Horrible Start to 2011 For LEO's

[helicopper 1,050]

Here it is just the 22nd day of January and we've already had 11 officers killed in the line of duty. If you look at the average age and length of service, these are not "inexperienced" "kids" and more than half were killed by gunfire - a very disturbing sign.

We have to be vigilant, train the way we're going to fight, and fight complacency to keep these numbers from rising further.

As Sgt. Esterhaus always said, "Let's be careful out there!".

Total Line of Duty Deaths: 11

Automobile accident: 2

Gunfire: 6

Gunfire (Accidental): 1

Heart attack: 1

Struck by vehicle: 1

By State:

Florida: 3

Maryland: 1

Michigan: 1

New Jersey: 1

Ohio: 1

Oregon: 1

South Carolina: 1

Texas: 2

Average tour: 11 years, 2 months

Average age: 39

By Gender:

Female: 2

Male: 9

[ONEEYEDMIC 68]

I have been following these numbers as well. It seems some of these bad guys have nothing to lose and are getting the jump on LEO's. I wonder if it has to do with compliance or training! Just completed 10 and I like to think I am just or more aware of my surrondings when responding and arriving at a call. Some of these were preventable. Please be safe everyone!

[Remember585 815]

Very scary stuff. And the ultimate insult is the fact that politicians are cutting police jobs all over the country.

[FFLieu 70]

I've been following this as well, especially since I'm currently at an Academy. The world is a hell of a lot more violent than it was ten years ago; gang activity and its related crimes have increased exponentially. It used to be that people respected cops or at least saw them as a necessary component to society. That feeling is gone, and as much as I hate to say it, there really is an "us and them" component to the world in which we live. Even though I'm in training, every time we conduct a raid, I feel this weird feeling in the pit of my stomach through which I feel compelled to pay attention and to get it done right. Our 10th General Order is to go home safe, but I think it should be our first. Let's be careful out there, let's keep our eyes and ears open, and let's come home each night to our families.

[Bnechis 3,961]

Our 10th General Order is to go home safe, but I think it should be our first.

You are correct. If you do not go home at the end of the shift, the other 9 general orders are meaningless.

[Just a guy 493]

It hurts my heart to see that we have lost so many Brave Brothers and Sisters already this year. One Law Enforcement death is too many. Be vigilant my brothers and sisters. Get back to basics, it's about US first... Our safety is PARAMOUNT TO ALL ELSE. I've been on the job 12 years now and I try to look over the new guys and try to correct any tactical mistakes that they make and I urge all veteran cops to keep an eye on the new guys... the one tactical suggestion that you make to a new cop may be the one that saves his life one day.

God Bless Our Fallen Officers... You have my love, honor, admiration and respect... You are true heroes. Gone But NEVER Forgotten.

[25truck26 29]

3 years here and always keeping my eyes and ears open and mouth shut. I am always thinking tactics.

[JScott128 41]

11 deaths so far this year is a horrible start, but the really horrible part is that this is a pretty average number. Last time this year we lost 14 brother and sister officers. I really hope we have a better year, but I am not optimistic. I attended the Lakewood (NJ) PD funeral the other day and they estimated 10,000 officers were there. But its sad that we have to put SWAT on the perimeter and on the rooftops for security during a funeral for our fallen brother. And even sadder that the first news I hear after leaving is of the 2 Miami-Dade officers who were murdered.

Look out for your brother and sister officers and stay safe!

Scott

Edited January 23, 2011 by JScott128

[helicopper 1,050]

And since this thread was started the number has already risen by one. Yesterday a police officer in South Carolina was killed and another seriously injured in a head-on collision.

Drive safely, the life you save may be your own!

[ladder55 26]

Cnn is reporting 3 more officers shot in florida this morning serving a felony warrant

[mfc2257 464]

Cnn is reporting 3 more officers shot in florida this morning serving a felony warrant

Two dead LEO's plus a canine dead and a federal marshal in surgery.

[EJS1810 7]

It's not just LEO, as of today there have been 11 FF died in the line of duty already this year (24 days old). Not a good pace to be setting

Edited January 24, 2011 by EJS1810

[ONEEYEDMIC 68]

http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime/two-officers-killed-one-marshal-wounded-in-st-petersburg-shooting/1147322

[Just a guy 493]

I am speechless... I am sitting here shaking my head and reeling from the news of the last few days. Two cops shot in Washington state, an officer in Oregon is fighting for his life in the hospital after being shot on a traffic stop, these officers killed this morning and a psycho with a pistol grip shotgun walks into a precinct in Detroit and opens fire .. WHAT THE f*** ?

I don't even know what to say but PLEASE BE VIGILANT ... Don't worry about hurting a civilians feeling or worrying about how your tactics will be percieved by the public.. WHO CARES.. AS LONG AS YOUR SAFE.

[helicopper 1,050]

I am speechless... I am sitting here shaking my head and reeling from the news of the last few days. Two cops shot in Washington state, an officer in Oregon is fighting for his life in the hospital after being shot on a traffic stop, these officers killed this morning and a psycho with a pistol grip shotgun walks into a precinct in Detroit and opens fire .. WHAT THE f*** ?

I don't even know what to say but PLEASE BE VIGILANT ... Don't worry about hurting a civilians feeling or worrying about how your tactics will be percieved by the public.. WHO CARES.. AS LONG AS YOUR SAFE.

It is truly mind boggling.

I'd be very interested to see if these high-risk warrants are being executed by tactical teams or just warrant-fugitive units.

BE SAFE!!!!

[grumpyff 1,159]

10 police officers shot in the last 24 hours. There are many reasons poor economy, short staffing,etc. Be safe out there. Always watch the hands.

[ONEEYEDMIC 68]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41235743/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

Check out that link. Wasn't sure how to post it!

[x635 4,066]

What is actually the solution to this "epedemic"? I've racked my brain, and there's a variety of factors that don't make it possible to have a concrete single solution, especially since most of these perps have nothing to lose.

Figuring out how to get more guns out of the hands of criminals is one way, especially mental health tracking and spontaneous checks on persons that have been in illegal possesion of firearms before. That's a LOOOONG term venture, but could have some potential.

I also think federal funding needs to be beefed up for law enforcement, both proactive and reactive. We talk and train for "Homeland Security", and play with Haz Mat tents and practice and equip for WMD's, something that may never be needed, but this is real "Homeland Security" and I think more needs to be diverted from equipping and training Police Officers in Iraq and Afganistan and pull that funding over here.

Major cities also need to have ESU type units on the street, so that specialized tatics and equipment are always available immediately, along with the trained officers. An ESU Unit should become commonplace. I know a couple of cities that are currently strongly studying the ESU concept.

God bless and RIP for all the officers that have been murdered in the past 24 days.

[Just a guy 493]

There is no fear or respect for law enforcement anymore. People don't fear the law or breaking it and they don't fear going to jail because the liberals ( Yes I said it - THE LIBERALS) have made going to jail like going to summer camp. Jail should be hard labor, bad food, etc... and if you don't like it - DON'T BREAK THE LAW !!!!!

Cops aren't allowed to be cops anymore and things like this are a direct result of that. We as cops know that the department and the municipality we work for will 9 times out of 10 cave in to a special interest against us so you have legions of cops that are hesitant when dealing with people... in this business hesitating gets us KILLED.

Since all this nonsense like the CPR camapign in NYC and the other spin off programs we have seen in westchester, the attitude of the people you deal with on the street has changed and they now feel empowered to treat us however they feel becuase if the stop doesn't go how they want, they will just go to IAD and get us jammed even if we didn't do anything wrong.

I'm sorry for the rambling but I am angry at all these shootings and I have a lot of anger as to how cops are restricted from doing the job the right way.

It seems like it is now open season on cops, let's all watch each others backs.

[grumpyff 1,159]

What is actually the solution to this "epedemic"? I've racked my brain, and there's a variety of factors that don't make it possible to have a concrete single solution, especially since most of these perps have nothing to lose.

Figuring out how to get more guns out of the hands of criminals is one way, especially mental health tracking and spontaneous checks on persons that have been in illegal possesion of firearms before. That's a LOOOONG term venture, but could have some potential.

I also think federal funding needs to be beefed up for law enforcement, both proactive and reactive. We talk and train for "Homeland Security", and play with Haz Mat tents and practice and equip for WMD's, something that may never be needed, but this is real "Homeland Security" and I think more needs to be diverted from equipping and training Police Officers in Iraq and Afganistan and pull that funding over here.

Major cities also need to have ESU type units on the street, so that specialized tatics and equipment are always available immediately, along with the trained officers. An ESU Unit should become commonplace. I know a couple of cities that are currently strongly studying the ESU concept.

God bless and RIP for all the officers that have been murdered in the past 24 days.

