Initiating a lockdown (Martyn's Law)

A lockdown broadcast is the highest-priority alert TacDesk can send. Use it for genuine emergencies: an active threat, an evacuation order, a shelter-in-place instruction, or a Run-Hide-Tell situation. This is a real operational tool — ensure your team is trained in advance and that digital broadcasts are integrated into your broader emergency plan.

How to access the Lockdown Console

Open the Compliance tab in the management menu. Scroll to the Martyn's Law section and tap or click Lockdown Console. The Compliance tab is available to managers and senior managers with the compliance feature enabled.

Initiating a lockdown

1. In the Lockdown Console, select the venue or venues you want to broadcast to. You can select multiple sites simultaneously if the threat spans more than one location.
2. Choose the lockdown type: Invacuation, Evacuation, Shelter, Run-Hide-Tell, or Custom.
3. Add specific instructions in the message field — for example: "North gate breach. Assemble at South Car Park immediately."
4. Tap or click Initiate Lockdown. A confirmation dialog appears. Confirm to send the broadcast immediately.

What happens when the broadcast is sent

Every guard currently clocked in at the targeted site receives a high-priority push notification and a full-screen alert in their GuardHub app. The alert requires an active response — guards must acknowledge it before they can continue using the app. The Lockdown Console displays a real-time response tracker showing who has acknowledged, who has not yet responded, and the current status count.

Sending updates during the lockdown

Use the Send Update button to push additional instructions or status messages while the lockdown is active. Updates appear on guards' active lockdown screens without interrupting their ability to acknowledge the original alert.

Ending the lockdown

When the situation is resolved, tap or click End Broadcast. An all-clear is sent to all guards at the affected sites. The lockdown is closed and logged with a full timeline — who initiated it, when, each guard's acknowledgement time, and when the all-clear was issued.

After the event

Review the Compliance > Incident Log for the full event timeline. File an incident report or generate a Martyn's Law evidence pack as required. Use the drill records section to document any planned rehearsals separately from live events.

Important notes

• Only managers and senior managers can initiate or end a lockdown broadcast.
• The lockdown console only reaches guards who are currently clocked in at the selected site. Guards who are off duty will not receive the broadcast through TacDesk — follow your organisation's off-duty contact procedures separately.
• All lockdown events are logged automatically for audit and compliance purposes.
• Run regular drills and record them in the Compliance tab. Martyn's Law inspectors may ask to see evidence of rehearsals and response times.