Policy Text
POLICY
214.0ACTIVE SHOOTER
ESTABLISHED: 8/2019 RELATED POLICIES:
Reviewed by Chief David Magnusson
8/2019
A.PURPOSE:
The purpose of this policy is to provide protocols for assessing the threat and
immediately responding during active shooter situations to limit serious injury or loss
of life. While the term “active shooter” is used throughout, this policy applies to all
situations where there is an active assailant or assailants posing an ongoing deadly
threat, to include, but not limited to, those from firearms, vehicles, explosives, and
knives.
B. POLICY:
It is the policy of the El Portal Police Department in active shooter situations where
ongoing deadly force is reasonably likely to be employed by a suspect—and delay in
taking law enforcement action could result in injury or death—that immediate action by
officers at the scene is necessary when such actions are deemed reasonable to prevent
further injuries or loss of life.
The El Portal Police Department is not large in size. Thus, they may provide but a
support role to a larger agency in the event of an active shooter. This policy, while it may
seem geared towards a larger department, is exactly what need be followed and trained
for because regardless of size, the first officer/agency on the scene of an active shooter, at
least at its origin, will need be as versed in how to deal with it just as much as a major
municipal police agency.
C. DEFINITIONS:
Active Shooting: An incident in which one or more armed persons have used, or are
reasonably likely to use, deadly force in an ongoing manner, and where persons have been
injured, killed, or are under imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm by such
persons.1
Casualty Collection Point (CCP) : A forward location where victims can be
assembled for movement from areas of risk. Based upon incident dynamics, such as the
number and location of victims, multiple CCPs may be required.
Cold Zone: A geographic area where first responders can operate with minimal threat
to personal safety or health.
Contact Officer or Team : The first officer(s) at the scene of an active shooting tasked
with locating the suspect(s) and stopping the threat.
1 Additional terms that may be used to describe these incidents include active killing, active threat, and mass
casualty attack.
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Hot Zone: A geographic area, consisting of the immediate incident location, with a
direct and immediate threat to personal safety or health. All violent incidents are
considered hot until law enforcement determines otherwise. Only law enforcement should
operate in the hot zone.
Immediate Action: Rapid response by one or more officers to an active shooting based
on a reasonable belief that failure to swiftly seek out and address the threat would result in
death or serious bodily injury.
Incident Commander (IC) : The individual responsible for all incident activities,
including the development of strategies and tactics and the ordering and release of
resources. The IC has overall authority and responsibility for conducting incident
operations and is responsible for the management of all operations at the incident site.
Responsibilities of the IC can be assumed by the officer handling the original call to the
chief executive of the agency and any additional qualified officers, depending on the size,
scope, and complexity of the incident or event.2
Inner Perimeter: An area established to keep the threat contained to a specified
location.
Outer Perimeter: An area established to keep the inner perimeter secured and to
prevent outside elements from entering the incident.
Rescue Task Force (RTF) : A team consisting of fire/emergency medical services
(EMS) personnel, paired with law enforcement officers. Fire/EMS personnel are tasked
with initial treatment and triage of victims in the warm zone. Law enforcement officers are
assigned as the protection for this team and should not separate from the fire/EMS
personnel.
Staging Area: An area or location near the incident where outside resources respond
and are quickly inventoried for utilization and assignment at the incident. There may be
more than one staging area per incident.
Unified Command (UC) : An incident command system used when there is more than
one agency with incident jurisdiction, or when incidents cross political jurisdictions.
Agencies work together through designated members of the UC, often the senior person(s)
from agencies and/or disciplines participating in the UC, to establish a common set of
objectives and strategies. The IC responsibility is shared within the UC, with the function
most important at the time taking the lead role. The lead responsibility may shift as the
incident progresses.
Warm Zone: A geographic area where law enforcement has either cleared or isolated
the threat to a level of minimal or mitigated risk; can be considered clear, but not secure.
D. PROCEDURES :
A.Situational Assessment
1.Based on available information, dispatched responders or officers already at the
incident scene may verify that an active shooter situation exists through
information provided by communications personnel; from persons confined
within or exiting the target location; from witnesses; by reports of, or sounds of,
gunfire; or through related means.
2.When available and as time permits, witnesses, or others should be asked about
the location and number of suspects, the suspects’ weapons, persons injured, the
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number and location of persons in possible jeopardy, and the use or location of
improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
3.Upon completion of the initial assessment, the first arriving officer(s) shall
a.advise communications and request resources as deemed necessary, and
b