In this episode of Beyond the Barrel, we sit down with Nick, a former officer from the Daly City Police Department who spent nine years policing the streets of the San Francisco Bay Area. Working in one of the most demanding environments in the country, Nick’s career was shaped by high-crime neighborhoods and a department culture that expected cops to work hard, stay proactive, and take bad people to jail.

Nick’s path in policing took him through crime suppression assignments, gang task force operations, and multiple plain-clothes roles focused on surveillance and street enforcement. Ultimately, he reached one of his career goals becoming a K-9 handler while gaining experience in investigations that ranged from petty theft all the way to homicide.

This conversation goes beyond the badge and into the mindset it takes to thrive in high pressure policing. We talk about proactive police work, the decision-making that happens in split seconds, and the culture that shapes the kind of cop you become.

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

Timestamps: 

2:00 – Nick Background

10:00 – Proactive Policing

20:00 – Leadership Culture

30:00 – Job Reality

40:00 – Hiring Issues

50:00 – Early Life

1:00:00 – Career Path

1:15:00 – Street Experience

1:30:00 – Lessons Learned

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Who Tells the Victim’s Story? The Woman Helping Police Bring Justice to the Forgotten

In this episode, we sit down with Ms. Guillen, a media producer, advocate, and law enforcement ally dedicated to solving violent crimes and keeping victims’ stories alive.

In 2012, she launched Case Files: Chicago, a groundbreaking series designed to assist law enforcement in solving homicide cases and bringing justice to families. Airing for six seasons on The CW, the show earned strong ratings and an Emmy nomination in 2018.

Her mission extends beyond television. From producing true-crime documentaries like Porter—recognized by TIME Magazine—to leading The Whole Truth Project, she has built bridges between media, investigators, and families seeking answers.

Her work has helped keep unsolved cases in the spotlight, organize press conferences, and create art exhibits honoring victims. Along the way, she has built trusted relationships with law enforcement agencies nationwide.

Recognized for her impact, Ms. Guillen received the FBI Director’s Leadership Award and continues supporting law enforcement through training initiatives and advocacy programs.

This conversation dives into the intersection of media, justice, and advocacy—and the powerful role storytelling plays in keeping victims from being forgotten.

Off duty. Off script.

This is Beyond the Barrel.

Timestamps: 

0:31 — Crisis Role

3:30 — Early Life

6:45 — Life-Changing Attack

9:30 — Crime Show Start

12:00 — First Case

16:00 — K9 Breakthrough

20:00 — Viral Collab

24:00 — Police Impact

30:00 — Emotional Toll

34:00 — Mental Health

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On this episode we sit down with Brandon Deckert, a Wyoming Highway Patrol Sergeant whose career has been built on the front lines of criminal interdiction and K-9 operations.

Born and raised in northern Minnesota, he began his law enforcement career with the Wyoming Highway Patrol in 2007 at just 22 years old after earning a degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology. In 2011, he was selected for the WHP K-9 Team, where he has handled three single-purpose narcotics detection dogs and built a reputation as a dedicated interdiction officer.

In 2023, Brandon was promoted to Sergeant, supervising Uinta and Lincoln Counties in Troop “D” while serving as the Wyoming Highway Patrol K-9 Team Coordinator. In 2025, he transitioned into the Special Operations Division, where he now supervises a full-time interdiction team and oversees the statewide K-9 Unit.

His work in interdiction earned him the Rocky Mountain HIDTA Interdiction Officer of the Year Award in 2021. Outside of law enforcement, Brandon is a Christian, a father of three, and the owner of True North K-9 Solutions, helping agencies build stronger K-9 programs through training, risk assessments, documentation, and detection dog development.

In this conversation, we go beyond the uniform and around the bourbon barrel to talk about K-9 culture, interdiction, leadership, faith, and building programs that actually work on the street.

