Hold The Air with Mike Darter

Mike Darter
  • 4.7 (12)
  • True Crime
  • Updated Biweekly

Real stories of courage, sacrifice, and heroism from the men and women who serve and protect our communities every day.

  1. Jun 25

    Hold The Air: Episode 14- Tommy Smith

    The bullet grazed Officer Tommy Smith’s head, but it wasn’t because of poor aim. The victims on the street were proof of the madman’s marksmanship.   Working out of Orange, New Jersy, Smith felt he had been pushed out of the line of a fatal round at the last millisecond.   Miles away, his brother, Officer Eddie Smith, and his wife were attending a wedding.   They were dancing at the reception when she saw the brothers’ father standing in the corner waiving to her.   Tommy had been alone when that shove came.   And their father had died nine months prior.

    1h 32m

  2. Jun 4

    Hold The Air: Episode 13- Chris Lapre

    After receiving a disturbance call about an armed individual wielding a machete, Sergeant Chris Lapre's SWAT team arrived at the scene. No contact could be made with the suspect, so Lapre ordered an officer to go to find position at the back of the house, hopeful to get eyes on the situation. That's when the sniper saw a man inside a bedroom window holding a sign that read, "HELP ME". Another sign followed: "I'm not the bad guy. Please don't shoot me." They motioned for him to crawl out of the window while they provided cover. But he couldn't. The hostage was confined to a wheelchair, handicapped, and the man with the machete was moments away from revealing himself. Chris Lapre was born and raised in Massachusetts. Even after his parents and brother, also an Officer, moved to Arizona, Chris had no plans to leave. That was until a particularly interesting day of directing traffic in 4 feet of snow. He ultimately joined his family, and, after witnessing the work his brother was doing with violent crime, Lapre decided to make the move permanent. "This is the type of police work I want to do."

    2h 46m

  3. May 14

    Hold The Air: Episode 12- Justin Wing

    In retrospect, Justin Wing's first ride-along as a civilian wasn't the most thrilling experience. But it didn't matter. "I was hooked." After applying for a position with the local department, Wing was immediately hired, and he went from a banker one day to a soon-to-be police officer the very next. Once on duty, Justin quickly took to the job. "I was pleasantly surprised by how much fun there was to be had for a guy who wanted to be proactive and go out and get after it." He once considered the town almost crime-free, but soon learned there was an underbelly that existed everywhere. "There were plenty of places to go, and if you were proactive, you could put bad guys in jail." Training and preparation are keys to Wing's confidence and success. "David and Goliath, people think David got in a lucky shot. But he'd been training his entire life. We have a call as men of war to prepare, so I believe training is a part of that, and that translates into my shooting, into my jiu-jitsu and MMA stuff, so that I'm capable to protect and defend my family." "I'm on the front lines of a spiritual war, not just a regular war. Once I was saved, I didn't know it could be this good, and it's all because of Jesus." Wing is quick to acknowledge the impact others have had on his life and, in spite of his duty to protect and serve, he firmly believes in love for his fellow man and wants all to be redeemed.

    2h 57m

  4. Apr 23

    Hold The Air: Episode 11 Jeff Locke

    Jeff Locke "Gang unit was really being the police. These were the worst of the worst. Early in my career, I realized those were the types I wanted to go after." At an infamous motel in Oklahoma City, drug dealers fronted two females who couldn't pay. Forced into prostitution to pay off their debts, one managed to escape and contact the police. Two responding Officers were met with gunfire by the leader, who used the remaining hostage as a shield while he crossed the motel's parking lot towards Interstate 35. After arriving at the scene with his partner, Locke quickly found himself staring into the eyes of a madman who was silently daring him to take a shot. Jeff Locke's prestigious career with the Oklahoma City Police Department began in 1987. Among his many accolades are the OKC Medal of Valor, the Street Warrior Award and recognition from the Special Olympics, FBI, and Oklahoma Attorney General's Office.

    22 min

  5. Apr 9

    Hold The Air: Episode 10- Brett Key/ Ed Smith

    Brett Key was attending Langston University and was stationed at the front door when he noticed his Loss and Prevention Supervisor at the local Sam's sprinting towards him. Brett had been asked to stand guard because someone had been stealing cigarettes, but he barely noticed a man walking past him holding a case of them before realizing what had just occurred. There were no first responders in Brett Key's family, no legacy of First Responders to guide him. But when he followed his instincts, rushed outside, and tackled the suspect, he had an epiphany that would change his life forever. After serving over 26 years, Brett co-founded and is the current CEO of Warriors Rest, an organization dedicated to First Responders who suffer from trauma associated with their jobs. https://warriorsrestfoundation.org/ A Combat Veteran of Vietnam, Ed Smith first served as an Officer in Madera County, California. And, in 1975, he was called to investigate a domestic dispute. The husband in the dispute, famous for using his rifle to shoot rabbits, met the responding Officers at his front door with that weapon. What resulted was a deadly shootout that lasted for over 2 hours. Ed carried the trauma of that gun battle with him for over 50 years before co-founding Warriors Rest alongside Brett Key.

    1h 14m

  6. Apr 7

    Hold The Air: Episode 9- Gary Eastridge

    From patrol to Tactical Unit to Homicide to Narcotics - where he and his partner were responsible for a then-record 8 kilo seizure of cocaine - Gary Eastridge spent over 20 years serving in the Oklahoma City Police Department. Born and raised in Skiatook, Oklahoma, Gary eventually retired at the turn of the century. But law enforcement was still in his blood, and he quickly found himself on a UN contract in Kosovo, first assigned to the detention center before moving to the murder squad. Post 9-11, Gary returned to Oklahoma, where he worked as a private investigator, handled Medical Board investigations, worked as security for the displaced New Orleans Hornets when the were temporarily relocated in Oklahoma City, and, finally, became Chief Investigator for the District Attorney's office. Eastridge currently works as the Critical Response Coordinator for CCW Safe.

    2h 32m
  7. Hold The Air: Episode 8- Mike Darter

    Feb 26

    Hold The Air: Episode 8- Mike Darter

    "Shadow, White Chocolate, Robo and other nicknames" Mike Darter

    2h 19m
  8. Hold The Air: Episode 7- Matt Patten

    Feb 12

    Hold The Air: Episode 7- Matt Patten

    Matt Patten

    1h 53m
See All (16)

Ratings & Reviews

4.7
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

Real stories of courage, sacrifice, and heroism from the men and women who serve and protect our communities every day.

Information

  • Creator
    Mike Darter
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    16
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Hold The Air with Mike Darter
  • Provider
    Hold The Air, LLC

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