Ask A Cop
Ask A Cop is live and unscripted. Each episode gives other officers and the community a window into a police officer's world and provides authentic community engagement with law enforcement professionals.Listeners can relate by asking questions, hearing some of their own struggles, and finding solutions. Despite preconceived notions, these men and women, who serve and protect, are approachable and eager to answer questions. This resource provides meaningful engagement for officers, their families, and the community. As chaplains, we have witnessed the immeasurable rewards of simply sitting down and having these positive conversations. Produced in partnership with Gods Way Radio.
Ask A Cop
023: How does humor and Christ play huge role in a current lieutenant and previous undercover police officer?
Lieutenant Robert Valdes of the Miami Police Department brings to light the power of laughter and humor as essential tools in police work. With a rewarding career spanning over 24 years, Lt. Valdes shares fascinating stories and insight into how humor can foster healthier community relations and provide solace during traumatic incidents.
Get ready to break stereotypes of law enforcement as you journey with us into the high-risk world of working undercover. This episode not only encapsulates the unpredictability of police work but also showcases the unwavering dedication to community safety and officer wellness.
Ask a cop Authentic community engagement with law enforcement professionals. It's an opportunity to get raw answers to your real questions, In the same way that officers can never know what to expect on their shift. Ask a cop is recorded live and unscripted. You'll find that these men and women are approachable and eager to answer your questions. Get ready to Ask a cop.
Speaker 2:Off the start, off the line. I want to read a Bible verse here, because you know, cop, what do you get your authority from? You know, well, there's the Florida Statues. You go through BLE, you get a badge, you get a gun, you get a light. But where do you get your authority from? Well, here in this book it tells us. It says there is no authority except from God and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. You take God under the equation. You got no authority because people will question and people will say my thing is bigger than your thing. But when God says, no, this is the authority that I've appointed. Hey, this morning at Ask a cop here at God's Way Radio, we have a guest, and so good morning sir how are you this morning?
Speaker 3:Good morning pastor. Thank you for having me. Good morning.
Speaker 2:Adrian. Oh hey, we got a chaplain too. I don't hear you. I don't hear you. Is your mic on? Is your mic on?
Speaker 4:It is on, sir, they're trying and we're trying to make this all work and we're thankful for everybody. You know we just released today is about the 10th episode, the 9th episode on our podcast.
Speaker 2:So Ask a cop, you not only get it here at God's Way Radio, where else do we get a chaplain?
Speaker 4:Adrian. So you know, all the podcasts Spotify, apple podcasts and all the other podcasts are on the website policethankyoucom. There's a bunch of them already released today, this morning, regarding Hurricane Ian, and we might talk about that a little bit later.
Speaker 2:Hey, speaking about that, I gotta jump in because time is so important and we have our guest here today. Adrian, I don't mean to cut you off, but we haven't even introduced our guest. Sir, please give us your name.
Speaker 3:First and foremost, pastor and chaplain Adrian I want to thank for this opportunity to God's Way Radio and Lieutenant Robert Valdez, also known as Bodhi, miami Police.
Speaker 2:Department. Welcome, sir. Good to have you with us. How long have you been part of the law enforcement community? How many?
Speaker 3:years. I've been serving the Miami Police Department and our community for 24 and a half years 24 and a half years, not one day.
Speaker 2:Huh, yes, sir, now I got a question for you and this could be misinterpreted. I hope people understand me. 24 years have you just dispensed ice cream? That's been your career.
Speaker 3:Lately. Yes, we've been working with the community relations, found community relations and yes, you know it's funny because people say people get.
Speaker 2:You have mixed feelings about this, right, chaplain Adrian. I think some people say, hey, law enforcement owns. They were not ice cream people. Well, what do you have to say about that chaplain?
Speaker 4:Hey, you know, at some point it's sometimes good to hand out an ice cream here and there. Yeah, we know and we're gonna hear a little bit more about it. But you know, lieutenant Bodhi, as if you saw our Instagram, that's how we put it. We put Lieutenant Bodhi because we have a great you know, there's a love that pours out and we've seen it through the years and there's an excitement and yeah, sometimes it's ice cream. Before he used to dispense some other things we'll get into that a little bit.
Speaker 1:We'll get into that a little bit and find out what he's done, but just remember that.
Speaker 4:What else did he dispense in his career?
Speaker 2:It's a good thing because you know law enforcement, they there's. You gotta have a humor, you gotta have a sense of humor. You know, sometimes I think it crosses the line, though it gets a little sarcastic there and people get upset.
Speaker 2:But chaplain what is your experience with that? Before I go to the chaplain, let me go to our guest here, lieutenant Bodhi. Why is it that? Sometimes it seems that there's like a joke that's crack or something humors. How do you see that? Is that like a safety mechanism or just a way of bringing laughter into times that can be very, very let me put it this way shaking, earthquakes almost. You know what do you have to say?
Speaker 3:about that Laughter and smile is very powerful. Yeah, when you go to a traumatic event, some people might take it the wrong way, but you know, even in times of difficulties, you know I always tell my troops to put a big smile and to laugh. You know the scripture says that laughter is good for the soul.
Speaker 2:That's good. That's good, lieutenant, that's good. So let me ask you this as an officer and chaplain, you could jump in here what are some of the funny things that happen, you think, in life to a police officer? I can't believe I'm gonna say this. But here we go. You know, I know this pastor, a great speaker, you know, and he's teaching and his fly his sippers open, you know. So he's doing the teaching in front of the congregation and the staff, the supporting staff, are trying to signal he doesn't know what's going on. And you know, that's kind of funny that here you have, you're presenting the word of God, you're supposed to be all covered. There's stories of pastors that have left their mic on. They go into the bathroom and then you hear the noise, you know, of the water running. That's kind of funny, you know.
