LEO Round Table with Chip DeBlock
S11E059, There’s No Place This Criminal Could Hide That K-9 Uno Couldn’t Find!
Trump says no DHS funding until SAVE America Act is passed. Supreme Court rules officer is entitled to qualified immunity for arrest of protester. Deputy indicted for fatal shooting at a gas station. K-9 nabs suspect pretending to be trash bag. Bad guy puts up fight against K-9 during arrest. There’s no place this criminal could hide that K-9 Uno couldn’t find. Woman arrested for urinating all over Airbnb's.
LEO Round Table: Judicial Victories, K-9 Operations, and National Security
LEO Round Table: Law Enforcement Perspective
Host: Chip DeBlock | Guest: Capt. Brett Bartlett (Ret.) | March 26, 2026
EDITORIAL SUMMARY
Legal & Policy Briefing
SCOTUS: Qualified Immunity Upheld
The Supreme Court reversed a lower court ruling in Zorn v. Linton, protecting a Vermont Sergeant who used a routine wrist lock on a non-compliant protester. The court ruled his actions did not violate clearly established law.
Harris County Murder Indictment
Deputy Eilenez Jiminez-Barboza faces murder charges for a 2025 gas station shooting. Discussion highlights the failure to go "hands-on" and the tactical error of standing while a partner struggles on the ground.
"You can't have thin skin in this business. If you're being talked about, let others fight your battles." — Chip DeBlock
Field Ops & K-9 Highlights
K-9 Mako: The Trash Bag Takedown
Indian River County: Suspect Omarion Hodges attempted to hide among black plastic trash bags; K-9 Mako successfully alerted and apprehended.
K-9 Uno: Crawl Space Extraction
Flagler County: Career criminal James Myers fled a 92mph chase into a house crawl space. K-9 Uno was deployed into the tight quarters for a successful bite and hold.
Bizarre: Airbnb Vandalism
Pensacola woman arrested for $5,000+ in damages after filming herself urinating on property for adult websites.
#QUALIFIEDIMMUNITY #K9UNITS #LEOAFFAIRS #SWISSPRIVACY
⏱️ Est. Reading Time: 8 mins | 🛡️ LeoAffairs.ch
Executive Summary
Host Chip DeBlock and retired Captain Brett Bartlett discuss the relaunch of the LEO Affairs platform under Swiss privacy protections, a pivotal Supreme Court ruling on qualified immunity, and a series of high-intensity K-9 apprehensions. The session also critiques federal border policy and examines a controversial murder indictment of a Harris County deputy.
Detailed Key Points
1. Platform Relaunch and Privacy Strategy
Chip DeBlock announced the relaunch of LEO Affairs at a new domain, leoaffairs.ch. The move to a Swiss-hosted server is a strategic decision to utilize Swiss privacy laws, ensuring that user identities and IP addresses are protected from domestic prying. While the site remains moderated to maintain professional standards, the technical infrastructure is designed to provide a secure "digital safe haven" for law enforcement professionals to discuss sensitive issues without fear of doxing.
2. Federal Policy and "Airport Flashbangs"
The discussion shifted to President Trump’s refusal to fund the DHS without the passage of the "Save America Act." A significant highlight was the deployment of ICE agents to major airports to assist with traffic control and support TSA operations. This move reportedly had an immediate impact on operational efficiency, drastically reducing traveler wait times. Captain Bartlett characterized these bold policy moves as "flashbangs"—tactical distractions that allow the administration to achieve specific security goals while the opposition is off-balance.
Impact of ICE Airport Deployment
Previous Wait Times
6 Hours
➔
Current Wait Times
30 Mins
Data based on recent operational reports following ICE integration.
3. Supreme Court Ruling on Qualified Immunity
In a major legal victory for law enforcement, the Supreme Court reversed a Second Circuit decision regarding a Vermont State Police sergeant. The case involved the use of a "routine wrist lock" to remove a non-compliant protester during a 2015 sit-in. The Court ruled that the officer was entitled to qualified immunity because his actions did not violate "clearly established" law. The hosts emphasized that the dissenting opinion by liberal justices, which suggested such force was "gratuitous," ignores the necessity of pain compliance when dealing with resistant subjects.
4. Critical Incidents and K-9 Apprehensions
The panel reviewed several high-profile field incidents:
Harris County Indictment: A female deputy faces murder charges for a 2025 gas station shooting. The hosts criticized the agency for conducting an Internal Affairs investigation before the criminal trial was resolved, potentially "muddying the waters" of the legal process.
K-9 Success Stories: The "K-9 Show" segment featured three distinct captures. K-9 Mako successfully located a drug suspect hiding among trash bags in Indian River, FL. K-9 Hector apprehended an armed carjacking suspect in Ohio, and K-9 Uno extracted a career criminal from a cramped crawl space under a Florida home.
K-9 Deployment Summary
K-9 Name
Location
Suspect Tactic
Mako
Indian River, FL
Trash Bag Camouflage
Hector
Portage County, OH
Foot Flight (Armed)
Uno
Flagler County, FL
Crawl Space Hiding
5. Bizarre Crime: The Airbnb Vandal
A Pensacola woman, Nicolette Keough, was arrested for felony criminal mischief after filming herself urinating on household items in two different Airbnb rentals. The suspect reportedly uploaded the footage to adult websites for profit. The damage included high-value items like televisions, record players, and a "tiger rug," totaling over $5,000 in losses.
Key Data Summary
LEO Affairs Longevity: The platform has been operating for 24 years.
Airport Efficiency: Wait times dropped from 6 hours to 30 minutes following ICE involvement.
Vandalism Damages: Unit 1 sustained $4,000 in damages; Unit 2 $1,300.
K-9 Hector Engagement: The suspect was bitten at the 45-second mark and handcuffed by 3:01.
To-Do / Next Steps
Visit the new leoaffairs.ch website to explore the updated forum and privacy features.
Agencies interested in non-lethal solutions should review the "Glove" technology at complianttechnologies.com.
Law enforcement officers seeking academic credit for firearms training should register at gunlearn.com.
Support injured officers by donating to the 501(c)(3) organization The Wounded Blue at woundedblue.org.
Use the discount code Radio15 when ordering from galls.com.
Conclusion
This episode highlights the critical intersection of privacy technology, judicial protection for officers, and the relentless effectiveness of K-9 units in the field. While bizarre crimes like the Airbnb vandalism provide a look into the "low class" of criminal behavior, the Supreme Court's reaffirmation of qualified immunity stands as the most significant development for the law enforcement community this week.