Policy Text
Policy
413San Luis Obispo Police Department
San Luis Obispo PD CA Policy Manual
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2024/10/31, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by San Luis Obispo Police
DepartmentRapid Response and Deployment - 1Rapid Response and Deployment
413.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
Violence that is committed in schools, workplaces and other locations by individuals or a group of
individuals who are determined to target and kill persons and to create mass casualties presents
a difficult situation for law enforcement. The purpose of this policy is to identify guidelines and
factors that will assist responding officers in situations that call for rapid response and deployment.
413.2 POLICY
The San Luis Obispo Police Department will endeavor to plan for rapid response to crisis
situations, and to coordinate response planning with other emergency services as well as with
those that are responsible for operating sites that may be the target of a critical incident.
Nothing in this policy shall preclude the use of reasonable force, deadly or otherwise, by members
of the Department in protecting themselves or others from death or serious injury.
413.3 FIRST RESPONSE
If there is a reasonable belief that acts or threats by a suspect are placing lives in imminent danger,
first responding officers should consider reasonable options to reduce, prevent or eliminate the
threat. Officers must decide, often under a multitude of difficult and rapidly evolving circumstances,
whether to advance on the suspect, take other actions to deal with the threat or wait for additional
resources.
If a suspect is actively engaged in the infliction of serious bodily harm or other life-threatening
activity toward others, officers should take immediate action, if reasonably practicable, while
requesting additional assistance.
Officers should remain aware of the possibility that an incident may be part of a coordinated multi-
location attack that may require some capacity to respond to other incidents at other locations.
When deciding on a course of action officers should consider:
(a)Whether to advance on or engage a suspect who is still a possible or perceived threat
to others. Any advance or engagement should be based on information known or
received at the time.
(b)Whether to wait for additional resources or personnel. This does not preclude an
individual officer from taking immediate action.
(c)Whether individuals who are under imminent threat can be moved or evacuated with
reasonable safety.
(d)Whether the suspect can be contained or denied access to victims.
(e)Whether the officers have the ability to effectively communicate with other personnel
or resources.
San Luis Obispo Police Department
San Luis Obispo PD CA Policy Manual
Rapid Response and Deployment
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2024/10/31, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by San Luis Obispo Police
DepartmentRapid Response and Deployment - 2(f)Whether planned tactics can be effectively deployed.
(g)The availability of rifles, shotguns, shields, breaching tools, control devices and any
other appropriate tools, and whether the deployment of these tools will provide a
tactical advantage.
In a case of a barricaded suspect with no hostages and no immediate threat to others, officers
should consider summoning and waiting for additional assistance (special tactics and/or hostage
negotiation team response).
413.4 CONSIDERATIONS
When dealing with a crisis situation members should:
(a)Assess the immediate situation and take reasonable steps to maintain operative
control of the incident.
(b)Obtain, explore and analyze sources of intelligence and known information regarding
the circumstances, location and suspect involved in the incident.
(c)Attempt to attain a tactical advantage over the suspect by reducing, preventing or
eliminating any known or perceived threat.
(d)Attempt, if feasible and based upon the suspect’s actions and danger to others, a
negotiated surrender of the suspect and release of the hostages.
413.5 PLANNING
The Operations Division Chief should coordinate critical incident planning. Planning efforts should
consider:
(a)Identification of likely critical incident target sites, such as schools, shopping centers,
entertainment and sporting event venues.
(b)Availability of building plans and venue schematics of likely critical incident target sites.
(c)Communications interoperability with other law enforcement and emergency service
agencies.
(d)Training opportunities in critical incident target sites, including joint training with site
occupants.
(e)Evacuation routes in critical incident target sites.
(f)Patrol first-response training.
(g)Response coordination and resources of emergency medical and fire services.
(h)Equipment needs.
(i)Mutual aid agreements with other agencies.
(j)Coordination with private security providers in critical incident target sites.