Explore every episode of the podcast Courageous Leadership with Travis Yates
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hiding Behind A Suit and Robe | 04 Mar 2026 | 00:25:35 | |
This is not just the story of Deputy Anthony Gann facing 20 years in prison for following his policy and training, but also about a much darker issue affecting law enforcement across the country. This episode is the opinion of Travis Yates. But it's an opinion you must hear. You can read the accompanying article here. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Citizens Behind The Badge with Craig Floyd | 24 Feb 2026 | 00:31:28 | |
We sit down with Craig Floyd to trace his journey from building the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and Museum to rallying public support through Citizens Behind the Badge. He lays out the data behind crime trends, officer assaults, and why leadership must speak with courage. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| The Legacy of Captain Rudy De Leon | 04 Dec 2025 | 00:40:43 | |
Legacy is a common theme in leadership, but it's rarely seen. In this episode, Dr. Travis Yates explores the legacy of LAPD Captain Rudy De Leon through the lived experience of his granddaughter, Brandi Stansbury-Moody. For more information on Captain De Leon, read our article here. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Attitude Is Everything | 06 Jan 2024 | 00:12:55 | |
This episode is a tribute to the legacy of leadership, a man whose positive attitude was a beacon to those he met. Montie Box was an influential figure, who taught that success in leadership is as much about uplifting others as it is about reaching personal goals. Montie's story is not just his own, it's a testament to the power of attitude and the profound effect one person's outlook can have on the world around them. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Navigating Life Beyond the Badge with Jessica Flores | 01 Jan 2024 | 00:26:59 | |
Imagine hanging up your badge after years of dedicated service, only to face the daunting question: what comes next? Jessica Flores, former law enforcement officer turned mindset mentor and transition coach, joins Travis Yates s to unravel the complexities of reinventing oneself post-service. Her insights offer a beacon of hope for those struggling with the "just a cop" mentality, highlighting the necessity of finding a new purpose that transcends the uniform. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Leading Relentlessly with Stan Partlow | 29 Dec 2023 | 00:43:44 | |
Join Dr. Travis Yates and the insightful Stan Partlow, as we navigate the turbulent seas of police leadership. Stan's lineage in law enforcement paints a vivid backdrop for our candid dialogue on the profession's current predicament, officer retention, and the critical need for commitment within the ranks. Prepare to be challenged and inspired as we dissect the anatomy of leadership, tapping into Stan's wealth of knowledge and his seminal work, "Leading Relentlessly." Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Leadership Lessons from the Elijah McClain Verdict | 27 Dec 2023 | 00:18:25 | |
In this episode, Dr. Travis Yates examines the recent verdict in the Elijah McClain incident and the far-reaching implications to all first responders. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Reforming The Reformers with Mike Brown | 22 Dec 2023 | 00:57:04 | |
This episode of Courageous Leadership with Travis Yates features Mike Brown with Security Training Concepts. Mike is a former police officer, and owner of Security Training Concepts out of Chicago, Illinois. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| The Last Stand with the Phoenix Police Department | 06 Dec 2023 | 00:35:34 | |
DOJ Consent Decrees have been one of the most destructive actions against law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve. While the federal government is Constitutionally prohibited from taking control of local law enforcement, most agencies simply agree to a consent decree without seeing any evidence that it is needed. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Cops Going To Jail For Following Policy | 04 Dec 2023 | 00:18:01 | |
In the days that followed May 25, 2020, major police organizations and thousands of law enforcement officials bought the narrative that that a white, black, and asian police officer murdered George Floyd in broad daylight. Based on a viral video alone and outrage across the globe, those same officials made official statements condemning the officers. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Principled Leadership with Sheriff (ret.) Andy Hughes | 29 Nov 2023 | 00:36:17 | |
Sheriff (ret.) Andy Hughes is a rare phenomenon in law enforcement leadership. His principled based approach to leadership combined with his unwavering faith in God has delivered him to four agencies over the last 30 years, leaving a trail of Courageous Leadership wherever he was. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| The Scam Called 'Recruiting' | 21 Nov 2023 | 00:13:38 | |
