A lockdown is an emergency protocol to prevent people or information escaping, which usually can only be ordered by someone in command. They are also used to protect people inside a facility from a dangerous external event; schools practice lockdown drills in the wake of the Columbine High School shootings in which students with guns entered the school. It is a common anti-terrorism measure in the wake of an atrocity and a popular plot-device in fiction.

The term 'lockdown' can be defined as an emergency course of action taken by an agent of authority, such as police or prison personnel, to contain a problem or incident within the area of its origin by controlling the movement of people.

Confining prisoners to their cells to prevent a riot from spreading to other parts of a prison is a good example of a 'lockdown'.

Example: Sydney, Australia

In December 2005 the New South Wales Police Service initiated a 'lockdown' of the Sutherland Shire and other beach areas of New South Wales to contain race rioting (and retaliative strikes).

The New South Wales Labor government, in an emergency sitting of parliament, passed an array of amendments to legislation giving the New South Wales Police Service additional powers to 'lockdown' targeted areas and roads within New South Wales. The legislation introduced to deal with the Cronulla riots was the Law Enforcement Legislation Amendment (Public Safety) Act 2005 (NSW).

The Law Enforcement Legislation Amendment (Public Safety) Act 2005 (NSW) amended four separate pieces of legislation:

• Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 (NSW)
• Crimes Act 1900 (NSW)
• Bail Act 1978 (NSW)
• Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW).

Under their new powers, the New South Wales Police Service 'locked down' targeted areas and roads at Cronulla, Bondi, Coogee, Maroubra and Brighton-le-Sands to prevent persons of middle eastern appearance from committing reprisal attacks and prevent white supremacist agitators from further violence.

Examples in fact

• In the wake of the September 11th attacks a three day lockdown of American airspace was initiated to prevent any remaining perpatrators escaping.
• Similarly in the case of the London Underground attacks where London was locked down. In this case it was also a precaution to cut-off any further attacks.

Fictional lockdowns

Lockdowns are often used as a dramatic plot-device, which may explain the popularity of the term. Below are some famous examples:

• In Men in Black 2 the base initiates a 'code 101' lockdown which seals off the building. The heroes escape by being 'flushed'.
• In the Star Trek fictional universe starships can be locked down in order to prevent Hijack, notably the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Rascals".
• In the Doctor Who episode Aliens of London, the British Government initiates a lockdown around Albion Hospital, where the comatose alien is being held, until exobiologists can examine it.
• In the Lost episode Lockdown, the hatch's blast doors lockdown the building for unknown reasons.
• CTU is locked down in the first series of 24.
• In the Stargate SG-1 episode "Lockdown," Stargate Command is put on lockdown due to the infiltration of Anubis' essence.

See also

• Terrorism
• Ghost Squad
• Last Resort
• Martial Law

Criminology