Blue Grit Radio: the Police Performance Podcast: Mindset, Wellness, Leadership

As CEO and Founder of Work On Your Game Inc., Dre Baldwin has given 4 TEDxTalks on Discipline, Confidence, Mental Toughness & Personal Initiative and has authored 33 books. He has appeared in national campaigns with Nike, Finish Line, Wendy's, Gatorade, Buick, Wilson Sports, STASH Investments and DIME magazine.

In just 5 years, Dre went from the end of his high school team's bench to a 9-year professional basketball career. He played in 8 countries including Lithuania, Germany, Montenegro, Slovakia and Germany. 

Dre invented his Work On Your Game framework as a "roadmap in reverse" to help professionals with mindset, strategy, accountability and execution.

In our conversation, we discuss mindset over all, the power of initiative, self-belief and self-worth to accomplish dreams, develop yourself, your health, career, and life.
—
http://LinkedIn.com/in/DreAllDay

http://Facebook.com/WorkOnYourGame 

http://Twitter.com/DreAllDay
http://Instagram.com/DreBaldwin
http://YouTube.com/Dreupt
http://DreAllDay.com

Questions, topic ideas and feedback? Send a line!

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, promotional testing, career & mindset coaching? 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 at [email protected]

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

Want to safeguard your health and the health of your team?

United Diagnostic Services brings hospital-grade diagnostic technology directly to first responder agencies, making early detection of heart disease and cancer simpler than ever.

For more information, visit udshealth.com

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

*the opinions expressed in all episodes of this podcast and related materials do not reflect on any departments agencies. 

music credit: Drive by ASham...

Angel has been with the Auburn Police Department (APD) for 9 years.  In that time, he has served the department as a Chaplain, and currently is the Wellness Program Designer for APD.

Angel’s focus is the professional and analytical development of a wellness program that encompasses all aspects of an APD employee’s wellness (Mental, Physical, Spiritual, and Emotional Health). 

 Angel manages the APD Chaplain Program, the Peer Support Team, the APD Fitness Coaches as well as the Blue Auburn Resilience program.  He brings with him a wealth of leadership through compassion, national, regional and local relationships, and an analytical approach to ensuring the programs that he manages are based on best practices and research, while also being able to pivot and be personalized for individual participants.

Some of these innovations include incorporating holistic health trainings throughout APD, conducting new employee and family orientations, providing wellness outings for families to connect and strengthen their relationships with each other as well as the department, and working closely with the local community to build relationships and opportunities for connections.

It has been a distinct pleasure and benefit to connect with Angel as neighboring agency wellness leaders and advocates to better support and elevate our police culture. 

Questions, topic ideas and feedback? Send a line!

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, promotional testing, career & mindset coaching? 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 at [email protected]

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

Want to safeguard your health and the health of your team?

United Diagnostic Services brings hospital-grade diagnostic technology directly to first responder agencies, making early detection of heart disease and cancer simpler than ever.

For more information, visit udshealth.com

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

*the opinions expressed in all episodes of this podcast and related materials do not reflect on any departments agencies. 

music credit: Drive by ASham...

Michael is a military veteran and retired police sergeant. In this interview, he discusses his pursuit of a career of service, which unraveled after an officer-involved shooting.  He details his Post Traumatic Stress challenges  and ultimately his medical retirement.  Organizational betrayal is a topic we visit in the context of the end of his career.

We talk about his life and purpose now, from his speaking and daily routines to promote his best health, wellness, and a resilient mind. 

Michael is a dedicated advocate for awareness, prevention, education, training on Post Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI) and First Responder Suicide Prevention. Michael continues to speak at law enforcement agencies all over the United States.

In his International #1 BEST-SELLING book, RELENTLESS COURAGE: Winning the Battle Against Frontline Trauma, along with Dr. Shauna Springer, PhD, they tackle the complexity of trauma within the law enforcement community, uncovering the unspoken barriers, and outline a path to healing.

Questions, topic ideas and feedback? Send a line!

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, promotional testing, career & mindset coaching? 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 at [email protected]

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

Want to safeguard your health and the health of your team?

United Diagnostic Services brings hospital-grade diagnostic technology directly to first responder agencies, making early detection of heart disease and cancer simpler than ever.

For more information, visit udshealth.com

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

*the opinions expressed in all episodes of this podcast and related materials do not reflect on any departments agencies. 

music credit: Drive by ASham...

