FORCE Concepts

Documenting Force: Traffic Stop Details

noreply@blogger.com (FORCE Concepts) — Thu, 27 Mar 2014 18:45:00 +0000

Traffic stops are one of many dangerous tasks performed by law enforcement professionals every day. According to annual FBI Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) reports, officers frequently encounter drunk drivers, illegal drugs, firearms, and wanted persons, to name a few. Moreover, traffic stop locations and other conditions can significantly increase the level of danger, especially when offenders resist. If force is used to control offenders during traffic stops, effective report narratives include the following details when relevant.

time
weather
speed limit
road type (i.e., I-40; HWY)
distance from other moving vehicles

Report Example 1

The traffic stop was at 8:30 a.m. on NC Route 26, an undivided, two-lane state road with a 55 MPH speed limit. While handcuffing [NAME] between my patrol car and his [MAKE & MODEL], [NAME] began pulling away. Motorists were driving by in both directions 10-15 feet away. Steady rain decreased driver visibility and wet pavement increased vehicle stopping distances.

Report Example 2

The traffic stop was at 10:00 p.m. on I-40, a divided three lane interstate with a 70 MPH speed limit. While handcuffing [NAME] in front of his Chevy Tahoe SUV, he abruptly turned around, grabbed my right forearm, and pushed me backwards. Vehicles of all sizes (cars, trucks, tractor-trailers, etc.) were traveling less than 10 feet away. Darkness had decreased visibility and the size of [NAME’s] Tahoe was an obstruction for oncoming drivers.

In both examples, the event could suddenly enter the path of oncoming drivers without warning. This could reasonably cause unnecessary injury or death to offenders, officers, AND innocent third persons. Therefore, it is critical for officers to control offender resistance as quickly as possible.

Click here to print.

Documenting Force delivers proven strategies that help officers avoid unnecessary internal and external scrutiny. The course is approved for POST credit in 21 states and available on-site and on-line. Want to host a course near you? Contact us today at info@force-concepts.com.

Opelika PD Chief supports officer who used deadly force

noreply@blogger.com (FORCE Concepts) — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 14:27:00 +0000

Opelika-Auburn News

by Sara Falligant

Following a March 6 officer-involved shooting, Opelika Police Chief John McEachern stated he and his department “fully support” Officer Phillip Hancock’s use of deadly force. Hancock, McEachern said, acted "within departmental guidelines."

At about 7:15 p.m., Hancock responded to calls regarding reckless driving along Interstate 85 reagarding an SUV driven by Airman Michael Davidson, 20, of Texas. Before Hancock arrived, Davidson sideswiped an 18-wheeler. The two vehicles pulled to the right side of the road. Hancock pulled over behind Davidson's vehicle.

Hancock and Davidson exited their vehicles at the same time. Hancock instructed Davidson twice to put his hands in the air, according to police. Hancock then fired two shots, one of which struck Davidson in the stomach.

Backup and medical personnel were called and arrived on the scene in six minutes. Davidson was treated and transported to East Alabama Medical Center, where he underwent surgery.

Davidson's family has not released information regarding his condition since Thursday. At that time, Davidson was recovering from his injury. He will have to wear a colonoscopy pack for an unspecified amount of time, according to his family.

The Opelika Police Department has an eight-page policy on the use of force, effective November 1999, which McEachern said “every officer is cognizant of.”

The Use of Force policy includes protocol regarding both deadly and non-deadly force, as well as examples of unjustified force. Deadly force is defined as any use of force likely to cause death or serious physical injury and is not limited to firearms. The policy states:

In vesting police officers with the lawful authority to use force to protect the public welfare, a careful balancing of all human interests is required. Police officers shall use only the force that is reasonably necessary to effectively bring an incident under control, while protecting the lives of the officer and another.

Officers are authorized to use deadly force if they perceive what is reasonably believed to be an immediate threat of death, or serious physical injury. Deadly force is also authorized to prevent the escape of a fleeing felon who is believed to pose a significant threat to human life.

Officers are prohibited from firing warning shots.

