Burglars. They force their way into your homes and take your stuff. And, if that’s not bad enough, they place their grubby, sweaty, unwashed hands on your most personal and private items while searching for your valuables. That’s right, those filthy paws touch your unmentionables. Oh, and they touch the food in your refrigerators and pantries. Yeah, YUCK!

Picture this. You’ve just come home after a fun night of dining, dancing, and a bit of karaoke over at Dolly’s House of Pancakes and Mud Wrestling Emporium. You park the car and walk up the front steps and see that someone kicked in the door (the huge footprint next to the broken knob was a clue).

Once inside, you immediately realized that it was a thief who’d broken in. You know this because they stole your most precious belongings (another clue). You also realized how incredibly stupid it was to enter the place without first knowing if the bad guy was still inside, or not.

Yes, yes, you know. Your mother told you to always call the police and wait for them to arrive. But curiosity, the same thing that always, without fail, kills cats, pushed you across the splintered threshold.

Why, you ask yourself, did the crook target your house and not the homes of your neighbors? So, again with the curiosity, you explore the yards and houses of your nearby friends and enemies. Hmm … the Johnsons have a really big dog that barks at anything and everything. The Petersons have an alarm system. The Smiths have bars on their windows and doors. And the Joneses … They have a moat, alligators, and gun turret positioned at the top of a guard tower that’s manned 24/7. Oh, and there’s a fully tricked-out tank parked in the driveway.

Therefore, compared to your neighbors you’re a sitting duck. An open invitation to all bad guys. Your lack of, well, any sort of anti-burglar protection is a welcome mat.

So what is it that burglars look for when deciding which homes to enter and which to steer clear of? And, which deterrents actually work to keep them away?

The “likes.”

• Open doors or windows – These are THE ultimate invitations to bad guys. LOCK your doors and windows! When thieves do force their way inside, they prefer to kick in a door over breaking windows. Their reasoning is that one loud BANG is less likely to attract attention over the sound of breaking glass.
• Preferred time to break in – Between midday (just after) and 2 p. m. is ideal for many thieves. This is the time when people have finished lunch and returned to work, and it’s prior to the time when kids arrive home from school. However, nearly all professional crooks prefer to knock or ring the bell first to see if anyone is at home. Then, if someone does come to the door they’ll explain away the intrusion by stating they’re looking for a lost dog, pretend to conduct a survey, etc. Be very suspicious of those types of unexpected visits from strangers.
• Some burglars conduct surveillance on homes prior to going in. They love to see that you have a fixed routine. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you do NOT maintain a daily standard. Switch things from time-to-time. This includes hiding a key somewhere on the outside when you leave. If a bad guy is watching when you slip the key beneath the rock, you’ve just provided easy access. Sometimes leave for work earlier, or later. Take a different route home. And do not allow anyone to see where you hide a key. In fact, use a secure lockbox if you must hide a key outside the home.
• Homes with overgrown bushes and shrubs. These provide excellent cover for thieves.
• Houses set apart from other houses. Lots of area between the two.
• Cheap doors that are easily broken.
• Older windows that are easily opened.
• Prime target – Nice home with lots of blind spots around the outside.

Favorite items to steal?

• Electronics
• Jewelry
• Cash
• Credit cards
• Guns. An NRA sticker, flag, etc. posted anywhere is a sign that guns are inside, somewhere. The same is true for mail received. Gun magazines and mail from gun organizations and groups is a good indication that firearms can be found inside the home. Remember, bad guys do conduct surveillance. Always use a gun safe to protect against theft, and to prevent firearms from getting into the hands of anyone who shouldn’t possess or touch them.

Where inside the home do thieves search when looking for valuables?

• The #1 location is the master bedroom. Next comes … everywhere, from the freezer to the toilet tank and everywhere between. They’ll turn over beds and empty out drawers. Whatever it takes to find the goodies. But, they do it quickly … in a period of just a few minutes. In and out!

What is it that causes burglars to think twice about breaking into a home?

• Large, barking dogs. Many incarcerated thieves say a big snarling K-9 tops the list of theft deterrents.
• Bars on windows and doors. Not worth the effort, many crooks say. Small dogs are nothing more than a minor annoyance to most bad guys, and many won’t hesitate to harm the animal to silence them.
• Vehicles in the driveway. Many bad guys say they will avoid a home if they see a car in the driveway. Unless, of course, they’v conducted surveillance and the car doesn’t move for weeks at a time.
• Radio and TV noise coming from inside. Most crooks will not go into a house if they hear these sounds, especially when combined with lights on.
• Lights on. This one receives mixed reviews. Some bad guys say the combination of lights on with blinds closed is sign that no one is at home, especially if the porch light is also on.
• Alarm systems. Not a big deal to many crooks. Those who don’t mind say they can get in and out before police can respond. Some even say they’re able to disarm most systems with very little effort.
• Cameras. Sure, they’re an obstacle, but they’re also a sign that valuables are inside.

