low operating costs<br />
(using only 7.6 gallons per hour of<br />
Jet-A, total!) provides an unbeatable<br />
method to stretch your ever<br />
tightening aviation budgets. Twin<br />
engine reliability and a complete tip<br />
to tail maintenance program rounds<br />
out this game changing platform.<br />
Learn more about the DA62-MPP<br />
at www.airbear.aero, call us at<br />
855-699-5489 or email us at bearsintheair@airbear.aero.<br />
Air Bear Tactical Aircraft provides<br />
complete, mission-ready surveillance<br />
& survey aircraft to Federal,<br />
State, Local and Commercial operators.<br />
Learn more on our website<br />
about our other products, including<br />
our custom gimbal retraction system<br />
for the DA62-MPP, C206H and<br />
Turbine Commander 690A/B (more<br />
to come!), and learn more about<br />
our other product offerings as well.<br />
The Shape of Things to Come has<br />
arrived in <strong>No</strong>rth America!<br />
The Shape of Things To Come Is Here!<br />
The next generation airborne law enforcement surveillance<br />
platform is now shipping to <strong>No</strong>rth American customers.<br />
The highly capable, multi-role aircraft provides exceptionally low<br />
DOC’s (about $260.00/hour with Piston Power’s complete aircraft<br />
tip to tail maintenance program) while providing best in class<br />
surveillance capabilities.<br />
Air Bear is the exclusive DA62-MPP distributor for the USA.<br />
Contact the Air Bear to learn how the MPP can increase your<br />
efficiency while dramatically lowering your acquisition and<br />
operating costs.<br />
Learn more at: www.airbear.aero<br />
Diamond DA62-MPP <strong>No</strong>w Delivering<br />
to <strong>No</strong>rth America!<br />
FULLY FAA CERTIFIED, THE MPP SETS<br />
NEW STANDARDS IN EFFICIENCY<br />
AND CAPABILITIES FOR AIRBORNE<br />
LAW ENFORCEMENT<br />
The MPP uses just 7.6 g/hr (total) of<br />
Jet-A at loiter speed, capable of<br />
sprinting at up to 192 kts.<br />
Multi-role, multi-mission capable<br />
Capable, Efficient & Cost Effective<br />
Air Bear Tactical Aircraft | 19711 Campus Drive #150 Santa Ana, CA 92707 | 855-699-5489<br />
www.airbear.aero | bearsintheair@airbear.aero<br />
132 The BLUES The BLUES 133<br />
132 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 133
CAP Fleet is an emergency<br />
vehicle upfitter and<br />
authorized Chevrolet SVM<br />
Bailment Pool provider<br />
for Law Enforcement<br />
Vehicles. We have a pool<br />
of vehicles available to be<br />
upfitted by CAP Fleet and<br />
sold through any GM dealer<br />
in the United States.<br />
We also offer law enforcement<br />
vehicles from<br />
Chevrolet, Dodge, and<br />
Ford through our dealership<br />
network.<br />
Since 2011, we have<br />
combined the highest<br />
quality products in the<br />
industry with superior<br />
craftsmanship, providing<br />
customer service and installations<br />
at a reasonable<br />
price.<br />
Our sales staff brings<br />
over 100+ years of law enforcement<br />
experience and<br />
our installation team has<br />
an equal number of years<br />
in the emergency vehicle<br />
upfitting industry. We<br />
understand your needs<br />
and strive to make your<br />
experience at CAP Fleet<br />
simple. All installations<br />
are completed by our inhouse<br />
technicians. Every<br />
vehicle goes through an<br />
extensive quality control<br />
program supervised by<br />
our shop managers. Our<br />
technicians are constantly<br />
focused on quality and<br />
efficiency.<br />
With locations in<br />
Belton, Tx and Houston,<br />
Tx, and a new state<br />
of the art facility under<br />
construction in Caldwell,<br />
Tx, as well as mobile<br />
technicians serving the<br />
Dallas/Fort Worth and<br />
Rio Grande Valley metro<br />
areas, we have you<br />
covered!<br />
Whatever your needs<br />
are, from turn-key police<br />
vehicle builds, product<br />
replacement and/or upgrades<br />
to existing vehicles,<br />
or building a complete<br />
new fleet, CAP Fleet will<br />
have your vehicles 10-8.<br />
2023 CHEVROLET TAHOE PPVs<br />
ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH<br />
OUR BAILMENT POOL!<br />
CONTACT US FOR MORE<br />
DETAILS ON HOW YOU CAN<br />
GET YOUR FULLY UPFITTED<br />
2023 TAHOE PPV THROUGH<br />
CAP FLEET.<br />
www.capfleet.com | sales@capfleet.com | 254-773-1959<br />
134 The BLUES The BLUES 135<br />
134 The BLUES The BLUES 135
Starting in 2003, Cop Stop Inc. Opened with a vision and goal to service first responders; “Our everyday<br />
heroes.” Catering mainly to Police, Fire, Military and EMS, but also open to the public, Cop Stop<br />
offers a variety of products, gear and apparel. Open and operated by Rick Fernandez, a former officer<br />
of 10 years, he prides himself on maintaining the highest standards of customer service. Cop Stop understands<br />
its our customers who drive our success, and we strive to offer the best service to everyone<br />
who walks through our doors. At Cop Stop we offer quality products at great low prices. With access to<br />
over hundreds of brands and products, and constantly adding more, we are confident we can fulfill your<br />
needs.<br />
“If you provide good service and a fair price, customers will talk about you and come back.<br />
It’s that simple!” Rick Fernandez<br />
136 The BLUES The BLUES 137<br />
136 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 137
DANA SAFETY SUPPLY<br />
Dana Safety Supply (DSS) is a major warehousing distributor,<br />
seller, service provider, and installer of law enforcement<br />
and public safety fleet vehicle equipment including emergency<br />
lighting, and related law enforcement products that are typically<br />
employed by public safety entities. In addition, DSS is a<br />
major distributor of law enforcement, tactical supplies, duty<br />
gear, firearms, ammunition, uniforms, and other public safety<br />
products. DSS operates 30 locations located in Greensboro, NC<br />
(2), Clinton, NC, Columbia, SC (2), Atlanta, GA, Marietta, GA,<br />
Preston, GA, DeLand, FL, Jacksonville, FL, Orlando, FL, Tampa, FL,<br />
