ATO: BRIDGING THE DIVIDE

We finally got em! Danny cocreated the show and quite frankly our product would not be near the quality what it is without Danny and his many talents. We wanted to make 100 special, and I believe we surpassed any expectations I had. Enjoy our Final Revisited episode.   **** Trigger Warning Alert**** Episode 100 was always going to be a special episode for our show but when I got today’s guest to finally agree to tell his story I knew I wanted to make it extra special for the listener but also make it special for one of my best friends and one of the most impressive humans I have ever met. – Joe King.  We are honored to share this stage with Dallas SWAT Operator and ATO: Bridging the Divide Co-Creator, Daniel Canete.  Danny gravitated to music at the age of five and quickly began mastering the language and art of music as he became a student of the piano. Most students that age avoided the stage, but Danny ran to it and excelled and built on his natural inquisitive nature and quickly began performing on that stage. Playing at churches, then to recitals, then began dominating in local and state competitions. He was a natural on the performance stage, this trait will become very important as later he will find himself on a life and death stage. As a musician, his desire was to share music with people to perpetuate a love for the arts and to educate the public in order to keep the classical arts alive. He mastered the piano and percussion but the five-octave marimba will always hold a special place in Danny’s heart. Danny left his mark on the music world at Colorado State as a scholarship was created in his name, the Daniel Canete Music Performance Scholarship.  Sometimes we all reach crossroads in life and are thrust into a difficult decision as we navigate our life journey. Danny, with all of his skills and successes and dedication to music, was not impervious to these life changing decisions.  9/11 changed us all and changed the world but for some people, people like Danny, it provided him a new calling to serve this world in a different way. He chose to serve with the Dallas Police Department and was assigned to “God’s Country”, the Southeast Division and fell in love with being a street cop and serving the citizens. This story will finally give the listener a peek into the life of a very private man that just happens to have a very high-profile profession as a member of Dallas SWAT.    The stage is set and the ATO listeners are making their way to their seats to see a true talented and gifted performer. Thank you for all of the support you have given us since August of 2021, it has been an incredible journey to 100.   Special Thanks: Billings PD Lt. Brandon Wooley USAF Lt. Colonel Zach, Cougar, Fennell Dr. Janet Landreth SWAT Lt. Andre Taylor SWAT ASL Matt Smith SWAT Sgt. Ryan Scott SWAT Brandon Berie Trent Custis Kimberly Canete  Critical Incidents Discussed:February 13th, 2012 Officer involved shooting in Pleasant Grove, Southeast Division, as CRT members engaged a robbery suspect.  July 7th 2016 The shooting in downtown Dallas on July 7th2016 when five Officers were killed, and nine others were wounded during a protest in downtown Dallas Texas. Two civilians were also injured during this cowardly attack as it was the deadliest incident for law enforcement since the September 11th, 2001, attacks.  Daniel Canete Music Performance Scholarship - College of Liberal Arts | Colorado State University (colostate.edu)

