CATO Podcast

We believe Tactics are a science, and the Art is in how we apply those tactics. Members of the California Association of Tactical Officers (CATO) interview a variety of guests and discuss lessons learned, the evolution of tactics, and other contemporary issues facing law enforcement.

Ep 79: Active Shooter Leadership with Travis Norton

Marcus interviews Travis Norton about his doctoral research on active shooter response at the University of Southern California.  Travis was one of the authors of CATO's latest two-day course, Active Shooter Incident Leadership.  Travis contributed much of the research and content for this POST-approved course, which addresses the common failures and challenges inherent in Active Shooter response.  To learn about the class, where it is next or to host it, go to CATOTRAINING.ORG.

08-21
01:05:21

Episode 78: Sound Doctrine: A Tactical Primer, Chapter 8, Gathering and Using Intelligence

"Good intelligence is the linchpin for all tactical operations." -Sid Heal Marcus, Adam, and Kris discuss Chapter 8 of Sound Doctrine: A Tactical Primer. The group discusses information versus intelligence, the parts of the intelligence cycle, and situational awareness. They also cover the common operational picture and how you can reduce friction during your next operation.

08-07
58:24

Ep 77: Building Resiliency with Justin Dodge

On June 15, 2023,  Denver Police Sergeant Justin Dodge was working the Denver Nuggets celebratory parade when he found himself caught under the wheels of an 80,000 lb fire truck carrying the players. Lying in the street, Dodge promised himself that if the tourniquets held and he could get to the hospital in time, he would stage an epic comeback. Eight surgeries later, including one that amputated his leg inches below the knee, he's back!  Justin works as a full-time SWAT team supervisor and has found a new passion in motivational speaking. The subject of a PBS documentary, Justin, is just a phone call away for anyone struggling.  We hope his testimony inspires you to build resiliency so you can become the hero of your own story.  Learn more at https://heavyvictory.com/ Follow him on Instagram at: @heavy_victory_  

07-03
01:14:30

Ep 76: Lessons Learned from the Ohio Tactical Officers Association

It's been said that it's more important how you think than what you think. CATO VP, Marcus Sprague, was fortunate to represent CATO at the Ohio Tactical Officers Association Conference in Sandusky, Ohio.    In this episode of the CATO podcast, Marcus sits down with Executive Director Pat Fiorilli of the Ohio Tactical Officer Association and retired Las Vegas Metro Sergeant Mike Quinn.  Both of these men are great thinkers and have a wealth of knowledge and experience in training and developing professionals in our field. Marcus spent the week at the OTOA Conference and can't say enough about what a top-notch training event they put on. We discuss what training in Ohio looks like, their challenges, and some of the lessons learned.    For more information about the OTOA, go to https://otoa.org/

06-19
54:30

Ep 75: Exploring Traumatic Brain Injuries, PTSD and CopLine

In this episode of the CATO podcast, we connect with Stephanie Samuels, a police psychologist and founder of CopLine, a national suicide hotline for law enforcement. We'll explore Samuels' research related to first responders and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Samuels and many others believe that TBI is often misdiagnosed as PTSD, but is instead a major contributor to PTSD symptoms. She is part of a group that is researching the first responder community to better understand the effects of TBI and PTSD. CopLine is the only completely anonymous suicide hotline for police officers that is staffed by fellow law enforcement.   CopLine wants to aid in reducing the stigma associated with asking for help. They believe (as CATO does), that it is imperative for police officers to have a safe place to talk about anything occurring in their life. For more information about CopLine, please visit www.copline.org. Whether you or someone you know is having a "bad day" or a full-blown mental health crisis, CopLine is here with the motto "Cops Understand Cops". Call the hotline: 1-800-COPLINE or 1-800-267-5463. 

06-05
55:09

Ep 74: The Reality of First Responder Wellness Programs with Clinical Coordinator, Teal Ankeny

In this episode of the CATO Podcast, Marcus talks with First Responder Wellness Clinical Coordinator Teal Ankeny. Teal's background places her in a unique position to understand some of the wellness challenges facing the first responder community. She and the team at First Responder Wellness have dedicated themselves to serving our community and have achieved a variety of positive results in preventing and treating some of our profession's negative impacts.  To learn more about First Responder Wellness, visit the First Responder Wellness Website.

