In discussions of lethal force with the untrained, one of the most difficult things for me to communicate to them is the speed they happen at. This lapel video, sadly, illustrates the concept better than any words I can come up with:
Officer Tyler Stewart
EOW: 12-27-14
3/15/2016
I trust in God.
Everyone else, I want to see their hands....
Our last three LODs have been with very similar dynamics.
My trainer brain was screaming while watching that video, so very, very much wrong going on there.
The unfortunate reality is that he could have pulled that right hand out of his pocket casually and had the exact same effect.
The path of least resistance will seldom get you where you need to be.
The sad thing was the suspect had his hand on a cocked pistol the whole contact.
Just a dog chauffeur that used to hold the dumb end of the leash.
Would you be able to say how an LEO could handle this more safely? Maybe even how to deal with someone who refuses to show their hands.Originally Posted by Chuck Haggard
I don't mean to armchair the murder of an LE officer, so I am also open to a "piss off" response.
One thing that jumps out is that it appears the officer was by himself. How a guy expects to work a domestic by himself, safely, is beyond me. This sort of contact would require "contact-cover" with a second officer to safely work, optimally at least. Bad guy is ordered to get his hands clear of his pockets, refusal to do so ups the tactics rather quickly.
The half-assed pat down has gotten tons of coppers killed. This was also in play in the Trooper Coates incident.
At these distances going for the bad guy's gun is the best bet, no way you have time to make distance and draw your own gun. Knowing how to do a disarm is a VERY important skill to have.
Failure to note danger signs was also a thing here, note bad guy has one hand out of his pocket, the right hand is obviously pinned into the pocket and not moving. People don't generally gesture one handed.
Thank you for clarifying. The amount of details you guys have to keep in mind is boggling.
The unwillingness to MMQB to protect someone's feeling or dignity is why so many cops get killed making the same stupid mistakes.
The biggest mistake I see is no cover. It's usually a bullshit deal, until it ain't. Just handle your business and save your buddy a trip across the city is not a good SOP.
I don't have a time machine and I can't predict the future or recreate the past, but in my experience the guys that are wishy-washy about fighting won't pull any shenanigans if there are multiple officers present.
That was the one that leaped out at me.
3/15/2016
Reply With Quote