Salt Lake Law Enforcement Journal July 2016

Journal SALT LAKE LAW ENFORCEMENT

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SALT LAKE POLICE ASSOCIATION

In Memoriam Paying Tribute in Washington D.C. P. 6

Police K9 Handler Selection

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P. 16

AR-15 Safety

Selector Manipulation P. 26

Utah Women in Law Enforcement P. 22

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Journal SALT LAKE LAW ENFORCEMENT

EXECUTIVE BOARD

President: Michael Millard Vice President: Jim Spangenberg Treasurer: Mike Boyd Secretary: Jared Naegle Board Members: Keith Horrocks, Jason Brierley, Jonathan Lampshire, Jen Overman,

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In Memoriam Stone, rock, marble, or granite. Over the past year these seemingly simple materials have taken on unanticipated meaning representing honor, sacrifice, and courage.

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Salt Lake Law Enforcement Journal

Publisher: Janet Jorgensen Communications Art Director: In-House Marketing Editorial Coordinator: Detective Jason Johnson Writing & Photography Contributors: Detective Richelle Bradley, Officer Nick Pearce, Detective Jason Johnson, Detective Mark Falkner, Officer Jeff Denning, McKenna Brown

Advertising inquiries:

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hello@janetjorgensen.com

Story ideas and submissions:

SLPA 868 South McClelland Street #3 Salt Lake City, UT 84102 801.363.2955 The Salt Lake Law Enforcement Journal is the official publication of the Salt Lake Police Association. The purpose of the publication is to give the SLPA a medium of expression and a method of communication between its members and the residents and businesses of Utah. Letters to the editor are welcomed and all will be considered for publication. Copyright 2016, Salt Lake Police Association. No whole or part of the contents may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission of SLPA, except individually copyrighted articles and photographs.

With the recent turnover in Salt Lake City’s K9 squad, I thought some would like to learn about what goes into bringing a new handler and dog to the squad.

UWLE In January 2009 a group of women, working in law enforcement related positions recognized the need to create an organization that supports the promotion of women in a typically male dominate career.

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The past year has been full of exciting news and sorrowful events.

Police K9

hello@janetjorgensen.com

Contact:

A Year in Review

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My Lesson In the summer of 2011, when I was fifteen years old,...

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AR-15 Safety You’re in a stressful situation where time is of the essence.

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resident’s Message

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he Salt Lake Police Association has decided to start an Associate Membership program. The program will be for non police members from all over the state. Any person part of the URS System (Utah Retirement System) is eligible to join. The purpose of this program is to provide a statewide group people can join so they can take part in an affordable health care program. So to all of those who have joined and to all of those who will join, WELCOME. The associate membership program will allow our association to grow into a statewide organization.

The issues we deal with in Salt Lake City are not very different than the issues anywhere else in the state. We will be able to work together as we address our collective concerns. Salt Lake City was one of the last agencies in the state to offer any type of retirement health care program. In August of 2015, Salt Lake City canceled this program. As an association we decided to find a program to replace the one Salt Lake City discontinued. Once we found a program we realized lack of health care was a statewide problem, so we decided to offer it statewide. We also took it one step further and decided to offer it to all employees in the state who are currently part of the URS system. THIS IS NOT A URS PROGRAM, THIS IS A SALT LAKE POLICE ASSOCIATION PROGRAM, however, if you are part of the URS system, you qualify.

There has been some confusion so I wanted to make that clear.

The program we have started offering is Liberty Health Care. Liberty Health Care is a Health Care Program, not an Insurance Company. What does that mean to you, because you need insurance. Think of it like a

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credit union. A credit union is not a bank, but to the customer you can’t tell the difference. Liberty Health Care is owned by the customers, just like a credit union.

Banks and insurance companies are owned by corporations. Being owned by the members allows them to keep their costs extremely low, which in turn allow them to keep their rates even lower. That all translates to super low health care expenses. Because of the structure of this group, you will also be exempt from the ACA (Affordable Care Act) regulations.

Liberty is not part of any network.

Some have pointed to this as a negative, but what does this really mean? You can go anywhere and Liberty will take care of it if the procedure is covered under your plan. You are not restricted as to where you want to go. Liberty will work with any doctor or hospital; what other program can say that?

What is the cost? Super low, compared to any other program under the ACA. An “empty nester” couple for example may pay around $1000 a month with a $5000 to $7000 deductible before qualifying for an 80/20% plan with an ACA program. Under the Liberty plan, you would pay $299 a month with a $1000 out of pocket amount and 100% coverage after

that. We have a single widower father who was paying well over $1000 a month for himself and his two daughters, he is now only paying $349 a month. That’s enough for a house or car payment each month.

When we go up on Capitol Hill and speak with legislators about retirement or when we speak with Salt Lake City officials about wages, one common theme we are hearing is, there is no reason to change anything because turn over is so low, it’s not a problem.

What they are not talking about is why is turnover so low. As we speak to people, we have found, a large percentage of people who can retire don’t retire because of health care. $1000 a month with super high deductible means most of the retirement check each month will go to health care and that’s if you retire when you are healthy. They feel trapped, well now they don’t need to feel trapped. Retirement just became affordable.

What does this mean for the Salt Lake Police Association? We will be able to have a voice all across the state in several ways. We will be able to expand our charitable programs. We would like to partner with several children and women’s programs. We have

consistently assisted in finding officers across Salt Lake County to donate their time to help out with Shop with a Cop. We have donated thousands of dollars to the program to help pay for gift cards for the children to use. We have expanded to helping with staffing a Back to School program in the summer helping children who have had a negative interaction with the Police. These names come from a DCFS (Division of Child and Family Services) liaison. We would like to work on programs to help with children’s shoes and help abused and victimized women’s groups. This program will allow us to expand our organization to include almost every possible working group into one organization. This will include not only police officers, but fire fighters, teachers, office workers, grounds keepers, maintenance workers, you name it, if you work for a governmental agency, you can qualify for our program. Including every work group all across the state, will allow us to have a stronger voice when speaking with legislators. We will have members in every constituency across the state. We will not only have a stronger voice; we will have a more inclusive voice as we ask questions related to laws which effect our membership on the hill. n

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In Memoriam

Paying Tribute in Washington D.C.

BY DETECTIVE JASON JOHNSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY JASON JOHNSON

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tone, rock, marble, or granite. Over the past year these seemingly simple materials have taken on unanticipated meaning representing honor, sacrifice, and courage. I have served in two professions during my adult life, as a soldier and as a law enforcement officer, and I am proud of my service in both capacities. Both professions share a lot in the way of these values. One thing these professions have in common that I had not considered before is the importance of stone, rock, marble, and granite.

Last May I participated in a few of the events in Washington D.C. during National Police Week. While I was not there as a representative of any department, nor was I in any official capacity while there, I was fortunate enough to have been able to take a family vacation to our Nation’s capital during a time when the country honors those in law enforcement who have paid the ultimate price in service to their communities.

Washington D.C. has many

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stone monuments honoring great men and women in our nation’s history and many of them evoke an emotional response when standing before them.

Three of the monuments I visited honor servicemen and women of three of the major wars of the last century. Veterans from each of these conflicts could be seen quietly observing the memorials built to honor them. While at our nation’s capital I also toured Arlington National Cemetery to pay respect to a friend and mentor who is buried there among the rows and rows of markers spanning the vast hillsides of the cemetery. A casualty of a war in this century, his name is forever etched in stone.

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...his name is forever etched in stone.

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For professions where the ultimate sacrifice is made by a few on behalf of many...

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While in Washington D.C. I was able to attend some of the ceremonies at the Law Enforcement Officer Memorial. As I approached the memorial site from nearly a block away I immediately noticed the blue laser shining towards the federal courthouse. I could think of no better symbol of the thin blue line. As we got closer, the distinct sound of bagpipes and drums could be heard.

Once we rounded the corner and

Honor Sacrifice Courage

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looked towards the memorial, there stood honor guards at attention in front of a large wreath decorated in blue and draped with black ribbons.

Officers and their families stood inside the circle formed by the low stone wall; each person looking for a name etched on the wall encircling the memorial. This is not the largest memorial in Washington D.C. In fact, most people do not even know that this law enforcement memori-

al exists down this side street and could easily walk past it without notice during the rest of the year.

However, during this one week this low, circular wall of stone becomes the center of attention in the city.

I went to the wall with the idea that I would be able to look for the three names of men whom I worked with, and considered friends and colleagues, men whose names are

“In this world nothing lasts forever, but stone, rock, marble, and granite endures long after other material crumbles and tarnishes. For professions where the ultimate sacrifice is made by a few on behalf of many, I can think of no better way to honor their memories than to have their names etched it stone so that their sacrifice can be acknowledged by generations that follow.�

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forever etched in the stone wall. I quickly realized that there were a lot of names, too many for me to be able to just find three. Too many names of men and women who paid a sacrifice that many will never understand. Too many names continue to be added to the wall. I saw the Wride family there to honor a man taken too soon. Another name on the wall representing sacrifice. Next year another Utah family will be there, looking for the name of their son, husband, brother, and father.

After the overwhelming crowds in Washington D.C. I was able to visit two more subtle and often overlooked monuments. The first was the Fallen Firefighter’s Memorial in Emmitsburg, Maryland where there were hundreds of names etched in stone from 1980 to now. One entire section of the wall was dedicated to one date - September 11, 2001.

343 names have their own space on the stone walls surrounding the flag pole. The other memorial I visited

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was the International Association of Fire Fighters Fallen Firefighter’s Memorial in Colorado Springs.

A city I used to call home hosts thousands of firefighters from all across North America each year to honor their fallen. This last year, I was honored to be able to attend

the memorial service where my own grandfather was added to the memorial as the last line of duty death for the Salt Lake County Fire Department. My own grandfather’s name is forever etched in stone on a wall at the IAFF Fallen Firefighter’s Memorial. n

Expensive Healthcare Coverage is no longer necessary.

Join The SLPA Community Of Medical Cost Sharing.

Medical Cost Sharing is Not Health Insurance, it’s so much more!

Programs available for any Individual, Couple and Family who has worked in the Utah Retirement System (URS)

To Learn How Much Your Family Can Save, Speak To A Membership Expert, Call us at: 385-355-4877 or visit the web www.slpacostshare.com

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A Year in Review

Expanded Community Outreach and Involvement by SLPA Members

BY DETECTIVE JASON JOHNSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY JASON JOHNSON

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he past year has been full of exciting news and sorrowful events. As it has been more than a year since our last publication, it is important to provide you with some updates on decisions and activities your Association has participated in. With the political climate being as heated as it is, there are no more important activities the union can participate in than charitable events and community outreach programs. I want to share with you some of the past years efforts. Despite some negative media attention surrounding law enforcement some of the past year’s events continue to demonstrate what a dedicated profession we all belong to.

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Beginning in June last year, the Association participated in the Pride Parade as its own entry. This was an important opportunity to display our political signs and show support for the campaigns we were endorsing, but more importantly we received more goodwill from the bystanders than in any other event I have participated in. There were a lot of handshakes and displays of gratitude along the entire route which was a pleasant change from the weekly protests in front of the Public Safety Building.

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...we received more goodwill from the bystanders than in any other event I have participated in.

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Photo by Detective Mark Falkner

The Union also participated in the Night Out Against Crime. Mike Millard had our trailer on display in front of the Pioneer Precinct and took the opportunity to show support for our neighborhoods and answer questions from residents who came out to participate in the events. I have had the opportunity to participate in Night Out Against Crime in other cities and I can say that the Salt Lake City communities have some of the best participation I have ever seen. Our officers are the key to this success so it is important that the union is present to show support for those officers while taking the opportunity to answer questions and invite feedback from our residents.

As usual with these events, our Explorers played a critical role in both helping with the set up and the execution of the actual event. They have done everything from volunteer to take children around shopping when the number of kids exceeds the numbers of officers and interpreting for officers since many of our Explorers are bilingual. Additionally during the Night Out Against Crime, Explorers help with the bicycle rodeos and traffic control. Without these young men and women, our Shop With a Cop and other events would be difficult if not nearly impossible to run.

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Our main event this past summer was our Back to School Shop with a Cop. We had 50 children who were provided with $100 to get new school clothes and supplies. There were law enforcement volunteers from the Utah Highway Patrol, Utah Transit Authority, and Salt Lake City P.D. taking children around the store after a simple breakfast was served in the parking lot. Though it is smaller than the Christmas Shop with a Cop, the looks on the faces of the children were nonetheless filled with the same eager anticipation and the responses of the officers were

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Now more than ever, community outreach is one of the most important roles our Union will play.

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priceless. Some of the best moments were watching officers who have no experience with buying children’s clothing trying to figure out the sizing. Our own Chief Brown participated with a child and once he was able to keep his little one from running away they seemed to have a successful shopping spree.

After a long political season this year, the union capped off the year with its holiday version of Shop With a Cop. More than 100 children began their morning at the Little America hotel where they met

their new partners for the morning.

Watching officers kneeling down and meeting their little shopping buddies is touching and memorable, but is only the beginning. At breakfast the children and their officers get to know each other. At some point during the meal the kids always seem to find the flashlights on officer’s belts and circles of light dance all along the walls and ceilings.

After breakfast comes one of the most exciting parts for the kids.

The procession to the K-Mart is an

opportunity for the kids to play with the emergency equipment on the cars and it does not take long for them to get the hang of activating the lights and sirens. The route runs mostly on I-15 to West Jordan so there is plenty of time for the kids to enjoy making all of the noise they can.

Officers and their junior partners then spend the next hour or two shopping for gifts for their families and themselves. It is always touching to see officers trying to convince the kids to make sure they get something for themselves because the kids are so focused on buying gifts for their families.

Once at the K-Mart, the kids are treated to a special guest courtesy of the Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter. Santa Claus, who apparently is resting his reindeer, arrives by helicopter to the cheers of 100 waiting children. After greeting the children in the parking lot, Santa takes a seat in the store where he takes Christmas requests from the children and poses for photos.

One of the things that make this event so special is all of the volunteer work that goes into making this happen. From the staff at the hotel to the employees at the K-Mart, the friends of Shop With a Cop who hand out T shirts and gift wrap, and of course the officers themselves, everyone plays a key role in bringing this magical Christmas tradition to life. Darren Orr has been putting this event on for years now and his

work and effort is evident in the children’s faces as they meet their families with a cart full of gifts to be opened on Christmas.

Now more than ever, community outreach is one of the most important roles our Union will play. The Association has brought on a new fundraiser whose efforts at organizing events to raise money will allow us to continue to contribute to the community we serve as well as helping us to be a positive image of what law enforcement officers are and what we mean to our community. n

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Police K9 & Handler Selection

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BY OFFICER NICK PEARCE PHOTOGRAPHY BY COURTESY OF NICK PEARCH

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ith the recent turnover in Salt Lake City’s K9 squad, I thought some would like to learn about what goes into bringing a new handler and dog to the squad. In the last 18 months we have had a total of 3 new patrol dog handlers, including our Sergeant, and 1 new bloodhound handler. With a total of 7 teams on SLCPD’s K9 squad that is over a 50% replacement. By the end of this article I hope to give the reader a better understanding of dog and handler selection and a few of the things we require from both of them.

So what does it take to become a K9 handler? Some may think there is not much to it. Afterall, the dog does all of the work, and as the handler you just need to hold on to the end of the leash, right? This could not be further from the truth.

A dog team is just that, a team.

Without one half, the other is no good. When your dog’s drives sag and he doesn’t feel like working, it is on you as the handler to convince him that it is worth continuing on in the hopes that you locate your (and his) prize. When looking for new handlers the requirements and prerequisites are varied and numerous, depending on who you ask.