05-22
40:52

Ep 73: Our Common Challenges: Reflecting on Five Years of SWAT Team Leader Courses

CATO Team Leader Instructors Kenny Brayton and Kris Jenny sit down with Marcus to reflect on lessons learned while teaching CATO's SWAT Team Leader course over the last five years. The trio discussed common challenges shared by the majority of teams, how teams address these challenges and the things that great teams do consistently well. 

05-08
01:10:57

Ep 72: Failing to Plan Is Planning to Fail

One of our Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin, said it best, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!” It's a critical element to tactical operations and we're discussing it on the latest CATO Podcast. Kris Jenny and Marcus analyze the importance of planning and how to evolve from a collaborative response to a coordinated response. They present a primer on what planning really is, what it looks like, and when and how you should document it. 

04-11
38:11

Ep 71: Round Table with State Tactical Associations

CATO Vice President, Marcus Sprague, had the honor of attending a meeting with several tactical associations from all across the country. He took advantage of the opportunity and asked a few folks to discuss some of the issues we all face. The group discussed leadership, recruiting, selection processes, annual testing, keeping training fresh and engaging, and how they deal with the challenge of finding training locations. Marcus was joined by Sheriff Eric Blankenship of the Alabama Tactical Officers Association, Lt. George Bradley and Jon Brock of the South Carolina Tactical Association, and Barry Cape, Vice President of the Rocky Mountain Tactical Team Association.   

03-27
01:11:49

Ep 70: Sound Doctrine Chapter 7: Strategy and Tactics, Part 2

Marcus and guest-host, Kris Jenny, discuss Part 2 of Chapter 7 of Sound Doctrine: A Tactical Primer, Sid Heal's 2000 book, which has become an indispensable part of tactical training. Kris and Marcus finish their discussion on the final portion of Chapter 7 of Sound Doctrine.  They review fundamental tactics such as The Hammer and Anvile, Envelopment, and the Pincer Movement.

03-13
28:09

Ep 69: A proactive approach to Mental Wellness with Dr. Stephen Odom and Retired Sgt Jeff McGreevy

Marcus sits down with Retired Sergeant Jeff McGreevy and the founder of First Responder Wellness, Dr. Stephen Odom.  Dr. Odom and Jeff discuss their experiences serving the 1st responder community, what works with peer support programs, and a few things some organizations are doing wrong.  Dr. Odom does a deep dive on setting yourself up for longevity and how we need to take a long term, preventive approach to mental health wellness.   To learn more about First Responder Wellness, visit the First Responder Wellness Website.

02-28
01:08:03

Ep 68: Sound Doctrine Chapter 7: Strategy and Tactics, Part 1

Marcus and guests Travis Norton and Kris Jenny discuss Part 1 of Chapter 7 of Sound Doctrine: A Tactical Primer, Sid Heal's 2000 book, which has become an indispensable part of tactical training. The group discusses Sid's insightful and compelling advice on strategy and tactics, as well as maneuvering in time, and how we can apply this thinking to current tactical situations.

02-14
01:04:45

Ep 67: Common Ground: Dr. Simpson Shares Health Advice with Navy Seals and CATO

So, this episode is a little different than our usual podcast here at CATO.  For anyone who has listened to our previous episodes, you know that anytime spent with retired Command Master Chief Jason Tuschen is time well spent. We also enjoy our conversations with Dr. Graham Simpson.  So, when Brent and I were asked to sit down with Dr. Simpson, Jason and retired Navy Seal William Branum, we said yes. This is an unscripted round table where the group talks about the health and performance challenges that both of professions share and discusses what you can do to ensure a healthy retirement. As a sidenote, Will has his own company and Ted Talk.  I highly encourage you to check it out.   Opt Health is graciously offering a Law Enforcement Discount. This discount allows for:  50% off the initial labs and Dr consult (normally $195 - discounted rate $97.50) 30% off the premium monthly membership dues (normally $245 - discounted rate $171.50)   Visit Law Enforcement/First Responder Discount on Opt Health's website to sign up today!