Speaker 2:And then you have Jesus. You know you have Jesus that he says hey, you know what, it's easier to pass a camel through the eye of a needle than to get someone. That's rich in the sense of being proud, self trusting, just self confidence, no confidence in God. So, jesus, he throws a funny one in there. He says it's easier to get a camel through the eye of a needle than get someone that's just trusting in himself into the kingdom of heaven. And then Jesus said to somebody else he says, hey, take that phone pole out of your eye and don't be worried about that little speck of wood in your neighbor's eye, you know. In other words. So Jesus, we see he's got humor. So my question here, to get started what are some of the humorous moments that you, as a chaplain, you've experienced, chaplain Adrian, or you as a lieutenant, a leader of police officers, you've experienced?
Speaker 4:man, there's, there's so many. I remember one, one incident where a very unruly person was eventually controlled and after he was controlled and he was taken by rescue to make sure he was going to be okay, he starts telling me because I had mentioned to earlier that that my son was in Taekwondo at the time. So he starts telling me that he could beat up the officer. And you know, after you know he he obviously he had some problems and and some issues. And so the joke now with that officer, every time I see him, is hey, do you still need the lessons from my son? You know, and so he loves to. We love to remember that that incident. And you know we have a phone number 786-313-3115. So if you have a question or comment or anything just to share with us here on Ask a Cop, always call 786-313-3115. You can also text us and, speaking about call, we have a call hey, good morning you're at.
Speaker 2:Ask a Cop, good morning to you. What area of town are you calling from? Can't hear you. Adrian, you got to turn on. I turn on the right. Please call us back if you can 786-313-3115.
Speaker 4:786-313-3115. If you were calling and you can call back, that would be great. Appreciate the call.
Speaker 2:Lieutenant, back to you a funny moment in law enforcement that maybe you can remember. That brought a smile or laughter to your heart.
Speaker 3:A funny moment was when I was a rookie, probably going back like to 1999 in Little Havana. I was writing with another officer and we're trying to locate an offender. I can remember exactly what type of crime that person committed to a long time ago been on for almost 25 years and I was writing with that officer and then we were able to locate the offender and I basically jumped out of the car as a rookie, you know, went after the guy. I was able to apprehend him and you know, when I look back, you know I left my partner behind. You know he finally got there, you know, in the police car, and then, you know it was successful apprehension. But I realized that, you know, it was funny because he got this like man. You left me alone, you know, but you know why that that, that rush that comes to you, you know, at that moment, as a rookie, you know going after the offender, and it was a funny moment you know, we still see each other here and then and we talk about that specific incident that day.
Speaker 2:I like to hear that because it shows that you know you, you look back and we're able to laugh. But it shows dedication, correct. It shows focus, it shows like, hey, we, we got an assignment to do, we got to get the job done. Hey, you're listening to Ask a Cop. This is a program that comes the first Tuesday of every month where community and cops connect. And already our guest today, lieutenant Valdez, with the city of Miami Police Department. We call him body. You know it's a term of just love and dear man, you know he's with us. And. But here's the funny thing you, you realize that cops are people. You know men, women, sons, daughters, brother, sisters, that they want to get the job done, they want to protect the community, they want to help the citizen. They're not against you, they're for you. I think we have a phone call. Hey, good morning you're at. Ask a cop, what area town are you calling from? Hello, hello, can you hear me? Good morning, hey, we got you. Yeah, what area town are you calling from?
Speaker 2:right now I'm in Tom for no or rock or some concrete over here okay, this sounds like my buddy Bobby. Good to know. This is from one Bob Bobby to another Bobby here. You got a counterpart here in a Robert, so what do you have to say to the, to the law enforcement officer here this morning?
Speaker 5:I have, you know. I just want to know if I did what was right. You know, I guess in my heart tells me, the law tells me that I know I was right. But I asked.
Speaker 5:It was an incident that just happened recently at the, where my wife was working at the country and you know Bill comes running out of a vehicle. He was being beaten by her boyfriend. So when we turned around, this gentleman was getting me on top of this young lady and he was seeing about her hair, signed to drag her back to the car.
Speaker 1:So you know, first.
Speaker 5:You know the action was, you know when. I'm not getting set up for anything, because my wife was there. So my first thing was to make sure I protect my wife. Well, I'm being a continual carrier, you know. I screamed and I told the gentleman hey, hey, hey, get off of her. She saw me. He let her go, she got up, she went running so fast, he's trying to kill me. He's trying to kill me. She jumped into the backseat of my car. So this gentleman started coming towards the car, trying to open my car to get to her, and my wife was in the car taking a little break. So she closed the doors immediately when the door jumped in.
Speaker 5:So now this guy was a very in shape type of guy, you know, and right now I'm with a knee surgery. This recently happened. I can't take this guy on. All I did was say hey, just leave, just get this way, you know, get out of here. Very nice way, but a very strong voice, not as what I'm telling you guys. He didn't want to go. He went towards my vehicle, went to open the car, and that's when I showed my firearm and he took off.
Speaker 5:I don't know if I did the right thing. But one thing I do say and my wife was on the phone with 911, it took them over 18 minutes for them to get their officer, valle Bobby Well, this might be his about their why did he take so long for even the officers to get there? And that was a little scary moment because I was thinking maybe this guy come back and jump in this very expensive, looks like a Lamborghini type vehicle. And I'm thinking, if this guy comes back, you know, get ready and took over the police officer with 18 minutes. But at the same time I just want to know, was I right to do what I did to protect the women of our world? I think I meant these days don't do that.
Speaker 2:Well.
Speaker 2:I want to. I want to thank you for your call. If I understand that, this is an incident where you know there's an argument, there's a domestic argument domestic 34 happening between a male and a female. You know you're trying to, you're trying to help the lady. You see the man. It turns around, the lady runs to your car, then the man runs at your car. Your wife is at your car. It's a delicate situation. Your question is a good question, it might. There's, there's something in me that would say man, we need to get a lot of vice here. Legal advice attorney.
Speaker 1:The officer.
Speaker 2:The officer is going to going to try to give you some of his experience. He's not necessarily maybe going to tell you what to do. But your question is man, was I right in showing my firearm? Was I right to get involved? And I can't wait to hear officer Valdez, lieutenant Valdez, answer. But I could tell you from other guests that we've had here.
Speaker 2:They always say men call law enforcement. You know, they are trained, they have the authority by the state, by the community, to do what they do. So usually from my experience as a pastor, as a shepherd, as a chaplain, I would say you try to call, you try to say, hey, you know, intervene. But but there's a thin line where you got to be careful that you don't put your life, your wife's life, in danger and then and then it escalates. But officer Valdez, lieutenant Valdez, I think I've given you time to to kind of like, in a good sense, arm yourself mentally and and send the what are they called Florida statues and your training. What would you have to say to our caller? Bobby, thank you for calling. We love you. You can hang up and listen to officer Lieutenant Valdez a response. Good morning, bobby.
Speaker 3:First and foremost, thank you for calling. Thank you for sharing the story with us. You know communication is key. Like I always tell my troops at work, you know we need to be able to communicate when we have concerns so we could find a solution. I was not present during that incident, but I want to commend you for stepping into the plate and reaching out to law enforcement.
Speaker 3:You know, trying to assist a young lady that was being assaulted at what he seems to be a domestic violence type of incident In the forum. You know we have in the state of Florida. You know the right to carry a concealed weapons forum as long as we have a concealed weapons permit. But, like I tell people, you know that's what we're here for law enforcement. You call 911. I can I don't know the details under the case if you're saying that. You know the police took a long time to get there. But whenever you call and you witness an incident like this, you know you need I tell people to provide as much detailed information regarding the case. So I'm not saying this happened in this specific type of incident, but you know sometimes at work I have experienced myself that when the caller calls in, you know detailed information is not be given and then the call might not get prioritized and that's why probably sometimes the call takes a little bit longer to it for the officer to respond.
Speaker 2:So, bobby, I hope, I hope you got the answer. You know, it's sometimes the details. A lot of details are not given and then there's so many, so many calls. I mean, crime is so much that that they get there as fast as they can, but sometimes one second seems like one day and but, like the officers, lieutenant Valdez said Bobby, thank you, thank you for caring, thank you for trying to step in, you know. And so the question is were you right for stepping in? Were you right for caring? Of course it's always right to care. We love you. Thank you, 786-313-3115. In case you have a comment, you could call us, you could text us. But back to you, lieutenant Valdez.
Speaker 2:So you've been on with the department 25 years. Give us an idea of like. How did you get started in law enforcement? What made you make that decision to want to serve Chaplain Adrian? You might have some questions for Lieutenant Valdez also. But, lieutenant Valdez, that's the first question that we would throw at you or in the progression of the program here, ask a cop, where community and cops connect, what made you decide to go through this training? Put on a uniform, put on a badge, take a gun, take the responsibility of protecting and serving. What's the motivation for that?
Speaker 3:Well, in 1997, I started applying with different police departments in South Florida. You know, one-two, five, eight came into my heart to actually be able to serve the community. I'm always being a type of person that I like to help others. Caring is one of my priorities in my life. So in 1998, I was hired by the Minneapolis Department and I'm very grateful that the Minneapolis Department gave me that opportunity and since then it's been an amazing journey with the department. I spent seven years as a rookie officer in patrol. How many years?
Speaker 2:Seven years, sir Seven years Number of completion yes, sir, I love it. Seven years Number seven.
Speaker 3:I love that number, by the way.
Speaker 3:But, in 2007, I began a different basically responsibility in the department and, as an undercover detective, I started working out with the 3-Level Narcotics Unit, back then also known as the Crime Suppression Unit. Subsequently, I was reassigned to the Special Investigation Section Narcotics Unit and during these two assignments I conducted high-risk operations such as warring buys, reverse buys, title III investigations also known as wiretaps long-term narcotic cases, and I had the opportunity to work very close with the SWAT team, since I basically would go into a house purchase narcotics Undercover.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Purchase narcotics undercover.
Speaker 2:You know, and I got to interrupt here a second, please don't lose your train of thought, but if you just tuned in, you're listening to Ask a Cop. It's a program that comes on the first Tuesday of every month where we have a law enforcement officer here and as we speak to our guest today, lieutenant Valdez, this is interesting because you're there to protect and serve, but in a sense the roles have changed. You have infiltrated, you know criminal environment, criminal people, and you're coming across like you're one of them. I heard you say you do reverse buys and I'm not sure if the listener is aware of what that means. And then you said something about wiretapping, which means that you're law enforcement, but you're in there and they think you're one of them, the criminal community, the criminal element, and so you're wearing a mic so that the conversation can be heard.
Speaker 2:You're in the midst of the fire and sometimes those that are part of your community to protect help you. They're not very close. So tell us a little bit about that. The emotions, the feelings, you know. You know, are you focused just on the target? What would you say to the listeners so that they understand a little bit about the law enforcement risk, challenge and dedication that you're willing to take that risk and challenge to fight crime so that our community can be safer and a place that we could live in.
Speaker 3:Anything that you would say about that yes just to comment up as to Rass, and thank you for bringing it up a reverse buy is basically when you were a center on the cover detective and you purchased narcotics from an individual. Later on, you could make an arrest on that person, also trying to build a case. A warrant buy is when I did it many, many, many times. I will go into the unknown, what we'll gather intelligence about that location? But we'll go into the unknown. Go into a house. Don't lock the door behind you.
