Review of the Critical Incident Response Plans of the United States Attorneys’ Offices

Report Number I-2004-001
December 2003

CONTENT OF CMC TRAINING CONFERENCES

CMC Training Conferences

The first of two Crisis Management Coordinators' Conferences (CMC Conference) took place on June 17-20, 1997, in Arlington, Virginia. CTS trial attorneys, in conjunction with AUSAs assigned temporarily to the EOUSA Office of Legal Education (OLE), planned and conducted the training.

The second CMC Conference took place on October 19-22, 1999, at the National Advocacy Center (NAC) in Columbia, South Carolina.⁵⁰ Presenters included officials from CTS, the FBI Crisis Management Unit, EOUSA, USAOs, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), FBI, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the Departments of Defense, Energy, and Health and Human Services.

1997 CMC Conference:

Presenters included officials from CTS, EOUSA, USAOs, the FBI, the Office for Victims of Crime, FEMA, and the ATF who addressed CMCs on critical incident response. Topics covered in the training included:

• coordinating with and supporting the FBI command post,

• participating in regional FBI crisis response training,

• recognizing the relationship between intelligence, investigations, and criminal prosecutions,

• coordinating with law enforcement and emergency response agencies,

• understanding laws combating terrorism,

• servicing victims and families of victims,

• dealing with the media,

• conducting tabletop exercises, and

• developing a plan.

1999 CMC Conference:

Information provided by OLE indicated that the 1999 CMC training conference covered:

• preventing terrorist acts as a departmental priority,

• preparing for potential chemical, nuclear, and biological incidents on a federal, state, and local level,

• upgrading crisis response capabilities,

• responding to victim and witness needs,

• developing and testing Plans, and

• coordinating intra-district crisis planning.

CMC Manual Topics

Organization of Federal Resources - Provides telephone list, list of spring 1999 Attorney Critical Incident Response Group (ACIRG) members, and ACIRG organizational overviews (including description of PDD 36 on "Lead Agency Authority).

Practical Tips - Contains the Crisis Incident Checklist for Initial 48 Hours, information on preserving and cataloging evidence, assisting in trial preparation, and cooperating during multi-agency investigations.

Legal Reference - Contains information on and analysis of domestic terrorism offenses, jurisdictional issues, and statutes relevant to terrorism incidents.

Methods for Obtaining Existing Evidence - Contains a discussion of proper methods for search and seizure of physical evidence, including the proper execution of search and arrest warrants.

Methods for Developing Evidence - Contains information on proper identification of suspects, surveillance techniques, testimonial evidence, and witness issues.

Dealing with the Media and the Public - Contains information on releasing information to the media and the public (including coordination with the FBI), obtaining information from the media, and denying the public and the media access to sensitive information. Special Issues - Contains information on using military resources and the use of deadly force.

Terrorism Involving Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Weapons - Contains information on the federal response to a CBRN incident and specialized resources available.

50. EOUSA operates the NAC, which trains federal, state, and local prosecutors and litigators in advocacy skills and management of legal operations.