Crowd Management

Crowd Management

BLET: 28D
TITLE: CROWD MANAGEMENT
Lesson Purpose: To familiarize the student with the psychological aspects of crowds and present procedures used by law enforcement officers to control crowds, demonstrations, and civil disorders.
Training Objectives: At the end of this block of instruction, the student will be able to achieve the following objectives in accordance with information received during the instructional period:

1. 
   Identify the three different categories of crowds and give an example of each.
   

2. 
   Describe the differences between a casual crowd and a mob.
   

3. 
   Using a crowd estimator table, determine the approximate size of a crowd.
   

4. 
   Identify the duties of a law enforcement officer when patrolling a potentially violent demonstration or labor dispute.
   

5. 
   Identify the primary duties of a law enforcement officer at a nonviolent (passive) protest.
   

6. 
   Demonstrate proper crowd control formations, using the riot baton to control/restrain crowd movement.
   

7. 
   Describe the various methods for deploying chemical munitions, specialty impact munitions and distraction devices.
   

Hours:	Twelve (12)
Instructional Method:	Lecture/Demonstration/Practical Exercise
Training Aids:	Chemical Munitions Riot Helmets - 1 per participant Gas Masks - 1 per participant Riot Batons - 1 per participant Chalkboard/Chalk Flexcuffs (2 per participant) Riot Shields (1 per participant) Video: Anatomy of a Riot, Arts & Entertainment Video (1992) Optional for use, but no longer available for purchase, or St.Petersburg Riots/Crowd Control, Vol.2, Program 12, In the Line of Duty (1996)
References:	Applegate, Rex. Riot Control Materials and Techniques. Harrisburg, PA: Stackpole Corp., 1969. “Civil Disorder.” Basic Law Enforcement Training. Salemburg, NC: N.C. Justice Academy, 1994. Civil Disorder - Mobile Tactics. Los Angeles: Los Angeles Sheriff’s Dept., 1994. IACP, “Controlling Aggressive Public Protest,” Meeting Law Enforcement’s Responsibilities in Solving the Serious Issues of Today, Oct. 2001, Document #563751 [On-line]. Available at http://services.log-inc.con/iacpnet/members/databases/core/ doc_display.asp?page=2318 [6/12/2003]. Defense Technology/Federal Laboratories. Chemical Munitions Instructor Manual. Jacksonville, FL: Armor Holding Co., 1999. Defense Technology /Federal Laboratories. Distraction Devices Instructor Certification Program Manual. Jacksonville, FL: Armor Holding Co., 1999. Defense Technology/Federal Laboratories. Special Impact Munitions Instructor Manual. Jacksonville, FL: Armor Holding Co., 1999. Fourkiller, Larkin and Micheal Holsapple. “Civil Disturbances, Is Your Agency Prepared for Incidents.” Law and Order, May 2000, 127-130. Scott v. Henrich, 39F.3d912 (9^th Cir. 1994). International Association of Chiefs of Police. Riot Control Tactics for New Urban Violence. Virginia: IACP,1996. Martinez v. Kilday, 117 S.W.2d 151 (Texas Court of Civil Appeals, 1938). Chemical Munitions Training Course Summary. Hart Valley, MD: A.A.T. Corp., 1988. Vasquez, John P. Lt. “Managing Spontaneous Crowds Effectively.” Police Magazine, Nov. 1997, 24-30.
Prepared By:	Hank Snyder Instructor/Coordinator North Carolina Justice Academy Officer David Thaw Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Sgt. Andy Russell Greensboro Police Department
Date Prepared:	August 1997
Reviewed By:	Kathy Moore Agency Legal Specialist North Carolina Justice Academy
Date Reviewed:	December 1998 January 2000 November 2000 October 2001
Revised By:	Jon Blum Instructor/Coordinator North Carolina Justice Academy
Date Revised:	November 2001
Revised By:	Reserve Sgt. Andy Russell Greensboro Police Department Reserve Corps
Date Revised:	April 2004
Revised By:	Robert B. Yow BLET Curriculum Coordinator North Carolina Justice Academy
Date Revised:	January 2005 July 2005

TITLE: CROWD MANAGEMENT - INSTRUCTOR NOTES

1. 
   The purpose of this block of instruction is to familiarize the student with the organization, development, and proper execution of riot control, dispersal, and arrest techniques. Crowd dispersal and arrest exercises will provide the student with the basic skills to safely and successfully participate and conduct similar operations in their jurisdictions.
   

