NCJ Number
122077
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 56 Issue: 11 Dated: (November 1989) Pages: 59-61
Date Published
1989
Length
3 pages
Annotation
A number of factors determine whether or not a police chief should assume command at a hostage site, but should the chief assume command, he/she must know the capabilities of the personnel on the scene and know how to use them effectively.
Abstract
If the chief does not intend to take full charge of the situation, he/she should not be present at the scene, since the command-level officers charged with making on-site decisions will be inhibited in their decisionmaking. One drawback to the chief's presence on the scene is that it undermines the negotiator's strategy of stalling for time by referring hostage taker requests to the chief at a more distant location. Should the chief assume command at the scene, the first step is to establish and maintain a command post within the outer perimeter out of sight of the crisis point. The command post should not be moved unless the incident becomes mobile. The chief must then ensure that the appropriate resources have been called to the scene. This includes negotiators, tactical personnel, and other officers in sufficient number to handle all aspects of the incident. The negotiators should be in a location close to, but not within, the command post. Under no circumstances should the chief perform the negotiations. The preferable method is for the chief to assign someone to monitor the negotiations and provide periodic updates. The chief should never be exposed to the offender in any way.