#100 – “Message from the Hosts”

In this milestone 100th episode of the Blue Grit Podcast, hosts Tyler and Clint take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey of the podcast—where it started, how it’s grown, and what’s next for the law enforcement community’s favorite podcast.

From day one, Blue Grit has been about real conversations with real cops, sharing the grit, heart, and resilience that define this profession. Tyler and Clint dive into the podcast's impact—not just for officers in Texas but also for law enforcement professionals nationwide.

They discuss how the podcast evolved from its first episode to its current state, sharing behind-the-scenes stories and lessons learned. Looking back, they highlight some of the most memorable guests and interviews from the past 100 episodes and explain how TMPA’s commitment to training, leadership, and officer support has played a key role in its success.

This episode is more than just a reflection—it’s a look ahead. Tyler and Clint talk about what’s next for Blue Grit, from upcoming topics to future guests, and why the mission continues.

Whether you’ve been with us since episode #1 or just discovered Blue Grit, this episode is a must-listen. It’s a celebration of law enforcement dedication, perseverance, and brotherhood—and it’s just the beginning.

Chapters

• 0:00 Advocating for Texas Law Enforcement
• 8:24 Creating "Blue Grid"
• 15:20 Impactful Stories and Evolution of Podcast
• 21:02 National Law Enforcement Recognition and Updates
• 28:19 Texas Legislative Ideas and Listener Engagement

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

The honor that I've had is really the job that I get to do, and I'm honored to do every single day is continue to be that voice of Texas law enforcement through TMPA, because there's men and women out there right now that are riding in a patrol car with shitty leadership, shitty equipment, and I'm fortunate to work for an organization that fights to enhance that officer's environment. Welcome back viewers, watchers, listeners. I'm your host, tyler Owen, and co-host.

Speaker 2: 0:28

Clint McNair.

Speaker 1: 0:29

Man, we are doing things a little different. Right now we're on the old Zoom, Thanks to COVID. I think we're all kind of well experienced in that aspect. But we wanted to take a moment real quick on episode 100 and have a message from your host and kind of review the transition and progress of blue grit and man, what it, what it's, what it's evolved to. So, Clint, what's going on in your world?

Speaker 2: 0:55

Busy A little bit of a little bit of this, a little bit of that. Ledge is going on, FOP is fired up and um just attended some training recently. Just busy, man, Just busy. I know you stay on the road and supporting all the divisions in TMPA. What about you?

Speaker 1: 1:18

Man just living life. Uh, kiddos are starting sports and and, man, we're blowing and going with associations across the state. Uh, I may dive into kind of what you know. When, when I was hired with TMPA one of the things that, uh, you look at communications manager as a title but you don't I think we as an organization or we as a company, didn't really recognize kind of how what this position was going to transition into. And so, uh, for those listening out there that are association leaders, I'm always available to you guys as a resource.

Speaker 1: 1:46

That job role is picking up and so associations are reaching out on a daily basis of different issues. They've got going on with press releases and how to communicate with their city management or their media. It's just kind of the behind-the-scenes aspect of things. Man, what an honor it is to represent all 34,000 members of Texas law enforcement across the state and be working with Texas FOP. You've been instrumental with your role since we started the podcast. That's something you've kind of jumped into or dived off into, or I forgot how you like to say it. You're not voluntold, but you were kind of thrown into the fire and, man, what a good job you've done with bringing Texas FOP up to what it is today and continue to grow. And so, man, we've had some growing the last couple years, for sure.

Speaker 2: 2:32

It's been busy. And to your point about helping locals yeah.

Speaker 2: 2:37

Tyler's done a great job of it, but all of the field reps are here for you guys.

Speaker 2: 2:42

Yeah, and one of the things we recommend is, before you leap into a fight, contact your field rep or reach out to me or Tyler, reach out to somebody. Not because we know more than anybody, but we've been through good fights and rough fights and we've won some fights and we've had to lick our wounds and we've lost some fights. And so calling somebody that has been, it has been through the struggles of a crazy mayor, a bad city manager and incompetent chief, because one of the things that's helpful is having an outside lens to help you weigh. Do you have a lot of strength on your side to pick a fight, or is this maybe something you need to very delicately try and address, you know, with an olive branch, Because we don't ever want our members weighing into a fight and then calling us an hour later that they've been terminated. Yep, but we're always here for you.

