Hold The Air with Mike Darter

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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Matt Patten

"A SERIES OF GET RIGHTS" Danny Long went from roping horses to collaring criminals. Through a career involving multiple shootings and a military contractor stint in Iraq, Danny had to overcome the deep-rooted scars from a lifetime of hurt and the allure of a bottle to ultimately become the father, husband, and mentor he is today. Professional Experience Oklahoma First Responder Wellness Division Founder and Director | 2019 – Present Oklahoma Department of Public Safety Government Threat Assessment Liaison | 2018 – Present Lead Investigator for Government Threat Assessment. Lead Investigator – Missing Persons | 2018 – 2021 Led the Department of Public Safety Missing Persons investigations. Developed statewide protocols and procedures for missing persons reporting and response. Oversaw and coordinated multi-agency responses across Oklahoma and the United States. Special Deputy United States Marshal U.S. Marshals Service | 2012 – 2018 Assigned to the U.S. Marshals Service Violent Felony Task Force, Oklahoma City, OK. Served as operational security officer for intelligence on state and federal cases. Team Leader on numerous high-risk operations, including surveillance and counter-surveillance. Instructed Deputy Marshals nationwide in officer survival tactics. Personal Security Detail – Iraq U.S. Department of State / Triple Canopy | 2010 – 2011 Completed U.S. State Department High-Threat Protective Operations Courses. Conducted high-risk personal security detail operations for the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq and U.S. cabinet officials. Led mission planning for high-risk movements throughout the region. Conducted surveillance, counter-surveillance, and site threat assessments across Iraq. Served as U.S. Department of State Lead Instructor – Iraq. Certified Firearms and Tactics Instructor for the U.S. State Department. State Trooper Oklahoma Highway Patrol | 1999 – 2010 Team Leader, OHP Tactical Team (2003–2006). Managed a 14-member tactical team and led numerous high-risk warrant operations. Planned and executed multiple hostage rescue operations. Served as State Firearms Instructor, Tactics and Survival Instructor, and Law Enforcement Driving Instructor. Member of the Governor’s Personal Security Detail. Conducted Personal Security Operations Courses. Certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). Training Officer, Oklahoma Highway Patrol (2000–2018). Police Corps – U.S. Department of Justice Lead Instructor (ECU Campus) | 2001 – 2004 Training Manager and Curriculum Coordinator for the DOJ Police Academy. Managed over 30 instructors per academy session. University of Oklahoma Police Department (Norman Campus) Completed CLEET Basic Certification. Conducted campus patrol operations. Education Seminole State College | 1995 – 1997 Associate of Science in Criminal Justice Military Service Ground Scout – Infantry U.S. Army, Oklahoma Army National Guard | 1994 – 1999 Completed U.S. Army Infantry School. Honorably Discharged, 1999. Awards and Honors Medal of Valor, Oklahoma Peace Officers Association – 2013 Trooper of the Year (Valor) – 2012 Medal of Valor, Committee of 100 OKC – 2013 & 2022 Street Warrior Award, Oklahoma Gang Investigators Association – 2018 Top Cop (Runner-Up), U.S. Department of Justice, Washington D.C. – 2019 National Award for Heroism, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association – 2019

Jared Reston