Homicide Investigations

by Tabetha Cooper

Birmingham Homicides - Jan-Apr 2006 (Photo credit: Dystopos)

Criminal investigationis slightly different when dealing with homicide cases.  An investigator has extra steps to take during their investigation.  It also helps if an investigator knows how the body of a victim can provide evidence and what the importance of a modus operandi is when looking for the perpetratorof the homicide.  They also have to know about the different types of homicide and how each one is determined.  They need to be able to differentiate between a homicide and a suicide as well.

In any criminal investigation, according to both Osterburg & Ward (2007) and the Nationa

Modus operandi (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

l Medicolegal Review Panel (1999), an investigator must determine if a crime has been committed and what all is part of the crime scene.  After this has been determined, the crime scene needs to be sectioned off for the sake of its preservation.  Chain of custody needs to be established and then documentation, photographs, and a complete evaluation of the crime scene needs to be conducted.  After the scene has been evaluated everything determined to be evidence needs to be collected, inventoried, and preserved.  Any witnesses at the crime scene need to be interviewed.  All the investigative techniques for investigating any crime are the same but other measures need to be taken when dealing with a homicide.  When an investigator gets to the crime scene they need to make sure that the victim is indeed deceased.  After that has been determined, and with help from the medical examiner, the cause of death needs to be established if possible at the crime scene so that investigators can go ahead and look for the murder weapon.  The body needs to be photographed and all injuries need to be 

Skulls on a Beach: "Currents carry many dead things to Punuk Island making it the graveyard of the Bering Sea." (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

documented.  The victim needs to be identified in order to gather information to figure out a motive for their homicide and so that notification of death can be given to the family.

The first thing that an investigator needs to do when they go to a crime scene, where there is a death, is determine if the death was from natural causes, suicide, or a homicide.  A suicide is a death that a person has inflicted on themselves, whereas a homicide is a death inflicted by another person.  When a death is suspected to be suicide information on the victim needs to be gather that can point to that conclusion.  According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the leading causes of suicide are “depression, alcohol/substance abuse, or a major stressful event.”  In light of that information an investigator should look for a history or mental illness, a stressful event, or signs that the victim was using drugs or alcohol on a regular basis.  In a suicide the murder weapon or if it was a case of a drug over dose the bottle of medication or drug paraphernalia should be close to the body. 

            If all signs of the death points to homicide the investigator needs to determine which type of homicide it was.  There are two types, murder which is a premeditated unlawful taking of another’s life or manslaughter which is the unlawful taking of another’s life without the intent to cause death (Osterburg & Ward, 2007, p. 351).  For example, a woman finds out that her husband has been cheating on her with someone she knows.  She takes a knife from her home and enters the other woman’s home illegally and kills her, then disposes of her body in a shallow grave that she had dug earlier that day.  That would be classified as murder because the wife clearly planned to kill and dispose of the body of the other woman.  On the other hand, take a man walking home from work when a teenager decides to rob and beat him.  He sees a pipe lying beside the sidewalk and picks it up to help defend himself.  He swings the pipe in an attempt to get knock the teenager away from him and accidently hits him in the head, killing him.  That would be manslaughter because he never intended to kill the boy; he was just doing whatever he could to get the teenager to leave him alone

. 

US Army CID crime scene investigator (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

            When collecting evidence it is vital for the crime scene investigator to get details from the body of the victim.  The National Institute of Justice (2009), says that an examination of the body can give unbiased information about the “victim’s physical attributes, his/her relationship to the scene, and possible cause, manner, and circumstances of death.”  Examination of the body can also lead to the discovery of blood and other bodily fluids that can give investigators a DNA sample that can be compared to suspects, in hopes of making a positive identification of the perpetrator.  A medical examiner can determine if the body was relocated after death.  This lets investigators know if there is another crime scene that needs to be found and examined, which could give them additional leads.  If the information from the victim’s body can’t lead investigators to a suspect, it can help them to establish a modus operandi (a perpetrators particular means and method to commit a crime) and possibly link the homicide to others in and around the area.  Although, Douglas and Munn (1992) warns that too much stock should not be put into the modus operandi alone.  A criminal’s modus operandi may change over time as certain aspects of the crime don’t go the way it was planned or after the perpetrator has been caught.  They can change their methods to exclude the things that got them caught and include things that will make the crime easier to commit.  In the event that a modus operandi can link a homicide to another within another jurisdiction, it may be possible for departments to share information with each other that may assist with gaining leads.

            When an investigator can conduct an investigation with the proper techniques, know how to differentiate between a homicide and suicide, can recognize the evidentiary value of the body, and utilize the modus operandi, they are well on their way to becoming very successful. Knowing all the right investigative techniques for a murder does not ensure that an investigator will catch a murderer but following all the guidelines does make the prospect of catching the killer much more likely. 

References

Douglas, J.E & Munn, C.. (1992) FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, February 1992. Retrieved February 23,

2010, from http://www.criminalprofiling.ch/violent-crime.html

National Institute of Justice. (2009) A Guide to Death Scene Investigation: Documenting and Evaluating

The Body | National Institute of Justice. Retrieved February 23, 2010, from

 http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/topics/law-enforcement/crime-scene-guides/death-

investigation/document-body.htm

National Institute of Mental Health. (2009) NIMH · Suicide in the U.S.: Statistics and Prevention.

Retrieved February 23, 2010, from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/suicide-in-the-

us-statistics-and-prevention/index.shtml

National Medicolegal Review Panel. (1999) Death Investigation:  A guide for the Scene Investigator.

Retrieved February 23, 2010, from http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles/167568.pdf

Osterburg, J.W. & Ward, R.H. (2007) Criminal Investigation: A Method for Reconstructing         the Past (5^th Ed.) Newark, NJ. Mathew Bender & Company, Inc.

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Offense Issues

Tabetha Cooper

When investigating a homicide or rape there are certain techniques that need to be used and issues that need to be avoided.  An investigator needs to be aware of the proper techniques in each investigation process and the ethical issues involved.  In this paper the proper investigative techniques for 

Ethics and Technology (Photo credit: Center for the Study of Ethics at UVU)

homicide and rape along with the ethical issues, how to reduce the ethical problems, the problems that a prosecutor will face if an investigation isn’t handled ethically, and what ethical issues are directly related to the prosecutor will be discussed.

            As stated by Morris and Zuluaga (2006), in any crime the investigative process can be summed up in approximately five steps: interview, examination, photographing and sketching, processing, and interrogation.  The responding officer determines if a crime has been committed then he immediately sections off the crime scene, calls in the proper detectives, and separates then interviews victims, witnesses, and suspects if there are any present.  The responding investigators will re-interview any victims, witnesses, or suspects.  They then will go into the crime scene and make photographs, notes, and sketches of the entire scene and then examine everything.  The investigator then collects evidence and takes it to the proper chain of custody for processing.  From the information gathered at the crime scene through victims, witnesses, and evidence the investigator develops theories about what had happened and determines motive from each individual suspect.  Through interrogation the investigator will eliminate theories, motives, and suspects until the most likely scenario and person is all that is left.  The detective will then go to the prosecutor to see if there is sufficient evidence and information for a conviction and if so an arrest of the suspect is made.

http://openclipart.org/clipart/people/magnifying_glass_01.svg License: PublicDomain Keywords: people Author: AbiClipart Title: Magnifying Glass (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

            All the investigative techniques are the same in the event of a rape or homicide but further steps and care needs to be taken.  In a rape the investigator is responsible for transporting the victim to a hospital or an assault lab where physical evidencecan be collected.  No matter the age of the victim a councilor needs to be present during the second interview of the victim, but if the victim is a minor a child councilor is a definite must and a parent may also need to be present.  Other than those additions to the interview process no one else should be present, just like any other interview the less people present the more comfortable the victim is going to be when it comes to talking about the crime that has been committed against them.  Something else to note in a rape case is the inconsistency in statements does not necessarily mean that the victim is lying, when a person has been subjected to trauma of that extent, events can blur together, things can be hard to remember, or the sheer embarrassment brought on by the crime can keep a victim from telling the entire set of facts of the crime.  Also, the investigator should be one that is familiar with sex crimes and has experience interviewing those victims.  In a homicide the biggest different in investigative techniques is that the victim can’t verbally tell you what happen to them, but with a thorough medical examination of the body the victim may be able to tell you how everything happened.  As said by The National Institute of Justice (2009), an examination of the body can give unbiased information about the “victim’s physical attributes, his/her relationship to the scene, and possible cause, manner, and circumstances of death.”  Most of the information in regards to a suspect is going to come through interviewing family and friends of the victim.  In both a homicide and rape there is much more physical evidence that needs to be collected and processed.

