Seattle Police Manual

1.140 – Special Event Planning

Effective Date: 5/22/2009

I. Definitions

A. Special Events

1. City approved, pre-planned event that requires police services which go beyond normal daily assignment duties.

2. Includes the following

a. Sporting events

b. Parades

c. Concerts

d. Fun runs

e. Dignitary protection

f. Community/Neighborhood events

g. Fair, exhibits, and celebrations

B. Demonstrations

1. Planned or unplanned assembly or disruption, which may or may not occur in conjunction with a Special event.

a. Requires on-duty or overtime Police services

C. Emphasis Deployment

1. A pre-planned special deployment of Police resources to impact a specific problem that is specifically tied to a special event.

a. This classification is typically utilized for cost allocation purposes tied to a special event.

b. A special event emphasis deployment will not be scheduled over seven days before or two days following a special event.

EXCEPTION: Prior authorization given by the Patrol Operations Bureau Chief.

D. Crime Suppression Emphasis Deployment

1. Pre-planned deployment of police resources to impact a specific problem.

2. Includes the following situations

a. Narcotics trafficking

b. Criminal gang activity

c. Street crimes

E. Planning

1. Development of operations orders to handle:

a. Special events

b. Demonstrations

c. Emphasis deployments

2. Plans shall include a list of any logistical needs specific to the event. Examples may include temporary fencing, transportation, food and beverage for deployed officers, use of the mobile precinct, etc.

F. Staffing

1. Identification and notification of personnel listed to work a special event.

II. Deployment Section

A. Responsibilities

1. Serve as the primary representative, and contact point, of the Police Department with regard to special events.

2. This includes but is not limited to the following

a. Attending Special Event planning meetings

b. Negotiation with promoters for events scheduled at the Seattle Center

(1) Exceptional cases require a Seattle Center Detail representative

c. Coordinate with other City agencies

3. Advise Precincts/Sections of upcoming events affecting operations.

4. Develop operations plans, provide staffing plans, and/or supervise special events.

5. Serve as a repository for:

a. Special event operations plans

b. Staffing level deployment plans

c. After action reports

6. Advise Command Staff on Special Events.

7. Ensure appropriate corrections are made to plans for continuing or repeated special events.

8. Serve as the primary Police Department representative and contact point with regard to Disaster Management.

III. Seattle Center Detail

A. Description

1. Detail drawn from West Precinct.

2. Detail covers Seattle Center grounds and events.

B. Responsibilities

1. Plan routine events occurring on the Seattle Center grounds.

2. Primary liaison between Seattle Center administration and the Deployment Section.

3. Keep Deployment Section apprised of all Seattle Center events.

4. Coordinate with Deployment Section on events falling under Deployment Section responsibilities (i.e. planning, negotiation, staffing).

IV. Event Planning

A. Special Events

1. Deployment Section Responsibilities

a. Develop Operation Orders for the following events:

(1) City-wide annual Special Events

(2) Large events involving police city-wide resources

(3) Large one time events (e.g., Goodwill games, APEC)

(4) Specific events, staffed in whole or in part by off duty SPD personnel, that may impact on-duty SPD resources.

(5) Events requiring one or more City Permits.

(6) Select Seattle Center Special Events.

(a) Bumbershoot.

(b) Folklife.

(c) Bite of Seattle.

(d) Major concerts.

(e) Events requiring. overtime resources beyond sixty (60) hours on or off the Center grounds.

(f) Events requested by the Seattle Center Detail

(9) Commercial filming by private companies.

(a) Any filming requiring one or more City permits.

(b) Any filming on City property.

(10) Events involving specialty unit resources (i.e. Traffic, Mounted).

(a) Planning may be delegated to the specialty unit involved.

(11) Other Special Events.

(a) Request must be made in advance by Precincts or Sections requesting assistance.

2. Precinct Responsibilities

a. Plan all events, not covered by Deployment Section, occurring within the borders of the Precinct.

(1) Prior arrangements with the Deployment Section may be made for assistance or coverage of events.

b. Coordinate with the Deployment Section as appropriate.

B. Demonstrations

1. Primary responsibilities for planning are assigned to the Precinct the event occurs in.

2. The Deployment Section may plan specific deployments.

a. Requires approval from the Patrol Operations Bureau Chief.

C. Emphasis Deployment

1. Responsibility for deployment falls with:

a. Unit, Section, Precinct, or Bureau coordinating or deploying the resources.

2. When several units are involved, one of the following may plan the event

a. Deployment Section; or

b. Any of the individual units involved.

