CROWD CONTROL MANAGEMENT
TEACHER OLUFEMI SOBANDE
CONTENT
1.
DEFINITION/ INTRODUCTION
2.
REASONS FOR CROWD FORMATION
3.
TYPES OF CROWD
4.
COUNTERMEASURES TO CROWD ACTION
5.
SECURITY AND DEMONSTRATIONS
6.
PERSONAL BEHAVIOUR DURING CROWD CONTROL
7.
DEPLOYMENT PROCEDURE WHEN CONTROLLING CROWD
8.
CONCLUSION
DEFINITION
A crowd is a concentration of people whose presence or anticipated behavior is such
that may require the security forces attention to disperse, and maintain law or order.
The responsibility of dispersing an already formed crowd with that of the protection
of life and property is very tasking, hence there is need for the security officer to
quickly determine if a crowd would be rounding, uncontrollable or peaceful to
enable him take appropriate action before it escalates. Examples of crowds are
football matches, strike actions, riots, disasters, marriage ceremonies, church
services, jumat services, rallies etc.
REASONS FOR CROWD FORMATION
There are three main reasons why a crowd may be formed.
a.
Occurrence
b.
Casual causes
c.
Emotional causes of combat or an event
A.
OCCURRENCE OF AN EVENT
Crowd is caused due to the occurrence of an event. Therefore, the reaction of
passersby and onlookers may result in a crowd. Occurrence crowd lack unity of
purpose. It is governed by the nature of the event.
B.
CASUAL CAUSES
Casual crowd may be as a result of an orderly gathering of market men and women
or office staff arriving in the workplace at the same time or at the bus stop. Casual
crowd is individualistic and is usually orderly and easily controlled.
C.
EMOTIONAL CAUSES
Emotional crowds are formed due to events that excited the emotion of the
individual. Such individual would naturally become unruly and troublesome because
he is blindfolded by emotions.
The emotional issues include racial segregation,
religious differences, sports, rigging of elections and disagreement over labour
issues.
TYPES OF CROWD
There are five basic crowd groups identifiable. The behavior of each group is widely
dependent on the motivational interest. Crowds are thus classified according to
their behavioural patterns.
1.
Acquisitive
2.
Expressive
3.
Spectator
4.
Hostile
5.
Escape
ACQUISITIVE
This refers to the crowd group that each member is motivated by the desire to
acquire or get something e.g a group of shoppers or market women waiting to buy a
few goods in short supply. They have nothing in common except the desire to get
their needs met. This crowd might turn rowdy if their needs are not met.
EXPRESSIVE
As the name implies, expressive crowd group gathers to express their opinion about
salient issues. A typical example is a labour union or a political rally. Expressive
crowd in most cases is peaceful but when their mission is thwarted it might become
unruly.
SPECTATOR
This is a crowd that gathers to watch a sporting event, parade or entertainment
generally, in most cases it is a well behaved crowd. Its gathering is out of curiosity,
interest or instruction. It may become violent if the emotions of the members are
incited.
HOSTILE
Hostile crowd is motivated by feelings of hate and fear to the extent that they are
prepared to fight. Examples of hostile crowd are student demonstrations, political
demonstrations and rival mob groups.
ESCAPE
These types of crowd are running from danger or disaster. The major interest of this
group is safety, shelter and food. Once safety is achieved, the group loses its focus.
COUNTERMEASURES TO CROWD ACTION
It is important for security officers/wardens/enforcement officers to understand the
cause[s] of formation and the different types of crowd to be able to formulate, plan
and contain easily a crowd that might become uncontrollable, rowdy and violent.
Naturally most crowds do not become rowdy unless the basic interest of the group
is touched.
In that case, the mood of an expressive crowd becomes hostile or
escapes in nature.
These are suggested countermeasures.
1.
Remove the leader
2.
Fragmentation of the crowd
3.
Remove or isolate causes of irritation
4.
Diverting the attention of the crowd
5.
Focusing of attention on themselves instead of group
6.
Use a cognizable leader
7.
Avoid panic in the crowd
8.
Using women and children as shield
SECURITY AND DEMONSTRTAIONS
Security officers charged with the responsibility of controlling crowd have two fold
responsibilities. First, the crowd must be protected and the general public must be
protected from the crowd behaviour. In carrying out his duties the security officer is
expected to be:
a.
Firm
b.
Alert
c.
Well dressed
d.
Clean
e.
Good deportment
f.
Use of force
FIRMNESS
The security officer in controlling whether an angry crowd or hostile one must be
firm. Once an instruction is given, it must be complied with. Favouritism and side
talks would make some members of the crowd to disregard the orders of the
security officer.
ALERT
It is important for a security officer to be alert while on duty for his own safety. He
must watch out for a change in the mood of the crowd. He should be able to
disperse the crowd before it becomes uncontrollable.
WELL DRESSED
The way a security officer is dressed depends on how he will be addressed. His
outlook and disposition would make the crowd see him as responsible and reliable.
CLEAN
Cleanliness they say is next to godliness. How clean and well shaven and officer is
makes him presentable and attractive.
DEPORTMENT
The carriage of the officer and his decorum, how he presents himself to the crowd
determines how he would be accepted.
USE OF FORCE
The ethics of security officer demands that the force to be applied must be equal to
the force used by the crowd. Legal issues resulting from attempts by the security
officers to control hostile crowds’ runs into millions in most countries of the world.
The security officer is expected to use reasonable force to place law breakers under
arrest. He must not give the impression that he will not enforce orders to disperse
the crowd.
PERSONAL BEHAVIOUR DURING CROWD CONTROL
1.
Stand your ground without yielding. Maintain law and order.
2.
Don’t exchange pleasantries or apologise for your action.
3.
Remain on the fringe of the crowd.
4.
Remain out of reach and observe the crowd and individual activities pending
the arrival of reinforcement.
5.
Assist fellow officers in danger.
6.
Don’t get involved in crowd activities e.g throwing of bottles.
DEPLOYMENT PROCEDURE WHEN CONTROLLING CROWD
There are three basic control formations used by control officers in controlling riots
and crowds of any nature. They are:
a.
Arrow head
b.
Left and Right flanking
c.
Line method
ARROW HEAD
Arrow head simply means arraying the control forces in arrow form against the
crowd. This involves moving sideways to link up at the end forming an arrow. By so
doing, it is expected that the crowd would be overrun.
LEFT AND RIGHT FLANKING
This involves closing in the crowd on the right and left flanks. An escape is left for
the crowd to disperse either from the base or at the end. The objective of right and
left flanking is not to arrest but to disperse the crowd.
LINE METHOD
Line method is used to move a crowd backward, off the street or an area that they
have taken over. It is a straight but gradual push until the facility of the organization
is vacated.
CONCLUSION
In most cases when an event that would involve controlling of crowd is announced
ahead of time, it is expected that he security officer should have a contingency plan
to ensure adequate protection of life and property and ensuring the safety of the
crowd. The following should be considered in drawing a checklist for the plan.
1.
Is Police involvement required?
2.
Communication [Radio/Telephone, PA system]
3.
First Aid Staff
4.
Ambulance
5.
Doctors
6.
Entry and exist
7.
Location of Event
8.
Parking
9.
Disabled Persons
10.
Number of Security Personnel required
11.
Media observation area
12.
Size of crowd.