StartErS ven if it’s only 5 or 10 minutes at repeated lineups, get the conversation going with a brief on the Navy Yard shootings, then kickstart things with questions like these. If a scratch team must be formed of officers from different agencies, who’s in charge? Ordinarily, this would be the senior officer present of the agency having primary physical jurisdiction — even if he or she is junior in rank and/or time in service to others present. When feds are involved, if the incident isn’t occurring on federal property, whether or not a federal crime has occurred, if a state crime has, it’s still the local officer’s call. This condition isn’t and shouldn’t be absolute. If another peace officer clearly has superior knowledge or command experience, that junior officer with primary jurisdiction may say, “I’m responsible, but I’m giving you tactical control here, unless I direct otherwise.” That should knock over some anthills, but it’s a common understanding, and it’s generally worked well. If you’re in charge, then what? In such situations, let’s say, preparing to enter a structure and move through it, what should your officer ask and do? “Who’s got body armor? Who’s got long guns? Okay, you’re up front, right behind and beside me. Does anyone have special knowledge of this place?” At a scratch-team op at a major office complex in San Diego, close to the border with National City, an NCPD officer who showed up said his wife worked there and he knew the layout well — good to know! “You! You’re Tail-End Charlie; our rear security, responsible for everything behind us. Everybody, use the clock, or “front, right, left and rear.” Twelve o’clock or front is wherever I’m facing! “I’m on point, up front. If fire comes from the front, I will go prone and stay there, so you can shoot over me if necessary. If you see a shooter, yell “shooter!” and the direction. Same for a “possible” or an obvious victim or citizen.” These are only starters. The rest is up to you. Why talk about it now? Because you don’t want to be trying to make yourself heard in a first-floor hallway over the din of gunshots and screams from the second floor. KicK- E * 15 WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM
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