Safety

No one under the age of 18 is permitted on site.

This event is not open to the public or the media. You must be an active duty or retired law enforcement or corrections officer, law enforcement or corrections support staff, criminal justice student under the supervision of your professor from an accredited college or university, active duty or retired military, or exhibitor with law enforcement, corrections, or homeland security related technologies. Agency identification is required.

NO LIVE AMMUNITION OR LIVE CHEMICAL AGENTS ARE PERMITTED ON SITE. YOU ARE NOT PERMITTED TO BRING YOUR OWN TASERS ON SITE.

Safety Regulations and Information:

The purpose of the Mock Prison Riot is to provide a means for tactical teams to train under realistic conditions and to showcase emerging and existing corrections and law enforcement technologies, giving operators opportunities to use and evaluate technologies in riot training scenarios. The event helps determine the effectiveness of the technologies by placing them in realistic situations and allows for suggestions for modification of the technologies. It also provides corrections and law enforcement personnel significant training on how to best approach and handle a riot situation.

The universal signal to stop all action is one continuous blast from an air horn by a safety officer or the code word "RED" spoken by any participant or observer other than a safety officer.

The Mock Prison Riot has instituted a TRIPLE CHECK procedure for teams which must be followed by all safety officers and participants:

• Check 1: All weapons are rendered inoperable by the South Gate weapons safety officer prior to admitting team members through the gate. A device is inserted into the weapon, or the barrel of the weapon will be taped off with red tape indicating that it has been cleared by the South Gate weapons safety officer.
• Check 2: At the scenario location, safety officers inspect all weapons to ensure clearance. Also at the scenario location, safety officers inspect any other items for deployment (such as Pepperball, smoke, and distraction devices) to ensure that they are inert or training grade.
• Check 3: At the scenario location, the safety officer instructs all team leaders and team members to pair up and inspect each other to ensure that weapons are inoperable, deployable items are inert or training grade, and no participant is in possession of unauthorized items.

Additional information:

1. Following clearance of the team, the safety officer and team leader must inspect role players to ensure that no unauthorized items have been brought to the scenario.
2. The safety officers also ensure that the training space is clear of unnecessary debris/unauthorized items.
3. Following clearance of team, role players, and training space, the safety officer and team leader sign off on the appropriate form. If anyone executes a scenario with an unauthorized item or unsecured weapon, it is because he/she deliberately bypassed all safety barriers. Blatant and/or intentional disregard of safety regulations will result in immediate dismissal from the event.
4. Coordinating with Mock Prison Riot staff, participating team leaders, role players, and observers prior to each scenario is mandatory.  It is the safety officer’s job to ensure that all communication between role players and team leaders is clear, concise, and understood by all parties. Safety officers must make sure that the team leaders clearly and effectively relay their needs to the role players and that the role players understand what is expected of them during any given scenario. Once details have been expressed and vetted, there should not be any drastic changes to the scenario plan.
5. If a scenario requires the use of Pepperball, paintballs, or any form of chemical spray, the safety officer must ensure that all substances are inert. The team leader must deploy a few rounds or spray his or her hands to ensure that the substances they are using are indeed inert. Every delivery system must be checked prior to the start of every scenario by a safety officer and then team leaders/members perform checks of each other.
