Lecture on Hostage Negotiation

THEORY ON HOSTAGE and CRISIS

NEGOTIATIONPresented by:

ATTY ISAGANI RAQUINIO NEREZPolice Senior Superintendent

City Director, Baguio City Police Office

Scope of Presentation

Introduction to Negotiation

The Negotiating Cell

Hostage/Crisis Negotiation Procedures

Understanding the siege problem

Media Management

Method of Operation

Armed intervention - Police or Military Sniper option Assault or chemical agents Stand back and wait Demand surrender Negotiate

It is a real policy Not wait and see

INCIDENT RESOLUTION - OPTIONS

Introduction to Negotiation

Incident Commander/Staff Tactical & Security teams EOD Teams Intelligence Medical/Rescue Teams Media Liaison Teams Other support groups Negotiators

Composition of Hostage/Crisis Negotiation Task Group

Introduction to Negotiation

GENERAL POLICY ON NEGOTIATION“NO SUBSTANTIVE CONCESSIONS”

No prisoners for hostages

No major policy changes

No escape from prosecution

No capitulation by the authorities

Introduction to Negotiation

WHY NEGOTIATE AT ALL

WHY NEGOTIATE AT ALL??

“Negotiation is the preferred option for the resolution of high risk situations. The aim is to achieve a peaceful resolution to a situation without loss of life, injury to any person, or damage to any property.”

Introduction to Negotiation

NEGOTIATIONS

Consistent with a policy of no

substantive concessions

Consistent with a policy of use of

minimum force

Introduction to Negotiation

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE

Negotiations must never be regarded as a perfunctory precursor to a tactical option

Negotiations offer the best option for the hostages, the hostage takers and us

Introduction to Negotiation

OBJECTIVES OF NEGOTIATIONS

Safe release Hostages Hostage takers Minimize harm

Tactical advantage

Introduction to Negotiation

Other advantages of NEGOTIATIONS

Intelligence gathering Assault preparation Establishing routine Rapport and stability building Explaining police activity

Introduction to Negotiation

Options when setting Strategy

Intervention Early Resolution - immediate action may yield

the safe release of all in stronghold

Contain the incident and wait Negotiate with people inside stronghold -

reduces emotions, builds rapport, wins time and intelligence, enables contingency planning, secures best opportunity for safe outcome

Introduction to Negotiation

Priorities for setting the Strategy

Identify Locate Contain & thereby neutralize the suspect Initially this will always be by way of NegotiationNegotiation Only if negotiations fail or in other exceptional

circumstances will the strategy be to Neutralize through Direct InterventionDirect Intervention

Introduction to Negotiation

The priorities usually adopted by all police units

Strategy Preservation of Life – Safe recovery of the

hostages – Safe release of hostages and safe removal of hostage takers without danger or harm to police or public

Arrest of the offenders Recovery of evidence - to facilitate any future

prosecution

Introduction to Negotiation

Negotiator Key Skills

NO PRECISE RULES AS EACH SIEGE / INCIDENT IS DIFFERENT

therefore . . . .

Negotiators must be flexible in their application of the basic techniques for negotiation.

COMMUNICATION

IF ONE OF THESE FAILS, YOU FAIL TO

NEGOTIATE

The The The

SENDER MESSAGE RECEIVER

COMMUNICATION

REMEMBERWords count for about 7% ofa speakers efforts

Voice counts for about 38%

WHILEDELIVERY, APPEARANCE AND BODYLANGUAGE COUNT FOR 55%

COMMUNICATION

It is not all about YOU talking and THEM listening

It is 50% or less for you and 50% or more for them

Listen when they are speaking

Strong listening skills make YOU a morepowerful communicator

The Mission is to SAVE LIFE by‘Listening them out’

CHANGING BEHAVIOUR THROUGH NEGOTIATION

‘DO WHAT I SAY’

NO….

BEHAVIOURALCHANGE

You might have to ‘earn the right’ to get someone to do

what you want

CHANGING BEHAVIOUR THROUGH NEGOTIATION

ACTIVELISTENINGSKILLS

EMPATHY

RAPPORT

INFLUENCE

BEHAVIOURALCHANGE

Negotiating Cell Structure

Role Reality

In Siege Management terms

GOLD is in charge of it

SILVER runs it

and BRONZE does it

Negotiating Cell Structure

Area commander is in charge of it

Incident commander runs it

and team leaders does it

Negotiating Cell Structure

Local hostage/Crisis negotiation management

SHOULD INCIDENT

COMMANDERS ALSO NEGOTIATE

?