Ft. Myers, FL, Ft. Walton Beach, FL, Miami, FL, Pompano Beach,<br />
FL, Tallahassee, FL, Livingston, MT, Memphis, TN, Nashville, TN,<br />
Little Rock, AR, Baton Rouge, LA, Alabaster, AL, Lorton, VA (also<br />
covering the Metro Washington D.C. area), Los Angeles, CA,<br />
Oklahoma City, OK, Houston, TX, La Feria, TX, Ft. Worth, TX and<br />
Austin, TX.<br />
DSS was founded in 2005 by a group of law enforcement and<br />
fleet professionals and has grown to become one of the largest<br />
companies of its type in the United States. DSS is a subsidiary<br />
of Duval Motor Company and the Scott McRae Group, (SMAG), a<br />
106 year old family company that has been in continuous operation,<br />
and under the same ownership since 1916. SMAG employs<br />
more than 700 people across multiple companies in the automotive,<br />
finance, and service industries. Each company operates<br />
independently, is its own legal entity, and is headed by its own<br />
President and management team, but has the financial resources<br />
and backing of SMAG at its disposal. DSS acquired Fleet<br />
Safety Equipment in 2018. Fleet Safety Equipment was founded<br />
in Memphis, TN in 1980 and is a wholly owned division of Dana<br />
Safety Supply.<br />
DSS regularly provides emergency vehicle equipment, installation<br />
services, and public safety products to numerous state,<br />
federal, and local public safety agencies, as well as to automotive<br />
dealers who utilize our up-fitting services and products.<br />
DSS holds and has successfully completed hundreds of large<br />
volume contracts with major public safety agencies throughout<br />
its territory to include Federal & State Agencies in CA, NC, SC,<br />
GA, FL, AL, TN, AR, OK, MS, LA, AR, TX, VA, and MT. DSS is also<br />
an approved contractor for the GSA and has a GSA contract for<br />
numerous public safety products and also for installation and<br />
upfitting services.<br />
Let us help your department with all your<br />
vehicle equipment and upfitting needs.<br />
Vehicle Equipment<br />
Vehicle Armoring<br />
National Reach.<br />
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America's largest source for upfitting,<br />
installation, tactical gear and apparel.<br />
Accessories & More!<br />
31<br />
LOCATIONS<br />
DANASAFETYSUPPLY.COM<br />
Keep your Officers safe!<br />
Armored glass options available!<br />
1<strong>38</strong> The The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES 139
People are Your<br />
Purpose, and Ours<br />
In 2008, the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office<br />
was informed by the federal government that it<br />
was violating inmates’ civil rights because of its<br />
indirect supervision policy. Part of the requirement<br />
to remedy the violation was to hire 200 detention<br />
officers in addition to the 450 they already<br />
had.<br />
Instead, Captain David Baisden turned to Digi<br />
Security Systems for a technological solution. Together,<br />
we designed a system that would provide<br />
100 percent visibility in each of the 30 pods in the<br />
jail. Digi installed the system, and the impact was<br />
definitive.<br />
“All of a sudden, we noticed an immediate drop<br />
in altercations from 300 to 30,” said Captain Baisden.<br />
“Ninety percent of the violence was gone.”<br />
We have a saying around here that People Are<br />
Our Purpose. As a security systems integrator,<br />
the work we do is important: we design, install,<br />
and service commercial security systems for all<br />
kinds of organizations. Those very security systems<br />
are the technology that keeps our children<br />
safe in their classrooms, our police officers protected<br />
from wrongdoers, our business’ assets<br />
secure, and our communities free from the worry<br />
of violent threats. We design systems that maximize<br />
safety and limit the number of personnel<br />
and hours spent trying to identify and respond to<br />
incidents.<br />
It’s important work. It’s work that makes a real<br />
difference. And that work is just part of the Digi<br />
Difference that defines us. When an organization<br />
decides to partner with us, we become an<br />
extension of their team. Because we care deeply<br />
about the safety and security of the very people<br />
you care deeply about, we do whatever it takes to<br />
help you meet your goals while providing you the<br />
most exceptional experience possible.<br />
We serve and support law enforcement agencies<br />
across the region, including jails and city and<br />
county governments. We understand the unique<br />
needs you have in protecting your staff and the<br />
public. Learn more at digiss.com/government.<br />
Customized Security Solutions<br />
Government<br />
& Law Enforcement<br />
Keeping the peace and serving the public is a vital job for the health of a community.<br />
As your partner, we make technology your ally by providing you security solutions<br />
that are completely customized for your unique needs and budget.<br />
All-in-one solutions<br />
VIDEO SURVEILLANCE<br />
ACCESS CONTROL<br />
BODY-WORN CAMERAS<br />
COVID-19 RESPONSE<br />
INTRUSION ALARM & MONITORING<br />
CLOUD-BASED SECURITY SYSTEMS<br />
JAIL CONTROL SYSTEMS<br />
LICENSE PLATE RECOGNITION<br />
ANALYTICS & AI<br />
MASS NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS<br />
CONSULTING & DESIGN<br />
LOCKSMITH & KEYS<br />
SYSTEM INTEGRATION<br />
AND MORE<br />
SECURITY SYSTEMS<br />
Call today! 1-888-970-<strong>38</strong>30<br />
email contact@digiss.com<br />
We offer TIPS State Contract and HGAC!<br />
Digi knows law<br />
enforcement<br />
Reduce city crime & enhance public safety<br />
Search hours of footage in seconds<br />
Resolve incidents more quickly<br />
Monitor large crowds with analytics<br />
Gather real data for informed decisions<br />
Integrate systems to better communicate<br />
Limit the number of hostile environments<br />
digiss.com<br />
“Digi knows what<br />
they are doing.<br />
... All of a sudden<br />
we noticed an<br />
immediate drop in<br />
