Security Officer Riots & Protest Preparation

Officers are taught to prepare for serious public disturbances.

The most important part of crowd management is to make sure peaceful protests don't spill over into a riot. Though these kind of violent incidents can erupt unexpectedly, police and security officers are trained and prepared for these events.

Significance

Riots and protests are a worldwide issue, and according to the commander of the Metropolitan Police's Territorial Support Group, preparation allows officers to not overreact. Security officers are taught how to link shields to form a block, how to turn together when attacked from behind, and how to avoid being trampled by police horses.

Prison Riots

Any riot or protest preparation involves tactical training scenarios. Law enforcement taking part in the Mock Prison Riot Experience work through realistic training scenarios, including confined space entry, canine tracking, and the use of cutting-edge law enforcement and corrections technologies.

Military Riot Training

Members of the military also take part in riot and protest training, which includes police instructors with gasoline bombs, a mock media center, and a police station with custody units. The five-hour exercise culminates in a large-scale riot.

Private Security Training

Many private security companies, such as SERECA, offer riot and protest training. Their training classes can include the characteristics of crowds, directing the flow of crowd traffic, interaction procedures, and issuing directives to large crowds.

References

• The Sunday Times: Surviving riot training with the Met's Territorial Support Group
• Mock Prison Riot: Opportunities for Law Enforcement
• GlobalSecurity.org: Liberty warriors participate in riot training exercise
• SERECA Security Corporation: Training

Resources

• BBC News: How Police Train for a Riot