Evaluation of the Handling of the Branch Davidian Stand-off in Waco, Texas/Recommendations

by Edward S.G. Dennis, Jr.

The Davidians were given every opportunity to leave the compound. Ultimately, under Koresh's total control, some or all of them chose to kill themselves, to kill each other and to murder their own children, rather than to surrender to law enforcement authorities and face the consequences of their armed resistance of the ATF. In the final analysis the deaths of the Davidians were caused by David Koresh.

However, the Department and the FBI should review several areas of operation in order to improve the odds in any similar confrontation in the future:

1. Evaluate the roles of the HRT and the hostage negotiators in resolving similar crises.
2. Evaluate the adequacy of the communications among the different elements in a crisis, particularly between the negotiating and tactical elements. This should be reviewed in the context of the process of gathering and evaluating information. Regular joint strategy meetings should probably be required during the crisis.
3. Evaluate the size of the HRT.
4. Evaluate the need to rotate the Crisis Management Team if any crisis becomes too extended. Fatigue may have been the single most debilitating factor working against the FBI in the stand-off.
5. REDACTED FROM PUBLIC REPORT PENDING RELEASEOF IMPOUNDED MATERIAL.
6. Evaluate funding for the development of a chemical means to render individuals unconscious for a period of time without warning.