FMPD Roll Call
The Fort Myers Police Department is taking listeners behind the scenes of the agency. Each episode will highlight department initiatives, community partnerships, and the people working to keep our city safe.
FMPD Roll Call
Police Week Reminds Us The Badge Has A Name
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A badge can look like a symbol from a distance, but up close it has a name, a laugh, a partner’s memories, and a family that never fully stops grieving. We sit down with Captain Yates to talk about what National Police Week means to our department, why May 15 matters, and how a week of remembrance becomes something deeper than ceremony when you’ve served beside someone who made the ultimate sacrifice.
We unpack what “never forget” looks like in real life: gathering with survivors, saying the names again, and wearing memorial bands across the badge as a visible sign of mourning and unity. Captain Yates shares what it takes to support families traveling to memorial events in Washington, DC and at the state level, and why honor guard members choose the tough job of escorting families through every moment, from the first ceremony to the flight home.
Police Week also shines a light on the officers who still report for duty. We talk about the emotional whiplash of the job, the many roles officers fill on calls, and what we wish the community understood about the human being behind the uniform. The conversation closes with the Brotherhood Ride and the question that anchors it all: “What’s your why?” It’s a powerful reminder that remembrance is not passive, it’s something we do.
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Welcome And Why Police Week Matters
SPEAKER_00Welcome back to FMPB Roll Call. I'm Megan Fuentes, your public information officer. Each year departments across the country take time to pause, reflect, and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. Police Week is not just about remembrance, it is also about recognizing those who continue to serve every day, supporting one another, and ensuring those legacies are never forgotten. Today I'm joined by Captain Yates to talk about what Police Week means to our department and why it holds such significance. Roll call begins now. Can you explain what Police Week is and why it is so important?
SPEAKER_01Police Week is a national recognition of our law enforcement officers that paid the ultimate sacrifice by giving their lives in the service of their community. It actually started in 1962 when Congress approached the president to designate, it's actually May 15th as that that specific day. And then out of that came police week. So we recognized it officially on the 15th. And then that week that their 15th occurs is National Police Week. And that is an annual recognition of fallen officers that we had lost. And then just recognizing that. And I think they recorded the first police officer death in 1786 with that. And then uh currently throughout the United States, this year up until the first quarter, total law enforcement loss of life was 27,061 officers that we've lost since the first registered in 1786. So yeah.
SPEAKER_00And that's a really significant number.
SPEAKER_01It's a big number. It's a long period of time, but it is a big number in officers that literally, you know, have have given everything for service to their community to protect and keep their our citizens safe.
Never Forget And Caring For Families
SPEAKER_00When we talk about honoring our fallen, just like this, what does it truly mean to you?
SPEAKER_01So there's a lot of sacrifices, and the ultimate sacrifice is you know, giving your life in the service of your community. And when we talk about doing this uh annually, we we we we have the phrase coined of never forget, right? So never forget the sacrifices that these officers made servicing their community. So this is a national day week of remembrances of those services. So they didn't go to Bain. We continually come back as we did this morning with our ceremony and seeing some of the families. A lot of our families couldn't be here this morning because they were actually in traveling to DC with our honor guard this morning uh to come and attend that locally here. We honor each of our officers that we've lost over time, and then as well as everyone across the nation. So it's it's remembering the sacrifices of those people, specifically for me. You know, we it's more than just a coworker. Uh when you're in in the in the in the fight, if you will, day to day and going through the tragic things that we deal with and high stress situations. That is truly a partner, someone you develop friendship with, you you develop bond for. So annually, this is coming back and really focusing on remembering that person, that those times that you you had together. And then also being there for their families. Annually David, I would say Levitt, he was down there with us this morning. We've we've had a great relationship over the years, but it still chokes me up to see him in this setting. But outside of this, you know, we have a jokey, fun, loving relationship with that. But just seeing that and remembering those days when Phil was here, you know, running running with us on the streets, running calls, not to have his brother here. It means a lot. And it's also, I think, good recognition and support for the families to to know that we we aren't gonna forget their sacrifices. And we're we're here to support them as best we can. Can't be there every day, all day, but it's just we're here, we care, uh, they gave their life and it meant something.
Why People Choose Law Enforcement
SPEAKER_00When you think of law enforcement and the types of things that kind of go into law enforcement, right? What brings them to law enforcement?
SPEAKER_01It's service. It's it's wanting to do good or make things better. Service to the community and be able to provide it's it's not only protection, it's it's guidance, it's you know, helping people correct their behaviors when they get a little bit wayward in life. Mentoring. Um, I've had as a police officer had the opportunity to, I know kids look up to law enforcement, had that opportunity growing up with youth sports and being a mentor and a coach, not only just a police officer wearing the badge, but giving back to a community, not only in safety and service, being there for for people when they're at their worst or having their worst times in their day. So yeah.
SPEAKER_00So basically it's not about the honor, it's literally about the sacrifice and the service that you do as a community. Someone's just called to do that.
SPEAKER_01I I think there are obviously people here that that are I'm gonna say servants, if you will, and and they're looking to better their communities and serve people. Um they have their roles. So it's a unique type person that that comes into this line of work, uh, that that has that and wants to put others before self.
SPEAKER_00Our fallen officer memorial ceremony was this morning. Can you talk about what goes into that and why it's so important that we continue that tradition year after year?
SPEAKER_01Um obviously just the planning and we do that, getting the ceremony out and getting the families here to come together uh annually just to remember their loved ones, the sacrifices they made for this community. Putting it together, not a not a whole bunch to go behind that, but just I think it just means a lot to the families to be here.
SPEAKER_00There are traditions that we observe every year during police week. Can you talk about the significance of the memorial bands worn across the badge?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so the memorial band is a formal display of mourning that honors uh our fallen uh heroes and that shows unity or solidarity within our law enforcement community. So it's a remembrance of those who have given everything. And we wear those for that reason.
Traveling With Families And Honor Guard
SPEAKER_00Our department also takes part in supporting the families of fallen, which we've talked about, taking them to Washington, DC. Can you share about what that experience is like for them?
SPEAKER_01Actually, DC and Tallahassee, we had the state uh memorial that happens annually as well. And we send our members in there in support of those families. Uh so we're there as they go back and they're remembering their loved ones, and we want to be there. So that can be hard. It's uh what it's like, it's it's an emotional time. It's bringing back a lot of the stuff as they go back and continue to remember their loved ones, aren't they? It's a hole in their heart that never can be filled, right? And and this is their way to reconnect with their loved ones and the things they did with our community. And and we do have our officers part of our honor guard. These these guys have stepped up. It's a tough role uh to go in there and and be with the families. I mean, they've developed good friendships with the families over time, but still going through and reliving those emotions and loss, it's tough. I know my our honor guard team, they stay really busy up there because they physically escort these families from this morning to jumping on the plane and they're with them until they get back. Other than going to bed at night, our team is escorting them through every ceremony and everything that happens during the day. They're standing right by that family in solidarity that we are here for and we are here to support them uh through all the emotions uh that go there as they they remember their loved ones and see their honor or their loved ones honored, visiting the memorial wall, whether seeing their family members' name inscribed on that. That's that's pretty touching uh to see that. And you know, it does bring a lot of emotion and memories of that person. So a lot of respect for our honor guard team that uh that that chooses to step into that role and be there as that supportive way of the police department for their family.
SPEAKER_00What happens during police week in Washington, DC?
SPEAKER_01So there's obviously they have main memorial services, but then they've got other uh ceremonies where they move around to throughout the week, visiting the memorial wall. Obviously, they make ceremony that they have on the 15th uh in front of the Capitol. So they will escort them, be with them, go through that remembrance. And then they do have like our concern for survivors, topps, I think, uh, is there, so they will visit a lot of the things there because a lot of the family members bond with other families. Um, and I know uh you know, Nicole and Dave, uh, they're there and they unify with other families that have lost with someone to help them through that grieving process because they've been there. So those families are actually supportive to other families as well. Uh while they're there, make connections. Locally, I know Nicole has reached out to several of the fallen families here and is there a kind of a support system for them, same thing with Dave. Uh, amazing person, and always there and supporting in every way. I think I think that's helpful to them as well. Being able to give back and help and support and helps them work through this and find find the good in the tragedy.
Thanking Officers Still Serving Today
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and I know she's definitely reached out to fallen families before, and they're so great at connecting with people and just kind of that shared tragic moment. It's just so comforting for each other, I think. And I think that's really great. And shout out to both of them. We love you. Police Week is also about officers who continue to serve. Why is it important that we recognize them during this time?
SPEAKER_01We ask so much of our officers on a daily basis. The things that they are subjected to, you as a private citizen, you don't know until you're actually standing in their shoes to deal with what they are. Uh thank you. We continue to thank them, we continue to praise them for the job that you do. It is tough. The the wide range of emotions, adrenaline, things that you face in a day. 20 minutes of just sheer boredom, nothing going on, and then all of a sudden, in a split second, you are going 100 miles an hour. And then it's a complete stop. And then you are dealing with these families that are going through tragedies. You're you're feeling and getting their emotions of the things that they've gone through. Just uh deaf cases, traffic crashes where families are going through something significant. Those officers are filling so many roles in the course of a call. You know, yes, sometimes we have to we have to put people in handcuffs, but the other is just it's giving guidance. It might be some kind of emotional support that they're dealing with these trans tragedies. It could be mentoring people in the course of their day. They wear so many hats in the course of a day. And uh, police week is hey, yes, we have our fallen and we will never forget that. But we have our active people that are still doing that tough job, knowing that in a split second, it could be all gone. Right. So it's a big thank you to our people.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, there's definitely a connection between honoring the fallen and supporting those still serving. What do you wish the community understood about police week and why we take the time to recognize it?
