Cop's Perspective

I’VE DONE SOME RESEARCH LATELY. IN 1970 FOUR CHP OFFICERS WERE GUNNED DOWN IN NEWHALL,CA. ALL WERE KILLED IN A LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATION THAT PLACED PUBLIC RELATIONS ABOVE OFFICER SAFETY.

DURING THE 70’S CHP OFFICERS, LIKE MANY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, WERE PUNISHED FOR PERCEIVED TRANSGRESSIONS. ALL SOME SHMO HAD TO DO WAS SAY THEY WERE STOPPED BY AN OFFICER AND HE MADE ME FEEL BAD, STUCK OUT HIS TONGUE, ETC.

THE ADVERSE EFFECT ON LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN BE SEEN TODAY. COMMAND STAFF SET AND ENFORCE POLICY THAT HOLD DOWN EFFECTIVE PREVENTIVE POLICE WORK. LESS CARS ARE BEING STOPPED. PEDESTRIANS ARE NOT BEING QUESTIONED UNDER SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES. THE RESULTS CAN BE SEEN IN ANY NEWSPAPER OR TV STATION IN THE COUNTRY. MURDERS AND SERIOUS ASSAULTS ARE ON A ROCKET TRAJECTORY. IF THIS KEEPS UP 2016 WILL, INDEED, BE A BLOODY YEAR.

AS OF THIS WRITING THIRTEEN OFFICERS HAVE BEEN KILLED BY GUNFIRE. THAT’S A 333% RISE OVER LAST YEAR.

LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WOULD BE WELL ADVISED TO EMBRACE THE CULTURE OF “OFFICER SURVIVAL” AND TRAIN ACCORDINGLY.

THE GHOSTS OF NEWHALL, CA ARE CREEPING BACK INTO THE TRAINING AND DISCIPLINE OF POLICE OFFICERS. WE CAN’T LET THIS HAPPEN.WE MUST NOT ALLOW POLITICS TO TAKE PRIORITY OVER OFFICER SAFETY ISSUES. LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CIVIC LEADERS WOULD BE WISE TO HEED THE NEEDS OF POLICE DEPARTMENTS BEFORE INTRODUCING AND ENFORCING ILL-CONCEIVED CHANGES THAT COULD AND PROBABLY WILL LEAD TO MORE POLICE FUNERALS. STAY SAFE, BUCKLE UP AND WEAR YOUR VEST!!

IN MY HOME TOWN OF ST. LOUIS LAST WEEK A COUPLE COPS STOPPED A CAR FOR IMPROPER REGISTRATION. MEANING THE LICENSE PLATE ON THE CAR DID NOT MATCH THE CAR. ANY REASONABLE THINKING PERSON COULD CONCLUDE THAT THIS IS A VALID REASON FOR STOPPING A CAR. GUESS AGAIN.

THE COPS PULLED THE CAR OVER AND DISCOVERED A FAMILY GOING TO CHURCH. TWO SMALL CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT.

THE INVESTIGATION FINISHED WITH A SOMEWHAT VALID EXPLANATION. AFTER ALL IT’S SUNDAY AND THE FAMILY IS GOING TO CHURCH. THE OFFICERS ADVISED THE DRIVER TO GET THE LICENSE PLATE ISSUE SQUARED AWAY AND NO TICKET WAS ISSUED…JUST A VERBAL WARNING.

A FEW HOURS LATER THE BLM FOLKS WERE AT POLICE HEADQUARTERS DEMANDING THE HEAD OF THE GOVERNOR, MAYOR, POLICE CHIEF ETC. BECAUSE THE OFFICERS WHO “UNJUSTLY” PULLED THE CAR OVER POINTED THEIR GUNS, NOT AT THE ADULTS BUT AT THE KIDS IN THE BACK.

A QUICK REVIEW OF THE POLICE CARS VIDEO REVEALED THE STOP WAS CONDUCTED IN A CALM AND PROFESSIONAL MANNER. WE SHOULD EXPECT NOTHING LESS.

THE VIDEO, MADE PUBLIC DROVE THE POINT HOME THAT THE OFFICERS DID NOT PULL THEIR GUNS, MUCH LESS POINT THEM AT ANYONE. CHILDREN INCLUDED.

