Stripes and Bars AMAURY MURGADO
ORDER OF OPERATIONS Borrow the five-point Marine Corps planning format to make staging any operation or project crystal clear. CHECKLISTS can be great starting points for supervisors. their part in the operation. This is also where they get to hear They help create a baseline response to decision-making, about every other player involved and what they are being planning, and issuing instructions. The military has a five- tasked with doing. You can consider this portion a window paragraph operations order format that can help you give into what will be needed in order to accomplish your task. crystal clear instructions. The use of an operations order Here is an example of execution for the K-9 unit: "K-9 will has been around since the Civil War. While there are several stage at the command post. The K-9 supervisor will mainversions, I will focus on the Marine Corps version, SMEAC, tain at least one K-9 team in play at all times. This will be a which stands for Situation, Mission, Execution, Administra- dedicated team and will not be pulled for any other assigntion, and Command and Control. ments. K-9's task is to support road patrol by providing drug You can tailor the information contained in SMEAC to search and tracking capabilities upon request of the inciyour specific needs. For example, it works dent commander." When the K-9 superSMEAC STANDS well for project management, proposals, visor hears this, he or she knows what to or problem solving. In place of an actual plan in order to make it happen. FOR SITUATION, template, it can be used as a guide for inMISSION, EXECUTION, Administration. This is the nuts and formation transfer into another format. bolts of the operation. It includes internal ADMINISTRATION, Let's take a look at each paragraph indiand external support for the operation. AND COMMAND vidually and see how it might be used in This goes beyond enforcement planning. AND CONTROL. planning a law enforcement operation or It speaks to all aspects of the assignment project, with communications as our "C." in order to make it work. This includes Situation. Explaining the situation providing relief, establishing shifts, and gives everyone a view of the big picture. It gives us our start- how to handle outside resources. "The K-9 supervisor will ing point and the influences and or issues that surround it. be on scene at all times. He will act as the relief K-9 team The situation can also be used as a problem statement. Con- when necessary. If the operation goes beyond eight hours, sider the situation portion as your introduction. Here's an food will be provided by a local restaurant." You should put example: "We have had an increase in burglaries in all sec- in as much detail as necessary to cover your contingency tors over the last three months. We believe it's an organized planning. group with ties outside of our county. Our estimate of the Communications. For an operation, communications is situation leads us to believe that the Indian Town Subdivi- about what channel you will be working on and if you will sion will be the next target." It's an opportunity to get every- have a dedicated dispatcher monitoring or not. On the other one's attention by seeing the need for the operation. hand, if it's a project, it involves how the flow of information Mission. This is your outline of what needs to be accom- will proceed. It's about what reports will be needed, who plished and by whom. It's the big picture statement and not creates them, and who receives them. Communications the entire breakdown of the individual tasks. For example, also includes briefings, meetings, and after-action reports. "During the next two weeks, the Tourist Crimes Unit will Lines of communication are critical to the success of any conduct an active surveillance of the Indian Town subdivi- operation or project. sion. They will report any suspicious activity to road patrol Supervisors often overlook the five paragraph operations units who will respond and handle the initial contact. K-9 order, but I can personally attest to it being a blueprint for will also be on standby in case we need a vehicle search or success. One of my favorite online resources on this subject any suspects flee the area on foot." This simple statement ex- involves Gen. Jack Sheehan giving a lecture on SMEAC and plains the big picture and identifies which three units will how it fits into the business world: https://www.youtube. participate. com/watch?v=M5OpfgXfSrg. Execution. This is the breakdown of assignments and tasks that each unit will perform. Each unit will be ad- Amaury Murgado retired a senior lieutenant from the Osceola dressed one at a time to ensure a clear understanding of County (FL) Sheriff's Office with over 29 years of experience.
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POLICE JANUARY 2016