I interviewed a police officer for the Dubois County Sheriff’s Department in Jasper, Indiana. The officer is specially trained as a crisis negotiator (formally known hostage negotiator). Of all the great advice he gave me, and that you will read in this interview, he said that the most important information to know is that “you must give them the power and let them vent. Their venting is their validation. Without their validation, your chance for a peaceful resolution lessens and is almost impossible.”
What is your role in crisis negotiations?
“My role in crisis negotiation is to try and get a peaceful resolution.’
How did you become involved in crisis negotiations?
“The area was starting a tactical rapid entry team and a negotiation support team. I did work like this is the military so I wanted to do something with it in the police force. I joined the command center negotiation support team.”
What type of training have you received in this area?
“The FBI came and trained us. It was a week-long training in which we learned about all aspects of scenarios. It was set up where we role played each type of scenario. We also learned about psychology and abnormal psychology, basically what makes people do what they do and what makes them tick. We then learned how to use this for crisis negotiation.”
“I never work alone, always a team. Ideally the team is made up of five negotiators working together. The most we have ever had, however, is three. Most of the time it is just two negotiators.”
Approximately how many negotiators are there in the department?
“Our department only has two people officially trained for crisis negotiation.”
Have you worked with forensic psychologists in either training or actual crisis negotiations?
“No, our department is really small and there is little demand for one.”
How do you become involved in a situation? When are you notified?
“Calls are made from general public. It first goes through dispatch. Dispatch gets a call then calls the units to scene. The unit then will make the call for a negotiator to dispatch. Dispatch then calls the negotiators. From the time the units say a negotiator needed, to the time negotiators arrive on scene is about 5 minutes to an hour. It depends on the nature of the call.”
Can you please describe a crisis negotiation situation you were involved in?
“We got a call that an officer was shot. Luckily he lived. Officers went to house to serve protective order and to remove a man from a house. The guy acted suspicious so the officers left and came back with two units. When they entered the house, the man had his face painted like war paint. They saw the man had a gun so the officers got out of house. The man broke out a window and shot at the officers hitting one police officer. We then set up a perimeter and found a hook. A hook is what it is that will give them a reason to resolve the situation in a peaceful way. This man’s hook was his son’s birthday party that was coming up in the next few days. It worked and the man turned himself over to the police.”
“First the suspects are verbally violent. They don’t want to listen or talk then they become verbally violent. Then they become calm and then distant again. They eventually become tired both physically and mentally. Soon they start to rationalize. That is when there is the best chance to resolve the situation. Each situation, however, is different. Usually when they start crying, the situation resolves quickly. They realize they have been defeated and that it is over.”
When communicating with a hostage-taker, what are your goals?
“Have a peaceful resolution is what we hope for. The hostage’s safely is our first priority and the ultimate goal.”
What kind of communications from the hostage-taker do you look for?
“We look for any compaction they may have for the hostage(s). We also look for any tools to keep him/her calm and for their hook.”
Is there any additional information you think would be worthwhile for you to share?
“Yes, four things: 1. Patience is a must and time is you side. These are words we live by. You can’t rush any situation. 2. No matter how well you negotiate there are no guarantees. 3. When negotiating always have a bible the New Testament. This is a must. 4. Use who, what, when, where, why and how. These questions will keep them talking.”
