In this exhilarating episode, Officer Roberson takes us on a thrilling ride through the rich history of Motorcycle Rodeos in Central Texas, how impactful Motor Units can be on patrol, and we discuss Taylor's history of the upcoming 1st Annual Sports Capital of Texas Motorcycle Rodeo!
Joining Officer Roberson is TMPA Director Tyler Pride, a fellow "Motor Jock" from the @TylerCityof Police Department, who provides a unique perspective on what it takes to be a part of this elite group. Don't miss out on this opportunity to join the action! Tune in to the Blue Grit Podcast and strap in as we fire up the engines for a ride you won't forget.
#podcast #bluegritpodcast #roundrocktexas #MotorCops
email us at- bluegrit@tmpa.org
In this exhilarating episode, Officer Roberson takes us on a thrilling ride through the rich history of Motorcycle Rodeos in Central Texas, how impactful Motor Units can be on patrol, and we discuss Taylor's history of the upcoming 1st Annual Sports Capital of Texas Motorcycle Rodeo!
Joining Officer Roberson is TMPA Director Tyler Pride, a fellow "Motor Jock" from the @TylerCityof Police Department, who provides a unique perspective on what it takes to be a part of this elite group. Don't miss out on this opportunity to join the action! Tune in to the Blue Grit Podcast and strap in as we fire up the engines for a ride you won't forget.
#podcast #bluegritpodcast #roundrocktexas #MotorCops
email us at- bluegrit@tmpa.org
This episode of blue grip podcast is sponsored by round rock police department proud partners. The sports capital of Texas motor soccer rodeo.
Speaker 2:We have, we have coined that, we have, we have put that feather in our cap as as round rock. But we have the sports capital of Texas. What better way to host a law enforcement event right next to the ballpark than with Travis County Sheriff's office for the last 10 years? Um. But come full circle, you know, 36 years later, uh, the same family is putting on the the same rodeo.
Speaker 1:Welcome back. Watchers, viewers, listeners, lawyers, I'm your host, tyler Owen. Uh, we've got a co-host today. Good friend of mine I've known for quite some time, uh climp Ignere, for about the fourth or fifth time has uh has a pretty busy schedule and so he had to miss the day, and so what better way to get uh, this gentleman, to co-host with me? Uh, then Tyler pride, one of our board of directors, tyler PD, and also a motor jock, which is kind of the topic we're in Talk we're going to talk about today. So, tyler pride, welcome to the blue grid stage, brother. Thanks, it's good to be here.
Speaker 3:Yeah, man we've been.
Speaker 1:I've been waiting on you and my wife told me this this morning I was late, by the way I got a phone call from Tyler. I was supposed to be here, like at nine 15, and traffic in Austin, you know how that, you know how that shit works. And so, uh, I got a phone call from Tyler, proud. He said hey, uh, actually one of our coworkers, john Wheterson, called and said is there any reason why one of our board directors is sitting in your office, uh, at nine 15, and that you invited has driven from Tyler, texas, down here to Austin and you not be here, like, is there any excuse that you can come up with? He's kind of heads up and I was like uh, no, uh, it's traffic in Austin, so I appreciate you waiting on the old standby traffic.
Speaker 1:Janet wanted me to ask you this. Okay, yeah. Yeah are you a viewer or a watcher? I'm a watcher, you're a watcher, I'm a watcher or, excuse me, a viewer, a watcher or a listener is, I guess, is the best way to think.
Speaker 3:I'm a watcher. You're a watcher? Yeah, I like to watch it.
Speaker 1:And that's what. That's what Janet always asks people whenever they talk about the podcast and. I'm interested If you guys can comment down below uh, if you, if you're a watcher or a listener, not a viewer and watcher that is. Uh, that's a patent that I put on this. But anyway, uh, man, we've got some. We've got some events coming up that we wanted to talk about. Uh, round rock PDs in the house. Uh, motor motor officer, round rock PD officer Robinson. Yes, sir, come on with it. Welcome to the blue grid.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm glad to be here. Yeah, excited.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, before we dive off into the motor motorcycle rodeo, uh, I want to talk about Tyler, private quick, and your involvement with TNPA and uh, really, you've always been kind of a humble person. Uh, he's got a, uh, you've got a voice that nobody, nobody really knows until you built it out there.
Speaker 1:But uh man, how did you actually get involved with Tyler P away and then it developed in the TNPA. I'm sure Ken Garner probably uh, nourished that just a little bit. But your personality, uh, also your leadership, the way you are, uh, how did that kind of transition?
Speaker 3:Yeah, well, so I started my I actually started my law enforcement career in, uh, cleveland, tennessee, and, but I'm from Tyler, texas, so I'm, you know, texas born bread. And uh, what made you leave Texas?
Speaker 1:and go to Tennessee.
Speaker 3:I went to college and I just, I really just wanted to get out of my hometown and just kind of see if I could do things on my own and go where nobody knew me and just see if I could do it. And I did. Um, didn't graduate college, but had a lot of fun probably too much fun.
Speaker 2:It's just why I didn't graduate college, yeah.
Speaker 3:Um, but uh, yeah, I started at Cleveland, Tennessee. It's a you know, small, small town just outside of Chattanooga and but we were close enough to Chattanooga that we got all the overflow crime and stuff and we had an interstate going right through the town, so got to do a lot of interdiction and stuff like that. And, um, I was involved with the POA up there, I got you and uh was secretary of the uh FLP lodge up there and so when I came back to, came back home, um, I didn't really know, you know, who was, who was what, who was what. And uh, we had just recently, uh, in the last few years before I got there, switched over to TNPA and uh, so Kim Gardner was president and he had just gotten it changed to where as soon as you were on patrol, as soon as you were off uh, off of the, out of the academy, you could join, whereas before you had to be off probation, which made no sense, right, um, so I got protection, you know legal protection from TNPA, right then.
