Podcast appearances and mentions of dallas swat

This episode will feature twin brothers that have dedicated their lives to the city of Dallas and to the police profession. However, their family name started here in Dallas in 1988 when their brother, Israel, joined the Dallas Police Department and immediately become a recruiter for his family. Next would be their cousin, Miguel, to join the PD and then these twin brothers. Saul and Sammy grew up in Progresso Texas in a family of fifteen siblings and learned the definition of work ethic early on. As the family traveled the country to work the agriculture fields they learned to survive on hard work and family closeness that most do not get to experience.   Today we sit down with the twins, Sam and Saul, to talk about their lives, their blood family, and their blue family as we take the listener from Progresso Texas to Dallas Texas in telling their story. ATO please welcome on the Sarmiento twins, Deputy Chief Samuel Sarmiento, and Lieutenant Saul Sarmiento of the Dallas Police Department.   Critical Incidents Discussed: Saturday April 14th, 2001: Dallas SWAT member, Israel Sarmiento #5803 was killed in a motorcycle accident in Dallas Texas.  His death greatly impacted the Dallas Police Department as he was a greatly respected leader and friend. More so it left a void in the Sarmiento family that can never be filled.   October 23, 2002: Officer Patrick Metzler was killed when his patrol car was struck from behind by a drunk driver while he provided traffic control at a construction site. March 23rd, 2007: Sr. Cpl. Mark Nix was shot and killed as he attempted to apprehend a murder suspect in Northwest Dallas.   October 12, 2022: Dallas Police Officer Jacob Arellano was killed in a vehicle accident while on his was to work. A drunk driver caused this tragedy. He was survived by his fiancé Alyssa, his son Nolan, twin brother Joshua, Father Frank, Mother Rebecca, and sister Mia.   October 22, 2022: Methodist Dallas Medical shooting occurred when a suspect opened fire on Katie Flowers and Jacqueline Pokuaa, resulting in both of their deaths. The suspect was later arrested after a brief standoff inside the hospital. August 29th, 2024: Dallas Officer Darron Burks was murdered in the line of duty in Southwest Dallas. Officer Burks was ambushed by a suspect as he pulled into an Oak Cliff Community Center. The suspect then waited to ambush responding Officers David and Farmer as they approached Burks vehicle, shooting Officer David in the face and Officer Farmer in the leg with a shotgun.

**** Trigger Warning Alert**** Episode 100 was always going to be a special episode for our show but when I got today's guest to finally agree to tell his story I knew I wanted to make it extra special for the listener but also make it special for one of my best friends and one of the most Impressive humans I have ever met. – Joe King.  We are honored to share this stage with Dallas SWAT Operator and ATO: Bridging the Divide Co-Creator, Daniel Canete.  Danny gravitated to music at the age of five and quickly began mastering the language and art of music as he became a student of the piano. Most students that age avoided the stage, but Danny ran to it and excelled and built on his natural inquisitive nature and quickly began performing on that stage. Playing at churches, then to recitals, then began dominating in local and state competitions. He was a natural on the performance stage, this trait will become very important as later he will find himself on a life and death stage. As a musician, his desire was to share music with people to perpetuate a love for the arts and to educate the public in order to keep the classical arts alive. He mastered the piano and percussion but the five-octave marimba will always hold a special place in Danny's heart. Danny left his mark on the music world at Colorado State as a scholarship was created in his name, the Daniel Canete Music Performance Scholarship.  Sometimes we all reach crossroads in life and are thrust into a difficult decision as we navigate our life journey. Danny, with all of his skills and successes and dedication to music, was not impervious to these life changing decisions.  9/11 changed us all and changed the world but for some people, people like Danny, it provided him a new calling to serve this world in a different way. He chose to serve with the Dallas Police Department and was assigned to “God's Country”, the Southeast Division and fell in love with being a street cop and serving the citizens. This story will finally give the listener a peek into the life of a very private man that just happens to have a very high-profile profession as a member of Dallas SWAT.    The stage is set and the ATO listeners are making their way to their seats to see a true talented and gifted performer. Thank you for all of the support you have given us since August of 2021, it has been an incredible journey to 100.   Special Thanks: Billings PD Lt. Brandon Wooley USAF Lt. Colonel Zach, Cougar, Fennell Dr. Janet Landreth SWAT Lt. Andre Taylor SWAT ASL Matt Smith SWAT Sgt. Ryan Scott SWAT Brandon Berie Trent Custis Kimberly Canete  Critical Incidents Discussed:February 13th, 2012 Officer involved shooting in Pleasant Grove, Southeast Division, as CRT members engaged a robbery suspect.  July 7th 2016 The shooting in downtown Dallas on July 7th 2016 when five Officers were killed, and nine others were wounded during a protest in downtown Dallas Texas. Two civilians were also injured during this cowardly attack as it was the deadliest incident for law enforcement since the September 11th, 2001, attacks.    Daniel Canete Music Performance Scholarship - College of Liberal Arts | Colorado State University (colostate.edu)

In Memory of Dallas Police Sgt. Anthony Allen #8098 Today we will tell the listener the story behind the creation of the Dallas Police Honor Guard Unit. Like all great ideas there is a unique story, and this one is no different. I knew this story would be important, so I sought out the person who had a vision that he turned, after years of planning and frustrations, into a reality for the Dallas Police Department. Sgt. Joe Denomy #4081hired on with the Dept. in 1978 and proudly served for 36 years, most of this in Dallas SWAT. After transferring to Tactical in 1985 part of the duties included an Honor guard function. The duty was assigned to Tactical because “We looked good in uniform” Over the next several years attending way to many funerals, I noticed a couple of things.  One Almost every other police department in North Texas had a designated Honor Guard Team. Most importantly we were sending officers to this vital function that had no desire to be there. In January of 2000 he was part of DPD representatives at Ft. Worth Chief Windham's funeral.  At the graveside service all the attending Honor Guard were lined up together.  As Joe looked down the multiple rows of officers, each department there had an Honor Guard patch or designation.  That's when I asked WHY not DPD.  That day started the 6+ years before the team became a reality. Joe will tell the story of how it all started and how he handed off the torch to Chief Foy. Chief Foy will detail how he, a Sgt. at the time, had to rally his troops in the Honor Guard to complete 13 events in 5 days as the City suffered its darkest day in law enforcement history after July 7th, 2016. Sr. Cpl. Reed Higgins, a family services liaison at the time, also joins this documenting of Honor Guard history.   Incidents Discussed: 2000 Funeral of Ft Worth PD Chief Windham July 7th, 2016, shooting in Dallas as 5 officers were murdered by a gunman.

In Remembrance of James Lynn Baker II, A.K.A “Mr. Jackson” This show takes pride in providing a variety of topics and guests and although we are all different, we are still human beings. We are flawed, we are complex, we are unique, and we all have the potential to serve at the highest levels.  However, some of us take very different paths….dark paths, before we find our true calling. Life for all of us is literally like a pot of boiling water and what we become in that water will determine and define who we become in this finite life. Today's guest will tell the listener how he became hooked on meth and traveled down a dark path that led him on a collision course and a date with destiny with our Dallas SWAT on July 30th, 2008. The Uptown Dallas area was on high alert after several citizens were victimized as they not only lost their property but also their sense of security. Today's guest was the ringleader of these crimes and was captured and sentenced to sixty-five years in the Texas Prison system. In true Shawshank Redemption fashion this guest received help and guidance from the most unlikely of people as he was about to enter the ultra-hot boiling pot of prison life. The coffee bean story was born and applied as today's guest fought, learned, and grew as a person through his journey in the penal system and created a mission to help others and be a change agent as he shared his experience and story with others to try to inspire and motivate others. The Damon West story has been told on many platforms and stages, all across the world, but never from a stage inside of the police department that changed his life fifteen years ago. ATO Family sit back and soak in the coffee bean story and ask yourself, How can I be a change agent in life? Incidents discussed:  Damon West arrest by the Dallas SWAT Unit on July 30th, 2008, for the Uptown Burglaries. Trial, verdict and sentence on May 18th, 2009, for his role in the crimes. Presiding over the proceedings was Judge Mike Snipes. Dallas County jail to TDCJ from 2009- 2015. Damonwest.org The best-selling novel: The Change Agent: How a Former College QB Sentenced to Life in Prison Transformed His World  

Welcome back ATO Family! This episode has been a project since this show began as we finally tell the story of the attack on Dallas Police Headquarters on June 13th, 2015. At approximately 12:30 am a suspect, driving an armored van, drove to police headquarters in Dallas Texas and planted bags containing pipe bombs and opened fire on the front of the building with an assault rifle. Several officers responded and were met with gunfire in the streets in front of headquarters and then led the police on a chase that would end in history being made in US law enforcement history with the method in which the threat was eliminated. The episode will detail the tragedy from the 2013 arrest of the suspect to the events on June 13th, 2015, as he was eliminated by the use of a .50 caliber rifle, the first and only time this weapon platform has been used on a suspect in the United States.   This episode welcomes then Dallas SWAT members Jude Braun, Kent Wolverton, Danny Canete and Keith Rieg to the stage to give a play by play firsthand account of this incident and the significance in Dallas and US law enforcement history.   Guest List: Jude Braun #5015            36 years with Dallas Police and served 33 years with Dallas SWAT. Jude has the reputation of being an expert on explosive breaching and spearheaded the rifle program on the Dallas Police Department. Braun is now retired. Keith Rieg #6809 32 years with the Dallas Police Department and is still an active SWAT member after 24 years. Keith is a sniper and pulled the trigger of the .50 caliber rifle during this incident. Kent Wolverton #8393 20 years with Dallas Police Department and served as supervisor in SWAT for nearly 7 years. Kent also commanded the Dallas K9 Unit and now is a supervisor in Narcotics. Danny Canete #8834                17-year Dallas veteran with over 8 years in Dallas SWAT. Danny also was a member of the Dallas Narcotics Unit and the Southeast CRT.                Master Breacher Certified, Sniper and Less Lethal and Rope Master and instructor for High Angle Team as well rappel instructor for TTPOA.   Terms used in episode:                “Green Light”: Order giving by the Chief of Police authorizing operators to use deadly force to eliminate the threat.   Weapons used by the suspect:                Jennings JA-9 9mm handgun                Taurus Judge .45 caliber handgun                Savage Model 111 6.5/284   Norma with Redfield scope                Ruger 10/22 with Nikon scope                Stevens Model 320 Security 12 gauge pump                Pipe Bombs

