Blame It All On My Roots with Chief Chris Cook

Join Tammera Hollerich on Everything Is Up, as she interviews Chief Chris Cook of the White Settlement Police Department. The chief shares his diverse law enforcement career path, including community outreach programs to build trust and support for law enforcement. He also discusses his department's partnership with Flunk, which has helped intercept countless criminals. Learn about his struggles to balance work-life and the importance of building memories through travel, all while making his city safer. Tune in to this exciting episode, and don't forget to like, subscribe, and share!

Timestamps

[00:00:01] Introduction of Chief Chris Cook as guest

[00:03:37] From Law Enforcement to Chief of Police

[00:07:07] Peace Officers' Angels Foundation and Community Support

[00:10:55] Police Chief's community engagement efforts

[00:14:35] Rebranding Animal Shelter with Community Center

[00:18:10] License Plate Reader Success in Small Town

[00:22:05] Balancing Work and Personal Life as a Police Chief

[00:25:34] Importance of Community Relationships for Police Departments

[00:29:05] Importance of Traveling and Work-Life Balance

All Quotes

[00:10:49] I remember my mom. She said, oh, thank god. You're coming back home. You it's so There's no crime in white settlement compared to Arlington, you know, in her mind. And everything is great here. And, of course, within the first week, we had a foot pursuit that went right near my mom's house on a stolen vehicle.

[00:19:24] Supreme Court has consistently ruled that a public roadway is public. That's why it's called a public roadway, meaning there's no expectation of privacy on a public roadway when it comes to recording license plates.

[00:16:47] We have nothing to hide. And if we're in the wrong, we'll fix it. And so I think that approach has worked really well.

[00:14:51] We also added community center out there because we wanted it to be a place where people not only just bring an animal that is stray, but they can come and have educational sessions and learn how to care for their pets.

[00:02:53] Most people know me from being the spokesperson on TV, but I did a lot more certainly than just talk on TV.

[00:05:46] But you still have personality conflicts, not only internally, but in the community, you still have crime issues that creep up.

[00:23:32] Family is absolutely important. Because this job will come and go. These you have a limited shelf lock, if you will, in the number 1 chair.

[00:08:04] Peace officers angels foundation steps into that void, and they actually provide financial assistance.

[00:00:47] I actually was born in white settlement back in 74, born in an apartment complex that used to be called Plaza Apartments over there by Lockheed Martin.

[00:03:39] Being a police officer, being in a police car, stuff like that, it was really difficult in the in the 19 nineties to land a street job, if you will, with the county.

[00:24:39] She would probably say when I get home. I go to my office. I have a beautiful office at the house. And I get in there and I start working. And I get it and I get to talk. Like, hey, can you just give that a break? Can we just watch Netflix Can we just go grab a bite to eat? Can we do this or that?

[00:09:51] My entire executive team, when I got here in April, We were all officers together, which means we probably did some silly things together way back in the day.

[00:06:24] If I can get to community, if I can demystify what police officers do, and show them that, hey, we're human just like you and I. At the end of the day, there's an increase of support that comes in from our community, which we absolutely need.

[00:01:42] My first job was Toys R Us, making 3 dollars and 75 cents an hour back in 19 90.

[00:05:13] Absolutely. You know, the more that you're experienced to, when you get faced with scenarios here locally in our community, then at the end of the day, you're better equipped to handle those types of calls because you're like, you know what? We actually manage that.

[00:08:38] That award recently was very special because it was able we were able to really showcase the great work that we've done as a city to help bring additional funds to help those across the state of Texas.

[00:26:29] People have to feel like their value, like their input matters, and that we treat them with dignity and respect.

[00:13:48] I will tell you your officers are doing a phenomenal job officer Callahan. I know she's got the helm of it and she's just doing a fabulous job with pause.

[00:10:18] I said, hey, this might be weird for you also. But I want you to know, I am a little different than I was certainly 20 years ago.

[00:12:25] We're about to embark on a Hispanic speaking Spanish speaking only citizens police academy. Because, you know, we have a very large growing Hispanic population.

[00:15:46] We respond on the weekend. We respond 24 hours a day now. We have 2 vans now as well and totally redesigned the way that center looks over there.

[00:01:21] And so I went to Liberty Elementary here in the community. Went to Brewer and then graduated Casper Bay Baptist, which is also in our community on the service road.

[00:19:41] We were recovering sometimes 5 to 6 stolen vehicles, 4 to 5 serious fugitive. I'm talking not talking about misdemeanor warrants. They don't even scan for that. We're talking about serious felony warrants.

[00:05:00] I've kind of run the gamut on things to do in law enforcement.

[00:27:52] I had a mentor tell me once. There is no such thing as work life balance, so you can just forget it. Like, it's work or life. Like, you pick the moment that becomes very important in the lives of everyone you have to find time for.

[00:30:19] If I could go back in time, I probably would have been traveling like you. Because we don't know. We're never guaranteed to tomorrow.

[00:22:49] Relational policing, which is the philosophy that we've been talking about here in town, is every single interaction, whether it's a traffic stop, somebody in our lobby, somebody that you're taking a report from, you need to take a couple seconds, a couple minutes to try to form the best impression you have.

