Hostage Situation
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A Hostage situation is a very serious problem for law enforcement, because it puts the lives of the individual, or group that were taken by force at risk as well as the officers responding to the scene. Throughout history we have seen what a hostage situation can do and the affect it has in our community. The main focus of the negotiator is to keep the victims and themselves alive and put an end to the madness and try to convince the subject to surrender. Each hostage situation has an outcome that is either positive or negative it just depends on how well you can get them to communicate and also topics that should be avoided.
According to Ronald D. Hunter in the field of the hostage negotiations has expanded from its first appearance in the New York Police Department in the year of 1972 to now that include both hostage and nonhostage incidents that might include negotiations necessary to prevent violence. The hostage takers make a direct threat against the hostage if their demands are not met, Its usually involves money, any means to escape, or a chance to air grievance. In some of the cases that involve hostage, the hostage takers realize that keeping the hostage alive is very valuable to them. The reason is because the hostage taker knows that the law enforcement will use any form of force to resolve the crises.
Each negotiator has learned to handle the situations the best way they can. One way is by stalling, and by doing this they have lowered the hostage taker expectations, and to reverse their sense of empowering and the control they have in the situation. (Hunter, 2011) The other way is when the negotiator always attempts to tell the truth, but if they have to lie they do in a manner to avoid getting caught. They can avoid getting caught by making sure the media does not reveal information that would contradict what they are saying. The primary negotiator who is assigned to that situation, his role is to try to make a connection with the hostage taker and determine a path towards a resolution. Once a communication is established, the negotiator should ask question that are open and ended. And upon the first contact, the negotiator should also attempts to identify the hostage taker. Also the negotiator will sometime ask what they feel and how they will feel once they carry out their intent of action (Hostage negotiation n.d.).
When communicating with the hostage taker, the negotiator should try to minimize background distraction, such as more than one person talking at the same time, and noise that causes a factor. The negotiator should ask if they can go to a quieter place where they can hear each other. Keeping the introduction as simple as possible, the negotiator should and always keep their voice firm and calm and try to use their first and last name. If the name is unknown, the negotiator can use pal or buddy. The negotiator should also try to set a standard of mature adult conversation. When speaking