Palm Beach County Sheriff?s Of?ce Review of Active Attack Response and Preparedness POLICE EXECUTIVE RESEARCH FORUM May 2018 i {r 1 Contents INTRODUCTION 2 PREVENTION AND PREPAREDNESS 3 Policy 3 Single-Deputy Entry 3 Off-Duty 4 Training 5 May 2018 Deputy In-Service Training 6 Equipment 7 Intelligence and Information?Sharing to Prevent Active Attacks 8 Relationships with Other Agencies 8 The Palm Beach County School District Police Department 9 Recognizing Potential Threats 10 Public Preparedness and Education 12 RESPONSE. 13 Communications and Dispatch 13 Radio Cominunications and Interoperability 14 Stop the Killing 1 5 Active Gunfire 16 No Active Gunfire 16 Stop the Dying 16 Statistics on Active Attacks 2000-2016 17 ?Uni?ed Command 18 Access to/Familiarity with Schools and Other Buildings 19 THE AFTERMATH OF AN ACTIVE ATTACK 20 Recovery 20 Family Reuni?cation and Assistance 20 Crime Scene Processing 21 After-Action Report 22 Public Information and Media 23 Social Media 24 Wellness/Employee Assistance 24 CONCLUSION 27 Appendix A: Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act 29 INTRODUCTION 'i In February 2018, a mass shooting occurred at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, in which 17 peeple were killed and 17 more were wounded. Sadly, more than 200 similar mass shooting incidents have occurred in the United States since 2000.1 Mass casualty events such as those that have occurred in Las Vegas, Orlando, Virginia Tech, and Newtown, CT have highlighted the need for law enforcement agencies to be prepared to respond to such incidents. Following the Parkland shooting, the Palm Beach County Sheriffs Of?ce (PB SO) asked the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) to conduct a review of PB current policies and practices to ensure that the agency is prepared to respond to and prevent similar active attack events.2 PERF reviewed existing policies, directives, and training materials and conducted site visits to the agency to interview agency personnel and partners who are involved in the response to active shooting incidents and other active attacks. PERF then convened a two?day meeting at PBSO that included PBSO command staff and deputies, telecommunications personnel, Pahn Beach County School District Police, Fire Rescue Operations, and other local and federal law enforcement partners to discuss the agencies? coordination and preparedness with regard to active attack situations, and to identify any potential areas for improvement. PERF also invited subject matter experts to this meeting, including Chief Michael Kehoe (ret) of the Newtown, CT Police Department; Chief Dan Oates of Miami Beach, FL and former Chief of the Aurora, CO Police Department; Gil Kerlikowske, former Commissioner of US. Customs and Border Protection; and Dr. J. Pete Blair, Executive Director of the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Center at Texas State University. These experts shared their insight and experience with regard to active shooter incidents in their jurisdictions, as well as best practices regarding research and training in this area. Overall, PBSO is extremely well prepared to handle these types of incidents. By requesting this review, PBSO Sheriff Ric Bradshaw is looking to make additional improvements to ensure the safety and security of the citizens of Palm Beach County. PBSO has provided deputies with effective equipment, put command personnel in place to oversee and lead critical incidents, trained investigators, partnered mental health professionals with highly trained deputies, and established relationships with many local, state and federal response partners. As requested by PB SO, the PERF team was able to identify additional areas in which the agency can strengthen its current reSponse readiness. This report outlines current policies, procedures, and training with regard to the prevention of, response to, and aftermath of active attack incidents. In each section, PERF highlights the areas in which PBSO is doing well, and areas in which they can potentially improve. Although the recommendations are specific to PBSO, other agencies across the country can learn both from the promising A Stnajz of Active Shooter Incidents, 2000 2013. Washington DC: Federal Bureau of Investigation/Department of Justice; Active Shooter Incidents in the United States in 2014 and 2015, Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Center at Texas State University and the FBI, US. Department of Justice, Washington, DC. 2016; Active Shooter Incidents in the United States in 2016 and 20.7 7, Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Re3ponse Training (ALERRT) Center at Texas State University and the FBI, Washington, DC. 2018. . For brevity, the term ?active attac is used to refer to any event in which an individual or individuals are attempting a mass murder. - This could include the use of ?rearms, explosives, vehicle attacks, or any other weapon to in?ict harm on a large number of people. 2 practices identi?ed at PBS 0, as well as the areas for improvement, so that law enforcement may be better prepared to respond to these incidents, and hopefully prevent incidents from happening in the future. AND PREPAREDNESS Policy It is a standard practice for law enforcement agencies to establish clear, written directives concerning the expectations and restrictions associated with of?cer performance.3 The Palm Beach County Sheriff?s Of?ce (PBS 0) complies with this standard and provides deputies with formal written directives, including General Order (G.O.) 5 00.02 (?Responding to Active Aggressive Deadly Behavior?). This policy details the procedures that PBSO deputies follow if they need to respond to an active attack situation. The policy contains language establishing the overall purpose and intent of the policy, characteristics of an active attack, response guidelines, proactive intervention tactics, and after?action responsibilities. Single-Deputy Entry Overall, PERF found G.O. 500.02 to be thorough and well organized. Also, in the wake of the mass shooting incident in Parkland, and just prior to the commencement of this review, PBSO began updating this policy to ensure that it includes the most up-to-date language and protocols. In reviewing this policy, PERF identi?ed some areas in winch PBSO can make improvements. Une critical issue that is beginning to emerge in the policing profession nationally is the extent to which law enforcement agencies should encourage or require one of?cer to respond without backup if the of?cer arrives at an active attack incident and killing appears to be occurring (for example, there is the sound of - gun?re). PB current policies, like those of many other agencies, are not clear on this point; different sections of policy provide inconsistent guidance. The ?Policy? section of G.O. 5 00.02 contains the following language regarding deputy response to an active killer situation: ?Although of?cer safety is paramount in any situation, the initial response must be quick, decisive, and of a single purpose neutralizing the behavior.? The ?Response Guidelines? section of GO. 500.02 includes language stating that ?Deputies arriving at the scene of an active aggressive deadly behavior incident are authorized to intervene prior to the arrival of command personnel and specialty units.? However, in this same section under the ?First Responder Tactical Intervention? guideline, the following language appears: ?Individual action is discouraged, but may become necessary based on the situation. A coordinated, focused response to an active deadly aggressor event is preferred. Once tactical responsibility is established in teams of two or more deputies or a single deputy if the situation dictates, an entry will be made without delay.? According to research conducted by the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid ReSponse Training (ALERRT) Center at Texas State University, most active killing events are over within ?ve minutes or less, and it can take police an average of about three minutes to respond. This means law enforcement will often have roughly two The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. 2009. ?Standards for Law Enforcement Agencies: The Standards Manual for the CALEA Law Enforcement Accreditation Program.? 5?1 ed. 3 'x minutes to stop the threat and minimize injury and the loss of life. For this reason, ALERRT researchers recommend that of?cers be prepared to enter an active attack situation Without back?up, especially if ?exigent? circumstance exist there is ongoing active killing when the. of?cer arrives at the scene). If active gun?re cannot be heard when the officer arrives on scene, a ?tactical? response may be more appropriate of?cers assemble a team to conduct a systematic search of the It should be noted that the dangers associated with single-of?cer entry are real and are signi?cant. According to data provided by ALERRT, an of?cer is shot in about one-fourth of the incidents in which active killing is ongoing when the officer arrives. However, the quickness with which an active attacker is neutralized is crucial in reducing the death toll of these incidents. As PB policy is currently written, the agency expectation regarding single-deputy entry is not clear. However, PBSO personnel told PERF that the agency trains for single-deputy entry, and that the deputies have the equipment and resources that would facilitate a lone-deputy entry without waiting for additional responders if an active killer situation is still in progress. PBSO personnel interviewed by PERF also indicated that it was the agency?s expectation that deputies should enter, if necessary, without additional responders if the active killing is still taking place when a single deputy arrives on scene. PERF also learned that PBSO personnel have had discussions regarding this particular language in GO. 500.02 and recognize the agency should address inconsistent language and ensure that policy is consistent with training and department expectations. Recommendation: As PBSO revises G.O. 500.02 (?Responding to Active Aggressive Deadly Behavior?), it must ensure that the policy includes clear language establishing an expectation of single- deputy entry during an active attack situation. This will ensure that policy will be consistent with its training of deputies and with the equipment and resources that the agency provides for this purpose. There is a growing realization in the policing profession nationally that of?cers and deputies need clear policies on a critical Iife?and-death issue in which of?cers and deputies must know exactly what is expected of them. For additional information on considerations for single-deputy entry, see the ?Stop the Killing? section on page 15. Off?Duty Response Self?Deployment Active attack situations are often chaotic. While it is important for law enforcement of?cers to quickly arrive on the scene and handle the threat, consideration should also be given to clarifying expectations regarding response from off-duty of?cers, in order to reduce chaos and confusion. Current PB SO policy does not include statements on self-deployment during an active attack situation. Some agency personnel told PERF that deputies are not allowed to self-deploy, while other personnel indicated that deputies could self?deploy if they desired. Recommendation: Because the agency?s message on self-deployment is not clear, PBSO should determine its of?cial stance on deputy self-deployment during an active attack situation and include clear directives regarding deputy self-deployment in G0. 500.02 (?Responding to Active Aggressive Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Reaponse Training (ALERRT). ?Stop the Killing: Are your tactics obscuring your objectives?? 4 Deadly Behavior?). Furthermore, PB SO should ensure that all personnel at all ranks are aware of the agency?s policy on self-deployment. If PBSO determines that deputies are not to self-deploy to an active attack incident, an exception should be made for instances in which a deputy is already on the scene or is in the immediate vicinity when the incident occurs, and the deputy may be in a position to neutralize the threat. In the event that a deputy does self-deploy, policy should require the deputy to notify communications that they are responding and provide as many situational details as possible, as well as a self-description. In interviews with PB SO personnel, one concern PERF heard was that when plainclothes deputies are dispatched to a scene, they are o?en dif?cult to identify. PBSO supervisors reported that most units have access to PB SO Windbreakers or other equipment with highly visible PBSO insignia that they can wear in the event of being dispatched to an incident in plainclothes. However, not all of the deputies PERF Spoke with appeared to be aware of these jackets. Recommendation: All PBSO personnel should be provided with PB SO Windbreakers or some form of insignia so they are easily identi?able on scene. Policy should dictate that deputies must wear some type of clear PB SO insignia to ensure that other responding deputies recognize the individual as law enforcement. This will assist the incident commander to control access to the scene, and help to reduce the risk of blue-on?blue shootings. Training Law enforcement personnel must undergo training to be prepared and learn the best ways to reSpond to an active attack event. PBSO has conducted several in?service training events to prepare for an active attack incident. For example, PB SO participated in ?Operation No Fly Zone? in 2016. This four-hour active attack training was conducted at the Palm Beach International Airport in conjunction with the Palm Beach County (PBC) Fire Rescue and other agencies. The objectives of ?Operation No Fly Zone? included testing dispatch and 911 call taker capabilities, testing law enforcement response, testing initial communications and noti?cations, testing PBSO and PBC Fire Rescue integration of Protective Element