This revisit is one of my personal projects that I had wanted to get out for the listener for quite some time and to see it all put together was something I will always cherish. This episode has been a project since this show began as we finally tell the story of the attack on Dallas Police Headquarters on June 13th, 2015. At approximately 12:30 am a suspect, driving an armored van, drove to police headquarters in Dallas Texas and planted bags containing pipe bombs and opened fire on the front of the building with an assault rifle. Several officers responded and were met with gunfire in the streets in front of headquarters and then led the police on a chase that would end in history being made in US law enforcement history with the method in which the threat was eliminated. The episode will detail the tragedy from the 2013 arrest of the suspect to the events on June 13th, 2015, as he was eliminated by the use of a .50 caliber rifle, the first and only time this weapon platform has been used on a suspect in the United States.   This episode welcomes then Dallas SWAT members Jude Braun, Kent Wolverton, Danny Canete and Keith Rieg to the stage to give a play-by-play firsthand account of this incident and the significance in Dallas and US law enforcement history.   Guest List: Jude Braun #5015            36 years with Dallas Police and served 33 years with Dallas SWAT. Jude has the reputation of being an expert on explosive breaching and spearheaded the rifle program on the Dallas Police Department. Braun is now retired. Keith Rieg #6809 32 years with the Dallas Police Department and is still an active SWAT member after 24 years. Keith is a sniper and pulled the trigger of the .50 caliber rifle during this incident. Kent Wolverton #8393 20 years with Dallas Police Department and served as supervisor in SWAT for nearly 7 years. Kent also commanded the Dallas K9 Unit and now is a supervisor in Narcotics. Danny Canete #8834                17-year Dallas veteran with over 8 years in Dallas SWAT. Danny also was a member of the Dallas Narcotics Unit and the Southeast CRT.                Master Breacher Certified, Sniper and Less Lethal and Rope Master and instructor for High Angle Team as well rappel instructor for TTPOA.   Terms used in episode:                “Green Light”: Order giving by the Chief of Police authorizing operators to use deadly force to eliminate the threat.   Weapons used by the suspect:                Jennings JA-9 9mm handgun                Taurus Judge .45 caliber handgun                Savage Model 111 6.5/284   Norma with Redfield scope                Ruger 10/22 with Nikon scope                Stevens Model 320 Security 12 gauge pump                Pipe Bombs

“Trust God, Clean House, Serve Others”  The Assist the Officer Foundation sits down with an incredibly accomplished and unique individual today in Sgt. Andre Taylor of Dallas SWAT. As Dre grew up in the South side of Chicago, he regularly witnessed acts of violence but also witnessed an incredible community and family as his mother was ever present in his upbringing ensuring he didn’t fall prey to the many negative lifestyles of the streets that could lead to him in jail or dead. Life laid itself out for Andre as he found himself moving to Dallas Texas to join the Police force in 1999 and began serving the City of Dallas. He joined the Dallas SWAT team in 2003 and trained under some of the toughest SWAT trainers who exposed him to a new level of police work . Andre experienced several critical incidents during his time in SWAT and one that sticks out more than others is an incident that’s familiar to this show. The hostage rescue on Martel still haunts everyone that was a part of that operation. After leaving SWAT he joined the Dallas Mounted Unit and learned the tools to have a partner, Tommy, that weighed over 1500 lbs. and quickly understood the power and beauty of horses and saw the importance of community policing. Andre Taylor returned to Dallas SWAT years later and found himself in a new role as the leader and not the operator, so he had to learn to develop tools for his new role as being a boss to high performing and highly trained operators. Dre has always been in control of his life and his own destiny however in January of 2023 he looked into the mirror and did not like what he saw and realized he could not control an aspect of his life. As he contemplated his new direction, he typed out on email that would change his life, both personally and professionally, forever as he knew once he hit the send button everything would change. Once he hit send and the first step in climbing a new mountain was taken and now Dre found himself in a completely new world as he had to ask for help to regain control of his life. The listener will have to finish this story and hear Andre’s new challenge in life and career as he found a new purpose and “why”.  We are hoping Dre finds that needed time now to work on his old cars and roller skate. ATO Family you are never alone in this life…….Please always reach out.   Critical incident: Infant hostage on 5800 Martel, Dallas, Texas on 6/20/2007 Acronyms/Phrases: APC- Armored personnel carrier #SWAT #Chicago 12 Step AA Programs: 12 Steps to Recovery for Addiction (americanaddictioncenters.org)  

