A true burglar will never let a locked door deter him from getting into a house or building. He will kick in the door, break a window, or ram a stolen car through the wall.
That doesn’t mean locks aren’t useful. They are a proper defense for a large number of thieves. These thieves have a common trait though. They have an internal barrier that keeps them from braking things in order to steal. The ones that don’t have that internal barrier don’t let the locks stop them.
Many bad guys have similar internal barriers about attacking officers. They are willing to hit most people but not a cop or they are willing to hit a cop but only if they have an opportunity to get away.
What can officers do to reinforce those internal thresholds? The two main areas I see are appearance and opportunity.
Appearance
An officer’s appearance can give the clear signal that the door is locked. Don’t even bother checking it.
Conditioning/Shape
Big officers obviously have an advantage here. Size and strength are clearly effective in a fight. Don’t neglect stamina though. Are you obviously so out of shape that you won’t last in a fight or you are unable to chase on foot. Being trim sends that message.
Confidence
Do you project confidence during calls? Uncertain officers can be manipulated to give the bad guy an advantage. They are indecisive and travel slowly through the OODA loop.
Uniform/Gear
How you maintain your uniform and gear is not as important as the other two aspects of appearance but it is a factor. Does your gear look like it has never been used? Have you taken weapons (pepper spray, baton, or Taser) off your belt because it makes you uncomfortable? Do you wear your vest?
Does a quick glance at you give the impression you are squared away or that you are lackadaisical? Lackadaisical people offer opportunities.
Opportunity
Appearances can be window dressing. Many bad guys know that some cops are image more than experience. They will always try the door to confirm it is locked. They are looking for opportunity so it is essential to maintain positions of advantage.
Control
Some bad guys will subtlety test your boundaries. They are checking to see how much latitude you will give them and basing their future plans on your reaction. So it is essential to establish control immediately.
Do not be deceived by passive behavior and think you can relax. Politely but firmly give commands to people about where they should be standing or sitting and make them stay there. These start establishing control, look good on video, and are easily defensible to any supervisor or court.
If your bad guy doesn’t immediately respond it usually indicates a willingness to resist and gives an articulable reason to escalate force when establishing control.
As the FBI Violent Encounters study shows, taking control of situations is an important component of officer safety.
Positioning
Proper positioning puts you in a place of advantage to defend against attacks like sucker punches and cheapshots while allowing you the flexibility to use weapons or control tactics.
Don’t be a target of opportunity
Just like the locks, these elements won’t stop all the bad guys from assaulting officers. But they do reinforce the internal barriers that will stop those people looking for targets of opportunity and they are an important part of an overall strategy of officer safety.
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