Hello all,
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
Crisis Hostage Negotiator Newsletter [July 2025]
Saturday, November 11, 2023
Crisis Hostage Negotiation Newsletter [November 2023]
1. Hostage freed after hours-long standoff at Las Vegas Strip resort room
A man was arrested and a woman described as his hostage was released unharmed Tuesday after an hours-long standoff in a room at the Caesars Palace resort on the Las Vegas Strip, police said.No injuries were reported and police did not immediately say if the hostage-taker had been armed in a high-rise tower of the iconic Las Vegas Boulevard property. Furniture, cushions and other objects fell from a 21st floor window, frightening guests in a swimming pool area below.
2. Push to Free Israeli Hostages in Gaza Hindered by Mistrust, Anger, Confusion
Hopes of a breakthrough have repeatedly faded, leaving the fate of more than 200 prisoners uncertain[paywall] read more: https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/mistrust-anger-and-confusion-hinder-talks-to-free-israeli-hostages-held-in-gaza-22ee5fcf
3. Israel and Hamas Nearly Struck a Deal to Free Up to 50 Hostages
...So far, the negotiations have only focused on releasing civilian hostages, according to these officials. The Israeli soldiers held in Gaza may eventually be part of a separate track of negotiations, possibly to be exchanged for hundreds of Palestinian women and minors who are held without charge in Israeli prisons.4. Israel sees 'sign of life' in Gaza hostage videoNote: this is interesting and explains why hostage videos are not shown:
The BBC will not be broadcasting the clip itself, which is more than three minutes long. Prisoners of war and hostages are protected under international humanitarian law, and the BBC does not broadcast material which may have been filmed under duress.5. 'We will kill you': I was held hostage in a war zone. Years later, the trauma remains.
After the Hamas attack last month, I knew that I could not bear to see the videos or images of civilian victims of the fighting in Israel and Gaza.I know firsthand what it is like to be taken hostage.Do you know about Hostage US?
Hostage US is a 501c3 organization that ensures American hostages, wrongful detainees and their families get the support and guidance they need to survive the challenge of a kidnapping.Did you know the NYAHN offers KfR (Kidnap for Ransom) Training?
6. Cops open fire on hostage-taking kidnappers after 4-hour standoff in victim’s semi-truck: video
A multi-county police chase turned into a 4-hour hostage standoff in the middle of an Ohio highway before cops opened fire on the two suspects, who later died Wednesday morning.
Harrowing footage showed several Ohio Highway Patrol Troopers in tactical gear approach the hijacked semi-truck in an attempt to free the driver, who was believed to have been held hostage inside by a 54-year-old man and his 51-year-old wife.
7. Man arrested at Hamburg Airport (Germany) after nearly 18-hour hostage standoff
BERLIN (AP) — The hostage situation at Hamburg Airport ended Sunday afternoon, around 18 hours after a man drove his vehicle through the gates of the airport with his 4-year-old daughter inside, authorities said. The man was arrested and the girl appears to be unharmed.8. Nebraska police standoff ends with arrest and safe hostage release
The man backed out of plans to release the woman multiple times during negotiations with an FBI hostage rescue team and other law enforcement officials, Overman said. The man shot about seven rounds at law enforcement during the standoff.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/hostage-standoff-nebraska-police-2121f657c6bd985f492af068020b9fe1
9. Manhunt for Ohio murder suspect ends with hostage situation and deadly standoff at gas station in West Virginia
Kenova Police Chief Bob Sullivan told CBS affiliate WOWK-TV that a hostage negotiator with the West Virginia State Police Special Response Team talked with Maynard for an hour and a half.
EVENTS
(Green = I'm speaking at it)NTOA - Nov. 13-16
ADVANCED CRISIS NEGOTIATOR COURSE: Suicide, Depression & Anxiety - Understanding the Research to Save Lives
December 5 - CT
December 6 - MA
https://www.necna.com/
7th Annual NYPD & NYAHN Training Seminar
April 28, 2024 to May 1, 2024
Boise Convention Centre & The Grove Hotel
Boise, Idaho
16th Annual NYAHN Conference - Rochester NY
https://www.nyahn.net/training/detail/26
2024 ICNA CONFERENCE
Sept. 23-27, 2024
EMBASSY SUITES, EAST PEORIA
Hostages, SWAT officer, suspect dead in Austin, TX, after maniac traps victims
A deranged man barricaded in a house in Austin, Texas with two hostages opened fire on police officers and killed a member of a SWAT team.
