June 12, 2025 • 21 mins
Ever wonder what happens when a California cop moves to Texas? Detective Christopher Zeltner takes us on his 17-year journey through law enforcement across state lines, revealing both the humorous mishaps and serious insights that have shaped his career.
The interview opens with Zeltner's memorable story of chasing a suspect called "Ghost" in San Diego, complete with an embarrassing fall and barrel roll that his partner never let him forget—until he did the same thing a month later. This moment of vulnerability sets the tone for an authentic conversation about the realities of police work.
After relocating from California four years ago, Zeltner found Allen to be the perfect blend of growing city and tight-knit community. "We have citizens that genuinely love us and appreciate us," he explains, highlighting how Allen's supportive atmosphere differs from many other places. Now working in the property crimes unit specializing in auto theft, he offers practical advice for residents: "Don't assume crime can't happen here. Lock your cars, put valuables away, please don't leave spare keys inside your vehicle."
The conversation explores fascinating contrasts between California and Texas policing approaches, from differences in drug possession laws to search rights for probationers. Zeltner also discusses the department's cutting-edge tools, including stationary and vehicle-mounted license plate readers that help track stolen vehicles and solve crimes efficiently.
Perhaps most significantly, Zeltner shares his role on the department's peer support team, reflecting on how police culture has evolved since he began his career. What was once taboo—officers discussing feelings or seeking emotional support—has become recognized as essential for wellbeing, especially given the challenges facing law enforcement nationwide.
On a personal note, his story includes a remarkable detail: he's known his wife since they were both three years old, and they're approaching their 20th anniversary with four children in tow. These glimpses into his life remind us that behind every badge is a person with a family, hobbies, and everyday concerns—even a dislike of yard work!
Want to hear more stories from the men and women who protect our community? Subscribe to our channel and visit allenpolice.org for information about upcoming events.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (00:02):
Welcome back to another episode of Allen
Police (00:03):
Behind the Badge, we're your hosts, officer Sam
Rippamanti and Alexus Birmingham.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (00:08):
And today our guest is Christopher
Zeltner.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (00:11):
Hey Chris, how are you Good?
How are you?
So let's talk a little bitabout where you came from and
what you do here in a minute,but all your time is not spent
in Texas.
I know that, yes, sir, got someCalifornia experience, all
right.
So out of both agencies, canyou think of something?
Give me one of your interestingstories in your career.
Detective Christopher Zeltne (00:34):
So you know, luckily I prepared,
but I thought of this the otherday and it's one that's a little
embarrassing, but you know, ithappens.
It'll be a San Diego story, butI had a really good partner down
there, blake Williams, and he'sa really good guy, super
proactive, a great cop, and wewould often go out and look for
(00:56):
people that we knew were wantedin the area, especially if it
had to do with the group that wewere in prioritized our focus
more on gangs and narcotics, andso we knew that there was this
guy out there that was wanted.
I don't remember his name, buthis moniker was Ghost that's
what his buddies called himGhost.
So he had a warrant, we werelooking for him, we knew the
(01:19):
area that he was hanging out in,and one day we're driving
around and we see this tacotruck on the corner of a couple
of streets down in shell town insan diego and see, so there's
this taco truck there and therehe is, there's ghost, and he's
sitting on a bmx bike in frontof the taco truck like he's
ordering some food, and we're ina marked patrol car.
So he obviously sees us yeahapproaching him and uh, so he
(01:42):
sees us approaching and he, hekind of like glances, uh,
nonchalant, kind of, goes andrides his bike around the back
side of the of the taco truck.
And so my partner is driving,he lets me out, I go around this
side of the taco truck and hedrives around this side.
As soon as he sees that I hadgot out on foot, there's an
alley right behind the tacotruck.
(02:02):
He starts jamming on his bikeaway from me and I'm like I'm
going to get this guy before hegained speed.
Right, I'm like I'm going toget this guy.
I was a lot faster than but um,so, uh, I'm in my mind I'm going
to, I'm going to get them.
So I start taking off after him.
But I was kind of I started myrun on like an arc but I was
(02:26):
trying to run as fast as I could.
So, going after him, mypartner's going in the car and
I'm I'm chasing after him and uh, I'm like, okay, I got this.
And I start feeling a littleoff balance.
I'm like I'm going to fall.
Okay, oh, no, I'm good, I'mgood, I'm not going to fall.
No, I fell.
Yeah, I was chasing after thisdude full on, fell at a brand
new holster and a brand new gunand I burred up the whole side
of it and everything, oh no.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (02:55):
But you know, things happen when
you go out and chase people andyou know trying to find some
people that are wanted, but wedid catch the guy.
Detective Christopher Ze (03:00):
That's what matters.
It ended up being a very longpursuit, but we got the guy.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (03:04):
But my partner never let me forget that
I had had fallen, which was youdid a barrel roll.
Yeah, I actually did.
Detective Christopher Zelt (03:06):
Yeah , I rolled and got up and kept
running.
Uh, he made fun of me quite abit, which is, you know, all in
good fun.
But uh, about a month later hedid the same thing.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (03:15):
When you're chasing somebody else
yeah so, yeah, it made me feelgood it happens, uh, anytime.
I remember the first time I gotinto a foot chase.
It's like you are you're tryingto run faster than your body's
capable because of theadrenaline and you kind of get
out over your toes, sometimes alittle too far.
Yep, and it happens.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (03:36):
So so did you grow up in
california I did.
Detective Christopher Zeltner (03:40):
I was born in la uh raised in
North San Diego County.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (03:43):
Oh , okay.
So you started out your careerthere, or did you go to college
there?
Detective Christopher Zeltner (03:49):
I did.
I mean, I went to college inthe area, but I began my law
enforcement career with the cityof San Diego.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (03:54):
Did you always want to become an
officer?
Detective Christopher (03:57):
Actually , no, I didn't know what I
wanted to do.
I was kind of lost for a littlewhile but got it figured out
and decided it was something Iwanted to do and and uh,
actually happened pretty quick.
Normally a hiring process takesa while, but I was.
I was blessed with a swift.
It was like four months fromstart to finish and then I was
in the academy getting trained.
What's the training like out incalifornia?
(04:19):
Uh, phenomenal.
Yeah, they actually put a lotof time and effort into uh,
their training programs prettyorganized.
We had the blessing of beingnear a couple of other larger
agencies that are kind of umlook towards as, um you know,
the pinnacle of law enforcement.
We had lapd and laso and bothof them their training programs
(04:40):
were fantastic.
A lot of really good guys outthere being in san diego,
there's lots of military and themilitary does a really good job
with their training.
It's a lot of really valuableexperience in law enforcement.
So naturally those guys get outof the military and it's a
pretty easy step to go from themilitary to a law enforcement
career.
So they get recruited pretty,pretty heavily out there A lot
(05:01):
of Navy out there right.
There's a lot of everything outthere, oh, is it all branches
In the area that I worked.
We had the Marine Corps, theNavy and the Coast Guard and the
Air Force.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (05:13):
I know Iron Mike over at the PD.
He was about to retire on us.
That's home to him too.
Detective Christopher Zeltne (05:19):
He loves San Diego area, so his
home is in the southern part ofSoutheastern division of San
Diego.
That was my beat.
His son lives in my old beatand he was a career Navy guy,
senior chief, yep 32nd Streetdown there is really close.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (05:34):
How long have you been in Texas now?
Detective Christopher Zeltne (05:36):
My family and I have been in Texas
for a little over four years.
You just had to get this Texasheat, huh.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (05:46):
Man, I can't tell you how much we enjoy
texas.
Yeah, it's been great for us.
Was there any?
Detective Christophe (05:47):
particular thing that drew you to texas
where we lived in california.
I didn't live in san diegocounty, but it was a little bit
more dry, uh like desert-y, uhweather still great weather, but
um, but we were looking forsomething similar.
I was looking for an agencythat was about the same size as
the one I worked after I was sanSan Diego PD, then another
agency and then I came here, butI was looking for about the
(06:09):
same size agency.
We were looking for a similarliving, but the Texas lifestyle
fit us very well and we lovedthe Southern hospitality that we
experienced when we came here.
So it kind of pulled us in.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (06:23):
How are an?
Detective Christopher Zelt (06:23):
alan , alan's great yeah, yeah, I
mean the, the, the, the agency Iworked for when I left
california.
I never would have left I.
It was a phenomenal agency towork for and I'm very pleasantly
surprised that I get to workfor this agency where we have
citizens that genuinely love usand appreciate us and obviously
(06:44):
not everybody, but, uh, but forthe most part it's, it's great
and you know I would.
I wouldn't trade it, I'm notgoing anywhere that's what I try
to like.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (06:51):
When my family asks what's it like
working up there by dallas, I'mlike it's it's hard to explain,
like allen is different than allthese other communities.
It's sure you know it's it's onthe verge of it's asized city,
but it's a small community.
It's that small town feel.
The community buy-in to ourfirst responders is amazing in
(07:12):
this city.
Detective Christopher Zelt (07:13):
Yeah , it's great.
It's great to have that support.
Outreach Coordinator Alexu (07:16):
Were you a detective in California.
Detective Christopher Zeltner (07:19):
I was.
Outreach Coordinator Alexu (07:20):
Okay .
So you came here and knew youwanted to be a detective as well
.
Detective Christopher Zelt (07:23):
Matt , I don't know, that's a hard
question.
I've always loved being inpatrol.
I love going out and beingproactive on the streets.
So I was actually lookingforward to that, Because there's
good and bad in both positions,and being a detective in
California I kind of missed thefreedoms and liberties that come
(07:44):
with being in patrol andwhatnot.
But once I got here I enjoyedthe patrol aspect for about a
year and a half and then I wentback to investigations.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (07:54):
He's got a particular set of skills.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (07:58):
So what's your role in the
department right now?
Detective Christopher Zeltne (08:00):
So currently I work in the
property crimes unit within theinvestigations bureau and we all
kind of rotate, kind of what wedo.
I mean cases come in as theycome in.
We can't control that, so youtry to stick with your
specialties, but typically wewill get assigned a wide variety
(08:23):
of cases.
My primary focus, and thetraining that I've gotten since
I've been with Allen in CID inthe Investigations Division,
focuses on auto theft.
Outreach Coordinator Alexu (08:34):
Okay , is that pretty high in Allen.
Detective Christopher Zeltne (08:37):
No , not really.
I mean, we have a good group ofguys working in the
Investigations Division, have aa good group of guys working in
the investigations division and,uh, our patrol guys have been
fantastic as well and trying tocombat the the uh, the auto
theft crimes in our area andit's actually working very well,
being very proactive andvisible, but then going after
(08:59):
people when we do witness themcommitting crimes and such has
really helped.
It's been, it's noticeable oh,we can.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (09:06):
We see it on our end in community
relations and what we're seeingon.
You know, social media like ourwhat y'all are doing up there
is making a big difference.
What, what we kind of tell ourcitizens when we go out, is
allen's a very target richenvironment.
You know there's people now andhave a lot of nice things, and
so you know, with that in mind,what would you tell our
(09:31):
community?
Like to help prevent thesevehicle thefts?
