counter-gang strategy in tactical solutions magazine, spring 2014

1SPRING 2014

A JOURNAL FOR INTERNATIONAL TACTICAL TRAINING ASSOCIATION PROFESSIONALS

actical SolutionsT

John A. Bertetto on COIN in Policing Criminal Street Gangs

Ron Martinelli on Pre-Contact Threat Assessment

Cristine B. Massengale on Coordinating Crisis Communication

Lawrence Lujan on Mobile Active Shooter

NDEXTactical Solutions

Tactical Solutions Spring 2014

Tactics

by R. Martinelli

by C. B. Massengale

by. J. A. Bertetto

by G. Serna

by S. Lee

Coordinating Crisis Communications

COVER STORY

DEPARTMENTS

I

p.37

The Art of Force - Pre Contact Threat Assessmentp.42

Counter-Gang Strategy: Adapted COIN in Policing Criminal Street Gangsp.22

by L. LujanMobile Active Shooter (M.A.S.)p.13

From The Editorp.6

Scrambler Coursep.8

by P. Johnson

Leadership

Tactical Survival for the Career Professionalp.46

by Editor

Equipment

Doorkicker Tactical Operator Glovesp.34

Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance

Introduction to Covert Rural Surveillance (RS)Observation Post Operations (OP)

p.17

3

CONTENTS

TACTICAL SOLUTIONS

Tactical Solutions

This journal is provided to members of the International TacticalTraining Association-ITTA. The information presented is fromvarious sources from which there can be no warranty orresponsibility by ITTA Corporation, or the publisher as to thelegality, completeness and accuracy. The informationdescribed and portrayed in this journal is based upon the per-sonal experience of the author. The authors entire experiencemay not be reported or otherwise verified. Nothing in thisjournal should be construed as a substitute for a manufactur-ers manual or for professional firearms training.

The ITTA does not, by the presentation of any advertisement,product evaluation, article or editorial, create any warranty,either expressed or implied. The opinions expressed in theeditorial and articles are those of the authors, and do not nec-essarily express the opinions or positions of the Board ofDirectors of the ITTA or employees. The individual authorrepresents tactics discussed in TACTICAL SOLUTIONS. Thispublication should in no way be considered an endorsement orrecommendation by the ITTA Corporation.

All rights reserved. No portion of TACTICAL SOLUTIONSmay be reproduced without prior written permission from theITTA Corporation.

Firearms SafetyAlways adhere to and obey firearms safety rules:

11. Treat every gun as if it were loaded.

2. Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction and do not muzzle anything that you arenot willing to destroy.

3. Keep your finger off of the trigger and out of thetrigger guard until ready to fire.

4. Be aware of your target and what is beyond it.

The individual manufacturer and retailer sets the prices anddetails for items featured in TACTICAL SOLUTIONS.They are subject to change without notice.

Certain products featured in this journal may be subject to prohibitions, restrictions or special licensing for sale, possessionor interstate transport. Check with local and federal authoritiesregarding the legality of purchase, possession and transport.

Please direct all Editorial correspondence related to the maga-zine to International Tactical Training Association ITTA, P.O.Box 59833, Chicago, Illinois 60659, United States of America

Please visit the ITTA web site at www.ittacorp.org.Like us on Facebook at Tactical Solutions Magazine.

DISCLAI

MERS

4

SPRING 2014

E D I T O R - I N - C H I E FLAWRENCE LUJAN [email protected]

P R E S I D E N TAARON CUNNINGHAM [email protected]

A D V A N C E D T A C T I C A L T R A I N I N G -L A W E N F O R C E M E N T D I V I S I O N

MARK STEPHENSON [email protected]

S E C R E T A R YSUNG JOO LEE [email protected]

G R A P H I C A R T I S TVANESSA M.

TACTICAL SOLUTIONS is the digitalJournal of the International Tactical

Training Association. Written by andfor special operators, police operators,

and intelligence officers and for allthose in the mission against crime and

terror worldwide.

TACTICAL SOLUTIONS is published inWinter-December, Spring-March,

Summer-June, and Fall-September

For inquiries regarding advertising inTACTICAL SOLUTIONS, please email

[email protected]

For inquiries regarding existing TACTICALSOLUTIONS editions, please email

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TACTICAL SOLUTIONS MAGAZINEP.O. BOX 59833, CHICAGO, IL 60659 USA

Tel: 872-221-ITTA Fax: 872-221-5882

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Hyung-gook Byun, Mike Williams athttp://www.mwilliamschattanoogaphoto.com/, Lawrence Lujan, Sung Joo Lee, Ji Yong Yoon,

ON THE COVERJi Yong Yoon-Dajeon SWAT Team

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

John A. Bertetto, Pete Johnson, Ron Martinelli, LawrenceLujan, Christine Massengale, and Gabriel Serna

FOLLOW US ONLINE

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TACTICAL SOLUTIONS

Learn more today! iismu.orgt

MERCYHURST UNIVERSITYIntelligence Studies

The Institute of Intelligence Studies at Mercyhurst University is XPSMESFOPXOFEGPSJUTQSFNJFSEFHSFFQSPHSBNTBUUIFVOEFSHSBEVBUFHSBEVBUFBOEDFSUJDBUFMFWFMT

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Spring is upon us here at TSM and we look forward tothe warm weather to keep active out on the range andon the trails. Training is never ending, the cold ofwinter is not an excuse to not be active and sharpening theblade and maintaining your edge.

This month brings to you newcontributors on important topicsthat you will find of great interest. Because tactical teamsand their operations function oncommunication, you will find thearticle Crisis Communication tohighlight the need for trainedtelecommunicators and theimportant role that they play during operations. In addition,you will learn valuable tips forpre-contact threat assessment inthe article The Art of Force. Youwill learn to apply the principlesof COIN to your gang strategy inthe article Counter-Gang Strategy:Adapted COIN in PolicingCriminal Street Gangs. You willalso learn tactics and techniquesfor your rural surveillance operations in Introduction ToCovert Rural Surveillance (RS)Observation Post (OP)Operations. The tactical leaderwill also receive key suggestionson the importance of being ableto communicate. Lastly, we provide you with a firearms drillfor you to run practice.

Now, shake off the coldand go get some!!!

Lawrence LujanEditor-in-ChiefTactical Solutions Magazine

LETTER

EDITOR

fromthe

SPRING 2014

6 TACTICAL SOLUTIONS

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SCRAMBLERactics Techniques and ProceduresT

8

COURSE

9TACTICAL SOLUTIONS

The Scrambler Course is a combinedskills course of fire often utilized incompetitive 3-gun events whichimplements shooting on the move,shooting from prone, shooting from abarricade, and shooting from a kneel-ing position. Without a doubt, thecourse can prove of benefit to our lawenforcement members.

Thunder Ranch/Gunsites legendaryClint Smith is credited with the devel-opment of this exercise to simulate hiscombat experiences in the VietnamWar. Today, it remains a useful train-ing tool inasmuch as it trains thedeployment of the carbine or patrolrifle and provides a practical contextfor the shooter in simulating responsefrom a vehicle. Depending on howyour patrol rifle is carried (in thetrunk, transport mode/cruiser ready),the drill should begin from whereveryour patrol rifle is carried.

The purpose of this training conceptis to enhance fast patrol response totime critical incidents. This coursewill aid in enabling those trained tosafely handle and deploy the rifle inan urban setting. As firearms instruc-tors, we develop various courses offire to provide logical structure toprogressive steps in training.Operator readiness is frequently test-ed by ensuring that officers can per-form essential tasks in different situa-tions and under a variety of circum-stance. To this end, combined skillsexercises like the scrambler are animportant recipe for success.

The scrambler course of fire is anopportunity to evaluate the officersdemonstration of proficiency in allpatrol rifle fundamentals and firearmsafety, handling and carry methods,use of sling systems, overall marks-manship and skill in combat shootingmethods. If necessary, this drill mayalso test the need for transition to pis-tol and other immediate action givena malfunction. An officers ability toperform a combined skill in a live-fireexercise is an important milestone intraining. Those not already familiarwill soon learn that the patrol rifle is atactical tool which provides enhancedsafety and a strategic response to spe-cific threats.