The violence unfolded in South Austin around 4 a.m. when Austin Police SWAT officers forced entry into the home where the maniac was allegedly armed with a knife and gun and had trapped hostages, Interim Chief of Police Robin Henderson announced at a press conference on Saturday morning.
Read more: https://nypost.com/2023/11/11/news/four-dead-in-austin-texas-hostage-situation/
Thursday, March 30, 2023
Crisis Hostage Negotiation Newsletter [March, 2023]
10 years of the (free) Crisis Negotiator Skills Sheet
It's been 10 years since I created the above skills sheet. Just a reminder, it's 100% free for you to use with your police negotiation teams. If you want the PDF, just email me.
Amazon delivery driver goes viral for dropping off package during a police standoff in North Carolina
The video, posted on March 18, the Amazon worker is seen toting a small box up to the driveway where the apparent standoff is taking place, taking officers by surprise. As soon as they see him, they tell him to stop...The True Story Behind ‘Waco: American Apocalypse’
“The feeling of being able to save a life at the end of it is actually very rewarding. That’s why our negotiators keep doing this year after year.”
Papua New Guinea hostage taking a ‘spur of the moment decision’
The decision to take the Australian-based New Zealand archaeologist Prof Bryce Barker and his research team hostage near remote Mount Bosavi in Papua New Guinea was a “spur of the moment” decision by their captors, two of whom had been shot in an earlier encounter with security guards at a logging site.4 Keys to Responding to a Child Expressing Thoughts of Suicide
Tips that can help both in your work and personal livesHere are some thoughts to ground you in those first critical moments when your child makes a declaration or when you become aware that they are struggling with suicidal ideation. These thoughts should help you respond in the most supportive way...
Niger Credited With Negotiating Release of US Aid Worker, French Journalist
Sharpen Those Skills
I'm not sure if you've heard of the "13 Behaviors of High-Trust Leaders" but if you'd like, have a look and reflect on how each, when practiced, can make you both a better negotiator and member of your team.
- Are you on LinkedIn? It would be great to connect there too. Have a look at some of my recent NASA research shared there.
Research
- An entire issue dedicated to police wellness: Journal of Community Safety and Well-being (free access too!) (Coming soon!) Hostage negotiator resilience: A phenomenological study of awe
- Increasing Crisis Hostage Negotiator Effectiveness: Embracing Awe and Other Resilience Practices (2022)
- Awe: Helping Leaders Address Modern Problems (2022)
- “The More You Do, the More Comfortable You Feel”: the Police Hostage and Crisis Negotiator Journey (2022)
- Crisis (hostage) negotiators weigh in: the skills, behaviors, and qualities that characterize an expert crisis negotiator (2017)
Trainings, workshops, conferences, and more (April - June)
- April 4 and 5th: Resilience Workshops for Police (multiple locations in Maryland, email me for info - it's free for police)
- April 14: Tennessee Association of Professional Mediators
- April 24 -27: Colorado Emergency Services Public Information Officers Association
- May 1-3: New England Crisis Negotiators Association
- May 16: Law Enforcement Stress Awareness & Suicide Prevention Summit (free for police, Putnam, NY)
- May 21-24: Law Enforcement and Public Health Conference (Umea, Sweden)
- June 5-9: Florida Association of Hostage Negotiators Conference (June 5-9)
- June 17: NYU 1-Day Course, Modern Leadership: A Goal-Focused & Human-Centered Approach
- See what Scott Tilema is up to in the coming months
- See what Andy Young is up to in the coming months
- See what Crisis Systems Management is up to in the coming months
- SAFELEO Executive Police Trainings
- April 12: Oklahoma Crisis Negotiators Conference
- April 17-21: LLRMI/Mark Lowther 5-Day Basic Course (Birmingham, AL)
- April 24: PATC Hostage Negotiators Conference (Las Vegas)
- April 25-26: Arizona Tactical Officers Association Hostage Negotiator Conference
- April 24-26: Illinois Association of Hostage Negotiators Conference
- May 22-26: Big Sky Negotiators Round-up (Montana)
- May 24-26: NYAHN Conference
- Did I miss your event? Send me an email and I'll include it in an upcoming newsletter.
Tuesday, January 17, 2023
Crisis Hostage Negotiator Newsletter - January 2023
Happy new year everyone. I hope the new year is off to a great start for each of you. Make sure to have a look at each story below, I think they are all worth it. One of the best ways to stay sharp is reading!
