Complacency Kills!

I cut this story from "Tightrope" but I felt it was too important not to share.

I had stopped and checked this particular violent offender on numerous occasions. He was a known pimp, drug trafficker, and had been unlawfully armed with a loaded handgun before, found by me, in fact. But that’s not what this story is about.

It was a regular dayshift patrol when I decided to check if he had any outstanding warrants. I told my dispatcher I was going to stop and talk to him. I gave his full name, I knew him well and prepared to step out of my police vehicle.

Then came the first question: “Do you want any backup?”

I said, “No.” And I got out of my car.

Now to be clear, I knew backup would likely start heading my way anyway, it was standard when dealing with a high-risk individual. But it’s strange to me now that I thought it was okay to handle this alone. I had seen others do it, and somewhere along the way, I started following along.

The Moment Everything Changed

This man had never been aggressive or violent toward me before. I’d dealt with him and his girlfriend (a local sex trade worker) many times, even during arrests, with no issues. Those calm interactions had built a dangerous illusion of safety. Slowly, without realizing it, I’d become complacent.

As soon as I engaged him that day, something felt off. His body was tense, pumped up, different. I started casual conversation while waiting for word on any warrants. Then he did something that sent a chill through me, he looked at me with wild, almost evil eyes, and then his gaze dropped directly to my firearm.

The first time it startled me. The second time, every instinct in me screamed. The hair on the back of my neck stood up. The voice inside my head shouted, “Get back in your car.”

So that’s what I did.

I ended the conversation, told him he was free to go, got back in my car, and drove away. My heart was pounding. My palms were sweaty. I knew I had just experienced a near miss, and I was lucky to still be here.

The Reflection

He was bigger, stronger, and completely unpredictable. Armed or not, I would have been outmatched and I am not ashamed to admit it. That realization stayed with me for years.

People often ask if I was ever scared on the job. My answer: only once, that day, with that man.

Even when I dealt with serial killer Robert Pickton who was as evil and unnerving as they come, I didn’t feel fear in the moment. But with this man, I did.

Years later, he stole a motorcycle, fled from police, and crashed off an overpass, killing himself. It’s hard to admit, but I slept better that night knowing I’d never have to see him again.

The Lessons

So what’s the lesson here? There are a few.

1. Follow your training. No matter your profession, there are dangers to your health and safety. Policing isn’t even at the top of the list, construction, logging, mining, truck driving, and farming rank higher. But training exists for a reason. It’s there to keep you safe. Don’t skip steps. Don’t take shortcuts. Don’t let habit replace discipline.

2. Listen to your instincts. We all have an inner alarm system. It’s what animals rely on in the wild to survive. Humans, on the other hand, have learned to reason their way out of intuition, to ignore it. But when your gut tells you something is wrong, believe it.

3. Leadership means prioritizing safety. If you’re in a leadership role stop cutting corners. Your people’s safety is non-negotiable. I’ve seen supervisors say “just get it done” even when the resources, light, or equipment weren’t sufficient. That’s not leadership, that’s gambling with people’s lives.

When things go right after a risky shortcut, it reinforces complacency. But all it takes is one wrong moment for tragedy to strike. Complacency kills.

Final Thoughts

That incident changed how I worked and how I led. I started saying no. I asked for more time, more people, more light, whatever it took to do it safely. I didn’t need to be called a hero. I just wanted to make sure everyone went home.

We can’t prevent the unpreventable. But we can do everything possible to prevent the preventable.

Life is about who’s waiting for you at the end of the day, your family, your friends, your soulmates. The goal isn’t just to survive the job; it’s to live long enough to sit on your porch with grey hair and a coffee cup in hand, watching the sun rise and set.

You’re worthy of that. You’ve earned that. So whatever you do, don’t be complacent, don’t tolerate those that are, speak up, take a stand, you aren’t being obstructive, you are being a Guardian for yourself and others.