EDGEFIELD COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Subject
Hostage/Barricaded Persons
Date
04-28-08
Applicable Standard(s)
CALEA 46.1.5
Amends
I.
Section No.
703
Page No.
1
No. Pages in Section
5
Rescinds
Re-evaluation Date
Purpose
It is the purpose of this policy to provide general guidelines for handling
hostage/barricaded persons situations.
II. Policy
In hostage/barricaded persons situations it shall be the policy of the agency to
consider the lives of the hostages, civilians and deputies involved to be of the utmost
importance. Strive to peacefully resolve the incident through communication with
the suspect; and to develop and maintain the ability to use alternative approaches to
resolve the incident should communications fail; and in hostage situations, to make
every reasonable effort to effect the safe release of the hostages.
III. Definitions
Barricaded Person - An individual who resists being taken into custody by using, or
threatening use of, firearms, other weapons, explosives, etc. Generally the
barricaded person is behind cover. As used here, the barricaded person may or may
not have taken a hostage or made a threat to his or her own life.
Hostage - Any person held by another against his/ her will by force or threat of force,
expressed or implied.
IV. Procedures
A. Selection of Hostage Negotiators
1. Members will be screened then selected based upon the following:
a. Experience and performance in field operations
b. Good verbal skills and problem solving ability
2. Once selected the member will receive formal training in crisis negotiations.
3. Training will continue throughout the member’s involvement as a Hostage
Negotiator.
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Subject
Hostage/Barricaded Persons
Date
Section No.
703
Page No.
2
B. Initial Deputy Action: Control and Containment
1. Deputies initially arriving on the scene of a hostage/barricaded person
situation should attempt to avoid confrontation, if possible, in favor of
controlling and containing the situation until the arrival of trained tactical
and/or hostage negotiation personnel.
2. Deputies confronting hostage/barricaded person’s situations shall not
initiate tactical actions other than those necessary to protect the lives and
safety of themselves or others consistent with agency policy # 500, “Use of
Force.” Deputies shall then:
a. Notify a supervisor of the incident and circumstances;
b. Contain and isolate the incident scene, establishing an inner
containment perimeter to provide a reasonable degree of safety while
maintaining contact with the incident scene and - as time and resources
permit - establish an outer perimeter to control pedestrian and
vehicular traffic into the area;
c. Whenever possible, evacuate injured persons, bystanders and
occupants of affected residences and businesses to a point beyond the
perimeter.
C. Establishment and Transfer of Command
1. The ranking deputy at the scene of a hostage/barricaded person situation
shall be in command until specifically relieved by a supervisor.
2. Command shall be transferred in accordance with agency policy # 107,
“Direction”, and # 701 “Incident Command System”.
D. Notification of Tactical and Hostage Negotiation Personnel
1. After confirmation of a hostage/barricaded person situation, the shift
supervisor shall notify trained tactical and hostage negotiation personnel in
accordance with agency policy # 705, “Special Weapons and Tactics Team/
Crisis Negotiation Team”.
2. As necessary, the Sheriff or the Captain may authorize notification of:
a. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) SWAT Team
and hostage negotiators;
b. Additional canine units; and
c. Helicopter support.
E.
Command Responsibilities
The Tactical Commander will direct and control the overall operation of the
situation and will use the basic concept of time, talk, and tactics in the resolution
of the incident. The supervisor in command should:
1. Determine if a crime has been committed and locate victims;
2. Ensure notification of the Sheriff and Command Staff through group page;
3. Conduct a briefing of the incident with command, tactical and hostage
negotiation personnel;
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Subject
Hostage/Barricaded Persons
4.
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F.
Date
Section No.
703
Page No.
3
Delegate the tactical mission of the incident to the SWAT Team Leader;
Ensure establishment of an inner and outer perimeter;
Establish a command post outside the suspect’s line of fire and sight, and
designate an appropriate chain of command, in accordance with agency
policy # 701, “Incident Command System.”
