PODCAST · government
The Debrief with Jon Becker
by Jon Becker
The Debrief with Jon Becker is a no-holds-barred conversational podcast on the leadership principles that govern the world’s elite tactical units. Featuring top military and law enforcement unit commanders from some of the most high-stakes fields, this podcast examines how to form and lead a highly effective team. After four decades spent working in tandem with top law enforcement and military units, Jon has gained invaluable lessons in leadership, teamwork, communication, and training. Now, he is sharing these lessons through conversations with some of these amazing team leaders. The goal of the show is to make us all better leaders, thinkers, and people. In each episode, The Debrief shares lessons in decision-making, training, personnel selection, and perseverance that apply to people from all walks of life. Our host Jon Becker, is an expert in tactical equipment; working with some of the world’s top-performing teams. The Debrief is Jon’s paybac
Episodes
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HRT of a Toddler With Port and Cover Tactics
On July 19, 2024, Orange County, Florida deputies responded to a domestic shooting where a woman escaped with 16 stab and gunshot wounds, leaving behind her three-year-old daughter with the armed suspect still inside. What followed was a five-hour negotiation marked by false compliance and a...
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Current Threats to Tactical Units & Less Lethal Evolution
Steve Ijames has spent over four decades shaping how American law enforcement approaches force—less lethal and otherwise. From building Springfield PD's tactical team from scratch in 1988 to authoring IACP model policies and serving as an expert witness in cases like Ferguson and George Floyd,...
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Protecting Your Brain From Blast Injury
In this critical episode, Jon Becker examines the hidden epidemic of blast-induced brain injuries affecting tactical operators, breachers, and military personnel. Following groundbreaking New York Times reporting that led to congressional action, this five-year investigation reveals how repeated...
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Culture First Leadership
In this special episode, Jon Becker turns the tables and becomes the guest on his own show to discuss his new book "Culture First: Nine Leadership Practices That Build Elite Teams." Drawing from four decades of working with top-tier law enforcement and military units worldwide, Becker explores…
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Hostage Rescue with IED Threat
In this gripping episode, Jon Becker sits down with Greg Roy to dissect a complex hostage rescue operation that began as a planned home invasion at 2:30 AM. Roy walks through the tactical response when an ex-boyfriend took multiple family members hostage at gunpoint, including the challenging...
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DME-11 - HR with IEDs
DME-11 - HR with IEDs
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K9/SWAT Integration with LASD-SEB
Canine integration into SWAT operations has evolved significantly, with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Special Enforcement Bureau leading the charge since the 1990s. In this episode, Jon sits down with John Montenegro and Steve Williams from LASD-SEB to examine their pioneering...
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Taking Down a Serial Killer
On June 14, 2020, Butte County Sheriff's SWAT team executed what seemed like a routine arrest warrant for an arson suspect on a remote mountain property. Using night vision for covert reconnaissance, the team discovered they had walked into an active attempted murder scene. The suspect was later...
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DME010 - Arrest Warrant for Murder Suspect on Mountain Compound
DME010 - Arrest Warrant for Murder Suspect on Mountain Compound
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Legacy Revisited - James Kerr
Jon Becker sits down with author James Kerr to revisit his groundbreaking book "Legacy" and explore what makes the All Blacks the most successful sports team in history. With a win ratio approaching 80% over 125 years, this New Zealand rugby powerhouse offers invaluable lessons on building elite...
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LAPD D-Platoon's Approach to Hostage Rescue
In this episode of The Debrief, host Jon Becker sits down with LAPD SWAT's Jonathan Pultz, a 27-year veteran and D-Platoon element leader, to examine one of law enforcement's most critical missions: hostage rescue. With D-Platoon conducting 120-150 high-risk operations annually, Pultz brings...
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Improving Tactical Performance with Science
Guest: Dr. Nathalie Pattyn In this episode, Jon sits down with Dr. Nathalie Pattyn, whose unique background spans medicine, psychology, research, and military operations. Dr. Pattyn discusses her unconventional career path from aspiring astronaut to emergency physician to tactical performance...
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Beyond the Loop: Why Everything You Know About OODA May Be Wrong
John Boyd's OODA loop is widely referenced but fundamentally misunderstood. Mark McGrath reveals how the common circular diagram represents less than one percent of Boyd's work. The real framework centers on orientation—constantly updating mental models through destruction and creation. This...
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Barricade Erupts into Urgent HRT When Freed Victim Returns to Hostage Taker
A three-month homicide investigation in Washington State led to a suspect barricaded in a vehicle inside a garage. What began as a routine containment evolved into a seven-hour standoff, which suddenly escalated when the freed domestic violence victim returned to the residence and was taken...
