Police officers rely on their training and experience to get
through a single tour of duty. No matter what shift an officer is assigned to,
the day tour, four-to-twelve, or midnight tours, the one thing keeping law
enforcement officers attentive and careful is the desire to go home at the end
of their shift. Much of the training recruits receive in the academy is focused
on remaining alert and vigilant while on routine patrol. The ability to concentrate
on details such as suspicious vehicles or individuals behaving in an unusual
way, or hearing cries for help, are key aspects of effective policing. However,
it is human nature to become lax, careless, and tired; this could be dangerous.
Boredom and a fatigue are huge factors leading to poor performance, and to
combat this, officers can develop good habits while on patrol.
There are techniques cops can use which will keep them safe
even when they are suffering from exhaustion and there seems to be no activity
in their sector. An officer can enter a dangerous situation and need emergency backup
while on foot patrol or in a marked sector car quite unexpectedly. Calling for assistance on the
radio and while unaware of one’s precise location can prove fatal. When chasing
a suspect into a building, failure to take note of the address and losing track
of which floor you’re on will prevent you from getting backup. An experienced
officer will be able to inform the central dispatcher of their street address,
the floor they are on, apartment number, and the nearest cross street without
having to think about it. The ability to recite vital information under duress
comes from not only becoming familiar with the area where the officer is
assigned, but from taking note of the street name, direction of travel, and
numbers of the businesses or homes. By keeping a running, internal monologue of
these details, especially during periods of inactivity, cops can save
themselves and citizens in need when a call for urgent backup is necessary.
Another technique employed by experienced officers in urban
locations is to always look up before entering a building. Veteran cops will
take the time to scan the structure from the top down from a safe distance to
notice anyone who may be on the roof, or at the windows, and to also observe
any items tossed at them from above by individuals willing to hurt them. As a rookie
New York City police officer, I was taught by senior officers in my squad to beware
of debris tossed from rooftops and out of windows at unsuspecting officers.
While many in the community welcome police patrols in their neighborhoods, the
sad reality is that there are those who do not. As such, there are individuals
who will harm police officers by such means, and often they can escape arrest
by retreating anonymously into the building.
Reciting aloud license plate numbers of suspicious vehicles,
before pulling them over helps cops remember them more effectively in case the
officer needs to provide this information to the central dispatcher if the
driver pulls away. Saying the description of a vehicle (color, year, make,
model, etc.) or a suspect (their clothing, hair color, height, build, etc.) audibly
helps an officer recall these details efficiently. Getting into the habit of speaking
the numbers, a person’s description, and even one’s location, increases your
ability to remember them.
Finally, monitoring the radio for activity outside your
sector is of extreme importance while on patrol. In busy precincts, officers
have all they can do to pay attention to what is going on in their immediate
surroundings. However, staying aware of the activity in neighboring sectors and
precincts is crucial because often times officers will call for backup and you
may need to come to their aid. There are also scenarios where other units are
in pursuit of a vehicle or a suspect on foot who is heading in your direction
and you will find yourself in position to intercept them. Also, if an officer
informs the central dispatcher that they have a vehicle stopped at a certain
location, and later on you hear that officer calling for assistance, knowing
that officer’s last known location is vital to being able to respond to their
call for backup.
Police work is inherently dangerous, and when performed with
due diligence while utilizing proper training one can still fall victim to harm.
However, if officers develop good habits while on patrol, they reduce the risk
associated with their duties and may return home safely after a successful tour
of duty.
About the author: Michael J. Kannengieser is the author of the police thriller, The Daddy Rock. He is a retired New York City police officer who lives on Long Island with his wife and two children. Michael worked as the Managing Editor for Fiction at The View from Here magazine, a U.K. based literary publication. Currently, he is employed at a performing arts college as an Instructional Technology Administrator. He has been published at The View from Here, and in Newsday, a Long Island newspaper. Michael speaks as a guest lecturer on campus.
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