Blue View by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP)

Law enforcement officers and other emergency responders often themselves in harm’s way to protect the public and ensure the safety of the innocent. Too often these heroes are called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice. 

On this episode of the Blue View, National FOP President Patrick Yoes sits down with a remarkable young man, Zechariah Cartledge, the founder of Running 4 Heroes. Joining them is Chad Cartledge, Zechariah's father and CEO of Running 4 Heroes. Zechariah has always had a passion for running. He also has a deep respect for law enforcement officers and other emergency responders. At the age of 7, Zechariah began competing in various 5k events around the community. It was at this point Zechariah decided to combine these passions to help raise funds to support the families that lost a hero.

00:00 – Intro

00:40 – About Zechariah and Chad Cartledge

03:22 – The Inspiration for the Foundation

07:52 – Chad’s Perspective

10:40 – The Foundation’s Future

13:38 – What’s Next for Zechariah

17:45 – Finals Thoughts

Working in law enforcement, where officers show up and suit up every day to serve their communities, can be a stressful job. Some studies show that the average officer experiences more traumatic events in 6 months than the average person does in a lifetime. Fortunately, over the past few years, the profession has made great strides in emphasizing the importance of officer wellness and mental health.

On this episode of the Blue View, National FOP President Patrick Yoes sits down with Sherri Martin, National Director of Wellness Services here at the FOP. Our Division of Wellness Services provides a variety of resources to FOP members, including education, connections to culturally competent wellness practitioners, and guidance in all matters related to staying healthy and productive.

00:00 – Intro

00:40 – About Sherri Martin

05:10 – Sherri’s Passion for Wellness

08:36 – The FOP’s Role

17:40 – Wellness Summit

21:55 – The Future of FOP Wellness

26:06 – What Do the Vetted Programs Look Like?

31:10 – Final Thoughts

The United States is experiencing a real crisis with the level of violence directed at our law enforcement officers. It's unlike anything we've seen in the past 30 years.

We’ve seen more than 300 law enforcement officers shot in the line of duty this year and we’re on pace with last year, which saw the highest number of officers shot since the FOP started recording it. To make matters worse, across the country we're seeing rogue prosecutors who are refusing to prosecute violent, repeat offenders.

On this episode of the Blue View Podcast, National FOP President Patrick Yoes sits down with Indianapolis FOP President Rick Snyder to discuss the rise in violence against law enforcement and what is fueling the crime crisis we’re seeing in cities across America.

00:00 – Intro

00:32 – About Rick Snyder

01:35 – Dangerous Times For Law Enforcement

04:50 – The Revolving Door In Indianapolis

10:08 – A Broken System

21:25 – Standing With Officers

26:20 – Police Are Not The Problem

32:35 – Officer Suicides

35:25 – Final Thoughts

The Social Security Fairness Act is the number one legislative priority for the FOP. Because of current Social Security law, millions of retired police officers, firefighters, teachers, and other government employees face as much as a 60% cut to their Social Security benefits. The FOP has been fighting for decades to repeal the WEP and GPO, the two provisions that unfairly target so many Americans who had dedicated their careers to public service.

On this episode of the Blue View, National FOP President Patrick Yoes sits down with Congressman Garrett Graves, who has represented Louisiana’s 6th Congressional District in Congress since 2015. As a member of Congress, Congressman Graves has been an outspoken advocate for WEP and GPO repeal and a leader on the issue.

00:00 – Intro

00:55 – About Garret Graves

01:55 – The WEP and GPO

07:45 – Behind the Legislative Process

12:05 – Discharge Petition and WEP Alternatives

14:55 – Chances in the Senate

17:30 – How Spouses are Impacted

20:05 – Law Enforcement and the Lame Duck Congress

25:20 – Final Thoughts

In life, it’s often important to understand and empathize with those who you may have disagreements with. Within law enforcement, this lack of understanding can have life or death consequences.

On this episode of the Blue View, National FOP President Patrick Yoes sits down with Jason Lehman, Founder and Executive Director of Why’d You Stop Me (WYSM). His organization, rather uniquely, gives speaking presentations to both law enforcement agencies and within the schools and communities that these agencies protect and serve. By focusing on trust, respect, and transparency, Why’d You Stop Me aims to bridge any divides between these two groups.

National FOP President Patrick Yoes and WYSM Founder Jason Lehman discuss the ways in which officer wellness has changed in years since Jason first joined the force. Jason shares a particular incident that led him to develop the "Twelve Tools."

00:00 – Intro

00:46 – About Jason Lehman

03:15 – How Officer Wellness has Changed

10:15 – Tearing Down Walls

17:20 – The Twelve Tools

30:20 – Other Initiatives and Programs

39:25 – Jason’s Proudest Moment

44:18 – Final Thoughts

Domestic violent extremism has become one of the biggest threats to law enforcement and members of the public. In the past few years, individuals affiliated with anti-government and white supremacist groups have attacked houses of worship, grocery stores, demonstrations, and even law enforcement officers themselves. As a result, combating domestic violent extremism is a priority for law enforcement at every level across the country.