Detective Christopher Zeltne (09:36):
oh man, uh, I mean just don't,
don't assume, that crime can'thappen here, it's it's not it's
a very safe city.
There's a lot of really largebonuses to living or working in
an area like this but, don'ttake it for granted.
Lock your cars, put valuablesaway.
(09:57):
Please don't leave spare keysto your car or your house inside
of your vehicle Lots of stufflike that, simple reminders, but
crime finds everybody.
You think you might live in asuper safe area and you don't
need to do certain things, butplease do.
It prevents a lot of crime.
Just locking a car or makingsure you don't have valuables in
(10:21):
view, things like that.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (10:24):
It does seem like when we get a rash of
burglaries, it's when we get thecamera footage.
Which camera's good to have.
You think they're a good toolto have on you.
Detective Christopher Zeltner (10:35):
I love cameras.
Cameras are fantastic.
The way it's kind of taken theplace of burglar alarms it seems
like now the motion cameras.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (10:43):
But when we see that footage it's like
people walking alleys justlooking for unlocked vehicles
most of the time.
Detective Christopher Zelt (10:49):
Yeah , that's the majority of the
burglary to motor vehicles.
It's just walking alleys andtrying to see who left their
stuff unlocked.
Goodness.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (10:58):
Is there anything new in your unit
?
Detective Christopher Zel (11:02):
We've been blessed with some good
resources as of late We'veincreased the amount of cameras
we have in our city.
The license plate readingcameras help us solve a lot of
crimes and so I mean that's anew well, it's not new
technology, but we have a fewdifferent avenues to utilize
some resources for license platereaders people that worked
(11:25):
really hard in trying to getthose systems applied to our
department and it's verybeneficial and those are the
flock cameras you're talkingabout those are one of them.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (11:32):
We have vigilant and flock okay can you
kind of describe what they?
Detective Christopher Zeltne (11:35):
do like uh sure, the uh, the
cameras are stationary and it'suh the, you know a vehicle
drives by, it'll take a pictureof the license plate and store
that image.
Um, so if we're looking for alicense plate, if I have a
stolen car that leaves an area,then we can track that license
plate.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (11:52):
We even have that on some mobile
vehicles now right.
We do yes.
So how's that, Is it?
Detective Christopher Z (11:58):
getting some good info.
Anytime you can put a vehicleor a person in a place at a
certain time, it's definitelybeneficial.
That's pretty cool.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (12:06):
Yeah, I think one of our Co P one of our
citizens on patrol vehicles hasit on there and it helped
locate a stolen vehicle.
I think is what it was thereyeah, there's been.
Detective Christopher Zeltner (12:17):
I know that there's been a lot of
hits on them.
I'm not sure which one you'retalking about specifically, but
yeah, yeah, they work.
It's money well spent.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (12:31):
So do you see yourself staying where
you're at for a while?
Detective Christopher Zeltne (12:33):
or you got I don't know, We'll see
.
I mean I like investigations, Ilike patrol.
I mean you never know what'sgoing to, what's going to happen
or where your career is goingto take you.
Outreach Coordinator Alex (12:41):
Would you take on any collateral
duties or anything like sparkingyour interest?
Detective Christopher Zeltne (12:46):
Oh , man, man, I have to be careful
with that one.
With my last agency I had toomany collateral duties.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (12:51):
It can happen quick.
Detective Christopher Zelt (12:53):
Yeah , but here I'm a member of the
peer support team and that'ssomething that's pretty
rewarding, where we get toassist the officers or people
that we work with and make surethat they're in good health and
that they're in the right placeto be able to be doing our work,
and that we're taking care ofeach other and we're there when
somebody needs us.
Outreach Coordinator Alexu (13:14):
Yeah , that's such a valuable tool to
have in our department.
Detective Christopher Zeltn (13:17):
Yes .
Outreach Coordinator (13:18):
Especially with what's going on around us.
Detective Christophe (13:19):
Absolutely , it is.
Yeah.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (13:20):
And we can also provide assistance
to other agencies as well.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (13:24):
Right, correct yes, okay, yeah, yeah,
and that's something, somethingwe own.
How long have you been in lawenforcement?
Uh about 17 years, so we'reright about the same.
I hit 18 next, like next month.
So when we started, that waspolice officers talking about
their feelings.
What in the world no way likeyeah, ask questions like that.
Detective Christopher Zeltner (13:47):
I mean you're still gonna get
cops when you, when you mentionthat they're gonna back off, but
it's, it's kind of taken.
Since we were newer cops, it'skind of taken a turn where it's
not necessarily always, you know, talking about your feelings,
it's more just just being therefor each other if you notice
your, your buddy's having a badday or some you know you know
that they had a traumatic eventrecently and just check them.
(14:09):
Hey, how you doing, all right.
Well, if you need something,just let me know it's.
It's really easy, it's natural.
A lot of times we like tocomplicate things and think and
turn it into a big deal, but itdoesn't have to be.
It's just making sure thatpeople are okay.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (14:24):
Yeah, it's.
I think it's huge.
Know texas or not just texas?
Law enforcement's had a toughyear this year, with officers
committing suicide and yes andif we can do something to help
our brothers and sisters, I meanI think absolutely.
Detective Christopher Zeltner (14:36):
I mean we do it for the rest of
the community, but sometimes weforget ourselves yeah,
absolutely so you.
I'm assuming you didn't movetexas by yourself I did not move
to texas by my family, yourfamily, with you, I did.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (14:47):
So how many kids do you have?
Detective Christopher Zeltner (14:51):
I have four children.
Four Well, my wife and I havefour children.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (14:55):
Four kiddos.
Man, yeah, you don't look oldenough to have four kids.
