Page 6 - Newsletter Winter 2018

SPOTLIGHT

ON ALUMNI

Otis “Odie” Gallop

Class of 1982

By Nancy Ketch ‘82

Otis “Odie” Gallop loved growing up in a small town and is proud to say he is from Houlton. Now he is making Houlton
proud as he wraps up a distinguished law enforcement career with the San Diego Police Department and embarks on a
whole new adventure as a Technical Advisor and recurring character on the CBS TV show SWAT.

While San Diego, California is a long way from Houlton, Maine … about as far away as you can get in the US … Houlton
remains in Odie’s heart. So, how did a Houlton boy end up as a decorated police officer in San Diego? That is primarily
due to Uncle Sam and love. After 4 years in the Navy and being stationed in San Diego, he met his future wife, Melissa,
and his fate was sealed. Odie and Melissa were married and he started his life on the west coast.

Odie always had an interest in law enforcement, so after a few jobs, such as working for Airborne Express, he joined the
San Diego PD. His career with the department included 8 years as a member of the SWAT team and 15 years in the
Executive Protection Detail working in the Mayor’s office. In March of 2017, Odie and a fellow detective earned the
department’s Medal of Valor for their handling of a situation at a busy mall the week of Thanksgiving. A woman, armed
with a gun, was bent on killing herself or others as she ran throughout the shopping center. Despite having her gun
aimed on them twice, Odie, and the other detective, refrained from opening fire, as they were trained to do in such a
situation, in order to protect the many individuals patronizing the mall two days before the holiday. It was that restraint
in the face of this extreme danger that earned them the recognition. Yet, in an article in the San Diego Tribune about
the Medal presentation, Odie indicated that they were just doing their jobs and “We just did what every other cop would
have done.” That sounds like Aroostook County humility!

Odie retired from SDPD on October 1st following a 28 year career. But, he’s been working on his next venture for about
18 months already. After a random call from a friend who is a retired Navy Seal Master Chief, he had an interview with
director Justin Lin of Fast & Furious fame. Lin and writer Shawn Ryan, who were developing a reboot of the 70’s show
SWAT, were looking for a Technical Advisor with experience on a SWAT team. Odie fit the bill. It started with working
on the pilot and showing the actors how to hold a weapon, how to walk and talk like SWAT members, how to do entries,
and how to do vehicle assaults so their portrayals looked authentic. He reviews the scripts, offers story ideas and makes
sure what they are showing is tactically sound … at least as much as it can be. As Odie says, “It is a TV show. They have
to massage things a little to make it more interesting for television.” His work behind the scenes led to him being used
in the background of a few episodes. He was then offered the opportunity to have a part with a line and then a
character name. Sgt. Stevens, as he is now known on the show, appeared in the season 2 premiere in late September
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