Cannot. Should not. Shall not. I wish!

We have seen lowered standards for years.. and it makes sense with the high attrition and low recruitment ability in law enforcement. It seemed the impossible task to recruit in that climate, yet departments were and are doing it now due to heightened engagement.. 

**Not lower standards!!** 

Lowering standards doesn’t only kick the can down the road, but allows issues to fester. It is creating more public safety and industry issues that we already need to address and fix, not worsen. 

Listen in for this to-the-point episode. The hope is this notion becomes unpopular and unacceptable amongst law enforcement professionals, community and governmental leaders, and everyday civilians alike. Share out this message so we can raise standards, expectations, and necessary performance!

Questions, topic ideas and feedback? Send a line!

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, promotional testing, career & mindset coaching? 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 at [email protected]

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

Want to safeguard your health and the health of your team?

United Diagnostic Services brings hospital-grade diagnostic technology directly to first responder agencies, making early detection of heart disease and cancer simpler than ever.

For more information, visit udshealth.com

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

*the opinions expressed in all episodes of this podcast and related materials do not reflect on any departments agencies. 

music credit: Drive by ASham...

Meagan McCarthy became a Deputy Sheriff for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department in June 2016. On September 4, 2019, Meagan’s life changed forever when she was involved in an on-duty shooting and attempted execution, which was captured on video and highly publicized. 

Following the shooting, because of another failed law enforcement piece of legislation, the suspect who attempt to assassinate her walked free. Meagan became medically retired for PTSD. She now advocates for first responder mental health, is a Fox News contributor and is on a dedicated mission to help fix her state of California.  

In our conversation, we discuss her road to policing, getting her start and the harrowing day that forever changed the course of her life.  We talk about the physical and mental injuries that resulted, post traumatic responses, suicidal ideation and ultimately her continued road to recovery and mission to elevate the profession’s landscape for others. 

IG @meaganmccarthy__

Questions, topic ideas and feedback? Send a line!

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, promotional testing, career & mindset coaching? 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 at [email protected]

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

Want to safeguard your health and the health of your team?

United Diagnostic Services brings hospital-grade diagnostic technology directly to first responder agencies, making early detection of heart disease and cancer simpler than ever.

For more information, visit udshealth.com

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

*the opinions expressed in all episodes of this podcast and related materials do not reflect on any departments agencies. 

music credit: Drive by ASham...

I met Dave after a colleague introduced us for me to hop on his Hero Academy podcast.  We had an engaging, fun conversation, not just about “the job” but dynamics with health, life and a host of other topics.  When we connected back on, as you will hear, it was right back into a host of topics- to include diving into dietary preferences and the conflicting information out there (hint: his plant-based lifestyle vs. my preference for high meat and protein consumption, none of which should be construed as medical advice! :p)

Nutrition is simply one topic (portion size and dieting hacks), but we also chat lessons learned from travel, side-hustles, and purpose beyond the badge, to include retirement.  We talk specifically what got him into public speaking from community meetings to suspect interrogations.

This is one that the newer officers and recruits will get a wealth of insight from specifically in how to talk to people.  We go into interview tips, rolling right into report writing, trouble with interpreters and finding role models and mentorship.  We cut back to working out as we age, training smarter and keeping it effective for the mission of our jobs and life itself.
__

David Leath (aka SuperDave) | Founder and CVO of The Hero Coach: a deeply personal brand with a humanitarian mission. Coach, Author and Speaker, a 17 year street cop/ 8 year Detective. David is also an adventurer who has climbed a 100’ waterfall in the Philippines, climbed the steps of a Buddhist temple in Japan, and explored 1/2 dozen other countries.  

Dave has found a simple process to guide others on a path to what most of us crave - living a more fulfilled life.

Learn how he has been able to balance his unorthodox lifestyle while building an incredibly successful business. If you think you're ready to start your own online business then his new book: The Heroic Coaching Blueprint, is where you should start.   

Website:
www.DavidLeath.com

LinkedIn:
 LinkedIn.com/in/davidleath1 

Podcast:
https://smartlink.ausha.co/the-hero-academy

 book release: 

https://a.co/d/dbUA4W9

Questions, topic ideas and feedback? Send a line!

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, promotional testing, career & mindset coaching? 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 at [email protected]

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

Want to safeguard your health and the health of your team?