[00:20:12] It's had such a profound success. That now it is very rare almost that you get a stolen hit. You might get 1 or 2 a week if that some weeks we go, we get 0 alerts.

[00:22:27] Sometimes in big cities, and it's not always their fault. But they engage in transactional, which means they are so busy They go from call to call to call to call.

[00:06:40] We will not be successful without the community supporting us, being our extra eyes and ears, reporting suspicious activity, helping us find bad guys.

[00:25:57] People can accept a rising crime rate. What they will not accept is a police department that does not care about them.

[00:18:23] White settlement was already actually looking at that. I think they had 2 cameras when I got here, but I wanted to certainly expand that out.

[00:13:04] If you're really going to talk a good game, they'll have to be masked by your actions.

[Unknown] There's always more work. And the reason for that is I am a very demanding person when it comes to continual improvement. I don't wanna be the status quo.

[00:16:21] When you got people, that really care about this community, that care about the animals, that care, they wanna make a positive difference, then you're going to see success.

[00:29:39] Those things are important. We're building memories.

[00:28:16] Make sure you are present for the things that matter.

[00:13:27] A lot of good work was happening even before I got here. They just weren't talking about it to the level that we've started talking about stuff.

[00:21:21] The beauty of being in a small town is everybody knows everybody. But that's the same curves. Right? That's that double edged sword of everybody knows everybody's business. But the minute something bad happens, everybody rallies.

[00:30:52] It means the world to her, it means the world to my family, and so I would have not traded that in in the world.

Blog Post

Article 1: Who is Chief Chris Cook?

Chief Chris Cook may be a familiar name to many because of his articulate and respected voice as the spokesperson for the Arlington Police Department. In this episode of Everything Is Up, Chris Cook shares his journey from growing up in White Settlement, Texas to his 28 years of experience in law enforcement, including his role as a deputy police chief in Arlington.

Here are three takeaways from the podcast:

1. Childhood experiences shaped Chris Cook's career journey: Growing up close to the Air Force base in Carswell, Texas at an early age, he had an intense desire to join the Air Force. His time crawling around planes in a nearby airplane museum honed his interest in military service, and ultimately helped shape his dream of becoming a police officer, which he realized after joining the military.

2. The importance of community involvement in policing: When he was a teenager, Cook was a police explorer in White Settlement, Texas. This experience taught him valuable skills and introduced him to law enforcement, which eventually led to his current position. Cook also highlights the significance of police-community partnerships in enhancing safety and building trust with citizens.

3. The key to career success: Throughout his career, Cook has demonstrated a commitment to personal growth and development by investing time and effort in different training programs. Cook encourages aspiring law enforcement professionals to work hard, learn continuously, and embrace new opportunities that can help them grow in their careers.

Chief Chris Cook's story is a fascinating one, and he shares it with a lot of enthusiasm and honesty. His career journey is not only inspiring but highlights how determination and hard work can lead to success. Be sure to check out this episode to know more about his experiences and learn from his insights.

Quote: "If you want to be a police officer or any profession, it's all about opportunities. So once you have an opportunity, whether it's through education, training or experience, you take it and put 100% effort into it, and the opportunities just continue to unfold." - Chief Chris Cook.

Article 2: Rising Through the Ranks: Insights from Chief Chris Cook

In this episode of Everything Is Up, host Tammera Hollerich interviews Chris Cook, a seasoned law enforcement professional with almost three decades of experience. Cook shares how he rose through the ranks, from being a rank-and-file officer in White Settlement to holding a deputy chief position in Arlington.

Here are three takeaways from the podcast:

1. The importance of learning on the job: Cook spent most of his career in law enforcement learning through work assignments, training programs, and mentoring relationships with senior officers. His approach to lifelong learning has helped him acquire new skills and broaden his understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing modern policing.

2. The role of communication in law enforcement: As the spokesperson for Arlington Police Department, Cook faced several challenges in communicating complex and sensitive information to the public through various media channels. He emphasizes the value of effective communication in building public trust, improving transparency, and creating positive relationships within the community.

3. Advice for future law enforcement professionals: Cook encourages aspiring law enforcement officers to be patient, persistent, and goal-oriented. He advises them to seek mentorship from experienced professionals, work hard to increase their skills and knowledge, and recognize that every job can offer valuable learning opportunities.

Chief Chris Cook's story is an excellent example of how law enforcement professionals can rise through the ranks by taking advantage of opportunities for growth and development. Listen to this episode to learn more about his experiences and gain insights into the world of policing.

Quote: "The biggest thing is to go out there and do your best, work hard, be honest with yourself and the people you work with, and you're going to succeed." - Chief Chris Cook.

Social Post

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#2: 🚔 Have you heard about Chief Chris Cook's journey from White Settlement to being a deputy police chief in Arlington? You won't want to miss this episode of Everything Is Up with your host Tammera Hollerich. Tune in now for some incredible stories of perseverance and success. #lawenforcement #podcast #Tammerahollerich #chiefchriscook #successstories

#3: 🎙️ Ready for some childhood memories and inspiring career choices? Listen to Chief Chris Cook's story on Everything Is Up with host Tammera Hollerich. From Toys R Us to joining the Air Force to becoming a police officer, this episode is packed with motivation and success. Tune in now! #whitesettlement #Tammerahollerich #chiefchriscook #careerchoices #podcast

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