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- Avoiding Media Brutality
- Outlaw Bikers- The Traffic Stop
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- Gang Witnesses: Silent Survivors
- Catching VIN Clones – It’s All in the Details
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Welcome to another edition of the Law Enforcement Newsletter. The purpose of this newsletter is to continue to provide you with important training tips from our library of law enforcement training courses. To learn more about these specific topics, you can order the course in it’s entirety at www.thebackup.com or contact us at 800-822-9398.
Stay Safe
Rick Gallia
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Avoiding Media Brutality |
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“Officer Beats Suspect” “Man Assaulted by Cops” “Excessive Force by Officer”
Sound familiar? The stories and images released to the public (and continuously replayed) are the salacious ones that will get the most publicity. Charges of police brutality or excessive force are just the type of stories dominant media outlets love. Most of the public believes whatever the media portrays, and you wind up the victim of media brutality. Once the case goes to trial and you’re acquitted, however, the story gets buried. You – and your career - are left in the aftermath.
So how do you avoid becoming a victim of media brutality?
Be prepared for ANY possibility.
43.5 million Americans came face-to-face with police in 2005 – nearly 1 in 7. Many of those encounters end in a suspect’s arrest; are you confident in your department’s use of force policies? Are you trained for the unknown variables – such as mentally ill suspects, domestic disturbances, or officer weapon retention?
Be acutely aware of your surroundings.
When statements are taken from witnesses, they will be asked about your actions and language. How an officer addresses the subject - the tone of voice, the words used, the manner in which he handles the suspect - are all open to witness interpretation. Treat everyone involved with respect, and refrain from making negative comments. Remember that witnesses are usually more than willing to speak to the press.
Be ready to “Feed the animal”.
Remember that you’re going to have to ‘give’ the media something. It’s common police procedure to refuse to comment on such cases. Your silence throws gasoline on a fire - the media will just present a one-sided story. This can skew public perception into thinking that the police may be at fault, especially in a use of force incident. The best approach is to make a brief announcement such as “we are looking into this matter and a statement is premature until we learn more of the facts involving the case.”
Be aware of the CSI Effect.
The unrealistic portrayals of law enforcement in the media are at an all-time high. The CSI Effect is the term for crime drama viewers who feel that they are now proficient in the field of law enforcement or forensic science because they saw it on TV. This is affecting juror pools, trial outcomes, and officers’ careers.
Be certain your report is thorough and detailed.
When writing the report, document your reactions upon responding to the call, continue with your observations through the arrest phase, and end with booking your suspect. After the use of force incident, take pictures of yourself to include in your report. Note any injuries you have. Be descriptive – the extra few minutes could make a big difference in a future trial where your report is the star witness.
No, you can’t control the media - but with some skillful planning, you can make it much more difficult to be cast as the ‘bad guy.’
The information in this article was taken from The Backup’s law enforcement course Use of Force. Click HERE for more information or to order. Written by staff member
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Outlaw Bikers – The Traffic Stop
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When you’ve stopped a motorist, proceeding with caution is a given. When that motorist is not a law-abiding motorcycle enthusiast but an outlaw biker, you must go beyond cautious and be vigilant. It can mean the difference between saving your job, or even your life.
Here are some quick tips when handling these outlaw bikers:
Know Who You’re Dealing With
Lone bikers or small groups of outlaw bikers might not fly colors while riding. You can often ask the biker if he belongs to a club - most are very proud of their club affiliation and will tell you if they belong to one. Be advised: the days of stopping a biker simply because he is a biker and flying colors are gone. You must have probable cause to stop bikers; anything short of that is illegal and could cost you your job. Bikers tend to be polite to officers because they know it is difficult to conduct club business from jail.
Expect Counter-Surveillance
Outlaw bikers purchase expensive surveillance equipment and place police departments under observation because they feel they cannot survive otherwise. The biker you stop may tape you on a pocket recorder, or a chase vehicle may be videotaping you from a distance.
