Chapter Nine

© 2013 by Pearson Higher Education, IncUpper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved

Crisis InterventionWilliam Harmening

Roosevelt University

Harmening, Crisis Intervention: The Criminal Justice Response to Chaos, Mayhem, and Disaster

Chapter 9THE HOSTAGE CRISIS


9.1

9.2

9.3

9.4

To summarize the dangers associated with a hostage crisis.

To list the various types of hostage-takers.

To explain the structure of the police hostage team.

To explain the response methodology of the police hostage team, and to list the various signs of a

successful negotiation.

CHAPTER OBJECTIVES

9.5To summarize the psychological experience of the

hostage during an active hostage crisis.

To summarize the dangers associated with a hostage crisis.

Learning ObjectivesAfter this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes

9.1

8.1 The Hostage Crisis

OVERVIEW

One of the most stressful types of police intervention. An inappropriate police response can lead to the deaths of innocent people.

It is a crisis that can change on a moment’s notice from calm to chaotic.

Multiple contingencies must be in place and ready to mobilize in the event of changing circumstances.

8.1 The Hostage Crisis

When things go bad…

• Moscow Theater (10/23/2002)

50 Chechen rebels take 850 people hostage in a Moscow theater. Russian police introduced a chemical agent through the ventilation system and stormed the building. All 39 rebels as well as 129 hostages lay dead in the aftermath.

• Beslan School (09/01/2004)

Chechen rebels take 1,100 people hostage at Beslan School in the North Caucasus region of Russia. Hostages included 777 children. Russian forces stormed the school when negotiations were unsuccessful. Nearly 400 hostages were killed, including 156 children.

• Philippine Bus Incident (08/23/2010)

A fired police officer takes 25 people hostage, most of them tourists. A chaotic strike by the police resulted in the deaths of 8 of the hostages.

To list the various types of hostage-takers.


9.2

9.2 Hostage-takers

Ideological

Passive Violent

Criminal

Defensive Purposeful

Domestic

Custody Relationship Defensive

Frustration-driven

Final Statement Passive

Thought-disordered

Paranoid Mission-oriented

Hostage-taker Typologies

9.2 Hostage-takers

Ideological

Passive Violent


Passive-Ideological

Less inclined to harm hostages. Conveying their message is the most important factor. These types of hostage situations typically end peacefully.

EX: A corporate CEO is taken hostage by an animal rights group protesting animal experimentation.

Violent-Ideological

Willing to kill or be killed for what they believe to be a higher calling or purpose. Most terrorists fit into this category.

EX: 1972 Munich Olympics/ 1979 Iranian Hostage Crisis

9.2 Hostage-takers

Criminal

Defensive Purposeful


Purposeful-Criminal

Hostage-taking is an intended tactic carried out in the course of committing a crime.

EX: A hostage being held for ransom.

Defensive-Criminal

Hostage-taking is an unintended tactic that takes place as unexpected events unfold.

EX: Bank employees taken hostage during a bank robbery gone bad.

9.2 Hostage-takers

Frustration-driven

Final Statement Passive


Passive-Frustration

No intentions of hurting anyone. They just want to be heard.

EX: A man whose home has been foreclosed on holds a public official hostage until he can talk to a reporter to tell his story.

Final Statement-Frustration

They intend to make their frustrations heard by being as dramatic as possible. Most are suicidal or prepared to die at the hands of the police. They fully intend to end the crisis violently.

EX: A judge is held hostage after sentencing a family member. Hostage-taker fully intends to murder judge after being publicly heard.

9.2 Hostage-takers

Domestic

Custody Relationship Defensive


Domestic-Custody

Parents holds hostage or kidnaps their own children after losing custody to the other parent or the State. Extremely dangerous for the kids, especially if the parent is suicidal. There is a high risk that they will kill the children before committing suicide.

Domestic-Relationship

Hostage-taker holds a spouse or intimate partner hostage following a breakup. Many times they start out only wanting to talk, but as events unfold and the police are called, it becomes a hostage situation.Domestic-Defensive

A person who barricades themselves inside a house refusing to let anyone leave, including their family, after the police show up for something unrelated, such as to serve an arrest warrant, or to question the hostage-taker on an unrelated matter.

9.2 Hostage-takers

Thought-disordered

Paranoid Mission-oriented


Thought disordered - Paranoid

Typically a mentally ill individual who believes someone or some force is out to get them. An example is the man who takes his neighbor hostage because he believes he is a CIA agent spying on him. Extremely dangerous situations because of the inherent difficulties negotiating with these types of irrational individuals. Thought disordered – Mission-oriented

Mostly delusional individuals who believe their action is necessary to counteract some perceived threat. An example is the individual who holds bank employees hostage because he believes they are funneling money to a secret group that intends to overthrow the government. Not motivated by what they perceive to be a personal attack, so there is a possibility that negotiators can build rapport with this type of person.

To explain the structure of the police hostage team.


9.3

9.3 The Hostage Team

Components of the Hostage Team

• Team Leader

• Primary Negotiator

• Secondary Negotiator

• Intelligence Officer

• Communications Officer

• Public Information Officer

• Team Psychologist



• Team Leader







The person responsible for overall command of the team. They interact with the tactical team leader and together make the decision when a tactical entry must be attempted. When that decision is made, then command of the operation is handed over to the tactical team leader.



• Team Leader







The person responsible for making contact with the hostage-taker and negotiating the safe release of the hostages. The negotiator selected by the team leader to serve as the primary will depend on the circumstances of the situation. Only one negotiator will maintain contact with the hostage-taker unless circumstances demand differently.



