Dallas – Working as a first responder can be a stressful job, but a group of Dallas police officers have found an outlet through podcasts. This is one of the top law enforcement podcasts in the nation.
The Dallas Police Association building is where law enforcement stories come to life.
“We're all humans first and foremost, and everyone has a story,” Dallas Police Officer Joe King said.
The Assist the Officer Foundation's podcast “Bridging the Divide” focuses primarily on law enforcement in North Texas. Guests include everyone from the police officers who worked during President John F. Kennedy's assassination to Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia.
“We even sent officers to the Los Angeles Police Department (Cedar Rapids, Iowa),” King said. “There were Navy SEALs who were actually part of the bin Laden mission.”
Mr King, who is also a board member of the ATO, came up with the idea of starting a podcast to support the mental health of police officers.
“We knew our officers were going to share a very vulnerable moment in their lives,” said Dallas Police Department Senior Sgt. Daniel Canete said.
Canete shared his experience working for the Dallas Police Department.
“I'm with SWAT in Dallas, so we've had a few episodes that specifically deal with SWAT topics. This gives listeners a better understanding of the law enforcement side of things and what we go through.” I feel like it has become,” Canete said.
Approximately three episodes air each month, and another focus is preserving the history of the Dallas Police Department.
“This is our Wall of Honor honoring the 92 Dallas police officers who died in the line of duty,” said Sergeant John Johnson, assistant to the president of the Police Officers Foundation. Ed Lujan said. “Some of the stories you hear on our podcast are about these heroes.”
People in all 50 states and 84 countries have downloaded the podcast, and organizers say they plan to continue doing so.
“We're just shocked that we're getting so many messages from officers from all over the world saying this means something to them,” Canete said.
“This gives them a platform to tell their stories in hopes of helping others,” King said. “Your story may save someone's life.”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott presented the podcast with the 2023 Law Enforcement Achievement Award, but the men in blue said their real accomplishments are helping improve the lives of their fellow first responders.
