The Squad Room

John Delony Just Wants You to Chill Out: Tools for Building a Non-Anxious Life Jul 16, 2024

Dr. John Delony is a New York Times bestselling author, mental health and wellness expert, and host of the very popular podcast The Dr. John Delony Show. What is not as well known about this famous figure is that his father was a cop – a homicide detective in fact and John knows first hand […]

What I’ve Learned: The Impacts Can Last Forever with Jeff McGreevy May 15, 2024

During his 29-year career, Jeff McGreevy was an early pioneer in the concept of peer support in Southern California, having been involved in officer wellness since 2004 when he was recruited to be a founding member of his department’s trauma support team which later evolved into peer support. Jeff has extensive training and experience in […]

Where Do Cops Go When They’re The Ones That Need Help? with Shawn Thomas Apr 10, 2024

Shawn is the founder of 1st Responder Conferences and a retired deputy from the King County Sheriff’s Office in Seattle, WA. Shawn retired in 2022 after 25 years of service as a Wellness and Resiliency Detective and a therapy K9 handler. During her career, Shawn worked patrol, as an undercover detective, a detective in the […]

12 Warrior Principles to Reclaim and Recalibrate Your Life with Travis Mills Mar 11, 2024

On April 10, 2012, United States Army Staff Sergeant Travis Mills of the 82nd Airborne was critically injured on his third tour of duty in Afghanistan by an IED (improvised explosive device) while on patrol, losing portions of both legs and both arms. He is one of only five quadruple amputees from the wars in […]

What I’ve Learned: Travis Gribble on How Your Career and Life Can Change on One Call Feb 12, 2024

Travis Gribble is a 24-year law enforcement veteran and founder of My Arena. Travis spent 11 years at a Sheriff’s Office in Michigan before lateralling to a large agency in Arizona where he worked as a patrol officer, patrol sergeant, and as a SWAT assistant team leader and SWAT sergeant. In 2016, Travis experienced a […]

Are We Lonely? How Loneliness, Disconnection, and Isolation Are Becoming the Silent Killer of First Responders with Jeremy Nobel Dec 14, 2023

Did you know that 15% of men say they have no close friends? None. 53% of women say they feel lonely at work. 17% of the general population say they routinely experience deep loneliness. What’s scary is loneliness is linked to our longevity and health. Going through life lonely is the equivalent of smoking nearly […]

Becoming Anti-Fragile: Confronting Fears and Insecurity to Become a Better Version of Yourself with Sabrina Reich Dec 04, 2023

Sabrina Reich is a 19-year police leader of a large university police department in California. She’s also a wife, and mom of two, focused on sharing leadership tips and lessons learned for a better life. Sabrina is building a movement of courageous leaders through enabling strong trust and partnerships because communities deserve to be safe. […]

Facing Evil: Confronting the Deadliest Mass Shooter in History and the Aftermath of What Followed with Josh Bitsko Nov 21, 2023

On October 1, 2017, Sergeant Josh Bitsko found himself on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel, about to confront the deadliest killer in U.S. history. Through a weird combination of fate and initiative, Josh found himself leading the assault team of only four officers against a heavily fortified and well-organized murderer. Only six […]

You Are a Work In Progress: Evolving and Reclaiming Your Identity Outside Public Service Oct 17, 2023

Zac Miller served a combined eight years as a firefighter/EMT, 911 dispatcher and a police officer. Zac is currently the Director of ManPower at UNcivilized Inc, a Certified UNcivilized Coach, and a Breathwork Facilitator. Zac is also a husband, and a dad to four kids. Since leaving public service, Zac completed a certificate in Traumatic […]

My Bad Haircut: What Trivial Things Can Teach Us About Mindfulness, Compassion and Resilience Oct 09, 2023

Oftentimes, it’s the minor things that can set us off and send us spiraling out of control, handing over our sovereignty to anxiety and anger. Getting cut off in traffic, waiting in long lines… A bad haircut can be one of those things. In this episode I share the story of how a hair stylist […]

How I Fell Apart. PLUS Details On Our Men’s Retreat for First Responders and Veterans in November Sep 21, 2023

In this episode, I share the story of how I realized something was really wrong with me and how the job was changing me in all the wrong ways. Plus, I share details on our men’s retreat for current, former, and retired first responders and military veterans. Join us in the mountains outside Denver, Colorado […]

Coming Home: From Combat to Car Stops and Finding the Strength to Walk Away to Save Yourself with Dave Boyd Sep 12, 2023

Dave Boyd is the President of UNcivilized Inc, a men’s coach, a workshop facilitator, a husband, a father, a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, an ex-MMA fighter, a CrossFit coach, and a former first responder who served as a firefighter, a 911 telecommunicator, and lastly as a local law enforcement officer with nearly […]

What Eddie Van Halen Taught Me About Self-Awareness Before He Died Aug 14, 2023

In this short episode I share the story of my chance to meet Eddie Van Halen…and how I screwed it up. But that screw up led to one of my favorite conversations ever – with a Rock God no less. If you’re looking for a little extra joy in your life, sign up for Tactical […]

18 Lessons from 18 Years as a Cop: What I Wish I Knew, Mistakes Made, and Lessons Learned Jul 31, 2023

I recently passed the 18th anniversary of the day I entered the academy. The occasion provoked some introspection and on this episode I share 18 lessons I’ve learned throughout my career to this point – lessons often learned the hard way. It’s certainly not a comprehensive list but I incuded things that I think can […]

Matthew Thomas on Successful Marriages, Working Through Hard Things, Promoting and Leading From Any Rank Jul 05, 2023

Matthew Thomas is currently the Chief Deputy of the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office in Arizona. Matthew works for one of the most famous sheriffs in the county, Mark Lamb. Matthew has a long career in undercover work and fighting the ever-encroaching influence and the Mexican drug cartels. Matthew is also the author of the book […]

This is Your Brain on Cop Work with Dr. Rick Hanson: Processing Stress and Trauma, How to Find Gratitude for the Hard Parts, and How to Survive Your Career Jun 01, 2023

Dr. Rick Hanson is a renowned psychologist, New York Times best-selling author, and meditation teacher known for his expertise in the field of neuroscience and positive psychology. With a deep understanding of the brain and its capacity for change, he has dedicated his career to helping individuals cultivate happiness, resilience, and well-being. Dr. Hanson has […]

The Heart of a Warrior: Finding Purpose After Your Own Death with Brandon Griffith May 11, 2023

SWAT Officer Brandon Griffith was in the best shape of his life at 26 years old when he collapsed dead in his living room from a sudden cardiac arrest. His wife started CPR while calling 911 and he was eventually shocked back to life with a defibrillator. In this episode you will learn: The story […]

Are You Worried You’re a Micromanager? Stop Doing These Things Right Now! Apr 20, 2023

Micromanagers usually lack trust in their coworkers so they feel they need to obsessively watch over them. What’s missing, is that the micromanagers also lack trust in themselves, and all that behavior is an outward expression of an inner turmoil. In this episode, I share some quick insights into how you can avoid becoming the […]

Dealing with Death: Navigating Grief and Guilt to Find Joy After The Death of a LEO Spouse with Whitney Allen Apr 17, 2023

Ryan Allen, a successful K9 handler for his department, didn’t think much about the bee sting he got on the way home from the gym. What happened next turned this small thing into a nightmare of panic, grief, guilt and difficult decisions. Six months later, Ryan’s wife Whitney buried her young husband and was left […]

Just Got Promoted? Don’t Make These Mistakes: 11 Tips for New Supervisors to Help You Ease the Transition, Build Trust, Establish Your Presence, and Lead. Mar 08, 2023

Have you just gotten promoted or looking to promote soon? This episode might save you a lot of heartache. 10 years ago this week I was promoted to sergeant. And then, just about a year ago I was promoted to lieutenant. In that time I’ve had some wins…and a whole lot of losses. I’ve also […]

Olivia Mead of Yoga For First Responders on Destigmatizing Warrior Cultures, Improving Resilience Through Physical Work, and Reducing the Stress of Police Careers Mar 03, 2023

In 2021 I was out on medical leave due to a back injury that had been misdiagnosed for years. What saved me from a potential career-ending surgery was a renewed practice of yoga. Despite its long tradition in warrior communities, there are a lot of misconceptions and objections to yoga in the first responder communities […]

Jason Piccolo of The Protectors On Leaving Law Enforcement, Transitioning to Civilian Life, Finding Purpose and Meaning in Our Work. Feb 13, 2023

Jason Piccolo is a newly retired federal agent and the host of The Protectors Podcast. Jason has nearly 30 years in service to his country as an agent, a U.S. Army infantry captain and veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Jason is a frequent guest on Fox News and Court TV and he’s the author of […]

4 Conversations You Should Be Having as a Leader (and 4 You Should NEVER Have!) Jan 10, 2023

As a leader, the conversations you have with the people around you will make or break your career. Having the wrong conversations with the wrong people is the fastest way to lose the trust of your coworkers. Conversely, having these 4 types of conversations with the people around you is the fastest way to building […]