Speaker 2: 3:40

A great point by Tyler. He's been really helpful in helping folks communicate on their social media or figure out statements or how to professionally interact through any communications. He's here for you guys as well.

Speaker 1: 3:55

Man, and a couple weeks ago, and to your point about the field reps, you've said it multiple times, but we've got a special recipe. I think that's what the success of TMPA is. It's a special recipe of our field reps, uh, the employees and membership, our executive staff, our board of directors, but also our members, and I think you know we as a team, as TMPA team, recognize that. And, man, again, it's an honor to represent all Texas law enforcement, uh, day in and day out. You know, when I first started this job, just like you did, I was hesitant because I was like man, I love putting people in jail and love putting handcuffs on them and I was hesitant to lay down the sword and not be involved as much as I was. But it truly is an honor to wake up every single day and live out the motto of Texas law enforcement meaning, or TNPA meaning the voice of Texas law enforcement being that voice.

Speaker 1: 4:40

And you know you see some of these fights that these guys are going through. And you know you see some of these fights that these guys are going through Just the other day you were talking about Red River County. You know those guys at one time was making what? $11, $12 an hour. And then you talked about it yeah, man, I mean, that's insane. And you talked about another agency where you know you showed up and they were to show. They were so humbled and honored that TMPA was there and you know them showing you a brand new, you know to them a brand new patrol car that had 150,000 miles on it. The, the conditions across law enforcement are not equal, and so it's an honor to kind of identify those and see what these, these men and women of law enforcement, really truly need and then be there when be advocates for them whenever they need it.

Speaker 2: 5:22

Yeah, and it's interesting when you travel around the assumptions people have about Texas and Texas law enforcement and either it feels like when you travel people either think all of our departments are like Houston with 5,000 officers, or they think all of our departments are rural Texas with one or two officers. And you know, we sister, we're partner agencies with Dallas and Houston, harris County. But I bet the vast majority of officers and departments in Texas there's 2,800 agencies are less than 10 or 15 officers. And the disparity in training, the disparity in pay, the disparity in equipment you have 500 officer agencies, 4,000 officer agencies. They're in a better predicament than deep East Texas, deep West Texas. We have a couple of counties in West Texas that has 70 people in the whole county and two cops trying to cover the whole county and, um, they're just. There's a huge disparity that I don't think people consider. And one of the things about team PA is we proudly support all of them, whether you're a massive agency or not.

Speaker 1: 6:36

Yeah, and not just on legal end or representing them, for you know the good fight with paid differences and so forth. But even at the Capitol, you know right now, uh, texas sessions or the legislative sessions going on, and there's going to be some monumental bills and monumental legislative stuff coming out about certain counties in the West Side, about corruption, and it's going to shine a light that, even through all that, even through all the adversities that our members are going through, they still produce and show up every day with a smile on their face, with a badge and gun on and willing to do their jobs even in the face of corruption amongst their elected officials. And you know they're in West Texas, and so we definitely are going to have a podcast, I think, on that when it's made public and looking forward to that when it's made public and looking forward to that. So, but yeah, man, that's all that's going on with us.

Speaker 1: 7:26

I don't think we've ever actually exposed or discussed just how the hell this, this podcast, started and what better way to do it. On the hundredth episode, you and I just went on Dallas ATO's podcast and kind of gave a a unique perspective about blue grit, how it got started, a little bit about about my history and getting into law enforcement. Let's talk about what was the brains behind this production, from your perspective on Blue Grit and how it got launched.

Speaker 2: 7:53

Yeah, and kudos to shout out to Joe King at Bridging the Divide ATO Podcast for the work that they're doing. They're literally saving cops' lives, making a difference not just at their department, but they've become a model across the country with their OWL unit, officer Wellness Longevity Unit. His podcast has a huge reach all over the world. Kudos to them, man, and we're thankful to have been on it. So the podcast started like a blind squirrel in the forest and President Travis Hammond past President Travis Hammond was the president at the time.

