Brian Parker

Choir Practice Podcast

Society EN ↓ 246 episodes

First Responders, and Public Servants, share the most extraordinary experiences from their careers. Here on Choir Practice our mission is to preserve our guests personal legacies for friends and family, sharing their stories for anyone who might be curious or interested in a career in public service.

Author

Brian Parker

Category

Society

Latest episode

Jul 8, 2026

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Episodes

Betsy Brantner Smith (Retired Naperville PD, Winning Mind Seminars, Fox News, Newsmax) 09.08.2023

Send us Fan Mail The better half of the "Dave and Betsy" show blessed the studio with her presence and spent some quality time in the hot seat! She shared her career highlights, and a few low lights ;-), before moving on to training police officers on an international level with her husband. They've dedicated their lives to training and supporting police in America and around the wo...

JD "Buck Savage" Smith (Former Tucson Police and AZ DPS legend, Winning Mind Seminars) 02.08.2023

Send us Fan Mail This week Buck Savage joins The Squad, spending some quality time to share his career!  The son of a physician, growing up in Flagstaff, Dave attended the Naval Academy before suffering an injury and transferring to the University of Arizona. He joined the Tucson Police Dept, but "lateraled" to the AZ Department of Public Safety where his career as a trainer of cops took...

Jeff Copfer (Executive Director of TROT, Retired Pima County Sheriff Captain) 26.07.2023

Send us Fan Mail Jeff is back, we start the episode laughing so hard I almost had an asthma attack! Like all my guests, I'm honored he was willing to come back and hang out again. He was rear ended  by a suspected drunk driver after leaving, good thing he was in a huge Dually pick up! He ok, no injuries and a little soreness!  Please give him another warm welcome and enjoy the show!  Come see...

Eric Johnsen (Retired Antioch Police Dept., CA) 19.07.2023

Send us Fan Mail Retired Antioch Police Officer, Eric Johnsen, is back in the studio and we hung out for a few hours sharing some more stories. Since he was here last February, we had been chatting and he said what almost all my guests say, "Once I left I started remembering a lot more stories that I forgot to share! He showed up with a page full of notes and we had a great time! He's su...

Jeff Copfer (Retired Pima County Sheriff Captain, Executive Director of Therapeutic Riders of Tucson) 12.07.2023

Send us Fan Mail Jeff and I met while working at the Pima County Sheriff's Department. He continued on to become a Captain, honorably serving the citizens of Pima County, before retiring and being hired as the Executive Director of T.R.O.T. He started his public service as an Air Force enlisted airman, guarding nukes around the world, then he became a reserve Deputy in CA! He moved to AZ, whe...

Rudy Baez (Retired Tucson Fire Engineer) 05.07.2023

Send us Fan Mail Rudy and I went to High School together, then our paths crossed every so often as he responded to scenes I was working as a cop or I would show up on calls he was working as a Fire Fighter. It was great catching up and I'm excited to introduce him to the coolest group of folks I've come to know...The Squad! Enjoy, turn it up and come see me on FB and Instagram! Be safe o...

Carol Carruth (Retired Tucson Police Detective) 28.06.2023

Send us Fan Mail Carol is the proud owner of Rincon Fit Body Bootcamp, located on Harrison and 22nd street in Tucson, AZ.  Prior to that, she proudly served in the US Air Force in the medical field, then as a Tucson Police Officer where she retired as a Detective. I'm excited for you to get to know her, we had a great conversation. Please give her a warm welcome, and reach out to any of your...

Richie Anemone (New York Transit Police and Retired Tucson Police Lieutenant) 21.06.2023

Send us Fan Mail This week's guest is a gentleman I had the pleasure of working with at Tucson PD. I first mentioned him in Episode 14 with Stacey Goodman. Richie and I were in Ops South on the morning of 9/11.  It was my honor to host him and I learned a few things I hadn't known prior to our interview, like, the fact he started out as a cop in the New York Transit Police. Or the fact t...

Mark Napier (Retired Tucson Police Captain, Former Pima County Sheriff) 14.06.2023

Send us Fan Mail Mark started his career in the 80's, in a sleepy town in Iowa. A few years in, he moved his family to Tucson and his career took off from there. One of his bigger claims to fame was that he had the opportunity to work on the Southside of Tucson at every rank. He retired as the Captain (Division Commander) and was later voted in a the Pima County Sheriff for one term. We had a...

Charles Pickard Part 2 (Retired Tucson Police Officer and EOD Tech) 07.06.2023

Send us Fan Mail Charles came back and we finished chatting about his career. It was a great time, an even better conversation and I enjoyed his company. His first episode is doing well, I have you all to thank for that. Thanks for giving a warm welcome from the best Squad a guy could ask for. Remember, be safe out there and reach out to your friends if they cross your mind... Join me on FB (Look...

Charles Pickard (Retired Tucson Police Officer, Bomb/ EOD Technician) 31.05.2023

Send us Fan Mail This episode was fantastic! Charles and I never worked together, but I knew of him on the agency. There were only about 5 people in the bomb unit. He shares about his Tim win the Army before becoming a Tucson Police Officer. We didn't quite make it through all of his career, he's already scheduled to come back soon and wrap up his own personal legacy here in the hot seat...

Roger Nusbaum (Retired Tucson Police Detective, Atty General Investigator, Wyoming Police Officer) 24.05.2023

Send us Fan Mail Here is a gentleman who I enjoyed partnering with when I was in patrol. He and Dave Huber used to put out Wanted Posters and I'd spend my days catching their suspects. I'm so glad he agreed to come and hang out to talk about his career. Now, in retirement, he runs an Angus farm. Roger is such an awesome dude, we had a great time hanging out, so sit back and enjoy this on...

