Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let's bring on. He is a FOP president. Brian Steele
is joining us now and hey, Brian, welcome again to
the Mark Blazer Show. How are you?
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Hey?
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Yeah, standing brother. Thanks for having me as always, you.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Know, knowing you were going to be on with us today.
I took extra special care on the way in to
kind of, you know, make some observations and so on.
I have about a thirty minute drive in every day.
I usually go down the River thirty three south. I'll
come down that way from Delaware or you know, three
p fifteen. It just depends. I'm telling you. The amount
of people on their phones just kind of poking along,
(00:33):
swerving into my lane. I mean, it's unbelievable, the amount
of texting and so on. I feel like the laws
with that, I don't know where you come down, and
I feel like the laws with that are just being
ignored by people. By and large.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Everybody should be issue care generally, stupid driving just an
all inclusive term drive.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Usually though, man at the DNA of that, at the
core of that is somebody on their phone. If you
see somebody swerving up ahead, you get up next to
them and you look, they're not even trying to hide
it anymore. They just they're staring down at their phone
or whatever. I know you see that a lot too,
and I feel like that makes people extra irritated, and
I know it makes me extra irritated because I'm like, man,
(01:15):
can you go at least the speed limit or can
you not swerve into my lane almost smack into me
because you're looking at a stupid text or what have you.
It's absolutely crazy.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Man.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Yeah, we've all seen as the driver in attention, how
many times the lights turned green and the car in
front of you is not paying any attention because you're
on your phone. Look, I pulled over individuals that were
watching full blown movies on their phone. I will tell
you keep the phone down. As for the road rage,
I know it's hard. Do not even engage if someone
cuts you off, gives you the finger, honks the RN.
Just keep driving, Do not engage because it is just
(01:48):
a crazy time to be alive. And unfortunately these shootings
are not uncommon.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Just keep the That's what I do. I keep the
road rage to myself, but I roade rage a lot because,
as I said, there's a lot of stupid, a lot
put out there.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Yeah, I.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
There's a at uh Broad in Hag. I come down
Broad Street and make a left on Hague every day
to come in here. The turn signal there, the left
turn signal is like ten seconds long, and if somebody
is on their phone in front of me, they take
nine of those seconds to even realize the arrow is there.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Man, That is that is mad day. Yes, Oh my.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Gosh, it'll crack you.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Man, Oh it's crazy. And you're right, Brian. It takes
all you can to not engage. And that's the smartest
because you know what, man, in two years, as you're
two years into maybe you're fifteen or twenty years you're
doing in prison because you know, you pulled somebody out
of their car and beat them senseless or God forbid,
worse yet, you shot them or something like that. Two
(02:45):
years into that, or maybe even two days into that,
you'd be going, well, did it really matter in the
scheme of things. I'm missing Thanksgiving now, I don't get
to be around my family. It's just not worth it.
But it is infuriating nonetheless, man, Yeah, the.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
Safest thing you could do, same with the someone to
fight you a full proof way, just back away and
lead the scene. Safest thing you could do.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Yeah, no question. So in you know, in October, in
this month, new state law officially bans police ticket quotas
throughout Ohio, including Columbus. It prohibits agencies from evaluating, rewarding,
or disciplining officers based on the number of tickets or
arrests that they issue. Agencies can no longer use citation
(03:26):
or arrest numbers as metrics for evaluating performance, making promotion decisions,
or issuing disciplinary actions. One thing that I feel like
is kind of interesting, and Brian Steele, FOP president, is
joining us now. One thing I think is interesting about this.
For years and years and years and years, we would
hear and I've got a lot of law enforcement friends
who would say, now, there are no quotas. There are
(03:48):
no quotas. That's a that's a myth, it's a legend.
