Crowd Control
The Crowd Control topic focuses on the difficult task of controlling large groups of people with a limited number of police officers and resources. The police crowd control articles and tips in this section focus on strategy, policy, planning and tactics that can help quell a riled-up crowd and riot gear — helmets and shields — that will keep them safe in the process.
Law enforcement must be prepared for the worst when a controversial verdict is read, protestors become violent or a sports team wins a championship and the celebration spills to the streets.
Law enforcement needs the tools to maintain situational awareness
Advanced protective helmets are essential, providing crucial protection while being lightweight and comfortable enough for extended wear
During pre-event contacts, share these key strategies with demonstrators to help maintain order and prevent conflicts during protests
“Quite frankly, this is not sustainable,” Deputy Chief Chris Davis said at a briefing
The $5 million bill came out of a racial justice advisory group launched in June after the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor
The governor declared a state of emergency after a weekend of violence
Several officers were injured when fireworks and mortars exploded near them
A Monday night shooting injured a 60-year-old man as he tried to drive past a protest
“We were attacked with rocks, and we had to defend our officers,” Aurora Interim Police Chief Vanessa Wilson said
Over the past several weeks, we asked our audience a series of questions about crowd control
Chief James Craig says the officers thought “they were being fired upon”
The violence came just over a week after another shooting in the zone left one person dead and another wounded
The collective of protesters in the Capitol Hill Organized Protest was born after clashes with police who tear-gassed people protesting the death of George Floyd
The house was set on fire during unrest that saw three people shot and 10 police officers and a firefighter injured
Department officials said a fire hydrant was illegally opened and buckets of water were dumped on officers
The violence broke out as a group protested the arrest of a Black man who shouted at restaurant customers through a megaphone while carrying a baseball bat
Gov. Tony Evers on Wednesday said he was prepared to activate the Wisconsin National Guard to protect state properties
Authorities denounced the unrest as vigilantism and said some people were reacting to information that had not been proven in the case
Andrew Jackson’s history of violence against Native Americans, notably the Trail of Tears, has made the statue a target for protesters
A man sustained non life-threatening wounds, according to a spokesperson with an area hospital.
Policies limiting the use of pepper spray and banning tear gas have left officers with very few options to disperse large crowds
This setup maximizes firepower, mobility, efficiency and safety
Charlotte council members have blocked the police department from purchasing chemical agents normally used in crowd control or dispersal
An officer who has met with and walked with demonstrators a number of times was approached by a male protester and shoved
From voicing support to raising officer safety concerns, here’s a roundup of responses
The suspect then got out of his car, gun in hand, and made his way through demonstrators toward a line of police before he was taken into custody
Portland mayor Ted Wheeler ordered the city to stop using a common type of tear gas except as a last resort
The officers are accused of taking steps that led a 75-year-old activist to fall backward, striking his head on the sidewalk
Video from WBFO shows the man appearing to hit his head on the pavement, with blood leaking out
As the nation grapples with widespread civil unrest, moments of connection have emerged
Police officers need to be able to apply the right combination of tactics to maintain or restore peace and personally survive while doing it
At one point, a Washington crowd booed when a protester climbed a light post and took down a street sign. A chant went up: “Peaceful protest!”
“Something has to break, and it’s not going to be us,” said one demonstrator
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