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- Left Isn't Always Right
- The Battle You Won't Win
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- Terrorist Informant: No Such Thing
- Weapons of Destruction- Courtesy Of The Tweaker
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May 6, 2008 |
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We failed to get a single letter of opposition about our recent article, NEVER GIVE UP YOUR GUN. Glad to know we’re all on the same page here. The main purpose of The Backup’s newsletter is to save just one officer’s life. Nothing turns my stomach like hearing about another brother or sister fallen in the line of duty. I always wonder if by using a right-side approach or parking a block or two away before walking up to a residence would have alerted them to the danger that would take their life. So we’re taking the newsletter in a different direction – expect to see more hard-hitting articles, and a focus on critical information that could help you get to the end of your shift in one piece. Chances are you won’t agree with everything we say, but your thoughts and comments are welcome. If you think anyone else could benefit from this, please pass it along. We all want to go home. For a full list of our classes and information on how to order, please visit our website at www.thebackup.com
Stay Safe
Rick Gallia
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Left Isn't Always Right |
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You’ve seen the dash cam videos on television. An officer initiates a traffic stop late at night on a busy highway. As he is bent over speaking with the driver, out of nowhere an inattentive motorist nearly sideswipes him. Oddly enough, as these videos continue to surface, the number of left side approaches continues. Why? Last year alone, some 13 officers were struck by vehicles and killed. Face it- our nation’s roadways are full of more than just inattentive drivers. They are overrun by drunks, drug abusers, violent offenders, bank robbers, felons, mass murderers. You name it- they’re out there. Part of your job is to keep the street clear of these motorists. Instead of watching these videos and thinking, “close call”- why not change the way in which you approach a vehicle?
Benefits of the right side approach:
A right side approach keeps you from your biggest enemy on vehicle stops: passing traffic. Angle parking the patrol car behind the violator vehicle with the wheels turned to the left is not going to be of much use when a drunk driver plows into it traveling sixty miles an hour. This is basic physics. The car will not steer around you.
The best defense against getting picked off by a passing car while you are on a stop is by conducting your business from the right side. Meet the driver on the curb or make a right side approach. If you are making a right side approach, always walk behind your vehicle first. The element of surprise is lost if you walk between the suspect’s vehicle and your own when your silhouette flashes between the headlights. You also stand a chance of being trapped between the vehicles if the suspect decides to reverse or if someone plows into the back of your unit.
Approaching on the right allows you to see most subjects’ strong sides. When you make a left side approach, the right side of the driver is out of your view. 70-90% of people are right handed meaning that there is a greater chance of finding a weapon in someone’s right hand. Now why would you approach the left side? If he has a weapon in his right hand, held next to his right leg, it will be difficult for you to see. If you come up on the right, you will see it.
When you approach a vehicle on the left, the driver has a large advantage on you. He can see you. On the other hand, with your headlights glaring back from the reflection of his mirror- chances are, you don’t have a good idea of what you are about to walk into. Secondly, he will have already determined where and when he will shoot you. Your only hope is that he doesn’t fatally wound you and you are able to react quickly enough once he has opened fire on you. Use the element of surprise in your favor.
Glove boxes are an easy hiding spot for some drivers. Most suspects will expect you to approach on the left. A right sided approach gives you the advantage of seeing anything that the suspect is attempting to hide. You may even find yourself waiting patiently for the suspect to notice you as he continues to look in his rearview mirror for your arrival. When they open the glove box, you have a free view of all of the contents inside.
If you have a tendency of approaching on the left- consider the advantages of a right sided approach. Many officers continue to come up on the left purely out of habit. Certain events that pose hazards may be cause for them to switch up there approach once in awhile. Truth is- careers in law enforcement pose hazards every day and some are not as apparent as others. A simple change in the way you approach may save your life.
The information in this article was taken from The Backup's law enforcement course Officer Survival. Click HERE for more information or to order. Written by Rachel Rogers
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All arrogance aside, you’re an expert at what you do. You’re well trained, tactically sound, and experienced enough to know how to enter a scene ready for action. You’re in control. Until you become the subject in a suicide by cop situation. When a suspect plans to commit suicide and dares you to pull the trigger, he will get his death wish. No amount of training can offer you the insight into his ultimate agenda. Your control is immediately snatched away and you become a puppet on a string with your master, the deranged, delusional, or depressed suspect.
