Podcasts about broward sheriff

Florida's Broward Sheriff's Office (BSO) is facing major scrutiny as 8 deputies are suspended and 9 others demoted following the Tamarac triple murder investigation. We'll unpack the shocking developments, exploring the probe's revelations and their broader implications. Additionally, we'll dive into the potential impact of the ongoing economic blackout on public safety and community trust. Stay tuned for in-depth analysis and updates.And here are some hashtags to boost visibility: #FloridaNews #BSOScandal #TamaracTripleMurder #EconomicBlackout #JusticeForVictims #Accountability #SocialImpact #BreakingNews #liveatthebarbershoppodcast

Carina Santa Maria is a first time ED making veteran moves at her organization. At Shelter Inc., Carina helps youth experiencing homelessness find emergency shelter, transitional housing, and clinical care, filling a crucial need for a vulnerable population within her community. Such a need requires great funding, and when Carina stepped into the role, things weren't where they needed to be.  Fast forward to today -  Shelter Inc. has seen their revenue grow nearly 5x thanks to changes in strategy implemented by Carina. Sherry and Carina discuss the growth and challenges faced by Shelter Inc., the journey of scaling the organization,and how their relationship with donors impacted the transition to their new funding model. The two explore the need for diversification in funding, the impact of innovative ideas, and the significance of infrastructure in nonprofit operations.   What You Will Discover: ✔️ Infrastructure needs are often overlooked but essential for operations. ✔️ The ask doesn't have to be awkward. By staying open and consistent, your funders won't be caught off guard when you make the big ask, and even might be more proactive that you anticipate.  ✔️ New initiatives can appear nice and shiny for donors, but communicating the importance of overhead funding is crucial. ✔️ An engaged team is vital for implementing change throughout your organization. —————————————— Carina H. Santa Maria, MSW, LCSW, was appointed Executive Director and member of the Board of Directors of Shelter, Inc, in June 2018. She was previously Director of Field Education with Dominican University's School of Social Work where she managed and coordinated internship experiences for master level social work students while maintaining relations with community organizations to address the needs of clients needing social work intervention. While at Dominican, she also served as an adjunct  instructor, teaching various graduate level social work classes, including a graduate level human trafficking course.  Prior to her work at Dominican University, she was a Community Youth Counselor for Memorial Health Care Systems and partnered with the Broward Sheriff's Office and their Juvenile Diversion program. She has also served as the Vice President of Education and Outreach at the Broward Human Trafficking Coalition, and as a residential counselor at Youth Villages in Memphis, TN. In addition, Carina has volunteered with Kristi House – Project GOLD and served as the Education Director for Traffick Free, a volunteer driver organization in the Chicago area that combats human trafficking. Carina is also a founding member of a local Arlington Heights community group called Voices of Community, Acceptance, and Love (VOCAL), whose mission is to bridge differences to create a supportive, connected community that celebrates diversity and practices tolerance and acceptance. She was recently awarded the NASW Illinois Chapter's Emerging Young Leader Award as well as Delta Zeta National Sorority's 35 women under 35. She graduated with her bachelor's degree in psychology and criminology from the University of Tampa in 2007. In 2011, she received her master's degree in social work from Dominican University. She resides in Arlington Heights, IL with her husband and two sons.   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cnhomann/ Website: https://www.shelter-inc.org/ -------------------------- Welcome to the Business Behind Fundraising podcast, where you'll discover how to raise the kind of money your big vision requires without adding more events, appeals, or grant applications. Learn how to stop blocking overall revenue growth and start attracting investment-level donors with Sherry Quam Taylor. Sherry Quam Taylor's unique approach and success combine her background of scaling businesses with her decade-long experience advising nonprofit leadership teams. With out-of-the-box principles and a myth-busting methodology, proven results, and an ability to see solutions to revenue problems that others overlook, her clients regularly add 7-figures of revenue to their bottom line. If you need a true partner to show you how to fully finance your entire mission, both programs, AND overhead, year after year… You're in the right place!   #nonprofits #podcast

TOP STORIES - 8th Broward Sheriff's deputy placed on leave after Tamarac triple murder; Fla. state senator files bill to rename Tamiami Trail to Gulf of America Trail; Fort Lauderdale officials discuss Spring Break measures; Trump Terminates Biden-era Oil Deal With Venezuela; Man faces attempted murder charges after running over Lauderhill cop; Florida leaders line up to endorse Byron Donalds on Day 1.

In November 2021, a property faced significant scrutiny as it accumulated over $500,000 in liens due to various compliance and safety violations. Seized by the IRS, the property had drawn the attention of multiple agencies, including the FBI, the Broward Sheriff's Office (BSO), and Homeland Security. When a property is burdened with substantial liens and […]

Step into the world of Sergeant Glenn Topping, formerly a Sergeant with Broward Sheriff's Office, a skilled Swat hostage negotiator, also a Sergeant in the Army as military police, member of BSO organized crime division, and now author of 11 books, with two in the making. His books are amazing and you can find them on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Xlibris, and other online booksellers. Why not pick up several copies today, and give them to your friends and family? Hayley and I thank you for tuning in and SHARING!

Hello, and welcome to episode 98 of the Financial Crime Weekly Podcast, I'm Chris Kirkbride. It is yet another busy week for financial crime, so I think we'll just get on with it. Lots to get through, so let's crack on. As usual, I have linked the main stories flagged in the podcast in the description. These are: Bailiwick of Guernsey Financial Intelligence Unit, Annual Report 2023.Companies House, Companies House begins phased roll out of new powers to tackle fraud.Department of Health and Human Services, HHS Statement Regarding the Cyberattack on Change Healthcare.Department of Justice (Office of Public Affairs), Commodities Trading Company Will Pay Over $661M to Resolve Foreign Bribery Case.Department of Justice, Leesburg man pleads guilty to COVID relief fraud scheme.Department of Justice, Brooklyn Woman Sentenced To 33 Months In Prison For Multifaceted COVID-19 Fraud Scheme.Department of Justice, Broward Sheriff's Office deputy convicted at trial of COVID-19 relief fraud.Department of Justice, Man Charged for $10M COVID-19 Relief Fraud Scheme.Department of State, Sanctioning Human Rights Abusers and Corrupt Actors, and Termination of Zimbabwe Sanctions Authority.Department of the Treasury, Treasury Sanctions Zimbabwe's President and Key Actors for Corruption and Serious Human Rights Abuse.Eurojust, Support to halt money laundering in Italy via tax fraud and fake invoices.European Public Prosecutor's Office, Annual Report 2023: EPPO warns that serious organised crime continues to feast on EU revenue.European Public Prosecutor's Office, Annual Report 2023.Federal Communications Commission, FCC & U.K. Ofcom to Partner in Fight Against Scam Calls & Texts.Financial Conduct Authority, FCA warns firms over anti-money laundering failings (press release).Financial Conduct Authority, Dear CEO Letter: Annex 1 Firms.Financial Conduct Authority, High Court allows the FCA to pause civil case against WealthTek LLP.Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Policy paper – Post-Legislative Scrutiny Memorandum: Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018.Home Office, Biggest ever crackdown on money mules in the UK.Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation, Financial Sanctions Notice: Russia.Office of Foreign Assets Control, Treasury Sanctions Members of the Intellexa Commercial Spyware Consortium.Office of Foreign Assets Control, Treasury Targets Companies and Vessels Facilitating Qods Force and Houthi Commodity Shipments.UK legislation, The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (Commencement No. 2 and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2024 SI No 269.National Cyber Security Centre, Connected Places Cyber Security Principles.National Cyber Security Centre, New 'Connected Places' infographic published.Serious Fraud Office, SFO secures conviction of former MoD official for taking £70k in secret kickbacks.Spotlight on Corruption, Acquittal of two men for making corrupt payments on UK-Saudi arms deal must lead to full independent inquiry into UK government's role.White House, Statement by National Security Council Spokesperson Adrienne Watson on U.S. Sanctions on Zimbabwean Individuals and Entities.Wolfsberg Group, Publication of the updated Country Risk FAQs.Wolfsberg Group, Country Risk Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

Financial Advisor Jayson Thornton, CFP -- REACTS -- Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony joined federal law enforcement officials Thursday for a news conference announcing the arrests of more than a dozen Broward Sheriff's Office employees suspected of fraudulently applying for and receiving Paycheck Protection Program loans. 17 employees, who work as either sworn law enforcement deputies or jailers, are slated to face federal charges. All are being charged separately with PPP wire fraud, except for Dunkley, who is being charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The 17 charged collectively took just under $500,000 from the federal government, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe said. Are you looking for ways to improve your financial life? If so, this is the channel for you! On this channel we'll teach you how to live a successful life by learning how to save, payoff debt and invest. We'll start by explaining the basics of money management and financial planning, and then move on to more advanced topics like investing and retirement planning. Subscribing to Pocket Watching with JT and following his tips, you'll have everything you need to live a financially successful life. FREE Consultation! https://www.thorntonadvisor.com/free-consult Got Money Questions? Ask JT https://www.pocketwatcher.net/ FREE Finance Course - Pocket Watcher Academy https://pocketwatcher.teachable.com/p/home Pocket Watcher MERCH! https://pocketwatcher.myspreadshop.com/ Get a Personal Financial Plan! https://forms.gle/JepACZCMpmyUT1po6 Need Tax DEBT Help? https://forms.gle/XQpJLs2E7RrXNEz66 Book a consultation at https://www.pocketwatcher.net/ Call-In Financial Talk Show hosted by Financial Advisor Jayson M. Thornton, CFP. Pocket Watching with JT is all about giving you smart money tips to help you reach your financial goals! *Disclaimer* Financial Coaching during Livestreams is NOT personal financial advice, No CFP-Client relationship is established by calling into the show or submitting a question by email or text. Cash App $PocketWatcherJT email PocketWatcherJT@gmail.com Follow ig @JTPocketWatcher Twitter @JTPocketWatcher Certified Financial Planner owned by POCKET WATCHER LLC

102. Street Smart Safety for Women LAURA FROMBACH was introduced to technology in the U.S. Army working on Pershing nuclear missiles. Having spent much of her career as a technologist and engineer with IBM, HP, FedEx, Coca Cola Enterprises, Lenovo and others. A turning point in Laura's life was the ‘aha' moment when she correlated her mother's mental illness to domestic violence. She advocates for local domestic violence shelters. Laura was one of the featured speakers at the TEDx Eustis conference and speaks on women's safety. JOY FARROW is a retired Deputy Sheriff with twenty-eight years of experience. She worked road patrol in Pompano Beach, FL, and faced every situation imaginable. After the 9/11 tragedy, Joy transferred to the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood Int'l Airport with the Broward Sheriff's Office to focus on the safety of air travelers. In 2017, Joy assisted with the aftermath of the mass shooting at the Airport. She has received numerous letters of commendations & several lifesaving awards. In this episode: Laura shared her experiences in the Army and working as a technologist at big tech companies. She spoke about her aha moment when she realized that her mom's mental illness was tied to domestic violence. We talked about their new book Street Smart Safety for Women and what led them to write the book. She shared tips on how to handle dating in the online space, helping them to trust their intuition and what to do to be safe. She talked about the invisible cages that women who are in domestic violence situations will experience. She defined what “love bombing” is and how to be aware when things may change. Laura shared what she and Joy hope the book will do for women. Information on Laura and Joy:   Order their book: Street Smart Safety for Women by Joy Farrow and Laura Frombach Resource Laura shared: What Aimee Says – AI tool trained to help support women in domestic violence situations. Social Media Links: StreetSmartSafety.org The Books that Laura and Joy Recommend: The Worlds I See by Dr Fei-Fei Li The Truth About Lying by Stan Walters The Visibility Factor Podcast is brought to you in part by the 90-day Visibility Breakthrough Accelerator program. Do you believe deep down inside that you can have a bigger career, but you don't know how to get there? This 90-day program is a powerful experience that is unique to you and provides dedicated time to focus on your specific challenge. This dedicated time will help you see new possibilities, recognize your strengths, and take away key insights that can be leveraged immediately.  Are you ready to create a breakthrough for yourself? If you are interested in learning more, visit: susanmbarber.com/visibilitybreakthroughaccelerator/ Thank you for listening to The Visibility Factor Podcast Check out my website to order my book and view the videos/resources for The Visibility Factor book. As always, I encourage you to reach out! You can email me at hello@susanmbarber.com. You can also find me on social media everywhere – Facebook, LinkedIn, and of course on The Visibility Factor Podcast! I look forward to connecting with you! If you liked The Visibility Factor, I would be so grateful if you could subscribe and rate it where you listen to podcasts! It helps the podcast get in front of more people who can learn how to be visible too! Thank you to the team at Sheep Jam Productions for the amazing support of The Visibility Factor Podcast! 

