High Risk Incidents

Question 1

What is a Casualty Collection Point (CCP)?

Answer 1

An area identified for the coordination of patient collection, initial triage and movement to a treatment area.

Question 2

What does Cleared mean?

Answer 2

Area has been searched and known to be free of present dangers or hazards

Question 3

What does Cold Zone mean?

What should this zone be used for?

Answer 3

– An area that has no suspects, threats or IEDs present. This zone should be used for treatment and transport
of patients, rear staging areas, the Command Post and rehab areas.

Question 4

What is the Command Post (CP)?

Where will be CP be set up at?

Answer 4

Established to designate a central place for communications and scene coordination to occur. The
Command Post will be established in the cold zone or between the inner and outer perimeter.

Question 5

What is Concealment?

Answer 5

Objects or terrain that hides one from the suspect. Concealment will not necessarily stop bullets

Question 6

What is a Contact Team?

Answer 6

A team of two or more police officers formed upon arrival at an active assailant incident with the intent
to rapidly isolate, distract or neutralize the assailant while mitigating the loss of life.

Question 7

What is Cover?

Answer 7

Objects or terrain capable of stopping bullets. Cover can change depending on the type or caliber of the bullet.

Question 8

What is the Evacuation Corridor?

Answer 8

An area established in the warm zone to move victims/patients from the CCP to a treatment area
in the cold zone.

Question 9

What is the Hot Zone?

Answer 9

An area where suspects are freely operating or currently engaged with officers, and/or IEDs are present.

Question 10

What is the Inner Perimeter?

Answer 10

Perimeter designed to contain the suspect in a pre-determined problem area. This is the closest
perimeter to an incident, and officers may be subject to hostile fire.

Question 11

What is the Outer Perimeter?

Answer 11

Perimeter used to isolate the incident and prevent unauthorized personnel from entering or approaching the inner perimeter. The outer perimeter should not be in the line of fire

Question 12

What is the Rally Point?

Answer 12

Locations for personnel to meet up or fall back to in case a situation deteriorates and becomes too dangerous to stay occupied by EMS personnel.

Question 13

What is the Rescue Task Force?

Answer 13

A team of two police officers and one or more EMS personnel that are tasked with treatment and
extrication of victims to a CCP. Rescue Task Force teams do not operate without police officers and will operate within
warm zones and/or cold zones.

Question 14

What is the Rescue Team?

Answer 14

A team of at least 4 police officers that are tasked with extrication of victims to a CCP. Rescue teams can
operate in hot zones, warm zones or cold zones. Rescue teams will transition to contact teams if contact with a suspect is
made.

Question 15

What does Secured mean/

Answer 15

Area is known to be safe from any hazards and dangers and will remain as such throughout the incident.

Question 16

What is Staging?

Answer 16

An area declared by unified command to hold apparatus, equipment and personnel in reserve until proper
deployment is assigned.

Question 17

What is the Traffic Perimeter?

Answer 17

The traffic perimeter is part of the outer perimeter. It must be established with alternate routes available in heavy traffic areas. It is used to divert traffic away from the problem area in an efficient manner.

Question 18

What is Unified Command (UC)?

Answer 18

A joint operation between agencies to coordinate tasks and communicate information to all
personnel on scene.

Question 19

What is Warm Zone?

Answer 19

An area that has been cleared and that there are no identifiable suspects or IEDs present. EMS will not
enter warm zones without police escort.

Question 20

What is the procedure for a Swat call out?

