EPISODE 111
Mike Willever of Active Self Protection,
Host of the asp podcast
Mike is a retired Special Agent from Homeland Security Investigations who also worked as a local cop back in the day. Now Mike hosts the ASP Podcast where he deep-dives critical self-defense encounters from both the civilian and public safety worlds. We compare and contrast federal and local law enforcement, and then we talk about some of the aggregate trends and lessons from the interviews he’s done since he started the podcast for Active Self Protection.
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Intro music credit Bensound.com
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Recent Episodes
It’s Chess AND Checkers–Tactics and Strategy Unite!
Why do we focus so much on tactics and so little on strategy? In this episode, Mike and Jim tackle the divide between street-level action and big-picture thinking. Drawing on lessons from policing, the military, and community crime prevention, they explore how individual cops, community members, and leaders can influence criminal decision-making—not just react to it.
Topics include resource constraints, the Broken Windows theory, and strategies for shifting offender perceptions to prevent crime before it occurs.
Hazing vs. Hardening: Building Strong Teams Without Breaking People
Hazing, or just holding the new guy to a high standard? That line matters—and we’re walking it in this episode. Mike and Jim break down where real team-building ends and toxic tradition begins. We’re talking SWAT school, academy culture, leadership, and how to onboard new teammates without wrecking morale. This one’s about building teams that are tough, smart, and built to last.
I’m new to your podcast but listened to episode 111- I’m a woman who has been assaulted but have since learned so much through physical and mental training. Raised in an Air Force family.
Kudos to Mike the former peer counselor. Wow- I could feel his genuine emotion for the topic and wanted to say thank you to him, and men like him who are real men with a sense of morality. Far too rare.
TL