Question for LEO/SWAT/Military: How to not get FF'd in an emergency.

[Alpha Sierra]

When you bust into a room and I'm on top of a terrorist restraining him

Why let it get to that?

[ST911]

There is no easy answer.

If it's an active shooter situation we are coming and coming hard. Immediate action is needed to save lives. Anything but immediate compliance will be dealt with, with whatever force is necessary (legal) to stop that threat and move on to the next.

Adding on to Cascade's info...

Don't count on being verbally challenged or even presented with the opportunity to ID yourself. Anyone creating the impression that they are an imminent danger to others is likely to simply be put down.

I think that if you just kept screaming "POLICE . . . stop resisting" you could later argue that rather than impersonating an officer you were merely requesting police assistance in subduing the individual. That assumes it really is a serious enough situation to warrant rapid police intervention such as an active shooter situation. Its likely to be recognized after the fact as a forgivable transgression necessary to obtain the few seconds of hesitation needed to show you are not a threat. Even if you do get prosecuted for impersonating an officer that might be better than getting engaged by an officer in an active shooter incident who is moving rapidly with a threat neutralization mindset. It will, as always, however be very situation dependent.

This has been recommended before. The principle is that anything you could yell that will give a responder pause before shooting you is probably okay for the time being, and could be explained afterwards.

[ST911]

Afterthought...

A couple-three years ago, John Farnam wrote some interesting and compelling commentary in a post-NTI quip. He discussed the difficulty in interacting with others who are armed while resolving or escaping from a dangerous condition, determining friend from foe, and the tendency of participants to leap to a negative impression of others.

I can't find the quip, but it is worth reading, as is the follow-on he had later.

Short: You may find other prepared citizens confronting you as well as cops, and you them. Those confrontations are best thought about now. No easy answers.

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

This is my gunfight, go find your own!

Nah, that probably won't work. I guess the best thing is to get the work done before the first responders get there. Having LEOs coming up on your six, or crossing in between is going to be a nightmare.

[NinjaMedic]

Hero fantasies aside I think the outcome of your immediate engagement will be over quickly one way or another. Your primary objective as always is to neutralize the threat you are presented with but I think it may be even more important to recognize the need to quickly reholster your weapon and appear as unthreatening as absolutely possible.

[FMF_Doc]

In the reality of gunfights, your encounter will be over in seconds......... so by the time the cavalry arrives it should be over. If you are in a prolonged firefight then you have other problems than worrying about what the good guys are gonna do.

Anyone not complying with instructions will be treated as a threat, if that means you get tossed around and placed in handcuffs and searched so be it. Go with the flow, resisting is a bad idea.

It all sorts out in the end.

[JimmyB62]

Plain clothes, undercover, and off duty cops have been shot by members of their own department. There is no easy solution. Dressing and appearing respectable may help. What ever situation you're in try to handle it quickly and then do your best to appear non threatening. Holding someone at gun point is not advisable. If you're able at all, call 911 and identify yourself and describe your actions. Understand that taking action can come with a big risk, then decide if it's worth that risk. In 22 yrs I've been involved in only two off duty incidents and both were non discretionary. I've let plenty of things go.