ATO: BRIDGING THE DIVIDE

ATO:BRIDGING THE DIVIDE
ATO: BRIDGING THE DIVIDE

The Dallas Assist the Officer Foundation in Dallas Texas was created in 1999 to assist the first responder community financially if they suffered injury, illness or death. Now the ATO is providing a stage to hear their incredible stories so we can learn, heal and honor those who served before and after us. Take a journey with the ATO hosts as we provide the loyal listener a peek behind the curtain of the very complex and trauma filled first responder world. Hosts Dallas Officer Joe King, Danny Canete, Kent Wolverton, and retired LE Misty Vancuren. ATODALLAS.ORG Instagram: ato_bridging_divide Contact us at atobridging@gmail.com #Dallas #Texascrime #firstresponders #mentalhealth #policestories #firefighters #firstresponderpodcast #wellness #police #policepodcasts #coplife #policecriticalincidents #truecrime #policedetectives #SWAT #DallasSWAT #truecrimejunkie #truecrimeobsessed #crime #murder #truecrimefan #truepolicestories #podcasts #Policechief #Dallaspolice

  1. 24 FEB

    Episode 109 Barnstable Massachusetts Police Officer Brandon Sanders #324

    Today’s episode will highlight one of this shows founding missions in truly connecting to people from all over. This guest has traveled over 1,800 miles to join us for this show to tell his story. Barnstable PD Officer Brandon Sanders has a unique story in his journey to policing as his childhood could have very well created a different path but it was a chance meeting of a young police officer that became a big brother and showed him what the brotherhood was about. Brandon grew up in Hull Massachusetts and learned, at a young age, what domestic disturbances looked like, and he also had to “police” his home as child. This upbringing created a divide in the family and set the tone for the next several years as Brandon has not had contact with a part of his family, and a grandmother he has never met. Traveling to Dallas Texas wasn’t just about sitting to record a podcast but also to go on a journey of forgiveness and openness as he wanted to seek out the grandmother that he never met. At the time of this recording Brandon only told us his mission to finally met his estranged relatives but had not taken that trip south of Dallas to find his grandmother. We are very happy to report that, after this recording, Brandon and his fiancé Chanelle went to the small town of Gun Barrell City and finally met his grandmother. This shows platform to bridge divides and have connectivity is something that we will always strive to achieve….. This story is more than just a cop war story. Enjoy!

    1h 23m
  2. 4 FEB

    Episode 108 Dallas Police Deputy Chief Samuel Sarmiento #7100 and Lieutenant Saul Sarmiento #7293: A Police Family Tree

    This episode will feature twin brothers that have dedicated their lives to the city of Dallas and to the police profession. However, their family name started here in Dallas in 1988 when their brother, Israel, joined the Dallas Police Department and immediately become a recruiter. Next would be their cousin, Miguel, to join the PD and then these twin brothers. Saul and Sammy grew up in Progresso Texas in a family of fifteen siblings and learned the definition of work ethic early on. As the family traveled the country to work the agriculture fields they learned to survive on hard work and family closeness that most do not get to experience. Today we sit down with the twins, Sam and Saul, to talk about their lives, their blood family, and their blue family as we take the listener from Progresso Texas to Dallas Texas in telling their story. ATO please welcome on the Sarmiento twins, Deputy Chief Samuel Sarmiento, and Lieutenant Saul Sarmiento of the Dallas Police Department. Critical Incidents Discussed: Saturday April 14th, 2001: Dallas SWAT member, Israel Sarmiento #5803 was killed in a motorcycle accident in Dallas Texas. His death greatly impacted the Dallas Police Department as he was a greatly respected leader and friend. More so it left a void in the Sarmiento family that can never be filled. October 23, 2002: Officer Patrick Metzler was killed when his patrol car was struck from behind by a drunk driver while he provided traffic control at a construction site. March 23rd, 2007: Sr. Cpl. Mark Nix was shot and killed as he attempted to apprehend a murder suspect in Northwest Dallas. October 12, 2022: Dallas Police Officer Jacob Arellano was killed in a vehicle accident while on his was to work. A drunk driver caused this tragedy. He was survived by his fiancé Alyssa, his son Nolan, twin brother Joshua, Father Frank, Mother Rebecca, and sister Mia. October 22, 2022: Methodist Dallas Medical shooting occurred when a suspect opened fire on Katie Flowers and Jacqueline Pokuaa, resulting in both of their deaths. The suspect was later arrested after a brief standoff inside the hospital. August 29th, 2024: Dallas Officer Darron Burks was murdered in the line of duty in Southwest Dallas. Officer Burks was ambushed by a suspect as he pulled into an Oak Cliff Community Center. The suspect then waited to ambush responding Officers David and Farmer as they approached Burks vehicle, shooting Officer David in the face and Officer Farmer in the leg with a shotgun.

