Hostage Negotiations and Crisis Intervention, Phase I and II (Cambria)

Instructor: Jack Cambria

Duration: 4.5 Days

Professional Development Hours: 40 PD hours

Cost: $675.00

Overview

This comprehensive training program equips law enforcement professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively manage hostage and crisis situations. The course combines theoretical foundations with practical applications, covering critical negotiation techniques and tactical considerations used in modern hostage response operations.

Course Content

Orientation and Fundamentals: Participants begin with an introduction to the curriculum and historical context of negotiations, followed by an examination of the fundamental principles underlying hostage negotiation, including different types of response incidents, negotiator selection criteria, and profiles of both hostage-takers and hostages.

Equipment and Tactical Preparedness: Students gain awareness of essential equipment required for hostage and barricaded subject responses, including specialized communication tools, ballistic protection, surveillance technology, and tactical transportation resources.

Communication and Psychological Techniques: The program emphasizes active listening strategies, rapport-building through the five core principles of managing emotion, and communication approaches tailored to individuals exhibiting irrational or personality-disordered behavior patterns.

Legal Framework: Instruction covers landmark court decisions that established legal foundations for negotiation practices, including cases such as Downs v. United States (1971), U.S. v. Crosby (1983), and N.Y. v. Quarles (1984), enabling officers to understand civil liability considerations.

Specialized Environments and Populations: Participants learn response protocols for unique settings such as airports and waterborne vessels, as well as strategies for managing incidents involving specialized populations including veterans and elderly individuals.

Tactical Coordination: The course addresses the critical interplay between negotiators, tactical teams, and incident commanders, examining how these elements work cooperatively during hostage situations. Additional instruction covers law enforcement-involved incidents and responses within correctional environments.

Practical Application: Real-world case studies from Williamsburg, Brooklyn and Jamaica, Queens provide in-depth analysis of actual hostage situations and lessons learned. Interactive video simulations allow students to experience decision-making in dynamic hostage scenarios with multiple possible outcomes.

Advanced Topics: The curriculum includes instruction on demand management strategies, de-escalation techniques, stress management for negotiators and subjects, and specialized protocols for responding to incidents involving law enforcement personnel.