Risk Management?
Frank Borelli
Editor-in-Chief
Officer.com
In a recent article shared on Officer.com we read about Mayor Sallie Peake of Wellford, South Carolina, who - in her infinite wisdom - has issued an order that the Wellford Police can no longer pursue suspects on foot. I don’t know quite what to say. Mayor Peake justified this order because of the insurance costs incurred when officers get injured and the workers compensation amounts the city is paying out.
In light of the order and the Mayor’s professed interest in the safety of the officers, I have a few more suggestions for her to reduce insurance costs and workers comp claims:
- She could prohibit all driving by any police officer to reduce automotive accidents
- she could prohibit all firearms training or use to reduce any chance of ‘friendly fire’ accidents
- she could prohibit officers from carrying folding knives or using any edged tools while on duty
- she could prohibit officers from attempting to arrest anyone who doesn’t immediately comply with all verbal orders
- she could order the officers not to resist any assaults so that the only injuries they receive are those delivered by the assailant
Wait… that last one actually catches my eye. It occurs to me that even if law enforcement professionals do all they can to avoid risk, they still incur some simply by being in the profession. There is no way to avoid risk in police work.
I think Mayor Peake has forgotten a few things as she so narrowly focuses on insurance costs and workers comp claims.
Law enforcement professionals take risks in the course of performing their duties to mitigate risk or threat to the rest of the population in their jurisdiction. Of course, not all risk or threat can be erased, but the officers absorb a huge amount of it and prevent an even larger amount through patrol and proactive deterence. If the Mayor wants a police agency that doesn’t pursue crime, then what she really wants is a show security force with no power to enforce the law. Why? Because enforcement involves the incurrence of risk when the bad guys don’t want to obey the law. Arrest by its very definition requires the use of force to control someone’s actions.
While I wouldn’t want to see all those Wellford City cops lose their jobs, perhaps they could all get hired by the Sheriff’s office because that agency would suredly have to pick up the slack. And therein we see, once again, the power of an elected leader over an appointed one:
The Chief of Police, Chris Guy, effectively said (paraphrased), “What the Mayor ordered is what we have to do.”
Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright on the other hand, disagrees with Chief Guy’s assessment, reminding the media folks questioning him that reducing risk to the officers increases rather than reduces risk to the public. And I quote the good Sheriff:
If a bank robber or a drunk driver or a shoplifter or somebody with a warrant runs on foot, it’s our obligation to do what we can do to bring them to justice.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I sympathize with the Chief’s position. He’s appointed by the Mayor and if he wants to keep his job he’ll do what he’s told and he’ll tell his officers to obey that directive in turn. I sympathize with the Mayor who is trying to lead a city in these financially trying times and she’s searching for a way to cut costs. I get that.
That said, I admire the Sheriff whose position allows him to voice the truth of the matter:
We law enforcement professionals have a job to do and that job involves risk. If we fail to do our jobs, the risk is passed along to the public we’re supposed to be protecting and serving.
How long do you think it will take for Mayor Peake and Chief Guy to get that?
What do you think?
I became a police officer with the Nashville Police Dept.
on Aug. 1, 1961. Needless to say, police work has changed
dramatically. Back then, we were allowed to question suspects without worrying about being sued for an unlawful stop. We addressed the problem of crime by concentrating on the crime areas of our city. There was no such things as “gangs.” If we observed guys congregating in groups,on public property,we advised them
to disban. And they did. If we went back later and they were still there, we arrested them for disorderly conduct.We also had a lot of fun. We played practical jokes on each other and performed many harmless pranks.
This compensated for the low pay. I started out with a salary of $318. per month. I worked patrol, traffic (motorcycle squad) vice and back to patrol in my final years. The guys and gals I worked with were like family to me and I would have given my life to save any and all of them. I get upset now when the media seem to take great pleasure in describing the events of an officer “messing up” but skims over the events when officers (and there are many) perform outstanting services to their communities. So, my advice to all police officers now is to “stay safe.” God Bles You All.
OUTRAGEOUS! Absolutely outrageous! The Mayor will paralyze effective police work. Think of the law suits that may now come when a citizen is NOT protected! If a member of my family was attacked in any way and the police saw this and could not apprehend because of such a silly prohibition I would sue and probably win! Talk about increasing expense, Ms. Mayor! AND–once citizen believe they will NOT be protected, imagine the vigilante response! Chaos both financially and physical is a likely result of this edict! Shame on her! Doc
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This is the most outrageous thing that I have seen on almost 30 years. There are no words to describe the actions of this mayor other than “Diliberate Indifference”. Would somebody read her Canton v Harris. When do we draw the line?
I just saw the Mayor on Headline News. All I can say is “ignorant”. I feel bad for the citizens and police officers. She sets rules and sanctions for the City Officers. The Sheriff and his Deputies should step up. The mayor is on the side of the criminals. It is apparent what needs to be done.
I’m a Massachusetts Liberal, and this Mayor sure seems insane to me. Good Luck Citizens!
I grew up about 5 minutes from Welford SC. And although you have your idiots in office everywhere, she certainly takes the cake. And from private conversations I’ve had with folks still living there, she’s only covering her own a$$ and could care less about anything (or anyone)else. I am actually happy to have this much attention being paid to her, because maybe the corruption in that area will be exposed and dealt with. As for all of you that put your life on the line so that we can say stupid things in public, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.
This is yet another example of a person making a decision because they CAN, not because they have any clue what the right thing to do is. When a person loses touch with the working frontline and thinks they remember or know how things are, they need a reality check. This is hers. Not that it appears that she ever had a clue. Good luck Sheriff Wright in taking up that slack. GOD BLESS YOU MAYOR PEAKE!
[…] Not even on foot, announced Wellford, S.C. mayor Sallie Peake: “As of this date, there are to be no more foot chases when a suspect runs. I do not want anyone chasing after any suspects whatsoever.” She was tired of all the insurance premiums and workers’ comp claims: “The officers are costing us more money on insurance than most citizens here in the city of Wellford are even earning.“ [Lowering the Bar, WSPA] She’s now revoked the policy. [AP/Charleston Post and Courier] Commentary: Officer.com. […]