Between the Lines with Virtual Academy

To kick off the new year, Michael and Brent welcome the captain of the Virtual Academy AR team competing in the Sea to Sea Expedition Race next month in Florida.Jeff Welch, a 21-year law enforcement veteran and current training coordinator for the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office in Madisonville, Kentucky, joins the podcast as 2024's inaugural guest in Episode 86.Welch reveals his motivation for taking part in the 72 hour adventure race from the Gulf of Mexico on the west coast of Florida to the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast.Plus, Jeff also talks about his college basketball career at Central Arkansas University, where he had the opportunity to interact with former Chicago Bulls star Scottie Pippen.Visit www.betweenthelineswithvirtualacademy.com for more info about this episode. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.

Host Michael Warren, along with co-host Brent Hinson, and executive producer Aaron Bevill, reflect on the episodes that encompassed 2023 in their year-end review.Plus, the guys give listeners a look into the inner workings of the show and talk about some of the aspects of putting out a weekly podcast.They bookend things by highlighting some of their favorite episodes of the year and look ahead to what is in store in 2024.Visit www.betweenthelineswithvirtualacademy.com for more info about this episode. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.

This week, co-host, Brent Hinson, and executive producer, Aaron Bevill, put host Michael Warren in the hot-seat to examine his experience working security for the inaugural Gathering of the Juggalos festival, the annual music event put on by the rap group, Insane Clown Posse.Held at the Novi, Michigan Expo Center in the summer of 2000, at a time when Warren served as a member of the Novi PD, Michael gives a first hand account of what he encountered while keeping concert-goers safe during the very first Juggalos festival on July 21 and 22, 2000.Visit www.betweenthelineswithvirtualacademy.com for more info about this episode. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.

Shot six times while serving an arrest warrant with the Marshals Task Force, guest TJ Webb recounts his inspirational story to Michael and Brent in Episode 83.Webb details the events surrounding the encounter, his recovery, and the remarkable journey that eventually led to starting the nonprofit, Fit 4 Duty Foundation, an organization that addresses the importance of physical and mental health within law enforcement.Visit www.betweenthelineswithvirtualacademy.com for more info about this episode. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.

Recently recognized as one of the 40 Under 40 recipients by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) for 2023, Myles Cook joins the podcast as in Episode 82 to talk about that honor and how his work as a training coordinator at Walters State is leading to measurable improved outcomes for graduating cadets.With a law enforcement background that includes work in corrections, as a patrol lieutenant and narcotics investigator, Cook shares how he was able to utilize his experience to develop and teach a training program that has been recognized for its effective merits at multiple Tennessee technical and community colleges.Visit www.betweenthelineswithvirtualacademy.com for more info about this episode. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.

Spawned from a conversation with TBI Director David Rausch on how drones are now being utilized as tools for first response, Michael and Brent welcome back previous guest Michael Rogers for a discussion on how some law enforcement agencies are now implementing the use of drone technology into their departments.Rogers, a retired FBI Special Agent who managed the Bureau's Unmanned Aircraft Systems program, gives insight into how drones have the ability to gather and relay information about a scene in order to, not only protect the people responding but also give department leaders better data to make sensible decisions on how to proceed.Visit www.betweenthelineswithvirtualacademy.com for more info about this episode. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.

As we prepare for Thanksgiving travel, family get-togethers, and lavish turkey dinners this week, one Arkansas police officer shares her story of adversity, resiliency, courage, and thankfulness during this holiday week.Officer Samantha Hodgson, currently an SRO in Bryant, Arkansas, recounts how a "routine" welfare check in 2019 changed the trajectory of her life.After being shot in the head, face and shoulder outside the home of a man, thought to be suicidal, on December 23rd, 2019, Hodgson details her recovery process, struggles, and determination as she continues to live out her dream of being a member of law enforcement.Visit www.betweenthelineswithvirtualacademy.com for more info about this episode. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.

Outwardly, the Runic alphabet, like any other writing system, was developed as a method of communication.However, this week's guest, Dave Schilling, details how some white-power prison gangs, Neo-Nazis, and racial extremists are using these ancient symbols to promote their beliefs.Spawning from his career in corrections, Schilling's book, Norse/Germanic Runes & Symbols: Field Reference Guide for Law Enforcement & Corrections, illustrates how some white supremacist groups have adopted rune characters as coded messages that foster their ideology in plain sight.Visit www.betweenthelineswithvirtualacademy.com for more info about this episode. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.

While many people spend this time of year making elaborate plans for Thanksgiving and Christmas, those who work as first responders know that the holiday season can be a difficult one to navigate.This week, guests Katherine Boyle and Jennifer Anderson offer insightful ideas and encouraging suggestions on how law enforcement families can fill their homes with holiday cheer, no matter the work schedule.Plus, Boyle and Anderson discuss the details for their upcoming online workshop, "Making the Holidays Magic as a Law Enforcement Family".Visit www.betweenthelineswithvirtualacademy.com for more info about this episode. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.

For six of his 25-year career as a law enforcement officer, Keith Grounsell worked deep undercover as a narcotics investigator with a multitude of agencies, including as a Special Agent with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.In Episode 77, Grounsell, the current chief of police in Laurens, South Carolina, recounts what led him into that role and describes how the situations he encountered motivated him to write a series of books, A Narc's Tale: Based Upon A True Story Working Undercover As A City Police Officer, detailing his experiences and the effects they had on his life.Visit www.betweenthelineswithvirtualacademy.com for more info about this episode. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.