Written by Sang Lee

GlossaryHammer Drills:The firing of multiple consecutiveshots in quick repetition. Dependingupon your situation and at closerange (10 feet or less) perfect sightalignment may not be necessary. Werefer to this as Sight Gear #3 orfront sight proximity shooting. Theconcept of front sight proximityshooting applies to both rifle and pis-tol and depends upon the skill levelof the operator.

Sight gear #3 follows Plaxos Ruleor 1st Best decision-making in thatwhat comes first is not always bestand what is best may not be first. Thevarious sight gears are meant to bal-ance considerations of speed againstthe need for precision and accuracy.Consideration of distance, speed, andaccuracy should come into play withevery shot taken. The operators willhave to know their own skill leveland capability.

SHOOTINGFROM PRONE:Types of prone positions: 1. Proneposition with one leg bent. 2. Prone

position where both legs are straightback and with both heels as close tothe ground as they will allow. Unlessyour legs are interlocked, avoid pronemethods leaving the heels straight upwhich can introduce sway and move-ment that transfers to the sights. Bothpositions have their pros and cons.

Pros for bent leg: With the bent legposition (shooting side leg bent), thediaphragm is off the ground and thuswill allow for easier breathing.Cons for bent leg: The operator ishigher off the ground, creating a big-ger signature that will expose more oftheir body.

Pros for straight legs: Lying as flat aspossible presents a smaller operatorsignature with less exposed surfacearea.Cons for straight leg: Lying on thediaphragm makes it harder tobreathe. The operator will experiencemore muzzle sway down the sightswhen lying on their diaphragm.

SHOOTING FROMBEHIND A BARRICADE:Shooting From Behind A Barricade: Know your mechanical offset (Yoursight may see over the barricade but

that does not mean that the muzzle isclear of the barricade). Shootingthrough a wood barricade is anacceptable mistake, but unacceptableoutside of practice. For instance if anoperator were to shoot through cinderblock or brick, there will be highvelocity spalling coming back in theshooters direction. Without eye pro-tection, the spalling could lead to apermanent injury. Lets be honest,how many L.E.O.s are wearing eyeand ear protection when a firefightstarts? I would say its easier to learnit the correct way during training,rather than suffering a fatal injury.(Consider low-light conditions andoffset for any weapon-mounted light.)

SHOOTING FROM AKNEELING POSTION:Types of kneeling positions: The HighKneel, Supported Kneel, One KneeKneel, and One Knee Supported.

High kneel: Down on both knees, butnot sitting on your heels.Pro for the High Kneel: It is a quickposition to get into and is a stableposition for short periods of time.Con for the High Kneel: Being onboth knees takes more time to get outof in order to move.


The Scrambler Course of Fire On command, move to, retrieve, load and make your rifle ready. Move to stage 1 and fire a Six Shot Hammer Drill on the move,

on a paper target ten feet away. Move to stage 2, go prone and fire two rounds at steel target (50 yards away). Move to stage 3 and fire two rounds from behind a barricade. (50 yards

away; safety - use caution with muzzle clearance) Move to final stage. Go to a Kneeling Position and fire two shots.

Timer stops on final round. Clear all rounds and make you weapon safe.

Equipment 3 metal targets 1 paper target

Scoring To shoot this course of fire clean, six shots on paper in the required area

must be hit with no misses on the steel. There will be a total of twelverounds. This is timed event with penalty given for missed rounds.

Supported Kneeling: Down on bothknees and sitting on your heels.Pro for Supported Kneeling: As it ispractically sitting, it is a very stableposition. The operator can stay in thisposition for a longer period of time.Con for Supported Kneeling: Beingthat it is a sitting position, it takesmuch longer to get out of if you haveto move.

One Knee Kneeling: Down on oneknee with the other foot flat on theground. If one arm is used to support

on the knee, remember not to put boneon bone (elbow on the kneecap). If theelbow is placed on the kneecap, theelbow will roll around, thus unstable.Pro for One Knee: The operator canchange their level of height and leanwith the One Knee Position and usesupported or unsupported. It is also aquick position to get out of when theyhave to move.Con for One Knee: One knee is a stableposition but not as stable as the previ-ous positions mentioned earlier.

In as much as advanced shooting isentirely based upon the way in whichfundamental skills are exercised, thescrambler course of fire can be anexcellent way to challenge those new tothe rifle and test those more experi-enced. By introducing time standardshere, we can create challenges for mostshooters regardless of skill-level.Shooting the Scrambler may validateyour current training models or suggesta need for review. Either way it is timeworn course of fire enjoyable to all.

Sang Lee is the Director of Security for ITTA and an NRA certified firearms instructor and NRAcertified armorer. He spends the majority of his time instructing in-service law enforcement

officers in the state of Illinois as well as providing concealed carry (CCW) courses to civilians.

About the Author

11TACTICAL SOLUTIONS

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02 558 [email protected]

MOBILE ACTIVE SHOOTER

(M.A.S.)

actics Techniques and ProceduresT


Written by Lawrence Lujan

In October 2013, the AlbuquerquePolice Department came face to facewith evil when a Mobile ActiveShooter-MAS, named ChristopherChase, confronted them.

Here, the suspect was dressed incamouflage, wore body armor, amask and was armed with an Ak-47rifle. The suspect also had copkiller tattooed across his knuckles.After creating a call for service hewaited for officers to respond in anambush position.

After firing at the initial unit andcausing the officer to take cover, he

hijacked the police unit and wentmobile while continuing his assaultagainst officers. The shooting endedwith the offender being shot andterminated. Three APD Officers andone Bernalillo County Deputy suf-fered gun shot wounds. Furtherinvestigation found that the offend-er had set up and left fake boobytraps at his home.

There were several factors that led tothe successful conclusion of this inci-dent. Some including:

Use of the Patrol Rifle Advanced weapons tactics Tactical Combat Casualty Care Taking the fight to the suspect

We have trained for school/business

active shooters, the MACTAC (multi-ple active shooter type incident) andor the 4th Generation Active Shooter-(small cells motivated by terrorist ide-ology). Now we have experienced theMobile Active Shooter-M.A.S., that is,an offender actively killing otherswhile utilizing a motor vehicle toaccomplish his deadly acts. Theseincidents can cover a large area andresult in multiple crime scene loca-tions. Active management of the inci-dent while it is occurring and post-incident will challenge both the offi-cers in direct contact with the offenderas well as agency leadership.

Things to consider: Responding law enforcement

officers need to be aware of their sur-roundings and backdrops if respond-ing with their weapons. The Mobile

Active Shooter is driving throughneighborhoods, and business districtsand does not care of where they areshooting, but as law enforcement offi-cers, we remain accountable forrounds fired.

Leaders, you have just becomepart of a real life chess game with aMobile Active Shooter and you aretasked with planning your tacticalmoves to keep ahead of the lethal threat.

Do you apply stop sticks to the incident and what risks exist in

attempting to do so? Do you establish a choke point

with a lethal response for the mobile offender?

Do you direct and attempt offensive vehicle maneuvers?

Telecommunicators and theirsupervisors, what is your role in theon-going mobile incident.

Long-term strategic responsetraining for incident of this type needto be discussed and practiced inorder to be prepared for an incidentof this type.

Does your agency now see a need for advanced weapon drills such as shooting through a windshield?

Has your agency provided

IFAKs or med kits and trained yourofficers on Tactical Combat CasualtyCare-TCCC?

Is your agency trained on offen-sive vehicle maneuvers?

As we have learned, there will always

be the two to three copycats after an

active shooter incident. So, stand

ready for that day, because it will

come. Have your patrol rifle ready,

have ready access to your med

kit/IFAK, and know how to access and

to use both under stress. Strategize

on effective methods of response and

drill on those techniques.


T

Lawrence Lujan is a decorated field operations and training sergeant with 23-plus years ofservice to the El Paso, Texas Police Department. A longtime member of the EPPD SWAT team, he

was a key player as team leader, operator, firearms instructor and tactics instructor of that Unit.