You Only Have 4000 Weeks in Your Life. Don’t Spend It Paying Your Agency When You’re Off Duty. Try This Instead. Jan 06, 2023

In 2022, a popular book came out that describes how the average human only has 4000 weeks in their entire lifetime. That’s it. Just 4000. For everything from birth, to your first day of school, to your first kiss, and on and on and on until death – only 4000 weeks. So how are you […]

What I’ve Learned: Cultivating Resilience by Doing the Work with Kyle Stubbs Nov 30, 2022

Kyle Stubbs is a husband, father of two, and full time police officer with the RCMP. Prior to policing, Kyle worked as a primary care paramedic and also served with a volunteer fire department. Kyle is a certified holistic lifestyle coach, breathwork facilitator, and mindset coach. His mission is to transform first responder health and […]

You Must Lead Yourself to Lead Others with Errol Doebler Nov 01, 2022

Errol Doebler is a former U.S. Navy SEAL and retired FBI Special Agent who now runs Leader193. Errol graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1991, first serving in the fleet before joining Seal Teams. In this episode, we talk about 5 elements you need to consider about how you are leading yourself if you […]

Storytelling School: Become a Fearless Public Speaker to Accelerate Your Career with Kymberlee Weil Oct 14, 2022

Did you know people are more scared of public speaking than dying?! Yes, the idea of getting up in front of a group of people and speaking is so terrifying to so many people that they’d rather cease to exist on this Earth. That’s nuts! Here’s the good news. You don’t have to be a […]

3 Universal Laws of Leadership You Must Know to Succeed as a Cop Oct 11, 2022

There are three things you must understand if you are a leader in your organization, or you are looking to take a leadership role in the future. They’re simple, but not always easy. In this short episode, I tackle the 3 Universal Laws of Leadership – three things you absolutely need to know to succeed […]

Navigating the Hard Parts: How to Suffer Well and Build Resilience with Richard Goerling Oct 04, 2022

Why do we suffer? Can it be avoided, or is life just really hard sometimes? How do we take control of things that are seemingly impossible to control, but have massive, sometimes lethal consequences in our lives? In this episode, I share my experience of being diagnosed with a rare and incurable disease that forced […]

Need More Work/Life Balance? Listen to This! Sep 27, 2022

In this short episode, I share 7 things you can do to create more work/life balance in your life. Do you have a technique I missed? Let us know what you do to create more balance in your life. Shoot me an email at garrett@thesquadroom.net or drop us a line on social media @thesquadroom and […]

15 Secrets of Leadership That No One Wants to Tell You About Sep 13, 2022

In this solo episode I share 15 SECRETS about leadership that they don’t tell you about. Maybe it’s because it’ll scare you away, or maybe they think misery loves company. Either way, we tackle 15 things about taking on a leadership role in your agency that are often overlooked, glossed over, or forgotten about. Do […]

Will to Thrive: How Humor and Music Can Create Resilience After a Line of Duty Death with Charlie from Ten Eight Memes Aug 31, 2022

Charlie (last name redacted) is the meme lord behind the very popular Instagram handle @teneight_memes. Although he’s known for his very funny and sarcastic sense of humor, Charlie has been put through the emotional ringer over the last year and we talk in-depth about how humor and music helped him through a very tough time. […]

5 Ways to Deal with Negative People at Work Aug 26, 2022

It often seems that cops love nothing more than to complain. Sure, there are the normal gripes and injustices and we all have our moments but then there are those we work with who are on a whole other level of misery – cops who seem to make it their job to be negative about […]

161: 9 Tactics of Positive Discipline to Get Massive Results From Your People Aug 04, 2022

Discipline is an often misunderstood – and misapplied – concept in leadership. Many supervisors think discipline and punishment are the same thing, and that the only way to get people to do what you need them to do is to hold the threat of punishment and negativity over them. That’s negative discipline and the uneducated […]

160: Creative Cop: Chasing Suspects and Spotlights and Why Creativity is Important for Cops with Tyler Ashley Jul 05, 2022

Nashville native and Army veteran Tyler Ashley came to Los Angeles like so many other people do, searching for his big break in acting and music. Along the was called back to service and is currently an officer with the LAPD. However, Tyler hasn’t given up on his goals of being on stage and he’s […]

159: Crucial Communication: How to Be a Better Leader, Boss & Partner Using Uncommon Skills and Technologies with Jeff Halstead Jun 01, 2022

What’s the number one complaint you have about your agency? Chances are it’s something to do with the lack of communication. Jeff Halstead is my guest this week as we dive into the simple yet complicated topic of communication; how to make it better, how it changes as you promote, and how new technologies can […]

158: Mastering Mindfulness: How to Create Your Own Practice to Improve Your Life with Wendy Hummell May 10, 2022

Wendy Hummell, a seasoned law enforcement officer with over 24 years of experience. Wendy started her career in 1996 as a Special Agent with the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). She retired at the rank of Detective after 21 years of service from the Wichita Police Department where she spent a majority of her career […]

157: 8 Ways to Detach from Work After Your Shift Apr 07, 2022

As cops, the last thing we want to do is bring home the drama, stress and trauma to our families. But it’s hard, sometimes, to create some distance between who we are on the job and who we want to be when we’re at home. In this episode, I share 8 simple things you can […]

156: What I’ve Learned: Cancer, Addiction, Death and Divorce Can’t Keep Me Down with Sgt. Mike McGrew. Mar 30, 2022

Mike McGrew is the Co-Founder, CEO and Executive Director of the 911 At Ease Foundation. Mike spent 31 years with the Santa Barbara Police Department where he recently retired as a sergeant. Mike held positions in major crimes, traffic, and POA president among many other assignments. Those assignments took a toll on Mike who struggled […]

155: 7 Discipline Failures You Might Be Making Mar 10, 2022

In this short Briefing Topic episode, we cover 7 discipline failures you might be making. Discipline can be elusive for many of us. It’s not as simple as just motivation, momentum, or commitment. Hopefully these 7 topics give you something to think about that can help you every day. I want to offer you something […]

154: Can You Be Happy? How to Fight Negativity, Cynicism, and Anger to Live a Fulfilling Life with Bridget Truxillo Mar 04, 2022

Are you happy? Like, actually happy? For a lot of cops, that just seems like crazy talk. Afterall, what is happy, anyways? And why is it important to bring it back into our lives? So many questions revolve around happiness. Luckily, my guest today has some of the answers. Bridget Truxillo is a former Deputy […]

153: Briefing Topic: 6 Ways to Boost Your Resilience Feb 21, 2022

In this short episode I cover six ways that you can boost your resilience starting right now. Learn more at thesquadroom.net I want to offer you something that I’m very excited about, and it’s absolutely FREE. We have launched Tactical Tuesdays – a free weekly email where we bring you a few tactics, tips and […]

152: The Future of Training: How Networking and Online Training Will Change Law Enforcement Feb 14, 2022

Adam Kinakin is the Managing Director and founder of the International Law Enforcement Training Network (ILET), a community-based training platform designed for creating and facilitating international Law Enforcement training. A former Infantry Officer with the Canadian Armed Forces, he held the role of Administration Officer, Platoon Commander, Acting Company 2I/C, and was the Training Officer […]

151: The Brain Behind the Trigger: How Neuroscience is Builds a Better Shooter with Dustin Salomon. Jan 25, 2022

Dustin Salomon is a former naval officer and the author of Hitting in Combat: The Brain Science of Training to Win Gunfights. Between the military and the private sector, he has conducted 20 overseas deployments. In this episode, we talk about how you can make your firearms training more effective by considering how our brains […]

150: What I’ve Learned From a Life Undercover: Dope Buys, Gun Rips and Learning From Your Mistakes with Jeff Smith. Jan 13, 2022

Jeff Smith spent 29 years working in law enforcement, most of it working undercover in the Narcotics Unit. Jeff has worked cases with DEA, FBI, HSI, US Customs, Maryland State Police, Delaware State Police, Virginia State Police and many other agencies all over the region. Jeff has participated in thousands of operations both as a […]

149: Is Anger Ruining Your Life? How Stress, Vices, and Agency Politics Can Kill You with The Angry Viking Dr. Trevor Wilkins Dec 20, 2021

Dr. Trevor Wilkins is a former cop and current psychotherapist but if you’re on social media you might know him better as The Angry Viking. Trevor is a psychotherapist in private practice at Thin Line Counseling, LLC in Lexington, KY. Dr. Wilkins served 15-years in uniformed law enforcement, and the prior three years as a […]

148: Porn Addiction, Policing and PTSD: How to Take Control of Your Demons, Lead, and Succeed with Scott Medlin. Dec 07, 2021

Scott Medlin, an active police officer and devout Catholic, was struggling with a secret. One that he felt he couldn’t even share with anyone — and certainly not with anyone at work. After years on patrol and two prior combat deployments with the United States Marine Corps, Scott’s mental attitude and coping skills were starting […]

147: We’ve Always Done It This Way: Bringing Police Training Out of the Dark Ages with Adam Haidary of @PolicePosts and Be Effective. Nov 15, 2021

