Searching for a cop killer, be ready for a deadly confrontation
It’s possible that this subject’s peaceful surrender won’t happen
Jan 10, 2017 At the time of this writing, a manhunt is presently underway in Florida for the man who murdered Master Sergeant Debra Clayton of the Orlando Police Department.
In the aftermath of her murder, Clayton — a 17-year veteran of the force — is being remembered by her police peers as a hero who “gave her life to the community she loves.” OPD tweeted that Clayton: “always had a smile for kids and always took a moment to interact w/community.”
If the loss of Master Sergeant Clayton on Monday morning wasn’t painful enough, Florida law enforcement soon suffered another tragedy. In the early hours of the manhunt, Orange County Sheriff’s Office Deputy First Class Norman Lewis was killed when he was involved in a motorcycle crash while searching for Clayton’s murderer.
Officers stand and salute as the body of Master Sergeant Debra Clayton of the Orlando Police Department is transported. The hunt for her killer is, at the time of this writing, still ongoing. (AP Image)
cop killer Markeith Loyd
The murder subject is 41-year-old Markeith Loyd, who has also been identified as the primary suspect in the murder of his pregnant ex-girlfriend in December of 2016. Loyd is considered to be armed and extremely dangerous. Authorities have publicly urged Loyd to turn himself in peacefully to prevent further loss of life.
It’s possible that this subject’s peaceful surrender won’t happen. The unfortunate truth is that this thing may end with Loyd dying by a self-inflicted gunshot wound, or getting killed in a confrontation with police.
Loyd has murdered a law enforcement officer, carjacked a car in order to escape, and shot a number of rounds at other officers seeking to apprehend him — his gunfire hit a police SUV, but fortunately did not strike other officers.
Loyd has a long criminal history dating back nearly two decades. In 1998, he served over four years for battery on a law enforcement officer or firefighter and resisting arrest with violence, according to the Orlando Sentinel. He was convicted for conspiracy with intent to distribute cocaine in 1999, and while in jail in 2002, a corrections officer filed charges against him for battery — Loyd was found guilty of that charge.
What does this mean for police seeking to take this dangerous suspect into custody?
Simple: be ready for a deadly force encounter at all times. Be ready for standoff. Be ready for ambush. Be ready for anything. Your life — or the life of another — may depend on it.
LOOKING TO RECENT HISTORY FOR GUIDANCE
I’m reminded of the weeklong manhunt for Christopher Dorner in California in February of 2013, and the statewide manhunt for Maurice Clemmons in Washington in November 2009.
In the Dorner case, the former LAPD officer who gone totally rogue and murdered four people — two of them cops — was discovered to be holed up in a cabin near Big Bear.
A standoff ensued, and after one of the walls of the cabin was torn down and chemical munitions deployed, it became abundantly clear that the murderer would not surrender. As the building burned to the ground above him, Dorner sat in the basement and fatally shot himself.
In the Clemmons case, the murderer who assassinated four police officers at the Forza Coffee Shop in Lakewood — and who himself was shot and wounded in that incident — decided to set a trap in which he planned to kill more cops.
Clemmons had not considered the skill and guile of Seattle Police Officer Ben Kelly, who was dialed-in and ready for anything when he came upon an abandoned vehicle at around 0245 hours. Kelly was in his squad car when he saw a man approaching him from his six o’clock. He exited his vehicle, recognized Clemmons, and shot the cop killer.
A HUNTED MURDERER, POTENTIALLY GETTING HELP
This search may take just days, or it may go on for months. Dorner and Clemmons lasted about a week each. Even Eric Rudolph and Ted Kaczynski were eventually caught.
Here are five keys to successfully tracking and apprehending this cop-killing fugitive.
#1 Focus on known associates: There are myriad hiding places for a fugitive such as Markeith Loyd, but they are not limitless, nor are they impervious to law enforcement successfully bringing the cop-killer to justice.
