355 Rapid Response to Active Threats

Question 1

The purpose of the Rapid Response to Active Threats is

Answer 1

to empower officers to intervene in an active threat event and provide tactical guidance to effectively resolve the crisis.

Question 2

Goals for Rapid Response Protocols by Order of Importance

Answer 2

1. Prevent further harm or loss of life to victims by neutralizing the human threat; this may be accomplished by apprehension, isolation, or the use of deadly force. Rapid Response Active Threat situations are unpredictable and evolve quickly. Typically, the immediate deployment of law enforcement is required to stop the threat and mitigate harm to victims.
2. Provide rapid medical intervention to injured victims. This may be accomplished by providing first aid, moving victims to medical assets, or providing a secure corridor for medical assets at the crisis site.
3. Mitigate potential harm to first responders and victims posed by any associated devices or hazards (e.g., fire) by identifying, communicating the location, and moving victims away from these hazards.

Question 3

An individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area; in most cases, active threats use firearms and there is no pattern or method to their selection of victims.

Answer 3

Active Threat

Question 4

Officer(s) formed as an organized team that is tasked with locating, confining, and/or neutralizing the active threat. Contact teams also report casualty locations, status (green v. red), and numbers of victims to Tactical. Contact teams are also responsible for identifying and communicating casualty collection points (CCP) once the threat has been addressed.

Answer 4

Contact Team

Question 5

An object or structure that provides protection from weapon fire (e.g., a vehicle engine block, brick wall, etc.).

Answer 5

Cover

Question 6

Differing from cover, concealment only provides protection from observation not weapon fire (e.g., a privacy fence, bush, interior drywall, etc.).

Answer 6

Concealment

Question 7

A dismounted movement technique where an officer(s) holds a covered position while observing the incident site as another officer(s) moves forward toward cover. This technique alternates between covering officer(s) and moving officer(s) until the breach point is reached.

Answer 7

Bounding/Overwatch

Question 8

The act of multiple armed law enforcement elements establishing positive communication and identification as they join to become one operational element.

Answer 8

Link-up Operations

Question 9

An area in the perimeter where security measures are in place.

Answer 9

Warm Zone

Question 10

A team of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and police that operate in the warm zone to triage patients, provide care, and coordinate casualty evacuation.

Answer 10

Rescue Task Force

Question 11

The officer or supervisor responsible for the management, communication and coordination of all contact teams and rescue task forces inside the warm zone and hot zone during an active threat event.

Answer 11

Tactical

Question 12

Upon arrival at the crisis site, officers should conduct the following:

Answer 12

Advise the Police Emergency Communications Officer (PECO) that you are 10-97 (arrived at scene). Off duty or plain clothed officers/detectives should clearly identify and describe themselves, including race, sex, and clothing description

Question 13

Assess the situation and determine, due to the information known at that time, along with any observable stimulus (e.g., gunfire, people screaming, you can see the suspect), whether you should immediately deploy into the crisis area in order to stop the suspect or whether you can wait for additional backup officers. ________ _______ is not needed in order to deploy into the crisis site if there is an active threat situation in progress;

Answer 13

Supervisor approval

Question 14

If the decision is made to enter the site as a single officer, be aware of the elevated risk of this tactic, as your ability to ______ ________is diminished;

Answer 14

maintain security

Question 15

Prior to initiating your response, advise the PECO and responding officers that you are entering the site and provide information as to where you are ______ _____; and

Answer 15

making entry

Question 16

When moving to a breach point, make use of ______. When having to cover open ground, identify your next point of cover, and move as rapidly as possible to that position.

Answer 16

cover

Question 17

If you are moving as a team of two or more officers utilize a ________ ________ technique to reach the breach point

Answer 17

Bounding/Overwatch

Question 18

what is the maximum realistic number due to a difficulty in coordination in larger numbers

Answer 18

five

Question 19

Once entry has been made into the crisis location, move directly to any ______ that could identify the suspect’s location, bypassing victims

Answer 19

stimulus

Question 20

If no stimulus is heard, two options exist:

Answer 20

(1) Move down hallways first, conducting quick interviews with victims and others to gain intelligence, as you are clearing the structure; or
(2) Begin clearing room to room.

Question 21

Officers must be aware that other parties may be armed and attempting to lawfully intervene as well and should, if practicable, challenge any armed subjects and utilize the five-point discrimination process:

Answer 21

(1) Whole person;
(2) Hands;
(3) Waistline;
(4) Immediate area; and
(5) Demeanor.

