Archive for DUI Enforcement
Traffic Stop Survival: Tips for Police Officers on Staying Safe
Posted by: | CommentsTraffic stops have been called the “bread and butter” of police work. Even in the busiest jurisdictions, police officers regularly make traffic stops for traffic violations. Proactive officers can use these encounters to detect criminal activity beyond the simple traffic infraction.
Regardless on the reason for the stop, there are certain things a police officer can do to make the event as safe as possible. I’ve listed some tips that I have picked up over the years. Use what works for you, and feel free to send me your ideas as well.
passenger side approach - Daytime or nighttime, this is hands-down one of the best things you can do to stay safe during a traffic stop. If a driver is looking to ambush you, more likely than not, he’ll expect you on the driver’s side. If you come up on the passenger side, you can often get a better view of what, and who, is in the car.
Another safety benefit of the passenger-side approach is not having your butt hanging out in traffic. Whether by accident or malice, some of the passing motorists may hit you while you are trying to deal with the driver. By standing on the passenger side of the stopped motorist, you are less likely to be hit by a passing car.
get out of the driver’s seat - Sitting behind the wheel of your patrol car is just about the worst place to be if the person you have stopped decides to attack you. So, when initiating the stop, get out quickly. When running your license checks, stand near the passenger/rear of your car and run them on the radio, or if you have to use your in-car computer, access it from the passenger side of your car. Writing a ticket? Try standing at the read of your car again.
If you have to sit in the driver’s seat of your car because of the computer configuration/computer generated tickets (like my department), keep a close eye on the driver. Jump out at the first sign of trouble.
Also, think outside the box. If you are behind the wheel, and the dirtbag comes running at you with a gun, just run him over. (Sometimes the best answers are the easiest.)
turn your wheels to the left - It happens to a lot of officers: your cruiser gets rear ended by a passing motorist. If you are out of your car, and your wheels are turned to the left, your patrol car will (hopefully) roll to the left, and away from you.
wall of light - Make sure you use all of your patrol car’s lighting to create that “wall of light” that you can use for concealment on a nighttime traffic stop. I know this is basic training you got in the police academy, but it works.
An associate of mine from another department was shot, but survived, partially because he and his trainee used the wall of light. Rolling up on a “stranded motorist,” the recruit officer properly used the lighting from their patrol car. As they walked up to the car, the “motorist” ambushed them, shooting and seriously wounding my friend. Both officers fell back behind the light, and the suspect tried to find them, but couldn’t see them because of the lighting difference. The recruit did what he had to, and the citizens were saved the expense of a trial. The wall of light made a tactical difference that allowed both officers to survive, and eventually return to duty.
Stay safe!
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MADD Assists Tampa Officers with DUI Enforcement
Posted by: | CommentsMany times police officers are faced with a community that “didn’t see nothin’,” and doesn’t want to get involved. However, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) continues to go the other way.
The latest MADD initiative is to put trained observers on the street with the intent of spotting drunk drivers, and then calling them in. In effect, MADD is creating a neighborhood watch program for the roadways.
I’m glad to see there are at least a few citizens left who are willing to invest their time and money into improving their community.
MADD plans to go on patrol for DUIs
Volunteers will look for impaired drivers and notify authorities, not make stops.St. Petersburg Times
Published September 29, 2007TAMPA - Had a few drinks before getting behind the wheel?
Think again. That harmless-looking minivan in the rearview mirror might be the neighbors on patrol.
That’s how Mothers Against Drunk Driving pitched its latest plan to get impaired drivers off the roads.
Called the Traffic Observation Program, the pilot program is slated to begin in Hillsborough County and may become a statewide initiative, according to Don Murray, Florida’s executive director for MADD.
The plan: Recruit 20 volunteers armed with donated cell phones and send them out in the middle of the night to watch for telltale signs of drunk drivers.
MADD has worked closely with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, so Murray suggested to other MADD members that the pilot program begin here.
Murray envisions a program that will pair up community members who are willing to go through a screening process, including a criminal background check and an interview to ensure that those going out on the streets have proper training and experience.
He wanted to make it clear that volunteers will not be acting like law enforcement.
“This isn’t like a vigilante program,” he said. “They won’t be attempting to stop or in any way interacting with these vehicles. They’re basically just observers.”
Volunteers will go out in teams. They will drive their own vehicles and take GPS equipment, so they’ll be able to find their way through unfamiliar areas for two to four hours of searching, Murray said. They’ll be told ahead of time of the sometimes-subtle clues for drunk drivers, such as driving under the speed limit or lingering too long at a green light, Murray said.
“We certainly don’t want our observers to be calling erroneous reports in,” he said.
If participants spot a suspicious driver, they will jot down the license plate, a vehicle description and a location and notify the Sheriff’s Office. It’s up to the deputy to check out the vehicle to determine whether an arrest is appropriate, Murray said.
The program was Murray’s idea, he said, inspired by worries of what potential budget cuts could do to law enforcement’s DUI teams.
“They’ll likely lose officers from the road,” he said. “We were looking ahead to try to see what our organization can do.”
Hillsborough sheriff’s Cpl. Stephen Decatur said the program is just a formalized process for what already happens everyday: People call law enforcement when they see something suspicious.
He praised the idea, but he cautioned that it’s vital that volunteers don’t try to do the work of law enforcement in apprehending and accusing suspects.
“If anybody’s overzealous, if they play outside the guidelines, then they’re acting above and beyond just being observers,” he said. “We want them to do it in a responsible manner, and it looks like the program is set up to do that.”
Tampa police Cpl. Jared Douds had much the same reaction. It sounded like a Neighborhood Watch group for the roadways.
“Obviously anything that’s going to get drunk drivers off the road, we’re interested in,” Douds. “That’s certainly a positive for everybody.”
