TRAINING FOR CRISES

Training for Crises

Training for Crises

Hostage Scene

A 42-year-old male kills his next door neighbor and holds his son, wife and a family friend hostage in his house. The subject demands immunity from the murder charge upon his surrender. Moreover, he also demands a case of beer and some fast food. If his demands are not fulfilled, he threatens, something will happen.

My Optimal Role

I, as a police psychologist, am a part of the hostage negotiation team. Upon reaching the crime scene, I am told that the location is a residential area about three blocks from a middle school and a public library. My optimal roles in this situation relate to negotiation with the perpetrator; and advising my team about how to deal with the situation. The category for the current hostage is 'mentally disturbed person'.

Course of Action

Most hostage situations involve the risk of casualties (Lanceley, 2003). Therefore, dealing with a hostage crisis involves a lot of wit and calm so that hostages remain safe. The use of force and threat could prove fatal for either side; the negotiator or the hostage. The following steps illustrate the course of action I will take to get the grip over the situation and save the held hostages. These steps show the precautions I will take, the information that will be useful, and the plan that will successfully fulfill my tasks:

Step 1: Evacuation of the Area

To minimize the threat of damage from a bomb or a wild bullet, I will evacuate the area within at least a full block of the building in which the hostages are being held. Since it is daytime (Friday 3:15 pm), it is likely that the middle school and the public library nearby might be caught in an avoidable panic. Therefore, it is important to evacuate these two places with the first priority. Taping off these surroundings and controlling the foot traffic and Street traffic in the radius are other strategies that might help to avoid possible threats (Lanceley, 2003). A team of security officers or authorities will be deployed to perform these tasks.

Step 2: Controlling Exit and Entry

Covering any and all potential points of entry and exit to the building is the next step. In the present case, it is uncertain whether the hostage has taken into a residential building or a residential house. In both instances, however, it is advisable to cover doors, windows, ventilation shafts, and delivery bays (Miller, 2006).

Step 3: Gathering Intelligence Information For The Hostage Taker

Although it is often difficult to find out who the hostage taker is, approaching family, friends, or neighbours could be beneficial for generating preliminary information. Witnesses around the scene could also render some good information. Have a few members of your team interrogate witnesses in the area.

Most often, a hostage taker gets into the situation due to a culmination of several unresolved issues. It is also important that the team knows that the hostage taker may not be reacting to the facts, ...