2023 Crisis Negotiations Conference

0830 0930		Opening Ceremony SPECIAL EVENT Course Length: 1 hour - Instructor: Weinhold, Rob This event will include a presentation of colors, the NTOA annual awards ceremony, and Keynote Speaker Rob Weinhold. Rob is the Chief Executive and Crisis Leadership Expert for the Fallston Group.
1000 1200		Case Study: Derailed 13-Hour Negotiation with a Fellow Officer INCIDENT DEBRIEF Course Length: 2 hours - Instructor: Longley, Larry None of us are immune from the hazards of our line of work. We are held to a standard that most of society could never hope to attain. Imagine you get a call to a report of a DV Assault. Upon arrival you learn the suspect is an off-duty Deputy who is currently on Administrative Leave. The victim reports the obvious, there are weapons and body armor in the residence. This is a firsthand account of a 13-hour negotiation with a fellow officer who has lost their way and gotten themselves in a mandatory arrest situation. We will discuss the initial incident response prior to HNT arrival, steps taken to resolve the incident, outcome and subsequent interview with the former Deputy's fellow officers/academy mates.
1300 1445		Dynamics of Team Leadership in Crisis Negotiations SEMINAR Course Length: 2 hours - Instructor: Pollock, Sean | Gubbins, Kara The presentation will cover the facets of the team leader role in your CNT from pre deployment considerations, ongoing assessment and advisement for your commanders during an event, and post event debriefs and evaluations.
1300 1700		Response to the Non-Criminal Barricade: Disengagement and Special Relationships SEMINAR Course Length: 4 hours - Instructor: Savage, Scott Are police officers going to be liable if they disengage from an armed suicidal person and that person ends up harming a third party? In this seminar, you'll get the specific answer to that question. Plus, you'll learn what the "public duty doctrine" says you have to do, how to avoid triggering a "special relationship," and why some agencies are creating liability for themselves.
1500 1700		Case Study: Monday Morning Hostage: Taking of a Mom INCIDENT DEBRIEF Course Length: 2 hours - Instructor: Doering, Patrick This incident took place in the early morning hours of 2018. The suspect had been on an alcohol and drug binge, which resulted in a mini crime spree. Officers were able to stop the subject near one of the crime scenes, but a foot pursuit ensued. The subject ran into an open residence garage and took a female hostage in a back bedroom. This case study employs body cam footage of the initial barricade and audio recordings of the negotiation and SWAT communications. It offers insight into the command perspective of a hostage incident and many lessons learned. The incident lasted over four hours and ended in a way the team was unprepared for.
1800 2100		Welcome Reception SPECIAL EVENT Course Length: 3 hours - Instructor: The Welcome Reception consisting of music, dinner, and drinks, will be Monday evening, November 14, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the hotel. All conference attendees, vendors, and instructors are invited for a night of relaxation and socializing.

0800 0945		Case Study: Stack Up - Transitioning to In-Person Negotiations with Entry INCIDENT DEBRIEF Course Length: 2 hours - Instructor: ONeill, Sean On a cold February night, Des Moines Police Department Patrol Officers responded to an apartment complex in reference to a man armed with a knife threatening the victims. Upon their arrival, the confronted the suspect still armed with the knife as he fled into his apartment. Contact was made with the suspect and after a brief conversation, communication breaks down and the suspect barricades himself in the apartment. Information was then received that the suspect was possibly in possession of a shotgun style firearm. Metro Special Tactics And Response was contacted and the Crisis Negotiation Team was activated. During the incident, negotiators transitioned from phone to in-person as Metro STAR Personnel attempted to bring a peaceful resolution to this tense situation.
0800 1200		Training Management Workshop for Crisis Negotiations Teams SEMINAR Course Length: 4 hours - Instructor: McMahon, Deb This practical presentation addresses the challenging process of planning and executing training tailored to reflect the unique requirements of both crisis negotiation teams and the agency. Attendees will learn how to identify team training requirements, incorporate the team in annual strategic planning, leverage community relationships for training opportunities, establish an FTO program for new negotiators, and take a more creative approach to developing individual and team core competencies. Attendees will get access to training management templates such as the FTO guide for new negotiators, a training validation plan, a sample 12-month training plan with new and interesting training ideas, plus much more. Attendees will also get an exciting glimpse into the practical application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in developing meaningful scenario-driven training for crisis negotiation. Bring your laptop to explore the possibilities for developing scenarios and vignettes more quickly and efficiently than ever before. A thumb drive with 12 months of training is available for purchase, including back-to-backs, short and medium vignettes, full-length scenarios, team-building activities, and numerous PowerPoint presentations.
