detective matt frazier leaves tulsa pd
There was a problem saving your notification. Det. I could empathize with people who have been through tragic or life altering experiences. 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. 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. Trash is trash in any unit. IAN MAULE/Tulsa World, Eileta and James Creekpaum listen to Tulsa Police Sgt. A great lesson for those out there thinking of a career transition. A native of Houston, Texas, and proud Chickasaw Indian, Lt. Chase Calhoun has been in law enforcement for 10 years. Frazier: It is not easy but I have a strong supportive family that understands what we as police officers go through. I use cycling as an outlet to deal with the stresses and other things at work. Dave Walker listens to comments during the Mayor's Policing and Community Coalition at Tulsa City Hall on Tuesday, August 14th, 2018. As for the crime rate, obviously more officers would help. Matt: In the 12 years I was with the police force I worked various units: Drugs, Gangs, Robbery and lastly homicide. Midway through the week we are walking up a mountain side and I'm up ahead of the pack by myself and I start doing a review of my life. He says, Homicide is more of a lifestyle as opposed to a job.. Were you dreading the conversation? Ironically last month, as I was thinking about career moves, one of my favorite real life TV shows - The First 48 hours - had an episode that started with Tulsa Homicide Detective Matt Frazier stating that he was thinking of leaving the police force. So, the Tulsa Police Department only has nine full time homicide detectives. Rydens interest in law enforcement grew after his first college criminal justice class. Please subscribe to keep reading. Often before a game he would talk to the officers at the stadium about what it was like to be a police officer. Patience is also a big contributor to being a good interviewer. Were there because something bad has happened, and they know it. He is married, and he and his wife enjoy the company of a son and a daughter. What are your fondest memories of attending Jenks High School? LinkedIn and 3rd parties use essential and non-essential cookies to provide, secure, analyze and improve our Services, and to show you relevant ads (including professional and job ads) on and off LinkedIn. I just had enough. Weather forecast provided by weather.gov. 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. Not that Tulsa had a problem solving homicide cases before the national television spotlight arrived. It was senseless and it changed a lot of lives. During a game, he wrote his name and phone number on a baseball and threw it to Nicole in the stands. Low around 36. Me: It goes to show that skills are transferable, you just have to look for that symmetry when contemplating a change of industries. I'm in journalism to help make this community, state, country and, ultimately, world a better place. And The First 48 portrays it.. An interview with Matt Frazier from the hit TV show "The First 48" on his career transition from Homicide Detective to top Sales Executive. Dave Walker, his long time friend and colleague since the mid-90s. He and his wife now spend time giving back to the community of Tulsa. Dave Walker was born in Aurora, Colorado and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. IAN MAULE/Tulsa World. Now he is a Lieutenant, overseeing officers on patrol in the Gilcrease Division, also known as GID. Chance of precipitation is 100%. They know my name. We work together as a team and put our egos aside to get the job done. No Staff Template If you seen the one episode about Larry DouglasI meanevil is all I can say. Tulsa Police Sgt. Since then he has worked his way through various departments, such as Burglary and the Cyber Crimes Unit, before landing in the Homicide Unit in September 2020. Matt has been featured several times on the hit television series The First 48 on A&E. It's a 2 way street. Outside candidates. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). I see it all the time. - Maj. Jacob Fuchs (USAF), Where Are They Now? That maybe homicide was the problem? Professionally I will keep plugging along and take my cases as they come, work hard, and hopefully make a difference in this community. The ability to talk to anyone - children, men, women, rich, poor, hard, soft - is huge as well. Me: So not even a thought to go back to one of those units? Me: Good thinking. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph. If we all had to work each case as one person our solve rate would take a huge dive. He worked as a Crime Scene Detective for six years prior to joining Homicide two years ago. Leatherman spends his free time traveling with his wife and three children and playing basketball to relax. It's been 4 years now since you made the move from Homicide Detective, and some might say a TV star, to top Sales Executive at Stryker. Gatwood enjoys fishing, hunting, riding his ATV, and spending time with his three daughters, one son, and grandchildren. How did it come so fast? Frazier: My fondest memories of Jenks are playing in the Frank Herald Gym. High near 65. Mark Kennedy has been married for 27 years and has a 21-year-old son. 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. 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. Theyve seen us. Bad people doing bad things. Calhoun was promoted to Lieutenant in August 2020. Outside of work, Det. He noted that the city didnt burn after the controversial police killing of unarmed Terence Crutcher in 2016. 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. 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 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. He also enjoys piloting small aircrafts. Matt: Maybe for a millisecond right after the epiphany on that trip in June but again, having to deal with trash. IAN MAULE/Tulsa World, Tulsa Police Sgt. 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. Website Navigation That particular letter stands out because it reminds me of why we really do this job. 