2. 
   Careful planning and coordination of events cannot be overemphasized. This is particularly true during mock riot or mock civil disturbance and arrest exercises. Due to the number of students playing the role of officers and the number of others playing the role of an unruly crowd, it is recommended that a safety monitor be appointed to work with the role players of the unruly crowd, while the instructors work with all the students. Please refer to the practical exercise guidelines.
   

3. 
   If possible, it is recommended that the students be exposed to live chemical munitions while the mock riot exercises are being conducted. If live chemicals are not used then inert agents should be used. It is important that safety devices to protect the eyes and facial areas be provided to the role players.
   

4. 
   Instructors should review all applicable OSHA regulations for gas mask and other munitions exercises.
   

5. 
   To promote and facilitate law enforcement professionalism, three (3) ethical dilemmas are listed below for classroom discussion. At their discretion, instructors must provide students with each ethical dilemma listed below. Sometime during the lecture instructors should “set the stage” for the dilemma prior to taking a break. Instructors are encouraged to develop additional dilemmas as needed.
   

a) A “pro-life” group is demonstrating outside an abortion clinic. Many of the individuals are elderly and members of the local churches. After being ordered to disperse, they refuse. Your supervisor orders you to deploy riot canisters filled with pepper spray. What will you do?

b) During a conflict ridden demonstration, two of your fellow officers apprehend a demonstrator who is attempting to flee. They knock him to the ground with their batons. The demonstrator is not resisting but the officers begin striking the demonstrator for “street justice.” What will you do?
c) Working a large football game between two arch rivals, you are assigned crowd control. With three minutes left in the game you observe three teenagers (approximately 13 years of age) climb the fence to see the game. They didn’t pay the admission. You expect the crowd to possibly erupt in about two minutes. What will you do?

PRACTICAL EXERCISE GUIDELINES: PASSIVE PROTEST

1. 
   Purpose
   

These exercises are intended to provide the students with an opportunity to observe, practice, and perform the following training objective:

Demonstrate the ability to properly handcuff, lift, and transport a passive protestor by using flexcuffs and stretchers.

2. 
   Exercise Conditions
   

1. 
   These exercises should be conducted after the classroom lecture has been completed and prior to the exposure to any chemical agents.
   

2. 
   These exercises should take approximately 15-30 minutes depending on class size.
   

3. 
   These exercises can take place either outdoors or indoors.
   

4. 
   All students should participate in these exercises.
   

3. 
   Personnel and Equipment
   

1. 
   One primary instructor can conduct these exercises.
   

2. 
   At least one stretcher is needed for the entire class.
   

3. 
   Each student should have at least two flexcuffs in order to participate in these exercises.
   

4. 
   One set of cutters is required.
   

4. 
   Procedures for Conducting this Exercise
   

1. 
   Divide the students into equal groups and pair off into arrest teams.
   

2. 
   Give specific instructions of how to use flexcuffs and how to properly pick up a stretcher.
   

3. 
   Lay the stretcher out in front of one group.
   

4. 
   Have one student act as a passive arrestee by sitting on the ground with legs crossed.
   

5. 
   Using two arrest teams at a time, have students take turns placing flexcuffs on the arrestee, placing the arrestee on a stretcher, and carrying the arrestee to another group.
   

6. 
   Group two then performs the same exercise.
   

7. 
   Continue until all students have rotated through the exercise.
   

NOTE: In order to save time, each student in the arrest team can place flexcuffs on the arrestees. Therefore, the arrestees will have two sets of flexcuffs on his/her wrists.

5. 
   Evaluating the Exercise The instructor should evaluate the student’s performance based on the following:
   

1. 
   Proper use of flexcuffs, i.e., proper position on wrists, proper restrictiveness (not too loose or too tight).
   

2. 
   Proper lifting techniques, i.e., lifting with legs and not back.
   

NOTE: Instructors must cover proper lifting techniques with students before any lifting is done. Remember lift with your legs and not your back.

PRACTICAL EXERCISE GUIDELINES: FORMATIONS, CHEMICAL AGENTS AND MOBILE TACTICS

1. 
   Purpose
   

These exercises are intended to provide the student with an opportunity to observe, practice, and perform the following training objective:

Demonstrate proper crowd control formations, using the riot baton, shields, and the use of mobile tactics.

2. 
   Exercise Conditions
   

1. 
   The exercise should be conducted after the classroom lecture has been completed.
   

2. 
   A specific site location is required for the exercises. A street location is the best site, however, an open field or parking lot may be used for traditional foot formations. A paved area must be used for mobile tactics.
   

3. 
   Students need one hour of practice and familiarization time to become accustomed to the various offensive and defensive techniques associated with the use of riot batons and shields.
   

