Never approach a call with your cover officer in a single file line. I’ve seen it many times as we approach the residence or business entrance on a call—usually it’s for some unknown disturbance or dispute not the robbery or man with a gun type of calls. If we arrive together one officer will follow the other in a single file line. If the officers start to take fire, the shooter has a much easier target if the arriving officers are in close proximity to each other. Instead try to approach the door in ‘V’ pattern so if one officer starts to take fire, the other has a chance to take cover and return fire.
As I approach a residence, I park a slight bit down the street before or after your call location. I then try to block the front door of the residence’s view of my driver’s door with a tree or other hard cover. I then walk across the yard using trees, parked vehicles, or other cover or concealment. It doesn’t matter if I’m point, cover, or solo. It may look funny to ‘Joe Citizen’ sitting across the street on his porch, but so be it. I then knock on the door or ring the door bell with my non-gun hand in case I have to draw and fire quickly. And I rarely stand in front of the door, the exception being those dreaded ‘Fatal Funnel’ entryways. I’ve seen veteran and rookie officers approach calls single file. As we all well know, there’s no such thing as a routine call.
Just something to think about as you approach your next call for service.