Maine Responder | Leadership • Growth • Resilience

Elliott Moya, Chief of Police | Resilience, Growth & Leadership Stories
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Self-Improvement

Some conversations stay with you long after they're over. Maine Responder is a podcast about leadership, growth, human performance, and the work that changes us. Hosted by police chief, veteran, Elliott Moya, and regularly joined by Billy Dries, whose background in law enforcement and expertise in fitness, breath work, cold-water training, and optimizing physical performance explore the physical and mental sides of becoming our best, each episode tackles the questions that don't have easy answers—how responsibility shapes us, how purpose evolves, and how we continue to grow through careers that demand so much of us. While many conversations begin through the lens of law enforcement and first response, they rarely end there. Leadership, resilience, identity, decision-making, mental performance, moral injury, family, and personal growth are challenges shared by anyone who carries responsibility for others.

  1. 4d ago

    Live With End in Your Sights.

    We spend a lot of time thinking about what’s next: the next shift, the next project, the next trip, the next time we’ll call somebody. But what about what’s happening right now? In this solo episode of Maine Responder, Elliott starts with the completely rational behavior of dog people when a dog goes missing and somehow ends up at memento mori: the old reminder that none of this lasts forever. But this isn’t an episode about dying. It’s about the opposite. Kids grow up. Friends get older. Dogs definitely don’t stay with us long enough. And sometimes the people we love end up getting whatever version of us is left at the end of the day. Maybe the reminder isn’t that we’re running out of time. It’s that we still have some. Hug your kid. Pet the dog. Call your friend. Burn some PTO. And apparently... we might be getting another dog.

  2. Sep 17

    Are We Our Own Worst Enemy? Self-Talk, Peer Support & the Stories We Tell Ourselves

    After getting some constructive criticism about negative self-talk on a previous episode, Elliott and Billy dig into the difference between negativity, self-doubt, and simply being realistic. Can recognizing that something is going to be difficult actually help prepare you for it? And when does realistic self-talk cross the line into something that holds you back? The conversation moves into law enforcement, where mindset, training, confidence, and the stories we tell ourselves can have real consequences. After a difficult call, first responders may have the facts—but the mind can keep digging, filling in unanswered questions and creating a story around what happened. Sometimes, having everything you need means allowing the facts to simply be the facts. Elliott and Billy also discuss peer support after critical incidents and the role supervisors and command staff play in making it accessible. Instead of asking an officer, “Do you want peer support?” and putting the decision on them in the moment, maybe leadership should simply set it up, make it available, and then get out of the way. And somehow, all of that leads exactly where you would expect a Maine Responder conversation to go: Tom Selleck, old-school cop mustaches, questionable modern mustaches, and the possibility of a Maine Responder mustache challenge. In this episode: • Negative self-talk vs. realistic self-assessment • Confidence, self-doubt, and preparing for challenges • How training builds genuine confidence • The stories first responders can create around difficult calls • Knowing when to stop searching for an answer that may not exist • Peer support following critical incidents • Why supervisors may need to simply set it up and step aside • Building peer support into agency culture • The return of the mustache • Billy is going to grow one Conversations about the work, the pressure, and the lives shaped by service. Maine Responder Podcast

  3. Aug 10

    When the Job Becomes Your Identity.

    What happens when the career you dreamed about doesn't become what you thought it would? In this episode of the Maine Responder Podcast, Elliott and Billy have an honest conversation about identity, purpose, expectations, and disappointment in first responder careers. We come into police work—and many first responder professions—with an idea of what we're joining. Brotherhood. Sisterhood. Camaraderie. Purpose. Lifelong friendships. A calling. But what happens when reality doesn't match the version of the job we built in our heads? Maybe the profession didn't fail us. Maybe some of our disappointment comes from asking the job to be something it never promised to be. Elliott and Billy talk about the difference between finding purpose in the work and allowing the work to become your identity, why disappointment can hit first responders so hard, and why the academy and traditional Field Training Officer (FTO) programs may prepare officers to do the job without necessarily preparing them for what a career will do to them. That leads to a bigger idea: what if we prepared new officers for the emotional side of a career with the same intentionality we use to teach tactics, policy, and procedure? They also get into personal accountability, bad supervisors, missed promotions, mistakes, organizational disappointment, and the uncomfortable question that runs underneath the entire conversation: How much of ourselves are we asking the job to hold? Love the job. Take pride in it. Give a shit about what you do. Just don't forget who you are without it. In this episode:Identity vs. purpose • First responder culture • Police officer wellness • Career disappointment • Law enforcement leadership • FTO and officer development • Emotional intelligence • Personal accountability • Brotherhood and camaraderie • Life beyond the badge

  4. Jul 28

    Don’t Drag Shit Into the House

    Some conversations last five minutes and somehow leave you exhausted. You were fine before they walked into the room. Now you’re irritated, tense, anxious, or replaying the conversation in your head. So how much of what you’re carrying is actually yours? In this episode of the Maine Responder Podcast, Elliott talks about paying attention to what we absorb from the people around us—especially as first responders and leaders. We don’t get to avoid every difficult conversation, and sometimes the uncomfortable conversations are the ones we need to have. But we can become more aware of what we carry away from them. And there’s another side to it: if other people can change the energy we bring into a room, what are we bringing into theirs? Because eventually the shift ends. You get in the car. You drive home. And the people waiting for you didn’t step in whatever you stepped in that day. Check your shoes. You might have stepped in some sh*t today. That’s life. Just don’t drag it through the house.

