Policing Mass Demonstrations and Crowd Control


U.S. law enforcement agencies have always struggled with the challenges of policing mass demonstrations and other forms of crowd control.  Failure to incorporate best practices and model policies in preparing for and in responding to mass demonstrations or other crowd control can result in unnecessary injuries or even deaths of officers, protesters, or others; it can result in violations of basic rights; it can undermine police-community relations; and it can lead to significant civil awards and settlements paid by jurisdictions to plaintiffs alleging unconstitutional policing policies or tactics.  As police leaders and city officials plan for anticipated mass demonstrations, issues to consider include: training, intelligence, supervision, strategic planning, and inter-agency coordination; communications strategies; appropriate uses-of-force guidance; appropriate tactics; proper officer identification; dispersal announcement procedures; mass arrests planning; and preparation of sufficient and humane detention sites.



Publications

Gary A. Allgeyer, M.S., “Social Protests in the 1990s:  Planning a Response,” FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, January 1996.
http://www.fbi.gov/publications/leb/1996/jan961.txt

American Civil Liberties Union of the National Capital Area, The Policing of Demonstrations in the Nation’s Capital: A Misconception of Mission and a Failure of Leadership, December 2003.
http://www.aclu-nca.org/pdf/Temple_Report.pdf

American Civil Liberties Union of New York, Arresting Protest, April 2003.
http://www.aclu.org/FilesPDFs/nyclu_arresting_protest1.pdf

Association of Chief Police Officers, United Kingdom, Manual of Guidance on Keeping the Peace, undated.
http://www.acpo.police.uk/asp/policies/Data/keeping_the_peace.pdf

California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, Crowd Management and Civil Disobedience Guidelines, March 2003.
http://www.post.ca.gov/PREFACE%20and%20Guidelines%20for%20WEB_032103.pdf

“Commission Investigating the Death of Victoria Snelgrove:  Appointed by Boston Police Commissioner Kathleen O’Toole,” May 2005.

Greek Ombudsman, Practical Guide for Interaction Between Police Officers and Civilians During the Period of the Olympic Games, July 2004.

International Association of Chiefs of Police, Civil Disturbances: Model Policy, February 1992.
http://www.theiacp.org/pubinfo/PolCtr.htm

International Association of Chiefs of Police, Civil Disturbances: Concepts and Issues Paper, October 1992.
http://www.theiacp.org/pubinfo/PolCtr.htm

Thomas R. King, “Managing Protests on Public Land,” FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, September 2000.
http://www.fbi.gov/publications/leb/2000/sep00leb.pdf

Miami Civilian Investigative Panel, “A Developing CIP in the Aftermath of the Free Trade Area of the Americas Summit:  A Status Report.”
http://www.ci.miami.fl.us/cip/Downloads/CIPStatusReport.pdf

Miami Police Department, FTAA After Action Review, (as posted by the “Save our Civil Liberties Campaign”) February 2004.
http://www.saveourcivilliberties.org/en/2004/02/231.shtml

Miami-Dade County Independent Review Panel, “The Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) Inquiry Report,” September 20, 2004.
http://www.miamidade.gov/irp/Library/FTAA%20Report%209-20-04.pdf

Greg Morrison and Joseph Airey, “Special Event Safety and Security:  Protecting the World Alpine Ski Championships,” FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, April 2002.
http://www.fbi.gov/publications/leb/2002/apr02leb.pdf

Police Executive Research Forum, “Police Management of Mass Demonstrations: Identifying Issues and Successful Approaches,” 2006.
www.policeforum.org

Christopher E. Stone, Brian Buchner, and Scott Dash, “Crowd Control That Can Kill:  Can American Police Get a Grip on Their New ‘Less-Lethal’ Weapons Before They Kill Again?” Policy Brief, Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, October 2005. 

Seattle Police Department, “Mardi Gras 2001 After Action Report,” August 2001.
http://www.cityofseattle.net/police/Publications/Mardi_Gras/AAR.PDF

Seattle Police Department, “World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference After Action Report,” April 2000.
http://www.cityofseattle.net/police/Publications/WTO/WTO_AAR.PDF

U.S. Department of Justice Community Relations Service, “Managing Major Public Events: A Planning Guide for Municipal Officials, Law Enforcement, Community Leaders, Organizers, and Promoters,” November 2000.
http://www.usdoj.gov/crs/pubs/majorevents.htm


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