• Team Leader







This person serves as a backup in the event the primary negotiator is unable to establish rapport with the hostage-taker, or is unable to continue the negotiations for some reason. The secondary works side by side with the primary negotiator throughout the crisis.



• Team Leader







This person is responsible for finding out as much as possible about the hostage-taker as well as the hostages. The more the negotiator knows about the various players, the more power they have to control the negotiation. When the hostage-taker makes a reference to something, it is the job of the intelligence officer to attempt to determine what the reference means, and the weight of its relevance.



• Team Leader







The communications officer is responsible for all vital communications equipment. They work to maintain an unobstructed line of communication between negotiator and hostage-taker, as well as between team leader and other response components, such as the tactical team.



• Team Leader







Responsible for the dissemination of information about the event to media outlets both during and after the crisis. Any release of information during the crisis must be heavily weighed given that the hostage-taker(s) may have access to television, radio, or the internet.



• Team Leader







The team psychologist has multiple functions. They can assist in developing behavioral profiles of the hostage-taker, act as a consultant to the negotiator, conduct on-scene risk assessments, and monitor the behavior and effectiveness of the negotiator. They also take responsibility for any critical incident debriefing following the crisis.

To explain the response methodology of the police hostage team, and to list the various signs of a successful negotiation.


9.4

9.4 The Police Response

Building Rapport

The most critical step in the response is for the negotiator to establish contact with the hostage-taker and build rapport. This can be accomplished by doing the following:

• Statement of Introduction that conveys confidence the crisis will be resolved peacefully.

• Address the hostage-taker in a way he/she wishes to be addressed.

• Calm and steady voice modulation.

• Allow the person to vent initially.

• Keep the focus on the hostage-taker and off the hostages.

• Downplay what the hostage-taker has done to that point.

• Compliment the hostage-taker for any positive actions taken.


Demands

• Cardinal rule: The hostage-taker never gets anything without giving something.

• Never solicit a demand.

• Never deliver more than what was agreed to. To do so will only empower the hostage-taker and tip the balance of power.

• Avoid saying “no.”

• If the demand is unrealistic, bring the negotiations back to a more realistic dialogue.

• Ignore talk of deadlines and deflect conversation to another issue.

• When bargaining for the release of hostages, allow the hostage-taker to suggest how many will be released, and negotiate from there.


Danger Signs

• Depressed hostage-taker who denies thoughts of suicide.

• No rapport

• Subject insists of face-to-face negotiations

• Subject sets deadlines for their own death

• Verbal will

• Refusal to Negotiate

• Hostage-taker insists on a particular person being brought to scene

• Isolation or Dehumanization of hostages

• Weapon tied or taped to hostage-taker

• Excessive ammunition and multiple weapons

• No clear demands, outrageous demands, changing demands


Signs of a Successful Negotiation

• Trusting relationship with Negotiator

• Talk of personal needs and issues

• Longer periods of talk

• Non-violent subject

• Expectations have been reduced

• A decrease in threatening behavior

• Humanizing subjects

• Passing a deadline without incident

• Release of hostages

• Routine exchange of material goods for hostages

• Defensive threats


Signs of a Successful Negotiation

• Trusting relationship with Negotiator

• Talk of personal needs and issues

• Longer periods of talk

• Non-violent subject

• Expectations have been reduced

• A decrease in threatening behavior

• Humanizing subjects

• Passing a deadline without incident

• Release of hostages

• Routine exchange of material goods for hostages

• Defensive threats

When the negotiator feels the time is appropriate, they will seek commitment from hostage-taker to bring the crisis to an end. They will then agree to a SURRENDER RITUAL, or the manner in which the hostage-taker wishes to be taken into custody.

To summarize the psychological experience of the hostage during an active hostage crisis.


9.5

9.5 The Hostage Experience

Stockholm Syndrome

The positive feelings of the captives toward their captor(s) that are accompanied by negative feelings toward the police. These feelings are frequently reciprocated by the captor(s). To achieve a successful resolution of a hostage crisis, law enforcement must encourage and tolerate the first two phases so as to induce the third and thus preserve the lives of all participants.

Four conditions must be present for the syndrome to develop:

1. The presence of a perceived threat to one’s physical or psychological survival, and the belief that the hostage-taker will carry out the threat.

2. The presence of a perceived small kindness from the abuser to the victim.

3. Isolation from perspectives other than those of the hostage-taker.

4. The perceived inability to escape the situation.


The hostage crisis is one of the most dangerous and volatile situations the police confront.

There are numerous types of hostage-takers, all with different motivations. Some intend to take hostages, while others do so

in a moment of panic.

Hostage negotiators must first and foremost establish contact and build rapport with the hostage-taker. They must be aware of both the danger signs and the signs that the negotiation is

successful.

CHAPTER SUMMARY

9.1

9.2

9.4

The police hostage team is composed of a number of different components, all with a very specific and critical role to play.9.3

Many times hostages will develop positive feelings toward their captors. This circumstance, the Stockholm Syndrome,

should be encouraged by police activities.9.5


DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Think of a movie you have seen in which a hostage situation was portrayed. What kind of hostage-taker(s) was involved, and how effective was the police response? Some of the more popular hostage movies includes:

The NegotiatorDog Day AfternoonJohn QDie HardMan on FireThe Taking of Pelham

2. Discuss some of the personal qualities that may be required in order for a police officer to be an effective hostage negotiator.

3. Discuss some of the reasons why you think a hostage might develop positive feelings toward their captors (i.e., Stockholm Syndrome).

Chapter Nine

Documents

people hostage

neighbor hostage

hostage crisisoverviewone

hostagetaker fullyintends

active hostage crisis

iranian hostage crisis

police hostage team

various types of hostage