14.001 - Mobilization Alert and Gold/Blue Deployment Plan

Effective Date: 05/07/2019

14.001-POL-1 Mobilization Alert

A Mobilization Alert notifies Department personnel of impending emergency operations which may require re-deployment of Department resources.

A Mobilization Alert achieves these objectives:

- Alert Department personnel of actual or possible resource redistribution and announces the existence of a major police incident

- Ensure adequate response capability to meet the resource and operational needs

- Control the depletion of patrol resources and discourage uncontrolled voluntary response to the scene of a major police incident

A Mobilization Alert can be initiated by any commander holding the permanent rank of Lieutenant or above.

Whenever a Mobilization Alert is declared the following is provided to a Communications Supervisor:

- Location and nature of the incident

- Anticipated personnel and equipment needs

- Known hazards and incident status

- Designated incident commander

1. Notifications Are Made of a Mobilization Alert

When a Mobilization Alert is declared, a Communications Supervisor will broadcast the alert Department-wide by police radio and MDT.

The Communications Section will send notification of the Mobilization Alert to all Bureau Chiefs, Seattle Police Operations Center (SPOC) Commander and Duty Captain.

Commanders will ensure notification throughout their chain of command that a Mobilization Alert has been declared.

2. Operations May Change During a Mobilization Alert

Patrol Officers confine their activities to incidents of major importance, limiting on-view incidents and stops for traffic infractions.

Watch commanders and sergeants ensure that all on-duty personnel know of the Mobilization Alert.

The Communications Section will initiate priority call screening.

All sworn on-duty personnel will be in uniform or have immediate availability and continue to perform their regular duties.

3. Commanders May Adjust Shifts

Watch commanders must determine precinct resource needs and make recommendations for the hold-over of off-going watches. The Patrol Operations Chief or Duty Commander (if SPOC has not been activated) will determine to release personnel.

Personnel assigned to an incident will be relieved as directed by the Incident Commander.

4. The Department Stages of Mobilization are Defined

There are several stages of mobilization the Seattle Police Department can use to deploy resources for incidents during emergency operations. Stages of mobilization provide a controlled re-distribution of departmental resources to achieve the personnel levels for response to a significant incident or event. This section provides direction for responders and commanders when responding to significant incidents or events.

Stage One Mobilization

Stage One Mobilization describes the first level of mobilization for emergency operations under these conditions:

- The Department has received a credible threat that has the potential to cause significant harm, property destruction or wide-spread public fear; or

- The Department is handling a Significant Event or other incident, making it necessary to modify the Department's normal dispatch protocol within 2 or more Precincts; or

- Any mutual aid request that impacts the Departments ability to conduct routine operations.

Stage One Mobilization can be initiated by any commander holding the permanent rank of Lieutenant or above:

- Once a Stage One Mobilization has been initiated, Command notification is made through the Communications Supervisor.

- The Communications Section should ensure that all on-duty radio- dispatched personnel know of the Stage One Mobilization.

Stage One Mobilization effects:

- A Stage One Mobilization is a full deployment of the city-wide patrol taskforce and on-duty Traffic Section personnel.

- The incident commander may direct patrol task force squads directly to the scene, to a designated staging area or to their precinct for a coordinated response.

- The Communications Section will screen all in-coming calls for prioritization as determined by the Incident Commander.

- The SPOC Lieutenant will be notified and will screen a Stage One Mobilization for SPOC Activation.

Stage Two Mobilization

Stage Two Mobilization describes the second level of mobilization for emergency operations under these conditions:

- The Department has received a credible threat supported by one or more incidents (regionally or nationally) that have the potential to cause significant harm, property destruction or wide-spread public fear; or

- The Department is handling a Significant Event or other incident that has depleted response capability after modifications to the Department's normal dispatch protocol, or

- Any mutual aid request of the Department that requires a taskforce level response, reducing the ability to conduct routine operations, or

- Any mutual aid request made by the Department for any unplanned significant event or incident.

Stage Two Mobilization can be initiated by any commander holding the permanent rank of Lieutenant or above:

- SPOC is activated for a Stage Two Mobilization and will coordinate the departments deployment (note: outside of normal business hours, it may take time for SPOC to activate).

- Once a Stage Two Mobilization is initiated, command notification must be made through the Communications Section.

- Section and Precinct Commanders will ensure that all on-duty personnel under their command know of the Stage Two Mobilization.

Stage Two Mobilization effects:

- A Stage Two Mobilization will trigger activation of the SPOC.

- Stage Two Mobilization is a full deployment of the city-wide patrol taskforce, on-duty Traffic Section and all other uniformed personnel, including;

- Community Police Teams,

- Anti-Crime Teams,

- SWAT

- Other uniformed personnel (Bike Squads, School Resource personnel, Harbor, Mounted, etc.)

- Traffic Section personnel will have primary responsibility for traffic control related to any incident. However, they can be used by the incident commander for other response duties as needed.

- Investigative unit personnel city-wide will continue with their assigned duties, but will prepare for uniformed field deployment and report unit status to their Chain of Command or SPOC.

Stage Three Mobilization

Stage Three Mobilization describes the third level of mobilization for emergency operations under these conditions:

- The Department has received a specific threat to the City of Seattle supported by one or more incidents (locally, regionally or nationally) that has the potential to cause significant harm, property destruction or wide-spread public fear; or

- The resources mobilized in response to a significant incident(s) cannot establish and/or maintain public order.

Stage Three Mobilization will be authorized by an Asst. Chief or higher:

- Once a Stage Three Mobilization is initiated, command notification must be made through the Chief Dispatcher.

