On Being a Police Officer

Ep. 62 Justified or not? The Airman and the Deputy – Fatal Officer Involved Shooting – Breakdown with Daniel Carr of Police Law News. Once again, I am turning to Daniel Carr of Police Law News to break down a controversial, tragic incident. This is the incident involving an Okaloosa County Sheriff's Deputy and his response to a domestic disturbance that led to the use of deadly force that took the life of US Air Force Airman Roger Fortson on May 3, 2024. Mr. Fortson answered the door after the deputy announced himself. Mr. Fortson was holding his gun pointed down at the ground. The deputy perceived this as a deadly threat and used deadly force. The deputy was later fired and in August was arrested and charged with one count of manslaughter.

As Daniel and I say, this one is tough. There is much to be sad about. There are many opinions. There is much criticism. The media’s coverage at times is inflammatory and inaccurate. We wanted to discuss it in as fair a manner as possible.

You can find Daniel at Police Law News on all social media. Here is his IG handle: @Police.Law.News

And here is a link to Daniel's Substack article in which he breaks down the incident and which includes links to the body cam:

https://substack.com/@policelawnews/p-144492920

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©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, and production by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 61  Lawful but awful? Unjustified? The Deputy Sean Grayson – Sonya Massey incident: a breakdown with Drew Breasy, host of The Comm Center and Daniel Carr of Police Law News. We are covering this together because this is a tough one and it requires thoughtful and thorough analysis. Both Drew and Daniel are returning guests. As many of you know, Drew retired as a lieutenant after serving 29 years with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and Daniel recently retired from the Albuquerque Police Department where he served for 20 years. He also holds a law degree. You’ll see where Daniel, Drew and I land on this one. 

To recap: On July 6, 2024, two deputies with the Sangamon County, IL Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to Sonya Massey’s home based on her 911 call of a possible prowler on her property. Deputy Sean Grayson and another responding deputy searched her property as well as nearby properties and found no prowler. They then contacted Sonya Massey to let her know their findings. It became clear to them that she was potentially experiencing mental health issues. They also had questions about a car with broken windows that was on her property. Both deputies entered the home. During their conversation, they asked her to turn off the pot of boiling water that was on her stove. As she moved toward the stove, she picked up the pot and said to Grayson, “I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” Body cam shows her throw the pot at Grayson who sees this as a deadly threat or the threat of great bodily harm and uses deadly force.

There are many elements to this case that have caused great debate. Did she actually throw the water? Was deadly force justified? Much of this is exacerbated by other factors: Grayson had not turned on his body cam until after the shooting. His manner in issuing commands to drop the pot and his post-shooting behavior are questionable including delaying the rendering of aid.

As I say at the top of the episode, this one is tough. But before making my own decision as a civilian, I wanted to walk through it with Drew and Daniel, both of whom have covered this extensively. I encourage you to check out this episode of The Comm Center with Drew Breasy and Jonathan Bates during which they cover the 911 calls by Sonya Massey’s mother on July 5th and then the Grayson/Massey July 6th incident including body cam footage. Drew also has covered it on his own social media. And I encourage you to check out Daniel Carr’s coverage on his Police Law News content on social media and especially this Substack article.  You can find Drew and Daniel on all social media. Here are their IG handles:

@whatsaydrew

@policelawnews

Check out my prior interviews with both Drew and Daniel!!

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©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, and production by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 60 In Part Two with Pete Forcelli, we discuss his promotion in 2007 to ATF Deputy Assistant Director of the Phoenix Division and the series of events that led him to turn whistleblower on the scandal known as Operation Fast and Furious. Pete documents it all in his new book “The Deadly Path: How Operation Fast and Furious and Bad lawyers Armed Mexican Cartels.”

It’s a page turning account of his shocking discovery that ATF agents were being ordered by federal prosecutors to let illegally purchased guns cross the border into Mexico so they could be tracked. Unfortunately, the ATF lost track of more than 1400 guns that were allowed to walk, two of them used in the murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry in 2010 and later were feared to have been used in the assassination attempt on Gabby Giffords.

When prosecutors responsible for the gun walking attempted to indict special agent turned whistleblower John Dodson, Pete stepped forward to testify before Congress. He did so at great peril to himself and his career.  It took four years for him to clear his name. This is not just an ATF story, this is not just a government story. It’s the story of a man who stepped forward to do the right thing, the cost of which took its toll. 

We also cover the Jean Baptiste Kingery grenade walking scandal. Pete and his team were able to get Kingery to confess to transporting inert grenades into Mexico to convert them into explosives. But the very same prosecutor behind Fast and Furious refused to approve Kingery’s arrest. Kingery was released and returned to Mexico to continue working with the cartels.

After testifying, Pete went on to hold a number of roles with ATF including as special agent in charge of the Miami Field Division during which he oversaw ATF's response to some of our country's worst mass shootings: at Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport and at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. And he led the investigation into the acquisition of the firearms that were used in the Pulse Nightclub Shooting. 

If you missed In Part One of my conversation with Pete in Ep. 59, we covered his time with NYPD walking a foot beat in the Bronx and later becoming a homicide detective.  He left NYPD after 15 years to join ATF in New York in June 2001. He was one of many who responded to Ground Zero on 9/11 and one of many diagnosed with lung cancer for which Pete has been successfully treated.

We pick up in Episode Two with Pete’s move to Phoenix.

You can find Pete’s book "The Deadly Path" on all major book retailers including Amazon. You can find Pete and get a signed copy of the book at his website. And you can find Pete on LinkedIn.  Here is info on his co-author Keelin McGregor in case you're looking for someone to help you write that book.

I would like to honor the work and sacrifice of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry. End of Watch Wednesday, December 15, 2010

https://www.odmp.org/officer/20596-border-patrol-agent-brian-a-terry

Agent Terry was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served with the United States Border Patrol for 3 1/2 years. He had previously served as a police officer with the Lincoln Park, Michigan, Police Department. He is survived by his parents, brother, two sisters, five nieces, and one nephew.

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©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, and production by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 59 ATF Deputy Assistant Director (Ret) and NYPD Homicide Detective (Ret) Pete Forcelli joins me to talk about testifying before Congress as a whistleblower in the Operation Fast and Furious scandal. Pete documents it all in his new book “The Deadly Path: How Operation Fast and Furious and Bad lawyers Armed Mexican Cartels.”

In this episode, Part One of my conversation with Pete, we begin with his career with NYPD. Pete started out walking a foot beat in the Bronx in 1987. Later, as a Homicide Detective, he conducted federal investigations into violent gangs involved in homicide or racketeering and was the lead NYPD investigator in the Sex, Money, Murder, Bloods RICO investigation and prosecution. As a result of this case, the leader and founder of the organization, Peter Rollack was sentenced to life, plus 105 years in federal prison. In all, Pete investigated more than 600 homicides.

After 15 years with NYPD, Pete left in June 2001 to become a Special Agent with ATF and continued investigating New York's most violent street gangs. Shortly after joining ATF, Pete would be called upon to respond to 9/11 working search, rescue, and recovery at Ground Zero. Like many who worked there, Pete was diagnosed with lung cancer for which he has been successfully treated. He often speaks of his experience at the 9/11 Museum in New York.

In Part Two, we cover Pete’s promotion in 2007 to ATF Deputy Assistant Director of the Phoenix Division, the role that would lead him to testify before Congress on Operation Fast and Furious. Pete's book, “The Deadly Path,” is a page turning account of that time. It covers his shocking discovery that ATF agents were being ordered by federal prosecutors to let illegally purchased guns cross the border into Mexico so they could be tracked. But that is not what happened. The ATF ultimately lost track of more than 1400 guns that were allowed to walk, two of them used in the murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry in 2010, a tragedy that helped set the wheels in motion to expose these practices.

When the very same prosecutors who allowed the guns to walk attempted to indict special agent turned whistleblower John Dodson, Pete also turned whistleblower and stepped forward to testify before Congress. He did so at great peril to himself and his career.  It took four years for him to clear his name.

He ultimately continued working with ATF including as special agent in charge of the Miami Field Division during which he oversaw ATF's response to some of our country's worst mass shootings: the shootings at Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport and at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. And he led the investigation into the acquisition of the firearms that were used in the Pulse Nightclub Shooting. In Part Two, we will cover his time with ATF.

You can find Pete’s book The Deadly Path on all major book retailers. Here is a link to get it on Amazon.

You can find Pete and get a signed copy of the book at his website. And you can find Pete on LinkedIn.

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©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, and production by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 58 - Breakdown with Daniel Carr of Police Law News. This is a special episode to discuss an incident that took place in March 2024 involving Dexter Reed, a 26-year-old black male who was fatally shot while engaged in a gun battle with officers in Chicago following a traffic stop. He did not follow commands to roll down his window and exit the vehicle. He then shot a police officer, wounding him. Officers returned fire to stop the threat.

I don't often cover incidents that are in the news, but I felt this was important because of how it’s been portrayed and because there are elements that people have questions about. Of course, I don’t do it alone because I am not a police officer. I have enlisted expert help from my friend and returning guest Daniel Carr content creator of Police Law News.

By the time you hear this, there may be more information available than what we had. But as we sit here today, this is what we know: There's been a lot of focus – much of it critical – on the number of shots fired by police, which was 96. There's been a lot of discussion about why officers were not in typical police patrol uniforms, and there are people questioning the legality of the traffic stop which was for not wearing a seatbelt.

My goal in breaking this down with Daniel is to provide context and insight for people who do have questions on these factors because no one will get an accurate or fair portrait of the incident especially if you’re scanning the headlines and media coverage which over time has become not only more inflammatory and but also goes so far as to minimize or completely ignore and not report on basic facts. This is a conversation that examines all the pieces of this incident.

To find Daniel’s work on social media, go to any platform and simply search for Police Law News. Here are some handy links as well:

Facebook

Instagram

TikTok, Twitter and Substack Newsletter here: 

https://linktr.ee/policelawnews

Here is the link to view the body cam of this incident available on Police Activity’s YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCTbZWylP8E

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©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, and production by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 57 In Part 2 of my interview with Officer Dexter Pitts, we pick up with Dexter's departure from the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) after 12 years to become a US Border Patrol agent. It's a fascinating conversation about what the job really is, what he sees as the issues at the border, and why the job was not for him.

Then we get to 2020. Dexter talks about how sure he was that Louisville would not fall into the chaos he saw erupting in Minneapolis. Yet as he watched the news, he saw his city succumbing to the same fate. He felt guilty for leaving his brothers and sisters behind and wanted only one thing – to get back to LMPD to help them. He recounts what it was like to hold the line night after night, listening to the vitriol rioters spewed and coming face to face with people who literally wanted to kill the police. 

Then we get into issues: the impact of defund, civilian review boards, race, the biased anti-cop narrative, and more.

Many of you know Dexter as the author of “I Am Pitts: Memoirs of an American Patriot” and his “I Am Pitts” podcast. As I covered in Part 1, Dexter is an active patrol officer and has been in LE for 15 years and counting. He started with LMPD and is now with a smaller agency in the greater Louisville area. Dexter is a decorated, medically retired US Army veteran. In Part 1, we cover his time in Iraq with the Army in 2004 and the IED blast in that nearly took his life and for which he was awarded the Purple Heart.

We discuss his personal struggles that occurred early in his LE career including his mother’s suicide and his desire to end his own life. We also talked about why Dexter chose law enforcement and how he sees it as doing the work God meant him to do.

Dexter’s I Am Pitts website

https://iampitts.com/

There you can find his book “I Am Pitts: Memoirs of an American Patriot” or on Amazon. His “I Am Pitts” podcast is also available on his website and on all podcast platforms.

Find Dexter on:

Instagram: @iampitts1

TikTok @iampittsbook

Facebook: I Am Pitts: Memoirs of An American Patriot

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©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, and production by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 56  Dexter Pitts is well known to many of you as the author of “I Am Pitts: Memoirs of an American Patriot” and his “I Am Pitts” podcast. Whether you know Dexter or not, you will definitely enjoy this interview. This is Part One of Two.