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. Does the show do a good job of capturing what actually occurs in an investigation? Matt: Thank you Mark, I hope it helps. The Homicide Unit annually touted high solve rates. While working in Child Crisis, Detective Baumann received a Chiefs award for a multi-victim sexual abuse investigation. He now works in Patrol Riverside Division of Tulsa PD. He has received numerous medals for his outstanding police work, including a Medal of Valor for a fire rescue in 1987, a Chiefs Medal for leading a violent crime task force and a medal for leading an extensive federal narcotics investigation. Maybe tied for number 1. He and his wife enjoy their four dogs as well. In November 2021, McCoy left Homicide and Tulsa PD to become a Crime and Intelligence Analyst. He later joined Homicide to work with Sgt. Working in homicide, he fully devotes himself to the singular cause of justice for the victim and their families. I immediately reached out to Matt to ask if he would talk about his transition to see if there are lessons learned that can be of insight to anyone thinking of a career switch. Why did you decide to become a police officer? Were you nervous? Frazier: It has been really fun working with the show. Breezy, with a north wind 15 to 20 mph increasing to 25 to 30 mph after midnight. You have permission to edit this article. document.getElementById("bioModal").className = "modal modal-show"; Self: The First 48. 2023, A&E Television Networks, LLC. Thank you for reading). var bio = liElement[0] ? He has always had a will to protect. Walker believes that family is very important to an investigator. The unit under Walker is credited with a clearance rate of 98 percent. In the end, I received a very appreciative letter from his mother and father, thanking us for all we did for their son and their family. He says, I love the freedom to chase down bad guys instead of being stuck at a desk all day.. Me: Did Homicide maybe be the tipping point though? Although this was a big one, she again just said she was there for me. 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. And it just hit me: I didn't want to deal with the trash anymore. Then cast your vote, Appeals court upholds state sentence for woman who mutilated corpse, Man shot outside apartment building in downtown Tulsa, New biotech can 3D print living cells inside the human body, Ukraine will join NATO but in 'long- term', says NATO chief Stoltenberg, Finland begins building fence along Russia border. 27, 2020 at 8:38 PM PDT MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - A former Memphis homicide detective with a reputation for outsmarting the bad guys is the latest victim of COVID-19 in the community. Baumann was born and raised in Tulsa. I knew her immediate reaction would be shock but I knew she would eventually be OK with it. Sowhy did he hire a guy with no sales experience? 15+ years in Start-up Recruitment. You can't be halfway committed, you have to make that decision and be open to the possibilities of what may come. Me: Wow. Me: Thanks again - now let's get on to the down and dirty on all those police units you worked with! We were on a week long trip trekking through the mountains of New Mexico. document.getElementById("closeModal").addEventListener("click", function(event) { That is what the victims and their families deserve. Family gives you perspective. He and his wife have raised three sons. Jeff Gatwood has always enjoyed helping people, which led him to a career in law enforcement for the past 27 years. Schilling was promoted to Sergeant in October 2019. You can update your choices at any time in your settings. The bad side of humanity. How challenging are those aspects of your job and how do you stay positive? Matt Frazier: (laughs) Yeah, TV star. An Oklahoma native, Ronnie Leatherman spent eight years working in Narcotics before transferring to Homicide. - Q&A's With Notable Jenks Grads, Where Are They Now? McCoys interest in joining the Police Department began through a childhood friend, whose father was a Trooper and took them on ride-a-longs. Set as Default Template In the twelve years Lieutenant Justin Ritter has been part of the Tulsa Police Department, he has worked in a wide range of units, including Vice, Robbery, Narcotics, Street Crimes and Crime Scene Investigation. He worked five years in the Gang Unit and eight years in Robbery, where he gained knowledge that has been instrumental to his developing career. Frazier: Building rapport is a big part of interviews. You have to deal with death, loss, and tragedy. Lieutenant Brandon Watkins joined the Tulsa Police Department in July 1997. Matt: Number 1 was the drug unit. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. W.D. Rain and possibly a thunderstorm. Matt, thank you for your time on this I think you have hit on a number of points that people can relate to in any industry. His interest in homicide came from a high profile case he saw in the news when he was young. 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. What does the future hold for you both personally and professionally? Spending time with his wife and two children helps him cope with the stress of the job. He enjoys a round or two of golf in his off time to relieve the stresses of the job./p>. Calhoun likes to spend time with friends and family, working out or cheering on all of Houstons professional sports teams. Calhoun was drawn to the police department because he finds the work extremely challenging, yet rewarding. I believe it was my calling. He strives to seek justices for families, even in this challenging career choice. 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. Were you practicing your pitch to her? event.preventDefault(); You interviewed internally at the police force in your career with them but you had most of the skill sets the police force unit was looking for. But in the past two or three years Walker said there isnt an unsolved homicide in which detectives are flummoxed by who did it. IAN MAULE/Tulsa World, Tulsa Police Sgt. Since then, Stryker has hired 3 or 4 others from the force. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. What happened? Taking an inventory so to speak. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Me: So here we are June 2016 and your linkedin says September 2016 you starting with Styker. Understanding develops, along with a willingness to talk, when residents are able to see how detectives go about their duties behind the crime-scene tape, Walker said. What was that interview like? Frazier: Coach Scott Padek and the rest of the basketball coaching staff made a huge impression on my life. Matthew Frazier played basketball at Oral Robert University. 