Loyd has a number of known associates. Those individuals will be among the first who police approach. They must be treated as extremely dangerous and hostile to police.
Eric Frein — who ambushed a Pennsylvania trooper outside his barracks and was captured by US Marshals in the Pocono Mountains after a 48-day search — survived in the woods — entirely without help for more than a month and a half.
Unlike Frein, Loyd is a career criminal who has reportedly received help in his flight from police following the murder of his pregnant ex-girlfriend. It’s unclear if he will receive assistance now, but officers must assume that he will indeed receive care and comfort of his criminal colleagues.
So, be ready not only for a deadly confrontation with the wanted suspect, but also with the people who choose to call Loyd an ally.
#2 Watch social media: Loyd was extremely revelatory on his social media pages leading up to the murder of his ex-girlfriend and their unborn child. It’s entirely possible that Loyd will pop up in the virtual world. His ego may lead to his undoing.
On November 30, 2016, Loyd posted, “Goals!!!! To be on Americas most wanted.”
Aside from the fact that this television show is no longer on the air, Loyd may surface online. The state, local, and federal authorities searching for this man will surely be watching the virtual space as closely as the real world.
#3 Leverage the willingness of anonymous tipsters: The Orlando area Crimestoppers organization has pledged that any tip leading to the capture of Loyd will be kept totally anonymous. The reward for information leading to his arrest has been increased to $100,000. That’s a pretty significant chunk of change. Given the fact that Loyd is likely to stay close to areas with which he is familiar, there’s at least a small possibility that someone will see him and be tempted by the payday.
#4 Utilize K-9 and airborne FLIR assets: Orlando is a massive city — spanning 110 square miles in central Florida. Further, the metropolitan area surrounding that city is a mix of suburban sprawl and rural Floridian plains and lowlands.
The probability of Loyd lying low in a swap is not high, but it cannot be ignored. The focus of the search thus far has been on apartment complexes near to where he was last seen, but law enforcement will also need to deploy resources such as K-9 search teams and airborne assets equipped with FLIR capabilities to an ever-increasing area.
Generally speaking, a person on foot (barring injury) can traverse about three miles of level ground per hour, and depending on the physical fitness of the individual, can tally between 24-26 miles of long march in a single day. The area of focus will necessarily expand as the days and weeks go by.
#5 Remember basic officer safety concepts: Officers searching for Loyd must watch for signs of ambush. Clemmons did his best to kill one more cop before going down in a hail of gunfire. Ben Kelly was prepared and did not allow that to happen.
Remember that there is strength in numbers. When possible, respond with ovewhelming numbers. This worked out well for police who came to find Dorner in that cabin at Big Bear.
Don’t rush in. Whenever possible and/or practicable, wait for backup. Do your best to back up your fellow officers, even if no call for backup is made.
Watch your six.
Stay safe out there my brothers and sisters.
Oh yeah… and one more thing: shoot back first.
About the author ARTICLE APPEARED HERE WITH PERMISSION
Doug Wyllie is Editor at Large for PoliceOne, responsible for providing police training content and expert analysis on a wide range of topics and trends that affect the law enforcement community. An award-winning columnist — he is the 2014 Western Publishing Association “Maggie Award” winner in the category of Best Regularly Featured Digital Edition Column — Doug has authored more than 900 feature articles and tactical tips. Doug is also responsible for planning and recording the PoliceOne Podcast, Policing Matters, as well as being the on-air host for PoliceOne Video interviews. Doug also works closely with the PoliceOne Academy to develop training designed to prepare cops for the fight they face every day on the street.
Doug regularly represents PoliceOne as a public speaker in a variety of forums and is available for media interviews — he has appeared on numerous local and national radio and television news programs, and has been quoted in a host of print publications.
Doug is a member of International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association (ILEETA), an Associate Member of the California Peace Officers’ Association (CPOA), and a member of the Public Safety Writers Association (PSWA).