Dexter is a decorated, medically retired U.S. Army veteran who proudly served with the 10th Mountain Division in Iraq in 2004 as a machine gunner. We talk about the incident that nearly took his life and for which he received the Purple Heart.

We cover his early days in law enforcement and his personal struggles including a broken marriage, the devastating loss of his mother to suicide, his attempt to take his own life, and how he was able, through the help of family and his command staff, to turn his life around.

What's very clear in talking with Dexter is his passion for law enforcement, a profession he has served for 15 years and counting. He started with the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) and is now with a smaller department in the greater Louisville area. While with LMPD, he served on the Special Response Team (SRT) and completed a two-year special assignment with the US Marshals Fugitive Task Force.

Eight years into his time with LMPD, Dexter left to become a US Border Patrol agent in Naco, Arizona. The departure turned out to be temporary. When the riots and protests broke out in 2020, Dexter knew he had to return to LMPD to be with his brothers and sisters on the skirmish line. We talk about the chaos that dragged out well over a year and the lasting impact of that fragmented time on law enforcement.

Dexter is working on a second book. The working title is “Still Noble. Still needed. A Profession in Crisis.”  His goal is to support the profession and encourage people to choose it.

In Episode Two we talk about the riots, race, the national negative narrative on policing and importantly, hope for the future.

Dexter’s I Am Pitts website

https://iampitts.com/

There you can find his book “I Am Pitts: Memoirs of an American Patriot” or on Amazon. His “I Am Pitts” podcast is also available on his website and on all podcast platforms.

Find Dexter on:

Instagram: @iampitts1

TikTok @iampittsbook

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©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, and production by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 55 - Scott Medlin found his calling as a police officer, a career he wanted since high school. After his deployment with the Marine Corps in 2003 and 2005 for Operation Iraqi Freedom, Scott fulfilled his dream and joined a police department in North Carolina. His most thrilling role was as K9 handler; he loved tracking and “the adrenaline rush of running in, not knowing what you're going to come up on.” But his commitment to the job was overtaking his life and taking its toll on his family. He decided to leave the streets to become a School Resource Officer (SRO), another role Scott came to love. While he missed being on patrol, he loved the kids and the impact he could have on their lives and theirs on his. Even that role was not helping reduce Scott’s stress.

Ultimately, after 15 years in law enforcement, Scott chose to leave the profession in 2020 when his PTSD, addiction and depression became too much. It was at this time he learned that more officers were dying by suicide than in the line of duty. That meant other officers were suffering, too.

As Scott says, “I basically thought to myself, you mean all these mental health struggles I've had, I was not alone? Because I thought I was. I just said, I've got to step up. If I can talk about the struggles I went through, maybe it can help someone.”

And that’s exactly what he did. Scott embarked on a journey to inspire and encourage police officers to focus on their personal wellbeing in order to survive the career and better serve the public. He has become a national speaker, author of five books and content creator on social media platforms. He has presented at numerous first responder conferences and police academies.  

In this episode, you’ll hear the stories of all Scott went through, the sacrifices he made for the job, the sacrifice he made to give up the job, and how he has used his own pain and personal growth to help others including LE, first responders and veterans. If you’ve seen Scott on social media or on his 10 Code Mindset channel on YouTube, you know how dynamic, relatable and inspiring he is. 

Here’s where you can find Scott. Really, all you have to do is Google him or 10 Code Mindset and you’ll find him!

His website:

https://thescottmedlin.com/

The 10 Code Mindset YouTube Channel and Podcast

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmNfLYoIkm0

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/the10codemindset/

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/The10CodeMindset

X:

@10CodeMindset

https://twitter.com/10CodeMindset

LinkedIn

His fifth book The Power in Showing Up is out now; get it on Amazon as well as his first four books.   

The documentary, “Is There Something Going on at Home,” available on Amazon Prime video.

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©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, and production by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 54 Det. Matt Pitcher (Ret.) on working long-term deep undercover: creating and maintaining an identity; going years without spending time with family knowing that one slip could cost him the case – or his life.    

Matt and I connected on Instagram when he posted photos from his two long-term deep undercover cases. The visual instantly conveyed, more than words ever could, what it was like to risk his life for years as those two people. The stories are both fascinating and haunting, and they show the commitment and sacrifice that officers and agents like Matt make doing this work. 

Matt started his 22-year law enforcement career with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) and later lateraled to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office in Florida. We talk about working patrol and the devastating line-of-duty ambush murders of his friends and squad mates, Officers Sean Clark and Jeff Shelton. We also look at how Matt went from street level undercover to the two long-term cases which involved drug trafficking, organized crime and terrorism. He received the Medal of Valor for his work on the second case during which he infiltrated a dangerous criminal network to expose and thwart their plans. In addition to his undercover work, Matt handled numerous investigations including rape, human trafficking and homicide and helped crack the case of a serial killer.  Due to complications from a lung infection, Matt was forced to medically retire in late 2022. He is however actively sharing his story and is in fact now working on a book. 

Follow Matt on his Instagtram @ret_det_mattpitcher  to see the photos from Matt’s time in deep undercover and to get updates on his book.  

Also tune in! Matt will be featured in the season finale of A&E’s “Undercover: Caught On Tape,” a true crime series featuring the real stories of undercover agents and detectives. His episode will air Thurs. March 14, 2024 at 10 pm ET. Based our conversation, I am sure it will be riveting.

Thank you, Matt!

I want to honor the officers from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department who were shot and killed in an ambush attack. 

Officer Sean Robert Clark

Officer Jeff Shelton

Date of Incident: Saturday, March 31, 2007

E.O.W. Sunday, April 1, 2007

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©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, and production by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 53 Officer Mike from a mid-sized agency in the Mid-Atlantic has been in law enforcement for seven years. He wrote to me saying, “I want to discuss the mental health aspect of the job and juggling it with family life. I've been married for about five years. We have two daughters who are four and almost two. I've gone through times when I see things at work that hit me in a way that I can't keep bottled up. Calls with children are what hit home the most. I tend to be pretty open with my family about what I experience, which helps a lot.”

Mike’s goal in coming on the podcast is to share these challenges so that other officers know they are not alone in experiencing the stress of the job and the impact on family. He wants to encourage all LEOs to have someone they can talk to and not be afraid to ask for help.

Our conversation includes what it’s like coming home with adrenaline coursing through your veins; wanting to talk about some things and not others; wanting to be present for your family, but not always being able to; and the challenge of shift schedules that leave little time for family – or sleep.

We revisit hitting the streets after field training, those first calls where he felt a level of uncertainty. We talk about the critical incidents that “shook” him and how even the “smaller” incidents come back to haunt him. He says there were times early on when he wished someone would have asked how he was doing after a call – not just minutes after, but days or weeks later. He also says he unaware of the Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM ) team in his area, a team he has since joined to help other officers following a critical incident.   

Recently, I’ve interviewed officers who are newly retired reflecting back on this very part of their lives and career. I thought it was important to talk to someone who's relatively new on the job and working patrol. The message from all is the same: don’t be reluctant to speak up. Whether you’re two years on or 22, you’ll relate to Mike’s experiences on and off the job.

Thanks for being on the show, Mike!

In the episode, I mention The LT’s Daughter Katherine Boyle and the programs she is creating for officers looking to connect or reconnect with family. You can learn more in the interview I did with her in episode 46 and through this link on her programs.

Event List Sign Up:

https://view.flodesk.com/pages/647f698cdfd04634e9976771

Katherine’s IG:

https://www.instagram.com/theltsdaughter/

I also mention NYPD Cold Case Detective Jason Palamara (Ret.)from Ep. 50. He works as a crisis counselor, keynote speaker and life coach. He recently published a book with coauthor Barbara Rubel available on Amazon called “Living Blue: Helping Law Enforcement Officers and Their Families Survive and Thrive from Recruitment to Retirement.” You can find him on his website https://jasonpalamara.org/ and on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

Thanks for listening to On Being a Police Officer. YOU are what keeps me going.

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©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, and production by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 52  Lt. Jared Ross of the Arlington TX Police Department contacted me to discuss the public's misperceptions of police ethics, training, accountability, use of force and more. Jared has been with the department for 18 years and is currently Patrol Commander. He also is the department’s primary instructor for Ethics & Professionalism.

He says, “whenever I hear the media or members of the public allude to the fact that we're undertrained or that we don't care about training, we don't value education or professional development, it's completely not true. And that's one of the things I wanted to be able to shed some light on, because that's one of my passions in my career.”  

We do exactly that and talk about the remarkable feats of interpersonal communication, negotiation, de-escalation, and problem solving that officers do every day, a critical part of the narrative that gets lost.

We also cover Jared’s professional journey including his work as a field training supervisor, a hostage negotiator, a detective in the Domestic Violence Unit, and an Internal Affairs investigator. We discuss why he got into law enforcement and the passion he continues to have for the profession. 

I want to honor the life, service, commitment and sacrifice of Officer Darrin McMichael of the Arlington Police Department whose line of duty death occurred shortly before I interviewed Jared and which he mentions in the episode.

Officer Darrin McMichael

E.O.W Thursday, September 21, 2023

https://www.odmp.org/officer/26786-police-officer-darrin-mcmichael

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©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, and production by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 51 Joining me is Eric Hofstein who was in law enforcement for 27 years and recently retired in 2021. After working as an EMT, he made the switch to law enforcement working with agencies in CA and FL before becoming a transit officer for BART, The Bay Area Rapid Transit System. We cover two of the most defining moments in his career. The first as a deputy with the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office, responding to the line-of-duty shooting death of California Highway Patrol Officer Kenyon Youngstrom, an incident that, as Eric says, was the final straw for him emotionally and forever changed his desire to be a street cop.

The second was his resulting decision to join BART thinking he’d be leaving the stress and trauma of traditional law enforcement behind. That was not at all the case. The job presented unique challenges including reacting to thousands of commuters filling the train platform as often as every three minutes during rush hour, fights and open drug use on subway cars, and more.

On top of that, Eric found a world he’d never seen before – people who were homeless, drug addicted, and mentally ill – strewn about and suffering in the subway halls and trains. He could not understand or make sense of it. Why was it happening? We talk about how his thinking gradually shifted from one of judgement to one of empathy; how he became the person who would give everything of himself to try to save every single one of these people – at his own expense and the expense of his family. And how he learned what true “harm reduction” is. It’s a story he tells in his book, “What Doesn't Kill You. One Cop's Perspective on Homelessness, Mental Illness and Addiction” which he co-authored with his wife, Mary Beth Haile.

We do cover his time in law enforcement working for San Jose PD, Palm Beach Sheriff's Office in Florida, then the Contra Costa Sheriff's Office in California including several very close calls, and that traffic stop, the one where he trusted his sixth sense, that inner voice that saved his life.

Also unique to Eric’s career was working the jails for five years as a deputy with Contra Costa. He says it was one of the best training grounds for working patrol.

We also get into his post-law enforcement career and the challenges of retirement which he writes about in the book. “Everything bubbles up,” as he says. It wasn't until after he was retired that he was diagnosed with complex PTSD.  He shares his learnings and insights for others experiencing the same feelings.

You can find the book on Amazon both in paperback and Kindle and on Audible. Here is a link to Amazon. 

“What Doesn't Kill You. One Cop's Perspective on Homelessness, Mental Illness and Addiction.” 

I want to honor the life, service, commitment and sacrifice of California Highway Patrol Officer Kenyon Youngstrom.

E.O.W. Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2012

https://www.odmp.org/officer/21381-officer-kenyon-marc-youngstrom

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©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, production done by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 50 – NYPD Cold Case Det. Jason Palamara (Ret.) was with the department for 20 years and recently retired in 2020. Prior, he served in the U.S. Navy for three years. I've long wanted to interview a homicide or cold case detective about the challenges of their work and because of what I see as the public’s misperceptions of their commitment.

