Arlington County Police Preparedness Efforts Post September 11, 2001
History • 1997 West Hollywood Shoot Out - showed the need for local law enforcement to reevaluate their tactical doctrines, polices, training and equipment as related to High Threat incidents. • 1999 Columbine Active Shooter Incident - fundamentally changed law enforcement doctrine when confronting an ongoing threat. • 2001 Terrorist Attacks - clearly demonstrated that local and state law enforcement was now on the front lines of the international war on terror. • 2002 DC Sniper Attacks - Demonstrated how a limited number of actors with limited training and equipment could affect an entire metropolitan area. It also clearly demonstrated the need for a Patrol Rifle Program.
History (Cont’d) • 2001 – 2010 International & Domestic Terrorist Incidents – In the ensuing decade+ we witnessed dozens of notable terrorist events that reinforced our obligation to expand our capabilities and response protocols. Some of these events included but were not limited to; - 2004 Madrid Train Bombings - 2005 London Train Bombings - 2009 Little Rock Arkansas US Army Recruiter Attack • 2004 Beslan School Massacre – This vicious complex coordinated attack demonstrated what a small group of well-armed and organized terrorists could accomplish. • 2006 Nickel Mines School Shooting & 2007 Virginia Tech Massacre – Both incidents showed the need for law enforcement breaching capabilities. In each case the shooter fortified entrance points making it difficult for law enforcement to gain access.
History (Cont’d) • 2008 – Present Complex Coordinate Attacks – These are terrorist events that have grown in complexity and occurrence. They are explained as numerous actors, employing varied means of destruction, in numerous locations over an extended time period. Some of these events have included; - 2008 Mumbai - 2013 Westgate Mall in Narobi Kenya - 2013 Boston Marathon Bombing, - 2015 Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris, - 2015 Paris attacks - 2015 San Bernardino attack. • Current & Future Threats – These are evolving threats that encompass all of the aforementioned threats along with some we have not seen yet in the Continental United States. They include; - 2016 truck/firearm attack in Niece France - 2016 Orlando night club shooting - Current ambush attacks on law enforcement officers
Overview of Preparedness Efforts • Arlington County has expended an enormous amount of capital and training in a strategic effort to better prepare ourselves to meet the evolving and complex threats faced around the world. • Efforts based in long-term strategic planning to address technology, personnel, training and acquisition needs. • A standardize training philosophy has been adopted, recognizing that numerous disciplines must be integrated to address complex coordinated attacks.
Technology • Acquisition of NewWorld Records Management System • BEAR Analytics Crime Analytics and Mapping
Personnel • Training and Career • Homeland Security Section Development Unit • Formed in 2007 to coordinate all Counter Terrorism and Homeland Security • Reorganized to standardize all initiatives within the Department training in the Department • Participates on Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) • Tactical Training Unit • Active participant on many regional intel • Formed to adequately prepare and groups train officers to address a High • Office of Emergency Management Threat event • Police Lieutenant liaison to OEM • Public Safety Information • Provides High Threat training to citizens, Technology business and federal entities • Watch Desk expanded capabilities • Combined IT support for all Arlington public safety agencies • Enhanced employee paging groups
Training • Enhanced Firearms Training • Crisis Intervention Training • Redundant, realistic and • Trains officers on interacting with challenging training people in crisis, providing options beyond incarceration • Developing new firearm training facility • Rescue Task Force • Explosives Awareness Training • Medic response to active shooter incident • All patrol officers are in the process of completing this course • Incident Command System • Terrorist Screening Center • Joint command structure • Officers are trained on the proper • Re-design of supervisor’s vehicles procedures when encountering a • ICS training / Boards person on the TSC watch list
Equipment • Patrol Rifle Program • Rifle Body Armor • Modern M-4 type rifles distributed to • Vehicle doors many patrol units • Exploring personal rifle plate protection • Shotguns • Shields • Glock Pistols • Breaching • Department issued pistol expanded to • Fleet patrol vehicles are equipped with Glock 22 and 23 manual breaching kits • All officers issued a minimum of two • Ballistic Breaching Program additional magazines • Advanced explosive breaching • Ammunition capabilities • Industry standard premium ammunition in • Gas Masks each firearm • Issued to every officer in the Department • Acquiring personal radiation detection • Armored Rescue Vehicle / Expansion devices of ERT capabilities and deployments
Partnerships • ACFD and ACPD • High Threat Response Program - Partnership between PD and FD to explore best practices for high threat events • Command Meetings • Coordinated Training • Tactical Emergency Casualty Care • Partnership between PD and FD where officers are trained and issued TECC kits to treat critical life threatening injuries • Regional Partnerships • Developed mutual aid agreements to improve response across jurisdictional boundaries • Table top and full scale exercises • AVI Protocol • Incident Complex exercises
Recommend
More recommend