Speaker 2: 8:36

My boys got me into podcasts. I was kind of listening and watching podcasts at the time. The president at the time heard about it and blessed it immediately and thankfully said yeah, whatever you need to do, let's make this happen, ran it up the chain. It was approved pretty quick and then I didn't know what the hell to do. We were assigned basically a janitor's closet in headquarters. John Siriga, who's my supervisor, dove in. He and I started painting. I started researching like sound foam to put on the wall and got a pretty room. Then I didn't know what the hell we do from there. So I reached out to Aaron Slater. You started coming on board with it, aaron Slater. Joe King at ATO Podcast. Tony Godwin at Catfish Cops Podcast.

Speaker 1: 9:32

Yeah, just open their books up. You've said it multiple times, but law enforcement is kind of an alpha profession and, for whatever reason, we don't like to share our secrets. And I was shocked when you called me Number one. I didn't know, to be honest and to be transparent, I had never listened to a podcast before you had called me. Really, no, nope, didn't interest me, didn't have any interest in doing it. Uh well, I had never listened to one. And then, when you called, I started exploring and that's when, member, I had turned you on to the uh, oh, the motorcycle homicide. That's when I started. Yeah, so that's when I just started. You know, discovering man, these are, these are pretty impactful and just getting ideas and brainstorming. But what shocked me was was the amount of of willingness to help us succeed and hopeful that we would be bigger than where they were. And you don't find that law enforcement often. And so shout out to Tony Godwin and Joe King and them and Aaron Slater because it made it. When I say they open their books, I mean they legitimately, and they open their books to say, hey, this is the failures we had and this is what the equipment we've got, and you know how the hell can we help you all out? And so that's kind of where I come in with that.

Speaker 1: 10:46

But Clint and I begin late night phone calls and text messages of what the hell are we going to call this thing? What is this thing going to be called? And you had the vision of not solely focusing our efforts on one topic. Well, what do you mean, tyler? Well, what I mean is is we love our boys at TTPOA Texas Tactical Police Officers Association but we didn't want to just solely commit ourselves to tactical operations or SWAT stuff or just solely sell ourselves to mental health. We wanted it just to be if it remotely touches law enforcement, if it somewhat touches law enforcement in any way, shape or form. That's the direction we want to go and that was because of your thoughts and your efforts behind the scenes, and I honestly didn't Again, me and Clint. I'd always agree. Sometimes our visions are on different spectrums, but, man, it was a good call because we've had some pretty phenomenal guests on.

Speaker 2: 11:44

Yeah, the funny part, john and I painted the room, got the sound foam up kind of, started looking at equipment and he's like who's going to host this thing? I was like I think literally we were painting rolling the room and he's like who's going to host this thing? I was like I think literally we were painting roll in the room.

Speaker 1: 11:57

And he's like who's going to host this? I?

Speaker 2: 11:58

was like oh, I guess I am. He's like, well, who's your co-host?

Speaker 1: 12:04

It's like oh, I don't know, I haven't gotten that far.

Speaker 2: 12:09

And then when your name come up, I was like, yeah, it's a great fit. We're a little different in age and a little different in you know crowd that we may appeal to and who we relate to. And what I didn't know then as much was your creative ability as far as jumping into graphics and editing and producing. And I don't have a natural aptitude to jump on a computer and figure out how to edit a video or lay B roll over. And I don't know if you had any of that knowledge before. But if you hadn't come on board, if the podcast was still alive, it would probably look like kindergartners were producing and editing it, because I literally would not have figured it out. I don't have the aptitude for it, um, so it would have been a really ugly production.

Speaker 1: 13:00

Well, thank you for that. Uh, but, man, I I've always kind of had an interest in doing some video graphics, uh, but, quite honestly, when I, when I don't know something, which is a lot of the times listen, I'm a 20 year cop. All I knew is is putting bad people in jail and and uh, running and gunning for 20 years. But YouTube thankful for YouTube that they've got all these informational videos. So to listener out there, a viewer that's watching this, that has any interest in doing videography photography uh, marcus, 12 shot to him for the amazing videos he's producing with Dallas SWAT and Dallas Police Department YouTube will teach you so much and more than what you want to know, and so that's really kind of what we piggybacked off of. This is my envision. How can I incorporate my envision into TMPA's mission and incorporate that into Blue Grid? And so it was a joint effort. Man, there's so many people that have been a part of the success of this podcast, and so it's been really an honor to be a part of it.

