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Crowd + Riot Control (Continued):

Riots may break out surrounding critically necessary medical equipment, and officers may
be needed to facilitate and protect supplies and medical workers from angry citizens.
Recently, grocery stores have been the epicenter of panic, where uncertain situations
bring out the worst in people. As the pandemic has worsened and people give into
the media fervor, they have rushed to grocery stores, clearing the shelves of essential
grocery items and toilet paper. It is quite possible that as the pandemic spreads and more
restrictions on regular activities go into place that law enforcement personnel will need to
play an increasingly hands-on role in maintaining order amidst the chaos. As supplies like
toilet paper and hand sanitizer become less and less available, officers should expect to
be involved with controlling angry grocery shoppers. Be prepared for the possibility that
frustrated consumers could resort to attacking supply trucks if the pandemic continues
to expand. Riots may form as people take on a mob mentality, aligning their actions with
that of a crowd and doing things they normally wouldn’t. During times like these full of
stress and tensions, normally non-aggressive people may turn violent if involved with a
riot. This type of situation becomes dangerous for both officers and the public. During a
riot situation, the crowd will act as one mind, following each other, and use anything in
the vicinity as makeshift weapons. Riot crowds that develop during a pandemic situation
will be different than those that officers typically are asked to control, such as crowds
of political or labor protestors. Traditional crowds will typically have organization and a
plan in place and are usually made up of people of similar demographic backgrounds.
Pandemic crowds can be more dangerous because they are disorganized, unprepared,
and largely driven from fear. The demographics of pandemic crowds may vary across
race, age, and socioeconomic status. The unpredictable nature of pandemic crowds
makes them unstable and more difficult to contain. Officers should also be aware of how
certain types of PPE may impact their ability to respond quickly in a riot situation. PPE
may cause excessive heat or make it more difficult to access service weapons. It should
be noted that as a pandemic wears on, law enforcement agencies, especially smaller
agencies, will have absent personnel as employees fall ill and have to miss work. Law
enforcement should be prepared to handle increasingly angry crowds under less than
ideal conditions with smaller numbers of officers. A good way to handle smaller numbers
of staff is to reach out to other agencies and team up for multi-jurisdictional operations.
The more officers there are to handle these riot situations, the easier it will be to contain
and control the crowd.

The best way to handle a riot situation is to cooperate with fellow officers, maintain good
communication with each other, and have strength in numbers. Containing the crowd as
much as possible is key to stifling their activities. The energy of the crowd begins to die out
when contained. Non-lethal crowd control measures could include the use of beanbag
rounds, rubber bullets, tear gas, or pepper balls. Non-lethal measures are a good way to
subdue a crowd and reduce the numbers. Officers need to act quickly to identify and
eliminate the biggest threats during such situations so that the crowd loses its power. As
the threats are subdued and the numbers reduced, the crowd will be less dangerous,
and many people will lose the mob mentality. As numbers dwindle, it will also be easier to
contain remaining rioters. Officers should attempt to cut off the movements of the crowd

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