Magazine.MarApril.2017.FINAL

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M A R 2 0 1 7 A P R
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By controlling the factors that peace officers can actually influence,
TPCA hopes to prevent avoidable deaths. Speed is seldom a useful factor for
determining the success of an apprehension, yet officers die every year when
driving to calls. Seat belts are mandated by state laws, yet officers are under
the mistaken impression that they are exempt. Vests save lives, yet they are
also hot and uncomfortable. And staying fit was something that only the
police academy required; surely it is not a professional expectation!
All of these beliefs exist in American law enforcement, and all of them
are costing us precious lives. We can and we must stop the dying by adopt-
ing the 4 Cornerstones. Peace officers are indeed VINCIBLE , and they are
reminded of that weekly through roll call.
ATTENTION TO ROLL CALL:
You are stopped at a red light in between multiple cars, to the front and back. An
armed threat suddenly appears in front of your unit and engages you. You cannot
drive out of the ambush. You need to return fire. Describe your tactics for firing
through the windshield, and when and whether you should exit your vehicle.
In most cases, an ambush is not likely a preventable occurrence, so
officers must possess tactical skills that were once reserved only for SWAT
teams. VINCIBLE, however, seeks to level the playing field by giving of-
ficers weekly training in roll call that will help mitigate injuries and deaths.
ROLL CALL CONTINUED:
The first priority is accurate return fire.
Your muzzle does not have to be pressed against the glass, contrary to myths.
The first round may be off because of the windshield deflection. Subsequent rounds
should be on target.
Shoot until he/she is no longer a threat.
Remember: duty rounds have no problems going through windshields, so don’t
hesitate to return fire before trying to exit your vehicle.
Get out and place your vehicle between you and the threat. Do not crowd your
cover. Back off your vehicle 4 to 6 feet.
Now work the SIM model (Security; Immediate Action Plan; Medical)
ROLL CALL ENDS.
VINCIBLE seeks to radically invade police culture in Texas. It is more
than a program, and it is more comprehensive than simple roll call training.
Invading police culture also requires artifacts, so the Committee developed
a unique challenge coin, t-shirts to be worn under body armor, dash decals
that depict the 4 Cornerstones, and posters that graphically demonstrate
what happens when the Cornerstones are compromised. Additionally,
Committee members have attended conferences throughout the State to
encourage city managers, city attorneys, risk managers, and elected leaders
to adopt the program. In collaboration with the Texas Municipal League
Intergovernmental Risk Pool, the Committee was allocated $25,000 to
purchase life kits that would be given to every participating department in
the State. Each kit would contain VINCIBLE artifacts, thus ensuring police
culture was being intentionally influenced.
Reducing officer deaths and injuries does not need to be a platitude. It
is an achievable goal, and in the State of Texas, a group remains committed
to just that. They call themselves VINCIBLE.
References
Texas Police Chiefs Association. Mission Statement. 2012. Retrieved from:
WEAR YOUR VEST | WEAR YOUR BELT
WATCH YOUR SPEED | STAY FIT