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Ep. 86 - Tristin Kilgallon, a former warrant investigator with the Philly Warrant Unit joins me for a no-holds-barred look at the world of fugitive apprehension in one of the country’s toughest cities. Our conversation is based on Tristin’s book Philly Warrant Unit which he co-authored with his partner and lifelong friend Sgt. Mark Fusetti. They were part of a three-man team working “last out” – an 11:00 pm to 7:00 am shift. They were assigned priority cases like probation detainers and judge-only bench warrants but also had the freedom to choose where in the city they wanted to work and which cases to pursue. One of those areas was Kensington, one of Philly’s most famous and infamous neighborhoods. It was the setting for the Rocky movies as well as a real-life zombie land of the drug addicted, an area rife not only with drugs but also prostitution and violence. The people Tristin and his partners encountered ranged from dangerous criminals to those whose lives had been destroyed by addiction. Their stories can be funny and bizarre, but more often than not, incredibly sad. We talk about the revolving door of the legal system and what it’s like to repeatedly arrest the same people, only to see them back on the street. We also get into tactics. When you’re doing some of the most dangerous work in law enforcement, tactics – as those of you listening know - can mean the difference between life and death. Tristin takes us inside the process of clearing a house, searching for suspects and the art of breaching. And we cover the unique – and I mean unique – places fugitives found to hide including refrigerators, washing machines, storage bins and more. After leaving the Warrant Unit, Tristin earned his law degree and went on to teach criminal justice at the university level for 15 years. That part of his career leads to another important conversation—one I also had in Ep. 80 with retired SFPD Deputy Chief Jim Dudley, host of Policing Matters: the influence of criminal justice professors and the anti-cop narrative many are teaching to the next generation. The interview, like the book is a fascinating look inside a specialized unit that most people know very little about. Thank you, Tristin! Buy the book on Amazon! Check out the Facebook page for the book: https://www.facebook.com/PhillyWarrantUnit Connect with Tristin: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tristin-kilgallon-2a99a23b8/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tristinkilgallon/ X:@tmkilgallon https://x.com/tmkilgallon Connect with Sgt. Mark Fusetti co-author on X: @MarkFusetti X In Memoriam: Sgt. Joseph Eugene LeClaire, Jr. First Judicial District of Pennsylvania Warrant Unit E.O.W. Friday, March 19, 2004 Thank you for your service and your sacrifice. You are not forgotten. Thanks for listening to On Being a Police Officer. YOU are what keeps me going. Find me on my social or email me your thoughts: Instagram: on_being_a_police_officer Facebook: On Being a Police Officer [email protected] www.onbeingapoliceofficer.com ©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, and production by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 85 - For this special episode marking the 25th anniversary of 9/11, you will hear excerpts from four prior episodes of On Being a Police Officer in which I interviewed NYPD officers who responded to Ground Zero on 9/11. We talk about that tragic day, how it unfolded for them. That creeping realization we all had that this was terrorism. And then how each of them, without hesitation, like all first responders, went directly there facing the terror and the chaos everyone else was so desperately trying to escape. As you will hear, the memories, the emotions, the despair at finding no survivors and losing fellow first responders remain fresh in their hearts and minds. We also talk about the hospitals at the ready for victims – victims who never came; the signs of the missing posted throughout the city; police and fire from around the country coming to help; citizens holding signs of thanks as our first responders drove down the West Side Highway; and stories of people – including criminals – bringing flowers and cards to the precincts. These excerpts are from interviews I did over the years with: LAPD/NYPD Officer Knocko Nolan (Ret.) NYPD Cold Case Detective Jason Palamara (Ret.) NYPD Homicide Detective /ATF Special Agent Pete Forcelli (Ret.) NYPD Homicide Detective Tom Smith (Ret.) I know we are all feeling the pain that anniversaries bring. 