We had an incident a few nights ago at a neighboring agency in that an officer went to arrest a suspect. However, instead of going quietly, suspect decided to fight the officer. What was different about this fight, is that instead of automatically going for the officer's gun (as many suspects do), the suspect went for the officer's radio instead. Later, the suspect admitted that he wanted the radio so the officer would not be able to call for help, and then go for the gun.

Has anyone else seen this tactic by gang-bangers or come by similar incidents?

No, I have not heard of this but I will pass it along in roll call.

Interesting point, this never occurred to me, but makes a lot of since. I will pass along, and we should keep a close eye on all our equipment that we wear. Sometiimes I believe it's a status thing to some gang bangers or just to get something that a cop carry's seems to have some type of symbol to them.

Greetings,

I guess the question is how do we carry our radios? Are they on our hip, hand, in a radio case, on a whisper mc and etc. The radio is indeed our life line. I hope I don't ever encounter the same incident. I'll have to brief this during our next guardmount/mustard.

Thanks

v/r

Michael Munyon
www.munyondojang.com

Just goes to show you that you have to be ready for anything out there...

We have (at considerable expense - advantages of private security) started to outfit our new radios that include GPS and a "panic" button. If it's pushed three times in quick succession (under 15 seconds), the radio starts screaming for help - it broadcasts an automatic "10-33, Officer needs assistance!" plea over the radio. (We're "10-33" here in Canada, instead of "10-13". Not sure why.)

Of course, if it gets turned off, it's no good either. Something for my recruits to think about, I suppose.

Common in miami too. I've had guys try the same thing but tankfully our radios down here have a red button (3-15 in our radio codes means officer needs assistnace). Guys in prison practice this, stabbing you in places where your vest doesn't protect (arms pits, etc.) even taking and trowing away handcuffs and car keys. I've never been a big fan of the shoulder mic. To me, its something a subject can strangle you with. But like "aostone" said. Just remember basic retention and as long as you pressed that button, even if you didn't ask for 3-15's the whole world will be comming. Good luck. and be safe out-there.

Question for those of you that this has happened to, or worse yet, the suspect is going for your gun, why don't you just either jab em in the eye, head butt them or strike em in the larynx?

I bet they'll let go in a NY minute if you do that!

That is crazy.

I wonder if there's case law about this. Would a suspect attempting to isolate the officer by disabling communication justify deadly force?

I wasn't refering to CPD's post...that one is obvious.

I have never heard of anyoe doing this either. I guess if someone did get my radio it would possibly buy some extra time to get to my taser, spray or gun if need be. the department I work for has gone to the ICOP Digital video in-car systme, the mic body pack has a Help button built in, so if someone did manage to get my radio off of me I could hit the help button and still get back up on the way.

This has been very common in the two departments I have worked for. My dept has provided every officer an ear piece for their radio that you run up through the inside of your shirt and the mic can be clipped to the inside of your shirt and is about an inch long and 1/4 inch wide. It would be a little harder for the perp to grap such a small mic. I think the panic button / GPS is also a good investment for any dept. There was a video I saw in the academy where an officer activated his panic button & the perp didn't know. The officers life was saved because of the panic button.

I have never had it happen to me. Nor have I heard of it happening in Georgia. It is some thing I will have to look at and prepare to prevent. I will pass it along.

I have never had anyone go for my radio during a fight. I don't want to say this with any sense of bravado, but I am not thinking about calling for help on the radio once a fight has started. I work in a large department and the only time we normally find ourselves one on one is during a traffic stop. And in those cases, I am aware no one will get to me in time. So I am not thinking about grabbing the radio at that point. Again, I say this with no sense of bravado and I thank God above for watching over me these past 26 years.

Hmmm that does worry me, I have never heard or even thought of that before. I will be sure to pass this along to the LEOs I come in contact with as well as those at the substation. Also 10-33/10-13 different areas have different brevity codes 10-35 and 11-99 are our assisstance calls. 11-99 being the emergency.