Lt Travis Norton and Lt Adam Sharki join Marcus to discuss the concept of "novelty." What does it mean? Why does it make us all amateurs? They'll cover strategies you can use today to enhance your response to these "novel" and critical events.
CATO President Brent Stratton sits down with Nick Sprague, the President of the Rocky Mountain Tactical Team Association (RMTTA). The two discuss how to take care of your team, both professionally and personally. They also cover the importance of debriefs--even when they hurt--and the similarities and differences between CATO and RMTTA. Finally, they explore Brent's obsession with Peanut Butter Whiskey...we try not to judge.
In this episode, Brent and I sit down with retired Navy Seal Command Master Chief Jason Tuschen and world-renowned author, Dr. Graham Simpson, who is the medical director for Opt Health. Military and first responders share many similar health problems during and after their service. I asked Jason and Dr. Simpson to explore the common health issues found in our communities and how we should be addressing them. In the past, we’ve discussed how our body keeps score, so think of this episode as a co...
Marcus Sprague and Kris Jenny sit down with Fire Training Division Manager Jim Etzin. Jim has been involved with the tactical community since serving as a corpsman in Desert Storm and as a combat medicine instructor for the 1st Marine Division. Jim attended LASD SEB SWAT school and has dedicated his life to enhancing our response to large events. He is also the founder of the North American Active Assailant Conference (NAAAC). Jim's unique blend of education and experience has also led him to de...
Is your ropes program ascending to meet the needs of contemporary tactical problems? Marcus Sprague sits down with a longtime friend of CATO, Dana Vilander. Dana has partnered with CATO in presenting Tactical Rope Access courses and has decades of experience in the tactical community as an operator and medic. They discuss Dana's unique background and how he blended his tactical experiences with his medical training and rescue work to form VTC training.
Kevin Cyr (RCMP SWAT) joins Marcus with Echelon Front's Codey Gandey. Codey is part of the Echelon Front staff and is the lead for their First Responder Training program. Codey has worked with a variety of agencies and has personally worked with Kevin's full-time swat team in British Columbia. The group discusses common challenges agencies face and how Echelon can help your team succeed.
Marcus sits down with the Deputy Director of the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center to discuss the importance of fusion centers. Randy started his career as a patrol officer in Atlanta Georgia. However, he spent the majority of his career working for the Drug Enforcement Agency. His final assignment with the DEA was as the Regional Director of the Middle East. After a brief stint in the private sector he became the Deputy Director of NICRIC. Randy shares his lessons learned and his...
Marcus Sprague, Kris Jenny, Travis Norton and our guest, Kevin Cyr, discuss active shooter training and response and some of the lessons of the past that we have yet to learn. While the nation mourns the tragedy in Uvalde, it would behoove us to discuss what we can do now to better prepare ourselves, our teams and our communities. This discussion is not intended to specifically address Uvalde, as we believe that would be premature. Kevin Cyr is a SWAT Commander for the Royal Canadian Mounted Pol...
Brent and Marcus sit down with Jon to discuss his relationship with CATO and how he has crossed paths with several pioneers of the tactical community. Jon's unique background has given him the opportunity to receive thousands of hours of tactical training as a civilian and work with a variety of tactical teams throughout law enforcement and the military. Jon uses his experiences to blend a unique outside perspective into the debrief, one which leverages a passion for the tactical community combi...
In this episode, Brent and Marcus talk with the founding members of the Honor Hike Foundation. Each year members of this organization hike one mile for every fallen Law Enforcement Officer from around the country, creating a moving memorial. The foundation also supports the officers' families and their agencies. The Honor Hike Foundation was created by a group of active and reserve law enforcement officers and during the hike the participant carries only the gear they need to survive, a Thin Blu...
