I am writing this blog from about 32,000 feet, soon to be back in one of
the more interesting places on the face of the earth for people like
us. Time to think as we cruise along at breakneck speeds, indiscernible
because of our altitude and the dark night sky helps me write. (Some
guys just use a study and a desk; I have to have a million dollar
aircraft!) Recently a YouTube copy of a dash-cam recording of a traffic
stop went viral. This was much to the dismay of the police department
involved and for me personally. I know the department and the many good
men and women who wear its shield. The officer’s diatribe and vicious
anger toward someone eventually charged with Carrying a Concealed Weapon
(failure to notify law enforcement officer of permit) was disgraceful.
By now, I am fairly certain any weapons charges against him will be
dropped for a number of reasons unless his Blood Alcohol Content put him
under disability. First, it is amazingly apparent in the video that the
subject was trying, from the time he was stopped and asked for his
license that he was trying to tell the officer he had a permit and
showing him the permit itself, but the officer refused to look at it or
even acknowledge the driver. He had tunnel vision on the passenger.
Having spent thirteen years on the streets before moving to become a
Chief, (I started to write “moving up to Chief” and I don’t necessarily
subscribe to the vertical part of that statement), I think I can write
intelligently about the issue, unlike many who have filled web pages
with misinformation. This post would go on for pages if I were to
document all of the mistakes, tactical errors, prejudicial and
hate-filled comments of the officer. The same is true of the subject who
was driving his car in the worst part of town, giving rides to drug
dealing pimps and their prostitutes and taking payment for the ride in
trade and carrying a gun, even with a state issued permit!
As the dust settles, the court cases continue and the officer has been
fired from the department. I have worked with officers with short fused
tempers, a couple of them very sharp, intelligent cops but their anger
cost them and their partners, not to mention their departments. My
concern, demonstrated so clearly in this case is the extreme tunnel
vision that can occur, not just in someone who has anger issues but for
any cop too focused on the collar. In this case, while the drug dealing
pimp is pulled out, arrested cuffed and stuffed, the senior partner is
now focused on the group on the sidewalk, mostly druggies and
prostitutes. The junior, though certainly no rookie, was climbing in and
out of the backseat of the suspect vehicle looking for the drugs. In
and out, the driver: never removed from the car, still sitting behind
the steering wheel with car keys in the ignition, and carrying a gun!
Again, the senior officer walking around dealing with the persons on the
curb, not watching his partner’s back even a little bit.
Then, finally, the second officer gets to the driver and as he has been
since the beginning is trying to show them a card indicating he is
armed. When the second officer sees it and realizes how close he came to
be a “hero” by forgetting tactics completely his adrenalin goes through
the roof and the driver is brought out of the car and introduced to the
trunk lid. Now Officer Congeniality goes viral! Again the diatribe goes
on for some time with the officer telling him that he is too stupid to
be taking up oxygen needed by real people and that he should shoot him
right now (by this time he is cuffed in the back of the patrol car, but
while you watch, you expect to hear a gunshot at any time!)
Colleagues behind the badge, I know you work long hours. I know that
court cases eat up sleep time. I know that on certain shifts in certain
zones you deal with what seems to be a ‘different’ class of people. I
know how dangerous it is and how trying to keep alert, (we used to use
the term on ‘Yellow’) all the time ready to go to ‘Red’ can wear you
down. But… too much is riding on you doing your job, doing it well,
doing it safely and doing it smartly for you to be content with ‘just
getting home at the end of your shift.’
Don’t get me wrong, I am a firm believer that getting home in one piece
at the EOS is a priority but if it comes at a cost of doing a good job,
it isn’t enough. You might have what we used to term the “I’m caught by a
train” mentality. We all know officers that always seem to time their
arrival on scene at the same time everything is under control. No
matter their location when the call comes out, they never seem to be
first through the door, unless it’s the squad room door and someone
brought in donuts.
In my article “SARS)))))” published in the Counter Terrorist a couple of
years ago, I remarked on the sign that stands at the entrance to the
National Fusion Center. “Today is September 12, 2001” We must adopt the
mentality that comes with that thinking. We have to be as sharp and
alert as we were on September 12, 2001. It is great that there have been
no major attacks on U.S. soil since 9-11; but many know that it is not
because of the enemy’s lack of trying! It is because of the vigilance of
so many and the dedication to duty by officers from all jurisdictions.
George C. Scott in the opening monologue of the classic movie “Patton”
says, “I don’t want to hear about anyone of you dying for your country.
You live for yours. Let some other dumb “SOB” die for his country!” Our
families deserve to have us come home at the end of a shift and we’d
like to retire and enjoy the fruit of our labor but everyone who dons a
uniform and every family member who watches with pride their cop go off
to work also knows that any shift could be their last. Make it count for
something. Don’t give up your precious life because you lacked clarity
of thought, were careless or you did not ‘watch the hands.’ If you are
on top of your game, you are doing everything just right and your number
falls, then it is what it is. If you are called upon to pay the
ultimate price, make sure you bought something worthwhile with it.
Terrorists continue to threaten our homeland. The stats are
overwhelming, particularly through the porous southwestern and northern
borders. Follow every lead. Turn over every rock. If you are going to
get angry, get a righteous anger. Be angry against those who would try
to terrorize your country, your community or your family. But even in
your righteous anger, allow it to motivate you to do more and to do it
better. Let it motivate you to be sharper mentally and more powerful
physically. Let that righteous anger drive you to the gym to work out
and stay in shape and let it push you to read more, take more training
and be better at communicating with your citizens in the very
neighborhoods that seem to hate your presence, know that it is here that
people on the street know when something is up.
I believe it is a good thing that this one vociferous, antagonizing,
hot-headed out of control cop is done. That department will be better
for it. Administrators and chiefs (one is cop the other isn’t – it’s my
blog, my opinion not HSN’s) you have no excuse for not keeping your
ranks trimmed from officers like this. I used to blame civil service or
the actions of previous ‘administrations’ for the officers I knew should
not be out there. But even with unions and arbitration and a
sensational chasing media; you have the tools if you take the time to
use them to get these folks out from behind a badge.
Keep focused. Let’s find the bad guys and put them away. Let us send a
message across the globe and in our neighborhoods, “If you intend to try
to harm us – we will find you and we will throw the full force of the
law at you.”
Stay safe and God bless.