Medical (PEM) Teams, multiple agency coordination/communication (unified command), multiple agency strategic response, and veri?cation that PB active attack policy was followed. In 2017, PBSO held another active attack training at a local mall. Similar to ?Operation No Fly Zone,? this exercise focused on searching for and subduing an active shooter, as TWO: PBSO deptil?ies reSPOHdi?g 30 Wear well as searching for victims. Unlike ?Operation No Fly . during Operation No Fly Zone Zone,? this mall exercise involved only PBSO deputies. This 5 training event included two scenarios that included a team of six deputies making entry, eliminating two active shOoters, and providing ?rst aid to victims. May 2018 Deputy [Ir-Service Training PB SO deputies began additional active attack training in May 2018, as the agency is dedicating an entire in?service topic to active attack preparedness. For this training, PBSO plans to partner with the Palm Beach County School District Police and the Florida Highway Patrol to train for an active attack situation in a vacant school. In addition to the in?service training provided to deputies, all newly-hired deputies receive lecture-based training on reSponse to an active attack during 11-week academy. The extent to Which PBSO trains for an active attack event is commendable. The following issues were identi?ed through discussions with PBSO personnel as challenges that could be addressed in the future: PB SO depw dwmg' May 2018 service training 0 The frequency of active attack training opportunities differs by district; 0 There is a need to address unnecessary radio communication during active attack scenario-based training; - Historically, the Palm Beach County School District Police Department has not participated in active attack training events with PB 0. After-action reports are not formalized following active attack training events. Recommendation: If possible, opportunities for active attack training should be consistent across all PBSO districts. This is crucial to ensure that a uniform message and consistent information are conveyed throughout the agency, which will help deputies to respond effectively to an active attack incident. Recommendation: During active attack training exercises, deputies should use their radios only when necessary. Deputies should be more disciplined in their radio usage, and training staff should stress the importance of using the radios only when necessary to avoid confusion and distractions. Additionally, radio transmissions that are important and necessary should be relayed multiple times to ensure that responding of?cers are informed as they reSpond to an incident.5 Recommendation: While PB SO is conducting a joint active attack training with the Palm Beach County School District Police Department in May 2018, interviews indicated that these agencies have not previously trained together to prepare for active attack events. Going forward, Palm Beach County 5 Police Executive Research Forum. 2014. ?The Police Response to Active Shooter Incidents.? Issues %2020 14.pdf 6 School District Police Department must be an active participant with PBSO in scenario?based active attack training. Recommendation: PERF recommends that PBSO document its after-action following an active attack training exercise. A formal report should be produced so that PBSO leaders may review the positive outcomes and ensure that identi?ed shortcomings are appropriately addressed. Equipment Because patrol of?cers are likely to be the ?rst to arrive at the scene of an active attack event,6 it is vital that law enforcement agencies provide equipment to patrol personnel that they may need to respond to such incidents. Agencies must also include all necessary equipment in active attack training scenarios, so patrol personnel can become familiar with these tools and know how they can best be used in an active attack situation. PB SO issues the following equipment to all patrol deputies: 0 Glock 22 or 23 .40 Caliber handgun; Shotgun (for deputies who are issued a PBSO vehicle); 0 Ballistic helmet; A gas mask; 0 A tourniquet; and 9 An Individual First Aid Kit (IFAK) PBSO does not require deputies to carry an urban ri?e in their patrol vehicles. Any deputy who wishes to carry an urban ri?e must complete a three-day training course. Currently, 75% of law enforcement operations personnel are issued Urban ri?es. According to PBSO personnel, there are about 100 sets of breaching kits distributed throughout the agency. At minimum, these kits include rams and pry bars (Halligans). Approximately one-third of the kits are equipped with rams, pry bars, and bolt cutters. Some of the PBSO Sergeants interviewed by PERF indicated that they would like to see ballistic shields made available to more personnel. Currently, only Sergeants have access to the ballistic shields. In the event of an active attack situation, patrol personnel will likely arrive on scene before a Sergeant does. PBSO personnel told PERF that at least 100 additional ballistic shields have recently been ordered. Recummendation: In addition to sergeants, PBSO should consider providing ballistic shields to deputies assigned to patrol. Deputies are likely to be the ?rst responder to an active attack threat and should be provided as much protection as possible beyond their ballistic vest to stop the killing. 6 Police Executive Research Forum. 2014. ?The Police Response to Active Shooter Incidents.? Issues 7 Personnel should keep in mind that these shields are heavy and could potentially be burdensome in an active attack situation. Therefore, it is imperative that the agency incorporates the use of ballistic shields into active attack training and annual ?rearms scenario?based exercises for patrol deputies. Deputies should have an understanding of the protection capabilities as well as the limitations of the shield and how it may impact a speedy response. Recommendation: PB SO deputies are equipped with standard body armor and helmets, which should provide sufficient .protection if encountering an active shooter armed with a pistol? But because many active shooters have been armed with more powerful ?rearms an assault ri?e), additional protective armor is necessary. PBSO should examine deploying plate carriers to provide deputies with additional protection from active shooters armed with ri?es. Intelligence and Information-Sharing to PreventActive Attacks Preventing an active attack incident requires a multifaceted information-sharing network that involves multiple law enforcement entities as well as the public. It is important to have good processes and relationships in place for information- sharing networks to function. Information regarding potential threats comes to PB SO in a variety of ways, including the 911 call center, the PBSO website, Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County (via telephone or website), the ?ConnectProtect? Palm Beach County mart phone application, and the ?StudentProtect? smart phone application. Additionally, relationships exist internally at PBSO, with the Strategic Intelligence Section (SIS) serving as the ?hub? for information on potential threats such as mass shooting incidents. PERF learned that SIS has internal relationships with other key units the Behavioral Services Division, the Firearms Unit, etc.) and that information is coordinated and communicated to patrol deputies. As the repository for information and data regarding threats that have been reported to the agency, the SIS checks previous information and intelligence that are maintained in accordance with state statutes to ensure that information regarding individuals who have made threats in the past is not overlooked. Relationships with Other Agencies PALM BEACH COUNTY STUDENT PROTECT Suspidmm activity retain} to tenorr'sm may afso as subma'md by many the Terrorism Hermie at Seine! cszegem strum HEALTH CGHCEHN THREAT Fremmwsaeon BLILUIHG social. treatmensm summons tummy i- Phone smart-or a Brile?m Sou Say Contact The StudentProtect smart phone application allows students, parents, and school personnel to report threats to PBSO. It is important for PB SO to have good working relationships with other law enforcement agencies, mental health providers, businesses, and school partners. PB SO has worked hard to form relationships with Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, emergency communications centers across the county, hospitals and trauma centers, and municipal and federal law enforcement agencies. These agencies could benefit from written memoranda of Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT). ?Stop the Killing: Are your tactics obscuring your hobjectives? 8 understanding (MOUs) or agreements to strengthen the informal relationships that have formed over the years, and PBSO should work with these agencies to create mutually agreeable plans. Behavioral SerVices Division: A Model for Other Agencies One unique aspect of is its Behavioral Services Division (BSD). This Division' IS comprised 'of a sergeant, live full-time inveStigators two part- -time investigators, ?ve licensed therapists, a pastoral Counselor, a substance abuse professional, a case manager, and an administrative aide. In 2018, the Division will add an additional ?ve members (therapists and inves?tiga?tdrs) to its team. The inveStigators and therapists work as a team and respond jointly when there are calls involving individuals with mental illness. The Division works with these individuals to get them the assistance they need. When a client is deemed "critical? or "high risk," the Division works with the Strategic Intelligence and Special Investigations l_ nits at PBSO to monitor any future law enforcement contacts. Members of the BSD check in with clients to see if they are taking theirmedicine and to help them if needed. BSD personnel told PERF it is dif?cult to menitor everyOne on their Client list, because there are 200 active clients who need assistance. Nevertheless, this unit provides bene?cial assistance to manyindividuals in Palm Beach County. BSD also helps PBSO employees who are in need of assistance or guidance. Because BSD staff members are licensed therapists, the asSiStance they provide is subject to con?dentiality protections While BSD therapists do not see indiViduals regularly as a or therapist would, they help PBSO employees to work through' Issues, and refer individuals to appropriate services. Recommendation: PBSO should move toward formalizing the working relationships that have been established with municipal law enforcement agencies in the county, mental health providers, school partners, and businesses. PBSO and other entities should deve10p mutual aid agreements/memoranda of understanding and routine practice collaborative training exercises) to formalize these relationships. This will help ensure that information-sharing and partnerships will continue when there are personnel changes. The Palm Beach County School District Police Department PERF learned that historically, PBSO and the Palm Beach County School District Police Department have not had consistent lines of communication and coordination. After the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, these agencies are collaborating and working together more effectively, and joint active attack training is currently being conducted. However, the information-sharing and relationships between these agencies must be de?ned more clearly. As a smaller, specialized agency, the School District Police Departrnent has fewer personnel and resources than PBSO. For example, School District Police I of?cers use their personal vehicles to report to work, so in the event of an active attack, School District Police of?cers responding from nearby schools would be responding in their personal vehicles, with no means to safely expedite an emergency response. The School District Police Department would rely heavily on PBSO and other municipal law enforcement agencies in the event of an active attack in a school, which presents obstacles to an effective response. There are more than 180 schools in Palm Beach County, and School District Police of?cers assigned to the it,? shools report to the school?s principal. Since each principal can have a different philosophy on what 9 information is important to share with local law enforcement, information?sharing about potentially dangerous students may vary, which can impact prevention efforts as well as the response to an incident. Consistency of information-sharing is imperative to ensure that intelligence is properly identi?ed, vetted, and acted upon.8 Recommendation: The current role of the Palm Beach County School District Police Department in protecting students against active attacks and other incidents is not ideal, and the status quo is not acceptable. PERF sees two options for moving forward: 1) The relationships and information?sharing between the School District Police Department and PBSO needs to remain strong. The coordination efforts that have begun post-Parkland must be normal practice, and information-sharing must be more open than before Parkland. The agencies must create plans and agreements for resource sharing and incident response. Partnerships and practices established as a result of a critical incident can often wane over time. The efforts to work together that accelerated following the Parkland mass shooting cannot recede or lapse over time. 2) If the School District Police Department and PBSO are unable to create effective mechanisms for preventing and responding to active attacks in the county?s schools, Palm Beach County of?cials should consider a consolidation of the agencies or other action to provide that PBSO and/or municipal law enforcement agencies will provide consistent law enforcement support and services in the schools. One model that has been effective in other communities is to have the primary law enforcement agency, such as PBSO, provide all school security staf?ng. In this model, law enforcement resources have consistent training, policies, response philosophies, and intelligence coordination. Recognizing Potential Threats After active attack events, the general public often looks to law enforcement to understand why the attacker may not have been stepped before carrying out the attack. \Vhile active attacks are rare and characteristics of attackers can vary greatly, in many cases, law enforcement had contact with the attacker prior to the event. Some state laws have given law enforcement the authority to place individuals experiencing mental illness under an involuntary hold if they are deemed to be a danger to themselves or others. Protective custody laws are one method by which law enforcement can come into contact with potentially dangerous individuals and connect them with mental health professionals. However, it is important to note that one in five adults in America experience mental illness, the majority of whom are not violent or a threat to the general public. Therefore, mental illness alone is not necessarily an indication of an individual?s propensity for violence. 