Adam Haidary is a former training sergeant for an agency in South Carolina. Adam is the founder of the hugely popular and often controversial Instagram account @policeposts and is also the creator of Effective Fitness, which offers physical training templates and coaching for law enforcement personnel. On top of that he is the creator of […]

146: From Widow to Warrior: How Her Husband’s Suicide Showed Her How to Save Others with Kim Colegrove Oct 29, 2021

Kim Colegrove was living a successful life as a corporate trainer looking forward to her husband’s retirement from federal law enforcement. He had big plans to finally launch his business – an idea he’d been working on for years. Three months after his last day at work, he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. In […]

145: Mindfulness Saved My Life: Breaking Misconceptions from Spec Ops to Cops with US Navy SEAL Commander (ret) Jon Macaskill Oct 12, 2021

Jon Macaskill (@mindfulfrogman) is a retired Navy SEAL Commander turned consultant and mindfulness and meditation teacher. Jon was a lieutenant during the famous Operation Red Wings disaster made famous by Marcus Lutrell’s book and the related movie Lone Survivor. Jon was born in South Africa but grew up in Ruston, Louisiana. After graduating high school, […]

144: Married to a Cop: How Your Job is Affecting Your Relationships, Your Communication, and Your Future with Cyndi Doyle of Code 4 Couples Sep 23, 2021

Cyndi Doyle is a licensed professional counselor and Nationally Board Certified Counselor. She is also certified in Critical Incident Stress Management and serves the Dallas/Fort Worth area on several response teams. Cyndi is also a LEO wife so her work with cops and family members is very relevant to our talk today. She’s a 3 […]

143: Leadership Masterclass: How to Handle Promotion, Demotion, Failure, Media Scrutiny, and Tough Decisions with Nick Metz Sep 08, 2021

Nick Metz is the retired chief of police of Aurora, Colorado, the 3rd largest city in the state. Before coming to Aurora as the new chief, Nick spent over 30 years with the Seattle Police Department where he rose to the rank of deputy chief — before being demoted — and we talk about that […]

142: Changing a Broken Culture: How One Officer’s Suicide Changed an Entire Department with Lorenzo Glenn Aug 24, 2021

Lorenzo Glenn is active lieutenant for the Anaheim Police Department in California. If you’re not familiar with Anaheim, it’s the epicenter of Disneyland, Angels Stadium, and the Honda Arena. Lorenzo is currently in charge of the Air Operations Unit and the Peer Support Team. He is also the current president of the Public Safety Peer […]

141: Longevity and Health Through Nutrition with Robb Wolf Aug 12, 2021

Robb Wolf is a former research biochemist and the 2X New York Times/WSJ Best Selling author of The Paleo Solution and Wired To Eat. Robb has transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people around the world via his top ranked iTunes podcast, books and seminars. Robb also has extensive experience working with first […]

140: Creating a New Model of Peer Support Using Technology with Bruce Valles Jul 15, 2021

Bruce Valles is the Founder and CEO of Mindbase, a Seattle startup aimed at solving the mental health crisis within public safety. Bruce was motivated to start Mindbase after seeing his uncle’s struggles with mental illness while he was a cop and corrections officer in Arizona. Bruce has spent the last 12 years in tech, […]

139: When the Warrior Comes Home: Confronting Trauma, Stress & PTSD with Jen Satterly Jun 30, 2021

Jen Satterly is an author, speaker and wife to Command Sergeant Major (ret.) Tom Satterly who appeared on episode 138. With Tom, she is the co-founder of the All Secure Foundation. When Jen met Tom, his second marriage was about to implode due to his unresolved trauma and severe PTSD. Eventually, they married and Jen […]

138: Winning the War Inside Your Head with Delta Force Veteran Tom Satterly Jun 22, 2021

Command Sergeant Major (ret.) Tom Satterly spent 20 years in the U.S. Army’s secretive and elite Delta Force. Tom’s first deployment with The Unit was the infamous 1993 Battle of Mogadishu, made famous by the book and movie Black Hawk Down. Over the next 20 years, Tom deployed all around the world and was on […]

137: How to Have a Successful Marriage with Victoria Newman Jun 02, 2021

Victoria Newman is the president of How2LoveOurCops.org. She’s the author of “A CHiP on My Shoulder – How to Love Your Cop with Attitude” and “A Marriage in Progress: Tactical Support for Law Enforcement Relationships.” She’s a national speaker and contributing writer for Law Officer among many many other pursuits. Victoria’s husband is Chief Brent […]

136: Protecting Your Privacy with Pete James of OfficerPrivacy.Com May 19, 2021

Pete James is a forensic and online database expert. After he retired as a lieutenant from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office in California, he formed OfficerPrivacy.com to help officers and other first responders protect themselves and their families by limiting the amount of information that’s out there on the internet. And trust me, there’s a […]

135: The Stoic Cop with Bill Mauro: How an Ancient Philosophy Is the Perfect Antidote to Modern Times May 04, 2021

Bill Mauro is the author of The Stoic Cop: Policing Through Stoic Virtue. Bill is also a deputy sheriff in Florida with a family in law enforcement. A few years ago, Bill found himself struggling with a deep depression and thoughts of suicide. A miraculous intervention with a stranger changed his life and he eventually […]

134: Serving Those in Service with James Geering of the Behind the Shield Podcast Apr 13, 2021

James Geering is a firefighter, professional stuntman, published author and host of the Behind the Shield Podcast. James has been in the fire service on both coasts of the United States and shares his incredible story about how he was driven to become a firefighter from an early age – and it provokes some reflection […]

133: Dealing with Toxic People at Work: What to Do When You Have an Arsonist in the Office with Pete Havel Mar 23, 2021

132: How to Lead Yourself First with Mike Doyle of Tactical Tangents Feb 18, 2021

Mike Doyle of the Tactical Tangents Podcast joins me on this episode of The Squad Room. Mike is a K9 handler for a large urban police department in Arizona, a new father, a podcaster, and dare I say renaissance man — whatever that means these days. In this episode you’ll learn how Mike and I […]

131: What I’ve Learned: Dennis Benigno of Street Cop Training Jan 27, 2021

Dennis Benigno is the founder and owner of Street Cop Training, perhaps the largest privately-held law enforcement organization in the country, and they’re growing quickly. Dennis joins us to talk about his career and how he navigated through a start in corrections, to federal law enforcement and eventually, back home working in the New Jersey […]

130: When Your Trauma Explodes with Nick Wilson of The Resiliency Project Dec 11, 2020

One day not too long ago, Officer Nick Wilson was on his way to jail. But there was a problem. The problem was that despite countless trips to county before, this time he was riding in the backseat. He had just been arrested for DUI. But the problem was actually bigger than that. Nick was […]

129: A Widow’s Journey with Carmen East Nov 19, 2020

On October 9, 2017, Carmen East’s life changed forever. Her husband, Texas Tech University Police Officer Floyd East Jr. was shot and killed on duty. Carmen joins me on The Squad Room to tell the heart-wrenching story of losing her high-school sweetheart in the line of duty. Her story, and her relationship with Floyd is […]

128: Creating a Winning Mindset with Brian Willis: Leadership Lessons For Police. Oct 23, 2020

I often get asked how to build resilience quickly. You just have to answer one important question. And then you answer that question over and over and over again. On this episode, my guest Brian Willis helps us learn how to apply a simple acronym – W.I.N. – to create resilience, improve focus, and become […]

127: Be Your Own First Responder with Tony Blauer Oct 08, 2020

Tony Blauer is the founder of Blauer Tactical and the S.P.E.A.R. System of self-defense. A world-renowned self-defense expert and law enforcement trainer, Tony has studied fear and how our bodies use fear to keep us safe. In this episode, Tony and I cover a wide range of topics including: To be the best version of […]

126: How to Move Forward, Lead & Win with Dakota Meyer Sep 04, 2020

Dakota Meyer knows a thing or two about how to move forward and overcoming adversity. That’s why it was a great experience to have him on the newest episode of The Squad Room. A short review of Dakota’s life shows you some of the major obstacles he has confronted and overcome by accepting his reality: The […]

125: You Can’t Out Train a Bad Diet with First In Nutrition’s Jonathan Montgomery Aug 21, 2020

Jonathan Montgomery used to be fat firefighter. Before that, he was a roadie for some of the biggest pop punk bands of the 90s. Several years ago, Jonathan got his act together and lost a ton of weight and is now a ripped former firefighter who owns First In Nutrition along with his wife Anne, […]

124: Building Resilience with JP Dinnell Aug 07, 2020

Man, and I thought 2019 was rough…2020 isn’t just a dumpster fire, it’s a full-on landfill burning out of control. My wife and I couldn’t stand staring at the same four walls anymore so we decided on a last minute road-trip to Colorado…and now I’m sitting in the waiting room of Urgent Care waiting for […]

123: What I Wish I Knew: Mistakes, Lessons & Hard Wins with SWAT Officer Justin Walker Jul 14, 2020