Speaker 3:And that kind of started my journey with learning about TNPA and what they did and you know, at a local level for you and stuff like that. And then, uh, ken was a region nine director and when he decided to move up to uh and run for fourth VP, um, I had gotten on the local board there and it was just a at large director for our local board. And so he he called me and he said hey, I got a. I had a proposal for you Need you to come down to Houston. And I was like, for what he goes? Well, we got a conference and I want you to come to the conference. And so I went to the conference and um had a good time on that one.
Speaker 3:Had a great time on that one. Uh yeah, and I'd been to a couple of conferences before, but in this year I was not going to go because we were going to let some other board members go. And um, so it was literally a last minute deal and he said, hey, I got some plans for you. So I came down and ran and got got elected as region nine director and uh, which region nine is is.
Speaker 1:uh, you know it's mainly East Texas, yeah. It's a pretty large region it's it's a very large reason.
Speaker 3:we go all the way down from orange, all the way up to my area up in Northeast Texas, and it was up to Cass County, over to include Tyler obviously, then Longview, I believe, upsher, uh, kind of borders.
Speaker 1:That almost the texture, can I read? Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:And uh, so it's, it's very it's, it's very diverse. We've got, you know, all the way from South Texas, all the way to Northeast Texas and everywhere in between. So it's, but it's a lot of fun, uh, just meeting different people and, you know, taking phone calls from people just asking questions. And uh, I got some great field reps in that region that you know you were there. And uh, late in canary, and uh, robbie, and you know they y'all just y'all handle business and go all over the region and the state. So it's, it's been a lot of fun, yeah.
Speaker 1:Well, we appreciate you on the employee side. Uh, as with all of our board of directors, man, you guys are really, uh, just a good group of guys and and and women that we've had on the board. Yeah, uh, and you guys kind of set the tone of kind of where this organization, you know, needs to go and and and has gone, and so our success really, uh, is y'all's vision and and we kind of carry out that mission. So, on behalf of the staff, man, we really appreciate it.
Speaker 3:Well, on behalf of the board um we re, we appreciate everything y'all do. And you know, for for those of y'all watching or listening or viewing um our, our staff, you know, from the field reps to when you call in, it really is an amazing group of people that are just happy, happy to help, and I think that's the culture that's been cultivated here.
Speaker 3:And you know Tyler said it a lot we're a family and we really do view not only each other in the, in this organization, but everybody in the association. Every member is a part of the family and so I've seen people go above and beyond, not just do things Well it's my job, I've got to do it but really step up and say, well, it's, it's the right thing to do. So we're going to take care of it, so we really appreciate all y'all's hard work, because y'all the ones that make this work so.
Speaker 1:I, I, I greatly appreciate it. You know and and speaking of you know our bread and butter and I guess we're known for our superior legal services.
Speaker 1:Uh, but, one of the things that TNPA does also support, you know, local departments and local associations, and so the unique thing about this, this upcoming event that we're going to discuss now, um, you know it's very.
Speaker 1:When I heard about this and I heard about the department's involvement with it, I was pretty shocked, and so I just want to say it right now shout out to y'all's chief at round rock police department for stepping up and, uh, you know, committing their y'all's department to this because it's a, it's a police motorcycle rodeo that had so much history, uh, with your dad being involved, uh, we're going to talk about that in just a little bit.
Speaker 1:But, man, for an apartment to step up and not be just a local association, uh, that's another benefit and and and involvement. And there's other police associations out there that do the same thing that we do. But, uh, for an apartment to step up and do that, man, kudos to him and kudos to y'all's department and, quite honestly, the city. Uh, they've been heavily involved uh, with with this police motorcycle rodeo, and so we're going to have this event February 28th, the March 2nd. I'm super excited to be there and, uh, see, you guys compete. I'm not betting, not betting, but I'm just saying like I hope you get the, I hope you take home the trophy Cause.
Speaker 2:If you don't well, I mean I'm going to be running it, but there's some really good competitors coming from all costs and status there is.
Speaker 1:There is so uh country even. Yeah, I think we should start off with uh, who the hell you, where you grew up at, how, how you got involved with law enforcement. You've got a unique story and then we'll kind of dive off into this uh long history of this police motorcycle rodeo.
Speaker 2:Right yeah, so not going to lie. It is going to be really hard, hard to follow. Tyler, your voice is like butter. Oh yeah, and then I hear myself talking and I'm like man, that's a rasp. Uh, anyways, uh. So, uh, you know, I'm Taylor Robertson. I'm, I'm from the Austin area. Um, my dad, stepdad and an uncle were all motor officers for Austin police department. That's awesome.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so yeah, I did not know, that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, my, my dad started with with APD December of 1979.
Speaker 1:And you know, what they were driving or riding. Them riding in oh, probably Honda's right. It was like the old chips. No Cowweas, maybe I think it was Cowweas.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I believe it was Cowweas Sorry, squirrel moment, I don't know, you're good, you have a believe is Cowweas. And in 1988, chief came to him and said hey, we're hosting the police Olympics and you and Ron Gamble, who he trained, you and Ron Gamble, you only figure out how to put on a motorcycle rodeo. What's what's motorcycle rodeo? So they said they sent them all the way up to Wichita Falls and at the time which tall falls in the 80s, was the premier rodeo site in rodeo training, in rodeo training unit. And so they sent them up there for a week to go hang out with the Wichita Falls guys. And they came back in 1988, in conjunction with the police Olympics, put on the first motorcycle rodeo in Central Texas.
Speaker 1:That's awesome so yeah it.
