NCJ Number
202407
Journal
FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Volume: 72 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2003 Pages: 27-31
Date Published
October 2003
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the rationale for as well as the benefits and format for negotiation position papers (NPP's), which help crisis negotiators express their positions clearly and concisely in writing during a hostage or barricade incident.
Abstract
NPP's serve as visual aids to complement briefings between the crisis negotiation coordinator and the on-scene commander; however, NPP's should not be used as substitutes for briefings. NPP's help negotiators express their positions clearly and concisely during an incident. NPP's help ensure that all personnel involved in a crisis incident understand the tactics and content of any negotiation. They provide written reinforcement of the crisis negotiation coordinator's oral briefing to the on-scene commander. The benefits of NPP's are the enhancement of teamwork, communication, and documentation. In the latter case, NPP's provide a document on the crisis negotiation team's assessments and strategy recommendations throughout entire incidents. In addition to providing identifying information for the incident, the NPP format should contain a preamble to the body of the NPP to show the number of contacts, their times, and the types of information upon which the NPP is based. The body of the NPP should be in three major sections: status, assessment, and recommendations. The status section should summarize the current situation, based upon the most recent intelligence, along with the latest contacts with the subject. The assessment should explain whether the negotiation team is dealing with a hostage, nonhostage (barricade with victims), lone barricade, or suicide situation. The assessment should also offer an opinion as to whether the subject appears capable of violent behavior, apparent motivations, the perceived threat level, demands, and subject-negotiator rapport. The section of recommendations should outline the negotiation strategy recommended, with an emphasis on what the team hopes to achieve during its next contact. This section is also used in advising the on-scene commander that a command decision may be required before pursuing a specific strategy. The on-scene commander must provide clear negotiation guidelines that the crisis negotiation team must follow. 1 note