Commissioner Yates responds to law enforcement during public meeting
Several citizens, including members of a local fraternal order of police chapter, spoke out against a recent statement by Davidson County Board of Commissioners Chairman Todd Yates.
During the June 5 commissioners meeting, several officers with the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office spoke during the public comment period in reference to a proposed 2% raise for department employees under the rank of sergeant. They were asking the commissioners to also include sergeants and lieutenants in the proposed raise.
During that meeting, Yates broke protocol of commissioners not responding to public comments, and stated his profession in construction is just as dangerous as law enforcement.
“My work is just as dangerous as yours,” said Yates. “I work on the highway every day. Look up the statistics and you will see. We all put our life on the line for a job, a lot of us do.”
On June 7, the Davidson County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 97 released a statement on social media acknowledging the risk of other professions, including construction work on roadways, but said it was important to understand the differences between occupational hazard and targeted violence.
“Unlike most workplace fatalities, law enforcement officers face the persistent and growing threat of being intentionally targeted simply for wearing the badge. Officers do not just face danger—they confront people intending to do them harm, often while protecting the very communities they serve,” read the statement.
The organization said county leaders need to “speak carefully and respectfully” when making public comparisons about risk, especially when discussing the lives and sacrifices of officers who “put themselves between the public and danger every single day”.
During Monday’s County commissioner’s meeting, resident Sana Myers spoke during the public comment period saying she was embarrassed by Yates comments which, in her opinion, belittled the work of law enforcement.
“It makes a mockery of (law enforcement) whenever you compare your job to theirs,” said Myers. “These men and women go out every day to fight for you and me. They go out in front of gunfire, domestic violence, child abuse, anything that is unimaginable and they deserve respect.”
County Commissioner Matt Mizell expressed concern that the increase not be extended to all officers.
Kevin Isley, Chaplin of the Davidson County FOP Chapter 97, said at the meeting that many law enforcement officers were disappointed with Yates’ comments and questioned how they could deny paying law enforcement officers, but still build a $65 million sports complex.
“Law enforcement is a vocation, not a job,” said Isley, “Law enforcement seeks to uphold justice, to maintain peace and safety so that citizens may live quiet and peaceable lives.... Pushing essential employee’s pay another year and yet advocating for a sports arena is not fiscally conservative... There is a need to secure law enforcement officers currently at the sheriff’s office and the jail has needed to be replaced for years. These are needs, not building a pleasure sports arena.”
The proposed 2% increase for sheriff’s deputies is in addition to a 4% plus $500 salary increase for all Davidson County employees in July. Davidson County Sheriff Richie Simmons said the proposed change would not include himself or anyone over the rank of lieutenant.
