This case study is solely an educational exercise and does not necessarily reflect the position of Precision Edge Performance or the organization through which this training has been purchased and/or is being provided. This case study contains information pertaining to a real-life incident, which may be uncomfortable or cause an unanticipated emotional or stress response in some users.
The Details...
On a Sunday afternoon in April 2021, Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, a police officer shot and killed a suspect during a struggle. The officer was a 26 year veteran of the force, a member of the department’s negotiation team and was the police union president who had advised other officers involved in deadly force encounters.
Officer Potter, along with a fellow officer she was training, stopped a car for expired registration. In Officer Potter’s own words the traffic stop suddenly turned chaotic. Police Officers, all too often, operate in high-stress, high-stakes environments. “Routine” interactions can suddenly become violent and chaotic. Police Officers need to be adaptable, able to shift focus to meet the changing demands of dynamic situations.
Officer Potter’s partner attempted to take the suspect into custody. Officer Potter can be seen, on her badge cam, start to take hold of the suspect, so her partner can handcuff him. She does not control the suspect as her partner releases him. The suspect struggles and lunges for the driver’s seat of the vehicle. The struggle continues, Officer Potter says she is going to taze the suspect and then announces “taser taser taser”. Officer Potter leans into the vehicle and shoots the suspect one time, fatally.
Officer Potter has said she mistook her firearm for her taser. She was asked, during her trial, if there was any training, actual training, with respect to ‘weapons confusion’ Officer Potter said it would be mentioned in training but not physically trained on. Our bodies remember the repetitions we practice. Officers, in training, conduct hundreds of reps drawing their firearm.
The Video Footage...
NOTE: Due to the sensitive nature of this video footage and content age restrictions, this video must be watched directly on the YouTube website. Click or tap the “Watch on YouTube” link below to access this video in a separate window.
The Lesson...
We do not rise to the occasion as much as we fall to the lowest level of our training. In addition to physical reps, perfecting the action(s) we want to perform. We need cognitive reps and breathing reps. “Fight or flight” situations cause us to begin breathing heavily and our heart rates speed up. This is where cognitive function begins to degrade and tunnel vision begins to kick in. These factors affect our ability to process all the information we need to take in as situations become “chaotic.”
The Takeaways...
Train to the highest degree of excellence you possibly can Day 1 to Day 101+. Every day of training will influence your abilities in life or death moments, so train on purpose.
Building physiological control through breath training and physical fitness training will help you keep your natural stress response in check, especially in critical on-the-job moments.