Los Angeles Police Department Emergency Operations Guide Volume 4 PDF

Los Angeles Police Department Emergency Operations Guide Volume 4 Command Officer’s Guide Published By: Emergency Preparedness Unit Emergency Operations Division Special Operations Bureau Los Angeles Police Department 550 E. Temple St. Los Angeles, CA 90012 (213) 484-6750 2010 Copyright © 2010 by the Los Angeles Police Department. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be copied or reproduced in any form or by any means without written permission of the Los Angeles Police Department. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 - INCIDENT COMMAND OVERVIEW ................................................................ 2 PURPOSE ....................................................................................................................................... 2 DEPARTMENT EXPECTATIONS ............................................................................................... 2 INCIDENT COMMANDER .......................................................................................................... 3 STANDARDS OF COMMAND .................................................................................................... 3 QUALITIES OF EFFECTIVE INCIDENT COMMANDERS ...................................................... 4 HISTORY OF THE INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM (ICS) ................................................... 5 ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF ICS ................................................................................................. 5 VALUE OF THE INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM ................................................................. 7 CHAPTER II – COMMAND AND CONTROL PRINCIPLES .................................................... 8 ICS PRINCIPLE POSITIONS........................................................................................................ 8 COMMUNICATIONS ................................................................................................................. 11 CHAPTER III –MANAGING SIGNIFICANT INCIDENTS ...................................................... 12 INTELLIGENCE .......................................................................................................................... 12 CROWD MANAGEMENT AND CROWD CONTROL ............................................................ 12 EVACUATION ............................................................................................................................ 21 TRAFFIC CONTROL .................................................................................................................. 22 MASS ARREST ........................................................................................................................... 23 ATTACK ON A PROTECTED DIGNITARY ............................................................................ 23 CATASTROPHIC INCIDENTS .................................................................................................. 24 CHAPTER IV – RESOURCES TO CONSIDER......................................................................... 26 TOOLS AVAILABLE TO THE INCIDENT COMMANDER ................................................... 26 CHAPTER V –BEST PRACTICES AND CONSIDERATIONS ................................................ 28 BEST PRACTICES AND CONSIDERATIONS ......................................................................... 28 LESSONS LEARNED.................................................................................................................. 30 EOG Volume 4 Command Officer’s Guide Page |1 CHAPTER 1 INCIDENT COMMAND OVERVIEW PURPOSE The Los Angeles Police Department responds to a variety of emergencies and pre-planned events on a daily basis throughout the City. In order to respond effectively to manage personnel and resources and to provide for the safety and welfare of personnel, the Department will always operate within the Incident Command System (ICS) at the incident scene. Whether the incident involves barricaded suspects, multi-location search warrants, parades, labor demonstrations or even the unfortunate funeral for a fallen officer, the ICS shall be the primary incident management tool utilized. The Command Officers Guide to Managing Incidents provides information that will assist the leadership of our Department with effective incident management. The guide will provide the expectations, background and protocols related to effective incident management. This guide is organized into five chapters which cover; Incident Command Philosophy, Command and Control Principles, Tools for Managing an Incident, Resources to Consider and Lessons Learned / Best Practices. The guide also contains a comprehensive addendum that provides position specific descriptions and responsibilities for each of the Incident Command System (ICS) positions. The ICS descriptions and check lists provide detailed information on the function and tasks for each of the positions that may be activated during incident command. DEPARTMENT EXPECTATIONS The role of a Command Officer is multi-faceted and critical to the success of any major incident or event. The terms incident and event are interchangeable and only differentiated by the fact that incidents are spontaneous occurrences and events are pre-planned. The role of the Command Officer remains consistent with both incidents and events. Commanding Officers must prepare themselves for effective incident management through training, exercising and personal experience. Actively participating in the preparation of preplanned events and responding to significant incidents are the precursors for building effective incident management skills. The Department expects the leadership to respond to significant incidents to ensure that proper incident management is being employed. Command Officers who respond to significant incidents provide stability and support for their personnel who are dedicated to resolving the incident. Obtain situational awareness, identify the issues, develop the objectives and obtain the necessary resources to resolve the issues. Work with supervisors and develop the plan and course of action that will lead to a successful resolution. EOG Volume 4 Command Officer’s Guide Page |2 INCIDENT COMMANDER The Incident Commander is the individual responsible for all incident activities, including development of objectives, strategies, tactics and the ordering and the release of resources. The IC has overall authority and responsibility for conducting incident operations and is responsible for the management of all incident operations at the incident site. The complexity of an incident and the challenges that develop can result in tremendous pressure for even the most competent Incident Commander. The following attributes and actions may serve to better equip the Incident Commander to fulfill their duties. STANDARDS OF COMMAND The Standards of Command define those actions that are performed routinely by the Incident Commander to achieve the incident objectives and tactical priorities. The Standards of Command are: Establish command as soon as possible. Provide the stability and the structure to reassure personnel that there is a command and one person is in charge (absent Unified Command). Assume and announce Incident Command and establish an effective Incident Command Post. Assess the situation and obtain a briefing from the previous Incident Commander to obtain good situational awareness. Communicate with all tactical resources to ensure clear understanding of missions and priorities. Communication must be a high priority throughout the incident. Ensure that sufficient resources are dedicated to support the communication mission. Establish an appropriate organization to support the incident. Don’t under staff the incident in order to reduce overtime or reduce the impact to other commands. Order sufficient resources to manage the incident and don’t try to mitigate the impact to other commands. The longer an incident lasts it will eventually impact other commands, so order what is needed to resolve the incident as efficiently as quickly as possible. Establish immediate priorities to contain control and return the situation to normal as efficiently as possible. Remember to prioritize objectives according to: 1) Life Safety, 2) Incident Stabilization and 3) Property Preservation. Ensure adequate safety measures are in place to protect all responders. Don’t forget to establish a Safety Officer (SO) to oversee the safety of the operation. Coordinate with key people and officials to ensure adequate support for the incident. Consider establishing a Liaison Officer (LAO) as soon as possible to take on this role. Authorize release of information to the media and the public to avoid dissemination of misinformation that may be counterproductive to resolving the incident. Establish a Public Information Officer (PIO) when necessary to handle this responsibility. EOG Volume 4 Command Officer’s Guide Page |3 Evaluate and revise the incident management plan based on conditions and actions as needed. Prepare for transition of command to provide for the continuity, transfer and termination of the Incident Command. QUALITIES OF EFFECTIVE INCIDENT COMMANDERS Command presence must be demonstrated through confidence, knowledge and direction. Command presence should not be confused with rank. Understanding of ICS is critical to the efficient management of any incident. Proven management skills during prior incidents will enhance the support and acceptance of the Incident Commander as an effective leader. Strong decision-making ability is critical for a leader during hyper dynamic incidents that demand tough decisions. Subordinates lose faith in leaders who fail to make decisions. Calm, quick thinking skills are an asset to the Incident Commander faced with a multitude of challenges and tasks. Many incidents will mandate a hasty decision making process. Good communication skills are essential for the effective Incident Commander. The information provided must be clear and concise in order to be acted upon. Adaptability and flexibility are the corner stone to the Incident Commander attempting to manage a complex incident or event. Complex incidents are unpredictable and thus one course of action may not always be effective. Recognize personal limitations that may impede the effective management of an incident. Utilize the strengths and abilities of personnel within the command to staff key positions. Don’t try to develop strategies or tactics that are outside your level of experience or expertise. Political awareness is a necessary because the final responsibility for resolution of the incident remains with the chief elected official, chief executive officer, or agency administrators. EOG Volume 4 Command Officer’s Guide Page |4 HISTORY OF THE INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM (ICS) ICS was developed in the 1970s following a series of catastrophic fires in California's urban Interface. Property damage ran into the millions, and many people died or were injured. The personnel assigned to determine the causes of these outcomes studied the case histories and discovered that response problems could rarely be attributed to lack of resources or failure of tactics. Surprisingly, studies found that response problems were far more likely to result from inadequate management than from any other single reason. The Incident Command System: • Is a standardized management tool for meeting the demands of small or large emergency or nonemergency situations. • Represents "best practices" and has become the standard for emergency management across the country. • May be used for planned events, natural disasters, and acts of terrorism. • Is a key feature of the National Incident Management System (NIMS). • The system is modular and extremely flexible to meet the needs of the incident. As stated in the National Incident Management System (NIMS), “The ICS is a management system designed to enable effective and efficient domestic incident management by integrating a combination of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures, and communications operating within a common organizational structure, designed to enable effective and efficient domestic incident management. A basic premise of ICS is that it is widely applicable. The ICS is used to organize both near-term and long-term field-level operations for a broad spectrum of emergencies, from small to complex incidents, both natural and manmade. The ICS is used by all levels of government—Federal, State, local, and tribal—as well as many privatesector and nongovernmental organizations. The ICS is also applicable across disciplines. It is normally structured to facilitate activities in five major functional areas: Command, Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Administration and Finance (COPLA). ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF ICS The 14 essential ICS features are listed below: 1. Common Terminology: Using common terminology helps to define organizational functions, incident facilities, resource descriptions, and position titles. 2. Modular Organization: The Incident Command organizational structure develops in a modular fashion that is based on the size and complexity of the incident, as well as the hazardous environment created by the incident. 3. Management by Objectives: Includes establishing overarching objectives; developing strategies based on incident objectives; developing and issuing assignments, plans, procedures, and protocols; establishing specific, measurable objectives for various incident management functional activities and directing efforts to attain them, in support EOG Volume 4 Command Officer’s Guide Page |5 of defined strategies; and documenting results to measure performance and facilitate corrective action. 4. Incident Action Planning: Incident Action Plans (IAPs) provide a coherent means of communicating the overall incident objectives in the context of both operational and support activities. 5. Manageable Span of Control: Span of control is key to effective and efficient incident management. Within ICS, the span of control of any individual with incident management supervisory responsibility should range from three to seven subordinates. 6. Incident Locations and Facilities: Various types of operational support facilities are established in the vicinity of an incident to accomplish a variety of purposes. Typical designated facilities include Incident Command Posts, Bases, Camps, Staging Areas, Mass Casualty Triage Areas, and others as required. 