# But what if it isn't really a gun?



## kwflatbed (Dec 29, 2004)

*Street Survival Insights *
with Dave Smith

*But what if it isn't really a gun?*
By P1 News Editor Lindsay Gebhart
The _Chicago Tribune_ reported that on Monday a Chicago officer shot a teenage suspect after the youth pointed what turned out to be a BB gun at him. Immediately hundreds of protesters went to the streets, crying police brutality. 
P1 Lead Street Survival Instructor Dave Smith said that all cadets are taught to assume all guns are loaded and have to be pointed in a safe direction. He said that this situation illustrates a crucial safety tip to keep in mind: Gang bangers paint the nozzles of their firearms red or orange so officers hesitate.
"You have to assume every gun is real," Smith said. "Why would someone point a toy gun at us?" 
Treat all guns - paintball, pellet and real - like they are real all the time. It is nearly impossible to differentiate between the three. That second that you take to analyze the weapon can prove fatal.
It is also important to always take cover if it is available. You can take the time to read the suspect's body language and analyze the situation. The brain often fills in missing information, which is why officers shoot suspects who pull a cell phone. Taking cover can give your mind the second it needs to differentiate a fatal threat from a non-fatal threat. 
Smith said this incident shows how important it is for officers to freeze the witnesses: keep them apart and get their statements right away. You don't want people to step up a couple days later claiming they were present and you have no way to argue that they weren't. Also, letting witnesses conjugate after an incident allows them to discuss the story and get their stories straight.
The real positive of the story, Smith said, is that the agency immediately got out in front of the story. Once an agency sets it out in front of the media and goes toe-to-toe with the protesters it can take some of the bite away from negative press.
*Related:* 
Cops: Shooting Justified: But 'they didn't have to shoot him,' boy's mom says 









Chicago cops shoot teen holding BB gun 








Hundreds protest police shooting of teen in Chicago 
<IMG alt="--> " src="http://www.policeone.com/policeone/data/images/strel3.gif" align=absMiddle border=0> *Go to the Smith's P1 column Street Survival Insights *

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Dave Smith is an internationally known motivational speaker, writer and law enforcement trainer who has been an integral part of the Calibre Press family for over 20 years. As a career police officer, Dave held positions in patrol, training, narcotics, SWAT, and management. In 1980 he developed the popular "Buck Savage" survival series videos and was the lead instructor for the Calibre Press *Street Survival Seminar* from 1983 to 1985. He was a contributor to Calibre's popular "Tactical Edge" handbook and helped pave the way for what "Street Survival" is today. Dave joined the Law Enforcement Training Network in 1989 and was the general manager of Calibre Press until January of 2002. Now president of Dave Smith & Associates, a law enforcement & management consulting company based in Illinois, Dave has developed hundreds of programs across the spectrum of police & security training needs. Dave is now the *Street Survival Seminar* manager and lead instructor and his experiences as officer, trainer, manager, and police spouse lend a unique perspective to the "Street Survival" experience.


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