Part 1 of 3
A seasoned lieutenant dedicated to making sure that all officers “live long enough to enjoy a happy retirement with all major body parts still attached and functional” shared fundamental officer survival steps he urges everyone to repeatedly review and always follow. We’ll start with the first five:
- Gather as much information as possible. Bug your dispatcher and/or peers for as many facts as you can get before you arrive on-scene at a potentially dangerous call. If you know something about an individual or address that another officer is about to handle, speak up. Share your pertinent data.
Don’t stop gathering facts once you make contact. Victims, witnesses and even the suspect(s) may give you information that will help you more safely deal with the situation at hand. Ask the right questions and use the answers to bolster your officer safety margin. Questions like Who is the suspect? Is he armed? With what? Where is he now? Who’s with him? Has he made threats? What has he said? Is he drunk or drugged? It is virtually impossible to gather too much information, as long as the fact-gathering does not distract you from carrying out other equally vital safety measures like…
- Watch your approach and positioning. On vehicle contacts, stay out of traffic and inside the “safety lane” provided by your parked patrol unit. Check the violator’s trunk lid and back seat before passing them. Do not advance past the leading edge of the driver’s door. Get him to look over his shoulder at you. Don’t stand between vehicles.
When approaching an address on foot, avoid being out in the open as much as possible. Be aware of where the nearest solid cover is located in case gunfire erupts. Don’t walk or stand in front of doors or windows.
Watch your “personal” space, too. Keep a subject you are contacting beyond immediate arms’ reach or kicking distance. Move in closer only when you are ready to take him into custody by handcuffing and searching. Stay alert! This is the most dangerous phase of the subject-contact process.
- Look out for warning signs. The more experienced an officer is, the more caution signs he or she will be aware of. Hazard indicators in a suspect often include some of the following, either alone or in combination:
— Intoxicated or high
— Obviously agitated emotional state
— A vacant or distant stare
— Suspicious bulge in clothing
— Known history of violence
— Verbal threats to harm police or others
— Subject casting a “targeting” glance at your weapon or person
— Furtive movements as if hiding something
- Don’t make dangerous assumptions. All alarms are not false. The drunk, or panhandler, or prostitute or whatever who was passive the last 12 times you handled him will not necessarily be “safe” now that he is handcuffed. And the fact that you have plenty of help at the scene is not an ironclad guarantee that he won’t fight you anyway.
Assumptions can be very dangerous. One of the few that you can permit yourself is that virtually every call and contact you make holds at least the potential for real danger. Respond accordingly.
- Stay alert throughout a contact or call. This means keeping your feelers out for situational changes (visual, voice or otherwise) that indicate the danger level is rising. You cannot afford to drop your guard and avoid a “player” in the situation to leave your surveillance for even a moment. He might reappear with a surprise you don’t want.
No matter how any suspects you have secured or how many weapons you have recovered, never stop looking for more. Crooks sometimes use backups just like you do. Hardcore felons and other planning for a confrontation frequently hide extra guns or blades on their person. The small of the back and the groin area are favorite hiding places for these weapons. Check these closely…and then check again.
Don’t ease off too soon. More than a few officers have been hurt or slain within the “secure” confines of their own station or jail. There is some indication that many officers subconsciously relax as they approach familiar turf even as their prisoner’s anxiety (and danger) level increases upon arriving at a law enforcement facility. Remember: you cannot afford to decrease your alertness until you are totally physically removed from the presence of any realistic threat.
NEXT: Five more foundational officer survival principles that will keep you safe and alive.
SHARE YOUR OWN FOUNDATIONAL OFFICER SURVIVAL PRINCIPLES! E-mail us at: editor@calibrepress.com or post your comments on this link. We may share them with officers across the country in a follow-up piece.
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