Standard operating procedures

Doing so requires the development of operational policies and standard operating procedures that clearly outline how the unit will function.

BTAUs must establish protocols by which the units will operate.

Documenting these procedures allows for a clear understanding of processes, roles, and responsibilities.

Creating written protocols also promotes consistency and continuity while setting the stage for future program evaluation and development.

While agency policies establish the guiding principles and parameters of the behavioral threat assessment program (the “what”), standard operating procedures (SOPs) outline the stages of the BTAU’s daily operations (the “how”).

The SOPs should describe the roles and responsibilities of the BTAU as a whole, its individual members, and any associated community partners involved in the behavioral threat assessment process.

The SOPs should account for each phase of the process (i.e., from receiving an initial report to closing a case) and identify actionable steps and tasks throughout.

The SOPs should identify who is responsible for completing required actions at each step and the timeframe for each of those actions to be completed.

SOPs should also establish the frequency of BTAU meetings and by whom the meetings are led.

The BTAU should convene regularly, regardless of whether any assessments are active.

Routine meetings (e.g., weekly or biweekly) ensure team cohesion and provide consistent opportunities for unit members to: • review previous cases, • participate in scenario-based exercises, • receive training on relevant topics, • make process improvement recommendations, • identify resource shortfalls, and • collectively examine trends in targeted violence.

It is also a best practice to review the established SOPs on a routine basis (e.g., quarterly or annually) to account for lessons learned, new techniques, and revised membership roles and responsibilities that may change as the BTAU matures.

Describe the roles and responsibilities of the BTAU and its members/stakeholders • Account for each phase of the behavioral threat assessment process • Identify actionable steps to move through the process • Identify who is responsible for completing required actions • Identify a timeframe for when actions should be completed • Establish frequency of team meetings and by whom the meetings are led

Therefore, BTAUs should have established protocols for responding to reports indicating an imminent threat to life and should define at what point a behavioral threat assessment is incorporated into the process.

Unfounded reports may also be relevant to other internal and external partners (e.g., fusion centers or federal law enforcement agencies), and the BTAU should have procedures in place for sharing this information as appropriate.

BTAUs should establish clearly defined protocols to guide their assessment process.

The BTAU’s protocols should allow for the unit to deviate from the prescribed levels of risk, if needed, based on any unique circumstances identified during the assessment.