Conflicts with Police

C

CANDawg

Forum Asst. Chief
520
3
18
The Cop Drops article got me thinking about EMS interactions with Police. I know for the most part they are a huge resource and asset, especially with those, "interesting" situations where you need a safe scene before entering.

That said, have any of you ever had any negative interactions with police? Say, they insisted on processing someone in custody even if they should really be going to the hospital, or they somehow unreasonably prevented treatment to a patient in some other way? Do your state/province procedures allow you to override cops on issues of medical care at all? (Maybe with medical control authorization?)

I deal with a lot of emergency services workers in my current non-EMS job, and while EMS/Fire are usually great people to deal with, cops are kind of hit and miss. I've met a lot of cops that its pretty obvious why they went into the field, and it doesn't seem to be the good reasons. ;)
 
H

Handsome Robb

Youngin'
Premium Member
9,736
1,174
113
We have a great relationship with the departments in my area. We scratch their backs and they scratch ours. With that said there are always a few bad apples on both sides of the fence.

For example the cop that told me he was taking a certain someone into custody and wanted her transported to the hospital and she was refusing while being A&O and sober. I took her on a PD custody/legal hold then the officer denied custody or a legal at the ER. Needless to say she walked right out the front door an he was pissed but you can't force healthcare on people. I documented the :censored::censored::censored::censored: outta it with a name an badge number but he still put me in a really bad spot. I'll never go out of my way to help him again that's for sure.

Other cops have really helped me in a bind an I will always do everything I can to help them.
 
bigbaldguy

bigbaldguy

Former medic seven years 911 service in houston
4,043
42
48
Many medics and many police officers tend to have very similar personality types. That's all I'm saying ;)
 
V

Veneficus

Forum Chief
7,301
16
0
"You took the wrong test my friend, you wanted the one that said Fireman"

(part of a conversation when a well liked patrolman stopped by the FD on Thanksgiving day to microwave his tupperware packaged turkey dinner as we were having our feast with family)

Bet his wife still hasn't figure out he didn't eat what she packed that day...

A conversation I have had many times with many law enforcement people I know I think sums it up best.

Police are proactive. Fire and even more so, EMS, are reactive.(usually with personalities to match)

So in the grey area of a scene where both think that each is acting in the best course, the one who takes a supportive role for the other, will generally be regarded as the best one to work with by the other.

I suggest that there are no more "problem" police officers as a percentage of their population than EMS or Fire officials. But because they are a larger population and proactive in duties, you encounter them more often.

The only emergency persons I have ever found that do not respond to professional and open communication are a minority of volunteer fire officers. (usually elected chief)

If you do not draw lines in the sand, they will not be crossed.
 
D

DesertMedic66

Forum Troll
11,274
3,453
113
Never had any issues with PD. If we get into danger and call for PD they come fast. Usually it's not just one cop that will come either. But they can get a little aggressive. Releasing a police dog in the back of an ambulance with the medic still in the back isn't the safest (dog went after the patient not the medic). Taser a suspect/patient in the back of an ambulance is also not the safest. Pepper spray in the back of the ambulance is a horrible idea. All of which have been done here.

Fire/PD/EMS have a really good relationship here so everyone is treated great. PD does what we say and vise-versa.

Due to this being a public site that is all the info I am going to say for everyone to see.
 
Shishkabob

Shishkabob

Forum Chief
8,264
32
48
Never had an issue with PD of any sort (knock on wood).


However, conflicts with FD are fairly common.
 
DrParasite

DrParasite

The fire extinguisher is not just for show
6,199
2,054
113
The only incident I have had with police (other than trying to get a NJSP to close a lane on a highway and them not want to) involved a cop threatening to arrest me on a MVA. Of course the reason he was doing it was I was giving him a hard time because he was hooking one of the cars up to the tow truck, and lifting it up, as I was trying to get 3 people out of the car.......

For the most part, any conflict can be solved by requesting the officers white shirt supervisor to the scene. Even better, have your white shirt supervisor come down, the two white shirts can argue it out. let your white give give you direction on how to handle the situation.

One other thing you need to remember, cops have their own rules and policies, some that doesn't align with what EMS wants or needs to do according to their rules and policies. sometimes concessions need to be made on both sides in order to get the job done.

And if a cop does something shady, questionable, or otherwise you don't like, just get a badge number, and document per "officer xyz, we are cancelled or being unable to do what is needed." This way it all falls on the officer or the police agency.
 
EpiEMS

EpiEMS

Forum Deputy Chief
3,822
1,148
113
Love the cops. They keep my arse safe, hold C-spine before EMS arrives, and do a hell of a good job at CPR.

FD, not so much – they are nice enough to block off scenes and lift heavy patients. My real issue, though, is when they arrive on scene and (despite being EMTs or even medics) neglect to do the most basic assessments and treatments. But, boy, do they love to put O2 on EVERYBODY...
 
adamjh3

adamjh3

Forum Culinary Powerhouse
1,873
6
0
Linuss said:
Never had an issue with PD of any sort (knock on wood).


However, conflicts with FD are fairly common.
Click to expand...

Pretty much this. I've had issues with fire personnel, but never law enforcement.

I've had far more interactions with LE than Fire, but I've noticed there's a lot of ego going around with most of the FDs around here.
 
lightsandsirens5

lightsandsirens5

Forum Deputy Chief
3,970
19
38
Excellent interaction with PD/SO/JP, whatever so far.

I tend to try to not argue with men who carry guns....<_<
 
mycrofft

mycrofft

Still crazy but elsewhere
11,322
48
48
Working in a correctional facility, initially we had a lot of trouble with deputies trying to direct care, deny care, and bully the nurses; as time went on, that simmered down, and cross-trained deputies became more of a problem, trying to second guess us. One diverted an outside care case going by car (not serious) from one facility we had called ahead to, to another, because he thought it was a better one. Another deputy called me to his floor when an inmate allegedly fell down the stairs; I established he was probably faking it, but the deputy was getting insistent that I spineboard the pt then take then pt off the floor so he could serve lunch. I followed protocols, the pt was boarded in place by FD and cleared at the hospital, then sent to lockdown for faking it, and the writeup didn't affect me since I documented it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top