OPOTA SPO'S CHAPTER 8 PATROL
ASPECTS
WAYSTOIMPROVEPUBLICPERCEPTIONBYPROPERLY EMPLOYING ASPECTS OF
PATROL - ANS-1. Exercise authority fairly
2. Be professional in appearance and attitude
3. Manage citizen contacts with the understanding that negative events can be handled in a
positive way
4. Temper the operational skills of patrol with the mindset, character, and service in the spirit of
what democratic policing promises its citizenry
WHAT IS PROACTIVE PATROL - ANS-PROACTIVE PATROL - working to prevent crime rather
than waiting for it to occur
1. The goal for many law enforcement agencies is to move away from incident-driven, reactive
policing, and move toward proactive policing
c. Officers should be conducting proactive patrol anytime they are not responding to calls for
service
2. Officers are encouraged to act on their own initiative and develop information about crime and
strategies for its suppression
OFFICER CONSIDERATIONS WHEN DISPATCHED TO A CRIME IN PROGRESS - ANS-a.
Urgency of the situation
b. Safety of any victim who may be under attack
c. Traffic conditions for other responding units
d. Agency policy and protocol, if applicable
e. Anyone and anything that appears to be out of the ordinary for the area
f. If possible, record or call out license plate numbers of the vehicles leaving the scene or driving
around the area
g. Unless necessary, arrive as quietly as possible
h. If possible, make your arrival using parallel streets to
avoid being seen by a look-out or the suspect
i. Do not park directly in front of the location unless absolutely necessary
WHAT ARE THE MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES WHEN RESPONDING TO A CRIME IN
PROGRESS - ANS-a. Respond to the incident in the most safe and tactically sound manner
b. Secure the scene
c. Preliminary investigation
WAYS TO MAINTAIN SITUATIONAL AWARENESS WHILE CONDUCTING SEARCHES -
ANS-a. Be conscious of and avoid normalcy bias that develops from taking multiple similar calls
that do not produce a threat
, b. Avoid locking your focus on any one thing at the expense of what is happening around you
c. If working alone, continually stop, look, and listen so you are aware of your environment
d. If working with others, have one person focused on the search and one focused on covering
the searching officer
ASSESSINGADOG'SBEHAVIOR - ANS-2. Signs of a relaxed dog
a. Body posture - relaxed, weight carried evenly, may
observe a play bow or body wiggle
b. Tail - relaxed and in neutral position, may be wagging
c. Ears - relaxed and in neutral position
d. Mouth - appears "soft," may be open, tongue hanging out, mouth may be closed with lips
relaxed over teeth
e. Eyes - "soft," relaxed, eyebrows neutral, normal pupil size, steady, relaxed gaze
3. Signs of a defensively threatening dog
a. Body posture - muscles tense, weight shifted back, low
to ground, may roll to expose belly, holding one paw up
b. Tail - stiff, usually tucked or low to the ground, may be wagging (slowly or rapidly)
c. Piloerection (i.e., goosebumps) - may or may not be present, may be seen as a "blowing
coat"
d. Ears - pulling back against head
e. Mouth - lips pulled back, may be growling or snarling, often see excessive panting, lip licking,
chewing, yawning
f. Eyes - vigilant with pupils dilated, eyebrows furrowed, scanning/darting eyes, "whale eye"
4. Signs of an offensively threatening dog
a. Body posture - "hard and stiff," muscles tensed, weight forward, may be very still
b. Tail - carried high, often wagging slowly and methodically
c. Piloerection - usually present
d. Ears - erect and forward, little movement
e. Mouth - top lip pulled up, baring front teeth only, growling, snapping, barking
f. Eyes - hard stare, wide open or squinted/hooded, eyebrows tensed, pupils dilated
g. Be aware that the offensively threatening dog could exhibit all of these behaviors and still be
quiet and still; be aware that quiet dogs can still attack
OPTIONS FOR HANDLING A THREAT FROM A COMPANION ANIMAL - ANS-1. Distractions
and escape options
a. If a dog encounter turns threatening, determine if any distractions are available (e.g., ball or
stick lying on the ground, dog treat)
b. If your vehicle is close by and you have distracted the dog, consider slowly backing up toward
protection or get in your vehicle
c. If you are not able to get to your vehicle, determine if there is something in your surroundings
that you can put between you and the dog
(1) Garbage can (2) Garbage can lid (3) Clipboard
(4) Chair
2. Intermediate weapon options
ASPECTS
WAYSTOIMPROVEPUBLICPERCEPTIONBYPROPERLY EMPLOYING ASPECTS OF
PATROL - ANS-1. Exercise authority fairly
2. Be professional in appearance and attitude
3. Manage citizen contacts with the understanding that negative events can be handled in a
positive way
4. Temper the operational skills of patrol with the mindset, character, and service in the spirit of
what democratic policing promises its citizenry
WHAT IS PROACTIVE PATROL - ANS-PROACTIVE PATROL - working to prevent crime rather
than waiting for it to occur
1. The goal for many law enforcement agencies is to move away from incident-driven, reactive
policing, and move toward proactive policing
c. Officers should be conducting proactive patrol anytime they are not responding to calls for
service
2. Officers are encouraged to act on their own initiative and develop information about crime and
strategies for its suppression
OFFICER CONSIDERATIONS WHEN DISPATCHED TO A CRIME IN PROGRESS - ANS-a.
