ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, June 6, 1996 TAG: 9606060042
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: PULASKI
SOURCE: LISA K. GARCIA STAFF WRITER
A police officer who said no one would ever get his gun learned Monday just how quickly a suspect can turn the tables during an arrest.
Pulaski Patrolman Alfred "Andy" Anderson said when a 17-year-old New Jersey teen-ager grabbed him around the waist during an arrest and attempted to grab his gun, it was the scariest moment of his eight-year law enforcement career.
It took only a few seconds for the 6-foot-1, 180-pound suspect to grab his service revolver, Anderson said, which remained in the holster.
"It was wild there for a moment," he said.
The teen's name is not being published because he is a juvenile. He is in the New River Valley Detention Center on a $2,500 bond on charges of assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and cursing and abusive language.
Anderson said the teen also was wanted in New Jersey for aggravated assault with a weapon on his mother. Authorities there will not extradite the teen now, however, because as of Tuesday the charge had been dropped, Anderson said.
Anderson gave this account of what happened Monday afternoon: He approached the teen at a pay telephone booth in the Meadowview Complex area off U.S. 11 because the teen's clothes fit a description of a man named in an emergency custody order. The emergency custody order was for a man who had threatened to kill another man.
When Anderson asked his name, the teen asked the officer what his name was. When Anderson told him his name and again repeated his question the teen-ager began cursing at him.
The teen continued to swear at the officer and Anderson told him he was under arrest for disorderly conduct. As Anderson led him by the arm toward his police car, the teen turned on him and wrapped his arms around Anderson's waist.
The teen then said, "What you going to do now [expletive]?"
Anderson said officers are trained to use their elbow to cover their revolver during a fight. When he lowered his elbow, Anderson realized the teen's hand was on his revolver.
Anderson's arms, however, remained free and he swung a fist at the suspect's head and missed. The teen then let go and Anderson was able to grab his pepper spray and aim it. That's when the teen began to comply with Anderson's requests.
Once Anderson got teen on the ground and began to handcuff him, however, he began resisting arrest again. Anderson said another officer came to assist and they were able to finish the arrest.
Afterward, Anderson said he checked his gun and the strap on the holster had been unsnapped.
"I do know it was a scary moment," Anderson said. "I always said no one would ever get my gun and this showed me how quick that can happen."
LENGTH: Medium: 57 linesby CNB