ATO: BRIDGING THE DIVIDE

Episode 88 Dallas Defense Attorney Terry Bentley Hill : In Memory of Hallie

Stop Minding Your Own Business

 ***Trigger Warning: Death by Suicide conversation***

 We want to ring in the New Year and welcome on the great Dallas Attorney Terry Bentley Hill to our ATO Family.

Terry turned her personal tragedy into a new mission in speaking on the very uncomfortable topic of a person taking their own life.

She can speak from the unique perspective of being someone left behind not once but twice in her life as both her former husband and 14-year-old daughter suffered from depression and died way too young.

Terry started her career in journalism, and she married Amarillo District Attorney Danny Hill who prosecuted some very high-profile cases and took on all of the pressure and anxiety that accompanies that role.

On Palm Sunday in 1995 The Hill family suffered tragedy as Danny’s battle with depression came to an end as he took his own life as the children slept and Terry was left as the sole parent to pick up the pieces to move forward.

Less than a decade later, in 2004, Terry’s 14-year-old daughter Hallie, who like her father suffered from depression, also died by suicide. Terry’s grief was compounded.

At the time of her daughter’s suicide, Hill was in law school at Texas Wesleyan University School of Law, where she earned her degree in 2008. Today, Hill practices criminal defense law in Dallas, Texas, is remarried, enjoys time with her family and dedicates much of her life to helping others dealing with mental health issues.

Now Terry’s mission is to keep people from minding their own business as she tells her story so that it will bring awareness and education to recognizing to the red flags that lead to this tragic loss of life.  Also, her story can help understand the extreme grief and loss that can accompany the void that’s left in families.
We also are thrilled to welcome on special guest cohosts Lt Lisette Rivera and new ATO License Professional Counselor, Johanna Wender. Johanna specializes in first responder trauma.

Terry Bentley Hill you have the ATO’s stage and our undivided attention.

Critical Incidents Discussed:

Palm Sunday 1995 in Amarillo Texas.

Terry’s husband, District Attorney Danny Hill, suffers death by suicide.

2004 Terry’s daughter, Hallie, passed away at the age of 14.

WWW.TERRYBENTLYHILL.COM

www.stopmindingyourownbusiness.org

 

A Message From the Host XIV 2023 Year in Review

Merry Christmas ATO Family 
This message is from Kent, Joe, and two special guest cohosts in Sasha Kim and Omar Figueroa.

We are extremely grateful for our loyal listeners. We want to say thank you to some of our day one listeners and we want to give special mentions to some of the many folks that have reached out with inspiring messages.

This message we will talk about upcoming episodes and projects we have in store for 2024. This podcast wants to hear from our listeners for suggestions and feedback, good and bad, to sharpen our knives to get better and put out a better product for you.

Please contact us atATOBRIDGING@GMAIL.COM if you have suggestions, complaints, or just want to say hi.

If you would like to donate to our cause and support both the Police and Fire Community, please go to ATODALLAS.ORG and donate.

Until next time…..Be safe and let’s take care of each other.

 Joe.

Episode 87 Damon West: Be a Coffee Bean

In Remembrance of James Lynn Baker II, A.K.A “Mr. Jackson”

”The Dallas SWAT saved my life”

This show takes pride in providing a variety of topics and guests and although we are all different, we are still human beings. We are flawed, we are complex, we are unique, and we all have the potential to serve at the highest levels.  However, some of us take very different paths….dark paths, before we find our true calling.

Life for all of us is literally like a pot of boiling water and what we become in that water will determine and define who we become in this finite life.

Today’s guest will tell the listener how he became hooked on meth and traveled down a dark path that led him on a collision course and a date with destiny with our Dallas SWAT on July 30^th, 2008.

The Uptown Dallas area was on high alert after several citizens were victimized as they not only lost their property but also their sense of security. Today’s guest was the ringleader of these crimes and was captured and sentenced to sixty-five years in the Texas Prison system.

In true Shawshank Redemption fashion this guest received help and guidance from the most unlikely of people as he was about to enter the ultra-hot boiling pot of prison life.

The coffee bean story was born and applied as today’s guest fought, learned, and grew as a person through his journey in the penal system and created a mission to help others and be a change agent as he shared his experience and story with others to try to inspire and motivate others.

The Damon West story has been told on many platforms and stages, all across the world, but never from a stage inside of the police department that changed his life fifteen years ago. ATO Family sit back and soak in the coffee bean story and ask yourself, How can I be a change agent in life?

Incidents discussed:

 Damon West arrest by the Dallas SWAT Unit on July 30^th, 2008, for the Uptown Burglaries.

Trial, verdict and sentence on May 18^th, 2009, for his role in the crimes. Presiding over the proceedings was Judge Mike Snipes.

Dallas County jail to TDCJ from 2009- 2015.

Damonwest.org

The best-selling novel:

The Change Agent: How a Former College QB Sentenced to Life in Prison Transformed His World

 

Episode 86 Timeline of the 2015 Attack on Dallas Police Headquarters

Welcome back ATO Family!

This episode has been a project since this show began as we finally tell the story of the attack on Dallas Police Headquarters on June 13^th, 2015.

At approximately 12:30 am a suspect, driving an armored van, drove to police headquarters in Dallas Texas and planted bags containing pipe bombs and opened fire on the front of the building with an assault rifle. Several officers responded and were met with gunfire in the streets in front of headquarters and then led the police on a chase that would end in history being made in US law enforcement history with the method in which the threat was eliminated.

The episode will detail the tragedy from the 2013 arrest of the suspect to the events on June 13^th, 2015, as he was eliminated by the use of a .50 caliber rifle, the first and only time this weapon platform has been used on a suspect in the United States.

 

This episode welcomes then Dallas SWAT members Jude Braun, Kent Wolverton, Danny Canete and Keith Rieg to the stage to give a play-by-play firsthand account of this incident and the significance in Dallas and US law enforcement history.

 

Guest List:

Jude Braun #5015           

36 years with Dallas Police and served 33 years with Dallas SWAT. Jude has the reputation of being an expert on explosive breaching and spearheaded the rifle program on the Dallas Police Department. Braun is now retired.

Keith Rieg #6809

32 years with the Dallas Police Department and is still an active SWAT member after 24 years. Keith is a sniper and pulled the trigger of the .50 caliber rifle during this incident.

Kent Wolverton #8393

20 years with Dallas Police Department and served as supervisor in SWAT for nearly 7 years. Kent also commanded the Dallas K9 Unit and now is a supervisor in Narcotics.

Danny Canete #8834

               17-year Dallas veteran with over 8 years in Dallas SWAT. Danny also was a member of the Dallas Narcotics Unit and the Southeast CRT.

               Master Breacher Certified, Sniper and Less Lethal and Rope Master and instructor for High Angle Team as well rappel instructor for TTPOA.

 

Terms used in episode:

               “Green Light”: Order giving by the Chief of Police authorizing operators to use deadly force to eliminate the threat.

 

Weapons used by the suspect:

               Jennings JA-9 9mm handgun

               Taurus Judge .45 caliber handgun

               Savage Model 111 6.5/284   Norma with Redfield scope

               Ruger 10/22 with Nikon scope

               Stevens Model 320 Security 12 gauge pump

               Pipe Bombs

Episode 85 The Partnership of the Western Australia Police Force and the US Drug Enforcement Administration

Today’s episode details a collaboration between two countries, The United States and Australia, that have the same goal in combating the flow of illicit drugs into their countries.

The Drug Enforcement Administration was formed in 1973, by the Nixon administration, for the war on drugs and over the years this administration has grown, evolved and they have been the countries leading experts on illicit narcotic sales that terrorize the globe.

The Western Australian Police Force, colloquially WAPOL, was formed in 1834 and provides police services to over 2.5 million citizens of Western Australia.

This story will detail how two countries formed a partnership and created a “pilot” program that sent two Detectives from WAPOL to the Dallas DEA Field Division for a 90-day special assignment to observe the DEA investigate cases in the United States.

After a strict selection process, WAPOL Detectives Benjamin Willian Cox and David Joseph Gilliland were sent to the Dallas Texas to work under Special Agent in Charge Eduardo Chavez and Special Agent Guy Baker.

SAC Chavez leads the DEA Dallas Field Division.

Detectives Cox and Gilliland joined the amazing Strike Force Group to immerse themselves in long term investigations so that both groups can learn from each other in detective styles, techniques and case managing.

Longtime Dallas Narcotics Task Force member, David Roach #9150, took the mates under his wing to show them all that Dallas and the great state of Texas has to offer in narcotics and violence.

Enjoy this different type of episode as we bridge two countries that have common goals in making their home a better and safer place for their people.

Episode Guest List:

 Detective Superintendent John Hutchison

Superintendent Hutchison spearheaded this initiative and oversees the Serious Organised Crime Squad in WAPOL. He started in WAPOL in 1986 and became a Detective Sgt in 1992 and has served as a Detective in several positions including covert undercover unit, drug and organized crime investigations and in 2022 he started a TSOC Squad to build the capabilities of the Western Australian Police Force.

DEA Special Agent in Charge Eduardo Chavez

               SAC Chavez leads the DEA Dallas Field Division that oversees daily operations in the North Texas Region and the entire state of Oklahoma.