9 In Florida, the Baker Act10 describes the circumstances under which an individual with a mental ilhiess (or presumed to have a mental illness) can be held in a hospital or crisis unit involuntarily for up to 72 hours. In order to be taken in under the Baker Act, an individual must be a danger to himself or others as a result of the 8 In March 2018, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act was signed into law in Florida. The law establishes various safeguards aimed at increasing public safety in schools, including considerations for information-sharing. For more information about the law and relevant considerations, please see Appendix A. NAM. ?Mental Health Facts in America.? i State of Florida Department of Children and Families Mental Health Program Of?ce, May 2002. History ofrhe Baker Act It ?3 Development and Intent. 10 mental illness. Additionally, the individual must be unable or unwilling to give consent for voluntary treatment.11 This process can be initiated by a relative or service provider who ?les a petition/af?davit, a health care provider, or a law enforcement officer. If it is determined at any point during the 72-hour hold that the individual is not a danger to himself or others, he or she must be released. The Baker Act has additional provisions to provide continuing help to individuals needing more than 72 hours of care.12 Behavioral Services Division (BSD) is well equipped to handle these requests, as the division is staffed with licensed therapists (see page 9 for more information on the BSD). However, the large volume of calls coming in every day makes it impossible for this division to assist with every call. It is therefore imperative that patrol deputies responding to these requests thoroughly understand the Baker Act and the requirements for bringing someone in under this Act, in order to effectively protect the individual while also protecting public safety. Recommendation: PB SO (and other law enforcement agencies) should consider creating an agency protocol detailing the ?who, What, when, why, and how? of assessing someone who is possibly in need of protective custody. Deputies can benefit from a list of questions and factors to consider, such as: 0 Does the individual have a history of mental illness? 0 Does the individual have a history of violence? I Has the individual been prescribed medications for mental illness? 0 Is this individual currently medication-compliant? 0 Has the individual threatened to harm him/herself or others? 0 Does the individual have a history of suicide attempts? a Are there signs of moderate or severe such as: Depressed mood Delusions Paranoid ideas 0 Substance abuse. Answering these questions will not provide a de?nitive answer as to whether a deputy should bring someone into protective custody. However, a list of questions or factors to consider will assist in gathering information from the individual or from family members and friends, which might otherwise be overlooked. With this information, deputies can make more informed decisions regarding the Baker Act and taking individuals into protective custody. Agencies should work with local mental health professionals to develop these questions and protocols to ensure they are relevant and-applicable. Recommendation: Deputies and officers should receive periodic and regular refresher training on mental illness and the Baker Act or relevant state statute on protective custody). Training should include procedures for taking someone into protective custody and why the information from these questions is important for making good decisions. This training can be carried out in in-service or ?1 Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida. nae Baker Act (rag Florida Mental Health Am). ?2 Ibid. 1 I i" through roll call and should also be included for new hires. Relevant units with experience in working with individuals with mental illness, such as BSD, are a valuable resource to provide this training to deputies. Public Preparedness and Education An FBI study of active shooter events from 2000-2013 revealed that about one in four attacks occurred in a place of education. Approximately 71 percent of attacks occurred at businesses, malls, government properties, health care facilities, open spaces, and houses of worship.13 More than other locations, schools prepare for and practice active shooter drills. It is important for everyone, regardless of where they live or work, to be educated about active shooter and active killer events and to know about the steps to take to survive an attack. Most individuals are familiar with the Run, Hide, Fight strategy, which is used by many government agencies, including the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security This strategy means that getting away from the shooter is the ?rst priority. If possible, individuals should run away and call 9-1-1 when they are safe. If running is not an Option, individuals should hide out of view and stay hidden until law enforcement gives the all clear. Finally, as a last resort, individuals should act aggressively and try to stop the shooter.15 RUN HIDE FIGHT 'Have an escape plan in mind 'Remain in an area out of the ?As a last resort and when your ?Leave your belongings behind Shooter's view life is in imminentdanger, ?Keep your hands visible oBlock entry to your hiding attempt to incapacitate the place. Lock the doors shooter oSilence your cell phone ?Act with physical aggression and throw items at the shooter The Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) at Texas State University teaches a similar method to describe actions to take during an active attack event: Avoid, Deny, Defend.16 Individuals should first attempt to avoid the attacker. If this is dif?cult or impossible, individuals should deny the attacker AVOID DENY DEFEND -Pay attention to surroundings ~Keep distance between you and -Be prepared to defend yourself -Have an exit plan the attacker -Be aggressive and committed ?Move away from the source of -Create barriers to prevent or to your actions the attack as quickly as Slow down the attacker from -Do not ?ght fairly- this is about possible reaching you survival. -Remain out of sight and quiet ?3 Blair, J.P., Schweit, K.W. (2014). A Stuaj) ofActive Shooter Incidents, 2000 2013. Washington 13.0.: Federal Bureau of hlvestigationfDepartment of Justice. 14 Department of Homeland Security. Active Shooter Pocket Card Information. shooter pocket card 508.de 15 FEMA. How to Prepare for And Respond During andA?er and Active Shooter Incident. 1 ActiveShooter OnePagervldIS 503 16 ALERRT Center at Texas State University. Avoid Deny Defend. Accessed 7 May 2018 12 entry to their location. Finally, as a last resort, individuals should defend themselves.17 Law enforcement agencies can help prepare community members for these situations. A number of agencies across the nation have hosted worksh0ps and trainings for the community, businesses, and places of worship regarding possible attacks. For example, the Delray Beach (FL) Police Department hosted a training for approximately 60 business owners and leaders of religious congregations, where of?cers shared tips on responding to an active attack event. The police department also encouraged businesses to ?prepare for the worst? and create a ?site plan? that outlines exit strategies, places to hide, and how to ?ght if necessary. Finally, the agency offered to visit businesses to help identify any security needs and review crisis plans.18 Similarly, the Fairfax County (V A) Police Department and the Of?ce of Emergency Management teamed up to present a series of ?Active Violence in the Workplace Preparedness Workshops.? These workshops include a segment on options available when planning a response, as well as information the Step the Bleed program.19 Stop the Bleed teaches individuals simple techniques to help control bleeding until trained personnel arrive.20 PERF learned that PBSO has also taken steps to educate the public about what to do should they be faced with an active attack situation. In May 2017, Crime Prevention Unit streamed a 17 minute presentation on the agency?s Facebook page.21 PBSO also has a public prepardness and education presentation on its YouTube channel.22 PERF believes PB SO has made strong efforts to educate the public about what steps to take in an active attack situation, and that PBSO should continue these endeavors. RESPONSE ..'ommunications and Dispatch During an active attack incident, local communications centers are ?ooded with calls, so it is important that communications personnel be prepared to quickly and accurately ?eld incoming information and transmit it to first responders. Since active attack events almost always require a multi?agency response, it is critical that local communications centers have established protocols for interagency coordination. Importantly, all relevant agencies must establish interoperability among their respective radio channels to ensure a timely and coordinated response. 17 rota. 13 Ramadan, Lulu. ?Delray police: What would you do during an active-shooter event?? Palm Beach Post, 6 Feb 2018. Accessed 7 May 2018 19 Fairfax County Emergency Information. ?Active Violence in the Workplace Preparedness Workshop.? 17 Apr 2018 Accessed 7 May 2018 2? Fairfax County, Virginia. ?Stop the Bleed: Learn How You Can Save a Life.? 9 Aug 2017 Accessed 7 May 2018 21 Jillian advises run, hide, and ?ght in active shooter scenarios.? C3812. Accessed 14 May 2018 22 PB SO?Pahn Beach County Sheriff?s Of?ce. ?Run, Hide, Fight PB Active Shooter Training.? Online video. YouTube. 'ouTube, 26 February 2018. 13 I areas of Palm Beach County. There are 17 total PSAPs in the county, with separate communications centers for Radio Communications and Interoperability communications centers are the primary Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for the unincorporated Fire Rescue, the Palm Beach County School District Police Department, and other local municipal police departments. According to PBSO communications personnel, all of these agencies are able to communicate with one another through their Comm? (Law Enforcement Communications) channels. If PBSO is responding to a real-time active event, it would tune to Comm and other responding agencies in the area would be patched to that channel by telecommunicatOrs at communications center. PBSO personnel informed PERF that the primary responding agency to an event utilizes LE Comm 1, and additional responding agencies are patched to that channel as they are dispatched to the scene. The communications center monitors the channels to ensure that no channels are double-booked. PBSO Communications Center Per-Some! From interviews with communications personnel, PERF learned that the communications center is included in PBSO training exercises, and that they conduct weekly tests for inter0perability with road patrol units. Personnel also reported that dispatch is included in the multi-agency training exercises that are held several times per year, including active shooter scenarios. This demonstrates the agencies? commitment to ensuring coordination between all partners and preparedness in the event of an active attack situation. Additionally, PB SO staff reported that the communications center will be able to receive texts to 911 beginning in June 2018. This will be extremely valuable in the event of an active attack situation such as the one occurring in Parkland, in which individuals may be hiding from a gunman and unable to talk on the phone. PB communication center appears to have effective protocols in place with regard to interoperability. However, in PERF ?3 interviews with deputies, some expressed concerns about dif?culties with getting multiple agencies on the same channel during training exercises. There appeared to be some lack of consensus or understanding at the deputy level with regard to protocols for switching to LB Comm 1 in the event of a multi- agency response. Deputies also expressed that patching of the channels hasn?t always been seamless, and that it 14 can sometimes take several minutes to ensure that all agencies are effectively communicating. communications center is aware of this issue and is working toward simplifying the process of switching between channels. Recommendation: Although communications center personnel appear to be pro?cient at patching radio channels, deputies could bene?t ?orn additional training on how to switch between various channels, to ensure a swift and coordinated response in the event of an active threat. School District Police should be included in this exercise to ensure their ability to communicate with of?cers and deputies responding from other law enforcement agencies, including PBS 0. Another concern PERF heard in interviews with PBSO personnel is that some areas within schools, private businesses, and shopping malls contain ?dead zones? where radio signals are not transmitted. This presents a challenge in an active attack situation, as responding agencies are not able to communicate with one another inside these zones. Recommendation: PBSO should actively attempt to identify dead zones in schools, businesses, and other locations, and consider installing ?repeaters?23 in these locations to improve communication capabilities. A reporting procedure should be established to identify dead zones, ensure that problems are corrected, and notify employees of the status of these areas for safety reasons. Stop the Killing . When responding to the scene of an active attack, the ?rst priority should be to neutralize the threat in order to stop the killing. In 2014, PERF analyzed policies and general orders from dozens of police and sheriffs? departments regarding active shooter events.24 Some policies provided that of?cers who arrive at the scene of an active shooter event can move in to stop the threat without waiting for additional of?cers to arrive, while others required that ?rst responding of?cers wait to form a ?contact team? prior to moving into the scene. Research by Dr. Pete Blair at ALERRT indicates that the majority of ?active attack? incidents are over within ?ve minutes or less, and that the average police response time is about three minutes.25 This means that law enforcement of?cers generally will have two minutes or less to stop the threat and minimize potential loss of life. For this reason, Blair says that in ?exigen circumstances when there is active killing continuing), ALERRT is moving toward single-of?cer reSponse. Speed is critical in these situations, which may mean not waiting for additional units to arrive at the scene. 