Episode 908: Pro-Active Patrolling From the Skies with Jon Gray & Matt Szluka

On today's episode, Dennis speaks with RET police helicopter pilot and host of The Hangar Z Podcast, Jon Gray and State Trooper & Fixed-Wing Aircraft Pilot, Matt Szluka

Jon's bio:

Hangar Z podcast founder and host, Jon Gray, is a Southern California native and second-generation police officer. Jon’s interest in public safety aviation began in childhood where he was exposed to tactical flight via the Anaheim Police Department’s Angel program. His father, a 32-year veteran of the Anaheim Police Department, encouraged this interest, and it eventually led him to pursue a career in public safety aviation. He is currently a helicopter pilot with the Ontario Police Department in Ontario, California.

After graduating college with a bachelor's degree in Sociology, Jon was hired by San Diego PD as a police officer. At San Diego PD Jon was assigned to Southern Division Patrol and the Border Crime Suppression Team. He later transferred to the Ontario Police Department where he worked patrol, was assigned to the Community Oriented Policing Unit as a graffiti and gang investigator, and served collaterally as a hostage negotiator. After nine years in the field, Jon was selected to become a part-time tactical flight officer in the air support unit. He was then selected to become a full-time tactical flight officer and was ultimately promoted to pilot in 2017. Jon medically retired in May 2023. During his hour plus commute to work Jon would listen to podcasts to pass the time. It wasn’t long before he noticed a void in the podcast segment that represented and promoted public safety aviation. To fill that void, Jon started the Hangar Z Podcast in August of 2020.

Today, Dennis, Jon and Matt discuss continual effort to learn and progress in the field, passion for proactivity and interdiction, importance of aviation policing, night vision, infrared and LPR technology, employing aviation in modern day policing, things to consider when Developing an aviation unit and how drones have impacted law enforcement surveillance.

Check out "The Hangar Z Podcast" here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hangar-z-podcast/id1527649477

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