SAC Chávez began his career with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in the San Francisco Field Division in 2000 as a Special Agent assigned to the Bakersfield, California, Resident Office. During this period in the Central Valley of California, SAC Chávez conducted numerous complex conspiracy and undercover operations where his fluent Spanish and upbringing along the U.S.-México border allowed him to infiltrate several Mexican Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs).

DEA Assistant Special Agent Guy Baker

I met Guy as I learned he enjoyed listening to this podcast and he prefers to be a behind the scenes operator and does not like the limelight however I want the listener to know this episode would not have happened without Guy. He commands the respect of his peers and has dedicated his life to the DEA. I am honored to have met him.

Guy has over 25 years with the DEA and is keen and outspoken in the fact that Fentanyl is one of the globes most dangerous crisis.

Dallas Police Narcotics DEA Task Force Detective David Roach #9150

David has gravitated to enforcing narcotics going back to working in God’s Country, the Southeast Division, when he started as a rookie officer. David’s proactive talents and knack for natural street instincts as pure police was noticed by all as he spent several years in uniformed positions on assignments that allowed him to showcase his talents.  Detective Roach was assigned to the Dallas Narcotics Division and quickly joined the Narcotics Lab Unit then was hand picked to be a member of the DEA Task Force. David is a friend, respected and loyal team member and is bulldog of a Detective that is relentless in building cases on some of the most violent traffickers in the metroplex.

Episode 84 TCOLE Director Gretchen Grigsby and Deputy Executive Director of the Texas Racing Commission Aaron Grigsby

"Check in on each other."

Today’s episode will welcome on two true Texas servants in Gretchen and Aaron Grigsby as they will detail their lives of service and how they found each other to form this true partnership.

Both are homegrown true Texans and both, albeit via different routes, traveled a path that led them to the Lone Star State’s Capitol, Austin Texas.

Gretchen worked for the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security, Texas Senate Committee on Agriculture, Rural Affairs and is currently the TCOLE (Texas Commission on Law Enforcement)   Director of Government Relations.

Aaron enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and served as a combat engineer and was a member of the Pistol and Rifle Teams.  Afterwards he joined the Texas Department of Public Safety in January of 1997. He served several roles in his career with DPS, from 1997 to 2020, that included Highway Patrol, Narcotics, and the legendary Texas Rangers. He now is the Deputy Executive Director of Operations at the Texas Racing Commission.

However, before the TxRC,  Aaron took his talents to Round Rock Police Department in 2020 and this profession put that experience and talents to the test on June 7th, 2021, at a Round Rock Hotel. This incident will play a major role in today’s story as it put the Grigsby couple to the test as they both struggled through the fear, the anger, and uncertainty of surviving a law enforcement shooting in today’s world. They took this incident and the recovery head on like they have done personally and professionally their entire lives and careers.

We are also honored to welcome on a very special guest cohost in Round Rock PD Commander Melissa Grubbs as she stepped up in June of 2021, and led by example and displayed true leadership after she took care of the people that mattered most that day…….Her troops And his family.

Dallas Police Child Abuse Detective Kristen King sitting in to cohost.

When I first spoke to Gretchen about this episode, their primary goal was to introduce this story for first responder families out there that wrestle with the fear that when their loved ones leave to serve that they may never come home to know that THEY ARE NOT ALONE.

Both of these amazing Texans have offered to speak with or help other families out there that have endured critical incidents and are still recovering from loss, tragedy, or just guidance on how to process.  

P.S. I have to mention their sweet pups, Hope and Felicia. 

 

Critical Incident:

OIS July 2005

OIS June 2021 at the Home2 Suites Hotel in Round Rock Texas during an active shooter situation.

Texas Law Enforcement Peer Network | Texas Commission on Law Enforcement

www.Texaspoliceofficersmemorial.org 

Episode 83 Dallas Police Narcotics Detective Steve Hodack #8227: The Art of Undercover Work

“You can’t do this”
Today’s guest is an artist with the Dallas Police Department. He’s not an artist that uses an easel, paint brush, or canvas, instead he uses his personality, drive and natural adaptability as his tools to present his own form of artwork.

He treats undercover work as a form of artwork…. he uses his tools to gain to win the target’s admiration and trust, then betray them for the greater good.

The cat and mouse game of police undercover work, in the United States, goes back to the early 1800s when the New York City Police created the Italian Squad to combat the crime in the poor Italian neighborhoods.  Clandestine work has become a major tool against the war on drugs as this trade is global.  The narcotic trades breeds violence, corruption, theft, homicide, terrorism, and ruined families and lives.