Speaker 2: 13:54

So yeah, and I want to say again to your point you think the board and the executive staff, um, I think a couple at first thought I had lost my mind with a podcast idea. I know a couple thought I'd lost my mind and they still went all in. The board and executive staff went all in on it and it's been successful, probably in ways that we didn't figure that it would. And Joe Gamaldi and several people have always said that 10 years ago we lost police, lost the messaging war, because we never got into the war, we never messaged, and I'm proud, as we travel around and get feedback about the podcast and listeners approach, that it's given voice to law enforcement.

Speaker 2: 14:42

It gives us a chance to get our message out not meaning mine and yours, right Law enforcement's message we get to tell our version now. It's not just CNN that gets to tell theirs now. Yep, our version now. It's not just CNN that gets to tell theirs now, and I think it's caused the downfall of mainstream media, not us, but I think people in industries taking ownership of their message is crippling mainstream media's ability to control all messaging and we're a small spoke in that wheel. But and I don't take for granted, um, I don't take that for granted.

Speaker 2: 15:20

I want to ask you, what's the, what's the biggest surprise in doing the podcast that you didn't expect, or what have you appreciated about, about it?

Speaker 1: 15:32

Yeah, I think the feedback I think I didn't really expect. I mean, you and I have had this conversation multiple times and we've had it with board members and executive staff and field reps. I did not realize, number one, the amount of people who actually listen to podcasts. Number two, I didn't realize that this would be as successful as it has been. And again, it's not to our credit, to me and you, it's to our members, it's to members that we've brought on and the regions when they go back and they're proud to say that they were on Blue Grit Podcast and the reach that Blue Grit has been able to do.

Speaker 1: 16:06

And it goes back to your point about we're going to gain control of the narrative and we're going to push the narrative that's pro-law enforcement and speak facts and facts only, and that's it. And I think the biggest honor that I've had is is really the job that I'd get to do and I'm honored to do every single day is continue to be that voice of Texas law enforcement through TMPA. Um, because there's many women out there right now that are riding in a patrol car with shitty leadership, shitty equipment, and I'm fortunate to work for an organization that fights to enhance that officer's environment, and so the biggest honor I think with this podcast is seeing the growth and getting the feedback from listeners and viewers later on down the road and seeing the aspect of how it's changed their life and how they and how they operate and work and how they and how they operate and work yeah, yep, what about you?

Speaker 2: 16:58

what's your biggest shocker, I guess, after the podcast and seeing the seeing, seeing the success from from, from this perspective, I don't even really know, because I started this so blind that I didn't know what the result or what it would look like.

Speaker 1: 17:11

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 17:12

But the fulfillment for me now is letting people tell their story. Yep, um, and I've. I've had to travel a lot and I'm not on every single episode, like you and I were the first probably 75 episodes. But even if I'm not there, I don't care, because there's still incredible, freaking stories that this platform is allowing people to share and you start realizing that you know everybody's weathering a storm A lot of times you just don't know. You don't know what that storm is or that they're weathering one.

Speaker 2: 17:47

And um, there's there's some amazing stories and they're inspiring stories and I don't mean it cheesy, but some of the guests we've had on a couple of the female guests we've had on are freaking, so bad-ass that when I wake up having a pity party for myself, I quickly think of them and I'm like, yeah, um, roll your freaking fat butt out of bed because this is nothing. Um, and as I think back on some of the guests, the other one is is uh, and we've talked about it before some of the episodes that I'm like dude, this is going to be freaking massive episode kind of falls short and just barely comes out of the barrel. Some of the episodes that have just launched that I thought maybe were scary or people wouldn't like are massive episodes for us. Again, that goes back to my ignorance or my blindness of not knowing what it is, but it's been a cool ride. It's been a cool ride.