National Institute of Justice logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

            There are ethical issues that need to be taken into account when it comes to an investigation.  Just as with other professions you do run across law enforcement personnel that aren’t the most truthful.  When an investigator is certain of which suspect perpetrated a crime but doesn’t have enough evidence to charge him/her with it things can be frustrating.  If a less than honest investigator is put in this situation there can be the temptation to fabricate or falsify evidence, not turn in information or evidence that may indicate a different suspect, or misrepresent themselves to the suspect in order to obtain incriminating evidence (www.cwu.edu).  All of these things are unethical and cause problems for the prosecutor in court proceedings.  Some of these unethical behaviors can be committed inadvertently from a very honest investigator as well.  Take not reporting information or evidence that may indicate another offender, for example.  The investigator may run across information or evidence that doesn’t seem important to the investigation and disregard it without taking the necessary procedures to record and preserve it.  Another issue that may cause problems for the prosecutor would be the mishandling of evidence.  Whether it hadn’t been sent through the proper chain of custody or it was improperly stored, contamination becomes an issue.  This can become an issue at trial, and the evidence will then lose its integrity.  Just one unethical event can happen in the investigation of the case that can cause the entire investigation to be called into question.  An offender may get off because of this either at the initial trial or through a court of appeals.  

            There are other issues that can cause ethical dilemmas, such as, when an inexperienced investigator is sent to investigate a victim of a rape and doesn’t proceed with the necessary sensitivity that a rape victimneeds, improperly conducting the interview.  This could cause vital information to be lost because the victim just wants to be finished the interview.  There are also ethical issues when it comes to interrogating a suspect.  An investigator may intimidate a suspect into confessing to a crime that he/she may or may not have committed.  The investigator may put the suspect in conditions less than optimal or promise them thing such as a reduced sentence in order to obtain the confession.  The defense can bring these things up at trial, which will pose a problem for the prosecutor.  Once an investigator has fumbled an investigation in any form their integrity in future investigations and in past convictions can and most likely will be called into question.

Detectives at crime scenes (Photo credit: Boston Public Library)

            According to Morris and Zuluaga (2006), steps can be taken to eliminate the ethical problems that may arise through the course of an investigation.  After the victims, witnesses, and suspects (if applicable) have been identified and the facts of the case have been given an investigator should evaluate the situation for any moral or unethical problems that may become present in a case.  The principles that may be jeopardized and their necessity in the case should be clarified.  The investigator should evaluate possible ways to get around these problems or come up with a solution to the dilemma.  This should all be clearly noted in case it becomes an issue at trial, there will be proof that the situation was thought about and the best means to take care of the situation was executed. 

            When a person chooses to become an investigator, there are several things that need to be taken into account.  An investigators main goal is to solve the crime and get a perpetrator off the street.  There are several thing, if not handled properly, can keep this from happening.  Once proper investigative techniques have been learned then ethical situations need to be evaluated.  Now that certain situations have been listed, as well as how these things can affect the investigation, and then the prosecution of the suspect an investigator can use the steps mentioned to keep these from being an issue.    

References

Morris, E. & Zuluaga, C. (2006). Investigating Ethical Crimes.  International Journal of

 Education and Development using Information and Communication Technology

 (IJEDICT). Vol. 2, Issue 1, pp. 22-33.  Original Article @:  http://ijedict.dec.uwi.edu//viewarticle.php?id=116&layout=html

National Institute of Justice. (2009) A Guide to Death Scene Investigation: Documenting and

Evaluating the Body | National Institute of Justice. Retrieved February 23, 2010, from

 http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/topics/law-enforcement/crime-scene-guides/death-

investigation/document-body.htm

Osterburg, J.W. & Ward, R.H. (2007) Criminal Investigation: A Method for Reconstructing         the Past (5^th ed.) Newark, NJ. Mathew Bender & Company, Inc.

www.cwu.edu/~jefferis/PEHL557/phel557_ethics.html

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Today’s Investigative Special Report – December 3, 2012 Law Enforcements Specialized Investigations The Jovan Belcher Story and the World Law Enforcement Works In

By Lawrence W. Daly

Forensic Expert – Senior Author

The tragedy that took two young lives yesterday in Kansas City is not unlike the types of calls law enforcement officers have to deal with on a daily basis.  The stories are similar, the names are different, but in the end innocent lives are lost due to circumstances most people believe they would never be involved in.

