Entry #9: Sometimes they just want a beer

Every hostage situation is its own beast, as is every criminal. Some captors want money, some want political change, other just want a beer. I can remember an incident where all that the criminal wanted was the latter.

Years ago, I was the negotiator on shift at the time a metro bus driver killed his girlfriend at the bus station and then drove a bus full of passengers to his home and barricaded himself in his house.

I talked to the man for over an hour and had him ready to put down his gun and come out. All the man wanted in return for his compliance...an ice-cold beer. Problem is, it is against protocol to give subject’s drugs or alcohol in exchange for anything. Although I knew it was against the rules, I proposed the deal to the highest-ranking officer on scene, who quickly dismissed the exchange. To circumvent the rule, I suggested that we give him a bottle of bud filled with non-alcoholic beer, so the criminal thought he got what he wanted and the situation would be ended peacefully. The ranking officer still sighted protocol and in the end, ordered the subject to be neutralized. This was an exceptionally hard outcome to deal with because I had the guy right there, ready to put down his weapon and come out. It’s one case that’s stuck with me to this day. But rules are rules and you can’t pick and choose which ones you’re going to follow. Because the one exception to the rule doesn’t compensate for the 99 other times when following the code of conduct can save someone’s life.

Entry #8: The Big Questions

When a member of the NYPD Hostage Negotiating Team arrives on a fresh crime scene, things can be pretty chaotic. In order to sort through the madness and get the situation under control, the first thing a negotiator will do is question the first officer to arrive on scene. This is important in case they have established communication with the hostage taker. It is equally important that a negotiator asks the right questions. What type of questions do we ask? Ones that can provide us with the most amount of information, in as short a period of time as possible.

1) What has occurred?
2) Are there injuries to any of the parties involved?
3) What kind of contact has been made with the suspect?
4) Is the situation locked in? (contained)
5) Are the suspects located?
6) Are the hostages located?
7) Where are the non-hostages?
8) What firearms are used/located on site?
9) What explosives or chemicals are located on site?
10) What is the description/profile of the hostage taker.

A checklist of questions such as these is crucial, since arriving at a crime scene is a lot like walking into the middle of a movie and not knowing the beginning. The questions provide negotiators with all the knowledge we need to create a profile of the subject, establish contact and strike up a rapport with the criminal. Like in most circumstances…knowledge is power.

Entry #7: All for one, and one for all

Former Hostage Negotiator with the NYPD Hostage Negotiation Unit Many people make the mistake of thinking that a hostage situation is run by a lone negotiator. This is absolutely not the case. Every hostage situation is handled by a team of three highly skilled negotiators: the Primary Negotiator, The Coach and The Floater. Each of these individuals has an equally important role within the trio and the roles are interchangeable.

THE PRIMARY NEGOTIATOR is the one who does the talking. It is their job to touch base with the hostage taker and develop a rapport. The Primary must get the captors respect and confidence so they can get them on an even keel, and make the negotiations go as smooth as humanly possible.

THE FLOATER is the one who literally floats around the scene of the crime, gathering intelligence from law enforcement and civilians. The Floater will find out how many hostages there are, how many weapons the hostage taker has, as well as their personal story from friends, family or neighbours that are in the crowd. They will then relay this information to the Coach.

THE COACH is the team member that takes in all of the information given by the floater and condenses it down into straight forward background on the hostage taker, as well as potential talking points. They stick by the primary’s side throughout the duration of the standoff, literally coaching them through the ordeal from start to finish. As mentioned earlier, although each person occupies only one role during a hostage negotiation, each member must possess the necessary skills to undertake all three roles: since no two negotiations are ever the same. One team member may be best suited to take the role of primary, because of some common ground they have with the criminal. This could be anything from language or ethnicity - to creed or sex. It’s crucial for negotiators to get all of the information before selecting roles, so we can create the most effective team and get everyone out of the situation alive. On the NYPD Hostage Unit , it truly is all for one, and one for all.