"Law enforcement had different plans for me" ATO Family please welcome retired Dallas SWAT and current Texas Attorney General Fugitive Unit Chris Webb is back on the mic for another episode. He sat in his own episode to talk about his incredible career and also a vision that he had back in 2019 to continue to serve his brothers and sisters in the first responder community by creating a retreat that puts mental health and wellness on the forefront. Chris and his amazing wife, Judge Rainey Webb, put their amazing minds together and created a comprehensive approach to give back to the community. However, the 2020 pandemic had different plans for this retreat and would shelve this program. Then life unfolded for Chris as he got back into law enforcement and began a journey with the Texas Attorney General's office.  Chris became focused on his new career and mission but never fully gave up on his dream for his first responder retreat. This is a different story of Chris Webb's life journey. It isn't the story of him applying and fighting to become a member of the Dallas SWAT team, or enduring critical incident after critical incident, or stepping away from a career to be there for his family. This is the story of Chris and Rainey Webb's dream coming to fruition as the idea of the Righteous Oaks Retreat became a reality. Here to help tell this story has the Great Misty Vancuren and the highly respected Mesquite PD Assistant Chief Doug Yates behind the mics to talk about taking this leap of faith in joining The Webbs and the Warrior Healer,  Dr. Tania Glenn, on this Righteous mission. The Righteous Oaks Retreat is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization. Every donation is tax deductible. For more information or to donate to this incredible cause please go to the link below. https://righteousoakretreat.com  

Happy 4th!Clark gets a new job at OceanGate.Michael Zavala reviews The Flash.And Cosmo Joe gets a visit from the Dallas SWAT team.Watch the ShowYouTube.com/@michaelzavalaFollow the Boys:Michael Zavala @michaelzavalaEric Star @mrericstarClark @justsimplyclarkFollow the Show:Instagram: @mznowtvwww.MZNOW.tvProduced at mzStudiosmzStudiosDallas.com

Episode 71 Dallas Police Assistant Chief Reuben Ramirez #7345  From Idea to Implementation  Welcome back ATO family and welcome on Dallas Police Assistant Chief Reuben Ramirez who commands the Tactical Support Division. The Units under his command include Dallas SWAT, Gang Unit, Narcotics Division, Fugitive Unit, Mounted, K-9, Traffic/Motors and the Helicopter Unit. He started Dallas PD in 1995 and went to the Southwest Division and quickly engaged in proactive policing with the amazing Southwest 4040's Unit. This unit made a reputation as being the go to team as the most effective crime fighters in that division. He has worked many units within the Dept that include undercover Narcotics, Major Crimes Unit, PIU, Internal Affairs, Crimes Against Persons Bureau Commander and now over Tactical Operations Bureau Commander. All of this experience, at different levels of command, different types of people, has helped Reuben grow as a person and a professional and also open his mind to a systemic issue in the American policing model in handling officers' mental health after long term exposure to trauma. Fast forward to 2021 Dallas Chief gave Ramirez an assignment to gauge the Dallas Police Department's overall approach to caring for their employees.   After several months of meeting, focus groups, and building a core team to help put his vision in motion the Dallas Police Wellness Unit was born. Just under a year in existence the Unit has seen early success and is continuing to gain steam to be the leaders and standard to change the mindset in its approach to first responder wellness. Chief Ramirez wrote a manuscript that was published in the International Association of Chief of Police (IACP) magazine on the implementation of the Dallas Police Wellness Unit for the month of May, Mental Health Awareness Month. In March of 2023 Reuben drafted Texas House Bill 3858 to incentivize other Texas Police agencies to create a wellness unit that proactively supports the mental health of their employees for years to come. At time of this episodes release it has passed the Texas House and Senate and is on its way to the Texas Governor's desk to sign. He also created Church Safety Ministry, after a church shooting in Southerland Springs Texas, to provide protocol to church members to survive if attacked.   In this episode we will break down this article and listen to Chiefs vision on how he wants this Checkpoint model to become infectious beyond Dallas County to help change a culture, break stigmas, and show vulnerability is not weakness in the policing profession. This episode begins with a story from over 20 years ago and by the time you finish it you will see that Reuben took a tragedy and is now implementing and idea to benefit generations of first responders.  Welcome Chief Ramirez to the ATO stage.   Link to the IACP article: From Idea to Implementation - Police Chief Magazine  

Episode 65 Dallas Police Department SWAT Sergeant Andre Taylor #7752  “Trust God, Clean House, Serve Others”  The Assist the Officer Foundation sits down with an incredibly accomplished and unique individual today in Sgt. Andre Taylor of Dallas SWAT. As Dre grew up in the South side of Chicago, he regularly witnessed acts of violence but also witnessed an incredible community and family as his mother was ever present in his upbringing ensuring he didn't fall prey to the many negative lifestyles of the streets that could lead to him in jail or dead. Life laid itself out for Andre as he found himself moving to Dallas Texas to join the Police force in 1999 and began serving the City of Dallas. He joined the Dallas SWAT team in 2003 and trained under some of the toughest SWAT trainers who exposed him to a new level of police work . Andre experienced several critical incidents during his time in SWAT and one that sticks out more than others is an incident that's familiar to this show. The hostage rescue on Martel still haunts everyone that was a part of that operation. After leaving SWAT he joined the Dallas Mounted Unit and learned the tools to have a partner, Tommy, that weighed over 1500 lbs. and quickly understood the power and beauty of horses and saw the importance of community policing. Andre Taylor returned to Dallas SWAT years later and found himself in a new role as the leader and not the operator, so he had to learn to develop tools for his new role as being a boss to high performing and highly trained operators. Dre has always been in control of his life and his own destiny however in January of 2023 he looked into the mirror and did not like what he saw and realized he could not control an aspect of his life. As he contemplated his new direction, he typed out on email that would change his life, both personally and professionally, forever as he knew once he hit the send button everything would change. Once he hit send and the first step in climbing a new mountain was taken and now Dre found himself in a completely new world as he had to ask for help to regain control of his life. The listener will have to finish this story and hear Andre's new challenge in life and career as he found a new purpose and “why”.  We are hoping Dre finds that needed time now to work on his old cars and roller skate. ATO Family you are never alone in this life…….Please always reach out.   Critical incident: Infant hostage on 5800 Martel, Dallas, Texas on 6/20/2007 Acronyms/Phrases: APC- Armored personnel carrier #SWAT #Chicago 12 Step AA Programs: 12 Steps to Recovery for Addiction (americanaddictioncenters.org)

Episode 61 Dallas SWAT Matthew Smith #7765 “Don't get left in Virginia” ATO friends, you are in for a treat.  We sat down with the not so ordinary man with an ordinary name.  Senior Corporal Matt Smith talks about how his East Texas upbringing helped forge the discipline that has defined him throughout his police career.  Matt joined the Dallas Police Department in 1999.  He was assigned to the Northeast Patrol division after completing the Police Academy.  In 2005 he competed in a tryout for the Dallas SWAT Team and has not looked back. Senior Corporal Smith was originally assigned to a sniper role but since that time, he has been trained in almost every discipline the SWAT team offers. Matt attacked each role with a determination that is difficult to match.  He has been an Assistant Squad Leader in the prestigious Dallas SWAT Team for 8 years and running. In that role he demands a lot from the officers in the unit and more of himself.  For almost 18 years he has crafted different ways to be even more prepared for any incident.  Whether it is a hostage rescue, barricaded person, natural disaster, or a presidential dignitary protection assignment, you can count on Matt Smith to be ready in a pressed uniform with his equipment prepared and his ride clean. Join us as we discuss preparation, operations, mindset, and training with a true professional.   Critical incidents: Oak Park search warrant/shooting multiple officers hit by gunfire July 7th 2016 October 2007 search warrant in which Lieutenant Carlton Marshall was shot    #SWATTRAINING  #TTPOA  #SWAT #firstresponders #mentalhealth #policestories #firefighters #firstresponderpodcast #wellness #police #policepodcasts #coplife #policecriticalincidents #truecrime #policedetectives #SWAT #DallasSWAT #truecrimejunkie #truecrimeobsessed #crime #murder #truecrimefan #truepolicestories #podcasts  

Episode 60 Dallas Police Department's Bryan Candelaria #9294 and Gabriel Candelaria #9326 The Dallas Island Boys The Assist the Officer Foundation welcomes on the Dallas Police Department's identical twin brothers in Bryan and Gabriel Candelaria. Hailing from the 305, Miami Florida, they do embody the flavor of South Florida as they grew up in the fast- paced post cocaine cowboy era of Miami. They both gravitated to law enforcement as they grew up in a first responder family under the tutelage of the great Miami-Dade PD Legend Omar Carrillo.  (The ATO family will hear Omar's story on a later episode) In the true spirit of Greek mythology twin archers, Apollo and Artemis, they are identical yet very different in their approach to life and career. They moved to North Texas to begin their law enforcement career and joined the Dallas Police Department and started the academy in the same academy class. They hit the streets in different part of Dallas as Gabe went North and Bryan went South and both then truly began forming their own style of police work. Bryan chose “Chasing Dope” and Gabe gravitated to Intelligence led policing and finding his niche in undercover deployment. Like Artemis and Apollo both had a passion for the “hunt” of policing as they quickly became effective in just taking bad guys off the street to make the neighborhoods safer.   After leaving the Southeast Division CRT Bryan joined the prestigious Dallas SWAT to fulfill a life-long dream, following in Omar's footsteps and Gabe joined a team on the ground floor that would revolutionize the Dallas PD in ushering in the video age in the body worn camera program. This story is about two brothers, different in many ways, but equally genuine as human beings that pursued a calling and both succeeding in every stop they've had with Dallas PD.   Both are finally in leadership roles to be mentors and role models to help mold the future of the Dallas Police Department as Gabriel serves as the Lieutenant for the Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia and Bryan a Sergeant for the Violent Crime Task Force.   Sit back and enjoy laughter, inspiration, heartbreak and growth as we introduce the Candy Twins to the ATO stage.   Critical Incidents: Officer involved shooting in the Dixon Circle Community 7/24/2012 Hostage rescue with children on 2/9/2020 at 6000 Abrams Hostage Rescue Homicide/Suicide on 511 Highcrest 5/18/2020 George Floyd riots in downtown Dallas in 2020   Instagram: ato_bridging_divide ATODALLAS.org Contact us at atobridging@gmail.com #firstresponders #mentalhealth #policestories #firefighters #firstresponderpodcast #dallaspolice #police #dallaspolice #SWAT #305tillidie #miami  

Episode 55 – Dr. Alex Eastman R298 The ATO brings you a different perspective today with an episode all about Doctor Alexander Eastman. Oftentimes people find a level of success and become comfortable with their positions in life.  They rest on their laurels and allow their previous accomplishments to define them.  Alexander Eastman is not one of those people. Growing up outside of Washington DC, Alex began a life of servanthood working as a firefighter/EMT/rescue worker and even spent time in the political arena of DC.   Doctor Eastman navigated the education world of the University of Texas and George Washington University School of Medicine and achieved what few do, becoming the Chief of the Rees-Jones Trauma Center at Parkland Medical Center in Dallas.  He was also an Assistant Professor and trauma surgeon in the Division of Burns, Trauma and Critical Care at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. As if those achievements were not enough, a lunch with Lieutenant Owens led to Alex joining the Dallas Police Department in 2004 working alongside the Dallas SWAT team as the Lead Medical Officer, responding to every event the SWAT team would for years to come.  He and Doctor Jeffrey Metzger started the Tactical Medic program that has provided the SWAT team with an actual trauma surgeon on scene.  The Tactical Medic program has proven its worth time and time again saving lives in less than desirable conditions. He is the Chief Medical Officer of the Dallas Police Department and has reached the rank of Lieutenant in the Dallas Police Reserve Officer program that allows volunteers to work hand in hand with active duty officers. Doctor Eastman is now serving as the Senior Medical Officer at the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Health Security. Listen as we reminisce through his distinctive journey of almost 20 years of service. ATODALLAS.ORG   Critical Incidents: Discuss Dr. Eastman's involvement in the July 7th 2016 ambush attack in downtown Dallas  October 2007 in North Oak Cliff Dallas SWAT Lt. Carlton Marshall was shot and paralyzed while executing a federal search warrant. Dr. Eastman and Metzger performed tactical field surgery on the side of the house to save Marshall's life. The suspect received 45 years in prison for her actions.

Episode 53 Shelby Houston In Memory of Richard Houston On December 3rd 2021 Richard Houston, a 21 year Mesquite PD veteran, answered a domestic disturbance call and tragic events unfolded and he did not make it home that night. Being a family member or a friend of a first responder can be very rewarding as you have a front row seat of a true servant, a role model, and a hero. However tragedy can watch from afar and show up and cause a loved to receive a life changing phone call that will shape everyone's future. Richard was a dedicated husband, incredible father to his children and a dedicated peace officer that left this world too soon.  Before he responded to that call and left this world he sent his daughter, Shelby, a sweet and reassuring text that he and her mom will aways have her back. At her fathers funeral she gave a breathtaking eulogy that inspired so many as it truly showed the beautiful side of humanity as Shelby spoke of forgiveness. This is her story of resiliency, faith and the incredible journey she is now a part of. The ATO is honored to sit down with this amazing young women as she tells her story of her new “Why” in life and how she honors her father. Here to help tell this story we also are honored to welcome on the Honorable Judge Rainey Webb and her husband, former Dallas SWAT member Chris Webb. “If you are serious about your dream, surround yourself with people who love you well” -Bob Goff  Mesquite Police Officer Richard Houston Badge #821 End of Watch December 3rd,2021 www.shelbyhouston.org WWW.BOBGOFF.COM

Episode 51 Dallas SWAT Hostage Negotiator JD Byas ***Warning graphic content discussed involving suicide *** The Assist the Officer Foundation gets many requests from across the country on guests and topics and one common topic we keep getting is to have on a hostage negotiator. The Dallas PD SWAT Unit has several members trained in hostage negotiations however they have on a very “seasoned” veteran in James “JD” Byas. He Hired on with the Dallas Police Department in 1985 and spent five years working the streets in the North West Division and then was recruited to join the Mounted Unit. In 1993 JD found himself in the middle of downtown Dallas battling the mob during the Dallas Cowboys championship parade and helped clear the path, with his equine partner, to provide safety to the citizens and prevent the city from burning. Shortly after this parade JD, again, was recruited to the Dallas SWAT unit and began mastering patience and precision as the role of a sniper, specializing in glass ballistics. He became a hostage/crisis negotiator in 2000 and has completed over 700 hours of training with the Suicide/Crisis Center. His nearly 30 years of SWAT experience covers over 475 barricaded persons and suicide call outs, and several hundred high risk warrant operations. He travels the country instructing Police Departments in hostage negotiation while still remaining active with SWAT. JD was also featured in the A&E show Dallas SWAT.   ATO fans you asked for a hostage negotiator and we provided the best Dallas has to offer in this field…. so sit back and soak in the very cerebral topic of hostage negotiation with JD Byas. 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Critical incidents: Dallas Cowboys championship parade riot in February 1993.  

Episode 49 Dallas Fire and Rescue Firefighter Zack Talent Dallas Fire Department is so rich in history and on July 4th 2022 it celebrated its 150th year anniversary. The ATO is happy to sit down with one of their young, rising firefighter stars, Zack Talent, to honor this department and give the listener some more insight into this job and the toll it can take. Zack and his beautiful wife, Meagan, join us to tell the listener a unique tale of gaining self- awareness and resiliency, as well as professional and personal growth. Zack, a Rowlett, Texas native, grew up wanting to be a police officer and ultimately join a SWAT team. He would watch a little-known show called “Dallas SWAT” and watch legends like Claggett and Byas operate while visualizing himself donning the SWAT gear. However, life's road has many forks, different pathways, and decisions that one must make, and sometimes dreams have to be put on hold or redirected. In July of 2018 Zack followed a path that led him to the doors of the historic Dallas Fire Department to dedicate his life to service and saving others. He hit the streets running as the City of Dallas has no shortages of critical incidents, heartbreak, and opportunities to save a life.  Zack immersed himself into the life of a firefighter and took the opportunity to join the Dallas Fire Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) as this elite team is trained in the art of rope rescue, structural collapse rescue, vehicle rescue as well as trench rescue. The life of a first responder can be packed with critical incidents and trauma, and you never know which day can be your last or when the next incident will cut deeper than most. Dr. T believes the first step of resiliency is becoming self-aware and Zack, after hearing Dr. Twedell's episode, had a watershed moment in his life as he noticed something was wrong and needed to be fixed. So Zack began a new journey, with his wife by his side, to become a better version of himself and sharpen his own tools of resiliency.   ATO listeners soak in the story of true courage as we give the stage and microphone to Zack and Meagan Talent.

Mark Lang went from a high school trumpet player to one of the most influential people in the LE sniping community.

Episode 45 Dallas PD SWAT Dr. Jeffery C. Metzger The Assist the Officer Foundation is sitting down with a “white coat” in this episode as our guest is Dr. Jeffery Metzger. Dr. Metzger went to UC Riverside for his undergraduate, majoring in Biomedical Sciences, finishing a 7 year Bachelor/MD program at UCLA School of Medicine. Dr. Metzger then went to Duke University for Emergency Medicine training before coming to Dallas/UTSW for a fellowship in Government Emergency Medical Security Services before starting to work in the new DPD SWAT Dr. program. He is here with us to talk about his incredible journey from a small town in the Mojave desert in California to working on the Dallas PD underwater rescue team to being involved with the city of Dallas response to Ebola and Covid-19 in 2020. Dr. Metzger was behind the scenes in closed door meetings with city leaders to formulate a  plan to keep the city of Dallas Emergency services functioning during a new deadly virus that the world knew little about. Dr. Metzger has saved lives in the civilian world as well as the first responder world as he was on scene performing field triage, during an active scene, as a Dallas SWAT Commander fell during a warrant. ATO fans enjoy listening to the story of a humble hero that has dedicated his life to saving lives and service……meet Dr. Jeffery Metzger MD.  

