INTERACTIVE SOCIAL TECHNOLOGY HAS CREATED NEW CHALLENGES TO ALL FREE SOCIETIES

The widespread use of social networking is creating severe headaches for law enforcement and public safety.

LONDON RIOTS SHOULD BE A REALITY CHECK
By Joseph M. Peyton

Los Angeles Daily News
August 17, 2011

The Los Angeles Police Department has come a long way since the command and control breakdown of the 1992 riots, which revealed our flawed community relationships, lack of emergency preparedness and unrealistic tactical forecasting that underestimated the public threat.

However, the tech savvy social networking "flash mobs" recently seen in London, Hollywood and Chicago have created a new threat to public safety. These individuals have manipulated technology for use in unprecedented criminal activity. Our political and law enforcement leaders need to look deeper into the economic, social and political motivation of these protesters; otherwise, it is likely other cities are going to become victims.

It is well known that both the LAPD and Metropolitan Police Department in London are constantly re-evaluating their training needs and dedicated technological resources. The interactive social technology has created new challenges to all free societies. The violent outbreaks are not limited to "gangs" but citizens who would otherwise voluntarily act in compliance with the law. The most recent attacks in London by urban terrorists created enormous challenges to public safety. Society needs to closely monitor such incidents and take immediate action to evaluate potential training and resource needs for combating the problem.

Most major law enforcement agencies have placed an increased emphasis on community policing in the past decade, but the LAPD was simultaneously placed under the scrutiny of a federal consent decree during its transformation. The LAPD also went through extensive restructuring and training programs while increasing the size of the department. The hiring focus was on diversity and better educated officers, supervisors and civilian support personnel.

Under former Chief William Bratton's leadership, the Incident Management and Training Bureau was created and all LAPD personnel retrained in emergency preparedness, crisis management and control. Today, every division has an enhanced training cadre which ensures compliance with POST (Police Officer Standards and Training) standards. The result was improved community relations and alliances with the business groups and other agencies.

Based upon the recent outbreaks of violence in other cities, most major law enforcement agencies should be ensuring that most of their full-duty sworn personnel and detectives are prepared. The time to find out that these personnel are ready for immediate deployment is now -- not in the middle of a crisis.

One of the greatest tools used by the LAPD has been mobile field forces, or MFF, consisting of approximately 50 uniformed officers and supervisors strategically deployed in advance of a major incident or formed in the field as necessary. During major civil unrest, there may be multiple MFF deployed in various bureaus of the city.

The flash mobs have highlighted the need to be prepared for the increasing potential of this predatory behavior. To prevent significant loss of property, and attacks on law-abiding citizens, these individuals need to be dealt with in the most extreme terms and professional manner. The police can't protect everyone and will need the community's assistance in quelling such disturbances. The intelligence gained from the community about the movement of violent thugs is critical.

The flash mobs have shown the vulnerability of all tolerant free societies and reminded all reasonable men and woman of the most destructive acts imaginable. Any society that prides itself on peaceful demonstrations cringes at the thought of someone throwing firebombs or randomly beating or killing innocent citizens on the street. Hopefully, that day never comes again to the City of Angels.

However, the efficiency of the law enforcement response and successful prosecution will rely on the quality of training prior to a major incident and the level of expertise entrusted to the patrol and traffic supervisors.

As a former LAPD mobile field force leader, I know it is important not to be overly critical of London's Metropolitan Police Department but to use its recent experience as a reality check for effectively minimizing the destruction of the next "flash mob."
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Joseph M. Peyton is a retired LAPD lieutenant. He was a personnel officer during the 1992 riots and an operations officer for LAX after 9-11