INDEPENDENCE DAY FIREWORKS OVERVIEW

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1 INDEPENDENCE DAY FIREWORKS OVERVIEW

2 INDEPENDENCE DAY OVERVIEW THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS OBSERVED AN INCREASE IN DISORDERLY CONDUCT, ASSAULTS, AND CROWD UNRULINESS. THIS HAS CAUSED A SHIFT IN OUR FOCUS FROM AN EMPHASIS ON TRAFFIC CONTROL TO TACTICAL DEPLOYMENT FOR RIOTOUS AND DISORDERLY BEHAVIOR.

3 POLICE DEPARTMENT RESOURCES DEPLOYED 2010 (58) Sworn Officers 36 Civilians 6 CPA Volunteers (49) Sworn Officers 35 Civilians 6 CPA Volunteers (98) Sworn Officers 52 Civilians 11 CPA Volunteers 12 C.C.S.O. 5 Deputies B.P.D. 6 Officers + Rescue Vehicle O.P.D. 2 Officer + Mobile Command Vehicle + Light Trailer U.H.P.D. 2 Officers R.T.A.P.D. 6 Officers C.H.P.D. 2 Officers

4 POLICE DEPARTMENT OVERTIME COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE EVENT 2010 $10, $7, $14,300.87

5 FIRE DEPARTMENT RESOURCES USED IN FIRE PERSONNEL $5,000 IN OVERTIME FIRE RESOURCES /TEAMS DEPLOYED RESERVE ENGINE COMPANY STANDBY RECUE SQUAD HEIGHTS AREA SPECIAL RESCUE TEAM VEHICLE (HASRT) UTILITY VEHICLE RESERVE COMMAND VEHICLE (2) TACTICAL EMS/PARAMEDIC RESPONSE TEAMS TACTICAL FIRE RESPONSE TEAM (2) EMERGENCY ROOM PHYSICIANS UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS

6 SIGNIFICANT INCIDENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE EVENT 2010 Small pockets of fights in the crowds at Middle School and moving towards intersections. Police resources stretched very thin. Large fight starts in crowd. Approx people involved. Officers have difficulty responding due to traffic congestion. Crowd surrounds officers. Crowd eventually dispersed with police Mobile Field Force/K-9 Teams. Disorderly crowd moves towards intersections, surround several families, fights break out in crowds at intersections. Groups of juveniles fill streets and block traffic. Traffic is gridlocked.

7 SIGNIFICANT INCIDENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE EVENT 2010 (Continued) Report of unruly crowd surrounding a family with dogs who began kicking the dogs. Reports of juveniles throwing fireworks into crowds with families. Report of approx. 20 males from unruly crowd make their way to Walgreens at Shaker Plaza. Males enter the store and begin throwing merchandise in the aisles. Small team of officers respond to disperse. Manager of Walgreens forced to lock doors.

8 SIGNIFICANT INCIDENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE EVENT 2011 Prior to the show, fireworks lit and thrown into the crowd. Two fights occurred and were broken up. An estimate of 800 1,000 juveniles amassed at the western end of Middle School parking lot. Ability to manage crowd compromised due to lack of resources, heat and dehydration of K-9s. Crowd intelligence reveals general unrest and pockets of agitation. Mayor/PD/FD request start time of fireworks to be moved up due to intelligence on crowd behavior. Fireworks show concludes and fights break out in the large crowd. Crowd control next to impossible due to sheer numbers. WHPD, CHPD and BPD called for mutual aid. Rescue vehicle utilized to disperse crowd who fail to comply with verbal commands to disperse.

9 SIGNIFICANT INCIDENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE EVENT 2011 Large fight in area of S. Woodland and WCR. Unconfirmed report of shots fired in crowd. Approx. 300 unruly juveniles amass at Thornton Park. Juveniles run into the streets creating a dangerous situation. Traffic is gridlocked. A magazine for a.380 caliber handgun loaded with six live rounds was recovered in the Middle School parking lot. Two juveniles are arrested at the event for fighting.

10 SIGNIFICANT INCIDENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE EVENT 2012 Police Department schedules Mobile Field Force training for entire department due to experiences of last few years. Pre-planning for the event began in March. Requests for additional Law Enforcement resources are made to numerous agencies within the county. Prior to the event, intelligence is gathered from numerous sources to include the Fusion Center and Social Media websites, which reveal the event will be heavily attended by juveniles and young adults who do not reside within our city. Prior to the show, fireworks were lit and thrown into the crowd. An estimate of juveniles amassed at auditorium entrance of the Middle School. Pockets of agitators are identified by SHPD officers. Officers intervene to preserve calm.

11 SIGNIFICANT INCIDENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE EVENT 2012 (Continued) Crowd compresses at the auditorium due to thunder and lightning creating a potential flashpoint. Police respond to report of an assault; a suspect is arrested. Crowd continues to compress despite efforts to thin out crowd. Another fight erupts in the crowd. Police respond to control participants. Police Sergeant is assaulted during this effort. Mobile Field Force/Rescue Vehicle summoned to disperse crowd. Approx. 300 unruly/disorderly persons attempt to advance on police while effecting the arrest of fight participants.

12 SIGNIFICANT INCIDENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE EVENT 2012 (Continued) Unruly crowd moves towards WCR. Pockets of fights break out in the area of Fayette, Boyce, WCR, Shaker Blvd. and S. Woodland. Mobile Field Force teams respond to disturbances. Less-lethal rounds deployed to stop assaults and disorderly behavior. Pockets of fights continue to break out south of event on WCR. Report of crowd breaking windows of apartment building on WCR. Event Commander requests mutual aid. Thirty-two additional officers and one K-9 respond from twelve police departments. Calm eventually restored by 11:45 p.m. Nine people arrested (6 adults, 3 juveniles). Arrestees were from Cleveland, Bedford, Warrensville Hts.

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14 MEDIA COVERAGE CLEVELAND.COM JULY 2011 In Shaker Heights, 500 to a thousand youths converged on the municipal fireworks display, some with the intent to disrupt and ruin a family event.

15 MEDIA COVERAGE CLEVELAND HEIGHTS PATCH JULY 2011 Eastside communities are working together to try to combat disruptions from large groups of youth that have marred recent community events like the Coventry Street Arts Fair and the Shaker Heights fireworks.

16 MEDIA COVERAGE AMERICAN POLICE BEAT 2011 "They're gathering with an intent behind it - not just to enjoy the event," Shaker Heights, OH Police Chief D. Scott Lee told reporters after dealing with mayhem in his own town during this year's Fourth of July fireworks display where over 1000 teenagers were mobilized through social networking sites and turned up at the event. Large brawls broke out, a large contingent of officers were dispatched, and people trying to enjoy the Fourth of July celebration were sent home. "All too often," Chief Lee noted, "some of the intent is malicious. But I think it is important to point out that not all young adults who gather are there with malicious intent. "Our concern is the ones who take advantage of the opportunity to create problems and use the group as a smoke screen to commit crimes. I think we need to be careful that we don't label all groups that gather as flash mobs' who are out there with a bad intent."

17 MEDIA COVERAGE SHAKER HEIGHTS PATCH JULY 2012 Claims of Shots Fired at 4th of July Fireworks Celebration Are Groundless

18 RECOMMENDATIONS The risks associated with the Independence Day fireworks outweigh the benefits to our community. For the safety of our residents, their guests and our safety forces, it is my recommendation our city no longer sponsor this event.

19 QUESTIONS?