9/11 happened to all of us. So many lives were lost. So many families and loved ones left broken and grieving—not just in New York City, but everywhere. For me, however, my experience was in New York City where I was living at the time. The bravery of our first responders was beyond measure. The gratitude we felt was overwhelming. And yet most of us never got to thank any of them. It was a helpless feeling. One of the unexpected gifts of doing this podcast has been the opportunity to do just that, to thank these NYPD officers for their bravery, commitment and sacrifice on that day and in the weeks and months that followed. And to share their stories for all to hear. Thank you Knocko, Jason, Pete and Tom. Thank you, NYPD and FDNY. Original full interviews: Ep. 45 Meet NYPD’s and LAPD’s Knocko Nolan Ep. 50 - NYPD Cold Case Det. Jason Palamara (Ret.) - responding to 9/11, solving cold cases, supporting LEOs and Veterans as a crisis counselor. Ep. 59 ATF Agent Pete Forcelli (ret) and NYPD Homicide Detective (ret) on turning whistleblower on the Operation Fast and Furious scandal and his book The Deadly Path. Ep. 67 – NYPD Det. Tom Smith on 9/11, Joint Terrorism Task Force, Rescuing an American Hostage in Afghanistan, Stopping a School Shooter – Part Two Thank you for listening to On Being a Police Officer. YOU are what keeps me going. Find me on my social or email me your thoughts: Instagram: on_being_a_police_officer Facebook: On Being a Police Officer [email protected] www.onbeingapoliceofficer.com ©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, and production by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 84 - Former LAPD Officer Kristina Ripatti joined LAPD in 1996 and later served on LAPD’s CRASH Gang Unit assigned to the Rollin’ 30s Harlem Crips. Her patrol partner and gang unit partner was LAPD Det. Tim Pearce who later became her life partner when they got married. Their lives would change forever on June 3, 2006, when an Officer Down call came out. That officer was Kristina. While in a foot pursuit with a subject, that subject shot Kristina in her armpit severing her spine and instantly paralyzing her. The subject continued shooting Kristina once she was down until her partner Officer Joe Meyer could neutralize him. Tim responded to the Officer Down call initially not knowing it was Kristina. He arrived on scene to find her near death. In fact, she lost so much blood, she was later diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury after years of not having a medical explanation for what she was experiencing mentally and emotionally. As I say in the episode, I know Kristina’s story through my interview with Tim in Episode 78 during which he lovingly tells the story of their life together, the impact of this tragedy and Kristina’s courage and grit in getting through all of it. Hearing Tim tell their story inspired me to want to hear Kristina’s story from Kristina. Tim connected us and the result is this episode. We do go through the life-altering events of June 3rd, what she remembers, what she experienced. It is a raw and painful account, and I thank Kristina for sharing it. But as I say to her, it’s not her whole story. Those who know Kristina – likely some of you listening to this episode – know her to have been a hard-charging officer both fearless and tenacious. Or to use Tim’s words, “She’s like a pit bull. She just won’t let go.” Her skill was obvious to all starting as far back as the Academy. Kristina shares some funny stories from those early days as well as some hair-raising accounts from patrol and the gang unit including the near-fatal shooting she and Tim were in and the devastating line of duty death of Gang Officer Phil Cuesta. Kristina has earned her Master’s in social work and is a therapist specializing in trauma. She and Tim are no longer married but remain friends and are working together as part of a documentary project called “Nothing to See Here: Watts.” It’s a unique documentary made by rival gang members, police, victims of violence all from Watts in LA. Thank you, Kristina, for your service as a police officer and for allowing me to tell your story. Officer Filberto Cuesta E.O.W. Sunday, August 9, 1998 You are not forgotten. Thank you for your service. https://www.odmp.org/officer/15131-police-officer-ii-filberto-henry-cuesta-jr “Nothing to See Here: Watts” https://nothingtoseeheremovie.com/ My interview with Tim: Ep. 78 - LAPD Gang Det. Tim Pearce on his 18-year LE Career and the “Officer Needs Help” Call That Changed Everything. Thanks for listening to On Being a Police Officer. YOU are what keeps me going. Find me on my social or email me your thoughts: Instagram: on_being_a_police_officer Facebook: On Being a Police Officer [email protected] www.onbeingapoliceofficer.com ©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, and production by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 83 - Chief Daniel Comeaux, the 31st Chief of Police of the Dallas Police Department joins me to look back at his first year in the role – his initiatives, his accomplishments as well as his goals for the future. Chief came to the job with 35 years in law enforcement, six with Houston PD starting in 1991 where he spent much of his time in narcotics; and 28 with the DEA which he joined in 1997. As I say in the episode, I think Chief of Police is a tough job, no matter what department, no matter what city. And the first year in that position has to be the most demanding – fraught with scrutiny, challenges and potential pitfalls – especially when you come in as an outsider to the department and to the city and on top of that, when you’re coming to it after 28 years on the Federal side. In this interview, you will hear just how well Chief Comeaux has navigated these waters. He has drawn on all of his experience to define his role, strengthen the department, reduce crime and successfully recruit. He has done it judiciously with keen insight, thoughtful decisions, and I would add, humor. We talk about what shaped him and his leadership style over the years. We discuss what drew him to law enforcement, and