Policy Text
1
ARMORED VEHICLES
Overview
The purpose of this Training Bulletin is to serve as a guideline for the safe use and deployment of any armored vehicle allowed to operate in the Department's jurisdiction. This Training Bulletin applies to all armored vehicle deployments by the Department through mutual aid to other jurisdictions, and to armored vehicle deployments by other agencies operating in Oakland under the Department’s control.
Purpose of Armored Vehicles
An armored vehicle is a piece of law enforcement equipment that may allow officers to use non-force options to safely resolve incidents involving actual, threatened, or reasonably suspected violence using firearms or explosives. The protective capabilities of an armored
vehicle greatly exceed those of a patrol vehicle and proper deployment of armored vehicles may increase the safety of the public, law enforcement offi cers, and other first responders.
Armored vehicles provide improved cover for officers, are stocked with tools that might be needed during a critical incident, and increase the options for a safe resolution.
The Department’s armored vehicles
1 are listed below:
Name Type
Lenco BearCat Specialty Law Enforcement Armored Vehicle
Chevrolet Suburban Consumer vehicle upfit with ballistic armor
1 Reference the Department’s Military Equipment Inventory, available at https://cao -
94612.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/Militarized-Equipment-Inventory.pdf , for the quantity
possessed, capabilities, expected lifespan, costs and fiscal impacts, and product descriptions of
specific vehicles.
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.04
Alpha Index: High Risk Incidents
Barricaded Subject Incidents
Critical Incidents
Effective Date:
8 Feb 23
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Armored Vehicles , Index Number III -P.04
Deployment of an armored vehicle might result in the safe apprehension of an engaged
person in a timely manner. The Department recognizes that the deployment or appearance
of certain armored vehicles may escalate tension, provoke fear, prevent clear
communication, or increase distrust. The Department therefore restricts deployment of
armored vehicles to those situations where the benefits of deployment outweigh the potential detrimental effects .
Authorized Uses of Armored Vehicles
Comman d officers ( at the rank of Lieutenant of above) may authorize the deployment of an
armored vehicle for :
• Use as mobile physical cover in incidents involving actual or threatened violence,
or when reasonable suspicion, based on articulable facts, exists that violence will
occur using firearms or explosives.
• Vehicle blocking for incidents involving armed and unresponsive persons in vehicles (Reference Training Bul letin III -P.01).
• Medical emergencies and disaster responses , when the armored vehicle’s
capabilities are necessary to prevent loss of life.
• Oversight and informational purposes, as authorized by the Police Commission
Commanders shall only authorize the deployment of armored vehicles when the specific capabilities of the armored vehicle selected for use are necessary to bring an incident to a
safe conclusion. Any authorized departure from an armored vehicle’s place of storage shall
be considered a deployment.
Safe use of armored vehicles during authorized deployments:
Vehicle deployments will necessarily vary depending on the circumstances at hand. A ll
uses o f armored vehicles should be consistent with Department training and procedures
and include:
• Maintaining adequate cover. The armored vehicle’s capabilities greatly exceed those of any patrol vehicles and should be maximized.
• Restricting persons’ movement. The armored vehicle may give an advantage over conventional patrol vehicles for such maneuvers as blocking in another vehicle.
• Allowing for peaceful negotiations. Armored vehicles may allow officers to get into position to safely negotiate while still maintaining cover.
• The armored vehicle should be placed in such a way as to maximize the position of
protection for officers or others at risk of harm, to allow all reasonable means for
resolving the incident peacefully.
• Protecting Life. Armored vehicles m ay be able to operate in situations (e.g. active
shooter) where personnel driving conventional vehicles would be at risk.
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8 Feb 23 ● Oakland Police Department
• Assessing the threat posed by the armed person, and proportional force options to
respond to immediate contingencies if necessary. Depending on the ability of
officers to mitigate the immediate threat posed by an armed person to officers and the public, officers may not need to necessarily use force pre- emptively even if the
person moves or awakens and does not immediately disarm themsel ves.
Pre-planned Operation of Armored Vehicles
All pre -planned deployments of armored vehicles must be authorized by a command
officer at the rank of Captain or above. Commanders shall ensure that an operations plan (Reference Training Bulletin III-Q and TF –3116 Operations Plan and Risk Assessment
Overview ) is completed for all pre -planned deployments.
Commanders shall make every effort to avoid the deployment of armored vehicles in the
presence of minors, the elderly, medical ly compromised people, people with physical,
mental or intellectual disabilities, people with limited English proficiency, or other vulnerable people. ( Reference DGO K-3 Use of Force for definition of “ vulnerable
people”.)
Commanders shall determine whether to deploy an armored vehicle based on credible
intelligence, and consider the following variables when determining whether to deploy an armored vehicle, and the type of armored vehicle to deploy:
• Whether the use of an alternative operation location would diminish the need to use
an armored vehicle.
• Potential presence of minors, elderly, medically compromised, people with physical, mental or intellectual disabilities, people with limited English proficiency ,
or other vulnerable people. (N ote: This variable should be given s pecial
consideration due to the potential for tra uma.)
• Potential