We talk about the date that never was to the Cheesecake Factory. A Dallas public defender is facing federal charges after she allegedly struck up a relationship with one of her former client. An office aide at a high school arrested after she was accused of inappropriate conduct with a teen student. A Fulton County Sheriff's Officer has been terminated after she got in a fight with another woman when she tried to serve a temporary protection order. 17 Broward Sheriff's Office employees suspected of fraudulently applying for and receiving Paycheck Protection Program loans. Plus, we have some Eagles and Phillies talk Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/PnLJudgementals⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@pnljudgementals⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/PnLJudgementals⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/the__judgementals⁠ Email: ⁠pnljudgementals@gmail.com⁠ Music:  Bread Crumbs - Successful

Zenith All Natural Fat Burning Supplement Buy Zenith here Awakendnation.com/integrativematt Extra Zenith information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igEyMcaCZDw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSSZ-USzz3k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9mkWri8TAw   Magnesium Breakthrough Use Code : integrativethoughts10 for 10% OFF https://bioptimizers.com/shop/products/magnesium-breakthrough   Just Thrive: Use Code ITP15 for 15% off https://justthrivehealth.com/discount/ITP15   Therasage: Use Code Coffman10 for 10% off https://www.therasage.com/discount/COFFMAN10?rfsn=6763480.4aed7f&utm_source=refersion&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=6763480.4aed7f   Nootopia: Use Code IntegrativeThoughts10 for 10% OFF https://nootopia.com/   Sleep Breakthrough: Use Code IntegrativeThoughts10 for 10% OFF https://bioptimizers.com/shop/products/sleep-breakthrough   Integrative Thoughts My Instagram: @integrativematt My Website: Integrativethoughts.com Guest: Matthew "Whiz" Buckley   E. Matthew Buckley (callsign “Whiz”), a decorated Navy fighter pilot, is the Chief Executive Officer for TOPGUN Options LLC (TGO) and Strike Fighter Financial LLC in Boca Raton, Florida. He is also the Producer of the groundbreaking documentary film No Fallen Heroes.   Prior to starting TGO he was the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Options News Network, a financial media company headquartered in the Chicago Board of Trade. He rose from the position of Managing Director of a leading multi-billion-dollar Wall Street trading firm to CEO in one year at the age of 38. His areas of expertise include strategic planning and execution, raising capital, mergers and acquisitions, building profitability, public speaking, charitable fund raising, leadership development, and team building.   Prior to this Mr. Buckley was the Managing Director of Strategy for the largest Wall Street proprietary volatility arbitrage equity options trading firm. He was responsible for the strategic development, successful execution, and debriefing of all strategic plans across the firm and retail business units. His efforts enabled the firm to grow from 99 employees to over 600 and increase in enterprise value from $150M to over $2.5B in just 3 years.   Before heading to Wall Street Mr. Buckley was the Director of Leadership with a military themed consulting company, where he became an internationally recognized and highly sought-after public speaker. He created and deployed leadership and strategic planning and execution processes and was a primary executive consultant to many Fortune 500 companies, including GE, Cisco, Sanofi, Macquarie, McKesson, AT&T, VMWare, Logitec, Fidelity, Cargill, Oracle, Capital One, MasterCard, Medtronic, Abbott, Medtronic, Siemens, and Gilead Sciences.   From 1991-2006, Whiz was a highly decorated Naval Aviator with the United States Navy serving at multiple duty stations worldwide. He was an F/A-18 Hornet Instructor and Adversary Pilot with experience in hostile situations. He flew 44 combat sorties over Iraq and was awarded 2 Strike/Flight Air Medals. He graduated from the Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN). He served as a Department Head in a fighter squadron responsible for the safe operation and combat capability of 12 F/A-18 Hornet aircraft worth over $500 million. His responsibilities included the supervision and management of 200 naval personnel and material assets during combat operations. He managed the career paths and professional development of officers and enlisted personnel, managed a $25 million operations budget, and was responsible for planning, coordinating, and directing allied assets in the Persian Gulf theater as the Mobile Targeting Officer in Riyadh, KSA. He conducted briefings for the highest levels of the National Command Authority and held a Top Secret/SCI clearance. He was recalled to active duty and served during Operation Noble Eagle and Enduring Freedom.   Mr. Buckley lost his sister at the age of 19 to a drunk driver when she was a freshman at Villanova University. Whiz vowed to fight drunk driving and support Mothers Against Drunk Driving and their mission of ‘No More Victims'. He currently serves as the MADD Dash 5K honorary co-executive chairman and for 3 years in a row raised the most donations both as an individual and company.   In 2020 Mr. Buckley founded the TOPGUN Fighter Foundation, a 501c3 charity dedicated to reducing the national tragedy of veteran suicide through alternative and leading-edge therapies.   Mr. Buckley serves on the Broward Sheriff's Office Advisory Council as well as the Executive Committee for the Parkinson's/Alzheimer's Research & Education Foundation of Broward and Palm Beach counties.   He has combined his unprecedented experiences in the military and in corporate America in the writing of From Sea Level to C Level: A Fighter Pilot's Journey from the Front Lines to the Front Office. His follow-on work Covid Crash: From Panic to Profit chronicles how Whiz was one of the only financial professionals in the world to predict to the day the market reaction to the covid virus and detail how he empowered his members to recognize outsized profits. His latest work Strength and Gratitude is an international best seller in 3 categories ranging from business to leadership.   Mr. Buckley is married to Susan and has 3 children – Matthew, Jack, and Keeley. Matthew and Jack plan on following in their father's footsteps by serving their country in the Marine Corps and Navy.   Make a Donation: https://nofallenheroesfoundation.org/

Last Friday, a thorough reenactment of the tragic 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School was conducted in an unprecedented move. This initiative, which had stirred significant interest and discussion among the public and the media, had been organized as part of a civil lawsuit against the then-deputy Scot Peterson and his employing body, the Broward Sheriff's Office. The unfortunate incident in 2018 had seen 17 innocent lives lost and another 17 injured within a mere six minutes. AP News had informed that specialized ballistics experts, engaged by the families of the victims, led the reenactment. A key objective of that exercise was to meticulously record the sound of gunfire from various locations outside the school. This helped simulate the auditory environment Peterson was in, enabling a clearer understanding of what he might have heard during the terrifying ordeal. Previously, in June, a court verdict had found Scot Peterson not guilty of felony neglect, among other charges related to his perceived inaction during the tragedy. Notably, he had been the first law enforcement officer to be charged with child neglect in the capacity of a “caregiver.” Prosecutors had argued that his role as the school resource officer mandated him to safeguard the school's populace. Peterson's defense had centered around the claim that he could not distinctly hear or locate the source of the gunshots due to echoing sounds. He had mentioned that he had approached the building, weapon drawn, but then chose to withdraw. According to him, he had taken cover next to a nearby structure and remained engaged in radio communication for a significant duration of 40 minutes. Peterson had firmly stated that had he been certain of the shooter's location within the building, he would have taken immediate action. The families behind the civil suit had offered a stark contrast in perspective. They believed that Peterson was well aware of the shooter's whereabouts but chose to retreat, possibly out of fear, thereby neglecting his sworn duty. Tony Montalto, president of Stand with Parkland and a grieving father whose 14-year-old daughter Gina was a victim of the shooting, had stated, “While Peterson might have been cleared of criminal charges, it in no way absolves him of the responsibility to act rightfully.” Montalto had further stressed, “This reenactment aims to challenge and potentially debunk certain statements made during the criminal trial.” An important development had been the announcement by Circuit Judge Carol-Lisa Phillips on July 12. While she had permitted the attorneys from both sides to produce a video based on the reenactment, she had remained non-committal on its use during the trial. As of then, the trial date had remained undecided. The reenactment had promised to be precise. Experts were slated to fire up to 139 live rounds within a three-story classroom building, mirroring the shooter's actions using an identical AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle. To ensure complete safety during that exercise, all bullets were captured using a specialized safety apparatus. However, questions about the audio accuracy had been raised. Robert Maher, an expert from Montana State University, had mentioned to AP News that the reenactment might not capture the true essence of gunfire sounds. According to him, real-life gunfire sounds are piercingly sharp, something that speakers might not have been able to reproduce perfectly. Professor Tamara Lave from the University of Miami Law had offered an insightful observation: the deciding factor for Judge Phillips would be whether the reenactment provided a "fair and accurate" representation of what Peterson might have heard. The reenactment's announcement had generated mixed reactions. Parkland had informed its residents, with some expressing deep concern about potential trauma, as noted by Newsweek. Sarah Franco, director of Eagles' Haven, a community wellness center established post the shooting, had emphasized the importance of collective healing. They had offered various activities, such as yoga and tai chi, aimed at providing solace to those affected.  Concluding the reenactment, Broward County Public Schools has announced its plan to dismantle the building, marking the end of a painful chapter in its history. Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com The latest on Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com

Last Friday, a thorough reenactment of the tragic 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School was conducted in an unprecedented move. This initiative, which had stirred significant interest and discussion among the public and the media, had been organized as part of a civil lawsuit against the then-deputy Scot Peterson and his employing body, the Broward Sheriff's Office. The unfortunate incident in 2018 had seen 17 innocent lives lost and another 17 injured within a mere six minutes. AP News had informed that specialized ballistics experts, engaged by the families of the victims, led the reenactment. A key objective of that exercise was to meticulously record the sound of gunfire from various locations outside the school. This helped simulate the auditory environment Peterson was in, enabling a clearer understanding of what he might have heard during the terrifying ordeal. Previously, in June, a court verdict had found Scot Peterson not guilty of felony neglect, among other charges related to his perceived inaction during the tragedy. Notably, he had been the first law enforcement officer to be charged with child neglect in the capacity of a “caregiver.” Prosecutors had argued that his role as the school resource officer mandated him to safeguard the school's populace. Peterson's defense had centered around the claim that he could not distinctly hear or locate the source of the gunshots due to echoing sounds. He had mentioned that he had approached the building, weapon drawn, but then chose to withdraw. According to him, he had taken cover next to a nearby structure and remained engaged in radio communication for a significant duration of 40 minutes. Peterson had firmly stated that had he been certain of the shooter's location within the building, he would have taken immediate action. The families behind the civil suit had offered a stark contrast in perspective. They believed that Peterson was well aware of the shooter's whereabouts but chose to retreat, possibly out of fear, thereby neglecting his sworn duty. Tony Montalto, president of Stand with Parkland and a grieving father whose 14-year-old daughter Gina was a victim of the shooting, had stated, “While Peterson might have been cleared of criminal charges, it in no way absolves him of the responsibility to act rightfully.” Montalto had further stressed, “This reenactment aims to challenge and potentially debunk certain statements made during the criminal trial.” An important development had been the announcement by Circuit Judge Carol-Lisa Phillips on July 12. While she had permitted the attorneys from both sides to produce a video based on the reenactment, she had remained non-committal on its use during the trial. As of then, the trial date had remained undecided. The reenactment had promised to be precise. Experts were slated to fire up to 139 live rounds within a three-story classroom building, mirroring the shooter's actions using an identical AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle. To ensure complete safety during that exercise, all bullets were captured using a specialized safety apparatus. However, questions about the audio accuracy had been raised. Robert Maher, an expert from Montana State University, had mentioned to AP News that the reenactment might not capture the true essence of gunfire sounds. According to him, real-life gunfire sounds are piercingly sharp, something that speakers might not have been able to reproduce perfectly. Professor Tamara Lave from the University of Miami Law had offered an insightful observation: the deciding factor for Judge Phillips would be whether the reenactment provided a "fair and accurate" representation of what Peterson might have heard. The reenactment's announcement had generated mixed reactions. Parkland had informed its residents, with some expressing deep concern about potential trauma, as noted by Newsweek. Sarah Franco, director of Eagles' Haven, a community wellness center established post the shooting, had emphasized the importance of collective healing. They had offered various activities, such as yoga and tai chi, aimed at providing solace to those affected.  Concluding the reenactment, Broward County Public Schools has announced its plan to dismantle the building, marking the end of a painful chapter in its history. Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com The latest on Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com

In the trial of former Broward Sheriff's deputy Scot Peterson, prosecutors have concluded their case, asserting Peterson's failure to stop the tragic 2018 Parkland school shooting. Central to the case was the gripping testimony of Detective John Curcio, who traced Peterson's actions during the shooting based on surveillance videos. Despite the prosecution's claim that Peterson knew the shooter's location and chose not to confront him, the defense insists Peterson was disoriented by the echoes of the gunshots. If convicted, 60-year-old Peterson could face almost a century in prison and lose his annual pension of $104,000. Want to listen to ALL our Podcasts Ad-Free? Subscribe through Apple Podcasts, and try it for 3 days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj Follow Our Other Cases:   Hidden Killers with Tony Brueski (All Cases) – https://audioboom.com/channels/5040505-hidden-killers-with-tony-brueski-breaking-news-commentary True Crime Today (All Cases)- https://audioboom.com/channels/5001260-true-crime-today-a-true-crime-podcast Chad & Lori Daybell - https://audioboom.com/channels/5098105-demise-of-the-daybells-the-lori-chad-daybell-story The Murder of Ana Walshe - https://audioboom.com/channels/5093967-finding-ana-this-disappearance-of-ana-walshe Alex Murdaugh - https://audioboom.com/channels/5097527-the-trial-of-alex-murdaugh The Idaho Murders, The Case Against Bryan Kohberger - https://audioboom.com/channels/5098223-the-idaho-murders-the-case-against-bryan-kohberger Nurse of Death: The Lucy Letby Story - https://audioboom.com/channels/5099406-nurse-of-death-the-lucy-letby-story  Murder in the Morning- https://audioboom.com/channels/5078367-murder-in-the-morning-daily-true-crime-news The Case Against Kouri Richins- https://audioboom.com/channels/5107367-the-case-against-kouri-richins Justice For Harmony | The Trials of Adam Montgomery- https://audioboom.com/channels/5107366-justice-for-harmony-the-trials-of-adam-montgomery   The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury- https://audioboom.com/channels/5109276-the-murder-of-madeline-kingsbury   The Murder of Stephen Smith- https://audioboom.com/channels/5099407-the-murder-of-stephen-smith      

