Blue Grit Radio: the Police Performance Podcast: Mindset, Wellness, Leadership

I, like many drank through the fire-hose (why do we use these Fire metaphors) of information, experience, tactics, lessons, and wisdom when entering the police profession, from hiring to Academy, and through training (which never truly stops).  Among the first most significant figures in the space in conversations of MINDSET, survival instinct, physiology (which all tie back to health and wellness...

As CEO and Founder of Work On Your Game Inc., Dre Baldwin has given 4 TEDxTalks on Discipline, Confidence, Mental Toughness & Personal Initiative and has authored 33 books. He has appeared in national campaigns with Nike, Finish Line, Wendy's, Gatorade, Buick, Wilson Sports, STASH Investments and DIME magazine. In just 5 years, Dre went from the end of his high school team's bench to...

Angel has been with the Auburn Police Department (APD) for 9 years.  In that time, he has served the department as a Chaplain, and currently is the Wellness Program Designer for APD. Angel’s focus is the professional and analytical development of a wellness program that encompasses all aspects of an APD employee’s wellness (Mental, Physical, Spiritual, and Emotional Health).   Angel manages the AP...

Michael is a military veteran and retired police sergeant. In this interview, he discusses his pursuit of a career of service, which unraveled after an officer-involved shooting.  He details his Post Traumatic Stress challenges  and ultimately his medical retirement.  Organizational betrayal is a topic we visit in the context of the end of his career. We talk about his life and purpose now, from h...

Cannot. Should not. Shall not. I wish! We have seen lowered standards for years.. and it makes sense with the high attrition and low recruitment ability in law enforcement. It seemed the impossible task to recruit in that climate, yet departments were and are doing it now due to heightened engagement..  **Not lower standards!!**  Lowering standards doesn’t only kick the can down the road, but allo...

Meagan McCarthy became a Deputy Sheriff for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department in June 2016. On September 4, 2019, Meagan’s life changed forever when she was involved in an on-duty shooting and attempted execution, which was captured on video and highly publicized.  Following the shooting, because of another failed law enforcement piece of legislation, the suspect who attempt to assass...

I met Dave after a colleague introduced us for me to hop on his Hero Academy podcast.  We had an engaging, fun conversation, not just about “the job” but dynamics with health, life and a host of other topics.  When we connected back on, as you will hear, it was right back into a host of topics- to include diving into dietary preferences and the conflicting information out there (hint: his plant-ba...

On Blue Grit Radio, we are having the crucial conversation about not only resilience in first responder careers, but the worst risk of failure to do so: suicide.  Ret. Sgt. Danny Coon didn’t always use to be an advocate for police mental health awareness and wellness.  He was of the older culture which grinded through.  As he entered retirement his eyes were opened to the significant statistics fa...

Following a seemingly impossible success in my police department’s recruiting efforts, I was invited to speak on a Lexipol panel focusing on the challenges and insights of police recruiting today.  Among the panelists was ret. Assistant Chief Jonni Redick from the California Highway Patrol.  I was extremely humbled to be included amongst her and the other panelists.  Not only was she instantly a w...

With increasing awareness of the necessity for Officer Wellness, Lt. Joe Gamaldi leads from the front.  We talk about how he shares simple, tangible information via his social media as he excels in fitness in his 40s.  Beyond that, we talk about the dynamics of creating a supportive culture at work- which is foundational to officer wellness and well-being.  As an LT.  we dive into the dynamics of...

In first responder work, we frequently discuss and train situational awareness.  There is an increasingly necessary discussion for civilians as well.  It goes beyond walking alone at night in the city... but into how to approach large-scale public events, going shopping at the local grocery, or even how and whether to answer the door in your own home. I was fortunate to connect with Kelly Sayre on...

I was connected to John through a mutual professional acquaintance, of whom I have deep, deep respect (fun fact, she's a future guest who has already been recorded!)  When I asked why, she simply said that we are both doing great things for the profession, and she could see our collaboration as being an extension of that. Well, when you get a nudge like that, how do you ignore or deny it? I s...