We start with the inauspicious beginning to his law enforcement career. He writes on his LinkedIn page, “I became a cop on July 2, 2001. Two months later, I would respond to Ground Zero.” We discuss his memories of that day and of his time deployed as a recruit. I also lived in New York during 9/11, so we discuss that shared experience. I once again get to thank an NYPD officer as I did in Ep. 45 with Det. Knocko Nolan for his service during that difficult time.

In 2006, Jason joined the Detective Bureau with the 84th Precinct Detective Squad in downtown Brooklyn and then in 2015, was assigned to the Cold Case Homicide Squad. As stated, I've long wanted to show how dedicated homicide and cold case detectives are they are to solving their cases. You will hear in our conversation how deeply personal these cases were to Jason, and the impact the investigations had on him, both the rewards and the challenges.

During his time with Cold Case, Jason became a peer support member with the NYPD Health and Wellness section. Since retiring, he has remained committed to health and wellness for veterans and law enforcement. He works as a crisis counselor, keynote speaker and life coach. He has an upcoming book with coauthor Barbara Rubel called “Living Blue: Helping Law Enforcement Officers and Their Families Survive and Thrive from Recruitment to Retirement.” We take the time to talk about the emotional challenges of retirement for LEOs, a subject I don’t often hear discussed. 

I close with my favorite line from his website:

“I find there to be no greater mission than of giving your fellow human being the hope that tomorrow is worthwhile destination.”

Here is the link to his website:

https://jasonpalamara.org/

You can also find him on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

Thank you, Jason. 

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©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, and production by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 49 I am welcoming 14-year-old Tyler from the Midwest.  He emailed me with a very important message about his hope to be a police officer. We recorded this interview a week before he started high school. And I did get permission from his mom!

In his email Tyler wrote, “Dear Abby, I'm a 14-year-old-boy from the Midwest. I absolutely love listening to your podcast. I plan one day to be a police officer. I was hoping you could share my story on your podcast. Last year, in eighth grade, we had a mandatory project. All of the eighth graders had to job shadow a profession that they were interested in. I ended up doing a ride-along with the nearby police department. I shadowed Patrol Officer Mullinex and I absolutely loved it.”

The result of our correspondence is this interview which I promise you will find heart warming and uplifting. We talk about the ride-along as well as the reasons he was drawn to law enforcement for his job shadow – as well as his initial interest in 911/Dispatch.

Tyler has insights that far exceed his 14 years. We agree on the value and importance of civilians doing ride-alongs to better understand the profession and to better appreciate the person behind the badge. He shares his frustration with the national negative environment for law enforcement and the impact that has on officers’ ability to do their jobs. He is not afraid to question others’ misconceptions and seek his own answers with an open mind. 

In talking with Tyler, I realized that most of my guests are already sworn officers. The perspective of someone considering the profession is a new topic and brings with it a host of questions, especially for someone this young. He talks about his concern over how people will react when he says he wants to be a police officer given the negative environment and wonders how to prepare for these interactions. Tyler also is interested in guidance from LEOs on decisions he will make moving forward including whether to go to college and what major to choose. And he shares his concerns about being hearing impaired and whether that will affect his ability to be in law enforcement.

Tyler welcomes your feedback. Here is an email he created for this episode tylerep.49@gmail.com. (That’s for Ep. 49). Also feel free to email or message me on Instagram if you’d like to share your thoughts with me. Abby@ellsworthproductions.com.

I thought it would be meaningful to close the episode with a chat with Officer Mullenix about the ride-along, his admiration for Tyler and his hope that Tyler will pursue his dreams of law enforcement.  

As always thank you for listening to On Being a Police Officer. YOU are what keeps me going.

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Ep. 48 Joining me is Lt. Brandon James who has 24 years with the Seattle Police Department. Much of our conversation focuses on his role supervising the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and the dedication of these detectives to saving our children from predators. I interviewed a detective in this unit more than a decade ago and that conversation has never left me. Brandon and I review the challenges for ICAC detectives in maintaining wellness considering what they are exposed to in these investigations.

We begin the interview with a subject that I feel strongly about: the role of School Resource Officer which has come under attack and in some markets been fully eliminated. We look back at Brandon’s work as a school officer in Seattle middle and high schools and discuss the positive impact officers in this role can have in helping students one on one, as well as educating them about the true nature of police work.

We then delve into Brandon’s work as an undercover detective in narcotics investigating both street-level drug dealing with SPD and high-level narcotics investigations with the FBI with whom he was a task force officer for ten years. We also cover the difficult subject of police corruption and the challenges for law enforcement when having to investigate and arrest one of their own, and how that can be done with sensitivity and compassion. 

As I always do, I ask what drew him to the profession, what the rewards have been and continue to be.

Since being promoted to lieutenant, Brandon has become the commander of the Relational Policing Innovation team. Congratulations, Brandon! Your ongoing leadership will continue to be a great asset to SPD.

I mention the Seattle Police Foundation’s fundraising for the ICAC yearly educational conference. Here is a link to get more information and if you so choose, to make a donation.

https://seattlepolicefoundation.org/internet-crimes-against-children-conference/

Thank you to ato bridging the divide and Eric2247 for your five-star reviews on Apple podcasts!

And as always thank you for listening to On Being a Police Officer. YOU are what keeps me going.

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©Abby Ellsworth. All interviews, editing, production done by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 47 Kent (WA) Police Department’s Sgt. Eric Tung, known to many of you through his Blue Grit Wellness platform, joins me today to look back on his 16 years in law enforcement, and to look toward the future not just for him and his department, but for all law enforcement with what I call “relentless optimism.”

First, we take a look back at Eric's career which started in 2007, just two years before the 2009 ambush murders of Seattle PD Officer Timothy Brenton and of the Lakewood Four, as they are known. We discuss our shared experience of that difficult time and what was to me, the surprising connection between the Lakewood officers and Kent PD. We also reflect on the Line of Duty Death of one of Eric’s closest friends, Kent Police Officer Diego Moreno whose E.O.W. was five years ago this month. 

Eric also was in two critical incidents with his K9 Officer Kato, both times nearly losing Kato and his own life. As Designated Departmental Team Leader for Regional Valley Civil Disturbance Unit, Eric responded with this team to provide mutual aid to Seattle PD in response to years of annual May Day protests and ultimately to the 2020 riots. 

Eric used his passion for health and fitness to develop the Kent Police Department’s Wellness and Peer Support programs and as I mentioned, his own platform Blue Grit Wellness. He creates his own content online, writes articles for Police One and hosts his own podcast Blue Grit Radio. He currently is the Department’s Recruiting and Hiring Unit Supervisor.  

I ask what drew him to law enforcement. His “why” has evolved over the years, but he reflects on several reasons including the influence of a strained, and later repaired, relationship with his dad. Now a father himself, he discusses being in a dangerous profession when you have a two-year-old at home, yet knowing there is a two-year-old out there who needs you, as I learn, quite literally.

While we talk about the big incidents, the hard and heavy moments, we end with that “relentless optimism,” reflecting on how sometimes it’s in those small moments when you know as an LEO you have made a difference.  Thanks, Eric!

You can find Eric on his website:

https://www.bluegritwellness.com/

On Instagram, Facebook, and Tik Tok @bluegritwellness. On LinkedIn as Eric Tung. His podcast Blue Grit Radio is available on all podcast platforms.

Eric has several articles on Police One. Here is the article I referenced:

https://www.police1.com/rookie/articles/a-word-to-the-rookies-stay-humble-stay-hungry-1zsfEMTwoRREV3j1/

Eric mentions the Blue Bridge Alliance which provides local law enforcement agencies with resources to render aid during interactions with community members in need. For more info:

https://bluebridgealliance.org/

As noted, this month marks the five-year anniversary of the Line of Duty Death of Kent Police Officer Diego Moreno. 

Officer Moreno, we thank for your service.

E.O.W. Sunday, July 22, 2018

https://www.odmp.org/officer/23727-police-officer-diego-moreno

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©Abby Ellsworth. All interviews, editing, production done by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 46 The LT’s Daughter Katherine Boyle joins me to talk about her mission to help police officers who want more connection with their families. Katherine is the first law enforcement family member I’ve interviewed on this podcast. It’s important to me to do so as I have learned law enforcement is a family job, one that requires sacrifice and commitment from all. 

Katherine’s story is unusual in that her childhood was not unusual. She shares all the ways in which her father partnered with her mother to keep the job from negatively affecting their family life as the job of a first responder can do. Her experience is the inspiration behind the program Katherine has created and is launching this month titled “Beyond the Uniform.” The program will offer events designed to help police officers better connect with their families, in particular with their spouses, by identifying priorities and values outside of the job. 

To put Katherine’s childhood in perspective, we look back at the career of her dad, Retired Philadelphia Police Lieutenant Michael Boyle, who spent much of his career on the Special Victim’s Unit. Among his cases was the Delimar Vera case of a kidnapped infant who at the age of eight was reunited with her mother. The story made national news.

It also is important to note that Katherine comes from an extended law enforcement family with many relatives who serve or have served in the profession.  As a result, she has long wanted to give back and to support officers. It was, in part, her experience while living in NYC during the 2020 riots and seeing the abuses of officers who were quite literally "family" to her that led to her “light bulb” moment that she had to do something active, something tangible to help LE families. That light bulb moment has become “Beyond the Uniform.”

Here is the link to the Event Sign-Up List for “Beyond the Uniform”

https://view.flodesk.com/pages/647f698cdfd04634e9976771

Katherine’s IG: TheLTsDaughter:

https://www.instagram.com/theltsdaughter/

Sadly, the Boyle family suffered a Line of Duty Death in February, 1991 of Katherine’s cousin, Philadelphia Police Officer Daniel Boyle at the age of 21 after only nine months on the job. The family established a scholarship foundation in his name that raises funds to send underprivileged children to Catholic schools across Philadelphia. Here are the links for more information: 

Officer Daniel Boyle Scholarship Fund website:

http://www.officerdanielboyle.com/

Officer Daniel Boyle Scholarship Fund Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/daniel.boyle.52090

Officer Daniel Boyle

E.O.W. February 6, 1991

https://www.odmp.org/officer/176-police-officer-daniel-robert-boyle

Officer Boyle, we honor you and thank you for your service.

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©Abby Ellsworth. All interviews, editing, production done by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 45 Knocko Nolan has served on two of the country’s largest and finest police departments, NYPD and LAPD where he is now currently a detective sergeant. While on patrol, Knocko worked Brooklyn and Manhattan, as well Hollywood and downtown Los Angeles including Skid Row.

In his nearly three decades of service, Knocko has been on a wide range of units including Narcotics, Vice, the Career Criminal Unit where he tracked and investigated violent repeat offenders; the infamous anti-gang unit CRASH where he collected intelligence on street and prison gangs and participated in undercover, reverse-sting operations; a Special Victims squad that investigated assaults and sex crimes perpetrated against children; and the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force in which he held a Top Secret government clearance and investigated international terrorist groups, a role he chose after 9/11. 

A New York native, Knocko first joined LAPD in 1996, then returned to NY in 2000 to serve with NYPD for four years which included 9/11. He was one of the many of New York’s finest who worked tirelessly with fellow first responders for a year at Ground Zero. He later returned to LAPD in 2004.

This interview is particularly meaningful to me because I lived in LA during the Rodney King riots and later in New York during 9/11. We discuss our shared experiences of Los Angeles and of course of that fateful day for our country. For the first time, I get to thank an NYPD officer for his service during that tragic time.

You can connect with Knocko on social media:

Instagram: Knocko_

Twitter: @KnockoNolan 

https://linktr.ee/KnockoNolan

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©Abby Ellsworth. All interviews, editing, production done by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 44  B.C. Sanders is widely known for his expertise in gang culture based on insights he draws from 20 years in law enforcement. He is with a large agency in the southeastern United States and has served on a number of units in addition to gang including drug unit, aggravated assault, homicide and more.

B.C. began studying the inner workings of gangs from the time he was a rookie patrol officer when “gangs were just taking off in the South.” He went straight to the source – gang members themselves – to understand why they form and how they operate. 