On this episode of the Blue View, National FOP President Patrick Yoes sits down with John Cohen, who most recently served as the Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Assistant Secretary for Counterterrorism and Threat Prevention at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the top counterterrorism official in the country.

John has over three decades of experience in law enforcement, counterintelligence, and homeland security, and has held numerous high-ranking government positions over his career. He has studied mass casualty attacks and is currently studying the impact of internet-based communications technologies on crime and homeland/national security.

In Part 2 of their conversation, National President Patrick Yoes and John Cohen discuss encryption and “going dark," the importance of relationships between Federal, State, and local law enforcement, and what makes task forces so valuable.

Domestic violent extremism has become one of the biggest threats to law enforcement and members of the public. In the past few years, individuals affiliated with anti-government and white supremacist groups have attacked houses of worship, grocery stores, demonstrations, and even law enforcement officers themselves. As a result, combating domestic violent extremism is a priority for law enforcement at every level across the country.

On this episode of the Blue View, National FOP President Patrick Yoes sits down with John Cohen, who most recently served as the Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Assistant Secretary for Counterterrorism and Threat Prevention at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the top counterterrorism official in the country.

John has over three decades of experience in law enforcement, counterintelligence, and homeland security, and has held numerous high-ranking government positions over his career. He has studied mass casualty attacks and is currently studying the impact of internet-based communications technologies on crime and homeland/national security.

In Part 1 of their conversation, National President Patrick Yoes and John Cohen discuss today’s threat environment, the role that social media plays in encouraging ambush attacks on law enforcement officers, how social media complicates the fight against crime, and some things that law enforcement can do better to respond to these challenges.

“Why’d you stop me?” This is one of the most frequently asked questions people have when stopped by the police. There is a violent confrontation between the police and a community member EVERY hour in our country.

This violence often stems from a lack of understanding and mistrust for the police. It is crucial that we educate our future leaders in the community about policing in order to promote positive interactions between community members and the police.

On this episode of the Blue View, National FOP President Patrick Yoes sits down with retired Long Beach Police Department Sgt. Jason Lehman, who's mission it is to reduce violence between peace officers and the community through the training provided by his organization Why'd You Stop Me? (WYSM)

The National FOP endorsed Jason’s training organization, which aims to increase transparency in policing in an effort to eliminate these acts of violence. The organization’s mission is to provide empowerment training to both police officers and the public to improve legitimacy and reduce acts of violence during encounters.

In Part 1 of their conversation, National President Patrick Yoes and WYSM Founder Jason Lehman discuss Jason’s background and the eye-opening encounter that he had in a classroom that led him to found the organization. Later, they discuss the new ways in which policing relationships are formed and Jason’s thoughts on the future of law enforcement.

In Part 2 of their conversation, National President Patrick Yoes and WYSM Founder Jason Lehman discuss the future of law enforcement, and Jason gives some advice to both current law enforcement officers and the communities in which they serve.

“Why’d you stop me?” This is one of the most frequently asked questions people have when stopped by the police. There is a violent confrontation between the police and a community member EVERY hour in our country.

This violence often stems from a lack of understanding and mistrust for the police. It is crucial that we educate our future leaders in the community about policing in order to promote positive interactions between community members and the police.

On this episode of the Blue View, National FOP President Patrick Yoes sits down with retired Long Beach Police Department Sgt. Jason Lehman, who's mission it is to reduce violence between peace officers and the community through the training provided by his organization Why'd You Stop Me? (WYSM)

The National FOP endorsed Jason’s training organization, which aims to increase transparency in policing in an effort to eliminate these acts of violence. The organization’s mission is to provide empowerment training to both police officers and the public to improve legitimacy and reduce acts of violence during encounters.

In Part 1 of their conversation, National President Patrick Yoes and WYSM Founder Jason Lehman discuss Jason’s background and the eye-opening encounter that he had in a classroom that led him to found the organization. Later, they discuss the new ways in which policing relationships are formed and Jason’s thoughts on the future of law enforcement.

00:00 – Intro

00:56 – About Jason Lehman

02:33 – WYSM

13:10 – Relationship-Based Policing

18:18 – The Future of Law Enforcement

September 11th, 2001 is a day that will never be forgotten. On that day, 2,977 Americans were killed in a series of horrific terrorist attacks. Thousands of law enforcement officers and other first responders would die in the ensuing years because of their exposure to toxic substances they faced at ground zero.

The attacks had a profound impact on American law enforcement, from forcing many state and local agencies to shift their priorities to being the catalyst behind the formation of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. 

On this episode of the Blue View, National FOP President Patrick Yoes sits down with Mike Essig, president of the New York State FOP Lodge.

Mike has over 30 years of law enforcement experience and currently serves as a Deputy Sheriff in Rockland County in its Anti-Terrorist Analytical Group.

00:00 – Intro

00:46 – About Mike Essig

04:21 – When the Towers Fell

11:20 – The Years Since

18:52 – There is a Human Toll

25:03 – The New York State FOP Remembers

31:05 – Final Thoughts