by Police1 Sr. Contributor, Scott Buhrmaster
Several Police1 articles discuss the topic of off-duty survival, one element of which is teaching your family what to do in a crisis situation. Remember also, particularly when it comes to your children, to teach them what not to do…even in everyday situations.
It’s important for your family to understand the importance of keeping your law enforcement status under wraps in public settings. Strategically deciding if and when it’s tactically smart to reveal yourself as a police officer is crucial to your safety and the safety of those around you. Teach your children that they should not discuss your weapon, badge or anything else that may identify you as an officer in public. In a discussion about off-duty survival, an officer once shared that his six-year-old, with whom he was grocery shopping, unexpectedly blurted out in a loud voice, “DO YOU HAVE YOUR GUN WITH YOU TODAY, DAD?” This could have caused serious trouble had criminals in the store been preparing for imminent action or if someone who dislikes cops decided that this was his opportunity to mess with an off-duty officer, particularly one with a six-year-old in tow.
Be sure your wife or husband also understands the importance of a calculated approach to identifying yourself. It’s easy to imagine a stressed spouse suddenly blurting out, “Honey! You’re a cop! You’ve got your gun! Do something!” if he/she suddenly realizes that the store you’re in is being robbed. If that declaration catches the attention of the criminals but catches YOU off-guard, you could be in trouble.
Teach your family to plan ahead and to bite their tongues, even if natural reflex seems to demand otherwise, in public.