Gordon Graham
Category: Law Enforcement
Gordon Graham here with Today’s Tip from Lexipol. Today I want to talk to all my law enforcement friends about when to remove an officer from the scene after a use of force incident.
Fortunately, most uses of force by law enforcement do not result in serious bodily injury or death to the subject. But when they do, the involved officer should be removed from the scene as soon as it’s safe to do so.
When officers experience a critical use of force incident, equip them and family members with educational resources to help them understand what to expect.
The reason for this is simple. After a significant use of force incident, officers may experience cognitive and physical effects including shock, distress, vulnerability, and disbelief. This is critical incident stress, and without proper processing, it can have negative long-term effects.
Removing the officer from the scene is the first step toward providing not just physical first aid, but also psychological and emotional first aid. Once the matter of obtaining a public safety statement is out of the way, ensure the officer is assigned a companion. This can be an uninvolved officer, a peer counselor, or a chaplain. The companion should stay close by, providing not only comfort, but also the sense of security that comes from having someone watch over them.
And don’t forget that adrenaline and other physiological reactions can mask injuries, even severe ones. Be sure to have your officer medically evaluated as soon as possible. And if possible, have your officer go to a different medical facility than the offender.
Finally, when officers experience a critical use of force incident, equip them and family members with educational resources to help them understand what to expect. Lexipol’s Critical Incident Checklist is a great start. It provides warning signs to watch for and proactive steps officers and family members can take to start the recovery process.
And that’s Today’s Tip from Lexipol. Until next time, Gordon Graham signing off.
