News Radio seven hundred WLW Mike Allen and Saturday Midday and a cold Saturday morning.
Yeah.
I tell you what, you never know what you're gonna get when you wake up in the morning. I mean, it's always something, sometimes good, sometimes not so good. Well, this morning was a good one. Woke up to the news that none other than Venezuelan dictators strong man is picked up. He's Gonzo, no more, no more fooling around.
With that guy. He's gone.
Nicholas Maduro, president strongman, whatever you want to call him. He claimed to be I guess president of Venezuela, but he was not elected in any kind of election that was sanctioned. Strong evidence that he cheated to get there.
So we got him.
We got him not only with military force, but law enforcement personnel.
We're involved in it as well.
And at eleven o'clock President Trump is going to have a news conference and make a statement. We will be covering that as I understand it. But the thing is almost never never starts on time, so my guess be probably somewhere closer to eleven thirty.
But he's captured.
He and his wife, they will both be guests tonight at the Federal Crowbar Hotel somewhere in the United States courtesy of the United States government, and President Trump made a statement on X I guess yeah, X no true social I think, And what he said basically was that, look, you know, we warned this guy. We told him, we told him we're going to come and get him, told him to stop doing what he was doing, and he didn't. Captured and flown out of the country. It was a
large scale strike carried out by the military. Explosions reported in Caracas and elsewhere. It was a US military's Delta Force, and of course I'm sure you know about them.
They're an elite special forces unit.
They carried out the operation to capture at Maduro, and in the coming days we will find.
Out more and more and more about it.
The strikes follow months of US military built up. We had a aircraft carry down there, the Gerald R.
Ford So and.
In recent weeks we have seized two oil tankers off the Venezuelan coach coast and as you know, launched a number of strikes I think it's about thirty on the drug boats carrying drugs and what President Trump called the dock area.
Where they load the boats up with drugs. They hit that too.
So you know, if you're a mother, father, whatever, a family member that has lost someone to drug abuse, I think you're probably happy this morning. But you got the people that are whining and already, and we will talk about them in a little bit.
But I'll tell you.
When I woke up this morning, it gives me a sense of pride in my country. I mean not because people died or anything like that, but because when we say something in the form of President Trump being the United States president, we mean it. And I'll tell you what, you got to hand it to that guy, even if you don't like him, of course they never will.
If he says he's gonna do something, he does it. Anyway.
He was indicted to back in March twenty twenty all kinds of serious strong fellony, drug charges, narco terrorism, other kinds of things, and he will now he will now stand trial on that. And interestingly enough, Gary Jeff pointed
this out. It is six years to the day that under the leadership of President George H. W. Bush, we snatched up Manuel Noriega, same kind of deal drug kingpin, got him back here, tried him, he was convicted, convicted, locked up here from nineteen ninety to two thousand and seven, and then I didn't know this. France got him for a year twenty ten to twenty eleven. He has returned to Panama to serve his sentences for the crimes he committed in that country, and he died in prison complications
from brain surgery. So you know, at the bottom line, you can run, but you can't hide. If we have strong leadership in the White House, we're gonna get you. We're gonna get you one way or the other. And like I said, you know, it's not as if the guy wasn't warned. So for me, I woke up this morning heard about that a renewed sense of pride in being a citizen of the United States of America. We are no longer seen as a pitiful giant, if you will. I've seen as a country that when we say we're
going to do something, we do it. Now, compare and contrast this with the bungled and deadly Afghaan pullout from Afghanistan.
I'm sure we all remember that.
It was August of two thousand and one.
I watched that and my jaw drop just aghast.
It was unbelievable, so chaotic, so bungled, and so deadly. I think we lost thirteen service members because of that, and that was a huge embarrassment for the United States of America, perhaps the biggest, if not one of the biggest, that we have ever had, all because of the commander in chief at the time. He was out the lunch, Joe Biden. And you know, I'm sorry, I mean, the guy. We are going to be paying for him for years
and years to come. And just ask yourself a question too, I mean, what if this or carry out Well, it wouldn't have been under either of those two, but just say that it was. I mean, Kamala Harris, please spare me. That wasn't going to happen, and thank goodness it didn't. But you get back to the Afghanistan thing. Thirteen service members killed, we left behind. I think the figure was about seven or eight billion dollars worth of very very complex and useful military gear that apparently a lot of
it fell into the hands of al Qaeda. So we're arming our enemies through our negligence. And then to top it all off, Joe Biden classified it as an extraordinary success.
I mean, you gotta be kidding me.
And already, already the boo birds are out, one of which is a Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah.
You know he's all wound up that.
Well, Congress wasn't notified, what's the president's authority? Blah blah blah blah blah. And there's Democrats saying that now as well. Now, just let's think about this for a minute. Congress wasn't not if I will first and foremost, they don't have to be. And if they did, are you kidding me? I mean, if the president, I don't know how he would do it. I guess he'd have to address Congress or whatever. If he told them, not ask their permission,
but told them what was going to happen. How long do you think that would take to get transmitted to Caracas or somewhere else in Venezuela.
You got to be kidne me. There's no way, there's no way.
And with respect to his authority to do this, President Trump, Article two, Section two clause one, I mean, he's the commander in chief, he commands the military, and he is well within his power to deploy them for short term, limited action. Now, of course, if there's going to be a a prolonged situation, then Congress can say, probably justifiably so, that they should have been notified.
That ain't the case here. So I'm not worried about it.
Although you know, somebody will probably file suit in some federal court because of judge shopping. They may very well find an Obama or Biden appointee that will kind of substitute their judgment for that of the commander in chief.
