UrbanShield2017:ReportCard

StopUrbanShieldCoalitionSeptember2017

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Summary

AsanannualSWATtrainingandweaponsexpoorganizedbytheAlamedaCountySheriff’sOffice(ACSO)andhostedintheBayArea,UrbanShieldhascomeundernationalscrutinyforitsroleinmilitarizingpoliceforces,perpetuatingracismandxenophobia,andsquanderingmillionsofdollarsthatcouldbespentoneffectiveemergencyresponseandcommunitypreparednessprograms.

MembersoftheStopUrbanShieldCoalitionsatonatimelimitedtaskforcethatwasconvenedbytheAlamedaCountyBoardofSupervisors(ACBOS)inJanuary2017toassesstheimpactsofUrbanShield.ThetaskforcememberswereinvitedtoobserveUrbanShield2017.AstheStopUrbanShieldCoalitionisprimarilyconcernedwiththeimpactsofUrbanShieldoncommunities,memberswhoobservedUrbanShield2017providedtheirassessmentandcompiledthisreport.

ThisreportcardassessesfivemainareasofconcernandrankseachwithagradebasedonhowtheareaswereobservedinUrbanShield2017.Theranksarebasedonlettergrades,with“A”denotingthemostfavorableand“F”theleastfavorable.ThereportcardalsoassesseshowUrbanShieldhasimplementedasetof12PrinciplesandGuidelinesthatweremandatedbytheACBOS.

ThefindingsarethatUrbanShielddramaticallyfailsinaddressingthreeofthefiveconcernareas:Militarization;Racism,Xenophobia,andCulture;andSurveillance.Additionally,UrbanShieldisextremelypoorintheremainingtwoareasofFinancialFactorsandDe-escalation.

ObserversalsofoundthattheACSOseeminglywillfullyignoredthe12PrinciplesandGuidelines,astheUrbanShieldweaponsexpoandtrainingscenarioswereinviolationofthemajorityoftheguidelines.

AllimagesinthisreportcardweretakenbyobserversatUrbanShield2017.

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ContentsSummary.........................................................................1

PoliceMilitarization........................................................3

Racism,Xenophobia,andtheCultureofUrbanShield...5

Surveillance.....................................................................6

FinancialInterests...........................................................7

De-escalation..................................................................8

The12PrinciplesandGuidelines..................................10

InsideUrbanShield2017................................................0

Conclusion......................................................................2

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PoliceMilitarization

Grade:F

TheforemostconcernwithUrbanShieldhasbeenthatthescenarios,trainings,weaponry,andtacticsusedcontributetotheincreasingtrendofpolicemilitarization.DespiteclaimsfromtheACSOthattheeventisgearedtowardtrainingpoliceofficers,observationsdocumentedbyStopUrbanShieldmembersshowthatboththeweaponsexpoandexercisesareentirelydominatedbyamilitarizedapproach.

ObservationsfromtheWeaponsExpo:

• Gunandsurveillanceboothsdominatedthevendorshow.Theweaponrywasintimidatingandreinforcesaharmfulmodelforemergencypreparedness.

• Equipmentwaspromotedwithphraseslike:“Military-grade”is“better,”andwithsalespointsthattechnologywasdevelopedatFortMeade,Livermore,LosAlamos,etc.

• Sniperriflerafflerewardedparticipantswithmilitary-styleweaponry• Therewasa“Special”onGlockgunsforUrbanShield

ObservationsfromtheTrainingScenarios:

• Duringadebriefofascenario,oneofthemilitarypersonnelrepeatedlystatedthat"ourworldsarestartingtocollide"–militaryandpolice.MilitaryparticipantsregularlyreferencedexperiencestheyhadinIraqandAfghanistan,tellingpoliceofficerstobepreparedforthosekindsofsituations,includingdealingwithImprovisedExplosiveDevices(IEDs)andguerrillawarfare.