SPEAKER_01Our citizens, I think, here in the city of Fort Rights, we have, and you know, we go out to lunch or we're on calls or out there, and it is continually that we'll hear the support of thank you for your service. And people just genuinely thanking us. And that is amazing to hear for our officers. There's a lot of people that will say a lot of different things about us. Obviously, when we're in, we've got to take the enforcement side of things. Nobody really likes likes to be held accountable, obviously, give some different reactions than the city. I think we're very well supported here, the council and city leadership, the actual citizens. It's just a continued reminder, like especially during this week. This is the the week that we are remembering our fallen specifically. It's not only this week, but then we also had the anniversary dates of when we've lost our heroes on those days. It's very tough. We've got a lot of people that were very close to these people in these situations. And these days, they affect us. We're human. We have emotions. And just, you know, citizens continue to be thankful for what these officers are doing here to keep you safe in your community, provide you a safe place to live free, so you can enjoy your lives, your families, without fear of being criminalized, if you will.
SPEAKER_00I think a lot of people see the uniform, but they don't realize that behind the uniform, there is a father-son, daughter, niece, just someone who is loved by a lot of people. So it's more than just, hey, I see you, I see your marked car, and I see you as a uniformed personnel, but you're an actual person. So this week I think is really important.
SPEAKER_01We are mothers, fathers, brothers, husbands, wives. We're all of those things, moms, dads. And we experience similar things in in our lives when we go home and take the uniform off. Again, we're a citizen at that point. It's tough trying to transition sometimes from putting the uniform on and taking it off and changing roles. But as far as the citizens, I think we have, we do have, we've got a great city, we've got great support, and it's just continued, continue to do that. You see your officers uh be thankful for what they're doing for us. Uh they're selflessly giving themselves and putting themselves potentially in harms' way uh to keep you and your family safe.
SPEAKER_00As we reflect on this week, what message would you want to share with the families of the fallen officers?
SPEAKER_01Never forget. We feel the pain that you have felt. Obviously, there's there's going to be that hole in the heart that can never be filled, right? But we will continue to support as best we can to be there for you. Uh we don't take the loss of your loved one lightly by any means. It hurts, like I said, seeing seeing David down there this morning and remembering or reflecting back to to working downtown with Phil um and just his laugh. So we remember, we reflect. We want to be here continuously for for these families. And their their their sacrifices weren't in vain. They did what they had to do at that point in time to protect their communities.
SPEAKER_00And what would you say to the officers and staff here at the department who continue to show up at CERB every day?
The Brotherhood Ride And The Why
SPEAKER_01I think from the chief down, you know, we all get busy in our days and tasks and stuff like that. But just know that we, as the administration, supervisors, everybody. We're we're truly thankful for everybody that puts on the uniform every day and comes in and does the work that you do. We we do really appreciate you. Like you said, you can get caught up in the busyness of everything, but at the end of the day, know that that these the people in leadership and supervisors, we do care about you. We are concerned about you and your families. Sometimes that gets overwritten by the busyness of the day and what's going on and call to call to call. But yeah, we're here as and we'll do everything we can to protect you and stand by you uh and the decisions that you have to make out there, the tough decisions you have to.