Dr. Travis Yates has spoken extensively about the need for law enforcement to actually recruit and those that are taking advantage of the recruitment crisis in the profession. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| The Fall of Minneapolis with Liz Collin | 16 Nov 2023 | 00:29:06 | |
The world changed in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd but what if all of it was a lie? Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Why Gratitude Gives Leaders A Head Start | 26 Nov 2025 | 00:07:08 | |
We share a candid reminder that gratitude is not fluff, it’s a force that makes leadership steadier. By reframing complaints through global perspective and practical habits, we show how leaders gain clarity, courage, and momentum. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| The DOJ Provides Recruiting Standards & They Are Dangerous | 18 Oct 2023 | 00:23:00 | |
In this episode, Dr. Travis Yates expands on the recent Department of Justice recommendations on law enforcement recruiting and how it is designed to further destroy the foundation of policing. This is an episode that every law enforcement professional needs to hear. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Consent Decree: Silence Is Violence | 30 Sep 2023 | 00:26:59 | |
There may be nothing more weak than law enforcement leaders and organizations sitting back and not discussing the damage that Federal Intervention in local law enforcement is causing the profession and the communities that are served. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| The Female 'Double Standard' | 14 Sep 2023 | 00:15:52 | |
In this episode, Dr. Travis Yates discusses the issue of females within the law enforcement profession and the role of leaders to ensure that they are treated fairly in a profession dominated by men. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| The Playbook | 25 Aug 2023 | 00:13:07 | |
Law Enforcement continues to be plagued by poor and ineffective leadership. In today's episode, Dr. Travis Yates explores why this is happening and what each law enforcement professional can do today to reverse this troubling trend. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Leadership from the Stoics with Sgt. Steve Sweeting | 26 May 2023 | 00:36:15 | |
There is nothing new when it comes to leadership and over 200 years ago, a philosophy was set that can give tremendous benefit to law enforcement today. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| The Cowards of Louisville with Sgt. John Mattingly | 18 May 2023 | 00:48:35 | |
There is no greater example of the damage that cowardly leaders can do to a country, community, and the lives of law enforcement then what the Louisville Police Department did to Sergeant John Mattingly (ret.) in the aftermath of the Breonna Taylor death. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Paying The Price For Courageous Leadership with Bobby Ledogar | 11 May 2023 | 00:43:25 | |
There is a high price to be paid for Courageous Leadership. Dr. Travis Yates is joined in this week's episode with Supervisory Deputy United States Marshal (ret.) Bobby Ledogar. In 2015, Bobby was stationed in the warrant task force on Long Island. He had appointed Dawn Mahoney, the sole female, to the task force previously and launched an investigation after Mahoney alleged that she was being harassed by other members of the unit. As the leader responsible for the unit, Ledogar requested an investigation. Shortly after, Bobby experienced various forms of retaliation including multiple internal affairs investigations and was eventually fired. Bobby continues to fight for what is right and his story is a price paid for leading with courage. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Neck Restraint Training & Safety with Joe Mech | 04 May 2023 | 00:30:08 | |
Dr. Travis Yates continues the discussion of law enforcement leadership making decisions based on emotions and feelings rather than actual facts. There may not be a better example than law enforcement organizations and police leadership banning the vascular neck restraints or moving this proven safe and effective technique to deadly force. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| A Life Changed Through Courageous Leadership with Tommy Maynard | 17 Apr 2023 | 00:53:34 | |
In this episode, Dr. Travis Yates speaks to former gang member Tommy Maynard who credits a series of encounters with law enforcement leaders for a life that he never thought he would have. Tommy went from a life of crime to helping others as a forensic expert with a specialty in mental illness. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Why Courageous Police Leadership | 13 Apr 2023 | 00:23:48 | |
If you have just found us or observed our principles, you may be wondering what exactly is Courageous Police Leadership and why are we promoting it. In this episode, Dr. Travis Yates discusses the early days of the seminar, the book, and what is coming to the program and philosophy of Courageous Police Leadership. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| How Artificial Intelligence Can Help Leaders | 18 Nov 2025 | 00:39:57 | |
We explore how AI can strengthen or weaken policing, why prompts and ethics matter, and where automation crosses the line from helpful to harmful. We share practical steps leaders can use today and warn against replacing human judgment with black boxes. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Abolishing Police Without Saying Abolishing Police | 10 Apr 2023 | 00:19:37 | |
