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Scars of the Badge: Surviving the Crossbow and the Cost of the Job (Ep. 284)
About this Episode
Tonight I sat down with Tom Lee, a Texas sheriff’s sergeant and former mental health unit lead with over 23 years on the job. Tom shared how cumulative trauma—not just one critical incident—nearly broke him, even after surviving being shot in the face with a crossbow during a 2019 welfare check.
We talked through the realities of policing in rural Texas with thin backup, the split-second decisions that come with life-or-death calls, and why the real weight of the job often comes from bureaucracy and moral injury as much as it does from scenes themselves. Tom opened up about recovery, faith, and the importance of actually asking for help before alcohol and isolation take over. He also detailed his work in mental health diversion, critical incident stress management, and why follow-up care with both citizens and first responders can change outcomes.
We also previewed his forthcoming memoir, Scars of the Badge, which captures 50 snapshots from his career—from child deaths and mass-casualty responses to the crossbow shooting—and how faith steadied him through the darkest stretches. If you’re a first responder, know one, or just want an honest look at the cost of the badge, this conversation is for you. And if you’re struggling or someone you love is, please reach out—help is there, and you’re not alone.
Guest: Tom Lee
https://www.scarsofthebadge.com/
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Special thanks to:
Executive Producer Wayne Rankin
Executive Producer Rosanna Rankin
Executive Producer Carolina Jimenez
Executive Producer Marisa Lee
Executive Producer Angela Wetuski
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(00:00:45) Opening monologue, date, and a rough day at the studio
(00:02:38) Introducing guest Sgt. Tom Lee and his crossbow incident
(00:03:22) Housekeeping, how to contact and follow the show live
(00:07:41) Guest intro redux and service gratitude
(00:09:18) Warm‑up chat: quirks, pickles, and simple pleasures
(00:14:36) From engineering student to policing after 9/11
(00:17:02) Department politics, morale, and a firing over speed
(00:20:09) What really wears cops down: bureaucracy vs. the calls
(00:21:08) Path to mental health policing and co‑response model
(00:23:20) Measuring impact and success stories from the field
(00:24:11) Critical Incident Stress Management and mass‑casualty responses
(00:26:17) Three hardest calls: murder, fatal house fire, crossbow
(00:29:04) PTSD vs. moral injury and signs of struggle
(00:32:00) Why help is hard to ask for and the cost of silence
(00:34:49) Suicide, stigma, and a plea to seek help
(00:37:34) Faith, setbacks, and finding the way back to God
(00:44:39) The 2019 crossbow shooting: setup and red flags
(00:50:25) Shots fired: the ambush, wounds, and stopping the threat
(00:55:04) Aftermath: hospital, investigation, and the long night
(00:59:05) Why the job breaks you: accumulative trauma and notifications
(01:01:25) Writing Scars of the Badge: purpose and audience
(01:07:15) Advice for first responders without a faith framework
(01:09:39) Big Bang, belief, and closing the interview
(01:12:27) Host wrap‑up, takeaways, and closing messages
- Wayne Rankin
- Rosanna Rankin
- Carolina Jimenez
No transcript available for this episode.
