The Ten Fatal Errors That Have Killed Experienced Lawmen

Here are ten points to put in your brain box. Although they relate to the law enforcement world, a few are quite good to keep in mind, as they are useable anytime you come across someone who could be an opponent. Most LEO’s are familiar with these 10 key points. This article was written by a law enforcement officer, guest writer Chris Honey.

1. Your Attitude: If you fail to keep your mind on the job while on patrol, or if you carry problems with you into the field, you will start to make errors. It can cost you or other fellow officers their lives.

2. Tombstone Courage: No one doubts that you are brave, but in any situation where time allows – wait for backup. You should NOT try to make a dangerous apprehension alone or unaided.

3. Not enough rest: To do your job you must be alert. Being sleepy or asleep on the job is not only against regulations, but you endanger yourself, the community and all of your fellow officers.

4. Taking a bad position: Never let anyone you are questioning or about to stop get in a better position than you and your vehicle. There is no such thing as a routine call or stop.

5. Danger signs: you will come to recognize “danger signs” ­ movements, strange cars, warnings that should alert you to watch your step and approach with caution. Know your beat, your community, and watch for anything that is out of place.

6. Failure to watch hands of a suspect: Is he or she reaching for a weapon or getting ready to strike you? How else can a potential killer strike, but with his or her hands.

7. Relaxing too soon: The “rut” of false alarms. Observe the activity, never take any call as routine or just another false alarm. It’s your life on the line.

8. Improper use or no handcuffs: Once you have made an arrest, handcuff the prisoner properly.

9. No search or poor search: There are so many places a suspect can hide weapons that your failure to search is a crime against fellow officers. Many criminals carry several weapons and are able and prepared to use them against you.

10. Dirty or inoperative weapon: Is your firearm clean? Will it fire? How about ammunition? When did you fire your weapon last so that you know if you can hit a target in combat conditions? What’s the sense of carrying any firearm that may not work?

Attitude

Every police officer faces challenging obstacles outside of their law enforcement career, however no officer should let the circumstances of their private life interfere with their ability to maintain a positive attitude. Police officers are held at a higher standard than the general public, so every officer should make it their personal goal to make their attitude reflect that standard. Law enforcement requires a high level of selflessness day in and day out, which entails a positive attitude. When an officer checks in service at the beginning of his shift, he should not be worried about anything except the safety of his fellow officers, his community and himself.

Officers with poor motivation and a negative attitude are more susceptible to make mistakes such as ; not properly backing up fellow officers on a call, poor judgement calls, completing paper work improperly and poor decision making skills.  As an officer, you have sworn to protect the community that you know and love. When an officer walks into work with a bad attitude, they are putting the lives of the citizens they swore to protect in harm’s way. Not only will a negative attitude put the lives of a community in danger, it can also change the public’s perception of law enforcement officers as a whole. Police officers are role models for several people in the community, especially for children and a poor attitude can influence the way they act as well. Whatever obstacles an officer may face in their day to day lives, no matter how hard, need to stay at home. Fellow law enforcement officers lives matter more than the issue that has you in a bad mood. However, a positive attitude can make an officer more willing to get out of his car and work. Citizens depend on officers to protect them and to preserve the community. Keeping a positive attitude can encourage fellow officers to have the same mentality and motivation.

Tombstone Courage

Every officer wants to save a baby that is having trouble breathing, help the person who just took a gunshot wound to a vital organ, help a female that was just involved in a domestic violence altercation, etc.  However, many officers are killed in the line of duty due to “tombstone courage”. There have been suspects that have called police with fake information in order to ambush the police officers that respond to the call. When an officer rushes into a scene that he know nothing about, without any back­up it can cause serious bodily harm or death. Poor decision making skills can cause fatal consequences for an officer and his colleagues.

For example, if an officer is dispatched to a residential burglary call and the suspect is inside of the residence, the officer might become too anxious to catch the suspect. He might drive too fast to get there in an attempt to arrest the subject, but since he was going too fast a car pulled out in front of him and he didn’t have time to stop.  Now he is involved in an accident and he will not be able to catch the suspect that was breaking into the residence. An officer could also be making a consensual encounter with a suspect at 3:00 a.m. and he fails to let dispatch know where he is located at. Without letting dispatch know that he is making contact with a suspect or telling them the position of his location, the suspect decides to run and starts shooting in his direction. Officers always have to be weary of their surroundings, they always have to let their fellow officers and dispatch know where they are at all times, and they cannot take matters into their own hands. The biggest problem lies when an officer has been working to the same beat or grew up in. Complacency is always a major factor in an officer who experiences tombstone courage.