7. Comprehensive Resource Management: Maintaining an accurate and up-to-date picture of resource utilization is a critical component of incident management. Resources are defined as personnel, teams, equipment, supplies, and facilities available or potentially available for assignment or allocation in support of incident management and emergency response activities. 8. Integrated Communications: Incident communications are facilitated through the development and use of a common communications plan and interoperable communications processes and architectures. 9. Establishment and Transfer of Command: The command function must be clearly established from the beginning of an incident. When command is transferred, the process must include a briefing that captures all essential information for continuing safe and effective operations. Review 10. Chain of Command and Unity of Command: Chain of command refers to the orderly line of authority within the ranks of the incident management organization. Unity of command means that every individual has a designated supervisor to whom he or she reports at the scene of the incident. These principles clarify reporting relationships and eliminate the confusion caused by multiple, conflicting directives. Incident managers at all levels must be able to control the actions of all personnel under their supervision. 11. Unified Command: In incidents involving multiple jurisdictions, a single jurisdiction with multi-agency involvement, or multiple jurisdictions with multiagency involvement, Unified Command allows agencies with different legal, geographic, and functional authorities and responsibilities to work together effectively without affecting individual agency authority, responsibility, or accountability. 12. Accountability: Effective accountability at all jurisdictional levels and within individual functional areas during incident operations is essential. To that end, the following principles must be adhered to: EOG Volume 4 Command Officer’s Guide Page |6 Check-In: All responders, regardless of agency affiliation, must report in to receive an assignment in accordance with the procedures established by the Incident Commander. Incident Action Plan: Response operations must be directed and coordinated as outlined in the IAP. Unity of Command: Each individual involved in incident operations will be assigned to only one supervisor. Personal Responsibility: All responders are expected to use good judgment and be accountable for their actions. Span of Control: Supervisors must be able to adequately supervise and control their subordinates, as well as communicate with and manage all resources under their supervision. Resource Tracking: Supervisors must record and report resource status changes as they occur. 13. Dispatch/Deployment: Personnel and equipment should respond only when requested or when dispatched by an appropriate authority. 14. Information and Intelligence Management: The incident management organization must establish a process for gathering, analyzing, sharing, and managing incident-related information and intelligence. VALUE OF THE INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM The ICS provides a template that can be applied consistently for a broad range of incidents and or events. For examples, the planning of a 4th of July festival will require an organizational team to manage and facilitate a variety of policing functions. These functions might include: crowd management, traffic control, crime suppression, surveillance, reunification of lost children, security and community relations. Each of the described functions can be easily organized using the ICS. The same policing functions may also be required following a large protest or civil unrest. No matter the nature of the incident or event, the tenets of ICS may be applied to organize and provide effective incident management. The Command and Management component within NIMS is designed to enable effective and efficient incident management and coordination by providing flexible, standardized incident management structures. EOG Volume 4 Command Officer’s Guide Page |7 CHAPTER II COMMAND AND CONTROL PRINCIPLES ICS PRINCIPLE POSITIONS As an LAPD command staff officer, there are a variety of incidents that you may be faced with, and as the Incident Commander, you will need to fill certain ICS positions immediately and follow certain ICS procedures, in order to gain control of the incident and establish an effective command. Operations Section Chief The first position you should consider appointing is Operations Section Chief. Upon arrival at scene, it is your duty to take responsibility for the incident however, it is doubtful that you will immediately have better situational awareness than the person who is already running the incident. In the past, this dilemma was generally solved in one of two ways,: assuming command and making operational decisions even though you may not have the best situational awareness to do so, or leaving the Incident Commander in place regardless of rank, while still obligated with the ultimate responsibility for an incident that you are not running. When the ICS command structure is properly utilized, you can take over as the Incident Commander immediately, and appoint the person at scene with the best situational awareness and/or operational knowledge of the situation, as your Operations Section Chief. You must clearly state that you are assuming control as the Incident Commander and you must also make clear the appointment of your Operations Section Chief. The ICS dictates that the most qualified person should be appointed to the position, not necessarily the highest ranking person. This is especially true for the position of Operations Section Chief, because they will be directing the tactical operations. Setting Objectives When you take over as the Incident Commander, the person you relieve should give you a transfer of command briefing. This briefing should give you overall situational awareness of the incident and allow you to build your organization, set your objectives and begin to plan for the future. If an ICS Form 201 (Incident Briefing Form), has been started, you should be briefed on its’ contents. Part of the ICS Form 201 is a section containing objectives and it is your job as the Incident Commander to set or modify these objectives. Once the objectives are set, you can build your command structure and order resources to achieve your objectives. For example: A spontaneous First Amendment protest starts up without warning in the middle of a busy intersection. Some immediate management objectives might be: • • • Protect the Constitutional rights of all participants. Protect life, property and vital facilities. Provide for the safety of first responders, the public and the march/demonstration participants. EOG Volume 4 Command Officer’s Guide Page |8 • • Establish a liaison with the event organizers to maintain open lines of communication. Establish and maintain open communications (transparent dialogue) with the Media. And some immediate control objectives might be: • Close, monitor and expeditiously re-open streets to facilitate traffic impacted by the marchers. • Utilize observation posts to observe and report on crowd behavior and movement, including any suspected criminal activity. • Arrest and book, or cite and release, law violators as per Department policy, as appropriate. • Provide security at critical sites that may be impacted by the demonstration. • Provide aerial surveillance to report and observe crowd behavior and movement. • Respond to, disperse and/or arrest unlawful assembly participants consistent with established Department policy. • Record significant police and/or crowd activity during the event. Based upon these example objectives, you can see that the Operations Section will need to be built out quickly with Branches and/or Groups and Divisions to handle traffic control, crowd control, arrest teams, fixed post security, intelligence, medical issues and air support. Your initial organizational chart may look like this: I n c id e n t C o m m a n d e r O p e r a t io n s S e c tio n C h ie f C ro w d C o n tro l G ro u p T r a f f ic G r o u p A ir S u p p o r t R e s o u r c e F ix e d P o s t G r o u p A rre s t G ro u p M e d ic a l G r o u p I n te llig e n c e G r o u p Planning Section Chief Once you have your immediate operational needs taken care of, it is crucial to establish a system to keep track of your resources, situation status, document the actions that are occurring and begin to make plans for the future. As soon as you have the personnel available, you should appoint a Planning Section Chief to be responsible for these functions. Logistics Section Chief If the incident appears as though it is going to last for any period of time, you will soon have need for Command Post equipment (possibly a mobile Command Post), communications equipment, water, signage, tables, chairs and video downlink capabilities. By appointing a Logistics Section Chief who is aware of his responsibilities, you can get these things taken care of and concentrate on overall command of the incident. EOG Volume 4 Command Officer’s Guide Page |9 At this point your organization chart may look like this: Incident Commander Operations Section Chief Planning Section Chief Staging Area Manager Logistics Section Chief Resource Status Officer Facilities Unit Leader Communications Unit Leader Crowd Control Group Traffic Group Situation Status Officer Air Support Resource Fixed Post Group Documentation Unit Leader Arrest Group Medical Group Check in Recorder Intelligence Group To achieve sound command and control of an incident it is necessary to fill key organizational positions but, it is important that you are not just, “filling in the boxes.” It does no good to appoint someone to a position if they do not understand or are not capable of handling the function. For that reason, a good Incident Commander is familiar with the ICS positions and can explain to a subordinate what is expected of them in any given role. In the diagram above, the Incident Commander needs to know what the Section Chiefs are responsible for and the Section Chiefs need to know what the positions below them are responsible for. Detailed information on the tasks and duties of each ICS position can be found in Chapter VI. If the Incident Commander has qualified people performing the above functions he can concentrate on his duties including: • • • • • Adapting or altering objectives as the situation requires; Developing strategies to accomplish the objectives; Switching to a proactive response and developing a plan to control the future of the incident (start the “Planning P”); Determine current and future resource needs; and, Altering the organizational chart to meet the needs of the incident. EOG Volume 4 Command Officer’s Guide P a g e | 10 COMMUNICATIONS An often overlooked or poorly executed element of control at an incident is communications. Clear and effective communications are an essential tool for situational awareness and are necessary if an Incident Commander is going to have true control over an incident. One element of effective communications is having enough radio channels to support your incident. Although pre-planned events often include 5 or 6 reserved tactical channels, spontaneous incidents frequently end up working off the one tactical channel that was requested at the outset. If your incident starts to combine a number of different functional entities that will all be competing for radio time, request more tactical channels! Another element of effective communications is having the right person on the radio. The person who makes the operational decisions for a given entity needs to be on the radio to maintain awareness of what’s going on with that entity. For example: the Operations Section Chief needs to be on the radio (or in direct contact with) the Branch Directors who work for Operations, and a Branch Director should be on the radio listening to requests from the Group Supervisors in their Branch. An officer or Police Service Representative (PSR) without decision making authority, has to relay the information they receive to another party which can cause unnecessary delays for the requestor. In a crowded Command Post the PSR may not know which entity should get the message or they may not convey the message as intended. Having additional communications personnel can be useful as an extra set of ears or to handle generalized requests, but effective control of an incident relies on the right people making timely decisions with good information. Another element of good communication is having a back-up communications plan. This may be as simple as exchanging cellular telephone numbers between a Branch Director and their group supervisors or it may involve something more drastic such as developing a motor officer messenger system. Whatever the incident always take a double look at the communication system and process that has been set in place to make certain it will meet the needs of the incident. EOG Volume 4 Command Officer’s Guide P a g e | 11 CHAPTER III MANAGING SIGNIFICANT INCIDENTS The Los Angeles Police Department responds to a wide variety of incidents however, there are some common denominators within these incidents, and this chapter is meant to be used as a reference to assist in their management. Chapter IV will provide more information on some specific resources available to an LAPD Incident Commander. INTELLIGENCE Obtaining timely intelligence is a crucial factor in the management of almost any incident. The LAPD has a number of tools at it’s’ disposal to obtain intelligence. The size and scope of the incident will dictate which tools the Incident Commander will employ. Some of the tools available may include: • An Electronic Media Group to monitor the internet, Twitter, Facebook etc.; • A Video Surveillance Group to monitor any video cameras that may be available; • An Observation Post Group; • Shadow Strike Teams or Task Forces; • FBI undercover Strike Teams; • LAPD and/or FBI fixed video cameras; • Aerial cameras; and, • Detectives stationed at Real Time Critical Analysis and Response Division (RACR) to conduct computer based investigations. CROWD MANAGEMENT AND CROWD CONTROL From Volume 5 of the Emergency Operations Guide, the Department’s mission in relation to crowd management is as follows: The Department’s mission is to work in partnership with the public to ensure that the First Amendment rights of all who have gathered are protected and guaranteed by our personnel. “We have a responsibility to the public to protect the lives and property of all people. This will be accomplished through the fair and impartial enforcement of laws. It is imperative that when faced with both crowd management and crowd control incidents, those Department personnel utilize planning, communication, openness and leadership to accomplish our mission.” When managing an incident that involves crowd management and which may develop into an incident that involves crowd control, the following list contains some resources to consider. The above listed intelligence resources should also be considered. • • • • Bicycle Strike Teams; Motor Strike Teams; Fixed Post Strike Teams; Mounted Unit; EOG Volume 4 Command Officer’s Guide P a g e | 12 • • • • • • Metro Tactical Support Elements (TSEs); Mobile Field Forces (MFFs); A Field Jail Group; A Video Response Group; An Air Resource; A Hazardous Devices and Hazardous Materials Group; and, SPONTANEOUS INCIDENTS 5 All incidents have similar problems and solutions, however; Each incident is different. 2 Terrorism 2 Bombings 2 Hazardous materials 2 Weapons of Mass Destruction 2 Pursuits 2 Earthquake 2 Flood 2 Kidnapping/Assassination 2 Aviation mishaps 2 Natural explosion 2 Structure collapse 2 Officer Involved Shootings 2 Criminal events 2 Fire 2 Civil Disorder 2 Suicide bombings Primary Objectives 5 Protect Lives. 5 Establish, maintain and restore order. 5 Preserve Evidence. 5 Apprehension of offenders. 5 Protect property (including vital facilities). 5 Support emergency services. Command Officer’s Expectations at Significant Incidents/Events... 5 Be present…get informed! ……Don’t wing it! 5 Assess situation: 2 Ensure Coordination 3 Who, What, Where, How Many 2 Consider Unified Command (if applicable) 2 Develop Objectives 2 Determine the Scope of the problem 2 Consider the Consequences of your actions 2 Sustainability 3 Determine Operational Period 3 What resources, equipment will be needed 5 Remember no gratuitous advice without accountability! 5 Ensure appropriate “Declaration of Command” EOG Volume 4 Command Officer’s Guide P a g e | 13 5 At least one command level officer from the area will be expected to respond (on/off duty) to a barricaded subject. 2 “In most situations, the senior officer will be expected to assume command” 2 COP Notice, May 16, 1997 ASSUMPTION OF COMMAND AT INCIDENTS IN THE FIELD – 5 Assumption of command: 2 Serious events 2 Resources beyond Area 2 Multi-agency involvement 2 Unified Command operations (allied agencies) 2 More qualified individual 5 Manage the event to conclusion 2 The Incident Commander is the last to leave 2 Transfer of Command when appropriate 2 Ensure that all documentation is collected for AAR 5 Tactical Challenges 2 Confusion/Conflicting Information 9 Gather the information 9 Analyze and verify the source 9 Act on the information accordingly 2 Establishing Objectives/Priorities 9 Life Safety 9 Incident Stabilization 9 Property Conservation 2 Inability to react quickly 9 Prepare quickly 9 Stage resources as soon as available 2 Managing Resources 9 Account for the resources you have 9 Order the resources you need 9 Don’t forget them (Demobilize All) 2 Neglecting to “think big” early 9 Anticipate things going south early 9 Prepare the alternative plan early 2 Not having enough “Think Time” 9 Take a moment, walk away, gather your thoughts 2 Media Relations 9 Establish a PIO early 9 Don’t ignore the media 9 Use the media to your advantage 2 Incident/Unified/Area Command 9 Use the appropriate ICS management team 2 Dynamic conditions 9 Continually reassess 9 Prepare for the worst 2 Time sensitive issues 9 Establish timelines when possible 9 Assign resources to monitor the time sensitive issues 2 Collective planning 9 Don’t make the mistake of trying to do it all yourself EOG Volume 4 Command Officer’s Guide P a g e | 14 5 5 5 5 9 Get the resources necessary to plan effectively 9 Don’t ignore ideas from unlikely resources 2 Over-mission tasking 9 Static situations do not always require immediate action 9 Don’t create missions for the sake of creating missions 2 Sustained operations 9 Consider relief issues 9 Rehab issues (food, water, rest) 9 Resources necessary to sustain nighttime ops, weather issues, etc. The Future 2 What do you expect in the next 2, 4, 6 hours? Managing multiple, concurrent incidents 2 Consider establishing an Area Command 2 Can you manage under an Incident Complex? 2 Request additional Command and General Staff as necessary MACTAC 2 Utilize the appropriate response tactics 2 Provide clear direction to the teams Incidents non-site specific (biological terrorist incidents), geographically dispersed or evolve over time 2 Utilize your Subject Matter Experts 2 Protect your personnel, Utilize Personal Protective Equipment PRE-PLANNED EVENTS Pre-Event 5 Review permit: 2 Has it been approved or modified, if modified, approved? Event Overview: 5 Date of Event 5 Route 5 Time 5 Assembly Area/Time 5 Time of March 5 Anticipated Number of Demonstrators (crowd estimate) 5 Name of Organizer 5 Any other events occurring on that date/time in the area of the event 5 When will it disband 5 Basic info that will help in developing your EAP/IAP 5 What, if anything, needs to be changed on the permit – 2 Contact Contract Services Section, EOD Intelligence 5 Has the organizer/group held prior marches? 2 If so, evaluate previous event(s) after-action report(s). 5 What were the issues – What were the recommendations? 5 How many demonstrators were involved? 5 Peaceful/civil disobedience. 2 What type of civil disobedience – How was it handled? 5 Outside groups and/or counter demonstrators that were attracted to the demo. 5 Were there events held outside the city by this group/organizer? 5 Issues? 2 Civil Disobedience EOG Volume 4 Command Officer’s Guide P a g e | 15 5 5 5 5 2 Number of outside groups or counter demonstrators. Contact that Department for information. Contact Major Crimes Division for intelligence on the group, Labor Relations when appropriate. Contact Special Event Coordinator of the involved bureau Review organizers Website and Web links: 2 Can provide an indication of what to expect from the crowd? Preparation 5 Establish a chronological log – valuable when preparing for future 2 Who, What, Where, How Issues resolved 2 After Action Report. 2 Litigation issues. 5 Meet with event organizer: 2 Determine who will be in charge (Name). 5 Exchange cell numbers. 5 Stress the Departments desire to remain neutral and to facilitate a peaceful event. 2 Stress First Amendment right to demonstrate/freedom of speech. 5 Organizer needs to know what the limitations are and that if “They cross the line” what are the repercussions. 5 Discuss with organizer the possibility of other organizations joining their demonstration and/or counter-demonstrators. 2 Gather intelligence on these groups as well. 5 Stress the department’s commitment to protect lives and property and maintain order. 5 Review applicable laws and ordinances. Know what you can and cannot enforce. 2 Do not threaten them with something you cannot enforce. 2 Contact the City Attorney for guidance if necessary. Scrutinize the demonstration/march route. 5 Walk it/Drive it – but do it! 5 Look for possible targets such as: 2 Recruiting offices. 2 GAP Store. 2 Starbucks. 2 MacDonald's. 2 All targets in the past, including other cities. 5 Construction Sites or other locations weapons may be obtained: 2 Pipes. 2 Chunks of concrete, rebar, 2X4’s, pipes, nuts & bolts, bottles, etc. 2 Identify “High Ground” locations - balconies, bridges, scaffolding, etc. Planning Develop your planning team – Who will be assigned to what position: 5 Incident Commander. 5 Operations. 5 Logistics. 5 Planning 5 Incident Management Teams. What resources (staffing/equipment) are needed to police the event? 