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Applicable To:  All employees

Approval Authority:  Chief George N. Turner

Signature:  Signed by GNT

Date Signed:  10/4/11

1.               PURPOSE

To establish guidelines for the Atlanta Police Department Extrication Team (X-Team), an on-call, multi-agency task force, specially trained and equipped to safely and efficiently remove protestors and protestor devices.

2.               POLICY

The Atlanta Police Department seeks to safely and efficiently remove protestors from blocking or using locking devices during times of civil unrest. This goal shall be met by utilizing a group of specially trained and equipped personnel composed of the Atlanta Police Department, Atlanta Fire Rescue, and the Atlanta Department of Corrections. The X-Team shall be an on-call unit assigned to the Special Enforcement Section, Homeland Security Unit.

3.               RESPONSIBILITIES

3.1              The Criminal Investigations Division (CID) commander shall monitor the implementation of this directive.

3.2              The Special Enforcement Section (SES) commander shall ensure that employees assigned to the Extrication Team comply with this directive.

3.3              The Homeland Security Unit (HSU) commander shall be responsible for the selection of the X – Team members; monitoring the activities of employees assigned to the X – Team for compliance to this directive; maintaining all training documentation and X-Team rosters; and maintaining all equipment assigned to the X-Team).

3.4              Employees assigned to the X–Team are responsible for complying with this directive and adhering to the policies described herein.

4.               ACTION

4.1              General

4.1.1           The X-Team shall respond to any situation that involves protesters utilizing various anti-arrest devices to block or impede sidewalks, roadways, or other public areas.

4.1.2           All employees shall wear a standard uniform that is approved by the Chief of Police based on recommendations from the Criminal Investigations Division commander.

4.1.3           The X-team shall conduct training exercises on a regularly scheduled basis, to ensure that members are equipped with the tactical skills and equipment to carry out the team objectives. All training sessions shall be documented.

4.1.4           The Department’s Electronic Surveillance Squad shall videotape the actions of the X-Team for future reference and to protect against false allegations.

4.1.5           X-Team personnel shall not be armed while operating extrication equipment. Weapons should be secured in the lockbox located in the X-Team vehicle. The vehicle shall be under constant surveillance by an assigned team member. Safety Officers, Drivers, and Team Leaders may be armed and shall provide cover for X-Team members operating power tools.

4.1.6           X-Team personnel shall minimize their participation in the physical arrest of protestors when performing extrication tasks. Physical arrest of protestors should be left to a Mobile Arrest Team (MAT) or members of the Mobile Field Force (MFF).

4.2              Deployment/Notification

4.2.1           The Communications Section shall notify the X-Team Leader when the services of the Team are required. The Communications Section shall be supplied with a current roster of qualified team members along with their contact information.

4.2.2           X-Team personnel shall monitor the APD detective radio frequency and shall respond as directed upon notification of an incident.

4.2.3           X-Team shall draft an operational plan prior to being deployed. The operational plan shall list the assignment of each team member and shall be recorded on Atlanta Police Department X – Team Report (Form APD 388).

4.3              On Scene

4.3.1           The MFF and MAT along with the on-scene X-Team Leader shall go to the scene and stabilize the area prior to X-Team deployment. An assessment shall be made to determine if the services of the X-team shall be required. If the Team’s services are needed, the X-Team Leader shall call the team members to the scene.

4.3.2           The commanders of the MAT and MFF shall then advise the protestors of the specific state statute or city ordinance violation that applies (A negotiator may also be utilized for this purpose). They shall then caution the protestor(s) that if they do not release themselves from their anti-arrest devices voluntarily, they shall be placed under arrest in accordance with APD.SOP.3030 “Arrest. This statement should be made numerous times to ensure that each protestor can hear the command, and understand the repercussions of non-compliance, and provide ample opportunity to respond to the command. The MFF commander (or negotiator) will be videotaped while issuing the order to disperse.

4.3.3           The X-Team Leader and the on-scene MFF commander shall determine if the protest area has been safely secured prior to beginning extrication procedures.

4.3.4           Once a reasonable time for release has expired and the X-Team Leader has determined that the scene is safe enough for the X-Team Members to safely operate their equipment or release has expired, the protestors shall be advised that they are being placed under arrest in accordance with APD.SOP.3030 “Arrest Procedures”. The Mobile Arrest Team (MAT) members shall then search the protestors and begin the arresting process.  The X-Team shall be responsible for defeating the anti-arrest devices. Protestors shall be taken into custody by members of the MFF, the MAT, or primary officer(s) once they have been freed from a device.

4.3.5           The MFF must remain on scene until the X-Team has safely departed the area, if the scene is a crime scene, it should be processed accordingly. The X-Team Leader and the MFF Commander should coordinate removal of debris that remains as a result of an X-Team operation. The Public Works Department may be contacted for assistance in the removal of debris when necessary.

4.4              After Action

4.4.1           The primary arresting officer is responsible for the submission of incident reports, property and evidence inventory, and the issuance of subpoenas. An X-Team member may be listed on the arrest ticket as the second arresting officer. If the involved X-Team member is a non-sworn firefighter or corrections officer, he/she should be issued a subpoena as a witness for the purpose of courtroom testimony.

4.4.2           An after action report should be prepared on Atlanta Police Department X – Team Report (Form APD 388) by the X-Team Leader or his or her designee and forwarded up the chain-of-command by the Homeland Security Unit commander. A copy of the report shall be provided to the Atlanta Police Training Academy, the Office of Professional Standards and the Planning and Research/Accreditation Unit.

5.               DEFINITIONS

5.1              Extrication Team (X-Team):  An on-call, multi-agency task force, specially trained and equipped to safely and efficiently remove protestors from their locking devices.

5.2              Mobile Field Force (MFF):  A mobile group of sworn police officers that are trained in the application of crowd control tactics.

5.3              Mobile Arrest Team (MAT):  A mobile group of sworn police officers that are trained in arrest tactics utilized during civil disturbances.

5.4              Protestor Device:  A locking mechanism utilized by protestors to block ingress to or egress from a building or to impede the flow of traffic at an intersection.  Protestor devices can be made from various materials, such as PCV piping, steel, concrete, etc.

6.               CANCELLATIONS

                  APD.SOP.3183 “Extrication Teams”, effective November 1, 2010

7.               REFERENCES

                  Managing Civil Actions in Threat Incidents:  Protestor Devices Course, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Domestic Preparedness

                  APD.SOP.3030 “Arrest”