Latest / Blue Grit Podcast: The Voice of Texas Law Enforcement / #136- "More Than a Conference: Training, Family & Fellowship"

Transcript

#136- "More Than a Conference: Training, Family & Fellowship" · Blue Grit Podcast: The Voice of Texas Law Enforcement

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_01: You know, Tyler, you hit on the fact that this is becoming more of a family event.
• 0:04
  SPEAKER_01: Um, that's been a uh kind of a push for the last couple of years for the board is to make this more family oriented.
• 0:11
  SPEAKER_01: Um and that way we can get the next generation to uh build relationships.
• 0:17
  SPEAKER_01: And I know just being on the board, the relationships that I've built with staff and and other board members, and that networking is invaluable.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_02: Welcome back, viewers, watchers, listeners.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_02: I'm your host, Tyler Owen.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_02: The Blue Grip Podcast is strictly audio today because everyone at TMPA is super, super busy getting the 76th TMPA conference, which is now this year the joint Texas FOP conference, getting that underway.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_02: We've got staff all over the place.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_02: First and foremost, as we're recording this, uh big storms coming through Texas and a lot to be said about the rivers flooding and everything going on down in our neighbors in the southwest Texas part of, excuse me, southwest part of Texas with the Red Hill country.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_02: So our thoughts and prayers are with you guys.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_02: And uh you need something from us, feel free to give us a call.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_02: Like I said, we're talking about conference today.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_02: And for those that don't know, uh our our conference committee is kind of how we go planning stuff every single year.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_02: And me, myself, and Jay McClellan uh is on that's going to be on this podcast.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_02: They are training coordinator.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_02: We have the um the honor and privilege of getting to work with multiple different VPs and ongoing precedents.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_02: And this year, a close friend of mine from the East Texas area, Tyler Pride, who is our second VP, has been our what what is it, Tyler?
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_02: I guess the uh the conference chair or the conference committee chair, the the uh the head MF in charge, I guess is what we should say better yet.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_02: But we kind of nothing like that.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, we channeled those things through one point of contact to the board, as you're aware.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_02: We got 18 board of directors and so 18 different ideas, and that can be kind of not really um uh conclusive to kind of what we need to be doing.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_02: So years ago, the board made the decision to make one person the elect of uh of the conference, and so this year it's Tyler Pride.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_02: And man, Tyler, uh number one, thanks for thanks for joining us.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_02: You've got a lot of stuff going on there in Tyler in East Texas, and uh what's new this year and what what are people going to expect?
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, well, uh so we're we're doing a lot of the same stuff, but just revamping it.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_01: And um, I think I think we've uh kind of talked over the last few years how can we make it flow a little better?
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_01: Uh so one of the big changes is we're bringing back top karaoke.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_01: That seemed to be a huge, huge hit last year.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_01: Uh and a lot of fun.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_01: So we'll do that on uh Friday night.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_01: And then Saturday night, uh instead of just having a band and everybody just kind of mill around, we made the decision to try and do casino night uh on Saturday night to give people a little more time to have some fun and uh gamble a little bit with some fake money and try and raise some money for TMPA charities.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_01: And so um one of the feedbacks that we seemed to get uh a lot was that as soon as casino night really started going and people had fun, it was time to shut it down because we had to get to the uh the uh uh auction.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_01: Live auction, yeah.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_01: And so yeah, the live auction.
• 3:08
  SPEAKER_01: And so uh we're gonna do that on uh Saturday night and give people more time to have fun and just kind of mingle around and and get to know each other while playing uh all kinds of different casino games.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_01: And then Sunday, uh we're gonna have the banquet like we usually do.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_01: And uh immediately following the banquet, we're gonna transition into doing the uh live auction.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_01: And uh we've got uh Aaron Slater that's gonna MC that.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_01: And so we'll have a lot of fun and try and raise some money for TMPA while uh after swearing in the board and getting all the business done, um, try and help help our members and and make sure that account is funded.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_02: You know, being a part of the conference for so many years that I have been doing it, you know, we are super excited leading up to every single conference and not saying that our members or attendees have complained or or if there's been problems before, but man, you got to think Texas is such a big state, and you got to think that we've got so many different regions of Texas.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_02: We we have tried everything from country music uh to Tijana music to uh I think the best one probably had was the one there in Irving, and it played a very there's a very large genre of music that we had for that conference, but it's hard to pinpoint what kind of genre of music you want for these concerts.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_02: And so to your point, I think, man, we've always just kind of gone back to the bread and butter and what we know is true and and and what works, and that's a DJ.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_02: And I think that's what we're gonna do this year.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_02: And I think the Cop Karaoke kind of is a joke.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_02: For those that don't know, Tyler Pride's got an absolute beautiful voice, and uh we'll be honored this year again to do the national anthem.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_02: And what kind of kicked off as a side bet and a side joke for you to uh get up there and sing one of your father's songs, man, it started something off pretty cool.
