Caldwell, B. R.

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Deployment of Police Personnel during Emergency Disaster

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Journal of Criminal Law and CriminologyVolume 35 | Issue 2 Article 101944Deployment of Police Personnel duringEmergency DisasterB. R. CaldwellFollow this and additional works at: https://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/jclcPart of the Criminal Law Commons, Criminology Commons, and the Criminology and CriminalJustice CommonsThis Criminology is brought to you for free and open access by Northwestern University School of Law Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted forinclusion in Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology by an authorized editor of Northwestern University School of Law Scholarly Commons.Recommended CitationB. R. Caldwell, Deployment of Police Personnel during Emergency Disaster, 35 J. Crim. L. & Criminology 128 (1944-1945)DEPLOYMENT OF POLICE PERONNELDURING EMERGENCY DISASTERB. R. Caldwell(The author of the article, Deputy Chief B. R. Caldwell, Director of theTraffic Bureau, Los Angeles Police Department, entered that organization inSeptember of 1925 and was promoted through the ranks of Sergeant, Lieu-tenant, Captain and Inspector to his present position in November, 1940. He isa graduate of the Northwestern University Traffic Institute and since the out-break of the war has directed much of his time to the problems of war trafficcontrol. As he has pointed out in his article, its purpose is to set.forth howand in what manner the Los Angeles Police Department developed a plan forthe deployment of traffic personnel in the event of emergency or disaster.-Eurron.)It is axiomatic that a police department is charged at all timeswith the duty of preserving life and property. Such a responsibilitynot only requires the proper and effective handling of routineproblems, but, in particular, it requires the planning and adoptionof forceful techniques of enforcement in the event that disasteror emergency arises. This is true in times of peace. It is vital intimes of war. Fire, storm and flood, industrial hazards, subversiveactivities . . . these count among the many catastrophies anddisasters which may overtake a city. In anticipation of them, it isthe alert police department which has already formulated plansin advance whereby all its available resources can be instantlyutilized for the general welfare of its people.When disaster arises, one of the most difficult and yet importanttasks of the police is to keep the channels of transportation andcommunication open. If these are clogged, the entire program forcombating the disaster is imperiled. It is the purpose of thisarticle to set forth in broad details how one of our largest policedepartments-that of Los Angeles, California-has developed aplan of deployment of traffic personnel during disaster emergency.Since emergency traffic control during peacetime disasters (suchas floods or earthquakes) and that necessitated during wartimediffer principally in the size of the area affected, it is deemedexpedient at this time to consider the problem in its larger wartimephases. A major disaster is defined by the Los Angeles PoliceDepartment, for practical purposes, as any calamity or interruptionof normal routine which requires that its personnel remain onduty for periods of twelve hours on each watch or tour of duty.It must be realized that any plans created to meet disaster con-ditions will necessarily be general in their nature. It is desirableto plan for all contingencies; however, specific plans will have tobe prepared to meet problems as they arise.Traffic control problems arising from major emergency dis-asters present difficulties which may require the employment ofpersonnel not primarily engaged in traffic work. This is almostcertain to be the case during war emergencies, when the potential128DEPLOYMENT OF POLICEmagnitude of the disaster area is greater. For this reason it isdesirable to prepare a manual of training for both regular andauxiliary members of the force, so that all may be familiar withthe principles and procedures adopted. Exercises and drills shouldbe encouraged, under simulated conditions, where it is practical.Regular officers assigned to extraordinary traffic control shouldinclude those most experienced in traffic control work. Theyshould be assigned to aduties demanding responsibility and judg-ment. Auxiliary policemen may be detailed to duties requiringless specialized knowledge and involving less responsibility. Econ-omy in the use of regular police officers may be effected by assigningone or more auxiliaries with a regular officer when conditionsrequire the coordinated efforts of two or three men. Importantqualifications necessary in those selected for special traffic workinclude good physical condition, respect-commanding appearance,sound judgment and quick reaction.Plans have been made in Los Angeles to cope with civil revolt orsimilar disturbances which may arise in the future. These plans,which call for close cooperation between the civil police and otherofficial, organized groups, are necessarily confidential. However,officers are being trained in the special tactics which will be utilizedin carrying out the proposed operations.There has been established in the Los Angeles Police Depart-ment a War Traffic Control Bureau, charged with the responsibilityof controlling street traffic within the city during any disturbanceof ordinary community routine. The post of Chief Officer of theBureau is occupied by the Director of Traffic Operations of theLos Angeles Police Department. The positions of Assistant Direc-tors are filled by the Commander of the Accident Prevention Divi-sion and the Commander of the Taffic Enforcement Division. TheWar Traffic Control Bureau consists of several units, includingPlanning, Mobile, Engineering and the thirteen divisional TrafficControl Units.The Planning Unit consists of the equipment and personnel ofthe Analytical branch of the Accident Prevention Division, ordi-narily charged with the analysis and