Speaker 2:so the the history of motorcycle rodeos in Central Texas has been around for a really really long time. Yeah, and here we are, 36 years later and I am absolutely excited to bring that back. You know it's been with Travis County Sheriff's Office for the last 10 years. But come full circle, you know, 36 years later the same family is putting on the same rodeo.
Speaker 1:That's amazing. I didn't learn that to you and I hung out together on our photo shoot that was all clothed. By the way, he was in uniform.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so you all listen up there it was really cold.
Speaker 1:But anyway, yeah, so you're going to have this event. How did you? How, obviously with the family law enforcement motor. So I'm sure you had kind of a vision of what you know, what you wanted to do. Yes, sir, where'd you start off working at, and kind of going to your law enforcement?
Speaker 2:Well, so then there's a little bit more backstory than just that. I didn't want to become a cop. You know my whole family being in law enforcement. I was like, no, I want to find something else. Well, you can't beat like hundreds of years of generations of law enforcement in your family. Very long backstory Before my family immigrated over from Scotland. I want to guess what they were in Scotland Cops, cops.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:They came over here and I had two uncles that were Texas Rangers in the late 1800s. So my family, yeah, my family lineage within law enforcement in Texas is very, very you couldn't get away from it. No, no, no, it was going to happen. It was going to happen regardless.
Speaker 1:There's a first second. I thought you were going to say that a fireman was kind of in your eyes. Yeah, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Speaker 2:That was my dad, no he was like hey, you need to be a firefighter. I was like why?
Speaker 3:don't you play Xbox and go eat pizza? Yeah, yeah, yeah, well I didn't listen.
Speaker 2:And then in 2014, I was in Afghanistan, I was in the army and a young I wouldn't say young, I wasn't a sergeant, yet an officer an officer quick, with the roundup PD training unit, got on with me with Skype and started the whole recruiting ploy. Yeah, that's him yeah. So yeah, so I got recruited from, you know, by round rock, technically starting in 2014. I didn't start until 2018.
Speaker 1:Wow.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, and that's where. That's where my law enforcement career started was in 2018. Spent two years on patrol. The first availability and motors came up and I took it. Yeah, and I was like you know what I got? You know, I've been riding motorcycles since I was little and when I go make this my profession, so now I get to tell everybody what do you do for work, I get a ride motorcycle.
Speaker 1:So those listening that don't are really, I guess, familiar with the geographical area of Austin. Round rock sits to the north of Austin and just me living down here in the sort time that I have, round rock is way bigger than really what I thought.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, it's probably 2014.
Speaker 1:I would think I'm not gonna say doubles is doubled in size, but it's probably double in size, right, and so give us kind of a geographical area of how really just to give the listener or watch her kind of an idea of really how big round rock really is.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so round rock. I can't remember the exact square mileage, but the population last time I looked was about 134,000. Whenever I started it was 112. So within five, six years, you know it's grown. You know 20,000 people. It's booming.
Speaker 1:And it's booming now, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and in law lies, you know, right along the brushy creek, which, if anybody knows anything about Texas history, that's pretty important as long as as well as the Chisholm Trail you know, running from Texas all the way up to Montana, and so, yeah, there's there's a lot of history in the areas continuing to grow.
Speaker 2:But one thing that we get to maintain with within round rock is the still small town fuel right, and it's not like what you would think. With small town, everybody knows everybody. No, it's just that sense of respect for one another. Yeah, not necessarily, you know the citizens towards law enforcement, but just to each individual person, and that that respect to one another is reason why round rock is great and will continue to be great as a motor officer.
Speaker 1:I was a motor jock. You were a motor jock. Kind of give an idea of what your daily duties, because some people really don't know, and especially the ones that are not in law enforcement listening or watching kind of give a perspective of what your daily duties are as a motor jock with round rock.
Speaker 2:Is that when or when I'm not planning this road it?
Speaker 3:varies, it varies.
Speaker 2:Right. So when I'm not needy planning this rodeo because we're three weeks out, we're 20 days.
Speaker 3:Yeah, we're we're we're going to pick up it.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, we are there. So whenever I'm not you know, usually it's every single morning we'll come in and we'll have a pow out with our guys say, hey, you know, these are the kind of areas that we want to go to and we'll go work on the first, usually start off the morning school zones, got to make sure the kids get, get school safe, and then kind of go into our main complaint areas. We've kind of shifted and focused a little bit here lately, mainly to target you know other other crime, right, because that you know that we talked about the use of force continuum, starting in the police academy, right, the first step, officer presence, right. So we kind of we've done a redirection and said you know what, how about we increase enforcement efforts and run into these like high burglaries, these high theft areas with it, with the you know that, that attempt to bring down that, that stat, and so we've recently, you know, readjusted to to that focus and then, um, which?
Speaker 1:let me stop here out there, because used to, and I say the old Sergeant head or the old motor jock heads, that was something typically that they frowned upon. If you were a motor jock you did not, you know, go in the hood, yeah and Jack, with drug dealers and Bert, but your, your sole job was to work traffic accidents and ride tickets and that if you did anything else or if you diverted from anything else that they were used to, it was like a sin you had the spotlight Right, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:So I mean, and it's, you know, it's something we were talking about earlier in it's, it's we had to build to. We, as motor officers, build a to stay around, right, cause you know, it's a dying profession, it's a dying breed to stay around. We have to change, and by changing is we have to figure out ways to make ourselves more of an asset to our, to our cities and our departments. If we just like, oh no, this is the only thing I'm going to do, then they kind of limits, limits our lifespan, yeah. And if we say no, look at all the things that we can do.
Speaker 1:Well, look at Sears, look at Sears or O-Wag. They didn't, they didn't adapt anything and they're not. They're no longer a business.
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly, we're just going to do this one thing, and then now they're not here, yeah, and so, yeah, so that that's a adapter die, kind of thing, you know and if we don't change, and we're going to be forced to change, and we might as well hey, let's, let's see how, how much of an asset we can make ourselves. Yeah.
