In the last Police1 Newsletter the Associated Press photograph shown below, which accompanied an AP News story, drew insightful comment from Police1 Member Sgt. Mary J. Palka, an academy instructor with U.S. Capitol Police (WA).
The image, which reflects an officer searching a suspect against a car, served as an opportunity for Sgt. Palka to share step-by-step guidance on safer search tactics in an effort to help other officers learn from the potentially dangerous tactics illustrated in the image.
Sgt. Palka writes:
- “I am deeply disturbed that this photograph portrays a search being conducted under very unsafe conditions. As a former patrol officer in Washington, DC and current instructor at our training academy, I stress to new recruits and experienced officers alike, to always put the suspect at a ‘position of disadvantage.’
“Searching and handcuffing are historically the most dangerous times for a LE officer. The officer portrayed in the photograph not only allows the suspect to lean on the hood of the vehicle, which gives the suspect something to push off of, the officer is also far too close to the suspect, looking down.
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| (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File) |
“In no aspect of the photo is it apparent he is maintaining physical control of the suspect or a position of advantage.
“In this photo, if the suspect chose to, he could have easily elbowed the officer in the face or pushed backward off the car, which would probably have knocked the officer backward and off his feet.
“The suspect is also being allowed to look downward and appears to “watch” where the officer is searching. If he has a weapon, he can quickly remove his hands off the hood and go for it. A slight turn would have allowed him at point blank range to assault the officer with it.
“This photo portrays ‘TV tactics’... not good officer safety techniques.
“A much safer technique would be for the officer to have the suspect place his feet one and a half times shoulder with apart, with toes pointed outward to place the suspect in an off-balance position (several feet back from the vehicle is most advisable).
“Have the suspect bend slightly forward at the waist. If he is “searching” him as the photo describes, (as opposed to conducting a “frisk”), the suspect should have been handcuffed for reasons of officer safety or at the minimum, placed into a hold or restraint.
“I am not trying to be critical of the specific officer in the photograph. I congratulate all the officers in Lawrence, Mass. for reducing the numbers of murders in their community. That is a commendable achievement.
“I am just trying to improve officer safety within the law enforcement community as a whole.”
Thank you, Sgt. Palka, for your comments.
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