Last month we held our 3rd annual Resilience Symposium where for the latest version, we had space experts from NASA and other organizations share about their great work and resilience. A bunch of video snippets and full sessions have already been uploaded. Take just over one minute to watch this one - I think it will resonate with many of you.
- Long Island (NY)
- New Hampshire
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Maryland
(From the article) 90% either always or usually debrief after an incident. This highlights the importance of reflecting afterwards on what worked and did not work in order to improve effectiveness for the next incident. Experts in crisis incidents do not “wing it.” Rather, they know what works, how it works, and analyze incidents afterwards in order to continue doing what is effective and know what is not effective so they can try to avoid it next time.
Read the article at Psychology Today here.
Mississippi police kill woman holding hostage inside Walmart store and demanding to speak to a news anchor
3. Be Honest
Trust me when I say people can see through falsehoods, sooner or later. If you’re trying to buy time or mislead the attacker, it can cause them to cut off communications, and that’s the last thing you want. So, be honest and tell them that you need time to arrange the money. Or, you can even tell them that their demands are beyond your capacity. This sort of blunt honesty might bring you closer to finalizing a deal.
(Movie Review) 'The Point Men' recounts S. Korean hostage crisis in Afghanistan
"The Point Men" sheds light on the 2007 South Korean hostage crisis in Afghanistan by focusing on the desperate rescue efforts, walking the fine line between what happened on stage and behind the scenes.
...In July 2007, 23 South Korean missionaries are taken hostage by the Taliban, and a South Korean negotiation team is dispatched to Afghanistan.
Northeastern professor’s new book trains crisis negotiators for life-or-death calls
“From these maps,” Kevoe-Feldman says, “we can identify specific patterns and communication practices that work well, and we can pinpoint points of miscommunication.”
Did you know? Hostage negotiators sharpen their skills in San Marcos
The training this week at Texas State University this year attracted almost 30 hostage negotiation teams from across the U.S. and from as far away as Singapore.
Read more from CBS Austin.
...The abductor directed her to bring the money to Adama without stating where. As soon as they have the money, her brother will be released, the abductor said.
The conversation went on. “I’ve never seen that much money. How am I going to get you this right now?” she asked. The kidnapper immediately lost interest in continuing the conversation. She insisted on engaging in bargaining, giving her a little bit more time to speak.
Tuesday, October 18, 2022
Crisis Hostage Negotiation Newsletter [Oct. 18, 2022]
Hello everyone,
If you read one article, make it this first one below. Just a quick disclaimer as it can be triggering for some as it talks about the horrors of policing, and specific examples this Aussie negotiator went through. Ultimately, know that his story is one of hope.
And, let it serve as a reminder, we are humans doing incredible work but we are human nonetheless. It's ok to reach out for help because after all, that is what real strength is and each of you have it in you.
Before moving on, one quick announcement. I am happy to officially announce for the 3rd straight year, the resilience symposium will be back. This year's theme is:
2022 Resilience Symposium: In Awe of Space
In this year's 2-day virtual event you will learn about the awe-inspiring work of current and former NASA employees as well as other space experts. Last year we had over 1,000 attendees from +30 countries. This year it will once again be free to attend.Last month, a ransomware negotiator working for a European manufacturing company received an unexpected chat message from the intruders who’d hacked his client.
The negotiator, who spoke to Bloomberg on the condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to discuss the incident, is among a growing field of security pros who help companies that are victims of ransomware attacks haggle with the hackers, trying to convince them to reduce their demands.
Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan could be home by end of year, hostage negotiator Bill Richardson says
“At some point are you thinking I can’t believe this is happening? Repeatedly I thought it,” said Gabi Silver, attorney who negotiated with shooter.
Thursday, July 7, 2022
Crisis Hostage Negotiation Newsletter [07.07.22]
Increasing Crisis Hostage Negotiator Effectiveness: Embracing Awe and Other Resilience Practices
This exploratory Article examines the skills that make law enforcement negotiators effective and proposes how experiencing awe and a variety of other resilience practices can potentially enhance their abilities.
Read more HERE, share your thoughts on the LinkedIn post HERE.
Police officers pose as TV news crew to end hostage situation
The suspect agreed to release his hostage on one condition: a news crew would broadcast his complaints.
In compelling new film Hold Your Fire, a siege that pitted black robbers against white US police led to an unlikely outcome.