Operationally, he has participated in high-risk warrant execution, raid planning, barricaded

suspects and incident command. He presents passionate instruction and has international

teaching experience. Lawrence brings a very unique set of leadership, firearms and operational

skills to the law enforcement arena.

About the Author

Video and imagesedited and produced

by Pat Vasquez-CunninghamAlbuquerque Journal

Stay safe, Stay alert,Stay Alive..........

Click here to view video:

TTOS specializes in the provision of Visual Tracking, Dismounted Operations, Trans-National Border Interdiction, Network Defeat, Counter Improvised Explosive Devices (C-IED) and Advanced Counterinsurgency (COIN); training, consulting and web based e-learning services to Military, Law Enforcement Organizations, and Government Agencies. The Company TTOS is a privately owned and operated for-profit small business which serves primarily as a Defense Contractor. As a school, TTOSs primary focus has been in developing training curriculums and teaching DoD and Law Enforcement personnel how to identify, collect and exploit actionable intelligence. This dedicated focus on curriculum development has made TTOS is a leading innovator for Visual Intelligence, Technical Tracking, Combat Tracking, Network Defeat, and Counter Improvised Explosive Devices (C-IED) training; especially when it comes to research and development of new techniques, tactics, and procedures (TTPs). Since its inception in 1994, TTOS has focused exclusively on developing training programs of instruction (POIs) for U.S. Department of Defense and Law Enforcement Agencies. TTOS initially started by providing visual and technical tracking training; Combat Tracking to elite and conventional military units; and Tactical Tracking to law enforcement. Since then, TTOS has expanded on the POIs it offers to military and law enforcement communities, especially in the areas of Manhunting, Visual Tracking, Dismounted Operations, Network Defeat, Counter Improvised Explosive Devices (C-IED), Network Defeat, and Transnational Border Interdiction and Targeting. TTOS Training Programs: Due to the high level of success, customer satisfaction and demand, TTOS has expanded its operations and now offers a variety of specialized tactical training programs of instruction to its clients: Combat Tracker Course Level I, II, and III Tactical Tracking Course Level I, II, and III Visual Perception, Acquisition and Targeting Course (VPAT) Visual Acuity and Hazard Detection Course (C-IED) Rural Law Enforcement Operations Academy Rural Narcotics Operators Course Level I, II, and III Cross Border Interdiction and Tracking (XBIT)

Mobile Training Team (MTT: TTOS is experienced in planning and executing training in any location, based on client requirements, to include CONUS/OCONUS, urban/rural, or remote supported sites. TTOS can provide training support to elements operating in theaters of combat, low intensity conflict, and other uncertain environments. TTOS Instructors: TTOS executes its mission by providing experienced, vetted Special Operations Forces (SOF) Veterans, Military Combat Veterans, and Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) operatives to support client training requirements and initiatives. Program Development and Web Based e-Learning: TTOS has a tremendous amount of experience developing customized training programs for its clients. To maintain TTOSs position as a premier supply of training programs, TTOS now offer customized web-based e-learning programs of instruction to its clients. TTOS can either, develop a training program of instruction from scratch or taking and existing program of instruction and convert it into a web based or standalone e-learning course. Consulting: TTOS has a long history of providing consulting service to government and military clients in Manhunting, COIN, Border Security, Network Exploitation, and C-IED. Contact TTOS: If your unit or agency is interested in any of the training, consulting or program development service TTOS offers, please contact us at [email protected] or visit our website at www.ttoscorp.com

"Always the Hunter, Never the Hunted"

TACTICAL TRACKING OPERATIONS SCHOOL, INC.

TTOS Tactical Tracking Operations School, Inc.

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INTRODUCTION TOCovert Rural Surveillance (RS)Observation Post (OP) Operations16 TACTICAL SOLUTIONS

Covert rural surveillance OP opera-tions present challenging variationscompared to mobile or static surveil-lance operations conducted in urbanenvironments. Many of the skills

required for a successful CovertRural Surveillance (RS)/ObservationPost (OP) operation can be foundwithin the ranks of specialistGovernment Agencies, LawEnforcement and Military Covert

Rural Surveillance Teams aroundthe world. Rural operations can beshort or long duration and are usu-ally physically arduous in nature,requiring a high level of discipline,personal fitness and commitment.


ntelligence, Surveillance &ReconnaissanceI

Written by Pete Johnson

may include:1. Abort the drop off and wait

until the vehicle has departed2. Use an alternative DOP

(which may or may not have beenpre-selected)

3. Orchestrate an action thatwill ensure the DOP is clear whenit's required

4. Abort the mission

Available personneland resources

should beassigned to coverall the required

tasks and aLiaison Officer

appointed from theRS Support Team to coor-

dinate with any required out-side agencies, units or quick reac-tion forces etc.

RS Operative -Individual Qualitiesand SkillsRS Operatives are expected to be

Skills RequiredPlanning and PreparationThe

skills required include the ability tometiculously and thoroughly planand prepare for all phases of aRural Surveillance/ObservationPost operation. The RS Team orOperation Leader is responsible fordevelopment and delivery of theoperational plan- in the formof an extensive opera-tional briefing(Military OrdersFormat) to allpersonnelinvolved in theoperation. RSTeam Membersand Support TeamPersonnel should begiven the opportunity to askclarifying questions throughout theoperational briefing.

The operational plan is often pre-ceded by an extensive physical andtechnical target information/intelli-gence gathering effort - the aim ofwhich is to determine all the RScoverage options available. It takes

into consideration all of the positiveand negative factors so the bestoption is selected to achieve thetasking (mission). The "What If's"and associated "Actions On"(should a what-if/action occur dur-ing the course of the operation)need to be identified, understood

and implemented by all. Nothingshould be assumed or left to chance.

For example: what if the selectedteam drop-off point (DOP) cannotbe utilized due to an occupied vehi-cle being parked in the vicinity? Aplanned action on this occurring


physically arduous innature, requiring a high

level of discipline, personalfitness and commitment.

able to: Deploy and navigate to the tar-

get using a variety of land, air andwaterborne resources

Carry heavy loads consistingof personal/team clothing, opera-tional equipment, OP constructionmaterial and tools

Setup, establish and maintainsecure HF/VHF/UHF/SAT/IT communications

Construct a camouflaged andconcealed OP that affords an unre-stricted field of view of the target,with protection from view (directobservation/optics/IR and Thermaldevices) and if there is the potential- protection from small arms fire

Maintain constant observationof the target and use technical sur-veillance equipment

Operate in confined and unhy-gienic (dirty) work and living con-ditions for protracted periods oftime in all weather conditions

Log/record events (surveil-lance log/notes/report/photograph/video)

Remain covert and undetectedthroughout the entire operation

Maintain operational &OP site security

Obtain information/intelli-gence/evidence - as stipulated bythe objective of the task (mission)

Not an easy undertaking, even foran experienced non-RS operative.The following are some of the per-sonal attributes/qualities that areconsidered essential:

Above average physical fitnessand stamina to carry heavy loadsover distance

Patience is required to watchand wait for hours and days

A high level of focus anddetermination to successfully com-plete the mission

Self-reliant and resourceful,able to improvise, adapt andresolve problems

Ability to work alone or in asmall team for protracted periodsof time

Intelligent and mature outlook A good sense of humour The ability to deal with hard-

ship in sustained arduous conditions


Required Individual knowledge andskills include (but not limited to):

Field Craft - the art of stealthymovement, individual camouflage,OP hide construction and camou-flage, observation and trackingskills and caching techniques

Survival Skills - the ability tolive and if necessary, survive in therural environment

Weapon Handling - proficientuse, safe handling and maintenanceof weapon systems in the rural environment

Navigation - RS Operativesmust be able to navigate in difficultcountry by day and night

Communications - all teammembers need to know how tooperate the communications equip-ment required for the mission

First Aid - a high standard offirst aid competency is necessary ascasualty evacuation may not beimmediate in remote locations -

especially at night Each RS OP operation is

unique and a number of factors willdictate the composition of the teamand how the rural observation postwill be manned.

