Tactical Field Deployment Checklist
| *Status: Logistics & Field Readiness Manual | Audience: Direct Action Teams and Field Organizers* |
Physical safety and digital security are inextricably linked during any direct action event. A failure in one domain instantly compromises the other. This checklist follows a strict chronological deployment schedule: T-Minus 72 Hours, T-Minus 24 Hours, T-Minus 2 Hours, During the Action, and Post-Action.
Mandatory prerequisite: Before using this checklist, complete the Threat Modeling Guide for your specific action. The appropriate level of precaution scales with your threat tier.
Phase 0: T-Minus 72 Hours — Planning and Coordination
Organizational Preparation
- Threat assessment complete: Action-specific threat model reviewed by security team
- Roles assigned: Action lead, legal observer liaison, medic(s), jail support coordinator, communications coordinator, media contact (if applicable)
- Affinity groups formed: Groups of 4–7 people who will act together, stay together, and be responsible for each other
- Decision-making protocol agreed: What decisions require affinity group consensus vs. action lead authority? Under what conditions do affinity groups leave independently?
- Legal support secured: NLG or equivalent contacted, legal observers requested, emergency number distributed
- Medical support secured: Street medics invited or identified, first aid locations scouted
- Communications plan established: Primary channel (Signal), backup channel (Meshtastic or agreed alternate), out-of-band emergency contact
Jail Support Setup
- Jail support coordinator designated: This person does NOT attend the action. They remain accessible by phone.
- Participant information collected: Full legal name, date of birth, any critical medical information (allergies, medications, conditions), emergency contact, for every person who might be arrested
- Bail fund status confirmed: Is the fund accessible? Who has authorization to disperse funds?
- Arraignment monitoring plan: Who will check court schedules if participants are held overnight?
Phase 1: T-Minus 24 Hours — Preparation and Device Security
Digital Preparation
- Full device backup: Back up your primary phone to a secure, offline, encrypted external drive. If your device is seized, this backup preserves your data.
- Device decision made: Are you bringing your primary phone, a burner, or no phone at all? This decision depends on your threat model.
- Low-risk actions (permitted marches, community meetings): Primary phone acceptable with configurations below
- Medium-risk actions (unpermitted actions, civil disobedience): Burner preferred; if primary phone, aggressive sanitization
- High-risk actions (potential felony charges, T3/T4 threat environment): No personal phone. Burner or no device.
- Biometric lockdown: Disable Face ID and Touch ID. Set a strong alphanumeric passphrase (minimum 12 characters: mixed case, numbers, symbols). Record this passphrase somewhere secure you can access after release.
- Data sanitization (if bringing primary phone):
- Delete all non-essential organizational data, photos, and messages
- Empty “Recently Deleted” folders (photos and notes)
- Clear browser history and cookies
- Log out of sensitive apps (banking, work email)
- Disable iCloud/Google Drive sync temporarily
- Review and revoke unnecessary app permissions
- Signal configuration:
- Enable disappearing messages in all chats (1 week or shorter for operational contacts)
- Enable registration lock (Settings → Account → Registration Lock)
- Enable Note to Self as a secure memo pad
- Confirm your safety number with key contacts in person if possible
- Emergency contact written: NLG/FDLA number written on forearm in permanent marker
- Lawyer number saved: Stored in phone under a neutral name (in case phone is seized and browsed) AND memorized or written on body
Burner Phone Procurement (if applicable)
- Purchased with cash at a physical store (not online — no shipping address link)
- Purchased while not carrying your personal phone (personal phone’s location data would place you at the purchase location)
- Purchased at a store without facial recognition (large chain stores increasingly use it)
- Prepaid SIM purchased with cash at a separate location and time if possible
- Device activated over a public Wi-Fi network you do not regularly use, ideally with a VPN or Tor running
- No Google/Apple accounts linked — use without signing in, or create a new anonymous account over Tor
- Only necessary apps installed: Signal, a map downloaded offline (OsmAnd, Maps.me), NLG phone number saved
Physical and Legal Preparation
- Medical information written on body: Blood type, critical allergies, and any conditions that emergency responders must know — written on inner forearm or thigh in permanent marker
- Personal identification decision: Know your state’s laws. In Illinois, you must provide your name if lawfully detained. Consider whether to carry ID — it confirms your identity to police if detained, but also to hospitals if injured.
- Legal briefing attended or reviewed: Know the specific laws relevant to this action in this jurisdiction
- Medical conditions disclosed: To your affinity group and medics — not to your whole organization
Phase 2: T-Minus 2 Hours — Staging and Final Lockdown
This phase occurs at a secure staging area, away from the action zone, before transiting.
Physical Gear and PPE
- Face concealment:
- N95 mask (highest efficacy against facial recognition and chemical irritants)
- Polarized or dark lens sunglasses
- Hat with a low brim (unbranded)
- Note: Facial recognition systems analyze the geometry of the upper face — covering the nose and mouth while leaving the eyes visible is insufficient. Cover forehead-to-chin if concealment is your goal.