Today’s guest joined the Dallas Police Department after the tech collapse after 9/11 and hit the Northeast Division, The other God’s Country, streets and quickly began chasing dope.

He ventured off to other Investigative Units but found his niche as a Narcotics Detective ten years ago.

His resume is as follows:

• Logged about 500 dynamic entries.
• Received clan lab training at Camp Dodge in Johnston, IA and DEA Academy in Quantico, VA / received Level A training at classified DEA facility in California.
• In the FBI Task Force, I conducted federal investigations on transnational organized crime groups including various cartels, syndicates and mafia organizations.  I was certified as an FBI undercover employee.  I began travelling the United States extensively to work undercover on domestic terrorism, counter terrorism, drug trafficking and money laundering cases.  At the same time, I was tasked with running the FBI drug interdiction/bulk currency smuggling operation at Dallas Love Field with FBI SA Perez.  During my time with the FBI, I was awarded the United States Attorney’s Award of Excellence for helping prevent a terrorist event on U.S. soil.  After 4 years with the FBI Task Force, I was given the opportunity to transfer to the IRS Money Laundering Task Force.
• In the IRS Task Force, I conduct federal money laundering investigations.  The nature of these cases is highly classified.

The ATO Family will get to know Steve Hodack up close and personal and even hear characteristics that most of his close friends do not know. Steve chose us to open up on his personal life, professional drive and how a psychological profile made his life and career make sense.

Detective Hodack the stage is yours………

 

Critical Incident:

November 24^th, 2009, Officer involved shooting in the Northeast Division while Hodack was working in the Deployment Unit.

A Message from the Host XIII: Blue goes Pink Initiative

Welcome back ATO Family…..today we bring you a special Message from the Host.

And we want to introduce the Blue Goes Pink Initiative.

 Backing the Blue or showing the Thin Blue Line is a way of letting the community and police officers know that they have your admiration and respect. With that in mind, "Blue Goes Pink" is a way of showing that same admiration and respect to the individuals that have been affected by breast cancer

Our purpose is to help promote breast cancer awareness and highlight the importance of early detection. Breast cancer awareness promotes more funding directed to treatment and more importantly, to a potential cure.

Today we sit down with Sgt. Wanda West, retired Dallas PD Lacrondia Ellis, Dallas Officers Sean Moses, Melinda Gutierrez, and Sgt. Crystal Cortinez to discuss this great initiative as we would like to see the entire blue community go pink.

In memory of Carmen Ellen King, Cortney Benavides, and all of those who have lost loved ones to this awful disease.  

Episode 82 Texas Attorney General Fugitive Unit Lieutenant Chris Webb: Vision of The Righteous Oaks Retreat

"Law enforcement had different plans for me"

ATO Family please welcome retired Dallas SWAT and current Texas Attorney General Fugitive Unit Chris Webb is back on the mic for another episode. He sat in his own episode to talk about his incredible career and also a vision that he had back in 2019 to continue to serve his brothers and sisters in the first responder community by creating a retreat that puts mental health and wellness on the forefront. Chris and his amazing wife, Judge Rainey Webb, put their amazing minds together and created a comprehensive approach to give back to the community.

However, the 2020 pandemic had different plans for this retreat and would shelve this program. Then life unfolded for Chris as he got back into law enforcement and began a journey with the Texas Attorney General’s office.  Chris became focused on his new career and mission but never fully gave up on his dream for his first responder retreat.

This is a different story of Chris Webb’s life journey. It isn’t the story of him applying and fighting to become a member of the Dallas SWAT team, or enduring critical incident after critical incident, or stepping away from a career to be there for his family.

This is the story of Chris and Rainey Webb’s dream coming to fruition as the idea of the Righteous Oaks Retreat became a reality. Here to help tell this story has the Great Misty Vancuren and the highly respected Mesquite PD Assistant Chief Doug Yates behind the mics to talk about taking this leap of faith in joining The Webbs and the Warrior Healer,  Dr. Tania Glenn, on this Righteous mission.

The Righteous Oaks Retreat is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization. Every donation is tax deductible.

For more information or to donate to this incredible cause please go to the link below.

https://righteousoakretreat.com

 

Episode 81 Tim and Kathy Penton: In Remembrance of Mitchell Aaron Penton #11654

"Always come home".

This is the story of a young Dallas Officer who had ambitions of fighting crime, serving the city and starting a new family. Mitchell Penton embraced the Northeast Patrol Division’s fast pace and settled in with several other young officers that became a blue family.  Mitchell loved being a cop….was a loyal son, a devoted father, and husband and everyone in his life looked to the future to travel with him on this journey.

