The Next Shift Podcast

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This week's episode is a recap of the TOP 10 downloaded episodes of season 2.

In no particular order, the TOP 10 downloads were:

1. Solo episode - 3 Things you MUST have for a successful transition
2. Interview - Get in the arena w/Travis Gribble
3. Solo episode - 3 Things I underestimated when transitioning
4. Interview - Career transition tips from a recruiter w/ Darci Smith
5. Interview - An unexpected transition w/ Marcus Claycomb
6. Interview - So you THINK you're prepared for retirement w/ Dr. Medina Baumgart
7. Interview - Put the F'ing papers in w/ Tony Baumgart
8. Interview - Developing a 10 Code mindset w/Scott Medlin
9. Interview - When retirement doesn't go as planned w/Kim Colegrove
10. Interview - Peter's Next Shift: From LE to Global Security w/Peter Stephens

I want to give a huge shoutout to ALL of the incredible guests who've shared their stories. This show would not be what it is without them! Make sure you follow and connect with them on social media. 

If any or all of these episodes spoke to you in someway, I'd be so grateful if you left a rating and/or review, in order to help spread these stories of hope for life after Law Enforcement. 

If you haven't already...make sure you follow me on LinkedIn and on Instagram at @_nextshift_ AND  @the_jessflores

If this podcast resonates with you or you feel like it could help someone else, please feel free to share it with them and/or on your social media platforms...but be sure to tag me so I can personally say THANK YOU!

Be sure to subscribe by clicking the + sign at the top and if you feel called to do so, I'd love to hear your thoughts in a review. 

You can NOW wear the mission of The Next Shift Podcast, with merch! Check out our current designs, here.

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Then this episode is for you! This week's episode is a conversation with Barbara Grassey, non-fiction book and publishing consultant, who helped Retired LEO, Stan Partlow write his book, Leading Relentlessly...a must have in my opinion!

In this episode, Barbara covers who should and who shouldn't write a book, how she can help those who want to write a book, and the different ways a book can be utilized.

Barbara mentions how a book can be utilized by those transitioning out of Law Enforcement, based on their unique perspectives and establishing authority in a new field.

There are several questions one should ask prior to writing a book, but these three are the ones Barbara focuses on:

1. What do you want the book to do for you?
2. What do you want the book to do for your reader?
3. What action do you want the reader to take after reading?

Barbara states a brain dump, then sorting the ideas is a great way to get started and you may find you need to write more than one book, maybe a series, depending on what it is you're sharing and what you want the reader to get out of it.

Writing a book can be an intense process and overwhelming for many. That is where she comes in. She offers a 30-minute FREE consult to see if the two of you are right for each other and what level of support you are needing/wanting.

Make sure to follow Barbara on LinkedIn and reach out if you have been considering writing a book. You can visit her website, here. 

If you haven't already...make sure you follow me on LinkedIn and on Instagram at @_nextshift_ AND  @the_jessflores

If this podcast resonates with you or you feel like it could help someone else, please feel free to share it with them and/or on your social media platforms...but be sure to tag me so I can personally say THANK YOU!

Be sure to subscribe by clicking the + sign at the top and if you feel called to do so, I'd love to hear your thoughts in a review. 

You can NOW wear the mission of The Next Shift Podcast, with merch! Check out our current designs, here.

See you Next Shift

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This week's episode is a chat with Deborah Green, retired Public Safety Dispatcher.  Deborah joined the Army as a Communications Specialist, about a year out of high school, then found herself switching to an MP role, which ended up leading her to her civilian role as a Public Safety Dispatcher...where she served for just over 27 years.

Deborah discusses how hard it can be to sit behind the console and hear the things dispatchers hear, feeling helpless...especially as a prior MP. She discusses the struggles faced dealing with critical incidents from behind the console and how, while officers might handle 10-20 calls a night...dispatchers are handling HUNDREDS of calls a night and taking the initial critical incident call.

This is something I believe needs heard and understood by those throughout ENTIRE police departments.

Deborah discusses her experience with PTSD and how she processed being told by a psychiatrist that she would never be a dispatcher again. She also discussed the way supervisor's respond to someone seeking help can make it 100% worse or better.

Make sure to connect with Deborah on Instagram, here and on LinkedIn, here. 

If you haven't already...make sure you follow me on LinkedIn and on Instagram at @_nextshift_ AND  @the_jessflores

If this podcast resonates with you or you feel like it could help someone else, please feel free to share it with them and/or on your social media platforms...but be sure to tag me so I can personally say THANK YOU!

Be sure to subscribe by clicking the + sign at the top and if you feel called to do so, I'd love to hear your thoughts in a review. 

You can NOW wear the mission of The Next Shift Podcast, with merch! Check out our current designs, here.

See you Next Shift

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This week's episode is an oldie, but a goodie! It was originally recorded in June 2023 and shared on social media as a video, BEFORE this podcast was born.

I believe it deserves a permanent spot on the podcast because the information is so valuable and with the state of the economy right now...we could all use a little money insight, especially from someone who, "gets it!"

This week's episode is NOT a transitioned LEO, but an interview was with Rebecca Jameson, who is a LEO spouse, girl mom of two, and financial coach to first responders.

We had a great discussion about getting out of the off duty cycle so many officers find themselves in…and when you’re no longer ABLE to work it, the additional stress it can cause.

Rebecca had great tips on how to plan for the unexpected and used the phrase, “I like to look at off duty as a way to, "elevate your life,” which I loved. Work it when needed to pay for experiences, not just to live everyday life.
 
She dove into what exactly a financial coach is, and how she can help YOU!

She talked about ways to have the tough money conversations, especially if you’re not the, “bread winner." Grab your spouse for this episode because this topic right here, hits home for soooo many in the LEO wife (LEOW) community.

This was such a fun and different conversation! Make sure you follow Rebecca on Instagram, here, and check out her website, here. 

If you haven't already...make sure you follow me on LinkedIn and on Instagram at @_nextshift_ AND  @the_jessflores

If this podcast resonates with you or you feel like it could help someone else, please feel free to share it with them and/or on your social media platforms...but be sure to tag me so I can personally say THANK YOU!

Be sure to subscribe by clicking the + sign at the top and if you feel called to do so, I'd love to hear your thoughts in a review. 

You can NOW wear the mission of The Next Shift Podcast, with merch! Check out our current designs, here.

See you Next Shift

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This week's episode is a chat with Chris Littrell, host of the Gravity Podcast.

Chris, like many guests, is a military veteran turned LEO, who is now out and focused on First Responder wellness.

Chris loved the job and when the crimes against children cases started getting to him, he decided it was time to go. He was a member of the peer support team and was great at listening to what others were going through and helping them, but realized he wasn't doing those same things for himself. He had his first anxiety attack, which felt like a heart attack, then the suicidal thoughts/images started happening and he knew he needed help.

Chris talks about not losing your badge/gun just because you ask for help and because of the work he's done, he knows his triggers and has boundaries in place to help. He talks about having good communication with your spouse and how much pressure it felt like as the "man" providing the "livelihood" for his family, while facing mental health issues.

Make sure to give Chris a follow on LinkedIn and Instagram, and check out his podcast. 

If you haven't already...make sure you follow me on LinkedIn and on Instagram at @_nextshift_ AND  @the_jessflores

If this podcast resonates with you or you feel like it could help someone else, please feel free to share it with them and/or on your social media platforms...but be sure to tag me so I can personally say THANK YOU!

Be sure to subscribe by clicking the + sign at the top and if you feel called to do so, I'd love to hear your thoughts in a review. 

You can NOW wear the mission of The Next Shift Podcast, with merch! Check out our current designs, here.

See you Next Shift

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This week's episode is a convo with Tony Baumgart, retired LEO, who is actually RETIRED. You might recognize his last name from previous podcast guest, Dr. Medina Baumgart (Board Certified Police Psychologist), his wife.

Like many in the Law Enforcement profession, Tony had a number in mind for retirement...30 years. Make it to 30 years and all would be good! WRONG!

With about eight months to go and after about five years of less than desirable home/work life, Tony called Medina and explained to her that he could wait the eight months and max his retirement benefit or he could sign the papers in his hand. "Put the Fucking papers in!" she told him...and he did.

When his last day came, there was no grand send off and in fact, he had to ask for a ride home because he had just turned in his take-home car and Medina was working. Tony summarized that feeling in a quote from their book, "I gave you my life and you handed me a receipt." Talk about a realization moment...and MOST can't fathom that kind of ending to their career...but it happens far more often than you think.

Tony tried his hand at a retirement gig, but the first time he had to request time off to travel with his wife, he decided he didn't work all that time to retire and have to ask for time off. So he resigned and started living, "The good life," or so he thought.

Tony and Medina BOTH quickly realized there is a whole other side of retirement that the retirement seminars do NOT teach you about and no one ever prepares you for...the HUMAN side. They had to both learn how to adapt to him being retired and at home. Tony had to eventually learn that the honeymoon phase of retirement is short lived and waking up without a purpose is a bitch!

Tony is slowly but surely finding his retirement groove and trying his hand and new hobbies, creating a daily routine for himself that he still says needs some work...but it's better than nothing.

Tony isn't into social media, so make sure you follow Medina on both LinkedIn and Instagram, and ABSOLUTELY grab a copy of her book about THEIR story of retirement, here. It is a roadmap for ANYONE looking to get out or retire from Law Enforcement and I WISH I'd had it when I transitioned out!

If you haven't already...make sure you follow me on LinkedIn and on Instagram at @_nextshift_ AND  @the_jessflores

If this podcast resonates with you or you feel like it could help someone else, please feel free to share it with them and/or on your social media platforms...but be sure to tag me so I can personally say THANK YOU!

Be sure to subscribe by clicking the + sign at the top and if you feel called to do so, I'd love to hear your thoughts in a review. 

You can NOW wear the mission of The Next Shift Podcast, with merch! Check out our current designs, here.

See you Next Shift

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I have now worked at three police departments and I can name AND recognize on sight, ONE police chaplain out of those three departments.

I NEVER knew police chaplains were for anything other than calling to a death scene. I NEVER knew they were part of peer support teams....a whole other resource I could not provide you many names for from any department.

Why are we not shouting these resources from the rooftops for our officers to KNOW they are there and who they are?!? We definitely need officers to know they are there for more than just a tough call, LODD, or death scene.

To be fair...while I was in...I didn't even think about chaplains or peer support, and I certainly wasn't going to ask either for help. It wasn't the culture 18 years ago...or even 8 years ago when I got out. But, THANKFULLY that appears to be changing...which is why I wanted to share this episode.

This week's episode is a chat with Kip Nelson, a local to Kansas City pastor and Police Chaplain. Kip shares about how he got into being a police chaplain and how they can e utilized by department members for ANYTHING they are going through.  We even discussed how at one point I felt like I couldn't be a "good Christian" and a cop at the same time....something I've been told by others, so I hope it resonates.

Make sure you follow Kip on Instagram, here and LinkedIn, here. 

If you haven't already...make sure you follow me on LinkedIn and on Instagram at @_nextshift_ AND  @the_jessflores

If this podcast resonates with you or you feel like it could help someone else, please feel free to share it with them and/or on your social media platforms...but be sure to tag me so I can personally say THANK YOU!

Be sure to subscribe by clicking the + sign at the top and if you feel called to do so, I'd love to hear your thoughts in a review. 

You can NOW wear the mission of The Next Shift Podcast, with merch! Check out our current designs, here.

See you Next Shift

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This week's episode was actually recorded back in January 2024 and has been one of my favorite episodes. Bernice is so full of energy and positive vibes, something she at one time, did not feel at all.

My girl, Bernice, shares with us about her unexpected exit from a career in law enforcement due to an injury that led to mental health struggles, the issued faced in her state and the medical retirement system, transitioning into being a law enforcement spouse, and finding her new purpose and passion, as well as a way to give back to the LE community, through her LE apparel company, BFC Apparel.

BFC Apparel is a Blue Line, Faith, Self-Growth inspired brand, created by Bernice to help YOU represent/honor Law Enforcement, while also inspiring you through your own growth and healing journey. You can follow and connect with Bernice and shop BFC Apparel on Instagram, here. 