I look for that to happen.
I don't think it'll be successful if it's fair, but you know, they'll probably do a deal where well, you know, sorry, you're going to have to return him to Venezuela. And I say that kind of tongue in cheek, but not really. I mean, you just don't know anymore. And you have so many federal judges, well, so many people that are parading around are impersonating. I guess it's the word. Federal judges who are nothing more than activist, My goodness. In
this administration, how often have we seen that? Well, here's an example of the after action report, so to speak. From the Democrats. You got Senator Reuben Diego. I don't know what state he's from, but he's a Democrat. Quote, this war is illegal. Close quote. Shortly after we launched these strikes against Venezuela, he comes out, he wrote on x this war is illegal. The senator he isn't. I
admire him for this. US Marine Corps veteran who was deployed in Iraq called it the second unjustified war in my lifetime. Again, why can't you just sit back and take pride in your country? You know, for those that really don't follow it that closely red China was making a lot of headway into Venezuela, as was Russia. You know, I think Trump recognizes the Monroe doctrine. We have to be pre eminent in South America.
We have to.
But no, let's start picking on him and backbiting and everything else. And one of the good things about this too, is that the opposition leader you probably have heard her report, Maria Corrina Machado. She's the one I believe that won the one the Nobel Peace Prize, and she praised President Trump when she accepted it and said that he should probably should have gotten it.
She's already on the air. I've seen her a couple times this morning.
Well, I'll tell you there are a lot of people on one of my I know, the president is another who would love to see her installed as the president or the leader whatever they want to call him in Venezuela, because that country, which is so rich in oil and natural resources and was really an economy in a country to be envied not too long ago. It would be great if she can be installed somehow as a leader
of that country. However, I did here this morning coming in the vice president of Venezuela, obviously someone that would have supported the ousted guy that got out of there.
He says now that he is the commander in chief.
So anyway, Nicholas Maduro's VP says, I'm the man. Well, and again getting back to the lady who were just talking about Maria Corona Machado, here's what she said. And I don't think this was yesterday. I think this might have been a couple of weeks ago. We the Venezuela and people are very grateful to him, meaning the president and his administration, because I believe he is a champion of freedom in this hemisphere. See that's what I'm saying.
The hemisphere is important to us. Biden just kind of let it go by the wayside, but President Trump is re establishing the American presence in that area. I guess they hit him pretty hard. According to CBS, they able to Grain of Salt, Caracas military bases, and Major Venezuela in port A, Major Venezuelan port was hit by the US air strikes. That's what the political opposition says, some guy named David Smolonsky. He's a spokesman for opposition leader
Oh the good One. Maria Karina Machado told CBS News the following locations were among those that were hit. Fueraday Tijuana main artillery base in Caracas, La Carlata main air base in Caracas, El Vulcan Signal antenna post, and Laguira Port, which is a seaport on the Caribbean coast. So they hit him pretty hard. And you know, if it hasn't started already, what you're going to be hearing is, well, okay, you know they got the dictator out, but why did you have to hit all those ports?
And you know, I don't know what.
The President's response to that will be, but I am certain whatever it is, it will be justified. I guess it all boils down to this you know, I'm an attorney, and obviously I care about the law and the proper application of the law. But why should I or any other American citizen really care if we hit all of these places and there was a military or other reason for it, which at eleven o'clock, I suppose the President's going.
To lay that out.
You know, immediately you got the ones that are saying, oh, you know, he can't do this, he's violating the Constitution.
Well, I'll tell you what.
I woke up this morning, I turned on the TV, I watched it, and it made me more proud than there already am to be an American. So I'm just I'm not worried about what these other people say. But you know, you can bet your bottom dollar probably by the end of the day or within a couple of days, somebody's gonna file suits saying he doesn't have the authority to do this. Let's send Ma Duro back, you know, because of it. I guess we'll see. I have to
see what happens on that. But again, the way I look at it, and I think probably the way a lot of you look at it, is it's pride in our country.
You know, we are important.
Again, We're not a laughing stock after Afghanistan, we were. That was an absolute disaster. To watch that. It made me sick and there was no reason whatsoever for it. And Biden at the time said, well, you know, Trump wanted to get out, and he did. Trump was upfront about that during the campaign, but not like that. There is no way under President Trump that that would have happened.
It wouldn't have They would have pulled out. They would have done it in a responsible way where American service members would not have been killed, and where we wouldn't have left behind seven eight billion dollars of military equipment. It's all a matter of how you do it. But you know, poor Joe, he was out of it and he probably didn't know what the.
Heck he was doing.
And again, you know, I don't say that lightly, I really don't. I have been for years very critical of Jimmy Carter. His presidency was pretty much a disaster. But he was a moral man and he was a man who had his wits about him. And if you know what hit the fan in any kind of real jam that the United States got in militarily, I think he would have wrote Risen to the occasion, I do. Thankfully that didn't happen so we didn't have to see. But
what Joe Biden or even worse, Kamala Harris. I mean, can you imagine that, Kamala Harris Commander in chief of the United States Military. It just it scares you to even think about it. And you know, we didn't really come close to having that, but we could have.
We could have.
So as the day unfolds and as the President has his news conference at eleven o'clock at least scheduled, we're going to get a lot of particulars on this. But at the end of the day, I think it's great. I think we are re establishing ourselves in that hemisphere again. If you if you don't know anything about it, just read up on it. Red China, Communists, China and Russia and others have really tried to exert influence down there
and we can't have it. It sounds like that's over as far as Venezuela goes, but of course we'll keep an eye on it. Hey, as always, I want to hear what you have to think about this. I really do. Today seven for nine, seven, one, eight hundred, the big one are the numbers Mike Allen Saturday. Hey, we're back my call on Saturday midday. Just watching some coverage on Fox about this. Uh, actually trying to get it turned down a little bit so I can speak with you. Yeah.
