I haven't had many shifts recently, hence my lack of posts. I just completed a class on Hostage Negotiations for Dispatchers. It was an awesome class; I really learned some great techniques that I will employ with my next suicidal caller. As for the validity of the class? Well, instead of 8 hours of how to handle a hostage taker or barricaded suspect, it could have been summed up in one brief comment: "Don't get your feelings hurt when the detective/Sgt./LT/Captain or Chief, rips the phone away from you and takes over." Seriously.
I finally work a graveyard shift this Thursday. Those are always ripe with material. I will be updating then. Talk to you soon!
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6 comments:
Good to 'see' you. Can't wait to see your next update.
K-
Take care.
That's the one area where I honestly feel helpless at work. I am cool calm and collective facing almost any other situation, but you let someone call me and tell me they are going to end it for good, and all of my composure begins to fall apart. My command of the English language and the fluidity with which I am so accustomed to using it absolutely fails me when I'm required to play counselor to someone who wants to kill themself. Having lost family members to suicide and the fact that that contributes to my complete lack of sympathy for the cowards way out, certainly doesn't help. It would be sufficient to suggest that I could use a little "coaching" in the "please don't kill yourself" sympathetic counselor department. Had you said this course was worth a flip I might have asked you where my agency can procure instruction.
Any chance you can share some of the tactics you learned for 1145t??
I'd love to Liz, and welcome. 1145T, man it's been a long time since I've heard that code! We use something different in this neck o' the woods. I will write an entire entry on all the stuff I learned. Just not tonight, cuz I have a nasty cold! Write soon, ME
I've had a couple of good talk outs. In one case the actual negotiator came and stood behind me because I already had the confidence of the caller and he didn't want to interrupt that. The guy gave up his gun and came out.
I think the first thing to do is to get the caller's name and give them yours -- even if its fake.
Second, you get them to promise that they won't do it with you on the phone. Tell them you can't handle it.
The third thing is not to get caught in a lie -- which is not the same as not lying. Keep track of your lies on a sheet of paper if you have to. I have just broken up with my girlfriend or gotten a divorce or lost my car to the repo guy many times over.
The fourth thing is to decide whether you are a cop or not. I mean in the way that you project yourself to the caller. He/She may want/need to know that they are talking to The Poh-Lice. Sometimes they are better feeling that they aren't. If the latter, then you play the "civilian" card -- the caller and you together against Them.
The fifth thing is what I call the "honorable" escape clause. You have to keep giving that guy a way out that allows him to save face and yet corrects the situation. Look, pal, I know what you are feeling. If my wife was diddling my neighbor I don't know what I would do, but I will tell you this... if you hurt yourself or if someone else gets hurt over this mess she and the shithead win. I know this thing seems like its out of control, but the report hasn't even been written yet. Believe me, so far what we have is a bunch of cops in one place -- and that happens every day. When this ends, these guys go get a donut and its over. It doesn't have to become something that the neighbors and the news and the wife and shithead remember this way. It can be about the day that you *almost* fucked up after they really fucked up.
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