By Andrew Hawkes
Have you ever wondered how that “dime bag” of weed or that “one-hitter” of meth ended up in that junkie’s pocket? Well the answer is simple. Dope is not transported into your jurisdiction one gram at a time. Instead, dope is transported in bulk, usually from Mexico and South America — and increasingly, Canada — via interstate highways.
 (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) |
So where do you think the drug trade is most vulnerable? You guessed it; the dope trade is at its most vulnerable when it is in-transit on interstate highways. Dope haulers know this too and that’s why you will see them go to great (and often ridiculous) extremes to hide their dope in and around their vehicles.
Below, I outline seven bad habits of highway interdiction officers — but more important, what you can do to avoid them. I have found that just by becoming aware of these all too common mistakes you can greatly increase your chances of attacking the illegal drug trade at its weakest point.
1. Focus on violations and not indicators
Unsuccessful highway drug interdiction officers habitually focus on violations instead of indicators. I have personally seen these officers stare at their radar while indicator after indicator passes them by on the highway. Stop obsessing over violations and educate yourself on indicators and you will greatly increase your chances of finding the mother load.
If an officer is too busy looking up and down at their radar display, they can easily miss indicators such as rental cars, air fresheners hanging from the rearview mirror, law enforcement stickers on the bumper, etc. (The trick is learning how to assess the totality of indicators, not just one indicator at a time.)
2. Waste valuable time arresting a suspect for minor violations
Another bad habit that I have noticed among unsuccessful interdiction officers is booking suspects for small amounts dope. Just remember when you are booking a suspect for an ounce of marijuana, hundreds of pounds of dope are passing through your jurisdiction. If you can’t let a suspect go for a misdemeanor drug offense then highway drug interdiction is not for you. (Note: The point of this is not to let low level drug violations go altogether. Rather, when legal within your state and in accord with departmental policy, issuing a notice to appear as opposed to transporting to jail -- thus taking you off the road -- may be preferable.)
3. Unable to establish a rapport with the suspect
A common habit among unsuccessful interdiction officers is the inability to start “small talk.” These officers rush right into the interview which can make the suspect put up his guard. By rushing the interview you will inevitably put the suspect on guard and that can lead to consent refusals and other critical missteps in your initial investigation. Be courteous, respectful and establish rapport with every suspect you come in contact with and you will greatly increase your success rate in highway drug interdiction.
Building a rapport with a potential subject does not mean relaxing your officer safety. Remember, never search a vehicle alone and never assume you are not in danger because you are physically bigger or stronger than your suspect. Remember, your job is to get the dope and go home safely at the end of your shift.
4.
 (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) |
Fail to establish proper vehicle search patterns
The point of having a standardized, routine search pattern is to make the search as rote and second nature – and in that, as detailed – as possible. Many officers without routine search techniques will often remember an area they forgot to search only after it is too late and they have released the subject.
5. Easily discouraged
Another habit that is very common among interdiction officers is being easily discouraged after searching a vehicle and not finding any dope. When this happens the unsuccessful officer will typically go get something to eat and just stop looking for indicators all together. Remember, you must be relentless in your pursuit. If you don’t find any dope, don’t get discouraged. Stay alert and immediately get back to your spot and continue looking for indicators.
6. Fail to notice an “attitude” refusal
A common habit among officers, especially younger officers, is the inability to recognize an “attitude” refusal. These officers habitually mistake “attitude” refusals for “dope” refusals and end up wasting a lot of time searching for dope that just isn’t there. Become a student on reading body language and you can easily avoid this mistake.
An example of an “attitude refusal” is someone who is adamant that you as an officer cannot search their vehicle because they apparently “know their rights!” This is usually not the sign of a drug courier. However, a “dope refusal,” as I have labeled it, may come in the form of “I would let you search my car officer, but I am really in a hurry.” Body language plays a big part in this.
7. Too relaxed in officer safety
As we all know, officer safety is paramount when you are on the highway searching for narcotics. A deadly habit that I’ve observed among many officers is becoming too relaxed when it comes to officer safety. If I ever feel that I am getting lax on my stops then I will sit down and watch the tragic video of Officer Jeff Coates to remind me just how important officer safety really is. I urge you to do the same. Remember, be vigilant and always protect yourself.
As I stated earlier, just becoming aware of the seven mistakes listed above you can greatly increase your chances of bringing down a huge drug haul and help fight the illegal drug trade. Nothing is more rewarding as a law enforcement officer than stopping thousands of pounds of illegal drugs from reaching its destination. It is then that you realize you made more than just a felony drug arrest, but you just may have saved a young child from overdosing.
In our never ending war on drugs in this country, each individual officer must remember one thing: we may not be able to win the war as individual officers, but we can single-handedly win many battles. Stay safe, always remain vigilant, and keep me apprised as to your interdiction success.
About the author
Andrew Hawkes helps law enforcement officers sharpen their skills on highway drug interdiction with his “Secrets of Successful Highway Drug Interdiction” program. Read about highway drug interdiction success stories at his website: http://www.highwaydruginterdiction.com. Email him at Andrew@HighwayDrugInterdiction.com.