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_02: And so we're gonna do that this year with Cop Karaoke.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and uh like you said, it was it started off as kind of just a bet and uh and a dare.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_01: Uh y'all giving me a hard time and telling me to get up there and uh people wanting to hear me sing one of my dad's songs.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_01: And and uh then it opened up the mic to we opened up the mic to other people and people started having fun with it.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_01: And so we uh we start we just decided to run with it and try and use it to uh not only raise some money for TMPA charities, but more importantly, just to get people involved and having fun with each other and just a way to build camaraderie and get people talking and networking and and while having some fun with some music that we all enjoy.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, for sure.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_02: And and and back to your point about conference.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_02: And it to me, again, I my my first one's been 2017, and not saying we didn't have any kids there, uh, but it seems like conference is kind of slowly becoming this more of a family reunion.
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_02: We've got so many different kids.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_02: It's such a joy for me as a dad to attend conference and watch these young kids that I've seen my first year now become adults or young adults and teenagers, and and for them to come up and kind of embrace me as the uncle, you know, type stuff.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_02: It's it's just remarkable.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_02: And so it's become more of a family atmosphere, which I think is probably best, man.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_02: And especially in our line of work.
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_02: Some of our members that, you know, work in Harden County or Hidago County or up in Dallas County, they don't get that quality time.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, I know certainly for the TNPA staff, like we're accustomed to now because we're not on the job.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_02: So we want to be sure that our members have the quality time with their families and we can enjoy that with them and not just know them as a member, but know them as a family.
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_02: And so it's it's it's become the family reunion, which is I'm I'm super excited of.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_02: And speaking of family, uh Jay McClellan, he and I have become really close friends.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_02: He is our training coordinator.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_02: Jay joined TMPA back in 2021, I believe, as a part-time field rep, uh, retired out of Missouri City and has joined the TMPA team full-time, I believe, in 2023 or 24.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_02: Um man, it's been exciting.
• 6:39
  SPEAKER_02: You have brought a lot of uh changes as far as the training curriculum this year.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_02: For the first time ever, we're able to give eight hours of T-Call credit.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_02: And I know some of the members out there, again, across the state, uh, when they attend these conferences for associations, it's kind of difficult in order to get those those T-Call hours.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_02: And so, you knowing how to uh get that done, you got it done this year, and we're super excited about the curriculum coming up.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I mean, like like you said, most people consider conferences.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_00: They look at conferences as training conferences, and obviously TMPA's conference is different because it's mainly a business conference, right?
• 7:13
  SPEAKER_00: We conduct our business, our board elections.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and this one's even more complicated with the adding uh the FOP, the Texas FOP.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_00: So we conduct all their business as well.
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_00: So we got to be strategic in in how we schedule things and maximizing our ability to bring in training because again, we we understand that that officers across the state need training.
• 7:39
  SPEAKER_00: Um and so we try to bring in you know things that are interesting that you know are just not the standard things that you normally see in in training conferences.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, I'm super excited this year.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_00: Um we're gonna we're gonna kick off the conference on on Saturday morning um with um actually a former employee of of TMP on the grant side, Jason Lundquist.
• 8:03
  SPEAKER_00: Um he currently works for um the Human Trafficking Institute here in Texas.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_00: And so he's gonna come in, talk about some some trends going on in relation to um human trafficking.
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_00: But what I'm really excited about is he's got a uh a person that he's partnered with who is actually a victim here in the state of Texas.
