Advanced Hostage and Crisis Negotiations

Instructor: Darryl Rivers

Duration: 4 days (32 professional development hours)

Cost: $575.00

Schedule: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM local time each day

Course Overview

This advanced training program is designed to enhance the crisis negotiation skills of law enforcement officers who have already completed foundational negotiation coursework. The comprehensive 32-hour curriculum covers a wide range of modern and specialized topics relevant to hostage and crisis situations.

Course Topics

The training addresses critical scenarios and techniques including:

• Fatality Management: Explores how to respond when deaths occur during negotiations and the psychological impact on negotiation teams, particularly primary negotiators.
• Intelligence Operations: Focuses on collecting, analyzing, and effectively utilizing intelligence within the Negotiation Operations Center, including the use of situation boards.
• Text Message Negotiations: Examines the challenges and advantages of conducting negotiations via text, including specialized techniques for this increasingly common communication method.
• Legal Framework: Reviews relevant case law affecting crisis negotiations beyond foundational cases.
• Special Populations: Addresses unique negotiation challenges when dealing with combat veterans, individuals with autism, and hearing-impaired subjects.
• Suicide Intervention: Provides training on recognizing risk factors, identifying suicidal intent indicators, and applying evidence-based intervention techniques.
• Open-Air Negotiations: Covers dynamics and techniques for negotiations conducted outside of vehicle-based operations centers.
• Progress Measurement: Teaches methods for assessing negotiation progress and its influence on command decision-making and tactical options.
• Cellular Communication: Addresses strategies for working with cell phone providers to manage communications during incidents.
• Hostage Dynamics: Explores behavioral issues and psychological phenomena such as Stockholm syndrome and London syndrome.
• Interpreter-Assisted Negotiations: Discusses challenges specific to negotiations conducted through translators.
• Coach Effectiveness: Covers techniques for properly coaching primary negotiators and avoiding common pitfalls.
• Risk Assessment: Provides processes for evaluating suspect motivation and determining violence risk levels.

Practical Training

Students participate in realistic role-play scenarios utilizing advanced electronic equipment. Practical exercises allow participants to apply communication skills, recognize factors contributing to successful negotiations, document team activities, and integrate intelligence into crisis resolution.

Prerequisites

This course is intended for officers with existing negotiation experience. Participants must have successfully completed the Crisis Hostage Negotiations Phase I and II course or an equivalent 40-hour training prior to enrollment. This advanced course is not suitable for individuals without prior negotiation training. While this is not the Phase III certification course, completion fulfills recertification requirements for Phase III.