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
046: Can Persistence Overcome 21 Law Enforcement Rejections? - Ellery Collado (Major Florida Highway Patrol)
Major Ellery Collado shares his journey from corrections officer to Florida Highway Patrol Troop Commander for Miami-Dade and Monroe County, revealing how persistence, faith, and mentorship shaped his 25-year career in law enforcement.
• Rejected by 21 police agencies before finding his place with FHP in 2006
• Started in corrections after accumulating speeding tickets prevented immediate police employment
• Changed perspective on law enforcement after a compassionate officer drove him home instead of to jail
• Experienced a turning point when he surrendered his career aspirations to God
• Emphasizes leadership comes from genuine care, not rank or authority
• Former trooper Carlos Rosario calls in to share how Major Collado personally supported him through recovery
• Highlights the importance of keeping emergency shoulders clear for first responders
• Discusses the challenges of policing Miami's uniquely congested roadways
• Stresses professionalism and treating individuals with dignity during enforcement action
• Credits family as his foundation throughout his career, particularly during difficult situations
If you see a law enforcement officer, remember to pray for their safety as they work to protect our communities.
you're listening to ask a cop podcast, a time where communities and cops connect. These conversations are recorded live, so stay tuned after the podcast so you can learn where to submit your own questions and to learn how you can support us.
Speaker 2:For now, though, get gotten to see a couple times now. I've run. He runs very well. We did the law enforcement torch run recently. We were at that together. But some have spoken very highly and just said you got to get this guy man, he's great Major FHP and so joining us today. Please introduce yourself. Tell us just a little bit about you, just your name, where you're at, and we'll have a great conversation.
Speaker 3:Excellent, Thank you. Thank you for having me. My name is Ellery Collado. I'm the current Major for the Florida Highway Patrol and that's also a dual role which is called the Troop Commander and that is for the Miami-Dade County Troopers and all the troopers in Monroe County in the Keys.
Speaker 2:So it's awesome to have you Major. We really appreciate it. So when people address you or call you by title, is it Commander or Major Major Major? So it's Troop Commander, major, if you are listening and you are trying to understand the different departments, remember miami-dade just alone, including the troop 11, I believe, is troop e troop e is I'm sorry, troop e is the one here that corresponds closest there to dolphin mall and major collado is the major of that station, also known as the troop commander.
Speaker 2:But miami-dade has over 30 police departments, 38 or so, and so, um, you know, we all get along and are able to share different parts, but fhp is unique because fhp is not a a county but a state agency. So before we kind of get started, I know there might be listeners and you've always wondered, you've always said I've always wanted to ask a florida highway patrol question. Well, you have major collado here with us. Our phone number is 786-313-3115. 786-313-3115. Normally you would hear joey. He's behind the controls doing all the tech stuff which he's phenomenal at, joey I try, but I'll still jump in.
Speaker 4:I'm, I'm just, I'm excited.
Speaker 2:He's just waiting for a little topic of conversation where he wants to jump in. So, Major, let's go back here. Grew up in Miami, Grew up in where'd you grow up and kind of give us a little bit of that upbringing of yours from early childhood.
Speaker 3:Absolutely so. I was born and partially raised in New York City, in Queens, new York, born in Jamaica Hospital, which, coincidentally, is the same hospital that Donald Trump was born in Nice.
Speaker 2:There you go.
Speaker 3:Great men born in that hospital. I guess I had a lot of family members and friends that were a little older than me that were ending up on the wrong side of the law. My mom saw the writing on the wall and said it's time to move you down to South Florida. We came down to Miami and moved into Hialeah and little did she know that the neighborhood she put me in was comparable to New York City.
Speaker 2:Queens, miami. Well, listen, if you've ever been in Miami and you thought, oh, I want to raise my family somewhere safer, here was a family, that that's what they wanted to do. But they ended up in Miami and so that's good. So, hialeah, so school you went to Barbara Goldman. What are the Hialeah schools? Where did you grow up?
Speaker 3:High school Middle school, jose Marti Middle, which back then was, I want to say, sixth through eighth grade, because I know it's different now, and then for high school. The high school that I went to was not built yet, which is Barbarabara goldman, and so we ended up going to a few different high schools in between, which was american and hml, and then finally, when goldman was open, we, um, I went there and was the first part of the first graduating class in 1998, nice barbara goldman.
Speaker 2:So shout out if anyone's listening. That's from hialeah. You guys know who you are. Give us a call Again. Let's have a conversation here. If you remember, maybe you went to school with Major Collado and you remember him in high school Call us. We would love to hear some great high school stories. But speaking of high school stories and stories of our childhood Major, is there any story, in particular stories of our childhood Major? Is there any story in particular, any experience in your childhood that kind of influenced you and made a difference in your life that now you've chosen this career path at this point, anything that comes to mind?
Speaker 3:Yeah, absolutely. You know, growing up because of the things I saw in New York City, I wasn't fond of police officers. Right as a young person, naive, not knowing that the people I knew were committing crimes, I just thought the cops were here to take people away. But specifically this was, I want to say, one of my early years in high school. I never thought of becoming a cop, but I did do something wrong. It was on me.
Speaker 3:I joined National Skip Day day and I went to a house party in hialeah gardens and, uh, sure enough, cops raided the house and uh, I am freaking out. I am like okay, this is it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, not only is my mom gonna kill, me like I've been good 364 days of the year, the one day. I don't know if they have those anymore. They don't even let kids leave for lunch anymore, but right uh but, you. So you, you did this. You, you knew it was probably something you shouldn't have.
