A badge can look like a symbol from a distance, but up close it has a name, a laugh, a partner’s memories, and a family that never fully stops grieving. We sit down with Captain Yates to talk about what National Police Week means to our department, why May 15 matters, and how a week of remembrance becomes something deeper than ceremony when you’ve served beside someone who made the ultimate sacrifice.

We unpack what “never forget” looks like in real life: gathering with survivors, saying the names again, and wearing memorial bands across the badge as a visible sign of mourning and unity. Captain Yates shares what it takes to support families traveling to memorial events in Washington, DC and at the state level, and why honor guard members choose the tough job of escorting families through every moment, from the first ceremony to the flight home.

Police Week also shines a light on the officers who still report for duty. We talk about the emotional whiplash of the job, the many roles officers fill on calls, and what we wish the community understood about the human being behind the uniform. The conversation closes with the Brotherhood Ride and the question that anchors it all: “What’s your why?” It’s a powerful reminder that remembrance is not passive, it’s something we do.

If this conversation moves you, subscribe so you don’t miss future Roll Call episodes, share it with someone who needs a better understanding of Police Week, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show.

Most of the time, you only notice a police department when something is going wrong. But the work that helps a case stand up in court, helps the public get answers, and keeps the whole system honest often happens quietly at the records counter. We sit down with Records Supervisor Alicia Sarge to talk about the side of public safety that runs on documentation, deadlines, and careful judgment.

Alicia shares her 18-year journey from starting as a janitor to leading the team that reviews the paperwork and digital evidence that flows through the department. We unpack what “records” actually means day to day: checking reports for accuracy, coordinating with the clerk of court and the state attorney’s office, guiding people at the front desk through stressful moments, and navigating Florida public records law with the right redactions and review steps.

Then we get into the scale. The department fulfilled 22,000 public records requests in a year, and a single request can involve dozens of hours of body-worn camera video, multiple officers on scene, and painstaking review. Alicia explains why the agency can provide records that exist but cannot create new videos or custom clips, and why that “15 minutes” can take far longer to process than most people expect.

The first responder you meet might never step out of a car. We sit down with Kat and Haley from the Fort Myers Police Department 911 communications center to talk about the work that starts before lights and sirens: being the steady voice on the other end of the line. They walk us through what a shift actually feels like, how a call can jump from routine to life-threatening in seconds, and why dispatchers have to “live in two worlds at once” calm on the outside while planning ahead on the inside.

We also get practical about police dispatch and emergency communications: what runs through a dispatcher’s mind in the first seconds, how training and repetition build composure, and how they block out the noise of a busy room without missing the key details. Kat and Haley share what surprises most people, especially the level of compartmentalization it takes to move from one intense call to the next, and the teamwork happening behind the scenes while units are already en route.

Finally, we talk about what 911 callers can do to help: stay calm, answer the questions, and remember there is a reason for every question. If you have ever wondered what to say when calling 911, or how dispatchers handle chaos during major incidents and fast-moving tips, this conversation gives you a clear view of the process and the people who keep it running. Subscribe to FMPD Roll Call, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review with one thing you learned from the voice behind the line.