Riot. Ever been in one?

[Hockey9019]

We had some riots a few days ago once again in East Lansing. Nothing too big but it was something.


Has anyone here been involved in a riot? What do you do? (I understand the main goal is to get the crowd to disperse and separate the instigators from the others) For those who work in a larger agency, do you carry riot gear with you?

In your agency, what do you use to assist and dispersing the crowd if need be? Smoke/Flash explosives? Water cannon? Tear gas? Good ole fashion *** kicking?

Whats your biggest fear in a riot? Flying debris? Some idiot going for your weapon? Someone having a weapon?


Never been in one, and I could only think that its pretty scary. But with seeing the one recently,
and other things, made me curious what is it like from an officers standpoint.

Had me curious so I had to ask ;)

[cntryboy0531]

I'm not going to get into tactics about exactly how we deal with riots, but i've been involved in one. Biggest thing to remember is your ultimate goal is to minimize the damage of property and disperse the crowd. Usually in that situation, you have one main instigator with a big mouth. Usually if you show him who's really running the show, and make an example out of him the crowd will usually disperse.

[grumpyirishman]

1968 in Chicago as a teenager...just there to watch...

Many times in the 70's in the DC area on the other side..

A low flying chopper strafing the crowd has a great psychological effect, as do mounted patrol.

Haven't seen anything in years that was like the riots of the day. Today, we just let everyone protest and try to minimize property damage.;)

[txinvestigator1]

Was in one on North Padre Island in the '80s.

[Big Sexy]

Responded to a prison riot in S. Texas, back in the late 90's.

[Johninaustin]

Right after the war started, the local hippies and anarchists feeling their oats.

Pretty quickly they figured out they did not want to play anymore. I LOVE those super-size canisters of pepper spray. We earned the reputation of "not playing nice" right off the bat and the crowds went away.:D

I thought the whole deal was pretty funny actually, I had one woman come up to me and critique the city's handling of the "event". (There should have been porta-potties.) I must have had a hundred people ask me for directions too.

[Grift]

...

[BJJVad]

Hehehe...



:cool:

"Listen here Paisa. I don't want to give an interview."

Nice to see the FBI working for a change.

To answer the question, "Yes." I have been in 12.

[Insayn]

Are you talking full out riot with carnage, objects thrown, cars flipped & burned, looting, officers attacked???
Or just the usual large crowd control issues that some would label a riot???

[patchcop]

In young years (80's) in the state riot force, sometimes while in the patrol unit within the last 20 years. No tactics in a public forum:p

[greenhead]

Magicman and I were at the "Earth Day" riot at OSU in 95. We did not participate but found it very difficult to leave because there were so many people. Bottles were being thrown, cars and dumpsters were on fire, people were fighting. I was terrified. CPD dispatched their people and tear gas was flowing like water. MM has been on the other side quite a few times. I think CPD and OSU has done a very good job of putting the kibosh on the rioting.

[cobravenom1]

Once, I told my babies (at the time 3yr, 4yr, and 6yr old) that we had run out of hot chocolate mix for their sippie cups.
The horror, the carnage, the destruction; it was horrible. I still have flashbacks and stress just thinking about it.:eek:
I have at least 4 containers of hot chocolate mix now at all times.

Professionaly, the L.A. Jail riots back in 2006. No sweat handling five days worth of J/A's being J/A's. We deployed sooo much riot ordnance in the county, emergency shipments were flown in from wherever. It was great being dispatched all over "The Ranch", all hours of the day and night deploying ordnance.

We roll with our riot gear in the car.

[mcsap]

The PA legal definition of a riot. ( Felony 3rd Degree )

Three or more persons that participate in a course of Disorderly Conduct...

1. With the intent to commit or facilitate the commission of a Felony or a Misdemeanor;

2. With the intent to prevent or coerce official action;

OR

3. When the actor or any other participant to the knowledge of the actor uses or palns to use a firearm or other deadly weapon.

[Johninaustin]

Funny story time:

During the same time frame there was a protest march over the Congress Ave. bridge. (Local hippie landmark full of smelly bats)

Things started to get a little exciting and numerous hippies were up in the officer's faces. It was noted a large number of the Great Unwashed were collecting rocks from the ornamental planters along the sidewalk, so out came the pepper spray dispensers.

Now, it's a good idea to spray back to front over the crowd, gives them a chance to run before you open a can on the idiots in the front.

Guess where the local news crew doing a live broadcast was?

The video was beautiful. You can see a solid stream headed right for the camera lens. Sound effects and everything:D

The accusation was raised that it was done on purpose, but we have no idea what they were talking about.;)

[nypd7748]

I was assigned to a Patrol Borough Task Force in the NYPD and the main purpose of the task forces are mobilizations and crowd control. I was at every major riot in NYC from 1982-1995.