Plain English Communications during Incidents Requiring NIMS / ICS Operations

Submitted by: Patrol & Tactical Operations Committee

PTO.012.a09

WHEREAS, successful multi agency emergency responder operations are dependent up clear, concise communication; and

WHEREAS, in response to the attacks on September 11, President George W. Bush issued Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5 (HSPD-5) in February 2003 which called for a National Incident Management System (NIMS) and identified steps for improved coordination of Federal, State, local and private industry response to incidents and described the way these agencies will prepare for such a response; and

WHEREAS, NIMS also requires, since 2004, that all levels of government, including Territories and Tribal Organizations, adopt ICS as a condition of receiving Federal preparedness funding; and

WHEREAS, NIMS/ICS recognizes that not all agencies use the same codes or jargon, almost none of which are shared across multi-disciplinary boundaries; and

WHEREAS, a critical part of an effective multiagency incident management system is for all communications to be in plain English to minimize misunderstanding; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) duly assembled at its 116th Annual Conference in Denver, Colorado recommends that police and other member agencies adopt a policy of plain English, which is to use clear text, not radio codes, agency-specific codes, or jargon, during multi-agency or multi-disciplinary operations when using the NIMS / ICS protocols.