WSPD Briefing Room

As the department kicks off season #2 of the WSPD Briefing Room, our first podcast of the fall season has everything to do with the upcoming National Night Out that will be hosted on Tuesday, October 1, 2024 at Veterans Park. Check out the great things that will be happening during this event with Corporal Laura Gonzalez and Chief Christopher Cook. Make plans to attend today!

It takes a lot to pull off an amazing Air Show. Go behind the scenes with Chief Cook and Officer Jonathan Loser to discuss some of the operational aspects on how the department partnered with the U.S. Navy and other local, state and federal partners, including the Department of Defense to ensure a safe and fun event. God bless our men and women in military uniform along with their families who sacrifice and defend our freedoms around the world.

In this episode, Chief Christopher Cook unveils the 2023 Annual Police Report that captures the accomplishments across operations, programming, and crime trends across the city. Check out the Annual Police Report and deep dive on this important topic. You can follow along with this podcast by downloading an electronic copy of the report at www.wspd.us and clicking "Publications and Reports." 

Want to learn more about a new technology adopted by our department to provide an additional tool for officers and supervisors to consider during a car chase? The January 2024 episode features Officer Wesley Gregory talking about StarChase - a new technology tool that fires GPS tags on fleeing vehicles to track them in certain types of pursuits. This episode is dedicated by Chief Cook to Officer Nathan Laurie, a police officer in River Oaks who lost his life during a car chase. End of Watch July 29, 2004. 

In this episode, Chief Cook talks with Officer Samuel Brown who serves as one of our recruiters at WSPD. You will hear everything you need to know about what sets our agency apart from the rest. Check us out on your favorite podcast service and learn more about why you should apply for our department. 

In this month's episode, Chief Christopher Cook interviews Sergeant James Stewart who serves as a team lead on our firearms team to talk about guns that officers carry and how the department conducts training. If you have ever wondered what is involved in the selection of handguns and rifles, this episode demystifies that topic. Have a great Thanksgiving!

Ever wonder why police officers wear badges? This historic journey takes you behind the scenes on the origins of the modern day badges, how our team designed our badge, and why it's important to exemplify honor, integrity, and service as a Texas peace officer. 

In this third episode, Chief of Police Christopher Cook interviews Detective Laura Gonzalez on what it takes to plan the biggest party of the year - National Night Out. Get a behind the scenes look at what community members can expect for this annual event. Mark your calendars now to attend Tuesday, October 3, 2023 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Veterans Park!

Join the WSPD Briefing Room as the department highlights a recent shootout between multiple suspects that occurred on July 29, 2023. This episode discusses this particular case, how these types of incidents are investigated, and what the department's response and plan were as it related to quickly making felony arrests. Working with the ATF, local news media, and the public, detectives had this case wrapped up with the main suspects within four days of the shooting. This should serve as reassurances to our community as it relates to the level of commitment from our Patrol Division response to the detailed investigation by our detectives. 

In our first episode, Chief Christopher Cook brings Corporal Jonathan Russell in the studio to discuss our new Public Safety Cadets program that is about to kick off this fall. This new youth program allows teens, ages 14 to 20, who have an interest in pursuing a career in law enforcement or other public safety vocational field, to join with our team and meet biweekly to learn what policing is all about. In addition to learning about criminal law and procedures, teens will be able to compete with other police departments across the country and showcase their new skillsets during regional, state, and national competitions. The underlying goal for WSPD is to recruit homegrown talent to serve our community. Email [email protected] to learn more about the Public Safety Cadets program and sign up as a teen!