California Police Chief- Fall 2013 CPCA_2017_Spring Magazine.v3 | Page 13

speed is necessary but it must
always be situationally appropriate.
When it comes to armor, the trends
are encouraging with more officers
routinely wearing armor but there
is much room for improvement. The
2014 FBI LEOKA preliminary report
noted that only 35 of the 46 officers
killed by firearms were known to be
wearing body armor. With more than
3,000 documented saves, we know
that body armor works – but only
when it’s worn.
WIN–What’s Important Now?
The concept of What’s Important
Now (WIN) is one of the most
powerful and comprehensive concepts
in officer safety. Essentially, WIN is a
combination of situational awareness
and conscious decision-making that
ensures an officer is continually
reassessing the environment and
placing priority on factors most
relevant to safety. It’s important to
understand that WIN is fluid and
ever-changing. Look at the dynamics
of a traffic stop and you can readily
understand the concept. During the
course of one stop, an officer will
consider these key factors: 1) Does the
violation merit a stop? 2) What are the
visible risk factors associated with the
vehicle and occupants? 3) When and
where to initiate the stop 4) Reaction
of the driver and occupants 5) Hazards
of other traffic 6) The approach. 7)
Maintaining focus (rather than taking
a phone call or texting). And so on.
The point is t o ensure decisions are
based on a continual assessment of
“What’s Important Now?”
Is Below 100 Evolving and Real
World?
In late 2012, Below 100 trainers
identified tire deflation devices
(TDDs) as being responsible for more
than two dozen line of duty deaths
and hundreds of crippling and career-
ending injuries. Program content was
modified to address this issue.
Early in 2014, Below 100 trainers
recognized that heart attacks were
the third leading cause of line of
duty deaths (behind vehicle-related
and gunfire deaths). As a result,
training now includes emphasis
on physical fitness under the WIN
and Complacency segments. As the
value of self-treatment and buddy-
treatment became apparent, Below
100 training incorporated discussion
of tourniquet use. Emphasis was
placed on training and having the
tourniquet readily available and
accessible by either hand.
Who Controls Below 100?
In November of 2014, Below
100 trainers formed a non-profit,
501(c)(3) corporation. A board of
directors, composed of the most
experienced and veteran trainers,
oversees the operation and sets
priorities for delivering the training.
The organization is a completely
voluntary group and no one receives
compensation for their training efforts.
Below 100 trainers believe the best
way to honor the fallen is by training
the living. If you would like more
information on Below 100, please
watch the video at
https://vimeo.com/202403156
or go to www.Below100.org.  ■
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dale Stockton,
Executive Director, Below 100
Dale Stockton is a 32-year-veteran of law enforcement,
having worked in all areas of police operations and retiring
as a police captain from Carlsbad, California. He is a
graduate of the 201st FBI National Academy, the California
Supervisory Leadership Institute, the FBI Southwest
Command College and holds a graduate degree from the
University of California, Irvine, in Criminology, Law and
Society. He has served as a Commissioner for California
POST and has been recognized as the most widely
published public safety writer and photographer in the
country. He has taught criminal justice classes for more
than 20 years and is the Editor-in-Chief of Law Officer
Magazine and LawOfficer.com. Stockton is the architect
of Below 100, an officer-safety initiative designed to
reduce police line-of-deaths, and has been involved in the
presentation of the program across North America.
SPRING 2017 | California Police Chief
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