Answer 20

Procedure: SWAT
 Shall be used for all pre-planned high risk incidents.
 When a shift supervisor determines that an unplanned /reactive situation meets SWAT guidelines and criteria,
they have the authority to immediately activate SWAT response and then notify the appropriate Bureau
Commander or on-call staff officer as soon as possible. They may also choose to notify the on-call staff officer
who may initiate call-out procedures.
 Guidelines for situations where SWAT may beutilized:
 Hostage incidents
 Barricaded gunman
 Sniperincidents
 High risk felony arrests
 High risk search warrants to include felony narcoticsarrests.
 Any situation that the shift supervisor feels would be advantageous to protect the lives of the citizens or
officers.
 If the situation is a reactive event, where a crime has or will be committed, then the following criteria will be
met prior to SWAT being called out;
 The suspect(s) have or will commit a felony.
 The suspect(s) are armed.
 The suspect(s) have taken a position of concealment that makes normal apprehension impossible.
 The suspect(s) have been asked to surrender and have refused.
 The area in which the suspect(s) are located has been contained and freedom of movement has been
restricted.
 If SWAT responds to the incident
 The area will be secured with an inner, outer and traffic perimeter which will be maintained by patrol
until the arrival of the SWAT Commander, who will be briefed and then take command of the inner
perimeter. A command post will be established by the on-duty supervisor who will act as the Incident
Commander until properly relieved.
 The SWAT Commander will become the Operations Section Chief under the ICS model and will report to
an Incident Commander in accordance with SWAT SOP.
 SWAT response procedures and protocols are contained in the SWAT SOP.
 The SWAT Team Commander will review their SOP’s annually and recommend updates as needed.

Question 21

During an active assailant incident, it is necessary for officers to immediately intervene in order to save lives. An
effective response to an active assailant incident requires those first on scene to form a contact team to stop the
active assailant. However, the situation may dictate that an officer act alone to stop the active loss of life.

What is the ideal size for a contact team?

Answer 21

4 officers

Question 22

What is the job of the contact team?

Answer 22

-Ideal team size is four to five officers.
 Assembled from first officers on scene.
 Mission is to stop the action of the suspect(s).
 Must bypass the wounded.
 Direct victims to safety.
 Direct rescue teams to the wounded.
 Gather intelligence.

Question 23

What does the rescue team do?

Answer 23

 Rescue Team
 Assembled from secondary responders.
 Team must have minimum of four officers.
 Works at the direction/in coordination with contact teams.
 Same tactics as contact team, but mission is to evacuate innocents and wounded.
 Team must be prepared to immediately become contact team.

Question 24

What does the rescue task force do?

Answer 24

 Rescue Task Force
 Established by Unified Command.
 Must have at least two police officers and at least one EMS personnel.
 Police officers will escort and provide security for EMS at all times.
 EMS personnel must wear ballistic protection.
 Will conduct victim treatment and removal within warm zones at the direction of UC.
 If suspect is encountered, EMS personnel will immediately return to specified rally point

Question 25

What are the details of a casualty collection point?

Answer 25

 Casualty Collection Points (CCP)
 Established and utilized by Rescue Teams and/or Rescue Task Forces.
 Should be in a position of cover and in the proximity of the majority of victims.
 Officers will maintain security at CCP at all times.
 All victims brought to a CCP will be searched.
 Injured suspects will be secured and kept separate from other victims within the CCP.
 One or more evacuation corridors will be established to remove victims from the CCPs to an area for further
treatment. The evacuation corridors will be secured by officers

Question 26

 What is the Officer Response to Active Assailant Incidents??

Answer 26

 Establish contact team from first arriving officers.
 The ongoing situation and proximity of back-up officers will dictate whether an officer must act alone, or
with only one other officer.
 Stop the ongoing loss of life.
 Advise entry point and maintain communication, updating location.
 Establish rescue team from additional officers arriving on scene.
 Assist with evacuation and/or treatment of victims

Question 27

What is the Supervisor Response to Active Assailant Incidents?

Answer 27

 If not attached to a contact team out of necessity, establish a command post and begin ICS protocols as the
Incident Commander until relieved by higher authority.
 Designate a staging area for responding officers to help control and direct additional contact teams, rescue
teams and perimeter units.
 Request a CodeRed callout for SWAT.
 Create a log of arriving officers and their assignments (can be delegated to a scribe if resources are
available).
 Establish Unified Command with responding EMS.

Question 28

What should be the response to a hostage situation?

