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Welcome to "The Cape CopCast," the official podcast of the Cape Coral Police Department.
Hosted by Officer Mercedes Simonds, and Lisa Greenberg from our Public Affairs team, this podcast dives into the heart of Cape Coral PD's public safety, community initiatives, and the inner workings of our police department. Each episode brings you insightful discussions, interviews with key community figures, and expert advice on safety.
51 Episodes
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Behind every strong police department stands a support system that cares for those who protect and serve. For Cape Coral Police Department, that backbone includes our Chaplaincy program and Lead Chaplain Dennis Gingerich. Gingerich has dedicated nearly three decades to supporting Cape Coral Police officers through their darkest moments and greatest celebrations. Chaplain Gingerich shares how he transitioned from founding Cape Christian to also becoming the department's longest-serving chapla...
A safety ranking means little if it doesn’t match how people actually feel while living their lives. We unpack Cape Coral’s recognition as one of Florida’s safest cities by focusing on the daily experience of residents: running errands without fear, walking to the car without worry, and raising families in neighborhoods where people look out for one another. That lived sense of security comes from a clear vision, a mission built on partnership, and values that show up in every interaction. W...
What happens after a serious, or even deadly crash? How do investigators determine who's at fault, what caused the tragedy, and whether criminal charges should be filed? In this episode of the Cape CopCast, Cape Coral Police Department Traffic Homicide Investigators George Schwigk and Stephen Leonard pull back the curtain on their specialized world where mathematics, physics, and detective work combine to solve complex crash puzzles. These officers explain the tedious and sometimes heartbrea...
What if the camera on an officer’s chest could listen, watch, and turn a call or scene scene into a clean first draft of the report before anyone sits down at a keyboard? We dig into the real-world ways AI is changing police work in Cape Coral—speeding up documentation, meeting urgent NCIC deadlines for missing kids, and giving officers more time where it matters most: with people. We walk through how body-worn cameras now pair with AI to identify call types, pull key details from audio and ...
Think of a police department that treats excellence like a system, not a slogan—where performance, pay, wellness, and readiness all move together. We’re nearly fully staffed, crime is down double digits, and our response times are trending in the right direction. Now we’re aiming higher, inviting top talent to bring their experience without losing their hard-won momentum. We break down our new Collective Bargaining Agreement and why it changes the recruiting game. Lateral officers can receiv...
Language can be the difference between getting help in a crisis or suffering in silence. It's Hispanic Heritage month, and in this special edition of 'Chiefs Chat' on the Cape CopCast, Cape Coral Police Chief Anthony Sizemore sits down with Officer Carlos Prieto and Officer Amanda Rodriguez to explore how the police force is evolving to serve its rapidly growing Spanish-speaking community. While officially documented at 25% Spanish-speaking, Chief Sizemore believes Cape Coral's Hispanic popu...
What does it really take to become a police leader? In this episode of the Cape CopCast 'Chief's Chat,' we pull back the curtain on the Cape Coral Police Department's comprehensive promotional process that recently elevated eleven officers to new leadership positions as sergeants and lieutenants. Far from the arbitrary selection that many might imagine, Chief Sizemore walks us through the meticulous, multi-month journey candidates undertake—studying Florida statutes, department policies, cit...
When a child with autism wanders away from safety, every second counts. Now, thanks to Florida's new Spectrum Alert system, there's a structured response that could save lives. In this episode of the Cape CopCast, the Cape Coral Police Department welcomes Family Initiative Vice President Anjali Van Drie and Director of Community Development Stephanie Hoffman to discuss this crucial safety development. Family Initiative, celebrating a decade of service in Cape Coral, has witnessed first...
Crime is down 28% in Cape Coral, and in this episode of the Cape CopCast 'Chief's Chat,' we're breaking down exactly how it happened. Despite our growing population and increasing calls for service, we've achieved remarkable reductions across both violent and property crime categories while maintaining solvability rates well above national averages. What's our secret? Chief Anthony Sizemore says it's right there in our mission statement: "Partnering with the community to ensure the highest l...
School is almost back in session and the RedSpeed school zone cameras will be rolling! Join hosts Lisa Greenberg and Officer Mercedes Simonds as they welcome Chief Sizemore for a straightforward conversation about the RedSpeed school zone cameras returning on August 11th. Think of this as your essential back-to-school refresher – except instead of school supplies and new clothes, we're talking about keeping kids safe on their way to class. Chief Sizemore breaks down exactly how the program w...
FTO Coordinator Sergeant Gerry Buonocore joins the Cape CopCast to take us behind the scenes of the Cape Coral Police Department's comprehensive training program, revealing the journey from recruit to fully-qualified officer. With eleven years on SWAT, experience as an undercover Narcotics Detective, and now serving as the department's Field Training Officer Coordinator, Sergeant Buonocore brings unique perspective to the conversation about what makes an effective police officer. What does i...
The Cape Coral Police Department's Honor Guard stands as the living embodiment of law enforcement tradition and respect. Sergeant Joe Zalenski and Officer Steven Klakowicz pull back the curtain on this specialized unit in this episode of the Cape CopCast. Described as wearing "the tuxedo of police uniforms," these officers serve as the formal representation of the Cape Coral Police Department at events ranging from community celebrations to the most somber of occasions. With approximately tw...
When it comes to building and maintaining an exceptional police force, the details matter. Cape Coral Police Department has just scored a major victory for its Telecommunications team by securing competitive pay for dispatchers - the culmination of a years-long effort to properly value these essential first responders. In this episode of the Cape CopCast 'Chief's Chat,' Chief Sizemore breaks down how dispatcher compensation had previously been hampered by broad city-wide comparisons to simil...
What happens when the people who respond to everyone else's worst moments need help themselves? In this episode of Cape CopCast 'Chief's Chat,' Chief Anthony Sizemore brings us inside the cultural transformation at Cape Coral Police Department, where officer wellness has evolved from a taboo topic decades ago to an organizational priority. The stark reality of law enforcement creates a unique mental health challenge: officers and professional law enforcement staff witness trauma at rates far...
The latest episode of the Cape Copcast welcomes Property Crimes Unit Detective Jenna Newton, who takes listeners on an eye-opening journey from the high-crime streets of Las Vegas to the canals of Cape Coral. Her story shows the contrasts between policing environments—trading two robberies per night and constant gang surveillance for unlocked garage doors and watchful neighbors. Detective Newton's path wasn't always aimed at investigations. She originally aspired to work in the K9 Unit, but ...
A legal loophole exposed by a recent school threat case in Cape Coral has sparked an urgent conversation about public safety and legislative reform. When an individual made a verbal threat that was subsequently recorded and posted online, the Cape Coral Police Department was able to charge the person who shared the video, but not the person who actually made the threatening statements. In this week's episode of the Cape CopCast 'Chief's Chat,' Chief Anthony Sizemore shifts to co-host with Pu...
What happens when police identify a school threat but face unexpected legal barriers to filing the charges the public expects? Chief Anthony Sizemore sits down with Host Lisa Greenberg and takes listeners behind the scenes of a recent case that sparked community confusion and outrage. When two young adults were involved in the creation and posting of a disturbing video where one specifically threatened to shoot up a local elementary school with an AR-15, the resulting charges left many peopl...
Have you ever heard of a Crime Analyst? Join us on the Cape CopCast as we explore their role in solving and preventing crime with Hannah Esham. She talks to hosts Lisa Greenberg and Officer Mercedes Simonds about how Crime Analysts use the Tactical Intelligence and Analytics Center to work closely with detectives. Hannah offers an insider's perspective on how analysts provide invaluable support to detectives, using tools like license plate readers and social media to track and prevent crimin...
What does real police de-escalation look like? In this episode of the Cape CopCast 'Chief's Chat,' Chief Anthony Sizemore breaks down body camera footage of a potentially deadly encounter that ended peacefully thanks to crisis intervention training and compassionate policing. When Cape Coral officers responded to a home in which parents had been assaulted by their adult son on the autism spectrum, they faced a complex challenge. The suspect was non-verbal, armed with a knife, and had already...
In this edition of the Cape CopCast "Chief's Chat," Chief Sizemore breaks down the science behind prioritizing police response and staffing in this transparent, informative discussion about department operations. Using a simple visual metaphor of "tennis balls in buckets," the Chief explains how the department allocates officers across the city's four geographical quadrants. Each quadrant (or bucket) contains four zones, and each zone has its own officers (tennis balls). When priority one em...
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