Isolate the Problem
When you stop a suspected outlaw biker, it is a good idea to have him step off his motorcycle and come to you. His motorcycle is his most prized possession and he knows it like no one else can. Minimize danger by isolating the biker from his bike. If the biker is riding with others, have them stay on their bikes, with the engines turned off, and kickstands up. This forces the bikers to balance their bikes and gives you a split second warning if one of the other bikers decides to exit his bike and confront you.
Beware of Fraternal Bonds
If you stop a pair of bikers or a small group, the other bikers may choose to ride on rather than stop. If they do so, one or all of them may circle back to observe. You have your hands full with your traffic stop, so if you stop a biker and others ride on, assume they’ll circle back for their friend. Outlaw bikers view each other as family and share the same strong bond as officers or soldiers. Things could quickly get ugly. For your own safety, call for a cover unit while you handle the primary traffic stop.
Look Out for Hidden Weapons
Bikers are known for disguising weapons in numerous places on motorcycles; remove him from potential weapons by walking him a few feet away. Shotguns have been hidden in the left-side handle bar of motorcycles, presumably to fire on an officer taking a standard left side approach to a traffic stop. Knives and other weapons can be hidden among the numerous chromed pipes and other parts of the bike.
Mind Your Manners
Remain safe, courteous, and professional when dealing with bikers. They’re well informed about the law and don’t hesitate to bring legal action against a department that illegally detains them. Do your job well and don’t give outlaw bikers any easy complaints to file against you.
The information in this article was taken from The Backup’s law enforcement course Outlaw Bikers. Click HERE for more information or to order. Written by staff member
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Gang Witnesses: Silent Survivors
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Gang violence is increasing by the numbers even though we are more educated, more skilled, and have far more training than we did years ago. What is going wrong? Successful prosecution of gang members often relies on witness testimony - but that can be your biggest hurdle. Obtaining any facts, details, or information regarding gang violence is impossible without cooperation. Getting a witness to testify against any gang activity can be very difficult.
Several factors can interfere with witness cooperation:
Intimidation: Witnessing a gang crime can be traumatic, especially if someone is very young or fragile. If they have just viewed a horrific and violent crime there imagination can run wild forming vivid images of what could happen to them. A gang’s dominance and neighborhood hierarchy plays a huge role in intimidating any possible witnesses. Fear of retaliation can silence anybody involved.
Overwhelmed: Gangs create an assumed role in the community. One person may feel overwhelmed at the thought of standing up to a group like this. Fear of defeat and failure can keep someone from speaking in the first place.
Social Impact: The problem lies with the idea of tattling. A “rat” or “snitch” is not a traditionally heroic role. Standing up against violence is a courageous action. However, there is a fine line between brave accomplishments and being considered a snitch when it comes to the view society has on the issue. A witness to gang violence will be aware of the social impact that could occur.
Affiliation with Gangs: If the witness is related to or close to gang members, they are likely to feel torn or guilty about ‘betraying’ someone they know or care about. Breaking this silence could cause damage to there reputation with these members. Their fears of reprisals are sometimes well-founded.
Lack of Credibility: Prosecuting offices have reportedly encouraged police to videotape all statements by witnesses regarding gang activity, due to the fact that witnesses have been known to recant their statements on the stand, suffer “memory loss” or end up killed. Although you may get cooperation in the beginning- be aware that this cooperation could end at any moment.
Perception of Law Enforcement: Both witnesses and victims of gang activity may distrust anyone within the criminal justice system. They may believe that law enforcement is not doing enough to control gang activity and that you are to blame for this event. They also might see the system as indifferent to their problems. Others may have a lifetime of negative police views reinforced by their community or environment.
Break the Silence
If nobody witnesses a crime - it didn’t happen. In many jurisdictions, victim advocates work together with investigators. The victim advocate and investigator will work with your witness and can provide the extensive personal contact that is needed. An aggressive victim-advocate program is one that contacts the victim and witnesses immediately and develops and maintains their cooperation by building their trust and helping them meet their needs. It is important that your victim feels that their safety and security is your number one priority. The ability to provide adequate protection right away can get you closer to the testimony you need. This is a significant factor in successful prosecution.