Answer 28

Hostage Situations
 The first few moments of a hostage situation are the most stressful for the citizens, suspect(s), and officers
involved. Normally, there is not a need for immediate law enforcement action and with the passing of time,
stress is reduced, and communication may begin with those parties involved along with an assessment of the
situation.
 The on-duty supervisor will respond and notify the on-call staff officer. The street supervisor will request any
on-duty SWAT personnel to respond. The on-call Staff Officer will call out the SWAT commander and the
CNU (Crisis Negotiation Unit) if not already called out by the on-duty supervisor.
 The on-duty supervisor will begin response procedures which will consist of the following goals:
 Coordinate event to end any active loss oflife.
 Secure release of all hostages at any opportunity.
 Contain suspect(s) once active loss of life has ceased and/or hostages are released.
 Establish a command post and manage incident in accordance with ICS protocol.
 Secure an inner, outer, and traffic perimeters as manning allows and make every attempt to contain the
hostage taker at his/her location along with the hostages.
 If the hostage taker and hostage(s) become mobile, do not force the suspect into an immediate
confrontation. Advise responding units of the situation, route of travel, and monitor the suspect at a safe
distance.
 After an initial assessment, telephone contact with the hostage taker may be initiated. Attempt to ascertain
information regarding hostage(s), i.e. number, names, age, any injuries, type of weapon the suspect may
have.
 Use of Force – If the situation deteriorates to the point where the hostage(s) are being injured or killed and
SWAT is not yet in command of the incident, immediate action will be necessary.
 Officers will react with an active shooter response in accordance with theirtraining.

Question 29

What is the proper response to a sniper incident?

Answer 29

Sniper Incidents
 If possible, leave the area of fire immediately seeking the nearest available cover.
 Advise dispatch you are under fire and give location.
 Attempt to determine the sniper’s location by:
 Muzzle flash – Smoke
 Reflections from weapon
 Bullet trajectory
 Sound
 Advise responding units of possible location of the sniper, single or multiple shots fired by the sniper, and any
other pertinent information.
 Seal the area to prevent the sniper from escaping and to protect citizenry.
 Attempt to warn citizenry of the situation and advise them to take cover and remain there.
 The on-duty supervisor will begin response procedures which will consist of the following goals:
 Coordinate event to end any active loss of life.
 Contain suspect(s) once active loss of life has ceased and/or hostages are released

Question 30

What is the proper response to an armed robbery incident?

Answer 30

Armed Robbery Responses
 When dispatched to an armed robbery, the following guidelines will apply and responding Officers will:
 Request dispatch to attempt contact with the location to establish if the alarm is an actual robbery.
 Request dispatch to call the location, when appropriate, and ask that an employee exit a specific door and
come outside to make contact with the officers.
 Determine if an actual robbery is in progress or not and follow the below listed procedures.
 If in progress;
 Primary and cover units will respond to the location and establish positions that could be used as escape
routes by the suspects.
 Keep radio traffic to a minimum. Request emergency traffic and consider use of a tactical channel if the
situation becomes an extended incident.
 There should be minimal use of lights and siren when responding to this type of call.
 Responding units should be aware of a lookout or suspect vehicle in the area and advise other units if any
are observed.
 The first unit to arrive will position vehicles to offer maximum cover and concealment and will direct cover
units into positions to secure the area.
 Attempt to verify through observations that the crime is or is not in progress. If inprogress:
 Attempt to allow the suspect(s) to exit the building at which time an arrest may beaffected.
 If the suspect(s) observe police presence and a hostage situation develops, the building and area will be
secured. SWAT/CNU will be notified and will respond to the incident.
 Patrol units that are present may begin evacuating surrounding businesses/residences, if necessary.
 The on-duty supervisor will direct an inner, outer and traffic perimeter to be put in place and establish a
command post. Refer to hostage situations above for additional supervisor response procedures.
 If not in progress, or has just occurred, the officer will:
 Have dispatch call the business/residence and verify that suspect(s) are no longer inside.
 If needed, have dispatch request the employee/resident to exit the location after getting a description of the
person that is going to be exiting.
 Secure the scene and immediately obtain the following information that will be broadcast to other units
under an Operation Raptor activation if situation qualifies:
 Number and description ofsuspect(s).
 Direction of travel ofsuspect(s).
 Vehicle description.
 Time element.
 Weaponsinvolved.
 Property taken – if cash, do not disclose amount over the air.