Detective Christopher Zelt (14:58):
Well , we had them pretty quick.
We have twin boys that are 17.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (15:03):
Oh , wow.
Detective Christopher Zeltn (15:08):
And then we had a surprise right
away and that's another boy.
He's 16.
So Iris triplets there.
And then we waited a few yearsand I have a daughter, and she's
12.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (15:14):
Oh, my goodness, you got your little
girl.
Oh yeah, so what grade are your17-year-olds?
Detective Christopher Zeltne (15:20):
in .
They are juniors, and then my16-year-old is a sophomore and
my daughter is in seventh grade.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (15:25):
One more year.
Detective Christopher Zeltne (15:28):
Do they play any sports?
They've done a variety ofthings growing up.
They've done soccer and they'vedone karate and they've done
baseball and football and allkinds of stuff.
But currently I have one sonwho's a wrestler.
I have another son who's inchoir, I have another son who's
(15:49):
in choir, I have another son whoplays baseball, and then my
daughter is a dancer.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (15:55):
Wow.
So where do you get yoursinging abilities from?
Detective Christopher (16:02):
Probably not me.
No, my wife is a fantasticsinger.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (16:06):
Oh , that's awesome.
Detective Christopher Zelt (16:08):
Yeah , and my daughter inherits that
as well.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (16:13):
So you met your wife in California.
Detective Christopher Zelt (16:17):
Yeah , that's kind of like a movie
story.
I've known my wife since wewere three years old.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (16:21):
No , way Wow.
Detective Christopher Zelt (16:24):
Yeah , she's fantastic.
So we met when we were threeyears old.
Our parents were really goodfriends.
We met through church and wespent summers and holidays and
everything together Soundsarranged.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (16:35):
Yeah, it does.
Yeah, the parents were fingerscrossed for this the whole time.
Detective Christopher Zeltne (16:42):
No , they actually were super
surprised, they didn't expect it.
Yeah, yeah.
But yeah, she's great and we'vebeen married for in this, uh,
july, we've been married 20years.
Oh, that's amazingcongratulations.
Yeah, it's pretty awesomelifetime I know, it seems like
it.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (16:58):
So what are some differences that
you see from California versusTexas in law or in law
enforcement?
Detective Christopher Zeltn (17:05):
Man , things have changed, even
since I've left in the fouryears that I've been gone.
But when I was first an officer, when I was a brand new rookie,
I mean things were definitelydifferent from when I left there
as well.
I mean, things were definitelydifferent from when I left there
as well.
I remember the laws had changedin California and I remember
writing my first citation forpossession of a Schedule I
(17:26):
controlled substance and thatwas a little odd for me because
you know that's an arrest here,you know it's a felony here, but
they changed it to misdemeanorsthere.
Sometimes it was a littledisheartening when you go
through all this work and youfind somebody that you know
committed a decent crime andthey get booked into jail and
(17:47):
then the next day you see themwalk in the streets.
You know where.
They get released pretty muchright away.
So that was not the most funthing in the world but because
you know, sometimes people needa little bit more time to make
things right for things thatthey've done wrong.
Another thing that we had inCalifornia is that it would be
conditions of probation.
(18:07):
You know somebody doessomething wrong, they go through
the court process and then partof the conditions of their
release for their probation fromjail would?
They would waive their theirright to unreasonable search and
seizure?
They would waive their right tounreasonable search and seizure
.
Wow, so as conditions, it was tomake sure that they were
staying on track so you could goto their home and you could
(18:30):
search their home, make surethat they didn't have the items
that they weren't supposed tohave whether it be guns or drugs
or child pornography orwhatever it was.
We were able to keep tabs onthem to try to keep them in the
right direction.
I like it, so I mean you stopsomebody on the highway for a
speeding ticket and they're onprobation.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (18:49):
With a fourth amendment waiver you
could search their car yeah, soas long as they're on that
probationary period, you can dothat as long as it was part of
their probation conditions noteverybody yeah, had that
condition, but oh man, I don'tknow if that fly in texas, yeah,
yeah it's not something thatreally happens here, so yeah,
absolutely not.
That's interesting, but I'msure some of the laws are very
similar yeah yeah, there's a lotof laws.
Detective Christopher Zeltner (19:12):
I mean you're going to take some
property that doesn't belong toyou.
You know there's a law toprotect that.
You know they're gonna you'regonna harm somebody, there's a
law to protect that.
So i're going to harm somebody,there's a law to protect that.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (19:22):
So I mean, overall, there's a lot of
similarities when you came toTexas, did you just challenge
the T-Cold test or did you goback to an academy?
Detective Christopher Zeltne (19:29):
No , I challenged a T-Cold test and
passed that test to be able toget my certifications here.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (19:34):
Do you have any hobbies outside of
police?
Detective Christophe (19:37):
Absolutely .
I enjoy pretty much anythingoutdoors, especially if my
family's there, whether it'ssports or fishing, hunting,
hiking.
You know we like being outsideand I can't stand gardening or
lawn work.
You know we still do it.
But I've met a lot of peoplehere since I moved here that are
fanatics with their lawn.
(19:59):
You know everything is perfectcrisp lines.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (20:01):
You got those real mowers.
That's not me, yeah, that's notme.
Detective Christopher Zeltner (20:04):
I don't enjoy yard work but but
yeah, anything, anythingoutdoors and anything with my
family we like doing our ownrepairs on the home and such and
yeah we all my kids and my wifethey're all involved as well
it's all hands-on day.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (20:18):
Yes, yes , I love it, but didn't it just
ruin your weekend when you knowit's a yard work weekend?
Yeah, see, my wife loves to doyard work.
Last weekend was that weekendat home and I was like, oh it's
miserable.
