TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Tampa Police Getting Refresher Course In Traffic Stops

ADVERTISEMENT

By VALERIE KALFRIN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 16, 2008

TAMPA - TAMPA - I flick on the blue and red flashing overhead lights of a Tampa police car at the intersection of Alert Avenue and Careful Way.

In front of me is a blue Ford Taurus SE with two men inside – police officers ready to act out a traffic stop to gauge how I react in their shoes. I've been told I've just pulled them over and need to ask the driver for his license.

I don't get the chance. As I step out of the patrol car, the Ford's driver opens his door and stands up with a silver pistol in his hand, hanging by his side.

Traffic stops are a leading reason officers die in the line of duty, according to FBI statistics and police. There were 186 law enforcement officers killed nationwide last year – a level not recorded since the 1980s – largely due to traffic stops, these statistics show.

Since 2002, four officers in the Bay area have been shot and wounded at traffic stops, including Tampa police Officer James Wilkinson in 2006, Tribune research shows. That same year, Polk County Deputy Matt Williams and his police dog, DiOGi, were killed.

Because of this risk, the Tampa Police Department this year is refreshing officers' training in this area.
An average person typically comes into contact with police through a traffic stop. But what might seem like an annoyance to us is a "minefield" for officers, says Cpl. Jared Douds, an instructor at the Tampa Police Academy where my scenario takes place today.

"You don't know who you're dealing with. You're totally on edge as far as who's going to be in that car," Douds says. You're also in danger of being struck by a vehicle, he says.

To put the public into officers' shoes – and help them understand why officers might seem stern or commanding – police invited reporters to try their skills at these scenarios.

Douds and Officer Jay Reese act as the Ford's motorists. Each of us dons a black police windbreaker and a black plastic helmet with a face shield for safety and receives a modified training firearm – a Glock that fires ammunition filled with pink detergent.

The only gun I've fired has been in an arcade, so Reeves corrects how I wrap my hands around the weapon. With my first test shot, I jump.

A Fox 13 producer volunteers to be first. She barely steps out of the patrol car before Douds blasts at her with a shotgun. She jumps backward, fumbling to pull out her pistol.

"Way to start things out with a bang!" she says afterward.

Douds gives her another chance, this time springing out empty-handed. "Oh, what is this?" he says.
She whips out her gun immediately.

"You're gonna pull your gun on me?" Douds yells. "You want to see my license?"

He reaches toward his back pocket, and she fires. Douds drops, flinging out a harmless wallet.
Some of us get milder scenarios, like when Jeff Patterson, a colleague from News Channel 8, saunters up to the Ford. Douds, acting belligerent but unarmed, tosses his driver license out the window, forcing Jeff to keep his hand on the butt of the Glock as he crouches down to retrieve it.

At my turn, it takes a second to register that Douds has that gun in his hand. I can't think of what to do at first, because it's not pointed at me. I pull out the Glock and yell, "Stop right there! Get down on the ground!" like I've seen on television.

He ignores me. Reese gets out of the car, imploring Douds to drop the gun. Watching Douds, I'm afraid to look at Reese. Is he armed too?

Everything happened so fast, I left the door to the patrol car open. Douds steps around the door to get into the driver's seat.

I realize I'm standing in front of the car. If this were a real person, he could run me over. He's armed and hasn't been listening to my commands.

I fire. I hit the windshield, then Douds in the upper right shoulder. He collapses in pretend agony.
The instructors say this is a gray area officers face every day. They think my shooting could be justified.

"At least the patrol car is safe," Douds teases me.

Researcher Mike Messano contributed to this report. Reporter Valerie Kalfrin can be reached at (813) 259-7800 or vkalfrin@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT