The 902 Podcast

Have you ever wondered what it's like to apply to become a deputy sheriff? Or what life at the academy is like? In this episode, Chief Deputy Houchin, Captain Vik, and Sara Sump sat down with four of LSO's newest deputies to ask them about the application process, the academy experience, and beyond. Check out www.JoinLSO.com to learn how YOU can become a deputy with LSO!

Captain Vik sits down with Sheriff Wagner and Chief Deputy Houchin to catch up on the latest happenings from inside the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office. Moving administrative office back after the latest remodel. Spring shift bid changes. Hiring updates. An ongoing officer-involved shooting investigation. Scams and fraud cases. Episode Music Credits: Vittoro by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue) Rodney Skopes by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue)

Becky Kern is a Lead Meteorologist at the National Weather Service Office in Omaha, Nebraska. Becky joined Captain John Vik and Sara Sump to discuss the National Weather Service (NWS) and severe weather awareness as we move into spring. Becky's background. The NWS mission and history. NWS products and services. Staff and career options. The weather watch/warning process. Mesoscale discussions. Severe weather precautions. "Snow squalls" and other hazards.

The Lancaster County Sheriff's Office saw an over 100% increase in vehicle pursuits from 2019 to 2023. In this episode, Sheriff Wagner, Chief Deputy Houchin, and Captain Vik discuss LSO's pursuit policy and the factors deputies and supervisors weigh when determining whether to pursue a vehicle.

In 1829, Sir Robert Peel established the London Metropolitan Police Force. He became known as the “Father of Modern Policing,” and his commissioners established nine principles of policing that remain as crucial and urgent today as they were two centuries ago. In this episode, Captain Vik unpacks Sir Robert Peel's 9 Principles of Policing and how they relate to modern-day operations at the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office.

Sheriff Wagner and Chief Deputy Houchin sit down with Captain Vik to discuss pending legislative bills impacting public safety in Lancaster County. Hear their thoughts on why law enforcement agencies need to be involved in the legislative process. Hear about legislative bills related to the elimination of handgun purchase permits, changes to asset forfeiture laws, and more in this episode.

Cynthia Lewis is a faculty member with the FBI's Training Division at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia where she has been a communications instructor since 2004. In this episode, she joins Captain Vik, Sheriff Wagner, and Chief Deputy Houchin to talk about the FBI Training Division and the importance of law enforcement communication. Cynthia's background. The FBI Training Division. Ongoing training. The FBI National Academy program. The University of Virginia. Importance of communication in law enforcement. Written communication. Writing style guides. Learning from colleagues. Continuous learning. Public speaking tips.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel sat down with Sheriff Wagner, Chief Deputy Houchin, and Captain Vik to discuss the Federal Bureau of Investigation and how it functions locally within the Omaha Field Office which extends across Nebraska and Iowa. Gene discussed the FBI's mission, priorities, threats, and partnerships with state and local agencies right here in Lancaster County.

Inv. Jeremy Schwarz returned to the show to discuss LSO's combined Force Investigations Team (FIT). This team is made up of LSO and LPD personnel assigned to investigate use-of-force incidents including officer-involved shootings. Learn about why the team was created and how it's deployed in this episode with Sheriff Wagner, Chief Deputy Houchin, and Captain Vik.

Sheriff Wagner shares highlights and statistics from 2023 in his State of the Office review. Personnel updates. Service Awards. Division statistics.

Josh Planos serves as the VP of Communications & Public Relations for the Midwest Plains chapter of the Better Business Bureau. In this episode, Josh joined Captain Vik, Sheriff Wagner, and Sara Sump to discuss how consumers can protect themselves against scams and deceptive business practices. Josh's background. The Better Business Bureau - origins, mission, and services. Law enforcement impersonation. Frequent types of scams. What you can do. BBB's ScamTracker. LSO/BBB partnership. Programming for businesses and consumers.

Sgt. Drew Bolzer returned to the show to talk about LSO's Crash Reconstruction Team which he oversees. Listen in as he visits with Sheriff Wagner, Chief Deputy Houchin, and Captain Vik about the training and expert skills of traffic crash reconstructionists right here at the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office. Drew's path to crash reconstruction. Crashes vs. Accidents. Training. Equipment. Math & Physics. Vehicle autopsies. Airbag Control Modules. Academic Partnerships.