altercations from<br />
300 to 30.<br />
90%<br />
of the violence<br />
was gone.”<br />
Captain David Baisden<br />
Oklahoma County Sheriffs Office<br />
Experience the Digi Difference2<br />
Schedule your<br />
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140 The BLUES The BLUES 141
Key Management &<br />
Key Control Products<br />
All of our KeyWarden Security<br />
products are reliable, easy to use<br />
and expandable to meet your<br />
growing needs.<br />
Through seamless design,<br />
manufacturing and support, we<br />
have earned the reputation as<br />
the world leaders in security<br />
management products. We also<br />
write our own software to ensure<br />
system compatibility and performance.<br />
Every Morse Watchman’s<br />
product and system is meticulously<br />
designed and inspected to<br />
offer the latest in security technology<br />
and reliability.<br />
KEYWATCHER TOUCH<br />
KeyWatcher Touch brings one touch key<br />
control to the KeyWatcher, one of our industry-leading<br />
electronic key cabinets. Our<br />
new big, bright 7″ touch screen key register<br />
systems give you an easier-to-use interface.<br />
KEYWATCHER FLEET<br />
The industry’s only key control system for<br />
fleet management applications, KeyWatcher<br />
Fleet puts you in command of vehicle<br />
distribution, comprehensive utilization,<br />
right-sizing of your fleet and much more.<br />
THE KEYBANK<br />
The KeyBank® key control system eliminates<br />
outdated key boxes and the paper<br />
chase created by outdated manual logs and<br />
provides extensive protection from liability<br />
issues.<br />
KeyWatcher Illuminated<br />
KeyWatcher Illuminated is a modular, scalable<br />
integrated key control and management<br />
solution that’s designed for interoperability<br />
with access control and other<br />
systems.<br />
KEYBANK TOUCH<br />
<strong>No</strong>w get touchscreen convenience with<br />
KeyBank key access control system, the<br />
safer, more secure way to manage keys. The<br />
bright 7 touchscreen key organizer system<br />
gives you an easier-to-use interface.<br />
KeyWarden is the Texas distributor of Morse Watchmans industry-leading key and asset management systems. We are actively involved<br />
in the Texas Law Enforcement community as a founding member of the East Texas 100 club, and corporate members of the <strong>No</strong>rth Texas<br />
Police Chiefs Association, the East Texas Police Chiefs Association, the High Plains Police Chiefs Association, and the Central Texas Police<br />
Chiefs Association. We are proud to participate in the TEXAS SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE.<br />
THE KEYWATCHER TOUCH SYSTEM is deployed in the law enforcement environment to:<br />
• Securely dispense track and audit the use of keys to: vehicles, facilities, lockers and<br />
other high-value assets.<br />
• Prevent unauthorized staff from driving specialist vehicles, or racking up miles on the<br />
newer fleet while older units sit idle.<br />
• Allow management to compel the use of vehicle pools rather than staff controlling the<br />
keys to particular units.<br />
• Quicker and more efficient shift changes.<br />
• Control the keys to facilities and mandate accountability.<br />
• Managing and controlling access to assets stored in lockers.<br />
As a Texas-based company, we provide on site evaluation, implementation, training and support of the<br />
KeyWatcher System. We are also a member of BuyBoard and offer discounted pricing and ease of purchase.<br />
19015 Gentle Knoll<br />
San Antonio, Texas 78258<br />
Office: 830-214-0867 Fax: 775-898-1807<br />
www.keywarden.com - click here to email us<br />
142 The BLUES The BLUES 143
PLANET FORD IN SPRING, 20403 I45 NORTH,<br />
SPRING TEXAS<br />
Planet Ford on I-45 in Spring, Texas has been<br />
the <strong>No</strong>. 1 Ford Dealer in the greater-Houston area<br />
for over 20 years.* Our Ford dealership earns<br />
this distinction year after year because our team<br />
makes our clients and their vehicle needs our top<br />
priority. Planet Ford is part of the award-winning<br />
World Class Automotive Group. The dealership<br />
has earned many top honors, including multiple<br />
Triple Crowns, which is bestowed upon only<br />
the best. In order to be recognized, a dealership<br />
must receive all of Ford’s top awards, including<br />
The President’s Award for customer service. Planet<br />
Ford has been redesigned from the ground up<br />
to provide a superior customer experience. Planet<br />
offers over 30 acres of new Ford inventory, Certified<br />
Pre-Owned Fords, pre-owned vehicles of all<br />
makes and models, as well as aftermarket and<br />
performance parts, service, commercial truck<br />
services, and collision repair. Beyond automotive<br />
services, the Randall Reed family and Planet team<br />
support and gives back to the community, from<br />
local charity events to sponsoring schools and<br />
veteran programs. Learn more at PlanetFord.com.<br />
144 The BLUES The BLUES 145<br />
144 The BLUES The BLUES 145
Supporting Law<br />
Enforcement in<br />
TEXAS<br />
Inset: Dan Rooney ProForce President<br />
Firearms and Tactical Equipment for Law Enforcement Professionals<br />
800-367-5855<br />
Supplying Law Enforcement<br />
Equipment for the State of TEXAS!<br />
SPOTLIGHT ON<br />
ProForce’s commitment to providing excellent customer<br />
service is a key element in the company’s success<br />
throughout the western United States. As a relative newcomer<br />
in the state of TEXAS ProForce has been welcomed with open<br />
arms by the law enforcement community.<br />
ProForce’s relationships with top industry manufacturers<br />
and vendors, as well as their sales volume, allows them<br />
to negotiate better pricing to meet the budgetary needs<br />
of law enforcement agencies. While some vendors may<br />
not always have product availability in a timely manner.<br />
ProForce’s industry relationships and direct contact through<br />
vendor representatives, the sales team is able to suggest<br />
and provide alternatives to meet specific requirements of<br />
agencies, ensuring that the agency’s needs are always met.<br />
“<br />
Working with PROFORCE through the<br />
bidding and purchasing of the M&P 2.0’s was<br />
very easy and simple. We added the ACRO red<br />
dot along with the holster and the light. This<br />
purchase was simple and easy.<br />
The troops love the improvement to the 2.0<br />
and the red dot.<br />
Lt. Socha. Austin PD.<br />
“<br />
#X300U-A #13353 #200691<br />
The company features an excellent selection of high demand<br />
law enforcement firearms, equipment and accessories from<br />
great manufacturers such as:<br />
Axon/Taser, Aimpoint, Beretta, Colt, H&K, Bola Wrap,<br />
Bianchi, Smith & Wesson, Eotech, Daniel Defense,<br />
NightStick, Sig Sauer, Kimber, Otis, Defense Technology,<br />
Shadow Systems, Magpul, L3 Harris, Burris, Mossberg,<br />
Ruger, Streamlight, Safariland, Springfield, Blackhawk,<br />
Holosun, Trijicon, Vortex, Surefire, Us Peacekeeper ,OSS,<br />
Nightstick, FNH USA and UTM.<br />
Proforce takes great pride in distributing high quality public<br />
safety products from top tier manufacturers and this<br />
transaction has set a trend for many other law enforcement<br />
agencies in the State of Texas.<br />
Agency demonstrations, test and evaluation<br />
of products is available upon request. Ask us<br />
about trade-ins! We will buy your agency duty or<br />
confiscated firearms, any model and condition!<br />
First class customer support and quality service<br />
makes PROFORCE the number one choice for first<br />
responder equipment and accessories!<br />
Call (800) 367-5855<br />
Email: sales@proforceonline.com or<br />
visit our website<br />
www.proforceonline.com<br />
SEND US AN EMAIL<br />
SCAN THE QR CODE<br />
Designed, engineered, and manufactured in<br />
America, and ready to perform whenever<br />
and wherever the need arises. SIG SAUER<br />
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>> PRODUCTS & SERVICES
4807 KIRBY DRIVE • HOUSTON, TEXAS • 713-524-<strong>38</strong>01<br />
<strong>12</strong>722 HWY. 3 • WEBSTER, TEXAS • 281-488-5934<br />
AUTO FACELIFTS is located on the South Side of<br />
Houston across from Ellington Airport. Auto Facelifts<br />
is an industry leader in auto upholstery in the Houston,<br />
TX area. We work on cars, trucks, and even boats,<br />
so no matter what you’re riding in, we can give it a<br />
facelift! Whether you’re looking for a new leather interior,<br />
carpet replacement, or auto detailing, we’ve got<br />
a package that will fit your needs. But we don’t stop<br />
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truck accessories to really take your vehicle to the next<br />
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into Auto Facelifts and upgrade your ride today!<br />
RIVER OAKS CHRYSLER, DODGE, JEEP & RAM<br />
Alan & Blake Helfman are the named and primary<br />
sponsor of The BLUES. For over 65 years the<br />
Helfman’s have supported local area law enforcement<br />
and supported The BLUES since our first issue.<br />
There is simply no better dealership in Houston<br />
to purchase your Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep,<br />
Ram or Ford product. The sales team provide<br />
honest, no BS pricing and their service department<br />
ranks among the top in the nation.<br />
Call Alan or Blake Helfman at 713-524-<strong>38</strong>01 when<br />
you are ready to purchase your next vehicle. It will<br />
be the best car buying experience you’ve ever had.<br />
CENTRAL POLICE SUPPLY is your source<br />
for the best in police equipment. Based<br />
in Houston, we supply law enforcement<br />
with the equipment they need.”<br />
CENTRAL POLICE SUPPLY has been<br />
serving Houston law enforcement for<br />
nearly 50 years with the absolute best<br />
customer service and quality products.<br />
CENTRAL POLICE SUPPLY is<br />
located at 1410 Washington Ave, near<br />
downtown Houston, but you can<br />
purchase everything you need online<br />
at:https://www.centralpolice.com/<br />
148 The BLUES The BLUES 149
NOW HIRING<br />
LE job posit ions<br />
Tx. Comptroller Criminal Investigation (Odessa) Get Info State Police Officer <strong>12</strong>/13/2022 - 5pm<br />
Tx. Comptroller Criminal Investigation (Austin) Get Info State Police Officer <strong>12</strong>/13/2022 - 5pm<br />
Tx. Comptroller (Abilene) - Criminal Investigations Get Info State Police Officer/ Investigator <strong>12</strong>/13/2022 - 5pm<br />
South West ISD Police Department Get Info Police Officer <strong>12</strong>/11/2022 - 5pm<br />
Somerville Police Department Get Info Police Officer <strong>12</strong>/11/2022 - 5pm<br />
DFW Airport Police Department Get Info Police Officer <strong>12</strong>/11/2022 - 5pm<br />
Upton County Sheriff's Office Get Info Patrol Deputy <strong>12</strong>/01/2022 - 5pm<br />
Elm Ridge Police Department Get Info Police Officer <strong>12</strong>/11/2022 - 5pm<br />
Milford Police Department Get Info Police Officer <strong>12</strong>/11/2022 - 5pm<br />
Karnes Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Patrol Deputy <strong>12</strong>/31/2022 - 5pm<br />
Hearne Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer <strong>12</strong>/15/2022 - 5pm<br />
City of Bastrop Police Get Info Patrol Officer <strong>12</strong>/17/2022 - 5pm<br />
Texas Department of Insurance Get Info Sergeant/Investigator (Lubbock) <strong>12</strong>/17/2022 - 5pm<br />
Texas Department of Insurance Get Info Sergeant/Investigator (Dallas) <strong>12</strong>/17/2022 - 5pm<br />
Texas Department of Insurance Get Info Sergeant/Investigator (Austin) <strong>12</strong>/17/2022 - 5pm<br />
Johnson City Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer <strong>12</strong>/17/2022 - 5pm<br />
City of Keller Get Info Police Officer <strong>12</strong>/17/2022 - 5pm<br />
Lindale Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer (3 positions) <strong>12</strong>/19/2022 - 5pm<br />
Oak Ridge <strong>No</strong>rth Police Dept. Get Info Patrol Officers 01/19/2023 - 5pm<br />