This episode of The Squad Room was a recent favorite. I sit down (socially distanced via Zoom of course) with Justin Walker. Justin is a full-time officer at a major metropolitan department and a full-time SWAT officer. He’s also the owner of MilMak Blades and even a podcaster! (seriously, check out his show The Man […]

122: Where Do We Go From Here? Jul 04, 2020

I’ve been reluctant to add my voice to the chorus of talking heads surrounding the issues we’re currently facing in policing. However, I’ve been encouraged to do so by some people I respect greatly, and asked by many others for my input. I’ll admit that I was also scared to chime in. Cancel culture has […]

121: Deliberate Discomfort: Overcoming Fear, Creating Courage, and Winning Your Battles with Jason Van Camp Jun 18, 2020

After graduating from West Point, Jason Van Camp earned his Ranger tabs in 2002. Along with the 101st Airborne, Jason was part of the invasion of Iraq in 2003. In 2006, Jason went through selection and earned his green beret. Afterward, he was assigned to the 10th Special Forces Group as a Detachment Commander. In […]

120: Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement with Dr. Kevin Gilmartin Jun 02, 2020

Dr. Kevin Gilmartin is one of the preeminent police psychologists in the country. He is the author of the Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement, an absolute must read for any cop or LEO spouse. Dr. Gilmartin’s one-day seminar sells out all over the world and he is one of the best presenters I’ve ever seen. […]

119: Leading Yourself Through Change with NYPD Sgt. Aaron Lohman aka Huge Fat Loser May 28, 2020

Sergeant Aaron Lohman returns for his second appearance on The Squad Room and he doesn’t disappoint with his no-holds barred style of personal growth and leadership. We last checked in with Aaron in 2017 and a lot has changed. He made sergeant, had a few transfers and now is one of the first staffers at […]

118: Creating Calm: PTSD, War Trauma and Healing with Tom Voss May 07, 2020

Tom Voss is an Infantry veteran of the Army’s Stryker Brigades having served between 2003-2006 in a scout sniper platoon. He’s also an author, yoga instructor, and meditation teacher. It wasn’t long into his deployments before Tom experienced the darkest parts of war which left him with severe PTSD that he denied for over a […]

117: Ryan Michler on How to Win When Others Are Falling Apart Apr 27, 2020

Ryan Michler is the host of the Order of Man Podcast and author of the book Sovereignty: The Battle for the Hearts and Minds of Men. In this episode, you’ll learn: How Ryan recommends you regain and retain sovereignty over your life. Why he wrestles with the idea of being a good follower. Why the […]

116: Briefing Topic: Are You in the Arena? Apr 23, 2020

In this short episode I talk about a monumental speech that was given 110 years ago today by one of the biggest personalities to ever enter the White House. In this episode, I share why this speech is so influential to me, and how you can use it to motivate and inspire those you work […]

115: Making Yourself Hard to Kill with Matt The Operational Athlete Apr 16, 2020

Matt is a Special Forces veteran and current police officer in Los Angeles, CA. He’s known on social media as The Operational Athlete (@theoperationalathlete). Matt has multiple combat deployments and works in a high-activity city. In this episode we talk about: What he learned in Special Forces that he still uses on the streets today. […]

114: Leading Ourselves and Others During a Crisis with Traver Boehm Mar 21, 2020

This is the first episode back after a much-needed hiatus. It was not the episode I planned to produce but one that I felt needed to be done. No ads, no music, just an honest discussion about how to manage through change, how to mitigate the stress we’re all under, and how to cultivate resilience […]

113: Cardiologist and Police Lieutenant Jon Sheinberg on Heart Health for First Responders. Mar 15, 2020

This episode is a re-broadcast of one of my most important episodes so far. Dr. Jon Sheinberg wears many hats. One is as a full-time cardiologist and another is as a lieutenant for the Cedar Park Police Department in Texas. Jon comes on the show to walk us through all the confusing stuff about cholesterol, […]

112: Lt. Colonel Dave Grossman on Being a Modern Sheepdog Mar 15, 2020

This episode is a rebroadcast of a fascinating interview with Lt. Colonel Dave Grossman. If you’ve been living under a rock, Lt. Col. Grossman is the author of On Combat and On Killing and the creator of the idea of the sheepdog and the wolves. He’s a former West Point professor and all-around, one of […]

111: Live from ProForce with @911Strong and @DispatcherKristen Dec 01, 2019

This episode was recorded live at ProForce Law Enforcement on September 28, 2019. My guests are the dynamic duo and hosts of the 911Strong Podcast, social media star Aram Choe (@911Strong) and Kristen Jauregui (@dispatcherkristen). Both are working hard to help bridge the divide between our communities and our profession using social media as their […]

110: Shots Fired, Officer Down with Officer Josh Comitale: Will to Survive, Winning Mindset, and the Warrior Spirit Oct 27, 2019

A foot chase with an armed carjacking suspect, a partner shot, an open gun battle with no cover or concealment, taking two rounds in the legs, a gun jam…its like every academy training scenario rolled into one nightmare. Troy PD Officer Josh Comitale’s nightmare. Josh won the U.S. Congressional Medal of Bravery for his actions […]

109: Longevity, Seeking Promotions, Leadership and Advice with Jason Hoschouer Aug 13, 2019

Jason Hoschouer is a veteran cop in California. Many know him by his alias “Motorcop.” Jason was one of the first cop bloggers and probably the first cop to start a podcast way back in the day with The Crossover Show. He’s also been a previous guest on The Squad Room talking about financial health. […]

108: From Hard Charging to Hard Drinking: Alcoholism, Treatment and Recovery with Sgt. Joey Rafferty Jul 24, 2019

Over 27 years, Sgt. Joey Rafferty had every dream job that a hard charging cop would want in a county that requires hard charges. Wedged between Philadelphia and Trenton, NJ, Joey had plenty of action to keep him in the game. It wasn’t until he crashed a patrol car with his kids in the backseat […]

107: Your Mindset is Everything with POW Capt. Charlie Plumb | Cultivating Resilience, Gratitude & Awareness Jun 18, 2019

106: Building Strength in Your Brain and Biceps with Mark Bell Jun 04, 2019

Mark “Smelly” Bell is an American and world-record holder powerlifter, inventor of the Sling Shot, star of the movie Bigger, Stronger, Faster, the publisher of Power Magazine, host of the Mark Bell’s Power Project podcast, a YouTube star and much more. Mark also used to be known for being fat – like really fat. But […]

105: Creating a Legacy by Serving Something Bigger Than Yourself with Special Forces Lt. Col. Scott Mann May 06, 2019

Lt. Col. Scott Mann spent 20 years in Army Special Forces (Green Berets), leading troops into some of the most hostile and deadly terrain in the world. In this episode you’ll learn: How to create your legacy and identify what’s important to you. How the Special Forces concept of the Mission Decision Line can apply […]

104: Excuses, Obstacles, and Living a Fearless Life with Miranda and Julian Alcarez of Street Parking Apr 17, 2019

Miranda and Julian Alcaraz are the dynamic duo behind Street Parking. In this episode you will learn: How a CrossFit Games athlete like Julian deals with injuries and setbacks. How Miranda’s fitness saved her life in a horrific car accident. How to adapt and overcome adversity in your training and fitness. How attitude is everything. […]

Ep 103: Becoming Mindful Warriors with Lt. Richard Goerling Mar 27, 2019

Lt. Richard Goerling (ret.) of Mindful Badge is our guest today. Richard has been getting a lot of national attention since our last conversation nearly two years ago. He was even featured on the Today Show and NBC Nightly News. Richard’s work is devoted to making officers more resilient, and resilience is something we can […]

Ep 102: Briefing Training: What’s Your Oath? How to Identify Your Personal Values Mar 22, 2019

In this short episode, I give you my personal method for how to identify my values, the things that are most important to me. Values are tricky, and we often get weird around trying to name them and identify them. However, I guarantee that if you’re able to identify the values you prioritize, it will […]

Ep 101: Lt. Jim Glennon of Calibre Press on Surviving the Streets Mar 11, 2019

Lt. Jim Glennon is the owner of Calibre Press and lead instructor for the well-known and nationally taught course “Street Survival.” Jim retired as a lieutenant for the Lompard, IL police department moving into teaching and publishing. Lt. Glennon holds a BA in Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Police Management. He is the co-author […]

Episode 100! Learning from Your Failures and Moving Forward with Traver Boehm Feb 26, 2019

Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, Tim Kennedy, Andy Stumpf, Kelly Starrett, Tony Horton…just some of the amazing guests we’ve had in the first 99 episodes. It seems like it has taken forever to get to episode 100. In fact, it’s taken almost 4 years. I’ve been inconsistent, infrequent, behind, and distracted as a producer and host. […]

Ep 99: Ending First Responder Suicides with Dan Jarvis of 22Zero.Org Feb 12, 2019

Dan Jarvis is a former law enforcement officer and combat veteran. Dan came home from his deployments and struggled to adjust to life back at home, and even though he found purpose as a cop, he struggled. Hard. Dan was literally moments away from putting the gun to his head when an unexpected sound made […]