Not Enough Rest

Without enough adequate rest,  officers are not only putting themselves in danger, but they are also putting fellow officers and citizens in harm’s way. If an officer is tired while attempting to perform his duties, he will not be able to focus on the task at hand. An old veteran officer once told a rookie, “To survive this career all you have to do is pay attention!” If an officer is tired, he will to not be able to pay attention to the task at hand. If an officer is not paying attention,  he cannot focus on his career. Being alert in the law enforcement profession is vital for everyone’s well being. Officers cannot expect to stay alert if they are too exhausted to perform their duties. Studies have shown that in the short term, a lack of adequate sleep can affect judgment, mood, ability to learn as well as retain information, and may increase the risk of serious accidents and injury.

In the long term, chronic sleep deprivation may lead to a host of health problems including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even early mortality. All law enforcement officers must find ways to receive enough rest to perform his or her job properly. Sleep boosts immunity to illnesses and can ensure an officer’s well being, As law enforcement officers, we not only need to be in precise physical condition, but we also need to make sure we are feel well on the job.

We are not doing the city that we swore to protect any good if we are constantly sick. Sleep deprivation can lead to higher risk of chronic health problems like high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Sleep is very important for every officer’s mental and physical health. One way to help night shift officers sleep is by simply placing a blanket over their window, so that the sunlight will not glare in your eyes while attempting to get proper rest. Every law enforcement officer needs to get a sufficient amount of sleep so that he or she can perform duties properly.

Taking A Bad Position

Every officer wants to be the superhero that swoops in and saves the day. To be able to save the woman who has been involved with an abusive partner, to tend to a critically wounded man after he took a bullet to the chest, etc. However, many officers are killed in the line of duty due to “tombstone courage”. More than once there have been instances in which a suspect has called the police with fake information in order to ambush the police officers that respond to the call. When an officer rushes into a scene that he know nothing about, without any back­up it can cause serious bodily harm and in extreme cases, death.

Poor decision making skills can lead to fatal consequences for an officer and his colleagues. For example, if an officer is dispatched to a residential burglary call and the suspect is inside of the residence, the officer might become too anxious to catch the suspect. He could drive to the location too fast in an attempt to arrest the subject, but since he was going well above the speed limit, he didn’t have time to slow down just as a car pulled out in front of him.  Now he is involved in a vehicular accident that could have been avoided and he will not be able to catch the suspect that was breaking into the residence.

An officer could also be making a consensual encounter with a suspect late at night and if he fails to let dispatch know where he is located at things could take a turn for the worst. Without letting dispatch know that he is making contact with a suspect and failing to inform them of the position of his location, the suspect could decide to run and start shooting in his direction. Officers should always be weary of their surroundings, they should always let their fellow officers and dispatch know where they are at all times, and they cannot take matters into their own hands when it is not warranted. Complacency is always a major factor in an officer who experiences tombstone courage.

Danger Signs

On a dark cold night an officer decides to patrol on foot around his local housing authority, due to several complaints of drug activity in the area. As he begins walking, he sees two subjects that are standing outside smoking cigarettes. Being familiar with the area and its residents, he does not recognize the two suspects. Approaching the two subjects could be a sign of danger for any officer. The officer calls for backup before he walks up to the subjects and he notices that the suspects look suspicious, they are not from the area, and they are attempting to avoid conversation. An officer should always go with his gut feeling in a situation that seems uneasy.

A lot of officers will put themselves in positions without trusting their intuition. If an officer feels that a situation is too hard to handle at the given time, he should back off and approach at a later time. Officers are not invincible and they should never act as if they are. FBI summary reports state that of all officers slain, around 60 percent did not even have their guns unholstered yet. Officers should always keep their backs to the wall and always look around first before entering any new areas always being on high alert looking for potential hiding places.

The power of observation is one of the most valuable tools that an officer can use. A few other examples of danger signs are; a suspect wearing a coat during the summer, a suspect wearing their coat hood up to avoid contact and unwillingness to talk to the officer if they are in the passenger seat during a traffic stop. An officer should always trust his intuition and constantly stay vigilant. Criminals will do whatever it takes to murder a police officer in order to stay out of trouble or do whatever it takes to avoid a police officer all together.

Failure To Watch Hands Of A Suspect

Failing to watch a suspect’s hands could also be very dangerous for an officer. Any suspect that wants to kill an officer will always use their hands in order to try and harm the officer. Whether it is to reach for a firearm, a weapon, or simply balling up their fists, officers should always watch their suspect’s hands. Suspects typically want to put their hands inside of their pockets, because it is an everyday routine for someone outside of law enforcement to put their hands inside of their pockets. Do not always trust the fact that a suspect has been perfectly and thoroughly searched. It can be extremely easy for suspects to hide contraband in places that officers might miss in an initial search. Officers should always have the mentality that the suspect could potentially be hiding something that could harm them.

Officers should always make sure that they can see their suspect’s hands. Rather than approach, the officer should get into a position of advantage, ready to respond then order the suspect to keep their hands where they are. The officer has the suspect turn around, facing away from the officer and first place his elbows out, and then slowly expose his hands. Especially when close, the tendency is strong to look at the suspect’s eyes. There is an old saying that, “The eyes are the windows of the soul,” but an officer must remember that they kill you with their hands. Always assume that a suspect could possibly have a weapon in their possession. Never assume that every person that you encounter is good. Letting a suspect keep his hands in his pockets, without properly searching him could easily become a fatal incident. An officer should always make sure that he can see the suspect’s hands at all times to insure his safety.

