3.535 Protests

Question 1

What is an anticipated event?

Answer 1

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.

Examples include public protests and organized celebrations.

Question 2

Define buffer zone in crowd management.

Answer 2

A safety zone maintained by officers which creates distance and space between opposing groups.

Question 3

List crowd management techniques.

Answer 3

• Communication with event organizers
• Display of police officers
• Containment
• Travel lane closures
• Buffer zones
• Mobile field force tactics
• Dispersal tactics
• Arrest procedures

Question 4

What is a dispersal order?

Answer 4

A verbal announcement given to the crowd to inform them of the law they are violating and the consequences of such violation.

Question 5

What are the characteristics of a peaceful demonstration?

Answer 5

A lawful public expression of objection, disapproval, or dissent toward an idea or action.

Question 6

What is civil disobedience?

Answer 6

Nonviolent protest where there is an intentional breach of the law.

Question 7

Define a riot.

Answer 7

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.

Question 8

What is a protester device?

Answer 8

A device that physically or mechanically connects a person or animal to a stationary object in violation of the law, used to create confusion, delay law enforcement response, and tax public safety resources.

Question 9

What is the concept of de-escalation in police response to protests?

Answer 9

The department’s intent to slow down and stabilize any conflict as safely as possible by reducing danger through the use of verbal persuasion, tactics, and resources.

Question 10

What is the primary role of police during peaceful demonstrations?

Answer 10

To assist in the safe movement of the crowd, with minimal police action.

Question 11

Who is responsible for communicating with protest organizers?

Answer 11

Department supervisors.

Question 12

What should officers do to maintain impartiality during protests?

Answer 12

Avoid fraternizing with parties involved, not accept food or beverages, and maintain a fair and professional attitude.

Question 13

What will first responding officer do when responding to an unplanned protest?

Answer 13

First-responding officer will conduct an assessment of conditions, including location, number of participants, apparent purpose of the event, identity of event organizers, initial indicators of unlawful activity, and presence of counter-protesters.

Question 14

When confronting a dangerous crowd or a situation where public safety has been compromised, the department will…

Answer 14

declare it an unlawful assembly and attempt to provide orders to disperse
at least three times, giving demonstrators ample time to leave the area.

Unless there is an immediate risk to public safety or significant property damage is occurring, reasonable time will be allowed for a crowd to comply with commands before enforcement action is taken.

If there is an immediate threat of physical harm or death to a person, then no order to disperse must be provided.

If there is an immediate threat of harm to property, then only one order to disperse must be provided.

The determination to give the order to disperse is the responsibility of the IC upon consultation with the on-scene lieutenant.

Isolated, nonviolent, unlawful activity by individuals should not automatically form the basis to declare an assembly unlawful; those acts should be addressed independently.

Question 15

What is the role of media and legal observers during protests?

Answer 15

To perform an important function in a free society by reporting on newsworthy events, provided they do not interfere with police operations.

Question 16

What should officers document for an arrest during a Protest?

Answer 16

• Their P#, location, and time of arrest
• Individualized probable cause for the arrest
• Elements of a crime for each arrestee

Question 17

What is the intent of using aerosol irritants during protests?

Answer 17

To stop or disrupt unlawful activities and to

reduce or eliminate physical confrontations between police and demonstrators.

Question 18

What must happen if protesters refuse to comply with dispersal orders?

Answer 18

They must be advised they are under arrest and given an additional chance to comply before force is used.

Question 19

What will the first-responding officer conduct an assessment of?(Protests)

Answer 19

Conditions including:
* Location
* Number of participants
* Apparent purpose of the event
* Identity of event organizers
* Any initial indicators of unlawful or disruptive activity
* Presence of counter-protesters

Question 20

When will arrests during a protest be made?

Answer 20

To address clear violations of laws or ordinances, coupled with the need to mitigate threats to public safety and to defuse a potential riot

Selective arrests are preferred over mass arrests.

Question 21

Who will provide the protest safety handout to protesters?

Answer 21

The affected Patrol Bureau and support operations bureau captains

Question 22

Who will authorize arrests during a protest?

Answer 22

The on-scene lieutenant will authorize arrests, and time permitting, will coordinate with the IC. The IC will be made aware of all arrests.

Question 23

What is the incident Commanders responsibility when protesters are locked in protest devices?