We talk about types of gangs, how they recruit, the people who join them and how gangs have evolved over time. We discuss their hand signals, graffiti and bandanas known as flags, and initiations called jump-ins. We also look at how a Gang Unit operates proactively to cultivate sources and informants to stop the violence and make arrests, but also to build relationships based on mutual respect to help show these young men and women the path they are on is a path to death or prison and that there is another way.

B.C. was one of several officers featured in James Patterson’s book “Walk the Blue Line.” In it, he talks about the classes he designs and teaches to other officers as well as to civilians. “Each gang is different, as is each gang member. I apply my psychology degree to figure out why these guys do what they do.”

B.C. taps his experience in law enforcement and combines it with his love of music and of skateboarding into a fascinating podcast he co-hosts with his buddy Ski called “The Disruptors Podcast with B.C. and Ski.” They interview everyone from members of punk bands, to a reformed Nazi Skinhead, to an expert in situational awareness and behavioral analysis, to fellow law enforcement officers. And sometimes they just crack each other up with all kinds of stories. You can find it on all podcast platforms. 

Here is a Apple Podcast link to the podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-disruptors-podcast-with-b-c-ski/id1636995899

Follow them on Instagram: @the_disruptors_podcast 

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©Abby Ellsworth. All interviews, editing, production done by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 43 I’m joined by Detective Daniel Carr who has been in law enforcement for more than 17 years with a large agency in the southwestern United States. Daniel also holds a Master's Degree in criminal justice and a law degree, both of which he earned while being a full-time police officer. Many of you know Daniel as the creator of Police Law News – video and written content that honestly examines police incidents, police policy, law, culture and, in my opinion, addresses civilian misperceptions of law enforcement. All of it is thought provoking, well researched and insightful. You can find his video content on all social media platforms and his very well-written articles on Substack. His videos on TikTok alone have garnered him more than 135,000 followers.  (Links below).

In this interview, we look at a range of issues and incidents including several officer involved shootings that Daniel has covered on Police Law News, as well as some other cases I asked him to review with me. We engage in an open-minded and thoughtful examination without judgement. 

Of particular importance is the wrongful conviction of Officer Christopher Schurr of the Grand Rapids Police Department following his use of deadly force while engaged in a life-threatening hand-to-hand confrontation with a subject who had stolen Officer Schurr’s Taser. Officer Schurr has been charged with second-degree murder and will stand trial in October. You can get updates and show your support for him and his family through the Facebook “Stand With Schurr” page. We contrast and compare this with the somewhat similar conviction, later overturned, of Officer Garrett Rolfe, who also was threatened with a Taser by a fleeing subject in Atlanta. 

Within our review of these incidents, we discuss the impact of media bias, the public’s misperception of use of force and why officers “can’t just shoot the knife out of someone’s hand.”

We talk about Daniel’s career in law enforcement as he nears retirement – why he chose police work, the incidents and the people he remembers and the rewards of the job. 

To find Daniel’s work on social media, go to any platform and simply search for Police Law News. Here are some handy links as well:

Facebook

Instagram

TikTok, Twitter, YouTube and Substack Newsletter here: 

https://linktr.ee/policelawnews

Daniel’s Substack breakdown of Officer Schurr’s incident

Stand With Schurr GRPD

Daniel’s Substack breakdown of the Justice for Jaheim Go Fund Me issue

The insightful breakdown I mention of the initial traffic stop in the Tyre Nichols case: Drew Breasy Uncuffed: A Cop Reviews Tyre Nichols Use of Force Case

Thanks for listening to On Being a Police Officer. YOU are what keeps me going. If you are so inclined, please drop me a five-star review on Apple Podcasts. It really helps build the audience!

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©Abby Ellsworth. All interviews, editing, production done by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 42 Join me on this ride of an episode with Eric Tansey, co-creator and host of Failure to Stop (FTS) and former Raleigh Police Department officer from 2012 to 2019. If you follow Eric on FTS, then you know he is a high-energy, highly-engaging storyteller. And nowhere is that more evident than in his soon-to-be released book, “PIG LATIN, a serious – but funny – true story.” I had the opportunity to read an advance manuscript and talk with Eric about some of the crazy and as well as poignant stories in the book.

We discuss why he got into LE following his service in Special Ops as a US Army Paratrooper from 2003 to 2010.  We get into a few dramatic incidents which include totaling his car after hydroplaning during a pursuit; having his leg broken while fighting with a murder suspect (“I got 12 screws, two pins, a plate and a rod in my left leg.”) And the time he took his mother on a ride-along, made a “routine” traffic stop to show her what it’s like, and ended up in one of the most brutal beatings he ever suffered, all with his mom watching.  We also talk about the incident that is one he just can’t shake. And of course, we cover how he was named Officer of the Year only to have his law enforcement career came to an end when he was fired from Raleigh PD in 2019. 

As he does on FTS, we get into police incidents, the issues facing LE today, the frustrations of the public’s misperceptions of police work, and we revisit a breakdown I was particularly interested in (link to the FTS breakdown below). 

I couldn’t let him go without discussing his accomplishment of becoming a sommelier, a certified specialist in wine, and opening his distillery, InStill Distilling Company in Clayton, North Carolina which he currently operates. And we talk about the importance of family. 

YouTube link to FTS breakdown of Akron Police Department an incident that I discussed with Eric.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zpN8TEcSB8

Thanks to everyone at Failure To Stop for your support. Here is a list of the FTS shows. All air live on YouTube and repost to YouTube and all podcast platforms.

NIGHTSHIFT

With Eric Tansey and Andrea Up Late

Tuesdays 8pm ET

LAST CALL

Eric Tansey and Josh from Dead Leg Media

Wednesdays at noon ET (live for subscribers); replays Thursday

COMM CENTER

Drew Breasy and Jonathan Bates

Thursdays at 8pm ET

Call-in live or leave a voicemail:

848-COMM911 or (848)266-6911

FAILURE TO STOP BREAKDOWN

Eric Tansey and Drew Breasy

Fridays 11am ET 

You can find Jonathan Bates Illustrator of “PIG LATIN, a serious – but funny – true story.” Instagram @difficulttolookatpictures

And let’s not forget Grommett Vommit, the podcast by Eric’s kids.

Thanks for listening to On Being a Police Officer. YOU are what keeps me going.

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Facebook: On Being a Police Officer

Twitter: @AbbyEllsworth13

Instagram: on_being_a_police_officer

Abby@Ellsworthproductions.com

©Abby Ellsworth. All interviews, editing, production done by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 41  Dispatcher/911 call taker and former corrections officer, Jonathan Bates joins me for this episode. Many of you know him as co-host with Drew Breasy on Comm Center, a new show on the Failure to Stop YouTube channel and podcast where they breakdown all elements of a police incident – the 911 calls, dispatch and the police response via body cam footage.

As Jon says in our conversation: “You basically see how a problem enters the criminal justice system. A problem exists, someone dials 911 and we start working. It's true crime in real time because we're trying to solve a mystery. We examine the body cam footage of the police officers arriving on scene. How does what we know help the police officers before they get there? How does it affect the outcome? We’re marrying together what it is like from the time the phone rings until the officers get on scene and get the suspect secured. It's definitely the most exciting part of the criminal justice system.” And I will add, it makes for suspenseful viewing and listening, and importantly, it really helps people understand the totality of a police response and the importance of the Comm Center’s support.

Jon and I talk about Comm Center the show, but also what it's like to work in a real Comm Center where Jon is a 911 call taker and dispatcher. We'll also be talking about Jon's six and a half years as a correctional officer in a state penitentiary prior to his work in dispatch. 

Jon sheds light on the importance of both of these professions in our greater law enforcement community. He shares his experience with a mixture of humor and emotion, and he shares insights that are compelling and inspiring. As I do with law enforcement, I also want to shed light on the real stories of these two professions. These are true first responders who have their own level of trauma, their own rewards and importantly their own contribution to society as a whole. Thank you to all of you who do these jobs to help keep the rest of us safe.

Comm Center airs live on the Failure To Stop YouTube Channel Thursday evenings at 8pm ET/7pm CT/6pm MT/5pm PT. If you can't watch it live, the show reposts on YouTube and airs as a podcast on all podcast platforms. Call-in live or leave a voicemail: 848-COMM911 or (848)266-6911.

FAILURE TO STOP SHOWS

All air live on YouTube and repost to YouTube and all podcast platforms.

NIGHTSHIFT

With Eric Tansey and Andrea Up Late

Tuesdays 8pm ET

LAST CALL

Eric Tansey and Josh from Dead Leg Media

Wednesdays at noon ET

COMM CENTER

Drew Breasy and Jonathan Bates

Thursdays at 8pm ET

Call-in live or leave a voicemail:

848-COMM911 or (848)266-6911

FAILURE TO STOP BREAKDOWN

Eric Tansey and Drew Breasy

Fridays 11am ET 

Thanks for listening to On Being a Police Officer. YOU are what keeps me going.

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Twitter: @AbbyEllsworth13

Instagram: on_being_a_police_officer

Abby@Ellsworthproductions.com

©Abby Ellsworth. All interviews, editing, production done by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 40 Joining me is Nate Silvester, known as The Officer Nate and the guy who took on LeBron James' anti-police rhetoric via TikTok. Nate was in law enforcement just over 12 years, first with the Twin Falls, Idaho Police Department from 2006 to 2018, and then with the Bellevue, Idaho Marshal's Office which he joined in December, 2020. Just a few months later on April 24, 2021, Nate posted a TikTok in which he is pretending to seek advice from LeBron James on how to handle an imaginary disturbance involving two men wielding knives. To say the video went viral would be an understatement. Shared around the world, the TikTok resulted in Nate’s losing his job and a firestorm of social media backlash including threats against his and his family’s lives. 

Nate's TikTok was in reaction to LeBron’s tweet at Columbus, Ohio Police Officer Nicholas Reardon. On April 20, 2021 Officer Reardon responded to a chaotic scene in which he used deadly force to stop 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant from stabbing another girl.

LeBron's tweet included a photo of Officer Reardon and the text, "YOU'RE NEXT #ACCOUNTABILITY." Some considered this a reference to Dereck Chauvin; others viewed it as calling for the murder of Officer Reardon. James later deleted the tweet. In March 2022, Officer Reardon was cleared of any wrongdoing. A Franklin County Ohio Grand jury decided the shooting was justifiable and that no crime and been committed.

While the blowback for Officer Nate was fierce, the support he received from friends, fellow officers, and civilians from around the country sustained him. He has since written a memoir, “Never Off Duty” which covers not only the TikTok and its impact, but also Nate’s work as a police officer and detective, and insights on law enforcement as a profession including dispelling widely-held myths. We talk about why he became a police officer, what the job gave and took from him, his struggle with PTSD and the lonely journey to get counseling, all of which he details in the book. Nate also has a podcast, website, several social media channels and is opening a Chiropractic and Wellness Center (links below). 

Nate’s “LeBron James” TikTok via YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdzC8sW9MzA

Nate's Website:

https://www.bluelivesfoundation.org/

To order “Never Off Duty”

https://www.bluelivesfoundation.org/product-page/never-off-duty

Nate's Social Media handles:

TikTok: officernate1.3

Instagram: theofficernate

YouTube and Facebook: Officer Nate

The Officer Nate Podcast

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-officer-nate-podcast/id1596866601

Nate’s new wellness center: Atmosphere Chiropractic and Wellness

https://www.atmospherewellness.com/

Thanks for listening. Please don't forget to follow and subscribe. If you are so inclined, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts: in the All Episodes view, scroll all the way to the bottom to find the star rating and Write a Review link. Thanks to those of you who have posted!

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Abby@Ellsworthproductions.com

©Abby Ellsworth. All interviews, editing, production done by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 39 Returning to the podcast is Sgt. Nick Bauer who was with the Seattle Police Department for 30 years. He retired just under a year ago. He worked many units, including robbery, Major Crimes Task Force and the Force Investigation team. His most recent role was as the sergeant in the Wellness Unit, a role he was in during the 2020 riots which presented an unprecedented need for officer wellness and support.

