Friday, March 14, 2014

Prepare your family for off-duty encounters

Submitted by:

Aaron Weaver

While at my home, my wife and I were loading our two children in her vehicle when a large white male on a motorcycle stopped in the roadway in front of my house. I asked if he needed assistance with something, at which point the man became belligerent and began yelling obscenities. 

I then informed him he must have us mistaken for someone else and asked him to please leave. 

The man continued, so I motioned my wife away and she went to the porch — our kids remained in their car seats in her car. 

I at this point moved closer still remaining on my property and, was now telling him he needed to move along. I never let him know that I was a police officer — not yet anyway — and the man took this as a challenge and began to get off his motorcycle, telling me “YEA! I’ll move right along up to you!”

At this point my wife had retrieved my K-9, Ranger — a dual purpose GSD — and was now attempting to keep him restrained on the porch. I now informed the individual that I was a Police Officer and prepared for a tussle and moved onto the street to be on level ground. I also said that if he did indeed want a problem to move to the side of the road and I would assist him. 

He then jumped back to his bike and told me to “keep hiding behind my badge.”

I have never met or dealt with this individual — I live in a different area than where I work. The point of this is always be prepared for potentially dangerous encounters. Prepare your family.

I had never really sat down and prepared my family for this — we talked about it, but never set fourth a plan. 

I learned that it needs to be done.

Let your family know that after these incidents to always be on a look out head on a swivel if you will, neighbors too — especially if you have children. 

Always be vigilant: taking out the trash, checking the mail, watering the yard. 

Check vehicles to ensure no tampering has occurred. Obviously, inform your supervisors, and if possible, your brothers and sisters in blue patrolling the area in which you live. I am not saying all this as if you are unaware but sometimes it’s good to have a reminder. 

Stay safe, stay fit to fight, and hold the line.