1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:05,000 Speaker 1: Hammer and Nigel Show. I'm Jason Hammer, Guy Ralford filling 2 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:07,080 Speaker 1: in for Big Nige today. 3 00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:08,399 Speaker 2: Let's go to the hotline. 4 00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:12,320 Speaker 1: Bring on Rick Snyder, President, Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:15,239 Speaker 1: eighty six. We always like to touch base with Rick 6 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:18,280 Speaker 1: to get his thoughts on things happening in the world 7 00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: of law and policing. 8 00:00:21,239 --> 00:00:21,439 Speaker 3: Rick. 9 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:25,800 Speaker 1: Sometimes these conversations are easier than others. Today is one 10 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 1: of those tough ones. This past week, you had to 11 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 1: respond to a fallen officer up in Delaware County, Corporal 12 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:40,920 Speaker 1: Blake Reynolds losing his life in a horrible accident out 13 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:45,240 Speaker 1: on the streets. And you've been very active in working 14 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:48,239 Speaker 1: with the family, and the FOP has been very active. 15 00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:52,479 Speaker 1: Take me through one, how the family is doing and 16 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 1: number two, what have you guys been doing to help? 17 00:00:56,240 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, guys, Well, obviously it's a devastating impact, just a 18 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:06,839 Speaker 3: terrible situation that the family, both blood family but also 19 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 3: blue and brown families are going through up in Delaware County. 20 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:14,399 Speaker 3: By all accounts from everyone we've talked to, including the 21 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:18,480 Speaker 3: sheriff up there, Sheriff Skinner, have all told us that 22 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:20,920 Speaker 3: Blake was a rising star and the police department had 23 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:23,720 Speaker 3: a very bright future ahead of him, and was out 24 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:27,120 Speaker 3: serving his community and standing in the line and simply 25 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:30,440 Speaker 3: trying to help someone and lost his life in this 26 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:37,399 Speaker 3: tragic accident. And now everyone else has left grieving but 27 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:42,399 Speaker 3: also reflecting and remembering not just only Blake, but also 28 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 3: what all of our officers do, what all of our 29 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:48,320 Speaker 3: officers are willing to do, and what they put the 30 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 3: risk every day when they put on that uniform and 31 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 3: go out and serve their communities. I think one of 32 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 3: the biggest things for folks to remember is that on average, 33 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:00,400 Speaker 3: we have an officer who dies in the line of 34 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:04,520 Speaker 3: duty once every fifty two hours in our nation. And 35 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:07,920 Speaker 3: that number has held true for the past several years. 36 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:11,040 Speaker 3: And it's something that our officers know all too well. 37 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:14,079 Speaker 3: And I think what folks have to remember is that 38 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:18,200 Speaker 3: every officer, when they raise their right hand and take 39 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:21,920 Speaker 3: their vigilant vow, they lay down their life at that 40 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:25,680 Speaker 3: point in time, and they're willing to say that the 41 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:28,000 Speaker 3: blank check that they write can be cashed in by 42 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:31,280 Speaker 3: the communities they serve on any given day. And that's 43 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:35,480 Speaker 3: why they humbly say in their oath that they take 44 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:36,600 Speaker 3: So help me. 45 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:42,520 Speaker 1: God Rick, what are some of your responsibilities as the 46 00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:45,800 Speaker 1: president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge eighty six. 47 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:49,359 Speaker 1: When a tragedy like this happens. 48 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:52,080 Speaker 3: Well with it being in our state, one of the 49 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:54,040 Speaker 3: things that we have been working on for the past 50 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:56,240 Speaker 3: couple of years. We've had a great team in place 51 00:02:56,240 --> 00:02:59,640 Speaker 3: that's been doing a tremendous amount of work, and really 52 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:01,960 Speaker 3: this last year that have really ramped that up to 53 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:05,239 Speaker 3: the point that we now have a dedicated response trailer 54 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:09,839 Speaker 3: that we call our ARC ARK stands for Active Response Kit. 55 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 3: This is over a thirty five foot long trailer that's 56 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:16,160 Speaker 3: really kind of a Swiss Army knife for us to 57 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:18,440 Speaker 3: be able to use for all kinds of events and 58 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:21,880 Speaker 3: reasons and be able to provide all kinds of resources, 59 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 3: including being able to cook food for folks out of it, 60 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:30,680 Speaker 3: transport tools to help rebuild lives, but also be a 61 00:03:30,680 --> 00:03:36,160 Speaker 3: place to gather, provide chaplaincy, and then also really just 62 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 3: lodge people whenever we respond to incidents not only throughout 63 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:43,640 Speaker 3: the state of Indiana, but across the country now and 64 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:46,480 Speaker 3: so our goal is to be able to be a resource. 65 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:50,120 Speaker 3: Our goal is to be able to maintain good works 66 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 3: and meet urgent needs here near and far and this 67 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:56,480 Speaker 3: was the very first deployment that we had of that trailer. 68 00:03:57,040 --> 00:04:00,360 Speaker 3: It couldn't be done without great community partners, Lucas Oil. 69 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 3: You guys know the Lucas family and all that they 70 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:06,600 Speaker 3: have done for our community and our capital city. But 71 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 3: they also provided this trailer for us to be able 72 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 3: to equip for these needs. And then dell In Automotive Group, 73 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:17,080 Speaker 3: if you're looking for a car, dell In Automotives, they 74 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:20,840 Speaker 3: stepped up and provided a Dodge thirty five hundred truck 75 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 3: to be able to pull this trailer. And we were 76 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 3: able to within hours be in Delaware County and be 77 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:31,839 Speaker 3: serving hot food to Deputy Reynolds fellow officers. And it 78 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:35,160 Speaker 3: really just provided a place for them to gather, to grieve, 79 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:38,920 Speaker 3: to laugh, to lean on one another, have some privacy, 80 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:41,360 Speaker 3: but be able to be together. And we were able 81 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:44,119 Speaker 3: to feed them physically but also spiritually as well. 82 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:49,080 Speaker 2: And Rick, while we're all grieving and mourning the loss 83 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:52,159 Speaker 2: of this officer, how are we doing? I mean here 84 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:56,880 Speaker 2: we are, We're well into November. How did twenty twenty four, 85 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:02,720 Speaker 2: twenty twenty five, excuse me, compare in terms of injuries 86 00:05:02,839 --> 00:05:08,440 Speaker 2: and fatalities with our Indiana police officers. I know we've 87 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:10,680 Speaker 2: talked many times, and you've talked here on the Hammer 88 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 2: and Nigel Show many times about the dramatic increases in 89 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:19,440 Speaker 2: ambushes of police officers, and you know, senseless literal murders 90 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:22,920 Speaker 2: of police officers and the loss of officers while they're 91 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:25,920 Speaker 2: doing things like serving warrants and doing all the other 92 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:28,320 Speaker 2: things that put themselves in where they put themselves in 93 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:31,880 Speaker 2: harms way for their community. How is twenty twenty five 94 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:35,120 Speaker 2: shaping up here as we're in the end of the 95 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 2: in stages of the year, as far as our officer 96 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 2: safety is concerned, Well. 97 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:43,280 Speaker 3: Our officers continue to stand the line and they're up 98 00:05:43,279 --> 00:05:47,240 Speaker 3: against pretty insurmountable odds. At the end of October of 99 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:50,359 Speaker 3: this year, you know, w Reynolds was killed in the 100 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:55,360 Speaker 3: vehicular crash. But at the end of October of this year, nationwide, 101 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:57,920 Speaker 3: we have already had two hundred and eighty five officers 102 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:01,000 Speaker 3: shot