Police Management of Mass Demonstrations: Identifying Issues and Successful Approaches
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CHIEF CONCERNS P o l i c e M a n a g e m e n t o f M a s s D e m o n s t We are grateful to Motorola for its support of this project. r a t i o n s : I d e n t i f y i n g I s Police Management s u e s a of Mass n d S u Demonstrations: c c e s Identifying Issues and s f u l A Successful Approaches p p r o a c h e s Police Executive Research Forum 1120 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 930 Washington, DC 20036 Tony Narr Malcolm McFarland 202-466-7820 202-466-7826 fax Jessica Toliver Joshua Ederheimer www.PoliceForum.org Jerry Murphy Police Management of Mass Demonstrations: Identifying Issues and Successful Approaches Tony Narr Jessica Toliver Jerry Murphy Malcolm McFarland Joshua Ederheimer This publication was supported by Motorola, Incorporated. The points of view expressed herein are the authors’ and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Motorola, Inc., or individual Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) members. Websites and sources listed provide useful information at the time of this writing, but authors do not endorse any information of the sponsor organization or other information on the websites. Police Executive Research Forum, Washington, D.C. 20036 © Copyright 2006 by Police Executive Research Forum All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 1-878734-95-4 Cover and interior design by Dave Williams. Cover photograph by Robert Kaufmann, courtesy of the United States Federal Emergency Management Agency. Photograph altered by Dave Williams. Contents 1 5 Foreword..............................i Introduction . .1 Roles and Responsibilities . .41 Acknowledgments.............iii The Meaning of Mass Demonstration. 3 Overview . 41 Appendix A: Links to The Project . 3 Command and Control. 42 Documents on the Key Mass Demonstration Issues. 4 Strategic Command . 42 World Wide Web ..............77 Operational Command . 43 Appendix B: Seattle Tactical Command. 43 Police Department 2 Practitioner Perspectives . 43 Planning Checklist for Command Protocols . 44 Special Events ...................79 Planning and Preparation . .7 Crime Investigation . 44 Overview . 7 Specialized Units . 45 Appendix C: Presidential The Process of Planning . 8 Communications . 46 Inauguration Task ARTICLE: National Special Security Events. 9 Policies and Procedures. 48 Force MOU.......................83 Tony Narr Citizen Complaints . 48 References .........................89 Mutual Aid and Multi-Agency ARTICLE: Communication During About the Authors............91 Coordination . 15 Mass Demonstration Events . 49 Logistics . 16 Malcolm McFarland About the Police ARTICLE: Planning for the DNC . 17 Conclusion . 51 Executive Research Mary Jo Harris Forum ...............................95 Conclusion . 19 About the PERF 6 Center on Force and Crowd Control and Accountability...................96 3 About Motorola................97 Training . .21 Use-of-Force . .53 Overview . 53 Overview . 21 Crowd Control . 53 Training To Make Plans Work . 22 Formations . 54 Incident Management Systems . 22 Mass Arrests . 55 Training as a Team . 23 Use-of-Force . 56 Training with Partner Agencies . 23 Pre-Event Briefings . 57 Consistent Terminology . 24 Equipment and Tools. 58 Practitioner Perspectives on Protective Equipment Considerations . 58 Mass Demonstration Training . 24 Less-Lethal Devices . 59 Conclusion . 28 Barriers . 60 Conclusion . 61 4 Intelligence and Information 7 Management . .31 Media Relations . .63 Overview. 31 Overview . 63 Intelligence Gathering and Assessment . 32 Media Strategy . 64 Managing Information During an Event. 34 Public Information . 65 Post-Event Intelligence . 36 Joint Information Centers. 65 After-Action Reporting . 36 Press Conferences. 67 ARTICLE: After-Action Reporting . 37 Post-Event Activities . 68 John Gallagher ARTICLE: Media Embedding in Miami . 69 Conclusion . 39 Tony Narr Conclusion . 71 8 Conclusion . .73 Foreword Perhaps there is no greater challenge for po- grew out of Seattle. I recall Chuck Ramsey, Chief lice officers in a democracy than that of manag- of Police in Washington, D.C., and John Timo- ing mass demonstrations. It is here, after all, ney, then-commissioner of the Philadelphia where the competing goals of maintaining order Police Department (and who later became Chief and protecting the freedoms of speech and as- of Police in Miami), listening carefully to those sembly meet. Police in the United States have a lessons. Both chiefs would later be tested by long history of handling mass demonstrations. major mass demonstration events in their own During the 1960s and throughout the Vietnam cities. War era, American law enforcement was tested Since the events in Seattle, we have endured time and again on how to best manage mass the events of September 11, 2001. These, too, protest demonstrations. Often the police suc- have had an impact on how police handle mass ceeded brilliantly in peacefully managing hun- demonstrations. If our concern before focused dreds of thousands of demonstrators. At other primarily on