14 simple rules for patrol

PoliceOne recently received the following list of 14 patrol “rules” from one of our good friends with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. All of these concepts have made their way individually around the Internet in some form or another, but we don’t remember seeing all of them collected in one place — at least like this short list. What should be rule #15? Add your own tip in the comments area below.

#1 — Wear your body armor.

#2 — Maintain a good level of shooting skills and proficiency with all your weapons systems: handgun, shotgun, and patrol rifle.

#3 — If necessary, purchase your own ammunition. An agency’s budget may not adequately prepare you for a shootout.

#4 — Practice training unconventionally. Develop one-handed, support-side, or weak-handed weapons manipulation skills, i.e. loading and malfunction drills.

#5 — Be polite and be professional, but have a plan to kill everyone you meet.

#6 — Treat every self initiated activity or call for service as a potential ambush. This includes meal breaks.

#7 — Carry and use a gun that works every time. All of your skills are in vain if your gun doesn’t work.

#8 — Carry a backup. Guns are often hit and disabled, lost, or taken away.

#9 — Carry spare magazines and ammunition, in a firefight it never hurts to have more. Anyone who has been in a shooting will tell you that ammunition goes fast.

#10 — Be aggressive and quick.

#11 — Gunfights evolve rapidly. Have a plan, but be flexible for changes.

#12 — If you are not actually shooting, you should be reloading, communicating and gaining a tactical advantage.

#13 — Develop plans with your patrol partners, the old “what if” scenarios. Find out who carries what in their trunks.

#14 — Never give up despite the number of times you’ve been shot.

#15 — What should be rule #15? Add your tip in the comments below.