Nice Guys Get Killed

[Damian (Instructor)]

Below is the disturbing video taken off of the body camera of Officer Stewart killed in the line of duty in Flagstaff, AZ.

It’s tough to watch.

My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and fellow officers.

With all respect I want you try to use this tragedy as a learning tool so mistakes can be avoided.

Start watching at about 10:00.

Again, I want to view this as a learning opportunity and try to separate ourselves from the tragedy.

Any suggestion is not a guarantee that this would not have happened, and I do not know what the SOGs are in Flagstaff.

Now I don’t think for a moment at that distance me or anyone else could have executed any type of defense.

I think the officer was too close and did not have time to process what was happening since the subject did not give any indication of violence.

That being said I think the officer was too nice.
Niceness gets interpreted as weakness. If you’re dealing with the public you need to be a professional asshole of sorts. Polite, to the point and all business. You’re not a therapist or friend – you’re there because someone heard there to make sure people are not breaking the law.

He was too close.
As mentioned before, he didn’t have a chance to defend himself, let alone draw his weapon.

He was alone. Normally when you start searching and patting people down you need more than one officer. After all, who is watching your back? While you’re patting down the sub his wife comes out of the kitchen with a butcher’s knife.

No matter what job you do, complacency is the real killer. We get to comfortable and cut corners because “what are the chances?”

Never assume.

[Author]

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