Page 13 - Argyle Police Officer Field Training Tips

Be proactive. You would be amazed at the types of things officers have discovered on traffic stops
initiated for simple violations.

It’s not uncommon for people to tattoo their name or last name on themselves. So if you ever find
yourself trying to verify an identity and believe the person is lying, look at their tattoos closely to see if
you can find their name on them.
Take good notes and write them as soon as possible. They’ll come in handy later when you go to write
your report. The better your notes, the easier it will be to write your report and the more accurate it will
be. Also, make sure you turn your notes in with your reports.

If you work a district or beat, visit the districts around you during your free time. Chances are one day
you’ll have to assist someone in that district and the more familiar you are with it, the quicker you can
get to them.

If you wear a ballistic vest that is large enough to have the panels overlap, make sure the front panels go
over the back panels. This is so that if you take around from the front and it strikes in the area where the
panels meet, the front panel will protect you. If you allow the back panels to go over the front panels,
the round is more likely to enter below the rear panel and enter your body.

Safety tips around our building
At night, when someone knocks on the back door, always go to the kitchen area and get a good look at
the person from that window to verify they are not a threat before you go outside.

When you visit the station at night, try to get in the habit of going in one door and exiting through
another.

When approaching the building at night, drive around the building before going in. Be on the lookout for
people wondering around the back parking lot or sitting in their vehicles.

If one day, someone decides to enter the front and attack the station, try to get to the sergeant’s office
and defend yourself from there. Their office has no windows and the doorway has access to both sides
of the building via the hallway. Also, they have their long guns and duty rigs in there when not working.
If you stand in their doorway, you can look down the hallway with minimal exposure.
When working alone, consider parking your patrol unit perpendicular to the back door with the driver’s
side door closest to the back door. This will make it easier for you to exit and get to the vehicle quickly if
you ever need to get out in a hurry.

Anytime you exit the building, look around. This will help you identify any potential threats before you
get too far away from the door. Make this action a habit and do it anytime you exit any building.
Hopefully, this habit/skill will never be tested.

Pg. 12 POLICE FIELD TRAINING CONCEPTS