In the trial of former Broward Sheriff's deputy Scot Peterson, prosecutors have concluded their case, asserting Peterson's failure to stop the tragic 2018 Parkland school shooting. Central to the case was the gripping testimony of Detective John Curcio, who traced Peterson's actions during the shooting based on surveillance videos. Despite the prosecution's claim that Peterson knew the shooter's location and chose not to confront him, the defense insists Peterson was disoriented by the echoes of the gunshots. If convicted, 60-year-old Peterson could face almost a century in prison and lose his annual pension of $104,000. Want to listen to ALL our Podcasts Ad-Free? Subscribe through Apple Podcasts, and try it for 3 days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj Follow Our Other Cases:   Hidden Killers with Tony Brueski (All Cases) – https://audioboom.com/channels/5040505-hidden-killers-with-tony-brueski-breaking-news-commentary True Crime Today (All Cases)- https://audioboom.com/channels/5001260-true-crime-today-a-true-crime-podcast Chad & Lori Daybell - https://audioboom.com/channels/5098105-demise-of-the-daybells-the-lori-chad-daybell-story The Murder of Ana Walshe - https://audioboom.com/channels/5093967-finding-ana-this-disappearance-of-ana-walshe Alex Murdaugh - https://audioboom.com/channels/5097527-the-trial-of-alex-murdaugh The Idaho Murders, The Case Against Bryan Kohberger - https://audioboom.com/channels/5098223-the-idaho-murders-the-case-against-bryan-kohberger Nurse of Death: The Lucy Letby Story - https://audioboom.com/channels/5099406-nurse-of-death-the-lucy-letby-story  Murder in the Morning- https://audioboom.com/channels/5078367-murder-in-the-morning-daily-true-crime-news The Case Against Kouri Richins- https://audioboom.com/channels/5107367-the-case-against-kouri-richins Justice For Harmony | The Trials of Adam Montgomery- https://audioboom.com/channels/5107366-justice-for-harmony-the-trials-of-adam-montgomery   The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury- https://audioboom.com/channels/5109276-the-murder-of-madeline-kingsbury   The Murder of Stephen Smith- https://audioboom.com/channels/5099407-the-murder-of-stephen-smith      

Back by popular demand, here is a rebroadcast of my original interview with Sergeant Glenn Topping. Glenn was former military police, bouncer, bodyguard, and sergeant with the Broward Sheriff's office as a road patrol supervisor, organized crime division, and other special ops units, and now an author with multiple exciting books!

   Slam the Gavel welcomes Roger DeHart, Bailiff in the Broward Sheriff's Office for 25 years and Human Trafficking Awareness Advocate. He has been working in court and seeing the most vulnerable through manipulation being taken advantage of.     Roger has been a Bailiff  for fifteen years years and has seen many women being taken advantage of. He wanted to show that he cared and wanted to make a difference so he decided become an advocate for victims and survivors of Human Trafficking. Roger says he has so many friends that have been VICTIMS and SURVIVORS of Human Trafficking. They have shared their stories with him and this means everything to Roger, as they entrust him with a situation that has happened in their life that has left them with pain and scars that will last the rest of their lives. Now, Roger feels he has an obligation to not only be their voice but their ally.    Shocked to find out that Florida is 3rd in the nation for Human Trafficking, Roger was curious as to why we were not seeing cases being prosecuted. However this is a crime that is happening in our own backyards. Foster Children, runaways, immigrant and vulnerable teens are truly vulnerable to predators.    Roger, with this knowledge brought so much awareness to this cause and he started educating by speaking out at schools and churches. "Talk the talk, then walk the walk, Roger states so in 2018 he started walking from Broward County to Washington D.C. He then walked from the Golden Gate Bridge to San Diego for this extremely important cause to bring AWARENESS to HUMAN TRAFFICKING.   What is concerning is that there are 500,000 sexual predators trolling Social Media preying on the vulnerable. It is highly important as Roger gave an example of grooming for Human Trafficking to call the National Human Trafficking Hotline 1(888)373-7888  immediately, alert the authorities and educate ALL parents so they can advocate for themselves. NOT A PODCAST TO BE MISSED and Roger DeHart will be back on Slam the Gavel with UPDATES regarding his ADVOCACY.To Reach Roger DeHart:  dismantlingfamilycourtcorruption.comSupportshow(https://www.buymeacoffee.com/maryannpetri)https://www.buzzsprout.com/1364944/subscribedismantlingfamilycourtcorruption.comSupport the showSupportshow(https://www.buymeacoffee.com/maryannpetri)http://www.dismantlingfamilycourtcorruption.com/

Slam the Gavel welcomes Roger DeHart, Bailiff in the Broward Sheriff's Office for 25 years and Human Trafficking Awareness Advocate. He has been working in court and seeing the most vulnerable through manipulation being taken advantage of. Roger has been a Bailiff for fifteen years years and has seen many women being taken advantage of. He wanted to show that he cared and wanted to make a difference so he decided become an advocate for victims and survivors of Human Trafficking. Roger says he has so many friends that have been VICTIMS and SURVIVORS of Human Trafficking. They have shared their stories with him and this means everything to Roger, as they entrust him with a situation that has happened in their life that has left them with pain and scars that will last the rest of their lives. Now, Roger feels he has an obligation to not only be their voice but their ally. Shocked to find out that Florida is 3rd in the nation for Human Trafficking, Roger was curious as to why we were not seeing cases being prosecuted. However this is a crime that is happening in our own backyards. Foster Children, runaways, immigrant and vulnerable teens are truly vulnerable to predators. Roger, with this knowledge brought so much awareness to this cause and he started educating by speaking out at schools and churches. "Talk the talk, then walk the walk, Roger states so in 2018 he started walking from Broward County to Washington D.C. He then walked from the Golden Gate Bridge to San Diego for this extremely important cause to bring AWARENESS to HUMAN TRAFFICKING. What is concerning is that there are 500,000 sexual predators trolling Social Media preying on the vulnerable. It is highly important as Roger gave an example of grooming for Human Trafficking to call the National Human Trafficking Hotline 1(888)373-7888 immediately, alert the authorities and educate ALL parents so they can advocate for themselves. NOT A PODCAST TO BE MISSED and Roger DeHart will be back on Slam the Gavel with UPDATES regarding his ADVOCACY. To Reach Roger DeHart: dismantlingfamilycourtcorruption.com Supportshow(https://www.buymeacoffee.com/maryannpetri) --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/maryann-petri/support

This week, Donna DiMaggio Berger sits down with Sarah Emmons, the Florida Regional Director of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), to discuss recent incidents of hate symbols being placed inside community associations, how antisemitism takes root and what can be done to combat it. Specifically, Sarah and Donna discuss the 2022 Weston Hill's hate crime that took place inside the upscale Hunters Pointe Park community. For over a month, residents were met with ongoing racial slurs and antisemitic messages written on their playgrounds and swastikas in and around the restrooms at the Weston Hills Country Club. Eventually, the Broward Sheriff's Office were able to arrest three teenagers all of whom lived inside the Hunters Pointe Park community. At the ADL, Sarah leads Florida's anti-hate efforts which includes responding to antisemitic and hateful incidents and delivering anti-bias educational programs in schools, colleges, and workplaces. She also leads advocacy efforts that protect marginalized communities. Prior to joining the ADL, Sarah was the Executive Director of Achieve Miami, an education non-profit that seeks to close opportunity gaps for under-resourced youth. Sara holds a master's degree in Public Policy from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and a B.A. in Economics from Middlebury College. Conversation highlights include:How many hate groups are operating in Florida?What are some of the reasons that antisemitism seems to be increasing both in America and around the world?Can society achieve a hate-free world?How many hate groups are operating in FloridaAntisemitic statistics in Florida and nationallyUnderstanding what it means to be “antisemitic"What should, or can the Association Board or Manager do when antisemitism rears its head?Is there a correlation between antisemitism and other forms of bigotry?BONUS: Sarah shares other anti-bias organizations she is working with around the world

In honor of Human Trafficking Awareness Month, I sit down with special guest and subject matter expert Detective Michael Joo from the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit. Listen in as we engage in an in-depth discussion, including success stories, how to identify a potential victim and how you can join the fight. If you suspect human trafficking in your community, please contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888, text "HELP" to 233733 or call the Broward Sheriff's Office non-emergency number at 954-764-4357(HELP). If you see something, say something. You, too, can help identify and report possible trafficking. Tune in and be sure to subscribe, share this episode with a friend and follow @bsosherifftony on Instagram to keep up with the latest BSO news between podcast episodes.

Chief (ret) Todd LeDuc is currently the Chief Strategy Officer of Lifescan Wellness Centers. Prior to this position, he served as the Executive Assistant Chief of the Broward Sheriff's Office – Division of Fire-Rescue, working his way up from paramedic 30 years ago. Chief LeDuc has been a frequent guest and long-time supporter the podcast. In this episode we discuss his long relationship with the late Chief Bobby Halton, as both a friend and an author of several books and numerous articles that Chief Halton approved. We also discuss the rise in firefighter Line-of-Duty Deaths in 2022 and, how Lifescan's early detection exams very likely saved the lives of two more firefighters in the department that he once help to lead!We extend to all our viewers and listeners our best wishes for a Happy, Healthy & Safe New Year!As always, you can catch the video version on our YouTube® channel, 5-Alarm Task Force Corp., on our Podomatic page at https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/dalmatprod206  or tune in to the audio version on your favorite podcast platform!

In honor of Clergy Appreciation Month, I sit down with Chaplain Services Manager Debra White. Debra White retired from the Broward Sheriff's office in 2015 after 31 years of service but decided to come back and serve her community in a different way. Listen in as we talk about her BSO career, the importance of faith leaders and what Chaplain Services brings to the Broward Sheriff's Office. "My faith provides me the opportunity to best serve the employees of BSO and the residents of Broward County," said Debra White. Tune in and be sure to subscribe, share this episode with a friend and follow @bsosherifftony on Instagram to keep up with the latest BSO news between podcast episodes.

It's an honor to have GlennTopping, former Sergeant with Broward Sheriff's Office, Swat hostage negotiator, Sergeant in the Army with Military Police, Field Force Supervisor, member of Organized Crime Division, and author of four books, with a fifth planned for the future, bodyguard, bouncer, etc. His books are terrific; pick up a copy online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Xlibris, and other online booksellers.

Podcast host Mike McCabe caught up with EMS all-stars from all areas and specialties on the exhibit hall floor during EMS World Expo 2022 in Orlando. We bring you these critical conversations in our newest “Live From Expo” podcast series. In this episode, McCabe sits down with a roundtable of experts on whole blood in EMS to talk about what's going on in South Florida: Charlie Coyle, EMS division chief for Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue; Heath Clark, chief of the Broward Sheriff's Office Fire-Rescue EMS division, and Mark Piehl, medical director for WakeMed Mobile Critical Care in North Carolina and founder of 410 Medical. Follow EMS World (EMSWorldOFCL) on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn and visit www.emsworld.com

The Broward Sheriff's Office is asking for your help in solving the brutal cold case murder of Jerri Emken in a Pompano bar in 1985. New technology has made it possible to solve other Florida cold cases from around that time, but in Jerri's case, there are no suspects.

On Scene First Ep. 40 Dominique Mathis, Broward Sheriff's Office Regional Communications - Training Supervisor and Founder & CEO - HELLO,911!™ Join us as we chat about the team aspect of training, the importance of setting professional boundaries, changing the narrative of how 9-1-1 is perceived, and the Importance of a simple smile. We also touch on the benefits of helping each in beneficial ways. Dominique also shared her thoughts on her new class on racial intelligence. Special thanks to our Premier Sponsor, NGA - Next Generation Advanced. For more information on all your NextGen 9-1-1 needs head on over to NGA 911 and tell them Tracy sent you.

Welcome back to another incredible school year! As our young sons and daughters head back into the classroom this week, the Broward Sheriff's Office is working hard to ensure they have a safe place to learn and grow. Listen in as former School Resource Officer Sgt. Marc Kiar and I discuss school safety and the critical role our SROs play daily. Tune in and be sure to subscribe, share this episode with a friend and follow @bsosherifftony on Instagram to keep up with the latest BSO news between podcast episodes.