The policy also cites a Use of Force Continuum, a conceptual model used throughout law enforcement that depicts the relationship between a suspect’s level of resistance and the officer’s level of force. The level of force used increases and decreases depending on the suspect’s level of resistance to apprehension, beginning with cooperative and extending to deadly resistive.

According to the National Institute of Justice, this continuum generally has many levels, and officers are instructed to respond with a level of force appropriate to the situation at hand, acknowledging that the officer may move from one part of the continuum to another in a matter of seconds.

In addition to departmental policies regarding use of force, officers also receive extensive firearms training.

"As mandated by Alabama state law, all sworn officers must receive mandatory training as spelled out by the Alabama Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission, APOST. Every officer receives a total of 480 hours of training while at the Police Academy and additional yearly training hours as mandated,” McEachern said Friday.

APOST curriculum denotes a total of 47 hours of training specific to firearms. The curriculum includes 520 hours of requisite training.

Following use of deadly force that causes death or serious injury, the officer is placed on administrative leave, per OPD’s use of force policy. The officer is to remain on administrative leave until it is determined by the chief of police the officer is ready to return to duty.

All uses of force are subject to legal and/or administrative review, the policy reads. Not all circumstances will permit the retention of an officer who has used force improperly, regardless of intent.

Click here to read the original article.

Alaska trooper investigated second time for using deadly force

noreply@blogger.com (FORCE Concepts) — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 20:10:00 +0000

Alaska Dispatch; by Jerzy Shedlock

The Alaska State Trooper who, along with a Wasilla Police Department officer, opened fired on a suspected drunk driver Sunday night, killing the driver and injuring a passenger, was involved in another fatal shooting in 2009.

The officers involved were identified as Daron A. Cooper, a six-year trooper veteran and a K-9 handler in the Palmer Patrol Unit, and patrol officer Brandon L. Gray, a two-year Wasilla policeman.

The investigation into 52-year-old Gordon E. Samel’s death is ongoing, troopers say. This is the second time investigators have been called upon to decide if Cooper was justified in using deadly force. In November 2009, Cooper, three other troopers, and a trooper recruit shot and killed a Wasilla woman who leveled a shotgun at them, the Associated Press reported.

Troopers reported that prior to the shooting, 58-year-old Nora Jean York repeatedly said she intended to commit “suicide by cop.” They responded after York’s significant other called police and said the woman was “suicidal and threatening him with a shotgun,” the AP reported. All five troopers opened fired on York.

The state’s Department of Law found the shooting was justified.

Since 2002, there have been 27 trooper-involved shootings. Troopers’ spokesperson Beth Ipsen said two troopers, who both have 30-plus years with the law enforcement agency, could not recall “a trooper being criminally charged as the result of a shooting.”

Cooper is a regular on National Geographic’s “Alaska State Troopers,” making appearances in seasons two through five, including episodes titled “Deep Woods Standoff” and “Shotgun Showdown.” That’s according to Cooper’s own IMDB webpage, which lists the episodes in which he plays himself and an entire episode from season four.

The recent fatal shooting in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough began when someone called in what he or she suspected were two drunk men inside a white Chevrolet truck Sunday around 8:30 p.m. A trooper reportedly spotted the Chevy less than 10 minutes later, parked behind it and knocked on the window. The occupants allegedly didn’t cooperate and decided to flee.

The Chevy was driven along the Parks Highway before turning onto a side street, where troopers and Wasilla police circled the truck. Cooper and Gray approached on foot. Samel, a Wasilla local, allegedly drove the vehicle in reverse toward the officers, both of whom opened fire.

Samel was pronounced dead at the scene. The Wasilla man had been arrested 19 times over about three decades, according to online court records. His criminal record includes convictions for reckless driving, assault, and drug possession, among others. He was still under the thumb of the state’s judicial system at the time of his death for a DUI arrest in September.

Besides Samel’s criminal notoriety, he’s also credited as the moose hunter who in 1992 found the body of Chris McCandless, the young wanderer made famous by author Jon Krakauer’s nonfiction book “Into the Wild.”

Police Monitor & Chief Disagree On Force Case

noreply@blogger.com (FORCE Concepts) — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 19:35:00 +0000

DENVER (CBS4) – Denver’s independent monitor, who oversees Denver law enforcement and safety agencies, says the Denver Police Department and Manager of Safety made the wrong call in not disciplining a female officer for her use of force on an intoxicated woman in a 2012 case that is just now coming to light.

