Courageous Leadership with 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.
Recent Episodes
The Leadership Bible with Chief John Blackledge
Send us a text Leadership gets real when the stakes are high and the cameras roll. We sit down with retired deputy chief and author John Blackledge to unpack what it takes to build courageous, effective leaders in policing and beyond—leaders who make the right call even when it costs them. John’s p…
The Legacy of Captain Rudy De Leon
Send us a text 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. …
Why Gratitude Gives Leaders A Head Start
Send us a text 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. • the pull of negativity and how it distorts judgment…
How Artificial Intelligence Can Help Leaders
Send us a text 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. • three tiers of AI use: conve…
The Recruiting Crisis Fixed with Doug Larsen
Send us a text 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 age…
Police Reforms Are Killing Cops
Send us a text 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 202…
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Recent Blog Posts
A New Level Of Police Transparency
In the latest episode of Courageous Leadership, Travis Yates explores the controversial impact of Department of Justice (DOJ) consent decrees on local policing. These federal interventions, designed to address systemic issues within police departmen…
Police Recruiting: A Philosophy Shift
In a rapidly changing world, the recruitment strategies for law enforcement must evolve to meet new challenges and opportunities. In this episode of Courageous Leadership with Travis Yates, Doug Larson, co-founder of Safeguard Recruiting, shares…
How To Fireproof Law Enforcement
In the latest episode of our podcast, we delve deep into the pressing issue of workplace toxicity and its profound effects on both individual careers and organizational cultures. Our guest, Pete Havel, a former lobbyist and political consultant, sha…
About the Host
Travis Yates
Bestselling Author / Keynote Speaker / Leadership Instructor
Dr. Travis Yates, a 30 year veteran of law enforcement, is one of the most prolific writers in law enforcement and one of the most popular speakers in the industry. Over the last two decades his seminars on risk management, officer safety and leadership have been given to thousands of law enforcement professionals across the globe including 45 states. His articles have been read by millions of people and his leadership principles have been adopted by countless law enforcement leaders across the globe.
Travis has been published hundreds of times in various publications including The Daily Caller, Law Officer Magazine and Police One. His expertise in various areas of law enforcement have been featured in media outlets such as Fox News, CNN, ABC, USA Today, Associated Press and many others.
Travis is the author of the best-selling book, “The Courageous Police Leader." He is a widely sought out speaker for law enforcement agencies, schools, businesses and conferences. His seminars range from leadership, tactics, survival, and resiliency.
Travis has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Spanish and a Master of Science Degree Criminal Justice from Northeastern State University. He obtained his Doctorate Degree from Liberty University with a focus on Strategic Leadership. His dissertation research filled a significant gap in research to the law enforcement profession that focused on how communication by leaders affected the overall performance of agencies. Travis is a graduate of the 227th session of the FBI National Academy, the Police Executive Development & Leadership Program and certified trainer for the IACP Leadership in Police Organizations. He has taught university level courses to thousands of students over the last twenty-five years and continues that today. He is a sought-after court expert in various areas including patrol, policy, pursuits, and tactics and has testified on behalf of law enforcement officers in several states.
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