In the previous episode, Inside Story Of The Deadliest Attack On Police Officers Since 9/11, the negotiator for the Dallas SWAT team revealed the inside story about the mass killer who ambushed Dallas officers during a Black Lives Matter protest five years ago. Members of our True Crime Community have asked to learn more about the purpose of SWAT teams. SWAT stands for Special Weapons and Tactics.  It's a highly trained elite unit selected from rank and file officers who apply.  In the True Crime Reporter™ podcast episode published on July 18, 2022, about the Uvalde School Shooting, Police Waited To Subdue Killer While Uvalde School Children Lay Dying you heard how a SWAT team from the U.S. Border Patrol finally stepped in and ended the mass shooting. SWAT teams grew out of the mass shooting at the University of Texas Tower in Austin a half-century ago. In 96 minutes, Charles Whitman, an architectural engineering student cut down nearly 50 people with 150 rifle shots from the 30th-floor observation deck on August 1, 1966. From his perch, three hundred feet above the campus, he methodically picked off victims as far as five blocks away.  Police were outgunned and did not have protective gear to make a quick assault.  You can learn more about the incident and how it influenced policing in our March 28, 2022 episode titled,  A Sniper In The Tower--Why Did He Do It? We interviewed Gary Lavergne, the author of A Sniper in the Tower: The Charles Whitman Murders. Here are links to black and white film footage from the shooting and a video of Gary Lavergne following the sniper's trail to the top of the UT Tower.  If SWAT teams had existed back then, that's who would have responded.   We asked retired Dallas Police Lt. Bob Owens to explain the role of SWAT teams. Owens is a 40-year veteran of the Dallas Police Department. Here is his interview with Robert Riggs. We want to become your favorite true crime podcast. Please leave a review wherever you listen. Join our true crime community and follow us here.  The True Crime Reporter® podcast features stories about serial killers, mass murderers, murder mysteries, homicides, cold cases, prisons, violent criminals, serial rapists, child abductors, child molesters, kidnappers, bank robbers, cyber criminals, and assorted violent criminals. True Crime Reporter® is a @2022 copyrighted and trade-marked production by True Crime Reporter®, LLC, in Dallas, Texas.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the previous episode, Inside Story Of The Deadliest Attack On Police Officers Since 9/11, the negotiator for the Dallas SWAT team revealed the inside story about the mass killer who ambushed Dallas officers during a Black Lives Matter protest five years ago. Members of our True Crime Community have asked to learn more about the purpose of SWAT teams. SWAT stands for Special Weapons and Tactics.  It's a highly trained elite unit selected from rank-and-file officers who apply.  In the True Crime Reporter™ podcast episode published on July 18, 2022, about the Uvalde School Shooting, Police Waited To Subdue Killer While Uvalde School Children Lay Dying, you heard how a SWAT team from the U.S. Border Patrol finally stepped in and ended the mass shooting. SWAT teams grew out of the mass shooting at the University of Texas Tower in Austin a half-century ago. In 96 minutes, Charles Whitman, an architectural engineering student, cut down nearly 50 people with 150 rifle shots from the 30th-floor observation deck on August 1, 1966. From his perch, three hundred feet above the campus, he methodically picked off victims as far as five blocks away.  Police were outgunned and did not have protective gear to make a quick assault.  You can learn more about the incident and how it influenced policing in our March 28, 2022, episode titled,  A Sniper In The Tower--Why Did He Do It? L to R Reporter Robert Riggs and Gary Lavergne Author of Sniper In The Tower We interviewed Gary Lavergne, the author of A Sniper in the Tower: The Charles Whitman Murders. Here are links to the shooting's black and white film footage and a video of Gary Lavergne following the sniper's trail to the top of the UT Tower.  If SWAT teams had existed back then, that's who would have responded.   Pictured in Center: Lt. Bob Owens Dallas Police Department SWAT We asked retired Dallas Police Lt. Bob Owens to explain the role of SWAT teams. Owens is a 40-year veteran of the Dallas Police Department. FOLLOW the True Crime Reporter® Podcast  SIGN UP FOR my True Crime Newsletter THANK YOU FOR THE FIVE-STAR REVIEWS ON APPLE Please leave one – it really helps. TELL ME about a STORY OR SUBJECT  that you want to hear more about

In the previous episode, Inside Story Of The Deadliest Attack On Police Officers Since 9/11, the negotiator for the Dallas SWAT team revealed the inside story about the mass killer who ambushed Dallas officers during a Black Lives Matter protest five years ago. Members of our True Crime Community have asked to learn more about the purpose of SWAT teams. SWAT stands for Special Weapons and Tactics.  It's a highly trained elite unit selected from rank and file officers who apply.  In the True Crime Reporter™ podcast episode published on July 18, 2022, about the Uvalde School Shooting, Police Waited To Subdue Killer While Uvalde School Children Lay Dying you heard how a SWAT team from the U.S. Border Patrol finally stepped in and ended the mass shooting. SWAT teams grew out of the mass shooting at the University of Texas Tower in Austin a half-century ago. In 96 minutes, Charles Whitman, an architectural engineering student cut down nearly 50 people with 150 rifle shots from the 30th-floor observation deck on August 1, 1966. From his perch, three hundred feet above the campus, he methodically picked off victims as far as five blocks away.  Police were outgunned and did not have protective gear to make a quick assault.  You can learn more about the incident and how it influenced policing in our March 28, 2022 episode titled,  A Sniper In The Tower--Why Did He Do It? L to R Reporter Robert Riggs and Gary Lavergne Author of Sniper In The Tower We interviewed Gary Lavergne, the author of A Sniper in the Tower: The Charles Whitman Murders. Here are links to black and white film footage from the shooting and a video of Gary Lavergne following the sniper's trail to the top of the UT Tower.  If SWAT teams had existed back then, that's who would have responded.   Pictured in Center: Lt. Bob Owens Dallas Police Department SWAT We asked retired Dallas Police Lt. Bob Owens to explain the role of SWAT teams. Owens is a 40-year veteran of the Dallas Police Department. Here is his interview with Robert Riggs.

On the evening of July 7, 2016, Black Lives Matter protesters marched in downtown Dallas and other cities nationwide. They peacefully gathered in response to the police shootings of two black men, Philando Castile and Alton Sterling. A few blocks from the site of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, an African American man who had left the U.S. Army following disgraceful conduct got out of his SUV, ready for combat. The mass murderer arrived with a calculated plan to kill police officers, preferably white officers.  Wearing tactical gear, a bullet-resistant vest, and armed with a high-powered assault rifle, he, in effect, executed five officers and wounded eleven others.  A cell phone video by a witness in a nearby building recorded Johnson shooting an officer for the city's transit system, DART,  in the back and then standing over the officer to pump eleven more rounds into him at point-blank range. The ambush marked the deadliest and bloodiest day for American law enforcement since 9/11. In a fierce gun battle, officers cornered the shooter inside the downtown campus building of the El Centro Community College. Larry Gordon, a crisis hostage negotiator for the DALLAS SWAT team, spent four hours talking with the gunman who pledged to take his life and the lives of more officers. Gordon and Retired Dallas Police Lt. Bob Owens, a 40-year veteran of DPD who served 20 years on SWAT, join Robert to reveal the inside story of what happened. FOLLOW the True Crime Reporter® Podcast  SIGN UP FOR my True Crime Newsletter THANK YOU FOR THE FIVE-STAR REVIEWS ON APPLE Please leave one – it really helps. TELL ME about a STORY OR SUBJECT  that you want to hear more about

On the evening of July 7, 2016, Black Lives Matter protesters marched in downtown Dallas and other cities across the nation. They peacefully gathered in response to the police shootings of two black men, Philando Castile and Alton Sterling. A few blocks from the site of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, an African American man who had left the U.S. Army following disgraceful conduct got out of his SUV ready for combat. The mass murderer arrived with a calculated plan to kill police officers, preferably white officers.  Wearing tactical gear, a bullet-resistant vest, and armed with a high-powered assault rifle he in effect executed five officers and wounded eleven others.  A cell phone video by a witness in a nearby building recorded Johnson shooting an officer for the city's transit system, DART,  in the back and then standing over the officer to pump eleven more rounds into him at point-blank range. The ambush marked the deadliest and bloodiest day for American law enforcement since 9/11. In a fierce gun battle, officers cornered the shooter inside the downtown campus building of the El Centro Community College. Larry Gordon, a crisis hostage negotiator for the DALLAS SWAT team, spent four hours talking with the gunman who pledged to take his life and the lives of more officers. Gordon and Retired Dallas Police Lt. Bob Owens, a 40-year veteran of DPD who served 20 of those years on SWAT join Robert to reveal the inside story of what happened. We want to become your favorite true crime podcast. Please leave a review wherever you listen. Join our true crime community and follow us here.  The True Crime Reporter® podcast features stories about serial killers, mass murderers, murder mysteries, homicides, cold cases, prisons, violent criminals, serial rapists, child abductors, child molesters, kidnappers, bank robbers, cyber criminals, and assorted violent criminals. True Crime Reporter® is a @2022 copyrighted and trade-marked production by True Crime Reporter®, LLC, in Dallas, Texas.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the evening of July 7, 2016, Black Lives Matter protesters marched in downtown Dallas and other cities across the nation. They peacefully gathered in response to the police shootings of two black men, Philando Castile and Alton Sterling. A few blocks from the site of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, an African American man who had left the U.S. Army following disgraceful conduct got out of his SUV ready for combat. The mass murderer arrived with a calculated plan to kill police officers, preferably white officers.  Wearing tactical gear, a bullet-resistant vest, and armed with a high-powered assault rifle he in effect executed five officers and wounded eleven others.  A cell phone video by a witness in a nearby building recorded Johnson shooting an officer for the city's transit system, DART,  in the back and then standing over the officer to pump eleven more rounds into him at point-blank range. The ambush marked the deadliest and bloodiest day for American law enforcement since 9/11. In a fierce gun battle, officers cornered the shooter inside the downtown campus building of the El Centro Community College. Larry Gordon, a crisis hostage negotiator for the DALLAS SWAT team, spent four hours talking with the gunman who pledged to take his life and the lives of more officers. Gordon and Retired Dallas Police Lt. Bob Owens, a 40-year veteran of DPD who served 20 of those years on SWAT join Robert to reveal the inside story of what happened.

FOCUS - INSPIRE - TRANSFORM The ATO is honored to sit down with one of the owners, the great Aaron Conner, of Legends Fit Gym in Rockwall, Texas. Aaron is a co-owner, along with Chip Kelley and T.J. Clark, of this true first responder gym and they are dedicated to providing a welcoming haven to all walks of life and especially the military and first responder community.  From the moment you walk in the door you see Police, Fire, every branch of the military, and yes our very own Dallas SWAT flag hanging from the ceiling. Aaron is an Air Force veteran and a  2nd degree Brazilian Jiujitsu  Brownbelt under Master Carlos Machado. Master Machado has a law enforcement tailored Jiujitsu course that Aaron instructs at Legends Fit. Only first responders are allowed into the MMA room when this training is being instructed to our warriors.  He is also a father of 3, bodybuilding competitor, bull rider, and trail running coach at RunOn. This gym caters to every level of fitness, body type and are completely dedicated to their members as they provide access to the best trainers in the DFW area. Legends Fit is located on the E/B 1-30 frontage road just East of John King Blvd. in beautiful Rockwall Texas and is opened 24 hours, 7 days a week. https://legends.fit Legends Fit | Facebook Legends IG: @legendsfitrockwall, @legendsfitrockwallmartialarts Chip Kelley IG: @andabagofchip TJ Clark IG: @tjclark81 Aaron Conner Facebook:  AARON CONNER, Jiu Jitsu Instructor in Rockwall - Legends Fit

Plus, there is yet more concern about the power grid after ERCOT suddenly asked Texans to conserve power on Wednesday. It was the second request in less than a week, and apparently, things were a bit more dire this time.

