FEB. 2025. Blues Vol 41 No.2

GUEST COMENTARYTravis

GUEST COMENTARYTravis YatesProfile in Courage: Daniel CarrWelcome to a new series wherewe profile courageous leadersacross the country. This series ishosted by Dr. Travis Yates, authorof The Courageous Police Leader.Today, we discuss AlbuquerquePolice Officer (ret) Daniel Carr.With two decades of law enforcementexperience, Daniel didsomething while on the job thatshould be impossible. He obtaineda master’s degree in criminaljustice, and a law degree,while working full time. Danielnow brings his knowledge andexpertise to the masses throughhis wildly popular Police LawNewsletter. The foundational traitwith courageous leadership istelling the truth regardless of thepopularity of that truth. Daniel isan icon in this area.THE SHIFT TO RETIREMENTAND NEW OPPORTUNITIESAfter retiring from the AlbuquerquePolice Department in2024, Carr has embraced thefreedom to express his thoughtson policing without the constraintsthat often come withactive service. He notes thatthe transition to retirement hasallowed him to focus more onhis content creation, particularlythrough his platforms like TikTokand the Police Law Newsletter onSubstack. This newfound freedomhas enabled him to engagemore deeply with the public onissues he believes are crucialfor improving law enforcementpractices.THE IMPORTANCE OF HON-EST CONVERSATIONSOne of the core tenets of Carr’sapproach is the need for honestconversations about policing.He emphasizes that to improvelaw enforcement, it is essentialto identify and discuss errorsmade by police officers, whetherthey stem from individual actions,departmental policies, ortraining gaps. Carr argues thatwithout a candid examination ofthese issues, meaningful progressin policing will remain elusive.His commitment to neutralityallows him to critique bothpolice actions and the narrativessurrounding them, creating abalanced dialogue that is oftenlacking in the media.THE CHALLENGE OF NARRA-TIVE CONTROLIn the current media landscape,narratives can be shapedquickly and often inaccurately.Carr points out that policeleaders frequently fail to counterfalse narratives, which can leadto public mistrust and unrest.He believes that police leadersshould take a proactive stancein sharing accurate information,especially when high-profileincidents occur. For example,Carr highlights the need forpolice departments to presentdata transparently, allowing thepublic to engage with the factsrather than relying solely on sensationalizedmedia portrayals.ADDRESSING SYSTEMATICISSUES IN POLICINGThroughout the conversation,Carr raises significant pointsregarding systematic issueswithin policing, especially inthe context of police reform. Heargues that while reforms areoften proposed with the intent ofreducing police violence, many22 The BLUES - FEBRUARY ‘25

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