Office of the Inspector General - TJJD Get Info Corporal <strong>12</strong>/22/2022 - 5pm<br />
Office if the Inspector General - TJJD Get Info Sergeant Investigator V <strong>12</strong>/22/2022 - 5pm<br />
Hardeman Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Deputy <strong>12</strong>/16/2022 - 5pm<br />
Mineola Police Dept. Get Info Peace Officer (2 positions) <strong>12</strong>/28/2022 - 5pm<br />
West Lake Hills Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer <strong>12</strong>/<strong>12</strong>/2022 - 5pm<br />
Natalia Police Dept. Get Info F/T and Reserve Peace Officers <strong>12</strong>/15/2022 - 5pm<br />
Sunset Valley Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer 01/01/2023 - 5pm<br />
Granite Shoals Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer 01/30/2023 - 5pm<br />
Quitman Police Dept. Get Info Patrol Officer 01/03/2023 - 5pm<br />
Quitman Police Dept. Get Info School Resource Officer 01/03/2023 - 5pm<br />
Giddings Police Dept. Get Info (2) F/T Police Officer 01/03/2023 - 5pm<br />
Sandy Oaks Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer <strong>12</strong>/03/2022 - 5pm<br />
Gregory Police Dept. Get Info Patrol Officer 01/01/2023 - 5pm<br />
Jersey Village Police Dept. Get Info Patrol Officer <strong>12</strong>/30/2022 - 5pm<br />
Colorado City Police Dept. Get Info (2) F/T Police Officer 01/02/2023 - 5pm<br />
Montgomery Co. Const. Pct. 3 Get Info Deputy <strong>12</strong>/31/2022 - 5pm<br />
Public Safety Trng. Specialist/ Police Officer Get Info Angelina College 01/02/2023 - 5pm<br />
Schleicher Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Deputy Sheriff <strong>12</strong>/08/2022 - 5pm<br />
Sachse Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer (certified) 01/08/2023 - 5pm<br />
Sachse Police Dept. Get Info Police Recruit 01/08/2023 - 5pm<br />
Lone Star College Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer 01/02/2023 - 5pm<br />
Palo Pinto Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Transport Deputy 01/08/2023 - 5pm<br />
Palo Pinto Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Field/ Patrol Deputy 01/08/2023 - 5pm<br />
<strong>No</strong>rmangee ISD Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer (F/T & P/T) <strong>12</strong>/31/2022 - 5pm<br />
Trinity Valley Comm. College Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer 11/28/2022 - 5pm<br />
Grimes Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Patrol Deputy <strong>12</strong>/31/2022 - 5pm<br />
Richardson Police Dept.<br />
Get Info Police Officer (Recruit & Lateral) 01/08/2023 - 5pm<br />
Spring Branch ISD Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer (entrance exam) <strong>12</strong>/09/2022 - 5pm<br />
Hemphill Police Dept. Get Info Patrol Officer <strong>12</strong>/02/2022 - 5pm<br />
Hemphill Police Dept. Get Info Peace Officer <strong>12</strong>/09/2022 - 5pm<br />
Denver City Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer <strong>12</strong>/10/2022 - 5pm<br />
Grimes Co. Sheriffs Office Get Info Investigator <strong>12</strong>/31/2022 - 5pm<br />
Grey Forest Police Dept. Get Info Chief of Police <strong>12</strong>/10/2022 - 5pm<br />
Blanco County Sheriff's Office Get Info Deputy 01/13/2023 - 5pm<br />
Galena Park Police Department Get Info Police Officer <strong>12</strong>/09/2022 - 5pm<br />
<strong>No</strong>rmangee Police Department Get Info Police Officer 02/01/2023 - 5pm<br />
Natalia Police Department<br />
Get Info Reserve School Resource Officer 01/14/2023 - 5pm<br />
Corpus Christi ISD Police Department Get Info Police Officer 01/14/2023 - 5pm<br />
Leon Valley Police Department Get Info Patrol Officer 01/13/2023 - 5pm<br />
Bandera County Sheriff's Office Get Info Patrol Deputy 01/<strong>12</strong>/2023 - 5pm<br />
Real Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Deputy Sheriff <strong>12</strong>/14/2022 - 5pm<br />
Brady Police Dept. Get Info Patrol Officer <strong>12</strong>/14/2022 - 5pm<br />
Brady Police Dept. Get Info School Resource Officer 01/14/2023 - 5pm<br />
Bell County Constable’s Office Precinct 4 Get Info Deputy Constable <strong>12</strong>/31/2022 - 5pm<br />
Angelina County Sheriff’s Office Get Info Patrol Deputy <strong>12</strong>/16/2022 - 5pm<br />
Plano Police Department Get Info Police Officer <strong>12</strong>/04/2022 - 5pm<br />
Weatherford College Get Info Police Sergeant <strong>12</strong>/04/2022 - 5pm<br />
Valley Mills Police Dept. Get Info Patrol Officer <strong>12</strong>/31/2022 - 5pm<br />
Tarrant Co. College District Police Dept. Get Info Patrol Officer 03/31/2023 - 5pm<br />
Waxahachie Police Department Get Info Police Patrol Officer <strong>12</strong>/25/2022 - 11pm<br />
Garza County Sheriff's Office Get Info Deputy <strong>12</strong>/20/2022 - 5pm<br />
Lakeway Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer 01/21/2023 - 5pm<br />
Floyd Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Deputy Sheriff (2) 01/16/2023 - 5pm<br />
Uvalde CISD Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer 01/17/2023 - 5pm<br />
Wilmer Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer 01/20/2023 - 5pm<br />
Hood Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Peace Officer 01/22/2023 - 5pm<br />
Copperas Cove Police Dept. Get Info Peace Officer 01/20/2023 - 5pm<br />
The Leader In Law Enforcement Recruitment<br />
Delivering ZERO COST solutions to<br />
Texas Public Safety Agencies.<br />
150 The BLUES The BLUES 151
Hays Co. Const. Pct. 5 Get Info Deputy Constable 02/01/2023 - 5pm<br />
El Paso Comm. College Police Dept. Get Info Peace Officer 01/28/2023 - 5pm<br />
Katy Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer <strong>12</strong>/31/2022 - 5pm<br />
Stanton Police Dept. Get Info Patrol Division 01/27/2023 - 5pm<br />
Haskell Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Patrol Deputy 01/28/2023 - 5pm<br />
Lockhart Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer <strong>12</strong>/07/2022 - 5pm<br />
Lockhart Police Dept. Get Info Police Chief 01/04/2023 - 5pm<br />
Cass Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Deputy Sheriff <strong>12</strong>/29/2022 - 5pm<br />