Establish a staging area for deputies and others arriving for assignment;
Request assistance from canine teams and other special teams or personnel,
as needed;
Designate a radio frequency and ensure that the communications center
maintains communications with other involved agencies not in direct field
contact with the incident scene;
Ensure that the responsibility for traffic and crowd control is established,
and that travel routes in and around the incident scene are controlled;
Designate and/or secure pursuit and surveillance vehicles or helicopters, as
may be needed for flight risks;
Make provisions for recording personnel assignments and developing a
chronological record of events at the command center and tactical
operations center;
Ensure that emergency medical units and fire apparatus are available at the
site for evacuation of injured persons, suppression of fires or other rescue
emergencies as the situation dictates;
Designate a press area and notify the Agency’s Public Information Officer,
or assign a Deputy for Media Liaison, to keep the press informed.
Responsibilities/Interaction of Tactical and Hostage Negotiation Personnel
1. The Leader of the SWAT Team shall:
a. Report to the command post and assist the supervisor in command in
assessing the situation and formulate and provide the supervisor with
recommended tactical alternatives should communications with the
subject fail to resolve the incident;
b. Brief tactical personnel with vital information concerning the
hostage/barricaded person situation;
c. Determine equipment needs and assign personnel to coordinate,
control and contain the inner perimeter;
d. Designate marksmen, entry teams or arrest teams, as necessary;
e. Ensure that personnel manning the inner perimeter maintain firearms
discipline and are provided with periodic relief by appropriate
personnel;
f. Prepare appropriate logistical plans to include diagrams of the location
in question;
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Subject
Hostage/Barricaded Persons
Date
Section No.
703
Page No.
4
g.
2.
3.
Ensure the establishment of a tactical operations center if necessary;
and
h. Maintain contact with and keep the command post informed of all
developments and operations.
The individual in charge of communicating with the subject shall:
a. Attempt to establish telephonic communications with the subject(s);
b. Coordinate communications activities with surveillance technicians;
c. Attempt to determine identity and objective of subject(s);
d. Obtain all other pertinent information about the hostage taker, the
hostages, hostage site and other barricaded persons; and
e. Provide any other requested assistance to the supervisor in command.
Hostage negotiators will work under the direction of the Tactical
Commander, who will coordinate their activities with on-going tactical
operations.
G. Use of Non-lethal Weapons, Chemical Agents and Distraction Devices
1. Non-lethal weapons, chemical agents or distraction devices may be utilized
to resolve high-risk situations with a minimum of force and/or injury to
Deputies and suspects.
2. Prior to the use of this option, consideration should be given to the presence
of children or elderly persons being in the building, the suspect having a
medical condition that would preclude the use of chemical agents, and the
location of the incident.
3. In other than an emergency situation, the tactical team commander will
notify the Captain and receive approval to deploy non-lethal weapons,
chemical agents or distraction devices.
4. If at all possible, prior to the deployment of this option, fire and EMS units
should be available.
H. Use of Force
At all times during a hostage/barricaded person situation, Deputies shall use
only the force that is reasonably necessary to accomplish lawful objectives, in
accordance with agency policy # 500, “Use of Force”.
I.
After-Action Report
It is the responsibility of the supervisor in command to ensure that a detailed
after action report of the incident is prepared. Documentation and records of
events pertaining to the incident will be made a part of the report. All personnel
should be involved in a debriefing of the incident to discuss the following:
1. What happened;
2. How the incident developed:
3. Who was involved;
4. How personnel and special teams responded;
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Subject
Hostage/Barricaded Persons
5.
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9.
Date
Section No.
703
Page No.
5
What problems were encountered;
What was effective/ineffective;
What could be done better in future similar incidents;
Discuss equipment performance and/or needs; and
Discuss possible training needs or policy modifications in reference to the
incident.
__________________________
Adell Dobey,Sheriff
IV. Documentation