Fraternal Order of Police

The Voice of Our Nation's Law Enforcement Officers

Blue View Podcast

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Tearing Down Walls: How America’s Police Officers Can Bridge the Divide with Jason Lehman

Episode #35 |  8 November 2022

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In life, it’s often important to understand and empathize with those who you may have disagreements with. Within law enforcement, this lack of understanding can have life or death consequences.

On this episode of the Blue View, National FOP President Patrick Yoes sits down with Jason Lehman, Founder and Executive Director of Why’d You Stop Me (WYSM). His organization, rather uniquely, gives speaking presentations to both law enforcement agencies and within the schools and communities that these agencies protect and serve. By focusing on trust, respect, and transparency, Why’d You Stop Me aims to bridge any divides between these two groups.

National FOP President Patrick Yoes and WYSM Founder Jason Lehman discuss the ways in which officer wellness has changed in years since Jason first joined the force. Jason shares a particular incident that led him to develop the “Twelve Tools.”

Long Beach cop's nonprofit aims to become national leader in community policing - Behind the Badge

About John Cohen

In January of 2022, Jason Lehman retired from the Long Beach (CA) Police Department as a Sergeant, after serving for 16 years. While at the LBPD, Jason spent most of his career working uniformed and plain-clothes street-level gang and violent crime suppression. Early in his career, Jason was involved in numerous critical incidents including acts of deadly force which led to PTSD and ultimately led Jason through numerous bouts with suicidal ideations. Jason was introduced to therapy and has since learned a strong system of resiliency. By becoming more vulnerable, Jason learned he was able to show the community he served that he truly cared without jeopardizing safety.
 
In 2014, Jason founded the National F.O.P. endorsed training organization entitled “Why’d You Stop Me” (WYSM). WYSM’s mission is to provide empowerment training to both police officers and the public to improve legitimacy and reduce acts of violence during encounters by taking attitudes “From Duty to Desire.” Jason’s unique training approach partners law enforcement and community trainers to instruct, motivate, and lead those who they train. By utilizing both face-to-face interactions and digital engagement, Jason has spent thousands of hours on a quest to develop a system to teach others how to seek to better understand one another. His message is simple to hear, but challenging to live:
 
When we seek to better understand the people we don’t “like,” we find true success.
 
Home - Why'd You Stop Me
 
Jason left his traditional law enforcement role to focus on his work as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) on Community Policing, where he combines his skills in 21st Century Leadership, Procedural Justice, and Strategic Communication. Jason has spoken to more than 40,000 leaders in the public and private sectors.
 
Jason’s most recent honor has been closing the 2022 FBINAA National Academy Conference as the Keynote Speaker engaging more than 3,000 law enforcement leaders with a talk on the “Future of Policing.” Jason has been recognized as an SME on Communication and Community Policing by major organizations such as Lexipol, Fox News, the National F.O.P, the New York POST, and the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) to name a few.
 
Jason has appeared numerous times on television, radio, and print media. He has been recognized for his heroism on duty as a street cop, for his work off-duty in uniting police and the public, and for his philanthropic efforts in funding scholarships for “At-promise” youth.

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