CRITICAL ISSUES IN POLICING SERIES: Police Planning for an Influenza Pandemic: Case Studies and Recommendations from the Field Andrea M. Luna and Corina Solé Brito Elizabeth A. Sanberg CRITICAL ISSUES IN POLICING SERIES: Police Planning for an Influenza Pandemic: Case Studies and Recommendations from the Field Andrea M. Luna and Corina Solé Brito Elizabeth A. Sanberg October 2007 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 2007 by Police Executive Research Forum All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 978-1-934485-03-3 Edited by Craig Fischer Cover and interior design by Dave Williams. Cover photographs, starting at top left, courtesy of Loren Rodgers/istockphoto, Greg Knobloch/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (showing Dr. Taronna Maines), Doug Webb/istockphoto, and Federal Emergency Management Agency. Contents Foreword . i CHAPTER FOUR By Chuck Wexler Executive Director, Police Executive Research Forum The Overland Park Police Acknowledgments . iii Department Case Study . 65 APPENDIX A CHAPTER ONE Overland Park Police Department Introduction, Background, Continuity of Operations Draft Spreadsheet . 72 and Summary of Findings . 1 CHAPTER FIVE The London Metropolitan CHAPTER TWO Police Service Case Study . 77 The Fairfax County Police APPENDIX A Department Case Study . 17 Metropolitan Police Service Critical Activities Template. 93 APPENDIX A Fairfax County Pandemic Influenza Critical Infrastructure Agency Planning Checklist . 34 CHAPTER SIX APPENDIX B Sample Critical Functions. 39 Recommendations APPENDIX C from the Field . 97 HomePacks. 43 CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER THREE List of Resources for The Toronto Police Service Pandemic Flu Planning . 103 Case Study . 45 APPENDIX A Estimated Direct Health Impact of Pandemic About the Authors. 107 Influenza on the City of Toronto Based on About the Police Executive Research Forum . 109 Historical Mortality and Morbidity Rates. 60 About Motorola . 111 APPENDIX B Employee/Visitor Screening Form Record . 61 APPENDIX C Prisoner Screening Form . 63 Transmission electron micrograph of recreated 1918 influenza virions courtesy of cynthia goldsmith/centers for disease control Foreword olice officials regularly plan for a variety of departments would be responding with a dimin- Pman-made and naturally-occurring hazards, espe- ished workforce—because many of their own cially since the September 11th attacks. But most law employees would be coming down with the poten- enforcement agencies have not yet thought about tially fatal flu. Other police employees would have the implications of a type of disaster that could to stay home to care for sick family members, or to cause tens of thousands of deaths and could devas- look after their children because the schools would tate police operations—an influenza pandemic. be closed. Many people may not realize that flu pan- PERF has produced this report to help state demics are not a merely theoretical threat. As and local police and sheriffs’ departments begin the recently as 1968–69, the “Hong Kong flu” caused process of analyzing how a flu pandemic would 34,000 deaths in the United States. The worst flu affect their operations, and how they can begin pandemic in recent history was the “Spanish flu” of planning for such an event. Planning for a pan- 1918–19, which killed as many as 50 million people demic is particularly complicated in that it requires worldwide, and 675,000 in the United States. coordination with a wide variety of other public Why would a flu pandemic be a police prob- and private agencies. lem, as opposed to a public health problem? There But advance planning is critically important, are several reasons: Police may be called upon to because it would almost certainly save countless enforce quarantines, to provide security in hospi- lives. When a pandemic hits—and experts agree tals swamped with patients, and to ensure that vac- that it will happen, we just don’t know when—the cines—when they became available in limited overall goal of the entire nation will be to minimize quantities—could be delivered to those with the its impact and delay its spread for as long as possi- greatest need for them. ble. That is because the medical establishment will But perhaps the biggest reason why a flu pan- be working to produce a vaccine and other drugs, demic would be a police problem lies in the answer to but it will take some time, perhaps 20 weeks or this question: Whenever anything bad happens, more. The more we can slow the spread of a pan- whom do people call? The local public health agency? demic, the fewer people will die in the early phases, How many people even know the name of their while scientists are still scrambling to develop the public health agency, much less its phone number? vaccine. When bad things happen, people call the Thus, we can’t afford to “wait and see,” and police. Public health agencies would take the lead- start thinking about a pandemic after it happens. ing role in dealing with a flu pandemic, but police Lives will depend on our getting our plans organ- would be involved from start to finish, if only ized now. because the public always looks to the police to The origins of this report lie in a March 30, answer their questions and solve their problems. 2006 symposium in Washington, D.C. hosted by And even as a flu pandemic would cause jam- PERF, with support from Motorola, entitled “The ming of 911 telephone lines by frantic callers, police Law Enforcement Response to Pandemics.”Attendees Foreword — i included federal government representatives, local County (VA) Police Department, and the Overland law enforcement officials, and public health experts. Park (KS) Police Department. Speakers at the event included Assistant Commis- This document captures the information sioner Stephen House (London Metropolitan Police gathered during these four case studies and sum- Service), Tom Imrie (former manager of the marizes the various approaches taken by the Toronto Police Service’s Occupational Health and departments and the lessons learned. Safety Unit), Jane Speakman (public health attorney Motorola, Inc. and PERF are pleased to pres- for the city of Toronto), and Dr. Bill Smock (police ent the case studies, promising practices and rec- surgeon to the Louisville, Ky. Metropolitan Police ommendations that came to light as a result of the Department and a nationally-recognized expert). 2006 symposium and subsequent case study work. Participants were encouraged to ask the speakers It is our hope that this publication will assist local questions and engage each other in dialogue after law enforcement in identifying resources and forg- each presentation. Their open and honest discus- ing stronger relationships within the community— sion highlighted the need for a document that and with other first responder agencies—to create would help departments of all sizes to plan and pre- their own pandemic response plans. pare for a flu pandemic (or other public health A final word: I would like to thank Sir Ian emergency). Blair, commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Ser- PERF followed up on the symposium by con- vice in London, who suggested that his Assistant ducting in-depth case studies of four police depart- Commissioner Steve House work with PERF on this ments that already were involved in preparing for a important project. The PERF/Met relationship con- pandemic: the Toronto (Ontario) Police Service, tinues to be a strong driving force behind our the London Metropolitan Police Service, the Fairfax research, and I am grateful for Ian Blair’s leadership. Executive Director Police Executive Research Forum Washington, D.C. ii — Foreword Acknowledgments e would like to thank the many individ- – Amanda McGill, Fairfax Office of the County Wuals who contributed to this publication. Its value is Executive due largely to our contributors’ commitment to – Lieutenant Brian Johnston, Fairfax County improving the law enforcement pandemic planning Sheriff’s Office process. First, we must thank those who served as our n London on-site contacts. They received our many e-mails – Sir Ian Blair, Commissioner, London Metro- and phone calls, assisted us in conducting site visits, politan Police Service and answered countless questions. They engaged in – Deputy Assistant Commissioner Richard thoughtful discussions about how local law enforce- Bryan, Metropolitan Police Service ment and other agencies must work together to plan – Commander Simon Foy, Central Communica- for and respond to public health critical incidents. Just as impressive was their willingness to discuss tions Command, Metropolitan Police Service sensitive issues and concerns on the current status of – Chief Superintendent Simon Lewis, Head of their collaborations and preparation. Their open- Emergency Preparedness, Metropolitan Police ness demonstrates a sincere commitment to devel- Service oping effective solutions and strengthening – Chief Inspector Graham Stokes, Metropolitan partnerships within the community. Police Service They were: – David Hill, Technical and Logistical Adviser, n Fairfax County: