Page 21 - Argyle Police Officer Field Training Tips

I shouldn’t have to say this because you are after all, doing a job where a ballistic vest and firearm are
standard issue, but here goes. Complacency kills! That alarm call that you responded to hundreds of
times could be real the next time you. That guy in the old truck that waves at you all the time and you’ve
stopped many times, could be having a really bad day the next time you stop him. That pedestrian you
were called to do a welfare check on could be wanted for murder and has decided he will kill an officer
before he goes back to prison. Never, let your guard down.

Also, if you work with a partner and they carry a different model of firearm than you do, please
familiarize yourself with it.

If you’re able to, review video of your calls and stops from time to time. Critique yourself. If you’re new,
this is a great way to catch silly mistakes. If you’re a senior officer, this is a great way to catch bad habits
that you’ve developed over time. This is also a good way to see things that happened while your eyes
were focused on the computer or citation book. Violators will try anything. There was an incident in our
area where the driver exited the vehicle through the passenger’s side door while the officer was
verifying the plate on his computer before exiting the vehicle on his stop.

Wear your traffic vest on crashes! Most of your policies require this anyway. Be sure to put it on before
you leave your vehicle, otherwise it may be hard to come back to your vehicle and get it. Believe me, it
makes it much easier for drivers to see you. That bright colored vest is just as important as your body
armor on crash scenes.

Prior to placing any prisoners in the backseat of your patrol unit, please remember to inspect it for
evidence from a prior arrest and anything that can be used as a weapon. Once you seat them there,
make sure you secure them with the seatbelt. Remember, they are in our custody, and we are
responsible for them regardless of what they did to get there. Now, please make sure to make them
turn their face away from you while to put the seat belt on them. This will help reduce the chances of
you being bitten or headbutted. Also, since many older seat belts buckle in middle of the seat, ask you
cover officer to be on the other side so you can just hand it to them, and they can buckle it. This
prevents you from having to reach all the way round the prisoner exposing your face and had to them.
This is not an issue with some of the newer vehicles I’ve seen because the seatbelt actually buckles on
the side closest to the door.

If you work at a smaller agency and you have to bring a prisoner into the building while you complete
paperwork, never seat them in a rolling chair. Remember, they are handcuffed and if the chair begins to
roll out from under them, they won’t be able to catch themselves. To avoid any issues, just use a chair
without wheels.

Some of us work alone and in older buildings. We may come across a time when we have a prisoner at
the station, and they find themselves needing to use the restroom. You may have to reposition their
handcuffs or handcuff them in the front so they can use the restroom. Different agencies have different
views on this, but one thing is for sure. Do not remove the handcuffs or relocate their hands to the front
while alone. Always call for cover to help.

Pg. 20 POLICE FIELD TRAINING CONCEPTS