It's an honor to have former Broward Sheriff's Office Sgt. Glenn Topping on the show today. Sgt. Topping has had a storied career-beginning with 5 years in the Army as a Sgt. in the Military Police, Sgt for 25 years with the Broward Sheriff's Office in Southeast Florida, 13 years as a hostage negotiator on the SWAT team, Field Force Supervisor, featured on multiple episodes of the COPS television show which is famous spanning the globe, a very good acquaintance with Johnny Depp, a bodyguard in the music entertainment field, and the author of four books: THE HURT THE REAL STORY BEHIND THE HURT OPERATION 1600 LOOK A QUARTER Glenn's books are available on Amazon,com, BarnesandNoble.com, Xlibris.com and other online retailers. If you would like to get in touch with Sgt. Topping, you can call our studio line at 888-476-3111 and we will get the information to him. Out of the country you can just reach the studio at : Cat81Radio.com

Join me for another show as I discuss the mental toll taken on the first responders that responded to deal with horror of the Marjory Stoneman Douglass HS mass casualty incident that occurred on February 14 , 2018.  My guest, Joe Torok was the crime scene operational supervisor, responsible for  the processing, preserving and collecting of  evidence from that fateful day.  Joe opens up about his struggles with PTSD and give us some insight on how he is coping and managing, and just as important, how he is moving forward. Joe Torok is in his 34th year in law enforcement.  Joe started with the Oakland Park Police Department in 1987.  He worked road patrol for 7 years, was detached to a DEA Task Force for a year, worked 3 years as a street crimes detective, and 3 years in Criminal Investigations.  In 2000 the Broward Sheriff's Office and the Oakland Park Police Department merged.  In 2001 Joe transferred to BSO's Crime Scene Unit and worked as a Detective there for 15 years.  In that time Joe worked on over 1500 violent crime or death cases, with over 250 of them as homicide cases.  With his experience and training, he has become a court certified expert in Blood Spatter Documentation and Analysis as well as in Crime Scene Reconstruction.   Joe has been a trainer for over 15 years and has travelled as far away as Jamaica to instruct members of Law Enforcement in topics including Crime Scene Photography and Shooting Reconstruction for the U. S. State Department.  Joe has also instructed in the U.S. on blood spatter interpretation, basic crime scene investigative techniques and has been used for a large part of the BSO In-house training when crime scene topics are discussed.In 2016 Joe was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and after a few months returned to supervise the Crime Scene Unit.  As a hands-on supervisor, Joe continues to work cases while taking on his supervisory duties as well.  In his time as a sergeant, BSO crime scene has been tasked with working two major, mass casualty incidents within 13 months of each other.  Joe oversaw and managed the entire crime scene investigation at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in February, 2018, and was the custodian of the scene through 2021.  Joe also began an initiative in Broward County that now has all crime scene units in the county involved in regular trainings with each other.Please subscribe to this channel and rate your experience with a 5 star review. Stay safe and healthy, God Bless, John

Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony *Follow him on Twitter: @bsosherifftony

Did you know that the Broward Sheriff's Office jail facilities are one of the county's largest mental health care providers? On this Mental Health Awareness Month episode, I sit down with Dr. Timothy Ludwig, manager of the In-Custody Behavioral Services Division, for a lively discussion on how BSO provides those in our custody with the mental health care they need. Tune in and be sure to subscribe, share this episode with a friend and follow @bsosherifftony on Instagram to keep up with the latest BSO news between podcast episodes

On this episode of Shop Talk with the Sheriff I sit down with Andy Mitchell, Chairman of the Broward Sheriff's Advisory Council, about how BSAC enhances the quality of life in our community. Listen in as we discuss all the efforts BSAC has done and will continue to do. Tune in and be sure to subscribe, share this episode with a friend and follow @bsosherifftony on Instagram to keep up with the latest BSO news between podcast episodes.

In 2009, a drunk driver almost ended my life. Every day, when I put on my uniform, I see a zipper scar down the middle of my body where I had more than a hundred stitches and staples because someone made the wrong decision. Like me, ending drunk driving is Mothers Against Drunk Driving Program Specialist Stephanie Murphy's passion. Learn how the Broward Sheriff's Office and MADD are working to educate communities about the dangers of underage drinking, drug use and DUI to ensure a future of no more victims. Tune in and be sure to subscribe, share this episode with a friend and follow @bsosherifftony on Instagram to keep up with the latest BSO news between podcast episodes.

On this special episode of Shop Talk with the Sheriff, I sit down with a woman who overcame many obstacles on her way to becoming the first black female District Fire Chief in the history of the Broward Sheriff's Office. Listen in to hear about Chief Samantha Whitehorne's remarkable journey. Tune in and be sure to subscribe, share this episode with a friend and follow @bsosherifftony on Instagram to keep up with the latest BSO news between podcast episodes.

Weekly segment with Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony *Follow him on Twitter: @bsosherifftony

