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Police Chief Speaks About the Toll of Taking a Life

Published on Wednesday, October 2, 2013 | 4:29 am
 

Pasadena Police Chief Phillip Sanchez spoke Tuesday about what police officers go through when they are involved in shootings or other life-threatening situations.

Sanchez was part of a program called Front Line for Veterans, First Responders and their Families at the American Legion post #13 in Pasadena . The program provides emotional support, connection and education to military veterans, police and firefighters.

Lucienne Marie and Lynne Garcia arranged for Sanchez speak on the impacts of officers using deadly force because they thought the topic was relevant to their members. Veterans don’t get to talk about their experiences often, Marie said.

Sanchez acknowledged he was in a room full of “warriors” who may have been in life or death situations. He said killing, even when justified, is not normal human behavior.

“It’s not in our DNA to take a life,” he said.

When police officers find themselves in a threatening situation their heartbeat will speed up and their knees go weak. Blood vessels restrict so there is less bleeding from wounds. Decision-making skills may be altered because perception changes during combat-type situations. Vision of things nearby becomes obscured but the officer will be able to see things far away more clearly but vision will narrow, Sanchez said. Hearing will also exclude some sounds.

Sanchez said he tells these things to police offices during training to show them what could happen to their judgment during a conflict. He also teaches attorneys who handle police cases what happens to the body in high stress situations so the attorneys will know the state of the police officer’s mind. For example an officer may say he thought he shot 4 or 5 rounds when in reality it was more. But the officer truly perceived he heard five shots.

Taking a life can take an emotional toll and spouses notice it, Sanchez said.

“I’ve had spouses say to me, ‘My warrior doesn’t laugh like he used to, he doesn’t seem as engaged as he used to be.’ It’s not that the warrior is looking for sympathy but consider that he or she may be religious and may wonder what the ramifications are and how it will, in the long term, make an impact with their maker.”

Sanchez answered some questions from the audience.

Otis Spencer, a retired Navy veteran who served during Vietnam and the Cold War, said he noticed the military trains soldiers to dehumanize the enemy. Spencer asked Sanchez if police are trained to dehumanize certain people such as black or Latino men.

Sanchez replied that police are not taught to dehumanize people. The law allows police to use force when they perceive a threat but officers are trained to avoid harming people.

The chief gave some examples. Once, a police officer chased a burglary suspect who had a gun. The suspect ran behind some cars but the officer was able to convince the suspect to give himself up. Another time, a Latino man with mental illness was acting out so police lit a flashing device that stunned the suspect but didn’t hurt him.

After Sanchez spoke, Pasadena Police Lt. Ed Calatayud said he could relate to the chief’s speech. Years ago Calatayud was shot in the leg while on duty. In a split second he saw the muzzle flash and heard the blast. He was shocked and his hearing went. Then he felt a burning sensation. He remembers putting pressure on his leg to slow the bleeding.

But while people may talk about police using force there is something they should also examine.

“We don’t document the times we could have, but did not shoot,” Calatayud said. “Those times outweigh the shootings.”

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