Off-Duty Ambush: The Steve Franks Incident
lessons that can save lives. Before you read the analysis, however, please review the following discussion questions and work through your own answers. Stay safe.
Franks as he was returning home from work, while still in uniform and obvi- ously armed, only further illustrates how highly motivated a stalker can be. Stalkers are single-minded in their obsession over
the need to stay alert at all times, whether on or off duty. T is is especially impor- tant when going to and from work (times when your routine schedule makes you an especially easy target), and even more so
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. What does this case have to say about the danger
posed by stalkers? Click here for analysis
2. Capt. Franks was operating in an off-duty mindset just prior to Barnes’ attack. How important is it to maintain an appropriate level of danger awareness when off duty? What can we do to help prepare mentally for off-duty armed confrontations? Click here for analysis
3. Mrs. Franks’ life was also in grave danger during Barnes’ attack. Have you ever considered how you would respond if suddenly thrust into a lethal encounter when in the com- pany of loved ones? What can we do to help ensure our family’s safety in such situations? How important is pre- planning to keeping our family safe when we are off duty? Click here for analysis
4. This case highlights how dangerous an ambush can be. How much of a threat are ambushes to the safety of police offi cers today? What can we do to help avoid being ambushed? How can we do a better job of preparing ourselves to deal with this growing threat? Click here for analysis
5. Capt. Franks instinctively dropped into a low fi ghting crouch and returned fi re as soon as Barnes launched his attack, and it may have saved his life. How impor- tant is it to move when returning fi re? Is any kind of movement better than another? If so, which one is best? Why?
Click here for analysis
6. This incident involved the expenditure of an unusually large number of rounds. Although still relatively rare, it appears that police shootings of this kind are becoming more prevalent. What can be done to prepare for this possibility? Click here for analysis
7. Capt. Franks’ accuracy was considerably below average. What might have accounted for this? Click here for analysis
8. In what ways did Capt. Franks’ attitude and actions exemplify winning mindset and warrior spirit? Click here for analysis
ANALYSIS Stalkers
This case provides a thought-provoking example of the danger posed by stalkers. The fact that the motive for the attack was strictly personal in nature and had nothing to do with Capt. Franks’ position as a police officer should not detract from this example. That Barnes chose to attack
46 The Police Marksman Mar-Apr 2015
their targets, and should not be expected to give up easily if you try to stop them. Never play them cheap. Return to Question 1
Off-Duty Mindset
We all tend to let our guard down when off duty. Although this tendency cannot be overcome entirely, it is important to keep cases like this one in mind as a reminder of
when traveling in uniform or worse, driv- ing a marked take-home car. If you don’t maintain proper focus at such times, it can put you in the dangerous position of being immediately identifi able as a police offi - cer while at a reduced level of awareness. When accompanied by family members, you face the additional, potentially disas- trous problem of unintentionally exposing them to danger (see next section for further
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