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_00: And so she's gonna come in and tell her testimony, um, give tips and ideas to help law enforcement recognize signs of human trafficking that are just sometimes not blatantly obvious.
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and I've I've you and I have met with Jason before, and and I don't want to I don't want to spill the beans too much because I want everybody to show up at conference to kind of get a better understanding of what this happened.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_02: But after hearing the story and listening to Jason and listening to the victim when the victim and I met, it's it's pretty cool that one of our own members uh and former employees really dedicated himself to not just, you know, listen, we've all three of us have been in CID before, and we get it.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_02: When you turn that case into the DA's office, I mean, for all intents and purposes, our victims, those kind of relationships semi, they're severed for the most part, or they kind of end because it's up to the DA's office to do what they need to do.
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_02: Jason didn't stop there.
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_02: He didn't stop there in the sense that he continued to maintain that relationship with the victim, uh, became close personal friends with him and his family.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_02: Uh it's just kind of unheard of.
• 9:24
  SPEAKER_02: And and you're it's it's an unbelievable and unremarkable story.
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_02: I'm super excited Jason was willing to come, and the victim was willing to come and share their testimony with our members.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I I I couldn't agree with you more.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's gonna be a very good uh session.
• 9:38
  SPEAKER_00: This this session actually came about from our members' feedback.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_00: So um, you know, the members, so several members reached out saying, hey, we should do something regarding human trafficking.
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_00: And it was sent over to me, and I immediately contacted Jason because I knew that he was you know an expert in the industry, trusted uh, you know, trainer and very knowledgeable on the subject.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, I couldn't be more excited about that.
• 10:05
  SPEAKER_00: Just a segue off of that, um, we'll we'll of course do some some business regarding the the state of the association that that our executive director Kevin Lawrence will will provide and update on where we stand, and then we'll we'll talk about what's coming up on the legislation.
• 10:24
  SPEAKER_00: And so we're we're coming into the 90th session.
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_00: So our ledge team, in conjunction with Texas FOP and the national FOP, will do a legislative session, um, kind of what's on the horizons.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_00: We'll probably wind up gearing that class um or that training session to kind of a question-answer as well towards the end of it.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_00: So giving members the opportunity to express ideas um that they believe that we should be looking at at the legislature.
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_00: So we'll be getting credit for that one.
• 10:55
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and then we'll segue into the following day.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_00: So that'll be we're gonna try to break it up for four hours each day, Saturday and Sunday.
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so Sunday is still a bit of a uh work in progress.
• 11:08
  SPEAKER_00: Um we have some some training that we're waiting to still confirm on.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_00: So there may be some last minute changes, hopefully not.
• 11:16
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but we know we're gonna be looking at some some trends in copper theft.
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_00: Um, ATT Firstnet will be providing a presentation on that.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_00: And then in the afternoon, we're gonna we're gonna have either a guest speaker or we're gonna do a training regarding uh artificial intelligence.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_00: So still confirming some of that.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_00: I know we're only a week away, and you know, there's a lot of moving parts in this.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_02: So well, Tyler, uh back to Tyler PD and you being still on the job and and just how important really AI has has integrated itself very quickly.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, you look at the trends of different law enforcement stuff, and man, it's it's blown up.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_02: Uh I think not just within the law enforcement community, uh, but a lot of professions.
• 11:59
  SPEAKER_02: How is AI right now, just kind of just while we're on this on the topic, how is AI integrated into Tyler PD's ongoing patrol methods or CID?
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_02: Is it is it a thing right now, or are y'all looking at it, or how how how has that worked?
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so we're looking at it uh pretty hard on a lot of different front fronts, not just on how to use it, but also how to protect our data.
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_01: And um, because I mean, you know, we all raw cops and we we know that we have sensitive data that we we don't want getting out.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so how to protect that, but still utilize it uh in a way that assists us in a legal way.
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_01: Um some of our detectives are um currently uh testing and evaluating a um uh uh program that you can actually put all your phone calls into uh recordings and your your case notes, and it will build you timelines and summaries off of what you input into it.
• 12:58
  SPEAKER_01: And um, so we're we're looking at different vendors and different uh aspects of how to use it responsibly.
