Hosts

Jack started his law enforcement career as a Deputy Sheriff in Berks County PA before moving to Los Angeles in 1983 and joining the Los Angeles Police Department. He has witnessed firsthand the changes in how the police and the suspects they are chasing are doing business on a daily basis.

After joining the Los Angeles Police Department, Jack worked as a patrol officer where he was first exposed to the concept of perimeter containment as an effective way to apprehend suspects fleeing on foot. He was involved in perimeters on a nightly basis while working as a patrol officer.

Jack became a field training officer before transferring to an undercover assignment working Hollywood Vice. After completing the 18-month vice tour he was selected as an element member of the departments Metropolitan Division. There, he worked across the entire city working crime suppression, bank stake outs, VIP security, and crowd control details.

In late 1992, Jack applied for a position as a K-9 handler within Metropolitan Division. He was transferred into that job and spent the next five years searching for LA’s most dangerous criminals. He participated in over 700 high risk K-9 searches as either the primary handler or search team member. More than 300 of those searches resulted in the capture of the suspect. Jack interviewed numerous suspects after their capture to learn how they attempted to avoid being caught.

His next challenge came working as a Tactical Flight Officer (observer) with LAPD’s Air Support Division coordinating tactical operations on a nightly basis. Many of these incidents involved foot pursuits and perimeter containments. He was the Chief Tactical Flight Officer for a short time before he switched seats in the helicopter and was selected as a Command Pilot at Air Support. He was a Certified Flight Instructor in rotorcraft. Jack was the recipient of the 2004 Air Crew of the Year Award at LAPD Air Support.

Jack has participated in over 2,000 perimeter containments during his career, and he has seen many successes and failures. He has shared his experience with thousands of law enforcement officers across the world instructing on this topic.

He is the author of Apprehending Fleeing Suspects; Suspect Tactics and Perimeter Containment© and has been published in Vertical Magazine, Police Magazine, Air Beat Magazine (journal of the Airborne Law Enforcement Association), Vertical 911 Magazine, and Police K-9 Magazine.

Jack has a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania and is a certified instructor with California Police Officer Standards and Training. Jack was runner-up for the 2005 Governor’s California POST Instructor of the Year Award.

In 2020, Jeff and his family relocated to the beautiful state of Tennessee, where he is a helicopter pilot for a major air ambulance company. Passionate about aviation, and the airborne enforcement mission in particular, Jeff was honored to join Jon as cohost of the Hangar Z Podcast in November

The earnings from this venture helped him afford his flight lessons at age fifteen. In 2017, Halsey started selling helicopters to create a business that would profit from his helicopter experiences and passion. This past March, Halsey retired from his helicopter air ambulance position to better meet the growing demand for honest helicopter sales representation. Halsey will serve Sellacopter in every capacity and looks forward to growing this business within an industry he loves.

After four months of training with an incredible shop of Rescue Swimmers, I began AST “A” School with amazing classmates to include, Tony Ariola, Shaun Legas, Laurent Magri, Tony Puglia, Pat Roach and Matt Thiessen. At that time we were the largest class to attend AST “A” School. They figured that if they started with eight they would be down to four by the end of phase one. They did not expect us to be such a strong class. We only lost one at the end of phase one, and to give him credit where credit is due, Shane Crew graduated from AST “A” School seven months later. Getting through Rescue Swimmer School was and still has been the hardest thing I have ever gone through. Not saying that I haven’t had other big challenges in my life, but making it through that school, still tops the list. On 03 March 2000, our class graduated from AST “A” School and I officially became USCG Rescue Swimmer #500. I was able to celebrate that accomplishment with my mother and father present, making it one of my proudest moments.

My next duty station was US Coast Guard, Air Station Kodiak, Kodiak, AK. I completed a three year tour there with an incredible group of guys. After many months of training to complete EMT Basic school, HH60 Basic Aircrewmen (BA) and Rescue Swimmer Qualifications, I had my first case. It is most definitely a case I will never forget as our entire crew earned Air Medals that night. During the rest of my tour, I completed my HH65 BA, C130 BA, Advanced Rescue Swimmer School and Survival Training. I deployed multiple times to Cordova, AK., St. Paul, AK., and Cold Bay, AK. While on one of my deployments to Cold Bay, our crew was launched on the biggest case of my career up until that point. It was the case of the F/V Galaxy where PIC Melissa Rivera, SIC Kendell Garran, and Flight Mech Mike Simone earned Air Medals, and I earned the Distinguished Flying Cross. It was an incredible rescue and one that I will never forget.

My next duty station was US Coast Guard Air Station Humboldt Bay in McKinleyville, CA. I completed a six-year tour there with another amazing group of swimmers. While there, I had a few rescues that still stand out to me. These include a couple of cruise ships, a car that drove off a cliff, and boats taking on water. My Coast Guard career ended in May 2009 at twelve years, three months and twenty four days of service.

I have been in civilian helicopter search and rescue since leaving the Coast Guard. I continued my education by qualifying as a Hoist Operator, becoming a NREMT Paramedic, an AHA Instructor and a CrossFit L1 Coach. I’ve been blessed to work around the world standing ready crew and/or teaching helicopter rescue techniques. To date, I have flown on twelve different helicopters, in eight different countries, and I’m still looking forward to the possibilities that may come my way.

My at home life is just as amazing. I have a beautiful wife who supports me in every way possible and three amazing daughters. When all of us are together, the laughing is so contagious that we sometimes can’t even talk. For my ‘down time’, if you want to call it that, I enjoy everything that comes with a good adrenaline rush. From water skiing to snowboarding, swimming in the ocean to hiking a mountain, I love it all. I try to enjoy life to its fullest and take in every moment possible.

Over the years, Val learned the functions of the parts involved in keeping helicopters in the air — engines, hydraulics, servos, starter generators, transmission components, drive shafts, and even the some of the composites used in rotor blades.

In his current position, he is still able to discuss, develop, and deliver options to operators when it comes to keeping them flying.

The fit, form, and function of what keeps helicopters flying has always interested him — even more so today, with how integral the MRO side of the helicopter industry is.