Hey Chaplain: The Police Wellness Podcast

Hosted by Jared Altic

Business Careers Society Culture Health FitnessInterviews guests

Website RSS feed

Episodes

268

Latest episode

Oct 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

The Hey Chaplain podcast is where cops say, "Hey Chaplain, I've got a story to tell and some hard-earned wisdom to share." On Hey Chaplain you'll hear from dispatchers and federal agents, Sheriffs and US Marshals, as well as local detectives and patrolmen. From the LAPD to Scotland Yard, the guests on Hey Chaplain deliver advice and insights so that police officers everywhere can survive and thrive. The host, Jared Altic, has almost 30 years of experience serving and counseling military and law enforcement families. The show looks at both the humorous and traumatic sides of police life, sharing wisdom to create healthy cops both at work and at home. Share this podcast with a cop or someone who loves a cop.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

October 19, 202638 min

154 - How 2 Love Our Cops: Corina Shipp

Text the Show or Leave a Voicemail Finding support for police spouses is tough. Finding good ways for police spouses to help their cops be healthier can be even harder. Today's guest is Corina Shipp who has two decades of experience as a police wife in the Pacific Northwest and she has a lot of great experience building a network of relationships among the often-neglected community of police family members. I specifically want you to hear how she found a way to make a big impact on the families of police academy recruits on graduation day. Resources : A Chip on My Shoulder , by Victoria Newman https://a.co/d/0dGFNh7E How 2 Love Our Cops website: https://www.how2loveourcops.org Blue Hero Project website: https://www.blueheroproject.org Music is by Alexander Nakarada Hey Chaplain podcast Episode 154 Tags : Police, Families, Spouses, Support, Teamwork, Trust, Wellness, Wives, Portland, Oregon, Washington Support the show Thanks for Listening! And, as always, pray for peace in our city. Subscribe/Follow here : Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hey-chaplain/id1570155168 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2CGK9A3BmbFEUEnx3fYZOY Email us at: heychaplain44@gmail.com You can help keep the show ad-free by buying me a virtual coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/heychaplain

October 12, 202633 min

153.5 - Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement, Part 2: Kevin Gilmartin

Text the Show or Leave a Voicemail This is the second part of my conversation with Dr Kevin Gilmartin. Gilmartin is the author of Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement, one of the most important landmark books in the field of police officer wellness. It really is required reading and it laid the foundation for the hundreds of books and seminars and podcasts that have followed in the last 25 years. In this part we talk about physical fitness's relationship to health, sleep, and leadership. Music is by Chris Haugen Hey Chaplain podcast Episode 153 Part 2 Tags : Police, Control, Fitness, Followers, Growth, Health, Leadership, Physiology, Psychology, Sleep, USMC, Wellness, Phoenix, Arizona Support the show Thanks for Listening! And, as always, pray for peace in our city. Subscribe/Follow here : Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hey-chaplain/id1570155168 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2CGK9A3BmbFEUEnx3fYZOY Email us at: heychaplain44@gmail.com You can help keep the show ad-free by buying me a virtual coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/heychaplain

October 5, 202633 min

153 - Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement, Part 1: Kevin Gilmartin

Text the Show or Leave a Voicemail Even after six years of working on this podcast, I still have a long list of ideas and potential guests to be on this show. In fact the list is constantly growing! But one name that has always been on the list is Dr Kevin Gilmartin. Gilmartin is the author of that book with the red and white cover that is on just about every reading list from the FBI to the IACP and countless agencies in the United States, Canada, Australia and many other countries. That book is called Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement and it is very much required reading for anyone who wants to understand officer wellness. It was my pleasure to get to meet with Kevin Gilmartin during his visit this year to Kansas City and we made arrangements for him to come on the show and talk about what goes on in the life and career of a police officer and how we can help. Music is by Chris Haugen Hey Chaplain podcast Episode 153 Tags : Police, Alertness, Books, Danger, Growth, Health, Peer Support, Physiology, Psychology, Wellness, Arizona Support the show Thanks for Listening! And, as always, pray for peace in our city. Subscribe/Follow here : Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hey-chaplain/id1570155168 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2CGK9A3BmbFEUEnx3fYZOY Email us at: heychaplain44@gmail.com You can help keep the show ad-free by buying me a virtual coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/heychaplain

September 28, 202639 min

152 - How to Help Prior-Military Cops: Keith Falkner

Text the Show or Leave a Voicemail Today we're talking about police officers who are prior military. It hurts my heart to see veterans struggle in a law enforcement career and I want to help police leadership understand and do everything they can to help those veterans transition to this noble civilian career. Our guest today is friend of the show Keith Falkner, who previously appeared back in the first two years of the show. Keith is a captain in our local police department and a military veteran himself and I wanted him to weigh in on this. He's going to offer several practical ways to help veterans who serve as police but I also want you to listen to his particular story and appreciate how each of these former soldiers is unique. Music is by Wes Hutchinson Hey Chaplain podcast Episode 152 Tags : Police, Academy, Career, Change, Courage, Hiring, Leadership, Military, Personnel, Rights, Training, Warriors, Kansas City, Kansas, Kosovo Support the show Thanks for Listening! And, as always, pray for peace in our city. Subscribe/Follow here : Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hey-chaplain/id1570155168 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2CGK9A3BmbFEUEnx3fYZOY Email us at: heychaplain44@gmail.com You can help keep the show ad-free by buying me a virtual coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/heychaplain

September 21, 202639 min

151 - Leadership in Tragedy: Mike Zaro, FBI-LEEDA and Lakewood PD

Text the Show or Leave a Voicemail Today's guest is Mike Zaro from Lakewood PD in the state of Washington. After retiring as police chief, Mike now teaches executive leadership classes for FBI LEEDA, the Law Enforcement Executive Development Association. When Mike was at Lakewood PD, they had four officers assassinated in an attack at a breakfast diner. I brought Mike on the show to talk about leadership and emotional intelligence and especially how to practice good leadership in the midst of a tragedy. Music is by LesFM Hey Chaplain podcast Episode 151 Tags : Leadership, Death, Executive Leadership, Emotional Intelligence, Experience, FBI, George Floyd, Grief, Isolation, Protests, Retirement, Tragedy, Training, Lakewood, Quantico, Seattle, Virginia, Washington Support the show Thanks for Listening! And, as always, pray for peace in our city. Subscribe/Follow here : Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hey-chaplain/id1570155168 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2CGK9A3BmbFEUEnx3fYZOY Email us at: heychaplain44@gmail.com You can help keep the show ad-free by buying me a virtual coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/heychaplain

September 14, 202618 min

Thank You for Making Hey Chaplain Great

Text the Show or Leave a Voicemail You found the Episode Description! This is a special update episode where I'll be talking to you, the audience, about how to support the effort to encourage police officers. We're looking for police officers with a great story and some great wisdom about that story. You can also send in "fan mail" which texts me via my web host, but you can also leave a voice mail via that same link. Imagine that; you can leave a message that I might be able to use on the show! Don't forget to buy a virtual coffee to help pay the electricity bill; you guys have helped me buy software and microphones and web hosting and domain names and so many other things! Thank you; I really couldn't do it without you. Special guest interview excerpt with Jeremy Wade. Music is by Jeremy Korpas and Rick Barry Hey Chaplain Podcast Episode UpdateQ32026 Tags : Podcasting, Chaplains, Mission, Police, Purpose, Stories, Support, Kansas City, Seattle, Kansas, Washington Support the show Thanks for Listening! And, as always, pray for peace in our city. Subscribe/Follow here : Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hey-chaplain/id1570155168 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2CGK9A3BmbFEUEnx3fYZOY Email us at: heychaplain44@gmail.com You can help keep the show ad-free by buying me a virtual coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/heychaplain

September 7, 202640 min

150 - An Unsustainable Cop Identity: Jeremy Wade

Text the Show or Leave a Voicemail How does a new cop answer the question of self-identity? Am I an unstoppable, unfeeling justice machine, unaffected by the death and tragedy around me? Am I martyr for the cause, doomed to sacrifice everything good in life so that others can be happy without me? Am I just cog in the machine, utterly replaceable and unimportant? All of these answers and more are floating around police culture and a new cop needs to figure out if there's a better answer. Today's guest is Jeremy Wade, an experienced officer from Washington state who has started a new chapter of his life helping first responders answer these questions of identity. Resources : Jeremy recommends the book Victory Over the Darkness by Neil T. Anderson Jeremy's website is MissionFirstAlliance.com Music is by National Sweetheart The Hey Chaplain Podcast Episode 150 Tags : Police, Academy, Change, Culture, Faith, Hope, Identity, Peer Support, Resilience, Stress, Wellness, Seattle, Tennessee, Washington Support the show Thanks for Listening! And, as always, pray for peace in our city. Subscribe/Follow here : Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hey-chaplain/id1570155168 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2CGK9A3BmbFEUEnx3fYZOY Email us at: heychaplain44@gmail.com You can help keep the show ad-free by buying me a virtual coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/heychaplain