English: Jovan Belcher, a player on the Kansas City Chiefs American football team. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There is no justified meaning for what Jovan Belcher did today, nor will the motive of why he took the life of his girlfriend, Kasandra M. Perkins and his own be public knowledge for some time to come.  There is always a history and motive to uncover the role of determining those facets of the matter will be the responsibility of law enforcement.  Therefore, until the detectives reconstruct what occurred in Kansas City it is important not to pass judgment but prayer for everyone who knew he and his girlfriend, Perkins, and their families.  Although in this article we will outline the possibilities of what may have occurred between Belcher and Perkins.

Law enforcement officers are training and educated from the first day they decide they want to become a law enforcement officer to begin the process of learning officer safety and how to work around all types’ violence acts.  Many officers are washed out in the field-training program because they can’t handle the destruction violence leaves in its path until it finds its finality.

It takes a special law enforcement officer to arrive at a domestic violence situation and upon approaching the residence where the incident is taking place and within seconds, not minutes, make a decision, which may cause someone their life, including the officer.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) 2011 statistics indicate that 72 officers were killed in the line of duty.  Of the 72 officers who were killed of these 72 felonious deaths, 19 officers were killed during ambushes and four died while responding to disturbance calls (one being a domestic disturbance).

These statistics tell us that officers are at risk at all times under any and all circumstances.  Let us examine and evaluate what the killings did not explain when it came to those officers who were assaulted.  The FBI stated the following:

English: The Seal of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation. For more information, see here. Español: El escudo del Buró Federal de Investigaciones (FBI). Para obtener más información, véase aquí (Inglés). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In 2011, 54,774 law enforcement officers were assaulted while performing their duties.  Of the officers assaulted, 26.6 percent suffered injuries.  The largest percentage of victim officers (33.3 percent) were assaulted while responding to disturbance calls.  Assailants used personal weapons (hands, fists, feet, etc.) in 79.9 percent of the incidents, firearms in 4.0 percent of incidents, and knives or other cutting instruments in 1.8 percent of the incidents.  Other types of dangerous weapons were used in 14.3 percent of assaults.

Definitely the statistics speak for themselves.  Imagine the number of officers assaulted, the number could be its own medium size city.  One officer killed or injured are one too many.  However, life has many twists and turns and people under stress, that most people can’t phantom or understand the illogical reactions of people who find themselves standing on a cliff with what they believe they have nowhere to go make astronomical decisions which have a severe consequences i.e. taking of their lives or others or both.

Research provides us much insight into the murder-suicide scenarios and the National Institute of Justice is one of the leading authorities in reference to why these tragedies happen.  They state:

Common characteristics of murder-suicide in families include:

·                   Prior history of domestic violence 

·                   Access to a gun 

·                   Threats, especially increased threats with increased specificity 

·              Prior history of poor mental health or substance abuse, especially alcohol

Previous history of abuse is by far the most dominant risk factor.  In one study, 82 percent of the men who killed their intimate partners were known to the authorities — treatment professionals, the military or the criminal justice system, for example 

In most cases, the man exhibits possessive, obsessive, and jealous behavior.  There is a gradual build-up of tensions and conflicts after which an event leads the man to act.  The triggering event is often the woman's announcement that she is leaving.

The time immediately after a woman leaves an abusive partner is the most dangerous

If the National Institute of Justice is correct in their ideology behind why they believe murder-suicides occur it is then important to evaluate what happened in the Jovan Belcher incident on Saturday, December 1, 2012.  The ideology allows us to focus on:

1.      It is apparent that Mr. Belcher had a weapon.

2.      It is unknown if there had been any types of previous discord between he and Perkins.

3.      Mr. Belcher was in excellent condition, a pro-football athlete, and had started 10 games as a linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs just this year.

4.      It is unknown if Belcher had any substance abuse issues and speculating about this aspect of his life would be unfair.

5.      It is unknown if there was any previous history of abuse which generally stems from a dominant personality which becomes a risk factor.

6.      It is unknown if Belcher was known by others, teammates, management, law enforcement or treatment professionals that he had any problems occurring in his life.  It is one thing to be a good guy with teammates, but he may have demonstrated a different personality outside the locker room.

