I recently had a chance to sit with a member of service, currently in a training role at his agency, for a chat. I like to try to keep up with things – for reasons that should be obvious. 

I’d been complaining loud and long about forgotten lessons, those learned the hard way by those who were no longer in a position to remind us. We’ve lost many in police service over the decades. The things our betters learned by paying with their lives – from fatality or disability – need to still be taught. 

My example of a thoughtful approach, a more recent one from Craig Douglas, had to do with using convenience stores. No one said you couldn’t pull up to a gas pump facing the building (I use one on the side opposite my filler cap, to indicate to anyone watching that I’m not taking fuel) to park. This gives you a chance to look, listen and assess. 

Looking for abnormal behavior is more than just looking to see if someone’s fleeing the building, or seeing someone inside with their hands up. You can listen for raised voices outside, indicating a disturbance in progress. 

For those like me, no longer charged with enforcing the law, that’s a cue to leave the scene. There are other locations, pick one without drama. 

My source informed me that he still teaches caution in approaching situations, listening as well as looking for trouble. 

Assessment. 

After someone – sworn or unsworn – can meet a particular standard in hard skills (marksmanship, gun handling), it’s time to learn scene assessment, approach tactics, human behavior cues, decision-making. 

We should be having to take less time on hard skills; once attained, they need to be sustained and the agency will never provide that time. You have to do it on your own. 

I know that you’re working two jobs to make ends meet, you have appointments, the kids need braces. Life intrudes. The thing is, if you want to keep living, you have to keep those skills sharp. 

We can work on recognizing signs of conflict, resistance, panic. We can apply ourselves to consider how to work corners, doorways, to approach walls with windows. For those not “on the job,” consider transitional spaces. 

Your approach to the area between the doors of the store or your domicile and your vehicle requires some consideration. Looking ahead, a long way down the highway in drivers’ ed, is applicable here. While not ruling out “cross traffic,” an attacker emerging from between parked vehicles, looking a long way out gives you time. 

Time, according to Dennis Tueller, consists of distance and obstacles. 

Knowing where you can quickly step to avoid an aggressive panhandler – or incoming rounds – is handy. 

It’s good to know the young ones are being sent the message. Sadly, there are those who don’t heed the message, wandering in “where angels fear to tread.” 

It’s a good way to meet those angels sooner rather than later. 

– Rich Grassi