by California Casualty | Peace Officers |
When we started to ask Law Enforcement Officers to tell us about their heroes, we had a feeling the stories would be pretty spectacular. We see all the ‘bad news’ on the news; the mistakes seem to get all the press.
But what about the amazing, heroic things that Law Enforcement Officers are doing every day? The things they chalk up to ‘just doing the job’? These are the stories we wanted to hear- the ones we wanted to bring attention to-because they far out number all those ‘bad’ police stories.
So we asked. We asked, and you answered.
This month, our Nominate a Hero Law Enforcement finalist is San Diego SWAT Officer DeWitt. When I first received Officer DeWitt’s nomination–submitted by a fellow officer–I was shocked. I had to reread it several times to get an idea of what really went down in the incident described.
While I had to cut back the story to make it brief for our voting page, I truly feel like fellow law enforcement officers would enjoy reading the nomination in full. So I have attached it here for you to read.
Nomination of Officer DeWitt by fellow officer:
*Some changes have been made to eliminate personal details and full names.
On Tuesday September 25, 2012, San Diego County Sheriff’s Deputies were investigating a child molest case that occurred in Lakeside. Detective P. developed probable cause to arrest the suspect. He formed a team of deputies and responded to an apartment complex. The complex is located one block from where a High School which was in session. While attempting to make contact with the suspect in a second story apartment, he began shooting a high powered rifle at the deputies. Detective P. and Sergeant J. were hit by the gunfire. Detective P. was hit in the abdomen and shoulder area and went down in the doorway of the apartment. Sergeant J. was hit in the left forearm and with the assistance of Deputy S., moved into the neighboring apartment. Several deputies returned fire striking the suspect as they moved to cover. The suspect continued to fire at the deputies. He shot several rounds from different areas in the apartment toward deputies on perimeter positions.
As the incident occurred, off-duty San Diego Police GST/PRT Officer DeWitt was driving to work in his SWAT vehicle. He happened to enter the intersection when he observed two deputies with rifles near the apartment complex. He was unsure of what was happening and was asked to stop traffic from entering the intersection. Hearing gunshots, Officer DeWitt immediately donned his SWAT vest and armed himself with his rifle. He ran to the deputies and was quickly briefed as to the situation. The suspect continued shooting and a responding CHP officer was nearly struck as a rifle round whizzed by his head. Officer DeWitt was advised that Detective P. had been shot and was down, in the line of fire on the steps of the apartment complex as gunshots continued to be fired by the suspect. Officer DeWitt also learned that Sergeant J. had been shot and was still in harm’s way in an adjacent apartment. He believed that Detective P. needed to be rescued from the steps immediately before suffering additional gunshot wounds from the suspect. Officer DeWitt immediately assembled a team of deputies, giving direct tactical assignments. Officer DeWitt assigned a deputy to take the point as he took the right side position. The team moved up the stairway to Detective P., all the while continuing to take gunfire from the suspect. As they were approaching the downed detective, another deputy, who was covering the rescue team, was firing a shotgun at the suspect. The team reached Detective P. and began carrying him down the steps. Officer DeWitt knew they were tactically moving too slowly, placing the entire team at higher risk from the suspect’s gunfire, so he chose to sling his rifle in order to give full physical assistance in the carrying of Detective P. By doing so the team was able to rapidly retreat to a position of cover and concealment with Detective P. in order to render first aid and provide a safe area which responding paramedics could access him safely.
Officer DeWitt and the deputies rendered first aid with Officer DeWitt’s trauma kit. He used his compression bandages and gauze to apply direct pressure to Detective P.’ abdominal wound while Deputy A. applied pressure to the shoulder wound until a medic unit arrived a few minutes later. While they were caring for Detective P., a woman and two small children ran from the apartment complex in panic. Seeing they were in the suspect’s line of fire, Officer DeWitt left his position of safety, running to the woman and picking up her four year old child as the woman carried her infant. He quickly directed her to follow him as he carried the four year old across the street to a position of safety. While they were running, other deputies later stated that the suspect fired several rounds in their direction.