This is #4 in our revisited series as we talk about the circumstances regarding “Riggs” episode as he speaks extremely candidly and open as we tackle the difficult subject of suicide. This is an epidemic in the first responder community and conversations like these can never cease. You are enough and people are in your life for a reason…..   This show will never shy away from having the difficult conversations. Thriving mental and physical health is paramount and crucial to survival and sadly, if not addressed, it could lead to a life ending. First responders are three times more likely to die by suicide than the from the job that they do. These numbers don’t include the suicide attempts or suicidal ideation of first responders that are suffering and struggling in silence. There are a lot of descriptors that officers apply to themselves such as Fearful, Shame, Unworthy, Useless, Despair and Apathy to Life to name a few. These are all symptoms of depression, which is the ultimate liar. It will tell you that you are a failure when you have actually succeeded. It will make you feel like a burden to others. It will make you feel that others will be better off without you in life. It will tell you that you are alone. Reality: People do count on you. Others do love and respect you. These people will no longer have you there to help them, make them laugh, call you when they are struggling, and no longer to tell you they love you. You are worth so much to so many. Today’s episode will pull back the curtain on a first responder that was enveloped by the darkness and lost all hope and wished to leave this world and the people that call him a husband, a father, a sibling, a colleague, and a friend. This is someone who went to the edge of the cliff and had one foot off and then was rescued by a voice to pull him back into this world and remind him that it was not his time and he had much more to give this world. This guest could be your husband, wife, child, friend, coworker, partner on a call or your boss. The darkness is real and can come for us all at any time in our life and sadly there are many who do not hear that voice that calls them from that cliff.   If are struggling, there is help!: Suicide Awareness (smore.com) Call 988 suicide hotline COPLINE: 1-800-COPLINE #suicideawareness #suicideprevention #mentalhealthmatters #reachout #mentalhealth #trauma  

This is #5 in our Revisited series as we discuss the Penton episode. This episode was one of the most emotional stories we have released. This is a behind the scenes on how the show idea came about and on the hosts personal takes on this shows impact.   "Always come home". This is the story of a young Dallas Officer who had ambitions of fighting crime, serving the city and starting a new family. Mitchell Penton embraced the Northeast Patrol Division’s fast pace and settled in with several other young officers that became a blue family.  Mitchell loved being a cop….was a loyal son, a devoted father, and husband and everyone in his life looked to the future to travel with him on this journey. But life being what it is - a series of intersecting lives and incidents, out of anyone's control changed all of that on February 13th, 2021, on an icy morning in Dallas, Texas. Officer Penton was struck and killed by a drunk driver as he worked an accident scene on North Central Expressway and Walnut Hill. He left behind an expectant wife, stepson, amazing parents and a brother and sister. Today we are hearing from his parents, Tim and Kathy, as they give a peek into who Mitchell Penton was as a child, a soccer player, a goofy and fun-loving kid, to his decision to serve as an Officer. They take us on their own journey from the night of February 13th, 2021, to the conclusion of a  trial in May of 2023.  This story is a powerful reminder of the fleeting nature of life and of the importance of cherishing our moments. It encourages us to live in the present, to appreciate the people and experiences around us, and to make the most of the time we have. Please welcome the Penton family to the ATO stage. Critical Incident: February 13, 2021: Police Officer Mitchell Penton was struck and killed by a vehicle operated by an intoxicated driver at about 1:45 am. He was working at the scene of a vehicle collision in the northbound lanes of the North Central Expressway at Walnut Hill Lane. He was securing traffic with the emergency lights from his patrol car when a vehicle driven by an intoxicated driver, traveling at a high rate of speed, hit the back of his patrol car. The collision pushed the patrol car into Officer Penton. Officer Penton was transported to Baylor University Medical Center when he died from his injuries. The driver of the vehicle that struck Officer Penton was arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter of a police officer and intoxication assault. In 2023, he was found guilty and sentenced to 30 years.

This is a behind the scenes peek at the Great Alan Holmes episode as he was our shows first Detective from the Crimes Against Persons Division. Since the show we have received so much great feedback and made new connections from people that the episode resonated with them for different reasons. ”Show me the survivor, I’ll show you the suspect “ IN 1887 SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE INTRODUCED THE WORLDS GREATEST DETECTIVE IN SHERLOCK HOLMES. HOLMES WAS KNOWN FOR HIS USE OF FORENSIC SCIENCE, DEDUCTIVE REASONING THAT BORDERS ON THE FANTASTIC. THE CITY OF DALLAS HAS THEIR VERY OWN DETECTIVE HOLMES….ALAN HOLMES. GROWING UP IN BROOKLYN NEW YORK, COMING FROM A FIRST RESPONDER FAMILY, ALAN MOVED TO DALLAS TEXAS TO EMBARK ON HIS OWN FIRST RESPONDER CAREER. AFTER COMPLETING THE ACADEMY ALAN WAS ASSIGNED TO THE NORTHEAST DIVISION OF DALLAS AND HIT THE GROUND RUNNING AS HE ENGAGED IN A STYLE OF AGGRESSIVE PROACTIVE STYLE OF POLICING. HOWEVER, IN 2015 ALAN FOUND HIS TRUE CALLING AS HE JOINED THE DALLAS PD SEXUAL ASSAULT UNIT. THIS UNIT INVESTIGATES SOME OF THE MOST HORRIFIC CRIMES AS THEY HUNT DOWN TRUE PREDATORS IN THE CITY OF DALLAS. ALAN HAS INVESTIGATED OVER 50 SERIAL RAPISTS IN HIS TIME WITH THE SEX ASSAULT UNIT IN DALLAS. DETECTIVE HOLMES HAS SPECIALIZED TRAINING AND EXPERTISE IN NEURO-BIOLOGY OF TRAUMA, AND SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE AND INVESTIGATIONS. IN 2017 DETECTIVE HOLMES PUT HIS ART DEGREE AND FORMAL FORENSIC ART TRAINING TO WORK AS THE FORENSIC SKETCH ARTIST FOR DALLAS PD AND LOCAL AGENCIES. ALAN IS MARRIED, THE FATHER OF FOUR BOYS, ONE OF WHOM IS A PATROL OFFICER WITH DALLAS. DETECTIVE HOLMES IS TRULY ONE OF DALLAS PD’S FINEST AND PROMOTED TO A SERGEANT ON MAY 24TH. CONGRATULATIONS ALAN HOLMES! WHEN IT COMES TO SOLVING CRIMES….IT IS ELEMENTARY WATSON  

“The Rolodex” ATO Family please welcome one of our blue family members that has traveled over 800 miles to take the stage for the listeners. Nearly a year ago the ATO received a heartfelt message of gratitude, and it formed a new friendship many states away. This rollercoaster of a story will touch on many topics and have many emotions but when we get to the “Never Give Up on You” exit music the listener will be reminded that Police work is the same everywhere, the trauma is the same everywhere and even trained first responders need help to survive. In July of 2022 an incident occurred that changed the direction of this officer’s life but also reminded him of very old wounds that existed from the life of being in law enforcement for over two decades. The cumulative trauma officers endure daily can be as damaging as a rifle being leveled at you during a traffic stop and if, untreated, can weigh on you and become too much. The weight of the badge is heavy not only for the one that wears it but also the ones they go home to. We have seen the weight ruin relationships with family and friends and we have also seen that NO ONE is immune to the effects of this weight. The message today will be clear: YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Here to present this story today is Joe, Kent, and the Great Dallas SWAT Operator Steve Claggett. Todays guest is the husband to his beautiful wife Jen, father to Chloe and Hailee, and a true public servant to the state of Iowa. Special Shout Out to Cedar Rapids Blair Klostermann as she and Matt recently won their Department’s Medal of Valor Award.  Matt Jenatscheck the ATO stage is yours to tell us about the “Rolodex”. Critical Incidents:  The brutal murder of Lynnsey Donald on April 21, 2015. The suspect attacked her, as her 7-year child watched, and stabbed her to death in a parking lot. The suspect received life in prison with no parole. Officer involved shooting in July 2022 in Cedar Rapids Iowa. Acronyms used: EMDR- Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing  

