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To: Tulsa Police Department
FIRE Major Travis Yates
Fire Major Travis Yates for his suggestion that we are "shooting black people 24% less than we ought to be," in addition to a number of inflammatory and racist comments throughout his time as a high-ranking member of the Tulsa Police Department.
Why is this important?
Fire Major Travis Yates for his suggestion that we are "shooting black people 24% less than we ought to be," in addition to a number of inflammatory and racist comments throughout his time as a high-ranking member of the Tulsa Police Department.
We cannot afford to have a) racists in our police force, b) racists suggesting that we actually ought to be shooting more people than we are now.
No, Major Yates, what we ought to do is strip funding from TPD and re-train people as paramedics, social workers, teachers. What we need is de-escalation. Increased funding for social services and mental health organizations. Longer training for officers. Weapons restricted to few and senior members with long histories of successful de-escalation. Fewer awards for high conviction rates. More rewards for helping people, bringing peace.
Major Yates has defended his statements on public radio and Fox News, citing research about crime rates that he has twisted to defend TPD's trigger-happy reaction to Black bodies. He is an embarrassment to our city.
We cannot afford to have a) racists in our police force, b) racists suggesting that we actually ought to be shooting more people than we are now.
No, Major Yates, what we ought to do is strip funding from TPD and re-train people as paramedics, social workers, teachers. What we need is de-escalation. Increased funding for social services and mental health organizations. Longer training for officers. Weapons restricted to few and senior members with long histories of successful de-escalation. Fewer awards for high conviction rates. More rewards for helping people, bringing peace.
Major Yates has defended his statements on public radio and Fox News, citing research about crime rates that he has twisted to defend TPD's trigger-happy reaction to Black bodies. He is an embarrassment to our city.