Improper Use Or No Handcuffs

Handcuffs are restraint devices designed to secure an individual’s wrists close together. They comprise two parts, linked together by a chain, a hinge, or rigid bar. Handcuffing an individual should always be taken in affect. Individuals that do not want to go to jail will do whatever it takes in a last attempt to break away. Proper handcuffing also prevents harm that could be done to the officer. A combative individual must be subdued, handcuffed, searched, and then transported. If that order were followed consistently there would be fewer deaths among law enforcement officers. It is important to maintain a position of advantage when dealing with any suspect no matter what the situation. When detaining a suspect, an officer should always place handcuffs on the person. Always making sure that the handcuffs properly fit and that they are double­locked so that the suspect cannot get out of the handcuffs. If a suspect is improperly cuffed or not handcuffed at all the suspect has the advantage in the situation and can use it against you.

Another reasoning to handcuff an individual is due to outstanding warrants. When making contact with an individual that has outstanding warrants, an officer should always handcuff the suspect so that they will not attempt to make a run for it. When an individual is handcuffed, a methodical search helps prevent missing any weapons. An officer should always handcuff the suspect behind their back. If not handcuffed properly behind the back, an individual has more of an opportunity to strike, or pull out a hidden weapon on themselves or the officer. One way to check if the handcuffs are properly placed on an individual is by placing your index finger in between the handcuffs and the individual’s wrist. Always make sure the handcuffs are checked for spacing. Many individuals that officers see on a daily basis have been arrested before, so it is important to make sure that the cuffs are placed on the suspect properly. A lot of individuals can find ways to break handcuffs, slip out of the handcuffs, and even maneuver themselves in front of the handcuffs. After handcuffing an individual, always make sure to do a secondary search of them before placing the individual inside of the patrol unit.

No Search Or Poor Search

When making an encounter with an individual, the officer should always keep his or her gun side away from the suspect. The officer should search the areas on a suspect where a weapon would most likely be concealed first (the waistband is the most common location of weapons for males). When conducting a search of an individual, an officer should always make sure to have the suspect place their hands on the hood, top, or truck of a vehicle. If there is not a vehicle around, make sure to have the individual place their hands on top of their head and interlace their fingers. When conducting a thorough search, make sure that the individual is secure.

If the individual is wearing a large amount of clothing, make sure to check all areas in which a weapon could be concealed. There have been many incidents in which a law enforcement officer did not conduct a search of an individual well enough and as a consequence they lost their lives. Suspects know how to conceal a weapon if they do not want it to be located by law enforcement. Officers tend to do a pat down of a suspect after they are under arrest and simply place them inside their patrol unit.

If handing a suspect over to another officer, that officer should also do a secondary search of the individual, in case any contraband was hidden in the swap. Talking or intimidation may be used to throw an officer off task. For example, to prevent a search of the crotch a suspect may shout out something vulgar at the officer. Suspects also may try to lure the officer into a false sense of security by acting submissive. In the event that one weapon is found an officer should keep searching the individual, because secondary weapons are on the increase among criminals, as well as officers. The proper search of a suspect could be the difference between life and death for an officer.

Dirty Or Inoperative Weapon

The most common error in law enforcement is a dirty or inoperative weapon. Making it a habit to take a firearm out to the local firing range is crucial. When at the firing range, an officer has the time to make sure that he or she has a weapon that functions properly. Maintaining a firearm that functions properly will help keep the officer and his fellow officers safe if it comes time to fire that weapon. When shooting the firearm, each situation is different, the weather and visibility conditions, the topography of the roadway, the volume and speed of traffic, the number of suspects in the vehicle, the situation that leads up to the stop. The law enforcement officer never knows if his or her firearm is going to properly function. Going to the firing range will help determine if the officer’s weapon is in pristine condition.

If an officer’s firearm does not function properly, the officer should inform the head of the department and get the issue resolved. Firearms can and will rust, so officers should always make sure that their firearm is clean. Many officers will go a long time without ever examining their firearm. Officers should make examining their firearm a daily routine. Rain conditions and the cold can affect a firearm, so officers should always check their firearm after being out in the rain or after standing out in cold weather for a long period of time. Without proper lubrication, the firearm will also not function properly.

The firearm is the most deadly weapon a law enforcement can carry and if their duty weapon is not functioning correctly, it could be a deadly mistake. Cleaning of weapons is important whenever they’ve been fired for training or for marksmanship practice. Deposits such as gun powder residue and dust from the air can render guns useless when needed in an emergency. The complex mechanisms of the gun’s action, trigger and hammer can become clogged and not perform their full motions as designed. The barrel can become obstructed and prevent free passage of the round through itself. A law enforcement officer should always make it a habit to make sure their firearm is functioning properly.