- Section and Precinct Commanders will ensure that all on-duty personnel under their command know of the Stage Three Mobilization.

Stage Three Mobilization effects:

- A Stage Three Mobilization is a full deployment of all on-duty sworn personnel, including Investigations and other non-uniformed section personnel.

- Upon mobilization, non-uniformed personnel shall be in uniform and ready to deploy as directed.

- The incident commander should consider the limitations and/or special skills and equipment these units have available.

Stage Four Mobilization

Stage Four Mobilization describes the forth level of mobilization for emergency operations under these conditions:

- The Mayor has declared a State of Civil Emergency; or

- A significant event or incident has occurred that has substantially diminished departmental resources and operational capabilities, requiring restructuring of the organization, or

- The City is responding to a disaster or major incident that has resulted in or likely to cause significant harm, wide-spread property destruction or public fear.

Stage Four Mobilization is initiated by the Chief of Police or designee.

Once Stage Four Mobilization has been initiated, Command notification must be made through the Communications Supervisor.

Section and Precinct Commanders will ensure that all personnel (on and off duty) under their command know of the Stage Four Mobilization.

Stage Four Mobilization effects:

- All sworn personnel will prepare for immediate uniformed field deployment and will continue to provide staffing and equipment readiness updates to SPOC. A Stage Four Mobilization will trigger a SPOC activation.

- The Blue/Gold deployment plan is initiated unless directed otherwise.

A Stage Four Mobilization (Gold/Blue Plan) is an emergency recall of Seattle Police Department personnel, providing for a controlled re-distribution of personnel across two operational periods. This redistribution will provide a significant increase in resources to provide sustained response to an incident requiring significant police personnel. A Stage Four Mobilization can involve the entire Department or it can involve only personnel assigned to the Patrol Operations Bureau.

5. Sworn Personnel Will Maintain a State of Readiness

Sworn personnel will have uniforms and equipment (including crowd control and other safety equipment such as respiratory protection, etc.) accessible at their unit of assignment.

All sworn personnel of the rank of Lieutenant or above will have a complete copy of their Precinct or Section telephone call out roster readily accessible to them.

14.001-POL-2 Gold/Blue Deployment Plan

The Gold/Blue Plan provides for mobilization of all or part of the Department staff following an earthquake, large civil disturbance, significant event, disaster, terrorist attack, etc. Besides sworn personnel, many non-sworn personnel may also be called upon to work special shifts as authorized by various labor agreements.

The Gold/Blue Plan may take 12 to 24 hours to implement. The Plan should not be relied upon to fill immediate staffing needs during an emergency.

The Gold/Blue Plan reconfigures patrol resources from the three existing watches into two watches covering a 24-hour period. This distribution favors increased staffing during the daytime when the need for law enforcement services may be expected to be highest. This pre-set distribution may be altered by an Assistant Chief or higher.

The Plan places all sworn members in the Department on a 12 1/2 hour on duty status, and an 11 1/2 off duty period. Day Watch will work from 0630 to 1900 hours and is the Gold Shift. Night Watch will work from 1830 to 0700 hours and is called the Blue Shift.

1. Employees are Alerted of a Gold/Blue Deployment

If a Gold/Blue deployment is initiated, the Department will attempt to notify all sworn on-duty and off-duty personnel.

The Chief of Police or designee who initiates the Gold/Blue Plan will also authorize personnel notification.

Notification is made using the chain of command and implemented in various ways:

- Roll Call-SPOC will provide Gold/Blue information to affected units or sections for direct notification of personnel at roll calls. This method of notification can be used even for those units that conduct no traditional roll call.

- Telephone-All department personnel must ensure that their personal information in the Personnel system is current and correct. Contact information for the employee particularly should be up- to-date. Supervisors will make certain that their personnel review the information regularly and make changes. Section commanders and supervisors will retain a contact list of their personnel and have it readily accessible to them.

- SPD Radio-The Communications Section will broadcast on all channels that the Gold/Blue Emergency Mobilization Plan is in effect.

- Public Media-Commercial radio and television stations might air announcements regarding Department mobilization. The Media Relations personnel will assist.

- Self-Activation-If a major disaster occurs where there is significant regional damage and public and private communication systems are disrupted, all sworn personnel will assume that the Gold/Blue plan has been activated and report:

- If the precinct of assignment or normal duty station is not accessible, personnel should then report to the SPD precinct or other police facility nearest their normal duty station.

- Social Media

- Emergency Broadcasting System

- Alert Seattle

2. The Chief of Police or Designee May Activate the Gold/Blue Deployment Plan

Command to Mobilize

The Chief of Police or designee may authorize activation of the Gold/Blue Deployment Plan.

Change in Organizational Structure

The Seattle Police Operations Center (SPOC) activates whenever the Gold/Blue Deployment Plan is implemented.

The Incident Command System (ICS) will be used for the re-deployment of Department resources during emergency operations, including implementation of the Gold/Blue Deployment Plan.

3. All Sworn Personnel are Assigned to a Gold/Blue Shift

This schedule applies to all Patrol Officers, Sergeants, and Lieutenants assigned to the Precincts, including those assigned to ACT, CPT, Precinct Detectives and SHA, or other special assignments. (Precincts with special walking or bicycle beats should direct that such personnel report per the watch most closely approximating their normal work hours.)

If the precinct of assignment or normal duty station is not accessible, personnel should then report to the SPD precinct or other police facility nearest their normal duty station.

First Watch

Shift: 0630 to 1900 (Gold)