• 13:05
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but it's like you said, it's coming like a freight train.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_01: And so um getting out in front of that and understanding some of the pitfalls and some of the um things that you can do with it that are safe, but also how to protect not just your data, but your victims' data and um and the public's data uh and information is uh it's coming.
• 13:26
  SPEAKER_01: So we might as well start learning about it now.
• 13:28
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and this is again some of the state-of-the-art you know training that we're getting thanks to Jay.
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_02: And I think Jay put this class together.
• 13:35
  SPEAKER_02: Uh so for those out there that are interested in attending this, you know, the cost of conference is minimal uh for the for not only just the training you're gonna get, but the networking opportunities and you're gonna get talked with you know professionals across the state.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_02: But you know, back to the AI situation, it's kind of it's it's interesting because if you think about AI, let's say it was developed in California.
• 13:53
  SPEAKER_02: Well, California may not have the Michael Morton situation like Texas does.
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_02: And if you're working CID and all that information needs to be turned over to the DA's office, um, you know, it can be kind of complex.
• 14:02
  SPEAKER_02: So biggest thing is come to conference, listen to uh what Jay's got to say.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_02: Hopefully we'll get that training session pushed out.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_02: We've had some conflicts with some instructors, with some other classes, and we're just kind of awaiting for that instructor to give us the confirmation, no punt intended, that he's gonna be uh attending our conference.
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_02: And uh I promise you, if we're gonna be able to miss out on the AI, there's gonna be another one there.
• 14:24
  SPEAKER_02: Uh Jay, do you want to mention that just because it's a possibility?
• 14:28
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so um we're looking at um having uh the uh expert speaker or the expert witness from defense witness from the Uvaldi trials, from the officer that was on was on trial in Uvaldi.
• 14:43
  SPEAKER_00: So he's going to come and provide um kind of an inside look at what really happened at Uvaldi, what some of the you know obvious um issues that were there, um, but more of an inside look.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_00: So he he had the um the privilege to work with the defense team.
• 15:03
  SPEAKER_00: Um and obviously that officer was ultimately acquitted of any wrongdoing.
• 15:08
  SPEAKER_00: Um so yeah, that that that's um what we're looking at in addition to the AI.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_00: Um just just a little insight on the AI class.
• 15:17
  SPEAKER_00: We're looking to gear that around labor.
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_00: So making sure that uh that agencies and people are not using uh AI as a tool to simply punish people.
• 15:31
  SPEAKER_00: So making sure that due process is held up, that notification is properly made in regards to the use of AI and investigations, and then looking towards um, you know, how it's used in regards to discipline.
• 15:48
  SPEAKER_00: So that's really been the key and my focus on building the class.
• 15:51
  SPEAKER_00: I've this is this is just a small portion of a class I'd like to build completely out.
• 15:57
  SPEAKER_00: Um and so this would be just a section in it.
• 16:00
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's important, obviously, because most people attend uh our conference because they uh they're involved in the labor side in some way, whether they're a local association member, serve on a local board, and under and a lot of them negotiate contracts.
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_00: So understanding negotiating some of those protections in your contracts moving forward as well, in regards to AI.
• 16:24
  SPEAKER_00: So, yeah, a lot of things moving on that.
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_00: Um, we'll see how all things plan out.
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_00: We'll have it, we'll we'll know, we'll know for sure next week, come come this time next week how exactly it's gonna look.
• 16:36
  SPEAKER_00: I know me and you and some some other people on the team met about some some agenda items this this afternoon and this more the earlier this morning and this afternoon.
• 16:46
  SPEAKER_00: So all of that stuff will be in the watch.
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_00: We'll make sure that you get what we need.
• 16:50
  SPEAKER_00: And um, yeah, I'm I'm really looking forward to it.
• 16:53
  SPEAKER_00: I I've just to kind of segue back on what Tyler Pride said, I really think that the changes are going to be beneficial.
• 17:00
  SPEAKER_00: The the restructuring of how how we're kind of doing the agenda with moving that uh um that casino night up, yeah, allowing people to just kind of at the end of the conference on Sunday to just you know spend time you know meeting and greeting and after the banquet and not you know immediately being thrust into another event.
• 17:25
  SPEAKER_00: So I think it's great.