Speaker 1:And what's the huge benefit Cause I I can give mine explain the benefits of having a motor unit go into an area and saturate that area versus a patrol car.
Speaker 2:So it's just yeah, you ever heard of bees, right? Yeah, it's a beehive, right. And when we used to wear our yellow shirts and I had a lot of yellow shirts that we used to call ourselves just a bunch of bees we just got a bunch of bees just flying around and it all around it. It's just, it's about visibility. Yes, people see the car. It's a big billboard.
Speaker 2:We're able to get in and out of places a whole lot faster than you know, I mean it's just we're able to get from point A to point B just a little bit quicker than a car, and our sirens are ear piercing. You know what I mean? It just it gets people's attention. Not to mention everybody sees a motorcycle cop. They're still at all that edge of hey, if you get something on a motor cop, you're going to get a ticket. So it's it. It creates a little bit more of an aggressive stance.
Speaker 1:Yeah Well, as far as the citizens. I don't mean the word aggressive, as far as big bad. I mean like an aggressive perception to the area, like hey, we're here, yeah, we're here.
Speaker 2:We're you know, and and one thing that and I still go back to this that whatever I was asked this question during my board to to get on motors like okay, well, you know what do you think what? What is the main difference between a motor cop and a cop, an officer in a car? And I was like, well, motor cop, man, we're, we're out there for everybody to see, we're out there to be judged. If you're in a car, I mean your windows attended and no one can really see you, you can't really make eye contact. We can have more of that interaction with that one on one interaction with the public just by looking over and waving.
Speaker 3:And that's going to say it's also a huge community policing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:And you're in a car.
Speaker 3:You're secluded from the yeah, your clothes off, yeah, you know which is nice when it's raining, but you know it, your clothe, you know you can roll the windows up and you know you got tinted windows and you can kind of escape and just I'm in my little cage. You can't do that on motors and you know people come up and either want to talk to you about it or, you know, ask you questions or you can actually hear them say hey sir. And you know you can't use the excuse of oh, I didn't hear them, you know, because they're, you're right there with the community.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah. Yeah, I mean I had a. I had a conversation with a guy about his. He wanted to go off on a tangent about some motorcycle he had back in like the 1980s sitting in a red light. Yeah, I've never had those conversations.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, absolutely oh yeah. And there's so much pride, and I've always said this motor dogs share this, this sense.
Speaker 1:Think about it right that if you're and I'm not, I'm not, I'm not jabbing at patrol, because we've all been at patrol too but there are, there are days that you don't feel like ironing your ship, like you don't feel like shining your boot, you don't feel like ironing your pants, you don't feel like you're tired, your wife's dropping because you're, you've been an idiot, whatever. But like on motors, you don't have that protect like you've got to look, the part you've got and I always go back to this is because there's so much history with with motors Like it's a prodful position.
Speaker 3:Motors leave the way.
Speaker 1:I mean the motor boots. I gotta say this funny story about motor boots. So, on motors, and I want people to think about this. It's cold, it was cold out this, this, this one winter day, and I'm not riding the bike and I had this. I had led, I had a leather jacket that had belt keepers built on the outside it was the warmest thing and so at the time I had like three pairs of I had under armor, and then I had Walmart's thunder farmer right, and so they weren't as good as the under armor, but they were. They were decent. Hey, whatever, the difference is for those out there that know the Walmart brand is that there wasn't like a P-hole right and the under armor are the thunder farmer portions, and so when I had to use the restroom, this was a task, oh yeah, To go to the bathroom okay.
Speaker 1:So I knew I was kind of getting, but this wasn't. I was approaching a point where I had to go and it wasn't like number one. So I'm at a point and I'm trying to get that, and you motor jocks out there that are listening for you citizens, like in the back of our mind, we have not ticket count, but there is like a contact number. Yeah, like I'm going to get 20 contacts and I'm done for this area, or I'm going to get 20 contacts today and then I'm going to go move up. Well, I was at that one point where I just, I, just I just did one, I just did one more. So I pull over this car.
Speaker 2:So we start weighing the odds. Yeah, is it worth it?
Speaker 1:It's like 15 over. And as soon as I dismounted and I put, I put my left foot next to my right like it hit and and I, I, I couldn't move. Like I knew that if I moved an inch, like I'm fixing to have code brown all over my short, like I'm in my pants, it's going to go in my boot. And so like I'm sitting there kind of like hyperventilating I've got I'm out of traffic stop, and so like I'm on a busy highway, like where are you?
Speaker 3:Where are you at this woman's like looking?
Speaker 1:around and like minutes are passed and and nothing has changed in the dynamics of kind of what's going on in my body, and I'm like I don't know what to do. Like I'm trying to like waver back to me and just like stand, kind of like add attention, because again, if I move anything behind me it's not going to be good. So finally she just kind of looks at me, she's like what the hell's going on, and I said, uh, ma'am, this one's on me. You were speeding. Have a good day Well that that action is accurate.
Speaker 2:by the way, he's from Marshall, and so that action.
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly. And so she gets out of the car and she like proceeds to have an accident. So I just, I just had to tell her like ma'am, this is what it is, and I'm I'm fixing the boo boo Like that's. I'm sorry, but this was on me and I had to. You know it is what. So, anyway, get in your car and go have a good day. But that was my weird uh, you know, motorcycle incident.
Speaker 3:I think we've all had something similar. Yeah, absolutely, we all have we used to we've never talked about it.
Speaker 2:No, no, no, no, I mean until you get to a podcast. Yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, you get to a podcast, yeah, yeah, okay, you walk up and like hey, where are you from?