    Don’t Drag Shit Into the House

  5. Jul 20

    What a Benson Boone Concert Taught Me About Intentional Living

    Last week, I went to a Benson Boone concert expecting nothing more than a fun night with my family. I left thinking about something completely different. Somewhere in the middle of the show, I realized I wasn't listening to the music anymore—I was watching the performer. What looked effortless on stage wasn't just talent. It was preparation. Discipline. Thousands of ordinary decisions nobody ever gets to see. That led me to ask a question I've been thinking about ever since: How much of my life is intentional...and how much of it is simply reactive? In this solo episode of Maine Responder, I reflect on leadership, personal growth, intentional living, and the mindset that first responders develop after years of reacting to whatever comes next. We explore why "busy" has become our default answer, how discipline often looks like talent from the outside, and why the life we want is built through small, consistent decisions. Whether you're a first responder, leader, or someone looking to be more intentional with your time, this conversation is about designing your life instead of simply reacting to it. In This EpisodeA family trip to a Benson Boone concertWhy talent is really preparation in disguiseThe first responder mindset outside of workBusy vs. intentional livingDesigning your life instead of reactingLeadership, discipline, and ordinary daily decisions

  6. Jul 3

    Gratitude Challenge: The Results. Part 2

    Can a simple gratitude exercise actually change the way you think? For 30 days, I committed to answering five questions every night—not because I expected a dramatic transformation, but because I wanted to honestly see if it made a difference. In this episode, I share the five biggest takeaways from that experience. We talk about why we often give one negative moment more weight than an entire day of positive experiences, how our minds can convince us of stories that aren't completely true, why recognizing your own strengths can be surprisingly difficult, and how small daily reflections can expose patterns that are easy to overlook. This isn't an episode about pretending life is perfect. It's a conversation about attention, perspective, and becoming more aware of the stories we tell ourselves. Whether you're a first responder, leader, or simply someone interested in personal growth, I hope this episode gives you something to think about. In this episode: Why I decided to try a 30-day gratitude challengeThe five questions I answered every nightWhy one bad moment can outweigh an entire good dayWhat I learned about isolation and the stories we tell ourselvesThe surprisingly difficult question: "What do you like about yourself?"How repeated journaling exposed patterns I couldn't ignoreWhy this exercise became more about attention than gratitude 00:00 – Why I Tried a Gratitude Challenge02:10 – The Five Daily Questions04:05 – When It Started Feeling Like Homework05:20 – Takeaway #1: We Give the Bad Too Much Weight08:45 – Takeaway #2: The Story We Tell Ourselves11:40 – Takeaway #3: The Hardest Question14:40 – Takeaway #4: Patterns Don't Lie17:00 – Takeaway #5: It Was Never About Gratitude20:00 – Final Thoughts: More Good Than You Think🌐 Website: https://maineresponder.com If you enjoyed this episode, please consider following the podcast and leaving a review. It helps more people discover these conversations. Become More Capable.

  7. Jul 2 ·  Bonus

    We Tried First2Respond Jerky... Here's Our Honest Review

    Can a beef jerky actually earn a permanent spot in a patrol bag? In this episode of Maine Responder, Billy and I put First2Respond Jerky to the test. We talk flavor, texture, ingredients, and whether we'd actually recommend it to fellow first responders. What makes this company stand out isn't just the jerky—it's their mission to support the first responder community. If you're looking for an honest, unscripted review with a few laughs along the way, this episode is for you. 🥩 Support First2Respond Jerky: https://www.first2respondjerky.com Use code MAINERESPONDER to save 25% on your order. If you enjoy conversations about first responder culture, leadership, wellness, and the gear and products that support the profession, subscribe and join us for future episodes. #MaineResponder #BeefJerky #FirstResponder #PolicePodcast #LawEnforcement #ProductReview

  8. Jun 24

    Yoga for First Responders: Stress, Tension & Recovery

    What started as a simple yoga class turned into an unexpected lesson in stress, tension, and self-awareness. In this episode of Maine Responder, Elliott shares his experience attending a Yoga for First Responders session at the York County Regional Training Center. Co-host Billy asks the questions many first responders might have themselves: What's the point? Is it actually useful? And what can you realistically take away from it? As the conversation unfolds, Elliott discusses the hesitation he felt before attending, the importance of breathing, an unexpected moment during a yoga pose called "thread the needle," and a realization that many first responders may relate to—carrying tension without even knowing it. Topics include: • Yoga for First Responders • First responder wellness and resilience • Stress, tension, and recovery • Breathing and nervous system regulation • Physical and mental health in public safety • Building healthier habits and self-awareness • Community and connection among first responders Sometimes the biggest lessons come from stepping outside your comfort zone. Be Well. Stay Safe. https://www.yogaforfirstresponders.org/

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Some conversations stay with you long after they're over. Maine Responder is a podcast about leadership, growth, human performance, and the work that changes us. Hosted by police chief, veteran, Elliott Moya, and regularly joined by Billy Dries, whose background in law enforcement and expertise in fitness, breath work, cold-water training, and optimizing physical performance explore the physical and mental sides of becoming our best, each episode tackles the questions that don't have easy answers—how responsibility shapes us, how purpose evolves, and how we continue to grow through careers that demand so much of us. While many conversations begin through the lens of law enforcement and first response, they rarely end there. Leadership, resilience, identity, decision-making, mental performance, moral injury, family, and personal growth are challenges shared by anyone who carries responsibility for others.

Information

  • Creator
    Elliott Moya, Chief of Police | Resilience, Growth & Leadership Stories
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    28
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Elliott Moya, Chief of Police | Resilience, Growth & Leadership Stories
  • Show Website
    Maine Responder | Leadership • Growth • Resilience

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