processing of accident reports.Its Supervisor has the responsibility of developing detailed plansdevised by the Director of War Traffic Control, the maintenanceof current maps depicting the various routes established for generalevacuation and for convoy movements. The Planning Unit officesserve as a central control for the processing of information relayedfo, it by traffic observers stationed in each police division.The Mobile Unit is commanded by the heads of the AccidentPrevention and Traffic 'Enforcement Divisions. In the event of amajor disaster occurrence, decentralization of manpower becomesextremely important. To this end, motorcycle officers of theB. R. CALD WELLEnforcement Division are instructed to report automatically to oneof five predetermined posts. In determining the number of motor-cycle officers to report to each district, cognizance was taken ofthe number of emergency route posts in each district, as well asof the anticipated requests for escort services to convoy troopsoriginating in or near each district. This system of reporting iseffective at all times of the day or night, without regard to whetherthe officers concerned occupy an on- or off-duty status. So thatall motorcycle patrol beats will coincide as closely as possible withthe location where an officer is to report, superior officers areinstructed to take this fact into consideration when preparing theirmonthly beat assignments.During an emergency, telephonic communication is maintainedat all times between the post commanders of the five districts andthe watch commander of the Traffic Enforcement Division. Alive record of the number of men available for assignment in eachdistrict is kept by the Division watch commander, in addition to arecord of the actual assignments. Post Commanders detail motor-cycle officers to foot traffic duty at major intersections within theirdistricts until traffic returns to normal flow.The army is aware that movements of military personnel andequipment can be expedited by the assistance of Civil motorcyclepolice. All requests for escort or guide services to military convoysare referred to the office of Provost Marshal, for consideration oftheir merit. If the request meets with his approval, full details areforwarded by him to the Traffic Enforcement Division, whereuponthe necessary motorcycle officers are detailed to the convoy by theCommander. In the event that weather conditions prohibit the useof motorcycles, necessary substitute assignments are provided fromthe personnel and equipment of the Accident Prevention Division.The Mobile Unit includes the services of the accident investiga-tion crews assigned to various patrol areas throughout Los Angeles.Upon receipt of a major disaster alert, the two crews assignedclosest to the home division are instructed to return to it for thepurpose of standing by. All other units remain at predeterminedposts, (24-hour business locations) and keep in communication withthe watch commander, reporting by telephone for possible assign-ments each fifteen minutes. Plans embracing the deployment ofsuch personnel contemplate the assignment of traffic accident inves-tigation cars to patrol emergency routes, and provide for a reserveof men and equipment at strategic locations in order that theymay be dispatched immediately to any point where a need for theirservices may arise.Shortly after the entry of this country into the war, and theestablishment of the west coast as a possible theater of operations,it was agreed that the facilities of the Planning Unit might beDEPLOYMENT OF POLICEutilized for the purpose of devising civilian evacuation routes. Itwas found necessary to separate the inter- or intra-communitydispersal problem from the problem of mass evacuation. It isfeasible to develop and predetermine certain fixed routes to beused in the event that a mass evacuation of a disaster area becomesnecessary. To this end, certain routes were selected and markedupon maps in the Planning Unit. In selecting these routes, fullconsideration was given to military highways in order that noconflict occur between evacuation and military traffic. However,in the intra- or inter-community dispersal problem, the establish-ment of fixed official routes is out of the question because of ourinability to predetermine the area to be affected.In that a disaster may occur anywhere within the county andmay necessitate the evacuation of the persons affected by it, wemust think in terms of devising the route to be used after theevacuation area and the reception area have been determined.In Los Angeles, such plans are formulated in this manner. Thechief dispersal officer for Los Angeles County informs the PlanningUnit that an evacuation movement will occur, giving the details asto the place of origin, the destination, the number of persons andvehicles involved, and so forth. After selecting a route, theplanning officer informs the law enforcement agency of each localityaffected and obtains their approval to traverse that portion of theroute within their control. This contact is desirable in order to becertain that the highway selected is traversible, and that the convoywill not interfere with other traffic movement. When a tenta-tive route has been chosen, the planning officer develops a timetablefor the movement of the convoy and arranges for proper policingof the convoy through other jurisdictions. The method of detailingmotorcycle officers for escort duty is the same as for troop move-ments; clearance from the Provost Marshal's office being requiredbefore the convoy is permitted to move.The Street Traffic Engineer as Director of the Engineering Unithas the responsibility of the maintenance of traffic control devicesand markers used in disaster areas and along emergency routes.He also acts as procurement officer for all barricades and mobile orstationary signs which may be required to effect proper trafficcontrol as an aid to the assigned officers. The Engineering Directormay also be called upon to place physical barricades which may beneeded to block off certain portions of streets and highwaysrendered dangerous by diseaster