23 A repeater acts as a link between two radio operators to cover a larger area. 24 Police Executive Research Forum, 2014. The Police Response to Active Shooter Incidents. Issues %202014.pdf 25 Blair, J.P., Schweit, KW. (2014). A Study ofA ctive Shooter Incidents, 2000 2013. Washington DC: Federal Bureau of Investigation/Department of Justice. 15 Active Gunfire Blair recommends that if a responding of?cer hears active gun?re, the of?cer should move directly toward the sound of the gun?re to attempt to quickly isolate, distract, or neutralize-the attacker. Tactical considerations, such as maintaining formation in teams, may slow down - -- - - the response, and the ?rst priority when there is active gun?re is to prevent additional people from being killed. Although single-of?cer entry can be dangerous, Blair?s research indicates that in 98% of cases, these incidents involve a single shooter.26 Hearing active gun?re is an indication that the attacker is focused on killing victims, and the ?rst responding deputy is expected to do all that can be done to stop the shooter immediately. Furthermore, of?cers should keep in mind that in most cases, backup will be arriving quickly, and body armor, ballistic helmets, and shields can be effective protection against a large percentage of these incidents. It is therefore important to use every moment - . - - - . . . . . . Dr. J. Pete Blair, Executive Director of the Advanced Low ef?crently 1n these Sltuatlons 1n order to save potential Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center m, Texas St ate victims.27 University Consistent with Blair?s research, PBSO currently trains its deputies on solo~entry, and expects that deputies will be prepared to enter alone in the event of an active attack incident. No Active Gunfire If active gun?re or other indications of active killing cannot be detected when an of?cer arrives at the scene, ?tactical? considerations may be more appropriate. For example, the of?cer should move toward the closest building entry to listen for signs of gun?re to reassess the situation in order to make a decision as to how to proceed. Stop the Dying Once the threat is neutralized in an active attack situation, responders should shift their focus to stop the dying. This means providing medical assistance to victims who have suffered gunshot wounds or other injuries as quickly as possible. According to Dr. Pete Blair, the median number of people shot in these incidents is four, and two of the people shot typically die. It is commonly thought that people who are injured are much more likely to survive if they can arrive at a hospital within an hour of being shot, and even more likely to survive if they can be given emergency room treatment within 15 minutes. So, it is important to focus on who are injured and getting them to hospitals without delay.28 26 - Ibld 27 Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT). ?Stop the Killing: Are your tactics obscuring your objectives? 28 Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT). ?Stop the Dying: Are you saving lives or wasting time?? 16 Statistics on Active Attacks 2000-201629- 242 active attacks occured in the US from 2000?2016 - An active attack iS defined as; an attempted mass murder where an individual goes to a location with the intention of hurting many people. In this defInItIon there no requirement for' Injuries or fatalities. - - - - - InCIdents with fevv Injuries/fatalItIes Can provide valuable Information an intent and motives Various modalities were used' In these attacks, and sometimes multiple modalities were used in a attack? - Firearms - Kn was - Vehicles - Other - 0 Attacks using modalities other than firearms have become more popular' In the past few years but attacks using firearms are still the most common. . 98% of attacks were carried out by a solo attacker - In the 2% of attacks WIth multiple attackers hIstorIcally, they have always stayed together to operate as a. team 0 Once the attackeds) is/are found it is likely all attaCkers have been found. in 69% of attacks the active killing ended in 5 mintues or less Average police response time is 3 minutes - - - With only approxrmately 2 minutes on scene daring the active attack it is Important for law enforcement to mave quickly to address the threat. The median number of individuals injured in active attacks was 4 - The median number cf InleidualS killed was. 2 . 0 After the threat' I's neutralized the focus should be on providing medical aid to Victims as quickly as possible as opposed to committing too many resources to an anticipated mas's casualty. 29 Blair, J. P., Burns, D., Curnutt, l, Nichols, T. (2013). Active shooter events and response. Westborough, MA: Taylor Francis; Blair, .P., Schweit, KW. (2014). A Stitch} of Active Shooter Incidents, 2000 2013. Washington D.C.: Federal Bureau of Investigation/Deparhnent of Justice; Active Shooter Incidents in the United States in 2014 and 2015, the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Center at Texas State University and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC. 2016.; Active Shooter Incidents in the United States in 2016 and 20] 7, the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Center at Texas State University and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, D. C. 2018. 3? ALERRT Center at Texas State University. Active Attack Data.? http: activeattackdata cre/allattacks. l7 Since active shooter incidents ?equently result in chest wounds, it?s important that of?cers are trained to stop mass hemorrhaging, so that these victims can be transported to the hospital as quickly as possible. Of?cers should also be trained to apply tourniquets in case of arm or leg injuries, and to maintain airways for patients for transport to the hospital.31 PB SO has established a uni?ed response for mass casualty events between law enforcement and Fire Rescue, known as ?Protective Element Medical? (PEM). PEM teams consist of groups of two Fire Rescue paramedics and four deputies, in which law enforcement provides a security screen around the medics to allow them to move into ?warm zones? to provide medical treatment to victims.32 PEM teams are equipped with ballistic helmets and vests for protection, as well as trauma packs to provide assistance to victims??3 PERF learned ?'om interviews that PBSO holds at least one joint training with Fire Rescue per year to practice the deployment of PEM teams in a mass casualty situation. This response protocol ensures that victims of mass casualty events receive medical attention as quickly as possible. PBSO also reported that all deputies are equipped with Individual First Individual FirstAz'd Kit (IFAK) Aid Kits (IFAKs), and are required to receive training on how to use the kits. The kits include: one Israeli emergency bandage, three rolls of conforming gauze, one hemostatic gauze ribbon, one Asherman Chest Seal, and EMT shears. Uni?ed Command In an active attack situation, it is imperative to establish a uni?ed command in order to control the scene and direct other agencies and units that are responding. Since time is of the essence in an active attack incident, the ?rst of?cer arriving on scene should automatically assume incident command.34 The of?cer?s ?rst priority is to address the threat, but they should also broadcast their assessment of the situation to keep other units updated on what they can see and hear. The ?rst responding officer should also identify how and Where other of?cers should link up with them. Once of?cers have entered the building to stop the killing, an of?cer on the outside of the building should assume command. This ?tactical? officer should set a staging area for arriving of?cers, and begin looking for arriving units. The of?cer should try to connect with these units as soon as possible to establish uni?ed command and control of the situation.35 31 - Ibid 32 A ?warm zone? is an area designated as a safe zone where contact with the attacker is possible but not probable. 33 PBSO. Uni?ed Supervisor Response?. 34 Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT). ?The Importance of Incident Command 35 - Ibid 1 8 PERF learned that if an active attack situation were to occur in Palm Beach County, the agency with primary jurisdiction over the location would be ?rst to be dispatched to the scene and would thus assume command. Other responding agencies would be noti?ed via their respective communications centers to respond to provide assistance, at which point command would likely shift to someone outside the building. For example, if an active attack situation were to take place at a school in an unincorporated area of Palm Beach County, the School District police of?cer assigned to that school would likely be the ?rst to respond. This would mean that the school police of?cer would assume the role of incident commander initially. Because each school in Palm Beach County has, at most, only one or two designated of?cers assigned to it, PBSO personnel would be next to be dispatched to the scene. This would be accomplished via the school district dispatch coordinating with PBSO dispatch to patch responders from each agency onto the same radio channel. rom there, a PBSO Command Duty Of?cer (CDO) would be dispatched and would assume command from the ?rst responding of?cer. According to PB SO personnel and other agencies PERF interviewed, they all participate regularly in multi~ agency training exercises to practice the response to these types of situations, and appeared comfortable in establishing a uni?ed command in the event of an active attack incident. Access to/Familiarity with Schools and Other Buildings Since PB SO personnel would respond in the event of an active attack incident taking place at a school, it?s important that they be familiar with and have access to the various school buildings within the county. PB SO has already taken several steps to ensure an ef?cient response in the event of an incident taking place at a school. For example, PB SO personnel reported that deputies now have access to blueprints of local schools, which are available on their Mobile Data Terminals (MDTS). This is helpful, because as deputies are responding to the scene, they may be able to familiarize themselves with the ?oor plan of the school. PBSO personnel also reported that they are in the process of gaining access to electric keycards to access school buildings. This has been an issue in the past, as PBSO historically has not had physical keys to access all facilities in the event of an incident occurring after school hours. Immediate access to school buildings will help ensure a rapid response in the event of an active threat. One concern PERF heard from PBSO was that some school buildings are not easy to identify for deputies who are unfamiliar with the schools. As a possible remedy fer this, PBSO has discussed consistent labeling of each school with building numbers so'they are easily identi?able, including by aviation units who may be assisting the deployment of responding units. It is critical that deputies are able to quickly identify a school from the Outside so that they can respond rapidly in the event of an active attack incident. Recommendation; The PBSO should coordinate with the school system to ensure that school buildings are appropriately labeled, so that responding agencies that may not be familiar with the buildings are easily able to identify them. 19 Im? PERF also heard from PB SO that a frequent issue during training exercises is establishing a system for parking on scene so that access to the scene is not obstructed. Personnel reported that their typical protocol is for the ?rst responding of?cer to select a side of the street to park on when arriving on scene, and that the following responding of?cers are to park on the same side of the street. However, in conversations with PBSO personnel, it appeared that this system is not always adhered to. Recommendation: PBSO should ensure that all staff are familiar with agency protocols regarding parking at the scene of an incident, and consider institutionalizing these practices in policy. These parking protocols should also be practiced during multi-agency training exercises. THE AFTERMATH OF AN ACTIVE ATTACK PB SO takes many steps to prevent and prepare for an active attack incident. The planning also takes into consideration the aftermath that follows one of these events. This section highlights considerations related to short-term aftermath and long?term aftermath for PBSO to consider if an active attack incident were to occur. Recovery Once all injured victims are removed from the scene of an active attack incident, the focus should shift to the recovery phase. PB SO recently updated its Mass Casualty/Mass Fatality Plan which provides guidance on response to a mass casualty event and outlines the roles and responsibilities for each responding agency. For example, PB SO responsibilities during the recovery phase include: initiating a crime scene log, providing scene security at designated locations, performing crime scene investigations as appropriate, assisting with traf?c and crowd control, and coordinating medical and death noti?cations as requested. Violent Crimes Division (V CD) is responsible for conducting identi?cation of victims, with assistance from the Medical Examiner?s Of?ce, and coordinating noti?cations of the next of kin. The Department of Health is responsible for continuous assessment of community resources such as hospitals, funeral homes, and morgues, as well as coordination of victim tracking.36 Recommendation: PBSO should ensure that all personnel and other relevant agencies remain familiar with the Mass Casualty Plan, and incorporate roles and responsibilities outlined in the plan into multi- agency training exercises. Family Reuni?cation and Assistance Following an active attack incident, it may be necessary for a Family Reception Center (FRC) or a Family Assistance and Survivor Care Center (FASCC) to be established. The RC serves as a short-term/temporary location for survivors to be reunited with family members. In the event that a FASCC is established, it will take the role of the FRC and deliver continued services. 