The increase in gang activity is overwhelming. Many cities are infested by gangs and the vast corruption they bring. Bringing this to a standstill is part of a battle we have struggled with for years. Unless we get cooperation and are able to successfully prosecute gang members for this violence, gang activity will continue to grow in numbers. Witnesses are out there and they will talk if we can get to them. When dealing with witnesses to gang activity, their initial response will be to stay silent in order to stay alive. Recognize this survival skill, and use it to your advantage when you approach a witness. Just because the odds may seem stacked against a witness, doesn’t mean you can’t overcome them. The more you are able to understand a witness’s hesitation, the better equipped you are to help them put gang activity to a standstill in your community.
The information in this article was taken from The Backup’s law enforcement course Gang Training. Click HERE for more information or to order. Written by staff member Rachel Rogers
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Catching VIN Clones – It’s All in the Details
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When you pull a car over, the standard procedure is to take a look at the license and registration. When was the last time you took a look at the vehicle identification number? The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) estimates that U.S Vehicle cloning profits exceed $12 million annually, with criminals netting an average of $30,000 per cloned vehicle. Expired Registrations- they are all over our nation’s roadways. Along with the numerous vehicles we see daily with these expired tags, are the excuses surrounding them. Perhaps they forgot or they may be on their way to the DMV at that exact moment, or they may have never received notification of expiration. Don’t be so quick to excuse people that claim they never received notification - you might just have the product of a cloned vehicle identification number.
You’re good at your job - just as an experienced car thief is good at what he does. Cloning a VIN is a simple task. After deciding what make and model of vehicle he is after, the thief can easily drive into a crowded parking lot or car dealership, locate his car of choice, write down the VIN and proceed down to the DMV. There the thief will explain that he has recently purchased the vehicle and will receive a receipt showing ownership. The next day or shortly after, he will return to the DMV to report his plates stolen and is then issued new plates. He will continue to do this, and each time will be issued new plates, along with legitimate paperwork. When does he stop? Depends on how many cars he plans on stealing. Next, the thief steals cars similar to that of the original target vehicle and after modifying the VIN plates, creates a clone and proceeds to sell them. Problem is, the DMV places lost or stolen plates into a dead file and notifications of expiration are never sent out. Without any reminder, some people will never know that their tags are expired.
When you come across expired tags, don’t just listen for the excuse- take a look at the VIN. A quick look can reveal a lot.
Some things to look for:
- Is the VIN scratched, bent or crooked? A car thief lives in a fast paced world and his work will most likely resemble his lifestyle. His manipulation of the VIN may not be precise and detailed like that of a professional manufacturer. Remember: A factory job will look like a factory job.
- Are there signs of dried glue underneath the VIN? Most likely a thief’s work is done in dimly lit conditions and with little time to spare. A thief probably will not spend as much time in little details such as this. He will lack the proper tools and equipment to attach the VIN the correct way.
- Are the rivets used to attach the VIN the same? Often times, in haste and with lack of proper supplies, a thief will attach a VIN using any rivets available to him. This could mean one pop rivet and one rosette rivet.
- Are there scratches on the windshield near the VIN? Check the windshield surrounding the VIN for scratches or marks signifying it has been modified.
- Is the dashboard loose on the vehicle? Thieves rarely take the time to properly reattach the dashboard after they have performed the switch. When it is safe to do, reach in and check the dashboard to see if it is securely attached.
The act of VIN cloning is steadily increasing. If you come across this type of vehicle identity theft, make sure to check the VIN in all fifty states - you may recover more vehicles with this same number.
It is human nature to forget, to put off, to ignore – and not every expired registration indicates a stolen vehicle. In any case, take a quick glance at the VIN for any of the suggestions listed above. This small attention to detail could help you recover the by-products of a thief’s work. If it’s worth their time – it should be worth yours, too.
The information in this article was taken from The Backup’s law enforcement course Rolling Stolen: Stolen Vehicle Identification. Click HERE for more information or to order. Written by staff member Rachel Rogers |
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The Backup Training Corporation
301 North 3rd Street, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho 83814
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