Shelby Houston In Memory of Richard Houston On December 3rd, 2021, Richard Houston, a 21-year Mesquite PD veteran, answered a domestic disturbance call and tragic events unfolded and he did not make it home that night. Being a family member or a friend of a first responder can be very rewarding as you have a front row seat of a true servant, a role model, and a hero. However tragedy can watch from afar and show up and cause a loved to receive a life changing phone call that will shape everyone’s future. Richard was a dedicated husband, incredible father to his children and a dedicated peace officer that left this world too soon.  Before he responded to that call and left this world he sent his daughter, Shelby, a sweet and reassuring text that he and her mom will aways have her back. At her father’s funeral she gave a breathtaking eulogy that inspired so many as it truly showed the beautiful side of humanity as Shelby spoke of forgiveness. This is her story of resiliency, faith and the incredible journey she is now a part of. The ATO is honored to sit down with this amazing young woman as she tells her story of her new “Why” in life and how she honors her father. Here to help tell this story we also are honored to welcome on the Honorable Judge Rainey Webb and her husband, former Dallas SWAT member Chris Webb. “If you are serious about your dream, surround yourself with people who love you well” -Bob Goff  Mesquite Police Officer Richard Houston Badge #821 End of Watch December 3rd,2021 www.shelbyhouston.org WWW.BOBGOFF.COM

This is #9 in our BTD Revisited series with the Great Matt Banes. We chose his second episode, Episode 6 Facing the Dragon, but we detail the several episodes Matt has been on for his own or as a cohost. Facing the Dragon  Continuation of Dallas Police Detective Matt Banes as he discusses 7/7/2016 in Dallas, Texas and his actions as he responded to the active scene as a member of Dallas SWAT that day. This day was one of the most horrific and tragic days for policing in America with the City of Dallas losing five great men that day along with others being physically wounded. To this day, the emotional damage from that tragic event is evident. This interview is one officer’s riveting perspective of being involved in this prolific event.  Critical Incident discussed: July 7th 2016, El Centro College, Dallas, Texas. The City lost 5 officers from this ambush attack.  Acronyms/Phrases: Tag Beats- Targeted areas within the city that, through crime stats, are deemed to drive the city's crime rate. On the X, Pushing to the X- Refers to being in direct line of fire and also rushing to the gunfire. 

This is our first release, #10, in the reloaded series as we give the listener a behind the curtain peek at some of our older episode’s stories. Every episode has its own unique story that goes beyond the final cut of the show we release and these reloaded episodes will tell some of these stories. Enjoy……… Former Dallas Police Homicide Detective Elmer “Sonny” Boyd badge #840.  Sonny started DPD in 1952 and eventually joined Captain Will Fritz’s elite Dallas Homicide unit. On November 22nd, 1963, he lost a friend, and the nation lost a President as he found himself immersed into one of the most controversial dates in world history.  Sonny reflects on handling Lee Harvey Oswald and his role in the Dallas PD before and after tragic day in our nation’s history. Sonny Boyd passed away on May 24th, 2024, at age 96. He will be buried in his Dallas PD uniform and return home to his wife, Yvonne. Dallas Officer J.D. Tippit End of Watch 11/22/1963 Atodallas.org

 “ If you’re not willing to fail, you’ll never succeed.” We are very honored to sit with today’s guest with a message from a true innovator, leader, and inspiring figure. Salim Asrawi, the co-founder and President of Texas de Brazil, immigrated to the United States at the age of 14. He left Lebanon to come to America in search of the American Dream and after years of working his way through hospitality school and forming an unmatched work ethic that he still practices to this day. Salim is not just a successful and inspiring businessman but also has an enormous and giving heart as he gives to various charities, notably ones that support veterans and the first responder community. Today we will hear from this very inspiring Dallasite as he walks us through his life and tells us his life mission and “why”. For this special holiday episode, we have a special guest cohost in the Dallas Chief of Police, and Salim’s friend, Daniel C Comeaux.

