Policy Text
Policy
209Buena Park Police Department
Buena Park PD Policy Manual
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2025/02/26, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by Buena Park Police DepartmentCritical Incident Response Plan - 1Critical Incident Response Plan
209.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
This policy provides guidance to Department staff regarding response considerations when using
the Incident Command System (ICS) during field responses to critical incidents. It supplements
the city's Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) , Emergency Operations Guide (EOG) , and
other policies or operational guides during critical incidents not discussed in other Department
orders, policies, or procedures.
209.1.1 ACCREDITATION STANDARDS
This policy pertains to the following CALEA Standards: 46.1.1, 46.1.2, 46.1.3, 46.1.4, 46.1.5,
46.1.6, 46.1.7, 46.1.8, 46.1.9, 11.3.4
209.1.2 DEFINITIONS
Critical Incidents: Situations, often of an emergency nature, that result from disasters (both
natural and human-caused, such as earthquakes, floods, pandemics, or explosions); civil
disturbances (such as riots, disorders, violence from gatherings or marches, or labor disputes);
major planned events (such as parades, large concerts, political conventions, public festivals,
celebrity appearances, or visits from U.S. or foreign dignitaries); and terrorist activities.
Emergency Situation: An actual or potential condition that poses an immediate threat to life or
property.
Exercise: A gathering of individuals, including government and private-sector persons, to develop
plans, practice simulated implementation, and to discuss each agency's role in handling critical
incidents. This includes tabletop, functional, and full-scale exercises.
Incident Commander (IC): The designated person responsible for directing the response to a
critical incident in the field.
Incident Command System (ICS): A standardized, all-hazards incident management concept
that enables a coordinated response among various jurisdictions and agencies. ICS establishes
standard processes for resource planning and management and allows for integration within
a standard organizational structure. ICS includes five major functions: command, operations,
planning & intelligence, logistics, and finance & administration.
National Incident Management System (NIMS): A comprehensive, national approach to incident
management that is applicable at all jurisdictional levels and across all functional disciplines.
Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS): An organizational framework and
guidance for emergency operations at each level of California's emergency management system.
Provides the umbrella under which all response agencies may function in an integrated fashion.
Required by the State of California for state agencies managing responses to multi-agency and
multi-jurisdiction emergencies and for local governments that wish to receive state reimbursement
for response-related expenditures.
Buena Park Police Department
Buena Park PD Policy Manual
Critical Incident Response Plan
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2025/02/26, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by Buena Park Police DepartmentCritical Incident Response Plan - 2Unified Command: An ICS structure that allows all agencies with geographical, legal, or
functional responsibility for an incident to establish a standard set of incident objectives and
strategies, and a single Incident Action Plan. Unified Command procedures ensure agencies will
not lose their individual responsibility, authority, or accountability.
209.2 POLICY
It is Department policy to respond to planned and unplanned events, disasters, and emergencies
in a professional and informed manner using ICS as described in both California's SEMS and
FEMA's NIMS guidelines. The Department has two objectives: the restoration of pre-incident law
enforcement status in the affected area(s); and, protecting life, property, and the environment
during a disaster.
209.3 CHAIN OF COMMAND
The Chief of Police, or his/her designee, maintains overall responsibility for and command of any
law enforcement critical incident response.
The chain of command is established through the normal course of business within the
Department. For a critical incident, the Incident Commander will be the on-scene officer or
the supervisor most qualified to lead the response, until relieved by a more qualified officer or
supervisor. Designated supervisory staff shall coordinate employees and, if the incident is a mutual
aid request, accept assignment from the Incident Commander. All employees committed to mutual
aid shall remain under Buena Park Police Department control.
209.4 ACTIVATION AND RECALL OF PERSONNEL
ICS activation is based on federal and state regulations/guidelines, as shown in the following
sections.
209.4.1 INCIDENT TYPING
Some unusual occurrences may be relatively minor in scope and can be handled by on-duty field
personnel. Others might require all available on-duty and off-duty personnel, and still others may
require mutual aid assistance. Determining the likely severity of an incident can help command
staff to determine the appropriate levels of resources needed and whether to call for mutual aid.
FEMA has defined the following five incident types based on incident complexity, time to resolve,
and resources required.
(a)Type 5. A small-scale event, such as a vehicle collision or fire, an injured person, or
a broken fire hydrant.
1.One or two single resources may resolve the situation within a single operational
period (OP), with up to six personnel involved.
2.Only the Incident Commander (IC) position is activated.
3.No written Incident Action Plan (IAP) is required.
Buena Park Police Department
Buena Park PD Policy Manual
Critical Incident Response Plan