Blue Grit Podcast: The Voice of Texas Law Enforcement

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Blue Grit Podcast, we sit down with Wood County Sgt. Jaclyn Skinner, whose life changed the moment she walked into a cluttered house to serve a warrant. Inside, she spotted a familiar tattoo through a partially open shower curtain. Then gunfire erupted. Sgt. Skinner was shot four times. In the middle of the chaos, she fought to survive and helped get her par...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Blue Grit Podcast , we take on a growing problem in law enforcement: how quickly social media mobs form before the facts are known. Recent incidents in Galveston and Arp show exactly how dangerous that can be. In Galveston, an officer-involved shooting was quickly met with online outrage, but the facts matter. The suspect, Randy Martin, was recently released...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Blue Grit Podcast , TMPA Field Representative Leighton joins the show to break down two major developments for Texas law enforcement. First, Leighton discusses the recent victory in Texas City , where Mayor Dedrick Johnson lost his election, opening a long-awaited glimmer of hope for TMPA members and officers in that city. Leighton explains how Texas City of...

Send us Fan Mail From the battlefield… to the jail floor… to the front seat of a Texas DPS patrol unit — this is a story built on grit, sacrifice, and purpose. In this powerful episode, Texas DPS Regional Director Gabriel L. Ortiz sits down with Blue Grit to break down his remarkable 25-year journey in law enforcement. From his early days serving in the U.S. Air Force Security Forces, to working i...

Send us Fan Mail Backroom deals. Evidence battles. A DA’s office under fire. We break down how to register for the TMPA/Texas FOP Conference and why full access puts you where the real influence happens. Mitch Landry delivers a Legislative update—because the fight at the Capitol is happening NOW. Clint McNear also jumps in, breaking down what to expect at the TMPA/TXFOP Conference and why you need...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of the Blue Grit Podcast, Host Tyler Owen and TMPA Field Representative Robby Campbell sit down with Polk County Judge candidate Larry Pfeil—not a courtroom judge, but the role that serves as the County’s chief executive.  In this raw and unfiltered conversation, Pfeil breaks down his vision for restoring leadership, prioritizing public safety, and driving real eco...

Send us Fan Mail This week, we’re exposing what’s really happening in Minneapolis. Minnesota FOP Spokesperson Kevin Rofidal joins Force Science’s Brian Baxter and Von Kliem for a hard-hitting breakdown of post-2020 policing—what changed, what didn’t, and what the public still gets wrong. We dig into burned precincts, shattered morale, and neighborhoods left without a true police presence. Then we...

Send us Fan Mail A rural county’s safety net is only as strong as the deputies willing to hold the line. In Episode 128, we sit down with TMPA Regional Attorney and former Polk County District Attorney Lee Hon alongside TMPA Field Representative Robby Campbell to break down the growing controversy surrounding Polk County leadership and its impact on law enforcement. At the center of the discussion...

Send us Fan Mail One of Austin’s most watched police cases just took a dramatic turn. After years of indictments, delays, and a deadly-conduct conviction pushed by Travis County DA José Garza, Officer Christopher Taylor has now been fully acquitted on appeal. Attorney Doug O’Connell breaks down how a 2019 shooting—seen inside APD as clearly justified—became a political flashpoint, how docket equal...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 126 of the Blue Grit Podcast, we sit down with San Marcos Police Commander Duwayne Poorboy to explore the intense world of crisis negotiation—and what it truly means to become the voice of calm in moments where every second counts. Commander Poorboy walks us through his recent experience at the prestigious Crisis Negotiation Competition & Seminar , an elite training...

Send us Fan Mail In Part 2, the  @ForceScience team dives even deeper into the science-backed research, training methodology, and mission that set Force Science apart as the national standard for evidence-based law enforcement education. Building on the foundational concepts introduced in Part 1, the instructors break down how their courses reshape the way officers, investigators, leaders, and leg...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode #125, we welcome Brian Baxter and Von Kliem of Force Science —the organization reshaping how America understands human behavior in high-stress, split-second encounters. Their cutting-edge research reveals what really happens when perception narrows, reaction time collapses, and life-or-death decisions unfold faster than the brain can fully process. They break down the m...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Blue Grit Podcast, we sit down with Jim Bedinger, Division President, and Jorge Mendoza, Vice President of the National Police Federal Credit Union, to talk about how their organization is helping law enforcement officers nationwide keep more of their hard-earned money. As a proud TMPA partner, the National Police Federal Credit Union offers exclusive financ...

