What to Do Immediately After an Officer-Involved Shooting (OIS)
You have just gone through one of the most traumatic events any officer can experience. Your next steps are critical not just for the investigation, but for your legal protection, your mental health, and your future. Here’s what to do and not to do:
1. Do NOT Make Any Statements
Once the scene is secure, do not discuss what happened with your partner, your sergeant, not over text, and not even with close friends. If someone asks, “What happened?” you have one answer:
I’ve been involved in a critical incident. I’m safe, but I can’t talk about it right now.
You are not being disrespectful. You’re being smart by protecting yourself legally and emotionally.
2. Shut Off Your Body-Worn Camera and Allow Command to Take Your Body Cam
Shut off your camera once the scene is secure! Ensure that anyone around you, once you clear the scene, has shut off their body-worn cameras if they are going to stay around you. Any statement you make and is captured by other officers’ body-worn cameras can and will be used against you. After the scene is secure, your body-worn camera will typically be collected by command. You’ve done your job, now let the process take over.
3. Call Your Attorney Immediately
This is not optional! If you don’t have one then put the Defender of the Blue in your cell phone. Your attorney is the only person you should speak with about the incident. Attorney-client privilege protects you in ways nothing else can. If your department or union provides legal
coverage, use it. Your attorney will guide you through:
- Your rights and responsibilities in the investigation
- All required interviews
- Psychological debriefings
- Ensuring your union is kept informed
You are not alone. Your legal team has your back.
Final Word:
You may feel pressure to explain yourself or make a statement “just to clear things up” or make a “Safety Statement.” Don’t. Your silence now protects the truth later.
Take a breath. Trust the process. We’ve got your 6.