Answer 23

Establish ICS. Arrive at the scene,
determine if a criminal offense has occurred, and assess the need to have protesters immediately removed from the area.
Request the locked protesters to release themselves and disperse.
If they refuse, issue the dispersal order. If protesters still refuse to release and disperse, request the HSST through Dispatch.
Direct officers to create and maintain a buffer zone, ensuring inbound foot and vehicle traffic is diverted. Designate an arrest team to take custodial arrest and complete booking of protesters once released from their devices by HSST

Question 24

What conditions will the Incident Commander on a protest evaluate?

Answer 24

Any evolving threat to public safety, protections and preservation of citizens civil rights, unlawful actions or violations of laws, movement of vehicular traffic and pedestrian safety concerns, and impact of protest on business and commerce, level of communication, anticipated duration of event, position of officers and crowd management tactics, authorization of police protective gear, need for in the box, SWAT, EMS, need for a scribe, need to video record protest, necessity for medical assistance, environmental factors.

Question 25

How should persons with a prohibited weapon or prohibited items at a protest be handled?

Answer 25

Persons with a prohibited weapon or in possession of items prohibited at a protest (e.g., improvised weapon, filled balloon, stick, baseball bat, PVC pipe, brick, glass bottle, shield, etc.) will be either ADVISED, CITED OR ARRESTED.

Question 26

When can aerosol irritants be used?

Answer 26

In situations **where a threat of harm exists and orders to disperse have been given**, aerosol irritants may be used to assist in the dispersal of the crowd when individuals pose a threat of harm to officers or another person; are actively attempting to loot, ransack, or destroy property; or attempting to take over or commandeer property where there is a threat to public safety, such as a freeway. The use of force and the application of force tools will not be indiscriminate; aerosol irritants deployed pursuant to a dispersal order are an exception.

Question 27

_____ will be contacted if a protest involves an organized labor union

Answer 27

SIS

Question 28

Gathering accurate and timely information regarding protest attendants, threats, and criminal intent continues to be a challenge. Reliance on open‐source social media is not ideal. Recommendation...

Answer 28

LVMPD should research, assess, and identify best practices in legally obtaining information that would provide more accurate estimates of protest attendants, threats, and criminal intent.

Question 29

Supervisors from the rank of sergeant to captain must be trained to handle the ever‐ changing dynamics of protests ranging from peaceful demonstrations to riots. Recommendation...

Answer 29

LVMPD will incorporate protest training in the leadership courses for various ranks of newly promoted supervisors.

Question 30

The infrastructure of NIMS and LVMPD’s activation of the ___ (coordinated by the Emergency Management Section), where executive staff was present and monitoring field operations, was a best practice which aided leadership in maintaining real‐time situational awareness.

Answer 30

DOC

Question 31

Leadership was deficient in prioritizing consistent and accurate ___ related to protest events. Ultimately, a standardized ___ was produced by late June and is currently in use.

Answer 31

IAP

Question 32

Underestimating the scale of a protest can put public safety at risk. Operational plans should ensure adequate staffing or provide for the rapid deployment of additional resources. There must be a balance between staffing costs and the potential for a protest to become dynamic where the crowd size rapidly increases and becomes a threat to public safety.

Question 33

It was difficult to predict the magnitude and longevity of the protests and activism. The Department needs to coordinate and efficiently manage coverage of the protests by various resources. A scheduled rotation was implemented to address this issue.

Question 34

LVMPD’s use of force policy and information regarding community programs must be easily accessible to everyone who wishes to view them. In response to the community’s concerns, LVMPD completed a press release and updated its webpage and social media platforms with the most recent Use of Force policy and some of the community programs LVMPD supports. Within 48 hours, LVMPD’s use of force policy was viewed 75,000 times.

Question 35

The traditional timeline of conducting a briefing one hour before the event proved to be insufficient. The plans for addressing these protest events quickly grew in complexity and as a result, more time was needed. For some events, resources needed to be pre‐staged well in advance of the anticipated start time.

Answer 35

The appropriate amount of time must be allocated to sufficiently brief and discuss the challenges that officers are expected to encounter. Protests were dynamic events that caused the Department to implement, assess, and frequently change tactics. These changes needed to be thoroughly communicated to the officers in the field.

Question 36

Using traditional means of communication e.g., press releases, local television programming, radio programming, and press conferences did not reach the majority of protesters. Recommendation...

Answer 36

Use of social media platforms must be better utilized to communicate more effectively.