3?6 PBSO. Emergency Operations Plan. Mass Casualty/Mass Fatality Plan Appendix I. 20 process and procedure for opening the RC and FASCC are detailed in Mass Casualty Incident Fatality Incident (MFI) Plan. The plan states that the FRC is to be established by a . Uniformed Operations Commander and operational within four to six hours of an incident. Furthermore, the plan indicates that the PB 80' Public Information Of?cer (P10) is responsible for disseminating the location of the FRC so families will go to that location instead of the scene of the incident.? Based on Family Assistance Center Plan, a FASCC will be established for Level 3 and above more than 20 victims). The Palm Beach County Community Services Department will be the overall lead agency responsible for the management of the FASCC, and should establish the FASCC within 12 hours of the incident. In the event a FASCC is established, the PBSO will be the agency responsible for the following: victim identi?cation, noti?cation and referrals (including death noti?cations), decedent affairs, and security.38 Recommendation: Individuals who experience an active attack event may leave their personal belongings, which could include their identi?cation and cellular phones.? Therefore, PBSO will need to consider how to assist survivors with contacting their families, as well as making sure they are disseminating information regarding deceased victims to the correct families. Recommendation: PBSO and partner agencies should consider assigning a victim advocate to each Victim?s family. The Victim advocate could assist with linking families to counseling services, and assisting with travel plans and funeral arrangements. Crime Scene Processing Following an active attack incident, it is vital that evidence is collected and preserved, especially in the event that the attacker is captured alive and will be charged and prosecuted. Processing a crime scene is a time- consuming activity, and it is imperative that scene not be contaminated until investigators can document and photograph the scene and collect critical evidence.40 Some PBSO personnel explained to PERF that they were concerned about deputies being aware of proper protocols for maintaining and preserving a crime scene. Recommendation: PBSO should use roll-call training to remind deputies of the proper protocols that apply to crime scene maintenance and preservation during an active attack. Deputies should be reminded to sign the crime scene log and that they are not to eat, drink, smoke, chew tobacco, use the telephone, spit, adjust the room temperature, reposition items, or litter within the established boundaries of a crime scene.41 In addition, deputies should be reminded that an active attack crime scene will involve other law enforcement and non-law enforcement personnel from many agencies. These individuals may not be :2 PB SO. Emergency Operations Plan. ?Family Assistance Center Attachment to Mass Casualty/Mass Fatality Plan Appendix Ibid. 39 Metropolitan Police Department. 2014. ?After Action Report Washington Navy Yard September 16, 2013: Internal Review of the Metropolitan Police Department Washington, p. 49. content/uploads/ZO 1 5/0 40 National Institute of Standards and Technology. 2013. ?Crime Scene Investigation: A Guide for Law Enforcement.? *1 Ibid. p. 5. 21 familiar with crime scene preservation and processing. Deputies must ensure that they properly control crime scene access to ensure scene preservation. Recommendation: Because investigating an active attack incident will likely include the collection of digital evidence from the suspect?s personal electronic devices smart phone, personal computer, tablets, etc.), it is important that PBSO and other law enforcement entities develop a plan for collecting and preserving digital evidence. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed ?federated testing tools? to provide forensic labs with a mechanism to determine if the lab?s digital forensic software has the ability to copy and preserve digital evidence that could be used in court.42 Recommendation: PBSO will need to consider how survivors and victims? families can retrieve their 5 property once the crime scene is fully processed and released. Those who are at the scene when the incident occurs will likely leave their belongings so they may elude the attacker and will be instructed to leave belongings as law enforcement evacuates survivors from the scene. This was found to be the case during the Washington, DC. Navy Yard and the Las Vegas active shooter incidents.43?44 PB SO should work with partner agencies to determine and establish protocols that will be followed to return personal property to survivors and to victims? families following a mass casualty incident. A?er-Action Report After an active attack, it will be necessary for an After Action Report (AAR) to be completed. ?The purpose of . an is to analyze the management or response to an incident, exercise, or event by identifying to be maintained and built upon, as well as identifying potential areas of improvement.?45 AARs are completed following most mass casualty/fatality incidents, and PBSO will be expected to complete an AAR if the agency responds and manages an active attack situation. PBSO personnel told PERF that the current ?after action? consists of a verbal debriefing immediately following an incident to identify areas for improvement, but this process may not be documented formally. Recommendation: PBSO should formally document its after-action analysis following large-scale, critical incidents. This should allow for a through description of the event, and the actions that PBSO took to respond to and manage the situation. In providing a detailed description of the event, PB SO can 42 National Institute of Standards and Technology. 2017. ?New NIST Forensic Tests Help Ensure High-Quality Copies of Digital Evidence .nist. gov/news-events/news/Z 0 17l12/new-nist-forensic digital-evidence 43 Metropolitan Police Department. 2014. ?A?er Action Report Washington Navy Yard September 16, 2013: Internal Review of the Metropolitan Police Department Washington, p. 49. content! uploads/201 5/0 5/ I 44 As the events of the Las Vegas active shooter incident unfolded, dozens of cellular phones, purses, and other personal items were left at the scene. In the days that followed the incident, the FBI was responsible for cleaning and categorizing the property. Because so many items were left, the scene was divided into four sections and released the property from only one section at a time. (Bernstein, Sharon. 2017. ?Las Vegas Concertgoers Claim Personal Items Left After Massacre.? Reuters. October 8. 45 University of Houston Of?ce of Emergency Management. ?After Action Report? 22 identify practices that were strong and areas where improvements could be made. An AAR following an active attack situation in Palm Beach County could also serve as a ?lessons learned? document for other agencies. Public Information and Media Following an active attack event, it will become necessary to release information to the public at the appropriate time. For example, the PBSO PIO will need to coordinate with personnel on scene to get information regarding family reuni?cation and other assistance. This is essential information that not only serves to reunite survivors and their families, but also will help keep people from going to the scene. This information should be released as soon as the location is con?rmed, and the Family Reuni?cation Center is established. During and after an active attack, the PB SO PIO will be contacted immediately and constantly by news media and the public asking for information. PBSO understands that it is not required to answer media requests until prepared to do so. In a critical incident, the Sheriff is responsible for all press conferences and contacts with the media. The Sheriff is keenly aware of the importance of getting facts and details correct, and that incorrect information can be dif?cult to correct. PB Sheriff makes a point to gather all relevant information and speak to the media after he has had time to prepare. At the same time, it is important to collect information and share it without unnecessary delay, because misinformation spreads more quickly if there is a vacuum of authoritative information. Naming theSuspect Many individrials who carry out active killing attacks have a desire for notoriety and fame. 46 Data have shown that mass killing attacks In the united States occur in cluSt?ers that are similar to contagious disease Outbreaks. This occUrs because attackers are often influenced by their predecessors. 47 Studies haVe shown that this cbntagion effect does not occur for crimes that do not receive as much news coverage as mass killing attacks, Thus, there IS a growing concern that continuous news coverage of mass attacks and the attaCKers' identity can encourage future acts of violence by unstable persons;48 - Because of this, several campaigns have been started to - encOurage the news media and law enforcement agencies to mention the sUspect-?s name less often and instead to - focus on the victims. For example, family members of victims from the Aurora movie theater shooting have asked the media to limit how often they name a mass attacker and disseminate his or her photos and to refuse to breadcast any manifestos or writings of the attacker, in a campaign called No Notoriety.49 Similarly, ALERRT, along with the FBI and the Love U. Guys Foundation, encourage media to shift their focus from the suspects to the victims, survivors and heroes through the Don Name Them campaign. 50 - 46 Bushman, Brad J. ?Narcissism, Fame Seeking, and Mass Shootings.? American Behavioral Scientist, vol. 62, no. 2, 2018, pp. 229- 241, 10.1 177/0002764217739660 47 Handwerk, Brian. ?Shootings and mass Murders Seem to Be Contagious.? Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Jul 2015. Accessed 8 May i 2018 48 Towers, Sherry; Gomez-Lievano, Andres; Kahn, Maryam; Mubayi, Anuj; and Castillo-Chavez, Carlos. ?Contagion in Mass Killings and School Shootings.? ONE, vol . 10, no. 7, 2015 49 No Notoriety. ?No Notoriety Challenge to the Media.? 5? ALERRT Center at Texas State University. ?Don?t Name Them.? Social Media Social media is a quick and effective way to reach a large number of individuals with important information. I PB social media accounts are well updated and comprehensive, which is an important aspect of interacting with the public. In the aftermath of an active attack, rumors and false stories may proliferate online. PBSO should be prepared for questions about incorrect accounts online and during press conferences. PBSO should be aware of the information that is spreading. PBSO should continue to use social media to release urgent information the location of the FRC) as they have done during other critical incidents. This will allow traditional media outlets to broadcast the information as well. Additionally, PB SO social media can be used to dispel rumors circulating about the incident, spread its messages, and provide accurate updates to the community. PBSO should also consider the following recommendations for releasing information to the public and handling media requests following an active attack incident: Recommendation: PBSO should review, update, and share with agency leaders its plan to manage requests for information following an active attack event. PBSO will likely be inundated with requests for information, and while the agency does a good job handling requests for information on a day-to-day basis, it is necessary to review those plans and practices to determine which requests for information will be a priority for PBSO in the wake of an active attack event. Recommendation: PBSO should assign a media liaison to each of the victims? families. This was an action taken by Chief Dan Oates following the Aurora, CO movie theater shooting. The media liais0n served as a point of contact for media outlets to arrange potential interviews with victims? families until the families were able to decide if they wished to speak out, who would be their spokesperson, and when they would talk to the media. Appointing media liaisons helped to minimize inquiries made directly by the media to family members. ass/Employee Assistance PB SO acknowledges that deputies have a high risk of developing stress-related issues as a result of a critical incident like a mass attack. According to plan, a critical incident stress debrie?ng should be established, and the Behavioral Services Division and Employee Assistance Program will be involved as necessary. Specifically, the BSD is responsible for providing crisis intervention services to ?rst responders, assessing the well-being of first responders, and communicating with ?rst responders? family members about the event and the well-being of the responder. The fact that PBSO recognizes the emotional toll associated with working during a mass casualty incident demonstrates the agency?s concern with deputy wellness. PB SO currently makes it mandatory for each deputy involved in a critical incident be provided administrative leave until that deputy is able to meet with the department-provided Deputies would return to duty with the recommendation of the and approval of the agency. 