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DME 09 - Barricade Erupts into Urgent HRT
DME 09 - Barricade Erupts into Urgent HRT
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Pursuit Leads to Unrelated Family Hostage Situation and HRT
In September of 2021 a suspect involved in a carjacking and attempted homicide led police in a vehicle pursuit that ended in a car crash in Farmington Utah. The suspect fled on foot across Interstate 15 into a residential neighborhood prompting patrol officers to establish a perimeter and begin a...
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Tactical Longevity – Dr. Jenny Prohaska
My guest today is Dr. Jenny Prohaska, a clinical psychologist who has spent her career on the front lines of trauma and high-stakes performance. Jenny trained in neuro -rehabilitation psychology at the University of Kansas Medical Center, working with patients and staff in trauma, ICU, and burn...
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Hostage Rescue Under Explosive Threat - Bakersfield PD SWAT
On October 12th, 2020, Bakersfield police responded to a hospital on a domestic violence call to a female who had been hit in the head with a hammer by her ex-husband. When patrol officers arrived at the suspect's house, the male suspect exited the home, screaming at police and threw an…
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Left of Bang Revisited with Patrick Van Horne
My guest today is Patrick Van Horne. Patrick is the co- author of Left Of Bang: How the Marine Corps combat hunter program can save your life. He is also the co-founder of the CP journal where he supports clients in preventing, preparing for, and proactively responding to disasters, disruptions…
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Lessons Learned from the Tree of Life Synagogue Response
On October 27, 2018 a lone gunman entered the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA with the intent of killing anyone he could. Tree of Life was the home to three different congregations, Tree of Life, New Light, and Dor Haddash, all of which were preparing for or having their normal shabbat...
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Hostage Rescue of an Infant - Surprise AZ PD SWAT
On Friday May 17 2024 the Surprise Arizona Police department received a call that a suspect had broken into his ex-girlfriend’s home and taken her and their 7-month-old child hostage. The suspect told her that he planned to kill her and the baby and eventually killed her dog. She eventually...
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Post Traumatic Growth – Guests: Dr. Richard Tedeschi, Josh Goldberg & Chief Chad Kasmar
On this episode of The Debrief we are going to be looking at Post Traumatic Stress and Post Traumatic Growth. These are two topics that I am extremely passionate about because, as you might imagine, each incident we cover on The Debrief has had a profound effect on everyone involved. Over the…
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The Lindt Café Hostage Siege – Sydney, AUS – Guest: Ben Besant (aka Officer A)
On the 15th of December 2014, a terrorist took over the Lindt Chocolate café in Martin Place, in the heart of Sydney, Australia, holding 18 customers and staff hostage, creating a siege that would last for over 16 hours. Although numerous hostages escaped, by the time the event conclude,d 2...
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UVALDE - What Really Happened at Robb Elementary?
On May 24, 2022, an active shooter took the lives of 19 children and two staff members and physically and mentally injured the survivors, their families, staff, teachers and the broader community in Uvalde, Texas. At the request of Uvalde's leadership, the U.S. Department of Justice established…
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LA Fires – The First 12 Hours
Capt. Trey Sorensen – Pasadena FD and Sgt. Bobby Crees Pasadena PD Just after 6pm on January 7th, the fire ignited in Eaton Canyon, California. In a matter of hours, powered by sustained 60 mile an hour winds, with gusts as high as 100 miles an hour, the fire spread through Pasadena and into the...
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Austin PD LODD: A Wife's Perspective - Kim Pastore
My guest today is Kim Pastore. Kim’s husband Jorge Pastore was killed on November 11, 2023 while attempting to rescue hostages with the Austin, TX SWAT Team. This was a case we covered previously with the Team in Seasons 4 Episode 5 released on November 11, 2024. However, Kim has graciously…
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Lessons Learned from Elite Unit Selection Processes – John Dowd
My guest today is John Dowd. John is a former navy SEAL who 15 years ago started SOFware, LLC a company that develops software and consults with elite units in their assessment and selection processes. John and his team work with many of the world most elite units assisting them in not only...
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Operator Health and Performance with Casey Glass
My guest today is Casey Glass. Casey is the founder of Warfighter Health and Performance and for the past 11 years has been a Special Operations Strength Coach for US SOF units. Casey’s Grew up on a ranch in Texas. In college, she played soccer at Texas Christian University and interned with the...
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Bank Robbery and Police Ambush in Saanich BC - GVERT
On June 28, 2022, the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team (aka GVERT) was working as a quick response team for narcotics surveillance when a call went out of an active bank robbery in progress. Two suspects, covered almost completely in body armor and heavily armed with SKS rifles were…
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Improving Tactical Decision Making – Dr. Gary Klein
My guest today is a true legend in the field of decision making, Dr. Gary Klein. Gary is the author of the book Sources of Power: How People Make Decisions, and five other books. His work includes groundbreaking research into the cognitive models we use for decision making including the...
