- Preincident. Law enforcement units gather intelligence and perform risk assessments to prevent potential safety threats.
Incident discovery and response. The process begins when a call is made to emergency call handlers, who may include PSAPs or other designated emergency centers. Call handlers are responsible for quickly assessing the incident’s urgency, location, nature and potential threats. They gather as much relevant information as possible to make an informed decision on resource allocation.
PSAPs, as front-line responders, play a critical role in ensuring accurate, efficient communication with dispatchers and field units. Their prompt response and data-gathering accuracy set the tone for the entire incident response.
Dispatchers use real-time information provided by PSAPs to mobilize emergency response units. They deliver incident specifics to law enforcement, fire/EMS or specialized units as needed, providing updates throughout the response. Dispatchers stay connected with on-scene responders, managing communications to maintain situational awareness.
Dispatchers serve as the vital link between the incident site and responding agencies, ensuring teams arrive prepared for the specific challenges of the situation. Law enforcement and fire/EMS units rely heavily on this phase for situational context and safety updates.
Postincident management and reporting. Upon arrival, field responders assess and manage the scene, prioritizing public safety and immediate intervention. Their responsibilities include securing the area, rendering medical aid if required and initiating a thorough documentation process. Detailed reporting of actions taken, observations made and evidence collection becomes essential for further stages.
Law enforcement manages security and investigations, while fire/EMS directly responds to emergency situations, whether medical, safety or fire related. Both groups are subject to stringent reporting requirements and must document their actions meticulously. These reports support future analysis, provide accountability and may serve as legal evidence if the incident progresses to prosecution.
Some incidents require in-depth investigation, often involving dedicated investigative units or specialists with the tools and expertise to analyze evidence. Their tasks include interviewing witnesses, processing crime scenes and securely storing evidence for potential legal proceedings. In complex or severe cases, forensic analysis and collaboration with external experts may be necessary.
Law enforcement investigators lead the collection and preservation of evidence, ensuring it meets judicial standards. Their work is crucial for prosecutable cases, and any missteps in documentation or handling can impact the entire case outcome.
Legal process. When an incident has legal implications, the gathered evidence and reports are escalated to courts for review. Legal teams assess the incident to determine prosecutorial viability. If a case moves forward, law enforcement and legal professionals collaborate to present evidence, interview witnesses and support the judicial process.
Courts evaluate all documented evidence, escalating cases that meet prosecution thresholds. Law enforcement collaborates closely with legal representatives to build strong cases, ensuring justice and accountability.
Cases that proceed to resolution may involve sentencing in court, ranging from imprisonment to probation or diversion programs (such as rehabilitation efforts). Corrections teams oversee compliance with judicial orders, and PS&J agencies continue to monitor outcomes to ensure both justice and public safety.
Agency operations and administrative teams provide oversight, establishing safety protocols, ethical guidelines and community engagement strategies. Their role spans all workflow phases, ensuring consistency, accountability and responsiveness. They manage personnel wellness, allocate resources and uphold standards that impact both incident handling and public perception.
This backbone function supports all operational teams, ensuring personnel are equipped, motivated and aligned with the agency’s mission. By fostering community trust, ethical conduct and interagency cooperation, administration strengthens each step of the incident response workflow.
PS&J entities rely on a range of third-party technology solutions to address agency operations (see Figures 3a and 3b). These technologies support PS&J entities throughout the incident response workflow and operations and administration. Various software and hardware solutions support entities in identifying and managing incidents within the incident response workflow and in carrying out agency operations and administrative tasks.