After The Shooting: A Police Trainer On What Nobody Talks About

Dave Ogilvy spent 22 years with the Delta Police Department — most of them quietly doing the work that most officers only dream about. SWAT operator, ERT medic lead, police trainer, Cops for Cancer veteran, and one of the most respected voices in the room that nobody outside of it has ever heard from. In this episode, Dave opens up about all of it. We cover what it's really like to be involved in a police shooting, how he prepared himself — and his family — long before that day ever came, and what the aftermath actually looks like when the cameras aren't rolling. Dave also gets honest about losing two fingers on his gun hand, refusing to accept an adjusted physical standard, and fighting his way back onto the ERT on his own terms. But this conversation goes deeper than tactics. We talk about what happens to your identity when the team is your whole world and then suddenly it isn't. We talk about the silent epidemic of cops who are great at the job and strangers at home. We talk about why seeking help is not weakness — and why waiting until you're in crisis to find a psychologist is already too late. Dave is the kind of mentor that most people in this profession never get access to. Humble, direct, and completely without ego. He doesn't post on social media. He doesn't chase recognition. He just shows up, does the work, and makes everyone around him better. This one is worth your full attention. Topics covered: What a police shooting actually feels like — before, during, and after How to prepare your mind and your family for a critical incident Losing two fingers and passing the same physical as everyone else Identity loss after leaving the ERT and how to rebuild Why policing is not family — and why that distinction matters Cops for Cancer and 12+ years of giving back Mental health stigma in law enforcement and how to break through it The difference between the will to win and the will to train to win What great police trainers actually do differently Advice for anyone wanting to get on a tactical team 🎙️ Police Mentors is a podcast dedicated to sharing the hard-earned wisdom of experienced law enforcement professionals — the kind of conversations that don't happen in briefing rooms or on social media, but absolutely should. #PoliceMentors #LawEnforcement #PolicePodcast #SWAT #EmergencyResponseTeam #PoliceMentalHealth #FirstResponders #PoliceTraining #TacticalPolicing #PoliceCulture #CopsForCancer #MentalHealthMatters #FirstResponderMentalHealth #PoliceLife #BlueLine #ThinBlueLine #PTSDAwareness #Resilience #LeadershipDevelopment #policeofficer 00:00 Police-Mentors Podcast Episode 3 with Dave Ogilvy 00:10 Introduction 03:53 Leaving Emergency Response Work 09:01 Identity 11:51 Overcoming Injury 15:58 The Will To Train To Win 17:59 Cops For Cancer 23:25 Positive Impact 25:51 There's Magic In The Uniform 29:26 Thin Blue Line 37:41 Fallen Officers 39:45 Shared Danger In Policing 40:39 Understanding Violence 46:48 "Did I Treat You Fairly?" 49:48 "Cuff Tuff" 51:08 Treating People Fairly 53:17 Helping People 58:36 Mental Health 01:09:00 Understanding Lethal Force 01:13:33 Self-Stigma 01:17:31 Police Bonds 01:21:22 Integrating Trauma 01:26:05 I've Got A Problem 01:33:46 Advice For New Members Of A Team 01:41:54 Team Before Self 01:42:51 Conclusion Here is a link to a free chapter of my book on my website: https://markbouchard.ca/stigma/ Or you can buy a paperback copy on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.ca/Setting-My-Sights-Stigma-Thoughts/dp/1738943003/ref=sr_1_1?crid=UT5YKTZC6EKM&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.3NhFgyk5IO9ESyDyBLRTuA.3pAVYHo9cIwh3z4-o5aoNDlfFc3_tkNxtZGDx_PZVqs&dib_tag=se&keywords=setting+my+sights+on+stigma&qid=1772649553&sprefix=setting+my+sight%2Caps%2C114&sr=8-1