7-804 - Evaluating and Responding to High-Risk Situations

The purpose of this policy is to establish a standardized decision-making framework that guides members in evaluating and responding to high-risk situations.

By training all members to this standardized process, the MPD seeks to instill the principles of critical thinking, the Duty to De-escalate (P&P 7-802), the principle of Avoiding Escalation and Unnecessary Risk (P&P 7-802), and the pursuit of the Department’s Mission, Vision, Values and Goals (P&P 0-102).

Members (including non-tactical members involved in initial response) can apply the critical decision-making model (CDM) (P&P 7-801) and can generally use the following strategies in addressing high-risk threats.

High-Risk Threat Assessment

The purpose of a high-risk threat assessment is to evaluate the nature of a volatile and potentially dangerous situation and determine the best course of action to uphold the sanctity of life.

The following categories can be generally used to evaluate the urgency of action in addressing threats:

Isolated

A threat is isolated when the person or people who pose a threat of harm are known to be alone and do not currently pose an imminent threat to the public.

Developing

A threat is developing when the person or people who pose a threat of harm are in the presence of others, and there is a potential risk of imminent harm to those nearby.

Immediate

A threat is immediate when actions of a person or people create a threat of imminent harm to others. An immediate threat requires action by members without delay.

Resource Organization

After assessing the threat, members should consider the following tactics or actions:

• Creating or strengthening the perimeter of the incident to further isolate the person or people posing a threat.
• Identifying safe routes for moving resources to and from the scene.
• Evacuating the surrounding area of people who might be in danger, to the extent reasonably possible.
• Maintaining clear communication:

• Between members.
• With any additional resources on scene.
• With the person or people posing a threat, when appropriate.

Building teams

As resources arrive or become available, teams should be organized to handle a variety of tasks and functions. Teams should be formed to prepare for addressing the different categories of potential threats, including but not limited to:

• Immediate response teams.
• Perimeter teams.
• Evacuation teams.

Task organization

When establishing teams, functions should be assigned to account for actions and capabilities that may be needed to address the threat categories. These functions may include:

• Primary communicator.
• Arrest and control.
• Intermediate weapons (P&P 5-300).
• Ballistic shields.
• Breaching tools.
• Lethal cover.

Additional support resources

Members should stage Emergency Medical Services (EMS).

Members should also consider whether resources such as the following may be necessary and should be requested:

• UAS (drones) (P&P 4-226).
• Air support (State Patrol helicopter).
• Crisis negotiator.

Contingency Planning

Members should develop plans that account for a variety of behaviors or actions by the person or people posing a threat.

These contingencies may include the following:

• Compliance.
• Fleeing.
• Opposition.
• Barricade.
• Rescue.

• Air Support: For the purpose of this policy, it shall mean a Minnesota State Patrol Helicopter. (See P&P 6-111 Minnesota State Patrol Helicopter)
• Crisis: An event or situation where a person's safety and health may be threatened by behavioral health challenges, to include mental health conditions, intellectual or developmental disabilities, substance use, or overwhelming stressors. A crisis can involve a person's perception or experience of an event or situation as an intolerable difficulty that exceeds the person's current resources and coping mechanisms and may include unusual stress in their life that renders the person unable to function as they normally would.
• Critical Decision-Making Model: A tool that allows members to organize situational factors and inform their decisions as they respond to police incidents of all degrees of complexity. All sworn members are trained in using the critical decision-making model (CDM). (P&P 7-801)
• Fleeing: An effort by the person to avoid arrest or capture through actions such as running, biking or driving away.
• Imminent Threat:

  A threat is imminent when all of the following apply:

  • It can be articulated with specificity.
  • It is reasonably likely to occur absent action by the law enforcement officer.
  • It must be addressed through the use of objectively reasonable, necessary, and proportional force without unreasonable delay.

  A fear of future harm is only an imminent threat if it must be addressed without unreasonable delay, no matter how great the fear or likelihood of harm.

• Intermediate Weapon: Weapons that are not intended to cause death or serious physical injury and are not empty hand techniques. These include CEWs, chemical aerosols, chemical munitions, impact projectiles, and batons.
• Unmanned Aerial System: An unmanned aircraft of any type that is capable of sustaining directed flight, whether preprogrammed or remotely controlled without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the aircraft (UAV), and all of the supporting or attached systems designed for gathering information through imaging, recording, or any other means.