Episode Description
"The best in people always shines through, even during the darkest times." — Annette Mullin
There's the version of a crisis you see on the news, and then there's the version lived by the people who show up for it — the officers, the first responders, the moms trying to keep their own kids steady while everything around them feels unsteady. Annette Mullin lived both.
Annette spent 24 years as a Las Vegas police officer — patrol, homicide, internal affairs, and nine years as a crisis negotiator. In this episode, she shares what it was like being an officer during the mass shooting on the Strip, becoming the first woman ever put in a supervisor role in her department's homicide unit, and the humbling first hostage case that taught her everything she now teaches as an instructor with the Black Swan Group. This is a real life story about resilience, service, and what it actually means to make someone feel heard.
If you've ever had to hold steady for everyone else while quietly falling apart yourself, this conversation is for you. New episodes every Thursday on all major podcast platforms.
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Timestamps
00:00 Introduction — Heather welcomes Annette Mullin
03:24 Annette's childhood dream of becoming a coroner and how it led her to policing
07:32 Being an officer during the mass shooting on the Las Vegas Strip
09:45 Bringing her kids to a candlelight vigil to process as a community
19:42 Becoming the first woman supervisor in homicide
21:36 Nine years as a crisis negotiator and what it taught her about being heard
25:24 The transition to coaching with the Black Swan Group
39:39 Where to connect with Annette Mullin
About Annette Mullin
Annette Mullin retired from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) in August 2021, closing out a 24-year career in law enforcement. She spent more than 20 years specializing in Violent Crimes Against Persons, working across Criminal Intelligence, Sexual Assault and Abuse, Abuse and Neglect, Internal Affairs, Force Investigations, and Homicide. Annette served as a Crisis Negotiator for nine years and led the Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT) for two of those years. In 2018, she was promoted to Director and built the Police Employee Assistance Program, providing health and wellness resources to LVMPD employees and their families. She has also taught Sexual Assault Prevention, Sex Trafficking Investigations, and Domestic Violence Prevention around the world, with engagements as far-reaching as Vietnam and Budapest. Today, Annette is a Negotiation Instructor and Coach with the Black Swan Group, translating those high-stakes experiences into practical tools for leaders, teams, and individuals navigating pressure, conflict, and growth.