BECAUSE THE NUMBER OF TERRORIST INCIDENTS IS INCREASING, ALL URBAN POLICE DEPARTMENTS MUST BE PREPARED TO DEAL DECISIVELY AND EFFECTIVELY WITH THEM. POLICE PREPARATION ENTAILS INFORMATION ANALYSIS, POLICY REVIEW, AND CHANGE IF NECESSARY, AND STAFF TRAINING. THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT DEVELOPED GUIDELINES FOR RESPONDING TO HOSTAGE-RELATED TERRORIST INCIDENTS FOLLOWING THE KILLINGS AT THE 1972 OLYMPICS. FIRST TESTED IN 1973, THE GUIDELINES FOCUS ON FUNCTIONAL TEAMWORK, EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS, AND SKILLED COORDINATION OF TACTICS UNDER THE MANAGEMENT OF A HIGH-RANKING POLICE OFFICER. GUIDELINES FOR HANDLING A SIEGE INVOLVING HOSTAGES COVER (1) HANDLING THE PEOPLE AND EQUIPMENT THAT CONVERGE ON THE SCENE IN THE INITIAL STAGE; (2) SETTING UP COMMAND, CONTROL, AND A SPECIFIC PLAN OF ACTION; (3) SETTING UP A FIELD COMMAND POST; (4) ESTABLISHING A MOBILIZATION OR STAGING POINT; (5) RESCUING INJURED PEOPLE; (6) NEGOTIATING WITH KIDNAPPERS USING A SPECIALLY TRAINED NEGOTIATING TEAM; (7) MAINTAINING CONTAINMENT TEAMS AROUND THE SIEGE'S CORE AREA; (8) USE OF APPREHENSION/ASSAULT TEAMS; (9) MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS USING TWO SEPARATE RADIO FREQUENCIES; (10) INTELLIGENCE GATHERING; (11) MAINTAINING AN OUTER PERIMETER AND BUFFER ZONE; (12) MAINTAINING A PUBLIC INFORMATION CENTER; (13) RESOLVING JURISDICTIONAL PROBLEMS THROUGH LIAISON WITH OTHER AGENCIES; (14) MAINTAINING A COOPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POLICE AND THE MEDIA; (15) PRESERVING EVIDENCE AND MANAGING SPECTATORS AFTER THE INCIDENT; AND (16) KEEPING RECORDS AND A CRITIQUE OF THE HANDLING OF THE INCIDENT. COOPERATIVE PLANNING AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT IS NECESSARY. FOR RELATED PAPERS FROM THE SAME SEMINAR, SEE NCJ-63591-63593 AND 63595-63600. (CFW)