some memorable stories from patrol in Houston including the people he remembers and all those fights and foot chases. We cover his time with DEA and talk about the case he is most proud of; the challenges of working hundreds of miles of the Mexican border while in both Tucson and Houston; and his work navigating every drug epidemic over those 28 years, from crack to ecstasy, meth, opioids and now fentanyl. Thank you, Chief for a great interview and for taking the time. And thanks DPD Officer Joe King head of DPD’s wellness unit and host of the podcast ATO Bridging the Divide for connecting me with Chief and allowing me to share Chief’s story with my audience. Dallas PD is hiring! Check out all the info here: https://www.dallaspolice.net/joindpd Check out ATO: Bridging the Divide. Chief’s Episodes are called “Geaux Time.” https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ato-bridging-the-divide/id1582921763 You can hear my interview with DPD Officer Joe King Ep. 77 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-being-a-police-officer/id1532102404?i=1000730846623 Dallas PD Child Abuse Detective Kristin King Ep. 79 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-being-a-police-officer/id1532102404?i=1000743979081 Thanks for listening to On Being a Police Officer. YOU are what keeps me going. Find me on my social or email me your thoughts: Instagram: on_being_a_police_officer Facebook: On Being a Police Officer [email protected] www.onbeingapoliceofficer.com ©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, and production by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 82 – Sgt. Jim Vaglica (ret.) of the Waltham, MA police department shares an eye-opening account of little-known aspects of the Boston Marathon bombing case. If you think you know what happened leading up to and in the aftermath of this terrorist attack, I think you’ll be surprised. Jim recounts dramatic stories from his 32-year career including 16 years on the regional SWAT team known as NEMLEC, the role that drew him into the intense manhunt of the Boston Marathon bombers. Jim takes us through the complex series of events that started on that Monday, April 15, 2013, that cast a net of terror over the city for several agonizing days and nights. He talks about NEMLEC’s mutual aid response to Boston, the citywide search for the suspects, the ambush murder of MIT Officer Sean Collier at their hands. Jim details the brothers’ dramatic shootout with police and the capture and death of the older brother. With the wounded younger brother on the run in Watertown, the city was put under a tense shelter in place. Jim and the NEMLEC team along with neighboring agencies conducted door-to-door searches to find him. Jim describes the chaos that ensued following the discovery of the suspect including a massive multi-agency response, chaotic sympathetic gunfire, and an hours-long standoff before he is finally taken into custody. But there is more here than meets the eye. Jim takes us through the mysterious backstory of the older brother. His potential ties to a triple homicide committed prior to the bombing. His FBI connections. And other unsettling details that raise more questions than they answer. I start the episode by getting to know a little about Jim – what drew him to LE in 1985. His time on patrol and his stint on a street level drug unit. His promotion to sergeant in 1995 and his decision to test for and be selected to join the prestigious NEMLEC team in 1998. Though retired, Jim remains a Sworn Special Officer. We close with a chat about our shared passion for the role of School Resource Officer and hope for the future of law enforcement. I am choosing to air this episode on April 15th, the anniversary of that horrible day for Boston in honor of all the city endured and in honor of the civilians who were murdered and maimed, the officers who lost or nearly lost their lives. And for Jim, his fellow officers and all the first responders for all they did to protect Boston. Thanks, Jim! Jim’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jimvaglica/ Jim’s website: https://jimvaglica.com/ Check out the book Jim mentions: "Mayhem" by Michele McPhee In remembrance of your service and sacrifice: Officer Sean Collier MIT Police Department E.O.W. Thursday, April 18, 2013 Sgt. Dennis Simmonds Boston Police Department E.O.W. Thursday, April 10, 2014 Thanks for listening to On Being a Police Officer. YOU are what keeps me going. Find me on my social or email me your thoughts: Instagram: on_being_a_police_officer Facebook: On Being a Police Officer [email protected] www.onbeingapoliceofficer.com ©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, and production by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 81 - This is a gripping look at the high-stakes world of the U.S. Marshals Service with retired Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Bobby “LED” Ledogar who committed 25 years to the agency handling high-profile extraditions, hunting fugitives and nearly losing his life serving high-risk warrants. It is also a deeply personal account of what it was like to lose everything at the hands of the very institution he served because he chose to be a whistleblower in a discrimination case against one of his own deputy marshals. What you’ll also find in this episode is Bobby’s indomitable spirit and the strength he drew on to not only fight for what’s right, but also to fight back. Bobby joined the U.S. Marshals Service in 1995 as a Deputy U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of New York/Brooklyn. In 2010, he promoted to Supervisor of the Warrants Squad assigned to the New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force where he led a team of twelve marshals. Prior to joining the Marshals, Bobby served seven years in the U.S. Navy as a Master-at-Arms deployed to combat zones during Operation Desert Storm. Bobby shares behind-the-scenes accounts of some of the most dramatic operations of his career including apprehending a violent MS-13 gang member; his involvement in the extradition of El Chapo; as well as tracking down a double-murder suspect who had evaded capture for more than 16 years – Andre Neverson – a U.S. Marshals “15 Most Wanted” fugitive featured on America’s Most Wanted TV show. In 2015, Bobby supported Deputy U.S. Marshal Dawn Mahoney after she reported harassment and discrimination within the task force. As her supervisor and mentor, Bobby stood by her and testified on her behalf. What followed was swift and severe retaliation by the task force members identified in this whistleblower case involving a smear campaign that not only ended Bobby’s career but also threatened his and his wife’s safety ultimately forcing them to relocate from New York to Florida. In April 2020, just two months shy of his scheduled retirement, Bobby was terminated. The firing immediately stripped him of his pay, medical coverage, and pension—leaving him and his family financially and emotionally devastated. We talk about what has kept him going these past few years, the mission to get back what was taken from him, and where things stand now. Two organizations that supported Bobby from day one: The National Police Defense Foundation (NPDF), which put a legal defense fund in place for the legal expenses Bobby has incurred with his case that is now before the Merit System Protection Board (MSPB). The NPDF is a nationally renowned and congressionally recognized non-profit that provides free medical and legal support services to the law enforcement community. https://npdf.org/ The other non-profit of which Bobby is a board member is the Federal Enforcement of Homeland Security Foundation (FEHSF), a non-profit whose mission is to provide emergency funding to the Federal Law Enforcement Community. https://www.fehsf.org/ You can connect with Bobby on LinkedIn under Robert Ledogar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-ledogar-276277146/ Thanks for listening to On Being a Police Officer. YOU are what keeps me going. Find me on my social or email me your thoughts: Instagram: on_being_a_police_officer Facebook: On Being a Police Officer [email protected] www.onbeingapoliceofficer.com ©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, and production by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 80 - Joining me is Jim Dudley, host of Police1’s acclaimed podcast Policing Matters. Jim was with the San Francisco Police Department for 32 years, rising to the rank of Deputy Chief. He takes us back to policing in San Francisco in the 1980s and walks through how the profession — and crime itself — evolved over the decades, from the crack epidemic to today’s open drug use and reforms impacting law enforcement like reducing felony charges to misdemeanors. He reflects on his time as an Investigator in the Bureau of Inspectors, working cases ranging from burglary and property crimes to domestic violence, assaults, and serious violent offenses. Jim also speaks candidly about the critical incident in which he used deadly force to save his own life and his partner’s during a struggle with an armed suspect. We discuss the reality of being investigated after a fatal use-of-force incident, the emotional toll that follows, and how that experience shaped his leadership style when supporting officers navigating their own critical incidents. Since retiring in 2013, Jim has continued serving the profession as the host of Policing Matters and as a criminal justice instructor at San Francisco State University, where he has taught for 14 years. We touch on a topic of particular interest to me and that is the impact criminal justice professors can have on framing the national narrative on policing. Thank you, Jim. I also want to thank the listeners who I mention in the episode: @Luv fitness pal and @Emandagat01left very kind words in their five-star reviews on Apple podcasts. It means a lot to me. Here’s where you can find Jim and Policing Matters: Policing Matters podcast Policing Matters YouTube Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/policing_matterspodcast/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimdudley1946/ My interview with Jim Dudley on “Policing Matters” Thanks for listening to On Being a Police Officer. YOU are what keeps me going. Find me on my social or email me your thoughts: Instagram: on_being_a_police_officer Facebook: On Being a Police Officer [email protected] www.onbeingapoliceofficer.com ©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, and production by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 79 As Child Abuse Detective Kristen King says in this episode, “If you haven’t cried in