Editor’s note: This article is part of Police1’s Officer Safety Week, which examines how real time crime centers, crime analysis centers and connected law enforcement partners help investigators reconstruct events, develop leads and identify connections among crimes that cross jurisdictional lines. Thanks to our Officer Safety Week sponsor, Safariland.
By Gerard Boykin, Ph.D
Today, officer safety encompasses far more than equipment and tactics. It involves a continuous cycle of risk assessment, decision-making, communication and threat management, often occurring at an extremely rapid pace. With law enforcement environments becoming increasingly unpredictable, officers must transition from a reactive survival mindset to one focused on proactive threat anticipation. This shift is critical because every encounter has the potential to become life-threatening.
While tactical skills remain essential, another question must be considered: How can effective communication and team coordination influence the outcome of volatile police encounters?
1. Communicating your location
Communicating your location is one of the most important actions an officer can take during a shift. If you asked the average citizen what they believe is the most important tool on a police officer’s duty belt — or the “Batman belt,” as a former sergeant of mine humorously referred to it — they would likely identify the firearm as the tool most responsible for saving an officer’s life. However, experienced officers understand that their radio is one of the most valuable tools they carry.
This is not to suggest that an officer use their radio as a physical defense tool against an armed assailant. Instead, effective radio communication enhances officer safety by allowing responding units to quickly locate and assist an officer during an emergency. Providing your location not only improves the speed of backup response but also allows dispatchers to coordinate additional resources effectively.
Emergency medical services, fire personnel, K-9 units and specialized teams depend on accurate location information to respond appropriately. Clear location updates reduce confusion and ensure resources are directed where they are needed most. This information becomes especially critical during rapidly evolving incidents.
Activating an emergency button is only effective if dispatch and responding officers know where assistance is needed. During an ambush, officer-involved shooting or rapidly escalating encounter, a simple location transmission can be lifesaving.
For example, instead of transmitting:
“I’m out with a suspicious person.”
A more effective transmission would be:
“Unit 214, out with one suspicious person in the rear parking lot of 1250 Peachtree Street near the loading dock.”
Ultimately, communicating your location is more than a procedural requirement. It is a tactical decision that enables rapid assistance and can save lives during rapidly changing incidents.
Always advise dispatch when you arrive on scene. Update your location whenever you move significantly, such as entering a building, moving to the rear of a residence, changing floors or beginning a foot pursuit. Provide landmarks, addresses, apartment numbers or mile markers whenever possible. Most importantly, confirm your location before initiating high-risk activities.
2. Disciplined radio traffic under stress
Equally important to communicating your location is maintaining disciplined radio traffic during stressful situations. Under stress, officers often experience increased heart rate, tunnel vision and cognitive overload. These physiological responses can negatively affect communication if officers are not trained to control their reactions.
During my time as a police officer in Atlanta, Georgia, my partner and I were walking downtown when we heard a single gunshot. Upon arriving on scene, we located a man lying on the ground while bystanders reported that he had been shot. My partner immediately began yelling over the radio, making it difficult for dispatch to understand the information being transmitted.
I directed my partner to focus on providing lifesaving medical assistance while I communicated the details of the incident to dispatch. Had the officer been alone, ineffective communication could have delayed critical resources at a time when every second mattered.
Clear radio transmissions allow responding officers to develop an accurate understanding of the situation before arriving. They need important information, including the number of suspects, presence of weapons, descriptions of involved individuals, vehicles involved, potential hazards, and current location and movement.
High-stress incidents often generate increased radio traffic. However, officers must remember that unnecessary transmissions can prevent priority information from being communicated. Messages such as “Dispatch, show Unit 511 en route” are not appropriate when another officer is attempting to broadcast emergency information.
Disciplined radio traffic provides significant operational advantages. Supervisors can coordinate personnel, dispatchers can allocate resources more effectively, and responding officers can make better tactical decisions when they receive accurate and timely information.
For example, officers should avoid transmitting:
“He’s running! He’s going that way! Hurry!”
A more effective transmission would be:
“Unit 214, foot pursuit. One male wearing a black hoodie and blue jeans, running northbound on Campbellton Road toward Headland and Delowe Drive. Requesting additional units.”
Disciplined radio traffic is often one of the first skills to deteriorate during critical incidents. However, officers who train themselves to remain calm and communicate effectively enhance not only their own safety but also the safety of everyone responding to the scene.
Think before transmitting. Control your breathing before speaking. Speak slowly, clearly and confidently. Keep transmissions brief and focus on essential information while avoiding unnecessary communication during active incidents.
