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
A pursuit of a stolen car was traveling northbound on the local interstate. An officer ahead of the pursuit stopped on the inside shoulder, preparing to deploy spike strips as the pursuit neared their location.
The suspect, from a distance, observed the officer on the inside shoulder and intentionally veered to the right in an attempt to avoid the spikes. As the suspect veered to the right toward the outside shoulder, the officer with the spike strips stepped into the left lane of the three-lane interstate in an attempt to get additional distance on the spike strip in hopes of reaching the suspect, who was now driving in the right lane and pushing other motorists off the road.
The actions of the officer stepping into the left lane were captured on the dashboard camera from another officer’s patrol car, which was traveling in the left lane and almost struck the officer.
Lessons Learned
- The tools we utilize in law enforcement aren’t fail-safe. Officers must recognize these tools have a time and place and may not always be a viable option if they unnecessarily risk officer safety. As the suspect moved to the right, spikes were no longer an effective option because they required the officer to step into the roadway to gain enough distance to reach the suspect’s vehicle, which significantly increased the risk to the officer’s safety.
- Suspects who understand and are experienced with law enforcement actions, or those who watch YouTube videos and LIVE PD regularly, know some common police tactics. Suspects understand how the police use certain tools, so officers must anticipate that suspects may take evasive action. Officers must understand their safety is paramount and there are instances when they must retreat and regroup, if necessary.
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.