Observation Post(OP) Duration Given a high calibre, properlytrained and equipped RS operative,with optimal climatic conditions forthe duration of the OP, it is reason-able to expect the following dura-tion/ manning configurations forthe maintained and sustained obser-vation of a target:

One (1) operative up to twelve hours (12) Two (2) operatives up to thirty-six hours (36) Four (4) operatives up to fourteen days (14)

A larger RS Support Team mayberequired the longer the operationcontinues in order to maintain andsupport it (logistics and personnel).

The following factors need to be con-sidered in the manning of a RS OP:

A. Availability of personnelB. Availability of coverand concealmentC. Duration OP is to be maintainedD. Weather conditionsE. Target surveillanceawareness levelF. OP task (mission)

RS Clothing &EquipmentThe RS task or mission should dic-

tate the appropriate selection of thenecessary clothing, equipment andtools required, taking into accountmuch of what has already been cov-ered in this article:

The weather conditions Remoteness and accessibility

of the target location Availability of water Insertion & transportation

method Resupply capability Available manpower to complete

the mission and support it Communications capability Emergency medical/

evacuation capability Target profile Mandated requirements Op duration Available cover/concealment

Distance from OP to Target

In summaryRural Surveillance is a very special-ized field and should only beundertaken by properly trained andequipped personnel. To cover allthe aspects involved, RS trainingcourses are usually very intensiveand vary in duration from ten tofourteen or more days. However,specific RS skills can be coveredover shorter periods of time.Refresher training should be con-ducted frequently, especially forthose operatives that have taken acourse but never put their acquiredskills into practice or deployedoperationally! T


Pete Johnson is a former A4 Mobile Surveillance Officer of the British Security Service MI5;Canadian (BC) Licensed Private Investigator & Security Consultant; New Canadian based

Surveillance Training Company Advisor & Instructor.

About the Author

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IntroductionIn preparation for military opera-tions against the insurgencies inboth Afghanistan and Iraq, the mili-tary recognized the need to adaptlaw enforcement practices and tech-niques, working directly with lawenforcement agencies to developtheir patrol tactics and investigativecapabilities (Calese, 2005; Musa,Morgan, & Keegan, 2011; Watson,

2010). Both the military and lawenforcement recognize that a keyfactor in successfully defeating anentrenched criminal problem isestablishing government legitimacyin the eyes of the local community(Sunshine & Tyler, 2003; Tyler &Huo, 2002; U.S. Army, 2006). In FM3-24 Counterinsurgency (U.S. Army,2006), the military codified the les-sons adapted from law enforce-ments community policing efforts

and the need for establishing gov-ernment legitimacy by working withand through the local population. Atleast one significant evaluation ofthat doctrine describing guidingprinciples has been written(Kilcullen, 2010). In return for thatfavor, studies have been conductedexamining the use of the popula-tion-centric counterinsurgency(COIN) strategy in combating crimi-nal networks and describing guid-

ntelligence, Surveillance &ReconnaissanceI


Counter-Gang Strategy:Adapted COIN in Policing

Criminal Street GangsWritten by John A. Bertetto


ing principles for designing lawenforcement strategies adapted fromCOIN strategy (Bertetto, 2012;Burgoyne, 2011; Calese, 2005). Whatremains is to describe the actualstrategy based on those principles.This document describes that com-prehensive counter-gang strategy.

CommunityPolicing andStreet GangsThe U.S. Department of Justice(2012) defines community policingas a philosophy that promotesorganizational strategies that sup-port the systematic use of partner-ships and problem-solving tech-niques, to proactively address theimmediate conditions that give riseto public safety issues such as crime,social disorder, and fear of crime.Community policing is comprised ofthree primary components: (1) Com-munity Partnerships, described ascollaborative partnerships betweenthe law enforcement agency and theindividuals and organizations theyserve to develop solutions to prob-lems and increase trust in police;(2) Organizational Transformation,described as the alignment of orga-nizational management, structure,personnel, and information systemsto support community partnershipsand proactive problem solving; and(3) Problem Solving, described asthe process of engaging in theproactive and systematic examina-tion of identified problems to devel-op and evaluate effective responses(U.S. Department of Justice, 2012).Problem Solving offers the opera-tional model SARA: Scanning,Analysis, Response, andAssessment. Response describesdeveloping solutions to bringabout lasting reductions in the num-ber and extent of problems (U.S.Department of Justice, 2012).

Relative to criminal street gangs andthe violence associated with them,the word problem is wholly inade-quate. Law enforcement is left todetermine whether this word choice

is deliberate because of the widearray of issues it might cover orbecause the proponents of commu-nity policing do not mean to includecriminal street gangs as somethingthat is solvable through communi-ty policing. Certainly, communitypolicing makes no direct reference tocombating criminal street gangs.

Weisel and Shelley (2004) studied therole of specialized gang units withinthe overall framework of communitypolicing. They determined that spe-cialized units and specialized strate-gies for combating criminal streetgangs through these units do notconflict with community policing ineither philosophy or practice. Theimplication, then, is that specificcounter-gang strategies can be creat-ed that align with the overall philos-ophy of community policing.

Community policing, thusly definedand described, lacks any specificstrategic elements. This is not neces-sarily a bad thing; crime, criminals,and communities are unique in theirstructure and relation to each other,and law enforcement must beafforded the latitude to developappropriately unique solutions.However, without a strategic map,such solutions invariably have dif-fering levels of success.Furthermore, a proper strategyallows for uniqueness to be recog-nized and accounted for at the oper-ational level. Without this strategicmap, operations risk losing focus,deviating from the strategic goal,and strategic failure.

Instead of focusing on specificstrategies, community policingefforts typically focus on lawenforcement and community inter-action. To facilitate this interaction,law enforcement efforts are organ-ized in accordance with bureaucraticstructureby creating specific unitsto implement community policing.Unfortunately, such a practice cre-ates real and imagined separationbetween those officers assigned tothe community policing efforts andthose assigned to patrol or inves-tigative dutiesa real separation in

that officers assigned to communitypolicing duties are removed fromthe day-to-day interaction withthose in the community in anenforcement capacity; and imaginedas a cognitive separation in that offi-cers assigned to community policingefforts are often viewed as non-operators and their efforts perceivedas a public relations effort instead ofa law enforcement one.

Counter-GangStrategyThe goal, then, is to create a specificcounter-gang strategy that (1) isfocused, accounts for uniqueness,and delivers results; (2) remainsfaithful to the philosophy of commu-nity policing; and (3) breaks downthe real and imagined barriersbetween community policing andcounter-gang efforts. The popula-tion-centric COIN strategy, with itsinclusion of law enforcement compe-tencies, provides this strategy. Lawenforcement, therefore, can examinethis strategy and the lessons learnedfrom its application to create acounter-gang strategy. This strategyblends traditional law enforcementcompetencies with military intelli-gence and targeting practices thathave proven to be effective in identi-fying criminal actors and fracturingnetworks. The individual strategicelements provide operational focusbut retain the flexibility required toallow for the uniqueness of everyenvironment.

1. Creating and Adhering to aMission Statement

Most law enforcement agencies havea mission statement. This secondmission statement serves the count-er-gang strategy specifically. Allinvestigations and operations mustalign with the mission statement orthose actions detract from strategicsuccess. Investigations and opera-tions that lead away from the mis-sion may still be valuable, but theyshould be recognized as outside thescope of the counter-gang mission,and the responsibility for these

should be passed along to anothergroup to pursue.

