Mass Shootings and Law Enforcement Preparedness: A Critical Issue for Our Times

Mass shootings are a tragic and disturbing phenomenon that has plagued the United States for decades.?According to the Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit that tracks gun violence in the United States, there were 692 mass shootings in 2021, and 610 in 2020. It is a number that has been steadily rising year after year.

We define mass shooting as a shooting that injured or killed four or more people, not including the shooter. Thousands of lives, including those of children, teachers, workers, worshippers, and bystanders, have been lost due to these incidents. They have also traumatized countless survivors, families, and communities.

In the face of this ongoing crisis, law enforcement agencies have an essential responsibility to help stop, respond to, and investigate mass shootings. However, these situations pose significant challenges and risks for officers, who must act quickly and decisively to stop the threat and save lives.

How are law enforcement officers trained and prepared for such scenarios? What are the best practices and lessons learned from past incidents? And what are the gaps and needs for improvement in this area?

The Evolution of Law Enforcement Training for Mass Shootings

Law enforcement training for responding to mass shootings has evolved since a lone gunman appeared in a Texas University clock tower in 1966.?

That incident, which killed 16 people and wounded 31 others, exposed the limitations of the traditional police tactics of setting up a perimeter and waiting for specialized units to arrive.

In the years that followed, multiple mass shootings that received national attention, such as the Columbine High School tragedy in 1999 and the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007, demonstrated the need for law enforcement agencies to be more proactive and work together more closely.

Today, most law enforcement agencies in the United States follow the principles of Active Shooter Response (ASR), which emphasize speed, teamwork and aggressiveness. ASR training instructs officers to move swiftly in small groups, or even individually, in order to subdue any armed assailant.

Training in ASR includes elements such as communication, strategy, force application, emergency medical care and scene control. The goal is to put an end to the bloodshed as soon as possible, even if that requires bypassing the injured or other potential hazards.

ASR training is based on the premise that an active shooter is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area.

However, not all mass shootings fit this definition. Law enforcement officers need to be able to assess the situation and adapt their response accordingly. Some shooters may stop firing, barricade themselves or take hostages. In these cases, law enforcement officers may need to switch to different tactics appropriate for a hostage situation or a standoff.?Strategies such as negotiation, containment, and de-escalation could be used.

The Challenges and Risks of Law Enforcement Response to Mass Shootings

Although there are improvements in law enforcement training for mass shootings, these events remain difficult to comprehend and unpredictable. Law enforcement officers face many challenges and risks when responding to such situations, such as:

1. Lack of information: Law enforcement officers often have limited or inaccurate information about the location, number and identity of the shooters, the type and amount of weapons and explosives they have, the number and condition of the victims, and the layout of the scene. This makes it difficult to plan and execute an effective response.
2. Multiple shooters: Some mass shootings involve more than one shooter, who may act independently or in coordination. This increases the threat level and complicates the response.?For example, in the 2015 San Bernardino shooting, two shooters attacked a county health department event and then fled in a vehicle before being killed by police in a shootout.
3. Complex environments: Mass shootings can occur in various settings, such as schools, workplaces, houses of worship, transportation centers or other public places.?These environments may pose challenges such as large crowds, multiple entry points, restricted access areas, poor visibility or lighting conditions.
4. Improvised explosive devices (IEDs): Some shooters may use or plant IEDs to cause additional damage or deter law enforcement intervention. For example, in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, two brothers detonated two pressure cooker bombs near the finish line of the race before engaging in a shootout with police that killed one of them.
5. Casualty care: Law enforcement officers may encounter many injured or deceased victims during their response. They may need to provide first aid or triage while maintaining security and pursuing the shooter(s).?They may also need to coordinate with medical personnel and other first responders.
6. Psychological stress: Law enforcement officers may experience intense psychological stress during and after their response to mass shootings. They may witness horrific scenes of violence and suffering. They may face life-threatening situations or lose their colleagues or friends.?They may feel guilt or anger over their actions or outcomes.

The Need for Improvement and Collaboration

Law enforcement agencies have made significant efforts to improve their training and preparedness for mass shootings. However, there is still room for improvement and collaboration in this area. These are some of the needs and recommendations:

1. Updating policies and protocols: Law enforcement agencies should review and update their policies and protocols for responding to mass shootings based on current best practices and lessons learned from past incidents.?They should also ensure that their officers are familiar with these policies and protocols through regular training and exercises.
2. Enhancing equipment and technology: Law enforcement agencies should equip their officers with adequate equipment and technology for responding to mass shootings.?This may include body armor, helmets, rifles, medical kits, radios or cameras. They should also explore new technologies that can enhance their situational awareness and operational capabilities.
3. Strengthening interagency coordination: Law enforcement agencies should establish clear roles and responsibilities among different units within their own agency (such as patrol officers, specialized teams or investigators) as well as with other agencies (such as federal authorities, firefighters or paramedics) when responding to mass shootings.?They should also develop common protocols, communication channels and command structures to facilitate coordination and information sharing.
4. Preventing targeted violence: Law enforcement agencies should collaborate with other stakeholders (such as academic institutions, mental health providers, businesses, community groups or government entities) to identify and disrupt potential active shooters who may be on a trajectory toward violence. They should also provide operational, behaviorally-based threat assessment and threat management services to help detect and prevent acts of targeted violence.
5. Supporting officer wellness: Law enforcement agencies should provide adequate support and resources to their officers who respond to mass shootings. This may include debriefing, counseling, peer support or time off. They should also monitor and address any signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), burnout or other mental health issues among their officers.

Mass shootings are an urgent matter for our era that necessitate a complete and cooperative method from police and other allies. The role of law enforcement is essential in preventing, responding to and investigating mass shootings, but they must be aware of the risks and challenges they face in doing so.

Enhancing training and preparedness, upgrading equipment and technology, and promoting interagency cooperation can help law enforcement protect against potential threats.