"If you make a job impossible, good luck finding anyone willing to fo the job." Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| The 'Apathetic' Leader | 09 Apr 2023 | 00:18:43 | |
It is Easter Weekend and this edition of the Courageous Police Leadership Podcast discusses the dangers that apathetic leadership has caused in the law enforcement profession. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Dealing With Cowardly Leaders featuring Lt. Bob Kroll | 06 Apr 2023 | 00:35:28 | |
There may not be a better example of Courageous Police Leadership than Minneapolis Lt. (ret.) Bob Kroll. Over three decades, Lt. Kroll policed, supervised, and managed within the Minneapolis Police Department and spent his last six years as the President of their Police Union. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| The 'Self-Aware' Leader | 04 Apr 2023 | 00:19:25 | |
One of the most dangerous aspects of leadership is not being self aware. It is vital for any leader to ensure that they have built an environment that forces them to be self aware of how their decisions are impacting those around them. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Leadership Is Not Rank: Why Are We Training That Way? | 30 Mar 2023 | 00:26:00 | |
In this episode, Travis Yates breaks down his recent seminar in Arizona and questions why agencies and leadership philosophies segregate ranks. The "Us versus Them" model of leadership training is not working in the law enforcement profession and it is time that it all changes. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Are The Nashville Police Officers Heroes? | 30 Mar 2023 | 00:13:04 | |
Following the tragedy at a Nashville Private School, the responding Nashville Police Officers are getting praise for their action. Indeed, their actions that stopped evil that day, were indeed heroic but as Travis Yates discusses, that is not unique to the law enforcement profession. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Are College Educated Cops Better? | 28 Mar 2023 | 00:27:23 | |
In this episode, Travis Yates discusses the issue of what higher education can do for law enforcement. Various studies indicate that a college educated police officer is preferred but should that really be the metric to a professional police officer? Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| The 'Neck Restraint' Lie and How It Affects Law Enforcement | 11 Mar 2023 | 00:27:32 | |
Vascular Neck Restraints (VNR's) have not caused an in-custody death or serious injury in the past 50 years. Yet, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) considers it to be deadly force. Despite this contradiction of facts, the DOJ has recently used this IACP recommendation as part of the consent decree with the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department, which hasn't helped with any positive outcomes. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| The Danger of Consent Decrees with Bob Scales | 10 Mar 2023 | 00:52:18 | |
Consent Decrees, imposed by the Department of Justice, have been ruining police agencies and communities for 30 years but leaders continue to voluntarily enter them without seemingly understanding the immediate danger they pose to the future of their agency and the community. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| The IACP, Politics and Activism with Chief Scott Hughes | 07 Mar 2023 | 00:51:43 | |
In this episode of the Courageous Leadership Podcast, Travis speaks to Chief Scott Hughes about the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and whether law enforcement leaders should trust professional organizations completely to steer their agencies. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| The Recruiting Crisis Fixed with Doug Larsen | 13 Nov 2025 | 00:33:18 | |
We unpack why policing doesn’t have a talent shortage as much as a process problem and show how a recruiting-first strategy beats marketing spend. Doug Larsen of SAFEGUARD Recruiting shares sourcing tactics, mobile-first communication strategies, and real-world results from major agencies. REach out to Doug Larsen: safeguardrecruiting.com Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Going Woke To Destroy The Law Enforcement Profession | 04 Mar 2023 | 00:26:42 | |
The most recent bad idea by cowardly leaders is to lower hiring standards for law enforcement. Travis Yates details the future of policing and the communities they serve if this continues and how Courageous Leaders can fight back on one of the most dangerous ideas that could ever come to the profession. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Courageous Leadership In Action with Chief Mike Koval | 28 Feb 2023 | 00:36:43 | |
Courageous Leaders are like unicorns. They are very rare but when you see one, it is amazing. While Madison Police Chief (ret.) Mike Koval is no unicorn, his leadership principles are a Master Class on what Courageous Police Leadership is. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Stop The Blame | 25 Feb 2023 | 00:27:22 | |
