Officers will be sent to report a “welfare check” at nursing homes Because a shirtless man is trying to cut down a tree.
When you hear it, what do you think it can do? Cases of mental illness, drug-rich, combinations, or neighborhood conflict?
The first arriving officer at the location is said by passersby to be inside a nursing home with a running chainsaw. Based on the information he has received so far, it appears that there is no major urgency in his response. Officers try to get admission, but the door is locked.
How does that delay affect your stress level?
The officer knocks on the door and the employee opens it. Executives talk to employees, but no new or clear information is provided. He enters nursing homes and overtakes multiple people who are going through their business as if nothing is happening.
Is there anything wrong, or do they not know about the situation?
Look at the body-covered camera below and discuss what happened.
Bodycam vs. Reality: What do you really see?
This is all based on my observations on the executive body cam video. The video doesn't look at what the executives are watching. The video doesn't feel what the executives are feeling. The video is clear and focused. Officers only look at the narrow 3-5 degree section of their field of vision and collect information in constant motion. His brain interprets what he sees based on his past experiences. What the camera captures and what the executive perceives is different.
Officer radio for backup “steps up” then watch someone run out of the hallway and scream “Hey.” He appears to be watching someone holding a chainsaw before the camera does.
Is this a suspect? Clean up your biases. Is this a suspect? Do you know for sure? You are supposed to find a shirtless man with a running chainsaw. You hate getting intrusive to the wrong people. How long does it take you to confidently decide how to handle the situation?
Decision-making takes time in the real world. Ambiguity is added to that decision-making process.
Decision making under pressure
The officer draws his taser and says, “Drop the taser.” Two times. It is a clue to a possible state of the executive's mind. But what is that? You can't know until you interview him. Others' conclusions are merely bias-based speculations.
This video blurs images of people near the suspect. While talking to the suspect, officers must try to keep these people away from the suspect and add them to his cognitive observations, decisions and actions. Stress, ambiguity, complexity, and time constraints all add to the time it takes to make a decision.
What else do executives think? Will the police go to jail for making a mistake? Political prosecution of police officers? What is his level of confidence in his training? Does he consider this situation a challenge or a threat?
Now, the main criticism of the officers: the time it took him to make his decision, and the choices made.
Chainsaws are not included in the training manual
It was a chainsaw, whether it was a knife, a gun, a broken bottle. How many times did you have to deal with chainsaws during your training? I've never guessed. So this is a first time experience and those decisions and actions take time. Plus, the chainsaw is not moving. So, what level of threat is a non-operating chainsaw? How fast can you start? Does this officer know that? Can be used as an impact weapon. This is a very real threat to a highly vulnerable population of older people.
The officer is fully aware to rock his taser to attract long distance prongs. This indicates the level of training-based cognitive recognition. As the suspect tries to start a chainsaw, he continues to give orders and talk on the radio. why? I don't know.
The suspect turns and leaves, presenting a perfect, preferred, and hopefully trained target for Taser. Why don't executives deploy Taser? Only he knows. When the suspect begins the chainsaw again, Taser is deployed. why? Perhaps because now there are chainsaws running, pose a clear, lethal force threat.
The suspect falls from Taser, but wakes up. The police retreat from the room. why? Have you trained to create distances, find covers, and create time? But what if there are innocent people in the room who are at risk? Did you train for that?
The officer transfers his taser to his non-dominant hand and pulls his pistol. He now has backup with him and is directed at his place to other officers. The suspect runs out of mobile from the main lobby back into the hall.
Shooting under stress
Video of the second officer shows the suspect indicted an officer who was fired twice. Both rounds miss. The suspect attacks him with a chainsaw, drops it and runs away. Did the police have a safe backstop? No, there is no “safe” backstop. Did the police know about his target and more? Probably not at that moment.
Despite the multiple crossfire situations, officers continue to shoot as the suspect escapes through the hallway, despite more than three people in the hallway. why?
They were so focused on the suspects that they probably couldn't see them.
Hindsight is easy – not in real life
When I wrote this, I had the opportunity to watch the video, back it up, and sometimes a few more times to clearly explain what happened.
Did I not see or mention what you saw or heard? probably. Perception is individual based on what attracts your attention.
Have you ever seen what an executive saw? Never once.
Have you ever been under the level of stress that an executive was? Never once.
Have you been under the time constraints that the executives were? Never once.
Have you been exposed to the threat that the executives were? You guessed it. Never once.
Have you judged the video from your biased views or have you tried to understand it from the views of the officers? I removed the bias of hindsight and came to my conclusions based on my perceptions, knowledge, training, experience and biases while watching and re-watching the video. The incident lasted about 41 seconds.
Take what you learn from the video and adjust your training accordingly. No chainsaw attacks occur every day in nursing homes. I don't know when I'll receive the call.
Share your thoughts: How did you handle this call? Email editor@police1.com.