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LODD on HRT Crisis Entry – Austin PD SWAT
On November 11, 2023, Austin Texas Police officers responded to a call of a stabbing. The Caller advised that there were several subjects that had been stabbed. When officers arrived, they made contact with one of the victims who advised two additional family members were still inside the…
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DME-03 Injured Hostages: The Critical Decision to Initiate a Hostage Rescue Team
Decision Making Excercise #3
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Escaped Inmate Hostage Rescue w/ WCTRU
On the afternoon of July 11, 2022, at about 1400 hrs, two Hamilton County Ohio Sheriff’s Detectives observed an escapee from the River City Correctional Facility in Cincinnati, in the parking lot of the Baymont Inn hotel. Although they were unable to make a positive identification before the...
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Improving Tactical Performance with Cognitive Training
Imagine if you could train your brain to give you better situational awareness, see and hear more, and improve your tactical decision-making abilities? Although this sounds like science fiction, it is quickly becoming a science fact in the emerging field of brain training for tactical operators.…
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Resilience and Recovery from Catastrophe w/ Justin Dodge
The topic of resilience for first responders has fortunately become a more common discussion. As the rate of suicides, addiction and burnout rise, discussions of grit or internal fortitude against adversity have become a frequent topic for articles, speeches and conference courses. My guest today...
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Decision Making Exercise | Parkland
In this episode, Josh Wofford instructs a DME: Decision Making Exercise to accompany the Parkland episode of The Debrief. A decision making exercise places you in the position of a leader on scene at a critical incident, and allows you to make decisions as if you were there. The purpose of the...
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Parkland Attack - Chief Clyde Parry
On February 14, 2018, an active killer attacked the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida killing 17 people and wounding another 17 people. The shooter then managed to flee the scene by slipping in with other students. The shooter was apprehended without incident…
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2024 Summer Flashback | The California Association of Tactical Officers
For our final episode of 2024's "Summer Lookback" series, we revisit episode 4 featuring Brent Stratton and Marcus Sprague. Brent is the Assistant Chief at a Southern California Police Department and the President of the California Tactical Officers Association (CATO). Marcus is a recently…
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2024 Summer Flashback | Lt. Lee McMillion
This episode in our summer lookback series features Lt. Lee McMillion. Lee is currently one of the two Lieutenants leading the Los Angeles Police Departments Metropolitan Division D-Platoon. Which is also known as LAPD SWAT. In total, Lee has spent 33 years as a Los Angeles Policeman of which 23...
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2024 Summer Flashback | Buddy Brown
The third episode in our 2024 Summer lookback series features Buddy Brown. Buddy works for the York County Sherriff’s Office in South Carolina. Buddy has worked patrol, narcotics and training and spent more than 18 years on the York County regional SWAT team. On January 16, 2018, York County...
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2024 Summer Flashback | Mike Hillman
The second episode in our "2024 Summer Flashback" series features a legend in the tactical community with a list of career accomplishments that would take an entire podcast of their own. Mike Hillman was one of the original founders of LAPD SWAT, a Deputy Chief at LAPD, the Assistant Sheriff in...
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2024 Summer Flashback | Sid Heal
The first episode in our "2024 Summer Flashback" series features not just the first episode of this podcast, but the man who inspired the project as a whole. Not only was Sid Heale a legend in the special tactics’ community, he was a retired CWO5 in the United States Marine Corps serving numerous...
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The Debrief | Season 3 Wrap Up
Season 3 of The Debrief featured an impressive roster of guests, including: Andy Stumpf of Cleared Hot Podcast, former Delta Force operator Pete Blaber, and Lionel D. of Belgium’s elite Group Dianne (DSU). These guests, and others, provided an extensive body of knowledge and experience…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
The Debrief with Jon Becker is a no-holds-barred conversational podcast on the leadership principles that govern the world’s elite tactical units. Featuring top military and law enforcement unit commanders from some of the most high-stakes fields, this podcast examines how to form and lead a highly effective team.
After four decades spent working in tandem with top law enforcement and military units, Jon has gained invaluable lessons in leadership, teamwork, communication, and training. Now, he is sharing these lessons through conversations with some of these amazing team leaders. The goal of the show is to make us all better leaders, thinkers, and people.
In each episode, The Debrief shares lessons in decision-making, training, personnel selection, and perseverance that apply to people from all walks of life. Our host Jon Becker, is an expert in tactical equipment; working with some of the world’s top-performing teams. The Debrief is Jon’s paybac
HOSTED BY
Jon Becker
CATEGORIES
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