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Applicable To: All sworn employees |
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Approval Authority: Chief George N. Turner |
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Signature: Signed by GNT |
Date Signed: 9/19/11 |
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| Table of Contents | |||
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4.1.5 Duties of the On-scene Incident Commander |
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This directive sets guidelines for the initial response to in-progress violence or “active shooter” incidents at schools, government buildings, or any other facility or place.
The Atlanta Police Department shall respond to all incidents with the appropriate employees, equipment, and resources to expeditiously resolve the incident.
3.1 Division, section, and unit commanders are responsible for ensuring that all employees within their chain of command comply with the requirements of this directive.
3.2 The Training Section is responsible for training Departmental employees to be familiar with the dangers posed by active shooters and the proper tactical response.
3.3 Communication Section supervisors shall ensure their employees are trained in active shooter terminology and radio procedures.
3.4 The Property Control Unit is responsible for the issuance of additional City ammunition for officers who carry supplemental magazines for the City issued firearm.
3.5 Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that all employees under their command comply with the requirements of this directive.
3.6 All employees are responsible for complying with the requirements of this directive.
3.7 The Incident Commander must coordinate all activities to prevent friendly fire injuries, additional injuries to citizens or officers and to prevent the escape of the offender.
4.1 In-progress Shootings (“Active Shooter”)
4.1.1 Officers entering a location where there is an “active shooter” should be wearing their assigned duty uniform. Plain clothes officers shall wear a warrant uniform which shall consist of a blue jumpsuit, jacket or the Department approved black mesh vest that clearly and readily identifies the employee as a police officer. The metal breast badge or an embroidered cloth badge shall be worn on the left breast side and the metal nameplate or embroidered name patch shall be worn on the right breast side of the jumpsuit, jacket or the Department approved black mesh vest. (APD.SOP.2130 effective date: June 1, 2011)
4.1.2 The first officers responding to a situation involving an ongoing shooting of persons in a school, government building, or other place shall make the decision, based on all available information, to engage in the necessary tactical intervention to stop the shooting of innocent persons. As additional officers arrive, the first responding officers on the scene shall:
1. Establish that a shooting is in progress and quickly gain as much additional information about the situation as possible. This can be achieved through various ways including: Dispatcher’s received information, sounds of gunfire/explosions, the reports of fleeing citizens, witness statements, or the officer’s own observations.
2. Immediately advise Communications of the situation upon arrival and request assistance from supervisors and additional police officers. If a signal 63 has not been initiated, the Incident Commander shall do so. The Incident Commander shall immediately cancel the signal 63 once enough officers have responded to the scene to safely handle the situation.
3. Select appropriate entry point(s) and determine exits that police should secure, to ensure a perimeter exists around the shooter(s).
4. Assemble a contact team to locate, engage, distract and neutralize the suspect(s) to stop the illegal behavior.
5. Officers shall advise Communications and their first line supervisor of the number of officers entering the building and through what entrance they shall be making entry. If there is only one supervisor on the scene, he or she shall remain on the outside of the building to take command and direct additional units as they arrive.
6. Maintain radio contact with the immediate supervisor.
7. Provide intelligence about the scene, movement of shooter(s), and need for additional units. Specifically direct additional units where to make entry and where to set up the perimeter and/or staging area.
8. If the incident commander determines the situation has changed into that of a hostage situation or a barricaded gunman situation, he or she shall change operations accordingly.
1. When officers find themselves in an active shooter situation, all unnecessary radio communication shall cease. Officers responding to the scene shall change to the appropriate zone radio frequency and monitor the situation as they arrive. As contact teams enter the threatened area, they shall change their radio frequency to “TAC 2 channel.” Only officers inside the perimeter and supervisors shall use “TAC 2.”
If Immediate Deployment/Rapid Intervention tactics are deemed necessary, the Incident Commander or first responding officer shall assemble a contact/rescue team.
1. A contact team shall consist of three to four officers and shall immediately move towards any known suspects. The team shall move with 360-degree security, using all immediately available protective equipment to aid in their entry. The Incident Commander shall remain outside. Those officers certified to carry patrol rifles should be placed in the most advantageous positions.
2. The priorities of a contact team should be as follows:
a. Stop deadly behavior by arresting or engaging the suspect or suspects.
b. Limit the suspect’s movement by confining him or her to a known area.
c. Continue past victims to confront any active suspects. Movement through the building should be done as a team at a rapid pace. Officers acting as a contact team shall move cautiously past citizens, searching for the active shooter. Wounded or distressed citizens shall take a second priority to locating and addressing the active shooter.
d. Continue to move cautiously past suspicious devices (suspected IED’s, previously detonated devices, etc) and unsecured areas and rooms, using limited penetration and visually scanning open areas. Officers shall attempt to mark said areas and advise radio and supervisors of the marking and threat posed. Officers should not use radio communication anywhere near a suspected explosive device.
e. Communicate deployment progress and any intelligence gathered, such as location of victims, explosive devices, armed assailants, and weapons to the incident commander and request additional officers or contact teams to enhance search and tactical capabilities. No radio traffic shall be passed within 300 ft. of an explosive device.
f. Confront any suspect(s) through control and arrest, containment, or deadly force.
g. If the contact team engages the suspect, a team member shall call for support officers to secure the perpetrator, scan the area for threats and continue to search for additional threats once support officers have arrived to take custody of the perpetrator.
h. The perpetrator must be searched thoroughly for any additional threats (i.e., bombs or booby traps.)
