Firehouse Subs Public Safety Grants for Lifesaving Equipment

August 17, 2017

Dear Law Enforcement Professionals:

We recently became aware of the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation that provides grant funding on quarterly basis to provide lifesaving equipment to first responders.

Since the Foundation started in 2005, it has granted over $25 million in grants!

Agencies seeking grant funding to purchase a Hostage/Crisis Negotiation Throw Phone System are encouraged to visit the link below to submit an online grant application.

The applica...

The Trump Administration Will Soon Restore the Ability of Police to Seize Suspects’ Money and Property with Federal Help

July 19, 2017

The Trump administration will soon restore the ability of police to seize suspects’ money and property with federal help, but The Associated Press has learned the policy will come with a series of new provisions aimed at preventing the types of abuse that led the Obama Justice Department to severely curtail the practice.

At issue is asset forfeiture, which has been criticized because it allows law enforcement to take possessions without crimina...

New ISIS "Just Terror Tactics" Calls For Hostage Taking

July 6, 2017

The latest issue of ISIS's terror magazine, Rumiyah (issue 9), addresses hostage taking. This is important for crisis and hostage negotiators to read and understand as it presents the potential perspective of a terrorist-subject when the incident involves a hostage standoff situation. 

Unfortunately terrorists have previously taken the approach of taking hostages and murdering people in the past in  Read More

Officers Across Pacific Northwest Participate in Crisis Negotiation Competition News Report

July 6, 2017

This Crisis Negotiation news report was featured on Fox12 Oregon on May 7th, 2017 and shows Negotiators ultizing our Direct-Link Throw Phone equipment as a part of a Hostage/Crisis Negotiation Competition that was hosted by the Western States Association of Hostage Negotiators (WSHNA)

Crisis Negotiation News Report Buffalo NY

July 6, 2017

This is a news report relating to Crisis Negotiations that was featured on WIVB 4 in Buffalo NY on June 29th, 2017. This news report happens to feature our new Tactical Communications Unit - 3 (TCU-3) equipment which is used by Buffalo Police Dept. (NY).

Video Dedicated to the Hillsborough Co. Sheriff's Office (FL) & Crisis Negotiation Teams Everywher

February 20, 2017

This video is dedicated to the Hillsborough Co. Crisis Sheriff's Office (HCSO) Crisis Negotiation Team and Crisis Negotiators everywhere!HCSO’s Crisis Negotiation Team responds to incidents that involve barricaded subjects, with or without hostages, and suicidal subjects. Using highly skilled and trained negotiators, the team strives to resolve incidents as peacefully as is possible, thereby reducing the risk of injury or loss of life for citizens and officers alike. The team work...

NYPD Hostage Negotiation Chief Lt. Jack Cambria Retires After 33 Years

August 31, 2015

All of us at ETGI would like to congratulate Lt. Jack Cambria on his recent retirement from the NYPD and thank him for his 33 years of service.  To learn more about Lt. Cambria, please click the link below.

Montgomery Co. (IN) Direct-Link Throw Phone Press Release

September 17, 2014

The Montgomery County Multi-Jurisdictional SWAT Team trained Monday with a device that could resolve hostage situations with direct communication.

It deployed a throw phone into several situations where a non-compliant subject was barricaded. The phone is durable enough to be tossed into situations. It is attached to wires coming from a mobile SWAT command center.

“It’s vital to have a throw phone because it establishes a direct line of communication,” said Lie...

DHS announces grant guidance for Fiscal Year 2014 Preparedness Grants

March 19, 2014

WASHINGTON—DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson today announced the release of FY 2014 Funding Opportunity Announcements for six DHS preparedness grant programs totaling over $1.6 billion. The homeland security grants assist states, urban areas, tribal and territorial governments and nonprofit organizations, as well as the private sector to strengthen our nation’s ability to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters, and other emergen...

DHS is Training First Responders to Respond to an Active Shooter

November 21, 2013

On November 20, the DHS Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) joined the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, Sacramento Police Department and Sacramento first responder community for a demonstration of the pilot Enhanced Dynamic Geo-Spatial Environment (EDGE) virtual training platform.

Read More

In Memory of Det. Dominick J. Misino (ret.) NYPD

November 7, 2013

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our friend and colleague Dominick J. Misino.

As a detective serving as the primary negotiator of the NYPD’s world renowned Hostage Negotiation Team (HNT), Dominick and his team had responded to and successfully resolved over 200 incidents without losing a single life.