LSO leverages technology to combat crime and enhance public safety in Lancaster County. Law enforcement uses License Plate Reader (LPR) technology to take pictures of vehicle license plates which are then compared to existing law enforcement databases of Amber Alerts, stolen vehicles, and vehicles wanted in connection with criminal activity. In this episode, Sgt. Jason Mayo sat down with Sheriff Wagner, Chief Deputy Houchin, and Captain Vik to address what the technology does and, more importantly, what it doesn't. Sgt. Mayo addressed several of the myths and misconceptions that have circulated about LPRs and their use in law enforcement to help you understand how and why they can make Lancaster County safer.

Captain Vik looks back at 2023 with help from three law enforcement colleagues. Chris Golden serves as the Assistant Chief of Police at the Bartlett Police Department in Bartlett, TN. Josh Jefferson is a Division Chief with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) stationed in the Washington DC area. Steve Robson is a Colonel with the Broward County Sheriff's Office in Fort Lauderdale, FL. In this episode, the group will look back on successes and wins from their respective agencies in 2023 and look ahead to challenges waiting in 2024.

Merry Christmas from all of us at the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office! Our gift to you is a recap of the top ten 902 Podcast episodes from 2023. But first, we snuck in a little blooper reel for your enjoyment. After listening to clips from the top ten episodes, be sure to stick around for a recording of the poem, "My Christmas Eve" as read by the author, retired Ohio State Trooper Bob Welsh. Thank you to Trooper Welsh for providing LSO with permission to share this great holiday poem. To listen to his original recording, check out his YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xObw8jdvH4s. We hope you and yours have a safe and happy holiday season!

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) of 1994 provided additional funding and resources to law enforcement agencies, which allowed them to dedicate personnel and programs to better serve crime victims of domestic assault, child abuse, and sexual assault. LSO has assigned a full-time investigator to these cases ever since. In this episode, Investigator Joanna Dimas sits down with Sheriff Wagner, Chief Deputy Houchin, and Captain Vik to discuss the program, her role, and how it makes a difference to victims in Lancaster County. Joanna's background. Coming to LSO. What is VAWA? Funding. Types of cases. A day in her shoes. Training. Human Trafficking. Interacting with BraveBe. Joanna's why. Keeping Lancaster County safer.

Research has shown that suicide survivors are at an elevated risk for suicide themselves when compared to the general population. That's something that Local Outreach to Suicide Loss Survivors (LOSS) wanted to address and a Nebraska team was started in 2009. In this episode, Nebraska LOSS Team founder Dr. Don Belau and LOSS team member Cynthia Surrounded sit down with Sheriff Wagner, Chief Deputy Houchin, and Captain Vik for a very informative discussion about how the LOSS Team serves the Lincoln and Lancaster County area. Introductions. What is a LOSS Team? How LOSS came to be. Membership. How LOSS works for suicide loss survivors. Why? Postvention. How to engage LOSS services. How you can get involved.

At 7:41 pm on 11/3/2023, Tyler Goodrich left his home near Lincoln, NE - he has not been seen since. Tyler was reported as a missing person by his spouse the next morning at 9:35 am. In the month since he disappeared, we've received numerous tips, theories, and speculation but still, no Tyler. In this episode, you'll hear directly from investigators and friends of Tyler. Sgt. Casey Dahlke, Inv. Jeremy Schwarz, Rachel Barth, and Amanda Meyer sit down with Sheriff Wagner and Captain Vik to discuss the case, search efforts, and more about Tyler in detail. Anyone with information regarding Tyler Goodrich's disappearance is asked to call the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office at (402) 441-6500 or CrimeStoppers at (402) 475-3600. See something. Say something. Now.

LSO is gearing up for its final entry-level deputy recruiting process of 2023. Deputy applications will be available from 12/2/2023 through 12/31/2023. In this episode, Captain Vik walks you through the benefits, requirements, and application process to become a deputy at the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office. For more information or to apply, check out www.JoinLSO.com!

On October 25, 2017 Colleen Lovett got the news every parent dreads - that her child had been involved in a serious crash. Tragically, Colleen's daughter Ryan Post never recovered from her injuries, but Ryan's story didn't end there. Through the gift of organ and tissue donation, she was able to save the lives of at least five people and impact many more. In this episode, Colleen joined Tyson Kinzle and Kara Cordell from Live On Nebraska, an independent, non-profit organ procurement organization serving Nebraska and Pottawattamie County, Iowa. Listen as they sit down with Chief Deputy Houchin and Captain Vik to share the mission, process, and impact that organ and tissue donation can have right here in Lancaster County, Nebraska and beyond! Introduction to Live On Nebraska. The mission. The impact. Collaboration between Live On Nebraska and area law enforcement. Ryan Post's story and its impact. Aftercare. The healing power of organ donation. Awareness and education. Organ donation registration. Closing thoughts.