October 13, 2025 • 17 mins
Some names turn into anchors for a whole community. Trevor Slot is one of those names. We open the door to his life through vivid memories, honest grief, and the living legacy he left inside the Walker Police Department and within the hearts of his daughters. What you’ll hear isn’t a eulogy—it’s a map for how kindness, humor, and everyday presence can shape an entire city.
Captain Brandyn Heugel and Sergeant Robin Malley paint a grounded portrait of the man behind the badge: an officer who insisted on first names, who knew business owners and neighbors, and who believed in second chances even for the “frequent flyers.” A single story says it all—a resident once written off offers key information that cracks a serious case; years later, he flags down a cruiser to say Trevor never treated him like a criminal, only as a human being. That’s community policing done right: trust built one conversation at a time, where empathy is both principled and practical.
Katelyn joins us to share snapshots of “dad”—loud music, goofy jokes, and the two-drive-thru ritual that made kids feel seen. She talks about growing up with a department that kept showing up: graduations, milestones, and quiet check-ins that stitched a safety net beneath her and her sister. We also reflect on grief that arrives in waves and the perspective Kim, Trevor’s late wife, offered so powerfully: you can’t change what happened, but you can live fully in the moments you’re given. Inside the department, Trevor’s presence remains tangible—memorials in the hallway, a slogan on a patrol car, letters from across the country carefully preserved, and a field training module ensuring new officers learn not just policies but values.
If you care about public safety, civic trust, and what true service looks like, this story will stay with you. Subscribe, share with a friend who believes relationships still matter, and leave a review to help others find conversations that keep legacies alive.
If you have comments about this podcast, or ideas for future episodes, please email us at PODCAST@WALKER.CITY
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01 (00:07):
Welcome to Maiden Walker, a podcast that connects
you to the people, the stories,and the ideas shaping our
community.
From local innovators toeveryday change makers, we're
diving deep into what makesWalker a great place to live,
work, and grow.
Here's your host, NicoleDiDonato.
SPEAKER_03 (00:26):
October 2025 marks 14 years since the Walker Police
Department and the community asa whole lost Officer Trevor
Slott in the line of duty.
And since then, there's been alot of new faces at the Walker
Police Department.
The Captain Brandon Hugel andSergeant Robin Malley make sure
to carry on Trevor's legacy.
Thank you both so much for beinghere.
(00:48):
You're welcome.
And for those of us who did nothave the pleasure of knowing
Trevor, what can you tell usabout your friend, the man
behind the badge?
Oh, goodness.
SPEAKER_04 (01:00):
There's so many stories we could tell about
Trevor.
Um, as it relates to work, itwas never a dull a dull moment
when he was working.
We had so much fun.
And this job sometimes isn'tfun.
It can be hard, it can beemotional.
But when we were doing ittogether, we could always
debrief afterwards, we couldalways relax watching one of our
(01:22):
favorite shows on our break.
And we were never short onlaughs, that's for sure.
Yeah.
unknown (01:29):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (01:29):
You said this uh obviously this career can be
very heavy.
What was his approach topolicing?
What were some of the you knowthe qualities that he possessed?
SPEAKER_00 (01:39):
Yeah, be on a first name basis with people.
Yeah.
Um you know, he just um I thinkcoming from Lowell and St.
Joe before then, um he wasn'tused to going call to call.
So he had that time to connectwith everybody in the community,
whether it was a neighborhood orbusiness owners.
(02:02):
And so people knew him asTrevor.
You rarely heard Officer Slot.
And and then he knew theirnames.
So it was uh yeah, it was prettyinteresting.
He he slid right into Walker andyou thought he worked there a
decade.
Sure.
SPEAKER_03 (02:22):
So yes, and you were mentioning uh obviously you've
been at the department and he uhjoined you guys.
What was his first few, youknow, days, weeks, months like
getting used to a place likeWalker?
SPEAKER_04 (02:36):
It was almost seamless because back when he
came to our department, weactually dispatched in the
evening for Lowell.