Eleven percent of all officer-involved shootings are suicide by cop events, but could be higher. Imagine being part of a police assisted suicide in which your suspect is unarmed? It would be a lot easier to justify to yourself and others if the suspect is armed… right? Only 50% of the weapons used by suspects are loaded. What about the other half? Often, suspects do not have what it takes to take their own lives, so they leave it up to you. This stat can’t let you assume your next SBC victim is unarmed. So what do you do?
This is not just hypothetical- this is a struggle that you may very well have to face sometime in your career. These “No Win” situations can surface anywhere. But certain observable behaviors can be seen in individuals with suicidal intentions. Watch for:
Suspect is noncompliant with orders and/or directions
You tell him something- he does the opposite. When you order him to put his hands up, he puts them down. You order him to turn right- he turns left. This could be the suspect who turns his back to you and walks off- ignoring your orders. Generally, if you threaten to shoot a civilian, they comply. An individual intent on suicide may anticipate your threat and use it to challenge your authority.
The suspect forces a confrontation in an attempt to escalate the situation
Suspect may yell, scream or fire a weapon to try and antagonize you. He wants to gain attention and cause a scene. If he is determined to make his mark or go out in a blaze of glory- why would he do it quietly?
The suspect doesn’t try to escape, surrender, or retreat
A criminal suspect wants to escape from law enforcement. Not your SBC suspect. He is the leader and leaders do not surrender. To him, you are his follower and you listen to his orders. You don’t decide when to shoot him, he tells you.
The suspect self-inflicts injuries, like cutting himself
The suspect may not have the courage to kill himself, but may severely wound himself in frustration. This is his attempt to ‘step up’ the situation and show his misguided sincerity.
The suspect points a gun to his head or simulates the possession of a weapon
When does he begin pulling the trigger? Officers have killed people “armed” with cell phones. How can you be certain the object is not a gun or other weapon?
So what happens if you find yourself in a SBC situation?
Distance yourself!
Face to face confrontations are extremely dangerous and should be avoided! A suicidal person can and will kill. Distance is helpful if it does not compromise your position or safety, or the safety of you and others. Remember, distances can be covered quickly.
Determine the size of the containment area.
If your suspect has a rifle, he will require a larger area than someone armed with a derringer.
Isolate the suspect.
Attempt to remove any people that are not involved. Prevent other people, including family, friends, and the media, from entering the containment area.
And of course, you will want to communicate with the suspect. You’re the good guy- you want to keep the peace. You can only do so much. You can control how much danger you put yourself in. Will you die a hero or live with the truth that you cannot and will not win every battle?
The information in this article was taken from The Backup's law enforcement course Suicide By Cop. Click HERE for more information or to order. Written by Rachel Rogers
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Terrorist Informant: No Such Thing |
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What do Mafia man Sammy “The Bull” Gravano, New York drug dealer Leroy Antonio “Nicky” Barnes, Irish-Italian American mobster Henry Hill, and gangbanger Brenda Paz have in common? These notorious figures all share one thing - they have served law enforcement as informants. Criminal rings such as the Mafia, the Aryan movement, and others have been successfully prosecuted by police who were able to either infiltrate or flip them as informants. But there is one type of criminal missing from this list. Where is Tommy the terrorist informant? Terrorists don’t make these mistakes. So the challenge of terrorism is much greater for law enforcement than with previous organizations. You are more likely to round up America’s Most Wanted in a day than finding a reliable terrorist informant. It’s not gonna happen- here’s why:
Several attempted terrorist attacks have been planned and failed. So what is the hold up transforming this failure into informant? Part of it is structure: the formation of terrorist cells greatly reduces any form of leakage. Terrorist operations plan and perform using cellular organization, with an average of only 3 to 5 people involved in a cell. Multiple cells are controlled by remote leaders, but members at the ground level don’t know about other cells. This keeps control without compromising leaders or other critical ops if police get a single cell. Cells commit acts with the fewest people possible, so if one goes down, the organization loses fewer operatives. Less people equals fewer captured, under surveillance, or changing their minds. If you dig up a three-person cell planning a car bombing, you can only arrest those three. The cell has no knowledge of other cells or operations, so they can’t lead you to bigger things.
