MEMPHIS, TN - With two high-profile investigations into officer-involved shootings involving the Memphis Safe Streets Task Force in full swing, questions about how officers are trained to respond in high-pressure situations are coming into focus.
FOX13 spoke with two former Memphis Police Department (MPD) officers who also served in the military. Both individuals said there are significant differences between maintaining order on a military base or in a combat environment and policing communities in a city like Memphis.
And while the missions may differ, they said some aspects of the training are similar. Former MPD officer and Coast Guard port security veteran Steven Cole said both military and police training place a strong emphasis on preparing individuals for stressful and potentially dangerous situations. He said one of the most important lessons officers learn is how the use of deadly force can have lasting emotional consequences.
"I know a guy; when I first went on the police department, he had to kill a guy, and it was a justifiable shooting, and it bothered him so badly," Cole said. "He had to quit the police. Spiritually and in other ways, it bothered him tremendously. It took a toll on him."
Former MPD officer and U.S. Army veteran Jose Rivera said he never had to discharge his weapon during either his military service or his time with MPD but credited extensive training in de-escalation techniques.
"I can tell you that I was very lucky I didn't have to discharge my weapon, either in the military or as a civilian," Rivera said. "As a Memphis police officer, I just got very lucky. But we received some very good training about de-escalation as well." Both men said de-escalation can become far more difficult during fast-moving encounters, particularly when an armed suspect is fleeing or threatening officers.
Neither Cole nor Rivera commented directly on the two recent officer-involved shootings tied to the Memphis Safe Streets Task Force, saying they are waiting for investigators to complete their work before drawing any conclusions. The investigations remain ongoing.
The two deadly shootings happened in less than four days, according to FOX13. The first shooting involved members of the National Guard, who shot and killed a man in downtown Memphis. Three days later, federal agents shot and killed a wanted fugitive inside an East Memphis hotel.
The Memphis Safe Streets Task Force includes federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, along with members of the Tennessee National Guard. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigations is investigating both shootings.
Comments