Speaker 2:Okay, go back, have a good day. I gotta go to another call. Or you're on a call or back to the PD. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:But uh anyway. Yeah, so the motorcycle rodeo uh is coming up and your dad was obviously part of that. We've talked about that. Wow Is is. Have you guys filled up, like, was there any more spots available?
Speaker 2:Uh, last I checked this morning, we have six available spots left. Um dad, that'll put us six more, puts us at 120. And then you ask you ask anybody that, hey, this your first rodeo? Yeah, how do you have? Well, we're at 114 now. That's correct numbers, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:And it's, it's a fantastic thing.
Speaker 2:I mean Cobb mode. Their their final year. If I'm not mistaken, they said 150, but I think actual true number was like 143.
Speaker 3:Wow, I think, and that was a lot of folks man.
Speaker 2:And it was just. But uh, I'm fine with a hundred and fifteen, you know fourteen especially for our first year. Yeah, you know we're excited and the location is going to be perfect. It's going to be at Del.
Speaker 1:Diamond. It's a great place out there. What's kind of the hope of next year? I mean, obviously we're going to plan this next year Growth yeah.
Speaker 2:Growth. Yeah, I mean, and it's. That was the idea whenever I originally pitched this three years ago. Was, you know? I want to figure out how we can grow what's currently going on and the you know combo that they had grown it and they, they kind of I mean, no offense those guys and they put on one heck of a show. Yeah, Did you ever get to see it? Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:I think I stopped by there one time. Yeah, so it was.
Speaker 2:It was one heck of a show, and then they did a fantastic job in the probably the biggest hurdle they ran into was space.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:They just said that the space wasn't big enough and that that's one reason why, whenever we started looking at areas, you know our facility, it's a great facility, yeah, and it is the best surface you can have. But I was worried about space how do we grow from here? And so, uh, del Diamond kind of came to mind. You know, in the original we had talked about some other places, but Del Diamond came to mind. I was like man, I was like we are the sports capital of Texas. We have, we have coined that, we have, we have put that feather in our cap as as round rock, we have the sports capital of Texas. What better way to host a law enforcement event right next to the ballpark?
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, and so that's how that's going to end, and the hinder I guess it was a hinder and subuda, which is where the other one was held at right. Yeah, you had blew up so quick. I don't think they had the mindset of like thinking forward. Where are we going for? Yeah, exactly, and I think round rocks done a phenomenal job of sitting. Uh, the, the, the investors and and the companies that have gone into round rock had done a really great job of thinking forward and thinking ahead of this is going to be what we want, and then we know that the growth is going to surround it Five in the 10 year yeah.
Speaker 1:And so, uh, yeah, del Diamond was one one heck of a of a spot location, and I'm looking forward to this year and looking forward to next year. What, what, uh, what benefits are? Are? Are what, what foundations are going to be benefited from this motorcycle rodeo?
Speaker 2:So we have, we have two right and so because, because we are partnering with TNPA, TNPA charities obviously, and we're going to split it in 50, 50 with round ox own step and success, which is our chief, Willie Richards, that's kind of his, his baby, right. He established that two years ago now. Okay, Um, so this is going to help fund that endeavor.
Speaker 1:Do you do? You have a lot of information about that foundation.
Speaker 2:Um, I can kind of tell you that the general gist right.
Speaker 2:So so we have a, we have a list of kids that are already signed up through our blue Santa program and we take that that same list and we get their sizes for their shoes and we provide them with a new pair of shoes, um, to start, start off the school year, and it's usually the couple of weeks before the school year starts. So what better way to show up than to be rocking a nice new pair of shoes? Cause that was that was chief Richards Big thing that you know he brings up during his speech is that, you know, I I was that kid that I just had to wear the same shoes for a few years in a row and you know growing up, and so I want, I wanted to be able to provide the kids of round rock and new pair of shoes and you know to start to start school year.
Speaker 2:So that's that's where it kind of came into and yeah, so we're going to split the, you know the funds 50, 50 with us and that blue Santa program, man, that's been monumental across the state and nation Tyler PD.
Speaker 3:He's got a huge one yeah.
Speaker 1:If you got, I want to, you guys want to dive off into the benefits of that from an association and department standpoint in the community base and what that means. Because here's the deal and Aaron Slater said this best when he came on here several weeks ago Is that an associate from association standpoint yes, you're around our PD now, but you're probably a part of your local, I would think and that you build that political capital up within your community and your chiefs doing the same thing. Right, I mean, let's face it, when something bad happens, that's when you kind of need to cash in that political capital. But in all reality, we're cops and we're human and we care about the people we serve. And I think that's the reality that people just don't understand, especially, I'm noticing, in Austin, austin area. Is that that's the point that we're trying to drive home, this? These leftists, these activists that think that just because we wear a badge and put a gun on our hip every day, that we're not human and we don't care about people?
Speaker 3:And it's mind blowing to me, you know we do bleed red right, absolutely so yeah, I know, like I'm the president of our local and for us Blea Sant is probably our biggest event of the year and we do a. We do a FOP ball just for us every year and it's probably two or three times bigger than that, our FOP ball, and rightly so. And you know we view it as a way to give back to the community. We are very blessed, and Tyler, that we've got great community support. We needed rifle vests a few years ago in the community and local businesses and the community all rallied around and bought not just Tyler PD, but every of us, the sheriff's office and every constable's office and every that's cool Every police department in Smith County. Everybody got rifle vests.
Speaker 3:So that's the level of support that we got and we view it as our way of just giving back. So it's not just we want this, give me, give me, give me but we also give back of our time, our money, our you know to say, you know we're in this together and I think you know it's it's community policing at its finest, it's you know, it's building that political capital that you're not just every time they hear your name you're not griping about something or you know it's not some kind of you know lawsuit Tyler PD is back in a lawsuit or not, that we're having a lot of lawsuits, but but any PD you know it's a way of giving back to the community and saying you know we are part of your community, we're not just on the outside looking in and you know. So it's. It's a really good way and I think it's grown just statewide. You know I've seen a lot more blue Santa posts from different, different associations.
Speaker 3:It's a way of having fun and once you actually do it and go and do blue Santa and take those kids shopping, it's some of the best fun you'll ever have and it'll, some of them, break your heart. I took one grip around and I was like what? You know, what toys do you want? You want video games or you know, do you want anything like that? And they said, no, I just want to get some food, because we don't have a lot of food.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:And it really drives a point home. Some of these kids, they just want something to eat. You know, it's not about toys and you know if you want to get toys, that's great, it's your money. But some of these kids are, they're more interested in just getting a good, a good meal, or getting one. One wanted to buy his mama present because she worked so hard for him. You know, and you get to know these kids and these families and learn their stories and I think that's awesome, that y'all's, you know your chiefs, that associate, or that charity is going above and beyond and we're starting to do that in ours as well. You know, doing, we're going to do, uh, if you have perfect attendance or AB on a roll, we're going to start buying you a cone of ice day and you know, just go and hang out with them and stuff, and it's just a way to get back into the community and all get together and do things together.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, and that, if you haven't figured that out, that's one thing that I guess all motor cops will share is that it's it's that that that need to want to want to actually take care of our community. Everybody thinks that we're just out there to write tickets. No, no, no, we want, we want you to be safe. Yeah, right, you know, and it's it's Well. With the with the blue Santa thing, I'm not personally involved with it. I can't say, though, that they are helping us with equipment to help with our event, and you know that, and it was just a simple call of like, our president, our blue Santa president, ray Rader, gives. I say hey, ray, I need a favor. Man, I need, I need help with tables and chairs. Man, like we're short on phones, it's our first year. You said, yeah, take whatever you need. Hey, actually, come in here, I'm gonna show you where you can take. And, uh, you know we've gotten to helping.
Speaker 2:You know, obviously, help out with them To uh, go and deliver presents for for Christmas and then obviously help out with the, the step in success for assistant chief William Richards.
Speaker 1:So this event has been, has been really supported by, you know, not only, again, the city of round rock, tmpa, round rock police department, but it's been also supported and sponsored by so many sponsors. Uh, if you want to give a shout out to them and kind of go over their involvement and, uh, and who they were.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, absolutely. So, you know, obviously we have. We have tmpa really helping us fund this thing, as well as the round rock, round rock express and round rock police department. Um, you know round rock express that they're donating the facility for us to use for free. Um, and uh, uh, the president, chris amandar, as uh, the round rock express president, he's gonna be our grand marshal for for the for the event. Um, so, thank you to the top three, right?
Speaker 3:Yeah, the.
Speaker 2:PD, the express and tmpa. Without those three entities, this thing does does not happen, um, you know that, obviously, we have a couple local Um companies, we have chasco constructors, um, but they're another one of our bigger ones. So, for, for the event, it's just specifically, excuse me, um, we're gonna have us. Do you ever remember the memorial memorial challenge, or they call it the challenge ride?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah we're getting fancy with it. What's going on? The chasco challenge? So yeah, during this chasco challenge, you're going to experience some unique obstacles within that challenge. Um provided by chasco constructors constructors.
Speaker 3:So you can kind of imagine what obstacles you may or may not see.
Speaker 1:Um, I'm gonna go up there that day and I gotta tell you, man, I've got two kids and that, that, that, that venue across the street calahari, I'm very much looking forward to yeah, and and and.
Speaker 2:Thanks to calahari. You know that they stepped in and then they helped sponsor, sponsor us as well and provided us with some of their services.
Speaker 3:That's um and yeah they're.
Speaker 2:They're literally right across the street.
Speaker 1:That's awesome. Yeah, you go through one traffic light.
Speaker 2:You're there, so, um, and then we have another, locally, as we have phoenix innovations Um, they're, yeah, like a lighting system. They install lights and whatnot, and packages on vehicles, um, and all police packaging stuff like that, and they're out of austin, oh okay. So, yeah, they're, they're, they're gonna have all their, all their cool equipment out there and they'll fully lit up tahoe and we're like, hey, man, you got a bike. And we're like, well, we don't have one of those. So, uh, yeah, we're gonna, we're gonna have some other coming out.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So, um, another one of our local is uh rena renaissance will fitness. She is Uh prior military. She works um in the private sector with private security companies. She also runs. She's got like two masters degrees and fitness and yeah yeah, she's been providing um massage therapy for anybody that ends up getting hurt or is sore at the rodeo to any of our competitors, free of charge.
Speaker 1:Can I show up sore Like?
Speaker 3:I mean, you mean like hey, yeah, so yeah, she's she said fall out of the truck, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:So she's she's a renaissance well fitness, and she's gonna be providing some, um, massage therapy for for our competitors, and she says she can take care of the couple, the public as well. But it's like, you know, like a dollar a minute is what she said. Yeah, that's amazing, yeah, yeah. So it's, it's very affordable and so she'll be set up out there. Um, we're gonna have Harley Davidson central texas. I mean, how can you not have the dealership?
Speaker 3:Absolutely police department.
Speaker 2:Um, yeah, if you're not familiar with where it is, it's literally like Right, you got the pd yeah, really, on the other side of another building that you got Harley, central texas, all right. So, yeah, they're gonna be coming out there, they're gonna be providing some services, they're gonna trailer bikes. If bikes break down, they're gonna provide Transport from the del diamond to their location to get serviced.
Speaker 1:Well, they're Harley's, I'm sure they're gonna break down. I rode one for many years. No comment.
Speaker 2:So, uh, and then, and included with with central texas, we also have Harley corporate. They stepped up and they're gonna be a donor. Um, man.