Thats all fine and good, but how about enforce the laws already on the books. Take the Plaxico Buress case, Mayor Bloomburg (being nice since it is EMTBravo) had he not 'personally got involved' Plaxico would have gotten a slap on the wrist like everyone else. One case where I recovered a loaded 9mm, spent more time in trial prep, than the perp got as a sentence, since he ended up taking a plea. Every moe I stop knows this. There is no respect for police officers on the street anymore. People seem to have the need to constantly watch and interject in situations where they feel we (the police) are being to heavy handed.

When I worked in Midtown Manhattan I used to carry a folding knife that I could open with a strong flick of the wrist, not for protection but to get the goddam LIBERALS away from me. More than once I had someone stopped, when he come some LIBERAL DO GOODER who felt I had stopped the wrong person. I would always be respectful and would ask" Do you know this person?" if the answer was "no", the next question was always "Do you know why I stopped this person?" If the answer was again " NO", then I would snap out the knife, and state"this is what I stopped them for.." 9 times out of 10 Liberal do gooder was running away. I would then explain to person I originally stopped that the other person had no right to hear there information (name, address, birthday, etc.) and that I only did that to get them to leave.

[grumpyff 1,159]

IN addition, what I am seeing, and hearing from others in my department, is that a lot of the violence is coming from the younger set, 15 to 18. They have that feeling of invincibility to begin with, but add in a poor economy with more gang recruitment, and problem is that much worse. Gangs are getting stronger, add in kids with no jobs, whose parents (if they are in the picture) are working longer hours, are in the home less. These kids are looking for something to do and somewhere to belong. Gangs fill that void. Gangs also see that we (the police) are shorthanded and cannot be everywhere at once, and if we are in the area, could care less.

Edited January 25, 2011 by grumpyff

[ex-commish 490]

Thats all fine and good, but how about enforce the laws already on the books. Take the Plaxico Buress case, Mayor Bloomburg (being nice since it is EMTBravo) had he not 'personally got involved' Plaxico would have gotten a slap on the wrist like everyone else. One case where I recovered a loaded 9mm, spent more time in trial prep, than the perp got as a sentence, since he ended up taking a plea. Every moe I stop knows this. There is no respect for police officers on the street anymore. People seem to have the need to constantly watch and interject in situations where they feel we (the police) are being to heavy handed.

I am not condoning what Plaxico Buress did but his case is different than what has been happening lately. He was just plain stupid and got caught. What is happening lately is a blatant disregard for law enforcement officers. There is no more fear. No more respect for the police. These perps are flat out killing cops and will not stop untill they themselves are killed. And it is true.... they get arrested, put into prison and they get 3 meals, recreation, tv, law library, visits, free medical, dental, mandated grievance procedures, and the right to harass, assault, spit on, throw any type of body fluids, threaten, curse at, take hostage and kill correction officers because as much as they do not respect cops on the street there is even less respect for those officers in the prisons and jails thanks to liberal...yes I said LIBERAL law makers and judges who have tied the hands of those charged with keeping these murderers locked up.

My prayers and thoughts are with those officers who died. May the rest in peace.

[RWC130 594]

Very bad start to 2011 for Fire Fighters and Police Officers,

as mentioned please BE VIGILANT and BE SAFE! God Bless...

RIP MEMBERS OF SERVICE!

[ONEEYEDMIC 68]

We as LEO's need to remember that's it's better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6! I keep hearing/reading officers killed during routine traffic stops. I don't consider any traffic stop routine simply because I have no idea most of the time who is in the vehicle. This country simply needs stricter penalties for 2nd and 3rd time offenders. No more plea bargins. Cop killers face the death penalty upon being found guilty and I mean within 1 month. Allow 1 month for a SPEEDY APPEAL and that's it. We must take back control. I am not saying go out and be rogue, just don't put up with sh#t cause your worried of being sued. Last time I looked you can't get blood from a stone! I am very frustrated cause I bleed BLUE and I want to keep all of our Brothers and Sisters safe!

[25truck26 29]

How about this police involved shooting in the Bronx last year. Perp pulled a gun on cops while they were conducting a vertical (pointed the gun at the cops head) The partner then pulled his gun shot the perp. The perp lived and the case was later DP'd....For those of you who don't know just about every case is DP'd (decline prosecution) in the Bronx. The case was DP'd because the ADA said the cops basically F%@ked up the evidence of securing the gun. The guy was out 2 days later and has numerous priors. Many, many more cases similar to this 1. Something has to be done. Perps or mutts have no fear because they know nothing will happen to them even if they assault a cop.

[efdcapt115 1,511]

Yesterday was surreal down here in Florida. All the south Florida channels covered the funeral/memorial of the two Miami-Dade detectives killed wile serving a warrant in Liberty City.

