Dangers of Being in Uniform

By John Rupolo

CREATED May. 10, 2012 - UPDATED: May. 10, 2012

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LEE COUNTY, Fla. - Gunshots in Cape Coral.  Last year a Cape officer shot following a traffic stop and it was all caught on video.

Tuesday night in Buckingham a similar incident.  A high speed chase that  began in North Fort Myers.  The driver eventually pulls over and struggles with the deputy.  Gunshots follow, the deputy is wounded and  the driver is shot and killed.

"Naturally at a traffic stop there's usually some other riminal activity that either has  taken place or is taking place," said Lt. Larry King of the LCSO.

Violence is one of the dangers officers face each and everyday.  No one knows that better than retired Fort Myers police officer Cecil Pendergrass.

"A lot is driven by society.  It's gotten more violent, more tendencies to use weapons towards law enforcement , a lack of respect,' said Pendergrass.

Pendergrass remembers whewn violence occured against one of his fellow officers, it was a wake up call.

"You think about it more but everyday they go to work they think about that everyday you put your uniforms on you leave the house you know something could happen," said Pendergrass.

I asked the LCSO about officer training.  They tell me scenario and weapons training is always ongoing.

"Thats what we train for," said King.

Pendergrass recalls answering thousands of calls during his years as a Fort Myers police officer and no call was ever the same.

JOHN RUPOLO

FOX 4 NEWS