out-of-control demonstrators or times, the actions of the police became the unin- anarchists, today police executives must be mind- tended focus of protesters and the centerpiece of ful that large-scale events may represent an op- media coverage of the event. Tough lessons were portunity for terrorists to carry out their own learned during this period. In the relative calm agenda in a very public and dangerous way. that followed for almost twenty years, police at- As such, the challenge of policing mass tention to preparedness for mass demonstration demonstrations highlights a number of issues for events assumed a lower priority than it had in today’s police executive, including previous decades. n How to effectively manage police resources The 1999 Seattle World Trade Organization to deal with large numbers of people who (WTO) protest changed all that, sending shock may be either expressing their fundamental waves felt by police agencies around the world. By constitutional right to protest or who sim- all accounts, the events that took place in Seattle ply are gathering spontaneously after a and the reactions of the police became a vital les- major sports victory; son for police everywhere—learn from this expe- rience or risk repeating it. In fact, then-Chief of n How to work with business/community Police Norm Stamper came to a Police Executive members who are not involved in the Research Forum (PERF) meeting shortly after the demonstration/celebration but who have WTO demonstration and shared the lessons that an expectation that the police will protect Foreword — i them and their property from unlawful or These questions and many more are the destructive behavior; focus of this publication. This report is not so much a detailed, operational guide as it is an n How to effectively gather information for a overview of the major issues to consider when planned or spontaneous mass demonstration; planning the police role in managing a mass n How to integrate local, state and federal re- demonstration. While most police chiefs will be sources—and maintain accountability; aware of a great many of the issues raised, this re- port sheds light on a number of issues that are not n How to identify the policy issues and what as easily recognized for their potential to derail procedures and safeguards should be in the efforts of police. Our hope is to offer police place for mass arrests; executives and operational commanders a snap- n Determining what level of force should be shot of lessons already learned and a roadmap used when demonstrators become unruly through the steps they will take in preparation for and who gives the command to use it; and future major mass demonstration events. This re- port is part of the PERF Critical Issues publica- n Clarifying the role of the agency’s chief exec- tion series, and we are very grateful for Motorola, utive before, during and after an event. Who Inc.’s, support of this effort. We are especially is in charge of managing the demonstration? grateful to the police chiefs and their staffs who contributed their time and ideas to this project. Executive Director Police Executive Research Forum ii — Foreword Acknowledgments We thank the many people who have Los Angeles Police Department; Alfred Broad- worked so hard on this report. It has been a col- bent, Director of Security, Amtrak; Captain John laborative effort, made possible by the collective Brooks, Broward County Sheriff's Office; Cap- experience and insight offered by all those in- tain Steve Carter, Denver Police Department; Su- volved. We enjoyed working with police execu- perintendent Philip Cline, Chicago Police De- tives, subject matter experts, and others commit- partment; Commander David Commins, ted to improving police services throughout the London Metropolitan Police Department; Chief United States and around the globe. It is our hope Richard Easley (retired), Kansas City (MO) Po- that this book will aid police leaders and their lice Department; Lieutenant Eladio Estrada, New staffs in making informed decisions when devel- York City Police Department; Chief Julian Fanti- oping and executing plans that govern the police no (retired), Toronto Police Service; the late response to mass demonstration events. Deputy Commissioner James Fyfe, New York Thanks are due to our partners at Motorola City Police Department; Assistant United States for their support of the Critical Issues in Policing Attorney John Gallagher, U.S. Attorney's Office, Series. Motorola has been a steadfast supporter of Eastern District of Pennsylvania; Superintendent PERF for many years. We are grateful to Mr. Greg Terry Hillard (retired), Chicago Police Depart- Brown, CEO and President of Government & En- ment; Assistant Chief James Pugel, Seattle Police terprise Mobility Solutions; James A. Sarallo, Se- Department; Chief Gil Kerlikowske, Seattle Police nior Vice President, Government & Enterprise Department; Chief William Lansdowne, San Mobility Solutions; Richard P. Neal, Vice Presi- Diego Police Department; Chief Edward Lohn, dent, and General Manager; and Mark Moon, Cleveland Police Department; Assistant Chief Bill Vice President and General Manager.