So, you want to go on a cruise. What could go wrong? After listening or watching today’s episode, you might think twice, for good reasons.

When Jamie Barnett said goodbye to her daughter, Ashley, in 2005, who was going on a three-day cruise with her boyfriend and two other couples to Mexico, she never dreamt that it would be the last time she would see her daughter alive. What was supposed to be a birthday celebration resulted in the death of Ashley due to illegal activities on board the ship, gross negligence from the staff of the ship, and subpar medical attention aboard the cruise ship.

My guest on the show today, Jamie Barnett, has turned grief and frustration from dealing with the cruise industry, government officials, and the FBI, into advocacy and hope.

Jamie Barnett is the president of the International Cruise Victims (ICV) organization and became an advocate for cruise ship safety after her 24-year-old daughter, Ashley Barnett, died on a cruise in 2005 due to gross negligence by the cruise line. Her advocacy work was instrumental in the passage of the Cruise Vessel Safety and Security Act of 2010, and she continues to fight for stricter regulations of cruise vessels to ensure the safety of their passengers.

Jamie appeared in the Netflix docuseries "Amy Bradley is Missing," further highlighting the dangers on cruise ships by drawing parallels between her daughter's death and the disappearance of Amy Bradley in 1998

As a dad and grandpa, this episode hit home. I can’t imagine what Jamie went through and continues to go through! Bravo to Jamie and others who are attempting to keep cruise lines accountable and safer.

In today’s episode, we discuss:

· Thank you, Vic Ferrari over at the NYPD Through The Looking Glass Podcast, for the intro.

· The organization, International Cruise Victims, and her role, and how she became involved.

· How the United States Congress has become involved in attempting to make the cruise line industry safer for its guests.

· In 2005, her daughter, Ashley, was murdered aboard a Carnival cruise to Mexico.

· Her daughter’s body was taken to Mexico for a subpar autopsy against her wishes.

· The FBI not charging her boyfriend with any crime after he smuggled illegal narcotics aboard that Ashley ingested and caused her death.

· Sub-par medical attention and gross negligence aboard the ship that contributed to Ashley’s death.

· Jamie’s connection to the recent Netflix special, Amy Bradley is Missing.

· Jamie’s frustration with the severe lack of cooperation, sympathy, and compassion from the FBI.

· The cruise lines that have the worst crime rates.

· What you can do to stay safe aboard a cruise ship.

All of this and more on today’s episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.

Please visit the International Cruise Victims Association to learn more about this important topic and donate.

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!

Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!

Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.

Please visit the Cops and Writers website.

Welcome back for the conclusion of my interview with Marine, FBI Special Agent, and HRT Operator Rob D’Amico.

Rob D’Amico has over thirty-six years of federal government service—ten years in the United States Marine Corps and nearly twenty-seven with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He is the founder and principal consultant for Sierra One Consulting.

Rob began a life of service when he enlisted as a US Marine during college at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, and, after obtaining his bachelor's degree, was commissioned as an officer and served his first overseas tour in the first Gulf War. His work on reconnaissance missions with the Marine Corps paved the way for Rob’s long and successful career with the FBI. After four years based out of the Bureau’s Miami, Florida field office, apprehending the most violent felons of South Florida as a member of a multi-agency violent crime fugitive task force, Rob transitioned into deep undercover work against the most notorious U.S. and Italian-based organized crime families.

Rob was among the few selected to the FBI’s elite Hostage Rescue Team, in which he served as a sniper and was first deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Rob’s career with and beyond the HRT team placed him at each pivotal step in the resolution of kidnapping and hostile detention matters. He has worked on every facet of operations—negotiating hostage releases and exchanges, operating under the highest pressure against pirates, negotiators, warlords, leaders of terrorist networks, as well as with ambassadors, generals, foreign ministers, and non-government organizations.

From being deep undercover, going after the mob, to dealing with Somali pirates, Rob has had a career that movies are literally made of.

Today’s episode, we go deep into a hostage rescue operation on the high seas, dealing with Somali pirates!

In today’s episode, we discuss:

· The difference between HRT and SWAT in the FBI?

· What attributes should HRT operators have?

· What does HRT training look like?

· The hijacking of the American SV Quest by Somali pirates and Rob's mission as an FBI HRT operator embedded with Navy SEALs regarding this mission.

· Four United States citizens on board and 19 pirates.

· The ultimate conclusion to the kidnapping?

· Jurisdiction issues and maintaining and processing a floating crime scene that was in danger of sinking.

· Going onto Somali soil to investigate and make arrests?

· The strain on his family during this and other operations like this. How did Rob deal with it? What is his advice to someone about to do something similar to this work?

· Retirement, how difficult was it to walk away from all of this? How did he cope/adjust?

All of this and more on today’s episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.

Visit Rob at his website!

Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!

Check out my newest book, The Good Collar (Michael Quinn Vigilante Justice Series Book 1)!!!!!

Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.

Please visit the Cops and Writers website.