Planning and Managing Security for Major Special Events: Guidelines for Law Enforcement LESSON PLAN FOR MODULE 14: POST-EVENT ACTIVITIES Lesson Plan Unit: Module 14: Post-Event Activities Slide: 1 Title Slide Number of Hours: 1 Goals: This module provides participants with a comprehensive overview of post-event activities at the conclusion of major special events. The module will elicit participant views on the reasons and justifications behind a comprehensive and thorough post-event process. It will focus on key post-event activities, such as logistics and accounting. It will also focus on the process of preparing after-action documentation. Learning Objectives: The student will: Slide 2: Learning Objectives 1. Identify reasons for having a comprehensive post-event process for major special events. 2. Identify reasons for having thorough after-action documentation for major special events. 3. Identify variety of post-event activities including logistics and accounting wrap-up functions. 4. Identify several methods for conducting an after-action process. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [BEGINNING OF CONTENT] I. Participant Experiences and Exercise Question for class: Who has had any experience in conducting wrap-up activities after a major special event? Slide 3: Question: Experiences Follow-up question for those who indicated they had some experience: Did you have access to a detailed or comprehensive procedures guide to tell you what to do? Teaching Point: Most agencies don’t have special events planning and management procedures guides. But even if they do, post-event activities are rarely discussed, with the exception of producing an after-action report. Exercise: Each student should make his or her own list of the activities that might be required at the conclusion of a major special event. Slide 4: Exercise: List After 5 minutes, the instructor should ask each student to call out one activity from his or her list. The instructor lists all activities on flip chart paper, posts the list on the wall, and tell students that the module will cover most of the items on the list. II. Post-Event Activities: Key Components Slide 5: Post-Event Activities: Key Components The three key components of post-event activity are as follows: * Logistics wrap-up * Accounting functions * After-action report A. Logistics Wrap-Up Slides 6 and 7: Logistics Wrap-Up Before showing Slide 6, the instructor should ask students to identify the main functions that might constitute logistics wrap- up. The instructor should write those items on flip chart paper. Then the instructor should show Slides 6 and 7 and ask students whether any of their listed items should be added to the functions shown on the slides. Question for class: Who in your agency might perform these functions after an event? One key point of this discussion is the importance of having an inventory (hopefully automated) of all equipment and supplies used for the event. After the event, it is important to record that all equipment was returned, as well as supplies not used. For example, by recording return of tear gas canisters, the agency will know if any were used during the event (and who used them). B. Accounting Functions Slide 8: Accounting Functions Before showing Slide 8, the instructor should ask students to identify the main accounting functions. The instructor should write those items on flip chart paper. The instructor should then show Slide 8 and ask participants if any of their listed items should be added to the functions shown on the slide. Question for class: Who in your agency might perform these functions after an event? Careful accounting is important in tracking an event. Time records will be used to pay overtime to your own agency personnel and to pay for the time of other agencies. Accounting records are also important for paying vendors and contractors. A comprehensive itemization of accounting records might also be used to request reimbursement of costs from the state or federal government. C. After-Action Report Slide 9: After-Action Report Purpose Purpose The instructor should state each item on Slide 9 and discuss why each is important and useful. It is important to be able to document who, what, where, when, and how. If an agency is sued by someone who was injured during the event, it needs to be able to document that it was Officer X from Agency Y who caused the liability. Critique An after-action report is most often used as a critique or evaluation of the security of the event. Slide 10: After-Action Report Critique Question for class: Why is after-action critique useful? Slide 11: Question It is difficult for an agency to improve if it does not know what actions were taken and the results of those actions. As replacement staff manage future events, they need a historical record of how the events were handled. Question for class: What are some alternative methodologies for obtaining input and information to critique the security of the special event? There are several ways to conduct an after-action critique. The choice of a particular method may depend on the size of the event, importance of the event, whether or not the particular event will occur again, and the resources the agency is willing to invest in the critique process. Slides 12-13: Alternative Methods The instructor should show slides 12 and 13 and discuss the pros and cons of each method—timing, efficiency/cost, accuracy, etc. Slide 14: Common Critiques The instructor should lead the class in a discussion of common critiques that might come up in after-action reports. The instructor should present an example of a credible self- examination—the Seattle Police Department’s handling of the 1999 World Trade Organization meeting. A summary is provided in a handout. Students can visit the web address on the slide for the full report. Slide 15: Example of Actual Critique III. Conclusion Wrap-up and student questions. Slide 16: Conclusion IV. Tabletop Exercise and Student Worksheets Slide 17: Tabletop Exercise and Student Worksheets A tabletop exercise was introduced in Module 1 and is used to demonstrate the need for pre-planning for major special events. The instructor should refer the class back to the tabletop exercise, anchoring teaching points to a common theme throughout the course. Students should also work on the “Lessons to Learn” worksheet. The instructor should ask students to spend a few minutes completing this document, which will help them research and gain deeper knowledge about this particular topic. Students should also work on the “Personal Action Plan” worksheet. This worksheet is designed to help students develop specific steps, actions, or contacts and will help them relate the material to events they are responsible for in their own jurisdictions. Resources For an example of guidelines for preparing an after-action report, students can examine the guide from the California Emergency Management System, available as a handout for this module. Slide 18: Break