A CBS4 investigation obtained surveillance videotapes, photos and interviews from the case which stemmed from a police call at the Renaissance West End Flats located at 1490 Zenobia Street on Dec. 28, 2012. Police say they received a 911 hang up call from apartment 315.

When two officers arrived to follow up on the 911 call, officers said they heard loud arguing emanating from the apartment. The occupants, identified as Patricia Lucero and Nickie Penaflor, had both been drinking and fighting.

Officers found Penaflor had an outstanding warrant so they arrested him. Lucero, however, was not wanted and was not arrested for a crime. But one of the two officers, Marika Putnam, decided to take Lucero to detox due to her inebriation and aggressiveness.

“That was a judgment call and a good call based on how aggressive the lady was,” said Police Chief Robert White. “Apparently the officer felt she (Lucero) was a harm to herself or others and that’s why they took her to detox.” Lucero admitted having six beers that evening.

But after being handcuffed, surveillance videotape from interior cameras at the apartment complex, reviewed and aired by CBS4, show Lucero twice crashing into walls headfirst while handcuffed and under the control of Officer Putnam. In written reports, police blame Lucero for causing herself to crash into walls. In one police account, summarizing Putnam’s actions, it says, “This redirecting action (by Putnam) caused Lucero to stumble forward and strike her head on the elevator alcove wall.”

In a statement, Putnam said that in the first crash into a wall, “I spun her around to move her to a safer position.” On the second time that Lucero ran into a wall, the officer said, “I believe that she stumbled due to her high intoxication level.” Asked if she had intentionally run Lucero into a wall, Putnam responded, “No.”

By the time Lucero reached the lobby of her apart ment building she was bleeding profusely from a head wound. She was hospitalized and received stitches.

“She had no reason to hit me that hard,” Lucero later told a police sergeant in a videotaped interview. “We were walking to the elevator and she banged my head against the wall.”

Lucero complained she was a victim of excessive force. But a Denver police internal review of the incident exonerated Officer Putnam of unnecessary force. Chief White signed off on that recommendation.

“When I look at the totality, I think the officer’s actions were reasonable given the circumstances they were confronted with,” White said. “I think we came to the right decision. I don’t think the officer was excessive or malicious in her actions in dealing with the lady."

“As a result of her (Putnam’s) attempt t o gain control, one time she (Lucero) hit her head on the wall and the other time hit her head against the elevator. I am convinced both those bumps were the result of the officer’s attempt to gain control, not intentional acts on the officer’s part.”

However, in a report released Thursday, Denver’s independent monitor, Nick Mitchell, took the opposite view, writing that Lucero was a victim of excessive force.

“One of the officers twice maneuvered the woman head-first towards walls in a manner that risked serious injury,” wrote Mitchell. “When taking individuals into protective custody, officers have an affirmative obligation to ‘make every reasonable effort to protect the detainee’s health and safety.’“The Office of the Independent Monitor recommended that the officer be disciplined for using inappropriate force and failing to protect a detainee who was handcuffed and otherwise vulnerable, but the Manager of Safety’s Office did not accept our recommendation.”

THINK When Communicating

noreply@blogger.com (FORCE Concepts) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 18:12:00 +0000

Remember to THINK* when communicating. Simply stated, before speaking or writing, ask yourself if the message is:

True
Helpful
Informative
Necessary
Kind

*Shared by the Insight School of Acting.

Provide, Promote & Protect

noreply@blogger.com (FORCE Concepts) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 20:42:00 +0000

For the most part, written communication serves to accomplish one or all
of the following three (3) things:

Provide: Relevant information, explanations, and details.

Promote: Individual knowledge, skills, and experience.

Protect: Individual credibility and reputation.

Simply stated, before putting pen to paper (or pressing letters on a key board), Remember to Focus on the end game.

Making Your Work Space Workable

noreply@blogger.com (FORCE Concepts) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 13:49:00 +0000

Focus…on absolutes, not possibilities. What tools are needed to complete tasks? Covering every surface or filling every space with ‘stuff’ that lacks purpose can distract.

Organize…tools needed by relevance and frequency. For example, stocking kitchen cabinets with office supplies does not make sense. Frequently used tools should be clearly visible and easily accessible. Label tools by name, colors or symbols for quick identification and retrieval.

Remember…that every tool needs a permanent home. Returning tools to their specified place when finished makes them easier to find and less likely to be lost or damaged.

Communicate…with others and explain how your system works. People are more likely to follow processes when expectations are clearly communicated.

Evaluate…the new system continuously to ensure it works. Are you more efficient and effective? Adjust the system as needed. Haven’t used a tool in the past year? Consider selling, donating or throwing it away.

Excessive vs. Unreasonable

noreply@blogger.com (FORCE Concepts) — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 11:09:00 +0000

Excessive can mean to go beyond what is necessary. To be unreasonable can mean to go beyond what is logical. Consider the following examples.

The purchase was an excessive display of wealth.
The purchase was an unreasonable display of wealth.

Using the word excessive can imply emotional or impulsive decision making. Unreasonable can suggest a lack of planning.

Simply stated, was the decision excessively unreasonable?

Justify vs. Explain

noreply@blogger.com (FORCE Concepts) — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 18:39:00 +0000

To justify something means to prove it is right. To explain something means to clarify or make understandable using reason or logic. Consider the following examples.

Can you justify why you spent $100 at the store?
Be sure to justify your decision in writing.

Can you explain why you spent $100 at the store?
Be sure to explain your decision in writing.

Simply stated, asking someone to justify a task, action or behavior is more likely to produce a defensive explanation.

Communicate with a Bang!

noreply@blogger.com (FORCE Concepts) — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:11:00 +0000

Use the C4 concept to quantify content and connect with your readers.

Clear: Use words that are objective and easy to understand. Quantify content with definitive details that eliminate confusion.

Concise: Be consistent, avoid redundancy, and don't use 10 words when 5 will do.

Captivate: Get attention with images and color. Use white space and lists to help end users focus on important content.

Connect: Provide relevant comparisons and real life examples your audience can feel and remember.

Which version of the story are you more likely to remember?

Version 1: There was a huge pile-up on the highway and I was stuck in traffic for a long time. It was very hot and my car's air conditioning was not working. I was sweating all over.

Version 2: A three car crash on I-40 had me in stop-and-go traffic for more than two hours. It was 95 degrees and my SUV's air conditioning did not work. I was sweating from head to toe and my clothes were sticking to me.

Chance v. Risk

noreply@blogger.com (FORCE Concepts) — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 23:23:00 +0000

Taking a chance is accepting the probability that something will happen. Taking a risk is accepting the potential for loss. Both are relative to the individual taking it. Consider the following examples.

He took a chance on the stock market.
He took a risk on the stock market.

Did she take a chance by saying "I love you."
Did she take a risk by saying "I love you."

Simply stated, what chance is there in taking a risk?

Readability Scores

noreply@blogger.com (FORCE Concepts) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 22:45:00 +0000

To captivate and teach adult learners, content materials should be between 7th and 8th grade reading levels. The Flesch Reading Ease Test (FRET) and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level Test (FKGLT) scores are used to determine readability.

The two primary concepts for both tests are Average Sentence Length (ASL), the total number of words divided by the total number of sentences; and Average Syllables per Word (ASW), the total number of syllables divided by the total number of words.

Score	Formula	Description
FRET	206.835 - (1.015 x ASL) - (84.6 x ASW)	FRET employs a 100-point scale. The higher the score, the easier the document is to read and understand. An ideal FRET score for adult learners is 60 - 70.
FKGLT	(.39 x ASL) + (11.8 x ASW) – 15.59	The FKGLT score is associated with grade levels. For example, a score of 8.0 indicates materials can be understood by an 8^th grader. An ideal FKGLT score for adult learners is 7 - 8.

Document readability scores provide content authors with a good idea of how much editing a document may need before publishing. For example, if the FKGLT score is 15 or 16, go gas up the chain saw. If it's 9 or 10, a dull pair of scissors will work. Editing for readability means shortening sentences and words because shorter sentences with shorter words are easier to read, understand and thus more likely to keep the reader’s attention.

