Since the civil unrest of 2020, more officers than ever before understand why I call a riot “the great noise.” Other than war itself, it is difficult to imagine an environment in which a commander would find it more difficult to communicate than during a full-blown riot.
Giving and receiving audible and visual preparatory commands
A trained team must possess the ability to remain flexible when facing the crowd. To do that, the team and its commander must develop the skill to communicate commands, while the team must also be able to instantly receive and understand commands. These commands must be simple, pre-practiced, and given both audibly and visually.
Each command should be prefaced by a preparatory command. This serves to notify the team of what movement they are about to execute. The commander simultaneously shouts as they visually give the signal for the desired preparatory command.
We found during responding to riots that in order to ensure everyone received the communication, one option was to train the team as a unit to loudly repeat the command.
“Move!”
After the preparatory command is given there should be a slight pause, allowing members of the team to mentally process what is expected of them.
After a pause, the commander gives the execute command so that the team moves as one.
The verbal command to execute “Move!” is shouted, while visually signaling.
To perform this visual signal the commander makes a fist above the helmet and pumps it once sharply to the shoulder like they are pulling an imaginary train whistle.
“Column”
Forming a column is an efficient way to not only move a team from one location to another but also to allow a team the capability to move quickly from the column formation to all other formations.
The signal to form a column starts with one arm straight up with your hand open and the lower edge of the hand forward. Move the arm down, keeping it straight, in a smooth slicing motion ending by pointing at the spot where the column should form while shouting simultaneously, “Column!” The team repeats your command “Column!”
After a pause, shout “Move!” and the trained team will repeat “Move!” as it moves as a unit to form the column at the spot where they were directed to form.
As each person falls into the column, they will put their left hand up and, with their arm straight out, place their hand to the back of the left shoulder of the person in front of them and straighten it out to properly distance themselves from that person. Proper distancing will prevent team members from stepping on each other during the move.
“Column Forward, Column Right, Column Left, Column Double time, Column About Face, Column Halt”
The preparatory for each of these commands is the command itself. The order to initiate will also be “Move.”
The commander or team leader should position themself to the front left or right, depending on the environment. Hence the visual signal to accompany the “Move!” command will be the commander or team leader performing the movement.
The only variation would be the preparatory command for “Halt“ is “Column,” followed by a pause and the word “Halt!” The hand signal is the universal sign for stop.
The directional movement signal will be simply one arm pointing in the direction the movement will be made such as “Forward,” and then with the command to “Move!” snap the hand back to initiate the movement.
“Line“
“Line“ is the basic formation used to hold, secure, or clear an area. You can move a line forward to sweep a crowd out of an area. You can also wheel a line around a corner wheeling to the left, or right to appear suddenly to the front or rear of a crowd, or sweep a crowd around a corner.
To form the signal for the line, as you shout “Line!” put both your arms straight out at your side, shoulder height, with your hands open and palms down. Pause after the command line is given and then shout and signal “Move!”
If your officers are in a column, they can easily form a line by arriving at the designated formation point (that should be clearly communicated to the officers in advance). The first in line stops and the second goes left, aligns shoulder to shoulder with the first and the third right, and aligns shoulder to shoulder as well. The column fans out in this manner into a line, alternating moving left then right then left and so on until the line is formed.
“Guide-On” Officers
You can also index where the line is to be formed by placing what I like to call two “guide-on officers” shoulder to shoulder at a spot and signal the formation of a line command indicating that the team should form on either side of the two guide-on officers posted. Under stress, you can easily and quickly reposition a line if your team is trained on how following signals by using guide-on officers.
To facilitate forming a line, consider forming it on a line that already exists, like a cross-walk to help your officers form the straight line of a disciplined team.
Anchoring your line
When possible, anchor your line, which means have the left flank attached to a fence or wall, with the line extending to another fence or wall. This is not always possible, but it behooves you to use anchors whenever possible to help prevent the flanking of your line.
Arrest teams
You can assign arrest teams in advance, but this is not possible when the disturbance is spontaneous. In those cases, you can establish arrest teams by pulling members of the line back behind the line and designating them as the arrest teams by tapping your wrists together. They will physically control individuals who are swept through the line to be arrested. They will also help pass communications to the line from the commander who will be behind the line controlling the movements.
It is best to choose officers who are particularly adept at physical control for these teams. Arrests are highly visible and should be made quickly and professionally in these circumstances.
“Wedge“
Officers can be formed into a wedge, which is a configuration like geese in flight. Usually, the formation is shoulder to shoulder used to separate a crowd that is in the street and moves it up onto a sidewalk. This is done by moving your tightly formed wedge into and through the existing crowd.
“Separate“
Once the point of the wedge is through the crowd the commander gives the command to “Separate!” with a pause and then “Move!” For this movement, the commander will be behind the wedge and the visual signal can be to actually place hands on the officers at the point of the wedge and physically direct them right for the point on the right wing and left on the point of the left wing.
The wings of the wedge will hold together as they wheel right or left respectively, moving the crowd to the point at which they are to be held. This allows a street to be re-opened quickly, for an ambulance, fire truck or even a bus filled with replacement workers.
To form the initial wedge, you shout “Wedge!” form both arms like a V off to the side and upward as you shout. The team shouts “Wedge!” Pause for a bit and then shout “Move!” and the team repeats “Move!” and then forms the wedge.
These basic signals and movements should be practiced again and again. Too many agencies do little or nothing to prepare for the inevitability of large disturbances. When the situation occurs, their only option is the chaotic arrival of their well-intentioned but untrained officers, which can serve to add to the chaos of the disturbance.
On the other hand, the orderly arrival of a trained team, authorized to do what needs to be done to quell the disturbance, signals the beginning of the end of the chaos.
NEXT: Crowd management lessons learned from Seattle, Minnesota and Boston