Throughout his 43 years in law enforcement, Chief Ross Swope made it a point to get out of his comfort zone by learning from and embracing every difficult circumstance he encountered.Chief Swope joins the podcast in Episode 76 to discuss how detaching himself from what he saw as a "career of avoidance" allowed him to develop the critical skills and experience needed as he advanced from deputy chief of the DC Metropolitan Police Department to, ultimately, the chief of police of the US Supreme Court.Swope also talks about his new book, Ethics-Based Policing: Solving the Use of Excessive Force, which is an invitation for those in law enforcement to join the call for higher ethical standards in order to improve the profession.Visit www.betweenthelineswithvirtualacademy.com for more info about this episode. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.

After incorporating his knowledge of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to subdue a subject during an armed encounter, guest Randy Wark saw just how useful that training tactic could be in his work as a law enforcement officer.With a focus on achieving non-violent submission and overall officer safety, Wark talks about how his passion for martial arts has gone on to influence how he conducts himself as a law enforcement officer and how that has allowed him to train other officers with those same skills.Visit www.betweenthelineswithvirtualacademy.com for more info about this episode. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.

What happens when two of your passions intersect?Guest Jamie Borden reveals how his career as both a law enforcement officer and professional musician allowed him the unique opportunity to situate himself at the cross section of the community he served.By merging his interests, Bordon found a way to facilitate a positive impact during his time in uniform.Sergeant Borden also talks about his work as founder of the Critical Incident Review and speaks candidly about his friendship with Rush drummer Neil Peart.Visit www.betweenthelineswithvirtualacademy.com for more info about this episode. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.

When it comes to yoga, many first responders may not initially see the advantages it can bring to their personal and professional lives. This week, guest Vance Row, who served as a police officer for more than twenty years, shares his story about discovering the incredible amount of physical and mental benefits he found through the regular practice of yoga.Row explains how yoga helped him battle back from injuries, work stress, and toxic coping mechanisms.Visit www.betweenthelineswithvirtualacademy.com for more info about this episode. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.

What happens when we look beyond stereotypes and our own preconceived notions and biases?In Episode 72, guest Ronald “Doc” Davis talks about the experience in his career that helped change his perspective to better understand the people he served as a member of law enforcement.Davis outlines the importance of building relationships and details how that action can help officers better understand the actions of those they come into contact within their communities.Visit www.betweenthelineswithvirtualacademy.com for more info about this episode. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.

After spending 25 years at the Novi, Michigan, Police Department alongside none other than host Michael Warren, this week's guest, Kevin Rhea, now finds himself as the Accreditation Program Director for the Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police.Having been instrumental in gaining and keeping accreditation for the Novi agency, Rhea was constantly focused on meeting those high standards through training and accountability.Since retiring from his law enforcement career, Rhea has carried his expertise to Arizona where he built an accreditation program from the ground up in three months and continues working to improve the state of modern policing.Visit www.betweenthelineswithvirtualacademy.com for more info about this episode. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.

With all of his focus toward working in the petroleum industry, Mark Candies entered law enforcement for a temporary employment opportunity in 1985. Thirty-six years later, he retired from the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office as a highly decorated captain who has seen and done it all.On this week’s episode, Capt. Candies discusses his law enforcement career, his retirement career, and how he developed a love for training. Candies also tells the story of a fellow officer who survived an attack by a deranged man, and how his training commitment was validated when that officer credited his survival to what he had learned in Candies’s Officer Down class just a week before the incident.Visit www.betweenthelineswithvirtualacademy.com for more info about this episode. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.

This week, Phillip Kearney, former Special Agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration, recounts his role in helping take down one of the world’s largest heroin traffickers: Haji Bagcho.With money from drug traffickers being used to fund terrorist attacks, the DEA set out to gather the evidence needed to prosecute Bagcho in United States courts.Kearney recalls his involvement in the years-long pursuit to break up the criminal mastermind’s drug operations in Afghanistan and the efforts that went into his eventual capture.Visit www.betweenthelineswithvirtualacademy.com for more info about this episode. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.

This week, Marion, Virginia, Chief of Police John Patrick Clair recounts the moment from his career that left him asking himself, "Am I just going to work as a police officer or be one?"After a domestic violence call culminated with him facing down bullets from a shooter's gun, Chief Clair decided a change was needed in how he approached his role as a member of law enforcement.Hear his story and how that moment shifted the direction of his career in Episode 68.Visit www.betweenthelineswithvirtualacademy.com for more info about this episode. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.

Retired Federal Bureau of Prisons chief, author, and host of The Prison Officer Podcast, Michael Cantrell, brings a correctional officer’s perspective to Between the Lines this week. Working under the constant threat of danger, witnessing violent and disturbing behavior, and being ever conscious of attempted manipulation takes an emotional toll on the officer that can affect relationships outside of the walls.With over 30 years of experience in state and federal penitentiary systems, Cantrell breaks down the responsibilities of a correctional officer, discusses rehabilitation and recidivism, and addresses some of the misconceptions that outsiders have about the incarcerated population. Through his writing, speaking engagements, and podcast, Cantrell is a strong advocate for those “forgotten cops” who maintain order and control of the most violent offenders in society.Visit www.betweenthelineswithvirtualacademy.com for more info about this episode. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.