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 use of the newly purchased Direct-Link Crisis Response Phone System. The system provides valuable communication assistance during a hostage or crisis situation and allows our negotiators the ability to communicate with the suspect(s) at a safe distance while monitoring the negotiations. Audio recordings can be made as it takes place to document the incident. The equipment substantially increases the team’s capabilities and the chances for a peaceful resolution to emergency situations.