But life being what it is - a series of intersecting lives and incidents, out of anyone's control changed all of that on February 13^th, 2021, on an icy morning in Dallas, Texas. Officer Penton was struck and killed by a drunk driver as he worked an accident scene on North Central Expressway and Walnut Hill.

He left behind an expectant wife, stepson, amazing parents and a brother and sister.

Today we are hearing from his parents, Tim and Kathy, as they give a peek into who Mitchell Penton was as a child, a soccer player, a goofy and fun-loving kid, to his decision to serve as an Officer.

They take us on their own journey from the night of February 13^th, 2021, to the conclusion of a  trial in May of 2023.

 This story is a powerful reminder of the fleeting nature of life and of the importance of cherishing our moments.

It encourages us to live in the present, to appreciate the people and experiences around us, and to make the most of the time we have.

Please welcome the Penton family to the ATO stage.

Critical Incident:

February 13, 2021:

Police Officer Mitchell Penton was struck and killed by a vehicle operated by an intoxicated driver at about 1:45 am.

He was working at the scene of a vehicle collision in the northbound lanes of the North Central Expressway at Walnut Hill Lane. He was securing traffic with the emergency lights from his patrol car when a vehicle driven by an intoxicated driver, traveling at a high rate of speed, hit the back of his patrol car. The collision pushed the patrol car into Officer Penton.

Officer Penton was transported to Baylor University Medical Center when he died from his injuries.

The driver of the vehicle that struck Officer Penton was arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter of a police officer and intoxication assault. In 2023, he was found guilty and sentenced to 30 years.

Episode 80 (Ret.) Miami-Dade Police Narcotics Omar Carrillo #2233: The Miami Drug Wars

Welcome back to the show for our 80^th episode and we will be taking you back in time to the age of hair bands, the cold war, and the rise of cocaine in the United States. Ground zero for cocaine distribution into the US was Florida and specifically the city of Miami as it rolled into our country from Columbia.  With all the cocaine that was pouring in brought not only the ungodly amount of cash but also extreme violence.

Movies and documentaries have been made about this era, specifically Cocaine Cowboys, as the beautiful city of Miami turned into a warzone and became known as the drug capital of the world.

 

Today’s guest was at the heart of this war as he hired on with Miami Metro-Dade Police Department, the drug capital of the world, and quickly formed a reputation as a hardworking and honest cop who quickly gained a knack for undercover work.

He joined the Police Department in 1981 and began undercover work in 1986. This man worked in various positions that include SWAT, Homicide Bureau, Robbery and Public Corruption and excelled in all of them.

With all the accolades and legendary lawman reputation he also managed to be an amazing father to his children as he mentored and raised some incredible kids. The listeners have heard his name before on the show as the Candelaria twins praised him and emulated their lives and career after him. One half of the twins, Bryan Candelaria, share the mic as a guest cohost to show some love to their pops.

He was their hero.

ATO family……Omar Coming.

Critical Incident:

June 1992, during a narcotics bust, Omar Carillo was involved in a officer involved shooting as the suspect attempted to rob him. The entire incident was captured on video.

The murder of Jimmy Ryce

On September 11, 1995, fifteen days before his 10th birthday, nine-year-old Ryce was riding the bus from school. He was dropped off, along with ten classmates, and had to walk less than a block to his home. According to his confession, Chavez blocked Ryce's path with his pickup truck and forced him at gunpoint into the truck. Chavez took Ryce to his trailer on a nearby ranch where he raped him. About four hours later, when he heard a helicopter hovering above, Ryce ran to the door and tried to open it only to be shot in the back by Chavez, who held the child until he took his last breath. Then, Chavez decapitated and dismembered him.

 

• Corporate Security Director @ Frito Lay
• Director @ Pepsico Global Security
• Mortgage Fraud Investigator @ Citimortgage

Episode 79 Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia: Act Outside the Box

“Act Outside the Box”

 

Welcome back ATO Family

 

Today we welcome the Boss of Dallas PD back to the mic as we talk about the Dallas Police Department’s mission in making mental wellness a priority.  

Over the last couple of months Dallas has endured tragedies with officers taking their own life as well as losing officers to medical emergencies.

Chief Eddie Garcia is here to talk about making his employee’s health a priority and is dedicated to establishing a culture to come forward and get help more importantly, trust in the system.

The first responder’s world has long stigmas in Officers seeking help. We are very good at saving people but often do not make our own mental health a priority.

Our mission is daunting, and change is intimidating but with a leader like Chief Garcia at our helm we have HOPE in changing a culture for generations of Dallas Police Officers.
You are NOT ALONE!

If you would like to see our policies for the Dallas Wellness unit, email us at ATOBridging@GMAIL.COM

Episode 78 The Officer Next Door and (Ret.) Dallas Police Chris Wood #8672

Support the good, condemn the bad, honor the fallen.

