James City County Police DepartmentSWAT Team

Active Shooting Rescue Team Active Shooting Rescue Team OperationsOperations

Prepared by Sean P. Gormus, Sr.

Senior Officer

The Rescue Team Operation The Rescue Team Operation is two-fold:is two-fold:

#1 The Rescue Team will provide an interior secure area that will expand as the team flows into additional areas, eventually securing the entire structure. In expanding the secure area, the team will also reduce the size of the interior perimeter.

#2 The Rescue Team will provide for the quick treatment of the injured and evacuation of other victims into a secure environment.

The Rescue TeamThe Rescue Team

There are two types of rescue teams:

The traditional team

The Immediate Deployment Rescue Team

The traditional teamThe traditional team

The team that goes into a structure and secures an area by clearing each room in the area and posting personnel where a threat may still exist.

The traditional team will consist of a Point Man (or two) that will cover the forward advance of the officers clearing rooms; officers assigned to clear rooms and a Rear Guard (s) that is to prevent anyone approaching the unit from the rear.

The traditional teamThe traditional team

1. The Point Officers will be static, moving as the clearing process moves. The Rear Guard will be posted. As many team members as possible should start out on the clearing party. The reason this process is so manpower intensive is that someone must be posted at any area that cannot be cleared. So as the clearing process moves, your manpower will dwindle.

The traditional teamThe traditional team

The movement of this team will be slow and will follow stealth entry methods into each room cleared.

Ballistic Shields, mirrors, the cutting the pie technique and/or the SWAT CAM should be used to assess the threats of each room before entry.

The traditional teamThe traditional team

The traditional teamThe traditional team

Every person you encounter could be the shooter and should be considered a threat until you are able to check them for weapons and secure them.

The Rescue Team will also be responsible for maintaining the interior perimeter or the designated “Safe Area”.

The Immediate Deployment The Immediate Deployment Rescue TeamRescue Team (IDRT) (IDRT)

This team will be used at the discretion of the Team Commander.

The Immediate Deployment Rescue Team may be used at any stage of an operation to quickly get tactical personnel to the injured for evacuation to a safe area.

The Immediate Deployment The Immediate Deployment Rescue TeamRescue Team (IDRT) (IDRT)

The Immediate Deployment Rescue Team (IDRT) will be conducted in a diamond formation with a minimum of four officers (preferably five) and a Tactical Medic, at the discretion of the Team Commander.

The movement of the IDRT will be Dynamic until a reaching a victim that must be evacuated to a safe area.

The IDRT will be set up as The IDRT will be set up as follows:follows:

DC

ATL TL CO

TM?

RG

IDRT Position DesignationsIDRT Position Designations

DC- Designated Cover ATL- Assistant Team Leader TL- Team Leader CO- Contact Officer TM- Tactical Medic RG- Rear Guard

National Tactical Officer National Tactical Officer Association (NTOA)Association (NTOA)

Rapid Deployment to an Active Shooter Situation.

The ApproachThe Approach

What route will you take into the structure to start to provide a secure area?

Tactical considerationsTactical considerations

What was the shooter’s last known location?

What type of weapons does the shooter have?

What path provides you with the most cover and concealment?

Where are most of your victims?

Tactical considerationsTactical considerations

Where is the highest concentration of potential victims?

What resources do you have available to get you safely to a breach point, such as weaponry, sniper cover, body bunkers, ballistic shields, etc…

What is the layout inside your breach point?

TacticsTactics

Sniper cover should be set up to cover the approach of the rescue team. Once in place the sniper team may begin to also provide intelligence information.

As much information as possible should be obtained on the shooter’s last known location, type of weapons, victim and potential victim location, structure layout and entry points, what parts of the structure may be locked down and how to breach “locked down” areas.

Tactics (Scouting)Tactics (Scouting)

• Possible approaches should be scouted by a team member to determine the best route of travel using cover and concealment. Also the scout should be looking for potential obstacles, such as walls, fences, locked courtyards, etc… Bolt cutters, keys, ladders or other equipment may be necessary.

If there is little or no cover and If there is little or no cover and concealment:concealment:

A ) You may use a vehicle for cover up to the entry point.

B) You may use a Body Bunker or ballistic shields.

C) You may use both.

TacticsTactics

In addition to sniper cover the rescue team will provide cover for itself during the approach.

Plan your Breach as you are Plan your Breach as you are planning your approachplanning your approach

What type of breach are you going to make? (Door, window, roof hatch, etc…?)

What will you need to take with you? (Ram, hooligan tool, pry bar, baton etc…?)

Breaching tools should be taken with the rescue team also for interior operations.

The Breach and Clearing The Breach and Clearing OperationsOperations

Before entry is made it is important that the contact team(s) know that you are coming and where!

Rescue TeamRescue Team

Upon breaching you must begin to form a secure area.

When clearing rooms do not pass in front of uncleared or uncovered doors.

After victims are checked and secured move them to the designated safe area for medical triage or further evacuation.

In addition to providing cover for the designated secure area you must also provide inside security.

Rescue TeamRescue Team

Remember to provide at least one cover person for any area that cannot be cleared.

Patrol personnel may be used to supplement in certain areas such as covering uncleared area, prisoner security, safe area security, etc…

Immediate Deployment Immediate Deployment Rescue Team (IDRT)Rescue Team (IDRT)

May be used at the discretion of the Team Commander.

Immediate Deployment Immediate Deployment Rescue Team (IDRT)Rescue Team (IDRT)

Some circumstances where the use of an IDRT should be considered;

1)     A citizen or law enforcement officer is gravely wounded and delayed recovery could result in their demise.

2)     The suspect may or may not be actively involved in an assault; however, an assault is imminent and immediate recovery is crucial.

3)     Due to the location of victim(s), an immediate recovery may be necessary to prevent death or great bodily harm.

Immediate Deployment Immediate Deployment Rescue Team (IDRT)Rescue Team (IDRT)

The IDRT will operate much like a contact team except with the goal of recovery and rescue of potential victims as their primary function, whereas the contact team will bypass victims in their quest for the shooter.