• 17:27
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I know that it's been talks for a while, and this board just pulled the trigger this year and got it done.
• 17:33
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, awesome job.
• 17:34
  SPEAKER_02: Well, and and and speaking of different events, uh all three of us, you know, we we knew each other prior to going to the conferences.
• 17:42
  SPEAKER_02: And then, you know, when you go to a conference, even as a member, not just a board member or staff member, you know, you always want to take your spouse.
• 17:48
  SPEAKER_02: You want your spouse to, you know, be included and and and you want them to meet the people that you talk so very highly of.
• 17:55
  SPEAKER_02: And so a couple of years ago, the spousal event was created, uh, the first bingo, it's been a huge hit every single, you know, a time that we've we've had it.
• 18:02
  SPEAKER_02: And what's cool is that we continue to build an ad because of the feedback we've gotten from our guests and our members.
• 18:08
  SPEAKER_02: And the cool thing is, is walking into some of those spousal events, one year I can specifically remember one of our board members, I don't want to name who, was completely in tears uh because she was able to open up to other spouses that have gone through similar situations just like she did.
• 18:22
  SPEAKER_02: And so what you're starting to see is kind of a a sisterhood or a brotherhood.
• 18:27
  SPEAKER_02: We're not we're not we're not going to discourage any men that that are spouses that can go to some of these events.
• 18:32
  SPEAKER_02: But man, it's a really cool event and are events that are going to take place at conference and a really good opportunity for networking for your spouse.
• 18:39
  SPEAKER_02: Tyler, talk about the Purse Bingo, the social hour, which we this is a this is the new one this year, the spouse social event, and then the the uh what is it, the painting with a twist on Sunday and what benefits you yourself saw with charity uh and her her connections with different women leaving that conference Sunday or Monday.
• 18:59
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so one of the things that uh my wife and uh President Hicks's wife, they're good friends, and you know, Tyler, uh your wife, Janet, they've all become really good friends.
• 19:09
  SPEAKER_01: And they they've been talking and about how much Purse Bingo has really kind of exploded and keeps getting bigger every year.
• 19:15
  SPEAKER_01: I think this year, just in the purse bingo alone, they've got over 10 to 15 purses, and then they've also got some for the auctions, and I think they're doing a couple of giveaways.
• 19:25
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and so they've got all kinds of stuff planned just for purse bingo to make it even better.
• 19:30
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but they they came up with uh uh an idea that I hadn't even thought about, but a kind of a meet and greet uh for the first uh afternoon for people to kind of come and go and just meet some of the board wives and staff wives and get to know each other and meet each other.
• 19:49
  SPEAKER_01: And um they're gonna have what they call a hat bar where you can make trucker hats and um have little patches put on them and and things like that.
• 19:59
  SPEAKER_01: Uh I know the last time I talked uh to them, they were uh planning some giveaways in there.
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_01: I think some extra bingo cards uh for people and then some uh gift giveaways that you can get um just by coming.
• 20:12
  SPEAKER_01: And the whole point of that is just to get to know each other.
• 20:15
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, kind of like us, all us cops, we have something in common, and that's the job.
• 20:20
  SPEAKER_01: Well, they, you know, wives and spouses, uh not to exclude anybody, but they all have something in common is they're married to somebody who's married to the job.
• 20:29
  SPEAKER_01: And so there are a lot of similarities there, and they really just want to create a community um for people um who are not in the job but job adjacent for lack of a better term, to have resources and build relationships and be able to call each other in times of need or with questions and stuff like that.
• 20:49
  SPEAKER_01: So um so they've they've kind of come up with this.
• 20:52
  SPEAKER_01: I think they're gonna have mimosas there for people if you want to partake of those.
• 20:55
  SPEAKER_01: And um, it's really a come and go.
• 20:58
  SPEAKER_01: You can come for as long as you want and probably be an hour, hour and a half.
• 21:01
  SPEAKER_01: But just to come and get to know each other as the uh conference starts.
• 21:05
  SPEAKER_01: And uh, like we said, we'll have first bingo and then they'll have painting with a twist Sunday morning.
