Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Talk the talk: negotiation with Somali pirates




“Somali pirates can be clever, aggressive negotiators and they are quick to take advantage if they see weakness,” says Mr Edwards.

“You have to be robust, but at the same time you have got to show that you understand how the negotiation process works.”

In agreeing the price of exchange and executing the deal, there is a world of pitfalls and subterfuge. And after five years of dealing with hijackings off the Somali coast, Leslie Edwards has learnt nearly every pirate trick in the book.
These days, whenever the former British Army officer is called in to negotiate a ransom, he brings a checklist of “pirate tactics” with him.
So far he has counted 37 different ruses and manoeuvres. Some are more sophisticated than others, but all are designed to strike fear into the ship owners he works for and, ultimately, drive up the price paid.

Read more from the Telegraph.co.uk [HERE]

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

How To Negotiate With A Terrorist Organization


This is from earlier in the year but worth listening to anyway to get insight on negotiation strategies regarding ransom and terrorist incidents.

Enjoy:




(Via HereAndNow.WBUR.org) Nigerian officials believe the nearly 300 schoolgirls kidnapped by the Islamist extremist group Boko Haram have been split up and sent out of the country.
Hostage negotiators will be among the team of experts the U.S. is sending to Nigeria to help find them.
Clint Van Zandt is the FBI’s former chief hostage negotiator and he tells Here & Now’s Robin Young that the U.S. negotiators must first locate a Boko Haram member with authority to broker a deal.
Van Zandt says then they will advise on any ransom demands and most likely negotiate through a third party, like a family or company.

Friday, December 4, 2015

WSHNA 2016 Conference

WESTERN STATES HOSTAGE NEGOTIATORS’ ASSOCIATION
WSHNA is on Facebook or www.wshna.com
Next Conference - April 24 to April 27, 2016
Riverhouse Hotel & Convention Center, Bend, Oregon

PRESS RELEASE

The Western States Hostage Negotiators' Association (WSHNA) is excited to announce
their 30th Annual Training Conference and host to the Annual Meeting of the National
Council of Negotiation Associations (NCNA).
April 24, 2016 to April 27th, 2016 at the Riverhouse Hotel &
Convention Center, Bend, Oregon

Full information at www.wshna.com. WSHNA is also on Facebook under our full name.
Our web site includes presenter information, hotel information, and on-line registration
and payment.

The goal of the association is to develop in members a higher degree of proficiency in the
performance of their professional duties. The association shall provide training for members,
and the association shall act as a resource and conduit for information sharing.
WSHNA depends upon your involvement as a member to accomplish these goals. WSHNA
represents police & corrections crisis negotiators from Alaska, British Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho,
Montana, Nevada, Oregon, & Washington.

WSHNA is recognized as a tax exempt, non-profit organization, 501(c)(3), by the Internal
Revenue Service and Washington State. Tax numbers are available upon request.

Conference Contact Information
Sgt. Dan Ritchie, dritchie@bendoregon.gov

Organizational Contact Information
Bruce A. Wind, Director of Communications
2416 46th AVE SE, Puyallup, WA 98374-4181
email at bawind@comcast.net (preferred) or 253-446-6119