Leonard Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer 01/28/2023 - 5pm<br />
Kleburg Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Deputy Sheriff 01/29/2023 - 5pm<br />
Deleon Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer <strong>12</strong>/30/2022 - 5pm<br />
Log Cabin Police Dept. Get Info Peace Officer <strong>12</strong>/28/2022 - 5pm<br />
<strong>No</strong>lan Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Criminal Investigator 01/20/2023 - 5pm<br />
<strong>No</strong>lan Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Patrol Deputy 01/20/2023 - 5pm<br />
<strong>No</strong>rth Richland Hills Police Dept. Get Info P/T Deputy City Marshal 01/01/2023 - 5pm<br />
Southwestern Baptist Police Dept. Get Info P/T Police Officer 01/31/2023 - 5pm<br />
Lower Colorado River Authority Get Info Ranger 01/01/2023 - 5pm<br />
Rollingwood Police Dept. Get Info Patrol Officer 02/10/2023 - 5pm<br />
Harker Heights Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer Trainee <strong>12</strong>/29/2022 - 5pm<br />
Irving Fire Dept. Get Info Fire Prevention Specialist 01/31/2023 - 5pm<br />
Austin Comm. College District Police Dept. Get Info Patrol Officer <strong>12</strong>/16/2022 - 5pm<br />
Carrollton Police Dept. Get Info Police Officer Recruit 02/05/2023 - 5pm<br />
STATEWIDE VACANCIES FOR JAILERS<br />
Milam County Sheriff’s Office Get Info Jailer <strong>12</strong>/04/2022 - 5pm<br />
Lee County Sheriff's Office Get Info Jailer <strong>12</strong>/05/2022 - 5pm<br />
Smith County Sheriff's Office Get Info Detention Officer <strong>12</strong>/17/2022 - 5pm<br />
Travis Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Corrections Officer <strong>12</strong>/20/2022 - 5pm<br />
Galveston Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Corrections Deputy <strong>12</strong>/31/2022 - 5pm<br />
Jones Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Jailer 02/01/2023 - 5pm<br />
Richardson Police Dept. Get Info Detention Officer 01/08/2023 - 5pm<br />
Ellis County Sheriff’s Office Get Info Detention Officer 01/08/2023 - 5pm<br />
Bexar County Sheriff’s Office Get Info Deputy Sheriff Detention Cadet 01/13/2023 - 5pm<br />
Plano Police Department Get Info Detention Officer <strong>12</strong>/04/2022 - 5pm<br />
Garza County Sheriff's Office Get Info Jailer <strong>12</strong>/20/2022 - 5pm<br />
<strong>No</strong>lan Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Jailer (3 openings) 01/20/2023 - 5pm<br />
Place your department’s ad today for<br />
only $250 for an entire year.<br />
STATEWIDE VACANCIES TELECOMMUNICATION OPERATOR<br />
Walker County Public Safety Communications Get Info Telecommunicator <strong>12</strong>/02/2022 - 5pm<br />
Hemphill County Sheriff's Office Get Info Telecommunicator/ Officer <strong>12</strong>/09/2022 - 5pm<br />
Mount Belvieu Police Department Get Info Dispatcher <strong>12</strong>/11/2022 - 5pm<br />
Collin Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Dispatcher 04/11/2023 - 5pm<br />
League City Police Dept. Get Info Telecommunicator <strong>12</strong>/31/2022 - 5pm<br />
Woodway Public Safety Dept.<br />
Get Info Public Safety Telecommunicator <strong>12</strong>/31/2022 - 5pm<br />
Galveston Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Telecommunicator <strong>12</strong>/31/2022 - 5pm<br />
Decatur Police Dept. Get Info Telecommunicator <strong>12</strong>/16/2022 - 5pm<br />
Plano Public Safety Communications Dept. Get Info 911 Call Taker/ P-F-EMS Dispatcher<strong>12</strong>/31/2022 - 5pm<br />
Richardson Police Dept. Get Info 911 Dispatcher 01/08/2023 - 5pm<br />
Tarrant County Sheriff's Office Get Info Dispatcher 01/13/2023 - 5pm<br />
Angelina County Sheriff’s Office Get Info Telecommunicator <strong>12</strong>/16/2022 - 5pm<br />
Upton Co. Sheriff's Office Get Info Dispatcher/ Telecommunicator 01/07/2023 - 5pm<br />
Katy Police Dept. Get Info Telecommunications/ 911 Disp. <strong>12</strong>/31/2022 - 5pm<br />
Erath Co. Sheriff's Office<br />
Get Info Public Safety Telecommunicator 01/15/2022 - 5pm<br />
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156 The BLUES The BLUES 157
austin officers<br />
austin dispatch<br />
158 The BLUES The BLUES 159
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 $40,000,<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 />
160 The BLUES The BLUES 161
BECOME A BAYTOWN<br />
PATROL OFFICER!<br />
STARTING PAY:<br />
$67,320/YEAR<br />
$1,500 SIGNING<br />
INCENTIVE!<br />
SALARY<br />
(YEARLY)<br />
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS<br />
PAID LEAVE<br />
Probationary Patrol Officer $67,320<br />
5 Year Patrol Officer $81,073<br />
9 Year Patrol Officer $93,694<br />
Annual salary increases up to a max of<br />
$93,694 with longevity pay<br />
Modified Lateral Pay Scale for Peace<br />
Officers from time at immediately<br />
preceding Law Enforcement Agency<br />
CERTIFICATION PAY<br />
Intermediate PO Certification $92.08<br />
Advanced PO Certification $157.08<br />
Master's PO Certification $2<strong>12</strong>.33<br />
RELOCATION<br />
(MONTHLY)<br />
Health Insurance<br />
Dental Insurance<br />
Vision Insurance<br />
Life Insurance<br />
Employee Wellness Center<br />
Training and Fitness Facility<br />
Retirement Plan (7% Mandatory with a<br />
2:1 match; 20 year retirement)<br />
457 Deferred Compensation Plan<br />
Tuition Assistance and Academy Tuition<br />
Reimbursement<br />
City Vehicle Program<br />
Uniforms/Equipment Provided with<br />
Annual Allowances<br />
15 Vacation days accrued per year<br />
(civil Service Status)<br />
10 City Holidays per year<br />
1 Personal day per year<br />
15 Sick days accrued per year<br />
15 days of Military Leave per year<br />
EDUCATION PAY<br />
Associates $50<br />
Bachelors $100<br />
Master $<strong>12</strong>5<br />
SPECIALTY/ SKILL PAY<br />
(MONTHLY)<br />
(MONTHLY)<br />
Relocation Expenses Reimbursed<br />
Bilingual in Spanish $50<br />
WWW.BPDCAREERS.ORG 281-420-5354 281-420-6660<br />
162 The BLUES The BLUES 163<br />
For additional information please scan the QR code to go to our recruiting website!
