NCJ Number: 202407
Title: Negotiation Position Papers: A Tool for Crisis Negotiators
Journal: FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Volume:72 Issue:10 Dated:October 2003 Pages:27-31
Author(s): Vincent A. Dalfonzo; Stephen J. Romano M.A.
Date Published: October 2003
Page Count: 5
Sponsoring Agency: NCJRS Photocopy Services
Sale Source: NCJRS Photocopy Services
Document: HTML
Type: Instructional Material
Format: Article
Language: English
Country: United States of America
Annotation: This article discusses the rationale for as well as the benefits and format for negotiation position papers (NPP's), which help
crisis negotiators express their positions clearly and concisely
in writing during a hostage or barricade incident.
Abstract: NPP's serve as visual aids to complement briefings between the
crisis negotiation coordinator and the on-scene commander; however, NPP's should not be used as substitutes for briefings. NPP's help negotiators express their positions clearly and concisely during an incident. NPP's help ensure that all personnel involved in a crisis incident understand the tactics and content of any negotiation. They provide written
reinforcement of the crisis negotiation coordinator's oral
briefing to the on-scene commander. The benefits of NPP's are the
enhancement of teamwork, communication, and documentation. In the latter case, NPP's provide a document on the crisis negotiation
team's assessments and strategy recommendations throughout entire
incidents. In addition to providing identifying information for
the incident, the NPP format should contain a preamble to the
body of the NPP to show the number of contacts, their times, and
the types of information upon which the NPP is based. The body of
the NPP should be in three major sections: status, assessment,
and recommendations. The status section should summarize the
current situation, based upon the most recent intelligence, along
with the latest contacts with the subject. The assessment should
explain whether the negotiation team is dealing with a hostage,
nonhostage (barricade with victims), lone barricade, or suicide
situation. The assessment should also offer an opinion as to
whether the subject appears capable of violent behavior, apparent
motivations, the perceived threat level, demands, and subject-negotiator rapport. The section of recommendations should outline the negotiation strategy recommended, with an emphasis on what the team hopes to achieve during its next contact. This section is also used in advising the on-scene commander that a command decision may be required before pursuing a specific
strategy. The on-scene commander must provide clear negotiation
guidelines that the crisis negotiation team must follow. 1 note
Main Term(s): Police hostage negotiations training
Index Term(s): Hostage negotiations; Negotiation; Police hostage-negotiation units
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