Smithtown Conservative Chairman Gary Forte and Sergeant at Arms for the 10-13 Club and Former NYPD Mike Mullady speak about law enforcement and changes that need to be made to protect them and our community. Tributes to Officer Diller were made throughout the show as well as call-in from Joe Cardinale - NYS Assembly 11 candidate.

Law Enforcement Support

It was really an honor to have Suffolk County PBA President, Lou Civello, on LI Patriot Radio discussing law enforcement support, enrollment, mental health and wellness and the disrespect of officers. We Back The Blue 100% - listen to this episode to find out how you can too!

SC PBA President Lou Civello: Back The Blue

Parents. Teachers. Community Leaders. First Responders…
This is an important conversation you won’t want to miss  

We’re going inside the emergency room with special guest Dr. James Vosswinkel, Chief of Trauma at Stony Brook Hospital, to uncover the raw truth about:

✅ The Fentanyl crisis and how it’s impacting Suffolk County
✅ What really happens in trauma care when seconds count
✅ The expansion of MEDCAT teams and rapid response strategies
✅ How police officers are being equipped with lifesaving tools like Narcan and EpiPens
✅ What YOU can do to protect your kids, students, or community

Inside the emergency room with special guest Dr. James Vosswinkel

Boys In Blue by Matthew Upchurch

The Austin Police Department is one of the largest police departments in Texas. Over 2500 commissioned and civilian employees are part of this organization. Austin itself became the best place to live in the US. I live near Austin. It’s a great place for culture, fun, entertainment, outdoor activities and much more. The current population is estimated to be close to 950k people. Many people from all over the US are moving here. As you know, not everyone who lives or moves here have the best intentions or behavior. The city likes to brag about the low crime rate reported by the FBI. Uniform Crime Report. Although I have some personal knowledge of a little trick to skew the results (completely legal), Austin is just another growing city in the US. However, Austin is experiencing a cultural change, like no other city in the US. Many people are moving here with their job from places like California, Colorado, etc. They bring their ideology, customs, and political views with them though there is nothing wrong with that, in my opinion. A few months ago, I was sitting in my patrol car when I heard on the radio about a story which didn’t make sense to me. A few former cadets (some classes after I graduated) decided to sue the city because they believe the training was too severe. Also, they mentioned they felt the Austin Police wasn’t teaching them to be guardians. I thought this was funny and said to my self : “Dude, you didn’t make it through the academy, and now you are all butt hurt.” Well, I dismissed the news story and moved on with my day. Last month, the same story came up during my morning commute. However, this time, the Chief of Police was talking about the issue. According to Bryan Manley, Chief of Police for the city of Austin, he was considering changing the training academy curriculum. He explained he spoke with citizens, and some raised concerns how police officers were too aggressive. This cultural change was not just any change. The chief wanted to change the academy from “Warrior” mentality to a softer version of “Guardians.” I believe those are two different ideologies. He wanted to make the academy more like a “college experience.” Initially, as any other cop would say, I thought this was some real BS! What do you mean guardians? Are we supposed to ask people if they feel like being arrested today? Or ask them how they feel when they have a knife on their hand? I decided to see if I could change my mind about the issue. I researched and read articles about cultural change, and this is my final verdict. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a guardian is defined as “one who has the care of the person or property of another.” Yes, as police officers, we are here to take care of people. We take care of people in many ways. Some is protecting them from each other like street fights or domestic violence. The property part is self-explanatory. We perform business checks at nighttime to make sure no one is stealing or damaging anything. But a guardian is a defensive position. When I hear the word guardian, I imagine a person just standing there waiting for the criminal to arrive. Security officers are the closest profession to guardians. They usually stand or walk through a specific area to prevent criminals from hurting others or stealing property.  Many businesses like supermarkets prohibit security officers from stopping thieves due to liability concerns. Guardians in nature aren’t in the offense position. How can we be guardians as police officers? Is it our job to be in the offense to prevent crime? Crime is afoot all the time; crime is mobile; crime is not static. Police officers play offense. Stopping suspicious vehicles after minor traffic violations is a good example. Police officers are considered productive by their supervisors when they prevent crime. The mere presence of police in a neighborhood partially deters crime. It’s not a good idea to place an officer in one...

Episode 6- The Austin Police Academy: Warriors vs Guardians

In today's episode, I want to discuss case law. Yes, I know it's boring! However, it's relevant to your reports, and it's a big part of what it means to be a real police officer, which means it's essential to your police training. Before we get started, I want to paint a picture. Let's say that you're part of a Special Task Force and you want to focus on a specific area in town that is of interest because of the high crime occurring in the last month, whether that's in narcotics, burglaries, or other crimes. Imagine you're driving around in your marked patrol vehicle. Then, you spot a man walking down the street, and as soon as he sees you, he turns around and runs away. The question here is this:&nbsp;Are you allowed to stop him? Is it illegal for him to look at you? Do you have a reason to stop him?&nbsp;It doesn't seem that way. However, guess what? According to the Supreme Court of the United States, you are indeed allowed to stop that person, but there are some things you need to consider, and that's what we'll be discussing today. To illustrate my point, I want to take a look at Illinois Vs. Wardlow. This case took place in Chicago, Illinois, in 1995. Here's the summary: three patrol cars were working in a specific area of town looking for Narcotics. On one of those patrol vehicles, Mr. Wardlow was walked by, and as soon as he noticed the police officers, he turned around and ran away through an alley. One of the officers noticed the suspicious behavior, got out of the car, and started pursuing on foot. Once the officer caught up to him, frisked him and went through a bag Mr. Wardlow had on hand, he found that Mr. Wardlow had an illegal firearm. This stop, of course, led to an arrest and eventually, Mr. Wardlow got convicted for the crime, but he fought his conviction in the Supreme Court.  Here's what's interesting:&nbsp;The Illinois Supreme Court stated that the fact that he ran away was not enough reason to stop Mr. Wardlow, but the Supreme Court decided otherwise; Mr. Wardlow's behavior was, in fact, indicative of possible crime, and the pursuit was warranted. Let's break it down: 1. Mr. Wardlow was in a high-crime area linked with Narcotics. 2. The officers, who were part of a Special Task Force, were working said area. 3. His behavior, the fact that he ran away for no reason, gave the officers enough reason to suspect, stop him, and pat him down. 4. This stop resulted in the discovery of an illegal firearm on his person. The bottom line is that is not normal behavior for someone to run away from the police for no reason at all, and is not a violation of the Fourth Amendment to stop someone for reasonable of suspicion. Illinois VS Wardlow provides you a frame to stop crime in its tracks. Remember crime is mobile, whether it's a criminal driving or walking down the street, we must stop those criminals using all the tools the supreme court allows us to use.&nbsp; https://youtu.be/MKEALXVDW18

