|
Twenty Five
Rules To Live By |
| 1.
Family comes first. Don't let the job
consume you. Ultimately, the only things that matter are the people
waiting for you to come home. |
| 2.
Take care of yourself. Live a
healthy lifestyle balanced with physical fitness and nutrition. |
| 3.
Continue
to educate yourself and TRAIN in defensive tactics. Take on extra
training opportunities as often as you can. |
| 4.
EXPECT
THE UNEXPECTED. Be prepared for anything. No call is a routine call.
Pay attention, especially during boring or repetitious calls. Complacency
is deadly. |
| 5.
Maintain your Integrity. The
uniform you wear comes with a certain level of integrity that must be
preserved. |
| 6.
Remember
Cover/Concealment. Always be aware of your surroundings (on or off
duty). Stay alert and aware of potential dangers in your patrol zones.
Know your patrol zones better than the residents. |
| 7.
Be aware of body language and
non-verbal communication. Watch the hands and eyes during all citizen
contact. Hands kill you - control them. |
| 8.
Listen to
your instinct. If you don't think something's quite right, it's
probably not. |
| 9.
Be
professional and courteous to fellow officers, administrators and
civilians. Remember, you're being evaluated on and off duty. |
| 10.
Know the law. Keep up on all
changes of the laws and ordinances, as well as court decisions. Keep up to
date on search & seizure laws and probable cause. |
| 11.
Know your department policies. |
| 12.
Mentally prepare. Keep a
positive mindset - "I will go home at the end of my shift." Practice
When/Then thinking. "When this happens; Then I will... |
| 13.
Practice defensive driving and safe
vehicle operations. More officers get killed by vehicles than gunfire.
Wear your seat belt. |
| 14.
Practice, practice, practice.
Train to react and rely on your training. Practice firearms, defense
tactics and verbal judo skills like your life depends on it. |
| 15.
Have other interests, hobbies
outside of your work. |
| 16.
Know your strengths and weaknesses
including size limitations. |
| 17.
Don't disregard your backup until
you're sure you don't need it, and then think through it again. When
backing up fellow officers, be the best you can. |
| 18.
Know your equipment and take care
of it. Be proficient with it and always carry a backup. |
| 19.
Always wear your vest.
|
| 20.
Never underestimate the enemy.
On every encounter, expect your worst possible adversary. |
| 21.
Play the "what if" game in your
head so that you are prepared for any situation. |
| 22.
Remember the golden rule of
handcuffing - cuff and then search. When searching for a weapon,
remember the "Plus One" theory - if you find one, search for two and if
you find two, search for three and so on. |
| 23.
Remember to advise dispatch of your
location. |
| 24.
Practice your communication skills
- writing and speaking. This includes writing thorough and detailed
reports. |
| 25.
Have confidence in and support your
fellow officers. We are all brothers and sisters under one badge. |