August 31, 202630 min

149 - Murder Blueprint: Gary Jenkins (Gangland Wire)

Text the Show or Leave a Voicemail Today I have something special for you, we're bringing back retired police detective Gary Jenkins, the host of the Gangland Wire podcast. Gary was an early and eager supporter of Hey Chaplain, so when I saw that Gary has started a second podcast, called "Murder Blueprint," I wanted to make sure the Hey Chaplain audience knew about it. We talk about organized crime, serial killers, why different audiences like different categories of true crime, and what it's like to be true crime podcaster. Music is by DJ Williams The Hey Chaplain podcast Episode 149 Tags : Podcasting, Documentaries, Gambling, Gangs, Interests, Interviews, Investigations, Mafia, Mobsters, Murder, Organized Crime, Serial Killers, Kansas City, Kansas, Missouri Support the show Thanks for Listening! And, as always, pray for peace in our city. Subscribe/Follow here : Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hey-chaplain/id1570155168 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2CGK9A3BmbFEUEnx3fYZOY Email us at: heychaplain44@gmail.com You can help keep the show ad-free by buying me a virtual coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/heychaplain

August 24, 202636 min

148.5 - The Gift You Don't Want: Pete (and Michelle) Tucker, Ontario Provincial Police

Text the Show or Leave a Voicemail Today we continue our interview with Pete and Michelle Tucker. Pete was a motorcycle cop in Canada who had a catastrophic motorcycle accident that took his left leg and put him in a coma. If you haven't heard part one, it's really necessary for you to back and listen to Episode 148. This episode will pick up with the Pete in the hospital recovering from the multiple injuries and the traumatic amputation, slowly working through the system to win back his job as a cop on the street. You need to hear Pete and Michelle talking about the losses and struggles, because they are a fantastic example of a police couple who, together, survived the worst day possible. Music is by Mini Vandals Hey Chaplain podcast episode 148.5 Tags : Police, Accidents, Amputation, Career, Coma, Confidence, Hospital, Humor, Injury, Loss, Medical, Memory, Motorcycles, Spouse, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada Support the show Thanks for Listening! And, as always, pray for peace in our city. Subscribe/Follow here : Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hey-chaplain/id1570155168 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2CGK9A3BmbFEUEnx3fYZOY Email us at: heychaplain44@gmail.com You can help keep the show ad-free by buying me a virtual coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/heychaplain

August 17, 202628 min

148 - Near-Fatal Bird Strike: Pete (and Michelle) Tucker, Ontario Provincial Police

Text the Show or Leave a Voicemail Nobody likes to think about an officer receiving catastrophic injuries. But sometimes their stories can be as inspirational and encouraging as they are tragic and horrifying. Our guests today are Pete and Michelle Tucker. Pete was a motorcycle cop in Ontario, Canada, near Niagara Falls. Pete's injury came when he was struck in the head by a large bird at highway speeds. Knocked unconscious, Pete drifted into a guard rail, which severed his left leg and catapulted him into the median, causing extensive injuries. Now, years later, we're going to talk to Pete and his wife Michelle about their worst day imaginable. Music is by Mini Vandals Hey Chaplain podcast episode 148 Tags : Police, Accidents, Amputation, Hospital, Humor, Injury, Medical, Motorcycles, Spouse, Tourniquets, Vehicles, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada Support the show Thanks for Listening! And, as always, pray for peace in our city. Subscribe/Follow here : Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hey-chaplain/id1570155168 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2CGK9A3BmbFEUEnx3fYZOY Email us at: heychaplain44@gmail.com You can help keep the show ad-free by buying me a virtual coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/heychaplain