Detective Christopher Zelt (20:30):
Yeah Well, I have a benefit there.
I have three teenage boys.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (20:36):
Oh that's a one of mine.
Outreach Coordinator Alexu (20:38):
Yeah , you have to get started early
in this Texas heat too.
You don't want to wait untilthe middle of summer.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (20:43):
Yeah, we learned that it took a couple
years, and then the mosquitoesstart coming out and everything
else might be my least favoritething about Texas.
Mosquitoes and fire ants.
Well, Chris, we reallyappreciate you coming and
talking to us today.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (20:58):
Yes , thank you so much yeah
absolutely my pleasure.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (21:01):
Thank you all for listening and
watching today.
If you want to know more aboutupcoming events, go to our
website, allenpoliceorg.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (21:08):
And make sure to like and subscribe
, and if you have any questions,leave them in the comments down
below.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (21:16):
We'll see you next time.
Welcome back to another episode of Allen
Police (00:03):
Behind the Badge, we're your hosts, officer Sam
Rippamanti and Alexus Birmingham.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (00:08):
And today our guest is Christopher
Zeltner.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (00:11):
Hey Chris, how are you Good?
How are you?
So let's talk a little bitabout where you came from and
what you do here in a minute,but all your time is not spent
in Texas.
I know that, yes, sir, got someCalifornia experience, all
right.
So out of both agencies, canyou think of something?
Give me one of your interestingstories in your career.
Detective Christopher Zeltne (00:34):
So you know, luckily I prepared,
but I thought of this the otherday and it's one that's a little
embarrassing, but you know, ithappens.
It'll be a San Diego story, butI had a really good partner down
there, blake Williams, and he'sa really good guy, super
proactive, a great cop, and wewould often go out and look for
(00:56):
people that we knew were wantedin the area, especially if it
had to do with the group that wewere in prioritized our focus
more on gangs and narcotics, andso we knew that there was this
guy out there that was wanted.
I don't remember his name, buthis moniker was Ghost that's
what his buddies called himGhost.
So he had a warrant, we werelooking for him, we knew the
(01:19):
area that he was hanging out in,and one day we're driving
around and we see this tacotruck on the corner of a couple
of streets down in shell town insan diego and see, so there's
this taco truck there and therehe is, there's ghost, and he's
sitting on a bmx bike in frontof the taco truck like he's
ordering some food, and we're ina marked patrol car.
So he obviously sees us yeahapproaching him and uh, so he
(01:42):
sees us approaching and he, hekind of like glances, uh,
nonchalant, kind of, goes andrides his bike around the back
side of the of the taco truck.
And so my partner is driving,he lets me out, I go around this
side of the taco truck and hedrives around this side.
As soon as he sees that I hadgot out on foot, there's an
alley right behind the tacotruck.
(02:02):
He starts jamming on his bikeaway from me and I'm like I'm
going to get this guy before hegained speed.
Right, I'm like I'm going toget this guy.
I was a lot faster than but um,so, uh, I'm in my mind I'm going
to, I'm going to get them.
So I start taking off after him.
But I was kind of I started myrun on like an arc but I was
(02:26):
trying to run as fast as I could.
So, going after him, mypartner's going in the car and
I'm I'm chasing after him and uh, I'm like, okay, I got this.
And I start feeling a littleoff balance.
I'm like I'm going to fall.
Okay, oh, no, I'm good, I'mgood, I'm not going to fall.
No, I fell.
Yeah, I was chasing after thisdude full on, fell at a brand
new holster and a brand new gunand I burred up the whole side
of it and everything, oh no.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (02:55):
But you know, things happen when
you go out and chase people andyou know trying to find some
people that are wanted, but wedid catch the guy.
Detective Christopher Ze (03:00):
That's what matters.
It ended up being a very longpursuit, but we got the guy.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (03:04):
But my partner never let me forget that
I had had fallen, which was youdid a barrel roll.
Yeah, I actually did.
Detective Christopher Zelt (03:06):
Yeah , I rolled and got up and kept
running.
Uh, he made fun of me quite abit, which is, you know, all in
good fun.
But uh, about a month later hedid the same thing.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (03:15):
When you're chasing somebody else
yeah so, yeah, it made me feelgood it happens, uh, anytime.
I remember the first time I gotinto a foot chase.
It's like you are you're tryingto run faster than your body's
capable because of theadrenaline and you kind of get
out over your toes, sometimes alittle too far.
Yep, and it happens.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (03:36):
So so did you grow up in
california I did.
Detective Christopher Zeltner (03:40):
I was born in la uh raised in
North San Diego County.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (03:43):
Oh , okay.
So you started out your careerthere, or did you go to college
there?
Detective Christopher Zeltner (03:49):
I did.
I mean, I went to college inthe area, but I began my law
enforcement career with the cityof San Diego.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (03:54):
Did you always want to become an
officer?
Detective Christopher (03:57):
Actually , no, I didn't know what I
wanted to do.
I was kind of lost for a littlewhile but got it figured out
and decided it was something Iwanted to do and and uh,
actually happened pretty quick.
Normally a hiring process takesa while, but I was.
I was blessed with a swift.
It was like four months fromstart to finish and then I was
in the academy getting trained.
What's the training like out incalifornia?
(04:19):
Uh, phenomenal.
Yeah, they actually put a lotof time and effort into uh,
their training programs prettyorganized.
We had the blessing of beingnear a couple of other larger
agencies that are kind of umlook towards as, um you know,
the pinnacle of law enforcement.
We had lapd and laso and bothof them their training programs
(04:40):
were fantastic.
A lot of really good guys outthere being in san diego,
there's lots of military and themilitary does a really good job
with their training.