Okay.
And Sergeant Bailey and I wereboth wonderful dispatchers in
the day when we were part-time.
So we already knew his voice, weknew his number, we knew a
(02:57):
little bit about hispersonality, we had talked to
him on the phone, he hadinteracted with so many of our
officers who worked dispatch.
So it was actually prettyseamless.
And I was here several yearsbefore he started, and I don't
remember a time when he wasn'tthere.
Wow.
So it just fit in so well.
(03:18):
It didn't seem like atransition.
He fit in well.
Trevor had this amazing ability.
Everybody thought they were hisbest friend.
Yeah, you'll hear many peopletalk about that.
It's because he just made youfeel special.
He had those personalconnections with not only the
officers, but like SergeantMaley said, with the community.
(03:38):
Everyone just felt close to himinstantly.
SPEAKER_03 (03:40):
Yeah.
And that his daughters were bornwhile he was uh at the Walker
Police Department.
And you were kind of bringing upuh some stories of during that
time when he was off uh duringthe birth of his daughters.
What was that like?
SPEAKER_04 (03:52):
Yes, um, he was off for the birth of his first
daughter, and um you go into agas station and one of them has
a gift for the baby.
So you know that they not onlyspoke in passing if he was in
there to get something to drinkor a snack to eat, but he
actually opened up about hispersonal life with people that
(04:14):
he connected with.
unknown (04:15):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (04:15):
And even nowadays, that is so important with
policing, just you know, beingable to relate the
relationships.
It's really all about that,isn't it?
SPEAKER_00 (04:23):
Absolutely.
I mean, there are you know, apercentage of people that we
deal with on a regular basis.
There are other residents thatwe may just wave at, you know,
through our career.
Um so you have some frequentflyers, whatever case that may
(04:44):
be, of why you deal with them.
Um but I do remember aparticular frequent flyer.
Um he was never, you know,assaulting people or or taking
advantage, but he was atroublemaker.
And I recall being on vacation,coming back, and Trevor saying,
(05:10):
Hey, um, next time you deal withso-and-so, give him a break.
Because he gave me some goodinformation that solved a pretty
serious case.
And it didn't take too longbefore I had dealt with him
again.
And and I said, Hey Trevor saidyou gave him a solid, so I'm
(05:34):
gonna, you know, give a solidback.
And uh, you know, you fastforward five, six years later
after he was killed, um, thatparticular person weighed me
down when I was driving by and Ipulled up and he said, Um, hey,
(05:57):
I just wanna let you guys knowthat I'm sorry for your loss and
that Trevor never treated melike a common criminal.
SPEAKER_04 (06:08):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (06:09):
Uh he treated me like a human being.
So you know, that's that's onecase out of many.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (06:17):
So that is so powerful to hear.
And yeah, um, I know it's toughto talk about how how did his
passing affect you all?
It's unimaginable.
SPEAKER_00 (06:28):
Can't you know still dealing with it?
SPEAKER_03 (06:32):
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (06:33):
You know, grief doesn't stop, it changes, it
comes in waves.
Um, but back then, that day, ithit you like a ton of bricks,
and everything in the world justslowed down, but went so fast at
the same time.
It was very um surreal,honestly, even to look back at
(06:56):
it.
Um here we are, what would youjust say, 14 years later?
I I can't believe it's been 14years, but then again, it seems
like a lifetime.
Yeah.
Um, and like it hits you inwaves.
October is a horrible month forme.
SPEAKER_03 (07:13):
Are there still parts of him that yeah, we can't
don't.
I'm not gonna look at eachother.
No, no, we won't make it.
SPEAKER_04 (07:22):
Yeah, I've never been shy about hiding my
emotions, but um with the griefand the sadness, there's been so
much joy since.
Yeah, and I had the wonderfulopportunity of being friends
with Kim.
And the moments I had with her,she taught me so much.
(07:44):
I can't I can't even tell youhow amazing she was.
SPEAKER_03 (07:47):
Yeah, and that was Trevor's wife.
