Instructor: Captain Spencer Fomby (Ret.) — NTOA
Public order events increasingly attract extremist actors who seek to exploit demonstrations to provoke confrontations, spread ideology, and incite violence. These groups, often operating from opposing ends of the political spectrum, create complex operational, legal, and community-relations challenges for law enforcement. This session examines the evolution of extremist activity at protest events, current threat trends, and the role of social media in mobilization and escalation. Students will explore how extremist groups organize and operate, along with practical strategies for intelligence gathering, planning, de-escalation, and incident management. The course emphasizes balancing proactive threat mitigation with the protection of constitutional rights and lawful expression.