Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) Near Miss is a voluntary, non-disciplinary officer safety initiative that allows law enforcement personnel to read about and anonymously share stories of close calls or “near misses,” which provide lessons learned that can protect fellow officers in similar situations.
EVENT SUMMARY
I stopped and arrested a staggering drunk in a parking lot. As I searched him, he leaned up against and partly over the hood of my car. He also kept squirming, so I had a hard time with the search, especially around the crotch. I thought, “Whatever.”
I took him into booking and, as I started to search him again, he pressed himself up against the wall, preventing me from reaching his waistband. I jerked him around and checked his waist. Nothing. I had a bad vibe at that moment. I grabbed his crotch and felt an object. It was hard as a rock.
He pulled away, still handcuffed, and I reached down inside his underwear and retrieved a loaded .32 revolver. He suddenly “sobered up” and, staring coldly at me, said, “I would have killed you if you hadn’t found that.”
I have no doubt he would have.
Lessons Learned
- Don’t get complacent with any aspect of your job, especially searches. Although uncomfortable to do, always thoroughly search the crotch of a prisoner. Officers of the opposite sex of a prisoner should request a same-sex officer to conduct the search, when possible. In this incident, the gun was tucked deep inside the prisoner’s underwear. Simply patting down the front of his pants would not have detected the gun.
- Remember, when searching underneath any clothing, conduct an external pat down of the area first, then pull the clothing away from the body and inspect visually before touching underneath the clothing. Again, request an officer of the same sex as the prisoner to do a search of a sensitive area to ensure you don’t become the subject of a complaint.
- Trust your instinct. If you don’t feel good about something, you’re probably right!
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR NEAR MISS
Support this critical officer safety initiative by reading and sharing the near-miss stories and lessons learned that your fellow officers have shared, and consider sharing your own near-miss experiences at LEOnearmiss.org.