Tactics, Training, and Procedures for the Warfighter Reacting to Crowd Dynamics

The objective of this effort is to conduct research to develop tactics, training and procedures for users of lethal and Non-Lethal Weapons (NLWs) that would enhance the warfighter's ability to rapidly assess a situation and determine the optimal course ofaction. Rapid and accurate assessment of potential agitation indicators in a crowd allows for better real time decisions and provides a better opportunity to optimize the applied force required to meet mission objectives, while minimizing the level ofconflict escalation. The Phase I of the project will focus on the development of a methodology to support the decision-making process used to analyze the impact of a threat and the means to deal with the threat. Phase I will be comprised of four tasks.Task 1 will consist of a literature review and information gathering task to identify factors that could influence crowd behavior or mood (e.g., size, motivation, age range, and cultural diversity). Classification schemes, which aid in the decision-makingprocess, will also be considered. Task 2 will also consist of an information gathering exercise to identify existing civilian and military training courses that use these factors (crowd indicators) to assess possible crowd control actions. Task 3 is amulti-faceted task. First, additional information will be collected to identify data regarding historical crowd behaviors such as Chicago in 1968, Seattle in 1999, St Louis in 1964, Watts in 1965, Newark 1967 or Detroit in 2001 and consequences of theapplied security responses in each instance. Secondly, a synthesis of the information collected in Task I, II and the first part of Task III will be performed for the development of an understanding of how actions by military or police forces modify crowdbehavior based on the identified crowd behavior indicators. Lastly, courses of action will be identified which were most beneficial in reducing crowd escalation. Task IV involves the documentation of the methodology and findings in a technical report.The existing focus of training for the warfighter has not been directed at making rapid and accurate reactive decisions based on feedback from crowd behavior. This is a shortfall, which the proposed research effort is addressing. Phase I will provide thebasis for the development of methodology and coursework to train the warfighter to employ select tactics to control and redirect crowd behavior under varying circumstances. Developing and enhancing these reactive decision-making processes for thewarfighter making lethal and NLW employment decisions will lower the probability of conflict escalation. In addition, the methodology and proposed coursework resulting from the proposed research will not only benefit the warfighter, but will also havevalue to other Government and private sector agencies who deal with the destructive forces of crowds.