Courageous Leadership with Travis Yates

Travis Yates
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Courageous Leadership with Dr. Travis Yates Podcast examines what it means to be a Courageous Police Leader. Join us weekly as the concepts of Courageous Leadership are detailed along with interviews with influencers that are committed to leading with courage. You can find out more about Courageous Leadership with Travis Yates at: www.TravisYates.org

  1. 5d ago

    Chaos inside NYPD with Lt. John Macara

    Send us Fan Mail A police officer can be cleared for a shooting in a deadly-force fight, but still face prison for trying to control a suspect without firing a gun. That’s the core contradiction we dig into with retired NYPD Lieutenant John Macara and host of NYPD Unfiltered.  We walk through the NYPD’s staffing and morale spiral: fewer applicants, faster exits, and a “10 is the new 20” mindset that turns a once-proud career into a short stop before the next job. We also talk about how constant body camera review, social media outrage, and leadership-driven risk avoidance change decision-making in real time, and why that pressure cooker is shaping the next wave of retention and officer wellness problems. Then we get specific about NYC Local Law 10181, often branded as a “chokehold” or “diaphragm” law, and why it creates confusion between a true chokehold and a lateral vascular neck restraint (LVNR). John breaks down the Omar Habib case, why the law can be enforced arbitrarily, and how criminalizing practical control tactics can unintentionally increase the likelihood of deadly force incidents. We also discuss who is speaking up, who is staying silent, and why the precedent matters far beyond New York. If you care about police reform that actually improves public safety, use-of-force policy that matches reality, and leadership that protects both communities and officers, you’ll want to hear this one.  Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway: what should the law allow officers to do in a fight for their lives? Our show sponsor, Telegenix, offers a 37% discount on all wellness resources for first responders and their spouses.  Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book Get Weekly Articles by Travis Yates Join Us At Our Website Get Our 'Courageous Leadership' Training Join The Courageous Police Leadership Alliance

  2. Aug 21

    Wellness and Longevity with Dr. Mark Sherwood

    Send us Fan Mail Retiring with a pension is the plan, but what if the system quietly assumes you will not live long enough to enjoy it? I sit down with Dr. Mark Sherwood, a retired police sergeant turned functional medicine leader, to talk about the statistic that should stop every first responder cold: many officers still die around age 66, and the number has barely moved in decades. We get honest about how “wellness” often becomes window dressing while stress, overtime, and burnout keep rising. We dig into what actually changes outcomes: building a baseline with body fat percentage and meaningful blood work, not a quick “normal labs” thumbs-up. Mark explains why normal ranges can be misleading in a population where metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and chronic inflammation have become common. From there, we lay out the controllables you can own right now: movement, sleep, stress management, and nutrient-dense eating. We also break down why crash diets and huge calorie cuts can slow metabolism, strip muscle, and set you up for rebound. Then we tackle two hot-button topics for first responder health and longevity: testosterone and GLP-1 weight loss drugs. We explain why stress-driven cortisol can crush hormones earlier than most people think, why free or bioavailable testosterone matters more than total, and why some clinics get this dangerously wrong. On GLP-1s, we separate responsible use from the real risks: low nutrient density, muscle loss, GI problems, and even insurance labeling that can follow you for years. If you want practical steps, smarter metrics, and a plan built for the realities of shift work and high stress, press play. Subscribe, share this with a coworker who needs it, and leave a review so more first responders can find the path to real health and authentic longevity. Our show sponsor, Telegenix, offers a 37% discount on all wellness resources for first responders and their spouses.  Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book Get Weekly Articles by Travis Yates Join Us At Our Website Get Our 'Courageous Leadership' Training Join The Courageous Police Leadership Alliance

  3. Aug 3

    The Prediction of Violence with Dr. Michael Howell

    Send us Fan Mail We talk with Dr. Michael Howell about earning a PhD and why his dissertation targets a neglected gap in active killer research: how churches train and prepare to stop violence. We connect his findings and his off-duty Costco shooting to real-time threat cues, officer safety, and why unsupported policies can get people hurt. • what it takes to finish a doctoral program and dissertation • why church security training and preparation is under-researched • lessons from an off-duty active killer encounter at Costco • the limits of backward-looking offender profiles for frontline safety • real-time pre-attack indicators and practical intervention options • routine activity theory as a prevention framework for churches • domestic violence spillover and why churches become targets • concerns about mandatory de-escalation for violent subjects • unanswered questions about medication, mental health and violence research • using peer-reviewed measurements to evaluate training results We invite you to join other courageous leaders at TravisYates.org. Our show sponsor, Telegenix, offers a discount on all wellness resources for first responders and their spouses. Our show sponsor, Telegenix, offers a 37% discount on all wellness resources for first responders and their spouses.  Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book Get Weekly Articles by Travis Yates Join Us At Our Website Get Our 'Courageous Leadership' Training Join The Courageous Police Leadership Alliance

  4. Jul 28

    The Leadership Crisis with Chief Scott Hughes

    Send us Fan Mail We sit down with retired Chief Scott Hughes to talk straight about why police morale, culture, recruiting, and training are sliding at the same time and why leadership choices are the common denominator. We also dig into rising assaults on officers, the damage of mandatory overtime, and what honest public communication looks like when an incident goes viral.  We invite you to join other courageous leaders at TravisYates.org Our show sponsor, Telegenix, offers a 37% discount on all wellness resources for first responders and their spouses.  Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book Get Weekly Articles by Travis Yates Join Us At Our Website Get Our 'Courageous Leadership' Training Join The Courageous Police Leadership Alliance

