070 - CIVIL DISTURBANCE PLAN

CIVIL DISTURBANCE PLAN EFFECTIVE DATE: 06/01/05 STANDARD NO. 070 REVISED: 01/22/18 REPLACES: Rev. 03/03/16; Rev. 04/08/11; Rev. 03/13/17 OBJECTIVE: To ensure safe and timely Department-wide response to civil disturbance incidents. POLICY: This plan is intended to be a guide for police operations during times of civil disturbance. Commanding officers may need to make responsible modifications to the plan to best handle situations as they occur. SCOPE: All employees of the Homestead Police Department (HPD) shall be governed by the procedures set forth below. I. DEFINITIONS: A. Civil disturbance: Riots, disorders, and violence arising from dissident gatherings, marches, concerts, conventions, labor disputes, or other public gatherings resulting in harm to other persons and/or damage to property. B. Field Force: An organized mobilization of personnel in response to civil disturbance emergency. C. Field Force Commander: The Department employee designated by the Chief of Police to command the Field Force. D. Mobilization: An organized emergency call out of sworn Field Operations police personnel. E. Mutual Aid: Assistance from other agencies which will be implemented whenever it becomes apparent there is a projected or actual need to do so. F. ALPHA/BRAVO: All sworn operations police personnel will go to 12-hour shifts: ALPHA shift from 0700 to 1900; BRAVO shift from 1900 to 0700, unless directed otherwise. G. Command Post (CP): A Field Command Post will be established by the on-scene Commander, which is the field location at which the primary tactical-level, on-scene command functions are executed. The location of the CP will be close enough to the disorder to provide on-site control, coordination and communications, although the CP may be co-located with other incident facilities. Situation maps will be available at the CP. The Public Information Officer (PIO) will be assigned to the CP for media-related duties. The senior officer shall keep the Chief of Police, or on-duty designee, advised of all major events and pertinent orders. H. Communications Center (the Center): Will be designated to coordinate and control Police Department response. The CP will keep the Center and/or EOC advised of any and all information affecting field operations. Civil Disturbance Plan – SOP# 070 I. National Guard: By decree of the Governor of Florida, the National Guard will be mobilized in times of natural disasters and/or civil disturbance scenarios requiring military support or martial law. J. Court/Prosecutorial Liaison: The Chief of Police, or designee, will notify the Miami-Dade County State Attorney’s Office or other legal court systems. II. NOTIFICATION AND DUTY STATUS: A. The Chief of Police, or designee, will determine the appropriate duty status as required by existing circumstances. Notification will be made and call out level determined at that time. B. Standby Alert: 1. When there is a forewarning of a civil disturbance or other hazardous situation, the Chief of Police, or designee, or the on-duty shift commander shall issue a Standby Alert at the appropriate time placing all Alpha/Bravo and special unit personnel on alert. All Alpha/Bravo Commanders, through their sergeants, will be responsible for notifying their respective personnel. All personnel on regular days off, compensatory, administrative or annual leave will be required to contact the Center once every eight (8) hours, unless excused. Center personnel shall log the date and time each time an employee checks in during the Standby Alert. C. Mobilization Mode: 1. When the Chief of Police, or designee, determines that additional personnel will be needed and an ALPHA/BRAVO Mobilization Mode should be implemented, he/she shall inform the Uniform Patrol Commander, or designee, to begin a Mobilization Call Out. Those personnel designated for assignment to the current shift (ALPHA or BRAVO) will be notified to report to work immediately. Reporting instructions will be given at the time of call out as required by the existing circumstances. The remaining shift, be it ALPHA or BRAVO, will be advised of their responsibilities as soon as practically possible. 2. The Chief of Police will notify the City Manager, along with his/her command staff.