Click here to learn how to obtain FRET and FKGLT readability scores using MS Outlook & Word.

Earn vs. Entitle

noreply@blogger.com (FORCE Concepts) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 18:31:00 +0000

To earn is to receive something or make worthy in return for work, effort or commitment. To be entitled is to receive something by right, endorsement or condition. Perceptions as to whether an individual has earned or is entitled to something are highly subjective. Consider the following examples.

I earned a promotion.
I am entitled to a promotion.

I earned my social security check.
I am entitled to my social security check.

Simply stated, was the entitlement earned?

SORT Things Out

noreply@blogger.com (FORCE Concepts) — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 17:01:00 +0000

Having more than one of the same thing in multiple locations is not always effective or efficient. Use SORT to organize and streamline belongings.

Search: Find and combine all like items into one pile. Seeing 'all things related' at once can be enlightening on many fronts.

Organize: Separate the pile into three (3) categories or less. Use unique words, colors or symbols to identify categories when needed. Creat a single 'home' or space for like items.

Recycle: While organizing the pile, identify items that need repaired or replaced. Donate or sell unneeded items.

Trash: Discard items that cannot be donated, sold or repaired.

Decide, Divide, Delegate then Do

noreply@blogger.com (FORCE Concepts) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 23:26:00 +0000

Are unfinished tasks piling up at home or in the office? Use D4 to get the job done.

Decide: Prioritize tasks from smallest to largest. Completing less time consuming and rountine tasks first conserves energy for larger and more complex ones.

Divide: Separate larger tasks into smaller, bite-size segments.

Delegate: Assign tasks outside your area of expertise or interest to others.

Do: Begin and finish one task at a time. The most rewarding part may be deleting it from the 'to do' list.

Commit vs. Conviction

noreply@blogger.com (FORCE Concepts) — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 17:38:00 +0000

Conviction means to believe strongly in something, enough so to convince or persuade others. Commit means to entrust, put in a place for safekeeping or carry into action by choice. Consider the following examples.

Setting Expectations: I have committed and will attend the meeting.

Finishing a Task: I am committed to completing this project.

Determined: I am a committed to winning the game.

Devoted: I am committed to my spouse.

Simply stated, are you committed to your convictions?

Apology vs. Sorry

noreply@blogger.com (FORCE Concepts) — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 21:12:00 +0000

Apologies are broad justifications and excuses offered up to large audiences. An apology is frequently used to emphasize recipient perceptions and divert attention away from an act itself. The most obvious example is when ‘I apologize’ is followed by vague descriptions of behavior.

“I apologize for my actions yesterday.”

Sorry is used to express personal feelings of sorrow and regret. Saying ‘I am sorry’ can also imply a desire to be forgiven by individual recipients, especially when behaviors are clearly communicated.

“I am sorry for ignoring you last night.”

Simply stated, an apology is not necessary for clearly communicated sorrow.

Recall vs. Remember

noreply@blogger.com (FORCE Concepts) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 19:17:00 +0000

To recall, remember or forget, that is the question. To recall means to bring back to mind, cancel or revoke something. Recall is appropriate for things lacking personal significance. To not recall can imply a lack of concern about forgetting something or convenient memory loss (e.g., dishonesty). To remember means to retain in memory or keep something in mind over long periods of timeWhen sharing matters of the heart, remember can illustrate personal relevance. Consider the following examples:

"I do not recall the year my wife was born.”

"I do not remember the year my husband was born.”

Simply stated, a spouse or significant other may forgive you for not remembering a year, so long as you can recall the month and date.

Remove Redundancy

noreply@blogger.com (FORCE Concepts) — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 19:14:00 +0000

Streamline your written communication by removing 'double-teaming' terms and phrases. Here are a few examples.

a period of one week (week is a single period in time)
end result (end is a result)
free gift (gifts are usually free)
personal opinion (opinions are personal)
oval in shape (oval is a shape)
large in size (large is a size)
red in color (red is a color)

Simply stated, do not use several words when one will do.

React vs. Respond

noreply@blogger.com (FORCE Concepts) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 12:33:00 +0000

Are you looking for a reaction or a response? Although recognized as synonyms, both can yield different interpretations. When describing behaviors, respond can imply the person was prepared for a given stimulus. React can imply instinct. In summary, respond is to control as react is to impulse. Consider the following examples:

Example 1: Peter responded to his supervisor's suggestions.

Example 2: Peter reacted to his supervisor's suggestions.

Relevant life experience with employment, specifically supervisors, will play an important role when interpreting examples above. Simply stated, using the word respond to describe behaviors may reduce the chances of getting a reaction.

Going Vertical

noreply@blogger.com (FORCE Concepts) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 00:22:00 +0000

Vertical lists are used to organize, prioritize and emphasize information. Vertical list items should be consistent in both format and length. Use sequential numbers to identify order and bullets for items with equal value, but no chronological relevance. Punctuation will also vary. When items are complete sentences, begin each with a capital letter and end the sentence with a period.

Complete the following steps before starting your car engine:

Lock the door.
Buckle your seat belt.
Adjust rear and sideview mirrors if needed.

When items are incomplete sentences, begin each with a lowercase letter, but do not include period at the end.

The benefits of daily exercise include:

restful sleep
stress reduction
weight management

When all list items must be present or included, insert a semicolon after each line, the word "and" at the end of the next to last line, and a period at the end of the last line.

The criminal did willfully take:

property owned by another person;
without permission or authorization; and
with the intent to permanently deprive the owner.

Beat the Heat

noreply@blogger.com (FORCE Concepts) — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 15:05:00 +0000

With Summer just a few weeks away, it may be a good idea to inspect your home's HVAC system. The following tips can help improve air circulation, lower monthly utility bills and keep your home comfortable:

CLEAN: Floor, wall and ceiling vents should be cleaned regularly. Replace system filters as needed and follow manufacturer service recommendations.

CLEAR: Move furniture and other objects away from vents. The minimum recommended distance is four (4") inches.

CONTROL: Use a programmable thermostat to help save energy while you are away from home.

Home Maintenance

• doors
• siding
• windows
• fireplaces
• landscaping
• roofs & gutters
• attics & crawl spaces
• plumbing & electricity
• monthly & season schedules

Sponsors like American Comfort Solutions offer resources that customers want to keep handy.

Got 90 Minutes?

noreply@blogger.com (FORCE Concepts) — Wed, 25 May 2011 00:43:00 +0000

According to the Mayo Clinic, individuals who exercise aerobically for just thirty (30) minutes a day, three times (3x) per week can:

1. prevent heart disease;

2. be less vulnerable to viral illnesses; and

3. reduce tension from daily stress and promote relaxation.

Simply stated, significant improvements to your physical and emotional health can be achieved for as little as ninety (90) minutes a week.

24 Laminated Pages

Aerobic Training

goal setting
health benefits
F.I.T. principles
target heart rates
sample programs
terms & definitions
motivation strategies

Sponsor promotional items with the kind of 'legs' needed for modern markets.

Under Pressure?

noreply@blogger.com (FORCE Concepts) — Mon, 16 May 2011 14:47:00 +0000

To obtain a more accurate blood pressure reading, try the following steps:

STEP 1: When seated, place both feet flat on the floor without crossing your legs.

STEP 2: Rest and place both arms on a table in front of you at or near heart level.

STEP 3: Avoid talking when measurement is being taken.

Lowering Blood Pressure

28 Pages

• terms
• definitions
• health risks
• nutrition tips
• how to measure
• reading food labels
• weight management
• treatments & medications

Create lifestyle resources that last a lifetime.

Feeling Stressed?

noreply@blogger.com (FORCE Concepts) — Mon, 09 May 2011 14:02:00 +0000

Try the following breathing techniques for several minutes.

STEP 1: Take a deep breath by inhaling through the nose.

STEP 2: After inhaling, hold your breath for no more than 3-5 seconds.

STEP 3: After holding your breath, exhale through your mouth.

Stress Management

24 Laminated Pages

• sources
• facts & stats
• signs & symptoms
• family/personal stress
• incident/occupation stress
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder {PTSD}

Create resources that demonstrate commitment.