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Police officers must learn to perceive the world as dangerous in order to survive.
We are exposed every day to numerous unknown events any of which could be routine and harmless or deadly.
We make hundreds of traffic stops a year. We don't know which one could be hazardous or fatal. We must immediately assess many variables on each call or traffic stop: Who is present, where are their hands, what is a safe distance and where is good cover if things go wrong.
Orono officers, like police officers everywhere, are exposed to high risk situations which include combative people, people with guns, people who threaten to shoot the officer or someone else, people who fight, and people with violent criminal records. (We encountered all of this within the past year!)
If you are stopped by a police officer, remember that our job is difficult and we want to go home to our families at the end of the shift. If you have a question or concern about police procedure, the place to dispute it is not on the street. We are hypervigilant while on the street. You are welcome to discuss the stop later at our headquarters, where you may speak with a supervisor.
We tell you why you are being stopped, we want
to see your hands, we do not want you to do anything that we might view as
threatening. We are not people devoid of emotions and personalities. We do
care very much. We just have to be careful. And we do it to protect you.
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