It's you know, not real. Turns out, and it just
depends on the department. I suppose turns out it was
real at one point. And I know, I know you're
you guys are backing this measure, and I know you
wanted to jump on today to talk about this, but
give us your thoughts on this.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
Yeah, so you were right. So Senate Bill one fourteen
by partisan support in the House and the Senate. It's
known locally as Christian Law. And you're right. What it's
doing is it's banning these tickets quotas. Does not mean
you're not going to get a ticket. To your point,
you cannot be mandated to give a ticket now. And
for the most departments, generally overwhelming departments, professional apartments, this
(04:32):
was not a thing. So all the reasons you listened
were important, But this is why this law is even
more important. One. It protects an officer's integrity. An officers
should never feel pressured to write a ticket. They have
to use discretion. It ensures fair professional policing, not simply
driving through a town and knowing you're going to be
targeted based on a ticket and revenue and not safety.
(04:54):
And it supports community trusts. Elimitating these tickets once and
for all rebuild trusts between law enforcement and the public.
And one of the best parts of this bill is
the officers could now report this, So any officer that's
in an agency that has one of these ticket quotas,
they can report it. And I can't speak enough of
how important that is. And that's a message to chiefs
(05:16):
and administrators. Hey, the FOP, the police unions, we are watching. You.
Do not step over the line here.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
You said, it's known locally as what.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Kristin's law.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
So do you understand the irony that I'm looking at
in my head right now? Right?
Speaker 3 (05:31):
Yeah, So what happened was there was only one one
chief that came out and opposed this law, and this
was Chief Mike Crispin out of Whitehall. The irony is
his officers. His officers complained of this ticket quota, and officer,
a former officer testified about his ticket quota. So the
one person in the entire state that was fighting against
(05:52):
it was the one that had one right. But we'll
mask it as something else. We'll call it performance measured standards.
It's a walks like a duck and it talks like
a duck. It's a duck. It's important to say the
Ohio Chiefs of Police Association came out and supported this bill.
So and when we applaud.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Them, Hey, I would think also, Brian Steele, FOP President's
on with us right now. I would think Brian too,
right about now, when you're watching the news around the
country and so on, that you are not in Portland,
and you are not law enforcement in Portland and some
of these other crazy Now. Look, I know, you know,
we have our share of problems here in Columbus, But
when you see stuff like that, and I don't know
(06:31):
how much you pay attention, but it is an absolute
nightmare in some of these cities right now, especially where
you know, the National Guard and so on. Is the
President is trying to get into place to help these,
you know, to help ice officers and so on and
so forth. But man, I don't know, when you look
around at the state of the United States right now,
it's got to feel, you know, pretty decent being here
(06:54):
in our city. I mean, it's it's relatively reasonable here.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
It feels like it is good. And again, my number
one concern is the state of the iiO, specifically Franklin County,
where I have jurisdiction. I watch these I wish all
these guys in luck. When I hear things like the
Chicago Police chief would not allow Chicago officers to back
up ICE agents. That's not how this works. It doesn't
(07:18):
matter if you're an ICE agent, if you're an activist.
Anybody who calls the police that they are in harm.
We respond and we restore order. That doesn't mean we
agree or disagree, and it does not matter. We're officers,
we're nonpartisan. We go, we restore order, We keep people safe.
So I cannot I could not see that happening here.
If it ever did, the FOP would lead that charge
(07:40):
against I assure you.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Man, it's great to hear from you and here the
types of things that you are. Oh, did you have
something else, John Mike, I just.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
Know one straightening up my head here as I was
reading Zach Klein's latest newsletter.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Uh oh well anyway, FLP President Brian Steele, good again,
good to catch up with you. Thank you for clarify
location on all this and uh and you know a
lot of it does good to let the people know,
you know, to let them know this whole situation and
how it's playing out, and that you're one hundred percent behind.
The officer's not needing to do this or they should
(08:13):
not be doing this. It's it's fantastic to hear that.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
Thank you, brothers. I appreciate you as always.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
Yeah, thanks, Brian, appreciate it. Brian Steele there he is,
FOP President
Let's bring on. He is a FOP president. Brian Steele
is joining us now and hey, Brian, welcome again to
the Mark Blazer Show. How are you?
