Active Killer Response: Is Yours Simple Enough?
While stemming from the best of intentions, American police policy and training for active killer incidents has grown to be too complicated and unworkable. T he three main life-saving functions of police officers in those first minutes are being lost in binder-thick crisis plans and checklists of non-vital issues. Before we talk about any sort of police or emergency medical response to active killer or mass-casualty event, we must identify some basic components. These are the most important problems that face emergency responders: killer(s), who may still be actively killing. injured victims, which may include dead ones. other people in the danger area. Not traffic gridlock. Not locked doors. Not missing whiteboard markers. Not congested radio communication. Not plainclothes cops. Not frantic parents. Not threats of explosives. Not "one-size-doesn't-fit-all" ballistic helmets. Not malfunctioning closed-circuit camera feeds. Not horrible weather. Not hoards of