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.
The standard for whether speech is protected has evolved to provide more protection
A review of the effective strategies and calm professionalism of police forces nationwide in managing recent civil disturbances
Host cities for the FIFA Soccer World Cup 2026 like Atlanta are leveraging federal, state and local partnerships to strengthen riot control units, foster technology collaboration and implement joint intelligence gathering
A large crowd on a bridge quickly parted as a tanker truck approached at full speed
Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said she and police Chief Erika Shields made the decision after reviewing body-camera footage
A rare citywide curfew expired as dawn revealed broken shop windows, demolished security gates and graffiti along entire blocks
Protesters threw projectiles at officers, surrounded patrol vehicles and shouted threats, and damaged police property
Continuing civil unrest saw protesters torch police cars and burglarize stores while clashing with lines of officers
At least a dozen major cities nationwide imposed overnight curfews ranging from 6 p.m. in parts of South Carolina to 10 p.m. around Ohio
Fox’s Leland Vittert was rattled following the Washington attack he said was clearly targeted at his news organization
A pickup truck drove through a crowd of protesters Saturday in Florida’s capital, sending some running and screaming
No matter what anyone says, one good cop has always been able to make a difference in any bailiwick
Gov. Tim Walz said he was moving quickly to mobilize more than 1,000 more Guard members, for a total of 1,700, and was considering the potential offer of federal military police
Demonstrators in Portland also vandalized and stole from buildings and flouted the city’s established curfew
As unrest spread across dozens of US cities, the Pentagon took the rare step of ordering the Army to put several active-duty U.S. military police units on the ready to deploy
Georgia’s governor declared a state of emergency early Saturday to activate the state National Guard as violence flared in Atlanta and in dozens of cities nationwide
Videos of protests and confrontations with police officers in cities nationwide have circulated on social media
Demonstrators threw projectiles at officers, tried to grab an officer’s gun and obstructed roadways, officials said
Around 500 to 600 demonstrators marched through the Kentucky city’s downtown streets on Thursday night
The protests continued into the night, despite Denver Mayor Michael Hancock pleading for calm
Livestream video showed protesters entering the building, where fire alarms blared and sprinklers ran as blazes were set
The city shut down its light-rail system and planned to stop all bus service out of safety concerns
Protesters clashed with counter-protesters and police during the silent demonstration intended to protest the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery
Several stores were looted, including one where a man was fatally shot, and a police precinct was vandalized
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in the late afternoon on downtown streets and eventually moved towards U.S. 101
Several stores were looted and a police precinct attacked
Videos show hundreds of protesters gathered in Minneapolis streets damaging police vehicles and property
Two men were arrested at the scene, including one who refused to leave and put his hands on officers
The Republican-led Michigan Legislature refused Thursday to extend the state’s coronavirus emergency declaration as hundreds of activists returned to the Capitol
Officer discretion, common sense and good judgment are more important than ever in these difficult times
Solid planning, sufficient personnel and resources, mutual aid and a willingness to act were all key to ensuring a peaceful event
A judge previously ruled in favor of the ban after law enforcement identified ‘credible evidence’ that armed groups planned to attend the rally
Here are the events and technologies the P1 team and our readership viewed as having the most significant impact on the profession in the last decade
MOST POPULAR
- Pittsburgh mayor changes how police handle civil protests
- CHP ‘disentanglement team’ removes protesters blocking Bay Area freeways
- Spanish police action at miners protest
- 3 key things to remember when policing an unruly crowd
- Portland PD’s hands-off strategy during weekend skirmish draws praise, criticism