Cairo Eubanks is the new Future Foundation Youth Representative to the United Nations and Youth Steering Committee Member. She is also the Global Correspondent for the Global Oved Dei Seminary and University (GODSU). A curriculum developer, Cairo's created programs for students in Tamil Nadu, South India, and Broward County, Florida, which is the foundation for Bringing the World to Florida. Cairo received a Proclamation from Mayor Dale Holness and the Rising Star Award from Mayor Wayne Messam for her community work and program development that foster leadership development and culture exchange. She reigns as Miss Back Florida USA 2022 for Miss Black USA. Cairo is on a mission to nurture a global community of leaders and professionals by strengthening their voice and confidence. Learn more about Cairo. Learn more about The Passionistas Project. Full Transcript: Passionistas: Hi, and welcome to The Passionistas Project Podcast, where we talk with women who are following their passions to inspire you to do the same. We're Amy and Nancy Harrington, and today we're talking with Cairo Eubanks, the New Future Foundation Youth Representative to the United Nations and Youth Steering Committee member. Cairo is also the Global Correspondent for the Global Oved Dei Seminary and University, GODSU. A curriculum developer, Cairo's created programs for students in Tamil Nadu, South India and Broward County, Florida, which is the foundation for Bringing the World to Florida. Cairo received a proclamation from Mayor Dale Holness on October 10th, 2020, and The Rising Star Award from Mayor Wayne Messam for her community work and program development that fosters leadership development and cultural exchange. She reigns as Miss Black Florida USA 2022 for Miss Black USA. She's on a mission to nurture a global community of leaders and professionals by strengthening their voice and confidence. So please welcome to the show, Cairo Eubanks. Cairo: Hi Amy! Hi Nancy! Thank you so much for having me. Passionistas: We're so excited to have you and to learn more about all of the amazing things you're doing. We like to start by asking, what's the one thing you're most passionate about? Cairo: Oh, that is a fantastic question. I would say what I am most passionate about would be... can I have two? I'd like to put two into one answer, and it would be leadership development and cultural exchange. And just based off of the experiences that I've had as a Jamaican and American, as a dual citizen, and getting to travel the world. I've had the honor and privilege of getting to travel to about 26 countries by the age of 26. The lessons that I've learned as it relates to the dialogue conversation, the importance of being able to connect with others and use your story is what makes me so passionate, because I realized the weight or the power and the value that comes with telling your story. So when I talk about leadership development and cultural exchange, it really ties in together with my passion of being able to help people tell their story and to tell it with enthusiasm. Passionistas: What has inspired all of this travel and how have you been able to do that? Cairo: I believe that when people ask me that question, it's always great to start at the beginning, right? And when you think about my name, Cairo, my parents, they wanted me to have an Afro-centric name that tied me back to the African continent. And they did this, not just with myself, but also with my siblings. So I'm Cairo like Egypt. My sister is Sudan like the country because she's 14, she's a whole country within herself. And then my brother Dakar, like Senegal. And they wanted us to really have curiosity and to learn, you know, be more curious about our heritage and realize that our connection to Africa, you know, is still there. And so by having my name Cairo, I wanted to not only go to Egypt, I wanted to go to Senegal, I wanted to go to Sudan as a young child. And then on top of that with my mother being Jamaican, I would go to Jamaica for days, weeks, months at of time. And the experiences that I got to have living with my grandparents, getting to hear stories about, you know, how they saw the world, right, relative to how my family in the United States, from my American side, saw the world. And also some of the similarities are the commonalities that they shared. It really helped me realize that no matter where I was in the world, I always felt at home. And, you know, I really credit that to my parents being from two different countries. But then on top of that, you know, having my name, getting a little taste of the world and getting to be, you know, throughout the Caribbean, because of my mom being Jamaican, it made me realize that I wanted to see more and I want it to learn more about the world around me. And so I got opportunities to study abroad and to travel abroad, most notably with Semester at Sea. So when I was a junior in college, I got this opportunity to go to, let's say it was about 10 different countries and, you know, three different continents. So we were actually in, well, actually more than that, we were in Europe, we were in Africa and then we were also throughout the Americas, as well as. Just the experiences that I had, it really helped me realize, wow, I can do this. It's not so daunting to get to be able to get your visa or to get to travel. And, I mean, the stories I can go on and on about some of those memories that I had. But it really inspired me to continue to travel and to combine my love for traveling with my passion for education and leadership development. So after I had that experience at Semester at Sea, actually during that time, I had a conversation with a professor who told me about opportunities to get to teach abroad and to work with non-profits internationally. And that's how I got that opportunity to teach in Tamil Nadu, India. And when I was creating public speaking workshops for students that were targeting on their development, their personal and professional development, I had some incredible conversations about discrimination, about prejudice, but also about, you know, different traditions and what made our, you know, different cultures, so unique, but also what did we have in common. And just these experiences as a whole. And I'm trying to bring you up back to, you know, the present, but, you know, seeing that origin story of having my name, recognizing that my name connected me to the world around me, and then recognizing that those experiences that I had getting to travel the world. I then knew that it was then my mission to create opportunities for others, especially younger generations to have those same experiences. Passionistas: So you're a Global Correspondent for GODSU. So tell us about that organization and the work you do with them. Cairo: Absolutely. So as the Global Correspondent for Global Oved Dei Seminary and University, it's an interstate e-learning institution. And a lot of the work that I do outside of representing GODSU at different conferences. So most notably we were the first sponsor of the African Investment and Trade panel for the Florida International Trade and Cultural Expo. We were able to have dignitaries from, you know, six different African countries, throughout the continent, come together and talk about trade and opportunities to get to invest in their countries. So that's a lot of the work that I've done, either being able to promote, you know, international trade opportunities that exist throughout the African diaspora. That's a lot of the work that we do in terms of, you know, different conferences that we host different events that we're part of. And then also being able to host some of the Empower U Conferences that we have here at GODSU. So it's like, there are a lot of different things that I do, but it's all titled and really targeted towards international development and empowerment as well. Passionistas: So you're also a Youth Representative for the UN. So tell us how you got involved with that and what exactly do you do? Cairo: Yes. So I'm a Youth Representative for New Future Foundation to the United nations. So I represent my NGO. And the way that that happened, it's actually connected to GODSU. It's a funny story. So I was speaking, I was hosting one of the Empower U conferences, and we had a guest speaker. Her name is Queen Mother Dr. Delois Blakely, and she has been affiliated with the UN for over 50 years. And she is a UN goodwill ambassador to Africa for the African continent. And so when I had the pleasure of getting to hear her speak as a panelist, I just said, you know what? At the time I was in college, I wanted to be connected. I wanted to be able to intern in some way and just get as close to the headquarters as possible, because I knew that my, as you can see my passion for development, is really, has a global focus. And I thought, what better place than to get to be in that, in that space, at the UN? And so I pulled her aside after the conference and I just told her, I said, "Queen Mother, I want to work with you. I want to learn. I want to be mentored by you." And it's actually quite interesting because that opportunity of asking for help or asking for guidance and just telling her, you know, as a young 20-something year old, I wanted to be able to grow from, you know, being under her tutelage. She allowed me to be first an intern for her NGO and then a Youth Representative. And then I had the opportunity to be selected for the Youth Representative Steering Committee under the United Nations Department of Global Communication 's Civil Society Unit. And so when I got the opportunity to be on this committee where it's about, I want to say about 25 different youth representatives that represent different NGOs all across the world. And we are the voice and we advocate for the youth perspective as it relates to, you know, civil society or the community.  So I say all of that, just to say that I got... I went from approaching her as someone who just wanted to learn and just, teach me and I want to learn anything. I'll send in reports, whatever you need me to do, Queen Mother, to then being able to progress where I'm on the committee and I'm representing my NGO for the second term, as of actually this month. So that's a huge blessing. Passionistas: You mentioned your travel to Tamil Nadu in India. Tell us what the mission was on that journey and what you took away from that experience. Cairo: So I had had a capstone project as an Omprakash Ambassador to create public speaking workshops and to see how we can be able to use public speaking as a part of breaking the cycle of poverty. Because the program that I was working with and the organization that I was working with in South India, they had this concept of education breaking the cycle of poverty and being able to empower others using knowledge. And so they would create opportunities for students to be able to get scholarships, or education, and be able to then provide for their families by giving them enough education of skills to complete undergrad, and then be able to then give back to their immediate families.  So that being said, when I learned about this mission of the school, I realized that I wanted to create, you know, leadership programs. And I had done them in the past, but I never created something on this scale where it would actually be a part of my capstone project and I'd be doing research on it. And so I got guidance. Guess that ties right back into the previous question about Queen Mother Dr. Blakely as to how to proceed for that research. And next thing, you know, I submitted my proposal and it was accepted and, then the next thing you know, I'm in Bangalore, India, and then traveling to Hosur. And I, and it was wonderful being able to work with the high school students that I did. Getting to use the program that I created, you know, weekly. The public speaking workshops that then became the foundation for what I'm doing right now, which is bringing the world to Florida and international virtual student exchange program. So I feel like, I feel like with every question I'm trying to bring it full circle to bring you to where it first started, and then how it got me here today. Passionistas: We're Amy and Nancy Harrington, and you're listening to The Passionistas Project Podcast and our interview with Cairo Eubanks. To learn more about her mission to nurture a global community of leaders and professionals by strengthening their voice and confidence visit cairospeaks.com. If you're enjoying this interview and would like to help us to continue to create an inspiring content, please consider becoming a patron by visiting thepassionistasproject.com/podcast and clicking on the Patron button. Even $1 a month can help us continue our mission of inspiring women to follow their passions. Now here's more of our interview with Cairo. So tell us about the work you're doing in Florida. Cairo: Absolutely. Okay. So not only am I Miss Black Florida, and I have different communities, or I should say different committees rather, that I'm a part of including the Broward County Social Justice Task Force. I was on the Mayor's Public Safety Council and more. So I say all of this to say that I have a vast interest in being a part of the community and finding solutions to the communities, you know, any issues that may arise. And so the story for Bringing the World to Florida really began when I had an issue that I created an event out of, and it inspired students to then ask me to create a curriculum. And the event was unfortunately birthed out of cyber harassment. So there was a guy on my campus and I'm just going to call him Andrew, just for the sake of argument or for a conversation. And Andrew had been trying to, you know, reach out to me and I would block him and whatnot. I didn't really know too much about him. I just knew that there was something like, kinda off about him. And I didn't, I didn't really feel comfortable around him. And I found out from someone I didn't even know because I didn't have Instagram at the time. But he had taken my pictures off of Facebook. I don't even know. I don't, we're not even friends on Facebook. He took my pictures off of Facebook and he posted them on a lewd Instagram account that he created himself. And so, not only was my picture up there, and someone sent me a screenshot, but there were other people from my school, other people in my sorority and more. And I got so upset about this, and I said, something has to be done. Many of them had actually filed police reports because he had created a fake academic study. It's ridiculous. He created a fake academic study to try to solicit explicit photos or to give them, and he said that he had faculty permission to do so. So this is, yeah, so that was a situation. And I created a Facebook post and 150 comments later, we had about 30 plus individuals who were able to provide like a compilation of screenshots of things that I was able to say, you know, what. Even though they provided this to the police and they did, you know, police reports or they would report it to the school, or to his then fraternity. It just didn't feel like there was enough. And so I said, what can I do? What can I do so that not only do I not feel stuck, but also other people do not feel stuck as well. Because he was not only doing this to me and all those other individuals, but we know that he was also harassing others online. And some people were saying that there were issues where they felt like he was stalking them, like he was trying to follow them home. So we said, you know what? We need to take preventative measures. And how can I do that? Create a community event for resources for students. So teens, incoming freshmen, sophomores, and then parents. And it became a huge success. We had partners with the Anti-Defamation League. We had the Broward Sheriff's Office. We had the Broward School Climate Action and Discipline Department among other organizations and partners, both locally and nationally. And then we had kids who said, "you know what? We love this. Can you come to my school? Like, you know, I don't even want community service hours for this. Let me get you to my school." And we said, you know what? This was intended to be a one-time event. But what I did was I used the students who had been part of the program and I said, okay, "what kind of curriculum do you want to see? What sort of programs would you like to see that do not exist in your school at this time or within the community that you haven't found?" And we surveyed them and we took their answers. And then we created a whole course wrapped around some of the answers that they asked for. So we have a curriculum that's self-paced, we have workshops and events and conferences like Operation Stop Cyber Harassment. So that's now a part of our Asking for Help Module. And then we have other opportunities for skill building as well for the kids, so that they can take what they learn in the curriculum and actually get apply it. Passionistas: You are also Miss Black Florida USA, as part of the Miss Black USA Organization. So tell us how you got involved with that and what you do to challenge the misconceptions about title holders in the organization. Cairo: Oh, my goodness. My story is quite interesting. Okay. So, the short version of this, because I do want to keep this brief and get to the whole point of the misconceptions. That's really what I want to focus on. But it began in 2020 when I competed in my first competition, for Miss Broward County for Miss America. So I competed and I won on my first try and that was a huge blessing for me. And it was big for me because I had never seen myself as a pageant queen prior to competing for this. And if it had not been for my mother, if it had not been for those around me, who said, you know what? This is your last year. You're going to age out. You might as well try it out. You'll get a good experience. You can use that towards, you know, programs that you're creating, et cetera. I just decided to take a leap. And then was shocked. I was shocked. That being said, I was competing and preparing for Miss Florida. And I remember the opportunity that came up for Miss Florida for Miss America. I was getting ready. It was June, 2021, and literally three days before my competition, I had a rocking chair like roll over my foot and crushed it. And I got nerve damage in my foot. So I was like literally in a scooter all through competition week and it was tough. And I ended up not being Miss Florida for Miss America. And I remember thinking to myself. I was like, you know, God had told me, and I'm a spiritual person, right? So I talk about God, but you know, God had told me that he saw that I was going to be a state title holder. And he said that "you were still going to be able to create and move your project, Bringing the World to Florida as a state title holder." And I applied, I actually got asked. It's so funny cause I got asked to send in my information and they had allowed me to be on the spot accepted. So I sent in some application information, but I ended up accepting the role. And I really appreciated just the opportunity that I got to then, you know, be able to be Miss Black Florida and to get to promote what it means to really be a state ambassador and to promote, you know, not just the wonderful things that people associate with Florida. Which of course is, you know, we have Disney, we have Orlando, we have Miami, we have the beaches, we have the Everglades. Yes. But we also have business. We also have culture here that you cannot find anywhere else. So that being said, one misconception that I believe a lot of people have about pageant queens in general, is that it's just about looks, you know, and it's not just about looks. And I believe that a lot of these competitions, they're purposefully, really showcasing that it's not just about how you look when you see some of the winners. For example, some of the different systems that exist like Zozibini Tunzi from Miss Universe, Miss Universe 2019. She is a Black South African woman with short cropped hair. And no one had ever seen someone like her, you know, take the world by storm as Miss Universe.  There's really a chance for us who have been seen as not necessarily the stereotypical or the traditional pageant queen to really showcase the other qualities or the characteristics that Queens have, like our ability and desire to be servant leaders, to be part of the community. I don't know anyone else who would say yes to community service opportunity faster than a pageant payment, honestly. And it's because of the fact that we do want to be out there, and we realize that part of our responsibility is to be present and to be able to be a connector for the community. And, like, I can't even begin to describe to you the personal and professional development that I had. And I know that there's some people who are like, what, like getting ready for Miss Broward County? Yeah, no it changed my life because it allowed me to be in that space where I had to learn something completely from scratch. And I had to be humble a hundred percent and be like, listen, I don't know how to walk in heels more than three inches high, you know? And I don't know how to do my makeup, but I learned. And it was a humbling experience to learn. So there's some misconceptions, but I believe that the more that people learn about the stories, the tragedies, or the challenges that, you know, title holders have had individually and how they overcome that and how they use their stories to inspire others can help to balance out some of the misconceptions that people have about wearing a crown. Passionistas: Where does this desire to be of service come from? Is this something that your family has always done? Did your parents teach you to think this way? Cairo: Absolutely. My parents, they always instilled in me this idea or vision of being a servant leader and what it means to serve first. When we talk about leadership and what it means to be a leader, there's always people assuming like, oh, you have to be the loudest person up there and you have to be the one that's like telling everybody what to do. But oftentimes you can lead by example, and you can lead by example by serving others. And because I grew up in a very, you know, spiritual household, it was this concept of being able to discover your passion of what, you know, God or the universe has intended for you to have, and then to be able to share that and to recognize that we're all connected. And if there's something that I can do to bless someone else or to be of service to someone else, then that allows me to also get blessed in return. So we would say like a little saying, that we would say in my home and also in Jamaica, is this idea of like lotioning up your hands. Like if you lotion up someone else's hands, you end up getting moisturized too. And so it's just this concept. And the more that I got to do that and got to help others the better I felt. And the more I felt like I had a light to share with others, you know, and that inspires me and that keeps me going. And so that's really where it comes from. It's like this family concept of servant leader and recognizing that the more that I get to be of service, the happier that I get to be. I don't know. I think it's a, win-win. Passionistas: Tell us about CairoSpeaks/CairoWrites and what your mission is with those projects. Cairo: Yes with CairoSpeaks/CairoWrites. So out of CairoSpeaks/CairoWrites. Okay. So let me back up a little bit. CairoSpeaks/CairoWrites, there are two parts to it. CairoSpeaks. So there are leadership development and all-in speaking coaching aspects to, you know, the services that I provide there. And then also with CairoWrites, I've written biographies, I've ghost written material, as well for my clients. And I've also written speeches. I would say that the best part about what I've done with CairoSpeaks/CairoWrites is that I have created a space for me to get to share like what I love most. And I've shared, you know, when it comes to the leadership development and cultural exchange. But also from not just from a youth perspective, but being able to be of service, to everyone. So for example, I had an opportunity to be the keynote speaker for Martin Luther King Day for the city of Boca Raton this past month. And that was a huge blessing. And I got to, you know, inspire and empower with my keynote speech not just youth, but also people of all ages. And so a lot of the work that I'm doing right now and what I'm transitioning my business to doing is focusing a lot on, you know, speaking opportunities, sharing my message, sharing my light as-- my business partner Rena would say, "not dimmering your shimmer, but instead being able to show that shimmer everywhere"-- and being able to transition more into that route. Just because a lot of the leadership development programs that I was doing at one point, I've now focused all of my energy into Bringing the Globe and Bringing the World to Florida. Passionistas: What's your dream for women? Cairo: My dream for women is to really understand their value. And that was a conversation that I was actually having prior to this interview and just realizations that I have even about myself. You know, I realized that, you know, someone can look at my bio or look at my background and look at the bullet points of, you know, my resume or my CV and say, wow, you know, this person has done so much. But that doesn't necessarily mean that that's how I necessarily could feel about myself. And see, and I recognize that there are books that I've read, you know, talking about women who are CEOs and high performing executives. And the reality is that there are so many women who are working so, so hard and they have accomplished and achieved a lot and yet don't feel that way, you know? And so even though I do feel accomplished and everything like that, I took a moment today and I said, you know what? Wow, Look at how valuable I find myself to be. We have to remind each other of how valuable we are, way past what we can do on paper, but our hearts and our souls. And that is what I would tell women today, is to recognize your value, recognize your value past a monetary dollar amount, and to realize that you are incredible just the way you are. And I know it sounds cliche to say that, but it is true. And we don't hear that enough. And if it is cliche, because we've heard it too many times, maybe it's gone out, you know, gone from one ear and out the other, but we really need to internalize that. Passionistas: Thanks for listening to our interview with Cairo Eubanks. To learn more about her mission to nurture a global community of leaders and professionals by strengthening their voice and confidence visit cairospeaks.com. Please visit thepassionistasproject.Com to learn more about our podcast and subscription box filled with products by women owned businesses and female artisans to inspire you to follow your path. Get a free mystery box with a one-year subscription by using the code SPRINGGOODIES. And be sure to subscribe to The Passionistas Project Podcast so you don't miss any of our upcoming, inspiring guests. Until next time, stay well and stay passionate.    

Thirty-year Broward Sheriff's Office veteran Major Kevin Granville is an incredible example of a leader in BSO and the entire community. In this episode of Shop Talk, we discuss the many ways that he serves our residents and why, for him, honoring Black History is a 365-day-a-year celebration. Listen in as Major Granville and I talk about the contributions that people of color bring to enrich our community and country. Tune in and be sure to subscribe, share this episode with a friend and follow @bsosherifftony on Instagram to keep up with the latest BSO news between podcast episodes.

My name is Ali Kessler. I am not only a protective parent advocate, but I am a mom who just lost my 4.5-year-old son to a filicide-suicide just six months ago. Greyson Kessler was four years old when his own father murdered him during his court-ordered parenting time in the midst of a 'high conflict custody battle in Fort Lauderdale. I was a single mom from the very beginning. Greyson's father wanted nothing to do with us until he filed a paternity case when Greyson was six months old, for which he was instantly awarded 50% joint- custody. I was in an ongoing battle to protect my son despite years of evidence, including threats, degrading texts, violation of signed agreements, refusal to pay for school and activities, refusal to agree on anything, and then finally cyber stalked and tracking devices on my car. and then a petition for a domestic violence injunction the day before Greyson was killed, which was denied. I also begged for an emergency pick-up order when Greyson was missing from school for two days, and that was also denied.The day before Greyson was murdered, I went down to the courthouse to file a domestic violence injunction. Two hours after filing, the injunction was denied stating not enough evidence was provided even though I wrote in BIG letters; I fear for my life, my boyfriends' life, and most of all, my son's life. I also attached 250 pages of documents and texts with threats and erratic behavior. I also tried to get an emergency pick-up order because Grey was missing from school for two days, which was also denied. I then brought my car into a body shop in which they found a tracker on my car. I immediately brought the tracker to the Plantation Police Dept. and filed a claim. The morning my son was found dead, I called the police three times during the course of the day to get wellness checks because he was still not in school. I called Broward Sheriff's Office, Child Protective Services, Ft. Lauderdale Police; nobody would help me, stating the child was with his parent. That night I hired a locksmith to break down the door and coordinated the police to be there, and they found Greyson and his father dead with gunshots to their heads. Despite four years of trying to get protection, I was failed by multiple lawyers, mediators, custody evaluators, and three judges.After living a parent's worst nightmare for six months, I, along with an army of Family Court advocates and local politicians, finally received news that Greyson's Law was filed in the state of Florida. Kessler has been fighting for legislation that would allow judges to remove a child from a home over concerns that one parent is threatening or abusing the other. Kessler said to MSNBC, "I have to fight for my son who can't fight for himself." According to news reports, on Wednesday, December 1, 2021, state Senator Lori Berman of Palm Beach and state Representative Michael Grieco of Miami filed a bill, "Greyson's Law," which is the unfortunate product of the tragic death of 4-year-old Greyson Kessler. Greyson was the victim of a murder-suicide involving his father just a couple of months prior, which was 100% preventable.You can show support to honor Greyson by purchasing a Mom + Gigs shirt, and loved ones created a GoFundMe page to assist Kessler with her living expenses during her time of need.You can also find more Richard Listens content on Instagram (@RichardListens), Facebook (@Richard Listens), and RichardListens.com. Support the show (http://patreon.com/Richardlistens)Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/richardlistens/donations

Nothing is more important than keeping our children safe. My special guest is Sergeant Thomas Mclnerney. He is the co-commander of the South Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and sergeant of the Broward Sheriff's Office Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC)/ Human Trafficking Unit. In this episode, we discuss safeguarding your child from the numerous cyber dangers and the many resources available. Tune in and be sure to subscribe, share this episode with a friend and follow @bsosherifftony on Instagram to keep up with the latest BSO news between podcast episodes.