Speaker 3:You will always have a backup of 360 of great detectives around you listening to your conversation with the target. The target is the person that you intend to buy the narcotics from and at that time you purchase the narcotics and you leave the premises. Then you go to the station, you write the warrant, you meet with the staff in his office, they review the warrant. Then you go in front of the judge and the judge review the warrant. You got probable cause and then a few days later, well, the next day. All depends, based on the intelligence that we have received on the narcotics, on the location. I will go with the SWAT team.
Speaker 3:I will get out of the SWAT truck, touch the door, the front door of the premises. I will get out of the way and the SWAT team, here they go and they will break in and if the target was in the location, the person will be arrested.
Speaker 4:Wow, now you know, I just want to comment, and I've seen pictures of Lieutenant Bodie in these days. I'll tell you, man, he fooled me. You know he definitely took it serious. We have a caller on the line. I think you're going to enjoy this one, sir. Talk about funny moments, right, as long as we have people that have just always a very upbeat and humorous perspective, love, humor, and you know I love this officer as well. I think I recognize the phone call here.
Speaker 2:Hey, good morning. You're at Asuka Cop. What area town are you calling from?
Speaker 6:Good morning. I'm calling from Miami.
Speaker 2:Oh, it's good to have Miami represented here and it sounds to me like you might know our guest this morning.
Speaker 6:I know this guy very well, gentlemen, and I know all of you guys. First and foremost, I want to thank you guys for doing this. Thank, you. I'll leave. I'll choose to remain anonymous for now, but just so you know, I'm very involved in the underground peer support.
Speaker 1:It's not an official.
Speaker 6:It's not officially a peer support, but it's underground. So a lot, of, a lot of the guys know that if they can't come to the you know the politically correct peer support that they can come to me and, and I got a direct source to the peer support lieutenant as well. So we got a good thing going there. We got a good thing going and, and, together with the chaplaincy, and you guys are doing a great job. Thank you, sir Department. Thank you, sir. I'll just say this I've been a policeman in the city of Miami for 17 years and this is the most that I've seen the chaplaincy make an impact on the troops in the department. Wow, it's been amazing. I mean again, I know Pastor Riz, I've seen you around for years, but now it's like you got an 18. Thank you, you guys got an 18.
Speaker 2:I love it and a lot of the people love it.
Speaker 6:You know, and then you added this guy, this lieutenant, he's talking, he's talking about his undercover days. Yeah, I'll tell you a quick story.
Speaker 5:Okay.
Speaker 6:You know I was. I was a young officer and I was also in the narcotics game but on the street level. I wasn't in CS, you know, csu or any of that stuff, and I'm going through the police station and I got a guy that I arrested for, you know, having a couple of baggies, yeah, and I'm walking to the police station I see this Doug walking with a tank top, with a huge beard. Cats ooze everywhere and you know your eyes are prone to look at these particular individuals.
Speaker 6:You know and you're a real type of train because of the way they look. So I'm walking to the police station and this guy is walking in the police lobby and I got a prisoner with me. I say who the heck is that guy? I go hey, somebody got out of prison or process. We have a loose prisoner. Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness, what happened? Hey, come here, come here, man, what are you doing here? And he probably doesn't remember, because this happened to him probably many times. I can imagine it happened many times because, listen, I'm not, you know, I'm not going to say that I'm not used, but of course. But I see a guy who fits the profile of a criminal and he's walking through the lobby and nobody's addressing him and I say no, no, no, no, no, this guy, this guy obviously doesn't belong here.
Speaker 6:You know he goes hey no, no man, I'm a detective, I'm a details. Very, very cocky back there.
Speaker 3:Being confidence or being confident.
Speaker 6:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm a detective. I'm a detective. Let me see your ID. Let me see your ID.
Speaker 1:I was a little on the top side as well.
Speaker 6:So I say, yeah, right, Let me see your ID then. And then another officer that I know goes no, no man, that's Bodie, that's Bodie. And I go, that's fine, I understand that you've got whatever he is, but he's a my D. You're in a police station man. You're not even wearing a T shirt Talk about humor.
Speaker 2:Talk about humor.
Speaker 6:Talk about humor that guys in peer support now.
Speaker 4:You learn a thing or two from those days, wow.
Speaker 6:He's a lieutenant in the police department man. It's amazing what God can do, huh.
Speaker 2:Yeah, if one of these days we have to have you as a guest. Also, how many years you have in the department?
Speaker 6:17 years Wow, 17. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Well, we appreciate you, appreciate what you do and thank you for calling in. Lieutenant Valdez. You might, you might have something to say.
Speaker 3:Yeah, actually, you know, the person that called actually brought up good memories as well, because I remember one time at the stay attorney's office I was there to review a case with an assistant state attorney and me and him were walking into the elevator of the stay attorney's office and all of a sudden, you know, we get approached by the security guard. And I see the security guard you know he's on his weapon and I go what's going on here? And then basically he's challenging me and I'm with the assistant state attorney and the assistant state attorney tells the security guard, security officer that listen, he's a detective and he was to not believe the assistant state attorney. So he probably thought that I was kidnapping the assistant state attorney. So you know, I had to show my identification, you know the assistant state attorney show his identification, but I never took it personal because you know why you cannot read a person based on its cover.
Speaker 3:You know what I'm saying. Like you know, that was my role. My role was to play the role of a bad guy. You know, go out there and get the job done.
Speaker 2:Yeah, In the theater world they call it, you're in character.
Speaker 3:Correct.
Speaker 2:And so here you are, law enforcement, but you're in character of being a criminal and I guess, lieutenant, you played the part very well because you had, you had a lot of people that that, that that they thought you were the criminal, but that's just a character that you were playing. You know, for those of you that are listening, this is ask a cop, and you could only imagine okay, your law enforcement, you're one of the good guys, but yet you got to play the role of a bad guy. And so now you have the danger of the bad guys finding out that you are a good guy, and then you have the role of the good guys that think you're a bad guy. So so, buddy, you're like an open target man. You, you got to. You got to play, you got to play wisdom and you got to, which leads me to a thought.
Speaker 2:You got to have a power that's stronger than you. You got to have a God that is really looking out for you, even before you're right with God, even before you've come into God. What I see there is how God has looked over you and to the person. I don't know if they're still on the line, but the the person I called. It's funny how both of you have what I call a before Christ era and now you've come to know Christ and then something's happened in you where you want to recognize officers and you want to recognize citizens that have been either touched by God or they're on God's radar. So you have this thing called what? What do they call?
Speaker 1:that chaplain chaplain Adrian, just so that people know you're here.
Speaker 2:You just didn't go out for coffee or something you're still here.
Speaker 4:What do they call these things, these things that they give out? If you're listening and you want to bring coffee, we also accept that. We also accept that.
Speaker 2:So you know one of the things don't run a, don't run a blue.
Speaker 4:You know as, yeah, don't, don't run a three over here for that, but one of the things that you it also ties in here right, how he played the part. He looked the character very well. Well, you know, I think there's something in Lieutenant Bodhi if you get to know him after a while he's a little bit of a designer. So he almost designed the character and then he started designing.
Speaker 2:He's got some artistic blood in him. You just brought that out. Chaplain, that's so true, and so now, that's why you design all these shirts and wear so well With the color that just called.
Speaker 4:who will remain anonymous?
Speaker 3:Yeah, they're made anonymous, please.
Speaker 4:Yes, you can you know you, can, you know, table this conversation in Spanish. You know who that is now, if you translate that word. But, uh, caller, I'm going to hang up just to let you know as well, but we're going to come here.
Speaker 2:Hey, let him say goodbye to at least. Thank you for calling, sir. I appreciate you.
Speaker 6:Say goodbye, goodbye, you get one car. Oh yeah, oh yeah.
Speaker 2:I want you to know. I want you to know, I got an A team, but but at least this grandpa Chaplain treats you with a little bit more.
Speaker 3:You know, you see what. You see what you mentioned before, pastor Razz, about laughter, this is laughter. We got to laugh. Laughter in Christ.
Speaker 2:One more thing. And when you, when you come to the table, and when you come to the table and Spanish, you got to laugh. But that's, and you're one more thing about Bode.
Speaker 6:Interesting thing and I'm going to and I'll roll it back, how God works. The interesting thing is that that was that was. You know, ghetto, bode, ghetto, people Bode back then, Right.
Speaker 6:And imagine having that, imagine having that, that, that that character, right, you having that, that reputation. And now fast forward to today. That guy's trying to sell you coins and trying to give you a peer supported advice. Can you I mean talking to you about Jesus have a guy who was, who was guys, not even in the same realm of Christianity? And then now, today, let's let's say you haven't seen Bode in like 10, 15 years because it could happen. In the police department, somebody goes to another unit and you know, see, and then now you guys telling you about Jesus. You don't know what to do. What you talking to me about Jesus Bode? No, no, no, no, no, no wrong guy you got. This is the different guy, and I love that because, because the Bible says, when you come to Jesus, you are born again and the old has died and the new has come forth and the old Bode is dead. Wow, we bury that guy. Now we have the new Bode, who's a man of God, who loves the Lord with a passion, a Pentecostal passion.
Speaker 3:There you go.
Speaker 6:And sometimes. I meant to that in in road car you'll see that. You'll see the spirit fly man and I love it and I love the new Bode. I used to. The old Bode was admired but I didn't know about that guy.
Speaker 4:This boy.
Speaker 6:I love him. He's on fire for the Lord. He's bringing people to the Lord. He's not, he's not ashamed, not embarrassed. It's actually a very encouraging to see him in action, the way that he proclaims his faith everywhere, and I just want to encourage you, bode, to continue to do that. Man, continue with the fire, continue to spread, spread the love of God and the word of God everywhere you go. Man, so God bless you guys.
Speaker 2:Before you hang up. Before you hang up, I can't let you go that easy. I have to.
Speaker 4:I thought you were going to hang up on this color I'm trying to get.
Speaker 2:I'm trying to hang up the color I have to magnify and give the foundation here for for Lieutenant, you know Valdez, to continue. But but what you said, as someone that knows him, as someone that's worked with him, as someone that in your first encounter you're thinking, man, this guy is, he's on the wrong team, you know. And and then you've seen that he comes to Jesus and now he's talking about how Jesus has changed his life and, if I got you correctly, not everybody can process that properly. You know, it's funny.
Speaker 2:You just reminded me in the Bible of the man that was demonically possessed, that the he was a nuisance. He was a law enforcement nuisance. They tried to arrest him and he would escape. He was a zoning nuisance, he was a community nuisance. But then, when he comes to his right mind and he's on Jesus' side, now all of a sudden the people don't want anything to do with him. They can't process that because they realize if Jesus can control this guy, then Jesus can, can't control. Jesus is the authority. And it's funny we're living in times and days that that people will, will they all stomach anything and everything except Jesus. That that is so strange, I don't know. If you want have any closing statements, sir, please go for it.
Speaker 6:No, I agree 100%. I agree 100%. The way that that that people can can see you from the past is often to relate to you as a man of God. You know so that that's a challenge within itself, but it's a challenge that that body had.
Speaker 2:All right, we just lost you, we lost you, we lost you. Hey, thank you so much for your call, lieutenant, back to you here. It's an interesting thing. I don't know.
Speaker 3:If you want to speak a little bit about anything, you would have to say yes, pastor, it's interesting that you mentioned that God kept, kept me safe when I was working as undercover detective, and I didn't realize it back then. But once I gave my life to the Lord in 2019, he started reminding me of all the times that he was with me. I was not walking with the Lord, but he definitely was walking with me and you actually said it and he kept me safe.
Speaker 3:You know I mentioned before that I did seven years in patrol. You know number seven, number of completion, and that day, and I just realized right now that these seven years on the cover, so seven in patrol, seven working on the cover, you can't write this thing up.
Speaker 2:You can't make it up.
Speaker 3:And I just realized it right now. And we were myself and my partner back then one of my great friends. His name remains anonymous, like the color Laughter, remember, or we spoke about laughter, right? Yes, sir, a guy that always looked after me and if he's listening he knows exactly who is. A guy that always fought for me when something was wrong, who always took the lead and he kept me safe. But now I realize the Lord kept me safe as well.
Speaker 3:And I remember, you know, in Alapada, one time we were riding together trying to make an narcotics purchase and we had a confidential informant in the backseat documenting confidential informant. And we went to pull up to a house the CI gets out of the house and we basically made the purchase with a confidential informant and later on we left. Well, a long story short. It took us a while to locate the person that we bought the narcotics from. That day it felt very weird, like I felt something was wrong, you know. But thank God nothing happened.
Speaker 3:Fast forward, my partner recognized this individual on a flyer oh, that he was being wanted for something, another crime. So, a long story short. We were able to actually oh, that's the guy that that day we actually purchased the narcotics with, with a confidential informant. We arrested him and I remember, you know, going up to a prisoner processing that's the whole thing sale, and he looks at me and he tells me man, you know you were about to get shot. You know what are you talking about. Yeah, man, you and the other person you were with were with you. We didn't recognize you from this area.
Speaker 3:So behind a wall there was one of our guys with an AK-47. And me and my partner we had a small gun. There's no way we would have been able to even though we had a great team back then 360 around the buy location. But God reminded me that he took control of that individual holding that AK-47. Not to shoot at us because he had a purpose for me. So I thank the Lord every single day for being there with me. When I was not with him and being in the Department for so many years, I had no idea about the chaplaincy and that's when I got to know all the chaplains, get to know you, and going through trials and tribulations in my life, I could tell you from my own personal experience the chaplaincy, the pastors, the chaplains, my heavenly father has basically changed my life.
Speaker 2:You know it's so great to have you. If you're listening. This is Ask a Cop. You get the podcast, you get the program. First Tuesday of the month we have a member of the law enforcement community to come into the studios. This is a live program right now. It's gonna be recorded. You might hear it on another date in time. But our guest today is Lieutenant Valdez, with the Miami Police Department, 20 plus years that. He's got experience in law enforcement Seven years in patrol, seven years on the cover.
Speaker 2:And it's funny, buddy, as I talk with you this morning, it's like I'm watching a movie man. You know you remind me of the things that we see on television and you know we're able to get up, get the Coke, popcorn, whatever we're doing in the house the sandwich, the smoothie but here, as we talk to you, you're in real time and you don't have the privilege of getting up and taking a break. And what you've just shared with us is something that I pray every law enforcement agent would realize. Our very first verse this morning God appoints authority. And so it's an interesting thing because if I could hopefully be used by God to connect the dots here, that day is very possible that your life was being called on by the enemy of our soul. But God intervened and God said not today, god was with you, and I wonder how many law enforcement officers are listening. That you think is about you, your sixth sense. You know your training, your ability, and it's really God that's been taking care of you. I wanna give the other side of this. You know we are born on a day and we'll leave this planet on a day, and I gotta have a heart for the law enforcement that they've given the ultimate sacrifice and laying down their lives and duty. And that doesn't mean that God was not with them. It just means that that was the day to exit the planet.
Speaker 2:And the key and the focus here is are you right with your God creator, heavenly Father? And so that's another thing that, lieutenant, I get from conversing with you again thank you for coming in this morning that we have to get ready, that if you're listening to this program, you don't know how long you have. You may not have another seven months, and we could joke around and everything, but the bottom line is that eternity is real. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, and if he's tugging at your heart today, don't resist him. Just give your life to Jesus. He's taking Boree, he's taking me. He'll take anybody. All we need to do is have a heart that we want the truth and we want to have a relationship with our heavenly God, father Maker, who's bigger than us. Lieutenant, thank you for allowing me to say that. I know you have other words that you wanna say. What are the comments would you make at this moment?
Speaker 3:Yeah, like the anonymous caller stated, I'm part of the peer support. I'm actually one of the leaders and I'm very grateful that the Miami Police Department decided to step in this. When it comes to mental health and law enforcement, and in August of 2019, I went through our first 40 hour peer support course and something that is my mission, with the guidance of the Lord, is to fight and reduce the stigma that everything's okay. Mental health is real. Being there, I know how it is and you know what Some people say it's okay, but it's not. A lot of people are walking with a smile in law enforcement and the internal profile is hurting. And since I've been exposed to this and I could tell somebody that's going through difficulties in their lives that if you come to the Lord and you hand your heart to Jesus Christ, it will be the best feeling that you will ever have. Like the anonymous caller stated, you are born again. And if by me sharing my story because everybody has a story, yes, sir, but by me sharing my story and somebody's life is changed, can I tell you, pastor Ras, it's all worth it.
