Blue Canary: For Cops By a Cop
Who approaches the scene first risking their lives for the safety of others? We do. The blue canaries, law enforcement. We allow others to tell our stories. It's time for us to tell our own stories. Blue Canary is a show for cops by a cop, retired Captain Steven Kellams. In each episode, Steve goes behind the scenes of a police department. Giving you real-world insight into why decisions are made, what obstacles are ahead, and how the answers to your questions aren’t always found in the news. It’s unfiltered, it’s relevant and it’s for anyone brave enough to wear a badge.
- Update frequency
- every 14 days
- Average duration
- 23 minutes
- Episodes
- 75
- Years Active
- 2020 - 2025
They Pull Me Back In
When I retired from the Bloomington Police Department, I was done. I knew that, walking out the door. There was no way I was going to go back to the department and work for them again. …
Drones with Matt Rowland
Police Helicopters are quickly becoming a thing of the past. When the helicopters themselves cost anywhere from 500,000 to 3 Million dollars to purchase and have operating costs around …
You've Gotta Have Hobbies
Author Willet Ryder said “Hobbies are both a mystery and a delight. They’re a mystery because many people with hobbies don’t always share them with others. They’re a delight because of …
Hobbies with Dave Rhodes
William Osler was a Canadian physician and one of the “Big 4” founders of John Hopkins Hospital. He created the first “residency” program for training physicians and he has been called …
Road School
Road School.
That’s what my wife calls it.
In 2017 we tuned into Netflix’s new series Mindhunters, based on the book by John Douglas and Mark Olshaker. In the premier episode, directed by…
Financial Cop
It’s amazing what getting a job will do to you.
I was still taking classes at IU, but the Bloomington Police Department had already given me a call and confirmed that I was going to be h…
The Gold Watch
The Gold Watch
The Brass Ring
Retirement
You know … Winning
It’s a simple topic, one that everyone should be interested in and one that everyone should applaud. Ask a retiree if they regret…
Friends
I am blessed with friends.
I am blessed to have neighbors that rushed to my home to make sure that we were safe. I am blessed that I have people who will be there for me and my family in…
Informal Leadership with Jared Altic
Jared Altic is a police chaplain in Kansas City, focusing his work in the patrol divisions of the Kansas City Kansas Police Department (KCKPD). He attends roll calls, goes on ride along…
Possessed
Welcome to our annual Halloween Episode. These stories have been told to me by officers around the country and they swear they are true stories. Thanks to Parker for this one.
Happy Hall…
Leading in the Jails
In the United States there are 3,116 local jails, 1,566 State Prisons, and 98 Federal Prisons. But let’s not forget the 1,323 Juvenile Corrections Facilities, 142 Immigration detention …
Chief of Police
Chief of Police is a title typically given to the head of a police department, but that simple definition gets very confusing very quickly. Sheriffs are the name we give to elected offi…
9/11
Note: This was an extremely difficult episode for me to record. I want to apologize for the audio. It was the best I could do.
72 officers had to die.
I refuse to let that sacrifice go un…
Ethics in Leadership
Ethics in Leadership
It’s an interesting topic and at times can be very controversial. Peter Drucker was an Austrian American management consultant, educator, and author, whose writings …
Objectively Reasonable
Commander Bob Meader retired from the Columbus Ohio Police Department in February of 2022. During his tenure at Columbus PD, he served in patrol, street attack unit, property crimes, le…
Leading Up
Leading Up
General William T. Sherman once said "We have good corporals and good sergeants and some good lieutenants and captains, and those are far more important than good generals."
Sh…
Sheriff
Sheriff, a word, and position that derive from the old English term Shire-Reeve. This person was responsible for managing a shire or county in England. The practice began sometime befor…
Fear is the Mind Killer
Fear is the Mind Killer,
That statement is as relevant today as it was in 1965 when Frank Hubert published his novel Dune.
Paul Atraides, the main character in Dune, quotes from the Lita…
Challenging Leadership with Dr. Jack Enter
I had been a sergeant for about 6 years before my agency sent me to my very first leadership class. I didn’t know what to expect and honestly, I thought it was going to be a waste of ti…
School of Hard Knocks
Leadership Journeys.
You are going to hear me talk a lot about leadership journeys this season.
What do I mean about leadership journeys? It’s how I describe the process of growing as a l…