  Episode 40 ”Command, Control, Communication “ The History and Evolution of Dallas SWAT: Part 2 This episode is the conclusion to the history of Dallas SWAT. We touch on the failed February 1993 Dallas Cowboys' Championship parade. This incident magnifies mob mentality as a celebratory day turned to rioting when agitators swayed Cowboys fans. We also tell the story of a car jacker from January 24, 2006 that held a female driver, at gunpoint, and led Dallas PD on a multi-city chase. Finally, mob mentality once again appeared in Dallas, Texas in 2020 when the city was under threat of destruction as three days of protests and riots stretched Dallas PD to the limits.  Sit back and hear the founding fathers of SWAT and the active operators that are training the next generation of this exemplary unit finish telling their incredible evolution and history. IG: ATO_Bridging_Divide

EPISODE 39 “Once the threshold is breached…we push on” THE HISTORY AND EVOLUTION OF DALLAS SWAT: PART 1 The Assist the Officer Foundation is proud to sit down and tell a story of one of the most recognized units in the history of law enforcement. The acronym SWAT is known worldwide as it has been romanticized in tv as well as movies since the 1960's. However real life is not pretty and the world of SWAT is not beautiful and the actors involved do not get to hear the word “CUT”and get a redo. The job is both mentally and physically taxing, the hours are long, the tasks are deadly, and the stakes are high as SWAT is rarely called when a situation is NOT dire. They are warriors that have a unique history and we have four incredible former and current SWAT operators to talk about Dallas SWAT's origins, how the foundation was laid and some of the heartbreak that led to changes in strategy and tactics change. Sit down with The Commander Scott Mcdonnold, who hired on with DPD in 1968, that helped lay a foundation that lasts till this day in Dallas SWAT. Steve Claggett, who helped form an intense training mindset in Dallas that helped his teammates truly harder to kill. His passion for training and dedication to building the foundation of SWAT is legendary. Sr Cpl. Matt Smith has been with Dallas SWAT for 17 years and is a Dept. expert when it comes to dissecting hazardous warrant service and training. Matt has the respect of his teammates as well as SWAT units from across the country as a proven leader and dedicated professional.  You will not find a more dedicated professional who truly cares about his teammates and the citizens of Dallas. Sr Cpl. Danny Canete has been a valued member of Dallas SWAT for 8 years, Master Breacher Certified, Sniper and Less Lethal and Rope Master and instructor for High Angle Team as well rappel instructor for TTPOA.   Instagram: dallas.swat ATODALLAS.ORG

Anita Dickason is a retired police officer with a total of twenty-seven years of law enforcement experience, twenty-two with Dallas PD. She served as a patrol officer, undercover narcotics officer, advanced accident investigator, tactical officer and first female sniper on the Dallas SWAT team. Awards Law Enforcement Professional Achievement Award—The Texas House of Representatives Officer...

Brandon Pogue is not a pastor, but his business is his pulpit. Hear how this CEO of a thriving wellness products company is taking advantage of every opportunity to respond to God's nudge — even in work meetings — to tell people about Jesus.Host Barry Meguiar is a car guy and businessman who hosted the popular TV show, Car Crazy, on Discovery Networks for 18 years. He loves cars, but he loves Jesus even more!Hear from guest Brandon Pogue:Brandon Pogue is the Chief Executive Officer of TruLabs which offers high-quality wellness products and dietary supplements — including Hydrate, Sleep, and Energy + Focus which are available for purchase at Sam's Club. Since 2018, Brandon and his team have helped over 25,000 people through healthy products and are rewarded to see that their products are positively changing people's lives daily. Brandon loves to tell others about Jesus and says: “If you don't share your faith, you're missing the reason why you're waking up every morning.”Learn more about:Brandon's #1 goal while he's here on earthWhen Brandon prayed for a Dallas SWAT officer's wife at Sam's ClubHow you can use your business as your pulpitThe percentage of Americans who go to bed every night fearing thisHow Brandon and Barry have discipled a Jewish man who accepted ChristCheck out IgniteAmerica Certified Statistics: Our statistics are unparalleled! They represent the consensus of three or more highly regarded research studies, compiled from thousands of hours of in-depth research on all church-related studies, by Dr. Doug Petersen, Oxford Center for Mission Studies. See the findings here: igniteamerica.com/ignite-certified-statsFind resources to help ignite your faith and move everyone, every day closer to Jesus at IgniteAmerica.com — including the Ignite ePrayer app (available on the App Store and Google Play), Faith Sharing Stories, One Minute Inspirations, SeekingGod.org, and more. Sign up to receive emails that will deliver practical faith-sharing tips and powerful inspiration.

POLICE WARRANT SERVICE DEFINED… PART 2 FEATURING MATT SMITH OF DALLAS SWAT In this episode the Assist the Officer Foundation shifts gears from highlighting an incredible first responder career to taking on one of the most controversial and misunderstood topics in America today. This is part two of a two part episode that discusses NO KNOCK WARRANTS AND SURROUND AND CALL OUT tactics used in police enforcement from two very high profile units within DPD….Narcotics and SWAT. PART TWO will feature Matt Smith of Dallas SWAT as he gives his perspective from an operational branch of the police department and why they utilize these tactics. Matt Smith has been with DPD for 22 years and a member of Dallas SWAT for 17 years. Matt, a Squad Leader, has been an instructor for basic and advanced SWAT, Hostage Rescue and Hazardous Warrant Entry to name a few.  Matt Smith is an exceptional and dedicated member of SWAT that strives to make his teammates better, safer and to protect the citizens of Dallas. In order to bridge divides with the community it is important to understand the content, define the content, and have a conversation about why these tactics are used by police in the safest and most effective ways to help make communities safer.   We are all in this together……

POLICE WARRANT SERVICE DEFINED… PART 1 FEATURING Dallas PD Narcotics Detective MATT BANES AND Sgt JERRY GIRDLER In this episode the Assist the Officer Foundation shifts gears from highlighting an incredible first responder career to taking on one of the most controversial and misunderstood topics in America today.   This is part one of a two part episode that discusses NO KNOCK WARRANTS AND SURROUND AND CALL OUT tactics used in police enforcement from two very high profile units within DPD….Narcotics and SWAT. PART ONE will feature Matt Banes and Jerry Girdler of Dallas Narcotics as they give their perspectives from an investigative branch of the police department and why they utilize these tactics. Detective Banes has been with Dallas Police over 20 years and currently is in the Narcotics training division. Sgt Jerry Girdler has been with DPD over 26 years, 7 years in Dallas SWAT,  and has been a supervisor in Narcotics for the past 9 years.  In order to bridge divides with the community it is important to understand the content, define the content and have a conversation about why these tactics are used by police in the safest and most effective ways to help make communities safer.    We are all in this together……

From playing collegiate basketball and being a a golden gloves champion to taking bad guys off the street and starring on the TV show Dallas SWAT, Dallas Police Department Detective Misty VanCuren's personal and professional experiences have given her some incredible stories. Check out the second part of the Dickey's Doing Good interview with her.

On this episode we sit down with Matt Smith of Dallas SWAT and discuss "No Knock and Knock & Announce" warrant service.  We understand that this is a hot topic in the current climate facing Law Enforcement and SWAT Teams across the country and we would like for you to make your own decision.Matt has been with DPD for 22 years and a part of Dallas SWAT for over 17 years.  Matt has taught Basic SWAT, Advanced SWAT, Hazardous Warrant Entry, Hostage Rescue CQB, Advanced Hostage Rescue CQB, Tactical Firearms Training for the TTPOA.  

Episode 26 Retired Dallas Police Dept Dottie and Steve Claggett “Do you know what your problem is?” This is a rare peek into the lives of two very distinguished careers of two true public servants that also happen to be partners in life.  Dottie and Steve Claggett are an amazing dynamic duo that their police careers, combined, spanned nearly 50 years as they served the city of Dallas.  Dottie spent 17 years working undercover in the Narcotics unit as she investigated several high level narcotics dealers. Steve also worked narcotics and finished his career as a long time member of Dallas Swat. Both dealt with success and heartbreak during their careers and managed to juggle the highs and lows of the police profession and building a healthy marriage and family. Both dealt with tragedy in their units in December of 1991 that shaped both of them as a professional and helped them discover their “whys”.  Dottie continues to serve as an original Assist the Officer Foundation mental health counselor as she learned, early on in her career, the importance of addressing mental health in the first responder profession.  Sit back and soak in two selfless public servant's stories as they set a high standard for the Dallas Police Department that all should strive to meet

Had a blast talking with Rich Emberlin today. You may know him from the Real Housewives of Dallas, Live PD or Dallas SWAT. We hit a little but of everything. So sit back, relax, share and subscribe. Check him out here at https://www.richemberlin.com/ Apologies in advance for the audio in the intro. Had a technical problem. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/smokedmeat/message

“I just heard what sounded like three automatic gunshots….” Episode 19 Dallas PD Gang/Swat/Intelligence Darian Loera Detective Loera has succeeded in every high profile position he's worked in. Starting with the Gang Unit as he learned from one of the legends in Norm Smith. He then joined Dallas Swat and was involved in two critical incidents and nearly lost his life twice. He now investigate threats of life in the FBI Joint Terrorist Task Force. 

“If it sucks we'll do it” was the motto of this exceptional former Dallas Swat operator. Chris Webb worked over 20 years with Dallas PD and now works for the Texas Attorney General's Fugitive Unit. You will not hear a more genuine story of perseverance, spirituality and the highest display of being a team player in the high stakes world of Swat in a major city. Sit back and listen to the great Chris Webb tell when he found his “Why” in Dallas Swat and why he is the ultimate teammate. 

**Warning Graphic Content** Facing the Dragon  Continuation of Dallas Police Detective Matt Banes as he discusses 7/7/2016 in Dallas,Texas and his actions as he responded to the active scene as a member of Dallas SWAT that day. This day was one of the most horrific and tragic days for policing in America with the City of Dallas losing five great men that day along with others being physically wounded. To this day, the emotional damage from that tragic event is evident. This interview is one officer's riveting perspective of being involved in this prolific event. 

Listen to retired Dallas PD Lieutenant Bob Owens' story of serving as a commander for the Dallas SWAT team and Narcotics Unit while trailblazing training programs for the Dallas Police Department. Lt. Owens' leadership, tactical mind, and training innovation is legendary for his department - leaving a lasting footprint in the City of Dallas after serving 40 years. 

