Lessons From a 1,200 fps Mistake How does an errant shot from a cop's gun relate to safety leadership in the pulp,paper,tissue,and converting industries? It's as simple as CSMR.

摘要

The undercover narcotics officer approached the suspect's vehicle in the dark at a rapid walk,gun drawn,shouting commands.He had just witnessed a meth-amphetamine deal and intended to make an arrest before the bad guy could draw a gun or drive away.The suspect locked the doors and tried to start the engine.To avoid a high-speed chase,the officer knew he'd need to break the car window.Still covering the suspect with his pistol,he drew a collapsible baton with his other hand and struck the window.Nothing.He struck it again,but the baton just bounced off as the engine roared to life.Gripping the baton as hard as he could,the officer began to swing a third time when the window suddenly shattered.It took a moment for him to realize that the window broke because of the 9mm round he'd just accidently sent through it.Fortunately for all concerned,the bullet missed the suspect and passed through the floorboard into the ground.But how could this have happened? As this detective's supervisor,it was my responsibility to ensure his safety training was state-of-the-art.The after-action review of the event revealed two things that happened under the officer's high levels of stress: 1. A substantial increase in the tendency of one hand to mirror the actions of the other.2. Loss of his ability to feel his fingertips.So,when the officer gripped the baton tightly with his left hand,his right hand automatically tightened on the pistol.The numbness in his fingers didn't allow him to realize his index finger had slipped onto the trigger.Our young detective had almost shot a guy.There would be a reckoning.The good news is you can benefit from the lessons we learned.We developed a stress-proofing model to help officers perform under stress.It's called CSMR,and it can work for you.