HOSTAGE TAKER’S DEMANDS

 Negotiable
- food, cigarettes, drinks, alcohol, transportation, media coverage, freedom
 Non-Negotiable
- weapons, ammunitions, drugs, release of prisoners, exchange of hostages
PRINCIPLES IN HOSTAGE NEGOTIATION
 the hostage has no value to the hostage taker
 the priorities in the hostage situations are the preservation of life and the
apprehension of the hostage taker, recover and protect property.
 hostage situation must not go violently
 there must be a need to live on the part of the hostage taker
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS OF THE NEGOTIATOR UPON ARRIVAL AT THE SCENE OF INCIDENT
1. Containment
 controlling situation and area by people involved.
2. Establish Contact
 communicate with the leader
3. Time Lengthening
 give more time to the police to organize and coordinate plan of action.
4. Telephone Negotiation Technique
4.1. Be the caller (talk with the leader only)
4.2. Plan and prepare
4.3. Be ready with graceful exit
4.4. Discipline yourself to listen.
4.5. Do not tell that you are the commander, neither your rank
4.6. Just tell “My name is…I am a police negotiator and willing to help.
4.7. Delay tactic – to wear down hostage taker, physically, psychologically and emotionally. Will also
give more time for police organize and coordinate plan course of action.
4.8. In case hostage taker won’t talk, continue negotiating. Don’t loss hope!
 
Advantages of Telephone Conversation
1. easier to say NO
2. easier to conclude the conversation
3. conversation is quicker
4. important items are more easily committed
5. caller has the advantage
5. Need for face-to-face conversation
 Don’t be over anxious
 wear body armor
 have tactical back-up (snipers)
 Face-to-face, maintain proper distance;
◦ Proper distance – 1 to 3 feet.
◦ Intimate distance – about 6 inches
 in retreating, face hostage taker slowly backing out of the door.
6. Surrender approach– start with a position approach, act as if hostage taker will
surrender. Do not talk too much. Gradually ask him to surrender. Reassurance is the
wisest thing to do. Talk details of surrender process. And explain why now is better
than later.
 
Crisis Negotiation Bargaining Techniques
 The use of time to increase basic needs, making it more likely that the subject will exchange a hostage
for some basic needs.
 The used of time to collect intelligence on the subject that will help develop a trade.
 The use of time to reduce the subject’s expectation of getting what he wants.
 Trades can be made for food, drink, transportation and money.
 Trades cannot be made for weapons or the exchange of hostages.
 The boss does not negotiate.
 Start bidding high to give yourself room to negotiate.
 Never draw attention to the hostages, it gives the subject too much bargaining power.
Manipulate anxiety levels by cutting off power, gas, etc
Stockholm Syndrome
It is the development of unique relations between the
hostages and the hostage taker. A strong attachment of
the hostage victim to the hostage takers after a long
period of captivity, by the hostage became sympathizer of
the hostage takers.
CRISIS MANAGEMENT TEAM
 
Team – is a small group of people with complementary skills who are committed to a
common purpose, performance goals and approach for which they hold themselves
mutually accountable.
The Negotiating Team
 Negotiator Supervisor – is responsible for the overall functioning of the negotiating team. In addition to his
supervisory skills, the supervisor must have leadership ability. He should see to it that the situation is negotiable,
appropriate personnel is available, intelligence is gathered in timely manner, communications are established,
negotiation strategy is working-out, an appropriate record of the negotiation is kept and the commander is well
informed.
 Primary Negotiator – is the direct communication link to the hostage taker and is responsible for developing verbal
tactics, monitoring and assessing the hostage taker’s level of emotional arousal and helping the hostage taker engage
in problem solving.
 Secondary Negotiator – is the pipeline between the negotiation team and primary. He helps to develop verbal tactics,
provides moral support for the primary.
 Intelligence Officer – is responsible for gathering intelligence from various sources, interviewing all relevant persons
involved in the incident, collating and disseminating that information, maintaining and updating status boards and
making sure that all response units are receiving accurate and timely intelligence.
 Mental Health Consultant – is responsible for evaluating the personality of the hostage taker, recommending
negotiation strategies, monitoring team stress, monitoring stress among the hostage takers and hostages.
 Equipment Officer – is someone who understands technical information regarding radios, computers, phone systems,
mechanical systems, etc. and can make minor repairs.