October 15<br />
October 15<br />
164 The BLUES The BLUES 165
Cuero Police Department<br />
<strong>No</strong>w Hiring for Patrol Officer Position<br />
Department Benefits<br />
13 Paid Holidays<br />
2 Weeks Paid Vacation<br />
Certification Pay<br />
100% Insurance Paid for Employees<br />
Retirement 2 to 1 match (20yr Retirement)<br />
FSA for Employees<br />
Longevity Pay<br />
Equipment & Uniforms Provided Including Duty Weapon w/ Red Dot Sight<br />
Take Home Vehicle Within City Limits<br />
10 Hour Work Shifts<br />
Membership Paid to Local Gym<br />
Department Provided Training<br />
Off-duty Security Opportunities<br />
Cell Phone Stipend<br />
Starting Pay Depends on Qualifications<br />
Requirements: Must be TCOLE Certified or currently enrolled in an accredited Police<br />
Academy and pass a background investigation.<br />
166 The BLUES The BLUES 167<br />
Email TCOLE Personal History Statement to sellis@cityofcuero.com
DEER PARK POLICE<br />
DEPARTMENT<br />
Deer Park, Texas<br />
WE ARE HIRING<br />
www.deerparktx.gov<br />
Police Officer<br />
Dispatcher<br />
Public Safety Attendant - Jailer<br />
Animal Control Officer<br />
Part time Crossing Guard<br />
Officer Sam Jammas 281-930-2<strong>12</strong>1 or sjammas@deerparktx.org<br />
168 The BLUES The BLUES 169
Forney ISD<br />
Police Department<br />
NOW<br />
HIRING<br />
Police Officers<br />
Description<br />
School-based police officers work<br />
with school administrators, security<br />
staff, and faculty to ensure the safety<br />
and well-being of students at various<br />
campuses. This officer works as the<br />
main security arm of a school.<br />
Experience<br />
SBLE Experience preferred<br />
Demonstrate the ability to<br />
teach & engage with youth<br />
Requirements<br />
U.S. Citizen<br />
Accredited High School Diploma<br />
or equivalent<br />
Valid Texas Peace Officer License<br />
Valid Texas Driver's License<br />
Two or more years of college or<br />
advanced training preferred<br />
Positions starting<br />
at $29.89/hr<br />
Retention Stipends<br />
Clothing Allowance<br />
Health/Childcare Incentive<br />
Paid Training<br />
Lateral Entry<br />
APPLY ONLINE TODAY!<br />
www.forneyisd.net<br />
170 The BLUES The BLUES 171
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 />
APPLY TODAY AND BECOME A GALVESTON POLICE OFFICER<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 />
172 The BLUES The BLUES 173<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
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LATERAL DEPUTY<br />
176 The BLUES The BLUES 177
WE ARE<br />
HIRING!<br />
BENEFITS<br />
• Free basic Medical, Dental and Vision insurance for<br />
employee<br />
• Free basic Life insurance<br />
• Long Term Disability (LTD)<br />
• Affordable Medical, Dental and Vision benefits for<br />
eligible family members<br />
• Flexible Spending Accounts<br />
• 10 paid holidays per year<br />
• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) including 10 vacation<br />
days and 13 sick days per year accrued biweekly<br />
RETIREMENT<br />
• Harris County matches your investment at 225%<br />
• 7% of your salary is invested pre-tax in your<br />
retirement account<br />
• Retirement Vesting after 8 years<br />
• Eligible upon earning 75 points (age+years of service)<br />
SALARY SCALE<br />
INCENTIVE PAY<br />
LATERAL DEPUTY<br />
REQUIREMENTS<br />
• Must be a licensed Peace Officer by the Texas Commission on Law<br />
Enforcement (TCOLE) in good standing<br />
• Must be currently employed as a first responder Peace Officer<br />
(any break in service will be discussed on a case-by-case basis)<br />
• Must have a minimum of <strong>12</strong> months of consecutive experience as<br />
a first responder Peace Officer at any one agency<br />
• Must successfully pass the Physical Abilities Test (PAT) obstacle<br />
course<br />
• Must pass a thorough background investigation (Criminal<br />
background check, fingerprinting, personal interview, etc.) as<br />
required by TCOLE<br />
• Must pass a physical and psychological evaluation as required by<br />
TCOLE<br />
• Valid Driver’s License (TX by start date)<br />
• Eyesight must be correctable to 20/20, normal color and<br />
peripheral vision<br />
• Correctable normal audible range in both ears<br />
• Firearms qualification<br />
For additional information contact Harris County Sheriff’s Office Recruitment Unit: (713) 877-5250<br />
<strong>No</strong>w Hiring<br />
OFFICERS<br />
TCOLE Certified Peace Officers<br />
Hutto ranked one of the<br />
safest cities in Texas.<br />
Our fast-growing City shows a trending decrease in crimes based<br />
on four offenses from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting.<br />
Additional Pay<br />
+ Education Pay up to $175/month<br />
+ Specialty/Certication up to $260/month<br />
Highlights<br />
Top-of-the-line Equipment<br />
and Technology<br />
Beards and Tattoos Allowed<br />
<strong>No</strong> Written Test for Most Lateral Officers<br />
Benets<br />
Retirement<br />
2-to-1 City match with TMRS<br />
Take-home Patrol Car<br />
For officers living within 25 miles<br />
Starting Salary<br />
$62K to $81K<br />
Annual Leave Accruals<br />
<strong>12</strong> paid holidays, 80 hrs vacation, 96 hrs sick leave<br />
Multiple Positions Available<br />
A wide variety of units and assignments available<br />
CLASSIFICATION SERVICE HOURLY ANNUAL TCOLE CERTIFICATION ANNUAL<br />
DEPUTY I 0-47 $25.22 $52,458<br />
Intermediate $1,560<br />
Advanced $3,420<br />
DEPUTY II 48-83 $26.99 $56,139<br />
Master $6,000<br />
EDUCATION<br />
ANNUAL<br />
DEPUTY III 84-119 $28.59 $59,467<br />
Associate Degree $1,320<br />
DEPUTY IV <strong>12</strong>0-155 $30.03 $62,462<br />
Bachelor’s Degree $3,180<br />
Master/Doctorate $4,500<br />
TO APPLY<br />
DEPUTY V 156-191 $31.52 $65,562<br />
Questions? Email: PDrecruiting@huttotx.gov<br />
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Bilingual Program $1,800<br />
Harris County<br />
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Receive up to fourteen (14) years of credit for time served! (Restrictions apply)<br />
@HCSOTexas<br />
HCSOTexas HCSOTexas @HCSOTexas<br />
Tenure agreement required.<br />
SCAN THIS CODE<br />
Sheriff’s Office<br />
To learn more or apply, visit or scan<br />
https: //linktr. ee/huttopd<br />
Sign On Bonus!<br />
$5,000*
L A P O R T E<br />
P O L I C E D E P A R T M E N T<br />
Lateral Police Officer<br />
Starting Pay $ 62,416. to $73,775.<br />
Effective October 1, 2022<br />
<strong>No</strong> prior experience required. High School diploma or GED required.<br />
Possession of Class C Texas Driver License.<br />
Must possess a TCOLE License or be enrolled in accredited Basic Peace Officer Academy.<br />
Certification Pay (bi-weekly):<br />
$46.15 - Intermediate Peace Officer<br />
$69.23 - Advanced Peace Officer<br />
$92.31 - Master Peace Officer<br />
Education Pay (bi-weekly):<br />