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Hey?
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Yeah, standing brother. Thanks for having me as always, you.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Know, knowing you were going to be on with us today.
I took extra special care on the way in to
kind of, you know, make some observations and so on.
I have about a thirty minute drive in every day.
I usually go down the River thirty three south. I'll
come down that way from Delaware or you know, three
p fifteen. It just depends. I'm telling you. The amount
of people on their phones just kind of poking along,
(00:33):
swerving into my lane. I mean, it's unbelievable, the amount
of texting and so on. I feel like the laws
with that, I don't know where you come down, and
I feel like the laws with that are just being
ignored by people. By and large.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Everybody should be issue care generally, stupid driving just an
all inclusive term drive.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Usually though, man at the DNA of that, at the
core of that is somebody on their phone. If you
see somebody swerving up ahead, you get up next to
them and you look, they're not even trying to hide
it anymore. They just they're staring down at their phone
or whatever. I know you see that a lot too,
and I feel like that makes people extra irritated, and
I know it makes me extra irritated because I'm like, man,
(01:15):
can you go at least the speed limit or can
you not swerve into my lane almost smack into me
because you're looking at a stupid text or what have you.
It's absolutely crazy.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Man.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Yeah, we've all seen as the driver in attention, how
many times the lights turned green and the car in
front of you is not paying any attention because you're
on your phone. Look, I pulled over individuals that were
watching full blown movies on their phone. I will tell
you keep the phone down. As for the road rage,
I know it's hard. Do not even engage if someone
cuts you off, gives you the finger, honks the RN.
Just keep driving, Do not engage because it is just
(01:48):
a crazy time to be alive. And unfortunately these shootings
are not uncommon.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Just keep the That's what I do. I keep the
road rage to myself, but I roade rage a lot because,
as I said, there's a lot of stupid, a lot
put out there.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Yeah, I.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
There's a at uh Broad in Hag. I come down
Broad Street and make a left on Hague every day
to come in here. The turn signal there, the left
turn signal is like ten seconds long, and if somebody
is on their phone in front of me, they take
nine of those seconds to even realize the arrow is there.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Man, That is that is mad day. Yes, Oh my.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Gosh, it'll crack you.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Man, Oh it's crazy. And you're right, Brian. It takes
all you can to not engage. And that's the smartest
because you know what, man, in two years, as you're
two years into maybe you're fifteen or twenty years you're
doing in prison because you know, you pulled somebody out
of their car and beat them senseless or God forbid,
worse yet, you shot them or something like that. Two
(02:45):
years into that, or maybe even two days into that,
you'd be going, well, did it really matter in the
scheme of things. I'm missing Thanksgiving now, I don't get
to be around my family. It's just not worth it.
But it is infuriating nonetheless, man, Yeah, the.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
Safest thing you could do, same with the someone to
fight you a full proof way, just back away and
lead the scene. Safest thing you could do.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
Yeah, no question. So in you know, in October, in
this month, new state law officially bans police ticket quotas
throughout Ohio, including Columbus. It prohibits agencies from evaluating, rewarding,
or disciplining officers based on the number of tickets or
arrests that they issue. Agencies can no longer use citation
(03:26):
or arrest numbers as metrics for evaluating performance, making promotion decisions,
or issuing disciplinary actions. One thing that I feel like
is kind of interesting, and Brian Steele, FOP president, is
joining us now. One thing I think is interesting about this.
For years and years and years and years, we would
hear and I've got a lot of law enforcement friends
who would say, now, there are no quotas. There are
(03:48):
no quotas. That's a that's a myth, it's a legend.
