Blue View by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP)

Community engagement is a guiding principle that seeks to develop strong ties and relationships in a community between law enforcement and the people they have sworn to protect. On this episode of the Blue View, National FOP President Patrick Yoes welcomes back Reverend Markel Hutchins to discuss the transformative initiative, National Faith & Blue Weekend. A long-time activist, Reverend Hutch...

On this episode of the Blue View, National FOP President Patrick Yoes sits down with the National FOP's General Counsel, Larry James to discuss the myths and the facts about qualified immunity.  Larry James has been at the heart of the Columbus business, legal, civic and political scene for the last 30 years. He is a respected litigator, as well as an advisor to local and national leaders. In reco...

The FOP has always been committed to improving our profession, the working conditions of law enforcement officers and the safety of those we serve through education, legislation, information, community involvement and employee representation. In recent years, the law enforcement profession has been facing a real crisis in our ability to recruit and retain officers with the abilities, character and...

On this episode of the Blue View, National FOP President Patrick Yoes sits down with Representative Pete Stauber. A former law enforcement officer, Congressman Stauber represents Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District. During his tenure as a police officer, Representative Stauber was the victim of two violent gun crimes. In 1995, he was shot in the head while off-duty by a criminal with multiple p...

Body-warm cameras, cellphones, surveillance video—the actions of our law enforcement officers are recorded by multiple cameras every day. Yet, so many times when a video surfaces, the public outcry stems from the fact that the video just looks bad. There’s no dispute that violent encounters, especially when an officer is being attacked and defending themselves, may not look good on video. So how c...

Federal law enforcement officers play a critical role in making sure our nation’s infrastructure, government facilities, and institutions remain safe. As a result, they deserve a fair and secure retirement. Unfortunately, nearly 30,000 Federal law enforcement officers do not receive the same retirement benefits as their other Federal law enforcement colleagues. On this episode of the Blue View Pod...

Fentanyl is the single deadliest drug threat our nation has ever encountered. Just 2 milligrams of it, enough to fit on the tip of a pencil, can be lethal. From large metropolitan areas to rural America, no community is safe from this poison. Across the U.S. we are seeing overdose deaths climb at an alarming rate, especially those caused by the synthetic opioid, fentanyl. According to the CDC, 107...

This year, the topics of de-escalation training, preventative measures, and institutional reconstruction are highly relevant in the world of law enforcement. There is no magical “de-escalation pixie dust” that can be sprinkled on individuals in crisis to calm them down. De-escalation is a desired outcome; it is a result. It is not a specific technique or tactic. De-escalation cannot be measured so...

In a groundbreaking stride towards enhanced welfare for both retired racing greyhounds and former U.S. law enforcement officers, a unique partnership has been established. Forged by Greyhounds Australasia (GA) and Greyhound Racing New South Wales (GRNSW) in tandem with the National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), the agreement promises to carve out a new life for these retired Australian racing d...

Today, thousands of police officers and police families are gathering at the U.S. Capitol to honor our fallen brothers and sisters. The National Fraternal Order of Police is hosting its 42nd Annual Peace Officers' Memorial Service. Each one of those “white chairs” represents a hero that has fallen, and equally as important, heroes who must carry on. Their lives have been forever changed and throug...

On February 20, 2003, Patrolman Jeremy Carruth and PFC David Ezernack , members of the Alexandria Police Department Special Response Team, attempted to arrest a wanted suspect for ambushing an officer a day prior when he fired several shots from an automatic weapon into the officer's patrol car. During the attempt, the suspect opened fire, fatally wounding Patrolman Carruth and PFC Ezernack and wo...

A single memorial service hosted by the National Fraternal Order of Police 41 years ago has turned in to a extraordinary event, attended by thousands, in honor of our nation’s heroes. On May 15, families of fallen peace officers from around the country will head to our nation’s Capital to honor the life of America’s finest who gave their life in the service of others. The sacrifice of these fallen...

A single memorial service hosted by the National Fraternal Order of Police 41 years ago has turned in to a extraordinary event, attended by thousands, in honor of our nation’s heroes. All across America, families of fallen peace officers will head to our nation’s Capital to honor the life of America’s finest who gave their life in the service of others. On 15 May, we’ll gather on the West Front of...

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 wi...

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...

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...

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 hi...

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, Co...

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 pa...

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, dramaticall...

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 communit...

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 man...

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...

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, Z echariah Cartledge , the founder of Running 4 Heroes. Joining them is...

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 healt...