Briefing Topic: Why Are You Here Redux Feb 08, 2019

In this short episode I’m challenging you to be more self-aware about what motivates you and inspires you to go out and do the hard work that we do. There’s a well-known saying that during a critical incident, when everything is on the line, we don’t rise to the level of our expectations but instead […]

Briefing Topic: Held Assumptions vs. Opportunity Statements Feb 02, 2019

“The things you think about determine the quality of your mind. Your soul takes on the color of your thoughts.” – Marcus Aurelius We all hold assumptions about ourselves. Some of them are correct, and others are completely false. An assumption can be defined as, “a thing that is accepted as true or certain to […]

Ep 96: Training Your Mind to Train Your Body with Officer Greg Parker Jan 28, 2019

These days, if you’re involved in an foot pursuit that’s covered by the media, and you wake up the next day and realize it’s gone viral, that’s not a good thing. Luckily, for Officer Greg Parker of the Baltimore Police Department, he was blasted all over the news and social media because of solid police […]

Briefing Topic: The S.W.A.T. Analysis Jan 24, 2019

This week we discuss a way to check in with yourself and review where you’re at in relation to where you want to go. It’s actually learned in business school but have tweaked over the years to fit my use, and I think it’ll help you too. It’s called a SWAT analysis – Strengths – […]

Briefing Topic: What’s Your 20? Jan 17, 2019

10-20 in cop speak (in my area) means, “what’s your location?” Goals are great. They’re important. But it’s impossible to know where to go if you don’t know where you’re coming from. When you respond to a call, your route will depend on whether you’re coming from the north, south, east, or west. You can’t […]

Ep 93: Practicing Resilience and Creating an Emotional Survival Plan with Dr. Diego Hernandez Jan 14, 2019

Dr. Diego Hernandez is a clinical psychologist and trauma expert who focuses on wellness, human performance and and health. He frequently works with Army Special Operations and their training cadre to address the trauma rehabilitation of elite warriors. He regularly treats veterans and first responders. Dr. Hernandez is also the Clinical Director of the Accelerated […]

Ep 92: The B.A.D.G.E.S. of Your Life. Jan 07, 2019

We need leaders. Leaders at every level and in every organization. The absolute truth is that no one else is coming, and it’s up to us to step forward and fulfill our obligations. But before you lead others, you need to be able to lead yourself. In this episode, I introduce the concept of BADGES, […]

Ep 91: From Mogadishu to Music: Life Lessons from a Delta Commando with Brad Thomas Dec 03, 2018

When Brad Thomas’ music career didn’t take off out of high school he choose the next most obvious career path. He enlisted in the Army with a Ranger contract with the goal of making it into the elite and secretive special operations force known as Delta Force. Brad spent several years in the Rangers and […]

Ep 90: Post-Traumatic Stress to Post-Traumatic Growth with Shaun O’Gorman Oct 22, 2018

Aussie cop Shaun O’Gorman returns with some strategic actions you can take to identify, manage, and most importantly, use the traumatic experiences we all deal with. Shaun was a K9 officer who never let off the gas pedal for his entire career. It wasn’t until he stood on the ledge of a 26th floor balcony […]

Ep 89: Briefing Topic: We Need a Better Marketing Plan Sep 14, 2018

Last week, Nike managed to piss off approximately 50% of the country with their new ad campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick. In this Briefing Topic episode, I share my opinion on the whole event and explain why you should not care about this, or waste one second of your time upset about it. Please support our […]

Ep 88: Nothing Happens on the Sidelines with Seal Team 3 Sniper JP Dinnell Aug 27, 2018

JP Dinnell is a veteran of three combat deployments in the Global War on Terror. Most notably, he served with Seal Team 3 Task Unit Bruiser in the Battle of Ramadi as a sniper, working right next to the world’s most famous sniper, Chris Kyle. Kyle was in Charlie Platoon, and JP was in Delta […]

Ep 87: Be the One: Stepping Up During the Vegas Massacre with Sgt. Larry Hahn Jul 18, 2018

Sgt. Larry Hahn has done many things throughout his career with one of the largest sheriff’s department’s in the country. But it was what he did off-duty on the night of Sunday October 1, 2017 that will show you how he is the kind of leader I talk about when I ask you to be […]

Ep 86: Building Resilience from Personal Tragedy with Eric Hodgdon Jun 21, 2018

Eric Hodgdon is a resilience coach, author, and speaker. I first met Eric in October 2017 at a workshop and was immediately drawn to how him. He just exudes being a good guy. In March of 2018 I got to spend a few days with him a a leadership retreat in Florida and it was […]

Ep 85: Chasing Cartels and Congress with DEA Chief James Capra May 30, 2018

James Capra is the retired Chief of Global Operations for the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). Before his retirement, James testified to congress as he had done before, but this time he went off-script and spoke from the heart. It ended up on YouTube as “DEA Official Freaks Out at Senate Hearing.” But to hear James […]

EP 84: Thriving After an Officer-Involved Shooting with Chuck Rylant May 05, 2018

Chuck Rylant is a veteran SWAT cop from Santa Maria, CA. After being forced into a medical retirement, Chuck began looking for ways to continue in service to others. As a result, he wrote a book called “Shots Fired: The Psychology Behind Officer Involved Shootings.” Chuck interviews 12 cops who had been involved in shootings […]

Ep 83: What Makes an Uncivilized Man with Traver Boehm Apr 11, 2018

Traver is back with more insights and strategies about how to live your best life. In this episode, we talk about Traver’s new project, Man Uncivilized, and what inspired him to launch a movement that is quickly gaining attention. Traver is a regular contributor to the show and a man I refer to as my […]

Ep 82: Rob Shaul of Mountain Tactical Institute on Physical Training for Tactical Athletes Mar 09, 2018

Rob Shaul is the founder of Mountain Tactical Institute. Rob trains first responders, military athletes, and tier 1 operators.He got his start in Wyoming, training mountain athletes. When members of the military got wind of his success, they started seeking him out to help them climb the mountains of Afghanistan. When first responders learned about […]

Episode 81: Kelly Starrett on Lifestyle Optimization for Tactical Athletes, Sheepdogs and Warriors Feb 12, 2018

Kelly is a physiotherapist, speaker, coach, author and the founder of MobilityWOD. Kelly’s mission is to improve the mechanics and movement of every human to optimize physical performance and overall health. A few years ago he picked up a camera with a commitment to record one video a day for a year demonstrating important stretching […]

Ep 80: SEAL Team 6 Vet Andy Stumpf with Lessons from Hostile Territories Jan 26, 2018

Andy Stumpf is many things. Boring is not one of them. He’s a retired U.S. Navy Lieutenant who served in the Navy SEALs He served in the Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU) better known as SEAL Team 6 He was a BUD/s instructor. He holds two world records for jumps in the wingsuit. He […]

Ep 79: Briefing Topic – Be The One Jan 15, 2018

Nearly 2500 years ago, Heraclitus, a famous philosopher and one of the first Stoics, uttered a quote that changed my life here in today’s modern world. It was a quote I first heard recited by the powerful Greg Amundson, a previous guest on this show when I saw him give a presentation. Here it is: […]

Ep 78: Q&A How Do I Get Hired? Oct 19, 2017

The most frequent question I get is from people who want to enter law enforcement and they’ve hit a roadblock. Either they just don’t know where to begin, or they’ve stumbled during part of the hiring process. I get the question so often that I thought I’d delve into some of my tips and tricks […]

Ep 77: Sgt. Kevin Briggs, the “Guardian of the Golden Gate” on Suicide Intervention and Resilience Sep 29, 2017

Sgt. Kevin Briggs of the California Highway Patrol is the subject of one of the most famous photos in law enforcement. He’s leaning over the railing of the Golden Gate Bridge talking to a suicidal man who is ready to jump. The dramatic photo only tells a small portion of Kevin’s story, a story in […]

Ep 76: Developing Your Warrior Mindfulness with Lt. Richard Goerling Sep 14, 2017

Lt. Richard Goerling is the creator of mindfulbadge.com. Richard is an active lieutenant with the Hillsboro Police Department, a suburb of Portland, OR. A decade ago, Richard was like most of us, muddling through is career but feeling a sense of unease he couldn’t quite put a finger on. It was then that he began […]

Ep 75: Going Undercover and Through Hell with ATF Agent and Best Selling Author Jay Dobyns Aug 29, 2017

Jay Dobyns is the author of one of my favorite cop books: “No Angel: My Harrowing Undercover Journey to the Inner Circle of the Hells Angels.” He didn’t just write the book, he lived the story. Jay was the primary undercover agent for the ATF during Operation Black Bisquit. Many of us remember the 2002 […]

Ep 74: Traver Boehm and 8 Steps for Overcoming Divorce and Dealing with Grief Aug 15, 2017

Traver Boehm returns to the show with a deeply personal story about his recent divorce. Traver has talked about aspects of it before during previous episodes, but he was still very much grieving the loss of his marriage and a miscarriage. Having spent 2016 exploring that grief – living in it, stewing in it – […]

