Seat belts save officers' lives
by Matthew Siraguse (VAPBA member)
Dec 3, 2012
Growing up most police officers know that they want to become police officers. Whether it is a family tradition, desire to help society or to serve the community they live in, the reason does not matter, what matters is that they want to serve. From the time I was 15 years old, I wanted to be a police officer.
When I became a police officer in 2006, I thought I had it made. I was in a good department, and in a busy station. I desired to learn the job, and to do the job well. I always figured that I would be the “run and gun” type of officer, always busy making arrests and being out in the community. I figured that my toughest day would be the day should it come, would be having to use my service weapon to defend myself. I had no idea that the toughest day of my career would be due to an ordinary activity.
Only about three percent of all police officer are forced to use their service weapon in the line of duty. However, almost one hundred percent of officers will use a patrol vehicle. Our cruisers are our places of business, office and safe zone. We climb into them and forget the last bad call, the last argument with a citizen or whatever happened. The cruiser is the safe place, however there are some officer who will not do all that they can to be safe in the cruiser. There are still officers that do not wear seat belts. I learned from first hand experience that they save lives. I know mine was saved because of it.
On 08/13/2012 I was involved in a high speed vehicle crash while on duty. During a normal shift, while going to a standard call, a citizen’s vehicle drove into my lane of travel and crashed into my cruiser head on. The citizen’s vehicle was traveling in excess of 75 MPH. The impact was so great, that it forced my cruiser to change direction and moved it backwards the opposite direction I was going. I ended up being trapped in my vehicle, while the citizen’s vehicle and driver were engulfed in flames.
I knew as I sat in the wreckage of my cruiser, I had but two reasons why I was alive. The Grace of God and my seat belt. Eventually I was pulled from the cruiser by two citizens who heard the crash and ran up to the scene. Later at the hospital I would learn that I had suffered a shattered pelvis, dislocated hip and multiple other injuries.
Being able to recover from injuries, while difficult, is the best thing I have experienced. For the last six years, I have gone through a check list to make sure I was ready for each day. I would check my service weapon, wear my vest, check the shotgun, make sure the cruiser was good to go. I never gave much thought to making sure I always wore my seat belt. Yes there were times during my shifts I would not have it on, but I never really gave it much thought. We all think that our lives will be saved by our gun, mine was saved by my seat belt. After going through what I have, I do not think there will be another time when I do not have my seat belt on.
Virginia Division
