Blue Grit Radio: Improving Police and First Responders of Life through Mindset, Wellness, Leadership

Ok, I study for the test... but what ELSE do I do to prep for this dream job? This dream unit selection? This dream promotion I have been grinding my whole career for?

For years before Blue Grit or my stint in hiring, people in my circles would ask about what they should be focusing on or working toward for their upcoming interviews and selection process.

This this episode, I share about some of the mindset and concepts to put into p...

Police promotion testing can be intimidating, even for those who have been through a process. There's the different components, but the interviews can be the most tricky and daunting.

In this episode, retired Seattle Police Capt. Brian Stampfl and I discuss key themes, tips, and strategies so you can own the process and your outcomes.  It includes and goes far beyond:

Mindset, reducing anxiety, scoring points, knowing your mater...

Many cops says they would never work for Seattle PD, or any big city because X, Y, Z.  So when I asked if any active cops wanted to come on and rep their agency, I was excited for Britt’s response. I’ve known Britt Kelly for a few years, but I knew her name and story from when I was a new solo cop, when her FTO, Tim Brenton was murdered on duty in their squad car. 

Britt shares about her career, and we discuss the difficult “relatio...

Viral police video goes out.. instantly every cop is cringing at what they see OR the comments, usually from people who don't know ____ about _____.  Kenny, created his page to dispel much of the noise, to give straight-talk about what we as police see, train, learn, experience, and perceive. It goes beyond this, to recognize other factors that don't get captured by one single camera angle.

In this episode, Kenny and I tal...

If only people understood what we did.. why we do this job.. what it takes.. what it tests.. If only they knew we were people, doing our best..

I connected with Abby in July 2023 and was humbled to be featured in an interview with her, (ep. 47 of On Being a Police Officer).  In it, she called out my "relentless optimism."  It was one of the coolest compliments I've heard and part of me wanted to deny it, since optimis...

We turn on the news (or our socials) and see ALL THIS NEGATIVITY.  It's the state of the union, it's police everything, it's videos, headlines, and a whole lotta yuck.  It's red vs. blue, old vs. new, AI is taking over, and there's no escaping the end of the world as we know it.

Whether it's police scrutiny or everything else, veteran Aaron Brown joins me to discuss how understanding how the media and t...

Sometimes you read a phrase, a sentence a story and you get hit.  With an idea, with resonance.  With jarring feelings -  with feeling seen.  I had many of all those moments reading veteran and retired law enforcement officer, Doug White's book - Hiding in Plain Sight. Although we are quite different people with quite different experiences, Doug's ability to write and share those lessons hit home.

While reading his book on...

I often get questions and requests for feedback asking if they should test to promote (sergeant, command, etc).  Usually this involves giving the landscape of what they do now, what pros/cons may be, and whether it is "worth it."

In this episode, I share a listener question and explore some of the considerations to test again, what things I would ask, things he should think about, and how we can all ensure prime career dev...

Wellness.  Those into it "get it" but those who aren't into it roll their eyes and think they "get it" too.  However, those folks are often the one who need it most of all.  I'm joined by my guests with Law Enforcement Coaching, where we discuss the NEED on what our first responder community needs to recognize, share and use to nudge and uplift one another.  We talk about the necessity of self-care for...

A buddy I used to work with sent me a news interview of his chief, commenting on a pursuit of a suspect vehicle, with an arrest.  The chief spoke plainly, unapologetically on the necessary actions of the officers to stop and control this suspect, who was a danger to the community.  

These are things that are not lost on us in the first responder (and support) communities, but it's something we often see police leaders have to d...

Bruce Lee… the Dragon! I grew up loving. Bruce Lee, and one of the few things my dad and I were able to bond over in my younger years was learning about him and watching his films.  Much of it had to do with a shared heritage.. while my buddies were watching Arnold, Sly, Jean Claude.. Bruce was MY guy that I could see myself like and really resonate with!

Lee was so much more than a martial artist or movie star.. he was a game-chang...

Training Day. Sigh. (The movie was great, but the state-mandated, checkbox curriculums, death-by-Power Point, and so on.. is not).  Too many trainers, leaders, bosses knowing teaching "the why" because they may not know "the why."

In our discussion, fmr paramedic turned police officer, sergeant, trainer, teacher, student (always!) Scott Savage and I explore how to TRULY use critical thinking so we don't rest...

Several weeks ago I found myself in a funk. There were many logical reasons: normal work stress, abnormal work stress, busy schedule, travel, mounting projects, and other angsty things floating in my head space. 

I didn’t feel like doing anything. That’s not normal for me, despite how stressed or tanked I feel.  That’s what feeling like crud can do.  

However, I attacked my funk with tangible strategies. In a collaborative conversati...

We talk about work/life balance (which is an illusion) and the frequent over-identity of our police careers.  Things that help this are recognizing our legit skillsets and that even if we intend for this to be our 20-30+ year career, it doesnt have to be.

Whether you are fully engaged with a smile on your face or burned out (to a crisp), the more you recognize your potential in other endeavors careers, the better cop you will be.  T...

The answer isn’t just more protein or eating garbage snacks and fast food…

This is a throwback to where much of Blue Grit started- simply sharing some health/fitness/nutrition advice for a first responder (and general) community that needed it!  It usually isn't an issue of not knowing where to look- but how to sift through the noise to simple, practical advice.

Those who feel like they are eating well, working out and still sup...

The longer I am involved in the policing industry and first responder communities, the more I believe our biggest threat isn’t what’s “out there…” it’s in HERE.

It’s negative attitudes, toxic departments and leadership, corrosive gossiping, a culture that eats its own, and that starts with us individually.

The negative self-talk can get out of control for many of us. I’ve heard it from some of the most high performing, compassionatel...

After connecting with Sheriff Derek Sanders in episode 44, we have seen a LOT of proactive police work, video content, press releases, solid recruiting/staffing reports... it made sense to have the energetic/boots on the ground/lead from the front/pursuit engaging/public interfacing Sheriff back on the show to catch up and tell us how office has been!

True to form, we talk the good, bad, and in-between and legitimate in police-work ...

Wellness. Leadership. Culture. 

How do you build it? In this episode, I nod to 5 concepts we can all take on, regardless of our ranks. (Lead at all levels!)

With popular demand, I’m rolling out more solo eps based on your questions, prompts and suggestions.  Shoutout to prior guest, LT. Ray Polk for the episode question/prompt!

Questions, topic ideas and feedback? Send a line!

To stay connected with the latest and exclusive conten...

We talk about building wellness, but how do we do it at scale?  It starts with us, but it quickly becomes about others- and how we contribute to a COMMUNITY of wellness. In this episode, I am joined by James, a medivac paramedic and MHP, Ashley a federal LEO and physical trainer, and Tom an entrepreneur who comes from a policing family, creating an app to build wellness communities.

We dive into truly all things wellness: fitness, d...