RM - 53211 - First - Amendment - Assembly - Manual - Final

SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT First Amendment Assembly MANUAL RM 532.11 SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT First Amendment Assembly Manual Page 1 of 13 SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT First Amendment Assembly Manual REVISED: 2-19-2022 PURPOSE This policy provides guidance for managing public assemblies, demonstrations and protests. POLICY The Sacramento Police Department (SPD) serves the community in the capital of California. As the capital city, public assemblies, demonstrations and protests occur frequently . First Amendment rights and the right to peacefully assemble exercised within the law must be respected and protected. It is the policy of this department to not harass, intimidate, or discriminate against persons engaged in the lawful exercise of their rights, while also preserving the peace, protecting life and preventing the destruction of property. Every assembly is unique; therefore, it is imperative that SPD ’s actions are proportional to the behaviors encountered. Adaptable strategies and tactics are essential in handling these events. The purpose of SPD’s presence at the scene of a public assembly, demonstration or protest is to preserve the peace, protect life , prevent the destruction of property , and to facilitate the exercise of First Amendment rights. Many of the assemblies within the City of Sacramento are peaceful and do not require direct police intervention. During an assembly, the balance between enforcement actions and de -escalation should always be considered. Tactics used should allow for the continuance of the assembly and exercise of First Amendment rights when possible while addressing public safety and criminal behavior as safely as possible. This manual is based upon Assembly Bill 48 as codified in Penal Code 13652 which states: 13652. (a) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (b), kinetic energy projectiles and chemical agents shall not be used by any law enforcement agency to disperse any as sembly, protest, or demonstration. (b) Kinetic energy projectiles and chemical agents shall only be deployed by a peace officer that has received training on their proper use by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training for crowd control if the use is objectively reasonable to defend against a threat to life or serious bodily injury to any individual, including any peace officer, or to bring an objectively dangerous and unlawful situation safely and effectively under control, and only in accordance with all of the following requirements: (1) De-escalation techniques or other alternatives to force have been attempted, when objectively reasonable, and have failed. (2) Repeated, audible announcements are made announcing the intent to use kinetic energy projectiles and chemical agents and the type to be used, when objectively reasonable to do so. The announcements shall be made from various locations, if necessary, and delivered in multiple languages, if appropriate. (3) Persons are given an objectively reasonable opportunity to disperse and leave the scene. (4) An objectively reasonable effort has been made to identify persons engaged in violent acts and those who are not, and kinetic energy projectiles or chemical agents are targeted toward those individuals engaged in violent acts. Projectiles shall not be aimed indiscriminately into a crowd or group of persons. SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT First Amendment Assembly Manual Page 2 of 13 (5) Kinetic energy projectiles and chemical agents are used only with the frequency, intensity, and in a manner that is proportional to the threat and objectively reasonable. (6) Officers shall minimize the possible incidental impact of their use of kinetic energy projectiles and chemical agents on bystanders, medical personnel, journalists, or other unintended targets. (7) An objectively reasonable effort has been made to extract individuals in distress. (8) Medical assistance is promptly provided, if properly trained personnel are present, or procured, for injured persons, when it is reasonable and safe to do so. (9) Kinetic energy projectiles shall not be aimed at the head, neck, or any other vital organs. (10) Kinetic energy projectiles or chemical agents shall not be used by any law enforcement agency solely due to any of the following: (A) A violation of an im posed curfew. (B) A verbal threat. (C) Noncompliance with a law enforcement directive. (11) If the chemical agent to be deployed is tear gas, only a commanding officer at the scene of the assembly, protest, or demonstration may authorize the use of tear gas. (c) This section does not prevent a law enforcement agency from adopting more stringent policies. (d) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) “Kinetic energy projectiles” means any type of device designed as less lethal, to be launched from any device as a projectile that may cause bodily injury through the transfer of kinetic energy and blunt force trauma. For purposes of this section, the term includes, but is not limited to, items commonly refer red to as rubber bullets, plastic bullets, beanbag rounds, and foam tipped plastic rounds. (2) “Chemical agents” means any chemical that can rapidly produce sensory irritation or disabling physical effects in humans, which disappear within a short time fol lowing termination of exposure. For purposes of this section, the term includes, but is not limited to, chloroacetophenone tear gas, commonly known as CN tear gas; 2- chlorobenzalmalononitrile gas, commonly known as CS gas; and items commonly referred to as pepper balls, pepper spray, or oleoresin capsicum. GENERAL PROCEDURES A. Types