kirch
06-12-2004, 12:09 AM
I was reading a recent issue of POLICE magazine and it included an article about an officer in SC who was involved in a scary situation. Here's a brief synopsis for those who haven't read the article.
The officer was transporting a prisoner to jail. The prisoner was in the rear of the squad with hands cuffed behind him. It was a fairly lengthy ride to jail and the prisoner began complaining about how hot it was getting in the rear seat with the windows closed and the barrier up (no A/C was reaching the back). The prisoner asked the officer to open the barrier a bit so the cool air could reach the back. The officer complied.
The officer didn't realize the prisoner had been able to work his hands to the front. While still a few miles from jail, the prisoner lunged through the opening in the barrier, grabbed the officers sidearm and got it away from him. The officer was able to stop the car and get his hand on the slide of the pistol. At this point the BG was fully in the front seat with the officer. The prisoner fired a shot, severly injuring the officer's hand. The prisoner wasn't able to get another shot off.
While struggling for control of his primary weapon, the officer pulled out his back-up Kel-Tec. He lost his grip on the gun and it fell to the floor. Then the officer pulled his second BUG from an ankle holster and was able to fire 5 shots point blank into the BG's chest.
The officer recovered his primary weapon and fired again as the prisoner was trying to get to his Kel-Tec. That ended the threat.
So I have a few questions regarding this scenario:
1. The officer said that he had received quite a bit of ribbing and ridicule for carrying 2 backup guns. But he said that all stopped after this incident. In fact, after the incident, his department bought all officers backup guns. Does anyone here carry more than 1 BUG? (Squad rifle/shotgun not included)
2. I can honestly say that, given the same circumstances, I might very well have opened the barrier as well. I can appreciate the officer's dilemma -- partially open the barrier and give up a bit of officer safety or run the risk of your prisoner suffering heat stroke in the back seat during transport. I don't know what kind of barrier this particular officer had, but I believe there was a reference to 'sliding' it open. One department I work for has hinged upper barriers so it's either open or closed. I probably wouldn't have opened that. But the other dept. has a sliding opening that, at full open, is probably 12" x 12", and I have left that open during some transports. Would anyone else be tempted to open the barrier also?
3. I don't know all the details of the incident and I would never criticize someone who's been in that situation of mishandling things. But does anyone else find it odd that the prisoner was able to get his hands to the front without the officer's knowledge, open the barrier wide enough to get through, get the officer's gun out of (what I assume would be) a retention holster and end up all the way in the front seat? What do you make of this?
The officer was transporting a prisoner to jail. The prisoner was in the rear of the squad with hands cuffed behind him. It was a fairly lengthy ride to jail and the prisoner began complaining about how hot it was getting in the rear seat with the windows closed and the barrier up (no A/C was reaching the back). The prisoner asked the officer to open the barrier a bit so the cool air could reach the back. The officer complied.
The officer didn't realize the prisoner had been able to work his hands to the front. While still a few miles from jail, the prisoner lunged through the opening in the barrier, grabbed the officers sidearm and got it away from him. The officer was able to stop the car and get his hand on the slide of the pistol. At this point the BG was fully in the front seat with the officer. The prisoner fired a shot, severly injuring the officer's hand. The prisoner wasn't able to get another shot off.
While struggling for control of his primary weapon, the officer pulled out his back-up Kel-Tec. He lost his grip on the gun and it fell to the floor. Then the officer pulled his second BUG from an ankle holster and was able to fire 5 shots point blank into the BG's chest.
The officer recovered his primary weapon and fired again as the prisoner was trying to get to his Kel-Tec. That ended the threat.
So I have a few questions regarding this scenario:
1. The officer said that he had received quite a bit of ribbing and ridicule for carrying 2 backup guns. But he said that all stopped after this incident. In fact, after the incident, his department bought all officers backup guns. Does anyone here carry more than 1 BUG? (Squad rifle/shotgun not included)
2. I can honestly say that, given the same circumstances, I might very well have opened the barrier as well. I can appreciate the officer's dilemma -- partially open the barrier and give up a bit of officer safety or run the risk of your prisoner suffering heat stroke in the back seat during transport. I don't know what kind of barrier this particular officer had, but I believe there was a reference to 'sliding' it open. One department I work for has hinged upper barriers so it's either open or closed. I probably wouldn't have opened that. But the other dept. has a sliding opening that, at full open, is probably 12" x 12", and I have left that open during some transports. Would anyone else be tempted to open the barrier also?
3. I don't know all the details of the incident and I would never criticize someone who's been in that situation of mishandling things. But does anyone else find it odd that the prisoner was able to get his hands to the front without the officer's knowledge, open the barrier wide enough to get through, get the officer's gun out of (what I assume would be) a retention holster and end up all the way in the front seat? What do you make of this?