What plays a critical role in dispersing crowds during incidents?

Determining the leader or instigator within a crowd is critical for effective crowd management during incidents. When law enforcement identifies individuals who are attempting to provoke or escalate tensions, they can implement strategies that specifically target those individuals. This helps in de-escalating potentially volatile situations, as neutralizing or removing the instigator can often lead to a reduction in hostility among the crowd. Recognizing and addressing the leader’s influence can significantly help in gaining control over the crowd's behavior and ensuring safety for everyone involved.

Identifying local laws, maximizing manpower, and utilizing crowd control techniques are certainly important elements in crowd management. However, without addressing the dynamics of leadership within a crowd, especially when there’s potential for unrest, efforts to manage the crowd may be less effective. Focusing specifically on who is instigating the group allows for more targeted interventions that can dismantle aggressive attitudes and behavior within the crowd.