5 Be specific, what personnel and equipment do you need? 5 Request early, especially if requested resources are outside your Bureau. EOG Volume 4 Command Officer’s Guide P a g e | 16 5 Establish meeting dates/time lines, what do you want to accomplish. 5 Think Unified Command. 2 Key partners usually LAFD, DOT 2 May be others LASD, LAWA PD, Port Police, CHP. 5 Invite those that will have a stake in the event. 2 Think Broad based. Not all are part of U/C 5 Go “Around the Horn” as to where they are in the planning process (same procedure every time). 5 MCD – Intelligence. 5 DOT – Traffic Plan. 5 LAFD – Emergency medical attention, force protection, staging location 5 TV Photo and Sound – record the event (videography). 2 Determine with who the videographers will be with. NOTE: The I/C should start the recording process by identifying him/herself. Date/Time and the event and articulating the objectives such as protect lives, constitutional right of protestors, etc. “Paint the Picture” 5 Metro: 2 Mounted. 2 Tactical Support Element (TSE). 9 18 personnel minimum. 9 28 Maximum. 9 May utilize Suburban, Peace Keeper, armored Excursion, or other armored vehicles. 9 TSE Leader, Assistant TSE Leader. 9 Counter Assaulters - .223 Rifles - Mission Driven. 9 Less Lethal Grenadiers: 2 37 mm Crowd Dispersion Launchers. 2 40 mm Direct Impact Munitions. 2 Flex Baton Shotguns. 2 Chemical Agent. 2 Tangle Team Operations. 2 RED Team 9 All personnel – Ballistic helmets, body armor (soft and tactical body armor) hand held radios, 36” batons, 45. cal pistols, 12 gauge Benelli shotguns w/slugs, protective masks and chemical/biological suits. 9 K-9 handlers may be combined two per car with one dog, and added to TSE as was done during the 1992 riots in order to expedite building searches. 2 Tactical Response Force (TRF): 9 TRF is the Divisional deployment of Metropolitan Division for any unusual occurrence that requires multiple Platoons. 9 Riots. 9 Earthquake. 9 Democratic National Convention. 9 Lakers Parade. 9 9-11 Anniversary. 9 North Hollywood Shootout. 9 The TRF is configured from multiple TSE components. 5 Other agencies with concurrent, neighboring or overlapping jurisdictions: EOG Volume 4 Command Officer’s Guide P a g e | 17 2 LASD. 2 LAUSD. 2 Beverly Hills. 5 Shadow Teams 2 Vice Units 2 Narcotics 2 MCD 5 Establish a CP location: 2 Two Bureaus involved, consider one Incident Commander. 2 Area Command Configuration to deal with specific events. 2 Command Development School 5 Community Notification: 2 Business. 2 Residential. 2 SLO (flyers and meetings). 2 Media Relations. 2 Public Service Announcements. Develop A Plan 5 Crowd Management versus Crowd Control. 5 How will it be policed? Crowd Management “Strategies tactics employed by law enforcement agencies to deal with lawful assemblies in an effort to prevent escalation of events into an unlawful assembly or riot.” 5 Pre-planned deployment: 8 Police Presence established early on. 8 Cooperative Participants = Lawful obedience. 8 Separation of factions (opposing groups). 8 Pre-screening crowd (checkpoints)–Academy Awards/Emmys. Crowd Control “Law enforcement response to a pre-planned or spontaneous event, activity or occurrence where there is a potential for unlawful activity or the threat of violence.” 2 Time is of the essence! 2 Spontaneous gatherings. 2 Un-cooperative participants = Unlawful Activity. 2 Aggressive enforcement action. 2 Crowd Management can quickly change to Crowd Control! 5 Identify staging area for various components. 2 Metro TSE’s (rapid response, ability to move). 2 Mounted. 2 Mobile Field Force. 5 Does the route need to be divided into divisions? 2 If so, is self containment for each division necessary? 5 Observation Posts (number and locations). 5 Communications. 2 Reserve Tac Frequencies. 5 Evaluate the need for barriers or crime scene tape to assist with crowd control. 5 Meet with Metro, TSE and MFF supervisors to discuss tactical concerns. 5 Develop a dispersal plan in the event the demo evolves into an unlawful assembly. 2 Direction of travel giving you the tactical advantage, Read the Terrain. EOG Volume 4 Command Officer’s Guide P a g e | 18 5 5 5 5 2 Be flexible, have alternatives. 2 Don’t underestimate the size of the crowd. Unlawful assembly announcement. 2 New Version is highlighted in red. 2 Who will give the order? 2 Have a copy of the dispersal order. 2 Use of amplified loudspeaker system (CIUV) to issue the order. 3 Consider language spoken by the crowd. 2 If possible send an officer to the sides and back of the crowd to tape record the order. 2 If circumstances permit (absence of serious violence), the order shall be made repeatedly over a period of time, and if necessary from a variety of locations. 2 The order must include an adequate period of time to disperse and a clear and safe route to disperse. 3 Consider size of crowd. 3 Consider type of terrain/environment. 2 The intent of a dispersal order is to permanently disperse a crowd, not to merely relocate the problem to another location. It should be made clear that the crowd is expected to break up and immediately leave the area preferably going home to their respective residences. Sound Truck/CIUV: 2 Utilize more than one, tactically deploy. 2 Utilized to help manage the crowd, give directions, and tell the crowd what you want them to do. 2 Especially desirable when the event is concluding. 2 Allow organizer to tell the group. 9 It’s over, have a safe trip home.” Use bikes as much as possible: 2 Mobility provides great flexibility to move quickly to address issues. 2 May Parallel marchers. 2 Assign a bike squad to stay with potential trouble makers or splinter groups. 2 Protection of critical sites. Motors: 2 Blocking forces: 9 Rapid mobility to leap-frog blocking forces during march/dispersal. 2 Control Intersection: 9 Post at other sensitive locations to deny access. Day of Event 5 Attend Supervisor and Officer roll call briefings: 2 Use videographer to record the roll call. 2 Set the tone as the I/C. 2 Define personnel expectations. 2 Discuss Use of Force policy. No exceptions to policy! 2 Ensure supervisors know what they are to do and expectations. 2 Questions? Force the Issue! 5 Facilitate on-scene meet and greet with event organizer. 9 Think Video Documentation (videography). EOG Volume 4 Command Officer’s Guide P a g e | 19 2 Re-establish relationship between department facilitator and demo/march organizer. 2 Re-Emphasize departments role and goal to maintain balance between the demonstrators right to free speech and assembly and the need to maintain peace and order. 2 Reiterate enforcement of specific laws if demonstrator “Cross the Line.” 2 If you need to take police action be decisive and act quickly. Do not let the event get out of control. 2 Emphasize the need for them to “Self Police” demonstrators. 2 Use this time to identify and evaluate the crowd, their demeanor and intentions. 2 Maintain liaison wit the event organizer throughout the duration of the event. 2 Question event organizer about radical or disruptive elements that may participate (usually the organizer does not want problems). 2 Drive the route one last time: 3 Ensure specific directions regarding barriers, operation plan’s staging areas have been followed. 3 Look for “weapons” stashed along the route “piles of concrete, rocks, etc.” Intelligence Gathering 5 The Incident Commander monitors and obtains real-time information from a number of sources: 2 Your own observations. 