Nov 30, 2007 8:56 am US/Central
Dallas Officers Say 1-Man Patrols Put Them At Risk
DALLAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
There's a little more stress these days when Dallas police officer Bronco McCoy begins his evening patrols in pleasant grove.
"It makes us uneasy. We're used to riding two-man; it's safer as two man,"
the veteran patrolman said.
McCoy lost his partner in a move to put more officers on the street and the head of the Dallas Police Association said it could put officer safety at risk, but understands the need for increasing patrols.
"Officers' safety is something that is really truly something that needs to be taken into effect when you're putting all these one-man squad cars out," said
Glenn White with the Dallas Police Association.
"But the citizens demand a certain level of service and that's got to be given to them and that's got to be dealt with also so you kind of in a no-win situation."
A FBI study of officers killed during a five-year period found 70 percent were one-man patrols while only nine percent were two man.
Dallas police commanders contend one-man patrols are paying off with better response times and increased visibility.
Department officials stress patrol officers will still receive backup before answering high-risk calls.
McCoy doesn't think that will work.
"W hen something happens in front of you, you have to act immediately sometimes you can't wait for backup."
"I'm not going to answer a call especially if it has any kind of danger to it unless I got adequate cover there."
In other cities like Fort Worth and Arlington, two-man patrols are almost non-existent.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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