SPEAKER_04 (07:49):
Yes, and she just had this perspective.
One night we were going to aconcert together, and it was a
last-minute thing.
Literally, I called her an hourbefore the concert, and she
went.
And we're sitting in my car onthe parking ramp, and she said,
you know what?
We wouldn't be here right now ifTrevor hadn't have been killed.
(08:11):
So I take these moments that Inever would have had, and I just
live them to the fullest becauseI can't change what happened,
but I can change what I do now.
Yeah, and I can enjoy theseexperiences.
And honestly, we had a blast.
And anytime things got tough forme, all I had to do was think of
her.
Because if it was tough for me,I can't even imagine what it was
(08:32):
like for her.
And her perspective and her herhelping me heal, yeah, that was
something I could never thankher for.
SPEAKER_03 (08:44):
And that's why you want her so passionate,
especially with these newerofficers that come in year after
year of keeping your friend'slegacy alive.
And how were you able to do thatall this time?
What are some of the specificthings you've done to make sure
that that that happens?
SPEAKER_00 (09:03):
Well, I mean, I I think so many of us are
storytellers and we have a lotof stories because of what we
experience.
So um and he created a lot ofstories.
So even 14 years later, I stilltalk about them often.
And um, you know, we'refortunate to have a memorial
(09:26):
that we set up.
Um, we have a little slogan onone of our cars that is a
reminder.
Um and you know, we did compile.
Um came to realize all thecorrespondence back when that
occurred, you know, they werejust sitting in totes back off
(09:47):
in a closet.
And we we thought about whydon't we put that together?
Um, you know, in not anyparticular order.
Uh, but the nice letterhead thatwas sent from around the
country, whether it was agovernment agency, a local
police department, state police,um, you know, fire departments,
(10:10):
just whatever.
And just to put it togethermainly for the family, but also
for the department and yet forposterity.
We have what 75% of the peoplethat we work with now never
worked with Trevor.
Right.
I mean, we're we're changingevery police department's
(10:31):
changing, you know, over.
But uh, yeah, it's pretty wild.
Yeah, but 14 years goes prettyquick.
SPEAKER_04 (10:39):
It does.
And there's a lot of change.
And our officers, when they walkinto briefing, they walk past a
photo of him and a wooden signthat says, In Balor, there is
hope that was made by one of ourretirees.
Um, so everybody really cametogether to put something in the
(10:59):
department that just shows alittle bit about him and is a
constant reminder.
Part of our field trainingprogram is um going through that
history and um what happened.
So every new person in ourdepartment knows a little bit
about him, and I don't thinkthat there's many weeks that go
(11:22):
by where his name doesn't justcome up, whether we're telling a
story or we're remembering orwe're planning to go to a
graduation ceremony for one ofhis daughters.
You know, there's alwayssomething, he's still very much
a part of our organization.
SPEAKER_03 (11:41):
Trevor's daughters, Caitlin and Abby, were just six
and eight years old at the timehe passed away, but they have
since gone on to be beautifulyoung women graduating from the
same school their father did andtheir mother had taught as well.
And we're honored to haveCaitlin here joining us as well.
Thank you so much.
Yeah.
We've heard a lot about the manbehind the badge.
(12:02):
What can you tell us just aboutdad?
SPEAKER_02 (12:05):
Yeah.
Um, I mean, I was so young.
There's not much I remember, buthe was I just always remember
like having so much fun withhim.
Like he was just funny and loud,and we would just listen to
music with him.
He would tell jokes, he wouldplay Barbies with me,
Hollypockets.
Um, and like my favorite memorywith him is I really liked
(12:28):
McDonald's, but my sister reallyliked Wendy's.
So anytime we would get fastfood, we would go to both
places.
And he was happy to getMcDonald's.
Of course.
Yes, he was.
SPEAKER_03 (12:37):
And just growing up um with the police department
support by your side, how hasthat been?
You know, developing deeperrelationships with Brandon and
the crew.
SPEAKER_02 (12:47):
It's been like so amazing just to have that
support.
Um just phenomenal.
Like, I don't know where I wouldbe without it.
And yeah, Brandon and Robin,they're amazing, and I'm very
thankful.
Yeah for them.
SPEAKER_03 (13:02):
Going through some of the you know, the milestones,
just having those that extrapresence with you.
How does that make you feel?
SPEAKER_02 (13:08):
It amazing.
Like it just makes me feel soloved and seen, and I like
wouldn't want to go through anyof that without them.
SPEAKER_04 (13:16):
One of my favorite moments was um Caitlin didn't
necessarily know we were comingto her graduation, and there was
a group of us.
So um, her class was allgathered in a gym below the
auditorium where the graduationwas happening.
So I snuck down there and talkedto the first person in line.
I'm like, I need Caitlin slot.
(13:36):
So word got back to her and shestarted coming up towards me.
And I I the genuine surprise onher face, like, we weren't gonna
be there.
But um, and she just gave me thebiggest hug.
And I'm like, of course we'rehere.
SPEAKER_03 (13:52):
Yes, there's a lifelong like bond that you guys
now have.
SPEAKER_04 (13:57):
So absolutely.
I heard all the stories aboutCaitlin when she was a baby and
about Abby when she was a babyand little, and I heard the
polypockets, and I I knew he wasan active dad.
They always went to cottage andout on the lake and swimming and
all of that.
Um that was Trevor's life.
Yeah.
And so I heard so much about itthat it was really easy just to
(14:21):
pick up and you already had lovefor these girls, and then it
just came became that muchstronger.
unknown (14:28):
Yes.
SPEAKER_04 (14:28):
Just knowing what they had lost.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (14:31):
Yeah.
And you've moving on to the toan exciting new step, recently
being engaged, and and how doyou kind of like take the
spirits of your mother andfather along with you?
And what will that look likegoing forward?
SPEAKER_02 (14:43):
It's hard, like not having them there.
Um, but it's like a goodreminder through like the police
department and like just all thesupport we have, like having
them there and like sharing thismoment with them and like doing
little things like for that dayto honor them.
And yeah, special.
Yes, yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (15:03):
We really appreciate you sharing such wonderful
memories of your father.
We know we've heard itthroughout the years, but it's
wonderful to see you grown upand you resembling Brandon so
much, like her mom and dad,right?
Yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (15:15):
She looked like her dad so much when she was young,
yeah, more like her mom.
And every time I see Abby, I seeTrevor.
Gosh, and if she has a book inher hand, I really I really have
to just shake my head becauseyeah, it they didn't have that
many years with him.
Um, but dang, do they carry onhis legacy?
SPEAKER_03 (15:38):
It's it's pretty cool to see.
They certainly do.
Yeah.
Your father made such an impactbeyond West Michigan, and
everyone is behind with yousupporting you.
SPEAKER_04 (15:50):
She had an amazing family that really stepped in
and kept it real with her.
Yeah.
And and she kept it real withthem too.
Yeah.
There were times when she wouldstill be fighting with grandma
and grandpa who were raisingher, and she'd say, I'm gonna
call Brandon.
(16:12):
So she would think that Brandonwas gonna get her out of trouble
with grandma or something.
And I'm like, Yeah, you call me,and we'll talk.
But I I just loved that she wasstill a little high-spirited
young girl.
Yeah, that that's what she wassupposed to be.
It didn't, it didn't change howshe was supposed to be.
(16:34):
She was still sassy, and I loveit.
SPEAKER_03 (16:36):
Um kind of get a bonus daughter now, a couple
bonus daughters to watchthroughout the rest of their we
all just think of them asfamily.
SPEAKER_04 (16:47):
And like I said, they know she can text me
anytime if she needs something,and I'll be there.
You know, she has a wonderfulfamily support system.
Yeah, so she doesn't really needme, but she knows I'm there if
she does need something.
SPEAKER_03 (17:03):
Yeah, it's been such an honor getting to know you,
Caitlin, and hearing more ofTrevor's stories and how his
legacy will live on for all ofus.
Thank you for being here.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you for joining us.
SPEAKER_01 (17:16):
Thank you for joining us for this episode of
the Maiden Walker Podcast.
If you have comments orquestions about this podcast, or
if you have suggestions forfuture episodes, we'd love to
hear from you.
Please drop us an email atpodcast at walker.city.
Maiden Walker is the officialpodcast of the city of Walker,
Michigan.
(17:36):
You can find Maiden Walkerwherever you get your podcasts.
Welcome to Maiden Walker, a podcast that connects
you to the people, the stories,and the ideas shaping our
community.
From local innovators toeveryday change makers, we're
diving deep into what makesWalker a great place to live,
work, and grow.
Here's your host, NicoleDiDonato.
SPEAKER_03 (00:26):
October 2025 marks 14 years since the Walker Police
Department and the community asa whole lost Officer Trevor
Slott in the line of duty.
And since then, there's been alot of new faces at the Walker
Police Department.
The Captain Brandon Hugel andSergeant Robin Malley make sure
to carry on Trevor's legacy.
Thank you both so much for beinghere.
(00:48):
You're welcome.
And for those of us who did nothave the pleasure of knowing
Trevor, what can you tell usabout your friend, the man
behind the badge?
Oh, goodness.
SPEAKER_04 (01:00):
There's so many stories we could tell about
Trevor.
Um, as it relates to work, itwas never a dull a dull moment
when he was working.
We had so much fun.
And this job sometimes isn'tfun.
It can be hard, it can beemotional.
But when we were doing ittogether, we could always
debrief afterwards, we couldalways relax watching one of our
(01:22):
favorite shows on our break.
And we were never short onlaughs, that's for sure.
Yeah.
unknown (01:29):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (01:29):
You said this uh obviously this career can be
very heavy.
What was his approach topolicing?
What were some of the you knowthe qualities that he possessed?
SPEAKER_00 (01:39):
Yeah, be on a first name basis with people.
Yeah.
Um you know, he just um I thinkcoming from Lowell and St.
Joe before then, um he wasn'tused to going call to call.
So he had that time to connectwith everybody in the community,
whether it was a neighborhood orbusiness owners.
(02:02):
And so people knew him asTrevor.
You rarely heard Officer Slot.
And and then he knew theirnames.
So it was uh yeah, it was prettyinteresting.
He he slid right into Walker andyou thought he worked there a
decade.
Sure.
SPEAKER_03 (02:22):
So yes, and you were mentioning uh obviously you've
been at the department and he uhjoined you guys.
What was his first few, youknow, days, weeks, months like
getting used to a place likeWalker?
SPEAKER_04 (02:36):
It was almost seamless because back when he
came to our department, weactually dispatched in the
evening for Lowell.
Okay.
And Sergeant Bailey and I wereboth wonderful dispatchers in
the day when we were part-time.
So we already knew his voice, weknew his number, we knew a
(02:57):
little bit about hispersonality, we had talked to
him on the phone, he hadinteracted with so many of our
officers who worked dispatch.
So it was actually prettyseamless.
And I was here several yearsbefore he started, and I don't
remember a time when he wasn'tthere.
Wow.
So it just fit in so well.
(03:18):
It didn't seem like atransition.
He fit in well.
Trevor had this amazing ability.
Everybody thought they were hisbest friend.
Yeah, you'll hear many peopletalk about that.
It's because he just made youfeel special.
He had those personalconnections with not only the
officers, but like SergeantMaley said, with the community.
(03:38):
Everyone just felt close to himinstantly.
SPEAKER_03 (03:40):
Yeah.
And that his daughters were bornwhile he was uh at the Walker
Police Department.
And you were kind of bringing upuh some stories of during that
time when he was off uh duringthe birth of his daughters.
What was that like?
SPEAKER_04 (03:52):
Yes, um, he was off for the birth of his first
daughter, and um you go into agas station and one of them has
a gift for the baby.
