Tabletop Exercise Civil Unrest Division for Law Enforcement, Homeland Security, and Institutional Research

Rules of the Road Creativity/Group Problem Solving Use the knowledge and information available in the room Active Thinking Active Listening Active Participation Respect – challenge ideas, not people Reality Check – make the exercise real for you.

Agenda Introductions Scenario Description Hot Wash (Debrief) Action Planning

Introductions

The Exercise Continuum Drills Tabletop Exercises Functional Exercises Full-Scale Exercises

How does a tabletop exercise work? Scenario-based discussion, guided by a facilitator Problems talked through without stress Evaluators selected to observe and offer feedback on the proceedings Policies, plans, and guidelines are updated

What is a tabletop exercise? Simulates an emergency situation in an informal, stress-free environment Initiates discussion of emergency guidelines Focuses on training and familiarization with roles, guidelines, and responsibilities

What determines the success of a tabletop? A successful tabletop leaves participants with: A positive learning experience Organizational learning Improvement Action Planning More effective policies, plans, and guidelines Improved preparedness

Exercise Guidelines This exercise is designed to test the preparedness of the _____ to respond to a multi-agency, multi-site emergency event Following the exercise, there will be a debriefing time or “Hot Wash” Each participant will be given the opportunity to share his/her views on what worked well and what needs to be addressed in additional planning, training and/or drilling

Exercise Guidelines (cont.) _____ISD/college policy shall govern all activities relating to the emergency event. The facilitator shall serve as the exercise referee and will provide any official interpretation of the exercise rules. Although we will not actually be contacting them, ISD/college and outside resources are available to assist you.

Exercise Guidelines (cont.) From time to time, there will be injections to the scenario. These are intended to further assess response to the exercise scenario. This is a learning experience.

Purpose To examine current policies, procedures, resources and actions in the context to a response to domestic violence/shooter in a school/college setting To promote greater understanding and ability to apply NIMS/ICS principles in a college setting To make improvements as identified as an outcome of the exercise

Objectives To evaluate policies and procedures To evaluate command and control including communications procedures To identify resources needed vs. available To identify training needs To identify needed improvements and create an action plan to address those needs

Demographic Overview On this slide, add bullets of information about the demographics of your school/college, including but not limited to: Number of schools/facilities Types of schools/facilities Athletic facilities Student population Employee population

First Responder Resource Overview On this slide, add bullets of information about the first responder resources immediately available to your school/college, including but not limited to: Police Fire EMS

Threat Assessment On this slide, add bullets of information about the known threats to your school/college, including but not limited to: Internal threats External threats

Scenario A group of approximately 200 people has begun setting up tents in a local park across from a nearby government building. They are protesting what they refer to as “government tyranny and the brainwashing of our youth through public education.” On the same day, a group of ten students erect tents in a campus green space and place signs with slogans of support for the anti-government “sleep in.”

Scenario (cont.) Local media are reporting that this activity is part of a larger movement that is being directed in part via an internet site: SAYNOTOBRAINWASHING.com Local Media is also reporting that some of the people taking part in this protest are coming from outside the area.

Questions What is your first concern in this situation? For what contingencies must you plan? What will you do at this point? Who will be involved in any actions you take?

Scenario Inject #1 (two days later) The protesters occupying the park in front of the government building have grown to approximately 400 in number. Local media reports indicate that some have come from as far away as California. The protesters at this site appear to be becoming more aggressive in their language when speaking to reporters about their “outrage.”

Scenario Inject #1 (cont.) The number of protestors on campus has increased to approximately 50. They have erected tents and public health issues are becoming a concern due to trash and human waste. It has become apparent that while the first ten protestors were students, many of the remaining 40 are from outside the campus community.

Questions Where will you establish your Command Post for this incident? After establishing command, what will you do first? Why? What is your first concern in this situation? For what contingencies must you plan?

Questions What do you need to know? How do you find the information? What does your EOP direct? What are you going to do?

ICS Structure Questions Who is the Incident Commander? Who is the Public Information Officer? Who is the Liaison Officer? Who is the Operations Chief? What other ICS positions will you activate and who will fill them?

Scenario Inject #2 (three days later) The protesters occupying the park in front of the government building have grown to approximately 1,000 in number. Police have been called in from surrounding jurisdictions and assigned to provide protection for the protestors and community.

Scenario Inject #2 (cont.) Some protestors at the downtown site are becoming physically aggressive with police who have been assigned to the area and arrests are being made. Illegal actions by downtown protestors include: Blocking of roadways Throwing bottles and trash at police Setting park trashcans on fire

Scenario Inject #2 (cont.) The Mayor of the city has warned that the protestors must vacate the site the following morning or face arrest. He is citing public health concerns as the reason for the order. The number of protestors on campus has increased to approximately 150. At this time they remain peaceful, but public health concerns are increasing.

Questions What is your first concern in this situation? For what contingencies must you plan? What actions will you take?

Questions What information will you provide to the incoming Incident Commander (the senior officer) during your change-of-command briefing? How will you work with the police throughout the remainder of the incident? What other agencies will you be working with? Do you have all the necessary cooperative working agreements in place?

Scenario Inject #3 At 8:00 a.m. the population of the protest area had been reduced by about half. Police moved into the park and made numerous arrests. Injuries occurred to protectors and police. The protest was dispersed. Some protestors from the downtown site are beginning to appear on your campus.

Scenario Inject #3 (cont.) Media reports indicate that while many protestors have dispersed peacefully, some vandalism is occurring throughout the city/town. The on-campus protest group is growing in number and increasing in its perceived degree of agitation.

Questions What is your first concern in this situation? For what contingencies must you plan? What actions will you take?

Scenario Inject #4 Police have dispersed the on-campus protestors. Arrests and injuries occurred to both protestors and police. Vandalism has taken place in certain areas of campus. The protestors left behind tents, camping gear, and garbage.

Questions What is your first concern in this situation? For what contingencies must you plan? What actions will you take? What does “recovery” look like?

Hot Wash

Hot Wash How well did your EOP operate and what actions will you take toward improvement? How well did your ICS Team operate and what actions will you take toward improvement? How well did your Communications Plan operate and what actions will you take toward improvement?

Hot Wash What can be done to improve campus police/security operations? What internal divisions were required to work together in this scenario? What external agencies did the Liaison Officer need to work with in this scenario? Are all necessary agreements in place to facilitate cooperation among agencies?

Action Plan The lessons learned during this table top exercise will lead to a college action plan to: Keep Doing ______ Stop Doing ______ Start Doing ______

Conclusion The Texas School Safety Center, Division for Law Enforcement, Homeland Security, and Institutional Research is available for: Training/Facilitation Technical Assistance Information

Contact Us Web: www.txssc.txstate.edu Phone: 877-304-2727