Police Technology
Chapter Seventeen
Major Incident
And
Disaster Response
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Learning Objectives
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
Be familiar with Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) and
understand Incident Command System
(ICS)
Understand how technology can enhance
the different organizational missions,
goals, and objectives at a major incident
or disaster
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Learning Objectives
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Understand the importance of an Incident
Command Post (ICP)
Understand the typical configuration of an
Emergency Operations Center (EOC)
Explore some of the technologies used in
the response to major incidents and
disasters
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Introduction
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
A major incident is any incident where one
police officer assumes the responsibility to
direct the actions of two or more officers
at the scene of an incident
A disaster is any unexpected occurrence
that disrupts routine life in a community
for more than twenty-four hours and
causes life of life or property.
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Two types of disasters
Natural
 A Geological event
(e.g., earthquake,
landslide, sinkhole)
 Weather-related event
(e.g., Hurricane,
flood, fire)
Photograph provided by Robert Eplett, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Two types of disasters
Photograph provided by Robert Eplett, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
Human caused
 Aircraft crash
 Chemical spill
 Traffic Collision (100car pile-ups)
 Major crime incident
(Hostage situations,
North Hwy shootout)
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Disasters
Photograph provided by Robert Eplett, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
The first step in
returning to a
state of normalcy
is establishing
leadership over
the incident.
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Incident Command System

Consider ICS an
organizational
technology!
Photograph provided by Robert Eplett, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Incident Command System

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An organizational model for command,
control, and coordination of an agency’s
response to an unusual occurrence.
Originally developed by firefighters to
coordinate multiple agency response to an
emergency
Law enforcement do not have as many
mutual aid experiences as the fire service
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Standardized Emergency
Management System (SEMS)
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Requires state law enforcement to
use SEMS so they will be eligible for
state funding.
Encourages local agencies to use
SEMS
In 1994, FEMA adopted SEMS
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
National Incident Management
System


After 9/11, one of the major
recommendations of the 9/11 Commission
was the adoption of the National Incident
Management System
There was a clear difference between the
responses in New York (no adoption of
ICS) and Washington, DC (where ICS had
been adopted.
New Information
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
National Incident Management
System

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NIMS is nearly
identical to SEMS/ICS
NIMS is required for
federal funding from
the Department of
Homeland Security
The primary concept
is Unified Command
Photograph provided by Robert Eplett, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
New Information
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Incident Command System
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
Incorporates 7
basic emergency
management
concepts
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
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Unified command
Modular Organization
Span of Control
Common terminology
Consolidated action
plans
Comprehensive
resource Management
Communication
Interoperability
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Incident Command System
The modular organization of the ICS organizational
structure has five primary components:
Incident
Commander
Planning
Section
Operations
Section
Logistics
Section
Finance/
Admin.
Section
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Incident Command System
The Incident Commander should be the most
qualified person, not merely the highest-ranking
individual.
The first responder is generally the Incident
Commander unless and until that responsibility
is assumed by a more qualified person.
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Situation Estimate
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Location of incident
Perceived area involved
Type of incident
Special hazards
Types of resources needed
Ingress and egress routes
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Incident Command Post
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Is the field office from which the incident
commander operates (temporary
headquarters)
Must be close enough to the incident to
manage it
Far enough away to not become part of
the problem
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Operations Section
Most First Responders
Work with the Operations
Section
Incident
Commander
Planning
Section
Operations
Section
Logistics
Section
Finance/
Admin.
Section
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Operations Section
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Is responsible for carrying out the
action plans decided upon by the
Incident Commander.
Action plans identify objectives and
strategies (written or oral)
Operations can branch out (different
functions, locations, teams of workers)
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Incident Command Post
Technology


Photograph provided by 308 Systems
The patrol vehicle is
fast become a mobile
office.
Many police
department have
taken passenger
police cars and
outfitted them as
mobile incident
command posts.
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Bigger ICPs
Police cars - Trunkmounted platforms
work well for most
incidents
SUVs – larger, can
carry more resources
to the scene of an
incident.
Photographs provided by Troy Products, Inc
Photographs provided by Troy Products, Inc
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Specialty Vehicle
Can be a converted
RV, bus, or tractor
trailer rig.
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Emergency Operation Centers
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Can be thought of as a complex
dispatch center used for the
management and control of the
disaster.
May be supplemented by multiple
ICPs in the field.
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
EOC structure similar to ICS
Director
Operations
Planning
Logistics
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Admin.
Job of the EOC. . .
ICP1
ICP2

EOC
ICP3

ICP4
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Coordinates all the
activities within a
jurisdiction on a wider
scale.
Relieves some of the
admin burden from
the Incident
commanders.
Directs resources
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Technological Considerations
for the First Responder
Police officers duties
as a major incident or
disaster include:
DO NOT become
part of the problem!
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Perimeter control
Incident security
Traffic control
Crowd control
Assisting evacuation
Preserving and
collecting evidence
Admin support to IC
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
What’s Not Included?
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
Robots used for
disarming explosive
devices and searching
dangerous areas
Specialized protection
equipment
The most current
terminology
is Personal Protective
Equipment or PPE.
Photograph provided by Robert Eplett, California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster
Police Technology
Explore Homeland Security at
www.hitechcj.com/homelandsecurity
Copyright 2005 - 2009: Hi Tech Criminal
Justice, Raymond E. Foster