Question 37

Direct face‐to‐face communication between community groups and the police was the most effective way to understand community concerns and ultimately reduce violence during protests. Ideally, this should occur at the onset of civil discord to establish ground rules and clarify expectations. Recommendation...

Answer 37

LVMPD needs to establish productive relationships with the community’s younger generation of community advocates or activists. Trusting relationships are difficult to develop in a crisis.

Question 38

Officers believed that they had to complete three announcements before they could take any enforcement action. This allowed the conflict to escalate and the crowd to become increasingly hostile and violent, which led to officer injuries. Another identified issue was the ability of individual protesters to hear the orders.

Answer 38

Dispersal orders must be clear, concise, and inform all protesters that the assembly has been deemed unlawful. Additionally, they must provide warning that enforcement action will occur for failure to disperse. A clear egress route must be announced and provided. LVMPD’s comprehensive protest policy addresses these issues

Question 39

On May 30, legal observers began attending the protests. On June 13, some legal observers actively participated in the protest and did not leave the immediate area after the dispersal order was given. They were detained, cited, or arrested for various violations including failure to disperse and pedestrian in the roadway.

Answer 39

Officers must be given clear guidance in how to interact with members of the media and legal observers during a dynamic protest. LVMPD had not anticipated members of the media and the presence of legal observers imbedded in the crowds. LVMPD’s new protest policy and event specific IAPs provide guidance on interaction and communication with members of the media and legal observers, to include expectations on protest safety

Question 40

On May 29 and 30, LVMPD used skirmish lines in an attempt to prevent protesters from taking over roadways. This presented several issues. First, the successful use of this tactic necessitated the deployment of a significant amount of manpower. Furthermore, officers learned that the formation of skirmish lines attracted conflict from the protesters. Many of the protesters seemed to seek out this confrontation, and the situation often escalated as LVMPD attempted to identify and apprehend the primary offenders. When a skirmish line was established, it gave protesters a location and target to rally against, and this often increased the tension and, at times, led to clashes with the police. From the skirmish line, LVMPD deployed arrest teams of six to ten officers into the crowd to try to apprehend individuals violating the law. This tactic was useful and helped in some instances, but it quickly became more difficult to conduct these targeted arrests asthe crowd grew in size or became more confrontational. In many cases, the persons causing the most significant issues, to include throwing large rocks and improvised explosives, were located deep behind the crowd. Identifying these individuals, let alone chasing them through a hostile crowd, was unsafe and unrealistic. Additionally, as arrest teams attempted law enforcement action, they were often met with resistance from surrounding protesters. After May 30, LVMPD began to use skirmish lines only when needed to protect facilities, or to prevent protesters from overtaking highways. This decreased the escalation of violence that was seen when a skirmish line was formed.

Answer 40

Skirmish lines, when used appropriately, are an effective crowd control tactic. However, they may become a point of conflict. In planning for crowd management, **the Department will use skirmish lines primarily to protect lives and property**.

Question 41

Realizing that skirmish lines appeared to escalate the level of violence at a protest, LVMPD changed its tactics for protests where the participants intended to march. LVMPD used patrol vehicles for crowd management. Officers rode four to a vehicle. Vehicles were placed in front of, parallel to, and at the rear of the crowd. Officers gave portions of the roadway to allow protesters more room to march. This tactic was successful in managing large numbers of protesters who desired to march; however, it did not completely eliminate conflict.

Answer 41

For a moving protest, the use of vehicles allowed LVMPD officers to actively monitor the gathering, help facilitate safe crowd movement, and remain mobile.

Question 42

Officers were told to stage their vehicles and equipment in locations forward of the anticipated protest route and out of sight of protesters, when possible, in order to not agitate the crowds. During several protests, the route of the protesters became increasingly unpredictable, and police vehicles were left exposed and targeted by protesters. On May 30, multiple police vehicles were vandalized, and one was set on fire (police vehicles were being targeted across the country). To address this, officers deploying to a protest were directed to check‐in at a secure staging area, even during a violent protest, and then deploy from the staging area. This allowed for vehicle security and for more effective resource allocation at the Incident Command.

Answer 42

Ensuring and establishing protocol for protecting equipment, vehicles, and facilities is a prudent measure. Historically, vandalism and arson to police vehicles have further incited violent protesters. Police vehicles and facilities have been a target, and the Department must keep careful watch for threats. LVMPD IAPs address this issue.

Question 43

Clark County Ordinance 3032 allowed officers to preemptively confiscate items which could have caused significant property damage or injury, without limiting the protesters’ ability to exercise their First Amendment rights. This issue has been memorialized in the IAP templates.

