Fight InterventionFight Intervention&&

Officer SafetyOfficer Safety

You will do under stress – You will do under stress –

What you are What you are trainedtrained to do! to do!

Be Prepared!Be Prepared!As a School Security Officer, the As a School Security Officer, the expectations is that YOU will respond to expectations is that YOU will respond to any fight situation.any fight situation.Know your school districts policy on Know your school districts policy on fighting - fighting - Know your departments procedures on Know your departments procedures on how to respond to a fight call - how to respond to a fight call - Fully understand the limits of your training Fully understand the limits of your training and your abilities!and your abilities!Know what the law allows you to doKnow what the law allows you to do

People fighting are inherently dangerous – People fighting are inherently dangerous – HAVE BACK-UP – HAVE BACK-UP – If a fight occurs in front of you, radio for If a fight occurs in front of you, radio for back-up BEFORE you take action – back-up BEFORE you take action – If you don’t have a radio, solicit another If you don’t have a radio, solicit another student to go for help – student to go for help – As you respond, assess the situationAs you respond, assess the situation– What are you thinking as you respond?What are you thinking as you respond?– Do you have all the information?Do you have all the information?– Am I ready for this? Am I ready for this? – Should I be doing this?Should I be doing this?– Assume someone is under the influence of an Assume someone is under the influence of an

intoxicating substanceintoxicating substance

As You As You ApproachApproach the Scene the SceneObserve your surroundings – Observe your surroundings –

Know where you are – Know where you are –

Know you escape routes – Know you escape routes –

Know what could be used as a weapon – Know what could be used as a weapon –

Be aware of your proximity to doors, hallways, Be aware of your proximity to doors, hallways, stairwells and windows – stairwells and windows –

Be aware of what others are doing – Be aware of what others are doing –

Pay attention to anyone leaving the scene in a Pay attention to anyone leaving the scene in a hurryhurry

As You As You ArriveArrive On Scene On SceneYour first duty is the protection of the people at the scene; Your first duty is the protection of the people at the scene; attempt to move them a safe distance from the combatants attempt to move them a safe distance from the combatants if possible and safe to do so – if possible and safe to do so – Try to get bystanders to leave the scene completely if Try to get bystanders to leave the scene completely if possible – possible – Try to identify any bystanders that may be trying to Try to identify any bystanders that may be trying to escalate the situation – escalate the situation – Pay close attention to bystanders for weapons –Pay close attention to bystanders for weapons –As you move through a crowd, “pat-down” students as you As you move through a crowd, “pat-down” students as you move past them –move past them –If necessary, send a bystander to get help –If necessary, send a bystander to get help –If equipped, photograph the bystanders and combatants – If equipped, photograph the bystanders and combatants – Remove glasses, ties or anything that could be dropped, Remove glasses, ties or anything that could be dropped, easily grabbed or ripped from you easily grabbed or ripped from you

On SceneOn Scene STOP – OBSERVE – THINK – ACTSTOP – OBSERVE – THINK – ACTStop and gather your thoughts before you take action; even if it’s just to Stop and gather your thoughts before you take action; even if it’s just to take a couple of deep breaths; remember - YOU ARE IN CHARGE – take a couple of deep breaths; remember - YOU ARE IN CHARGE – Observe the skill level of the combatants – Observe the skill level of the combatants – Pay close attention to the combatants hands, looking for weapons of any Pay close attention to the combatants hands, looking for weapons of any kind –kind –Asses the size and gender of the combatants; never assume that girl Asses the size and gender of the combatants; never assume that girl fighters are less dangerous!fighters are less dangerous! As you approach, watch your distance – As you approach, watch your distance – Never approach from behind if you can help it –Never approach from behind if you can help it –Never “sneak up” on combatants, be sure to identify yourself – Never “sneak up” on combatants, be sure to identify yourself – Get their attention BEFORE you make physical contactGet their attention BEFORE you make physical contact– Yell at them “HEY, YOU TWO STOP FIGHTING”Yell at them “HEY, YOU TWO STOP FIGHTING”– Blow a whistleBlow a whistle– Make some kind of loud noise to get their attentionMake some kind of loud noise to get their attention

Make every effort to stop the fighting with voice Make every effort to stop the fighting with voice commands before going hands-on – commands before going hands-on – Try not to let bystanders get behind or surround Try not to let bystanders get behind or surround you – you – Do not let the combatants maneuver you in-Do not let the combatants maneuver you in-between them, the fight could be a set-up to lure between them, the fight could be a set-up to lure you into a dangerous situation – you into a dangerous situation – Try not to go hands-on unless you have back-up Try not to go hands-on unless you have back-up present – present – Unless there is the potential of serious injury to Unless there is the potential of serious injury to the combatants, you may choose to let them the combatants, you may choose to let them fight until they tire – fight until they tire – OFFICER SAFETY IS THE FIRST PRIORITY, OFFICER SAFETY IS THE FIRST PRIORITY, student safety is second!student safety is second!

