Hostage Negotiations and Crisis Intervention, Phase I and II (Pierpoint)

Duration: 4.5 Days (40 Professional Development Hours)

Cost: $675.00

Instructor: Brandon Pierpoint

This comprehensive 40-hour training program is structured with classroom instruction from 8am to 4pm local time over the first four days, with the final day running from 8am to 12pm. The remaining hours are allocated to the tested portion of the course.

The curriculum covers essential components of hostage negotiation and crisis intervention, beginning with an orientation that reviews class materials, historical context, and suggested readings. Participants will learn about required and suggested equipment necessary for hostage and barricaded subject responses, including communication devices, ballistic protection, tactical channels, and surveillance equipment.

Core instruction focuses on the fundamentals of hostage negotiation, encompassing theoretical concepts such as incident classification types, the rationale for law enforcement engagement in negotiations, emotional and rational behavior dynamics, incident management, hostage-taker and hostage profiles, negotiator selection criteria, and time management strategies. Students will develop active listening skills, learning to paraphrase and confirm understanding of communications.

The program addresses the psychological dimensions of crisis negotiation, including mental health conditions and personality disorders commonly encountered in these situations. Participants will gain knowledge of suicide risk assessment and the emotional drivers behind suicidal behavior. Additional training covers situation board management, Negotiations Operations Command protocols, the appropriate use of third-party intermediaries, and the tactical role negotiators play within broader incident response teams.

Practical skill development includes managing hostage-taker demands, addressing non-negotiable demands, reframing strategies, and navigating deadline situations. The course emphasizes stress management for all parties involved and explores the relationship between stress and performance.

Students participate in evening homework assignments including case law review, current incident analysis, and scenario scripting. Daily discussions and practical scenario applications throughout the week enhance learning and provide hands-on experience. Participants also create reusable materials including pre-planned response strategies to common concerns and demands for use in their respective agencies.