Law Enforcement Leaders continue to blame everyone else for the problems in the profession. Whether it is recruiting, retention or crime rates, the blame being cast on politicians, activists or the defund the police movement simply gives cowardly leaders the excuse needed to continue their destruction of the profession. Travis Yates places the blame squarely on those within the profession and details exactly what choosing courage will do for the fine men and women behind the badge. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Courageous Leadership Roundtable with Brian Surber | 23 Feb 2023 | 01:05:35 | |
This episode of "Courageous Leadership with Travis Yates" features Brian Surber in a special Roundtable Discussion of various topics of the day. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Politics of Policing with Daniel Carr | 14 Feb 2023 | 00:43:28 | |
In this episode, Travis Yates breaks down the major issues that agencies are getting wrong in law enforcement recruiting and offers actionable solutions to the recruiting crisis facing American Law Enforcement. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Law Enforcement Wellness with Scott Medlin | 07 Feb 2023 | 00:50:01 | |
In this episode, Travis Yates discusses the importance of leaders and how they ensure that their followers remain healthy. According to Yates, leaders must begin to see their officers as athletes; an incredible resource and high value commodity for the agency and the community that they serve. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Courageous Nobility with Sgt. Jeff Daukas | 31 Jan 2023 | 00:45:35 | |
A core principle of Courageous Leadership is "Courageous Nobility." Without it, nothing else in leadership will matter and today this is exactly what the law enforcement needs. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Leadership In The Aftermath of Memphis | 30 Jan 2023 | 00:14:53 | |
In this episode, Travis Yates breaks down the incident in Memphis and what has been missing in all the conversations about this horrific event. "If one of those officers was a leader, that never happens and that is exactly what every chief or sheriff should be asking themselves today. Maybe they’ve done the duty to intervene training or any of the other check box things we are told to do and I don’t mind that bt no training program can take the place of leadership. If they have not fostered a culture of leadership in their agency…a philosophy that everyone with a badge has the duty of a leader, then they aren’t addressing the right issues. It is that simple. Everything good and everything bad is because of leadership." Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Law Enforcement Recruiting with Doug Larsen | 26 Jan 2023 | 00:44:06 | |
Law Enforcement Recruiting is in the middle of a crisis. If leaders don't change direction and embrace new concepts, the profession will die a slow and painful death. It is up to Courageous Leaders to fight the status quo and fix recruitment now. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| The Thin Blue Line | 20 Jan 2023 | 00:23:54 | |
There may be no other issue that exposes cowardly leaders than the issue of the 'Thin Blue Line' Flag. In this episode, Travis Yates discusses why this issue should be a seminal moment in law enforcement leadership and why those in the profession should be concerned with any leader that is unable to defend a symbol marked with over 100 years of tradition and honor. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Police Reforms Are Killing Cops | 30 Oct 2025 | 00:23:39 | |
A quiet surge in officer assaults is happening right under our noses, and most leaders aren’t talking about it. We dig into the policies, the pressure, and the missed accountability that turned a wave of “reform” into a spike in risk—even as violent crime trends downward from its 2020 peak. Subscribe and share this episode with a colleague who needs to hear it. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Media Propaganda and Law Enforcement with Dr. Chaix | 13 Jan 2023 | 00:55:28 | |
There may not be a bigger enemy for the law enforcement profession than the corporate news media. Law Enforcement Leaders have traditionally been unwilling or incapable of responding to the daily threats that the media provides. In this episode, Dr. JC Chaix discusses the tactics that are being used against law enforcement and how leaders should be dealing with this formidable foe. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Next Phase Leadership with Jeff Morefield | 01 Oct 2025 | 00:29:10 | |
We speak with 26-year law enforcement veteran Jeff Moorefield about building a real off-ramp for first responders and why transition planning must start on day one. We dig into identity, health, finances, and practical steps that translate police skills into private sector roles. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||
| Charlie Kirk, Assassination Culture, & Political Supremacists | 13 Sep 2025 | 00:28:31 | |
We have a political supremacist problem in America where certain ideologies believe their viewpoint is so morally correct that violence becomes an acceptable response to their opponents. Join Our Tribe of Courageous Leaders: Get The Book | |||