24 Recommendation: The policy requiring all deputies involved in a critical incident to meet with the department prior to returning to work is a best practice in policing. A mandatory meeting can help ensure that deputies obtain any assistance they need, while preventing any stigma associated with seeking mental health care. To improve this practice, the PBSO should initiate the practice of a follow-up appointment with the department approximately six months from the original visit, to ensure the mental health and well-being of the of?cer is being addressed. Lessons from Newtown and Aurora: Managing Additional ChaHenges Active attack events are horrific and complex, and law enforcement agencies are continuously working to train and prepare for such an event. Agencies prepare for all stages of the attack including focusing on their intelligence gathering and information-sharing' In order to prevent incidents; bringing together fire personnel, emergency medical services and telecommujnicators to train and gainfamiliarity with one another and rescue strategies; and honing their media strategy to protect victims, their families, and the investigation. However, there are some aspects of an active killer event that even the most well-prepared agency may not think to prepare fer, especially regarding the aftermath of an event. Retired Newtown, CT Police Chief Michael Kehoe and Miami BeaCh, FL Police Chief (former Aurora, CO Police Chief) Dan Oates experienced tragedies in their communities and shared the following lessons about aspectsof the aftermath of these events: - Establish a system to sort through gifts and mail coming to victims?families. In Newtown after the Sandy Hogk Elementary School shooting in 2012, police had to open a Warehouse to sort through and secure the mail Coming to the police department and victims? families. Over 250, 000 pieces of mail were collected and sorted through this faCility? Gifts poured' In from people across the country. Often, stuffed animals and other gifts came in multiples?:one for each victim?totaling 26 of each item. Nearly 60 000 teddy bears were delivered to Newtown Due to the volume of items coming in, the police department had to assign an individual to manage these Operations. Law enforcement agencies should formulate a plan to manage incoming mail packages and gifts In the aftermath of an active killer event to ensure . they have the space and resources to dedicate to the management ctthis in?ux of gifts and messages. 3 Plan how and when to take down memorials. Makesh?ift memorials with ?owers, candles poeters, and other items often are built spontaneously by community members to show support for victims and their families, and law enforcement agencies are expected to protect these memorials. It' Is important to plan When and how the memorial will be taken dewn. Law enforcement agencies sh0uld consult with the victims families on the best manner in which to do this Additionally. anv items the families do not claim should be carefully retrieved and archived. Be aware of fundraising fraud. Fundraising efforts online through social media and crowd- -funding sites will begin immediately after the event Many of these will be legitimate efforts, and crowd- -funding sites 25 often have mechanisms In place to monitor Campaigns to prevent scams. However, there will be fraudsters attempting to take advantage of victims theirfamilies, and willing donors. In Parkland FL imposters on Twitter posed as victims and Vietims? families asking for money. 51: Law enforcement agencies should be aware and prepare victims and Victims families for this posSibilitv. Additionally. agencies should work with the appropriate entities to inform the public of any official and sponSOIed donation funds as well as how to avOid scams. Donations will also come in directly to the police department and/or local government Law "enforcement agencies should encourage and coordinate With local government to set up a fUnd through a reputable non- pro?t Charity' In order to manage and appropriately direct these funds This Ifund should be ?independent of the law enforcement agency, so the agency has no invOIvemenIt with the fund. Anticipate internet deniers, conspiracy theorists, and harassers. Internet deniers and conspiracy theorists vvill spring up quickly, even as Soon as the first full day of the event. Some of these individuals 'will contact media with false accounts of what ocCurred. Conspiracy theorists will also begin spreading false information. 52 And, as victims are identified these individuals will contact families,- which can cause additional victimization and suffering. Law enforcement agenCies should work with victim advocates and victims? families to prepare forI this. Other harassers. will focus on the city or town where an active attack incident occurred. In Newtown, calls were received to hospitals and schools in the days immediately following the event. On? the first day classes resumed and Students returned to schools, a threat was called' In to one of the schools, leading to the school being placed into lockdown. Law agencies need to be prepared to handle these other investigations that will arise from harassers across the country or even worldwide. Prepare for food donations for first responders. Food donations .will also come in to ?rst responders from restaurants and other well-wishers. Law enforcement agencies Ishduld create a system to record who' :5 making donations as they come in to ensure they can be thanked later. Additionally, law I enforcement agencies Should be prepared to deliver food to officers: and deputies working long- term crime scenes memorials, and othersites related to the event. if ayailable, law enforcement agencies can utilize community volunteers to carry out feed deliveries - Use assiStance from state, county, and federal law entercement agencies, and conserve local resources. There' Is a nearly endless list of things that need to happen' In the aftermath of an active killer event. The local/lead law enforCement agency will be faced with a torrent of demands related to the incident as well as with normal day-to- -.day duties and cal.ls After an event oCcurs, law enforcement agencies sh0uld reach out to county and state law enforCement paItners as well as federal law I partners at the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and ExploSives (ATF). These agencies shoIIldI be given as much work as they are willing and able to handle, so the local law 51Huriash, Lisa J. and Geggis, Anne. ?Impostors on social media exploit Parkland shooting victims and families.? SunSenrineZ, 20 Apr. 2018 http: sun- sentinel. s.t0ry Accessed 7 May 2018. 52 2Criss, Doug. ?The mass shooting conspiracy theories that just won?t go away (and why they should). CNN, 21 Feb. 2018. cnn. com/2018/O2/21/us/mass? shootings- conspiracy-theories-tmd/index. Accessed 7 May 2018 26 enforcement agency 'can "conserve resources to handle other priorities. Forexample, these agencies can assist with following up on forensic and investigative leads while the local law enforcement agency is handling demands like funerals, crime scene processing, and normal .day-to-day duties. I CONCLUSION In March 2018, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw of the Palm Beach County Sheriff?s Of?ce (PBSO) asked the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) conduct a review of the agency?s current policies and practices to determine if PB SO has taken the appropriate steps to prevent and prepare for an active attack incident. Overall, PBSO is extremely well prepared to handle these types of incidents. PBSO has provided deputies with effective equipment, put command personnel in place to oversee and lead critical incidents, trained investigators, partnered mental health professionals with highly trained deputies, and established relationships with many local, state and federal response partners. By requesting this review, PBSO Sheriff Ric Bradshaw took active steps to strengthen the agency?s response and to ensure the safety and security of the citizens of Palm Beach County. PERF found that PBSO had recognized the need to prepare for an active attack incident prior to, and in the wake of, the February 2018 active shooter attack at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL. PBSO personnel acknowledged consistency issues within General Order (GO) 500.02 (?Responding to Active Aggressive Deadly Behavior?), and are in the process of updating the policy to ensure it is consistent with agency expectations regarding single-deputy entry. New language will re?ect the agency?s philosophy and training recognizing that the first priority in an active attack is to neutralize the threat in order to stop the killing. PERF learned that PB SO is a well-equipped agency and distributes an array of protective gear to its deputies that will allow them to respond to a dangerous active attack situation. PB SO has taken steps to educate the public about what to do in an active attack situation through presentations distributed through the agency?s Facebook page and YouTube channels. PBSO has collaborated with other county and municipal agencies to train for active attacker incidents and continues to do so. In addition to identifying the strong aspects of PB prevention and preparedness, PERF also found areas where PB SO could make some improvements. For example, PB SO has strong informal relationships with several municipal police agencies, especially with regard to information and intelligence sharing. However, these relationships should be formalized through memoranda of understanding (MOUs), so that roles and expectations for PBSO and partner agencies are clearly de?ned. It is especially important that the Palm Beach County School District Police Department maintain a formal relationship with PBSO. While information sharing between Palm Beach County School District Police Department and PB SO has increased following the Parkland shooting, it is a real possibility that these efforts could diminish over time. That cannot happen if the current arrangement is to be sustained. If it is not possible for the collaboration and information?sharing efforts to continue, then Palm Beach County of?cials should consider a consolidation of agencies or appoint PBSO and/ or other municipal law enforcement agencies as the consistent law enforcement presence in the schools. Finally, PERF has provided PB SO with guidance about policies on lone-deputy responses to an active attacker, - and identi?ed details PBSO should plan for in the aftermath of a mass casualty attack. 27 Through the commissioning of this review, PB SO has demonstrated a commitment to examining its and weaknesses so that the agency can be prepared to respond to and prevent mass casualty attacks. PB willingness to review its policies and practices and take immediate steps to improve them demonstrate the agency?s dedication to ensuring the public safety of Palm Beach County residents. The agency?s commitment to multi-agency training, state-of?the-art equipment, and strong partnerships and information-sharing make PBSO a leader in preparedness for active attack incidents. During the course of this project, PERF briefed PB SO on identi?ed areas for improvement, and PB SO is already taking active steps to implement recommendations. With these continued improvements, PB SO will become a model for the country. 28 Appendix A: Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act On March 9, 2018, Florida Governor Rick Scott signed SB 7026,53 the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act.54 This legislation establishes safeguards and creates resources with the ultimate goal of increasing safety in schools.55 The Act covers many topics related to issues that have emerged in Parkland and other mass shootings. Four of the major areas covered in the Act are mental health, ?rearm safety, school safety, and ?mding.56 Mental Health Changes in law designed to keep ?rearms out of the hands of individuals suffering from mental illness include: Authorization of law enforcement of?cers to take an individual into custody under the Baker Act and seize and hold a ?rearm or ammunition for 24 hours after the individual is released; and 0 Creation of a process for law enforcement agencies to petition a court for a risk protection order. These orders temporarily prevent access to ?rearms for individuals deemed at risk of harming themselves or others. Firearm Safety SB 7026 strengthens Florida?s background check system by adding additional requirements for ?rearms purchases: 0 The law requires at least a three-day waiting period for all ?rearms. If the background check for a ?rearm takes longer than three days, the waiting period is extended until the background check is completed. Exceptions are provided for certain individuals comealed weapons permit holders); The law prohibits individuals under 21 years of age from purchasing ?rearms; and The law bans bump-?re stocks (devices that allow semi-automatic weapons to ?re at nearly the same rate as a fully automatic machine gun?). School Safety Provisions of the new law to increase school safety include: Requiring each school board to work with law enforcement agencies to assign at least one ?safe-school of?cer? at each school. Safe-school of?cers can be a school resource of?cer, a school safety of?cer, or a school guardian; Requiring school districts to designate school safety specialists who are responsible for ensuring that the district?s policies and procedures are compliant with state law, and that training and resources are 53 Florida Senate. Committee Sahsz?z'r?m?efor Senate Bill No. 7026. Chapter No. 2013-3. 