V. Staffing Events

A. Special Events

1. Deployment Section responsibilities

a. Provide staffing for events the Section has planned

(1) Exclude events delegated by Directive or agreed to on a case by case basis

b. Provide the following for On-Duty and/or Overtime Events

(1) Publish a SPD Directive requiring officers and/or sergeants to staff the event

NOTE: Short-term notice events may require notification in person or by phone

(2) Attempt to solicit volunteers for staffing, if possible

(a) Accommodate volunteers' requests for a specific type of assignment, if possible

NOTE: Post assignments may not be requested

(3) Assignment of personnel with special skills, equipment, or area familiarity, if required

(4) Make every effort to provide reasonable notice of staffing requirements

(5) Draft personnel if volunteers are not obtained

(a) Drafting will be done on a seniority basis, least seniority drafted first

(b) Patrol Personnel, until all non-patrol personnel have been drafted.

(6) Exempt applicable personnel.

c. Provide the following for events staffed wholly or partially by SPD Off-Duty personnel

(1) Staffing for Seattle Center events falling under deployment Section responsibilities (i.e. Bumbershoot, Folklife); and

(2) Staffing for events requiring sixty hours or more on Seattle Center grounds; or

(3) Staffing for any events off the center grounds; or

(4) Any events as requested by the Seattle Center Detail

(5) Staffing for certain Kingdome events, as requested, if approved by the Captain of the Deployment Section

(6) Staffing for filming requiring one or more city permits or occurring on City property

(7) May publish courtesy notices of off-duty scheduling NOTE: Courtesy notices are not orders

2. Section/Precinct Responsibilities

a. Provide staffing for events planned by the section

(1) Assistance from specialty units may be requested.

(2) Notify personnel internally.

b. Provide requested personnel for events, unless exempted

c. Section Captain or Bureau Chief will advise the Deployment Section of exemptions

3. Seattle Center Detail Responsibilities

a. Staff Center events not assigned to the Deployment Section

4. Exemptions

a. All requests for exemption must be forwarded through the chain of command to the applicable Bureau Chief

(1) Must obtain approval of the Patrol Operations Bureau Chief to draft Patrol personnel.

b. Section Captains cannot authorize exemptions.

c. Individuals scheduled for Unit/Section duty may be exempted by Bureau Chiefs.

(1) Individuals may be required to re-schedule Unit/Section duty.

d. Student Officers

(1) May be drafted with approval from the Patrol Operations Bureau Chief

(2) If Student Officers drafted, their Field Training Officer will accompany them, if possible

5. Change of Assignments or Trading Assignments

a. Officers requesting a change must

(1) Sign a memorandum indicating agreement on the change

(a) Both officers' signatures are required

(2) Submit the memorandum for approval from the scheduling Unit, Section, or Bureau

(3) The Section making the assignment must receive the memorandum at least two business days before the assignment roll call.

b. Assigned shifts will not be split

EXAMPLE: Two officers may not split an eight hour shift into two four hour shifts.

c. Sergeants and above may not work in officers' slots; officers may not work in sergeant and above slots

d. Changes and/or trades may not be allowed for short notice events

B. Demonstrations

1. The Precinct of the occurrence will be responsible for staffing.

a. The precinct may request assistance from the Deployment Section

C. Emphasis Deployment

1. The Primary Unit, Section, Precinct, or Bureau deploying or coordinating the resources staffs the event.

a. When more than one Unit, Section, Precinct, or Bureau is involved in an event, any one of them may staff the event by mutual agreement

2. City wide Events (i.e. Torchlight Parade, Seafair)

VI. Event Command

A. Special Events

1. City wide Events (i.e. Torchlight Parade, Seafair)

a. The Patrol Operations Bureau Chief will develop a rotating schedule

b. Rotate the command among the affected Patrol Operations Bureau Captains

2. Large Special Events

a. The Deployment Section Captain may command the event

b. Precinct Captain or Metro Special Response Captain may command the event on agreement of all parties involved

c. If agreement is not reached, the Patrol Operations Bureau Chief will assign command responsibility.

3. Large One-Time Events.

a. The Patrol Operations Bureau Chief will assign the Incident Commander for the event.

4. Event staffed wholly or partially by off-duty SPD officers.

a. Select Seattle Center Events are commanded by the Operations & Planning Section Captain.

b. Filming.

(1) Commanded by the Deployment Section Captain.

5. Events staffed primarily by Specialty Units.

a. The Incident Commander will be selected by the Captain of the Specialty Unit.

6. Events Planned/Staffed by Precincts.

a. Commanded by the Precinct Captain or designee.

7. Other Special Events.

a. The Incident Commander will be determined by the requesting Precinct or Section.

B. Demonstrations

1. The Precinct of the event shall have command responsibility, unless otherwise specified.

a. A Special Event Commander shall be assigned for the Special Event component of the Precinct event.

C. Emphasis Deployment

1. The Captain of the Primary deploying or coordinating Unit, Section, Precinct, or Bureau shall command the event.

D. Emergency Situations

1. Any superior in the concerned Captain's immediate chain of command may take command if any deployment reaches the point that SPD personnel are in jeopardy.