Officer DeWitt knew that the wounded Sergeant J. and Deputy S. were still in the apartment next to the suspect and still in danger. He quickly ran back to the complex. At that point the other deputies had formed a team to rescue Sergeant J. and Deputy S. Officer DeWitt joined the team and moved up the stairs. While they moved, the suspect was surrendering. The deputies began to isolate the suspect and take him into custody. Officer DeWitt and several deputies made their way up to Sergeant J. and Deputy S. Sergeant J. had a severe gunshot wound to his left forearm and was bleeding profusely. Sergeant J., though seriously wounded, still wanted to assist in the suspect’s apprehension. Officer DeWitt recognized the seriousness of his wound and quickly advised the Sergeant the suspect was being handled and they were going to get him to the medics. Detective P. was rushed into emergency surgery and has had several subsequent follow-up surgeries. He is expected to recover from his injuries. Sergeant J. suffered a gunshot which had entered through his forearm and lodged in his hip. He was also rushed into emergency surgery expected to recover from his injuries.
The incident was a rapidly progressive exchange of gunfire between law enforcement officers of the San Diego Sheriff’s Department and a felony suspect in San Diego County, one block from in session High School. The exact location was an apartment complex which Officer DeWitt had no prior experience with or knowledge of its entire layout. Officer DeWitt immediately recognized a critical incident unfolding as he drove into the area en route to work and quickly joined deputies to assist. He quickly learned of the downed officers and immediately mobilized a team to perform a rescue. His additional SWAT training provided sound tactical assessment, direction and implementation of the rescue. During the rescue of Detective P., Officer DeWitt placed himself at significant personal risk when he forewent his firearm in order to fully physically commit to the carrying of Detective P. This action significantly reduced the team’s time within the line of fire. While rendering first aid to Detective P., Officer DeWitt maintained observation of the area when he observed an innocent female bystander with two children fleeing from the complex but directly into the open area and in the line of fire from the suspect. Officer DeWitt disregarded his own safety and immediately ran to their aid, picking up one child and directing the female to follow him.
Due to the immediate response and heroic decisions made by Officer DeWitt and the deputies at the scene the wounded personnel were taken to safety, administered first aid and accessible to emergency medical responders which expedited their transport to the hospital. A doctor from the Trauma Unit stated that the first aid rendered at the scene was vital to Detective P.’s survival. He would have likely died from blood loss prior to his transport.
Officer DeWitt is commended for his immediate response to assist fellow law enforcement officers and heroic actions at the risk of his own life during this incident and for his dedication to the citizens of San Diego County.
Officer Dewitt after the incident
To vote for nominate a hero finalists, click here.
by California Casualty | Peace Officers |
This Guest Blog post is by CopsAlive editor John Marx. John is the featured article in our Law Enforcement Officers’ News Resource: The Blue Bulletin. To sign up to receive the Blue Bulletin in your inbox once a month, click here! Reprinted with permission from www.CopsAlive.com
The Problems with Police PTSD | A Guest Blog by John Marx of CopsAlive
Editor’s Note: This is a very important topic to law enforcement officers all around the world. Please leave your comments in the box below so we can start a dialogue on this very important issue.
We have a Police PTSD Crisis: “Take care of our own” vs. “Throwaway Cops”
We have a problem in our profession. It has to do with excessive stress caused by the job of law enforcement and, in its extreme form, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD. We all know that the stress from this job can be toxic and at times debilitating. What we don’t seem to believe is that it can happen to us, or someone we work with, because when it does, we don’t know what to do about it. We seem to have created a paradox, which is a contradiction or a situation that seems to defy logic or intuition.
The Police PTSD Paradox is created by the fact that we all know that stress can disable or incapacitate us on the job but when that happens to one of our own we defy logic and begin to shun them. Some agencies even do their best to throw those cops away because they feel like they are tainted or might create a liability. In many cases insurance programs don’t provide for the proper medical or mental health treatments, or enough treatment, and our medical leave programs seem wholly inadequate to respond to these situations. None of these categories seem to fit into a system for disability insurance and affected officers are left in limbo. It may just be an educational issue that we don’t fully understand the effects of stress or the causes of PTSD.