It's a lot of really valuableexperience in law enforcement.
So naturally those guys get outof the military and it's a
pretty easy step to go from themilitary to a law enforcement
career.
So they get recruited pretty,pretty heavily out there A lot
(05:01):
of Navy out there right.
There's a lot of everything outthere, oh, is it all branches
In the area that I worked.
We had the Marine Corps, theNavy and the Coast Guard and the
Air Force.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (05:13):
I know Iron Mike over at the PD.
He was about to retire on us.
That's home to him too.
Detective Christopher Zeltne (05:19):
He loves San Diego area, so his
home is in the southern part ofSoutheastern division of San
Diego.
That was my beat.
His son lives in my old beatand he was a career Navy guy,
senior chief, yep 32nd Streetdown there is really close.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (05:34):
How long have you been in Texas now?
Detective Christopher Zeltne (05:36):
My family and I have been in Texas
for a little over four years.
You just had to get this Texasheat, huh.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (05:46):
Man, I can't tell you how much we enjoy
texas.
Yeah, it's been great for us.
Was there any?
Detective Christophe (05:47):
particular thing that drew you to texas
where we lived in california.
I didn't live in san diegocounty, but it was a little bit
more dry, uh like desert-y, uhweather still great weather, but
um, but we were looking forsomething similar.
I was looking for an agencythat was about the same size as
the one I worked after I was sanSan Diego PD, then another
agency and then I came here, butI was looking for about the
(06:09):
same size agency.
We were looking for a similarliving, but the Texas lifestyle
fit us very well and we lovedthe Southern hospitality that we
experienced when we came here.
So it kind of pulled us in.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (06:23):
How are an?
Detective Christopher Zelt (06:23):
alan , alan's great yeah, yeah, I
mean the, the, the, the agency Iworked for when I left
california.
I never would have left I.
It was a phenomenal agency towork for and I'm very pleasantly
surprised that I get to workfor this agency where we have
citizens that genuinely love usand appreciate us and obviously
(06:44):
not everybody, but, uh, but forthe most part it's, it's great
and you know I would.
I wouldn't trade it, I'm notgoing anywhere that's what I try
to like.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (06:51):
When my family asks what's it like
working up there by dallas, I'mlike it's it's hard to explain,
like allen is different than allthese other communities.
It's sure you know it's it's onthe verge of it's asized city,
but it's a small community.
It's that small town feel.
The community buy-in to ourfirst responders is amazing in
(07:12):
this city.
Detective Christopher Zelt (07:13):
Yeah , it's great.
It's great to have that support.
Outreach Coordinator Alexu (07:16):
Were you a detective in California.
Detective Christopher Zeltner (07:19):
I was.
Outreach Coordinator Alexu (07:20):
Okay .
So you came here and knew youwanted to be a detective as well
.
Detective Christopher Zelt (07:23):
Matt , I don't know, that's a hard
question.
I've always loved being inpatrol.
I love going out and beingproactive on the streets.
So I was actually lookingforward to that, Because there's
good and bad in both positions,and being a detective in
California I kind of missed thefreedoms and liberties that come
(07:44):
with being in patrol andwhatnot.
But once I got here I enjoyedthe patrol aspect for about a
year and a half and then I wentback to investigations.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (07:54):
He's got a particular set of skills.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (07:58):
So what's your role in the
department right now?
Detective Christopher Zeltne (08:00):
So currently I work in the
property crimes unit within theinvestigations bureau and we all
kind of rotate, kind of what wedo.
I mean cases come in as theycome in.
We can't control that, so youtry to stick with your
specialties, but typically wewill get assigned a wide variety
(08:23):
of cases.
My primary focus, and thetraining that I've gotten since
I've been with Allen in CID inthe Investigations Division,
focuses on auto theft.
Outreach Coordinator Alexu (08:34):
Okay , is that pretty high in Allen.
Detective Christopher Zeltne (08:37):
No , not really.
I mean, we have a good group ofguys working in the
Investigations Division, have aa good group of guys working in
the investigations division and,uh, our patrol guys have been
fantastic as well and trying tocombat the the uh, the auto
theft crimes in our area andit's actually working very well,
being very proactive andvisible, but then going after
(08:59):
people when we do witness themcommitting crimes and such has
really helped.
It's been, it's noticeable oh,we can.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (09:06):
We see it on our end in community
relations and what we're seeingon.
You know, social media like ourwhat y'all are doing up there
is making a big difference.
What, what we kind of tell ourcitizens when we go out, is
allen's a very target richenvironment.
You know there's people now andhave a lot of nice things, and
so you know, with that in mind,what would you tell our
(09:31):
community?
Like to help prevent thesevehicle thefts?
Detective Christopher Zeltne (09:36):
oh man, uh, I mean just don't,
don't assume, that crime can'thappen here, it's it's not it's
a very safe city.
There's a lot of really largebonuses to living or working in
an area like this but, don'ttake it for granted.
Lock your cars, put valuablesaway.
(09:57):
Please don't leave spare keysto your car or your house inside
of your vehicle Lots of stufflike that, simple reminders, but
crime finds everybody.
You think you might live in asuper safe area and you don't
need to do certain things, butplease do.
It prevents a lot of crime.
Just locking a car or makingsure you don't have valuables in
(10:21):
view, things like that.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (10:24):
It does seem like when we get a rash of
burglaries, it's when we get thecamera footage.
Which camera's good to have.
You think they're a good toolto have on you.
Detective Christopher Zeltner (10:35):
I love cameras.
Cameras are fantastic.
The way it's kind of taken theplace of burglar alarms it seems
like now the motion cameras.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (10:43):
But when we see that footage it's like
people walking alleys justlooking for unlocked vehicles
most of the time.