Nick is a founding member and executive director of Code 4 NW, a nonprofit organization that provides confidential support to all first responders and their families in Washington State. I thought it was important to talk about getting help, especially at this time of year when things can be tough for a lot of people. And I also wanted to do this as a follow-up to my conversation with Tricia Minkler in Ep. 38. Tricia lost her job in law enforcement after a struggling with alcohol and suicide. She got treatment all on her own and is grateful, despite the outcome, that she is in recovery. I wanted to talk with Nick about how Code 4 NW can help someone like Tricia get the help they need. You do not have to do this on your own, and you do not have to lose your job.

If you are so inclined, please consider making a donation to Code 4 NW, a completely volunteer-run non-profit organization. The need is great and the work they do is lifesaving. And please call them if you want to have a peer support conversation.

Code 4 NW

Confidential 24/7 Crisis Line: 425.243.5092

There are organizations outside of WA State as well:

COPLINE

1-800-267-5463

100 Club of Arizona

Thanks for listening. Please follow or subscribe to the podcast. If you use Apple podcasts, I’d be grateful if you leave a review.

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Abby@Ellsworthproductions.com

©Abby Ellsworth. All interviews, editing, production done by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

EP. 38 I am talking with Tricia Minkler who served in law enforcement in Washington state for eight years. Tricia's primary reason for doing this interview is that she has a very important story she wants to share about wellness, survival and recovery. Tricia's path has not been easy. She's developed PTSD over the course of her career, including during her time as prosecutor during which she worked at the county level with King County and then Mason County prosecutors' offices, and then as an assistant city attorney for the city of Auburn. Trauma on the job has led her to seek help after struggling with alcohol and attempting suicide. In the process, she has lost her job in law enforcement. We conducted this interview just a few weeks before she received official word of termination from her department. But she is here with a message of hope and encouragement for those who are struggling. She wants everyone to know that her recovery has been worth it even under these circumstances. She is on her way to a new career as a counselor for first responders. Most of all, she wants you to know if you are struggling, you are not alone. We talk about a number of organizations like Code 4 NW and treatment centers where you can get help. 

Tricia is also working on creating an in-person support group for first responders in the PNW. If you are interested, you can connect with her through LinkedIn.

In the interview, she mentioned a number of organizations supporting first responders. I will include links here:

Code 4 NW

425.243.5092

Warrior Pathh

First Responder Support Network

And their West Coast Post-Trauma Retreat

First Responder Wellness

Thanks for listening. Don’t forget to follow or subscribe to the podcast. If you use Apple podcasts, it helps a lot if you leave a review!

And find me on my social or email me:

Facebook: On Being a Police Officer

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Abby@Ellsworthproductions.com

©Abby Ellsworth. All interviews, editing, production done by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 37 When the news gets to shape the narrative, the consequences can become deadly for citizens and police alike.

This is a special crossover episode with Drew Breasy of YouTube’s “Failure To Stop” and “Drew Breasy Uncuffed.” Together, Drew and I break down an article that has haunted me for more than a year titled: “How broken taillights end in killings by police.” It ran Oct., 31, 2021 in the Sunday New York Times, splashed across the front page above the fold. Under it was a breakout story with the headline:  “At traffic stops, officers’ presumption of danger breeds overreaction and seemingly avoidable deaths.” As I say in the interview, this statement is an opinion presented as fact. They make a premise and then everything they say supports that premise to give the illusion that it is true. Also known as a circular argument.

It is not my goal to give The New York Times or any other media a hard time. The media serve an important purpose in this country. But a story like this in an outlet as influential as the NYT is dangerous in how it affects societal perception, in how it affects officers’ ability to do their jobs and in that it has influence on states, counties and municipalities which, based on these misperceptions, create policies and laws that further jeopardize the lives of police and their ability to protect the public. As you well know, this ran at a time when civil unrest was still at its peak and calls for defunding were deafening. This article was intended to fuel that fire. 

Many of you already know Drew Breasy, aka Lt. Andrew Baxter, who retired from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office just over a year ago after 29 years in law enforcement. Since then, he has launched “Drew Breezy Uncuffed” across his social media platforms. I appreciate his walking through this article with me. I think you will find it cathartic.

Here are links that relate back to the episode:

Failure to Stop:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KNPmjMrJ8c&t=1s

New York Times story

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/31/us/police-traffic-stops-killings.html

Chicago PD Officer Ella French

https://www.odmp.org/officer/25407-police-officer-ella-grace-french

Chicago PD Officer Carlos Yanez and his family-run Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/POCarlosStrong #CarlosStrong

DINKHELLER documentary by filmmaker and former police officer Patrick Shaver

https://www.dinkhellermovie.com/

Instagram: drew_breasy

Facebook: Drew Breasy Uncuffed

https://youtube.com/c/DrewBreasy

linktr.ee/Drew Breasy

LinkedIn: Andrew Baxter

Please don’t forget to follow or subscribe to the podcast. Feel free to leave a review. And find me on my social or email me your thoughts:

Facebook: On Being a Police Officer

Twitter: @AbbyEllsworth13

Instagram: on_being_a_police_officer

Abby@Ellsworthproductions.com

©Abby Ellsworth. All interviews, editing, production done by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 36  Seattle PD Det. Britt Kelly (née Sweeney) who has 13 years on the department, is embarking on a passion project to honor the department’s line of duty deaths, of which she was nearly one.  On Oct. 31, 2009, just a few weeks into Britt’s field training, her Field Training Officer Timothy Brenton was murdered in an ambush attack as the two of them sat in their squad car pulled off to the side of the road. Britt sustained injuries but was able to exit the vehicle to return fire at the fleeing shooter’s car. She walks me through the incident, the emotions, the trauma and what made her change her mind after she “quit.” 

We also discuss the shock of a subsequent officer ambush less than a month later on Nov. 29, 2009 when four officers from Lakewood PD, located just south of Seattle, were shot and killed as they were sitting in a coffee shop on a Sunday morning. These two ambush attacks left all area LE and the community reeling. Police were being hunted – hunted and killed. These were some of the darkest days for this region. 

Britt and I discuss what kept her going through these tough times and why she remained committed to law enforcement and SPD.  She talks about how she now shares her experience with fellow and student officers as a way of helping them understand and prepare for the impact of a line of duty death. Sadly, the department has suffered two since Officer Brenton was murdered: Officer Lexi Harris, E.O.W. June 13, 2021 and K9 Officer Jedi, E.O.W. Jan. 5, 2022. 

We do, of course, talk about the good times on the job, in particular her time on Bikes and what she loved about it, and her current role as a detective for the Force Investigation Team (FIT) which investigates officer involved shootings and other high-level use of force incidents. Britt told me it is her greatest honor to serve her fellow officers in these investigations. 

As Britt says, her mission with the memorials is to hold true to what the department – and I will add the community – always say which is we will never forget. I will play what small role I can here in sharing the Officer Down Memorial Page tributes to the officers mentioned in this episode.

Seattle Police Department Line of Duty Deaths

https://www.odmp.org/search?ref=global&query=Seattle+Police+Department

The Lakewood Four 

Officer Tina Griswold

https://www.odmp.org/officer/20138-police-officer-tina-gail-delong-griswold

Officer Ron Owens

https://www.odmp.org/officer/20140-police-officer-ronald-wilbur-owens-ii

Sgt. Mark Renninger

https://www.odmp.org/officer/20137-sergeant-mark-joseph-renninger

Officer Greg Richards

https://www.odmp.org/officer/20139-police-officer-gregory-james-richards

Pierce County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Kent Mundell

https://www.odmp.org/officer/20190-deputy-sheriff-walter-kent-mundell-jr

As you may know, the Officer Down Memorial Page is a non-profit that takes donations. If you’re so inclined, here is their page:

https://www.odmp.org/

©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, production done by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org.

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Ep. 35 A special episode in reaction to the devastation of Hurricane Ian and the impact on first responders. Joining me for the second time on the podcast is Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office retired Lt. Drew Breasy to talk about this response, in particular the first responders we don’t see – the 911 Call Takers and Dispatchers, the “first” first responders as Drew calls them. Drew lives in the Tampa area which was initially in Hurricane Ian’s direct path. 

Drew started his career as a Dispatcher and 911 Call Taker and later returned to the Communications Center as a lieutenant. He has insight into the very specific trauma these first first responders experience. He also continues to lobby for better treatment of Communications specialists who are categorized as clerical staff without the pay, benefits or wellness training that first responders receive. Info on how you can help is below through the 911 Saves Act.

In his 29 years in LE, Drew has seen his share of hurricanes in the Tampa area. We talk about how all first responders leave their own families and homes behind to rescue those caught in the storm, not knowing what they will return to. LE has the added challenge of policing while saving lives. 

Many of the LEOs I’ve spoken to in the course of the podcast have worked through natural disasters ranging from wildfires to hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, earthquakes and more. It’s part of the job most of us don’t often think about. I’m glad I was able to cover some aspects of these particular challenges. And take a moment to thank all first responders, those we see, and those we don’t for what you do in extreme circumstances like this. And for what you do every day to protect the rest of us. 

Drew and I also talk about the important work of Team South Florida, an all-volunteer, non-profit organization. Their primary mission is to honor and remember those Law Enforcement Officers who have been killed in the line of duty while supporting their agencies and their families. Their secondary mission is to bridge the gap between Law Enforcement and the communities they live and work in. In response to the Hurricane, Team South Florida has stepped up to support first responders through donations that cover everything from food and water, to diapers, flashlights, toiletries and other services they need. 

You can find them on their website and social media and if you are so inclined, make a donation. 

https://www.teamsouthflorida.org/

https://www.facebook.com/TmSouthFlorida

https://www.instagram.com/teamsouthflorida/

Twitter: @TmSouthFlorida

Here is the flyer with specific needs that Drew mentioned: https://mcusercontent.com/affe9705f31024d1058eab6f8/files/e3825dfd-b06c-4e9b-42f8-bfa44a334684/Flyer_Final.pdf

The 911 Saves Act we discussed:

The 911 SAVES Act is bipartisan legislation to reclassify 911 dispatchers from “Office and Administrative Support” to “Protective Service Occupations” in the Office of Management and Budget’s Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) catalog. Get involved by writing to your representatives in support of this legislation. Here is a press release with details:

https://torres.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/torres-fitzpatrick-include-9-1-1-saves-act-amendment-ndaa

Where to find Andrew Baxter a.k.a. Drew Breasy

Instagram: drew_breasy

Facebook: Drew Breasy Uncuffed

https://youtube.com/c/DrewBreasy

linktr.ee/Drew Breasy

LinkedIn: Andrew Baxter

Failure To Stop on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCShU5ZCwvbeFZ5zADRzrlhQ

©Abby Ellsworth Abby@Ellsworthproductions.com

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Twitter: @AbbyEllsworth13

Instagram: on_being_a_police_officer

Ep. 34 Seattle PD SWAT Sgt. Drew Hancock, (retired 2021), discusses his 28-year career with the department working foot patrol, mountain bikes, undercover VICE and Narcotics, and SWAT as a sergeant/supervisor for ten years. In this role, he helped manage the Unit’s response to the 2020 riots that famously shut down a several-block area of the city and temporarily shuttered the department’s East Precinct. He talks about the scope and intensity of those days and compares this experience to working the World Trade Organization (WTO) riots in 1999 for which Seattle also made national news. 

I met Drew 12 years ago just as he was starting as SWAT sergeant. It's great to reconnect to look back at all of it and to hear the stories of the people he helped, the camaraderie, the good times and the tough times. And I finally get to ask him what SWAT really does because I realized I did not know! 

We also talk about Drew’s new role as Director of Practice Development - Law Enforcement for Creative Planning, a nationally recognized wealth advisory firm dedicated to helping clients achieve their long-term financial goals. Drew and his wife started as clients seven years ago and for the past two years, Drew has been proactively talking with fellow officers about their needs and what the company’s financial planners can do for them. With his firsthand knowledge of LE’s pay structure and Creative Planning's approach, Drew can answer officers’ questions about what the company can do for them and arrange a free, no obligation consultation with a financial planner. 