SPEAKER_00I just want before we close, I want to talk about the Brotherhood ride and what you do every year during that time. So could you please share that with me?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so one of the things in connections and giving back to the families and being supportive of that, myself, you know, Captain Mitchell, Keith Kerr, Alan Gagnon, Michelle Kerr have all taken part in the Brotherhood Ride that's been running for about 17, 18 years. And that's an annual event to honor all first responders, firefighters, US, and police officers that give their lives and sacrifice in the line of duty. To me, you know, Jeff Morris, our founder with that, you know, you come in the door, he's like, you know, what's your why? Why are you here? It's not to ride a bicycle for exercise, but why are you physically here as a part of that, right? And you really don't understand coming in the door as a rider for the first time. It's like, hey, I like riding bikes, I want to go, it sounds like a great thing. But for me, I remember pulling up in the St. Augustine area and us pulling up on our bikes, and uh it's a firehouse there, and we had uh a mother and our two children, firefighter lost his life, and that just automatically just hit me as my why when I saw those kids, and they saw that these total strangers were coming in there to honor their father. The look that it gave on a man in their face that like my dad was somebody important, and that we were there to honor them and do that. It was just yeah, this is why we're here. We're here to support, uh make them feel special, know that their their dad, in that case, um, you know, he died as the hero, and we respect that. And uh that was that was a lot of why I I joined that ride and continued it. So and continue to do that. It's how we, as total strangers to most, but still all in the profession, go and support these families. And we do that the year after the death. Obviously, there's a ton of support right around that initially. But we go back in that never forbid mindset to come back a year later and see these families and let them know that we're we're there to support them. We also do some fundraising to give whatever we can just to help you know make their lives a little bit easier on the financial side, but knowing that there's a community out there that supports them through their loss. And we actually read this every time we meet with a family, try to help people understand why we we do what we do as the Brotherhood ride. And I wanted uh to read that a part of this because it it resonates. It says why we ride. We ride to honor those who have fallen in the line of duty. When I heard the news that one of my brothers had died, I felt so low. We had never met, I had never shook your hand, our spouses did not know each other, nor did your kids call me uncle. But I knew I had lost a brother. You were a total stranger to me, but there was a lump in my throat and a hole in my heart. Why did it bother me so much? How could I tell my wife that I'd lost another friend? Why did it feel I needed to show how firefighters, police officers, and emergency responders were all brothers? You have worn the same uniform as mine, that of an emergency responder. You had taken the same oath to protect lives, property, serve and protect, care for the sick, and you knew that that oath was much more than a bunch of words to get on the job. You knew from the day that you repeated those words that you would have to put your life on the line in the service of others. You knew that if you had to, you would risk everything to save someone you have never met. We are not like other workers. We expect to be in danger from the start of the shift until we are relieved by another emergency responder. We will defend and protect anyone who calls us without hesitation. I wonder what you thought as you made the ultimate sacrifice. I can only hope that as you laid in a dark, smoke-filled hallway or in a dark, lonely street. I hope that you comforted knowing that your brothers and sisters were coming to get you. We know that we are unable to reach you in time, but rest assured, brother, they finished the job you started. They made your community safe. Other fallen brothers lost their lives because they sacrificed their bodies throughout their careers. They fought the fire, saved the lives and property despite repeated risks to their health. The brethren bore the burden of the illness with courage and fortitude. They had to endure physical pain as well as mental anguish of knowing that their lives were coming to an end far earlier than they had control over. They hoped that they knew that they were comforted with the knowledge that we would watch over their families and remember their spirit long after they left this physical world. So, my brother, I was not able to be with you when you paid the ultimate sacrifice. But my brothers and I have come to honor you. We know that you will say, I was only doing my job. No, you were doing the work of God. Apologize and remind everyone that you gave your life to protect their community. So why do we train so hard to ride for a total stranger? Why do we ride in all types of weather, rain, heat, cold? Why do we sleep wherever we can find a place on the floor? Why would we do this for a total stranger? We wouldn't, but we will for one of our brothers. We always say never forget, but time moves on and people will forget about that day. Rest assured, we will remind them that there are families and co-workers who still have a hole in their heart that will never be filled. We are not the heroes, but we are proud to wear the heroes, name of the heroes on our backs for all to see. Stand down, my brother, you have completed your shift. Let our legs carry your memory and remind all that listen, you gave your life to save a total stranger and protect your community. This was composed by Jeff and Candy Morris, uh, the founders of the Brotherhood Ride. Um, thankful to them. This is a great cause to support our families. And we've done a lot of good over many years in helping to support that and and carry on that legacy of never forget it is more than words. We're there to support them. He said, What's your why? Seeing those families when we pull up and what it means to those children, small children, the wives, the husbands that are left behind. It's just it's Truly amazing. You can tell it matters that we're there. We're supportive of them and continue to support them. We annually ride right around October of every year. Each of the riders goes out and fundraises for that ride. And again, the donations that we receive to that at the end of the ride for whatever we're riding for that year, minus the minor expenses, is out to the families just to give them a little bit of financial support. I know it's not a lot, but it's something as well as that emotional support. So proud to be a part of this organization and proud of the officers in our agency. And we've got a very good showing of people that support from our agency here locally.
SPEAKER_00So and also our cops and joggers run every year. It also supports the Brotherhood ride and the fallen officers' families. So definitely look out for organizations and events like that so you can continue to support the fallen officers, their families.
SPEAKER_01The fallen officers thing is something we started a long time ago as well. And that is to, you know, God forbid we have this tragic event occur in the future, but it's I'm going to help some of our officers and families through that.
SPEAKER_00Thank you, Captain, for sharing your perspective and for helping us honor the meaning behind Police Week. To those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, we remember you. To their families, we stand with you. And to those who continue to serve, we recognize and appreciate your commitment every single day. Thank you for listening.