Tag: Officer Safety: Page 27

Vehicles

Driving In Nasty Weather

Weather is a hazard that must be managed by law enforcement officers, especially when driving patrol vehicles. Lt. Keith Wilson, who oversees the Michigan State Police's Precision Driving Unit, provided a few suggestions, so officer safety will be top of mind when operating your vehicle in nasty weather.

December 28, 2010

Training

Self Talk: Auditing Your Internal Dialogue

As my friend Bob Brenner says, "The most important conversations you will ever have are with yourself, about yourself, in the privacy of your own mind."

December 16, 2010

Training

The Scale of Desirability and Fatal Funnel

If you understand how the mind works, then you'll understand the power of words to program the subconscious mind for success or failure. In this week's post, we'll continue with that line of thought by examining the "scale of desirability" and "fatal funnel."

October 14, 2010

Patrol

Officer Safety: Wristband Handcuff Key

Viewing these photos, you can see how a detainee could quickly give himself an escape route from your cuffs, so you'll want to make sure you look for this during your thorough search.

October 12, 2010

Careers

Wearing a High-Visibility Vest May Save Your Life

I know what it's like to have to get out and work a traffic accident; it only takes a few seconds to don this vest. There are still some officers who resist wearing the vest and try to trump up the circumstances to exempt themselves. You're only endangering yourself by doing this.

October 4, 2010

Patrol

Beware the Restrained Subject

Over the years, I've heard multiple accounts of handcuffed subjects who later escaped or attempted to escape. One particular incident involved a young kid who fled on foot. His ability to outrun two officers with his hands behind his back demonstrated just how focused a person can be if he wants to escape.

September 29, 2010

Training

Eliminate These 'D' Words From Your Vocabulary

The first step to positively communicate is to delete the word "don't" from your vocabulary. The rationale behind this is simple. When you use the word "don't" as part of your feedback or direction, your mind must first figure out what it is not supposed to do.

September 28, 2010

Training

Do You Want to Win or Just Survive?

It's crucial for law enforcement officers to understand the power of words. It is not just semantics. It is often the difference between programming your subconscious for success or for failure. In some cases, it can be the difference between life and death.

September 13, 2010

Careers

Avoid Being Identified As A Cop

Telling a story about your most recent call, as others listen within ear shot, gives two ideas. Either you are a young cop or a 'mall ninja' who has overdosed on police shows.

August 29, 2010

Patrol

Click It or Die Bleeding

While vehicle crashes attributed to just 26 percent of all law enforcement deaths between the years 1980 and 1982, they comprised 54 percent of officer deaths between 2005 and 2007. Fatalities incident to foot or motorcycle patrol remained largely unchanged, yet deaths in patrol cars spiked.

August 25, 2010

Careers

Know Your Limitations

One of my former defensive tactics instructors taught me a valuable lesson about sizing up an opponent. He asked me if I had ever seen a Japanese tea cup and what is different about it?

August 22, 2010

Patrol

Dealing With the Non-Compliant Threat

The one thing you have undeniable control over is yourself and your response to the situation. Your goal is to resolve the situation using the lowest degree of force possible.

August 18, 2010