Hostage Negotiation Team

Responding to Crisis

The Hostage Negotiations Team of the Lima Police Department was reorganized in 1990. The mission of the Hostage Negotiations team is to defuse potentially life threatening situations through the use of proven verbal crisis management techniques.

The Hostage Negotiations Team responds to incidents involving suicidal, armed/barricaded and hostage holding individuals. In addition, their duties include not only negotiations but also establishing communication links, background information, and conducting witness debriefings. The Hostage Negotiations Team works in partnership with the S.W.A.T. Team who provide the tactical protection and response necessary to allow the negotiation process to occur.

Unit Members

The Hostage Negotiations Team is made up of highly trained men and women who have all completed a Negotiations course prior to being placed on the team. The team members train monthly and they receive extensive training in negotiation techniques and communication skills. Their main goal is to defuse a situation and prevent hostile and/or deadly actions from escalating.

The Hostage Negotiations Team is an on-call unit and all team members have regular duty assignments. The men and women who make up the Hostage Negotiations Team have proven to be dedicated and hard working officers on the Lima Police Department. They are committed to ensuring a peaceful resolution to a crisis situation.