President Trump called Fox and Friends this morning, just a little bit ago. I got to hear the tail end of it, but they're talking about what he said. I just kind of want to give you an update. Still having that press conference, and we'll get to the phones here writer if I do this. Still going to have the press conference at at eleven, but again it's always late. He did confirm that one helicopter did get hit. There
were injuries, no deaths. He came back, he said, a couple of guys were hit, but they're gonna make it so don't know the extent of that yet. Again, no one passed away, but at least one, presumably soldier Army member Trow who's flying a helicopter, got hit, he confirmed. The President confirmed no retaliatory firepower whatsoever from Venezuela. They didn't respond either they didn't think it was a good idea or they just didn't know how to, but no
retaliatory firepower. President said that Maduro and his wife were taken from a safe house in Caracas where they were in this safe house apparently, and the President said it's like a fortress, all kinds of metal doors and everything like that, but he said that he got bum rushed. Maduro did buy these soldiers so fast that he got him. He also said to that the military members in doing this, they had a blow torch, but they didn't need They didn't need it because they were able to get to him.
He also said that he watched it live.
The President watched it live, and I'll tell you what, with technology the way it is today, I mean, it's just amazing.
And it's not even close.
We have the premiere military in the world. I mean, and it's not even close. The things that they can do, these men and women, and how they execute it, and the bravery within which they executed it is probably stronger than our country has ever had, he confirmed. The president confirmed that this was supposed to happen four days ago on New Year's Eve, but the weather wasn't cooperating, so
they postponed it. Apparently, when they launched it yesterday, the weather was perfect, so they had no problems with that and made the point too, if you are a drug trafficker and you are indicted by the United States, We're going to get you. And man, well, Noriega is a per example of that. Actually that was a Senator Tom Cotton, who's on now, who said that. And another thing Senator Cotton said, They asked him, well, Senator, was Congress notified.
He kind of chuckled a little bit, said well no, because if they would have been, it would have leaked within minutes. So anyway, little bit more info we have again the press conference scheduled for eleven. Hey, let's get to the phones, like I promised. Let's talk to Barry in Miamisburg. Hey, how you doing Barry?
Heang, Apparently the world is a better day to today. Yeah, because the President.
No kidding, I mean absolutely, I mean just wow, apparently that was amazing.
You know what it'll play out in the coming days. But I agree with you.
Let me say something to the critics. Back when I was in high school, there was a series of movies and a book entitled The Godfather. Yeah, do you remember this book?
Oh?
Yeah, it was a.
Really good book.
If the Feds had swooped in to arrest the Godfather do you think that he would be the only person they arrested that day, or do you think they're taking the rest of the organization.
Probably some underlings from the organization. And that's a really good point that you're making.
Berry. Haven't heard anything about any other.
Co defendants where they may be or you know, whether they played it on getting them or not. But they got the big fish, and that's the one you want to get first.
They got the big fish. And apparently they hit some military targets. We don't know who's ryet, right, but it's the same thing.
Yeah, I got I get it.
And like I said, I woke up, I watched this and once again, I mean, I'm always proud to be an American, but sometimes it just gets reinforced and this was one of them. And you know what I mean, just to get it down to its most basic level, what it means is don't screw with the United States of America. And when the President of the United States of America, no matter who he or she may be, says they are going to do something like that, they're
gonna do it. And you need to You if you're on the other end of it, like Maduro, you gotta know he's gonna do it.
And for years, for years, we didn't have that.
You know.
My other comment is during COVID, drugs from Venezuela killed more people in the United States than COVID did.
Now, I did not know that.
At least in this area. Somebody who talks to the corner as they're picking up bodies from the hospital, yeah.
I wouldn't doubt it. I'll tell you what.
Anyone involved in the criminal justice system in any way, or if you're an er, nurse or something like that, knows what drugs are doing to our country and specifically to our youth.
I've mentioned this before.
A couple of years ago, I had three of my clients overdose and die that was on fentanyl.
And you know, these weren't sleazy drug dealers.
These were people, middle class people, one of them frankly upper middle class, that got addicted to this stuff. And it's important, It's very important. And Trump recognizes this as early as twenty fifteen when he's getting ready to run the last time, he said exactly what I just said.
This is a problem.
It is incumbent upon us, as the government, military, law enforcement in the United States to do what we can about it, and by golly.
He did it in a more power to Trumps today. Man.
I agree, but he's going to catch some crap. But I kind of think I think he revels in it, which is I love that. I love how he takes these people on. I love how he takes the media on. I'll bet you he's got any number of his cabinet out tomorrow defending this. And you know, if some reporter says something or ask a question that is inappropriate, they'll get right in their face. That's something relatively new. I absolutely love that.
Hey, have a nice day and be careful out there.
Okay, Barry, thank you very much.
Yeah, it's gonna be interesting to see in the coming days, you know how this thing plays out. But again, there's so much of a script, probably about three quarters of it.
You can write yourself. You know, some member of.
Congress or someone else is going to file suit somewhere to say this is horrible, it shouldn't have happened, blah blah blah. Now we better ship the Dua back with Maduro back, which is preposterous. But I don't put anything past these peo. I don't put it and they'll have their demonstrations because everything is performative on the left, never substanative. It's all performative. But we'll see in the coming days. Hey, let's talk to Ransom up in Columbus. Hey, Ransom, how you doing.
