Join us for a fresh new line up of case studies and topics!
Featured Presentations
State vs. Sands: A Negotiation Retrospective
Rachel de la Torre, Queen Creek Police Department
In May of 1982, a six-day event in Pima County, Arizona resulted in some of the most important case law involving hostage negotiation and involved one of the nation's most famous law enforcement psychologists, Dr. Kevin Gilmartin. This retrospective provides an overview of the event involving domestic assault, 4 children being held ‘hostage’, incident disengagement, the use of a mental health professional as a hostage negotiator and the legal liability associated with promises of immunity.
True story behind the movie “Breaking”
Presented by: Lt Patrick Doering, Lake St. Louis Police Department
This brand-new presentation in tells the true story behind the movie “Breaking”. This incident involves a veteran who was dealing with mental health issues and having difficulties with Veterans Affairs. He walked into a local bank and held two bank teller’s hostage while claiming he had explosives in his backpack. This case study features audio and video recordings of the incident, interviews with the hostages, sniper, and the crisis negotiator.
Las Vegas Metro – 29 hours Hostage Rescue
Presented by: Lt Nate Chio, Las Vegas Metro Police Department
In 2021, the LVMPD was involved in a hostage crisis event which lasted 29 hours; the longest in the history of the department. The subject, who was suspected in two recent homicides, engaged in a physical confrontation with a patrol officer and then fled into a hotel room where he barricaded himself and then cut his way into an adjacent hotel room which was occupied by a woman and a small child. This case study provides details of the stand-off including the rescue of the small child and then later, the woman.
Not “Check Box” Training: Real Practices in Resilience for Hostage Negotiators
Dr. Jeff Thompson, NYPD (Retired)
The work of police hostage negotiators is tense, stressful, anxiety-filled, and is often unpredictable. When not properly handled, it can have a detrimental impact on a negotiator's emotional, cognitive, and behavioral health.
Fortunately, research has also shown that certain practices can increase one’s focus, calm, inner strength, resilience, and create overall better mental health coping strategies. This workshop explores the science behind a collection of resilience practices that have already been embraced by negotiators across the country and world (including the FBI, NYPD, Toronto, and New Zealand).
These practices can increase your negotiator effectiveness and your personal resilience.
As with real resilience, no workshop, book, podcast, or article enhances resilience. This only occurs by doing it and practicing it so come to this (very) interactive presentation where you will get to participate in many exercises. Everyone deserves to have positive mental health and that certainly includes hostage negotiators.