Columbus PD’s Hostage Crisis Negotiation Team sees high success rate over the last decade
“One thing you got to have is dedicated people, and we do. I’m just fortunate that we have good people on this team, and it doesn’t come down to me. It’s a team effort, and it doesn’t matter if I’m doing the negotiating or somebody else on the team; when we get this person to come out, it’s a win for all of us. So, it’s not it’s not me. It’s the team that should take the credit for it,” Lt. McCarty shares.
Gladbeck: The Hostage Crisis Review: 54 Hours Of Horror, Straight Out Of A Movie
Gladbeck: The Hostage Crisis is a true-crime documentary released on Netflix on 8 June 2022. The hostage crisis actually happened in 1988, in West Germany and the documentary is entirely made from real footage from media and CCTV cameras. It is directed by Volker Heise and shows how two criminals rob a bank, take two hostages and embark on an odyssey across Germany.
Crisis negotiation – what I learned from my first deployment
Sergeant Ben Hanson, South Yorkshire Police (United Kingdom)
An acute crisis incident occurred in which the subject, a young woman, was sitting on the edge of the top floor of a 19-storey car park.
I joined a colleague (Negotiator 1), who had been with me on my national course. This was our first full-on crisis deployment and, as I arrived, I had a good idea of how he might be feeling.
Looking up at the car park, I could see how high it was. I’m not great with heights. I could feel the fear rising as the adrenaline coursed through me, but I just had to suck it up and get on with it.
Once I got to the top, my training kicked in. I knew the risk was extremely high, as the subject was regularly moving, as if to jump. Her welfare was of paramount importance, and so we intervened regularly to distract her from jumping.
Multi-agency crisis negotiation course begins at training center in Oriskany (NY)
Crisis negotiators from police agencies across the state gathered at the New York State Preparedness Center in Oriskany on Wednesday for the start of the first-ever advanced crisis negotiation course.
The course trains negotiators on best practices to deescalate tense situations through the use of real-world scenarios, like someone acting manic or threatening suicide while armed.
"We are all very fortunate to have the State Preparedness Center up here, it is top notch, it is right in our backyard and you got instructors from all over the state," said Sgt. Benny Perra of the Utica Police Department. "It is just a wealth of knowledge up here and we are just looking to advance our skills as crisis negotiators."
IS terrorists who kidnapped James Foley ignored efforts to negotiate, court hears
The Islamic State terrorists who kidnapped American journalist James Foley never made serious attempts to negotiate a ransom before brutally executing him, family members have told a court.
Read more HERE.
Journalists will be safer if US changes tack on kidnapping
The American no-concessions approach could be justified if it made Americans safer, as President Obama argued. But there is little evidence that this is the case. Numerous studies have concluded that kidnapping is largely a crime of opportunity—terrorist groups generally nab foreign hostages without checking passports.
Brian Jenkins, a former US Green Beret and current Rand Corporation analyst—and one of the nation’s leading experts on hostage policy—put it this way: “The most powerful determinant of whether or not there will be further kidnappings is not the policy of the government, but the fate of kidnappers or their organization. If kidnappers are apprehended and appropriately punished…then kidnapping will decline. If this is not done, then it does not make any difference what the policy is.”
Wednesday, May 4, 2022
Crisis Hostage Negotiation Newsletter [May 4, 2022]
Manhunts: A Role for Crisis Negotiators
Over the last 20 years, the FBI’s Crisis Negotiation Unit (CNU) has been involved in several significant, internationally known manhunt investigations, including those targeting the Washington, D.C., snipers and the Boston Marathon bombers. With today’s cell phones and social media, crisis negotiators have enhanced the goals of law enforcement in manhunts.
This article addresses several methods negotiators can use to increase the likelihood of apprehending subjects and reduce the risk to law enforcement. Additionally, the authors offer case examples to illustrate lessons learned and best practices...
I highly recommend you read this full article from the FBI Bulletin here
What Trevor Reed Reveals about Joe Biden’s Cautious Approach to Releasing American Hostages
Reed had spent nearly 3 years in a Russian jail after being arrested in 2019 on charges of assaulting police in Moscow....
Read more from Time.com here
In Nigeria, A Hostage Negotiator's Big Test: Freeing His Wife
By using a psychological technique called the Forer effect (named after psychologist Bertram Forer), which often involves making flattering but general statements about the person you're trying to influence, you can quickly develop a rapport with people--and you can get them to open up. It's a trick that Washington, D.C., publicist Adele Cehrs and New York City-based former FBI crisis hostage negotiator Chip Massey commonly teach clients through their consulting firm, Convincing Company.
Five Lessons from Drug Dealers and Hostage Negotiators
A source close to Griner also confirmed Monday that former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson, who has worked privately for years as an international hostage negotiator, agreed to work on Griner's case last week. Experts have said Richardson's involvement would be a crucial sign that her case has moved into a new realm.
Until now, Griner's personal team had followed State Department advice to keep a low profile so as not to make her a more valuable asset to Vladimir Putin's government.
“We really have to meet people with a sense of human-ness,” she explained. “We’re not really there trying to be like ‘Who, what, when, why and where?’ That traditional cop.”
The team receives about 30 calls a year...
Read more and watch the video at Kgun9.com here
Research: Current trends in hostage/crisis negotiation nomenclature and training
In addition to the previous eligibility requirements, over 43% of respondents stated that their teams allowed specific non-sworn members to join their negotiation teams, with psychologists (30%) and dispatchers (12%) forming the largest groups.
11 Hours of Fear, Negotiation and Finally, Relief
The F.B.I. identified Malik Faisal Akram, a British national, as the man who took hostages in a Texas synagogue on Saturday. He was killed during the rescue operation
“The negotiation team had a high frequency and duration of contact with him,” Mr. DeSarno said. There were times when the communication ceased, he said. The “relationship” between Mr. Akram and the negotiators, according to Mr. DeSarno, “ebbed and flowed a little bit” and sometimes “got intense.”
Read more from the NYTimes.com here
Events:
Sunday, December 26, 2021
Crisis Hostage Negotiation Newsletter [December 26, 2021]
UN lockdown: NYPD take man with gun into custody following hours-long negotiations
What is a Good Question?
Check out this snippet from the world of "narrative medicine." I've found the best way to keep myself sharp with my crisis communication skills is by exploring how the skills are used outside my direct profession. Note the caption below (and I suggest you read the whole article) on being curious leads to being genuine and not just asking the "right questions" but asking them the "right" way:Patients often report that it wasn’t the questioning that helped most in a conversation (at least so far as they can remember) but the overall stance of curiosity in their interviewer. Indeed, we have often seen clunky questions do the trick so long as the interviewer was genuinely engaged and curious. ‘Text book’ questioning can achieve nothing at all if delivered in a way that seems rehearsed or inauthentic.
I'm a SPF crisis negotiator. This is what it's like handling suicide interventions & prolonged stand-offs.
Superintendent McIntyre Rosie Ann, who has been with the Crisis Negotiation Unit since 2012, offers her perspective on these life-threatening situations.Abducted Haiti missionaries describe daring escape
Twelve missionaries who were abducted in Haiti managed to get away on their own, their organisation has said.The group escaped their captors at night and used the stars for navigation to trek through dense bush for hours, a spokesman said.
...The gang that seized them had demanded a ransom of $1m (£740,000) per hostage. It is not clear if any money was paid.
Moonshine stills and a marijuana grow found after Wednesday’s Harrah standoff, negotiator describes sequence of events
Awe & Wonder
Negotiators Getting Promoted
Keechant Sewell to Become First Woman to Lead N.Y.P.DDoes the US pay ransom for kidnapped Americans?
[More]
Concord police tout Crisis Negotiation Team
Deputies Take Different Approach To Law Enforcement Through New Program“
Thursday, February 18, 2021
An Executive Guide to Successful Cyber Extortion Negotiation
Are You Extortion-Ready? An Executive Guide to Successful Cyber Extortion Negotiation
(Via Fireeye): Cyber extortion incidences are increasing at an unprecedented rate, and with them, crypto-extortion demands are skyrocketing. Negotiations often lead to cyber claims of $1 million or more, not to mention a host of legal issues. When the worst happens, you need to know how to respond, and how to determine when the time is right to engage external counsel. This panel discussion will walk through a successful intelligence-led cyber extortion event, highlight best practices for those first critical hours, and give you the information you need to empower your organization against a malicious adversary.
Panel:
Kimberly Horn, Global Claims Team Leader, Cyber & Tech Claims – Beazley (Moderator)
Navid Jam, Managing Director, Mandiant Consulting – FireEye
Steven B. Roosa, Head of NRF Digital Analytics and Technology Assessment Platform, United States – Norton Rose
Bill Siegel, CEO, Co-Founder – Coveware