The Courageous Police Leader: A Survival Guide for Combating Cowards, Chaos, and Lies

by Travis Yates, Stacy Ettel (Foreword)

In this groundbreaking book, "The Courageous Police Leader: A Survival Guide for Combating Cowards, Chaos & Lies," Major Travis Yates tears down the walls separating law enforcement and the community and exposes the dirt that keeps law enforcement from excelling to greatness and that continues to give the criminal element the winning hand. With almost three decades of leadership experience in a major law enforcement agency and a current Commander, Yates dissects the ills within and outside the profession in a way you have never heard. Through his detailed research, impeccable story telling and personal experiences, Yates will expose the cowards, reveal the lies and show you how to navigate the chaos that often occurs when cowardly leaders refuse to stand up for the good and decent heroes that wear the badge. This book will not only show you what cowardly leadership can do to law enforcement and their community but also the greatness of what Courageous Police Leadership can achieve. Drawing from the ancient wisdom of Sun Tzu's Art of War, Yates gives targeted and specific advice on how to combat the enemies of law enforcement in a format and style that has never been achieved before. Topics that must be met with courage and explained include training, community policing, race relations, policy, the delusion of demographic parity, social justice "warriors", and how to deal with politics within the profession. Sheriff Jesse Watts says that "every leader needs this book" and Lt. Jim McNeff recommends "The Courageous Police Leader" for it's "sage wisdom" that will "stand the test of time."Whether you are in law enforcement, in business or a citizen that craves to know how law enforcement can better serve you, this book is for you.Find out what others are saying about "The Courageous Police Leader" and how you can play your part in achieving greatness at: www.StopCowards.com.

272 pages, Paperback

Published July 4, 2019

About the author

Travis Yates is a commander with a large municipal police department and is none of the most prolific authors in law enforcement. The recipient of the International Trainer of the Year, Yates is a sought out trainer and consultant in leadership and risk management principles that has provided training in 47 states and across the globe. He is the author of “The Courageous Police Leader: A Survival Guide for Combating Cowards, Chaos & Lies.” Travis is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and Doctoral Candidate in Strategic Leadership.

Reviews

[Joe Palkovic · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good leadership book. I considered giving it to the management of my PD, but the political situation has changed in the past 2 years and there is really quite a lot that has been taken out of their hands by legislators. Anyway, I wish Travis could come do a seminar for us or something.

[Sean Conley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book that will sadly never be read by those who need it most. Read it anyway, and ensure you never let yourself become “that leader.”

[Books Behind The Badge · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one has been on my shelf a while, and I've been looking forward to reading it. The book is split into three parts. Admittedly, after the first part, 80 pages, I thought I was going to hate the rest of the book.

It didn't matter that I agreed with most of what he was saying. Part one seemed to be nothing but complaining and not providing any solutions. It was written with an edge of anger. And had the word "coward" more times than I care to count. Seriously, it was overkill.

Part two slowly started to change my perception, and by part three, I was fully invested. The writing from anger subsided, and Travis began offering thoughtful advice and solutions to the issues he was presenting.

Overall, the book was good and does provide insight into how we should be leading at our agencies regardless of your position. We shouldn't be pandering to social justice warriors and woke politics. We should be leading from the front. We should be team players. And we shouldn't eat our own by jumping to conclusions.

One present issue that annoyed me in the WHOLE book was the obnoxious amount of words and phrases quoted in parantheses. I believe almost every sentence had a word that was in parentheses. I don't think Travis knew how to use them properly, and it was overkill, almost unbearable. If you can get past that, you may enjoy it.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are in Law Enforcement, read this book. Remember, you took an oath and need to honor it. If you want to see what a cowardly officer, mayor or governor looks like, read this book. If you want to see what a genuine hero is in law enforcement, READ THIS BOOK. Lots of insights and wake-up calls for those who are cowards.

[Roger Pohlman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Travis captures a profession under attack, which in earlier chapters can strike a nerve with the reader and brings about self reflection and consideration of our own motivations. Stick with it, the book ties the topic up nicely and closes strong. This book supports my belief that to lead effectively you must consider what is relative to the individuals and the context/environment they are operating in!