    2h 33m
  3. 19 JAN

    Episode 107 Retired Los Angeles PD Lt. Jeff Wenninger: To Protect and to Serve

    Welcome back ATO Family Today we bring you a story from a retired servant that served over three decades in Los Angeles County. Jeff Wenninger grew up in Kent Ohio and was raised in a unique blended family during a time in this country that family diversity was rare. Jeff realized that his natural physical prowess led him to dominate hockey and set him on a path to learning a new type of resiliency and leadership style. He hired on with the LA County Sheriffs office and worked there until he joined the historic Los Angeles Police Department where he served thirty years and retired as a Lt. This will tell his story of how he grew into a natural leader and developed a style that garnered the attention of the command staff to trust him in leading high profile units. Jeff took over the RAMPART CRASH Unit after the scandal that rocked the Department and the police profession from the late 90s to the early 2000s. This event has been glamorized in tv and film and spurred movies like Training Day and the hit show, the Shield. Today Jeff is the founder and CEO of Law Enforcement Consultants LLC and has a mission to assist department and assist agencies to be the best organization they can be to serve. The release of this episode is timely due to the upcoming inauguration of President Donald Trump as Jeff shares his insight on the intricacies of dignitary protection in today’s world with constant threats in the United States and afar. https://lawenforcementconsultants.com/ Critical Incidents: November 22nd, 1963: The assassination of President John F Kennedy in Dallas Texas. Rampart scandal, official inquiry (1998–2000) into corruption among officers of the Rampart Division of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). More than 70 officers were implicated in misconduct, including unprovoked beatings and shootings, planting and covering up evidence, stealing and dealing drugs, and perjury. July 13th, 2024, in Butler Pennsylvania: Attempt assassination of President Donald Trump during a campaign rally.

    1h 59m
  4. 2 JAN

    Episode 105 Dallas PD Forensics Supervisor Courtney Lozano: In Remembrance of Michelle Fletcher T256

    Welcome back ATO Family We finally get to discuss an integral function in law enforcement and the criminal justice system, the Crime Scene Response Unit. Today’s guest has a Master’s degree in Forensic Science, currently working on Doctorate, and is a dedicated member of the Dallas Police Department’s Crime Scene Unit. It is up to the trained crime scene investigator to take advantage of every scientific and technological development in forensic investigation in order to correctly analyze, retrieve and collect evidence from the scene of any crime. Crime scene analysis combines the human factor with scientific procedures and methods to interpret what has occurred. While the scientific evidence may speak for itself, it requires human understanding and voices to translate that evidence into a court of law in order to ensure that justice is always served. Today we are sitting down with one of Dallas Pd’s Forensic specialists and someone who supervises our great Crime Scene Response Unit. She will walk us through their functions and shed some light on some of the facts vs myths of the job……..and we will also show how vital this unit is to investigations and prosecutions… Courtney Lozano welcome to the ATO stage….. Critical Incident Discussed: September 6th, 2024 The tragic death of Dallas Crime Analyst Carmen Michelle Fletcher. Michelle was killed in a horrific car crash in Fort Worth on 9/6/2024 at approximately 6:30 pm.

    1h 41m

About

The Dallas Assist the Officer Foundation in Dallas Texas was created in 1999 to assist the first responder community financially if they suffered injury, illness or death. Now the ATO is providing a stage to hear their incredible stories so we can learn, heal and honor those who served before and after us. Take a journey with the ATO hosts as we provide the loyal listener a peek behind the curtain of the very complex and trauma filled first responder world. Hosts Dallas Officer Joe King, Danny Canete, Kent Wolverton, and retired LE Misty Vancuren. ATODALLAS.ORG Instagram: ato_bridging_divide Contact us at atobridging@gmail.com #Dallas #Texascrime #firstresponders #mentalhealth #policestories #firefighters #firstresponderpodcast #wellness #police #policepodcasts #coplife #policecriticalincidents #truecrime #policedetectives #SWAT #DallasSWAT #truecrimejunkie #truecrimeobsessed #crime #murder #truecrimefan #truepolicestories #podcasts #Policechief #Dallaspolice

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