3. Assemble additional Contact teams to enter at the direction of the incident commander.
4. Assemble rescue teams to enter and/or approach the location to locate victims stranded inside and remove them from danger.
5. As contact teams begin to bring citizens out, officers shall escort them to areas that are safe, allow for medical treatment, provide cover and allow for investigators to interview witnesses.
6. If areas within the affected location are deemed to be relatively safe for responders, subsequent rescue teams may provide tactical cover for rescue personnel to enter the scene for rapid access to critically injured victims.
7. Officers and supervisors positioned on the perimeter shall ensure that responding vehicles do not stop in such a manner that impedes the freedom of movement of other emergency vehicles. In the event a vehicle must be moved to facilitate emergency operations, police shall use a tow truck, D.O.T. truck, or other means available.
4.1.5 Duties of the On-scene Incident Commander:
1. Remain on the perimeter, establish incident command and assign additional officers upon their arrival.
2. Assess the situation and ensure the responsibilities of the first officers on the scene are complete or in progress and that communication is established with the SWAT Unit. As necessary, the IC or designee shall contact other tactical units to assist. (I.e. APEX, FIT teams)
3. Advise Communications to redirect all radio traffic not relevant to the active incident if the responding officer has not already done so.
4. Assure that the first responding officers have deployed a contact team.
5. Make requests for additional resources through the radio dispatcher.
6. Establish an area and method to deal with large numbers of people fleeing the scene.
7. As necessary, coordinate a Casualty Collection Point (CCP) and inform medical personnel of its location. Supervisors shall notify local hospitals through radio dispatch of a possible mass casualty situation.
8. Direct officers to attempt to find witnesses among the citizens that have fled.
9. Keep their chain of command informed of the situation as things develop.
4.1.6 All Atlanta Police Officers shall be permitted to carry supplemental magazines of ammunition. The magazines shall be stored in the officer’s duty bag or briefcase until needed. These additional magazines shall be purchased at the expense of the individual officer, but approved by the range master.
4.2 Chemical and Biological Weapons
4.2.1 If officers become aware the “active shooter(s)” have access to any type of substance or weapon that could be considered or used as a biological or chemical weapon, they shall immediately advise the incident commander of the threat.
4.2.2 The Incident Commander shall notify AFR HAZMAT team. The AFR HAZMAT leadership shall advise the Incident Commander on all issues regarding hazardous material.
4.2.3 The Incident Commander shall make a determination on the abilities and limitations responding officers have in the presence of chemical or biological weapons.
5.1 Incident Commander: The person responsible for all aspects of an emergency response; including quickly developing incident objectives, managing all incident operations, application of resources as well as responsibility for all persons involved. The Incident Commander sets priorities and defines the organization of the incident response teams and the overall Incident Action Plan. The role of Incident Commander may be assumed by Senior or higher Qualified Officers upon their arrival or as the situation dictates. Even if subordinate positions are not assigned, the Incident Commander position shall always be designated or assumed. The Incident Commander may, at their own discretion, assign Officers, who may be from the same agency or from assisting agencies, to subordinate or specific positions for the duration of the Emergency. Depending on the incident, the Incident Commander could also be staffed by a non-Departmental entity within the Unified Command structure, such as the Department of Fire Rescue.
5.2 Active Shooter: a situation where one or more subjects participate in a random or systematic shooting spree or other violence, demonstrating their intent to continuously harm others. The overriding objective of an active shooter appears to be that of mass murder, rather than other criminal conduct, such as robbery, hostage taking, etc. For the purpose of this policy, the term "active shooter" shall also include anyone who uses any other deadly weapon to systematically or randomly inflict death or serious bodily injury on others over a continuous or extended period of time.
5.3 Rapid/Immediate Deployment: Rapid/Immediate deployment is known as the swift and immediate deployment of law enforcement resources to an on-going, life threatening situation where delayed deployment could otherwise result in death or serious bodily injury to innocent persons.
5.4 Contact Team: A contact team should be composed of three to four uniformed officers. The objective of a contact team is to locate, distract, neutralize and arrest the shooter(s).
5.5 Casualty Collection Point (CCP): A place designated for wounded persons to come or be brought and wait for medical attention or evacuation to a medical treatment facility. The casualty collection point must be located in a relatively safe area near the scene. It must also be easily accessible to multiple ambulances.
5.6 Rescue Team: A rescue team of three to four officers shall enter into a threatened area to remove and aid citizens. Rescue teams shall do this by giving verbal directions to citizens and ambulatory wounded. Rescue teams shall also physically remove seriously wounded persons from danger.
APD.SOP.3135 “Active Shooter” issued April 7, 2008
APD.SOP.3181 “Emergency Operations Plan”, effective December 10, 2010 APD.SOP.2130 “Dress Code”, effective June 1, 2011 |
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