SLCPD certifies patrol handlers and dogs under Utah POST. Patrol dog teams are expected to be proficient in finding Marijuana, Heroin, Methamphetamine, Cocaine, tracking, searching, evidence location, and apprehension (biting) work.

So then, what are some things we look for when selecting a handler?

The first and obvious answer is to have an interest in dogs. I have been approached by officers expressing an interest in coming to K9 only to follow that up with “I’m not really a dog person. In fact, I prefer cats to dogs”. An interest in the work we do is also helpful.

At some point everyone gets a K9 presentation explaining what we do, but little is learned about how we get to that point. An officer who asks about training methods, theories, and practices and builds on that knowledge the next time they ask about training is going to be remembered when it comes time for selection. A working knowledge of dogs is not required. In fact it is going to be easier to train someone who knows nothing than someone who has trained methods for years that we don’t or won’t train. This is not to say that the SLPA.COM 2016 Nº 01 | JULY

only way to do business is our way, or the highway. However, we have very high standards and value our squad’s reputation within our own squad and throughout the state. This reputation comes from practiced and tried methods we continue to employ upon our dog teams Being a K9 handler is a very big commitment both at home and work. The squad has a vested interest in keeping someone for at least 5 years, or longer if possible.

This is due to the time and cost of training a new handler and dog.

We used to be able to get a “green” dog-a young dog which may know how to bite a sleeve, and might know a few basic commands- for about $7500. Over the last couple 2016 Nº 01 | JULY 18 SLPA.COM

of years it is becoming tough to purchase one for less than $10,000.

Sometimes we have to send back at least one dog to the vendor due to health and/or drive issues before we select one. Dog selection is a lengthy process and is nothing like going to a litter of puppies and picking out the fluffiest one with the best smell. Obviously, the department can’t afford to be getting new dogs every 2-3 years because a handler decided it was time to move on to a different assignment.

I’ve gone over some things we look for in a handler but what about a dog? We just need a biter, right?

A landshark. A mindless eating machine. Wrong. Again, this is an overlooked part of police dogs.

Generally we try to get dogs as close to 18 months old as possible.

This is because all of the “puppy” is out of them, and their character traits should be set by now. If a dog is much younger than this, it leaves plenty of room for the dog to change from when you tested it. A dog may look great at 12 months only to turn out afraid of slick floors by 18 months. Or it may be scared of see through stairs at 12 months but have absolutely no environmental issues at 18 months.

Generally you just never know what the dog will turn out like if you get it at 12 months or less. To clarify, it is possible to train a puppy from start to finish. However, the process is lengthy (up to two years) and it is very possible the dog won’t turn

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A dog team is just that, a Team.

Without one half, the other is no good.

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Selecting a puppy for a patrol dog candidate would be like selecting a future NFL candidate from a Kindergarten class...

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out to fit whatever needs you are searching for. Selecting a puppy for a patrol dog candidate would be like selecting a future NFL candidate from a kindergarten class but only having input from each child’s parents.

It should be noted, these are working dogs. Therefore they can make terrible house pets. The stories are endless but every handler has their own where, in the end, they suffered some sort of material and/ or financial loss because of their patrol dog at home. I know stories of a spouse’s brand new car being severely scratched, a power line to a garage being chewed in half which nearly resulted in a fire, chewed up trampolines, endless kids’ toys,

the list goes on and on; all because of a patrol dog at home. The dogs are very energetic and need a lot of room to run around while at home.

A handler is responsible to socialize their dog with their family and other pets. Add this on top of the stresses of a new dog at work and it can quickly become overwhelming.

What is a handler to do if his patrol dog doesn’t get along with the already established family pets?

The short answer is: figure it out.

A common theme to conversations when a new handler comes to K9 is that they had no idea it was going to be so much work! Members of this squad try to impress this upon handler candidates but there are things to consider which just can’t

be put into words. For example my dog, Otto, is about the first thing I see when I get up in the morning and the last thing I see before I go to sleep. He is always there. I feel like I have a two year old child who never grows up. I can’t simply go up to the lake for the day, or go for a hike, or leave town for the weekend on a whim without one of my first thoughts being “what will I do with Otto?” I can’t leave him unattended.

I can’t let a friend or family member watch him; beyond the liability issues, if something unspeakable were to happen to Otto I could easily be out of a job.

When I am home and Otto is running around my yard, I am constantly checking on him. I am making sure he is not chewing something up, digging a hole, constantly worried that something may just switch in his head and he would go after one of my kids in the yard (my nightmare). Luckily, we take our dog selection very seriously and don’t need to worry too much about this, but the concern is always there and always will be. I am not trying to be dramatic but the work really never stops.

We look for several character traits and drives in dogs. One of the most important drives we look for is called prey drive. This is the subconscious compulsion for a dog to possess and vanquish a toy. The dog has to have good hunt drive too, meaning it won’t give up on a search. We look for dogs that are high in hunt and prey, but they also need to have some defense in

them. Defense will carry the dog through a fight with a combative person. Ideally, a dog will be high in prey and hunt, with a little defense present. Last but not least we need to be able to take our dogs into elementary schools for demonstrations and they need to be stable and social enough to deal with 30 young kids without biting one of them in the process.