Speaker 1: 18:47

but watching our members share their stories and the feedback listeners give on those stories yep is, uh, is freaking cool well, and I think that we as an organization, tmpa, I think that the reason our success is the way it is is because we are willing to change and evolve. And I think that with the podcast, if you think to listener and viewer out there, if you process everything, you're thinking just like we did. And we've had some phenomenal guests and I'm not discrediting their stories at all. You think you know, uh, victor Avila, his partner, was shot and killed in Mexico at Monterey. Uh, you know my story with Scott Burns we had Chris Dotson on the deputy that was facing prison time after, you know, beating the shit out of a handcuffed suspect.

Speaker 1: 19:34

I mean, those are very impactful stories but they also take time to get those people in and identify those awesome episodes and awesome stories. But the reality and, to your point about the success, the reality is is that it took a little bit of time for me to recognize this is that man, this is our members platform, uh, and it goes back to the point of having members come on and simply tell their story about what there's, what's going on in their life. Those are the episodes that tend to blow up because they go back to the region. So I'll say this if you um are interested in coming on the Blue Grit Podcast, man, don't be shy to reach out. Reach out to me or Clint bluegrit at tmpaorg and man, we'll certainly arrange for you to come in and share your story and share what's going on with you and Texas law enforcement.

Speaker 2: 20:21

So, on that, what episodes do we have upcoming? What do we have on the calendar?

Speaker 1: 20:26

We've got potentially two district attorneys I won't name the counties because it's still in the planning stages, but they have been identified as a little bit leaning to the left and would be summarized maybe as a little bit pro-criminal, and so there's going to be some hard questions asked of really what the hell they're thinking during these processes. We've got those upcoming, potentially next couple of weeks. We've got the national law enforcement, uh hall of fame, and I think you, you're the one that set up that, that podcast. I'll let you kind of talk about that. That's next week, and so those will be pushed out then.

Speaker 2: 21:02

Yeah, the founders of national law enforcement officer hall of Officer Hall of Fame doing great work to try and recognize law enforcement and their accomplishments. They'll be coming on. Their gala is coming up here in about a month, recognizing law enforcement and people that have contributed to our industry. Contributed to our industry. Yeah, one of the recipients is Rick Smith, the founder and owner of Axon, being recognized this year. But they're doing a lot of great work trying to really highlight the work that we do. Yeah, also, melania Tyler coming on, which is going to be a freaking, really, really good story. Yes, persever, perseverance, struggle, um that one may be a two parter or a three parter or a four parter. Her story is is amazing and we're going to hear all facets of law enforcement her, her, her struggles through life and then, uh, where she's at now and how that's influenced with law enforcement.

Speaker 1: 22:10

I'm really looking forward to that one. That's going to be cool. We've also got, finally, south Texas field representative from the Rio Grande Valley, jp Rodriguez, is coming on to share his law enforcement history and law enforcement experience and kind of how his career has kind of progressed. He's coming on the podcast too in a couple of weeks. So, man, we're just blowing and going. Things are going good. Texas Peace Office Memorial. For dates thrown out there April 26th 2025. There at the Capitol is the Texas Peace Office Memorial. We are going to be there honoring those fallen officers for this session and then our conference is going to be July 26. Is that? Is that right, clint?

Speaker 2: 22:52

uh, July 26th through 28th, I believe yeah, Um it's going to be a good time.

Speaker 1: 22:59

We're pushing out some information, we're working with Relentless Defender, our sponsors, for one of our awards there at our conference, and so we're working to get those graphics pushed out, hopefully first or second week of March. And so, man, it's just good times in the Western Front for sure.

Speaker 2: 23:16

Yeah, a couple updates on the FOP side. The FOP Texas State Board meeting is April 11 through13, I believe, in Wichita Falls. Let me double check those dates April 11-13 in Wichita Falls is Texas FOP State Board meeting. National FOP conference is in Miami August 3-8 in Miami, August 3rd through the 8th in Miami. And Texas has thrown our name in the hat to host the 2029 National FOP conference in Houston. So about 5,500 to 6,000 cops from across the country and some outside the US will converge. If we win that bid. Right now it's us versus Detroit and the feedback I'm getting around the country is that's a no-brainer. They can vote now on that.

Speaker 1: 24:11

Yeah, Talk about real quick what people are to expect. I've seen some endorsements from different state chapters already coming out. For now, president Patrick Coase, talk about the process and how that works, and maybe what the upcoming endorsement is going to look like from Texas FOP about the national yes, at the Supreme Board meeting I'm sure we'll discuss endorsements of the national board.