9 I/C may have “eyes on” the event depending on the size of the March/Demo. 9 Allows an I/C to respond easier to issues and ensure there was no over reaction by supervisors or officers who may not be experienced in these events. 9 Many commands put one Captain in the front of the march and one in the rear. 9 Very Effective. Observation Posts 5 Ensure air crews know where Observation Posts (Ops) are located. 5 Ensure the OPs know their role: 2 Observe and announce arrival of event participants, problematic activity and crowd size. 2 Direct shadow teams and chase cars as appropriate. Undercover Shadow Teams 5 Used to provide real time intelligence to I/C to make timely decisions regarding crowd management strategies. 2 Plain clothes assignment (Dressed to fit the event). 3 Vice/ Narcotics/MCD 2 Ability to quickly identify those who pose a threat to the event: 3 Communicate to the OP. 3 Track suspects movement. 3 Call in appropriate assets to effect arrest. 2 Outstanding intelligence component. Media Relations Assistance 5 Community notifications pre-event. EOG Volume 4 Command Officer’s Guide P a g e | 20 5 Provide “Press Release” to local news agencies. 5 Press liaison during event. 5 Discuss Crespo decision. Debrief/Hot Wash 2 Immediately after event or as soon as possible 5 No Character Assassinations. 5 Focus on the things that worked and those that did not. 2 How can we improve our performance 5 Training Issues. In Summary 5 You can be in command, but not in control. 5 Think big early, you can always down size. 5 Set priorities. 5 Time is always of the essence. 5 Don’t try to do everything as the I/C Delegate. 5 Give yourself “Think Time.” 5 Anticipate the next problem. 5 Be decisive. 5 Define personnel expectations. 2 Trained, disciplined, professional police response to the problem. 2 Surround yourself with competent personnel and trust them to do a good job! EVACUATION Evacuations are a common assignment for police resources during natural disasters or when responding to certain types of crimes. Officer safety is a critical component of evacuations and an ICS organization that deals with an evacuation needs to have a Safety Officer assigned. For incidents like brushfires, the Safety Officer will likely be a firefighter. For a barricaded suspect incident, the Safety Officer may be an officer from Metropolitan Division. Regardless of who it is, it is important that all officers responding to an evacuation receive a briefing from the Safety Officer unless exigent circumstances make it impossible. When an evacuation takes place it is important to remember that people must be evacuated to someplace. Case studies have shown that a lack of preparation for the care and shelter of evacuees has the potential to cause as many problems of the evacuation itself. The early involvement of outside agencies such as the Parks and Recreation department and the Red Cross will help to lessen the negative impact of an evacuation. Planning consideration must also be given to the area being evacuated. In addition to the importance of establishing viable ingress/egress routes, the following list contains some factors to consider: • • • • Rural areas may contain large animals that require evacuation; Many people will not evacuate without their pets; Older and/or handicapped residents may require extra assistance; People may have a handicap that prevents them from hearing door knocks or evacuation announcements (always ask neighbors if they know of such cases) and, • Some people will refuse to leave, officers must know the law regarding evacuations. EOG Volume 4 Command Officer’s Guide P a g e | 21 Two other key components to evacuation are communication and resource management. Because in many evacuation situations, officers are putting themselves in harm’s way, it is important to know how many officers are involved in the evacuation as well as where they are. Having effective communications and resource tracking as described in Chapter II of this volume are a must. Other communications aspects that should be considered during an evacuation are: • • • • • • Reverse 911 telephone calls; Aerial announcements; CIUV and/or sound truck announcements; Patrol vehicle announcements; Radio and television announcements; and, Door to door notices. TRAFFIC CONTROL Traffic control is almost always a concern for any significant incident or event. The necessity to control the ingress and egress of both vehicular and pedestrian traffic is paramount to the successful management of the incident. The Department of Transportation (DOT) has a wealth of knowledge and expertise in developing strategies to manage traffic issues related to an incident or pre-planned event. Seeking the assistance of DOT is highly desirable, as they are far better equipped to develop an effective traffic plan. The traffic plan cannot be developed without the input from the Operations Section. It is imperative that the strategies and tactics of the incident be a consideration when developing the traffic plan to ensure there are no conflicts. Traffic control is a critical function that can have an overarching impact on the incident if not properly managed. Be certain to assign sufficient resources to support the traffic plan. Remember that if traffic is not moving then emergency resources will not be able to move either. During the Metrolink Train Crash in Chatsworth, there was a great deal of congestion along the single access point into the incident. The congestion along the street into the incident was a result of parked emergency vehicles and residential vehicles. There were discussions regarding the issue of removing all of the parked vehicles from the street to create better ingress and egress. The issue of whether the parked vehicles could be towed to an alternate location was discussed and ultimately not acted upon. In hindsight, the removal of the parked vehicles would have been a good strategy. Incident Commanders should always weigh their decisions based upon what is best to resolve the incident. In the case of the Metrolink Crash, life safety was the number one priority, and as such any strategy that supports that objective should be considered and implemented when possible. When employing strategies to control traffic the following tactics may be of assistance: • Fixed Post Strike Teams to control traffic as specific intersections and locations • Bicycle Strike Teams to provide a mobile traffic force that can respond quickly in crowded situations • Motor Strike Teams to provide a rapid mobile response to reinforce fixed post positions or to redeploy and establish new traffic control tactics as needed • DOT Strike Teams to control intersections and specific locations along the affected area • DOT Bicycle Strike Teams to provide a mobile traffic force that can respond quickly in crowded situations EOG Volume 4 Command Officer’s Guide P a g e | 22 • Traffic Signal programming can also assist with indirect control of traffic through modification of the traffic light sequencing MASS ARREST In a complex society where public protest and civil unrest have occurred in recent times, it is critical that the Department be prepared to respond and effectively facilitate the arrest of mass numbers. The key to effectively managing a mass arrest scenario is advanced planning. Volume 6 of the Emergency Operations Guide provides a template and