Send us Fan Mail In Part 2 of this gripping two-part series, Giovanni Rocco pulls back the curtain on life after the takedown. What happens when the mission ends—but the mask doesn’t come off? This episode explores the personal cost of living undercover: the toll it took on Gio’s mental health, the strain on his marriage, and the distance that grew between him and his children. With raw honesty, G...

Send us Fan Mail In this gripping episode, former undercover officer Giovanni Rocco takes listeners deep inside one of the most dangerous assignments in modern law enforcement — infiltrating the MOB. For years, Rocco lived a double life, gaining the trust of some of the most ruthless figures in organized crime while secretly working to bring them down. With raw honesty and unfiltered emotion, Giov...

Send us Fan Mail In this inspiring episode of the Blue Grit Podcast , Houston Area Regional Attorney Marsha Todd shares how her remarkable journey from the Houston Police Department to the courtroom shaped her approach to defending Texas law enforcement officers. Marsha reflects on her years serving in Houston Police Narcotics — where she learned firsthand the intensity, integrity, and teamwork it...

Send us Fan Mail In this inspiring episode, we welcome Sharon Hernandez , Law Enforcement Torch Run Coordinator for Special Olympics Texas , and Katrina Cordova , dedicated SOTX volunteer, to discuss how a partnership built on service and compassion continues to transform lives across the state. Sharon and Katrina share heartfelt stories of the connection between Texas law enforcement and Special...

Send us Fan Mail At just 26 years old, Edinburg Police Officer Felicia Barragan has already lived a lifetime of service. A U.S. Army veteran, patrol officer, and self-defense instructor, Barragan is also the founder of the Blue Heart Initiative —a grassroots program designed to connect law enforcement officers with elementary students in her community. In this episode, we dive into Barragan’s jour...

Send us Fan Mail For the second time, the Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS) joins the Blue Grit Podcast to talk about what could be a historic shift for public safety retirement in Texas. Guests Marin Emma and Shannon Lucero from TMRS break down a new bill that, if passed, would raise both the employee contribution and the city match to 8% . The conversation dives into how this proposed cha...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when small-town values meet the challenges of modern policing? TMPA Board Director Luke Schaefer takes us from the pastures of Mabank, Texas to the leadership ranks of the Tyler Police Department. Inspired by his grandfather, a Sheriff in Van Zandt County, Schaefer joined Tyler PD in 2006 and has since witnessed the evolution of policing—through technology, culture, a...

Send us Fan Mail In this follow-up episode, we continue the conversation on the leadership crisis unfolding in Texas City. TCMPA President Rachel Spahr joins by phone, with board member Lisa Chandler, to shed light on the ongoing fallout with embattled Mayor Dedrick Johnson and the community-driven recall effort now underway. Lisa brings a board member’s perspective on how the toxic leadership at...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Blue Grit Podcast, we sit down with national use-of-force expert and law enforcement attorney Lance LoRusso —a former officer turned legal warrior who’s represented over 180 officers in critical incidents. From patrol to prosecution, Lance knows the stakes. He breaks down what really happens when officers are thrust into the legal spotlight—where the headlin...

Send us Fan Mail In this special episode of the Blue Grit Podcast , we’re joined by TMPA Executive Director Kevin Lawrence for an exclusive update on the highly anticipated 75th Anniversary TMPA Conference. Kevin walks us through what's in store for this historic celebration—from dynamic speakers and training opportunities to the live auction benefiting TMPA Charities and unforgettable events...

Send us Fan Mail In this gripping episode, TMPA Field Representative Joey Sepulveda joins us to share the raw, heartbreaking reality of what unfolded over Independence Day weekend in Central Texas . As rivers surged over 26 feet in just 45 minutes, entire communities were wiped out— but our first responders didn’t run. Joey paints a vivid picture of the devastation in the Hill Country and the unre...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful and emotional episode, we sit down with Jenn and Zoey Henricksen — the wife and daughter of Officer Kyle Henricksen, a devoted California police officer and loving father of four who tragically passed away at just 36 after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Jenn and Zoey share the heartbreak of Kyle’s diagnosis and the painful journey through his final da...