Policy Text
SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT
ACTIVE SHOOTER RESPONSE
MANUAL
RM 532.04
SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT
ACTIVE SHOOTER RESPONSE MANUAL
01-31-2020
POLICY STATEMENT
It shall be the policy of the Sacramento Police Department to allow initial responding officer (s)
the authority and responsibility to take immediate action in response to active shooter incidents
with the primary goal of stopping and, if necessary, neutralizing the suspect(s) to prevent access
to potential victims and to prevent the loss of life. There is the possibility in an active shooter
incident for the suspect(s) to cease being an active shooter, take hostages, and/or barricade
themselves. If this situation were to occur, standard hostage/barricaded subject procedures
would apply (See Hostage Manual RM 532.08).
SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT
ACTIVE SHOOTER RESPONSE MANUAL
ACTIV E SHOOTE R RESPONS E MANUAL
1 OF 9
TABLE OF CONTENTS
GENERAL INFORMATION. ........................................................................................................... 2
DEFINITIONS .................................................................................................................................. 2
CHARACTERISTICS OF ACTIVE SHOOTER. ............................................................................ 2
ACTIVE SHOOTER RESPONSE GUIDELINES. ......................................................................... 3
ACTIVE SHOOTER ENVIRONMENTS. ...................................................................................... 3
INITIAL RESPONSE. ................................................................................................................ 3
CONTACT TEAMS. ................................................................................................................... 4
TACTICAL COMMUNICATION. ..................................................................................................... 4
CONTACT TEAM FORMATIONS. .................................................................................................. 5
RESCUE PROCEDURES. ......................................................................................................... 7
BARRICADED SUSPECTS. ...................................................................................................... 9
SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT
ACTIVE SHOOTER RESPONSE MANUAL
ACTIV E SHOOTE R RESPONS E MANUAL
2 OF 9
I. GENERAL
Incidents involving active shooters experienced across the country suggest that the
typical police response involving containment, isolation, and negotiation may not be
adequate. Unlike most criminals, active shooters are likely to continue to use deadly
force until intervention occurs or until the shooter decides to stop.
Active shooters represent a shift in patrol response tactics, equipment
needs, and command protocol. These situations require the initial police responders
arriving on scene to have the authority and capability to take action without
waiting for command staff or for the arrival of specialty units such as SWAT or Crisis
Negotiators (CNT ).
II. DEFINITIONS
A. Active Shooter: An active shooter is an armed person(s) who has used deadly
force on another person(s) and continues to do so while having unrestricted
access to additional victims.
B. Contact Team: A team of first responders tasked with rapidly locating and
stopping one or more armed suspects who are actively placing people's lives in
immediate danger of great bodily injury or death.
C. "Immediate Action Rapid Deployment" (IARD): A police tactic that provides swift
and immediate deployment of law enforcement resources to developing or on-
going, life-threatening situations where delayed deployment of emergency
personnel could otherwise result in death or significant bodily injury to innocent
persons. IARD tactics are not a substitute for conventional response tactics to a
barricaded gunman, and they should include the following overall goals :
1. Stop the threat(s)
2. Isolate the suspect(s) from additional potential victims
3. Conduct rescue operations
III. CHARACTERISTICS OF AN ACTIVE SHOOTER
Characteristics of an active shooter may involve, but are not limited to the following:
A. Active shooter(s) usually focus on assaulting persons with whom he/she comes in
contact. Their intention is usually an expression of hatred or rage rather than the
commission of the crime.
B. An active shooter is likely to engage multiple targets. Active shooters may be
intent on killing a number of people as quickly as possible.
C. Generally, the first indication of the presence of an active shooter is when he/she
begins to assault victims.
D. Active shooters often go to locations where potential victims are close at hand,
such as schools, theaters, concerts, or shopping malls. Active shooters may act
in the manner of a sniper, assaulting victims from a distance. Active shooters
may also engage multiple targets while remaining mobile.
E. An active shooter may act alone or in tandem with another shooter.
F. Traditional police tactics such as containment and negotiation, normally
associated with standoff incidents, may not be adequate in active shooter events.
Active shooters typically continue their attack despite the arrival of first
responders.
G. Active shooters are often better armed than police, sometimes making use of
explosives, booby traps, and body armor.
H. Active shooters may have a planned attack and be prepared for a sustained
confrontation with the police. Historically, active shooters have not attempted to
hide their identity or conceal the commission of their attacks. Escape from the
police is usually not a priority of the active shooter .
I. Active shooters may employ a diversion.
SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT
ACTIVE SHOOTER RESPONSE MANUAL
ACTIV E SHOOTE R RESPONS E MANUAL
3 OF 9
J. Active shooters may be indiscriminate in their violence or they may seek specific
victims.
K. Active shooters may be suicidal, deciding to die in the course of their