Ed Boyen Part 2 (Retired Tucson Police Officer) 17.05.2023

Send us Fan Mail It took me awhile, but this episode is a great follow up to the most popular episode from year one of the Choir Practice Podcast. Ed Boyen returns, sits in the "hot seat" and does not disappoint. Thanks to you all, Choir Practice has now surpassed 26,000 downloads!!!! You all are so awesome, thanks so much! Come see me on Facebook or Instagram at CP_SFAF! Be safe out the...

Episode 74- THE MOST DOWNLOADED EPISODE FROM YEAR ONE!!! Retired Tucson Police Officer Ed Boyen 10.05.2023

Send us Fan Mail Squad, I appreciate you all! I'm traveling this week so I wanted to play for you the most popular episode from year one. Ed Boyen's story is incredible, crazy, funny and scary! He had a little bit of everything in there and I believe that's why it resonated with you all so much! If you missed it, here's an opportunity to catch up. If you caught it the firs time...

Episode 73- Tonya Parker (Mammography, Ultrasound, X-Ray Tech, Police Spouse) 03.05.2023

Send us Fan Mail At the request of several guests, I interviewed my best friend about her thoughts on my career to go into law enforcement, the changes that I went through personally and professionally, and how we transitioned away from law enforcement. And I asked her about her thoughts on the podcast since she is "My biggest fan!" It was a good conversation, I don't know if I spen...

Episode 72- Tim Matthews (Former Tucson Police Detective) 26.04.2023

Send us Fan Mail I'm so grateful to Tim for having the courage to be on the show and share his story. I feel like his story resonates with so many public servants that you and I know, walking around us today. He spent nearly 20 years working in the trenches, faced some demons and is heroically battling them back as he comes to terms with his life after public service...and life is sweet. Not...

Episode 71- Jeff Douglas (Retired Tucson Police Motor Officer) 19.04.2023

Send us Fan Mail Jeff traveled all the way from Washington State to be on the show! Just kidding, he was in town to visit family and volunteer at the Southwest Motor Competition. But he was gracious enough to come and hang out on the show, becoming the newest member of the Choir Practice Squad!  We had a great time, he had some even better stories and I think you're going to want to hear this...

Episode 70- Jen Brotherton (Retired Tucson Police Lieutenant) 12.04.2023

Send us Fan Mail She came back!!! Proof that the work I'm doing on this podcast is good and the interviews aren't too much torture! In this episode, we pick back up where we left off. Jen was a Home Invasion Detective who promoted to Sergeant. She describes her experiences as a Sergeant: Patrol, Detectives, Internal Affairs until she is promoted to Lieutenant! She was a Patrol Commander,...

Episode 69- Mike Thrall (Retired Tucson Police Officer) 05.04.2023

Send us Fan Mail Mike's back and I think I had more fun during this conversation than the first! And I must tell you, because it snuck up on me, but Mike's part 1 is just a few downloads shy of Ed Boyen, who continues to be the most downloaded episode from Season 1. This makes me very happy for Mike, I'm glad folks are tuning in. Listen in, we had a great time and lots of laughs. He...

Episode 68- Heidi Chance (Retired Phoenix Police Detective) 29.03.2023

Send us Fan Mail Heidi and I met through LinkedIn. Her background resonated with me because I was the Commander in charge of the Southern AZ Human Trafficking Task Force for a brief time. She spent a large part of her career battling human and sex trafficking. Now that she's retired, she travels the US providing training to law enforcement agencies on how to detect the signs of and combat hum...

Episode 67- Sixto Molina (Retired Tucson Police Sergeant, South Tucson Police Chief) 22.03.2023

Send us Fan Mail Sixto is one of those iconic names in the City of Tucson that everyone knows. After retiring from the Tucson Police Department, he became the Police chief for the City of South Tucson. After a couple years, and a few more leadership positions, he was invited back and became the City Manager!  I t was awesome to get to know him, find out what he is doing and to see that he is still...

Episode 66- Sean Holewinski (Retired Tucson Police Sergeant) 15.03.2023

Send us Fan Mail Today Sean and I take a deeper dive into his years as a Detective in the Crimes Against Children Unit and the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit. While I applaud the folks who work these units, it is not a job I believe I have the stomach for. Brave men and women courageously work to arrest criminals who prey on the true victims in society. I am honored he agreed to come back a...

Episode 65- Jason House (Retired USAF MSGT) 08.03.2023

Send us Fan Mail My old neighbor, Jason House is one of the nicest and studliest dudes I know. He was always one of the folks I knew I wanted to be a guest on the show, but now that we live about an hour apart it took some time to figure out the logistics. I'm so glad he agreed to be on the show, I know you're going to like him too! He spent more than 20 years in the Air Force, spending...

Episode 64- Mark Bustamante (Retired Pima County Sheriff Sergeant) 01.03.2023

Send us Fan Mail I met Mark as a Deputy Recruit in 1998! He taught a few classes at the academy and then I ran into in on the streets during my 2-year stint with PCSO. Years later, we ran into one another when we were both newly promoted. The dude has done alot, he has a great story and he served both the City of Nogales, AZ and Pima County with distinction and honor. I was happy to learn he is an...

Episode 63- Eric Johnsen (Oakland PD, Retired Antioch, CA PD) 22.02.2023

Send us Fan Mail Welcome back, Eric Johnsen reached out to me after finding the podcast thanks to Dave Lewis!!! He sent 21 years working the "mean streets" of California. 7 years in Oakland before moving over to Antioch PD. We had a great time getting to know one another and his career is very much interesting, much like many of my guests. I can't wait for you to hear his stories an...

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