1000 1200		Bridging the Gap SEMINAR Course Length: 2 hours - Instructor: Pollock, Sean The presentation will examine the role that communications centre staff, patrol officers and tactical members play in Crisis Negotiations. Training perspectives and an overview of inter-operability will be examined with the goal to have attendees recognize methods and means to enhance the capability of those that support CNT.
1300 1445		Not Check Box Training: Real Practices in Resilience for Hostage Negotiators SEMINAR Course Length: 2 hours - Instructor: Thompson, Jeff The work of police hostage negotiators is tense, stressful, anxiety-filled, and is often unpredictable. When not properly handled, it can have a detrimental impact on a negotiator's emotional, cognitive, and behavioral health. Fortunately, research has also shown that certain practices can increase one's focus, calm, inner strength, resilience, and create overall better mental health coping strategies. This workshop explores the science behind a collection of resilience practices that have already been embraced by negotiators across the country and world (including the FBI, NYPD, Toronto, and New Zealand). These practices can increase your negotiator effectiveness and also your personal resilience. As with real resilience, no workshop, book, podcast, or article enhances resilience. This only occurs by doing it and practicing it so come to this (very) interactive presentation where you will get to participate in many exercises. Everyone deserves to have positive mental health and that certainly includes hostage negotiators.
1300 1445		Rural and Roadside Negotiation SEMINAR Course Length: 2 hours - Instructor: Clyde, Michael Originally designed to train the Iowa State Patrol's Crisis Negotiation Team, this seminar will explore the challenges and demands that face negotiators and negotiation teams while operating in a rural or roadside environment, including operating with a limited or reduced team. These situations pose a different set of demands and risks, and preparing for them now can be one way to help with a successful resolution. This presentation uses multiple incident debriefs to highlight the strategies and lessons learned that all negotiators can take back to their respective teams and departments.
1500 1700		Case Study: Hostage Situation on the Pyramid Lake Reservation INCIDENT DEBRIEF Course Length: 2 hours - Instructor: O Brien, Andrea On February 26, 2018, Tribal Police Officers responded to an assault with a deadly weapon involving Rocky. Rocky was a convicted felon who had recently been released from prison for murder. During this standoff, Rocky found his estranged girlfriend Christina. Prior knowledge through tribal sources advised negotiators Rocky had held Christina hostage a week prior to this incident for four days. During that incident, Christina had been stabbed repeatedly and was able to escape to receive medical attention. Rocky was able to evade police up until this incident. Several obstacles to include weather elements of freezing temperatures, rain, snow, and wind made this 11-hour standoff challenging. Working within the native American community provided different elements which included bringing in the Federal Bureau of Investigations, other regional agencies, and a relief Special Weapons and Tactics Team from Las Vegas, Nv over 300 miles away.
1500 1700		Forward Operations for CNT SEMINAR Course Length: 2 hours - Instructor: Clyde, Michael Forward Operations for Crisis Negotiators was designed to assist CNTs with preparing for face-to-face or tactical negotiations. This seminar will explore techniques and tools negotiators can use when faced with these challenging crisis situations. This block will use instruction material as well as two debriefs to highlight the training objectives.

0800 1200		Case Study: 29-Hour Hostage Crisis in Las Vegas INCIDENT DEBRIEF Course Length: 4 hours - Instructor: Halasi, Ryan | Woosnam, John This is a debrief of a 29hr HRT that occurred in May, 2021. The suspect, Antonio Edwards, had taken a white female adult and a 4yoa child hostage after he attempted to flee from officers on a stolen motorcycle. It was later discovered he was the primary suspect on two murders. Edwards fired shots at LVMPD SWAT officers during the evacs.
0800 1200		Team Building Workshop for Crisis Negotiators: Communication and Motivation SEMINAR Course Length: 4 hours - Instructor: McMahon, Deb | Houston, Karin This presentation is designed to prepare team members, and specifically team leaders, for the challenging task of developing teams and, more importantly, working as a team during crisis events. Attendees will learn the benefits of a team structure; one that is based on tactics and strategy. When a team is created with a clear definition of roles and norms, strategic goals of the team are more easily met. Structure also serves as a foundation for highly motivated teams to communicate well with one another. Attendees will also learn team motivational guidelines including leadership, advocacy, standards, and accountability for crisis negotiation teams. Attendees will participate in team-building activities to reinforce concepts covered during the presentation.
