Law Enforcement: Patrol Fundamentals

Fundamentals of Patrol

• The primary purposes of patrolling are to maintain a public presence, enforce laws and ordinances, and deter crime.
• Patrolling an assigned area also includes building a relationship with the community by developing resident and community contacts and providing information to residents.

Reactive and Proactive Patrol

• Reactive patrol involves responding to a crime after it occurs, requiring immediate response to increase the likelihood of catching a subject.
• Proactive patrol discourages criminal activity by having an officer regularly present in the area, making their presence known by interacting with people and establishing close ties with the community.

Community-Oriented Policing

• Community-oriented policing encourages the community to work with law enforcement to address the causes of crime and other issues affecting the community.
• The two main parts of community-oriented policing are community partnerships and problem solving.
• Community partnerships increase understanding and trust between law enforcement agencies and their communities.
• Problem solving involves developing long-term, proactive programs to address community problems.

Preparing to Patrol

• Duty equipment inspection is crucial to ensure an officer's safety and effectiveness.
• Officers should regularly check and maintain their duty belt, patrol vehicles, emergency equipment, and body cameras (if required).
• Familiarity with community resources, such as shelters and social service agencies, is essential.

Patrolling Methods

• Common patrol methods include motor vehicle, foot, and bicycle patrols.
• Specialized patrol forms include marine, mounted, air, ATV, motorcycle, and personal transporters.
• The choice of patrol method depends on the area being patrolled.
• Foot patrol allows officers to be visible to the public, accessible to the community, and closely investigate community concerns.

Observational Skills

• Improve observational skills through practice, such as memorizing descriptions of cars, people, and details at a scene.
• Observe others, taking note of appearance, height, weight, hair, clothing, approximate age, and other personal details.
• Focus on situations or behaviors that are important to law enforcement, including what is usual or unusual activity within a certain area.

Cover and Concealment

• Identify cover and concealment areas when arriving at a scene to observe activity.
• Cover is a bullet-resistant barrier between an officer and a threat, protecting from incoming gunfire (e.g., automobile engine blocks, brick walls, concrete, steel, thick wood).
• Concealment is an object or group of objects that creates a visual barrier between an officer and a threat, but may not stop a projectile (e.g., shrubs, fences, interior walls, objects that provide camouflage).

Using the Senses

• Sight is often the starting point for observation, but be aware of environmental and physical factors that can affect vision (e.g., lighting, visual defects).
• A combination of vehicle and foot patrol allows for covering a large area and closely observing specific areas.
• Keep changing patrol routine to keep others from predicting your patrol patterns.

Officer Safety and Survival

• Officer safety should be assessed constantly, staying alert and maintaining situational awareness.
• Factors that impact officer safety include people interacted with, clear view of the scene or people involved, whether a suspect is armed or can easily reach a makeshift weapon, and ability to communicate with dispatch.
• Establish a community partnership to help keep you safe.
• Be aware of the entire situation as it evolves during a call for service, traffic stop, or any other encounter.

Approaching an Incident Scene Safely

• Before exiting the patrol vehicle, secure the contents of your pockets and equipment on your duty belt, turn your cell phone to silent mode, and scan the area for potential threats.
• Identify areas for cover and concealment, avoid backlighting and silhouetting other officers, and maintain contact with dispatch throughout the incident.
• When approaching the scene, take and maintain the best tactical position, approach suspicious vehicles on foot, and check for occupants.
• Feel the hood of a vehicle for heat to determine if it was driven recently, and get close to buildings by moving behind parked cars, fences, trashcans, or shrubbery.
• Constantly survey the building entrances and surrounding areas to ensure safety.

Survival Readiness and Tactical Preparedness

• Includes mental conditioning, physical fitness, situational awareness, and first-aid skills
• Essential to respond quickly and safely to a situation

Situational Awareness

• Pay attention to surroundings to identify potential dangers
• Stay alert, visually assess the environment, and avoid tunnel vision
• Scan surroundings, practice controlled breathing, and use task-relevant self-talk
• Identify yourself as a law enforcement officer and give direct commands

Safety Tips

• Always identify yourself as a law enforcement officer and give direct commands
• Call for backup units when dealing with an armed suspect
• Use appropriate tactics to contact, control, and disarm the suspect
• Disarm a suspect before leaving cover, if possible
• Notify dispatch as soon as possible if you shoot a suspect

