Preparing for and responding to mass critical incidents includes balancing an effective police response to a mass critical incident while ensuring public safety and maintaining community trust. Protocols emphasize preparedness and risk mitigation during critical incidents and include training in crisis management, communication strategies, collaboration with other emergency response organizations, and post-incident responses to the needs of the community, victims, and officers. Approaches are adjusted based on the particular challenges of a mass critical incident, while ensuring a rapid and coordinated response.

Emergency response scene featuring a police SUV with flashing lights in the foreground and a fire truck in the background.

Resources Related to Mass Critical Incident Response

Visit the Knowledge Lab’s full resource index here.

  • Reset

Report | 2023

Dispatching Community Responders to 911 Calls

  • Crime and Violence Response
  • Community Trust and Partnerships
  • Mental Health and Crisis Response
  • Responding to Mass Critical Incidents

Guidebook/Tool | 2022

POST Guidelines: Crowd Management, Interventionand Control.

  • Response to Mass Demonstrations
  • Responding to Mass Critical Incidents

Article | 2021

Protest Preparedness: Analyzing Crowd Dynamics, Threat Actors, and Intelligence

  • Response to Mass Demonstrations
  • Responding to Mass Critical Incidents

Guidebook/Tool | 2020

How to Conduct an After-Action Review

  • Crime and Violence Response
  • Community Trust and Partnerships
  • Response to Mass Demonstrations
  • Responding to Mass Critical Incidents
  • Public Transparency

Guidebook/Tool, Policy | 2019

Crowd Management

  • Response to Mass Demonstrations
  • Responding to Mass Critical Incidents

Report | 2018

Campus Protests and Demonstrations: The Role of Emergency Management

  • Response to Mass Demonstrations
  • Responding to Mass Critical Incidents

After Action Report | 2018

After-Action Review of the Orlando Fire Department Response to the Attack at Pulse Nightclub

  • Crime and Violence Response
  • Community Trust and Partnerships
  • Response to Mass Demonstrations
  • Responding to Mass Critical Incidents
A Law Enforcement Officer's Duty Belt

Article | 2017

Decision Fatigue and Why It Should Be Understood by Law Enforcement Leadership: Can Science Provide Insight into How Officers Make Decisions?

  • Use of Force
  • Responding to Mass Critical Incidents
  • Crime Investigations

The information provided within these modules has been gathered from various sources, including legal reviews, research, and practitioner and department-developed resources. These webpage modules are intended to be a guide for departments to use to improve their policing practices. Additional information and resources may be needed to implement the recommendations successfully. This resource is intended to be dynamic, and the Knowledge Lab will continue to update and add to these modules to provide additional and current guidance for departments.

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