Speaker 3:Cops show up, raid the house highly gardens police shout out to them. So yeah, they show up, put us all in the middle of the the living room, have us empty our pockets. Thankfully I had nothing else that I was doing wrong. And, uh, they put me in a squad car and the officer um, I was convinced I was going to jail. But he asked me for my home address and, to my surprise, we pull up in front of my house and he looks back and he says kid, I'm gonna let you out and I better never see you again. And that's, that's the freest, best uber ride.
Speaker 2:yes, yes, and you're going to get you feel great after that, huh.
Speaker 3:And I got to tell you. After that I said, wow, police officers are not that bad and I'm going to listen to this gentleman and make sure he never sees me again, at least not doing anything wrong.
Speaker 2:Shout out to Hialeah Gardens. Did you ever figure out or know who that officer was by any chance? No, never figure out or know who that officer was by any chance? No right, I always uh, I have a similar childhood story and I always wish I could go back and like who was that officer? Are they still around just to let them know the kind of difference they made when it came to? Uh, you know interactions with with law enforcement. So we do have a call, I believe, just because we recognize the number. This is a faithful caller. Uh, was originally here from Sweetwater, I believe. Is over in St Pete listening. My brother. Is this you? Give us a quick shout out. Here we have an officer for Ask a Cop. We want to continue this conversation. Is this you? Yes, it is All right, tell us what's on your mind.
Speaker 8:It's like remember that program, that door number one, door number two.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 8:You will take the door and sometimes people will get a donkey. What am I going to do with a donkey, you know? Hey, that was the show back in the day with Bob Barker.
Speaker 2:You're taking us back. Some youngins don't know what you're talking about. So, my brother, what's on your mind? You have a question, you have a comment for our officer.
Speaker 8:I wanted to share just what the police officer was saying. I was a famous DJ back in the day. I used to spin houses and did a lot of house parties and worked in nightclubs. But one day we were doing something that we weren't supposed to do. It was a Halloween night and we were egging people's car. I was young at that age and there was a police officer that was chasing us and he let go of the canine.
Speaker 2:That sounds exciting.
Speaker 8:Yeah, but the problem was back in my day. They used to call me Speedy Gonzalez, now they call me the turtle man. But what he did is? He called the dog back and I, like you know, I'm thinking, why did he call the dog back? You know, he called the dog back. The dog went back to the police officer, you know. And then a couple of days, you know, months later, I'm working for the city of Sweetwater water and he comes up to me and he goes are you george? Yes, you don't remember me. Yes, you don't remember a couple of years ago. Oh yes, I, I stopped and I go. I, I was a believer at that time.
Speaker 8:Now, when he came after the question, he said I wanted to ask you. Now, you know that I called the dog back and he goes oh yeah, I noticed that. Why didn't you do it? Because, man, I knew your dad for a lot of years. Man, if God thought I would have got you, he would have torn you apart. He would have torn you apart. And I didn't want to arrest you because I knew your dad for a lot of years and I'd go. That's why I didn't do it. But I wanted to make sure with you, but that's why I didn't. I didn't do anything. You know, he let me go, he goes, that's why I let the story you're bringing to the table.
Speaker 4:That's illustrating the point that the the run-ins we have with law enforcement is part of the greater plan, the greater outline that God has for us. So we heard from Major, we heard from Adrian, and now we've heard from you, and we're so thankful to have heard from you, and we'll see who's going to be the next person to call or text. George, it's always good to hear from you.
Speaker 8:No good to hear from you guys, matt. God bless you guys and continue to pray for God's great radio and pray for those lost enforcement, the first responder, fire department pray for them bro, pray for them. Thank you, god bless, absolutely thank you.
Speaker 2:Thank you major. Anything come to mind with that story? I mean, he mentioned a department. Uh, talking about different departments, you start off your career in law enforcement as florida highway patrol or what's kind of your, your entering into law enforcement?
Speaker 3:um, trajectory of law enforcement. That's an interesting one for me. So a kid from new york slash high alia, not very good neighborhoods, uh, not knowing any police officers, not having an in per se or any associates, it was tough. When I decided I said you know what I want to be a police officer? I want to be able to help kids, as that officer helped me, because not everybody's bad and some people just need a little encouragement. So I actually started because I could not become a police officer in the beginning. I didn't have any military. I was a high school graduate but just barely made it through. I was into girls back then, so a 2.1 GPA got me through high school. Long story short, I started in state corrections and the reason being is I had two or three speeding tickets at the time and when I applied to be a a police officer, they didn't accept me. So someone gave me the idea, said why don't you start off in corrections in in a state of florida?
Speaker 4:yes, sir, where were you at at um south florida reception center? I, my dad, was a ceo there. I grew up out there.
Speaker 3:Get out of here, alcala, I know alcala, that's insane, that's crazy man.
Speaker 2:Good to see you again, sir joy, joy lives literally uh on the same property yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4:No, I want to take your child to work day in the confinement.
Speaker 3:There you go, yeah, yeah that's uh, was that echo dorm right? Yeah, yeah. So I started off there and I gotta tell you it was one of the best experiences ever, because, as a correction officer, as you know you, uh, you need to learn how to speak to people.
Speaker 4:Just because you're wearing a badge, you can't threaten them with jail.
Speaker 2:No, they're already in jail correct and you got no weapon to escalate with.
Speaker 3:You're one correction officer, maybe two if you're lucky with 128 inmates.
Speaker 2:So imagine these are hardened criminals.
Speaker 3:Hardened criminals and I'm 22 or 23 years old at the time, so they know they you know these hardened criminals know, I'm just barely able to get that beard going.
Speaker 3:Exactly, exactly yeah but it was a beautiful start there. Uh, from there I I did three years as a state correction officer. I I transferred into Miami-Dade Corrections. I applied and got hired and I started at Dade County Jail and then I worked at TGK. I was there for about a year and then in between that time, I became a reserve police officer for Sweetwater Police. Going back to our last caller, I was a cop there Sweetwater.
