Crisis Management for Law Enforcement explores the knowledge base and procedures necessary for a law enforcement leader to plan, mitigate, and respond to a crisis and the subsequent consequences. A feature of the textbook is that actual events are explored in a Lessons Learned section. This not only provides the law enforcement leader with lessons in what he or she should do, but also addresses those actions he or she should not take.
Situational awareness is explored from a strategic and tactical standpoint to provide the leader an understanding of the value of both. Crisis Management also provides tactical situational awareness and guidance for the onsite leader in tactical decision making.
Essential information is provided to allow the law enforcement leader to function in the dynamic and evolving environment of terrorism, WMD, natural disasters, and public disorder. The dynamics of leadership during a crisis are discussed.
The problems inherent in evacuations, emergency sheltering, sheltering in place, and access issues are discussed and problems such as interagency interfaces, Law Enforcement Incident Management System, and NIMS are addressed. Decision making is explored with legal concepts involving ''who is in charge,'' forcible evacuations, scene access, and interagency operations. This textbook provides an overview and essential information for the law enforcement leader to identify the areas in which additional information, study, planning, and education are required.