A good dog trainer can manipulate these drives and make them all work as part of the complete package, all while gaining success in the process. You see, in dog selection, training, and handling there really are no hard and fast rules to follow.

It all depends on the individual dog, the behavior it is exhibiting at that time; a look at the whole package, not just any one part.

These are just a few examples of what we look for in a dog but it is in no way an all inclusive list. When selecting a patrol dog you are only getting a snapshot of all of the dog’s drives, no matter how developed or undeveloped they may be at that time.

Once a suitable handler and dog are put together, it will likely be 4-6 months of training 5-8 hours a night with little down time before they are certified in NARC and patrol functions. Even then, once they are certified the work is really just beginning because now they are deploying in real-world scenarios and new problems are going to arise. They will also need to build on the foundation which has been laid through their initial training.

After certification, the training never stops. On our squad each dog team is expected to train daily, often for several hours a night. Even if the handler does not feel like training that day, the dog is going to need to and want to train. The saying goes that your dog will be “finished” the week before he retires. Each dog team is constantly improving on any given issues they are having, and we all have them.

Many things influence how a dog and handler turn out and function together. Some things we can change in a dog, others we cannot.

We simply try to find the best overall package and deal with what we’ve got. Dogs are not infallible, they are not the “silver bullet” to solve every problem. That being said, they can often significantly impact the outcome of a call. Given a reasonable set of circumstances they can often provide excellent results in our favor.

I hope that I have been able to give the reader a better understanding of what we look for in our selection of patrol dogs and handlers. I am certainly not trying to scare anyone away from us and I am definitely not complaining about the work. Again, this is in no way an all-inclusive list of what we look for in handlers or dogs. Lastly, we are also always looking for new meat to search for so if your schedule overlaps ours and you would like to train with us, please hit us up! Even better, ask for us if you think you can use a dog on your call, we are always happy to come out. n SLPA.COM 2016 Nº 01 | JULY

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Utah Women in Law Enforcement

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BY DETECTIVE RICHELLE BRADLEY PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF UWLE FACEBOOK PAGE

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Utah Women in Law Enforcement membership consists of men and women, Police Officers, Corrections Officers, Special Functions, Dispatchers, Civilian Clerks, etc.

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n January 2009 a group of women, working in law enforcement related positions recognized the need to create an organization that supports the promotion of women in a typically male dominate career.

The organization Utah Women in Law Enforcement was created. The vision of the founding board members was to encourage more women to look into the law enforcement profession and provide support, education, training and mentoring to help women excel in a law enforcement career.

Utah Women in Law Enforcement is the only organization of its kind in the State of Utah. Utah Women in Law Enforcement continues to grow under the veteran leadership of its diverse board of directors.

For those wanting to advance their careers, Utah Women in Law Enforcement provides excellent training. The training is pertinent to the modern law enforcement officer. Utah Women in Law Enforcement is open for all to join. Utah Women in Law Enforcement membership consists of men and women, Police Officers, Corrections Officers, Special Functions, Dispatchers, Civilian Clerks, etc. The minimal cost of $10 annually is well worth the training, networking opportunities, and mentoring available to the members.

Utah Women in Law Enforcement provides quarterly workshops which receive unparalleled high marks every year for content. These workshops focus on the latest law enforcement knowledge and skills.

Utah Women in Law Enforcement provides networking opportunities and a mentorship program. These tools are beneficial in developing the confidence necessary to achieve success. Mentoring creates an opportunity to address and overcome the professional and social challenges faced by women in the field today.

administrators to take proactive steps in supporting women in law enforcement, eliminating social isolation, building morale, broadening experience and enhancing career opportunities are all things the board members of Utah Women in Law Enforcement promote amongst the Law Enforcement community.

Utah Women in Law Enforcement is setting a professional example for all people in law enforcement that unifies employees and builds favorable conditions to recruit women into law enforcement and related fields. Raising awareness regarding the need for

Utah Women in Law Enforcement is a 501c(3) Non-Profit organization.

As such, they solicit donations from private individuals, businesses and organizations. Through these donations and the annual $10 membership fee, they are able to provide free quarterly training as well as sponsoring activities that promote donations to the families of fallen officers. One such activity Utah Women in Law Enforcement recently, sponsored was the Salt Lake Valley Police Officers Baker to Vegas Relay team. Providing such opportunities also brings Law Enforcement together as one family, valley wide.

TOPICS INCLUDE:

Promotional Testing Recruitment

Balancing Act: Family, Career and You

Problem Solving Training

Firearms and Defensive Tactics for Women

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Seminar

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UWLE is setting a professional example for all people in law enforcement.

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This Salt Lake team has been participating in the Baker to Vegas Challenge Cup Relay for the last 18 years. This year the team was honored to run in memory of Officer Doug Barney from the Unified Police Department who was killed in the line of duty on January 17, 2016.

The Baker to Vegas Challenge Cup is a relay race consisting of 270 law enforcement teams from across the world. Teams of 20 runners hit the pavement to run 120 miles from Baker, California to Las Vegas, Nevada on highway 160 which boarders Death Valley.

The course ranges from almost sea level up to 6600 feet in elevation and back down into Las Vegas. In addition to the 20 runners, there are approximately 15 support staff volunteers who drive the chase van behind the runners and act as alternate runners in case a runner is injured. Runners deal with extreme temperatures through the desert, reaching above 100 degrees during the day and freezing temperatures during the night. Teams complete this 120 miles on average between 13 and 23 hours.

