DAVIS POLICE DEPARTMENT ROBBERY AND BURGLARY ALARM RESPONSE Policy and Procedure 2.22-A Index as: DEPARTMENT MANUAL Robbery Alarms Burglary Alarms Alarms I. STATEMENT OF ISSUE It is essential that police personnel respond to alarms in the safest and most effective manner. Upon receipt of an alarm the dispatcher will determine from the alarm company whether it is a robbery, burglary, residential panic, or fire alarm; the address, the name and phone number of the business or residence; location of activation; and the alarm company information. Residential panics alarms are treated and classified as burglary alarms. II. ROBBERY ALARMS A. Dispatcher Responsibility 1. The following steps are for robbery alarms only: a. The dispatcher will activate 3 alert tones, assign a primary and back-up unit (use Code 12 if no officers are available), and ensure the Watch Commander is immediately notified. b. If, prior to officer arrival at the scene, dispatch receives information that indicates that an actual robbery or other crime has taken place, dispatch shall use alert tones to notify officers. Any suspect information should be immediately relayed. c. If, prior to officer arrival at the scene, dispatch receives information the alarm is false, dispatch will relay the information to the officer. Dispatch will not cancel responding units on a robbery alarm. d. Officers will notify dispatch on the radio that the building is contained and request that dispatch make a call inside the business. The dispatcher will ask for the manager or person in charge. If the business is a bank and if the information is available in the premise file, the dispatcher will ask for the manager or operations officer by name. e. When the dispatcher ascertains that they have the correct person on the phone, the dispatcher will get their name. The dispatcher shall not identify themselves until they have the correct person on the telephone. If the telephone subject asks for the dispatcher s name, the dispatcher is to provide their first name only because they may be talking to the suspect. f. Once the dispatcher is satisfied that they are talking to an employee, the dispatcher will inform the manager or operations officer that the Police Department received a call of 1
an activated alarm at the business. The dispatcher should then inquire whether there is an actual robbery in progress and ask the subject to check the business. g. No answer to the dispatcher s phone call will be interpreted as a robbery in progress until it is determined otherwise. h. If the response is affirmative, the dispatcher should obtain all available information including number of suspects, weapons, location in business, etc, relay to the officers, and attempt to keep the employee on the line. Refer to the Confirmed or Suspected Robbery section II.D. for additional instructions. i. If the response is no, the business employee will be asked their name, clothing description, and will be directed to bring ID and meet with the officer at a predetermined location outside the building. The officer will meet with the employee to determine whether the alarm is false or not. j. When the primary officer is satisfied that the alarm is false, the officer should notify the dispatcher, and the dispatcher shall relay the status to the other units. k. There is no requirement the officer actually enter the business to verify the alarm is false. However, if an officer does enter or is outside of the business and taken hostage they will either telephone or radio dispatch and state, This is officer, badge #, reporting no robbery. This will signify an actual robbery in which the officer is being held hostage. The dispatcher is to radio that message, verbatim, to the surrounding units. l. In a hostage situation, all units, other than the officer inside, will switch their radios to TAC 1. Because the suspect could have the capability to monitor all channels, radio traffic will be held to a minimum B. Officer's Responsibility 1. Upon receipt of a robbery (211) alarm call, one of the two dispatched officers will take a safe position, using existing cover and concealment, close to the front door of the building where two sides can be seen. 2. The other unit, also using cover and concealment, will locate where the other two sides may be observed. 3. Larger, more complex buildings may require more officers. 4. Once the building is surrounded, the dispatcher will be notified and advised of the location to which the employee should be directed for a meeting. 5. The contacting officer will verify the employee's identity through a driver's license, ID card, or other acceptable method. 6. The officer, after having been assured the alarm is false, will notify dispatch and all units can clear. 7. If a robbery has occurred and the suspects have left, the officer will enter the building to secure the scene and begin the investigation. 2
8. If an officer has somehow been taken hostage, they will, if possible, either telephone or radio the dispatcher saying, This is Officer badge #, reporting no robbery. The use of clear text, a name, and badge number will signify an actual robbery, with hostages, including the officer. C. Confirmed or Suspected Robbery In Progress 1. When a business employee tells the dispatcher there is a robbery and the suspect is still inside, or there is no answer to the initial phone call, or an officer has been taken hostage, the Watch Commander will ensure the following action is taken: a. Employee tells dispatcher suspects are still there. 1. The Code 33 tones will be activated. 2. University P.D., Yolo S.D. and C.H.P. (including the helicopter) will be notified and asked to deploy officers to the area to assist. All available on-duty Davis Police Officers will also respond. 3. Additional officers will fill any gaps in the inner perimeter. Investigators should be used if they are available. 4. Officers should be alert for a lookout and/or a getaway vehicle. 