Speaker 1:They've come so far Honestly hardly. They have seen it general with police motorcycle. Oh yeah, uh, we need electronic clutches and so there's actually um the newest.
Speaker 2:The newest addition to the Harley Davidson fleet is the uh, was it the street glide or the road?
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, there's a street glide. Yeah, street glides. Just got the bat wing and then it's got. It doesn't have the trunk on the back.
Speaker 3:So it's the road glide then it's the road, it's because they're reducing the road glide.
Speaker 2:And um, that is one of the newest police Motor motorcycles, really, yes and um. Their their rider, brian hurt away from kansas, hutchinson, kansas, is coming down to ride my rodeo, wow. Yeah yeah, phenomenon, and he's gonna be on one of the brandy road glides, wow. So, yeah, he's gonna come down and brian does this. I mean, yeah, I'm sure you know brian. Yeah, so brian brian will come down. He'll bring two bikes and be like ride him you know, hey, you know he's, he's man, he will help you.
Speaker 2:Oh, I was not gonna like that. No, probably not, probably not, but not if you all listen to the.
Speaker 1:The street glide is the one that I would say probably the most common, currently the most common harlow davis that you see on the road right now. It's got the fixed wing, it's got the saddlebags. Uh, beautiful motorcycle, the road glide. And I say, when I say fixed bat wing, it's got that fairing on the front and it moves with the handlebars. Yeah, okay, so if you're listening, follow me. So it's got the bearing on the front or the fairing on the front. That follows, that moves with the handlebars. The road glide, the differences in the two, they ride exactly the same, mm-hmm. The fairing is fixed. So when you move the handlebars, the, the fairing stays With the frame of the motorcycle, right, yeah, so I've heard that with those bikes that when you're, you know, in a turn or you're on the highway and the wind catches that fairing, it can adjust the handlebars. The benefit of the road glide is that it doesn't, you know, have that and so that's one of the things that I've just heard.
Speaker 1:I've never ridden a road glide, so I may have to take advantage of that oh they're great, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:That wife and I took one on our vegas trip. We went away from vegas the grand canyon total of like five hours of riding. It was great, that's awesome. It was smooth, yeah but it was.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, um, so, and then also we have BMW motored Cool yeah. And then they're gonna come up, they're gonna set up a tent, um, and you know, help us kick off this this first year. Um, and then, um, yeah, that's pretty much pretty much all of our sponsors. Man, we're gonna be out there. I'll be out there Thursday and Friday. I'll be flying the drone, maybe.
Speaker 1:Uh, we'd love to let the drone conference.
Speaker 3:It's a long story, uh, but yeah, we're gonna be out there hanging out with you guys, uh, every day, and uh, seeing, seeing how much, uh, how much riding we can get done and and and congratulate in the winters.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so we, we do have some cool toys for you to kind of look at and we'll hook you up with our other drone guy. We have a uh, excuse me, that's a cool toy. Uh, uh, excuse me, that's. One person I missed was our uh runoff parks. So parks is providing a lot of the equipment for for this event?
Speaker 3:Yes, they're providing a lot of the tents.
Speaker 2:They're providing that big 40 by 40 canopy, as well as some tables and chairs.
Speaker 1:Man, the city of round rock really stepped up, oh yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so well also. So the cool toy, though, is we have this. We, as I say, we like we own it. Um yeah, parks, they have a giant tv affixed to a trailer.
Speaker 3:We're gonna have it out there. Really, that's awesome.
Speaker 2:And yeah, it's just, and we're, we're gonna have drone footage up, we'll fly it on, we'll put on a loop whenever we're doing our walkthroughs, um, for all the competitors, and we'll go and we're gonna hook up the drone to it. That way it's a live action. Everybody can kind of see all these walkthroughs from the aerial view. Now.
Speaker 1:I want to keep. I want people to keep in mind Just last week that this is round rock, this is I'm literally bits butts up to city of Austin. Right, yeah, pretty much yeah, this is all what city of Ryan Rock is doing for the police department and for this motorcycle rodeo just to the south of y'all. The city of Austin is just mandated or I was going to basically give a permit and make the Texas peace office memorial by permit for $500. Thank God that McKinsey Kelly, the councilman on the city, but just the differences of support between both cities, well, that's amazing. I mean, I can't even say that the city of Marshall, where I was in, you know, at New Texas, we give that support. So shout out to them the council, the mayor and all the city staff for for going out of their way, for doing that.
Speaker 2:That's they made this. Yeah, Our city risk manager, city hall, they made this super easy. But I mean we started to apply for our permit, right? I mean it's just for transparency.
Speaker 3:Hey, everybody still has to do this, no matter who you are.
Speaker 2:So we still applied it, but they're, they're so easy to work with. And then they made it literally seamless and they say, hey, here's what we need, hey, here's what we need from TNPA to make this this all work. Yeah, so so them. Oh, yeah, so, yeah, so so them all, all, all working together. And then us and parks and then forgot another one round our streets. So, more or less, if they are affiliated with a city of round around, we're all helping each other out to make this happen, make this thing happen. Everybody simply has been a phone call away and they're like hey, yeah, what do you need? Just let us know what you need. But I mean ultimately, without, without Mayor Morgan, our city manager, laurie Hadley, and ultimately, chief Banks, this would not be happening. That's awesome. Yeah, without, without those top two providing an amazing city and workplace to work for, and then Chief Banks also be saying, yeah, you can put this on.
Speaker 1:I heard a rumor that there was going to be an corrupt me from wrong, that there's going to be a dunking booth, that Chief Banks volunteered like $5 a throw to benefit his good.
Speaker 2:I mean, I'm sure we can make some funds work to make that happen. You know, okay, I didn't know that I heard rumor of it Chief Banks.