Senior Corporal Misty Vancuren shares her story of an amazing life and career with Dallas PD.  She spent a decade in Dallas SWAT as an operator and trainer, and now works in the FBI Intelligence Unit. A former Oklahoma University basketball player and former Golden Gloves champion, this officer is as accomplished personally as she is professionally.   

Chief Doug Kowalski of Prosper, Texas moved to Texas from the NYPD in 1977. He worked his way up the ranks to serve as a Deputy Chief of the Dallas Police Department. Kowalski later served as the Chief of Police of McKinney, Texas. It was there that he was instrumental in planning and designing a new Public Safety Headquarters. The building withstood a critical challenge when a lone gunman attacked the facility in 2010. He set his truck and trailer on fire. Then he proceeded to pump more than 163 rounds of .223 ammunition from his semi-automatic rifle into the headquarters. The gunman was killed but none of Kowalski's employees suffered an injury. In this episode of SWAT Brothers, Doug Kowalski talks about policing with Investigative Reporter Robert Riggs and Retired Dallas Police Lt. Bob Owens. Follow SWATBrothers Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SWATpodcast/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/swat_brothers_podcast/ SWAT Brothers is a trademarked and copyrighted news show produced by the True Crime Reporter™ podcast. It is hosted and written by Peabody Award-Winning Investigative Reporter Robert Riggs and Retired 40-year Dallas Police Lieutenant Bob Owens who served twenty years in Dallas SWAT. It is produced by Grace Woodward. Send SWAT Brothers your questions about firearms, equipment, training, or any other subjects to FastDrawFriday@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Retired Brigadier General Rebecca Halstead was the first woman graduate in West Point history promoted to the rank of general in the U.S. Army. Halstead entered West Point in 1977 and was the second graduating class to include women. Halstead's book The First Person You Must Lead Is You details leadership principles derived from her 27-years of military service that are applicable to civilian organizations. Her combat experience included leading logistical support for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. In this episode of SWAT Brothers, General Halstead discusses her five simple leadership truths talks with Investigative Reporter Robert Riggs and Retired Dallas Police Lt. Bob Owens. Today, Halstead speaks and provides leadership consulting services through her firm Steadfast Leadership.  Follow SWATBrothers Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SWATpodcast/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/swat_brothers_podcast/ SWAT Brothers is a trademarked and copyrighted news show produced by the True Crime Reporter™ podcast. It is hosted and written by Peabody Award-Winning Investigative Reporter Robert Riggs and Retired 40-year Dallas Police Lieutenant Bob Owens who served twenty years in Dallas SWAT. It is produced by Grace Woodward. Send SWAT Brothers your questions about firearms, equipment, training, or any other subjects to FastDrawFriday@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Rich Emberlin is a 30-year law enforcement veteran who served most notably with the Dallas Police Department's elite units, including Dallas SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) and the Criminal Intelligence Unit-Dignitary Protection Squad. During his years in SWAT, he participated in thousands of missions, including counter-terrorist operations, hostage rescues, barricaded suspect situations, and arrest warrant executions. Michael Molthan is a former drug addict and alcoholic who has dedicated his life to helping others on their path to recovery by using his own personal experience by sharing with everyone what it was like, what happened, and his life today.​Michael Molthan host of M2 The ROCK is a charismatic speaker, passionate on the topics of process addiction, alcoholism, drug addiction, parental education/intervention, addiction education, codependency, enabling, 12-Step Programs, religious trauma, sexual abuse, and spirituality.​Michael Molthan's passion is to help people by “raising the bottom” so that no one has to experience the pain that he endured.​Molthan's speaking style is so relatable and he loves sharing his love for God and Jesus Christ.M2 is quoted by saying:​“When It Comes To Religion I Am An Atheist BUT When It Comes To The Gospel, The Truth, and The Word of God I Am All In”​To inquire about Michael Molthan's rates and availability, email Cynthia Smoot, Gangway Advertising at:cynthia@gangwayadvertising.com

Former ICE Special Agent Victor Avila shared the deadly story of how he and his partner, Jaime Zapata, were ambushed by the Los Zetas Crime Cartel in Mexico. It is a harrowing story of courage and survival in the face of betrayal by the officials who sent him on an ill prepared dangerous mission. Zapata was murdered in the line of duty and Avila suffered life threatening bullet wounds.  Zapata explained how the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed the murder convictions of Zapata's killers because it happened outside of the U.S.  Avila is leading the charge to get Congress to change the law in hopes that the Cartel's willl be re-sentenced to life in prison. In Part 2 of our interview, the El Paso native discusses how the Mexican cartels are reaping millions of dollars for human smuggling. Avila says the reinstatement of a “catch and release” policy has triggered a crisis as thousands of migrants surge toward the U.S. border.  The brutal violence by the cartels is spreading into the United States. Avila says the surge conceals among its ranks  “The violence that is occurring in Mexico has spilled over to our communities around our country Avila says the surge of economic migrants concals a lot of criminal illegal aliens, convicted sex offenders, and possibly others that are linked to terrorism. Victor talks with Investigative Reporter Robert Riggs and Retired Dallas Police Lt. Bob Owens. Follow SWATBrothers https://www.facebook.com/SWATpodcast/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/swat_brothers_podcast/ SWAT Brothers is a trademarked and copyrighted news show produced by the True Crime Reporter™ podcast. It is hosted and written by Peabody Award-Winning Investigative Reporter Robert Riggs and Retired 40-year Dallas Police Lieutenant Bob Owens who served twenty years in Dallas SWAT. It is produced by Grace Woodward. Send SWAT Brothers your questions about firearms, equipment, training, or any other subjects to FastDrawFriday@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

The Los Zetas drug cartel ambushed two Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on a dangerous stretch of highway in 2011. Special Agent Victor Avila was severely wounded. His partner, Jaime Zapata, was killed. In the aftermath of the tragedy, an investigation by the U.S. Office of Special Counsel confirmed Avila's allegations that ICE officials had failed to properly train and support the agents for such dangerous missions. The agents had been dispatched from Mexico City to Monterrey to pick up supplies. Warnings had been issued by the U.S. Embassy that the stretch of Highway 57 was a no man's land controlled by the Los Zetas. The Zetas had apparently been tipped off and unleashed a barrage of bullets into their armored vehicle which could not stop the withering fire.  Avila, a native of El Paso has written a book about the incident titled Agent Under Fire - A Murder and a Manifesto. Victor Avila continues to seek justice for his partner's death. In this episode of SWAT Brothers, Avila sheds new light on the incident and reveals how the Mexican cartels had gained so much power that they literally control the country.  Victor talks with Investigative Reporter Robert Riggs and Retired Dallas Police Lt. Bob Owens. Follow SWATBrothers Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SWATpodcast/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/swat_brothers_podcast/ SWAT Brothers is a trademarked and copyrighted news show produced by the True Crime Reporter™ podcast. It is hosted and written by Peabody Award-Winning Investigative Reporter Robert Riggs and Retired 40-year Dallas Police Lieutenant Bob Owens who served twenty years in Dallas SWAT. It is produced by Grace Woodward. Send SWAT Brothers your questions about firearms, equipment, training, or any other subjects to FastDrawFriday@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Red dot sights on handguns are designed to improve accuracy.  Slide mounted red dots can help a home defender shot the target quickly and effectively in a high-stress situation. Elite special ops units in the U.S. military commonly use red dot sights on their pistols. For shooters accustomed to Iron Sights, Red Dots take some getting adjusted to use. Jeff Etessam, a retired Duncanville, Texas SWAT officer and owner of Realistic Defense, teaches how to use the Red Dot sight in this episode of SWAT Brothers. He trains students on how to properly use the Pistol Mounted Red Dot in both a two-handed and single-handed grip. Follow SWATBrothers Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SWATpodcast/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/swat_brothers_podcast/ SWAT Brothers is a trademarked and copyrighted news show produced by the True Crime Reporter™ podcast. It is hosted and written by Peabody Award-Winning Investigative Reporter Robert Riggs and Retired 40-year Dallas Police Lieutenant Bob Owens who served twenty years in Dallas SWAT. It is produced by Grace Woodward. Send SWAT Brothers your questions about firearms, equipment, training, or any other subjects to FastDrawFriday@gmail.com.  We answer questions on the 3rd Friday of each month. Contact us there if you want to be a guest or recommend a guest or subject for an episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Jeff Etessam, a retired member of the Duncanville, Texas Police Department's SWAT Team, discusses the importance of training. Etessam spent ten years on midnight patrol. Then he became the training coordinator for twenty-two years. Duncanville SWAT, like most departments, was a part-time team. Patrol carried their gear with them and would come together as a team when called out. The sad fact is that most departments do not devote enough time and money to training. Etessam believes that the mindset of officers has changed from believing that law enforcement is a career to a job with a paycheck. He also weighs in with his concerns about policing in today's political climate and discusses the use of force.  Jeff Etessam now runs Realistic Defense a private firearms training company with the mission of “Train to Survive”. This is the first of a two-part interview by the cohosts of SWAT Brothers Robert Riggs and Bob Owens. Follow SWATBrothers Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SWATpodcast/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/swat_brothers_podcast/ SWAT Brothers is a trademarked and copyrighted news show produced by the True Crime Reporter™ podcast. It is hosted and written by Peabody Award-Winning Investigative Reporter Robert Riggs and Retired 40-year Dallas Police Lieutenant Bob Owens who served twenty years in Dallas SWAT. It is produced by Grace Woodward. Send SWAT Brothers your questions about firearms, equipment, training, or any other subjects to FastDrawFriday@gmail.com.  We answer questions on the 3rd Friday of each month. Contact us there if you want to be a guest or recommend a guest or subject for an episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Back in the late 1970s flames engulfed the South Bronx.  The borough symbolized that New York City was a crime-ridden decaying urban war zone. 1976 saw the largest spike in reported felonies on record. The city was on the verge of bankruptcy. When then-Mayor Abe Beam asked Washington for a federal bailout, then-President Gerald Ford declared flatly to veto any legislation. The New York Daily News interpreted the President's message as, “Drop Dead.” In 1977 during game 2 of the World Series between the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers, a massive warehouse fire blazed in the background. A helicopter circling the stadium for game coverage repeatedly showed the building burning into the night. Everyone thought commentator Howard Cosell uttered, “Ladies and gentlemen the Bronx is Burning.”   Cosell did not say it but the audience collectively thought it. And “The Bronx is Burning” came to define New York City in 1977. Meanwhile, the Son of Sam, had been taunting police by leaving notes behind at the scene of his murders. It became known as the “Summer of Sam”. Serial killer David Berkowitz killed six people, wounded seven more leaving some of them crippled for life. And then the lights went out. An infamous power failure blacked out the city for two days. Mass rioting and looting erupted. By the time the power came on 1,700 stores had been looted and more than $150 million dollars worth of property had been destroyed. Retired New York City Police detective Travis Myers spent his career on the streets of the Bronx. After policing, Myers went into real estate, pubs, and restaurants. Travis and his sister Natasha have created a fictional detective named Tommy Keane in a series of true crime novels. Myers talks with SWAT Brothers about changes in policing and inspiration for his Tommy Keane detective novels.  Follow SWATBrothers Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SWATpodcast/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/swat_brothers_podcast/ SWAT Brothers is a trademarked and copyrighted news show produced by the True Crime Reporter™ podcast. It is hosted and written by Peabody Award-Winning Investigative Reporter Robert Riggs and Retired 40-year Dallas Police Lieutenant Bob Owens who served twenty years in Dallas SWAT. It is produced by Grace Woodward. Send SWAT Brothers your questions about firearms, equipment, training, or any other subjects to FastDrawFriday@gmail.com. We answer questions on the 3rd Friday of each month. Contact us there if you want to be a guest or recommend a guest or subject for an episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Jaeson Jones leads a one-man crusade to get the federal government to designate the Mexican Cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.  He is laser-focused on the Cartel's human trafficking business. Jones' campaign has already prompted Texas Governor Greg Abbot to officially ask the Biden Administration to designate the Mexican Cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. Jones is a retired Captain from the Texas Department of Public Safety's Intelligence and Counterterrorism Division.  He managed the daily operations of the Texas Rangers, Border Security Operations Center (BSOC).  He supervised Human Intelligence (HUMINT) operations in several nations and managed Intelligence lead operations for the longest 24/7 border operation in Texas history, Operation Secure Texas.  Jones is a 24-year law enforcement veteran. He first served as a Deputy Sheriff and then spent the next 18-years with the Texas DPS where he started as a state trooper patrolling the Texas highways.  Jones worked in the Narcotics Division of the DPS which at the time was considered among law enforcement the most effective anti-drug unit in the United States. Since his retirement 4-years ago, Jones has been laser-focused on border security.  He publishes reports about the Mexican Cartels literally from the banks of the Rio Grande on this website Trip Wires and Triggers.  In this episode of SWAT Brothers, Jones gives an eye opening situation report about the Mexican Cartel's human smuggling activities. It is one you are not likely to hear in the mainstream media. Follow SWATBrothers Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SWATpodcast/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/swat_brothers_podcast/ SWAT Brothers is a trademarked and copyrighted news show produced by the True Crime Reporter™ podcast. It is hosted and written by Peabody Award-Winning Investigative Reporter Robert Riggs and Retired 40-year Dallas Police Lieutenant Bob Owens who served twenty years in Dallas SWAT. It is produced by Grace Woodward. Send SWAT Brothers your questions about firearms, equipment, training, or any other subjects to FastDrawFriday@gmail.com. We answer questions on the 3rd Friday of each month. Contact us there if you want to be a guest or recommend a guest or subject for an episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

After a gunman killed five police officers and wounded eleven others during a peaceful Black Lives Matter protest in Dallas in 2016, Maurine Dickey was upset that officers were not wearing armored vests. Ms. Dickey, a former Dallas County Commissioner, and North Texas community leader established The Dickey Foundation to provide support for local first responders. The nonprofit foundation receives support from Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, the nation's largest barbeque chain. The foundation provides safety equipment to first responders with their “Invest In A Vest Program” and financial assistance to fire departments to purchase special washing machines to clean toxic substances off fire fighter's turnout coats. The family's original barbeque restaurant has been serving customers in Dallas for more than 80-years.  SWAT Brothers cohost, Retired Dallas Police Lt. Bob Owens, a 40-year veteran officer with 20 years in SWAT serves on The Dickey Foundation's Board. In this episode with investigative reporter Robert Riggs and Owens, the foundation's Executive Director, Betsy Orton, discusses how first responders can receive assistance to purchase safety equipment. Follow SWATBrothers Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SWATpodcast/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/swat_brothers_podcast/ SWAT Brothers is a trademarked and copyrighted news show produced by the True Crime Reporter™ podcast. It is hosted and written by Peabody Award-Winning Investigative Reporter Robert Riggs and Retired 40-year Dallas Police Lieutenant Bob Owens who served twenty years in Dallas SWAT. It is produced by Grace Woodward. Send SWAT Brothers your questions about firearms, equipment, training, or any other subjects to FastDrawFriday@gmail.com. We answer questions on the 3rd Friday of each month. Contact us there if you want to be a guest or recommend a guest or subject for an episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

In the previous two episodes of SWAT Brothers, we chronicled the deadly events of the mass murders of five Dallas officers during a Black Lives Matter protest in July of 2016. The first three officers who were ambushed and killed had been ordered to leave their armored vest in the trunks of their patrol cars. Then police chief David Brown reportedly turned down the officer's request to wear an armored vest because city leaders were apparently sensitive to criticism that police departments were militarized. The gunman who had been kicked out of the Army for dishonorable conduct came armed with a vest and a powerful AK74 rifle. In this episode, retired Dallas Police Lieutenant Bob Owens, a forty-year veteran on the force with 20 years of experience in SWAT breaks down the Russian-made AK74. Investigative reporter Robert Riggs brings to bear his previous experience as a staff member of the Joint Committee on Defense Production in Congress to talk about comparisons to the M16 and AR15. SWAT Brothers will also be posting a video about the AK74 to its True Crime Reporter YouTube Channel. Follow SWATBrothers Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SWATpodcast/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/swat_brothers_podcast/ SWAT Brothers is a trademarked and copyrighted news show produced by the True Crime Reporter™ podcast. It is hosted and written by Peabody Award-Winning Investigative Reporter Robert Riggs and Retired 40-year Dallas Police Lieutenant Bob Owens who served twenty years in Dallas SWAT. It is produced by Grace Woodward. Send SWAT Brothers your questions about firearms, equipment, training, or any other subjects to FastDrawFriday@gmail.com. We answer questions on the 3rd Friday of each month. Contact us there if you want to be a guest or recommend a guest or subject for an episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Award-Winning Author Anita Dickason is a twenty-two-year veteran of the Dallas Police Department. She served as a patrol officer, undercover narcotics detective, advanced accident investigator, tactical officer and the first female sniper on the Dallas SWAT team. Her fictional works are suspense/thrillers, and her plots are drawn from her extensive law enforcement knowledge and experience. ...

This is the second episode in our exclusive series about the mass murder of five police officers in Dallas on July 7, 2016. It was the deadliest day for law enforcement since 9-11. That's when a heavily armed gunman who was a dishonorable Army veteran took advantage of a peaceful Black Lives Matter protest to in effect assassinate five police officers and wounded 11 others.  Our previous episode featured the Dallas SWAT negotiator who talked to the gunman for four hours before a robot armed with a bomb was sent in to blow him up. In this episode, we feature reporter and author Jamie Thompson who has written the definitive book about the events of that tragic night and the aftermath. “Standoff - Race, Policing, and a Deadly Assault That Gripped The Nation” reconstructs the dialogue and viewpoints from hundreds of hours of interviews. The details of what happened that night are barely known to Dallas residents much less the nation at large. Our interview reveals that two of the murdered officers who wanted to wear armored vests were ordered to leave their safety equipment in the trunk of their patrol car.  The then leadership of the Dallas Police Department was more worried about criticism that police officers looked militarized than the well-being of its officers. Follow SWATBrothers Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SWATpodcast/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/swat_brothers_podcast/ SWAT Brothers is a trademarked and copyrighted news show produced by the True Crime Reporter™ podcast. It is hosted and written by Peabody Award-Winning Investigative Reporter Robert Riggs and Retired 40-year Dallas Police Lieutenant Bob Owens who served twenty years in Dallas SWAT. It is produced by Grace Woodward. Send SWAT Brothers your questions about firearms, equipment, training, or any other subjects to FastDrawFriday@gmail.com. We answer questions on the 3rd Friday of each month. Contact us there if you want to be a guest or recommend a guest or subject for an episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

The ambush of Dallas police officers during a Black Lives Matter protest in July of 2016 marked the deadliest and bloodiest day for American law enforcement since 9/11. BLM protesters had peacefully gathered in downtown Dallas and other cities across the nation in response to the police shootings of two black men, Philando Castile and Alton Sterling. A few blocks from the site of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, an African American man who had been discharged from the U.S. Army for disgraceful conduct got out of his SUV ready for combat. Micah Johnson arrived with a calculated plan to kill police officers, preferably white officers.  Wearing tactical gear, a bullet-resistant vest, and armed with a high-powered assault rifle as well as handguns Johnson executed five officers and wounded eleven others.  A cell phone video by a witness on the balcony of a nearby hotel recorded Johnson shooting an officer for the city’s transit system, DART, in the back and then standing over the officer as he pumped eleven more rounds into the officer at point-blank range. Following a fierce running gun battle, officers cornered the shooter inside the downtown campus building of the El Centro Community College. Larry Gordon, a crisis hostage negotiator for the DALLAS SWAT team, spent four hours talking with the gunman who pledged to take his life and the lives of more officers. A robot armed with a bomb ended the standoff.  Larry Gordon shares the story of what happened on that tragic night in Dallas in this exclusive episode of SWAT Brothers.  Follow SWATBrothers Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SWATpodcast/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/swat_brothers_podcast/ SWAT Brothers is a trademarked and copyrighted news show produced by the True Crime Reporter™ podcast. It is hosted and written by Peabody Award-Winning Investigative Reporter Robert Riggs and Retired 40-year Dallas Police Lieutenant Bob Owens who served twenty years in Dallas SWAT. It is produced by Grace Woodward. Send SWAT Brothers your questions about firearms, equipment, training, or any other subjects to FastDrawFriday@gmail.com. We answer questions on the 3rd Friday of each month. Contact us there if you want to be a guest or recommend a guest or subject for an episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

When police confront dangerous situations that threaten life and public safety they call in a team of dedicated and specially trained elite officers called SWAT. Special Weapons and Tactics. These are their stories. The SWAT Brothers podcast features stories from veteran SWAT Team officers about standoffs and takedowns from their careers. Retired Dallas SWAT Commander … Continue reading Dallas SWAT Stories From Drug Raids, Barricaded Suspects, And Standoffs Episode 1 →

The Evil Lawyer speaks with Rich Emberlin of RHOD, Dallas Swat and Live PD about Joshua Brown's murder, conspiracies,  prison ink, when is the right time to rub out a witness, circumcision scars, Beto O'Rourke, AOC, Julian Castro, crack whores, appeals and new trials, riots part 5, and how badly the Dallas Cowboys suck.

