Commander Christopher Yates has been serving the Bloomington community since 2003. After beginning his law enforcement career with the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, he joined the Bloomington Police Department, working primarily in the Patrol Division.
Over the years, Christopher has held specialized roles including field training officer, SWAT, investigations and the special investigations unit, and has served as a sergeant in several of those assignments. Today, Christopher leads the Night Patrol team and oversees the UAV (Drone) Unit, Honor Guard, Street Crimes Unit, Explorers and the Reserve Unit.
A University of Wisconsin-River Falls graduate, Christopher is committed to ongoing training and professional development. He was drawn to policing for the teamwork and the variety each shift brings.
“I genuinely enjoy my work, and the variety of people I get to meet,” Christopher said. “Bloomington is one of the safest communities out there.”
Outside of work, Yates enjoys golfing, boating, cooking (smoking food) and coaching his daughter’s softball team.
