One of the most dangerous moments in any investigation is confirmation bias. I’ll give you a quick example, there was an armed robbery in the city that I work in. The lead detective had a theory of who the suspect might be now keep in mind the suspect had a mask on and gloves. Now, without concrete evidence that pointed him in that direction, he already had a suspect in mind, why? Because the suspect lived in close proximity to the business, he is also known to be a serial robber. My problem with that early on assumption is that now he needs to build a case around the theory that it was the suspect versus gathering all the evidence like interviews, technology, cameras in the area etc…. Long story short I was right it did not turn out to be who this detective thought it was. The Lesson: It’s when we lock onto an early theory and—without realizing it—start filtering everything through that lens. Evidence that supports our belief gets amplified. Evidence that contradicts it gets minimized, explained away, or ignored entirely. In investigations, this isn’t an academic problem. It’s a truth problem. I’ve seen solid investigators become intellectually rigid once a narrative forms. The case stops being about what happened and becomes about proving we were right. That’s when blind spots grow. That’s when mistakes compound. That’s when innocent details turn into “inconvenient facts.” The danger isn’t incompetence. The danger is confidence without constant challenge. Strong investigators do a few things differently: • They actively search for disconfirming evidence • They ask, “What would have to be true for my theory to be wrong?” • They invite peer challenge instead of resisting it • They separate ego from outcomes • They stay comfortable saying, “I don’t know—yet” Good investigations are dynamic, not linear. The story should evolve as new information comes in. The moment your theory becomes untouchable, your investigation becomes fragile. This applies beyond law enforcement.

This is something that I truly believe in and advocate for!!

Coolsys posted me in a We Fight Monsters "Be a Badass, Save a kid" shirt. The company I work for celebrates November as a month of giving. I submitted multiple pics of volunteer work but was pleasantly surprised when they picked the lower right hand pic to post throughout the company. I told Ben Owen once that I didnt feel comfortable wearing that shirt because it implies I am a badass, which I don't consider myself as such but I love the message so much that I now wear it often. It's all about spreading the message to support the mission and what a great mission it is!!

Figured I’d share my thanksgiving thoughts with y’all. It’s all about mindset.