7.      It is unknown if Belcher exhibited possessive, obsessive, and jealous behavior.

8.      It is unknown if there had been a gradual build-up of tensions and conflicts which may have lead to the ultimate act.

9.      It is unknown if Perkins who just had a child on September 11, 2012 was possibly leaving him.

As stated above law enforcement has the role and responsibility to gather 1-9 and come to a conclusion about what went wrong with Belcher.  Everyone who knew Belcher and Perkins will not want to air dirty laundry about two people who no longer are alive.  However the approach by law enforcement must be one of sensitivity, empathy, and consideration for time for grieving, but in the process obtain the necessary information to understand the clues, facts, and evidence.

English: A Picture of FBI SWAT officers. Origionally from http://buffalo.fbi.gov/specialty_programs.htm (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There should be a major concern for Perkin’s mother who watched Belcher kill her daughter as well as General Manager Scott Pioli and Head Coach Romeo Crennel from the Kansas City Chief organization who he thanked for giving him a chance.  All they did for him and then they watched as Belcher put the gun to his head, turn, and pulled the trigger.  Failing not to mention the many law enforcement officers who possibly observed the event from a distance would also need counseling.

Many years ago this author while investigating a Rape of a Child allegation traveled to the alleged perpetrator’s home to locate and apprehend him for raping his 10-year-old stepdaughter.  The perpetrator had just been released from a Texas prison for murder and told his wife that he would never go back to prison.  While the mother took a short nap this man raped his stepdaughter and in the process the mother woke to the screams and crying by her daughter.  The lady and her daughter fled their home and called police.  After performing interviews of the mother and daughter I went to their home to arrest the alleged perpetrator.  As I pulled up in front of his house he had just backed his vehicle up and as I pulled up into his driveway our eyes met.  He immediately took off and the chase was on.  After a short chase he pulled into a parking lot got out of his truck and shot himself in front of me.

police officer and motorcycle (Photo credit: Metropolitan Police)

This memory has never left me and I think of it often.  Therefore, when I write that Perkins mother, the two coaches, and law enforcement officers will have to deal with this tragedy.  It will take years and I mean many years to soften the visual of a man who takes his life in front of others.  Belcher may have had his reasons, but this author has this unsettling feeling that not only did Belcher take a life, he injured many more.  His teammates have spoken out about the hurt his actions have caused.  There is so many questions unanswered which may never be explained.  The pain will last forever and as time goes on the pain may lessen but the memory will never be forgotten.

Law enforcement officers may tell you that it is part of the job so see the dark side of life and most will tell you they can deal with it.  The questioned asked often of officers is what is it you see when you close your eyes has major significance not only in law enforcement but soldiers who see death and violence over and over.

It is the hope and prayer of this author that everyone from law enforcement, to coaches, to players, to family and friends that the Belcher incident will be a learning situation for all.  Until then my prayers are with all of those involved.  It is a sad time for everyone and it is important that everyone be supportive of those who are hurting and questioning why.

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Today’s Investigative Special Report – October 19, 2012 “Dealing With Today’s Law Enforcement Specialized Investigations” “Are There More Physical Assaults and Deaths of Police Officers by Perpetrators”

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial (Photo credit: afagen)

By Lawrence W. Daly

Forensic Expert Senior Author

Every day law enforcement officers put their lives on the line and during their daily tour may be presented with situations which surround violent perpetrators who have little to no respect or regards for the officer and his safety. This places the officer in a precarious situation as if there is no fear or sense of a threat by the perpetrator for the officer, than it is more than likely there will be a physical altercation.

The officer safety tools which have become a part of today’s officer equipment e.g. Tasers, specialized batons, and etc. are of great assistance when attempting to affect an arrest of the aggressor. The level of force an officer can utilize in any given physical confrontation depends upon the perpetrator’s physical presentation.

Most law enforcement agencies have what they call a pyramid of force. The pyramid provides a guide for the officer in how he should respond under specific situations of potential violence or violence. The pyramid is generally based on what the use of force is under the State statues.

In researching the level of injuries law enforcement officers have endured, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (LEOMF) states that the averages over the last decade:

1.      164 deaths per year

2.      58,509 assaults per year

3.      15,833 injuries per year

There are more than a million sworn law enforcement officers now serving in the United States. In the gender category the male population is 88 percent, where the female population is 12 percent. Historically, since 1791, there have been over 19,000 law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. Currently, there are 19,660 names engraved on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, this according to LEOMF (2012).