Okay, there you have it. So put your concerns aside and go out tonight and enjoy your night on the town. First, though, don’t forget to leave on the lights, TV, and radio, and a car in the driveway. Be sure your Rottweiler is on duty and that you’ve trimmed the shrubbery, told your neighbors you’ll be out, notified the police to patrol your neighborhood, replaced the front door you purchased at Walmart last year, nailed all windows shut, and whatever you do, remove the “I LOVE and Collect AR-15s” sign from the yard. Then, just before heading out the door, hide your valuables in the secret basement safe that’s hidden behind seven layers of brick and stone. Now you’re all set.

Oh, please stop posting on Facebook that you’ll out of town, or out for a night of drinking, and that your house is empty and the dog is at the vet for a series of 10 breast reduction surgeries, and your alarm system is broken and that you hope no one sees the post because you accidentally left a zillion dollars in cash on the kitchen table.

So, enjoy your night out. I heard it’s two-for-one drink night at Dolly’s House of Pancakes and Mud Wrestling Emporium!

 

INTERPOL was established in the very early 1900s. The organization’s vision was to connect police from around the world, to help them work together to make the world a safer place.

What is INTERPOL?

The International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) is the world’s largest police organization (190 member-countries). The mission: Preventing and fighting crime through enhanced cooperation and innovation on police and security matters.

How does INTERPOL make all this happen?

• INTERPOL provides training
• analyzes information and investigative support
• conducts operations
• maintains and provides data and secure communications channels

Of course, there’s more to it than the list above, but it is one point from the list that we’ll address in this article—data and communications and how they relate to the title of this piece, “INTERPOL: Federated Searches.”

Before we dig in, though, first imagine that you’re a deputy sheriff who’s working alone in an area of the county far away from the nearest town. Your closest backup is on a call and thirty minutes away, and that’s if she could drop what she was doing to immediately rush to your aid.

You see a car driven erratically (all over the road, from lane to lane and sometimes from shoulder to shoulder). So you activate your emergency equipment (that’s lights and siren, in case you didn’t know) to initiate a traffic stop.

Once you approach the driver’s window you notice three small children in the rear seat area. After a bit of investigation you learn that neither child is of the same ethnic background and neither are of the same race as the quite nervous driver, a man who’s forged license identifies him as a man named Tommy P. Terrorism. (You later learned the P. stands for Pedophile).

Fortunately, forward-thinking leaders in the deputy’s state decided to join the list of federated states, locations that have instant access, through INTERPOL, to a worldwide database of known, dangerous criminals. A quick check, much like the standard NCIC check conducted by officers across the U.S. (a check for wants and warrants, etc.), and our deputy discovers the driver of the car is wanted in a member country for the murder of 87 police officers. A “hit” from another country indicates the driver is also wanted for the abduction of small children. And, the guy is a known terrorist who’s wanted for the bombing of a school in his home country.

Without access to this database, the officer would need to detain the driver for a very long time, probably more than is constitutionally permitted, to investigate his suspicions. And that’s if anything at all could be learned without access to the international database. More often than not, officers have absolutely no way of knowing if the person they’ve encountered is wanted in another country. This database is VITAL to protecting the officers on the street, us, and our loved ones.

To help separate the various levels of danger and/or severity of crime and other information, INTERPOL maintains a color-coded system of alerts, a series of “wanted posters.” This is the information that’s distributed worldwide.

Keep in mind, these notices (red, for example) are not a formal authorization to apprehend someone. In the U.S., we need a formal arrest document and even then it must be vetted by the Department of Justice prior to the arrest.

This database also includes the records of stolen vehicles and equipment (over 7 million), stolen and lost passports, proof of identity documents, visa, etc. (nearly 60 million), and even information about firearms used in commission of crimes.

Now we see how important federated searches can be. A quick call on the radio to is all it takes. The dispatcher will then send the request for information to one of the sharing systems, such as the NCB (see below).

One quick call could save the life of those little kids in the backseat of Tommy Terrorism’s car. And, that same radio call could be the one thing that saves the deputy’s life out there on that dark and deserted country road.

Member States

Now lets take a look at the member states. All 50 were eager to join this extremely important service, right?

Not even close.

The actual number is somewhere south of 15 U.S. states having federated status (Nebraska joined in January, 2017). Ironically, federated states report a far greater number of suspects they’ve implicated in major terror plots.

Again, the process is simple. Officers run a check on a person and the nearly instant results show either the person is wanted for something, or not. This is the same type of result that officers see each time they run a check on someone using U.S. databases. No secrets. Nothing nefarious or ominous.

A few states (less than 10) already have the necessary preparations in place, but still have not signed on. The remaining states (over half) have made no move toward becoming a federated state.

This is NOT part of the immigration controversy. Has nothing to do with it. NOTHING. Federated searches are strictly and totally about international criminals, and it’s been in place for a very long time.

Actually, the first INTERPOL “database,” was established is 1927. Introduced a year earlier, the National Central Bureau (NCB) stated that each country should form its own main point of contact for international inquiries. In the U.S., that point of contact is located in Washington D.C. (INTERPOL Washington, the United States National Central Bureau). The Washington Bureau is jointly managed by Homeland Security and the Justice Department.

Divisions of the Washington Bureau include, Drug Crimes, Economic Crimes, Fugitive and Alien, Counterterrorism, Human Trafficking, Violent Crimes, and more.

INTERPOL Facts

• INTERPOL does not employ law enforcement officers.
• INTERPOL uses four official languages to communicate with member countries—English, French, Spanish and Arabic.
• INTERPOL does NOT contact private citizens. Any contact will be made via local law enforcement. If you are contacted by someone who says they’re an INTERPOL officer, well, that statement would be false. Call your local police to let them know.

 

Knife Attacks

Recently, I had the pleasure of presenting a fun workshop to the San Francisco Area Romance Writers, and sometime during the workshop someone asked about the 21-foot rule. They inquired because they were curious to know if what they’d heard—that it is nearly impossible to … well, read on. You’ll see why she asked.

So, here we go … Confusion at the very onset.

Edged Weapon/Knife Attacks: The 21- 30-foot Rule Suggestion

Police officers are forced to make many split second decisions during the course of their careers, and one of those decisions is when to use force, and which level of force should be employed, if needed.

Should a Taser be used when a combative suspect is holding a knife? Should the officer go for her firearm if the suspect is swinging a baseball bat at her head? Is an officer ever justified to shoot an unarmed suspect? Are there situations when officers must retreat? All these decisions are made within one-half to three-quarters of a second. That’s about how long it takes the average human to react to a given situation.

Let’s first examine the scenario pictured above. Here, an officer stands facing a knife-wielding suspect who clearly presents a danger. The bad guy is holding an edged weapon (a knife) in the classic “ice pick” position. Years ago officers were taught that a suspect could be shot, and justifiably so, if he were wielding a knife in a threatening manner while positioned within a distance of twenty-one feet (the 21-foot rule), or less, from the officer. The reasoning was that the suspect was without a doubt an immediate, deadly threat.

Reactionary Gap

Officers were also taught that they’d not likely survive this scenario without using deadly force. The fact is, it’s doubtful that an officer could draw his weapon and squeeze off a round, without aiming, if a suspect began his charge from a distance of twenty-one feet or less. Many agencies and officer survival instructors (I taught this at the academy) have pushed that distance back even further, to 30 feet. This distance plus the time is takes the officer to decide a course of action is called the “reactionary gap.”

The reason for the increased distance is because not every scenario is identical. Not every officer reacts in precisely the same manner. People perceive things differently. Some suspects are faster than others. The list goes on and on and on. Twenty-one feet is not enough distance in many instances.

Suppose the officer properly assessed the incoming threat and managed to draw his weapon and fire. How long would it take to think about and perform those two basic tasks (draw and fire)? Inquiring minds wanted to know so they conducted a series of experiments.

The fastest officer tested was able to draw his weapon from a security holster in a little under 1.5 seconds. The slowest was a about 2.25 seconds. Sounds pretty fast, huh? Maybe not, and here’s the why not.

The average suspect can cover the distance (21 feet as seen above) from a standing still position to the officer in as little as 1.5 seconds, nearly a full second quicker than the slowest officer is able to defend himself.

Today officers must rethink the twenty-one foot rule a bit. Sure, the thug (a universal term for a “bad guy”) is potentially a deadly threat, but not an actual deadly threat until he makes some sort of hostile movement toward the officer. In other words, the 21 foot (or 30) distance is not automatic permission to shoot. There MUST BE a THREAT!!

Of course the officer should have his firearm in a ready position as soon as he perceives the threat. By the way, this is definitely a situation where the officer should always choose his firearm over a non-lethal weapon, such as a Taser or pepper spray. Remember the the old saying, “Never bring a knife to a gunfight?” Now there’s a new addition to that rule—“Never bring a Taser to a knife fight.”

The key to knowing when it’s time to shoot is simple. If the officer feels that his life, or the life of an innocent person, is at risk, then the shoot is justified. However, the officer must be prepared to articulate his reasons for pulling the trigger. Was the suspect making stabbing motions while advancing?  Was he charging the officer? Was his/her or the life of someone else in jeopardy? Was there a threat of serious bodily harm?

