Blue View by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP)

We can measure time, but we cannot measure loss. On 15 May, we’ll gather on the West Front of the Capitol to honor our fallen Brothers and Sisters who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their community. The sacrifice of these fallen officers and their families will never be forgotten. 

In part one of a four part series focused on Police Week, National FOP President Patrick Yoes sits down with Glenda Lehmann, President of the National FOP Auxiliary Board, to discuss the preparations for Police Week 2023 and the National FOP's Annual Peace Officers' Memorial Service, which will be held on May 15 at the U.S. Capitol. Glenda is one of the many volunteers who make this solemn event possible.

It’s no secret that being police officer is a difficult and stressful job. Some studies suggest that officers experience more traumatic events in 6 months than most people experience in a lifetime. Law enforcement and other public safety officers face a 25.6 times higher risk of developing acute stress disorder, PTSD, and other mental health conditions than those in other professions. Sadly, more officers die of suicides every year than are killed by gunfire.

On this episode of the Blue View Podcast, National FOP President Patrick Yoes sits down with Conrad Weaver, an award-winning movie producer who produced the documentary film PTSD 911. The film, which premiered this past November, examines the lives of various first responders and shows the kinds of traumatic events that they experience.

00:00 – Intro

00:43 – About Conrad Weaver

04:37 – PTSD 911 Trailer

06:05 – The Origins of the Documentary

14:50 – What the Film Taught Conrad

17:58 – How the Stigma Has Changed

20:28 – Wellness Programs vs Wellness Culture

26:26 – Improving Officer Wellness

32:36 – Final Thoughts

Baltimore is a cautionary tale of when anti-police rhetoric, activist judges, and rogue prosecutors collide. The “charm city” currently has some of the highest murder and violent crimes rates of any city in the country. However, this hasn’t stopped the brave men and women of the Baltimore Police Department and the Baltimore City School Police Force from suiting up and showing up every day to serve their communities. 

On this episode of the Blue View Podcast, National FOP President Patrick Yoes sits down with Clyde Boatwright, a police sergeant with the Baltimore City School Police Force, its union president, and the President of the Maryland State FOP.

As a former school resource officer, National President Yoes dives into the critical role school resource officers play and discusses with the President Boatwright the need for law enforcement officers in our public schools.

00:00 – Intro

00:43 – About Clyde Boatwright

01:40 – The Atmosphere in Baltimore

05:05 – The Role of the Baltimore City School Police

09:45 – Should We Have Law Enforcement Officers in Schools?

15:25 – How School Resource Officers Curb Crime

19:43 – Lowering the Temperature in Communities

23:22 – Correcting Bad Behavior Early

30:51 – The Recruitment and Retention Crisis

34:30 – Final Thoughts

Officers across the country are paying with their lives for failed justice policies. In December of 2022, a Riverside County Sheriff Deputy was murdered by a lifelong felon with an extensive criminal history dating back to before 2000. This monster was only on the streets because the County Judge allowed him to be free on bail following his most recent conviction for a violent felony, which was his third strike.

On this episode of the Blue View Podcast, National FOP President Patrick Yoes sits down with Bill Young, President of the Riverside Sheriff’s Association (RSA). The RSA, which is one of the newest FOP lodges, represents over 3,500 law enforcement officers.

00:00 – Intro

00:47 – About Bill Young

02:32 – Officers Down

12:38 – The Cost of Failed Justice Policies

22:33 – The Recruitment and Retention Crisis

29:42 – Joining the Largest Law Enforcement Organization in the U.S.

31:52 – Final Thoughts

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The Fraternal Order of Police is the world’s oldest and largest organization of sworn law enforcement officers, with more than 364,000 members in more than 2,200 lodges. We are the voice of those who dedicate their lives to protecting and serving our communities. We are committed to improving the working conditions of law enforcement officers and the safety of those we serve through education, legislation, information, community involvement and employee representation.

Policing in America is facing an existential threat that will take years to overcome. Officers are leaving our profession at an alarming rate while at the same time, fewer candidates are seeking policing as a profession.

On this episode of the Blue View, National FOP President Patrick Yoes sits down with Representative Jim Banks who represents Indiana’s 3rd Congressional District. In the House, Congressman Banks is a member of the Committee on Armed Services, Committee on Education and Labor, and Committee on Veterans Affairs. Previously, he served as a member of the Indiana Senate from 2010 to 2016 taking a temporary leave in 2014 to fulfill his military deployment to Afghanistan.

Equality and fairness are some of America’s most cherished ideals. In current Social Security law, over 2.5 million retired first responders, teachers, and other government employees are financially penalized by provisions of the law, the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset, that slash their benefits solely because they spent part of their careers in jobs that don’t pay into the Social Security System.