As Drew says, the company “gives you a much better approach and trajectory for your own personal financial success, instead of just leaving it up to the state or the city or the pension board to control your money. It’s a very personal approach to a holistic wealth management. I think it’s one reason I was able to retire early.” 

Drew welcomes having a conversation with LE from around the country. You can reach him at drew.hancock@creativeplanning.com or connect with him on LinkedIn.

On a personal note to you my listeners, it is meaningful to me to air this episode at this time since it was two years ago that I launched the podcast. Initially, it was in response to the 2020 riots to give LE a platform to discuss the impact of the extreme verbal, physical and emotional attacks you undeservedly suffered and to showcase the profession as it really is, not as it was made out to be. 

My first episode was with a Seattle PD Wellness Sergeant conducted on the day that Carmen Best, the department’s first Black female Chief resigned. Since then, I have interviewed law enforcement from around the country. My goal is to tell the real stories of LE, the ones that don’t make the news. It’s also my way of telling law enforcement through dark days and good, that there are civilians like myself who support you and who see the profession for what it really is. Thank you for what you do and your families and loved ones who share you with us.

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Twitter: @AbbyEllsworth13

Instagram: on_being_a_police_officer

Abby@Ellsworthproductions.com

©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, production done by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org.

Ep. 33 I continue my conversation with Spokane PD Officer Stacy Roark. In Ep. 32, we started with an overview of Officer Roark’s 30-year career in law enforcement. We also talked about his current role on the Behavioral Health Unit and as a negotiator. Joining us is Jenny Mandin, a mental health professional with Frontier Behavioral Health. Officer Roark and Jenny are co-deployed to respond to persons in crisis. We discuss how this pairing works, the calls they respond to and the role each of them plays in assessing each person’s needs. Their goal is to connect people with services and keep those who do not need to be in jail or in the hospital out of both. I also discuss with Jenny what she’s learned about law enforcement, the challenges officers face and why it is important for the safety and protection of everyone involved that she respond with law enforcement to these calls.  

I have talked about the co-responder model in the podcast, but in these two interviews, it is the first time I have covered the co-deployed approach. And it is the first opportunity I’ve had to speak with a mental health professional to get insight on training and approach. 

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Abby@Ellsworthproductions.com

©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, production done by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org.

Ep. 32 Joining me is Officer Stacy Roark who has been in law enforcement for 30 years. He is currently with the Spokane Police Dept. in the Behavioral Health Unit which uses a co-deployed model for responding to persons in mental crisis. Officer Roark rides with a mental health professional (MHP), Jenny Mandin from Frontier Behavioral Health. We talk about the calls they respond to and how they get people the help they need with the goal of keeping them out of jail or the hospital. 

I’ve previously discussed the co-responder model on the podcast in which officers call for a clinician to come to the scene, but this is the first time I’ve discussed the co-deployed approach in which the officer and clinician ride together. I have made it a point to cover these response models to show the lengths to which law enforcement goes to help persons in mental crisis.

We also discuss Officer Roark’s work as a negotiator for the department dealing with barricaded individuals, hostage situations, suicidal subjects and more. Officer Roark shares what it’s like to witness persons who complete suicide as well as the importance of remembering the “wins” when he and his fellow negotiators are able to succeed in keeping people from harming themselves or others. We discuss the current environment for LE and his work supporting officer wellness. And we take a look back at why he became a police officer, the rewards of the job, and how it was not at all what he thought it was going to be. 

In my next episode, mental health professional Jenny Mandin will join us to talk more about their work together in the Spokane PD's Behavioral Health Unit.

Thanks for listening.

Facebook: On Being a Police Officer

Twitter: @AbbyEllsworth13

Instagram: on_being_a_police_officer

Abby@Ellsworthproductions.com

©Abby Ellsworth. All interviews, editing, production done by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 31 Joining me is Andrew Baxter, a.k.a., Drew Breasy, creator and host of the popular social media channel “Drew Breasy Uncuffed” which he launched after retiring a year ago. It is, in his words, “the unapologetically honest opinion of a retired police lieutenant.”  

First, we look back on Drew’s 29 years with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (Tampa area). We talk about why he knew “come hell or high water” he would become a deputy with HCSO. We then jump into his resume which is so impressive, I focused on what, to me, is the stuff of TV shows including his work both as a detective and a supervisor in undercover narcotics, informant handling, wire taps, and much more. Drew started in the Communications Center as a 911 Operator and Dispatcher and returned there later in his career as Lieutenant. We talk about the trauma specific to dispatch and call takers and their importance as “first” first responders.

All of this experience informs “Drew Breasy Uncuffed.” He addresses widely distributed but often inaccurate reporting on law enforcement, whether it's issues or incidents. He does his research and digs through all the details on LE’s involvement for cases that range in nature, but which have captured traditional and social media attention – from Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie, to Breonna Taylor, Jacob Blake, to the tragedy in Uvalde. As Drew says, he is now able to speak freely, something active LEOs can’t do. He comes from “a place of healing,” and his goal is to give a voice to those who don’t have one. That’s a goal we share. 

Here is where you can find him:

Instagram: drew_breasy

Facebook: Drew Breasy Uncuffed

https://youtube.com/c/DrewBreasy

linktr.ee/Drew Breasy

LinkedIn: Andrew Baxter

Please don’t forget to follow or subscribe to the podcast. Feel free to leave a review. And find me on my social or email me your thoughts:

Facebook: On Being a Police Officer

Twitter: @AbbyEllsworth13

Instagram: on_being_a_police_officer

Abby@Ellsworthproductions.com

©Abby Ellsworth. All interviews, editing, production done by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 30 Teresa Taylor, executive director of WACOPS, the Washington Council of Police and Sheriffs, shares an update on the wide-ranging police reform legislation that went into law in Washington State in July 2021. Now almost a year later, we look at the impact of the legislation on law enforcement and the community, the revisions that have been made and why, and what still needs to be changed. We also look at some concerning new developments including legislation that would make deadly use of force justified only if the threat is “immediate” as opposed to “imminent,” a potentially dangerous distinction. And we talk about the concept of “compliant handcuffing.”

Our conversation is relevant not only to police departments in WA State, but also to law enforcement agencies around the country. It reflects the impact of the national negative narrative on policing and how it plays out in our communities, and how it impacts individual departments and officers. If you live in Washington, you’ll be pleased to know how much Teresa and WACOPS do for officers and for the community.

Teresa, like me, is a civilian. We share the goal of supporting law enforcement and helping people understand what it really means to be a police officer.  

WACOPS is recognized as the largest, oldest and most influential trade organization representing law enforcement professionals in Washington state. Here is a link to their website. 

https://www.wacops.org/

For those who want to know more about WACOPS, please contact Teresa at TTaylor@wacops.org

Please don’t forget to follow or subscribe to the podcast. Feel free to leave a review. And find me on my social or email me your thoughts:

Facebook: On Being a Police Officer

Twitter: @AbbyEllsworth13

Instagram: on_being_a_police_officer

Abby@Ellsworthproductions.com

©Abby Ellsworth. All interviews, editing, production done by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 29 Joining me is New Zealand police officer, Constable James Walkling.  James is originally from the UK where he started his career in law enforcement with the Metropolitan Police in London in 2011. We talk about policing in these very different countries, in particular what it’s like to be unarmed in the UK and “semi armed” in New Zealand. We also review the current debate in New Zealand to move to “generally armed,” which would allow officers to carry a handgun as they do in Australia. This debate was ignited in 2021 following the murder of New Zealand Constable Matthew Hunt during a traffic stop. 

James looks back on his challenging upbringing in the foster care system and unpleasant interactions with UK police as a teen, factors which actually led him to choose law enforcement as a profession to make the changes he wanted to see. In fact, his advice to Americans who are disgruntled with law enforcement is to do the same. He also encourages civilians to do a ride-along with officers to really understand the job.  “Go and do those ride-alongs and be involved in it, and understand that policing is nothing what you think it is.”

We also discuss the events in America over the past two years including the murder of George Floyd, civil unrest, calls for defunding the police and the perception and impact of these events on law enforcement here and in other countries. The negative narrative on policing does not stop at our borders. 

For all that is different among these countries, there is much that is the same. The commitment, the sacrifice, protecting the most vulnerable, dealing with people on what is very possibly the worst day of their lives. Our conversation is both thoughtful and upbeat and is as much about James’ support of law enforcement in the U.S. and worldwide as it is about his own experiences.

Remembering Constable Matthew Hunt killed on duty July 2021 - a short documentary

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Abby@Ellsworthproductions.com

©Abby Ellsworth. All interviews, editing, production done by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 28 Head of Public Affairs for the Baltimore, Chicago and Fairfax County VA police departments, Anthony Guglielmi talks about advocating for LE while being transparent with and educating the public on what it means to be a police officer.

He reflects on the rewards and challenges of supporting police departments in two of the largest and most violent cities in the country. While with Baltimore PD from 2008 to 2013, Anthony helped the department communicate their strategy to reduce rampant gun violence through “targeted prosecution and putting the right people in jail for the right reason at the right times.” He also discusses BPD’s Gun Trace Task Force (GTTF) and the resulting scandal which led to officers being charged with racketeering, robbery, extortion and fraud. Anthony talks about how this happened and what went wrong. 

Before the GTTF scandal broke, Anthony was recruited by Chicago PD to manage the release of dash cam video of the killing of Laquan McDonald by Officer Jason Van Dyke, video that contradicted police statements. It was Anthony’s job to help the department and the city rebuild public trust. Ultimately, Chicago PD become one of the first departments in the country to release body cam footage within days of an incident, a practice and a concept that was unheard of at the time.  

After Chicago PD, Anthony joined the Fairfax County Police Department in Virginia outside Washington D.C. We revisit the January 6th insurrection and Fairfax County PD’s mutual aid response. And we talk about Anthony’s commitment to telling the real stories of LE. His teams have produced and distributed videos about the good work officers do. In Anthony’s words: “Here's what you didn't see on last night's news.”

©Abby Ellsworth. All interviews booked, conducted and edited by Abby Ellsworth. 

Follow me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/OnBeingaPoliceOfficer and https://www.facebook.com/abby.ellsworth.52

Instgram: on_being_a_police_officer

Twitter: @AbbyEllsworth13

Email: Abby@Ellworthproductions.com

https://heroespodcastnetwork.com/

Ep. 27 John “Jay” Wiley retired police sergeant and host of the Law Enforcement Today Radio Show and Podcast shares his personal story about his time with the Baltimore Police Department from 1980 to 1992, as well as his views on the issues and challenges LEOs are facing in these tough times.

Jay details the incidents and resulting injuries that led to his being forced to retire from the Baltimore Police Department at the age of 33. This is the first time in my podcast that I’ve discussed the impact on officers injured in the line of duty. Jay shares his deep sense of loss at having to give up his vocation, the career he chose and loved, and the toll that loss took on him and his family financially, mentally and emotionally. Through hard work and helping hands, Jay triumphed and created his own syndicated music radio show and the LET Radio Show and Podcast. 

Through his radio show and podcast, Jay has his finger on the pulse of what LEOs are facing today. We discuss those challenges as well as Jay’s encouragement for those in the profession and his hope for the future.

Find and follow Jay and the LET Today Podcast:

https://www.lawenforcementtoday.com/let-radio-show-3/

https://www.facebook.com/LawEnforcementTodayRadioShow

https://linktr.ee/JJWiley?fbclid=IwAR35Q36daalhevHU6ni--nOPHcZXTxQ8TIJ9EGXs2Yd8hMWjXEbb0L2OOJs

©Abby Ellsworth. I am the sole booker, interviewer, editor and publisher of this podcast. Please like/follow and post your comments on your favorite podcast platform. You can also reach me at abby@ellsworthproductions.com.

Thanks for listening.

Ep. 26 – Retired Southfield PD (MI) police officer Anthony McNeil shares his stories, experiences and insights from 21 years on the department as well as the inspiration behind his podcast “The Off Duty Podcast” and the Everyday Heroes Podcast Network which he created for podcasts about first responders and those who support them. I am pleased to report that my podcast is now part of Anthony’s network and that he recently interviewed me on The Off Duty Podcast. You can hear our conversation here and all about why I do this podcast.

In my interview with Anthony, we have a lot of fun talking about his time with Southfield PD located just outside Detroit. His was an unlikely journey into law enforcement, a career he never intended to pursue until a chance encounter and conversation with the then Chief of Southfield PD who encouraged him to consider it. In Anthony’s words, he was hooked from day one. We talk about the incidents and the people he remembers and the kind of officer he strove to be. We also cover current issues as well as the ongoing tough environment for law enforcement. He wants LE to be able to take back the narrative, and he hopes to help do that with his podcast. His interviews are warm and engaging with the goal of humanizing the badge. For a profession he never intended to join, Anthony is still giving back. As I say in the interview, he did not choose law enforcement, but I am glad law enforcement chose him.

Ep. 25 - I am kicking off 2022 on National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day with a thoughtful and forward-looking interview with Chief Doug Shoemaker with the Colorado Junction Police Department. The Chief shares his passion for the profession, his enthusiasm for its future and his focus on relationship building.

Chief Shoemaker has been in law enforcement for more than 30 years. For more than ten years, he has served on various committees and sections within the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) including as chair the association’s Police Professional Standards and Ethics Committee. In 2021, he was elected the Fifth Vice President, a role that will lead to his becoming IACP President in 2026.

We begin locally, looking at the issues facing law enforcement in his city and in Colorado, in particular, the impact of the state’s elimination of qualified immunity. We also talk about his experience working in the state capital with the Jefferson City Police Department during which time he was the incident commander for "Journey for Justice," a march held following the Ferguson protests in 2014. We discuss how this helped prepare him to lead his department during the civil unrest that occurred in response to the murder of George Floyd.

Then we branch out on a national level, examining not only the challenges facing LE, but also the effort the profession is making to change and evolve.

We also touch on the Chief’s commitment to give back to the community by understanding underlying issues specifically around the factors that lead youth to end up in the juvenile justice system and what can be done to help them. He did this research as part of his dissertation for his doctorate in Organizational Leadership.

As I do in each episode, I ask what made him choose law enforcement; we talk about his “why” and the value of reflecting back on it.

@Abby Ellsworth 2022. All booking, interviews, production and editing done by Abby Ellsworth. Contact me at abby@ellsworthproductions.com.

Ep. 24 - A Captain from a mid-sized agency in Washington State discusses the wide-ranging new police reform legislation that went into law in July 2021 in Washington. Many states are enacting police reform bills into law, but to date, few go as far as the new laws in Washington – including being the only state to ban Terry stops, a long-held practice which allows the police to briefly detain a person based on reasonable suspicion of involvement in criminal activity.

Because of how these laws are written and their overall scope and restrictiveness, they have been met with concern and confusion within law enforcement on how to interpret and implement them. Officers are finding their hands tied when it comes to apprehending and arresting criminals, helping those in mental crisis and protecting the public. These concerns are shared among citizens who are seeing a rise in crime and new limits on what police can do about it. There currently is a debate over whether these changes will help or hurt public safety. And so I am to turning to this Captain to get his reactions and to understand what he is seeing as the impact not only on law enforcement, his department, but also on community members.

If you would like to contact your legislator with questions, comments or concerns about the new laws, you can locate your legislator at this website: https://app.leg.wa.gov/districtfinder

Contact me at abby@ellsworthproductions.com.  All booking, interviews, production and editing by Abby Ellsworth.  Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 23 Today, I am bringing awareness to suicide and mental health issues within law enforcement. Joining me is Inspector Steve Hough who has 25 years in law enforcement. He is one of the co-founders, along with Karen Solomon and Dr. Jeffrey McGill, of Blue H.E.L.P., a non-profit organization committed to honoring the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers who have been lost to suicide and to supporting their families and loved ones. It is the only organization in the country that collects LE suicide data. Blue H.E.L.P. also works to de-stigmatize mental health and job stress issues and connects officers to wellness and treatment programs. Last year, Blue H.E.L.P. designated Sept. 26 as National Law Enforcement Suicide Awareness day. I want to do my part in helping drive that awareness.

Blue H.E.L.P.’s website is https://bluehelp.org/ You can find important information on services; stories of family members who have lost their LEO loved ones to suicide; the Honor Wall recognizing the service of those officers; and information on what you can do for National Law Enforcement Suicide Awareness Day.

Please feel free to email me your thoughts, ideas for topics, and/or if you are interested in being interviewed: Abby@ellsworthproductions.com. You can find On Being a Police Officer on Facebook; @AbbyEllsworth13 on Twitter; and on_being_a_police_officer on Instagram. Don't forget to subscribe/follow on you favorite podcast platform.  

All interviews, bookings, editing done by Abby Ellsworth.

Ep. 22 Today’s episode is with Katie Nelson, Public Information Officer (PIO) for the Mountain View Police Department. We talk about how police agencies are connecting with community at the local and national level. Katie has a prominent role as the Chair of the PIO Section for the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) – the world’s largest and most influential professional association for police leaders with more than 31,000 members in more than 165 countries. I tap her insight into what’s going on around the country in terms of new legislation in certain states, the elimination of qualified immunity for some, and new laws that are affecting not only law enforcement, but also community members and victims who have not necessarily been fully updated on how these new laws affect them. 

We also discuss #PathForward, the IACP’s digital initiative to help enhance law enforcement's efforts to better tell the story of all that policing is and the good work officers do every day. I highly recommend checking out the posts on Twitter. If you are in law enforcement, use the hashtag to highlight the stories in your own community, the stories that don’t make the news.

I also want to provide the press release issued by Auburn WA Police Department about a recent incident and a link to their Facebook post that explains why officers were unable to take action. I reference this in the episode. You can always reach me at Abby@Ellsworthproductions.com

https://www.facebook.com/AuburnWAPolice/videos/377749317316960

*****Press Release/Stolen Vehicle*****

08-31

Around 2:30pm Officers with Auburn PD were dispatched to a stolen vehicle report near the Auburn Police Substation on Lea Hill. The victim at the scene told the officers she had been robbed at gunpoint and her vehicle, a white 2016 Lexus RX, had been stolen.

Using a photographic montage, the victim was able to identify the suspect. Officers learned, the vehicle was equipped with Lojack and it had been activated.

Just after 3pm, while searching for a suspect on an unrelated call, King County Guardian One reported that they had been receiving pings from the stolen Lexus. Guardian One followed the Lojack signal and at about 3:15pm located the vehicle backing into an apartment complex in the 900 Block of 12 ST SE.

Not long after, Guardian One saw a male had left from the backseat and another male had left from the front passenger seat. Neither of these males were able to be identified. The male from the back seat walked across the parking lot, while the male from the front passenger seat got into another vehicle.

As patrol units began to converge on the area, Guardian One said a patrol unit had just driven by the Lexus as it pulled out of the apartment complex parking lot. The Lexus had come close to one of our patrol vehicles and drove around our officers.

Officers and Guardian One continued to try and track the stolen vehicle, but they eventually fell too far behind and could not keep up. Without anyone observing the driver, identifying the driver or any other possible occupants in the vehicle, there was no probable cause for anyone in the vehicle regarding this robbery case.

Due to the recent legislative changes regarding vehicle pursuits and use of force in Washington State, we were not legally allowed to pursue the vehicle.

Ep. 21 What is it like to be an officer involved in a deadly force incident? This is the subject of a powerful documentary, “Officer Involved” by filmmaker and former police officer Patrick Shaver. Over several years, Patrick interviewed officers from around the country about their incident and the emotional toll it took on them. He also interviews experts on the subject. We are painfully aware of the tragedy surrounding deadly use of force on those lost and their loved ones. This film and my conversation with Patrick shed light on the part of the story that is rarely discussed: what happens after the trigger is pulled – to the officer. As always, my goal is to tell the stories of law enforcement that don’t get told, to help us all better understand what the job really is, that there are human beings behind that badge, and to show the complexity of what it means to be a police officer.

We also touch on Patrick's second film "Dinkheller" about Deputy Kyle Dinkheller who paid with his life during a traffic stop, the dash cam video of which has been used in academy training for law enforcement officers. Patrick's film gives us a more complete picture of who this young man was.

You can learn more about Patrick's work on his website: http://www.officerinvolvedproject.com. You also can purchase DVD copies of his films, the proceeds of which help fund his work. 

Ep. 20 With the NYC Pride Parade’s ban of NYPD officers from working and participating in this year’s parade, I turned to retired Seattle PD Officer Jim Ritter for his reaction. Ritter, who had a 40-year career in law enforcement, was Seattle PD’s first full-time LGBTQ liaison, and he created Safe Place originally for the protection of the LGBTQ community. Shortly after this interview was recorded, groups in Seattle began making similar police-banning announcements for the Pride parade activities there. Jim’s reaction to NYC addresses the issues in both cities and any other that may follow. Equally important, we talk about Jim’s own journey as a gay man in law enforcement, his decades-long fear of coming out and the repercussions it could have had on him. It is a poignant reminder of how hard-fought the right to be safely out is – including for those in law enforcement. Jim remains committed to educating the LGBTQ community about police and police departments about the LGBTQ community. He has formed his own company and travels around the country to maintain a healthy, informed, positive dialogue. His work is a light that keeps the path forward illuminated in opposition to the hate and misinformation that drags us backward.

Jim’s company is J.S. Ritter & Associates, LLC https://www.jsritterassociatesllc.com/

I also discussed Safe Place in Ep. 19 with Detective Beth Wareing in relation to all hate crimes. For more info on SPD’s Safe Place Program, you can find it here: https://www.seattle.gov/spd-safe-place

Ep. 19 With the dramatic increase in attacks on Asian Americans, I turn to Det. Beth Wareingwho investigates bias and hate crimes for the Seattle Police Department. I ask: What is a hate crime? How is it investigated? What are the challenges?  We discuss not only the increase in hate crimes against Asian Americans, but also in other categories like homeless, Black and Brown, and LGBTQ communities. This is not an interview about statistics. This is about people – the people who suffer these assaults – and the people who are committed to investigating them. Det. Wareing reinforces the importance of patrol and their ability to respond quickly when an assault has happened. She shares her concern over officer wellness in these trying times. We talk about why she became a police officer, what the rewards are, and her vision for what the future of law enforcement will look like.

©Abby Ellsworth Productions.  All interviews, editing, production by Abby Ellsworth. Contact me at abby@ellsworthproductions.com if you'd like to be on the podcast or to share your thoughts.  Please subscribe/follow on your favorite podcast platform and feel free to leave a review.  You can find me on Facebook OnBeingaPoliceOfficer, Twitter @AbbyEllsworth13 and Instagram on_being_a_police_officer. Music courtesy of freesound.org. Thanks for listening. 

Ep. 17 In Part 2of my interview with this sergeant in the Pacific NW, we tackle the subject of deadly use of force and when it is necessary. We examine often-asked questions citizens have about these encounters. We then turn to how LE is a true family and the rewards of the job. As she describes, her best days on patrol were when people thanked her at the end of the contact, often after she had to arrest them. She talks about the citizens she remembers, and how sharing a little about herself and listening to people goes a long way toward showing her "human side," the person in the uniform, to build two-way communication and understanding. 

Ep. 16 Part 1 of 2. A sergeant with 20 years on a mid-sized agency in the Pacific NW explains she never considered becoming a police officer because of the unfavorable view she had of law enforcement growing up. We talk about what changed her mind and why a career as an LEO means so much to her especially, as she explains, as a woman of color being able to represent the underrepresented. We discuss how the area she grew up in, which was known for gang violence, and her first job as a counselor for incarcerated youth helped inform her work. We also talk about her reaction to the killing of George Floyd. Our interview took place prior to the Derek Chauvin trial and our conversation and reactions are based on the incident as it was portrayed in the news when it happened. We also discuss what it’s like being a police officer during these difficult times for law enforcement. In Part 2, we get to talk about the rewards of the job.

