NSEW: Coordinate Advice

[JRPD]

Bare with me as I try to explain.
You have an individual you are chasing on foot and you both run through some backyards. You call out on your radio, I'm chasing the suspect, He's heading east towards Smith st.
First off, is that how an officer relays this information to the other officers in pursuit? (using the directional word east)
If so, how does one know which direction they are moving towards? I can visualize on a map and know that I live on the south side of town and I am going to be working on the east side of town. But when it comes down to the streets, I wouldn't know. (right now)
(Don't laugh) Could I use a watch that has a compass on it? Or would that just be a tool that could really screw me up, especially if I am wrong.

Just curious to find out what your advice would be. BTW: all of the streets names are words. If it were numbers I would be fine, being that I grew up in a big city with #'ed streets.

Thanks
J

[PhilipCal]

Bare with me as I try to explain.
You have an individual you are chasing on foot and you both run through some backyards. You call out on your radio, I'm chasing the suspect, He's heading east towards Smith st.
First off, is that how an officer relays this information to the other officers in pursuit? (using the directional word east)
If so, how does one know which direction they are moving towards? I can visualize on a map and know that I live on the south side of town and I am going to be working on the east side of town. But when it comes down to the streets, I wouldn't know. (right now)
(Don't laugh) Could I use a watch that has a compass on it? Or would that just be a tool that could really screw me up, especially if I am wrong.

Just curious to find out what your advice would be. BTW: all of the streets names are words. If it were numbers I would be fine, being that I grew up in a big city with #'ed streets.

Thanks
J

J, in either a foot pursuit/vehicle pursuit, you need to know what direction you're traveling in. That comes with knowledge of the District/Area you're working. Probably a little easier on major thoroughfares than running through a darkened back yard. But, yeah, you need to know what direction you're going in, especially a foot chase.

[Taylor1430]

I'm not sure how to explain this....but we are near the Chesapeake Bay. The bay is to the East of us. I'm not sure exactly what it is, but one can feel the bay (for lack of a better term). When running, and can feel the bay behind me, I am running west. If its to my left, I'm running south. I cant explain this becuase there are several miles between us and the bay...but one can feel it.

Most times, however, roads and other landmarks are used.

[JRPD]

Thanks for your responses. Landmarks are going to be my best bet, plus like you said PhilipCal, "That comes with knowledge of the District/Area you're working". We're given around 4-6 weeks of Field Training/Probationary Period once we graduate, so that should be enough time to get to know my patrol area.
Thanks again.
J

[crass cop]

I had to ask a guy that came outside into his backyard what his address was and radio it to dispatch. I had a short foot pursuit and was taking dirtbag into custody after shots fired call....at night....in area where I wasn't very familiar. I was all kinds of turned around but knew I was North of the original call.

House numbers will tell you if youre going NSEW...also landmarks......"Im passing a large white house with a chain link fence on the West side of Smith St, North of the call"

[mdrdep]

I don't know what it is but I started learning my directions and map reading at an early age, but now I get trainees all the time with no sense of direction and can't tell the topside of a map from the bottom...........

[JRPD]

Thanks Crass. Landmarks seem to be the secure way of placing yourself in a certain direction.
MrDep: With these trainees, how do you help them get this down to a science? I would love to actually walk/drive around the area in which I want to patrol. However, it's in the worst part of town and any LEO would consider me a person of interest. Either I'd be looking to purchase narcotics, or looking for a good time, or I am lost and would possible get introduced to some of the neighborhood locals. There are no shopping areas, it's mostly residential one story housing units.
We do have our beats broken out by sectors that have all the street names, I can try and study that map and simply test myself everyday when I am driving. (supermarket, kids school, gym, etc...)

Thanks again. All of your help is valued and will be useful to me and others who may read this post.