IT'S NOT ABOUT US. IT'S ABOUT YOU!
Welcome to The Squad Room. We’re excited that you’re here. We are creating a world where first responders wake up inspired, feel confident at work, and go home knowing they’ve spent their time in a worthy cause. We’re committed to helping you serve, strive, and succeed in our challenging career. Join us.
THE SHORT LIST
- 18 years in law enforcement for a Southern California Sheriff’s Office.
- Promoted to sergeant in 2013 and lieutenant in 2022.
- Master’s in Public Administration with an emphasis in Organizational Leadership and Public Sector Management and Leadership.
- Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration.
- Graduate of the Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute (class 411).
- Host and creator of the longest running personal development podcast for law enforcement.
- TEDx Speaker on “The Importance of Second Responders.”
- Contributing writer for Law Enforcement Today and PoliceOne.
- Founder of A Worthy Cause Life apparel.
MY STORY
My name is Garrett TeSlaa, and I am the creator and founder of The Squad Room. In 2015, I was a few years into being a sergeant for a sheriff’s office in Southern California. I was struggling with rotating shifts, poor sleep and horrible nutrition habits. I was also recovering from a mountain bike crash that should have killed me and everything, along with several duty-related injuries began to drag me down physically, mentally and emotionally.
I was in a bad spot.
I began searching for answers and seeking out experts in hopes that I could solve what I thought was a unique situation. I began to share what I was learning during briefings with my patrol partners and things got interesting. Try preaching the benefits of meditation to a roomful of veteran cops!
But what actually happened was surprising. Every time I opened up, someone would pull me aside in private and share their story of struggle, or ask for more information, or thank me for helping them understand why they were feeling “that” way.
With this new knowledge that I was not alone in these struggles, and that others were facing their own real dangers, I started The Squad Room in hopes that it would give something back to this profession that I love so much.
Thanks for being here.
“What kind of person can do that?”
That’s the question I asked myself as two LAPD cruisers raced past me with lights and sirens blaring while I was standing outside a concert on the famed Sunset Strip in Los Angeles. I was a few years into the career I had dreamed about since high school, working in the music industry and rubbing elbows with world famous rock stars and business moguls. I shook my head and answered my own question, muttering “Not me,” to myself as the cruisers moved east and out of sight; towards some unknown danger that I didn’t have to worry about. I put it out of my mind and went back to the concert along with my cushy expense account and Beverly Hills office.
This was shortly after 9/11, and despite being convinced I didn’t have it in me to succeed in law enforcement, something was missing from my life. I was continually drawn to the images and news reports of officers doing heroic and selfless acts on behalf of total strangers. I had to at least try. What kind of person could race toward danger to help strangers? Maybe it was me after all.
I ended up graduating the academy as the “class sergeant” and winning the leadership award. Still, I told my wife that I’d consider it a success if I lasted a year. 15 years later, I’m now a sergeant having worked a variety of assignments including patrol, detectives, gang enforcement, community relations, professional standards, forensics, media relations and court services.
The lessons taught on The Squad Room and in my training come from years of experience – often through the most difficult of personal and professional challenges. Resilience, emotional intelligence, trauma resolution, leadership wins and leadership losses have all been part of my experience. There is nothing in our conversations that is strictly theoritical or academic. These are the real life wins and losses I’ve accumulated over my lifetime that I’ve chosen to share because I think it will help more cops become better leaders, more effective communicators, and healthier human beings.
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Testimonials
I want you to know that I consider you a mentor. Your guidance and your courage to self-examine yourself in full public view is an inspiration and a testament to your leadership and strength. I am able to say that as of today, I am in a good place with family, friends, health and career and I would be foolish not to attribute some of my successes to you.
“Listening to your podcast is like an out of body experience! It’s like I am the one you are taking about! Now I’m back to working my way to a healthier life with the hopes of it sticking. I have gotten a ton of inspiration and advice listening to your podcast! I’m sure it wasn’t easy but again thank you because it’s needed.”
“I was promoted last October from the jail to the road thanks to what I gained from you and your guest. Thank you.”
“I’ve ignored 13 years of feelings being a cop and it’s caught up to me recently. Thankfully there are dudes like you out there that have been beacons in my journey and for that I thank God and send my gratitude to you. Keep up the great work brother!”
“Listening to your podcast is like an out of body experience! It’s like I am the one you are taking about! Now I’m back to working my way to a healthier life with the hopes of it sticking. I have gotten a ton of inspiration and advice listening to your podcast! I’m sure it wasn’t easy but again thank you because it’s needed.”
“I’m sure you hear this all the time, just wanted to let you know it’s really good information for our brothers and sisters who put themselves in harm’s way. We truly should work to be our brothers keeper more often in law enforcement, and you are living that out.”
Let’s Work Together!
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