7-902 - Emergency Response – General Responsibilities

Policy

Sworn personnel called in for an emergency callback shall report to the location of their duty assignment with uniforms and equipment. Further assignments will be made from the precinct or duty assignments by supervisory personnel, as determined by the on-scene Incident Commander or the Emergency Operation Center Commander. Those officers on-duty at the time of a critical incident or emergency shall continue their existing assignments until reassigned by precinct or division commanders.

Supervisors at the precincts will take measures to secure their buildings, vehicles and facilities. All personnel will stand by at their duty assignment stations until further assignment is requested by the Watch Commander, the on-scene Incident Commander or the Emergency Operations Center Commander. If the precinct designated response cars and supervisors were not initially called out to the emergency scene, the designated squads and officers will also stand by at the precinct for further assignment by the on-scene command officers.

The ranking officer or supervisor at the scene of any emergency is the on-scene Incident Commander until relieved of this responsibility by a higher authority. The responsibilities of the on-scene Incident Commander will be passed to a higher level of command if relieved. If the emergency situation involves a multi-agency/department response, the incident command will be assumed by the ranking Fire Department officer at the scene. The Police Department responsibilities will include traffic control, on-scene security and assistance with any evaluations ordered. In any emergency response situation, police personnel will take orders from police supervisors only. (11/02/01)

• Critical Incident:

  An incident involving any of the following situations occurring in the line of duty:

  • The use of Deadly Force by or against a Minneapolis Police Officer
  • Death or Great Bodily Harm to an officer
  • Death or Great Bodily Harm to a person who is in the custody or control of an officer
  • Any action by an officer that causes or is intended to cause Death or Great Bodily Harm
• Incident Commander:

  The Incident Commander (IC) is the first officer or supervisor to arrive on the scene of a call for service where multiple units, scenes, or assisting agencies are dispatched. The Incident Commander has overall command of the incident, until properly relieved by a supervisor of higher rank if necessary, and will be based at the incident command post. The priorities of the Incident Commander include:

  1. Assess incident priorities.
  2. Determine strategic goals and tactical objectives, not related to the operations of SWAT or ESU personnel.
  3. Identify a staging area, if needed.
  4. Develop and implement incident action plan.
  5. Develop appropriate incident management structure.
  6. Assess resource needs.
  7. Coordinate overall on-scene emergency activities.
  8. Authorize information to be released to the media.