01-31
52:06

Ep 66: Interview with Rusty Firmin - The Man with No Gloves

At CATO we believe that history is the repository of all lessons and to ignore history is do doom yourself to repeat it.  At the 2023 conference in San Diego, we asked the infamous SAS team leader Rusty “No Gloves” Firmin to debrief the lessons learned from the 1980 Iranian Embassy Siege.  I asked fellow CATO board members Toby Darby and Josh Wofford to sit down with Rusty so he could share his wisdom with those who could not see him at the conference. I spent a fair amount of time with Rusty before and during the conference and was impressed by his humility, sense of humor and how our profession shares many of the same struggles he  as experienced throughout his career an ocean away. I highly recommend his book on the six day hostage taking called GO GO GO! The assault planning and training, strategy and tactics are described in detail, and the personal stories of the gunmen revealed -- who they were, where they came from, why they did it and Saddam Hussein's direct involvement. For more information about Rusty, The Iranian Embassy Siege, and to get a copy of his new book please visit his website: https://www.rusty-firmin.com 

01-17
52:55

Ep 65: SWAT Audits, Wellness and the Glamour of being the Secretary of CATO

Marcus and CATO Secretary Jon Cabrera sit down to discuss SWAT audits and some of the themes we have seen team's struggle with throughout the state. The pair also discusses what the CATO Community can do better when it comes to working on their mental health. From wellness programs to less common resources, Marcus and Jon bring their personal stories to the table in this episode of the CATO Podcast. For more information about SWAT audits or wellness programs and resources, please contact Jon directly: secretary@catotraining.org.

01-03
58:36

Ep 64: Sniper Training Trends and what you need to know

Marcus asked CATO board member Jon Cabrera to sit down with fellow board member Matt Alexander and his teaching partner Frank Harper as the group discusses the common training challenges facing the training and utilization of sniper teams.

12-21
01:11:28

Ep 63: Sound Doctrine Chapter 6: Envisioning and Achieving the End State

In this CATO Podcast, the group discusses Chapter 6 of Sid Heal's Sound Doctrine: Envisioning and Achieving the End State. This chapter is filled with examples of how you can better understand and apply the following critical concepts: Assessing the situation, developing and defining an operational end state, Concept of Operations (CONOPS), assigning missions, and issuing orders. Join us for this discussion to explore the strategy behind these fundamental tactics.

09-13
01:38:49

Episode 62: Leveraging Science to Enhance Human Performance for First Responders

Marcus sits down at O2X headquarters with John Vargo to discuss how this human performance company is leveraging the latest science and technology to enhance human performance for first responders throughout the country. All too often, law enforcement programs are unevenly focused on mental well-being or physical well-being. John and the team at O2X leverage a scientific, holistic approach to address the specific issues facing tactical populations, including high rates of injury, elevated cancer and cardiac health risks, and behavioral health issues. While originally designed to meet the unique demands of tactical athletes, the science-backed methodology has been successful with Olympic and collegiate athletes, professional sports organizations, and other top-tier organizations.    To learn more about O2X, visit:  https://www.o2x.com/ Listen to the O2X Tactical Performance Podcast on the platform of your choice.

08-23
54:33

Ep 61: Interview with Bob Scales: Advice from the frontlines of RIPPA. Consent Decrees and defending police with data.

Marcus, Adam Sharki, and Brent Stratton sit down with the legendary Bob Scales.    Bob Scales is a former King County Deputy Prosecutor and Special Assistant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington. He worked for 14 years (and three mayors) as a Public Safety Policy Advisor for the city of Seattle. Bob represented the Seattle Police Department during the 2011 DOJ pattern-or-practice investigation and served as the Compliance Coordinator under the federal consent decree.  He now serves as the CEO of Police Strategies, where he and his team help law enforcement agencies throughout the country to form strategies that fight bad data and combat those who use it to fit their own narrative.   Bob shares his experience with federal and state DOJ consent decrees and the Racial and Identity Profiling Advisory (RIPA) Board.  This podcast episode provides an important perspective on what you can do (at any rank) to recognize this battlespace, avoid pitfalls and collect better data to avoid a state or federal consent decree.

07-12
01:10:31

Ep 60: Sound Doctrine Chapter 5: Tactical Principles

For this podcast, Marcus joins CATO Board of Directors members Kris Jenny and Kenny Brayton. Kris Jenny is a Sergeant with the Napa Police Department and Kenny Brayton is a CATO instructor and Sergeant with the Ontario Police Department. Together they welcome special guest, Bobby Crees of the Pasadena Police Department. Crees, a CATO Region Representative and a graduate of the CATO Strategic Leadership Program, will join the discussion about Chapter 5 of Sound Doctrine. The group reviews each of the Tactical Principles that are present in all conflicts, and highlights what you can do to tip the scales in your favor during adversarial events.

06-28
01:13:59

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