Using Your Senses

• Vision: be aware of dimly lit objects and avoid tunnel vision
• Hearing: be aware of background noises and specific sounds indicating a crime or incident
• Smell: identify dangerous or illegal substances, but be cautious of weather conditions and health affecting your sense of smell
• Touch: use gloves and PPE to avoid touching hazardous materials, and use touch to identify items during a search

Safety and Survival Procedures

• Under stress, revert to your training
• Do not holster your weapon or rush to the injured suspect until the suspect is no longer a threat
• Perform a self-check to ensure you are not injured, and communicate with responding backup
• Stay behind cover and wait for backup officers before approaching the suspect

Officer Safety and Survival

• When appropriate, handcuff the suspect and provide first aid as needed
• In a patrol vehicle, get away from the area, roll up the windows, and turn off air conditioning to prevent chemicals from getting into the vehicle
• If the vehicle is disabled, abandon it and find a safe avenue of escape
• If on foot and under gunfire, seek immediate cover, call for assistance, and determine a safe approach for responding officers

Factors That Compromise Officer Safety

• Failure to regularly check and maintain equipment can lead to serious injury or death
• Train regularly and know how to use your equipment to avoid serious injury or death to yourself or others

Radio Communication

• Set the portable radio to an appropriate volume level, loud enough to hear but not disruptive.
• Use an earpiece to prevent eavesdropping.
• Transmit only law enforcement-related information.

Appropriate Radio System Use

• Relay law enforcement-related messages to other agencies.
• Check driver's license status and driver history.
• Report calls for service.
• Conduct criminal records checks.
• Query hazardous material information.
• Check vehicle, boat, and aircraft registration.
• Report road and weather conditions.

Radio Protocol

• Use a phonetic-alphabet or uniform codes to save airtime and express exact meanings.
• Use plain talk, speaking in a clear and concise manner, without signals or codes.
• Use codes when near a suspect to reduce risks and dangers.

Radio Codes

• Signal communication uses the word "signal" before numbers (e.g., "signal 0" for an armed person).
• Phonetic-alphabet system uses letters of the English alphabet to identify letters (e.g., "A" = Alpha, "B" = Bravo).
• Numeric or 10-code system uses numbers to represent specific activities (e.g., "10-15" for prisoner in custody).

Radio Equipment

• Handheld radios, vehicle radios, and shoulder microphones are used in law enforcement.
• Radios have controls and indicators for power, volume, channel selection, and transmission.

Communications Personnel

• Public safety telecommunicators (PSTs) or dispatchers are the hub of contact for patrol officers.
• Dispatchers transmit calls, receive calls for assistance, broadcast information, check records, and perform other tasks.
• Dispatchers are generally non-sworn personnel who operate the radio and telecommunications systems.

Dispatch Personnel Duties

• Dispatch law enforcement officers, fire, rescue, and emergency medical services (EMS).
• Dispatch other public safety services to the scene of an emergency.
• Provide real-time information from federal, state, and local crime databases.

Radio Conduct and Procedures

• Conduct all radio communication in a professional manner.
• Understand that there is no expectation of privacy.
• Transmit sensitive information or criminal history details only when necessary.
• Specialized units may use technology such as scrambled or encrypted channels for operational security.

Mobile Communication Devices

• Law enforcement relies heavily on mobile communication devices (radios, laptops, tablets, and smartphones).
• Use mobile devices to access information, complete daily tasks, and minimize radio traffic.
• Database access agreements and agency policies set rules on the dissemination of electronic information.
• Always be professional when using electronic communication, including texting, emailing, and radio communication.

Importance of Radio Communication

• The radio is the most common communication device used by officers.
• Use the radio to send and receive vital information, call for backup, or identify a suspect or wanted person.
• Knowing how to use the radio is essential for officer safety.