• SWATteamsambushedfiredfirstonterroristroleplayers,whowerepatrollingaruralarea.• AColombiancolonelservingasanevaluatorstatedhispreferencetowantingpolicetohave

thesameapproachandcapabilitiesasthemilitary.• OneparticipanttoldobserversthatthetypesoftrainingsUrbanShieldprovidesforSWAT

arenecessarybecausethe"politicallywatereddowntrainings"theyreceiveelsewherearenotsufficient.

• Militaryfatiguesandarmycamouflagewereubiquitousthroughoutthetrainings.

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• Manyparticipants–vendors,roleplayers,evaluators,SWATteammembers–arecurrentorex-military.

• Thevideoatthestartframedmilitarizationasdeepservice,honor,protectionandworkthattakesplaceshouldertoshoulderintheirsharedfightagainstevil.

• AnFBIpersonnelservingasatrainer/evaluatorrepeatedlytoldSWATofficersthatpolice"aretheonlyoneswhocanstopthis,"and"youaretheonlyoneswhocanhelp,"referringtoemergencysituations,despitereal-lifeincidentsdemonstratingthatcommunitymembersoftenarethequickestanddecisivefirstresponders.

• UrbanShieldsolicitedvolunteerstoplaypassivevictimswhoare“wounded,frightenedbystanders,ordisorientedpeople.”Inreality,bystanderstypicallybecomethemosteffectivefirstresponders,1butscenariosinsteadreinforcedpoliceasactorsandeveryoneelseas“disoriented.”

• Inatleastonescenario(airplanebomb),SWATtreatedvictims(passengers)aspotentialhostiles,cuffingthembeforebringingthemofftheplane“justincase.”ThecuffingwasdoneonlybytheBerkeleyPoliceDepartment,butthescenarioorganizerthoughtthiswasfine,solongastheyultimately“neutralized”theshooter(s),ashowSWATteamscarryouttheirworkisuptoprotocolandpracticeofindividualpoliceunits.

• RoleofEMTswasminimal.Inmostofthescenariosobserved,EMTswereabsent.Inonescenario(nightclub)theywere“integrated”(i.e.broughtinafterSWATteamhadenteredfirst).SWATteamdirectedthemwheretheywantedthemtogo.

• Real-lifeincidentsonwhichscenariosweresupposedlybasedweremostlyinothercountries(17outof29).ItdoesnotseemcontextualtotheUS,andcertainlynottothedailylifeandneedsinourcommunities.

1WhyOrdinaryCitizensAreActingAsFirstRespondersinHouston.TheAtlantic.https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/08/ordinary-citizens-are-first-responders/538233/

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Racism,Xenophobia,andtheCultureofUrbanShield

Grade:F

BoththeUrbanShieldtrainingsandweaponsexpohavecomeunderintensecriticismforthedisplayanduseofraciststereotypingandpropagandamaterials.Althoughat-shirtvendorsellingitemswiththeoffensivephrase“BlackRiflesMatter”wasbarredfromtheexpoafterpublicoutcry,observersnotedthatmuchoftheexpoandtrainingswererootedinadeeplypolarizingandfear-basedmentality.Theprogramandtrainingsarenecessarilystructuredarounda“nexustoterrorism”mandatedbythefederalgovernment,whichcontributetoananti-ArabandIslamophobicsentiment.

ObservationsfromtheFairandTrainingScenarios:

● Afar-right,extremistmilitiaorganizationknownastheOathKeepersparticipatedintheUrbanShieldfair,andwasseenstationedunderanofficialAlamedaCountySheriff’sOfficetent.TheSouthernPovertyLawCenterdescribestheOathKeepersas“oneofthelargestradicalantigovernmentgroupsintheU.S.today.WhileitclaimsonlytobedefendingtheConstitution,theentireorganizationisbasedonasetofbaselessconspiracytheoriesaboutthefederalgovernmentworkingtodestroythelibertiesofAmericans.”2

● UrbanShieldcontractedStrategicOperations,Inc.,whichdesignsmilitarycombatroleplayswithraciallyderogatoryandIslamophobicimages,despiterejectionofthecontractbytheAlamedaCountyBoardofSupervisorsonAugust1.3

● The“usversusthem”and“goodguysversusbadguys”terminologywaspervasive.● AmilitaryevaluatorrecentlybackfromAfghanistanstated“you’reseeingherewhatwesee

there,it’scomingupovertheborder,”implyingthatimmigrantscrossingintotheU.S.areakintoamilitarythreat.

