ON THE JOB OFFICER SAFETY JUST HANDED DOWN PUBLIC SAFETY IT SOLUTIONS Offi cer Safety
What Doesn’t See You Can Kill You By Dale Stockton
A time to be stealth and a time to be seen
www.Below100.org
very year, several offi cers are killed and many more seriously injured when struck by vehicles. It’s easy to blame these inci- dents on stupid drivers, but sometimes, we share a degree of responsibility. Here are some impor- tant factors to consider and suggestions to miti- gate the risks inherent in roadway work.
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Passenger-Side Approach Depending on where you are in the country and your agency type, the frequency of passenger-side approach on traffi c stops ranges from very common to virtually non-existent. More often than not, a passenger-side approach pro- vides signifi cant advantages, not the least of which is increased safety from passing vehicles. Many offi cers feel that approaching on the passenger side also provides a tactical advantage and a unique opportunity to look into the vehicle before the driver is aware of your presence, par- ticularly on nighttime stops. I did thousands of stops during my career and strongly favored the passenger-side approach when it was practical to do so.
Refl ective Gear
Cops by their nature like to be in stealth mode. It is just part of our DNA. However, there’s a time to be sneaky and a time to be seen, and you have to be smart enough to realize the difference. When you’re directing traffi c, working a crash or a special event, you need to make every effort possible to be seen by approach- ing vehicles. This is especially true at night and during inclement weather. Wear your refl ective gear.
The danger posed by oncoming vehicles far exceeds any risk from someone who may wish to assault you. Federal law requires the use of high-visibility apparel in many situations and the fi nes for non-compliance can be very high. Regardless of the fi nes, the high-vis gear just makes sense.
Be Smart About Lighting
Consider this scenario: A serious-injury accident on a multi-lane roadway results in a major police and fi re response. Within a few minutes, there are six emergency vehicles on scene, all with their overhead lights going. Two are parked at odd angles. Attention is
8 LAW and ORDER I March 2016 Dale Stockton
understandably being focused on those who need help. This is when things can go badly. Offi cers must ensure that the powerful lighting of the new generation of light- bars doesn’t inadvertently cause problems by disorient- ing or partially blinding approaching drivers. Remember that a uniformed offi cer without refl ective gear and using a typical patrol fl ashlight cannot compete with the rapidly fl ashing and high-lumen output of today’s lightbars, especially when the offi cer is in a dark uniform. An orange cone on the fl ashlight combined with a refl ec- tive vest helps draw attention to the controlling offi cer. You can improve your safety level by considering what an ap-
proaching driver sees. It may be appropriate to dial down some of the lighting and/or reposition some of the cars. Ideally, there will be some type of warning (e.g. fl ares and/or cones) long be- fore oncoming vehicles actually get to your scene. Greater distance allows more time for drivers to slow down and fi gure out what they’re supposed to do.
Consideration should be given to having a ‘safety offi cer’ who is responsible for ensuring proper traffi c fl ow and who can objec- tively look at a scene to prevent making the situation worse. Also evaluate whether conditions warrant having someone assigned to sound a warning if an approaching vehicle gets off course. There’s a reason that road crews in many states use a dedicated person with an air horn to sound a warning. It works and can save lives. Having the sun at your back is an advantage if you’re in a gunfi ght because your opponent has diffi culty seeing you. If you’re working a scene at dawn or dusk, that advantage is turned on its head, actu- ally increasing the danger of an approaching driver not seeing you. Again, it’s important to consider the driver’s perspective.
Bottom Line
Roadway incursions kill and maim too many offi cers. Minimize the danger by being ‘scene-aware’ and ensuring that your pres- ence and directions are clearly conveyed to approaching drivers.
Dale Stockton is a 32-year-veteran of law enforcement, retiring as a police captain from Carlsbad, Calif. He is a founder of the Below 100 program. He may be reached at
dalestockton@gmail.com.
LaO Post your comments on this story by visiting
www.lawandordermag.com
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