Vehicle Stops

[CO_Hopeful]

I was wondering what type of Felony Vehicle Stops is most used in PD's around the country. I am assuming most agencies use the Riverside method.

The reason I ask is because this was a recent class in our academy, and in the class we reviewed many flaws of the Riverside system.

Does anyone have an opinion?

[kennethm3]

Every stop is different. What works in your class room usually has little relevance to what happens on the side of the road. Don't even try to debate different methods until you've made a few stops of your own.

[CO_Hopeful]

kenneth,

I'm not trying to debate a method of vehicle stops, I'm asking what types of stops people use, and if they have an opinion on those type of stops.

The issue is, we watched video after video of cops dying while using different types of methods which lead me to believe that this is something that departments take serious.

[996s]

They teach us the double abreast style. Two cars next to each other, get the guys out and have them walkbackwards between the cards, cuff them. There is more to it then that, but I dont know what they call it to be honest. I think i used that once, for a warrant... Most times people dont stop for you, and after a chase everyone just rushes the car anyways, its kind of funny really, the first time I was out there, we chased this guy with a stolen car, and he finally stopped, so I was like, ok here goes a felany stop. No its 5-6 guys rushing the car and dragging him out, everyone seems to want to put there hands on him, or pull an arm back too. Not the safest, but addrenaline rush. Ahhh, its fun.

Learn what they teach you, if you are alone it works good, I am sure your FTO will teach you something else, or a modified version of that. Just do what you feel comforatable with. Everyone has there own little style of doign things. Make sure you can always see them and its safe. And if someone tells you the way you do it sucks and its not safe, dont get pissed, learn from it. They are trying to keep you alive.

Mike

[bigz]

I went through the same training as CO Hopeful and was taught the same stop. I remember how much the instructors harped on it being the most sound and safest technique and it does have its pluses. With that being said in Colorado I would say most agencies use the Riverside stop CO Hopeful referred to. It does have its downsides, but it also has its pluses. One of the big weaknesses of it I remember from my academy days was that one of the officers could get in a fight and then the other officer would either have to watch them fight it out with somebody and maintain cover on the suspect vehicle or engage and leave the vehicle uncovered. It's true that with a rural agency that could be a big problem because you may only have two officers on a felony stop, but in an urban or suburban agency if you make a felony stop your probably going to have more help than you need which makes that weakness null and void because you have several officers to cover the car and at least two to cover the suspect you are taking into custody. CO Hopeful I think you are in one of the best academies in the state, but once you get out there you'll find that there way of doing things is definitely not the bible and other things you pick up along the way may even make more sense.

Z

[CO_Hopeful]

Thank you bigz for your input....it is greatly appreciated.

I am finding out exactly what you are telling me. The instructors in the academy are SO opinionated, and preach what they believe to be the ONLY way to do things. I understand and respect their view point, but I also believe there is more than one way to skin a cat.

You are correct in your memory of what they teach. The Riverside method's cons are the fact that you need AT LEAST 4 officers to do it effectively. If something happens with the arresting officer, the covering officer is stuck between helping his buddy, or maintaining cover on the other suspects. It's quite possible that the first suspect could be a diversion, and the dudes with the shotguns are still waiting in the car.

When speaking with an officer with my hiring PD.....he mentioned some good points though. There is a greater chance for more chaos if ALL suspects are brought out of the car before any of them are handcuffed. By bringing one out at a time, you will definitely be able to detect another suspect getting out of the car without being told to do so. It also isn't very plausible to get a good firing stance/position while facing forward in the suspect car unless they turn around.....which should be quickly detected by the cover officer.

I definitely see that there are pros/cons to both methods. I just wanted to see if anybody could enlighten me on more than I have already mentioned.

[TANKMGA8]

CO_Hopeful

I am still a rookie, but have done approx. 5-6 felony stops(high risk stops). I was taught the same as you are in the academy, the only problem being that we only have one officer to a unit. Usually when we do a high risk stop, there are only 2 officers involved. Three of the stops I was involved in there was only one person in the vehicle, the other three had three and four subjects in the vehicle.

For the multiple subjects, we took them all out of the driver's door and each was handcuffed and secured in a unit before the next one came out. Luckly by the time the 3rd and 4th people came out there was another officer on scene to assist with the subjects. It is alot different than the academy, but I find myself trying to make it just like at the academy. I guess because of that being the way that I had practiced it there and in my head.

The thing that has helped me alot has been listening to the experienced officers and afterwards having them tell me if I should do something different as well as being honest with myself and reviewing my actions to see where I screwed up.

As an example, the first pursuit and high risk stop I was involved with, I was the primary officer and ordered the subject out of the vehicle as I was taught. I backed him up to the other officer and after he was handcuffed and being searched, I decided to check the vehicle. I was out in the open and walking towards the vehicle covering it with my weapon when I realized what I was doing. I went back to a covered position until the other officer had secured the perp. Then we approached the vehicle and cleared it. Thank goodness that there was not somebody in the vehicle with a weapon. I was up front and honest about my screw up with myself and have since never committed that mistake again.

Hope that this was helpful and that I didn't get to far off the subject.