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In this episode, I am joined by former LEO (corrections, sheriff's deputy, police) Shawn Barnes.  We cover his career progress, lessons in empathy and caring for people- from inmates to those in crisis.  

Shawn now serves as the director for Stronger Families- promoting first responders' health and wellness through supporting the family.  We cover why family can so often take the backseat in priorities, but why and how we can bring them back into the foreground.

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Shawn brings over 15 years of extensive law enforcement experience to Stronger Families. He specializes in mental health and substance use disorder intervention and wellness. Shawn has managed critical programs and has expertise across training, tactical operations, stakeholder engagement, and program expansion.

Shawn is a gift public speaker and leader. He has served as a presenter, panelist, and training instructor. Shawn is the only police officer to receive the Frank M. Adams Award for volunteer service to mental health systems. As an Advanced Peace Officer, his credentials include over 3,700 hours of accredited training from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, alongside numerous additional certifications. Shawn lives in Corpus Christi, TX, with his wife Amy and their three children: Katia (9), Odin (5), and Nikolai (3).

strongerfamilies.com

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Bad cops in the news.  It stings every time.  So many men and women put their blood, sweat, and tears out on the line to rep the profession and serve the public.  That is in a literal sense.  And so, when our police leaders hit the front page with scandal, corruption, nepotism and cronyism, it feels like that much bigger of a gut punch.

In this episode, I'm joined by veteran police leader, retired Capt. William "Bill" Fraass.  He has done not only the deep dive in experience, but studying and capturing police leadership history and iconic contemporary examples.  We discuss blemishes in leadership- to include one growing worse apparently by the week- and what responsible leaders can and should do to elevate themselves and their people.

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William started his career with the Sausalito (CA) Police Department on May 21, 1996 as 19 year old Reserve Officer.  During the following 27 years, William rose through the ranks to Captain with his last active duty assignment being Acting Chief of Police before suffering an injury that led to his medical retirement in 2023.

A progressive law enforcement leader with extensive administrative, patrol, and investigative experience, William served in many diverse assignments. He is a graduate of the FBI's National Academy and has a Masters Degree in Criminal Justice specializing in Law Enforcement Management and Terrorism/Homeland Security.

William is the author of the book Leadership in Law Enforcement: 10 Key Traits and What Law Enforcement Agencies Can Do To Develop These In Future Leaders. William is now the Managing Consultant/Owner of Code 33 Consulting LLC, a consulting group that focuses on providing consulting, training, administrative investigation, and expert witness services to public safety agencies, private businesses, and public/community groups. 

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Need help with entry-level OR promotional testing? Stop spinning your wheels and prep the right mindset and awareness of all the critical hiring steps with my comprehensive hiring guide:
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We often talk about the grind and impacts of a first responder career- on our minds, bodies, families, and general outlook.  Active cop/firefighter/trainer Dennis Pishock joins me for a raw, real talk dive into the importance of health routines- from high-intensity workouts to restorative meditation practices.

His "why" and belief structures came from enduring hard, dismal outlook as the trauma became so prevailing and significant, which he details in his book.  It doesn't pull the punches, and parts were certainly hard to read.  I am glad to have him join me on the show, offering aligned perspectives of continually pursuing personal excellence in order to build resilience and GRIT.

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Dennis Pishock is the author of “Demons and Angels”, a book about Trauma, Peer Support and how to care for yourself while in a career in public safety. He is a 24 year veteran in Law Enforcement, Firefighting, Swift Water Rescue, EMT-I, and Peer Support. He hold's rank in multiple martial arts, defensive tactics & combatives. He holds certifications in all aspects of public safety, including SPEAR Instructor, Defensive Tactics Instructor, Peer Support Counselor, Hostage Negotiator, EMT-I, and Swift Water Technician. Dennis ran his own martial arts school for 17 years and has always demonstrated an uncanny ability to motivate employees and to lead teams through high stress situations.

IG: pishocks_patriots

LinkedIn-Dennis Pishock

pishockbooks.com

[email protected]

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Please help support a healthier first responder community by giving us a 5 star rating (Spotify and Apple) and a review (on Apple) to help others find the show.

Need help with entry-level OR promotional testing? Stop spinning your wheels and prep the right mindset and awareness of all the critical hiring steps with my comprehensive hiring guide:
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Soon after I entered into the police wellness space, I learned about Chief Neil Dubord's leadership philosophy and style- which incorporated wellness concepts foundationally.  I learned about his Bend, Don't Break podcast, which highlights these crucial health topics for officers to endure, maintain and build resilience.

