NYPD regulations clearly say that officers must reveal their identity to fellow cops in the heat of an armed chase to prevent friendly-fire tragedies like Thursday’s fatal shooting of Officer Omar Edwards.
“The burden of providing identity rests on the CONFRONTED OFFICER whether on or off duty,” the NYPD Patrol Guide says.
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That officer who is confronted is instructed to “remain motionless, even if it means a fleeing suspect may escape.”
They are also instructed: “Do not turn body, especially if holding a firearm.”
In Thursday’s incident, Edwards did not identify himself after he was confronted by a fellow officer, sources said. Instead, he turned with his gun toward the other cop, who shot him.
The regulations make a stark differentiation between the “confronted officer” and the “challenging officer” “who comes upon the scene where an unidentified armed person is observed” in order to avoid deadly shootings, which often unfold within seconds.
The challenging officer is supposed to identify himself “in a loud, clear voice, stating, ‘Police! Don’t move.’ ”
“In such encounters, the actions of the members in the first few seconds are of vital importance,” the three-page section, issued on Jan. 1, 2000, cautions.
Meanwhile, the NYPD ordered its cops yesterday to undergo a new round of training on how to confront other officers in potentially deadly armed scenarios.
Commissioner Ray Kelly ordered the “confrontation training,” which will include role-playing, to begin next month.
It replaces a previously scheduled on-the-job exercise dealing with testifying in the courtroom, according to spokesman Paul Browne.