Mind Barrier in Dealing with Hostage Takers
furtherance of political or social objectives.
Law enforcers will have to discover the hostage
takers intentions and objectives.
The demands and needs of the hostage takers
must be determined.
Negotiations means to talk, stalling and talking
is actually of good help.
In most cases involving hostages, time has been
found to be an asset and alloy because of the
following reasons:
The more time that elapses, the more time the
hostage taker will have to think about his
predicament.
With little persuasion the hostage taker may
feels downright uncomfortable.
Time reduces anxiety as long as overt aggressive
acts are committed.
The hostage taker can be starved out and sleep
for him to eventually catch up.
The hostages might even take advantageous of
such lapses to escape of their own.
Reasons why Common Criminals Take
Hostages
Criminals have three (3) common demands:
Escape
Money
Transportation
TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS
TERRORISM
Is defined as the unlawful use of force or
violence against persons or property to
intimidate or coerce government, the civilian
population, or any segment thereof,
TWO TYPES OF TERRORISM
DOMESTIC TERRORISM
This involves groups or individual whose
terrorist activities are at elements of our
government or population without foreign
direction.
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM
This involves terrorist activity committed by
groups and individuals who are foreign-based
and or directed by countries of groups outside
the country or whose activities transcend
national boundaries.
Reasons why Political Terrorists Takes
Hostages
Politically motivated terrorist takes hostages
with intent of getting as much publicity as
possible for their cause.
The demands will normally go beyond the
authority of the local police and may require
involvement of the national government.
The likelihood of hostages being killed is very
high since the terrorists may be prepared to die
as martyrs.
GENERAL TASKING (E.O. NO. 320, E.O. 773,
R.A. 10121) at the appropriate level shall
primarily act on the crisis situation.
MAN-MADE CRISIS/EMERGENCIES - Peace and
Order Council (POC) at the appropriate level
shall primarily act on the crisis situation.
NATURAL CRISIS/EMERGENCIES -
Crisis as a result of natural disasters or
calamities, the National Disaster Risk Reduction
and Management Council (NDRRMC) and its
subordinate entities shall primarily address the
problem.
RULE 26 HOSTAGE SITUATION/BARRICADED
SITUATIONS
Section 1. Procedures to be followed in a
Hostage Situations
The following steps shall be undertaken:
• Crisis Management Task Group shall be
activated immediately.
• Incident Scene shall be secured and isolated.
• Unauthorized persons shall not be allowed
entry and exit to the incident scene.
• Witnesses’ names, addresses, and other
information shall be recorded. Witnesses shall
be directed to a safe location.
Section 2. Ground Commander
There shall be only one Ground Commander in
the area. Until such time that he officially
designates a spokesperson, he may issue
appropriate press statements and continue to
perform the role of the spokesperson.
Section 3. Negotiators
Negotiators shall be designated by the
Ground Commander. No one shall be allowed
to talk to the hostage-taker without clearance
from the negotiator or ground commander.
Section 4. Assault Team
An assault team shall be alerted for
deployment in case the negotiation fails.
Members of the assault team shall wear
authorized and easily recognizable uniform
during the conduct of the operation.
Section 5. Assault Plan
The assault shall be planned to ensure
minimal threat to life for all parties.
Section 6. Support Personnel
An ambulance with medical crew and
fire truck shall be detailed at the incident area.
Section 7. Coordination
Proper coordination with all
participating elements shall be done to
consolidate efforts in solving crisis.
Section 8. Safety of Hostage(s)
In negotiating for the release of a
hostage, the safety of the hostage shall always
be paramount.
Section 9. Guidelines during Negotiations
Situation must be stabilized first and
contained before the start of the negotiation;
Do not introduce outsiders (non-law
enforcement officers) into the negotiation
process, unless their presence is extremely
necessary in the solution on the crisis. If so
introduced, they shall be properly advised on
the do’s and don’ts of hostage negotiation; and
Police Officers without proper training
shall not be allowed to participate in hostage
negotiations.
CHARACTERISTICS OF HOSTAGE SITUATION:
• Time Compression
• Life Threat
Necessity for:
On-routine organizational Profile
Special analytical, planning and
implementation capabilities
Special legal consideration
PERSON WHO TAKES HOSTAGES:
Political Ideologists and Terrorists Groups
Escaping felon or criminals trapped while
committing crimes
Prisoners (rioting/revolting)
Mentally deranged/emotionally violent persons
HOSTAGE RECOVERY PRINCIPLES:
The hostage is and of himself has no value to
the hostage taker/criminal. His only value is as
a tool to get what the hostage taker wants, not
from the hostage but from the authorities.
It is just much as in the criminal’s interest as it is
in yours not to let a situation go violent
confrontation, the establishment (government)
must always come out the victor. They have
the manpower and equipment.
Personnel responding to hostage incidents are
primarily responsible for minimizing injuries,
strategically deploying, gathering intelligence