In this episode, I dive right into the heart of our most crucial topics: first responder wellness and resilience, both keeping our people at their best and out of that dark and dismal space which leads to suicide.  “Wellness” as we hear it can be many things, but at the end of the day, we need practices, cultures, and tools to keep us striving for optial and away from our worst. Patrick Sandone an...

Lisa is a game-changer; she is one of the three first women who graduated from the US Ranger program.  Not only did she beat odds and the perceptions of haters, but she did it at the seasoned age of 37- which to anyone over 30 will know is NO JOKE.  I became connected with Lisa after she shared space on The Collective, conversing and connecting on ideas.  Through all this and after, I found out sh...

I frequently talk about leadership, what it is, and how to cultivate it in ourselves and others.  Leadership is modeling.  It is being honest.  Being clear.  Being demonstrative.  Being vulnerable. Showing and proving your virtues through your words and actions. Your spirit. Your heart. For years, I reviewed Police1 articles as a young officer, learning about tactics, mindset, and leadership.  Chr...

Everyone has a story, and the most compelling stories are adventures.  Adventures have adversity, obstacles, villains- that take the shape of men or other forces that would challenge and attempt to submit our heroes.   Yet, because heroes are who they are, they stumble, they fall, and still rise to overcome.  My guest in this episode is L.S. (Luke) Goozdich.  He is a man who has overcome extreme o...

Welcome back returning guests Seb Lavoie (Ep. 54)  and Mark Bouchard (Ep. 59).  As I cover in the episode, I became connected to these two through different avenues since starting up Blue Grit Wellness and Blue Grit Radio.  I came to learn that Mark served alongside and under Seb's leadership on their ERT/SWAT team.  Mark told me a story about true front-line leadership, which was the genesis...

US Army Captain and LAPD rookie turned Nor-Cal patrol cop, Joey shares a host of sagely insights and personal observations of life, career, leadership and health on all fronts.   Known on IG as the 9mm Musashi (gotta love that historical master of tactics and strategy, which we get into) and also the admin for @policepoststraining , we take a dive into the job, lessons learned, and how to continue...

From the day we get hired, start police academy, or for many even before that- we consider how ready we may be for "that bad day."  That day could be sprinting to save a kid in peril.  It could be getting up a few flights of stairs quick enough to help your buddy in a bad spot.  It could be a fight for your life.   Any reasonable, responsible officer will quickly recognize that we each h...

Kendall Wood is a Yoga Therapist and Experienced Yoga Teacher who specializes in yoga therapy for first responders. She works for the CAL Fire Training Center in Riverside, CA and has her own private practice for virtual yoga therapy sessions. If you struggle with sleep issues, hypervigilance, are recovering from an injury or experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress - yoga therapy can help!...

I met Rob when I was working K9; that's how I got to meet and know so many Valley SWAT guys.  As we dive in, we chat about how close in hire date we were in 2007.  Rob talks about his desire to be a police officer from an early age, which led him to serve in the US Navy.  From there, he became a Renton police officer, where he was also a detective. We talk in depth about the adaptable nature...

Dan Zia Joseph is a US Army veteran who served as an active duty combat engineer. In his 30s, he found himself seeking purpose, distinctly influenced by friends of his in the service, which prompted him to embark on his military career. Through his experiences, he reflects on the devastating impact mental health issues and suicide have had on his circles of fellow servicemen and women.  We discuss...

We frequently talk about stress and trauma, as they are direct facets to true wellness.  Navigating trauma is essential to our operational capacity as first responders and family members, which means understanding it!  My conversation with Dr. Brooke Bartlett was a captivating one for me, which means I know it will be the same for you.  We talk about Dr. Brooke's entry into learning about tra...

Commander Cristian Adams and I have collaborated on many things, most recently regional police recruitment and wellness initiatives.  Although I've  been a commander for a literal minute- not "street minute" which means a long time- we first connected many assignments ago.  We recount nostalgic, funny patrol stories where I was a K9 handler responding to his fair city of Auburn and...

I had to pleasure to first meet Minerva when she was co-hosting for the Police Applicant Podcast with Ken (see episode 53!). We chatted police hiring then and now. Prompted by a social media post about challenges facing women in policing (@fitresponder reel), we got chatting about how Minerva faced or witnessed  a LOT of what was presented. In our conversation, we talk about the seemingly impossib...