Detective Christopher Zelt (10:49):
Yeah , that's the majority of the
burglary to motor vehicles.
It's just walking alleys andtrying to see who left their
stuff unlocked.
Goodness.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (10:58):
Is there anything new in your unit
?
Detective Christopher Zel (11:02):
We've been blessed with some good
resources as of late We'veincreased the amount of cameras
we have in our city.
The license plate readingcameras help us solve a lot of
crimes and so I mean that's anew well, it's not new
technology, but we have a fewdifferent avenues to utilize
some resources for license platereaders people that worked
(11:25):
really hard in trying to getthose systems applied to our
department and it's verybeneficial and those are the
flock cameras you're talkingabout those are one of them.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (11:32):
We have vigilant and flock okay can you
kind of describe what they?
Detective Christopher Zeltne (11:35):
do like uh sure, the uh, the
cameras are stationary and it'suh the, you know a vehicle
drives by, it'll take a pictureof the license plate and store
that image.
Um, so if we're looking for alicense plate, if I have a
stolen car that leaves an area,then we can track that license
plate.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (11:52):
We even have that on some mobile
vehicles now right.
We do yes.
So how's that, Is it?
Detective Christopher Z (11:58):
getting some good info.
Anytime you can put a vehicleor a person in a place at a
certain time, it's definitelybeneficial.
That's pretty cool.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (12:06):
Yeah, I think one of our Co P one of our
citizens on patrol vehicles hasit on there and it helped
locate a stolen vehicle.
I think is what it was thereyeah, there's been.
Detective Christopher Zeltner (12:17):
I know that there's been a lot of
hits on them.
I'm not sure which one you'retalking about specifically, but
yeah, yeah, they work.
It's money well spent.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (12:31):
So do you see yourself staying where
you're at for a while?
Detective Christopher Zeltne (12:33):
or you got I don't know, We'll see
.
I mean I like investigations, Ilike patrol.
I mean you never know what'sgoing to, what's going to happen
or where your career is goingto take you.
Outreach Coordinator Alex (12:41):
Would you take on any collateral
duties or anything like sparkingyour interest?
Detective Christopher Zeltne (12:46):
Oh , man, man, I have to be careful
with that one.
With my last agency I had toomany collateral duties.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (12:51):
It can happen quick.
Detective Christopher Zelt (12:53):
Yeah , but here I'm a member of the
peer support team and that'ssomething that's pretty
rewarding, where we get toassist the officers or people
that we work with and make surethat they're in good health and
that they're in the right placeto be able to be doing our work,
and that we're taking care ofeach other and we're there when
somebody needs us.
Outreach Coordinator Alexu (13:14):
Yeah , that's such a valuable tool to
have in our department.
Detective Christopher Zeltn (13:17):
Yes .
Outreach Coordinator (13:18):
Especially with what's going on around us.
Detective Christophe (13:19):
Absolutely , it is.
Yeah.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (13:20):
And we can also provide assistance
to other agencies as well.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (13:24):
Right, correct yes, okay, yeah, yeah,
and that's something, somethingwe own.
How long have you been in lawenforcement?
Uh about 17 years, so we'reright about the same.
I hit 18 next, like next month.
So when we started, that waspolice officers talking about
their feelings.
What in the world no way likeyeah, ask questions like that.
Detective Christopher Zeltner (13:47):
I mean you're still gonna get
cops when you, when you mentionthat they're gonna back off, but
it's, it's kind of taken.
Since we were newer cops, it'skind of taken a turn where it's
not necessarily always, you know, talking about your feelings,
it's more just just being therefor each other if you notice
your, your buddy's having a badday or some you know you know
that they had a traumatic eventrecently and just check them.
(14:09):
Hey, how you doing, all right.
Well, if you need something,just let me know it's.
It's really easy, it's natural.
A lot of times we like tocomplicate things and think and
turn it into a big deal, but itdoesn't have to be.
It's just making sure thatpeople are okay.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (14:24):
Yeah, it's.
I think it's huge.
Know texas or not just texas?
Law enforcement's had a toughyear this year, with officers
committing suicide and yes andif we can do something to help
our brothers and sisters, I meanI think absolutely.
Detective Christopher Zeltner (14:36):
I mean we do it for the rest of
the community, but sometimes weforget ourselves yeah,
absolutely so you.
I'm assuming you didn't movetexas by yourself I did not move
to texas by my family, yourfamily, with you, I did.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (14:47):
So how many kids do you have?
Detective Christopher Zeltner (14:51):
I have four children.
Four Well, my wife and I havefour children.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (14:55):
Four kiddos.
Man, yeah, you don't look oldenough to have four kids.
Detective Christopher Zelt (14:58):
Well , we had them pretty quick.
We have twin boys that are 17.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (15:03):
Oh , wow.
Detective Christopher Zeltn (15:08):
And then we had a surprise right
away and that's another boy.
He's 16.
So Iris triplets there.
And then we waited a few yearsand I have a daughter, and she's
12.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (15:14):
Oh, my goodness, you got your little
girl.
Oh yeah, so what grade are your17-year-olds?
Detective Christopher Zeltne (15:20):
in .
They are juniors, and then my16-year-old is a sophomore and
my daughter is in seventh grade.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (15:25):
One more year.
Detective Christopher Zeltne (15:28):
Do they play any sports?
They've done a variety ofthings growing up.
They've done soccer and they'vedone karate and they've done
baseball and football and allkinds of stuff.
But currently I have one sonwho's a wrestler.
I have another son who's inchoir, I have another son who's
(15:49):
in choir, I have another son whoplays baseball, and then my
daughter is a dancer.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (15:55):
Wow.