Police Department and Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office. The team completed the 120 grueling miles in 18 hours 51 minutes this year.

This Salt Lake team has been participating in the Baker to Vegas Challenge Cup Relay for the last 18 years. This year the team was honored to run in memory of Officer Doug Barney from the Unified Police Department who was killed in the line of duty on January 17, 2016.

The Salt Lake Valley team consists of officers from multiple police departments across the valley including Salt Lake City, Unified

The team was fortunate to have sponsors who donated money to help pay for the team entry fee and the rental of the team van. Any

Officer Barney’s name was printed on the official race baton that was carried by all 270 teams during the 120 miles. All members of the team felt extreme pride as they ran the race beside a van that was decorated with pictures of Doug Barney honoring his service to the citizens of Salt Lake County.

amount received from sponsors above those costs was donated to the Barney family. In the end, the team was able to give the family $1500.

Utah Women in Law Enforcement has a facebook page (UWLE Utah) in which they provide information to keep our membership informed and updated on new and upcoming events. A quarterly newsletter will also provide informative updates, new case-law, training opportunities, member highlights, and training bulletins. n

If you are interested in becoming a member of Utah Women in Law Enforcement, interested in donating to the organization, or want more information, please visit www.uwle.us.

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AR-15 Safety Selector Manipulation It Could Save Your Life

BY OFFICER JEFF DENNING PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF DENNING

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ou’re in a stressful situation where time is of the essence.

You’re AR-15 is at the low ready position, and your eyes are on target. As soon as you shoulder your weapon and line up your sights for a “snap” shot, you pull the trigger. Unfortunately, your trigger doesn’t move because the safety selector is still in the SAFE position.

If you’ve ever experienced that before, or if you’ve watched others do that during training, you know how frustrating it can be. Thankfully, there’s a way to combat it.

Over the years I’ve seen some confusion among shooters on safety selector manipulation. I’ve also watched shooters under stress perform inappropriate diagnosis when their AR was on SAFE. They tap the magazine and then charge the weapon (immediate action), when all they needed to do was move the weapon from SAFE to FIRE. SLPA.COM 2016 Nº 01 | JULY

Keeping your AR on SAFE Keeping your long gun in the SAFE configuration when in the low ready position is, well, safe. By the time you raise your gun, there’s plenty of time to change the selector from SAFE to FIRE (a.k.a. SEMI). When you lower your AR, you should place the selector back in the SAFE position.

Below are some tips that will help alleviate safety selector problems or any other tactical hiccups.

The importance of thumb placement Whether you’re right-handed or left-handed, as soon as you grab the pistol grip of your AR, you should immediately place your thumb on top of the safety selector switch. By resting your thumb on top of the safety selector switch, it helps you remember to manipulate the switch prior to going to the trigger. Resting your thumb on top of the safety selector also is quicker than having to readjust your thumb to manipulate the safety selector. Getting into this habit will virtually eliminate any and all problems with forgetting to move your safety selector to the FIRE position.

Right-Handed Shooters The AR-15 was built for the right-handed shooter. The safety selector is on the left hand side of the firearm. This allows the right-handed shooter to place the thumb of his or her dominant hand (right-hand) on the safety selector while keeping a normal firearms pistol grip.

If a right-handed shooter has an ambidextrous safety selector, he or she should not change anything with thumb placement. Right-handed shooters should always place their thumb on the left hand side of the AR, resting it on top of the safety selector switch.

Left-Handed Shooters The quickest and most effective option left-handed shooters have to manipulate the safety selector is to keep their thumb on the same side as their trigger finger. This nontraditional grip will work fine with the AR-15 since there isn’t much kick.

With an ambidextrous safety selector, left-handed shooters can maintain a traditional pistol grip and use the thumb of the left-hand on the right hand side of the AR.

Conclusion Finally, you can’t shoot the gun unless you move the safety selector from SAFE to FIRE. When you grab and grip your AR-15, remember to always place your thumb on top of the safety selector and gently rest it there until it is time to manipulate. Doing so will safe time and potentially safe your life.

Until next time, continue to hone your skills and keep adding to your tactical toolbox. n SLPA.COM 2016 Nº 01 | JULY

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Learning My Lesson

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BY MCKENNA BROWN (RICHELLE’S DAUGHTER) PHOTOGRAPHY BY RICHELLE BRADLEY

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n the summer of 2011, when I was fifteen years old, my mom and dad both went out of town and I was left to stay at my brother’s apartment for the weekend. My brother owed me a solid for something in the past and so he let me stay at my best friend’s house that night instead of his. While at said friend’s house, I decided to sneak out with a boy I liked and, like most teenagers in high school, we decided to go on a drive. Within minutes of the drive this boy’s car overheated and so we were

“

forced to pull off into a nearby parking lot and wait for his car to cool down before we put antifreeze into the engine. As we were waiting for the engine to cool down, we started playing on the park playground.

Within minutes, a flashlight shone on us and someone asked us what we we’re doing. The person behind the flashlight was a police officer and he began to explain that he was checking for vandalism in the area, as well as any teenagers past curfew.