child abuse, you probably haven’t been there long enough or you’re lying.” In the years I’ve interviewed law enforcement, officers have always said that incidents with kids are the hardest. I wanted to shine a light on those that handle these cases on a daily basis. Kristen has been with Dallas PD for 12 years. We review her career and talk about her not so predictable path to choosing law enforcement, some memorable calls from patrol and making the move to Child Abuse, something she said she knew she wanted to do during training. As she says, when it comes to crimes involving children – children are always going to be the victims, and she wants to help give them a voice. She cites the hard work of a multidisciplinary team of experts, agencies and organizations that make this possible. Kristen explains what constitutes child abuse, the calls she has responded to and the cases she has handled as well as the importance of weighing all the variables when determining if an incident was a crime, an accident, or just bad parenting. Kristen shares the emotional toll this work can take and why wellness matters — a topic that connects to Ep. 77 in which I interviewed her husband, Dallas Police Officer Joe King, head of the department’s wellness unit and host of the podcast ATO: Bridging the Divide. A big part of Kristen’s passion is educating families on various topics to keep their kids safe. For example, why teaching “Stranger Danger” falls short because most assaults on children are committed by someone known to the child. She talks about what parents should teach their kids and how to recognize warning signs. We also cover Kristen’s efforts to educate families on the importance of properly storing firearms in the home to prevent injuries and fatalities due to a child’s access to unsecured weapons which can lead to the charge known as "Making a Firearm Accessible to a Child." And Kristen launched a campaign for which she helped raise funding called “Tiny Breaths Safe Sleep” about safe sleeping habits for babies – life saving tips that many parents may be unaware of. This is a powerful episode on the work being done every day to protect our children. Thank you, Kristen! You can find Kristen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristen-king10671/ Find me on my social or email me your thoughts: Instagram: on_being_a_police_officer Facebook: On Being a Police Officer [email protected] www.onbeingapoliceofficer.com ©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, and production by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org Jim Dudley of Police1’s “Policing Matters” interview with me!

Ep. 78 - LAPD Gang Detective Tim Pearce reflects on choosing law enforcement; working the CRASH Gang Unit with his partner Kristina Ripatti who would become his wife; and on the “Officer Needs Help” call that changed everything for them both. Tim joined LAPD in 1996 in the wake of the Rodney King riots and the OJ Simpson trial working Skid Row as a rookie and later what was then known as South Central. Tim was paired with Kristina who he met in the Academy as patrol partners and later as partners on the CRASH Gang Unit assigned to the Rollin’ 30s Harlem Crips. We discuss all elements that go into collecting gang intel – the cars they drive, who they hang out with, their monikers, their secret monikers. He shares the hair-raising incident he responded to with Kristina that brought him face to face with a gangster and his shotgun and the millisecond decision that saved Tim’s life. Tim and Kristina would marry in 2003 soon after have a daughter. They remained on the Gang Unit working separate districts. Then, on June 3, 2006, Tim and his partner responded to the “Officer Needs Help” call. That officer, he would soon learn, was Kristina. This is Tim’s story. It’s Kristina’s story. It’s also the story of what all of you risk every time you hit the streets. It is my feeling that the experiences of officers who have been injured in the line of duty and the impact on them and their loved ones is rarely told. It is important to note that through this experience, Tim has been inspired to help law enforcement in a unique way. He has created a gunshot wound simulator called Accuracy Under Fire — a training tool designed to help officers respond while injured and under direct attack. Tim believes AUFIRE will help save law enforcement and military lives. Please check out Tim’s website to learn more. Accuracy Under Fire https://www.aufire.com/ [email protected] Find Tim on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/timpearceaufire/ We also talk about the fascinating story behind the film “Nothing to see here: Watts” which Tim helped produce and direct. It’s a unique documentary made by rival gang members, police, victims of violence all from Watts in LA. Check out the trailer here: https://nothingtoseeheremovie.com/ Find me on my social or email me your thoughts: Instagram: on_being_a_police_officer Facebook: On Being a Police Officer [email protected] www.onbeingapoliceofficer.com ©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, and production by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org My interview with Jim Dudley on Police1’s “Policing Matters”

