Policy Text
Page 1 of 3 26/11 (NEW 2/19)
Operational Threat Assessment Checklist
The purpose of this General Order is to establish departmental policy and procedures
regarding the utilizat ion of the Operati onal Threat Assessment Checklist. The
Operational Threat Assessment C hecklist shall be utilized to de termine the safest and
most effective course of acti on in handling pr e-planned operati ons and/or rapidly
evolving, unplanned high-risk incidents.
I. General
The purpose Operational Threat A ssessment Checklist is to allow personnel
from field services, detective bureaus, supervisors, or watch c ommanders to
evaluate an operation or inci dent based on a list of known thre at criteria which
may be present at the time of an event. By evaluating the circu mstances of the
operation or incident, the user can determine whether the risk factors present
exceed the capabilities of the involved personnel to an extent that adversely
compromises the safety of Law E nforcement personnel, uninvolved parties,
and/or the suspect(s). In these instances, the use or consultat ion of the Special
Enforcement Detail (SED) supervi sor or Special Operations Burea u
Commander shall be employed to ensure the operation or incident is handled
as effectively and safely as possi ble for all parties involved through the use of
specialized tools, training, ti me, teamwork, and tactics.
When specific criteria are met u pon completion of the Operation al Threat
Assessment Checklist, the user will be directed to contact the Special
Enforcement Detail supervisor or Special Operations Bureau Comm ander to
handle the operation, assist in t he operation, or provide consu ltation on other
options or means by which the primary responding personnel can effectively
and safely handle the operation or incident.
II. Procedure
The Operational Threat Assessm ent Checklist shall be consulted in the
planning stages of a pre-planned operation, or when appropriate in an
unplanned high-risk event. All app licable threats will be noted on the on-line
form to determine whether the SED supervisor or Special Operati ons Bureau
Commander shall be cont acted. Personnel co mpleting the on-line form will note
in a crime/information report o r operational action plan, wheth er the SED
Page 2 of 3 26/11 (NEW 2/19) supervisor or Special Operati ons Bureau Commander was contacted and at
what date/time, as well as to w hether SED was to handle the ope ration or
provide consultation only, and wh om from SED was contacted.
III. Accessing the Operational Threat Assessment Checklist
The Operational Threat Assessment Checklist will be available f or retrieval and
use through SSD Web. Within the “Forms and Manuals Tab”, click on the E-
Forms link; within the E-Forms link you will find the “Threat A ssessment
Checklist.” Upon answering qualif ying indicator questions withi n the form, the
user will be notified if consul tation with a SED supervisor or Special Operations
Bureau Commander i s required.
Upon completion of an operational action plan or at the conclus ion of an
unplanned high-risk incident, the us e of the Operational Threat Assessment
Checklist will be noted in a crime/informational report or oper ational action plan,
as outlined in Section II., Procedures. The threat indicator questions c ontained within the on-line Thr eat Assessment
Checklist will be periodically reviewed and updated, based on i nformation from
incident after-acti on reviews. The Chief D eputy of Field and In vestigative
Services will be responsible fo r approval of the indicator ques tions contained
within the Threat Assessment Checklist.
IV. Threat Criteria
Incidents in which the Operati onal Threat Assessment Checklist may be used
include, but are not limited to:
A. Rapidly evolving, dynamic, or complex incidents which carry an above
normal level of danger to Law E nforcement personnel, the public , and/or
involved suspect(s).
B. Pre-planned services of high -risk felony arrest warrants.
C. Pre-planned service of h igh-risk search warrants.
D. Pre-planned probation or parol e searches of subjects with vi olent criminal
history, weapons history, or violenc e/threats of violence towar ds Law
Enforcement.
E. Pre-planned operations in whic h contact with a suspect may p otentially
result in a barricade situation.
F. Pre-planned operations in whic h contact with a suspect may p otentially
result in a threat to the public if conducted in a public venue .
G. Pre-planned operations in whic h breaching or fortification p roblems will be
encountered by Law Enforcement and exceed their capabilities of
overcoming the afor ementioned problems.
Page 3 of 3 26/11 (NEW 2/19) H. Any operation conducted in c onjunction with an OAG team or p ersonnel in
which circumstances have or a re changing rapidly and may quickl y exceed
the operational capacity and compro mise the safety of SSD and O AG
personnel.
While the threat criteria contai ned within the Operational Thre at Assessment
Checklist are fairly inclusive , the document and subsequent dec ision making
process is by no means limited to the listed criteria, and othe r unlisted threat
factors may necessitate the invo lvement and/or consultation of the SED
supervisor or Special Operati ons Bureau Commander . Any number o f
circumstances may