Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) Near Miss is a voluntary, non-disciplinary officer safety initiative that allows law enforcement personnel to read about and anonymously share stories of close calls or “near misses,” which provide lessons learned that can protect fellow officers in similar situations.
EVENT SUMMARY
Two of my partners stopped a car for a brake light violation. When they walked up to the car, they smelled the odor of marijuana so had the occupants exit the vehicle while they performed a search.
The officers keyed up on the radio saying they had five people detained. I started toward their location since I knew they were outnumbered 5 to 2.
By the time I got there, I was the fifth officer on the scene. My partners had already begun to search the vehicle, and I made my way up to assist.
Two officers were in the front seats searching, I was in the back seat searching, and another officer opened the back hatch of the vehicle to search. When my partner opened the back hatch and lifted up a jacket, he was face to face with a subject hiding with a Springfield 9mm handgun in his possession. We immediately secured the suspect and firearm and began to think about how lucky we were.
Lessons Learned
- Never assume a vehicle is completely empty and secure. Several of us were in that car searching while the sixth suspect hid in the back with a pistol the entire time. This incident shows that no matter how many officers arrive at a scene before you, never assume that all suspects have been searched and the scene is completely secured.
- Trust your fellow officers, but verify things have been done correctly. Like any situation where you have time, communicate with each other, and form a plan. In this case, multiple officers were conducting searches in various areas of the vehicle and it was fortunate the suspect did not decide to ambush officers.
- Applying the tenant of W.I.N. (What’s Important Now?), ensure that the scene is completely secured prior to initiating the search. Proper division of responsibilities among the on-scene officers is critical and must be clearly communicated.
- Whenever possible, utilize contact and cover when searching areas where a subject may be hidden, such as trunks or cargo areas.
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR NEAR MISS
Support this critical officer safety initiative by reading and sharing the near-miss stories and lessons learned that your fellow officers have shared, and consider sharing your own near-miss experiences at LEOnearmiss.org.