Ep 73: Developing Self-Awareness and Leadership with Bernard Melekian Aug 03, 2017

In 45 years of policing, Bernard Melekian has done it all. Seriously. From being the first K9 handler in California, Melekian rose through the ranks at the Santa Monica Police Department to Assistant Chief, and then spent 13 years as Chief of the Pasadena Police Department. During that time he also served as Interim City […]

Ep 72: Major Josh Mantz Was Shot and Killed in Iraq, and He’s Here to Tell the Story Jul 21, 2017

U.S. Army Major (ret.) Josh Mantz, author of the new book, The Beauty of a Darker Soul: Overcoming Trauma Through the Power of Human Connection is our guest on this episode. A 2005 graduate of West Point, Josh was commissioned as an infantry officer and soon found himself fighting insurgents in Baghdad during “The Surge.” […]

Ep 71: Shots Fired, Officer Down with Bulletproof Fitness Creator Shelby Luttrell Jul 12, 2017

On December 17, 2016, Alabama police officer Shelby Luttrell was shot twice off-duty at his wife’s surprise birthday party while struggling for a suspect’s gun. Shelby almost died en route to the hospital but he had the will to survive. Only 7 months later, he comes on The Squad Room to talk about that night, […]

Ep 70: Adam La Reau of O2X on Performance for Tactical Athletes Jun 30, 2017

Adam La Reau is a retired U.S. Navy SEAL officer. Adam spent 11 years in the teams before transitioning out, eventually earning a Master’s in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Adam wanted to scratch his entrepreneurial itch and along with other military veterans, he launched O2X, a human performance […]

Ep 69: Building Resilience and Defeating Negative Behavior with Dr. Jay Nagdimon of the LAPD Jun 15, 2017

Dr. Jay Nagdimon is a licensed Clinical Psychologist and is board certified in Police and Public Safety Psychology. For over the past decade, Dr. Nagdimon has been a member of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Behavioral Science Services Unit. It’s a unique idea and LAPD has invested into paying attention to the mental health of their […]

Ep 68: Briefing Topic: Why Are You Here? May 31, 2017

It’s a simple question. Maybe one you haven’t asked yourself in a while. For some of you, maybe you’ve never asked it. So?

Ep 67: Ryan Michler of Order of Man on Being a Modern Warrior May 26, 2017

Ryan Michler is the founder and creator of Order of Man and the Order of Man Podcast. If you’re a guy, you need to be listening to this podcast. If you love a guy, listen to this podcast. We cover a lot of ground in this episode about the idea of manliness: what it is, and […]

Ep 66: Tony Horton, Creator of P90X on Living Large May 17, 2017

Tony Horton doesn’t need much of an introduction. As the creator of P90X he went from being a personal trainer to musicians like Tom Petty and Billy Idol to being a household name and face. A lot of cops, myself included, have done P90X and it’s really one of the first introductions most of us […]

Ep 65: Winning the Gunfight Before It Starts with LAPD SWAT’s Scott Reitz May 10, 2017

Scott Reitz is a retired member of LAPD’s elite Metropolitan Division or “Metro” where he served 10 years on their SWAT team. Scott is also the author of The Art of Modern Gunfighting: The Pistol Volume 1 and the owner and lead instructor for International Tactical Training Seminars. Scott was the lead firearms instructor for Metro […]

Ep 64: My Dark Companion: PTSD, Depression and Suicide with Shaun O’Gorman of The Strong Life Project May 03, 2017

Shaun O’Gorman is a retired police officer from Australia. He spent 13 years in service, most of it in the K9 unit. By all accounts, Shaun became a “cop’s cop” after he followed his dad into public service. He spent years racing 100 mph (well, 160 kilometers per hour) to calls, watching and experiencing some of […]

Ep 63: Instagram Sensation @PoliceFitnessNutrition Founder Sgt. Wilson on Community and Accidental Leadership Apr 26, 2017

Sgt. Wilson is the founder and the man behind the hugely popular Instagram page @policefitnessnutrition. His page has exploded over the last two years and has a following of 78,ooo followers as of this episode. We’ve been in touch since The Squad Room started and I’ve always wanted to have him on the show. Sgt. […]

Ep 62: Lt. Colonel Dave Grossman on the Bulletproof Mind Apr 17, 2017

Lt. Colonel Dave Grossman doesn’t need much of an introduction to law enforcement in the free world. The originator of the “sheepdog” mentality, Lt. Col. Grossman literally wrote the book on that theory. It’s part of his first book, “On Combat” which is a must read for LEOs. Click here for the excerpt from “On Combat” that […]

Ep 61: Briefing Topic: Can You Fight in the Shade? Apr 13, 2017

In this short Briefing Topic episode of The Squad Room, Garrett advocates that as professionals, we must follow the example set by an ancient warrior. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @thesquadroom. Thanks for listening.

Ep 60: Chief Steve Pitts on Resilience and Taking Care of Your Officers Apr 11, 2017

Steve Pitts has over 30 years in law enforcement, retiring as the chief of Reno PD in Nevada. In Nevada, every first responder has to take an extensive physical every year that includes blood work and biomarkers. It’s mandatory. Chief Pitts saw the opportunity in this data to develop a wellness program based on science […]

Ep 59: Portland SWAT Officer Nick Frankus on Confidence: How to Get it, Keep it, and Make Sure It’s Real. Apr 04, 2017

Nick Frankus has been with the Portland Police Department for 18 years – many of them on the department’s SWAT Team. Nick is a very observant and introspective guy and he’s been documenting the lessons he’s learned along the way and he’s now sharing them in his own podcast Work on the Edge, which I […]

Ep 58: A Passion for Helping Cops with Chief Jeff Halstead, Founder of Hope4Blue.org Mar 27, 2017

Jeff Halstead retired as the Chief of Police for the city of Fort Worth, Texas after a 30+ year career. Jeff rose quickly through the ranks of the Phoenix Police Department before making the jump to Texas. After retiring, Jeff didn’t set up a beach chair in the sand and order a pitcher of margaritas […]

Ep 57: Tony Blauer on Violent Aggression and Managing Fear Mar 21, 2017

Tony Blauer says he is engaged in “the study of human movement as it relates to violent aggression.” Tony has been teaching self-defense tactics to cops, tier 1 special operators, and housewives for over thirty years. Blauer created the S.P.E.A.R. System, CrossFit Defense and many other self-defense courses and he’s made a career out of training people […]

Ep 56: Briefing Topic: The 5 Questions Mar 19, 2017

This short Briefing Topic covers 5 questions I try to ask myself on a daily basis – sometimes several times a day. I’ve noticed that if I go too long without answering these questions, I stray from my goals and who I want to be. I hope that you find them helpful as well.

Ep 55: Mark Rippetoe and Strength Training for the Tactical Athlete Mar 13, 2017

Mark Rippetoe probably doesn’t need an introduction for many of you. The author of “Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training” and “Practical Programming for Strength Training” has been training athletes for 40+ years. Mark is as well-know for his strong opinions as he is for his expertise and he shares them on this episode. We cover: […]

Ep: 54 Briefing Topic: Why You Should Be Obsessed with Failure Mar 09, 2017

Dr. David Klinger was a guest on this show. A former LAPD officer, now a college professor, and author of the phenomenal book, “Into the Kill Zone,” says that law enforcement must be preoccupied with failure. I agree. Listen to this short briefing episode to learn more. And if you haven’t, read his book. A […]

Ep 53: The Will to Survive with Green Beret Kevin Flike Mar 07, 2017

Kevin is a former Green Beret with two combat deployments to Afghanistan. On September 25, 2011, Kevin was shot in the abdomen while on a patrol. Pinned down by enemy fire, an Afghan commando risked his life to save him. Kevin was left with some debilitating injuries that required six surgeries and thousands of hours […]

Ep 52: Shift Briefing: Turning Pro Feb 27, 2017

Not getting the life you want? Maybe you haven’t turned pro.

