Real-Life Communication
"If a negotiator does not understand the basics of communication,
crisis communication and the ability to actively listen, he or she can have
all the tools and equipment in the world and still not be effective," says
hostage negotiator Pete Ahern.
Communication plays a very key role
in a hostage negotiator's job. In fact, good communication skills are probably
the most important tool in a negotiator's arsenal.
Glenn Topping is
a hostage negotiator. Topping's role is to try and bring a peaceful ending
to tense situations.
After incidents, Topping has to file a report.
The report restates the incident, but also adds information as to how Topping
performed his duties. Read through Topping's report carefully. At the end,
you will be asked to answer several specific questions about the content of
the report.
INCIDENT REPORT
Glenn Topping, Hostage Negotiator
We
went to a call of a barricaded subject who wanted to kill himself. Upon arrival,
contact was made with the police agency where this was occurring. I communicated
with the commander on scene and explained what I needed. He then gave the
orders to his SWAT personnel.
I then made verbal contact with the subject
who, as luck would have it, did not like the sheriff's office. We still spoke
of what I wanted to see happen, and he told me the opposite. I always relayed
our conversation to the SWAT commander so they were not left in the dark tactically,
just in case the subject decided to make a run out the front door.
At
one point, the subject came outside with the knife in his hand and a gun in
his waistband. I kept an eye on him and continued to reassure him that we
did not want to see anyone hurt and that whatever the problem was, it could
be worked out.
The suspect set his house on fire and ran out of the
house. He fell in the street. I always kept the SWAT personnel informed of
what was being said so they could use that information for a tactical assault
if needed.
Now that you're finished reading the report, see if you
can answer the following questions:
- Who did Topping talk to first when he arrived at the scene? Why?
- What did Topping do with the information he received from the subject?
Why?
- How was the situation resolved?