5. Additional chase cars will be located, out of sight, in the front and rear of the building. 6. If the dispatcher still has the employee on the phone, they will tell that employee to lock the door immediately after the last suspect leaves. 7. Enough time should be allowed for all suspects to exit the building. 8. If the suspects do not get into a vehicle within a block, apprehension should be attempted. 9. If the suspects use a vehicle, they should be followed until a safe felony car stop can be made. 10. Suspects leaving the business with hostages should not normally be allowed to get into a vehicle. 11. If, after a reasonable amount of time, the suspects do not exit, it may be assumed a hostage situation exists and the below mentioned procedure will be used. 12. Any hostage released by the suspects during the event will be considered a possible disguised suspect. As such, they will be fully identified, debriefed, and detained for the duration of the incident. b. Hostage situation 1. If an officer or other employee with a radio is also a hostage, all units will switch to TAC 1 and keep radio traffic to a minimum. 2. Officers will be assigned to sufficiently contain the building (each exit covered). 3. A command post will be established at a safe distance from the business. 3
4. The Crisis Negotiations Team (CNT) and S.W.A.T. will be summoned. 5. The Patrol Division Commander will be notified, who will, in turn, notify other appropriate managers. 6. While waiting for the teams arrivals, attempts should be made to evacuate the surrounding area. 7. A member of the CNT should make the first contact with the suspect. Therefore, unless forced to do so, no contact is to be established prior to their arrival. 8. Upon their arrival, command of the situation will be assumed by the Patrol Commander who will normally serve as the Incident Commander. c. Dispatcher receives no answer to call 1. When the incident is handled as a confirmed or suspected robbery, because the call to the business was not answered, a second call will be made after a tight perimeter has been set. If there is still no answer, the Watch Commander will decide if an attempt to make personal contact is appropriate by answering the following questions: a. Is the business normally open at that time? b. Have there been numerous false robbery alarms at that business? c. What can the perimeter units see? d. Can an approach be made with reasonable safety? 2. If, in the Watch Commander s opinion, the dispatcher is receiving no answer, because a robbery is in progress, steps C.1.(a) above should be followed. II. BURGLARY ALARMS Verified Burglary Alarm a verified burglary alarm is an alarm activation where an unauthorized entry, or attempted unauthorized entry, upon the premises, building, or structure protected by the alarm system has been independently verified. Verification shall be accomplished by a confirmation by the alarm system user or other person at or near the scene of the activation, or a private guard responder or alarm company operator. Verification shall be based on a physical observation or inspection of the premises or by remote visual inspection of the premises. Note: An open door, broken window, or other activity consistent with a burglary is considered a verified activation. A. Standard Notification of Burglary Alarms 1. Silent alarm Alarm Company will notify dispatch. 2. Audible alarm An Alarm Company or a neighbor or passer-by calls dispatch or a passing patrol unit may hear the alarm. 4
B. Dispatch Procedures A dispatcher receiving notification of a burglary alarm or residential panics alarm activation shall determine whether the reporting person or alarm company observed or has knowledge of any activity consistent with a burglary at the alarmed location. The reporting person shall not be asked to return to the location and look for evidence of criminal activity. In the event verification is unavailable, dispatch will broadcast the alarm notification to patrol as beat information. For example, an unverified burglar alarm call will be broadcast and remain in the dispatcher s queue for a few minutes. If a beat unit accepts the call it will be assigned to that unit for handling. Otherwise, the call will be closed without assigning a unit to handle. Exception Verification is not required for a burglary alarm activations at City buildings or for buildings or facilities controlled or monitored by federal, state, or local agencies, or the location of a licensed firearms business. A verified burglary alarm shall be dispatched pursuant to section II. C below and responding units shall be provided information on how the activation was verified. C. Response and Arrival for a Verified Burglary Alarm 1. When dispatch is notified of a verified burglary alarm, two units will be dispatched. 2. Arriving officers should survey the scene for any persons in area and possible points of entry. 3. If a point of entry is immediately apparent, e.g., through open door or broken window, additional units should respond. 4. If the arriving units do not locate a point of entry, and the alarm is suspected to be false, they may clear the area. They may be dispatched back to the location at a later time to conduct a search of the interior of the building if the person responsible for the property so desires. Dispatch will make an entry in the call history specifying the activation cause for location history purposes. D. Building Searches 1. Confirmed Burglary a. The Watch Commander shall be notified when there has been a confirmed burglary or when it is suspected a burglar may still be present in the building. b. The Watch Commander shall determine whether it is appropriate to request S.W.A.T., CNT, or a canine. c. At the discretion of the Watch Commander, responding units may conduct a search of the interior portion of the building where the burglary occurred. Caution should be used. Darren Pytel Police Chief 10/99 Reviewed: 1/01, 1/02, 11/05, 04/10, 09/11, 05/17 5