![]() ![]() I’ve been teaching Massad Ayoob’s "3 Rings of Safety" to cops for years and it applies to you as well:Ī. The call: Get someone else, if possible, to dial 911 and report the situation. If you must leave, only go a short distance to safety and call 911. In most people’s minds, flight equals guilt. Now what? 6. If it is safe, stay on the scene and make notification to law enforcement as soon as practical ![]() So you have been forced by the suspect’s actions to draw your weapon and/or discharge your weapon. You can no longer be a cop – you’re retired. Unless someone is being seriously injured or killed, be a good witness. The advice I give to cops is that there is a time to be a good cop and a time to be a good witness. You have no back up, radio, body armor or badge. Decide beforehand what situations you are willing to interject yourself into as a private citizen. 5. You only have the power of citizen’s arrest Study the laws that apply to the use of deadly force by civilians, because that’s what you are now and how you will be judged. As a retired police officer, you are only authorized to use deadly force under the restrictions of the statutes of the state you are in when forced to use it. 4. Your use of deadly force is no longer sanctioned under the 4th AmendmentĪs a police officer you were authorized to use deadly force under a variety of circumstance, including using it to stop fleeing dangerous felons. Pulling out your retired ID and showing your badge prior to the officers responding to the scene could also get you charged. The courts will probably be very understanding about your years of training in issuing this type of verbal challenge, but better safe than sorry. “Stop! Police! You are under arrest!” is no longer authorized and could potentially place you in jeopardy of being charged with impersonating a police officer. Years of training have probably ingrained a verbal challenge in conjunction to drawing your weapon. while You are no longer a cop, you are still a protector Now that you have met the criteria for lawful carry under LEOSA, how should you respond if you are placed in a situation that requires you to draw your weapon and/or discharge it. Under the influence of alcohol? Illegal carry. For instance, federal property like the post office is now a no-carry zone for you. If there is a sign on a business saying, "Firearms Prohibited" that now applies to you. Things have changed with your retired status. 2. Understand where you can and can’t carry There are also LEOSA badges available online. My department was also kind enough to provide me a badge that says retired, but it isn’t required by federal law. My home state makes it easy by providing the form online, along with the state qualification course that needs to be fired to meet the requirement. Carry Proper IDĪ department-issued photo ID indicating that you are retired is required and a state-issued certification that you have met the firearms qualification must be in your possession whenever you are carrying under LEOSA. Here are seven things you need to think about as you begin to carry as a retired officer.
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