Information Available Through DAVID

• Authorized users can view driver's license applications, information, photographs, and signatures
• Authorized users can view state-issued identification cards and identification documents used by noncitizens
• Authorized users can view driving and vehicle history for motorists, insurance information, and records of vehicles or vessels registered in Florida

Criminal Justice Network (CJNet)

• Members of the criminal justice community use CJNet to access various databases
• Databases include InSite (a statewide crime intelligence database), FALCON (Florida's Integrated Criminal History System), CART (Child Abduction Response Team), and the Florida Sexual Offender and Predator database

Florida Crime Information Center (FCIC) and National Crime Information Center (NCIC)

• FCIC is a database housed at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) that provides statewide information on people and property, driver's licenses and registrations, wanted and missing persons, stolen property, and person's status files and computerized criminal histories
• FCIC is connected to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), a national database maintained by the FBI
• NCIC contains records of stolen, abandoned, and recovered property, wanted and missing person files, the National Sex Offender Registry, and files of people on supervised release, protection orders, foreign fugitives, immigration violators, and known or suspected terrorists or gang members

Queries and Access to Databases

• Querying is the process of gathering information by entering or running a search in a database for law enforcement purposes
• Improper management of criminal databases and information is a misuse of position and may be subject to prosecution
• Only authorized users can access criminal justice computer systems and networks

Responding to Incidents

• When approaching an incident, aim your flashlight before turning it on to avoid blinding others.
• Determine the type of incident, whether backup is needed, and if anyone is injured.
• Apply first aid and request medical assistance if needed.
• Preserve the scene for investigation by using available resources based on location.

Gathering Information

• Identify everyone involved, including complainants, victims, witnesses, and suspects.
• Treat everyone with dignity and respect.
• Assess the scene to determine the type of complaint (civil, criminal, felony, or misdemeanor).
• Determine how much time has passed since the incident occurred.

Interviewing Techniques

• Ask for identification and personal information (name, address, phone number, etc.).
• Introduce yourself and use the person's name to establish rapport.
• Separate everyone and ask each person to describe what happened.
• Ask follow-up questions to clarify the incident.
• Ask them to describe the suspect and if they're willing to identify the suspect later.
• Take detailed notes of these accounts for documentation.

Managing Persons of Concern

• Law enforcement agencies manage persons of concern using strategies based on assessments to prevent or mitigate targeted violence.
• Management strategies include disrupting immediate threats, monitoring behaviors, enforcing legal processes, or referring to mental or behavioral health care providers.
• Report critical information regarding a person of concern promptly and accurately to help prevent targeted violence.

Civil Disturbances

• Separate, identify, and interview all people involved to obtain information related to the incident.
• Verify whether a crime has been committed and perform queries within the FCIC/NCIC systems to determine if any injunctions or warrants exist.
• Provide information and resources to help resolve conflicts in civil disturbances.

Civil Standby

• A civil standby involves maintaining peace through officer presence while serving a court order or responding to a call for service.
• Civil standbys may be necessary in situations such as child custody exchanges or pretrial release orders.
• The officer's presence is usually enough to keep the incident calm, but they may need to separate parties or recommend that one or both parties leave if the situation escalates.

Approaching a Suspect

• Consider the suspect's criminal history, behavior, and possible weapons when approaching them.
• Watch the person's hands and body language during interaction.
• Be aware of inconsistencies in their story, such as directions and alibis.
• Note the presence of other people and possible escape routes.

Roles of Contact and Cover Officers

• The contact officer leads the approach, handles communication with the suspect, and gives commands.
• The cover officer focuses on officer safety, observes the interaction, and watches for hazards like hostile crowds and escape routes.
• Additional officers assist the contact officer and share cover responsibilities.

Initiating Contact and Establishing Communication

• Approach the suspect carefully, maintaining a safe distance and watching for possible resistance.
• Keep eyes on the suspect and stay alert to potential threats.
• Separate, identify, and interview all people involved to gather information.
• Verify whether a crime has been committed through assessment, interviews, and observations.
• Perform queries in FCIC/NCIC systems to check for injunctions or warrants.

Mediating a Civil Disturbance

• When responding to a civil disturbance, approach the situation carefully and try to mediate the conflict.
• Provide information and resources to help resolve the issue, such as referring to civil court or mediation.
• Stay impartial and use conflict management skills to prevent escalation.

Civil Standby

• A civil standby involves maintaining peace through officer presence, often during the execution of a court order.
• Typically, an officer's presence is enough to keep the situation calm.
• If the situation escalates, separate parties, recommend they leave, or have them contact the clerk of the court or their attorneys.

Identifying People Providing False Information

• Use techniques like searching DAVID, asking for a Social Security number, comparing addresses, and using portable fingerprint scanners to verify identities.

Responding as Backup

• When responding as a backup officer, consider the situation's risk level and adjust your response accordingly.
• Determine the course of action based on factors like officer safety, suspect presence, and the request for assistance.