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Blue Canary: For Cops By a Cop

Steve Kellams

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4.9

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Who approaches the scene first risking their lives for the safety of others? We do. The blue canaries, law enforcement. We allow others to tell our stories. It's time for us to tell our own stories. Blue Canary is a show for cops by a cop, retired Captain Steven Kellams. In each episode, Steve goes behind the scenes of a police department. Giving you real-world insight into why decisions are made, what obstacles are ahead, and how the answers to your questions aren’t always found in the news. It’s unfiltered, it’s relevant and it’s for anyone brave enough to wear a badge.
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Top 10 Blue Canary: For Cops By a Cop Episodes

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The National Police Force

Blue Canary: For Cops By a Cop

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09/21/22 • 18 min

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5.0

I have worked with most of the federal agencies at one time or another and for the most part the individual agents were great. Dedicated professionals working hard to solve the cases. I always appreciated the resources they could bring to a case.

But the moment I had to deal with one of the “Guys in Charge” things tended to take a turn for the worst. The higher up the administrative ladder you went the ideas and goals of what you were all trying to accomplish would change very quickly.

The biggest problem is that the needs, desires, and decisions made in Washington DC do not necessarily coincide with the issues on the ground in Iowa. But that hasn’t stopped a historical push for a National Police Force and let me explain why that is NOT a good idea.

So, what is a national police force. A national police force is an organization run by the central government of a country with the purpose of providing police services such as enforcing the laws and ensuring health and safety to the people of that country. We’ve got King Louie the 14th to thank for that. In 1667 he created the first national police force in France. Since then, we have seen National Police Forces in many countries around the world. Today national police forces are common in places like France, Japan, Spain, Indonesia, the Netherlands, the Philippians, and dozens of other small countries. We also see variations on the National Police Model with Territorial Police in the United Kingdom and Canada.

Since it is so common it must be a good idea. And, when you take it at face value there does seem to be benefits from the concept. First, you get a force that is nationally funded. The deep pockets at the national level would far outweigh any small towns budgets so the national force should have all of the necessary resources. Secondly you get to control hiring and training. This way you could ensure that all of the officers are trained and ready to do their jobs. Lastly this central organization would be more efficient, and you wouldn’t have to worry about duplication of efforts. All in all, a good move, right?

Wrong?

At least for the U.S.

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09/21/22 • 18 min

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Reform Must Start with Training!

Blue Canary: For Cops By a Cop

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06/15/22 • 21 min

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4.0

Training.

We have talked about it several times on this show. And we are going to talk more about it today. Police reform is a hot button topic today with legislatures all over the US passing law enforcement bills and police reform bills in an effort to improve the professionalism of policing.

But they are missing the mark.

The bills are focusing on specific topics like choke holds, which have been outlawed for decades, and de-escalation, which people struggle to define. Instead of specific topics we need to reform the overall training concepts found in police department across the country and get politicians and administrators focused on the real challenge, proper training.
This episode will focus on the challenges departments face when trying to train their officers and what we need to focus on to improve training for police across the US. We will also hear from Chief Ed Gebhart with the Fishers Police Department in Fishers Indiana and Major Nick Luce with the Indiana University Police Department.

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06/15/22 • 21 min

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Training with Jim Glennon

Blue Canary: For Cops By a Cop

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06/29/22 • 43 min

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5.0

Training, you are going to hear a lot about training in this season’s episodes. It’s the cornerstone of good police work and unfortunately, we don’t get it when we need it. There are lots of reasons why and we are going to explore those and other training topics on this episode with our interview of Lt. Jim Glennon.

Jim started with the Lombard Illinois Police Department in 1980 and held many positions at the department. In 1998 he became the first Commander of the Dupage County Major Crimes Task Force. He also holds a BA in Psychology and a master’s degree in Police management. He acquired Calibre Press in 2012 and today provides training through books, newsletters, seminars, online training, and in-person training.

Jim took the time to talk with me about the current state of training, the problems with training, and some insight into issues facing law enforcement today.

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06/29/22 • 43 min

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The Five Best Cop Movies

Blue Canary: For Cops By a Cop

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08/24/22 • 18 min

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5.0

I thought we would have a little bit of fun this episode and break down the five best cop movies for you night owls. Back in the day you had to buy these on VHS, yes, I am that old, or DVD. But, today with streaming services you can probably find this without too much difficulty.

Before we get into the list here are a few caveats. First these are based on my personal opinion, just because I am right doesn’t mean some of you out there can’t be wrong. I am also not a professional reviewer so the things I am looking for might be very different from what you will find in any Rotten Tomatoes reviews. Finally, we have to recognize that we are reviewing Hollywood Movies.

Hollywood, you know that place that doesn’t particularly like cops and while it has made billions off our profession it never gets it right. Even in some of these movies I am going to talk about they don’t get it right. These just happen to be ones they get more right than others. And as far as political beliefs go, well let’s just say if I based my television viewing habits on political beliefs, I would start by throwing the TV out the window. Watch for fun and enjoyment.

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08/24/22 • 18 min

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Halloween Special: Creepy Conversation

Blue Canary: For Cops By a Cop

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10/18/23 • 6 min

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5.0

This is our fourth annual Halloween Special and it's a doozy. Ever had one of those creepy encounters that just set the hair on the back of your neck straight up. Usually we just move on and forget about them, but sometimes they can really spook you.
In this episode we hear the real true story of a creepy conversation that took a dark turn quickly. Dim the lights and settle in for another true Halloween story.