• 21:10
  SPEAKER_01: Um, they're kind of alternating that off with uh a couple of other ideas that they they've got for the next few years, but uh they're bringing that back to just have another event for people to get together and have some fun and make some memories and laugh and get to know each other.
• 21:24
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, Tyler, you hit on the fact that this is becoming more of a family event.
• 21:28
  SPEAKER_01: Um that's been a uh kind of a push for the last couple of years for the board is to make this more family oriented.
• 21:35
  SPEAKER_01: Um and that way we can get the next generation to uh build relationships.
• 21:41
  SPEAKER_01: And I know just being on the board, the relationships that I've built with staff and and other board members and and past presidents and stuff, that networking is invaluable because when you have an idea or a problem, you you have people that you can call.
• 21:55
  SPEAKER_01: And that that extends to the family side of things as well.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_01: And um we want our members to be taken care of, not just on the job, but also at home.
• 22:05
  SPEAKER_01: And so it's kind of a we're trying to hit it from all sides for lack of a better term, I guess, and um really be there for our members and give them resources and avenues to um really take care of each other because we're all we all we all say it and we actually mean it.
• 22:22
  SPEAKER_01: We're all one big family.
• 22:23
  SPEAKER_02: So yep, for sure.
• 22:24
  SPEAKER_02: And and again, it's so cool because you know, listen, we're cops, right?
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_02: The first time you get to a conference, you don't really know anybody, I call it the butt sniff test.
• 22:32
  SPEAKER_02: You got to kind of fill the room and see who you know.
• 22:34
  SPEAKER_02: And and some of these spouses don't know each other.
• 22:37
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, I a specific member, uh, you know, we had a member from Harden County that brought his spouse last year, and he didn't that the spouse didn't know anybody.
• 22:44
  SPEAKER_02: And had she not had some of these spousal events, she probably very well could have left Monday without doing so.
• 22:49
  SPEAKER_02: Listen, we get busy, the staff gets busy with trying to entertain and take care of members and trying to include all spouses, but you know, we can't take care of all 600.
• 22:58
  SPEAKER_02: And so these spousal events are specifically for those individuals for their first time at conference.
• 23:03
  SPEAKER_02: I think the spouse social event is gonna be great for those.
• 23:07
  SPEAKER_02: This is your first conference.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_02: Get to meet some of the board wives, the staff wives.
• 23:11
  SPEAKER_02: See how you yourself, even the spouse, can become more involved with TMPA.
• 23:15
  SPEAKER_02: Because I'm telling you right now, we will take all the help we can uh and we will take, we will include you in our families.
• 23:20
  SPEAKER_02: I can promise you.
• 23:21
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm looking forward to it.
• 23:22
  SPEAKER_02: It's gonna be an absolute great time.
• 23:25
  SPEAKER_02: And listen, we could not do any of this without some of our sponsors.
• 23:28
  SPEAKER_02: This year is probably the largest sponsorship uh numbers we've had in a very, very long time.
• 23:33
  SPEAKER_02: We've got three Ruby sponsors that I want to go and give a shout out to.
• 23:36
  SPEAKER_02: Honor Wealth Systems, East Coast Amusements, and FirstNet with ATT, those three are going to be your Ruby sponsors, and so thankful for the partnerships that we've created with them.
• 23:45
  SPEAKER_02: Some of the Platinum sponsorships, excuse me, Platinum Sponsorships is going to be financial cop, relentless defender, a name many of you know of.
• 23:52
  SPEAKER_02: Optivise, which is a union uh firm that this is their first year to our conference, roll call from Chris White, Lisa Crass, which is Regional Random Moore, that's his law firm there in the Dallas Fourth Metroplex, and the OG of Law Enforcement Association Attorneyism or represent legal representation is Gorsky Law Firm with Bob Gorski.
• 24:11
  SPEAKER_02: We've got some pretty phenomenal sponsors this year, and we could not do it without them.
• 24:15
  SPEAKER_02: Listen, if you're not doing anything July 24th through the 26th, go ahead and log on, buy those tickets, TNPA Texas FOP joint conference.
• 24:24
  SPEAKER_02: It's gonna be a showdown.
• 24:26
  SPEAKER_02: And you get to hear Tyler Price sing the national anthem.
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_02: Twice, I think, right?