conditions.The Divisional Traffic Control Units complete the decentraliza-tion plans in effect during a major catastrophe. Control officers inthe thirteen divisional police stations are charged with the execu-tion of that portion of the War Traffic Control Plan which affectsthe area under their command. It is their duty to select, train andB. R. CALDVELLassign both regular and auxiliary officers required to executeadequate traffic control.In the case of flood, major conflagration, earthquake or othercalamity which is confined to the area of one police division, fieldcommand is assumed by the Division Commander. He may conductoperations as his discretion dictates, after establishing liaison withthe Police Department's Director of Field Operations. The FieldCommander is responsible for the organization of his personnelinto foot or motorized patrols as required by the situation. Otherservices may be required, necessitating the organization of assignedpersonnel into watches with regard to police patrols, sentry duty,traffic control within the disaster zone, searching parties, locationof additional hazards and emergency action to prevent the spreadof the consequences of the disaster. It may often become necessaryto assign officers from adjacent divisions to the outer boundariesof the disaster zone to expedite traffic flow along those streetswhich have the capacity to care for the volume of traffic normallyfound within that area plus the traffic which is incidental to theemergency.It has been stated that the purpose of the War Traffic ControlPlan is to provide specific routes for the exclusive use of emergencyvehicles during disturbances. Since it is imperative that suchroutes be instantly manned and adequately policed during emer-gencies, it has been found necessary to assign military policemento man the fixed posts. Wherever possible, auxiliaries have beenassigned to the posts nearest their homes, so that they may walkto their assignments in a short space of time. Because it maybecome necessary to man the fixed posts at any time during the dayor night, auxiliary policemen have been selected on the basis ofthree eight hour watches for each post. The suggestion is offeredthat these shifts be established as follows:Day Watch-8 A. M. to 4 P. M.Night Watch-4 P. M. to 12 MidnightMorning Watch-12 Midnight to 8 A. M.It must be understood that auxiliary policemen selected shallbe available during the hours assigned to them and shall respondinstantly upon notification. As the selection of auxiliaries for. thispurpose constitutes specialization within the auxiliary police force,those persons should. be selected who possess the aptitudes normallyrequired in a traffic officer.The system of designating posts was designed for simplicity,and yet there are no duplications of route post numbers withiiithe County of Los Angeles The position to be assumed by aparticular policeman at a particular post is designated by theletters "N", "S", "E" or "W", indicating the north, south, east orwest side of the post. For example: If the intersection of FirstDEPLOYMENT OF POLICEStreet and Main Street were designated as Post 150, an officerreceiving the assignment to Post 150-W would work on the westside of the intersection of First and Main Streets. Post numbersare assigned only to points on the route itself. In some cases itmay be desirable to protect the intersections and block on eitherside of the route. -This type of assignment is indicated by merelyrepeating the directional letter, such as "150-WW". This willindicate that the position to be assumed would be the first inter-section one block west of the west side of Post 150. Through thissystem their position is linked to the post to which it is related.There are three distinct methods of stationing personnel inrelation to fixed posts in order to insure protection of emergencyroutes.1. The ideal method calls for the stationing of policemen oneblock on either side of the emergency route at every point wherestreets intersect the emergency route. Under this method it is alsonecessary that policemen be assigned at each intersection and atother vital points on the route itself. This system insures streetclearance on either side of the route, thus permitting the use ofsuch streets for emergency detours, and provides for the ingressand egress of fire apparatus and other emergency equipment.2. In the event sufficient personnel is not available to effectmethod number 1, pedestal detour signs should be made availableWhen the necessity arises, the officer assigned to a position at anemergency route intersection should place the detour sign at thefirst intersection immediately to the rear of his position. The signshould be placed in the center of the roadway on the side of theintersection nearest the emergency route. After placing the signthe officer may take his position on the emergency route itself.3. Method number three contemplates the placing of policemenon the emergency route only. This is the least desirable because ofthe danger occasioned by the accumulation of vehicles on streetsintersecting the route, and adds considerably to the task of theofficer assigned. This method should be used only when sufficientpersonnel and signs are not available.In selecting the fixed posts along an emergency route, considera-tion should be given to, the relative importance of each particularpost. When plans are made to embrace several jurisdictions, it isdesirable to set forth the relative importance of each post in eachjurisdiction by separate numerical designation. Then the com- -mander in each area can determine where to place his availablepersonnel in the event he cannot assign an officer to man everypost. The plan for each jurisdiction should designate those postswhere a regular police officer should be assigned, and selectionshould be made on the basis of those points where the greatestconflict is anticipated, or where the street layout is of a complexnature.

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Deployment of Police Personnel during Emergency Disaster

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