4. 
   The instructor should have a pre-planned idea about what type of scenario should be given to each respective team based on the tactic used.
   

a) Baton and shield familiarization. Students must have time to become familiar with holding and using these instruments. These are special issue items and not covered in any other block of instruction. (Time - 30 minutes)

b) Traditional crowd dispersal operation using the riot baton. (Time - 30 minutes)
c) A second scene should be conducted with the aid of inert chemical agents. (Time - 30 minutes)
d) A third experience should be conducted using the riot shield, associated with arrest team movement. (Time - 30 minutes)
e) Demonstrate the three-person wedge and four (4) person diamond formations, from an initial response of two officers to the four-person formation. Team security and unit action will be the focus of the exercise. (Time 30 minutes)
f) Demonstrate back-up team movement to cover withdrawal of primary team upon making an arrest and to rescue or disperse the crowd. (Time 30 minutes)
g) The exercise should culminate into the two formations forming a basic riot squad by joining together and moving to block or disperse the crowd. This should be worked into the above time frame.
h) The gas mask procedures should be initiated at various stages of the exercise to give the student the opportunity to perfect masking and unmasking skills.
i) Mobile tactics require the operation of police vehicles and should not be conducted until the students have completed defensive driving. This segment is divided into five distinct exercises. (Time - 2 hours)
(1) Field force mobile response requiring students to move with their vehicles as a unit, and then dismount and form up using traditional crowd control formation.
(2) Enhanced mobile tactics requiring the use of vehicles moving in conjunction with formation movement.
j) Mobile rescue techniques demonstrate the three unit L.A. Model and the two unit Miami Model.
k) Arrest teams working in conjunction with the various formations should be utilized to show the student the efficiency of unit action. (Time – 1 hour)

5. 
   Chemical agents: A demonstration of the various chemical agents used for crowd control and dispersal operation, using inert munitions, should be demonstrated under field conditions. This allows the students to see and experience first hand the effects, capabilities, and limitations of the various systems and munitions. This exercise includes the controlled exposure exercise and decontamination time. Emphasis should focus on the proper use of the gas mask, to include donning and clearing the mask in an exposure exercise. (Time - 2 hours)
   

Gas mask procedures: Instructors should review the manufacturer’s instructions regarding gas mask procedures with students during the classroom familiarization. They should also refer to OSHA regulation 1910.134 (c) (1) (iii)/Fit testing procedure for tight-fitting respirator, 1910 134 App. B-1/User Seal check procedure and 1910-134 App. B-2/Respirator cleaning procedure, which can be accessed at the OSHA web site at www.osha.gov.

3. 
   Instructional Personnel and Equipment
   

1. 
   One primary instructor can conduct the classroom lecture and direct the student exercises outdoors.
   

2. 
   An assistant instructor will be required to assist during the field exercises to monitor the role players, safety monitor and to assist in coordinating the various field elements.
   

3. 
   Students must have the following equipment to successfully complete the exercise of fielding a basic crowd control formation:
   

• 
  Riot helmets
  
• 
  Riot batons
  
• 
  Riot shields
  
• 
  Gas masks
  
• 
  Vehicles, at least three
  

4. 
   Procedures for Conducting the Exercise
   

1. 
   Divide the students into squads of eight to twelve in each squad.
   

2. 
   Arrest teams should be designated and should consist of no less than three students and no more than six students.
   

3. 
   The four person diamond formation will require the students to respond as a basic patrol unit and forming the formation as they arrive on a developing scene, i.e., loud party or disturbance.
   

4. 
   Additional units arrive on scene and put on basic riot gear to assist the initial responding unit, should it become necessary. Instructor should gear the role-playing scenario to include options of staging and not assisting, and at other times requiring assistance. Scenarios should include the officers’ withdrawal with and without arrests being made.
   

5. 
   Students should be divided into two groups when conducting unprotected chemical exposure. One student is masked while his/her partner is unmasked. This is necessary for safety reasons. Once the first student has recovered from the exposure, then switch roles.
   

5. 
   Evaluating the Exercise The instructor should evaluate the ability of the class to perform the tasks based on the following:
   

1. 
   The ability to demonstrate the various crowd control formations.
   

2. 
   The ability to work as a team.
   

3. 
   The ability to control and/or restrain crowd movement.
   

4. 
   The ability to properly use the gas mask.
   

5. 
   The proper techniques for exiting from patrol vehicles.
   

6. 
   The ability to use patrol vehicles during mobile tactics.
   

TITLE: CROWD MANAGEMENT

1.