Officer Safety

This post is for the Oviedo police officer who was conducting a 10-50 in the northbound lane of Lockwood Boulevard about 2130 hours on Friday, September 7, 2018. Traffic was heavy on the road at that time due to the Oviedo-Hagerty high school football game that was letting out.

The officer had his driver's side door of his SUV patrol vehicle wide open. Traffic in the passing lane was having to swerve around the open door to avoid hitting it. When I pulled up alongside the patrol vehicle, I called out to the officer to close his door for safety reasons. He immediately jumped out of the vehicle and told me: "I need to have the door open so I can get out quickly if I have to. You need to slow down." At the time, my vehicle was stopped and prior to stopping, I was going 10 mph. This is hardly speeding.

I tried to tell the officer that I was a retired Seminole County deputy sheriff and I knew from personal experience how dangerous a 10-50 can be on a busy road especially at night. However, the officer turned away and got back in his vehicle before I had a chance to reply. Whether he realizes it or not, his conduct was unprofessional and embarassing not only to himself but his entire department. You do not talk to citizens that way especially citizens who are trying to help you.

You see I know first hand what can happen when you are on a 10-50 at night. Shortly before I retired in October, 2008, I was having a vehicle towed from Red Bug Lake Road in front of the Howell Cove subdivision. I was sitting behind the wheel of my Ford Crown Victoria patrol car. My lights were flashing. I had my driver's side door open.

Suddenly, a DUI slammed into my patrol car from behind. The impact knocked my patrol vehicle up onto the sidewalk. It stopped just a few yards short of the brick wall surrounding the Howell Cove subdivision.
Needless to say, my patrol car was wrecked. It had to be sold for scrap metal. But more distressing than losing a patrol car was my own safety. I can tell you that it was not an enjoyable experience being transported to South Seminole Hospital in a SCFD rescue unit. It was even less enjoyable lying on the gurney in the ER waiting for the doctor to come and examine me. Three weeks later, I retired but the memory of what happened remains with me until this day. It just shows you what can happen when you least expect it. You can protect yourself from someone trying to attack you with a deadly weapon. You can do nothing to protect yourself from a DUI driver.

So officer...the next time you are on a 10-50, remember to take all precautions to protect yourself. You are not invincible. Take this advice from someone who was working in law enforcement when you were still in school. And lose the know-it-all attitude. No one knows it all. As I said before, you only embarrassed yourself and your agency. I am sure your chief would agree.