● All“victims”inaircraftscenarioarewhite.● Imageofmentallyillinhospitalscenariowasheavilystereotyped.

2SouthernPovertyLawCenter’sprofileoftheOathKeepers.https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/oath-keepers3https://media-alliance.org/stopping-stops-urban-shield-vendor-vetoed-due-to-racist-stereotyping/

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Surveillance

Grade:F

AfeatureofUrbanShieldhasbeentheuseandshowcasingofhighlyintrusivesurveillancetechnology.InJanuaryof2017,theACBOSpassedasetof12PrinciplesandGuidelinesthataimedtomitigatethenegativeimpactsofUrbanShield,withoneguidelinebarring“surveillancetraining.”Despitethispolicy,UrbanShieldcontinuestoincludeboththeuseofsurveillancetechnology,aswellassurveillancetrainingObservationsfromtheWeaponsExpo:

● Dressedinmilitarycamouflage,CaliforniaHighwayPatrolaccompaniedasalespersontotestamotiondetectorthatisplacedontheoutsideofabuildingwall.Itshowsinreddotswherethe“targets”areinsideofthebuilding.

● Gemalto,amultinationalsecuritycompany,showcasedfacialrecognitiontechnologythatwillbepilotedatSantaRitaJailthisyear.ObservationsfromtheTrainingScenarios:

● UrbanShieldfeaturedasurveillancedroneseminarthatwasexplicitlyatraining.Policeuseofdrones(i.e.fordrugraids,notforsearchandrescue)wascentraltothisseminar,whichendedwithasong:“Everystepyoutake,everymoveyoumake,I’llbewatchingyou.”

● AVerizon“surveillancetrailer”wasusedinthreescenariosaccordingtothevendor.● Thinfloorcameraonstickcouldbeslidunderneathdoortoseewhat’shappeningina

room,beforeSWATenters.● TheCommunityEmergencyResponseTeamtraininginvolvedacellphoneappbywhich

neighborhoodrespondersreportedeventsthatfedintoaplatformrunbytheNorthernCaliforniaRegionalIntelligenceCenter(NCRIC),alocalfusioncenterthathascomeundercriticismforcompilingmassivedatabasesofinformationgatheredthroughsurveillanceanddiscriminatoryreportingpractices.InformationcompiledbyNCRICissharedwithfederallawenforcementagencies.

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FinancialInterests

Grade:D

Theweaponsexpooverwhelminglyfeaturesmilitaryequipmentandweaponry,exposingtheshallownessofclaimspurportingUrbanShieldtobeconcernedwithdisasterpreparedness.DespitetheACBOSbarringthesaleortransferoffirearmsattheexpo,theACSOraffledoffasniperrifle,makingthe$20ticketsavailabletoanyoneinattendance.ObservationsfromtheWeaponsExpo:

● AtAxonbooth:Observer:“Youpaidalotforthisbooth.”AXON:“ACSOisabigcustomer”Observer:“Andyouwanttokeepitthatway.”AXON:“That’sallstuffthatgoesonbehindthescenes.”

● Themainpurposeofthevendorshowvendorshowistomarketproductsforsale.Themajorityofthevendorsobserversspokewithwereseekingtogettheirproductsintouseduringthescenarios,andfollowupwithpolicedepartmentsaftertheexpotomakesales.