If you haven't already...make sure you follow me on LinkedIn and on Instagram at @_nextshift_ AND  @the_jessflores

If this podcast resonates with you or you feel like it could help someone else, please feel free to share it with them and/or on your social media platforms...but be sure to tag me so I can personally say THANK YOU!

Be sure to subscribe by clicking the + sign at the top and if you feel called to do so, I'd love to hear your thoughts in a review. 

You can NOW wear the mission of The Next Shift Podcast, with merch! Check out our current designs, here.

See you Next Shift

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In this episode, I chat with Nic Lowry about his transition from Law Enforcement to the financial industry, as a financial advisor.

Nic explains how he went from wanting to be a dentist, to getting into law enforcement, to his SWAT journey, to exiting the field earlier than expected due to some traumatic events and not taking care of himself (his words), and getting into the financial industry, where he still gets to help people everyday.

Nic specializes in serving first responders through his financial advising and is willing to have those tough financial conversations with them, in order to set them up for success in life after law enforcement.

Nic reassures those looking into life after law enforcement, that they DO have several transferable skills and that life can/does get better when you develop healthy coping mechanisms and can get a full night of sleep.

Make sure you follow Nic on LinkedIn and reach out to him if you have any questions about the transition, becoming a financial advisor, or switching to him as your financial advisor.

If you haven't already...make sure you follow me on LinkedIn and on Instagram at @_nextshift_ AND  @the_jessflores

If this podcast resonates with you or you feel like it could help someone else, please feel free to share it with them and/or on your social media platforms...but be sure to tag me so I can personally say THANK YOU!

Be sure to subscribe by clicking the + sign at the top and if you feel called to do so, I'd love to hear your thoughts in a review. 

You can NOW wear the mission of The Next Shift Podcast, with merch! Check out our current designs, here.

See you Next Shift

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With what seems to be an uptick in first responder suicides recently...a topic not talked about for MANY years and one we are still fighting to break the stigma of...I felt this episode was important to share.

A common goal for MOST in Law Enforcement is making it 20+ years to retirement. Retirement and the promise of a pension is often referred to as the "golden handcuffs," and keeps those burned out, mentally and/or physically struggling, or just no longer enjoying the job, feeling STUCK. "If I just make it to retirement then..."

We act as though retirement will be this magical time in life where all the shit we've seen, heard, and dealt with will disappear and we will get to ride off into the sunset with our fat retirement checks and finally have time to spend with our family...we will have finally MADE IT and can be happy.

Sadly, that is NOT often how retirement goes and in this episode I chat with Kim Colegrove about how her husband's retirement did NOT go as planned. Just three months into retirement, after serving for 30 years, her husband died by suicide. Kim talks about the "signs" she missed and how even though she knew he was struggling with retirement, she never saw suicide coming.

Kim has found a way to turn her pain into purpose by founding Pause First Academy, an organization dedicated to supporting first responder resilience, wellbeing, and work-life balance. She has also authored several books for our first responder community.

Make sure to follow Kim on both Instagram and LinkedIn, and visit her website at the link above. 

If you are struggling and need help....FIRST, you are NOT alone, and second...here are some resources, including a couple of First Responder specific resources:

1. First Responder Crisis Support Helpline - 1-844-550-HERO (4376)
2. Copline (vetted prior LEOs) - 1-800-COPLINE (267-5463)
3. National Suicide Prevention Hotline - 988

The world is better with you in it...I promise. Reach out and talk to someone. We NEED you here. Your story matters. 

If you haven't already...make sure you follow me on LinkedIn and on Instagram at @_nextshift_ AND  @the_jessflores

If this podcast resonates with you or you feel like it could help someone else, please feel free to share it with them and/or on your social media platforms...but be sure to tag me so I can personally say THANK YOU!

Be sure to subscribe by clicking the + sign at the top and if you feel called to do so, I'd love to hear your thoughts in a review. 

You can NOW wear the mission of The Next Shift Podcast, with merch! Check out our current designs, here.

See you Next Shift