NCJ Number
54548
Date Published
1975
Length
140 pages
Annotation
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REDUCING OFFICER RISK ASSOCIATED WITH ROBBERY CALLS ARE OFFERED IN THIS MANUAL BY THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE.
Abstract
THE FOCUS OF THE MANUAL IS ON ROBBERY EVENTS IN WHICH AN ASSAULT BY A SUSPECT RESULTED IN AT LEAST ONE POLICE OFFICER CASUALTY (WHETHER KILLED OR WOUNDED). A STUDY OF 94 ROBBERY EVENTS FROM 1972-1973 RESULTING IN 125 OFFICER ASSAULTS SHOWS THAT 67 CASUALTY EVENTS OCCURRED, 23 OFFICERS WERE KILLED, 55 WERE WOUNDED, AND 11 OFFICERS WERE UNINJURED. IN 27 NONCASUALTY EVENTS FOR THE SAME PERIOD, 26 OFFICERS ESCAPED INJURY EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE ASSAULTED. TO DETERMINE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CASUALTY AND NONCASUALTY EVENTS, THE STUDY COMPARES DATA ON ROBBERY EVENT CHARACTERISTICS, I.E., LOCATION, DAY AND TIME, AND CIRCUMSTANCES, VICTIM LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL CHARACTERISTICS, I.E., GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION, DUTY STATUS AND DRESS, DUTY ASSIGNMENTS, AGE, RACE, LENGTH OF SERVICE, AND TRAINING RECEIVED, AND ASSAILANT PROFILES OF SUSPECTS INVOLVED IN CASUALTY AND NONCASUALTY EVENTS. BASED ON STUDY FINDINGS, RISK REDUCTION MEASURES ARE RECOMMENDED PERTAINING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT MANAGEMENT, TACTICS (COMPLAINT AND DISPATCH, THREAT IDENTIFICATION, CRIME ANALYSIS, CRIME AND INCIDENT REPORTING, SITE SURVEYS, FALSE ALARM CONTROL, COMMUNICATIONS SECURITY, INTERAGENCY COORDINATION, PURSUIT OF ROBBERY SUSPECTS, ROAD BLOCKS, BARRICADE/HOSTAGE SITUATIONS, STAKEOUTS, AND RISK REDUCTION PROGRAMS), INTELLIGENCE REQUIREMENTS, TRAINING, AND EQUIPMENT. FOR EXAMPLE, POLICE SUPERVISORS ARE ADVISED TO COUNTERACT OFFICER COMPLACENCY, IDENTIFIED AS ONE OF THE GREATEST CAUSES OF DEATH OR INJURY, BY REINFORCING A GOOD RISK REDUCTION PROGRAM AND CONSTANTLY BEING ON THE ALERT TO DISCOURAGE COMPLACENT ATTITUDES AND FAILURES TO CARRY OUT RISK-REDUCING POLICIES. COMPLAINT RECEPTION PERSONNEL MUST BE TRAINED TO GATHER ALL VITAL INFORMATION THEY CAN FROM CALLERS AND KEEP THE CALLER ON THE LINE TO CONTINUALLY EXPAND THE INFORMATION UNTIL POLICE UNITS ARRIVE AT THE SCENE. INTERAGENCY COORDINATION AMONG DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED AND JOINT CONTINGENCY PLANS ALLOCATING PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT ACCORDING TO FORESEEABLE EMERGENCY REQUIREMENTS MUST BE PREPARED AND DISTRIBUTED. APPENDIXES CONTAIN STUDY METHODOLOGY, A DESCRIPTION OF A CASUALTY RISK REDUCTION PROGRAM, A CASUALTY DATA COLLECTION FORM, MODEL COMBAT PISTOL COURSES, A MODEL ROLL CALL LESSON PLAN, AND A SUMMARY OF ALERT BULLETIN GUIDELINES. FIGURES AND TABLES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)