● Onecompanyhadatractoratvendorshow,whichwas“technologyinsearchofapurpose,”accordingtothevendorrepresentative.

● ThetrainingsincludedExecushield,agroupofmercenarieswhoprovidearmedsecuritytocorporateleadersinplaceslikeMexico,Peru,andthePhilippines.

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De-escalation

Grade:D

WithincreasedattentiontopoliceinvolvedshootingsacrosstheU.S.,manyhavecondemnedthe“shootfirst,askquestionslater”approachoflawenforcementthathasledtoseriousinjuryanddeofficialsengagesituationswith.Forinstance,astudyofallkillingsbypoliceofficersin2015foundthatatleastoneinthreeinvolvedthedeathofsomeonewhoshowedsignsofmentalhealthissues.4TheAmericanPublicHealthAssociationpublishedastatementinNovember2016categorizing“lawenforcementasapublichealthhazard,”andrecommendedapproachestoarangeofsituationsthatutilizede-escalationwhiledecreasingpolicecontact.However,observersfoundthatthetrainingsofUrbanShield,overwhelminglyandnearlyexclusively,encouragepoliceofficersto“shootfirst,askquestionslater.”ObservationsfromtheTrainingScenarios:

● Of36SWATscenarios,theSheriff’sOfficeclaimedthatfourrewardedde-escalation.Butde-escalationtacticsweredifficulttorecognizeinthetwode-escalationscenariosthatwesaw.

● Anevaluatorstatedthat“it’sanautomaticshoot”ifasuspectapproachesanofficer.● OneU.S.basedscenariowasatChildren'sHospital,basedona2010incidentwhereaman

ranintothehospitalwithagun.Inreallifeitwasdealtwithusingnon-lethalforce.5HowevertheSWATteamwasnotgivennon-lethalforcetouseoranyopportunitiesforde-

4DistraughtPeople,DeadlyResults.TheWashingtonPost,2015.http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/investigative/2015/06/30/distraught-people-deadly-results/?utm_term=.dca4fa6eb449

5http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Gunman-Grabs-ER-Worker-at-Oakland-Childrens-Hospital-99621479.html

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escalationduringthescenario.Theonlyimpliedcourseofactionwas“shoottoneutralize”or“shoottokill.”

● Itwasclearthatnoneofthescenariosweredesignedtopracticeortrainforde-escalation.● Abatonvendorwasmarketingthebatonsaspeacekeepingtoolsthatlimitlegalliabilityfor

police.Theyhadthecapabilityfordangerousattachments,includingblades.● ThecompetitionscoresheetthatwesawdoesnotrewardsurvivalofallpartiesinANY

scenario.● “Suspect”roleplayersinobservedscenarioswereorderedtoobeywhatevercommandthey

received,thusnottestingde-escalationskills.● NotimeinUrbanShieldformattocarryoutde-escalation,withjust15-20minutesofactual

roleplayineachscenario.De-escalationisoftenamuchlongerprocess.● Nomeaningfuldiscussionorcriticalengagementinpost-scenariodebriefs,e.g.“whatmight

youhavedonedifferentlytoresultinnodeaths.”Rather,mostdebriefswereversionsof“goodjob!”

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The12PrinciplesandGuidelinesAsaresultoftheincreasedcontroversyfacingAlamedaCountyforhostingUrbanShield,theBoardofSupervisorsunanimouslypassedasetoftwelveguidelinesforUrbanShieldtofollow.AlthoughtheStopUrbanShieldCoalitionbelievesthattheharmsandnegativeimpactofUrbanShieldcannotbemitigatedthroughimplementationoftheseguidelines,observersnotedthattheSheriff’sOfficeisinnon-compliancewiththemajorityoftheguidelines.

Expandcommunityinvolvementandawareness

• Thefar-rightextremistmilitia,theOathKeepers,werestationedintheUrbanShieldFairwiththeSheriff’sOffice.

