Crises Negotiations Team
The Crisis Negotiations Team is a group of police employees selected and trained to communicate directly with hostage takers or barricaded subjects in critical incidents. The team includes Police Officers, Dispatchers, and Community Services Officers. Team members are selected by a board of experienced law enforcement professionals and undergo intensive and ongoing training.
The team works closely with the department's SWAT team. A liaison officer maintains constant communication between the two teams, as a resolution of a critical incident is dependent on the smooth interaction between the teams whether resolved by tactical means or by peaceful negotiation.
The Crisis Negotiations Team handles about six call outs a year. Approximately 90% of the incidents involve subjects who have barricaded themselves in a confined area, and intend to harm only themselves or the police. The remaining 10% of critical incidents involve subjects who have taken hostages.
The incidents handled by the Crisis Negotiations Team are always highly charged emotionally, and require an extraordinary amount of patience, self control, perception, and creative problem solving on the part of the negotiators. The team has consistently proven itself a professional, effective, and extremely successful unit of the Chico Police Department