Everyday Canvas

Hostage Negotiations

Prompt: How do you think a hostage negotiator would go about talking to the hostage takers?
Or if you'd like to be more dramatic, imagine you are a hostage negotiator. Couple of criminals are holding three people hostage in a bank and threatening to kill them if what they ask for is not done. While the swat team is trying to break into the bank, you are asked to keep talking to the criminals. How would you go about this and what would you say to them?

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I.
The main trick in hostage negotiations is knowing how to listen, not only what is said, but what is meant to say, also listening to the silence when there is no communication. Then would come the next trick of goading the person, verbally or by implication as if saying, “Tell me more.”

When the person at the other end talks, you'll need to show that you are listening but not analyzing or blaming them, but maybe understanding their perspective. It is necessary not to interrupt, disagree, or pass judgment, Chances are you the negotiator may end up talking less, but it is important to not shut up.

If you can’t find anything to say, you can always paraphrase what the person on the other end has said, with a question, “Am I correct in understanding that you…”

Also, during the conversation, without casting even a shadow of a blame on the other person, you can ask about the main points of what they are saying or wanting. To their demands your answers need not be lengthy. Simple answers such as, “Yes, I see,” “O.K,” or just “I’ll tell your demands to the other side” should be enough, as long as your answers encourages the other person to keep talking and forming at least some modicum of trust in the negotiator so he gives him more control.

II.
As to the second part of the question, let’s imagine that scene in the bank. Suppose the guy who is talking to the negotiator is named, Jimmy.

Negotiator: Jimmy, hi! They asked me to talk to you about the people in there. How can we resolve this situation?

James: Tell them to give us what we want. We want $ 100,000 and a car with a full tank of gas, and clearance to get out of here.

Negotiator: Okay, I’ll give them your message.

James: I want those things within five minutes. No dawdlin'!

Negotiator: Okay, but Jimmy, how many people are there? –silence---Could you get what’s in the vaults, Jimmy?

James: Yeah, not much there for a bank, I tell you. My bud locked up the two working gals in the vault. The two out is guys…and there’s the damned kid.

Negotiator: I’ll do what I can, but just bringing the car around should take time. Don’t you think?

James: Tell them, I want the front of the building and the main road cleared, no police barricades anywhere. We’re taking the two guys with us.

Negotiator: Yeah, will they be all right, though?

James: It depends on what's on the way. If your people stick to their word, we will let the hostages off eventually.

Negotiator: Eventually?

James: Yup, on the road somewhere. Umm, one more thing. No tracking us. No choppers overhead.

Negotiator: If I am able to get you what you want, those people will be unharmed?

James: Gosh! Unless they try something on us. I got nuthin’ against them fellas.

Negotiator: Let me run it by you again, so there’s no misunderstanding. You need $100,000 cash and a car with a full tank, front of the building and the main roads cleared, and no choppers or tracking.

James: You got it right, man! You know what’ll happen to the people if anything's whacked.

Negotiator: Yes Jimmy. Will do.

---(Negotiator yells, out loud, “100K dollars cash, car with a full tank, front and roads cleared, no choppers,” as he reads the sign, “Keep talking. Swat team’s up.”)

Negotiator: Jimmy, buddy, are you there?

James: Yup, no funny biz, okay?

Negotiator: (having already figured out a southern dialect) I am from the Dixie myself and we never turn on our word, Jimmy.

James: Yeah? That’s somethin’. Good to know. What's your name?

Negotiator: Bill.

James: Hey, Bill! Look, they throw in the cash, I’ll let the kid out. His sniffling’s getting’ on my nerves.

Negotiator: Yeah, kids! They are like that. How old is that kid inside? Do you know? (Negotiator already knows the kid’s eight)

James: Don’t know. Sevenish. Hey kid, how old are you? His daddy says eight. Go figure. Hey what’s happening there?

Negotiator: They have the money. You let the kid out and they’ll throw in the bag.

James: First the bag. Then the kid goes free. If the count’s not even, a hostage goes to heaven.

Negotiator: Done deal.

---Money bag is thrown at the bank’s door and James grabs the bag and thrusts the now-screaming kid out the door. In the meanwhile, the swat team has entered the bank from the back. Skirmish inside and the sound of a gunshot is heard. When the door opens, the two hostages walk out. The swat team has captured the two robbers.