A VALID STOP THAT RESULTED IN A DEBUNKING OF A STUPID PROTEST. CAN YOU IMAGINE THE PRESS THIS WOULD HAVE RECEIVED IF NOT FOR THE IN-CAR CAMERA.

IN TODAY’S HOSTILE CLIMATE…WHY BOTHER!!

CHARLES WEXLER, A PH.D ACADEMIC AND CHIEF SCOTT THOMSON ARE THE TWO GUYS THAT RUN THE “POLICE EXECUTIVE RESEARCH FORUM” THE KEY WORD HERE IS “EXECUTIVE.” YES, THERE ARE NO STREET COPS OR MID LEVEL SUPERVISORS. SO THESE GUYS SIT IN AN IVORY TOWER AND WRITE SILLY OP-ED’S IN THE NY TIMES.

THE LATEST SUGGESTING THAT COPS GO BEYOND THE SUPREME COURT THRESHOLD FOR THE USE OF DEADLY FORCE. THEY WONDER ABOUT THE ADVERSE IMPACT ON A POPULATION THAT VIEWS A CELLPHONE VIDEO OR TWO. THESE GOOFS WANT COPS TO CONSIDER THIS PRIOR TO SHOOTING SOMEONE FLOURISHING A DANGEROUS AND DEADLY WEAPON. PERHAPS ADVANCING ON AN OFFICER OR CIVILIAN. THESE SITUATIONS DEVELOP IN A HEARTBEAT.

THE PIECE IN THE NY TIMES ALSO TALKED ABOUT A PERSON WITH A KNIFE BEING TALKED OUT OF DOING ANYTHING STUPID AND WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. WHERE DID THIS HAPPEN…WHY CAMDEN,NEW JERSEY. OH YEAH, THAT’S THE CITY WHERE THOMSON, THE PERF ADMINISTRATOR, IS THE CHIEF.

I WOULD ASK THIS QUESTION. HOW MANY TIMES A DAY DOES AN OFFICER TALK SOMEONE WITH A KNIFE OR GUN OUT OF DOING SOMETHING FOOLISH. EVERYDAY, NUMEROUS TIMES EVERYDAY. TO FOCUS ON ONE EVENT THAT ALLEGEDLY OCCURRED IN CAMDEN, NJ IS PANDERING TO THE WEAK MINDED PEOPLE WHO THINK EVERY TIME AN OFFICER CONFRONTS A PERSON WITH A KNIFE HE/SHE IS SHOT. NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH.

THIS DISINGENUOUS OP-ED SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN AT FACE VALUE. MERELY A RESPONSE TO THE ANTI POLICE CLIMATE CURRENTLY HOVERING OVER OUR COUNTRY. BROUGHT TO YOU THROUGH THE COURTESY OF blm, aclu AND THE MEDIA LOOKING FOR A SENSATIONAL AND SALACIOUS OCCURRENCE WITHOUT GETTING THE FACTS.

COPS WILL SURVIVE. THEY MUST.

STAY SAFE, BUCKLE UP AND WEAR YOUR VEST!

WE ALL KNEW IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. THE EGGHEADS AND POLICY WONKS WOULD GET TOGETHER, PROPELLED BY THE CURRENT ANTI-POLICE ATTITUDE, BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE LIKES OF BLM, ACLU AND OTHERS.

THE POLICE EXECUTIVE RESEARCH FORM…KNOWN IN POLICE CIRCLES AS “PERF.” THEY HAVE TAKEN ON THE DAUNTING TASK OF RE-POLICING THE POLICE. THE TOOL IS USE OF FORCE. YOU KNOW, LIKE WHEN A COP IN A BACK ALLEY, BEHIND A CLOSED BUSINESS AT 3:10 AM OR FACING DOWN A PCP AMPED DRUG ABUSER RUNNING DOWN THE STREET.

HOW SHOULD COPS REACT TO A VIOLENTLY RESISTING OR ATTACKING SUBJECT? THE “PERF’ BOYS HAVE IT ALL FIGURED OUT. JUST FOLLOW THESE EASY STEPS AND THE SITUATION WILL BE RECTIFIED IN NOTHING FLAT.

