A vehicle stop of violent felony suspects brings with it, if done correctly, multiple officers, pistols or long-guns pointed, orders given over the loudspeaker, and teamwork to bring about the successful conclusion of apprehension without bloodshed. You know they're in the car, are capable of violence, plan and act accordingly.
But how do you approach the shoplifter held in the store security office, the fail-to-pay at the local gas station or the teenager acting up call? The fact is that the felony call brings with it the awareness that the threat of danger exists but officers are killed and injured each year on the "routine calls."
Anytime any act as a law enforcement officer from traffic stops for speed violations to patting down a suspicious person becomes "routine" or the thought that there is no risk involved, the stage is set for violence.
Predatory and opportunistic suspects read body language. A lack of mental awareness increases the suspect's perception that you're an easy mark.
When dealing with suspects:
- Keep your gun-hand free. You carry a gun that makes you a gunfighter and no gunfighter worth his salt ties up his gun-hand.
- Look around. Life is a live-fire 360 degree environment. Work to avoid tunnel-vision.
- When working with a partner or other officer practice contact/cover, it's a life-saver.
- Read body language. Since 80% or more of all communication is non-verbal, pay attention to what the suspect's non-verbal cues are saying to you.
- Trust your gut. Call it sixth sense, street smarts, whatever, but when the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, pay attention. Don't rationalize away gut instincts.
- Search like your life depends on it... because it does.
- If the suspect is under arrest, hand-cuff first, then search.
- Have a plan.
- When you enter the "reactionary gap" or that activity zone within six feet of a suspect, have your head in the game, your hands up to defend yourself and be ready for resistance.
- When you put hands on people to escort, arrest or pat them down, be ready for resistance.
- Fight; fight hard the inclination to make any activity "routine" - routine kills, period.
- Slow down while responding to emergency calls for service. More LEOs are being killed in traffic related incidents than by gunfire.
- While engaged in vehicle pursuits - slow down as well and drive within your limits. As speeds and the risks increase, ask, "Is it worth my life or the life of an innocent citizen?"
- Engage in personal and other officer debriefings and "lessons learned" talks after incidents to pave the way for improving your game.
- Read, study and learn about trends and activities within the criminal element locally as well as nationally.
- Practice your skills. When the fecal material hits the rotating oscillator, it is you, your attributes and skills that will pull you through. Winning on the street is not a course, book, video or article; it is a way of life.
According to the recently released FBI 2007 Officers Killed and Assaulted stats:
- 16 officers died during arrest situations
- 16 officers died as results of ambushes
- 11 officers died during traffic pursuits/stops
- 5 officers died while responding to disturbance calls
- 4 officers died while investigating suspicious persons/circumstances
- 3 officers died during tactical situations
Of the 57 officers killed feloniously the average time on the job was ten years. All of the foregoing situations from arresting a suspect to handling a search warrant or other tactical situations are not out of the ordinary. None of the officers killed in the line of duty went to work that day thinking they would be ambushed or in a fight for their very lives. It is the drudgery that kills.
Ten years on the street brings hundreds of calls for service but does it also bring a misdemeanor mindset and a preformed "routine" attitude with it as well?
I've heard the saying that you should "Have a smile and a kind word for everyone you meet, and a plan to kill them." Maybe a little drastic but complacency and the misdemeanor mindset kills our fellow brothers and sisters in blue each year as well as hundreds of thousands of injuries in assaults.
Start with the proper mindset, develop and maintain your skills. Don't be a statistic; instead be one hard S.O.B. to mess with.