6. Canisters, dispensers, sprayers, or any other form of delivery system (including Pepperball) should never be directly aimed at role players or anyone else during the execution of a scenario. No one should be directly hit with these items.
7. Limited training devices such as distraction devices, inert gas, inert smoke, Pepperball, etc., are provided free of charge based on vendor participation and contribution. A request for these items must be made- via the scenario form - to Mock Prison Riot staff in advance. No team may bring in canisters containing flash bangs, OC,CN,CS, etc. No teams may bring in inert substances or empty cans. They must obtain these items on site through our organization's supply quarters.
8. No bean bag rounds, rubber balls or bullets, or simulated ammunition is permitted. Use of these items must be simulated.
9. No simunitions are permitted. No blanks are permitted. No magazines-even if they’re empty-are permitted.
10. Safety officers are authorized and are expected to inspect team members and role players for any items that are prohibited.
11. Role players often use props to add realism to scenarios. These items include but are not limited to rubber knives/shanks, empty water bottles, foam bricks/bottles/clubs, and tennis balls/socks. It is the responsibility of the safety officer and team leader to ensure that props used by role players are training grade and not likely to cause injury during scenarios.
12. Absolutely no fires or other destruction of prison property will be tolerated. This includes breaking of glass, light bulbs, furniture, windows, etc.
13. Canines must be on lead and muzzled at all times unless they are being deployed in a scenario. All scenarios in which a dog is deployed must involve the handler’s own team members as role players and a full body suit must be utilized. The Mock Prison Riot staff provides professional K-9 handlers as safety officers for K-9 scenarios.
14. Monitoring of the actual execution of the scenarios to ensure that levels of resistance and force are appropriate-The job of a safety officer is to get as close as possible and monitor the primary action in a scenario without interfering with the action. Safety officers do not stand in the background or on the sidelines. Safety officers must ensure that levels of force and resistance are consistent with those communicated and agreed upon prior to the start of the scenario. Safety officers will order role players to comply if they are veering off course or becoming overly aggressive. If a team leader needs a few role players to be overly aggressive at any point during the scenario, he or she must let the safety officers know prior to the start of the scenario. In turn, safety officers must monitor the level of force that team members are using to quell the inmates and ensure that it is consistent with what is necessary and effective.
15. Just like in real life, the scenarios executed at the Mock Prison Riot are dynamic and intense. The safety officer’s job is to assist in providing the most realistic conditions yet ensuring that all involved-teams, role players, and bystanders-are kept safe from harm. This is not always an easy task. If a scenario has escalated out of control, a safety officer is authorized to stop it. Every safety officer has an air horn in his/her safety pack. One continuous blast of the air horn is the universal means to stop all action. The code word "RED" spoken by any participant or observer also is a means to stop all action.
16. Assisting anyone who may become injured during the course of the execution of the scenario- There are generally two medical areas of operation on site-one in the North Yard and one in the South Yard. There will be ambulance service on site. Every safety officer has a radio which links to all Mock Prison Riot staff and medical personnel. Nearly all injuries sustained during the Riot are minor in nature. Most people are able to walk to the medical tent and seek treatment for their injuries. In the event of an emergency, or a person who is not ambulatory, or who is more severely injured than they realize, DO NOT HESITATE TO SUMMON MEDICAL TO THE SCENE. In addition, for certain high-risk scenarios, medical personnel are embedded in the scenario. These tactical medical safety officers will identify themselves upon their arrival for the scenario.