You see the crisis is not that police officers are getting PTSD, the crisis comes when agencies don’t know how to help an officer with PTSD and they treat them poorly or worse, throw them away.
I can’t count the number of calls and emails we have received at CopsAlive.com in the last six months from officers, or their family members, describing the way that officer stress is being handled by their agencies. Some stories are sad, some are tragic and some are down right despicable.
As a profession we need to develop an understanding that this job has toxic side effects and we need to first, armor ourselves against those effects and secondly, prepare ourselves and our agencies for dealing with them when they occur.
The U.S. Military is combating this same issue, perhaps in greater numbers, right now with many of the veterans that are returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
If you dig deeper the issue is not just with PTSD, which has a clear set of diagnostic criteria, but with the effects of other, less acute or, cumulative stress disorders. New criteria are due to be released in May 2013 with the new Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM5).
The point is that we don’t know what to do with officers who are suffering from the effects of stress brought on by their experiences on the job.
CopsAlive.com has many times reported on the “hidden dangers” of law enforcement to include alcoholism, prescription drug abuse, divorce, police officer suicide, heart disease, cancer, officer domestic violence, financial mismanagement by officers and other symptoms of people suffering from excessive stresses, burnout or even major depression. We now need to address how we will deal with the root causes of these symptoms: excessive stress.
We as a profession need to start talking about this issue and we need to come up with some solutions quickly as many, many of our comrades are falling by the wayside with these symptoms each and every day.
Please add your comments to the box below, or at www.CopsAlive.com, to join in this discussion online and if you would like to download a roll call discussion guide on the issue of what to do with a peer who is suffering from excessive stress caused by the job.
Click here to download our CopsAlive.com “Prescription for Stress Management” roll call discussion guide.
The Veterans Administration National Center for PTSD website is an excellent resource. Check the area labeled “Search PILOTS to find published articles: PILOTS (Published International Literature on Traumatic Stress) is the largest database of publications on PTSD.” There is also a box labeled “Where to get help for PTSD”. You can visit the VA site by clicking here.
We always encourage anyone experiencing severe or crisis symptoms to call the “Safe Call Now” Hotline for first responders at (206) 459-3020. You can also learn more about Safe Call Now by visiting their website.
We will help your agency create the kind of place that supports and protects officers so that they can do their jobs better, safer, longer and survive to tell their grandkids all about it.
CopsAlive is written to prompt discussions within our profession about the issues of law enforcement career survival. We invite you to share your opinions in the Comment Box that is at the bottom of this article.
CopsAlive.com was founded to provide information and strategies to help police officers successfully survive their careers. We help law enforcement officers and their agencies prepare for the risks that threaten their existence.
We do this by Helping Law Enforcement professionals plan for happy, healthy and successful lives on the job and beyond. We think the best strategy is for each officer to create a tactical plan for their own life and
The Law Enforcement Survival Institute (LESI) works with individuals and organizations to help them create and sustain success in their lives and careers as law enforcement professionals. It is the primary goal of The Law Enforcement Survival Institute to become the preeminent source for training, resources and information about how to create and sustain a happy, healthy and successful life and career while providing superior law enforcement service to your community.
At The Law Enforcement Survival Institute we train law enforcement officers to cope with stress and manage all the toxic effects and hidden dangers of a career in law enforcement.
We provide stress management and Tactical Wellness for police officers and other law enforcement professionals.
The Law Enforcement Survival Institute trains law enforcement officers to cope with stress and manage all the toxic effects and hidden dangers of a career in law enforcement.
Our “Armor Your Self™: How to Survive a Career in Law Enforcement” on-site training program is an eight hour, hands-on, “How to” seminar that helps police officers and other law enforcement professionals armor themselves physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually to survive their careers in police work. To learn more, click here.
The concept of “True Blue Valor™” is where one law enforcement officer has to muster the courage to confront a peer who is slipping both professionally and personally and endangering themselves, their peers and the public. It takes a system of organizational support and professional leadership to support and foster the concept of courage and intervention. We will train your trainers to deliver this program to your agency.
To learn more, click here.
Our “Armor Your Agency™: How to Create a Healthy and Supportive Law Enforcement Agency” Program includes critical strategies that you will need to build a system of support and encouragement for a healthy and productive agency. To learn more, click here.
_________________________________________________
About CopsAlive
CopsAlive.com was founded to provide information and strategies to help police officers successfully survive their careers. We help law enforcement officers and their agencies prepare for the risks that threaten their existence. We will help your agency create the kind of place that supports and protects officers so that they can do their jobs better, safer, longer and survive to tell their grand kids all about it. We think the best strategy is for every officer to create a tactical plan for his or her life and career. We call this Tactical Wellness planning.
The Law Enforcement Survival Institute (LESI) works with individuals and organizations to help them create and sustain success in their lives and careers as law enforcement professionals. It is the primary goal of The Law Enforcement Survival Institute to become the preeminent source for training, resources and information about how to create and sustain a happy, healthy and successful life and career while providing superior law enforcement service to your community.
John Marx, Founder of The Law Enforcement Survival Institute and the Editor of CopsAlive.com. Connect with him on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Our sincere Thanks to John Marx for sharing his immense insight and resources with us for this post.
by California Casualty | Nominate a Hero, Nurses |
Nurses save lives every single day. But here’s the thing about Nurses: They’ll tell you they’re just doing their jobs. Saving a patient in the ICU? Diligently nursing a premature baby to health? Brightening patients’ lives in nursing homes every single day? All in a day’s work. But when you ask them to describe their jobs, the stories start to come out. Nurses going above and beyond for their patients, working back-breaking hours to make a difference, juggling their own personal lives while still offering life-changing bedside care. These are the stories we wanted to hear. But most of the time, nurses are too humble to tell their own stories. So we started asking Nurses about their Nursing coworkers- their heroes. We were blown away by the responses.
Here are just a few of the Nursing heroes that we have spotlighted thus far in our Nominate a Hero program:
April Nurse Hero
Name: September S.
Profession: Registered Nurse
Nominated by: Johnnie S.
September is a registered nurse raising three children while her husband is deployed in Afghanistan. As her husband puts it, “If superwoman did exist on this planet, her alter ego is September.” Watch the video below to hear directly from him, in a video filmed while serving in Afghanistan, what makes this Nurse such a hero:
February Nurse Hero
Name: Jody W.
Profession: Registered Nurse (Home Health Nurse)
Nominated by: Stephen N.
In December 2011, Jody W. saved a complete stranger’s life. As a Nurse, this wasn’t really something new; saving lives is in the job description. But this time was different; this time Jody saved a man’s life by giving him her kidney. Growing up, Jody saw the struggle of kidney disease and the life-saving power of organ donation first hand. Her close family members battled kidney disease, and several were given a new lease on life through organ donations. In July 2011, Jody put herself on a donation transplant list as a non-directed donor. Not even 5 months later, she was cleared to donate and matched with a recipient. In December, moments before her surgery, Jody got to meet the recipient of her kidney and his family. He is now doing well and on December 8th, 2012, Jody and the recipient celebrated their 1-year transplant anniversary! Jody is also very dedicated to international health and has been on 13 mission trips in Central America. She says she plans to use any prize money from Nominate a Hero on her next trip to Honduras!
Jody, the recipient of her kidney, and their families on the day of the operation.
Jody and the recipient looking GREAT 6-months post-surgery!
December Nurse Hero
Name: Scott D.
Profession: Registered Nurse
Nominated by: Barbara S.
Described as an inspiration to all who know him, Scott is a Registered Nurse working as a home visitor with a hospice unit. Before going into nursing, Scott saved lives as a combat engineer & infantryman with the US Army, jump master, parachute trainer, rescue scuba diver and former Fire Chief. Scott also frequently volunteers to work with the homeless, buying them food and helping them find services and resources. He has also worked with the Veterans Association, attending military funerals and visiting homebound veterans. In his role as a hospice nurse, Scott often brings his beloved dogs with him on home visits. He even volunteered to adopt a veteran’s dog when the owner moved into an assisted living facility. Scott’s nominator, Barbara, describes him as ‘a true hero to his neighbors and friends’ who ‘has been there to help when no one else stepped up.’
Scott D. and his nominator, Barbara
by California Casualty | Firefighters |
This Guest Blog post is by blogger Michael Morse. Rescue Captain Morse, the blogger behind Rescuing Providence, is the featured article in our Firefighter & EMT News Resource: Flashpoint. To sign up to receive Flashpoint in your inbox once a month, click here!
Spring Cleaning
Everything she owned was in that house-everything she had ever owned. Nearly eighty years is a lot of time to acquire things, magazines stacked from floor to ceiling, boxes stacked on boxes, filled with things she owned. Furniture covered every inch of the three-bedroom place, mostly old, but a few new pieces scattered here and there. Most people consider their space in square feet, Mildred counted hers in cubic feet, and every inch needed to be filled.
The overflow spilled out of the entry door into the vestibule, where more “things” were stacked. From there, a path of stuff led to the driveway, where two mini-vans sat, idle for years, crammed with more things. One of the vans had a three cubic foot space where a driver might be able sit, if she crammed herself in, but visibility would be impossible, except perhaps for straight ahead. I don’t thing there has been much forward sight here, every inch of the premises reeked of life already lived.
She held on to the doorframe, digging her fingers into the greasy wood, refusing to leave. “I can’t leave my babies,” she said, frantic, panic setting into her eyes, eyes that had seen a lot, and had let go of little. Cats prowled through the clutter, seemingly everywhere, then nowhere, and then everywhere again. The stench making our eyes water and stomachs churn, bile rising in our throats as we tried to pry Mildred away from everything she had. Had ever had. There would be dead cats under her things, of that I was certain. The live ones didn’t have long to go either, and would be collected by Animal Control, quarantined, evaluated and most likely euthanised.
Then, Mildred’s things would be put into dumpsters by workers dressed in white de-con suits, with artificial respirators to keep the diseased air out of their lungs, the very air that I breathed into mine every second that we lingered in the doorway. I knew she was ill, and living in absolute squalor and disease, yet I simply could not drag her away from her world, the only one she understood, and take her to the hospital where she would be stripped, and showered, and given clean clothes, and put in a sterile room where air flow and empty space would suffocate her. Intelligence burned brightly in her vivid blue eyes, eyes as clear as my own, and I knew she was far from legally incompetent. She could not, and never would understand how these strangers entered her world and dragged her away, never to see it or her “babies” again.
“Mildred, we have to go. Your neighbors complained about all of the stuff and the cats. We have a court order that says we have to take you to the hospital for an evaluation before you can come back. It will only take a few hours.”
She looked me in the eye, and I saw defeat and resignation in hers.
“Promise I’ll be home again?” she begged, the loosened her grasp, letting go of the doorframe.
I gained her trust only to betray her. It was the only way to get her to leave without physically dragging her, kicking and screaming away from her home. The crowd grew, and the spectacle grew along with it, so I did my best to restore a sense of normalcy, and made promises that I knew were empty, and took her hand and led her away, past the nosy neighbors, some of whom shook their heads and tsk tsk’d as we marched past them. There were no goodbyes, no see you when you get back, no get well soons, just a little old lady holding a stranger’s hand and walking to an ambulance and into a new, frightening life.
A person needs space to grow, using past experiences as a guide while forging ahead. The weight of decades of living must be shed as the years progress lest the weight of our accumulations make moving forward impossible. We need to let go in order to flourish, make room for new things and experiences, and learn to give up what once held importance, but with time became nothing more than a burden. There is a lot to be said about starting fresh, and getting a new start. Every day is a new beginning, memories that we cherish, lessons we have learned, mistakes made and overcome all take their place in the forging of what that beginning will become. Mildred was lost in the accumulation of what was, never letting go, and never moving forward. We rode to the Emergency Room quietly, her on the stretcher, lost in a world of her own thoughts, me behind her, writing my report, and trying to be objective with my words.
