In the past few weeks, we've reported on several off-duty RLEOs being attacked and seriously injured. The latest was a senior LEO with several decades of experience, ambushed while performing late-night security duty as he took money for a night deposit. He was in uniform. His attackers knew what they were doing, and the fact that they were shooting a law enforcement officer didn't seem to matter.
Several years back, a Columbia (SC) deputy was ambushed while in his cruiser in the middle of graveyard shift. His attackers were gang members who had been given the mission of killing a police officer.
We're targets, on and off duty. Transnational organized crime is especially brazen, and they don't fear our law enforcement. A uniformed officer in a market cruiser is simply a target, pure and simple.
Let's keep extra vigilant. It's time to think about two-officer units, especially at night and in rural areas. If you have buddies working off duty security shifts, drive by and check on them. If you have a take-home unit, don't leave your weapons, uniforms, or credentials in the car. These will be stolen, and very likely used against us. We don't have to go far abroad to find imposters in police uniforms conducting road blocks and shooting unarmed US federal agents, or targeting our consulate employees. And, keep your personal vehicles "clean" - nothing to identify you or your family members as affiliated with law enforcement. It's ashame that it's come to this. And, it's going to get worse... STAY SAFE! Pray for our injured LEOs.