On this episode of Shop Talk with the Sheriff, I sit down with special guests Thomas McLaughlin and Heather Echaniz. As job development coordinators for the Broward Sheriff's Office, Thomas and Heather assist people with an arrest history to gain employment and to become productive members of society. Tune in as we discuss all the life-changing work they do! Tune in and be sure to subscribe, share this episode with a friend and follow @bsosherifftony on Instagram to keep up with the latest BSO news between podcast episodes.

At the Broward Sheriff's Office, we treat our homeless population with the dignity, respect and compassion it deserves. Our Homeless Outreach Team is leading the effort to end the cycle of homelessness and connect those in their times of need and crisis with the appropriate services. Tune in to this supersized episode where I sit down with Captain Audrey Jones and Lieutenant Edward Rafailovitc for an enlightening conversation about how BSO's Homeless Outreach Team is helping one of Broward's most vulnerable populations. Tune in and be sure to subscribe, share this episode with a friend and follow @bsosherifftony on Instagram to keep up with the latest BSO news between podcast episodes.

On this episode, I sit down with special guest Laurel Owens, the Employee Benefits Manager for the Broward Sheriff's Office. Laurel and her team help ensure BSO employees and their families acquire the essential health benefits and services needed. In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, she talks about the services BSO offers to promote women's health, such as the MammoVan. Listen in to hear more about how Employee Benefits is safeguarding BSO employees and their families. Tune in and be sure to subscribe, share this episode with a friend and follow @bsosherifftony on Instagram to keep up with the latest BSO news between podcast episodes.

In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, on this episode, I sit down with special guest Debra Burton, a Victim Advocate who has been with the Broward Sheriff's Office since 1984. Debra helps victims of violent crimes and intervenes during crises. She shares her experiences and knowledge in working with victims of domestic violence and helps bridge the gap between investigation and advocacy. Tune in and be sure to subscribe, share this episode with a friend and follow @bsosherifftony on Instagram to keep up with the latest BSO news between podcast episodes.

LOCAL HEROES SERIES: Shaquille O'Neal refuses to stop growing. The 7'1" retired Basketball Hall of Fame center was born with the natural abilities that helped make him an NBA legend. Off the court, his fierce drive to better himself and his community has led him to a life of service to others. Today, Shaq is an auxiliary deputy with the Broward Sheriff's Office, and I am honored to have the big man in my ranks. He stopped by "Shop Talk with The Sheriff" to discuss what life can offer if you stop, listen and learn from those around you. Tune in and be sure to subscribe, share this episode with a friend and follow @bsosherifftony on Instagram to keep up with the latest BSO news between podcast episodes.

In celebration of Pride Month, I was honored to host special guest, Lieutenant Paul Auerbach, an 18-year veteran of the Broward Sheriff's Office. Lt. Auerbach shares a personal story about his journey as a gay law enforcement professional at the Broward Sheriff's Office, the integral role he played in forming BSO's LGBTQ+ Committee, and the ways in which we recognize and advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. Tune in to learn more about what pride, inclusion and equality means at BSO! Be sure to subscribe, share this episode with a friend and follow @bsosherifftony on Instagram to keep up with the latest BSO news between podcast episodes.​

Joining Sheriff Gregory Tony on this episode is a special guest, Attorney Michael Garcia. Attorney Garcia is the Chairperson of The Hispanic Vote and leads a successful Construction, Commercial Litigation and Government Affairs practice in Broward County. Sheriff Tony and Attorney Garcia discuss the steps taken by the Broward Sheriff's Office to ensure the agency's diversity reflects the Broward community, the unique experiences of the Hispanic culture, and the importance of Hispanic Heritage Month.

To help protect our youth from online predators, Sheriff Gregory Tony and special guest, Detective Michael Joo, from the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit engage in an in-depth discussion about how to identify if your child is being targeted or manipulated online. Detective Joo provides important safety tips to guide the online activity of parents and children. If you or someone you know is being exploited online, please contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (843-5678) or https://report.cybertip.org. The Broward Sheriff's Office works with federal, state and local agencies on all Broward County related cyber tips.​

Sheriff Gregory Tony and Director of the Professional Standards Committee (PSC), Ret. Judge Julio Gonzalez, discuss how the Broward Sheriff's Office (BSO) PSC has changed to reflect higher standards of professionalism, provide more accountability and ensure due process for BSO employees. In this discussion, Dir. Gonzalez also expresses why he believes the BSO PSC is one of the best in Florida.​

In the 105-year history of the Broward Sheriff's Office (BSO), the first-ever Use of Force Review Board was created to establish an additional layer of internal review of use of force incidents. Sheriff Gregory Tony and special guest, BSO Captain Scott Champagne from the Public Corruption and Internal Affairs Division, dive deeper into this topic shedding light on why this board was created and how it reinforces accountability to ultimately better serve the Broward community.

Sheriff Gregory Tony and special guest, Colonel John Hale, BSO's Executive Director of the Department of Professional Standards and Investigations, engage in a transparent conversation about the significant changes undertaken at the Broward Sheriff's Office to increase accountability within the organization. Learn more about the Professional Standards Committee, Use of Force Review Board, the early warning system, and how these important changes have created processes that assure fairness, transparency, and accountability to build greater trust with the community we serve.​