Speaker 2: 24:40

The current seated board has done a phenomenal job. They got HR 82 passed. They have planted the FOP flag on the national map as the only national organization representing cops about 380,000 at this point, and then at national conferences when elections for the national board will occur and there's training speakers it's a good time. Conferences when elections for the national board will occur and there's training speakers it's a good time. It's a great opportunity to be around. You know Detroit, chicago, nypd, lapd there's cops from all over the United States. Fifty five hundred to six thousand cops will converge in one place. That'll take place in Miami.

Speaker 2: 25:21

National National Police Week, may 11 through 14 this year Another bucket list item. If folks haven't been to Police Week in DC, it's a bucket list item. I would imagine this year President Trump will be there and, knowing this administration, I would imagine plenty of them may be involved. He's been a really good friend of FOP. One last FOP thing we got an HRAD2 pass. Now on our horizon is the Protect and Serve Act Yep.

Speaker 2: 25:53

Last year number of officers shot was down slightly, but that's super deceiving because the number of officers actually killed was up. So more were shot, less were shot but more died. And the number of officers killed by ambush was also up, although the numbers if you only look at the number of shots seems deceiving that it was lower. More of us are getting murdered and more of us are being ambushed. Fop has the Protect and Serve Act filed. So if a Soros-funded DA doesn't want to prosecute a bad guy, it'll be a federal crime. If you intentionally target the police, basically like a hate crime, it'll be a federal offense. If you target law enforcement, because the numbers can be deceiving and we're still people and we've got to stay in the fight.

Speaker 1: 26:47

Yeah, speaking of that, our hearts and prayers go out to Corpus Christi. One of their officers was shot. Thankful that the injury was minor, but quick custody aspect of it. A couple hours later they were able to get him in custody. But yeah, it goes back to your point of these Soros-funded DAs of it. A couple hours later they were able to get him in custody. But yeah, it goes back to your point of these Soros-funded DAs. Neusis County, right there in Corpus Christi, just got rid of a DA that was Soros-funded and very liberal and wasn't doing his job, and so now Corpus Christi is seeing the effects of that, as we're seeing in Travis Berry County and Dallas County, and it seems like Sean Teer is doing a great job there in Harris County. But time will tell and we're hopeful, as we've had him on the podcast as well, to kind of explain his standings on different things. But yeah, I think that the Protecting Cervak is going to be the be-all and hopefully will fix some of these Soros-funded DAs for sure. Yep, so, man, you got anything else?

Speaker 2: 27:46

Other than I never thought I would see a hundredth episode. Uh, it's crazy, man I I was hoping we'd get through five episodes. Uh, so incredibly humbled to be a part of this ride and however long I'm able to be a part of this ride, I'm I'm humbled and honored.

Speaker 1: 28:01

Drop your comments. Drop in the comments what's your favorite episode and why. And also, we're going to poll our members. I've gotten two phone calls this week about TMPA possibly pushing out something separate than the podcast of a short tidbit of a three to five minute news brief. This is what's going on across Texas. This is our legislative ideas. Let us know what you think across Texas. This is our legislative ideas. Let us know what you think about that. Let us know how you think we can accomplish that. We've got some ideas ourselves. We want to see what your thoughts are. Man, with all that being said, we cannot thank y'all enough for being loyal listeners and viewers and watchers. Man, what a ride it's been on for the 100th episode. Hopefully we'll have 100 more.

Speaker 2: 28:43

I love it, I love it, I love it. In addition, your favorite episode, drop it down there if you've got a guest in mind uh if you like, got a story you want to come on and tell. Uh, throw it down in the comments below.

Speaker 1: 28:53

We'd love to hear from you well, you guys, take care, stay safe, as always. May god bless you and god bless Texas. We're out. The name Zafira means ''Clean'' in Arabic and means ''Clean'' in Arabic. The name Zafira means ''Clean'' in Arabic and means ''Clean'' in Arabic, the. The name Zafira means ''Pure'' Religion, ''major''.

Speaker 2: 30:43

Religion ''Muslim''. Thank you.