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This week's episode is a chat with my guy, Kurt Hoffler...a retired LEO turned Video Content Strategist and a regular member of the monthly DEBRIEF call.

Kurt's exudes positive energy, is always encouraging others to lean into their hobbies and passions, and just a darn good guy who's always smiling.

Kurt is from Connecticuit and grew up in the church. When he was playing AAU basketball, one of the coaches was a detective and he really leaned into him and decided to work in law enforcement.

Kurt started as a dispatcher for the State Police, worked in Juvenile Detention, and finally went through a live in police academy. He began working at UCONN in 2004 and enjoyed several positions...most of which included collaboration and had a community aspect. During Covid, his department was undergoing the accreditation process and he was asked to help with a video to assist...they passed. When he was eligible to retire, he did and had no regrets.

His retirement took a bit of a detour and he ended up moving to Washington DC and getting hired by George Washington University, where he served as a Sergeant. He spent a couple years there, while also leaning into his passion for audio engineering and videography. Pretty soon, he realized, he retired for a reason and decided to leave law enforcement a second time.

Kurt says he's the same person, but has less stress and is more relaxed. When asked what he believes his purpose is now, he stated it's storytelling, through a lens. Kurt's advice to those facing the "just a cop" mindset, is to surround yourself with people outside of law enforcement, who will help you grow.

Make sure to connect with Kurt on LinkedIn, here or on Instagram, here.

If you haven't already...make sure you follow me on LinkedIn and on Instagram at @_nextshift_ AND @the_jessflores

If this podcast resonates with you or you feel like it could help someone else, please feel free to share it with them and/or on your social media platforms...but be sure to tag me so I can personally say THANK YOU!

Be sure to subscribe by clicking the + sign at the top and if you feel called to do so, I'd love to hear your thoughts in a review.

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This week's episode is a conversation with Betsy Smith, aka Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith, and boy does she have some spunk!

It was such a fun convo and we touched on some topics we haven't necessarily covered on this show...like being a female in law enforcement...especially in the 80s - 90s.

For those of you who don't know Betsy, you're missing out...but, as a short intro...she is a retired LEO, Police Trainer, National Spokesman for National Police Association, on the Executive Board for The Wounded Blue, a cancer survivor, a wife, mother, fur mom, and now grandmother.

As you can see, retired life has NOT slowed her down at all!

Betsy talked about being a farm girl in Illinois in the 60s and 70s, and how she knew in Junior High that she wanted to be a cop. There were no female characters in the cop TV shows at that time and it inspired her. She was a police dispatcher in HS/College and became a cop in 1980, where she spent 29 years in a Chicago Suburb.

Betsy had a heck of a "welcome to policing" moment in the academy that I'm sure the person making the statement thought would make her leave...but it only made her more determined. She spent time on patrol, undercover (favorite role), on a task force, was an FTO, a Detective, a Sergeant, and eventually turned down Lieutenant. Betsy even starred on a Reality TV Show her last year and a half.

Due to Betsy's extensive experience in speaking, writing, and training...I asked her for advice to those looking to get into that during or after their career. She said to prepare NOW...start writing articles, do informal trainings, and go to conferences.

When asked how life has changed after law enforcement, she stated she is far less cynical, she has embraced her faith, and focused on fitness for health.

If you are not connected with Betsy, you can connect with her on Instagram, here, and on LinkedIn, here.

FYI- This conversation was recorded prior to The Wounded Blue Survival Summit, which is mentioned at the end of this episode and while that conference is now in the past...you can check out their upcoming Summit by following them on social media.

If you haven't already...make sure you follow me on LinkedIn and on Instagram at @_nextshift_ AND @the_jessflores

If this podcast resonates with you or you feel like it could help someone else, please feel free to share it with them and/or on your social media platforms...but be sure to tag me so I can personally say THANK YOU!

Be sure to subscribe by clicking the + sign at the top and if you feel called to do so, I'd love to hear your thoughts in a review.

You can NOW wear the mission of The Next Shift Podcast, with merch! Check out our current designs, here.

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This week's episode is a conversation with Vickie Speed, Founder of Blue Cancer Connect and widow of LASD Detective Mitch Speed.

I don't know a single person who has not been impacted by cancer in one way or another. I want this episode to not only be in remembrance of Vickie's Husband, but also in remembrance of all our brothers and sisters in blue, taken too soon by this horrible disease.

If you don't know Vickie or aren't connected with her, I highly suggest connecting with her and finding out how you can support this incredible organization she has built, by turning pain into purpose.

In this episode, Vickie talks about the day Mitch found out he had stage 4 cancer, the 26 month battle he fought, and ultimately his passing. She also talks about how the department stepped up to help, how she got through the battle and the struggles that came afterward, getting into therapy, helping her adult son through the loss and losing his way, and eventually finding strength through the struggle and starting Blue Cancer Connect.

Her strength is admirable and you can tell that so much of it comes from her faith. In fact, she described Mitch as having faith that could move mountains and how he never questioned or got mad at God after the diagnosis, but instead, asked how they could use it to serve others. Vickie says Mitch used the 26 months after his diagnosis to bring others closer to God.

Four years after his passing, Vickie recalls being awakened by God and he told her to write, "Blue Cancer Connect." She woke up the next day and didn't know what it meant...but it eventually became an organization to help others facing the challenges of cancer.

Vickie talks about what the organization is able to do, not only for organizations, but for the individual facing the diagnosis. Whether you're a LEO, family member, or civilian PD employee, Blue Cancer Connect is here to help you. You can check out their website, here and check them out on Instagram, here.

You can connect with Vickie via email at info@bluecancerconnect.com

If you haven't already...make sure you follow me on LinkedIn and on Instagram at @_nextshift_ AND @the_jessflores

If this podcast resonates with you or you feel like it could help someone else, please feel free to share it with them and/or on your social media platforms...but be sure to tag me so I can personally say THANK YOU!

Be sure to subscribe by clicking the + sign at the top and if you feel called to do so, I'd love to hear your thoughts in a review.

You can NOW wear the mission of The Next Shift Podcast, with merch! Check out our current designs, here.

See you Next Shift