BY JENNIFER MADRIGAL
Eastvale – Lt. Michael Yates has been with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department for almost 25 years. He has served as Eastvale’s Assistant Chief of Police for the last two years. With his tenure in Eastvale ending in July as he moves on to another assignment, we asked him to comment on his time taking care of our citizens.
According to Yates, the best part of serving Eastvale these last years has been actively pursuing crime, and the satisfaction that comes from taking the “bad guys” off the streets. “There is crime everywhere, in every city, and you can either turn your head the other way or go out there and find it. I have always tried to inspire my officers to bring me arrests and find the crime.”
With multiple traffic and safety saturations, 55 marijuana house closures, decoy programs, and making the City of Eastvale safer, Yates has done everything within his power to achieve his goals. His swan song for Eastvale was the second-degree murder arrest of the suspect that killed bicyclist, Troy Davids, in June. The Ghost Bike Memorial at the northeast corner of Hamner and Limonite avenues is not only a tribute to the life of Davids, but a reminder of the countless hours that Yates and his team invested to bring justice to this heartbreaking hit-and-run crime.
When asked what he wanted the community to know about the Eastvale Police Department, Yates replied, “Our officers are approachable and do care. They may not all come off as passionate as me, but they like working in the City because the residents are good people, and the officers enjoy being around them.”
We thank you for your service, Lt. Michael Yates, and wish you the very best in all of your future endeavors.