So you know that they not onlyspoke in passing if he was in
there to get something to drinkor a snack to eat, but he
actually opened up about hispersonal life with people that
(04:14):
he connected with.
unknown (04:15):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (04:15):
And even nowadays, that is so important with
policing, just you know, beingable to relate the
relationships.
It's really all about that,isn't it?
SPEAKER_00 (04:23):
Absolutely.
I mean, there are you know, apercentage of people that we
deal with on a regular basis.
There are other residents thatwe may just wave at, you know,
through our career.
Um so you have some frequentflyers, whatever case that may
(04:44):
be, of why you deal with them.
Um but I do remember aparticular frequent flyer.
Um he was never, you know,assaulting people or or taking
advantage, but he was atroublemaker.
And I recall being on vacation,coming back, and Trevor saying,
(05:10):
Hey, um, next time you deal withso-and-so, give him a break.
Because he gave me some goodinformation that solved a pretty
serious case.
And it didn't take too longbefore I had dealt with him
again.
And and I said, Hey Trevor saidyou gave him a solid, so I'm
(05:34):
gonna, you know, give a solidback.
And uh, you know, you fastforward five, six years later
after he was killed, um, thatparticular person weighed me
down when I was driving by and Ipulled up and he said, Um, hey,
(05:57):
I just wanna let you guys knowthat I'm sorry for your loss and
that Trevor never treated melike a common criminal.
SPEAKER_04 (06:08):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (06:09):
Uh he treated me like a human being.
So you know, that's that's onecase out of many.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (06:17):
So that is so powerful to hear.
And yeah, um, I know it's toughto talk about how how did his
passing affect you all?
It's unimaginable.
SPEAKER_00 (06:28):
Can't you know still dealing with it?
SPEAKER_03 (06:32):
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (06:33):
You know, grief doesn't stop, it changes, it
comes in waves.
Um, but back then, that day, ithit you like a ton of bricks,
and everything in the world justslowed down, but went so fast at
the same time.
It was very um surreal,honestly, even to look back at
(06:56):
it.
Um here we are, what would youjust say, 14 years later?
I I can't believe it's been 14years, but then again, it seems
like a lifetime.
Yeah.
Um, and like it hits you inwaves.
October is a horrible month forme.
SPEAKER_03 (07:13):
Are there still parts of him that yeah, we can't
don't.
I'm not gonna look at eachother.
No, no, we won't make it.
SPEAKER_04 (07:22):
Yeah, I've never been shy about hiding my
emotions, but um with the griefand the sadness, there's been so
much joy since.
Yeah, and I had the wonderfulopportunity of being friends
with Kim.
And the moments I had with her,she taught me so much.
(07:44):
I can't I can't even tell youhow amazing she was.
SPEAKER_03 (07:47):
Yeah, and that was Trevor's wife.
SPEAKER_04 (07:49):
Yes, and she just had this perspective.
One night we were going to aconcert together, and it was a
last-minute thing.
Literally, I called her an hourbefore the concert, and she
went.
And we're sitting in my car onthe parking ramp, and she said,
you know what?
We wouldn't be here right now ifTrevor hadn't have been killed.
(08:11):
So I take these moments that Inever would have had, and I just
live them to the fullest becauseI can't change what happened,
but I can change what I do now.
Yeah, and I can enjoy theseexperiences.
And honestly, we had a blast.
And anytime things got tough forme, all I had to do was think of
her.
Because if it was tough for me,I can't even imagine what it was
(08:32):
like for her.
And her perspective and her herhelping me heal, yeah, that was
something I could never thankher for.
SPEAKER_03 (08:44):
And that's why you want her so passionate,
especially with these newerofficers that come in year after
year of keeping your friend'slegacy alive.
And how were you able to do thatall this time?
What are some of the specificthings you've done to make sure
that that that happens?
SPEAKER_00 (09:03):
Well, I mean, I I think so many of us are
storytellers and we have a lotof stories because of what we
experience.
