AD Warning-Police Commission AD-Tactics and Unintentional Discharge [039-15]

SHORT STORY: Parole Compliance Unit officers went to a residence to arrest a parolee with desertion status. The officers formed up in a stick. An officer knocked on the door. He could see the suspect through the window running inside a rear bedroom. The officer’s forced the door and entered. Sergeant A went to the rear of the residence to watch the back window. When Officer A kicked the bedroom door, he had his pistol out and his finger slipped onto the trigger and he had an unintentional discharge. BOPC FINDING: AD Tactics and AD on UD: Tactics: (1) failure to communicate observations and intentions; (2) incomplete and inadequate operations plan; (3) failure to cover rear leaving Sergeant A alone to deal with possible armed suspect; (4) breached the door without requesting additional resources; (5) no request for a backup when suspect fled towards rear; (6) failure to contact SWAT for possibly armed barricaded suspect; UD: (1) finger on trigger when kicking door.