Entry #6: Held Not Against Their Will

Many things can go wrong during a hostage situation. The hostages can panic and try to fight or flee. The hostage takers could lose their cool and start killing hostages, and in some instances, the hostages even side with the captor. Although not a common occurrence, hostages side with or feel compassion for their captors 27% of the time. This is known as “Stockholm Syndrome”. It gets its name from the famous hostage situation that took place at a bank in the Swedish city in August of 1973. In this case, the victims became attached to the captors over the 6 day ordeal and even defended them after they were released. The whole event was quite remarkable. After the victims were released, they were hugging and kissing their captors as they were being carted away. One woman hostage even said that she was in love with the bank robber and would wait for him to be released from prison so they could get married. Why? Expert’s opinions vary over why the attachment is formed. Some say that psychologically, because the captor had life-and-death control over the victim and allowed the victim to survive, they earned a sort of everlasting gratitude. Others think that it could be that they agree with what the captors stand for. Whatever the case, it just goes to show you that absolutely anything can go wrong during a hostage situation.

Entry #5: Sometimes You Have to Dryclean the Brain

Most people don’t realize the success rate for a peaceful resolution in hostage negotiation is quite high – I’d put it at 96%-97%. In fact, in my entire career I only had three incidents where there the hostage taker had to be neutralized. I still think about those three situations all the time and contemplate what I could have done differently. At the NYPD, hostage negotiators use the term ‘dryclean the brain’ – just our way of cleaning the slate and keeping professional distance from the emotional baggage that follows each crisis situation. I guess in the same way that doctors try and keep emotional separation from their patients. Sometimes it’s easier said than done. But for every 3 unfortunate resolutions there are 97 that end the right way. And even though there’s no bonus for a job well done in my profession, I can tell you there’s no better feeling than a heartfelt thank-you when you save someone’s life.

Entry #4: Uncovering the Unknown

Former Hostage Negotiator with the NYPD Hostage Negotiation Unit Never assume you know everything about a hostage situation. As a negotiator, you have to constantly be gathering more information to eliminate the unknown. Case in point: Years ago we were trying to resolve a hostage situation at an apartment complex in Brooklyn. We had no visual intelligence of what was happening inside because the curtains were drawn. The hostage taker would come to the window and utter threats, then a few minutes later the hostage would get put on display. But they were never together. So we quietly drilled a small hole into the room from the apartment next door. We inserted one of those small surgical cameras through the hole into the apartment to give us a better idea of what was going on inside. What we saw next I’ll never forget. The hostage taker and the hostage were in fact, the same person. The guy had split personality disorder and when he changed personalities, he would change his wardrobe and appearance. It was unbelievable to watch as one side of his personality was holding the other hostage.

We resolved the situation without the man doing any harm to himself. But it was a strong reminder that there’s never any routine to this profession. Every incident is its own beast.

Entry #3: How bacon can save a life.

A hostage negotiator must always remember that anything the hostage taker wants is a negotiation for the release of a hostage. One of the most effective ways to do this is to take a hostage taker’s mind off the issue at hand and get them thinking about something else that’s important – HUNGER.

Anytime there was a crisis situation in an office building, one of the tactics we used to employ was frying up a few packs of bacon. We’d get the aroma flowing through the air ducts and it wasn’t long before the request for food came in. And of course, when there’s a request for something, it’s always a leverage point for negotiation. “You want food? Ok, but give us two hostages.”

We always give them doughy food with lots of carbs to get them tired. Keep the salad at bay!

Entry #2 - "Never try to be the hero"

People always ask me what they should do if they ever find themselves in a hostage situation. Luckily the chances are remote (I’d put it somewhere in the realm of getting hit by lighting, but that’s just a guess. Don’t quote me on that). But if you ever do find yourself in such a situation, here’s what to do and more importantly, what not to do:

1. REMAIN CALM - The first 10-30 minutes of a situation is when the hostage taker is most
volatile and when rash decisions are made. Reacting emotionally puts you at risk when a
hostage taker is trying to gain order and control.