Our next guest grew up in a very small town in NORTHERN Minnesota, which is why his accent is still so strong despite the fact he hasn’t lived there since 2005. He spent his childhood playing every sport possible, with a year-round focus on hockey. He played hockey in college at Hamline University where he graduated with a degree in criminal justice. Upon graduating college, he joined the Dallas Police Department in 2005. Admittedly, he chose southwest division (ch4) as his first choice but was luckily assigned to God’s country – southeast patrol division. 

In 12.5 years with the Dallas Police Department, he was fortunate enough to work in multiple capacities, SE patrol, NE Patrol, SC Patrol, NW Patrol, Operation Disruption, Auto Theft, Vice, Narcotics Street squad, Narcotics meth lab squad, and ended his career as a “SAFE” detective.

After the events of July 7^th, 2016, he evaluated what he really wanted to do “for his next 30 years” and decided law enforcement was likely not it.  Despite an amazing career, he resigned from the Dallas Police Department in January 2018.

He moved with his eventual wife to Maui, Hawaii where he was the supervisor of the welfare fraud investigations for all of Maui County. While in Maui he started a website or “blog” where he wrote articles about his experiences in law enforcement and reactions to current events as they happened. This blog has evolved and changed over the years and now primarily exists as a “Facebook page”. He says the simple goal of the page is helping and supporting officers however possible.

Whether it’s via fundraising in times of financial hardship or just a voice of support when needed and appropriate.

The motto of the page is simple: Support the good, condemn the bad, honor the fallen.

After a move from Maui to San Diego, he was offered a job in finance which has ultimately proven to be his “second calling in life” after law enforcement. He is currently in the process of building Wood Financial Consulting, a comprehensive financial practice that will help people with everything from personal finance and budgeting to planning for their retirement. He is most excited to work with law enforcement clients to improve their financial situation so they can work less and spend time doing the things in life they enjoy – not working extra jobs!

 

ATO Family welcome badge #8672 to the stage.

 

https://guardianfinancialstrategies.com/

 

Critical Incident:

 

The case of Robert Sparks, who was convicted for fatally stabling his two stepsons and his wife in the Dallas home in 2007.

Sparks was executed by lethal injection on September 25, 2019.

 

July 7^th, 2016, shooting in downtown Dallas, Texas that left 5 Officers dead and several wounded. Commonly referred to as 7/7.

 

Episode 77 Author and (Ret.) Secret Service Agent Samantha Horwitz: Surviving 9/11

" I do not recognize my own reflection staring back at me"

On September 11^th, 2001, todays guest woke up to head to work to the World Trade Center to lead a meeting on an upcoming event.  Her stress began as she sat behind a wreck on the way to the twin towers. The life of a Secret Service Agent is calculated and the importance of being punctual is paramount as she parked and quickly entered the WTC to make her meeting.

The world watched as the North Tower was struck by an airliner at 8:46 am and the destruction and terror unfolded that day.

The South Tower was struck at 9:03 am and the city became aware that the first plane crash was no accident.

At 9:37 am Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon and then at 10:02 and Flight 93 crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. In a little over an hour after the coordinated terror attacks started both Towers of the World Trade Center in New York had fallen.

America was under attack and today we sit down with a survivor who was in the North Tower as the first plane struck and she gives a detailed account of her day watching this terror unfold until she went home that night.

The story did not stop for this guest as she went home however the nightmare was just beginning as she began to see how PTSD is real and can create despair and loss of hope. This guest will walk us through the years of struggle that led her to her basement to take her own life to stop the pain.

This episode is just not an episode about the terrorist attacks on 9/11 but more importantly discusses the real battle, that so many people fight daily with PTSD.

Today’s guest not only survived the incident, not only survived the mental decline, not only survived the thoughts of suicide but now has a new “Why” in life. She fights for so many as she educates others in trauma management and tells her story in hopes that others can learn and survive and thrive themselves.

ATO Family please welcome Samantha Horwitz to the stage as she takes us back to September 11^th 2001.

www.samanthahorwitz.com

www.abadgeofhonor.com

 Critical Incident:

 The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11,^[d] were four coordinated Islamist suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, 19 terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners scheduled to travel from the New England and Mid-Atlantic regions of the East Coast to California. The hijackers crashed the first two planes into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, two of the world's five-tallest buildings at the time, and aimed the next two flights toward targets in or near Washington, D.C., in an attack on the nation's capital. The third team succeeded in crashing into the Pentagon, the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense in Arlington County, Virginia, while the fourth plane crashed in rural Pennsylvania following a passenger revolt. The attacks killed nearly 3,000 people and instigated the multi-decade global war on terror.