Money doesn’t drive a terrorist like it does your normal informants. Terrorists are motivated by ideas. They tend to be highly militaristic, and undergo brutal trainings in terrorist camps. The combination of this motivation and training makes terrorism more difficult to fight, because they are just better organized. So using rewards, deals for reduced or dismissed charges, or paid informants will have no effect on a terrorist cell.
The third challenge is security. Terrorist ops use tight security measures, due to the extreme discipline many employ. A terrorist cell member who believes his act is in line with his religion or ideals has far better security than a guy whose crimes just feed his drug habit. Most members have scant knowledge of the overall operation, just working on a need to know basis. The ones that DO have the knowledge are so far removed from the actual operation that it deliberately leaves little chance for capture. Post-attack investigations showed 9/11 terrorist leaders knew the attack was a suicide mission, but did not tell many of the other terrorists that part of the plan – a small but effective detail.
Although the threat of domestic terror seems to have died down years after 9/11, law enforcement knows better – we must stay alert to the real possibility of future attacks. Having a better idea of who we’re up against is a step towards eliminating this threat against everything we value. These terrorists will go down in history - just not as our informants.
The information in this article was taken from The Backup's law enforcement course Terrorism: A Police Perspective. Click HERE for more information or to order. Written by staff member
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Weapons of Destruction- Courtesy Of The Tweaker |
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Think you understand all of the dangers present in your career? A Wisconsin Sheriff was involved in a high speed chase with a suspected stolen vehicle. During pursuit, the vehicle crashed and the Sheriff and suspect became engaged in a struggle. The suspect carried with him a weapon that took this sheriff to his knees and disabled him from continuing the struggle. His weapon- A revolver, a semi-automatic, a knife, razorblade, baseball bat? Nope- It was anhydrous ammonia, an ingredient used in the manufacturing of meth.
You don’t need to hear that meth is dangerous and that the fumes are toxic. There are enough, foolish, comatose tweakers running the streets picking at their faces to serve as living proof. Besides the drug- these tweakers are producing imminent dangers that are lurking everywhere. Think meth heads are good for nothing? You may be right- but they are concocting some of the deadliest weapons and that demands our extreme attention.
Suppose you enter a suspected meth house. You’re not inside yet- so you haven’t determined if it is indeed a meth house or not. You may not make it far enough to make this conclusion. Meth chefs often plan vicious booby traps to deter entry. Imagine finding trip wires hooked to explosives, or big treble hooks hung at eye level. How about chemicals set up to create a deadly gas when you open the door? Anticipating that you make it in the door, imagine trying to get a clear view of your scene by turning on the light switch and being covered with chemicals erupting from the light bulb. You may be dealing with an extreme dead head incapable of spelling his own name but don’t underestimate the lethal side this tireless freak has.
Here are some simple Do’s and Don’ts of a meth lab scene:
DON’T turn light switches on or off or connect or unplug electrical devices. The electrical spark could cause an explosion if certain chemicals (like phosphine gas) are present in the air. Extinguish pilot lights on water heaters and stoves.
DO Leave the area, secure the location, and notify the DEA or a narcotics unit with the proper equipment and certified personnel. Ventilate the lab by opening doors and windows, if possible.
DON’T smoke, drink, eat, or chew gum in or near a lab scene. Never touch your face, eyes, or nose at a meth lab site. Do not touch, taste, or smell any equipment or chemicals. Fully decontaminate all clothing and equipment when exiting a lab and remember to keep the suspect's clothing as evidence. A lab exam can detect chemical residues—further evidence of participation in meth manufacture.
DON’T mix any type of chemicals; some chemicals will ignite, explode, or produce poisonous gases when combined with combined with other chemicals; even contact with water can cause some chemicals to ignite.
DON’T use tools or devices that produce sparks or friction. Power should be cut from the outside, if possible, and only cameras with non-sparking flash bulbs should be used.
DO make sure emergency medical assistance is available before executing a raid.
As if your job isn’t hard enough dealing with hardened criminals packing heat- now you have to worry about a stupid freak throwing ammonia in your face. NEVER attempt to investigate or dismantle a meth lab. And don’t ever underestimate the power of a tweaker. Perhaps it is the lack of sleep, the delusional state, or a drug-induced paranoia. Whatever it is- these meth users deserve one thing- your undivided attention when dealing with them or anything they come in contact with.
The information in this article was taken from The Backup's law enforcement course Weapons of Clandestine Meth Labs. Click HERE for more information or to order. Written by staff member
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