42M - Bank Robberies-Alarms 2019

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Policy & Procedure Page 1 of 11 Lexington Police Department Subject: Bank Robberies/Alarms Policy Number: 42M Accreditation Standards: Reference: 81.2.13 Effective Date: 11/1/10  New  Revised Revision Dates: 1/24/19 By Order of: Mark J. Corr, Chief of Police The Municipal Police Institute, Inc. (MPI) is a private, nonprofit charitable affiliate of the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association. MPI provides training and model policies and procedures for police agencies. This policy is an edited version of MPI Policy 2.11, “Bank Robberies.” GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS AND GUIDELINES Although this policy serves as a guide for police personnel in responding to bank alarms and reports of bank robberies, it is equally valid for responding to alarms and robberies at retail establishments. Responding to an alarm of a bank robbery in progress requires the highest level of professional competence on the part of a police officer. [S]he must be keenly alert and prepared to meet a potentially dangerous situation. The police are particularly concerned with the possibility of physical harm to innocent persons in a confrontation between police officers and armed robbers trapped inside a bank. This may include hostages, police personnel, innocent bystanders and others at the scene. If a hostage situation should develop at the scene of a bank robbery as a result of the swift arrival of the police, Department policy 46C-Hostage Negotiations should be immediately implemented. The senior officer on the scene shall take command until relieved by a superior officer during an emergency. The primary consideration in such cases shall be the safety of the hostages and of the police personnel and others present at the scene. This priority should be foremost in the minds of all police officers and guide every tactical decision made during such a confrontation. It is the policy of the Lexington Police Department to respond to all bank alarms.  Even when a bank employee indicates in a verification call that the alarm is false, the Department shall nevertheless respond to each and every bank hold-up alarm as if it was genuine, until officers have verified that the alarm was false with a face to face encounter with the manager or designee.