Law enforcement officers are ordinary people called to do extraordinary things at times. They are human beings who are not immune to experiencing a range of emotions that can come due to the nature of this profession. On this episode of the Blue View, National FOP President Patrick Yoes sits down with National FOP Chaplain Rick Snyder and Dr. Chris Holland to discuss how faith and resiliency can go hand-in-hand with a law enforcement officers overall wellness – especially at such a difficult...

Representatives Garret N. Graves (R-LA) and Abigail D. Spanberger (D-VA) are united in an effort to use a House procedure known as a discharge petition to force a vote on H.R. 82, the “Social Security Fairness Act.” A discharge petition is a legislative mechanism to move legislation directly to the floor provided the petition—an actual document–is physically signed by 218 Members of the House. Members can begin signing this petition on 10 September—one day after the House returns to...

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 Social Security. On this episode of the Blue View Podcast, National FOP President Patrick...

The Federal Communications Commission is an independent Federal agency overseen by Congress that regulates interstate and international communications by radio, TV, wire, satellite, and cable throughout the United States. The five-member commission is responsible for implementing and enforcing communications law and regulation. Communications are vital to law enforcement—without reliable and interoperable communications systems, officer safety and the safety of the public is compromised. The...

In recent years, tensions between law enforcement and certain segments of the community have escalated. There have been calls to defund the police and efforts to reimagine police interactions with the public. One local high school student experienced this tension up close. That inspired him to take action and speak out. Two years ago, Jasur Talipov launched the Trust The Badge Podcast to foster trust between the community and law enforcement. He has recorded around 20 episodes featuring...

On this episode of the Blue View, National President Patrick Yoes sits down with Steven Dettelbach, Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Director Dettelbach has served as Director since 2022, and in over his 30 year career has been involved in investigating nearly every type of criminal organization. Before becoming Director, Steve served as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, where he managed high level criminal litigations and complex civil...

This past March, for the first time, the nation’s oldest and largest organization of law enforcement officers—the Fraternal Order of Police—joined forces with the nation’s oldest and largest union of professional firefighters—the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF). Rank-and-file law enforcement officers and firefighters traveled together to our Nation’s capital to highlight the important issues facing our public safety organizations. They shared with Congress the challenges 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. On this episode of the Blue View, National President Patrick Yoes sits down with Glenda Lehmann, President of the National FOP Auxiliary Board. We’re also joined by Matt Hagen, who Chairs the Memorial...

In 1997, Florham Park (NJ) Police Officer Patrick Montuore had a simple idea: organize a four-day bicycle ride from New Jersey to Washington, DC to raise public awareness about law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty, and to ensure that their sacrifice is never forgotten. With that, the Police Unity Tour was formed. What started with 18 riders on a four day fund-raising bicycle ride from Florham Park, NJ to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C....

What does it say about when its capital is one of most dangerous cities? Washington, DC is experiencing a crime crisis like no other. A couple years back, the D.C. City Council passed a dangerous bill that would have 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. What has happened since should alarm all Americans. On this episode of...

Last year, over 330 police officers were shot in the line of duty. With the COVID-19 pandemic behind us and after so many Americans have seen the tragic consequences of the defund the police movement, it was our hope that these numbers would be a high-water mark. We were wrong. Instead, 378 officers were shot in the line of duty in 2023, the highest number the FOP has ever recorded. Thankfully, because of dramatic improvements in medical trauma science and anti-ballistic technology, the...

Founded in 1984, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is dedicated to honoring the fallen, telling the story of American Law Enforcement and making it safer for those who serve. The Memorial’s walls are filled with the names of law enforcement heroes who, while not always household names, played important roles in U.S. history nonetheless. On this episode of the Blue View Podcast, National President Patrick Yoes is joined by Bill Alexander, who recently became the CEO of the...

Law enforcement officers across America are looking to elected officials to step up and Back The Blue. On this episode of the Blue View Podcast, National President Patrick Yoes is joined by Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina. Senator Tillis has been a champion for local, State, and Federal law enforcement and has been a national leader in advancing legislation to ensure they have the tools, resources, and support they need to protect the public and stay safe while in the line of duty. He...

On this episode of the Blue View Podcast, National President Patrick Yoes is joined by National FOP Chaplain, Rick Snyder, as well as Shannon Nordyke and Crystal Mai Purdy-Newland for an in-depth, conversation about why it is so important to plan. The Dignity Memorial Public Servants Program offers no-cost tributes for career and volunteer law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency services personnel who fall in the line of duty. In addition to providing funeral, cremation and...

The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) is the component of the U.S. Department of Justice responsible for advancing the practice of community policing by the nation's State, local, territorial, and tribal law enforcement agencies through information and grant resources. The work of the COPS Office is vital to State and local law enforcement agencies and, by extension, to the safety of our communities. The COPS Office is the cornerstone of our national policing...

Fairness is a concept that our society treasures and something that we, as law enforcement officers, value highly.  On this episode of the Blue View, National FOP President Patrick Yoes sits down Representatives Garret N. Graves (R-LA) and Abigail A. Spanberger (D-VA) to discuss the negative impact the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) are having on America's public employees.  The WEP and GPO provisions do not eliminate a windfall for workers. It is a...

In an era where technology and public safety intersect, we find ourselves at a crossroads of unprecedented challenges and transformative opportunities. Axon is one of those companies that stands as a beacon of innovation and progress. With a comprehensive suite of public safety solutions, Axon is at the forefront of bridging the gap between law enforcement and the communities they serve.  On this episode of the Blue View, National FOP President Patrick Yoes engages in a thought-provoking...

While the stresses are relentless, cops are supposed to be “tough.” The perceived stigma surrounding mental health problems keeps many officers from seeking the help they need. As we face a rash of law enforcement suicides, it is time that we recognize the psychological toll of wearing the badge and honor the sacrifices of those officers who take their own lives. On this episode of the Blue View, National FOP President Patrick Yoes sits down with Dr. Serena Liebengood, a physician and suicide...

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 Hutchins is a human and civil rights leader, professional speaker, and a friend to the FOP. He has led...

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 recognition of his many achievements, the law firm changed its name from Crabbe, Brown, Jones, Potts...

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 integrity to do a very difficult and increasingly dangerous job. There are many professions that...

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 past offenses. A few years later, a suspect pulled the trigger at point blank range, and by the...

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 can we have so many encounters captured in the past 10 years on video and the public still remain...

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 Podcast, National President Patrick Yoes sits down with Representative Bill Pascrell who currently...