Episode 046: Brentwood Police Chief Tom Hansen

On this episode, I chat with Brentwood Police Chief Tom Hansen who shares that crime was down 11% in Brentwood in 2018. He came on the podcast to talk about their upcoming Traffic Safety Campaign which has a slogan of “Obey the Sign or Pay the Fine”. We get into traffic issues, how important communication is as a police officer and Hansen shares his thoughts on social media. We then get into mental health for police officers and importance of asking for help and finding healthy ways to decompress.

Hansen shares his morning routine as both a cop and police chief, while he provides advice and shares concerns for new officers entering the profession while admitting he is scared for the future of the profession.

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Episode Overview:

• 01:12 – Chief Tom Hansen announces a new Traffic Safety Campaign “Obey the Sign or Pay the Fine”
• 03:15 -Why does Brentwood have aggressive drivers?
• 04:30 – Proactive traffic details with Antioch, Brentwood, CHP, Oakley and Pittsburg,
• 05:45 – Major issues in Brentwood with traffic such as speeding and red-light violations.
• 08:30 – Hansen explains what the hardest part about motorcycle cop school? Explains he did not pass the first time.
• 09:17 – Hansen shares his best arrest as a traffic cop on the motorcycle.
• 10:24 – When you pull people over, how did that help you from a communication standpoint in having to talk to people who are upset.
• 12:18 – Is there an agency Brentwood is modeling this campaign after? Hansen explains “Click it or ticket”. Highlights how they will utilize that campaign, the campaign on Vasco to slow people down while letting the community know this is an issue.
• 13:55 – Hansen explains the importance of the City Council providing the “overage” officers.
• 14:55 – Hansen shares some of their 2018 Statistics which will go before the council in a few weeks. Crime is down 11% and Part 1 Crime is down 11% and Property Crime down 11.4%.
• 15:43 – Hansen shares his thoughts on social media and if he watches it.
• 18:37 – Hansen shares his thoughts on the Brentwood Police Activities League and School Resource Officers.
• 19:09 – Hansen explains how Brentwood Police have had ALICE training with the school district and have already trained more than 1,200 employees within the school district.
• 22:18 – Hansen explains how the Dispatch Center has improved response times.
• 22:55 – We get into the opioid overdose epidemic and how Hansen brought that training to Brentwood and using meloxicam to save lives.
• 25:31 – What is the actual morning routine of a cop as well as a police chief. Any differences. Hansen explains how as a cop, you are running scenarios in your head the moment you wake up getting mentally prepared.
• 28:02 – Hansen further explains how he decompressed in a healthy manner after seeing so many different things while out on the street? We get into mental health and asking for help. Hansen hopes this generation of officers seek healthy outlets for stress release and to decompress.
• 35:24 – What is the advice Hansen would give to new officers or those thinking about joining the profession.
• 38:15 – if you were not a police officer/chief, what would you be doing?
• 39:06 – Hansen admits some of the best ideas for the Brentwood Police Department come from citizens and the police department has implemented many.