Civil disorder: preparing for the worst - Cover Story

FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin,The, March, 1994 by Dean De Jong

During an April 1991 conference on future trends in policing held at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, speakers made an especially disturbing prediction. Citing a number of factors, these experts raised the specter of increased numbers of civil disturbances worldwide during the 1990s. One year after the conference, violent rioting in several American cities in the wake of the Rodney King verdict seemed to confirm this prediction.

While the media quickly drew parallels between the riots of 1992 and those of the late 1960s, these comparisons are of limited value from a tactical perspective. In fact, reaction to the King verdict in the epicenter of the riots--South Central Los Angeles--followed a pattern much closer to the civil disturbance that erupted in Miami, Florida, in May 1980, following the acquittal of five Dade County police officers accused of beating a black motorcyclist. Unlike the gradual escalation of violence in the riots of the 1960s, acts of murder during the Miami riot occurred within minutes of the first signs of disturbance.(1) This pattern of rapid and violent escalation was reaffirmed during the disorder in Los Angeles.

In response to what appears to be the dual threat of more frequent and more violent civil disturbances, it is imperative that law enforcement agencies develop effective plans to meet this challenge. By preparing for the worst, public safety agencies can take steps to help prevent it from occurring.

CHARACTERISTICS OF CIVIL DISORDER

Studies of the violent riots in Los Angeles and Miami, as well as a series of disturbances that took place in the Miami area throughout the 1980s, reveal a clear pattern in modern civil unrest. The seven elements of this pattern include:

* An incident or community event that is perceived negatively by a segment of the community serves as the catalyst

* Small--but very violent--groups of people take advantage of the situation and begin engaging in seemingly random acts of violence, such as throwing rocks and bottles, attacking innocent bystanders, and shooting at the police. (In fact, these attacks are generally planned and directed at specific types of victims.)

* This same small group initiates isolated acts of looting and arson

* As more citizens become involved, there is a gradual but steady increase in incidents of looting and arson

* Widespread acts of civil disruption--attacks on innocent people, looting, arson, sniper attacks---overwhelm law enforcement's ability to maintain control

* Many segments of the community join in, creating a "carnival-like" atmosphere

* After several days, activities gradually cease due to a large influx of police resources and a lack of interest on the part of citizens in the affected areas.

When a disturbance finally calms, it leaves behind a multitude of questions, along with smoldering fires and ravaged storefronts. By searching for answers to these questions, law enforcement agencies and communities can be better prepared to respond--or preferably, to prevent--future incidents.

CRITICAL ELEMENTS

By analyzing its experiences with civil disorder during the past decade, the Miami Police Department identified seven key elements critical to the diffusion of unrest.

1) Time--Once a disturbance begins, time is the enemy of law enforcement. Therefore, it becomes vitally important that the police department gather resources and suppress disruptive activities before violence spreads and large numbers of the affected community join the initial rioters

2) Resources--While the department must respond as quickly as possible, it must do so with sufficient resources to handle multiple incidents that occur during an outbreak of civil disorder

3) Goals--Before an incident occurs, the department should formulate an organizational philosophy and develop a prioritized set of goals regarding the management of civil disorder

4) Specialized Tactics--The department must develop specialized tactics to deal with the unique policing conditions required during periods of civil unrest

5) Plan of Action--The police department should develop a detailed, written plan of action, addressing resources, personnel, and command requirements

6) Training--On a continual basis, the department should conduct riot training, reinforcing the plans and tactics that have been developed

7) Critique and Update--The police department must continually critique and update its planning and training so that its personnel are at a constant state of readiness.

The lessons learned by the Miami Police Department are relevant to any urban law enforcement agency that may confront civil unrest. Using these seven critical areas as a basis, departments can organize a response strategy.

PREVENTION THROUGH PREPARATION

Having identified stages in the evolution of modern urban riots and having learned lessons from past incidents of civil disorder, the department then addressed another important issue. How can police departments best deal with major civil crises?

The answer lies in preparation--one area where the police maintain complete control. Preparation is the single most important step law enforcement agencies can take to ensure that small disturbances do not grow into major incidents. Effective preparation is, in fact, the best form of prevention.