The first in a series of progressive courses, CSM’s Crisis Hostage Negotiations – Level I Basic addresses the fundamental needs of a successful crisis negotiator.  This course will prepare you to work as part of a coordinated negotiation team and handle a variety of crisis situations including hostage takers, barricaded subjects, and potential suicide victims.

You will learn the different phases of the negotiation process, from the introduction to the surrender, and specific strategies and techniques to be used along the way. We will discuss when negotiation may not be the best solution, what items are negotiable and non-negotiable, and what to do in non-response situations.

The management of intelligence and information is a critical aspect of mitigating any law enforcement threat and you will learn specific techniques for managing the flow of information during a crisis.

You will also gain a basic understanding of the psychological motivations of persons in crisis and learn to recognize the characteristics of emotionally disturbed persons. You will learn about the personality disorders which are most commonly encountered during a crisis incident as well as strategies for affecting a positive outcome.

Challenging, team-oriented, scenario-driven practical exercises are an integral part of the course and will allow you the opportunity to practice and refine your crisis negotiation skills.

TOPICS INCLUDE:
Introduction to Crisis Negotiation
Pre-incident Planning
Effective Communication I
Command Response
Negotiating as a Team
Principles of Crisis Negotiation
Phases of the Negotiation
Abnormal Psychology for Crisis Negotiators
Anti-social Personality Disorder
Borderline Personality Disorder
Paranoid Personality Disorder
Avoidant/Dependent Personality Disorders
Suicide Intervention for Law Enforcement
Debriefing and Record Keeping

PREREQUISITES: You must be a sworn member of law enforcement or corrections, a non-law enforcement member of a crisis negotiation team, or a mental health professional or a clergy member supporting law enforcement activities, to attend this course. Requests for exceptions must be submitted and approved by the course director.

NOTE: This course meets most state and federal training requirements for crisis-hostage negotiator certification, is trained in accordance with guidelines established by the National Council of Negotiation Associations.

(CEH: 18-hours Technical Skill; 8-hours Interpersonal Perspectives; & 14-hours Skill Development.)

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