It was my sincere pleasure and honor to meet and join him on the show, as it was to be able to pick his brain on leadership.  He shares his outlook, and how he embraced humility and putting himself back in the forge from the beginning of his law enforcement career- and continually.  Some people get impatient and don't want to do the work.. listen and learn from an extremely accomplished leader (beyond rank, but with reputation).

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Neil Dubord is an accomplished law enforcement professional and leader with over thirty-five years of experience in policing and public safety. Career highlights include executive leadership roles as the Chief of the Delta Police Department, the Chief of the Metro Vancouver Transit Police, and the Deputy Chief of the Edmonton Police Service. 

A respected thought leader, he has contributed to national and international discussions on incident command, crisis management, and public trust. He has delivered keynotes at major conferences, participated in international committees, and published in prominent journals on topics related to policing, leadership, and organizational change.

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It is every police leader's responsibility to not only continually develop their own skills and abilities but to prepare the next generation of leaders.  Retired Capt. William Fraass helps you meet this task by providing a clear blueprint to follow in his book, Leadership in Law Enforcement.  To learn more about his book and other consulting and training he provides, go to www.code33consulting.com

To stay connected with the latest and exclusive content:

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Don’t forget to follow and subscribe to Blue Grit Radio on Apple, Spotify, YouTube and more! Sharing the show and episodes to your friends, peers, circles and social platforms is one of the greatest compliments I can receive- which truly helps the show grow.

Please help support a healthier first responder community by giving us a 5 star rating (Spotify and Apple) and a review (on Apple) to help others find the show.

Need help with entry-level OR promotional testing? Stop spinning your wheels and prep the right mindset and awareness of all the critical hiring steps with my comprehensive hiring guide:
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Email me at [email protected] !

-------------------------------------

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Leaders are Readers. And so much of leading is learning, trying, and staying humble.   I had heard of "How to Win Friends and Influence People" many moons ago, but I didn't like the vibe of the title- as it felt manipulative.  

A wise leader I know and respect pointed out that all leadership is that in certain ways- and influencing/manipulating/compelling does not have to be coercive, authoritative, or toxic.  It can and often is simply getting people to come aboard- which can involve charisma, relational trust, and simply patient and respectful communication.

In this episode, I am joined by my great friend and brother and former officer (and firefighter) Trevor Wolcott.  We each took a dive into the book by Carnegie and share key takeaways that are applicable to better policing with the public, leadership and team dynamics, and perhaps being a better person in general.

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Prior conversations with Trevor: Eps. 17 and 136

Referenced Eps: 38 with Bill Blowers, 49 with Chris Nielsen

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Don’t forget to follow and subscribe to Blue Grit Radio on Apple, Spotify, YouTube and more! Sharing the show and episodes to your friends, peers, circles and social platforms is one of the greatest compliments I can receive- which truly helps the show grow.

Please help support a healthier first responder community by giving us a 5 star rating (Spotify and Apple) and a review (on Apple) to help others find the show.

Need help with entry-level OR promotional testing? Stop spinning your wheels and prep the right mindset and awareness of all the critical hiring steps with my comprehensive hiring guide:
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-------------------------------------

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Adversity, challenge, issues, problems.. If we take a beat we can recognize the power of facing, battling and overcoming these items- not just because we CAN but because we GET BETTER.  Many of your gritty, growth-minded individuals find ways to regularly lean into challenge.  Some of us find ways to inject and inflate adversities with the goal of betterment.

That's all and well, but what about when we don't want that thing? What about when it's devastating? What about when it's a tragedy.  In this episode, I heard a concept about a devastating challenge that faced someone, and how they flipped it.  It had me stop in my tracks (literally, I was on a run and had to stop to make a note to revisit it).  

Here I share it with you, as it is absolutely critical for us as first responders, high-drive doers, movers, shakers, family leaders, and on and on... to BE our best by supporting and building our mindsets and resolve.

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It is every police leader's responsibility to not only continually develop their own skills and abilities but to prepare the next generation of leaders.  Retired Capt. William Fraass helps you meet this task by providing a clear blueprint to follow in his book, Leadership in Law Enforcement.  To learn more about his book and other consulting and training he provides, go to www.code33consulting.com

To stay connected with the latest and exclusive content:

Subscribe to the FREE newsletter at on bluegritwellness.com !