As we finish out the year and are in the holiday season, we felt it was fitting to release a unique story of one of our own, Chris Langlois.  Chris is a veteran member of the Dallas Police Department and serves the citizens of Dallas but also has a life mission in honoring his grandfather and those who sacrificed so much to give this country the many liberties we all enjoy today. In 2001 HBO, Spielberg, and Tom Hanks released an epic story that told the story of the 506th Infantry Regiment in World War II that known as Easy Company. The show was inspired by historical author Stephen Ambrose and was made into a ten part mini series that has become legendary. The real life characters that showed extreme courage, leadership, and sacrifice are what made this story so successful. Chris’s Grandfather, Medic “Doc” Eugene Roe was a central figure in this story that spanned from the D-Day invasion to taking over Hitler’s Eagle Nest in Germany. This episode will highlight how Chris keeps the memory of his grandfather and these “band of brothers” alive through his amazing work at Doc Roe Publishing and the children books he has written. If you are a history buff or just appreciate those who work to keep memories alive you will love this episode. The Dallas Police Department has so many talented and unique people and this show is grateful to be in a position to highlight their stories.   Enjoy!   Chri’s books and info can be found out https://docroepublishing.com   Books: How Easy Company Became a Band of Brothers Patrick the Paratrooper Draftee Marches with the Band of Brothers    

What a gift it is for this show to be able to sit down, again, with Crystal to update the listener on her growth and her journey. We presented her episode in 2022, and we learned about her life, joining the Dallas Police Department, and about that horrific day in April of 2018. A lot has happened since that episode, and our mics will always be open for this incredible warrior to continue her inspiring story. The ATO stage now belongs to Crystal Almeida.

The Assist the Officer Foundation welcomes Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux back to the mic to remind everyone that Dallas PD is the most proactive Department in the nation. Chief updates us on some new projects and initiatives and wanted to touch on some recent decisions he made and why he will always make his Department and the community they serve the top priority. We Are Dallas! #operationjusticetrail #leadership #Dallaspolicechief #Dallaspolice #policework #leadershipisanactivesport #geauxtime

It is an honor to sit down with retired Phoenix PD Detective Janicik EdD to discuss her life, career and a topic we cannot have enough education on, crimes against women. We will talk about how she turned personal tragedy into protecting women by raising awareness and educating on how these predators work and target women. Through her work in research, academia, and professional training, Cindy supports police agencies throughout the nation and internationally. A selection of collaborations she finds the most meaningful include: training the delegation of leaders from the Indonesian National Police Force on developing an effective, distance learning training model; serving as an expert on the 30x30 Initiative; supporting the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives through academic writing, educational pathways, and research; and assessing police agency practices in the areas of recruitment, hiring, and retention of sworn and professional staff personnel. Cindy holds a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Communications and a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Arizona State University, and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership, with an emphasis in Criminal Justice, from Northern Arizona University.

Today we chat with the great Mike Wagers, Chief Customer Officer of Axon, to talk about the history of the global leader in public safety technology…the every growing company known as Axon. Mike walks us through the company’s history, from its roots in 1993, to now becoming the standard in law enforcement technology. In 1993, Founder Rick Smith, had a vision to reduce gun violence and prevent crimes through technology to honor the murders of two of his high school football teammates. Like all great stories, there was early struggle, and resiliency was financially tested before the energy weapon, TASER, was introduced to the world. Mike gives us a unique sneak peek of what’s on the horizon with the new tech and mission expansion to wellness, AI tech and community partnerships that will save lives and solve crimes. This message will tell this story of how a tragedy turned into a global phenomenon in ever evolving tech to subdue suspects, enhance accountability and boldly go where no man has gone before to make the world, the first responder world, a better and safer place.

"Tough Times Don't Last, Tough People Do" We are honored to sit down with recently retired DFD Lt John Hampton as he wrapped up an amazing 25-year career. Growing up in Maryland, the son of a fireman, Lt Hampton knew he would go into a life of service as he entered the Army and joined the historic 82ndABN. After seeing combat action and developing his unique, hard-nosed leadership style he decided it was time to answer his calling by joining the Dallas Fire Department. Johnny was literally thrown into the fire as he joined one of the busiest stations in South Dallas, Station 44 off Lagow. Johnny is very candid in telling the story of his life and career and we are honored he trusted us at the caretaker of his journey. On July 21st, 2024, Lt Hampton entered Station 11 like any other morning and made a last minute decision to ride the engine to a structure fire call near downtown Dallas. The light rain coated the roadways, causing the rig’s tail to begin to swerve and the entire engine collided with the short wall went over several feet below onto the train tracks. The race began to save LT Hampton from the wreckage as he was pinned for 45 minutes as he teammates and firefighting family worked. This is the story of the life and career of an amazing man, leader, husband, father, and servant. Thank you, Lt John Hampton, for your service to the country and to the city of Dallas.

