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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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