I am proud to be an American today just like you.
Damn stream, and I'm.
Very proud of you every week to get out here and deal with the You know, some people that still believe in the country and a lot of them that don't believe in the country.
You and I have talked about this many times, but I'm gonna keep hammering this. Proverbs twenty nine to two says when the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice, and when the unrighteous are in an authority, the people mourn. And the reason that the country's coming back. And I have some good news for all your listeners, okay, whether whether they're Christians or not. It appears that when Charlie Kirk was assassin, God decided he was going to start
a waking up our country and intervening. If you want to check it out on the internet, there are more There are more young people reading their Bible and going to church and Bible sales are up maybe about sixty percent from last year. Now, go, God's do something with the next generation. But we are the generation that needs to mentor these kids, and we and the thing that we need to do. We got a midterm coming up.
We got to hold these politicians on the local, state, and federal level accountable to the people who have the authority, who pay all the bills. And I know you're going to be hammering this, but while I'm just going to say this publicly to you, I've been talking to you for about a year or so about the seven Mountains of influence and they're gatekeepers, that are and the government, and the government mountain has been dominating our entire country
for about the last twenty years. So at some point I would like to get on the air with you explain to your people what the seven mountains really are and how on the local, state and national level we can turn this thing around and watch God get what he wants and then mutch our country turn around and we're on our way right now. God's doing something. And I appreciate you every Saturday for being open and allowing the people to speak their mind and their beliefs.
Thank you mich I appreciate that. Those are kind words. I really appreciate it, you know, I think it's important to do that. I mean, I don't know. I grew up at a time when you're pretty much automatically proud to be an American. I mean, nobody had to tell you that. You didn't have to think about it. You know, I'm in first and second grade, and I knew we're in the best country in the world.
Even at that young age.
I knew there were problems, but hey, we're American citizens and that means something. And boy, you know, I guess coming with with the Vietnam War, the Civil rights movement, which that needed to be done, it did, and for those there are still a few I guess around that think that that was all bad.
It wasn't.
Those things had to happen, but we still we still came out of it. I believe, the strongest country in the world, and that kind of lagged for a while, but it's coming back. But you know what, it is so fragile. It is so fragile. That's why it's so important to boil this these platitudes down to practicality. It's critical that we keep the house and the Senate. We have to if we don't. Donald J. Trump is a
lame duck. I mean technically he is anyway, but and you know, if I know him, he'll still find a way to get things done. I mean he's already cranked out any number of executive orders. But that's why in the MAGA people we talked about this. I had Alex chan to feel you on earlier in the week, I was in for slowany the magabase they don't get out and vote if Trump ain't on the ballot, and man, I'll tell you, he's just snatched right on that. Alex did the chair of the Ohio GOP and said, we
are ready for that, Mike. We're working on that. We understand that that's a problem. And you know, the people that support Trump ought to be able to know that if you don't put people in there that support him, he's still gonna do what he's gonna do. But you just need you need to have that base in there. So anyway, again, a great day to be an American. As I said, no casualties with respect to deaths. A
couple of injuries. Apparently one was somewhat bad. It's kind of a murky, but they think that he's going to make it, so we shall see. But I'm looking forward to seeing just when they lay this out, the precision of this military strike, it is. It's unbelievable what the United States military can do these days. And again, no deaths out of this thing from the United States of America, and more oftener than not. When we do something, we're able to do it with no or very little deaths, wounds,
wounded people, something like that, things like that. But it's really amazing. And you know, Trump just did a thing. Some criticized him for it. The seventeen seventy six I guess it was New Year's Day or close to it. And you probably already know this, but any service member soldier, sailor, marine, coast guardsman, airmen, air woman, they got one seven hundred and seventy six dollars as a Christmas bonus from the President of the United States and obviously from the taxpayers.
And while some grumbled, Hey give them anything they need because they're in there doing that job and they should be recognized. And that's not always the way it was. I mean, I'm not a history teacher, but I'm sure y'all know that in the Vietnam War that didn't happen that way. When those young men came home, they weren't allowed to wear their uniform because they were afraid that somebody would give them some grief. Not that they couldn't very easily handle that if that's what they were told
to do. But it wasn't that way forever, but it is now. It is now. You know, I spent ten years in the Army Reserve, the jag Corps. Never got anywhere close to any combat zone anything like that. And you know, people they'll ask you, are you a veteran, and I said, well, yeah, technically reserve, And I'm proud of my service.
We did a lot of things.
We did these what they call pre mobilization bree things where the people that were going over they're the soldiers that were going to the combat zones. We did their wills, we did powers of attorney, and again, I'm proud of that service. But I wasn't anywhere close to it. And there's been a couple of times too restaurants where they've wanted to give me a break on it. I just in good conscience, I couldn't take it because I believe me.
I don't mind getting something for nothing, but it's just, you know, I don't think it's right to do that when you had people that were really, really in the middle of that. I guess that's just a long way of saying that, Well, I'll tell you, we cannot do enough for these people. We just can't. We're gonna have to break it a minute. But I just wanted to kind of go over what the president said again on Fox. He'll be speaking around eleven. One helicopter did get hit, injuries,
but no deaths. The helicopter was able to land. I suppose back on the USS gerald Ford, the aircraft carrier that's close to Venezuela. No retaliatory firepower from Venezuela. Maduro and his wife, they were taken from a safe house in Caracas and flown to Iwjima. That's the name that should be familiar to all of us. Were United States Marine Corps, and I think there was some army too, just so bravely fought there against overwhelming Japanese forces. But
that's where they were flown. The president said that he was in a safe house. He was behind a bunch of metal doors. They knew this was coming. They knew this was coming. They got there, the service members got there, They had a blow torch ready to blow torch the hell out of that door.
