NCJ Number
112132
Journal
Campus Law Enforcement Journal Volume: 18 Issue: 3 Dated: (May-June 1988) Pages: 29-30
Date Published
1988
Length
2 pages
Annotation
The University of California-Berkeley campus police have a specially trained arrest team to deal with campus demonstrations.
Abstract
The team is specifically trained for crowd control and to make arrests as necessary in a variety of protest-demonstration settings. The team is trained to make arrests with a minimum amount of force to avoid injuries and minimize adverse crowd reactions and media coverage. Training in crowd control encompasses baton techniques, group movements, squad formations and maintenance of perimeters. Arrest techniques include pain compliance and control holds. The team has held numerous simulated demonstrations where officers practice their learned skills on mock protestors. Training scenarios reflect the protest situations that may occur on campus. All training sessions are videotaped and immediately reviewed. Since the team's formation in January 1985, it has been used in over 15 large protest demonstrations involving more than 250 people. A particular challenge to the team has been the development of a technique for making arrests when demonstrators link their arms and legs. The team deals with this strategy by choosing only one protestor at a time to be arrested and using pain compliance control holds to force the designated arrestee to release grips with adjoining demonstrators. This strategy has resulted in positive media and community reaction.