I don’t regret leaving law enforcement. I truly don’t. I’ve been gone long enough now that sometimes it’s hard to believe I wore a badge, drove around with a gun, and looked for trouble in the middle of the night, day after day, year after year, for more than a decade. Sure, my kids love the stories (at least the ones I can tell them) but it seems like a different life. That doesn’t mean that I’ve forgotten the challenges of the job.
There were the bullets. They were a hurdle, to say the least. Only one came for me that I know of, but it lodged itself in a steel cabinet instead. Then there were the challenges beyond my control, like how we were perceived, our collective public image. Every day I went to work, I had to check the headlines to see if we were the good guys or the bad guys that day. If a cop stopped a mass shooter somewhere, we were heroes. If there was a bad shooting, we were villains. That kind of public wardrobe change wears on you.
Few professions endure the level of public scrutiny that policing does. As criticism has grown louder and more dynamic, the voices advocating for officers have struggled to keep up.
Until recently government leaders and police administrators only had to contend with a single voice when it came to police issues on the front line: the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) President. In my 15 years of law enforcement experience, the FOP was always effective in contract negotiations. I do miss those paychecks. But its ability to contend in the court of public opinion always seemed to fall short, failing to give officers the edge we needed to compete in the broader culture wars. When it did speak out on issues, it relied on carefully measured statements, designed to avoid discord among the ranks and maintain a respectable public image at the same time. A noble and understandable strategy. But in an era where public discourse is anything but polite, these statements often felt outdated, ineffective, and out of touch.
The landscape has shifted. The court of public opinion is no longer held in press conferences or newspaper editorials and debated by professionals. It has moved online, where it is instant, relentless, often brutal, and debated by, well, anyone with a cell phone. Now, perhaps a new force has emerged to meet that reality. Signal 99, a collective of anonymous first responders spanning every level of law enforcement in Hamilton County, from chiefs and patrol officers to judges and members of the prosecutor’s office, is making itself heard. And this time, city leaders and the public at large may have no choice but to pay attention.
Over a year ago, Facebook’s algorithms introduced me to Signal 99. By then, I’d been out of law enforcement for five years. Civilian life had reshaped my mindset, lowered my blood pressure, and for the most part, Signal 99 rarely survived a scroll. But after they covered an incident in Batavia Township, right here on the east side, I took a closer look. As you know, local stories always draw me in, and when my curiosity takes over, a Beechmont Story is sure to be born.
If you live in the Cincinnati area, chances are you’ve seen Signal 99 pop up in your Facebook feed. Their presence on social media is growing. So, who is Signal 99? What is their mission? I reached out to the page admin and asked if they’d be willing to answer those questions and others. They said yes.
My contact was an individual who goes by Itsa Krakken. After a brief phone conversation, I submitted questions via email. Here is what they had to say:
What inspired you to create Signal 99, and what would you say is the primary mission or purpose of the page?
We, (collectively,) were tired of not having a voice within the media. We were tired of Officers not having a voice at all…so we took a page that was originally intended to poke fun at the current Sheriff, and instead, turned it into a page where First Responders can submit issues or concerns without fear of retribution. “Signal 99” means “Trouble at the Station.”
Signal 99 is an old code that is rooted within the Hamilton County Law Enforcement Community.
You described Signal 99 as a collective. Can you share more about the scope of your group (e.g., law enforcement, fire departments, city officials, chiefs, council members, mayors, or the prosecutor’s office)?
Signal 99 is a collaboration of active and retired law enforcement officers, firefighters, prosecutors, Judges, bailiffs, attorneys, clerks, dispatchers and paramedics. We can’t be any more specific, as many of these individuals are currently working within those roles.
You mentioned that many of your readers are police officers who avoid liking or commenting on the page to stay out of trouble. Would you be willing to share a screenshot of your metrics to help illustrate the actual reach of Signal 99, beyond what the visible likes might suggest?
While Signal 99 operates as a collective, you (Itsa Kraken) appear to play a central role in collecting and curating information. Can you tell me more about your background, including your experience, training, or investigative skills, and how they contribute to the success and credibility of the page?
I’ve worn many hats over the years. Investigations, Interviews/Interrogations, fraud, gang diversion, EMS, Dispatching…I’ve also taught Field Interrogation for street cops and consulted with many agencies around the Country.
Can you explain your process when someone in the law enforcement community, such as a whistleblower, comes to you with information or a grievance? How do you decide whether to investigate or use the information to go after the subject publicly?
Never take anything at face value. Blowing someone up on our page means that we took the time to research the assertion presented to us, did some digging or investigation—which might include Public Records Requests or FOIA requests, verified the submissions we received as legitimate and then “door-up” with individuals that may be able to shed some light on the what’s going on behind the scenes. Integrity is everything…so due diligence is a must. We constantly get submissions that are petty in nature, they get zero attention from us. So yeah, we wade through a lot of submissions that we ignore. We also receive a lot of sensitive information that we literally have to sit on for days, weeks, and even months, because we either can’t release the info and burn a source—or we simply can’t verify the information provided.
What typically leads to someone being “put on blast” by Signal 99? How do individuals or organizations come under your scrutiny?
We have many, many members of Command Staff within most agencies. We have even more first responders. There really isn’t an agency that we’re not plugged into somehow. Most Chiefs would prefer a phone call and a heads-up, as opposed to reading about themselves, or their Command Staff or Officers on our page. I’m in no way implying that Chiefs love hearing from me…although many of them do. So if something can be done to fix an issue before it gets really bad, we’re all about that. If they don’t want or appreciate a shot across the bow from us, that’s fine…but they should expect the fallout that potentially comes from ignoring serious issues within their agencies, then of course the audacity of ignoring us.
Some might view your posts as inflammatory, offensive, or even counterproductive. How would you respond to those criticisms?
That’s simple…if you’re offended, or just put-off by our content, there are bazillions of other pages that they can go follow. We aren’t for everyone, that’s for sure. We also collectively agree that those people offended by our page should go fornicate not only themselves—but the horses that they rode in on.
In your opinion, how effective are your efforts in achieving the goals of Signal 99? What kind of impact do you believe the page has on the community or those it addresses?
Not to flex or anything…but we feel we’ve been very effective in giving first responders a voice in a climate that works so hard to silence them. We make them laugh, we make them think, we encourage them to seek help emotionally when they need it, we help many of them leave toxic environments to work where they are appreciated. There are a LOT of great Chiefs/Sheriffs in Hamilton, Clermont and Butler Counties. We try to send people to those who have shown exemplary leadership. (Not Including the Sheriff of Hamilton County though, because she blow goats.) (probably.) So yes, we believe most of our efforts are successful. There is a lot we do behind the scenes that is never published—and that’s okay too.
Have there been any significant success stories or notable outcomes that have resulted from the efforts of Signal 99?
We have had bad leaders, as well as bad cops demoted, fired, shamed from the Law Enforcement Community…we have destroyed the credibility of citizens making false claims…we have shed a lot of light on the shady shit going on in our own court systems…we’ve got a long way to go but we have integrity and THAT means everything to a little, bitty page like ours.
Do you have any regrets about the content you’ve shared or the way you’ve handled certain situations through Signal 99?
Meh, We probably should have redacted the names of the top earning CFD Firefighters in 2024. It ruffled a lot of feathers, which wasn’t our intent. Firefighters are so sensitive! (Just joking, please don’t let my house burn down .)
As crime continues to be a growing concern in society, do you believe the role of Signal 99 will become even more important? If so, how do you see your role evolving in response to these changes?
We will continue to be the voice of those who can’t speak for themselves. We will continue to support those whose complements have been gutted in some bullshit, liberal attempt to defund or abolish the police. We will always tell the truth to the very best of our abilities and we literally cannot be intimidated.
What do you most want people to pay attention to through Signal 99? What issue or cause do you consider the most important or urgent right now?
For us, the most important cause is the safety of our first responders. We’re not talking about equipment—we’re talking about emotional wellness and support, or having enough men/women on the shift to ensure you come home safely, or reminding them over and over to forget about the bs policies, or the recording cellphones, BWC’s, Cruiser Cams, or potential witnesses that hate cops—you don’t dare hesitate because you’re worried you could get sued, or hauled in front of the Citizens Complaint Authority—or worse, be charged by your own Left-Wing, Cop-Hating Prosecutor, then convicted by that same type of Judge or Jury. Screw them—you come home safe no matter what and we’ll be there to help you deal with the fallout later.
It’s a spicy time to be a cop…but they need to know that SOMEONE has their back and will help with all of the other bs, as long as they are good cops that make it home safely at the end of their shift. The same holds true for all first responders.
What can people do to support the mission of Signal 99 or contribute to the causes you highlight?
Vote! Elections have consequences! Speak up against the cop-hating, internet trolls that try to bully first responders. Visit the page, share what you like. Ask questions! Keep us on our toes…we’re human just like the rest of you. Sometimes we get it wrong—but when we do? We own it.
Signal 99 appears to have an openly conservative lean. Do you also have contributors or supporters with more liberal viewpoints? Have political differences ever caused tension within the group, or do members generally set those aside to work toward common goals? Or would you consider this strictly a conservative effort?
We tried having somewhat of a “balance,” so to speak…and it didn’t work out at all. We do have a few staunch, “middle of the road” contributors that are very good about championing both sides for consideration. We have quite a few Democrats that aren’t hard-liberals, that are strongly aligned with what we believe are the core principles we work around. Faith, Family, Country, First Responders, Integrity, Truthfulness. You get the picture.
We are happy to have differing opinions as long as they aren’t hateful and can debate with the some semblance of logic and critical thinking.
Does Signal 99 have a presence outside of Facebook, either on another platform or other space?
We recently took to TikTok and X. Haven’t posted much on X as of yet, because someone tried to hack our X account and it’s been suspended, pending proof to X that it’s us. I believe they just unsuspended us.
The arrival of Signal 99 marks a shift in how law enforcement voices its concerns and engages with the public. Critics will have plenty to say, but love them or hate them, the group is the inevitable response to a world where social media drives the conversation. As the FOP struggled to keep pace with a fast-moving, unforgiving, and deeply polarized landscape, Signal 99 stepped in to fill the void. It is unfiltered, unapologetic, and perhaps, angry. Whether it serves as a necessary counterweight to poor leadership and anti-police sentiment or simply another symptom of growing division is up for debate.
But one thing is clear: the conversation around policing has changed, and there may be no going back. With nearly 700,000 monthly views and growing, Signal 99 has proven it is not just another voice screaming into the void. It is a growing presence with the power to influence both public opinion and those in charge.
Before you go…
Did you enjoy this story? Beechmont Stories is an independent, ad-free blog that lets me share stories like this without answering to anyone but the community. By staying free of ads, I can keep my good-faith journalism authentic and focused on the people and places that matter most. If you’d like to support this ongoing adventure and independent, local voices like mine, consider making a donation to my Givebutter page. Every contribution helps keep Beechmont Stories alive and thriving. Thank you for being part of this journey!
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