Role Players:

The following items are available - and sometimes mandatory - for role players. Safety Officers can advise what is mandatory based on each individual scenario:

1. Eye protection
2. Ear protection
3. Mouth guards
4. Elbow and knee pads
5. Face shields
6. Helmets

In addition, role players must follow these guidelines:

1. The universal signal to stop all action during a scenario is one continuous blast from an air horn by a Mock Prison Riot safety officer or the code word "RED" spoken by any participant.
2. All role players must attend safety briefings as informed of and directed by the Mock Prison Riot staff.
3. All role players involved in scenarios must follow the instructions of the correctional officers or team leaders, particularly with regard to behavior. Orders such as "put your hands in the air" or "get on the ground" must be complied with immediately, unless certain role players specifically have been otherwise directed by team leaders and safety officers prior to the start of the scenarios.
4. Prior to the start of each scenario, the team leader and a Mock Prison Riot safety officer will meet with role players volunteering for their particular scenario(s) and explain, in detail, exactly what is expected, how to react, and the level of resistance required to safely and effectively execute the scenario(s). At this time role players will be notified if the team leader requires more aggressive resistance from certain, select role players. If a higher level of resistance is requested, role players also will be instructed as to when or under what circumstances they are expected to comply. It is mandatory that role players follow the instructions given by the team leader and safety officers prior to the start of each scenario. Following these instructions ensures several things: safety of role players, safety of team members, and safety of bystanders; that the team members will meet required training objectives; and that any technology deployed during scenarios will be effectively assessed/evaluated. Overly aggressive or unrealistic behavior that has not been pre-planned or pre-approved and/or failure to follow safety procedures and orders from team leaders and/or safety officers will result in removal from the scenario and the event.
5. Teams deploy a variety of tools and technologies during their scenarios at the Mock Prison Riot.  Frequently used items include Pepperball, smoke, distraction devices, and chemical agents. These items are training grade, not live. In keeping with the Mock Prison Riot’s mission to provide the most realistic circumstances possible, role players are expected to behave as if these items were live. For example, if any one of these items were deployed as live, it would result in a significant reaction which includes coughing, watery eyes, and difficulty breathing. It must be understood that while the devices used during scenarios are designed for training as opposed to real-world deployment, there is a possibility of injury, especially if role players do not follow the regulations as described in this document.
6. Cooperate, DO NOT compete. Once a scenario starts, training and professionalism automatically kick in for the participating team members. They are entirely serious and will do exactly what they are trained to do-adapt to the circumstance and control the situation. If safety officers (who are also trained law enforcement and corrections officers) believe role players are becoming overly aggressive or veering from the agreed upon actions which were discussed prior to the start of the scenario, they will be ordered to comply. Failure to comply will result in removal from the scenario and possibly the event.
7. Any role player who becomes injured during a scenario must report it immediately to the safety officer(s) assigned to the scenario. Medical personnel are standing by to assist. Any staff member or safety officer can radio for help or, in the case of very minor injuries, direct the role player(s) to the nearest medical tent. For high-risk scenarios, medical personnel are even embedded into the action with role players.
8. Role players are responsible for removing and storing all jewelry and/or valuable items prior to role playing. The Mock Prison Riot bears no responsibility for these items.
9. Safety officers are instructed to clear all scenario areas of debris and unnecessary items prior to the start of each scenario. Do not attempt to hide or use any props or items other than those provided by our staff. You may obtain props from our supply headquarters which is located on the north side of the technology showcase near the restrooms.
10. All role players will be inspected by safety officers and/or team leaders prior to the start of each scenario. The Mock Prison Riot adheres to a “Triple Check” Procedure, whereby safety officers check the team, team members check each other, and then the team and safety officers check role players for prohibited items. If anyone executes a scenario with an unauthorized item or unsecured weapon, it is because he/she deliberately bypassed all safety barriers. Blatant and/or intentional disregard of safety regulations will result in immediate dismissal from the event.
11. The Mock Prison Riot provides inmate uniforms and officer uniforms for role players to wear over their regular clothing. Inmate uniforms are located in the exhibit hall in the utility room near the restrooms. Role players are free to pick up and drop off uniforms as needed throughout the Riot. Athletic shoes, tactical boots, or similar footwear is recommended for role players.
12. Many teams prefer to use their own team members as role players. This is supported and encouraged. The same rules apply. There are a few instances whereby Mock Prison Riot staff mandates that teams use their own members. These include: high-risk cell extractions and scenarios in which K-9 units are deployed. The Mock Prison Riot does not allow civilian role players to participate as principals in these types of scenarios.
13. The mission of tactical teams during Mock Prison Riot scenarios is two-fold: to obtain the training they need and to effectively evaluate and assess any technologies they may be deploying. Role players’ compliance with these safety regulations ensures a successful outcome for both.
14. Safe, effective role playing helps enhance training and shapes the future of law enforcement tactics and technology on a global scale.

Distraction Devices

The Mock Prison Riot has professionals on staff who issue all distraction devices to the team leaders prior to scenarios. It is the responsibility of the team leader to obtain the distraction devices from the supply headquarters. It is also the team leader’s responsibility to recover and return the bodies to the supply headquarters at the end of the scenario. In the event that a distraction device does not detonate, please radio to contact the person staffing the supply headquarters and the professional will be dispatched to collect the device. DO NOT PICK IT UP.

Cell Extraction

For cell extractions, teams must use one of their own members as the person being extracted and a Redman suit is required.

Crowd Control

Most scenarios will draw large crowds of people as observers. This is encouraged; however, safety officers are responsible for coordinating with the team leader to discern the proper placement of bystanders. Safety officers must advise and contain bystanders prior to the start of the scenario. Safety Officers and Team Leaders should feel free to advise and communicate with bystanders as to what they may expect in the scenario so that they may position themselves accordingly.

If the word “CLOSED” appears next to a scenario on the scenario sheet, this is because the scenario is in a confined or low- or no-light space that is not conducive to observers. Scenarios that say “CLOSED” are closed to observers for safety reasons only, particularly the safety of the participating team. No observers are allowed to view these scenarios.

Conclusion

These guidelines exist for the safety of all involved-participating teams, role players, and bystanders. They are not open for discussion or compromise. If there are any issues whatsoever regarding questions or adherence to these guidelines, please defer them to the lead safety officer for handling and dispensation.