Director of Strategic Communications Michelle Guido joins the podcast to talk about a program that has taken on real importance at the Orange County Sheriff's Office. The Community Crime Prevention Awards use seized drug money to support groups that give young people guidance and improve safety in neighborhoods.

Michelle explains how the idea started and how it grew into a reliable source of support for local organizations. She also walks through how applications are reviewed and why this program has become a steady point of connection between the agency and the community.

0:00 – How the Community Crime Prevention Awards began
1:12 – What the Law Enforcement Trust Fund is and how seized money can be used
2:07 – Opening the program to smaller, lesser-known organizations
2:30 – First-year launch and early success
3:25 – Growth over five years and approaching $1 million given back
4:20 – Who can apply and what types of programs align with crime prevention
5:45 – Why turning drug money into community support matters
6:55 – Award amounts, vetting, and how recipients are selected
8:18 – Common mistakes and applications that don't qualify
9:13 – Examples of funded programs and success stories
15:25 – How far the funding can go for the right groups
16:43 – Annual award event and building relationships with recipients
17:03 – Tips for first-time applicants and what criteria matter most
20:23 – What the money can and cannot pay for
21:35 – Why the program continues to grow and evolve
22:51 – Deadline, approval process, and when awards are announced
24:57 – Final thoughts and where to apply

Deputy Romaine Campbell opens up about the loss of his young son, how that tragedy reshaped him, and the long, uneven process of finding purpose again. He talks about the job, the pain he tried to outrun, the help he finally accepted, and the work he's doing today to support others walking through their own darkness.

0:00 – Getting into law enforcement
2:40 – The night he got the call about his son
7:55 – Working nonstop to outrun the pain
9:35 – Realizing he wasn't healed
15:11 – Getting help and starting to process everything
19:17 – Time in the courthouse and as an SRO
20:31 – Message about seeking help
23:10 – Writing his book and starting his nonprofit
25:30 – Blessings in his life now
27:09 – How he handles the long delay in the trial
29:07 – Final thoughts for listeners

In this episode of Behind the Star, we visit the Orange County Sheriff's Office Mounted Unit to learn what it's really like to patrol on horseback.

Master Deputy Lindsay Gonzalez and Corporal Niko Velazquez share how they joined the mounted unit, what it takes to train for the job and the strong bonds formed between deputies and their horses.

Lindsay and Niko talk about patrol work, crowd control, parades, and how horses play a role in community engagement and search and rescue. They also discuss training challenges, funny stories from the field, and what it's like when a horse retires.

0:44 – History and purpose of the unit
2:30 – Horses: how many, how they're assigned, and their personalities
7:20 – Daily care, barn duties, and the reality of poop patrol
10:32 – Matching horses to events and understanding their temperaments
11:34 – Where the horses come from and why most are donated
15:13 – Meet James, Justice, Grace, Alessandro, Pocket Change, Remington, Pete, and Blackjack
29:14 – Retirement: when, why, and where they go
31:00 – Law enforcement uses: presence, patrol, and search and rescue
35:12 – Memorable stories, de-escalations, and the public's love for the unit
39:20 – Weird snacks, funny habits, and diva horses
42:00 – Horses' intelligence, emotions, and long memories