By P1 News Editor Lindsay Gebhart

You've seen the story over and over again: An officer makes a traffic stop, expecting it to be just a speeding ticket. Suddenly the suspect bolts from the car, gun in hand, and begins firing.

Sometimes the department never even finds a clear answer. The suspect just had a little marijuana on him. Why would he take such drastic measures?

Two weeks ago in New Jersey two rookies were performing a traffic stop when the suspect bolted out of his car, grabbed one of the officers' service weapon and shot both of them before fleeing.

Read the related news report

Street Survival Seminar Lead Instructor Dave Smith said it is all about intuition and keeping your warrior mentality during all traffic stops - even the ones that seem routine.

"You've got to be alert as to what is transpiring."

He said you should always trust your intuition. That is often the key to anticipating a suspect's next move. You know someone is not right if you find yourself thinking, "This is weird." Trust your instincts, they are usually right.

When you find yourself in a situation that is totally novel, call for back up. Noncompliance is always an excellent indicator of potential threats.

"If they refuse to comply that is further proof. Get backup in there," says Smith. "Science has proven that your intuition has a good chance of being right. If everything is okay you might be wrong, but if something is wrong your intuition will probably catch it.

"Don't approach. Some guys are willing to kill you over just some dope."

If you begin to feel wary when the suspects have already been called out of the vehicle, back away from the suspects and make themn come to you. Engaging in a distraction removal can also force them to focus on you rather than have time to signal each other or plan how they will escape.

No matter where the suspect is located be prepared to back out or quickly take a cover position.

And remember that these dangers are just as real for rural officers as they are for urban officers. Being in rural America definitely does not make you immune from attacks.

Stay safe out there.

Check out the Street Survival Seminar schedule for a location near you.

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Dave Smith is an internationally known motivational speaker, writer and law enforcement trainer who has been an integral part of the Calibre Press family for over 20 years. As a career police officer, Dave held positions in patrol, training, narcotics, SWAT, and management. In 1980 he developed the popular "Buck Savage" survival series videos and was the lead instructor for the Calibre Press Street Survival Seminar from 1983 to 1985.

He was a contributor to Calibre's popular "Tactical Edge" handbook and helped pave the way for what "Street Survival" is today. Dave joined the Law Enforcement Training Network in 1989 and was the general manager of Calibre Press until January of 2002. Now president of Dave Smith & Associates, a law enforcement & management consulting company based in Illinois, Dave has developed hundreds of programs across the spectrum of police & security training needs.

Dave is now the Street Survival Seminar manager and lead instructor and his experiences as officer, trainer, manager, and police spouse lend a unique perspective to the "Street Survival" experience.