Hostage Negotiations and Crisis Intervention, Phase I and II (Pierpoint)

 Course Objectives and Agenda (CLICK HERE)

Please be aware that this class is a 40-hour training. Therefore, the first four (4) days of training will be 8am-4pm local time. The last day will be 8am-12pm local time. The remaining hours will be made of the tested portion of the training.

Introduction/Orientation: This opening block of instruction includes instructor and class self-introductions and an overview of the class curriculum, historical context of negotiations, provided materials and suggested readings. This portion of the training will be presented in lecture format.

Required/Suggested Equipment: This block of instruction is intended to make the student aware of the required equipment that is necessary on any hostage or barricaded response. It will also serve to alert commanders of what equipment is available. The equipment presented includes the hostage phone (demonstrated in Phase 2 of P.A.T.C. training), response vehicles, ballistic equipment, identifying raid jackets/hats, fiber optic cameras and listening devices, department radio tactical channels, amongst others. This portion of the training will be presented in lecture and power point format.

Fundamentals of Hostage Negotiation: Students will receive general theoretical concepts on hostage negotiations that include the three different types of response incidents, the reason law enforcement agencies negotiate, emotion verses rationality, managing an incident, profiles of hostage-takers and hostages, negotiator selection, time management; amongst others. This portion of the training will be presented in lecture and power point and video format.

Active Listening: Students will receive information on listening techniques used in hostage or crisis negotiations. They will understand the basic concepts of actively listening and restating or paraphrasing what they heard in their own words, confirming that they heard and understood the message being stated. This portion of the training will be presented in lecture and power point and video format.

Mental Health for Negotiators: This component of the training addresses the psychological aspects of crisis negotiation. It will address irrational and inappropriate behavior and will give an overview of the differing personality disorders and mental illnesses that negotiators are most likely to encounter. This portion of the training will be presented in lecture, power point and video format.

Bunches of 5: Students will be participating in building material to take home with them to their agencies. Students will brainstorm and create preplanned responses to anticipated concerns or demands.

Suicide: Students will be introduced to the common driving emotions driving suicidal individuals. The characteristics of major depressive disorder will be presented. Suicide risk assessment will also be covered.

Situation boards: This block will teach students how to manage information and intelligence during an incident. Students will learn the importance of correctly transposing incoming information. This portion of the training will be presented in lecture, power point and video format.

NOC Protocol: This block will assist in students arranging their Negotiations Operations Command. Students will learn the functions of all team members, and the importance of information sharing. This portion of the training will be presented in lecture, power point and video format.

Third Party Intermediaries: Students will be instructed on the considerations for using a TPI, and how a TPI can be used correctly. This portion of the training will be presented in lecture, power point and video format.

Tactical Role of the Negotiator: This block of instruction will address the role of tactical teams in a hostage situation response. It will examine the interagency cooperation that is required between tactical teams, negotiators, and incident commanders. This portion of the training will be presented in lecture, power point and video format.

Managing Demands: This block of instruction will examine strategies of managing hostage-taker demands and demands that are never negotiable in any hostage situation. The student will be presented with various tactics to soften demands or reframe them. This block will also explore working through hostage-taker deadlines. This portion of the training will be presented in lecture, power point and video format.

Stress Management: The student will be made to understand the effects of stress on the hostage-taker, the hostages and the negotiator and develop strategies in stress management. They will explore the correlation between stress and performance (Yerkes-Dodson Principle) and become aware of the consequences of not managing stress appropriately. This portion of the training will be presented in lecture, power point and video format.

THIS IS A 40 HOUR COURSE:

Students are given homework assignments to complete in the evenings. These assignments include review of case law, review of current incidents, and scripting of scenarios. Discussion will be held daily over case law and current incidents. Scenarios will be used throughout the week for practical application. These assignments will combine for the 5 hours of absence in the weekly schedule.