Speaker 3:You know, there's a story of a man that fell into a deep hole. The man cannot get out of that hole. One person is walking by, sees the man yelling help me, help me. The person grabs a ladder, throws the ladder into the hole, but the ladder is not tall enough for the person to get out. That person leaves. Now you have a ladder but the person can't get out. But it gives the person hope to be able to climb to the ladder. Then another person comes and throws a rope, but the rope is no long enough. So now the person is still stuck with a ladder and a rope Still in the hole.
Speaker 3:Still in the hole, sir, in a very deep dark hole the third person comes by. He says hey, buddy, what's up? Hey, what's up, man, I'll be right back. Oh, you going, I'll be right back, I'm going to get my shovel. So the guy comes back with a shovel, jumps in the hole and I go really, bro, now you and I are stuck here and the person with the shovel that jumped in the dark hole says it's okay, because I know a way out. There's a way out to every problem and every solution that you might encounter in life, but you have to let the Lord handle that trouble for you.
Speaker 2:So you're listening to Ask a Cop. We have a guest with us today from law enforcement, somebody that's been there. You protect, you serve, but you've put your life on the line, and not in so many words, you said it, but these things affect your soul, they affect your psyche, they affect your mind, and so sometimes it's reflected in your communication with your spouse, with your children. You don't have time to be there with your kids and the next thing, you know, your kids went from babies to young adults, you know. And now there's no communication, as a matter of fact, there's tension because the kids are hurt.
Speaker 2:And so, as I hear you, lieutenant Valdez, what comes to my mind is that the officer that's listening, you, might be in a deep hole where the people you love the most, the people that you put your life to risk because you wanted to provide for them, they don't recognize you.
Speaker 2:But you, officer, you're in that hole and you're thinking nobody cares. And sometimes you want to the term that we use eat your gun. Lieutenant Valdez, you're telling me that there's hope for that officer, that there's hope for that wife, there's hope for that dad, that they're law enforcement, but they're thinking I didn't buy, I didn't sign up for this. You know, I signed up to protect and serve, but right now it's like nobody cares. You know, I have a sense that even my superiors don't care, or the people that I'm over, the people that I'm a superior to they don't care. What you're saying is that you might have the rope, you might have the stare you might have, but what you need is you need someone to jump in there with you. And now you mentioned this thing about peer support.
Speaker 3:I don't know what you want to say about that, lieutenant Peer support you know, like I just mentioned, it started in 2019, I believe the first police department in South Florida that started this initiative was the Miami Beach Police Department, so I'm also basically the liaison between the Miami Police Department, peer support and the Miami-Dade Chief of Police Association. They started a regional peer support team as well. So I know, chief Landa, from you know Good man, he's been here.
Speaker 2:We've been our guests.
Speaker 3:Yes, yes, he has been a blessing when it comes to mental health and law enforcement. So this is a movement that is actually not only here in South Florida but across the nation. You know, based on the bluehelpcom report, so far this year, unfortunately, we have 136 officers that have committed suicide. Compared to last year, you know we had 183. So something has to be done. You know, there's a movement, like I just mentioned, for mental health and there's also a movement for the Lord in law enforcement.
Speaker 2:Yeah, thank God for our chaplains, because that's where they come in, the chaplains that are dedicated, the chaplains that do believe in not only in God but in the Word of God. Thank God for that. But I want to say something here, because that mental health situation, like you said, some people, even in law enforcement, they think I don't got this. You know, but you're not sleeping right, you're drinking, you're taking substances that you know that when you get a blood test, you got to do something about it, or you're gambling, or there's something in your life that you're trying to cope with this. And what you're saying, lieutenant, is that there's other ways to cope with it. That just don't get you by, but they bring you healing. You mentioned things like born again, born anew, a new beginning, and you don't lose any of your courage. You don't lose any of your bravery or your manhood or your womanhood. You just gain more because now you see it from a different perspective. Would you have any comments on that?
Speaker 3:Yeah, pastor, and it's something that I believe. Chaplain Adrian, I mentioned before in one of our road calls. You know, I would prefer, if you're going through a hard, tough season in your life, for you to talk about it instead of me attending your funeral. You know what? Peer support is 100% confidential, but the stories that I've heard being in peer support man, I have opened my eyes that something has to be done.
Speaker 3:You know, I personally respecting everybody's choice of faith, you know my faith comes to the Lord, the Lord. If you come up to Him, you know he will help you, he will guide you, he will correct you, he will direct you. And if five years ago, you know, somebody would have asked me about having a relationship with Jesus Christ, to be honest with you and I know you guys are not going to judge me I would have laughed on your face. But now I'm here to tell you that God is real, god loves you, he's faithful and he saved my life and I thank Jesus Christ every single day for waking me up because he gave me life, and life is priceless. Life is priceless and once again, I breathe in the fruit of the spirit. As you know, I'm preaching to the choir.
Speaker 3:You know, your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, godness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, and I breathe out Jesus Christ. So you know I love to go to work. My passion has changed completely from being an undercover detective to be able to help others, and sometimes people will go and ask you about the family, how you doing. But you know what. You have to back it up, because action speaks a lot of non-words. Action speaks a lot of non-words. Some people are gonna hold you accountable for what you say, so you better back it up with your actions. And, like you mentioned before, you know I really enjoy helping people and I could tell to some people that I could relate. You know my personal situations. I've been there and there's hope At the end of the day. There's hope Because if the Lord did it for me, he could definitely do it for you.
Speaker 2:Hey, you're listening to Lieutenant Valdes, one of our guests here at Ask a Cop. We have Chaplain Adrian, which I hope also you as the listening, family, as the community, you Maybe you're law enforcement, maybe you're family to law enforcement, maybe you're that wife, maybe you're that husband that you're seeing your spouse change so much from when they first got together with you, when you first married them. Maybe they had laughter, maybe they had enthusiasm, but now you look into their face and you see that those moments where you're alone, it's like they're drifting out into another place and you're trying to bring them back, but you're losing more and more of that person that you love. So, our guest today, part of Peer Support, we have a chaplain here also. You might be in a place where you're thinking, man, there's no way out, there's no hope. I'm too deep into the hole. Lieutenant Valdes, what would you say to that person? Or Chaplain Adrian, you might jump in here in a moment.
Speaker 4:Well, we wanna also I want Lieutenant Valdes to be able to share on something that in the very beginning of this turnaround in his life that we've been speaking about a little bit here, and there was a turnaround where he began to know about the chaplains. He began now he got that desire to say, man, these chaplains, what is this going on? And he began to learn about it. And then he got in touch with the designer side of his right and something started being created and so I know he was very instrumental to the chaplaincy coin that we created and that was kind of the start of a change in his life. And just for you to know and ask him personally.
Speaker 4:But when he says, back it up, I mean there has been some very heavy costs, right, knowing him personally, there has been some things that have been very difficult that he's gone through. So I mean, if you hear this in the future and you know him, I mean feel free to ask hey, what is these things? What have you gone through? Let me tell me about them. I'm sure he'll be willing to share. We do have a caller and right before caller. If you could just hold on real quick, we wanna give Lieutenant Valdes the opportunity just to share a little bit about this chaplaincy coin, and then we'll come to you caller. Thank you for holding.
Speaker 3:I know we're coming to an end pretty soon, but I can not basically close without thanking Mr Al Scanasi from the Community Police Relations Foundation, cprf, when God spoke to my heart with the creation of a chaplaincy coin, you know what I got with the anonymous caller. You know, once again, god is always connecting the dots for his purpose. So I was in 2019, started creating and designing challenge coins for different units in the police department and one day I woke up in the morning and God told me can you do me a favor? Go ahead, g-s-k. So he said, go ahead and create a chaplaincy coin. So at that moment, you know, I have nothing to know, not the idea about the chaplaincy. I made a few phone calls and I was told that you know that chaplain, george Avila, in which man? That guy has brought me so close to the Lord. I remember, you know, I started experiencing, once I surrendered myself to the Lord, a sequence of events and I would call George, all excited. Hey, george, what's going on here, bro?
Speaker 1:He's like oh yeah, I never felt like this before.
Speaker 3:And George I will never forget. George told me in Spanish SSSL, señor. That's the Lord, because at first I thought I was losing my mind. He's like man, I've never experienced this before and every time we'll call George and share with him. You know an experience that I had. He told me that's the Lord and he will actually share with me a Bible verse.
Speaker 3:We're going back to the chaplaincy coin. You know, god put it in my heart. I got a hold of George. I asked George hey, by any chance? That's the first time that I spoke to this individual and we worked together for several years. We never had an opportunity to meet each other because it was not the time. It was God's timing. So you know what. I ask him hey, by any chance, do we have a chaplaincy coin? And he goes what is that? Automatically, I knew we don't have one.
Speaker 3:So I got to work, because something that I always obedient to the Lord, because the Lord honors when you're obedient to him. So I got to work and we designed a chaplaincy coin. And that's when I met Mr Al Scarnasi from CPRF and right away we hit it off. You know, and long story short, cprf became the financial supporter for the chaplaincy. So this is a coin that there's no currency value, but it's given to people in the community law enforcement, civilians that are going through difficult times, and the meaning of this coin is to let them know that you're not alone and that you are loved. So I have experienced so many stories with you, pastor Raz. We owe the other chaplaincy, jpl agent, chaplain agent. You know giving out this coin and you see on the people's faces like I really need this. I really need this, you know, because I needed this encouragement to make me feel that I'm not alone.
Speaker 2:You know as I hear you, lieutenant, again, thank you for coming in. Our time is just coming to the finalization of the program for today the podcast but I just had to focus in on that fact. You're not alone. You're not alone. You feel that you've been maybe abandoned, you feel that you're forgotten. You feel that maybe there's no value in what you've done. Listen, stop that. Stop that. You're listening right now Because, in a sense, I could tell you God is reaching out to you and I like what you said, also that you know there's a time in our lives that we're not, we're not aware of God.
Speaker 2:And you know we think it's a crutch, we think it's a weakness. We laugh at people's face. You know you're in the midst of your life, is on the line, you're dealing with a criminal element, but yet God is so real that, even though you're ignoring or resisting, god is still reaching out to you and he's still protecting you, and that's an amazing thing. So for you, the listener, god is reaching out to you. It's time for you to come in, it's time for you to surrender. Hey, it's been great to have you as our guest today, lieutenant Valdez, we appreciate you, we appreciate the agency that you represent Miami Police Department, which has world-renowned as a police agency that is there to protect and to serve to be part of the community. Well, our time is up, chaplain Adrian, thank you for running the board. This has been Ask a Cop. You have. You have policethankyoucom right.
Speaker 4:Policethankyoucom. Yeah, go ahead, look for the podcast. They're all on there Again. Thank you, lieutenant Boddy.
Speaker 3:No, thank you. Thank you for having me, it's been a pleasure. It's been an honor, especially to talk about the word Thank you.
Speaker 2:Thank you for being here. Ask a Cop make sure you catch us first Tuesday of every month, until the next time. Thank you for being here.
Speaker 1:This has been another segment of Ask a Cop. Ask a Cop is a live call-in program featured on the first Tuesday of every month during the morning and afternoon live programs on God's Way Radio 104.7 FM in Miami, florida, or through the God's Way Radio app. Visit godswayradiocom for more details. You can listen to past episodes of Ask a Cop and find more resources at our website, policethankyoucom. If you're a police officer, family to police or a supporter of our law enforcement, you want to visit this website. Again, that's all one word policethankyoucom.