Speaker 1:if you want to let us know kind of what your thoughts are on that, we'll kind of go from there.
Speaker 2:Yeah yeah, we'll move some funds around and make that dunking booth happen.
Speaker 1:Yeah Well man we're super excited about it. Thank y'all for allowing us to be a part of it on behalf of TNPA.
Speaker 1:It's a it's, it's, it's an honor, but it's also a testament of kind of our, our mission and our, our, our views and how, how involved we want to be Right, and so we. Our mission is our members, and our mission is to be involved with communities that we serve and be just a little bit more beyond than just legal service. So thank y'all for allowing us to be a part of it. We're very much looking forward to it.
Speaker 2:So oh, yeah, you know, and you know we're like I said at the beginning of this. You know I'm excited for this to happen. Yeah, and I mean I'm excited that TNPA and the PD get to get to work together to make this happen and continue the legacy that your family's getting. Yeah, yeah, that you know. I mean I don't want to say credit for it, but we mean that my family brought to the Central Texas area and then they, they may happen, and it's been going on for for so long. And and, uh, you know, the other, the other TNPA piece of it too, is that you know, we, we have involvement from other TNPA members helping out, helping us out. So it's not just like, hey, you know, we're, we're only, we're only working with the TNPA reps and field reps or whoever else, because we are, um, but like, for instance, uh, willie Lane yeah, he's he's going to be singing our national anthem or opening opening ceremony motorcycle cop from great body.
Speaker 1:PD Uh, he's also another, if you guys don't know Tyler prod, he sings, he can build about there. Willie's very much involved in those community stuff all over, all over the nation.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean he's seen the national anthem.
Speaker 1:The first responders bowl was really cool and he does it regularly at the Texas Rangers ball games and Dallas Cowboys. So man, that's. That's also Willie did that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. So it's a work. We're going to have Willie out there and he's going to be competing, obviously, and then he's going to, he's going to open us up.
Speaker 1:That's cool so yes, very cool, we got anything else, tyler proud.
Speaker 3:No.
Speaker 1:Well, we like to end the show with three rapid fire questions and always screw them up. Let's not hear it. To kind of correct me. Uh, and they're pretty easy. Uh, I won't. I'm going to leave the third one, because you're in uniform, maybe you're a chief will forgive you, all right, but they go like this what's your favorite law enforcement movie or cop movie or line from a cop movie, your favorite drink of choice when you're off the clock and your favorite patrol car?
Speaker 2:Mm. So cop movie, uh-huh. Can they be former cops? Yeah, I'm on some dove, okay.
Speaker 1:Texas Rangers Very nice. Yeah, I mean, that's fitting.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah. Ironically enough.
Speaker 3:Right yeah.
Speaker 2:Drinking choice. I mean, we can talk about it, right? Well, quit drinking. So there you go.
Speaker 3:Nothing wrong with that, oh sweet, hey, there you go.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's like you're the third person that's actually said.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, diabetes for the win. And then, lastly, patrol car. I'm still going to go back to the bike. Honestly, the old school 80s Cowys, I think hard to beat them.
Speaker 3:I mean, that look is iconic yeah.
Speaker 2:And yeah, there's my three.
Speaker 1:Tyler Prad Favorite cop movie. Line from cop movie, favorite drink of choice and favorite cop car oh I didn't know you were going to make me do this.
Speaker 3:Absolutely Favorite cop movie is. It's going to be a little weird, probably, but real Bravo, okay. Old school, john Wayne.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah. That's good, that's one of my favorite movies of all time. Favorite drink of choice Probably going to be an old fashioned. Yeah, that's shocking.
Speaker 1:I know, yeah, you know the board, yeah.
Speaker 3:And then favorite, favorite Is it police? Is it cop car? Does it have to be cop car?
Speaker 1:I mean I just whatever patrol vehicle you prefer as a cop. My favorite one was the Harley. There you go.
Speaker 3:Just riding that Harley. This very close second was a cop.
Speaker 2:Get motorcycles yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Road King or old or ultra.
Speaker 3:No.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:We did electric lights.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was nice. Yeah, it broke the wind off of you a little better. That road King did it, did so but yeah, very close.
Speaker 3:Second would be a crown Vic for a Ford. A Ford Ford crown.
Speaker 1:Yeah, as opposed to the Shamu.
Speaker 3:Hey, I've driven them. They are great If you could keep them on the road they will get you there. Yeah, Two seconds flat but there that that crown Vic was a tank.
Speaker 1:That's a mule man.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, I saw it started and I beat it, unfortunately, into a pole, but yeah, well, yeah.
Speaker 3:We won't talk about that. Yeah, I've got my own stories of poles. Yeah, they did. Contrary to popular belief, those poles do move. They do, they run out in front of you.
Speaker 1:They do, they're like deer yeah Shopping mall.
Speaker 3:Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, they do the same thing I mean.
Speaker 2:I was in a church parking lot with nobody else around.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but I mean if I can lie in cops and pull.
Speaker 3:It's always when nobody else is around.
Speaker 1:That's why it's like the Yeti you can't see it.
Speaker 3:It's out there, but you can't see it. That's awesome.
Speaker 1:So if you guys have no having anything else, we're going to wrap this up. Man, I'm super excited about seeing you guys couple of weeks If you're in town, if you're in Round Rock at the.
Speaker 2:Gail.
Speaker 1:Diamond Mart, or February 28th through March 2nd, 20 days. Yep, we're going to be out there. Y'all, stop on by, show your support. We're going to be. I guess we'll be there. We'll be the live. Maybe Throw in the drone up.
Speaker 2:Yeah, why not? You know, do podcasts live from either?
Speaker 3:Yeah, that would be fun, that would be fun.
Speaker 1:You guys, take care, stay safe. God bless you and, as always, may God bless Texas.