• 24:32
  SPEAKER_02: You're gonna hear it twice.
• 24:33
  SPEAKER_02: We're gonna hear it twice, man.
• 24:35
  SPEAKER_02: Friday.
• 24:36
  SPEAKER_02: That's the rumor.
• 24:37
  SPEAKER_02: That's the rumor.
• 24:40
  SPEAKER_02: Anyway, you guys have anything else that you guys want to add?
• 24:42
  SPEAKER_02: Jay, I didn't I didn't mention uh Laura.
• 24:45
  SPEAKER_02: You know, look, you've been you've been an employee with TNPA 2021, but you've not you've been a conference attendee for many, many years before that.
• 24:52
  SPEAKER_02: Laura's first year there, if I'm not mistaken, was I think the first year we had the uh the purse bingo, the connection she made, you know.
• 25:00
  SPEAKER_02: Uh I remember every single time, every time that I leave conference, I it just the the sisterhood of the spousal events continue to grow.
• 25:07
  SPEAKER_02: And they continue to say, Man, I had such a great time with Charity Pride or Laura McClellan or Janet Owen.
• 25:13
  SPEAKER_02: And it's just it's a it's a really cool event.
• 25:15
  SPEAKER_02: What's your take on the spousal events?
• 25:17
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so she so she looks forward to it every year.
• 25:20
  SPEAKER_00: Um you know, it's it's I I think I mentioned to you earlier today it was a lot easier just to be an attendee than it is an employee.
• 25:29
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 25:30
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but yeah, she looks forward to it because she gets to see she gets to see you know the the spouses that she might only see once a year in July.
• 25:40
  SPEAKER_00: Um she she has a unique opportunity to attend other events throughout the year with TMPA, you know, uh regional board meetings and stuff like that.
• 25:49
  SPEAKER_00: But the conference is where everybody comes, and so she looks forward to it.
• 25:54
  SPEAKER_00: My my kids look forward to it this year.
• 25:56
  SPEAKER_00: They're not they're not gonna be able to come, they have other obligations um with school and stuff like that.
• 26:02
  SPEAKER_00: Just um, and so they're disappointed that they can't come.
• 26:05
  SPEAKER_00: They're like, Oh, we can't go to the conference this year, and yeah.
• 26:08
  SPEAKER_00: So, I mean, my family looks forward to this every year.
• 26:11
  SPEAKER_00: I I look forward to it.
• 26:12
  SPEAKER_00: Don't don't get me wrong.
• 26:14
  SPEAKER_00: It's it's definitely different as an employee than it is just an attendee.
• 26:18
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but yeah, I mean, they my wife purse bingo, she'll tell you right now, she's played in every purse bingo.
• 26:26
  SPEAKER_00: Um, she is still yet to win a purse, so she's pretty upset about that.
• 26:31
  SPEAKER_00: I hear about it every year.
• 26:33
  SPEAKER_00: I didn't win again, I didn't win again.
• 26:35
  SPEAKER_00: I'm like, well, you got to keep going.
• 26:37
  SPEAKER_00: So that's right.
• 26:38
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but yeah, she looks forward to it.
• 26:40
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, again, she's built friendships um with people that are, you know, board members, wives, and spouses, staffs, um, spouses.
• 26:51
  SPEAKER_00: So, yes, it's again, it's like y'all said, it's a family event.
• 26:56
  SPEAKER_00: You're gonna come, you're gonna have a good time, you're gonna see how we conduct business if you've never been, um, and you're gonna get some training that's valuable to your profession and your and your career.
• 27:08
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and you know, we have a good time um meeting new people, new ideas.
• 27:13
  SPEAKER_00: I know when I first started um attending, um we got bombarded.
• 27:20
  SPEAKER_00: My local association got association got bombarded with other local associations on civil service referendums because we had run a successful civil service referendum.
• 27:30
  SPEAKER_00: So people just in the evening times was hey, you're from Missouri City.
• 27:36
  SPEAKER_00: Hey, what happened with this?
• 27:37
  SPEAKER_00: What'd y'all do in that?
• 27:38
  SPEAKER_00: It's just about networking, it may not be even be about what we have going on, other than just an a social event where people are just gaining knowledge from other people in the state.
• 27:49
  SPEAKER_00: We all deal with the same stuff, it's a little bit different, our councils are different, you know, maybe a form of government here or there.
• 27:56
  SPEAKER_00: You work for a sheriff's office or a municipality or whatever, but we all deal with the same stuff, and so being able to go and say, hey, yeah, I know somebody in you know East Texas or way out west that dealt with the same situation y'all are dealing with, and you put them in contact with them.
• 28:11
  SPEAKER_02: Yep.
• 28:12
  SPEAKER_00: So great, great place to network, great place to get some training, great place to build relationships.
• 28:19
  SPEAKER_00: Uh man, next week it's it's gonna kick off.
• 28:23
  SPEAKER_00: It's here.
• 28:24
  SPEAKER_00: Make sure you're there in the room.
• 28:25
  SPEAKER_02: It is here.
• 28:26
  SPEAKER_02: We cannot run from it no longer.
• 28:28
  SPEAKER_02: We are kicking off conference next Thursday, or excuse me, Friday.
• 28:31
  SPEAKER_02: Uh like it or love it.
• 28:32
  SPEAKER_02: We uh we are all gonna be there.
• 28:34
  SPEAKER_02: Tyler Pride, you got anything else uh to leave everybody with?
• 28:39
  SPEAKER_01: Man, it just uh it's it's gonna be a blast and and keep the ideas coming.
• 28:44
  SPEAKER_01: A lot of I think you heard it earlier in the podcast, some of the training and a lot of the ideas of the changes we've made have come from members.
• 28:50
  SPEAKER_01: We listen, we want to hear from you.
• 28:53
  SPEAKER_01: Um we we don't have the monopoly on good ideas, and we know that, and we rely on our members to give us ideas of how to make things better.
• 29:03
  SPEAKER_01: Um, after all, we are here for y'all.
• 29:05
  SPEAKER_01: And so we want to hear from you.
• 29:07
  SPEAKER_01: If you if you like something, if you don't like something, let us know so we can tweak it and try and make it even better.
• 29:12
  SPEAKER_01: Um, if you love something, let us know so we can keep doing it.
• 29:14
  SPEAKER_01: So uh we're here for you, and uh we can't wait to see you next week.
• 29:19
  SPEAKER_02: There it is.
• 29:20
  SPEAKER_02: All right, guys and gals, go ahead and jump online.
• 29:22
  SPEAKER_02: You can do you can visit the tmpa.org website and register for conference again, July 24th through the 26th.
• 29:28
  SPEAKER_02: TNPA Texas FOP conference there in Dallas, Texas.
• 29:32
  SPEAKER_02: Tyler Pride, is there any any indication or do you want to give a sneak peek of where maybe next year's conference is gonna be, or is that gonna be maybe maybe uh revealed at this year's conference?
• 29:41
  SPEAKER_01: Hopefully we're gonna reveal it at this year's conference.
• 29:43
  SPEAKER_01: We're still working on a couple of things, uh, so I don't want to get anybody's hopes up, but uh hopefully we can get get that information out at the conference.
• 29:52
  SPEAKER_02: I had heard it was gonna be in in like Jefferson, Texas, or like DCAB.
• 29:56
  SPEAKER_02: Is no?
• 29:57
  SPEAKER_02: Is it is that not gonna be a little more exciting?
• 30:00
  SPEAKER_01: I think that's the we're that that may be the fallback plan uh as a last resort, but we're we're trying to we're trying to come up with some different ideas as well.
• 30:09
  SPEAKER_02: There you go.
• 30:10
  SPEAKER_02: Hey, you heard it right here, TMPA Blue Grit Podcast.
• 30:12
  SPEAKER_02: Again, jump online, tmpa.org and get those tickets bought.
• 30:15
  SPEAKER_02: Hope to see you there, hope to see your spouse there, and more importantly, I hope to see your kids interacting with my kids.
• 30:20
  SPEAKER_02: It warms my heart and it warms everybody's heart on the TMPA staff and board.
• 30:24
  SPEAKER_02: You guys take care, stay safe.
• 30:26
  SPEAKER_02: God bless you, and as always, may God bless Texas.
• 30:28
  SPEAKER_02: We're out.