For this podcast, Marcus joins CATO Board of Directors members Kris Jenny and Kenny Brayton. Kris Jenny is a Sergeant with the Napa Police Department and Kenny Brayton is a CATO instructor and Sergeant with the Ontario Police Department. Together they welcome special guest, Bobby Crees of the Pasadena Police Department. Crees, a CATO Region Representative and a graduate of the CATO Strategic Leadership Program, will join the discussion about Chapter 5 of Sound Doctrine. The group reviews each of the Tactical Principles that are present in all conflicts, and highlights what you can do to tip the scales in your favor during adversarial events.

Marcus and Travis Norton co-host a conversation about the various ways we train and support large-venue operations from an operator’s point of view. They are joined by Austin who works for a major metropolitan police agency in Northern California. Austin shares his experiences as part of a full-time SWAT team and how their team's approach to supporting large-venue operations has evolved over the years.

Marcus and attorney Gene Ramirez discuss the latest amendments to the California Police Canine Bill (Bill 742), which was placed into inactive status by the bill's author as this podcast was being recorded. This bill will most likely return during the next legislative session, so there is still work to be done. Marcus and Gene also discuss Constitutional Policing: what it is and why it is such a hot topic throughout the country.

Marcus speaks with author and presenter, Jack Enter, about his recently published article entitled, “Sheep Dog to Bureaucrat." CATO invited Jack to return to the podcast to discuss how the structure, roles, and even the promotional process in law enforcement, can turn "WE" leaders into "ME" leaders. Recognizing how it happens may prevent you from becoming a "me-focused" bureaucrat as you rise through the ranks.   Jack began his career as a law enforcement officer in 1972. Since that time, he has worked as a street officer, detective, vice/narcotics investigator, manager and as the administrator of a law enforcement agency in the suburbs of Atlanta. Jack obtained his Ph.D. in 1984, and has worked as a professor and administrator in the university setting. He also served as one of the security planners for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta. Jack has lectured throughout the United States and abroad on the subject of leadership, as well as profiling interpersonal violence and the future of crime and policing. He has authored two books: Challenging the Law Enforcement Organization (2006; Revised 2022) and Law Enforcement Leadership in the Midst of Change (2022). To learn more about Jack, or pick up one of his books, visit https://jackenter.com  

In this episode of the CATO Podcast, Marcus sits down with CATO President and co-host, Brent Stratton, and frequent CATO guest, Travis Norton, to discuss why we need to formalize the structure that supports Command and Control, some lessons learned, and what you can do today to reduce friction in your command post. The group discusses the importance of building trust throughout the chain of command, and why you need to support the formation of Emerging Organizational Networks.

Master Sergeant Earl Plumlee, Medal of Honor recipient, shares his harrowing stories and tactical lessons learned. From joining the military as a high school junior to his time in the Marine Corps, Plumlee discusses his career arc. He also reveals his experience in the Special Forces deployment and program in Afghanistan, including intense firefights and close combat situations. Plumlee highlights the significance of the Medal of Honor and emphasizes the importance of humility and fostering accountability in the military community.

Kenny Brayton and Marcus sit down with Captain Dustin Kulling to discuss the key components required to design effective training. Learn how to apply the Theory of Constructed Emotion to police decision-making training and how action competency facilities and wellness training enhance the regulation of the stress response.     Captain Kulling is a 28-year law enforcement veteran who has spent much of his adult life studying how we learn. He is a California POST Master's Instructor, has earned a Masters of Education degree, and is currently working on his Ph.D. in Communication. He spent the majority of his career in narcotics and has been involved in tactical teams at a variety of ranks.

This episode of the podcast discusses Chapter Three of Sound Doctrine. Marcus and guests Travis Norton and Adam Sharki discuss Command and Control, the challenges of selecting a commander, and what it means to command effectively.

Attorney Gene Ramirez was a founding member of CATO and has spent the last several decades defending law enforcement officers in civil court. Gene discusses California Assembly Bill 742, which bans law enforcement's use of bite dogs. Gene also discusses his lessons learned from defending officers and how we arrived at a push by the legislature to ban police bite dogs. For more information on AB742, click here https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB742. Gene Ramirez can be contacted at epr@manningllp.com

Marcus sits down with Nolan Cleall, who has served on a mid-sized Northern California agency's HNT Team for the last ten years. The two discuss his experiences on a collateral Hostage Negotiation Team. They review common approaches to training SWAT/HNT integration and cover some tools you can implement today to develop a comprehensive approach to solving tactical problems. Nolan is also a whiskey aficionado and has some surprising things to say about peanut butter whiskey. Nolan can be reached at ncleall@sbcglobal.net