  5. May 26

    When The Blue Line Frays with Deputy Chief Arthur Myers

    Send us Fan Mail Your career and reputation can be taken away from you without a guilty verdict, without a complaint, and without evidence. If you find that shocking, you don't understand the state of law enforcement leadership today and you've never heard of Deputy Chief of Police Arthur Myers. He wrote a book to tell his story called "Tattered: When the Blue Line Frays" and he discusses it with Travis Yates with the emotion of a man they tried to break but they lost.   This conversation goes deeper than cowards coming after a decorated officer. We talk first responder mental health, cumulative trauma and PTSD, self-medication, and the moment Myers realizes he’s checking every box on the warning list. He also shares what helped him survive: specialized counseling, a small circle of friends who refused to walk away, and a faith that didn’t feel pretty at first but became real over time. We close with the hard lesson that forgiveness isn’t for the people who hurt you, it’s for your own healing. If this story hits home, share it with a leader who needs to hear it, subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next, and leave a review to help more people find Courageous Leadership. Our show sponsor, Telegenix, offers a 37% discount on all wellness resources for first responders and their spouses.  Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book Get Weekly Articles by Travis Yates Join Us At Our Website Get Our 'Courageous Leadership' Training Join The Courageous Police Leadership Alliance

  6. May 20

    Law Enforcement Recruiting Solved with Doug Larsen

    Send us Fan Mail In this special episode, we talk with Doug Larsen about why police staffing shortages keep getting worse even when agencies spend big on recruitment marketing.  Doug has spent the last 5 years solving law enforcement recruiting for countless agencies and his raw, authentic truth, is something that every leader must hear. Here are just some of the topics we discussed:  • separating marketing metrics from police recruitment outcomes • why we call it a leadership decision crisis, not a recruiting crisis • Doug’s path from trucking recruiting to building a law enforcement recruiting system • the mindset shift agencies need to make when applicants no longer “just show up” • how small departments can compete with limited budget and limited manpower • the most common internal roadblocks, including HR friction and recruiter skepticism • why automation and applicant tracking systems protect recruiters from being overwhelmed • cutting drop-off by removing account registration and early high-friction steps • re-engaging warm leads over time to convert interest into applications • real examples from departments like Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Cleveland, and Larimer County Watch The Webinar mentioned in the episode Contact Doug Larsen for a free consultation Our show sponsor, Telegenix, offers a 37% discount on all wellness resources for first responders and their spouses.  Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book Get Weekly Articles by Travis Yates Join Us At Our Website Get Our 'Courageous Leadership' Training Join The Courageous Police Leadership Alliance

    Law Enforcement Recruiting Solved with Doug Larsen

  7. May 14

    Leadership, Accreditation & Best Practices with Kevin Rhea

    Send us Fan Mail Accreditation in law enforcement can feel like a four-letter word, especially when you’ve only experienced it as paperwork dumped on patrol. We talk with Kevin Rhea, co-founder and executive director of the National Association for Accreditation Leadership, to make the case that accreditation can be a leadership tool, not a compliance treadmill, when it’s used to build systems that protect officers and earn community trust.  We get practical about what “best practices” actually means, who sets those standards through CALEA and state programs, and why local community expectations still matter. Kevin explains how strong policy is meant to define acceptable behavior and reduce legal exposure, and why inconsistent policy enforcement is where agencies get into trouble. We also discuss the post-2020 policy climate, how DOJ grant incentives can shape use of force decisions, and why optics can drive outcomes even when officers are using trained techniques.  Then we go where most conversations avoid: DOJ pattern and practice investigations and federal consent decrees. Kevin shares what he saw as Phoenix worked through accreditation during an ongoing investigation, and we break down the costly incentives that can keep consent decree monitoring alive for years. We close with why the accreditation manager role deserves to be professionalized, how better report writing and driver training can lower risk and even reduce costs, and where accreditation is headed next, including emerging standards like AI use in policing.  If you want smarter conversations about police leadership, public safety standards, and accountable policing, subscribe, share this with a leader in your agency, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What part of accreditation do you think helps most, and what part needs to change? Our show sponsor, Telegenix, offers a 37% discount on all wellness resources for first responders and their spouses.  Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book Get Weekly Articles by Travis Yates Join Us At Our Website Get Our 'Courageous Leadership' Training Join The Courageous Police Leadership Alliance

  8. Apr 27

    EVOC Training and Leadership with Hugh Anderson

    Send us Fan Mail We talk with longtime EVOC instructor and author Hugh Anderson about why emergency driving remains one of the biggest and most preventable threats to officer and public safety. We dig into what consistent leadership, real-world on-road training, and ongoing requalification look like when an agency takes police driver training seriously.  • why emergency vehicle operations training is underprioritized despite the data  • how leadership changes can build or break EVOC programs  • choosing when to push change versus when to wait  • training officers in real traffic with controlled safeguards  • using dash cam review and commentary driving to build judgment  • treating pursuits as preventable through tactics and policy  • aligning policy, training, and supervision to stop repeat risky behavior  • why Anderson wrote his EVOC book and who it helps  You can purchase Hugh's book here.  We invite you to join other courageous leaders at www.TravisYates.org Our show sponsor, Telegenix, offers a 37% discount on all wellness resources for first responders and their spouses.  Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book Get Weekly Articles by Travis Yates Join Us At Our Website Get Our 'Courageous Leadership' Training Join The Courageous Police Leadership Alliance

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Courageous Leadership with Dr. Travis Yates Podcast examines what it means to be a Courageous Police Leader. Join us weekly as the concepts of Courageous Leadership are detailed along with interviews with influencers that are committed to leading with courage. You can find out more about Courageous Leadership with Travis Yates at: www.TravisYates.org

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