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

Sometimes the hardest mission is when you have to adapt to a new role.  Identity is a tricky thing to grapple with when we take on this "job" which is more than that, more than a career, and even lifestyle.  My guest, Greg Furnia is a retired Special Operations supervisor with a background in the US Border Patrol.  He is now a personal and professional development coach who helps first r...

Part 2/2! If we want Police and Policing to be seen as a legitimate Profession, must we focus on Professionalism - and what that truly means?  When we think of the word, some think of being courteous, others diligent. For some it is higher standards, training, formal education.   Joining me in this high-level conversation surrounding how we can elevate and evolve our profession are two leaders: Je...

If we want Police and Policing to be seen as a legitimate Profession, must we focus on Professionalism - and what that truly means?  When we think of the word, some think of being courteous, others diligent. For some it is higher standards, training, formal education.   Joining me in this high-level conversation surrounding how we can elevate and evolve our profession are two leaders: Jeff Wennige...

I am joined by my colleague and friend in this first responder wellness/leadership/how to improve our culture space, Chris Littrell.  In this IN-PERSON conversation, we explore much of what our people and profession are struggling with : availability, vulnerability, stigmas, and what to do about it all. This episode is being also being aired on his show: Gravity, Two Feet on the Ground.  You can f...

New Year, unlocked and upleveled version of YOU! Whether you like to think of it as building and developing, or shaving away what's not serving you, the New Year is the perfect time to reflect and craft a strategy to live your life most optimally.  In this episode, I share some quick and effective tips that span different health aspects and pillars: from nutrition and movement to habit-buildi...

In this episode of Blue Grit Radio , we dive into what it really means to step up your mental game — beyond motivation and mindset buzzwords. Drawing on the psychological insights of Carl Jung and James Hollis , we explore how true growth requires looking inward, owning your story, and facing the shadows that hold you back. This episode connects ancient wisdom with modern policing, leadership, and...

One of the most critical responsibilities and efforts of police is trust.  Trust is built through connection, understanding - it is built through KNOWING. In this episode, my guest Scott Lowry discuss how knowing how our officers are doing on a call-to-call basis helps us fully.  We can identify what's going well, what we can work on, and it allows us to recognize and elevate our officers wit...

In this episode, I share key takeaways that don’t only apply to money - as the book title infers - but all aspects of health, career and life.  These concepts are tenets of human nature, and I run through how we may apply these lessons in a multi-faceted approach.   In The Psychology of Money, Morgan Housel makes a compelling case that success with money has far less to do with intelligence or tec...

(Part 2 of 2!)  Blue Grit started largely focused on physical health through fitness and stress management through peer support and other mental health support.  Joining me in this episode are two returning guests: Matt Domyancic and Anthony Shefferly, two absolute physical AND mental beasts. What do I mean by mental beasts? Beyond the cognitive intelligence (which they both have and bring to shar...

Blue Grit started largely focused on physical health through fitness and stress management through peer support and other mental health support.  Joining me in this episode are two returning guests: Matt Domyancic and Anthony Shefferly, two absolute physical AND mental beasts. What do I mean by mental beasts? Beyond the cognitive intelligence (which they both have and bring to share in droves in t...

This episode is a recording of a webinar where I was invited to participate as part of a panel discussing the critical topics of police recruiting and retention. I was called upon from my experience in hiring and recruiting in 2022 and my continual dives into police culture and wellness to aid retention and resiliency.  Joining me in the panel were Chief Travis Koltiska from Sheridan, WY and Greg...

The world is ever evolving, so Policing needs to do the same in embracing emerging technologies. From AI and data analytics to drones, body-worn cameras, and wellness platforms, technology is rewriting how we serve, protect, and stay resilient. With innovation comes challenges: resistance, cost, training, and trust. Enter my guest: regional police leader Chief Darrell Lowe. He has leaned in and im...

Hypervigilance, Burnout, Fatigue... Stress and Shutdown.  These are all too common in the police and first responder professions.  For years, I struggled with my desire to optimize with fitness and work performance, which led to rest and recovery taking a backseat (not a pretty result).  What if there was a tool and technology with proven efficacy with Special Forces, BORTAC, the FBI and pro sport...

Leadership.  Development. Both of these items deserve much attention in our organizations, and it can be quite clear that these efforts are not adequate in many circumstances.  Put them together: Leader Development... you will have many officers recognize their agencies do a solid job, whereas for others it's an after thought, or only occurring when self-initiated. Joining me in this leadersh...

Many challenges in law enforcement can come down to our physical and experiential characteristics - such as age and gender.  Some hurdles may exist externally, whereas others can be internal mechanisms- like “imposter syndrome” when being young or in a lower-represented demographic.  In this episode, I am joined by Jen Moss. We first connected through a recruiting webinar on Lexipol she helped set...

**(Part 2 of 2, make sure you listen to part 1 a couple eps. back! Recruitment.  Staffing.  Hiring hurdles..  Still huge issues facing a significant portion of police departments across the nation.  Although there are many difficult factors to contend with, in this episode, we cover how many agencies are missing on some basic things, and how to develop some winning strategies. Joining me are two p...

Is the Field Training Officer (FTO) the most critical role in policing?  When we think hard about it, it is hard to argue otherwise.  In this episode, I am joined by Officer Brian Willard, who has held that taxing, crucial, emotionally-charged, rewarding role for 16 years- the majority of it! We go into the ins and outs of lessons learned from being and observing other FTOs, the impact the role ha...

Recruitment.  Staffing.  Hiring hurdles..  Still huge issues facing a significant portion of police departments across the nation.  Although there are many difficult factors to contend with, in this episode, we cover how many agencies are missing on some basic things, and how to develop some winning strategies. Joining me are two prior law enforcement officers with key insights and tips.  We compa...

In this episode, retired Chief Dewayne McCarver joins me as we dive into the realities of police burnout and morale.  We talk about “back in the day,” working nightshift patrol where morale and sense of impact soared - yet how career dynamics and mounting stress eventually catch up to us all if we aren’t mindful.  McCarver highlights tools and strategies that leaders and agencies can invest in to...

On BGR, we focus on leadership and wellness, and with that we have a stellar, impactful guest to hit on both.  I am pleased to feature local WA state police leader and mental health counselor Lt. Corey Williams!  Corey shares about the origin of both careers, and how he can even manage (it's making me tired thinking about it!) We talk about the impacts of the police career, balancing two care...

*Part 2!! * Growing up as a 90s kid would make you think Ninja would be a legit career path, between Ninja Turtles, Surf Ninjas, 3 Ninjas, and on... As it turns out, you can get pretty dang close, if you are a dedicated, hyper-focused, diligent patrol officer -  and then turn into a plain-clothes surveillance detective. My guest in this 2-part episode is a long term teammate and true friend.  We s...

Police eyes in the sky are absolute game-changers for tracking down violent offenders on the run - or people trying to reenact GTA on high-speed hijinks.  Beyond that, our pilots in policing can help public safety in many other aspects. Trooper and pilot Anson Statema with the Washington State Patrol joins me to share about career opportunities in flight as well as teaching on how cops on the grou...

Growing up as a 90s kid would make you think Ninja would be a legit career path, between Ninja Turtles, Surf Ninjas, 3 Ninjas, and on... As it turns out, you can get pretty dang close, if you are a dedicated, hyper-focused, diligent patrol officer -  and then turn into a plain-clothes surveillance detective. My guest in this 2-part episode is a long term teammate and true friend.  We started our c...

Some listeners come for mental health topics. Others for the importance of fitness and functional training.  Then there's the deeper dives in philosophy, service, and the human condition as they affect the psyche of police and first responders.  Well, this episode hits all those realms and more.   For probably just as long as I've been running this project, experts and colleagues in the...

We know a full police career (or even fraction of one!) can take a toll on us.  Physically.  Mentally. Our batteries don't only get sapped, but sometimes they get fried (you know, that annoying thing where it just doesn't charge fully, and seems to drain rapidly??)  In this episode, a true example of a FULL career of legit cop work joins me to talk about all of these dynamics.  Andrew Mc...