Today we will hear from a name that has been mentioned in some recent episodes but has never been on the show to tell his story. The time has come to sit down with retired DEA Special Agent in Charge David Downing.

Mr. Downing entered on duty with the DEA in 1995 as a member of Basic Agent Class 95. After graduating the academy in Quantico, Virginia, Mr. Downing served in various roles within DEA in locations such as Houston, Little Rock, the Office of Professional Responsibility in Dallas, Atlanta, and an overseas tour in the Bahamas. Mr. Downing has held the following titles: Special agent, group supervisor, inspector, resident agent in charge, assistant special agent in charge, deputy special agent in charge, and special agent in charge.

Special Agent in Charge Downing made it a priority to improve community partnerships as well as relationships with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. In addition, he led the Los Angeles Division through many successes, including two major diversion initiatives that significantly reduced opioid overdoses, the naming of Los Angeles as a 360 Pilot Project for opioid reduction and education, the indictment of Nemesio Oseguera-Cervantes, the leader of the most ruthless drug cartel in Mexico, and the formation of the Fusion Opioid HIDTA Task Force. But his most lasting legacy will be diversifying the Los Angeles Division.

We are please that Margaret Bedolla is back as a cohost to help tell this story of leadership, integrity, and the unwavering mission to uplift those around him.

Sit back in soak in this genuine good person’s story.

Today we unveil a new series of conversations we will have with Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux as we provide a platform for our Chief to deliver a message. Today’s conversation will cover his approach to leadership philosophy and expectations for the Dallas Police Department and its leaders.

Today we want to honor Dallas Officer Darron Burks on the one-year anniversary of his tragic death as he was ambushed in South Central Dallas while on patrol.

Darron’s brief Dallas Police service was cut short on August 29th, 2024, but after this incident we all got to know the true incredible human being Darron Burks was. He had a lifetime of service as a teacher and mentor. After his death we heard story after story of the many lives he touched while on this Earth. He is the epitome of what we seek out as an officer and public servant.

I have no doubts that this great man would have touched so many more lives as an officer and mentored so many officers on this Department.

The City of Dallas lost a true gentle giant and amazing person.

Dallas Officer Karissa David and Jamie Farmer responded and were seriously wounded from gunfire.

Darron Burks #12543 EOW: August 29th, 2024

Episode speakers:

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson

Retired Dallas Chief Eddie Garcia

Darron’s Mother, Cherie Jeffrey

Outro song: “The Goodness of God” - CeCe Winans (Fair Trade - 2021)

The Assist the Officer Foundation will be running in the Freedom Run on September 6th, 2025, in Dallas to honor Darron Burks.

Houstonian Alan Helfman, president of his family’s group of five Helfman Auto Dealerships (Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep, RAM, and Fiat), giving back is in his DNA.

Today share his story with the listener and dive into his true “why” as he continually gives back to various charities and has a heavy presence in assisting the first responder community.

The Helfman Family has a legacy of giving and helping those in need, especially in the Houston area.

Alan holds the record for the highest leg kick as he is a regular in throwing out the ceremonial first pitch the start the Astros season. He just doesn’t write checks to organizations but he actually goes out and has a ball bringing his high energy and huge kind heart to spearhead these charity events.

For the past four decades Alan Helfman has raised millions of dollars for various causes and has touched so many lives and assisted people when they were at their darkest moments.

We are very happy to welcome Alan to Dallas Texas and onto the ATO stage.

Today we sit down with Retired Oklahoma Highway Patrol Commander Brad Shepherd and guest cohost Courtney Runnels to pull back the curtain on a life and career of service.  No stories is without a lot of highs, lows, heartbreak, and successes. This episode will cover all of the above….and then some.

Captain Brad Shepherd (Ret.) is the Director of Public Safety for Chateau Health & Wellness, a national First Responder residential treatment facility that treats Trauma, Suicide, PTSD, Substance Abuse, Depression & Anxiety.  

Brad retired after 25 years from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol as a Commander and served in a variety of assignments including Tactical Team, Bomb Squad, Special Operations, Oklahoma Homeland Security as well as member and later Commander of the Agency Peer Support Unit.  

Brad is the founder and former CEO / Executive Director of 2 separate non profit organizations that served in the first responder wellness community.   Brad is an experienced national presenter and instructor in a variety of disciplines including ICISF Critical Incident Stress Management. 

Brad has faced his own challenges of stress, trauma, mental health, and alcoholism as well as significant levels of betrayal which gives him the passion to help others find the peace and joy they desire in their personal lives, their relationships, and their careers.

Chateau’s Wellness Mission

https://www.chateaurecovery.com/about

Today we are honored to sit down with retired DEA Agent and Founder, lead facilitator of Wake Up/Level Up Margaret Bedolla.

Margaret walks us through her journey, growing up the daughter of an Agent, and living abroad and being exposed to true poverty and the excitement of the hidden dangers of her father’s work in a different country.

Starting the DEA at 24 she found herself working on the tragic and high profile case of the kidnapping and murder of DEA Agent Kiki Camarena.

Dedicating her life to the Administration and immersing herself in several long term cases she found a passion and knack for expanding investigations to hunt down the source of the drug trade.