2. ACCEPT THE SITUATION – The faster you can accept the reality of the situation, the
easier it will be for you to be rationale in your thoughts and what to do. Denial and emotion is
a dangerous combination. Be patient, and be prepared to be there for a long time.

3. NEVER TRY TO BE THE HERO – Your value to a hostage taker is going along with what
he wants. When you challenge him, you instantly become a liability and put everyone else at
risk too.

4. TELL THEM YOU HAVE MEDICAL ISSUES – Hostage takers want healthy hostages that
are low maintenance. Medical issues like diabetes, asthma, late-term pregnancy make things
more complicated. Those people are the ones most likely to be given up by a hostage taker
in negotiations with police.

5. BE OBSERVANT – Make note of what’s happening around you because you never know
when you could be put on a phone to talk to police for a few precious seconds to ‘prove’
you’re OK. The information you share could save your life.

6. PREPARE TO ANSWER YES OR NO QUESTIONS – Further to #5, negotiators are trained
to get the most information out of you in the shortest time. Asking “Yes” or “No” questions
gives them instant facts and keeps things cryptic for a hostage taker who may be listening
nearby.

7. IF THERE’S A CONFRONTATION, HIT THE GROUND – At some point the Commander of
the hostage situation may make a decision that the best chance for preserving human life is
by force. We call this a “Dynamic Entry”. If the SWAT team comes in, do one thing and one
thing only – hit the dirt and pray.

Entry #1: "Being a negotiator is a very complex job"

Wally Zeins, Former Hostage Negotiator with the NYPD Hostage Negotiation Unit.
Being a negotiator is a very complex job. Needless to say when you’re in a hostile situation
with lives at stake, there’s lots of variables at play. Next time you watch Flashpoint, pay
attention to the personality type of Sgt Greg Parker (played by Enrico Colantoni). Below are
what I consider to be 5 of the most important factors required to be an effective negotiator:

1. Life Experience
Successful negotiation tactics are all about being able to quickly identify with the hostage
taker. The more you’ve seen and experienced in the world, the better your chances of being
able to relate to the hostage taker and his state of mind.

2. Patience
This goes without saying, of course. In a long, drawn-out crisis situation it’s important to stay
focused on preserving life because it’s the small victories and breakthroughs with a hostage
taker that are what keep you going. Sometimes there are strong pressures from your side to
resolve the situation quickly. But negotiators always live by the mantra of “as long as it
takes”.

3. Balance
Successful negotiators can be either extroverts like me, or more introverted like my old
partner Jack Cambria, who currently serves as the Commander of the NYPD Hostage
Negotiation Unit in New York. Whatever the case, the most important thing is to be able to
keep things on an even keel. Two factors are always at play in a negotiation with a hostage
taker: emotion and rationality. If one is up, the other is down. That’s when things become
dangerous. You always want to keep things on an equal balance.

4. Empathy
Most hostage takers take such drastic measures because they don’t feel they are being
listened to, or are getting a fair shake from the world. Nine times out of ten just being a good
listener and showing genuine empathy towards someone can go a long way.

5. Perspective
Negotiators have this saying: “We must dryclean our brains after each incident. “It’s one of
the ways we cope with situations that don’t resolve like we want them to. Sure, it’s
important to stay professional, but it’s also important to not be too hard on yourself and
acknowledge the fact that you’re human. We all are.

Wally Zeins is a hostage negotiation expert and contributor to CBS News/48 Hours, CNN, FOX and Court TVas well as local TV and radio, as well as Former Lead Negotiator for the New York City Police Department’s Hostage Negotiating Team. Also Designated Commanding Officer of the NYPD Hostage Negotiating Team during the World Trade Center attacks.