On this episode of the Blue View Podcast, National FOP President Patrick Yoes sits down with Representative Abigail Spanberger, who currently represents Virginia’s 7th Congressional district. A former law enforcement officer herself, Congresswoman Spanberger is the lead Democratic sponsor of the FOP’s top legislative priority: the Social Security Fairness Act.

The Social Security Fairness Act, which has been one of the most bipartisan and broadly supported pieces of legislation in the House under both Democratic and Republican control, would fully repeal both the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) in current Social Security law. The bill, which currently has over 150 cosponsors, is a top priority of the FOP.

The WEP affects workers who spent some time in jobs not covered by Social Security and also worked other jobs where they paid Social Security taxes long enough to qualify for retirement benefits. The provision has a disproportionate effect on law enforcement officers who retire earlier than most other public employees and are more likely to begin a second career after they leave law enforcement. Officers in this position are penalized and may have their Social Security benefit reduced by up to sixty percent (60%).

Like the WEP, the Government Pension Offset (GPO) was adopted to shore up the finances of the Social Security trust fund. It offsets the Social Security benefit to which a surviving spouse is entitled by two-thirds of the monthly amount of any government pension that they might receive.

There aren’t many things that people agree on in Washington, D.C. But as our nation’s capital experiences a crime crisis like no other, there is one thing that is bringing people from both sides of the aisle together: a proposal by the D.C. City Council. Despite the Mayor’s veto, the D.C. City Council passed the Revised Criminal Code Act, a dangerous bill that would embolden criminals, dramatically increase crime and violence, and render police officers in the District of Columbia virtually powerless to adequately police the city and keep its residents and visitors safe.

The RCCA eliminates mandatory minimum sentences for all crimes, drastically reduces the maximum penalties for crimes such as carjacking and eliminates accomplice liability for felony murder. Thankfully, for the District of Columbia to pass such a monumental piece of legislation, it requires Congressional Approval. And the Fraternal Order of Police is fighting back.

On this episode of the Blue View Podcast, National FOP President Patrick Yoes sits down with Gregg Pemberton, Chairman of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department Labor Committee.

Gregg represents the more than 3,600 rank-and-file DC MPD officers who go to work every day to serve and protect those in living in our nation’s capital.

Cities, towns, and communities across the country are seeing the failed results of revolving door criminal justice policies. In New York City, 327 criminals accounted for 30% of the city’s 22,000 shoplifting arrests last year. Just this past December in California, a sheriff’s deputy was gunned down by a criminal who, while facing a possible life sentence, had made bail and was out in the community.

On this episode of the Blue View, National FOP President Patrick Yoes sits down with National FOP Vice President Joe Gamaldi to discuss this crime crisis, attacks on officers, the recruitment and retention problem, and more.

Watch This Episode: https://youtu.be/RukkghLhcfw

For years, researchers have said that increased exposure to violent video games have had an enormous impact on our children becoming desensitized to violence. It feels like every day—whether it be on our favorite news program or as we mindlessly scroll through social media—we are constantly seeing graphic footage of heinous crimes: shootings, carjackings, vicious assaults, and even murder.

For many people, the current crime crisis we find ourselves in may feel like a fog. But I assure you, many Americans don’t have the luxury of becoming desensitized, as they live each day in fear of becoming a victim. The crime crisis has had drastic effects on our society. And those suffering the most? Our most vulnerable communities.

On this episode of the Blue View, National FOP President Patrick Yoes sits down with Josh Crawford. Josh is the Director of Criminal Justice Initiatives with the Georgia Center for Opportunity where he leads their public safety and re-entry work. He has testified before local and state legislative committees as well as Federal agencies and a Presidential commission. His work has been featured in the places like the National Review, the Washington Examiner, and Chicago Sun-Times, among other publications around the country.

For law enforcement, the importance of communications systems cannot be overstated. From conducting a search for a missing person in a remote area to trying to keep the peace after a disaster when the grid is down, law enforcement officers respond to all sorts of emergencies where functioning communications are critical. They need systems that are fast, reliable, and expansive.

On this episode of the Blue View, National FOP President Patrick Yoes sits down with Jim Bugel, President of FirstNet, AT&T. Jim has over 25 years of experience in the wireless and wired telecommunications industry and an extensive background in public safety, national security, cybersecurity, and emergency preparedness.

00:00 – Intro

00:50 – About Jim Bugel

03:55 – FirstNet’s Role in Public Safety

07:48 – Responding to a Major Event

11:40 – FirstNet on Your Personal Phone

15:26 – Status of FirstNet Buildout

18:00 – The Future of FirstNet

21:21 – How the System Actually Works

23:23 – Not Just a Network

28:00 – Final Thoughts