Timestamps: 

03:00  Minnesota Roots

06:05  Becoming Trooper

11:00  Communication Skills

16:20  Sports & Football

18:20  K-9 Inspiration

27:00  Policing Culture

35:00  Rural Policing

42:58  Interdiction Career

59:10  Dog Business

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

Garry Chapman was born into a name the country already knew. As the son of Duane Chapman, better known as “Dog the Bounty Hunter,” he grew up around criminal behavior, accountability, and national attention. Cameras, criticism, and pressure were nothing new.

But legacy doesn’t have to mean imitation.

Instead of chasing fugitives on television, Garry chose professional law enforcement. He left Hawaii, stepped out of the shadow of a larger-than-life public figure, and built his own reputation through patrol work, proactive enforcement, DUI interdiction, and criminal investigations.

In this episode, we go beyond the last name and into the man behind it. We discuss identity, public perception, constitutional policing, and what it means to earn credibility when people assume it was handed to you.

This one isn’t about fame.

It’s about independence.

It’s about resilience.

It’s about earning your own badge.

Off duty. Off script. And beyond the barrel.

Timestamps:

02:47 – Cop Aspirations

05:27 – Celebrity Kid

08:54 – Explorer Program

14:54 – Parents’ Past

24:58 – Mom’s Cancer

31:00 – Small-Town Start

36:31 – Sister’s Tragedy

39:45 – Fitness Wake-Up

53:14 – Law School Plans

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This week, we go beneath the surface literally and philosophically.

Commander William C. Spears is a submarine warfare officer in the United States Navy, a nuclear-trained officer, and the author of Stoicism as a Warrior Philosophy. From enlisting in the Navy’s nuclear propulsion program straight out of Pineville, Louisiana, to graduating from the United States Naval Academy with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Spears has built a career defined by discipline, depth, and deliberate leadership.

He has served aboard multiple nuclear-powered submarines, including as Weapons Officer on a fast-attack submarine and Executive Officer on a Trident missile submarine—positions where decisions aren’t just tactical… they’re existential. Ashore, he has evaluated combat readiness across the submarine force and now serves inside the Pentagon in strategic assessment, shaping national defense at the highest levels before returning to sea duty in 2026.

But this conversation goes beyond rank and résumé.

We dive into:

    •    What leadership looks like when you’re sealed underwater for months at a time

    •    How Stoicism moves from ancient philosophy to modern warfare

    •    The psychological weight of command in environments where failure isn’t an option

    •    How discipline, ethics, and mental clarity define a warrior long before combat

    •    And why antagonizing your family with philosophical inquiry might just be elite-level dad humor

From nuclear reactors to national strategy, from depth charges to depth of character—this episode explores what it means to lead with conviction when pressure is constant and unseen.

Off duty. Off script. And far beyond the barrel.

Timestamps: 

3:15  Louisiana Roots

6:20  9/11 Experience

14:40  Submarine Culture

20:05  Life Underwater

25:50  Family Separation

32:10  Writing Journey

39:20  Publishing Process

46:30  Stockdale Influence

52:05  Hawaii & Japan

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Are We Training for the Threat… or Ignoring the Real Problem?

Beyond the Barrel is where we pour truths—straight, no chaser. This episode dives into the life of Officer Daniel Herrera, a former elementary school teacher turned law enforcement officer who now stands on the front lines of school safety and crisis response.

Herrera shares how his early years in education shaped his approach to policing, why protecting kids carries a different emotional weight, and what it’s like serving as both a School Resource Officer and Team Leader on a Crisis/Hostage Negotiation Team. We talk active threat preparedness, tactical medical training, and the realities of preparing officers, staff, and students for moments everyone hopes never come.

But beyond the badge, Daniel opens up about family life, Jiu Jitsu, motorcycles, and the importance of building trust off-duty through community initiatives like his annual “Ballin’ for Unity” basketball game. It’s a conversation about service, responsibility, and the human side of the people standing guard over our schools.

Off duty, off script, and beyond the barrel.

Timestamps: 

07:30 – Children’s Book

12:00 – Cuban Upbringing

19:30 – Personal Tragedy

24:30 – Career Switch

30:30 – Teaching Purpose

36:00 – Street Crimes

48:00 – Young Officers

50:00 – Jiu-Jitsu Start

01:25:00 – Justice & Family

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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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