As I write this, we are coming up to National Police Week. By the time this is printed, this solemn week will have passed. We will have honored those who sacrificed for their communities and our chosen profession. Their loss leaves an indelible mark on our hearts and minds.

To the families and friends of the fallen, please know you are in my thoughts and prayers. I hope police leaders and officers have taken a moment from your busy schedules to remember the fallen. With all of our officers in mind, I submit that we, as police chiefs, have additional work to do.

Policing worldwide faces unique challenges and considerations regarding operational planning for high-risk operations or arresting high-risk offenders. For a police chief, the task can seem daunting when we are challenged with a potential lack of resources, training, and technology. However, some factors must be considered when approving high-risk operations, combining risk management, mitigation, and preparation.

In recent years, primarily due to tragic events, high-risk operational planning has received interest from the public and legislators. Whether it is a discussion of no-knock versus knock-and-announce search warrants, vehicle takedowns, or other operations, we must manage and administrate the assessment and planning process. Some states have required a matrix in operational planning.

While tragedy and trauma cannot always be avoided, some tools can assist agencies in preplanning and preparing high-risk operations. The use of pre-operational planning can help to protect innocent lives in the community and mitigate harm to the suspects and the heroic people serving the policing profession. The preplanning process can also assist your agency in avoiding scrutiny and liability and protect our professional reputation.

In addition to preoperational planning, the training, equipment, policies, and coordination of multiple police agencies in these high-risk operations are paramount. The diversity of agencies’ abilities must also be factored in when determining if the preplanned event is beyond an agency’s skills, knowledge, and abilities.

The ability to manage risk is reliant on having a sound policy, required and adhered to, for high-risk operational planning. Several sources exist on the web and through professional organizations to assist you and your agency in managing risk, thereby managing operational planning for high-risk operations, some of which can be found in the sidebar.

These resources range from risk assessment matrices to SWAT guidelines to search warrant guidelines. For instance, Bloomington, Indiana, has recently developed a risk assessment matrix for investigations requiring forced entry, and a risk assessment matrix has been adopted by the Kentucky League of Cities.

The California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (CA POST) has published SWAT Operational Guidelines and Standardized Training Recommendations in California, most recently revised in 2019. This document covers several factors involving the suspect(s), offense, weapons, location, situational intelligence, and other associated factors. This assessment provides insight into determining whether this operation is within the capacity of the investigating unit or patrol, whether consultation with the SWAT supervisor/commander is recommended, and whether or not a SWAT team deployment is recommended and/or mandated.

As police chiefs, we have multiple responsibilities, but none more important than ensuring the safety and welfare of our communities and our officers.

The Utah Search Warrant Service Model Guidelines, developed in 2015, are now statutory requirements in the State of Utah. They must also be accompanied by written policies and require law enforcement personnel executing a warrant to wear readily identifiable markings, including a badge and vest or clothing clearly indicating that the person is a law enforcement officer. It further requires that officers shall comply with the officer’s employing agency’s body-worn camera policy. In addition, it states that forcible entry may not be made solely for the alleged possession or use of a controlled substance or the possession of drug paraphernalia.

The National Tactical Officers Association has the well-thought-out Pre-Deployment Risk Assessment for SWAT Teams on Planned Operations. This open access document is a fillable form ready to assist your agency in pre-operational planning.

In addition, the IACP has produced several policy guidance documents, including guidance on specialized units, updates to the guidance on search warrants, and a forthcoming update to guidance on active attacks, with more to come.

Regardless of your agency’s size, several factors must be considered.

1. 1. 1. Does your agency have a policy or protocol that covers high-risk operations or planning?
      2. Is proper reconnaissance or scouting occurring before the event, and is the use of drone evaluations appropriate?
      3. Are you utilizing a threat assessment matrix or tool?
      4. Is an appropriate assessment of criminal history occurring before engagement, including evaluating confederates, relatives, or sympathizers?
      5. Does the suspect(s) have access to weapons and/or a mental health history and/or a substance use disorder?
      6. Does your policy require the notification of state, federal, or local jurisdictions if this event occurs in another jurisdiction or where there is joint or multiple jurisdictions to ensure proper deconfliction with other investigations?
      7. Does your plan evaluate, consider, or require staging medical resources and identifying trauma centers in your area?

As police chiefs, we have multiple responsibilities, but none more important than ensuring the safety and welfare of our communities and our officers. To that end, we must constantly reevaluate our policies, processes, and planning of high-risk operations. We must also realistically evaluate our officers’ risks and capabilities, particularly during a planned operation. I hope these resources will aid you and your agencies as you continue to navigate and plan for high-risk operations. Please stay safe in all that you do.