Episode 14- How Police Stop Innocent People, Legally!

Duty belts are as old as policing. From the beginning, para-military uniform adaptations of duty belts included police officers. Police belts symbolize the disciplined body of the justice system. When policing started, officers were part of the night watch. Officers carried tools like lanterns and sometimes a stick for self-defense. Eventually, law enforcement belts became a symbol or a brand. Officer’s dress code included a trench coat plus a Sam Browne belt. Belts consisted of a leather piece, brass buckle, and another leather strip which connected front to back passing through the officer’s chest and right shoulder. When I see photographs of police officers who used this setup, I can imagine myself being one of them. These officers carried a nightstick, flashlight, and revolver. Over time, law enforcement evolved, and more tools were added. All these new tools or toys, as some of us see them, started adding weight which translated in back, hips, and knee injuries. However, there are new options to consider when setting up your belt to avoid or prevent injury. Here are some critical factors. 1)&nbsp;Duty belt’s material: Majority of duty belts are either made out of durable nylon or leather. Nylon is lighter and flexible; however, some departments discourage nylon because it doesn’t look “professional” since this material could rub off over time with daily use. Leather belts can look professional. Police departments like the way manufacturers can make it look glossy or basket weave. However, leather can add weight to the already heavy-duty equipment. 2)&nbsp;Manufacturer: Price is a significant factor, primarily if your department doesn’t provide a uniform allowance or pay for all of the uniforms. I suggest you do your research and go with quality manufacturers. Don’t forget to read the reviews, not just reviews like t “It looks good,” but more about how it feels after the usage for a while. I use Bianchi Duty Belts, and so far the belt is lighter than my old leather one. Remember, security officers also use some of the duty belts, and they don’t carry as much equipment as we do. 3)&nbsp;Comfort and Size: Your waistline will determine the size as well as your level of comfort, and the number of pouches and holsters you attach to your belt. Remember, you might want to buy a bigger size. You might gain a little weight, but if you are like me, I wear many layers during the winter, and I have to open loosen up it up a bit. Let’s take a look the way I set up my duty belt. Your setup depends on the number of tools you carry, personal preference, and policies by your department. One thing is sure if you are a rookie, you’ll change the setup for the first two years because you’ll learn what works and doesn’t work for you. (Starting Counterclockwise from belt buckle) Taser Tasers are useful for many reasons, some to stop subjects who aren’t complying to commands, other times to make the taser spark showing you aren’t playing games. I placed my taser next to the belt buckle because I’ll reach to use it with my dominant right hand. My academy taught me always place the taser on the opposite side or away from your firearm because, in a high-stress scenario, you could grab your gun instead of your taser to stop someone while resisting, a true story this happened before:&nbsp;. If I’m that close to a subject, I’m not reaching for a taser to make someone comply, hands-on baby! Magazine Holster My magazine holster is unique, well, not really, but I like it. I have a double handgun plus AR15 magazine holster. The reason I chose this setup is the location where I work. My backup is 10–15 minutes away. I like the idea of having another AR15 magazine just in case I have a defective magazine in the AR15 already, or I experience a double feed which prompts me to do a rapid clearing drill and reload. I never hear anyone ever said, “I brought too many rounds to this gunfight!” Flashlight Holster I...

Episode 17- Tactical Duty Belt Setup

Explore the case law which justifies the use of deadly force with a vehicle. Recently, the Grand Rapids Police Department (MI), used a car to strike a homicide suspect firing at officers in the middle of the road. I know what you are thinking, it the suspect was shooting at officers then it's justified. Well, not so fast, before you use deadly force of any kind, you need to learn the way you can use that specific use of force. In this podcast, I explain each case law which justifies the use of a vehicle as a weapon to stop a threat. Later, I show you the latest police shooting from the Baltimore Police Department (MD). Officers encountered a subject using deadly force against an innocent victim. Officers responded with deadly force and stopped the threat. However, the suspect injured one of the officers with a non-life threating injury.

Episode 11: Using Your Patrol Vehicle As A Weapon

This past week we lost two of our fellow officers out of Kansas. Wyandotte County deputies Theresa King and Patrick Rohrer were fatally shot. Prayers 🙏 for their families. In today's episode, I talked about physical fitness when I had to use all my strength and cardio to catch felon this past weekend. Listen to the story in the podcast.

Episode 4-The Importance of Physical Fitness Training In Police Work

Your training is the best way to advance in your career. Plain and simple, I know some training sucks, and it's stupid. However, find the training that is interesting to you and your goals. You don't want to be the "Retired On Duty" dude. Share and comment. Follow me on Facebook and Instagram @tacticalblue

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