On May 15th, a forest LE was on patrol on a CA USFS district where I am a field training officer. At the time of this incident my trainee was on a traffic stop with two individuals that had narcotics in the vehicle. I attempted to run the subjects information to check for warrants or to see if the subjects where armed and dangerous through the local Interagency Command Center . While speaking with the dispatch command center the dispatcher advised me to stay off the net and that they had a fire on the westside of the forest. I asked the dispatch command center if they would like me to just go home and they stated yes. While conducting a search of the subjects and the vehicle, myself and my trainee went approximately 20 minutes without a status check. I'm use to the dispatch command cecnter putting law enforcement on the back burner but with a new trainee on his third phase of training this is unacceptable and has created an unneeded safety concern.
The dispatch command center was contacted via telephone to confirm that the center wanted LE units to discontinue patrol. The dispatch command center advised that they had advise LE to discontinue.
I was contacted by our patrol Captain who advised me to cease all LE activities on the Forest until further notice. I advised the Captain that I would do so after I completed the current stop that I was on.
Concerns/Violations: Not prioritizing traffic and no secondary net to switch to during multiple incidents.
Violating the Standard Operating Guide with no status check and removing LE completely from the net without an alternative frequency. Unable to switch to the local county Sheriff's Net per the MOU.
Telling an LE officer to stop patrolling is essentially telling that unit to go home for the day. Simply remaining in the field, but not using the radio is unacceptable. FSM 5303.12(10) "Law enforcement personnel who witness a state violation constituting a felony or a violent misdemeanor are expected to take reasonable action as a law enforcement officer to prevent the crime and or apprehend the violator." |