Dec 2023. Blues Vol 39 No. 12

throwing the first pitch

throwing the first pitch with the help of his wife, Chelsea Moldovan, and former Diamondbacks player Luis Gonzalez, according to the report. Gonzalez, Chelsea Moldovan, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego and Interim Police Chief Michael Sullivan all joined Moldovan on the field. Video from the World Series shows Moldovan was able to stand up with the help of a walker to deliver the pitch. FORMER MEMPHIS OFFICER AGREES TO PLEAD GUILTY IN TYRE NICHOLS CASE One of five former Memphis police officers charged in the beating death of Tyre Nichols has agreed to change his not guilty plea in state and federal court on Thursday. Desmond Mills Jr. agreed to plead guilty to federal charges of excessive force and obstruction of justice, as well as related state charges related to death of Nichols in January, the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office said. As part of the plea deal, federal and state prosecutors will recommend a sentence of 15 years, though U.S. District Judge Mark Norris will make the final decision at a later sentencing hearing. After Mills is sentenced in May on the federal charges, he will then plead guilty to the state charges, Fox News reports. Shelby County DA Steve Mulroy said the whole deal hinges on Mills’ full cooperation in both the state, federal criminal, and federal civil cases. Mills and four other officers – Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin and Justin Smith – were charged with excessive force and failure to intervene, deliberate indifference after being caught on video kicking, punching and striking Nichols with a baton on Jan. 7. Nichols died three days later at a hospital. FLORIDA’S LAW ENFORCE- MENT RECRUITMENT EFFORTS SURPASS M IN BONUSES By Joanna Putman, Police1 TALLAHASSEE, FL. — A law enforcement recruitment program is believed to have brought new officers to Florida from all 50 states and two territories, Florida’s Voice reported. The Florida Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Program offered a ,000 bonus to anyone who became a law enforcement officer in the state or transferred to Florida from another state. The state’s budget set aside million for the program during its legislative session, the Washington Examiner reported. The bonuses awarded have already surpassed that number, according to the Florida’s Voice report. The state has given out .5 million in more than 3,350 bonuses to new or newly transferred officers since the program’s launch. Of the Florida officer recruits, 915 transferred from out of state, according to the report. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has encouraged officers throughout the country to move to Florida if they feel unsatisfied with their departments, even putting up billboards near Chicago. Forty-seven officer transfers to Florida came from Illinois, according to the report. OFFICERS WHO STOPPED SCHOOL KILLER HONORED AT FOX NATION PATRIOT AWARDS Five police officers from the Metro Nashville Police Department were honored for saving others during the Covenant School shooting and immortalized in a portrait by American painter Steve Penley at the 2023 Fox Nation Patriot Awards. Det. Michael Collazo, Officer Rex Engelbert, Det. Sgt. Jeff Mathes, Det. Ryan Cagle and Det. Zachary Plese were awarded the first-ever T2T (Tunnels to Towers) Stephen Siller Award for their heroic response to the school shooting in Nashville earlier this year, Fox News reports. On March 27, 2023, police responded after Audrey Elizabeth Hale began shooting at students 66 The Blues 40th Anniversary Issue

ALL FIRST RESPONDERS & VETERANS 10% OFF A NEW INTERIOR FOR YOUR CAR,TRUCK OR SUV 12722 Hwy. 3 Webster, Texas • 281-486-9739 CLICK HERE FOR WEBSITE The Blues 40th Anniversary Issue 67