Dining Out More Safely

October 10, 2006 05:01 AM •

by Police1 Contributing Editor Scott Buhrmaster

In light of yet another report of an officer being targeted for attack while eating, consider these tips for keeping yourself safe in a public eatery, particularly while in uniform:

-- Take a close look at your food before digging in. Lift the bun, stir the soup, poke around the salad, etc. while watching for foreign objects or substances. Also consider smelling your food before taking your first bite. Taking a whiff before eating might help sniff out a silent but effective attack.

-- Avoid sitting with your back to the door and if possible, sit where you can get a clear view of the entire restaurant. Just as a kitchen, filled with knives, forks, glassware and heavy metal objects, can be one of the most dangerous places in a home, so it is with restaurants. If someone is looking to target an officer, a restaurant setting can present a golden opportunity. Don’t be caught with your back to an attack.

-- If you’re in an unfamiliar place, make sure to take inventory of your surroundings. Where’s the nearest exit? How many routes in and out are there? Where would you take cover if an attack were to occur?

-- Consider different restaurant settings and practice for defending yourself within them. These questions may help:

Can you get out of a chair quickly and immediately engage a subject?
Have you practiced drawing from a seated position?
How would you keep yourself from being cornered in a booth should an attack occur?
Could you quickly use a table as a barrier between you and an attacker?
Have you and your partner discussed how you could both get away from your table or out of your booth without bumping into each other or otherwise tangling?

-- Remember that some of the things in a restaurant that can be used against you, like knives, forks, and heavy plates, can also be used to protect yourself in worst-case-scenario situations.

-- Although tactical awareness is a must in a restaurant, as it is in ANY setting, do allow yourself to relax while eating. In addition to helping you avoid destructive digestive issues, relaxing while you eat lunch or dinner also provides you with an important mental break.

Officer Safety

Scott Buhrmaster

Scott Buhrmaster is Vice President of Training and Editorial for Police1.com, which was awarded the “Quill & Badge Award” for Excellence in Journalism by the International Association of Police Unions. He is also the Publisher of Police Marksman magazine and has served as Contributing Editor for Law Officer magazine. He has been a member of the law enforcement training community since 1989, when he began work as Director of Research with Calibre Press, Inc., producers of The Street Survival Seminar.

Throughout his tenure at Calibre, Buhrmaster was involved with virtually every aspect of the company’s officer survival training efforts, from the planning, creation and marketing of the organization’s award-winning textbooks and videos to developing and securing training content for the Seminar. In 1995, he was named Director of the Calibre Press Street Survival Newsline®, an Internet-based officer survival training service he helped found. In less than five years, Newsline readership grew from 25 officers to more than 250,000 in 26 countries, making it one of the most popular training vehicles in law enforcement history. His efforts now focus on providing training and information to the nearly 400,000 officers worldwide who visit Police1.com every month.

Prior to joining Police1, Buhrmaster, who also serves on the National Advisory Board of the Force Science Research Center and stands as an active member of the American Society for Law Enforcement Training and the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association, was President of The Buhrmaster Consulting Group, an international consulting practice for the law enforcement training sector and the publishing industry. Scott may be reached at buhrmastergroup@comcast.net.