I have faith in most of the people I work with, and the folks at Elderly Affairs do a remarkable job with the limited resources at their disposal, but I couldn’t lose the sinking feeling that Mildred would be lost in the shuffle, and the people who took her “case” would miss the connection to the woman who tried desperately to hold on to the only thing she knew. Perhaps it is better that they did not see the squalor, be immersed in the odors, see the poor little kitty cats as they scurried through the debris. Maybe they would see this as a fresh case, an opportunity to show a woman who needed their help how to let go, and start anew.
I certainly hope so.
I heard on the news that there were over forty cats in her home, which had been condemned and scheduled for demolition. Some of them were suitable for adoption.
I spent my days off cleaning my basement. It was time to let go of some things, and make room for something new.
________________________________________________________________
Captain Michael Morse is a Rescue Captain in the Providence Fire Department’s rescue unit and author of two books: “Rescuing Providence” and “Responding.” His blog was voted the winner of the 2012 CalCas Battle of the Blogs ‘Top Firefighter & EMT Blog.’ Cpt. Morses’s books & blog are great resources for EMTs and Firefighters- full of advice, news briefs, and day-to-day insider stories. To learn more about Captain Morse, check out our interview with him!
by California Casualty | Safety |
Whew. Here in Kansas City, we are preparing for our second round of serious winter storm conditions. Anywhere from 6-12 inches are expected in the next 24 hours. Similar conditions are sweeping across the Midwest. On top of large amounts of snow, this storm is bringing strong winds and a large threat of ‘white-out’ conditions. This is extremely dangerous for driving- if you end up off the road, it could be hard for authorities to spot and help you because of limited visibility and the high probability that your car’s tracks will be covered by snow.
If you live in any areas affected by this storm, please avoid ANY AND ALL unnecessary travel.
If for some reason, you must travel, please make sure you have the following items with you in your car and review these tips for how to stay safe and get help if you do become stranded…
What to have in your car:
- Materials to keep you warm: Blankets, a pillow, and warm clothing. Make sure to include a hat and gloves and extra socks! It is also wise to include a waterproof layer like a raincoat.
- Non-perishable food: Nuts, canned tuna, crackers, dry cereal, fruit cups, granola bars and WATER.
- A flashlight: Not only can this help you see, but it can also help you send signals and be seen in white-out conditions
- Extra batteries
- A pair of sturdy boots: In case you do need to leave the car for any reason- plus, they are very warm and waterproof. You may need them to stomp messages in the snow
- A whistle: In white-out conditions, it may be hard for authorities to see you and your car’s tracks may get covered in snow. Bring a whistle; if you can’t be seen, you can still be heard. If you can be heard, you can be rescued
- An orange or red flag: This flag will come in handy to signal to authorities that there is someone in the car in need of assistance
- Matches
- Any prescription medicine you need: Update your emergency kit to keep it current with your most needed (and non-expired!) medications
- A snow shovel
- Ice scraper
- Jumper cables
- Extra gas
- Fuses: There are several kinds- make sure you have the right ones for your car
- Basic tools: including pliers, screwdrivers, and an adjustable wrench. Also include electrical and duct tape.
- A fire extinguisher
- A knife
- Road flares: Another great way to make sure you are seen in white-out conditions
What’s the best way to avoid getting stranded? Staying off the roads in the first place. If you don’t have an important reason for driving, DON’T.
What to do if you are stranded in your car:
- If you have a cell phone, call for assistance and provide authorities with your location but try not to drain down the battery by using the phone for anything but contacting help!
- Do not panic
- Stay in the car
- Use the supplies you do have conservatively
- If it is daytime: place a red or orange flag on your antenna. If it is nighttime: leave your dome light on, only when the car is running
- Occasionally check your tailpipe to make sure it’s free of snow. Clean the pipe to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning when the engine is running
- Do some minor exercising inside the vehicle to keep up circulation
- If there is more than one person in the car, take turns sleeping. If you are alone, DO NOT sleep while the engine is running!!!
- When the snow stops, try stamping HELP signal in the snow beside your vehicle.
Stay warm and safe everyone!
