During an active shooter or terrorist event, a multi-agency coordination system may be advisable. Central to this system is the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), which is the nucleus of all coordination of information and resources. The IC should manage and direct the on-scene response from the Incident Command Post (ICP). The EOC should mobilize and deploy resources for use by IC, coordinate external resources and technical support, research problems, provide information to senior managers, disseminate emergency public information, and perform other tasks to support on-scene operations.
Preparedness and Response
Pre-incident preparedness and response activities include efforts to define the threat, identify terrorists or hostile parties, and prevent acts of violence or terrorism. Post incident consequence management activities include efforts to resolve the incident, conduct an investigation, collect evidence, and apprehend those responsible. The Dallas College Police Department, having jurisdictional authority, should collaborate with local, state and federal agencies in criminal investigations and intelligence collection activities.
Response and recovery activities undertaken to deal with effects of an active shooter or terrorist incident are conducted in essentially the same manner as the response and recovery operations for other emergencies or disasters. Post-incident crisis management activities, such as investigation, evidence gathering, and pursuit of suspects, may continue during consequence management. The agency with primary jurisdictional authority over the incident designates the individual at the scene responsible for establishing command.
Crisis Management
This ESF has the lead in active shooter and terrorism crisis management activities. Post incident crisis management activities include efforts to resolve the active shooter or terrorist incident, investigate it, and apprehend those responsible.
The Dallas College Police Department, as the primary agency of this ESF, has the lead role in crisis management on college college property and will coordinate its efforts with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies as appropriate. The requirements of crisis management and consequence management are combined in the National Response Plan.
Consequence Management
Consequence management activities undertaken to deal with effects of an active shooter or terrorist incident are conducted in essentially the same manner as the response and recovery operations for other emergencies or disasters. Post-incident crisis management activities, such as investigation, evidence gathering, and pursuit of suspects, may continue during consequence management.
The lead agencies for crisis management and consequence management should mutually determine when crisis management activities are complete. The lead role in consequence management may be assigned to one of several local, state, or federal departments or agencies, depending on the type of incident that has occurred. Law enforcement agencies will typically play a significant supporting role in the conduct of consequence management activities. The requirements of crisis management and consequence management are combined in the National Response Plan.
Coordinated activities in consequence management include:
- Law enforcement agencies involved in consequence management should keep those agencies and/or departments responsible for response and recovery efforts informed of decisions made that may have implications on the placement of resources for response and recovery. Because of the sensitivity of law enforcement sources and methods and certain crisis management activities, it may be necessary to restrict dissemination of some information to selected emergency management and public health officials who have a need to know. Those individuals may have to carry out some preparedness activities surreptitiously.
- Until such time as primary agency and emergency management personnel agree that crisis management activities have been concluded, the primary agency should participate in IC or EOC operations to advise those carrying out consequence management operations with respect to protection of the crime scene, evidence collection, and investigative results that may have bearing on emergency operations. DPS and the FBI should normally provide personnel to participate in a Unified Command (UC) operation to coordinate state and federal law enforcement assistance.
- A joint information center, staffed by college college, local, state, and federal public affairs personnel, may be established as part of the UC organization to collect, process, and disseminate information to the public.