They didn't need it.
They got him, They got him, and again they now, I believe, are flown to Evejima, probably waiting to go back to the United States. And my guess is sometime this week, perhaps maybe even as early as Monday, they well, I don't know if she's charged, but he will be arraigned before a federal judge somewhere. My guess is it would probably be the DC District. And man, there are some judges that I would describe as activist masquerading as federal judges.
So we'll see what happens. But he's not.
There is no way on God's green Earth that he's going to get a bond. He will be held with no bond. Trump said that he watched it live. I mean, that's the technology we have now. He watched the whole thing go down live. Finally, he said it was supposed to happen four days ago New Year's Eve, but the weather prevented that. The way or weather wasn't good. He said it was great yesterday. So anyway, we have to take a break, but we're going to change gears a little bit.
When we get back.
We are going to be talking to live in studio Russ Neville, who I believe is the brother of the chief of Police Chief Fiji and the Neville family, and I'll let him explain it that just there is no more prominent law enforcement family in these parts than them. They're not taking this thing sitting down at all, and I'm glad we're going to talk to them about it
when we get back. Mike Allen's seven hundred WLW oh Now Radio seven hundred WLW Mike Allen and Saturday midday, I'm going to be keeping an eye on what's going on with the situation with the president and the strike and the capture of the dictator in Venezuela.
We'll keep an eye on that. He says anything.
He's supposed to address the nation through a press conference on at eleven o'clock, but those things never start in time. But in the meantime, something else on a local level, very very important in my humble opinion and I think others. And that's the situation and what's going on with Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Fiji. It's the city. It's obvious they
want to get rid of her. They don't know why, though, and they hired a law firm, and I'm not going to say anything bad about Frost Brown Todd because it is a good law firm. I guess they weren't able to come up with the reasons, so they got extended into February. I mean, it's kind of common sense. That just doesn't look good. It doesn't make any sense. She has an outstanding record as police chief in many years before that as a police officer, and she's got family
members here to talk about it. I'll say one thing, I'll shut up and I'll let them talk. This family is not taking this sitting down, and I don't blame one bit because.
It's not right. Let's start out. I have three.
Just introduce yourselves and we'll go from there. I'm Russ Neville, Terry's brother.
Thirty four years with the CINCINNT Police Department and left in twenty twenty one, and up to the point of these circumstances, enjoyed my retirement.
Okay.
Rick Nevill Terry's brother retired thirty one and a half years with hamilin Kay Sheriff's Department.
Kind of like Russ.
Upon retirement, I kind of hung up the uniform and went under a rock, if you will, until this incident.
Sure, I get that.
Mike Neville the third brother, and I retired in twenty nineteen with a little over thirty three years.
In law enforcement.
Wow, and you count it all up, you guys. And I know you guys are modest, but I think I think the public needs to know this. You've counted up and adding in your father's time, Gary, who was a captain District III, I remember when I was a lowly police cadet. I think I told you guys this. You know, the police catch just probably they were just, I don't want to say, kicked around, but not always. It was like, hey, cadet,
go get this. Your father wasn't like that. I rode a lot up there, and hey, how are you doing? You know, what's going on in your life? That's something that you never forget anyway. I just wanted to tell you, thank you, Russ. Why don't you start off, tell us what's going on, what you're doing? As I just said, you guys are not taking this lying down, So why don't you kick it?
Off here Mike.
First of all, thank you very much for the opportunity just to speak on behalf of Terry.
My pleasure.
I say it each time I have an opportunity to speak. This is not about a legacy element with the devils, although it's appreciated the comments. This is about support for
Terry at a time of unfair and inappropriate treatment. But before we even get into that, I would like to extent I spoke to Terry just before coming in the studio and she asked that I share her one support for the Sincint Police Department, for the members of the department and for those in the administrative positions of the department, because she understands the operation of the Sinceint Police Department needs to continue forward and needs to continue forward successfully,
and it needs to provide the support for the communities that are out there that need So she asked that I share that, and I want to make sure we get that in you.
Know what I mean.
Those that know the situation, I think realize that, but a lot of people don't, and I think that was good that you let them know that.
This chief of police.
How long was she chief by the way, or is she chieved so far, well, she's.
Under administrative suspect she continues to be chief. But that's what I mean.
I think it's been about three years, okay, an outstanding record in a relatively short period of time.
Too.
I think it's important that the public know about that, know what she has done as police chief. You know, it seems to me policing and law enforcement has just changed so much over the years, and you got to stay on top of all kinds of different things. Technology being one one of the things that I'm impressed with, and I've talked to Ken Kober about this and other cops too, is the whole situation with the law enforcement use of drones. And as I understand it, that was
Chief Fiji's thing. She's the one that kind of got that going.
She is the one that got to go in tell us about that again, Terry would be the first to say that while she in that position of chief, would be supportive and get those things done.
She knows it takes a team of people, so.
All the personnel that implemented it under her guidance are again appreciated by her. It's not just a new gadget's a fundamental shift. And how it keeps officers in our community safe shift. CHIEFDG. Champion, she navigated through the complex regulations and successfully lost just months before or her removal.
It's a drone program. The concept is simple, Mike.