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10/18/23 • 6 min

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Why be an FTO?

Blue Canary: For Cops By a Cop

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07/13/22 • 19 min

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What is an FTO?

Well, you should already know by now because you should have gone through an FTO program when you hired on the job. You mean you didn’t have an FTO program? You mean they just handed you the keys to the car, a map, and said call me if you have any problems?

Unfortunately, this is all too familiar.
Now what do we mean by Field Training Officer Program? It is simply an on-the-job training program that assists with the on-boarding and training of brand-new officers to the police department. It does this by having the new officers ride every day with a trained trainer called a Field Training Officer or FTO who teaches, mentors, trains, evaluates, councils, facilitates, and leads the new officer until they have proven they are capable of doing the job by themselves. The Field Training Program ensure that every new officer on the department has the skills and training necessary to do the job. Many people look at this as the first step in a police officer’s career, but the reality is it’s the last step in the selection process. There is no better way to ensure that someone can do the job then having them do the job.

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07/13/22 • 19 min

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In the Line of Duty

Blue Canary: For Cops By a Cop

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11/11/21 • 14 min

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5.0

In this episode of Blue Canary we will discuss the FBI LEOKA project and the issues regarding officers killed in the line of duty.

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11/11/21 • 14 min

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Behind the Walls with Jeff Carter

Blue Canary: For Cops By a Cop

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08/11/21 • 28 min

In this episode of Blue Canary we speak to jail expert Jeff Carter about the challenges of housing mentally ill prisoners.
Jeff retired December 2018 as the Deputy Director of the Fayette County Detention Center in Lexington, Kentucky. Over his 20-year career, he has worked all levels of custody inside a 1,300-bed correctional facility located in the horse racing capitol of the world. Jeff was an instructor for 5 years inside the academy, where he trained over 700 recruits, molding them into successful leaders in the Corrections field. He has trained and commanded the CERT team, as well as taught Drill and Ceremony to the Division Honor guard. While promoting through the ranks, he commanded the Professional Standards Unit where he specialized in Internal Affairs investigations and Gang Intel for 7 years. Jeff completed over 200 administrative investigations, as well as, conducted over 100 PREA (Prison Rape Elimination Act) investigations. He is well versed in PREA and is a PREA Investigator Instructor. Jeff has completed the top Leadership Academies at the National Institute of Corrections in Aurora, Colorado. He brings experience from proudly serving 4 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, followed by obtaining his BS degree in Corrections and Juvenile Services/Political Science from Eastern Kentucky University, through his career as a Corrections Leader. Jeff was a Certified Deputy Coroner within the Commonwealth of Kentucky for 8 years. He presents jail training throughout the country and serves as an Expert Witness around the United States, focusing on jail litigation.

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08/11/21 • 28 min

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The Robin Hood Effect

Blue Canary: For Cops By a Cop

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08/25/21 • 12 min

George Floyd should not have died in police custody. The actions taken by Derek Chauvin were reprehensible and universally condemned by law enforcement. George Floyd was a victim of police misconduct. But he was not a hero.
In this episode we will discuss the Robin Hood Effect, where criminals are labeled heroes. From the 1300's to today society has a penchant for proclaiming the good guy bad, and the bad guy good. It's not new, or even unusual, but we need to understand it and the severe problems it can cause.
The Robin Hood Effect is when people start viewing those who act out against society as the heroes and those who traditionally protect society as the villains. There are several common factors we have seen in this phenomenon.

The Outlaw is typically seen as a victim of injustice from the government.

The Outlaw is seen as a common harmless person of good intent.

The Outlaw is sacrificing his life for a political stance.

These outlaws turned heroes become very important to political, social, or economic causes and their “fight” is generally taken up by others.

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08/25/21 • 12 min

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All the Small Things

Blue Canary: For Cops By a Cop

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10/06/21 • 10 min

All the small things we tend to take for granted. People look at the uniforms police wear and just assume that the department purchased everything for them. Uniform shirts and pants, gun belt, handcuffs, gun, magazines, ammunition, radio, badge, the list goes on and on. All those small things add up.
In this episode of Blue Canary we are going to look at all of the little things that add up to big things and how many officers around the country have to buy their own equipment out of pocket.

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10/06/21 • 10 min

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FAQ

How many episodes does Blue Canary: For Cops By a Cop have?

Blue Canary: For Cops By a Cop currently has 55 episodes available.

What topics does Blue Canary: For Cops By a Cop cover?

The podcast is about Training, Society & Culture, Society, History, Personal Journals, Courses, Podcasts, Education and Police.

What is the most popular episode on Blue Canary: For Cops By a Cop?

The episode title 'The National Police Force' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Blue Canary: For Cops By a Cop?

The average episode length on Blue Canary: For Cops By a Cop is 23 minutes.

How often are episodes of Blue Canary: For Cops By a Cop released?

Episodes of Blue Canary: For Cops By a Cop are typically released every 14 days.

When was the first episode of Blue Canary: For Cops By a Cop?

The first episode of Blue Canary: For Cops By a Cop was released on Apr 13, 2020.

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4.9

out of 5

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7 Ratings