Police killings hit home for Pierce County law enforcement

When the news broke Thursday night that a sniper had shot 12 Dallas police officers, Pat Davidson was in a briefing session with eight other Pierce County deputies and the sheriff.

As the news unfolded, they hung on every second of the “CNN Live” report.

“You could hear a pin drop,” said Davidson, a sergeant assigned to the Parkland-Spanaway precinct. “We were in disbelief. Who would blatantly kill police officers like that?”

Yet when he slid behind the wheel of his patrol car Friday morning, nothing had changed in how Davidson did his job.

He’s worked for the Sheriff’s Department in Pierce County for 16 years and in King County for five before that.

As a sergeant, he’s in charge of the eight deputies in his squad. They’re the ones who interact most with the public. Davidson’s role is to ensure the deputies are safe in those interactions.

“I have to make the tough decisions,” he said. “I can make the life-and-death decisions.”

For the most part, he said, the public knows that.

In his experience, people generally know law enforcement officers are there to make their community safer, and that he aims to do his job fairly, regardless of race, religion or anything else.

In fact, he said, three people approached him Friday to thank him and offer support.

Still, Davidson said, there were times during his days on the street when he felt his life was in danger and considered pulling his firearm.

“It’s scary,” he said. “It’s not something I ever wish to do.”

In any altercation with law enforcement, he said, the best thing anyone can do is simply follow directions until the situation is resolved.

“If you don’t like what’s happening, that’s fine,” Davidson said. “Follow my directions, and we’ll sort it all out.”

He said he doesn’t feel there’s any more of a target on his back now than before the unrest in Dallas and the larger national outcry, including the Black Lives Matter movement.

But he said several deputies Friday mentioned to him that their wives and significant others had expressed fear for their uniformed loved one’s safety.

To help with that, Davidson has a standing offer to any family member interested in a ride-along.

His own wife had expressed worry for him, he said, but she’s been on ride-alongs before and seen that the deputies on his squad always have each other’s safety in mind.

“She knows how I handle myself,” Davidson said. “She knows I’m pretty darn safe.”

As for the other deputies, it’s business as usual — more or less.

“My guys aren’t scared,” Davidson said, “but it’s definitely hitting home for every single one of them.”

This story was originally published July 8, 2016 at 7:31 PM with the headline "Police killings hit home for Pierce County law enforcement."