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A hidden birth, a one-way flight to LAX, and a badge that taught him how fast life can vanish. Alex—host of Purpose Over Pleasure and former LAPD and Santa Monica officer—opens up about being adopted in Uzbekistan, nearly dying as an infant, discovering the truth at 13, and why that shock wired him to choose purpose over comfort. We walk through the realities of big-city policing: academy highs and lows, how debriefs build better tactics, what dispatch and air support get right, and the quiet ways standards slipped after 2020—even as the job got harder.
Alex breaks down the moments that shape a cop’s judgment: pulling a gun when you see the bulge but keeping your voice calm; spotting a quality witness on a chaotic murder scene; flipping to a TAC channel while your partner calls positions; and knowing when the spirit of the law beats writing another citation. His rule is simple: heal first, then train relentlessly. Mindset before muzzle. Fitness, diet, dry fire, grappling, and sleep are not extras—they’re survival tools. He’s blunt about leadership too: managers count forms, leaders carry people. The best bosses protect their teams in public and fix problems in private.
We zoom out to faith, fatherhood, and entrepreneurship. Why did he leave LAPD? Pay, politics, and the choice to bet on himself. How did a former felon become his business partner? Shared survival mindset and accountability. From patrol cars to boardrooms, the code doesn’t change: control your ego, speak clearly, set standards, and do the work daily. Be a good cop, not a perfect one. If you care about law enforcement, mindset, masculinity, or building a life on your own terms, this conversation hits hard and stays useful long after the credits roll.
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