So um and he created a lot ofstories.
So even 14 years later, I stilltalk about them often.
And um, you know, we'refortunate to have a memorial
(09:26):
that we set up.
Um, we have a little slogan onone of our cars that is a
reminder.
Um and you know, we did compile.
Um came to realize all thecorrespondence back when that
occurred, you know, they werejust sitting in totes back off
(09:47):
in a closet.
And we we thought about whydon't we put that together?
Um, you know, in not anyparticular order.
Uh, but the nice letterhead thatwas sent from around the
country, whether it was agovernment agency, a local
police department, state police,um, you know, fire departments,
(10:10):
just whatever.
And just to put it togethermainly for the family, but also
for the department and yet forposterity.
We have what 75% of the peoplethat we work with now never
worked with Trevor.
Right.
I mean, we're we're changingevery police department's
(10:31):
changing, you know, over.
But uh, yeah, it's pretty wild.
Yeah, but 14 years goes prettyquick.
SPEAKER_04 (10:39):
It does.
And there's a lot of change.
And our officers, when they walkinto briefing, they walk past a
photo of him and a wooden signthat says, In Balor, there is
hope that was made by one of ourretirees.
Um, so everybody really cametogether to put something in the
(10:59):
department that just shows alittle bit about him and is a
constant reminder.
Part of our field trainingprogram is um going through that
history and um what happened.
So every new person in ourdepartment knows a little bit
about him, and I don't thinkthat there's many weeks that go
(11:22):
by where his name doesn't justcome up, whether we're telling a
story or we're remembering orwe're planning to go to a
graduation ceremony for one ofhis daughters.
You know, there's alwayssomething, he's still very much
a part of our organization.
SPEAKER_03 (11:41):
Trevor's daughters, Caitlin and Abby, were just six
and eight years old at the timehe passed away, but they have
since gone on to be beautifulyoung women graduating from the
same school their father did andtheir mother had taught as well.
And we're honored to haveCaitlin here joining us as well.
Thank you so much.
Yeah.
We've heard a lot about the manbehind the badge.
(12:02):
What can you tell us just aboutdad?
SPEAKER_02 (12:05):
Yeah.
Um, I mean, I was so young.
There's not much I remember, buthe was I just always remember
like having so much fun withhim.
Like he was just funny and loud,and we would just listen to
music with him.
He would tell jokes, he wouldplay Barbies with me,
Hollypockets.
Um, and like my favorite memorywith him is I really liked
(12:28):
McDonald's, but my sister reallyliked Wendy's.
So anytime we would get fastfood, we would go to both
places.
And he was happy to getMcDonald's.
Of course.
Yes, he was.
SPEAKER_03 (12:37):
And just growing up um with the police department
support by your side, how hasthat been?
You know, developing deeperrelationships with Brandon and
the crew.
SPEAKER_02 (12:47):
It's been like so amazing just to have that
support.
Um just phenomenal.
Like, I don't know where I wouldbe without it.
And yeah, Brandon and Robin,they're amazing, and I'm very
thankful.
Yeah for them.
SPEAKER_03 (13:02):
Going through some of the you know, the milestones,
just having those that extrapresence with you.
How does that make you feel?
SPEAKER_02 (13:08):
It amazing.
Like it just makes me feel soloved and seen, and I like
wouldn't want to go through anyof that without them.
SPEAKER_04 (13:16):
One of my favorite moments was um Caitlin didn't
necessarily know we were comingto her graduation, and there was
a group of us.
So um, her class was allgathered in a gym below the
auditorium where the graduationwas happening.
So I snuck down there and talkedto the first person in line.
I'm like, I need Caitlin slot.
(13:36):
So word got back to her and shestarted coming up towards me.
And I I the genuine surprise onher face, like, we weren't gonna
be there.
But um, and she just gave me thebiggest hug.
And I'm like, of course we'rehere.
SPEAKER_03 (13:52):
Yes, there's a lifelong like bond that you guys
now have.
