November 2008

Put yourself in the shoes of Officers Dan Dunnigan and Marilyn Alvarado of the Corona (Calif.) Police Department. They arrived on scene at a domestic violence call expecting to translate for the Spanish-speaking complainant. Instead, they found themselves in the pathway of the gun-toting suspect. Now ask yourself the following questions.

Officers Dunnigan and Alvarado immediately went in foot pursuit of the suspect. Would you have gone in foot pursuit, or set up a containment on the suspect for a search? What makes or breaks your decision to initiate a foot pursuit?

What types of less-lethal force options do you carry?

Are you in the physical condition you want to be?