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Rick Fittin grew up in New Jersey, joined the Army, and went on to spend more than 25 years in law enforcement — working his way from patrol officer to K9 officer and eventually police chief. Along the way, he experienced the wild, funny, and unpredictable side of policing that most people never get to hear directly from the officers who lived it. After more than two decades on the job, Rick walked away from law enforcement and started an entirely new chapter of his life. #police #cops #TrueCrime #crimestories #k9 Thank you to HIMS & CASH APP for sponsoring this episode: Hims: Ready to reach your goals? Visit https://www.hims.com/lockedin to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you. Cash App: Download Cash App Today: https://click.cash.app/ui6m/6pao71et #CashAppPod Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card, Sutton debit flex card, and Bancorp debit flex card. Cash App Green features, Savings, Direct deposit, Round ups, Overdraft coverage and Discounts provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. Become an EXCLUSIVE Locked In: After Hours Member & receive a FREE merch box: https://lockedin.supportingcast.fm/ Connect with Rick Fittin: https://www.instagram.com/rick_fittin?stkn=cmEzMXc3ZTF6NXJ3 Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://ianbick.com/ Timestamps: 00:00 Rick Fitton: 25 Years Behind the Badge 00:37 Growing Up at the Jersey Shore 01:42 Rebellion and the Road to the Army 03:04 Joining the Army: A Life-Changing Decision 04:06 Basic Training: Fort Knox and the Realities of Military Life 06:24 Field Exercises, Helicopters, and Military Discipline 09:35 Family Loss and Staying the Course 10:23 Desert Storm and the National Training Center 11:21 Transition Back Home and Family Business 12:56 Getting Into Laundromats and Dry Cleaners 13:27 Grief, Ride Alongs, and the Call to Policing 14:38 Becoming a Police Officer: The Academy and First Steps 15:44 Starting in a Quiet Town and Moving to Seaside Heights 17:38 Mentorship and Learning from Leadership 19:39 The Long Grind: Applying and Rejection 21:17 The Life-Changing Phone Call 23:56 The Job Offer and a New Beginning 24:52 Early Patrol Days and ‘Cowboy’ Reputation 25:52 First DUI Arrest and a Sergeant’s Tough Lesson 30:32 Sponsor Break: Weight Loss by HIMS 31:52 Cleaning Up the Department and Early Challenges 32:12 The Quest for a K9 Unit 34:00 Politics, the Prosecutor, and Getting a Dog 35:32 Meeting Biba: The Female German Shepherd 36:38 Canine School and 9/11: A Changing World 39:14 The First State Police Patrol Class 40:16 Training with Denny Mcweeney and the Iron Dog 44:08 Rescue: Woman Hanging from a Window 50:37 The Aftermath and the T-Shirt Story 52:53 Sponsor Break: Cash App 55:08 Back to the Dogs: The Agreement and Limitations 56:00 PCP and a Crazy Chase 01:00:00 The Chase Ends: A Physical Confrontation 01:02:34 Why I Chose Midnights and the K9 Life 01:03:48 A Tracking Award and a Kidnapping Case 01:07:33 Tracking Down the Suspect 01:09:36 After the Capture: The Loyalty of Biba 01:10:49 Nico: My Second K9 and the Bond 01:14:44 Losing Nico and the End of My K9 Career 01:19:00 Rescuing a Man from Icy Waters 01:23:00 The Icy Rescue Aftermath 01:25:14 Unexpected Encounters and Errant Drivers 01:27:52 Changing Culture in Policing 01:30:33 Working with the Community and an NCIC Hit 01:35:45 A Strange Case of Poisoned Food 01:38:24 Confronting the Wife and Getting a Confession 01:41:27 NYPD Homicide Detectives and a High-Profile Case 01:45:45 The Raid and the Outcome 01:49:45 A Near Shooting and the Watermelon Fight 01:54:00 The Courtroom and Lessons Learned 01:56:00 Resilience and an Unresponsive Male Call 01:58:25 A Homicide on the Second Floor 02:00:00 The Aftermath and Death Notifications 02:02:43 25 Years of Stories and Final Valor Award 02:03:13 Drug Recognition Expert: The Specialty Work 02:06:48 The Changing Landscape of Policing 02:08:24 Prisons, Reform, and the System's Failures 02:11:20 Mental Health and Resiliency in Law Enforcement 02:14:37 Hurricane Ida: A New Chief's Test 02:18:08 Water Rescues and the MRAP 02:21:20 Saving a Family and Returning Home 02:23:03 More Flooding and a Tire Plant Rescue 02:25:00 Retirement, Reinvention, and Advice for Officers 02:29:00 Turning the Page: Overcoming Adversity 02:31:00 Moving Forward: New Opportunities 02:33:00 Current Ventures and the Passion to Help 02:34:29 Reflecting on Success and Hard Work 02:36:27 A Lesson on Valuing What You Earn To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka