Complacency Almost Got Me Yesterday...

[jdlong]

Probation Officer here in a rural Nor Cal County. Thought I'd post this to hear other officer's stories of where complacency could have turned ugly. Myself and four fellow PO's were tossing a house for dope yesterday with our SO bros. We knew we were going 10-15 with our felon probationer. Me and my partner made initial entry and began to clear, working our way to the back bedrooms. Of course, our dirtbag female felon told us there was nobody else in the house but her 9-year old son...sleeping in his back bedroom. We made it to his bedroom, I looked in and saw him sound asleep. The soft side of me got complacent and I decided to close the door and let him sleep as to not traumatize him...as Mom went to jail. After about 45-minutes of tossing the place...and Mom gone being booked...my partner and I decided to wake up her son and search his room for dope (we all know that our felons love to hide dope in their kid's rooms). After about 10-minutes of searching his room...laughing a little at the crap we were finding...my female partner lets out a startled scream and begins to scream at someone to come out and get to the ground at gunpoint.

We had our backs to the closet the entire time we were in the room searching. She had turned around and noticed a heavily tatooed arm and hand in the closet. A parolee at large had been in the closet the entire 45-minutes we were in the house...and more disturbingly, right behind us for 10-minutes. I damn near put a 180gr. JHP in the 10x on him...but he came out and luckily wasn't armed and was compliant. Scared the crap out of me due to the fact that we were two DEAD Probation Officers if he had chosen that route.

I've been a PO for 10 years now. I work with my SO and PD bros daily. Officer safety has always been #1 for me and my fellow LEO bros. This was just a great example of how easy it is to get a little complacent once in a while...even though my intentions were good of not disturbing the 9-year old. Could have been deadly.

Any close calls from fellow LEO's when it comes to becoming a little complacent on occasion? I think it happens to all of us once in a while.

[CruiserClass]

Nice reminder, thanks.

[DaFuzz43]

I would of probably done the same thing.... I hate to arrest parents...(handcuff and such) no matter what kind a s-heads they are in front of their kids...... lasting negative impression of the police to the kids..... that being said
+1 on the reminder on how things can go.....

[Drum Roast]

No one likes to share these kinds of stories as one tends to think others might think less of them, incompetent, etc. The truth is, we all do it and its good that these stories are posted because we all need to be constantly paranoid in this job. Complacency is just human nature. Thanks jdlong.

[jdlong]

No one likes to share these kinds of stories as one tends to think others might think less of them, incompetent, etc. The truth is, we all do it and its good that these stories are posted because we all need to be constantly paranoid in this job. Complacency is just human nature. Thanks jdlong.

Thanks Drum Roast! That's why I shared it. I'm extremely officer safety oriented. I deal with nothing but violent felons on probation and parole. I've been tossing houses for dope, serving warrants, and apprehending our fugitives for years. This was just a great example of how damn easy it is to get a little complacent once in a while. Really shook me up that he was behind us for all that time. Great wake-up call for me and my partner that thankfully didn't turn out ugly! Be safe! ;)

[Jordon198]

If you have worked in LE for any length of time, you have probably went home safe, at least once, due to the fact that someone decided not to kill you. ( or at least try to kill you )

No matter how much we think about officer safety, there are times when for whatever reason we let our guard down, and luckly for us, we don't have to pay for it with our lives.

About 15 years ago, I locked up an elderly man for DUI, that was literally falling down drunk. As I was searching him prior to putting him in the back seat, he began to fall and as I caught him it twisted by back. I tossed him in the back seat, and drove him to the jail. Of course on arrival, as he was searched he had a .25 raven in his pocket. He was handcuffed, but had he really wanted to I was probably a had ***.

Thanks for the post, we can all learn from it.

[Narco]

+1 to all of the above. we all make mistakes. thanks for sharing this to remind us all not to be complacent. glad everything turned out ok.

[andy5746]

That was probably a hard post to type. It ain't easy to dime yourself off like that. I applaud your decision to post. It is a good reminder to all of us that "things aren't always as they seem". We've all been there at one time or another, weather we knew it or not....

[amp2112]

the thing about complacency is you never realize it until after it happens.

[CityCopDC]

Excellent post. Reminds me of why Im considered "Mr Paranoid." Though Im sure I have missed things in the past on vehicle searches, warrant searches, blah blah, trust no one and take no ones word till the situation is under control and everyone is 10-8.

P.S. I dont know what the hell a "10-15" is. :eek:

[tzbv2p]

P.S. I dont know what the hell a "10-15" is. :eek:

I'll assume its the same as my departments use of 10-15....prisoner in custody

[StudChris]

A few months ago I stop a lady for a minor speed. Well I get up there, asking for the license and all the paperwork. Well, due to the fact that she was drunk it took her a good minute digging around in her middle console for her paperwork. Well a wee bit lady she winds up in handcuffs and in the car for DUI. While searching the car, I find a Taurus .38 special in that console. She probably actually grabbed it and moved it several times while looking for the paperwork. In the end I did thank her for not forcing me to buy more ammo (aka shoot her)... and then of course I got me my own lil .38 special (well... mine's better but still).

[1042 Trooper]

Excellent selfless post. These should be shared wheneve rthey happen for all the obvious reasons.

Matter of fact, I started a thread some time ago where we all discussed such goofs. Very enlightening and good training.

The fact that you shared your own shortcoming, means it isn't one. You may very well save a life in this way without ever knowing it.

Get some.

[thatboatguy]

About Three years Ago (While I was still new but not on FTO), I transported a guy that a K-9 Deputy had arrested for a minor warrant. The guy was compliant, didnt resist was calm and cool. When I got there The K-9 Deputy Did not have the dog out. The guy was Flex Cuffed and was pretty chill.. I got handed the paperwork and the K-9 Dep (Who was a very very very senior deputy.. read 15 plus years on with the agency) told me that he had been searched and had no property other than his wallet that was handed to me and put in the guys front shirt pocket and his ID which I clipped under my ink pen in my pocket. So I load the guy and take him down to the jail. I knew we hit some bumps but didnt think much of him squirming around in the back. I drop him off and after I clear the jail I go back into my habit of searching the back seat before and after any guests.... Low and behold stuck in the back seat is a loaded .25 semi auto. Point of this is no matter who you are... from Brass to a brand new rookie... I always search everyone myself now.... I almost learned that one the hard way.

[jswwjw]

Standing outside my patrol car the other day in our rural area a 4 wheeler drove (on the paved street) past us. I yelled for him to "come back here!" which he did, asked him for his license, which he did not have...long story short, wma 19 year old, gives false names, no id, I was watching him the whole time and thought he was going to run. Back-up with me standing and talking to the guy. I decide enough is enough and cuff him (speed cuff works great) lean him backwards to pat him down and he is trying to avoid my pat down (thinking dope). I say to him "where's the dope" and his answer is; "no dope, I have a 9mm stuffed down my pants". Sure enough, loaded 9mm down his pants. Long story short, meth-head going to buy meth decides he is going to get ripped off; hense the 9mm. Although I never really took my attention away from him is was one of those times where I was ****ed off more with myself than him. Reality check once again....and they say church on Sunday doesn't help.

[Ralph8119]

Standing outside my patrol car the other day in our rural area a 4 wheeler drove (on the paved street) past us. I yelled for him to "come back here!" which he did, asked him for his license, which he did not have...long story short, wma 19 year old, gives false names, no id, I was watching him the whole time and thought he was going to run. Back-up with me standing and talking to the guy. I decide enough is enough and cuff him (speed cuff works great) lean him backwards to pat him down and he is trying to avoid my pat down (thinking dope). I say to him "where's the dope" and his answer is; "no dope, I have a 9mm stuffed down my pants". Sure enough, loaded 9mm down his pants. Long story short, meth-head going to buy meth decides he is going to get ripped off; hense the 9mm. Although I never really took my attention away from him is was one of those times where I was ****ed off more with myself than him. Reality check once again....and they say church on Sunday doesn't help.

I'm a member here of view words only this, stay safe & never complacent on the job! ;)

[kannahspapa]

I'll assume its the same as my departments use of 10-15....prisoner in custody

Our prisoner in custody is 10-95, hence...702 10-8, 10-95/1, 10-76 CJ.

[jswwjw]

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[df2338]

Weve all done it. How about my neigboring jursidiction. I wasnt there but heard several officers searching some turdlings. 15 year old female was there, cops had there back to her working the guys. When all was said and done she asked one" do you need this", pulls a loaded handgun from her pants. They were a bit freaked since she would have had them if she wanted. I know a lot of our guys are not willing to search females because of complaints, criminals know this.

[NYPO]

Weve all done it. How about my neigboring jursidiction. I wasnt there but heard several officers searching some turdlings. 15 year old female was there, cops had there back to her working the guys. When all was said and done she asked one" do you need this", pulls a loaded handgun from her pants. They were a bit freaked since she would have had them if she wanted. I know a lot of our guys are not willing to search females because of complaints, criminals know this.

Wow, thats an eye opener. That was done once with me. A gun run came over with a good description. Had one victim with a gunshot wound. We were canvassing the area and I look down a side street and there he is! We go screaming down the street and jump out and I say come here, he does that double look back over his shoulder and I know he's running so I just start running and he goes to take off but I had enough momentum towards him and tackled him and cuffed him. I searched him and no gun. HMMMMMM I'm thinking to myself oh crap, wrong guy. When we spotted him and was driving at him he was with a female and now we're not sure where she is so we put over her description. Other officers stop her 2 blocks away, has a Tech-9 in her purse......... These guys almost always give their crack, guns, weed, coke to the female. They hide it in places where we can't check. When ever we suspect that we just hook them up and bring them back to the station. Usually its pretty easy to articulate Disorderly Conduct so if all else fails we'll charge them with that and release them at the station with a summons and date to appear at court. A female officer will strip search them and many many times drugs are up in their "NO NO" spot:eek:

[RudyDep]

Our prisoner in custody is 10-95, hence...702 10-8, 10-95/1, 10-76 CJ.

I understood ALL of that !!!! :p

[jdlong]

Excellent selfless post. These should be shared wheneve rthey happen for all the obvious reasons.

Matter of fact, I started a thread some time ago where we all discussed such goofs. Very enlightening and good training.

The fact that you shared your own shortcoming, means it isn't one. You may very well save a life in this way without ever knowing it.

Get some.

Thanks 1042 Trooper. Yeah, I'm always more than willing to share my slip-ups...keep us on our toes. This was one of those complacent mistakes that I think we all make once in a while. My intentions were good by not disturbing the 9-year old...but it could have turned ugly. The fact that the dirtbag parolee was 10-feet behind us with our backs to him shook me up. Should have cleared the closet right off the bat. Thank God he was compliant and wasn't armed. We were two dead Probation Officers if the opposite was true. Needless to say we contacted his Parole Agent and booked him on the Parole Hold. I made it quite clear to him that he almost ate a 180grn. JHP...but the reality was that my heart was racing and was thanking God that he didn't decide to not go back to prison. Lesson learned...never assume anything. I gave our felony probationer an earful for allowing a parolee at large to hide in her little boy's closet as well. What a dirtbag!!! :mad:

[texasjohn123]

I've got a picture on a wall of shame at the local jail.
I arrested a guy for local traffic warrants one night, he was a cool guy and didn't resist or even talk trash. By the way NCIC was down.
I searched him prior to sitting him down in the car. We bs'd the whole way to the jail.
We got to the jail and I asked him the standard question "Do you have anything illegal that will cause you to have a felony on your recod if you enter this jail with it?" Nope.
Get into the jail, the jailors take him to the strip out tank and i am finishing paperwork. All of a sudden I hear from that tank "Get on the ground! Get on the ground!" By the time I get there the jailors have him a tazer point and he is half naked on the ground. One of the jailors looked at me and just said thanks, then showed me a boot knife that would have made Jim Bowie proud.
Long story short, a picture of my knife got taken and hung up with the words HAVE YOU SEARCHED YOUR PRISONER? at the front door.
Oh yeah...NCIC came back up about an hour later and the guy had an outstanding Manslaughter warrant and an Escape warrant out of Oklahoma.

[BPD_126]

Usually its pretty easy to articulate Disorderly Conduct so if all else fails we'll charge them with that and release them at the station with a summons and date to appear at court. A female officer will strip search them and many many times drugs are up in their "NO NO" spot:eek:

Must be nice to be able to do body cavity searches for disorderly conduct charges. Here's the MO State Statute we have to use.

http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutes/c500-599/5440000193.htm

2. No person arrested or detained for a traffic offense or an offense which does not constitute a felony may be subject to a strip search or a body cavity search by any law enforcement officer or employee unless there is probable cause to believe that such person is concealing a weapon, evidence of the commission of a crime or contraband.

4. A body cavity search of any person detained or arrested for a traffic offense or an offense which does not constitute a felony may only be conducted pursuant to a duly executed search warrant, under sanitary conditions and by a physician, registered nurse or practical nurse, licensed to practice in this state.

[DeputySC]

I made a similar mistake while I was still in training when I first got hired serveing a warrant. Of course the female who answered the door lies and says her husband isnt home. We searched the house, one of the rooms I searched was a young childs bedroom. I had woken him up and he was sitting straight up in bed with a look or terror on his face. I searched the room but didnt look under the bed. Well, the deputy I was with searched behind me after I cleared the room and found the guy under the bed.

[NYPO]

Must be nice to be able to do body cavity searches for disorderly conduct charges. Here's the MO State Statute we have to use.

http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutes/c500-599/5440000193.htm

2. No person arrested or detained for a traffic offense or an offense which does not constitute a felony may be subject to a strip search or a body cavity search by any law enforcement officer or employee unless there is probable cause to believe that such person is concealing a weapon, evidence of the commission of a crime or contraband.

4. A body cavity search of any person detained or arrested for a traffic offense or an offense which does not constitute a felony may only be conducted pursuant to a duly executed search warrant, under sanitary conditions and by a physician, registered nurse or practical nurse, licensed to practice in this state.


Its never happened to me, and I'm sure if that did happen it would open the department up to litigation. Usually its the Sgt that tells us to do it, and I note the Sgt in my paperwork everytime in case it ever comes to it and we always do it with atleast 2 officers present. I've only done 2, and each time the male had crack underneath his brothers..... Cavity searches are not allowed