Pre-Shift Preparation for Patrol Officers

Preparation for Duty

• Begins at home with personal appearance, hygiene, and mental preparation
  • Consider significant events from the previous shift that may need follow-up
  • Identify tasks to accomplish during the shift
  • Think about personal problems that may interfere with the shift
  • Identify individuals to be checked on

Personal Equipment Check

• Uniform:
  • Worn properly, including body armor
  • Clean, pressed, and properly fitted
  • Cap bill wiped, shoes shined
• Duty weapon:
  • Loaded
  • Reserve ammunition easily accessible
• Handcuffs:
  • Easily accessible
  • Extra pair if possible
• Other equipment:
  • Whistle (non-metallic)
  • Dependable flashlight
  • Baton

Preparation at the Station

• Four sources of information to maintain awareness of patrol area activity:
  • Roll calls and teletypes
  • Precinct/district desk books
  • Vehicle hot sheets
  • Officer going off duty (determine what happened on their shift)

Equipment Checks

• Incidental equipment:
  • Book of citations
  • Copy of traffic codes
  • Updated departmental manual
  • Copies of report forms
  • Extra ammunition
  • Small tool kit
  • Chalk
  • Tweezers
  • Tape
  • Plastic bags
• Vehicle check:
  • Check for damage/defects
  • Check lights and emergency equipment
  • Check for required equipment (e.g., first aid kit, fire extinguisher, shotgun combat loader)
  • Check for contraband (e.g., under seats, between seat cushions)

Locating Addresses and Directions

• Principle of "North-by-Northwest":
  • Odd-numbered addresses appear on either the north or west side of the street
  • Even-numbered addresses appear on either the south or east side of the street
• Importance of knowing jurisdiction and navigating it quickly and safely

Roll-Call Purposes

• Discuss changes in policy and procedure
• Discuss specific directed patrol
• Disseminate crime bulletins, hot sheets, and current "wanted" information
• Assess manpower
• Officially inspect uniform, equipment, and weapon

Reaction to Perceived Threats

• Problem Area:
  • Defined as any person, object, or site that may produce a hazard
  • Reaction: prompt identification of the threat and its potential
• Area of Responsibility:
  • Defined as the exact location within a "problem area" from which an attack could emanate
  • Reaction: detect and control any threat that emanates from it
• Focus Point:
  • Defined as a clear and present threat that must be immediately controlled
  • Reaction: concentrate attention, energy, and skill against the focus point

Observation and Perception

• Factors affecting observation and perception:
  • External factors (e.g., distance, lighting, weather conditions)
  • Internal factors (e.g., physiological states, emotional/psychological states)
• Importance of accurate description, especially in patrol duties

Autogenic Breathing and Visualization

• Techniques for reducing stress and increasing effectiveness
• Autogenic breathing: slow, deliberate four-count inhaling and exhaling while visualizing warmth radiating throughout the body
• Visualization: mental role-playing with option reinforcement to program the brain for effective crisis management

Conditions of the Mind

• Levels of consciousness:
  • Condition White: mind is internalized and not focused on the environment
  • Condition Yellow: mind is relaxed and alert, scanning the environment
  • Condition Orange: mind is ready for danger, focused on one problem or threat
  • Condition Red: mind is ready to fight or flee, fully focused on one problem or threat
  • Condition Black: in a catatonic state, unable to focus

Calls for Service

• Non-criminal assignments:
  • Handling emergencies and providing service to the public
  • Importance of maintaining a professional demeanor
  • Common assignments:
    • Missing person
    • Missing child
    • Person with cognitive impairment
    • Person down (fallen)
    • Chronic complaint
    • Animal bite
    • Lost/stranded travelers
  • Support services:
    • Red Cross
    • Salvation Army
    • Local church groups
    • Treat individuals as you would want your family to be treated

Emotionally Disturbed Persons (EDP)

• Goal: get the person to a treatment facility or medical attention
• Circumstances requiring police involvement:
  • Receiving a call for an EDP
  • Receiving a call for an EDP causing or threatening harm
  • Encountering an EDP by accident
• Handling an EDP case:
  • Remove family or friends from the area
  • Use an "initiator" and "distractor" approach
  • Listen attentively to the subject
  • Gradually try to calm the subject
  • Expect to feel fear and act confidently
  • Know department policy on handling EDP situations

Cognitive Impairment

• Definition: confusion or memory loss in an adult

• Common causes:

  • Dementia
  • Alzheimer's disease

• Symptoms:

  • Short-term memory loss
  • Confusion
  • Disorientation
  • Inability to retrace steps
  • Communication deficits

• Circumstances requiring police involvement:

  • Confused older adult found in the community
  • Search required for a missing individual with cognitive impairment
  • Cognitively impaired individual becomes lost while driving or involved in a motor vehicle accident
  • Importance of transporting the individual to a medical facility### Dissemination of Crime Information

• Disseminate crime bulletins, hot sheets, and current "wanted" information

• Assess manpower and officially inspect uniform equipment and weapon

Risk Assessment and Reaction

• Identify problem areas, which are persons, objects, or sites that may produce a hazard
• React to problem areas by promptly identifying the current threat and potential threat
• Identify areas of responsibility, which are exact locations within a problem area from which an attack could emanate
• Detect and control threats emanating from areas of responsibility
• Focus on clear and present threats, concentrating attention, energy, and skill against them

Stress Management

• Use autogenic breathing to reduce stress, which involves slow, deliberate, 4-count inhaling and exhaling while visualizing warmth radiating throughout the body

Awareness Spectrum

• Condition White: environmental unawareness (daydreaming or preoccupation)
• Condition Yellow: relaxed but alert, conscious but not tense
• Condition Orange: alarm
• Condition Red: what appears to be wrong is actually wrong
• Condition Black: panic, misdirected frenzy, and paralysis

Police Service and Assistance

• Provide good service and assistance to the public by showing concern and demonstrating interest in citizens' problems

Missing Persons

• Record all information provided by the reporting party
• Advise the reporting party how to check with hospitals where unidentified injured persons may have been taken
• Consult department policy and commence an investigation if there is evidence or strong reason to suspect foul play

Missing Children

• Make every effort to verify that the child is lost and not a runaway
• Find out whether there was an argument between parents or other family members
• Note past problems and past places where the child was found
• Get all information possible and relay it to the radio dispatcher
• Radiate the search out from the area where the child was last seen
• Consult department policy

Persons with Cognitive Impairment

• Conduct a search of the immediate area
• Assume the missing person is missing and endangered
• Follow departmental protocols to enact the Endangered Silver Advisory
• Collaborate with the department and caregivers to procure additional community resources

Person Down

• Attempt to determine the cause of the subject's condition
• Initiate first aid and have the subject conveyed to a hospital if necessary
• Notify emergency contacts
• Consult department policy
• If arrest is necessary, effect the same

Sick/Injury

• Same procedure as person down, but in most instances, an arrest situation would be remote

Chronic Complaint

• Ascertain whether the matter is criminal or civil in nature
• If criminal, investigate and enforce laws
• If civil, ensure it does not present hazardous circumstances

Animal Bite

• Initiate first aid, if necessary
• Have the victim conveyed to the nearest hospital as quickly as possible
• Contact animal control service to have the animal quarantined
• Consult department policy

Lost/Stranded Persons

• Give or ascertain directions if needed
• Provide assistance in contacting outside agencies such as taxi or tow
• Provide assistance in contacting relatives or friends
• If the subject is confused due to sickness or injury, have them conveyed to a hospital

EDP (Emotionally Disturbed Person)

• The goal is to get the person to a treatment facility
• Circumstances that often require police involvement include:
  • Receiving a call for a person acting irrationally
  • Receiving a call for an emotionally disturbed person causing or threatening harm to others
  • Receiving a call for an emotionally disturbed person causing or threatening harm to themselves
  • Encountering an emotionally disturbed person while on routine patrol

Communicating with EDP

• Remove any family or friends of the subject from the immediate area
• Use an "initiator" and "distracter" approach
• Let the subject rant and rave if they want to
• Gradually try to calm the subject
• Listen to the subject attentively to detect underlying messages
• Don't make sudden moves, unless it is a control move
• Expect to feel some fear, as it is nature's way of giving you a "forewarning to be forearmed"
• Act confident and think "survival" if you get punched, kicked, or bitten

Cognitive Impairment

• Defined as confusion or memory loss in an adult
• Commonly caused by dementia, with Alzheimer's being the most recognized form
• Symptoms include short-term memory loss, confusion, disorientation, inability to retrace steps, and communication deficits

Circumstances Requiring Police Involvement

• Confused older adult "found" in the community and not noted as missing
• Search required for a missing individual with cognitive impairment
• Cognitively impaired individual becomes lost while driving or involved in a motor vehicle accident
• Cognitively impaired individuals should never be left alone or dropped off at a location without a caregiver being made aware
• Transport to a medical facility is the appropriate course of action when necessary