in the line of duty in like three hundred 103 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:04,520 Speaker 3: and five days. So we're still averaging an officer shot 104 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 3: in the line of the year that's just shot, not stabbed, 105 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:10,920 Speaker 3: ran over by cars, beat to death, whatever the case 106 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:15,320 Speaker 3: may be. Officers shot on average anywhere from every twenty 107 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:19,440 Speaker 3: two to twenty six hours in our nation. The ambush 108 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 3: style attacks that we've had, We've had seventy five officers 109 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:29,440 Speaker 3: who have been shot in fifty eight separate ambush style attacks. Now, 110 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:33,360 Speaker 3: it's horrific. Of those numbers are that slightly down from 111 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:36,240 Speaker 3: last year, it's down about five percent, But the point 112 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:41,200 Speaker 3: is is that last year was one of five consecutive 113 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:45,919 Speaker 3: record levels of violence towards our officers. So we're still 114 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:49,080 Speaker 3: in those record levels. And it's just like the local 115 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 3: Indianapolis homicide rates. When you're talking about numbers being slightly down, 116 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:55,919 Speaker 3: we're still at record levels. And as you guys have 117 00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:58,960 Speaker 3: clearly stated, you're not supposed to set a record every year. 118 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:03,520 Speaker 3: But you know, people say, well, when your officers look 119 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:06,160 Speaker 3: at that, and they know that people who do what 120 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:09,800 Speaker 3: they do, the odds of them being shot or wants 121 00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:13,400 Speaker 3: every twenty two to twenty six hours, dying in the 122 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 3: line of duty, wants every fifty two hours, plus every 123 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:20,440 Speaker 3: other kind of assault and attack they face, let alone 124 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 3: attacks on their families, their homes and everything else. What 125 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:26,920 Speaker 3: do officers do when they look at those odds? They 126 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:28,720 Speaker 3: suit up and they show up and they go back 127 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 3: and stand the line the next day. That's why I'm 128 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:35,920 Speaker 3: always so adamant about standing up for our officers, because 129 00:07:35,960 --> 00:07:39,320 Speaker 3: they are remarkable women and men that walk amongst us, 130 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:43,760 Speaker 3: and sometimes in tragedies, it reminds us what it is 131 00:07:43,760 --> 00:07:46,320 Speaker 3: they put the risk and what they're willing to do, 132 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 3: and it really just leaves our communities standing in all 133 00:07:49,520 --> 00:07:53,120 Speaker 3: saying where do we find these people? Thank God he 134 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:55,160 Speaker 3: has called them to come and stand that line. 135 00:07:55,400 --> 00:07:58,679 Speaker 1: Rick Snyder is our guest president Fraternal Order Police Lodge 136 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:02,600 Speaker 1: eighty six. He's also the National Chaplain for the Fraternal 137 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 1: Order of Police. Rick, we got a couple of minutes 138 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:08,600 Speaker 1: left here. I do want to get your thoughts on Indianapolis, 139 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:12,320 Speaker 1: the capital city. I sent you a text last weekend. 140 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:14,720 Speaker 1: There was actually about one week ago today. I went 141 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 1: downtown for comedy show on Friday night with my wife. 142 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:21,160 Speaker 1: Comedy show started about nine to fifteen, so we're out 143 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:25,080 Speaker 1: pretty late, you know, we're downtown Helium Comedy Club. Show 144 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:28,320 Speaker 1: ends about eleven fifteen. My wife and I walking back 145 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:32,360 Speaker 1: to our car and I noticed downtown was like a 146 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:37,400 Speaker 1: ghost town. And there happened to be another shooting downtown 147 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:41,160 Speaker 1: A couple hours later. Rick, But it wasn't like there 148 00:08:41,160 --> 00:08:44,480 Speaker 1: were a ton of people downtown. My wife and I 149 00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:47,680 Speaker 1: were walking to our car on a unseasonably warm night. 