When a nine one one call comes in, whether it's reporting the shooting, burglary, progress, missing child, a drone piloted by Cincinnati Police officers immediately dispatched from a roofed up docking station. Because it flies to crow flies, it often
arives in the scene before patrol car. It's a technology and a tool that will continue to grow and continue to enhance and continue to improve the police services while minimizing or reducing the amount of law enforcement time it takes to arrive and conduct what businesses, which then allows for officers to be in the areas of assignment more longer, more frequently, and quicker.
It's a technology.
It's an awesome technology, and it came under the guidance of cheap DJ right. And the point of that, Mike and I could read an entire article on it, but that's the gist of it, and we can get deeper. The point of this is we're here today to speak
fact verse fiction. You know the facts are there are seven eighty nine successful leadership items that we have authored and we have placed on these support Chief DG Facebook page, and that you've been kind enough to allow us to discuss deeper today as opposed to the mythical effective narrative the city administration has placed on terror.
And still looking to find a quote reason unquote to terminate her, which is just I've already said my piece on that.
Now You're percent right.
But you know, the drone, the technology, the availability of resources. She is not only open to them, she aggresses aggressively pursued them. She aggressively identifies funding for them. She aggressively identifies the appropriate team to get them, implement and get them out there and get them where they're beneficial.
That is one.
And I'll just go down if I could mic real quick on just a couple others, and then we can go.
Deeper on each of them.
But on the drones, I mean, I want to make this point. I've had Ken Cobra on. I know I've had others on too. CPD is a model for other police departments across the country for these drone Am I right about that?
I'm pretty sure I am.
You're right, Yeah, Mike, it's it's a national model, it's active, and it's beneficial. And I'll say it again, it came under the guidance, leadership, management and oversight of Cheap DG during her tenure. What it's about officer safety and citizen safety, is it not?
I mean both. You look at certain.
Calls for service, such as shots fired, you get a drone there quicker than a patrol officer would typically arrive.
You get that bird's eye view.
You have tracking mechanisms, you have viewing mechanisms, you have communications mechanisms. So those officers that then are responding can respond in a safer and to some degree even a quicker because they know exactly what route to take, exactly what path to take. They identify who the potential victims are, they identify who the potential suspects are, and it allows for a safer approach, a safer resolution, and a quicker resolution.
I get it. And you know, you guys all been police officers for so long. I would think that if you're a police officer responding to a call, a pretty serious call, kind of nice to know what you're going into.
And the drone provides that. It's unfathomable to me. Yeah, I mean the fact that I'm not into technology, and thank goodness, Terry and others within the department now are they can grow these tools and take make the benefits of the tools, or use the tools to benefit operations.
I got to believe that this system will morph into many more systems throughout Hamilton County.
Oh yeah, and beyond. You know, tristate so designer standard.
A lot of departments all over the country are contacting CPD because they're a leader in it, and they're a leader in it for a reason, and that is our police chief in my humble opinion. Another thing, and you guys provided me with this and these are all so well written and so accurate.
The range, the target range doesn't.
Sound like a sexy issue, doesn't sound like something that's that big of a deal. But I mean, going back to the Dark Ages a short period of time I was on it was kind of a hot potato back then, and it just kind of sat. And there has been reporting on this, but tell us how cheap Fiji kind of finally solved this nagging problem after years and years and years.
She took ownership of it. Mike, it was neglected for over twenty years. Residents and community reps from Lincoln Heights, Woodlawn, Evendale complained to the city administration about the target range located in Evendale. Some of the catarrans identify were trauma, mental health effects on children, physical health impacts from consistent high decibel fire gunfire, and confusion acts about whether sounds
were from range or actual gunfire. While no other administration had the forethought or vision or the benefit guarded from relocating the target range, sheep Terry did. She had to work ethic, leadership, traits, comprehension and long term benefit, and the ability to bring a state, county and local partners together for funding input to accomplish the dawning task is through numerous tumultuous meetings. I had talked to her while this process was. It went on for years, well involving her.
It wasn't as young as that when she took the steps to achieve it. They were briefer, but yes, it was years and years in the coming. The funding was secure and the properties identified, you know, partnerships it took to to provide it. It came about and now there's a new state of the art target range. Which is actually a regional safety complex when you think about it, is other pds are going to use it too, right, Yes,
it's in partnership with Cincinnati and Hamilon County. Obviously those other agencies that fall under the umbrella of that will be able to get full benefit from it as well.
Okay, you know the funding source of the project.
You know, there's various funding sources that came in and it took numerous meetings, numerous, oh I can imagine. But with that said, all came about under Cheap DG's tenure.
You know.
The Target Range not on Miami River Road, officially opened in October of twenty four, you know, and I apologize. It was begun in October twenty four, projected for completion in twenty six. So during her you know, speaking on the range which I used every year with the Sheriff's department, the water system was atrocious down there, and that was another concern that the Terry head quite a bit going into there was the water system, and that in fact
was adamant that it was city water. What have you to for the troops for safety mechanism, you know, for for health, for drinking the water. So that was a big deal to her before she would sign any paperwork in that I mean a really big deal deal.
And I know and Russ mentioned it a big deal for the neighboring people too. And again, that issue has been around, even going back to the seventies when I was on So you.
Think about it, Mike, in two and a half, three years just on that topic alone and enhanced the lives of several communities on the border of Cincinnati. Right, improves the equality of training obtained by law enforcement throughout Hamilton County, and obviously that then provides a better service to the
communities that are served. In two and a half years, Mike, she took one topic such as this that had been lamiting for twenty plus minutes, and she saw the vision, she saw the benefits, she saw the goal, she saw where it could be, and she achieved it.