Ep 51: Shots Fired! with Sgt. Rick Burkmier of Scottsdale Police Department Feb 23, 2017

Sgt. Rick Burkmier of the Scottsdale Police Department has been a FOS (friend of the show) since the beginning. He claims that we were the inspiration for him to start his own podcast on police fitness called Forty Caliber Fitness. You can get it here on iTunes. Listen to episode 12 where he has some […]

Ep 50: I Was a Dirty Cop with Former LAPD Officer Ruben Palomares Feb 14, 2017

Ruben Palomares’ life reads like the script of a Hollywood movie. Born and raised in some of the toughest barrios of Los Angeles, surrounded by abuse and no father figure, Ruben stayed strong and avoided the siren call of gang life that claimed so many of his friends and family members. Ruben learned he had […]

Ep 49: Greg Amundson on Building a Positive Practice and Following Your Path Feb 01, 2017

Greg Amundson is an official “FOS” That’s Friend of the Show. Greg’s teachings, books, and leadership have been instrumental in my own development and I know that many of you feel the same way. I know this because more than anyone else, I get emails asking to get Greg back on the show. Lucky for […]

Ep 48: 2016 Year in Review Jan 23, 2017

This is a short episode about 2016 and the ass-kicker that it turned out to be. Interview episodes will return in two weeks so sit tight. In the show, I mention our first t-shirt for 2017, a memorial for the 140 officers lost in the line of duty last year. The back of the shirt […]

Ep 47: Developing the Mindset of a Modern Gunfighter with Green Beret Aaron Barruga Dec 13, 2016

Green Beret and founder of Guerrilla Approach Training returns to the show to talk about what it takes to survive these days as a cop. Since Aaron’s last appearance on the show – a very popular episode 36 – he’s been traveling around the country engaging with law enforcement from all over the country. He’s […]

Ep 46: The Return of Traver Boehm: Darkness, Wilderness and Living with Death Nov 16, 2016

Traver Boehm returns to the show after a wild adventure all over the western hemisphere the last 11 months. Listen to episodes 1 and 2 to learn more about Traver, and to episode 23 to hear about what happened in his life that provoked him to begin the “Year to Live” project. It’s all pretty […]

Ep 45: John Welbourn NFL Veteran, Founder of CrossFit Football and Power Athlete HQ on How To Be A Tactical Athlete Oct 26, 2016

John Welbourn is a lot of things. 9-year NFL veteran with the Eagles, Chiefs and the Patriots with 3 NFC Championship appearances. The founder of CrossFit Football CrossFit Games Athlete in 2008 CrossFit Level 1 & 2 coach. Creator of Power Athlete HQ and JohnnieWOD John has his own podcast, Power Athlete Radio that dives deep […]

Ep 44: Dr. ACE on Naturopathic Medicine, Fake Sugars and How Your Body Can Heal Itself Oct 05, 2016

I love it when I meet people who know their “why.” People who are bursting at the seems with joy about their Why, their purpose on Earth and their goal in life. People who live their Why everyday make me happy. Dr. ACE is one of those people… Dr. Alexandra Carswell Engle (Dr. ACE) is […]

Ep 43: UFC Star and Green Beret Tim Kennedy On Being Hard to Kill and How He Almost Became a Cop Sep 21, 2016

For as long as I’ve paid attention to the UFC, Tim Kennedy has been my favorite fighter. Hands down. But honestly, it has very little to do with what he does inside the ring. It’s everything he does outside of it. UFC Fighter, Army Green Beret, Entreprenuer as a co-founder of Ranger Up, aspiring cop…. […]

Ep 42: The Journey from Fat to Fit with @huge_fat_loser NYPD Ofc. Aaron Lohman Sep 12, 2016

I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve become a bit of an Instagram addict. I deleted Facebook from my phone after reading too much idiotic crap from both sides of the aisle and all the anti-cop rhetoric. But Instagram, I couldn’t shake it. Turned out to be a good thing. Because one day I […]

Ep 41: Doc Parsley Returns! Sleep, Adrenal Fatigue, and Why Your Hypothalamus Gives You Man Boobs Aug 30, 2016

Dr. Kirk Parsley (@docparsley) is back! He’s our first return guest and I wanted to have him back on the show because I, and many of you, had so many questions for him after his last appearance in episode 10. If you’re just diving into fixing your sleep hygiene, give episode 10 a listen first. This […]

Ep 40: Lt. Col. Scott Mann on Trust, Leadership, and Why Its Your Job to Rebuild America Aug 19, 2016

Scott Mann spent 23 years in the U.S. Army, 18 of those as a Special Forces (Green Beret) officer. Scott retired from active-duty as a Lieutenant Colonel, after tours throughout South America, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Scott is on a mission to teach Americans how we can defeat ISIS. As a result, you’ve probably seen him […]

Ep 39: CrossFit Games Winner and OPEX Founder James FitzGerald Aug 02, 2016

James is the winner of the inaugural CrossFit Games, way back in the old’n days of 2007. Seems like a long ways away from the StubHub Center and the “sport of fitness” it is today. James is a huge supporter of first responders and he jumped at the opportunity to come on the show. We […]

Ep 38: Dr. David Klinger, former LAPD, on Officer-Involved Shootings, Managing Stress and Visualizing Success in Lethal Encounters Jul 18, 2016

Our guest is Dr. David Klinger, professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Missouri at St. Louis. Dr. Klinger is a former cop with both the Los Angeles Police Department and the Redmond (WA) PD. His personal story includes his own OIS as a young LAPD officer. You’ve got to listen to […]

Ep 37: MotorCop Wants to Know How Is Your Financial Health? Jul 06, 2016

If you want to skip all these icky words and just sign up for the webinar, click here. Now, onto the show notes! MotorCop (@motorcop1), or “MC,”, is the first active-duty officer to have a podcast before me (at least that I’m aware of). He and his friend Happy Medic run The Crossover Show about […]

Ep 36: Green Beret Aaron Barruga Knows What Its Like to Get Shot At Jun 22, 2016

Aaron Barruga signed up for the Army after 9/11, and was offered a fast track into Special Forces (SF), eventually serving as a Green Beret. Aaron completed nearly 9 years of service along with 3 combat tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Pacific. After getting out of the Army, Aaron created Guerrilla Approach firearms training (that name will […]

Ep 35: Cardiologist and Lieutenant Dr. Jon Sheinberg on Heart Health Jun 07, 2016

This episode is exactly the kind of episode I set out to record and bring to other LEOs when I started The Squad Room. It isn’t a fun topic (though I think you’ll certainly still find it interesting), but it’s vitally important to our survival. Dr. Jon Sheinberg is a military veteran, a board-certified cardiologist, a […]

Ep 34: KP from @FitCops on Creating a Social Media Movement May 24, 2016

KP is our guest on this episode. KP and her partner “DC” started the Instagram page @fitcops about two years ago with the goal of providing motivation and inspiration to other law enforcement officers in the pursuit of their own health and fitness. To say they’ve succeeded is an understatement. The Instagram account has nearly 60,000 followers at this […]

Ep 33: Navy SEAL David Silverman on Leveling Up, and Working with High Performing Teams May 11, 2016

David Silverman is the guest on today’s episode. David is a retired US Navy SEAL officer and the co-author of Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement in a Complex World. David’s co-author on that book is none other than four-star General Stanley McChrystal. General McChrystal wrote one of my favorite books on leadership and on reinventing […]

Ep 32: Creating from a place of scarcity May 04, 2016

This is a minisode – a short, spoken essay on a topic relevant to the journey towards lifestyle optimization. Today, I wanted to talk about the nearly impossible task of creating from the place of scarcity. When we’re taxed, mentally, physically or emotionally, we are not capable of creating the opportunities we want out of […]

Ep 31: George Vrotsos of PremeditatedFitness.com and author of Lean & Fierce: Tactical Fitness for Sheepdogs Apr 26, 2016

Click here to purchase Lean & Fierce: Tactical Fitness for Sheepdogs if you’re reading this on the show notes, go to thesquadroom.net/episode31 George is just a good guy. These days, there’s just less of him. A lot less. George is a peace officer in Ohio in the Cleveland area. In college I dated a girl […]

Ep 30: Whole Life Challenge Tips and Recap Apr 22, 2016

After having Whole Life Challenge co-founder Andy Petranek as a guest on episode 20, I wanted to try another one. My wife and I participated in the Whole Life Challenge that started in January. We both had a lot of success – and a few missteps. My wife, of course, killed it and exceeded her […]

Ep 29: Become a Culinary Ninja with Paleo Nick Apr 12, 2016

Today’s guest is Nick Massie. Nick is better known to some of you as PaleoNick. Nick is CrossFit’s resident chef and a lot of his videos are featured on crossfit.com and in the CrossFit Journal. He’s also the instructor for the CrossFit Culinary Ninja course. Nick is a classically trained chef who has worked in […]

Ep 28: Getting Strong & Lean w/ RP Strength CEO Nick Shaw Mar 29, 2016

This show has an awesome giveaway – more on that below! If you’ve been waiting for an episode that will give you tips and advice on how to combine your nutrition and your training, this is it. If you’ve been waiting for an episode where we don’t talk about CrossFit the entire time, this is […]

Ep 27b: 8 Minute Guided Meditation Mar 16, 2016

This episode is an 8 minute guided meditation run by Traver Boehm. I’m doing it along with him. It’s a great “starter” session for someone looking to try it, and not sure where to start.