Answer 43

Clark County Ordinance 3032 allowed officers to preemptively confiscate items which could have caused significant property damage or injury, without limiting the protesters’ ability to exercise their First Amendment rights. This issue has been memorialized in the IAP templates.

Question 44

As the protests progressed, briefing times were moved up to allow for pre‐deploying officers to protest locations. Since a number of the violent protesters were bringing prohibited items to the protests, LVMPD changed tactics. ICs designated squads of officers called **engagement teams**, to proactively deploy two hours prior to a protest beginning.

Answer 44

Both monitoring and early intervention with first‐arriving protesters was a benefit by intercepting potential problems before they started. These proactive measures prevented the destruction of property or violence from occurring.

Question 45

During the first night on May 29, officers filled out handwritten arrest paperwork. In some cases, prisoners were dropped off at CCDC without initial paperwork due to the need for officers to quickly return to the protest lines. This created a backlog and confusion at the jail. The availability of additional detention officers or personnel could have assisted in the processing of arrestees.

Answer 45

Clear arrest procedures must be established and communicated to officers. Documentation of arrests or citations must be supported by accurate, individualized probable cause and must articulate the elements of the crime. The new LVMPD protest policy directs that **the “IAP will outline the booking process for handling and care of arrestees”**

Question 46

The Department must have the resources and equipment to act in a well‐coordinated, disciplined response once dispersal orders are given.

Question 47

On June 13, a group of protesters who were attempting to enter the freeway from Russell Road were stopped by SWAT when the team deployed pepper ball while issuing verbal commands to disperse. The Department determined that this use of force was reasonable, showed constraint, and prevented a potentially deadly traffic hazard. There have been numerous national incidents where pedestrians involved in protests have been struck by vehicles.

Answer 47

The judicious use of aerosol irritants is effective in breaking up or scattering a hostile crowd; however, such use must be controlled. The new protest policy provides guidance on the use of aerosol irritants during a protest (see Appendix A).

Question 48

On May 30, the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) and LVMPD Counter Terrorism Section (CTS) arrested several subjects who were seen filling bottles with gasoline for the purpose of making rudimentary firebombs to throw at police officers during the riot that was taking place in Downtown Las Vegas. These individuals seemed to subscribe to ideology associated with the “Boogaloo” movement.

Answer 48

Violent extremists take advantage of protests to incite violence and carry out their agendas. LVMPD and its law enforcement partners must continue to assess threats of extremist violence.

Question 49

The IC and supervisors are responsible to ensure that all orders given to a crowd are: CLA

Answer 49

CONSISTENT LAWFUL, and APPROPRIATE for the circumstances

Question 50

In making an arrest during a protest, supervisors will:

Answer 50

**Consider timing, location, and method** of the arrest and resources available. **If circumstances allow, assemble an arrest team, comprised of a minimum of a supervisor and multiple officers**. Individual officers are not precluded from making arrests when there is a clear violation of law and the arrest will defuse the situation. Not interfere or arrest professional members of the media or legal observers performing their respective functions (observing, capturing, and/or reporting on protests or events) so long as they are performed in a safe and legal manner. **If a professional member of the media or legal observer is arrested, the IC will be advised as soon as possible.**

Question 51

When will a protest be declared an unlawful assembly?

Answer 51

When confronting a **dangerous crowd** or a situation where **public safety has been compromised**.

Question 52

Who's determines if orders to disperse will be given?

Answer 52

the IC upon consultation with the on-scene lieutenant.

Question 53

Who approves aerosol irritant usage?

Answer 53

Deployment of aerosol irritants will only be used at the direction of the **IC**, and only after clear warning has been given and when avenues of egress are available to the crowd. Whenever possible, aerosol irritants should be used upwind and relatively close to targeted subject(s). Due to the volume of agent dispersed, officers will assess the effect that high-capacity OC spray has on subjects in the vicinity.

Question 54

This is the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. You are committing the unlawful act of (describe unlawful action, i.e. blocking travel lanes, assault, etc.). This gathering has been declared an unlawful assembly per Nevada Revised Statute 203.020. The statute requires you to disperse immediately upon this order. You may disperse by (give most convenient routes of dispersal). If you fail to disperse, you will be subject to police action, which may include the use of force and/or tear gas. This will cause pain and discomfort. Failure to disperse will result in your arrest.”