UrbanShieldwillbefreefromraciststereo-typing

• The“terrorists”inatleastonescenariowerewearingscarvestraditionallywornbypeopleacrossmanyArabandMuslimcountries.

• StrategicOperations,Inc.waspresentatUrbanShield,despitethefacttheyweredeniedacontractwithUrbanShieldbytheACBOSbecauseoftheirmannequinsthatpromoteracist,stereotypingimagesofArabs,Muslims,andpeopleofcoloras“terrorists”and“criminals.”

Worktoexpandtrainingthemedicalprofessionforcriticalincidents

• Observersnotedinthescenariostheysawthattrainingformedicalpersonnelwasminimal,limited,andsubjecttothecompletecommandanddirectionofSWATandlawenforcement.

UrbanShieldwillnotincludesurveillancetraining • Asurveillancedronetrainingtookplace.• Weaponsexpoboothsfeaturedsurveillance

equipmentthatwasusedinseveralSWATexercisescenarios.

Continuetoexaminenewtechnologyandequipment N/AUrbanShieldwillnotincludecrowdcontroltraining • NoobservedcrowdcontroltrainingthisyearContinuetoevaluateexistingequipment N/AUrbanShieldwillexcludeanyandallvendorswhodisplayderogatoryorracistmessagesinanyform

• Allparticipantsoftheweaponsexpoweregivena“BlueLivesMatter”pin

• StrategicOperationwaspresentatUrbanShield,despitethefacttheyweredeniedacontractwithUrbanShieldbytheACBOSbecauseoftheirmannequinsthatpromotedracist,stereotypingimagesofArabs,Muslims,andpeopleofcoloras“terrorists”and“criminals.”

UrbanShieldwillexcludethesaleortransferofanyassaultweaponsandfirearms

• TheACSOraffledoffarifleattheweaponsexpo• Weaponsvendorscontinuedtopursuesalesof

theirproductsWillexcludevendorsdisplayingnon-lawenforcementrelatedtacticaluniformsandequipment

• No“non-lawenforcement”uniformsandequipment.However,observersnotedthatthenatureoftheweaponsexpomadeitclearthatpromotingmilitary-gradeweaponryandequipmentwastheonlygoal,ratherthanpromotingdisasterresponseandpreparedness.

UrbanShieldwillstrivetomaintainthefinestfirstrespondertrainingpossible

N/A

Excludeparticipationfromcountrieswithdocumentedhumanrightsabuses

• ThisyearincludedparticipationofobserversandevaluatorsfromSaudiArabia,thePhilippines,andColombia–allcountrieswithdocumentedhumanrightsabusesbytheirpolice/military.

InsideUrbanShield2017

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Conclusion

Thefollowingconclusionsweremadebyobservers:

• UrbanShieldisfundamentallyabout“defeatingtheenemy.”Thisisprimarilyduetothefederallymandatedrequirementthattrainingsandexercisesoftheprogramhavea“nexustoterrorism.”

• UrbanShieldisstructurallyunabletoaddressconcernsofpolicemilitarization,racism,andxenophobia,andisheavilysteepedinawarfareculture.

• Thoughmostblatantandegregiousdisplaysofracistpropagandahavebeenremoved(e.g.“BlackRiflesMatter”),theprogramstillusesracistandIslamophobicstereotypes.

• ExceptforsomeCERTtraining,communitypreparednessanddisasterresponsesthatarenotbasedonamilitarizedthreatwerevirtuallynonexistent.

• TheAlamedaCountySheriff’sOfficehasfailedtocomplywithPrinciplesandGuidelinesthatwereunanimouslypassedbytheAlamedaCountyBoardofSupervisors;itisoperatinginbadfaith.

• Lastly,observersconcludedthatwhileminorelementsofUrbanShieldcanbemodifiedtoaddressconcerns,itisimpossibletoreformUrbanShieldtobecomebeneficialforthecommunitiesofAlamedaCounty.