Dan PenningtonChief of Police

Freeport Police Department

DEFUSING A BOMB? Managing an OIS in a Post-Ferguson World

Officer Involved Shooting (OIS) Analogy Many cities around the country are like powder

kegs because of their community’s (particularly minority’s) distrust of law enforcement.

In this volatile “minefield”, an OIS (or other controversial use of force encounter) can serve as the spark that lights the fuse to an explosive situation.

Among these lit bombs, some can explode into a riot while others are defused and become harmless. Why? RIOT

----------------?--------------- DEFUSED

The Approach? An answer may lie in how the agency

handles the aftermath of the OIS. The management approach can have a significant impact on how the public and media will view the use of that deadly force and subsequently respond.

Proposition - The more effective an agency handles the wake of an OIS, the more likely the shooting will be viewed by the public as justified/necessary thus averting violent protests (vice versa).

So what makes an approach effective? An examination of the handling of an OIS

in Freeport, TX may provide some insight.

Freeport PD OIS On January 7th, 2015 at 8AM the suspect

(African-American male) began threatening his estranged girlfriend via her cell phone.

Three hours later, the suspect arrived at the victim’s residence where she and three teenage children were.

The suspect tried entering but the front door was locked so he forced it open and went inside.

A 9-1-1 call was then made by the victim’s on-scene 15-year-old son.

As a result, two officers responded to the residence.

Freeport PD OIS Upon the officers’ arrival, they entered the

residence and encountered the suspect in a small bedroom along with victim.

The victim was laying on her back in bed and the suspect was sitting on its far corner with his back to the officers who were standing at the doorway of the bedroom.

Moments later, the suspect pulled out a handgun, pointed it at the victim , and refused to obey the officers’ commands to drop it.

At that time, the officer standing closest to the suspect fired several rounds killing him.

Freeport PD OIS After investigators finished quickly processing the crime

scene, it was released and vacated by police personnel. A short time later a well-known Houston area community

activist (Quanell X) arrived at the cleared crime scene. Quanell X has a contentious history with law enforcement.

He has frequently been in the middle of controversial law enforcement or racially charged incidents.

Quanell X had been summoned to the scene by family members and protestors. While en route, he was told inflammatory and inaccurate accounts regarding the OIS.

However upon his arrival, he did his own investigation & later spoke with the police chief. Collectively he discovered the true story of how the OIS occurred and what led to it.

Quanell X then gave the following explanation to a large crowd of protestors gathered outside the police station.

Quanell X’s OIS Explanation

Freeport OIS Coverage(local news that night)

Activist’s OIS Insight(Quannel X’s news interview the next day)

Freeport OIS Management Lessons Keys to defusing the bomb

Dignity/Respect – ensured law enforcement actions were sensitive, courteous, & fair.

Voice – quickly met with the deceased’s family and activist in order to listen to them. Shared some shooting details with both, explained the OIS process, expressed our condolences, and offered assistance.

Transparency/Neutrality – publically shared as much information as quickly as possible through various sources. The information sharing continued for days. Minimized “No Comment” statements.

Strategic & Measured Response – focused police actions on de-escalating tensions and protecting everyone’s rights. This was our primary focus.

Conclusion The impact on law enforcement as to how the OIS in

Ferguson was handled and its results were profound. The mismanagement of the event and the subsequent riots

was a turning point for police nationwide. Just like Columbine caused law enforcement across the

country to revamp its response to active shooter situations, Ferguson has forced police officials to consider changing their handling of OISs, particularly those involving minorities.

Law enforcement needs to recognize this paradigm shift and adopt a new post-Ferguson OIS management approach.

The lessons learned in the Freeport OIS can serve as one example for a way forward for other agencies.

Don’t become the next Ferguson, defuse that bomb!