United Diagnostic Services brings hospital-grade diagnostic technology directly to first responder agencies, making early detection of heart disease and cancer simpler than ever.

For more information, visit udshealth.com

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

*the opinions expressed in all episodes of this podcast and related materials do not reflect on any departments agencies. 

music credit: Drive by ASham...

On Blue Grit Radio, we are having the crucial conversation about not only resilience in first responder careers, but the worst risk of failure to do so: suicide. 

Ret. Sgt. Danny Coon didn’t always use to be an advocate for police mental health awareness and wellness.  He was of the older culture which grinded through.  As he entered retirement his eyes were opened to the significant statistics facing police suicide in and out of active duty. 

Now Danny focused his efforts through engagement in social media, his blog, podcast interviews and his book:  
“Bro;ken - Understanding the Effects of Post Traumatic Stress.”

—-
Danny E. Coon is a retired Sergeant from the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. He spent 30 of his 31 years of service assigned to Field Operations (patrol). He has worked as a patrol deputy, field training officer, detective, detective team leader, and sergeant. Danny has now, with the inspiration of God, dedicated himself to educating First Responders on the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress injury and Suicide prevention.

You can contact Danny by email - [email protected]

Questions, topic ideas and feedback? Send a line!

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, promotional testing, career & mindset coaching? 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 at [email protected]

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

Want to safeguard your health and the health of your team?

United Diagnostic Services brings hospital-grade diagnostic technology directly to first responder agencies, making early detection of heart disease and cancer simpler than ever.

For more information, visit udshealth.com

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

*the opinions expressed in all episodes of this podcast and related materials do not reflect on any departments agencies. 

music credit: Drive by ASham...

Following a seemingly impossible success in my police department’s recruiting efforts, I was invited to speak on a Lexipol panel focusing on the challenges and insights of police recruiting today.  Among the panelists was ret. Assistant Chief Jonni Redick from the California Highway Patrol.  I was extremely humbled to be included amongst her and the other panelists.  Not only was she instantly a wealth of knowledge and mentor by proxy, but extremely gracious in her compliments of my drive, offerings and leadership potential.

Sometimes we need a nudge of validation, and oftentimes I have found it of importance to receive it outside of your typical circles.  In our conversation, we take a deep dive into Jonni’s leadership prowess and how it developed through her life, assignments, and experiences.  

Jonni shares much of her story, lessons learned, and what we can all do to keep striving forward to overcome the doubters, and defeat the fixed mindset that we oftentimes allow to halt our own potential.  The takeaways in leadership and life surpass the bounds of the law enforcement or first responder professions undoubtedly.  

You can find Jonni and connect on LinkedIn.
--

Jonni Redick retired from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) as an Assistant Chief after serving a distinguished 29-year career. During her tenure, she rose through the ranks from a county clerical worker, breaking through the “less-than-one-percent” ceiling for women of color in executive leadership in law enforcement. She worked in a large multi-billion-dollar state agency with over 7,500 sworn members and collectively over 11,000 total employees.

Throughout her career, Redick worked across various locations in California, holding uniformed ranks from officer to Assistant Chief. 
Redick instructed first-line supervisors, middle managers, and commanders in her organization for over fifteen years. Her training and instructional background include leadership development, promotional readiness, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), organizational change, risk management, and public trust.   She graduated from the California Commission on POST Command College and  holds a Master of Science in Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership. Additionally, she is a doctoral candidate  for a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Organizational Change and Administration.

Redick is an adjunct faculty member for the University of San Diego, where she trains leaders nationwide, and San Joaquin Delta College. She is a member of several professional organizations, including the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the American Association of University Women, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE).

In addition, she is a published author of two books: “Survival Guide” to Law Enforcement Promotional Preparation and her leadership memoir “Black, White & Blue: Surviving the Sifting.” She is also a regular contributor to Police1 and a public speaker.

Questions, topic ideas and feedback? Send a line!

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, promotional testing, career & mindset coaching? 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 at [email protected]

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

Want to safeguard your health and the health of your team?

United Diagnostic Services brings hospital-grade diagnostic technology directly to first responder agencies, making early detection of heart disease and cancer simpler than ever.

For more information, visit udshealth.com

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

*the opinions expressed in all episodes of this podcast and related materials do not reflect on any departments agencies. 

music credit: Drive by ASham...