Then comes word in the morning that two St. Petersburg cops were killed doing the exact same thing, serving a warrant on another fugitive.

Our collective hearts are broken here in Florida. The State is in shock over these senseless murders.

The Miami-Dade PD did a wonderful job paying tribute to their lost veteran detectives. They held the service at the American Airlines Arena (the "triple A") where the Miami Heat play.

But to know that at the same time another police department was dealing with the same tragedy was unbelievable.

Stay safe out there, the world has gone insane.

[JJB531 652]

A number of posters have really hit the nail on the head regarding Police Officer LODD's, and the reasoning for a lot of them.

The FBI routinely interviews convicted Cop Killers. They are looking to answer the question, "Why did you kill this Police Officer? What made you do it?". The FBI reported that the majority of individuals interviewed responded, "Because the Officer gave me the opportunity", or "I felt like I could take advantage of the Officer", either because of the Officers poor use of tactics, or because the Officers general physical appearance (stature, build, uniform cleanliness and overall general appearance of the Officer being a "slob").

Regarding the Officers general appearance, not much can be done to correct that other then the individual Officer making time to exercise, eat right, clean/iron their uniforms, tuck in their shirts, give off a professional image/appearance, act professionally, etc.

In regards to Police Officers utilizing poor tactics, this falls on the the individual Officer, the Law Enforcement Agency, and society and how society views Police Officers. Most Police Officers have to qualify with their service weapons twice a year to be qualified to carry a firearm within their official duties. I ask the question, is anyone really good at anything they do just twice a year? If an individual officer shoots just twice a year with their department, and does not take the time outiside of work to shoot on their own time, or to attend classes given by private or government agencies, they are doing themselves a grave disservice. When Police Officers shoot to qualify, they're shooting a nice silhouette paper target, utilizing proper stance, closing their non-dominant eye, lining up their sight picture... they're target shooting for score based on the number of shots the tower or range instructor informs them to discharge. In a real-life deadly physical force encounter, Police Officers are not shooting for score, they're shooting to survive. They're point shooting. They're utilizing a combat stance (which is your body's natural reaction to a threat), they're drawing the firearm, pointing it at the target, looking past their sights, and discharging their firearm at the threat to stop the threat. They're not lining up their sights. They're not closing their non-dominant eye. There's no range instructor telling them, "Gimme 2 shots on the tone". So why aren't we conducting monthly training at the range on point shooting? Why aren't we conducting monthly realistic, scenario based training utilizing airsoft or simmunitions to mimic real life encounters? The answers are obvious (manpower, money, overtime, etc.), but Police Officers are dying because of it. The 2 days of TARGET SHOOTING at the range is a disservice to Police Officers, and is not realistic or a feasible way to train for real-life deadly physical force encounters.

In terms of how society is getting police officers killed... well, there are very few professions that are monday morning quarterbacked by the Average Joe citizen more then Law Enforcement. Law Enforcement is criticized by the media, by the general population, and even by our Police Chiefs, Commissioners, Superintendants, etc., who have become more of a group of politicians who are more worried about their own general appearance in the eyes of the public, appeasing as many special interest groups as possible for their own personal political gain, rather then protecting and supporting the Officers they are suppoesd to represent. Hollywood has the Average Joe thinking that it's a piece of cake to shoot a gun out of a perpetrators hand. The Average Joe wants to know why we don't shoot people in the leg because that's what works in Hollywood. Until the average Joe sees an aggressive, determined perpetrator take five .223 rounds center mass and continue to fight, they won't understand why Police Officers utilize aggressive tactics against an armed adversary. Take a look at a just a few examples of recents incidents:

** A SWAT officer, while conducting a tactical entry to take a barricaded subject into custody, shoots and kills a perpetrator who was attempting to stab his bunker operator with a large kitchen knife. The perp struck the ballistic shield several times with the knife before the Officer discharged his weapon. Officer placed on adminstrative desk duty for 9 months, depsite the fact that the shooting was within department and NYS Criminal Procedure Law guidelines.

** 2 Police Officers respond to an EDP, where they are confronted with an individual in a parking lot weilding a metal chair. EDP advances and closes the distance on the Officers while attempting to strike the Officers with the metal chair. Officers retreat until they are finally cornered, forcing one Officer to fire a single shot center mass, eliminating the threat. Officers brought up on department charges for not utilizing appropriate concealment. The prosecuting attorney's arguement is that the Officers should have hid behind a bush to provide them concealment, thereby avoiding the need to shoot the subject.