Urgency of the situation
b. Safety of any victim who may be under attack
c. Traffic conditions for other responding units
d. Agency policy and protocol, if applicable
e. Anyone and anything that appears to be out of the ordinary for the area
f. If possible, record or call out license plate numbers of the vehicles leaving the scene or driving
around the area
g. Unless necessary, arrive as quietly as possible
h. If possible, make your arrival using parallel streets to
avoid being seen by a look-out or the suspect
i. Do not park directly in front of the location unless absolutely necessary
WHAT ARE THE MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES WHEN RESPONDING TO A CRIME IN
PROGRESS - ANS-a. Respond to the incident in the most safe and tactically sound manner
b. Secure the scene
c. Preliminary investigation
WAYS TO MAINTAIN SITUATIONAL AWARENESS WHILE CONDUCTING SEARCHES -
ANS-a. Be conscious of and avoid normalcy bias that develops from taking multiple similar calls
that do not produce a threat
, b. Avoid locking your focus on any one thing at the expense of what is happening around you
c. If working alone, continually stop, look, and listen so you are aware of your environment
d. If working with others, have one person focused on the search and one focused on covering
the searching officer
ASSESSINGADOG'SBEHAVIOR - ANS-2. Signs of a relaxed dog
a. Body posture - relaxed, weight carried evenly, may
observe a play bow or body wiggle
b. Tail - relaxed and in neutral position, may be wagging
c. Ears - relaxed and in neutral position
d. Mouth - appears "soft," may be open, tongue hanging out, mouth may be closed with lips
relaxed over teeth
e. Eyes - "soft," relaxed, eyebrows neutral, normal pupil size, steady, relaxed gaze
3. Signs of a defensively threatening dog
a. Body posture - muscles tense, weight shifted back, low
to ground, may roll to expose belly, holding one paw up
b. Tail - stiff, usually tucked or low to the ground, may be wagging (slowly or rapidly)
c. Piloerection (i.e., goosebumps) - may or may not be present, may be seen as a "blowing
coat"
d. Ears - pulling back against head
e. Mouth - lips pulled back, may be growling or snarling, often see excessive panting, lip licking,
chewing, yawning
f. Eyes - vigilant with pupils dilated, eyebrows furrowed, scanning/darting eyes, "whale eye"
4. Signs of an offensively threatening dog
a. Body posture - "hard and stiff," muscles tensed, weight forward, may be very still
b. Tail - carried high, often wagging slowly and methodically
c. Piloerection - usually present
d. Ears - erect and forward, little movement
e. Mouth - top lip pulled up, baring front teeth only, growling, snapping, barking
f. Eyes - hard stare, wide open or squinted/hooded, eyebrows tensed, pupils dilated
g. Be aware that the offensively threatening dog could exhibit all of these behaviors and still be
quiet and still; be aware that quiet dogs can still attack
OPTIONS FOR HANDLING A THREAT FROM A COMPANION ANIMAL - ANS-1. Distractions
and escape options
a. If a dog encounter turns threatening, determine if any distractions are available (e.g., ball or
stick lying on the ground, dog treat)
b. If your vehicle is close by and you have distracted the dog, consider slowly backing up toward
protection or get in your vehicle
c. If you are not able to get to your vehicle, determine if there is something in your surroundings
that you can put between you and the dog
(1) Garbage can (2) Garbage can lid (3) Clipboard
(4) Chair
2. Intermediate weapon options