- Clothing:
- Unbranded, solid-color, layered clothing. Distinctive logos, patterns, or colors create identifiable “markers” in surveillance video.
- Layering allows you to change appearance quickly (outer jacket removal changes your profile in seconds)
- Closed-toe, heavy-soled footwear
- Weather-appropriate (hypothermia is a real medical risk at prolonged outdoor actions in winter)
- First aid kit: At minimum, for your affinity group:
- Nitrile gloves
- Gauze pads and medical tape
- Antiseptic wipes
- Eye wash (saline) — for pepper spray exposure
- Mylar emergency blanket
- Any personal medications (carry enough for 24 hours in case of extended detention)
- Nutrition and hydration:
- Water (minimum 1 liter per person)
- High-calorie food (nuts, energy bars — no perishables)
- Medications, including psychiatric medications — missing a dose during detention is a real harm
- Cash only: No credit cards traceable to your identity. Cash for transportation, food, bail phone calls. Recommended minimum: $40.
Device Final Configuration
- Final device check: Confirm biometrics disabled. Confirm passcode set.
- Airplane mode decision: At high-risk actions, consider enabling airplane mode on arrival (prevents Stingray capture of IMEI/IMSI, prevents real-time location tracking via cell towers). You can still use offline maps and take photos; you will lose cellular communication.
- Faraday bag ready: If you are not using the device at all, place it in the Faraday bag before entering the action zone.
- Photo plan: If documenting the action, use a separate dedicated camera (or burner) for photography. Metadata on photos (EXIF) includes time and GPS coordinates; scrub or disable GPS before taking photos.
- Affinity group check-in completed: Every member has confirmed: they have the jail support number, they know the dispersal plan, they know the medical protocol, they know the communications channel.
Phase 3: During the Action
Maintaining OPSEC in the Field
- Stay with your affinity group — do not fragment unless dispersal is ordered
- Communicate only on secure channels — no public social media about operational specifics in real time
- Do not photograph faces of other participants without explicit consent — even in public spaces, distributing photos can expose people who wanted anonymity
- Do not livestream operational specifics — livestreams are monitored in real time by law enforcement social media units
- Witness and document police conduct — note badge numbers, vehicle numbers, names of any officer making orders or using force
Medical Protocol
- Know the signs of chemical irritant exposure:
- Eyes: intense burning, involuntary closing, temporary vision loss — do not rub; flush immediately with water or saline
- Respiratory: coughing, difficulty breathing — move upwind, fresh air
- Skin: burning, redness — flush with large amounts of water; do NOT use milk (despite popular belief, milk is less effective than water and can introduce contamination)
- Know the signs of concussion/head injury: If struck in the head, do not continue to participate. Seek medical attention.
- Know the location of the nearest predetermined safe location (staging area or emergency medical point)
If You Are Detained or Arrested
- Say clearly: “I am invoking my right to remain silent and my right to an attorney.”
- Say nothing else. Do not explain. Do not negotiate. Do not try to talk your way out.
- Notify your affinity group that you are being detained (if safe to do so — a raised fist, a specific call word, or a text before your phone is taken)
- Your affinity group’s responsibility: immediately contact jail support with your name and last known location
Phase 4: Post-Action — 0 to 48 Hours After
Immediate Post-Action (within 1 hour)
- Check-in protocol: All affinity group members check in with the communications coordinator. Any missing member triggers jail support protocol immediately.
- Debrief with your affinity group at a secure location away from the action zone. What happened? Who was detained? What did you observe about police tactics?
- Report to jail support: Confirm all check-ins or report unaccounted members with full identifying information.
- Document police conduct: While memory is fresh, write down officer names, badge numbers, vehicle numbers, any use of force witnessed, any orders heard.
Digital Post-Action
- Wipe the burner if used: factory reset, remove the SIM, dispose of the device and SIM separately if you will not reuse it
- Delete operational communications that have served their purpose. Signal disappearing messages should have handled this; verify manually.
- Change credentials on any accounts that were accessed on the operational device, especially if the device status is uncertain
- EXIF scrub all photos before sharing. Use ExifTool, Scrambled EXIF (Android), or Photo Investigator (iOS) to verify photos contain no metadata before distribution.
- Do not post photos of other participants without their consent — even blurred images can be de-anonymized
- Disable unnecessary cloud sync — re-enable with caution
Physical Post-Action
- Preserve evidence of police misconduct: Clothing with tear gas residue, injuries photographed, witness accounts documented
- Medical follow-up: Anyone exposed to chemical agents, struck by projectiles, or experiencing symptoms should seek medical evaluation
- Psychological debrief: Witnessing or experiencing police violence is traumatic. Normalize check-ins on emotional wellbeing. See Mental Health & Psychological Security.
Organizational Follow-Up
- Full debrief meeting (within 48 hours): What worked? What failed? What changed in the threat environment?
- Update threat model if new tactics, surveillance technologies, or legal developments were observed
- Support arrested participants: Legal defense, emotional support, covering missed work shifts
- Review jail support contacts and bail fund — replenish if used
This guide does not constitute legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction.