The fundamental duty of all Department members is to protect life and property.
Department members shall be guided by sound tactical principles when involved in any tactical incident. The tactics employed by Department members shall be governed by applicable Department policies, accepted training practices, the exigency of the circumstances, and the application of sound judgment and common sense. Adherence to policies, training, and supervision is critical in preventing an unreasonable response to fear and resolving incidents in the safest manner possible. When reasonable under the totality of circumstances, Department members should use de-escalation techniques such as advisements, verbal persuasion, and other force prevention tactics focused on increasing officer and/or public safety. The Department’s Core Values, a reverence for human life, and the safety of all parties shall be considered when deciding on a resolution to a tactical incident.
Following any tactical incident, regardless of significance, the conduct of Department members may be evaluated for compliance with established Department policies and state and federal statutes. A primary consideration in determining sound tactics is whether the actions by Department members increase or decrease officer safety, and/or public safety. All Department members shall be prepared to clearly articulate the circumstances which supported their decisions.
|
NOTE: |
Tactical incidents include, but are not limited to: responses to crimes in progress, building searches and/or area containment, barricaded suspects, hostage situations, active shooters, foot or vehicle pursuits, pedestrian or traffic stops, missing persons, and any other law enforcement situation where sound principles and tactics should be employed. |
The concepts commonly referred to as the six “C”s - COMMAND, CONTAIN, CONTROL, COMMUNICATE, COORDINATE, and CONTINGENCY - shall serve as a guide for all Department members involved.
Tactical incidents commonly share characteristics which must be constantly evaluated and, in most cases, analyzed to ensure a successful conclusion and enhance officer safety in future similar events. A seventh “C” - CRITIQUE - is equally important and shall be performed at the conclusion of any tactical incident.
The scope and sophistication of this critique (commonly referred to as a “debriefing”) shall be dictated by the scope and sophistication of the incident. The critique should include a comprehensive analysis of those tactics and techniques which contributed to the success of the operation, while thoroughly evaluating those which proved unproductive. The critique shall be performed in a timely manner (preferably immediately following the event), attended by all involved members and, when appropriate, facilitated by a supervisor. Discretion shall be used by supervisors when critiquing actions which appear to be in violation of Department policy or established law. Supervisors and managers shall make every effort to maintain the technical and tactical proficiency of their subordinates through training, debriefings, tactical discussions, and engaged supervision.
Incident Command
Department members at the scene of, or directly involved in, a tactical incident shall demonstrate regard for incident command. In addition, all Department members have a positive duty to actively provide appropriate coordination and ensure communication is shared among participating Department members.
To ensure clarity, avoid confusion, and minimize risk to those involved, the following list of commonly used leadership/incident command terms and their definitions/significance is provided. All Department members shall expect that their conduct may be evaluated based on their adherence to the following principles.
|
Command |
The exercise of complete authority to direct the actions of others during a tactical incident. |
|
Communication |
Accomplished by radio, telephone, direct voice, hand and arm signals, or any other means in which the recipient(s) receives and understands the message and intent. |
|
Contain |
A coordinated response for the purpose of isolating and apprehending a person(s) attempting to avoid arrest, detention, or detection, or to locate critically missing person(s). |
|
Contingency |
A backup plan or the coordinated process of considering a future, unplanned event. |
|
Control |
When a supervisor or Department member is able to communicate with and coordinate or direct the actions of other Department members. |
|
Coordination |
When command Department members are able to organize and direct the actions of all Department members at the scene of a tactical operation to reduce friction, eliminate conflict(s), and integrate efforts to achieve a successful resolution to a specific mission. |
|
Critique |
A comprehensive debriefing conducted with all Department members involved in an incident to discuss tactics and other issues identified during a tactical operation. The critique should include a comprehensive analysis of those tactics and techniques which contributed to the success of the operation, while thoroughly evaluating those which proved unproductive. The critique shall be performed in a timely manner (preferably immediately following the event), attended by all involved members and, when appropriate, facilitated by a supervisor. |
|
Tactical Dilemma |
A choice between two or more disagreeable alternatives. The goal of every adversarial operation is to place the suspect in a position where surrender is likely and resistance is futile. Dilemmas can be created with space or time. |
High Risk or Armed Suspects
The intent of this section is to increase the safety of Department members and minimize the potential for Department member created jeopardy where Department members place themselves unnecessarily in harm’s way.