Speaker 3:I was not the one that called the dog back, but he was around. I was a cop there. I was not the one that called the dog back then, but he was around, I was around. And then, finally, florida Highway Patrol.
Speaker 2:Awesome, awesome. And you've been Florida Highway Patrol now Since 2006. 2006. That's almost 20 years or so. So you're almost at your 20-year mark, plus a couple more over 25 years or so, more or less, in law enforcement. We do have a caller Again. Thank you for calling God's Way Radio. What area of town are you calling from? Miami? Miami-dade, miami-dade, miami-dade. So I recognize the voice. I don't know if Major recognizes the voice yet, but go ahead your phone line is yours, major Collado.
Speaker 3:Is this my brother man?
Speaker 5:very appreciated, hey brother, very appreciated man, for what you have done for me and my family. My name is Carlos Rosario. At one point I was a trooper and I went through a very, very bad time and Mr Major at the time was a captain and I already had a good relationship with him before that. But, man, what happened after that, how he took care of me in such a bad time and my family, and what I really, really wanted to make sure that everybody know, knows is that, although as cops we're gonna be assertive and we got to do our job, man, major cuidado's heart was so beautiful and I really knew he always had a beautiful heart.
Speaker 5:But when his birthday came around and I've already been in the hospital for about three to four months, he's been in the hospital a lot already and his birthday comes up and he comes with his family on his birthday and instead of being at the beach with the boat he likes the boat he's a captain on the boat also. Man, this guy was in my room with his family and man, this guy made me cry because, like who on their birthday? And he already saw me, he already knew I was going to be okay. He already knew I was going to be okay, he already knew I was not going to die.
Speaker 5:But to still come three, four months later to the hospital and be there that day with me and his family, man, that to me, man, listen, that's leadership. He didn't have to do that, but that's the love of the father that I felt that day through Christ, right Through him. He was the vessel and man. My kids, I really believe, became cops because of the love that they felt through society, but, very specific, the highway patrol and the other police officers that were showing me love, and that came because of, back then, captain Collado, who's Major Collado today. I just wanted to let people know, man, that Heavenly Father's love is real and when people surrender, it doesn't matter if you're um, a cop or not a cop, man, the love can be felt and and I felt it through that cop, that that's there right now amazing.
Speaker 2:That's man, uh, carlos, uh, former fhp, now, uh, with another department still serving, still serving. Miracle that you're alive. If you are listening to this podcast recorded or even live right now you can go on police. Thank you, dot com slash. Ask a cop, or look up, ask a cop on whatever podcast player you have. Go back and look for FHP or Carlos Rosario and look for that episode, because his story is on there, and so you want to, you want to, you want to kind of fill in the blank here. You're hearing a shout out, so go back, listen to that.
Speaker 2:But, major, let's kind of jump a little bit here, because that was a big part of and thank you, thank you for the call again. That was a big part of you're a captain now already. So there's there's a, there's there's leadership there and and it's not easy in certain positions that that that we're in, and so here you have, an officer gets into a major, uh, do you have the same three codes? You get a major accident through a 16 right for accident 316. So we, we use 10 codes, oh, 10 codes, okay so. So a major accident through a 16 right for accident 316. So we, we use 10 codes, oh, 10 codes, okay, so, so a major accident, and and and you're the captain there, you know. So tell us a little bit about kind of what you went through as a supervisor during this time, if you, if you are willing to, or open enough to just kind of share a little insight to those listening.
Speaker 3:Well, yeah, first and foremost, carlos, thank you for calling, thank you for your beautiful words and hey, if it's up to me, we'll spend every birthday together. You're a brother to me and thank you for calling in and pastor to answer your question. So that day it's a tough one for me, I gotta tell you. So Carlos was a trooper, but he was an acting sergeant because his squad had an empty position at the sergeant level and he had the capacity that I knew from the start to be a leader. So I tapped him to be an acting sergeant and I specifically asked him.
Speaker 3:I said, hey, take the squad, go out there and patrol the highways and make sure that the highways are safe. And he actually listened to me. Right, most supervisors or acting supervisors would say, hey, let's just go about and do our normal thing. But he took his squad and he went on to the State Road 836 expressway and they were conducting speed enforcement and, lo and behold, it was a texting and driving driver. If you go back on the podcast and listen to Carlos' story, it's one, it's a miracle.
Speaker 2:It's a true miracle.
Speaker 3:And that driver slammed into my trooper, my acting sergeant, my Carlos Rosario, and uh, I I gotta tell you I have seen dead people with less injuries than carlos had. I was convinced when I saw him and I was one of the first to arrive there that he was not gonna make it. So it's a tough one to look back on that. I can relive that day and, uh, it's not an easy one, but carlos made it through stronger than ever and somehow he got an inch taller. I don't know, I gotta go see the doctors, the metal rods.
Speaker 2:they just extended him. He's like, how tall do you want to be? And he told them, and then they made it happen.
Speaker 2:My man is stronger than ever, and that's a pure miracle of God, pure miracle, yeah, and you look back at those times and everyone has different times in the career and in life in general that shake us and that being one of those that you know moments where you don't even know what to feel, especially at that, the times where where it wasn't known if Carlos was going to make it. But, um, if you could, there's maybe a couple little things, maybe one one, maybe two things that helped you kind of sometimes focus back on a positive note there. Can you tell us just a little bit about that in your life? What were those things that kind of helped you in the fog? Have a little bit of clarity.
