ROLE OF SDPOs In Preparing for and dealing with a Terrorist Attack

Sub-Divisional Police Officers are urged to follow the following SOP in dealing with terrorist attacks:

1. Knowing cases of ATA/Blasphemy etc regd in subdivision, for the previous 5 yrs.
2. Latest position of each case
3. Latest position of all accused in each such case ie pending investigation, arrested, at large, convicted, acquitted, in prison or on bail. Proclaimed offenders.
4. Knowing who is who in the subdivision ie political leaders, peace committee members,respectables,journalists, social media influencers, crime reporters, trouble makers, most dangerous religious leaders, peace loving religious leaders.
5. List of those on 4th schedule. Have they submitted bonds. Are they being regularly monitored as per ATA?
6. Accessibility to people to have a hand on the pulse of the local community. Develop sources of info on terrorists/ hate propagandists.
7. Sensitivity of Moharram. Who are the sectarian leaders?
8. Any previous cases of blasphemy in the subdivision? Details of such cases and latest position. Who played what role in it?
9. Police subordinates must be sensitized not to insult anybody in public nor beat up nor humiliate any women folk of terrorists or criminals. Be sensitive to presence of social media cameras everywhere.
10. SDPOs to know how to be vigilant about what appears on the social media pertaining to you or ur subdivision and have an SOP on how to respond to adverse social media going viral. Stating facts is the best response.
11. Develop a system of collection of intelligence on terrorist networks ( TNs) at the PS level. While collection of intelligence on TNs is normally done by CTD but its reach is limited to distt hqrs and it cant be a substitute for intel collection capability of the PS level, with the round the clock access/ interaction of the PS into the community at the grassroots level. Thus this important source of intel should not be left untapped. A good SDPO shall brief his SHOs and his staff to keep their ears to the ground to collect info abt activities of sympathizers of terrorist orgs in the sub division. Considering deputing special constables in the PS dedicated to collection of intel agst TNs, like the DCs or Detective Constables of yesteryears.
12. Have a contingency plan ready for what to do when a terrorist attack takes place. Evacuating the injured must be the first priority, diverting traffic ,followed by preserving the scene of the attack, taking its pics, establishing cordons, interviewing injured and other witnesses till the CTD teams arrive to take over the investigation.
13. Be ready for a law and order situation following an attack, to protest against the police etc. Must have reserve force standby. Teams to negotiate with the protestors and try to de fuse the situation
14. An officer be designated to interact with media to keep the people updated about the latest and respond to social media dis info if any.
15. Policemen be deputed to the hospital to keep a log of all those brought there injured or dead. The relatives have to be informed. Also the list of injured can be used as a list of potential witnesses.
16. A constable per PS be trained to take pics of the scene of attack as well as making videos of the surroundings and people coming and going. Many TNs send somebody to see the scene of attack, made video clips for use by them, within first twenty four hours of the attack.
17. After the attack, spread ur intel guys to move around and notice any unusual activities/ gossip/ reports.
18. If any suspect is arrested imnediately after the attack, he should be moved to a far away PS and kept in strict security with no public access and interrogated only by someone authorized not any police officer.
19. The wireless control ppl have to be briefed in advance on how to respond in case of an attack. Some spread panic, other convey unverified info inciting ppl to violence. A system be developed in advance.
20. A contingency plan be prepared about whom to ask if more manpower or weapons or anti riot drill is needed. Who will guide them, where to lodge them etc.
21. ASPs may like to subscribe to quarterly Criminal Cases Journal to know about weak areas in investigation of terrorism cases, as identified by the courts. In fact, the NPA can subscribe to these journals during the training of ASPs.
22. NPA to carry out simulation exercises of not only how to investigate cases of terrorism but also how to manage a terrorist attack.23. involving scene of the crime people of Punjab forensic science authority in Punjab province wherever a terrorist act takes place for collection of evidence etc. These teams are highly trained and are located at various places of the province.
24.Preparing a list of all convicts and under trail terrorists of their areas and ensuring the execution of sentences and following up the under trail cases. Who so ever amongst them comes out on bail or acquittal on appeal must be kept under effective watch or apprehension in fresh case.
25All investigators of the sub division must be called with their case files for a meeting on weekly or after every 15 days for in-depth review of investigation. The loopholes identified and necessary instructions issued. These instructions be issued in the shape of a small hand written note on the last case diary by SDPO himself.