We work together as a team and put our egos aside to get the job done. Matt Frazier - Homicide Detective for Tulsa Police Department Matt Frazier was a star on the court during his time as a Trojan and earned himself a college basketball scholarship. Below is my conversation with Matt about his switch from Homicide Detective - on a hit TV show don't forget - to top Sale Executive for the last 4 years with Styker: Me: Matt, thanks for chatting with me. Website Navigation Sgt. Spending time with his wife and two children helps him cope with the stress of the job. Were you nervous? He wants to listen to concerns and collaborate on ideas to solve the communication divide in innovative fashions. There was a problem saving your notification. Weather forecast provided by weather.gov. In late June 2016 I was backpacking in New Mexico when it hit me. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. She always was supportive and said she would be by my side all the years we were together in anything we do. Trash is trash in any unit. event.preventDefault(); He met his wife, Nicole, while he was a strength coach for the Colorado Rockies. Mark Kennedy has been married for 27 years and has a 21-year-old son. Matt: In the 12 years I was with the police force I worked various units: Drugs, Gangs, Robbery and lastly homicide. He was also awarded the department commendation medal and the Bergen County New Jersey Apprehension award for capturing two of Americas Most Wanted criminals in 2001. Often before a game he would talk to the officers at the stadium about what it was like to be a police officer. They helped me develop a work ethic to make me successful on the court and off the court. Matthew Frazier played basketball at Oral Robert University. While working in Child Crisis, Detective Baumann received a Chiefs award for a multi-victim sexual abuse investigation. Although this was a big one, she again just said she was there for me. Website Navigation I was with a group that included a couple of friends on the police force from various units that I had worked with over the last dozen years. Dave Walker handed a tipster a small flag used to mark evidence and told the man to do what he needed to do. With Homicide, I had to make a sales pitch to witnesses and the guilty that it was in their best interest to talk to me. As Staff Page Only In addition to being a homicide detective, White is the crisis negotiator for the Special Operations Team and a member of the Critical Incident Response Team. Put your trust in me. If you have ever seen the hit TV series on A&E, it follows various police homicide units throughout the USA in their attempts to solve murders. Walker believes that family is very important to an investigator. Frazier: I wanted to make a difference. I use cycling as an outlet to deal with the stresses and other things at work. It was actually a good fit cause Stryker is in the business of helping people after catastrophic events - losing a limb is a hard pill to swallow. It is rare for a random murder to occur. When hes not solving cases, McCoy enjoys rooting for the Kansas City Royals and Nebraska Cornhuskers. So you agree to go meet with them. }); Get the latest on new episodes, bonus content, exclusive articles and more. Northeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. I like the fact that what I did for a brief time in my life will be forever saved. After a stint in on partrol, Watkins moved to the Detective Division, where he worked in Child Crisis, Burglary, and Armed Robbery Units before moving to lead the Homicide Unit. A statement that covers both my current and old job! document.querySelector("#bioModal .bio-section").innerHTML = bio; Detective Matt Frazier left the department for "greener pastures," according to Walker. Working in homicide, he fully devotes himself to the singular cause of justice for the victim and their families. In a homicide the victim cant speak. In some regards, because The First 48 is here, we do a lot better work, Walker said. Tulsa Police Sgt. Matt: Number 1 was the drug unit. The bad side of humanity. Watch Detective Frazier on the job in episodes of "The First 48.". Please subscribe to keep reading. Dianna Baumann retired from Tulsa Police Department in May 2017. The tipster beckoned Walker pssst to follow him out of sight. Stitt expresses 'strong disagreement' with Oklahoma AG over Catholic charter school, More than 800 Oklahoma medical marijuana farms linked to organized crime, drug agency says, Meet the 2023 Mr. Inside/Mr. I just had enough. They know my name. Matt: (laughing) Absolutely feeling anxious about it. Taking an inventory so to speak. Frazier: I was assigned a case where the victim was shot and killed for trying to recover some stolen property. People will talk to you. are spawning children whom police need to reach. What I found was that he was doing very well in his new position as a sales executive for Stryker Orthopaedics (a company with annual revenue of over $12 billion). Outside of work, Det. After college, he joined the Tulsa Police Department in 1982. Det. As a police officer I could make a difference in our community. You can update your choices at any time in your settings. Since then, he and his wife have shared a love for the game of baseball. Detective John Brown is a native of Beggs, Oklahoma. Calhoun was drawn to the police department because he finds the work extremely challenging, yet rewarding. What was that interview like? You can't be halfway committed, you have to make that decision and be open to the possibilities of what may come. I've seen some deplorable episodes on the TV show that you were involved in. Instead of just telling my children and grandchildren what I did for a living, Ill actually be able to show them what I did as a homicide detective. Switching industries is always a big task that requires enormous courage and faith to make that leap. A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 1pm. To cope with the stress of the job, Baumann runs marathons and enjoys spending time with her husband and her two children. On a high level - I was persuading people, strangers sometimes, to put their trust in me. Me: So here we are June 2016 and your linkedin says September 2016 you starting with Styker. They taught me that nothing in life will be free or easy. Baumann was born and raised in Tulsa. He joined the Tulsa Police Department in 1989, and worked in Burglary, Robbery, Patrol and the Special Investigations Division before joining Homicide in 2012. What, if anything, can be done to reduce the crime rate and murder rate in Tulsa? Help. Matt: Yes sir. After watching the show where it ended with everyone saying their goodbyes to Matt as he packed up his desk, I quickly did a Linkedin search to find out what happened to Matt Frazier. Gatwood received a Medal of Valor for an act of Outstanding Bravery while working as a uniform patrol officer. He is married, and he and his wife enjoy the company of a son and a daughter. Why did you want to work inthe homicide department? In these profiles, Jenks alums from all over the country, from multiple generations, and from a wide array of career paths, will share how their Jenks education set them up for success and how they have become leaders in their industry and community. Hes teaching several 4- and 5-year-olds baseball skills a couple of times a week. And it just hit me: I didn't want to deal with the trash anymore. So, the Tulsa Police Department only has nine full time homicide detectives. Dave Walker listens to comments during the Mayors Policing and Community Coalition at Tulsa City Hall on Tuesday. But I want those to know that it wasn't just a thought, I had also made that decision to move in my heart and head, and I think it's important to remember. 15+ years in Start-up Recruitment. You have permission to edit this article. Leatherman spends his free time traveling with his wife and three children and playing basketball to relax. Does the show do a good job of capturing what actually occurs in an investigation? I'm in journalism to help make this community, state, country and, ultimately, world a better place. This button displays the currently selected search type. Matt: I'm at a football tryout, a "combine" as some call it, for my son who was in grade 6. The First 48: Tulsa Homicide Is Keeping the A&E Series Alive By Brittany Frederick Published Jan 29, 2022 The First 48 has featured Tulsa Homicide since 2015, and without Tulsa's dedicated detectives, the hit true crime series isn't the same. Each week throughout the 2016-17 school year, the new Where Are They Now? In the backyard, the man told Walker he would convey what he saw and that he knew of an item nearby related to the crime. In my business I talk to numerous people who say they want to make a "career transition" to a new field and ask for my advice on what they should do. We were on a week long trip trekking through the mountains of New Mexico. Since then, Stryker has hired 3 or 4 others from the force. Jeff Gatwood has always enjoyed helping people, which led him to a career in law enforcement for the past 27 years. When you were with.. (to be continued if you all want. In the Gang unit, I had to sell myself that I was a Gangbanger. I dont stop thinking about the case until it is finished.. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Detective Rob McCoy joined Tulsa PD in July 1997. Part of his drive comes from the desire to see the good guys win. He noted that the city didnt burn after the controversial police killing of unarmed Terence Crutcher in 2016. Me: Wow. Inspired to help out in the community, Frazier joined the Tulsa PD where he worked for ten years before joining the Homicide Unit in 2014. Q&A With Notable Jenks' Grads. Me: Did Homicide maybe be the tipping point though? She enjoys closing cases and helping to offer some closure to the victims families. Being the son of a California Highway Patrolman, Det. Nothing would get put under the rug anyway, but were really going the extra mile so the public does get to see exactly what we do. Walker in part credited the visibility and transparency offered by The First 48 as a key component encouraging witnesses to speak up in Tulsa. Matt: None. Matt: Yes sir. Sowhy did he hire a guy with no sales experience? Select Accept to consent or Reject to decline non-essential cookies for this use. In my business I talk . Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Dave Walker was born in Aurora, Colorado and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. Dave Walker retired from the Tulsa Police Department on August 31, 2018 after 36 years as a Tulsa Police Officer, the last seven years as the supervisor of the homicide unit. IAN MAULE/Tulsa World, Eileta and James Creekpaum listen to Tulsa Police Sgt. When not working a case, Ryden enjoys watching a Kansas City Royals game, playing other sports such as golf and tennis, and spending time with his wife and two children. Det. But in the past two or three years Walker said there isnt an unsolved homicide in which detectives are flummoxed by who did it. Me: It goes to show that skills are transferable, you just have to look for that symmetry when contemplating a change of industries. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Lieutenant Brandon Watkins joined the Tulsa Police Department in July 1997. Its just weve got to get to that point where we can talk to the citizens.. Matt: Nope. Solving difficult or challenging cases and seeing the end result makes me proud.. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Walker follows up with the rhetorical question: Well, whats a cop going to think when you run? Of course I entertained it more and more and discussed among my colleagues for the rest of the trip but that was pretty much the decision point that brought me to where I am now. Gatwood enjoys fishing, hunting, riding his ATV, and spending time with his three daughters, one son, and grandchildren. Kennedy says, the excitement of the job and serving the public is what made me want to be a homicide detective. Kennedy doesnt mind the pressures of his job because he knows how important it is to his community. 2023, A&E Television Networks, LLC. I had 2 young kids who could now watch the show and after 12 years with the forceI don't knowI felt I had a choice to pivot cause I believed I was young enough to make a transition. Frazier: I take this one day at a time. Were there because something bad has happened, and they know it. series will feature a Q&A with a notable Jenks graduate. W.D. Most murders are committed by someone who knows the victim. IAN MAULE/Tulsa World. Tulsa Police Sgt. document.getElementById("bioModal").className = "modal"; Calhoun was promoted to Lieutenant in August 2020. He later joined Homicide to work with Sgt. I will always cherish those memories along with the relationships with teachers and life-long friends that were made over my time at Jenks High School. Frazier: My fondest memories of Jenks are playing in the Frank Herald Gym. Now he is a Lieutenant, overseeing officers on patrol in the Gilcrease Division, also known as GID. liElement[0].innerHTML : ""; It wasnt case-breaking, but it was communication-breaking. I thanked him and chatted a bit with him and for some reason, has to be karma I think, he asked me if I ever thought of doing something else. His interest in homicide came from a high profile case he saw in the news when he was young. He finds parallels in coaching sports and managing a squad as he continues to lead this group of dedicated men and women of homicide. The unit under Walker is credited with a clearance rate of 98 percent. I was always selling something in every unit that I worked for. You had NO sales experience. Matt: Yes. An interview with Matt Frazier from the hit TV show "The First 48" on his career transition from Homicide Detective to top Sales Executive. They made the process very easy and I think the hiring manager had a feeling I would be right. Frazier loves the outdoors and enjoys mountain biking, road cycling and backpacking with friends and family. I just knew that it was not the with police force. He also enjoys piloting small aircrafts. Theyve seen us work and do good things. Two of his sons work in law enforcement and his third son works as an assistant baseball coach at a university. That is what the victims and their families deserve. Merritt had an uncanny knack for catching killers. Matt: It's the old saying of "it's not necessarily WHAT you know, but WHO you know.". Frazier: In police work there are always victims. I think that if I can do that I have succeeded. I carry that work ethic with me today as a homicide detective. 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