Negotiating Cell Structure

Too busy Inability to defer - no time to think Knows too much Can give too much Emotional overload Different skills

ANSWER - No

Negotiating Cell Structure

INCIDENT COMMANDERS

COMMANDCOMMANDCOMMANDCOMMAND

NEGOTIATORS

NEGOTIATENEGOTIATENEGOTIATENEGOTIATE

Negotiators limitations

Negotiators must aware of the limitations which can be imposed through parameters set by the incident commander and other specialist teams.

Negotiators must realize that they are only a small piece of the ‘big picture and an instrument that can be used by the incident commander and others

NEGOTIATORS IN THE COMMAND STRUCTURE

STRONGHOLD

INNER CORDON

OUTER CORDON

BASESTATION

FORWARDCOMMAND

THE CELL

THE NEGOTIATING CELL

THE CELL

Negotiator 1Negotiator 2Negotiator 3Negotiator 4

The Co-Ordinator

INCIDENTCOMMANDER

Advisers, pressliaison, CID etc.

THE STRONGHOLD

Hostage takers andhostages

INTELLIGENCE CELL

Intelligence flow

THE QUALITIES OF A NEGOTIATOR

Physically and mentally fit Agile minded/quick thinker Mature & patient Good verbal skills/communicator Persuasive Good listening skills A committed volunteer A team player

Negotiating Cell Structure

That’s why we need the best people!

ROLE OF NEGOTIATOR CO-ORDINATOR

Strategic advisor

Team leader

May be remote from cell

Negotiating Cell Structure

NEGOTIATORS

BUY TIME

GAIN INTELLIGENCE

Negotiating Cell Structure

Hostage/Crisis Negotiation Procedures

FOUR VITAL STEPS

CONTAIN

ISOLATE

EVACUATE

NEGOTIATE

ESSENTIALS FOR THE INCIDENT COMMANDER

Hostage/Crisis Negotiation Procedures

DECISIONS AND PLANS

NEGOTIATING IS NOT A SOLUTION IN ISOLATION

Emergency response plan Breakout plan Deliberate action plan Delivery plan Surrender plan Hostage reception Other tactical options

Hostage/Crisis Negotiation Procedures

DELIVERIES

Can be VERY dangerous unless carefully planned

Negotiators Tactical Firearms Tactical Swat Unit Incident Commander

Hostage/Crisis Negotiation Procedures

DELIVERIES

Think SAFETY at all times

The plan must be approved by the incident commanders

No action UNTIL hostage taker understands and agrees the plan

Incident commander MUST authorize the action

Hostage/Crisis Negotiation Procedures

DELIVERIES

Done well - good for rapport and trust

Intelligence opportunity

Firearms liaison officer to cell

Communication throughout delivery

STOP if hostage taker does not do exactly as agreed

Hostage/Crisis Negotiation Procedures

COLLECTIONS

Plan Carefully

May be the same as for delivery

Intelligence Opportunity

Talk through with Hostage Takers

Think ‘SAFETY’

Hostage/Crisis Negotiation Procedures

PREPARATION BEFORE VOCALIZATION

Details of what has happened

All about:- The stronghold The hostages The hostage takers

WHAT THE NEGOTIATOR NEEDS TO KNOW

Hostage/Crisis Negotiation Procedures

WHAT HAS HAPPENED?

WHO? WHEN? WHERE? WHY? WHAT FOR? HOW? HOW LONG?

THE STRONGHOLDAny place or vehicle from which police are excluded or from which demands are made

Where? Static or mobile What can we see? What can they see? Are we safe - what are

the conditions? Are they safe - what

are their conditions?

THE HOSTAGES

How many? Who are they? What, if any, relationship with the hostage

takers? Age, sex? Physical and mental health? Where in the stronghold?

THEIR LIVES IN YOUR HANDS

THE HOSTAGE TAKERS

How many? Who? Why - deliberate or accidental How? How armed? Where in the stronghold? External support?

(Sometimes there are no hostages)

COMMUNICATING WITH THE STRONGHOLD

Face to face through the door Loud hailer Telephone Cellular telephone Field telephone Radio Internet

FACE TO FACE

Good visual feedback but dangerous - it works both ways

Good intelligence opportunity but difficult to say no

Opportunity to build some bonds - BUT Difficult to defer

IT IS VERY DANGEROUS - AVOID IT!

FACE-TO-FACE NEGOTIATIONS

Avoid talking at gun point

Beware of a confrontation with more than one of them

Concentrate on their actions and emotions Know your escape route - WITH the firearms officer

No. 2 is the safety manager for No. 1

FACE-TO-FACE NEGOTIATIONS

Never carry anything that could be of use to the enemy

Never turn your back on them

Be aware of making written notes, rely on taped records

Be aware of expanded body space - mentally disturbed

Interpreters also need body armour and the escape route

LOUD HAILER

SAFER THAN ‘FACE TO FACE’

BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT IT IS ONE WAY

AND HARD TO HEAR

Remember - Aircraft carry loud hailers

TELEPHONE LAND LINE - 1

Safer than a loud hailer or face to face Doesn’t betray facial emotions Controllable conversations Digital exchanges - flexibility

ADVANTAGES

Not always secure Not always accessible to us Accessible to others - press tie up Instructions to hostage takers from

outside

TELEPHONE LAND LINE - 2

DISADVANTAGES

CELLULAR TELEPHONE

Technical advances Not secure Scannable Can’t cut off without number Dropping a cell

FIELD TELEPHONE

Secure Isolates communication Expandable technically A positive police action An intelligence opportunity Measure the line and mark Technical Opportunity

HARD WIRE HANDSET TO HANDSET

RADIO

Safe Slow process (thinking time) Distance

BUT Insecure Interference Propaganda medium Rapport difficult

INTERNET

New - Has been used in extortion cases

Where next? - Kidnap and Siege

Safe and an element of time to reply

Potential world wide audience - Need for IT expert advice

Negotiating Principles the same - modification to team roles

THE BIG ISSUES

DEMANDS

DEADLINES

DEMANDS - 1

Seek them Ignore them Say ‘Yes’ to them Say ‘No’ to them Misunderstand them Call them ‘DEMANDS’

THREATS OR OPPORTUNITIES

DON’T

DEMANDS - 2

Refer to the Incident Commander Explain difficulties Reduce expectations Think tactically

Delivery Partial delivery

Seek reciprocation

HANDLE WITH CARE

DO

DEMANDS - 3

Give anything away Make offers without reason Make offers outside your control -

fulfilment Dismiss as trivial Resurrect forgotten demands

LISTEN TO ANYTHING

DON’T

DEMANDS - 4

Sow seeds of doubt Seek precise details Make secure delivery arrangements Consider alternative gratification Multiple demands - deal with easy ones

first

USE YOUR TEAM

DO

DEMANDS - 5

Is there a medic in the stronghold - do we expose?

Patient out - NOT medic in Offer first aid Consult a doctor - medication? Think intelligence and bonding Who will go in / out? Who are they treating Brief medic - for intelligence opportunity

MEDICAL ASSISTANCE

DEADLINES - 1

Accept them Ignore them Invite them Offer them Remind them Forget them Deny them

DON’T

DEADLINES - 2

Take them seriously Sow early seeds of doubt Tell the incident commander Talk through them Be conscious of heightened tension

DO

A SIEGE IS A PROBLEM

UNDERSTANDTHE PROBLEM

HOSTAGE TAKERS

Domestic Sieges Criminal - kidnappers and blackmailers Offenders for cause or terrorists

Singletons, group operators; mentally unbalanced, emotionally disturbed

DOMESTIC SIEGES

Alcohol Drugs Sex Children Alcohol, drugs, sex and children

THE COMMON WORK

THE BEHAVIOURAL BALANCE(Expressive)

EMOTIONALLY DRIVENBEHAVIOUR

NORMALFUNCTIONINGLEVEL

RATIONALITY

DOMESTIC SIEGES

Allow to vent feelings Label emotions Take a rational line Try not to take sides Emphasise the positive

NEGOTIATING STRATEGY

CRIMINAL SIEGESRARELY A DELIBERATE SIEGE

A CRIME GONE WRONG

Violent taking

Unplanned - No plan

No choice of hostages

THE BEHAVIOURAL BALANCE(Instrumental)

EMOTIONALLYDRIVEN BEHAVIOUR

NORMALFUNCTIONINGLEVEL

RATIONALITY

THE CRIMINAL

NEGOTIATING STRATEGY

Legal and media observers

Appeal to reason

PROVIDE A SOLUTION

OFFENDERS FOR CAUSEOR

“TERRORISTS”

Deliberate hostage taking

Hostage taking as an expedient

Special nature of demands

A SIEGE IS A PROBLEM

UNDERSTANDTHE PROBLEM

TO PROVIDETHE SOLUTION

UNDERSTANDTHE

PERSONALITIES

MEDIA - MANAGEMENT IS

CRITICAL

What to do with the media

DO NOT ignore them DO manage them Press Liaison Officer Negotiators need to know details of

press statements Be prepared to advise Incident Commanders Statements should NOT disclose details

respecting content/progress of negotiations CHOOSE WORDS CAREFULLY

Media: The Good

Disseminate information to the community quickly

Encourage feedback/assistance from the community Promote policing activities, events, operations Publicize policing successes Enhance feelings of confidence and safety in the

community

Advantages:

Can cause fear and concern in the community

Publicize policing activities negatively Sensationalize or exaggerate stories Limited/ no control over story angles Compromise investigations, court cases Raise ethical/moral concerns

Media: The BadDisadvantages:

Interfere with investigations Putpolice lives at risk Put hostage and/or victims lives at risk Jeopardise prosecutions

Media: The ugly

If not managed properly, the media can:

Oversee and coordinate all contact between police and the media

Respond to daily media enquiries Write press releases Arrange media interviews and media

conferences Support police members at incident

scenes, by controlling media, briefing the media and providing interview advice to spokespersons

Police Media Liaison Will:

If you need public assistance to help with a case; If you want to promote an operation, incident,

event or message; If you think a case you're working on would be of

public or media interest If you need assistance managing the media at an

incident scene; If you have a successful outcome with a case, i.e.

when a significant arrest is made; If you are ever contacted directly by a journalist If you have a complaint to make about a member

of the media;

Can assist:

Police Media Liaison

Cordon and contain the scene Designate someone as media liaison officer if you do not have a media team Do not allow media to enter the outer or

inner perimeter Avoid allowing the media to contact the

strong hold

Procedure in the incident area

Specific details of a crime or investigation (eg: the exact nature of any sexual interference, precise injuries, exact location of an offence or details of missing objects)

The name of the pe~on/ people involved (Wltil after the first court appearance unless there is a suppression order)

The criminal record of any pe~on or any details about character or reputation (eg drug user, association with known criminals)

The contents of any statement or admission made by a suspect or witness

Any statement which suggests guilt, likely penalties or exposes details of continuing police investigations

Any comment on an emotional state, state of mind of the suspect or the motive (or lack of) for the crime.

Any comment on police policy -this should be left to senior management

Amount of money stolen in robberies

WHAT YOU SHOULDN’T SAY

Type of incident (eg armed robbery, fatal collision,bag snatching, burglary, sudden death) ONLY if appropriate

Descriptions of offenders The patrol, squad or officer in attendance at the

scene and the length of the investigation (if appropriate)

The time and approximate location of an incident Basic facts about an incident (seek advice first) Genders, ages and origins of people involved

(seek advice first)

WHAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO SAYAT AN INCIDENT SCENE:

The time and/or location of an arrest The accused person's age, gender and suburb of

residence NO information should be given which could

directly or indirectly identify the person or his/her address

The exact wording of the charge laid The date and time of court appearances and the

court where the accused will appear Whether the accused has been bailed or held in

custody

Following arrest/filing of case:

WHAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO SAY

Method of Operation

No. 1 Negotiator

Primary negotiator.Actively engaged in talking.

1

No. 2 Negotiator

Supports the No.1. Ideas.Silent running.Active listening.Safety.

2

No. 3 Negotiator

Link with the outside world. Passes on important information. Supports the No. 1 & No. 2. Maintains a log.

3

No. 4 Negotiator

Board person. Maintains all visual displays.

4

Negotiator Co-ordinator

Team leader. Selection of team. Location of cell. Method of negotiating. Deployment of Interpreter/ Intermediary. Translating Incident Commanders

strategy. into negotiating reality.5

Negotiator Co-ordinator (Cont’d)

Co-ordinating group meetings. Tactical co-ordination (F/Arms, TSU, Deliveries).

Cell discipline. Strategic responsibilities. Welfare of the team. Protracted incidents. Post incident.

6

Recap of Roles.

No. 1 - Talks. No. 2 - Supports. No. 3 - Communication link & Log. No. 4 - Boards. Co-ordinator - Team leader.

7

Log.

Object of keeping a log. Things to include/ not include. Judicial review?

8

Boards.

Purpose. Clarity. Flip Charts v White Boards. Adapt to your circumstances. Location of boards.

9

Boards (headings).

Demands. Plans.

Deadlines. Delivery.

Hostage taker(s). Surrender.

Hostages. Break out.

Pos. Police Action’s. Hostage Reception.

Intel gathered.

Things we need to know.

10

Boards (headings).

End of Briefing . . .