2. Locating and EstablishingRelationships with TrustedCommunity Leaders

Law enforcement must actively seekout trusted community leaders(TCLs) and develop these people asintelligence assets. These individualsmust be local residents or local busi-ness operators with both establishedroots in the community and accept-ance as persons of significantstanding by other members of thecommunity. The TCLs not onlywork directly with law enforcementbut are also expected to win thesupport of the larger community.Cooperation is a two-way street: lawenforcement engages the TCLs toassist them with local community-issue resolution, and the TCLs assistlaw enforcement by providing orconveying information that can beprocessed into actionable intelli-gence. The mutual gain is legitimacyfor both the agency and the TCLs.As legitimacy is increased for both,more voluntary reporting of infor-mation by other community mem-bers will be made. When working with communityleaders, law enforcement agentsoften find themselves pulled in thedirection of that leaders specificwants or personal efforts. Thoseefforts may in fact be well-inten-tioned or noble; however, lawenforcement must not be deviatedfrom the primary mission asdescribed in the mission statement.The TCLs actions must always sup-port the mission statement, andactions suggested by the TCLsshould be continually checkedagainst it.

3. Recruitment of Local StreetLeaders by TCLs

TCLs should be expected to recruitstreet leaders. The street leader is anindividual known and trusted by theTCL and suggested to law enforce-ment for cooperation. These streetleaders are vetted by law enforce-ment and, passing this, can provide

information covertly to law enforce-ment. Whereas the TCLs serve as apublic liaison between the agencyand the community, the street leaderacts more as a confidential informant.This protects the street leader fromretribution by gang members. Thestreet leaders increase law enforce-ments ability to generate informa-tion exponentially.

4. Development of IntelligenceGathering and ProcessingCapabilities and the Tactical(Street) Level

Every local police station shouldhave one officer specifically trainedin intelligence collection and pro-cessing. This officer should be underthe supervision of the local com-mander but belong to a larger, cen-tralized intelligence unit. This officeris responsible for collecting localinformation, processing it locally,and preparing detailed reports thatinclude suggested operations basedon that intelligence. This report isapproved by the local commanderand forwarded to the officers pri-mary unit for review. The largerintelligence unit maintains thesereports and includes them in contextfor understanding the larger intelli-gence picture. Unless specificallyinstructed otherwise by the homeunit, the operations described in thesubmitted report will be conductedby the local unit. This gives the cen-tralized intelligence unit an oppor-tunity to ensure that local operationsare coordinated and do not interferewith any larger-context investiga-tions. Concurrently, it is the respon-sibility of this intelligence officer tomaintain a local intelligence file,communicate the intelligence pic-ture regularly to the local command-er and command staff, participate inlocal search warrant executions andengage in site exploitation, be pres-ent for postarrest debriefings of anysignificant arrestees, and providingsome measure of information recog-nition and collection training to thelocal officers. These officers, then,will be actively working to helpdevelop the local intelligence pic-ture. By pushing this information

and intelligence expectation downthe chain of command and develop-ing local capabilities, the intelligencepicture grows exponentially andoperations are more focused andmore efficient.The responsibility of this officer isnot an administrative one. The intel-ligence officer must be out on thestreet engaged in regular street oper-ations. This puts this officer in directcontact with information sources ona daily basis and allows all opera-tions to be witnessed and evaluatedfirsthand. The ability to accuratelyframe the intelligence picture andmake proper assessments dependson this officer having the proper sit-uational context.

5. Use of Questions-BasedOrganizational Analysis at theTactical (Street) Level with RegularReassessment

An organizational analysis shouldprovide for two things: (1) a thor-ough and specific understanding ofthe targeted organization and (2) thecreation of strategies and operationsthat specifically target that organiza-tion. Questions-based organizationalanalysis allows law enforcement todevelop a specific understanding ofeach organization. With questionsfocused on specific aspects of theorganization, such as organizationalobjective, organizational operatingpractices, organizational structureand command, organizationalfinancing, and organizational sup-port, targeting and operations canbe tailored to the individual answersfor each question asked. In thismanner, targeting and operationsare not only more efficient but arealso most effective. A questions-based organizationalanalysis framework is replicable,ensuring that comparisons betweenorganizations are truly apples toapples. A questions-based organi-zational analysis should be repeatedwith regularity within the sameorganization, allowing law enforce-ment to determine if leadershipchanges within the organization areaffecting or have affected the organi-zations objectives or operations, or


if the organization is expanding or changing inany significant way.

6. Use of Social Network Analysis to IdentifyCriminal Networks and Target Critical Nodes

Networks may be defined as a series of relation-ships between individuals who are working insome coordinated manner to achieve an intendedgoal. The key to understanding and mappingthese networks, then, is discovering and map-ping these relationships. Social network analysis(SNA) software generates a web-like graph thatshows links people have with one another.Individuals may be viewed as either links to oneanother, links to locations, or links to specificgroups. In SNA, individuals (nodes) and linesindicating relationships/connections between


nodes (edges) are plotted intention-ally. Nodes that are more critical toholding the network together, typi-cally by having the most direct con-tact with other network members,serving as the connector betweenthe most network members, or serv-ing as the connector between sub-groups, are readily identified. Nodesthat have stronger relationships orconnectivity are placed closertogether (shorter edges), whilenodes less associated are spaced fur-ther apart (longer edges). In thismanner, the resultant network visu-alization is a very effective mappingtool for understanding which nodesare most critical and which nodesare more strongly connected.Community-finding capabilitiesallow subgroups within a networkto be identified and relationshipsbetween subgroups to be under-stood. By examining relationships, itis also possible to identify networkmembers who might exist who werepreviously unknown if they had notclaimed group membership. Forexample, if law enforcement identi-fies gang membership only byknown/admitted gang members, itis likely missing out on gang mem-bers who have never declared mem-bership. By focusing analysis onrelationships, not self-identification,law enforcement sees who is inter-acting with whoma more accuratemeans to measure network member-ship and reach. Additionally, thefocus of relationships allows foridentification of human bridgesthose individuals who serve as theconnection between cooperating net-works. Once these people are identi-fied, operations can be focused upontheir removal from the network,severing the ties that bind networksto other networks. With this visualgraph, law enforcement is able toclearly identify the key nodes incriminal networks. Once thesenodes are identified, they can be tar-geted and removed, fracturing thenetwork in the most efficient andeffective manner.SNA software should possess cogni-tive capabilities, allowing fordynamic network analysis. Suchdynamic analysis allows law

enforcement to engage in targetforecasting. Using target forecasting,law enforcement can remove thecritical nodes identified and observehow the network changes inresponse, providing a glimpse atpossible future network structure.Past efforts by law enforcement tar-geting and removing only the headsof these criminal networks haveresulted in power vacuums that cre-ate factionalization and increasedviolence. As such, it is advisable tosimultaneously target and removeseveral middle-tier criminal opera-tors. If SNA has identified severalcritical nodes, law enforcement canthen remove these nodes in the SNAsoftware in multiple orders and con-figurations to determine the bestmethod for network destabilizationand fracture.SNA software should also includegeospatial and spatial-temporalanalysis capabilities. Geospatialanalysis examines the social net-work where it exists in geographyand overlays this upon a map.Whereas the social network analysiscreates visualizations in whichplacement of nodes and edges isdetermined by the type and strengthof relationships, geospatial analysisshows where those network mem-bers exist in geographic space. Thisallows law enforcement to identifynetwork location and reach. Spatial-temporal analysis examines wherethe network exists in geography perunit of time. Using crime data over agiven length of time, this can be bro-ken down into smaller units of time.For example, three years worth ofcrime data on any network can bebroken down into visualizations ofnetwork structure and geography asit existed over every successivethree-month period. The visualiza-tions can be viewed in chronologicalsuccession, providing a time-lapse-like view of the network as itevolved over the total three-yearperiod. When viewed in such amanner, patterns of movementand/or conflict can be more readilyidentified, leading toward betterrecognition of habitual patterns.Additionally, this analysis can beused to make predictions on future

movements. Such predictions can beconsidered probabilities, and lawenforcement can plan operationsaccordingly.Recently, a new SNA software pro-gram has been developed thatincludes several of these features.Developed in conjunction with theChicago Police Department and theU.S. Military Academy West Point,the Organizational, Relationship,and Contact Analyzer (ORCA) isdesigned specifically for lawenforcement and allows for the visu-alization and identification of thesocial structure of street gangs(Paulo, Fischl, Markow, Martin, &Shakarian, 2013). Furthermore,ORCA allows for the followinganalysis: Ability to Determine Degree ofNetwork Membership Not all gangmembers self-identify or can beidentified by law enforcement asgang members. ORCA examines thenumber of direct relationships(through co-arrest or other co-con-tact field data) an individual haswith known or admitted gang mem-bers and calculates a probability, ordegree of confidence, that the indi-vidual is a member of that gang.This information is useful whendetermining potential overall gangmembership. It is also useful inidentifying relationships betweengangs. For instance, when a knownmember of Gang A is calculatedwith a high probability of being amember of Gang B, law enforcementis alerted to a possible close relation-ship between these two gangs. Ability to Identify Sets of InfluentialMembers Though many gangs maybe decentralized in organizationalstructure, there tend to be severalindividuals who exert tremendousinfluence over other members.ORCA identifies this set of individu-als. Law enforcement can thenchoose to target these individualswith social service efforts, knowingthat their exit from the gang is likelyto pull many other members outwith them; target them for anti-vio-lence messaging, knowing that theircommunications to the rest of thegang is likely to have the mostmeaningful effect; or target them for


removal via incarceration. Ability to Map the Ecosystem of aGiven Gang Within any social net-work, certain individuals tend toassociate with each other more thanwith other networkmembers. In regardto street gangs, thismay best be under-stood through theconcept of street cor-ner drug crews.Though members ofa larger gang, cornercrews tend to associ-ate with each othermore often thanwith other membersin the same gang.ORCA identifiesthese internal sub-groups.Additionally, thisanalysis is run forgangs and gang fac-tions themselves. Inthis manner, gangsand gang factionsthat tend to associ-ate with each othermay be identified.This is useful inidentifying potentialcooperative effortsbetween gangsand/or gang fac-tions.ORCA is currentlybeing tested withseveral municipaland state lawenforcement agen-cies. Future versionswill include thegeospatial and spa-tial-temporal capa-bilities previouslyidentified.

7. OperationsDriven byIntelligence

Locating and establishing relation-ships with TCLs, recruiting andeffectively utilizing street leaders,comprehensively using SNA, andpushing information collection andintelligence processing down the

chain of command organizes the lawenforcement agency for intelligence-driven operations. Law enforcementshould then use aggressive counter-network targeting models such as

Find, Fix, Finish, Exploit, andAnalyze (F3EA) to find criminalactors, fix their location, and quicklymove in to apprehend or finishthe offender(s) (Faint & Harris, 2012;Flynn, Juergens, & Cantrell, 2008).

Information gathered on-scene isthen exploited for new intelligenceand analyzed to drive the next oper-ation in a cyclical pattern. Regularreassessment of the environment

and regularlyrepeated organiza-tional analysiskeeps the intelli-gence picturefresh, ensures theproblem is proper-ly diagnosed as theenvironmentevolves over timeand in response tolaw enforcementoperations withinit, and allows forlaw enforcement toremain properlyagile in operationswhile remainingstable in strategy.Relationships withthe community arealso enhanced viaselective targetingand apprehensionof verified criminalactors. The need toconduct largestreet sweeps,raids, and vehiclecheckpoint-styleoperations thatalienate communi-ty members fromlaw enforcementare decreased overtime as the overallintelligence picturegrows.

8.ComprehensiveStrategicCommunicationsOperations

Creating compre-hensive strategic

communicationsoperations is a three-step process.First, law enforcement must gatherinformation and engage directlywith community members, focusingon the perceptions the communitymembers have of law enforcement,


COIN strategy isundeniably a military

strategy; however,the core competencies

of working withand through the

community, collectingevidence, and

conducting investigations

are fundamental law enforcement

procedures.

the street gangs around them, andthe world in which they live andtaking the time necessary to buildpartnerships and networks withinthe community. Second, informationgathered must be integrated intolaw enforcement operations. Lawenforcement must ensure that theiractions align with the realities with-in the community and understandhow operations can influence com-munity perception. Third, lawenforcement must ensure that allavailable resources are used to com-municate the intended message.This involves coordinating informa-tion operations, increasing publicpresence and engagement, conduct-ing regular community meetings,and advancing a specific counter-narrative, and it includes participa-tion in community-sponsored eventssuch as fairs or carnivals, directengagement with school and faith-based officials, and the creation ofjoint police-TCL radio messages.Just as gangs often recruit membersoutside schools or local youth hang-outs, law enforcement and commu-nity leaders should work together torecruit outside these same loca-tions. An active police-communitypartnership that approaches andengages youth outside schools notonly conveys a powerful counter-gang message but also dis-suadesgang members from recruiting there.Law enforcement must also ensurethat their actions constantly supportthe mission statement. This includesensuring that all community mem-bers are treated with respect andreceive impartial treatment. Regular community meetings mustbe convened and focus specificallyon gang abatement. Law enforce-ment should communicate successstories and seek community inputfor further cooperative operations.Community input should be encour-aged, but all discussions must sup-port the mission statement to pre-vent loss of focus. Involved commu-nity members must be encouragedto become active participants incommunity issue resolution, andspecific tasks should be delegatedout to them for completion. Thesecommunity members are then


expected to return to the next com-munity meeting and report the sta-tus of their project. This encouragesproject follow-through and enhancesthe sense of community ownership.

9. Whole of GovernmentApproach with Law EnforcementHand-Off

Law enforcement must liaise withthe various civic service providersrequired throughout the communityor ensure that representatives fromthese civic service providers areavailable to meet directly with mem-bers of the community and lawenforcement on an on-demandbasis. Repair or restoration of civicservices should coincide with lawenforcement operations. This shouldoccur no later than 24 hours afterlaw enforcement operations so thatthe community is able to directlyobserve the coordinated response tolocal issues. This whole-governmentapproach removes immediate crimi-nal activity, takes a measured steptoward helping remove many of theconditions that allow it to set up inthe location to begin with, andsends a signal to the local communi-ty that the whole of government iscommitted to resolving their localissues and reinvesting in the neigh-borhood. Once this has been done, responsi-bility for the maintenance of thesegains must be transferred to theTCLs and any other responsiblecommunity organizations. Thisallows law enforcement to movefrom a position of agency sponsor-ship to agency support. This keepslaw enforcements commitmentlighter and less expensive, whichalso means sustainable.Furthermore, this transfer of respon-sibility creates a real sense of owner-ship within the community andreinforces the TCLs local stature,leading to enhanced voluntaryreporting of other criminal activityand actors.

A Strategyin Pratice

In 2009, Massachusetts State Police(MSP) troopers Michael Cutone andThomas Sarrouf, both Green Beretsand Iraq War veterans, beganCounter Criminal Continuum (C3)Policing in Springfield,Massachusetts (Hibbard, Barbieri,Domnarski, & Cutone, 2011). Usingthe above strategic elements,Troopers Cutone and Sarrouf,together with a small team of dedi-cated MSP troopers and localSpringfield Police Department per-sonnel, focused their efforts on aneight-block section of a neighbor-hood in northern Springfield with asignificant gang problem (Goode,2012). Results indicate decreases inviolent crime, property crime, andweapons offenses (MSP, 2012). Theprogram has expanded in scopefrom its initial eight blocks to 30blocks. Calls for police service in thearea have risen, indicating increasedcommunity involvement, a greaterwillingness to report crime, andstronger perceptions of police legiti-macy (Goode, 2012). The successand expansion of the C3 PolicingModel indicate that population-cen-tric COIN strategy can be adaptedand implemented to great effectagainst criminal street gangs andlocal criminal networks.

ConclusionCOIN strategy is undeniably a mili-tary strategy; however, the corecompetencies of working with andthrough the community, collectingevidence, and conducting investiga-tions are fundamental law enforce-ment procedures. The militarylearned and adapted these compe-tencies, mated them to their target-ing and intelligence models, andapplied them with success throughtheir special operations communi-ties. Law enforcement should nowexamine these practices, adapt thelessons learned from their use, andcreate that which has always beenmissing in community policing: adefined strategy to eliminate crimi-nal street gangs. To describe itanother way, counter-gang strategyprovides what community policing

has always been missing: a specificstrategy with the linking and lever-aging of strong agency and commu-nity relationships to identify, target,and remove the criminals who causethem harm. When such strategy andintelligence-driven targeting andoperations are deployed against thecriminal street gang or other crimi-nal network, law enforcement isafforded the most effective and effi-cient means to disrupt, destabilize,and ultimately dismantle the crimi-nal street gang.