procedures for affecting multiple arrests during a single incident. The preparation for affecting mass arrests will require significant logistics which may include: • Arrest Strike Teams who will affect the physical contact and arrest of the violators • Transportation Strike Teams to provide transport the arrested persons to the detention facility or the jail for processing. • Booking Strike Teams to prepare and complete the duties related to booking the arrested person into the jail system. • Documentation & Tracking Strike Teams to maintain accurate records of all persons arrested, by whom, location of arrest, date and time of arrest, circumstances of arrest, charges, transported by whom, where booked, who they were released to, and any other relevant information that needs to be recorded for prosecutorial purposes. • Security Strike Teams to provide a secure environment for the detention facility. ATTACK ON A PROTECTED DIGNITARY The City of Los Angeles is host to a variety of dignitaries and high ranking public officials including the President of the United States of America. The preparation and planning for such dignitary visits require significant strategies and tactics to ensure a safe visit. In the event an attack occurs during the dignitary visit, swift response will be necessary to stop, mitigate, control, and investigate the criminal act. In an effort to pre-plan a coordinated response to such an incident, a Critical Incident Branch (CIB) has been developed to address this type of incident. It is recommended that a CIB be mandatory for all Presidential protection events and may be considered for other significant dignitary protection events. The concept behind the Critical Incident Branch is to have an organizational element prepared to respond to an incident such as an attack on the Presidential motorcade. The CIB is comprised of six positions, the Branch Director, a Communications Officer, a Log Officer, and four Group Supervisors, Tactical Group, Perimeter Group, Evacuation Group and Investigative Group. The CIB Branch Director position will be filled by a Staff Officer from the Office of Special Operations. The Director of the CIB will strategically deploy in a fully functional suburban accompanied by the Communications Officer and the Log Officer. The Branch Director will be deployed the field in advance of the dignitary route in order to avoid traffic and possible crowd issues related to the movement of the dignitary. The four Group Supervisors will also be deployed and strategically staged at the direction of the CIB Director. The CIB Group Supervisors will have pre-designed strategies and tactics to employ depending on the incident that occurs. Although the organizational structure has been identified under each of the CIB Groups, the staffing will only be activated following an actual incident requiring the EOG Volume 4 Command Officer’s Guide P a g e | 23 activation of each specific function within the Groups. Groups that are not activated will be tasked by the Director with other functions. Below is the organizational design of the Critical Incident Branch. Green shaded boxes represent positions that will be deployed and staffed throughout dignitary event. The yellow shaded boxes represent those positions that may be deployed as needed following an actual incident. As with all ICS organizational functions, only those functions that are necessary will be activated. CRITICAL INCIDENT BRANCH (CIB) ORGANIZATION Critical Incident Branch Director - (OSO Staff Ofcr) Communications Officer Log Officer Tactical Group Supervisor Perimeter Group Supervisor Evacuation Group Supervisor Investigative Group Supervisor Crowd Control ST Leader Interior ST Leader Business ST Leader Witness Coordination ST Leader Force Protection ST Leader Exterior ST Leader Residential ST Leader Evidence Protection ST Leader Security ST Leader Recon ST Leader Transportation ST Leader Arrest Coordination ST Leader Shelter/Welfare ST Leader Video/Photo ST Leader Field Interview ST Leader Chronological Log Officer Rapid Response ST Leader CATASTROPHIC INCIDENTS Catastrophic incidents in most cases occur without warning and have a devastating effect upon the City and the resources within. During such disasters it may be necessary for Command Staff personnel to seek assistance from the City, County, State or Federal government. The following information is provided to illustrate the procedural steps necessary to obtain such assistance. Mutual Aid - Law Enforcement mutual aid is provided by regular and reserve peace officers of one jurisdiction to another in declared emergencies. Its’ purpose is to minimize the danger to life and property caused by civil disturbances, disasters, and other emergencies. Mutual aid is rendered in accordance with the California Emergency Services Act, the California Master Mutual Aid Plan, various state codes, and agreements between local law enforcement agencies. Operational Area - Each county is designated an Operational Area. The Sheriff or a Chief of Police in each county is the Operational Area Law Enforcement Coordinator and receives requests for Law Enforcement Mutual Aid from municipalities within the county. The Operational Area Law Enforcement Coordinator for the County of Los Angeles is the Sheriff. • Request Mutual Aid: is accomplished through the Department’s Director of Emergency Operations. The Director of Emergency Operations is the Chief of Police or his designee. EOG Volume 4 Command Officer’s Guide P a g e | 24 The Director of Emergency Operations is located at the Department Operations Center (RACR) when activated. Conditions Of Emergency: Pursuant to the California Emergency Services Act there are three conditions of emergency: • Local Emergency; is the existence of disaster or extreme peril to persons and/or property within the City and is proclaimed by the Mayor or person acting in his stead. • State of Emergency is the existence of disaster or extreme peril to persons and/or property within the state and is proclaimed by the Governor or person acting in his stead. • State of War Emergency exists, with or without a proclamation by the Governor, whenever the state or nation is attacked, or upon receipt of warning from the federal government that an attack is probable or imminent. During a State of War Emergency, the Governor has complete authority over all state agencies and the right to exercise all police power vested in the state by its Constitution and laws. Mutual aid during a State of War Emergency is mandatory when directed by the: Governor; or, Operational Area Law Enforcement Coordinator. Proclamation of a Local Emergency may be requested via memo by the Chief of Police who is also the Director of the Emergency Operations Board. Delegations of Authority is a statement provided to the Incident Commander by the Agency Executive delegating authority and assigning responsibility. The Delegation of Authority can include objectives, priorities, expectations, constraints, and other considerations or guidelines as needed. Many agencies require written Delegation of Authority to be given to Incident Commanders prior to their assuming command on larger incidents. Same as the Letter of Expectation. An exemplar of a Delegation of Authority can be found in the addendum. EOG Volume 4 Command Officer’s Guide P a g e | 25 CHAPTER IV – RESOURCES TO CONSI

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