Even today several survivors are still suffering from this day with PTSD and unique forms of cancer.

May We Never Forget!

 

Episode 76 Lifeologie Founder Melanie Wells

“Struggle and pain, and fear and shame, are part of the human condition.”

 Welcome back ATO family!

 Today we give the stage to Lifeologie founder Melanie Wells (LPC-S, LMFT-S, RYT, PYT) as she educates us on the difficulties of navigating life and relationships.

The first responder world endures much trauma in the work life but even more in the homelife as marital issues, bad coping skills, bad communication skills, and divorce is prevalent in our profession. This is the topic we have not tackled yet but we couldn’t find a better guest to share her expertise on the topic.

Melanie specializes in couples and marital therapy – particularly last-ditch marriage counseling. She enjoys taking on the trickiest, stickiest relationship issues after couples have all but given up. She also works with a variety of other issues, including spousal abuse, women’s issues, codependency and divorce recovery.

 

This mean fiddle player grew up in the Texas panhandle and she and her family gravitated to the world of music. However, Melanie found a new passion in serving others and helping them have better qualities of life.

Her unique approach and insight, stemming from real life relationship trauma, has helped so many people of all walks of life and careers.

The sad truth is that no one is immune to relationship issues as it will find you if you are rich, poor, successful, member of SWAT or a firefighter donning a helmet to serve. We are all vulnerable to this epidemic.

Sit back and listen and learn from the Great Melanie Wells.

 

www.wefixbrains.com

 

www.thelispyschool.com

 

www.thedawgproject.org

 

Episode 75 Dallas Police FTO and Narcotics Detective (Ret.) David Rodriguez #2776: A Front Row Seat to Life

“A Front Row Seat to Life”

 ATO Family today we are celebrating our milestone 75^th episode with a true piece of Dallas Police and ATO history with David Rodriguez.

David was born in 1948 and grew up in a segregated West Dallas and joined the Vietnam War right after high school. At this time Dallas PD had their recruiting doors wide open for veterans of this war and David walked right through those doors and into DPD’s open arms in 1969 and graduated in academy class #107.

He made his name as a legendary FTO in the Northwest Division and was awarded an award for Trainer of the Decade.

At age 46 years old David wanted to try something new ventured to the growing Narcotics Unit to battle the deadly drug wars in Dallas in the 90’s

David fell in love with the high speed dynamics of the Narcotics Division and embraced this new role and this new war on drugs.

But life being what it is- a series of intersecting lives and incidents, out of anyone’s control changed David’s life and career.

In January of 1994, while executing a Narcotics Search Warrant. David was shot four times by a suspect and became paralyzed from the chest down.

After a lengthy period of rehabilitation, David found himself unable to perform his duties and was forced to retire.

David did retire from Dallas PD but he did not stop working. He recognized the need help his fellow officers who found themselves in similar circumstances and focused on his new mission.

He helped Bill Carollo, Eddie Crawford and Tom Popken create the Assist the Officer Foundation.

Sit back and listen to a true story of resiliency and determination.  Badge #2776 the ATO is yours……

Critical Incident:

 January 1994 Narcotics officer involved shooting that left Detective David Rodriguez paralyzed.

 

A Message from the Host XII with the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers (DAYL)

Welcome back to another message from the host as we sit down with Kathleen,Justin, and Alex from the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers to discuss the 23^rd Annual Freedom Run.

This run was created in November 2001, after the deadly 9/11 attacks, to honor first responders dedication to serving their communities across the country.

DAYL was formed in the 1920s and is now nearly three thousand members strong as they are the only bar organization in Dallas dedicated exclusively to the needs of young lawyers and the community service projects about which they are most passionate.

If you would like to give the ATO feedback or just say hello please email us atATOBRIDGING@GMAIL.COM.

Until next time……..

If you would like to participate, sponsor or volunteer at the Freedom Run please check the links and sites below.

www.dayl.com

Website: WWW.FREEDOMRUN.COM

Date and Location: September 9, 2023 at 8:00amat Trinity  Groves

Instagram: dayl.freedomrun

Facebook: The Freedom Run

Price Increases: August 14th at 12:00am

Registration Coupon: JBTD_23 

Episode 74 Garland PD Internet Crimes Against Children Detective Tony Godwin #299: Catfish Cop

Episode 74

Garland Texas Police Department Internet Crimes Against Children Detective Tony Godwin

****Sensitive Material Warning****

Welcome back ATO Blue Family.

Today we are sitting with a true expert in his field, a law enforcement Hall of Famer, a Detective that investigates some of the most horrific crimes against the truly vulnerable…..children.

