355 Rapid Response to Active Threats Flashcards
(42 cards)
The purpose of the Rapid Response to Active Threats is
to empower officers to intervene in an active threat event and provide tactical guidance to effectively resolve the crisis.
Goals for Rapid Response Protocols by Order of Importance
- Prevent further harm or loss of life to victims by neutralizing the human threat; this may be accomplished by apprehension, isolation, or the use of deadly force. Rapid Response Active Threat situations are unpredictable and evolve quickly. Typically, the immediate deployment of law enforcement is required to stop the threat and mitigate harm to victims.
- Provide rapid medical intervention to injured victims. This may be accomplished by providing first aid, moving victims to medical assets, or providing a secure corridor for medical assets at the crisis site.
- Mitigate potential harm to first responders and victims posed by any associated devices or hazards (e.g., fire) by identifying, communicating the location, and moving victims away from these hazards.
An individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area; in most cases, active threats use firearms and there is no pattern or method to their selection of victims.
Active Threat
Officer(s) formed as an organized team that is tasked with locating, confining, and/or neutralizing the active threat. Contact teams also report casualty locations, status (green v. red), and numbers of victims to Tactical. Contact teams are also responsible for identifying and communicating casualty collection points (CCP) once the threat has been addressed.
Contact Team
An object or structure that provides protection from weapon fire (e.g., a vehicle engine block, brick wall, etc.).
Cover
Differing from cover, concealment only provides protection from observation not weapon fire (e.g., a privacy fence, bush, interior drywall, etc.).
Concealment
A dismounted movement technique where an officer(s) holds a covered position while observing the incident site as another officer(s) moves forward toward cover. This technique alternates between covering officer(s) and moving officer(s) until the breach point is reached.
Bounding/Overwatch
The act of multiple armed law enforcement elements establishing positive communication and identification as they join to become one operational element.
Link-up Operations
An area in the perimeter where security measures are in place.
Warm Zone
A team of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and police that operate in the warm zone to triage patients, provide care, and coordinate casualty evacuation.
Rescue Task Force
The officer or supervisor responsible for the management, communication and coordination of all contact teams and rescue task forces inside the warm zone and hot zone during an active threat event.
Tactical
Upon arrival at the crisis site, officers should conduct the following:
Advise the Police Emergency Communications Officer (PECO) that you are 10-97 (arrived at scene). Off duty or plain clothed officers/detectives should clearly identify and describe themselves, including race, sex, and clothing description
Assess the situation and determine, due to the information known at that time, along with any observable stimulus (e.g., gunfire, people screaming, you can see the suspect), whether you should immediately deploy into the crisis area in order to stop the suspect or whether you can wait for additional backup officers. ________ _______ is not needed in order to deploy into the crisis site if there is an active threat situation in progress;
Supervisor approval
If the decision is made to enter the site as a single officer, be aware of the elevated risk of this tactic, as your ability to ______ ________is diminished;
maintain security
Prior to initiating your response, advise the PECO and responding officers that you are entering the site and provide information as to where you are ______ _____; and
making entry
When moving to a breach point, make use of ______. When having to cover open ground, identify your next point of cover, and move as rapidly as possible to that position.
cover
If you are moving as a team of two or more officers utilize a ________ ________ technique to reach the breach point
Bounding/Overwatch
what is the maximum realistic number due to a difficulty in coordination in larger numbers
five
Once entry has been made into the crisis location, move directly to any ______ that could identify the suspect’s location, bypassing victims
stimulus
If no stimulus is heard, two options exist:
(1) Move down hallways first, conducting quick interviews with victims and others to gain intelligence, as you are clearing the structure; or
(2) Begin clearing room to room.
Officers must be aware that other parties may be armed and attempting to lawfully intervene as well and should, if practicable, challenge any armed subjects and utilize the five-point discrimination process:
(1) Whole person;
(2) Hands;
(3) Waistline;
(4) Immediate area; and
(5) Demeanor.
When moving as a single or group of officers, adherence to the following principles will aid in a more effective response
(1) Stay together as much as possible;
(2) Maintain 540 degree security at all times, looking around you to include up and down, ceiling to floor;
(3) Communicate with each other as much as possible;
(4) Consider all of the angles that you are exposed to as you move down hallways;
(5) Conduct threshold evaluations (e.g., pie slice doorways) to gain information, utilize door windows when available; and
(6) Move only as fast as you can process information.
When encountering people advise them to take the following action:
(1) Run away from the crisis area if able; and
(2) If people are not able to leave, instruct them to barricade themselves in a secure area until the situation is resolved and they are contacted by law enforcement.
All officers, whether those making first entry to the crisis site or follow-on response, must be keenly aware of the potential hazards of bringing multiple armed elements into a chaotic situation. Therefore, ________ _________ ____ __________ between law enforcement elements are critical to successful link-up operations.
positive communication and identification