Policy Text
TB III-P .01 – i
ARMED UNRESPONSIVE PERSON S
Table of Contents
• Mission, Intent, and Policy Overview ................................................................................ 1
Mission and Intent ........................................................................................................ 1
Overview ...................................................................................................................... 1
• Assessment and Reassessment ............................................................................................ 2
Principles of Assessment .............................................................................................. 2
• Response to Unresponsive Persons with Access to Weapons other than Firearms ....... 5
Mitigating Risks Posed by Non- Firearm Weapons ...................................................... 5
Effectively Assessing Risk Posed by Non- Firearm Weapons ...................................... 6
Resolution of Non- Firearm Weapon Incidents ............................................................ 6
• Initial Response .................................................................................................................... 7
Field Personnel Initial Response .................................................................................. 7
Immediate Overt Responses During Initial Responses ................................................ 7
Continued Initial Response by Field Personnel ........................................................... 7
Initial Response of Supervisory and Command Personnel .......................................... 8
• Ongoing Planning, Contingencies, and Continued Assessments ..................................... 9
Overwatch .................................................................................................................... 9
Dedicated Arrest Teams ............................................................................................... 9
Vehicle -Specific Considerations ................................................................................ 11
Continuing Assessment Considerations ..................................................................... 11
• Resolutions ......................................................................................................................... 11
Planned Resolutions ................................................................................................... 11
Immediate and Exigent Circumstance Resolutions .................................................... 13
• Supervision and Command of Armed Unresponsive Person Incidents ........................ 14
Field Supervisor Roles and Responsibilities .............................................................. 14
Incident Commander Roles and Responsibilities ....................................................... 14
• Debrief and After Action ................................................................................................... 16
Use of Force Reporting and Scene Integrity .............................................................. 16
TRAINING
BULLETIN
Evaluation Coordinator: Training Division
“Department Training Bulletins shall be used to advise members of current police techniques and procedures and shall
constitute official policy.”
Index Number: III -P.01
Alpha Index: High Risk Incidents
Barricaded Person Incidents
Critical Incidents
Effective Date:
01 Mar 21
Oakland Police Department Effective Date:
Training Bulletin III -P.01, Armed Unresponsive Subjects 01 Mar 21
TB III-P.01 – ii REVISION RECORD
The page numbering format has been revised to facilitate updating and tracking revisions to publicati ons
contained in this policy.
When a minor revision is made to a publication, the ‘Revision Number’ will be indicated on the Special Order
and shall be accompanied by the updated page(s). The ‘Revision Date’ and ‘Reference Page Number(s) shall
be recorded in the appropriate box on the same line as the indicated ‘Revision Number’.
When it is necessary to make a major policy or content revision, the publication shall be rewritten in its entirety.
The ‘Revision Number’ and ‘Revision Date’ shall be indicated on the new O rder. The ‘Revision Date’ shall be
recorded in the appropriate box on the same line as the indicated ‘Revision Number’. The term ‘NEW’ shall be recorded in the ‘Reference Page Number(s)’ box to indicate the promulgation of a new Order.
Revision
Number Revision
Date Reference Page
Number(s) Revision
Number Revision
Date Reference Page
Number(s)
1 01 Mar 21 NEW 16
2 17
3 18
4 19
5 20
6 21
7 22
8 23
9 24
10 25
11 26
12 27
13 28
14 29
15 30
1
ARMED UNRESPONSIVE PERSONS
Mission, Intent, and Policy Overview
Mission and Intent
The protection of human life is the overarching mission of the Oakland Police Department and
must be the primary consideration when responding to incidents of armed, unresponsive persons .
This policy provide s guidance and direction to personnel on situations involving persons who are
armed with weapons but are unresponsive. T he highest priority is the safety of the unresponsive
person, the officers, and the public . Continuous assessment and planning by personnel will often
lead to the best possible outcome given the circumstances. Further, it is the intent of the Department that the principles of de -escalation, as encapsulated in DGO K -03, Use of Force , be
utilized to ensure safe resolution of these incidents.
The primary goals of all personnel responding to armed unresponsive persons include:
• Keeping the public safe
• Keeping the unresponsive person safe
• Keeping oneself and other officers safe
• Using appropr iate de -escalation tactics and techniques
• Assessing and re- assessing the situation constantly
• Communicating important information with other officers, supervisors, commanders, and
communications personnel.
While the vast majority of this policy is intende d to refer to incidents involving persons armed with
firearms, the concepts within this bulletin can be applied to situations where an unresponsive person is armed with a weapon other than a firearm. In situations where the weapon involved is
not a firear m, the principles and goals typically stay the same but the level and intensity of
response may be reduced , sometimes dramatically . Specific considerations surrounding police
response to unresponsive persons armed with weapons other than firearms are placed throughout
the document to guide personnel in their responses to these situations.
Overview
Officers may encounter unresponsive persons in possession of firearms or other weapons both as dispatched calls for service and as on -viewed incidents .
1 While one of the