54 Of?ce of Florida Governor Rick Scott. Gov. Rick Scott igns Marjory Stonem an Douglas High School Public Safety Act. 9 Mar 2018. I 8/ 03/09/ gov-rick-scott-signs-mari orv?stoneman-douglas?high-scho ol-public-safetv-act/ 55 The Florida Senate. Senate Passes Marjory Stoneman Douglass High School Public Safety Act. 5 Mar 2018. Ibid. 5F?Donnelly, Grace. ?What You Need to Know About Bump Stock Gun Accessories.? Fortune, 21 Feb 2018. 29 available to schools. The specialists also are tasked with serving as the liaison with public safety agencies and conducting a school security risk assessment; 0 Requiring school districts to create a multi-disciplinary threat assessment team at each school to coordinate resources, as well as assessment and intervention with individuals who may pose a threat to the safety of schools; and 0 Creating an allocation to assist school districts in establishing or expanding mental health care at schools. Funding Through this act, $400 million is apprOpriated to support implementation of the provisions of the bill. Areas where this money will be spent include: More than $69 million for mental health assistance; 0 $98 million to create a grant program to improve and harden physical security at schools; and 0 $18.3 million to the Department of Children and Families to create additional mobile crisis teams. This act includes many changes to the operations and available resources of schools, school districts, and law enforcement agencies. PB SO and other Florida law enforcement agencies should thoroughly review this legislation and update policies and practices accordingly. For example, agencies are now able to petition the court for a risk protection order to continue holding an individual?s ?rearms. Law enforcement agencies should review the process for obtaining this risk protection order and should create procedures that re?ect the requirements. These new procedures should be provided to the entire agency, and all of?cers and deputies should be given instruction in how to carry them out. 30 PERF Would like to thank the following agencies for their participation In the interviews and roundtables that served as the basis for this report. 'Delray Beach Police Department . Federal Bureau of InvestigatiOn . Florida Department of Children and Families Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Palm Beach County SchOol District PoliCe Palm Beach County Shenffs Office United States Secret SerVice . West Palm Beach Fire Rescue West-Palm Beach Police Department - Support for this preject was made available through - - the Howard G. Buffett Foundation 31 2018 PERF REVIEW OF ACTIVE ATTACK RESPONSE PREPAREDNESS SINGLE-DEPUTY ENTRY Item Recommendation: As PBSO revises GO 500.02 - Responding to Active Aggressive Deadly Behavior, it must ensure that the policy includes clear language establishing an expectation of single?deputy entry during an active attack situation. This will ensure that PBSO's policy will be consistent with its training of deputies and with the equipment and resources that the agency provides for this purpose. There is a growing realization in the policing profession nationally that of?cers and deputies need clear policies on a critical life-and-death issue in which of?cers and deputies must know exactly what is expected of them. See page 4 Yes No Considering CI Other Comments: Edit made to G0 500.02, which provide clarity and clear expectations for responding deputies. OFF-DUTY DEPLOYMENT Item# 2 Recommendation: Because the agency's message on self-deployment is not clear, PBSO should determine its of?cial stance on deputy self-deployment during an active attack situation and include clear directives regarding deputy self?deployment in GO 500.02 - Responding to Active Aggressive Deadly Behavior. Furthermore, PBSO should ensure that all personnel at all ranks are aware of the agency's policy on self-deployment. If PB SO determines that deputies are not to self- deploy to an active attack incident, an exception should be made for instances in which a deputy is already on the scene or is in the immediate vicinity when the incident occurs, and the deputy may be in a position to neutralize the threat. In the event that a deputy does self- deploy, policy should require the deputy to notify communications that they are responding and provide as many situational details as possible, as well as a self-description. See pages 4 and 5 Yes No Considering El Other El Comments: Edits made to G0 500.02, which provide established criteria for self- deployment and requirement for communication with our Communications Division. Page 1 of11 Item 3 Recommendation: All PBSO personnel should be provided with PBSO Windbreakers or some form of insignia so they are easily identi?able on scene. Policy should dictate that deputies must wear some type of clear PBSO insignia to ensure that other responding deputies recognize the individual as law enforcement. This will assist the incident commander to control access to the scene, and help to reduce the risk of blue-on-blue shootings. See page 5 Yes No El Considering El Other El Comments: Edits made to GO 500.02, which require off-duty personnel to wear some clear form of agency insignia. Windbreakers are available to all LE personnel. MAY 2018 DEPUTY IN-SERVICE TRAINING Item #4 Recommendation: If possible, opportunities for active attack training should be consistent across all PBSO districts. This is crucial to ensure that a uniform message and consistent information are conveyed throughout the agency, which will help deputies to respond effectively to an active attack incident. See page 6 Yes No El Considering El Other El Comments: PBSO is currently conducting Active Attack Training for all deputies across all districts/divisions through this year?s In Service Training - and will continue regional active shooter/killer training exercises for the foreseeable future. Item #5 Recommendation: During active attack training exercises, deputies should use their radios only when necessary. Deputies should be more disciplined in their radio usage, and training staff should stress the importance of using the radios only when necessary to avoid confusion and distractions. Additionally, radio transmissions that are important and necessary should be relayed multiple times to ensure that responding of?cers are informed as they respond to an incident. See page 6 Yes No Considering Cl Other Comments: Radio communications and radio discipline are also being addressed in this year?s In Service Training. Repeating of important radio transmissions is addressed by - PBSO Communications. PageZof11 Item #6 Recommendation: While PBSO is conducting a joint active attack training with the Palm Beach County School District Police Department in May 2018, interviews indicated that these agencies have not previously trained together to prepare for active attack events. Going forward, Palm Beach County School District Police Department must be an active participant with PBSO in scenario?based active attack training. See pages 6 and 7 Yes No El Considering El Other Comments: Through current joint training, PBSO and School Police have re-established a good working relationship and will continue to train together. Planning has already commenced for scenario based training exercises at various schools next year. Item #7 Recommendation: PERF recommends that PBSO document its after-action following an active attack training exercise. A formal report should be produced so that PBSO leaders may review the positive outcomes and ensure that identi?ed shortcomings are appropriately addressed. See page 7 Yes No Considering Other Comments: PBSO already conducts reviews of critical incidents (018) via the Post Critical Incident Assessment Team (PCIAT). PCIAT could be expanded and a more formal after action report could possibly be created. EQUIPMENT Item #8 Recommendation: In addition to sergeants, PBSO should consider" providing ballistic shields to deputies assigned to patrol. Deputies are likely to be the ?rst responder to an active attack threat and should be provided as much protection as possible beyond their ballistic vest to stop the killing. Personnel should keep in mind that these shields are heavy and could potentially be burdensome in an active attack situation. Therefore, it is imperative that the agency incorporates the use of ballistic shields into active attack training and annual ?rearms scenario-based exercises for patrol deputies. Deputies should have an understanding of the protection capabilities as well as the limitations of the shield and how it may impact a speedy response. See pages Considering Other El Comments: PBSO has tested and evaluated smaller personal protection shields for individual deputies and will continue to evaluate options. Serious consideration should be given to the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing a shield during an active attack response (weight of the shield, speed of the response, shooting with a shield, one handed vs. two handed shooting, etc.) Ballistic shield training is currently a part of Active Attack Response training. Currently there are 266 shields deployed to Field Operations throughout Palm Beach County. Page3of11 Item #9 Recommendation: PBSO deputies are equipped with standard body armor and helmets, which should provide suf?cient protection if encountering an active shoOter armed with a pistol. But because many active shooters have been armed with more powerful ?rearms an assault ri?e), additional protective armor is necessary. PBSO should examine deploying plate carriers to provide deputies with additional protection from active shooters armed with ri?es. See page 8 Yes El Considering Other Comments: The agency has been testing evaluating plate carriers since October of 2017. It would cost the agency approximately $600,000 to issue a plate carrier to all deputies. It should be noted that 35 of our SWAT Operators are equipped with plate carriers. And, many of those SWAT Operators are assigned to Patrol Operations. continuing to evaluate feasible options. RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER AGENCIES The agency is Item #10 Recommendation: PBSO should move toward formalizing the working relationships that have been established with municipal law enforcement agencies in the county, mental health providers, school should develop mutual aid agreements/memoranda of understanding and routine practice collaborative training exercises) to formalize these relationships. This will help ensure that information-sharing and partnerships will continue when there are personnel changes. See page 9 partners, and businesses. PBSO and other entities Yes El Considering Other El Comments: PBSO will continue to participate in numerous inter-agency committees and organizations and will examine what, if any, are necessary with various law enforcement partners and community stakeholders to include the PBC School Board Police. Page4of11 PALM BEACH COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICE DEPARTMENT Item #11 Recommendation: The current role of the Palm Beach County School District Police Department in protecting students against active attacks and other incidents is not ideal, and the status quo is not acceptable. PERF sees two Options for moving forward: 1. The relationships and information-sharing between the and PBSO needs to remain strong. The coordination efforts that have begun post-Parkland must be normal practice, and information-sharing must be more open than before Parkland. The agencies must create plans and agreements for resource sharing and incident response. Partnerships and practices established as a result of a critical incident can often wane over time. The efforts to work together that accelerated following the Parkland mass shooting cannot recede or lapse over time. 2. If the and PBSO are unable to create effective mechanisms for preventing and responding to active attacks in the county's schools, Palm Beach County of?cials should consider a consolidation of the agencies or other action to provide that PBSO and/or municipal law enforcement agencies will provide consistent law enforcement support and services in the schools. One model that has been effective in other communities is to have the primary law enforcement agency, such as PBSO, provide all school security staf?ng. In this model, law enforcement resources. have consistent training, policies, response philosophies, and intelligence coordination. See page 10 Yes El No El Considering El Other IZI I I Comments: PBSO understands that the current situation is not ideal. With that said, PBSO is committed to the sharing of information, and intelligence, but that issue is problematic. The Palm Beach County School Board will have to make some decisions as it relates to contract and/or consolidated police services. PageSof11 RECOGNIZING POTENTIAL THREATS Item #12 Recommendation: PBSO (and other law enforcement agencies) should consider creating an agency protocol detailing the "who, what, when, why, and how? of assessing someone who is possibly in need of protective custody. Deputies can bene?t from a list of questions and factors to consider, such as: a Does the individual have a history of mental illness? 