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. The victim told police that he and his girlfriend had been walking from the front of an apartment building in the 300 block of East 11th Stree. What, if anything, can be done to reduce the crime rate and murder rate in Tulsa? This button displays the currently selected search type. 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. Why did you want to work inthe homicide department? In 1995, Det. What was the trigger to even start to contemplate such a move? Watch Detective Frazier on the job in episodes of "The First 48.". He loves working in Homicide because every investigation is unique. I just knew that it was not the with police force. He was also part of the Special Operation Team (SWAT) for twelve years, and worked in Burglary for one year. Det. Me: Right place, right time for sure. Though no one was talking, Walker knew there were likely to be witnesses, given it was broad daylight and several people were peeking their heads out to watch police. I thought about it, and 3 months later I was somewhere else. By that he means police must impart on youngsters a better understanding of who police are and what they do. He enjoys his new pursuits and has more time with his family. How do you feel about yourself and the Tulsa Police Department being portrayed on a show like the First 48? {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone, Jim Inhofe looks back on his career: 'I really wanted to make a difference, and I did', State superintendent questions whether Oklahoma students should attend state colleges and universities, 'They don't make them like her anymore': Historic 1914 bungalow in The Heights restored with love, Former NFL star Chad Johnson says he saved money by living inside Cincinnati Bengals stadium for 2 years, Bed Bath & Beyond to close two stores in Tulsa, In a van outside OUs Lloyd Noble Center, Doc Sadler lives out another season in 45 years of coaching, Gov. Ryden appreciates the community he serves and wants to find justice for the family of the victims. Each week throughout the 2016-17 school year, the new Where Are They Now? They are very easy to work with during our investigations. When you were with.. (to be continued if you all want. You had NO sales experience. Two of his sons work in law enforcement and his third son works as an assistant baseball coach at a university. Was there one particular person at JHS who inspired you or made a lasting impact in your life? I often wonder what would motivate someone to do so? He played hockey and baseball for many years and now still enjoys watching sports to relax. Tulsa is a pretty doggone good place to be, Walker said. Det. Paul, 28, was arrested on Feb. 17 after her partner called police to say she started hitting him in front of her two children as he tried to leave a residence during an argument. You can cancel at any time. Learn more in our Cookie Policy. We as homicide detectives are the voice of the victim and I wanted to be that voice. Matthew Frazier is a Regional Sales Manager at Stryker based in Kalamazoo, Michigan. I'm biting at the chomp to get to details of your time with the police force, but I want to first focus on your career transition to a Sales executive. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. Originally from Harper Woods, Michigan, Det. To put their trust in me. He finds that simply moving helps with the stress of the job bicycle rides, hiking, and even playing the bagpipes, which he has been learning for the past few years. The show does accurately portray what goes into a homicide case, or at least as much as they can fit into an hour. A former member of the Fugitive Task Force, Det. A proud father of two, Frazier spends much of his free time at his childrens sporting events. 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. Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Why Matt? Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Walker follows up with the rhetorical question: Well, whats a cop going to think when you run? Standing in a secluded north Tulsa backyard, Sgt. Matt Frazier pictured with his wife Nicole and sons, Bryce, and Cooper. Detective Rob McCoy joined Tulsa PD in July 1997. Sgt. In August 2019, he achieved a career dream by joining Tulsa Homicide Unit. Default Staff Template: Notebook_Blue Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, Sergeant Nathan Schilling now lives on a farm just outside of Tulsa with his wife and three kids. In other types of crimes the victim provides information, identifies the suspect, and assists in the investigation. The First 48 is television's premier true-crime series. In the Gang unit, I had to sell myself that I was a Gangbanger. Det. I was always selling something in every unit that I worked for. She always was supportive and said she would be by my side all the years we were together in anything we do. In 12 years of law enforcement, he has worked as a narcotics investigator, conducted thousands of undercover operations, and spent time investigating bank robberies. Matt: Nope. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. On a high level - I was persuading people, strangers sometimes, to put their trust in me. As Staff Page Only She enjoys closing cases and helping to offer some closure to the victims families. Me: Yes! Q&A With Notable Jenks' Grads. What does it take to be a skilled interrogator and get people to tell the truth? Matt Frazier was a star on the court during his time as a Trojan and earned himself a college basketball scholarship. Are there any particular cases or moments which stand out in your mind? He said lost generations whether due to poverty, drug addiction, lack of education, etc. He takes pride in making a positive difference in a crazy world. He enjoys putting together the puzzle pieces of a homicide investigation and figuring out who the suspect is. document.querySelector("#bioModal .bio-section").innerHTML = bio; On September 26, 2016 Detective Frazier decided to step away from the Tulsa Police Department to pursue another opportunity outside of law enforcement.