Ep. 77 - Many of you know Dallas PD’s Joe King as the host of the compelling podcast “ATO: Bridging the Divide” which supports the mission of the Assist the Officer Foundation. Joe joined The Dallas Police Department in 1997, starting out in the Southeast Division. We talk about why he chose law enforcement, an early critical incident that sticks with him to this day, and how he quickly was drawn to street level narcotics and gangs which he worked for 20 years. On July 7th, 2016, everything changed for Joe, the Dallas Police Department and Dallas. That night, while DPD was working an anti-police protest, a shooter opened fire on officers working the protest, killing five, injuring nine other officers and two civilians. Those we lost are known as the Dallas Five, and they include one of Joe’s close friends, Senior Corporal Lorne Ahrens. Joe recounts how the tragic events of that night unfolded with much of the killing horrifyingly playing out on live television. He details the SWAT response and the hours-long standoff that resulted in the shooter’s being neutralized by a bomb on a remote-controlled bomb robot. The shooting was the deadliest incident for US law enforcement since 9/ 11, surpassing the March 2009 shootings of four officers in Oakland, CA, and the November 2009 murders of four officers just south of Seattle in Lakewood, WA known as the Lakewood Four. Their deaths were preceded by the ambush murder of Seattle Police Officer Timothy Brenton less than a month earlier. I lived in the greater Seattle area at the time and experienced the devastation of this tragedy. When the Dallas Five were killed, as I tell Joe, I may have been thousands of miles away, but my heart was with Dallas. Joe shares the impact on him and his fellow officers. His journey through grief and the cumulative effect of prior traumas led him to seek help through the Assist the Officer Foundation’s confidential counseling. Joe has since joined the board of the Foundation which is a non-profit that not only provides trauma support but also financial assistance to first responders in need. Joe amplifies the mission with the “ATO: Bridging the Divide” podcast for which he interviews first responders from Dallas and around the country. They share their stories of trauma and resilience and how their agencies handle wellness. Joe also helped create and serves on Dallas PD’s Wellness Unit which takes a very proactive role in caring for Dallas police officers. That Unit and ATO were both put to the test following the 2024 ambush murder of Officer Darron Burks who, only a few months out of the Academy, was shot and killed while in his patrol car.  Joe says, “the Wellness Unit snapped into action that night. It was really a night-and-day response from 2016 to 2024 with critical incident response.” Thank you, Joe for all you have done and for all you do. I’d like to honor The Dallas Five for their service and for paying the ultimate sacrifice to protect the rest of us: Senior Corporal Lorne Ahrens Officer Patricio Enrique Zamarripa Officer Michael Leslie Krol Sgt. Michael Joseph Smith DART Officer Brent Thompson  And to honor Police Officer Darron Burks ATO: Assist The Officer Foundation ATO: Bridging the Divide podcast Find me on my social or email me your thoughts: Instagram: on_being_a_police_officer Facebook: On Being a Police Officer [email protected] www.onbeingapoliceofficer.com ©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, and production by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org My interview with Jim Dudley on Police1’s “Policing Matters” Thank you, K9sRbest for your review.

Ep. 76 Andre Lemay’s law enforcement career spans 33 years starting in 1991 with the Pittsburg Police Department in the Bay Area of CA and later as special agent for the California Department of Justice, a role he had for 26.5 years. We dive into his early critical incidents on patrol including his first life-or-death fight with a suspect who was not trying to get away, but who intended to do serious harm. Andre also talks about the harrowing experience of coming to the aid of fellow officers engaged in a shooting that nearly took their lives. He discusses achieving his dream assignment in Narcotics and the unique challenges of doing undercover work in the city in which he grew up. In 1997, Andre joined a DOJ Task Force in CA while with Pittsburg PD and then in 1998, lateraled to the California DOJ as a special agent where he continued working in Narcotics. He later moved into the agency’s Bureau of Firearms where he investigated firearms crimes at the local, state, and federal levels. In 2011 he created a K9 firearms detection task force that sparked his passion for working with detection dogs. That passion became his next chapter following his retirement in 2024—founding K9 Bullseye Detection, a unique program that uses highly-trained firearms detection dogs for school safety including protection not only from gun violence but also from the spread of deadly drugs like fentanyl. Andre reflects on the changes he has seen over the past 30+ years in terms of how drugs and illegal firearms ownership and sales are prosecuted, and we discuss the impact of policies that decriminalize drug use on law enforcement’s ability to get dangerous criminals off the street. Check out Andre’s website where you also can find his contact info: https://bullseyek9detection.net/ Andre’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andre-lemay-049257270/ Bullseye K9 Detection on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bullseyek9detection/ Also check out this article in Police Mag: https://www.policemag.com/special-units/article/15736766/innovating-school-security Thanks for listening to On Being a Police Officer. YOU are what keeps me going. Police1 Q&A with me: https://www.police1.com/patrol-issues/policing-podcast-profiles-on-being-a-police-officer-podcast-shares-the-raw-truth-behind-the-badge  Find me on my social or email me your thoughts: Instagram: on_being_a_police_officer Facebook: On Being a Police Officer [email protected] www.onbeingapoliceofficer.com ©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, and production by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 75 – Strap in for a wild ride as On Being a Police Officer teams up with Cameron Santana of Santana True Crime to sit down with Eric Tansey—former cop, veteran, and host of the hit YouTube Show and Podcast Failure to Stop—to talk about his upcoming book, Pig Latin: A Seriously Funny True Story of a Former Police Officer, dropping August 26. Because Cameron was Eric’s field training officer (featured in the book as Jayce), this is the only interview where you’ll get the story behind the story. And you’ll hear some Eric adventures that aren’t in the book. Eric served with the Raleigh Police Department from 2012 to 2019, after his time as a U.S. Army paratrooper in Special Ops from 2003 to 2010. As Eric says, he joined the police force with a ton of unrealistic expectations. The reality of the job knocked him down and changed his perspective on everything. Always a magnet for uncanny, wild situations, Eric reveals exactly what it’s like to deal with everyday life as a police officer—from trying to tackle naked suspects to pepper spraying himself in the face, from dealing with an angry mob to coaxing suicidal subject off a bridge.  Beyond the darkly funny anecdotes, Eric explains how PIG LATIN aims to build empathy for law enforcement professionals and remind them they are not alone in their fears and mistakes. Tune in for an insider’s ride‑along that will make you laugh, cringe and see policing in a new light. Also check out Ep. 74, a repost of my 2023 interview with Eric which covers not only the book, but his childhood, the breakdowns he’s done on Failure To Stop, how he became a sommelier and so much more. Get his book on Amazon: “Pig Latin: a seriously funny true story of a former police officer”  You can find Eric on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erictansey_official/  And Cameron: https://www.instagram.com/santanatruecrime/ Find me on my social or email me your thoughts: Instagram: on_being_a_police_officer Facebook: On Being a Police Officer [email protected] www.onbeingapoliceofficer.com Check out this Police1 Q&A with me: https://www.police1.com/patrol-issues/policing-podcast-profiles-on-being-a-police-officer-podcast-shares-the-raw-truth-behind-the-badge ©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, and production by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 74 – Join me on this re-airing of a wild ride of an interview from 2023 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 Seriously Funny True Story of a Former Police Officer.” 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. My next episode, Ep. 75, is a brand-new interview with Eric as a crossover with Cameron Santana, host of Santana True Crime. Cameron was Eric’s field training officer and is featured in the book, so it’s a unique perspective to share. We get into even more stories, some of them not in the book.  In this 2023 interview, Eric and I discuss why he got into law enforcement following his service in Special Ops as a US Army paratrooper from 2003 to 2010. We get into a few dramatic incidents from the book 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, making a “routine” traffic stop, and ending 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 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 law enforcement today, and the frustrations of the public’s misperceptions of police. We revisit a breakdown that he originally did with Mike the Cop (link below).   YouTube link to FTS breakdown of Akron Police Department incident: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zpN8TEcSB8 Here is the Amazon link to Eric’s book coming out on Aug. 26, 2025: “Pig Latin: a seriously funny true story of a former police officer” You can find Eric on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erictansey_official/ Thanks for listening to On Being a Police Officer. YOU are what keeps me going. Check out this Police1 Q&A with me: https://www.police1.com/patrol-issues/policing-podcast-profiles-on-being-a-police-officer-podcast-shares-the-raw-truth-behind-the-badge  Find me on my social or email me your thoughts: Instagram: on_being_a_police_officer Facebook: On Being a Police Officer [email protected] www.onbeingapoliceofficer.com ©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, and production by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 73 – Switching Mics: Kent PD Police Commander Eric Tung of Blue Grit Wellness Interviews Me on My 15-Year Mission to Support Law Enforcement and the Story Behind This Podcast. This episode is a crossover with my friend and fellow podcaster Eric Tung of Blue Grit Wellness and Blue Grit Radio. I am honored to have been a guest on his show and to be able to share it here.  Here is how Eric described this episode on “Blue Grit Radio:” “If only people understood what we did.. why we do this job.. what it takes.. what it tests.. If only they knew we were people, doing our best.. I connected with Abby in July 2023 and was humbled to be featured in an interview with her, (Ep. 47 of On Being a Police Officer). In it, she called out my "relentless optimism." It was one of the coolest compliments I've heard and part of me wanted to deny it since optimism is often a struggle and by no means easy. (However, I can't prove her wrong, since I'm still doing this thing called Blue Grit - and that's the whole point of it!).  I've gotten to know Abby from and before that interview, and to see/hear/learn more about her. It's not just WHY she does the work, but HOW she does it, which makes me truly inspired.  This is what prompted me to ask if she would be willing to flip the mics as it were and be the guest on my show. She has a servant's heart, desire to help, and humility and care in spades. I am honored to be able to share and highlight HER story, as she shares and highlights so many of ours.” Thank you, Eric!  Also, I also am thrilled to share that Police1, the national law enforcement news outlet, recently published a Q&A with me about my podcast and why I do it. I’m truly grateful for the opportunity because it helps me reach more officers with my message of support. As Nancy Perry of Police1 wrote: “With no ads or subscription fees, Ellsworth’s only goal is support: for officers and for the truth.”   Police1 Q&A with me: https://www.police1.com/patrol-issues/policing-podcast-profiles-on-being-a-police-officer-podcast-shares-the-raw-truth-behind-the-badge You can find Eric on his website: https://www.bluegritwellness.com/ On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluegritradio/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bluegritwellness   Tik Tok @bluegritwellness. On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-tung-a83459203/ His podcast Blue Grit Radio is available on all podcast platforms. Thanks for listening to On Being a Police Officer. YOU are what keeps me going. Find me on my social or email me your thoughts: Instagram: on_being_a_police_officer Facebook: On Being a Police Officer YouTube: Abby Ellsworth Channel [email protected] www.onbeingapoliceofficer.com ©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, and production by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org

Ep. 72 Tessa Melville has been with the Kent Police Department for eight years, though her introduction to law enforcement began much earlier through her stepfather, a police officer, and her mother, a dispatcher. The realities of the job were made very clear before she even started. At just 16 years old, Tessa joined her parents in attending the memorial service for the devastating ambush murders of four Lakewood Police Department officers – known as the Lakewood Four – all of them gunned down as they sat in a coffee shop on a Sunday morning in 2009. With only three months on with Kent PD, Tessa would face her own critical incidents including responding to the scene of the line of duty death of Kent Police Officer Diego Moreno during which she rendered aid to both him and another officer seriously wounded in a crash at the scene. We discuss the lasting impact of this incident on her and how it helped shape her career and her outlook. After three years in patrol, Tessa became a field training officer, a role which she says has been one of her most challenging. A few years later, Tessa joined the Detective Unit to work Special Assault, cases which include sexual assault, domestic violence, internet crimes against children, and elder abuse. Tessa decided to join this unit in part because of her personal experience as a sexual assault survivor. She wanted to bring her learnings and a trauma-informed approach to the work. However, after nearly two years as a detective on this unit, Tessa decided to return to patrol while continuing to investigate some of her cases, the reasons for which we will discuss. We also talk about how she didn't really consider law enforcement as a profession even with her family affiliation. She chose first to go into the military, where she spent five years in the Navy as a Green Side hospital corpsman where she received specialized training in traumatic field care, training she has put to use as a police officer. Thank you, Tessa. You can find Tessa: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tessamelville/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tessa-m-210959114/ I would like to honor the service and ultimate sacrifice of Officer Diego Moreno. EOW Sunday, July 22, 2018 https://www.odmp.org/officer/23727-police-officer-diego-moreno Thanks for listening to On Being a Police Officer. YOU are what keeps me going. Find me on my social or email me your thoughts: Instagram: on_being_a_police_officer Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abby.ellsworth.52/ YouTube: Abby Ellsworth Channel [email protected] www.onbeingapoliceofficer.com ©Abby Ellsworth. All booking, interviews, editing, and production by Abby Ellsworth. Music courtesy of freesound.org