3. Requesting backup early
Requesting backup early is another fundamental officer safety practice that helps manage evolving situations. Officers should not wait until a situation becomes dangerous before requesting additional resources. A proactive request for assistance increases their ability to control the scene and reduces the likelihood of becoming overwhelmed.
Additional officers provide greater control over unpredictable situations. Backup officers can assist with managing multiple subjects, securing individuals, interviewing witnesses, controlling bystanders and providing medical assistance when needed.
Many calls for service involve multiple variables, including additional people, unknown threats or changing circumstances. Requesting backup early allows officers to maintain control rather than reacting after a situation has already escalated.
Early requests for assistance also give dispatch additional time to determine what resources may be necessary. Supervisors, EMS, crisis intervention teams or specialized units can be notified before the situation reaches a critical point.
A situation that begins calmly can quickly escalate into a physical confrontation or life-threatening event. Once escalation occurs, officers may have limited opportunities to request assistance.
Requesting backup early is a characteristic of a skilled officer. Recognizing potential threats is part of effective policing, but understanding when to reduce unnecessary risk is a sign of a truly experienced officer.
Request backup whenever circumstances indicate an increased level of risk — not only after a situation becomes dangerous. Provide dispatch with your reason for requesting assistance and your exact location. Continue updating responding units as the situation changes. Remember that requesting backup is a sound tactical decision and a demonstration of good judgment, not a sign of weakness.
4. Coordinating team roles before taking action
One tactical principle that remains consistent throughout law enforcement is the importance of coordinating team roles before acting. This practice enhances officer safety, improves operational efficiency and increases the likelihood of achieving a peaceful resolution.
Even a brief discussion of roles and responsibilities can significantly improve outcomes compared with acting without coordination. Effective communication helps reduce uncertainty during high-stress situations because each officer understands their specific responsibilities.
Clearly defined roles can reduce the likelihood of crossfire incidents, prevent duplicated efforts and allow officers to operate as a coordinated team rather than as individuals acting independently.
Many officers have witnessed scenes where multiple officers surround one subject while giving conflicting commands. A coordinated approach with clearly assigned responsibilities allows officers to communicate effectively while maintaining safety for officers, subjects and bystanders.
Increased control leads to increased safety. Officers can secure suspects while others protect victims, manage witnesses, control crowds or provide medical assistance. Incidents involving multiple people often require simultaneous action rather than completing tasks one at a time.
Policing is inherently stressful, and unexpected events can create cognitive overload. When officers have a structured plan and clearly defined responsibilities, they are better prepared to adapt. Hesitation, conflicting commands and unnecessary duplication of tasks are reduced when everyone understands their role.
Whenever time and circumstances permit, conduct a brief tactical discussion. Designate a contact officer and cover officer before initiating contact. Clearly assign responsibilities for communication, scene security, arrest procedures and less-lethal options. Confirm that all team members understand the operational plan.
Communication creates safety
Stress is an unavoidable part of law enforcement. Whether handling a traffic stop, responding to a disturbance or managing a critical incident, every officer will experience moments when adrenaline increases and critical thinking becomes essential.
Performing effectively under pressure does not simply come from years of experience. It comes from officers intentionally training themselves to communicate, think and act during stressful situations.
One practice I developed while working patrol was mentally narrating my actions before transmitting. When calls for service were slow, I would practice organizing my thoughts before pressing the push-to-talk button. I also intentionally worked on slowing my speech. As someone who naturally speaks quickly, I had to be deliberate about slowing down my communication. The result was clearer, more confident and more effective radio transmissions.
Ask yourself:
Communication is a skill that must be practiced. Officers should not wait until a critical incident occurs to discover whether they can communicate effectively under stress.
Train your communication. Control your breathing. Know your location. Request assistance early. Coordinate with your team. These simple actions can make the difference between chaos and control.
About the author
Dr. Gerard Boykin is a public administration scholar, law enforcement professional, and founder of Boykin Editorial Consulting, where he provides academic editing and writing support for students from high school through the doctoral level. With more than 12 years of experience in local and federal law enforcement, he brings practical expertise in public safety, criminal justice, leadership and organizational management. Dr. Boykin earned his Ph.D. in Public Administration and focuses his research on policing, criminal justice reform, public policy, and the socioeconomic impacts of discriminatory policing. In addition to his academic and professional work, he mentors graduate and doctoral students, helping them strengthen their research, writing, and publication success. His mission is to bridge the gap between scholarship and practice by advancing evidence-based solutions that improve public institutions and the communities they serve.