** Pleasantville Police Officer, after being struck by a vehicle operated by an underage, intoxicated driver, clings onto the hood of the vehicle. Despite verbal commands to stop the vehicle, driver accelerates forcing the Officer to discharge his service weapon through the windshield eliminating the threat and preventing further injury to himself. Officer is dragged through the mud by the media, vigils held for the perp killed by this Officer. Over a week before the media reports on the serious injuries sustained by the Officer.

** A Massachusetts Police Officer, responding to a possible burglary call, encounters an unruly, uncooperate subject inside a private residence. Officer ends up effecting a disorderly conduct arrest, a lawful arrest based on the Massachusetts CPL/Penal Law, where his actions are called "stupid" by our Commander-in-Chief, without having all of the details of the encounter.

Based on a few of these examples, I have made a couple of conclusions. Some of my conclusions are based on my own personal experiences and from talking to other Police Officers. The most dangerous conclusion I have come up with is that Police Officers are utilizing poor tactics and not being as aggressive as they should be in certain instances because of the fear of being dragged through the mud by the media, disciplined by their department, and placed on modified desk duty, even when their actions were appropriate and well within the legal guidelines for the use of deadly physical force. This "second-guessing" gives a perpetrator who has it in their mind that they want to injure/kill the police officer a chance to act upon their intentions.

Police administrators will quite often administer disciplinary action upon a police officer based on the media coverage of an event and the public "outcry", no matter how justified the shooting may have been based on CPL and department guidelines. Officers are taken off the road and placed on desk duty for months, sometimes even years, to prevent the officer from being involved in another deadly physical force encounter, which may look unfavorably if the same officer is involved in numerous shooting incidents, even if they are all justified shootings. This reactive measure taken by Police Administrators in turn causes Police Officers to not take aggressive action when needed for fear of "ruining their careers" or being placed on desk duty. Once again, this "second-guessing" leads to perptrators taking advantage of Police Officers. Face it, Police Officers have pages and pages of rules and guidelines to abide by, whereas perpetrators don't play by the rules, which inherently gives the perpetrator the tactical advantage.

Lastly, Law Enforcement tactics are not pretty. It involves handcuffing people, placing people face down in the dirt, ordering people out of vehicles at gunpoint, striking people with impact weapons, utilizing less lethal devices, chemical agents, and when necessary, deadly physical force. Proper tactics are not pretty, they don't look good in the eyes of the public, but they are necessary for Police Officers to go home at the end of their shift. The media doesn't understand this, society doesn't understand this, but our Police Administrators have to understand this, and have to support their Officers when their Officers actions are appropriate, no matter how it may look in the eyes of the untrained and uneducated.

Sorry for the long post! Kinda got carried away but a very important topic that is filled with TONS of information! Stay safe!

[efdcapt115 1,511]

Youtube credit: dradioz

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2f1ev8w0lA

[helicopper 1,050]

JJB, great post.

The only other tactical issue that I want to bring up that may contribute to some of these incidents is the use of a tactical team for high-risk warrant executions. We've all seen it, either first-hand or on TV or both. The street cops/agents throwing on big vests over their t-shirts and jeans and then storming into a house/apartment.

Just like we've got to train the way we're going to fight, we have to use the right resources for the right jobs. Warrant-Fugitive units, narcotics units, other units should not be conducting tactical entries. Tactical teams should be conducting tactical entries.

Too many administrators, supervisors, and unit members think that "they can do it" or they "should do it" for a myriad of reasons - only some of which are valid.

[ONEEYEDMIC 68]

Great post Joe! If we don't shoot on our own it's just not gonna happen. Most departments aren't going to pay us or for the extra ammo that we are gonna use unless we are in a specialized detail. I do like that we train with simmunitions. It puts that real life situation in our minds because often we are being ambushed or the sh@t hits the fan in a matter of seconds. When scenario's are over, the critique by the instructors is the most important point. We have a chance to see what we did right and wrong.

I also think we need to review how these warrants/raids are being conducted. We are often going into Houses, Apt, etc... without knowing exactley who or what is in there. I know we try and get as much intel before going in as possible, but it doesn't seem to be helping. The ball is mostly in the bad guys court,and when they have nothing to lose we suffer.

I am by know means a tactics expert, so I could be way off base. I know we like the element of surprise, but when thats gone what do we have? What if the powers to be just waited for these perps to leave their residences and arrest them with the odds in our favor? Just saying. Like I have stated before, it's about us going home at the end of our tours. I am gonna do everything in my power to make that happen for the rest of my career!