The National Institute of Justice (2012) provides a break-down of the types of injuries and deaths in which law enforcement officers are a part of. They are:

Reason for fatalities:

SC Law Enforcement Officers memorial (Photo credit: Akhenaton06)

1.      45 percent of the line-of-duty fatality cases are caused by assault or violence

2.      31.5 percent are attributed to vehicle accidents.

3.      4 percent to aircraft accidents

4.      9 percent to being struck by a vehicle

5.      2 percent to a fall or jumping

6.      7 percent to physical stress and overexertion

7.      2.5 percent to other causes

Reason for injuries:

1.      27 percent of the line-of-duty injury cases are caused by assault or violence.

2.      16.5 percent are attributed to vehicle accidents

3.      0.5 percent to being struck by a vehicle

4.      19 percent to a fall or jumping

5.      24.5 percent to physical stress and overexertion

6.      2 percent to fire and hazardous substances exposure

7.      9.5 percent to being struck by or contact with an object

8.      2.4 percent to other causes

It is apparent that in combining the statistics of reasons for fatalities and injuries is 72 percent of law enforcement officers are victims to assaults or violence. This is significant as this should provide law enforcement agencies with the need for training and education dealing with assaults and violence.

The training and education that law enforcement officers receive in the area of domestic violence or potential violent has increased over the years, beginning at the police academy, field training programs, and advanced training workshops. Generally, officers deal with domestic violence or potential violence situations on their daily tour. Therefore, the experience they receive on the job is extensive. This provides the officer with the ability to quickly surmise what is occurring in a call for assistance to a possible domestic violence or possible violent situation.

One of the problems which occur when the officer deals with these types of situations is they become so routine, the officer may reduce the intensity of their response in how they will approach the situation. The officer must never ‘let his guard’ down in any domestic violence or potential violent situations. The statistics speak for themselves and the officer must accept responsibility and accountability for their reaction to these situations.

State laws have been created to deal with how a law enforcement officer will handle a domestic violence complaint. In the State of Washington law enforcement officers handling a domestic violence complaint are mandated to arrest the aggressor. If the officer can’t determine who was the aggressor the officer ‘must’ arrest one or both. The officer must conduct a complete and thorough investigation when at the alleged crime scene, usually in a short period of time.

English: National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund Candlelight Vigil (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Generally, there are children involved when the officer’s respond to a domestic violence situation. The officer must determine if not arresting one or both of the combatants would be a safety issue for the children. Children should never be left unprotected by individuals who have been a combatant in a domestic violence situation.

There are multiple resources for battered men and women who are victims of domestic violence. It is shocking and confusing to the community when a woman is arrested in a domestic violence situation. Unfortunately, this happens more often than the community is made aware.

The above statistics doesn’t address if alcohol and drugs were involved in the officer being injured or killed while responding to the domestic violence or potential violent situation. What is important is to understand that the aggressor in a violent situation may be suffering from a multitude of physical, mental, and emotional situations which has caused them to act out.

Some researchers have documented that some of the attributing aspects of the domestic violence is due to a chemical imbalance, personality disorder, alcohol and drug use, post-traumatic stress disorders, poor impulse control, intermittent explosive disorder, and poor anger management. These attributes never excuse another person injuring or killing another human beings.

Sometimes the aggressor will turn his aggressiveness towards the law enforcement officer. It is important the officer takes every precaution to protect himself from becoming a victim.  It is unfortunate when an officer attempts to deal with domestic violence or potential violent situation without assistance of another officer(s). Approaching a potential combative situation should always be approached by two officers or more.

When you examine the amount of injuries and deaths which law enforcement officers are exposed to, there needs to be continual education and training for law enforcement officials so there may be a new method and technique which may reduce the aggressor from becoming violent towards the officer.

The State laws which have assisted law enforcement officers in apprehending and making violent perpetrators responsible for their actions has reduced some of the officers from becoming a victim. Violence is a part of society’s reactions to situations and it is necessary and reasonable that law enforcement continue finding new tools to minimize officers from being injured or killed. 

                       Lawrence W. Daly

www.onedaly.com

206-650-0229

onedaly@onedaly.com

Kent, WA

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