Question 22

When moving as a single or group of officers, adherence to the following principles will aid in a more effective response

Answer 22

(1) Stay together as much as possible;
(2) Maintain 540 degree security at all times, looking around you to include up and down, ceiling to floor;
(3) Communicate with each other as much as possible;
(4) Consider all of the angles that you are exposed to as you move down hallways;
(5) Conduct threshold evaluations (e.g., pie slice doorways) to gain information, utilize door windows when available; and
(6) Move only as fast as you can process information.

Question 23

When encountering people advise them to take the following action:

Answer 23

(1) Run away from the crisis area if able; and
(2) If people are not able to leave, instruct them to barricade themselves in a secure area until the situation is resolved and they are contacted by law enforcement.

Question 24

All officers, whether those making first entry to the crisis site or follow-on response, must be keenly aware of the potential hazards of bringing multiple armed elements into a chaotic situation. Therefore, ________ _________ ____ __________ between law enforcement elements are critical to successful link-up operations.

Answer 24

positive communication and identification

Question 25

The reality we must accept during an active threat event is that most officers will be self-deploying to the crisis area, inserting themselves into the problem, and operating with initiative-based tactics based on the information learned about the threat. Once a complete contact team has entered to engage the active threat, the next arriving ________ __ _________ will take tactical control and direct the movement of subsequent teams into the hot zone and warm zone. This officer/supervisor is now referred to as _________ and focuses inward on both responders operating inside the crisis area, as well as the deployment of new resources requested from staging.

Answer 25

officer or supervisor

Tactical

Question 26

Contact teams moving through the crisis area, notify the _______ __ ________ _______ the location of any:

Answer 26

PECO or on-scene supervisor

Question 27

Contact teams are notifying the location of any

Answer 27

(1) Injured victims (green or red);
(2) Downed officer and status; and
(3) Improvised explosive devices (IED).

Question 28

When encountering IEDs, adherence to the following two protocols will support a more effective response and prevent unnecessary delay:

Answer 28

If you encounter an IED, call “bomb cover” and move into an adjacent room, placing shielding between you and the device. Be sure to clear the room prior to entry. Assess the device and determine if you can move past it or find another route. Do not touch the device. Attempt to mark the area near the device with some type of indicator (i.e., glow stick, other available object, etc.) and communicate its location to the PECO or the on-scene supervisor.

Question 29

If a suspect is throwing an IED at you, the energy propelling the device will determine the appropriate tactic. If the device will stop 15 or more feet away from officers, utilize the

Answer 29

“bomb cover” command, and seek cover.

Question 30

If the device will land within 15 feet of officers, utilize the

Answer 30

call “bomb go,” and move quickly past the device and prepare to engage the suspect.

Question 31

Once the suspect has been located, a variety of possible outcomes may occur

Answer 31

suspect suicide
surrender
use of deadly force
barricade himself

Question 32

Once the suspect has been stopped, the implementation of the acronym ______ will ensure that the appropriate priorities of work are completed

Answer 32

SIM

Question 33

What does SIM stand for?

Answer 33

Security
Immediate Action Plan
Medical

Question 34

Adherence to and the completion of the following five Cs will ensure the most effective response in the event that the situation changes to an active threat incident:

Answer 34

contain
control
communicate
call Swat
create

Question 35

____________the incident by deploying officers around the immediate crisis location and begin gathering intelligence

Answer 35

contain

Question 36

__________the incident by establishing ingress and egress routes to the immediate crisis location, remove any uninvolved personnel

Answer 36

control

Question 37

___________ the situation with other officers in the immediate area, with the suspect if he/she tries to initiate contact, with the on-scene supervisor, PECO, etc.

Answer 37

communicate

Question 38

_________ to Advise the on-scene supervisor that you have a possible hostage situation so that a request for the SWAT Unit can be made

Answer 38

call swat

Question 39

_____________ a plan among the officers in the immediate area accounting for the following contingencies

Answer 39

create

Question 40

Create a plan for

Answer 40

(1) If the situation turns into an active threat, who will make entry, etc.;
(2) If a hostage(s) escapes; and
(3) If the suspect surrenders or escapes

Question 41

Implement the Incident Command System (ICS) and establish a command post, resource staging area, and ______ _______ area in order to manage the situation. Officers and supervisors should refer to Order 284 (All Hazards Plan) in reference to ICS procedures.

Answer 41

media staging

Question 42

Upon arriving on the scene of an incident involving an active threat(s), SWAT personnel will assume the ______ _______. However, continued assistance by initial responding officers is critical.

Answer 42

primary role