The boy I was with had permission from his parents to be out past curfew, however I embarrassingly did not. But even though it was ten minutes past midnight at this point and I knew I was out without parental permission, I figured I would be able to get my way out of this situation simply because my mom was a police officer.

I figured I would

be able to get my

way out of this situation

simply because my mom was a police officer.

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Just as I’d hoped for, the police officer on the scene told us to call both of our parents and arrange from them to pick us up and because my brother was in town I figured he would be able to pick me up while my mom would work on convincing this police officer out of giving me a ticket—saving me from both an awkward car ride with my mom and a ticket.

Everything seemed to be going according to plan until the police officer informed me that my brother wasn’t allowed to pick me up because he wasn’t my legal guardian, leaving me the option to spend the night in, “Juvie,” until my mom could come pick me up in the morning. Panicked, I put all my trust into my mom for an escape route and luckily, as I handed my phone to this officer I realized that they both knew each other. As they were talking, the parents of the boy that I was with arrived to the scene and I felt confident that I would come off unscathed from the situation.

But to my surprise, my own mother encouraged this officer to follow through with issuing me a curfew ticket, as well as suggest that this boy’s parents be the one to take me home.

Mortified, I realized that not only would I be getting a ticket while my friend got off the hook, but I was going to have to drive home in a much more awkward situation than the worst case scenario I had made out in my head—which was driving home with my own parent. It was in that moment that I truly understood how dedicated my mom was to not only her duty as a police officer, but also to her duty to embarrass me and teach me a lesson as my mom.

My mom’s line of work has influenced me in many ways. Her awareness and caution has rubbed off on me. I am more aware of my surroundings and think about safety in everything I do. I see dedication in my mom fueled by her line of work, as displayed the story of my curfew ticket, and it inspires me to work my hardest. I am proud of my mother and the influence she has on me. I am truly blessed by her and her line of work as a police officer. n

“I truly understood how dedicated my mom was to not only her duty as a police officer, but also to her duty to embarrass me and teach me a lesson.”

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Watch Log SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake City Police Department receives hundreds of calls for service each day. Not all calls result in a report or arrest. Compiled by Watch Commanders in the field, the Watch Log is a summary of events that stand out to them in a given 24-hour period. Call times listed are approximate and typically reflect the first call received by SLC911 (Dispatch) for a given case. Items contained herein are based on information available at the time of its release and should not be interpreted as an admission or finding of guilt. Arrest information may differ from formal charges filed by the prosecuting agency. To see a list of completed calls for service in the last 48 hours, visit slcpd.com/policecallsforservice. ~ An officer was working secondary employment at the Salt Palace when a male attempted to make entry.

The officer informed the man he was not permitted inside the facility.

The suspect ignored the officer and continued to make entry. When the officer attempted to take the suspect into custody he started fighting with the officer. Several witnesses assisted in taking the suspect into custody. During the altercation the officer sustained several blows to his face and a bite to his bicep which broke skin. Officers booked Luke Boyce, 31, into jail for aggravated assault, trespassing, and warrants.

~ The apartment manager who is the suspect, got into an altercation with several individuals at the above address over money. During the argument the suspect broke into the apartment while holding a sword. Another male grabbed a baseball bat to fend off the suspect, breaking the suspect’s sword.

The suspect went back to his apartment and came back out with his two Pitbull dogs and an ax handle. The dogs attacked the one of the victims who struck them several times. The suspect then attacked the victims with the ax handle, knocking two of the victims unconscious. Officers arrived and arrested the suspect. All parties went to the hospital for treatment. Officers booked Jason Panter, 42, for aggravated assault, and aggravated burglary.

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~ A passerby reported a male who appeared to be stabbed at 500 S. 300 W. Officers arrived and found a 45-yearold man lying on the corner of the intersection in the park strip. The victim had a stab wound to his head and was transported to a local hospital. There were no witnesses to this incident and no suspect information.

~ A suspect broke the front glass doors to Porsche of Salt Lake and stole a 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder. An “attempt to locate” went out to all officers in the area and officers searched for the vehicle that was valued at over $1,000,000. Several hours later, an officer located the stolen vehicle driving northbound on State Street.

Additional officers responded and assisted in pulling over the car at 300 South State Street. Officers booked Francisco Gonzalez Velazquez, 22, into jail for possession of a stolen vehicle and burglary.

~ A black pickup truck and a white or silver sedan, possibly a Malibu, pulled into the parking lot of Jordan park. The males in both vehicles opened fire on a group of people who were having a birthday party just west of the parking lot. At least one male from the birthday party began to fire back at the males

in the vehicles and then got into a tan colored SUV and chased the black truck and white sedan out of the park.

All vehicles were still exchanging gunfire for about 1/2 block out of the park. Nobody in the park was hit by the over 15 shots fired, however, at least three vehicles were hit by the gunfire. While investigating the scene, Ramon Moncada 31, was spotted by officers pulling back into the park in a tan GMC Yukon. Officers noticed a bullet hole in window of the Yukon and pulled the vehicle over. Gang detectives responded and interviewed Moncada who was arrested and booked into jail for felony obstruction. Gang detectives are still actively working this case.

~ A couple was asked by a female “friend of a friend” to take care of her 3 month old baby for she felt she couldn’t anymore. The couple have only met this female once. The baby was left with them along with a diaper bag and other supplies. The couple called police wondering what to do and if it was okay to keep the child. Officers responded and felt the best course of action was to take the baby to the Christmas Box house. Officers have spoken with the mother and charges are not being sought at this time.

~ The suspect entered the Subway and produced a black kitchen knife. While covering his face with his hand, he told the cashier to give him the money.

The cashier told him no so the suspect opened the cash drawer himself. He then fled on foot westbound. Suspect described as male white adult, 30s, 5’4″, medium build, black shorts, brown sweater and a black baseball cap.

~ Bike officers were at above location when John Connor 40, approached as though he was sneaking up on them.

He was smoking a spice cigarette while his other hand was in his pant pocket.

When officers attempted to stop him for the drug offense he begins to fight.

As they are controlling his concealed hand they realize he has a four inch open bladed knife that he had been concealing. Once he was placed in the police vehicle he continued to act out damaging the door of the police vehicle. Connor was arrested for possession of a weapon, aggravated assault, possession of spice, resisting and criminal mischief. One officer received minor injuries during the altercation.

~ Officers responded on a male possibly under the influence of narcotics acting strange. They made contact with Taddy Jackman 37, and determined that he was a danger to himself and to others. When officers attempted to take the Jackman into custody he began fighting with officers.

Three officers received minor injuries taking him into custody. He was booked for resisting assault on a police officer, possession of a controlled substance and public intoxication.

~ Andrew Hicks 26, was seen walking into traffic, speaking to himself and waving a knife around. Officers responded to the area and found him in the parking lot of the 7-11 at 500 North and Redwood. He was continuing to act strange, asking officers if they were “immortal”. He refused to follow commands and then ran from officers.

Officers caught up with him again in the neighborhoods to the West. Hicks continued to wave the knife around and refused to follow commands.

A taser was used and officers were able to take him into custody without further incident. He was taken to a local hospital for a mental health evaluation.

~ An officer was flagged down by employees from a business at the shelter. They pointed out a man trespassing and kicking a fence. The officer made contact and began to ask the man questions, trying to engage him. Instead of answering/complying the man advanced toward the officer and became combative. As the officer tried to get him under control other officers arrived. Several of them were

kicked by the suspect before getting him under control. Agustin Diaz, 32, was booked on several charges including public intoxication and assault on officers. There were minor scrapes/cuts. No one required medical treatment.

~ A couple were walking along the sidewalk near the shelter area when a group of men surrounded and attacked them. The 32-year-old male victim as stabbed. He was transported to the hospital in stable condition. The motive is unclear, investigation ongoing.

~ While officers were investigating the stabbing case above a man approached and said he had just been attacked, robbed and stabbed. He was transported to the hospital in serious condition. It is possible both stabbings are connected.

~ Officers responded to reports of a possible home invasion. A 27-year-old female reported that she had been home with her 6 and 7-year-old sons when three men entered the home. The men had entered through her unlocked front door. Upon entering one of the men immediately said they had the wrong apartment. They were last seen fleeing the area on foot. The suspects were described as being in their early 20’s, two Hispanic and one white. No one was injured.

~ Detectives were searching for stolen vehicles in a motel parking lot when they spotted a wanted person. Ahmed Abdullahi, 26, was arrested and booked without incident. He was wanted on felony warrants of arrest, including home invasion.

~ A passerby saw a man lying on the lawn at a church with noticeable blood on his shirt. Responding officers found that the 25-year-old man had been stabbed. The victim was uncooperative with police. He was transported to the hospital in serious condition. Gang detectives are investigating.

~ The 24 yr old male victim stated he was attempting to purchase heroin from the suspects. The victim stated during

the transaction he decided to take the heroin and flee without paying for the narcotics. The two suspects were able to catch the victim where they stabbed him multiple times with a knife. The suspects recovered the heroin and took the victim’s wallet. The victim was transported to the hospital with nonlife threating injuries. The victim was not very cooperative and described the suspects as one male white and one male Hispanic.

~ The 18 yr old male victim stated that he is a TCG gang member and works as a drug dealer. Victim stated that he was confronted by three white males that were attempting to rob him of his drugs. One of the males stabbed the victim. The victim described suspect #1 as tall, skinny, dirty blonde hair and goes by the nickname “E-money”. The victim gave no further information on the other suspects. The victim was transported to the hospital with non-life threating injuries.

~ The suspect Markange Alesy 21 yrs old was operating a small motorcycle as he rode past Officers. Officers then observed Alesy make an improper u-turn and drive up on the sidewalk.

Officers attempted to stop Alesy and he fled east bound to 641 West North Temple where he wrecked and fled on foot. After a brief foot pursuit Officers were able to catch Alesy who began fighting with officers. The officers sustained minor injuries but were able to take Alesy into custody. Alesy had fled from officers four days ago and also was involved in throwing a large rock through a windshield of a police vehicle. Alesy was booked for two counts of failure to yield, fleeing, resisting, and traffic offenses.

~ A citizen reported they observed a man with a gun at the listed address.

Officers observed the suspect, Rodimiro Burquez 19yrs old walking on the bike trail just south of 900 South. The suspect fled on foot and attempted to ditch the gun at the school. Officers caught the suspect in the parking lot of the school and placed him into custody and then recovered the gun. Rodimiro was booked on fleeing, possession of a concealed weapon, and possessing a firearm on school property.

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