So where do you get yoursinging abilities from?
Detective Christopher (16:02):
Probably not me.
No, my wife is a fantasticsinger.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (16:06):
Oh , that's awesome.
Detective Christopher Zelt (16:08):
Yeah , and my daughter inherits that
as well.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (16:13):
So you met your wife in California.
Detective Christopher Zelt (16:17):
Yeah , that's kind of like a movie
story.
I've known my wife since wewere three years old.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (16:21):
No , way Wow.
Detective Christopher Zelt (16:24):
Yeah , she's fantastic.
So we met when we were threeyears old.
Our parents were really goodfriends.
We met through church and wespent summers and holidays and
everything together Soundsarranged.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (16:35):
Yeah, it does.
Yeah, the parents were fingerscrossed for this the whole time.
Detective Christopher Zeltne (16:42):
No , they actually were super
surprised, they didn't expect it.
Yeah, yeah.
But yeah, she's great and we'vebeen married for in this, uh,
july, we've been married 20years.
Oh, that's amazingcongratulations.
Yeah, it's pretty awesomelifetime I know, it seems like
it.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (16:58):
So what are some differences that
you see from California versusTexas in law or in law
enforcement?
Detective Christopher Zeltn (17:05):
Man , things have changed, even
since I've left in the fouryears that I've been gone.
But when I was first an officer, when I was a brand new rookie,
I mean things were definitelydifferent from when I left there
as well.
I mean, things were definitelydifferent from when I left there
as well.
I remember the laws had changedin California and I remember
writing my first citation forpossession of a Schedule I
(17:26):
controlled substance and thatwas a little odd for me because
you know that's an arrest here,you know it's a felony here, but
they changed it to misdemeanorsthere.
Sometimes it was a littledisheartening when you go
through all this work and youfind somebody that you know
committed a decent crime andthey get booked into jail and
(17:47):
then the next day you see themwalk in the streets.
You know where.
They get released pretty muchright away.
So that was not the most funthing in the world but because
you know, sometimes people needa little bit more time to make
things right for things thatthey've done wrong.
Another thing that we had inCalifornia is that it would be
conditions of probation.
(18:07):
You know somebody doessomething wrong, they go through
the court process and then partof the conditions of their
release for their probation fromjail would?
They would waive their theirright to unreasonable search and
seizure?
They would waive their right tounreasonable search and seizure
.
Wow, so as conditions, it was tomake sure that they were
staying on track so you could goto their home and you could
(18:30):
search their home, make surethat they didn't have the items
that they weren't supposed tohave whether it be guns or drugs
or child pornography orwhatever it was.
We were able to keep tabs onthem to try to keep them in the
right direction.
I like it, so I mean you stopsomebody on the highway for a
speeding ticket and they're onprobation.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (18:49):
With a fourth amendment waiver you
could search their car yeah, soas long as they're on that
probationary period, you can dothat as long as it was part of
their probation conditions noteverybody yeah, had that
condition, but oh man, I don'tknow if that fly in texas, yeah,
yeah it's not something thatreally happens here, so yeah,
absolutely not.
That's interesting, but I'msure some of the laws are very
similar yeah yeah, there's a lotof laws.
Detective Christopher Zeltner (19:12):
I mean you're going to take some
property that doesn't belong toyou.
You know there's a law toprotect that.
You know they're gonna you'regonna harm somebody, there's a
law to protect that.
So i're going to harm somebody,there's a law to protect that.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (19:22):
So I mean, overall, there's a lot of
similarities when you came toTexas, did you just challenge
the T-Cold test or did you goback to an academy?
Detective Christopher Zeltne (19:29):
No , I challenged a T-Cold test and
passed that test to be able toget my certifications here.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (19:34):
Do you have any hobbies outside of
police?
Detective Christophe (19:37):
Absolutely .
I enjoy pretty much anythingoutdoors, especially if my
family's there, whether it'ssports or fishing, hunting,
hiking.
You know we like being outsideand I can't stand gardening or
lawn work.
You know we still do it.
But I've met a lot of peoplehere since I moved here that are
fanatics with their lawn.
(19:59):
You know everything is perfectcrisp lines.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (20:01):
You got those real mowers.
That's not me, yeah, that's notme.
Detective Christopher Zeltner (20:04):
I don't enjoy yard work but but
yeah, anything, anythingoutdoors and anything with my
family we like doing our ownrepairs on the home and such and
yeah we all my kids and my wifethey're all involved as well
it's all hands-on day.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (20:18):
Yes, yes , I love it, but didn't it just
ruin your weekend when you knowit's a yard work weekend?
Yeah, see, my wife loves to doyard work.
Last weekend was that weekendat home and I was like, oh it's
miserable.
Detective Christopher Zelt (20:30):
Yeah Well, I have a benefit there.
I have three teenage boys.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (20:36):
Oh that's a one of mine.
Outreach Coordinator Alexu (20:38):
Yeah , you have to get started early
in this Texas heat too.
You don't want to wait untilthe middle of summer.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (20:43):
Yeah, we learned that it took a couple
years, and then the mosquitoesstart coming out and everything
else might be my least favoritething about Texas.
Mosquitoes and fire ants.
Well, Chris, we reallyappreciate you coming and
talking to us today.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (20:58):
Yes , thank you so much yeah
absolutely my pleasure.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (21:01):
Thank you all for listening and
watching today.
If you want to know more aboutupcoming events, go to our
website, allenpoliceorg.
Outreach Coordinator Alexus (21:08):
And make sure to like and subscribe
, and if you have any questions,leave them in the comments down
below.
Officer Sam Rippamonti (21:16):
We'll see you next time.
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