Family training for off-duty safety

September 09, 2005 10:31 AM •

You may be trained to handle an off-duty encounter wisely, but have you trained your family? One way you can help keep your spouse and children safe in an off-duty encounter is to explain ahead of time how crucial it is for them to listen and act immediately--no questions asked--when you tell them to leave an area.

You can let them know that you’ve eyed trouble that may require your intervention and their full cooperation by creating a special phrase that will be used only in these scenarios… something like, “I’ve got a situation,” or “It’s time to listen and act.”

If you have planned ahead, they will immediately follow your directions and know where to go (a place out of the line of potential fire, a heavily trafficked intersection where patrol units may drive by, a place with a phone) and know what to do (call 911 or flag down a squad and remember to alert the emergency operator or responding officers to the fact that there is an off-duty officer on the scene wearing whatever you’re wearing.)

Off Duty Women in Law Enforcement

Scott Buhrmaster

Scott Buhrmaster is the CEO of Calibre Press, one of the leading law enforcement training and information providers in the industry. Scott’s 30-year tenure began in 1989 when he originally signed on with Calibre where he was involved in the creation and marketing of the organization’s popular training courses and award-winning textbooks, videos and online publications.

In 1999, Scott launched The Buhrmaster Group, an organization focused on helping law enforcement training companies develop, market and expand their training efforts. Among his clients was Police1.com, which he signed on with full time as their vice president of training and editorial. During that period, Scott was named to the National Advisory Board of the Force Science Institute, at the time a newly developing organization which was also among his list of clients. Following a seven-year tenure at Police1, Scott signed on with Force Science full-time, initially serving as their vice president of operations and most recently serving as their COO.

Scott has been a long-time contributor to Police1 and has written extensively for other publications and Web sites in the law enforcement market. Additionally, he helped launch two of the most popular e-newsletters in the industry; the Street Survival Newsline and Force Science News. While at Police1, Scott served as the publisher of Police Marksman magazine and a contributing editor for Law Officer magazine.