$46.15 - Associates Degree<br />
$69.23 - Bachelors Degree<br />
$92.31 - Masters Degree<br />
Employee Benefits:<br />
Medical / Dental / Vision Insurance<br />
Longevity Pay<br />
Tuition Reimbursement<br />
TMRS Retirement (2 to 1 match)<br />
ICMA Deferred Compensation/Roth IRA<br />
$1,000 Physical Fitness Program<br />
Weapon Purchase Program<br />
Take-home Vehicles<br />
Specialized Divisions:<br />
SWAT / Bomb Squad<br />
Bike Patrol<br />
Criminal Investigative Division<br />
Crime Scene Unit<br />
Drone Pilots<br />
School Resource Officers<br />
Traffic/DOT Officers<br />
Police Area Representatives<br />
Apply online at<br />
www.laportetx.gov/jobs<br />
Paid Leave Benefits<br />
15 days vacation (Civil Service)<br />
15 days sick leave<br />
Military Leave<br />
9 observed holidays per year<br />
2 employee holidays per year<br />
Bereavement Leave<br />
Comp Time<br />
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Welcome Mesquite PD<br />
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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<br />
looking for experienced officers who are self- motivated, innovative, and enthusiastic about<br />
community policing.<br />
Starting Salary Range<br />
Effective Jan 2023<br />
Hiring Bonus $1500<br />
Night Shift Differential $3600<br />
ECA $1300<br />
Basic Peace Officer<br />
Starting $83,459<br />
Hiring Bonus $1500<br />
Night Shift Differential $3600<br />
Master Peace Officer<br />
ECA $1300<br />
Bi-Lingual 2.5% of base pay<br />
College up to $3000 (Masters)<br />
Up to $94,164<br />
Healthcare Insurance, DHMO Dental, Vision – 100% paid for employee, 75% Paid 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, 20 Year Retirement<br />
457 Plan with employer contribution of 2.5% of annual salary<br />
Tuition reimbursement<br />
Longevity Pay up to a max of $2400 annually at 10 years of service.<br />
ECA (Emergency Care Assistant) $1300 Annually, training provided to each employee.<br />
<strong>12</strong> hour shifts with every other Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off.<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 />
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MAKE A<br />
DIFFERENCE<br />
IN YOUR<br />
COMMUNITY<br />
We are looking for outstanding individuals to<br />
join our team! As a Pearland Police Officer your<br />
mission will be to prevent crime and disorder, build<br />
partnerships within the community, and positively<br />
impact the quality of life for all our residents.<br />
CITY OF PEARLAND, TEXAS<br />
• Competitive Salary • Outstanding Training<br />
• Career Advancement • Exceptional Benefits<br />
The City of Pearland is one of the fastest growing<br />
communities within the region. Pearland is located<br />
approximately 20 minutes south of Downtown Houston<br />
and the current population is approximately 130,000<br />
residents.<br />
JOIN OUR TEAM<br />
HIRING POLICE OFFICERS AND CADETS<br />
$5,000 Hiring Incentive for T.C.O.L.E Certified Police<br />
Officers who qualify with at least 2 years of experience.<br />
TEST DATE:<br />
SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 8:30 A.M.<br />
Register by: April <strong>12</strong>.<br />
WATCH FOR UPCOMING<br />
Pearland Recreation Center & Natatorium<br />
4141 Bailey TEST Road, DATES Pearland, TX IN 77584. 2022<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 />
190 The BLUES For additional information and to register for an upcoming Civil Service Exam, The BLUES visit 191<br />
pearlandtx.gov/PDCareers
pasadena<br />
isd<br />
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PORT HOUSTON<br />
POLICE DEPARTMENT<br />
WE ARE<br />
HIRING<br />
SIGN UP TODAY! www.porthouston.com/careers-2<br />
BENEFITS:<br />
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance<br />
eligible first day of employment<br />
• Wellness Program<br />
(can earn up to $600 credit per year if requirements met)<br />
• Enrollment with Calm App for Wellbeing<br />
• Defined contribution plan (401a)<br />
– Employer Sponsored<br />
• Deferred Compensation Plan (457 Plan)<br />
– Employee Contributions<br />
• Vacation<br />
• Sick Leave<br />
• Paid Holiday <strong>12</strong> days/year<br />
• Life and Accidental Death and<br />
Dismemberment Insurance<br />
• Short Term and Long-Term Disability Benefits<br />
• Flexible spending account (FSA)<br />
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)<br />
• Pet Insurance<br />
• Legal and Identity Theft Protection<br />
• Tuition Reimbursement<br />
Up to the IRS annual limit and a maximum lifetime<br />
reimbursement of $25,000<br />
• Onsite Credit Union – Port of Houston Credit Union<br />
Are you looking for a career with meaning?<br />
Do you want to make a difference in a highly<br />
supportive community?<br />
Join our team at Port Houston!<br />
STARTING PAY*<br />
$60,000 up to $71,000<br />
REQUIREMENTS<br />
• Must be 21 years old<br />
• Must have 2+ years of police officer<br />
experience<br />
• Must have valid Texas Driver’s License<br />
• Must be a U.S. Citizen<br />
• Must have an honorable discharge<br />
from the military (if applicable)<br />
• Must never have been convicted of a<br />
Class A Misdemeanor or above<br />
EMPLOYMENT<br />
TESTING<br />
Employment is contingent on passing<br />
any post-offer pre-employment<br />
screening as listed below:<br />
• Criminal background check<br />
• Motor Vehicle Record check<br />
• Drug screening<br />
• Physical exam<br />
• Psychological exam<br />
SCAN<br />
QR CODE<br />
TO APPLY<br />
• <strong>No</strong>t been convicted of a Class B<br />
• Additional as required<br />
* Salary depends on experience<br />
misdemeanor within the last 10 years<br />
• Must have a GED or high school diploma<br />
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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<br />
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 />
Thanks<br />
Welcome Aboard<br />
Hempstead Police Dept. &<br />
Brenham Police Department<br />
Humble ISD Police Dept.<br />
for placing your and recruiting the ads<br />
Washington The County BLUES. Sheriff’s Office<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 />
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STARTING SALARY<br />
$56,160 $57,824 $60,008 $62,400 $64,792 $67,184 $69,680 $72,<strong>38</strong>4 $74,880 $77,480 $80,080<br />
High School Diploma<br />
or G.E.D.<br />
Minimum age of 21<br />
Must hold a valid<br />
Texas Driver’s License<br />
Current valid TCOLE<br />
certification<br />
At Hire<br />
At<br />
6 mos.<br />
end<br />
year 1<br />
end<br />
year 2<br />
end<br />
year 3<br />
end<br />
year 4<br />
end<br />
year 5<br />
end<br />
year 6<br />
end<br />
year 7<br />
end<br />
year 8<br />
end<br />
year 9<br />
GET STARTED<br />
LOCATED 5 MILES WEST OF<br />
DOWNTOWN AUSTIN<br />
$3,000<br />
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