The following are general procedures, although exigent circumstances may dictate immediate action to preserve the lives of the hostage and/or others:
Immediately activate the Branch specific custody procedure and notify the local law enforcement agency. Request that the local agency respond to provide secondary area containment. Command and control of the situation within a courthouse will remain with the Sheriff’s Department. The Branch Supervisor may request, within reason, any of the Department’s resources which may be necessary to resolve the situation. Examples of these resources include, but are not limited to, additional field personnel, a helicopter, a K-9 Unit, Special Weapons Team and a Hostage Negotiator. All Divisions and Units have the responsibility to furnish the resources requested if not in violation of any standing orders.
Dispatch a supervisor or senior Deputy to the scene and sufficient Deputies to contain the affected area. The Branch Supervisor shall assume the position as the Incident Commander, unless relieved by a higher authority.
The Incident Commander will be responsible for the following:
Overall operations- all personnel will report to the Incident Commander and respond to his/her directions
Primary containment
Secondary containment
Necessary notifications, including the Hostage Negotiator
Establishment of a command post
Requesting required resources
Managing/coordinating resources
Activating elements of the Incident Command System
Establishing a communications network (tactical frequencies)
Managing incident operation, i.e., traffic control
Deployment of chemical agents
Press liaison
Follow-up investigation
Incident Log
The Branch Supervisor shall evaluate the situation and adjust the primary and secondary containment area to isolate the incident to the smallest possible area.
Evacuate all nonessential personnel away from the containment area.
The Branch Supervisor will make the following notifications as soon as operationally possible:
Area Lieutenant, who will respond to the location as soon as possible
Bureau Captain or Bureau Operations Lieutenant, who may respond if necessary
Division Chief
Presiding/Supervising Judge
Court Administrator
All court tenants
Sheriffs’ Headquarters Bureau, who may dispatch a representative for press liaison
The Sheriff and major executives of the Department must be personally notified for decisions involving extraordinary incidents, e.g., public figures, political/revolutionary/terrorist groups, those involving numerous suspects and hostages, and/or the safety of large numbers of citizens or employees.
Emergency Operations Bureau, in the event of a sustained operation
Aero Bureau, in the event that temporary airspace flight restriction becomes necessary.