When the End of Watch is called, Dirk makes sure the family is never forgotten. Nineteen years in law enforcement changes a man but for Dirk, it clarified his purpose.

Husband. Father. Cop. Bourbon enthusiast. And founder of the End of Watch Legacy Fund, a mission born from loss, service, and an unwavering commitment to those who never made it home.

In this episode of Beyond the Barrel, Dirk shares how he combined two worlds his love for bourbon and his devotion to law enforcement to build something bigger than himself. The End of Watch Legacy Fund raises money with one clear goal: to provide $10,000 directly to the families of Indiana officers killed in the line of duty, ensuring their sacrifice is honored with more than words.

This isn’t just about bourbon.

It’s about brotherhood.

It’s about legacy.

And it’s about taking care of our own long after the End of Watch is called.

Off duty. Off script. And driven by purpose this conversation goes well beyond the barrel.

Timestamps: 

01:40 Meet Dirk

03:00 Fundraiser Origin

06:00 Tough Moments

08:30 Communication Skills

14:30 Career Start

17:30 SWAT Life

20:00 Charity Begins

22:00 Bourbon Events

28:30 Fallen Officer

33:30 Sierra Strong

47:00 Future Plans

56:50 Justice Question

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Two officer-involved shootings. First on scene to a home invasion at a cop’s house. Task force interdiction. And zero tolerance for bad Fourth Amendment policing.

Sgt. Jake Bigelow is a 13-year law enforcement veteran with the Casper Police Department, a former multi-agency drug task force officer, and a legal instructor with Blue to Gold Law Enforcement Training. Before policing, he served in the U.S. Air Force Security Forces and the Army National Guard as a flight medic, with additional experience as a firefighter and paramedic.

In this episode, Jake challenges the idea that “good intentions” excuse bad searches, breaks down real-world interdiction mistakes cops still make, and explains why constitutional policing is the difference between locking criminals up—or letting them walk.

No fluff. No excuses. Just hard truths from someone who’s lived it.

Timestamps: 

00:02:30  Jake’s Background

00:08:45  Troubled Upbringing

00:15:30  Mentorship Impact

00:29:45  Pilot Life

00:31:00  Midair Emergency

00:36:25  Fire to Police

00:38:45  Drug Task Force

01:17:35  Shoot or Die

01:24:00  After the Shooting

01:39:35  Acceptance of Death

01:56:00  Mental Health Stigma

02:03:10  Justice Defined

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BAM has interviewed everyone from addicts to authors, athletes to warriors but his most important mission isn’t behind a mic. It’s at home.

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Steve Gould has spent nearly two decades in law enforcement, but his career has taken a path few ever walk. From working the wild and unpredictable terrain of Cape Cod as a Natural Resources Officer, to pushing a cruiser on the street, to becoming a civilian background investigator for the LAPD, Steve has seen every side of the badge.

In 2018, he launched the wildly popular Things Police See podcast — a space where active and retired cops come off script and tell the stories that never make it into official reports. The funny ones. The dark ones. The ones that stay with you long after the shift ends. Now, through his Sgt. Steve YouTube channel, he breaks down body-cam footage with the kind of insight only someone who’s lived it can provide.

In this episode of Beyond the Barrel, we go deeper than the uniform and the footage. We talk about what those moments really do to the men and women who experience them, how storytelling has become a form of therapy for cops, and why the truth of police work is far more complicated than what the headlines or viral clips ever show.

This is a raw, honest conversation about life behind the badge, the weight cops carry home, and the power of telling the stories that need to be told — straight, no chaser.

Timestamps: 

07:30  Bodycam Breakdown

14:30  Police Upbringing

21:00  Communication Skills

27:45  Academy Reality

34:30  Firearms Training

41:30  LAPD Experience

48:15  California Policing

55:30  Career Reflections

1:08:30  Leaving It Better

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Truth isn’t always comfortable and it’s rarely safe.

In this episode of Beyond the Barrel, Kenny sits down with Adam and Tyler Hoover for a raw, unfiltered conversation about war, policing, trauma, and the cost of speaking out.

Adam’s path took him from the U.S. Marine Corps into law enforcement, working everything from small-town policing to state-level interdiction units, building a career rooted in proactive enforcement and firsthand experience with how the system truly operates.

Tyler began in the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne, deploying to Baghdad during Operation Iraqi Freedom before transitioning into law enforcement, where he served in SWAT, Street Crimes, and as a Field Training Officer. As the founder of Anti-Hero Broadcast, he’s become one of the most controversial voices in the first responder space by openly challenging toxic leadership and performative politics.

Together, they break down why confrontation is sometimes necessary, the toll bad leadership takes on law enforcement, and how war and policing permanently shape perspective. The conversation turns deeply personal as they share the story of their uncle’s murder and the long fight for justice.

This isn’t a safe or polished conversation—it’s the truth, poured straight.

Off duty. Off script. Beyond the barrel.

Timestamps: 

08:30  Career Paths

17:30  Toxic Agencies

27:30  Cold Case Murder

37:00  Family Impact

46:00  State Law Differences

55:30  Drug Interdiction

1:05:30  Rural Policing

1:15:30  Border & Crime

1:25:00  Final Thoughts

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Beyond the Barrel is where we pour truths straight, no chaser.

In this episode, we sit down with David Hines, a former law enforcement officer whose career in a South Louisiana narcotics unit ended with a federal civil rights conviction and a prison sentence. What followed was the loss of his badge, his career, his identity and a reckoning that reshaped how he views leadership, ethics, and responsibility in policing.

David doesn’t speak in excuses or deflection. He speaks in ownership. This conversation goes beyond headlines and courtrooms and into the real consequences of misconduct legal, professional, and deeply personal. We talk about the impact on family, the erosion of trust, and how culture, supervision, and decision-making can quietly push officers toward irreversible mistakes.

This episode isn’t about tearing policing down. It’s about protecting it by confronting uncomfortable truths, emphasizing accountability, and challenging leaders to build cultures that prevent failure instead of explaining it away.

If you’re an officer, supervisor, or leader who believes integrity matters and that hard conversations save careers this one’s for you.

Off duty. Off script. And beyond the barrel.

Timestamps: 

11:30 – Law Enforcement Roots

24:00 – Early Patrol Years

37:45 – Career Progression

51:30 – Narcotics Unit

1:06:00 – Leadership & Culture

1:20:45 – Critical Incident

1:34:30 – Mental Impact

1:48:15 – Prison Reality

1:59:30 – Lessons Learned

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With more than four decades of service to the Arkansas State Police, Keith Eremea exemplifies leadership, experience, and service-driven command. Serving 43 years as a commissioned Trooper, he rose through nearly every rank—from Trooper to Captain—mentoring and supervising hundreds of Troopers statewide.

His career spans patrol, highway interdiction, training, emergency response, and executive leadership. He commanded the largest troop in Arkansas, overseeing more than 100 personnel, reducing crashes and fatalities, expanding DWI enforcement, and coordinating major state and federal operations. As a leader in interdiction, he supervised teams responsible for seizing millions in narcotics and currency and dismantling major drug operations.

A nationally recognized trainer, he helped introduce PIT training in Arkansas, modernized emergency vehicle operations, developed statewide curricula, and instructed thousands of officers nationwide. He also served as Canine Coordinator and played a key role in updating fitness standards and training systems.

This episode explores leadership under pressure, lessons learned, and leaving a lasting legacy in law enforcement. Off duty. Off script. Beyond the barrel.

Timestamps:

02:06 – Motivation mindset

04:04 – Rockefeller influence

06:15 – Interdiction bug

09:21 – Line-of-duty loss

12:17 – Fleeing felons

18:30 – Craft mastery

22:10 – PIT training

39:20 – Communication skills

52:01 – Interdiction dangers

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K-9s don’t get a pension. They don’t get a retirement plan. They get us—or they get forgotten.

In this episode of Beyond the Barrel, we sit down with Chris Bingham—a law enforcement leader with over 20 years of service and a lifelong commitment to police K-9s. A graduate of Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command, Chris has built and led K-9 programs nationwide—but his most powerful story is the bond with his retired partner, K-9 Tambo.

Chris opens up about loyalty beyond the uniform, the responsibility handlers carry after retirement, and why advocating for working dogs through organizations like Project K9 Hero matters more than ever.

This conversation goes beyond training and tactics—into leadership, sacrifice, fitness, fatherhood, and honoring those who served without a voice.

Off duty. Off script. Beyond the Barrel. Project K-9 Hero

00:00 — K9 Resilience

01:30 — Career Transition

04:50 — Growing Up

07:40 — Fatherhood Impact

11:00 — Communication Matters

15:00 — Finding Direction

21:00 — Entering K9

28:20 — Mentorship Loss

36:40 — Handler Bond

47:05 — Tambo’s Story

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Mike’s story starts in North Bellmore, New York—an accountant chasing numbers until he realized his real calling was chasing justice. Trading spreadsheets for a badge, he joined the Atlanta Police Department in 1993, later serving nearly two decades with the Suffolk County Police Department. But after years in the trenches, Mike’s service came with unseen scars. Following his retirement, he faced anger, depression, and the heavy weight of PTSD.

In this episode of Beyond the Barrel, Mike opens up about the dark side of life after the job—and the unexpected path that led him to healing through plant-based medicine, specifically Ayahuasca. What began as a desperate search for peace became a mission: helping other veterans and first responders reclaim their lives from trauma.

This is a story about breaking stigma, finding purpose, and discovering that sometimes the road to redemption runs through the jungle.

Follow Mike and his journey at @theresilientwarrior5778 (https://www.instagram.com/theresilientwarrior5778?igsh=Mmx4c2pmNDhmaGh3).

Timestamps: 

04:00 – Mental Health  

07:45 – Hockey Roots  

13:10 – Atlanta Chaos  

21:55 – Olympic Policing  

27:15 – NY Transition  

34:40 – Anti-Crime  

41:35 – Off-Duty Life  

48:00 – Breaking Point  

52:35 – PTSD Realization  

55:30 – Healing Journey 

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Silence protects the wrong people. I chose a different path. Beyond the Barrel is where we pour truths—straight, no chaser.

Officer Melissa Trump “Silence protects the wrong people. I chose a different path.” When her department tried to terminate her, Melissa refused to be silenced. With integrity, strength, and resilience, she defended her name, kept her badge, and proved that courage isn’t just worn on a uniform—it’s carried in the heart.

A K-9 handler and fierce advocate for justice, Melissa and her Belgian Malinois, Tiko, were reunited and Melissa continues to serve their community with professionalism and purpose. Today, Melissa uses her voice—and her experience—to stand up for others who have been wronged. She believes in speaking the truth, challenging injustice, and doing what’s right, even when it isn’t easy. This episode goes beyond the badge and into the battle—where integrity was tested, courage took the lead, and justice had a name: Melissa Trump.

01:20 – Police Culture

03:15 – Early Life

04:20 – WNBA Dreams

05:52 – Choosing Policing

08:26 – Hiring Process

22:20 – K-9 Journey

32:03 – Targeting Begins

41:37 – Son’s Arrest

55:14 – Merit Hearing

59:49 – K-9 Returned

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