Please be advised: What follows is not in any way, shape, or form meant to analyze the incident in which Officer Darren Wilson of the Ferguson (Mo.) Police Department came upon Michael Brown and his accomplice on August 9th. I was not there, and consequently I don’t know precisely what happened. The specifics of that event will eventually be made widely available, and we may choose examine that evidence at that time.
That having been said, one of the elements of that incident which has been widely reported is that there was a struggle inside the car. It’s been indicated that Officer Wilson suffered a brutal physical attack by the six-foot, four-inch, 300-pound Brown. Reports say that there was a struggle for Wilson’s gun, and that a discharge of that weapon likely occurred in the car.
This offers us an opportunity to review some safety tips about working within — and immediately around — your patrol vehicle.
Whether or not Officer Wilson initiated that contact from within his car, I believe we can all agree that doing so is to be avoided as much as possible. Now is a good time to have a discussion with your training unit to reinforce some of the policies, procedures, and protocols your department has regarding this issue.
What other tactical considerations may we contemplate on the topic?
Knowing that most of the time you’re in your car — and pretty much everyone else is outside of it — you can take some precautions to protect yourself. Most importantly, let’s all remember that visibility is your friend. The farther away from other parked cars (or in most cases, structures) the better sight lines you will have to your surroundings.
As a person approaches, you will see them when they’re still relatively far away from you (distance is your friend too!) and you can make an assessment as to whether they’re coming up to ask directions or if they have nefarious intentions. You can watch their approach and ask yourself questions such as:
• “Does this person appear agitated or upset?”
• “Are they displaying any pre-attack indicators?”
• “Do they look like they’ve been a victim of a crime?”
Another thing to remember is to not allow your attention to be completely absorbed by what’s inside (your MDT, your radio, your paperwork). Yes, you have to look down at that stuff, but keep vigilant about what’s happening outside the car as well.
If you are doing some paperwork in a parked squad, you can back yourself up to a wall so an approach by an assailant from behind you is more difficult to do.
Further, keep in mind that if it is night time and you’re working with a dome light on, you’re putting yourself in some peril.
You’re not only in an illuminated fishbowl, but you’re also degrading your night vision. Do third shift cops do paperwork in the car? You bet they do. Just try to take other precautions (selection of your location, most notably) to help ensure your safety.
Thinking about this topic I am also immediately reminded that you need to practice “quickly unassing the vehicle.”
I learned a great technique for this back in 2011, during a vehicle tactics class presented by my friend and Police1 colleague Ken Hardesty (who runs Spartan Concepts and Consulting in addition to his full-time job at a major police agency in the San Francisco Bay Area).
It’s a little tricky to describe in written form, but I’ll try. Also, I’m not really sure this tactic is advisable for lefties. If you’re right-handed like me though, you may give it some thought.
Pointing the thumb of your left hand downward somewhat (so your palm is facing out) with your fingers together and extended outward, you catch the belt (pretty much at the solar plexus) in the “L” formed by your thumb and forefinger. You follow the belt downward with the belt essentially in your flattened palm so that when you get to the buckle / latch-release your fingers easily press the button.
You can then grab the belt (or the buckle) with that hand and pull it away from you and to your left toward the car door. As it is being tossed out of your way (so you don’t get tangled up in it) you can then access the door release handle. If the situation involves a threat of death or great bodily injury, you can already be accessing your sidearm with your right hand (again, assuming you’re right-handed) even as you emerge from the car.
I’ve been doing this ever since that class in 2011, and it has become second nature. In fact, this is precisely the way I get out of any car (I’ve even perfected it for when I’m riding in the passenger seat).
Finally, we must recognize that there are scenarios when you would want to stay in the car, pressing the pedal (instead of the trigger) in order to defend yourself from a deadly threat.
A.) You can get out of dodge, putting distance between you and your assailant
B.) You can stomp on the gas, turning the vehicle into a two-ton projectile
Either way, you’ve solved the problem without firing a shot.
One last thing for law enforcement officers living and/or working in the San Francisco Bay Area. The abovementioned vehicle tactics course is being offered again at the end of September. I aim to be in attendance to practice my fundamentals (this will be my third time in this course in the span of three years), and Ken tells me there are a couple spaces still available for interested officers.
As always, stay safe my friends.