SPEAKER_04 (13:57):
So absolutely.
I heard all the stories aboutCaitlin when she was a baby and
about Abby when she was a babyand little, and I heard the
polypockets, and I I knew he wasan active dad.
They always went to cottage andout on the lake and swimming and
all of that.
Um that was Trevor's life.
Yeah.
And so I heard so much about itthat it was really easy just to
(14:21):
pick up and you already had lovefor these girls, and then it
just came became that muchstronger.
unknown (14:28):
Yes.
SPEAKER_04 (14:28):
Just knowing what they had lost.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (14:31):
Yeah.
And you've moving on to the toan exciting new step, recently
being engaged, and and how doyou kind of like take the
spirits of your mother andfather along with you?
And what will that look likegoing forward?
SPEAKER_02 (14:43):
It's hard, like not having them there.
Um, but it's like a goodreminder through like the police
department and like just all thesupport we have, like having
them there and like sharing thismoment with them and like doing
little things like for that dayto honor them.
And yeah, special.
Yes, yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (15:03):
We really appreciate you sharing such wonderful
memories of your father.
We know we've heard itthroughout the years, but it's
wonderful to see you grown upand you resembling Brandon so
much, like her mom and dad,right?
Yeah.
SPEAKER_04 (15:15):
She looked like her dad so much when she was young,
yeah, more like her mom.
And every time I see Abby, I seeTrevor.
Gosh, and if she has a book inher hand, I really I really have
to just shake my head becauseyeah, it they didn't have that
many years with him.
Um, but dang, do they carry onhis legacy?
SPEAKER_03 (15:38):
It's it's pretty cool to see.
They certainly do.
Yeah.
Your father made such an impactbeyond West Michigan, and
everyone is behind with yousupporting you.
SPEAKER_04 (15:50):
She had an amazing family that really stepped in
and kept it real with her.
Yeah.
And and she kept it real withthem too.
Yeah.
There were times when she wouldstill be fighting with grandma
and grandpa who were raisingher, and she'd say, I'm gonna
call Brandon.
(16:12):
So she would think that Brandonwas gonna get her out of trouble
with grandma or something.
And I'm like, Yeah, you call me,and we'll talk.
But I I just loved that she wasstill a little high-spirited
young girl.
Yeah, that that's what she wassupposed to be.
It didn't, it didn't change howshe was supposed to be.
(16:34):
She was still sassy, and I loveit.
SPEAKER_03 (16:36):
Um kind of get a bonus daughter now, a couple
bonus daughters to watchthroughout the rest of their we
all just think of them asfamily.
SPEAKER_04 (16:47):
And like I said, they know she can text me
anytime if she needs something,and I'll be there.
You know, she has a wonderfulfamily support system.
Yeah, so she doesn't really needme, but she knows I'm there if
she does need something.
SPEAKER_03 (17:03):
Yeah, it's been such an honor getting to know you,
Caitlin, and hearing more ofTrevor's stories and how his
legacy will live on for all ofus.
Thank you for being here.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you for joining us.
SPEAKER_01 (17:16):
Thank you for joining us for this episode of
the Maiden Walker Podcast.
If you have comments orquestions about this podcast, or
if you have suggestions forfuture episodes, we'd love to
hear from you.
Please drop us an email atpodcast at walker.city.
Maiden Walker is the officialpodcast of the city of Walker,
Michigan.
(17:36):
You can find Maiden Walkerwherever you get your podcasts.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Betrayal Season 5
Saskia Inwood woke up one morning, knowing her life would never be the same. The night before, she learned the unimaginable – that the husband she knew in the light of day was a different person after dark. This season unpacks Saskia’s discovery of her husband’s secret life and her fight to bring him to justice. Along the way, we expose a crime that is just coming to light. This is also a story about the myth of the “perfect victim:” who gets believed, who gets doubted, and why. We follow Saskia as she works to reclaim her body, her voice, and her life. If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal Team, email us at betrayalpod@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.