With increasing awareness of the necessity for Officer Wellness, Lt. Joe Gamaldi leads from the front.  We talk about how he shares simple, tangible information via his social media as he excels in fitness in his 40s.  Beyond that, we talk about the dynamics of creating a supportive culture at work- which is foundational to officer wellness and well-being.  As an LT.  we dive into the dynamics of "mid management" in a police agency, and the simple ways you can show up for your people to buck traditional trends.
--
FOP National Vice President Joe Gamaldi was born and raised on Long Island, NY. Following high school he attended the University of Hartford, where he earned a degree in Criminal Justice, with minors in Political Science and Sociology. After graduation, Joe was hired by the NYPD in 2005 where he worked as an officer for approximately three years. He then transferred to the Houston Police Department in 2008, where he is currently an active Lieutenant.

Shortly after graduation from the academy, he completed his Master’s Degree from Long Island University in Homeland Security Management. Joe then went on to serve as a Board Member of the Houston Police Officers’ Union (HPOU) FOP Lodge 110 before being elected the Second Vice President, serving in that capacity for five years before being elected President of the Houston Police Officers’ Union, where he served for three years. Joe was elected National Vice President of the Fraternal Order of Police in August of 2019 in New Orleans.

Within the National FOP Joe led the committee which developed the first National FOP mobile app, free to all members. He also assists running the social media platforms for the National FOP and with media relations/responses.

You can follow Joe on Twitter @joegamaldi

Questions, topic ideas and feedback? Send a line!

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, promotional testing, career & mindset coaching? 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 at [email protected]

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

Want to safeguard your health and the health of your team?

United Diagnostic Services brings hospital-grade diagnostic technology directly to first responder agencies, making early detection of heart disease and cancer simpler than ever.

For more information, visit udshealth.com

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

*the opinions expressed in all episodes of this podcast and related materials do not reflect on any departments agencies. 

music credit: Drive by ASham...

In first responder work, we frequently discuss and train situational awareness.  There is an increasingly necessary discussion for civilians as well.  It goes beyond walking alone at night in the city... but into how to approach large-scale public events, going shopping at the local grocery, or even how and whether to answer the door in your own home.

I was fortunate to connect with Kelly Sayre on a joint forum discussion on the topic with our friends at The Collective.  Kelly is the author of "Sharp Women" which discusses the topic at length and with powerful anecdotes.  We talk about how she was looking for a book in the space, but like so many driven individuals on Blue Grit Radio, sought to create the project where she found a void.

As a police officer, there are so many considerations situational awareness which will help you survive, but also help influence how you consider not just the environment but that of others that you serve.  As a husband and girl dad, the lessons and perspectives on how to regard issues that often times solely affect women was impactful and insightful.

We cover topics from the need for awareness, domestic violence considerations, good and bad policing carryovers, how to navigate the world with a balance of awareness, curiousity, and kindness and how we may all foster the SHARPness we are born with.

--

Kelly Sayre empowers women with realistic tactics and tools to help them live life safely and on their own terms. Her refreshing angle on women’s safety emphasizes non-physical, proactive situational awareness techniques that recognize and avoid threatening situations before they happen. 

With a grounded approach and high energy, Kelly works with law enforcement, nonprofit, corporate and youth organizations on emergency preparedness, situational awareness training and personal safety. She is a frequent speaker at national events and a guest on global podcasts.  

Kelly is trained in FEMA’s Community Emergency Response Team program, the Department of Homeland Security’s Active Shooter Preparedness Workshop, and Texas A&M Extension Service’s Crisis Communications & Special Events Risk Management. She is a member of the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals. Kelly lives in Minnesota with her two children.

--
Links:

Website:www.thediamondarrowgroup.com

IG: www.instagram.com/thediamondarrowgroup

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellysayre/

Sharp Women book: https://amzn.to/3GRD6Du

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheDiamondArrowGroup

Email: [email protected]

Schedule a call with Kelly: https://calendly.com/thediamondarrowgroup/connection-call

Questions, topic ideas and feedback? Send a line!

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, promotional testing, career & mindset coaching? 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 at [email protected]

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

Want to safeguard your health and the health of your team?

United Diagnostic Services brings hospital-grade diagnostic technology directly to first responder agencies, making early detection of heart disease and cancer simpler than ever.

For more information, visit udshealth.com

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

*the opinions expressed in all episodes of this podcast and related materials do not reflect on any departments agencies. 

music credit: Drive by ASham...