Deputy Kristen Richmond of the Brooke County (WV) Sheriff’s Office posted on her Facebook page a lengthy description of a five-minute fight with "a 5’11, 195lb collegiate male athlete who was gooned up on an unknown drug" in the hope that it "serves as a swift kick in the [hindquarters] to a lot of cops."
The post quickly went viral.
Richmond described how her radio calls for help didn't go through and that much of the equipment on her duty belt was knocked off during the violent altercation.
She credited her training, and the actions of her partners and her K-9, with subduing the crazed subject.
"I managed to stay in the fight and maintain some control despite exchanging punches and knees with the subject. I secured one of the subject’s hands in cuffs and maintained that grip throughout the majority of the fight. I also released my K9 partner and she did exactly what she trains to do; however, all the K-9 bites, punches, knees, and baton strikes did not deter this guy. He wasn’t there. The drug had consumed every part of him."
Richmond said that the purpose of her post was three-fold.
"First and foremost, I implore you to train! Thank God I do. You don’t want to be in the fight for your life wishing you had done more to prepare for that exact moment. Second, bond with your partners. They’re your family and when you find yourself in a dark corner at 0300 praying for backup, they’re gonna be the ones who come running. Last, but not least, this is for the families, friends, and/or critics," Richmond wrote.
