Managing Public Protests: Navigating Complexity and Ensuring Preparedness with Captain Spencer Fomby (Ret.)

Topics Discussed in this Episode:

The complexities of managing public protests.

The critical role of comprehensive training for officers and civilian leaders.

The importance of appropriate equipment and policies in place.

The significance of experienced commanders who can make crucial decisions in real-time.

The need for a regional response plan and collaboration between different agencies.

Utilizing resources like after-action reports and industry guidelines to enhance preparedness and response to public protests.

Resources:

About the Guest:

Captain (Ret.) Spencer Fomby is the former director of the Boise Police Department Training, Education, and Development Division. He was previously employed by the Berkeley Police Department for 20 years. He has held primary assignments in patrol, narcotics, and crime prevention. He was assigned to SWAT for 18 years as an entry team member, team leader, and tactical commander.

Captain (Ret.) Fomby is a certified instructor in the following disciplines: firearms (pistol, shotgun, and carbine), weaponless defense, impact weapons, Peacekeeper RCB, Gracie Survival Tactics Level 1, active shooter response, ALICE, chemical agents, NFDD, sting balls, 40 mm launcher, FN 303, shoot house and tactical de-escalation. He has created two CA POST approved de-escalation courses. He is also a tactical instructor for the National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA), where he teaches Police Counter Ambush, Advanced Response Police Officer (ARPO), and Policing Political Protests. Captain (Ret.) Fomby was the lead Berkeley Police Department public order instructor. He was responsible for equipment selection, tactical training, less-lethal weapon selection, chemical agent selection and deployment, and mission planning.

Captain (Ret.) Fomby has been recognized as a subject matter expert in police tactics and works on several national projects. He is the section chair for the National Tactical Officers Association Public Order Section. He is assigned to a National Institute of Justice Special Technical Committee on crowd control equipment. He is an SME in crowd control equipment and tactics for DHS First Responder Resource Group. He is an SME in active shooter response for the International Association of Chiefs of Police Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center (CRI-TAC).

Captain (Ret.) Fomby was the 2011 Berkeley Police Department Officer of the Year. He was the team leader of the 2013 Urban Shield SWAT Competition first place team. He is also a Visiting Fellow in Police Science at the University of Derby, U.K. Captain (Ret.) Fomby earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Administration of Justice from Howard University.