[Federal Register: April 25, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 78)]
[Notices]               
[Page 21183]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25ap05-32]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Department of the Air Force

 
Proposed Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY: Department of the Air Force, DoD.

ACTION: Notice.

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    In compliance with Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, the Air Force Research Laboratory announces the proposed 
reinstatement of a public information collection and seeks public 
comment on the provisions thereof. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether 
the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper 
performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the 
information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the 
agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
information collection on respondents, including the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

DATES: Consideration will be given to all comments received by June 24, 
2005.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations on the proposed 
information collection should be sent to Air Force Research Laboratory, 
Human Effectiveness Directorate Directed Energy Bioeffects Division 
Radio Frequency Radiation Branch, AFRL/HEDR, 8303 Hawks Road, Bldg. 
1162, Brooks City-Base, TX 78235.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on this 
proposed information collection or to obtain a copy of the proposed and 
associated collection instruments, please write to above address, or 
call 1st Lt. Keith White of the Air Force Research Laboratory, HEDR at 
210-536-5959.
    Title and OMB Number: Control Force Experiences with Crowds Data 
Collection; OMB Number 0701-TBD.
    Needs and Uses: The Air Force Research Laboratory Human 
Effectiveness Directorate (AFRL/HEDR), under the funding of the Joint 
Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate (JNLWD), is conducting crowd behavior 
research. The AFRL/HEDR is currently working to collect and assess 
crowd behavior data in an effort to supply a predictive model of crowd 
behavior for the assessment and implementation of various Non-Lethal 
Weapons platforms. This research has, in part, been recommended from 
Penn State University's Applied Research Laboratory Human Effects 
Advisory Panel (HEAP). Specifically, the HEAP report entitled ``Crowd 
Behavior, Crowd Control, and the use of Non-lethal Weapons'' offers a 
crowd behavior research plan that is guided by a need to discover the 
underlying factors of crowd behavior (Kenny, Farrer, Heal, Ijames, 
McPhail, Odenthal, Taylor & Waddington, 2001). The AFRL/HEDR crowd 
behavior research team has acknowledged the value of control force 
members' experiences in the validation of invalidation of the crowd 
behavior variables currently under investigation and the research 
proposed in this protocol is expected to yield a true account of 
control force members' crowd management experiences. Any information 
control force members can provide about their experiences managing 
crowds is instrumental in the development of the aforementioned 
predictive model of crowd behavior. This model will eventually 
contribute to a training module that warfighters will utilize to refine 
their crowd management skills for future missions.
    Affected Public: The affected public will be United States military 
servicemen who have acquired direct experience with crowds outside the 
continental U.S. and U.S. civilian law enforcement officers from 
specified metropolitan areas.
    Annual Burden Hours: 100-200 hours.
    Number of Respondents: 200, personally interviewed or administered 
a paper survey.
    Responses per Respondent: Either one interview or survey 
administration.
    Average Burden per Response: 30 minutes-1 hour.
    Frequency: One-time.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Summary of Information Collection

    The data collection procedures proposed in this protocol will 
consist of dyadic interviews and survey administration. Two hundred 
adult volunteer participant (n = 200) will be recruited from among 
civilian law enforcement agencies and military personnel who have 
recently experienced crowd management situations while on deployment. 
Interview participants will meet individually with one researcher. 
Survey participants will complete the questionnaire as administered by 
available investigators or their respective superior officer(s). The 
research will be conducted at military installations that serve as 
crowd management training centers and police departments throughout the 
U.S. that implement crowd tactics, training, and procedures. Interview 
transcripts and written survey responses will be sorted and coded 
according to the content of the responses. This coding process is 
intended to reveal which features of a crowd situation control forces 
consistently identify as significant to effective crowd management.

    Dated: April 18, 2005.
Patricia L. Toppings,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 05-8149 Filed 4-22-05; 8:45 am]

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