And I go back to.
Effective leadership versus mythical ineffective leadership. Right, we speak facts, they speak subjectivity.
Well, and you're getting your message out and I'm happy to be a part of that. One of the things in policing today, and I'm sure you guys know, is retention and recruiting. I was talking at ken cole Or not too long ago, told me, I guess the CPD had authorization and money for a class. I think, he said, I think thirty. But they haven't started the class yet because they can't find thirty people, which is and you guys are probably way, not way a little bit behind you.
But I remember taking that test and we hadn't take it twice because we got laid off. At the convention center. There were two three thousand people there. It just amazes me how that has changed in a relatively short period of time. It's a real challenge now for departments to find people that want to do the job. So whoever wants to speak to that, I think it's really important.
Mike, I will.
This issue was growing for some time the police departments kind of aging out right. Retirements were coming, and along those same lines retirements coming, you had a bit of anti police of sorts through It was building throughout the country, right, So this taste of wanting to be an officer like any of us three including yourself before us, that flavor
started to fade. And when you don't have the bodies coming, but yet you have the bodies leaving, that leaves you short and there's an ill effect in that, and there's a variety of ill effects, one of them being you can't always do what you want to do as a police department because you don't have the bodies. You start taking away from some things or forcing things into officers' hands that they didn't necessarily do years ago. So from an officer standpoint, that time off a little bit of
a mandatory overtime. All of those ill effects start leaving a bad taste in their mouths, and those bad tastes make it to their own residence.
Right.
So Terry had this that approached her and she had to encounter in the way of bringing some light to it. So the one thing she started with is an enhancement, not new enhancement, of a wellness project or wellness thought for the officers. She knew what they were going through. So that's something that she took with live fingers into
her decision and leadership, if I may, well. The other piece, Mike is you know the way you get retention, the way you bring people in, because you can't change the thought around the country overnight on police work, you start compensating for what it is that they're going to encounter, right, so she really took a bit of a leadership role, if I may, to keep going in the contract, and she sits on the city side some of that, but she also tasted and understood the officer side, so she
was able to kind of financially enhance what it is an officer is presented financially to come on, because you need to really bring people's attention to the police department to bypass the ill effects, the bad taste. Right, So that's something she took on and quite honestly, the contract
says she was very successful at it. The contract says, so when you take that retention need, the wellness piece, the drawing the attention of a financial reward, if I may, for what's never rewarded high enough, never will be, Terry took that into what needed to be done, and I think the outcome on paper was a success. And you
don't do that not caring. You don't do that without being a leader for this city, for your officers, because it's a balance and she balanced it well in my opinion, and until until we get those numbers up, and she had a goal of so many officers for so many years to get to get us there.
Okay, can you guys stay for the next segment. I really hope you can, because we got a lot more to cover. We're out of time now for this segment that will come back after the news. Mike Allen's Saturday Midnight seven hundred WLW Mike Allman Saturday Midday talking to various members of the Neville family, and we're talking about the situation with Chief Fiji.
I was still trying to come up with a reason to get rid of her.
They're not having a lot of luck doing that, and I think it's pretty obvious why. In my humble opinion, and I haven't been on CPD for a million years, but I watch it. In my opinion, she was one hell of a police chief. One thing I wanted to ask you, Russ, the combination of District three into District five. When I saw that happening, I thought, Man, what a logistical nightmare this is going to be. And Chief Sigi was right in the middle of that. What are your
thoughts on that? And I know it wasn't just those two merging. Other districts were affected as well.
I guess what happened, Mike, was.
District five used to be on Central Party, right there were structural issues. And beyond there, well, they had a range in the basement, didn't they. That was many many many moons ago. That was not during even my career, that was not active. But so when that issue developed, however, many years ago, they transitioned District five to a strip mall in College Hill. That facility was too small, but
they made it work. However, many years they were there, the lease was expiring, and as the lease was expiring, like, there was no plan by the city administration on what they were going to do regarding a new District five. So once again, effective leadership, strong leadership, the willingness to take on the difficult task. Terry took that on and they came to the conclusion that the best option was
to consolidate districts. And I'm the first to say, we're the first to say that not all of it was received well and not all of it is as successful as you may want, but it is the best in the best option available. So what she did is she what she with a team of folks, was the consolidation from five districts to four districts. In the long run, there's geographical changes, there's community impact, there's community meetings. But the bottom line of all of it is the operations
of the department remained strong. There was no reduction in staff of any sort. There was no loss of rank of any member in the organization. As this consolidation of heard, services continue to be provided and they continue to be provided today, and it saved the city approximately i'd say twenty thirty forty million dollars in the potential of building a new District five. So I just go back to Mike.
We all have our detractors, We all have people that don't agree with decisions we make and maybe even the way we make them, and Terry potentially falls under that as well. But you cannot shy away from the myth that is out there or the narrative they are trying to portray is she was an ineffective leader.
It's obvious to anyone that looks at it, even casually, I think, and that's leadership, isn't it. I Mean, sometimes things don't go always as planned, especially in policing. But I mean saving the city that much money, that's a pretty big deal.
Not only saving the city the money, and yes, that's critically important, but the resources were relocated to benefit the communities. The allocation was successful. Nobody lost their job, Mike, nobody lost rank or positioning. So to take that upon with the risk of all of that and succeed, two thumbs up to her. And I just keep going back to that and so on the District five or the city district consolidation. That's kind of an overview, and they're gist of the circumstances.
I get it. Well.
