Beyond The Barrel Podcast

About Beyond The Barrel Podcast

Welcome to Beyond the Barrel, where every episode takes you deeper into the lives of those who serve on the frontlines. Hosted by two dynamic leaders— Kenny, a nationally recognized K9 interdiction officer, and Attorney Mike, a U.S. Army veteran and seasoned Patrol Supervisor—this podcast is where stories of bravery, sacrifice, and humanity unfold. Go Beyond the Barrel with us to uncover the stories that truly define our Nation's finest. The views and opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host, the podcast, or any organizations, agencies, or entities affiliated with the host.

Publisher

Beyond The Barrel Podcast

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

24 Aug 2024

Latest episode

22 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

95 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   22 Oct 2026

   Ep 81: Targeted for Doing His Job: The Mexican Commander Who Refused to Die

   Former Investigative Police Commander Roberto Ortiz spent his career going toward the danger others were trying to escape. From organized crime and homicide investigations to kidnappings, extortion, narcotics, intelligence operations, and high-risk arrests, Roberto served on the front lines of some of Mexico’s most dangerous law-enforcement operations. Then one operation changed everything… After fellow officers were attacked and kidnapped, Roberto returned to duty alongside his team. During a subsequent operation, he was struck from behind by a vehicle while positioned along a highway. The injuries were catastrophic. Roberto lost both legs above the knee, suffered massive blood loss, spent approximately a week in a coma, and remained hospitalized for more than a month. He survived but survival was only the beginning. On this episode of Beyond The Barrel, Roberto shares the story behind the badge: his rise from the private sector to Investigative Police Commander, the realities of confronting organized crime in Mexico, the officers he lost along the way, the incident that nearly took his life, and the fight to rebuild himself afterward. We talk about learning to walk again on prosthetic legs, the impact on his wife and family, faith, identity, leadership, survivor’s guilt, gratitude, and what happens when the career that helped define you suddenly looks completely different. Most importantly, Roberto explains why he chose to return to public service. Today, he serves as an Intelligence Coordinator with the State Attorney General’s Office of Chihuahua, bringing his experience as both an investigator and operational commander into a new mission. This isn’t simply a story about losing both legs... It’s a story about what couldn’t be taken from him: Purpose. Faith. Family. Service. And the decision to keep moving forward. His body changed. His mission didn’t. From Commander to Warrior of Life, this is Roberto Ortiz’s story. Timestamps: 02:20 – Becoming a Cop 11:21 – Elite Police Unit 15:09 – Police Corruption 23:04 – Cartel Operations 34:00 – Deadly Ambush 37:33 – Life-Changing Attack 41:39 – Losing Both Legs 55:52 – Road to Recovery 1:21:38 – Cartel Threats If you like what you hear, like, subscribe and follow the Beyond the Barrel podcast on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/beyond_the_barrel_pod/⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2. 

   15 Oct 2026

   Ep 80: Two States, Three K-9s, 17 Years Behind the Badge

   This week on Beyond the Barrel, we sit down with veteran K-9 handler and trainer Justin Featherly. Justin has spent 17 years in law enforcement, beginning his career with the San Diego Police Department in 2009. In 2015, he earned a spot in the K-9 Unit, where he spent the next seven years as a handler and trainer. During his time with SDPD, Justin worked two patrol and article detection dogs while developing extensive experience in K-9 deployments, training, and real-world street work. In 2022, Justin and his wife of 21 years, Kayleigh, packed up their lives and moved to Idaho with their five children. Today, Justin continues to serve as a K-9 handler and trainer, working a dual-purpose patrol and narcotics detection dog. We dive into Justin’s journey from San Diego to Idaho, nearly two decades behind the badge, the realities of being a K-9 handler, training patrol dogs, and the lessons that can only come from years of working dogs on the street. This is more than K-9 work it’s the story behind the handler. If you’re a K-9 handler, aspiring handler, trainer, or simply want to understand what life behind the leash really looks like, this is an episode you don’t want to miss. Watch the full episode, drop your biggest takeaway in the comments, and share it with someone in the K-9 community. And make sure you follow and subscribe to Beyond the Barrel because the stories behind the badge deserve to be heard. Timestamps: 02:07 – Meet Justin 03:26 – Leaving San Diego 12:29 – Becoming a K9 Handler 17:42 – School Shooting Experience 23:32 – Selecting Police Dogs 32:31 – First K9 Partner 37:10 – Working Multiple Dogs 48:30 – Dual Purpose K9s 57:23 – K9 Misconceptions 01:15:43 – Defining Justice If you like what you hear, like, subscribe and follow the Beyond the Barrel podcast on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/beyond_the_barrel_pod/⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

3. 

   8 Oct 2026

   Ep 79: There Is No Courage Without Fear | Captain Sonny F. Garcia

   After more than 30 years in law enforcement, retired Captain Sonny F. Garcia knows that some of the toughest battles an officer faces never happen on the street. Sonny’s career spans state and federal service, with experience as a Deputy, State Trooper, SRT operator, bomb technician, federal criminal investigator, and federal polygraph examiner. He also holds a Master’s degree in Forensic Psychology. But this episode of Beyond the Barrel goes beyond the résumé. After witnessing firsthand the struggles law-enforcement officers and first responders often carry in silence, Sonny created A Warrior’s Tale, a resilience program built around confronting the battles that too often remain unseen. Sonny shares his journey through more than three decades behind the badge, the experiences that shaped his perspective on fear and courage, and why he believes no officer should have to fight their darkest battles alone. At the center of his mission is faith and a simple purpose: Using God’s grace to save one officer at a time. And a message every warrior needs to hear: “There is no courage without fear.” This is a conversation about the badge, the battles behind it, faith, resilience, and finding the courage to ask for help. Watch, listen, and share this episode with a first responder who needs to hear it. Timestamps: 05:36 – Childhood Trauma 11:29 – Meeting His Father 14:48 – Brother’s Suicide 24:22 – Warrior’s Tale 32:22 – Losing Duffy 38:04 – Saving an Officer 50:18 – Choosing Family 56:13 – Sonny’s Breaking Point 1:23:03 – Defining Justice If you like what you hear, like, subscribe and follow the Beyond the Barrel podcast on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/beyond_the_barrel_pod/⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who has been a guest on Beyond The Barrel Podcast

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Katarina Szulc
• Dave Haynes
• Sheriff Mike Lewis
• Tony Bustos
• Salvatore Oldrati

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

14 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

15 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 33 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

46

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

51

Contact Beyond The Barrel Podcast

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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Questions about Beyond The Barrel Podcast