150 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:51,120 Speaker 1: It was like sixty degrees at eleven fifteen in downtown 151 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:54,720 Speaker 1: Indy and outside of the New Country Bar from Clayton 152 00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:58,920 Speaker 1: Anderson and the comedy club itself, nobody had a line. 153 00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:02,400 Speaker 1: There wasn't a lot of activity. I'm just curious as 154 00:09:02,440 --> 00:09:04,920 Speaker 1: to your thoughts on the state of downtown right now. 155 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:08,000 Speaker 1: Tons of police, police officers were doing everything right, they 156 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:11,520 Speaker 1: were stationed everywhere, but you know, there wasn't hardly anybody 157 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:13,679 Speaker 1: out yet there was still another shooting. 158 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:19,960 Speaker 3: Well, you know, folks in the downtown Indie economic community, 159 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:23,480 Speaker 3: business community, they don't want to admit it publicly, but 160 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:27,280 Speaker 3: they are frightened. They're scared to death of what's going 161 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:30,080 Speaker 3: on with the economic impact of the violence that continues 162 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:35,199 Speaker 3: to occur in downtown Indianapolis. You know, you know, right 163 00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:37,400 Speaker 3: now you'll hear people say, well, it's the weather. The 164 00:09:37,400 --> 00:09:41,280 Speaker 3: weather's gotten colder, so less people are out. But strikingly, 165 00:09:41,520 --> 00:09:43,840 Speaker 3: you have just as many shootings that are occurring, so 166 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:47,360 Speaker 3: the criminals aren't going away. And what we're finding is 167 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:51,680 Speaker 3: that those with flexible spending. They're taking their dollars and 168 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:55,480 Speaker 3: they're going elsewhere, and we're seeing surrounding communities that are 169 00:09:55,520 --> 00:10:02,920 Speaker 3: actually profiting and thriving based on what's being hollowed out 170 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:06,400 Speaker 3: in downtown Indianapolis. Take a good look at Carmel and 171 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:09,280 Speaker 3: Fisher's and look at their new convention centers up there 172 00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:13,480 Speaker 3: and their new entertainment areas in What you see is 173 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:18,959 Speaker 3: that those medium sized conventions, concerts, other forms of entertainment, 174 00:10:19,679 --> 00:10:23,640 Speaker 3: even sporting events are moving into that area. And so 175 00:10:23,679 --> 00:10:26,960 Speaker 3: it begs the question why is that. Well, take a 176 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 3: good look around, as we've said, five back to back 177 00:10:29,240 --> 00:10:33,280 Speaker 3: years of record levels of violence. It sounds like the 178 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:37,640 Speaker 3: shootout at the Ok Corral in downtown Indianapolis. Just about 179 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:40,920 Speaker 3: every weekend night. You see images like we saw this 180 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:45,320 Speaker 3: past year with an actual shootout in daylight hours on 181 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 3: the Circle of Indianapolis. And then you go and you 182 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:52,000 Speaker 3: find that your political leaders, you're elected leaders in charge, 183 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:55,280 Speaker 3: are absolutely tone deaf when they come back out and 184 00:10:55,280 --> 00:10:58,600 Speaker 3: try to tell everybody, don't believe you're lying eyes, this 185 00:10:58,720 --> 00:11:01,559 Speaker 3: is still the safest neighbor in the city of Indianapolis. 186 00:11:01,640 --> 00:11:01,920 Speaker 2: Right. 187 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:04,880 Speaker 3: Well, if that's true, that doesn't say much for the 188 00:11:04,880 --> 00:11:08,040 Speaker 3: rest of the neighborhoods in the city of Indianapolis, but 189 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:11,160 Speaker 3: it also really highlights this fact that until we get 190 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:15,120 Speaker 3: a handle on this issue, and until our courts and 191 00:11:15,160 --> 00:11:18,920 Speaker 3: our prosecutors start taking this seriously, nothing's going to change 192 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:20,840 Speaker 3: in our capital city. And that's why the State of 193 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:23,880 Speaker 3: Indiana is being forced to engage on the issue. And 194 00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:27,439 Speaker 3: I suspect we'll see some pretty assertive actions taking place 195 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:30,360 Speaker 3: at the Indiana Legislature of this upcoming session. 196 00:11:30,640 --> 00:11:32,640 Speaker 1: Rick, we could do a whole show on that topic, 197 00:11:32,679 --> 00:11:35,120 Speaker 1: but we're up against it. My friend, I know you're busy. 198 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:39,760 Speaker 1: Keep doing God's work and tell your officers be safe. 199 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:42,120 Speaker 1: And they got support on this program. 200 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:43,960 Speaker 3: Sure thing. Thank you, guys, God blessed. 201 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:44,840 Speaker 2: Thanks my brother. 202 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:46,080 Speaker 1: It's the Hammer and Nigel Show.