Normal for police to walk backwards from a stopped vehicle to their patrol car?

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ScottRiqui

New member
Last week, I received a speeding ticket (73 in a 60) while driving a government van full of military officers and senior enlisted personnel. I was as polite and respectful as could be, the patrolman was pleasant and professional, and I thought the whole episode was pretty uneventful.

But when the patrolman returned to his car at the end of the stop, he was walking backward the whole time (facing the van), with his hand on his pistol. I thought it was strange, and the only thing I can think of was that he might have been spooked since my CCW permit would have come up when he ran my license. I didn't mention my permit or give it to him since I wasn't carrying at the time. (This is consistent with the laws in Virginia, where the stop took place.)

Any thoughts? Is this a normal practice among police officers?
 
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Greybeard

New member
Although not required by Tejas law to show CHL if not carrying, I suggest to my students to show it anyway. Such might have made that officer a little more trusting.
 
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ScottRiqui

New member
Thanks, kraigwy - Googling that phrase, along with "walk backward" did pull up a bunch of references to the practice. I guess not all officers do it, because I hadn't seen it before (on the highway, perhaps some are more concerned about the traffic coming up behind them?)
 
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Brian Pfleuger

Moderator Emeritus
Officer Safety, I understand. A government van full of military personnel and at THE END of the stop? That I don't understand.
 
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Nitesites

New member
Why sweat it? Kudos to the LEO for falling back on his training/not getting lax on what could be considered a "safe" stop (false sense of security). Shows his level of mental conditioning?
 
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Single Six

New member
I wasn't taught to do what you've described in my academy days, but then again, I went to the academy over 2 decades back. I understand that it is being taught these days. Me, when I pull over a car, I try to be as cautious as possible, and always practice what's known as "if / then" thinking. In other words, if you've pulled over 1,000 drivers, and all of them reached into the glove box and came out with a registration card, it's easy to expect driver # 1001 to do likewise. However, when driver # 1001 pulls out not a registration card, but rather a Lorcin .380, because of you expecting compliance, you're caught flat-footed. There's that precious first second that you lose because you're caught by surprise. So "if / then" thinking goes like this: "IF he pulls out a gun, THEN I'm going to..." You get the idea. Expecting the worst goes a long way toward being mentally prepared. Lastly, I'll add this...In the small town PD that I serve with, it's been said many times: "The way we do certain things in the field might well get an officer hurt or killed...and for us to do certain things in the field the way they do it in big cities would get us complained on regularly, and probably fired."
 
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solidgun

New member
It is like many of us not using the slide release to chamber a round....just a firm rack and release.
If you do what you train all the time and consistently, you will always revert to it.
 
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kraigwy

New member
Could be his FTO was watching and would have kicked his butt if he didn't practice officer safety procedures.

Bandits come in all shapes and sizes and all professions.
 
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MarkDozier

New member
The problem here is that the cop walking backwards has no ideal what is coming toward him. There is also the whole hand on the gun thing. If you have your hand on your weapon as you are walking away, especially when the stop is completed, I am going to be getting ready to draw mine because I have no ideal why you are preparing to draw your weapon. It is called personal safety. What if the cops has gone looney tunes
I also never pull on to the road until the cop is safely in their car.
 
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ltc444

New member
Two decades ago I was trained when stopping a "Van" to conduct a felony stop.

If he had followed standards, He should have had you exit the van and come to him.
 
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bk688

New member
Saftey First!

Sure that was a bit odd. I bet he may have been spooked a bit when he ran your plates, but I would be happy to see this happen at every stop he preforms.

I got pulled over (the ex-wife was driving) late at night right outside of St. Louis. The officer walked up to the passenger side. I didn't see him (darn dog in the back didn't warn me either) until he was right on top of me. Scared the living heck out of me. But he was making sure that if some drunk passed by us and sideswiped our cars, he wouldn't get hit.

It always makes me happy to see cops with a bit of awareness and critical thinking skills. Have yet to see one walk back wards after seeing a FOID card on my record when he runs my plates. I bet I'd get a good laugh though.
 
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ohen cepel

New member
I would be more worried (and I think the odds bear it out) of being hit by a car while walking backwards on the side of the road vs. being shot by a van full of military personnel.

It's his life though so can't fault him for doing what he thinks keeps him safer. Still odd to me though.
 
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9mmhpfan

New member
There was one of him and a van full of you guys, I don't blame him for being cautious and trying to prevent himself from being taken by suprise.
 
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B.N.Real

New member
Would'nt have bothered me.

I'm more bothered by the total exposure alot of police put themselves in by not using their cars to shield themselves from traffic during a stop.

Cars simply don't slow down and the 'action' during a traffic stop draws their attention to the stop.

Which unintentionally draws their car closer to the side of the road -unslowed- and the officer standing right on the shoulder unprotected,nowhere to go next to the stopped car--sometimes in jet dark blue or black clothes.

Crazy dangerous.

The policeman not watching traffic but watching you the whole time would never see a flying car right on the white line before it was too late.

Police just don't get a brake in this case-death from the front or from behind.

Go figure.
 
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