Speaker 3:God honestly. I mean, I got to tell you I've never been over religious never. But something in me has always told me God's right there with you. So one story that I can tap into is, as I was saying earlier, I was a correction officer. It was very tough for me to become a police officer because I was a kid that grew up in these bad neighborhoods and, yes, in high school I tried weed. Yes, I had some speeding tickets. And here I am coming in with just a high school diploma, applying to be a police officer, and that's on my resume. Nothing else Other than a few jobs here and there. So I was sitting, I was turned down by 21 police agencies, 21.
Speaker 2:You name them.
Speaker 3:Miami Beach, City of Miami, all of them.
Speaker 2:If I could just pause right there For any young person listening. I hope you're taking note. You turned in one application and you kind of gave up on it. You didn't call back. Here's 21. So just an encouragement, you know, and now a major in Florida Highway Patrol. So don't just don't take the easy road Like you got to keep knocking on doors when you want something. That's a path you're going to go down. So just thank you for any young person listening. And we do have a portion of today. We want to go and talk to some of those young men and ladies who are listening, and so that's one point already, just perseverance. But, yes, go ahead.
Speaker 3:Perseverance is huge. Sometimes they would accept my application and put me through what's called an oral board and I would have police captain and majors tell me you're not cut out for this kid. You know you don't have military, you don't have anything. We can't pick you. We have better qualified applicants.
Speaker 3:Long story short, I started in corrections for that to start building the resume and one day I'm sitting in a jail cell of TGK on the fourth floor. I'm in the officer's office. I used to work a midnight shift. The inmates were already locked in for the night and I'm just sitting there wondering how am I going to be a police officer? It seemed like it was impossible at that point because back then it was very selective. They would choose two or three per department because the vacancies weren't like they are today.
Speaker 3:Long story short, I look on the wall and I see a footprints message, a very famous message regarding Jesus, and I read it and I just got down on my knees and I said God, I put this in your hands. If you want me to be a cop, great, but I'm surrendering. That's it. I'm not going to try as hard as I used to, because I was hard at it. I said well, you're not. So, for instance, if pembroke pines is not going to take me, well, I'm going to the next miramar, well, I'm going to the next uh city of miami. And at one point, once, once those 21 denials came through and I said what am I gonna do here? And the moment I got on my knees and prayed, I just felt clarity and I said okay.
Speaker 3:It was almost like a burden lifted off my shoulders and I actually thought to myself well, maybe this is it. I'll be the best correction officer in the county jail that you've ever seen.
Speaker 3:Not 30 days later. I had already applied to Florida Highway Patrol in the past. They didn't call me. Well, let me take that back. They did call me, they put me through some tests, but it was just dead in the air. I had no notion of that they were going to hire me and, uh, sure enough, 30 days later, within those 30 days of that prayer of me getting on my knees, I got a higher date of september 29 2006 for the Florida Highway Patrol.
Speaker 2:September 29, 2006. And again, you know the message of perseverance and surrender and sometimes you think, well, I make it happen, it's all about me, I can get this done, and God doesn't want to dismiss that because it's not. You know, we're not meant to be lazy or not work, but sometimes there is moments where we I mean sometimes we realize we should have surrendered earlier. But we, you know, we fight, we fight and we get to that surrender point. We do have some texts, and one text here. It says In a profession that often demands more than it gives, major Ellery has remained steadfast in his role as a male in law enforcement. He is a leader to many because he displays his priorities. His priorities are clear and his actions reflect a deep commitment to the well-being of both his family and the community he serves. I admire his display and dedication to his family and again, having a shout out to the family, I think the person that sent the text did write to you, joey.
Speaker 4:Yeah, they sent their name. I'm thinking they don't mind. This is Sergeant Verdon from Miami Police. Oh, that is my sister. So, she wanted to just give you some words of encouragement and we want to tell her thank you for listening. She rocks, she's an encouragement to many of us here and I know Pastor Raz is listening, so now she's encouraging Pastor Raz and Pastor Raz is encouraging that she texted so this is a sweet time.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and even speaking to that text and the importance of family, right, Can you tell us just a little bit? Married kids.
Speaker 3:Yes, yes, when I started this law enforcement career, I had a one-year-old and a two-year-old. They were 18 months apart, so the ages sometimes go between one and three, but long story short. You had two kids Married since 2003. Go with between one and three, but long story short. You had two kids married since uh 2003. So, uh, I was married prior to becoming a correction officer.
Speaker 2:Wow, yeah, so how much has that that even the kids, you know your wife, how much has that helped you in your career? Because we're having someone point out specifically that that man, they've seen a priority to the family. So just can you talk a little bit about that? Just a priority to the family, even in the situation with that we just talked about carlos rosario, you know how much family means during those times they're on my foundation.
Speaker 3:That's uh, that's the reason why I used to have on my screensaver, my computer, a code that meant a get home. Uh, that's the code that we use when we're home, when we're in 1098.
Speaker 3:And it used to remind me you need to get home. And that's what was my priority and my wife was my backbone, is my backbone still to this day. And with Carlos' situation specifically, I took that I had a lot of guilt Because, if you remember, I'm the one that said go out there, Right, and he could have, he could have to his credit, said yeah, okay, Captain, no problem, and just not done what I asked and he immediately went for it. So about, I would say, for a couple months there I really I internalized that and my wife was the one that was able to talk me through.
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah, you know I was going to ask about that. I've been still sitting on that as you guys have been talking and you kind of answered it. You know the why, you know, I like knowing what makes people tick and why. Why on your birthday do you go? Do you take the family?
Speaker 4:And, if I understood you correctly if not correct me but part of it was that guilt, like man, man, you know he's in there because of me and and I should visit him, and and and I need to visit him, and and how long did it take? You? You know, obviously you can see it still touches you, but I gotta think that there's been a healing there, that there's been a restoration there and in seeing the, the situation you know and all the factors involved, maybe you can tell us a little bit about that. Because Adrian, as he's describing the situation as a supervisor, I got to imagine I haven't really heard a lot about that, but I got to imagine a lot of supervisors go through that. You're responsible for these guys, something happens to them, so maybe you can share with us about that.
Speaker 2:I mean, I'll just throw in there a lot of supervisors who care. It happens to, and that's a very important piece which we're going to touch on in a second because, we want to, even we're going to steer the conversation.
Speaker 2:We're going to talk a little bit about leadership. Carlos pointed out, you know, man, you know that that's a person of leadership who visited, you know when he didn't have to, and the things we so. So we're going to talk a little bit about that. But, yeah, going back, major, to Joey's point there and any comments that come to mind, yeah, god, I mean.
Speaker 3:I prayed to God in that situation too, and I said you know, I left it in his hands again. That's always worked for me when I pray, hey.
Speaker 5:Why does it take me so?
Speaker 3:long. Sometimes, for some reason, when I pray for something specific, I never get it. It's never on my timing and I've learned my lesson. Now I just say it's your will, but I try to steer God. I say hey. By the way, you know what's in my heart.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and speaking about prayer, we'll throw all sorts of lessons in here. We're not just talking law enforcement. If you're listening again, you can call in 786-313-3115, 786-313-3115. You have a question?
Speaker 1:you've always wanted to ask.
Speaker 4:You can text as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, maybe you want to remain anonymous too. You can text us your question. Why does Florida Highway Patrol dress with hats and why?
Speaker 1:do?
Speaker 2:they look always so much more, you know, buttoned down and maybe you know so you might want to have some of those silly questions. Or how come you guys have really cool looking cars now? I mean whatever questions you might have. You might just want to say thank you to one. Does FHP have a Corvette?
Speaker 4:We do have a Corvette, I knew it.
Speaker 3:I saw that somewhere. Yeah, it was released on social media about 10 days ago. It was amazing. Yeah, all right sorry, no.
Speaker 2:So so please call us and let us know the the questions that you might have. Um I I would lost my train of thought there where we were going with the corvette, stole it. Yeah, corvette now. Now we're gonna. I gotta see if I get a ride along with fhp I haven't had that yet.
Speaker 3:We also have camaros. We have a lot, we have a lot of the camaros.
Speaker 4:The most things.
Speaker 2:Yeah, now here's here's a just a strictly simple police question. Um, how many agencies in uh, in, let's just sugar miami-dade fhp one of them I don't know of any, but maybe some do can do, uh, what's called a pit maneuver. Is that still a thing? That's just us, that's just fhp.
Speaker 4:All right, see, you gotta even inform me on this, because I I don't know if I know that term, pit maneuver yeah, that's, you know where you're, you're following up.
Speaker 2:Okay, go ahead, major. Why am I going to describe it?
Speaker 3:but precision and mobilization technique. Right. So that is the one that, uh, we pull up against a vehicle that's fleeing, uh, actively fleeing from us. This is not a traffic stop where the person's looking for a safe place to stop. No, it's. It's an active fleeing maneuver where we know these people do not want to stop for our traffic stop and we've been given the authority by our executive director and our director, which is our colonel, to pit these vehicles and that's the uh, the acronym for the precision and mobilization technique.
Speaker 3:Long story short, we pull up, uh, with our front bumper, uh, and fender along there either, whichever side that criminal gives us access to, and we're going to go ahead and make your vehicle uh come to stop. Come to a stop exactly. And and if that means spinning you around and and crashing into your car a couple times to make sure that you're not going to go anywhere else and put the public in danger, and that's the biggest thing. A lot of people think that we're just doing this to catch criminals and crash into their cars. And no, honestly, it's to terminate that pursuit, to lessen the danger on the public, because if that pursuit continues to go, something bad is going to happen.
Speaker 4:They're going to hit another car.
Speaker 3:They're going to run an intersection.
Speaker 4:And anybody that would criticize this maneuver or allowance or whatever. You got to take a second and think they're also putting themselves at harm. These troopers are putting themselves at harm yes, very much touching their this view.
Speaker 4:You know, essentially hitting this other vehicle, I mean, that's, that's not a. I can't imagine there's a trooper that goes out, you know, thinking, well, I'm gonna do this, it's gonna be fine, easy. No, there's. I gotta imagine there's a hesitation, there's a thought oh boy, this is the only way to really intervene in this situation. So interesting, interesting.
Speaker 3:It's not easy at all and it is dangerous for us.
Speaker 2:We have another caller on the line. Thank you for calling. Ask a cop what area of town first are you calling from?
Speaker 6:I'm calling from Westchester, westchester, westchester. I have to say to the guest today Major, thank you for what you do. I was always an observant, but now that you told us that you got a Corvette, I put my application and I said, lord, whatever you want, it's in your hands, just joking, but what I want to say is you want to drive the Corvette, is that what you meant?
Speaker 2:No, no, no, oh, you drive. Very well, sir, I believe you can handle it.
Speaker 6:Thank you, thank you, sir. Thank you, but, major, what would you say to the law enforcement that is listening and they're going through that guilt? They feel, man, it's on me and they need to let it go. What would you say? That would be some of the steps they could follow so that they can come to a resolve, that they could have some mental health and be on a way where they could perform better because they're doing better. And so what would be your recommendation that you would give them? And I'm going to hang up, I'm going to listen to your response. Again, I want to thank you for what you do. Obviously, you had Sergeant Burden, you know, sending a text message, so so that means that you influence people beyond what you know. Uh, but again, thank you for what you do. God bless you and, uh, I'm going to listen to your answer.
