3.535 Protests: Peaceful Demonstrations, Civil Disobedience, and Riots Flashcards
It is the policy of this department to protect ________, ____________, and ___________ while providing the best in public safety and service. This includes those individuals exercising their First Amendment right to peacefully assemble. Under the U.S. Constitution, persons and groups have a right to organize and participate in First Amendment assemblies on sidewalks, in parks, or other public ways near the object of their protest so they may be seen and heard. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) safeguards these rights and will provide guidance to assist in safely exercising them
People, their property and rights.
Under federal, state, and local law, are governments allowed to place reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions on freedom of speech?
Yes.
True or False
It is neither the intention nor the desire of the department to suppress or restrain lawful activity. First Amendment rights do not safeguard violations of established laws, advocating imminent violence, endangering or physically harassing people, rioting, looting, blocking the entrance to a building, or assembling on private property without the consent of the owner. Under federal, state, and local law, governments are allowed to place reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions on the freedom of speech. Reasonable restrictions may be applied only as necessary to maintain public safety and order and to facilitate uninhibited commerce and freedom of movement.
True
First amendment rights do not safeguard violations of established laws, advocating imminent violence, endangering or physically harassing people, rioting, looting, blocking the entrance to to a building, or assembling on private property without the consent of the owner.
True or false?
True
LVMPD personnel are encouraged to include __________________ in the planning and response to demonstrations.
Community members
An activity involving large numbers of people that requires a permit or is planned and publicized beforehand, including parades, marches, rallies, concerts, religious gatherings, parties, community activities, sporting events, labor disputes and peaceful demonstrations.
Anticipated event
An unanticipated or unannounced public gathering where the Department did not receive prior notice or have time to preplan a response to address public safety concerns.
Unplanned or spontaneous event
A safety zone created by officers which renders the area safe.
Buffer zone
Techniques used to address crowds, including display of police officers, containment, travel lane closures, buffer zones, mobile field force tactics, dispersal tactics, and arrest procedures.
Crowd management
A verbal announcement given to the crowd to inform them of the law they are violating and the consequences for such violation.
Dispersal order
The process of safely removing protestors from protester devices intentionally used to obstruct the law. This process is completed by utilizing techniques and specialized training by the Homeland Security Saturation Team.
Field force extraction (FFE)
A large element of police officers specially organized to implement and apply crowd management techniques during protests through presence, maneuver, and enforcement.
Mobile field force
A form of dissent, varying in degrees of action or disruption, identified as:
- Peaceful Demonstration
- Civil Disobedience
- Riot
Protest
A lawful public expression of objection, disapproval, or dissent toward an idea or action.
Peaceful demonstration
Nonviolent protest where there is an intentional breach of the law
Civil disobedience
An assembly that constitutes a clear and present danger of violent or unlawful acts, including, civil unrest, destruction of property, arson, looting, or when another immediate threat to public safety, peace or order appears.
Riot
A device (e.g., bicycle locks, chains, tripods or sleeping dragons) that physically or mechanically connects a person or animal to a stationary object in violation of the law. These devices are used to create confusion, delay law enforcement response, and tax public safety resources.
Protestor device
A team of officers who are a primary Departmental asset to rapidly respond to a protest. These officers are well-rehearsed in crowd management techniques and have the training, tools, and skills to safely extricate an individual from protestor devices.
Homeland security saturation team (HSST)
The Department’s response to protests will emphasize the concept of de-escalation where the department’s intent is to slow down and stabilize any conflict as safely as possible by reducing danger through the use of _________, ___________, and ____________.
verbal persuasion, tactics and resources.
The department will ensure that tactics and resources are properly and proportionately balanced against activities observed or anticipated, understanding the current situation may be evolving. What additional factors will also be considered in determine the Department’s response?
Crowd size, time of day, and location
Ideally, police action in peaceful demonstrations will be _________, and the department’s primary role will be to assist in the safe movement of the crowd. In many circumstances, officers will be staged out of view of protesters, and the protest will only be monitored. In other circumstances, officers will be visible, present, and placed at critical locations to keep the peace, help with traffic control issues, and enforce violations of the law.
Minimal
When it is necessary to implement crowd management measures or take enforcement action in a protest, it should be an organized and well-communicated effort involving who?
Multiple officers and supervisory oversight.
Department supervisors are responsible for communicating with who during protests?
Protest organizers or leaders
Professional members of the media
Legal observers
Officers will maintain a _________________ attitude to all parties involved in a protest and avoid expressing any personal opinion concerning the protest
Fair and professional