Most problems with police could be avoided with better and more vigorous POLICE TRAINING, and periodic refresher training. My friend Liz sent me the email set out below. Wouldnt it be nice if this were included in police training?! Officers must communicate respect when interacting with lawfully armed citizens blogger Lawfully armed citizens are still a new phenomenon to law enforcement officers and the public. Therefore, it is crucially important to positively structure on these interactions — starting from the point of initial contact. The manner in which law enforcement officers approach these individuals and the issues raised could change the outcome from a dangerous or unpleasant one, to safety and mutual respect. Complicated interactions require straightforward approach Certainly, there are challenges: Law enforcement officers must find a means to determine the legality of issues raised by the increased presence of lawfully armed citizens as well as be able to navigate various state-mandated laws regarding types of carry and notification upon inquiry. Our presentations, entitled “Building Positive Law Enforcement and Armed Citizen Interactions,“ serve to promote a respectful dialogue between officers and armed citizens without compromising officer safety or constitutional rights. To this end, the Verbal Defense & Influence (VDI) principles of establishing a respectful rapport, while communicating in a straightforward manner your purpose, engages an armed citizen while offering the opportunity to resolve interactions through voluntary compliance. Therefore, subsequent reasonable use of force is more likely avoided and may be viewed as necessary/justified by the public, police and the courts when VDI principles precede it. Start at the point of contact An officer’s tone upon approaching the citizen largely determines the outcome of the interaction — but officers frequently assume that citizens have knowingly done something wrong. VDI concepts set the stage for constructive discourse. Beginning with the VDI principle that all people want to be treated with dignity and respect, without minimizing officer safety concerns, a polite initial contact assists the officer in gaining information needed to make a determination as to the lawfulness of the conduct. Whether the initial interaction is based on reasonable suspicion, probable cause or contact initiated by the citizen, the officer’s duty is to attempt to obtain or clarify information. For example, an officer might be trying to answer: “Why is this person here?” “Does he/she fit the description in the complaint?” “Has this person committed a crime or is this person about to commit a crime?” “Is this person a witness?” Frequently, the purpose of an officer’s interaction is to gather information and resolve uncertainty. Through the use of VDI principles, people feel they are being treated with dignity and respect and are more likely to be communicative and open. Communicate your purpose At this point, a respectful dialog has been initiated. Here’s an example: An officer, responding to a complaint of a person causing public annoyance and alarm, encounters an armed citizen carrying a firearm. The officer should explain to the armed citizen the reason why he/she is being stopped and initiate a conversation about the nature of the complaint. With the information received, the officer might find the complaint unfounded or direct the citizen to take or stop some action, which the citizen wholeheartedly believes to be lawful. When the officer directs the citizen to take a particular action and explains the perception of public alarm, the opportunity for cooperation is enhanced. The tone of respect taken upon initial contact continues as the officer offers options for resolution and clearly states consequences of non-compliance. In conclusion, we believe that Verbal Defense & Influence strategies will enhance officer safety, increase positive citizen interaction and promote a respect for the exercise of Second Amendment rights. Marie C. D’Amico, Esq., (mariedamicoesq@gmail) of Legal Force E.T.C. LLC, offers education, training and consulting to professionals in the use of legal force. She and Guy A. Rossi ([email protected]) of Guy Rossi and Associates, LLC gave the presentation “Building Positive Law Enforcement and Armed Citizen Interactions” at this year’s ILEETA conference. Categories: Conflict Resolution, Defensive Tactics 0 Comment(s)
Posted on: Tue, 02 Dec 2014 23:12:47 +0000