Ep. 15 Former Seattle Police Officer Part 3 of 3. Riots. Rewards. Resignation. Today I complete a series of three interviews with a former Seattle police officer who was with the department for 14 years. We talk about working the protests and riots over the summer, in particular holding the line at the SPD’s East Precinct the closure of which made national news. The officer discusses watching legitimate protests overrun by those bent on destruction and harming officers. We talk about the inability to police effectively and hold those committing crimes accountable due to changes in filing standards and failure to press charges, changes that have forced this officer to make the difficult decision to leave the Seattle Police Department. And even with all that has happened, he reflects on what the rewards have been.

Ep. 14 - Part 2 of 3. Joel’s story.This the second of three interviews with an officer who spent 14 years on the Seattle Police Department. We pick up where we left off in Part 1 talking about the work this officer did with SPD’s Crisis Intervention Team. We focus on the story of Joel Reuter. Much has been written about Joel, his skill working in technology, his friendly nature as well as his mental illness and the incident that ultimately took his life.  We discuss how much this officer along with the mental health professional that partnered with the CIT did to help Joel get the treatment he needed. It’s the part of Joel’s story you haven’t heard.

In the interview, we talk about Joel’s Law which was championed by Joel’s father and signed into law in 2015, two years after Joel’s death. Here is a link with more information:

https://www.tvw.org/blog/2015/05/gov-inslee-signs-joels-law-two-years-after-joel-reuters-death/

Ep. 13. Part one of three – Saving Lives. This is the first in a three-part series with a former Seattle Police Officer who recently left the department after 14 years. First, in this part, we look back at the great work this officer did with the Seattle Police Department. We start with his response to the shooting in March 2019 of Metro Bus Driver Eric Stark whose story of heroism is featured in EP. 8. Eric credits two SPD officers with saving his life. This is one of those officers.

We then talk about this officer’s work on SPD’s Crisis Intervention Team which works with Mental Health Professionals (MHPs) to respond to incidents of persons in mental crisis. This is the co-responder model that I’ve discussed previously in this podcast. This officer’s stories illustrate the lengths SPD goes to to help people get treatment and into programs as an alternative to incarceration.

Later in this three-part series, we revisit the summer of 2020 during which this officer worked the front lines of the riots, riots that continue in many markets; and we discuss his decision to leave SPD, a department he had hoped to stay with until retirement. Each part of the series will air one week apart. 

Booking, interviews, pre- and post-production, editing by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy freesound.org.

Ep. 12 features Assistant Chief David Green with the San Bernardino Police Department. We talk about the challenges of policing in California due to the impact of state initiatives involving decriminalization, zero bail amounts, moving the prison population into county jails and more, mandates that are having a major impact on law enforcement and the community, as similar initiatives are having in other markets around the country.  Chief Green also discusses the horror of the 2015 terrorist attack, a mass shooting and attempted bombing perpetrated by heavily-armed husband and wife extremists that left 14 dead and dozens injured. It was the deadliest terrorist attack in the U.S. since the 9/11 attacks only to be surpassed by the Orlando Pulse Nightclub shooting the following year. We close by discussing why he became a police officer and what the rewards have been.

A Detective from a San Diego County agency with 15 years in LE talks about his current role in robbery, home invasion, kidnapping and carjacking investigations. He started out with Seattle PD in 2005 and shares stories of his time there including the interesting aspects of working undercover. For the first time in this podcast, we discuss the impact of line-of-duty deaths. We also talk about the challenges of the current anti-police environment, the importance of giving people a chance to be heard in any interaction, and the impact of CA state policies on LE’s ability to protect the community. And of course, we talk about the rewards of the job and why he became a police officer.

Listed below are the line-of-duty deaths we discuss. If you can, take a minute to read their stories. There are many moving news articles about each of these incidents and the impact on those they were forced to leave behind.  To these officers and the many others not mentioned here, we thank you for your service.  Gone But Not Forgotten.

Seattle PD Officer Tim Brenton

https://www.odmp.org/officer/20104-officer-timothy-q-brenton

Lakewood Police Department Officers

https://www.odmp.org/officer/20137-sergeant-mark-joseph-renninger

https://www.odmp.org/officer/20140-police-officer-ronald-wilbur-owens-ii

https://www.odmp.org/officer/20139-police-officer-gregory-james-richards

https://www.odmp.org/officer/20138-police-officer-tina-gail-delong-griswold

Seattle Police Officer Joselito Barber

https://www.odmp.org/officer/18435-police-officer-joselito-alvarez-barber

Dallas Police Department Officers

https://www.odmp.org/officer/22894-senior-corporal-lorne-bradley-ahrens

https://www.odmp.org/officer/22895-police-officer-michael-leslie-krol

https://www.odmp.org/officer/22896-sergeant-michael-joseph-smith

https://www.odmp.org/officer/22898-police-officer-brent-alan-thompson

https://www.odmp.org/officer/22897-police-officer-patricio-enrique-zamarripa

San Diego PD Officer Jeremy Henwood

https://www.odmp.org/officer/20924-police-officer-jeremy-nicholas-henwood

All booking, interviews, editing and production by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy freesound.org.

January is Slavery and Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention month, so I am talking with Jim Fuda who is the Director of Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound and Vice Chairman of the recently launched Crime Stoppers Global Solutions. A big part of their focus is international outreach to stop human trafficking as well as other major felony crimes. Jim is a 48-year career police officer who has worked many overseas assignments where he has seen heinous crimes such aschild sex trafficking. It compelled him to form an NGO where Crime Stoppers can leverage technology to assist in the fight against transnational crime.

In the interview, we reference the content and stories featured in a compelling PSA Jim created about child sex trafficking; you can see it on YouTube: ttps://youtu.be/gw7ZFgf1FCA. Crime Stoppers is a non-profit organization. The rewards they pay out for tips that lead to arrests with charges come from donations. You can make a donation at their website www.csglobalsolutions.org

I talk with an officer from a mid-sized agency in the Pacific NW who has been on for just under two years. We talk about why she recently changed careers to become a police officer and what it’s like having joined at this challenging time for LE. Given the location of her department, she has not been on the front lines of riots and protests. But she is battling an assault on a personal level, in her life and relationships with the perspective people have of the police, not just nationally, but within her own circle. It is something I imagine many officers new or tenured are experiencing. We talk about the need for conversations on difficult topics, George Floyd, and making a difference.  Her insights are heartfelt and heart wrenching.

For National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, January 9, I’m sharing a short collection of quotes from the first set of interviews I did with officers in 2020. I am a civilian doing this podcast to give law enforcement a voice at this difficult time. My goal is to tell the real stories of LE to shine a light on your commitment, sacrifice and the good things you do every day.  #NationalLawEnforcmentAppreciationDay 

The quotes you hear in this short collection are from:

Episodes 1 with a Seattle Police Department Sergeant;

Episode 2 with a Chief from a mid-sized agency in the Pacific Northwest;

Episode 3 with a retired Seattle Police Officer with 40 years in LE;

Episode 5 with Los Angeles Police Department retired Detective Moses Castillo;

Episode 7 with Lt. Christopher Cook, PIO for the Arlington Police Department in Texas.

I should also highlight on this day of gratitude to LEOs, that episodes 4, 6 and 8 are interviews with citizens who are going out of their way to actively show their support for all police officers, in their own markets and beyond.

More episodes are on their way. Please follow me on Twitter @AbbyEllsworth13; and on Facebook; or email me at Abby@ellsworthproductions.com.

Metro Transit Bus Driver Eric Stark is widely hailed as a hero in Seattle for his quick thinking and actions to save his passengers after he was shot while driving his bus in North Seattle on March 27, 2019. Eric recounts the harrowing ordeal and credits two Seattle Police Officers with saving his life. After receiving a Seattle PD Challenge Coin from then Chief Carmen Best, Eric decided to create his own challenge coin to thank and honor all LE. He has spent months making presentations and handing out his coins to officers at all SPD precincts and surrounding Seattle-area police agencies, as well as to officers he sees in the course of his day as a bus driver. He wants all LEOs to know how much they are, in fact, appreciated by their community and to inspire others in the community to take the time to get to know their police officers as fellow human beings, especially during this difficult time. As in Ep. 4 with citizen Zach, the SPD officers who responded to Eric and treated his injuries had EMT kits and EMT training funded by the Seattle Police Foundation. That funding comes through donations which can be made at www.seattlepolicefoundation.org.

Lt. Christopher Cook, Public Information Officer for the Arlington Police Department in Texas has a unique perspective on issues facing police departments around the country because he is involved in three of the largest police and communications organizations in the world: Major Cities Chiefs, The International Association of Chiefs of Police and the National Information Officers Association.  We talk about the toll defunding and riots are taking on officers. We discuss the death of George Floyd and the experiences of our black and brown communities. We examine use of force and LE transparency. He talks about my new favorite idea: launching Body Cam footage of the week, a wonderful way to show all the good encounters officers have with their communities. And he shares memories from his 25-year career. For info on the documentary I mention, “Officer Involved” follow this link: http://www.officerinvolvedproject.com/order/dvd Find me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter @AbbyEllsworth13. Thanks for listening.

As we give thanks this time of year, I am sharing what one Colorado citizen and his wife and friends are doing to step out of being the silent majority into the vocal majority by taking active steps to show their support for officers in their area – and for all law enforcement.  To all officers and your families and friends, I hope you’ll take a moment to enjoy this simple and heartfelt thank you.

Retired LAPD Det. Moses Castillo discusses civil unrest in Los Angeles and the calls from city officials to defund LAPD the impact of which, as in other markets, affects not only their ability to respond to calls, but also demoralizes officers. A 30-year veteran of the department, he started out during the Rodney King riots, and he compares the social unrest then and now. He also discusses some of the most meaningful cases he investigated involving the assault and murder of children, work he did for more than 20 years. The stories are dramatic and emotional, and they reinforce the commitment and sacrifice officers like Det. Castillo make every day to protect others. He shares his experience growing up in a dangerous neighborhood next to a gang house, and the very heartwarming story of the deputy he looked up to as a kid, the deputy who inspired a young boy to become a police officer. He has his own podcast:  The Blue Line Podcast with Detective Moses Castillo available on all podcast platforms.

A Seattle citizen sends a very personal message of thanks to the Seattle Police officers who saved his life after a drive-by shooting two years ago this month. He tells his story not only to share his gratitude for all law enforcement, but also to help others see the good that officers do, the stories that don’t make news. As you will hear, he also is raising funds for two groups: YMCA’s Alive and Free Violence Prevention program to reduce gang violence, and The Seattle Police Foundation, a non-profit that helps fund needed training, equipment and community outreach for the Seattle Police Department. He also shares his tips on how fellow citizens can take a moment to show their thanks to law enforcement. If you’re an officer or related to someone is, you will be uplifted by Zach’s story and his message.

Ep. 3 Former Seattle Police Officer looks back at 40-year career; his experience as a Black man in life and in law enforcement; the issues facing society and LE today; why he became a police officer, the people he remembers and the rewards of the job.  

Chief from a Pacific NW agency shares his views on steps law enforcement can take to win back public trust. We discuss bias and de-escalation training and how the best-trained officers are the least likely to use force; and we look at the viability of the co-responder model. He talks about how the Rodney King incident nearly caused him to leave the profession and his reaction to George Floyd. He details a solution-oriented program he created to bring officers and youth together in a positive environment. And he reflects on the heroic things officers do every day and the fundamental commitment to sanctity of human life.

Ep. 1 Seattle TV reporter Linda Byron shares the significance of the Seattle Police Department’s loss of its first Black female police Chief when Carmen Best suddenly resigns. (6:15 min). An SPD sergeant reacts to Best's news, to the murder of George Floyd, and he describes what it’s like on the front lines of the riots that have plagued the city for weeks. He reflects on hope for law enforcement, the lives he’s touched while being a police officer, and why it's still a rewarding career. (23:30 min.)

We all have feelings about cops.  Here's a short trailer on why I'm asking questions and telling their stories, the stories that you don't see in the news..