Читать книгу Force Decisions. A Citizen's Guide to Understanding How Police Determine Appropriate Use of Force онлайн

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Few rookie officers are taught much beyond this. What skill they develop in projecting presence is learned on the job or by watching older officers.

There is also a danger here—many rookies and even some experienced officers come to count on the power of the badge and the uniform. Most people quit being bad when they see an officer. Most follow directions. Some officers come to expect this and are surprised—and injured—when they presume threats will comply.

A small number of officers expect the uniform to do the job for them. We call it ‘hiding behind the badge.’ It doesn’t work very well. As an officer, you need to develop the skills, experience, and reputation to earn respect. That is real presence.

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There is more skill and more variation at the verbal level than at all other levels combined. SWAT tactics don’t approach the complexity of a good debate, much less the nuance of talking down an emotionally disturbed person (EDP) in crisis, or eliciting a good description from a traumatized child.