OFFICERS SHOULD GO BEYOND THE CURRENT SUPREME COURT STANDARDS. THAT BEING IF AN OFFICER FELT HE OR A CITIZEN IS IN IMMINENT DANGER OF DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY HE/SHE COULD USE DEADLY FORCE. SOUNDS PRETTY SIMPLE, DOESN’T IT? WELL THE “PERF” BOYS, AFTER SCRATCHING THEIR COLLECTIVE HEADS FOR EIGHTEEN MONTHS HAVE COME UP WITH A SOLUTION. THAT IS FOR OFFICERS TO IMAGINE WHAT THEIR (OFFICERS) ACTION WILL BE PERCEIVED BY THE PUBLIC.

GREAT GUYS, JUST GREAT. I HAVEN’T SEEN THE RESUME’S OF THESE DEEP THINKERS. I’LL DO SOME RESEARCH AND ADDRESS THIS IN ANOTHER BLOG. I’M GOING TO GO OUT ON A LIMB HERE AND SAY THESE ARE A BUNCH OF PH.D’S THAT DON’T HAVE MUCH EXPERIENCE OUTSIDE OF ACADEMIA.

STAY SAFE, WEAR YOUR VEST AND BUCKLE UP!!

OK, WE’VE TALKED ABOUT THINGS THE PUBLIC WANTS THE COPS TO KNOW AND THINGS COPS WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW.  MORE TO COME ON THAT LATER.

LET’S TALK ABOUT HOW A COP CAN LESSEN THE CHANCE OF BEING INVOLVED IN A MAJOR INCIDENT.  NOW WE ALL KNOW WHAT A MAJOR INCIDENT IS.  A SHOOTING, BARRICADED SUBJECT OR SOME MAJOR DEMONSTRATION ABOUT THIS OR THAT.  WHAT CAN A COP DO TO HELP PREVENT THIS FROM BECOMING A B.F.D.  PRETTY BASIC STUFF REALLY.  LET’S TAKE A LOOK.

1.  TREAT PEOPLE WITH RESPECT.  THIS SOUNDS LIKE COMMON SENSE BUT WE HAVE ALL SEEN OFFICERS APPROACH PEOPLE, MOSTLY BADGUYS WITH A TONE AND BODY LANGUAGE THAT PROJECTED ANYTHING BUT RESPECT.  EVEN THE FOLKS ON THE OTHER SIDE LIKE TO BE RESPECTED AND, IN MANY CASES, RETURN THE GESTURE.
2. USE CONTACT, COVER AND BACKUP. MANY COPS ARE IN A HURRY TO GET THE MATTER RESOLVED.  CALL FOR BACKUP, WAIT AND THEN PROCEED.  HAVING ANOTHER OFFICER AT THE SCENE GIVES YOU THE EDGE.  ADDITIONALLY, ANOTHER SET OF EYES CAN INCREASE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND HELP IDENTIFY PROBLEMS OR POTENTIAL PROBLEMS.
3. LEARN AND LOOK FOR PRE-INDICATORS OF A AGGRESSIVE ACT.  THE CLENCHED FISTS, THE STANCE OF THE VIOLATOR AND A FOCUSED GAZE ARE SEVERAL INDICATORS.  YOU MAY ATTEMPT TO DE-ESCALATE BY TAKING A STEP BACK OR CHANGE THE SUBJECT.
4. USE THE “ASK, TELL, MAKE” CONCEPT.  ASK THE OFFENDER TO COMPLY, TELL THE OFFENDER TO COMPLY AND, AS A FINAL STEP, MAKE THE PERSON COMPLY.
5. USE FORCE WITHOUT FEAR OR HESITATION.  EARLIER IN THIS BLOG WE DISCUSSED “DEADLY HESITATION.”  DON’T BECOME A STATISTIC.  USE FORCE WITHIN YOUR DEPARTMENTS GENERAL ORDERS…BUT BE QUICK ABOUT IT.  MANY OF THESE DECISIONS ARE MADE IN A SPLIT SECOND.  COURTS AND SECOND GUESSERS HAVE THE LUXURY OF …OH WELL, NEVER MIND.

TODAY IS A TOUGH TIME TO BE A COP.  KNOW WHAT YOUR DOING, LISTEN TO THOSE WHO HAVE “BEEN THERE, DONE THAT,” AND MOST OF ALL STAY SAFE AND COME HOME TO THE FAMILY WHEN THE WATCH IS DONE.

TALK SOON!!