Police officers rely on their training and experience to getthrough a single tour of duty. No matter what shift an officer is assigned to,the day tour, four-to-twelve, or midnight tours, the one thing keeping lawenforcement officers attentive and careful is the desire to go home at the endof their shift. Much of the training recruits receive in the academy is focusedon remaining alert and vigilant while on routine patrol. The ability to concentrateon details such as suspicious vehicles or individuals behaving in an unusualway, or hearing cries for help, are key aspects of effective policing. However,it is human nature to become lax, careless, and tired; this could be dangerous.Boredom and a fatigue are huge factors leading to poor performance, and tocombat this, officers can develop good habits while on patrol.
There are techniques cops can use which will keep them safeeven when they are suffering from exhaustion and there seems to be no activityin their sector. An officer can enter a dangerous situation and need emergency backupwhile on foot patrol or in a marked sector car quite unexpectedly. Calling for assistance on theradio and while unaware of one’s precise location can prove fatal. When chasinga suspect into a building, failure to take note of the address and losing trackof which floor you’re on will prevent you from getting backup. An experiencedofficer will be able to inform the central dispatcher of their street address,the floor they are on, apartment number, and the nearest cross street withouthaving to think about it. The ability to recite vital information under duresscomes from not only becoming familiar with the area where the officer isassigned, but from taking note of the street name, direction of travel, andnumbers of the businesses or homes. By keeping a running, internal monologue ofthese details, especially during periods of inactivity, cops can savethemselves and citizens in need when a call for urgent backup is necessary.
Another technique employed by experienced officers in urbanlocations is to always look up before entering a building. Veteran cops willtake the time to scan the structure from the top down from a safe distance tonotice anyone who may be on the roof, or at the windows, and to also observeany items tossed at them from above by individuals willing to hurt them. As a rookieNew York City police officer, I was taught by senior officers in my squad to bewareof debris tossed from rooftops and out of windows at unsuspecting officers.While many in the community welcome police patrols in their neighborhoods, thesad reality is that there are those who do not. As such, there are individualswho will harm police officers by such means, and often they can escape arrestby retreating anonymously into the building.
Reciting aloud license plate numbers of suspicious vehicles,before pulling them over helps cops remember them more effectively in case theofficer needs to provide this information to the central dispatcher if thedriver pulls away. Saying the description of a vehicle (color, year, make,model, etc.) or a suspect (their clothing, hair color, height, build, etc.) audiblyhelps an officer recall these details efficiently. Getting into the habit of speakingthe numbers, a person’s description, and even one’s location, increases yourability to remember them.
Finally, monitoring the radio for activity outside yoursector is of extreme importance while on patrol. In busy precincts, officershave all they can do to pay attention to what is going on in their immediatesurroundings. However, staying aware of the activity in neighboring sectors andprecincts is crucial because often times officers will call for backup and youmay need to come to their aid. There are also scenarios where other units arein pursuit of a vehicle or a suspect on foot who is heading in your directionand you will find yourself in position to intercept them. Also, if an officerinforms the central dispatcher that they have a vehicle stopped at a certainlocation, and later on you hear that officer calling for assistance, knowingthat officer’s last known location is vital to being able to respond to theircall for backup.
Police work is inherently dangerous, and when performed withdue diligence while utilizing proper training one can still fall victim to harm.However, if officers develop good habits while on patrol, they reduce the riskassociated with their duties and may return home safely after a successful tourof duty.
About the author: Michael J. Kannengieser is the author of the police thriller, The Daddy Rock. He is a retired New York City police officer who lives on Long Island with his wife and two children. Michael worked as the Managing Editor for Fiction at The View from Here magazine, a U.K. based literary publication. Currently, he is employed at a performing arts college as an Instructional Technology Administrator. He has been published at The View from Here, and in Newsday, a Long Island newspaper. Michael speaks as a guest lecturer on campus.
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