PAX Centurion - September / October 2013

Page 38 • PAX CENTURION • September/October 2013 617-989-BPPA (2772) By P.O. Jay Moccia Me and my big fat mouth (or pen in this case) See Big Fat Mouth on page 39 S o, in the last issue of the PAX, I submitted an article titled “The Emperor has No Clothes”. It was a recap of the events that took place in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon Bombing, which I wrote with input from several other Officers of all ranks – including Command Staff. I felt so passionately about what we went through, that I included an offer to debate the issues related in the story. Imagine my surprise when I got a call from the YC-02 himself. I was on vacation, but we agreed to meet when I got back. After making an appointment, I trav- eled to the rarified air of the Crystal Palace. I felt like a Christian in the Coliseum waiting for the lions. I even brought my own water in case the Chief tried to slip me some Kool-Aid. We exchanged pleasantries (our kids played Little League, and attended the same school) then got down to business. There were some ground rules. No names. The word “mistake” would not be used – we agreed on “oversight” (considering the scope of this event – it’s only fair), and although our ranks are almost as far apart as you can get, we would speak candidly. I also offered to pen this item – neutrally, not as a puff piece, but an instrument to disseminate some info. As with any home game, Chief Daniel Linskey let me go first. Before we began, I allowed him to read the unedited version, which immediately cleared up a few misunderstandings. I’m not at liberty to discuss the article as written, suffice to say I had to make some minor, ahem, adjustments before it went to print. I started by relating the mood of the troops – includ- ing the heroism displayed by the Officers assigned in and around the Finish Line. I opined we (patrolmen, line super- visors) carried the day, and that it was quite an impressive sight. Chief Linskey offered that knowing how we operate day to day he wasn’t as surprised, but just as impressed. In his words, we do it every day, this was no different – just on a larger scale. We discussed the role of the Command Staff during the crucial first few hours. The Chief assured me they were all just as busy, even though we didn’t see them, which led us to the long hours. (He [Linskey] stated at one point during the week, the amount of hours worked even caught up with the Command Staff, who, after figuring it out left Supt. Mancini in charge, because he was “low man” with only 16 hours in.) The logistics of this opera- tion dwarfed everything in our history. The biggest problem we faced before, during and after was communication. Not the radio, per se, (more on that later) but information on deployment, up and down the line. I had the advantage of being assigned to the Incident Command Post (ICP). I saw everyone from the Governor, Commissioner, FBI Heads, and Politicians, all coming and going. In that initial chaos Officers on post knew they were in for a long night. According to Chief Linskey, the decision to go to a 12 hour shift was a no-brainer. Implementing it, with the resulting relief, was the hiccup. Because squads were moved, or re-assigned, their operational availability was unknown, and had to be determined BEFORE bodies could be moved in and out. I personally was on my fourth relocation, which landed me at the ICP. Our presence was needed that next day by the citizens, so that people would feel safe as they went about their daily routines. Adding my two-cents, it also let us (Patrolmen) discuss the events as they had transpired, among our peers, which began OUR healing process. I know I felt better, just being able to complain (we all know how important a good bitch session is!) to guys who had similar experiences. The Official response for Peer Support was directly driven by these informal “meetings”. Guys would express concern for someone not doing well, and reach out to a rep or boss and that cop would get help. Once again, I know some time has passed, but if you’re having trouble PLEASE reach out to the Stress Unit. There’s no shame in it, think of it as an OT that only you can respond to. The Chief admitted the whole Operation was an eye- opener. It exposed our strengths, weaknesses, and needs. We discussed a variety of equipment issues, and without giving away any secrets, here are some things that are either in the planning stage, moving toward implementation, or being studied/tested for our use in the field. Patrol Rifles are coming in some form. Chief Linskey has long been a supporter of these guns, in the hands of patrolmen out on the street. There are still some details to be worked out, but long guns will no longer be the sole domain of SWAT. Training programs are the first hurdle. Tactical use, transportation, etc all need to be agreed upon by the Department, and our Unions, so there is no timeline at this point, but it’s on the fast track. New Less Lethal ordinance is also being tested, and that should be in use sooner rather than later. It consists of a more ballisti- cally capable projectile, which will replace the “beanbag” round. Tasers are being looked at for SWAT, to provide another less lethal option during arrests in certain situations. Ballistic helmets may also make an appearance in some form. Their deployment may depend on the situation. Discussions of the practicality of a “Tactical Truck” or trailer which could be dispatched are under way. This vehicle would contain: helmets, hard trauma plates for our ballistic vests, shields, walkie-talkie batteries, phone chargers, etc. It would be staged somewhere in the “hot zone” so Officers on the line could rotate in to access the equipment. Some items were off the table, and after a brief explanation I had to admit it made sense. Lasers for the pistols were one. Chief Linskey explained that the light would outstrip the Glock’s capability. Our The Chief admitted the whole Operation was an eye-opener. It exposed our strengths, weaknesses, and needs. We discussed a variety of equipment issues, and without giving away any secrets, here are some things that are either in the planning stage, moving toward implementation, or being studied/ tested for our use in the field. Patrol Rifles are coming in some form. The most important, yet frustrating problem was communication. With that many agencies, frequencies were needed to relay info between a myriad of departments and agencies. It takes time, and everything needs to be confirmed. Steps need to be taken to prevent information overload, which leads to more confusion.