As her career unfolded, she found another unique talent, which her natural compassion and empathy complimented, in working in the DEA EAP program. Like everything she does she puts her heart and soul into helping others on the Trauma Team to help her peers and their families that were struggling with the daily grind of the job and critical incident response.

After leaving the DEA she continued serving to provide education with Wake Up/Level Up leadership courses as she travels the country meeting with different organizations and first responder agencies to help them look at leadership through a different lens.

Margaret and retired DEA SAC, David Downing, are now presenting their unique leadership courses to the Dallas Police Command Staff.

She is extremely humble, extremely fierce, and still after over three decades, still leading with a servant’s heart.

Wake Up Level Up- Facilitated Leadership Conversations

 Investigation discussed:

Enrique "Kiki" Camarena Salazar was a DEA agent who was kidnapped and murdered by the Guadalajara Cartel in Mexico in 1985. His death sparked a major U.S. investigation and strained relations with Mexico. The case has been the subject of various media, including the miniseries "Drug Wars: The Camarena Story" and the docuseries "The Last Narc"

We are honored to sit with the 31st Police Chief in the Dallas Police Departments nearly 150-year history, Chief Daniel Comeaux.

Chief Comeaux is a 33-year law enforcement veteran, currently serving as Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Houston Field Division, overseeing 12 offices throughout Texas, including Houston, San Antonio, and Austin. His jurisdiction covers nearly 16,000,000 residents who live in 114 counties across 118,000 square miles, 645 of which are at the United States-Mexico border. His leadership has focused on intelligence-driven crime reduction, operational efficiency, interagency collaboration, and officer development.  

Chief began his law enforcement career in the Houston PD in 1992 and quickly gained a knack for enforcing narcotic investigations. In 1997 Chief Comeaux took dope chasing to a new level as he joined the United States Drug Enforcement Agency and went to the Compton area to work. He rose through the ranks and showed great innovation in intelligence led enforcement as well as educating the public, notably in the “One Pill Can Kill” campaign to curb the deadly fentanyl overdoses.

Chief Comeaux hung up his federal credentials and returned to his police roots in joining the Dallas Police Department in April of 2025.

Welcome to the ATO: Bridging the Divide stage Chief Daniel Comeaux.

Today we sit with the 18th Fire Chief in the Dallas Fire Departments storied history.

Chief Justin Ball immigrated to the United States from England more than thirty years ago, joining the fire department in 1997.

Chief has a bachelor’s degree in Fire Administration from Texas A&M and maintains certifications as a Master Firefighter, Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF), Fire Officer II, Fire Instructor II, Incident Commander, and Incident Safety Officer. 

We are excited to have the opportunity to have the listener take a small peek into the unique path that Chief Ball took to command the sixth largest fire department in the United States. 

Former broadcast journalist and current Dallas Fire and Rescue Director of Communications Susy Solis sits in to cohost this episode to bring the new Dallas Fire Chief to the listeners. 

Notable Topics Discussed:

2 in/2 out procedure

Medic One Program

Quartermaster Program

Expanding the wellness and peer support program

Today we sit down with three familiar voices to the show to address an ongoing problem in the Dallas Police Department and the first responder profession.

Welcome back on Sgt. Gordon Fulton and newly promoted Major Andre Taylor to have a discussion on the topic of alcohol use in the first responder community.

After some incidents over the last few months the Wellness Unit wanted to reiterate the Departments commitment to helping our own and putting our people in the best position to be the best versions of themselves.

In 2022 the alcohol leave policy was implemented and has been a successful tool to help our DPD family first seek help, then get help and continue their career and grow.

Assistant Chief Teena Schultz, Commander of the Wellness Unit, sits in as a cohost. 

For more information on the Dallas Police Wellness Unit and the Alcohol Leave policy email us at[email protected].

Today we sit down with one of the Dallas Fire Department’s true leaders in Chief Greg Stoy as he enters his 40th year of service in the City of Dallas.  Dallas Fire and Rescue has an amazing national reputation as a world class fire department as it enters into its 153rd year.

DFR is one of the few municipalities in the world to achieve the highest possible IOS rating, demonstrating its high-quality fire protection services.

Chief Stoy, starting his career in 1985, serves at Station 4 and has a reputation as a being a supportive leader in the field and mentor to many. His father spent over three decades himself serving this city and both men have a head full of amazing stories and a combined seventy plus years of firefighting history.  History is exactly what the listener will get in this episode, as well as hearing from a natural true leader that loves his Fire Department family.

We are honored to provide the platform for Chief Greg Stoy.

Critical Incident:

February 16th, 1964, Fire at the Golden Pheasant Restuarant in Dallas

On the morning of February 16, an alarm was transmitted on the Golden Pheasant Restaurant at 1417 Commerce. Ultimately, a fifth alarm was transmitted on the fire, both off-duty shifts were recalled, and four firemen had lost their lives. The first alarm was transmitted at 0233. About 0245, as the first alarm companies were attacking the fire, the first floor collapsed into the basement. James K. Bigham, Jerry T. Henderson, James R. Gresham, and Ronald E. Manley were unable to retreat or escape.