One of the most notable incidents in which Dominick had responded and successfully negotiated was the hijacking of Lufthanasa Flight 592.  In Febr...

Direct-Link Crisis Response Throw Phone Systems to be Represented at MILIPOL 2013 in Paris, France

October 10, 2013

We are pleased to inform that Direct-Link Crisis Response Throw Phone Systems will be represented at the the MILIPOL 2013 Conference being held November 19th through 22nd in Paris, France!

The equipment will be featured at GSSI's Booth #5 S 104 on behalf CSI Expertise Corp.

All current and future Direct-Link System clients attending the conference are encouraged to visit.

The attached file contains information and pictures from the 2011 MILIPOL Conference/Booth.

New New York Association of Hostage Negotiators (NYAHN) Website Developed by ETGI Launched!

January 7, 2020

We are pleased to announce that the redevelopment of the NYAHN website is complete.

NYAHN is the 4th Hostage/Crisis Negotiation Association website we have developed. Other Hostage/Crisis Negotiation Association website's redeveloped by ETGI include: Illinois Crisis Negotiator Association (ICNA), Louisiana Association of Crisis Negotiators (LACN) and the Texas Association of Hostage Negotiators (TAHN). To learn more about ETGI's web development/design services that are specifically cat...

CBS 2 Interview wit h NYPD HNT Commander Lt. Jack Cambria

May 19, 2013

NEW YORK (CBS 2) — NYPD Commanding Officer Lt. Jack Cambria talked about the heroic and often dangerous work of his elite Hostage Negotiation Team, which was profiled by CBS 2’s Maurice DuBois earlier this month.

ETGI Provides Throw Phone Equipment to Help Support Crisis Management Systems Training Course

May 10, 2013

EVANSVILLE, IN (WFIE) -

It's a situation of life and death. A crisis or hostage negotiator gaining the trust of someone who may want to harm others or themselves. Law enforcement are getting professional training.

No bullets, and no serious injuries after deputies and police were called yesterday to a home on Allens Lane.

Officers are training at C.K. Newsome Center for those types of situations.

Crisis Hostage Negotiators are in training, practicing their skills like it's the real thing, bu...

Georgia Hostage-Taker Gave No Signs of Compromise

April 13, 2013

SUWANEE, Ga. (AP) — It's a call that firefighters routinely respond to — a report of a medical emergency.

But when five firefighters answered one in a neighborhood north of Atlanta on Wednesday afternoon, authorities said, they encountered an armed man who demanded that his cable and power be turned back on at the house, which was in foreclosure.

LawOfficer: Georgia Firefighters Held Hostage

The firefighters were held for hours, with one firefighter allowed to leave to move a fire truck. ...

Police learn crisis phone line more difficult than in-person

March 30, 2013

HAMMOND — Trying to get police officers to grasp the nuances between in-person crisis negotiation and crisis negotiation by telephone wasn’t hard for Willie P. Perry, but it was fascinating.

Perry, program coordinator for the Crisis Center of Gary’s crisis and suicide prevention line, watched with pride Thursday afternoon as the Hammond Police Department’s Crisis Negotiation Team officially launched its new program that incorporates the hotline into its training. Once a month, the eight...

Group Honors Washington County (MN) SWAT Hostage Negotiation Team

March 27, 2013

The Washington County SWAT hostage-negotiation team was named Negotiations Team of the Year night during a Special Operations Training Association awards banquet Monday in St. Cloud, according to a release from the Woodbury Public Safety Department.

Washington County Sheriff William Hutton and Crisis Negations Team Cmdr. Lonnie Van Klei nominated the Washington County SWAT negotiation team for for its response to a hostage situation in Woodbury on Aug. 31, 2012.

“The professionalism and de...

Hostage Phone Scams in N.J. Has Police Urging Residents to Beware

February 18, 2013

Police are asking N.J. residents to report any suspicious phone calls after a caller attempted to extort $800 from a Fair Lawn man by claiming to have kidnapped his brother-in-law.

The caller told the man he had his brother-in-law held hostage, and demanded $800 as a ransom. The caller made him stay on the phone as he went to a Chase bank to withdraw the cash.

Authorities said the victim handed notes to a Chase bank teller to alert the police after he left. Fair Lawn Police Sergeant Richard Sc...