For this exciting podcast, Marcus is joined by CATO board member and training cadre member, Sergeant Kristofer Jenny, and Travis Norton, a southern California lieutenant. The three sit down with the infamous Gordon Graham to discuss Black Swans, Gray Rhinos, and what you can do now to impact your team, your agency, and our profession. Graham, a 33-year veteran of law enforcement and the co-founder of Lexipol, is also a risk management expert and a practicing attorney. He packs the conversation w...
In this episode of the CATO podcast, Brent and Marcus sit down with CATO's Demonstration Response Chair, Adam Sharki, and CATO Training Cadre member, Kris Jenny, to discuss Chapter 2 of the Sound Doctrine, Crisis and Conflict. The group discusses the definition of a crisis, the five characteristics present in all crises and why you should be able to explain them to those you serve with, your superiors, and potentially a jury. The group also discusses how to apply these principles in day-to-day o...
Neuroscientist Dr. James Engall, co-founder and President of Blast Analytics and Mitigation Inc., sits down with Brent and me to discuss the results of BAam360's research and mitigation with the Navy Seals, how they are bringing about awareness and mitigation strategies related to blast exposure in the military, and why it led them to develop Operations Blue Shield where they leverage their knowledge to help the law enforcement community. There are a lot of layers to these issues, and the circle...
Marcus and Brent sit down with a panel of experts to discuss California Assembly AB481, affectionately known as the Military Equipment Bill. Panel members have spoken with the folks from Lexipol as well as other attorneys and experts throughout the state and come together to discuss the major components of the law, including some of the poorly written and unclear portions. The group also offers suggestions on the intent of the law and what you can do to ensure you and your agency remain in compl...
Brent Stratton, Marcus Sprage and Adam Sharki discuss Sid Heal's book, 'Sound Doctrine'. They discuss what they like about the book and why they feel it should be the cornerstone for the foundation of tactical learning. This will be the first of several episodes that break down 'Sound Doctrine' and how you can apply it to resolve today's tactical problems.
Marcus is joined by CATO SWAT Team Leader Cadre members Kenny Brayton and Kris Jenny, CATO's After Action Review Chair Travis Norton, and CATO's Demonstration Response Chair Adam Sharki for a panel discussion on the component parts of California Assembly Bill 48 and what you need to know to ensure that your demonstration response and use of force is within policy. We'll discuss what you can do to make sure your demonstration response program's training, documentation, and deployments are consist...
Marcus sits down with Sergeant Tom Datro, host of the POLICING IN AMERICA podcast. Sergeant Datro works for one of the largest police departments on the West Coast and created his podcast to address difficult challenges facing law enforcement today. In this episode of the CATO podcast, Marcus and Tom discuss a variety of topics such as de-escalation, leadership, culture, the importance of empathy throughout the organization, and several other challenges facing our profession. Learn more about To...
Jeff Felts, from Center Mass, is our guest on the latest episode of the CATO Podcast with Marcus Sprague and Kris Jenny, CATO Training Cadre member. As a young sniper, Jeff found himself well trained, but poorly prepared for a very dynamic hostage situation. This setback sent him on a journey to improve his training and resulted in the formation of Center Mass, the National Patrol Rifle Conference and Championship, and the patrol rifle utilization survey. Each year, participants from around the ...
We don't often talk about one of the greatest threats facing our profession. This adversary is hard to name, difficult to identify, and is rarely talked about openly, yet each year it kills more and more dedicated men and women in law enforcement and the military. We all agree these professions leave a mark when you're done. For some, this mark can cost them their happiness, family, and even their life. In an effort to find the best information and tools to address this adversary, we reached out...
Marcus and Brent sit down with retired Alexandria Virginia Captain Tom Panther. Captain Panther, a former SWAT Operator and Commander, was one of the men charged with coordinating the response to the Pentagon attack on 09/11/01. While we hope to never repeat the experiences of 9/11 and the attacks on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, there are a lot of lessons to be learned. Panther shares his story and lessons learned from a law enforcement perspective. While he is retired now, the event had a ...
