ProTrain: Tactical Criminal Interdiction

Course Description

Proactive enforcement is now more paramount than ever in today’s policing.  With many theories and practices of interdiction being taught, there is a severe lack in the teaching of tactics to compensate this type of enforcement.  With this program, the focus is on the tactics utilized for stopping vehicles and a variety of approach patterns to pick from based on ever-changing assessments. Whether stopping passenger cars or commercial motor vehicles, this training is vital for officers who pursue criminals on the interstates as well as city streets.  By completing this training program, officers will be given tools to be safer during interdiction-style stops, be prepared to match lethal force encounters, but more importantly, be driven to survive and win the encounter!

S.T.O.P.S. TACTICAL CRIMINAL INTERDICTION 3-DAY COURSE DESCRIPTION

Develop tactics to use during vehicle stops intended for criminal interdiction, pro-active traffic enforcement, and/or traffic stops resulting from local narcotics investigations.  The focus of this program is on tactics for interdiction officers/narcotics investigators.

Day 1:

1. Overview of the S.T.O.P.S. program and why proven tactics are essential for law enforcement officers dealing with current issues police officers face when conducting traffic stops.
2. Students will review S.T.O.P.S. assessment categories (low, unknown, high)
3. Four (4) approach patterns
4. Two (2) patterns for Unknown-Risk assessments
5. Vehicle/officer positioning for High-Risk stops
6. When Risk Factors Change
   1. When Low-Risk changes to Unknown-Risk
   2. When Low-Risk changes to High-Risk
   3. STOPS Firearm Response Theory: MOVE… Draw… Take Appropriate Action…MOVE TO COVER!
   4. 4 Steps of Reaction Time:Perceive…Evaluate…Decide…Act…
   5. “The 12 Ambush Zones”

Day 2: 

1. Explore the two (2) theories of criminal interdiction enforcement with regards to working “The Drive” or conducting “High Volume Stops”
2. Highway vs. Street Interdiction
   1. Highway positioning
   2. Street/City positioning
   3. High crime areas, gas stations, parks, etc.
3. Overview of indicators
   1. Indicators of criminal activity while vehicle is still in motion
   2. Vehicle indicators
   3. Interior indicators
4. Discuss the two (2) most important indicators officers must recognize
5. Consent or Probable Cause Search
   1. Pirtle Warning, when to advise
   2. Miranda Warning, when to advise
   3. Pat Down or Search?
6. NEVER SEARCH ALONE (South Carolina Trooper Mark Coates)
   1. Three (3) methods of search techniques for a pair of officers to utilize
7. Tactics to employ in proactive stops vs. a known drug stop investigation
   1. Walk-Up vs. Walk-Back
8. Case Law pertinent to traffic stops/criminal interdiction
9. Current trends/other training opportunities

Day 3:

1. Participants will explore the practical application of back-up positioning to protect search officer while watching violator for verbal/non-verbal cues
2. Practical walk-thru of the four (4) Low-Risk approach patterns
   1. Standard Left Walk-Up
   2. Standard Right Walk-Up
   3. Tactical Left-Side Walk-Up
   4. Tactical Right-Side Walk-Up
3. Practical application of Unknown-Risk tactics
   1. Walk-Back
   2. Walk-Thru
4. Review of High-Risk set-up and responsibilities of Officer’s 1 through 4
5. Escaping from the 12 Ambush Locations
6. Live Fire Training Scenarios
   1. Point of Contact
   2. Unknown Risk “Ready Stance”
7. At the end of this course, participants will have a course review of time-proven S.T.O.P.S. techniques and tactics to make proper traffic stop assessments, contact violators professionally, search vehicles safely, and survive an ambush assault, winning the encounter

Course Materials