Maj. Travis Yates told “Tucker Carlson Tonight” Friday that he is “extremely concerned” for the future of law enforcement amid ongoing backlash following the death of George Floyd and the rise of the “defund the police” movement.
Yates authored “America, We Are Leaving,” which reflected his thoughts regarding the current onslaught of law enforcement in the country. The piece has gone viral reaching more than 2.1 million readers as of Saturday morning. Moreover, it has come on the heels of news organizations simultaneously defaming him by taking prior statements out of context and failing to acknowledge well-respected sources he’s used when speaking as an expert on matters of policing.
“I wouldn’t wish this job on my worst enemy,” Yates wrote. “I would never send anyone I cared about into the hell that this profession has become … I used to talk cops out of leaving the job. Now I’m encouraging them. It’s over, America. You finally did it You aren’t going to have to abolish the police, we won’t be around for it.”
“Officers are afraid to speak out, they are afraid to talk,” Yates told Carlson. “You are only your next call away from being canceled or destroyed, and so officers feel very limited. I think citizens do, too, and we had just as many citizens comment on that article and send us emails.”
Yates speaks the truth as we’ve already seen officers beginning to resign and retire en masse due to the hotbed of race relations, with American law enforcement taking far more heat and criticism than deserved.
Yates told Carlson that he believed morale among law enforcement officers “was really low” following the 2014 shooting of Michael Brown by then-Ferguson, Mo. police officer Darren Wilson, Fox News reported.
“As everybody knows, President Obama’s administration found no evidence of wrongdoing in Ferguson even though the narrative is quite different …,” he said. “We were making a resurgence in recent years and this [George Floyd’s death and the aftermath] has been devastating. This has been Ferguson times 1,000. Every department, every officer you talk to is looking to leave.”
Naturally, it is a difficult choice for many officers. Some have vested years into the profession, and walking away is not a simple process. Others are close to qualifying for a pension, so leaving would be costly. Yet most cops have worked their entire life for the opportunity to offer their skills as a public servant, just to be snake-bitten by leaders who should support them, but don’t.
Police officers do not seek blind allegiance, but moral courage. Sadly, “facts” have become irrelevant while “feelings” and “political agendas” rule the day.
When people bring up institutional racism, they fail to acknowledge that most of the police departments and cities being criticized have been led by “woke” leaders (mayor’s and police chiefs) for years, if not decades. If racism still exists in those organizations, then whose fault is it?
Cops are not fighting accountability. As a matter of fact, you’d be hard pressed to find another profession more accountable and transparent than law enforcement. They are simply asking for reasonable support from the cities, counties and states that hired them. When an isolated incident occurs, like Minneapolis, it is dealt with. However, that is insufficient for radicals.
Think about it for a minute. The mantra has been, “Justice for George.” Although the wheels of justice have been in motion since day one, it’s ultimately insufficient for zealots looking to shout the loudest into the nearest bullhorn. Their goal doesn’t appear to be race relations, but zapping power and the ability of law enforcement to fulfill its’ role in a free society.
Following the George Floyd homicide in Minneapolis, police have seen gross incongruent treatment by a majority of our government leaders. Just over two weeks ago, the left-leaning political class demanded that cops enforce social distancing, masks, and every other new recommendation associated with coronavirus. These same political leaders are now throwing cops under the bus, referring to officers with demeaning adjectives every time a microphone is placed in front of them.
For the few who are bravely supporting law enforcement, we thank you!
During Yates’ interview with Carlson, he talked about some officers seemingly at a crossroads mid-point in their career.
“The officers with 15 years on can’t leave yet,” he said. “I’ve heard from hundreds of people that are discouraged. They love the job, they love the community, they love the people, but all this chaos is wearing them every single day.”
The question was rightly posed, “Who will want to become a police officer?” The answer should alarm the public. However, most people will not understand the consequences until it’s too late.
If servant-warriors shun the profession, we are left with minion applicants who are willing to do the bidding for woke politicians regardless of consequences. We already see this happening in cities that have been under Democrat control for decades. The result is “blind followership” in ways that have undermined civility and order. i.e. Look no further than Chicago, Baltimore, Seattle, Minneapolis and other major cities where the political machine harbors resentment against the servant-warrior style of leadership.
There have been many TV and radio pundits claiming that powerful unions and Police Officer Bill of Rights (POBAR), as they’re codified in different states, have been problematic in getting rid of bad apples. That is simply not true.
First, there are many jurisdictions around the country where officers have no legal protections, and they can be terminated on the spot due to political whims. Sadly, we see this all the time, and it’s an injustice.
One of the assignments during my career included working Internal Affairs investigations. The investigative procedures that governed my role conducting IA’s in California is codified under Government Code Sections 3300-3313. There is nothing in the Government Code (or case law) that protects dirty cops. Just like safeguards are in place for an accused individual during a criminal procedure, a police officer is no less valuable than any member of society. Therefore, the agency is required to “play by the rules” if they desire to fire an officer for allegations of misconduct.
However, whether it’s a criminal investigation or civil proceedings, any process that eliminates due process is ripe for harsh criticism and admonishment when the case reaches court. Yet that is what rabid activists demand when it comes to the police. It’s as if they are sub-human, so civility and due process are out of the question.
Earlier this week, Yates came under fire for remarks he made while being interviewed for a local podcast in Tulsa. During the interview, he cited research from former Harvard University economist Roland Fryer, Heather Mac Donald of the conservative think tank Manhattan Institute and the National Academy of Sciences.
Their research indicates that police have been extremely reserved when using force against blacks. However, his words and their contextual meaning were distorted. As a result, he was intentionally maligned.
Nevertheless, the Tulsa Police Department said Wednesday that the matter had been referred to its Internal Affairs Unit.
Courage has a price, and Yates is currently paying the toll.
Jim McNeff is the managing editor of Law Officer. As a Medal of Valor recipient with more than 30 years of experience in law enforcement and the military, Jim brings experience, insight, and a keen perspective to the issues affecting law enforcement. For nearly a decade, Jim has also served the law enforcement community as a writer and editor following the latest news, facts, and figures concerning law enforcement seven days a week, and 365 days a year. Jim is a retired police lieutenant and served a municipal police department for 28 years. Previously, Jim was a crewmember of the National Emergency Airborne Command Post—a presidential support detail. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from Southwest University, and is a graduate of the esteemed Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute and the Leadership in Police Organizations IACP course of study. Jim is also the author of three police-related books: The Spirit Behind Badge 145, Justice Revealed, and Jurisdiction.