Going “Hands-On”Going “Hands-On”ONLY DO WHAT YOU ARE TRAINED TO DO!ONLY DO WHAT YOU ARE TRAINED TO DO!Make sure your equipment is secured – Make sure your equipment is secured – Approach at an oblique angle, strong side away – Approach at an oblique angle, strong side away – Do not have your radio or anything else in your hands Do not have your radio or anything else in your hands unless you intend to use them –unless you intend to use them –Attempt to separate the combatants – Attempt to separate the combatants – If attacked, DEFEND YOURSELF – If attacked, DEFEND YOURSELF – If possible, control the strong side by placing one hand If possible, control the strong side by placing one hand on the collar or shoulder and the other on the strong side on the collar or shoulder and the other on the strong side elbow area and attempt to separate the combatants – elbow area and attempt to separate the combatants – DO NOT PLACE YOUR BODY BETWEEN THE DO NOT PLACE YOUR BODY BETWEEN THE COMBATANTS – COMBATANTS – Do not lead with your head, keep your hands in front of Do not lead with your head, keep your hands in front of you and ready to defend from strikes or kicksyou and ready to defend from strikes or kicks

Going “Hands-On” cont.Going “Hands-On” cont.If you cannot separate the combatants, let them fight. If you cannot separate the combatants, let them fight. They will tire.They will tire.Their senses my be diminished and they may be Their senses my be diminished and they may be experiencing tunnel vision – experiencing tunnel vision – They my not be able to think clearly or respond to They my not be able to think clearly or respond to commands at that moment – commands at that moment – They will be unpredictable – They will be unpredictable – Once they are separated, keep them apart – Once they are separated, keep them apart – Do not interview the combatants together – Do not interview the combatants together – Take combatants to a neutral location away from the Take combatants to a neutral location away from the fight scene to interview – fight scene to interview – Remember, fighters are experiencing a “fight or flight” Remember, fighters are experiencing a “fight or flight” response; (“adrenaline rush”) and will need time to calm response; (“adrenaline rush”) and will need time to calm down – down – As you escort a combatant, keep them in front and to the As you escort a combatant, keep them in front and to the side (your weak side), do not let them follow you – side (your weak side), do not let them follow you –

Other ConsiderationsOther ConsiderationsDo not over exert your authority in the beginning. Doing so Do not over exert your authority in the beginning. Doing so may further excite the situation – may further excite the situation – NEVER put your hands in your pockets – NEVER put your hands in your pockets – Do not let the combatants put their hands in their pockets – Do not let the combatants put their hands in their pockets – Do not stand with your arms crossed – Do not stand with your arms crossed – Do not stand with your hands together and your fingers Do not stand with your hands together and your fingers interlaced – interlaced – When possible, keep a barrier between you and the When possible, keep a barrier between you and the combatants until they calm down –combatants until they calm down –Keep your hands visible to the other person and in front of Keep your hands visible to the other person and in front of you in case you need to use them to defend or block an you in case you need to use them to defend or block an action – action – If you are overwhelmed, protect yourself and get out of the If you are overwhelmed, protect yourself and get out of the area area

If you have to go hands-on DOCUMENT – If you have to go hands-on DOCUMENT – Inform your building administrator and SRO or local law Inform your building administrator and SRO or local law enforcement of the incident – enforcement of the incident – Gather as many facts as possible – Gather as many facts as possible – Identify witnesses and interview them separately – Identify witnesses and interview them separately – Discipline is not your concern, yours is to protect, and Discipline is not your concern, yours is to protect, and bring the combatants to the attention of administrations bring the combatants to the attention of administrations and let them handle discipline – and let them handle discipline – On lookers should be disciplined the same as the On lookers should be disciplined the same as the combatants so get names – combatants so get names – Attend to any medical needs as necessary – Attend to any medical needs as necessary – Once the incident is over, do not talk about it with Once the incident is over, do not talk about it with students – students – Whatever happens, DO NOT TAKE IT PERSONAL!Whatever happens, DO NOT TAKE IT PERSONAL!

ABOVE EVERYTHING ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE - ELSE -

OFFICER SAFETY OFFICER SAFETY COMES FIRST!COMES FIRST!

Bob KingBob KingDirector of SecurityDirector of Security

Wenatchee School DistrictWenatchee School District(509) 663-1248(509) 663-1248

king.b@mail.wsd.wednet.eduking.b@mail.wsd.wednet.edu

Randy TownRandy TownSchool Safety CoordinatorSchool Safety Coordinator

ESD 105ESD 105Yakima, WA 98901Yakima, WA 98901

(509) 454-5313(509) 454-5313randyt@esd105.wednet.edurandyt@esd105.wednet.edu