Gary McDougal on National Canadian News Broadcast Providing Commentary Regarding the Alabama Hostage Standoff

February 2, 2013

Click on the link below to watch a news interview with Gary McDougal regarding the Alabama Hostage Standoff. Gary is a well known speaker who has provided presentations at several Hostage/Crisis Negotiation Association Training Conferences throughout the country and is a good friend of ETGI.

South Carolina Crisis Negotiation Association in Conjuction with Lexington Co. Sheriff's Dept to Host Free 40 Crisis Negotiation Training Course

January 26, 2013

The South Carolina Crisis Negotiators Association in conjunction with the Lexington City Police Department and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department are proud to announce a 40 hour course of instruction in Hostage and Crisis Negotiations

Course Dates: February 25 through February 29, 2013
Course Location: Lexington Police Department Training Room
Address: 111 Maiden Ln. Lexington, SC 29072

This course is being offered FREE of CHARGE!

Please contact Lt. Scottie Frier via e-mail at sfrie...

News anchor 'regrets' negotiating hostage situation on air

December 16, 2012

SAO PAULO, Brazil — The host of a popular Brazilian crime show has said he regrets negotiating a hostage situation on live TV.

Police had surrounded the home late in November of a knife-wielding man had taken his own mother and sister hostage. They negotiated with the man for more than an hour with little progress made.

Eventually, the man demanded to speak with Jose Luiz Datena, host of "Urgent Brazil." Police, and Datena, agreed.

Datena, who was already on air covering the story, pleaded ...

FBI asking Internet companies for wiretap-friendly back door: report

December 16, 2012

The FBI has been meeting with companies that deal in Internet communications, hoping to convince them to install a back door into their services for wiretapping, reports Declan McCullagh at CNET.

What the FBI is proposing is an amendment to the 1994 Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act, or CALEA, which would require communications platforms like Facebook and Web email programs like Gmail and Yahoo! to build FBI-accessible backdoors into their services.

This doesn't appear to be a ...

ETGI Now Offering EyeBall R1 Sensor Surveillance Systems

January 7, 2020

Enforcement Technology Group, Inc. (ETGI) is pleased to announce that we are now offering EyeBall R1 Sensor Surveillance Systems.

EyeBall™ R1 Sensor Surveillance Systems provide live wireless 360° audio/video data in both indoor and outdoor environments when direct observation is difficult or unsafe to achieve.

EyeBall™ R1 Sensor Surveillance Systems are an excellent surveillance tool for small hazardous and confined spaces, and it can be thrown by hand to reach difficult or dangerous loc...

ETGI Introduces the Concealed Communicator

December 7, 2012

The Concealed Communicator is a new and innovative tool that allows for:

MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS:

• Hostage/Crisis Negotiations: Gives Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT) staff the ability to safely monitor communications an...

Direct-Link System Clients Germantown (TN) Crisis Negotiation Training in the News

November 30, 2012

As soon as patrolman Eric Burrage put on a pair of headphones inside a cramped hostage negotiation command-center trailer in Germantown on Thursday, the drill looked like a scene from the movies and started to feel like one of the real-life situations officers deal with several times a year in this city.

An officer playing the role of a suspect holding his wife and children hostage inside of a car at Cameron Brown Park told Burrage the only way he would let his wife leave him was in a body bag....

Direct-Link System Testimonial from 4-hour Stand-Off with Hurricane Winds & Driving Rain

January 7, 2020

This testimonial was recently provided to us by our of Direct-Link 007 Series System clients.

For privacy reasons, the name of the agency and the officer who had provided this testimonial has been removed.

"I wanted to share with you that we deployed the Direct Link yesterday on a 4 hour stand off with and armed man that barricaded himself in a house. We had practiced with it only twice. We were very happy with its performance in near hurricane winds and driving rain. Wow what a long day, b...

Brookfield Square Mall Shooting: Incident Reported Near Wisconsin Mall

October 21, 2012

A mass shooting occurred on Sunday near a mall in Wisconsin, WISN 12 News reports.

The incident took place near Brookfield Square Mall in Brookfield, Wis.
The AP confirms that the shooting took place. A hospital spokeswoman told CNN that at least seven people have been shot. According to the AP, four people have been brought to the hospital will non-life threatening injuries. Three more patients are expected at the hospital soon.

No fatalities have been reported.

CNN reports that the shooting...