Guest Bios Show Transcript When a society denies human depravity and sin, the results can be absolutely devastating. And this week on The Roys Report, we'll be exploring what led to the school shooting in Parkland, Florida, which claimed the lives of 17 people. Joining me will be Max Eden, an author and investigator who says the shooter clearly communicated his murderous intent. But instead of expelling him, the school sought to heal him, and to correct the “injustices” that it believed caused his violence. I really hope you can join us for The Roys Report, this Saturday morning at 11 on AM 1160 Hope for Your Life and on Sunday night at 7 on AM 560 The Answer! This Weeks Guests Max Eden . . . is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute. Before joining MI, he was program manager of the education policy studies department at the American Enterprise Institute. Eden's research interests include early education, school choice, and federal education policy. He was coeditor, with Frederick M. Hess, of The Every Student Succeeds Act: What It Means for Schools, Systems, and States (2017). Eden's work has appeared in scholarly and popular outlets, such as the Journal of School Choice, Encyclopedia of Education Economics and Finance, Washington Post, U.S. News and World Report, National Review, Claremont Review of Books, and The Weekly Standard. He holds a B.A. in history from Yale University. Show Transcript Note: This transcript has been edited slightly for continuity. Segment 1 JULIE ROYS:  Well, it was the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history. But according to my guest today, it was also the most preventable. Welcome to The Roys Report, brought to you in part by Judson University. I'm Julie Roys. And today, we're examining what led to the school shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14, 2018. That shooting in Parkland, Florida, claimed the lives of 17 people. But my guest today says the shooter was a psychopath with an established pattern of violence and murderous intent. But administrators did nothing to stop him. Why? Well, in part because of career ambition and bad, liberal policies. But more fundamentally, because administrators had a faulty view of both reality and mankind. My guest today is co-author of a new book Why Meadow Died: The People and Policies That Created the Parkland Shooter and Endanger America's Students. This book is already a number-one best-seller on Amazon and it actually doesn't release until Tuesday! But I've been able to read a pre-release copy. And what this book describes is absolutely shocking. When he was just 2 years old, the Parkland shooter—Nicolas Cruz—reportedly tossed a 4-month-old baby into a pool. In pre-K, Cruz had to wear a restrictive harness just to ride the school bus. In middle school, he made a video of himself drowning a cat. In high school, Cruz was constantly talking about guns, a desire to kill, and even to cannibalize other people. He vandalized Stoneman Douglas High School, left death threats, attacked other students, and brought weapons to school. But instead of expelling Cruz, administrators tried to manage his behavior. And instead of arresting him, administrators and police minimized his behavior. Again, the question is why? Why didn't administrators or someone in authority do something? Well, joining me to discuss this is Max Eden. He's the co-author of Why Meadow Died. He's also a senior fellow at The Manhattan Institute who's done extensive research on education policy and school discipline. So Max, welcome! It is a pleasure to have you! MAX EDEN:  Yeah, thank you so much for having me, Julie. JULIE ROYS:  So, Max, help us understand this mind-boggling failure that led this school to really ignore all of these red flags and allow this violent man really free reign to wreak havoc there at the school. What happened?  MAX EDEN:  Yes.  It's a big story to tell. So I think it might be good to start with a little bit of what happened with him in middle school—a little bit of what happened with him in high school. Which both cases relate to broader themes and as you said it's kind of a misconception of the notion of man, that is kind of reigning in the way that schools look at kids, right? And in middle school, the student, his behavior was recorded. He was suspended every other day for a calendar year. He was talking about guns and any chance he could get he was threatening students. He was talking to them about skinning animals. Teachers were so scared of him that they eventually said that he can't walk anywhere in school without a security guard next to him. And when that wasn't enough, they called his mom to have his mom walk with him and the security guard in school. This went on for a year, at this level, before they managed to transfer him to a specialized school. And that relates to, you know, the way that schools view disturbed students as having a disability and requiring a whole lot of paperwork to properly and scientifically manage rather than understanding that, you know, there is evil within some young men and some young women. So yeah, we can talk more about that later. The other, kind of starting point is what happened with him in high school, in which case his behavior wasn't recorded. We have security staff; you have teachers saying he was brought to the office all the time. But you don't see a record for him. You have students saying we told administrators that he threatened to kill us. And you don't see a record of that either. You know, the only time he was officially disciplined, in his first semester, was a time when his normal assistant principal was off campus. And then they took him drawing swastikas on lunchroom tables, labeled it vandalism and did nothing further. That relates to this pressure to try to fix the so-called school-to-prison pipeline by lowering suspensions, lowering expulsions, lowering arrests, basically pressuring school administers to show that there are no problems, in reality, by not recording them. And so, every step of the way, there were these decisions that were made that were obviously grossly irresponsible but made perfect sense given the policies and the policies made perfect sense given the kind of ideology that was reigning in the Broward County schools. And is becoming ever more pervasive across American education in general. JULIE ROYS:  Well, yeah, you're right. Reigning in Broward County but the reason we're talking about this is because you would think after something like this happens, administrators would go, “wow this was a big mistake. Let's make sure we're not doing this anywhere in the country.” But it's kind of the exact opposite. This is reigning throughout our schools. And you're right. There's this ideology behind it. And it's one that doesn't recognize evil. It seems to me, it sort of paints evil as not something as we understand it in the Judeo-Christian world view, that it's something that is from the depravity of mankind. Our rebellion against God. That we are fallen creatures. But now evil is something that's sort of a social construct and it's often because of the oppression that we've experienced and so we have these social justice policies that are instituted in the schools. One of them, I understand, this Promise Program actually keeps students in public schools from being reported to police, being arrested for crimes that they should be arrested for. That would have given, Nicolas Cruz, the shooter in Parkland, an arrest warrant so when he went to get a gun, he wouldn't have been able to. But they didn't do that because of this Promise Program. Describe that program—where it comes from and how it was instituted. MAX EDEN:  Yeah, so, I'll start with the program and get to where it comes from and work our way back to the ideology behind it, right? The Promise Program on paper, basically gives students 3 free misdemeanors every single year. So your 4th misdemeanor in a given year, you can then finally talk to the school resource officer. Whether or not the school resource officer does anything is still open. But 3 free misdemeanors a year instead of being introduced to the juvenile justice system. And you go to this alternative education sight for a few days where, you know, nothing really happens. In reality the leader there was a horrifically abusive woman who demeaned her colleagues consistently and was eventually removed. But when you give kids 3 free misdemeanors a year and when you also, you know, on the side literally train principals to refuse to cooperate with law enforcement or refuse to let law enforcement on campus, if they're trying to execute an arrest warrant, then arrests will go down.  And if your view of, you know, your view of men, your view of kids, if you look at these spreadsheets where you see African American students, students who are designated with disabilities, are “disproportionately” disciplined, disproportionately arrested. If when you see that you don't admit that this behavior can have a root in, you know, what is going on within the child, that can have roots in what's going on in the child's home and society around them. Then these disparities become entirely inexplicable in any way other than this must be the school's fault, you know. This must be a product of institutional racism, institutional oppression—that the school and the police are, you know, actively pushing on innocent young men and women. And if you think that, then there should be no cost to dramatically decreasing arrests. But, you know, it's not quite the case. The Promise Program was a national leader in this. It was the diversionary program and then all these other leniency policies around it which are very quickly taken by the Obama Department of Education. Superintendent Arnie Duncan, who was a former colleague of Broward Superintendent Robert Runcie, and he saw oh arrests are going down. This looks great. These disparities are being closed. This is clearly working. And he took this policy and made it into a federal guidance document that basically threatened and coerced school districts across the country saying if you don't follow suit, by trying to get all these numbers down, we will come after you. And we might take away your money. And so the ideology behind it that started as a more a contained thing, you know, used to be just the province of some academics has now become those functionally and also ideologically kind of de rigueur for public school across the country. JULIE ROYS:  So, it is instituted all over and Arnie Duncan,  those of us listening in Chicago where this show originates, know that name. He was very instrumental here in Chicago then goes to the federal government and institutes a lot of these programs.  Again, this was under the Obama Administration. But is it still happening right now? MAX EDEN:  Well, the federal push for it is no longer happening. After the Parkland shooting, the Trump Administration made a School Safety Commission to investigate what went wrong, issue recommendations. One recommendation was to stop pushing these policies at the federal level. So the Department of Education is no longer threatening school districts to implement these policies but that doesn't mean that they're going anywhere.  JULIE ROYS:  Right and they have the same administrators. MAX EDEN:  Oh yeah. The same administrators, the same incentives. I mean, they're going nowhere fast unless parents wake up. JULIE ROYS:  Right. Well again, that's Max Eden, author of Why Meadow died and a senior fellow with The Manhattan Institute.  I'm Julie Roys. You're listening to The Roys Report.  If you'd like to weigh in, the number to call is 312-660-2594.  Segment 2 JULIE ROYS:  Well, was the Parkland School shooting the most preventable mass murder in US history? Welcome back to The Roys Report. I'm Julie Roys. And according to my guest today, the shooter who killed 17 people at Stoneman Douglas High School last year, had a long history of violent and disturbing behavior. But administrators and police refused to recognize and contain evil—and instead tried to manage and heal it.  Again, joining me today is Max Eden, author of Why Meadow Died, and a senior fellow with the Manhattan Institute. This book releases on Tuesday and if you'd like to get a copy, I am giving away about 5 copies today. Just go to JulieRoys.com/giveaway and you can enter that giveaway to receive the book. Again, JulieRoys.com/giveaway to get the book Why Meadow Died. Also, you can join our conversation. The number to call:  312-660-2594. Or you can join the discussion online by going to Facebook.com/ReachJulieRoys. Or on Twitter, my handle is @reachjulieroys. Max, I want to, I know we're talking a lot about sort of the below the water line issues; the ideology that leads to these shootings and just ignoring these violent tendencies in people. But I also want to honor the victim. And this is why this book is called Why Meadow Died. Meadow was an 18-year-old student at Stoneman Douglas High School. She lost her life tragically because administrators didn't do what they were supposed to do.  Her father, Andrew, I understand, now has become sort of a crusader, even though he doesn't like that name. But he is really making some changes at the policy level because of what happened to his daughter. Can you tell us a little bit more about Meadow—who she was and how she lost her life in this tragic shooting? MAX EDEN:  Yeah. I mean Meadow was, you know, Andy describes her, my co-author Andrew Pollack, describes her as an all-American girl, you know. A girl who could go off-roading, do ATV's with her brothers one day and, you know, be kind of the super-model, girly girl the next. The kind of girl who whenever there was anybody new at school, she would go up to them and she would introduce herself and talk to them and then try to figure out who would this person like. And how can I introduce this person to a friend and make this person feel welcome, you know. She was, I never got the chance to meet her, but she was both, you know, a beautiful, kind soul but also one who could be, you know, fierce and protective over others. And one thing Andy says with mixed pride—very mixed emotions, you know. She was shot 5 times on the 3rd floor of the school and she crawls across the hallway, sees a Freshman and tries to drape her body over the freshman's body to protect her, only to be shot 4 more times between the two. A gunman who got on campus that day despite the fact that security monitors saw him getting out of the Uber. Recognized him as—that's crazy boy, that's the guy who we thought would shoot up the school. I can see that he's carrying a rifle bag. I don't want to approach him because maybe he has a hand gun but even after I hear large percussion noises coming out of the school, I don't want to call a Code Red. Because I didn't see the weapon and if it's not really, you know, a mass murder going on, I'd be the one to get in trouble if I called for a Code Red. So, you know, in that one incident it's kind of relates to what happened the whole way through. This effort to not, you know, look bad on paper, by the adults, led to these extremely bad decisions all the way through that culminated in the security guard, whose one job is to alert the school to an intruder. Knowing who just came on campus, being pretty sure what was going on and still not being willing to make a call that would have saved her life for fear that he would look bad for doing it. JULIE ROYS:  Yeah. That chapter where you describe the shooting, I mean, you just can't read that chapter and not just be very emotionally affected. I was reading it yesterday. My husband comes in and he's like “What's the matter with you.” And I'm like, “Oh my word.” I mean it's so tragic. And I think the thing that made me the angriest was the actual person on the grounds, on campus, who actually had a gun that day, who was too cowardly to do anything. The one police officer who was there. Right? MAX EDEN:  Yes and more than that. I mean, Scott Peterson, the school Resource Officer, was the one man on campus with a gun. He was taken over to the building in a little golf cart and rather than approach the building, he went to the building next door and remained in place for 48 minutes. And not only did he remain in place, he actually called out, do not approach the 1200 building where it was happening. Stay at least 500 feet away. And maybe in part, because of that warning, maybe not, there were 7 other Broward Sheriff's deputies who arrived on scene while the shooting was still unfolding. And all 7 of them remained outside the building. Not one of the 8 police officers who were on the scene, while there were shots ringing out from within a school, went into that school, you know. The shooter would have had 11 full minutes to himself in a building with 800 students because not one man, sworn to protect the public, decided to step into that building. JULIE ROYS:  Man. And isn't sort of the protocol now that the minute you hear anything, the protocol is you're, policemen, security, everybody is supposed to go and confront the gunman. Yes? MAX EDEN:  Well, in most places yes. I mean, ever since Columbine, the protocol has been if there's a shooting, if there's a school shooting, you don't negotiate, you don't wait outside, you go straight in. But Broward Sheriff, Scott Israel, quite an ideological kind of guy, in many ways, he changed his policy from, his active shooter policy, from the deputies shall go in, to the deputies may go in. So, in this sick way, with these 8 deputies, standing outside the building, thinking to themselves full well, must have been thinking, there are children being murdered right in front of me. The decision to not go in was actually in accordance with the policy set by their boss.  JULIE ROYS:  Unbelievable! And, you know, this Broward County Sheriff, the quote that's in the book is absolutely breathtaking. He had a quote, “We measure our success by the kids we keep out of jail, not by the kids we put in jail.” So you have a Sheriff's Department who, so it's not just schools who led to this failure and this shooting, it was the Sheriff's Department as well. They received, initially I think it, wasn't it reported that they received 23 calls to Nicolas Cruz' home. And they protested and said, no, no, no it wasn't 23. Well then when they when there went more research, and went into the books, we found out they received 45 calls to Cruz' home, none of which resulted in an arrest. Correct? MAX EDEN:  That's correct. And this is, again, you know, to take it below water. This is downstream from the ideology we were talking about earlier right? I mean, I think the Judeo-Christian view of the State's rule of law, is to try to contain evil, and try to maintain order. But this alternative division suggests that, you know, it's the police who are the oppressors and any apparent statistical inequities are a product of police iniquity. And that the police need to be reined in. So when you, you know, when you do that, you think to yourself, well we have to stop arresting kids full stop. That is how we do our jobs as, you know, members of law enforcement by not enforcing our law. Because we view ourselves to be untrustworthy. That's the Sheriff Israel ideology. And I think the most remarkable, you know, concrete manifestation of that in this place, in this case, was a mom called the Broward Sheriff's office. And she said my daughter told me that she saw a post on Instagram, by this individual, saying I am going to get this gun and I'm going to shoot up the school. And the Broward Sheriff's Deputy, Edward Eason, allegedly said to her, well that's protected by the First Amendment.  JULIE ROYS:  Oh, oh, oh! Man! MAX EDEN:  Which, suffice to say, it's not. And then when the mom said well how could we prevent him from getting a gun when he turns 18? And he said well that's protected by the Second.  Which, suffice to say, if he threatened to kill, it's not. But if you're under pressure to not arrest juveniles, you're not going to arrest juveniles. JULIE ROYS:  That is unbelievable. I think that Sheriff's deputy needs to be instructed a little bit that there is something called the clear and present danger with speech. And when there's a clear and present danger, that is not protected. That is one when we say, no, you can't have that speech. I mean, these are death threats. And that wasn't the only one, was it? MAX EDEN:  Oh no, that wasn't the only one. And he threatened to kill several of his classmates while in Stillman Douglas. And they told me, they told, they brought it to the school's attention. Nothing was done. I think, you know, the other maybe most dramatic, jaw-dropping thing for your listeners to understand and again they need to understand, it's just . . . JULIE ROYS:  All right. Hold that thought. Hold that thought, Max. When we come back, we'll get to that jaw-dropping thing that you have to say. Again, the number to call 312-660-2594. I'll get to your calls when I come back. And again, we'll hear more from Max Eden, author of Why Meadow Died and a senior fellow with The Manhattan Institute.  3rd Segment When a society denies the existence of evil, the results can be devastating. Welcome back to The Roys Report, brought to you in part by Judson University.  I'm Julie Roys.  