It's you know, not real. Turns out, and it just
depends on the department. I suppose turns out it was
real at one point. And I know, I know you're
you guys are backing this measure, and I know you
wanted to jump on today to talk about this, but
give us your thoughts on this.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
Yeah, so you were right. So Senate Bill one fourteen
by partisan support in the House and the Senate. It's
known locally as Christian Law. And you're right. What it's
doing is it's banning these tickets quotas. Does not mean
you're not going to get a ticket. To your point,
you cannot be mandated to give a ticket now. And
for the most departments, generally overwhelming departments, professional apartments, this
(04:32):
was not a thing. So all the reasons you listened
were important, But this is why this law is even
more important. One. It protects an officer's integrity. An officers
should never feel pressured to write a ticket. They have
to use discretion. It ensures fair professional policing, not simply
driving through a town and knowing you're going to be
targeted based on a ticket and revenue and not safety.
(04:54):
And it supports community trusts. Elimitating these tickets once and
for all rebuild trusts between law enforcement and the public.
And one of the best parts of this bill is
the officers could now report this, So any officer that's
in an agency that has one of these ticket quotas,
they can report it. And I can't speak enough of
how important that is. And that's a message to chiefs
(05:16):
and administrators. Hey, the FOP, the police unions, we are watching. You.
Do not step over the line here.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
You said, it's known locally as what.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Kristin's law.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
So do you understand the irony that I'm looking at
in my head right now? Right?
Speaker 3 (05:31):
Yeah, So what happened was there was only one one
chief that came out and opposed this law, and this
was Chief Mike Crispin out of Whitehall. The irony is
his officers. His officers complained of this ticket quota, and officer,
a former officer testified about his ticket quota. So the
one person in the entire state that was fighting against
(05:52):
it was the one that had one right. But we'll
mask it as something else. We'll call it performance measured standards.
It's a walks like a duck and it talks like
a duck. It's a duck. It's important to say the
Ohio Chiefs of Police Association came out and supported this bill.
So and when we applaud.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Them, Hey, I would think also, Brian Steele, FOP President's
on with us right now. I would think Brian too,
right about now, when you're watching the news around the
country and so on, that you are not in Portland,
and you are not law enforcement in Portland and some
of these other crazy Now. Look, I know, you know,
we have our share of problems here in Columbus, But
when you see stuff like that, and I don't know
(06:31):
how much you pay attention, but it is an absolute
nightmare in some of these cities right now, especially where
you know, the National Guard and so on. Is the
President is trying to get into place to help these,
you know, to help ice officers and so on and
so forth. But man, I don't know, when you look
around at the state of the United States right now,
it's got to feel, you know, pretty decent being here
(06:54):
in our city. I mean, it's it's relatively reasonable here.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
It feels like it is good. And again, my number
one concern is the state of the iiO, specifically Franklin County,
where I have jurisdiction. I watch these I wish all
these guys in luck. When I hear things like the
Chicago Police chief would not allow Chicago officers to back
up ICE agents. That's not how this works. It doesn't
(07:18):
matter if you're an ICE agent, if you're an activist.
Anybody who calls the police that they are in harm.
We respond and we restore order. That doesn't mean we
agree or disagree, and it does not matter. We're officers,
we're nonpartisan. We go, we restore order, We keep people safe.
So I cannot I could not see that happening here.
If it ever did, the FOP would lead that charge
(07:40):
against I assure you.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Man, it's great to hear from you and here the
types of things that you are. Oh, did you have
something else, John Mike, I just.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
Know one straightening up my head here as I was
reading Zach Klein's latest newsletter.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Uh oh well anyway, FLP President Brian Steele, good again,
good to catch up with you. Thank you for clarify
location on all this and uh and you know a
lot of it does good to let the people know,
you know, to let them know this whole situation and
how it's playing out, and that you're one hundred percent behind.
The officer's not needing to do this or they should
(08:13):
not be doing this. It's it's fantastic to hear that.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
Thank you, brothers. I appreciate you as always.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
Yeah, thanks, Brian, appreciate it. Brian Steele there he is,
FOP President
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