Garland Pd Detective Tony Godwin has been a Detective with the Garland Police Department (30^thyear). Assigned to the Northern Texas ICAC Task Force for almost 18 years now.

He has conducted in excess of 3,500 criminal investigations as the primary Detective into offenses related to the exploitation of children. He is a certified computer and cell phone forensic examiner. Tony has conducted joint criminal investigations while assisting the Federal Bureau of Investigation, The United States Postal Service, the Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency, the United States Secret Service and other local Law Enforcement agencies in an effort to combat child exploitation and child pornography on the World Wide Web.

In this episode we delve into the seedy underworld of Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) and take the listener down a dark road as we hope to bring awareness and educate the listener on this awful topic and crime.

Tony is the best in the business and is a national expert on this topic and recently was inducted into the National Law Enforcement Hall of Fame.

He has owned Law Man Laser Engraving for over 15 years to show off his creative side as well as leave behind a business for his family.

Tony is also cohost of the hit podcast Catfish Cops as they dissect case studies and provide information so that other children and parents do not become another victim in this horrible world.

They also provide information and victims resource on their site https://Catfishcops.com.

You can reach him at LawManLaser@gmail.comfor custom award work and engraving.

As you heard in the Great Clint McNear’s episode this guy is a loyal friend and truly dedicated to helping others. More evidence is Tony’s battle with the Texas Legislative as the is attempting to change laws in Texas to help these children that are victims of these crimes.

Sgt. Jessica Criddle returns to the mic as a guest cohost for this show.

ATO listener sit back and soak in the words of an incredibly humble human being and a true treasure to the law enforcement profession.

 

Episode 73 Dallas Police Homicide Sergeant Jessica Montgomery-Criddle #8634: Professionalism Defined

Episode 73

Dallas Police Homicide Sergeant Jessica Criddle

Welcome back ATO Family as we are extremely happy to welcome Dallas native, Homicide Sgt. Jessica Criddle to the ATO stage and pull back the curtain a bit on this amazing human’s life.

She attended The Booker T. Washington Highschool for Arts and studied dance. She then ventured to Sam Houston State and dove into Biology Pre-Med and Dance and graduating with honors in 2003.

Jessica then began interning at the Medical Examiner’s Office and was accepted into the Dallas School of Mortuary Science, but turned it down to join Dallas PD. After reading her resume, pre- DPD, I wondered how in the hell did the City of Dallas get such an exceptionally brilliant mind to work on the Dallas Police Department?

The answer is simple…..She chose to serve this City.

She has worked various assignments, including IAD, ICAC, Child Exploitation and now her current assignment is Dallas Homicide. Wherever she goes the lasting Impression she leaves on her coworkers is that they love her and would run into battle with her.

There are so many layers to Jessica’s “Why” in life and I encourage the listener to sit back and soak in the story of a truly fierce and incredibly unique individual that just happens to wear a Dallas Police badge.

The theater lights are dimmed...the curtain is slowly rising and the stage lights are shining bright……….Jessica Criddle is center stage.

Acronyms Used:

PIU: Public Integrity Unit

IAD: Internal Affairs Division

ICAC: Internet Crimes Against Children

Episode 72 Former LAPD & Criminologist Dr. David Klinger: Into the Kill Zone

Welcome back ATO family.

"You saved your partner's life"

Today we are sitting down with former Los Angeles Police Department David Klinger as he tells us his story of starting in LA PD in the 80s and immediately being thrusted into a life in death situation as he had to take a life to protect his partners in the streets of LA.  Following his shooting he continued his work in law enforcement and delved into the academic world to continue his research and studies to further serve law enforcement by arming them with facts and education.

His book on police shootings, Into the Kill Zone: A Cop’s Eye View of Deadly Force, was published by Jossey-Bass in 2004.

David A. Klinger is a Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and Senior Fellow at the National Policing Institute in Washington, DC.

He has held research positions at the National Policing Institute in Washington, D.C.; the University of Washington, Seattle; the Washington State’s Attorney’s Office; and the Seattle Police Department. In 1997 he was the recipient of the American Society of Criminology’s inaugural Ruth Cavan Young Scholar Award for outstanding early career contributions to the discipline of criminology.

 

Dallas Police Major Dr. Stephen Bishopp and the great Dallas SWAT Legend Steve Claggett sit in as cohosts to show the Dr. our Texas hospitality.

Sit back ATO listeners and enjoy this police academia round table.

 

Critical Incident discussed:

July 25^th 1981 Officer Klinger shot and killed suspect, Edward Randolph, as he was in the process of stabling his partner; Officer Dennis Azevedo of LA PD.

Nationally recognized criminology professor is featured ALEAPS speaker (wtvy.com)