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Foundations of Open Source Intelligence and

Security Informatics (FOSINT-SI).

Sunshine, J., & Tyler, T. R. (2003). The role of

procedural justice and legitimacy in shaping

public support for policing. Law & Society

Review, 37(3), 513-547.

Tyler, T. R., & Huo, Y. J. (2002). Trust in the

law: Encouraging public cooperation with the

police and the courts. New York: Russell Sage

Foundation.

U.S. Army. (2006). FM 3-24 counterinsur-

gency. Ft. Leavenworth, KS: U.S. Army.

U.S. Department of Justice. (2012).

Community policing defined. Washington,

DC: U.S. Department of Justice. Retrieved

September 19, 2013, from

www.cops.usdoj.gov/Publications/e05122947

6_CP-Defined-TEXT_v8_092712.pdf.

Watson, J. (Writer). (2010, July 12). Cops show

Marines how to take on the Taliban

[Television broadcast]. Los Angeles. National

Broadcasting Service.

Weisel, D. L., & Shelley, T. O. (2004).

Specialized gang units: Form and function in

community policing. Washington, DC: U.S.

Department of Justice. Retrieved September

19, 2013, from https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdf-

files1/nij/grants/207204.pdf.

John A. Bertetto is a sworn member of the Chicago Police Department. He is the author ofthe following articles: Countering Criminal Street Gangs: Lessons from the Counterinsurgent

Battlespace, Designing Law Enforcement: Adaptive Strategies for the Complex Envi-ronment,

and Toward a Police Ethos: Defining Our Values as a Call to Action. Officer Bertetto holds a

Master of Science degree from Western Illinois University and a Master of Business

Administration from St. Xavier University.

About the Author


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Editor' s Note: Tactical Solutions Magazine would like to thank the Illinois Law EnforcementTraining and Standards Board's Executive Institute for allowing us to republish this article.It was originally published in Law Enforcement Executive Forum 13(3). Having worked bothgang investigations and gang enforcement, I know that you will benefit.

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COORDINATING CRISISCOMMUNICATIONS

DISPATCHING FOR SWAT& TACTICAL TEAMS

actics Techniques and ProceduresT


Written by Christine Burke Massengale

The number one duty of an emer-gency telecommunicator is to protectthe public safety at any cost and thisresponsibility is never more crucialthan during periods of heightenedresponse: active-shooter or hostageincidents, terrorist attacks, naturaldisasters, even planned events thatoccur on a large scale. The heroicactions of police and firefighters grabheadlines, and behind every one ofthem is a telecommunicator whomakes sure that information gets towhere it is needed most. This article examines the roles andresponsibilities of dispatchers forSpecial Weapons and Tactics (SWAT)or tactical incidents in both main cen-ter operations and field-deploymentsituations. It also looks at the benefitsand challenges of forming a special-ized SWAT or tactical dispatch teambased on agency size and the levels ofresponse and training required by thefield responders supported by theagency. There are a number of train-

ing and response options, includingmutual aid and regional responseteams, for smaller agencies with lowcall frequency. Any agency mightsomeday face a high-risk, large-scaleincident, and such an incident couldoverwhelm the agencys availableresources if it is caught unprepared.

UnderstandingTactical CommsHow do a telecommunicators dailyroles and responsibilities differ fromthe response needed to properly man-age crisis incidents or even plannedlarge-scale events such as parades orconventions? Broadly speaking, a telecommunica-tors duty is to gather information inorder to prioritize, allocate and man-age resources. It is then the telecom-municators responsibility to docu-ment that activity. A dispatcher forSWAT or tactical forces performsthose same tasks, only with greaternuance and in close coordination withthe incident commander or SWATteam leader. Some responsibilities, such as allocat-ing and managing resources, may restmore heavily with the on-scene com-mander, while documenting andtracking resources may become aheightened priority for the dispatcher.A tactical dispatcher deployed to thefield has even greater responsibility,as he or she will often become anindispensable resource for the inci-dent commander and a critical pointof contact between the command post

and the comm center. SWAT teams provide a speciallytrained law enforcement response toincidents and events outside the nor-mal scope of daily patrol operations.Beyond the high-profile incidentssuch as barricaded gunmen, hostagesituations, high-risk warrant serviceand riot control, SWAT also providesdignitary protection details, securityplanning and response to large-scaleplanned events, and specializedpatrol functions such as directedpatrol, crime suppression and evensearch and rescue. The application, selection and train-ing process for SWAT teams is rigor-ous, and typically requires additionaltraining in first aid, explosives, K-9handling, urban search and rescue,sharp shooting and other skills.Depending on location and agencysize, different skillsets are parsed outamong different divisions or evenentire agencies, meaning there are a

variety of specialists, and no one per-son is expert in everything. A dedicated SWAT team requires vastresources. Many agencies in rural andsuburban areas are unable to justifythe cost of compiling and maintainingsuch a team. Often, smaller agenciesrely solely on their patrol officers torespond to exceptionalincidents. Those patrolofficers must prepareand train to ramp upresponse during timesof crisis, even if it is aonce-in-a-career situa-tion.Whether crisis inci-dents are handled bydedicated SWAT teamsor trained patrol offi-cers, they all have onething in common: atelecommunicator isalways involved. Thus,it only makes sense toinclude communica-tions in any special-ized training andresponse planning.

Role of theAgencyWhats the differencebetween SWAT dis-patching and tacticaldispatching? On thesurface, the differenceseems obviousSWATdispatch indicatesassignment to han-dling a SWAT call, andtactical dispatch is allother heightened situ-ations, right? Yes andno. No national standardexists to define a dis-patcher or telecommu-nicator, and similarlythere is no single defi-nition for a SWAT ortactical dispatcher. In the absence of astandard to define the training, selec-tion process and credentials necessary,each agency is left to tailor itsresponse to meet the specific needs ofthe area it serves.Generally speaking, a SWAT dispatch-er is specially trained to handle theneeds of a SWAT-level law enforce-

ment response, but a tactical dispatch-er is trained to handle a variety ofspecialized responses to a variety ofsituations, including but not limitedto SWAT calls. These requests mightbe for high-profile or prolonged lawenforcement cases, search and rescue,large fires and planned events.

Just as not every agency will have orrequire a SWAT team, not everyagency will have a specifically trainedSWAT or tactical dispatch team. Themore advanced and better-trainedteam is not always the most readilyavailable option anyway. Incidentsunfold rapidly, so sometimes aresponse team isnt assembled until

after casualties are amassed. Thisunfortunate fact was never more evi-dent than after the 1999 school shoot-ing in Columbine, Colo. Respondinglaw enforcement agencies were criti-cized for setting up a perimeter andrelying on SWAT response rather thana rapid entry team. The best option is

the one that stopsthe threat first. Whether or notthey have formaltactical dispatchteams, agenciesshould considerproviding alltelecommunicatorswith some formaltraining to respondto exceptional inci-dents and events.Almost everytelecommunicatorhas filled the roleof a tactical dis-patcher at one timeor anotherfromnatural disasters toman-made inci-dents and plannedevents. Anytelecommunicatorwho has workedthrough localizedflooding or stormdamage, a multi-ple-alarm fire or astructure collapse,a parade or countyfair has respondedto some of the chal-lenges anddemands that atactical dispatcherfaces. Whetherhandling calls for aspecific discipline(police, fire orEMS) or across alldisciplines, eachcall taker and dis-patcher will experi-

ence somethingextraordinary given enough time.

Its not a matter of if alarge-scale incident will occur, butwhen, and knowing this can helpagency administrators determine howto prepare telecommunicators to bestrespond based on agency size, callload and needs of the service area.


If thetelecommunicator

demonstrates a firmunderstanding of

incident managementin the earliest stagesof the response, itwill help the first responders focuson managing the

incident and prioritizing response

Training &PreparationAs a member of a specialized SWATor tactical team, the required skillsand competence levels are structuredand evaluated. Just as a police officerworks the street before becoming amember of the SWAT teamandmust be a member of the SWAT teambefore becoming a sniperskill levelsfor the telecommunicator are similarlybuilt. The agency must decide onteam selection criteriameasure-ments of experience and skillssuchas tenure and written or oral testing.Some agencies require that dispatch-ers participate in physical agility test-ing and tactical-level training withlocal law enforcement. Preparing employees to properlyrespond, and deciding what level ofresponse to provide, is ultimately theagencys responsibility, as is trainingand coordination with field respon-ders. The first step is for agency man-agement to decide if and how a teamis formed. The second step is todecide how and where that team is torespond. If the team is required torespond to incidents on-scene, thenthe third stepis to train andequip them forthe specificchallengesassociatedwith fielddeployment.They musttrain the waythey are

expected to work, so theyll work theway theyve been trained.Just like any other team effort, all

parts of the organization should trainwith the other respective parts of theentity in a realistic, real-time trainingenvironment to simulate an actualoperation, Mike Williams, retireddeputy chief of Chattanooga (Tenn.)PD says. It makes no sense to expectpeople to work hand-in-glove duringa crisis when they have never trainedtogether prior to the event.There are three basic tiers of responsein telecommunications, and the levelof response typically depends on thesize of the agency. The first tier ofresponse is handling the incident atthe primary console on the primarytalkgroup for the response agency.This is the most likely level ofresponse that a one or two-personconsole agency can reasonably pro-vide. The second tier of response moves theincident to a secondary channel ortalkgroup, and assigns anothertelecommunica-tor to handle theincident as his orher primary duty.There may beprotocol in placeto consciouslyassign a moreexperiencedtelecommunica-tor to the inci-dent, but thiscould present some challenges withother employees feeling usurped oftheir duty or deprived of valuableexperience.The third tier of response is mostapplicable to larger agencies andrequires a formally designated or pre-determined response team based onregional or mutual-aid agreements(especially for smaller agencies thatwork well together). This level ofresponse involves sending a telecom-

municator into thefield to coordinateface-to-face withthe incident com-mander at a com-mand post. It mayalso include assign-ment to an emer-gency operationscenter (EOC) orliaison position.

The level of response an agency canprovide depends not only on agencysize, but also on call load and person-nel. Even the smallest agency maydetermine that it can send personnelinto the field if call-out situations arevery infrequentits simply a matterof logistics in availability, schedulingand back-filling positions. Smaller agencies may be able to coor-dinate a regional response team with-in their county or surrounding coun-ties. This is often the backbone forcreating a regional response teamavailable for telecommunicator emer-gency response taskforce (TERT)deployments. However, this type ofcoordination must be supported witha memorandum of understanding(MOU) and regular training to deter-mine call-out procedures and pro-curement and allocation of supplies inorder to ensure success. Williams says there are benefits indeploying a telecommunicator intothe field to coordinate with a SWATcommander. It frees up tactical oper-

ators or negotia-tors to do whatthey are trainedto do, he says.The dispatch-ers are profes-sionals at whatthey do andwant to do it. Asa result, they doa much betterjob at running

the communications than someonewho is not trained to do it and doesnot want to do it.The tactical dispatcher is often a greatsource of intelligence and informa-tioneven before deploying to thescenebecause they have informationfrom the very beginning of the inci-dent, and also because they also haveaccess to background informationsuch as criminal history, computeraided dispatch (CAD) records, fusioncenters, records management system(RMS) files, maps and contact num-bers. A trained tactical dispatchershould feel comfortable assisting withplanning and strategy, sharing infor-mation about available resources andlogistics, communicating with outsideagencies or support personnel andproperly addressing safety issues asthey arise.


ConsiderationsThe way to determine the specific roleand responsibilities of an on-scenedispatcher is through policy, proce-dure and trainingnot during anactive incident. Building and training a deployabledispatch team requires managingexpectations across client agencies.The field responders must be awareof the level of response they canexpect at all timeswhether itsknowing theyll only have a talk-group and a dedicated telecommuni-cator assigned to work the incidentfrom the comm center, or knowingthat a tactical dispatcher automatical-ly deploys into the field with them. Ifthe dispatch team has set responsecriteria, then the team must be avail-able to fulfill that obligation. If a tacti-cal dispatcher is unavailable for somereason, field responders must bemade aware so that proper resourcescan be allocated in the field to handleduties that would otherwise be dele-gated to the dispatcher.Criteria must also be established todetermine if employees are field-deployable. This could include pre-requisites such as a medical release orphysical fitness test to ensure fielddispatchers are healthy enough toperform the necessary tasks. Howwill they be dressed in the field? Theemployee will require the necessary

tools to do the jobeverything fromportable radios to command boardsor laptops, cellphones, air cards, go-bag, etc. There are certain costs associ-ated with field deployment, and theagency must evaluate and assess theirability to meet these costs beforesending employees into the field ill-equipped or ill-prepared. There are numerous training chal-lenges for both small and large agen-cies. Smaller agencies experiencehigh-risk incidents with low frequen-cy. Larger agencies must be wary ofcomplacency as they deal with similarincidents and events on a more fre-quent basis. Keeping employeesskills fresh when they are only able topractice rather than apply the skills inreal settings can be a challenge. Noone wants to practice and learn skillsthey feel will never be used. In thesesituations, visualization and what-ifdiscussions can keep employeesengaged, especially by looking at cur-rent news stories and case studies thatmirror a similar operational setting.After-action reviews of incidents are amust for every agency, and everymember should bring suggestions tothe table for making improvements.Most importantly, there should be animplementation plan in place for anyimprovements or suggestions afterthe review. Unexpected incidents, and even large-scale planned events, can be over-

whelming. The overall response toColumbine included more than 600police, fire and EMS personnel from35 different local, state and federallaw enforcement agencies and 11 fireand EMS agencies. Whether the inci-dent is a natural disaster, active-shooter situation or planned event,there will be challenges regardinginteroperability, staging, logistics andpersonnel management. NationalIncident Management System (NIMS)and Incident Command System (ICS)concepts should be incorporated inevery agencys training and responseplans. Much of NIMS and ICS train-ing is online and freeit should notbe overlooked as a valuable resourceto help ensure that as a profession, weare moving toward standardizing ourresponse.

In SumTwo key questions based on basic ICSprinciples will help even the greenesttelecommunicator maintain somesemblance of order during the initialresponse phase of an expanding inci-dent: Whos in command? andWheres the command post? If thetelecommunicator demonstrates afirm understanding of incident man-agement in the earliest stages of theresponse, it will help the first respon-ders focus on managing the incidentand prioritizing response.

Christine Burke Massengale is the training and quality assurance specialist at HamiltonCounty 9-1-1 Emergency Communications District in Chattanooga, Ten.

Contact her at [email protected].

About the Author


T

Editor' s Note: Tactical Solutions Magazine Magazine would like to thank APCO InternationalInc. for allowing us to republish this article. Reprinted with permission of APCO International.First published in Public Safety Communications, December 2013, p. 26-31. Copyright 2013.

San Francisco Police officers respondto a call of an agitated mentally dis-turbed and disabled man in a wheelchair wielding a knife and vandalizingparked cars on a downtown citystreet. A group of at least six uni-formed and plainclothes officers locateand surround the man who remainsseated in his wheel chair. The officersinitial attempts to communicate withthe angry, apparently delusional andarmed man prove ineffective.The officers isolate and contain the

disabled subject who remains armedand menacing, but still confined to hismotorized wheel chair. For someunknown reason, the officers reducetheir officer safety reactionary gapand draw closer to the man. LackingTASER electronic control devices(ECDs), the officers elect to use a stunbag projectile weapon as their forceoption. Their back-up force option isdeadly force, so several of the officersare also covering the subject withtheir firearms drawn. During the course of the confronta-tion with the man, o

counter-gang strategy in tactical solutions magazine, spring 2014

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