As a defensive formation, the line is used to hold the crowd or to deny access to restricted streets or areas. As an offensive formation, the line is used to push or drive crowds straight back, across an open area, or up a city street. The line formation is used more often because of its offensive and defensive applications. Past civil disturbances indicate that the most frequently used formations are the line, the wedge, and the echelon. The individual soldiers place themselves in danger, and the entire formation may be threatened if it begins to break down. Troops are much more vulnerable to attack when individual soldiers break ranks and chase after crowd members. Whatever the modification, troops must be proficient in the basic formation movements to be able to react or adjust to a changing situation.Ĭivil disturbance training must that the soldiers understand the need to ensure stay in formation. Experience has shown that the formations, to be effective, must be tailored to meet the situation. (See Chapter 12.) A crowd control formation also may be used to aid containment operations by using blocking, flanking, and confrontation elements of the formation.Ĭommanders analyze the threat, the control force's missions, and how crowd control formations can be used to aid mission accomplishment. Apprehension teams then escort apprehended crowd members back through the formation. If the decision is made to apprehend crowd members, the crowd control formation may be used as a blocking formation. When troops are stationed in high buildings or on rooftops, all other troops must be informed of this to avoid the possibility of control force members being mistaken for snipers.Ĭrowd control formations also may be used for more than just dispersal operations. Helicopter observation is one method of visually securing rooftops. Rooftops must be secured to help prevent sniper fire from these vantage points. Commanders then, of necessity, must revert to area control measures, such as building searches, saturation patrolling, and other tactics. The small elements that break away from the large mob may engage in small-mob tactics, such as sniping, looting, and burning. Even when a large mob has been split up, the problem is not necessarily solved. When small, dispersed mobs are rampant in an area, formations are of little value. The commander must not subject his troops to unnecessary sniper fire and violence simply to impress the crowd with a show of force. Formations are not the answer to all civil disturbance situations. If the crowd refuses to move, the control force may have to employ other techniques, such as riot control agents or apprehensions.Ĭommanders must realize the limitations of formations. Therefore, the use of formations is only a part of the total dispersal effort. Small groups can initiate dispersed riotous acts. When a crowd has been dispersed, the control force must not assume that they have capitulated and returned to peaceful activities. When employed to disperse a crowd, they are particularly effective in urban areas because they enable the control force to split a crowd into smaller segments. For example, the first line of the formation is armed with batons and the second or supporting ranks are armed with rifles or rifles with fixed bayonets.Ĭrowd control formations may be employed to disperse, contain, or block a crowd. If the situation is serious, the commander may consider employing a mix of batons and rifles. In selecting force options, the riot baton generally is the main weapon of the control force. Crowd control formations, when properly employed and executed against a crowd of limited size, are one of the most practical methods of crowd control.
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