When dealing with a high risk or suspected armed suspect, Department members shall be cautiously persistent in performing their duties. Consistent with this philosophy, while every situation is not absolute, in many cases, it may be safer to chase to contain rather than chase to apprehend.
This policy shall be considered when assessing the tactical performance of Department members involved in deadly force situations. Moreover, the following specific tactical considerations should be utilized when a Department member is confronting high risk or armed suspects.
Specific Tactical Considerations
Similarly, the following list of definitions and their significance are general principles which shall be considered and/or employed by all Department members involved in a tactical operation (where appropriate).
|
Concealment |
Anything which conceals a person from view. |
|
Cover |
Anything which provides protection from bullets or other projectiles fired or thrown. Cover is subjective and its effectiveness depends upon the threat’s ballistic capability (handgun, rifle, etc...). |
|
Cover Fire |
Target specific controlled fire which is directed at an adversary who poses an imminent and ongoing lethal threat. This tactic shall only be utilized when the use of deadly force is legally justified. Target acquisition and communication are key elements in the successful use of this tactic. Department members employing cover fire must establish their reason(s) for utilizing this tactic. |
|
Tactics |
The methods and concepts used to accomplish a particular objective or mission. |
|
Cross Fire |
A situation created when Department members find themselves in a position where their field of fire and/or shooting backdrop is occupied by another Department member who may engage the same intended target. |
|
Danger Area |
Any area which lacks or has limited cover and avenues of escape and offers a significant advantage to an adversary (doorway, hallway, staircase, alley, open area, etc.). |
|
Designated Shooter |
Department members assigned to deploy a firearm to protect other Department members performing a specific mission in an operation and otherwise unable to defend themselves. Designated shooters are responsible for covering a specific threat while other Department members involved in the operation perform specific tasks that may require their weapon be holstered or secured. These specific tasks include, but are not limited to: searches of suspects, arrest teams deployment of less lethal weapons, crowd control, and employees involved in K-9 searches. |
|
Field of Fire |
The lane of fire between a shooter and an intended target that will likely be subjected to the impact of fired rounds. A field of fire is not restricted to a direct line between the shooter and intended target, but may be altered as a result of ricochets or skipped or fragmented rounds. A field of fire is limited by the individual characteristics of the weapon deployed. |
|
Fire Discipline |
A controlled and measured rate of gunfire, usually two or three round bursts, which emphasizes maximum accuracy and efficiency and is achieved through constant reassessment and target re-acquisition (if necessary). |
|
Independent Action |
Any independent act taken outside a plan and/or without communicating or coordinating intentions with other involved Department members. |
|
Kill Zone |
An area in which concentrated fire is intended to neutralize an adversary by exploiting terrain and the impact of fire. |
|
Partner Splitting |
Partner splitting during a foot pursuit occurs when loss of visual contact, distance, or obstacles, separates partners to a degree that they cannot immediately assist each other should a confrontation take place. |
|
Point of Aim |
The specific location the muzzle of a weapon is directed and a fired round is intended to strike. |
|
Shooting Backdrop |
An area behind an intended target which may be subjected to the impact of rounds fired from a weapon. A shooting backdrop will rarely be static as it will change as the target and/or shooter change their position and point of aim. |
|
Sight Alignment |
When the top of the front sight is even with the top of the rear sight and there is an equal amount of light visible on either side of the front sight combat shooting sight alignment is defined as the use of the front sight blade only and is generally used at close distances, usually under 15 feet. |
|
Target Acquisition |
The practice of identifying a specific threat and placing that threat within point of aim or sight alignment. |
|
Tactical Position of Advantage |
A position which maximizes the ability to control, monitor, or engage a threat in the safest manner possible. |