Cops and Joggers turns a night run into a community tradition with heart. We shine a light on what makes this 5K special: a fast, scenic route, an atmosphere for families, and a mission that delivers real help where it matters.

Joined by Officer Hughes and Captain Valdivia, we unpack the race’s purpose and impact. Proceeds support the Fort Myers Police Department’s Fallen Officer Memorial Foundation, funding travel for families to National Police Week in Tallahassee and Washington, D.C., and aiding like‑minded organizations that serve first responders. We dig into why the event moved to January to avoid hurricane season, how the cooler evening setting boosts the experience, and what first‑timers should know about packet pickup, parking garages, and arriving early to enjoy the pre‑race fun.

Expect more than miles. We tease possible post‑race entertainment, highlight age‑group trophies and crowd‑pleasing light‑up medals, and make the case for walkers and families to join. Most of all, we share how the night creates space to honor fallen officers, tell their stories, and build genuine connections between the department and the community it serves.

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We take you inside Fort Myers’ Crisis Response Unit, where trained officers and behavioral health clinicians arrive together to stabilize high-stress situations, listen without judgment, and guide people toward care instead of cuffs. This is a ground-level look at what happens when public safety and mental health pull in the same direction.

We talk with Sgt. Antonini, who helped design the program, and Heather Cross from the Center for Progress and Excellence, the partner providing mobile clinicians. They share why local call data demanded a new approach, how training goes beyond a single 40-hour course, and what realistic scenario drills teach about scene safety, role clarity, and time as a de-escalation tool. You’ll hear concrete examples of on‑scene practice: slowing the pace, validating feelings, building safety plans that keep people out of involuntary hospitalization, and connecting them with case management that solves barriers like transportation, cost, and insurance.

The results are measurable. By tracking monthly outcomes—diversion rates, Baker Acts, arrests, and use of force—the team shows a clear uptick in diversions when the co-responder unit handles the call. That’s fewer ER beds and jail bookings, more trust with residents, and a stronger network of community partners ready to help. Services are free, mobile, and available 24/7 across Lee County, from homes and parks to gas stations and highway shoulders. If you can’t recall the 844 number, you can still ask 911 to send the co-responder team and request CPE by name for behavioral health needs.

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The room changes when people who’ve seen the worst days talk about building better ones. We sit down with two Army veterans from our training division—Officer Wells and Officer Spencer—who trace a line from deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan to roll call in Fort Myers. Their stories are honest and grounded: why the uniform still matters, how civilian life can feel unstructured, and what it takes to make clear decisions when the pressure spikes and seconds count.

We dig into the training philosophy that shapes our officers: crawl, walk, run; basics before flash; mentorship that corrects and encourages. You’ll hear how hood drills and stress inoculation reveal true readiness, how leadership means anticipating needs and communicating cleanly, and why consistent reps on fundamentals—traffic stops, de-escalation, tactical movement, communication—build the reflexes that keep everyone safer. Along the way, they share the small moments that stay with veterans: the first cheeseburger back home, the feel of carpet under bare feet, the quiet gratitude of being stateside with family.

Threaded through it all is the spirit of Veterans Day—esprit de corps, service beyond self, and respect for anyone who signed the line, regardless of MOS or years served. We talk about transferring combat-earned calm to the street, turning experience into empathy, and living for the aha moment when a trainee finally owns a skill. If you care about public safety, leadership, and what real training looks like from the inside, this conversation delivers hard-won insight with heart.

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