LAPD Launches Crowd Management Training

 Los Angeles: Today the Los Angeles Police Department invited members of the media to experience the Department's 21st Century Mobile Field Force Training held at the Joint Force Training Base in Los Alamitos, California.

The 21st Century Mobile Field Force Doctrine involves; integrating and applying strategies for crowd management and control, application of human relations skills, public information skills, and the application of Department resources.   Furthermore, officers are introduced to historic perspectives, psychological influences, types of crowds, legal aspects, media relations, and public safety issues as they relate to public assemblies, marches and rallies. 

In addition to the classroom instruction, officers are placed through practical exercises that test their practical skills and re-enforce the information provided to them during lectures.   

Under the leadership of Deputy Chief Michael Hillman, Commanding Officer, Incident Management and Training Bureau, the LAPD is on target to train 5,000 officers by March 2008.  Eventually, every officer, including command staff personnel, will attend the one-day 10-hour course.

For further information contact Media Relations Section, at 213-485-3586.

Comments

[Jim Reed]

The order of those going through this training should be: 1 Command Staff (Captains and higher), 2 Lt and Sargents.

These are the ones who need to have an absolute understanding of what can and cannot be done to control crowds. They are the ones who give the tactical orders to the blue suiters who have to disburse or control a crowd.

I hope that the Chief understands where the priority lies to prevent further May 1st incidents.

[Tru]

I'd like to see education in the public schools, starting in kindergarten, that police officers are to be obeyed and complied accordingly. When the level of respect for authority is raised, the need for 'crowd management' will decrease. The ideal of peaceful demonstration notwithstanding.
Alas, I won't hold my breath on that.

[James]

So does this mean that we leave all our batons, sinister black helmets, and less lethal in the trunk?

A change in the training doctrine proves that the officers involved in the May 1st incident were just doing as they were trained to do and as was expected of them. The Department's vague policies and procedures are at fault, not the individual officer.

I agree with Jim that the command staff and supervisors need to be put on the spot during this training. The officers can sit back and watch the ensuing confusion.

[Harry]

Jim,
you should have seen the training. The officers did all the training. The LT'S AND Captains stood around and watched. I hope they will get it one day. Metro is doing their best and i hope the Leaders on the department learn something so when the time comes they know what to do. We will see very soon.

[Bob Davis]

The idea of training is to TRAIN BEFORE IT'S NEEDED! To our leadership, you might want to listen for a change to those who actually do the job. That job being patrol operations. It's very simple. Take away all else except patrol and the City still has a police force. Take away patrol and you have no police force. Yet patrol operations are being stripped like a carcass. I feel sorry for LA residents. They are paying for a police officer in a uniform to answer a call. What they are getting is a gutted patrol force (those actually in the field) that is so small, it's not only unsafe for the residents, it's unsafe for the officers.