Ep 27a: An Intro to Guided Meditation Mar 16, 2016

In this episode you’ll get a chance to learn more about how Traver taught me to meditate, and he’s going to help you too. After a few minutes of amusing ourselves, we jump into a guided meditation together. Give it a shot if you’re “meditation curious” but still identify as a non-meditator. Also, in episode […]

Ep 26: Between Chief and Coach with Chief Jim Band Mar 02, 2016

I first heard of Chief Jim Band as some of you did, through a video posted to the CrossFit Journal website. You can check out the article here and the video here. This was long before this podcast was even a shimmer in my eye, but even then I thought that I’d hope that someday […]

Ep 25: The Photograph Feb 25, 2016

This mini-episode is an essay I wrote after a horrible week of line of duty deaths recently. Rest in Peace Sergeant Jason Gooding Seaside (OR) Police Department EOW February 5, 2016 Sr. Deputy Patrick Dailey Deputy First Class Mark Logsdon Harford County Sheriff’s Office (MD) EOW February 10, 2016 Deputy Derek Greer Mesa County (CO) […]

Ep 24: CrossFit Games Athlete and Hayward PD Chief Diane Urban Feb 16, 2016

Check out our first t-shirt to support the show at teespring.com/thesquadroom Diane Urban is the Chief of Police of Hayward, CA. Obviously she wasn’t appointed chief straight out of the academy. So how’d she get there? She busted her ass and worked hard. It’s the same work ethic that got her to the CrossFit […]

Ep 23: Traver Boehm on the Year to Live Project Feb 02, 2016

This is a unique episode because we’re turning the tables on Traver as he becomes the subject of the episode. This episode is also going to require that you keep an open mind. But more on that later. Almost a year ago to the day of this release, I came to Traver with the idea […]

Ep 22: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly of 2015 w/ Traver Boehm Jan 19, 2016

In this episode, we recap 2015 and my plans going in to 2016. Traver joins me again to talk about all the gritty personal stuff we haven’t covered with recent guests. Some highlights: 2015 was my year of getting waaaaay strong. Like scary strong – at least for me. But, I’m still too big. 2016 […]

Ep 21: Navy SEAL Clint Bruce on Leadership, Mentorship, and Being Better Than Excellent Jan 06, 2016

Our guest for this episode is Clint Bruce. I’m not sure where to start with Clint’s resume. U.S. Naval Academy graduate NFL football player Navy SEAL officer (SEAL Team 5, BUD/S class 217) Veteran and first responder advocate. And frankly, that just scratches the surface. I had the fortune to hear Clint speak on Marcus […]

Ep 20: Andy Petranek on CrossFit, Performance Optimization and the Whole Life Challenge Dec 23, 2015

We made it to 20 episodes! That’s at least more than that stupid Ferris Bueller’s Day Off television sit-com from the 90’s. But it’s still not as much as Matt LeBlanc’s post-friends spin-off “Joey.” That made it to 22 episodes so I guess we have to keep going. Andy Petranek is our guest on this episode. Andy […]

Ep 19: SWAT Sergeant and CrossFit Games Athlete Freddy Camacho on Night shift, and the importance of Beer and Kool-Aid Dec 09, 2015

Freddy Camacho is a couple things: A complete badass A laid back guy with zero ego. That’s a hard combination to come by, even in law enforcement Freddy is a newly-promoted sergeant for Union City PD, a good-sized city in the Bay Area and it’s a hoping area. He’s also a sergeant on their sniper […]

Ep 18: Minisode “The One You Feed” Dec 01, 2015

There is an old parable, attributed to the Cherokee Indians of the Two Wolves. An old Cherokee Chief sit with his grandson and tells him, “A terrible fight is going on inside me.” “It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, sorrow, hate, greed, self-pity, […]

Ep 17: Navy SEAL Mikal Vega on Traumatic Brain Injury, Surviving PTSD, and How Doctors Nearly Killed Him Nov 24, 2015

Mikal Vega is an interesting guy who has led an amazing life. Unlike the last few guests, he’s not in law enforcement though he is certainly a supporter of our profession. If his face looks familiar, it’s because you might have seen him on TV or in movies. He’s actually a professional actor, and he’s […]

Ep 16: Scott McGee: SWAT Officer, Wodcast Podcast co-host and Eternal Optimist Nov 10, 2015

I first met today’s guest several years ago, in the way that we seem to meet people these days – by email. Scott McGee is a well-known police officer in CrossFit and is definitely one of the O.G.s in getting CrossFit adopted by law enforcement agencies. Scott is a member of the Santa Monica PD […]

Ep 15: Living a CrossFit life with Sergeant, CrossFit Games Athlete and Entreprenuer Bryan Wadkins Oct 27, 2015

I have 24 hours in a day. Anyone have anything different? Any secret advantage? Nope, didn’t think so. Here are all the things that Bryan Wadkins and I have in common: We’re both fathers We’re both sergeants, and veteran police officers (deputy sheriff in my case) We both live in California That’s about it. Well…we […]

Ep 14: Get Your Grill On with Chef Joel Chapman Oct 13, 2015

There’s a saying, “abs are made in the kitchen.” If that’s true, I’d better get cooking! Lucky for me, this episode’s guest is Joel Chapman, professional chef, crossfitter, and all-around good guy. These days, Joel makes food for several thousand people a day as part of a catering team for the University of California at […]

Ep 13: Mobility, Stability and Your Front Butt w/ Dr. Steve Politis Sep 28, 2015

Dr. Steve Politis has more acronyms after his name than anyone else I think I’ve ever met. So, you know he’s smart. But don’t just take it from me. Here they are: Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Fellow of Applied Functional Science (FAFS) Fellow of American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists (FAAOMPT) Certified Kinesio […]

Ep 12: Change is Hard and I’m Being a Baby About It Sep 14, 2015

Change is hard…duh, right? But when you’re trying to change a lot at the same time, I think it’s easy to get down on yourself for not seeing progress in all areas instantaneously. Even as a relatively sane and independent thinker, I think I’m subconsciously persuaded by all the marketing that I should have succeeded […]

Ep 11: Finding Balance in Life and Leadership with Ed Aceves Aug 31, 2015

Thanks for supporting the show. Please, stop what you’re doing, open another tab in your browser and give us a review on iTunes. Just search for The Squad Room and you can leave a review on our landing page. If you subscribe to the show, you won’t be able to do it from your “My […]

Ep 010: Doc Kirk Parsley and Optimizing Your Sleep Aug 10, 2015

If this episode doesn’t scare the crap out of you, I haven’t done a very good job. I hate night shift. That should’ve been made abundantly clear in the last few episodes. I used to love it – when I was a young buck without kids and a lot of disposable income. But I’m not […]

Ep 009: “Better is Better” w/ Traver Boehm Jul 27, 2015

In this episode, Traver gives me strict instructions to punch myself in the crotch. But more on that in a second… In law enforcement, we have a lot of variables that are beyond our control. – Do you know what calls you’ll handle when you get to your next shift? – Do you know that the […]

Ep 008: Healing your Back and Your Body with Foundation Training w/ Dr. Eric Goodman Jul 13, 2015

Do you ever feel like this after a shift? When I was recovering from a t-12 compression fracture in my vertebrae in 2011-2012, I was dealing with chronic pain in my thoracic spine. My back muscles were overcompensating and in constant spasm. That created a real problem, because I needed a strong back […]

Ep 007: With Help, Life Gets Better. PTSD with Dr. Joel Fay Jun 29, 2015

This episode is awesome, if I do say so myself. And because I write this blog and ask the questions, I can say that. The problem is, it’s not a fun episode, but it’s an important episode. We don’t talk about “gainz” or any of the fun stuff like me pissing myself (see episode 1). […]

Ep 006: “Maybe It’ll Save My Life” Jun 16, 2015

Hi Everyone, Welcome back for episode 6 of The Squad Room. We’re taking a little turn into the realm that is going to make some of you squirm in your patrol car seat as you listen. Today we’re talking about the “M” word – that’s right. We’re going to try and get you to meditate. […]

Ep 005: The Excuses We Tell Ourselves Jun 02, 2015

If you work in police work or corrections and you haven’t thrown out your back at work, you might consider yourself lucky. If you happen to do that, and then immediately suffer a serious bout of the stomach flu, then you might be me. It’s been a long month… Traver Boehm from Gravitas Life and […]

Ep 004: You Are an Athlete, You Need a Coach! May 26, 2015

As Greg Amundson talked about in episode 3, you and I are professional warrior athletes. Listen to the podcast for his explanation but I believe it. We wear the gear and uniform that marks us as part of the team. There is no arguing that what we do is physically demanding, and the salty vets hunched and limping […]

Ep 3: Greg Amundson – You as a Tactical Athlete May 19, 2015

A few weeks ago I traveled up to Santa Cruz, California, the birthplace of CrossFit. I wasn’t there to interview the father of “The Sport of Fitness” Greg Glassman. Instead, I wanted an audience with one of his students; a guy that I’ve followed for years and have watched from a distance. Greg Amundson started CrossFit in […]

Episode 002: The Affliction of My Current Condition May 19, 2015

Fortune favors the bold, but strength favors us all. — Traver Boehm Welcome back for episode 2 of The Squad Room Podcast! We made it through episode 1 unscathed. Here in episode 2 we pick up the conversation with Traver Boehm, my coach. In this episode you’ll learn: The importance of congruity and why I’ll […]

The Squad Room Episode 001: Hello, My Name Is… May 16, 2015

We’ve finally made it to episode 1 of The Squad Room Podcast! Thanks for coming by the site. If you’ve already listened to the episode, you’ll find links and information below. Today’s guest in this inaugural episode is Traver Boehm. Traver will be a frequent guest on the show and contributer to the entire project. […]

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