Speaker 3:Thank you, thank you. God bless you as well. Yes, sergeant Burden is an amazing person, amazing person, amazing person. There is no limit to her. Whenever she becomes a chief Sarge, come call me, we'll call you chief by then and then hopefully you hire me after my retirement.
Speaker 3:But yeah, the only advice I know of because I've lived it, is like I said, I internalized it and it was damaging me and I didn't even tell my family, I didn't tell anyone, Just kept that in and had a bold face until I couldn't do that anymore and, believe it or not, it's my daughter who actually opened me up on that.
Speaker 1:She's like what is wrong with you?
Speaker 3:It's. Just talk about it. Find someone you trust and talk about it. Let it out, because sometimes your perspective is not correct, and my perspective of that was he did that because of me. And look what happened. And then my daughter believe it or not, she was only like maybe 14 at the time she said dad, it's would. If something were to happen to you, would you blame us, would you blame your boss? And I said no, why would I do that? She was what your trooper is, the same way he's not gonna blame you and.
Speaker 3:And that just opened my, just opened up to the way I was thinking at the time so our family, you know.
Speaker 2:And and then one of the reasons we we need to treasure them so much Sometimes life goes by so fast and we we neglect we. You know our schedule, a major, I know your schedule from here you got another appointment and it just happens. But how important it is to to, to set the priority, to show them, because you know, if you're like me, a lot of times it's like well, but you know everyone should know what, but no, we need to show them sometimes and so, yeah, our family is such a key part of getting through these difficult moments. But let's go into, let's talk a little bit about just leadership. And again, going back to Carlos's phone call, how he mentioned all that. You know, great leaders do that Just from your observations.
Speaker 2:Major, you know, now, having a couple different leadership positions, just give us your perspective, your thoughts, some things you've learned along the way when it comes to being a leader. And we know that in every aspect of the job, if you're an officer on year one, you're still on your I don't know if FHP calls it fto phase. You know, field training officer, you're just getting out there. Um, you're still a leader, you're still an authority to someone, but but just kind of give us some perspectives on leadership, uh, to our officers, to our supervisors, that you've come across in your life so, obviously, being a correction officer and all that, and reserve police officer for Sweetwater now with FHP, I came from the bottom up.
Speaker 3:Obviously, there's no other way to become a supervisor. You have to start at the bottom and you have to see a different—. All your supervisors bring something to the table, even the ones you think are not good supervisors will teach you something. Sometimes it'll teach you how not to treat people, but there's certain value in even the things that they can teach you that are positive. And when you become a supervisor for those that are looking to rise up through the ranks, you'll say to yourself one day oh okay, I see why that supervisor did that. Because when you're on the ground level, you don't see the perspective, you don't see the responsibility that a supervisor carries. At the end of the day, we, as a supervisor, we the good ones, like you said care about our people for every single thing, I mean even a minor accident. I make sure that I call or text or even email my folks just to let them know that I'm aware and that I'm happy that they're home safe.
Speaker 3:Leadership to me, to me, in my experience and this is just my opinion, not to offend anyone is you're either born with it or you're not, and it's a God-given thing. And I was blessed with it, thankfully and I'm not blowing smoke up on my own, you know what. But I've known troopers today that have one year on and I say this person's going to be a good leader. You either have it or you don't. And a lot of it is confidence. A lot of it is the ability to look someone in the eye and let them know that you actually care.
Speaker 3:And sometimes that care means scolding them because they're doing something that's probably going to end up bad, either for their career or for their health or for their life. And you have to have that courage to look someone in the eye and confront them and stop them from doing something bad or something that's improper or something that's going to lead to the demise of their own life. And somehow that's going to lead to the demise of their own life. And somehow and um, you know, you know I say you're born with it because I have some seen some supervisors where it's an ego trip. My, my motto is if you have to say your rank, you lost right. If I have to tell you I'm sergeant so and so I'm lieutenant so and so you better listen to me, because I'm Captain, so-and-so, that's it, you lost.
Speaker 1:They know your rank.
Speaker 3:They know it. There's no need to say it. All you have to do is say, hey, come here, let me talk to you and give it to them straight from the heart. I was blessed with several good leaders in every single department.
Speaker 2:That's going to be my next question.
Speaker 3:Any mentors, mentors, any examples that you've had? Yes, uh, in sweetwater, um, at the time I had a sergeant named margarino he's now with miami-dade sheriff's office that man in the fray, I was in sweetwater when it was the old sweetwater, if you know, you know, if you know, you know, and that man took me aside and said, kid, you ride with me, and he kept me away from maybe some cops that weren't doing the right things. And actually I remember telling him one day we were in the squad car together patrolling, and Sweetwater didn't have a lot of cars back then, so we had to ride two-man units.
Speaker 3:And I said to him hey, I'm thinking of applying at FHP, but you know, you know those troopers, man. Yeah, everybody knows what we. You know, we have this persona that we give tickets to other cops and and don't forget, and guess what. Yes, maybe we do sometimes, but it's not something that I personally take pride in, but it is what it is. We do our jobs and we're faithful to that. But, however, I did tell him, I said hey, I did tell him.
Speaker 3:I said hey, I don't know if I want to be a trooper, though I mean you know, just that bad image that we had among the law enforcement community, which, I have to say, now is not there anymore. I can proudly say that every single department we work together and if there's an issue we handle it. We handle it like a family. But long story short. I looked at him. I said Sar, we handle it like a family. But long story short. I looked at him. I said sarge, what do you think? Uh, and I'm, you know, I'm trying to down, talk my way out of it. He's like what are you? Are you crazy kid? Of course fhp is awesome. Yeah, go over there. And he was the one that basically said go be a trooper.
Speaker 2:And and it was just boom, let's do it yeah, and so you know it's something that you could take and make it negative. You know you encourage someone with it, but we have another caller on the line. Thank you for calling. Ask a cop. You are on the line. Where are you calling from?
Speaker 7:Indian River County, Vero Beach, Florida. How are you?
Speaker 2:today, carl Indian River County. All right, I recognize the voice, but go ahead if the line is yours.
Speaker 7:Colorado. I was an officer at South Florida Reception Center, officer Alcala, my son's a pastor there at Calvary Chapel.
Speaker 3:How are you, my friend, amazing what's going on.
Speaker 2:How are you? Did you hear him? Uh, mr Alcala? Yes, okay, good, good.
Speaker 7:All as well. My friend, I want to thank you for serving. You're a major now.
Speaker 3:Yes, sir.
Speaker 7:Okay, you're a major. Thank you for serving Um. I did 29 years with the state and I also did 22 years in the military, so when I heard this program today, I said I must call. In what years did you work in south florida?
Speaker 3:I was there 2003 to 2006 okay, yeah, okay so yeah you just do me for a minute there. Yeah, I retired in 2016 wow, yeah, wow, and your son was selling me. You lived on the compound yes okay, so so we, we know some people in common.
Speaker 4:Definitely, we really do super cool to hear from you, dad hey, listen what I?
Speaker 7:what I want to say to you, my friend, is thank you, you're. You have a beautiful spirit man. I've been. I've been listening to the program for about 15 minutes. God bless you, bro, for blessing and having that empathy and that empathy, bro, for people that you know that are going through things because, um, I went in that period. I went to Iraq for a year when you were, when you were there in South Florida. I was gone for a year from 2004 to 2005. I was in Iraq, but so anyway. So thank you for that.
Speaker 3:I do remember you just so you know, I do remember you. My sergeant at the time was Richard Mendez, which I'm sure lived right there with you. So I remember you and I remember you being gone as well.
Speaker 7:Yeah, god bless you man. I well, yeah, god bless you, man. Appreciate the call. God bless you. Thank you so much.
Speaker 2:God bless. I love when live on the program, some of these connections are made and it goes back to show you that you might think that the world revolves around you but there are so many connections and things happening all the time. The people we meet um, and major. We were having a short conversation yesterday just on the kind of person that especially in law enforcement. But I think everyone um, the way we carry about ourselves in our and I just start treatment of others and and of course there's certain lines that law enforcement is there for what the words mean to enforce the laws, and when they do that right, it's a beautiful thing. Justice is beautiful. You know, stopping someone from causing further harm is a beautiful thing. But there are times where there's just conversations and interactions. Can you just speak a little bit to that kind of? My brain is going to Spanish. But como comportarse? You know how to behave, just the way someone carries themselves about Anything you would have on that.
Speaker 3:Yes, you know, law enforcement is increasingly becoming more difficult, right, as everyone knows, the respect level is declining. It's there's no, uh, other way to this to say it my troopers, the law enforcement officers today, are not getting as many yes sirs or yes ma'ams as they used to. It's more of why did you stop me? By the way, I'm recording you. Uh, I know your boss, or I knows this, or I know that, right no, I'm your boss, I pay your taxes that too right. Which next time I get told that?
Speaker 4:I'm gonna say can I get a raise?
Speaker 3:please so, uh, but no, uh, the way to be is just professional. People react to professionalism, right, if, if we stoop down to their levels and I've been there, I've done it. So I've made that mistake where I curse back this is pre-camera days, you know or I stoop down to their level. It's worse. Now I escalate the problem. Now I've ruined my day, plus their day, because they're probably going to jail.
Speaker 3:But long story short, at the end of the day it's not worth it. Right, you are in a position of power, but you don't need to make it a position of power. You're also in a position of molding someone's life. Like I said, I told you yesterday, unless they attack me or attack one of my officers or try to attack an innocent civilian, then all bets are off. It is what it is. We're going to take care of business and you're going to jail or somewhere else. But if you are a person that I've encountered and even had to arrest I hope there's people out there listening that can even testify to this we will talk on the way to the jail and I will tell that person hey, it's not personal, you shouldn't have been doing this. You understand that. Right, you know you shouldn't have had 34 dime bags of weed in your car, but it is what it is, or the six garbage bags of heroin that.
Speaker 3:I caught you with. But understand, this is not personal. I'm taking you to the jail. This is what's going to be the process. I explain it to them, we talk and I'll say to them at the jail hey, best of luck to you, I'll see you in court. That's not a threat, it's more of hey, get your life in order you know, um and a lot of times I'll even tell the judge on trial date.
Speaker 2:Hey, the person was decent on the way to jail or there's traffic enforcement and that's a big part of it. I honestly feel like either I am a better driver now or I feel like I see it less. I don't know, but I see accidents, I mean nonstop, but I see accidents, I mean nonstop. Can you speak to us a little bit about, just so, someone's driving right there's an accident on the highway. Just on the law enforcement perspective, having seen so many accidents, can you please everyone here's my message From before the accident happens to after the accident happens Just, can you talk to us a little bit about accidents and what you've seen in? It's Miami, yeah 305.
Speaker 3:Love, love Miami. And just so everyone knows, I've worked in Martin County, Indian River County, Palm Beach County.
Speaker 2:So this is Miami Winnemaw.
Speaker 3:Jacksonville, which is Clay Duval, you name it. I've been. Yes, miami takes the cake. Yes, we do. It is what it is, but it's more of the volume it's. It's also the the amount of people that come to Miami way it's. You know, I'm from the Dominican Republic, my parents are from the Dominican Republic. You go over there. You know the type of driving that goes on there, right? So it is what it is. We're a melting pot, but accidents occur here because of the population. We're just oversaturated in Dade County and, fun fact, we have less troopers today in Dade County and in Monroe County than we did in the 90s. Think about that, with the population boom, with the expansion of highways. You've seen it? The turnpike was three lanes back in the day. How many? What is it now? Seven, eight, yeah, so it is what it is.
Speaker 3:We're some people make it nine, exactly without lights. Yes, uh, yeah, they love to ride the shoulder when there's traffic have you did you?
Speaker 2:do you commonly pull people over for riding the shoulder?
Speaker 3:Absolutely, I'm in an unmarked.
Speaker 2:Thank you, appreciate it.
Speaker 3:I'm stuck in traffic and it always you yourself as a major, Of course, Will still stop.
Speaker 2:You know that's interesting right.
Speaker 3:My first line to folks that are riding the shoulder is hey, if I got to wait in traffic and I have lights, no one's going to ask me any questions. But I wait in traffic, so will you. So it is what it is. We have to be fair.
Speaker 2:Good, good, you know here just again, if you were listening. You go to policethankyoucom slash askacop. You can listen to this and other episodes If you are catching it live. We mentioned other episodes for Carlos Rosario, so you want to go back and listen to those. If you want to just still call or text, it's 786-313-3115, 3115.
Speaker 4:And just a quick why, even more of the why, and you can confirm or deny this right the shoulders there is in case there is a real emergency, so you can get out of traffic, turn on your lights. Lights go as fast as you need to to help the person in the emergency.
Speaker 3:You bring up a spectacular point. A lot of people do not realize and picture your family member being injured in a traffic crash and now we cannot get through because there's 30 cars on that shoulder. And now they can't get back into traffic and, believe it or not, we're, we're just trying to get there. We're not going to sit here and give 30 tickets on the way there. We want to make sure that those people involved in that accident are okay. At the end of the day, we're first responders as well. We have the luxury in Dade County where Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responds very quickly. But I've worked in other counties where we're always the first ones there and sometimes we're the ones giving CPR there and sometimes we're the ones giving CPR.
Speaker 3:So imagine, by a person taking a shoulder, blocking an ambulance, blocking a state trooper, and now that family member cannot get the help they need. We've had vehicles fall into canals. Those are seconds before those vehicles sink and it becomes almost impossible to save a person. So think about that. Please spread the message to your friends and families. Do not take those shoulders. They are for emergency use only and it could mean life or death to someone else. Great, great Thank you.
Speaker 2:And there's a lot of practical questions Again, I thought we would have maybe one or two calls just to ask about FHP kind of things. Can you tell everyone? So why the hats? Oh, the hats set us apart. All right, you see, that's because you're going to get that question.
Speaker 4:There's got to be originally right. Maybe the sun you're out on the highway, I don't know, because they're big hats, they're nice looking hats.
Speaker 3:If I can say this, we are badasses. I'm sorry we're wearing the hat because we are. We are the man or the woman you want to form.
Speaker 2:You go fhp, you can get the hat too. Um. So a couple of quick ones, real here, real quick. Um cafecito, or energy drinks cafecito, all right, he's talking like a hispanic here from high, alia. Um wait, can I say?
Speaker 3:one thing about, please. When I started in Sweetwater as a cop, I was on a midnight shift and I didn't drink cafecito back then and they take us to the cafeteria. They take me specifically and my FTO says, hey, what do you want? And I go, just get me a water. And the officer goes, hey, get this kid some milk and cookies. There you go. So I learned real quick, okay cookies.
Speaker 2:There you go. So I learned real quick okay, those mentors that we get, so cafecito with milk and cookies um jujitsu or boxing man, I am a boxer believe me yeah, yeah, but I do want to learn the art of jujitsu.
Speaker 3:All right, that's just old school for me. You know, boxing is old school, but I can tell you, those jujitsu moves are amazing yeah, yeah, combination would be, I'm sure, phenomenal um midnight or day shifts. I am not a day guy. I am forced to be one for my position. I'm a nine to five, sometimes an eight to four type of guy or an eight to eight, but I am a night owl.
Speaker 2:I love the midnight shift, loved it yeah, and that's one of those things that some people are born with it, some people are not. Just like leadership, you're born with the night thing or you're not. Sometimes. Um favorite restaurant because you drive all over miami-dade county favorite restaurant, you have to pick one.
Speaker 3:Well, are we talking out of work? Out of work, I got to shout out my buddy Poppy Steak down in South Beach.
Speaker 2:Yeah, oh yeah, and in work.
Speaker 3:Work is.
Speaker 2:Because you're here near Dolphin Mall Work is Troopers Love La Carreta Sergio's. That's good, that's where you're going to find us.
Speaker 3:So you're not over at Texas de Brazil.
Speaker 2:Every day You're so close. That's saved for special occasions.
Speaker 3:Christmas parties for my secretaries and stuff like that.
Speaker 2:So now we know, if you want to have good Christmas parties, try to get a secretary job there at FHP. So hey, we're so thankful for all you've done, for being here with us. We're thankful for FHP. We pray, we constantly pray. You got the station down the turnpike. A little bit further down you have on 120th, you have the one here by Delpham Mall and they're spread out throughout the state and these guys put their life at risk all the time. Just driving in Miami is a risk, and so the ones trying to keep us safe do that well. So if you see anyone pray for them, be kind to them. Stop when you need to stop. Don't use the emergency lanes. God bless you all. Have a great day.
Speaker 1:You've been listening to Ask a Cop. For more information or to get in contact with us, visit our website, policethankyoucom. You'll also find out how you can support us Again, just visit policethankyoucom. All one word Don't forget to subscribe to the Ask a Cop podcast, wherever you're listening right now. We look forward to continuing the conversation when you join us next time for Ask a Cop.