Boulder City Magazine is a monthly publication full of information about Boulder City and Southern Nevada. Boulder City Magazine features the Boulder City Home Guide, a real estate guide to Boulder City and Southern Nevada.

BCPD Informer
by John Chase, Deputy Chief
Boulder City Police Department

Two Cars - Officer Safety or Citizen Harassment?
Chief Finn and I often get asked a question dealing with two police cars on a traffic stop. Why do you often see two cars on a traffic stop? Could this, in your mind, rationalize the thought that our officers have nothing better to do than harass our children? Or, could there be a legitimate reason for two police cars on a traffic stop?

Currently, unlike in the past, we have sufficient staffing levels which allow us the opportunity to provide the safety of a back-up officer. While this may seem trivial for “Clean Green Boulder City,” let us delve a bit deeper into the issue of officer safety as well as taking a closer look at who travels through our town.

Officer safety is something we take seriously; after all, our lives, as well as the livelihood our families, depend on it. We train often on a variety of skill sets which are designed to prepare us for a time when bad things come to fruition. Some examples of training are: defensive tactics, firearms qualification and active shooter. Taking into account that our training has a direct correlation between our safety and yours.

One area of officer safety training we are currently embarking on deals with the emotional toll policing takes on an individual. Imagine, if you will, responding to a suicide, fatal car crash or multiple domestic disturbances. How would you fare after a day, a month, or after many years. Death and dysfunction can take a toll on an individual.

Let’s digress for a few moments and see who has been in Boulder City. You may remember John Hinkley. Prior to his assassination attempt on President Reagan, your officers conducted a traffic stop with him on US 95. Timothy McVeigh practiced some of his explosive techniques between here and Kingman. Since his partner in crime lived in Las Vegas, I believe it is fair to say he at least passed through our town.

The next time you see two police cars at a traffic stop, I would hope the first thing that comes to mind is that your officers are doing what they can to stay safe, and not that we have nothing better to do than harass our citizens.

Until next month, stay safe.

John Chase can be reached via his e-mail address at Jchasebcnv@earthlink.net



Boulder City Magazine®
688 Wells Rd #A
Boulder City, Nevada 89005
Phone (702) 294-1392 Fax (702) 294-1392
E-mail: BoulderCityMagazine@gmail.com



Web Site Design by Appleby Arts
Copyright © 2004 - 2008 - Boulder City Magazine - All Rights Reserved
E-mail Web Master at: webmaster@bouldercitymagazine.com

Disclaimer