Officer who said 'we are at war' transferred to another division
TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) -- A Tulsa police officer who posted a blog earlier this week saying police are at war has been transferred.
Major Travis Yates, who was with the Gilcrease Division, is one of five division commanders who was moved Thursday.
Yates is now with the Special Operations Division.
Last Sunday, Yates wrote an online essay about the Dallas and Baton Rouge police shootings.
Police Chief Chuck Jordan reviewed the post Tuesday, according to TPD spokesman Sgt. Shane Tuell, and found the wording "inappropriate."
We the People, a local civil rights organization, asked Yates to resign over the essay.
Yates offered an apology for his words that same evening at a community meeting with law enforcement.
"I will tell you in the crowd, I wrote that about 30 minutes after I saw three of my colleagues hunted down by a coward with an assault weapon," said Yates. "I was upset, as most law enforcement officers were. As were you."
Following news of Yates' transfer Thursday, Tuell told Tulsa's Channel 8 that while Yates' comments did influence the decision to transfer him it was not a disciplinary act.
Tuell says the chief periodically shuffles majors around for the good of the community, the department and for career development.
Other division commanders who were transferred are:
- Major Steven Bayles from Mingo Valley Division to Information Services Division
- Major Laurel Ledbetter from Information Services Division to Mingo Valley Division
- Major Wendell Franklin from Riverside Division to Gilcrease Division
- Major Paul Fields from Special Operations Division to Riverside Division
