Lessons From an Officer Down and Traumatic Hostage Incident - Orlando, FL

The Debrief with Jon Becker

In June of 2018, just two years after the PULS nightclub attacks, Orlando Police officers responded to a domestic violence call. As officers attempted to contact the suspect, he fired a shot though his door striking Officer Kevin Valencia with wounds that he would eventually succumb to. The suspect then barricaded in his apartment with his 4 children as hostages. This event, which would last more than 24 hours, proved extremely difficult and required the resources of both the Orlando Police Department SWAT Team and their partners from the Orange County Sherriff’s SWAT Team before finally reaching a tragic resolution. My guests today are Dep. Chief Jonathan Bigelow from the Orlando Police Department and Sgt. Chris Eklund with the Orange County Florida Sherriff’s Office to discuss the incident and share their lessons learned.

This episode will be dedicated to the memory of Officer Kevin Valencia.

Books Recommended

The Common Sense Way: A New Way to Think About Leading and Organizing – Pete Blaber ISBN-13: 978-0578876740

Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't – Simon Sinek - ISBN-13: 978-1591848011

Sound Doctrine: A Tactical Primer – Charles Sid Heal - ISBN-13: 978-1930051119

The World's Most Powerful Leadership Principle - How To Become A Servant Leader - James C. Hunter - ISBN-13:‎ 978-1578569755

Leader Shift- The 11 Essential Changes Every Leader Must Embrace - John C. Maxwell - ISBN-13: ‎ 978-0718098506

Contact Info

Dep. Chief Jonathan Bigelow – OPD - Special Service Bureau – [e-mail]

Sgt. Chris Eklund – OCSO SWAT - [e-mail]