And today, we're discussing the most deadly school shooting in U.S. history—and the faulty worldview that led to it. That shooting occurred on February 14, 2018, at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. And the shooter—Nikolas Cruz—had a well-documented history of violence, death threats, and an obsession with guns. Yet liberal school administrators refused to acknowledge evil. They refused to acknowledge the depravity of mankind. And as a result, 17 people lost their lives.  Joining me today is Max Eden, co-author of Why Meadow Died: The People and Policies That Created the Parkland Shooter and Endanger America's Students. Our studio lines are open, and you can join our discussion, as well. The number to call is 312-660-2594. Or you can join the online discussion by going to Facebook.com/ReachJulieRoys. And on Twitter, our handle is @ReachJulieRoys. Max, I want to get to a caller who just called. But first, I want to give you an opportunity to, you had a jaw-dropping point of detail that you were going to mention right before the break. So let me give you an opportunity to mention that. MAX EDEN:  Yeah, I mean so, it's the, it's kind of a, there was this one week, the week that he turned 18 years old, he got into this big fight at school. He called a student the N-word, attacked him, several students wrote statements to the administrators saying, you know, “this kid has threatened to kill us, brought knives to school, brought bullets to school. We're so scared of him.” That same week, the mental health authorities were called out 3 times, once to his house, twice to his school, for concerns that he was getting into fights with his mother. That he was trying to kill himself. That he had written “kill” at the top of his notebook because he was getting into a fight with his mom about whether or not he could buy a gun. Not one of those times did the mental health authorities think, “Oh, we need to take a look at this kid. Do we need to take him under observation?” And when faced with all of this, the school administrators didn't think to themselves, “Wow, this kid is dangerous. He needs to be introduced to the juvenile justice system.” What they were operating under was, according to the superintendent, the philosophy that we aren't going to continue to arrest our kids and give them a criminal record. So rather than have him arrested at any point in this week, based on his behavior, they literally said to him, “You are not allowed to bring a backpack to school anymore. And we're going to frisk you every day for fear that you might be carrying a deadly weapon.” So, something is profoundly wrong when adults who we trust with the care of our students can look at a kid and say, “You're too dangerous. We think you're going to bring in a deadly weapon, so we're going to prevent you from having the opportunity, frisk you to make super sure, but heaven forbid we introduce you to the police.” JULIE ROYS: Yeah, well it makes me wonder, what would it take to actually get arrested in Broward County schools when, I mean, this guy did everything you have to do. And we had a caller call in, she's anonymous, wanted to stay anonymous, didn't want to stay on the ine, but she said, “Why is it that we have this rights of one person—Nikolas Cruz—that seems to trump all the rights of all these students within the school as well as the teachers and the faculty, clearly a danger to them. Why is that? MAX EDEN:  Yeah, you know, it's an outgrowth of the ideology, right? I mean, this is, he's labelled as having a disability, right? And you're granted a whole bunch of rights if you have a disability. And nothing in federal law says that those rights need to be weighed against the rights of other students. This becomes extremely problematic when we label students who are deeply emotionally disturbed as having an emotional and behavioral disability. At that point, school administrators have to consider their rights and literally aren't supposed to consider and weigh the rights of other students with them. They need to manage these students with an eye towards their quote-unquote rights. And totally in keeping with all the paperwork burdens to be placed upon them. So, normal human judgment, you know, the decisions that we should be able to trust the adults to make, they can't make. Because we tell them, “you can only consider the rights of the troubled kids. And you have to do everything you're doing through a lens of paperwork and bureaucracy rather than intuition and human judgment.” JULIE ROYS: Right. And to me, if you're going to follow it to its logical conclusion, we just get rid of our entire penal system, right? I mean, why even have it? Right? MAX EDEN:  Yeah, that is, they got quite close to that in the Broward County schools. This wasn't in the book. This came out 2 weeks ago in a poll. The Broward teacher's union polled their teachers. 1287 responded. Out of those teachers, only 3 expected that if a student were to assault a teacher, the student would be arrested. JULIE ROYS: Good grief. MAX EDEN:  Compared to 7 who thought the student would get a treat. JULIE ROYS: Wow. And I have to say that my husband spent his career in the public-school system. He's a retired public-school teacher. And I remember him escorting a student down the hall, and the student attacked him. And that student, that was his last day at the school. He was gone. Immediately. So, I thank God that the school he worked in seemed to acknowledge that this is important. And that these students can't be in there if they're behaving that way. But clearly, not happening in Broward County. And I want to go to this, you know, this idea that these kids have emotional disabilities. It seems to me this flows from this sort of naturalistic worldview where, you know, every child is born into this world with sort of a clean slate. And it just must be these bad influences that make these children turn evil. Because there isn't real evil in their hearts. There couldn't be any true depravity. There couldn't actually be some demonic forces at play in the world. It's all some sort of naturalistic thing. We have to come up with an evolutionary, you know, way of describing this. And yet this kid—Nikolas Cruz—I mean, an adopted kid, goes into this home, as far as we know, it seems like we have a mother who is somewhat of an enabler. And she did allow him to watch violent video games, and maybe we'll talk about that a little bit too. But there doesn't seem to be, other than the fact that his adoptive father died—but he was acting out before then—I mean, can we explain this child's evil behavior? MAX EDEN:  I mean, in my opinion, it was inborn. It was, whether you're of the religious or scientific persuasion, he's born the son of a crack-addict career-criminal mother. His old sister was also a criminal. He throws an infant into a pool when he's 2 years old. There's something in the core of his soul that is, you know, that tends toward evil. But what I write in the book is that, you know, it's not a unique thing. We're supposed to build our institutions to contain our demons. And if he had institutions that were working around him, that would have seen him for what he was and responded to him as what he was, then I think that what was just an inborn, inbred desire to kill and destroy could have been contained. But he only had a mother who was herself kind of a floating atom, disconnected from the community and no religious roots. A school, a mental health system, a police force, all of which were oriented toward the path of least resistance. You know, nobody around him looked at him and thought, “there is something deeply wrong and we need to take an aggressive hand on this.” I feel like if they did, it could have been a . . .  JULIE ROYS: Max, we need to go to break. But when we come back, I want to discuss that more. Was there something demonic going on with this guy? I really do wonder that. Again, you're listening to The Roys Report.  I'm Julie Roys.  We'll be right back after a short break. 4th Segment JULIE ROYS:  Well, did Parkland school shooting victim Meadow Pollack die because school administrators failed to acknowledge the depravity of mankind and the existence of evil? Welcome back to The Roys Report. I'm Julie Roys. And today we're talking about what some have called the most preventable school shooting in U.S. history. The shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14, 2018, claimed the lives of 17 people. But the shooter, who had a violent history, never should have been able to buy guns. And he never should have been placed in the regular school population.  That's according to my guest this morning this morning, Max Eden, co-author of Why Meadow Died—a book on the shooting and policies that led to it. That book releases on Tuesday. If you'd like a copy, just go to, we're giving away several of them, go to JulieRoys.com/giveaway and you can enter to win a copy of this book. We've had an outstanding conversation today. If you missed any part of it, I want to let you know that you can listen to it again. We'll have a podcast up at my website in about an hour after the show ends. So just go to JulieRoys.com. Click on the podcast tab. Also, I also want to let you know that next week, leading apologist, Dr. Michael Brown, will be joining me to answer skeptics' toughest questions about Christianity. You may remember, about a month ago, Hillsong songwriter, Marty Sampson, said that he was losing his faith because he couldn't find answers to questions like, “why would God send anyone to hell?” Or, “Aren't there a lot of contradictions in the Bible?” Well Dr. Brown is someone who has been discussing tough questions like that for the past 40 years. And if you'd like to submit a question for Dr. Brown to answer, just email us at The Roys Report at JulieRoys.com. But returning to our discussion this morning, again joining me is Max Eden. And Max before the break we were talking just shortly and you know, when you talk about this in the general population people kind of look at you like you're a little nuts, if you think that something might have a demonic component. But like you said, this shooter, Nikolas Cruz, had seemed troubled and actually violent from the very beginning. Even as early as two years old and even in Pre-K he was having all sorts of trouble. In kindergarten having all sorts of trouble. What do you think about that? Do you think there was some demonic component that this man needed to be treated by people that understand the spiritual dimension? MAX EDEN: Yeah, I mean, I think there was certainly evil to it. I am somewhat agnostic on the demonic mechanism, but I think, if you're less agnostic than that, there's plenty of evidence to suggest there was something like that at work. I mean, this is a kid who, you know, whenever the word gun was mentioned in middle school, he would light up. And just you know, he would get excited. And when he was sent to a specialized school, he told them, you know, “I had a dream of killing and being covered in blood.” I think this extends beyond, you know, normal psychology. Clearly into the realm of evil. He later, you know, told the police officers that he did what he did because of demon voices that he heard in his head. We have some reason to doubt that because we know that he Googled for ways to appear insane after committing murder. But that, you know, doesn't solve the question. That begs a further question of, you know, what is going on inside a human soul that would Google, “how do I appear insane after killing.” And who would have this clearly expressed desire to kill since a very young age. I mean it goes beyond I think crime, law and order, beyond traditional mental health things, and clearly into the realm of evil. The mechanism of that is somewhat above my pay grade but it is evil. JULIE ROYS:  Well, and didn't Roxanne Duchamp, is that how you pronounce her name?  MAX EDEN: Yeah, yeah, she said, she mentioned when the killer was staying with them, shortly after his mom died, about a month before, that in the evening she would hole up in her room, kind of barricading the door and hearing demon noises coming out from him. So, you know, there's a very strong case. The fact pattern is there for anybody persuaded to it. Personally, I am persuaded to the existence of evil. And demonic possession, it's a mechanism that would fit the facts.  JULIE ROYS:  Yeah, it sure would. I know I was talking about this last night at the dinner table with my husband and my daughter. We have such delightful conversations at dinner time. But, yeah I mean, I couldn't help but be talking about this because you read this book and it's so shocking and it's disturbing. But when I mentioned this, that Roxanne said she slept, you know, heard these demon noises, slept with the door barricaded and with a machete in hand she said. Which I thought that was interesting—she had a machete at home, it's not something most of us have—but anyway. She said my daughter said, “Why didn't they call police?” And I'm like well, you know it happened 45 times and they did absolutely nothing. So, I mean, what do you in that situation? You've got this man living at home with these, you know, terrible impulses. But again, everyone seemed to not know what to do about it. We've explored the demonic a little bit. I also want to talk about these violent video games. And again, this is one of those things, there's a lot of kids out there playing violent video games. For the majority of them, they don't become psychopathic killers as a result. But for some, it seems to have a very bad influence and this guy was pretty much, I mean it sounds like just someone who just played video games all the time, correct? MAX EDEN:  Yes, he and the Newton shooter are very, very similar in this regard. I mean, neither of them had much of a social life beyond online and single player shooting video games. And at his house, his mom, according to a social worker, that whenever he lost at a shooting game that he would become so violent as to punch holes in the wall. She said, you know, my walls are polka dotted from all the spackle I have to use to cover the holes. This kid had no friends, had no, you know, no civil society around him, no religion around him. He went to the school and he played violent video games. And one of his teachers wrote, wrote down, you know, I think this student's a profound danger to himself and others at the school. I don't think he can tell the difference between violent video games and reality. So it's the kind of thing where I think, you know, most kids can play and there will be only a mildly corrupting force. But for it to have this in them, I do think like we've seen enough examples where it seems to really, so profoundly warp their understanding of the world that they end up playing out in real life what they've played out in video games.  JULIE ROYS:  I laugh at the mildly corrupting force yet we seem to be so willing to let it into our homes. The whole violent video game thing, don't even get me started. The other thing—you just touched on this—but when I was reading your book I was like what? And the teacher said when he loses at X-Box he gets violently angry and I'm sitting there asking myself, why is this kid playing X-Box at school? Can you help me understand that?  MAX EDEN:  The teacher recorded his mother saying that.  JULIE ROYS: Oh, his mother's saying that. OK, I must've misread that. MAX EDEN:  The mother, you know, whenever, she didn't know what to do with him because he needed to be on his X-Box and when he wasn't on his X-Box he was upset. And then he would get his X-Box and he lost he would get extra upset. And this is part of the failure and I didn't go into it as much as I could in the book, largely because the woman is dead and there's no further work to be done. But you know, she had no idea what to do. She knew that her son had profound evil around him and she, a few months before her death, told a bank teller, you know, “if something happens to me, you'll know it was Nick.” But she genuinely didn't know what to do. And she didn't have any community, any support, any religious sort of organization around her that could help her deal with the evil that was in her home.  JULIE ROYS:  Right. And that's another aspect of this, too. I think that there's this woman, trying to raise a son by herself. Her husband's passed away, and she has no real family support. She has no faith community. And it used to be in society, those were our backdrops, right? And, I mean, that's what girded people up. And I know, I mean, for myself that it is what, what is my support. But for a lot of people that don't have this and so this elimination of sort of understanding of faith and family and even the support where we have often these students who get in trouble. And instead of the family's sort of, like for me, when I got in trouble as a kid, didn't happen a lot, but if I ever did, I knew full well that my parents weren't going to be backing me up. They're going to be backing the school up and I'd better get in line, right? But it's kind of the opposite right now, isn't it at the schools? MAX EDEN:  Yeah, no, it's flipped. I mean this ideology isn't just in government, it's also, you know, amongst parents. Like, “My kid has rights, what are you doing to my kid? If my kid gets in trouble, it must be your fault.” I mean part of the reason why, you know, a student like him at a school like Stoneman Douglas; very upper middle class, affluent, allegedly a very safe school. Students with “disabilities” kind of had the run of the mill because administrators were worried that a parent might come to the school and, you know, basically sue them or make their life heck for trying to proverbially lay a hand on their kid. I think that, you know, it used to be that schools were kind of an outgrowth of the community's moral order—kind of a further exertion of, you know, the parental influence. But as so many other things in society have inverted or realigned. I think schools are being blamed not only by policy makers, not only by bureaucrats but by parents for any problems that kids experience.  JULIE ROYS:  So, for the people listening right now who are like, I want to do something about this. And I know Andrew Pollack has been just such an incredible force in trying to get things done and policies changed. What can we do? How can we be a part of positive change?  MAX EDEN:  Yeah. So, the thing that parents need to understand is that the story that we tell in this book is about Parkland and about Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. But it's not a story that's confined to there. This is a story that's playing out in thousands of schools across America every day because these same policy pressures are at work. You know, heaven forbid it ever again leads to a such an extreme version. But it will and does—every day—lead to violence that goes unaddressed, leads to bullying that is unaddressed. Threats that are allowed to slide by because of this pressure to not take a firm hand. And I think that the first thing parents need to do is to talk to their teachers. And ask them, you know, “Are administrators hiding things? Are they refusing to enforce rules? Is there a student in my kid's classroom who everybody knows shouldn't be there?” And the teachers aren't going to want to speak up because, not to the public as themselves, at least, because they fear retaliation. But they can tell the parents. And if the parents hear this from the teachers, they need to go to the school board members. And they need to say to them, “We know this is what's going on in our kids' schools. Our teachers are too afraid to speak out. This is unacceptable and you need to change these policies.” Because like we talked about earlier, the federal government is no longer pushing it but this kind of bureaucratic apparatus that runs education at a higher level is—the inertia there is going to keep on militating towards it. The only thing that can make schools safer is parents getting informed and involved. And going to their school board members to identify these problems are occurring and to demand that these policies change if they are.  JULIE ROYS:  Well, I so appreciate my daughter Ashley goes to a Christian school and I appreciate that they have a proper worldview.  So, I think they will deal with these sorts of things in that way. But I think it's important for us, like you say, go to your kids, talk to your kids, find out what's happening in the schools. And go to the teachers, go to the administrators, get involved as parents. You know scripture says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. It stuns me how people who are so smart can, in some senses, can be so dumb. To me, that's precisely what led to this Parkland shooting. Administrators and police refusing to see evil as a real thing stemming from the depravity in man's heart and Satan himself. Instead, they viewed it as a social construct or the result of oppression. They sought to manage it or appease it, instead of confront it and contain it. And as a result, Meadow Pollack and 16 other people, were mowed down by a murderous psychopath. What's mind-boggling is that these faulty policies are still in place in many schools. So, appreciate you so much, Max, for writing this book. Thanks for listening today. Again, if you missed any part of this program, just go to JulieRoys.com. You can get the audio there. Thanks so much for listening. Hope you have a great weekend and God bless!   Read more