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We’re closing out Season 10 of Sirens, Slammers and Service with a powerful conversation that hits right at the core of first responder life.

In this final episode, Nikki sits down with NYPD Detective Dina Campbell, who shares the deeply personal story behind launching her podcast Outside the Line—a platform born from an identity crisis following a crushing disappointment during facility dog handler training. What started as heartbreak became purpose.

Dina opens up about her 14-year career with the NYPD, the demanding hiring process, her work as a peer counselor, and why building an identity outside the uniform isn’t optional—it’s essential.

🔥 This episode dives into:

• What happens when your career dream falls apart
• Why first responders struggle when work becomes their whole identity
• The power of peer support and honest conversations
• How Dina turned a setback into something that helps others heal

🎧 If you’ve ever wondered who you are without the badge, this one’s for you.

👉 Stay tuned—Season 11 is coming soon, and we’re just getting started!

Listen to Outside the Line and learn more about Puppies Behind Bars!

Garett Martin, Mortgage Broker with The Mortgage Group, our official podcast sponsor for Season 10 and supports other first responders by offering discounted mortgage rates and industry-leading service.
cell: 403.915.1025
email: garett.martin@mortgagegroup.com
web: garettmartinmortgages.com

Blue Line Fitness Testing is a premier law enforcement fitness testing and training center based in Edmonton. Specializing in helping individuals prepare for the physical demands of a career in law enforcement, we offer comprehensive fitness evaluations, specialized training programs, and classes tailored to meet the unique needs of our clients.

Support the show

Want to support this podcast even more! Make a monthly subscription for only $3 a month here!

Interested in becoming a first responder? Reach out to learn more!
Email - info@bluelinefitnesstesting.com
Blue Line Fitness Testing
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/bluelinefitnesstesting
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bluelinefitnesstesting/
LinkedIn - Nikki Cloutier

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In this candid and franky, HILARIOUS episode of Sirens, Slammers and Service, Nikki sits down with Lesley Prosko—a paramedic of over 18 years, author, and IV therapy clinician—for an honest conversation about the realities of life in EMS, on and off the truck.

Lesley shares her path from athletic therapy to paramedicine, why maturity matters in this profession, and what the City of Edmonton EMS hiring process really demands. She opens up about repeat callers, the cumulative weight of the job, and the experiences that ultimately led to her PTSD diagnosis—with clarity, humour, and zero sugarcoating.

We also talk about her bold book Instagram Moms Are Full of Shit, her children’s book Mommy Why, and why kindness, respect, and mental health awareness are non-negotiables in first responder culture. Nikki and Lesley also make a strong case for mandatory observation shifts so candidates truly understand what they’re signing up for.

If you’re in EMS, thinking about it, or raising humans while surviving shift work—this episode will hit home.

Grab Lesley's books and learn more!!

🎧 Check out other related episodes on the podcast and don’t forget to tune in to Nikki every Wednesday on the Thin Line Rock Station for more real talk from the front lines.

Garett Martin, Mortgage Broker with The Mortgage Group, our official podcast sponsor for Season 10 and supports other first responders by offering discounted mortgage rates and industry-leading service.
cell: 403.915.1025
email: garett.martin@mortgagegroup.com
web: garettmartinmortgages.com

Blue Line Fitness Testing is a premier law enforcement fitness testing and training center based in Edmonton. Specializing in helping individuals prepare for the physical demands of a career in law enforcement, we offer comprehensive fitness evaluations, specialized training programs, and classes tailored to meet the unique needs of our clients.

Support the show

Want to support this podcast even more! Make a monthly subscription for only $3 a month here!

Interested in becoming a first responder? Reach out to learn more!
Email - info@bluelinefitnesstesting.com
Blue Line Fitness Testing
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/bluelinefitnesstesting
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bluelinefitnesstesting/
LinkedIn - Nikki Cloutier

Send us a text

This episode of Sirens, Slammers and Service takes you behind the reins of one of policing’s most unique and powerful units. Nikki is joined by Robin Koltusky, Mounted Patrol Team Lead with the Calgary Police Service and AWIPS Civilian of the Year 2025, for a deep dive into what it really takes to run a modern mounted unit.

Robin shares her unconventional path into policing—from a lifetime in horsemanship and entrepreneurship to becoming a civilian subject matter expert within CPS—and how that expertise helped reshape the Mounted Unit’s breeding program, herd assessment, and training standards.

We break down the four operational portfolios of Mounted Patrol—frontline patrol, community engagement, search, and public safety support—plus the intense tactical training horses and officers undergo, including desensitization to crowds, noise, footing, and chaos. If you’ve ever wondered how officers and horses are selected, trained, and deployed when it matters most, this episode delivers.

🐎 Curious about other specialized units and behind-the-scenes roles in public safety?
Check out our related episodes—and don’t forget to tune in to Nikki every Wednesday on the Thin Line Rock Station for more real talk from the front lines.

Garett Martin, Mortgage Broker with The Mortgage Group, our official podcast sponsor for Season 10 and supports other first responders by offering discounted mortgage rates and industry-leading service.
cell: 403.915.1025
email: garett.martin@mortgagegroup.com
web: garettmartinmortgages.com

Blue Line Fitness Testing is a premier law enforcement fitness testing and training center based in Edmonton. Specializing in helping individuals prepare for the physical demands of a career in law enforcement, we offer comprehensive fitness evaluations, specialized training programs, and classes tailored to meet the unique needs of our clients.

Support the show

Want to support this podcast even more! Make a monthly subscription for only $3 a month here!

Interested in becoming a first responder? Reach out to learn more!
Email - info@bluelinefitnesstesting.com
Blue Line Fitness Testing
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/bluelinefitnesstesting
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bluelinefitnesstesting/
LinkedIn - Nikki Cloutier