There are reasons, too, that may not justify the shoot, such as the suspect being so intoxicated that he couldn’t possibly have followed through with the threat. In short, the threat must be real, or at least perceived as being real in the eyes of the officer.

The officer must also be able to recognize when a threat is over. If the suspect drops his weapon, the justification for deadly force ends immediately. The same is true when a suspect uses an automobile as a weapon. When a driver uses his car to charge an officer, the officer may shoot to stop the threat. However, when the car speeds past the officer, heading into the sunset, the threat is over. In most circumstances the officer may not shoot at the fleeing car. Where would those rounds go? Besides, bullets won’t stop a moving car. Suppose the driver is shot? What happens to a driverless car that’s careening down a busy street at 50 mph?

When any suspect points a firearm of any type at an officer, deadly force is immediately justified.

 

 

In situations like the one pictured here, it’s not uncommon for officers to hesitate briefly before using deadly force to stop the threat. Why? Interestingly, officers sometimes perceive women and children as being less of a threat than a male suspect. That’s why simulated firearms training sessions, like the ones we use at the Writers’ Police Academy, use both women and children in the shoot/don’t shoot scenarios.

The woman in the picture above is very much a deadly threat, therefore, the officer is justified in using deadly force.

Interestingly, but not surprising, a couple of people at the RWA session last weekend said the woman in the photo above was in no way a threat to the officer. Of course, I immediately asked why they felt she wasn’t a threat. My favorite response was, “Because she’s wearing sandals.” Another was, “He’s bigger than she is.” And, “She’s a woman. He should be able to handle this without shooting.” These responses are fairly typically among citizens (and writers) who’ve never been involved in a deadly encounter like those police see on a regular basis.

No doubt about it. This IS a deadly force situation. The small, sandal-wearing woman is very much a threat to the officer.

The 21- (or 30) foot rule is not actually a rule. Instead, it is merely a guideline officers use when determining the outer edge of the reactionary gap.

Obviously, officers do not pull out a tape measure to examine distances during a dangerous and deadly situation.

However, they should practice the drill over and and over again until they’re comfortable with how and when they should react and to learn which method works best for them. Retreat is certainly an option to consider if the officer feels that’s the best move at the time.

The big takeaway from this piece is that officers are legally permitted to use deadly force whenever they feel their lives or the lives of others are in jeopardy. And, that the courts have ruled that we, as ordinary citizens who were not at the scene of an officer-involved shooting, may not second-guess how the officer perceived the threat(s) they faced at the precise moment deadly force was used. That’s it in a nutshell.

Let’s see how well you do with a short true or false quiz. The answers are posted at the end.

True or False

1. There are constitutional limits on the types of weapons and tactics officers can use on the street.

2. An officer’s intent and state of mind at the time she used force can be an important factor in determining if that use of force was legal.

3. An officer must always retreat before using deadly force.

4. Officers MUST see a suspect’s weapon before using deadly force.

5. Officers must always use the least amount of force possible to gain control of a suspect.

6. Officers may shoot a fleeing felon.

7. Officers may not use force when conducting a pat down (Terry stop) search for weapons.

8. Information discovered after using force can be a factor in determining the legality of the force used.

9. Courts and juries are allowed to evaluate an officer’s use of force by considering what the officer could have done differently.

10. An officer’s prior use of force incidents can be considered in court when evaluating whether the use of force in a current situation was legally justified.

Quiz Source – Circuit Court Judge Emory Pitt, Jr. and Americans for Effective Law Enforcement

Answers 1F, 2F, 3F, 4F, 5F, 6T, 7F, 8F, 9F, 10F

*By the way, police officers are not taught to kill anyone. Not ever. Instead, they’re taught to stop a threat to life. And, it’s not always a firearm or edged weapon that threatens human life. Victims, including armed police officers, have been beaten to death by suspects using no more than their bare hands.

Pictures from the San Francisco Area Romance Writers Workshop

Scenes from the RWA meeting last weekend in Emeryville, Ca., across the bridge from San Francisco.

The Q&A portion of the program was quite energetic. Actually, this was the exciting scene at the time we gave away a free registration to the Writers’ Police Academy.

Speaking of the WPA, Peggy (Margaret) Lucke decided to show off her WPA attire.

Book translator Jeannette Bauroth and her husband, Mike, stopped in all the way from Germany! By the way, Mike is the guy who goes to the homes of the recently convicted (of certain crimes) to confiscate their firearms.

L-R, Denene Lofland, Jeannette Bauroth, Mike Bauroth

And this …