0 Does the individual have a history of violence? 0 Has the individual been prescribed medications for mental illness? 0 Is the individual currently medication-compliant? 0 Has the individual threatened to harm him/herself or others? a Does the individual have a history of suicide attempts? Are there signs of moderate or severe such as: Depressed mood; Delusions; Paranoid ideas; Substance abuse Answering these questions will not provide a de?nitive answer as to whether a deputy should bring someone into protective custody. However, a list of questions or factors to consider will assist in gathering information from the individual or from family members and friends, which might otherwise be overlooked. With this information, deputies can make more informed decisions regarding the Baker Act and taking individuals into protective custody. Agencies should work with local mental health professionals to develop these questions and protocols to ensure they are relevant and applicable. See page 11 Yes No El Considering El Other El Comments: PBSO is currently developing policy and a training curriculum in accordance with SB 7026, and the requirements of the Baker Act/Risk Protection Orders. Our Behavioral Services Division (BSD) will be an integral part of the process._ Item #13 Recommendation: Deputies and of?cers should receive periodic and regular refresher training on mental illness and the Baker Act (or relevant state statute on protective custody). Training should include procedures for taking someone into protective custody and why the information from these questions is important for making good decisions. This training can be carried out in in- service or through roll call and should also be included for new hires. Relevant units with experience in working with individuals with mental illness, such as PBSO's BSD are a valuable resource to provide this training to de uties. See- pages 1] and 12 Yes No El Considering El Other El Comments: PBSO conducts continuous training through E-Learning and the Power DMS system. Since 2009, there have been six (6) Roll Call Training Briefs and twelve (12) Legal Updates for Baker Act procedures, protocols, Florida State Statute, and lessons learned. Baker Act process is also covered in New Hire Training during the Mental Health portion. Page6of11 RADIO COMMUNICATIONS INTEROPERABILITY Item #14 Recommendation: Although communications center personnel appear to be pro?cient at patching radio channels, deputies could bene?t from additional training on how to switch between various channels, to ensure a swift and coordinated response in the event of an active threat. School District Police should be included in this exercise to ensure their ability to communicate with of?cers and deputies responding ?om other law enforcement agencies, including PBSO. See page 15 Yes i 0 El Considering El Other El Comments: PBSO Communications conducts weekly tests with Patrol Operations personnel on switching to proper 8TAC channels. The Palm Beach County Emergency Operations Center performs weekly test with all PSAPS, as well as PBC School Board Police and surrounding counties on the LECALL talk group. Roll call training will be conducted to ensure that deputies are pro?cient in manipulating between radio channels. Item #15 Recommendation: PBSO should actively attempt to identify dead zones in schools, businesses, and other locations, and consider installing "repeaters" in these locations to improve communication capabilities. A reporting procedure should be established to identify dead zones, ensure that problems are corrected, and notify employees of the status of these areas for safety reasons. See page 15 Yes No El Considering El Other Comments: As dead zones are identified by PBSO personnel in the ?eld, this information will be provided to the specific entity (school, business or other location). Recommendations will be made to correct the issues. ACCESS WITH SCHOOLS OTHER BUILDINGS Item #16 Recommendation: The PBSO should coordinate with the school system to ensure that school buildings are appropriately labeled, so that responding agencies that may not be familiar with the buildings are easily able to identify them. See page 19 Yes El N0 El Considering El Other Comments: PBSO will share this recommendation with the Palm Beach County School Police for consideration and implementation. Page70f11 Item #17 Recommendation: PBSO should ensure that all staff are familiar with agency protocols regarding parking at the scene of an incident, and consider institutionalizing these practices in policy. These parking protocols should also be practiced during multi-agency training exercises. See page 20 Yes No Considering Other El Comments: PBSO will consider a possible edit to G.O. 522.00 Critical Incident Investigations. These practices are currently taught during training exercises and reinforced by PBSO supervisors at, both, roll call training sessions and incident debriefings. RECOVERY Item #18 Recommendation: PBSO should ensure that all personnel and other relevant agencies remain familiar with the Mass Casualty Plan, and incorporate roles and responsibilities outlined in the plan into multi- agency training exercises. See page 20 Yes I No El Considering El Other Comments: PBSO is partnering with Palm Beach County Fire Rescue to improve Incident Command. Both PBSO and supervisors are training together during PBSO In- Service Training this year. We have a Mass Casualty Plan that includes and the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), along with other agencies. We?ll continue to participate in county-wide mass casualty training exercises. FAMILY REUNIFICATION AND ASSISTANCE Item #19 Recommendation: Individuals who experience an active attack event may leave their personal belongings, which could include their identi?cation and cellular phones. Therefore, PBSO will need to consider how to assist survivors with contacting their families, as well as making sure they are disseminating information regarding deceased Victims to the correct families. See page 21 Yes No El Considering El Other El Comments: Personal property will be collected in accordance with G.O. 532.00 Evidence/Property Handling. PBSO has protocol, through the Technical Services Division, to provide for the release and return of property. PBSO will provide the community with information on how to recover lost items through the use of the media and various social media platforms. Page 8 of11 Item #20 Recommendation: PBSO and partner agencies should consider assigning a victim advocate to each victim's family. The victim advocate could assist with linking families to counseling services, and assisting with travel plans and funeral arrangements. See page. 2] Yes IZI No El Considering El Other Comments: Mass Casualtnyass Fatality Plan envisions the need for PBSO to set up, operate and maintain a Family Reunification Center (FRC). PBC Division of Emergency Management has developed a Family Assistance and Survivor Care Center (FASCC) plan. The Health Services Branch contains a Behavioral/Mental Health Unit. The Palm Beach County Division of Victim Services is specifically tasked with providing ?behavioral health services for both families and the responders/staff. This includes both mental health and spiritual care services.? PBSO has already established a partnership with these agencies. CRIME SCENE PROCESSING Item #21 Recommendation: PBSO should use roll-call training to remind deputies of the proper protocols that apply to crime scene maintenance and preservation during an active attack. Deputies should be reminded to sign the crime scene log and that they are not to eat, drink, smoke, chew tobacco, use the telephone, spit, adjust the room temperature, reposition items, or litter within the established boundaries of a crime scene. In addition, deputies should be reminded that an active attack crime scene will involve other law enforcement and non-law enforcement personnel from many agencies. These individuals may not be familiar with crime scene preservation and processing. Deputies must ensure that they prOperly control crime scene access to ensure scene reservation. See page 21 22 Yes No El Considering El Other El Comments: PBSO Violent Crimes Division (VCD) recognized an issue with crime scene managementprior to this year?s In Service Training. These issues are being covered in this year?s Supervisory In Service Training Program. Item #22 Recommendation: Because investigating an active attack incident will likely include the collection of digital evidence from the suspect's personal electronic devices smart phone, personal computer, tablets, etc.), it is important that PB SO and other law enforcement entities develop a plan for collecting and preserving digital evidence. That National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed "federated testing tools" to provide forensic labs with a mechanism to determine if the lab's digital forensic software has the ability to copy and preserve digital evidence that could be used in court. See page 22 Yes No El Considering El Other El Comments: PBSO collects, processes, and preserves all digital evidence in accordance with G.O. 532.03 - Collection, Processing and preservation of Digital Evidence. PBSO will review its current policy and make revisions, as needed, as technological procedures evolve. Pagerf11 Item #23 Recommendation: PBSO will need to consider how survivors and victirns' families can retrieve their property once the crime scene is fully processed and released. Those who are at the scene when the incident occurs will likely leave their belongings so they may elude the attacker and will be instructed to leave belongings as law enforcement evacuates survivors from the scene. This was found to be the case during the Washington, DC Navy Yard and the Las Vegas active shooter incidents. PBSO should work with partner agencies to determine and establish protocols that will be followed to return personal property to survivors and to victims? families following a mass casualty incident. See page 22 Yes No El Considering El Other El Comments: PBSO is benchmarking other agencies that have experienced a mass casualty incident. A Family Reunification Center (FRC) will .be operational per our established plan. See comments to Recommendations #19 and #20. AFTER ACTION REPORT Item #24 Recommendation: PBSO should formally document its after-action analysis following large-scale, critical incidents. This should allow for a through description of the event, and the actions that PBSO took to respond to and manage the situation. In providing a detailed description of the event, PBSO can identify practices that were strong and areas where improvements could be made. An AAR following an active attack situation in Palm Beach County could also serve as a "lessons learned" document for other agencies. See pages 22 and 23 Yes No El Considering El Other Comments: PBSO has established an All-Hazards SharePoint page, which includes an After-Action Report section. The AAR covers areas of and highlights areas in need of improvement. A designated PBSO employee will develop a comprehensive report that is built upon all of the pertinent information collected as a part of the incident. SOCIAL MEDIA Item #25 Recommendation: PBSO should review, update, and share with agency leaders its plan to manage requests for information following an active attack event. PBSO will likely be inundated with requests for information, and while the agency does a good job handling requests for information on a day-to-day basis, it is necessary to review those plans and practices to determine which requests for information will be a priority for PBSO in the wake of an active attack event. See page 24 Yes No El Considering CI Other El Comments: In the event of an active attack incident, it is highly likely that the PBC Emergency Operations Center (EOC) will be activated and staffed. Once the EOC has been activated and staffed, all information released should be coordinated through the Public Information Unit (PIU). The PIU is comprised of designated Public Information Of?cers from all of the involved agencies. Page100f11 Item #26 Recommendation: PBSO should assign a media liaison to each of the Victim's families. This was an action taken by Chief Dan Oates following the Aurora, CO movie theater shooting. The media liaison served as a point of contact for media outlets to arrange potential interviews with Victims' families until the families were able to decide if they wished to speak out, who would be their spokesperson, and when they would talk to the media. Appointing media liaisons helped to minimize inquiries made directly by the media to family members. See page 24 Yes El Considering Other El Comments: PBSO will examine the logistical concerns against the potential bene?ts that might exist with the utilization of media liaisons. Any actions taken would likely be in coordination between the PBSO Behavioral Services Division and PBSO Media Relations. Consideration will be given to testing this practice on future critical incidents. ASSISTANCE Item #27 Recommendation: The policy requiring all deputies involved in a critical incident to meet with the department prior to returning to work is a best practice in policing. A mandatory meeting can help ensure that deputies obtain any assistance they need, while preventing any stigma associated with seeking mental health care. should initiate the practice of a follow-up appointment with the department approximately six months from the original visit, to ensure the mental health and well-being of the of?cer is being addressed. See page 25 To improve this practice, the PBSO Yes El NoEl Considering IZI Other Comments: Ongoing research has and is being conducted by Risk Management Division for the feasibility of implementing a wellness check six months after a critical incident. Consideration will be given to testing this practice on future critical incidents. Page11of11