One of the things that I'm hearing and a lot of people in the system are hearing citizens too, is the situation, uh with judges and you know, the change of how the courthouse is. Chief Fiji was I mean active in monitoring that. I guess what did she do
from a leadership perspective on that, because it's a big issue. Well, I mean she was a participant with other county law enforcement agencies to put together a body that would make it public information or accountability on judges, on sentences and bonds, and just to make it transparency, provide transparency. That board continues to operate even with Chief Diji removed, but it was her initiation that brought it and I we are of the opinion that was one of the significant, significant
elements that led to her administrative suspension. They can hide from it, they can deny it, they can lie about it,
but it's fact. And even the Hamion County Chiefs Association, I believe is what they're called, recently publicly thanked and gave credit to Chief Diji for bringing that board or that body together to try to improve the judicial process for the benefit of the public, for the benefit of what kind of sentences are people really getting and what kind of releases and early releases are people really receiving and the people in the public have the right for
transparency on that, and it wasn't received well from the inner circles. Got you one thing I wanted to ask you about, peripherally relevant. I think issue five back in the year two thousand, that was an issue that got on the ballot where they would remove the chief and the assistant chiefs from civil service protection. I was prosecutor at the time I worked on the campaign. Anyone who spent any time in the system knew that that was
going to be a disaster. The chief, as I said, and the assistant chiefs back then had civil service protection. Chief Theji didn't. She's at the whim of politicians I just wanted to bring that up to see if any you wanted to comment on that, because I hope, I hope we see it back on the ballot again.
I don't, I don't the three of us collectively agree with you one hundred percent. The issue five has had has its at its time. I don't think it's been successful. I think Chief Striker is the last one yet Fellow without it, and then you had, you know, three four chiefs, what have you.
I think it's time for City Council to.
Do what's proper and maybe put it however it takes, to put it back on a ballot, referendum, whatever the case may be. This is very much a hot topic for us and support the fop's desires for that. In fact, I think it would just make the department stronger. It would make the fire department stronger, whatever you want to say, because because when you have one person making a decision for such a important aspect of first responders and citizen safety,
it's not good. So I would say call out City Council a little bit to say we need to rethink this.
Yeah, with the current political makeup of the city, it would be an uphill battle, but I still think it could be done if people are educated as to what it is.
Well, uphill battle is one thing, right and wrongs another.
Absolutely, it's absolutely And those that knew knew this was going to be a train wreck, and I think it just barely passed back then.
I mean it was really close.
We got about five more minutes, and I want to talk about what you guys want to talk about, So you guys can make the closing argument if you.
Will, Mike and Rick and follow this. But I think again, why we're here is not to draw attention to the nevils or the thegs beyond chief role, dignity, reputation. This is not about monetary This is about the ability to leave a thirty five year career with your head held high with the facts known. Yep, not speculation, not sour grapes,
but facts. And why we're here today is present those facts, and hopefully the public listening to your program understands, appreciates, and accepts those facts as they are valid and we have the ability to show support for them. It's reputation, Mike, and she deserves better. They stole it from her. Yeah, they stole from her the opportunity to enjoy retirement. They stole from her the opportunity to spend her days peacefully with her grandchildren without this being on her mind and
in her gut. It's an ebb and flow every day. And we will continue to fight on behalf of Terry, and we will continue to provide facts and see where this goes.
I think you've done an incredible job so far, and I think it's a very important thing. You can even boil it down further. I think it's right and wrong. You don't do a person like that. You don't do a chief of police with all the years of service that she has had. You just don't do it, you know, because of a political issue to say yes, sorry, chief, you got to go, Well why do I have to go?
Well, we'll figure it out. I mean, it's just not right.
Everything you have in front of you, and everything we've talked about has been shared with plump Street. Whether they're reading them or not, I can't answer that. I gotta believe they read their emails, so they've got this information, and I have to believe the majority of them're center going what do we just do?
Yep?
Am, I I mean closer with sure, there's one thing about leadership, right, and Terry's a phenomenal leader, And I'll leave it at that.
You said twelve.
You know, based upon what I have seen, you know, being in the system, I would agree with you wholeheartedly. And I really really love it that this family is not taking this line down because something should be done about it, you know.
And I know you.
Guys aren't political, but when the city of Cincinnati becomes such that only one party can have any input into anything, that's not a good thing anywhere.
And it wouldn't be a good thing.
Of his all Republicans too, But law enforcement in this city and the Cincinnati Police Department, in my humble opinion, is something special, something good that has been recognized throughout the years, going all the way back when Stanchrotel was on the cover of Life magazine. I was honored to be a part of it in a very short period of time. But and again it boils down to, in my humble opinion, you just can't do.
People like this, you know, go back to our opening point, Mike, based on that statement of Terry's one percent support for the CINCINNTI Police Department, the success of the Cincinnati Police Department the success of those that are administrative positions. Now, yeah, the safety of the community, the mental wellness of the members all fall in their hands, and we have one hundred percent support and faith in them to do it successfully well for.
Whatever it's worth.
The circles I travel in, they see this for what it is, just a political kind of BS thing. So I think you have the public on your side. I am so impressed. I drive down the street and I see we support Chief Thiji. I never, am my wildest dreams, would have thought at chief of police in the city of Cincinnati would have to do that. But and the T shirts as well. You guys are doing a hell of a job with it. I mean that too. And I'm not the only one saying that.
Thank you. It means a lot my pleasure.
Hey, we got to take a break, but we'll be back. We'll be back and we'll start talking about the president's news conference, which is scheduled for a lot sven o'clock.
Mike Allan sat