A life of service.
That’s the best description for this week’s guest and friend of the Team Never Quit Podcast.
Marcus brings to the table Sidney Blair, who has served on a SWAT Team, Gang Unit, Detective, Air Marshal for Homeland Security, then retired, and has once again returned to police work for the Walker County Texas Sheriff’s Department.
If ever there was a man with a relentless heart of service to people, coupled with character and integrity, it’s Sidney Blair.
In this episode you will hear:
• My first paying job was as the [Piggly Wiggly] Pig in the 4th of July Parade in Huntsville, Texas. (12:53)
• Troopers have great uniforms. They’re like a recruiting poster. (14:38)
• In Texas, a Peace Officer, is a Peace Officer, is a Peace Officer - whether you’re a Game Warden, a State Trooper, or City Cop or County Cop. (21:42)
• Your job is to protect and serve. You go out to the good citizens of your county, or city, or state, or your federal jurisdiction, and you protect from any evils that exist, including themselves. (25:52)
• Al lot of police officers will become calorically challenged. (26:58)
• Fear is forced. Respect is earned. (29:32)
• The government is paying my salary. My job is to get out there and change your tire. (33:27)
• I still have some fight left in me. I still want to serve my community. I still want to help the people that need help. (37:34)
• I spent 19 of my 20 years at the Air Marshals. (44:06)
• I had a retirement party from the Air Marshals that I didn’t know about. (57:18)
• You should serve something larger than yourself if you have the ability to do it. (64:11)
• If you have never stood before a man with a badge in handcuffs, and he held your freedom and life in his hands, and he gave you a break, and you knew what a break you got – you ain’t qualified to be a cop. (66:49)
• You see someone get out of hand - I don’t care if they’re in uniform; you pull them off. You physically remove them from the scene. You save them from themselves. (68:10)
• People feed off of bad news. (76:25)
• The worst thing in the world that we have is the breakdown of the nucleus of the family that people don’t have upbringing where they learn to respect other people. (80:05)
• Soft times build soft people. (81:37)
• When you defund the police, I can tell you the very first place it comes from – training. (88:45)