and initiating a holding action to contain the
hostage taker pending arrival of SWAT/Crisis
Response Team and Unit Negotiating Team
UPON ARRIVAL AT THE CRIME SCENE
Assess the situation. Confine/isolate the
suspects/s to his present location by taking
positions with maximum cover but with good
field of view/fire.
Notify higher Headquarters and request special
units (SWAT/NEGOTIATING TEAM, EOD, etc.) to
respond.
Request medical ambulance team, fire truck
and rescue van to standby.
Request assistance from the nearest unit, it
necessary, to cordon/secure the area and
control/direct traffic.
Cordon area and isolate from
pedestrian/vehicular traffic.
Evacuate injured persons.
Cause evacuation of adjacent building or rooms,
if necessary.
Establish identity and objective of the suspect.
Establish identity of victim/s (age, sex,
description, clothing) and determine if any is
killed or injured.
Determine probable location of the suspect/s
within the structure, their number and
weaponry.
Determine, assess routes and advise concern
units.
Continuously attempt to effect easy probable
tactical advantage over the suspect.
Invite persons who can supply pertinent
information.
Persuade the suspect to surrender and release
the hostage.
If verbal efforts to persuade the suspect to
surrender failed, secure the area and wait for
arrival of SWAT and Negotiating Team.
UPON ARRIVAL OF SWAT/NEGOTIATING TEAM
Turn over command and control to responding
elements.
Brief the Ground Commander of the situation
and the problem encountered.
Provide all pertinent information (suspect/s ID,
description, weaponry, etc.; victim/s and
suspect/s; access points; obstacles; other
information).
Prepare to receive instructions from the Ground
Commander.
PROCEDURES TO BE FOLLOWED IN A HOSTAGE
SITUATION:
A Crisis Management Task Group shall be
activated immediately.
FUNCTIONS OF CRISIS MANAGEMENT TEAM
(CMT)
Whenever possible resolve the incident without
casualties.
Influence and manage a continuous information
flow from all designated agencies.
Resolve the incident without additional
reinforcements.
Deal with multiple and diversionary tactics.
Understand that if the incident was political
ramification, politicians will be likely involved in
any decision-making process.
Receive, analyses, use and disseminate
intelligence and information at all levels of
command and control.
See to it that timely intelligence and
information be provided to the Threat
Management Force Commander.
Deal with the rapidly shifting series of
encounters.
Deal with an incident that may go mobile.
Coordinate with the media in all aspects of
news broadcasting in relation to the situation.
Perform other task as maybe directed by higher
competent authority.
Incident scene shall be secured and isolated.
Unauthorized person shall not be allowed entry
and exit to the incident scene.
Witnesses’ names, addresses, and other
information shall be recorded. Witnesses shall
be directed to a safe location.
HOSTAGE NEGOTIATION
Hostage Negotiation Team
CORE GROUP
Lead Negotiator
Backup Negotiator
Research Negotiator
Liaison Negotiator
Psychiatrist
SELECTION OF POLICE NEGOTIATOR
A good police officer
With Patience
Flexible
Knowledge of Ways of the underworld
Knows psychology
Knows the dialect
Excellent in both armed and unarmed combat
CHARACTERISTICS OF A NEGOTIATOR:
He must possess EMOTIONAL MATURITY. He
should accept abuse, ridicule and insulting
statement without responding emotionally.
When those around him are anxious, frightened
or confused, he should be able to maintain a
clear head.
He should be a good listener and have
excellent interviewing skills.
He should be a person who can easily establish
credibility with others.
He should have the ability to use logical
arguments to convince others that his
viewpoint is rational and reasonable.
He should be able to communicate with persons
from the lowest to the highest socio-economic
class.
He should have practical intelligence, common
sense and be street wise.
He should have the ability to cope with Rapport: When they begin to see how the
uncertainty and be willing to accept negotiator feels, they are building trust.
responsibility with an authority.
Influence: Only once trust has been gained can
He should have total commitments to the solutions to their problem be recommended.
negotiation approach.
Behavioral Change: They act, and maybe
He should understand that if negotiations are surrender.
not progressing and lives are in imminent
danger, he would have to assist in planning an
assault to rescue the hostages.

PNP/AFP POLICIES ON HANDLING HOSTAGE

NEGOTIATION

Ensure the safety of civilian hostage/s as a

paramount consideration that shall take
precedence over all others.

Understand/minimize the mental

anguish/agony of the victim’s
family/relatives/friends.

Achieve the early liberation of the hostage/s or

victim/s.

Ensure the recovery/return of the loot or fruit

of the crime.

Ensure the successful case build-up/prosecution

of cases against the perpetrator/s and
suspect/s.

Attain effective integration of the efforts of the

operating units for optimum results to minimize
duplication/unnecessary competition and
promote efficiency.

BEHAVIORAL CHANGE STAIRWAY MODEL

One specific model developed by the FBI is the

Behavioral Change Stairway Model. Police
negotiators that follow this model work through
the following stages in order:

Active Listening: Understand the psychology of

the perpetrator and let them know they are
being listened to.

Empathy: Understand their issues and how they

feel.