1300 1700		Case Study: Crisis on Livingston Street, Orlando, FL INCIDENT DEBRIEF Course Length: 2 hours - Instructor: Salcedo, Rick Crisis on Livingston Street (Orlando Police Department, Crisis Negotiations Team, Case Study) On November 25th, 2009, the day before Thanksgiving, the Orlando Police Department Communication Center received a 911 call from a frantic female who reported she escaped from being held captive by her estranged husband. Her four children, ages ranging from 2-9 years of age, were still at the residence along with the suspect's blind brother. The suspect was armed with two guns and had a military-style bulletproof vest. The Orlando Police Department's Patrol Units, SWAT Team and Crisis Negotiations Team were immediately activated. On June 10. 2018, a similar situation took place. The Orlando Police Department Communication Center received a 911 call from a frantic female who reported she was battered by her boyfriend/father of two of her children. She ran from her apartment and called 911 from a nearby convenience store. She left her four children at home, ages ranging from 1-12 years of age. Her boyfriend owns a gun. Patrol responded, and the SWAT Team and Crisis Negotiators responded but the situation but had a different outcome.
1300 1700		Team Building Workshop for Crisis Negotiators: Brainstorming & Decision-Making SEMINAR Course Length: 4 hours - Instructor: McMahon, Deb | Houston, Karin This event is limited to the first 50 people. Decisions made by a group are usually better than decisions made by a single person. Teams must take advantage of their time off the phone to engage in structured brainstorming. It is a powerful technique to help negotiators assess risk and plan tactics. Structuring brainstorming is more than just kicking around good ideas about what the negotiator is going to say the next time he or she is on the phone - it’s about strategizing toward a successful and risk-effective resolution. Students will learn tried and true techniques for making the best of structured brainstorming sessions. Proficiency in making decisions during a chaotic and emotionally driven incident requires teams to develop strategies for gathering information as quickly as possible with an understanding there is not enough time to apply traditional decision-making models. This presentation prepares students to develop effective techniques for both structured brainstorming and the important decisions that follow. Attendees will participate in team-building activities to reinforce concepts covered during the presentation. This event is limited to the first 50 people.

0800 1200		Emotional Intelligence SEMINAR Course Length: 4 hours - Instructor: Owen Taylor, Parrish This session will educate participants on the skills, framework, and abilities of emotional intelligence, and how to apply these skill sets in personal and professional settings. Instruction and out-of-class exercises include brain-training techniques modeled by the US Department of Defense as well as proprietary learning-models to support a holistic approach to developing a healthy work/life balance. Direct benefits include improved decision-making and clarity of thought, specifically under pressure and amidst adversity. The indirect benefits of applying emotional intelligence skills are revealed as the ability to stay relaxed with flexible responses, adaptable to change, optimism, and engaged thinking skills during distressed emotional states like problem solving or conflict resolution.
0800 1200		Results-Oriented Negotiations & Neurobiology: The Impact of Stress on Negotiations SEMINAR Course Length: 4 hours - Instructor: Javidi, Dr. Mitch The impact of stress on a negotiator is overlooked and minimized, but the effect on the outcome of an incident can be significant. Understanding the power of neurobiological functions of the Medial Pre-Frontal Cortex and how it interacts with Boyd's Cycle during negotiations results in a more prepared and successful negotiator. The presenter will conceptualize how mastering the concepts of Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act (OODA Loop), combined with a deep comprehension of the interaction of the cognitive and reactive portions of the brain, will assist negotiators during tense, stressful, and uncertain operations.
1300 1445		First Responder Health Optimization SEMINAR Course Length: 2 hours - Instructor: Walker, Jeremie The real crisis is the state of your health. We will take a deep dive to quickly understand the real threats of accelerated aging, how this translates into first responder readiness, and how to optimize for peak performance. After a brief introduction to the Opt Health platform, its functionality and the deliverables, we will open it to questions and answers.
1300 1500		Case Study: Royce Sands Hostage Incident INCIDENT DEBRIEF Course Length: 2 hours - Instructor: De La Torre , Rachel On May 13, 1982, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department responded to the residence of Royce Sands to arrest him for aggravated assault. The previous night, he beat his pregnant wife. When Sands fell asleep, Pat Sands escaped their mobile home, leaving their four children inside while a neighbor drove her to the hospital. Kino Hospital reported the assault to the police. As law enforcement arrived at the home, they saw Sands standing in the window and holding a gun. SWAT was called to assist. What seemed like an everyday warrant service turned into a six-day stand-off with hostages, including the Sheriff, being taken hostage. This historic case relied on three specific case laws, which many are unaware of. This presentation discusses those case laws while providing in-depth details of the incident itself. The presenter has reviewed over 700 pages of documents and conducted in-depth, in-person interviews with the primary negotiator, Dr. Kevin Gilmartin, and the coach. Historic photos, articles, and much more are included. A unique case with historical and legal significance, this powerful presentation provides a wealth of information to negotiators.