Some 20-plus years ago, I wrote my first article entitled, Showdown With The Good Guys. The article covered guidelines for off-duty cops involved in an armed confrontation. The first consideration I listed was the decision to become involved or be a good witness. The second was the ability to be clearly identified as “good guy” when the troops showed up. Very little had been written about off-duty encounters and nothing was being taught in most of the academies. The thought of our families becoming targets because of our career was far from our minds unless you worked gangs in LA or Miami.

On January 30, 2007, in Jackson County Florida, the wife of Sheriff John McDaniel was stalked and murdered. The two suspects, one a convicted felon and the other a murder suspect followed Millie McDaniel home. News reports stated the suspects entered the McDaniel home but not before Mrs. McDaniel called her husband for help. A short time later both Mrs. McDaniel and the first responding deputy were shot to death. The Sheriff and other deputies killed both suspects in the ensuing gunfight. An e-mail I received from a fellow officer reported ammunition; latex gloves, bleach, vinegar, handcuffs, duct tape and trash bags were found in the suspect’s vehicle.

A Somber Discussion

Our innocence was also lost in April of 1999, when Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris massacred 12 students and one teacher at Columbine High School. At the time of Columbine my children were 11 and 15. Previously, my instructions to them had been to never get in a stranger’s car or unlock the door for anyone other than family. The night after the Columbine murders, I sat down with the kids and had a very somber discussion. I told them if the situation looked bad — like Columbine — I would rather they try something, anything, as long as they went down fighting. In other words never give up. That conversation had a very sobering effect on my wife and me.

Loose Lips

Off-duty safety is now taught in most academies. However, we now have an obligation to include our families in our preparation. Our schools, churches and communities have effective child safety programs. But “Don’t talk to strangers” is only a beginning. Our families should be very careful about what they tell others about where we work. There are predators looking to settle a score with law enforcement and a family is an easy target. “My husband/wife works for the city, county, or state government” is a safe answer. Don’t advertise a law enforcement connection. In the past, FOP and PBS tag emblems were a source of pride. Initially the “Thin Blue Line” decals were for us to recognize each other. Now, they may serve to bring unwanted attention to our families. Loose the bumper stickers, emblems and decals.

Shoot Me First Apparel

Off-duty cops who wear clothing identifying them as law enforcement are making ?themselves, and their family, a target. What’s worse is many of them are unarmed! Save the t-shirts and embroidered golf shirts for the range or training days. They’re not called “shoot me first” shirts for nothing. Even more important, don’t let your spouse or children wear clothing connecting them to law enforcement. Several years ago, I saw a five or six-year old boy wearing a t-shirt that said, “My Daddy is on the XYZ PD SWAT Team.” Imagine a meth head seeing that at the local mall.

Noun Or Verb

The Internet is a huge source of information. Google yourself and you may find your name listed in the minutes of the last PTA meeting or where you placed in the local IDPA match. Some of this we can’t help. However, we can be careful about what we place there. Caution your children not to put personal information on My Space, Facebook or any Web sites. They shouldn’t list names of brothers and sisters, the type car they drive and other information to make it easy for someone to track them down.

Practice Makes Perfect

We’ve used crisis rehearsal as a training technique for years. If there’s a robbery at the 1st National Bank at Broad and 10th, where will I park to ?have cover, concealment, and visibility? Conduct pop quizzes with your family members. The most important item is they should always know their location. Ask, “If you had to call for help right now, where would you tell 911 to send it? Teach them awareness of their surroundings. Ask what type and color is the car behind them and what does the driver look like?

Codes

Have an emergency code with you family alerting them to danger. An easy one to remember is to use their middle name. If you call them by their middle name, they’re to do exactly what you say — no questions — just do it. Whatever the code, it shouldn’t alert the bad guy.

Make sure family members have an emergency notification number listed in their cell phone. For children, “Mom” and “Dad” work well. For adults, it should be labeled “emergencies.”

Always Fight Always Win

One hard and fast rule, never allow yourself to be taken into a vehicle or a building. Several years ago, a young woman was kidnapped from a local mall parking lot, taken to a deserted area, raped and murdered. I told my family she had no hope of help once she got into the car. Scream to alert anyone and fight back to discourage the attacker. If you’re shot or stabbed in a public area you can still get help. As Dave Grossman would say, don’t be a sheep. OC or firearms may be appropriate for your family depending on local laws and other factors. Rehearse and train.

Trust Your Instincts

Tell your loved ones to trust their instincts about people and events. If they think they’re being followed, don’t go home — go to a safe public location or keep driving while calling 911. If they meet someone who “gives them the creeps,” don’t second-guess yourself into making a bad decision — act accordingly.

If you do need to become involved in an incident have a plan for family members. They should go to a safe place, and not be a spectator. Cell phones will make linking back up with them relatively easy. Tell them not to make statements like, “Are you going do something” or “Do you have your gun.”

This is just a starting point to build your own family safety plan.

Thanks to John Williams, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and ILEETA for much of this material.