Today we sit down with former Arapahoe Deputy Sheriff and current Douglas County Sheriff in Colorado, and we discuss the epidemic of school shootings in America. We also want to stress the growing need for our schools to have resource officers in schools to protect what matters most to us….the children. James was on campus, as the SRO, at the Arapahoe High School on December 13th, 2013, when a disturbed teenager entered the school armed with a shotgun and Molotov cocktails and had a mission to murder the debate coach. 12:30 p.m.: The teen suspect enters Arapahoe High School with a shotgun, a machete, and three Molotov cocktails. On his arm, he has written the Latin phrase "Alea iacta est" ("The die has been cast"), along with numbers corresponding to the library and nearby classrooms. Around 12:33 p.m.: After the suspect fires one round down a hallway, he shoots 17-year-old student Claire Davis in the head as she sits at a table near the library with a friend. She is not his intended target. He then entered the library and threw the incendiary devices starting a fire. 12:34 p.m.: Officer James Englert and a security guard confronted the suspect, who then takes his own life with a gunshot to the head. December 21, 2013: Eight days after the shooting, Claire Davis dies from her injuries. Shortly after Claire’s family asked James if he would be a pall bearer at her funeral, which he accepted. A year after the shooting, an outdoor space calledClarity Commons is dedicated to Claire Davis's memory at the school.  James is an instructor and Vice President forNASRO (National Association for School Resource Officers). Officer Englert also serves as the President of the “ I Love You Guys” Foundation.   Students face different challenges and pressures today than their parents; predators luring them over the internet; new, stronger drugs; sexting on cell phones. Here are some of the current trends among young adults: Vaping (tobacco and marijuana) Alcohol and drugs Suicidal thoughts Bullying Sexting and Internet threats

Today we will hear from a name that has been mentioned in some recent episodes but has never been on the show to tell his story. The time has come to sit down with retired DEA Special Agent in Charge David Downing. Mr. Downing entered on duty with the DEA in 1995 as a member of Basic Agent Class 95. After graduating the academy in Quantico, Virginia, Mr. Downing served in various roles within DEA in locations such as Houston, Little Rock, the Office of Professional Responsibility in Dallas, Atlanta, and an overseas tour in the Bahamas. Mr. Downing has held the following titles: Special agent, group supervisor, inspector, resident agent in charge, assistant special agent in charge, deputy special agent in charge, and special agent in charge. Special Agent in Charge Downing made it a priority to improve community partnerships as well as relationships with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. In addition, he led the Los Angeles Division through many successes, including two major diversion initiatives that significantly reduced opioid overdoses, the naming of Los Angeles as a 360 Pilot Project for opioid reduction and education, the indictment of Nemesio Oseguera-Cervantes, the leader of the most ruthless drug cartel in Mexico, and the formation of the Fusion Opioid HIDTA Task Force. But his most lasting legacy will be diversifying the Los Angeles Division. We are please that Margaret Bedolla is back as a cohost to help tell this story of leadership, integrity, and the unwavering mission to uplift those around him. Sit back in soak in this genuine good person’s story.  

Today we unveil a new series of conversations we will have with Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux as we provide a platform for our Chief to deliver a message. Today’s conversation will cover his approach to leadership philosophy and expectations for the Dallas Police Department and its leaders. This is a very candid conversation on his recent promotions and how the selection process went and consideration for all of the movements. We also got a small peek into the new initiative, like Operation Justice Trail, and why he wants Dallas PD to have the reputation as the most proactive police force in the country. This is the first of many sit down we will have the Dallas Police Boss…….Geaux Time! #operationjusticetrail #leadership #Dallaspolicechief #Dallaspolice #policework #leadershipisanactivesport #geauxtime