In this podcast episode, Marcus and Brent sit down with Chief Chris Hsiung to discuss lessons in leadership. Hsiung is the Police Chief of the Mountain View Police Department, located in the heart of Silicon Valley CA, and is an internationally recognized speaker and author on the topics of digital strategy, crisis communications, and leadership. In his time with Mountain View PD, Chief Hsiung has held a variety of investigative, tactical, and leadership roles, serving in every division in the o...
Marcus and Kris Jenny sit down with Kris Allshouse, Executive Director of the Los Angeles Regional Training Center, to discuss the current state of drones in law enforcement, what future drone technology may look like in the near future, and their must-attend class 'The Edge of Chaos.' Kris also discusses several essential courses available at LARTC. Kris Allshouse is a retired Detective Supervisor and POST Master Instructor. He has designed and taught over 70 courses for CA Law Enforcement incl...
Marcus sits down with Matt Alexander, Kris Jenny, and Travis Norton to discuss the effects of California AB3 92 on managing hostage rescue operations, as well as its impact on the priority of life and things you should consider in training, deploying, and documenting uses of force. Matt Alexander is a Lieutenant at a Central California agency. He is a CATO Instructor for the SWAT Team Leader and SWAT Commander courses, a CATO Regional Training Rep, and he also teaches for his own company, Advanc...
Marcus continues the conversation about Command and Control with Travis Norton and Kris Jenny. They discuss practical action items you can do now to reduce the friction inherent at all levels during tactical operations. Travis Norton is a Lieutenant in a Southern California agency. He is a CATO SLP 1 (Strategic Leadership Program) graduate, leads the CATO After Action Team, and teaches a variety of classes for the NTOA. Kristofer Jenny is a Sergeant at a Northern California police agency and is ...
Marcus and Brent sit down with Ted King to discuss balancing command and control with independent decision-making through a variety of perspectives. Ted is a Lieutenant with the Bakersfield Police Department and a co-founder and managing member of Alpha Safety Solutions, a company that works with organizations and safety professionals to develop comprehensive emergency management plans based on FEMA recommendations. Ted has over 20 years of combined military and law enforcement experience, inclu...
Marcus Sprague discusses workers' compensation issues with Nick Hitch and Laura Rosenthal. They detail what you can do before, during, and after a work-related injury. Nick is a medically retired police officer from Northern California who was forced to retire after his injury was mismanaged by his agency, their insurance provider, and some of the medical folks charged with his care. Laura is a workers compensation attorney who represents first responders to ensure they get the best treatment po...
Kris Jenny and Marcus Sprague sit down with Andrew, who works for a large Southern California law enforcement agency and has managed a variety of First Amendment activities. Andrew recently taught a Demonstration Response Class for CATO and we thought it would be a good time to sit down and discuss some of the key components in analyzing and developing a response to demonstrations, protests, and riots.
Chief Hansen is that rare leader you can’t help but want to work for when you meet him. His combination of humility, humor, and sage wisdom not only provide lessons we can all learn from but they set the standard for what today’s leaders should embody. He has dedicated his life to the thoughtful study of leadership and serving others, and in this podcast episode he sits down with Brent and Marcus to discuss the lessons he learned over the course of his 40+ years in law enforcement.
Our latest podcast episode, The Tactical Athlete and Quiet Professional with Rob Shaul from Mountain Tactical Athlete, is now available. In this episode, Marcus Sprague sits down with Rob Shaul, founder and president of the Mountain Tactical Institute, to discuss how Rob and his team design mission-directed fitness programs to assist tactical athletes. We talk about common pitfalls in today’s law enforcement fitness programs and some strategies you can employ today to fix them and improve your m...
In this episode, Marcus sits down with Police Promotion Expert Andy Borrello. Andy has helped thousands of law enforcement professionals improve their performance during the oral board process. They discuss what executives are looking for, some of the common pitfalls to avoid, and some key things you can do to separate yourself from other candidates. Stay tuned to the end of the episode for a generous offer for CATO podcast listeners. We hope you enjoy the show. www.policepromote.com...