Michigan Standoff After Cop Killed Answering Possible Suicide Call

September 30, 2012

A Michigan police officer who believed he was responding to a possible suicide was killed when a gunman began shooting through a locked bedroom door, beginning a lengthy and ongoing shoot out with police.

SWAT teams have assembled outside the home in West Bloomfield Township, Mich., and neighbors have been evacuated as helicopters fly overhead.

Police have sent robots towards the home, but the gunman has opened fire on the machines, police said.

Authorities said they believe the suspect is a...

Man shot during police standoff in Charles Town

September 30, 2012

CHARLES TOWN - A man allegedly armed with a gun who threatened police was shot during a standoff Sunday in Charles Town after he barricaded himself inside a residence and refused to come out.

Authorities said the male suspect was taken to the hospital following the police-involved shooting, but were unable to confirm his condition as of 6 p.m. Sunday. The standoff began at about 2:27 p.m. at a residence in the 800 block of East Washington Street near Jefferson Avenue.

"We were called here. An ...

Suspect in RadioShack standoff talks with FOX31 Denver

September 30, 2012

DENVER — Just a day after holding police in a six-hour standoff inside a Denver Radio Shack, 19-year-old Taveuan Williams is confused how an ordinary Friday could turn into a life sentence.

“Hopefully I’ll be able to see daylight again and ill be able to see my little girl,” said Williams in an interview with FOX31 Denver’s Mark Meredith inside the Denver city detention center.

Williams and a friend, 25-year-old Michael Annan, are being held on a $200,000 bond after investigators cap...

Pittsburgh police plan new social media training for hostage situations, other crimes

September 30, 2012

Pittsburgh police plan to train their officers to be fluent in social media, joining other departments nationwide, days after a man armed with a hammer and kitchen knife used a hostage's computer to post Facebook messages lamenting his troubles.

The case of Klein Michael Thaxton, who is accused of picking a hostage at random in a downtown office tower and then kept authorities at bay for hours before surrendering and releasing the hostage, was a first for the Pittsburgh department.

There is so...

Arrested After SWAT Standoff In A Sequined Mini-Dress

September 30, 2012

In a black-sequined, orange fur-trimmed mini-dress, David Charles Baker certainly presented an arresting vision.

Salt Lake City Police arrived at Baker's home on Sunday afternoon after receiving a report that Baker may have left an explosive in his friend's driveway, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.

A four-hour standoff ensued when Baker, 47, barricaded himself inside his house, according to KSL. He was arrested at around 6:30 pm, after SWAT officers used a tactical vehicle to break through his...

Facebook Plays Role in Hostage Negotiation

September 30, 2012

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- An armed man who took a hostage inside a downtown Pittsburgh office building has surrendered to police.

Police Chief Nate Harper says the suspect gave himself up after posting Facebook updates in the early hours of the standoff saying he had "lost everything." Harper says the hostage is OK.

Police identified the hostage-taker as Klein Michael Thaxton. Harper had said Thaxton had a military background and was suicidal.
The standoff began Friday morning inside the 16th-floor o...

Blaine Co. Sheriff's (ID) Crisis Negotiations Team/Direct-Link Throw Phone System Press Release

September 28, 2012

The Blaine County Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team (S.E.R.T.) recently held an intensive four day 40 hour hostage negotiation training on U.S. Forest Service land to deploy newly acquired hostage negotiation equipment purchased with the help of Bureau of Homeland Security funding. The POST certified training held north of Fairfield September 9-12, 2012, included land navigation skills, containment and concealment proficiency and dynamic entry training, but focused on the familiarization and u...

Cops Raid Illinois Home Where Teen Was Held Captive for Three Years

August 29, 2012

In a dramatic nighttime raid, police stormed the Illinois home of a man accused of holding a teenager captive for three years, raping her, and impregnating her, law enforcement officials said.

Washington Park police, assisted by SWAT teams from neighboring counties stormed the home Thursday evening, arresting a 25-year-old man and his mother, officials from two counties confirmed.

CNT Team Equipped with Direct-Link System Featured on Local News

August 29, 2012

Channel 3 News at 10 segment featuring Dane Co. (WI) Sheriff's Office Hostage/Crisis Negotiators. We are proud to inform that the Dane Co. Sheriff's Office is equipped with a Direct-Link 007 Series Crisis Response System and other Crisis Response Technologies manufactured by ETGI.

Please click the link below to see the video on Youtube.

A downloadable version of the news segment is also available in the "Media Center."