Rich Emberlin of Live PD, Dallas SWAT and The Real Housewives of Dallas stops by to discuss the Amber Guyger trial and his career as an undercover narcotics officer.

In the second part of our Amber Guyger trial discussions we talk more about the trial, police shootings, and previous riots that have followed similar cases. Our guest is Rich Emberlin of Live PD, Dallas SWAT and The Real Housewives of Dallas.

We discuss the Amber Guyger trial, justified shootings and will there be riots in Dallas if Amber Guyger is not convicted? Rich Emberlin of Live PD, Dallas SWAT and The Real Housewives of Dallas joins us.

Sentenced to 65 years in a Texas prison, Damon West once had it all. He came from a great family, in a home full of God, love, support, and opportunities. A natural born leader, handsome and charming, and a three-year starting quarterback, he appeared to be the all-American. Underneath this façade, however, was an addict in the early stages of his disease. After suffering childhood sexual abuse by a babysitter at the age of nine, he began putting chemicals into his body to alter the way he felt, starting with drinking and smoking. By the age of 12, he would escalate to marijuana use. After receiving a scholarship to play football for the University of North Texas, Damon left for college. When his football career came to a premature end, due to an injury, in 1996, against Texas A&M, Damon lost all direction. Football had become so much of his identity that he no longer knew who he was. Damon chose a dark path on the road of addiction, abusing harder drugs like cocaine, ecstasy and prescription pills to go along with the alcohol and marijuana. After graduating in 1999, Damon’s life would take him to the United States Congress, political fundraising for a presidential candidate and then into the world of Wall Street, with a position to train as a stockbroker for one of the biggest banks in the world, U.B.S. It was here that Damon was introduced to meth for the first time; he was instantly hooked. After 3 years of committing property crimes and other drug-related crimes in order to fuel his meth habit, a Dallas SWAT team finally caught up with Damon and arrested him on July 30, 2008. The consequences of his behavior earned him a life-sentence of 65 years for Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity. Damon began prison life armed with the knowledge that “you don’t have to win all your fights, but you do have to fight all your fights,” as he battled for his right to exist independent of a gang. Clinging closely to God, his family’s unwavering support, the story of the coffee bean an elderly convict shared with him in county jail, a 12-step recovery program and all the tools available to him, Damon emerged from prison a better man spiritually, emotionally and physically. On November 16, 2015, he walked out of prison with 58 years of parole. Today, Damon is enrolled in graduate school at Lamar University, where he is studying criminal justice, and works for the Provost Umphrey Law Firm in Beaumont, TX.

Episode 55: The One that Never Came Home with Rich Emberlin About This Episode: What happens when a loved one goes out for an evening run and never returns? Do you think this couldn't happen to you? Amy and Emily welcome to the show Rich Emberlin who is sharing his heartbreaking story of his girlfriend going out for a routine run and suffering an untimely death. Rich is a 30-year law enforcement veteran who served with the Dallas Police Department's elite units, including Dallas SWAT and the Criminal Intelligence Unit-Dignitary Protection Squad. Rich is now an advocate for women taking their safety into their own hands especially while exercising. The girls and Rich discuss tips for picking out and training with a defense tool. Rich also provides great insight into the criminal mind and what you can do to be prepared. Connect with Rich: Rich Emberlin Twitter Facebook Sponsored By: Style Me Tactical, a lifestyle blog sharing concealed carry tips, outfits, and preparedness advice. Alexo Athletica, the first active carry wear line on the market keeping women safe and stylish. Let’s Get Social: NYAGG@ConcealedCarry.com Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Welcome to Episode 204 of the No Quit Living Podcast. NQL is a personal development podcast designed to help you achieve your goals and desires. Whether you found us from Forbes, Inc Magazine, CEO Magazine, CIO, New Theory, or elsewhere, we're thrilled you are listening. Through hearing the inspiring stories and tips from the greats, we will all find it easier to stay motivated. Sentenced to 65 years in a Texas prison, Damon West once had it all. He came from a great family, in a home full of God, love, support, and opportunities to reach any dream. A natural born leader, with good looks and charm, and a three-year starting quarterback, he appeared to be the all-American kid living out his dreams. Underneath this facade, however, was an addict in the early stages of his disease. After suffering childhood sexual abuse by a babysitter at the age of nine, he began putting chemicals into his body to alter the way he felt, starting with drinking and smoking. By the age of 12, he would escalate to marijuana use. In his mind, he was not hurting anyone by smoking pot; in reality, he was feeding the monster that is addiction. After receiving a scholarship to play football for the University of North Texas, Damon left for college on a wave of euphoria at his prospects of playing Division I football in Texas. College presented Damon with many new opportunities in life. He began college as a student-athlete and got involved in campus life, joining the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. When his football career came to a premature end, due to an injury, in 1996, against Texas A&M, Damon lost all direction.  Football had become so much of his identity that he no longer knew who he was; his purpose and reason for existence were lost to him. Feeling the pressure of the existential vacuum, Damon chose a dark path on the road of addiction, abusing harder drugs like cocaine, ecstasy and prescription pills to go along with the alcohol and marijuana. After graduating in 1999, Damon’s life would take him to the United States Congress, political fundraising for a presidential candidate and then into the world of Wall Street, with a position to train as a stockbroker for one of the biggest banks in the world, U.B.S. It was at this last stop that Damon was introduced to methamphetamine for the first time; he was instantly hooked. The lives of so many innocent people would forever be changed by the choices he made in order to feed his insatiable meth habit. After three years of committing property crimes (burglaries of homes, buildings, vehicles, as well as auto theft) and other drug-related crimes, with a dozen other meth addicts, a Dallas SWAT team finally caught up with Damon and arrested him on July 30, 2008. Or, as Damon refers to when speaking, he was not “arrested” so much as he was “rescued.” After reconnecting with his family and his faith in Dallas County Jail, he began the long process of paying for his crimes. The consequences of his behavior earned him a life-sentence of 65 years for Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity. With a promise to his parents to come home as “someone they will recognize,” Damon left for prison. Prison life began with a violent baptism-by-fire. Armed with the knowledge that “you don’t have to win all your fights, but you do have to fight all your fights,” he battled for his right to exist independent of a gang. Clinging close to God, his family’s unwavering support, a 12-step recovery program and all the tools available to him, Damon emerged from prison a better man spiritually, emotionally and physically. On November 16, he walked out of prison on 58 years of parole. Today, Damon works for the Provost Umphrey Law Firm in Beaumont, TX. When not out speaking to students and athletes about the dangers of drugs and the consequences of bad decisions, he spends his free time volunteering, doing service work, attending 12 Step Recovery groups, exercising and enjoying his new life with his family and faith community at St. Elizabeth’s Church. His message is both a cautionary tale and one of hope and perseverance in the face of the most extreme odds.   Website: https://damonwest.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/damonwest7?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Book: https://www.amazon.com/Change-Agent-College-Sentenced-Transformed/dp/1642931020

Sentenced to 65 years in a Texas prison, Damon once had it all including a loving family who provided multiple opportunities to succeed in life. A natural born leader he was a three-year starting quarterback - an ‘All-American kid’ living his dream. However, underneath this pretense was a drug addict in the early stages of his disease. At nine years old he suffered childhood sexual abuse by a babysitter and started his use of alcohol to hide his pain. In 1999, Damon graduated from college and began his career with the U.S. Congress, participating in political fundraising for a presidential candidate and later took a job on Wall Street, training as a stockbroker for USB, a large international bank. It was during this time and at this job that Damon was introduced to methamphetamine. He became instantly addicted and in short time lost his job, family and became homeless. Moving back to Texas, he committed multiple drug related offenses, including property crimes to support his drug habit. On July 30, 2008, he was arrested by the Dallas SWAT team. Released from prison in 2015, Damon worked to improve his life. In May of 2019, Damon is scheduled to graduate with a Masters in Criminal Justice from Lamar University. Also, since his release, he has worked for the Provost Umphrey Law Firm in Beaumont, TX. When not speaking to schools about the dangers of drugs, the consequences of bad decisions, and sharing his personal recovery, he does service work helping others in recovery, exercises regularly and enjoys his new life with family, friends and his faith community. His message is a cautionary tale but also one of perseverance and hope for a positive future in the face of the most extreme odds. Damon’s new book, titled The Change Agent can be found at www.damonwest.org.

Anita Dickason is a retired police officer with twenty-seven years of law enforcement experience, twenty-two with the Dallas Police Department. She served as a patrol officer, undercover narcotics officer, advanced accident investigator, and was a sniper with the Dallas SWAT team. Her first book, *JFK Assassination Eyewitness: Rush to Conspiracy, *is non-fiction and details the […]

Anita Dickason. Anita is a retired police officer with twenty-seven years of law enforcement experience, twenty-two with the Dallas Police Department. She served as a patrol officer, undercover narcotics officer, advanced accident investigator, and was a sniper with the Dallas SWAT team. Her first book, *JFK Assassination Eyewitness: Rush to Conspiracy, *is non-fiction and details […]