offi cer down: Ambiguous Deadly Force Decisions Under Stress: Josh Shemenski’s Second Shooting
to learn from such mistakes is during train- ing, not on the street when lives are at stake. (See the “Reluctance to Shoot” section of the analysis in “Offi cer Down: Slowly Develop- ing T reats” in our May/June 2014 issue for a more detailed discussion of this training.) Return to Question 5
Ride-Alongs
Some law enforcement agencies allow their of- fi cers’ spouses, children, girl/boyfriends, etc., to participate in their ride-along programs. By increasing our loved ones’ understanding and appreciation for what we do, these pro- grams can improve our family relationships and solidify our all-important support system. However, they can also put our loved ones in danger and make the job more dangerous for us as well. In a violent encounter, it is only natural to want to protect someone we care about, which can distract us from staying fo- cused on our most important goal—neutral- izing the threat, or, as in this case, establishing and maintaining control of the situation after the threat has been neutralized.
Deputy Shemenski later commented that his natural course of action in a case like this one would have been to stop immediately after Rusk went down, exit his vehicle, hold the man at gunpoint and call for backup, but he chose to create distance between him and Rusk instead. T en he dangerously advanced across open ground toward Rusk, who was down but not yet secured and still within easy reach of the shotgun. T ough not aware of it at the time, he now believes his actions were motivated by a subconscious concern for Am- ber’s safety. Considering the importance of staying focused on dealing with any threat we encounter, ride-alongs by family members, girl/boyfriends, and others close to the offi - cer should not be permitted. However, loved ones may be allowed to ride along with other offi cers, preferably those on another shift or in a diff erent district.
Winning Mindset
Besides the factors already mentioned, there is another reason why Deputy Shemenski responded to Rusk’s attack so quickly. After his fi rst shooting, he had vowed to never be caught in such a vulnerable position again,
43 The Police Marksman Sep-Oct 2014
and had striven hard to live up to that prom- ise. As a result, though distracted as he rolled up on the scene, he wasn’t surprised when Rusk turned on him with the shotgun. In fact, he had almost expected it to happen, and was thus able to respond to it very quickly. His earlier shooting had taught him that some individuals who have no fear of killing and will stop at nothing to get what they want. All offi cers are aware of this fact at the intellectual level, but many don’t re- ally believe it in their innermost being. In fact, when asked about the emotions they experienced when attacked, police offi cers who have been involved in lethal confronta- tions almost universally say their fi rst emo- tion was not anger or fear, but surprise! T is is understandable when we consider that the vast majority of the people who resist arrest are simply trying to escape. While they often put up a tough struggle, they are not willing to engage an offi cer in lethal combat. But on rare occasions, we come across individu- als who don’t care, and even some who have literally made it a life goal to kill a cop. Win- ners accept this harsh reality, and plan ahead to deal with it. When considering the possi- bility of engaging in a lethal encounter, they don’t think about “if it happens,” but “when it happens” and what they will do about it. T ey don’t look forward to violence, but they fully accept that it comes with the job and are committed to being ready when it does.
Deputy Shemenski also made a practice of using mental imagery to help prepare him for violent resistance, not so much in the more formal sense of getting into a state of deep relaxation and carefully rehearsing violent encounters in detail, but more as an informal “What if game.” Like most win- ners, he was in the habit of thinking about various threats he may face and planning ahead how to deal with them, which in turn helped him respond more quickly to Rusk’s attack. Finally, Shemenski possesses a natural aggressiveness that enabled him to immediately take the fi ght to his adversary. Fighting back is the most important element in winning, and in this case it paid off even before Rusk could fi re a shot. Return to Question 6
SUMMARY Always do your best to eliminate dis-
tractions and stay focused on safety as your fi rst priority. Psych yourself up to be ready for anything, no matter how routine the situation may appear to be.
If a motorist is following close behind you, your options for dealing with him are: 1) call for backup to stop him; 2) let him pass and then stop him; or 3) speed up to see if he follows, and if so, increase your distance, fi nd a place to turn around and confront him at gunpoint.
Since we can’t depend upon actual ex- perience to prepare us for the threats we may encounter on the street, we must gain experience through mental imagery and training. Take advantage of as much scenario-based training as you can and use mental imagery to gain further “experi- ence” in responding to violent encounters
Mental fl exibility is crucial to prevent- ing and winning violent encounters, but it can also be crucial to avoiding tragic outcomes from foolish mistakes made by citizens under stress. Ways to im- prove this essential mental skill include: 1) scenario-based training geared specifi - cally to that purpose; 2) mental imagery; 3) training geared to improving observa- tion skills; and 4) stress reduction.
T e ability to make appropriate decisions in ambiguous deadly-force situations can be improved through stress reduction, increased self-confi dence, enhanced ob- servation skills, and most importantly, training. T is training should include well thought-out classroom presenta- tion, case studies, careful study of key court decisions regarding use of force, and scenario-based training that requires offi cers to make increasingly more chal- lenging shoot/don’t shoot decisions.
Be ready to deal with the lethal violence by accepting that it can happen, planning ahead for it, and always standing ready to fi ght back no matter what. PM
.
Post your comments on this story by visiting
www.policemarksman.com
www.policemarksman.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46