Don’t forget to follow and subscribe to Blue Grit Radio on Apple, Spotify, YouTube and more! Sharing the show and episodes to your friends, peers, circles and social platforms is one of the greatest compliments I can receive- which truly helps the show grow.

Please help support a healthier first responder community by giving us a 5 star rating (Spotify and Apple) and a review (on Apple) to help others find the show.

Need help with entry-level OR promotional testing? Stop spinning your wheels and prep the right mindset and awareness of all the critical hiring steps with my comprehensive hiring guide:
bluegritwellness.com/shop

Email me at [email protected] !

-------------------------------------

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I received a question from one of you asking about my most satisfying arrest. It was hard to pick one, but I picked something that definitely stood out.  

As I went to record and talk about it- I ended up feeling a lot of things- and satisfied wasn't really one of them. I felt a bit sad about the whole thing.  The victim. The circumstances, the community it affected.  I tabled the idea.

Some time later, two returning guests/coworkers of mine: Sam Steiner and Tessa Melville  and I started bouncing some ideas around. This came back up and we explored the idea.  Some intriguing themes came through that will resonate with listeners, in and out of the law enforcement community.  Turns out the answer isn't quite so simple, and much has to do with the limited amount of control we in police have in the outcomes of situations.

This is an important one for new and upcoming officers, as so many of us come in with the best intentions, optimism, and have to grapple with the truth of what can and often happens.

To learn more about Sam and Tessa, check out episodes: 98 & 131 (Tessa), and 147 (Sam).

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Many agencies across the country are still struggling with their numbers, which impacts everyone’s wellness, and truly their ability to do their job.  Enter Performance Protocol, a premier solution to address these exact challenges- helping to not only get your agency fully-staffed- but stay fully staffed.  To learn more, go to performance-protocol.com .

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Don’t forget to follow and subscribe to Blue Grit Radio on Apple, Spotify, YouTube and more! Sharing the show and episodes to your friends, peers, circles and social platforms is one of the greatest compliments I can receive- which truly helps the show grow.

Please help support a healthier first responder community by giving us a 5 star rating (Spotify and Apple) and a review (on Apple) to help others find the show.

Need help with entry-level OR promotional testing? Stop spinning your wheels and prep the right mindset and awareness of all the critical hiring steps with my comprehensive hiring guide:
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-------------------------------------

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A.I. is HERE, and like any other tool or technology, law enforcement needs to be aware of how to adopt it responsibly. When it comes to report generation, many agency leaders and officers recognize its potential, as well as hazards that can be detrimental toward policing, implementation, and prosecution. 

In this episode, I am joined by Daniel Francis, CEO and founder of Abel- which has the goal of reducing report writing time into mere fractions to improve officer operability and efficacy.  We discuss what officers and leaders need to know, what to avoid, and how to use it responsibly.

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Abel takes police body camera footage and turns it into completed police reports. Currently American patrol officers spend one third of their shift writing reports - turning that to zero would increase the effective police force by 50%, radically changing US cities.

Daniel Francis is the CEO and founder of Abel, which is leveraging AI to revolutionize report writing for police. Daniel is a former member of Twitter’s transition team under Elon Musk and a software engineer. After witnessing how police understaffing affected a friend's domestic violence case, he interned at Richmond Police Department to understand law enforcement needs firsthand.

Now as CEO of Abel, Daniel is working with a distinguished team of advisors from organizations including Axon, the Department of Homeland Security, OpenAI, and the International Association of Chiefs of Police to bring the latest in Silicon Valley innovation to policing.

This episode is sponsored by Abel, to learn more visit abelpolice.com

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Don’t forget to follow and subscribe to Blue Grit Radio on Apple, Spotify, YouTube and more! Sharing the show and episodes to your friends, peers, circles and social platforms is one of the greatest compliments I can receive- which truly helps the show grow.

Please help support a healthier first responder community by giving us a 5 star rating (Spotify and Apple) and a review (on Apple) to help others find the show.

Need help with entry-level OR promotional testing? Stop spinning your wheels and prep the right mindset and awareness of all the critical hiring steps with my comprehensive hiring guide:
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Email me at [email protected] !

-------------------------------------

Want a discount on the best value high-quality supplements? I've legitimately used Nutricost products easily for a decade. Whey isolate, plant proteins, collagen, vitamins, etc...??

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Often, we discuss loss, grief, and resilience in this first responder career.  Too often, what we see and manage in our jobs collides with the stress and trauma of our personal lives.  When is enough, ENOUGH? When is it all... just too much?

Fellow former police sergeant, wellness advocate, author, podcaster, returning guest and friend Chris Littrell is a shining example of what resilience looks like.  He shows us that its not pretty. It's not polished.  We discuss all that.. and how it is a continual effort, challenge, and process.

I struggle to find the appropriate words to capture his role modeling to us all- as he has shared publicly about the unimaginable: the recent loss of his daughter, amidst his continual post traumatic growth journey.

In a raw, personal, and collaborative event, we are joined by fellow former police sergeant, LEO, wellness advocate, author, podcaster, returning guest, and friend John Kelly- who has been along him in the journey- as our unified goals and to share in conversation for our first responder community- that we may all struggle a little better, TOGETHER.
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Chris Littrell (Sergeant, ret.)
www.gravityct.com
@thatgravitypodcast
-
John Kelly (Sergeant, ret.)
www.lawenforcementlifecoach.com
[email protected]

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It is every police leader's responsibility to not only continually develop their own skills and abilities but to prepare the next generation of leaders.  Retired Capt. William Fraass helps you meet this task by providing a clear blueprint to follow in his book, Leadership in Law Enforcement.  To learn more about his book and other consulting and training he provides, go to www.code33consulting.com

To stay connected with the latest and exclusive content:

Subscribe to the FREE newsletter at on bluegritwellness.com !

Don’t forget to follow and subscribe to Blue Grit Radio on Apple, Spotify, YouTube and more! Sharing the show and episodes to your friends, peers, circles and social platforms is one of the greatest compliments I can receive- which truly helps the show grow.

Please help support a healthier first responder community by giving us a 5 star rating (Spotify and Apple) and a review (on Apple) to help others find the show.

Need help with entry-level OR promotional testing? Stop spinning your wheels and prep the right mindset and awareness of all the critical hiring steps with my comprehensive hiring guide:
bluegritwellness.com/shop

Email me at [email protected] !

-------------------------------------

Want a discount on the best value high-quality supplements? I've legitimately used Nutricost products easily for a decade. Whey isolate, plant proteins, collagen, vitamins, etc...??

Promo Code: BLUEGRIT - 10% off

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In this episode, I'm joined by active police sergeant and host/creator of Things Police See.  I've been on his show and am glad to be able to have him here.  He shares about his career, the podcasting journey and the negativity AND positivity of police culture.

Steve Gould is a police sergeant currently working in Western Massachusetts and is on his 19th year of LE service. He hosts the popular podcast, Things Police See: Firsthand Accounts. On the podcast he interviews active and retired law enforcement officers about their most intense, bizarre, and entertaining calls to service. 

The goal of the podcast is to give the listener an inside look to what the police actually endure on a daily basis with the hope that they will gain a better appreciation for the profession. 

Instagram @thingspolicesee

Facebook group - Things Police See

http://www.thingspolicesee.com

email [email protected]

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As a police leader who has responded to many mental health calls, I recognize the need for tools that enhance collaboration between behavioral health and law enforcement.

 Julota simplifies co-responder and crisis response programs with smarter data and communication solutions.

For a demo, visit https://hubs.li/Q031xBGv0

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Don’t forget to follow and subscribe to Blue Grit Radio on Apple, Spotify, YouTube and more! Sharing the show and episodes to your friends, peers, circles and social platforms is one of the greatest compliments I can receive- which truly helps the show grow.

Please help support a healthier first responder community by giving us a 5 star rating (Spotify and Apple) and a review (on Apple) to help others find the show.

Need help with entry-level OR promotional testing? Stop spinning your wheels and prep the right mindset and awareness of all the critical hiring steps with my comprehensive hiring guide:
bluegritwellness.com/shop

Email me at [email protected] !

-------------------------------------

Want a discount on the best value high-quality supplements? I've legitimately used Nutricost products easily for a decade. Whey isolate, plant proteins, collagen, vitamins, etc...??

Promo Code: BLUEGRIT - 10% off

Affiliate link: https://nutricost.com/discount/BLUEGRIT

-----------——————————-

music credit: Drive by AShamaluevMusic