37856136.pdf

\n\n--- Page 1 ---\n\nGAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDER TITLE ACCREDITATION Mobile Field Force CALEA Chapter 46.1.1, 46.1.2 PRIOR REVISIONS PROPONENT UNIT None Patrol Support Bureau ATTACHMENT: 0 NUMBER ISSUE DATE REVISION DATE TOTAL PAGES 46.15 07/21/2020 New 4 I. PURPOSE: The purpose of this policy is to establish procedures that provide a rapid, organized, and disciplined response of specially trained officers to civil disorders, crowd control, or other high risk incidents that require coordinated efforts of large numbers of agency personnel. They may be deployed to prevent civil unrest, restore order, move crowds, rescue victims, and isolate problem areas. [CALEA 46.1.2] II. POLICY: The Gainesville Police Department shall develop a set of policies to manage any crowd/protestor related incident up to and including riot control. III. DEFINITIONS: Mobile Field Force: A group of sworn employees acting in a platoon as coordinated group to handle any crowd management issues. Squad: Each platoon shall be made up of a smaller group of officers under a Squad Leader. Under normal circumstances a platoon shall be made up of four squads. Mobile Field Force Commander: Supervisory employee in charge of the Mobile Field Force tasked with equipment inventory, training, and deployments. Squad Leader: Supervisory employee in charge of a squad within the platoon. IV. PROCEDURE: A. Mobile Field Force Operations: 1. Mobile Field Forces provide an organized response to critical incidents. [CALEA 46.1.1] i. All actions are under the command of the Mobile Field Force (MFF) Commander, the Patrol Support Bureau Commander, or Incident Commander. ii. Mobile Field Force operations shall be guided by the Field Force manual of the Gainesville Police Department. 1 Scope: Sworn Department Members\n\n--- Page 2 ---\n\nGAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDER 2. Use of Force: i. The Incident Commander is in charge and shall determine the objectives and confer with the MFF commander. ii. The decision to escalate efforts except in exigent circumstances shall first be cleared through the Incident Commander. iii. Once a decision has been made to move a group of people, the Incident Commander or designee shall order the MFF to a reasonable distance from the crowd. iv. The MFF Commander or designee shall issue the crowd a verbal warning to disperse consistent with F.S.S. 870.04 which relates to unlawful assemblies. The warning shall be one of the following prepared statements: a. ““My name is ____________. I am a ____________(title) with the Gainesville Police Department. I hereby declare this to be an unlawful assembly, and in the name of the people of the State of Florida, command all those assembled at ____________ (specific location) to immediately and peaceably disperse, meaning move away from this location. If you do not do so, you may be arrested or subject to other law enforcement action. Other enforcement action could include the use of force, which could result in serious injury. You have ____ minutes to disperse.” b. “My name is ____________. I am a ____________(title) with the Gainesville Police Department. You are occupying these premises unlawfully and without permission in violation of Florida State Statute 870.02. I am ordering you to leave the premises immediately and peaceably disperse, meaning move away from this location in ____________ (time allotted). If you do not leave you will be arrested.” v. If possible, the warning will be video and audio recorded, and members placed at the rear of the crowd to verify the verbal warning can be heard by the entire crowd. vi. The Incident Commander shall authorize specialized tactics prior to deployment to move the crowd. vii. Force shall be used only when, and to the degree necessary to control the event, separate combative parties, and/or rescue victims. Use of Force during MFF shall still follow normal use of 2 Scope: Sworn Department Members\n\n--- Page 3 ---\n\nGAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDER force guidelines. Use of batons to push a crowed back or out of an area shall not be considered a use of force unless an injury is observed or alleged. 3. Chemical Agents: i. Chemical agents shall be delivered by trained Grenadiers from members of SWAT or EST. ii. Once the command to deliver chemical agents, less lethal munitions, or distraction devices has been given, the Grenadier Team Leader shall determine the appropriate delivery system and the munitions to be used. B. MFF Inventory/Procedures: 1. Personnel assigned to MFF shall be provided with necessary equipment to include: MFF uniform, gas mask, riot helmet, body protectors (legs, chest, and arms), riot baton, and riot baton ring holder. 2. The designated storage area shall contain necessary equipment. 3. MFF property shall be inventoried annually. 4. MFF supervisors shall maintain a procedure manual for MFF response and action. C. Planning: The Patrol Support Bureau Commander, in consultation with the other Bureau commanders, shall, pursuant to Departmental policies and procedures, advise the Chief on response to a crowd management matter. [CALEA 46.1.1] 1. Patrol Support Bureau Commander’s Responsibilities: The Patrol Support Commander shall ensure that the Department and all Department members are prepared in the event of a crowd management matter. The Patrol Support Commander is also responsible for planning for these types of events, both with and without warning. i. Normally, he/she would assume the role of Incident Commander, using the ICS model, during event with warning. ii. The Logistics Division Commander shall identify the sources for the purchase and/or restocking of necessary equipment. iii. Commander using the ICS model, during event with warning. iv. Shall coordinate as needed with any local, state, and federal agencies. 3 Scope: Sworn Department Members\n\n--- Page 4 ---\n\nGAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDER v. Attempt to establish communications with a protest groups or designated leader of any such groups prior to any planned event. D. Incident Commander: The Incident Commander (IC) will be determined by the type of event: 1. Events with Warning: for these planned events, the Patrol Support Commander will normally assume the role of IC; however, the IC serves at the sole discretion of the Chief of Police. 2. Events without Warning: normally the on-duty Shift Commander will assume incident command until relived by someone of higher rank. 3. At a minimum, the IC will address the following: [CALEA 46.1.3] i. Activating the incident command system; ii. Establishing a command post; iii. Initiating the notification and mobilization of additional agency personnel; iv. Obtaining support from other agencies; v. Establishing a unified command, if necessary; vi. Establishing a staging area, if necessary; vii. Providing public information and maintaining media relations; viii. Maintaining the safety of all affected personnel; and ix. Preparing a documented after action report. ________________________ By Order of Signed Original on File in the Accreditation Unit ________________________ Tony R. Jones Chief of Police 4 Scope: Sworn Department Members